I woke up in a cage, undead below. My wand had been taken - kept nearby in a box. I think I spent...days, if not weeks in there. We would get taken out to exercise, taken back in. The undead begged us to join them, claimed they hungered.
I tried to meditate and ended up throwing up on the undeadnote: irrelevant
I'm unsure how I got out - there was an attack, and then we were all escaping. I got my wand back - still Bellatrix's wand.
I think by the time I joined the others in Taravast, the travelling group had already been there a while. I was given a forged identity to work with - modiste. I still have that chastity belt in my bag.
Oh! Yes, importantly: I found a bag fit for purpose, and repeated the Extendable charms from last year. Happy to report that they work here as well, although at this point I should start keeping an inventory of all I've stored in it.
BONACCORSO - Doxe of the citadel, actually pretty awful. Has been using witches to keep himself in power, while also selling weapons to the Brotherhood to keep them out of Taravast, but his reign ended after a rebellion from the population and Vannozza being alerted of his plans. Has been executed.
MACALUSO: competing to become the new leader of Taravast. Is the new leader of Taravast, with lady Vanozza acting as his counsel
VANNOZZA: also trying to become the new leader, Macaluso's cousin? She was reportedly sick with something as well. It turns out actually, she was being groomed to become the vessel that could carry Bonaccorso's spirit and grant him, if not immortality then, perpetuity.
ATTARYL WITCHES: vicious, experimenting with transferring people's souls into other people's bodies. At Bonaccorso's behest, as he wanted to have his soul transferred into Vannozza.
BESSIS WITCHES: rivals of the Attaryl? They did hold a dragon captive (we released him).
HATISSE: a resurrected witch that has been following us around since Taravast because of...reasons?
RIGARDA: merchant trying to negotiate with the undead lords on Bonaccorso's behalf. Taravast provided the Brotherhood with magical weapons, and in exchange the Brotherhood did not attack Taravast. Weapons were not delievered "on time" (what is time to the undead? Apparently, important.) so the Brotherhood laid siege on Taravast as punishment. Rigarda was left alive, and last we know maintained her connections to the Brotherhood, so presumably the deal could be struck again - Merchant not happy about that one.
AKHURAS, the name of the world we are currently in, is haunted by undead, hoardes of the undead in every city. Ellethia is where it all began.
There was something in the air in Ellethia that made the life cycle accellerate for animals and for us, so we had to be brought in with special suits. We spent time exploring the sunken parts of the city, and trying to determine what exactly had happened to such a bustling metropolis to bring it to such ruin.
Eventually, we were in a lighthouse with the apparent last survivors of Ellethia. I remember mirrors, and that access into parts of the lighthouse was granted based on making wishes. Some people (Eleven, Moiraine, Yennefer) experienced dreamwalking - walking through people's dreams. (Eleven walked through mine.)
The survivors in question were called Sleepers - former scientists/wizards who were working for the Institute of Technology (what remained was the lighthouse); they were all asleep, trapped in dreams and undying, with a man named Zenobius caring for them.
MORE CONTEXT:
Ellethia was trying to outdo the feats of the Attaryl witches, to extend lifetimes. The MERCHANT is from Ellethia, and knew the Sleepers - he was upset with the decision made by some members of our party to euthanise them, understandably. Regardless, the Sleepers were technicians who were overseeing experimentations with mirrors, and they used civilians for trials.
Zenobius used to work with them, but some events seem to have driven him mad. He once gifted a doll to fellow technician Matthias Lemaitre — a ‘pale man,’ newly returned from mourning. - THIS NAME WILL BE IMPORTANT, WE KEEP HEARING OF HIM.
MATTHIAS was the lead technician when the undead appeared at the institute. He pushed Zenobius into a well while fleeing; the Sleepers engaged with a mirror on the 10th floor and went into a deep slumber.
Like I said, three of us managed to enter their dreams, and thought they wanted to be released from life - there being no death in Ellethia. They took the Sleepers' lives, and we had to flee the lighthouse by sea. We took Zenobius with us.
This place worships the BEASTMASTER (see Taravast notes), undead lord. Many of our allies have had to be hidden or given talismans to prevent corruption - the Beastmaster seems able to summon some people to him.
Initiation into Ke-Waihu included drinking a foul potion that gave us all sins, which apparently we had to repent for. Sins could be those of citizens who'd died long ago, or ours.
(Apparently I am prideful and wrathful. What bollocks)
HOK-SHIN, de facto leader and massive git, of Ke-Waihu
Blind fetters on the outskirts telling us our fortunes, apparently. (Ugh, Divination again...)
CREATURES NATIVE TO AREA: fox spirits (they don't know they are fox spirits and want to marry someone, then devour them) (So that was fun.) ravens tar-covered creatures SNAKE WOMAN (kidnapped Wen Qing as we were guarding a merchant's house?!) other assortment of arseholes, like said merchant who collected the skulls of beautiful women
Her and the BEASTMASTER were from Ke-Waihu. They were married, they had a child. Anui bought into the Ke-Waicai volcano cult a bit too heavily and sacrificed their child to it.
The cult believed that the infested waters, the dwindling crops - all the issues of the land could be fixed with human sacrifice.
THE MAN IN WHITE was mentioned again here, apparently he gave merchants the cure to fix the drought problem. Unsure if he actually helped or made them dependent on him vs being dependent on the Beastmaster. The Beastmaster, named Hyang-Won, actually set out to recover his son from the House of Ravens, where Anui had given him in sacrifice to the mountain; he was seen leaving with MATTHIAS, and he returned inhuman.
We travelled to the House of Ravens, infiltrated it to find out more.
( Also, with help from Beitang Moran and miss Eda, we've stolen some books from the library, because they were not even being read. )
A fight began at the top of the now active volcano. BEASTMASTER slain by Diego Hargreeves. Some of us absorbed the spiritual magic of the volcano to keep it from errupting - souls. People's souls, sacrifices' souls.
But we appear to have fixed...something? We appear to have done well.
Whatever I absorbed from the volcano, whatever magic it was, it feels...
Don Bonaccorso made a deal with the 'Brother White', supposedly the weapons deal. He asked him for a guarantee in exchange for the weapons, something precious to him.
A still beating heart was found buried beneath the Spina Hunting Grounds, which the Merchant tasked a party member to retrieve as 'leverage'. The party still has this.
'The Brother White', as a nickname, appears coincidentally close to 'The White Wanderer'.
Added as a footnote to the above, in broad, looping handwriting
The Merchant requested one of our number specifically to apprehend and kill donna Rigarda, a request sent via the sorceress Karsa. Instead, Rigarda was captured and handed over to Macaluso. It seems our journey through Ellethia next was the Merchant's idea of showing us the consequences of the undead, and why we should have delivered justice as he saw it. He appears to have a grudge against Taravast. Karsa said Taravast 'thrived and rose again because Ellethia fell. If it burns we do not care.'
Edited (too many 'she', so clarifying.) 2023-04-03 13:02 (UTC)
The Lighthouse, although now acting as one, was previously the Ellethia Institute of Technology. Its symbol, an eye with a sun instead of a pupil, has been seen many places since while we walk the trail the Merchant forges for us.
Matthias was not always their lead technician. There were ethical concerns round their pursuit of immortality, which lead to the previous project lead resigning in protest and Matthias becoming the new lead.
Of interest, the Merchant delivered equipment to the Institute -- which is how he came to know its members. He described what he took there as technical equipment and wards to contain the magical experimentation, some sourced from the Ellethia's main competitor Taravast.
The Beastmaster was born a hunter by the name of Hyang-Won, The Huntress Kye-geum. When she married Hyang-Won, she took a new name as is tradition -- Anui.
The Beastmaster had, as his name suggests, the ability to control beasts -- to speak to them and enthral them. The Huntress can control the undead, those connected to death.
Of additional interest is the volcano here, Ke-Sanwon: a mirror of dark water appeared to be keeping it stable until it could hold back the build up of spirits no longer. That same dark water, cold, was the cure for the crops. When warmed by the volcano, it caused mutations. The Child of the Beastmaster and The Huntress claims a connection to this volcano.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
TARAVAST
ELLETHEIA
KE-WAIHU & SURROUNDINGS
THE SEA
SERTHICA
THROUGH THE DESSERT
ALEM
1.
I tried to meditate and ended up throwing up on the undeadnote: irrelevantI'm unsure how I got out - there was an attack, and then we were all escaping. I got my wand back - still Bellatrix's wand.
2.
Oh! Yes, importantly: I found a bag fit for purpose, and repeated the Extendable charms from last year. Happy to report that they work here as well, although at this point I should start keeping an inventory of all I've stored in it.
3.
BONACCORSO - Doxe of the citadel, actually pretty awful. Has been using witches to keep himself in power, while also selling weapons to the Brotherhood to keep them out of Taravast, but his reign ended after a rebellion from the population and Vannozza being alerted of his plans. Has been executed.
MACALUSO: competing to become the new leader of Taravast. Is the new leader of Taravast, with lady Vanozza acting as his counsel
VANNOZZA: also trying to become the new leader, Macaluso's cousin? She was reportedly sick with something as well. It turns out actually, she was being groomed to become the vessel that could carry Bonaccorso's spirit and grant him, if not immortality then, perpetuity.
ATTARYL WITCHES: vicious, experimenting with transferring people's souls into other people's bodies. At Bonaccorso's behest, as he wanted to have his soul transferred into Vannozza.
BESSIS WITCHES: rivals of the Attaryl? They did hold a dragon captive (we released him).
HATISSE: a resurrected witch that has been following us around since Taravast because of...reasons?
RIGARDA: merchant trying to negotiate with the undead lords on Bonaccorso's behalf. Taravast provided the Brotherhood with magical weapons, and in exchange the Brotherhood did not attack Taravast. Weapons were not delievered "on time" (what is time to the undead? Apparently, important.) so the Brotherhood laid siege on Taravast as punishment. Rigarda was left alive, and last we know maintained her connections to the Brotherhood, so presumably the deal could be struck again - Merchant not happy about that one.
HUNTRESS, BEASTMASTER
1.
There was something in the air in Ellethia that made the life cycle accellerate for animals and for us, so we had to be brought in with special suits. We spent time exploring the sunken parts of the city, and trying to determine what exactly had happened to such a bustling metropolis to bring it to such ruin.
Eventually, we were in a lighthouse with the apparent last survivors of Ellethia. I remember mirrors, and that access into parts of the lighthouse was granted based on making wishes. Some people (Eleven, Moiraine, Yennefer) experienced dreamwalking - walking through people's dreams. (Eleven walked through mine.)
The survivors in question were called Sleepers - former scientists/wizards who were working for the Institute of Technology (what remained was the lighthouse); they were all asleep, trapped in dreams and undying, with a man named Zenobius caring for them.
MORE CONTEXT:
Ellethia was trying to outdo the feats of the Attaryl witches, to extend lifetimes. The MERCHANT is from Ellethia, and knew the Sleepers - he was upset with the decision made by some members of our party to euthanise them, understandably. Regardless, the Sleepers were technicians who were overseeing experimentations with mirrors, and they used civilians for trials.
Zenobius used to work with them, but some events seem to have driven him mad. He once gifted a doll to fellow technician Matthias Lemaitre — a ‘pale man,’ newly returned from mourning. - THIS NAME WILL BE IMPORTANT, WE KEEP HEARING OF HIM.
MATTHIAS was the lead technician when the undead appeared at the institute. He pushed Zenobius into a well while fleeing; the Sleepers engaged with a mirror on the 10th floor and went into a deep slumber.
Like I said, three of us managed to enter their dreams, and thought they wanted to be released from life - there being no death in Ellethia. They took the Sleepers' lives, and we had to flee the lighthouse by sea. We took Zenobius with us.
1.
This place worships the BEASTMASTER (see Taravast notes), undead lord. Many of our allies have had to be hidden or given talismans to prevent corruption - the Beastmaster seems able to summon some people to him.
Initiation into Ke-Waihu included drinking a foul potion that gave us all sins, which apparently we had to repent for. Sins could be those of citizens who'd died long ago, or ours.
(Apparently I am prideful and wrathful. What bollocks)
2.
Blind fetters on the outskirts telling us our fortunes, apparently. (Ugh, Divination again...)
CREATURES NATIVE TO AREA:
fox spirits (they don't know they are fox spirits and want to marry someone, then devour them) (So that was fun.)
ravens
tar-covered creatures
SNAKE WOMAN (kidnapped Wen Qing as we were guarding a merchant's house?!)
other assortment of arseholes, like said merchant who collected the skulls of beautiful women
3.
Merchant was saving a spot for ANUI.
4.
THE HUNTRESS WAS ANUI?
Her and the BEASTMASTER were from Ke-Waihu. They were married, they had a child. Anui bought into the Ke-Waicai volcano cult a bit too heavily and sacrificed their child to it.
The cult believed that the infested waters, the dwindling crops - all the issues of the land could be fixed with human sacrifice.
THE MAN IN WHITE was mentioned again here, apparently he gave merchants the cure to fix the drought problem. Unsure if he actually helped or made them dependent on him vs being dependent on the Beastmaster. The Beastmaster, named Hyang-Won, actually set out to recover his son from the House of Ravens, where Anui had given him in sacrifice to the mountain; he was seen leaving with MATTHIAS, and he returned inhuman.
5.
( Also, with help from Beitang Moran and miss Eda, we've stolen some books from the library, because they were not even being read. )
A fight began at the top of the now active volcano. BEASTMASTER slain by Diego Hargreeves. Some of us absorbed the spiritual magic of the volcano to keep it from errupting - souls. People's souls, sacrifices' souls.
But we appear to have fixed...something? We appear to have done well.
Whatever I absorbed from the volcano, whatever magic it was, it feels...
6.
I use swear words now.
1.
1.
Added in broad, looping handwriting
A still beating heart was found buried beneath the Spina Hunting Grounds, which the Merchant tasked a party member to retrieve as 'leverage'. The party still has this.
'The Brother White', as a nickname, appears coincidentally close to 'The White Wanderer'.
Added as a footnote to the above, in broad, looping handwriting
Added in broad, looping handwriting
Matthias was not always their lead technician. There were ethical concerns round their pursuit of immortality, which lead to the previous project lead resigning in protest and Matthias becoming the new lead.
Of interest, the Merchant delivered equipment to the Institute -- which is how he came to know its members. He described what he took there as technical equipment and wards to contain the magical experimentation, some sourced from the Ellethia's main competitor Taravast.
Added in broad, looping handwriting
The Beastmaster had, as his name suggests, the ability to control beasts -- to speak to them and enthral them. The Huntress can control the undead, those connected to death.
Of additional interest is the volcano here, Ke-Sanwon: a mirror of dark water appeared to be keeping it stable until it could hold back the build up of spirits no longer. That same dark water, cold, was the cure for the crops. When warmed by the volcano, it caused mutations. The Child of the Beastmaster and The Huntress claims a connection to this volcano.