Lore & Chronicles - Ryzom Community Forum

Tales and Legends of Atysmas

Elke — Tue, 02 Jan 2024 21:00:36 +0000

Frido the Frippo
Near a meadow where mektoubs and raspal were grazing, there was an old root thicket. In this thicket, near a barn and granary, there lived a family of talkative frippos. But the homins had moved on, barn and granary were empty. And as it turned to become winter soonish, the frippos started to gather grains and nuts and jubula and staw. All frippos laboured day and night. All, but the frippo Frido. ``Frido, why don't you work?'' they asked. ``I am working'' replied Frido, ``I'm collecting sun rays for the cold and dark winter days''. And as they saw Frido sitting there, gazing at the meadow, they said ``And now, Frido? We are all working, what do you do?'' ``I'm collecting colours'' he said, ``as the winter is long and grey.'' And once it looked like Frido was half asleep while all others were working hard. ``Are you dreaming, Frido?'' the frippos asked with contempt. ``Heck, no'', he said, ``I'm collecting words. There are long and dark winter days and we will not know what we shall talk about.'' As winter was approaching, and the first snow fell, the five small Frippos retreated into their hide-out between the roots and branches. In the first days they still had plenty to eat and the Frippos told many stories about singing Varinx and dancing Tyranchas. The whole family of Frippos was happy! But more and more of the nuts and Jubula eaten, the straw ran empty and the grains were only a remote memory. It suddenly became quite cold between the roots and branches of the old root, and no-one felt anymore like talking. Then they suddenly remembered when Frido talked about sun rays, colours and words. ``Frido!'' they called, ``what abour your provisions?'' ``Close your eyes'' he replied and climbed a large root. ``Now I'm sending you sun rays. Do you already feel how warm they are? Warm, nice and golden?'' And while Frido was telling about the Sun, the four Frippos already felt much warmer. Was it Fridos voice? Or was it some magic? ``And what about the colours?'' they asked excitedly. ``Close your eyes again.'' said Frido. And as he talked about blue Liosta and orange Gonji in the yellow fields of Ba-Che and of green leaves of the Jubula bushes, then they saw the colours so clearly and vibrantly as if they had been painted within their small Frippo heads. ``And the words, Frido?'' Frido cleared his throat, waited a moment and then told from a small stage: ``Who scatters the snow flakes, who melts the ice?'' Who makes the loud weather, who makes it silent? Who brings the lucky clover in Frutor? Who dims the day, who lights the Moon? Four small Frippos like you and me, live in heaven and think of you. The first Frippo in spring makes the rain laugh. The summer Frippo is the painter and has to colour the flowers. The autumn frippo sends his regards with nuts and Bac-Che. The winter frippo needs warm shoes for his cold feet. Spring, summer, autumn and winter are the four seasons, no more, no less. Four different happiness``. As Frido finished all Frippo clapped jollily, laughed and shouted ''Firdo, you are a poet!`` Firdo blushed, bowed and said humbly ''I know, you beloved Frippo-faces.``

Analysis report of the kitin fragment

Ghost Of Atys — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 07:12:16 +0000

Report submitted on 19h - Quinteth, Nivia 23, 3rd AC 2625 to the Jen-Laï archives by Haido Xuan, Dynastic Gardener.

Tao-Sian gave me a Daisha stanza containing a fragment of a Kirosta dart. This Kirosta dart had been found alongside the lifeless body of Ranger guide Orphie Dradius in 2612 and initially given to Daeronn Cegrips for analysis. Due to the rapid and unexplained degradation of the dart, it was cut into 3 fragments, each placed in a stanza to prevent decomposition.
But the stanza itself appeared to be affected by the same alteration, as confirmed by the temple bonzes. Through gaze meditation on the amber, they determined that the fragment expressed a profound disharmony, a corruption of matter, a supernatural power.
We then turned to the Magnetizers. Qai-Zhan, the master magnetizer from Jen-Laï, wanted to harmonize the amber of the stanza with the thoughts of a group of homins who would have brought peace, harmony and kami goodness. In theory, this should have stopped the amber destructuring and allowed the opening of the stanza.
But despite all our efforts, the stanza exploded. Qai-Zhan maintains that he had the impression that the Kamis' conjuration was aggravating the situation just before the stanza exploded. This is, of course, strictly impossible. On the other hand, our group's inexperience in the practice of meditation must have resulted in fatal disharmony.
When the explosion occurred, some of those present thought they saw the silhouette of a kirosta. For some, it was black. Others saw it as red. But it was all a blur, and only lasted as long as the blink of an eye.
After the explosion, I searched in vain for the pieces of the kirosta dart. All I could find was a black liquid, of which I took a sample. But the behavior of the amber of the stanza never ceases to worry Qai-Zhan, and I'm afraid the analysis of this liquid won't give us much more to go on.

Haido Xuan
Dynastic Gardener

Scary stories of Anlor Winn

Maupas — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 16:59:21 +0000

The Great Library preserves HERE the six stories heard during the Convention of Scary Stories of Jena Year 2620 (2022-10-30):

• The Lost Little Boy
• The Unwary Ranger
• Song for Anlor Winn
• The Fall Of Old Matia
• The Inphantom
• The Underworld Boss

Notebook on luciography

Locith — Sun, 28 Aug 2022 22:58:12 +0000

Luciographs in and around Pyr

22h - Quinteth, Winderly 17, 1st AC 2620

Elegance guidance

Canillia — Fri, 17 Jun 2022 15:12:58 +0000

[FR]
Canillia observe le contenue de ses coffres...

"Ne me demande Laye ce que Ne vais pouvoir mettre?
N'ai que mon grand uniforme : Le Grand Blanc ou mes tenues de travail...

...en ce qui concerne l'apparat N'ai nec l'habitude."

Melkiar the Black Varinx

Opunys — Tue, 17 May 2022 17:50:55 +0000

bump

[Lore] Lore Nights

Namcha — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 07:34:40 +0000

Report of the Lore night of August 13, 2021 animated by Namcha.

Main theme: Geography and Astronomy

At the invitation of Namcha (Lore Team), several players gathered on the evening of August 13, 2021, at the Thesos Research Center to learn more about Atys and its sky.

The distances

In game, the compass tells you how far your character is from a creature or character you are targeting. It also tells you the distance to any place of Atys when, on the map displayed (key M), you click on the flag that indicates the place in question. But in this case, the distance is wrong. Indeed, for long distances (greater than the maximum distance for direct targeting), the compass is not realistic: the New Lands are a bit larger than they seem!

The real distance, between two cities for example, must in fact be calculated from the Atysian time taken by your character to actually cover it in a straight line, which can be calculated from the clock displayed on the map. However, multiplying the distance indicated by the compass by 20 is a good approximation of this real distance within each country (country = area delimited by vortices), but not between countries.

This being said, the New Lands cover an area of about 120,000 km² (a square of 300 to 350 km on each side), which is still quite small, much smaller than the Old Lands in any case. Let's remember that what we call New Lands is the set of countries mapped by the in-game maps, countries that the homins have joined after the Great Swarming. In fact, since the beginning of the game, the homins live on these New Lands and only know about the Old Lands, which are not mapped, what the texts say of them.

But let's go back to the question of using the compass to evaluate the distance between countries. Indeed, with the compass you can play the funny game of triangulating positions to obtain a "server map" which is very different from the map displayed in game. The fact remains that it is the latter that is the authentic one for the story: the "server map" is just computer science. Or if it had a meaning, it has long since been lost by the developers who succeeded one another on Ryzom.

Q: So the countries are correctly positioned on the map?
A: Yes. Except that the map is a "split" view, like an orange peel that you would have opened up, which also shows the countries under the Bark, the Primes Roots, which are under the New Lands.

Q: You talk about a square of 300 to 350 km on each side, but the northern edge of the Desert seems to be only 80 km long. So there would be a large distance "hidden" by the vortices?
A: Yes, and also some of the surrounding areas, like the old newbie islands, your guild islands, etc. It's all "around here".

Q: OK, the countries are not really stuck together. There's some sort of buffer zone is'nt it?
A: The vortices do make a small jump, yes. But not hundreds of miles.

Q: So from the southwestern Desert to the Whitherings, it's not that far?
A: No. In fact, you could say that, on a planetary scale, the New Lands are very close together.

Q: Does this mean that there are still unexplored countries around the known countries?
A: Yes, a lot, in fact. However, it is normal that homins do not venture too far.

Q: But... are Almati Wood, the Nexus and Silan part of the New Lands?
A: Yes, although I know that, as for those, some rumors have it that they are not, as the Powers have said homins that they are part of the Old Lands. These places were indeed "opened" during the Temple War, by the Powers.

Astronomy

If the sky is not at all coherent in game, the celestial objects that we see there do exist in history. There are four of them and, since night has just fallen, I will review them before describing their interactions.

- Let's look to the east. A nebula is rising there, it will soon be at its zenith. This celestial body is the star of the Atysian system, its center. It is a sun then, but which radiates very little in the visible spectrum. Moreover, it is veiled by a cloud of celestial dust.

- To the north, we have a magnificent planet with a ring. It is a gas giant, it revolves around the star (normally). And Atys is a satellite of this gas giant that the gaming community has named Sagaritis.

- To the southwest, we see a "red moon". It is moving southwards (I remind you that the movements in game are completely wrong). It orbits Sagaritis, like Atys, but with a more elliptical orbit. It is always full and it emits its own light, weak.

- Last of the list of four, the one that does not move, in the east. It is the only star that is "correct" in game: indeed, it should not move.It is the star that makes the day, the luminary. It is a satellite of Atys, geostationary. And, as scholars know, in the Ancient Lands, this star is at the zenith, upright.

Q: There is one thing I don't understand. If it is geostationary and makes the day, shouldn't night never fall?
A: No. Because it pulses. It turns on, it turns off. During the night we see the afterglow.

Atys, I said, is a satellite of Sagaritis, the gas giant planet with its ring. Atys always presents the same face to Sagaritis (it is called "synchronous rotation", like that of the Moon around the Earth). It goes around Sagaritis in one cycle, the Atysian cycle.

Q: Does this mean that in some places on Atys, neither Sagaritis nor the pulsar can be seen? So it is always dark there?
A: So... it's true that we could be on the wrong side of Atys and not see Sagaritis at all. And if we went far, far westward, yes, we would end up seeing the luminary no more. But... maybe something is planned to solve this problem!

Q: The Karavan is from another planet than Atys, but is this planet in the Atysian system?
A: No, the Karavan myth says that she comes from another world. This is why humans have the concept that there are "other worlds". The word "planet" is also part of the myth.

When the game was designed, the celestial bodies did not have names. You could almost say that they were there just to look pretty. As I said, the community named the gas giant Sagaritis (mnemonic: SAGA of RYzom, aTYS). This name, since "officially" adopted, refers to an Earth legend, of the Phrygian people (antique occupant of the present Turkey). Sagaritis is mentioned in the chronicle titled Chrysalis, which tells of the escape of Yrkanis from Jino. It was also mentioned by the player Dalcini in one of his poems. Both texts refer to the Terran legend, with nuances. That's why, to stay in this legendary reference, I propose the name of Cybele, or Cybel (masculine or feminine, you decide, both are acceptable) for the nebula. The legend says, roughly, that Atys is son of Cybele, and Sagaritis his lover (in Chrysalis, the genders are reversed), which carries a secret meaning for the story of the game.

And what makes the seasons on Atys, it is indeed the nebula, or Cybele. In fact Atys goes around Sagaritis, and Sagaritis goes around Cybele. For half a cycle, one should not see Cybele. When she rises, spring begins. Most of Cybele's radiation is not in the visible spectrum, but it contains enough energy to create, in addition to the luminary's, the seasons on Atys.

Q : Is it the one who brings heat then?
A : No. It is mainly the luminary that brings heat and light to the planet, Cybele's radiation is added to it when it is visible, that is to say present in the sky of the New Lands.

On the other hand, the light that Sagaritis sends back to us is that of Cybele. There would be a lot to say about the appearance of Sagaritis! It should be a show in its own right, throughout a cycle. It should be fixed in the sky, I already said it, but it has nothing to do in the north. The homins don't really know it, but the habitable lands, Old and New, are on the equator of Atys, at least its "equatorial belt" (don't rely too much on the image representing the planet here and there: it's an "artist's view", not a satellite photo).

Sagaritis would, if it were "correct" in game, be positioned to the west, a little higher on the horizon and, as we are in the equatorial belt of Atys, we would see its rings vertical (more or less, since Atys is not exactly in the equatorial plane of Sagaritis). So during one half of Atys' turn around Sagaritis, we would see one side of the rings, during the other half the other side, and at each half-period, their edge.

Q: This also depends on the inclination of Atys with respect to its orbital plane, right?
A: Yes, the latter is about 20°.

Sagaritis, like the Moon seen from the Earth, should also have its phases: full, dark, rising, falling, etc. In the night zone, one would often see flashes of lightning and at the poles, huge aurora borealis. In the illuminated zone of Sagaritis we would see curling and unwinding wisps (similar to the one we see on the surface of Jupiter and Saturn... as long as we get close to them). Its rings would always shine, whether it is black or not, but sometimes a part of it would be hidden by the shadow of its mass. Conversely, the shadow of the rings would sometimes be projected on Sagaritis. Finally, as Cybele could pass behind Sagaritis, one would sometimes observe an eclipse.

To continue the comparison with our solar system, I specify that Atys, satellite of Sagaritis, is of a size similar to Mars and has a gravity slightly lower than 1G.

Q: Does this mean that the proportion of hidden territory is huge?
A: Yes. *smile* That leaves room for lots of creation!

Q: Ah, how about that! Have our homins have any idea of sa taille ?
A: No, the homins don't think it's that big. On the other hand, Oflovak did achieve some things.

Q: Are homins able to measure great distances with precision?
A: Yes, thanks to the fixed stars. But especially the distances along the parallels. For medium distances, it is more difficult, because the observable displacement of the star is not sufficient.

The Red Moon, as for it, is also called Amber Moon, or Karavan Moon, Kami Moon, Tryton Moon. It is always full (no phases) and its size is variable. If it were "correct" in game, it would only be visible at night for three quarters of each cycle, since for the remaining quarter it would be positioned above the other side of Atys.

Q: It's moving away and getting closer?
A: Yes.

Q: Does it have a particular orbit?
A: It is in the same plane as Atys, but different from it.

Q: More elliptical?
A: Yes, and there's a kind of chase between the two.

I'm not going to tell you exactly what the nature of this celestial body is. Just know that it is neither rock nor ice. In fact its mass is very low compared to that of Atys. Perhaps the trytonists would know another name for it. A name that would sound like "Ryzom". But I'm starting to talk too much...

Q: You still need to explain how it radiates its own light.
A: There is a kind of energy that emanates from it, but not enough to be seen by day.

Q: Oh OK: it's always there, even in daylight, but then not bright enough to be seen?
A: Yes, except when it is behind Atys. During a cycle, it rises and sets. But when it is at the zenith, it seems for several months to move in slow motion, it is very strange!

To finish with astronomy, a word about the starlit sky. If it were "correctly represented" in game, it would not rotate during the night, but much more slowly, on a cycle. In addition to shooting stars, we would sometimes see bright objects moving quickly and flashing.

Q: When I look at the moon, there seems to be a light shining directly below it... does anyone know what it is? Do we know the source?
A: No. I think it's like a not quite properly realized effect. In fact it's a mistake: the light on Atys comes from the horizon like on Earth. In the same way, when the day comes, the light should not come from the horizon but from the luminary whose brightness increases progressively.

The Canopy

I would now like to go down a notch in altitude and say a few words about the Canopy. Its branches run between 1 and 2 kilometers in altitude and are between 200 and 500 meters thick. If we were to stick to the "artist's view" of the planet mentioned above, they would be at least 300 km thick! It would be night below.

Q: Have homins ever been on the Canopy?
A: Climbing the start of a Canopy root would be possible in principle, if it is not too steep. But, assuming one reaches the top of the Canopy, there would be health complications!

The surface of Atys

To represent the surface of Atys, imagine the same thing as the Canopy, but placed on the ground. It is made of compartments, and these compartments draw like a map of the game.

Q: Is the "ground" of Atys roots? Or is it something between roots? And if so, what is it?
A: The subsoil of Atys is composed of many layers of roots on top of each other.

Q: So the roots form the edges and bottoms of kind of compartments?
A: Yes, and each compartment fills with debris. And the last layer is at the top: that' s the canopy.

Q: We are on a root mat with sawdust between the roots to give an illusion of continuity?
A: Yes. But in the Old Lands there are larger compartments. The New Lands, around the Nexus, is special.

Q: What do you mean? What's so special about it?
A: The fact of having several different biotopes in a very small area, and small extents.

Q: The plants we see on Atys, are they epiphytes of these roots that form the compartments or are they connected to them?
A: They are epiphytes except for the crolices (which are indeed connected to them).

Q: Why has no explorer tried to see what lies beyond the horizon? Beyond the cliffs? Fear of not being able to be relieved by the Powers?
A: Yes, because the New Lands are an El Dorado, since the Powers offer there resurrection for all. This was not the case in the Old Lands, before the Great Swarming.

The years of Jena

As you know, in the calendar we have cycles, and Jena years and there is an equivalence between the Jena year and the earth year. But not only: in fact, to say more, the current date 2614, is indeed the future of our 2021.

Q : Atys is the future of the Earth ! Did I understand correctly?
A: The story is set in the future of the Earth, yes. But that doesn't mean that Atys is the Earth. That's why the fantasy approach of Ryzom hides a SF reality.

Shadow and light

Chronicles Of Atys — Fri, 01 Oct 2021 15:47:15 +0000

The illumination of Atys' bathing the palace windows of Yrkanis, this amber glow which calls to the soft melancholy and leads homins towards the comfort of their dwell-trees.
Liosta Be'Zephy lets out a sigh which makes Karae Tamiela Fera Fillia di Torani smile and Serae Ayala frown. The three of them are alone, the rest of the Court receded.
"So, Serae Liosta! To what do we owe this untimely demonstration?", exclaims the Karae, deceptively severe.

The young Matis blushes, still too young to perceive the subtile nuance in the voice of the Karae.
"I was thinking, in a few weeks, that Jena will have blessed me with 21 years of life and I haven't done much with it. It makes me despair."
"Come on, you are still young."
"I'm sure that you'd already done great things at this age!" Liosta shakes her head.
"Twenty-one years old..."
"Oh yes, Nae Karae, tell us about it, naete!"

The gaze of the Karae, as caught by the twilight of the evening, becomes distant while she begins to reminisce her youth:
"I celebrated my 21st birthday with my father and family in the great hall of the Torani dwell-tree in Davae on 6 Harvestor 1st CA 2553. We danced and heckled with my friends and brothers. However, my fate was already sealed. The Nobles had decided.
As you may remember, Serae Ayala, I was not the first choice of the Nobles, but I have never felt resentful nor grateful for that.
My whole childhood immersed in this mix of feelings."

The Karae shook her head before continuing:
"My father, although proud of his title and high responsibilities in the management of the kingdom, was totally lacking in political ambition. My mother had ambition for two. It was she who pushed me and educated me for it - to make a great marriage.
"Courses in deportment, dance, poetry, mateis, good-manners, Court composition.... My days were very busy, but my father had managed to impose a limit: every day, he took me from my mother and my governesses so that I could accompany him for two hours in his kingdom, the kingdom of hunting and the life of the subjects. There, with my elder brother, he would take us around our domain and it was during one of these escapades far from my mother's eyes that he gave me my first dagger and said: ‘Miela, you must know how to defend yourself! Even locked up in a palace, you must be able to protect your life and that of your children. The Great Swarming taught us that! So take this dagger, learn how to use it and wear it at your side at all times!’
Those two hours a day where my saving grace!
And how proud I was when I managed to beat my brother in a training duel."

The Karae, as if transformed into a child for a brief moment, smiles in front of her ladies-in-waiting before her countenance regains its formal elegance.
"In 2544, things began to change. First, with the birth of my little brother. The late pregnancy was harsh on my mother. She never really got over it.
Then, in 2545, rumors began to reach my mother's ears. The Karan Yrkanis wanted to stabilize his son and marry him off. My mother's dream was within reach. In spite of her weakened state, she insisted on my father getting me presented to the Court. No more getaways in the forests of Davae. With my mother, I no longer had to leave Yrkanis and frequented the court daily. At the tender age of 13, I was still a little girl, and despite the efforts of those around me, the procrastinations of Karin's were very convenient to my mother.
I still remember those long days. As my mother had never been part of Karae Lea's inner cicle, she had to put up with a lot to promote me. All this while her health was on a constant decline.
Although, after three long years, she finally received recognition. At the age of 16, I was presented to Filira Rodi di Varello who admitted me into the ranks of the young Matis who could aspire to marry the Karin. I was later told that he was very impressed with my dagger-wielding abilities."

The Karae's displeasure erupts into a brief laugh, bordering a bark.
"So, I hope my mother wasn't aware in-before Jena called her back to Her. Because shortly after my acceptance, my mother was found lifeless in her bed. Was it the result of that painful pregnancy? Or the beginning of the accomplishment of a life-long ambition? Either way, she joined our Goddess before she saw me take the throne. Over the years, I've come to believe that the Goddess, in Her mercy, spared us by calling her back prematurely. For the cohabitation with Karae Lea would have been, at the very least, problematic.
Then I returned with her remains to Davae, where I resumed my former life with delight. But I was no longer a little girl and my brother had begun to assist my father in the management of our estate and its protection. As for the youngest, still a little boy full of life his housekeepers had hard time channeling. I could no longer find my place, so my father took matters into his own hands. He arranged a professor to teach me more about the art of war and entrusted me with the management of a portion of land that had belonged to my mother.
Many rumors circulated concerning my relationship with the professor. I should clarify that I was not yet 17 years old, that he was young and as beautiful as the day is born. He was of lesser nobility, educated at Court and of infinite patience. My heart mesmerized, but the strength of my first love could do nothing against the loyalty he had towards my father, nor, I confess, little against my mother's ambition which sometimes flared up inside of me. Though he was an admirable professor, he has ever been just a professor, and he was even the one who insisted that I would attend to the ball in 2550.

The rest is history: Maelya attempting to assassinate Karin, the attack on the Marauder's camp, the election of Nobles and the wedding which sealed my fate in 2554."

The night had invaded the palace as Tamiela falls silent.

Discovery of the recipe of the iridescent jewels of the Gibbaïs allowing them to increase their physical strength

Mazeyum — Sun, 13 Jun 2021 09:06:12 +0000

Mazé'Yum lut les rapports avec une expression cynique sur le masque. Il finit par en conclure :
— Le plus intéressant là-dedans est que les quatre académies aient réussi à partager leurs connaissances.
— Ils ont aussi obtenu quelques résultats, signala la scientifique qui lui avait transmis les documents.
— La belle affaire… Nous n’avons pas attendu les gibbaïs pour savoir comment rendre les homins plus forts. Et plus agressifs.

Le zoraï ne montrait qu’un intérêt très limité pour le Nexus et ce qui s’y déroulait. Il y était passé quelques fois, à la recherche d’une quelconque présence de goo, sans en découvrir ; à partir de là, cela sortait trop de son champ d’études pour qu’il y perde du temps. Mais ses collègues n’étaient pas du même avis.

— Ils n’ont probablement pas tout trouvé, reprit la Matisse. Nous avons là un phénomène nouveau, et nous dépendons des miettes que les Académies mettent à jour avec leurs méthodes primitives.
— Nous avons des gens à nous chez eux, qu’ils fassent leur travail pour ramener des données pertinentes.
— Ils ne sont pas à des postes de pouvoirs, ils ne peuvent pas décider de grand-chose et sont tributaires des choix de leurs supérieurs et de la bonne volonté des homins.
— La belle affaire ! Tout seul, je me débrouillerais mieux qu’eux !

Mazé'Yum pris conscience qu’il avait dit une bêtise en voyant le sourire narquois de ses collègues.
— Justement, Maz', tu pourrais nous ramener quelques échantillons.
— Un instant. Je pourrais… mais pas seul. Ça grouille de gibbaïs, là-bas. Trop pour moi, et je ne joue pas avec ces bestioles.
— Allons… Tu n’as quand même pas peur de ces boules de poils ? Ou bien tu aurais plus de considération pour tes lointains cousins que pour ta famille ?
— Stupide. Les gibbaïs sont toujours source de catastrophes.
— Nous avons des protocoles pour ça.
— Je n’ai aucune envie de sentir le torbak pendant des semaines !

Les gibbaïs avaient de la mémoire et une certaine intelligence. Et une rancune tenace. Les membres du Cercle avaient appris à leurs dépens que les expériences sur eux amenaient des représailles longues et pénibles. Mais c’était quand même des sujets utiles à l’occasion, et l’une des méthodes consistait à se parfumer à la glande de torbak pour éviter que les gibbaïs ne reconnaissent leurs tourmenteurs à l’odeur.

— De toute façon, reprit Mazé'Yum, j’ai déjà largement de quoi m’occuper. Certaines expériences ne me permettent pas de m’absenter bien longtemps.
— C’est à ça que servent les apprentis, Maz. À surveiller les expériences le temps qu’elles mûrissent. Et puis tu n’as pas lu nos idées, encore… Ça va te plaire.

Elle tendit un cube d’ambre au zoraï, qui prit ainsi connaissance des réunions qu’il avait pu manquer durant ses absences. Il finit par lui rendre, songeur :
— Intéressant. Il y a effectivement quelques théories passionnantes à expérimenter. Si cela donne des résultats, ce sera bien mieux que quelques allégories boostées. Mais cela peut aussi déclencher une réaction en chaîne. Nous n’avons pas assez d’éléments pour prendre ce genre de risque.
— Une chose à la fois, intervint un tryker qui avait suivi l’échange en silence jusque là. Tu sais ce que tu dois chercher, tu nous ramènes les bonnes données, on analyse tout ça et on avise.
— Ou tu profites de l’occasion pour tester quelques trucs simples après tes prélèvements, reprit la Matisse. Tu n’auras pas assez de matériel pour que ça tourne mal, ces arbres ont l’air vraiment énormes. Si nous avons quelques résultats, nous pourrons organiser une plus grosse expédition, persuader le chef d’engager plus de ressources.
— Il n’est pas au courant ?
— Si, mais à peine plus convaincu que toi.
— De toute façon, est-ce que vous avez des résultats sur les salinas communs ?
— Ils n’ont pas une sève spéciale. Ça marche un temps avant de les tuer, comme pour la plupart des végétaux, mais c’est sans grand intérêt…

Mazé'Yum était pensif à présent. L’idée faisait son chemin peu à peu.
— Vous parlez de ça comme si j’avais déjà accepté de le faire. Les gibbaïs ne me laisseront pas approcher, je n’ai plus assez de fonds pour payer des mercenaires pour m’escorter…
— Et tous ces amis que tu as ici et là, Maz' ? Ils t’aideront pour rien.
— Aucun allié ne bouge facilement, il faut trouver de quoi les motiver. "Rien"… personne n’agit "pour rien". Vous avez assez de ressources pour vous passer de moi.
— Mais tu es une de ces ressources, Mazé'Yum, susurra le tryker.

Le zoraï était suffisamment sensible à la flatterie pour apprécier. C’était vrai qu’il était un atout important pour la tribu, après tout. Et l’expédition ne prendrait pas si longtemps ; les frippos l’attendraient quelques jours. Il repensait à l’intérêt que les Maraudeurs avaient pour le Nexus. De ce côté-là, peut-être…

— Il y a une possibilité… J’aviserais suivant les circonstances. Je ne promets rien, mais si j’en ai l’occasion, je ferais ces prélèvements. Et j’aurais peut-être même une opportunité pour greffer un de ces Salinas.

(Zorai Chronicle) For Sorrow’s sake

Chronicles Of Atys — Thu, 22 Apr 2021 08:21:16 +0000

Excerpt from a lecture given by Dynastic Healer Tao-Sian to students and transcribed by her disciple for the archives.

Goo infections are rare but most often fatal. In general, we only have rare treatments at our disposal to relieve the pain of infected homins.
The case of the Sage Sorrow is, of course, exceptional. In this case, we must manage to relieve his suffering without breaking his link with Atys.
My bibliographic research led me to the discovery of a plant, the Puo-Kean, whose flower contains an active principle that is a kind of "retardant". Then, I thought I could, by using it, prolong the efficiency of his current treatment.
The flowering of the Puo-Kean is very rare and its habitat very difficult to access: it is found only in the Prime Roots, in the rare places where it can benefit from both the light of the surface and the constant humidity of the depths.
Thus, it is only thanks to many brave and generous homins that I dispose of a dozen flowers, carefully preserved in a bark box, since I do not wish to have to ask for such an expedition again. The one of 11h - Quinteth, Thermis 5, 3rd AC 2612(*) has indeed been more than perilous and many homins only owed their safeguard to the Kamis. May they be praised here!

To return to the Puo-Kean, you have to make an infusion with the chopped flowers to release the active principle.
But the dosage is difficult. Because if the Puo-Kean slows down considerably the metabolism of the patient and thus prolongs the effectiveness of the treatment, it turns out that it also slows down the patient himself.
But this I discovered only after my first test, the result of which was mixed: if Sorrow had said he has been relieved by the decoction, his speech and his movements have been enormously slowed down too...

Considering the slightly angry look that Sorrow had shot me after this first one, I carried on my tests of the Puo-Kean by diluting the active ingredient very significantly. I am hoping to succeed in finding the right dosage.[...]

[OOC] (*) On Saturday, 13 March 2021 20:00:00 UTC (4 years ago). [/OOC]

[Rangers] A great emptiness

Ghost Of Atys — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 20:07:11 +0000

Excerpts from Melga Folgore's diary, never published

Melga Folgore's diary

Winderly 16, CA2 2612
Apocamus is inconsolable. He still performs his duties as an Instructor correctly, but he is more severe and demanding than before with the teams he trains.
Orphie… Orphie, but why did you have to go there, and alone in addition? Why were you interested in Tepsen? Because we found his amber cube in the Kitins' Lair? If I'd known, I would have held you back. I'm sorry.
You've left a great emptiness, and the atmosphere in the camp is gloomy. The Rangers are much affected, myself first.

Winderly 22, CA2 2612
Today, we received Daeronn Cegrips who came to share his conclusions after first analyses of the kirosta sting found near the lifeless body of Orphie. Of course, he asserts that no kitin of such darkness has ever been seen on Atys, either on or under the Bark.
Some Rangers want to return into the depths of the kitins' lair in search of the kitin this stinger was arming. Well may I tell them that, as her first-rate Ranger seal was not enough to protect Orphie, they don't know what awaits them, they persist in their desire to go and see. That's sheer madness: such a search will only end up making us mourn other deaths. I am tired of all this.

Winderly 25, CA2 2612
Routine matters have been piling up. Orphie had neglected them a bit to devote herself to her research. I have a lot to do.

(Fyros chronicle) Revolt or despair: a chronicle of change

Chronicles Of Atys — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 19:22:49 +0000

Revolt or despair: a chronicle of change

"sharük dies off..."

Denatys Deukos, the Ardent Master, was watching Lykos. He had expected many things but not this...
The news he brought was bleak, for sure: the Marauders had attacked the convoy carrying to Pyr supreme materials extracted in the Nexus. The few defenders had been wiped out, and the materials would be in the hands of those cursed raguses now.
But sharükos could have raged, asked for the heads of those responsible, or even his own head, demanded an immediate attack, but no...
It seemed like something had broken inside him.
When he learned that hardly any patriot had answered the call of Daeronn Cegrips, the great Fyros scholar, coordinator of the researches at the Nexus, all the blood had deserted his face. The resemblance to his father's face at the height of his illness had struck the Burning Master.

"sharük dies off..."

It was only a whisper but Denatys Deukos shuddered, as if struck to the heart.
For a few long seconds a silence heavy with doubts and fears lasted, but the Burning Master’s training took hold.
"Shall I summon General Icaphotis Dydilus to receive your orders, sharükos?
— What's the use? The orders don't change. Continue to protect what's left."

Lykos, morose, disappeared into his apartments, without adding a word.
Denatys Deukos stood there, dazed, torn between despair and revolt.

sharük= the Empire.
sharükos= the Emperor.

When Ashes blow as storm

Chronicles Of Atys — Wed, 10 Feb 2021 18:57:52 +0000

When Ashes blow as storm

The nervousness of Chei Pui-Yan, the Chief Marauder of the Clan of Despair, was palpable.

Even though he redoubled his efforts to highlight the value of his actions and those of his troops, the one he was giving tour of the Marauders' camp of the Hidden Source did not deign to born the shade of a smile.
Disconcerted, it was with some assurance that, once the visit was over, he brought the visitor into his tent for a private conversation, closely followed by The Scarlet.

Chei bowed with deference to the Fyros homina and invited her to sit at the table that stood in the center of the tent.
But Akilia Ash Storm, the Warlord Chief of all the Marauder Clans, who arrived from the Old Lands that morning, remained upright, impassive, while The Scarlet, her trusty lieutenant, stood back in the shadows, helmet on.

The Zoraï launched itself: "See at the advances we have made on the New Lands! And first of all this camp where we are now, which we conquered by humiliating our adversaries who have not been able to dislodge us from it since!"

Akilia, arms folded, replied: "And the rest of the region? Why don't I see the Marauder flag flying on its borders? You dare to call this an advance?"
Uneasy, Chei continued: "We have also rallied a Zorai tribe! And, after they pledged their allegiance to us, we attacked the Theocracy together in Zora itself, with a new weapon using Goo!
— Only one tribe turned Marauder? And you dare to brag about it!
— But… We also almost succeeded in convincing the Theocracy to let us install a small camp near the Zorai capital, after these attacks!
— Almost? Convincing? These words are not acceptable."

The Zorai fired his last shot: "We just won a great victory by robbing the Fyros of supreme materials that a convoy under powerful escort was bringing them from the Nexus!
— It's a start. But a start only. Never rely on one victory, prepare right away for the next."

Chei Pui-Yan fell silent. He, the tall Zoraï who made his enemies tremble in battle, felt very small in front of the scathing words and the fierce, determined and icy look of Akilia Ash Storm.
The latter showed his lieutenant with her chin, who silently watched the scene before going on, dryly.
"The Scarlet had warned me. You were the best to lead the ancient Synod of Despair, at the dawn of the birth of the Clans on the New Lands. But you never knew the wildness of the Old Lands. You didn't dare enough. Or not yet."

Chei stared at her, puzzled.
"What do you want from me, Akilia?"
The Fyros answered in a categorical tone: "That you make my orders enforced. The Marauders vegetated enough waiting for this world to come to them. It's time to reverse the roles. So we will attack on several fronts.
I demand that the Marauders take outposts to take over their precious materials. And no way, you hear me, using to extract those one of those hideous drills designed by the so-called Powers! I brought the plans of the only drill worthy of the name: a marauder drill. I want to see this drill running. Quickly."

Chei nodded his head.
Akilia went on: "I also want to see our ranks grow. Recruit the most promising homins within the Nations. And rally other tribes to our banner. No matter which way.
You also mentioned a camp to be built near Zora. I want one to be erected near every capital city, each hosting a zinuakeen. And don't think for a moment about begging for the Nations' permission! Build them, occupy them, use them. The rest does not interest me."

She beckoned The Scarlet to approach.
"The Scarlet told me about strange events and new riches discovered in the Nexus. And also about the fact that the lame Nations are present there, but we are not. Or so little. That has to change! Let the Marauders be present and active in the Nexus. Its riches and the future discoveries it promises will be ours.

Chei, who was about to bow, followed The Scarlet who was just nodding his head.
"Now get out! You both have work to do."

Chei Pui-Yan quickly left the tent that had been his, torn between anger and admiration. The legendary Akilia had undeniably taken possession of the place and of their destiny.

(Chronicle) Seasons of Season

Chronicles Of Atys — Fri, 25 Sep 2020 09:41:57 +0000

Small amber cube of poor craftsmanship found in the Temple of Knowledge and having probably belonged to a prospector of the Nexus. It seems he has recorded there day by day information about his occupation.
Amber cube compiled by Pyphollo Zeps in his book "Treasures of the Nexus".

…
I don't exactly know anymore what day we are. Probably the 13 thermis CA2 2608. For several days, I remained confined in my tent, near the abandoned camp, anguished by the wait for the next tremor.
And then, one day, nothing more! Just as suddenly as the barkquake had started, calm came back. I went out to see… The sight that the Nexus offers is now terrifying but as tormented as it is, the landscape remains majestic and the colors lighting the dawn still as soft as ever.
…
16 Frutor CA2 2608
I feel like I'm losing my sanity in this landscape that I no longer recognize. I can no longer find the location of sources that I have been extracting from for years. The vegetation is disturbing because of its strangeness in these places. The animals are nervous and aggressive. Fortunately, the Company of the Eternal Tree carries on its patrols. They have rescued me more than once. The Kamis have not completely abandoned us.
…
30 Fallenor CA2 2608
Kami-lor! I think I found it! That's the terrain specialized stanza. Hochi kami no! The sources of the Nexus are no longer under the influence of the Forest! I managed to extract materials using a Desert specialized stanza and all of them were of supreme quality!
…
1 Pluvia CA2 2608
I sang victory too soon. The Desert stanza didn't work today, though I searched a large area in the southern part of the Nexus.
…
3 Pluvia CA2 2608
I decided to test all terrain specialized stanzas... and I found Lakes' supreme materials! Alas, drilling quickly exhausts their sources, and they are useful especially for handcrafts. I must have to find something to feed us.
…
5 Thermis CA2 2609
It will soon be a year since the barkquake occurred. I'm just starting to find my footing again but my technique is well established and I'm moving fast.
I use only a terrain specialized stanza when looking for food. This has allowed me to identify the areas of influence of the different terrains, areas that I am gradually delineating. These materials, unlike those intended for craft, are permanently present, but their areas are the same. The drawing of these areas takes shape but the work will still be long and I have to move further and further away from my campsite.
…
28 Pluvia CA4 2609
Some homins, ne-kwai mainly, came to the camp. They told me that they had been sent by Ma'Kwai to find "all the seasons of Season" (that is, the place at the crossroads of all the terrains). The Head of the Company of the Eternal Tree had advised them to come and question me for this purpose. I believe, indeed, that my technique of detection of the areas is right because I succeeded in locating a spot of this type, a mound surrounded by berries, dandelions, pearls and mosses, each of these plants coming from a different terrain. If they correctly followed the directions I gave them, they must have found it. In any case, they didn't come back to ask me more questions.
…
1er Winderly CA1 2610
First day of spring… I went to meditate at the top of the hill that I had indicated them and where, they told me the other day, a Kami spoke to them this winter. Peace invaded me. I think the Sage will be fine there…

The Nexus Metamorphosis

Elke — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 15:54:12 +0000

The events also impact the balads sung in taverns:

The waves rippled gently,
someone laughs in the distance.
But with clammy thoughts
I'm standing here on the shore.

For many legends entwine
around the heralds,
that announce the Kitin.
Not just the final quake,
shows that they are rising
to haunt those who are with sin.

Thus keep watch well,
so that also tomorrow homins still laugh.

Discepatores Zorae

Sartyrica — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 01:52:29 +0000

Warum werde ich in der Lore nicht mehr als Erleuchtete geführt? Ich war die Erste, die die Prüfung damals abgelegt hat ...

[Zoraï Chronicle] The Call of the Sap

Chronicles Of Atys — Thu, 20 Jun 2019 20:25:23 +0000

As we were nearing the place of the Laï-le Ban (1), our bare feet sank into the thin layer of snow that began to cover the Temple City. Around us, flakes were flying around, stroking our masks and clinging to our hair. Ahead of me, Len Fai-Cu was leading the way. I was staring at his back, scarred with the many stigmas of a life of fighting and hunting. Like him, we wore only a simple loincloth of braided leaves for the occasion, despite the cold that was biting our skin. I think I may say that the same feeling of confidence was filling our hearts that I see in him. Our steps were leading us to a common hope that dispelled any uncertainty.

When we arrived over the crowded tiers of the auditorium, all eyes turned toward us and a dull rumble swept through the audience. Further down, we made out a male silhouette clad in a long purple dress. We understood that it was the master of ceremonies when he struck the ground with a long stick to ask for silence before solemnly declaring: "May the source of our trouble advance towards me!"
When we heard these words, we went down one after the other to the center of the building and sat before him. I noticed the paintwork that decorated his mask of kinship. It was of a particularly light sort of blue that reminded me of the crystal purity in the sky after the passing of a shower.

Slapping his stick on the ground again, the master of ceremonies said: "We are gathered here to progress together on the path of Enlightenment. May Wisdom guide our words on this day. We are nothing but humble buds on the Bark, and aspire to become powerful Doraos. May the Kamis protect us along this perilous path from the Void that gnaws and destroys. My name is Wan Fai-Du and I will be the Kai-ho (2) of this Laï-le Ban. I am here only to remind everyone of the principles that enliven our sap: the Preservation of Atys, Wisdom, and the search for Enlightenment. May the Great Mask Mabreka-Cho be the model who inspires and guides me, as I stand before you and act in his place. Ochi kami no (3)."
A respectful murmur ran through the crowd who repeated in unison "Ochi kami no".

Lifting a cloth, Wan Fai-Du then revealed three electrically sparkling objects resting on a base: a scepter, an amber shield and a short spear. He grabbed the latter before moving towards the main stand.
Only three Zoraïs were there. I immediately recognized the youngest, whose long blond hair cascaded down on the frail shoulders. It was the Sage Sap, the very one we had decided to follow to reintegrate our people. To her left, a homin of venerable age was scanning each of us with intensity. I later learnt that this Sage was called Sens and that he was the brother of the Great Mask, Dean of the Theocracy. At his side was his disciple, a discreet Awakened with a shaved head and a painted mask with long horns.
Respectfully handing over the spear to them, the Kai-ho addressed them: "It is up to you, the Voices of Judgement, to find the path that will lead us out of this dark swamp."

Wan Fai-Du then seized the scepter before joining the right-hand bleachers to question the few Initiates who were sitting there: "Who among you wants to point out the trouble that worries us?" A Kwaï (4) grabbed the object and spoke up: "The Pai-ho'I (5) took part in an attack the Masters of the Goo launched on our City during which the Goo was used as a weapon to spread death."
Once the facts had been recalled by the prosecution, the Kai-ho took the amber shield, headed towards the left tiers and asked the Initiates who were there: "Who among you thinks that the bolts should strike elsewhere?" A Kwaï accepted the buckler, before indicating: "Against all odds, the Pai-ho'I opposed their leader and chose to join our ranks. This must count in their favour."
Once we heard this statement from the defence, Wan Fai-Du came back to stand beside us and began to give the floor as the debates began.
The accuser waved his scepter and, with a nod, Wan Fai-Du allowed him to question us

Accuser
"Did you or did you not deal with the Goo Heads Sect in order to obtain the Goo weapons that were used to attack Zora?"

Len Fai-Cu
"We did, but we did not agree with the choice made by our leaders! We wanted to fight these fanatics, not to seek agreement with them. Unfortunately, we have not been listened to."

The defender in his turn raised his amber shield and waited for a sign from the Kai-ho before questioning us.

Defender
"You say you haven't been listened to but what exactly did you do to dissuade your leaders?"

Len Fai-Cu
"According to the custom of the Marauders, I had to face the leader of the Clan of Hopeless in single combat to have our disagreement heard, but my defeat compelled us to abide by their decision."

Accuser
"Why did you comply with the customs of the Clan of Hopeless?"

Len Fai-Cu
"When our leader died, his daughter succeeded him. She is the one who forged the alliance with these Marauders on behalf of us all. Many of us disapproved of this new allegiance, but we had no choice but to submit to it as long as we were members of the tribe."

Defender
"Can you tell us more about the context that led to this alliance?"

Len Fai-Cu
"When the Goo started its growth in the Void, we were the first victims. Our camp was submerged and many of our tribe were contaminated and perished. Marauders and Rangers came to help us reach a refuge on the border with Maiden Grove. Our tribe was therefore particularly vulnerable when the chance of an alliance appeared."

Defender
"Pai-ho'i, you have chosen of your own free will to repent and rejoin the Theocracy. What prompted this decision?"

Len Fai-Cu
"Beyond our doubts about the actions of our tribe in response to the Goo's spread, it was the words of Luoi Dua-La that convinced us to take this plunge that none of us had taken so far. To us, she represents the essence of what the Zoraï ought to be: united and indivisible as they used to be in Zoran's time. To see her enshrined as Sage by the Kamis has proven us we were right to believe in her to guide us towards that age of amber that we wrongfully believed to be lost for ever."

After several hours of debate, Wan Fai-Du took back the scepter from the hands of the accusers and the shield from the hands of the defenders and rested them ceremonially on their base before addressing the central tribune: "It is now up to you to see the light in shade, the path across the bushes, the amber amid the bark".
He bowed with respect and then turned to the rest of the audience to announce: "We got lost to better find us back. May the Kamis guide our steps and lead us on the path of Enlightenment. We will meet again to hear words of Wisdom."
His stick struck the ground and the stands emptied of their occupants. We followed the crowd out of the building, leaving the Kai-ho alone with the three Voices of Judgement.

The deliberations extended long after sunset. It was under the light of lanterns that we returned to the auditorium to hear the verdict. As we took our places again, our attention was drawn to the Sage Sap who was standing in front of Wan Fai-Du. With gravity, the latter questioned her.

Wan Fai-Du
"Sister, what is this disorder that has spread to our hearts?"

Sap
"On Fallenor the 5th, in the third Atysian cycle of the year 2600, we witnessed a dreadful crime: the Masters of the Goo spread the Scourge in the heart of our Temple City for the purpose of sowing death and chaos."

Wan Fai-Du
"Sister, how are our Pai-ho'i brothers responsible for this?"

Sap
"The Pai-ho'i tried to dissuade their leader from spreading the Goo but felt compelled to obey her despite their disagreement. The Path to Enlightenment is sometimes tortuous! Just as the butterfly must succeed in tearing its chrysalis to spread its wings, it took the Pai-ho'i to take part in this attack for them to decide to abandon their old life to join us. We, the Voices of Judgement, believe in their sincerity."

Wan Fai-Du
"Sister, what must we do to soothe our saps?"

Sap
"The repentants will have to be purified of the Marauders' stain and then they will be required to work for a year to relieve patients contaminated by the Goo under the supervision of the Dynastic Healer and myself. This is how the balance will be restored."

The Kai-ho then respectfully bowed down and stated the consecrated formula, which the whole assembly repeated in chorus: "Ochi Kami no".
Wan Fai-Du took the spear from Sap's hands and said: "May the Kamis protect you, brothers and sisters, for having shown us the path". Then he put the weapon back on its base and folded a cloth over it. Turning to the audience, he struck the ground several times with his stick and solemnly announced: "What has been lost has been found. The errants have found the path again. The flower has found the sun again. May we be taught from all this. Before putting away his stick, he humbly finished with: "My name is Wan Fai-Du and I am now only a brother among his brothers".

The cold dawn was casting light on our masks while we left the auditorium to head for the jungle. As we arrived in front of a cascade, we left our loincloths and entered the icy water without hesitation. In the posture of meditation, we opened our hearts to Ma-Duk with confidence. As the waterfall carried away our past mistakes, a feeling of fulfilment seized me. The path to redemption was finally opening up to us.

* Excerpt from the book Luoi Dua-La, The Call of the Sap,
* by Din Ha-Zhia, 2601

[OOC]
(1) Laï-le Ban: Traditional Zoraï trial (lit.: the ceremony where the light appears)
(2) Kai-ho: Observer. Its neutrality allows him to fairly distribute speak between tribunes.
(3) Ochi Kami no: So be it (lit.: So the Kamis want)
(4) Kwaï: word meaning "mask" in Taki Zoraï, i.e. "Zoraï from birth" in this context.
(5) Pai-ho : the accused (lit.: the one who is a problem)
[/OOC]

[OOC] Lore F.A.Q

Namcha — Tue, 05 Feb 2019 14:23:39 +0000

Homin physiology

Q: What colour is the sap of homins?
A: When a homin cuts himself, a red fluid flows out of him: blood. There is no other fluid of green colour or other. Sap is their blood, often named so because of this predominantly plant world.
However homins also designate by the word "sap" something which is tangible, though invisible, and which magic practitioners know well. Some claim that it is this same sap which determines the race of a homin.

Q: Do resurrections erase scars and amputations?
A: By nature, homins have considerable regenerative ability, simply by resting. The resurrection, just like the healing magic, erases any wound which immediately preceded it. However, if a homin being is recovering from a serious injury slowly, the after-effects will be "part of him", and will be retained in subsequent resurrections.

Q: Apart from the variations of natural resistances to magic, are there other differences between homin races?
A: The differences are mainly cultural. For example the Fyros were the only ones to cook their food and eat meat. The Trykers ate a lot of fish, while the Matis and Zoraï ate insects.
But during the time of the Exodus, after the first Great Swarming, when most of the surviving homins lived in a close confinement, differences between them lessened, out of necessity and also curiosity.
The Lore texts sometimes evoke physical differences or competences according to the race: the warrior Fyros, the magician Zoraï, etc. One can also find these traits in the way in which the four tutors of Silan are embodied. But the gameplay choices put everyone on a par.

Q: Does the death penalty make sense in roleplaying?
A: It is a particular trauma left by the process of resurrection. It does not affect the body physically (once treated homin beings finds themselves in possession of all their capacities) but it temporarily inhibits their ability to learn, as if they first have to "resynchronize" themselves with their bodies.

Q: Are the Zoraï masks fused to the skull or only hooked to the muscles and skin and of what material are they made?
A: The Zoraï mask is inseparable from the skull at the forehead, but covers the face below like the nail covers the tip of the finger.
The mask is made of organic tissue, bone and cartilage.

Q: In what situation is a Goo infection definitely fatal?
A: Dying from Goo contamination implies a definitive alteration to the Seed of Life and therefore the impossibility of resurrection. Absolutely lethal (without the possibility of resurrection) are the ingestion and injection of Goo. On the other hand, as long as one has not reached the final stage of the disease, an infected homin being can have access to resurrection if, for example, he is killed by a predator or an enemy. However, do not trust in the longevity of Supplice or Lenja (characters of the Zoraï rite) or even Pei-Ruz, to deduce that one can live long while being contaminated. This is not the case! Supplice is a totally unique case that we absolutely can not use to generalize. Normally, contamination causes death much more quickly. That said, we will not risk to specify a time limit that would certainly be too restrictive for you. Just keep in mind that you will not survive such an infection for very long.

[CHRONIQUE FYROS] The Arcanas of Coriolis

Chronicles Of Atys — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 22:57:03 +0000

The Arcanas of Coriolis (or the History of the Great Dragon Cult)

This amber cube was created in Jen-Laï in 2533. In 2597, it was restored during the academic summit in Pyr.

To know the true history of the Great Dragon Cult, we have to trace back in time to the year of Jena 2435, when, under the reign of Abylus the Learned, the Empire authorized a mining expedition to go to the plains of Coriolis in order to carry out excavations in mysterious ruins.
The excavations lasted for more than two Atysian cycles, during which the miners' families lived to the rhythm of the news that reached them through the caravan linking the town of Coriolis to that of Fyre. The hope of these families was shattered when the news of the Great Fire reached them. The town of Coriolis as well as the site of the excavations were ashes, leaving no doubt as to the fate of the mining expedition.
The story of the fallen miners then took on a sacred quality. Their families formed the basis of a secret cult practiced in Fyre: the Great Dragon Cult. Thus, over several generations, the followers of this cult kept holding assemblies and revering Fyrak, the Great Dragon, without the rest of the Empire considering it otherwise than as a duty of remembrance. However, the way the Fyros looked at this sect was due to be altered by the darkest event in the the History of Atys...
As the kitins swept over the Bark, sowing death in their wake, the leading members of the Great Dragon Cult saw in them the appalling materialization of the Great Dragon and knew that he was sending them his offspring. It is assumed that they were all decimated as they prayed to Fyrak to spare his followers.
The Great Swarming could have signed the end of the Great Dragon Cult, but that was not the case.

One day, Liriope was helping her mother to get meat, to dry on the roof. All of a sudden they heard a strange buzz, soon followed by panic in the streets of Fyre. At that moment, Liriope was unaware that her whole life was about to change... Only one season had passed since then, but there was nothing left of her innocence as a child. Unbearable images now haunted her nights. What would they all have become without the help of the members of that obscure organization, the Karavan, which had allowed a handful of them to escape genocide? And yet, more than ever, the Karavan were the object of suspicion because many of them had perished during the Grand Essaim. Thus those who proclaimed themselves divine emissaries were as mortal as any other homin! Even in those dark hours, when each was crying over their loved ones, Liriope could feel that this fact was delighting the Fyros survivors, who were opposed to the Karavan by an ancestral rivalry.
What can we say about these years of Jena spent under the Bark, in precariousness and sick with fear? Exhausting years when hominity only found its salvation in an unfailing hope in better morrows. Never as much as during the Exodus, faith did unify homins... Liriope would not forget those nights of insomnia when she was observing the Zoraï survivors, those masked beings, proceeding with strange ceremonies. On those nights, she too was praying for the horrors she had witnessed to never happen again :

As the everlasting blaze of Cerakos' Pyre raised in the desert of the New Lands, the haunting melodies of the fyrakists rose again under the canopy. From the unspeakable horrors witnessed by the Fyros survivors, a feeling had been born the other peoples could not yet understand. The fyrakists were convinced that they had witnessed the fulfillment of some profane prophecies anticipated by the martyrs of the mining expedition in plains of Coriolis.
The state of grace of the fyrakist community ended when Regent Leanon died. Two years after taking office, the young sharükos, Dexton, granted protection to his friend, Mabreka Cheng-Ho, who had been banned from Zoraï lands by the Great Sage Fung-Tun. The sharükos was moved by the Kamism of Revelations professed by the disciple of Hoi-Cho, who, during his exile, converted a large number of patriots to this new branch of kamism. The fyrakists took a very dim view of this mass conversion to Ma-Duk and resorted to violence in an attempt to maintain their position among the patriots. The sharükos, fearing an outbreak of violence, then decided to banish the fyrakists from the desert. Upon his order, a caravan of exiles was escorted by the Imperial Guard to the Zoraï border.
Once in the Witherings, the fyrakists had no choice but to seek asylum from the Theocracy. After conferring, the Council of the Sages answered favourably their request and settled the refugees in Jen-Lai. Several cycles passed, during which the Fyros community became part of the masked people. When a fire devastated the jungle, fyrakists were the first to point out the traders of the Empire crossing the country. Viewing it as a sign of the Great Dragon's judgment, they took up arms to defend Zoraï frontiers against the Empire. The imperial troops repeatedly tried to break through the Zoraï defences with no success. Until the day when the sharükos in person came to the borders, escorting his friend Mabreka Cheng-Ho. All the Zoraï soldiers lowered their weapons in front of the disciple of Hoi-Cho. All except the fyrakists, who still held fierce hatred against him and had to be subdued.

Liriope was racing through the jungle. She had entrust her shop to her daughter, to get to the Temple City of Jen-Laï quickly. The news spread like wildfire in Zora's districts: the young Mabreka Cheng-Ho was returning home and a peace treaty was about to be made with the Empire.

swore the old Fyros, while redoubling her efforts. As she reached the gates of the Temple City, where the Fyrakists had made their home, a guard asked her:

Catching her breath, the Fyros panted:

The guard stared penetratingly at her and turned on his heels. No sooner had his figure disappeared than a young mask came out from behind a grove. Liriope was startled:

Nuo Tun looked gravely at the Fyros:

Nuo Tun laid a hand on the older one’s shoulder.

Liriope held her breath as she entered the floating buildings of the Me-Smer Order.
Recognizing a familiar face, she met a fyrakist who was crossing the hall. This one, respectful of her old age, gave her his arm and accompanied her to the archive room. As they went through the various amber cubes lockers, a rumour came from the hallway. The news of the arrival of Mabreka Cheng-Ho had reached the Order. The fyrakist went out to see what was going on, leaving the elderly Fyros unattended. Following scrupulously the indications of Nuo Tun, Liriope grabbed the most precious cubes and stepped out unnoticed. Already, soldiers of the Guild of Cho were taking over the city, arresting members of the Order.
Nuo Tun was waiting for Liriope at the gates of the city. He smiles imperceptibly as she approaches.

he said in laconic fashion. The impassive mask of the young homin bowed as a sign of respect.

Once again in disgrace, the fyrakists experienced their first internal dissents. The moderate fyrakists, having become integrated, sometimes even to the point of becoming low-level civil servants, recognized the legitimacy of Mabreka-Cho and refused to follow the most fanatical fyrakists who left the Theocracy to sink into the Prime Roots. In these depths, the exiles discovered a Fyros city called Leron where they led a clandestine life for several years. The mystery remains about what caused the downfall of Leron but it is whispered that the Great Dragon Cult would have played a leading role.

The more they progressed under the Bark, the more the presence of the Incendiary was felt. The Karavan had long since forbidden homins to go down into the Prime Roots for fear they would draw the Dragon out of its secular sleeping. Yet Fyros had always braved this prohibition in their quest for the Dragon. Aetis was now guiding his family through increasingly obscure landscapes towards the city, which, according to his prediction, would offer them the fresh start they were longing for. It was in these depths, as close as possible to the Incendiary, that the Cult would be born again, he was convinced. By the end of a long journey, Leron finally appeared before their eyes and the gaunt features of Aetis were suddenly illuminated. His gaze met the eyes of his companions and he exclaimed

A whole new life opened up to them…

At the instigation of Aetis Mekops, the Leron's fyrakist branch turned its back on the teachings of the Zoraï people to embrace an unholy destiny. They called themselves the Initiates of the Great Dragon Cult, worshipping only the Great Incendiary and going as far as sacrifice of innocent homins to hasten the advent of Fyrak. The madness that seized Aetis Mekops and other Great Dragon Cult Initiates remained unexplained, but it led them to commit many atrocities.

The purifying fire of the Great Incendiary had done his relentless work of destruction and, among the ruins of Leron, Aetis was brandishing the Book of the Dragon, symbol of the rebirth of his Cult. Galvanized by Aetis' message, the followers around him were, from now on, ready to see his ignoble designs through to the end. It was no longer time to step back. The future of the Cult was sealed. Leaving behind the ashes of their former shelter, the fanatics set out to reach their next stop. Jen-Laï would the first to pay its blood toll…

Liriope's daughter was holding herself on the doorstep beside her husband, tenderly watching their sleeping son. Turning to her mother, she smiled at her.

She had never been separated from her son before, and she was choking up as her husband was already dragging her to the exit. Liriope was proud of her daughter and son-in-law. The armour of the Dynastic Guard befitted them wonderfully. They would come back victorious from their campaign at the Knot of Dementia, she was convinced. She briefly waved at them as they headed towards the stables, and then prepared to go to bed. Lying on her bed, the dean couldn't sleep. Suddenly, the old homine shuddered. Her instinct was alerting her of a foreign presence in the apartment. As she painfully sat straight, she saw a shadow leaning over her desk. When she acknowledged the intruder, Liriope could not suppress a surprised exclamation but the shadow swooped on her at once, fast as lightning. The dean then had the dreadful impression that one was entering her mind and she lost consciousness. When she emerged from her sleep, Liriope rushed to the door of the apartment to call for help. On the threshold, her feet bumped into a child's body. The dean's mouth deformed in a scream. When Jen-Lai's initiates rushed, they found her wandering in the first glimpses of the dawn, carrying the atrociously mutilated child's body at arm's length. The child's skull had been shaved and a terrible dragon has been drawn there with his blood. The attempts to remove the dead child from his grandmother's arms was unsuccessful. Liriope had just sunk into dementia.

When I came to offer my condolences to the dean, I found her prostrate, entrenched in her inner world. Drowning in my grief, I sat beside her, hoping to thus pass my support onto her. My brother and sister-in-law were to fight the kitins at this time, totally ignorant of the tragedy that had befallen their home. Remembering the words of my master, the Curator Nuo Tun, I got up and walked towards the desk of Liriope where I cautiously opened the chest of wisdom. My master's fears were confirmed: the chest was absolutely empty. What a desecration! Only an homin familiar with our traditions could have stolen the precious documents and drawn this unholy seal on my nephew's skull. Would he then be one of us? After a last look to the elder, I left the apartment to join the building of the Archives of Jen-Laï where Nuo Tun was waiting for me. He put one hand on my shoulder silently. The Curator of Jen-Laï asked me to listen to what he had to tell me up until the end without interrupting him. Of course I granted the request of my master, but I cannot describe how difficult it was to not tell all the horror that filled me as the reasons for the tragedy affecting my family appeared to me. By Jena and Her guards the Kamis! How could such impieties be perpetrated? The true face of the Plague appeared to me then. The counterpart of all creation that creeps into every seed of life and consumes it. Would Goo's emanations be nothing but the expression of the Great Destroyer?
Fyrak reserves for us all a part of his purifying fire. When his judgment falls upon us, we must accept it because Jena's magnificent creation could not exist without a natural counterpart. I had never seen such despair on my brother's face before… Facing their son's fresh tomb, he supported his wife's collapsed body. How could they ever accept what Fyrak was imposing on them?
Two seasons elapsed before Liriope joined her grandson as closely as possible to the Kamis. The dean had gradually faded away as if her seed of life had renounced light. A dire intuition had insidiously taken hold of our small community and, as if to confirm our fears, we soon were hearing reports of a series of suspicious missings on each continent. Homins of various genders and origins seemed to have been kidnapped. We had reason to believe that some of them would endure the same fate as my nephew did. Somewhere on the Bark, one century after the Great Fire, half a century after the Great Swarming, dangerous fanatics were attempting once again to unleash the judgment of Fyrak upon hominity.
The first sign of his judgment fell upon Pyr in the shape of an invasion of kitins. Soon the wrath of Fyrak would rise under the canopy. Fortunately the nations organized themselves and the Dragon Cult was dismantled in time. But I remain convinced that a threat still looms around us, lurking in the shadow of the Goo's emanations of the Witherings…

Extract from an amber cube entitled "History of the Great Dragon Cult",
created by Jezeba Dumuzi, 2533.

[Rumors of Atys] The slap

Rumeurs D'Atys — Sun, 28 Jan 2018 22:10:54 +0000

A cup of volacea infusion in her hand, Bebi Cuirinia was conversing with her brother in the summer lounge of their tree-house, when a serving maid cut into their discussion.

- "Mistress, you wanted to be warned when your niece returned from her walk.
- "Well, what are you waiting for? Send her to me!" said the Royal Embalmer impatiently.

After the hasty retreat of the maid, the light footsteps of a young homina soon sounded on the staircase. Bebi stood up immediately to greet her niece. The two hominas performed graceful curtseys, then Bebi took her protege by the arm and invited her to sit by her side.

- "My dear Chiaera, Master Perinia has just written to me and he agrees to train you! If you still want to study botany, you can go and find him in the Royal Greenhouse and he will officially make you his apprentice.
- “Fila, my aunt!" replied the young noble girl immediately, with measured enthusiasm.
- "That said, do not harbour too many delusions! As I have always told you, your sole concern must be to meet a rich suitor to marry!”
- “Well, my aunt. As you wish!"

Clearing his throat, the imposing Freldo Cuirinia inclined his wide chest and gauged his daughter with a dry and aware eye.

- "We shall have to find her a pretender without delay!"

His sister seemed to share his opinion entirely. She added with a smile:

- "The young Sibre di Varello would be a good match! He will soon be Duke, like his grandfather."

A fleeting gleam passed across the amber gaze of the young Chiaera. She questioned her aunt, not without irony:

- "So then, the Count di Bottirri is no longer to your liking?"

The slap she received in response stunned her for a moment. Bebi Cuirinia was livid.

- "I do not want to hear that name under this roof again! Is that clear?”
- “So be it, my aunt."

Chiaera turned towards her father, but he went one step further:

- "Is this the way you show your gratitude to your aunt for all the effort she has put in to assure you a future worthy of your rank? Rather, prepare yourself to meet Master Perinia and let us take charge of finding you a husband!"

The young homina stood up, bowed, and left the room with catlike stealth, her eyes glaring with anger.

[Fyros] Imperial Institutional Organisation

Chronicles Of Atys — Sun, 19 Nov 2017 18:50:28 +0000

LEGEND 1. Advisory power • The Emperor can delegate simple decisions to it but remains the only decicison-making power • The laws apply to all patriots, therefore also to members of other institutions • akenak can request missions to the army but not impose 2. akenak is the name of the assembly • akenakos is the name of its members, but the Fyros tend tp abbreviate the term by simply saying akenak 3. Guards of the city + patrols 4. Role of research and teaching • The political institution can call on the Academy to carry out research or put its knowledge into practice in the field • The Master of a discipline is named talumetimos (teacher) • talumetin = teaching ; talumetinos = the teacher ; talumetimètos = the student ; talumetimak = the academy ; talumetimakos = the chancellor ; talumum = the library 5. Justice can judge all patriots, members of other institutions included • Only the Emperor and his family can not be judged 6. shamofirètos: The Burning Faces (temporary term not to be used yet) • Personal bodyguards of the Emperor • Obey only the Emperor • The Emperor may entrust them with special missions.

A. Lykos B. Graphybus Ceros (Formerly: Lyan Cexius) C. Ibiphan Dynix D. Dios Apotheps E. Icaphotis Dydilus F. Pimokos Lyion G. Ibiritis Ibirus H. Teaching the Imperial Law I. Craftmanship To be filled J. To be filled K. Combats, tactics To be filled • Proposal: Chair of the Sword instead of Chair of the Axe. L. Logistics, siege, morale To be filled M. To be filled N. Entomology (Kitinology) To be filled O. Aeryx Xan P. atalùchtalos = truth tellers To be filled Q. Denatys Deukos R. Formerly: Abycus Zecops To be filled

[p]

[Chronicle] Echo of Dissent

Chronicles Of Atys — Wed, 04 Oct 2017 21:59:03 +0000

Rocho got lost for a moment contemplating the froth left by the sweet wine on the wall of his floral cup. A pressure on his shoulder took him back to present time and he looked up on his interlocutors which seemed to be hanging on his every word. In another circumstance, the rich ornaments of these Matis could have eclipsed the remainders of glory that Rocho was wearing, but in the current situation, his experience gave him an authority that he was relishing. He had a fat laugh. As expected his matis guests got confused. Behind him, the daughter of Scrappy took this opportunity to whisper a few words in his ear. Rocho then exclaimed, solemn : “ All right! You will have your mercenaries! But don’t come back to me without result or face the pain! ”
After the leaving of the Nobles, a young matis sneaked into the tent. His frail stature was increasing his youthful appearance.

-“ Father, you send for me ? ”
-“ Yes my son. It’s time for you to prove yourself. It is essential if you want to take my succession leading the tribe. I send you then for an undercover operation in Yrkanis. Monitor the dissident Nobles for me and try to integrate to the Kingdom. ”

The young matis had a look full of apprehension to Scrappy’s daughter whom he guessed the body in the shadows. After a brief silence he dared to speak again.

-“All right Father. My stanzas will give you information, be certain.

Rocho approved with a nod et concluded.
-“Take particularly care: nobody should suspect who you are!”

Later this night, a hooded homin left the First Deserter’s camp to go deep in the forest toward Yrkanis.

Extract from an amber cube titled “The Price of Freedom”

Dialog between Supplice and Season, 2594 CA1

Ghost Of Atys — Sun, 03 Sep 2017 22:53:09 +0000

Dialog between Supplice and Season, 2594 CA1

Season comes into the room where Supplice is resting in this early winter’s morning and finds the Sage deeply meditating deep in meditation. He greets him with a calm, flat voice. His tired gesture reveals his advanced age.

-Kamia'ata, li-sen'o aribini ! (1)
-Ata'kami.

Supplice’s voice is weak and full of pain. Season seats sits next to him.

-Lu ochi kai nu, ochi ne ochi? Lu'o sokna-ito Wan Fai-Du taki tawa nu akaba. (2)
-Yui. Nu goo-le. Atys goo-le.
-Nu gan itou goo. Nu li-kai Foo-Kea'o talao akaba, su ne taki akaba. Nu li-kai Kyo'o taleng akaba, su li'boo.
-Kyo. Nu'o qi-zi kyo nu'o fuu-zi.

Supplice’s voice finishes in a whisper. A pearl of sap oozes from his mask.
Season remains silent for a moment, then, feeling the right time, resumes the discussion:-Niu ne den kai lu no. Jia den ? (3)
-Tao Sian Kwai sok...

Supplice doesn’t finish his sentence: concentrated on his meditation, he fights his inside pain inside. But the essential is has been said. Season stays for a moment on at Supplice’s side, silent, trying to share his meditation. Finally, Wan Fai-Du enters the room and prostrates three times before Season, silently. He says to his master:-Tao Sian Miko wang lu'o mizu oko kai lu ke. (4)

Spoiler

[Fyros chronicle] Correspondence of Pephosse Aerus

Chronicles Of Atys — Fri, 04 Aug 2017 22:32:23 +0000

to Melossen Aerus - Fortress of Thesos

The Tria, 22 Frutor, 4th CA 2593
oren pyr sel ûr malaka (*)

That's it, I managed to isolate myself in order to write to you. We arrived in Pyr early in the morning. The celiakos Ibiphan Dynix is participating at this very moment in a special session of the Senate. I was not allowed to know the agenda, but it must be a serious matter because a close guard was attached to us as soon as we arrived in the capital. The same treatment seems to have been reserved for all political in charge. You should see all these guards at the Imperial Palace! Between the security department and those who have been ordered to rummage each nook... I can not help thinking so many precautions are not of good omen! I will write to you as soon as I know more.

el ûr atalos, (**)
Pephosse

to Melossen Aerus - Fortress of Thesos

The Dua, 20 Pluvia, 4th CA 2593

oren pyr sel ûr malaka
I delayed to answer you because news are not good. I now know the reason for our summoning to Pyr. Abycus Zekops is dead! And that's not all. The circumstances of his death are troubling and an investigation has just been opened. As you can imagine, my stay in Pyr will linger. The Senate just appointed the celiakos Xalis Perimenix to lead operations. A strange choice when you think that he has taken his office only at the return of the second exodus. Apparently some saw him as the best chance to silence suspicions of influence threatening to sully the result of the investigations, since rumor runs that Apotheps family is making its own inquiry.
Working under the supervision of this grumpy old varinx Xalis Perimenix does not ravish me but I do not lose sight of the essentials: let the truth be fully made on this matter as soon as possible!My first task was to transcribe the testimony of several other officials. I did not really expect to go on the field, but, far from that, having to listen to Xalis reviewing the schedules of all the penpushers at work that day... For the moment only the audition of Xinna Cekaps was worthy of interest. Xalis questioned her about a letter found by the guards at her brother's.
The mystery seems to thicken a little more with each new testimony. At this rate, we are not close to solve the case! Of course Abycus had enemies! Which celiakos has not? But then being assassinated... at his age... and within the walls of the Palace! Something in this story does not make sense...
Are you sure you want to apply for the Senate? I had almost forgot what a kitin's lair it was. This poor Abycus hardly dead, some are already trying to take advantage of the circumstances to gain influence. This old climber Xalis Perimenix is really impossible. It remains to hope that his tenacity will lead us to answers!

el ûr atalos,
Pephosse

to Melossen Aerus - Fortress of Thesos

The Quarta, 16 Germinally, 1st CA 2594

oren pyr sel ûr malaka

ney of course I expressed my condolences to Dios Apotheps. This was not easy, given Lykos confined them to the palace, she and her sister, for their protection. I barely had not to get a form filled out to meet them. Me, a friend of the family!
However, since he learned it, Xalis Perimenix refuses that I continue to assist him. He challenged my fairness, and blamed me for not recusing myself earlier. The perfidious hypocrite! He just tries to lessen the influence of Dios, by dismissing her declared supports. I'm sure he already pictures himself occupying Abycus' office. I will be forced to follow the case from afar, from now on. The next depositions will be those of Dios and the celiakos Graphybus Ceros. Graphybus is a former soldier. It is said of him that he never takes part in a battle he is not certain of winning. If you want my opinion, you would have better not to neglect him. Abycus could always count on his support.
I almost forgot: before this unfortunate incident with Xalis, I was able to hear the sharükos addressing the Senate. He instructed Judge Aeryx Xan to start the public hearings as soon as possible. He also came back to the arrest of Euracus Cethus by the Karavan. In case you do not know, and you should know, he is a former celiakos who had sided the traitors on Atreus' payroll. He should have a bad time: the Karavan suspect him of being a Trytonist! The sharükos addressed a personal request for him to be entrusted to the Imperial Authorities in order to be audited in connection with the investigation of Abycus' death. The celiakos, on the other hand, were careful not to question the sharükos about the interest of the Karavan in meeting his wish.
I still saved good news for last: Xalis just returned from a field investigation with patriots and they found the daughter of Dios and Abycus.
You know, what happened makes me wonder about some of my choices. Abycus dedicated his life to the sharük and his task cost him so much! When I think about his daughter who will never have the chance to see him again, I can not help but think of you. Maybe it's time for me to retire, what do you think?

el ûr atalos,
Pephosse

[OOC]
(*) oren pyr sel ûr malaka = Hello my child
(**) el ûr atalos, = Your grandmother,
[/ OOC][//][//]

[Matis] Floral Fragrances of Mourning

Rumeurs D'Atys — Sun, 25 Jun 2017 20:08:18 +0000

At the beginning of this sunny afternoon, a moist heat was surrounding Yrkanis and, whereas plebs were going about their business yet with more indolence than usually, the Nobles were enjoying the coolness of their lounge in their tree-house. Nevertheless, there was a young noble matis girl who was going through the city on a determined step, irresistibly attracting attention of the young homins, both by her nobles manners and her exciting beauty.

The exceptional warmth of this Thermis month didn’t seem to disturb her much although she was wearing a long funeral dress that was girding her chest and falling around her in a silky drape. The young noble walked in her wavy purple dress, followed by an old maid her arms full of flowers and a cohort of obsequious with modest attires. Some of them tried to attract her attention by making a deep reverence or telling a vibrant “My respects, Filirae Xytis!” without getting more than a slight nod in reply.

Near the Yrkanis great gate, beauty left the intruders which broke up with a slight rumbling, as an izam’s flight full of bright colors. Her maid had a look at them a while before following her suit toward cemetery. A burial had been recently dug there according to the dark bank overlaying it, strongly contrasting with the surrounding bark covered by moss and other micro-vegetation.

- You can put the flowers here, Nine.
- Alright, Filirae.

As she was arranging the different bouquets on the recent grave, the old servant noticed her mistress touching the little stele marking the place. After observing a respectfully moment of silence, she dared to ask the burning question.

- Excuse me Filirae but … who is resting here ?
- A Fyros who was serving my family for a long time. The announcement of her death had been such a shock! My father thought doing right by engaging you immediately to replace her. In another circumstances, I would have welcome you warmer, but… to be honest, I’m missing her so much!
- The counsellor Xytis didn’t tell me anything about that. Please accept my condolences! exclaimed the maid, confused.
After a moment of silence, she dared to add:
- Are you sure that coming on the grave of a servant is conform to your rank? Don’t you fear the gossip?
The young noble smiled, mocking.
- It has been a long time since I don’t pay attention to these kind of gossip… You know, Nine, even if my father is a royal counsellor, much see him only as a kterhos. My mother had to face the all court disapproving looks when she chose to marry him. Even her friends turned their back… However, she has never regretted her choice. As she uses to say, only the nobility of the heart is important!

The servant thought that this kind of witticism was the privilege of whom had too much enjoyed the living in the court’s prerogatives. But she rapidly wiped this thought away and answered with deference.

- Your mother is a model of uprightness and dignity, Filirae! Only thought that everybody doesn’t share her opinion…
- Do me a favor and stop worrying about my reputation! If you have known someone all your life, is there something more natural than paying her a last tribute? Servant or not, she was a member of my Family, as you are from now on! Wouldn’t you like that I come to deck your grave with flowers, when Jena will call you back to her?

Nine Ginti remained silent. Without knowing, her young mistress had deeply hurt her feelings by reminding her that the only funerals she could aspire will be the ones of a common servant. She, the last member of the noble Family Ginti, the childhood friend of Lea Lenardi, will lay under the cemetery humus with all the others anonymous that history will not remind. Looking up to the top of the capital, irrigated by the immortal sap of it’s noble heroes, she restrained her tears and put a smile of circumstance on her face.

- You’re too kind, Filirae!

[Matis chronicle] Crossroads

Chronicles Of Atys — Tue, 28 Mar 2017 21:41:56 +0000

Nothing prepared Councilor Codgan for what he was going to hear when he came to offer his condolences to his sovereign for the loss of the Karae Mother Lea. The tone of the Karan was both imperious and benevolent when he spoke.

– My friend, your solicitude touches me. I also learned about your grandfather's health and I hope he regains his strength. At any rate, I assured your aunt that you would be back in Aeden Aqueous in time for her wedding. Please do what is necessary.
– Yem Karan, I ask you to reconsider your decision, please. My place is,, more than ever, at your side.
– Cease, Kellen. I will not change my mind. Your advice has been very valuable to me in recent years, but it is time for you to attend to your family obligations.
– Lor. I will make it my duty to follow your will, Yem Karan. Rest assured that I will never cease to work for the rapprochement of our peoples.
– Laye Mai, I expected nothing less from you, Kellen. You may leave now. Let me know when you are ready to depart. I intend to entrust you with a wedding present for your aunt.

After the usual reverence, Kellen Codgan eased away, unable to conceal his disappointment.
Stevano-Karan, gravely watched him leave the room. The reasons that he had attached to himself the services of a member of one of the most illustrious Tryker families were his own, but he was now certain that Kellen would be of greater assistance to his family than to the Court of the Verdant Heights.

He once more contemplated Locian Wyler's letter. Kellen's aunt reminded Stevano of his own mother. Both were daughters of murdered heroes. Both were holders of great responsibility. Both were ready to do anything for their family. Kellen had no idea how much he still had to learn from Locian.

M.X. Royal Chronicler

[Matis] Winter flowers

Chronicles Of Atys — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 20:41:55 +0000

Memoirs of Gidi Antobi, lady in waiting of the Karae Lea – 2nd AC 2586

Memory is strange. One remembers fleeting moments, feelings and images so brief that they could have never existed, and yet they affect more deeply than the dreadful whirlwind of the Swarm.

I don’t remember the day when I encountered Karae Lea Lenardi. Oh, I can rebuild the memory: the throne room, my mother’s anxiety as she was turning around me like an izam putting the final touch to its nest, the humming of all the gathered Nobles… But these are images, sounds, that I’m reassembling from other moments pulled from my memory.
On the other hand I remember precisely the first time I’ve seen my Karae smile. Her face lit up as if brushed by the very hand of Jena, and I knew at that exact moment that I would serve her until the day when I’ll join the Goddess. I just have to close my eyes for that recollection to illuminate the darkness of my memory, and for this feeling to heat again my old bones.
Yes, that moment will live in me forever.

Memory is very strange indeed. I felt I lived that time again yesterday.

Karae Lea was welcoming Nine Ginti, an old friend of hers, an homina who had been close to her but who she hadn’t seen for a many years of Jena.
I had said nothing to the Karae, but I know that the Karan has given strict orders to the guards who escorted her to the Palace: it is said that this Nine Ginti spent years with the Dryads and everyone knows that the Ancient Dryads are crazy. The most foolish rumors have gone around about how she escaped them with the help of Nobles and the Master of Arms, but I don’t believe all those fantastic stories; they're only good for astounding the people in the taverns.

However there’s no doubt that Na-Karan takes the safety of his mother at heart. I’ll obey him without a single hesitation should that homina attempt anything against my Karae, even if it cost my life.

It’s really not up to me to judge, but how drab that homina looked when she arrived at the door of my Karae’s quarters. Even if there isn’t much light entering it any more, nor many people, it was obvious that her outfit was of the crudest. She was standing there, at the doorstep, clutching against her bosom this chest that seemed to completely occupy her arms, and blinking like a drunken Tryker.
Finally, she entered and I lead her into the room where my Karae is spending most of her time.

I announced her, without any title since she has none, and she entered the room. That’s when it happened. My Karae, who can remain motionless for hours, looking at a scenery only she can see, mind lost on paths where I cannot accompany her… My Karae stiffened and her eyes lit up in a way I hadn’t seen for much too long. At that moment, I couldn’t say which emotion was moving her suddenly in this way, but I’ve felt myself something like a strange heat, and maybe even some hope, at seeing her coming back to life at last.

Nine Ginti, of course, hadn’t noticed a thing. She hesitated a bit, tried to curtsey, almost let the chest fall… Finally , she just stand rooted there, wondering what to do.
My Karae ended up motioning her to approach, calling her with her surname. And the visitor answered, calling her “Lea”! I almost exploded on the spot, but controlled myself, and I made sure that she took a seat far enough from Karae Lea’s chair.
It’s when she put the chest on the ground that I understood: it was triumph in the eyes of my Karae. Because she had finally recovered what none other had brought before her: the knowledge of her father, the Architect of Life, the great Bravichi Lenardi.

The rest of the visit was mostly of no interest.
Nine Ginti told her story from the time when she and my Karae met for the last time. I suspect she didn’t say everything, especially regarding how she managed for her mother to entrust her with the chest, and also about the reasons that led her to the Ancient Dryads. She especially insisted on the fact that she was bringing the chest back, as the Karae had asked her. I would have gladly pointed out to her that it had taken her a lot more time than needed, even if she had been crawling the whole way from the Grove to Yrkanis, but the Karae Lea just listened to her and thanked her for taking so many chances for her.
She finally finished and went away, leaving the chest of course.

Jena knows that I don’t have any trust in that homina. But when I went back to my Karae’s room, she was holding the chest on her knees and stroking it slowly. She was smiling with this smile that only she wears, that bears a reflection of the Goddess light.

She has asked me not to judge Nine too harshly, and I’ll obey. Because she’s my Karae. And because her old friend brought her back her smile.

My father's glory

Chronicles Of Atys — Wed, 13 Jan 2016 23:17:10 +0000

Excerpt of « sel ûr atalbem ûr selak – My father's glory » by Pylos Cetheus - 2502

My name is Pylos Cetheus, son of Galeus. Like my father and my father’s father I spent my early working life as a miner. When I was but a lad of thirteen I spent two full years of my apprenticeship under my father who was in charge of excavation in the Prime Roots with the Company of Bravichi Lenardi, the great Matis artisan, whose ignorance is the source of my life’s torment.

I was with my father digging out a new chamber of curiously symetrical dimensions when he discovered an artifact. In fact, it was I who hit upon the strange-sounding object first with my pick. My father was at my side even before I thought to call on him, for it was a sound he instantly recognized from his mining in the ancient lands where many artifacts had been discovered under his charge. Only this one looked in excellent condition and at least ten times bigger than any fragments discovered before!

My father informed Lenardi of the fantastic discovery, but Lenardi was too bent on his aesthetic creations and was not the homin to give it the attention it deserved. Nevertheless, my father persuaded him to give him twenty four hours to uncover a portion of the surface. We worked all night through, carefully excavating and brushing the debris away so as not to spoil a single inch of the inscriptions. By morning we had uncovered about ten square feet and were gladdened by the thought that the inscriptions alone would provoke enough interest to allow us to go on.
Here's the drawing my father made from it:

But Bravichi considered it a mere whim of nature and maintained that keen fancy often leads one to see the most amazing features in the most run-of-the-mill objects. To uphold his argument he recalled a time when he came across some roots of an evening whose silhouette seen from a certain angle took the exact form of a mektoub drooping its trunk, and a tuber that looked exactly like a baldusa. The whole company laughed, for Bravichi, true to his race, was an excellent orator, which my father was not. A verdict was pronounced: the consensus was that we should not lose any more precious time, that we should forge ahead with the present conversion to alleviate the cramped conditions, as homins were arriving from the kitin ravaged lands even as we spoke.

Dally Baily, the Tryker craft master, sent in his team to install the ventilation system vital for the stability of the walls as well as the new floral installations. But a clumsy fat Tryker laborer stumbled and made Dally Baily walk on a panel that my father had specifically ordered not to be touched, and which he had paid particular attention to. The Tryker master had his foot clean through the panel, and was badly gashed by the incredible cutting properties of the broken material. He was taken to the Zoraï healers who soothed his anguish and later cut his leg off! While he was being lifted out I saw my father look in wonder at something that had caught his eye in the hollow made by the fall, he discreetly directed my eyes with a sign to keep it under my cap.

There were bones, embedded in the side of the hollow that continued under the cavern wall, not just any bones, but a complete skeleton not unlike to the Fyros in stature! I remember how vexed and frustrated he was on getting home to our quarters and describing the vote against him to my mother. He told her he was going in that night anyway to get to the bottom of it, despite the usual Zoraï foreboding. My mother gently tried to calm his nerves as only she knew how, saying he was always thinking of his work, never of romantic thoughts and his family.

Late during the night while everyone else was asleep I opened my eyes to my father tussling my hair : “Up you get, lumper! The greatest discovery of hominkind is about to put the Cetheus’ in the Chroniclers’ books” We took up our tools and set off to the site. I knew my dad had hardly slept for he had brought with him a plan that he had been working on, a plan that brought together his other discoveries into some kind of logic, now incorporating our discovery.

We carefully dug into the wall and slowly but surely we began to uncover not one but several skeletons seemingly set in a fetus position, no doubt a burial ritual of the epoch. Around their necks we uncovered a ceremonial necklace made of a hard shiny substance with the same engraved symbol! This was all we needed to persuade the chiefs to stop the works and uncover the rest of such an important discovery which, no doubt, would give us answers about past civilizations of Atys. It was my father’s theory that all homins had a common ancestor. But then disaster struck…

I had kept excavating while my father was frantically taking down notes and sketches when I struck upon a hollow in the side of the wall. I heard a horrible crack coming from within, my father looked up in horror and understood what was happening… He threw down his pad and picked me up with his huge hands and literally threw me across the room to the doorway.

There was an awful rumbling, and the last thing I saw was my father reaching for the necklace when the whole wall crumbled and the ceiling collapsed on top of him. I desperately reached out for him when I realized I was being held back by two Trykers who dragged me out of the chamber and probably saved my life.

I was too young for my words to have any sway on Bravichi’s proud ignorance, which I shall regret to the end of my days. I wanted so much for my father’s genius to be recognized and I felt I owed it to him to recover the proof. Sadly, the Prime Roots Shelters were sealed by the Karavan after the Resurfacing and the fresh beginning for the homins in the new lands began. I feel my own end coming nearer. I cannot join him in his last home, but I would so much like to see the proof again that would redeem my father's memory.

The power of the father

Chronicles Of Atys — Sat, 10 Oct 2015 15:07:48 +0000

The power of the father

Stevano-Karan (*) pacing his apartment floor. His hands crossed behind his back, lips pursed in anger, his brow furrowed in annoyance, the ruler of Verdant Heights was absolutely furious. The loud crack of his boots echoed through the room, a threatening echo in the silence of the room.

Dignified and still, more pale than ever, Karae Tamiela had the strange impression that the rhythm of her heart matched the ruthless snapping of her husband's boots. And when he stopped three feet from her, with his piercing cold eyes, she thought she felt her heart stop.

"By the grace of Jena, how could you do this to me? Roared Karan.
Tamiela cautiously looked down.
-And the royal child that you carry within you, you only considered yourself in undertaking this crazy trip? And if those infamous Marauders had captured you? And if the baby was killed, even before knowing the light of Jena? "
Tamiela said nothing, and instinctively putting her hands on her belly as if to protect her baby from bad luck.
"You should have told me before. I have forbidden you to leave the Kingdom, for his sake." The Karan sighed.
"You have new responsibilities now. Take care of yourself, Miela, and take care of him."

Tamiela looked up, watching her husband, a tear formed in her eyes. "Sil (**) Stevano, I will. I ... I wanted so much to take this wonderful journey before being again confined to small walks around the palace! I felt so proud and invulnerable with this new life in me! I did not think for a moment about the dangers ... What had I to fear surrounded by my escort?

Seeing his wife suddenly so fragile, Stevano felt his anger dissipate and he could not help but to smile, thinking she was going to give him a second heir. Because of course, it would be a son!

(*) Karan: King, Matis language.
(**) Sil: yes, in Matis language.

From ember, comes the flame

Chronicles Of Atys — Sat, 26 Sep 2015 19:45:02 +0000

From ember, comes the flame

For a brief moment, I found myself facing the Emperor Dexton.

We were working in the imperial office, celiakos Lyan Cexius, Ibiphan Dynix, Dios Apotheps and myself, one of his closest advisors. Lykos, Emperor of the Burning Desert, stood before us. The intensity of his smoldering gaze was equal only to the force of his voice as he paced behind his imposing carved wooden desk. The ground, silent witness of a recent chaotic scene was littered with a bulk of various documents and objects.

A slight rustling of robes caught my eye, and I saw Plenatheus Ibidos, the young scribe of the Emperor, who bewildered by this unusual luster, had prudently walked a few steps back to take refuge in the shadows.

And there, suddenly, I smiled.

I had lived this scene so often in the past! The late Emperor Dexton had the same look, flaming and explosive in the same way when something important displeased him. But it never lasted, and always a decision marked of the four pillars appeared soon after. Lykos, acting as his father once, finally came, paradoxically, out of his shadow, and I had been lucky to witness the scene.

Those were the facts. The Empire was wrong, the Atreus case had divided Patriots and the Emperor himself had been betrayed by his own. He responded with mercy, but his outstretched hand had been rejected. The enemies of the Empire no longer hesitate to come to mock up the doors of the Great Pyr. It was not the time for speeches nor compromises anymore. It was time for determination and action.

Lykos made a clean sweep of the past, as he had done a clean sweep on his desk moments before. Any hesitation disappeared from his eyes and his voice. Determined, confident. A great Emperor.

He summoned Denathus Deukos, current Burning Lieutenant of the Imperial Guild of the Burned Faces, in whom he had confidence, and he appointed him as the new Ardent Master. He was then given a unique atysien month after the official induction ceremony, to be held the next day, to reorganize his guild and bring it back to its maximum efficiency.

Lykos took charge of the political structure of the imperial cities. The ancestral method of electing akenak, known as the "The vote of the dagger", became unmanageable on the ground, because of the lack of candidates and lack of electoral enthusiasm among the Patriots. There was only one akenak left in Dyron, one in Pyr and none Thesos. The reason was simple: files were gathering dust because of a slow decision system. The Imperial cities had entered stagnation because of administrative delays, and the whole Empire seemed to have gone into hibernation. This couldn't last. A simplification of the system was needed.

As for Thesos ... Ah! Thesos ... The city that was both my pride and despair ... I closed my eyes for a moment, feeling dizzy, thinking back to the pillars outraged by so many Thesos Patriots. Why had I not been able to see the disaster coming? Why could I not keep intact the four pillars in my city? I felt old for a moment... as if Atreus had taken some of the vitality that I once had.

I felt the fiery eyes of sharükos on me. Opening my eyes, I straightened up, almost unconsciously smoothing the folds of my celiakos robe. I felt, reborn in me, a new strength. His strength. As I turned, I was ready to face the future.

The Emperor conversed with us, calmly, without detours or false pretenses. He listened to us, we shared with him the proposals of the Senate. And he decided.

Lykos went to his scribe and dictated decrees. In an emergency, we needed urgent solutions. The first decree detailed the new system for choosing akenak and akenos, and the responsibilities incumbent on sharükos new representatives in the cities. The second, exceptional and temporary, politically sanctioned the passive, or active, complicity of a part of the inhabitants of Thesos in the Atreus case. It was up to them to gain the Emperor's trust again. You do not mess with the four pillars.

A few weeks later, the two Imperial decrees were published in every city of the Burning Desert.

From "Inside the Imperial Power"
written by celiakos Abycus Zecops, 4th AC, 2584

Where Wedding is Synonymous with Challenge

Bones — Mon, 18 May 2015 01:20:57 +0000

LOL wut? No no no, at mara wedding everyone goes to OP war and leaves bride and groom alone at wedding :)

The torments of a queen (part 4)

Chronicles Of Atys — Thu, 23 Apr 2015 23:48:20 +0000

Correspondence between Tridi Lillo and her son, made public in 2582, in which the few copies were very quickly confiscated. Nonetheless, the publication had been copied and several amber cubes still circulate within the Kingdom, including this one.

Letter dated Germinally 2, 3rd AC 2518

My dear son,

Have you ever heard of the chest of Bravichi Lenardi, the father of the Karae?

History notes that all the knowledge of Bravichi is forever lost. Can you imagine? He died on a pyre, not because he was a heretic, but rather because he supported Yrkanis. Obviously, helping Yrkanis to run out the Kingdom and saving him narrowly from a murder ordered by Jinovitch was not out of this.

All his work was publicly burned. To not keep the least memory from what a heretic wrote, that could take the heat of Jena. What an era! Divert in such a way divine will for man's own glory! Jinovitch's end was predictable, the Goddess could not tolerate such abuse eternally...

Whatever, Bravichi Lenardi succeeded in preserving the main amber cubes containing his knowledge. Karae Lea herself said that to me, saying that her father confessed to her, very near before his arrest, that he left a box to a "person of confidence".

I think that the Karae will never recover from what she considers as a betrayal from her father. Who was this person in who he has got more confidence than her? Why didn't he entrust this so precious trunk to her, his daughter? Is it really to protect her, as he said? Was it Yrkanis? Was it somebody she knew, and who continues to bow down in front of her, as if nothing happened? And what, if the knowledge of her father was hidden out of the Kingdom? One of the tracks she followed secretly led her to the Empire, can you imagine?

My son, the Karae is young and her pregnancy is rather near to term, but, despite of that, look how determinate she is in going on in her quest of this box! I have the chance to serve a great Queen. Her presence, her authority, the art in which she drives a large-scale investigation, without anybody else from her relatives to know it - even not the Karan - all that proves it.

My son, one more time I forget my duties about you. How are you? You said in you last letter, that your superiors think about a promotion for you. How is it? Do I have the benefit, without knowing it, to be the mother of a Lieutenant of our armies? I can't wait to read you to know more!

May the Goddess look after you, my son. And may she give me the pleasure to see you again soon.

Jena Aiye,

Your mother,

Tridi Lillo

[OOC] http://en.wiki.ryzom.com/wiki/The_torments_of_a_queen [/OOC]

The torments of a queen (part 3)

Chronicles Of Atys — Wed, 22 Apr 2015 23:32:19 +0000

Correspondence between Tridi Lillo and her son, made public in 2582, in which the few copies were very quickly confiscated. Nonetheless, the publication had been copied and several amber cubes still circulate within the Kingdom, including this one.

Letter dated Pluvia 13, 2nd AC 2518

My beloved son,

Your guardian has already explained to you the reasons of the wedding between the Karan Yrkanis and the Karae Lea. But I doubt that you know the underlying reasons for this, therefore I'll try to explain them to you.

Lea Lenardi's father, the illustrious botanist Bravichi Lenardi , creator of the famous Green Wall in the Fleeting Garden, didn't have the good luck to have a son. Now, of what use would it have been to pass on his knowledge to his daughter when only males should have the power?

Now, it happened that the Karan Yasson charged the tutelage of the Karin Yrkanis to Bravichi, to ensure the heir of the throne would benefit from his erudition. Imagine the botanist's joy! The Mother hadn't given him a son, but Yasson had entrusted him with his! It is with a limitless enthusiasm that Bravichi Lenardi brought up the young Karin. And soon, he loved him as his own son.

Of course, Lea still held her father's love, but no matter what she did, she still remained a mere girl. To her eyes, Yrkanis was stealing her father from her, and no prayer to Jena could dispel her torments.

King Yasson and his botanical architect, Bravichi Lenardi, decided upon the future union of their respective children. This promised alliance delighted Bravichi's heart, because his two favorite children would unite. True, he hadn't sired a King but, through his daughter, this gap would be filled. He would at last be recognized, and his power emerged greater from this.

Years later, after Yrkanis had ascended the throne, the wedding was celebrated. Yasson and Bravichi had both joined the Light of Jena by then but, by marrying before Jena, their children had obeyed their wills.

By the Goddess, I'm taken away in this long explanation and I forget to ask after you, my son! May you pardon your mother and deign nonetheless answer this humble letter.

Jena Aiye,

Your mother,

Tridi Lillo

[OOC] http://en.wiki.ryzom.com/wiki/The_torments_of_a_queen [/OOC]

The torments of a queen (part 2)

Chronicles Of Atys — Wed, 22 Apr 2015 00:11:02 +0000

The torments of a queen (part 1)

Chronicles Of Atys — Mon, 20 Apr 2015 23:38:55 +0000

Resurrection

Chronicles Of Atys — Mon, 24 Feb 2014 12:02:01 +0000

Resurrection

The phenomenon known as "resurrection" is now a part of the everyday life of homins, and especially of the ones who venture far away from the cities. It is a service provided by the Powers, the Karavan and the Kamis, only to hominkind.

Their help on this benefit is to all homins, whether they are loyal to the Karavan or to the Kamis, whether they are sovereigns or villains, everyone may be called back from the brink of death and revived by one of the two Powers. It has recently been proven that Marauders themselves benefit from this service, without it yet being known which of the Powers raises up these landless warriors.

The word "resurrection," although commonly used, seems a bit improper since the process does not truly revive a body that life has left. In fact it only allows a homin in a deep comatose state, considered as dead by some, to be restored.

Whether through the Karavan or the Kami, the "resurrection" allows an injured, dying, or considered by his companions as dead homin, to be removed from the place where he fell and to be treated intensively while being teleported to a place of revival.

Some of the most distinguished homin scholars believe that the resurrection done by the Powers, and especially the one offered by the Kamis, could be linked with a healing spell, such as the ones that homin mages use, but much more powerful, with the ability to repair damage that should normally be fatal. Nevertheless, this treatment is not without consequence, and given Homin physiology this almost invariably produces disorders of memory and learning during the following days. In order to counter this involuntary effect, the Powers lend a strong hand to their most loyal servants by means of accepting offerings for magical pacts which sharpen theirs skills until the effect has worn off.

Nonetheless, resurrection can heal tissues or bones only if they have suffered a violent trauma; to this day, neither the Karavan nor the Kamis have ever demonstrated the ability to reverse or stop aging or disease. It also seems powerless to cure damage produced by Goo, and examples of documented and reviewable cases are rare. Sage Sorrow is the most well-known case of Homin contamination by Goo.

However, despite the protection granted by the Karavan and the Kamis, it appears that resurrection has some limitations. In the case where damage is caused by too many or too violent injuries, it may happen that the Powers cannot restore the injured homin. Some scholars have also pointed out the vulnerability of the Life Seed and have started a long list of wounded homins never revived by the Kamis nor the Karavan. Whatever the reason, many homins in our recent history have not been resurrected by the Powers; among them can be found several leaders and soldiers, as well as the more humble hawker, the adventurous scholar, or the careless botanist.

Tao Sian, Dynastic Healer, "Treatise on Resurrection" 2572.

[Lore] Free Trade Agreement of 2516

Chronicles Of Atys — Sat, 16 Nov 2013 20:18:04 +0000

Free Trade Agreement of 2516

In the month of Mystia of the second cycle of the Jena year of 2516, a summit was called to launch a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

The aim of the FTA was to bring down racial and territorial barriers throughout the New Lands and create a synergy among hominkind to enable the four civilizations to continue their growth. It therefore proved to be a solid foundation for building future prosperity as well as interracial understanding.

The agreement grants crafters and merchants of every nation the right to operate in serenity on an international scale independent of divergences in religious beliefs and practices.

The FTA being signed at Hoï-Cho was significant in that it marked a turning point in Zoraï history and their shedding the protectionist precepts of their forefathers. The FTA entered into force on the 1st of Winderly in the 3rd cycle of 2516, and reads as follows:

Preamble
Representatives of the four peoples that constitute the homin race,

Desiring to promote international exchanges and promote race relations,

Recognizing the need for strong bonds of friendship across the homin nations,

Believing in the necessity of competitive markets to bring innovation, growth and improvement,

Believing fair commercial competition improves quality and raises standards of living,

Desiring to strengthen homin development in the face of natural adversity,

Recognizing a need to establish a network of secured intercontinental trade routes,

Recognizing the necessity to establish a base pricing system to allow homins at greater liberty in comparing items,

Appreciating the need for the exchange of techniques to better the homin chances of progress as a whole,

Have come together to agree on the following points :

Article 1 : Establishment of Free Trade zone
1.1 The parties affirm their equal rights to buy and sell throughout the new territories of the desert, lake lands, forest and jungle, which henceforth become a free trade zone
1.2 Merchants shall respect the law of the land
1.3 The parties shall ensure that the necessary measures are taken to maintain and secure trade routes for easy safe travel

Article 2 : The fixing of rates
2.1 A trade pool shall be established on each continent whereby all homins may propose their crafts and wares
2.2 A minimum price shall be established for items placed in a pool.
2.3 A common retail price shall be established within each pool to ensure an equitable system of commerce

Article 3 : Rules of Origin
3.1 No member shall tolerate the trade of products detrimental to another state or to the environment
3.2 Goo-based products shall be strictly prohibited and each state shall make every effort to dissuade its trade and transport
3.3 Every manufactured article shall bear the name or mark of its state of origin

Article 4 : Customs and duties
4.1 No signatory member state of the FTA shall raise tariffs independently or adopt any customs duty on goods travelling in or out of the territory
4.2 No signatory member state of the FTA may grant exclusive trade rights to another member nation nor prejudice the rights of another member
4.3 Each member state shall eliminate barriers, turnpikes to facilitate cross-border movement of homins and goods
4.4 Each member state shall grant temporary admission to goods free of duty

Article 5 : The Commission
The Free Trade Commission is set up to oversee the proper execution of the FTA. This Commission is headed by two members of each race from the following professional guilds : the Carriers (Zoraï), Trail Blazers (Fyros), Free Merchants (Matis), Hawkers (Tryker). Presidency shall be passed on every Atysian cycle on the first day of Winderly. The first presidency shall be held by the Zoraïs.
The Commission shall:
5.1 supervise and implement this agreement;
5.2 oversee its further elaboration;
5.3 seek to settle individual disputes and claims and facilitate trade relations;
5.4 meet at least once a year and maintain correspondence at least once a month
and preserve race relations;
5.5 impose fines on homins in breach of the agreement

Teleportation Sickness

Chroniques D'Atys — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 22:45:35 +0000

Standing still, the mektoub was patiently waiting. It knew from experience just how long its mistress could remain in this place, almost motionless, letting only a sweet melody with soothing powers slip through her lips.
As I watched the mount, lulled by the Zoraï's chant, I too was half hypnotized by the surreal lights sparking from the magnificent white and orange temple interwined with harmonious roots, whose delicate and majestic summit seemed to reach for the sky.
It was the first of the Dynastic Healer's outings since her bed confinement a few weeks before and Tao Sian took advantage of the nice spring morning during the second cycle of Folially of the year 2574, to walk to Zora's temple. I, her young scribe, took care in escorting her and quietly watched her in her still fragile health. As I sat there, not far from her mount, dozing off to the wispering of her gentle voice...

"Ochi Kami no!" The male voice startled me!

Opening my eyes I saw a tall figure, coming from I do not know where, praying next to the Healer.

"Ochi Kami no!" echoed Tao Sian, following with a respectful, "Kamia'ata, Sage Sens."

Without thinking, I took my writing kit upon my knees, and began to write down the conversation as accurately as possible.

"Ata'Kami, Tao. How are you feeling?"

"By the grace of the Kamis, I'm feeling better. But having to undergo several teleportations in so little time, when even a single one makes me sick for several days... I hope never to experience again such a thing. But I had no choice. The infected rangers, the ones from the Almati Woods Kitin lair, they needed my help! And they will need it again..."

I felt the anxiety in her voice and after a bit of hesitancy she added: "Why do the Kamis inflict me this trial every time? Am I not devoted enough?"

The Sage sat silent, his deep gaze seemed to probe the Dynastic Healer's soul. "Your question is both legitimate and filled with anxiety, Tao. I could give you an answer but the answer would not be yours. It is important that you seek the answer yourself. Question yourself, Tao. You have perfected your healing skill but yet you do not know how to heal yourself."

Tao Sian sighed, "By Kami, I need the answer! I have tried to reason with myself to overcome my fear of teleportation as I went to treat the Goo contaminated Rangers; it was my duty as a healer. But look where it led me! Many weeks of headaches and irritability to everything around me. Dare I look homins in the eyes? What of the Rangers?"

It was then that Sage Sens placed a soothing hand on Tao's shoulder, "Do not close your heart, Tao. Homins know your value and trust you, trust them in return."

With these wisdom filled words, the Sage turned and quitely left Tao Sian to her meditations.

Excerpt from Volume 1, "In the Shadow of Tao Sian", written in the winter of 2574 by the scribe Kuangi Wu Shi. Available in the public library of the Temple of Knowledge.

Spiritual exchange between Sorrow and his disciple

Chronicles Of Atys — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 08:21:25 +0000

Spiritual exchange between Sorrow and his disciple

Wan Fai-Du's behavior mirrored Sage Sorrow's: Sitting cross-legged, still, his mind wide open to his surroundings, in order to feel each deep vibration of Atys.

The two figures of the Theocracy had been sitting on one of the many isolated high grounds of the Witherings, far from the bustle of Zora, in order to perceive the whole of the Kami's wisdom without interference.

Breaking the silence, the Sage calmly questioned his disciple:

"Wan Fai-Du, do you know the difference between threats like the Goo or the Kitins, and the rest of Atys' inhabitants?"

The disciple had paused before giving his answer:

"Sage Sorrow, the Goo and the Kitins seek only the annihilation of all living species, while the rest of the fauna and flora lives in balance, under the kindly attention of the Kamis, who watch over this equilibrium."

The Sage Sorrow had nodded his mask in agreement.

"This is true, but incomplete. Like the torrent which sometimes flows in a peaceful course when the ground is free of obstacles, and sometimes changes into a noisy waterfall when the ground becomes more uneven, the life that the Kamis protect follows regular cycles, over the course of the seasons.

In winter, the Sap moves away from the tougher weather and takes a break in order to revitalise itself, before spinging from everywhere again in summer, in a welter of sounds and colors.

This is an elemental difference with the Goo and the Kitins, who never stop for a truce, and consitute a constant threat."

The disciple then contemplated the words of his Master for a while and formulated an addition to the accurate observation of Sage Sorrow:

"The road to Kamihood is long and full of trials. But, as the Homin who will one day reach Enlightenment, I am convinced that these threats will one day reach their end."

The priests who were now sharing their evening meal with Sorrow were taken aback. The others' talks had gradually fallen silent, and Sorrow's tale of his outing had gotten the attention of the whole table.

"Wan Fai-Du really proves himself worthy of his teaching!" whistled one of the attending Zoraïs.

The Sage Sorrow couldn't help showing his satisfaction, wordlessly. His disciple was really learning at a commendable pace, and the keenness of his mind and of his observations were being constantly refined. So, he was sure that his disciple would one day deeply mark the Theocracy.

Confidences of a Bonze to some Kami Disciples, Prima, Pluvia 13, 2nd AC 2572

[Chronique] Retour d'exil

Chroniques D'Atys — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 20:15:59 +0000

<<Chronique écrite par Reedeek au 3e CA de l'an 2558, relatant le retour d'exil de Rodi di Varello, suite à sa libération des geôles trykers.>>

Reedeek était anxieux… Est-ce que ça allait fonctionner ? Les dangers étaient nombreux, et il n’osait imaginer ce qui allait se passer si le plan était éventé… Il secoua la tête et chercha à vider son esprit de toute pensée négative. Le plan était parfait, tout était prévu !

En regardant les homins qui s’étaient portés volontaires pour l’escorte, le Matis reconnut bon nombre de visages : l’Éveillée Zoraï Ki’atal, une alliée précieuse de longue date, envers qui le Matis avait développé une solide amitié. Nerwane, une des premières homines qu’il avait rencontrée en arrivant sur le Continent et qui l’avait énormément aidé à trouver ses marques. Kiwalie, l’Émissaire apatride pour la paix, toujours volontaire pour mener à bien une opération pouvant contribuer au bon déroulement de leur action pacifiste. L’imposant guerrier Zoraï Clintya, qui lui avait déjà sauvé la vie lors de son premier voyage au Nexus. Ainsi que bien d'autres encore...

Ils avaient tous répondu présent pour escorter la personnalité controversée qu’était Rodi di Varello. Pour eux, il ne faisait aucun doute que ce dernier avait servi de bouc émissaire, d’écran de fumée destiné à voiler la vérité… Ils n’entendaient pas le laisser servir de sacrifice dans l'intérêt de ceux qui ourdissaient de sombres complots dans l’ombre des Nations.

Rodi essayait de garder une contenance, veillant à afficher l’attitude hautaine et fière de la vieille Noblesse Matis. Reedeek espérait que celle-ci ne refroidirait pas les bonnes intentions des membres de l’escorte. Tous les homins se jetèrent à l’eau à la sortie de Fairhaven, se préparant pour le long et dangereux voyage qui les attendait. Une fois sur la terre ferme, de l’autre coté du lac qui entourait la magnifique capitale Tryker, Reedeek se retourna, observant les silhouettes qui entraient et sortaient de la ville. Avec un sourire satisfait, il se remit en route à la suite des autres, restant au plus près du conseiller d’Yrkanis.

Le voyage fut parsemé de rencontres avec les différents prédateurs d’Atys, Kitins y compris. Chacune de ces rencontres aurait pu s’avérer mortelle pour un homin isolé, néanmoins, l’escorte se défit sans aucune difficulté du moindre obstacle. Reedeek fut impressionné par les membres du groupes : les guerriers aux remarquables capacités martiales ainsi que les mages aux sorts puissants. Il se félicita de côtoyer autant d’alliés de valeurs.

Arrivé au pays malade, les membres du groupe firent une halte à Hoï-Cho pour se désaltérer, avant de rassembler leurs forces pour atteindre leur destination : le campement des Amazones Matis. Le raffut provoqué par autant d’homins dans le périmètre du camp ne manqua d’alerter Tinaera Rosirello, chef de la tribu des Amazones. Reedeek dut négocier avec elle pour que les Amazones acceptent d'accueillir Rodi en leur sein dans le plus grand secret. Tinaera avait demandé à ce que « l’invité » ne restât pas trop longtemps parmi elles, ce que s'empressa d'accepter l'Émissaire matis.

Une fois le marché conclu, l’escorte se dispersa, laissant Reedeek seul. Il se mit alors à sourire.

« Vous pouvez être sûre que votre invité ne restera pas longtemps parmi vous, mes chères Amazones », marmonna Reedeek à bonne distance du camp. « Il sera même sûrement parti dès demain. En fait, nul ne pourra jamais vous reprocher d’avoir hébergé Rodi di Varello… étant donné que le véritable conseiller d’Yrkanis n’a jamais mis les pieds dans votre camp ! »

****

Au même moment, à plusieurs kilomètres de là, Antoni Capalici, négociant en vins fins Matis, arrivait sain et sauf à Yrkanis au terme de son voyage à travers les Primes sous l’unique escorte d’un guerrier en armure sombre. Humant l’air de la Capitale qu’il avait quittée depuis trop longtemps, le négociant déclara :

« Je dois bien reconnaître que votre plan était ingénieux. Mes ennemis ne se douteront jamais de mon retour à Yrkanis sous une fausse identité. J’espère que Ser Reedeek a réussi à mener ma doublure à destination. »

« Faites-lui confiance pour ca. » répondit le guerrier. « Il n’est peut-être pas le meilleur des combattants, mais il sait s’entourer. Il doit sûrement être sur le voyage du retour à présent. »

À peine eut-il terminé sa phrase qu’un voyageur arriva par le téléporteur de la Karavan, l’Émissaire Matis revenait de son périple à travers le pays zoraï. Reprenant rapidement ses esprits, il se dirigea vers les deux homins et les accompagna dans son appartement, à l’abri des oreilles indiscrètes.

- « Mission accomplie, Ser. Étant donné que l’escorte a été placée sous le sceau du secret, vos ennemis arriveront probablement à déterminer que vous avez été mené en terre zoraï, mais ils ne se douteront jamais qu’ils ont retrouvé la trace d'une doublure.

- Votre plan était rusé jeune Matis, félicitations ! Je vais donc rester ici dans le plus grand secret, et j’attendrai patiemment le retour de notre Karan. J’espère que ce jour arrivera bientôt. »

- J’y travaille Ser... Les Gardiens du Savoir font tout leur possible pour accumuler un maximum de Dappers afin de payer la rançon, tout comme d'autres sujets. Avec un peu de chance, ce jour ne saurait plus tarder. »

***

Plusieurs semaines plus tard, dans la Chambre des Nobles, le Karan Yrkanis, de retour dans son Royaume, chargea Reedeek de retrouver son Conseiller disparu. Le jeune Matis accepta la mission, mais aucun homin présent ne put voir le discret sourire qui éclaira son visage pendant une seconde.

[Chronique] Tête à tête avec un Maraudeur

Chroniques D'Atys — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 21:44:56 +0000

<<>>>

Un vieux Tryker, affublé de la tenue caractéristique des Conteurs ambulants, s'assit au milieu du village. La nouvelle se répandit aussi vite que le souffle du vent, et bientôt il fut entouré d'un groupe d'homins, d'homines et d'enfants.

Tandis que le soleil s'effaçait derrière l'horizon, sa voix profonde, à peine éraillée par le temps, s'éleva :

« Mes enfants,

Aujourd'hui, ce n'est pas un conte ancien que je vais vous raconter, mais plutôt ce qui m'est arrivée pas plus tard qu'hier...

Aussi incroyable que ça puisse paraître, j'ai été capturé par un groupe de Maraudeurs des Nouvelles Terres et j'ai survécu. Ma vie en l'échange de mon témoignage, tel fut notre marché. Mon métier de conteur ambulant m'a sauvé la vie, et de conteur, me voici devenu, l'espace d'un soir, narrateur d'une aventure bien réelle. Voici, de mémoire, les propos de notre discussion. »

Le conteur se mit alors à jouer tour à tour les deux rôles ; tantôt le sien, assis et à demi tremblant de peur, tantôt celui de l'imposant maraudeur à la forte voix, debout, fier et charismatique.

« Les homins vous appellent les Maraudeurs, comme ceux des Anciennes Terres. Vous sentez-vous des points communs avec eux, vous qui n'avez pas connu le Grand Essaim ?
Nous avons plus de points communs que vous ne le pensez... Mais tout d'abord, comprenez-vous vraiment les Maraudeurs des Anciennes Terres ?

Je les redoute plus que je les comprends...
C'est pourtant simple. Lors du Grand Essaim, les Maraudeurs des Anciennes Terres ont été lâchement abandonnés de tous, non seulement par les dirigeants des peuples mais aussi par les Kamis et la Karavan. Et même par Elias, s'il existe vraiment. Ils sont restés seuls dans les Anciennes Terres, à tenter de survivre dans un monde envahi de kitins, tandis que le reste de l'hominité fuyait courageusement par les Primes Racines. Plusieurs générations d'oubliés se sont ainsi succédées sur les Anciennes Terres, dans un monde où la seule loi était celle du plus fort. Ils ont eu tout le loisir de penser à leurs douces retrouvailles avec les descendants de ceux qui, un jour maudit, les avaient condamnés à leur triste sort... Les Maraudeurs des Anciennes Terres vouent une haine éternelle aux Nations et aux Puissances, elles qui les ont condamnés à un exil infernal. Mais celui-ci prend fin, car ils ont trouvé le chemin des Nouvelles Terres. Seuls. L'heure de leur vengeance a sonné...

Je vois... Mais quel rapport avec vous, qui n'avez connu ni le Grand Essaim ni les Anciennes Terres ? Les Nations vous ont élevés et nourris, les Puissances vous ont ouvert leurs bras, comme à tous les homins d'ici !
Ouvrez donc les yeux ! Tel l'enfant vous buvez stupidement les paroles de vos parents ! Les Nations sont loin d'être idylliques, elles imposent par la force leurs lois, broyant ou rejetant ceux qui refusent de s'y plier ! La plupart des Maraudeurs des Nouvelles Terres ont cru un jour en elles, mais la réalité les a rattrapés. Seuls les faibles d'esprits sont jugés dignes de faire partie d'un tel système ! Les autres, ceux qui réfléchissent, qui contestent, qui pointent du doigt leurs faiblesses et leurs incohérences, sont rejetées. Restez donc prisonnier si cela vous chante, mais ne nous imposez pas d'en faire autant ! Nous sommes libérés à jamais de leur emprise. Nous sommes des Anarchistes, comme elles disent, et nous en sommes fiers.

Mais... pourquoi en vouloir aussi à la Karavan et aux Kamis ?
Bande de croyants innocents... Une grande partie de notre groupe est formé d'anciens suivants de la Karavan et d'anciens disciples des Kamis. J'ai moi-même longtemps bataillé pour la gloire de mon ancienne déesse. Mais un jour ou l'autre le voile tombe... Les Puissances vous utilisent, tout comme le font les Nations ! Elles vous promettent monts et merveilles en échange de votre soumission, et vous gobez leurs mensonges ! Les factions religieuses, fortes de leurs certitudes, font tout pour asservir la faction adverse, la broyer, la détruire. "Montre ta foi, obéis-moi ou meurs..." Vos religions ne valent pas mieux que vos nations ! Osez donc prendre vous-mêmes votre liberté, bande de lâches !

Vous vous considérez donc comme des homins libres ?
Nous sommes libres ! Libérés du joug des nations et religions ! Vous cherchiez à comprendre le point commun entre les Maraudeurs des Anciennes et des Nouvelles terres ? Le voici : seuls les Maraudeurs sont véritablement libres. Nous sommes les seuls maîtres de nos vies.

Mais... pourquoi vous en prenez-vous à l'hominité ?
Vous sentez-vous donc si supérieur à nous, pour revendiquer le droit de nous exclure de l'hominité ? Vous venez vous-même de répondre à votre question : les homins asservis nous rejettent, nous sommes aussi isolés que l'ont été les Maraudeurs des Anciennes Terres. Vous nous jugez et nous condamnez, soit ! Alors c'est nous qui nous ferons une place, par la force. Nous allons continuer à nous rapprocher des autres oubliés, ceux venant des Anciennes Terres. Et tous, autant que vous êtes, allez regretter de ne pas avoir su nous faire une place... »

Le conteur laissa le silence pénétrer les âmes des auditeurs. Sans un mot, il ramassa son baluchon et disparut dans la nuit, laissant les homins rassemblés seuls avec leurs frayeurs.

[LLDE] Recueil de témoignages

Chroniques D'Atys — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 12:40:16 +0000
Le prix du sang (Seconde partie) : la bataille de Thesos racontée par un militaire matis.

Le choc fut monstrueux. Les soldats des deux camps entrèrent au corps à corps avec une violence inouïe. Propulsé en arrière, je m’écrasai avec fracas dans la sciure. Autour de moi les premiers combattants tombaient déjà. Certains disparaissaient, comme aspirés par le sol, je voyais alors la résurrection par les puissances pour la première fois.

À ma gauche gisait un Matis mort, le corps broyé et le visage défiguré, tel un cri de douleur à la vue de tous. Il n’avait visiblement pas eu la chance d’être ressuscité. Pourquoi Jena ne le ramenait-elle pas ? Pourquoi un autre et pas lui ? Sur quels critères se faisait le choix ? La régularité de nos prières, le nombre de nos confessions ? Ou tout était-il déjà écrit… ?

La rage m'envahit soudainement. Je me relevai rapidement, agrippant ma pique comme jamais. Je n’allai pas mourir aujourd’hui, j’allai venger mes frères, je massacrerai ces païens...

Tel un homin pris de démence, je me jetai dans la mêlée, l’arme pointée en avant. Ma pique transperçait les armures de mes ennemis les unes après les autres tandis que je parais les coups qui m'étaient destinés. Je n'étais plus maître de moi : la haine me contrôlait entièrement.

Le combat dura de très longues minutes, chacun des camps semblant prendre l'avantage sur l'autre, mais seulement pour un court instant. C'est alors que soudain, venant briser la routine de la bataille, un Matis hurla :

« Regardez !! Thesos brûle !! »

Tous les regards se portèrent vers l’ouest. Nous pouvions distinguer, à travers la fumée, la gigantesque tour de garde rongée par les flammes. Un frisson de bonheur traversa tout mon corps. Le Karin Stevano avait accompli sa mission,Thesos brûlait ! Autour de moi, les cris de gloire matis s'élevaient en l'honneur de Jena, comme si la victoire était à portée de main.

Mais ma joie fut de courte durée, laissant place à une horrible sensation de douleur : la lame d’une épée venait de transpercer mon torse. Pétrifié par la souffrance, je tombai à genoux en crachant du sang. Devant moi, un guerrier équipé d'une armure noire me fixait. Il posa son pied sur mon buste, retira son épée d’un geste brusque et poursuivit le combat...

Couché sur le ventre, j’essayai désespérément de ramper dans la sciure malgré la douleur, comme pour fuir la tâche rouge qui s'élargissait autour de moi.Mais c'était trop tard, mes forces m'abandonnaient... Un bourdonnement grandissant envahit ma tête, chaque respiration devint de plus en plus difficile. Malgré tous mes efforts pour rester lucide, mon esprit commençait à s'éloigner, mes prières envers Jena perdaient leur substance... Et pour finir, ma vue lâcha.

C’était la première fois que je mourais…

Le retour fut tout aussi douloureux que le départ. Je repris mes esprits près du vortex de Thesos, un mal de crâne puissant tambourinant mes tempes. Instinctivement, je posai ma main sur mon torse à l'endroit ou l’épée m’avait transpercé quelques minutes plus tôt. Plus aucune trace de blessure n'était visible...

Quelle joie, Jena m’avait ramené ! J'aurais pu connaître une mort définitive sur le champ de bataille, mais le destin en avait décidé autrement.

Faisant fi de ma vision brouillée et de mon ouïe défaillante, je me levai tant bien que mal, m’appuyant sur la paroi. Mes sens reprirent peu à peu le dessus. Autour de moi, nombre de mes compagnons d'infortune sortaient eux aussi de cet état léthargique.

Je ramassai une hache qui traînait sur le sol, prêt à retourner sur le champ de bataille malgré mon horrible migraine. C'est alors que j'aperçus le Karin en personne. Il nous faisait face, à nous autres soldats matis, demandant notre attention, les bras levés. Lorsque nous fûmes tous prêts à l'écouter, il prit la parole.

« Sujets, soldats ! Les adorateurs du démon ont commis le pire des sacrilèges : ils ont capturé notre Karan ! Il est certain qu'à présent ils ne rêvent que d'une chose : nous anéantir tous jusqu'au dernier et fouler de leurs pieds barbares le sol béni de notre capitale. Mais nous ne les laisserons pas faire ! Jamais ! Montrons à tous la fierté et le courage des Matis ! Notre devoir est de protéger la Source Cachée jusqu'à notre dernier souffle ! Pour mon père, pour Jena, en route !! »

Ces paroles résonnèrent dans ma tête comme un coup de massue. Le Karan captif ? Impossible, inimaginable… Nous avions pourtant réussi à faire brûler Thesos ! Nous étions si proche de la victoire…

« Ils approchent, ne perdons pas de temps ! », cria un soldat.

Les Fyros chargeaient en effet... Malgré le choc, je passai rapidement le vortex avec les autres guerriers, me téléportant ainsi des kilomètres plus loin jusqu'aux Sommets Verdoyants. Sur place, l’atmosphère était beaucoup plus agréable : pas de chaleur suffocante, pas d’odeur de brûlé, seulement une brise légère accompagnée du doux parfum des fleurs du désert matis.

Le Karin Stevano rassembla prestement ses troupes un peu plus loin sous une tour de défense pour prendre à nouveau la parole.

« Soldats ! Nous allons tout faire pour empêcher les barbares d’aller plus loin sur nos terres. Ne faiblissez pas, je n’accepterai aucun échec ! »

Les premiers Fyros commençaient déjà à sortir du vortex. Il n’y avait plus de temps à perdre. Je grimpai dans la tour hâtivement, ramassai une mitrailleuse lourde et la plaçai sur un créneau.

Nous devions venger la capture du Karan et la mort de nos frères d'armes, nous devions protéger nos terres. Je chargeais mon arme et me mis en position de tir. Je n'hésitai pas à l'actionner dès que le premier Fyros fût à portée de feu. L’arme vibrait entre mes mains dans un vacarme assourdissant. Les barbares tombaient comme des feuilles, leurs corps déchiquetés par les balles des Matis.

La situation devint toutefois vite incontrôlable, les Fyros continuaient à arriver et les soldats matis commençaient à plier sous le nombre. Les sapeurs fyros s'attaquèrent alors aux fondations de la tour, qui se mit à tanguer dangereusement.

Je me précipitai vers l’escalier, essayant à tout prix de sortir de ce piège. Mais le sol se déroba sous mes pieds. La chute était inévitable. Je traversai les étages, emportant des poutres dans ma chute. Mon corps se brisa à l'impact du sol. Totalement paralysé par la douleur et les blessures, je regardais comme un simple spectateur la scène qui se déroulait autour de moi : des païens achevaient froidement les blessés restés sur le sol tandis que les autres tiraient dans le dos de ceux qui essayaient de fuir. Certains éclataient de rire, le visage dénaturé par la folie et la haine.

La tour finit par s’écrouler entièrement, les poutres de bois s’écrasant tout autour de mon corps mutilé. Je n’avais plus aucune chance, j’allais mourir pour de bon. Au-dessus de moi, un énorme bloc de bois se rapprochait inéluctablement et étrangement, je le voyais arriver comme au ralenti. Ma vie défilait devant mes yeux. Mon enfance, mon homine, mes enfants, mes erreurs, mes regrets… Le bloc se rapprochait, je fermai les yeux, attendant la mort.

Ma seconde renaissance fut accompagnée de maux de têtes plus violents que la première. Un Matis m’attrapa par le col de l’armure et me secoua tout en criant. Je le voyais à peine, lui qui semblait s'époumonner en silence. Comme la première fois, mes sens reprirent le dessus quelques minutes plus tard.

« Tout va bien ! Arrête de crier, tout va bien ! Jena t’a ramené à la vie, nous sommes au Tertre de la Dissidence. »

Pris de nausées, je me laissai tomber à genoux.

Le matis continua comme si de rien n’était :

« Inutile de te presser, nous avons de toute façon perdu cette bataille… Les Fyros contrôlent entièrement la Source Cachée. C’est par chance qu’ils ont décidé de ne pas aller plus loin »

M’essuyant la bouche avec le bras je bégayai quelques mots :

« Et …et pour notre Karan ? »

L’homin me regarda d’un air triste.

« Nous n’en savons pas plus pour le moment. Le Karin Stevano va bien. Il nous a dit de rentrer à Yrkanis. Ceux qui n’ont pas la chance d’avoir un pacte de téléportation sont déjà sur la route…»

Tout était donc fini, nous avions perdu. L’Empire fyros avait complètement balayé notre armée, notre défaite était totale.

J’avais eu la chance de survivre, Jena m’avait ramené deux fois à la vie. Mais pourquoi, pourquoi moi ? Je me sentais presque coupable, beaucoup de mes frères étaient morts aujourd’hui… Alors que moi, je vivais. Jamais je n’aurais espéré avoir cette chance. Louée soit-elle, louée soit notre déesse. J’allais revoir ma famille, je n’étais pas mort !

Ce terrible jour allait être gravé à jamais dans la mémoire des Matis. Il affichait le commencement d’une ère très sombre. Notre Karan s’était fait capturé, les Fyros avaient envahi une partie de nos terres, nous avions payé le prix du sang.

Extrait du journal de Vito Bendi, un militaire matis

[Chronique LLDE] La guérison de Dexton

Chroniques D'Atys — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 11:42:35 +0000
Une larme. Une larme de bonheur.

La goutte d'eau salée roulait lentement sur la joue basanée de Lykos, insouciante de l'émoi qu'elle matérialisait aux yeux de tous.

Le sharümal recula discrètement dans l'ombre de la pièce le temps d'essuyer la marque de son trouble, et je fis semblant de n'avoir rien remarqué.

Comme le fils de l'Empereur avait changé en quelques mois ! Le jeune homin totalement effacé devant un père ô combien charismatique avait pris son envol, contraint d'ouvrir ses ailes et de diriger en pleine tourmente l'Empire dont il avait dû prendre la Régence... Certes, il était encore jeune et inexpérimenté, mais il avait su néanmoins montrer à tous qu'il était digne d'occuper cette charge.

Un jour, Lykos sera notre Empereur. Et il sera certainement un bon Empereur. Mais ce ne sera pas pour aujourd'hui...

Mon regard se porta vers la massive mais néanmoins somptueuse épée impériale. Le symbole du pouvoir. Le tremblement de mes lèvres faillit trahir mon émotion tandis que je vis la pointe de cette épée décrire lentement un cercle à hauteur de visage homin, tenue par une main encore un peu faible mais à la maîtrise parfaite. La main de l'Empereur Dexton !

Tout semblait si irréel... Et pourtant, c'était bien lui, le grand, l'unique Dexton, mon Empereur, qui se tenait là devant moi, solidement campé, le regard animé par une détermination sans faille !

Sa longue maladie, sa lente et fatale déchéance, tout ceci n'était plus à présent qu'un souvenir... Seule une relative maigreur laissait encore soupçonner le calvaire infernal duquel Tao Sian l'avait extirpé, avec l'aide ô combien précieuse de tout un peuple valeureux et dévoué, épaulé par un allié des plus surprenants: les primitifs Gibads.

Tao Sian... Je la cherchai malgré moi du regard, elle, l'ombre bleue au masque cornu qui avait tant fait pour un Empereur qui n'était pas le sien. Elle qui avait passé au chevet de Dexton presque autant de nuits que l'Impératrice Xania. Elle qui, de par son dévouement sans limite pour sauver sharükos, avait resserré les liens entre la Théocratie et l'Empire, bien plus que n'aurait pu le faire n'importe quel traité. Car nul au sein du sharük n'oublierait que c'était le Grand Sage Mabreka Cho qui avait dépêché sa Première Guérisseuse Dynastique au chevet de l'Empereur.

Aujourd'hui, au sein du Palais Impérial, dans l'intimité des proches de Dexton, nous fêtons une victoire. Celle de la vie sur la mort. Celle de tout un peuple et de peuples amis qui, ensemble, ont permis à l'Empereur de reprendre en main son Destin.

Extrait du journal d'Epus,
3e CA 2555

[ Chronique LLDE] Le Semeur de Tempête

Miagio Rosipi(aniro) — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 23:00:07 +0000
C'était un jour d'apparence ordinaire. Le Dua, Thermis 14, 3e CA 2554. Yrkanis, debout face à la fenêtre de son bureau royal, m'écoutait lui relire le texte qu'il m'avait dicté peu de temps auparavant. Une missive qui pourrait bien changer d'ici peu l'Histoire toute entière...

« Régent Lykos,

Nous, Yrkanis, Premier du nom, Roi des Sommets Verdoyants et Elu de Jena, sommons l'Empire de Nous remettre sur le champ le dénommé Decalion Krilus, Maître de Guerre de l'Empire, accusé d'avoir rompu le Traité de paix des Quatre Nations en ayant sciemment tué des Sujets en plein territoire matis, après y avoir conduit une partie de son armée.

De surcroît, Nous sommons l'Empire de Nous adresser des excuses officielles pour l'affront subi par le Royaume dans cette affaire.

Tout refus de votre part sera considéré par Nous comme un soutien de l'Empire aux agissements impardonnables de son Maître Ardent, et donc comme une rupture du Traité des Quatre Nations, avec les conséquences que cela pourrait comporter.

Que Notre bienveillante Déesse vous montre la voie de la Raison,
et qu'Elle vous guide hors du chemin menant inexorablement à la guerre.

Yrkanis, Premier du Nom,
Roi des Sommets Verdoyants »

Le silence se fit dans la pièce. Le Roi consulta discrètement du regard son Conseiller, Rodi di Varello, qui approuva d'un léger hochement de tête.

« Le sort de l'Empire est désormais entre les mains de son Régent... » dit Yrkanis avec un fin sourire. « A présent, faites parvenir cette missive à Lykos ! »

Je me souviens encore du sourire glacial de Yene, qui, tapie dans l'ombre de la pièce, semblait toujours se délecter de chaque mot de l'ultimatum.

Extrait de « Dans les coulisses du Palais Royal »,
écrit en 2554 par le Scribe royal Miagio Rosipi

Lore & Chronicles - Ryzom Community Forum

Tales and Legends of Atysmas

Analysis report of the kitin fragment

Report submitted on 19h - Quinteth, Nivia 23, 3rd AC 2625 to the Jen-Laï archives by Haido Xuan, Dynastic Gardener.

Scary stories of Anlor Winn

Notebook on luciography

Elegance guidance

Melkiar the Black Varinx

[Lore] Lore Nights

Report of the Lore night of August 13, 2021 animated by Namcha.

The distances

Astronomy

The Canopy

The surface of Atys

The years of Jena

Shadow and light

Discovery of the recipe of the iridescent jewels of the Gibbaïs allowing them to increase their physical strength

(Zorai Chronicle) For Sorrow’s sake

[Rangers] A great emptiness

(Fyros chronicle) Revolt or despair: a chronicle of change

Revolt or despair: a chronicle of change

When Ashes blow as storm

When Ashes blow as storm

(Chronicle) Seasons of Season

The Nexus Metamorphosis

Discepatores Zorae

[Zoraï Chronicle] The Call of the Sap

[OOC] Lore F.A.Q

Homin physiology

[CHRONIQUE FYROS] The Arcanas of Coriolis

The Arcanas of Coriolis (or the History of the Great Dragon Cult)

[Rumors of Atys] The slap

[Fyros] Imperial Institutional Organisation

[Chronicle] Echo of Dissent

​​Dialog between Supplice and Season, 2594 CA1 ​​

Dialog between Supplice and Season, 2594 CA1

[Fyros chronicle] Correspondence of Pephosse Aerus

[Matis] Floral Fragrances of Mourning

[Matis chronicle] Crossroads

[Matis] Winter flowers

My father's glory

The power of the father

From ember, comes the flame

Where Wedding is Synonymous with Challenge

The torments of a queen (part 4)

The torments of a queen (part 3)

The torments of a queen (part 2)

The torments of a queen (part 1)

Resurrection

[Lore] Free Trade Agreement of 2516

Teleportation Sickness

Spiritual exchange between Sorrow and his disciple

[Chronique] Retour d'exil

[Chronique] Tête à tête avec un Maraudeur

[LLDE] Recueil de témoignages

[Chronique LLDE] La guérison de Dexton

[ Chronique LLDE] Le Semeur de Tempête

Dialog between Supplice and Season, 2594 CA1