Artemesia Family/Garret/Donghaiwei Reflection

A Moment's Reflection in Donghaiwei

Roleplay from Garret Artemesia Message sent to everyone in your realm (70 recipients) January 7, 2009

The morning sun was still gently glowing over the ocean to the east of the coastal capital of Donghaiwei. The streets were still relatively quiet as the merchants and craftmen, sailors and workers, were just beginning to set about their daily businesses.

Garret turned his back to the morning sun to read a few letters. There was no one else in that quarter of the city, at least, no one else in the streets except for a few guards, who took no notice of the man. He paced. It was not a habit, and Garret often voluntarily stopped himself from walking around in repetitive patterns. He stared at the letter, and from within the Dongese commoners' garb he had donned, he withdrew five seals, three of which glittered under the calm sunlight.

A few guards caught the glimmer, but continued their disinterest. A few of the waking nobles in the district saw a lone figure who appeared to be a Dongese commoner holding several shiny objects. Some of those on the lower floors could clearly see the objects, and could recognize the man as a Morekian noble, among other things in the past.

The first seal was a circular disk of gold. Upon the center was engraved an owl, perched on an olive branch. Set emeralds gave a vibrant green to the leaves, and two pieces of cut onyx made the eyes of the owl stare deeply into the observer's eyes. Garret tucked away the first seal, whispering, "I am no more a man named Galahad Artemis than Jared was Jeherad Wormwood."

The second seal was a bright white platinum disk, that shone like a small beacon in the morning light. Inlaid were dozens of sapphires, and in the spaces where the gems were not present, a pattern of a tree formed. The result was a platinum white tree in the field of blue sapphires. "Artemesia," Said Garret. He held onto the seal for a while longer than he held to the first one. "Jeherad's legacy continued somewhere further to the west," said Garret, to a tattered diary he had also taken out to observe. "It is so close now, and yet, so far with what I have been offered now." He placed the seal inside the old diary.

The third seal was a tarnished silver cross with the engravings of a foreign script, that despite its wear, still shone under the sun with a defiant dull light. "For all my troubles learning, I was lord of a wasteland." Garret stared at the lordly seal of a land far to the east, and laughed. "You won't be any use here. Why did I keep you? To remind me of what I had willingly, and perhaps, foolishly discarded?" He threw the silver cross to his left, the backside facing up, with the now-black and tarnished engraving "Garret Artemesia, Baron of Upasael", still clearly visible on the smooth but blackened silver. Somehow, it landed on the windowsill of a nearby residence.

The fourth seal was a dagger, made of cast iron, useless in combat. A single ruby was set on the pommel. Garret ran his fingers along the flat of the blade, reading the letters, "Garret Artemesia, Knight of Shadovar" and the other side of the blade, "My Life for the Glory of the Dictator". But that was no more. It was a shadow of the past. Garret pushed his finger on the point. It was actually sharp, and with enough force, could indeed puncture bone.

The fifth seal was a jade fox. He had requested such a seal upon learning more of the Dongese culture. On its back were set the three Bloodstars, and underneath its base were engraved the Dongese traditional characters that read, "Knight of Cailyn" and his adopted name as written in the natives' language.

He stared at the unblinking fox. Some people were moving about now, and he thought he caught sight of a few familiar faces. There was a young woman looking out from the window to his left, although he did not see her long enough to identify her before she moved away from the window. Another, older woman who appeared to be a servant of the residence, walked to the window and the two stared blankly at each other. Garret waved. The chambermaid waved back, and then noticed the silver cross on the windowsill, picked it up, and brought it somewhere indoors. Garret chuckled. What were the chances of any noble in this place knowing who he was, anyway? "That seal won't do anyone any good. It's not even worth its weight in silver coins." Said Garret, to no one in particular.

Garret quickly replaced his seal of Cailyn, and silently sat on the steps of another residence, watching the city begin to accelerate into its normal pace.

Roleplay from Alanya Costella (just in) January 7, 2009 Message sent to everyone in your realm (70 recipients) -Tossing and turning in her bed, Alanya finally awakes a little early. She pushed off the warm covers and stretched her arms into the air. Climbing out of bed, she felt a chill coming from the balcony, and covered herself with her arms, shivering...-

Alanya: Katherine! Are you out there? Its so cold! You left the door open!"

Katherine: "I'm sorry Alanya...why dont you come out? I found something right after you went to sleep."

-Alanya walked through into the cold outside, and stood before Katherine holding herself to keep warm. Her hair was all messed up and her nightgown was ruffled.-

Alanya: "What did you have to show me?"

-Katherine took the silver cross from the table and showed it to Alanya...-

Katherine: "I found it sitting out here right after I waved to a nobleman down below. I thought you would like it, so I kept it. I'm not sure if it was his or not though...maybe I should have asked?"

-Alanya took the cross and turned it over and over, until the foreign engravings caught her eye. She had studied to learn many languages, and she was surpised she knew this one...-

Katherine: "What does it say?"

Alanya: "Garret Artemesia, Baron of Upasael"

-A look of suprise came over Alanya's face as she finished reading the seal. Her jade colored eyes then turned to Katherine, who was waiting patiently to hear what exactly that means.-

Alanya: "I know Sir Garret, he is a noble here. And Upasael is a wasteland on the Far East Continent. He was its Baron? Hmm...then why did he come here?"

Katherine: "I knew he looked important! I have an eye for these things Alanya..."

Alanya: "Hmm...did he throw it up here for me? Or is it just...a coincidence?"

-Taking the cross inside, Alanya placed it on her nightstand. She looked at it for a while, then jumped onto her bed, lost in thought.-

Alanya: "Did he throw it up here for me? Well...if it was for me...I'm sure this wont be the end of it..."

Roleplay from Garret Artemesia (just sent) January 7, 2009 Message sent to everyone in your realm (70 recipients)

"You got the gold fer all that?" Grumbled the gruff smith, who was staring at a large cart full of weapons and armor.

Garret patted his empty pockets. Once again, he had absolutely no gold. "Uh, hang on..." He silently swore. Of all the trinkets he could pawn off for extra gold, the only one he didn't care about was thrown away that morning. "Wait a while, will you? I will be right back." Said Garret, retreating from the smithy and leaving a large group of soldiers standing in the smithy.

The residence was right around here, or so Garret remembered. He looked up at the windowsill. He was at the right place. He scratched his head, feeling rather foolish to be asking for some item that he threw away, and only hours before thought he would never need again. He chuckled. All that would become of the seal would be a pawned item.

He knocked on the door, hoping someone would be home.

Roleplay from Alanya Costella (just in) Message sent to everyone in your realm (70 recipients) -Hearing a few knocks at the door, Alanya laid still on her bed. When the knocks continued, she figured Katherine was in the kitchen...so she went down to get the door...-

Alanya: "I'll be right there, hold on a second!"

-Still tired and a little groggy, Alanya opened the door, only to find Sir Garret on the other end. Her mind then raced to the cross she recieved a few moments earlier...-

Sir Garret: "Umm..."

-Alanya stood still as Garret studied her for a second, until she finally realized she was still wearing her nightgown...and her hair was still all messed up from sleeping...-

Alanya: "Oh! Umm...I'm sorry Sir Garret I'll be right back! Katherine! Katherine! Take care of Sir Garret for me I'll be right back down!"

-She ran back upstairs at full speed, red in the face...leaving Garret standing in the doorway. Katherine finally came to greet him, and invited him inside.-

Katherine: "Come in my Lord. Please forgive Alanya, the young can be a little forgetful at times unfortunately..."

Roleplay from Garret Artemesia Message sent to everyone in your realm (70 recipients)

Garret stepped inside, allowing Katherine to close the door behind him.

"I actually don't need to stay long," Said Garret, "I was just wondering if you happened to have kept the silver cross that somehow landed on your windowsill, and if I could possibly have it returned. Even nobles have desperate times when they would sell less valued treasures for some gold."

Katherine led him to a seat. "I gave it to my lady. She should be down soon so you can ask her, but please, take a seat, my lord. Perhaps I can get you something to drink?"

"No thank you. It is not my custom to take anything of my hosts when I arrive uninvited." He sat in one of the chairs, and silently waited.

Roleplay from Alanya Costella (just in) Message sent to everyone in your realm (70 recipients) -Back upstairs, Alanya threw on some casual clothes and quickly brushed her hair down. She grabbed the cross from her nightstand and headed back downstairs, where Sir Garret was waiting.-

Alanya: I believe this is yours Sir Garret..."

-She handed the silver cross over to Garret, who held it in his hand.-

Alanya: "I read what it said. It must have took something great for you to abandon your past life as a Baron...I know it is none of my business...and I apologize for asking...I'm just a curious person I guess..."

Katherine: "Alanya..."

Alanya: "I'll be okay Katherine..."

Katherine: "As you wish"

-At that, Katherine left them alone.-

Roleplay from Garret Artemesia Message sent to everyone in your realm (70 recipients)

The silver cross felt warm in his hand. Garret stared down at the cross, tracing his fingers along the engravings. "This thing?" He asked. "It's meaningless here, which is why I came here to retrieve it to sell for some quick gold."

He saw what appeared to be surprise on Alanya's face. "Well," he said, "I certainly will not be returning to the east anytime soon, so what's the point of me holding on to this? The region has a new baron most likely, by now."

He looked at Alanya, and relaxed. For once he could talk to a woman who did not speak in strange ways. "But you said you want to know what led me to leave? The simple and quick answer is adventure. This was quite a while ago, back when I was around your age."

Garret saw Alanya tilt her head slightly. "I am twenty four years old. This was back when I was eighteen. Regardless of the events that led up to my appointment, I was simply fortunate to have been noticed by a duke, who took time to teach me some ways of the higher nobility. For several weeks though, it was myself and five men, holding out against regular groups of undead. Funnily enough, I had no knights for the longest time. But soon enough I received a letter from a cousin in the East Continent, telling me about opportunity in the west, on a place called Dwilight. Being the boy I was back then, I thought that such an opportunity would be wonderful. I had the silly notion that it would be akin to the epic legends of the fearless nobles who tamed the unknown lands. Somehow I thought it to be a much more exciting and possibly more rewarding life than my boring life sitting in Upasael."

He stared again at the silver cross. "How wrong I was. But what does it matter now? I have discovered the realm of Morek. That is all that matters."

The silver cross twirled around on its string, reflecting dim gray light across the room. "It took nothing great, if you thought it was something about honor or duty, or for the greatness of some cause. It was only a foolish dream that I had pursued. It is quite ironic though, because back then, I was never in want of gold. Now, I must carefully watch each coin, and even then, success is not guaranteed. Funny, is it not?"

Garret slipped the cross back into the inner pocket of his commoners' robe. "I was not aware that you could read the Upasaean script. It is interesting. By the way, I do apologize for throwing the seal up here. At the time I had no idea I would need to pawn it off. It seems to have more worth than I had thought." He chuckled at the thought.

"But it looked as if I was interrupting you from your rest," he said, rising from the chair. "I suppose you would want to get back to your sleep as quickly as possible. I have taken enough of your time already to tell of some pointless tale."

Roleplay from Alanya Costella (just in) Message sent to everyone in your realm (70 recipients) -Leaning against the railing of the stairs while listening to the tale, Alanya nodded her head when it came to an end.-

Alanya: "Hmm...you were a young Baron werent you? I cant imagine it...and you were about the same age as I was."

-She adjusted her hair as Garret moved toward the door, ready to leave her in peace. They stopped at the door.-

Alanya: "We have all come to Dwilight for one reason or another. And now, we are in Morek...what comes next is up to everyone here. We can either prosper like no other, or fail like many have before us. As for me...I cant wait to see what the futue holds..."

-Garret nodded, and, with cross in hand, bid Alanya farewell and walked out into the crowded streets of Donghaiwei...-

Alanya: "Farewell Lord Garret."

Always the Call Has Reason

"You almost succeeded in one part of the path you walk." A familiar figure was aiting for Garret once he stepped outside the residence.

"Again? Fine, tell me then, where did I go wrong?" Asked Garret.

The figure once more revealed herself as a young Dongese girl, instead of the usual middle-aged Lurian woman Garret was used to seeing. "You almost were able to forget, Galahad. Almost, but not yet. You remembered, but the Balance's call would like for you to forget."

"But why?" Said Garret, "Why forget something that was so critical in shaping my current views of the world, that influenced the decisions I now make, and that changed the person I once was?"

The girl moved closer, and moved a hand into his pocket, taking out the tattered diary. The sapphire-encrusted platinum seal of the Artemesia family fell out, and hit the street with several sharp clinks.

"Galahad," Whispered the girl, "You are not of Jeherad's blood. Not a drop of his commoner's heritage runs through your veins. Why are you the one to seek his legacy?"

Garret did not answer. He silently picked up the seal of Artemesia, and held out his hand for the diary.

"We can restore this for you, Galahad. You know we have the means to do so. We can tell you all the secrets he kept, and all the horrors he witnessed far into the west. We can enlighten you on the natures of those who spawned from the Darkness. But you must promise to heed the call."

The girl pulled Garret closer, whispering in a voice that was surprsingly loud and clear in the evening air, "Why bother with silly human girls? Have we not provided you with a satisfactory body to satisfy you? We can even provide the personality if you so desire."

Garret shook his head. "Let's just say I can more or less understand the motives of your so-called'silly human girls'. You, on the other hand...Well, sometimes I wonder if you want me to be a willing or unwilling participant, an actor or an observer. All of that. It makes no sense."

"It made sense when your cross landed on the girl's window." Said the Dongese girl.

"What?"

She answered, "The mere fact that one does not align oneself fully to the Light or to the Darkness does not mean one is aligned to the Balance. But there are those whose mindsets are far more attuned to understand the basic truths of the Balance. Moderation. But it seems you did ot recognize this, and left too soon."

Garret shook his head. "Wait, you wanted me to talk to Alanya about...about some strange ideas that I still don't even understand a bit?"

The girl handed the tattered diary back to Garret. "We did not want you to do anything. We only gave you a call. Whether you heed it is your choice, but know that the Balance is friend neither to the Light nor to the Darkness, yet at the same time, it need not be in conflict with either."

She stroked Garret's cheek. "Great Galahad, will you be the gallant knight who shall ride forth to save the fair princess from the vicious dragon?" Before Garret could make any response, she ran away with a giggle.

He looked down at the diary now in his hand. Somehow the cover appeared less worn than usual. Garret flipped open the first page, and gasped, letting the diary fall to the ground, and soon afterwards, he also fell to his knees.

"I...I see." He mumbled.

Roleplay from Alanya Costella (6 hours, 39 minutes ago) January 9, 2009 Message sent to everyone in your realm (73 recipients) -As rays of light shine through the high windows, Alanya sits rather still in her study. It was early in the morning, though she was fully dressed and already looking very awake. At the moment Katherine walked through the door, Alanya was going through some paperwork on her desk.-

Alanya: "Don't I have scribes to do this work for me? All this paperwork is a little pointless...its the same thing over and over again. How many times do I have to go over shipping orders?"

Katherine: "Alanya...you know this is part of your duties. If you get through this, you can enjoy the rest later. Besides, once you get done those few papers I have a story to tell you about Sir Garret."

-Upon hearing this, Alanya slowly looked up at Katherine, happy to get away from her work for a moment.-

Alanya: "Did something happen after he left?"

Katherine: "Well, after he went off yesterday, I was upstairs near the balcony. I saw a young girl talking to him, and they seemed rather close. Normally this wouldnt strike me as odd, but she seemed rather...strange."

Alanya: "This is strange. He never told me about anyone like that...I didnt even know."

Katherine: "Hmm...well then my estimation may not be too far off. Maybe you should ask him about her? I tried to listen in on what they were saying, but all I could catch was she kept mentioning the Balance...or something like that."

Alanya: "The Balance..."

-Allowing this thought to capture her attention, Alanya could not focus on her duties for the entire morning. She decided to postpone them and go and try to talk to Sir Garret...-

-Her walk through the streets of Donghaiwei was brief, and she eventually came upon his door. She knocked, and no one answered. She knocked again, to no avail. Finally, she slipped a note under the door, telling him to meet her in the small alley behind the market that night...in case of any danger...

Roleplay from Garret Artemesia Message sent to everyone in your realm (73 recipients)

The sounds of knocking startled Garret from his study, but he found himself reluctant to leave his pile of letters. Still, guests had to be entertained, and he made his way to the door, only to find a note on the floor.

He read it, and made a note to get work done by evening.

Roleplay from Garret Artemesia (2 hours, 52 minutes ago) Message sent to everyone in your realm (73 recipients)

Garret waited in the dark alley behind the market. With the onset of winter approaching, the days were shorter and the nights longer. The coast was still dimly lit by the setting sun, but the market had long since been mostly dark, and lanterns were lit in the night stalls.

He glanced at a red lantern, taken directly from the natives. It was a fish stall, and Garret felt a slight hunger, but he shrugged off the urge. As long as Alanya did not take too long, it would be fine.

He scratched his head as he peered around the alley. It was small, and it was dark. Strange place to be asked to meet a lady. He ignited the firefly lamp, illuminating the entire alley in a ghostly green glow. Garret set it down by his feet, and sat next to the lamp. Using the light from that device, he took out the partially-restored diary, and began reading while he waited.

Roleplay from Velox Anima (25 minutes ago) Message sent to everyone in your realm (73 recipients) The streets of Donghaiwei after dark can be a shady place. Although the market square itself is lit brightly with laterns of all sizes and shapes, many less lawful exchanges are being dealt in the streets where the light do not reach. At one particularly dark corner, strained whispers of a hot bartering process can be heard.

"Two silver coins, milord, no more, no less," says a cloaked figure to what seemed like a noble.

"TWO silver coins? This is hardly worth even half that much!"

"It is of the finest quality, imported from the East. Two silver coins is the lowest price I can offer you, milord."

"Listen, peasant. I am a knight of the realm, and I do have the power to procure what I want from you, by force if I must."

The cloaked man is not daunted. "I doubt her Grace, the Duchess, would be too happy to know that a noble knight such as yourself not only made deals with ones such as myself but also conducted banditry inside her own city. Neither would the Count...Sir Velox"

"How did you find out who I am?"

"I have my sources," the man smiled. "Now, how about it? Two silver coins or no deal."

Velox frowned, he hates being blackmailed, especially by a peasant, but he will have to deal with him later. He reluctantly handed over the money and quickly stuffed the tiny bag inside his pocket. Suddenly, there was the sound of approaching footsteps.

"Speake about this to no one," Velox whispered. The cloaked man quickly disappeared, but as he turned around, Velox was surprised to see that the footsteps are coming from another noble.

"Sir Garret," He said. "What brings you to such a shady corner of this city?"

Roleplay from Garret Artemesia Message sent to everyone in your realm (73 recipients)

The firefly lamp was raised so that an intense phantom green glow was cast upon Velox's face. Garret raised his head from the diary he was busily reading, and returned the book to his pocket.

"I have had business," He said, "as you have had yours." He nonchalantly paced around Velox, holding the firefly lamp now at waist height. "I got bored of reading too much in the cold light, and wanted to see the more familiar fire torches, and fire lanterns." He waved his free hand at the wooden stake torches, and the hanging red and white lanterns.

"But seeing as how we will soon be campaigning as close comrades, I suppose we could be honest. I await a lady. And you, well, I will let you say yourself what you bought."

He chuckled. "So there are nobles who deal in silver coins. Who knew..." He touched a switch on his lamp, and the cold green chemical light immediately flickered out, leaving only the wavering orange light from the lanterns and torches.

Roleplay from Alanya Costella (just in) Message sent to everyone in your realm (73 recipients) -Shrouded in a black cloak from head to toe, Alanya made her way swiftly through the backstreets of Donghaiwei toward the marketplace. Her body and hair blended into the darkness, and to the peasants was merely a shadow passing through.-

Alanya: "Hmm...strange things will take place soon I fear..."

-Coming up on the marketplace, she took a quick turn down a dark alleyway. Seeing what she believed was Garret, she rushed toward him. The man quickly put his hand on the hilt of his weapon..."

Alanya: "No its me!"

-He released his weapon quickly...it was him after all.-

Alanya: "I didnt know if this was a secret, but I decided to talk to you here just in case. My chambermaid heard you talking to a young girl about something called...the Balance? It made me wonder...I am a bit curious after all..."

Roleplay from Garret Artemesia Message sent to everyone in your realm (73 recipients)

The man wordlessly led Alanya away from the alley, and into a quieter section of the marketplace, where Garret and Velox were already in discussion.

Anticipating a question from the girl, the man who had stopped Alanya pulled back his hood to reveal that he was not a man, but a young Dongese girl. She placed her right index finger over Alanya's lips. "If you want to learn about the Balance, we can tell you, but you asked Galahad, and not we."

The Dongese girl called out, "Galahad!" And though she did not scream, the voice was loud.

Garret and Velox turned to face the voice. A few exchanges were made between the men, as the two women approached them.

"Bai Yan," Said Garret, "What is this about?"

Bai Yan looked at Velox. "Velox Anima...yes, much too much a walker in the Light. But his presence will change nothing. Here," she gripped Alanya by the waist and moved her forward. "She asked you about the Balance, and it is only fair that you speak."

Garret looked at Alanya, and at Velox. He took a deep breath. "Somewhere...else." He flicked on the cold green firefly lamp, and walked past the other three, towards the beach.

Roleplay from Alanya Costella (just in) Message sent to everyone in your realm (73 recipients) -Alanya stood next to Velox as Garret began walking toward the beach...-

Alanya: "Hmm...this oould be interesting."

-She peared over at the young Dongese girl, who merely stared back at her. It have Alanya an eerie feeling, who began to walk behind Garret towards the beach...-

Alanya: "She is a strange one isnt she?"

-Garret merely smiled and nodded to her. They made their way through the streets of Donghaiwei, encountering only a small amount of peasants and guards along the way...-

Alanya: "How far do we have to go?"

Roleplay from Garret Artemesia Message sent to everyone in your realm (73 recipients)

Garret pointed at the stretch of sand a short distance to the east. "That far." He said. The beach was completely devoid of people, being both near the beginning of winter, and dark. He did not turn back to see who was following him. There was Alanya, and Bai Yan, but whether Velox or anyone else had followed as well, he would soon find out.

The walk down to the raised platform of the city was short. He sat on the cold stone wall that overlooked the beach, and that would have faced the rising sun. But it was nighttime, and there were only dark clouds and a few lights in the sky.

"You know, Galahad," Said Bai Yan, "In the absence of the acting marshal Vesuvis, you can order Velox to leave."

Garret shook his head. "We will have to come to trust each other whether we like it or not...soon enough."

Bai Yan laughed into the crisp blackness. "The city of flowers?" Although there was no wind, when Garret looked at her, Bai Yan's hair and cloak were waving slowly.

"How--nevermind." Said Garret. Turning to look at Alanya, he bade her to sit, and motioned to Velox as well.

"To speak of this thing called the Balance, although, I have not the hubris to say I understand it in the least," Garret briefly glanced at Bai Yan, "And I do not understand why this Bai Yan cannot explain it herself as she has been doing rather poorly to me."

When he looked back, though, Bai Yan was no longer present. "Well," said Garret. "Then I suppose it really is left to me to tell what I know. But to tell that story, I would need to first tell the story of the Light. Perhaps, well, actually you might not know too much, but Sir Velox should certainly know about the Bloodstars. Heh, listen to me, already I am beginning to call the divine Bloodstars by the name the Balance gives them: The Light. Well, whatever they are named, they can be seen most nights."

Garret stared off, and set his firefly lamp on the wall. The flickering luminescent green gave a hypnotic feeling, coupled with the rhythmic crashing of waves along the beach. He began:

On Dwilight, I first served as knight to the dictator of then-Shadovar, bound to the townsland region of Nebel. At the time, I still retained my previous faith, from back in the Far East, the Way of Adgharin. But such beliefs were unknown here, and so I allowed myself to forget everything about faith, and focused on my duties as knight. I went on several missions, such as mapping the southwestern woods, and sailing the sea routes between the islands and the faraway port cities, Golden Farrow, Mimer, Giask. Well, we all know what happened to Shadovar.

Being a loyalist to the dictator, I had to flee for my life, for it was truly at the rebels' mercy. I had heard of great realms to the east, Morek and Springdale, that would be able to offer me the security to start over with my career. I chose Morek, at the time because it was closer.

The fastest way to reach Morek, or so I had though, was by sailing past the Lighthouse into Sallowtown, and then crossing the badlands of Sallowwild, the Desert of Silhouettes, the forest of Nyuushi and Shyussei, before reaching the fertile plains of Morek. Being well-adapted to the wastelands back in my days in the Far East, I thought such a journey would be nothing.

Oh, was I wrong. Sallowtown was decent, for a small port town, although it did have some lack in sanitation. Still, it was bearable. Sallowwild started getting rough, but I have been accustomed to it, as it was quite similar to Upasael. But the Desert...Swirling heat and sand in the day made me feel as though my flesh was burning off my body. And quite possibly it was. The falcon that relayed supplies to me from a former comrade ran out the second day I was in the Desert. The second night, I had collapsed in exhaustion. The nights too. They're not like the nights here, where it is quiet and cool, but not severely cold. In the Desert, it was still quiet, except for the hunting cries of monsters, but it was also cold. However much I would yearn for any sort of cold in the daytime, when my skin burned in the hot desert sands, such desires would quickly be quelled at night, and I would ever more eagerly await the day, when at least I could feel my flesh again.

Garret shivered in the invisible memory of the desert night winds. He stopped momentarily to recover.

Roleplay from Velox Anima (just in) Message sent to everyone in your realm (73 recipients) The arrival of Lady Alanya and the strange woman had cut Velox off from telling Garret what he had bought. Might as well, he thought, it wouldn't do at all for the nobles of this realm to begin thinking he is crazy. He had asked Duchess Allison about his condition, but she was not yet able to provide any guidiance. Velox does wonder how the Dongese woman knows his name, though, his prestige as a hero of the realm has not yet been so much that any random peasant can recognize him on sight. Intrigued, the knight followed Sir Garret as he walked toward the beach.

Velox let his pace slow down until he is walking beside the Dongese woman. "Sir Garret called you Bai Yan, is that your name?"

Roleplay from Garret Artemesia Message sent to everyone in your realm (73 recipients)

(In Velox's half of the scene...)

Moments before the four sat down, Bai Yan turned to Velox, and finally whispered to him, in a voice audible only to him, "We have been called many names, but as this girl you now see, why not call me Bai Yan? In the Dongese tongue, it means "White Sparrow" and I hear it is quite a common girls' name. It suits me, don't you think?" She smiled thinly at him.

Roleplay from Alanya Costella (just in) Message sent to everyone in your realm (73 recipients) -When Garret finished his story, he was visibly shaken from the horrible memories he had amongst the desert sands. Alanya sat there thinking about what she had been told, until she put a hand on Garret's shoulder.-

Alanya: "You survived this long...it may just be best not to think of that desert anymore. You may have been one of the only people to survive it in fact...its strange to think about."

-He seemed to recover enough for him to gather his thoughts once more. Alanya sat next to him and stared out over the beach. The windless night was quite silent.-

Alanya: "The girl that follows you is certainly mysterious, that is for sure."

-She looked around for the young girl, who was still absent...-

Alanya: "There is something to her that does not seem right...I grow colder when she is around. But...that doesnt matter at the moment. There must be something special about you Sir Garret...her interest seems to lie with you solely...what is she?"

Roleplay from Garret Artemesia Message sent to everyone in your realm (73 recipients)

The firefly light winked at the ocean. A faint green shimmer reflected off the dark saltwater wall. Garret relaxed to the warmth of a hand on his shoulder. Breaking from his story, he answered, "She is a representative, or something, I think, of whatever this Balance is. As for the point about being special...Let me tell you something that happened at Balance's Retreat."

The south path through the mountains was a new one for me. Back in then-Shadovar, there was no reason to take any land routes to reach Lurian lands. All I had to do was charter a ship in Port Nebel to take me to Giask. So when I decided to map a route through the mountains in hopes of forming some trade relations, I naturally passed through Balance's Retreat.

There have been quite a few explorers who have visited that place. Did you know that of all the regions on Dwilight, the Retreat is one of the few that has an underground labyrinth system? Well, that hardly matters, and all the conjectures about the place have no bearing on this story. You see, once I arrived at the steps of the fortress, a single old hermit greeted me. His stare was penetrating. Literally, I felt as though he could see through me. His first words to me were, "You are man, made of flesh and thought. Many have walked before you on this path; many beyond you will walk this path." And if that was not convincing enough, the woman you saw has reminded me of such. Besides, according to them, exception lies at the extremities.

Garret abruptly ended his recounting of Balance's Retreat. "Either way, the hermit directed me towards the Alley of Swords. We did not exchange words, but somehow I think he was saying something to me, that there would be much to learn, if I lived long enough. Still, it doesn't mean I would always be a willing learner."

Roleplay from Velox Anima (9 minutes ago) Message sent to everyone in your realm (73 recipients) Velox felt somewhat disappointed when he noticed that the Dongese woman disappeared. He had not yet asked her how she knew his name, but he has the feeling that if he sticks with Garret, he will meet this Bai Yan again. He walked over to the two sitting nobles and sat down himself. As Garret spoke, Velox leaned his head on one hand and listened intently to his story.

Roleplay from Alanya Costella (2 hours, 36 minutes ago) Message sent to everyone in your realm (73 recipients) Alanya: "They do seem like they have an agenda dont they? This Balance seems like something that will reveal itself in time. The girl wants you for something...though I dont think any of us will ever find out until it finally happens."

-She brushed the dark hair from her eyes. With her dark hair and clothes, Alanya seems to be quite suited for lurking around in the dark...-

Alanya: "This hermit seems no different from the girl...mysterious. What all has she told you? She doesnt seem interested in talking with anyone but you..."

-Alanya crossed her arms and continued to stare out onto the beach...-

Roleplay from Garret Artemesia Message sent to everyone in your realm (73 recipients)

"It looks to me more like she's too lazy to explain things herself. If I am correct, Bai Yan is only one of I believe five women who claim to be agents of the same faction of the Balance, or whatever they call themselves. I have no idea whether they have factions, or who those people are. All I can say is that Balance's Retreat was bad timing on my part. For all I know, they could be playing a horrible trick on me, though with the way things are going, it seems unlikely."

Garret offered Alanya his overcoat, stitched from what appeared to be an exotic fabric. "It might get cold tonight, and this next story might get long. If you feel sleepy at any time, I can call your servants to bring you back." Turning to Velox, he said, "These nights of Donghaiwei, even the winter nights, aren't so bad, are they? Nothing like the desert nights, even in summer. And the nights of the mountains..."

It was midwinter when I made the journey south to Pian en Luries. I had volunteered myself to try to plot a personal trading route through the Balance Mountains. Such a mountain range had long been present on my maps, but never had I the opportunity to make a journey across them. Now this might seem a trivial thing to the two of you, but for me, I grew up on the East Continent, in the rather dull plains of Commonyr, and all the regions I have been since were plains, grasslands, forests, badlands, hills, and valleys. The majority of routes I had taken as an islander on Dwilight were over the inner sea. Never before had I travelled through mountains.

I hired five horsemen to accompany me to the North Divide, but by the time wereached Shomrak, three had fallen ill to some plague carried by the monsters, and two were unhappy over their comrades' conditions. I let them leave, and I continued my journey alone, like many times before. Very fortunate was I to have family associated with the alchemists. That firefly lamp is a far more useful weapon than would appear.

So the trip continued, and in another two days I reached the North Divide. My maps showed a stronghold directly south of the North Divide called Balance's Retreat, and I intended to see it personally before continuing my journey to Askileon. But the North Divide was not exactly simple to cross. I will not, however, detail the beasts I saw there or the mountain blizzards that strike often and very harshly in midwinter. All that matters is that I eventually passed the mountains, and reached the fortress Balance's Retreat.

The architecture was odd, like nothing I have ever seen before, and believe me, I have seen diverse buildings. But for some reason I felt like the structure resembled something I had once seen. At the time, I just couldn't think what it resembled. But either way, I met the hermit first. And I told you both what he said to me. Those were indeed the only words he spoke to me. Nothing more.

Asara, Cielle, Bai Yan, Zas-Kina, and someone else, whom I have yet to identify, were much more talkative, although in a most frustrating manner. And quite unsettling was the fact that each of them seemed to know everything another knew, and that none of them appeared together, simultaneously. What I mean by this, is that at any one moment, I would only ever see Asara, or Cielle, but never would I see the two women appearing side by side. It was almost as if they were unable to appear in the same general place at the same time. Almost...like they were the same person.

But now I'm talking about things that don't exist. Or, at least they shouldn't exist. Still, I found it odd that any one of them could speak to me as if they knew everything from the conversation I had with any other one of them. It was as if they each had perfect memories, and shared their daily experiences completely. But enough of that detail. They told me a lot, although I only figured out some of it after a long night's sleep. And even then I could only wonder what I had not understood.

According to them, I was by far not the first outlander to step into the fortress. There had been others, and according to them, someone who would best fit our description of an infiltrator--yes, kind of like how you are dressed, Dame Costella--this infiltrator had recorded her journey to the Retreat as well, and called the women "Amazons", after a group of warrior-women. I think she might have seen Zas-Kina, the one who was rather tall and muscular. I think she also drank from the cup of water the hermit offered her. I know when I drank from the cup, I became drowsy soon afterward and fell asleep, or I think I fell asleep. It felt like sleepwalking, but it was more...real. I saw and heard, and smelled, something in that place. It was as if I had walked into a painting of a world frozen in motion, and I had just realized that it was no longer frozen.

Anyway, I have only seen Asara and Bai Yan so far after my Trial. First, there was Asara in Huanghai, and Caiyun, and I think it was still her when she claimed to be Bai Yan in Donghai. I know for sure that it was and is Bai Yan that you saw here tonight.

"They are not just interested in me. They have spoken to many, at least, that is what I think I understood from one of their messages. In fact, I don't know for sure if they are interested in me, or if they do it out of convenience." Garret cast a glance at Velox. He checked to see whether Alanya was awake. She made no sound, but the overcoat hid her face. "Well, Bai Yan did want me to talk to her about the Balance, so I suppose it wouldn't hurt if she knew about the southern campaign. The way I think the Balance's agents are working, they see that I will be very close these coming days, weeks, months, maybe years. And since I passed through the Alley of Swords upon agreeing to the Trial, I think the hermit wants me to talk to him again. At least, that is what I think he meant, the last time I saw him. I think," Garret moved the firefly lamp to the other side, between him and Velox, so that the light gave their faces eerie green glows. "I think it has something to do less with the Balance, which I still haven't quite figured out, but with the Light, or what we faithful call the Bloodstars, and...what they call the Darkness."

Roleplay from Velox Anima (9 hours, 30 minutes ago) Message sent to everyone in your realm (73 recipients) After Garret finished his story, Velox turned toward him with asympathetic expression on his face.

"You know, if I didn't see that woman for myself, I would have thought your tale to be a made-up fairytale," he shivered. "I would hate to have been stalked by 5 telepathic middle-aged women..."

Velox stood up and turned toward the South.

"That star," he said as he pointed toward the night sky. "Do you see it?"

Roleplay from Garret Artemesia Message sent to everyone in your realm (72 recipients) Garret nodded. "Same star I saw back when I collapsed in the Desert. Of course, back then I didn't know what the Bloodstars were."

Roleplay from Velox Anima (12 minutes ago) Message sent to everyone in your realm (72 recipients) Velox turned his head toward Garret.

"It looks like I'm not alone then. That star has been driving me crazy; it glows so brightly that it seems to turn the night into day, which is why," he paused and took out the small pouch in his pocket that he bought from the cloaked man back in the city. "I bought these herbs to help me sleep at night."

Velox turned around to face Garret.

"I feel its call all the time - it seems to beckon me toward the south, attracting me like a magnet to metal," He stopped and smiled. "Maybe I am going crazy, but it seems to me that everyone has his or her calling." He held out a hand. "What do you say we see this through together and find out what the Bloodstars and the Balance is really all about?"

Roleplay from Garret Artemesia Message sent to everyone in your realm (72 recipients)

Garret grasped the hand and shook it. "Of course, from the inception of our latest campaign, I knew such would likely be the course. The Stars, the Balance, the Darkness are all spoken around these lands, but who knows about the Balance and the Darkness? Unlike the Bloodstars, they do not seem to point to visible things."

He pointed at Alanya, who was still silent, and had not moved. "I did not count on her to have witnessed my exchange with Bai Yan, although she seems to be of interest to the Balance as well. Who knows? For the longest time I was content to simply follow the will of the Bloodstars. And I still am a loyal follower of the Church. But there is no doubt that there are many mysteries on this land that is still mostly untamed."

The tide was receding by now, and the firefly lamp revealed some ocean creatures that lay stranded on the beach. "You're young, Knight Velox." Said Garret. "And I remember well the time you ran for Ordermarshal." Garret smiled wryly, "You probably figured this by now, but there was a cause for me to try to dissuade you, as is evidenced by where we are now. But that was then, and where we stand now, I am sure you would find that the loss was not too significant. Had you been Ordermarshal, would you still have listened to the call?"

He looked at Alanya again. "But Dame Costella still remains a person who was not initially within our considerations on our southern campaign. The choice is hers I suppose, although I can't say if she knows about the call, and which one she hears. From the sounds of it, Knight Velox, you are being summoned by the Light, although I am now very much confused as to whether such pertains only to the Bloodstars. So you bought herbs from that man?" Garret chuckled. "Seriously, if you had asked me, I could have gotten you one of the Wormwoods, the commoners who are very close to my family. They are a long line of herbalists."

Roleplay from Velox Anima (49 minutes ago) Message sent to everyone in your realm (72 recipients) Velox chuckled at Garret's comments, "I'll be sure to remember to ask you in case I need more herbs in the future."

He walked over and sat down next to Alanya. "Milady, you have not made many comments. What are you thinking?"