Bathsheba’s Diary part 18: Metaphysics, Politics, and Weirdness in the Dungeon

In The Doom that Came to Amber

5^th Snake – dawn

Vivid dream about Tir na Nogth last night. It looked like Dublin in the 30’s a bit, misty with streetlights glowing silver. Deirdre was there, under a streetlamp, smoking.

The gist of the conversation was she was ‘in two halves’ and needed my help to enable her to move on – in exchange for this she will ‘call it quits’ and remove the blood curse. She suggests I look ‘where she fell’. Nothing to lose, I suppose, so I say I will do my best. She mentions her axe – if I can find it, I may use it.

I walk on and meet Eric again. Like most of our conversations here, it was cryptic and unhelpful. He mentioned the ‘Neverborn’ (a war some time back) and mentioned ‘ways not to say no’ but failed to specify where or when I would need this rather vague advice. Maybe it’s a dig at my lack of diplomatic skills.

Again, the conversation stutters to a self-conscious halt and I move on to, apparently, Kashfa and Rinaldo. He mentions the events in Chalcedony and the shape-shifter there, then asks for a kiss for some reason. It seems a harmless request but I agree on the condition that it isn’t seen as something binding. Who am I kidding, like it was ever going to mean anything.

I’m not much into dream analysis but it’s worrying I keep dreaming of him (well, all right, twice now). This means my subconscious is telling me I fancy him, the sleazy murdering social climber that he is. With my taste in men, it’s a good job I don’t do relationships.

This happy dreamworld ends as I’m woken up – two guards are missing, and something has been seen flying above the castle.

Montford, his sister and Peter come through on trump. Montford wounded.

We need to relieve the North Gate. Decide to take 6 troops as relief force. Achieved the North Gate without incident – en route several corpses, including Amberites who seem to have been cooked.

Situation at the gate was untenable – the Marquis of Eastgate was fit to command but tired and suffering from combat stress. Several of the troops seem to be suffering an impaired mental state and others were Unicorn sympathisers. In order to minimise any further casualties, I trump Asmark at the castle and pass the wounded through. Morwaith was present with Asmark and assisted in moving the horses and non-injured troops to the castle courtyard.

The Marquis advised he had been approached by Rupert with offers of ‘succour’ – this was not taken up.

Later meeting with Aylwin and Khitan. As per Khitan, Danesh has a spot of Mythos in his brain, which is altering his personality. Khitan is overly dramatic about the lack of success of his surgery but, given the track record, I feel unwilling to call on his services in the future.

I begin to advise them of the possibility of using Deirdre’s axe against the Deep Ones, but am interrupted by a call from Peter advising that R'lyeh is rising from the sea and the fleet is in danger. I acknowledge the info and leave, requesting Aylwin and Khitan to try and find the axe.

On consideration of the situation, I switch my objective from Random to Gerard as more likely to offer constructive advice. In order to attempt to warn the fleet, he suggests the lighthouse or sailing out from the ports. On consideration of the alternatives, I remember that Asmark has a contact in the fleet – Algar Waterworth - so went to commandeer the Trump in question. There was resistance in establishing a connection, but I was able to force one through.

On contact, I was made aware that the ship Waterworth was on was under attack from Deep Ones. I am pulled though and, as the captain is dead, take command. Having cleared the ship of boarders, I assess the situation – R'lyeh’s land mass is rising at a speed which would make it impossible to outrun. The only course of action is to abandon ship and I therefore contact Asmark again to set up an evacuation.

After ensuring the wounded are being taken to the infirmary, I go to brief Julian by Trump. He is leaving for Arden, and requests that I inform Random of this and of my information.

I do so, but would comment for the record that the latter news especially is not received well.

As there is no present duty for me, I go to assist in the infirmary.

In military terms, we are defeated.