Personal Accounts: An Expedition into the Bloodplains Except 1
(Note to the player reader: this article offers opportunities in various parts of the world to explore what Melanagra mentioned. The article emphasizes various parts that are interesting and offer pathways to adventure. Each part can be explored independently, culminating in the most perplexing events that occurred within Amma-Saeth: the origins of creation)
This is the personal recollections of notes gathered from a Mustanir scholar named Melanagra. Her prestige in the Praetorium of the same is held in high regard given her research on the territories that meet between Isfa, Mashangist, and Mustanir. Her geographical accounts and maps are still used for their accuracy. Her curiosity is known to have been growing in the border conflicts between Gamjuit and the tribes of the bloodplain. Specific attention was given to the results of the conflagration. According to scholars, the conflagration is agreed to have been appearance of a "Living Fire" that swept over the armies of both sides before disappearing. The cindering lines in the stone have been used by Gamjuit to denote the boundary of the territory awarded to them in the conflict, including the contested Mej Di'Mej. Several of her personal accounts are provided her. Most troubling are the events leading to her disappearance. The journal was returned to the Praetorium by one Ibb Glidance who was the guide of the company. There are debates about the course of the journey. Primarily centered around venturing inland from Luam Cathwa to Bellifist as opposed to using the river paths from Ussecred. However, it should be noted that while Luam Cathwa is independent, Ussecred and the neighboring territory fall in Gamjuit.
Entry: In an effort to study the conflagration, I have embarked on a journey into the bloodplains with a company of adverturers to search for evidence of a living fire. While oral and written reports indicate the most conclusive facts on the matter, only conjurations of living fire have been achieved. The magewrights within the Tetradic University have been able to create an unsustainable fire elemental through channeling, but these have been noted to degrade over time. This begs the question, "Was the conflagration the result of a master or does a living fire exist?" To this end, I have contracted adventurers to escort me into the bloodplains at various sites to determine the origins of the stories and search for conclusive evidence. It is unclear whether this investigation has been previously been performed, but my findings are that the conflagration is believed to have been a natural event. Given the extent of the damage, it is best to assume that should an event repeat, countless lives could be lost. The first task, journey to Luam Cathwa. The names of my companions are: Weatherby, Levin, Sa'en, Rizane, Keris, Hulh, and Ibb. Ibb, a child of Shuna resembling a lion, is native to the bloodplains and is the primary scout for the group. He has, in diligence, expressed his concern of entering the Lasting Wake. I feel that his cautious nature will ensure our safe travel and miticulousness. Entry: Arriving in Mashangist, I have to say that I was amazed at the rebuilding that has occurred. The coordination of the districts is surprising. I had wanted to visit the vast libraries, but I was refused entry. It appears that entrance into the libraries must be requested from one of several House Lords. Seeing as none of the House Lords were open to having their chiefs receive me, presumably on suspicion of the reason, I resolved to simply see the sights of Mashangist. Several of the monuments stand among the large, two story buildings. Most peculiarly, the streets are lined with lanterns. I've never before conceptualized such devices would ever be necessary as the only times when they would be necessary is during an eclipse or during a storm. As the storms are less severe over Mashangist and eclipses are relatively brief, these serve to ultimately to offer some reassurance. Given the history of Mashangist, one might suggest that the lamps are a reminder of the dark history that resulted in the near annihilation of the entire city. Perhaps the light offers a reminder that no secrets will remain in the shadows and that Mashangist will never face another destruction. Overall, my experience in Mashangist offered a tiresome experience. Though the city itself offers an intriguing aesthetic, the sentiment seems rough. Though there appear to be signs of a reemerging, vibrant culture, I could not embrace the parts of the city that would engage my interest. In fact, I believe that I am being followed. Entry: Arriving at Luam Cathwa, the aromatics present are something unfamiliar to me. Having come from Mustanir, where the food consists of breads and porridge, the great variety of foods is matched only by the diversity of the inhabitents. While Ibb was peculiar in Mustanir, in Luam Cathwa, I imagine that he finds himself as mundane. It is interesting watching the reactions of Hulh, Keris, and Weatherby who behave as though the children of Shuna have conquered the living the world. Though, within reason, the population must be equal between the children of Shuna and the children of Tala. I, myself, am grateful for the exposure of this culture as I expect that the general population will trend more in this direction as we approach the bloodplains. I have visited the Tetradic University and met with Odoacer, the prefect of the establishment, and discussed at length the questions that I have to answer. A demonstration was offered in which Odoacer performed the conjuration of an elemental. While the elemental, in fact, persisted for approximately ten turns of my hourglass, regardless of Odoacer's insistence that the elemental remain, the conjuration faded. Thereafter, the elemental faded. This leads one to wonder whether elementals are inherently unstable. Performing the experiment again within a pit of fire resulted in no change in the duration of the conjuration, but did produce embers that seemed to persist in their duration, even resting on the stonework of the floor before fading. Within the bounds of the experiment, it appears that the conjuration of an elemental is unstable. While Odoacer is greatly interested in my work, it appears that he is obligated to another form of research by one of the oligarchs of Luam Cathwa. I indulged in a exchange of information in which he provided estimates of the movements of the living fire that appeared during the conflagration. He offered our adventurers beds in the dormitory of the university, which we obliged to fill. There is a nearly 600 mile journey to our next stop over rough terrain to Mej Di'Mej. We will be following the river bisecting Luam Cathwa inland until we reach Bellifist. Entry: The path toward Bellifist is proving treacherous. The rocky terrain of the hills resulted in the quick demise of the cart. With a wheel shattered, we continued our journey on foot. After a few miles, this proved to be the most beneficial solution as the terrain only worsed. The steep cliffs required careful maneuvring. I will note that one of the most traumatic experiences of my life occured as we were traversing one of these cliffs. A wyvern, potentially a matriarch, appeared from overhead. In an instant, one of the horses in our company had been stolen away! The horse was less than ten feet from me and just disappeared. The whole incident was mortifying as the claws at the end of the wings gripped the rocks overhead, causing debris to descend upon us. Levin suffered being pummeled and knocked unconscious by the falling rocks. He should recover. I fell backward on my backside, my legs unable to move for some time. Weatherby and the company took up defenses while I was brought up hastily and we pushed onward. When Bellifist came into view, I couldn't have been more relieved. Of course, I knew that there were monstrous creatures in the territory, but this was my first experience. Entry: Bellifist appears to be the epitome of labor. Not a kindly face among them. Rather than high towers, the houses were built down into the ground. To prevent flooding, the houses are built with gutters that pull the water downward. Had I not been surveying the city from a great distance, I might not have noticed that the ground has actually been built up around and over the houses, giving the appearance of having been "sunk". My assumption is that creatures in the sky have resulted in the subterrainean defenses. I wonder if this is why much of the city appears to have a depressed disposition. However, upon further inspection, I don't see any children in the town! After talking with one of the residents that insisted that I pay him for the information, indicated that most of the families of Bellifist ride the river down to Luam Cathwa. The numbers of residents of Bellifist have been dwindling recently due to the increasing hostilities of roving bands of raiders. While Bellifist does not appear to have any wealth, it appears that the raiders have taken sport with the residents. A tragic tale to say the least. The community numbers only around seventy while there is sufficient accommodation for nearly triple that number. We decided to take a couple of days to rest in Bellifist, occupying two of the vacant homes. During this time, there were no incidents. Weatherby and Ibb accompanied several of the hunters to acquire food. It appears that they encountered a scouting party. It is time to leave. Entry: Our quick departure of Bellifist reminded me that we are in an untamed territory with little protections. Ibb has informed me that many of the Bloodplain tribes work together to salvage peace, but often engage in physical conflicts for a resolution. Mej Di'mej lies a great distance away as we are now entering into the edge of the Blighted Veil. Entry: The Blighted Veil makes my skin want to crawl. Every step feels as though I am walking upon the bodies of generations of people who fell at one instant. Each cracking twig wails in my ears as I think I am hallucinating. I see figures moving all about me. They are reaching for me. I feel the roots moving, twisting around me. I'm going to die here. Indecipherable scratches and drawings make up several pages. Entry: I don't know how long it's been. Keris was killed and taken by a beast. Most of the company is nursing wounds. I'm looking back at the last few pages of my journal. I have no recollection of writing these words or drawing these things. I should never want to enter into the Blighted Veil again, but something is pressuring me to return. Ibb doesn't want to go, nor does Weatherby. I think I may steal off in the night to explore. I don't think I will be able to bring my supplies, but I have to know. --End of Journal--
Entry: In an effort to study the conflagration, I have embarked on a journey into the bloodplains with a company of adverturers to search for evidence of a living fire. While oral and written reports indicate the most conclusive facts on the matter, only conjurations of living fire have been achieved. The magewrights within the Tetradic University have been able to create an unsustainable fire elemental through channeling, but these have been noted to degrade over time. This begs the question, "Was the conflagration the result of a master or does a living fire exist?" To this end, I have contracted adventurers to escort me into the bloodplains at various sites to determine the origins of the stories and search for conclusive evidence. It is unclear whether this investigation has been previously been performed, but my findings are that the conflagration is believed to have been a natural event. Given the extent of the damage, it is best to assume that should an event repeat, countless lives could be lost. The first task, journey to Luam Cathwa. The names of my companions are: Weatherby, Levin, Sa'en, Rizane, Keris, Hulh, and Ibb. Ibb, a child of Shuna resembling a lion, is native to the bloodplains and is the primary scout for the group. He has, in diligence, expressed his concern of entering the Lasting Wake. I feel that his cautious nature will ensure our safe travel and miticulousness. Entry: Arriving in Mashangist, I have to say that I was amazed at the rebuilding that has occurred. The coordination of the districts is surprising. I had wanted to visit the vast libraries, but I was refused entry. It appears that entrance into the libraries must be requested from one of several House Lords. Seeing as none of the House Lords were open to having their chiefs receive me, presumably on suspicion of the reason, I resolved to simply see the sights of Mashangist. Several of the monuments stand among the large, two story buildings. Most peculiarly, the streets are lined with lanterns. I've never before conceptualized such devices would ever be necessary as the only times when they would be necessary is during an eclipse or during a storm. As the storms are less severe over Mashangist and eclipses are relatively brief, these serve to ultimately to offer some reassurance. Given the history of Mashangist, one might suggest that the lamps are a reminder of the dark history that resulted in the near annihilation of the entire city. Perhaps the light offers a reminder that no secrets will remain in the shadows and that Mashangist will never face another destruction. Overall, my experience in Mashangist offered a tiresome experience. Though the city itself offers an intriguing aesthetic, the sentiment seems rough. Though there appear to be signs of a reemerging, vibrant culture, I could not embrace the parts of the city that would engage my interest. In fact, I believe that I am being followed. Entry: Arriving at Luam Cathwa, the aromatics present are something unfamiliar to me. Having come from Mustanir, where the food consists of breads and porridge, the great variety of foods is matched only by the diversity of the inhabitents. While Ibb was peculiar in Mustanir, in Luam Cathwa, I imagine that he finds himself as mundane. It is interesting watching the reactions of Hulh, Keris, and Weatherby who behave as though the children of Shuna have conquered the living the world. Though, within reason, the population must be equal between the children of Shuna and the children of Tala. I, myself, am grateful for the exposure of this culture as I expect that the general population will trend more in this direction as we approach the bloodplains. I have visited the Tetradic University and met with Odoacer, the prefect of the establishment, and discussed at length the questions that I have to answer. A demonstration was offered in which Odoacer performed the conjuration of an elemental. While the elemental, in fact, persisted for approximately ten turns of my hourglass, regardless of Odoacer's insistence that the elemental remain, the conjuration faded. Thereafter, the elemental faded. This leads one to wonder whether elementals are inherently unstable. Performing the experiment again within a pit of fire resulted in no change in the duration of the conjuration, but did produce embers that seemed to persist in their duration, even resting on the stonework of the floor before fading. Within the bounds of the experiment, it appears that the conjuration of an elemental is unstable. While Odoacer is greatly interested in my work, it appears that he is obligated to another form of research by one of the oligarchs of Luam Cathwa. I indulged in a exchange of information in which he provided estimates of the movements of the living fire that appeared during the conflagration. He offered our adventurers beds in the dormitory of the university, which we obliged to fill. There is a nearly 600 mile journey to our next stop over rough terrain to Mej Di'Mej. We will be following the river bisecting Luam Cathwa inland until we reach Bellifist. Entry: The path toward Bellifist is proving treacherous. The rocky terrain of the hills resulted in the quick demise of the cart. With a wheel shattered, we continued our journey on foot. After a few miles, this proved to be the most beneficial solution as the terrain only worsed. The steep cliffs required careful maneuvring. I will note that one of the most traumatic experiences of my life occured as we were traversing one of these cliffs. A wyvern, potentially a matriarch, appeared from overhead. In an instant, one of the horses in our company had been stolen away! The horse was less than ten feet from me and just disappeared. The whole incident was mortifying as the claws at the end of the wings gripped the rocks overhead, causing debris to descend upon us. Levin suffered being pummeled and knocked unconscious by the falling rocks. He should recover. I fell backward on my backside, my legs unable to move for some time. Weatherby and the company took up defenses while I was brought up hastily and we pushed onward. When Bellifist came into view, I couldn't have been more relieved. Of course, I knew that there were monstrous creatures in the territory, but this was my first experience. Entry: Bellifist appears to be the epitome of labor. Not a kindly face among them. Rather than high towers, the houses were built down into the ground. To prevent flooding, the houses are built with gutters that pull the water downward. Had I not been surveying the city from a great distance, I might not have noticed that the ground has actually been built up around and over the houses, giving the appearance of having been "sunk". My assumption is that creatures in the sky have resulted in the subterrainean defenses. I wonder if this is why much of the city appears to have a depressed disposition. However, upon further inspection, I don't see any children in the town! After talking with one of the residents that insisted that I pay him for the information, indicated that most of the families of Bellifist ride the river down to Luam Cathwa. The numbers of residents of Bellifist have been dwindling recently due to the increasing hostilities of roving bands of raiders. While Bellifist does not appear to have any wealth, it appears that the raiders have taken sport with the residents. A tragic tale to say the least. The community numbers only around seventy while there is sufficient accommodation for nearly triple that number. We decided to take a couple of days to rest in Bellifist, occupying two of the vacant homes. During this time, there were no incidents. Weatherby and Ibb accompanied several of the hunters to acquire food. It appears that they encountered a scouting party. It is time to leave. Entry: Our quick departure of Bellifist reminded me that we are in an untamed territory with little protections. Ibb has informed me that many of the Bloodplain tribes work together to salvage peace, but often engage in physical conflicts for a resolution. Mej Di'mej lies a great distance away as we are now entering into the edge of the Blighted Veil. Entry: The Blighted Veil makes my skin want to crawl. Every step feels as though I am walking upon the bodies of generations of people who fell at one instant. Each cracking twig wails in my ears as I think I am hallucinating. I see figures moving all about me. They are reaching for me. I feel the roots moving, twisting around me. I'm going to die here. Indecipherable scratches and drawings make up several pages. Entry: I don't know how long it's been. Keris was killed and taken by a beast. Most of the company is nursing wounds. I'm looking back at the last few pages of my journal. I have no recollection of writing these words or drawing these things. I should never want to enter into the Blighted Veil again, but something is pressuring me to return. Ibb doesn't want to go, nor does Weatherby. I think I may steal off in the night to explore. I don't think I will be able to bring my supplies, but I have to know. --End of Journal--
Type
Journal, Scientific
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