Written By Mason
May 17, 2017, 11:49 a.m.(6/23/1006 AR)
I feel as if Arx is a different city than when I left. During the siege, the people have changed. It can be seen on their faces and reflected in their eyes. These are a people that have now tasted of the horrors out there in the world. No more is the easy assurance that everything is mythology. Dark forces ever seep into Arvum and it distresses me deeply.
I had hoped to have put so much of that behind me, but perhaps that is why fate has brought me here? It seems arrogant to assume as much, but I will do my best to learn what I can so I can be of assistance to those in need, regardless.
I had hoped to have put so much of that behind me, but perhaps that is why fate has brought me here? It seems arrogant to assume as much, but I will do my best to learn what I can so I can be of assistance to those in need, regardless.
Written By Percephon
May 17, 2017, 9:28 a.m.(6/23/1006 AR)
Relationship Note on Zhayla
It was good to see this young prodigal again. If anything, she clearly needed a reminder not to be lax on her homework and learning, though I believe we have rectified that appropriately, and she won't forget again, at least not if she remembers point Three Hundred and Sixty Eight. I look forward to her knighting ceremony, an honor that is well deserved.
Written By Nicia
May 17, 2017, 3:30 a.m.(6/22/1006 AR)
Part of me was very excited about the prospect of journeying to Arx, to see things I'd never seen, and meet people that I had never met before, and may not have ever had the chance to otherwise.
I find that the city is exciting, there are so many people. So many different types of people, if you sat down and thought about the wildest possible person you could meet...I would be willing to place a bet that you could find someone like that here. If not more than that.
Everyone I have met so far has been polite, kind, welcoming...even ones that I have met just in passing. I know that it is just not possible for everyone in the city to be polite and kind, open to accepting new people. Maybe I've simply had the best of luck in finding them, though.
I find that the city is exciting, there are so many people. So many different types of people, if you sat down and thought about the wildest possible person you could meet...I would be willing to place a bet that you could find someone like that here. If not more than that.
Everyone I have met so far has been polite, kind, welcoming...even ones that I have met just in passing. I know that it is just not possible for everyone in the city to be polite and kind, open to accepting new people. Maybe I've simply had the best of luck in finding them, though.
Written By Nicia
May 17, 2017, 2:43 a.m.(6/22/1006 AR)
Relationship Note on Valerion
Oh...Valerion. One of the very first people I met when arriving in Arx. That in and of itself makes him someone that I will always count as special. No matter how much time passes, he will always be special.
Written By Nicia
May 17, 2017, 2:35 a.m.(6/22/1006 AR)
Relationship Note on Alrec
Although it wasn't the first time I'd met the Admiral, it has been a very long time since I last saw him. And even when I did, I'm not sure there was ever anything exchanged more than a hello in passing. It was something of a surprise when he decided that lurking behind me was a good thing, but it certainly has turned out to be great fun.
The finer points of lurking casually have been discussed, and he seems to be great fun to just talk to in general. Dashing, although according to him, not heroic.
The finer points of lurking casually have been discussed, and he seems to be great fun to just talk to in general. Dashing, although according to him, not heroic.
Written By Aiden
May 17, 2017, 2:18 a.m.(6/22/1006 AR)
I begin to realize the truth of people.
When someone approaches you, that has never spoken to you before on a personal level, only to come at you with finger waggling and lecturing tones, that there is nothing you could say to change their opinions about you. They've already decided who you are and what you've done before they've approached. They aren't really interested in you at all. Or the truth.
I find it sad.
Animals are easier. Birds simple.
People. I don't know what to do about people.
When someone approaches you, that has never spoken to you before on a personal level, only to come at you with finger waggling and lecturing tones, that there is nothing you could say to change their opinions about you. They've already decided who you are and what you've done before they've approached. They aren't really interested in you at all. Or the truth.
I find it sad.
Animals are easier. Birds simple.
People. I don't know what to do about people.
Written By Esoka
May 17, 2017, 12:17 a.m.(6/22/1006 AR)
Relationship Note on Zhayla
Zhayla is a joy. A joy who can bash in skulls and clear a battlefield with that big weapon of hers. She's only beginning to make a life for herself in the Compact, and that path is not always an easy one to walk. But I think she'll do very well. She has a great heart, is a great warrior, and will be a great knight.
Written By Orazio
May 17, 2017, 12:03 a.m.(6/22/1006 AR)
To the Faithful Reader:
In all things, change. Winter will never fail to yield to spring, nor spring to summer. This is the promise of the gods to us, the faithful, and they have not let us down now. I have not written in a while, my fault and my apologies to Vellichor for that. But there were a great many letters to write, and I am sure that many of these will be referred to or added to white journals across the continent, so I will consider my duty done in an indirect fashion. The pertinent part, however, is that no winter lasts forever. Every silence, with the grace given by the gods and the courage and sacrifice of the men and women of the Compact, can be broken.
As it has. Now begins the hard work of rebuilding, of mourning, of honoring the lives lost by using our lives to make their sacrifices matter. Each one of us has no doubt lost at least one person in our lives. Honor that loss. Take what time you can to remember their lives, and ask yourself what they would wish you to do with the time they have bought for you with their life's blood. Do not waste it, people of the Faith. Rise to it, hold it close to your heart, and walk forward into the cold and the dark with Gloria's own courage.
I shall do the best I can to follow my own advice.
In all things, change. Winter will never fail to yield to spring, nor spring to summer. This is the promise of the gods to us, the faithful, and they have not let us down now. I have not written in a while, my fault and my apologies to Vellichor for that. But there were a great many letters to write, and I am sure that many of these will be referred to or added to white journals across the continent, so I will consider my duty done in an indirect fashion. The pertinent part, however, is that no winter lasts forever. Every silence, with the grace given by the gods and the courage and sacrifice of the men and women of the Compact, can be broken.
As it has. Now begins the hard work of rebuilding, of mourning, of honoring the lives lost by using our lives to make their sacrifices matter. Each one of us has no doubt lost at least one person in our lives. Honor that loss. Take what time you can to remember their lives, and ask yourself what they would wish you to do with the time they have bought for you with their life's blood. Do not waste it, people of the Faith. Rise to it, hold it close to your heart, and walk forward into the cold and the dark with Gloria's own courage.
I shall do the best I can to follow my own advice.
Written By Silas
May 16, 2017, 11:49 p.m.(6/22/1006 AR)
Sometimes a molehill should be left a fucking molehill.
You don't need to make it into a mountain so you can stick your flag on top of it.
You don't need to make it into a mountain so you can stick your flag on top of it.
Written By Calaudrin
May 16, 2017, 10:23 p.m.(6/22/1006 AR)
Some of the people in this city have a bizarre fascination with me.
Written By Joscelin
May 16, 2017, 9:13 p.m.(6/22/1006 AR)
Relationship Note on Isolde
Well now I want to know what your favorites are so far.
Written By Isolde
May 16, 2017, 7:08 p.m.(6/22/1006 AR)
I don't even need to purchase novels, when I can read journals.
Yet here I am with an armful of books.
Yet here I am with an armful of books.
Written By Ysbail
May 16, 2017, 6:46 p.m.(6/22/1006 AR)
With any luck, there will be a... template that can be used in dealing with the Abandoned and shav'arvani left after the 'recruiting' of the Bringer army. It will be just the basics, so by all means, feel free to adapt and make whatever changes are most suitable to your own dealings.
Written By Carita
May 16, 2017, 6:38 p.m.(6/22/1006 AR)
Relationship Note on Edward
You're becoming dangerous effective with your flattery, my lord. Continue to be so. I adore compliments.
Written By Sameera
May 16, 2017, 5:16 p.m.(6/22/1006 AR)
Peopling is very difficult. Good thing I have Mallik to do most of my peopling for me.
Written By Driskell
May 16, 2017, 4:29 p.m.(6/21/1006 AR)
Whilst journals are the providence of Vellichor, I do point out to readers that the Thirteenth reminds us all that we look to the Dark Reflection to control our darker passions and avoid the dark nature that is inherent in all our hearts and the spheres of influence around us. There is good reason as to why we have black journals. Use them.
Then again, some people's stupidity needs to be pointed out. Stupidity is like an infection, it spreads quickly and generally acts as a distraction for leadership to have to deal with someone that for all purposes seems to have fallen off the wagon and bumped their head...multiple times.
Perhaps it should be a crime to be stupid.
Then again, some people's stupidity needs to be pointed out. Stupidity is like an infection, it spreads quickly and generally acts as a distraction for leadership to have to deal with someone that for all purposes seems to have fallen off the wagon and bumped their head...multiple times.
Perhaps it should be a crime to be stupid.
Written By Aleksei
May 16, 2017, 3:42 p.m.(6/21/1006 AR)
I'm sure that there are people expecting me to make some sort of response to certain comments in certain White Reflections aimed my way. I, myself, have no desire to air other people's private business entrusted to me as a Priest of the Faith, so I have to disappoint everyone by saying that I don't have any public comment at all. I've made the appropriate responses in private. I did, after all, get put through etiquette lessons.
Written By Armel
May 16, 2017, 3:34 p.m.(6/21/1006 AR)
I have made no secret of my actions in the immediate aftermath of the final battle against the Silent Army, and I have no intentions to. They were an enemy that had come to destroy us, and we had no evidence that they would not continue to do so, once their lethargy had worn off. I did not pursue those that fled, nor kill those who surrendered.
However, this does not translate to a hatred of all Abandoned. For every Abandoned that I have met in my travels who wanted to kill me or my charges, I have met dozens or more who were peaceful, caring people who would have done well in the Compact, if not for their Choices. and is that not what we are to respect, through Skald, he of the First Choice? I even picked up a couple of their languages, through helpful instruction. I have seen their rituals, their foibles and their strengths. I support any and all efforts to protect them from any 'retribution' that might be sought against them, and any of my men I find engaging in such activity would be put to extreme punishment, up to and including death, depending on the severity of their crime.
But more than that, we are going to need their assistance. As Lord Mydas says, we must be careful how we go about it, but in pure, brutal terms? More shit is coming. Evil forces, and horrible, driven men who will stop at nothing to ruin all we have created. This war was just the first of many, and we lost so many men. Almost a third of my own forces slain in the final battle. We cannot sustain such a campaign and survive, we /need/ the Abandoned. Not just to protect them, not just because it is the Right thing to do...But because they will be needed to help protect us. So that all may survive.
However, this does not translate to a hatred of all Abandoned. For every Abandoned that I have met in my travels who wanted to kill me or my charges, I have met dozens or more who were peaceful, caring people who would have done well in the Compact, if not for their Choices. and is that not what we are to respect, through Skald, he of the First Choice? I even picked up a couple of their languages, through helpful instruction. I have seen their rituals, their foibles and their strengths. I support any and all efforts to protect them from any 'retribution' that might be sought against them, and any of my men I find engaging in such activity would be put to extreme punishment, up to and including death, depending on the severity of their crime.
But more than that, we are going to need their assistance. As Lord Mydas says, we must be careful how we go about it, but in pure, brutal terms? More shit is coming. Evil forces, and horrible, driven men who will stop at nothing to ruin all we have created. This war was just the first of many, and we lost so many men. Almost a third of my own forces slain in the final battle. We cannot sustain such a campaign and survive, we /need/ the Abandoned. Not just to protect them, not just because it is the Right thing to do...But because they will be needed to help protect us. So that all may survive.
Written By Shadow
May 16, 2017, 3:08 p.m.(6/21/1006 AR)
Relationship Note on Samantha
~Written in Northlands Shav~
Her views on the abandoned as they call them here in the compact are very much true. Those fears and concerns were part of what kept me secluded on the mountain for so many years. I came down because the spirits guided me to. The path has not been an easy one but it has been mine.
Her words speak volumes as to how much she strives to understand those outside of the compact and those who recently or may soon desire to join with it and give their knee much like I did. And much like so many others have done before me.
Her words alone would earn my respect not that it holds much weight in this world I find myself now living in. But just the same they would.. and they have.
Her views on the abandoned as they call them here in the compact are very much true. Those fears and concerns were part of what kept me secluded on the mountain for so many years. I came down because the spirits guided me to. The path has not been an easy one but it has been mine.
Her words speak volumes as to how much she strives to understand those outside of the compact and those who recently or may soon desire to join with it and give their knee much like I did. And much like so many others have done before me.
Her words alone would earn my respect not that it holds much weight in this world I find myself now living in. But just the same they would.. and they have.
Written By Shadow
May 16, 2017, 2:03 p.m.(6/21/1006 AR)
~Written in Northlands Shav~
When Freja banished me, I felt very much lost. Lost without my honor. For a long time it has been all that I have had that is a constant. I have no tribe like so many others, No family to speak of. It was always my honor, my word and the spirits. I am thankful for those who reminded me of my word, and that just because she stripped my honor away that I did not have to live as such.. That I still had given my word and made promises. And so, I will keep my word, and fulfill those promises.
Freja believes that my wish to leave the Redrain fealty when I had asked to be released was because of a crush, a desire and nothing more. She could not be more wrong and she did not even care to get to the root of the matter before sending me away in banishment.
Her blindness to the truth is unbecoming a voice but I do not think there is much that can be done with words to show her the truths. My desire to be released from my oath was to do with the way of the Northerners in the city by and large. I have seen more kindness and friendship from those of other places far from my homelands and our ways than I ever saw from those of the north here. It is sad she did not listen and hear anything but what she wished and wanted to. That is not to say all from the north were cold towards me or looked through me. But many of them did.
She asked me my reasons, And in the end would not even hear them out. It makes one wonder why she asked me to be honest if all she wanted was soft spoken words and untrue views.
When Freja banished me, I felt very much lost. Lost without my honor. For a long time it has been all that I have had that is a constant. I have no tribe like so many others, No family to speak of. It was always my honor, my word and the spirits. I am thankful for those who reminded me of my word, and that just because she stripped my honor away that I did not have to live as such.. That I still had given my word and made promises. And so, I will keep my word, and fulfill those promises.
Freja believes that my wish to leave the Redrain fealty when I had asked to be released was because of a crush, a desire and nothing more. She could not be more wrong and she did not even care to get to the root of the matter before sending me away in banishment.
Her blindness to the truth is unbecoming a voice but I do not think there is much that can be done with words to show her the truths. My desire to be released from my oath was to do with the way of the Northerners in the city by and large. I have seen more kindness and friendship from those of other places far from my homelands and our ways than I ever saw from those of the north here. It is sad she did not listen and hear anything but what she wished and wanted to. That is not to say all from the north were cold towards me or looked through me. But many of them did.
She asked me my reasons, And in the end would not even hear them out. It makes one wonder why she asked me to be honest if all she wanted was soft spoken words and untrue views.
Please note that the scholars may take some time preparing your journal for others to read.