Log Seven

"I use the Law of RetroQuotes, and come up with something really interesting to say. Ask me about it later." Hazard

"sum ergo cogito, I think. - if, that is, I do think at all. After all, if I don't exist, I can't think - unless of course I merely disembodied ego, and then the question is the simple on of whether that counts as existence. Confused? I know I am" Dworkin

"Got it. My quote from the mountain. 'Curiouser and curiouser.' Now Lewis Caroll can rest in peace." Hazard

Jessica was being attacked by the occasional demon on the black road, and had followed it almost to Ygg, the world tree which marks the Chaos borderline. She was beginning to worry about it, in her normal vague way.

William, in Tir Na-Nogth, was looking at Hazard seated on the throne, and Merlin, a Chaos Lord, trying not to sit next to her, but being forced on by a girl whom the real Hazard, down at ground level, recognised as Dara. The Hazard on the throne was looking at William, even though you can't interact with figures in the city, without part of the Pattern with you. Hazard gave a signal, and from beside her stepped Benedict, whose right arm appeared to have been replaced with a metal creation, a masterpiece of shadows and magic and moonlight. William was not too concerned with the logistics of the matter, however, as Benedict took a long look at him, glanced at Hazard, said "Too dangerous," and attacked him. William put up his sword, which was reflecting moonlight in a strange way, that night, and frantically parried as the arm reached out for him. As Hazard (the one on the ground) pulled him back to Kolvir, the city dissolved, leaving William with a metal arm embedded in his shoulder, causing considerable pain. Hazard, with a major or two in mechanical engineering, was able to unhook it gently, and although she wanted to take it away and study it, William insisted on keeping it.

Hazard rode out that night to be where she was needed, in the front line, and William went for a walk to think, got lost on Kolvir, and ended up in a cave, resting for the night. He woke to find himself being drooled on by an ancient man with a long white beard and a gap-toothed smile. As William blinked in surprise, the man revealed himself as "Dworkin. I think I am Dworkin. You think I am Dworkin. Perhaps I am not... Perhaps you are me, and I am dreaming of you. it all depends on the points of view of the observer and the observed."
William shook his head in perplexity, and introduced himself.
The man talked in this mad fashion for a while, and I am ashamed to say that I quoted most of Alice in Wonderland at poor William.(Retro-Quotes are a good thing, sometimes.) "The Pattern needs mending, you must do it," giggled Dworkin, "Or else find a way, a means, a man... Now run away, child of a traitor, born to a traitor. Betrayal shall be yours." He started to grow in size, getting bigger and filling out with muscles. William ran.
Outside the cave was the Pattern, but not the one William had known, in Amber. This was bigger and better. And covered with a dark stain, which spread out over almost a third of the Pattern, obscuring the lines.

William ran and ran, until after a great many miles, he could shift Shadow, when he shifted back to Arden, and was picked up by uncle Julian, who seemed rather relieved that he was still alive. He had failed to answer any Trump calls and some of the family were worried. A majority of the family couldn't give a damn, but some were worried.
As soon as William had recovered, he went down to the Pattern room, where he demanded that the Pattern comunicate the problem with him. Clever boy, he had realised that if it was linked to Dworkin, it was sentient. The Pattern's views on being taught Morse Code are not recorded, but it did not wish to manifest itself.

The Pattern revealed to William that Oberon was still alive, but could not be found. William went out to look for Hazard, who can generally help with anything, and found her on the black road, fighting demons. During that day's battle, William was rescued from a ChaosLord by a man who introduced himself as Ganelon. (Deja vu? You will...)

At the end of the day, the rumour went around the camp that Benedict was severely wounded, and William and Ganelon, who was a decent surgeon, drifted over to see what they could do. It turned out that Benedict had been reluctant to kill the leader of the Hellmaids, who had been a friend of his once, and she had taken off a significant portion of his right arm. He still managed to finish her off, and the battle was won. However, he was in a bad condition...

William, being a bright kid, had two good ideas in the space of a few hours, and gave the arm to Hazard, who is also a gifted surgeon among her many talents. (Oddly, these talents include hopscotch) Hazard borrowed Ganelon to help, and they made a neat job of it together, and Benedict got his metal arm. They went off for a drink together afterwards.

Gerard Trumped Hazard and started giving her a bad time over the minor intrigues which were upsetting the palace. When Hazard referred him to Fiona and Caine, and was rather rude to him, he decided to teach her a lesson. When he tried to grasp her, Ganelon interfered, and Hazard made good her escape.

Benedict's field officers were left with a relatively simple clean-up operation after the battle was won. Hazard, who had brought along her private army, sent them home, with instructions to be ready at all times.

In these sessions, hardly anything got done, as I was too busy playing William along, and getting him to annoy the Pattern. I love the way Roger gets so intense when things are bad for William. He screams so nicely.

It must be said in defence of the entire group that the logs here are not at the rate of one per session, as most of them have been lost or burned or given to Eagle to chew on.