Restless

Autumn is coming to an end and winter is preparing to take her place. And I’m once again in a trekking mood! Today I have made yet another visit to the desert, a lil’ exploring of the jungle and showed a new friend around.

My first stop on my trek was the jungle. My saying goodbye to autumn. I took my time and let my soul wander the landscape. I stopped at my special places and said my blessings for the dying leaves. Their life energy will return to Ma-Duk and once the cleansing winter has passed he will bless Atys with new life. Sadness has a grip of me thou. I just realized I still haven’t found any good winter clothing. This homin will be freezing through yet another winter. I should really stop staring at the threes and try to get something warm to wrap around me body.

Today was a day of joy! One more homin have found her way to Zora! Larkascending heard the calling of the Kami and left Silan. Me and Jnf, also from the Kami-Da, were there to greet her and show her around. It always fills my soul with happiness to see other homins gasp in awe at the beauty of the jungle, just as I did when I first arrived. And I still do might I add. First off, we took her on a small tour of Zora. Not knowing all the sights and places to visit myself we just strolled through the streets and let the atmosphere wash over us. We even got ourselves lost in the guild quarters, which was a less impressive feat. But nonetheless a feat.

Once we got outside the city gates it all got hectic. I don’t like rushing but when giving a tour of the Witherings, even just the area surrounding Zora, require a little haste as there is so much to be shown. Our newcomer seemed especially impressed with the temple built in Ma-Duks name. It even sparked a little religious infighting between me and Jnf as he claims Ma-Duk lives in the temple and I claim that Ma-Duk does not need temples or any icon of homin or Kami construction for that matter to be worshipped. My view is simple. Ma-Duk exists all around us and in all of us. He is life and death. Enjoy life and thus give homage to Ma-Duk.

Ah, even as impressed as she was by the temple, my favourite part of our little tour was showing Larkascending the wombaï. She had the usual response to the wondrous creatures most homins have the first time they meet one. Puzzlement. Odd-looking as they might be I hope she will see what I have seen in them. Her mind seems open and her soul thirsting for the knowledge so I’m sure she will do fine. Sadly, she did not have more time to spend with us today. I left her in the care of the wombaï and head off to my next destination. The desert.

I even remembered to fill my flasks to the brim with water this time, I might add. The desert heat would not stop me in my travels, not this time, even thou it needed not even try. But before I was to head out to almost certainly get myself lost amongst the sand dunes I decided to take the time to closer inspect the Fyros capital. They seem to take great pride in their architecture. And rightfully so. Their houses seem robust and withstanding the punishment of the desert. It always puzzles me to see the streets in Pyr so busy with people but it is. I actually found a temple whilst wandering the streets. And here I was thinking the Fyros was a godless people, paying homage to none. The temple, atleast I think it was a temple, was grand to say the least! Room upon room with beautiful tapestry, with the roof sitting so very high above ground. It made me feel so small, like a yubo almost. They even had statues bigger then me, even if I had been sitting on my own shoulders they would’ve dwarfed me, inside the temple! I found myself staring at the artwork and even the sealing for a good long time. Too long actually. It was almost night and I once again had to cut my trek short. But not before I had stopped by the burning fountain in Pyr. A beautiful construction that spewed out blue fire. A remarkable device to say the least. I will have to investigate the burning fountain closer on my next visit.

Tomorrow there will be another attempt to cross Atys. Tomorrow I will for the first time see the Lake lands! I can hardly wait!

//Lizia, the tutor

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Hate fuels the fire

Ah, missed the big trek last night. I was finally going to get to see all of Atys! From the Lake lands I’ve heard so much about to the burning desert, which I actually already seen a few times. But an hour before the trek even begun I got a message from my brother. He neededme to watch his young homins and it seemed very urgent. So I had to forfeit my place in the trek and let someone else fill it. There will be other treks.. I just wish I had gotten to see the Lake lands. All the stories and the pictures my friends have drawn for me. It must be a place of extraordinaire beauty and charm.

It’s still summer in Atys but my favourite season is drawing closer. Autumn! I love autumn with all its orange. There is nothing like sitting by the waterfall and watching the leafs as they dance around in the wind. It makes the jungle seem to burn with all the energy of Atys. I belive it was in the fall I first set foot on the mainland. Perhaps that is why I feel such love for the season. But even the coming autumn can’t brighten my spirit today, although it might seem that way.

War is coming to the jungle. Karavans and Kamist, homin against homin. It saddens me that we can be so blind. We swear allegiance to different gods, yes. But when all things said and done, we are all homins. We are all born from the womb of Atys. We all love Atys.

There have been some heated discussions amongst the Kamist about previous lost battles. They say we lose outposts. Small settlements with big drills violating Atys. Why do we cry over this? Ma-Duk surely cant sanction such devices? Do we really need the fruits these machines brings us? I say no.. Before the outposts ever were in existence we were doing fine. Now we fight other homins. We kill other homins. And all because we want the material things these outposts can bring us. Ma-Duk must be weeping to see such greed. And all of this in the jungle I hold so dear. I did my best to keep the death toll down but my healing powers cannot match the destructive force that was unleashed. Now.. I must rest. I must rid my soul of the stain this bloodbath has left. I think I will have to travel to the wombaï to find my peace.

//Lizia, the angered
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Beneath the surface

Ah.. A bit tired today. I’ve not completely recovered from my desert trek last night. It’s raining outside thou, big, beautiful drops playing their song as they drum away on the tent. The jungle smells fantastic in the summer rain. Still, I can’t bring myself to do anything else then dig today. Digging sooths me and mends my aching bones. My bag is always packed with my beloved pick, even on my treks. But its not often that I give myself the time to enjoy an evening of digging. Which is of course sad. There is so much more to Atys then what is revealed on the surface. You can trek the whole word and missed so much of what it has to offer. You have the flowers, the trees, all the animals. Everything fills you with awe. But start to dig a little deeper and you’ll find a whole new world of wonder. Ma-Duk gives, in so many ways. There is a kind of art to foraging too, much like magic is an art. You have to know where to dig, what you seek and a lot more that I myself haven’t even begun to master yet.

I’ve been doing much of my digging down in the Grove of Umbra lately. I wont tell you exactly where in the Grove thou. It’s my little secret. But Ma-Duk has really blessed the Grove with a rich soil. I can find all I need for my axes in a very small area. And.. There is also a few wombaï close by who likes to join me and peck around in the newly dug soil. This way I can both practice on my foraging techniques, get the materials I need to make axes and be close to my beloved wombaï. Well... There isn’t really much more to be said about today. I’m to tired to do any trekking and to tired to write anything more about my digging. I simply have to say goodbye early today. Hopefully I will have something more interesting to write about tomorrow.

//Lizia, the tired

Thirsting for Knowledge

The changing seasons. As predictable as the Yubos are cute. Summer on Atys and I could not have chosen a worse time to expand my knowledge about the desert. I used the kami teleporter to get meself to Pyr, the capital of the Fyros. I was met by a unforgiving heat like nothing short of the kipestas fire! I’m still wondering why on Atys they choose this place to call home, the Fyros. A feisty and resilient people it seems. Always on the move to somewhere. One of the first things I noticed now that I let myself take the time to look around was that Pyr is very heavily defended. I saw no less then two big patrols just outside of the city gates! No doubt that they are well needed thou. The desert was swarming with gingos and a strange crustacean creature called Goari. These creatures had me boggled. They looked like they belonged near or in the water but there was simply no water to be found, anywhere! They somewhat resemble the kitin but are not related, or so I was told. Yet I saw them move about close to and in herds of kipee so they must, if not be related, atleast share some sort of mutual respect. Or it might just be that the kipee does not take notice of them. Anyways.. I soon found out that the goari are just as aggressive as the gingo. They did not let me get close enough to study them. Instead they launched at me, pinchers ready to tear into me. They where not hard to fend off but still.. A homin not on his or her guard could easily fall prey to these animals. They didn’t seem to move in herds, so the careful hunter could easily single them out and pick them off one by one. That said, I weep inside for every goari slain. They looked like a proud and honorable species.

I let my feet take me in which ever direction they saw fitting, not giving much thought to where I was going. Where was I going? I had never explored the desert so there wasn’t really any specific places to go towards. I kept dodging the gingos as best I could, killing only those that came to close. The heat was murder on my spirit and I was just about to give up and return to the jungle when I stumbled upon a strange gate in the middle of the desert. I was aching to go inside but my courage finally let me down and I had to turn away. I will have to return with my friends and find out what lurks inside. Or just ask them and not go in at all.

At this point I was quickly running low on water and decided to turn back towards Pyr. The only problem was.. I couldn’t make out which direction I had come from. My footprints was long gone and all I could see was sand, sand and the odd goari. The only option I had left, not counting going through the burning gate which really wasn’t an option was letting Ma-Duk guide my feet and not intervene in their cooperation. I once more set off into the desert. The sand dunes seemed endless and so did the gingos and goari. My trek was made longer by every gingo I had to run around, harder by every goari I had to outrun and more disheartening by every mouthful off water I had to drink. I was nearing dehydration when I suddenly stumbled upon an amazing sight. It was not a oasis, nor was it a eight legged Yubo, like the one I saw earlier until I rubbed my eyes and found out I was starting to see double. It was bridges over a canyon! My thirst quickly disappeared as I neared the bridge and saw it in all its grandeur. An amazing feat of architecture. It stretched from one side of the canyon to the other and below, way below it I could make out kitin, massive kitin. I don’t know if it was the fact that I was probably dying of thirst or the pure beauty of it all but I made my way over the bridge to the other side of the canyon without any thought about the dangers might be waiting. And a good thing I did too. On the other side I was greeted by massive creatures. They looked like big tree trunks at first. But my huffing and puffing woke them up and soon the whole herd was moving about. They weren’t aggressive at all and quite frankly seemed as interested in me as I was in them. Ma-Duk has really blessed Atys with a wondrous variety of creatures.

While I was trying to imitate the tree trunk creatures, I now call them Woodbaï, I realized that my time in the desert was up. If I would stay any longer the thirst would claim my life and my life energy would be prematurely reunited with Atys. I had to use my last resort and teleport back to the jungle. It pained me, having to leave the woodbaï like that but I reassured them that I would be back soon enough. I do not envy the Fyros for living in such a harsh place as the desert. When I was returned to the jungle it was raining, heavily. I could not conceal my joy as I danced about in the falling water and soon found a new special place. A place I will return to every time I have visited the desert.

Finally home

//Lizia, The Explorer
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A Officer and A Mektoub

Good morning Atys! After spending the better part of the night meditating I have realised that what happened last night is a part of natures grim dance. Death is a part of life, life is Ma-Duk. I will however never forgive the gingos for their senseless killing of several wombaï. Such heinous acts of destruction, even if it is part of their nature, I hope I will never understand. But now it is time to let the souls of the fallen go and not keep them lingering by locking them up in my sorrow.

Their energy will return to Atys and someday give souls to new life. From this knowledge I will draw the strength to continue my journey towards enlightenment.

Today I woke up with new responsibilities weighing on my shoulders. I have been promoted to the rank of officer in the glorious Kami-Da. Hopefully I will be able to rise to the challenge and fulfil my duty both as a officer, a follower of the kami and as a homin. For the responsibility is great. The caretaking of Atys. The ever present threat of the kitin. Everyday new kitin emerges from the depths of Atys to hunt and to kill. It should be every homins calling to defend our civilisations and the life on Atys from the kitin by containing and limiting their numbers above ground. Not to wage all out war on the kitin thou as they too are part of Atys, even if they are what they are.

A far greater threat is the goo. This Purple.. Substance. It is said to originate from the prime roots and uses the planets network of sap veins to spread. I have only seen the goo by myself a handful times. It is eerily beautiful as it consumes and infects everything in its path without exceptions. And as everything is connected, the goo is slowly devouring Atys.

Scouting the extent of the goo infestation

A frightening discovery I have made is that it seems that the goo has the capability to influence and infect animals and plants, thus taking control over them. The host also becomes stronger, more aggressive then it was before. A word of caution, do not venture to close to the goo. As a follower of the kami I see it as one of my greatest responsibilities to battle this growing menace where ever it appears.

Well then.. I will have to stop here. Atys is calling and I need to see what my friends are doing. Perhaps I will make a journey to the desert. I have only been there briefly and would so like to see the sights and wonders. Perhaps I will find the time to write about it later.

//Lizhia, Newly appointed officer of the Kami-Da

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For the wombaï I weep

The cries of a dying wombaï, I can still hear it over and over again in my head. Sadness fills my heart.. This is indeed a dark day for this homin.

I was going to trek meself up to the jungle region known as the Knot of Dementia. Cheerful as always. Today I was finally going follow the wombaï herds again. I was bringing my mektoub mount, Klossen, with me for safer trekking. Knowing the Knot of Dementia the gingos and ragus would probably be waiting for me. You see, I have been to the Knot before, although never alone. The animals are strong, stronger then anything I have run into anywhere else. And kitin, kitin everywhere. Even with my friends by my side it would be a dangerous trek if not careful.

Fear tickled my soul as I left the safety of Zora once more. Only my fond memories of the wombaï kept me on track, pushing me ever deeper into the jungle. It’s still springtime on Atys. Blossoming flowers everywhere. Even the Knot with all its dangers fills this homin with a strange joy, almost as powerful as the fear.

My trek was not older then half an hour when I had my first run in with the gingos. A pack of them even. Basking in the sunlight they didn’t seem to notice me as I ushered Klossen away from certain death. Mektoubs being smarter then they look, he obeyed without hesitation. I can only thank Ma-Duk for letting the flowers bloom with such grandeur that their wonderful fragrance kept our scent hidden from the gingos.

Having to trek around the gingos added another half hour to my journey. Thirty minutes I could have spent observing and communing the wombaï. I decided not to let this bring me down. Any time spent with the wombaï is time blessed by Ma-Duk. My close encounter with the gingos worried me thou. I can not let go of it. Never have I seen gingos in such large numbers. Well, it could be that I never have trekked so close to the gingos during spring time. Might spring be the gingos mating period? The thought of gingo babies roaming the jungle makes my blood boil. And boil my blood rightfully did. As I broke through the bushes and into the wombaï nesting ground my heart sunk. I felt the anger, sorrow and fear rise up inside of me, all at once. Gingos. Another pack. And they where tearing into the weaker wombaï with such ferocity.. And all I could do was watch. Watch my beloved wombaï get slaughtered. I could count as many as four dead wombaï and two dying when the gingos finally left. They hadn’t even killed them to calm their hunger. They simply left the dead where they fell.

My time with the wombaï was not spent marvelling at these wondrous children of Ma-Duk but rather praying for their departed. As I joined the survivors in their mourning I felt closer to the wombaï then I ever have before. I know now that in their big round eyes I see the gentle, loving side of Ma-Duk.

Praying for the fallen

Darkness falls and I return to Zora. Accompanied by Klossen and a sorrow never felt befor.

//Lizia the mourning

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Kipee-Teasing and strangers in the jungle

Another day on Atys. Full of wonders. I started my day off with a little kipee teasing. It’s fun and if you ever travel to the jungle, seek me out and we can compare kipee teasing techniques. They are actually pretty peaceful creatures, the kipees, even thou that roar they make every now and then sends shivers down my spine. Still I cant let myself get carried away and forget that they are kitins and are probably just aching to tear me to pieces.

Me and the Kipee, good times.

Ah, the kitin.. Nasty creatures the lot of them. Where I usually hunt there are only the peaceful Kipees to be found. Although I have made longer treks with my dear friends Xtarsia, Zepth and Linkys to the more remote regions of the jungle. And let me tell you.. The kitin I saw there are faaar from peaceful. They make the Kipees look like Mektoubs in comparison. Zepth have told me about some of the nastier ones. The kipesta for instance. A big, flying insect. Highly aggressive and will kill you as soon as it saw you. So if you ever venture outside the safety of your home town stay away from those. I almost ran straight into one once. To my surprise I actually lived long enough to ask myself “What gives?”. Turns out it was a kizoar and not a kipesta dancing about in front of me. The best way to tell a kipesta from a kizoar, as far as I can tell, is to look for colors. The kipesta is painted in all sorts of wonderful colors while the kizoar is mostly a light brown. The kizoar is not aggressive, although if teased enough it will sting you with its.. Uhmm.. Stingy-thingy. That said, you’d do best in steering clear of all kinds of kitin until you are wise enough to tell them apart. And after all, Zora is a beautiful city so why go out in the jungle at all?

After my lil’ kipee teasing session I had me a pleasant lil’ talk with Miosha the Jeweler. She told me about the hardship of being a jeweler but also the fame jewelry can bring. I didn’t fully believe the part about the hardship thou. Working with all those shiny gems cant be anything else then pure pleasure. All those different colors and stuffs.. Makes my head spin just thinking about them. But fame.. Nah, not something this homin would go looking for. I prefer hiding behind Xtarsia while she does all the talking. Let me tell you, Xtarsia seems to be pretty famous herself! Everybody knows her it seems. Where ever we go people bow and chitter chatter with her. It wouldn’t surprise me if she is famous thou. With that dress she got and all. Must have cost a fortune, I can tell you that much. Oh drifting off subject again. Crafting.. Its very relaxing to just sit down and create something with your hands. And some tools of course. Miosha made jewelry, my friend Xtarsia.. Well, I don’t really know what she makes. Thou I’ve heard Zepth talk about his bullets, I’ve also heard they are off poor quality. I will have to laugh and point at his bullets the next time I see him. Me, I make axes. Big axes. Although they look more like really cumbersome shovels. Needless to say, I need some more practice before I can make axes that I can sell without shame. All things said about my axes, they may look dumb and be hard to handle but they will cleave a Yubo in half! If you manage to hit it..

Oh! I almost forgot! On my way back from the kipees I almost trampled a homin just sitting on the ground. It was such a curious experience to see someone just sitting there, in the jungle I just had to ask him what he was doing. Apparently he was simply relaxing. Good to see someone taking a few minutes out of their hectic schedule to just sit down and listen to the sounds of the jungle. Life is so fast paced here on Atys. Homins running every which way. I will try and make time for some relaxing walks through the jungle, try and feel the spirit of Atys. I think Ma-Duk would be proud of me if I took the time to marvel at his wonderful creations.

The only sad thing is that I haven’t seen any wombaï today. How will I ever be able to commune with the mighty wombaï if I keep myself separated from the herd. Hopefully I will be able to do some wombaï spotting before I have to head to bed.

I think that would be all that has happened to me today. It has been yet another wonderful day here on Atys. Its spring time now, which I just adore. Pretty colors everywhere! The Kipees are roaring in the distance and somewhere in Zora I swear I can hear Zepth crafting some bullets. Ma-Duk must be in a good mood.

//Lizia, Queen of the Wombaï

Tip of the day:
Take some time out of your hectic schedule and just sit. Sit and listen to everything around you.