Cailin was talking with Caine, just having ordered a fruit wine. Caine hands him a travel-sized bottle. It smells alcoholic. Cailin wets his tongue with it. It tastes like a combination of desert wind and deep, deep water. They discuss alcohol and court.
Cailin - "I meant to ask... who's the lady
on the floor?"
Caine - "She thinks she's queen."
Caine - "... the dead one over there also thinks that she's queen"
They discuss life, death, and heredity.
Cailin - "Where I come from, death is a
bit more permanent."
Caine - "Up until a little while ago, it
was that way here, too"
Cailin - "How long is a little while ago?"
Caine - "A couple of weeks."
Cailin - "Any particular events associated
with this?"
Caine - "Yeah... people who have been
hanging around with me tend to keep moving around after they're dead."
Cailin has more wine. The numbness keeps spreading. Caine tells Cailin that court should have been over some time ago, but that lady over there fell down. Those people around here are trying to fix here, but he was explicitly uninvited from helping by that one, he says, pointing to Cassandra.
Cailin wanders over towards Tate, Tessa, Random, and company. Tate is still talking with Martin; Tessa is still talking with Random.
Jean is spreading really well.
There is a small delegation of people on the road shouting down at the horde of Jean-demons, asking the demons to bring them to Ilk. Ilk casts a bug near them, and generates a holographic image through the bug. The three of them bow to Ilkandacian's image as members of a house to the head of a higher house. Ilk returns the bow, granting them more status than they gave themselves.
First - "Ilk!"
Second - "Savior of Chaos!"
Third - "We have noticed your efforts in seeding the demons with this
disease you have come up with that has pacified them."
Ilk's image raises an eyebrow.
Third - "Shall we help you in its spreading?"
They mention that the demons are spreading through the ways into the Black Zone, and that the disease is not following them closely. Ilk starts pushing mattress Jeans into the Black Zone, thanks the three for the information, and reassures them that he has the situation under control and does not need their assistance.
The three thank Ilk, and tell him that they will return to their houses to tell them that he has everything under control. They Logrus-pull off. Ilk sighs resignedly and traces them. Two went to minor houses, and one went to Arantantic.
The Jean-inhabited demons are starting to toss around brainless demons over their heads.
Jean finds some places in the Black Zone that are inimical to his existence. The atmosphere reacts explosively to the acid on his mattress bodies. He starts being careful after a few of him die. The flying saucer is flying low and slow, and loading up with mattress Jeans.
Celeste is freaking out in a conversational tone of voice. Celeste is not loud, she's at a tired level of frustrated. Osric approaches and mentions his idea for a probe of his power into the white cloud. Celeste advises Osric to wait until the queen recovers; Cassandra supports her position. Osric and Cassandra debate the issue. Ilk fills Osric in on the activity that occurred during his absence.
The Suhuys are chatting. Ilk asks Suhuy if he would like to invite Dworkin in to examine the Pattern for contamination. The Suhuys start discussing the relative insanity of Dworkins across realities. Ilk goes to sleep, after placing wards around himself to awaken him.
Tessa tries to use the Logrus to find her mother. Ilk notices a very messy sign of the Logrus appear over a member of his house, politely excuses himself from the group clustered around Clarissa, and walks off towards Tessa. Cailin has just arrived, and sees Tessa unfocus. He taps Tate. "Mind telling me what she's doing?" Tate concentrates. "Ouch. It's Logrus." "Mind introducing me to the Logrus?" "Yes. But Ilk could." Tate points to the approaching Ilkandacian.
Ilk advises Tessa to not use the Logrus in Amber, and starts explaining. Tessa starts throwing a temper tantrum, demanding to see her mother, now. Ilk sighs. Flora cruises over to "help". She encourages Ilk to throw a party for Tessa. Ilk is much annoyed, and imports a few thousand demon Jeans to the foot of Kolvir and a few dozen demon Jeans into the room to distract Flora. All of the demons in the room look at Flora and say, "Hi, Mom."
Flora tells Jean to help him design an appropriate dress for Tessa. Tessa, Jean, and Flora discuss fashion. Ilk and Cailin take advantage of the situation to drift away.
Upon seeing the demon Jeans appear and greet Flora, Neville writes "It appears that Amber is responsible for the demons. PS - don't touch the knife." on a note and sends it through his back door. A note comes back, "Cultivate. Ally." "Already allies with Cara." "Duck. Cover. Reinforcements?" "Standby." "Will do."
One of the Jeans climbs the tree and talks with Augral. Augral tells Jean how to view a single object from multiple points of view.
Flora tells Jean "Since you're at the foot of Arden, you might as well clean up the bugs." Jean finds the bugs to be kind of tasty and crunchy.
Ilk starts introducing Cailin around. He starts with Jean. As he points to Logrus Jean, Dworkin starts walking over. Dworkin declares that nobody is allowed to have a sillier hat than his, and changes Cailin's hat to make it silly. Ilk introduces Dworkin to Cailin. Dworkin claims to know who Ilk is, starts leafing through a book, gestures to a page, and declares Ilkandacian to be "The One". Dworkin declares that Cailin is broken, and "fixes" him, presumably making him oriented to this reality. Dworkin tosses Jean a grape.
Ilk tries to escape with Cailin. Dworkin looks at Ilk and offers to fix him as well. Ilk parries by telling Dworkin that his brother, Suhuy, might prefer to do that himself. Dworkin exhibits a "stuffy" of Suhuy and complains that it is wearing out. Ilk tells Dworkin that Suhuy is at the Primal place. Dworkin grabs Logrus Jean, takes two steps, and they are both gone.
Ilk explains Reality and the history thereof, the short form, to Cailin.
Ilk, Cailin, and Tate talk about Old Lord avoidance. Cailin conjures a chair. He finds it easier than the last chair that he conjured here. Cailin checks out himself. He notices that his sorcerer's aura is much stronger now. Ilk notices Cailin flexing his magical muscles.
Ilk points out the relevant people in the room. Cailin doesn't want an introduction to any of them. They discuss power and the use thereof.
Logrus Jean appears at the Primal Pattern with Dworkin. He cannot see the Suhuy ghost.
Dworkin - "What have you been doing to
my plaything?"
Suhuy - "Just talking."
Dworkin - "It's smokey. Who's been
smoking? And who is the smokey guy?"
Suhuy - "Oh, it's Suhuy, of course."
Dworkin - "Where is Wixer?"
Suhuy - "Wixer's dead."
Dworkin - "Wixer's dead?"
Suhuy - "Wixer's dead."
Dworkin - "Can I have a new Wixer?"
Suhuy - "Yes, you can have a new
Wixer. What shape Wixer do you want this time?"
Dworkin - "Hey apprentice - what shape
Wixer should I get this time?"
All over Chaos, all of the demons are scratching their chins and contemplating shapes. Except for the few around Helgram, who are still trying to be demonish.
Jean - "A stone centipede-centaur with
stumpy legs and tentacles."
Suhuy - "Only from an apprentice... an
apprentice! Ilkandacian! Ilk can provide a
new Wixer!"
"... and that's all well and good, but who's been smoking?" Dworkin turns to Ilk, and asks, "Have you been walking on my Pattern?" "I try to avoid walking on Patterns." Dworkin pulls out a gold star and sticks it on Ilk's forehead. Dworkin turns to Suhuy and says, "Have you been walking on my Pattern?" "No, brother, I haven't been walking on your Pattern." Dworkin sticks a gold star on Suhuy's forehead, and turns towards the Suhuy ghost. However, Dworkin has problems getting a gold star to stick on the Suhuy ghost's forehead.
The juggling balls are getting hungry and squealing annoyingly. Ilk conjures a steak and tosses it to Jean. Jean starts feeding the juggling balls.
"Somebody's been walking on my Pattern... who was it?" The Suhuys look at each other and shrug their shoulders almost simultaneously, and look at Ilk. Ilk shrugs.
"Well, I'm going to walk it and find out!" Dworkin stomps off and starts walking his Pattern.
Jean - "Hey Dworkin?"
Dworkin - "What?"
Jean - "Should I follow you or just wait
here?"
Dworkin - "Do you know who walked my
Pattern?"
Jean - "No."
Dworkin - "Then if you are walking my
Pattern at the same time, you'll distract me. Stay put!"
Dworkin starts shapeshifting on the Pattern. Ilk becomes worried. The Suhuys get into a conversation about shapes and noncorporality.
The Suhuys look at Ilk. "Crossbow." Ilk conjures a crossbow. "No, we need to make you the bolt." Ilk hands his relevant items to Jean folded up into a brown paper wrapping, asks him to ensure that they end up with an Ilk, and shifts into a large crossbow bolt. The Suhuys advise Ilk on the details. Suhuy shifts into a ballista.
The noncorporeal Suhuy walks over to Jean and scritches the juggling balls. They stop for a moment and purr.