Category: Cultural

#Lore24 – Entry #227 – Helica Month #15 – The Sylvanae Summoner

Excerpt from the Journals of Azita Gaji, Explorer of Helica, Seeker of Knowledge, Blessed of Saghirah

With Esekia’s successful taming of the fire Amaranth Cinza, on his first attempt, though the experience would leave him exhausted, we would set off on a return trip to the mainland and the port of San Granalle, which I we hadn’t seen for nearly two months now.  We would have a fateful encounter aboard the ship bound for the slowly recovering city, which at the time I would not realize would ultimately seal our fate and the fate of Helica.

Though we had heard talk of the presence of a Sylvanae summoner upon Vallalava island, we had not seen them during our time in the jungles and around the temple.  It was only as the ship that would bear us to the mainland arrived in the village’s port that we would see her and her guardians emerge from the path leading to the temple, causing a stir amongst the gathered crowd as they swept through the village toward the ship.  The Sylvanae summoner had half a dozen guardians with her, and all save her bonded Stalker were of Sylvanae blood. 

I had heard of the Sylvanae pridefulness, of how they tended towards a regal bearing that made it seem as if they were always looking down upon those who were not of their kind, and in this, the rumors were proven true, for we mere humans may well have been ants for them to step over, even those who had attained their full status as summoners.  As we would learn after embarking on our voyage, this Sylvanae’s name was Tephysea of House Wynmaer, and for whatever reason, she would take a peculiar interest in Esekia and our party during the voyage.

Like all her kind, she was tall and willowy, taller than even our Stalker, with long, knife-like ears, and her hair was the color of autumn leaves that fell down her back in a thick, wavy cascade that reminded me of moss hanging from tree limbs, and skin a deep brown, like the very earth upon which we strode, delicate veins of green crisscrossing her flesh like the nature of leaves.  Perhaps it was her eyes that were most startling to behold, for they glowed a brilliant green, and to meet them would take one’s breath, so overwhelming was her presence. Supposedly the Sylvanae were born of the legendary Fae realms in ancient times, perhaps cast out by those who were jealous of their beauty and wisdom, as some legends say, likely those spread by the Sylvanae themselves. 

The Sylvanae group would sequester themselves away from the rest of the rabble for most of the trip, though would make daily sojourns to the upper deck to seemingly sun themselves, possibly due to their nature that seemed very plantlike, or simply because they found the use of a vessel that was not their own a burden and needed to be away from its bowels.  Either way, it was during one of these sunning excursions that Esekia made the bold move of approaching Tephysea when she was alone with her Stalker, and for a wonder she wouldn’t send him away, perhaps finding something amusing in his boldness.  Little did I know then that we would be seeing much more of Tephysea in the coming weeks and months.

#Lore24 – Entry #225 – Helica Month #13 – Those Who Would Defy Phyresis

Excerpt from the Journals of Azita Gaji, Explorer of Helica, Seeker of Knowledge, Blessed of Saghirah

On our journey to Vallalava, we would encounter a small group of malkikai ships, the plumes of black smoke billowing from their exhausts visible before the ships themselves.  With our vessel now on alert, we prepared ourselves for trouble, for there was only one group who would dare use such forbidden technology, the Ketzeryn, those who would dare to defy the Church of Phyresis.  I had not had an opportunity to speak to any of their members myself, and know only that they inhabit several islands and have holdings of their own upon them, outside of the influence of the Church. 

Though most often they stay to the seas, for that is where they find their forbidden weapons and technology, their members have been known to travel into the lands of Phyresis on occasion, plundering some ruin or another in hopes of finding more of the malkikai.  It is not uncommon belief amongst those faithful to Phyresis that the Ketzeryn are responsible for ending the Tranquilities and reawakening the Transgressor and bringing further sorrow unto the world.  And yet, that belief, in my opinion, is flawed, for they suffer the wrath of the Transgressor just as often as anyone else, and yet if their sins are so great in the eyes of Phyresis, then why have they not been wiped from Helica already?  Surely it would not be difficult for the Wicked One to perform such a feat?

The Ketzeryn ships turned generally toward us, but as they neared, only one ship approached closer, the others holding a good distance away.  As it neared, this vessel raised a white flag, indicating they wished to parlay.  This sent a ripple of discussion amongst the many faithful of Phyresis, some chomping at the bit to destroy the heathens, quite confident in the powers with their Amaranths.  Others, the crew of the ship, myself, and a few other travelers and merchants, advised caution, however, as they numbered nearly a dozen vessels to our one, and theirs were armed with forbidden weaponry.  It could turn disastrous for us quite quickly.

Luckly, cooler heads prevailed, and there was a peaceful meeting with the Ketzeryn.  As we would learn, they were fleeing a recent attack from the Transgressor, who had destroyed one of their island bases when it had suddenly surfaced nearby, and that they were only a day’s journey from their last sighting of the Wicked One; it was simply a warning that we should be careful, and that they bore us no hostile intentions.  I would say the Ketzeryn acted quite reasonably during this meeting, and though they were just as alert as we were for an attack, they made no hostile moves.

I will note that I was rather disgusted by the response from many of the Phyresians to this news, for they were practically cheering such destruction of their enemies.  Were these not human lives too? Was there not enough suffering in the world without conflicting ideology stoking the fires of hatred? 

Our vessel moved on without incident, their fleet hanging back and continuing to the east as we continued roughly northwest.  Perhaps one day I will have the opportunity to travel amongst the Ketzeryn and learn more of their ways, but that would not be this day.  My own training would continue, and the island of Vallalava and the Amaranth Cinza awaited us.

#Lore24 – Entry #220 – Helica Month #8 – Beasts of Battle and Burden

Excerpt from the Journals of Azita Gaji, Explorer of Helica, Seeker of Knowledge, Blessed of Saghirah

This would be my first time traveling closely with one of the Beasts, and would afford me some time to study them closely, for their nature was rather mysterious as of yet, for in spite of their prevalence upon those lands held by the Church of Phyresis, Beasts have only been in existence for perhaps fifty or sixty years.  They are called Beasts as a way to dehumanize them, for they are inherently human, though upon looking at them, one would perhaps not believe it.  The “Beasts” have had their humanity further stripped away by covering them in some kind of magical material akin to thick rubber, the process known only to the Phyresians of high rank.  To make one a Beast is to punish them for the sin of defying the Church, using forbidden machines, or otherwise displeasing those of great standing, and their entire existence becomes devoted to serving the Church and its machinations, no matter how much they may disagree with it.

Perhaps to become a Beast is a fate which awaits me, should my delving into the forbidden lore of Saghirah be revealed?

There are different “breeds” of Beasts, each with unique appearances and purposes, and I suspect that one’s breed is determined by their skills possessed in their previous lives, before they committed some great sin against the Church.  All breeds appear as humanoid animals of some type.  The Stalker breed is commonly seen traveling alongside a summoner with whom they are bonded, leashed via magic, as it were.  They appear as large humanoid wolves with varying features, though I know not how these features are determined, for while they share certain characteristics, each has unique markings and colorations.  In the case of the Stalker breed, they are skilled hunters and combatants, allowed to bear weapons in the defense of their bonded summoner, their senses keen to spotting demons and spawn of the Transgressor. 

Other Breeds include the Warrior breed, reserved for the largest and most powerful of Beasts, and usually reserved as part of the guardian forces accompanying the highest-ranking members of the Church, or for front line duty in battles the Church engages in, and have appearances not unlike that of the mythical dragons.  The Workhorse breed is used as general laborers, for mining, and now propelling larger ships by having teams of them running on large wheels to power the paddlewheels and have the rather unsurprising appearance of large horses.  The Sprinter breed, used to relay messages quickly in or between cities, or sometimes to power smaller ships when speed is required, appear too as some breed of hare, smaller and more delicate in appearance than their brethren, but unnaturally fast when they run, as the name suggests.  Lastly is the Servant breed, and perhaps these are the most common, appearing as felines, and are used as domestic labor, handling food preparation, cleaning, tending to the many temples of Phyresis, and similar such duties.

All Beasts, being the shunned of society, at least in my experience thus far, are never referred to by name, only as their Breed.  Though of different size and form, each is likewise equipped with a stout collar about their necks and matching shackles upon their wrists and ankles, each enchanted in some way to maintain their bestial appearance and mobile prisons, though each set is composed of a metal that may be silver or platinum.  In the case of the Warrior and Stalker breeds, these are much larger and serve as additional armor.  The magical bond with their summoner gives them an uncanny sense of where that summoner is at all times, and alerts them to any dangers the summoner may suddenly find themselves facing, should they, for whatever reason, not be close to them, and also allows the summoner to call them or give them instructions at a distance. 

I have perhaps gone on too long about the Beasts for now, but to be so close to one now, I find them at once fascinating and disturbing.  Surely so many people could not be unfaithful to the Church or have wronged it so grievously as to be made into Beasts as this?  Perhaps they are composed of conquered people from outside the Phyresisian faith, from those “barbarians” who live in the dangerous lands beyond those protected by the Church?  They do exist, as much as the Church perhaps does not wish to admit it, but that is something for another time.

#Lore24 – Entry #219 – Helica Month #7 – A Summoner’s Duty

Excerpt from the Journals of Azita Gaji, Explorer of Helica, Seeker of Knowledge, Blessed of Saghirah

I spent several days in the destroyed city of San Granalle, helping as I could with defending it from the many spawn of the Transgressor that still roamed after the monster’s departure, and aiding the survivors with picking up what pieces they could.  Grim days indeed, but so is the way of the Transgressor…the monster thrives on death and suffering, after all.  Though I wanted to reach Ukejama with utmost haste, I knew that I had no need for such urgency; my greater work now would come as it would in time.

With the destruction of San Granalle came a new wave of prayer and devotion to the Church of Phyresis, for those who lacked faith suddenly found it, having witnessed the mercy of the Church with tending to the fallout from the destruction, and in the power of its summoners, who called forth the Amaranths to drive the Transgressor away, Saghirah notably excluded.  I suspect, however, that it was more a matter of the beast requiring time to regain its power, rather than the power of the summoners, that was ultimately responsible for its departure.  The details I’d already learned from Saghirah’s first scroll would seem to support this theory.

Many new, potential summoners would also make their appearance following this tragedy, young acolytes of the faith eager to prove themselves and earn eternal glory as one who would bring another Tranquility.  Most would never reach the end of the long journey they must endure, the many trials of breaking the Amaranths to their will, but perhaps amongst them there would be the one.  It was with one of these youths that I took up with as they took up their journey, deciding to begin with the Amaranth known as Makani, housed upon the distant island of Ukejama. 

Though I possessed no special sense of his destiny, Esekia seemed more humble than most who would seek to become a summoner, and though strong in the faith of Phyresis, our conversations during our work in San Granalle led me to believe that he was not entirely closeminded, and may be willing to consider truths that had been hidden.  Time would certainly tell, but for now, journeying to Ukejama with others was a welcome change to the many weeks and months I spent alone chasing Saghirah’s secrets.  I would serve in a guardian role, and something of a mentor to him in the ways of the world, for I had traveled most of it.  He was likewise accompanied by a bonded Beast of the Stalker Breed, in servitude to the church for sins that I would not know until later, and a Tamer of Elements called Zubayr, who was well versed in the black magics. 

And so, with the next ship bound southward, we departed San Granalle upon dangerous waters, for the coming of the Transgressor had stirred up the demons across the entire world.

#Lore24 – Entry #216 – Helica Month #4 – The First Scroll

Excerpt from the Journals of Azita Gaji, Explorer of Helica

I approached the scroll case reverently, for Saghirah’s gaze still weighed heavy above me, and I could not help but wonder if the reasons the Church had disavowed the existence of the Amaranth were in fact true, for their doctrine is absolute, and all are raised following it.  Still, I willed myself forward and gently opened the case, finding the rolled parchment inside to still be intact, and for a wonder, not as brittle as I feared; something of the Amaranth’s influence had preserved it well over the centuries. 

Always eager to absorb new knowledge, I suppressed my eagerness and carefully unrolled the scroll upon the altar, translating the ancient text easily enough through my many years of study of the world before the Wicked One’s arrival.  I committed the words of the Amaranth to memory, reading and rereading the scroll several times until I was certain not a word was out of place in my mind.  Normally I would have transcribed the words of Saghirah to my journals, but I knew instinctively that was not her wish, and with good reason.  The full contents of her scrolls will be revealed when the time is right.

What I will say of the first of the scrolls of forbidden knowledge is that the contents shook me to my very core.  Any remaining faith I’d once had in Phyresis, the One True God, fled me as I read and reread the ancient words.  At the time the scroll was created, faith in beings beyond our mere mortal existence was at an all-time low amongst all the peoples of Helica, with the Amaranths, the ancient guardian spirits of our world, becoming relegated to myth and legend by most. 

Faith, more specifically, the lack of faith by the people of Helica, would lead to the Downfall.  This was how the Transgressor had prepared our world for its arrival, by patiently seeding distractions and false beliefs amongst the people.  And when the Wicked One did come, that fateful night so many centuries ago when Grad Artanais fell, the world was simply not prepared to mount a defense, so scattered and divided was its people. 

The true nature of the Transgressor is positively vile, but no more can I say here.

#Lore24 – Entry #214 – Helica Month #2 – The Angel of Grad Artanais

Excerpt from the Journals of Azita Gaji, Explorer of Helica

The tales of an angel, seen and heard across the broken expanse of the once great city of Grad Artanais are true!  I have witnessed her with my own eyes, heard her voice singing the Eversong with my own ears! 

As I dared venture down from the overlook in which I camped last night, a thick fog rolled in from the poisonous sea that borders the ruined city.  On the one hand, it would be useful in concealing my presence from the roaming demons that fill this place, but on the other, so too would they be concealed from me.  It didn’t take long for me to hear them, their claws scraping over the broken skyscrapers that lay about in piles, rending the ancient metal remains of machines that were somehow frozen in time, still there and not rusted away by time and seasons.  I tread carefully, using every sense I had to navigate in the direction I had chosen, careful to avoid notice. 

It was perhaps two hours into my dangerous trek that I began to hear the Eversong, the reverent and soothing tones echoing eerily through the dead city’s remains.  Then I heard her voice, the voice of the angel herself, clear and distinct, chilling me to my very core.  Her voice sounded otherworldly, a starkly beautiful, yet hauntingly melodic sound amongst the fog-shrouded decay and littered remnants of demon-infested civilization past.  I saw her guiding light then, piercing through the fog, and in the direction I had intended to go, a ball of light in the dim fog, like a beacon.  And so, I followed the light and the song, sensing not the demons as I went to her light.  As I neared, the light faded out, only to be replaced by another further along, her voice moving with it, leading me, guiding me.

I followed the angel for perhaps an hour, my tension eased by her voice and her holy light, finally coming to understand what it was that those summoners and their protectors who had survived this place to tell the tale had experienced, for truly she is a being of the divine.  And she led me exactly where I had deigned to go!  It was nearing midday, the fog finally starting to thin, when I finally came upon the ancient shrine complex, broken and decayed, but still recognizable to me as the place I had discovered in the lost records where many of the Amaranths were once worshipped. 

There the angel left me, and I ventured forth into the ruin, seeking the shrine of Saghirah, and hopefully, one of her ancient, forbidden scrolls.

#Lore24 – Entry #213 – Helica Month #1 – The Forbidden Scrolls of Saghirah

Excerpt from the Journals of Azita Gaji, Explorer of Helica

Long have I journeyed across Helica’s blasted and broken landscapes, the ruins of a world long dead that lays infested with monstrous demons thirsty for mortal flesh and malkikai, ancient machines that no longer recognize their masters and seek to slay them just the same.  Seldom in these days do I see the civilized parts of the world, those cities and towns that remain in the wake of the Transgressor’s destruction, for what I seek, should any remain, lays far beyond the reach of man and the Church of Phyresis and their closed-minded, dogmatic faith in their god.

What is it that drives me to brave these blasted lands and ruins of ancient cities, you may ask?  Nothing less than forbidden knowledge, of course!  The knowledge denied to the people of this world by the Church of Phyresis, the knowledge once bequeathed to the people of Helica by the Amaranths themselves!  But not just any Amaranth, no, the lost Amaranth Saghirah! 

There are reasons the Church of Phyresis has tried to hide knowledge of Saghirah, and these scrolls are those reasons!  She can see the very essence of time and space themselves, has seen beyond the very creation and destruction of Helica to the great beyond, has seen the stars that lay in the far beyond!  She sees the past, the present, and the future, and in her knowledge lies the key to the true destruction of the Transgressor! 

Why would the Church of Phyresis not seek this knowledge, you ask?  Quite simply, they fear it.  They fear the loss of control over the people of Helica, their place of power.  It is the same story told many times, of the desire of those who wield great power to maintain their control over that power.  But…but I have a theory that there is more to this tale than what I know now.  If I am able to locate one of these lost scrolls, then perhaps I can corroborate this theory with the words of the great Amaranth. 

On the morrow I venture into the ruins of Grad Artanais.  Though it is a sacred site to the Church of Phyresis, they have not scoured the entire ruin; even they do not have the power to survive there long enough to do that.  I am convinced I have located the ancient temple complex that once housed the Shrine to Saghirah, and perhaps one of the lost scrolls I seek.  Given what I had to dig through to find this information, and comparing it with the records of the archives, they have not found what remains there yet. 

May the Angel of Grad Artanais watch over me during this excursion; I will need all the help I can get.

#Lore24 – Entry #180 – Wild West Month #29 – Those who Face Bullets with Swords

As told by Kumiko Stalks-Amongst-the-Stars, shaman of the Midnight Panther tribe of Kerra-Kerra

Strange are the ways of the Peoples from Beyond the Ocean Which Leads to the Lands of the Setting Sun.  Though very rare within the Bitter Frontier, sometimes you will encounter one of them, and you will know them by the long, curved swords they carry.  They are often of elven blood, though mixed usually with human, but not always, and the swords they carry are said by our ancestors to have once been favored by our own people, though the ways of making them have long since been lost to us. 

It is a unique method Those who Face Bullets with Swords use.  I have seen some of them forsake the use of Thundering Weapons altogether in my travels, while others will use them almost as often.  But more curious about their methods is their ability to use their Curved Swords to deflect the bullets fired by those wielding Thundering Weapons.  It may seem impossible, but I have witnessed this for myself.  It is not a feat undertaken lightly, for the slightest failure in their training will see them dead or dying, for one cannot see the bullet and must rely upon their honed instincts.  Their ways are as mysterious to us as our shamanic ways must seem to the outsiders, but everyone must forge their own path.

If you witness one carrying such a Curved Sword, be wary should you have to engage them in battle.  An arrow will do little good unless you catch them completely unawares, for they are much easier to predict than a bullet.  I have seen one such person split a bullet in twain with their blade, sending the halves of it into enemies on either side of them.  I have seen them deflect a full six shots from one of the revolving Thundering Weapons only to charge forward in the time it takes to blink to cut the gunman down.  I have likewise seen those who have failed in their dangerous way, receiving a lesser wound than they would have, perhaps, only to be taken out by another bullet fired moments later. 

A strange way indeed.

#Lore24 – Entry #171 – Wild West Month #20 – The Humans who Dwell Beyond the Great Walls

As told by Kumiko Stalks-Amongst-the-Stars, shaman of the Midnight Panther tribe of Kerra-Kerra

Many are the Humans who Dwell Beyond the Great Walls, for it is they who first sought those walls for safety during the Great Uproar.  Few are the humans who dwell upon the Bitter Frontier, and perhaps it is better that they are not amongst us, for it is said that humans bring chaos and destruction wherever they go; this is not always true, but it is true more often than it is not.  They are a short lived people, so they do not long remember what it is they do, for they are always pushing forward to things “new and better,” even if these things are not so.

I have spoken to several humans who have ventured into the Bitter Frontier; these are usually peaceful enough, simply wishing to live for themselves and survive much as we of the Kerra-Kerra do, hunting and trapping and foraging, but often they search for the shiny gems and rocks that are so valued in the lands Beyond the Great Walls.  It seems to be that humans only grow troublesome when in great numbers, for they are easily swayed into taking actions which we consider foolhardy and destructive.  Unfortunately, their numbers are growing daily, and they are pushing beyond the Great Walls now, into the Bitter Frontier, leading the charge to “tame and civilize” our lands in the name of their “progress”.  Troubled times are ahead for the Kerra-Kerra, for our people have already had violent encounters with the humans, and more are coming daily as their Howling Steel Chariots and Bands of Wood and Steel are raided.

It would be wise to be cautious of any Humans who Dwell Beyond the Great Walls that you encounter upon the Bitter Frontier.  Those who have lived amongst us and proven themselves have told me that they care little for what their kind has started and will likely remain allies to us.  However, do not forget that one’s blood counts for much, and it is likely that even the friendly humans of the Bitter Frontier could one day become enemies if they are persuaded by a greater number of their kind.  I have been present to listen to some of the Humans who Dwell Beyond the Great Walls when they have made speeches about coming into the Bitter Frontier and have witnessed how well they can speak.  The words are often strange to the Kerra-Kerra, but they speak with passion and with authority, yet without depth of wisdom or experience.

For whatever troubles come, there is one thing we can be assured of:  the Bitter Frontier will not be tamed as easily as the humans believe; they will learn this lesson one way or another.

#Lore24 – Entry #170 – Wild West Month #19 – The Demon-Tainted People of Many Places

As told by Kumiko Stalks-Amongst-the-Stars, shaman of the Midnight Panther tribe of Kerra-Kerra

Like the rest of the Many Peoples of the Broken Cage that Still Imprisons, the Demon-Tainted People of Many Places were brought here by the Devil-Wardens long ago.  You have no doubt seen them, but their appearances are always different from one to another, they share certain features:  horns upon their heads, unusual colors of skin that seem unnatural, eyes like those of goats, tails with barbs, hooves instead of feet, and perhaps other strangeness, and features aren’t always the same among those who are related.  This is the taint of the Blood of Ancient Demons that still runs strong in them, their very nature that of chaos.

They are called the People of Many Places because they are spread throughout the Broken Cage that Still Imprisons, even amongst the Kerra-Kerra and Horse People and Orc tribes.  Their Demon-Tainted blood allows them to mix with any of the Many Peoples and they will share features of them but are distinctly not fully of them.  The Mountain River tribe of the Horse People and the Horned Puma tribe of the Kerra-Kerra are mostly made up of those of the Demon-Tainted People of Many Places now, and though they generally hold to the ways of our peoples, it is with an unpredictable nature.  It was said by our Ancestors that in the ancient times, the Demon-Tainted People of Many Places were almost entirely female.  Since the Great Uproar this has not been the case.  The Broken Cage that Still Imprisons has broken even the unbreakable ties to the chaos of the Blood of Ancient Demons, it seems.

In the lands Beyond the Great Walls, we know little of the ways of the Demon-Tainted People of Many Places, but we know that some have their own ways and places, while others simply take to the nature of the peoples they live among.  Many are accepted, some are outcasts, perhaps seen as less than the tribal peoples of the Bitter Frontier so it is said.  Though none of the Kerra-Kerra have gone so far to the north, it is told by the Orc People that some tribes of the Demon-Tainted People of Many Places roam the frigid tundra where even the Orc People dare not go.