The group ponders the dire situation in which they've found themselves. Is Random really dead? Could the dead body be a clone?
Attendees of Benedict's Family Meeting in 2 days
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Jericho informs Eric of the family meeting. His father will make sure to attend and remind his dear siblings who the real leader is. While he has no intention of killing anyone, Eric seems confident this vote is a tiny obstacle, easy to overcome. He asks if his son can procure the Jewel of Judgment, which would assist in expediting the process. Jericho seeks out Silas for assistance. They meet in a safe room to thwart spying.
Vialle ensured that Elodie received a copy of the research conducted into Random's death. In summary, he was shot at long range with a modified gun like Corwin's. The culprit appeared to be a wrong-handed inhuman clone of Caine. Notes also indicate that Martin was unable to find his father out in shadow, in case the victim was not actually him.
Having been fooled by Caine in the past, the main question now is whether or not the victim is really Random. Elodie ponders how to address this. She does a trump card reading and feels a sense of impending doom. Reviewing Random's journal, she notices the entries end 3 days before his death. He sensed he was in danger even then. Curious…
Natasha helps maintain order back at the castle. As a precaution, Silas has all mirrors and reflective surfaces removed. He alerts the guards to this danger and makes sure to personally warn Flora. After thanking him, she presses him for his position on the vote. He tries to skirt the issue, but she is insistent.
On the balcony overlooking the main hall, Isabelle captures the frantic scene of visitors bustling about. As she paints, Rhanda sneaks up from behind. She is concerned about all the mirrors being removed. Her people can't look after Isabelle and the family without the mirrors. Isabelle appreciates their help and says she will talk to Silas about putting a few mirrors back, despite remembering that dark feeling emanating from them in the past.
Gerhardt studies the poison arrow that hit Eric in Rebma. The poison seems to be some sort of death curse. It will take a fairly significant power source to conduct further research.
Trying to get into Random's room, Silas attempts to reach into undershadow and open the door from there. His attempt is unsuccessful. He seeks out Elodie for help, and together they return to Vialle. He notices the secret passage exit in the corner of the room. They discuss Random's strange behaviors in his last few days, including checking out a trump deck from the library two days before his death. They remove his personal trump deck from his desk and look for anything suspicious. Two interesting cards are Taltos and an unknown person who looks like a sorcerer of some sort.
What is the plan Silas and Elodie hatch? Something about walking the pattern.
In helping Jericho conduct a private trump call with his father, Isabelle senses that Caine is spying on them, and now he knows that she knows. She manages to block him from the conversation, but he gleans that she and Jericho have some sort of supernatural bond.
Eric notices Isabelle on the call and says hello. "Don't mind me," she says and ducks out of view. Jericho tells him that Benedict has the Jewel of Judgment. They strategize further. Eric still seems calm and composed, not troubled in the least.
Thinking Llewella to be skilled in the art of curses, Gerhardt seeks out her assistance. She says she can help, but she will need the jewel. He is not comfortable with this idea. They continue to negotiate.
Back in the privacy of his own quarters, Silas trumps Taltos, who has not spoken to Random in about 50 years. He had no idea about the assassination. After they finish talking, Silas uses the other trump card. The stranger answers, and after a minute or so, Silas just starts rambling off all the details about Random's death. Elodie blocks the card and ends the contact.
Silas receives a trump call and feels compelled to answer. It is the stranger again. The two speak again, this time more cordially. The man introduces himself as Mokainen. He says he will need fresh blood from a relative one-removed. Silas agrees to assist.
Torn between the truth about Random and loyalty to his father, Jericho decides he must pursue the former before he can fully invest in the latter. He walks the pattern, struggling his way towards answers at the center. Upon arriving, he asks to go to Random's killer. Nothing happens. Take him to Random? That's odd.
Floating in a sea of nothingness, Jericho is bewildered. "Hello?" Silence. He tries to feel his own legs, arms, anything… Nothing! What happened? Isabelle asks where he is and what's going on. They can't come to any understanding of the situation, so Isabelle goes to the pattern that he walked. In the middle of the pattern lies the lifeless body of Jericho.
From the void, Jericho uses Logrus to reach out and find Random. The effort is intense, but he reaches Random! The psychic migraine will take some time to wear off. Random describes as best he can remember what led to him ending up here. A little girl came to him in a dream and led him away from the castle, walking on air. Now, how to escape this dream state? Jericho has a body, but does Random? Is it safe to wake someone with a dead or missing body?
In an inspired moment, Isabelle suggests bringing Random into a trump card. Someone has noticed there are "two of them in there". They've got to move now! Isabelle pulls her trick and thwoomp! Jericho snaps back into his body… and so does Random. "You know this is probably better than what I meant to do anyway," Isabelle muses.
Already in the middle of the pattern, Jericho and Random decide to go the Random's body. Suddenly they see walls adorned with wires and tubes running to cloning chambers. Twenty Benedicts glare at them from about fifty feet away. Random's body is in the chamber right in front of them. Smash and grab time! Jericho cuts the body out and just as the Benedicts close in, Isabelle snatches them back to the Pattern room.
Everyone gathers in Silas' private quarters to discuss the matters at hand. Random enthusiastically hugs Elodie while in Jericho's body, before explaining that he's there. Isabelle psychically bridges Jericho and Random's bodies, allowing Random's mind to return. There are about seven hours left before the family meeting, so Random decides he will go to a fast-time shadow to recover strength and morale, and that someone should bring him back 10 minutes before the meeting. Elodie and Jericho go with Random. Silas and Isabelle are tasked with watching and listening for anyone suspecting his return. Gerhardt will look for clues as to the whereabouts of the cloning chamber.
Random leads the way into a "chrome-punk" looking shadow. The locals notice Elodie's wings, but they don't seem to be phased by them. The trio spend several days on a whirlwind tour of drinking, fighting and jamming. Jericho enjoys participating in Random's fight club. Boy, he is a scrappy fellow and a pretty bad-ass drummer.
Back in Amber, Silas talks to Martin about that blood request from Mokainen. Martin is annoyed with yet another request for his blood. He continues his quest to become totally hammered. They might need to wait for his blood alcohol level to go down before it is even useful.
Eric arrives and seeks out Isabelle and asks if she's heard from Jericho, as he hasn't been able to reach him by trump. As the meeting nears, Isabelle and Silas get the impression that Eric is gathering more support.
Gerhardt talks to Benedict about Llewella and her efforts to treat Eric's curse, and the need for the Jewel of Judgment to do it. They will, however, need to wait until after the meeting. "You seem pensive," Benedict mentions. "I'm not sure this is the time to talk about it," responds Gerhardt. They end up talking about Osric and the possible threat of a clone army barging in during the meeting.
The time has arrived to call Random. Silas reminds Elodie that it is time. He is royally pissed that he has to leave. He is rocking his socks off! The trio arrives at the castle and Random grudgingly assumes the appropriate look for his job. He asks Elodie to rush and warn Vialle before he enters. The rest of the group surrounds him as he enters the meeting room.
Upon entering, there is a lot of discussion. Finally, the consensus is that Random will have to walk the pattern. The meeting is adjourned as the Triumvirate and those who insist go to the Pattern room. Jericho keeps an eye on Eric, who is pissed and doesn't seem swayed by the return of the king. In the Pattern room, everyone seems satisfied by Random's successful attempt to walk the Pattern.
Reconvening in the throne room, Eric challenges Random for the right to the throne. Random asks Natasha to be his second, and Eric asks Jericho to be his. The gauntlet has been thrown.