Written By Calypso
April 14, 2017, 1:29 p.m.(4/10/1006 AR)
On War, Death and Life -
This is the first time many of the people of Arx have been face to face with war. It is not a glorious, honorable thing by nature. Lives are lost in brutal ways. Large bolts are flung in to crowds of people, hoping to kill as many as possible. Sword tips are poisoned with corrosive substances to make sure if the blow does not kill them, the sickness that follows will kill soon after. Barrels of pitch are poured down the sides of our walls and lit on fire by our archers. Boiling oil is poured down from above on to the enemy below. The cavalry is sent out to trample to death those who do not have horses to ride. It is a brutal, necessary thing. People die by the thousands.
Our success in war is often measured in body count. Who suffered the greater loss of life. We're we able to keep more of our own alive longer than they were. The hope is to cut down the enemy numbers to a small enough force that they either retreat or surrender.
In the two wars we fight now, we do not have the luxury of an enemy who retreats or surrenders. They are under the control of entities who do not have respect for life and press them to fight losing battles until they very last of their forces has fallen.
This all said, life is the most precious thing we have. Everyone deserves to live and live well. We soldiers march off and sacrifice the lengths and quality of our own lives to see that those we fight for are given the opportunity to live and thrive as fully as possible. And sometimes that means we have to measure our lives verses the lives of our enemies.
War is messy, complicated, brutal and tragic. But necessary.
This is the first time many of the people of Arx have been face to face with war. It is not a glorious, honorable thing by nature. Lives are lost in brutal ways. Large bolts are flung in to crowds of people, hoping to kill as many as possible. Sword tips are poisoned with corrosive substances to make sure if the blow does not kill them, the sickness that follows will kill soon after. Barrels of pitch are poured down the sides of our walls and lit on fire by our archers. Boiling oil is poured down from above on to the enemy below. The cavalry is sent out to trample to death those who do not have horses to ride. It is a brutal, necessary thing. People die by the thousands.
Our success in war is often measured in body count. Who suffered the greater loss of life. We're we able to keep more of our own alive longer than they were. The hope is to cut down the enemy numbers to a small enough force that they either retreat or surrender.
In the two wars we fight now, we do not have the luxury of an enemy who retreats or surrenders. They are under the control of entities who do not have respect for life and press them to fight losing battles until they very last of their forces has fallen.
This all said, life is the most precious thing we have. Everyone deserves to live and live well. We soldiers march off and sacrifice the lengths and quality of our own lives to see that those we fight for are given the opportunity to live and thrive as fully as possible. And sometimes that means we have to measure our lives verses the lives of our enemies.
War is messy, complicated, brutal and tragic. But necessary.
Written By Gisele
April 14, 2017, 12:04 p.m.(4/10/1006 AR)
Aurum Texts is closed until further notice.
Written By Fortunato
April 14, 2017, 11:37 a.m.(4/9/1006 AR)
All right.
You sleep, you wake up, you realize you've been frantically treading water for days. Shame associated with this. You forget how to swim, your only thought moment to moment is how not to quite drown. Keep moving, keep breathing.
Shame associated with this, but shame is a trap. Weights on your legs. Paths toward the undertow. No. Find driftwood, find mooring. Center. Move on. Unshackle. Move on. Change a little bit each time. Try to keep the summed shift upward.
Fires in the dark, stars in the bleak. Every moment we have is dear. Take a deep breath, find your center. Bodies accumulate. Do not forget the preciousness of life. Find your deepest strength and forward.
We're here to live. We're here to persist.
You sleep, you wake up, you realize you've been frantically treading water for days. Shame associated with this. You forget how to swim, your only thought moment to moment is how not to quite drown. Keep moving, keep breathing.
Shame associated with this, but shame is a trap. Weights on your legs. Paths toward the undertow. No. Find driftwood, find mooring. Center. Move on. Unshackle. Move on. Change a little bit each time. Try to keep the summed shift upward.
Fires in the dark, stars in the bleak. Every moment we have is dear. Take a deep breath, find your center. Bodies accumulate. Do not forget the preciousness of life. Find your deepest strength and forward.
We're here to live. We're here to persist.
Written By Peregrine
April 14, 2017, 11:15 a.m.(4/9/1006 AR)
...as dictated to a priest of Vellichor...
We know our lands, we Shav'arvani. They are our city, the wild places that are not touched by walls. When the dark ones, the sick ones, the broken ones came for us I saw them coming and we were ready. We pushed them back. When they came again, I saw them again and we were ready. We pushed them back. We bled but they did not win our lives.
Then they came hidden. I was not there. I did not see them. I found what they did to us after.
I found my son in pieces around our home. My Osprey who would be chief after my father, after me. I found my husband's hand and his hair and his blood. My Temmas, who was quiet to my loud. I held their pieces and carried them to the fire and gave them to the spirits. I wore their blood as the smoke went to the sky.
I have heard the wailing of your parents and your brothers and your sisters, Arx. They sound like my wailing when I found mine there in pieces on the ground. It is the sound my heart made when the fire was lit. We scream with the same voice.
You were us once. We were you. You lost this. You lost the way. Some are finding it again.
This is good.
We know our lands, we Shav'arvani. They are our city, the wild places that are not touched by walls. When the dark ones, the sick ones, the broken ones came for us I saw them coming and we were ready. We pushed them back. When they came again, I saw them again and we were ready. We pushed them back. We bled but they did not win our lives.
Then they came hidden. I was not there. I did not see them. I found what they did to us after.
I found my son in pieces around our home. My Osprey who would be chief after my father, after me. I found my husband's hand and his hair and his blood. My Temmas, who was quiet to my loud. I held their pieces and carried them to the fire and gave them to the spirits. I wore their blood as the smoke went to the sky.
I have heard the wailing of your parents and your brothers and your sisters, Arx. They sound like my wailing when I found mine there in pieces on the ground. It is the sound my heart made when the fire was lit. We scream with the same voice.
You were us once. We were you. You lost this. You lost the way. Some are finding it again.
This is good.
Written By Thena
April 14, 2017, 11:02 a.m.(4/9/1006 AR)
I killed a man yesterday. Arguably two. It wasn't the first time, but it's the first time since I joined the Iron Guard. So...yay me?
You think you're going to start afresh and then you end up knifing ruffians in the part of town you came up in with your cousin and a Culler and a street rat you've probably run into before (though it's hard to tell, he's quite unremarkable) and, well, Sparte, and all the areas just get really gray.
You think you're going to start afresh and then you end up knifing ruffians in the part of town you came up in with your cousin and a Culler and a street rat you've probably run into before (though it's hard to tell, he's quite unremarkable) and, well, Sparte, and all the areas just get really gray.
Written By Sparte
April 14, 2017, 10:53 a.m.(4/9/1006 AR)
I worry sometimes that I'm being desensitized to the horrors around us. The eagerness in me to do battle with a truely evil foe, what becomes of it after we've won? Do I simply leave it behind, tucked in a spot that waits and bides time until it is needed again? Is it so easy as that? Maybe it is, but I see how others are handling things. The way they take to violence even against those who are as human as the rest of us. It worries me.
Written By Reese
April 14, 2017, 2:42 a.m.(4/9/1006 AR)
The Princess Peregrine seems to like the piano quite a bit. She also seems to like feathers. Shadow calls her the Falcon Princess. He thinks Lark is the queen of birds though. Maybe she is. There is Peregrine of the Golden Feathers. There is the owl. There is our falcons. There is Lady Aislin, There is Prince Aiden. There is all our bird perches. There is my Justice. So maybe.
Shadow was quite hurt when he came to me, but Princess Ailys patched him up good. He likes the garden, he likes the Nightgold whiskey and he likes the cake. I gave him lots of tea. It will help. Maybe he will be back. I can't blame him.
Sir Silas made the cake. He made our war table for Grayson house (and what a table it is), he made the piano, he made our teas and so much more.
The Graysons are strong. We are united. Our meeting went well.
Princess Reese
Shadow was quite hurt when he came to me, but Princess Ailys patched him up good. He likes the garden, he likes the Nightgold whiskey and he likes the cake. I gave him lots of tea. It will help. Maybe he will be back. I can't blame him.
Sir Silas made the cake. He made our war table for Grayson house (and what a table it is), he made the piano, he made our teas and so much more.
The Graysons are strong. We are united. Our meeting went well.
Princess Reese
Written By Ann
April 14, 2017, 2:34 a.m.(4/9/1006 AR)
Document the ninth:
1 bath
2 men
3 of us but only 1 getting clean
2 bad
... I had heard that the Grotto was only good for orgies. I may report this is not the case. It is also good for scholarly discussion. And genitalia jokes.
1 bath
2 men
3 of us but only 1 getting clean
2 bad
... I had heard that the Grotto was only good for orgies. I may report this is not the case. It is also good for scholarly discussion. And genitalia jokes.
Written By Sameera
April 14, 2017, 2:23 a.m.(4/9/1006 AR)
Relationship Note on Orazio
I am not sure on him. He blames the whole for the actions of one. As I can tell, anyways. Weird. Will have to consider him more. He seems filled with good intentions. Judgement is perhaps questionable. Undecided.
Written By Sameera
April 14, 2017, 2:21 a.m.(4/9/1006 AR)
Relationship Note on Aldwin
He taught me a little on investigation, yet, he condemns those sworn to the Thrax family. Not sure what to think.
Written By Sameera
April 14, 2017, 2:20 a.m.(4/9/1006 AR)
Relationship Note on Edain
I expected him to condemn Thrax as a whole like so many are but he did not. Strange.
Written By Sameera
April 14, 2017, 2:19 a.m.(4/9/1006 AR)
Relationship Note on Ford
Marquis Ford Kennex is on ideas of a way to help Thralls and former Thralls live better. He is a weird man. He is also difficult.
Written By Silas
April 14, 2017, 1:35 a.m.(4/9/1006 AR)
Relationship Note on Merek
Master Merek has a good head on his shoulders, in spite of the heroics he attempted to partake in while armorless during his first day on the job. Thankfully his recklessness hasn't persisted and he is now acquainting himself well with influential members of society in lieu of being a good guardsman.
Also I like the goblet he made me.
With some luck, he'll get to where he wants to go.
Also I like the goblet he made me.
With some luck, he'll get to where he wants to go.
Written By Merek
April 14, 2017, 12:11 a.m.(4/9/1006 AR)
Relationship Note on Silas
I've been an Iron Guard for quite a while, and while I might not agree with all his decisions, I respect them and do the duties which I have been assigned. He is perhaps the best Lord Commander I've heard of in recent times, of any organization with hierarchal military structure. It's our duty to keep the peace, even with a siege happening, and as such, he has a lot to deal with, more than most might understand.
Written By Merek
April 14, 2017, 12:09 a.m.(4/9/1006 AR)
Relationship Note on Bianca
She has been quite busy in recent times. It is hard to catch up with her, but we had a drink together, and we are still working on investigations. Hopefully, we'll be able to help out Arx with it.
Written By Merek
April 13, 2017, 11:56 p.m.(4/9/1006 AR)
Relationship Note on Mira
Mira is a nice lawyer that I've met twice. She is handling my personal documents, which I'm grateful for, and I believe I saw her at one of the recent battles, helping people escape the Bringers. It's refreshing to see people fighting for the right, even when not everyone can fight in real combat. Though I should probably suggest self-defense, and a small weapon to folk.
Written By Waldemai
April 13, 2017, 11:29 p.m.(4/8/1006 AR)
The surprise at family dinner was that Lady General Calypso was giving out award for the people who helped her out on her attack, and so now I have medal. And I'm not even a soldier. But it was hard work, to be sure...march all day and then have the forge ready at night to work on peoples' gear. Now with the siege on I've got kids out bringing in whatever scrap metal they can find. Most it is junk like tin and copper, but there's some scrap iron, too, and with the gates sealed we need all we can find. And Prince Anze came in to have me work on his gear, and when I was done he gave me a whole thousand silvers. That's worth losing a few hours sleep for.
Written By Octavia
April 13, 2017, 10:38 p.m.(4/8/1006 AR)
Addendum to the previous journal: It should be noted that Kennex does not flay. It does not add much, and is unnecessarily messy.
Written By Octavia
April 13, 2017, 10:32 p.m.(4/8/1006 AR)
I hear so much dissent from the soft crownlanders about the use of the crosses against those who commit treason against their liege. Treason, might I remind the reader, which is a sin against Limerance.
I ask you, would you prefer that a traitor receive a hug and an apology? Where else do they belong but on the crosses, living out their last hours in agony? An unspeakable punishment? Yes, for an equally unspeakable crime.
I ask you, would you prefer that a traitor receive a hug and an apology? Where else do they belong but on the crosses, living out their last hours in agony? An unspeakable punishment? Yes, for an equally unspeakable crime.
Written By Dominique
April 13, 2017, 10:02 p.m.(4/8/1006 AR)
I think I should play a game of bed, wed, or behead more often. Though I suppose I would need friends to play games.
Please note that the scholars may take some time preparing your journal for others to read.