The World According to Maggie

[Mairead Harker]

16 Oct 2023

Since I last made an entry, I rented a place in the Canopy section of the Gloaming on the Isle; #9 Halflight Hallow. I started renting it in June, planning for the time when I was no longer able to stay in the Citadel in my own right. The strategist in me is often planning ahead. It’s become second nature at this point. Gran says that’s perfectly normal given everything I have seen and done in the last couple of years.

Uncle Eregor is now the Archmage, so the place is in very good hands. I knew my time as ArchClover would end eventually and it feels right for Uncle Gory to be the one stepping into that Keepership. I’m fully prepared for him to be there a year from now as he did when he held Water. I hope he’s buckling in for a possible long haul. Unlike the Elemental Towers, where one can be challenged just about every month, holding the Celestial Tower leaves out the element of surprise of when your next challenge will come and from who.

Planning to go to the Shadowfall carnival. Something about the name speaks to me. I’m hoping the younger kids will enjoy the rides and carnival food. I’m not taking Gale; Mama has volunteered to look after her if Aunt Rhi and Uncle Gory want to have a date night. While she’s a very well behaved child, I don’t feel comfortable taking her to places filled with strangers on what might be unfamiliar ground. This time of year, things both strange and wonderful happen. Gale is a sweet and beautiful two year old. She’s smart, but doesn’t fully understand that some people are not kind and might mean her harm. The other kids are old enough to understand certain things need to be avoided and they aren’t always able to see them.

Brian already knows that things that go bump in the night are a crapshoot. Not always good, not always evil, and, usually, somewhere in between. My bear of knight will be in charge of him, providing Brian is allowed to go. The Lady of Autumn is also planning to go. Her presence might be a deciding factor.

[Mairead Harker]

17 Nov 2023

Shadowfall was best described as a mindbender and I still need time to process what all happened. People disappeared. Some were recovered; some are still lost. The Sluagh may have recognized me for what I am and gave me, as well as my companion and charges, a wide berth. Maybe they just sensed the unseen bears that walked with us. Then again, when one started watching Maddie too closely, I growled at her. While Brian was the youngest in the group that went along, Maddie was more of a target. Brian is lively, curious, and has learned to pay attention to what his senses are telling him. Madison has limited hearing. Her other senses compensate for most things. It left her unable to hear the whisperings of those that might have intended to do her harm. Unlike Abby, who sometimes has Niko to watch her back, Maddie tends to prefer solitude. It isn’t that she doesn’t like people, it's that she can have trouble keeping up. I half expected to see Mr. Dark rearing his head to search for those of us that could reveal his trickery to others. Will Halloway and Jim Nightshade couldn’t even begin to imagine the tools our merry band could pool if needed.

Some might say the carnival was too dangerous for the kids. They probably forget how dangerous it can be for children just trying to walk home from school. Even if one has guards, those guards could be disarmed … or worse. Better they learn how to recognize these things with people watching over them. The other lesson was that not all things that look bad are evil and not all things that look beautiful are good.

A while back, I was trying to explain that some people want a better life for their children, but for whatever reasons, they don’t feel right about leaving what’s normal for them. I find this to be especially true with women that were raised from birth as or with slaves. It can be hard to leave what you know for something new. For some, it can be terrifying. I suppose there’s a sense of security about the known no matter how difficult a life one has. It takes more courage to leave a life, a home, and everything you know behind than some might realize.

Speaking of which, I have some proposals to leave for Gatito since he is now the Governor. Nothing earth shattering. I was thinking about the Women’s Shelter in Old Market and how that facility and others like it might be in need of supplies and upgrades. Some kids are being raised in shelters because their mothers have difficult circumstances. I have seen too many cases of women, and by extension their kids, remaining in abusive environments because they don’t want to leave a pet behind to suffer when they leave. It isn’t just women that are abuse victims. Men, however, are less likely to report those incidents. I don’t have a lot of data regarding domestic violence involving the trans and nonbinary parents of the population. I try to concentrate on helping the children. Bottom line is that no matter what gender their parent/parents are, the kids shouldn’t have to stay in unhealthy environments. They’re my charges on many fronts.

[Mairead Harker]

2 February 2026

Ever the chessmaster, Mi Primo never ceases to surprise me. With the results of the last Archmage Challenge, he earned his place in the annals of the Triple Crown. On Saturday, he earned his second Diamond. Yesterday morning, he announced his change of baronial alignment to Renegade and challenged Overlord Anubis Karos. Given the Overlord's acceptance asking for the reasoning, I can only surmise that he is unaware, as yet, of the results of the Archmage Challenge and recent Diamond Quest. This will be one hell of a match.

[Mairead Harker]

16 Feb 2026

During the challenge where Mi Primo attempted to become the Fourth DiArchLord, Aristotle Salvador Ilnaren was being born at Riverview Clinic. I took pizza over for the troops afterward. When did I become my grandmother? Maybe, the question is, when I did step even farther into her shoes? I have the beginnings of a children's library, ok, a small bookcase full, all ready to take over when Sylva and Doran are ready to allow visitors. I figure checking in by text or phone for the first couple weeks will be best. The mothers and midwives in the family have informed me that it's acceptable to ask if help is needed in someway when a baby arrives, but if it's refused, back off. Mother will need rest and the parents need time to bond with their child.

Sal was not successful in his bid, but there is still time. Something started going wrong in the ring. At first, it was like watching a first generation electronic TV starting to break down then it looked a hologram glitching. My first thought was a time distortion. It happened before, when I was in my first years of school. People who died came back, people from different places in time got dropped in this one. I sent word to Uncle Eregor, if it was time, he was the man with knowledge in that area. Mrs V. would have been been my next call if he wasn't available. He got there and assessed things.

When Uncle Gory said it wasn't time, at least it wasn't in the way I understand it, I took the next step. Ask the elders who frequented the arena long before I was born. Lord Karos was the nearest and most obvious choice, but he was dueling, so, I sent word to Gran. Based on what I described, her first recollection was of Charlie Jericho's death because someone had ... interfered, that was the word she used, with the Ward of Gondar. I expect I'll learn more later. When I mentioned Blindfold Proxy to Lord Karos, it was clear his remembrance, much like Gran's, was far from pleasant.

I could tell Lady Autumn's thoughts were in a similar vein. She remembers much that she doesn't speak of. Having been dead and granted life again doesn't necessarily erase the memories of how one's death occurred. With Gatito trying to yank Sal's tanto out of the Overlord's leg ... the weapon had been fused into his flesh, the Lady attended to aiding Sal to get out of the ring. While it wasn't readily known by anyone, but me, she also bolstered my healing powers to aid in relieving the pain caused to Lord Karos. It was the best course of action. He's know me since before I could walk, I'm easily recognized by him. Lady Autumn, on the other hand, would not be as easily seen by him given the state of things.

Sal sounded drunk off his ass, but better that than him succumbing due to whatever mayhem happened in that ring! I hope he's more himself after rest. I know Gatito is worried. Seeing him in warrior mode is, at best, unsettling. I half-expected his largest cat to appear. I think he kept it in check for which I'm grateful as my bear was trying to wrest herself free.

Breakfast with Gran and Lady Autumn is in order. Brain picking time. Afterward, I have cake to bake for my youngest sister, Amaris! Maybe a visit to Aunt Ari is in order.

((Author's note: Maggie is making reference to events connected to a storyline called Sublimation that was created by the player of Darien Fenner as well as events during the time of Blindfold Proxy's Overlord reign.))

[Mairead Harker]

End of Apr 2006

I make the rounds of various graveyards. Sometimes, I go with Des. Sometimes, I or we find lingering souls in need of help. Like Doran, Des understands that part of me. The one who speaks to the dead. The one place I tend to not take him is Jesse's cairn. I'm not sure why.

When Reign fell in, got buried in - I don't know what to call it - but she sank into the sands and was gone. I went to the cairn hoping to connect with Jesse's spirit. I'm not sure who answered, but they did. A woman with a blurred face or no actual face like I've seen on apparitions appeared and started speaking. A recording set to go off under specific conditions, perhaps? Wouldn't be the first time messages were set up that way. It was like a ghost loop where the energy of an event is preserved in one place and the scene repeats over and over. In this case, however, the message seems to have been for a limited time. Whether or not it might be activated again remains to be seen. A Polaroid camera was left behind with a message, "A single photo creates a moment in time. and that moment could very well be one showing a path of return for the little one known as Reign."

I'm going to the last place Reign was seen to take a picture. Maybe it will give me answer. Whether it does or not, next stop is connecting with Claire and Terry. In her letter, Reign said she was once known as Reign Farron-King. Given Terry's notice on the cork calling Reign her daughter, they need to know anything I learn that could be of help to Reign and her husband. Gran sometimes says, the smallest thread can tie things together.

((This refers to events posted here and letters posted here.))