Lore Submission Thread

Back at it again! Let’s gooo!

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #80

Data:

An empty camp is an empty camp, however, a makeshift tree-top watchtower is not what I was expecting these Resa to be using to shoot at me from. I was expecting this to be more of a Haruspex style of structure, with their love of the woodlands and hiding in strange places.

I ran as fast as I could across the swamplands to get to cover but their position was good, they could see me wherever I tried to hide. My skyripper got clogged up with mud and wasn’t in flying condition, so I guess I had to start running zig zags for my life. The fact that a Loyalist skyripper was going to fall into the hands of the Resa was the least of my concerns while I was getting bombarded by enemy fire.

This next part of my entry is shortly after I got captured and they let me access my datapad:

While running, I think I tripped and hit my head because I don’t remember being captured and left in a tent by myself. Also, I am pretty sure I got knocked out during the chase because my head feels like I got hit by a cyclops club.

As I was sitting there in the middle of the tent gathering my thoughts, 3 Resa scouts came in and inspected me for any kind of hidden weapons. Still in my confused state of mind, all I could really do was sit there as they started throwing question after question at me.

“Here we go again”, I thought. Another situation where my encounters with another faction are due to me being in the wrong place at the wrong time. These Resa are much more aggressive and cold-hearted than the ones I’ve met around Morion. The only reason why they actually allowed me to use my datapad was to transfer to them all data I had on their rival faction, which I had to do or they would have left my fate up to the snakes of the bog.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #81

Data:

It has been some weeks since I’ve been rescued by a Loyalist task force and I am currently still stuck in a bed at some medical cabin at First-Wave Settlement without much to do. Most of my adventures seem to end up with me returning to Loyalist territory with a bite taken out of me.

Well, the physician has ordered me to stay in bed for the next few days to deal with my high fever and weak body. Does this give me some time to summarize and document the several weeks that I could not make entries? If you do not know me by now from my journal entries, you should read them again, as by now you should know how important this method of documentation is to me.

Several weeks ago, while in captivity, I was treated with the worst hospitality in history, which I assume was due to the territorial rivalry between these Resa and the neighboring Haruspex to the east and the NEO outposts to the west. I don’t blame them, I think continuous skirmishes with rival factions non-stop would also drive some of our Loyalist troops to act defensively and cautiously as well.

Compared to my time actively engaging in dialogue with the Resa of Morion Outpost, the Resa of the bog were less talkative and just wanted me to sit around and every time I asked if they needed any help with gathering food or resources, they told me to stay in the tent.

I think I had enough around the third week of captivity and decided to hatch my plan to escape. During my time staying in the tent and my limited time walking around their camp, I figured out that the Resa of the bog are periodically attacked by the native daudaormur, and while defending the camp, will not pay attention at all to my tent. I too, would not pay attention to a sole tent while my settlement was being attacked on all sides by snakes.

I will continue my story on the next entry, I feel nauseous from sitting up and staring at my datapad. In a few days, the doctors will be able to discharge me from their care, hopefully, it comes soon, as my next adventure awaits.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #82

Data:

Day 8 or 9 of staying at the medical cabin and I am staying longer due to vision problems. The swamplands of the planet or the food that the Resa of the bog ate did not fit well with my body it seemed, and now I get to be stuck in bed for another 2 long nights. I believe I still owe the readers of this journal the rest of the Resa escape story so I will continue below:

While the Resa were being attacked, I saw an opportunity to sneak into the tent where my stuff was being stashed and took it. For the Resa, it was “all hands on deck” and the bog was filled with sounds of laser weapons, hissing, and yelling.

When I sneaked into the tent, there was no one there and it was just several locked crates. Thankfully, the locks on the crates were just key locks and not biometric. There was a bundle of charts on one of the crates held together by a clip, so I started getting to work picking the locks. Time was not on my side, as I knew the attack on the Resa outpost was not going to last forever and someone would eventually come in. It only took me 2 crates to find my stuff.

The first thing I grabbed was my datapad, and… it was out of battery. A quick glance around the tent yielded no good news on any kind of charging port or battery replacements. In that case, I grabbed one of the Resa comm devices and put a message to be broadcasted on a loop to Loyalist comm frequencies. I just really hoped the Resa tech had good enough broadcasting range to compensate for the fact that we were out in the middle of nowhere and away from any kind of Loyalist outpost.

While trying to find a good place to hide the comm device, I heard less and less fighting outside and heard someone coming into the tent. I didn’t have any time to hide the comm device and threw it out of the tent, which I thought was foolish after a Resa soldier saw me out of my tent and dragged me back to it. I really just hope the device didn’t sink into the bog and my opportunity was wasted, or no one receives my call for help.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #83

Data:

The Resa were not happy with me after I left my tent and saw that I opened the crate with my stuff. I think this was where my health deteriorated and why I’m stuck in this medical hut since they started giving me fewer rations and started ignoring me completely whenever I wanted to ask anything.

This led to some of the weirdest hallucinations, with talking snakes, a view of an excavation site, and the sun shining down on Ancient Greece. I was also running a high fever, and could barely walk straight. Another few days of this terrible experience passed and one day I heard explosions, screaming, and wind gusting. Another snake attack? But wait, snakes don’t fly. Struggling to get up and leave my tent, I finally did and as I looked outside, the Resa were occupied with putting out returning fire towards figures swooping down and destroying Resa supplies and buildings.

My vision was blurry but those were definitely not dragons, but skyrippers! White skyrippers harassed the Resa who were frantically putting up a meager defense while trying to figure out who was attacking. In the distance, I saw heavy guns and Loyalist artillery rushing towards the outpost, I was saved!

Some strange feeling, as if I was in a trance, compelled me to start stumbling forwards towards the Loyalist forces coming to attack, and shortly after, I remember collapsing and everything went black. After everything went black, I woke up in this bed where I have been stuck for the past while.

That is it for my story of escaping Resa captivity. Based on the reports I’ve read of the rescue raid, they ended up capturing the outpost and took whatever intel and data they could find from the Resa camp before leaving. When I was grabbing the clip that was holding together some charts, that bundle of charts caught my eye, so hopefully, the rescue forces took those with them when they left. I have a feeling those charts hold more information than I think they hold based on my quick glance.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #84

Data:

My lengthy stay at the medical hut has ended and I am finally discharged from their care. The stay did push back my schedule a bit but I know a bit more clearly what my next move will be. The reports from the raid said that the seized intel and data from the Resa were being held at a research facility at Shepherd’s Beach, so I plan to go there to see what those charts can lead me to.

When I arrived at Shepherd’s Beach, there were a few military officers and other Expeditionary Force members hanging around also trying to get access to the Resa intel and data. It seemed I wasn’t the only one who had the idea that the Resa had some good info that could be of use.

The close proximity between the Resa and the Woodland Haruspex gives them enough exposure to whatever the Haruspex are up to with their magic and being also neighbors with the New Elysia Order, we can also get access to their findings on what new technologies that NEO has developed.

It took a bit of pushing and shoving but I ended up with the charts I wanted and proceeded to go back to hiding in my office at Paradise Landing to study them. Pouring over the contents of the bundle of crumpled and scuffed charts, I noticed they were in fact surveys of the land in Ancient Greece and it seemed that they were taken from the Haruspex. This reinforces the idea that the Haruspex do actively go through Orpheus’ Cave and now I have another reason to go back to the past.

The charts show that the area west of Thebes is rich with resources. I have already explored the area around Thebes on my first trip to the strange land and never got a reply for my mining proposal, which I think would give our faction an edge among the factions we always compete against. I will bring up my previous proposal while writing a new one, but if my superiors do not see the value in the resources that are lodged in the land of Ancient Greece, I will have to take matters into my own hands.

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Lore Entry for April #5
Daudaomur Facts
Research by Fatteus “Fatty” Thorsson

Darkest minions of the Gorgon, the Daudaomur are a grave menace to the continued existence of Next Island and Ancient Greek Settlers. Rumors abound how these monstrous serpents were created by Gorgon to spread death and destruction across time and space. Daudaomur subsist entirely on the flesh of Humans and can go months between feedings, which makes them especially dangerous foes. Simply starving them is a monumental feat. Daudaomur are tremendously venomous, venom even seeps out from pores on their scaly bodies, affecting anyone unfortunate enough to get near them.

Daudaomur do not reproduce the same way other creatures do. There are no males or females. Instead, they are borne from Gorgon’s head. They pop out and slither down, then they begin to grow rapidly. It takes a matter of hours, less than a day, for a Daudaomur to grow to its full size. One that is older than a week old becomes the more advanced forms of the creature. Daudaomur enjoy warm, wet environments like the aptly named Daudaomur Bog in northern Next Island.

Like a shark, Daudaomur teeth regrow when they fall out. It is believed that they don’t really even need to feed on flesh to survive, but that they do so anyway because they enjoy it. It is said that if you find the grotesque shed skin of a Daudaomur, it is a bad omen, your life is forfeit, and you might as well get your affairs in order. No doubt this is because where there is a shedding, the creature is likely nearby. Some people have claimed to see these beasts propel themselves forward by shooting jets of venom from their backs like some sort of profane rocket.

I really did not like this research assignment. Getting close to the Daudaomur was frightening and I saw my life flash before my eyes several times over! I hope this report was enlightening. May your hunts be profitable and may the Lord Tommy smile upon your loot returns.

Lore Submission for April #4
Screecher Facts
Research by Fatteus “Fatty” Thorsson

I can’t tell you just how many pecks and bites I received bringing this data to you, the Next Island Settlers. The screecher is indeed a magnificent bird, albeit a flightless one. However, I did see one fly pretty far when it was kicked, but I digress. And don’t expect beautiful birdsong from these guys, as their name suggests, they aren’t good singers. Screechers differ from male to female. The males have brilliant blue plumage, while the females sport drab, dark plumage. The males must impress the females with a combination of their color presentation, a catchy dance, and presenting them with an azurite stone or other gem, though they seem to appreciate azurite most, since it is blue, like the males. Screechers seem to have a thing for blue… anyway. It appears the wily papoo tends to steal the azurite from them, at least the brown ones do. Add this to the fact that papoo like to steal their eggs and chicks for supper and you have a fair amount of bad blood between the screecher and the papoo.

I mentioned screecher breeding, well, they seem to breed in one place specifically to my knowledge, and that is a large cave near Riverside View. They migrate there constantly, as though it were some kind of traditional laying ground for them. The screecher’s egg is almost as big as they are, making birthing the egg a rather uncomfortable process I would imagine. I never got the chance to ask a screecher mother what it felt like. All I know is that much of their interior area is taken up by the egg as they are gestating it. Rather like the diminutive kiwi back on Earth, really. Listen to me, reminiscing about home.

Screechers are a menace to settlers, especially around Crystal Peak. Although some industrious settlers have found them quite useful sources of vibrant sweat. Almost daily sweat circles can be found at the foot of Crystal Peak and they are quite lively at times. Of course, vibrant sweat is valuable here on Next Island since it makes a few things such as Lesser Elysia. Perhaps the humble screecher is far more intelligent than most give them credit for, because with enough time and patience, they can be taught to mimic Human speech, even other creatures’ sounds. I’ve observed one charming individual fend off a regiment of papoo by mimicking a papoo’s territorial cry.

Screechers dine on insects and small lizards, but I’ve seen one pick off a papoo or two for some “fast food,” if you know what I mean. They have also been known to swallow gems to help grind up their food in their gizzards. That’s all I have for screechers for now. There may be a part two if my field research turns up any more juicy tidbits. I’m going to help cull the pop if you know what I mean. See you in Racc’s den!

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Lores Submission for April 2022
Writing my own experiences in Next Island
Posting all 5 post/parts in one submissions

Return to the Next Island

Part I

Again, I am flying in dark space. Starting to doze off while auto-pilot is on.

I must say that I still enjoy the travel, I consider as a time of relaxation. Just flying in the space with my Sleipnir with classic music I am used to.

Many have told me they hate flying to the space with their own vehicle. “It takes too long”, that’s what they say. I do get how they feel, when you want to get to the place for fun time then flying seems to be the pointless and wasteful use of the time. But, I do enjoy just reading the new information about the planet I go to next.

Me “It seems like many thing has changed and added”

After all, last time I was on Next Island, I only did new player missions and mined a little.

There are many missions I should work on… at least should finish the Driving Test. The driving Strider is not one of my best skilled thing to do. I am sure I failed the test at least 10 times, flipped the vehicle on the hill, go off the course, spin off, and time limit reached before passing the goal line. It is not only the Driving Test mission, I should complete, there are many I should now try to do as there are enough missions for lower level players now.

Before I do all missions, I must do my duty I promised my disciple.

K(Disciple) “So, why are you taking me?”

My disciple in the back seat pull me back to the reality.

Me “Because, you are finally graduating!”

K “I know, I am graduating… but, why are you taking me to different planet? I can graduate anywhere right?”

I thought I explained the reason more than one time to her, but often, she only hears what she wants to hear at the time.

Part II

Me “Because you said you want the best armor you can get from graduating, and that will be Next Island.”

K “What kind of armor does Next Island give?”

Me “It is called Atlas armor, and I think it is one of the best armor to get from the graduation. Also, it looks better than many other armors.”

K “Ah yea, appearance matters!”

Me “You will see what I am talking about when we land.”

I forgot to explain why I am flying to Next Island, and I may have mislead many of you that I was just flying by myself to pick up on where I left off. In the truth, it was my disciple who made me decide to fly to the planet. Yes, I did promise her I will fly to any planet of her choice to graduate and I was certain she will be picking Next Island for the armor. Many veterans know already, but Next Island offers Atlas armor, which I believe is best graduation armor for animal mobs. It gives balanced out cut, impact, stab protections while providing some acid and burn coverage. I understand there are many other armor sets you can get with variety of the protections, but personally, I did not need any other protection than basic three (cut, impact, stab) and maybe acid for entry level animal mob. It was my natural choice to recommend her Atlas armor, which didn’t exist at the time I graduated. Always good to have the one in the trend, even though classic sets are still nice.

Me “What do you plan to do after graduating?”

K " I want to continue hunting. Is Next Island good planet for new hunter?"

As a brand new player just graduating from the mentorship, some planets can be difficult as choice of mobs and missions can be limited. Next Island, even though their real estate may not be large as Calypso or Arkadia, the planet has good size of area to explorer as well as to hunt and mine.

Part III

I was surprised when I was on Next Island last time, it actually had good developed environment where new player to veteran players can enjoy the activities. Also, as a hunter, it would be good to check on the daily missions they have. Even if you are new hunter, Monkeying around would be a great mission to do every day. Yellow Papoo is very easy mob to hunt even you don’t have much dps but at the end, provide 2 ped Papoo Guardian Mob Pill which has good value both in ped and the entertainment.

Me “Yes, would be good to start with killing a lot of monkey.”

K “Monkey? Like one in real life?”

Me “Yea, they do move and sounds like ones you see in the zoo so you will find them no problem.”

K “That’s exciting, I will be looking forward to it.”

It may sound very odd but I should work on same daily mission as my disciple K. I believe those daily mission benefit anyone who is willing to spend time doing it, the reward is just that good. One more thing added to the list of things to do.

Me “Oh, there are many others ones too like killing piglets, cyclops, even fruit walking missions if you are out of the pd”

K “Nice, so there are plenty of things to do for new player!”

Me “Yea, I think so”

Even in the different planet, I hear some mission or activities about Next Island. Yet, most of word I hear is about new armor plate drops or crafting mission they added. That just sounds like it limiting the level or activity of many players, but I think it is enjoyable for all level of player. Of course, I won’t know if it is true for high ends folks, but with Gorgon waves and other instance, I think it provides a reason for them to visit also.

Me “Ok, we are landing soon. Make sure to buckle up.”

This is how my return to Next Island started, with my disciple K hoping many exciting adventures awaiting for us ahead.

First Thing First

Part I

Me “Ok, K. We have landed in Next Island. Now you can finish your mentorship and you should get your own set of Atlas armor.”

K “Sounds good, I am graduating… now.”

As she finish speaking, bright yellow swirl wraps around her with celebration music from the distant. It was definitely great to see, specially because I forgot graduating gives the Hall of Fame effect to the player. I am sure it was first time for her to see huge swirls with the sounds.

Me “Congrats, K. Now you can explore and enjoy the time in Next Island. Let me know if you are lost are in need for a help. Just letting you know, you can go down the stairs over there to the beach in order to start the beginner mission for first timer in the planet.”

K “Thank you, I will explore and see what I can find.”

I waved her and watched her go down stairs for her new adventure. It will be good for her to explore Next Island, she has a lot to find. Now, I can’t see her anymore. It is time for me to do my own thing. Even though there are many missions and activities to do in the planet, there is one thing I wanted to do when I decided to return to this planet. First thing for me to do will be definitely that mission. Many may already guessed easily, it is the Driving Test. The mission, I failed over and over and still did not achieve. May I a bad driver? Maybe. A driving in the car or boat was not bad as I know how it can maneuver, but Strider is a different story. I am not sure if it is just how that vehicle works or my driving technique, the vehicle slips without reasons I can see or find. Maybe there is a function where if I go faster than certain sleep on the slope, it flips itself. After all, I just didn’t figure out to control the beast yet. I failed many time on this driving test, but I love this kind of the mission. It is not just killing with a cold heart, walking for hours to find a specific ore, nor make hundreds of products over and over. I am not saying those missions are not fun, but it is something I do to reach the goal. The reward or gain in the profession to become better at what I do. The driving test is the mission that involves no long term goal for me. I can relax and enjoy even I fail to complete, it is just fun to drive and race against the time.

Me “I think K is already at the beach. I should get moving.” with the excitement I can’t hide, I have hastily walked to the driving course. The driving course is located in the Paradise Landing area also. It is downstairs and easy to find when you just go left after getting down.

Part II

Me “Hi, Greta. I am back to do the test.”

Greta “Hi Balam, just wait until the other is done with their test.”

Me “Ok, thanks.”

Greta is very nice person, who always greet me nicely no matter how many times I fail on the test. Never shows the frustration about me taking the test many time. I am sure that it is easy to recognize a person who takes that same test over and over in a same day.

Boooooom… I hear the sound of a Strider coming close. It must be other person who is taking the test. He is still far away, but I see it is just 1 minute and 30 seconds passed. The test course must be run through within 2 minutes and 25 seconds in order to pass the test. The guy who is taking the test was definitely a veteran driver, with sharp turn and sensitive acceleration work he was right on track. Now he is coming close, almost passing where I stand to wait. As we makes through last curve, I looked back for the timer.

Me “How does he do this…”

The timer has stopped as he cross the goal line, indicating his wrap time was 2 minutes and 20 seconds. He still has 5 seconds and already reached the goal. I couldn’t resist myself to go talk to him. Maybe get a tip or two for my test.

Me “Hi, nice run. How many times did you try on the test?”

Driver “It was my first time, I am glad I finished the test.”

Me “What? It is your first time? What is the secret?”

Driver “Just go easy on a gas, and make sure you don’t over steer. It is not that hard, you should be able to reach the goal without an issue.”

Me “Thanks, I will try my best.”

It is definitely easy to say than done, or else I should have passed already in the past.

Me “Well, at least it will be the first time trying for this visit.”

Placing my Strider on the start line, I firmly gripped the handle and took deep breath.

Harriot’s lore for May

Charlotte’s Return
Entry #125

It had felt like an eternity since the last time I had seen Charlotte. We hadn’t parted on the best of terms. I had become convinced she forgot all about me and Next Island. There was nothing stopping her from going back to her life on Calypso as if nothing ever happened. She had no real reason to come back, at least I had never given her a reason to come back. Over the years it became second nature to keep everyone at a safe distance. I had never needed anyone, so why did I care so much whether she was coming back or not.

Back at the cave Shiny was practising his sword skills, he glared at me when I interrupted him. I didn’t have time to explain, before I knew it I was throwing things around. Since Charlotte’s departure the cave had ‘acquired’ more things. There was a big pile of clothes and scrap metal lying around. I tried my best to make the place look semi decent. Shiny seemed to take the hint and started to help fold clothes and move the heavier objects. With Shiny’s help the cave was looking more like a home than a dragon’s lair.

Shiny had dragged over a couple of chairs I had spent my free time crafting. They weren’t anything special but it was better than sitting on the ground. I sat down to wait for her, Shiny took up a post closest to the cave entrance. Since Charlotte had gone he had stood there every time I came home, either to protect me or as if waiting for Charlotte to walk in.

A chilly wind suddenly swept through the cave and I found the nearest blanket to wrap up in. It must have been an imported blanket as it was far softer than anything you could find on Next Island. I must have fallen asleep as the next thing I remembered was one of the loudest ‘whirl, click’ that Shiny had ever done.

On instinct my sword was drawn quicker than I could wake up. A look of surprise seemed to settle on her face. I was still half asleep and her image at the cave entrance was something I hadn’t seen for a long time, it felt almost as if I were still dreaming.

“I see you haven’t changed much. At least Shiny knows who I am.” Her laugh seemed to echo through the cave as the realisation settled in. I tried to play it off like I had always done with her.

“I see you still like alerting the whole of Next Island of our location.”

She let out a soft laugh.
“Sorry I didn’t realise I was being so loud, I forgot how much this cave echoes. Looks like you’ve been busy since I’ve been gone.” She seemed to have grown more sarcastic from her time on Calypso. Her accent was slightly different than when I had seen her. Her outfit was also very different from the first time I had seen her. It was almost as if she had come prepared this time for Next Island’s harsh environments.

Charlotte’s Return
Entry #126

Charlotte was carrying the largest rucksack I had ever seen as if about to hike up the tallest mountain. In no time at all she placed it by the cave entrance and made herself at home.

“These are new. Did you make them?” Charlotte was looking at the chair as if it would break at any moment.

“It’s not going to break, if it can take Shiny’s weight you’ll be fine.” Shiny seemed to let out a sound of protest at my words.

“It’s rather cold here, I don’t remember it ever being this cold before. Pass me a blanket.”

The one I had been using had slipped to the floor before she arrived. I picked it up and handed it to you. She seemed to smile when she saw it.

“What rich merchant did you steal this from? Never mind, I don’t want to know.” Her smile seemed to fade as her eye’s fell to the ground. There was something different about her, something I couldn’t quite place. She was fumbling over something in her hands. On the Chair she placed a small shiny golden key. It was an odd looking thing; the handle of it had the Haruspex symbol clearly stamped.

“What’s this?”

“So, you know I went back to Calypso. Well I had in my time on Next Island forgotten what I had left behind and well, you see. The thing is…”

“Get to the point Charlotte.” She seemed to twist her fingers around a loose thread on the blanket I had given her.

“Well it turns out I had quite a bit of ped saved up. Enough to buy that.” She pointed at the key as if I should know what she meant.

“You bought a key?” My confusion at the small key was hard to hide.

“No, it’s not the key per-say but where the key leads to. Oh let me show you you’re going to love it.”

Charlotte led me to a place in Ancient Greece. She was fumbling with the key when we drew close to a few houses, rather large houses in Ancient Greece. She finally stopped in front of one. Outside it had a massive courtyard and an impressive building attached to it.

“This is the one.” Charlotte seemed proud for a moment until she noticed my expression. Before turning the key in the lock she gave me one long look.

“I told you I’d buy a house for us.” The door swung open as if it were inviting her home. She seemed nervous, I could see her take a long deep breath before entering the house. She sent a smile back my way.

“Well, what are you waiting for, this is as much your place as it is mine.” When she saw I wasn’t making an effort to move she pulled my arm into the house.

Charlotte’s Return
Entry #127

The place was warm, almost too warm. I found myself having to take off a few layers in fear of overheating in this house. Inside there were a few bits of Next Island furniture dotted around. They looked brand new and better quality than my little chair. Clothes seemed to be dumped on both the floor and the furniture. Charlotte seemed flustered for a moment. She began to scoop up the clothes and dump them in a pile.
“Sorry, I haven’t had time to move things in yet and we still need to pack up and bring the things from the cave here. I’ll give you a tour if you like, it’s smaller than my Calypso place so there’s not much to see, but it’s big enough for 2 people dont worry I made sure of that.”

The house itself was a slightly smaller space than the cave, though I had made myself at home in only a small part of the cave. It had been many years since the idea of living under a roof again had come to mind. As a child we usually spent our time in tents and temporary shelters. Only the adults really spent time in the buildings. It was to teach us children at a young age how harsh the Next Island landscape could be. Well at least that’s what they told us.

Charlotte seemed to stop for a moment by one of the sofas. She looked almost as if there was something weighing her down.
“There’s something I need to tell you,” under her breath she muttered the words ’before they arrive’. “You’d better sit down first.”
I found myself wandering cautiously over to the sofa, the more I thought about it the less I seemed to know about her. I knew for a fact she was from Calypso and was an archaeologist. But I never knew she was actually rich, from the way she had always acted around me she never gave off that vibe. It felt as if she was hiding a lot of things still.

“While I was on Calypso, I managed to talk to them about you. And about the fact that the ancestors of this planet trust you to protect it. And well, you see, they became curious. So in exchange for creating a pardon between you and the Stel, trust me that wasn’t easy to convince them. Well they wanted to meet you.” I found myself on my feet quicker than I could say no. “I had a feeling you wouldn’t want to, but it’s too late now. My old team mates are waiting outside.”

Charlotte’s Crew
Entry #128

Charlotte had ambushed me, I was proud and a little shocked at the same time. Charlotte had changed a lot since the last time I had met her. I had many expectations of her old team, tourists always had the same naïve demeanour and were always underdressed.

But the 2 others that walked through the door looked almost ready for an adventure, they were loaded with backpacks of which I could only imagine held rations and supplies needed. They wore thick clothes, one even had a scarf wrapped around his face as if he had just stepped out of the desert. Both were well built and much taller than me and Charlotte.
“This is Eliot and this is Carlos, I managed to meet up with them when I got back to Calypso. And this as you both must have realised, is Harriot.”
Elliot stretched out a hand towards me. When I didn’t shake it or respond he shrugged it off.
“Charlotte has told us so much about you, in fact it was hard to get her to shut up at times.” I gave them my most intense glare, I didn’t know them. Okay Charlotte trusted them but I didn’t even trust Charlotte at first. “She doesn’t talk much does she?” Charlotte seemed to glare at me while whispering into my ear. ‘Play nice’.
“So, are you both archaeologists too?” My words fell coldly into the air. They seemed to share a knowing glance before answering.
“Something like that.” Charlotte seemed to shy away a little at Elliots words. “So I hear you helped the spirits of Next Island find peace. Not an easy task as I can imagine.” Elliot seemed curious about my story and kept bombarding me with questions, I kept my answers short and to the point. No way was I going to let this person I barely knew have more to use against me in the future.

Suddenly the questions stopped and Elliot stood up from the sofa, he had something in his hand which he placed on the table.
“Do you know what this is?” I shook my head, it looked like an ancient gold medallion with empty slots as if waiting for gemstones.
“This was discovered on our last trip here, we found it just before Charlotte’s disappearance, we feared the worst that the ‘curse’ had taken her so we left without investigating. But rumour has it that a second piece of this necklace has been found. And being that you have the will of the ancients on your side we thought you could help protect us from any ‘curse’ the Island can throw at us. This relic is something that should be seen by all. I’m sure a resourceful person, like yourself, could help us”

A New Adventure
Entry #129

All 3 sets of eyes were looking at me expectantly as if I had the answer. Though it had piqued my curiosity, my hand edged towards the medallion. Something about it was fascinating as if somewhat familiar. Before I could feel it one of them snatched it away. Elliot seemed to have a smile on his face. Carlos up until now had remained silent but he stepped forward in that moment.

“If you help us I’m sure Elliot will let you see the necklace again. What we need you to do is find out information on the piece that has been found, it would be a shame if the ancient inhabitants saw this in pieces right?” Carlos’ demeanour was far different to Elliots; he was almost too sweet to be hanging around with the likes of him and me for that matter. They gave Charlotte a long hard look before leaving. She didn’t speak for a few hours, I had a feeling she was ashamed of what she was asking from me.

“You don’t have to help us if you don’t want to. I should have told them to not ask you anything. I didn’t expect they would be this persistent.”

I let out a sigh I had been holding onto for far too long. Logically, I was a smarter choice than any outsider to find information and I even wanted to know about this ‘necklace’. I had only seen it for a second but the image was seared into my brain. But to get information for an outsider that even Charlotte seemed ashamed about just felt wrong somehow. From the way they acted there was something different about them, something I couldn’t quite place.

“I’ll do it but just know I don’t trust them one bit.”
Charlotte and I spent the rest of the day moving things from the cave to our new Ancient Greece home. Most of the stuff I had was hoards of crystals and clothes I had acquired over the years, none of which Charlotte had ever questioned me about. Shiny looked almost as happy as anything to be returning to Ancient Greece. Shiny hardly ever expressed his emotions so it was hard to tell other than the fact he was dancing and packing up things quicker than me and Charlotte could manage. Once everything had been moved none of us felt like doing much of anything.

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Lore for May

Tittle: The Walking Pest

PART 1:

After what the Man-Bear explained to me, I decided to find out first hand, so I went back to the Thebas Market…
I was hesitant about appearing at Queen Penthesilea’s court, when I overheard a casual conversation between a shopkeeper and his customer:

Transcript of the conversation.
-Yes, Temocles… as I told you, several have died there in the town near Larissa.
-Come on, man, with the artifacts of the visitors, no one dies anymore… No doubt Hades will be worried about the lack of souls that he will have, ha ha ha…
-Yes, yes… that when they went to resuscitate they writhed and died in excruciating pain… The one who brings me the merchandise told me, and I swear to the gods that guy doesn’t lie…
End of Transcript.

So apparently it all started in Larissa… Curious… I should definitely go for a walk around that town…
I approached the TP, and in a big flash I was dematerialized and reappeared in Larissa.

Still blinded by the lights of the TP, I took a step forward to trip over something and fall rolling on the ground… Gods, what the hell was that?..

“That” was a corpse at the feet of the TP… His lifeless eyes with petechiae, his hands clasped, in an unnatural posture… Since the Revives, he hadn’t seen a corpse in years…

I left the vicinity of the TP and took the road towards the town… As I got closer, the smell began to be indescribable… The smell of a corpse… And my fears were seconded when I got to the town…
A ghost town, with some bodies on the ground, and I imagine more in the houses…

A noise startled me… Turning my head I saw several survivors looking at me… They were haggard, hungry no doubt…

-Foreign!!! Can you help us? –Said one of them with fear in his eyes.
I cautiously approached while activating the air filter of my mask… luckily the Viceroy was a very airtight armor, so I was reasonably protected from possible viruses.
-What happened here? - I asked for.
-We don’t know… just that a few days ago some of us got sick and died between fevers and convulsions… then the Sky People Artifact was not able to revive them – She answered with a shadow of pain in his eyes.

A girl next to him tugged on his robe.

-No dad, they came back to life… but badly… They writhed, screamed and really died.

I looked at the girl…her eyes were afraid.

-Why didn’t you run away? -I asked for.
-We couldn’t… The village chief blocked the Artifact’s exit, and the roads have been unsafe for days… A band of very ferocious Arges has appeared and is prowling around and preventing us from leaving… We are going to die here…
-No man, we can do something to…

I couldn’t finish the sentence… The guy stared at me and suddenly the veins in his pupils burst… he opened his mouth and just collapsed dead…

We were all shocked… the body dematerialized and suddenly a strong light appeared in the nearby revive… The guy was going to resurrect…

He opened his eyes and… An animal scream pierced the air… his spine bent to unsuspected limits and his fingers caught like claws… Seconds later he remained motionless, dead…

The rest of the survivors ran out screaming… the fear of getting infected made them flee…

Well, the TP wasn’t working back, so I decided to take my Quad and fly to a friend who could help me… Doctor Borward.

PART 2:

I arrived at Pearl Cove and asked for Boward… They sent me to the upper floor, to the famous laboratory already known to me… there he was with his assistant Peter preparing, you know the Gods I experience…

In a few minutes I brought him up to date on what had happened… He looked at me in disbelief, unable to believe what I was telling him.

-But Dante, that’s impossible… The Revive works thanks to the DNA banks, and all the people here were scanned when we implanted the technology… Including Greece, thanks to the fact that Queen Penthesilea saw the advantages… So that doesn’t make sense …
-Okay, okay, come with me and check it out…

It took me a while to convince him to come with me… Boward had been a good soldier, but he had been a scientist for a long time now… Anyway, from his locker in the lab he pulled out a dusty old suit of armor from the days of the ancients first Elysian settlers and placed it.

From the laboratory he took out a series of devices, samplers and other scientific accessories and placed them in a briefcase… Once equipped, we went to the PT and, with a blinding light, we appeared in Larissa.

Boward’s face of surprise when he saw what happened was priceless… he moved carefully, as if some unknown danger was stalking him… yes, he stopped being a soldier a long time ago…

We approached the Revive and there was still the guy who died in front of me… Boward came over, opened his briefcase and started taking the equipment out of it…

For the next hour, Boward was busy examining the body and taking samples of all kinds… He filled various test tubes and other containers with fluid and tissue samples… He looked at me and nodded… Time to go…

It’s been several hours since we got back… Borward locked himself in the lab with Peter and they didn’t come out for anything, not even to eat… finally, when he was about to go in and ask, they both came out…

-Damn Dante… I can’t figure out what’s going on with this!!! -exploded.
-What’s going on? Have you found out anything? -I asked for.
-Let’s see… It is clear that it is something viral, since fevers appear and certain indicators in the tissues that imply viral activity, but… That the resurrection does not work? That depends on the DNA of the people, and this is correct, I don’t see anything in their DNA… I don’t understand.

Borward looked dejected… Not knowing what was happening had left him depressed… I decided to give him some encouragement.

-Come on Borward… if you haven’t been able to, at least you have results and tests over and over again… Maybe in another laboratory they can…

He looked at me… he nodded silently, he knew I was right…

-Okay… We should seek help among other more technologically advanced factions… I know people between the Loyalists and the NEO… You know they don’t get along very well with each other, but we could ask… I would go first to see some scientific friends I have between them. The Loyalists, let’s see if they can get something clear with the material that we are going to bring them…

No sooner said than done… It wasn’t too far, so we gathered what we needed, put the coordinates in our TP Chips and with a flash we disappeared from the lab…

PART 3:

Our visit to the Loyalists did not produce results: after several hours of tests, not even with their laboratory and Borward’s help were they able to obtain a possible reason for the deaths…
Borward and I went back to Pearl Cove… We had no idea what was going to happen…

Boward, what do we do? This is beyond us… Maybe we should talk to Chief Socrates – Really, I had no idea what to do…

Dr. Boward looked down…he could almost hear the gears in his mind: If we let Chief Socrates know, and with something as serious as a deadly pandemic, the Central Government of Calypso could quarantine the planet, declare Martial Law, or send the armed forces to prevent possible revolts… We did not know…

On the other hand, we could try to keep looking, but time was against us: If the epidemic spread from that town to the rest of Greece or Next Island and it was found out that we were aware of it and did not notify… Well, we would spend a long time in the Rocktropia Prison-Planet.

-Dante, I think we should go back to the town and continue taking samples, but… if we see something strange that indicates that the epidemic is spreading from there to the rest of the planet, we urgently notify Socrates… okay? -He told me, as a last option…

Said and done, we took the closest TP to Ancient Greece, and we appeared in Thebes Market… The deafening bustle surrounded us… We looked around and… I saw something that left me perplexed…
A girl was coming from one of the streets… barefoot, dirty and with her clothes in ruins… I recognized her… She was the girl from the village… the one whose father died before my eyes… How did she get to Thebes???

I nudged Borward, who didn’t know who that girl was… I was going to explain when I heard a scream that made my blood run cold: The girl was screaming while her pupils were bathed in blood, and she fell to the ground dead…

People were hardly scared or surprised… nobody knew what was happening, but the fact that whoever died in the Entropy Quadrant came back to life meant that people were no longer amazed at any death…

The girl dematerialized and reappeared in Revive…

What no one had foreseen is that the girl would die again in front of her eyes, in an unnatural position, with her hands hooked like claws… she was a FINAL DEATH, and people were not prepared for that…
The epidemic had left Larissa and was going to spread throughout Ancient Greece…

PART4:

That’s it: The pandemic had left the town… We didn’t know how, but the girl had escaped from the town, eluding the Arges gangs and through the fields, since the town’s TP had been blocked.

Within a couple of hours, everyone knew something was up: Thebes market was deserted, and Queen Penthesilea had sent a couple of squads of hoplites to see what was going on…
Borward and I hid near the prison…

-Dante, how is it possible??? The pandemic is here… - Boward was terrified, and it was not for less…
-Let’s see, we must keep a cool head… Two state-of-the-art modern laboratories have not found anything… Maybe the way we do things is not correct… - An idea was brewing in my mind…

Borward looked at me without understanding… Let’s see how I explain…

-Look Borward… This is Ancient Greece, thousands of years ago… There were different diseases than we have today, with different symptoms…
-And what do you mean? – Borward did not see my reasoning.
-Well, maybe it’s a disease of those times, with microorganisms or viruses of those times and that we could still need a doctor of those times… - I looked doubtfully at Borward…

Once again the gears of his mind started moving… And suddenly he saw it clearly.

-TRUE!!! Let’s remember how Smallpox was eradicated at the end of the 20th century, or how AIDS was eliminated in the 21st century… today nobody would know those symptoms, nor a remedy against them… -A smile lit up his face.
-Exact!!! Maybe this was a known disease in those days, which was later eradicated or simply disappeared and did not reach our days…
-So we must look for a doctor from this time… And in that case…-he looked at me cautiously…
-Come on, Borward…
-That in these times, the legends told about a famous doctor, who was also one of the teachers of those ancient heroes… what were they called?.. ah, I remember… Ajax, Achilles and Jason… his teacher It was the Centaur Chiron…

A CENTAUR!!! But how the hell are we going to contact a Centaur??? As soon as we get close to their territories, they will come in flocks to kill us… They are very warlike, and there is no news that relations between centaurs and humans have improved lately…

But there was no other choice… We should approach Knossos, and from there enter Centaur territory beyond the place of the Gorgon…

PART 5:

We dodged the hoplite patrols and approached the TP… In a flash we appeared at Knossos, as memories of our great adventure with the Gorgon flashed through my mind… We mounted Borward’s Quad and traversed the island…

We landed in a clearing in the middle of Centaur territory, although we didn’t see any in the place… We looked around us warily…

-Dante, I don’t see anyone… Where are they? – Borward looked scared…
-Don’t worry, I’m sure they’re already watching us… Besides, they don’t usually live in large groups, so I don’t think…

The sound of a horn interrupted me… And from a nearby forest appeared about two dozen Centaurs… They approached us at a light trot…

-Borward, don’t worry, there are few…

Why did I say anything… More appeared from a nearby cave that we hadn’t seen… and several more had been hidden behind a huge boulder…

We were surrounded… They looked at us with their reddish eyes… Their muscular torsos protruded from the lower part of a horse’s body… Horns adorned their heads, and when they opened their mouths, fangs gleamed… Honestly, they looked menacing…

And suddenly, simultaneously, they unsheathed curved swords similar to Falcatas… Each one carried two swords, using the style that, much later, would be baptized among the gladiators of Rome as “Dimachareus”…

-Dante, I think we have a problem…- Borward said as, suddenly, between screams and clashing swords, the centaurs charged at us…

What the hell!!! An angry mass of centaurs surrounded us and came at a furious gallop, swords drawn…

Well, we have two options: Either we fight, or we get killed and appear in the Revive of Knossos…
As he decided on the best option, a loud howl could be heard even above the noise of the Centaurs galloping…

They screeched to a halt… Their paws tore up clods of earth and grass as they stopped abruptly… They looked around as if searching for something…

In the middle of one of the groups of centaurs a figure emerged… It was a Centaur too, but something different… It had esoteric symbols painted on its torso, it did not carry swords but a staff, and the mane that came out of its head was braided…

With a majestic step he approached us… He looked us up and down, noticing our armor and weapons…

-Foreign!!! What are you doing in our territory??? – His voice was stentorian, but at the same time there was a hint of education…
-Excuse me, we come from Thebes and we are looking for… -I said
-Stupid!!! No one enters Centaur territory and lives to tell the tale…unless the gods have sent you…is that right? He stared at me with his reddish eyes…

Borward chimed in:

-Sir, we are not gods nor do we come from them… There are problems in Greece and we need help…

The being looked at us from landmark to landmark…

-In that case… If Greece needs help, it’s because the gods have abandoned you… Why should we help? - With a threatening gesture he pointed to us with the staff…
-Wait, wait… I see that you are the head of these Centaurs – I said, trying to intervene and prevent them from killing us… - Who do we have the pleasure of speaking with?

The being looked at me mockingly and replied:

-Who are you talking to? My name is Chiron…

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Removed to avoid copys

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Isme Gotitt lore submission for May

Isme’s Journey entry 6

Isme’s Journal #6

Look at me go! I remembered to write something in my journal!!

I was reading today that a good way to build up skills is to swunt low level creatures while not wearing any armor. Lets face it, I need all the help I can get so I am gonna try it! The article also said its a good way to save money because since your not wearing armor- you wont have to pay to fix it!! I like that idea!

I have all my supplies together and I am gonna try my hand at swunting mountain boar piglets maybe even get in a few screechers. They are pretty easy so I think I can pull it off! I will finish this entry this evening.


I DID IT! I swunted piglets, with no armor on, for 7 hours! Of coarse, I spent a lot of time resting at the reclaim terminal, but…. During the last two hours I died SO MUCH LESS!

I am proud of my work today! It was interesting, I thought I would learn to understand the piglets, or to develop a sort of extra sense to know when to move, where to move ETC. But WAS I WRONG!!!

Its the PAIN! Wowzers, there was lots and lots of pain. Especially the first dozen or so piglets I tried to swunt. The first couple of piglets gored me, the next group gored me and trampled me! Sometimes the piglets would gore me then call in the screechers to peck me while I was down….

I got so the thought of getting gored again made me jump away from anything looking like a tusk! I think I even stopped thinking of it as a pig tusk. It became more like Flashing white object= MOVE, and Move FAST!

I wonder if the Flashing white = move will translate into swunting other creatures, not all critters have white tusks to catch the light…

Hmm
I think I will sleep on that question.

Isme Gotitt

Isme’s Journey

Isme’s Journal #7

Wow, I am SOOOO stiff! I have been swunting with out armor now for a week! I am getting enough from hunting to pay the bills so I’m gonna keep going! Hmm Maybe I can submit a piece to the Times or the Herald as a Freelance writer on this process? Could be a thing.

Anyway, I am dodging those piglets pretty good now. I even got through swunting 4 of them with out even needing to use my 10 pulse unit. So this grind is paying off! If I can learn this much in a week, what can I do in a month?

Tomorrow, I am gonna really lay it down on that field of Breakfast-on-the-hoof. I heard some people talking at the repair terminal about how Boring swunting can be. I guess I can see that.

They need to look at the BIG picture. I was, and probably still am, a total wuss when it comes to fighting. I mean I moved to this planet thinking I was gonna be some star reporter and all, not a hunter.

But I look at where I am now and compare that to where I was a week ago, 2 weeks ago and I improved by miles!!!

Is this what they mean by paying your dues? A sort of walk before you run? Maybe?

I dunno. But I like the direction where its going!!!

Could I ever take on that god from Ancient Greece again? Maybe with out even wearing armor???
hahaha probably not, or at least with armor on, but its fun to think about!!

Isme Gotitt- Super hunter- I like the way that roles out! “Is-me Got-itt, SUPER hunter!”

Hopefully that isn’t when I get hit by that Anvil sized fist again.

All daydreaming aside, I think this epic grind is going to lead to bigger and better things!!

I can’t wait to see what I can do next!

Isme’s Journey

Isme’s Journal #8

Helllloooooo Journal!

I got a mission today for.…? .guess? Hunting Mountain Boar Piglets!!!

I got the mission from a friendly Papoo named Sebastian. He asked me kill some mountain boar piglets- 200 to be exact. That is a lot of piglets. It was a crazy amount of piglets.

SOO many piglets I will hunt them and swunt them in my sleep tonight!

I got all 200 thought! I hunted half and swunted half. I am practically dead on my feet!

I feel so accomplished! I had 2 piglets attack me at the same time and I lived! I swunted one while they both attacked and then when the one ran out of sweat I killed them both. My first hunt I would have been in revive in short order.

Piglets, piglets far and wide
out to get my sorry hide
sweat and toil
shrapnel and oil

piglets piglets far and wide
out to get my sorry hide
fighting fast, fighting quick
brings my skills up a tick

Piglets piglets far and wide
out to get my sorry hide
fewer times at revive
I might actually survive!

I keeping learning so much! Who knew grinding skills on low level creatures would teach me so much!

What had I been thinking when I went to Ancient Greece that first time. I know what I was thinking, I was thinking – how hard can it be to fight something in either a toga or chiton? I am in a full suit of armor.

HA- shows me what I knew doesn’t it!!

Also I had that feeling again today, like I was being watched. I am not sure what that was about. It didn’t feel malevolent so I decided I am just going to carry on.

I wonder if all papoo are friendly like Sebastian? Maybe when I get good enough at piglets and screechers I will explore a bit and see what the papoo are like? If they are friendly It could be a really fun way to spend my free time.

Okay enough blabbering for one day, as I write this I can feel my eyelids starting to close…

Its also getting harder __ to__ hold ___ the___ pe__ n __cil~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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A Next Island Love Story by Pope L’Brung

Book 2, Chapter 1

It was early evening when I arrived on Next Island. Initially, I had intended to return to my home on Calypso but now I was determined to find Jihkanna, the Haruspex girl I met at a festival on Toulan. I knew she was from Next Island but she kept her details mysterious. I would have to search for her.

‘Welcome to Next Island,’ read the giant sign at Paradise Landing. The tropical air was warm and inviting. I had been to Next Island only once before. It was years ago - I visited this planet to scout for a rare mineral called Dark Lysterium. The findings were scarce, as was the population back then.

Now, the island seemed more vibrant and populated. The locals were friendly and offered guidance to the new arrrivals. I had travelled by myself and didn’t know anyone here. I was appreciative of the help.

Following a suggestion, I ended up at a place called Caroline’s Bar in Crystal Bay. The staff were locals but the patrons seemed mostly like tourists. I sat at the bar and ordered a Haimoros tea. The bartender was Haruspex so I asked her if she knew of a girl named Jihkanna. She shook her head and apologised. I felt awkward and guilty for even asking. Was my plan to just approach ALL Haruspex people and ask them to help me find a girl that I barely knew? This was going to be more difficult than I expected.

I slowly sipped my tea and surveyed the bar. My goal was to secure lodging for the night and gather any information that might help me locate the girl who stole my heart. It had been a long weekend and I needed some rest.

“Pope? Pope, is that you?”

I looked through the crowd toward the voice calling my name. I smiled to see a familiar face. It was an old mining buddy of mine from Calypso.

Book 2, Chapter 2

I nodded and motioned to my friend as he navigated the crowd and sat next to me at the bar.

“What in the world are you doing here?” he asked. “Probably searching for that Dark Lysterium, I reckon,” he added.

I chuckled and then told him about the girl I met on Toulan. I told him that I had made a spontaneous decision to travel to Next Island to look for her.

“You sly old dog,” he replied as he winked and made a thumbs-up gesture. His fingers were covered with various shiny rings. “Chasing a girl across the universe, eh?”

His name was Gus but everyone called him ‘PK’. He’d earned a reputation within the toxic mining zones of Calypso as a ruthless hunter of unsuspecting miners. He caught me once, years ago when I was a kid. Thankfully, he let me go. That’s how we met - I remember asking him how he found me and he just laughed and told me it was my brightly coulored purple clothing and that I could be spotted hundreds of metres away. He suggested that I would be more successful at avoidance if I camouflaged myself to match the terrain. The advice was followed and a friendship was born.

PK asked me where I was staying and what my plans were. I told him that I was without plan nor place.

“Nonsense!” he laughed gregariously. “I’ve rented lodging here on Next Island for a week. You’re welcome to stay with me.” He leaned over from his barstool and hugged me tightly with one arm. “What’s mine is yours,” he declared as he ordered us another round of tea.

We drank and chatted about exaggerated mining stories. It was a relief to meet an old, familar friend. I was appreciative of the help but my mind was still focused on finding Jihkanna.

Book 2, Chapter 3

PK and I walked down to the beach from Caroline’s Bar. I followed him to the tent he had rented for the week. It was spacious and well-decorated inside. He pointed me to the guest room and I tossed my backpack onto the bed.

“Thank you,” I told him. “I really appreciate this.”

“Don’t mention it, mate,” he replied with a smile.

We reconvened in the lounge and had some more tea. I could see that there were maps laid across the round coffee table in front of us. I noticed they were geological maps - the kind that indicated elevation, terrain, and resources.

“You see that, Pope?” my host began. “That’s why I’m here!” He pointed to a large area on one of the maps. It was shaded red. He started to tell me about a mysterious toxic mining area that he’d come to explore.

“I don’t think there are any toxic mining areas on Next Island,” I stated unassured.

“Correct!” he interjected. “But the portal to the place I seek is located somewhere here on Next Island. I intend to find it.”

Her eyes were like…portals.

“Do you beleive in time travel?” he asked.

I’d heard rumours of time travel since I was a child. The idea was intriguing, but I remained mostly skeptical because I had never witnessed any evidence of it. Only stories.

“I don’t know. Not really,” I replied, shrugging my shoulders.

“Well get ready to believe, my friend. Time travel is real and I’m going to prove it.” He possessed such a confidence.

I listened to him tell me about a normal planetary teleportation portal that supposedly led not only to a different place…but a different time. It was said to have the ability to send travellers back to the past, specifically Ancient Greece.

“The key is with the Haruspex,” he continued. “They are the ones who know how use it.”

Book 2, Chapter 4

I laid in bed, exhausted but restless. My mind was focused on finding Jihkanna. She was the reason I had come to Next Island and I was determined to see her again.

Earlier before I retired to my guest room, my host had disclosed a plan to locate an alleged time portal. He was convinced of the idea and had asked for my help. He believed this portal could allow people to travel back to the time of Ancient Greece where a volatile mining area existed. He trusted me and recommended that I help research it with him.

Normally, I’m always up for an adventure. Especially if it involves mining in unique areas. I told PK that I would give him an answer in the morning and excused myself to my room.

His plan was to meet up with a Haruspex guide he recently been introduced to. He said this guide had knowledge of time travel and could help direct us to the specific location of the teleportation portal. If successful, it would transport us back in time.

I hatched a plan. I decided that I would help PK on his mission to locate the supposed ‘time portal’. I was doubtful that it even existed but saw no harm in tagging along with him to explore Next Island on his crazy, adventurous mission. I was also interested in meeting his Haruspex contact. Perhaps I could ask him for help with locating Jihkanna. Any assistance would be appreciated.

Sleep eventually came and again I dreamed of her. I saw her beautiful face and enchanting eyes. She didn’t speak, she just smiled at me. My soul craved her and my heart demanded her. In my dream it felt as if I inhaled her. I could sense her essence coursing through my body like a magical frequency. I held my breath as long as I could.

Book 2, Chapter 5

I awoke the next morning to the sound of PK rummaging through his mining gear in the lounge. He owned several different resource finders and excavators. It seemed he had amassed just about every type of specialty mining tool available.

“Good morning, my friend,” he called out as I entered the lounge. “I hope you slept well. Today is a big day. Have you made up your mind?”

I nodded and told him that I would help him. To be honest, I was intrigued with the idea of time travel and mythical mining locations. Who wouldn’t be? I privately suspected it was just a fabricated myth used to attract tourists. I was more concerned with meeting the Haruspex guide. I wanted to see if he knew how to find the girl I sought.

PK finished loading his equipment into a large rucksack. I spotted a few weapons mixed in with his mining gear. High-powered weapons.

“Do you think we’ll need those?” I asked.

“Better to have them and not need them…” he smirked, “…than to need them and not have them.”

I hadn’t considered the idea of needing to arm myself. I typically carried a small pistol with me just to scare off curious mobs that interrupted my mining runs. I wasn’t highly skilled in weapons or combat like PK. I took the opportunity to check my pistol and ammo just in case. They were neatly tucked away in my small backpack along with my simple mining finder and excavator. I didn’t have fancy mining equipment. Never needed it.

After our bags were packed, PK made us a small breakfast. He advised me that we would be meeting his contact at a Haruspex outpost near The Enchanted Forest. The guide, called Ayinde, would then lead us to the teleportation portal that supposedly altered time.

Isme’s Journey #9

Isme’s Journal #9

THOSE ROTTEN, NO GOOD, EVIL, VICIOUS PAPOO!!!

AAAAAAAAARRRRGGGGGGGHHH!

This is my 9th journal entry…. I know I am not very good at this but I need to write something down or I will go crazy!!!

I went to see some more papoo today. Sebastian seemed so nice I wanted to meet the friends I kill piglets for. UGH if only I could put on this paper how much I am seething right now.

SEEMED is the word here. You know what he really is? He is the front man for an evil monkey army!!! OH SURE he is nice and friendly, offers you a reward for killing piglets. He wants you to kwill the evil piggies so his wittle friends will be safer!!! Safer indeed so they can grow in numbers and take over!!!

HA! Its a plot!
I know its a set up.
I went to see what his friends were like after killing my 200th piglet TODAY…… grr

Those little blankety blank blank creatures attacked me as soon as I was close. Then while I was healing 6 of them jumped me! Can you believe that? I ended up in revive!

Its not so much that I had to go to revive as it is the total sense of betrayal. That feeling of being played a fool! I have been through a lot since coming to this planet, and it wasn’t to be a patsy for a talking monkey!!!

I have to review what I know about the factions on this planet. If there is one that hunts, especially hunts papoo…. I am gonna see what I can do to sign up! While I am waiting for acceptance into said faction. Maybe I will write a new article called “Beware of Talking Papoo” and I might follow that with a book “Next Island- an Honest Guide to its Flora and Fauna” and its going to include a line about “Papoo are evil. Start a farm and raise Mountain Boars. Its a good source of supplies and will reduce your chance of being attacked by papoo!!

That Papoo army is going down!

Lore Entry #1 for May, 2022

More Screecher Facts
Research by Fatteus “Fatty” Thorsson

Aloha, my fellow wildlife enthusiasts! We’re back with breaking new information about the mysterious screecher! This bird is simply full of surprises! For example, did you know they take a great amount of care when it comes to their plumage? Or should I say fur? Yes, that’s right. A screecher’s feathers are more hair-like than feather-like. I was amazed as well! But what’s even more amazing is some screechers keep hair spray on them at all times so they can keep their fur nice and bouncy, not to mention plastered to their bodies. It gives them such a velvety sheen, too! This may be another tactic males use to attract the females. Oh, but you might be wondering where they keep their hair spray? You probably didn’t know, but screechers have a sort of pocket in the front of their breast area, sort of like a kangaroo does. Be sure to search that pocket thoroughly, if you’re hunting them! Who knows what else they are keeping safe in there?

Speaking of the mating rituals of the screecher, I’ve noticed something somewhat disturbing. There are only about 1/3 or less the amount of males as females. This is no doubt due to over-hunting of the males, since they are the only ones counted for the containment mission. But it may also be because two thirds of eggs that hatch seem to be female. It’s a compounding problem! I hereby officially enter a request to make the containment mission count females as well.

There are a couple more things I found out about the screecher. First, since we are on the topic of breeding, it appears that after the chicks hatch at the nest, they are taken to either the beach at Paradise landing or to the boar enclosure near papoo village. The ones taken to the boar enclosure actually receive some protection from the boar piglets, which act like older siblings and watch out for the chicks. After the chicks reach some level of maturity, they migrate over to the beach at crystal peak. There may be other places, too, but I haven’t stumbled upon them yet. After the young screechers reach adulthood, they eventually migrate to Screeching Hollow, where the life cycle repeats as males woo females with their mating ritual.

That’s all I have on screechers for now, friends. I am sure there is still much more that can be said about this captivating creature, and I will find out what it is. Until next time, may Tommy bless your every endeavor.

~Your friend, Fatteus “Fatty” Thorsson, the High Prophet of Tommy

Lore Entry #2 for May, 2022

Chimera Facts
Research by Fatteus “Fatty” Thorsson

Dear journal,

I have been studying the enchanting creatures of Next Island and recording the facts for everyone’s enlightenment. I have known about the Chimera for some time, but never really got a close look at them until the last few weeks. I have been out in the field, north of Oasis Outlook, collecting data about these strange animals.

The chimera is unlike any other creature on Next Island, aside from maybe the desert crawler, its closest relative. What makes these critters unique is that they display attributes of both reptilian and mammal species. What makes them like reptiles is their scaly body and almost turtle-like beak. What makes them like mammals is they have some fur and mammary glands and teets, which I am sure they use to nurse their newborns. I am still unsure whether Chimeras give live birth, lay eggs, or have some other way of birthing their young. There are a lot of possibilities, and I haven’t ruled any of them out yet.

I mentioned their turtle-like heads. They have no teeth, but instead have a serrated beak, like a turtle, or bird. This suggests they have a uniformly carnivorous diet. A lot of creatures on Next Island can subsist on insects and other small fauna for food, but chimeras must hunt large game based on their equipment. I believe the boars that litter the planet are a plentiful source of energy for them, but I haven’t witnessed a chimera eating, so this is only speculation. I have, however, seen the remains of people near chimera, which suggests they have eaten Humans. Unfortunately, I needed to kill a few of them to get close enough to examine their physiology. Chimeras are very short tempered and territorial. They see most other animals, especially Humans, as a threat and attack if you get within 50 meters give or take. At least, that’s my experience with them.

I am certain there is more to know about the mysterious chimera, so I am going to continue to record more about them. I sincerely hope this information finds its way into the right hands. We need to know about the animals of Next Island so that we can respect them and be good stewards of this planet.

Time for me to wrap this entry up. I hear a noise coming from outside my tent.

Lore Entry #3 for May, 2022

Cyclops Facts
Research by Fatteus “Fatty” Thorsson

Unless you’ve been living under a rock your whole life, you have probably heard about the mythical Cyclops. They hail from Greek mythology, so it is appropriate that they can be found in none other than Ancient Greece. Of course, the Ancient Greece we visit on Next Island is NOT the same Ancient Greece that was on Earth. It appears to be a parallel version that has similar locations and names, but has creatures that I am almost certain didn’t exist on Earth. Perhaps this alternate Ancient Greece is the source of the legends Earth’s Greece had, but I digress. Back to the topic at hand.

Cyclops are big, brutish Humanoids with dark amber skin and one, single, almond-shaped eye. Their dress is primitive leather and loin cloths and they all seem to wield crude clubs. Cyclops, as one could imagine, don’t have the best eye-sight. They often stumble around and get stuck in trees or bushes, becoming unreachable if you are hunting them. To get them unstuck, simply get them to start hitting you. They usually get unstuck themselves.

Another oddity about Cyclops is that they carry hair spray when they are completely bald. Believe me. There isn’t much hair on them. I checked many dead ones over to verify this. It is my theory that they are inhaling the spray to get a sort of high from it. They probably get the stuff from passing hunters after they kill them. This theory also supports their disorganization and clumsiness as well as their general lethargy as they trudge through the hills of Ancient Greece.

There are a few tribes of cyclops. There are the regulars; the Cyclops. Then there are the Arges, who are stronger and more warlike. Finally, we have the Brontes, who stand head and shoulders above the other tribes and often bully and exploit them. There is a bounty on all Cyclops heads. See Hiresh at Kamba Outpost for one mission. I am told the other mission requires a bit of convincing of one of the factions here on Next Island to do.

What other mysteries do the Cyclops hold? I will find out if it kills me. Until next time, my friends.

Yours, Fatteus “Fatty” Thorsson the High Prophet of Tommy

Lore Entry #4 for May, 2022

The Blue Baobab Tree
Research by Fatteus “Fatty” Thorsson

Next Island is not only home to unique creatures, but also is home to some very interesting plant-life. One such plant is the sizable blue baobab tree. A baobab is a tree that has a very round and thick trunk that is wider near the base. Baobab trees on Earth have similar leafage as most deciduous trees, but the blue baobab has leaves that more resemble the petals of the magic flower. It is my theory that the magic flower and the blue baobab have some common connection. Perhaps they are evolutionary cousins. Maybe the magic flower is actually a blue baobab sapling! Wouldn’t that be extraordinary! It’s possible. Because of the demand on magic flowers causing them to be picked not long after sprouting, they wouldn’t have the time to become their adult forms. Magic Flowers will be a topic for another time, though.

The blue baobab has bluish green hued leaves that sprout from the top in a fan-like fashion. Their trunks are long and fat, especially around the bottom. The bark is rough and forms in gray rock-like scales. The trunk is also very bumpy and dented, almost creating a twisting look. I have examined several specimens and found that every one of them is virtually identical. Perhaps they are all clones of each other? Wouldn’t that be fascinating! There’s another tree nearby the blue baobabs that I hypothesize are distant cousins of the blue baobab. I call them woolly baobabs, and I will have to research those more next.

They all seem to grow in very specific regions. The ones I took notes on are North and North-west of Oasis Outlook. They don’t appear to grow near water, but I could be mistaken, since my sample size was so small. Judging by the dryness of the areas they are found in, I’d almost consider them a large succulent. Their leaves certainly resemble the succulents back on Earth. Perhaps the magic flower too is a succulent? This requires further investigation.

That’s all the information I have right now on the blue baobab tree. I am certain there is more to know about them, but it will require a few more months of research; at least a month more. I think it is just as important to know the flora of Next Island as it is to know the fauna. Perhaps the plants are less profitable, but there are some that the native critters either call home or use for feeding. As far as I am aware, nothing eats the blue baobab. We’ll investigate further and get back to you guys.

Thanks for reading my report.

Your friend, Fatty, the High Prophet of Tommy.

Lore Entry #5 for May, 2022

The Woolly Baobab Tree

Research by Fatteus “Fatty” Thorsson

Despite the name (which I coined, actually), the woolly baobab is not a good source of wool. Sorry, that was a bad attempt at humor on my part. Indeed, though, the woolly baobab has earned it’s name for its shaggy appearance. The leafage on this plant resembles the hair of a woolly mammoth, a long extinct elephantine mammal from Earth’s Pleistocene Epoch. If you’ve seen a picture of one, you’ll know what I mean. I believe the woolly baobab and the blue baobab are close kin to one another. Perhaps in the same family of plants, a divergent genotype. I won’t bore you with scientific jargon, though.

The woolly baobab, like other baobabs, has a thick trunk, much wider at the bottom than the top. It’s bark has long, horizontal striations, not unlike a palm tree. The bark is white and decidedly bitter. Yes, I cut off a piece to taste it, and I am still alive, which is a very good sign. From all of my research into the animals of Next Island, I have yet to meet a critter who can reach the leaves of the taller trees, although the shorter ones’ leaves can be reached. Still, I do not know a single animal who’s diet has this plant in it. Even so, I am sure the woolly baobab plays an important part in the ecosystem, though what part exactly is up for debate.

When the woolly baobab reaches a certain height or age, the crown, where the leaves are, splits into multiple segments. Each segment’s base resembles the trunk. This very well could be how the plant reproduces, since I did not notice any reproductive parts (such as flowers, seeds, or fruit). My hypothesis is that the woolly baobab reproduces asexually by growing these extra segments and then waiting for them to fall off. Once they fall off, they establish themselves as new trees. This is not entirely uncommon in the plant kingdom, so it is very possible.

Truly a splendid plant, the woolly baobab is. I wish I could report more about them, but I literally just discovered them myself! I’m sure many people have walked by this tree not thinking too much about it. It’s just sort of in the background. For most people, this tree doesn’t seem to play a noticeable role in their lives, but I think it plays a much more important role than we think. We shall see. If you’re looking for this tree, go to Oasis Outlook and go North-East, down the valley.

Yours truly,

Fatteus “Fatty” Thorsson, the High Prophet of Tommy.

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Isme Gotitt

Isme’s journey #10

Isme’s journal entry #10

It has begun!

I found out that a robot in Crystal Peak can tell me about some of the factions! Super excited I hope that the ones he tells me about hunt papoo! I tried to get there today. Tried is the key word here. I was headed to the transported to Crystal Bay when I came across a field of yellow papoo. Well I was attacked as soon as I got within viewing distance. I really shouldn’t be surprised!

I didn’t even plan to attack them. I figured I would learn what I needed about factions and then come back and take this piece of ground. BUT I got just so I could see their individual outlines and one of the little fur covered maniacs comes running at me all fangs and claws and hair standing out!

I dispatched it with little difficulty. Then the others came. I took them out too. I cleared myself a path and continued my journey. I kept a sharp eye for those sneaky little monsters!!!

Then I saw this pylon, radio tower, looking thing. It turned out to be a sensor. While I was examining it A solid wave of yellow papoo came at me! When I got rid of them a second wave! And a third!!!

Then a fourth and a fifth wave! The fifth wave though, had a papoo that was bigger and darker in color then the rest. It stayed out of the fighting until near the end. Even still the last wave was tough. Bloodied but not beaten I fought through the fifth wave. Then I confronted what I think was some sort of leader for that particular bunch of papoo. I took him on! It was fangs and fur against my blade. I can even say my armor because I still was wearing only my chiton!

He killed me once. But I RAN from the revive and got back before he could fully heal. It was more flashing steel and flashing claws it was getting close… but he jumped and I swung from the side and caught him below the arm and sent him crashing to the ground!

It was over! I was VICTORIOUS!!!

Tomorrow I will arrive at Crystal Bay, then its onward to Crystal Peak. Stronger and Faster, and more skilled with my blade I will seek new knowledge and allies in my fight to free Next Island from the threat of papoo!

Ale`xandros asked me to check up on his wife and daughter. So I went to Cyzicus. There I found Berenice. When I told her Alexandros was fine and had asked me to check how they were doing, she cried and told me to tell him she loved him and that they were well. She also gave me a few pages of her journal. Sadly, I did not see Chloe. This was written on those pages:

Part 1:
Dear diary, it’s been another wonderful week here in Thebes. My loving and proud husband Alexandros is earning enough gold to let us live a comfortable life. The weather has also been wonderful this last week. I have nothing to complain about! Yesterday, I went to the temple. The temple of Athena that is. Like I do every Wednesday. There were 3 women there that I have seen there before, but I have never spoken to them. They were gossiping. GOSSIPING in a temple of all places! They were also complaining a lot about all of the aliens who came in, fell to their knees before the statue, put their heads to the ground, and then left again. Alexandros calls them newcomers and welcomes their arrival, but I don’t know. They change things! Things that have always been how they were for a reason! I know it’s not my place to doubt my husband. Athena have mercy on me, but in this, I do. Life here in Thebes is so different now from when I grew up. All these aliens are here walking around. Some are even setting up shops! It’s just too much change for me. Though I love my life here. I really do! Sometimes, I long for the days when I was young and lived in Cyzicus. A small town to the northeast of here. It doesn’t have beautiful temples as Thebes does. It doesn’t have a temple at all, only shrines. But it was safe there. Oh, how I long for that feeling. When I prayed to Athena, I always get that safe feeling. So, I prayed to Athena, made an offering of flowers to keep Alexandros and Chloe safe, and returned home. Alexandros just got home from work. So id better go get him and start cooking dinner.

Part 2:
Dear, dear diary, today was a very strange day. I went to the temple of Athena, as I do each day. The women I mentioned before were there again. I’ve seen them every day there now. I did not speak to them, but I heard parts of what they were talking about. They said some city guards were getting very close with alien shopkeepers at the market. I’m sure it’s not true, or if it is. It’s not my Alexandros! When I heard that, I felt chilled to the bone! I only felt warm again after saying a few long prayers to the goddess.
After I visited the temple, I decided to go to the market. Not to spy on Alexandros, but you know. Just to see the stalls there. Yes, that’s it. I just wanted to see the stalls. What I saw there, took my breath away! One of the stalls had a huge display of strange creatures on it! Not live creatures, but small and soft versions. They looked a bit like children’s toys. Most of them had bright colors and they were made of some soft fabric. It looked like wool. Most looked very strange, but because of the colors and softness, they weren’t scary at all.
The owner of the stall was an alien. A very tall man. He stood out because of how tall he was and because of what he was wearing. He was wearing only two thin bands of clothing! Even slaves here wear more clothes. A very strange sight. And a very peculiar thing. He called “Eros” all the time. He worshiped the god of love!! Maybe Alexandros is right and we should call these people newcomers instead of aliens. If you worship Eros, you can’t be bad, right?
A very strange day, and I can’t stop thinking about those things in the stall. Are those real creatures somewhere? Has that stranger ever seen them? How big are they?

Part 3:
HE’S CHEATING, I KNOW IT! |I saw him at the market hugging another woman today! MY Alexandros! Hugging another woman! Today after visiting the temple of Athena, I went back to the marketplace. Last night the sight of all those brightly colored, wool creatures kept me awake and thinking. What are they? So today I decided to go back and ask the owner of the stall. He worships Eros, so It should be safe to talk to him, right?

He said his name was Waffles and then something that didn’t make any sense to me “Because everyone loves Waffles”. But he was very nice and friendly. He told me this world was part of another world that he called “Next Island” and that there were more worlds. On his visits to those other worlds, he had encountered the creatures and he’d even hunted them! These were trophies of his hunts. Now I suddenly understood why Alexandros welcomes these strangers. They are great hunters and if more like this Waffles, there are good and friendly ones among them.

Then, all of a sudden, I saw it! Alexandros was there on patrol and I saw him walk up to a woman. They talked for a moment and then he hugged her! I couldn’t believe my eyes!

Dear diary, me again for the second time today. It seems I overreacted just a little bit. Alexandros came home today with a dark look on his face. He immediately came over to me and gave me a hug and a kiss. He told me he had met the wife of his friend Janus. They grew up together and Janus became a scout n the army. Alexandros had also heard the rumors but never spoke to me about them.
Rumors have been going around of a leader rising up and uniting all of this world’s monsters. Our king had heard more and more reports of attacks and killings of people around Thebes and had sent a few scouts out to investigate. Janus was one of the men sent out. He did not return. His wife. Widow now, I guess had told Alexandros and started crying again. Alexandros told me he fears for me and our daughter Chloe. I have never seen this look on his face before and it frightens me.

Part 4:
Dear, dear dear diary, this has been a very difficult period and I fear more is to come. For one Alexandros has really shown more of himself than I had seen before. It’s very unlike for a man to show his feelings. Especially fear! But I like it. I love him even more now! He told me the death of Janus hit him hard and that he worries a lot about the safety of Chloe, our daughter, and me. Alexandros thinks it’s only a matter of time before Thebes is attacked and wants us to be in another, safer place then. Cyzicus is far to the north from here and my parents live there. It is a small, but a safe town. Upon a hill with wide-open fields. Part of me has always longed to go back there. The fields, the smells of the fields. It’s so different from here. Oh and how I‘d love to see those old familiar faces again. Telamon, the baker, Stelios, the sheepherder, and Halkyone, the fisherman.
But I will also miss my life here. Waking up next to Alexandros, of course. Our beautiful home here in bustling Thebes. Visiting the temples. But I’d get to see my parents again!! And Chloe her grandparents!
I also think this change would be good for Chloe. She’s been behaving too much like a boy. Not like the young lady she is. She always wants to go look at the soldiers at the barracks. I can’t blame her for that. When I was not married. I and my friends loved watching all those muscular men there too. It is where I first saw Alexandros. It’s different with her though. She’s more interested in how to throw a javelin the farthest instead of how handsome the man throwing it is. Cyzicus has no barracks, No soldiers. Only lots of gorgeous flowers you can make beautiful bouquets of, plenty of wool to learn how to make clothes of and learn the things a woman should know!

Part 4:
Dear diary, we’ve been in Cyzicus for a week now. It’s everything that I expected and everything that I was afraid I would not like. Spending time with my parents is great! It had been almost two years since I last saw them. So much here has stayed the same from that time. I love it! My old friends. Well, some are still here. Some have left. Sadly, Stelios was out with his sheep when they were attacked by wolves last fall. Poor man. He left for the Asphodel meadows too early. Telamon has become a broad-shouldered man! His parents have both passed and he now runs the bakery. He married Elpida! Who would’ve guessed that would ever happen! I remember him pulling her hair every chance he got when we were young. Halkyone left for Sparta soon after Stelios’ passing. I can’t blame him. There was nothing left for him here. But I am sad he’s not here. It is good to see those familiar faces, but it also saddens me to think of the ones that left. And of Alexandros, who I miss dearly! There is no temple here, but I go to the shrine every day and ask the goddess Athena to keep him safe.
Chloe is adjusting well to life here. She enjoys spending time in the fields and she brings home a freshly picked bouquet every day. Telamon and Elpida have a daughter close to her age who is showing her around and teaching her all sorts of things. They do stay out until late though. I don’t remember doing that when I was young. Yesterday she came back when It was almost dark! And she had cuts on her arms and legs. When I asked her how she got them, she said they came from brambles and gave me a basket with berries. How sweet!

After reading that last part, I’m even more curious about Chloe…

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The story is ramping up!

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #85

Data:

Today’s meeting was scheduled for early in the morning with the commanders of the Elysian Expeditionary Force, Loyalist High Command, and some directors of our science department. Since I was recently discharged from a medical hut, I looked absolutely terrible and bystanders saw as I stumbled and struggled to walk through the building with the help of a walking stick.

When I got to the meeting room, I spent the next half hour setting up handouts and my holographic visualizations of what we could do in Ancient Greece. Around 15 minutes later, the secretary called and said the various commanders and directors had arrived from across the Loyalist territory to hear my pitch. To say I was nervous would be an understatement, I was petrified. The fact that I was in a room with some of the highest-ranking people in the Loyalist
faction made me feel like I have made significant progress in my career and feel immense pressure to do a perfect presentation.

I started off with a summary of my original proposal and soon enough, started pulling up charts of potential areas to begin extracting resources from, strategic alliances and partnerships to forge, and what the budget and equipment I would need to get the Loyalist faction to become the most powerful and influential on planetside.

In the middle of my presentation, a director of the science department asked how intrusive this would be to the delicate landscape and Ancient Greek society. This then followed up with a question from a representative from High Command asking how this fits Elysian values.

In the end, they had no interest in the idea of gathering resources and building up our faction to assimilate the other factions. They lack the understanding that to split up into several factions means the splitting of the vision that our predecessors had. To co-exist as several factions with different territories was already bad enough, and I think I will need to find another way to get my proposal approved. To the Loyalist High Command directly I shall go, this is too amazing of an opportunity to simply shoot down.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #86

Data:

Today’s meeting was scheduled for early in the morning with the commanders of the Elysian Expeditionary Force, Loyalist High Command, and some directors of our science department. Since I was recently discharged from a medical hut, I looked absolutely terrible and bystanders saw as I stumbled and struggled to walk through the building with the help of a walking stick.

When I got to the meeting room, I spent the next half hour setting up handouts and my holographic visualizations of what we could do in Ancient Greece. Around 15 minutes later, the secretary called and said the various commanders and directors had arrived from across the Loyalist territory to hear my pitch. To say I was nervous would be an understatement, I was petrified. The fact that I was in a room with some of the highest-ranking people in the Loyalist
faction made me feel like I have made significant progress in my career and feel immense pressure to do a perfect presentation.

I started off with a summary of my original proposal and soon enough, started pulling up charts of potential areas to begin extracting resources from, strategic alliances and partnerships to forge, and what the budget and equipment I would need to get the Loyalist faction to become the most powerful and influential on planetside.

In the middle of my presentation, a director of the science department asked how intrusive this would be to the delicate landscape and Ancient Greek society. This then followed up with a question from a representative from High Command asking how this fits Elysian values.

In the end, they had no interest in the idea of gathering resources and building up our faction to assimilate the other factions. They lack the understanding that to split up into several factions means the splitting of the vision that our predecessors had. To co-exist as several factions with different territories was already bad enough, and I think I will need to find another way to get my proposal approved. To the Loyalist High Command directly I shall go, this is too amazing of an opportunity to simply shoot down.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #87

Data - Encrypted:

“Here comes Draken with his antics again”
“I heard he hit his head too hard while being a Resa hostage”
“He’s been trying to get his proposal approved for months now, just give up”

All of the above were some of the fragments of whispers and gossip I heard while walking through the building. High Command sees me as a madman and I’ve heard rumors of my removal from the Expeditionary Force.

If the Loyalist faction will not officially back my endeavors, I will have to look towards private backing to follow through with my idea. I do not know much of Elysians who are notably wealthy or have the resources to back such an expedition, but perhaps, just perhaps, a few would like to help.

What I will need for this project of mine would be drilling equipment and arms to pacify any local resistance. As I recall, last time I believe I angered the local population of warrior females and believe they are out to get me if I set foot near them with drills and surveying equipment.

In terms of weapons and securing the mining site, I have someone who can help. We’ve been lagging behind the New Elysian Order in terms of technology and the military has been wanting an edge to keep away an emerging New Elysian Order that could wipe out our way of life. I know some of the high-ranking commanders of the Loyalist militia were interested during every one of my pitches but always got talked over by the rest of High Command.

Colonel Murdoch, stationed with a detachment near the northern border, has been my priority to get on board with my project. On paper, he has artillery, laser rifles, and tanks to make sure no one interferes with the operation. Getting him to go against the faction in exchange for more R&D funding might prove difficult, but I think he’ll crack eventually.

This entry and the next entries onward I will start encrypting to ensure no trace of my plotting is discovered.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #88

Data - Encrypted:

Located northeast of Haruspex-controlled Tanzanite View, Colonel Murdoch has a detachment scouting and patrolling in case NEO decides to do an amphibious or airborne incursion into Loyalist territory. His men usually operate out of Screeching Hollow for meetings but always spreads out his forces around the north in Haruspex lands.

According to reports, he’s operating out of Tanzanite View and working with the Haruspex to secure the area from dragons. When I got to Tanzanite View, he was surprised to see me and as we took a walk just outside of Tanzanite View, away from eavesdroppers and Loyalist officials, we started talking business.

“I know you’re here to get me to persuade High Command but they just won’t budge. You have a great proposal but if they say no, I can’t do much to change their minds”

“I understand, but you know we are being out-gunned by our northern rivals and High Command doesn’t understand it as well as you do”

“What you’re asking is treason and disobeying orders”

“For the survival of our society. Don’t consider it ‘treason’, just consider it ‘taking initiative’”

After a while, Murdoch finally came around and we shook hands. In return for resources and the creation of a private R&D team under his command, he will offer the troops and equipment to secure the excavation site.

There is no turning back for him now and I believe he made an excellent choice, I think High Command and the faction overall will see that me taking initiative was the right choice and will drop any accusations of treason and disobeying orders.

With security taken care of, it is time to find someone to provide heavy equipment. I have heard of several high-rolling business people that have traveled to our lovely planet from the other side of space.

Crystal Bay is a popular vacation spot for off-world visitors and I already have a target. There is a wealthy businesswoman that loves racing at the race track here and goes by the first name “Chloe”. No one knows her last name but some say she’s heir to a massive fortune on some asteroid that has drills that print money practically. An adventurous investor and she already knows the industry, which makes her the perfect person to try getting onboard. Time to get my beach shorts on and prepare to impress her. I will share the results in the next entry.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #89

Data - Encrypted:

Located northeast of Haruspex-controlled Tanzanite View, Colonel Murdoch has a detachment scouting and patrolling in case NEO decides to do an amphibious or airborne incursion into Loyalist territory. His men usually operate out of Screeching Hollow for meetings but always spreads out his forces around the north in Haruspex lands.

According to reports, he’s operating out of Tanzanite View and working with the Haruspex to secure the area from dragons. When I got to Tanzanite View, he was surprised to see me and as we took a walk just outside of Tanzanite View, away from eavesdroppers and Loyalist officials, we started talking business.

“I know you’re here to get me to persuade High Command but they just won’t budge. You have a great proposal but if they say no, I can’t do much to change their minds”

“I understand, but you know we are being out-gunned by our northern rivals and High Command doesn’t understand it as well as you do”

“What you’re asking is treason and disobeying orders”

“For the survival of our society. Don’t consider it ‘treason’, just consider it ‘taking initiative’”

After a while, Murdoch finally came around and we shook hands. In return for resources and the creation of a private R&D team under his command, he will offer the troops and equipment to secure the excavation site.

There is no turning back for him now and I believe he made an excellent choice, I think High Command and the faction overall will see that me taking initiative was the right choice and will drop any accusations of treason and disobeying orders.

With security taken care of, it is time to find someone to provide heavy equipment. I have heard of several high-rolling business people that have traveled to our lovely planet from the other side of space.

Crystal Bay is a popular vacation spot for off-world visitors and I already have a target. There is a wealthy businesswoman that loves racing at the race track here and goes by the first name “Chloe”. No one knows her last name but some say she’s heir to a massive fortune on some asteroid that has drills that print money practically. An adventurous investor and she already knows the industry, which makes her the perfect person to try getting onboard. Time to get my beach shorts on and prepare to impress her. I will share the results in the next entry.

Auberon Night Night May lore submission

Part 6 - Betrayed by Time

Waking up rested and ready, with a goal in mind, Aeon felt positive and allowed himself to feel relaxed for a bit.

Breakfast was boar steak, from the island boars, and eggs from the strange looking blue and black flightless birds he sees all over. Followed by swimming and bathing in the nearby river.

This part of the planet was semiarid with a number of mountains that rips up from the land into the sky as if in defiance of gravity itself. No obvious water erosion just wind scars all around each, revealing the layers of the rock almost like year rings of a tree. It looks almost as if forces of nature thrust up with such force that it broke a part of the land out of the crust and raised it high above the ground.

This land was beautiful but unforgiving in its heat. When the sun reached its peak and the heat was unbearable, Aeon started to feel as if the world is shimmering, while a feeling of cold settled on his chest. For a moment he felt intensely ill then his vision became darker and the world started to spin. Was he ill, or poisoned? As his legs folded and he collapsed he fell forward in what seemed forever and the spinning grew more and more intense until everything turned black.

The warmth of the sun on his face and the cold of the wet sand on his back was the first sensations he had. With a dry mouth and one hell of a headache he was at least assured he is still alive.

Sitting up took intense concentration and effort but he got up and saw he was where he had blacked out but it looked different somehow. The small river seemed much bigger now and the trees somehow bigger as well.

He drank some water and walked back towards his camp from the night before. The river seemed to wide to cross safely and he still felt poorly.

As he crested the hill close to where his camp was he expected to see guardian robots all over the plains but he saw none. What he saw was animals. Various boars and some smaller birds and other creatures he did not recognize all over. Confused he walked on and reached where his camp had been but not a trace was there.

Part 7 - Where or when?

It was still daytime so he could see clearly and there was no sign of his campfire, where he slept or walked around. The bushes looks different and generally it did not feel like the same place at all.

He walked to the nearest big hill to have a better look at the area. The hill seemed bigger than he remembered but he was fit and reached the top quickly enough.

Looking out over the area he realized the land was much greener than before. Filled with animals and not a single guardian in sight.

He made camp right there but no fire. Whatever is going on he did not want to be seen.

As night settled in and the last rays of the sun disappeared the stars finally came out to play and decorate the night sky. Aeon looked up and enjoyed the view while dreaming of his homeland. Then he realized that the stars look different than before.

As a child his father taught him how the stars moved over time and how to see what direction to go, what season it is and even what year it is, all from the stars.

That of course was his home-world and this is a different world.

But if the same rules apply and he is reading the stars correctly this is not the same time period when he landed here. This is almost a thousand years earlier. Or later. He was unsure about that part but based on the landscape changes with the stars he would say this was about 1000 years earlier.

Could it be that going through the rupture has left a temporal shift within him that took him back in time? And if so will it happen again? And then where or when is the guardians?

Was there even other sentient life on the planet or was he about to live and die slowly with no one else and no guardians to fight and no way to return to their time or his time or anywhere not here and now?

Part 8 - The bird people

After a good nights sleep Aeon set out to explore this world and start all over again. He needed information before he could make any further decisions or make a plan for the future.

And settlements would need water so he walked along the river following it northwards hoping he might find something. Where the river forked he stayed on his side and followed the fork that went further north. Some distance further he saw what appeared to be smoke on the other side of the river.

With some searching he found a shallow area and crossed the river. A small distance north of the river he came across a city. A sprawling city of stone buildings with massive stone slabs supported on marble columns.

A temple on a small hill stood out above the rest. But most surprising was the people.

Big birds with wings and all, wearing clothes and clearly surprised by him as much as he was by them.

The nearest one screeched an alarm and some even bigger birds came running and before he knew what was going on he was wrestled to the ground and arrested by a pair of giant blue birds.

And then they spoke. A strange kind of language that he did not understand but clearly a language.

Almost musical but clearly not friendly at this point in time.

He was marched away with an escort of four giant birds. All his belongings removed and a weapon pointed to him that he did not recognize but was fairly sure would kill him so he decided to not resist and see where this is going.

Thrown into a cell and left there for the rest of the day still with his hands tied and no food or water he started to wonder if the intention was to let him die there.

Finally guards showed up and opened the cell door accompanied by a much smaller bird-man with feathers on his head pointing out in all directions and his head tilted slightly to one side.

This bird-man started yammering on very fast and then stopped just staring at Aeon.

“Why have you arrested me” said Aeon, “I mean you no harm I am lost and needed some help”

The small bird-man nodded his head excitedly and waved one feathered arm in a motion to show keep going.

“What do you want with me?” “Are you supposed to be the man, erm bird in charge?” “Where am I?”

“What or who are you people?”

Suddenly small bird-man held up his hand as if to say stop so Aeon stopped talking and waited.

“Gallo, I are Bzzznip, you is…?”

Aeon just stared. What the hell. Did this guy just learn his language by listening to him talk for a a bit?

“Did I speak right?” “Your words new to me, I learn but maybe not good?”

“No, you are speaking very well, in fact it is just a shock to realise you learned my language so quickly and just by listening to me speak?

The small bird-man was literately bouncing and smiling his delight evident in his every action

“ I will be better soon, if I wrong please … ehm… adjust me…?”

“I am Bzzznip. Knower of tongues, learner of things. I advise the king. I am here to find out who you are and why you came here. And where from. We have never met one as you”

“Well I am Aeon from Mirsk. This might sound crazy but I followed a group of guardians through a rupture in space and time and ended op on this planet maybe a 1000 years into the future from now. Then one day was ripped back here in time and I am trying to find out what is going on”

Bzzznip’s smile faded and he looked concerned, somewhat confused as well, slightly agitated and even alarmed too.

“Better we go elsewhere and talk. If you are who I think you are this is bad time for my people”

Part 9 - Bad news to new friends

With his bonds released and no more guards he was left to follow Bzzznip as he scurried down the halls and out into the streets. He could move fast for a walking bird and Aeon found it hard to keep up.

After a short while they reached a building that Aeon correctly took to be Bzznip’s house.

Inside the decorations was sparse almost spartan but functional and comfortable. Bzzznip sang in a musical chime and someone else answered similarly. The conversation went on for a while then Bzzznip looked at him

“Sit down. Make yourself at home. My mate will bring you some drink and food shortly.”

“Until then please tell me more. Who or what is this guardian? And what was the rupture?”

“Best to start from the beginning as I know it then”

“My planet, Mirsk, was invaded by a force we came to know as the guardians. They were created by a being called Kaijun. Why we do not know. They make more of themselves by using the brains of local beings combined with robotic shells made from a crystaline material. Once all animal type life has been destroyed or taken over and only plant life remains they move on to the next planet.”

“A large ship full of them left my planet and flew towards a rupture in the space time continuum. I do not know how it was made but they knew about it even before it opened though they did not open it themselves”

“I followed them hoping to destroy the ship before they got away and destroyed another planet but was too late. I found myself here on this planet with them and then suddenly the world began to spin and I woke up here. Or now, as it were. As far as I can tell now is 1000 years before myself and the guardians arrived on the planet”

“And that is all I know unfortunately”

As he finished talking another bird walked in and placed some fruit and flavored water in a colorful spread in front of them then left.

“She does not understand your language and would rather not join in. Go ahead eat and drink there is more if you want”, Bzzznip explained

Bzzznip looked saddened and with a heavy sigh started talking.

“Our people have foreseen a coming of one such as you. But with your coming it means our end…”

Part 10 - The beginning of it all

This world is not only what we see and feel and smell. We already know other beings can maybe see and hear more than we do. We know through science that there are smaller things that make up all matter. That these smaller things are made up of even smaller things. And that in the end all things are but energy. If we and everything around us is but energy, then it stands to reason thought is energy. And if so, thought and matter are in fact the same and thus thought are able to affect matter. Or to put it more boldly, a single thought can create or destroy all existence.

Overly dramatic and a simplification of a complex statement but that is the best way I can describe it.

The various dimensions are simply matter or energy vibrating at different frequencies forming layers that we interpret as dimensions or planes of existence.

Similar to what light does when it shines through a transparent object and are broken into its various color bands.

When my people were made we were devoid of bodies and flying through space, living as what some may call spirits. We searched for for new experiences and people and in time decided to make our own world. So we may experience mortality. We would never truly die of course but to the mortal being death feels ultimate.

We poured some of ourselves into the void and made this world. Our different energies like colors of the rainbow flowing together to create all that is here. And then we created our bodies. With legs to walk and wings to fly and our feet webbed so we may swim. With feathers so we had no need for coverings.

We came here and build this city and lived here ever since. We lived and died and was reborn within our offspring. And over time forgot who we really are. Some already left this world and went back to the void. We even have offspring who is not reincarnated and has never been to the void.

But your arrival means our time here is at an end. Those of us who can must return to the void.

It also means we have to decide who will stay to open the way back and to close it again after the others have left.

While you are here we will help you. And once we have sent you back we will leave this world and turn our city to sand. And we will be no more of this world.

Your coming was foretold even though we hoped it would not be. The elders already built the black pyramid that will channel our essence and return us to the void. So we are prepared.

Some will stay within the temple and through a spell destroy the city. And a few will stay at the pyramid and seal that gate so none may follow.

So you see. While I am glad to meet you and we hold you no blame, I am also sad to see you as we will be no more.

We must return to where we came from. We must leave this home we made to the people who has need of it.

Character Name: Dalia Vivian
Month: May

5 Lore Submissions:

Entry #06

It was not easy! Today I finally told my plans to leave to explore this land. The idea was not well received. I had to hear a lot about how dangerous this place can be. Creatures are harmful, the land is unsafe and full of deadly dangers, and the people who live outside our zone, all those who have abandoned us, are even more dangerous! “The unknown is not to be desired, but feared!” I was even told that I was letting myself be corrupted by Demra, and if that was the case I shouldn’t even think about coming back. I don’t blame them for talking like that. I know they didn’t mean it, they were just worried about me. In fact, many things were said today. Surely some need to be forgotten, and others… others I will keep forever in my heart!

– Let the girl live her own adventures!

– Why did she have to grow up so fast?

– Dalia, you don’t have to do this! We will always be proud of you, no matter where you are!

It took a while for them to realize that my decision wasn’t going to change. Finally, we reached an agreement: if I was going to explore the land, then I should do it for our faction: “write full reports”, “immediately notify any important discoveries” and “don’t stay away too long”. I’m pretty sure this last rule was invented by my instructors and is not part of the official rules of Loyalist Officers, but ok, I’ll be happy to do that!

When I was walking on the road that leaves Crystal Beach, I could still hear the conversation in the distance:

– Well, we knew this could happen one day…

– Of course! She never belonged here in the first place!

– Shut up! None of us belonged here in the first place!

It’s not that they were wrong, and still that is where I grew up. They had no obligation to me, but they raised me as if I belonged to them. I have always felt loved, so surely I owe them a lot. I won’t let them down!

Entry #07

“How am I supposed to be able to walk with such a heavy backpack?”, I had been thinking about this since I climbed the first stairs on my way out of Crystal Beach. Then I crossed the bridges and still had to climb the new stairs inside the cave to Crystal Peak. I needed to take two minutes to rest before I head downstairs to the Dock and Crystal Bay.

First it was Lisy and Miranda’s fault! They abruptly entered my room as I was about to start packing and insisted on helping me. Before I realized, they were already struggling to fit my entire wardrobe into my small backpack. “A girl needs to look good, even when she is traveling!”, they said. That’s when Herbert appeared at the window with a huge backpack: “I used to use this to carry my mining materials, but now I have a new one, so I thought maybe you would have use for this one!”. Jamie also arrived bringing some fruit and packaged supplies “for the first few days”. She also insisted on giving me a big frying pan, saying that it would be very useful.

So I ended up carrying everything everyone thought I would definitely need! And now I’m exhausted even before I start the trip!

I decided to first get a map with the Cartographer at the Dock and then think of some solution for all this weight. The map I received is really very incomplete, much worse than I imagined! But to my happy surprise, I received a gift that was exactly what I needed: a vehicle!

It is an amphibious vehicle, the Strider! Although this one is still a prototype in the testing phase. But the Cartographer told me that if I was traveling there would be no one better to test it! I don’t need to say how happy I was to put my heavy backpack inside the strider’s storage! So finally I was ready to go!

Entry #08

I’ve decided that I’m going to write my first report on the Screechers. This area is full of them! This must be the biggest Screecher colony around here!

After I got the map and my new vehicle, I went down from Crystal Peak towards Crystal Bay to say goodbye to my friend Jonas. As usual, we could see his surfboard on the sand, and next to it there was a crate of island beer; so he should be close, with Arthur and his friends. When we were little he used to drag me to that place almost every day. I think he was always passionate about the sea, the waves and surfing. Since we never shared the same likes, I found it more interesting to watch the screechers that live just above the beach. But that is a relatively small colony. Everyone knows that the one in the hills north of Shepherd’s Beach is much bigger. Well, I just realized that it is a lot bigger than I imagined!

After I said goodbye, I continued my journey to North, passing through the Biological Research Area. It is to the north of this area that the village boars live. But I don’t think there was ever any interest in researching the boars. After all, boars = steaks, and that’s it! Now, the papoos have always aroused the curiosity of our scientists. In fact they are trying to introduce a small wave of brown papoos exactly in this area, as it is difficult to find them in the Loyalist zone; I heard that they prefer to live in the NEO Mountains.

Finally i took the road to go northwest, i passed north of the First Wave Settlement and here I am. Then the entire area to the left of the road is full of Screechers, that spread to the south almost to Shepherd’s Beach.

I’m watching them and… hmm… oh, I thought I saw something… it seems impossible, but I could have sworn there’s something shining on that island in the distance…

Entry #09

Today I made my first contact outside the Loyalist faction!

It all started when I was watching the Screechers: on the island in the middle of the river I thought I saw something shining. So I quickly jumped into my strider and crossed the river to investigate. As I approached, I could see that what from a distance looked like a simple mound of land covered with vegetation was actually a rock formation. Inside it was like a beautiful grotto. In the center were what looked like stone columns carved by the erosion of nature, and the rays of sunlight entered through holes in the ceiling and walls of the rock, making the scenery unique. But the most unexpected discovery is that spread out all over the grotto were big blue eggs!

I rushed inside to examine the eggs, when in a quick move a man appeared from behind one of the stone columns. The sun reflected in his armor making it shine. Now that I think about it, obviously that was the shine I had seen before! But at that time I didn’t even have time to think and a gun was already pointed in my direction.

Fortunately everything turned out well… maybe thanks to the Screechers. Right, I ended up finding out that those blue eggs were screecher eggs, and suddenly the cave was filled with big Male Screechers trying to defend their nest! In the end the man got rid of them. And since I gave him a good help… well, I mean, I gave some help… maybe a little help… what matters is that my first contact can be reported on a positive note!

"Wait! I’m Dalia. May I, at least, know your name?”, I still asked him. But he just smiled, grabbed his things and left to West.

The man sort of pointed me to the best direction to go: East. So, after putting some eggs in my strider’s storage, I followed the river to east and now i have two reports to write: on the screechers, the nest and eggs, and on the my first contact.

Entry #10

I can’t stop thinking about everything that man told me. So I’ve been replaying in my mind everything that happened:

First there was a gun pointed at me. But suddenly a screech was heard and the cave was filled with big Male Screechers! The man rushed to fire at them, while I was trying to hide behind one of the stone columns.

I was wondering if I should try to run away from that place when I noticed that I couldn’t hear the sound of the gun anymore. When I looked up, the man was on the ground with so many Screechers on top of him that he had no way to move and I was sure his armor wouldn’t last much longer. I didn’t know what to do and the gun Joe gave me I had left in the strider’s storage! So I didn’t think straight and grabbed the first thing I could, one of the blue eggs, and threw it at the head of one of the screechers. Then I threw another and another, as many as I could… Fortunately I always had an excellent aim… or unfortunately, in this case… because when I realized there were already several screechers running towards me… one of these days my impulsivity will really get me in big trouble! At least that day hasn’t been today. When he found himself more free, the man was able to quickly get rid of the screechers that were attacking him, then the ones that were coming to me, and finally what was left of them.

Silence invaded the place again. He just gave me a slightly annoyed “we’re even” look and asked me what I was doing there. But before I could finish replying that I was exploring, he was already telling me to go back home.

“I hope you’re not thinking of going to the mountains to the North: that area is not for someone like you” and “Don’t you ever dare go to the West, the people there are very dangerous!”.

Of course I wasn’t going to turn back, so I took that as an indication that the best route to take would be East. Am I being too positive? Is this trip really an imprudent stubbornness?

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Harriot’s lore for June

The Medallion
Entry #130

Charlotte was sound asleep in her bed. I still couldn’t get used to sleeping in a bed, I kept tossing and turning and even tried sleeping on the ground like I had grown used to but to no avail. The events that had happened last night played through my head on repeat. The image of the medallion was burned into my brain and wouldn’t leave me alone. I tried to not stir Charlotte as I went downstairs. I had to get the image out of my head and onto paper. I stared at what I had just drawn. There appeared to be 5 items missing from it, probably the parts that Elliot had mentioned.

I had no clue where to even begin searching but if something rare had been found it was sure to turn up. All I had to do was wait by the usual spot the traders of rare goods would frequent. Ever since new things had been discovered on Next Island more traders of such items had started to show up. It would just be a case of finding the right one.

I spent hours hanging around the local trading spots so much so that people thought I was in the business of trading myself and when I told them I didn’t have what they were looking for they asked if I were buying things. I needed information quickly before things got out of hand.

“Did you hear about that top level hunter being on Next Island recently? Hardly any of us lower level hunters have ever seen him.” Two traders were standing by the statue at paradise landing chatting away loud enough for the whole of Next Island to hear.

“I heard he recently found something that no one else has come across yet. Of course such a high level person wouldn’t tell the likes of us where he found it.”

“I guess you didn’t hear then, there’s a man who’s half-bear that’s in with such high level players and got the information from him. but says he won’t share that information with just anyone.”

Dang that bear-man, is there no one he doesn’t know? After the last time I was on edge, he knew I was a Resa and by the sounds of it, it was likely he knew everything about my origin. And now I needed his help.

The Medallion
Entry #131

The bear-man of all people, why was it the bear-man. I had no clue where to find him. He seemed to just randomly appear then disappear as if he were never there. I checked his last known location, then the house in which we had plotted to find pages in. Nothing. Something did cross my mind though, the first time I had met him he was crafting at a terminal not many stayed long at. It was worth a shot anyways.

Sure enough there he was in his classic mankini and bear head. He seemed to sigh as he stared at the crafting machine. I tried to not make my presence noticeable but he must have a super sense of hearing as he turned around the second I was in the room.
“Where’d you disappear to after Carolines? Everyone was worried about a lightweight like you falling into a ditch and getting eaten by boars or something.”
The bear-man seemed down today as if something were playing on his mind.
“I had places to be, I do have a social life.” The bear-man mustered a small chuckle before staring deeply at the crafting terminal again. "What’s got your kini in a twist? This to do with those pages again?” His eyes seemed to light up.
“You have crystals right? Of course you have crystals, you hoard everything. The Haruspex want me to craft clothes, I think they feel sorry for me or something.”
“I may have, but I’ll only trade it for some information you may have on a ‘new item’ that was found.” The bear-man seemed to think for a moment.
“Seems like I’m the one getting the better deal here but sure I’ll tell you what I know about this ‘item’”

The bear-man said he would only talk once I brought back the crystals he required and there were a lot of them. Somehow I had a feeling I had played myself and would be trading a lot of my hoard on information that seemed important to Charlotte and her crew. Luckily I had everything he requested from the list he gave me. I almost surprised myself with how many crystals I had. Whatever he had to say it had better be worth it.

The Medallion
Entry #132

I could hear Charlotte waking up, it must have been around midday. I had half thought she would have been awake when I returned. She stared at my pile of crystals. When I had moved them I had placed them all in a box, but now they were all spilled out on the floor for me to go through them and pick out the ones the bear-man needed.

“Are all these found on Next Island? Some of these are super pretty, has no one ever made them into necklaces or jewellery?” My hand stopped at her words. How could I have forgotten? Since her return I hadn’t found the right moment to give her the necklace I had ‘acquired’. It was tucked safely in one of my pockets, I had been carrying it with me everywhere I went.

“Well I guess there’s no good time but the present. Here, this is for you.” She seemed stunned for a moment and didn’t say anything. It was the first time she had ever stopped talking, it was all too short lived when she let out a sequel that was higher pitched than a boar. Without warning she threw her arms around me in a tight hug. “Hey, it isn’t that great, no need to go overboard.” I didn’t know the last time anyone had ever hugged me or been close enough to me that I hadn’t felt like stabbing.
“I’ll wear it wherever I go. But you still have to tell me what all these crystals are and why you’re sorting them now.” Charlotte let go of me and started to pick through the crystals.
“I met the bear-man…”
“Bear-man?” I had forgotten that Charlotte had never met him before.
“Yes, a man that looks like a bear, can I continue?” Charlotte sat on the ground looking very much like a child sulking. “He has information about the medallion and I offered a trade, some crystals he needs for the information we need.” Charlotte’s hand halted over a piece of Tanzanite her eye went wide for a second before regaining her compositor.
“Can I come meet the bear-man with you? If this is about the necklace then I should be there too right?” I couldn’t deny Charlotte anything she wanted. Not when she gave me that puppy dog look.
“Fine but you better be on your best behaviour.” I had a bad feeling about this.

The Medallion
Entry #133

The bear-man hasn’t moved since I had left him. Charlotte had no sense of caution to her, and strolled right up to him as soon as she saw him.

“You must be the ‘bear-man’.” He gave her a friendly smile
“Waffles.” We both stared at him in confusion, did this bear-man demand us to get him waffles? He seemed to chuckle to himself “Waffles is my name.” Waffles inspected the crystals closely, he had a look of approval on his face.
“So, what was it you wanted to know again? Ah yes about this rare item found by a hunter. Well you see for me to explain it you must listen to the story of how he found it. He was out on his usual hunt near Vulcans Pass. Vulcan drakes began to swarm all around him, as a top end hunter this didn’t bother him one bit. But they appeared to be guarding something, something that he could just see in the corner of his eye. It was a cave, when he grew closer there was a blinding red light shining from within. On closer inspection he found it to be known as a ‘Fire Gem’ something that was rarer than any diamond. No one knows how it is formed and only 2 people have ever seen one. Its purpose seems unclear. Even the hunter himself didn’t know what to do with what he found. I suspect it’s sitting away somewhere on a shelf now.”

My hand reached for the drawing I had tucked away in my pocket from the sleepless night.
“Did the gem look like something that would fit in this?” I showed Waffles the picture. He stared at it intensely for a moment, Charlotte had joined in staring too.
“Wooh did you draw that from only seeing the thing once?”

“Depending on how big that necklace of yours is, this gem was the size of a papoo’s eye.” Charlotte gave me a knowing look, she was thinking the same things as me.
“Where would we find this hunter?”
“You’d probably have an easier time trying to find that stupidly rare gem than you are trying find that hunter.”

The Medallion
Entry #134

When we got back to the house, that fire gem was playing on my mind. The lead we had was the drake cave but I had a feeling there was something Charlotte wasn’t telling me. She had changed since going back to Calypso as if something happened there that she was hiding from me now. Another thing that was playing on my mind, there were 5 slots, one of which potentially could be connected to the Vulcan drakes. There were 4 types of drakes, which begged the question, were 4 of these gems connected to the drakes? I had a feeling Elliot could shed some light on these ‘missing pieces’ as he called them.

We were about to find out as Charlotte had already contacted her crew and they were slumped against the wall waiting for us at the house. Elliot was the first to speak.

“Heard you have news on the necklace. You are as good as Charlotte said about finding information. Would have taken us weeks to find out about this Fire Gem.” I found myself putting my guard up again. There was something they weren’t telling me. I hated being in the dark about things, it was in my nature to seek out information and the truth. After all, there had been many important things that had been kept from me, things that could have saved me from the life I was now living.

“You need to tell me everything you know about this medallion and about the missing pieces. I have a feeling you already know what you’re looking for, you just don’t know where to look for it.” Elliot didn’t flinch or react in any way at all.

“We should tell her.” Charlotte seemed to act differently around these two. Usually she was loud and assertive but around them she was quiet and almost shy.

“Fine, but you can deal with the backlash, when the time comes…”

Elliot spilled out all the research they had done on the medallion and the ancient ones of Next Island. According to an old piece of scripture they had found with the medallion there were five guardians. Fire, Snow, Storm and Death, the fifth guardian was said to be their leader. Each one possessed a keystone. No information was found about what happened to these drakes but there was mention of a fifth stone that was a combination of all 4 drakes, the Moonstone.

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Lores Submission for May 2022
Writing my own experiences in Next Island
Posting all 5 post/parts in one submissions

First Thing First

Part III

Sitting in my Strider at the start line, it seems like everything surrounding me went very quiet. The sound of my heart beats are getting louder and louder, palm start sweating, it reminds me of last time I was on this race track. The rule of this race is a simple. The racer needs to bring own vehicle, fuel it up and set it on the start line. Then just need to run the lap within the time counted by Greta. Like I said before, Greta is nice person. But, also a very precise and strict when it comes to the track run time. Even a second… No, even a millisecond will not pass by Greta, I need to be on time. As flashback of bitter memories cross by my mind, I shake my head off to get rid of them.

Greta: “Are you ok, Balam?”

Me: “Yes, Greta. Just thinking how to handle the course. I am ready now.”

Greta: “Ok, good luck and drive well!”

Me: “Thank you, wish me a luck. I need it.”

The 3 counts started by Greta, the grip gets firmer, again take deep breath.

Greta: “3…2…1…Go!”

Vooom, the Strider makes the fuel/electric combined sounds. Even we put common fuel in most of vehicle, it seems like each vehicle has it own mechanism to convert the fuel to it own source of energy. For the Strider, it does sounds like hybrid of both gas and electric, the hard part of this vehicle is that it goes much faster than it seems but it is very light weight. A high power vehicle with light weight, everyone know how that ends up.

Now crossing over the start line, a first segment of the circuit is always smooth. There is just small bumps and hills but nothing too difficult to handle. It is very much straight line, but I can’t let my concentration to be loose. As I check the response of my Strider, I need to prepare for a most difficult segment, the huge hill which only Strider can climb up.

Part IV

This hill is definitely the most problematic part of the course, well… at least for me. The bitter memory makes me feel the taste of the dirt I experienced in the past. It is tall, so tall that you can’t even see what is past it. The long climb requires the driver to muscle down the vehicle or you will eat the dirt back on the ground. If you are lucky, you may not eat the dirty and still manage to be on the vehicle, but staying on the course is quiet difficult for any driver.

Me: “Come on, you can do it… Woah!”

Even though the Strider did not slip away from my hands, but unfortunately it made wild 360 and slammed it’s body on the water body on other side of the hill.

Me: “Well, at least I am on other side.”

Yep, I better get moving. Floored the accelerator to the limit to earn some time. Rest of the course on both a water and a land, it is continuing winding road where you must make a sharp turn to cut to loss time. Left and right, I vividly cut the steering wheel with accelerator control to handle the speed. I was so focused that it felt like synchronization buff has been used. As I run through the last small hill, I hear Greta counting “10…9…8…”. This last stretch, I must hurry to make it to the goal on time. The rushed feeling had made me step on accelerator further down. [Splash] Next moment, my sight was spinning hard. Not only my sight, but the Strider slipped and spin on the paddle of a water on the end of the course. Placing the it’s direction to completely opposite side of the course. My heart was beating fast, so fast that I couldn’t think or hear anything. It was very close call, if I was not lucky, I could have fallen off from the edge down to the lake.

Part V

[Beep]

The sound of the timer has echoed in this sunny and dry environment. I know it is loud sounds from when I watched others, but it only sounded like background noise to me at the moment. I was so shocked, that I completely forgot the race time counter was still going. The timer has announced that my challenge was over. Again at the disappointment to myself and bit of shame to talk to Greta.

Greta: “Are you ok, Balam? Did you get hurt?”

Me: “Thank you for worrying Greta, I think I am ok.”

Greta: “Make sure you are not hurt, you can rest at the side space of the track.”

Me: “Thank you, again. I need that.”

I slowly dragged my Strider to the resting space, sat on the vehicle and realized my hands are shaking. I was not sure if it was due to a rush of adrenaline going through my body or just fear of thinking that I could have fallen off the cliff.

Me: “Haha, well I am still in one piece. There is always a next time.”

I must overcome this challenge, but for now, I did not have a guts to go again right after. Even I challenge again, I did not have a confidence that I can be at the finish line before the timer ends. I need to rest and regain my focus. It is great that Greta is letting me rest so I can be calm before getting out of my Strider. I took a deep breath, closed my eye to take a little rest.

After the small nap, I felt much better. It seemed like I was sleeping for hours, but looking at the clock on a Strider, only several minutes has passed. Looking at my hands, it is not shaking anymore.

Me: “Ah, ah.”

Ok, it seems like my voice is not shaking either. I think I am good to talk now.

Me: “Hey Greta, thank you for letting me rest. I will get going for now.”

Greta: “Ok, glad to hear you are not hurt and ok. Take care.”

Me: “You too, Greta. See you soon.”

Surprise the Disciple

Part I

After leaving the race track, I had to take a rest and change the scene. No, I did not give up on the challenge, but I just need time to reset my mind. In order to regain the confidence within myself, I decided to go find my disciple K. It is easy to find her with the newly born player, yellow jump suit, yet just walking over and meeting her does not sound interesting enough. She needs a surprise. I opened the guide book {NI Helper} to see what is available for a such a surprise. It did not take much time to find and decide what to do next. Yes, you may have guessed. Let’s Monkeying around. I run down to the beach side where I know there are tons of Yellow Papoos. Papoo is a monkey like creature who lived in the Next Island long people our migration. It sometime feels that we are invading their original land, and I am sure Papoo feels same way. As soon as we get close to them, they will attack us without any warning. I know some creatures attacks us because they think we are just their food, but Papoo, I feel their intention is more complex than that. It may not be moral to kill Papoos after invasion we had made already, but the colony issued the order to kill many Papoos as possible. A termination is part of a good citizen duty. I grabbed the gun from my pack, loading the ammunition to get ready and aimed at the Yellow Papoos. For this mission, I need to kill 250 points worth of Yellow Papoos, which Old and Provider give 1 points and Guardian gives 2 points. It is reasonable and quick mission all players should try as the reward is definitely amazing. [Pew Pew] I mindlessly shoot the laser rifle then loot from their dead body. It was just repeatable machine work from here which it did not require me to think.

Part II

I do like a hunting, but a hunting is completely different type of activity compared to a mining or a crafting. I consider hunting as a speed and a focus required job. I am not sure if others feels so, but a hunting requires the significant number of kills to be a good hunter, of course in a skills but as a return. Those creature holds the various loot, but finding the one is previous treasure is just a number game, need to kill large number to hit one. Well, I must say, I am not the professional. Maybe a veterans knows which one to kill even though when I look at those Papoos I can not tell the difference between one and others. [Ping] I hear the sound in my mission counter indicating I have collected enough points for the mission. Finishing off last few Papoos on my sight, I run down to collect the reward. I was not doing this mission only to terminate the Papoos, this mission was to surprise my disciple. Did you ask how I am going to surprise her? Good question. The reward in my hand is the answer and you will see how. I softly hold the medicine looking capsule in my hand, and start walking towards the new arrival paradise landing beach where my disciple K should be at.

After walking my way down the long stairs while looking over the beach to locate K, I start to hear the laser pistol noise I recognize. It must be my disciple, distinct high pitch laser noise her favorite gun. I have found her over the trees where she fights off Papoo punies, I have arrived at the perfect moment. Sneaking around and hiding behind one of the tree, I have thrown the capsule I just got from the mission in my mouth. I usually can not drink a medicine without a water, but it is difficult to find a good purified water in this world of Entropia. The only choice was to swallow it with the determination to surprise K. [Gulp]