After the Fat Lady Sings

The personal diary of Margrath, son of Sand, pt 8

Darig is in Sanctuary and we have passed some basic supplies to him through Trump contact.

There is a feeling that Chaos surrounds the end of the Opera. More than is usual for this place.

We separated and journeyed to out respective host Houses to rest and hopefully sleep.

I felt that I may need a watermelon when I slept that night and, since I am not familiar with this fruit, on arriving back at House Sumi I asked Chang if it was possible for him to fetch me a watermelon. He took me to see Mokoto. I asked Mokoto the same and he called up something dark and foetid, with tentacles. This looks akin to the symbol on Tybalt’s shield during the Opera and somewhat similar to what was called up to help me with my spells during the dream when we called Deirdre’s spirit back from the abyss. This must be the Eidolon of Chaos, for when I viewed it with my sorcerous sight I felt the need to call up the Pattern to defend against it.

Mokoto put his hands into two of the tentacles and pulled out a melon. I thanked him and retired to my room.

I slept, with the anticipation of being in a wood that is less humid than the one I dreamed of before and that is where I found myself, on a path and carrying a melon. The track was dusty and less humid, as I had wanted. From behind me there was a voice which said ‘Well, this is more like it.’ He was just as before. I threw the melon to him which he caught and cut into slices – as needed more hands appeared. He called me brother.

Again he repeats that I can go back but not go home, reinforcing my belief that nothing beyond the boundaries of Chaos is quite like it was before the Interruption.

He told me a story and this is how I remember it went -

Anansi, for that is his name, had collected all the world’s wisdom in a box and, not satisfied that it was safe, he started to climb a tree, to place it at the top. As he climbed he had the box on a string, tied around his neck. And a boy came and asked him why he was climbing the tree with the box and then he was distracted and fell. And when he fell, the box broke and all the wisdom was spread out and everybody got a little piece.

He admitted that though he is called Anansi, on Corillaine he is Great Spider and not one of the big Seven that includes Unicorn and Serpent. He said that it would be nice to be in that company, but that it would mean removing one of them. So from this I understand that there is some rule or law that means there can only be Seven on that level of power.

Anansi, naturally, does not think I should chase after the Unicorn, but would be better staying with him and then we can meet up like this and have these little chats. He says that next time he will bring a watermelon.

He told me that he had never been to Amber, but that I could take him there. We agreed that neither of us might like the place, but that, as with everything, we would not know unless we tried.

We parted and I woke.

I rose, dressed and went to breakfast. There I met with Mokoto (or he was waiting to speak to me, I no longer see these meetings as random coincidence). He asked me if I had found the melon to my taste and I replied that I had.

We talked about my plans and I told him that I wanted to find out what was happening to Darig. I also said that I would be visiting Magelord Argoleb in House Nomon, as he had asked to see me.

Mokoto informed me that they would make space and time available so that I could train Ibemo in my path, my ways of magecraft, before he leaves to travel with me. This will give him a grounding in my path, without the time constrictions we may face while travelling. This seems a very sensible plan.

After finishing breakfast, Chang took me to House Nomon. We travelled along a raised road over marshland and waterways, which led to a jetty where we met a person (probably a demon) in what I have come to recognise as Egyptian dress. This person was in a boat made of reeds in which he took me to a town. Chang helped me ashore and I was challenged in a manner similar to that which we have encountered at many other Houses.

We were led to a room in a building made of mud. In the room we were provided with refreshments where I met with Magelord Argoleb. He appeared with silver hair and a silver beard, dressed in a robe that was decorated with blue stars.

He had asked me there to talk about the training that was agreed I would receive as payment for the bet we had at the Races. He felt that this meeting would take place in his tower in Atlantis, which is his seat of power and the best place for training to take place. However, after the events of the Opera last night, he felt that time and the clock were grinding slowly and he felt it was time to meet, at least to decide on the nature that my training would take.

Magelord Argoleb is versed in a number of schools of magic and he has offered to train me in one of these schools. This will increase my scope of knowledge and my basic understanding.

The schools he offered were Necromancy, Illusion or Elementalism. We agreed that I would learn the arts of Illusion. Necromancy, while closest to my shamanic tradition, has a very poor reputation, especially on Corillaine, and may well be inimical to my shamanic practise. Magelord Argoleb uses Necromancy very sparingly and must undergo spiritual cleansing afterwards before he can use other forms, and before he can even begin to cast some spells.

The elementalist usually focuses on one element, as the different elements can conflict.

Illusion focuses on the difference between substance and perception. The nature of a thing versus the perceived nature. I feel this will be helpful to me as I have long been aware that visits too and travel through, both the spirit realms and dream, are more about the perception of the traveller than the reality of the place. This is also true of these realms of Chaos, and illusion may well aid in dealing with some things here, although there is a fear that it will lead to more confusion should I become more aware of what is illusionary here.

I also spoke with the Magelord about shadow not being the same places we left. They may have the same appearance but not be the same substance. The Magelord feels that as he has come from one of the Far Realms, these will not have been affected by the recreation of Shadow.

He asked me where I had heard of this theory and I recounted my meetings in dream with Anansi. He is aware of Anansi, a deity though not one of the major ones, as Anansi had told me. Magelord Argoleb warned me of Anansi as he is known as a trickster, though not thought to be malicious. Even so, not everything he says should be taken as truth.

He bade me farewell until we meet again and I left with Chang. I asked Chang to take me to see the Opera House but he told me that it has now never existed. Such is the way of the Courts apparently, a place does not exist, then when it is needed it has always existed and when it is needed no more, it ceases to be and has never been, although we have memory of the place and of attending the Opera. It seems that this place is more focused on the moment, and history flows backwards from what is now, rather than what has been.

Next I had Chang take me to the Duomo where I could see how Darig fared in his place of Sanctuary. In the Duomo there were various creatures who, one can only say, were there to view Darig in his confinement. At the time I came he was in conversation with what appeared to be a starfish.

I decided to hang around in the Duomo to observe the visitors and in the hope that one or more of my cousins would visit. I spent some of my time there observing the place both mundanely and under sorcerous sight. Under the sight I could see the warding of the place and could also see the huge spiritual associations to the Serpent in the place.

After a while Constance arrived to see Darig. She was accompanied by Morgenstern. I had not appreciated just how powerful a presence Morgenstern creates, only having seen him across the battlefield before.

Constance and I talked about my feeling that Julian may be trapped in some form of dream reality, much like a shadow, but with only his mind being there, separated from his body. Thus there would be no need for him to be drugged, apart from any need to aid the mind/body separation.

Constance wondered if House Karm could be holding Julian’s body as part of some deal with Brand; that would provide him with a body to inhabit. This could be something akin to the process where the Ty’iga inhabit bodies though I can only see this happening if the original body-mind/spirit bond is broken first, which would leave Julian, at best, trapped in the dream. This seems like the sort of process that would be part of Necromancy. I should try to see Magelord Argoleb to ask about this, as he is the only person I know, and would want to ask, who may know something about this. Though Sigebert and the Raven people may have some insight as well.

I should also have asked Magelord Argoleb whether he knows anything of Abbadon or Argent. I must remember to ask him when I see him again.

We need to check where Brand’s body is and what state it is in. If it is too damaged he could well be looking for a new body. If he has access to his old body though, could he merge two aspects of the Jewel of Judgement to create something more?

Also we need to look into whether, if Julian is in a dream reality, we could enter that dream from another dream?

As we talked, Constance and I moved outside the Duomo as Morgenstern’s presence was creating something of a stir.

Outside we noticed Delambre, the demon of William, who must be inside visiting Darig. We later found that he was also bringing Darig some supplies.

While outside the Duomo I became aware, from observing the place in sorcerous sight, that this place is a conjuration, like the Opera House. This leaves open the question as to whether all in Chaos is conjuration, including the Thelbane?

As we were there I became aware of a manifestation which was starting to appear. It took the form of a jaguar-like spirit and it was a sending from Sand. The sending had a message from me that Sorashi wanted to talk, and that I could contact her through her mother Kali/Deirdre.

While I was receiving the message from the sending William was in Trump contact with Havelock, who William brought through to us. Constance Trumped Julian with Morgenstern next to her and Havelock and William were talking about Amber and Trumps.

I wonder now if it would be possible to Trump Delwin’s spirit and whether this would be a violation of his status as an ancestor? I will have to think about this.

I Trumped Sand to say hello and ask how urgently Sorashi needed to speak to me. Sand did not think the matter was that urgent but that Sorashi is in Cloud Nine at present. I told Sand that I have allowed Havelock to draw a Trump of me and she warned me of the inadvisability of trusting the red-headed group. Further to contacting Sorashi though Deirdre I told Sand that I do not have a Trump of Deirdre and she said ‘Have mine, no need to give it back!”

Sand also told me that the Elders are under a restriction. The High King seems to be holding them responsible for the proceedings at the Opera and Darig’s removal. I told her that Mandor is trying to work for the benefit of Darig.

We bade our goodbyes and I proceeded to Trump Deirdre so that I could talk to Sorashi and find out what she wanted to talk to me about. I found that Sorashi had been attacked and was injured, though not fatally. Sorashi wanted to talk to me because she needed someone who can perform conjuration to repair the Alhambra, her inherited House, as the place is falling down. Since it has been left empty and untended this is what would be expected from a conjured place. Without regular attention the nature of the place would degrade, as I expect happens to places like the Duomo, although that may be supported by its spiritual associations.

I agreed that I would have a look at the Alhambra, but that I not sure just how easy or quickly, it will be to perform the necessary work.

Having finished saying farewell to Sorashi, I talked with the others present about Sorashi and her condition, about attempting to retrieve Julian and I put forward the idea that we should meet up first thing each day rather than having to find each other or hoping to bump into each other by chance. This way we can let each other know our plans and expected whereabouts for the day.

I suppose the best place to this meeting, at least while Darig is stuck in Sanctuary, would be at the Duomo.

Havelock Trumped Deirdre and we were invited to join her and Sorashi at Cloud Nine. Havelock and I allowed Deirdre to bring us through via Trump, while the others and our demons travelled there on foot.

There was food prepared there, the interesting and spicy smells of various curries. We were also introduced to Sorashi’s step daughter, Tajal. I said that I would have to introduce her, and the cousins, to Ibemo, who is my child. I pointed out to Sorashi that Ibemo is my child rather than my stepchild but that all Houses do not use the Barrimen way of producing children.

William, Constance and the rest of our party arrived and were greeted at Cloud Nine. We discussed Julian’s incarceration by House Karm with Deirdre. Constance has visited the location of House Karm and described it as a large castle perched on a tor, which is surrounded by a graveyard. An appropriate setting for a house of Necromancers. Inside though it is quite different. Deirdre found it very odd that their House should look different on the outside form what it looks on the inside, though I suppose in Chaos that is more than likely as the inside and outside may not really be the same place, as we would expect them to be elsewhere.

Deirdre was very keen on a frontal assault but also feared that it would be a disaster. Havelock said that this is born out by a Trump reading he has performed.

We also talked to Sorashi about her injuries and she confirmed that she was attacked outside the Alhambra.

During out conversations Deirdre pointed out that there is another sorceror present apart form me, Llewella. Sorashi also agreed that she would sit for Havelock to draw her Trump.

We decided to talk to Despil and Havelock Trumped him, finding that he and Mandor were at Woodstock. Again Constance and William travelled to Woodstock with Morgenstern, on foot.

Mandor is sure that there will be some movement with Darig’s situation on the morrow, due to some information that Darig passed on to Mandor earlier on.

Constance explained to Mandor about her concerns over Julian. When she went to House Karm’s box and spoke to ‘Julian’ during an interval in the Opera last night, she knew that that was not Julian, that ‘Julian’s’ manner was different and there was also an attempt at a Trump contact while she was talking to him, which had the usual result of contacting a person who was dreaming.

Havelock also talked about his Trump reading which showed that there is one individual in House Karm who is significant. Mandor unfortunately has no idea who that may be.

A theory put forward by Mandor is that Julian reacted to news of Constance’s treatment by House Spectral and House Karm decided to keep him quiet rather than entering into some form of negotiation.

Despil asked Havelock if he had yet painted his great-great-great-grandfather, Prince Benedict?

We contacted Deirdre and Havelock and I returned to Cloud Nine via Trump where I said farewell to Havelock, Sorashi, Deirdre and Tajal and then travelled back to House Sumi, led as usual by Chang.