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#1 [en] 

The journal and writings of Gorran Zhuangi.

Last edited by Gorran (1 decade ago)

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Eldest, Order of the White Lotus

#2 [en] 

It was the Year of the Goo, 2519, when I was born in early Harvestor. My parents and their companions were traveling through Windy Gate toward the Scorched Corridor as part of a merchant caravan. The plan was to press on to Pyr and winter there. The caravan had camped near The Fallen Tree when disaster struck: One of the caravan's guards was spotted by a pack of kirosta and instead of calling out for help, he ran back to the caravan with the kirosta pack following.

Most of the caravan died that night, father among them. Mother was badly injured but survived. Two of the other survivors, Gorius Cegrips and Anichi Antobi, carried mother to safety. Gorius, Gor as I've always called him, suggested that they should make for the Watchers' camp in the Flaming Forest. The Lyseus clan were suppliers there and Gor was friendly with them. Ichi—everyone called him Ichi but mother, he said she always called him Ani—pointed out that the Watchers were none too friendly with Matis. So it was that they pressed on to the safety of the Water Breakers' camp near Ovlovak's Oasis. It was here that I was born. Out of gratitude and devotion to Gorius and Anichi, mother named me in their honor. Ichi always teased me saying that I should be named Gorrani, which he often called me.

Two days after I was born, mother died. Unknown to Gor or Ichi, her wounds were poisoned by the kirosta. Gor and Ichi kept me with them for years. They were really the only family I knew growing up. We were always on the move and while we visited most of the tribes of Atys, we rarely stopped at any of the cities or towns and we never visited Yrkanis. During our travels, I heard rumors of a camp of Zoraï training to fight the kitin. I wanted nothing more than to avenge the deaths of my parents. With the blessings of Gor and Ichi, I went in search of this camp.

What I found was not a camp but five small villages full of Zoraï. It was there that I learned my first lessons and there that I met a life long friend, Yakapo. We both lived in Koï Zun. I enjoyed standing on a ridge there, listening to the baying of the weeny ragus. Yakapo always found this to be funny and nicknamed me Ragus. We had many adventures together and I attained the title, Kami Champion.

I was proud of that title, too proud I suppose as there came a day when the Kami required of me a great sacrifice. I had to give up all my titles, all my skills and become a humble refugee. But I had trained so hard, I argued. I could walk the bark without fear of kitin or beast or bandit. I swung my Zo'Matchata with skill and in furthering the Kami cause. The Kami standing over me, however, was resolute. I would renounce all I had gained and go as a refugee to a place named Silan or I would join my parents in death. I agreed to the Kami's demand. The Kami told me a number of things and then I found myself, Lam in hand, standing before Chiang the Strong.

Chiang looked at me and then he asked my name. I hesitated. The spells I had once knew were gone. The Lam, which should have felt simply like an extension of my arm, instead felt awkward in my hand. Titles and honor which were once mine had all been stripped away. I was no different than the refugees standing around me. I touched my mask, that at least was the same. Thinking I could not speak the common tongue, Chiang asked "Hojia lu?" I looked at him and said simply, "I am Gorran."

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Eldest, Order of the White Lotus

#3 [en] 

[Gorran sits next to a small fire at the back of the Gibbads' camp late into the night writing.]

I studied long with Rangers of Silan but spent most of my time with Nomis Merclao and Guilan Guiter. Guilan was a severe task master, she demanded that I exhibit great skill and courage before she would recognize my ability to even hold a blade, let alone use one. Even with as much courage as she demanded of me, it was Nomis who required me to plumb the depths of my courage. Often, all that stood between me and the fury of the animals roaming Silan was a thin Li'Nin-Ka vest and Li'Lin-Ko robe as I awkwardly wove sap into the shapes of acid or cold.

In time, Chiang called me to him. I was to work with both the Kami and the Karavan to discover what was happening north of the Shining Lake. There I saw Goo spores being tended by the Chlorogoo tribe. Dim memories of infected Gibbaï and Gingos ravaging Jen-Laï and the witches of the Black Circle using Goo to infect Gibbaï in the Grove of Umbra and Cutes in the Trench of Trials floated through my mind. Following the trail of Goo around the lake, I found a tunnel leading to a jungle area. As I neared the end of the tunnel, tremendous roars echoed down its length. This was a sound I knew despite the fading of my past memories, kipee. If there were kipee then other kitin would be nearby too. A quick survey revealed the small jungle was infested with kipee, kizoar, kipesta and a large kirosta.

By the time I could return to the Ranger Camp, the skies were dark. I woke Chiang and told him what I had found. Without hesitation, he told me to rally a group of my fellow refugees to kill the kirosta while he and a group of Rangers made sure no other kitin followed the kirosta's trail to Silan.

In the dark, I called out to the homins of Silan. Soon a small party of warriors were gathered together. Some had seen the kirosta and others would not believe our tales but agreed to come for the adventure. By the next dawn we had all felt the sting of kirosta poison and any doubts were long gone. We won a hard victory against the kirosta that night, most of us were badly injured but our healers were well skilled and none of us died. We returned to the camp to learn that Chiang's Rangers had found a swarm of kitin heading toward Silan but that they had managed to confuse the spore enough that the swarm turned aside and were now roaming the Roots aimlessly.

As reward for my service, Chiang gave me armor made for his Rangers. I stayed among the Rangers for a few more seasons, learning all that I could and I served the Kami and the Karavan equally, doing my best to learn of their ways. It was during this service, however, that I found discord. While working for the Rangers, I found a strange device, a Goo Remover. The Chlorogoo tribe was using it to extract Goo from the spores and experiment on the Cratchas on the southeast shores of Shining Lake. Chiang instructed me to show the device to each of the masters in the camp. My first visit was with Sterga Hamla of the Matis. He told me that instead of following Chiang's direction and showing the device to Nomis Merclao, I should take it to Aryu Ken. Sterga had given me the same direction regarding plant samples I had gathered. These actions, along with the obvious disdain the Karavan showed to all homins on Silan, turned me more and more toward the Kami.

Yes, it was a Kami that had threatened me with death if I did not accept its pronouncement that I should be stripped of all title and accomplishment to be sent back to Silan as a refugee; so, I had every reason to hate them. I could remember, however, that it was the Kami who had sheltered me so long ago in Koï Zun. I also knew that it was the Kami who had nurtured my love of Atys, to see the world as a living being and not merely some resource to be exploited.

Trusting that this banishment from my former life was with purpose, I again put my trust in the Kami. I spent more and more time with the Kami in the camp and with the Kami of the Lake. They roused in me a desire to again walk the paths of The Witherings jungle and to stride slip fashion across the dunes of the Burning Desert. So it was that I went to the Kami Master and asked his help in leaving for Zora, the land of my people.

Last edited by Gorran (1 decade ago)

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Eldest, Order of the White Lotus

#4 [en] 

8 Floris, 2nd AC 2562

After leaving the Assembly, I hastily wrote letters to leaders in the other three nations. I wrote first to my friends among the Fyros nation.
To the Fyros
Beepe and Deckardcain, woha and oren pyr!

The Assembly of the Awakened has just ended and I have returned to my sen-hay to immediately write both of you. Under normal circumstances, I would write the Akenak but as there are none, I write to you both as trusted leaders of the Fyros Nation and as dear friends.

You may have heard that strange swarms of kitin have been found roaming The Witherings. These swarms tend to be six or seven mighty kipee, three gruesome kizoar and three laceracting kipesta. The kipesta are uncharacteristically non-aggresive. Regardless of which species is attacked or at what distance, all of the same species in the swarm also attack. I took a small contingent of Guardians of Zora and Monks of Polonius throughout the Witherings to clear it of these swarms and each time we saw the same results. One kipee would be lured 100m from the swarm and when we attacked, all the other kipee immediately attacked. This repeated with all three species; again, very uncharacteristic.

These swarms were troubling but even moreso were the two swarms found protecting mounds, one in Maiden Grove near the tunnels to the Void and the other in the Sly Lake area of Grove of Umbra. Both mounds were seemingly protected by swarms of great kipee and great kiban. Again, attacking any one of the kitin caused all the swarm of the same species to attack. We have swept The Void twice and not found swarms of either kind in evidence and the swarms have not returned to The Witherings, although the mounds remain.

I write this to you both, however, as disturbing news reached me just as the Assembly of the Awakened began. One of my fellow Awakened and Guardian of Zora, Redishwolf, sent me word that a kipee/kizoar/kipesta swarm was found today in Sawdust Mines. Redishwolf was not specific as to where the swarm was found exactly but the very fact that one has been found outside The Witherings is concerning to me.

I immediately alerted those gathered in the Assembly of this news and write you now to warn of these strange activities by the kitin. Warn those homin under your direction to be vigilant. Watch for the kipee swarms and especially note if any swarms are protecting large mounds such as those I mentioned. Should any be found, please send me word so we can track the movements of these kitin in our lands. I have instructed the Kwaï to do so as well.

May Ma-Duk guide us that we may preserve Atys and our nations,

Gorran

I also wrote to the Matis Nobles and Tryker Taliari
Dazzie, Jayce, Loracas, Marelli and Sharonie, woha and deles aiye fila filar!
Hechicera, Kilgoretrout, Binarabi, honored Taliari, woha and lordoy!

There is urgent news out of The Witherings that you should know: Strange kitin swarms have been located throughout The Witherings. These swarms are usually mighty kipee, gruesome kizoar and lacerating kipesta. The kipesta in these swarms are oddly non-aggressive until attacked. If a kipee in the swarm is attakced, even 100m from the swarm, all the kipee in the swarm attack, also very unusual. These swarms have been found in Cities of Intuition, Haven of Purity and Knot of Dementia. In Maiden Grove near the tunnel to the Void and in the Sly Lake area of Grove of Umbra, two strange mounds were found. There were also kitin swarms at these mounds made up of great kipee and great kiban. Again, if one of the swarm was attacked, the others also attacked. We have not found any unusual swarms nor mounds in the Void.

Since killing off these swarms, they have not returned and we considered the matter closed; however, as I convened the Assembly of the Awakened today, I received a letter from a fellow Awakened and Guardian of Zora reporting that another swarm of kipee/kizoar/kipesta was found today in Sawdust Mines. I have already alerted the Fyros of this but felt that I should send word to all the nations to be watchful. Send word back to me should you or your people find such swarms so we can coordinate our efforts and preserve all nations from the scourge of the kitin.

May Atys provide as we preserve.

Gorran, Awakened of the Zoraï

After dispatching my letters, I gathered a small group of Zoraï—Nakari, my dear companion, and a new friend, Ruimeng, along with Saidun—to immediately begin the search in the Burning Desert and follow-up on Redishwolf's report. Most homins were displaying mild curiosity at best; so, I did not ask for further help. In Sawdust Mines, we found another swarm—they seem to be scouting parties—near the Troubled Water oasis. We easily dispatched the kitin there and moved on to Savage Dunes. Not far from the Karavan Teleport, we found and dispatched another of these scout swarms.

We did not find any further swarms in the Imperial Dunes nor in Oflovak's Oasis. In speaking with Boeseus Xalon of the Water Breakers, he mentioned that there were an unusual number of kitin west of the camp. We investigated and found another small breach swarming with Great Kipee and Great Kiban. We slowly cleared this swarm and returned to the Water Breaker camp for the night. When we woke this morning, the break was a swarm with worker and guard kitin of all types. Fearing the worst, we fled to Maiden Grove, where I quickly write this in my journal. The mound we found here earlier is now swarming with kitin as well.

Ma-Duk preserve us.

Last edited by Gorran (1 decade ago)

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Eldest, Order of the White Lotus

#5 [en] 

Lordoy, Gorran --

This is disturbing news indeed, though I had not seen your messages before I had done some investigation on my own.

Upon hearing from my friend Meggy of the attempts to sweep the kitin incursions earlier in these last few Atysian days, I investigated in the Darkmoor area of Aedan Aqueous. I kept a continual conversation with her, so that if I fell, word would get out. She had been briefly involved in combat earlier before she was allowed to withdraw to rest.

I entered Darkmoor from the East ramp and immediately saw goo-infected Lethal Kinchers
Lethal Kinchers
Great Kippee
Meggy : they still there?
Great Kiban, Great Kipuka, too --but only the kinchers are goo-infected.
Meggy : yes, when I was working it there was all 4 but none infected
There are at least three groups. Each with a Goo-infected kincher escort
Meggy : hmm

I'm mistaken, the third group (the one furthest west) does not have a kincher escort.
Meggy : i can't believe it is still going on

I carefully swam around the areas with the gatherings of kitin in Darkmoor, then left via the west ramp. As I walked out to the beach and looked to the east, where the southern entrance to Darkmoor is, only to see a great gathering of large kitin.
Jena bless us all...

They are outside Darkmoor near the south entrance. Killer kinchers, a kincher named "kitin guard." Not obviously goo-infected
Meggy : like earlier..
Also killer pestas.... None of the ones outside seem to be goo infected
but none of them should be here at all.

I think my basic observation is clear from that last sentence. Further, though these groups were killed, there always seemed to be more. I hope that Ezex and Ferishan will add their observations. The two groups in Darkmoor that are accompanied by Goo-infected Kincher are near Goo-mounds. The other two groups are not near mounds.

I fear we live in troubled times.

-- Bittty

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Remembering Tyneetryk
Phaedreas Tears - 15 years old and first(*) of true neutral guilds in Atys.
(*) This statement is contested, but we are certainly the longest lasting.
<clowns | me & you | jokers>

#6 [en] 

I sit here in my ni'mizu and look around at the surroundings as I take pen in hand to write some of what has happened these last weeks and days. The amber lamps gently light the small sen-hay, my meditation place. Around the walls, carvings of the Kwaï lend me strength. It is good to be home, even if only for a short time.

It began on Quinteth, Germinally 29, 2e AC 2562, over two months ago, it doesn't seem like it should have been so long but the days rush by at such times. I was leading a small mektoub caravan through Haven of Purity to the Void. We planned to summer there digging amber and seeds. I planned to take us first to see the Gibbads as I had been away from them for a long time; so, we made for the hidden stock in Maiden Grove to use its tunnels to reach the camp more easily. There are always kitin there; so, when we saw the kipee, we were quite unconcerned. They were milling around a mound that I had never seen before. Then I noticed their size, too big to be here and then came the buzz of wings: Kipesta! These acted strangely though, they ignored us and simply darted about. We dismounted and started killing these kitin which were clearly new to the area, starting with the Kipee. Immediately, all the kipee attacked. Thankfully, one homin escaped, Saidun. He came back and began healing us. We organized better and soon killed all the kitin in this strange swarm.

We continued our journey to the Gibbads and hobbled our mektoubs there while we used the Kami's gift of the teleports to dash from region to region looking for possible signs of other mounds. We found both swarms of these oddly behaving kitin and more mounds. Each time, we killed them as quickly as we found them. I reported our actions to the Assembly of the Awakened and all seemed quite concerned about our findings. That concern heightened as I was handed a letter from Awakened Redishwolf, he had encounter a similar swarm of kitin near Troubled Water in Sawdust Mines.

Leaving the Assembly, we began hunting down swarms in the desert. We thought all was well when we dispatched the last of the kitin near the Water Breakers' camp. Alas, such was not the case. As the light of dawn broke, we saw that the mounds were again swarming with kipee and kiban but they were now protected by hordes of kincher and kipucka. I had already written to the other three nations and some of them had responded by organizing searches. Some of these searches joined me and my small ni'shizu as we hunted the workers. We spent many long days killing what we have called worker swarms, those without guards, and those tending these strange mounds.

Again, we thought we had killed all the workers—the guards would send reinforcements as soon as we killed any but the workers did not—but, to my dismay, new workers have returned and more mounds and swarms have been found. I have mapped all the swarms and mounds that I know of in the jungle, desert and forest. I have yet to map out the lake lands but I am weary now and must rest. Once strength returns, I will set out again and visit the lands of the Tryker.

I have marked each map with yellow for the worker swarms and red for the mounds. The site in Outlaw Canyon, the one in Darkmoor and the site near Tunnel of Woe have multiple mounds. Those at Outlaw Canyon and Tunnel of Woe also have smaller mounds that bear watching. If these mounds grow as large as the others, it is very likely that we are seeing nests being built.




Last edited by Gorran (1 decade ago)

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Eldest, Order of the White Lotus

#7 [en] 

Lordoy, Awakened Gorran.

I take pen in hand to write to you.

Today I took part in an effort to measure the behavior of the Kitin in one mound area, that in the Majestic Gardens in the region called the Tunnel of Woe. Near the eastern end of that tunnel, as shown on your map, there is a large swarm of mixed kipee and Kiban workers and kipuka and kincher guards, and four (as of today) large mounds, grouped in pairs. The kipee workers stayed close to the mounds while the kiban roamed over the entire area patrolled by the kitin guards.

By dint of careful work our team (mostly homins of the Guardians of Jena) managed to kill all of the workers. We hoped that this would cause the guards to give up and return whence they came but such was not the case.

We did observe that at least at this site the kipee were much more likely to swarm on us, but that individual kipee could be lured off by taunts far enough that our attack upon then did not trigger a general swarming. The same was true of the kiban, to my great relief, since they proved to be very resistant to all spells and very hard to kill, unlike the kipee.

It seems to me that we are missing some vital knowledge here. The mounds do not seem to be active sites, but mere piles of earth, yet the kitin seem to be guarding them. Why would they do this unless the mounds are significant to them in some way.

I have not re-surveyed the kitin groupings in Darkmoor in recent days. I will do so soon and report back to you. So far I have not heard of any other incursions in Aedan Aqueous, but that could simply be a result of our cultural tendency to leave alone what might bother us.

I await the results of further research, and will report to you on a regular basis.

Lordoy Gorran.

-- Bittty.

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Remembering Tyneetryk
Phaedreas Tears - 15 years old and first(*) of true neutral guilds in Atys.
(*) This statement is contested, but we are certainly the longest lasting.
<clowns | me & you | jokers>

#8 [en] 

Lordoy, Gorran --

I followed a rumor to the area of Lakelands called Fount and found, in the far northeast corner, in an area called Deathfly Plain, a group of worker kipee, kizoar and kipesta. Together with the three groups in Darkmoor and the one just south of Darkmoor, these are all the ones I have found so far in Aedan Aqueous. I have also searched some in Enchanted Isles, but not in the far western section of that land, and I have searched around Lake Superior in Loria. I will continue.

Bittty

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Remembering Tyneetryk
Phaedreas Tears - 15 years old and first(*) of true neutral guilds in Atys.
(*) This statement is contested, but we are certainly the longest lasting.
<clowns | me & you | jokers>

#9 [en] 

Bitttymacod
Lordoy, Gorran --

I followed a rumor to the area of Lakelands called Fount and found, in the far northeast corner, in an area called Deathfly Plain, a group of worker kipee, kizoar and kipesta. Together with the three groups in Darkmoor and the one just south of Darkmoor, these are all the ones I have found so far in Aedan Aqueous. I have also searched some in Enchanted Isles, but not in the far western section of that land, and I have searched around Lake Superior in Loria. I will continue.

Bittty

Bitty, though difficult to see (the thumbnail feature isn't working but clicking the broken thumbnail still shows the actual map) I have added a map of my findings to those others I have made.

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Eldest, Order of the White Lotus

#10 [en] 

I have learned that some of the maps I sent to the other nations were lost or destroyed; so, I have sent another courier to each land with new copies.

The WItherings
The Burning Desert
Verdant Heights
Aeden Aquous

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Eldest, Order of the White Lotus

#11 [en] 

I came acrossw a small group of kitin-workers in Winds of Muse and by careful use of the little pond near Musemere workshop I was able to kill them all, there was no sign of a nest ...
I have kept the loot from the kill ... it might be used for making a refuge of some kind in the future ... somehere we can all be safe

Last edited by Binarabi (1 decade ago)

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Binarabi
This idea of "I'm offended". Well I've got news for you. I'm offended by a lot of things too. Where do I send my list? Life is offensive. You know what I mean? Just get in touch with your outer adult. (Bill Hicks)

#12 [en] 

It is very early in the morning as I write this, my last entry from Zora. I leave shortly for Pyr and from there to the places of safety that the Rangers have found for us. Much has happened since I last wrote. The threat from the kitin has increase; so much so that the leaders of the four nations called all homins together in Almati Woods and told us that it was time to flee.

Today we will make good on those directions, all nations will gather in Pyr and make our way to the Secret Kami Oasis. There, we have been told, Rainbow teleports have been made to carry us away to new lands for a time. I am loath to abandon Zora, loath to turn my back to this place but Mabreka-Cho has spoken and I will follow.

Next time I sit to write will be as I sit before my tent in these hidden lands.

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Eldest, Order of the White Lotus

#13 [en] 

[Brushing tears from his eyes, Lowan quickly searches through the torn bag, finds a bound journal and puts it into his own bag. He then lifts the broken body of his childhood friend and carries it toward the entrance of the Kami Oasis.]

I am one of the last to arrive but too late, too late my friend. When we return and rebuild, I will place this journal among the treasures of the Guardians of Zora. I write these last few words so that future generations of Guardians may know of your passing.

I knew something was wrong when I woke on Silan. We had received word that the kitin were destroying the nations but I was firm in my resolve to remain on Silan until my beloved arrived. I realize now that I was a fool for this but that is not why I write. I heard the call go out through the Seed, all homins were summoned to Pyr. The Second Great Exodus had begun. This was none of my affair; so, I returned to my blankets and sleep.

What happened soon after still leaves me shaking, I felt the rights of the Kya-ito of the guild shift onto me and I did something I never thought I would: I asked Chiang for the knowledge of how to leave Silan. When I arrived in Zora, it was largely deserted. I found a small party of homins making their way to the Oasis.

We journeyed first to Pyr as we heard it was still safe there. The way was dangerous but my travelling companions and I were equal to the task and we soon arrived in Pyr. Gathering what supplies we could, we made our way into the Flaming Forest and the Scorched Corridor. The path was easy to travel, carcasses of the dead kitin and predators littered the bark and clearly marked the path of the brave homins who had gone before us.

I imagined the worst, what else could have caused me to be named the leader of the Guardians? Surely my friend must live still, the Kami would raise him surely.

We rounded the cliff face and saw devastation before us. Karavan and Kami forces were keeping the area clear but the bark was pockmarked with breaches and kitin of all kinds still milled between them. Keeping close to the cliff wall, we made our way toward the Karavan soldiers. There I found Gorran Zhuangi, his body broken, his armor in tatters. I felt for a spark, anything that might signal life but there was nothing. His seed had died within him.

He was not alone, there were many others there who had been battered and broken beyond the reach of Kami or Karavan. From what I could see, the mighty forces of the nations had scattered and some of the refugees must have been struggling to keep up. It seemed that Gorran and the others near him had tried to rescue those who had fallen behind but the kitin forces were too strong and the aid from the homins too weak.

I gathered my beloved friend into my arms and stumbled my way toward the soldiers. The kitin noticed me and swarmed but the Karavan and Kami held them back as my companions healed my wounds. I have buried my friend here, in the peace of the Kami Oasis. I am sure that the sands of time will remove any trace of him before we return.

Lao'zénui aribini, niu mata yumé.

Edited 3 times | Last edited by Lowan (1 decade ago)

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Lowan
Kya-ito, Guardians of Zora
Guardians of Zora http://tinyurl.com/GoZora

#14 [en] 

Lordoy, Lowan

This is sad news indeed.  I will miss the constant interest that annaw Gorran had in the workings of the world and his ability to see clearly past the meditations of Zorai into the world beyond.

gan'vir ad skayai yem tala, Gorran

Bittty

---


Remembering Tyneetryk
Phaedreas Tears - 15 years old and first(*) of true neutral guilds in Atys.
(*) This statement is contested, but we are certainly the longest lasting.
<clowns | me & you | jokers>

#15 [en] 

Lordoy Homins,

I write this from a secret shelter deep in the center of the Burning Desert. I have been hidden here for a few seasons now, and have rarely ventured outside. I've been staying busy watching out for my pet gubani. Though in the recent days many unusual structures have been erected here, and I know not why.... There seems to be both a Karavan and Kami presence here. What is going on? Is the invasion getting any better out there? Is it safe to come out of hiding?


~Baet T'Agnes, High Officer of the Knights of Arispotle

Last edited by Baet (1 decade ago)

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