The Real and Honest Truth: Session Five As Alex sneaks out to find the pattern, he completely fails to notice that Driscoll is following him. Tired of eating alone, Felix tails Driscoll, who either doesn't know or doesn't care. In either event, just as the guards are asking Alex where in the hell his keepers are, Felix (one of the negligent buggers in question) shows up wondering how Driscoll managed to disappear. With superb showmanship, if not extreme wisdom, Driscoll chooses that moment to arrive and announce that everything was perfectly in order it's just that the Chaos-scum wants to look at the Pattern. ("Oh! Awright then. Carry on.") The guards cleverly allow this to occur on the condition that Felix accompanies them (Alex and Driscoll) so that when they (the guards) return with backup he (Felix) will be an accessory to whatever they think (believe) they're doing. That settled, everyone goes about their respective business none the wiser that Driscoll's pet dragon has gone missing. (Doooh!) Alex helps Driscoll try to lock Felix out of the Pattern Room not yet knowing that being alone in a room with Driscoll and the Pattern is a patently bad thing for a Chaosite to be doing. When this fails ("Oops! Heh, heh. Didn't see you there, buddy..."), they let Felix in and then lock the door, which only slightly increases Alex's life-expectancy. But we don't know that yet. Speaking of lost, Ahab asks around for Corwin. Nobody's seen the guy, so Ahab, Light and Center of the Universe, decides to trump him............Hmm, maybe a Hellride might work better. Meanwhile, Heather and Mandor are having a pleasant tea party in a barren Shadow, when some tentacled horror (beastie) attacks them and throttles the crap out of the Chaos Lord. Ahab Hellrides at a gingerly pace through medieval type Shadows. (This is rather irrelevent, but my 'i' key is sticking, and it's quite irritating. Just saying, that's all...) In keeping with the general patte...er, trend set in the previous session, Driscoll pulls his sword on Alex, who rather nervously recalls that now would not be a good time to bleed unless he really wanted to be a Choas-kebob. Alex decides of his own volition to do whatever the nasty Amberite says. This proves difficult, as apparantly Driscoll believes that since he (Driscoll) has killed the Ki...er, Eric (him) that he (Alex) should therefore fork over Driscoll's daughter (rugrat) ("Criss-cross, man! Criss-cross!") Alex decides to pass the buck and begins to search for Mandor with the Logrus (tentacled horror). Felix, noticing with relief that he is not involved, decides to keep it that way for a while longer. Meanwhile, Ahab arrives at his destination and announces himself ("I am Lothar of the Hi...no, that's not it..."). After subtly inquiring after Corwin, he decides to claim that he's with the Protector. (Ironic, non?) Heather manages to call Brand, who (also ironically) comes to her rescue. Somehow, he loses a finger in transit. As the tentacles withdraw and Mandor lies panting, Brand admits that Heather was clever and asks her if there's anything that she wants of him before Fiona and Bleys come for his ass. Mandor decides that now would be a good time to leave. Heather can't think of anything to say, until the gruesome twosome arrive. She asks them not to hurt her father, and Fiona gives her a look which makes it very clear who has the larger Psyche. Bleys winks and says not to worry, but Heather rather suspects that he says that to all the ladies. Things get very docu-drama at the Pattern Room, as Driscoll reveals that he's been nothing but a Chaos puppet ever since Argat killed his wife and stole his kid. Since his nose doesn't grow, all in attendence are inclined to believe him, although they rather suspect that he should be developing long ears and a tail very shortly. Alex leaves. Felix and Driscoll go to inform the Ki...er, Eric the recent goings on (er, okay, well Driscoll hadn't exactly said yet what it was he did for Chaos), and discover that Eric is dead and has suspiscious Verdegris marks on his neck. Gerard convinces Driscoll with some rather persuasive body language that the lad should lie down and rest for a while. Ahab grows bored with his new playmates and decides to trump mom....no, well how 'bout Julian?...... there's always Gerard ("Good answer! Good answer!"). Uncle Gerry expresses his displeasure at Ahab for his friend's behavior, and Ahab gives him his full attention. Alex discovers the amazing ability of the Logrus to provide an exhilirating journey through Shadow and ends up in Mandor's library. Meanwhile, Heather uses her maid as a portal and arrives in the garden just in time to see the two gentlemen. She catches up to them and learns about Driscoll's treachery. Admiring his intergrety, the three decide to find his daughter. Felix explains to Ahab and Gerard, and Ahab takes it upon himself to go ask the little fink some questions. Felix tags along because, well hey, they might need Driscoll alive. Ahab asks Driscoll if he did it, forgetting the Universal Law of Punning in Distress. Driscoll responds that he often did, which earns him a resounding slap from Felix, who knew the Law but really really didn't much care for it. Recognizing the need for delicacy in this situation, Ahab commits premeditated CSC on Driscoll's brain and discovers the shocking fact that Driscoll was obeying Chaos 'cause they've got his kid. Annoyed at being reminded that they already knew this, Ahab penetrates Driscoll's mind and finds out that Eric is only "sleeping." Disappointed, Ahab sends Felix to find Gerard. Felix leaves him alone with the guy who failed to kill Eric and looks for his da. He finds him discussing the Ki...er, Eric's death with relatives. ("Benedict, you won't come home?" "Calm down, Julian. Don't make me jog After Ahab brags about his means of fulfilling his intellectual desires, Gerard decides to kill him. Taking this to mean Driscoll, Ahab stages an escape and doses Driscoll with the sleepy potion while Felix hides in the library. Justice being served, Ahab retrieves Zero. Alex offers Heather his arm, so of course she takes it. They follow Mandor to his study, where he releases a sphere which will locate Driscoll's daughter. This chronicler can but hope that it was more specific than that, as it is by this point widely known that Driscoll is the son of Random. Anyway, Alex decides that Chaos Form would be a pretty cool thing to impress the Amberite with, but when she offers him a cookie he realizes that Human Form is much better suited to this sort of thing. After Mandor discusses the joys of being Number One on several Chaosite Shit Lists, his sphere returns and reveals that the girl is not heavily guarded. After Heather once again takes Alex's arm, the three Logrus travel to a hill above a tower. "Not heavily guarded" turns out to be sphere-ese for "lotsa friggin' demons." Heather decides that her new friends can handle this on their own and waits while they do passable immitations of Wolverine At last they reach one final mongo-demon, and Alex takes a swipe at it. Mandor uses this distraction to perform the critical task of running away, but when he sees that Alex is going to get hashed, he suddenly remembers that he is a renowned sorceror and paralyzes the beastie (tentacled horror). Alex displays proper battlefield etiquette and gives it the raspberries. They go to retrieve Driscoll's daughter and, after scaring the bejesus out of her with their Chaos Forms, do that thing. Alex shows his new sparring partner that he's got heart, and Heather trumps them to her graveyard, finding that location to be somehow appropos. Dinner at Castle Amber! Guests in attendance: Ahab, Caiine, Deirdre, Felix, Flora, Gerard, Isabeaux, Julian, Llewella, Random (w/ friends), and Vialle. Julian unsettles many stomaches by suggesting that he should take Eric's place; although many of the others agree that in one sense that would not be a bad idea, they do not voice their opinion because Julian never could tell when he was being insulted. Just as the Tums are making the rounds, news arrives that tentacled horrors (Doctor Bischer) are emerging from the Black Road. Ahab trumps Benedict and manages to convince him that now would be a good time for a family reunion. Ahab declines to follow his mother's example in battle and performs Vulture Duty, while Felix dives right in to help his da'. After a three hour combat (a three hour combat), the Amberites beat back the Chaos rabble, demonstrating once again that anything can be accomplished with a little teamwork and cooperation. Benedict leaves to go kill Corwin. Ahab calls Corwin to warn him, but Corwin will have none of that. Ahab gets Flora's help............Llewella, maybe? ("Hoo-Dee-Hoo!") Corwin argues against coming back until he realizes that talking to his sister's brat has lost him his lead entirely. He steps through, glares at Llewella, and heads off to gloat over Eric's corpse. Ganelon, whom Corwin brought with him, shrugs. Alex and Mandor prepare a meal, while Heather calms the little girl. After lunch (a tentacled horror), Heather retrieves Medb. Driscoll's card does not respond in the slightest. Assuming he's dead, and assuming that they are in deep doo-doo, they decide that perhaps a vacation on Mirelle's new Shadow is in order. Y'all come back now, y'hear?