Owain of Mandorways

While on one of your regular sojourns into shadow to study the transitions that the laws of physics undergo from shadow to shadow, you feel the light touch to the back of your mind that usually precedes trump contact. Before you can respond however, the feeling is gone. After a moment of confusion you go back to your business. A short time later you feel another 'blip' that passes before you can answer. This time the confusion is slower to pass, but you eventually return to your studies.

That night while you are asleep, your mother suddenly explodes into your mind forcing you awake.
"Owain, where are you and what are you doing? King Random has been trying to reach you for the last three weeks."

Owain makes a small wordless sound as he contemplates his mothers message and begins to rise, "I am in the middle of some research." He then seems to speak more to himself, "must be a factor of the different time flow." He then addresses Fionna again, "And how long did it take you to contact me mother?"

"I was able to make the corrections in time flow relatively quickly, but time was still lost. Random wants us back now. We'll have to ride some distance in shadow and then trump in once we reach a more.... stable shadow. I will never understand how you get yourself into these types of situations. Bring me through."
You make contact with you mothers outstretched hand and bring her across the trump bridge to stand next to you.

"Curiosity, mother. In either case do you have any notion as to what Random wants of me? It sounds quite urgent." Owain grabs a few items as he readys for the two to depart and ride.

It's nothing more than another of his hunts for more of your cousins. He feels that one has been found in the city and that it's time to test him. He wants all of present to make sure that we are all on the same page, so that if we run across one another in shadow we can extend all of the rights and privileges due another of our family.

Owain begins to alter shadow in an attempt to begin an approach towards Amber. He starts by stabilizing any of the oddly fluctuating features of the area, the weather, the ground, the sky and any flaura or fauna visible. Once things are visibly stable he starts working on the sky, gradually shifting the color until it beings to resemble Ambers in an attempt to alter the less visible properties of the region of shadow. "Sounds rather dull to be honest, but if we must, we must. Any notion as to whose he is?"

Only that he has red hair making him a truer cousin of yours than most. As to whether he is Brand's or Bleys's I have no clue. That should be good enough stop shifting."
As you release your hold over shadow stuffs your mother closes her eyes and begins to focus. The air begins to shimmer as a doorway appears before the two of you showing your chambers in castle Amber on the other side.
"I'll see you at dinner." Fiona tells you as you step through into your room.

Owain takes a quick survey of his room, and dons something unobtrusive but appropriate for dinner. He then discretely heads down to the library to see if he can liberate a deck of trumps.

As you enter the library, a soft voice comes from within.
"Owain, it has been a while since your mother brought you here. I'm glad that you came have a seat."
You come into the main sitting area and Vaille the queen is motioning toward a finely upholstered chair next to her.

Owain bows slightly before taking the offered seat, "Of course your majesty. I sometimes think mother would prefer if I spent a bit more time here in Amber studying theory, rather then engaging in so much fieldwork. I do find my research takes me rather far afield. Tell me what is new and exciting in here in Amber?" He subtly gives the room a quick visual scan to see if there are any extra decks in the library.

"Oh there has been some small excitement over this new cousin of yours, but other than that most of what I could tell you would only be of local gossip. Tell me, what have you been studying off in shadow and what brings you to the library before a state dinner?"

"I've been looking into different aspects of how movement thorough shadow warps the physical laws of a place. This tends to take me off the beaten path as it were, hence the difficulty in Random's attempts to reach me. I had hoped for a quiet moment in which to gather my thoughts, thought I must admit finding you here was a pleasant surprise." Owain continues glancing about, "To be perfectly honest I was also hoping to locate an additional set of the trumps. I seem to be lacking mine."

"That is a truly remarkable line of research, especially for one so young. I want to hear more about all of it when we have more time. Dinner will be starting soon and we need to head for the dinning room. Regarding the trumps, there should be a set of Dworkin's old work in the case by the door, or you could talk to Caine after diner he has made some truly beautiful trump that show the family in a more... recent state."

The two of you move through the halls of the castle in silence finally arriving at the dinning hall where everyone is milling about figuring out where they're going to sit.

Owain escorts Vialle to her usual place more out of manners than any belief she needs assistance. He glances about to take stock of who is here and who is not as well as who is grouped together. He turns to Vialle, "Majesty, I believe it would be best for me to find a seat. Thank you for your counsel. I hope we have the chance to speak again soon." He gives s small bow and moves to find a seat.

Random stands at the head of the table and announces that dinner is ready to begin and that everyone should find a seat.

Owain looks for a seat near Caine, but not immediately next to him. If there is a seat that is within a reasonable listening speaking distance of Fiona AND Caine, that is his preference.

There does in fact exist such a seat and you take it.

Owain will start by listening in to the other conversations and then will begin to make idle chit chat to see what he can find out about the situation in Amber and any other scheming that might be going on.

As the meal carries on you hear whisperings of some vague trouble that the two of them have been running into out in shadow. It is difficult to make out every word of the conversation but you can tell that it has something to do with the trumps and proximity to the primal pattern.

Random stands at the head of the table.
"I'm sure that many of you had to travel some distance to be here tonight. To you I offer my sincerest apologies. Joining us tonight is a young man from about town named Juki. He has displayed many feats of strength and stamina about town lately and I believe him to be of our blood. Before proceeding I would like to offer an opportunity to all present. If the boy seated next to me is yours or if you are familiar with his mother speak now and we may all go about our business after the meal is over"
The room grows silent as family members look around wondering if on of the others will rise to claim the boy. None do.
"If he belongs to non of you here tonight then we are left with only one recourse. This evening, after we have enjoyed this lovely meal, we shall all descend the stairs and Juki will attempt to navigate the Pattern."

Owain pauses a for a bit after the end of Random's speech. He waits for an opportune moment then attempts to strike up a conversation with Caine, "Uncle, it is good to see you are well. I have heard a bit of the strange behavior of the trumps lately and experienced it myself when mother tried to contact me. Should be an interesting subject for a bit of research. I don't suppose you have any theories regarding its source?"

I have done some research on my own into this phenomenon. Unfortunately, I haven't found anything of real value.

As dinner winds down to a close, Random stands at the head of the table straightening his clothes. “I know that we are all excited to meet our new nephew/cousin, but it is time to head downstairs and put young Juki to the test.”
With a few mutterings and murmurings, everyone gathers at the door to the dining room and sets off down the halls of the ancient castle. As you wind down the halls and pass by chambers the air and mood of the group becomes solemn and tense. Julian and Fiona make occasional statements about items hanging on walls or tell stories about events that happened in various rooms. Finally the procession reaches the top of a tall staircase, the bottom so far down that you can’t see it form the top.
The journey down creates a new definition of the word silence. As each floor passes the temperature drops and it becomes darker and darker. After what feels like an eternity, you all reach the bottom and grab lanterns that hang on hooks before moving down an ominous hallway. A feeling begins to creep into your bones. Power, you realize, true power lies in these dungeons.
Random stops and opens the door to a chamber that has an eerie blue light shimmering under it. “Juki, I will tell you what we were all told at one point. In this room lies the pattern. It is the source of our families strengths and once you have transversed it you will gain dominion over the shadow realms, and we will know once and for all that you are of our blood, for those not descended from our line may not set foot upon it without being destroyed. The task will challenge you physically and mentally, breaking you down and rebuilding you in the pattern’s image. Of all the advice that I have heard given over the years there is only one piece that is truly vital: Keep walking. Now, step forward and claim your birthright.”

Owain watches Jukis progress with interest at the same time contemplating whether or not to ask Caine about a set of trumps after all this is over.