"We experimented with it-- It's definitely one-way. I use Vialle's card, and I can teleport to her, easily. I try not teleporting, and I can get to where I can just about see her... but communication is very hard-- it's very difficult to communicate with her without actually popping right in front of her. We managed it for just a few seconds-- and then I was there in the same room with her. And I'm not sure it would work for communication at all for anyone not used to, erm, listening as well as Vialle can."

Jade nodded, "So, in a way they can be used to spy. Just not so well against one of us I think. We know how to listen for it. Though those not family seem to be vulnerable. Your Majesty I think if we can help her Majesty and Odile eventually, we might be able to contact and speak with them. I am glad that you brought all this up, Ariadne."

She smiles to Ariadne.

"Well, I mean, anyone of the blood of Oberon who's walked the Pattern who can draw a card who's also been inside this castle... which I remind you is a very, very, very, very select group... could just draw a room and then pop here any time they want... but then they'd have to deal with us, and our guards. So, y'know... no one's tried it yet... or if they have, they left again, probably with another card..." Random sighs. "We brought all you youngsters here because this is the safest place in all possible universes that we could think of... at least until you get a tiny bit more experienced." Random thinks. "...You know... maybe that's... maybe that's an interesting idea... maybe we could go looking in Shadows for some fantastic fortress where we can hold off a huge army. I mean, this is one of those... but maybe it might be good to have another one? Like a safe-house... but a safe-castle? For emergencies? Hmmmm..."

"A back up Amber ?" Jade blinked looking a bit shocked.

"I think your right that we need some training but, to think this place could fall." Jade has a dear in the headlights look.

"Well not fall, per se," says Random, "and there's only one Amber. But just temporarily-- listen-- you can make a card of a place, Jade-- you could make multiple cards of a place. So imagine a time when someone-- I'm not naming names-- with a card of, say, the library, or this dining room, popped in, with about 20 gray men. There's a fight. Some of us are injured. We fall back temporarily-- and then a few of us take out cards and pop the injured over to the safe-castle." He sighs. "...Okay, I admit it. It's not just about hypothetical injured. Maybe I just want someone to be able to evacuate-- the queen. In case of emergency. Two floors of this castle were seriously damaged one time when the Pattern and the Logrus of Chaos had a little fight, and if Merlin's Ghostwheel ever comes back, I'm sure it's capable of doing the same. I want a plan-- a brand-new plan-- for evacuating the queen in the event of a crisis. And me, for that matter, if I were injured."

"I understand your Majesty, you can count on me." Jade said her usual humor and smiles gone for a moment while she focused on the King's request.

"I will make whatever cards I can, and out in shadow we can all look for a super fortress. Well, an abandoned one so we don't have to deal with the locals in such a place."

Ariadne nodded to her cousin
"Sometimes it's useful to have an outsider's perspective.  You Amber people are experts in everything here, but it's easy to take things for granted,  and to assume things are fine the way they are." 
She shrugged with a smirk
"I might only have been an actor, but I've been around a good number of smart writers who knew about safe houses, fake identities, and escape routes. "Many heroes in stories, especially those who work in secert, work to have a back up saf house, if their main headquarters falls. "

Looking at Random, she nodded
"On Earth, we have a plan for fires, earthquakes,  and other terrible things, even terrorists,   We should be able to come up with some kind of plan"

"Oh, yes, certainly. Or else, well, one of those Shadows where the locals are, ah, pre-disposed to be on our side..."

"Should we seek out this fortress before we train with unc...Prince Julian ?"

"Hm. Well that's up to you... but if you're asking my advice... then no, I'd train with Julian first, at least a bit."

Ariadne shrugged
"We can divide it up, like we do on Earth.  Spend the weekdays, or the Amber equivalent, training with Uncle Juilian, and then spend our weekends scouting out places to set up shop, out in shadow,if we need a safe place to hide out"

Jade nods at Ariadne then looks to Jon.

"Well, my home shadow is already has ties to Amber.  So we could always look to there.  They have some impressive Magic at their disposal.  So if we setup an estate there, we could fall back or evacuate the injured and critical people.  We also have extensive healers."

Ariadne nodded, thoughtfully,  thinking about Jon's words.
"My only worry is putting them in harm's way.   I was thinking somewhere more anonymous,  to be honest.   Unless you think they're more than up to the task"

Cocks his head to the left as he thinks "Well, Severed Fae are very powerful. That is the faction definitely aligned with Amber.  I mean, they have managed to maintain the balance with the existing two Faction of the Seelie and Unseelie Fae. And while they tend to fight amongst themselves, I believe that all three would band together to defend their home from invasion. The Wardens would see to that." *chuckles* "After all, they would have no fun left if either of the other factions were wiped out.  Who could they brag to about saving them?" He nods. "I don't know how they compare to the Greymen directly nor their magic against Amber's but based on my experience, I believe they would be more than capable as a fall back / evacuation site."

"We could look into it. Sounds like a possibility. I was thinking something else when a fortress was mentioned. Though I have been wanting to see Jon's homeland so this gives us the chance."

In reply to Jon (msg # 462):

Ariadne nodded.   She wasn't familiar enough with the magical place Jon was talking about to know if he was right or wrong, but she knew Jon well enough to trust his judgement.
"Earth has impressive weapons, and even some impressive soldiers,  but I'm afraid that it would take an annoyingly large amount of time just to find enough people who weren't freaked out by other worlds and "An Attack By Grey Aliens". "

"Do you mean the Gray Men ?" looks to Ariadne.

Ariadne chuckled
"Yes.  I'd like to think that a well equipped and trained bunch of Earth soldiers might be useful against the grey men, but because Earth thinks it's alone in the universe,  anything unusual will be like telling a ghost story to children.   Most Earth people will be more scared than they should be.  "

Jade tilts her head thinking about Ariadne's words.

"So they would be capable of defending themselves against the Gray Men, but would be too afraid to do so ? I am just trying to understand."

Ariadne nodded,  sighing in thought, and perhaps a bit of frustration, as she tried to find the right words.

"Well, Earth has, as fas as its population is concerned, been the only 'people' in existence for many thousands  of years.   As far as we've seen, there were no other shadows, no other worlds with life, nothing on Earth except us and unintelligent animals.
But there's always been in the back of our minds, a lingering fear of the unknown.
 Perhaps that was just an evolved survival instinct.  Or perhaps that was some kind of species memory of times when things or perhaps people from other shadows would wander to Earth.
Anyway, Earth people have evolved with this 'fear of the unknown', and have even tried in many ways to....i dunno, conquer it? Perhaps tame it?  Basically,  we've gotten pretty good at telling each other scary stories over the centuries,  perhaps each of us thinking that we were going to conquer this fear.   But the results are mixed, with many of us either more scared of the unknown,  or going in the other direction and being in complete denial that the unknown exists in any way but the hypothetical"

Jade nods, "As much as family has visited shadow Earth, I would be surprised if you haven't had other visitors. OH it sounds like a need to control then. I think that exists in all of us, wanting a measure of control over our surroundings. I don't think they are that different in that light." She smiles brightly.

"Maybe we can tell each other scary stories over a nice campfire in Arden."

Ariadne grinned
"Scary stories told around a campfire in an actual magic forest would definitely be a surreal experience "

"I still have got to take you to Rebma, imagine it underwater ! Though campfires are admittedly not common, but the magic is." Jade is now beaming with a smile again.

Ariadne shook her head,  chuckling wryly
"I consider myself an open minded person,  and certainly my father raised me that way, but it's still a bit overwhelming to see all this sometimes.   We have Legends of Underwater Cities, but think they're all folk tales.  It's all just so bizarre to think about "