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Moira's Diary

Chapter 5 (18th March 2001 CE *)


On the beach, the Armand-lookalike disappears. I attempt to contact Papilia by Trump. She accepts my contact, though she appears extremely annoyed and angry. She says that Erwin is an imposter who has killed our real brother Erwin - that he admitted to it (even before she crushed his hand when encouraging him to tell her the truth). In trying to get away this "Erwin" electrocuted her, the force of which threw her backwards against a tree and knocked her out briefly and he ran off. She wasn't sure how long she was out for. I suggest she bring me through, which she does. She is in a tech-type world they got to when trying to reach the cyberpapacy world. Papilia receives a Trump contact - it is Oberon, who interrogates her as to how things are going. Oberon insists that we complete our assigned task first and deal with the imposter later, and doesn't seem overly concerned that a Prince of Amber has been killed and replaced secretly with an imposter. He dismisses this, saying "don't be silly, we can't be killed".

Papilia and I then return to Helgrimm's shadow. Helgrimm treats Papilia's head wound and she relates the news re Erwin & the imposter. To help Papilia to heal to full strength quickly so we can go to the shadow where the imposter attacked Papilia, Helgrimm goes to that world briefly to see how the time flows between his shadow and that one. Frigga completes the binding of Papilia's headwound, and then starts work on her hand, which the imposter had hit in trying to free himself from her grip. Papilia gets another Trump contact, this time from Helgrimm. I listen in (by placing a hand on her shoulder). Helgrimm asks Papilia Trump him back in 30 minutes (our time) so he can see how long has passed there. Papilia has a little trouble Trumping him back - the connection is not easy - but she is able to get through with my assistance. Helgrimm returns; the ratio is 1:6 (30 minutes in Helgrimm's shadow is 5 minutes in the other). He comments that the other shadow feels closer to Amber than his own realm - things are more resistant to change and Trump contact is harder.

Helgrimm collects his 4th, 5th and 6th best horses from his stables (the others having been taken and left in other shadows ...), picks up an axe from behind a tree, and we hellride out. On the way we pass through a shadow of toxic chemicals, then onwards. Helgrimm is shot at by tech-type guys. We arrive at a castle (tech-ish). I spread my senses outward to the castle, seeking Erwin (any of them), and also the disposition of any other sentients in the castle (guards and other denizens). I can sense Erwin low down (eg. in a dungeon-ish area), but there are other minds near to him. I focus in on Erwin's mind and try to sense his emotional state - fearful, depressed, scared, angry (eg. as a prisoner), or exultant (ie. as a captor). I sense both (... mmm, this could also mean that I am picking up the emotions of the minds around him, who could be captors).

Security in the castle appears slack, which is odd considering we can see battle fires raging on the horizon. The main gate is open, and the guards on the walls are sloppy and inattentive. Being cautions, we choose to scale the walls; we get past the guards easily (Helgrimm knocks one out), and we make our way down to the dungeon area. Coming to the appropriate chamber we find a figure chained to the wall with a gaping wound in its right breast (Erwin), and figure in front of it gesticulating (Erwin again), and a handful of guards. Neither Erwin has a crushed hand (though it could have been healed ...). Helgrimm charges past the guards to take them down, then forges past to the chained figure. Papilia and I take out the guards then turn to the unchained Erwin. Helgrimm releases the chained Erwin, who lunges forward with a knife (from where?). Before we can stop him he plunges the knife into the captor Erwin - Helgrimm does not stop him. The released Erwin at first tries to insist he is the real one, but relents and confesses after Papilia tells him his story is a crock. Erwin #2 confesses that he is not the real Erwin - he says that he was on a starship, when his double (Erwin #1, the original) came up to him; E#1 said that he was the son of Oberon and needed E#2 for something, a battlefield situation. Erwin #1 turned around, and Erwin#2 stabbed him in the back. Before E#1 died, E#2 interrogated him, and reamed his mind. He learned of Oberon and Amber. This E#2 then walked Broken Pattern and roamed the Universe. At that point there is a crashing noise outside the dungeon chamber - the guards are coming.
We take him back to Helgrimm's shadow, Helgrimm Trumping us back to his ship Ehwaz which is beached at Nachtsteading.
We refresh ourselves there, and Papilia has her headwound looked at further. While this is being done there is a commotion outside. We go out to look, and see a demonic creature, a werewolf, a tall pale guy with a sword, and a mediaeval-looking noble (who is holding a shield over their heads). Helgrimm steps forward, and the tall pale guys steps forward also. The latter introduces himself as Ricardo. He accuses us of invading their realm. Helgrimm denies this (of course), and introduces himself. It is mentioned that Helgrimm is the son of Oberon. They react to this. "Oberon, son of the rebel ! ".
An animated discussion ensues re the various invasions different realms have suffered, and possibly by whom.
I pursue their comment of Oberon being son of the rebel. Dworkin of house Barimen. They had thought he was destroyed millennia before. The interest of both sides is piqued. They say that their father is Aeron, their Grandfather is __________, of the House of Cups, from "The Courts". Helgrimm invites us all into his hall, to continue the conversation more comfortably. We do further introductions. Dylan is the mediaeval lord type, Gregor is the werewolf, and the demon is Dagolith. When Papilia and I introduce ourselves they ask Helgrimm if we are his wives. He says no, his sisters. It appears that brothers and sisters marry in "The Courts". We all talk more, back and forth, about the disturbances to both realms. They think we are to blame, but we offer that both sides seem to be afflicted, and that there appears to be third power at play. The power which is invading their realm is the antithesis of theirs (which is called the "Logrus"). They tell us a little of the history of their realm.

It appears that long ago Dworkin was High Priest serving the Serpent. He expected to become the Keeper of the Hall of ________, but his best friend Suhuy became Keeper instead. Dworkin lay with Lilith; she fell pregnant and gave birth to Lucifer, who was her second child (but Dworkin's first). Her first child was by the King, and called Swayvill ('Slaughter'). He is the leader of the House of Swords.
Dworkin saw in the temple a pale maiden (unknown name), blue pendant and cobalt hair. She had a child by him (to his surprise), who was named Oberon. House Barimen was expelled from the Courts, and he took with him his two sons, Lilith and the maid with blue hair.
The Heir to the Courts became Naja, of the House of Cups.


* Note: CE = Chronology of Earth

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