Get their
paws wet
From
the diary of Major Alfred Powell, Military Attaché to
the British Resident of Perak, formerly of the Duke of Clarence's Own
(37th and 39th) Lancers
11 March, 1875
Another day of digging. The Reverend Parslo-Parslo is perfectly
capable, if a bit absent-minded and literal-minded. But one does tire
of concocting plausible explanations. It would be so much easier if I
could simply say, "I have cast a 'Find the Path' ritual three times,
from different angles and focusing upon related structures of the
ruins, and am quite confident that the main chamber of the library is
there."
Far more amusing has been Mrs Voach. Ever since we saw how completely
Mrs Domokos is unsettled by the visions she receives whenever she
catches a glimpse of the dregs of Mrs Voach's tea, the latter has
contrived ever more elaborate ways to "inadvertently" show them to her.
The fact that Mrs Voach is so very fond of tea, and is quite happy to
explain at great length the history and qualities of a particular tea,
gives her ample room to argue that she didn't mean to. As I said to Sir
Philip when he was particularly inconvenienced by Mrs D's hysterics,
"Surely you do not mean to say that Mrs Voach is clever enough to
outwit both you and Mrs Domokos?"
At least now I know where Miss Moriarty comes by certain traits.
Today's histrionics were more interesting than usual. While performing
her morning rituals, Mrs Domokos had a most disturbing vision. Other
people might be comforted by a vision of Saint Cuthbert. I must confess
that many would be discomfited by images of such a saint acting in
concert with the blood-covered goddess Kali, the demon Ravanna, the
goddess Matsu, a Fomóraig, a Fury, and an Imp.
When I asked her whether they managed to defeat the half-dragon,
half-fey creature, she had no idea what I was talking about.
The vision put her on edge, which was exacerbated later when she saw a
vision of our encampment being smashed flat by the fist of a god. And
then, of course, Mrs Voach found, all those opportunities with her own
tea cups.
Given the contents of my own dream (Mrs Wooster has curious notions
regarding maternity), and Mrs D's visions, I assumed that Mrs
Salmalin's troupe would be joining us today. I was not surprised,
therefore, when we saw two ships on the horizon, clearly bound for our
location.
Sir Philip was on the verge of giving in to his rashest impulses, but I
persuaded him that the simple truth was far more likely to prevent
interference than confrontation. He then tried to persuade me to engage
in mystical reconnasaince. I explained that course of action was unwise
for the same reasons. He returned to the main encampment. Since Mrs D
did not begin raising power shortly thereafter, I surmise she agreed
with my analysis.
Sir Cosmo's yacht, Selene,
and Sir Spencer's ship, Foxglove,
soon dropped anchor in the harbour, and a small steam launch carried
Sir Cosmo and at least two of the ladies to Skylark. This caused Sir
Philip no small apprehension. He summoned a signalmen to semaphore Skylark. He became
positively inconsolable when Skylark's
signalmen did not reply.
Sir Philip again urged me to use magickal means to determine what was
happening. I told him I had already sent a friendly message and was
confident a reply would be forthcoming in due time.
We saw the launch return to the Selene. Soon after, boats
from both Foxglove
and Selene were
lowered.
At this point Sir Philip decided it would be best if he affected an
appearance of complete indifference to the new arrivals, and returned
to his tent. I was left to greet the horde: Mrs Cuthbert, the
Salmalins, Sir Cosmo and Lady Cowperthwaite, Sir Spencer, the Frazers,
the McGregors, the Woosters, Miss Moriarty, and Mr O'Flaherty.
Accompanying them were their usual sevants, including the apprentice
Thuggee, plus same sailors and marines. And a flamboyantly dressed man
with a decidely interesting, though mostly mundane aura. I later
learned that he is none other than the notorious pirate, Captain Will
Sparrow.
I had scarcely said 'good day' before I was asked whether we had seen HMS Arabis or her crew, and
how quickly they could meet with Mrs Voach. Among other questions. Sir
Cosmo had an official communication from a newly appointed
Commissioner-General for Sir Philip, which obviously took precedent
over everything else, so I led them to Sir Philip.
He was not pleased with the contents of the letter. Admiral Naismith
has been appointed Commissioner-General of Military Affairs for Her
Majesty's Colonies bordering the Indian Ocean and China Sea. Lord
Beckett's machinations apparently did not bear their intended fruit. I
find it comforting that the Colonial Office occasionally allows good
sense to overrule other concerns.
The armed uprisings have become worse, and have spread. The flames of
revolution are threatening to topple the empire. It is the
Commissioner-General's belief that locating Lt Pellew is vital to
ending this crisis. Sir Cosmo has been ordered to take command of Skylark to assist in his
search. We are instructed to help retrieve Lt Pellew and his critical
information.
I did not hear the entire discussion which ensued, as I had been sent
to retrieve Mrs Voach. Miss Moriarty was pleased to see her mother
safe. There were further tense moments, until Mrs Voach, Miss Voach,
and Mrs Frazer withdrew so that Miss Moriarty could speak privately
with her mother. Sir Philip's weaknesses are sometimes embarassingly
obvious to even the most casual observer. If only we could separate
that brilliant talent for languages and knowledge extraction from the
rest. Pity.
Sir Philip actually took my advice, and explained truthfully why we
were here, excavating this ancient city. Sir Cosmo was willing to
consider leaving us with the time and resources to complete our work,
so the Reverend was summoned to explain his findings. I had forgotten
that he and Wooster were at school together. How many Old Etonians can
one meet in a career in government?
Rev Parslo-Parslo's informative explanation was interrupted by the
sound which we thought was an explosion. As we all moved outside to
determine what had occurred, there was another disturbing sound,
followed by the sight of Mr Salmalin flying through the air. He appear
to have been launched aloft by one of the explosions. As he tumbled
through the air, from the southeast toward the northwest, he called out
a warning to raise power.
Several trees fell rather noisily in the vicinty from which Mr Salmalin
had been forcefully propelled. There were sounds of struggle, and
shouting. I could detect some strong mystical force, but not determine
it's nature. Several members of Mrs Salmalin's troupe ran toward the
explosion. This is one of the things I have always admired about them.
Mrs Salmalin and Mrs Cuthbert were chanting to raise power. I joined
them.
I did not see most of the fight, be it was clear, since Mr O'Flaherty
was soon knocked flying in much the same way Mr Salmalin had been, and
the information that had been shouted by our partisans, that our
opponent or opponents were formidable.
Mrs Salmalin tried a simple Slumber spell first. It was as if we had
collided headlong with a wall. The spell was simple stopped. And the
amount of power we had raised should had shattered most protective
shells. We raised more power.
The battle continued. The opponent had been heard demanding, in a
suitably unnatural-sounding voice, that we turn over the Celestial
Maiden. Thus Mrs Frazer and Mrs McGregor had gathered up Mrs Voach
(having first to prevent her from running off after her own daughter),
along with other non-combatants, and evacuating to the boats.
We had learned enough, between the shouting other effects, the the
opposition was a single, extremely formidible--perhaps
unstoppable--being. So having raised a large amount of power, we used
Mrs Salmalin's elemental control spell to draw moisture from the air to
meet ground water drawn up from below, and convert the earth
immediately beneath the villain's feet to mud. Which seemed have a
useful effect.
The battle having temporarily abated, we moved forward and behind our
first glimpse of the creature. Mostly what we could see was his
impossibly large hands reaching up out of the water. As he clawed at
the side or the mudpit, the earth crumbled. This meant he remained
trapped in the bog, but the bog was enlarging.
The being was vaguely human shaped. The shell of a man--both flesh and
soul-- were there, but they had become infused with the power of
Shiva--the Fist of Shiva, specifically. One knew that gods could
incarnate, so if should not be terribly surprising with only portions
of a god choose to do so. Still, it is disturbing. And worrying. Why
was he seeking the Celestial Maiden?
Several people were severely wounded. Sir Cosmo apparently fatally so.
As well as Mr Frazer's father--though since he has been dead for some
time, that came as less of a shock.
Lady Cowperthwaite was distressed well past the point of violence. She
rushed over, stomped on one of the creature's hands, and grabbed a
single finger, pulling it back. She was shouting angrily in that voice
she gets when the blessing of Kali flows through her.
The creature flailed his hand. Lady Cowperthwaite hung on somehow,
wrenching back on a finger, until we heard a distintive snap of
breaking bone. Then she was flung off and landed beside Mrs Cuthbert,
who had just revived Sir Cosmo. Mrs Salmalin and I had continued
raising power, which we poured into Mrs Cuthbert, who was healing the
most severely wounded.
The others were trying various ways to more permanently immobilize our
opponent. Glue and similar substances had successfully impaired his
vision before, so the one called MacGyver and Miss Moriarty were
attempting to convert the mud into cement by adding various substances.
Mr O'Flaherty and Lt Wooster returned. Wooster and run off to find
O'Flaherty and Mr Salmalin. Mr Salmalin had arrived a bit before, just
in time to assist with the wounded.
Our opponent stopped trying to climb out, and rather purposely dove
deeper into the mud.
Various methods of dealing with the creature were being discussed. I
did not participate in those discussions and Mrs Salmalin and I were
still raising power. We had stockpiled quite a lot, and were holding
it, discussing what spells we could try, when the creature leaped out
of the pit. He landed on the far side and shook the mud off,
splattering us all. Then he started angrily demanding that we turn over
the Celestial Maiden, because he just needed her to "pull out the
sword."
During the ensuing argument we learned that the Fist of Shiva has
already found the Star (presumably the Star of Victory mentioned in
many of the writings about this place), and he intends to take
possession of the Sword and "the other things." I infer that he means
the Shield of Prophecy and the Path of Destiny. We also learned the the
human that has become the Fist of Shiva was Captain William Forrestor,
formerly of the 25th Light Dragoons and also formerly Mrs Salmalin's
husband. Until today, Captain Forrestor was believed dead, killed with
most of the rest of his regiment at the Kanish Pass, on the border of
the North-West Frontier of India.
While the others debated with the Fist of Shiva, I studied his aura and
tried to find a weakness. His protections appeared perfect. We had
enough power to smash through the outer defenses, but what would we do
then? The slumber spell would give us a few hours of respite. Tampering
with his memory, stunning him, or simply trying to control him might
make him give up his immediate goal, but something else might set him
off again.
As I studied, I realized that when he said that he had the Star, he
didn't mean that it was a trinket in his pocket or locked away in a
strongbox. It was inside him. The artifact was lodge in the center of
his chest. I could percieve it, but not clearly. Although it was
undoubtedly the conduit of at least some of his immense power, it was a
separate entity. His defenses might not be the same as its defenses.
All that we knew about the Star is that it would bring victory and that
it has some connection to the Moon Blade and the other devices. I was
stumped.
And then one of the others asked him where the Sword was, or where he
had come from. And that's when I remembered one other thing we knew
about the Star. It feel from the heavens.
I asked Mrs Salmalin to give the power we had gathered to me. She
hesitated just a moment, then released it. I turned and as quickly as
possibly recited the Charm Home incantation and directed it at the Star.
The spell smashed through his defenses. The Star shown as brightly as
our own sun. I think even the mundanes could perceive it: it was like
an enormous diamond in his chest, right where his heart should have
been.
He flew upward into the sky, as fast as a shooting stars comes down.
And he was gone.
There was a bit more to sort out. The Cowperthwaite's child had managed
to commandeer a boat and get to shore. Sir Philip and Mrs Domokos, both
noticeably absent throughout the battle, had been taken aboard Selene. I understand
Wooster and McGregor caught him fleeing the battle. As they say, cats
love fish, but hate to get their paws wet.
Sir Cosmo has wanted the send Skylark to circumnavigate the island
searching for HMS Arabis
and crew, but now with so many injured, and clear indication that
others are seeking the Moon Blade, he wanted to deploy forces
differently in the morning. At least on group will attempt to follow
the trail of the Fist of Shiva back to where he came from, in hopes of
located the Moon Blade.
There is some sort of disagreement going on now up on deck. A few of
the gentlemen wanted to go ashore to investigate something. As most of
them were injured in the battle, there rest of the troupe wants
everyone to wait at least until morning.
There are times I am grateful that Mrs Powell has perferred to live our
lives separately. I do regret that our arrangement meant that I spent
so little time with Joshua and Dorothy when they were growing up. On
the other hand, perhaps I have been tasked with looking after Sir
Philip as some sort of pennance for giving short shrift to my paternal
obligations.
It would explain much.
12 March, 1875
I was jarred out of a present sleep by cries of alarm. The apprentice
Thuggee had been drugged. Sir Philip, Mrs Domokos, and Mrs Voach are
missing. There is evidence that the same potion used on the guard was
used on Mrs Voach. At least one sailor was mesmerized. The dinghy has
been rowed ashore.
It is clear a part of three of four people have followed the rather
large footprints of the Fist of Shiva into the woods, and toward the
mountain. After a bit of discussion and argument, most of the troupe,
plus myself, Captain Sparrow, and a squad of marines, followed the
trail. Sir Cosmo, Mrs McGregor, and Mr Salmalin have remained with Selene to guard the
children and recuperate from injuries. Skylark will begin the
circumnavigation of the island...
Curator's note: The dates recorded by the various
witnesses to the strange events of this chronicle do not agree. This
discrepancy occurred to other parties spending time on the so-called
Island of Souls (cf. "The Wreck of the Cumberland" by Matthew
Flinders). It has been theorized that the passage of time in the
vicinity of the island varies from that in the rest of the world.
Observers in the Cowperthwaite party put the events chronicled above on
the first and second days of May, for instance.
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