Patchwork Universe

Larkin Quickgrip · Good Joined: 21 Jan 2004 Posts: 143 Location: The Slums

Larkin strolled into the saloon bar and looked around. Wondering exactly what it was that the pub landlord wanted with him he wandered over to the nearest seat and plonked himself in it, before looking expectantly towards the door.

Karl Groever · Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2004 5:15 pm Post subject:

Karl came into the bar, and acknowledged Larkin. As he appeared to have invited himself along to this discussion, he wondered, fleetingly, if the publican would simply throw the young man out again once he himself entered. For the moment, he wasn't about to worry. He sat himself down opposite Larkin: thinking to himself, what does the barkeeper want with me?

Jones · Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2004 7:31 pm Post subject:

Jones came in with a thoughtful expression on his face. He was surprised at Larkin's having invited himself to this conference but there was much here that he did not understand.

"Sir," he said to Karl. "I'm afraid I didn't catch your name when you first arrived. Should I understand that this gentleman has your confidence. Studying Karl closely he continued: "Are you a relative of Karl Groever, you have much of a resemblance to him, although you are much younger of course. I haven't seen Mr Groever since the war against heaven..." he stopped abruptly at the expressions on the faces of the two men. "Perhaps, I have said too much," he said apologetically.

Jones · Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2004 7:32 pm Post subject:

ooc note: Regarding the confusion in the previous thread. No worries. It happens in real life, why not in the patchwork? ;)

Karl Groever · Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2004 12:58 am Post subject:

When the publican asked him whether Larkin held his confidence, Karl looked across the table for a moment at his companion, and then gave a slightly non - commital shrug. Why not, he thought to himself. After all what secrets did he have to hide so far outside the familiar boundaries of his life?
But what Jones said next confused him utterly. He tried, a moment later, to make sense of what had just been said to him.

'Sir, there has to be some confusion here...or a remarkable coincidence. For MY name is Karl Groever, and I have no relative living who is also so called. I was named for my grandfather, but he died years before I myself was born.'
Abruptly : 'How do you know the man you speak of, mine host?'
He forbore for the moment asking what the war in Heaven might be...there was more than enough to try to take in already.

Jones · Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2004 10:53 am Post subject:

"How is it possible?" Jones shook his head in what might have been disbelief and gave Karl another long assessing look. "The man I know as Karl Groever, a man I would call a friend although we have at times disagreed, that man is twenty years or more older than yourself. I met him first at the Chantry, later on he travelled greatly about the Quilt and became fast friends with Dr Brainstorm."

He looked again at Karl, amazement clearly showing on his face
"Many strange things happen in the quilt but this is something new in my experience," he said. "Perhaps this is the vengeance of the Gods for what he did... for what you did." Suddenly distressed, he reached out a hand and then it stilled, as if he would have taken Karl's hand. "You really have no memory of anything, or anyone? Not my daughter Jane, who you used to tell stories of your adventures, not little Alice who ran errands for you at your slightest whim, not the doctor, or Aggravayne, or Snark and Smight, or Pixel?"

None of the names roused any sign of recognition from Karl even at Jones' final plea. "You don't remember me, my friend? Many long nights have we sat and debated with each other... but no, it's gone, like a clock turned back, as if the time never was."

He seemed deeply shaken and came finally to a halt, staring at the young face of the man who had been his friend.

Larkin Quickgrip · Good Joined: 21 Jan 2004 Posts: 143 Location: The Slums

Larkins eyes opened slightly as he realised that this paticular conversation had nothing to do with him. Preferring to stay in the dark about any such thing Larkin stopped listening and using all his skills in the art of sneaking, gently crept around the two intense looking gentlemen and out of the door, making sure to keep his head down low and his shoulders hunched.

(ooc Larkin has left this thread and entered the "A New Day" Thread)

Karl Groever · Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2004 9:19 pm Post subject:

Karl could not respond for some moments. Finally, he said, in a voice gone subdued and uncertain: 'No, Herr Jones, you are quite correct. Before I walked through your doors yesterday, I had never set foot in this public house in my life. Indeed, a week or so since, I was unaware of any life save that within the City and its environs. I know nothing of the names and places that you say I should. This is unnerving, dammit!'
Karl caught himself, calmed a little. 'The strangest thing...' he began anew 'yes, the strangest thing...is that the things you tell me that this man...did...they sound as if I might have done them, in a way. He had a...lady companion, and she was close to him, you say. And he sought out men of wisdom, allied with them, in fact. And fought...for something he believed in. Uncannny resemblances.'
Karl hesitated for another moment, wiped a hand across his brow, new covered with a sheen of sweat. He made a hoarse noise, half - chuckle, half - sob 'You say this fellow even talked to your daughter, just as I did last night.' Perhaps even felt the odd affinity with her that I felt last night, he thought silently. Conflicting notions began to war in his head. He wanted both to end the conversation there and then, yet also to discover as much as he might about this new bizarrity. 'Jones,' Karl gasped 'tell me...where did this other man come from? Was he from the City... the City in the Sands...as I am?' he finished raggedly.

Jones · Posted: Fri Jun 18, 2004 9:00 am Post subject:

Reaching out and snagging a bottle of brandy from the bar, Jones poured a stiff measure into a glass and thrust it into Karl's shaking hands:
"You've had a shock," he said gruffly. "Try some of that... For that matter, so have I..."
He poured a few fingers of the spirit for himself and touched his glass to Karl's in a salute.

"The man I knew as Karl Groever spoke of a home called Zaritza. It was a desert city and under his leadership it had prospered..."

Jones frowned, speaking almost automatiicaly as he thought through the implications of this strange twist of events and disliked them.
"It's been some time since any of my ertwhile companions in the Quilt visited here," he said slowly. "And instead a new group of people now throng the pub, none of them with any experience of the mists or the world. It seems to me the Gods are on the move once more, pulling more people into the bondage of the patchworked worlds. But why should they have made you twnty years younger?"

His eyes widened slightly as a possibility occured.
"Karl!" he said. "You don't know this as you are now, but you and Brainstorm... you were the most knowledgable men in the quilt when it came to the strange forces that control it. You devised the plan..."

He stopped suddenly and began again more carefully.
"Brainstorm was not able to travel far away from home but you travelled everywhere, you were the most able of the Ring of Eight, save perhaps Pixel. And you had the knowledge and intelligence to understand and convey the discoveries you made. By reverting you to your youthful self that knowledge has been stolen from you. Like the newcomers in the bar you are now a blank slate on which the Gods can write what they will..."

Jones · Posted: Fri Jun 18, 2004 12:09 pm Post subject:

As he finished speaking the brunette Juniper Jones entered the room quietly and came up to her father-in-law.
Looking apologetic for her interuption she spoke softly to Jones.
"I'm sorry to disturb you but it looks as if there might be some trouble in the main bar. Some of the customers seem to be involved in an altercation..."

Jones · Posted: Fri Jun 18, 2004 12:47 pm Post subject:

"Damn," Jones said. He looked doutbfully at Karl, but the man still seemed to be in a state of shock and Jones regretted being the person who had brough him to this. "It's probably those pirates," he said to himself, standing up. "I'll have to go and sort it out."

He hesitated and then said:
"Juniper? Would you stay with this gentleman and help him to anything he needs?"
With that he departed for the main bar room.

ooc: Jones now moves to 'Introductions'

Karl Groever · Posted: Fri Jun 18, 2004 1:04 pm Post subject:

Karl looked slightly dazedly in Juniper's direction. Then, he stood up and said : 'Much as I appreciate the hospitality your husband?...my old friend?...is showing me...I feel that I may need to be going now. To get my bearings together. And I have promised some friends of mine that I shall travel with them.' A momentary pang of guilt surged through him as he realised that, in effect, he and Larkin were abducting the landlord's daughter. Karl winced a moment...perhaps this would all be for the future good.
'Tell Jones that I will come back to speak to him again, as soon as I can discover anything that will make sense of what he has told me. And that I'm sorry for what's happened.'
With that, Karl hurried back through the thronged Public Bar, his mind awhirl. Jones had claimed that his namesake had RULED the City? And that he had known all the mysteries of this strange universe? With his drive to unearth the details of what he had wandered into, was he, even now, beginning to follow inadvertantly in the footsteps of his mysterious predecessor? Too much to comprehend right now, focussing on Larkin's quest would surely be the most appropriate thing. And, indeed, if there were some Power - God or otherwise - waiting at the other end, perhaps more answers would be forthcoming.

[OOC: Karl now hurries to join Larkin and Jane as they 'leave home']

Jones · Posted: Fri Jun 18, 2004 1:09 pm Post subject:

Juniper looked after the departing Karl with some concern. He didn't seem fit to leave and her father-in-law had asked her to stay with him. But presumably he hadn't expected her to force the man to stay against his will.

Clearing up the brandy glasses she returned to the main bar.

ooc: This thread now concluded