"Well, he attempts things and when you go around attempting things your bound to get into some trouble."

She then spoke through the trump, "You are probably just not used to the, double of me speaking to you at the same time. I know that has been disconcerting to some others in the past. When worlds apart that won't be a factor, for now though you got the hang of it very quickly. You are indeed an apt pupil." She gives an honest smile of approval.

"There is an additional effect beyond speaking with one another, you may ask me to bring you to me, or myself to you. Would you like to test that ?"

Looking a little surprised and excited, Liya smiled. "You can do that with these cards? That's amazing. Yes, lets try it."

Violet will stand and move to the farthest point in the room. She will then say, "Reach your hand towards me in the card. Think the intention to come to me."

She is holding out her hand.

Liya does as she was instructed and reached her hand towards Violet through the card.

You feel contact and find yourself transported to her.

"I knew you were a quick study the moment I saw you. Look at that on the first try."

Her eyes were wide when she stepped through to Violet, "What was that roar and hissing? I-is that normal?"

"Perfectly normal, it is a function of the trumps I make. Don't worry no beast to devour us, simply an audible que so to speak. As is the lines that show up."

She motions to where you had been.

"We will practice this again later and under stress, once you have it, then I suppose you will be off exploring and seeing places. Remember though from time to time the Kingdom that last m stretches out a while then ends with "s, will need you so you might receive trump calls from us yourself."

She nodded, "I am always available for you, Lady Violet. Im looking forward to learning as much as I can from you. Thank you for everything you have done for me." Liya smiled at Violet warmly.

"That is wonderful to hear, Liya. So, do you have any ideas where you might like to go first, now that the cosmos is open to you?" she strode back to the table to take her seat again. She gestured to Liya's seat, "Let's not let our meal get cold."

Taking her seat again, Liya furrowed her brow in thought. “I’ve been so preoccupied preparing for my walk that I hadn’t given that part much thought. Honestly, I’ll probably just go and see where I end up.”

“I know it’s probably not the brightest idea and I’ll likely find myself in some sort of trouble,” she laughed lightly, “but like you said before, I can handle myself well enough. If not, well help is only a trump contact away. Right?”

She inclines her head.

"That I did. There are worlds so different from this one, places where cars fly, and ones where you will only find horses to carry you. Places with magic and places utterly devoid of enchantment. So many and when you get bored you can seek out the next. Though someplace might capture your interest enough you wish to stay and make your own."

Her fork dips suddenly and she gets a far-off look.

"Speaking of trumps I am receiving one now."

She nods, "Why yes she has, were having dinner would you like to join us ?"
Violet extends her free hand and brings forth a man and you hear that roar and hiss. You see some of those ribbons or red black on this side as well. The man is another of the ones from the Trump deck she had given you.

"I am glad you can make it Howard, please have a seat I will have a meal served to you. Liya this is Howard, Howard, Liya." She studied the two for a moment after introductions.

The man was dressed in a tan coat with an almost professor like sweater below and clean and seeminly pressed pants of dark brown. His shoes were black and shined. Of note was the rather sizable tome he had under one arm. An old looking thing shut with intricate locks of some gold metal stained a reddish hue. The covers of which were great scales from some creature.

“What was your favorite place to go after your Walk?” Liya asked sipping her wine.  “I’ll probably look for a place that has things I e never seen or experienced before. I’ve never gone sailing before, so I might try that. Maybe even sailing in the skies.,” she said with a smile.


The roar and hissing brought back the memory of her dream with the Hydra, sending a slight chill down her spine. She straightened her back as she watched Violet bring Howard through the trump and smiled. “Hello, it’s nice to meet you. I’m glad you could join us.”
This message was last edited by the player at 00:49, Fri 27 Jan 2023.

"You can certainly find a place like that, I am sure of it."

Violet then let her guest speak and take a seat at the table.

"Ahh yes, Liya is it ? Pleasure to meet you. Congratulations on your successful walk of the Hydra's path. That is quite the accomplishment. The first step into the greater mysteries." Howard says as he sets the book down on the table resting his hand on it before taking a seat.

"I am glad you survived, some don't." he ends quieter then he had begun.

Liya thanked him and smiled. "Im looking forward to unraveling some of those mysteries. I've been told you're the one to go to for all things related to Hydra lore. I'd love to hear all about it sometime."

"As harsh as it may sound, only the strong are meant to survive." She took a bite of buttered bread and washed it down with her wine.

"I know a fair amount, spent some time with the expert in the field Cendelu. I could provide some knowledge if you would like. The Hydra is after all an underpinning of reality and thus of serious occult interest. Are you a sorceress Liya ?"

He smiles somewhat constrained at her other comment, "While this is often believed to be true, sometimes luck, or even less obvious factors play a hand. Yet in general what you say about the strong is true."

She shook her head. "Im not yet, but maybe someday though. I like to learn new things."

He nods, "I have come by it while researching the occult. I wasn't originally in favor of magic it just kind of came with learning so many of the mysteries. Some secrets were beyond my reach till I spent time learning magic. There is no rush there is plenty that can be done without it and perhaps it is safer not to learn sometimes."

"I used to be a very safe individual. So, I perhaps might be the exception to your the strong survive theory." He chuckles a bit dryly.

"Tell me, what questions do you have about our Hydra ?"

Violet watched the conversation of her guests and ate lightly at her meal.
Occasionally a smile came to her face at one thing or another that her guests would say.

"Well, I do have one question right now." She set her fork on her plate and looked at them both. "Have either of you dreamed about the Hydra after your walk? Mine was very vivid and felt real. Thought it was going to swallow me whole before I woke up."

Howard looks to Violet then back to Liya.

"Yes, I have. Though I wasn't swallowed. I saw the Hydra and one of it's heads looked at me, it was walking off leaving a huge shadow behind it. I followed in it's shadow and in that darkness I found glowing things." He drums his fingers on his book.

"I was led through darkness to find the light, I suppose. I have done some research on dreams and interpretations. It sounds like your dream might be you feel that you fuel the dragon, or you feel perhaps unworthy and so will be swallowed. Now in certain cultures one must experience death to gain a new life a more spiritually enlightened life. All of these might apply or perhaps..."

At this point Violet speaks up.

"Howard, she simply asked if we had dreams. She didn't ask for a psychoanalytic report. Yes, Liya. I believe all of us experienced dreams of the Hydra that were very vivid after our walk."

Howard looks angry a moment but then sighs, "I was only trying to be complete in answering her query, Violet."

He folds his arms resting his elbow on that book of his.

“I don’t mind the “psychoanalysis”, she replied with a smile. “I’d actually love to hear more on your research Howard. If you have the time of course.”

Howard smiles and looks pleasantly surprised, "Always happy to make time for someone newly set on the path. Who knows what wonders you will discover or unearth in your explorations. As I was saying, I have done some studies on dream interpretation there are some realms out there that are very much like dreams. Kadath for example. Now in your dream did you die, or did you merely see the Hydra seem to be descending to eat you or something similar ?"