From EncyclopAtys
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Contents
- 1 III.1 A page is turning (end)
- 2 III.2 Evenings without her
- 3 III.3 Discoveries
- 4 III.4 Discoveries (continued)
- 5 III.5 A misstep
- 6 III.6 A misstep (end)
- 7 III.7 Drinks
- 8 III.8 Cooking
- 9 III.9 Cooking (continued)
- 10 III.10 Au Yubo Sevré
- 11 III.11 Cooking (end)
- 12 III.12 Reporters and magazines
- 13 III.13 Reporters and magazines (end)
- 14 III.14 Marriages
- 15 III.15 Marriages: my first husband
- 16 III.16 Marriages : my second husband
- 17 III.17 The loves
- 18 III.18 Silan today
- 19 III.19 Silan in the past*
- 20 III.20 The wheel
III.1 A page is turning (end)
The road was short until Thesos but Eleanide's lively spirit was in fusion. What was she going to do? For the second time in her life, she had a choice. She already had a proposal to return to the Kami camp. But, since the Roots were no longer her priority, as the kamists had not turned their backs on her, she could remain alone. Maybe she was going to visit the Ranger camp. After all, everyone told her it was for her and then she had never visited it. When she returned from her trip, she had felt that this group was not united, unlike the Kamists. But here is Thesos on the horizon. She came straight at Pecus who was waiting for her.
"Oh, there you are! I told myself: ‘That's it, the li'l girl has changed her mind.’
— No, I had to leave. I understood it wasn't for me, but the li'l ones are so.... *lowers her eyes*
— You will see: there are here grown-ups who are just as so. *gives her an elbow with a wink*
— Pecus! Rahlala, you incorrigible. Say: did you find the gazette?
— Wait, we're first going to set you up in the tower!"
He took the reins of the packers and accompanied her. Elea remained silent. She feared this moment. Certainly she will visit Kiwalie, her friend, Theya, her guard, Kity, her niece. But she knew the legionnaries were there. She often met Naveruss at the bar in the past, but she ignored her. Pecus felt that she was not well.
"Hey, move over, young people, my guest is here. Come on, li'l girl, get in there quick so I can show you your room. Right next to mine. *gives her a little slap on the booty so she'll enter* What? Don't look so surprised: if they think you're mine, they'll leave you alone."
Elea smiled and said to herself that he had thought of everything. This old Pecus who already served her the shooki when she was hunting here, on or under the bridge. They knew each other for so long that they had become friends. With each issue of the gazette, she read it with him, laughing at the bad taste of some people's clothes or when she recognized Robplus, naked like a yubo. Ah ! And the day Nilstilar's pajamas appeared, Pecus had teased her well.
"By the way, the delivery guys came by for your furniture. You've got a lot of stuff, say!
— Uh… well. You know, I move so often that I'm attached to it. Besides, I wasn't named the Rybambel delivery girl for nothing. Twice in a row under Djiper's nose, *laughs* who was grumbling.
— Bha, I was told he was always grumbling.
— If he doesn't grumble, that's cause he's sick, I'm sure.
— Well, I'll let you settle in. I booked you a place in the canteen, you'll see they make some great grilled Matis. *teases her* But nay, I know you're not a whitehorn. Ah! You're always reacting straight off to that. And then, you, who has run an inn, you could go help the cook; a good way to get yourself accepted."
Elea started unpacking and tidying up. Pecus was cute, he had booked her an apartment that looked very much like the one in the Marauder Camp. She put everything back the way it was.
III.2 Evenings without her
Elea thought about the Camp, about the pot she could smell when she went to the canteen. How good it was to put her feet under the table, with the young ones who served her. That it was good to have someone do her housework. She sat down at her desk and began to write an "evening". Then she closed the fold and hung it on Bipbip’s collar. She gave a double ration to her yubo, caressed him and said: "Go faster than Fangfang and pass through the slot near the TP". She saw him run like the wind.
Bipbip arrived at the camp and went through the main entrance, just following the mind of his own. The guards saw him pass by as if he were home. One of them nobbled him, putting him under his arm, ready to go to the kitchens.
"Hey! Back off! That one, we don't grill. The Sage said we don't touch the yubo with the purple necklace."
The guard released him. Bipbip, after having peed on the guard's leg, ran away as soon as he was let go. The guard sniffed "Ugh! An infection, a real yelk fart."
Bipbip went to the young guard who had cuddled him before he left. The guard caressed him and took the fold that was hanging on his collar. He began to read.
"Ah! She kept her word. *shouts into the camp* Message from... *stops, realizing he doesn't know her name* the seamstress! Message from the seamstress!"
Here and there, heads appear and come to settle around the campfire where evenings were held.
"Well, who can read well? *looks at the assembly but hears no one answer* We are up shit creek....
— I can try. I hope she wrote in Atysian.... I'm not good at it but I can try." *takes the dried leather and starts to read*
III.3 Discoveries
"‘When I arrived on the Matis island, I was alone…’
— What is she going to talk to us about this time? *says a guard*
— Hush! Listen and we'll know *replies the young reading guard, who clears her throat and resumes* ‘... I was alone. My mother not being Matis, she was pushed back to the Fyros island. I grew up with the Matis, these haughty homins, straight as brooms. Despite their great airs, I can recognize that they have a particular taste, or rather that they are attentive to their appearance. The homines, always with their hair pulled back, take great care of their formal outfits decorated with fine lace. But I was curious to see other things and I went to the desert. There I discovered my favorite vest.’
— Han! She's talking us fashion. I don't believe it!
— What? She made your outfit, silly! Plus, she made you the color you wanted.
— Yes… *babbles* that's right, I wanted green.
— ‘The fyros one is so handy, everything is well held when I run.’
— Ah, for sure, boobies are held. *says a young guard imagining the plunging neckline he loves so much*
— ‘It's all the rage with some people. Then I discovered my favorite sleeves: the fyros ones, which don't take up too much space in my bag, once rolled. Then I continued my tour of the art of jungle sewing. And there I fell in love...’
— Han! With a zorai?
— ‘… the vest. And yes, a vest again. From there, I created my first outfit: my swimsuit. I was also one of the first to mix light armor elements. I really don't like this nun outfit that all Matis hominas wore; it's too well-behaved for me. Neither Tregian nor Damaa would have contradicted me. One day, I search to discover the Zorai average armor. But even in the jungle, nobody sewed it, nor even knew it. I called all the medium armor sewers on my contact list: Req, Caska, Zuran, Tsurani.... At that time, the medium armors were not worn much. They were only elements formal wear. So the few crafters who knew how to make them only did it for their guilds.’
— Formal wear? Uh... I use it for dueling and shooting!
— Yeah weird. She doesn't say anything about her battle dress?
— Does she have one?
— Yes, she was wearing one when I ran into her at an OP battle.
— Rooh! The seamstress, you sure?
— Yes! She was helping the kamists but she was wearing a light one not a medium one. She was healin'. Another time, I saw her with a strange heavy one.
— Come on! Read us the rest.
— Bha, you'll have to wait until tomorrow.
— Huh? There's nothing left… She stops like that? Erf... the pickaxe."
III.4 Discoveries (continued)
"So let's see, where I left off... Ah yes, on Zuran." *she sits down at her desk*
Once her fold was finished, Elea sent it by izam to the camp.
The teenies were waiting impatiently for this famous fold that would follow the previous one. A guard shouted ‘Here it is!’ and some little heads came out here and there and settled around the fire.
"‘Fortunately for me, Zuran had the know-how for the Zorai medium armor without ever having tested it. He made me one in white. And there ‘Wow’ I put my hands on my boobies and put on another vest.’
— Hihi, Zuran must have been happy.
— ‘I never wore this vest in public, or on rare occasions. On the other hand, I found my medium outfit. It was only much later that I created my heavy one. I hunted so little with weapons that I kept, in my dressing room, an old purple heavy armor, a gift from Dwilasteh, that Molitor uh... or Paaf had crafted for me. You must remember that at the beginning I only wanted to wear purple. But one day, I invented my heavy one. It seems to me that Yzatis had the same style. Meteer made it for me with the materials I gave him. Remember: at the beginning of the first Exodus, it was difficult to find your equipment. Crafters were only producing for their House. When there were fewer crafters, I have crafted up years for everyone. It's time to give way to the young or those who complain that it's too expensive; to them I give my needles. Come on, let's go! Do your Atys. Open your market. Make your history. Night teenies.’
— Han! A market where I could buy her swimsuit. *says a young guard*
— Do you think there were models at the markets? *said another guard*
— Your model, that's me! *said his homina, giving him a pat on the back of the head*
The teenies were having fun parading and talking about fanciness when suddenly the Sage arrived.
"Come on! Everyone go to your rooms! Tomorrow you have practice."
The Sage laughed as he saw them all scampering.
III.5 A misstep
The funeral of Lopyrech took place in Thesos. They ended with a round in the bar of Thesos. Everyone drank a mug or two of special 20 year old shooki in his memory. Pecus kept this drink for rare occasions. And this was one of them. Elea was one of the guests. After two mugs, her friend Pecus sent her to Pyr to warn of the delay of their group to the council that was to be held in the Agora. He also entrusted her with the task of ordering extra barrels of shooki for the next delivery. Unfortunately, when she arrived at the bar, the bartender offered her a shooki. She warned the bartender that Pecus might run out of shooki if his guests stayed there too long. He said, ‘Pecus is out? No way!’ When suddenly the Legionaries and their guests arrived.
The bartender knew them well. They chatted about this and that, about a matis trader's cart that had been turned over on the road, not far from Pyr. Everything seemed to be getting a little confused in Elea's head. The young shooki she had just drunk was making her head spin. She doesn't know how she got there, but, she gave a tap on the butt of Azazor who was stepping on her foot. Azazor glared at her. She felt rejuvenated and thought she was facing the matis of old. He grumbled. She understood that her gesture would not be forgiven. The evening went on in the Agora, listening to the interrogations of everyone about the suspicious deaths of Abycus Zekops and Thulam Cekaps. Elea was half asleep under the effect of the bad shooki of Pyr.
The next day, as a good neighbor, she decided to make amends. She prepared a basket with cookies and a good bottle of 30 year old shooki. As she couldn't find the right words to apologize, she was brief ‘Sorry, shooki sometimes doesn't suit me – Elea’. The next day, she found her basket with dried meat inside and a note she could hardly decipher ‘Akep! My specialty... taste....’ So Elea tasted this dish. It reminded her a little of the taste of the fyros baby Shen had once made her eat blindly but more bitter. To thank him and, not very convinced by this speciality, she sent a note to Azazor: ‘Thank you for these crunchy and amazing dishes.’
III.6 A misstep (end)
A few days passed, Elea still had a doubt about this specialty. She came across Naveruss and tried to talk to her about it. At first the girl was surprised to learn that Azazor had cooked a dish. Then she realized that it wasn't cooking but just dried meat. She told Elea that one day Azazor had given her some rotten meat to make her sick. And, that, as a result, she had given it back to him with a spicy meat or something else that had a great effect.
Elea was saddened, she had just understood that Azazor was not the type to forgive or was very teasing. She then asked for advice from Naveruss:
"Tell me, what does he like Azazor besides his captain?
— The shooki.
— Erf... I already offered him some with my cookies;
— Shalah... he loves boiled shalah!"
Elea left to hunt for shalah. On her return to Thesos, she came across Naveruss. She would surely help her. She put a pot on the fire and prepared the shalah stew: she broiled the hair, cut meat into pieces and threw it into the pot with shooki, sarina seeds and spicy bark. She let it come to the boil. She let taste to Naveruss who said:
"It's not bad....
— Oh! *Elea pouted* Not bad? What's missing?
— Essence of occyx!
— But it will burn...
— It's good when it smells burnt."
Elea found strange the likes of the homina. She poured essence in the bowl of Naveruss who seemed to find it better. However, Naveruss was not reassuring. She had warned Eleanide that, if it was bad, the Fyros would remember it. So she put a little more shooki and did not pour any occyx essence into the pot. Elea waited next to Naveruss for it to cool down. They chatted for a while. Naveruss sought to know what Elea wanted to be forgiven for.
"Bah! Before the council, the other day, I tasted the shooki of the bar of Pyr. But, it was a bit green and made my head spin. And unfortunately for me, Azazor had his back to me, stepping on my feet. I slapped him on the buttocks to make him push himself. Of there, he turned around like a young girl with a striking look. I thought I was looking at a Matis with a broom in his butt.
— You should have called him homina.
— Oh, I didn't dare, the way he looked at me. I thought that he would forgive this gesture under the effect of a bad shooki. But, he told me straight ‘Don't confuse friendship with tolerance.’, or something like that.
— Ralala, you make a big deal out of it, you should have hit him harder. When I slap him, he seems to like it, so I do it again."
And the two hominas chatted a little longer until Elea could take the pot to the canteen. Of course, she reserved some for Azazor in a stewpot that she had taken to her quarters, hoping that this time the beginning of forgiveness would be there.
Alas, the days passed. Elea watched. But no Azazor in sight. She questioned the gazette seller who said nothing except ‘Sorry I don't have no new gazette’. It was rumored that Azazor had locked himself up at home. Elea promised that she would no more let that Pyr shooki get her.
III.7 Drinks
Elea often hung out by the fire in Thesos, not far from the gazette seller who remained without news of Azazor. One day, a young guard said to her:
"Aren't you at the bar? You should go to the bar of FH, there are people there. The Trykers meditate there. *said the young guard with a teasing air*
— They are tasting.*said Elea with a smile*
— Huh?
—- Well, yes. Have you ever tasted that famous drink menu?
— No! I'm Fyros, it's not strong enough.
— You should, you'd find out the full extent of it. The old trykers take their teenies there to do their training. It's a tradition that shouldn't be lost. *laughs* After all, that's how they find inspiration for jokes, well and... courage for their fights too. *takes her turn to look teasing* On a day of 2534, during my stay at the Lakes, at the side of Prysma, I went to the bar to "taste" some beverages. What an idea, I had there ! After the yubo cocktail, then the psykopla liquor and especially after a few glasses of câlroch that I had found more to my taste, I slumped on one of the poufs to listen to Prysma singing. And she reported to me, the next day, that I had sung Kamidador!
— Kami... what? What's that thing?
— Uh... *smiles and clears his voice*:
♫ I'm not afraid to walk around,
Starting from Primes' tipee peevipee,
Even though I am to kara bound
I know that someone will heal me
I don't know if someone will kill me
Someone who can't stand karas
And even less our goddess Jena
Anyway I won't move as for me
Even if kara is my home
I know I'll got healing
And if no one can come
I'll sing until morning
We've seen kamis heal pro-karas
We've seen kamis heal pro-karas ♪ ♫
♫ I'm not afraid of damage casters
Nor of Bloudis the slaughterers
Since I'm best of yubo killers
Not to mention the big kinchers
I'd like to be the strongest
No more playing you the dead guy thing
But I've got the rendor king on chest
So just one more time I sing
Even if kara is my home
I know I'll got healing
And if no one can come
I'll sing until morning
We've seen kamis heal pro-karas
We've seen kamis heal pro-karas ♪ ♫
Grunts could be heard around her.
"Hey! You! What are you singing? *said an old guard challenged by some words*
— An old song. *said Pecus who was passing by with a protective tone* Here, have some shooki instead of growling. *turning to him and handing him a bottle of shooki* And the canteen, Elea? Did you forget it? It's time, you' re expected there.
— Ah yes, it's almost time for the barracks to eat.
— What? She's the new canteen girl?
— Bha! Wake up, it's been more than a season that she serves you at the canteen.
— I don't watch the Matis…
— Take a better look at her, you'll see that she's not." *says Pecus*
III.8 Cooking
"Hey canteen girl! Have you finished singing?
— Hihi yes for today, it's over. I risk making it rain sap otherwise. *smiles*
— Your bodoc stew wasn't bad last time but it lacked a little something.
— Ah?
— Drop by Lydix Deps, at ‘The Yubo's Paw’, he'll have some tips to give you."
Elea kept bad memory of her time at Pyr's bar. But, to satisfy the guard and her taste buds, she went there.
"Oren'p, canteen girl! So, you've come to attract the thunder of some Fyros again?
— No, I was sent to you for cooking tips.
— Oh, you mean drinks tips? *already offering him a glass of awful shooki*
— I am taker of your tricks, but, your shooki, without offending you, I will avoid it….
— Here! Take this one, the last time it went sour. What do you know about drinks?
— Uh… I have a list. *hands him the list cataloging the drinks*
— Yeah, you already know quite a few and I know you get your supplies from Pecus. I have nothing to teach you. Go see Ba'Naer Liffan at the Fairmarket Fork bar."
Elea tore a pact towards Fairhaven. She headed for the bar, greeting with her usual smile the homins she knew on her way.
"Kikoo Ba'Naer.
— Oulla! The pickaxe throweress back in my bar?
— Hihi, No. Lydix sent me to you. He told me that you would have some cooking tips to give me.
— Well, it's simple, you add a little honey and shookilat to your sauces. It makes them rounder and smoother.
— Are you sure you're talking about sauces? *smiling at him teasingly* The fyros guard thinks my dishes lack whip.
— For the whip, go see your friend Kiwalie. *laughs* Add a little fermented milk in your recipes. You'll see, it will make them change their mind. Don't put beer, they find it too bitter. These Fyros… they can't do without us. After all, we opened the water route with them!*"
Elea thanked and greeted Ba'Naer. As she tore her pact towards Thesos, she heard:
"Don't forget to sign up for the Atys' Biggest Beer Drinker Contest, or the bar crawl next time. It'll be nice to see you hanging out here again."
But she was already concocting, in her head, the evening's fare.
…………………
* See pages 3, 5 & 6 of Gazette du Désert #1
III.9 Cooking (continued)
"Raah! I tasted a pitcher you left lying around in the kitchen, brrrr t'was awful. *the young guard says*
— Hihi, good morning. The fermented milk? Surely yubo with mustard is better.
— Uh... You're talking about cooking here, right?
— Yes. *smiles*
— But you have a tame yubo, don't you? *cuts her off*
— Yes Bipbip is my most faithful companion. He follows me everywhere. Well... he stays in my bag whenever there is danger. *laughs*
— Is he the one who pees everywhere?
— But no! *smiles* He is kind and has a heart. He bites the calves of naughty homins coming too close and he pees on the skirts of naughty hominas.
— Hey! He's going to cook in the pot if he does that to me.
— You'd have to catch him first.
— But he eats yubo too?
— No, he's a vegan. I'm the one who eats yubo with mustard. At first, it was Shen who cooked me a frippo with mustard. And he was the one who wanted to introduce me to a restaurant run by the Fédération du commerce. But the cook had cracked, he had left the Federation. Well... I understand his guild, he never changed the menu.
— Do you have other recipes than frippo?
— Wow! Yes, I have a whole book of old recipes from ‘Au Yubo Sevré’ time. There's the Lakes' pepitryks.
— Uh… What's that?
— The ancestor of Kiwalie's cookie. *smiles* And then, saucyzon, dried sausage of yubo and stinga, kincher skewers with honey, messab stew… not as good as the shalah stew I cooked for you.
— Ah, your stew… it lacked a little fire. Hey! What's the ‘Yubo Sevré’?
— Ah, that...*sighs* An inn I used to run in the forest with Kresouille and Glorfindou." *Elea answers as she leaves for the watchtower with a wistful look*
III.10 Au Yubo Sevré
"So this inn? With Kressouille? *asks Pecus*
— Oh I see the rumors are reaching as far as you. *laughs*
— What would you want… So you tell me?
— There was Kresselack, known as Kressouille the Rogue, he was always lurking under my skirt when I was dying in the Roots. He would say, ‘You never know, there might be a mob hiding there.’ Glorfindel, called Glorfindou the Imp, would check with him. Yet, they both knew they were entitled to the pickaxe shot once I was got up.
— All perverts these Matis! *said Pecus laughing*
— Two endearing rogues, always available to escort me in Roots or on rides, where the spots were aggro. In those days, the kirosta patrols had a very good view. You could barely move and they'd spot you at 125 meters.
— You were only three in the inn?
— No, I also lodged Minimag and Toray, two old ones and friends of Kresselack and Glorfindel. Then, as they were bored, they wanted to form small ones. And came Fee, Nesryl and Dadedo. They were, at least first, inseparable. Toray was playing the nanny. *laughs*
— Well, you were running a guild then?
— Nope! I had specified, from the beginning: *takes a big voice* ‘You want to train little ones, OK: I lodge them, feed them but you train them. I don't take care of them.’ They liked my cooking so much that they squatted in my inn for a few years. They loved the yubo with mustard and the gingo ribs with honey. The yubos, that's what I called my regulars, often asked for grilled bodoc ribs with caprice seed sauce… Ah, and frippo in shooki sauce with its psykoplas salad.
— But, are they gone?
— Yes! Finally, I had become attached to them. They grew up. Fee was the first to leave through the Roots. By dint of hunting in the Lakes, Dadedo decided to live there with his wife Hannadiha. He became a fervent tryker karavaneer. Nesryl fell in love with Fyros art. She began by asking me only for Fyros armor and weapons, then became a beautiful and respected akenak.
— What about the old ones?
— *rit* Well, upon my return from a very long journey, they had joined the Gardiens du Savoir, a new kara guild that was held by Zenox, a friend, and the young Nanouh. My yubos had all returned to their path." *smiles as he drinks one last shooki*
III.11 Cooking (end)
"You closed your inn after your friends left? *said Pecus the next night*
— No, I cooked for others. I traveled around Atys to discover new dishes when, while visiting Nesryl, in the desert, I found a honey-based recipe: caramel. I was making a thick sheet of it that I chopped in small dices. I proposed some on the markets. That's how a trykette, called Stcentor, ordered some every week, for her mount who loved it.
— Did you offer other sweets in the market?
— I often offered small shookilats and caramels. I accompanied them with the famous coffee of Zoreille. It is him who had made me discover this hot drink during long sessions of drilling in Towerbridge. Ah! And sometimes, I proposed the liqueur of psykoplas that I knew thanks to Shen. But, I always proposed your shooki liqueur and particularly your special vintage aged in elm barrels that I bring you back from the Forest. Maybe that's what gave it a special, round taste. Later, I closed the inn because I didn't feel like cooking anymore.
— Oh that's a pity. I would have liked to taste the mustard Bipbip. *looks at the yubo and laughs*
— Come on! Bipbip is way too old, his meat would be too dry. *strokes the yubo to reassure him*
— Hey, weren't you making Matis recipes? Like grilled baby Fyros?
— Ah, the legends… Shen gave me a taste of it one day without my knowledge; I went to sulk for a week in Roots. When I came back, he was holding Fanfang. Later, my li'l Nesryl, one of my protégés, told me what she lived a little in the desert in her garrison. Rallala, when I think of it: of the suckling Matis with shooki! Grrrrrrrrrr. Ah, this little akenak really surprised me with her choices. *sighs* My great despair… When she grew up, she only wanted to wear Fyros outfits. The height of shame for a seamstress auntie." *sighs*
III.12 Reporters and magazines
"Hey, seamstress! You dropped this last time. *hands her a Gazette du Désert*
— Ah thank you, our favorite reading with Pecus.
— Pecus?
— Vi my old barman friend in Thesos. By the way, he has known the first reporter of Atys.
— Ah? It was a long time ago?
— Ouch, MVG was the greatest reporter of the early days. In 2525, he reported the Kitin invasion of the First Great Swarm and then then made reports starting with If you missed... on all the events in Atys. For example: this one, or these four. This reporter, who never took off his helmet, was very popular.
— Oh! He was afraid to take your pickaxe in the face?
— *laughs* In those days, I was not yet in that habit. The first press I knew was La Nouvelle Feuille d'Atys. In fact, it was there before I arrived on the continent, in 2525. Alas, I have no trace of this sheet, I was far too young to think of storing all that stuff. On the other hand, I have a few copies of the one of Prysma and her friends in the lakes, in 2527: La Gazette des Grands Lacs, where daily events were reported. Then, there was my faithful friend Misugi who made great reports with a musical background.
— The Misugi who made tournaments?
— Yep, himself, since ever he liked to roam Atys looking for sceneries for some adventures. For example theassault of a kitins' lair, or the fight between two houses, ou encore des magic moments. Then, in 2532, appeared another gazette, in another register: La Gazette du Tryker Souriant. The ‘newspaper’ was written by MacFay, a Tryker well known for his polemics, as when he launched rumors of trafficking, of defectors.... For tonight, we will finish with my favorite report, the one Misugi shot during our Great Exodus from 2540 to 2542: Atys fly. I kept the cube.
III.13 Reporters and magazines (end)
"Bankun the seamstress! You tell us about the magazine?
— Kikoo teenies! Which one?
— Bha! The one you are holding in your hands preciously.
— Ah! It's old, it dates from 2537. It was the first time I saw the homins snatching a magazine: Playhomin.
— Ah? Hey! show me this. *pulling one of the magazines out of her hands* Roh, the pretty fyrette!!
— Yes... Helys was one of the prettiest fyrettes but also a trickster. She was the one who created the Disciples de Bremmen who organized a black market. She also offered the services of her guild.
— Oh, as courtesans? Wow, cool!
— But nah! As mercenaries. The Cosa were the nexts…. Well, back to our reporters. There was StCentor who, in addition to being a great event host, did a report sur chacune de ses animations. on each of her events. Then, in 2552, I came across a very consensual paper, L'Écorce Fraîche, which replaced the street criers before being itself replaced by the Gazette d'Atys which had the privilege of announcing the Night of the Stars. Alas, it disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. Finally came Azazor, our savior. At last a gazette with some spice: La Gazette du Désert. We were in 2588.
— Wow it's that old?
— Azazor sometimes would like to retire. But, he wouldn't want his gazette to stop. There has been Refya too, and her Atys mag, in 2593.
— Ah! yes, Atys mag, we can't find it anymore....
— Alas, no more publication since a while. I hope that Azazor will hold on. I used to read his gazette with Pecus. It would be a pity if this ‘tradition‘ was lost, like Atys fleur was lost…. In the meantime go to Thesos.
— To see your friend Pecus the barman?
— But, no! *smiles* go buy the latest Gazette from Piion Boethus who likes to crash near the central campfire."
…………………
Below are some samples of the magazines mentioned: Front page of Playhomin #1, Front page of Playhomin #2, Atys mag 001, Atys mag 002 et Atys mag Special-issue.
III.14 Marriages
Eleanide received a letter from the Marauder camp. She sat down at her desk to read it. Not seeing her anymore along the roads around, the young guards were asking for her news. Elea had stayed at home, tired of her daily routine. Wanting to please them, she decided to tell them, at last, about her marriages.
"‘Come on, I'm not going to make you pine any longer about weddings and customs. Let's see... it's a long story that started with the first marriage I heard of: that of Psylvia and Aranuk in 2523. Les anciens nous contèrent leur union. Ah Matis weddings and parties....’
— Raah ! She is doing it on purpose. She doesn't talk about her marriages....
— Let me take over, maybe she'll talk about it later. You curious! *she resumes the thread of writing, stammering here and there* … ‘There was also the first gay marriage which was very famous in the Forest, because one of the grooms, Akumu was a very good crafter of light armors and his future husband Eorlan, a valorous warrior, two proud Alkianes. Then, the rumor ran of a d'wedding in the Jungle, that of Mysomya and Shy, in 2525. There were also weddings in Lakes, which respected the traditions of Atys, such as that of Luth and Paera. The guests then had to respect the color code. For the Trykers, it was blue, the Zorai, purple, the Matis, green and the Fyros, beige. Tryker weddings always ended with a visit to the Fairhaven bar. When I first heard rumors of a wedding in the Desert, it was from a crier. That ones were followed by a party in the Agora, tournaments, duels, or midnight baths in the hammam.’
— Ah! The hammam! *smiles a young guard* There is a beautiful damsel there.
— Shhh!! *says a young guard smiling*
— ‘… In those days, there was no janitor, no masseuse, no old pervert. The hammam was peaceful but never empty. There was always a group of homins chatting there. I even had trouble finding empty places to bathe.’
— Alone or with Shen? *says a guard, laughing*
— ‘After long drilling sessions or after a hard OP battle, I liked to relax in the quiet there. Alas, since the day the old pervert appeared, I no longer set foot there.’
— Yeah, my foot! I'm sure she was going there with her lover!
— Here, that's all. *said the reader before passing the present ones some sheets*
— What! It is already finished? What about her wedding?
— Yes… the letter ends so.
— Ah! Fuck! Even far from us, she leaves us on our hunger….
…………………
Below are copies of the excerpts from her archives attached by Elea to her mailing: Luth and Paera marriage, Itchi and Atrynx marriage and Lakes weddings.
III.15 Marriages: my first husband
The young people saw Bipbip enterthe camp. They followed him to the campfire. The young guard took the message hanging on his collar and began to read:
"‘In the temple days, there were many marriages. There was that of Amie and Syrus, and I heard of a marriage on Silan as well: that of Funrale, a young Fyros with a beautiful Fyrette, Ahealia. Alas, Funrale had to make a long journey and, on his return, Ahealia had disappeared. A sad story... a bit like my marriages.’
— Ah finally! *said with a sigh of relief a young guard*
— Huh? Did you hear that? She wrote ‘my marriages’. She had several?
— ‘In 2528, I got married with Shenshantag, a dark handsome Matis. We made a long journey together on Atys and elsewhere. Often at the side of his house: the Cercle des Profondeurs d'Atys. We were drilling, hunting, fighting on OP together. We got married in 2530, after the temples. But, after a long trip we made together, when we came back in 2534, everything was different. I had changed, and so had he. We had grown up. He discovered Fangfang, for whom he left me.’
— Oh! Who was Fangfang?
— ‘Fangfang, that damn machine gun, he dragged it around. If he could have slept with it, he would have done it. That's why you never see me with a gun. So I took refuge in Primes. I drilled night and day. Until the day when an old friend reappeared, Saeveas, a wanderer, faithful to himself, who reconciled me with the homins. He was neutral, solitary, loving freedom, like me. He loved to go for walks. We often went to Virginia Falls, far from everything. He was also a fine war strategist who wanted to discover other places. Then he left quietly for new countries, as he had done before, quietly.’
— Oh! She's having bad luck.
— ‘Time passed, my pickaxe never far away. I plunged back into drilling. This time, I worked on my harvest and helped the li'l ones. That's how I found, at random in the paths of the Grove of Confusion, in 2536, Polo, the petticoat hunter. I tried to find him a homine. At that time, Alquief named me ‘The Matchmaker’. But, Polo threw his heart on me. He made me laugh by running after me and looking for my butt. I remember that, as soon as he was approaching, I put my long dress over my zoraï outfit to annoy him. And he kept lifting or pulling on it to get it down.’"
The guards laughed.
"‘With him I was hunting a lot of the Nameds. He was loving that. Since he wanted to make our relationship official, I had to ask for my freedom from Shen, to whom I was still married. It was a very heartbreaking moment.’
— Well… then with Saeveas? Roh… the naughty girl!
— Shhh!
— ‘But I didn't get married again. I needed my freedom. I went back on a long journey. When I returned in 2542, Polo gave me flowers, but the magic was gone. I stayed focused on my drilling and crafting, not stopping to help the li'l ones. I think that's when my nickname ‘Auntie’ appeared.’
— She stayed alone?
— Well, I don't know, it stops here.
— Han! The trickster!"
III.16 Marriages : my second husband
"So, do we have the rest? Who was next?
— ‘Since ever, I was keeping in touch with the ‘Cercle’, helping their li'l ones. I used to hang out with them a lot: Phyli, Mutenroshi, Sylvannas, Belldandy, Dorcile… We were hunting Kings and Nameds. Well, as for me, I used to eat popcorn as soon as they went fight on OP or trained in combat. But I was one of them. That's how I met Bouigyssimo, a Fyros, a bit of a lout, who made a lot of enemies at one time. He was so touching, so endearing. It is him who, much later, when the old ‘Cercle’ members had left, took over the guild and made it a real ‘mafia’: the Cosa Nostra. He called himself Don Bouigyssimo.’
— Am I dreaming or is she not telling us who's next?
— Han! Be patient!
— ‘I used to craft a lot for them. I helped them as best I could, even if I didn't agree with them. I watched them grow up together, loyal to the guild. The guild became Cosa Nostra. It was impetuous, and every member was part of the family. Many names are still known today: Djaimse, Markanjio, Rhythmix, Typhanix, Maxenc, Rissa. Over the years, a friendship grew between them and me. As the months went by, Boui chased me. The more I pushed him away, the more he clung to me. One day in 2552, he said: ‘Marry me!’’
— Ah finally! So what? This scoundrel, she really married him?
— ‘I was very surprised and touched but I was not crazy: I knew very well that he was running after several skirts at the same time of which Schetana, who became a friend with the time. I answered him: ‘If you promise that I will be the only one of your heart.’ He agreed to court only one female: me. I was very surprised but he kept his word. Saeveas came back on purpose to attend my wedding at the Grove of Confusion. Phyli made then a very pretty priestess. Taraforest, also returned on purpose, was my witness. I miss this rascal with this pirate's hat which never left its noggin of Matissa. That day, many old-timers came by to congratulate us for this strange and surprising combination. All talked about ‘the beast and the pickaxe’. That's how I became the ‘godmother’ of the Cosa, as they said. I changed my head for the first time: I dyed my hair red like my brother's and I left my long skirts. What one does not make for love... I took care of his house as best I could until he left. I kept an eye on some of his protégés, I think of Typhanix, Maxenc, Markanjio and many others. But, not agreeing with Radamanthe, the new leader, I regained my freedom little by little. I got again my calm, my tranquility with Bipbip and my Primes.‘
— Han ! À nouveau seule…" *dit un garde*
III.17 The loves
"‘Kikoo teenies ! Come on, last night to talk about my lovers and we move on.’
— What? She married another one?
— ‘After Boui, I met someone who gave me his full attention, well... after his guild. And yep! Another one! But, after all, I have been in love with them because they were faithful to their house. It was their duty to protect and defend their house or their camp. He too was Cosa. So, I could not but know him. It was much later that our romance was born. I was one of the judges for the election of Miss and Mister Atys 2556.’
— Oh, the year of the calendar? You think it's in there? Say, we still have that calendar ? *asks a curious young guard*
— She is clever, the seamstress, she sent us one with this missive. *says the reader as she opened the next fold*
— So which one is it?
— Bah we don't know... Wait, I'm reading the following... Jessayaneo! *searches in the calendar and shows the first page*
— Pfff, another Matis, Jessayaneo.
— ‘At first, since he had recently returned, I was looking for a girlfriend to go with him. Among the female participants of the election. Misugi was amused to see me doing. And Jess was having fun with me, to each homina that I presented to him, he found a thousand and one flaws. When the election was over, I had not been able to find a homina for him. So I asked him the question: But what are you looking for? And he answered me, right in the eyes, You. I entered then in swoon...’
— Didn't she see that he had her in mind?
— ‘… because I thought I was too pickaxe for him. He took care of me, pushed me to hunt again, helping me to work my neutralizing magic without asking me anything in return. I must admit that it was a change for me. I asked for nothing but to be with them, by their side. Jess showed me that a homin could also give and share. That reminded me of Saeveas and his friendship, his kindness. Unfortunately, Jess was a headshomin. He became the chief of the Cosa and then the leader of the Karavan. And his time was precious. The little we had to ourselves, we spent it chatting and walking around. He was more and more focused on his duty, leaving me behind little by little, and I took my freedom back. One day, he disappeared like the others, without a word. In my turn, I made a long journey then returned to the Bark. But I did not feel well, I did not recognize this Atys. So I made another journey, even longer, even further. And here I am again, in 2588, after this long journey with a lot of memories in my head. At random roads I found, little by little, my friends, here or there. I don't know what idea took me to want to visit the Marauders' camp: when I managed to reach the stable I took a severe beating!’
— Oh! Did we do that? *a guard takes an innocent look and smiles*
— ‘Yes, yes, you did hit me! *they imagine her rubbing her tushy, which still remembers the beating* But you were only doing your duty, eh... That's when I was relieved and protected by an old acquaintance from the desert, whom I had known from the time he was with the Rôdeurs guild…’
— Oh! Oshimaru healed her?
— ‘… : Oshimaru recognized me, as bloody as I was, and bandaged my wounds. The rest you know. Here, you finally know the history of my loves. At last... the official one.’
— Where is he anyway?
— Hey! Did you hear that? She said official! Oh, she's so slippery. She still has secrets...."
III.18 Silan today
Elea, returning from her trip, went to see her friend Pecus to ask him to tell her the gossip of Atys. He told her some great news:
"Hey, Elea... did you disappear from Atys or what?
— Yes, I had a little restful trip. So, what's new on the Bark?
— The whitehorns have discovered a new tunnel.
— Oh?
— Yeah…. For once they're doing something right.
— And? This tunnel?
— It leads to Silan.
— Oh!
— Yep. The entrance is at GoC, where you are used to loot your salad and roast big jugulas.
— Okey! I'll go check it out. See you later."
Elea set out for Yrkanis where she took the new tunnel that led her to the Grove of Confusion. After leaving the tunnel, she took the road to the west of the Grove. Let's go! An accel, an invu and she arrived on the spot. She chatted with the guard who warned her that there were often small rockslides when one went through the tunnel. While she was talking with the guard, she noticed that the Matis were leaving the access to the tunnel free. She appreciated this hominist gesture very much. Perhaps there had been agreements made in her absence. She entered the tunnel in her turn.
"Hum... I gained weight or what? But! How a blue could pass by there? Well, oki, the drillers had to work fast but... It is not yet that..."
Elea gave gave some pickaxe blows here and there, got a small rockslide, but, finally, there was light....
Silan looked like a dream she had had long ago. Everything looked like an old dream.
"But! Wasn't there a kirosta around here? Oh! The kipestas…. Rah! But no yubo here. Bipbip! Stay in the bag! Let's see, where is this passage? Ah! I hear lappings, it's over there."
She remembers, this dream was a brief memory that she had wanted to erase from her memory after the Exodus. To start all over again… to erase everything… how could she had? She would have preferred to forget this step and to resume the course of her life as before… but it turned out otherwise. So she went ahead and erased this memory.
Ah, Silan… Kity, her niece, had talked to her a lot about it, at length. She remembered her adventures and smiled while walking on Silan to discover this corner so secret until now for her.
III.19 Silan in the past*
A homina was traveling through Atys. Suddenly, she discovered a passage to unknown territory. She said to herself, "Not even afraid.", and rushed headlong into it. And there… BING! Silan, the territory where everything had to be redone, to be relearned. No matter, she thought, there, everyone would meet, discover, and grow. So she would do the same and Chiang would be her guide.
So she was in a city that included four camps and a few stables:
- — The Fyros Sage was busy training in the art of melee. She murmured: "Ralala, these great and brave warriors!" then thought "Look, he didn't show me range weapons... too bad, they're cute.";
- — the Zoraï Sage guided her in magic. Alas, she strayed from the right path by taking the healing training… "Not even afraid.";
- — the Matis Sage knows ‘well’ the craft "But damn! He annoys me: he makes me craft that of the Fyros, when I like much the li'l Zozo oufits. " ;
- — Ah, the li'l Tryker, he's cute. Without pretension, he made her discover drilling: "Hum... I think he forgot to tell me that the sources... BOOM ! [...] Raah, moreover he is teasing, since my level 50, I drill only forest. Grrrr these Matis."
The homina also discovered the territory, thanks to her curiosity but also to the missions of her trainers:
- — The city was in the south. Only a few small ragus could taunt the homine. Although… the homin is sometimes a vile predator. One day while she was drilling in the arena she was jostled. "Raah! The vile one didn't dare to deal with my pickaxe or my axe."
- — To the east, the ruins revealed a bygone past, a throne room, some looters. "Not so rich they are, only 250 dappers a head. Tssst, a junk." Then she remembered what the Sages had taught her about the different peoples, about the Karavan and the Kamis, about the goo, about the experiments done…
- — In the northwest, she discovered this famous goo and its fauna "Rooh ! How beautiful it is." *looking at the frippo* "Ouch, ouch ! But it bites me this rascal…" In fact it is contaminated. It's a nauseous one, was told later. "Eh, tell me! What does to you a dominant occyx (Q35)?" *she asks innocently* "I'll look into it real quick."
- — To the northeast, an island abounds with crays including a dominant one (Q35). But more importantly, it reveals a tunnel towards the jungle.
- — There you will find the old ones drilling, the hunters.*the homina hops on the spot* "Super! Lots of mobs," *eyes wide* "Lots of ‘not even afraid’ aggros, of mats and (rooh, but it's the kiki forest) kipee, kizoar and kipesta… Rooh, and look there…" *eyes shining at the sight of the dominant kirosta (Q50)* "I want it, I want it!"
And the homins, you'll ask me? Well, there are some good-looking ones, some nice ones, some pexers, and some stubborn ones. Fortunately, some of them are there to help and guide the young refugees who want to.
Some just want to listen "Tssst, not for me that, no need for help. Not even afraid!" and there, a li'l call is heard in the region "Heal plzz to the ruins. Raah... the vile javings!" *makes herself as small as able*
But the homina remembers how the mainland was, much larger than Silan Island, with its verdant Matis gardens in the forest "Ah... and the li'l mice.", its sunsets over the Fyros desert with a few scorpions here and there, *also thinks about the hamam and blushes* its sunrises over the blue expanses of the Tryker lakes "And its li'l blue birds exploding.", or that goo contaminating this sick country where the Zoraïs philosophize. She could travel on foot, on the back of a toub "Ah, my brave Kalisto who waits for me in the stable." or by TP.
That's also weapons like grenade launchers, crossbows or other special weapons, spells where you jump three meters high and throw electricity, fire, etc., mobs "Rooh, the meow of the gubani, it's so cute. Even more than the yubo that pees on our leg.", precious mats for beautiful amps at 100%. "Hey! Talk about the outfits!" *nudging me* Oki think about that golden Tryker outfit, and that white heavy Zoraï or that dodge 2 outfit or the one...*she won't end ever* [...]
So, you ("Who me? *astonished look*): discover Atys, don't hesitate to ask questions in the region, listen to the wise Chiang and his accomplices. But don't listen to the sanctimonious. And it doesn't matter if you are Fyros, Matis, Zoraï or Tryker (" Hey ! What is she talking about, I Fyros, I kamist, I to not like Matis, even less karavaniers… Ah nah… It's not that?") *teasing look*. It doesn't matter. And it doesn't matter if you die, someone will come to pick you up then, nevermind, hop: you take yourself in hand, you pick yourself up and set off again. "Yeah! And then you rush again headlong!"<br
…………………
* [HRP] This text dates back to the time when Silan appeared.
III.20 The wheel
One day, at the detour of Thesos, Elea was challenged by a Tryker:
"Hey Elea! Have you seen the new wheel?
— Ah yes the wheel… I still remember the day when the Company of the Fortunate Gubani was installed in every capital. After a few months, some people were addicted. A shocking article, ‘Wheel of Fortune: drug or scam?’, even appeared in the #2 issue of the PlayHomin newspaper when the wheel was created in 2537.
— Oh true? The wheel is such an old scam?
— And yes a scam… Finally are stingy these Trykers, I never earned my yubo. Fortunately, a protegee, Makita offered me my yubo Bipbip.
— Han! Bipbip, the dirt that bites or pees on calves? What? Is it so old, this mutt?
— Yes indeed! He's been keeping me company for ages. So this wheel, did you get any feedback?
— Yeah the Company did a check on the old Trykers who were holding the wheel. You'll see what they found... and all the winning lots were in their apartments…
— Han! Told you they were hustlers!
— So they were fired and sent into exile to tame and care for new mounts in perpetuity, in the jungle. I've heard of gubanis.
— Wow cool, I love the little squeaks of the gubanis, so cute. Ah that reminds me of when we were talking about the mounts back in the day. Well, what about the wheels then, who's turning them?
— Well they had to change all the wheels so the new Tryker croupiers at the Gubani couldn't cheat anymore. And they added new winning lots to make up for it.
— Ah nice that… I hope they put my hat on, I miss it.
— Well there are frames, wigs, pets, furniture for the apartment.…
— Ohhhh! Well, I'm going to go chat with the new Tryker, maybe I'll manage to bribe him with my tokens.
— Ah sorry, tokens have changed.
— What? My tokens are gone?
— No, there are new tokens with different values but you can exchange your old ones for new ones.
— Phew!
— Yes, and you can bet one or five tokens per wheel spin. That way you increase your chances of winning.
— Okay, I'll remember. Well, I'm off to see it. See you soon.
— Good luck Elea."
