Category: Gaming

#Lore24 – Entry #231 – Helica Month #19 – The World Moves On

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

Many weeks have passed since the terrible betrayal I witnessed in Grad Artanais, and I have made full account of the incident, stowed safely away with the knowledge of the first scroll in no less than three places along my path that I will not name.  Though casual observation will not reveal the documents, in time, they will be revealed should something befall me.

Even though I know the truth of the bargain which was made, I cannot bring myself to fully hate the coming of another Tranquility, for even in the outlying towns, the joy is clear upon the faces of my fellow Helicans.  The demons which roam the land have diminished already, their aggressiveness much lessened too.  I wish that the cost had not to be so terrible, and that it would be everlasting, but that is sadly not to be.  If anything, it will allow me some greater freedom to search for the next forbidden scroll.  I feel it best that I avoid the larger cities and towns for the time being anyway, for I have already heard the narrative which Tephysea, now the High Lady Summoner and Grand Mistress of the Church of Phyresis, has woven regarding her miraculous survival and the noble sacrifice made by her most precious lover, Esekia. 

To hear the people tell the tale, with such joyous looks upon their faces when I knew the truth of the matter, made me sick to the very core of my being, but I could do nothing about it for now.  The only way I could avenge Esekia, Zubayr, and the nameless Stalker that had protected us on the way was by planting the seeds of truth well out of the wrathful gaze of the Church and nurturing them until they were ripe. 

I am the chosen of Saghirah for this task, and I will not let her down no matter what it takes.  Though I have yet to learn all there is to know of the great amaranth, I am certain that she has a greater plan that I would only jeopardize should I be aware of it.  I have faith in her that all will be revealed in time, for I have no remaining faith in Phyresis, the false savior of Helica.  My faith is returned rightfully to the Amaranths where it belongs. 

#Lore24 – Entry #230 – Helica Month #18 – Betrayal and the New Tranquility

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

As with my first visit to Grad Artanais, I would leave the city shaken by what I would find, though the circumstances could not be more different.  As I write these words, I lay near death in the only safe place I could find within in ruins of the ancient city, within the shrine of Saghirah.  It is perhaps only by her blessing that I survived what befell my party and yet live to tell of it, though I fear my revelations are simply too much for the populace of Helica to bear, to say nothing of the Church of Phyresis.

Once we had descended to the camping spot I had used what seemed a lifetime ago, I could sense the change that had come over Grad Artanais, the malevolent, oppressive pressure that radiated from it, specifically from the massive ruin of an ancient Battleball arena at the city’s center.  Standing upon the slope of the holy mountain at night, I could see the vile aura of swirling blackness that surrounded the building, could see massive demons roaming the streets as if guarding it, miniscule compared to the Transgressor, but larger than any I had before witnessed.  For once, even Tephysea seemed overwhelmed by what lay ahead, though she again professed that the love she and Esekia shared would see them through. 

I had voiced my concerns about this relationship previously, but Esekia was quite resolute in his love, and for the additional hope it gave to the people of Helica.  Perhaps it would make a difference, I had thought then, for if one summoner had to sacrifice themselves to defeat the Transgressor, then perhaps two could overcome whatever lay within that arena and walk out alive. 

Of course, I would soon learn, after our party pushed through the guardian demons into the heart of Grad Artanais with the help of the Amaranths, that was a foolish hope.  Even though I knew not what to expect once we had breached the arena, passing by the statues of heroes long forgotten to history, I could not have predicted that which we found waiting within.  This is the truth that must told, but how can I reveal such a revelation to the people and actually make them believe it?  Surely the Church would never allow such knowledge to escape, for the entirety of their faith is borne upon it. 

What lies within the dark heart of the Transgressor is…

[Text becomes incoherent scrawls, drifting off the page]

…

I continue this entry with a clearer head now that I’ve had time to rest and have somewhat recovered from my injuries, for I am no longer near death, perhaps saved by the grace of the Amaranth herself.  Like Saghirah’s forbidden scrolls, I cannot reveal what I learned just yet, not here, for it would find its way to the Church, and the rumors would be quickly quashed, and any proclaiming them killed, or at best, permanently enslaved as a Beast to silence them. 

No, a more cautious approach is needed.  I must be subtle, and I must be extremely careful once I leave this place.  Though the darkness is gone for now, for a new Tranquility has started, the Transgressor will return, and the cycle will continue unabated until a way can be found to stop it.  Suffice to say, the Sylvanae, specifically Tephysea and her loyal followers, are complicit in what comes next, and were responsible for what befell Esekia and my other companions.  A full accounting of her betrayal will I make elsewhere, and it shall be secreted away with the knowledge of the forbidden scroll of Saghirah, safe from any who would seek it.  I will see justice done in time, for I am assured that I will have plenty of it by the great Saghirah.

And so I end this journal for now, for the world I return to will surely be a different one upon my return, and I will have new purpose beyond simply uncovering the rest of Saghirah’s scrolls, for righteous vengeance is a powerful motivator.

The cycle cannot continue, for surely Helica will be destroyed, no matter how many times the Transgressor is defeated.

#Lore24 – Entry #229 – Helica Month #17 – Water and Earth, Light and Dark

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

I neglected my notes in the following weeks and months, for our journey back to the Highlands and beyond was at once triumphant and somber, for while we had defeated one evil and were hailed as heroes, a greater foe loomed ever-present.  The Transgressor had remained active while we had been diverted, attacking several villages along the coast, never in a predictable fashion, but driving deeper into the mainland each time.  Several summoners had already faced it and lost their lives, not yet strong enough to see the task done.

So it was that we and the Sylvanae party made haste through the Kinarrora Highlands, treading where I was at least mostly familiar, heading first to the temple of the earth Amaranth Kayalik, and upon its successful taming, to the temple of Glacia, the water Amaranth.  I had perhaps wanted to broach the possibility of seeking out Saghirah with Esekia, but by this time, he had been quite taken with Tephysea, enthralled I would daresay.  She seemed to reciprocate his feelings, and there was talk amongst those whom we met along the way that the pair of lovers would certainly overcome the Transgressor and bring the next Tranquility.  I didn’t see the love, personally, only the manipulations of one of the Sylvanae nobility, but my concerns were not headed.  Zubayr was mostly indifferent, more concerned with seeing the Crusade successfully completed, and our Stalker was ever the loyal guardian, hardly willing to oppose its master. 

So, we would not seek Saghirah, but instead would continue to the holy city of Tyraguard, the seat of the Phyresian faith, and to the most powerful of the Amaranths, the final taming before the journey would take us to the ruins of Grad Artanais, the great winged serpent, Nur-Atahk.  After a long vigil in the chambers of the Amaranth, Esekia was ultimately successful in his taming, as was the ever-confident Tephysea.  Thusly armed with the power of the Amaranths, we would make our final journey over the ruin-spotted expanse of the Serene Steppes toward the ruins of Grad Artanais, where the final battle would be held at the place where the Transgressor was first born unto Helica, the only place it could be once again defeated, for that is where the foulness, the sins of the people of Helica are gathered to birth the monster.

When I phrase it like that…I suppose I was rather foolhardy to venture into that place by myself, even during the last Tranquility.  I am also wondering as to why I could not sense the growing vileness of the Transgressor in the city then, for surely there must have been some indication that something so massive was growing nearby. 

I will ponder this as we begin our ascent of the sacred mountain Temismere on the morrow, before our descent into Grad Artanais. 

#Lore24 – Entry #228 – Helica Month #16 – Raiders from the Untamed Lands

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

Our return to San Granalle was a somber one.  Though the city had begun to heal, the devastation was still as an open wound.  There was but a single dock that had been rebuilt, much of the remaining populace was living in tents and poorly constructed hovels, and the sense of loss was overwhelming.  Even with the aid of the Church and its Beasts, recovery was slow.  Worse, there was a new threat to the town, one that perhaps sickened me more than that of the Transgressor and its spawn:  bandit raiders from the Untamed Lands, who had smelled blood, and were now emboldened to sweep across the vulnerable lands once held quite secure and guarded by San Granalle.

We did not tarry long in San Granalle, for the sight of the suffering people spurred us forward on our Crusade against the Transgressor.  As we headed north into the Kinarrora Highlands, our group would be a formidable one, as, at the behest of Esekia, we had joined forces with Tephysea and her retinue, and would remain thusly tied through the next long leg of our journey.  We would make a detour before we would reach the next Amaranth’s temple, though, for a fire was burning in Esekia’s heart, and we would see these bandits dealt with quite harshly in the name of Phyresis.  Tephysea seemed more amused by this than sympathetic to the plight of the weakened survivors but decided that she and her people would assist our endeavor.

We joined with the forces mustered by the Church of Phyresis on the far western edge of the Highlands, arriving to the sounds of battle as mounted forces clashed, the shear numbers of the raiders, bolstered by the might of many monstrous tribes, orcs, kobolds, goblins, and gnolls, threatening to overwhelm the defenders rapidly.  Neither side expected the coming of two Amaranths upon the field of battle, the combined might of Cinza and Makani tearing through the horde’s ranks without mercy.  With the aid of Zubayr, myself, and the Sylvanae warriors and mages of Tephysea’s retinue, our summoners were quite safe.  The horde was forced to retreat from the front, giving us time to recover and aid our allies.

Seeing our intervention as a sign from the One True God, the bloodied forces of Phyresis had their morale bolstered, and so, after a few days to recover and refortify the borderland, we drove into the Untamed Lands like a dagger into the heart of the raiders.  Though our journey was filled with dangers:  from the sheer numbers of monstrous foes to powerful tribal shamans and even former members of the Order of the Tamers, and not the least of which were several attempts to assassinate our summoners, requiring us guardians to be ever vigilant, we would prove victorious in the end. 

Along the way, we would see signs of the devastation of the Transgressor, either from past battles, or more recently destroyed settlements.  I believe I may have been the only one amongst the Phyresian forces that held any sympathy for our enemies, for they were driven by desperation, the need to flee the devastation of the Wicked One just as much as any other peoples.  Did that give them the right to invade a broken land and ravage its people?  No, certainly not, for they could have attempted to ally with us.  Perhaps they had tried; I am not privy to the details of prior negotiations, if there were any, but Phyresis has long held that the monstrous races were inferior to humanity and Sylvanae. 

Once we finally claimed the head of the leader who had spurned the raiders ever forward, our task was mostly done.  Our ranks had continued to be bolstered by the Church as we drove deeper into the Untamed Lands, and though occupation was not on the table, the Church would take much in its wake.  All monstrous races who were found were killed outright, and the humans who were captured or surrendered would be reeducated as Beasts to serve the One True God.  Many treasures would be taken, and though I took little for myself beyond books and scrolls that I had found intact, I did claim a runic blade from one of the commanders we had faced.

It had been a long and bloody affair, taking several months, but with it done, we could at last return to the Crusade we had originally set out upon, to attain the remaining Amaranths and ultimately to face the Transgressor.  It will be some time before I can come to terms with the horrors of this campaign, and what its long-term implications may be.  I will have many sleepless nights to come, I am certain.

#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 #226 – Helica Month #14 – Separating the Strong from the Weak

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

When it comes to summoners and their Crusades, I was told by Esekia upon our arrival on the island of Vallalava that Cinza had a way of separating the weak from the strong.  Like the element of fire with which he is associated, the Amaranth is very temperamental and hard to tame.  Sometimes his displeasure with a summoner’s attempts to tame him even translates to the volcano the island is known for, which will belch smoke and send tremors through the surrounding jungle and village.  Those summoners who are not secure in their mastery of the art will often find their Crusades ending upon the slopes of Mount Vallalava within the Amaranth’s temple.  Though there are officially no limits to the number of attempts a summoner may make to tame the Amaranth, those who must try twice are looked down upon as weak in faith, and those who must try a third time are regarded as failures even if they succeed, finding their journeys ahead much more difficult as word spreads of their weakness of spirit.

Thus far, there are no records of any summoners of note surpassing the challenge on four or more attempts.

Even the journey to Cinza’s temple is often fraught with danger, for while there is an established path through the jungle, there are wild beasts that can suddenly attack an unwary party, and there are several river crossings that can be flooded or have their bridges washed out, resulting in significant delays.  Very much the contrast to the temple at Ukejama, though certainly fitting given the Amaranth’s temperament.

With these worries firmly in mind, Esekia would nonetheless await his turn, watching as many summoners would struggle and fail to tame Cinza on their first try, losing face amongst their peers as they sequestered themselves within the private chambers of the temple to reaffirm their faith in Phyresis and bolster their will for a second attempt. 

I would spend time practicing my own magic with Zubayr in the jungle near to the temple (there were so many summoners and Stalkers about that there was little need for us to be by Esekia constantly, and it would be several days before he would make his attempt).  During the course of this latest training, I would make use of a staff obtained from a trader in the village, as I would likely not find a runic blade outside of the mainland, perhaps in San Granalle, though since its destruction, that was unlikely.  Still, I hard progressed far enough along that I could successfully hit my targets with focused magic, qualifying as having mastered the basic rank of elemental attack spells.  Zubayr was satisfied with my progress, though he remarked that the strength he sensed within me had increased at a faster pace than normal.  Again, I wondered if this was due to the blessing I had been bestowed. 

#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 #224 – Helica Month #12 – To Become a Tamer

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

The rest of the days we spent upon Ukejama were mostly uneventful, thankfully, though the seas about the island remained more dangerous than a handful of weeks ago thanks to the influence of the Transgressor.  There was not a fishing boat that went out alone and without armaments.

As we awaited our summoner’s chance to prove himself, I formally took Zubayr’s collar and became an apprentice Tamer and began learning the art of bending the elements to my will.  There was no particular ceremony involved, as he simply placed the enchanted leather about my neck, and began my training with the fine art of sensing the raw magical power that I would learn to wield.  This started by depriving me of my sight and other senses as he manipulated those elements around me.  As I was no stranger to long hours of intense focus, I developed this skill within a day. 

Each element has a particular feel to it, as one would expect.  I suppose I would describe them thusly, though the full description would take much longer to describe:  Fire is chaotic and discernably hot, air ephemeral and with a kind of rushing sensation, earth is weighty and course and unyielding, and water is cool with an underlying weightiness that gives you a sensation of being swept away. 

If I struggled at all with this exercise, it was in sensing the fifth element, which I had not previously experienced.  Zubayr told me he was using it, and had me probe with my awakening sixth sense to see if I could sense it.  At first I did not, but then I became aware of the curious presence of this element, this Void that underlay all other elements.  It is a sensation of negativity, I suppose would be one way to describe it, of darkness and nothingness.  This is the most difficult of the elements to master, as it can be used to debilitate enemies, draining their very essence to sap their strength, drain their mana reserves, or to physically crush with the great power of the forces beyond.  Though I could sense this element’s presence, it would yet be some time before he would teach me of it further; for now, being able to realize it was there would be enough.  Once I had learned enough, I would need to claim a stave of my own to help focus my spells, or, preferably, a runic blade as would better augment my existing martial training, combining sword and sorcery.

By the time we would leave Ukejama, I would be able to rapidly sense the invoking of the elements, had begun manipulating them myself with beginner exercises, and Esekia had tamed the Amaranth Makani without incident.  I could only wonder if Makani grew tired of so much sudden attention.  We would depart upon the next stage of the Crusade aboard a vessel filled with other summoners who had passed their first trials, bound for the volcanic island of Vallalava, home of the Amaranth Cinza, though our voyage would not be without its dangers, for the world of Helica possesses dangers other than that of the Transgressor, and for all of our will to work together to stop the Wicked One, the conflicts of personality and ego inherent in the souls of mortals would prove quite troublesome upon this journey.   

#Lore24 – Entry #223 – Helica Month #11 – The Many Amaranths of Helica

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

Once I had managed to set up my lantern, I began clearing the accumulated dust and dirt of a few hundred years from the walls of the chamber.  Beneath them lay carved murals, most still with their brilliant paints still visible, though many had suffered cracks and collapsed sections due to the shifting of the earth around them.  I had no way of knowing for sure, but I got the sense that these were perhaps ancient even in the heyday of Grad Artanais.

The chamber was generally circular in shape but was composed of twenty-four walls set at slight angles to one another to form the angled circle.  The murals themselves were each about three-feet wide and as tall as the chamber itself, about twelve feet, and covered twenty-two of the walls, the last two being reserved for the entrance I had used, and another which was collapsed after a half-dozen feet. 

The first of the murals I examined were of fantastic creatures at once familiar and strange, bearing features of the wildlife of Helica, but grander, more exotic, and possessed of an intelligent countenance.  It was when I laid my eyes upon the foxlike figure of the Amaranth Glacia within an otherworldly snow-covered forest that I realized what these murals were.  Sure enough, as I progressed, I discovered images of the great birdlike Makani amongst the clouds, Cinza the fire dragon in his volcanic realm, and Kayalik the equine Amaranth of earth in a rocky valley.  Then there was Saghirah in her winged feline form, imperious upon her throne, above her temple in a great desert, and Nur-Atahk, the majestic, winged serpent guardian of the holy city of Tyraguard.  And yet, that was the entirety of the Amaranths I recognized, a mere six of the twenty-two! 

What were the names of these other Amaranths, and why were they not revered to this day?  Why were some of them more human in appearance than others?  Were they perhaps no longer living or unable to exist upon Helica?  Had they been destroyed at some time during the past, perhaps during the first battles with the Transgressor?  Had these Amaranths been forgotten to time?  Or had the church tried to hide their existence like they had attempted with Saghirah?  Had they too had representations in the temple complex in Grad Artanais that had been buried and lost?  So many questions flooded through my mind then.  This had to have been what Saghirah had wanted me to learn on Ukejama!

Though I didn’t have names to go along with most, I hastily began sketching the murals to the best of may abilities, making sure to include as much detail as I could manage, especially the symbols and ancient lettering I was not familiar with, for I would surely be using these as a guide for my future research.  There was so much yet to learn, so much that had been lost of Helica’s history that I may never know, but Saghirah willing, with her blessing, maybe I will uncover those lost truths, or at least, the most important of those truths.

#Lore24 – Entry #222 – Helica Month #10 – Upon Ukejama Island

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

Though I have never been to Ukejama Island previously, I was aware through my research that there were ruins from the same age as the holy city of Grad Artanais dotting the jungles of the island, though there was little information on what they may have once contained, to the point that I seriously doubted they had ever been seriously explored. 

We arrived mostly intact from our journey through the demon-infested seas, the frequency of attacks lessening as we got further from San Granalle where the Transgressor first appeared.  So, when we arrived at Ukejama, we found the locals on alert, their fishing fleets staying closer to the island itself, but for the most part, life hadn’t changed in this distant place.  The villagers were hungry for news of what had happened, and their were plenty of others aboard, seeking to have their chance to become full-fledged summoners, who were eager to tell them all of what had occurred. 

Ascending the holy mountain to the temple of the Amaranth Makani was a challenge for Esekia and Zubayr, the first having lived an easy life in the temples of the capitol city Tyraguard, and the second having not been on a serious adventure for some time.  For the Stalker and myself the ascent was enough to get the blood flowing, and paled in comparison to my journeys across the sacred peaks of Temismere. 

As it would turn out, we had little to worry about in terms of guarding our charge during this time, for the many would-be summoners who sought to tame the Amaranth meant that we would have to wait our turn, which gave me a chance to explore the ruins for myself.  Though of the same vintage as the city of Grad Artanais, the ruins hidden within the jungles were of a different civilization, one that was not immediately recognizable, and likely lost, the stone structures mostly overgrown or buried by what I could assume were massive upheavals of the land itself, perhaps during the first coming of the Transgressor when the world had first fallen under its terrible influence.  Unfortunately, I would be unable to immediately find signs of a shrine to Saghirah, for I could find no access beyond perhaps a hundred feet into the structures, so bad was the collapse.

I was about to call my explorations finished when I found a hidden pathway amongst the last of the ruins I could find, the place partially flooded due to its proximity to the sea.  The passage was treacherous to say the least, for I feared a collapse at any moment, but I could not leave it unexplored.  My perseverance was worth it, though, for I came to a mostly intact chamber which contained signs that it had once been related to the Amaranths, perhaps once maintained by the priests and priestesses who once served them.  Here, I would learn much.