The Pursuits of Academic Curiosity by the Becht

Discovery, Scientific

With the reach of their Empire growing, and the added resources of their Culvarkt allies, the Bechtlarite intellectual machine begins to unravel numerous mysteries. While most of these are welcome additions to everyday life and safety, some remain precariously on the edge of moral justification.

Airtam Morenthall moved quickly into the upper echelon of the Bechtlarite intellectual elite upon her return from the Grove of Shah , her stories of what she found there and her encounter with the Somnambuli stirred up the community into a frenzy of curiosity and speculation. She wrote many papers on the subject during this time, and enjoyed tremendous levels of success and popularity, but she never once gave up any information concerning the individuals that traveled with her. The fame she garnered led to a fast track into the faculty and eventually, the position of Headmaster at The University of the Lighted Way where she continued her research into the Somnambulai, eventually uncovering the connections of the prior two utterances and piecing together occurances of each incident as best as could be achieved. Due to her position and having access to not only the libraries of the empire and the Culvarkt , but access to their intelligence networks as well, she was able to track down several more Somnambulai wandering the edge of the Void and eventually, even capture one. The Somnambulist was contained in a hidden laboratory deep within University vaults where she and a select handful of others could study the woman closely. They were fascinated and enthralled by the protections placed upon her, assumedly by the god, Bodi before he vanished. Nothing they did would penetrate it, and the woman seemed, for all intents and purposes, immortal, though Airtam remembered vividly what happened to the woman she herself had encountered, following the delivery of her words.   Some time later, word slipped out about the confinement of the Somnambulist and made its way to Sighnai Oifrei who was enraged by the news, vowing to free the woman and kill the Headmaster for insulting her people and culture so heinously.   The Somnambulist remains in captivity, hidden away to present day, and Signai still has not forgotten the vendetta she holds against Airtam and the University.