I would have liked to make 20 minutes today and did so early on but by the end of the afternoon I was down to 18 and I could only make 80 with the deck once I put the sword away. .
It seems I've hit something of a plateau at the moment.I made 25 minutes for a couple of hours then settled back to 20 minutes for the rest of the day. The only improvement was a meager 5 minutes with the deck at the end of the afternoon.
Things have moved on today. Llewella arrived at just gone 8 this morning and set to putting me through my paces.The first thing she did was make me leave my sword and trump deck in my room so we could work on the terrace. The she gave me some exercises to do so she could assess how far I'd come and what was left to do. Satisfied that I was ready for the next phase she gave me a new set of exercises to do that would enable me once mastered to fuse the sketching of a picture with the power of trump, sort of mixing trump power into the graphite from the pencil lead, chalk, charcoal, or pastel as it was applied to the paper. I was also to keep working on my other exercises as it was likely to take me close to two hours to draw a fully working sketch, even though I'd seen Fiona create one in under a minute and Llewella one in under 30.
She stayed all day supervising the exercises before leaving at about 8 this evening. She did pass on a side note that whilst my training was important it would be appreciated if I could find my way to being able to commence a trade run in the next couple of days. I said I'd bear it in mind but I really did want to be able to create a functional trump before going anywhere. There were already several places I'd been that it would be nice if I could return to without either having having to walk the pattern or spend several days walking through shadow.
I've changed my training regime again to accommodate Llewella's exercises. I'm now spending 6 hours on them, then a couple on battling the sword, and finally a long stretch to see how much I can push. Yesterday the exercise seemed so simple but today on my own they were harder than I thought. I did manage a couple of square though. I still can't get past the plateau I've hit with the sword and 25 minutes seems all I can manage, as does 80 minutes with the deck last thing.
I would really like to do something other than fill sheets of paper with simple shapes although I think I may now see where Llewella's exercises are leading as each set are taking longer to achieve. For example to fill an A4 sheet with squares nested like xxxxxxxxx dolls spaced 1/ 2 " apart takes about 20 minutes. I'm also finding that I'm having to take a 10-15 minute break between completing one exercise and beginning a repeat or starting the next one.
I took the sword with me when I rode into town this morning. Rather than try to attempt holding a tap for as long as possible I took the option making it, holding it for 5 minutes, then breaking it, repeatedly through out the trip. There is one thing I have noticed through doing this, there appears to be slight differences in the signature of the trump energy that radiates from the sword, the trump deck, and the trumps that I'm producing as a result of Llewella's exercises. I must remember to ask her about it next time she comes to check on me. It also occurs to me that this may be the route cause of my plateau - maybe I'm missing some trick.
Llewella's exercises are definitely becoming more taxing and I only managed 6 today. The upside of this is that the resultant sketch is starting to feel like a trump, not exactly like the cards in the deck but more like the sketch Fiona drew for me.
I only managed to complete 3 exercises today. What's worse is that I had done 3/4 of the fourth when I lost concentration and lost the tap. The result was just a set of line on a piece of paper. It didn't radiate trump power at all. I need to find out if this was a one off or if failing to complete a visualized trump means that you end up with just a drawing and not a trump.
I tried a few experiments today. It does appear that if you don't complete a visualized trump then you do get just a drawing, and it remains a drawing even if you go back to it in an attempt to complete it later. This means that when drawing a trump I'll have to make sure I'm in a position to complete it both mentally and physically.
I gambled a bit today and had a go at creating a trump of the villa terrace. It took me nearly two hours, but I did manage to complete it just. Having had a 3 hour break I managed to create a second one, again in just under two hours. I haven't tried to activate either of them yet, I think I'll wait for Llewella before trying that.
Llewella arrived at just after 8 again this morning. She congratulated me on the trumps and suggested I test them, first from the stables and then from a neighboring shadow. In the first instance I was ecstatic when it worked and then gutted when it didn't in the second. When I returned Llewella had one of those expressions that said she'd been expecting it. She sent me be back down to the stables and low and behold the second one worked as well. She asked me if I could guess why. The only thing that occurred to me was that it had something to do with shadow parameters but I couldn't see what.
The actual explanation is that trump only works within the shadow in which is is created unless the creator has some means of binding a shadow traversing ability to it. This means they either need to be a Pattern or Logrus user or a powerful sorcerer that can couple "gate" abilities with trump. She then asked me if I'd noticed any differences between my sword and the trump deck she had given me. I said I thought so but wasn't sure. She then said that the trump power of my sword had a Logrus wrap whilst that the trump deck were all Pattern wrapped. The next stage was for me to learn to "Pattern Wrap" the power tap enabling me to create trump sketches that could cross shadow.
This meant another mind-to-mind session whilst Llewella showed me what I needed to do and then a return to basic exercises whilst I tried to reproduce the effect. Once I'd managed to replicate the required action two or three times Llewella took her leave, reminding me about supply runs before she left.
My weekly trip into town this morning delayed progressing with the pattern wrapping technique until this afternoon. I was able to use the time to take a much better look at the trump signature of both my sword and trump deck, although it did cost me a few bruises after I fell of my horse. When I get another opportunity I'll see it it was worth it.
Despite the late start I've made good progress with repeating the exercises, this time wrapping the pattern. Since I've done them all before I'm actually skipping a lot of them, after all this is all about wrapping the pattern and drawing with a wrapped thread not drawing with a thread in the first place.
I decided to try running today, since if it paid off I'd be able to return to Amber in time to get to Dave's tonight. Unfortunately it didn't pay off, but I skipped a whole chunk of exercises when I resumed and completed them successfully. I'm going to try a full sketch again first thing in the morning when I'm rested.
The extra day's practice paid off and I've managed to create two trumps, and test one, although I'm not sure if that one will work again, one of the problems of sketches I'm informed. Still if I can go somewhere, then all I need is a couple of hours to produce a sketch and I can return without problems.
I've now spoken to Llewella, as I'm going to return to Amber in about an hour. The next step seems to be learning to draw picture trumps which means a return to art school. The best trumps are painted in oils but Llewella has said to leave learning that until I've mastered a quicker medium, either Acrylic or Pastel. I queried the latter but she said that its a difficult medium to master when blending and rubbing but it produces a result equally as good and can also be used with acrylic, the acrylic providing fine detail. I'm also to practice drawing trump sketches as greater familiarity with trump will help with the next stage. I'm also to try and get to the point where I can draw a sketch whilst wearing my sword.
As seems to be usual, Random takes me having a bath as a signal to turn up, but at least this time he waited until I told him to come in before entering. He wanted to know what I had planned. I told him I was going to Dave's, then coming back here. In the morning I was going to give Gerard the pennant design, check what was in short supply, then use the pattern to teleport to Alto Mento and find out if the captain and crew of the Endevor were interested in another cargo run, then I'd sail to San Francisco, pick up Dave's booze order and supplies for the art school, sail to Calderar and arrange a carter to take it to the school, run back to Tullbranich to see how things were at the Velvet Rest, and then back here. I reckoned I'd be back in about 2 weeks, then I'd be off to school again for a couple of weeks before starting the next phase of my trump training - being able to draw proper trumps.
He ummed and arghed for a bit then asked if it would be possible for me to leave tonight, for me to be available for a ball on the evening of the 19 th , for me to be available again for another ball in Kashfa on the 22 nd , and if it was possible to do the run any quicker, and could I then delay returning to Art School as he had some other things he needed doing.
I very nearly asked him if he'd like to fuck me whilst he was at it but didn't, despite having a strong desire for him to do just that. Instead I asked about Gerard and the pennants and a return cargo. He said he'd deal with that then call me. I said I could probably make the Amber Balls, but that for the Kashfa Ball someone would need to bring me through by trump. I would have to let him know closer to the time. As to the rest I'd do my best to shorten the run time, and could probably delay my return to Art School. He said he'd trump me tomorrow then.
I dressed after he'd gone then made my way down to Dave's. I stayed for half an hour, whilst I made a quick sketch of the bar and committed all the relevant parameters to memory to draw a trump as soon as I got time. I then made my way back to the castle, repacked my pack, then made my way down to the pattern room. Benedict was standing close to the edge with Fiona's trump in his hand, whilst she was standing in the center. They appeared to be in conversation. He looked round as I entered. "Going somewhere?"
"Yes. San Francisco. I'm running supplies for Dave's and the Art School in Neraveraine, and whatever Gerard says the merchants want on the way back in."
"Would you be so kind and to get me a few things?"
"As long as I can get them local to the
shadows I'm in I don't mind.".
He reeled off a list.
"Would you like a short cut to the center?"
"I wouldn't say no. It'll save me an hours
walk."
He formed a doorway and I stepped through. Fiona also had a list for
me. I smiled. I said I'd bring what I had and could carry back with me
for the Ball on the 19
th
. The rest would either have to wait for the Kashfa Ball or until I got
back with the Endevor in about a fortnight.
I had pondered the next problem as I'd walked back from Dave's, where to patternport to. Getting to the right shadow was easy enough, as was getting to the right Alto Mento. The problem was that I couldn't guarantee that the Endevor would be there. Alternatively I could port to one of the cabins on the Endevor but had no guarantee that she hadn't sunk or that she wasn't in the middle of the ocean somewhere, although that in itself wasn't a problem. In the end I plumbed for the latter option and arrived in the cabin I'd used on my previous trip. It was empty, dark, and the ship was still - either becalmed or moored. I pulled a flashlight from my pocket, at least technology worked here.
The cabin was empty, as was the Captain's.
I walked back down the corridor and up the stairs onto deck. The ship
was moored, and by the layout of the terrain, in its home port. There
were two guards on deck and neither were paying much attention. I
slammed the door behind me causing both to jump. They whirled drawing
cutlasses. "Don't be stupid. Put them away I'm not in the mood for a
fight. Where's the Captain?"
Rather than answer the question they decide to be stupid forcing me to
render them both unconscious. I sat down on the
<forecastle?> to wait. There'd be a guard change in a
hour or two, then maybe I'd get somebody intelligent.
The relief were slightly better. When there was no response from on board they both drew weapons, then advanced cautiously. When I challenged them, without rising from where I was sitting, they had enough sense to back off. One remained at the base of the gangplank whilst the other went for re-enforcements.
About 20 minutes later I was greeted to the sound of running feet and a dozen armed men appeared. They cautiously made their way up the gangplank then fanned out behind 3 figures before moving in my direction. I let them get to within 20 feet before stopping them, at least two of the figures I recognized, one being the first mate. When I challenged him by name he had the sense to order his men to put their weapons away but did want to know what I'd done with the guard. I told him they were below and would most likely be conscious again by now. He sent some men to find them. They returned a few minutes later with the hapless pair, which he then questioned, although I was forced to correct their story. By this point I was getting tired and asked if this was the normal level of hospitality shown to prospective clients. He said it wasn't but that I was different. I asked why. He said I was trouble.
It took about another half an hour for the Captain to appear, at which point he invited me to his cabin. I suggested the first mate join us.
"So Miss Chan, if that's your real name, what can I do for you?"
"I'm in need of a ship. Are you interested in another excursion?"
"Come back in 2 months, and I'll see."
"Really, so its worth as much as your last trip then."
"No, but I've contracted a fare and I'm not ruining my reputation on the off chance you'll pop up every 2 months with a job."
"That aside, where's this fare bound?"
"HongKong"
I laughed
"What's so funny?"
"How much are they paying you?"
"xxxxxx hundred dollars"
"Really. If I were Captain I'd be asking 5 times that. You do know what you're getting into?"
"They're just rumors. I didn't have any problems last time."
"Ok suit yourself I'll find myself another ship. It'll be a little inconvenient. It's been nice knowing you though. I'll be sure to send flowers to your widow." I rose to leave.
"Look, Miss Chan I'd like to help but right now I can't. I gave my word."
"So you're not adverse to helping as long as you can discharge your contract?"
"What do you mean?"
"Suppose I could get you to HongKong in say 2 days, would you be interested then?"
"That's impossible no ship can make the crossing in that time."
"Are you interested or not?"
"Yes! But.."
"No buts. It's either yes or no. But before you answer, your likely to be away for 3-4 months and you're going to see a lot of really strange things, most beyond your wildest imagination."
He turned to the mate. "What do you think?"
"Don't know Captain. She's trouble. Crew don't like her much. Think she's in league with the devil."
"Well, Miss Chan you have your answer, crew don't like you. Can't sail with a crew that'll likely mutiny if something goes wrong."
"So that's a no then."
"I didn't say that."
"Good. Offer any man who signs on 3 years pay for 4 months work. But any bellyaching and the offers' withdrawn. And just so they know in advance, anyone who questions my orders I'll personally toss over the side."
"And what's in it for me."
"Don't worry you'll be well compensated. Now when do we sail?"
"If I've still got a crew, we'll sail on the 11 o'clock tide, but I don't have any spare cabins."
"Really? This one will do me fine."
"Sorry. This one's mine."
"Oh well. Nice doing business with you. Looks like I need to find myself another ship. Good day Captain." I got up to leave.
"Wait! I'm sure we can come to some arrangement."
"No. Its a take it or leave it offer. Are you in or not."
"Damn you. Okay. I'll make the arrangements."
"Good. Now how much cargo do you have?"
"We're about 3/4 laden."
"That may be a problem. I'm going to need to load additional cargo."
"We won't make this morning's tide then."
"Don't worry we're not loading it here, well at least not in this shadow. We've got about 4 days sailing to do before we make the crossing for HongKong."
"But I thought you said we could make HongKong in 2 days."
"I did but I didn't say we'd be sailing directly there."
"But what about my passengers?"
"What about them.?"
"But they'll complain."
"Really. Who's Captain. You said you'd take them to HongKong. You didn't say you'd take them directly to HongKong did you."
"No. But."
"Well there's no problem then. They'll get to HongKong, quicker than they would otherwise, and you'll have kept your word. Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to unpack and get some sleep. Have someone wake me at midday."
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