Author: Urban Sniper

#Lore24 – Entry #177 – Wild West Month #26 – The Great Valley of Stone Towers Reaching to the Sky

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

South of the Peaks Reaching to the Sky, west of the Plains Which Stretch Forever, several days before you would reach the harsher deserts of the Great Scorpion Flats and the Vast Dry Sea of Salt lies the Great Valley of Stone Towers Reaching to the Sky.  Surrounded by higher mesas, the valley drops sharply from these heights.  Below lies a land that is more hospitable than the other desert areas I have spoken of, with plants and animals and water that are more easily found.  Most striking of this wide, long valley are the Stone Towers Reaching to the Sky, standing as high as the mesas surrounding the valley, but dotted all throughout the valley floor.  It is almost as if they were pushed through the earth by the spirits of earth and accepted by the spirits of the sky.

We sometimes journey to the Great Valley of Stone Towers Reaching to the Sky, for it is one of the sacred meeting places of the Kerra-Kerra, a place where we commune with the Many Spirits of the Broken Cage that Still Imprisons, for days, sometimes weeks.  It is one of the places that we come closer to our Great Mother Saressh, and a place where we lay our venerated dead to rest, hidden amongst the many Stone Towers, where the spirits welcome them into the Great Beyond and home to the Great Mother so that they may be born again.

There are many pathways hidden amongst the Stone Towers Reaching to the Sky that lead to the flat tops, for that is where we perform our communion with the Many Spirits.  These paths may be found by those not of the Kerra-Kerra, but only the brave would venture to such places, for the spirits often do not allow those who do not commune with them to come into these places.  There are other dangers for those who do not venerate the Many Spirits, for the Valley itself is guarded by the mighty Thunderbirds that make their nests atop the Towers, and they do not recognize outsiders as welcome, and they wield the power of thunder and lighting as easily as we wield our bows and spears and guns.  Not even one of the Howling Steel Chariots could survive the attack of a Thunderbird.

#Lore24 – Entry #176 – Wild West Month #25 – The Horses that Go Up in Flames

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

To the east of the Peaks Reaching to the Sky, north of the Plains Which Stretch Forever, and west of the Hills of Coal, there lies a stretch of cursed land where little grows, and few animals live, the very rock of the area painted in the shades of blood where they are not burnt black.  But, unlike so many places, the Burnt Lands are not cursed by the Devil Wardens, but by the spirits themselves.  Here is the land of the Horses that Go Up in Flames.

From the distant hills and mountains that surround this region, in the darkness of night, you can see the Horses that Go Up in Flames from many miles away, for they leave fiery trails stretching behind them.  Most often you will see but one, but on some nights, you may see a half dozen or more running together, not stopping even for the mesas, running up and over them as if they were not there.  For those daring to venture closer, you can see that the horses are spirits of fire, their skeletons visible and the color of charcoal, wreathed in billowing flames.  Their pained, angry cries can be heard before they are seen, but by then, they are likely already upon you, for they move with the speed of a wildfire.

The Horses that Go Up in Flames are a mystery to the Kerra-Kerra and the Horse People.  They do not seem to wish to speak with us as other spirits do, and may not be entirely of the spirits of the elements.  Horses that have strayed from our tribes as they travel around the Burnt Lands sometimes end up there.  Tales speak of these horses running as if possessed by a spirit, not fearful in the least as they drive headlong toward the Horses that Go Up in Flames.  As they approach, they cry in agony as their bodies erupt in flame, and in moments, they join the flaming herd as if they belonged there all along.

It is best to cross the Burnt Lands on the outside, for the Horses that Go Up in Flames do not stray from the area they have claimed, though what it is they may protect or guard we do not know, though in times of great need, you may dare cross through these lands; it is best to do so in the day, for the Horses that Go Up in Flames are less active then.

#Lore24 – Entry #175 – Wild West Month #24 – The Vast Dry Sea of Salt

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

North of the Great Scorpion Flats lies another place our people rarely travel, the Vast Dry Sea of Salt.  There are no giant scorpions and it is not quite as hot, but still deadly for those who do not know how to survive in this unforgiving part of the Bitter Frontier.  The land is mostly flat here, stretching for as far as the eye can see, but not as far as the Plains Which Stretch Forever.  Once, in the times before the Great Uproar, this place was a sea filled with salt water, like that of the great oceans.  Many are the remains of the fish that once were within it and the boats that were once upon it, encrusted with the Salt that Blows Like Sand that can rend flesh from bone in the strong winds that are found there.

Sometimes great storms come to the Vast Dry Sea of Salt, filling it with rainwater for a time, perhaps only hours, before the water vanishes once again, leaving behind the salt.  Water can be found in caves that lie beneath the surface, through cracks in surface, but it is as salty as everything else, not fit for drinking.  The sea can be crossed in a day, but only if one is prepared and has no other choice; it is safer to circle wide to the north or south, where the land is better. 

This place is not without its bad spirits.  There are spirits of the earth that are ill at ease, sometimes leaving openings to vast chasms below hidden by thin layers of salt that one cannot discern from regular ground.  The wind and earth spirits move huge stones while no one is looking, leaving behind miles long trails in the salt, but for what purpose, not even we know.  We think it is a sign of distress, perhaps even of prophecy, but so far, we have not been able to come to terms with these spirits.

Worse, at the center of this sea lies a place of the Devil-Wardens, the White Obelisk, jutting out from a great chasm in the center of the Vast Dry Sea of Salt, the salt glinting in the sunlight like the precious stones those from Beyond the Great Walls value so much.  The White Obelisk can be seen from far away, appearing much closer than it actually is, and is almost like a spine of some great creature jutting from the earth, not unlike the bones of ancient fish that once lived in the sea, with broken ribs jutting from its length.  Some of the brave and foolish have dared to venture close to the White Obelisk, close enough to peer into the darkness of the chasm that surrounds it.  Some did not return, nor were any traces found; others have told of strange sounds from below, lights moving in the darkness that suddenly swarm toward those who cannot escape quickly enough.  Sometimes you can even hear a keening upon the wind even to the edges of the sea, a sound that can make your teeth hurt, though in the times I have heard it in the presence of those not of the Kerra-Kerra, they cannot hear it.  Perhaps the White Obelisk is calling to us?  It is something we contemplate from time to time, but thus far, we have found no reason to brave the dangers there.

#Lore24 – Entry #174 – Wild West Month #23 – The Great Scorpion Flats

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

To the far west and south of the Peaks Reaching to the Sky, beyond the Pass of Shining Stars, likes the Great Scorpion Flats.  This region is not to be traveled lightly, if at all; truly only the desperate or the foolish would venture here, though perhaps the tribe of Demon-Tainted People who call it home would say otherwise?  They do not feel the heat of the great desert like we do, and have learned to survive in this place, for they have embraced the spirit of the Great Scorpion.

With the land hot enough to sear flesh and water found only in places hidden beneath the earth, this land is harsh enough, but the creatures that dwell there are just as deadly.  As it is so named, the Great Scorpion is found here, the smallest of these the size of a fully grown panther, the largest as big as a Howling Steel Chariot.  Their temper is foul, for they always seek fresh meat to sate their hunger.  Some of them are tamed, so to speak, by the Demon-Tainted People who live there, but even they only dwell in places the Great Scorpions do not go, high upon the tops of the many stone spires that rise from the hard-packed sands like gigantic fingers.  Their shell is thick, so much that even a Thundering Weapon will barely get through it, and their poisonous stingers are deadly with but a scratch.

And yet, the People from Beyond the Great Walls still try to venture there, seeking some great treasures they are sure are hidden there.  They know of the Demon-Tainted People who have raided beyond their lands, but they do not understand that is for their survival, not to horde the shiny baubles and stones that are so prized beyond the Great Walls.  I have been told that they wish to find a way through the Peaks Reaching to the Sky for their Howling Steel Chariots, to cross this dangerous place with their Bands of Wood and Steel, perhaps to settle there. 

There are times when I think that all People from Beyond the Great Walls are crazy.

#Lore24 – Entry #173 – Wild West Month #22 – The Bleakwood

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

To the north and to the east of the Peaks Reaching to the Sky lies one of the Places We Do Not Go.  This place we call the Bleakwood, for it is a dangerous and cursed place where those who venture inside never return.  The Bleakwood appears at the base of the Peaks Reaching to the Sky, and while it seems as any other forest at first, the nearer you come, the more unsettled you will feel.  The wood grows darker and more foreboding, and soon you can see that the very trees are not normal, looking to be sickly and dying, filled with disease, and yet they somehow still grow.  The Bleakwood is shrouded by mists beyond its edge, even during the hottest of days.  The animals, what few there are, too are sick and not to be hunted, for their flesh is poisonous.  One should never get closer than the warning totems that we have placed upon the outskirts of this place, for to do so would invite misfortune.

It is not known what truly lies within the Bleakwood, but it is possibly one of the places once held by the Devil-Wardens and may contain their dark spirits that cannot find rest, for one can hear terrible wails coming from the wood, as if a soul is being tortured.  The ancestors speak of the foolhardy who dared to venture inside, and the wailing of these unseen spirits that were drawn to them that finally went silent for a time, once they had consumed their prey.  None who wish to live should ever go near this place.

Yet, now that the People from Beyond the Great Walls come into the Bitter Frontier, they have learned of this place.  The Kerra-Kerra have tried to warn them, but I am told by my Brother-and-Sister Shaman in our Dream Meetings that the warnings have gone unheeded, for the belief that there is great treasures beyond is strong.  More and more the outsiders venture inside, and more and more they fail to return.  The wailing of the dark spirits within grows louder and more numerous, and the fog grows thicker, even spreading beyond the edge of the Bleakwood now.  This is deeply troubling.

#Lore24 – Entry #172 – Wild West Month #21 – The Dead That Do Not Rest

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

Be ever aware of the smell of death, for one cannot ever be certain that what lies dead will stay still upon the Bitter Frontier.  Dark sorcery, perhaps lingering from the times of the Devil-Wardens, can steal the body once the soul has gone, using it as a vessel to consume the living.  Such things are often the work of the Reaper Spirit, for once the soul is consumed, the bodies that remain are but tool for it to use to slay more of the living.  These are the Dead That Do Not Rest.

The Corpses that Walk are the lowest of the Dead That Do Not Rest, shells of the living that still move and have a fierce hunger for fresh flesh.  Without a soul, the body is as a puppet, controlled by this hunger, doing all that it can to sate its unrelenting with fresh meat.  They are not always easy to kill, for a dead body feels no pain, but a well-placed arrow into their heads is best, or crushing or removing the head entirely; fire is also effective, but best used when the Corpses that Walk are many.  The greater threat is their numbers, for they carry a foul sickness with them that will weaken and kill almost anyone who is bitten by them, and those who succumb have their souls consumed by the Reaper Spirit, their bodies turned into its vessels.

There are more fearsome Dead That Do Not Rest, those who have once served the Reaper Spirit perhaps, thinking they could control it, or who have succumb to their own dark sorcery.  These Dead That Do Not Rest, while having no souls, still have a shadow of their former living souls within them that grants them deadly cunning in addition to greater power.  The Corpses With Bloody Claws and Fangs consume flesh like the Corpses that Walk, but still think and attack from ambush, or, in some cases, consume the recently dead as would any scavenger; if there has been a great battle, be ever cautious, for these are likely near.  They are fast and deadly when one is not prepared to face them; holy magic from the Great Mother will work well against them, as will it against all Dead That Do Not Rest, as does fire, or cutting them to pieces through strength of your warrior spirit.

Even more powerful are the Corpses that Drink Living Blood, for they are the most powerful and cunning of the Dead That Do Not Rest, for they are the users of dark sorcery who have willing brought the Reaper Spirit into them.  They can appear as they did in life, hiding their true nature and using their dark sorcery to control the minds and bodies of animals and people alike, luring them close so they may consume the blood that flows within their veins using their hidden fangs.  Those so chosen by the Corpse that Drinks Living Blood can remain as a cow does, a constant supply of blood, until their body finally fails, which is when they too become a Corpse that Drinks Living Blood, albeit weaker.  However, they can live for many, man years if they are smart, so their power will eventually become the same as the one that spawned them.  These are weakest during the day, and should they touch the light of the sun, they will burn.  It is best to try to paralyze them with a wooden stake to their hearts and drag them into the light of day, or use much fire, for their bodies are strong and hard to hurt without holy magic.  Great care must be taken when dealing with these abominations.

#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.

#Lore24 – Entry #169 – Wild West Month #18 – The Towns that Vanish

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

As the People from Beyond the Great Walls spread into the lands of the Bitter Frontier, they bring their towns and buildings with them.  The wisest amongst these build new walls to protect them from the many dangers that roam the land, along with many armed with the Thundering Weapons.  However, even all of these precautions were not enough to save some of these towns.  The Towns that Vanish are many, though most are easily forgotten by the People from Beyond the Great Walls, for they do not understand the dangers of the Bitter Frontier and are blinded by their lust for the treasures they seek.

Sometimes the Bitter Frontier and the Many Spirits upon it simply reclaim the land upon which the town was built.  It is during these Little Uproars that the landscapes which were once familiar change, sometimes overnight, sometimes over the course of several days.  The Little Uproars leave only scattered remains behind, sometimes broken shells of the buildings that once stood there, perhaps a handful of survivors, those fortunate enough to have been away from the towns when the changes occurred, seeing some land that is familiar, thinking they have come home, only to find new land before them, little or no sign of their homes or families remaining.  Some are driven mad by such a thing, for it is hard for the minds of those who cannot comprehend the ways of the Many Spirits to understand what has occurred.

One of the reasons we of the Kerra-Kerra travel is because of these Little Uproars.  Our bonds with the Many Spirits allow us to know that such an event is coming; thus we do not linger too long in one place.

There are Towns that Vanish that are not the work of the Little Uproars.  You will know these, because the buildings of the towns are still there, perhaps even the valuables and perhaps even the animals as well.  Only the people of these towns are gone.  There are several of the Ghost Towns of the Vanished Peoples that dot the Bitter Frontier, and these places we do not go, for even we do not know exactly why such a thing would happen.  To the south, perhaps it is the Goblin People who are the cause, sneaking in at night and stealing the people away, but in other places, there are no such dangers.  Perhaps it is the Reaper Spirit at work, claiming the entire town in its hunger to end all life.  Or perhaps it is something of the Devil-Wardens, their lost dark sorcery at work that steals the people away, perhaps to other long forgotten Cages deep within the earth, or perhaps in realms beyond.

#Lore24 – Entry #168 – Wild West Month #17 – The Wrathful Spirits

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

The Many Spirits are as they are.  They are the world around us:  wild, free, sometimes violent, sometimes deadly, sometimes kind, sometimes helpful.  Some spirits are more often some ways than others.  We learn to listen to these spirits, to honor them as we live our lives.  However, there are some of the Many Spirits who are different.  These are the Wrathful Spirits, and though we honor them, we also do not seek their aid, for to do so brings much pain and suffering, and usually, death.

Hungry is the Spirit of Rage, its fury hot and angry, and it is always seeking a willing vessel to imbue with its dark gifts.  There are tales amongst our people and the others of the Bitter Frontier of those warriors who have become possessed by the Spirit of Rage, and they are to serve as warnings.  The Spirit of Rage consumes all reason in return for the strength, stamina, and resilience it offers in return, making even your closest allies as enemies.  It is a spirit of chaos, seeking only to spill blood and consume flesh.  Never assume you are capable of withstanding its influence should you ever willingly accept it into you, for it cannot be reasoned with, for it consumes such thoughts as fire consumes dry wood.  If your enemies do not slay you, your closest allies surely will, for you will be long gone from the Broken Cage that Still Imprisons when the Spirit of Rage takes you.

Perhaps the youngest of the Wrathful Spirits, the Deadeye Spirit is growing more and more powerful in this age of Thundering Weapons, as it has never been easier to slay a person.  Though not as hungry for blood as the Spirit of Rage, the Deadeye Spirit is still a bringer of death; it simply prefers to savor the death it brings as though savoring the Holy Fire Water.  This spirit joins with those who seek to become the best at slaying with Thundering Weapons, granting them remarkable accuracy that may seem impossible, speed which is beyond what is normal by any of the Many Peoples living upon this world.  It is said by those who have witnessed this spirit that shadow covers the face of the shooter, leaving only a single glowing eye visible, an eye which fills those around it with dread as the slaying starts.

The Reaper Spirit looms over all other Wrathful Spirits, for all eventually must share their bounty of souls with that of the Reaper Spirit.  It is different from the Spirits Which Guide us to the Heavens upon our death, for it is not a guide for the soul; it is a dangerous and powerful force of destruction.  The Reaper Spirit is a bringer of death in all its forms:  violence, plague, natural disasters…anywhere there is great loss of life, the Reaper Spirit is likely to have had influence.  Some once believed that the Reaper Spirit could be called upon to enact revenge against those who wrong you, but far more deaths than you can imagine were the result, for friend and foe alike are forfeit when dealing with the Reaper Spirit.  Were all life to end upon the Broken Care that Still Imprisons and the Reaper Spirit consume every soul of every person and animal here, it still would not be satisfied.