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Moira's Diary

Chapter 4 ( 2 March 2001 CE *)


Calamar, Armand and Helgrimm go off to scout and plot a plan of attack (or defense). Erwin, Papilia and I remained in Helgrimm's Hall. Papilia and I began taking stock of what had happened since the family meeting with Oberon in the Library. Erwin soon tired of such practical talk and disappeared outside. Papilia and I compared notes; I questioned her on what she had done since going off with her brothers (Julian, Eric and Corwin). She had become annoyed with them as they wouldn't include her in 'serious' business because she was a female. We commiserated, and I informed her how this was typical of the sons of Oberon, the arch misogynist. Papilia said that she had seen how Armand was different to them, treating me as an equal (as we are), and how the relationship between Armand and I was very different to that she had with her brothers. Papilia went on to say that she and her brothers had journeyed through Shadow until coming to the high-tech Paris world. They found a Cathedral there, and Julian went off, saying he'd return in an hour or so - but didn't. Tired of being fobbed off by Corwin and Eric, Papilia said she then went off to do some detective work of her own. She was pulled off the streets by a man who said she shouldn't be there for her own safety (curfew?) - he called himself Leopold. He took her to a barn he knew as safe; They spent the night there, and he seemed bemused by her tying him up. She said he was different to the other people of the realm; he seemed to know she was different too, and he showed extraordinary strength in grabbing her when she fell from a rotten ladder. He proved to not be too sturdy though as when he later fell from the top level of the barn he died (though I queried as to whether this might have somehow been some sort of ruse). She had left the barn after that. I asked how she had ended up arriving here in Helgrimm's shadow out of the same sort of funnel that had been spewing cyber guys that attacked Helgrimm's steading. I said that she could see that it would have looked a little suspicious from our side of things. She said yes, she could. How had that happened, I asked. She said that after leaving the barn she heard sirens and vehicles approaching. She had shifted shadow to escape (by shifting to a no-vehicle shadow). Then she got a big Trump contact - she had had no choice as to whether she accepted it or not - she had to. The entity that forced the contact was extremely powerful, and implied that he was Oberon's brother. It then wrenched her away and the next she knew she had arrived at Helgrimm's shadow at the steading. Papilia said that the identity of the person was a mystery to her; she had never heard any mention of Oberon having a brother, and suspected some treachery. I said that I had once heard reference to a brother, in conversation between Dworkin and Oberon, but never by name - as though was some trouble or dark secret.
Our discussions were interrupted by a commotion somewhere outside the hall. We went to the doorway to see what was happening, There was no sign of Erwin anywhere, but down the hillside a group of Helgrimm's goat-people were standing around a large rock, gesticulating and arguing loudly. It doesn't appear to be any concern of ours, so we leave them to it. We continue discussing family, particularly Grandfather, with whom we had both studied. Neither of us had any success in contacting Dworkin for some time (well, even longer for me), though no-one we know of has been able to either. Papilia says that she wishes that Dworkin was still accessible as she had not been able to finish her studies and she had much more she wanted to learn. I suggested that perhaps we could study together - comparing notes and extending our skills. Papilia suggested there may be texts back in Amber Castle that could be useful. I agree. I suggest that we should try to contact Grandfather together, using our combined Psyche to make contact jointly with one Trump. Papilia agrees it's worth a try. She brings out her Trump, and we make contact ! Grandfather grumpily asks who it is - I say Moira & he appears very surprised. He doesn't seem to recall Papilia, and she is a bit annoyed that he can't remember her. She studied with him for several hundred years, she says. Rilga's daughter, I say. He says he is well & safe, but seems a bit distracted; he says he is busy. He wants to know what we want. I say we were worried about him as no-one has heard from him in a long time. Was he safe? Was he well? He says yes. He becomes a bit abrupt, asking is that the only reason we interrupted him. I say I was concerned, and he seems to accept this. He aks if that's it, as he's very busy - there is danger to the realm and he has to concentrate on it. I say that is the task we have also - that Oberon has gathered all of us together for the same task. We raise the topic of a brother of Oberon; he suddenly gets quite upset , loses his temper and yells "Go!", and the connection is severed abruptly, snapping us physically back with a violent purple flash. We fall back, hitting our heads. We are surrounded by Helgrimm's goat-people, who seem much braver all of a sudden (perhaps because we appear to be at a disadvantage). They accuse us of being witches, and of betraying Odin (ie. Helgrimm). We ask what they're on about - eventually they explain that Loki has been released from the chains that bound him to the rock (down the hillside), and that it was us. We scoff arrogantly, as patently we were here all the time so how could we have released whoever it was anyway? They say they saw us ... well, the man who was with us (Erwin) release Loki. It was thus our responsibility as Odin had said we were all blood-kin. We admitted we were kin, but that the doing of one sibling was not our responsibility. Given that Odin's own son had killed his own siblings and betrayed his father, did that make the other siblings - and Odin Himself - guilty as well ? I ask. The speaker for the goat guys seems a bit taken aback at this. I press home the advantage. We are Odin's own kin, the Aesir, and we shall be sure that Odin knows what they have said to us this day. Our wrath with them was great, but Odin's would be even greater. We ceded the right of Odin to punish his own people, and we would explain to him exactly what had happened. The goat people look a little put out at this, and disperse. (Odin had better punish these little vermin for their presumption, or else). I say that I am magnanimous however - I may consider using my Seer's Art to seek where Loki and one who freed him had gone. I turn, and without looking back return to the hall. I seat myself at the far end of the hall with my back to the rear wall, so that I can gaze into the hearth fire and still have the main door of the hall in line of sight (in case those little cuties try some funny business on Papilia or myself).
I send out my senses, and locate Papilia at the door of the hall, and much further away, on the fringe of the shadow are three entities - one very powerful (Calamar) and two less so (Armand and Helgrimm). I try to contact Armand by Trump - I get through. It feels like him, but not exactly. He confirms that he is safe. He asks me to come through, but I decline for the moment, saying there are some things here I still need to do. He says ok, and we break contact. I stand and move to where Papilia is. She is trying to contact Erwin by Trump, but so far has been unsuccessful. I offer to join my strength to hers and she agrees. Together we reach for Erwin again --and this time we do. He is with Julian, and they want to be brought through - it appears they are being pursued and there is a sound of gunfire behind them. We start to bring them through, but something is fighting us. It is the entity I have felt before; it seems to be not as strong as me, but is pulling power from somewhere else to power itself. We pull harder as the sound of pursuit grows louder behind Erwin and Julian; we make a last massive effort, but the contact breaks and snaps back in a purple flare. We cannot contact them.

The goat guys grab us from behind as the contact is broken, and again accuse us of being witches. We fight hard enough to do plenty of damage (full kicks to groins an knees, Papilia wields her sword in a deadly arc). They fall back, muttering. Odin's wrath will indeed be great at them ! We then head off to the barn, and decide to go for a ride. We take a fine horse that Papilia finds saddled and bridled ready to go. We ride off along the headland that overlooks the beach where the longships are drawn up. We see a cloaked and hooded figure walking towards us on foot. The figure stops, and we draw to a halt beside it. It throws back it's hood. It is Armand - but not. It says, "Hello, Mother". I return it's greeting; I am cautious, as I know it is powerful and until I learn more about it and how it reacts I do not want to cause it to do something ... undesirable. It tells me the plan to take Amber is proceeding well , and it has replaced one of the Princes of Amber with it's own creature. I maintain a calm demeanour (as though I knew all about all this and all was fine), and asked what happened to the original - it says it was killed, anything else was too risky. Should it not have done that ? No, I said, it was probably the most prudent and wise move. I ask which Prince it was, and it says "Erwin". (Hmmmm. Wonder what Papilia is making of all of this... ?). It says it has made contact with a most formidable power which could be an enemy or an ally. This thing has multiple lines tapping into a nearby source of power. I say that may have contacted the same thing, that interfered with communications of mine. It appeared strong, but not overly so, and was drawing power from outside itself. I suggest that if we could sever the entity from it's power source we could gain control of it or destroy it if we wished. It's power source could then be used by us if we wanted .... It seems interested in that scenario.
It says that I need to come with it, and allows Papilia to come also. It leads us out along from the headland down to the water, and out into the waves. The water doesn't appear to get more than knee-deep on the horse when a heavy mist rolls in. We are led onwards, and when the mist clears we are walking out of the water onto a beach fringed by a thick green forest (so we're not somewhere in Armand's shadow). We walk up along a track into the forest, reaching a clearing. The figure wearing Armand's form seems to listen for a moment, then says there is someone else here; it will take care of it. It goes down to the water to investigate ......
I couldn't detect the attacker, but I could sense Erwin. There was a mighty fight, and Erwin was unconscious and the attacker was gone. I go down to see what is happening, (leaving Papilia in the clearing) and find someone/thing that looks like me lying prone on the ground, grievously wounded - dead. Standing over it is an Armand look-alike.

* Note: CE = Chronology of Earth

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