Asmark’s Diary part 21: The Council of the Realms

in Brave New Worlds

Goat 3659 – Absinthe

Flora was trying to organise a summit meeting. She had a venue in mind. It is in the Far Realm of Babylon. I haven’t actually been to the place but I understand that it is very popular with the Royal family. She suggested a trip to Babylon to organise the summit. She had already talked to Peter, who had agreed to contact Bathsheba and Morwaith. She asked us (Aylwin and myself) to contact Julian or Anya.

Before proceeding any further we discussed the matter with Bleys. He insisted that we should only agree on a time and a place. Everything else should be left to the summit itself. The only other point that we might discuss is the seating plan. Bleys insists that Fiona must be seated between two of us. He says that I will be our lead negotiator. I take this as meaning that he will trust Fiona’s safety only to a close guard by Aylwin and himself. I have no idea whether there will be any real threat to Fiona, but I fully appreciate his refusal to take ANY chances. Bleys also explained that the sustainable number of Patterns is limited, and the current (excessive) number implies the likely rapid demise of some of them.

Aylwin attempted to trump Julian and failed. He trumped Anya instead. She consulted with Julian. Julian says he will not be going (it wasn’t entirely clear at this point whether this referred to the summit or merely the pre-summit negotiations). Anya, however, will represent their realm, which they call the Weald.

21^st Goat 3659

Not longer after this Peter trumped Aylwin and we both went through to a hotel room in Paris, Babylon. Flora, Ann, Merlin and Terisa were already there. Aylwin introduced me to Merlin.

Aylwin then trumped Anya through. Anya was dressed in an evening dress that seemed to be made of sewn together leaf skeletons; rather fetching. She was looking in far better health than when I saw her at Clarence’s funeral. The only time I have seen her since was at the Redrawing and I didn’t have the leisure to pay her any attention. Being away from Clarissa seems to suit her. I cannot say I am surprised. Aylwin introduced Anya to Terisa.

Peter trumped through Morwaith and then Bathsheba and Luke. It is clear from their greeting that Merlin and Luke are old friends. Peter introduced Bathsheba to Ann. This completed the expected party. Flora then took us down-stairs. Before leaving the room, Merlin insisted that we leave our swords. Apparently the local etiquette does not allow the carrying of weapons. Babylon seems to be a technocracy of sorts. It is more like Zircon than anywhere else I have been.

In the foyer, we met a man called Omar. According to Peter, he was a friend of Alaric’s. I realised that I had seen him at the Redrawing. He started by expressing an interest in trade between realms (odd we were only intending to trade with our own shadows), and went on to say that he had a message from Dark. Flora clearly did not want this discussed in public.

Fiona took us to the “banqueting hall” which is where she proposes we should have the meal. When we arrived there, I started to sketch Omar to see what I can learn about him. The discussions continued with Omar saying that Dark is keen to talk to everyone and is of the opinion that there are too many Patterns. Flora asked Omar how he knew about Patterns, and he replied that he has one in his own realm, Nur. Morwaith confirmed that he was carrying a ‘realm’ jewel, albeit not as powerful as other such jewels. Morwaith believes that Nur is not a full fledged realm, but will survive anyway. Perhaps it is of the same substance as the Far Realms, which seem to be less real but more enduring than realms like Rebma or Tir-na-N’Ogth.

There was then a long speculative discussion of the likely weeding out of the Patterns, and to what extent and in what way we can influence this. There seems to be a consensus that it will happen anyway and needs to be managed. What is in doubt are the precise mechanisms by which it can be managed, and which realms must be sacrificed. I foresee a lot of problems, especially with the latter question.

Morwaith speculated that everyone who is still remembered and was not dead at the time of the Redrawing still survives somewhere. If so, Archie and Amed Na’tyr are probably still around. More significantly, so is Martin and Rebma, unless of course the Deep Ones turned on their patron and killed before the Redrawing. It is clear that no-one really knows. I suspect that even Dworkin/Dark does not know, although I suspect he thinks he does. He pretends to know, and probably believes it himself, but I think he deludes himself as much as he attempts to delude everyone else.

Worryingly it seems that Dark is currently in Babylon. Omar says he is travelling in a train with a circus. Ann says she knows of this and that it is “Cougar and Dark’s Circus”. She believes this to be wholly evil, and says it “harvests the souls of the troubled, guilty and depressed”.

We returned to discussions of the summit. Flora wanted Omar to leave but Morwaith invited him to stay as a representative of this realm, Angtharrod. As most other realms have two representatives, he claimed the right to a second. Anya says she will attend for the Weald, but Julian will not. Nevertheless it is agreed to keep a place for him, indeed that places should be kept for all known living family members, even if they are not expected. Most other family members are expected to attend. As yet Jason, Caanan, Michael, Delwin and Sand have not been contacted, but we intended to contact them all.

It seems that there are currently 16 worlds. However it seems that this includes semi-realms like Nur and shadows like Sierra Nigra. Without knowing precisely what is included the figure is not very useful. There are six known full-Pattern realms: Absinthe, Amber, Angtharrod, Argent, Ellas and the Weald. At least Nur is a lesser-Pattern realm and it is speculated the Mirabeau and Amethyst still exist in some form (or have been recreated by their former rulers). There are at least two new shadows (Sierra Nigra and Cerenia). That leaves five worlds unaccounted for.

Flora had spent some time telling us how wonderful the food was, without actually calling for any of it. We were then given menus in the local language. This was alright for Aylwin, Flora and Ann, who are fluent, but for the rest of us it was meaningless. I asked Aylwin to order for me. When it finally arrived, it was pretty good.

We agreed that the full meeting will be on New Year’s Day in this hotel. The discussion actually covers a number of topics that are beyond what Bleys calls “only subjects for discussion”, however I assume that he will accept the necessity of security and the irrelevance of the table dressing.

By the time this was all over, I had completed a reasonable first draft trump sketch. I was being discreet about it, I had no illusions that the more perceptive present would notice. Towards the end, I had a brief contact, the sketch working as a trump. The impression I got was dark and sinister. There is something about this man that we need to be very wary of.

Peter invited me (and others) to accompany him on a trip to Faerie, seeking Benedict. It seems wise that Absinthe should be represented in case it is successful. There seemed no point in returning to Absinthe as the trip starts in a day or two. I did a little exploring of Babylon, or at least Paris.

Ann asked me to give her greetings to her “mother-in-law”, apparently she is Alaric’s widow. I naturally agreed to.

Morwaith expressed his admiration for Absinthe, and petitions that should Angtharrod be one of the realms to be lost, that he be allowed to settle there. I am confident that Fiona would agree to that, say as much and promise to formally raise the matter at the first opportunity.

Ann is familiar with the place and shows some of us around. In the early evening we went to some sort of religious service, then to a theatrical performance at the Comedié Français, and finally to a club called the Moulin Rouge.

The next day we were visiting a religious building called Sacré Coeur when we ran into Aylwin painting. There was something odd about his work. It was not until Ann pointed it out that I could see it; Aylwin is using a lot of Alaric’s style, and is painting SO much better for it. I can only assume it is the influence of his blood.