Abeyal returns to the common room of the Blue Feather just a candlemark or so after the last glow of the evening sun had disappeared behind the city walls. Her shoulders are slumped and her eyes are shadowed with weariness. Still she looks pleased. She chooses a seat near Clovis and Sir Barrett, and quickly orders a large bowl of chowder and some spiced wine. As she picks up her spoon, ink stains are apparent on her fingers and left palm. She sets to eating as though this was her first meal of the day. The bowl is emptied in minutes.
Well, I suppose now is the best time to share my research as any, she says loud enough for any to hear who might wish to listen. Ive spent the entire day learning what I could of the Wardens current troubles with the children and the tombs. Although what I will say will be as much of my own thoughts and ideas as it will be strict historical fact, I warn you. Also, please pardon me if Im only now learning what some of you may have already known. Either way, here is what Ive discovered and what I think.
My original thoughts about the origins of these children were that they come from the time before or during the Age of Silence. I had thought this immediately once I heard that the Sisters mentioned that the children were new to the realm yet are not. It is possible, I believe, that therefore while they were once of this realm, it was an entirely different one from the one that exists today. This might also explain their interest in tombs built shortly after the Age of Silence. I apologize that I didnt speak of this at the time, but we were then whisked away to Jossun, and we had more pressing matters with which to concern ourselves.
Abeyal takes a sip of wine and continues, Naturally, once we returned from Jossun, I had much more to consider and much to research. This is difficult research too, as there is precious little written history available from that Age, as Im sure youre aware. However, Im sure you all have considered that there must be some connection between the tombs in Jossun, Marjor, and Ashur. I mean, it is terribly rare to find a Curi tomb in these provinces! Here, we have three that are related and Im sure there are more to come. Fascinating.
She then takes out a leather-bound journal and opens to a page full of small, neat, notes. I started with the history of the tower in Jossun, since that was the one with which I was personally familiar. At first it was assumed that this tower might have possibly belonged to Jossun himself. Quite a sobering thought. Yet, I knew that tower was destroyed utterly by the hero mage Alatannin and was located near Maga, not near the Mist wall. There is nothing left of Jossuns tower now. But then I stumbled upon something interesting. Abeyal looks up again, her eyes bright, Jossun had an apprentice. A powerful mage who specialized in animating the dead, named Lasturan. Lasturan was known to have troubled the city of Caven before fleeing to the west. He was never brought to justice.
Abeyal pauses again, and drinks some more of her wine. Naturally I investigated any possible connection between Lasturan and the site we visited the other day. While doing so, I also came across another text that listed three ruins: one is called the Storm Ruins in northern Marjor, one is called the Glass Ruins in southern Ashur just south of Solun, and the other is called the Black Stone in western Jossun. I found the coincidences to be compelling. Once I was able to locate the unabridged version of this text, I think I had safely made the connection that the Lasturans tower is indeed the ruined, animated stone we were brought to the other day. Honestly, I imagine the possibility that the other two sites also match is rather remote, and my finding these sites too fortunate. Still, if there was more time, she smiles sheepishly. There is more on these sites, of course, including mention of a site in Teer, but I wont bother you with the details right now.
Next I focused on the tomb itself. If you recall, while the ruined stone tower dated probably in the 3rd century CE, yet the Curi tomb was relatively new, dating about 1200 CE, or just after the Age of Silence began. The tomb in Jossun is built in the style and execution of the tombs of High Seers, as one might find in Leander. I compared it to various architectural studies. The tomb isnt as grand, of course, but then it was built during the Age of Silence, and not in Sarus, and that should be expected. I havent seen the others, but Id be grateful if someone could confirm my suspicion that this latest tomb looked much like the previous three? Abeyal lifts her head from her notes and sees a few nods around the room. She continues, But this information was interesting in that I can assume then that the person whose parts we are acquiring was quite important and powerful, powerful enough to be entombed as a High Seer.
A young girl comes by and refills Abeyals earthenware mug. She drinks, savoring the spicy warmness of the wine and the feel of the warmth in her sore hands. So, I guess what it really still comes down to is whose heart was buried in that tomb? As I mentioned, we know the Age of Silence is the timeframe for the tombs, so it stands to reason that the person placed in such tombs would have met his or her demise at that same timeframe. We also know that the tombs were built in the style of those made for High Seers. I researched the connection, trying to fit time, place, and person together. It may also prove useful to find out more about the sites. Obviously the Curi chose these sites of entombment for a reason. I have yet to discover what that reason may be.
So, if the person entombed was valued in power to a High Seer by the Curi, then my first idea was to examine the records on the Seers of that time. There isnt a break in the High Seer line that is unaccounted for. Who were the High Seers during the Age of Silence? Not much is known, as Im sure you could guess. Nocisian rings the Bell of Silence, and then what happens to him? I looked at a lot (and I mean a lot) of historical accounts. I even looked at some guarded mystical accounts. Still, nothing was ever mentioned about his demise and burial, even in the texts specifically written on his life. A definite puzzle.
Abeyal thinks a minute before continuing, Oh, yes, he does have a tomb dedicated to him on the Necropolis of Leander. Thats to be expected, I suppose. People might wonder, if it wasnt there. But how do we know a body is definitely within? No where is an account of his death and burial made in writing, at least, not in the books I have access to.
She takes another sip of wine, And then, of course, there is the fact that he was a child.
I do caution us not to make hasty judgments. I have no absolute proof, just hypotheses. In fact, I spoke with a Sister who gave me a riddle: "Nocisian did not die, was simply gone, though the flesh lived on." What it means I am not quite sure. Still, the evidence looks as though Nocisian may very well be our body, our vessel, as the Sisters called it. He was alive at the right time, he was a High Seer, and I have found no evidence regarding his death and burial. Perhaps he is not. At the least, it is an idea to consider. Id really like to ask a mistic to augur this point, among others. Perhaps Bleys might accommodate.
Abeyal pauses again as the girl returns to refill any mugs. Her eyes take on an anxious look, and she glances about the room. Her voice lowers almost unconsciously. But what really troubles me, is that these children do not seem here to do the realm a service. My theory is that they may be using Nocisians body, but I am worried that it is not Nocisian they plan to raise. Remember, the Sisters said that the children seek to create a vessel to be filled by the Prophecy of Night. The horror that worries is what would happen if they were to defile a body of Day with an entity of Night. What mystical powers would be unleashed or negated? Yet this is not my realm of expertise. I am no mistic.
Abeyal sips her wine, more now because she needs it than simply out of the comfort of taste and warmth. I did not feel I could successfully research these children. I tried to start with things I knew, like the ruin site, and the age of the artifacts and tomb. These children, however, I know nothing about them, save that they are Curi, like the tombs. Instead I concentrated on what I did know: they were trying to fill a vessel with something dark.
Therefore, I had to ask, what great darkness could they have known? My idea was to research High Seers in or before the Age of Silence and their nemeses. I was looking for a powerful person who walked the Path of Night around the time when these tombs were made, or when these children were last in the realm. I found that one mistic (and a slightly odd one at that) did write a history on the Seers during the Age of Silence, although it is more augury than history, Im afraid. He babbles throughout the text, but oddly mentions known Seers names spelled backwards. High Seers Destinatis and Iasa were dead long before the Age of Silence, but I figured that their presence in his book (and perhaps his auguries) was significant. Because their names were spelled backwards, well, I looked for a metaphorical meaning behind this backwards-ness, or opposition. Who would be the opposite of these two Seers?
Abeyal takes a gulp of wine. I made a guess, and this guess frightens me. I do not wish to speak of it here, really. If I am wrong, then I will have worried the Wardens unnecessarily. And I am making but a guess, based on research. It is highly probable I am wrong
Abeyal absent-mindedly brushes a piece of hair from her eyes. She closes her eyes before continuing, almost as if reciting something from memory, Nocisian rang the Bell of Silence to begin the Age of Silence because it was felt that such a drastic method was necessary to combat the rising evil in the realm. Once the Bell was rung, equal parts of Night and Day were dispelled and negated, but no one knows for sure what really happened. The powers of Night and Day were both dispersed and sleeping. It was a time of Gray. But this had to happen in part because she lowers her voice again, Serach, the Dark Seer had risen again but five years earlier, and he held great power. Destinatis himself knew that the Dark Seer was poised to bring the entire realm in to the Path of Night. Because the Dark Seer is not heard of again after the ringing of the Bell, I assume his power was severely lessened, if not wiped out completely. Of course, one might make the same assumption of Nocisian. They were, in a way, equals in power and in Path. Perhaps they both faded from the realm with the ringing of the Bell.
The Dark Seer was both the contemporary of Destinatis (in his second rising) and the first of his kind, making him the figurative opposite of both Destinatis and Iasa, which brings me back to that mistics text on the Age of Silence I mentioned earlier. It is a stretch, I grant you. I am aware of this. But the coincidences are there: a powerful entity of the Path of Night, a time shortly after the Age of Silence begins. I worry then that Nocisian is the vessel, and perhaps Serach is the prophecy.
But in a vague way, she continues, I am still pondering the idea of Nocisian being reborn on a Nigh Path. This too is frightening to consider. Yet I have read auguries that seem to indicate that Nocisian will rise again. What I dont know is whether he will rise as merely his body, or as his spirit too. As I said, I am no mistic. Auguries are not my passion. I will share them with you later, if you wish.
Sighing, Abeyal straightens her back and drinks down the last of her wine, I dont know. I have merely come up with many new questions born from the questions of days past. Nocisian and the Dark Seer may or may not be the entities these children are interested in. Whether my guesses are right or wrong, I have still found mysteries worth exploring. I hope you all will share your ideas with me as we continue on this quest. Perhaps with more time and more ideas, I will find something definite.
With that, the weight of her work that day suddenly seems to fall heavily on her shoulders. Abeyal settles down in her seat and grows quiet.
Well, I suppose now is the best time to share my research as any, she says loud enough for any to hear who might wish to listen. Ive spent the entire day learning what I could of the Wardens current troubles with the children and the tombs. Although what I will say will be as much of my own thoughts and ideas as it will be strict historical fact, I warn you. Also, please pardon me if Im only now learning what some of you may have already known. Either way, here is what Ive discovered and what I think.
My original thoughts about the origins of these children were that they come from the time before or during the Age of Silence. I had thought this immediately once I heard that the Sisters mentioned that the children were new to the realm yet are not. It is possible, I believe, that therefore while they were once of this realm, it was an entirely different one from the one that exists today. This might also explain their interest in tombs built shortly after the Age of Silence. I apologize that I didnt speak of this at the time, but we were then whisked away to Jossun, and we had more pressing matters with which to concern ourselves.
Abeyal takes a sip of wine and continues, Naturally, once we returned from Jossun, I had much more to consider and much to research. This is difficult research too, as there is precious little written history available from that Age, as Im sure youre aware. However, Im sure you all have considered that there must be some connection between the tombs in Jossun, Marjor, and Ashur. I mean, it is terribly rare to find a Curi tomb in these provinces! Here, we have three that are related and Im sure there are more to come. Fascinating.
She then takes out a leather-bound journal and opens to a page full of small, neat, notes. I started with the history of the tower in Jossun, since that was the one with which I was personally familiar. At first it was assumed that this tower might have possibly belonged to Jossun himself. Quite a sobering thought. Yet, I knew that tower was destroyed utterly by the hero mage Alatannin and was located near Maga, not near the Mist wall. There is nothing left of Jossuns tower now. But then I stumbled upon something interesting. Abeyal looks up again, her eyes bright, Jossun had an apprentice. A powerful mage who specialized in animating the dead, named Lasturan. Lasturan was known to have troubled the city of Caven before fleeing to the west. He was never brought to justice.
Abeyal pauses again, and drinks some more of her wine. Naturally I investigated any possible connection between Lasturan and the site we visited the other day. While doing so, I also came across another text that listed three ruins: one is called the Storm Ruins in northern Marjor, one is called the Glass Ruins in southern Ashur just south of Solun, and the other is called the Black Stone in western Jossun. I found the coincidences to be compelling. Once I was able to locate the unabridged version of this text, I think I had safely made the connection that the Lasturans tower is indeed the ruined, animated stone we were brought to the other day. Honestly, I imagine the possibility that the other two sites also match is rather remote, and my finding these sites too fortunate. Still, if there was more time, she smiles sheepishly. There is more on these sites, of course, including mention of a site in Teer, but I wont bother you with the details right now.
Next I focused on the tomb itself. If you recall, while the ruined stone tower dated probably in the 3rd century CE, yet the Curi tomb was relatively new, dating about 1200 CE, or just after the Age of Silence began. The tomb in Jossun is built in the style and execution of the tombs of High Seers, as one might find in Leander. I compared it to various architectural studies. The tomb isnt as grand, of course, but then it was built during the Age of Silence, and not in Sarus, and that should be expected. I havent seen the others, but Id be grateful if someone could confirm my suspicion that this latest tomb looked much like the previous three? Abeyal lifts her head from her notes and sees a few nods around the room. She continues, But this information was interesting in that I can assume then that the person whose parts we are acquiring was quite important and powerful, powerful enough to be entombed as a High Seer.
A young girl comes by and refills Abeyals earthenware mug. She drinks, savoring the spicy warmness of the wine and the feel of the warmth in her sore hands. So, I guess what it really still comes down to is whose heart was buried in that tomb? As I mentioned, we know the Age of Silence is the timeframe for the tombs, so it stands to reason that the person placed in such tombs would have met his or her demise at that same timeframe. We also know that the tombs were built in the style of those made for High Seers. I researched the connection, trying to fit time, place, and person together. It may also prove useful to find out more about the sites. Obviously the Curi chose these sites of entombment for a reason. I have yet to discover what that reason may be.
So, if the person entombed was valued in power to a High Seer by the Curi, then my first idea was to examine the records on the Seers of that time. There isnt a break in the High Seer line that is unaccounted for. Who were the High Seers during the Age of Silence? Not much is known, as Im sure you could guess. Nocisian rings the Bell of Silence, and then what happens to him? I looked at a lot (and I mean a lot) of historical accounts. I even looked at some guarded mystical accounts. Still, nothing was ever mentioned about his demise and burial, even in the texts specifically written on his life. A definite puzzle.
Abeyal thinks a minute before continuing, Oh, yes, he does have a tomb dedicated to him on the Necropolis of Leander. Thats to be expected, I suppose. People might wonder, if it wasnt there. But how do we know a body is definitely within? No where is an account of his death and burial made in writing, at least, not in the books I have access to.
She takes another sip of wine, And then, of course, there is the fact that he was a child.
I do caution us not to make hasty judgments. I have no absolute proof, just hypotheses. In fact, I spoke with a Sister who gave me a riddle: "Nocisian did not die, was simply gone, though the flesh lived on." What it means I am not quite sure. Still, the evidence looks as though Nocisian may very well be our body, our vessel, as the Sisters called it. He was alive at the right time, he was a High Seer, and I have found no evidence regarding his death and burial. Perhaps he is not. At the least, it is an idea to consider. Id really like to ask a mistic to augur this point, among others. Perhaps Bleys might accommodate.
Abeyal pauses again as the girl returns to refill any mugs. Her eyes take on an anxious look, and she glances about the room. Her voice lowers almost unconsciously. But what really troubles me, is that these children do not seem here to do the realm a service. My theory is that they may be using Nocisians body, but I am worried that it is not Nocisian they plan to raise. Remember, the Sisters said that the children seek to create a vessel to be filled by the Prophecy of Night. The horror that worries is what would happen if they were to defile a body of Day with an entity of Night. What mystical powers would be unleashed or negated? Yet this is not my realm of expertise. I am no mistic.
Abeyal sips her wine, more now because she needs it than simply out of the comfort of taste and warmth. I did not feel I could successfully research these children. I tried to start with things I knew, like the ruin site, and the age of the artifacts and tomb. These children, however, I know nothing about them, save that they are Curi, like the tombs. Instead I concentrated on what I did know: they were trying to fill a vessel with something dark.
Therefore, I had to ask, what great darkness could they have known? My idea was to research High Seers in or before the Age of Silence and their nemeses. I was looking for a powerful person who walked the Path of Night around the time when these tombs were made, or when these children were last in the realm. I found that one mistic (and a slightly odd one at that) did write a history on the Seers during the Age of Silence, although it is more augury than history, Im afraid. He babbles throughout the text, but oddly mentions known Seers names spelled backwards. High Seers Destinatis and Iasa were dead long before the Age of Silence, but I figured that their presence in his book (and perhaps his auguries) was significant. Because their names were spelled backwards, well, I looked for a metaphorical meaning behind this backwards-ness, or opposition. Who would be the opposite of these two Seers?
Abeyal takes a gulp of wine. I made a guess, and this guess frightens me. I do not wish to speak of it here, really. If I am wrong, then I will have worried the Wardens unnecessarily. And I am making but a guess, based on research. It is highly probable I am wrong
Abeyal absent-mindedly brushes a piece of hair from her eyes. She closes her eyes before continuing, almost as if reciting something from memory, Nocisian rang the Bell of Silence to begin the Age of Silence because it was felt that such a drastic method was necessary to combat the rising evil in the realm. Once the Bell was rung, equal parts of Night and Day were dispelled and negated, but no one knows for sure what really happened. The powers of Night and Day were both dispersed and sleeping. It was a time of Gray. But this had to happen in part because she lowers her voice again, Serach, the Dark Seer had risen again but five years earlier, and he held great power. Destinatis himself knew that the Dark Seer was poised to bring the entire realm in to the Path of Night. Because the Dark Seer is not heard of again after the ringing of the Bell, I assume his power was severely lessened, if not wiped out completely. Of course, one might make the same assumption of Nocisian. They were, in a way, equals in power and in Path. Perhaps they both faded from the realm with the ringing of the Bell.
The Dark Seer was both the contemporary of Destinatis (in his second rising) and the first of his kind, making him the figurative opposite of both Destinatis and Iasa, which brings me back to that mistics text on the Age of Silence I mentioned earlier. It is a stretch, I grant you. I am aware of this. But the coincidences are there: a powerful entity of the Path of Night, a time shortly after the Age of Silence begins. I worry then that Nocisian is the vessel, and perhaps Serach is the prophecy.
But in a vague way, she continues, I am still pondering the idea of Nocisian being reborn on a Nigh Path. This too is frightening to consider. Yet I have read auguries that seem to indicate that Nocisian will rise again. What I dont know is whether he will rise as merely his body, or as his spirit too. As I said, I am no mistic. Auguries are not my passion. I will share them with you later, if you wish.
Sighing, Abeyal straightens her back and drinks down the last of her wine, I dont know. I have merely come up with many new questions born from the questions of days past. Nocisian and the Dark Seer may or may not be the entities these children are interested in. Whether my guesses are right or wrong, I have still found mysteries worth exploring. I hope you all will share your ideas with me as we continue on this quest. Perhaps with more time and more ideas, I will find something definite.
With that, the weight of her work that day suddenly seems to fall heavily on her shoulders. Abeyal settles down in her seat and grows quiet.
