Knowing and Well

20th Oct 2019

K.A.W: Session 04 - 'A Serve of Violence'

Corinthia Corin wasn’t good at hiding. A cleftyck should be somewhat good at it, due to racial tendency but not Corinthia. This extended to his not being able to hide his irritation.     “A perfectly serviceable plan ruined: Bribes paid... Soldiers ‘unaware’... Systems temporarily discombobulated... All for nought.”   Osric spoke, “Nought —“   “Don’t quote my words back at me, man.”   “No, I was going to say, ‘Not’ possible to rearrange things and make another attempt? If it’s as good an idea as you made it out to be, it should be worth trying again?”   Corinthia tried to subvert his anger in what he’d heard. He pulled at the ends of his already straight hair. This calmed him most times.   “It could be re-arranged. It would be doubly difficult to do. Twice the expense. Longer to get our investment returned, you see? In the interval, perhaps we are discovered? Lose the machine and are out of pocket. A mere setback to some of us only putting in effort. For other’s here, a tremendous loss. I value your lives but I would still say —“     Whatever Corinthia was going to ‘say’ remained unsaid. From within the room’s closet, music could be heard. It had grown more distinct interrupting Corinthia. He listened to a few lines.  

      He might have listened to more but the music halted prematurely. Corinthia ignored Osric, looking at Absolom Grey. “This newfound associate of yours, the assassin. He really should learn another hobby. Whoever heard of a hired killer playing themes? How the devil is he going to sneak up on a target with a massed band blaring away?”   The closet door opened and a man emerged. His overall appearance was uncared for. Someone might say he’d ‘tidy up’ well enough but his own appearance was clearly not something he paid a gray deal of attention to. Several days’ growth bloomed shadow from his cheeks. His dark hair was slightly matted. His eyes were less than perfectly clear.   "Corinthia, you wouldn’t mind leaving here now? Good veer."   The newcomer turned his gaze to Absolom.   “Grey, I’ve just about completed your song. It will serve you as Colour might have before. That is to say, inadequately.”   Absolom Grey might have responded but he wasn’t sure what to say either in protest or thanks. The bard’s ‘gift’ had not been asked for but, given his ordinary attempts at singing, might have been expected.   The newcomer continued by turning his attention to Osric. “How are you feeling? The spyglass has turned its sights on you once more, no? Are you tired of it yet? Perhaps not. Things, even those made by willful hands, become valued treasures to those that possess them. Just be sure that it does not possess you, eh?”   Osric’s reply was curt.   The bard offered, “I understand. The ‘glass is too important to you to put aside. Too fine a thing by far to lose... Keep it. Be careful that it does not show you so much that you lose the ability to use your other senses. I’m partial to sound over sight. I note that this ‘glass managed to make you less than interested in the best attempts at singing that Grey here could voice?   Osric knew the ‘singing’ the bard was referring to, as Absolom had been uttering phrases and humming snatches of a tune while they had been on the Black Plane. Osric appreciated music like most did. It wasn’t something he put high on his list of valued things.     “I can see on your face that you that you deliberate, Osric. Don’t bother feeling like you’re missing out or that you’ve discovered that Song must be added to your list of wants. Some things are not meant for some people. Your blood doesn’t have much music in it. Your family sought other means to make Order from Chaos, eh? The Great Pattern of Amber had no music about it and therefore you don’t either.   You have had one of your opportunities taken up by this ‘glass’s amble in Blackness. Only one left, as I understand you. I will try to help make sure you don’t waste it.”   Osric wasn’t sure whether this unasked for offer was a good thing or not. He certainly had no idea what the bard was referring to in talking about when he mentioned 'opportunities'. His next thoughts were not to be. A loud, electric voice penetrated the apartment.   "Attention! Residents of this section will step outside with their hands on their heads. You have thirty seconds to be outside. Failure to leave your building will mean you resisted House Dread" A mechanical voice continued ... '30, 29, 28, 27' ...

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13th Oct 2019

K.A.W.: Session 03 - 'Whiskey, Whiskers and When'

It is evening. A day's work has proved to be productive. Osric has made a first 'gramaphone'. Now that he's made one, perfecting the steps should mean two or three of the devices a day might be made, as long as the high-grade flect-fibre from WX and Scrutibix continues to appear at his door.     The next delivery arrives at the specified time: 22:30 DAT. Erdimaon opens the door to find the same delivery boy who brought the first drop-off, clutching his sides, gasping for breath. The boy manages a wheezy, "Made it. That'll show Scute he can trust --". Osric's amusement at the boy's eagerness to make the delivery time fades as the boy collapses, comatose. There is a faint smell of liniment that hangs around the boy's still body. Osric finds it odd that an obviously fit, young boy should collapse. Odder still youngsters don't often need ointments. Whoever was last in contact with the afflicted child, may well smell the same way. . .

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7th Oct 2019

K.A.W: Session 02 -- 'Fractured Views and Cracked Worlds'

House Saga ships approach the '39's' position.     It will take extreme piloting skill to evade them -- assuming there aren't more ships converging on the location. Is there another way to make good a less. Supremacy controlled landfall?   At the pilot's console, Osric detects a debris field on the console's read-out that might be an answer. This is a Cracked World -- the 'Samhain Belt'. Whatever industrial efforts go on there, there would be ample chance to disappear. It might be simplest but this is not a school test, there are always more than one answer to such a question. Further examination of the '39's' still basic telemetry database shows a normal world only slightly further away. Some early success in piloting might take them to its surface?     Selidor's attempts to gain more from the ship's database succeed. While only a small amount of information is available, what there is reveals a world of wilderness and low levels of technology, the world is called 'Pan' by the Galacticyclopaedia and is a place with normal levels of Racial activity. A strange anomaly means that the world has a large number of a fourth group of Racial types known collectively as the 'Gnome'. Brutal and violent, the gnome are salvaged somewhat with a superior skill of carving and refining these creations into living things; essentially a race of enlyveners! These aren't a true fourth race but seem to have established themselves as such on Pan, in relationships shared with Humanity, Veer and Vastness.     It remains to the '39's' crew to decide how they will try to lose the Crimson Order's vessels . . .

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29th Sep 2019

K A W: Session 01 -- Opening Sentences

Spanspace is empty only to those not equipped to discern the complex structures that imbue it. Osric and Selidor of Nova Amber make plans to embark on the hazardous journey behind the shielding of the UDA Canticle. The Dark Aegis holds many ways to deter would-be arrivals. Will their means of travel be able to breach the boundary?

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