3 August 1871

~Mid-afternoon~

It is very frustrating trying to update this record left-handed. This morning Edward and Mrs Cuthbert removed the bullet from just below the collar-bone of right shoulder and I cannot yet comfortably hold a pen in my right hand. However, there are a few notes I must set down in this record.

Last evening we confronted the “League of Shadows” in its lair in the Plumstead Marshes. I cannot remember any previous encounter that left so many of Our League incapacitated. Mr Salmalin rescued me from the ninjas after I was accidentally shot by Lieutenant Wooster. The Lieutenant has a new gadget– he calls it a “Gatling Pistol”, unfortunately for me he apparently did not practise with it before deploying it in actual combat. I sent a note round to him after surgery suggesting he take the time to improve his aim.

After I had been shot, Mr Salmalin picked me up bodily and propelled both of us away from the barge. We flew through the air like Hanuman leaping to Lanka and landed on a door that had been thrown from the barge earlier in the fight. The force of our landing miraculously did not sent us tumbling into the water. The door was propelled a fair distance from the barge and our own longboats, however. As we catapulted through the air I felt something bump into us and heard Edward’s voice. I was hanging upside down from Mr Salmalin’s shoulder, and could see Edward bounce off toward the long-boats. He flew over them and landed in some sort of metal contraption. I heard a clang but could not see clearly what had happened.

Mr Salmalin warned me that he was going to set me down and that I should try not to tip us into the water. Given my wounded state I strongly desired to stay aboard and avoid the murky water of the marsh. Mr Salmalin set me on my feet and we lowered ourselves carefully into sitting positions. He asked after my condition, and I told him it was as well as could be expected. He then said in a most earnest and urgent tone that George needed him. His aura went dark and I was left alone. We had no paddle for which I was thankful, for in having none, I was not compelled to attempt to move our refuge closer to the battle. I had managed to stop the bleeding but even so, I felt dizzy and sick.

I could hear gunshots and felt Mrs Cuthbert go quiet, as if all her mystical energy was being focussed in one place. I concentrated, trying to sense what was going on. Edward had fallen down some sort of metal tube. I could not see Mrs Frazer. I could recognise Sir Spencer by his Elephant Gun. The rest of Our League seemed to be engaged in battle on the barge. I saw several splashes as of people jumping or diving off but I could not make out who they were.

In very short succession I saw the bright gold aura of Saint Cuthbert descend into the water near where Edward had fallen, a silver-blue ball of mystical electricity form on the barge itself, and a giant fireball escape out of the side of the barge.

There was an explosion, but it was unlike any I had ever witnessed. It was very quiet– as if the barge had just decided to stop being a barge and go back to being random slabs of wood. The base of the barge split into three pieces one of which promptly sank.

Suddenly I could see that Mr O’Flaherty was being held in the magikcal lightning. I heard a strange unearthly-deep voice boom across the water but could not understand what was being said. I gathered all my power in an attempt to release Mr O’Flaherty. I was successful, however, the voice boomed again and two groups of ninjas leapt to attack.

It was growing dimmer in the marshes moment by moment. The fighting on the barge became difficult for me to follow. The breakup of the barge had revealed a smaller boat, carved in the shape of a swan and now floating free of the wreckage. A carved swan’s head rose from the bow of the ship and its eyes glowed red. The body of the boat was covered in copper plates made to look like feathers. I could see Lady Cowperthwaite and Sir Cosmo on board along with at least one other person.

The ship started to glow with the same eerie light as had trapped Mr O’Flaherty. It rose off the water and into the air. The Cowperthwaites and an unknown man jumped from the boat. Assuming an explosion would soon follow, I closed my eyes. When no bright light flashed across vision I opened them again, just in time to see the Swan crash onto the barge remnant Mr O’Flaherty had been on. A moment later it managed to lumber back into the air. I tried to stop it but was overwhelmed by the intentional death of the remaining ninjitsu. They set themselves alight in a way similar to agneyi. Having so many men die using mystical means blinded both my inner and outer vision and the power I had gathered for my spell vanished.

Ravvi suddenly grabbed my wrist, shocking me back to attention. The swan ship had vanished. He gasped that he was hurt and in the water. I knew he had left his body to help George, but did not now know in which body he might be found.

I prepared the spell we had used to pull Mrs Cuthbert back to her body back on Kor. I hesitated, without knowing why– I had a very strong sense that I should not break the bond.

I called for help. I could sense the general direction and distance the body might be. Mrs Cuthbert heard me and I told her Salmalin’s plight. She called upon Saint Cuthbert while Wooster piloted one of the captured steam launches into the marsh to search.

Salmalin still clung fiercely to my wrist. I returned the pressure and began the chant for the Removal of Obstacles– hoping it would help sustain him. I could think of nothing else to do.

In what seemed an age, and far longer than the battle itself took, Ravvi returned to me. His eyes opened and he winced in pain. He told me that George had been rescued and healed by Mrs Cuthbert.

It was then that I noticed Inspector MacGreggor hanging off the end of our door. He had braved the marsh water to find out how he could assist. I do not know how long he had been waiting for some response from either of us. He and Mr Salmalin worked together to push our little float over to the detachment of small boats our party had acquired from the wreckage of the barge.

Mr Salmalin and I were helped aboard one of the long boats and Mrs Cuthbert laid her healing hands on us. I felt much less pain and was no longer dizzy. The bullet was still embedded in my shoulder and would have to be dealt with later.

So now it is later and my shoulder hurts more now that the bullet has been removed than it did last night. I have already written more than I intended so must summarize the rest:

– Mrs Frazer and Edward fell into a submersible owned by Admiral Klink of Vorphaven. After much shouting and some underwater demolition they were released.

– Mrs Frazer’s time was upon her, she and the wounded members of Our League were transported to the Rhinoceros for further treatment.

– Mrs Frazer was safely delivered of twins aboard the ship. A girl, Caroline, and a boy, Robert. The twins will have separate birthdays as Caroline was born just before midnight and Robert after.

– The Marquis de Montmerial de Dragagulan had been tasked by Our Employer to follow the Vicomte DeMulineaus. The Vicomte and his aide followed the ninja’s into the Marsh. The Vicomte calls the ninja’s the “League of Shadows”.

–Admiral Klink was on the trail of the person or persons who killed his cousin Heinrich and stole the Swan boat. Madam De Vere also knew Heinrich and was a ‘friend’ of his. She joined forces with the Admiral, and using her powers, was able to locate the artifacts. The Admiral insists that he also intended to save Davy. The Admiral own assistant, Kapitan Von Shako, was killed in their two man raid on the ninjas. However, I cannot help but note that the first thing the Admiral retrieved was not the boy but the stolen ‘battery’ that Davy had built.

– Sir Cosmo and the Admiral negotiated an agreement whereby the disabled submersible and her crew would be towed to the shipyards and kept secret. The Admiral has turned the “battery” over to Inspector MacGreggor once the tugs arrived to tow his damaged submersible to the shipyard. It is the first bit of sense he has shown in the matter.

– Davy used and was possessed by one of the artifacts (or possibly vice versa we do not know at this point). It was he who was speaking in the unearthly voice and he who almost killed George and Mr O’Flaherty.

– Sir Spencer, Edward, and the few remaining able-bodied members of Our League, searched the Marshes for information about the “League of Shadows”. Edward found a Sereni Orb, similar to the one found on Kor (and later used to destroy the first of the Necromancer’s undead armies). After careful examination it was returned to Edward.

~Evening~

Arm still hurts, but progress made. Summary:
– James visited. Delightful. Timing could have been better. Tried to make light of injury and change subject.
– Sent note to Mr Ramsey, regarding Sereni Orb, requesting information.
– Talked with Mrs Frazer, babies delightful. Nursemaid even better.
– While with Mrs Frazer, talked with Lady Cowperthwaite, regarding Mr Niall Malloy and plans to vex him. After departure of younger conspirators, discussed options for older ladies.
– Met with Mrs Cuthbert. Talked to spirits regarding Mr Malloy– will get back to us.
– Location spell on Davy using his books and chocolate wrapper– successful but showy– likely know they have been Located. Sent coordinates to Insp. MacGreggor and Our Employer, noted may not stay long.
– Remembered dirigible rope belonging to Mrs Frazer. Used as focus for History spell. Learned:
– Dirigible was tied to building minimum 2 days.
– Mr Malloy met with Ninjas and man wearing an eye patch and turban
– Turban Man not affiliated with Ninjas, concerned about Malloy’s contact with them.
– In conversation Malloy and Turban Man discuss plan to ‘get’ Mr O’Flaherty and ‘take out’ Mr Gates so ‘Jimmy’ will know who is boss.
– Prior to coming to London, dirigible kept in cave on coast.
– Built in France approximately 18 mos. prior to London trip.

Resting now, but plan locate spell on Mr Malloy next. Need to know his movements!

Proceed to Despite the best intentions

Return to Miss Whitnell's Diary Index

Return to Main Menu

Contents this page copyright 2005 by Kristin Fontaine. All Rights Reserved.