From the Journals of Dr. Jacob Theopolis Feldane

People Who Talk Too Much

2009-05-13T22:24:21Z

Jacob grunts a "Huh." Then, "Sir."

Benedict raises a brow to Jacob. he does it with a little head-tilt, perhaps for the benefit of the waiter, who arrives to bring drinks.

Taleyn takes up her coffee as if the very cup that is its vessel were holy. She inhales its heady aroma, blows a ripple across its dark surface, and sips.

Jacob watches Taleyn a moment, then sips his own drink, rock cubes thunktinkle in the glass. He looks back to Benedict.

Benedict is busy with his tea. He adds sugar and milk, and stirs it carefully.

Taleyn beams.

Taleyn peers at Benedict and Jacob by turns as if to try to suss out what they think of each other. Clearly silence is challenging for her, but she's giving it a game go!

Benedict probably thinks 'ah, tea' right now. He takes his first sip.

The slience stretches. This has nothing to do with the fact that Jacob missed Ben's pose, oh no. Finally, Jacob asks in that gruff voice of his, "You wanted to see me, sir?"

Benedict grunts an affirmative, and is polite enough to put down his tea and turn his back on the gaping hole in the fourth wall. "My Knight tells me you made her weaponry."

Later:

And so, they sit in silence.
Benedict is good at silence.

Tea with the Duchess

2009-02-01T22:30:36Z

A table has been set near the stream, set with tea. The duchess is actually enjoying one of the trails before returning at the sound of the man's announcement. The papers she's review soon set to a nearby, nearly hidden bench.

Jacob is announced as Lord Jacob Feldane, and he looks about as he enters. "My brother would love it here," he offers in a rich barritone.

"Should I ask who your brother may be," asks Lilith while advancing and offering him a hand to shake. "Finally, we meet, Lord Jacob. It is a pleasure. I hope that tea is alright, but I can see to something stronger if you prefer."

Jacob takes the hand, the grip firm, but not strong. Yep, he's got callouses, but they're smooth ones. "Well met, Duchess. Tea is fine...and my brother is Artemus...he's the one with the green thumb in the family."

Lilith chuckles and motions to the table. "Another name among many that I should meet soon," she comments. She has callouses, many to her fingertips and where one expects the hold to a hilt. "Some prefer heartier drinks at any hour, but I find that tea seems the choice for this winter."

Jacob says, "Plus it tends to allow one to keep one's wits. Sharpens them, even."

Lilith smiles. "Ah for the faint of heart," she quips, delighted while leading to the table. "So I hear that you've begun preparations for the lower city, is that right?"

Jacob cocks his head, brows furrowing slightly. "How so, your Grace?"

"Ah, here I was hearing word of an effort to assemble craftsmen," she replies and slides into a chair. "Forgive me, I've rarely indulged in small talk. Instead, I compare it to a dance.. would you not agree?"

Jacob says, "That would depend on whose style of dancing. Many people step on toes." That sounds like a casual comment, there's no indications of that being snark or a dig. "I am trying to get a sense of community among smiths and artisans, but that's upper as well as lower city."

Lilith nods. "A noble endeavor," she replies lightly and sets about preparing two cups of tea. "Yes, you must always watch where your toes land. Curiously, we were hoping to delve into a similar endeavor in the lower city, more of a rehabilitation for those who have suffered so much."

Jacob's moustache moves as he purses his lips. "Admirable. Although I can see where they may need housing and food more than what we do. A roof over one's head is far more important in a city than a shod horse or a sharp blade."

"Quite. We've already sent many of our more adept craftsmen and architects," she replies and nudges the glass towards him. There is honey, sugar and cream for those who prefer to doctor their tea. "When I heard your news, it struck me as an opportunity. Would you not say?"

Jacob applies the honey, with a nod of thanks. "You're in need of hinges, doornops, windows, the like?"

Lilith chuckles, nodding. "Actually, we will be," she replies. "Course, I was thinking of something more long-term. Maybe a collaborative effort. Our plans would be a means of helping once all the building is done. What is the saying, give a man a fish and he eats for a day... teach him to fish and he can provide for his family."

Jacob says, "Ah....you mean teaching them how to make their own. Delicate balance, that. Too much, and the teacher winds up not having any fish themselves. Still, I can run it past folks, see what we can do. PROPER apprenticing keeps that balance."

Lilith nods. "I would agree. There is a delicate balance, and one that no one wishes to upturn. In truth though, I can only speak for what Karm could bring to such an arrangement. This is another reason I mention working together."

Jacob says, "Sadly, I cannot speak for my house. The current Duke was not so when I was tossed out into Shadow, and I am out of touch, there."

"Yes, this was not something that came to mind the last time I spoke with Duke Basil," she confesses with a small shrug. "But again, something that you can keep in mind."

Jacob sips his tea. "Quite happily, your Grace. And will pass on to the others. We do not, as yet, exist as anything but a loose community."

Lilith nods. "But the best ideas come around as such," she comments and sips to her tea. "Of course, it does provide a lovely excuse to become more formally acquainted. How long have you been in Amber?"

Jacob says, "Lately? A few months. I was a few decades away, but I've lived most of my life here. You? I do not recall you being about before....."

Lilith shakes her head. "I was actually following my father's work in Weirmonken for some time. When his disappearance prompted my return. Course, that was some time ago. Are you familiar with the former duke?"

Jacob says, "I believe your house has run through a few in my absence. Vosah, wasn't it? Never actually mett the man, although I could pick him out of the crowd."

Lilith nods. "He is the striking sort, but yes.. it was Vosah. I believe he's been off to see to some of his studies abroad as of late. So if your brother's passion is horticulture, may I ask yours?"

Jacob says, "Smithing and psychiatry. His is growing, mine is creating or fixing." His blue eyes twinkle. "We're both a tad odd for our House."

"Well, I wouldn't say that," replies Lilith with a wry smile. "psychiatry? You would be the first that I met. Shall I ask if you're psycho-analyzing me, or will that prompt you to do so?"

Jacob shakes his head. "If one wants any happiness, one learns to turn it off. I'm semi-retired at present, as the Mandrakes, who have always dominated that field, filled in the gap when I left. Now I just have my sub-specialty, necropsychiatry, as an edge in that field. Niche-work."

"Necro..." Lilith rolls her hand, hoping for the man to expand. "I'm not familiar with the term. Such valves can apply to a great many things, can they not?"

Jacob says, "Well, after one dies, there's a change in thinking...or sometimes, when there should be, there isn't. And there's often denial. A Necropsychiatrist specializes in treating the dead so they can move on, can go to the Door. There's also dealing with those who stay behind."

Lilith cradles her glass close enough to hide her smile. "Here I was expecting you to say that you didn't follow after the necromantic side of your family, my lord. Though I must confess, that is an incredible way of addressing the dead. Have you met many of these spirits in your lifetime?"

Jacob says, "Oh, yes. Quite. In some cases, I wonder why I still sane."

Jacob smiles. His crows feet crinkle.

A Guild for Smiths, Artisans, and Craftsman: Discuss.

2009-01-12T21:03:42Z

Molly wanders in, seemingly rather cheerful. She tucks her walking stick under her arm jauntily and passes eyes over the shop. Seeing a familiar face, and one at her favorite table at that, she heads over with a . "Hullo, Doc Jacob. Needing of some company?"

Jacob arches an appreciative brow and waves her over. "Of your sort? It'd brighten my day."

Molly slides into a seat near Jacob, smirking. "Flatterer." She makes eye contact with a server, and her nod is shortly followed by a glass of hot tea. "You full settled back in, yet?"

Jacob's baritone protests, "I speak nothing but the truth. And after a fashion. Actually been thinking of coming to find you, run something past you."

Molly gives a little noncommital "Mmm." in regards to truth, but then it's her turn to raise a brow, this one curious, and anchored by a little smile. "Really, and what might that be? Don't run it by too fast, though. Supposed to be relaxing right now, me."

This time, both eyebrows quirk. "You get yourself hurt?"

Molly laughs, shaking her head. "No, sir. Not recently anyways. Just been workin' too hard here lately. Popped in for a distraction and a rest, is all. Mind might not be as swift as I'd like."

Jacob says, "Heh. Well. This might be too much to worry about now, but...you're Begman. How's your knowledge on Guilds?"

Molly leans back, considering Jacob for a moment. "I'm Begman by nature more'n nurture, Doc. And marriage, 'course. Only experience I've had with Guilds is with the ones in Minos."

Jacob says, "Well, you have more than I have, then, no matter from where. What I was thinkin' was that this town could use one for the smiths and crafters and artisans. Help each other out. A while back, we had a community. Now, it doesn't feel that way anymore."

Molly 's head tilts a bit. "You did? A community of crafters? Wonder what happened to break it apart?" She shakes her head, sipping from her glass. "I do my part. Been helpin' a feller out with learnin' some trade just here recently. But I'll admit it's none to easy to find what you're lookin' for, most of the time. Be it learnin' or the work itself."

Jacob nods. "And I find I miss that. And since I seem to be semi-retired with my psychology practice, what with my old clients missing, turned bad, or seeing other folks, I'm looking to maybe pull all the crafters together. Folks don't have to give up secrets, naturally, but simple technique exchange, taking care of each other, and all that...."

Molly considers carefully for a moment, sipping slowly from her drink. "Despite that comment about your clients turnin' bad, which might make you sound a smidge less'n reliable..." She stops, grinning to take the sting of that away, "I'd say it's a grand idea. Be nice to know who it is that can do what, for one. Even nicer to know there's a base of knowledge out there. Folk to talk problems over and the like?"

Jacob snorts. "Trust me, this guy was unfixable. But can you spread the word? I'm looking at smiths, artifacers, crafters...there's a general theme of MADE items. By hand. Non-consumables, in general."

Molly nods. "Oh, absolutely. Something like this, well, I see a great deal of benefit. Though I reckon there's still a good amount of plannin' to be done? Also might wonder if folk may be a bit suspicious at first. Wonder what's in it for them, sort of thing. Might need some fancy talk to sway 'em."

Jacob nods. Then there's a grin, and that twinkle in his blue eyes. "Why do you think I came to you?"

Molly blinks. Once, twice. Then she laughs. "Said you're needin' fancy talk, not a pretty face. You'll only get plain talk out of me, Doc. Though I expect you're like to need that as well."

Jacob says, "Pretty face and fair talk goes a long way...maybe not as far as a pretty face and smooth talk, but it's better entrenched when the chips are down."

Molly says, "Pretty face and smooth talk might also get you a stone wall, with some folk." She nods, then. "Consider the word spreading, Doc. Got at least two folk I need to speak business with in the near future. I'll be sure to make a mention."

The Smith

2008-10-20T16:43:43Z

Smithy's up.

Nex is ready.

Annwn's next.

The City That Never Changes...Has

2008-10-07T16:13:46Z

Jez-

Went out to the country to let an old flame know I was, in fact, not dead.

Unfortunately, she was.

I wonder if she's on your side, wondering where the hell I am. You two should hook up.

So...she's gone, Oberon and his pet monkey are gone, Corwin came BACK, but is now gone, the docks and half of lower city are gone, much of Arden's gone....

Oh, and Mandrake's coming up in the world again. Artemus probably predicted that, with his gardening skills.

Got the forge back up and running, so I can reforge my blade.

Miss you Dearly,

Jake

Exsistential Angst, Literate Sea Monsters, and Undead Ponies

2008-09-26T01:58:33Z

Addison waves to a place by him and says, "Uncle Culver arranged for my membership to White's. I've no idea what he paid, I just know he stole the money to pay for it from the Treasury. How are you doing?"

Jacob grunts at the mention of Culver. "Settling in. Taking in news. You?"

Addison gestures at the piles of paperwork before him. "Trying to arrange something with the Rebman Embassy as Amber Intelligence to help deal with the Leviathan thing before it starts eating whatever is left of Lyonesse. That is what it did last time it rampaged. It ate seven Lyonesse islands. Wish I had seven Lyonesse Islands because I would cover them in chocolate sauce and feed them to the beast. It's just... trying to write letters now."

Jacob says, "The beast is writing letters?"

Addison peers and thinks and says, "I wish he was. No, I am writing letters. Just something that needs to be done to get things coordinated. Er, can I talk to you about something?"

Jacob rolls his shoulders and leans back. "Shoot."

"Well, I had this long conversation today with Priestess Morgana from Rebma," Addison says. "She's been sort of working on me on the topic of faith and belief ever since she learned I was an atheist. She wants me to find and embrace the light of the Unicorn, and that strikes me as sort of silly. Not only because worshipping a horse feels silly, but because as Feldanes we are the ones who stand at the Clearing at the End of the Path and around us all is decay. This left me sort of pondering things."

Jacob's eyes twinkle. "You want an undead unicorn pony?"

Addison laughs a little at that. "No. I do not want an undead unicorn pony. And you're mocking me and my existential angst."

Jacob says, "It's only Existential if the Unicorn doesn't exist." He secures a snifter of brandy."Pray, continue."

Addison peers at his cup of tea but all he sees within is a tea ring. "Anyway, Morgana wants me to see all this beauty and light in the universe and embrace its infinite warmth and goodness. But when I look at people, all I see is time spinning out until they, too, pass through the Door. And even the Door isn't real. It's an artificial construct. The only part that is real is the soul."

Jacob says, "Oh, the Door is real." He rolls the brandy in the snifter, warming it against his palm." It's the doorness of it that's the construct, so that we can grasp it better."

Addison says, "But it's a Bound Gate. It's just a Bound Gate. Like one of those Bound Gates at Penglai."

Jacob arches an eyebrow and tilts his head. "A what?"

Addison sets his empty tea cup back down on the table with a clink. "When the Portafada brought himself up off the table, he explained that it was a bound gate -- a gate that he did not need to pass until he felt it was time to pass. That was how he got away."

Jacob says, "Sounds unbound to me."

Addison says, "It is in one place. It's just sort of metaphysical. It all comes down to that it is very hard to embrace some sort of warmth and light and goodness when the universe seems to have been built by a crazy Begman in a basement."

Jacob sips, says idly, "As a third grade science experiment, left with mothballs on a shelf in the coatroom."

Addison sags a bit. "We've been going around and around on faith but I just cannot accept any of it. I mean, am I wrong, Uncle Jacob? Or am I just being obstinate?"

Jacob shrugs. "I'm a psychiatrist, not a priest. Faith, or lack thereof, is an individual choice."

Addison says, "I was just wondering what the Feldane perspective was on this. We traffic in death and the dead. How do you reconcile that with others with faith full of warmth and light? I can't see any place for faith -- I helped scrape Dworkin off his carpeting and he made this place."

Jacob swallows and cocks his head again. "Why is death the opposite of Faith?"

Addison reaches up and scratches the back of his neck. "I'm not sure. I just know that everything I see around me is death and dying. I close my eyes and listen and I can hear people dying. And I'm not sure what there is to have faith /in/, precisely."

Jacob gestures with the brandy snifter. "That would be the point of individuality. It's not a form you can fill out in triplicate and have it delivered to you lad, it's arrival at a conclusion through thoughts and experiences."

Addison hmms and looks like he really wishes he was not out of tea. "Does it make sense to sort of lurch through life as a Feldane and an atheist? I know we have a propensity to fall to pieces and end up in hugging jackets."

Jacob says, "Plenty of devoutly religious types end up ensconced as well."

Addison says, "I suppose that is true. Although we do tend to have a nice track record of ending up in nice padded rooms with jello. Can we still get the jello even if we don't crack up? With little bits of fruit in?"

Jacob says, "Assuming it's apple, berry, or kumquat flavored, yes."

Addison says, "Tally and I asked for proper fruit gelatin when we were laid up in the hospital but the Mandrakes were quite mean and would only give us the wrong kind. Terrible, really. We're Nobility and all that! We ought to get proper gelatin!" He flashes a grin. "But this has been bothering me for a bit. This whole bit about faith, though. I guess I'll just have to think on it."

c/o Death's Door, Unit 806

2008-09-08T13:44:07Z

Dearest Jez-

You'd think that a Road would be an easy thing to follow, especially once it got to Arden. But this is the Black Road, and it messes with the head. And Arden being through a war doesn't help. I swear, that forest is set to become a desert. Burned all to hell and back.

So I wind up further into Shadow, in a place that looks like Kitezh, but isn't...I know because the .50 cal rifle still works. And how do I know it still works? I walk straight into a town defending itself from the Black Road.

Seems a ship bound for Amber had room for the cargo, myself, and my horse. Price was helping defend the folks while they loaded. Fierce rains, lightning, beasts, even what looked like Weir...but I never even had to dismount. Black Road as....sorry, Jez...Black Road 'Personages' never made it to the docks before we wiped them out. Someone took out the wizard messing with the rain, and the archers took the rest of them. It was over so quick, I only had to reload once.

Damn glad you taught me how to shoot this thing.

Got on the ship, hunkered down. Amber-bound.

-Jacob

Bloodless Hell

2008-08-26T20:02:39Z

Seriously, Jez.

All those years stuck with no way back, but stuck with you, so that's alright. More than alright.

Then all this time following this Dark Trail, dealing with the bastards that made me usher you through the Door myself....

...and the trail leads to Arden. ARDEN. What the bloodless hell is going on?

Not sure if losing you is the price I wanted to pay to find the way back home.