#Lore 24 – Entry #96 – Sci-Fi Month II #5 – ASD Lead Arcanist Primula Tallfoot

 

From the Personal Journal of Kiara Mizutani, Arcane Support Division, assigned UEF-04 Maharani Morgiana

Oh no!  I might be in trouble!  And not the fun kind of trouble, either!

The Maharani Morgiana returned to Aphelion Station last night.  Wow, I wasn’t expecting her to be that big!  She’s a station unto herself!  But that’s not what I have to get off my chest.  I had to report to my division head aboard the ship this morning, and I screwed up!  I got lost and wound up being late for the meeting!  It’s not my fault, though!  I got to talking with some of the work-release convicts who were handling the loading operations (they were in honest to goodness SealTech suits!  Oh my goodness, the tits and bulges!) and got separated from the others who were headed that way and then got all twisted around once I tried to follow the directions I’d been given.  I’ve never been on a ship like that before, how am I supposed to know which bulkhead leads where and which module is connected to that module?!  And the stupid map-app was busted or something, and I just couldn’t find anyone who could give me a coherent answer on where to go!  I’m not military, I don’t know this stuff!

Anyway, to make a bad day worse, when I finally found the right module, I was looking around for some direction on where her office might be and stumbled right into her!  Oh, Saressh, she was so pissed!  It might’ve been because I bumped her, or maybe it was because I didn’t recognize her immediately?  Maybe she’s always this grumpy?  I don’t know!  I mean, I didn’t mean to bump into her like that, but she’s a halfling, so I wasn’t looking down, and I didn’t mean anything by it, but she didn’t even give me a chance to apologize or explain or anything!  She started tearing into me immediately, giving me a dressing down that made me feel smaller than she is! I haven’t had a tongue lashing like that since the early days at the Academy!  (This time at least I didn’t have the cock-cage pinching me…)

Not that she looks that small, though.  I mean, she is wearing like the tallest platform boots I’ve ever seen on a woman her size, they have to push her height to almost four feet, maybe a little more if you count her hair.  She’s got this whole “dark goth-punk chick” thing going.  It’s not my style, but she makes it work I guess?  She looked paler than the ID photo I saw, and she had fewer piercings, so maybe special privileges come with the position?  I saw enchantments on most of them, so I guess she’s just prepared for the worst?

She calmed down after making me feel terrible, but she was still grumpy, and I can tell she doesn’t like me.  She grilled me on my studies, my experience at the Academy as a guy, everything pretty much.  It felt like an interrogation!  But I couldn’t just not tell her, I mean, she’s my boss and all, and I have to do whatever I can to make up for that terrible first impression.  I guess it’s kind of like that first year at the Academy, when I was getting used to the changes and had to be the house maid the whole year.  She asked about that a lot, too, and I think I saw her twitch a little bit of a smile.  Is that good?  Is that bad?  I just don’t know!

After all that she finally went over the details of what she expected of me as part of her division, and what our general duties were going to be on the voyage, handed me some materials to review and get familiar with, showed me around the workshop and to my personal office.  It almost felt normal at that point, but she never lost that scowl on her face.  Once she had dismissed me, one of the ship’s officers came in, and I heard her browbeating him too, so maybe she’s like that to everyone?

I have to report back to her first thing in the morning for some kind of skills test.  I’m just a bundle of nerves right now!  I think I’ll go visit the gardens again, but maybe some ice cream first, though.  Some sweets and a little walk will do me good, I’m sure.  I just hope Director Tallfoot doesn’t treat me like this the whole trip, or this will be an absolutely miserable journey.

#Lore 24 – Entry #95 – Sci-Fi Month II #4 – Robotic Security Drones

 

From the Personal Journal of Kiara Mizutani, Arcane Support Division, assigned UEF-04 Maharani Morgiana

All things considered I think the date went fine.  Nothing serious of course, just a little hook-up to pass the time before heading out, that kind of thing.  Martin was pleasant enough, a bit nervous after I showed up with a crop top, my new fancy shorts, a pair of those super-long slouchy socks I used to wear back at the Academy, and my super-sexy heels.  Apparently I did tell him, and he was totally okay with that, just didn’t think I would show up looking so hot.  He just couldn’t keep his eyes off the shorts.  I think I’ve got a winner with these!  Anyway, after he bought dinner we slipped off to his motel room for a little sexy time.  I think that was his first foot-job.  Pretty sure I blew his mind with that one 😉

I had to take care of some work stuff today, so I didn’t get to explore too much, not until I was given an updated list of items I was expected to have along for the expedition and realized I was missing a few things, so off to the Big Bazaar and the shopping modules for me!  But I wasn’t expecting that security alert at all!  I had my defensive ward up before I realized it!  I guess that’s a good thing, though?  I mean, it seems like a good thing to me, anyway.  I guess there was some criminal or something like that got spotted or tried to rob someone or something, I never could get a straight answer, but I did not expect that kind of security!  Like, robotic drones!

But not the ones I’m used to, like, nothing of the sort!  There were several of the flying camera drones you see everywhere, yeah, but these, I thought they were big guys in heavy armor, but these were robots!  Humanoid robotic drones!  Turns out, I’d seen them before, just standing around here and there when I was exploring, but they never moved, so I thought they were some kind of fancy statues or something for decoration.  Nope!  These things kind of put me in mind of old-style armored knights in a way, like a bit on the bulky side, and with heads that were a bit too squashed to fit a standard humanoid, with some angular antennas on the head and glowing red monoeye scanners.  They even had the shields too, but were using stun batons instead of swords.  They had stun guns, too, and I think some other weapons for restraining targets, but I didn’t get to see them in action.  The group of them just came through the street, scanning all over, and then continued on, followed by some regular meaty security and some technician I think.

I had to kill some time waiting for the module lockdown to end, but once I got back to the office I asked around about them.  Turns out they’re pretty new, still a little experimental even.  I really have to give it to the company head!  Ms. Veylani isn’t the least bit afraid to push the envelope and try new things!  Apparently there was this little startup company who wanted to test these new style drones out here in the Demon Sector since so many places back across the Barrier are against the idea, but once she’d found out about it last year, she totally jumped on the idea!  There are even some experiments going on relating to arcane enhancements and golemcraft, but I couldn’t get much on that; top secret company stuff, so yeah, a newbie like me just isn’t going to have that kind of clearance.

Still, pretty neat!  I wonder if we’ll have any of these onboard the Morgiana for our big trip?  Apparently since VTC partnered with the SealTech people, these things even carry some kind of proprietary restraint tech, too.  Like, some kind of “goop” grenades to immobilize several people at once and some are equipped with guns that shoot bullets made of the same stuff.  I guess they won’t give them actual lethal weaponry.  Not that I’d expect something like that on a station, of course.  I mean, what if one of these things went crazy and started shooting up the place?  There are supposedly precautions in place to stop that kind of thing, but you know…robotics haven’t really developed much for reasons…but I guess that would make sense why they’re looking at ancient golemcraft then, wouldn’t it?

#Lore 24 – Entry #94 – Sci-Fi Month II #3 – Aphelion Station

 

From the Personal Journal of Kiara Mizutani, Arcane Support Division, assigned UEF-04 Maharani Morgiana

Wow!  Just…wow!  I knew heading to the Demon Sector was like, the thing to do these days, but I didn’t think it was this popular.  There were hours-long lines waiting at Perihelion Station just to get registered to take one of those super-huge transports through the Barrier.  Thank Saressh I was already fast-tracked through on a Veylani company ship, or I’d still be there!

But if I thought the lines were bad outside the Barrier, was I ever in for a surprise!  Even though Aphelion Station is bigger than its sister, I think it’s even more crowded!  I guess it’s not called the “Gateway to the Demon Sector” for nothing!  Even the company docking module was packed, people coming and going.  Once I’d checked in, I found that the ship I’ve been assigned to, Maharani Morgiana, was headed to the Valefar system for some tests, so I had some time to explore, seeing as my supervising arcanist was along for the ride.  I wonder what she’s like?  I tried to look up some information on her during the trip here, but didn’t really find much; guess she’s not a very outgoing kind of person?  She did look a little grumpy in her employee ID photo, but everyone has a bad day, I guess! 

Anyway, the station…just…it’s so overwhelming!  There are so many people and races and cultures all mixed together here, like one big bazaar!  Well, I guess that could be a little confusing, considering that there is a module here actually called the “Big Bazaar”, where all the smaller merchants are housed.  I just wanted to take a little stroll through there, but I wound up spending almost the whole day there!  Even Arcavarlon during its new year festival season was nothing like this!  There was so much stuff for sale there, and most of it was found or made in the colonies that have already started up in the Demon Sector.  I got to try actual food from Valefar, real food from the Demon Sector!  It was some kind of big bird or something like that; I didn’t want to ask too many details, but it smelled so tasty!  It was pretty good, but it was really hot, like, spicy hot, but the rattenvolk vendor assured me that was all natural.  Something with the local wildlife, I think he said?  I’ll have to look into it later, maybe.

Other than that, I think I was pretty responsible!  I’m getting a good paycheck and all from the company, but no sense spending all my money just yet, right?  I only bought like a dozen or so little souvenirs, and half of those are jewelry, so memorable and functional!  Those earrings I got really set off my eyes, I think!

This morning I took a trip to the entertainment sector.  Just…wow!  I don’t think this station sleeps at all, especially not in those modules!  There are plenty of fancier restaurants and bars there, gambling and betting parlors, theaters, sports facilities, gosh, just everything!  There were a lot, like, a huge amount of sex clubs there too.  I got a lot of offers to stop in for some playtime and for some serious work, and the looks I kept getting from passersby…if this job with Veylani falls through, I’ve got options, I guess!

There are lots of places to shop, too, selling the kinds of things you can find across the Barrier, like name brands and the latest releases and stuff!  Guess that kinda makes sense, given all the corporate representation here, and the fact that the shops are right off the main passenger offloading areas.  Total tourist trap!  By the way, I just had to get this sexy little pair of pink booty shorts I found in one of the stores there, even if I might’ve spent a little too much on them.  I mean, next payday is just a couple days from now, so I should be fine… Gods, they are so cute! And they fit purrfectly!  Not even a bit pinchy, not even around my tail, and just a bit squeaky, but in a sexy way!  And that pocket for my man-bits has like the most comfortable snugness ever!  I just had to change into them right then and there, and I’ve been wearing them since!  Kind of wish I hadn’t worn a skirt today so I could show them off, actually…but my top wouldn’t match, and I’m trying to be responsible with my spending here!  I’d heard about these SexyTech clothes but hadn’t seen a lot of them around, and these were on sale (still super expensive, though!).  Guess maybe that’s that whole bad reputation thing at work since they’re from the same parent company that makes SealTech?  I mean, if this stuff is good enough for the head of Veylani to wear, then it can’t be that bad, right?  Hmmm…maybe I should look into getting a loan so I can get a full outfit?  The sales clerk did mention financing was available, for any financial bracket, after all… I mean, this stuff is self-cleaning, or it’s supposed to be, and the more expensive versions have color changing and shapeshifting properties, so maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea?  I mean, having a whole wardrobe in one outfit would be super handy!  We are going off into the unknown for a few years, and that means I’d have a lot less laundry to do… But maybe it’d be a bad idea, too?  I am feeling a little horny wearing these shorts, but maybe that’s just those delicious little oysters I had for lunch at work? 

Oh, so, after that, I just had to go visit the gardens.  As expected of a place managed by the Greenwhiskers, they were beautiful!  Like, so peaceful and calm, and located at the uppermost level, so mostly above the hundreds of ships and the bulk of the station.  Somehow the Barrier from this side seems a bit less threatening, maybe a little calmer, even.  Pretty neat!  And not very crowded, so that’s a good thing! 

Gosh, look at the time!  I have to get going; I’ve got a date tonight!  Did I mention I met this really cute human guy fresh out of the Barrier today?  Well, I did, and since we’re both new here and we kind of hit it off, I figured what the heck, why not give it a shot, even if it’s just a quick little hookup?  He’s outbound on a cargo transport in a couple days, I think he said, but I can’t remember where he said he was going.  He might not know I’m a guy, though…I don’t think I mentioned it?  Maybe I did?  I might’ve been thinking with my other head at the time; I’m still feeling pretty horny, and I’m really feeling the tightness of the bulge in these shorts right now… Oh well, it’s a chance at a free meal, so I’ll take it!

 

#Lore 24 – Entry #93 – Sci-Fi Month II #2 – UEF-04 – Maharani Morgiana

 

From the Personal Logs of Captain Durgen Silvercask, translated from Dwarven Script:

For all the ridiculous things those idiot engineers have done to this ship, at least they weren’t daft enough to rename her.  This mission has enough bad luck piled onto it already, we didn’t need that to deal with too. 

In spite of all the issues I have with Veylani’s current leadership (who in their right mind wouldn’t have problems with a child running a megacorporation?  I don’t care if she’s an adult by human standards, she needs a good forty or fifty years of experience before tackling something like that!), I will have to admit that Veylani has certainly proven that their modular design philosophy actually works, at least as far as this refit is concerned, anyway. 

The Morgiana herself has a respectable enough service record, having served well in her role as a carrier for over a century, and has flown under three separate flags in her time, only suffering fairly minor damage in her various engagements, the worst being from a fighter that crashed into one of her launch bays and took another half dozen fighters with it, but the main structure of the ship itself wasn’t harmed.  It seems that her list of mostly human commanders hasn’t abused her, though I suspect that’s more due to proper maintenance, and that’s been mostly dwarf and rattenvolk teams.  Since all eyes are on the Demon Sector these days, and nobody has decided to start up another conflict just yet, she was selected to be designated as UEF-04, fourth in the line to lead an expeditionary force into the unknown.

She was already a formidable carrier at a thousand meters, but now she’s become something else entirely.  “Super-carrier” doesn’t seem to do her justice.  Those Releana-class ships that ferry people and their vessels across the Barrier are super-carriers (figures that little twat running the company would name the first new class of ships after herself); these UEF motherships aren’t even space stations, more like mobile space colonies!  She’s been expanded to a mind-boggling 7500 meters and loaded with habitation, research, cargo, manufacturing, garden, docking, and power generation modules.  I might as well have taken a boulder straight to the head when I first laid eyes upon her; I thought she was just another part of Aphelion Station.  And that engine block! Gods, I can barely fathom how much power is in there, and just how large a TK-drive it takes to propel her into hyperspace! 

I’m not certain they’ve even fully calculated her maximum carrying capacity yet, and here we are in her final shakedown before she’s loaded up and sent off into the unknown.  She’s currently packing a hundred starfighters and probably as many troop transports.  Hells, she’s even been fitted with an outer docking frame that will let her support ships connect up with her and travel through hyperspace as one large unit.  This seems ludicrous to me, but somehow it’s working; I’m looking out at the Wyvern’s Fang from my cabin window right now, and there are four other battleships just like her around the superstructure, and we’re maintaining a constant velocity through hyperspace on the way to the Valefor system.

I have my reservations about this mission, as I’ve mentioned before, and as far as I’m concerned, the Morgiana, while at her core is a time-tested vessel, her new incarnation is unproven and dangerous.  As I look at the internal sensor readouts, I’m seeing everything within expected ranges, but she’s not had enough time to grow into her new form.  Who knows when some poorly connected module is going to break loose, or when one of these skyscraper-sized engines is going to develop a fatal flaw and explode?  There should be months if not years of further testing on her before she’s ready to face what might be waiting out there in the Marchosias system. 

And yet, here I am, already resolved to see her into the unknown, untested, and highly experimental, with thousands of lives riding on my decisions.  Somehow, though, even with all the personnel issues and this unproven vessel, I have to admit that I am…excited to go out there, into the void.  This will be the greatest challenge I’ve ever faced, and for all I know, I’ll never see home again.  I won’t say I can feel something calling me, but it’s almost like that, that sense of knowing something is out there that will make all this worth it in the end.

Gods, I’m a damned a fool!  May the Greatfather watch over me!

 

#Lore24 – Entry #92 – Sci-Fi Month II #1 – United Expeditionary Force

 

From the Personal Logs of Captain Durgen Silvercask, translated from Dwarven Script:

What in the hells am I doing here?  I must be insane to even consider this command.  And yet I am here, in my cabin aboard the Maharani Morgiana, overseeing the final shakedown after she was refit for this fool endeavor, spearheaded by a human woman who is barely out of diapers, no less!  You’ve lost your damn mind is what’s happened, Durgen; you didn’t used to take risks like this when you were younger.

Where do I even start with this mess?  I suppose I’ll save my thoughts on my ship for later… A tangle of corporate interests at the top of this “United Expeditionary Force” should have been my first hint to go find a hole and dig deep, but A3’s always been there for me, so I couldn’t exactly tell them to fuck off, could I?  At least DSM isn’t involved in this, but I’d be an even bigger fool not to suspect trouble from that lot sooner or later, given who is in charge of them.  My first officer on this deployment, Ryllae Lunari, may not have any official ties to DSM, but she’s an elf nonetheless, and what she does have are ties to some of the Great Houses, so that’s just as bad.  Her record’s good, but that doesn’t mean a damn thing to me; if she can prove herself capable and loyal, then I’ll change my opinion, but I might as well move a mountain by myself.

Then there’s the absolutely daft decision on the rest of the personnel involved with this expedition.  I can smell the corpo stink all over most of these choices, even all the way out here in the Demon Sector.  Too many races, too many groups, all shoved together in the name of “discovery and exploration”.  This is a gods-damned powder keg waiting to explode.  I’ll be the first to admit my prejudices, and I’ll tell them to their faces, but I’ve been around long enough to know this foolishness can only end badly.  Small groups on short deployments are generally fine, but this is meant to be a years-long mission, and some idiot has put elves in the same units with aerians, dwarves with kobolds and orcs, elves with kerryns, and a whole mess of other cockups. 

Then there’s the religious lot they’ve brought in.  As if having Erisayan and Yurisayan clergy together wasn’t potentially bad enough, all the major religions have some form of representation here, and a lot of the lesser ones, too.  That’s just asking for problems; there will be blood spilled over this decision, I have no doubts about it.  Give it time; there’s going to be friction, and it only takes so long before sparks fly; the canary’s already dead, and nobody noticed.  Well, I did, but it’s not like I can do anything about it just yet.  I’m sure there are other level-headed sorts aboard that might listen to reason.

This isn’t going to be a quick journey, either.  It’ll be weeks before we’re into the Marchosias system, assuming we don’t run into any problems or hostile situations.  To think we’re relying on navigational data from a bunch of wildcat explorers looking for treasures… we bare have any idea what space is like on this side of the Demon Barrier, and we’re already diving headlong into it!  Guess that’s what you get when you have an emotional human girl in charge of things.  Have to give her credit for standing up to that witch at the top of DSM, but she needs to be reined in before she gets thousands of people killed.  But, with this many people coming in from all over known space, they’re going to do exactly what people do when cooped up in small spaces for long periods, especially with the Love and Lust delegation aboard, and that means children and other unplanned complications. 

I might not be quite so concerned about this were this strictly a military operation…maybe…but we’re only responsible for keeping the Morgiana and its support ships running and seeing that the expeditionary teams are protected from whatever dangers are lurking out there.  I can deal with outside threats if there are any; it’s the threats from the inside, the ones I know about and especially the ones I don’t, that worry me.  Half the scientists enrolled here have barely set foot outside their offices in years, to say nothing of the scholars coming along, and the lot of them are now expecting to travel into the vast unknown.  They probably think this is going to be some kind of pleasure cruise, that they’re aboard some kind of damned floating hotel! 

It all boils down to this mess of an operation being rushed.  It’s barely been two years since they found a way through the Barrier.  We should be moving a lot slower than this, but all the higher ups see are profits.  Can’t deny that I understand the feeling; the untapped resources out there are enormous, I’m certain, but running off like this can only lead to bad things.  Why are we even going so far as Marchosias anyway?  There are dozens, maybe hundreds of other systems between here and there that we should be starting with, and those could take decades, centuries perhaps, to even partially explore!  Is it just because it’s one of the closer of the original seventy-two discovered stars?  I hope there’s more to it than that.

Anyway, I’ve already started making changes in my command structure and will implement them once we’re out from beneath the combined corporate eyes here and will send recommendations to other divisions within this expeditionary force as soon as we’re outbound and away from Aphelion Station for them to do the same; it won’t be ideal, but maybe I can severe the fuse before this powder keg goes nuclear.

 

#Lore24 – Entry #91 – Fantasy Month #31 – Draconic Disappearances

 

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos:

Finally, we return to a proper topic!  And no sign of any Yurisayan priestesses anywhere!  Yet.  I’m still on guard, and shall be for another several days, I’m sure.

Dragons.  They are an everyday sight in some form or fashion, for they are the primary symbol of the Empire. The very arcane magics wielded by arcanists across the face of Andyllion are based upon their legendary spellcraft, and the very language of the arcane is Draconic, or, to those who are capable, even High Draconic.  Supposedly the kobolds are descended from the dragons, and some even still possess a version of their legendary breath.

And yet, true dragons have not been seen upon the world since before the Great Cataclysm.  Many who haven’t educated themselves in the matter assume they were wiped out during the Cataclysm, but in fact they were gone for a substantial period of time before then, perhaps for hundreds if not thousands of years.  There are lesser descendants of dragons in the form of drakes, but these are essentially wild animals in comparison to a true dragon, possessed of a fraction of the intelligence, none of the arcane ability, and the largest of them only reaching the size of a young adult dragon at best.

It would be safe to assume that the ancient dragons perhaps were aware of the coming apocalypse, given the timing of their vanishing.  Records and tales indicate that they were quite long-lived, filled with knowledge that we of this time cannot begin to fathom.  Certain historical records do exist indicating that when dragons once ruled the world, there existed alongside them great technological wonders that have simply been impossible to replicate. 

The question remains, however:  what happened to the dragons?  Given my study of the subject, I lean towards either of two theories being the most likely explanation.

The first theory is that the dragons simply left Andyllion, known as the Great Draconic Migration theory.  Records indicate that dragons were often revered or feared by the lesser races while they were here, sometimes worshipped as gods themselves, and were often responsible for ruling over many of the greatest civilizations, as the number of draconic ruins we have discovered may well indicate.  In the history as told by the civilized kobold peoples, who once served dragonkind as loyal retainers, there came a time in which their true-dragon masters began withdrawing from the world, relinquishing their leadership roles and pulling themselves away from the lesser races.  This was the case for the goodly dragons, at least; those of an evil nature were more likely to remain to plunder the remaining holdings of their now-departed enemies, ruling as tyrants and hoarding wealth, until their inevitable destruction.  Regardless, there are tales that have been passed down within kobold society in which they worked tirelessly for centuries, gathering up the wealth of their masters and relocating it into the great cities that were supposedly built for dragonkind.  Once these dragons had enclosed themselves within their fortified cities and withdrawn from the events of the world, there is little in the way of record as to what happened.

What there is, however, are many ruins that have been studied in past centuries which indicate the distinct possibility that the dragons had constructed some form of great arcane portals, which they used to travel to worlds or planes unknown.  Though long destroyed and dormant, these portals are, as recorded in various records, massive in size, easily able to accommodate the largest of dragons.  The information pieced together from various ruins have been used by modern-day arcanists to create the typical teleportation circles and short-range translocation spells currently in use, in fact, and though it is kept under the strictest of secrecy, supposedly the Emperor himself possesses a working example of one of these portals, which could allow him to travel to any part of the Empire, likely why there is a push for frequent expansion.  The Dragon Isles themselves, long sought after by treasure hunters, is rumored to contain the last of the great dragon cities, and perhaps it too holds one of these portals, maybe even still intact and working.  One can certainly dream.  Could it be that the draconic portals of ancient times were able to reach even further, to the very stars themselves?  Or into realms beyond, the elemental planes, the realms of the gods, the hellish abyss the demons call home, or perhaps worlds we cannot begin to imagine?  Perhaps.

The second theory to explain their vanishing is more esoteric, but nonetheless compelling.  What if the dragons never truly left us?  What if they are still here, walking amongst the lesser races, completely unaware of their true nature?  What if the dragons decided that they needed to change their very nature, to perhaps enter a period of dormancy for whatever reason that only they would know, and their essences, their draconic souls, were refined, changed, and diffused throughout the world and into the lesser races?   Could this perhaps explain the prevalence of draconic imagery and their remaining presence in our imagination even though thousands of years have passed since they vanished?

This is the Soul Transference theory, which posits that the dragons, foreseeing the coming apocalypse as an event they simply could not survive in their natural state (though one would be hard-pressed to imagine something as powerful as a dragon being unable to withstand what many lesser races managed to survive), and collectively worked to change the very essence of their souls.  Per the theory, dragonkind as a whole, or mostly so, for there are those records of evil dragons tormenting the lesser races for some many years following the draconic withdraw, somehow forced a rapid and unprecedented evolution into beings of pure energy, which was then spread across the planet and infused into the many lesser races. 

Though initially one may scoff at the theory, one must pause to consider the very nature of the dragons.  These beings were far more complex than simply massive reptilian creatures.  Their essence was closely tied to the very fabric of the magic that fills our world, as evidenced by their mastery over all forms of magic as we understand it; they did not perceive magic as we do, into distinctly separate types (arcane, divine, and natural), rather simply as the foundational essence of the world to be manipulated as they required, thus enabling them to use any form of magic as easily as another.  Perhaps it is our nature as “lesser beings” that we cannot fathom how this is possible, thus requiring us to separate our magics into distinct types, unable to make use of more than single form?  Their entire bodies, then, were filled with this magical essence, draconic life-essence, vitae draconis, if you will, which may explain how such incredibly large creatures were capable of flight and moving their massive bulk around at all, and without consuming a city’s worth of food daily.  What if the Great Cataclysm would taint the very essence of magic that sustained them, and would have essentially acted as a poison that would have doomed them to oblivion?

Thus, to retain their presence within the world, they conceived of Soul Transference, transforming themselves into the beings of pure magical energy that would merge into the lesser races.  This could explain why certain individuals are gifted with either a greater understanding of the arcane arts than others, why they are capable of learning what is known of High Draconic, or those who are possessed of a natural ability with magic that requires honing one’s instincts instead of long hours of study.  This could also explain why these naturally talented sorcerers eventually begin to develop some draconic features (scales appearing on their skin, claws and horns and the like).  This could likewise explain why some kobolds are much larger than others, and why these individuals have a more strongly draconic countenance and often exhibit greater control and power of their breaths, and their own efforts to reproduce children that possess these traits typically fail; perhaps there are only so many dragon souls to go around?

Though typically not associated with the theory, I hypothesize that certain individuals who have recorded frequent dreams of dragons in some form or another, may actually be reliving past-life experiences and memories of ancient times when they were once what we know as true dragons.  Perhaps this would also explain why some are so driven to explore the ancient past, and seemingly have the uncanny ability to locate lost relics with a “gut instinct”; dragons were known to acquire vast amounts of treasures, after all, and could supposedly know if a single coin was missing from their hoards, indicating some kind of link with objects of great wealth. 

Again, I could continue for some time discussing the intricacies of these theories, but I have duties I must attend, and I would not want to be late, lest Mother decide to step back into the gutter for her choice of tomorrow’s topic.  Perhaps I shall return to it later on; it is certainly one of the topics of which I most enjoy a spirited discussion.

 

#Lore24 – Entry #90 – Fantasy Month #30 – Yurisayan Religious Practices

 

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos:

I cannot say with absolute certainty, but I am convinced there are only two possibilities given Mother’s recent choice of topics.  Either she is going through an extended phase of infatuation with topics that are deeply erotic or could be considered very nearly so, or we are due to receive a delegation from the Yurisayan church at some point during the near future, and they will be practicing some of their rituals at the Great Library, with me as the volunteer.  Of course, a couple of weeks of topics is hardly a blink in the eye of someone Felaria’s age, but for myself, it seems quite long indeed.

Regardless I shall approach today’s choice as I always have.  Though often seen as quite secretive, Yurisaya’s faithful are perhaps the most open of the major religions, requiring the curious to simply inquire within their shrines and temples and to be willing to explore their own limits.  Rumors abound of forced inductions into the clergy, of painful rituals and years of physical torments, but I have yet to find concrete evidence of such things.  Likely such rumors are started by those who simply do not understand Yurisaya’s ways, and are fearful of the darker, carnal nature of her domain, especially when compared to the far gentler nature of her sister Erisaya.  Or, just as likely, they are confusing the actions of various cults with that of the Yurisayan clergy, for there have been many, many cases of evil cults practicing similar rituals against the will of captured victims.

The topic itself is broad, so I shall have to focus upon the details of such religious practices that I am most familiar with, having spoken to directly to several priests and priestesses personally, as well as some who tried to join up only to find that their faith was not as strong as they had first thought.  Firstly, as Yurisaya is the darker of the Lovely Sisters, her clergy tends to wear black as their primary color, though additional favored colors include purples and reds, and they tend toward more revealing attire, either tightly fitting, diaphanous, or both, with certain more extreme exceptions in the case of their newest acolytes and most dedicated clergy.

Specifically, I am referring to their insistence upon strict chastity, enforced by custom-fitted metal and leather chastity gear, for both males and females.  Any who are inducted into the church officially must undergo a period of enforced chastity and denial, with their training specifically meant to enhance the desires they cannot act upon.  “Teasing and edging are commonplace…constant and unrelenting, for one must be at the peak of desire and desirability while being absolutely and utterly denied to truly find the goddess’s favor,” as I have been told.  Either one will presumably be driven mad, or, in due course, they will find their faith solidified and be inducted fully into the clergy as proper priests and priestesses.  At this point, during their ordination, the gear is removed and they are finally allowed to experience a long-awaited release.  Orgies are not uncommon during such events, I’m told.  Later in one’s life as a devoted of Yurisaya, they may then seek to further enhance their dedication by undergoing greater tests, once again donning their sacred chastity gear and entering into a period of intense desires and denials, perhaps lasting through the rest of their lives, though I am told they find fulfillment through other means than simple intercourse.

And I suppose that will be an excellent segway into the more extreme and oft-considered ‘darker” of Yurisaya’s practices, those focusing on heavy bondage, strict discipline, and harsh punishments.  Keeping in mind that the faithful do all this to themselves, often quite gleefully, and that only in specific circumstances such things are visited upon those not of the faith.  Most, if not all, of Yurisaya’s rituals and common practices involve some form of bondage; the aforementioned chastity gear is locked on, of course, and the acolytes are usually made to wear some form of bondage during their daily tasks, to heighten their struggles in performing their daily tasks, add to their frustrations, and improve their focus.  The larger rituals and ceremonies tend to involve various members of the clergy in various states of restraint, or, during the public celebrations, of those of the attendees who volunteer to take part. 

Much of Yurisaya’s perceived “vileness”, as it is described by some, comes from the higher level rituals which delve into the extremely painful, basically torture, that they inflict upon themselves.  And yes, it is torture, every bit as extreme as what any Imperial torturer would inflict upon a captured enemy, though performed with absolute consent and willingness of the “victim”.  The goddess’s grace will either see those who successfully complete such rituals healed completely once finished, or possessing scars that are seen as marks of honor left by the goddess herself; even the most heavily scarred of Yurisaya’s faithful are still considered to be quite beautiful by most, their scars usually forming something akin to divinely inspired art upon their bodies.

Of course, the Yurisayan clergy do have something of a deserved reputation that instills fear into the common man, as since the Empire has grown, the clergy have been entwined with it, as have other deities, of course, but usually in a less glorious light than the faithful would perhaps like to admit.  The Emperor has historically been quite fond of the Yurisayan torture methods, and has made it a requirement to have his most talented inquisitors and torturers to spend time training with the Yurisayans, if not outright employing members of the clergy into these positions.  Individuals who employ their pain-giving arts in such ways are known as Confessors and are typically described as having the most kind and caring personalities one could imagine, which is retained during even the darkest of interrogations.  Some accounts have stated that “they’ll make you scream for days, but whether that’s pain, pleasure, or some strange mix of both, who can really say?”  It is results that the Emperor desires, and the Yurisayans are more than capable of getting those results.

I feel as though I could go on for pages about Yurisaya’s practices, but my daily duties must be tended.  As much as I’m sure Mother would enjoy testing my knowledge further, there simply aren’t enough hours in the day.

 

#Lore24 – Entry #89 – Fantasy Month #29 – Cult of the Unified Sisterhood

 

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos:

Apparently a rapidly growing movement, the Cult of the Unified Sisterhood, as it is known, seeks to unify the churches of Erisaya and Yurisaya, or at least, to promote the worship of both goddesses equally and simultaneously, rather than favoring one over the other.

Historically speaking, the goddesses and their associated worshippers have always been allied, but distinctly separate, groups.  The holy symbols associated with the goddesses of course reflect this, each one half of the same mask, the white half with the rose attributed to Erisaya, and the black half with the rose’s thorns to her sister Yurisaya.  Their practices are very similar to one another in general, though each has their own private rituals that are much more specialized and more closely linked to their specific beliefs. 

Each of the sisters emphasizes different aspects of love and passion in their beliefs and practices, Erisaya focusing more on innocent, pure love, while Yurisaya favors the more darkly erotic and carnal love.  It is this distinction between the goddesses primarily that separates them and their worshipers, and their churches have evolved in separate but often parallel ways because of it.

The Cult of the Unified Sisterhood seeks to reconcile these differences and merge the practices of both goddesses together into a singular church, supposedly with the intention to worship each goddess equally and simultaneously.  Speaking from an outside perspective, this seems logical and perhaps even natural, but thinking more deeply upon the goals of the cult, and having spoken to followers of each goddess regarding them, I can very much understand their concerns.  Is not worshipping each goddess equally and together simply trying to combine the two into a singular being?  Is this cult seeking to undermine the very foundations of each of the churches to form a new one, and while promoting equality of worship, ultimately diminishing the essence of each goddess?  Are their goals, rather than good natured, actually subversive and dangerous?  Worship of multiple deities is not uncommon, of course, but the individual usually picks one with whom their beliefs are most closely aligned as their true patron; what does worshipping both goddesses at once say about that?  What are the implications in the afterlife, when one must go to the realm of their god for their rewards?  Will they be welcomed by both, shunned by both, fought over, or will their very souls be torn in twain? 

Truly one, when taking time to think over the nature of religion and a cult of this nature, can begin to understand the reason the faithful of both Erisaya or Yurisaya approach the Cult of the Unified Sisterhood with some amount of concern and in some cases, outright hostility.  Any organized religion is built upon its faith, and to disturb the foundations of it can certainly have far-reaching consequences.  Is it possible that the two faiths will begin fighting one another over this cult?  Who can say for certain?

There are rumors of efforts to create a unified temple in the great city of Arcavarlon across the great Brineda Ocean, so the cult is not unique to the lands of the Empire, either.  Perhaps this is a schism that has been developing for some time and is just now gaining the prominence required for the average person to notice.  Or perhaps it would be more accurate to compare this situation to a volcano?  The pressure is building, there are ever increasing rumblings, but currently we cannot know if there will be a violent explosion or if it will simply calm down and go dormant once again.

#Lore24 – Entry #88 – Fantasy Month #28 – Kerryn Courier and Transport Services

 

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos:

Truly something that could only exist within Draconis Magna and its immediate surroundings, and no doubt a sign of the decadence of the capital, for surely the merchants would have to be insane to attempt to implement these services elsewhere within the Empire.  Not the worst treatment of kerryn slaves that I have unfortunately heard of, but one can only imagine how it must feel to be in their position, essentially taking on the combined role of horses and messengers found in less decadent locations.

There are several of these services within the capital as I understand it, and many of the nobility retain their own kerryn slaves thusly trained for personal correspondence; even the Senate and lesser government offices makes use of kerryn couriers; tales abound of the streets being absolutely flooded with running kerryn messengers during emergency situations, especially during times of war.  It does make sense to some extent, however, for many of the streets within the capital are narrow and maze-like, especially in the older parts of the city, so those able to swiftly navigate an area like the Tangles would be highly prized.

I suppose I should stop beating around the bush and get to the specifics; no doubt that is what Mother is more interested in anyway.  The typical kerryn courier is bedecked in specialized slave gear (previously referenced in my discussion of the “Slave Scholar” expedition) to enhance their long-range endurance and carrying capacity, and trained specifically for either speed and maneuverability, or for strength, endurance, and teamwork.  They are treated very much like prized horses in this regard and trained according to some of the very same principles used by master horse trainers; even their specialized gear is fashioned after that of horses.  They typically wear some form of enchanted pack harnesses, longstrider hoof boots, and feeder bit gags, and their collars are able to track their location using the same magics that are found in the master/slave rings, with the same reward/punishment capabilities.  Gear coloration and accessories (bells, piercings, and the like) are used to differentiate kerryns by their agency, and likewise serve as advertisement for the services.  What could be more desirable, after all, than a well-trained kerryn slave who has the single-minded purpose of obeying their master and performing their task with utmost efficiency?  Or so goes the most common opinion on their appearance.  Either way, those running these services pride themselves in their efficiency and loyalty of their slaves, and compete fiercely to be the best of the best; they even organize races and tournaments with their kerryn slaves throughout the year for bragging rights.

The ”sprinter” couriers are generally meant for delivering messages and small packages rapidly, their harnesses equipped with smaller pockets and pouches clearly designated with the recipient’s name so there will be no confusion as to what item is meant for who.  The “heavy hauler” couriers are responsible for moving larger loads throughout the city, and generally work in teams of two or more while attached to carts and wagons; some are even used to carry people through the city as a standard carriage service would.

Not having to pay the rider or driver is certainly advantageous for those running these operations, for the kerryns are able to follow instructions to the letter and know the routes within the city like nobody else, for it is their purpose to be as quick as possible in their deliveries.  Their training, as mentioned earlier, focuses them entirely upon their intended tasks, meaning that they have little in the way of extraneous thoughts to distract them from their goal.  They are at peak physical condition as well, with the sprinters being possessed of lithe and well-toned bodies, and the haulers having muscles that could be the envy of most orcish warriors.  Though rarely involved in fighting, it is not entirely unheard of that these couriers become targets of thieves or the unwary horny traveler, they are capable of defending themselves much like any normal horse would, the haulers especially have something of a reputation for their powerful kicks and stomps when thusly provoked.

 

#Lore24 – Entry #87 – Fantasy Month #27 – Cult of the Mantis Queen

 

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos:

I’ll admit that my knowledge of the inner workings of dark elf society is very surface-level, so I may be missing some of the particulars of the history of this particular cult.  If needed, I’m sure Felaria will gladly provide any corrections and additional context should I inquire with her about it further. 

As I understand it, the dark elves, before the Great Cataclysm, were a strictly matriarchal society who worshiped a particular insectile goddess known as the Mantis Queen; her true name I do not know, and perhaps its erasure from history was intentional.  Their society was already in crisis before the rest of the world had devolved into the chaos surrounding the Great Cataclysm.  They were suffering poor relations with other races sharing their underground realm and a severe population growth crisis.  At the time, the female leadership of the dark elves were all following the decrees of this Mantis Queen, leading them to becoming fixated upon their own superiority, even in the face of blatantly contradictory facts, rather delusionally so, and further were carelessly sending their men off to fight and die in one pointless battle after another, if not sacrificing them to the Mantis Queen to further their own power. 

When the Great Cataclysm was triggered, like many races, the dark elves were forced from their traditional homelands.  The matriarchal leadership, at the behest of the Mantis Queen, decreed that they would stay put, regardless of the growing dangers and outright hostile conditions they now faced, convinced that their power would see them safely through and with even greater power waiting on the other side of a difficult period.  Having had enough of their delusions, the long-suffering males revolted against their women and the Mantis Queen’s tyranny, overcoming their female rulers and severing all ties with the terrible goddess.  With their women essentially enslaved at this time, the men quickly gathered up what they could of their homeland and escaped the underground, eventually finding their way to the surface realms where they would begin rebuilding their society anew.

In the many centuries since, dark elf society has become very much patriarchal with strict customs their women must follow, though curiously a majority of them tend to the worship of Yurisaya; I am likewise not as well versed in the nature of this relationship between dark elf and goddess as I should be, but thus far, it seems that the relationship has worked in a mutually beneficial way for all involved. 

The Cult of the Mantis Queen, however, is a more recent development and has evolved following the spread of dark elven women outside of their (new) traditional homelands as they have mingled with other races and cultures.  To the best of my knowledge, having spoken to no members of the cult nor any who claim firsthand knowledge of them, the Cult of the Mantis Queen seeks to bring back the old ways and the true name of this forgotten goddess, seeking an exclusively female-dominated society, dark elven or otherwise, that has absolute control over its “lesser” male members.  I cannot say with certainty that the cult was created by dark elven women, but it would stand to reason that only the eldest survivors of the dark elves who remember the days before the Great Cataclysm would still hold such knowledge, even if the true name of the Goddess has been forgotten.  They are hardly squeamish about honoring the ancient rites involving sacrifice, reportedly performing rituals in which males have their heads removed at the height of sexual intercourse.

For now, the Cult remains relatively small and with little real influence, but perhaps that will change given enough time?  Will they sacrifice the wrong person and bring the wrath of a true church upon them, or will they find a way to bring themselves to the power they so crave?  Or will the cult ultimately fade away into obscurity?  As with all things, time will tell.