Princess Fatima Masah'Malak Thrax, Heir to the Throne of Petrioch, will be gathering up the Isles Canines in preparation for transitioning them into a sizeable fleet to sail to Eurus. There are a lot of people running away from things, and she wants to investigate whether this extends to the Mourning Isles as well, and to find out where they came from, and what their story is. So she will take the Isles Canines and explore the Isles to find out their current status, which she'll report back to Alarissa and Victus. Any frightened or displaced refugees, she will attempt to offer them a promise of protection, and shelter and purpose.

The Protection and Shelter - she'll offer them her own protection, and the shelter of House Thrax.

The Purpose - She is hoping to attempt to recruit as many of them as possible into the Isles Canines, building a sizeable fleet in preparation to eventually sail to Eurus and claim her throne in Petrioch. She will be seeking ships, sailors, infantry, archers, siege weapons, and any riches that may also be available to claim throughout the isles, through either tributes or plunder.

Any who resist the Isles Canines with force, of course, she will have her fleet fight back and seize any plunder or materials, and otherwise unclaimed lands so that she can have the funds and waystations to support her efforts.

But the main purpose is to recruit as many into the Fleet as she can, so that she has a fleet that will cause even the Dune Emperor to tremble, as she seeks to support the slave uprising she has become aware of in Eurus. And to find out in general what's going on in the Isles right now. She's aware of the emptied Shardhavens, and a possible army sailing toward the Mourning Isles. The Darkwater is gone. But what does that mean, exactly?

Fatima invites all members of the Isles Canines, displaced refugees, allies within and without the Compact, and all free Eurusi to join her, with promises of riches and adventure ahead. She will continue to build on this, gathering as many as she can to sail for Eurus.

This is mostly an effort for now to gather a large fleet and prepare to sail. The Princess is not sailing for Eurus just yet. Only once they are ready and have investigated what's going on in the Isles.

As promised, Lady Guildmaster Eirene recruits volunteers of the Physicians Guild to join in Fatima's crusade, especially those who may be of Erusi decent and were themselves refugees at one point before joining the Compact. She also makes sure the Medical Pack is up to her high standards for battle medics, and that they're supplied with the medicines, bandages, and other things they might need.

It is often said that an army marches on its stomach and with this in mind Pasquale, with Malespero and Nilanza aid, has offered to build and defend robust supply lines between the Compact and Fatima's war. Believing in the importance of this mission he will step up to advise and lead armed excursions into Eurus whenever it makes solid tactical sense.

Jasper is going to be on the vanguard, helping motivate soldiers on their many future campaigns to bring order and stability to the Isles.

Aconiteand the Whispers begin to ply their social trade with propaganda and the powers of persuasion to not only assist those in fugue from the memory loss, but to help Shav's fleeing slaughter to, if needed, going in to diplomatically convince people that the Shavs lives might have purpose. She's also attempting to get various fealties or refugees from any of the wars to assist the fleet heading to Eurus.

Denica is going to paint. It's a special painting. She will listen to people describe Eurus, she's done this before. Collected stories about a place and painted from other people's memories. When she is done painting Eurus, she will then add symbols of hope to the painting. Denica has done this before in theory, so she hopes that they will appear painting on the walls of the city, like her flower on the Traitor's thorns. If that's the case, people will see these signs of hope and maybe it will give them a better chance in their struggles. Denica wants to inspire the people of Eurus as they rise up.

Katarina has been preparing for this for years. She's been collecting allies among Eurusi refugees and Arvani folk alike. She will be sailing alongside Fatima, bringing with her the Eventide Flotilla and her experience as Fleet Admiral of House Valardin. She will also be calling upon her allies from Cardia, though with no expectation that they will be able to spare anything, given Cardia's current troubles. Her personal priority is Suj'abbat, but she will fight through anything she must in order to get there.

Samira will rely on her social skills while attempting to recruit people to the fleet. She'll talk passionately and persuasively about the importance of their mission, discussing how individual people and their specific skills might play a role, and what might await them when they succeed. This is a cause she wholeheartedly believes in and she hopes that will come across in her recruitment pitch.

Years after the Skal'dajan domination of the Saffron Chain has been ended, a good many of the citizens of that territory boast Eurusi descent. Archduke Patrizio is of mind to let those who have desire to join the flotilla heading to liberate Eurus from the yoke of the Dune Emperor and his allies, after long having had designs himself of seeing that particular foe of the Compact learn a lesson about how turnabout is fair play - one invasion surely deserves another in return.

Faye's father, Berthold Ruger, is alive and in Eurus, so that means Faye has to travel there and find him. There are important things to do once they all get there, so arriving with a strong and determined force is essential. Faye isn't a charming recruiter, she's actually kind of terrifying and yelly. But she's good at working people up and getting them moving, so she helps Princess Fatima add to her people and ships.

Iseulet for many years has been frothing at the mouth to get to Eurus, or as close as she can to it. So, she would like to accompany Fatima (at a distance, personally, acting as cheerleader for morale's sake) and also be directing some of the ships she has control over to join in the fun. Army 455, 456. She brings snacks and booze! And money and resources should they need it. But lets be honest, mostly the booze.

As the reasons behind the recruitment are explained to Mabelle in future reference to something bigger, something she was prepared to oppose to her entire life, Mabelle is happy to lend her voice and influence to the cause. She embarks on that journey with the group, working her charms and reason and maybe something else as well to make sure all understand on what side of that war they need to be.

Titus, with his proven expertise in recruitment and training, lends his strategic acumen to bolster Princess Fatima Masah'Malak Thrax's ambitious initiative. Emphasizing the transformative power of purpose and commitment, Titus frames this campaign as an opportunity for redemption and reconstruction amidst chaos. He reaches out to those haunted by regret, aimlessness, and other burdens, offering them a chance to channel these feelings into a constructive and noble cause. There are plenty of people to harvest and collect, whether they are the newly freed persons under the Foregetfulness Curse, those who were under writs or demands that have either broken or fallen to the wayside, or simply opportunists.

As he traverses the Isles, Titus's message is clear and compelling: Join the formidable force led by Princess Fatima and Katarina, engage in a righteous struggle against the malevolent forces threatening to scorch our world, and earn the chance to rebuild from the ashes. This is not merely a call to arms but an invitation to be part of something greater, to turn personal despair into collective strength.

Titus focuses on the recruitment of various roles necessary for a robust military force - from skilled sailors to valiant infantry, sharp-eyed archers to masterful siege engineers. He underscores the promise of shelter and protection under Fatima, ensuring that those who join will be part of a formidable and caring community.

Furthermore, Titus leverages his persuasive abilities to attract individuals with resources - ships, wealth, and unclaimed lands - contributing significantly to the fleet's readiness and capability. He approaches every encounter with the understanding that this is not only about forming a military force but also about forging a united front with shared dreams and aspirations.

In this endeavor, Titus is not just a recruiter but a beacon of hope and direction, guiding those lost in the turmoil towards a path of valor and potential glory. His involvement is crucial in amassing a fleet that stands as a symbol of defiance and hope, ready to sail to Eurus and aid in a monumental uprising. With Titus's support, Princess Fatima's vision of a formidable fleet capable of making even the Dune Emperor tremble is not just a possibility but an impending reality.

Fatima desires the assistance of her house and Thrax will not turn away those who are family. Traveling with Fatima where and when she can but not at the cost of tending to House Matters, Alarissa lends her voice, position and influence with the Isles to support Fatima and what she's trying to achieve. Encouraging those who wish to join to do just that. With the knowledge of who is already over there, she wishes to see success.

It is most definitely the largest fleet assembled that was not under the banner of a Great House in Compact history. They come by the thousands to assist. Quite nearly ten thousand Eurusi refugees that have made a life in the Compact, fleeing tyranny from home, but knowing that as the fires of revolution spread in Eurus, they have a chance to retake the Dune Kingdoms. There are thousands of sellswords who believe in Fatima and the Isle Canines, and believe that glory and victory can be found under her banner. There are thousands of knights of the Compact, thousands of men-at-arms who have lost from the attacks of Skal'daja, who have fought the Dune Kingdom before, and have hungered for years at a chance to strike back.

They come and are assembled, and wait for the command. For glory. For revenge, and for many?

They are going home.

Medeia has a few theories about the origin of the masses of refugees appearing with little memory, especially those claiming to be from places that don't seem to exist. One theory hits close to home: They were all taken by the Eater of Stories, and they have somehow been returned. If this is true, it would mean that the breaking of all shackles in the wake of the death of Orichalcum resulted in the release of those shackled away from memory. How to prove it?

Medeia's older brother, Estaban, had claimed to have a twin - Emilio - that no one else can remember. According to Estaban, Emilio had been pursuing the Eater (maybe as part of his work as a member of the Inquisition) and got too close. If Emilio can be found among the refugees, it would prove this particular theory. And, if he can be found, it would restore a member of the Saik family to his rightful place.

It won't be easy, but Medeia ensures that everyone who is helping this search is equipped with a detailed sketch of Estaban (And the rest of the siblings - maybe they weren't identical! Medeia and Neilda aren't, after all.) to compare to. While she helps the Physicians tend refugees, she pays extra close attention to men with Lycene accents who would be about 30 years of age. And she engages every part of her whisper network to have eyes in places she cannot be. If Emilio is out there, someone will know something, and she intends to keeps asking questions until he's found.

Emelio was a topic that Estaban spoke of to Lucita on many occasions, what he looked like, how he missed his twin, how none of the other siblings and parents, friends, servants, other Inquisition members remembered him. Journals, family records, old school notes, all were missing references to Emilio yet Estaban remembered him so clearly. Perhaps some information has reappeared so those records are being reviewed again.

People change over the years but some things remain the same. Mannerisms, habits, expressions, a physical build, coloration are often the same with twins, and that is what Lucita will be looking for. She can eliminate a lot of the refugees due to sex, complexion hue, height and such details not matching what Estaban said. She does not know if his age 'froze' at the time he disappeared or if his experiences 'aged' him so will be observing expressions, movements, mannerisms in an effort to narrow down and identify Emilio if she can as she looks through the many crowds of refugees.

Quenia lends her own resources and asks her own information network to start combing through the refugees to see if they can find the missing Lord Emilio Saik. She makes sure they are given miniature paintings of Estaban, in case they were identical and just so they are aware of the familial traits if they are not. She also personally goes along with any member of their more immediate party to ensure no one is asking around alone, making use of the buddy system in case trouble arises. People without memories might be a bit more upset than they imagine.

Duarte lends support through his own information channels, sending some friends of his to scour around. His friends don't seem like the proper sort. They certainly aren't nobles or noble house staff. They're the sort that can get into different nooks and crannies entirely, especially ones someone who doesn't want to be found might be hiding in.

Denica will take what information she hears about Emilio and try to improve the pictures they have of him. Listening to anyone who might describe him, using what she thinks, but also just trying to immerse herself in the knowledge of the man to paint him. Denica will continue to paint portraits of Emilio, not only to share with others, but she hopes that through painting his image, she might connect with him and get a sense of where he might be.

Faye has been around the House of Questions since she was a child, and she still has a few odds-and-ends records of her father's, from when he was Master of Questions. While she has no memory of a man named Emilio, perhaps his name can be found somewhere in the old records, along with an account of what happened to him.

As Medeia informs him that her brother Emilio was a member of the Inquisition, and many of their number were devoured by the Eater of Stories, Alistair gives Medeia access to Inquisition records and old rosters. Perhaps an old report or paper mentions her brother and helps her identify the man in the throngs of thousands that now flood the city.

House Velenosa has a vast array of various resources at their disposal and is not afraid to use them! Jaenelle reaches out to every city and assigns a team to make sure informatio flows freely between the Lyceum to make certain that if something is needed at one end by a city on the other it is easily accessed through well trained planners and logistics department. This includes missing people, as one of the first things the team is responsible for is matching refugees with whatever cities they remember in hopes that their family is there and remembers. Emilio's description, his history, and any other information that is found in the process are sent through the proper channels in hopes that if he is somewhere, he is found.

Emilio is not to be found among the refugees. Emilio will never be found at all. And unfortunately, Medeia is able to discover why.

As they work with the refugees, and now have magic to take a closer look at Azazel's magic, they come to a horrifying realization as they look at some of the most traumatic suppressed memories of the refugees. Azazel's first writ, the one placed on him long ago, empowered him to enforce the Despite as the only time he could take mortal lives- ostensibly as a last ditch effort to prevent another Reckoning and awakening Baalphrigor. Overtime, the Despite of Fable twisted, and became the suppression of quite nearly anything magical at all- and when someone strayed over that, Azazel killed them. He consumed them, and devoured the knowledge that they had ever been. He ate them, and he ate all traces of them.

The missing, the forgotten, they're all dead. Azazel killed them personally.

And they are left with that, as they deal with refugees talking about whole cities no one remembers. Thousands. Tens of thousands. Hundreds of thousands.

Azazel intends genocide, and he is coming with an army to do so.

The Prismatic Order hits the books.

We know that Azazel absorbed Fable, Ruin, and Legion. What we want to know, is what does this mean? How does this affect Azazel and how might be different? What strengths could he gain and what weaknesses might come along with it? Ultimately, he must be defeated. So do this, we need to understand who we are facing.

So, the Prismatic Order will comb through information. They will dust off old texts and seek understanding through whatever means inspires them. Maybe there's something out there, that will tell them more. As their own adventures takes them to different places, it gives them the opportunity to look everywhere.

Fortunato has a lot (a lot) of wild ideas, but this is not what they need right now. Where he can, he'll look for anything thematically relevant to intersections, archfiend absorption (gods, has this EVER happened??), reconfigurations in gods and their reflections, limits to absorptions, aaaanything. Where he can't, he'll have his old pal and assistant Ugarte collate. Certainly Ugarte should not be adventuring out in the woods. He's a purely urban fellow.

Time for the time-honored Aleksei tradition of figuring this out: hope that he luckily stumbles on the right tome. At least the Archive is more full these days, and even if this is an entirely unprecedented situation, maybe people have theorized? Or maybe there's records of this happening on a lower level (demon eating demon, etc.). Let's see if they can find it!

Faye has access to a lot of old records in the back rooms at the House of Questions. There are boxes of records from her father's time, as well as from Shreve's time. While mentions of Azazel might be excised, mention of the others may not be, particularly in accounts Inquisitors may have have had with those evil forces. As usual, it's often a matter of reading between the lines and trying to see what used to be there.

Research is something that Ann is good at. She will use her resources such as Inquisitor and Iron Guard to see if they have any information she might have missed in the old texts or if there are other ways to find the information that they seek.

Tikva will apply her inquisitorial skills to the problem and dig through all of Laric's weird-ass stuff in the old refectory and in his office while the others are prowling the archives. Surely between Vellicor's knowledge and the occultist texts and notes that have been accumulated over time they'll be able to sort out some kind of concrete plan for dealing with Azazel.

Keely can read! But everyone else has that covered, so she will use her social skills to schmooze and charm whichever scholars, Inquisitors, librarians, etc. that might hold the key to finding what team Prism is looking for.

While Khanne meditates, searching for answers in her soul's memories a bit related to these very questions (Action 4942), she also will seek more information on Azazel. Has this happened before? How did it 'change the game'? What tools were in place to defeat him? Are there weaknesses we have not yet discovered? Were there plans in place to defeat or stop him? She'll try to see if the parts of her soul that Ylaria's memories reside in can provide any information that might be able to help her.

It's a start. Azazel has the power of a dark god now, but even at his full strength, Baalphrigor was defeated in battle and driven into slumber then sealed. Through research, they are able to discover a few useful strands that might have value. Or might not. But it's something to start. Something to work with.

In order to pass through the Thinnest Point into the Shining Realms, a being needs to take physical form and coalesce into a manifestation to pass. The Thinnest Point is large, perhaps twice as large as a man, but something needs to physically pass through- it cannot do so in an insubstantial state, for reasons related to the way souls pass through death. So if Azazel intends to enter, he must become small enough to do so, and be able to be physically attacked before he passes.

The combined forces of much of the world was able to bring Baalphrigor low, and every indication was the Archfiend of Tyranny physically manifested on the world was significantly mightier than most of the other archfiends combined. This is intensely problematic if he should arrive, but it does mean that if Azazel is in physical form, he could potentially be defeated by enough raw force.

Azazel was brought into existence, amplified really, due to a working by Pyrite, the Great Seal, who some know as Aldwin the forch Archscholar of Vellichor. Pyrite had the magic that led to his creation, perhaps he could unmake it, if he met Azazel in person. And perhaps, though a grim thought, his death could serve to unmake Azazel. Though considering the great seal's death would almost certainly release Baalphrigor, that might not be very helpful. If his death does unmake Azazel, Azazel is likely unaware of it or does not believe it to be the case.

It's not much to go on. Much of the answers about Azazel and his original construction would be with an old man in Eurus, who currently has the Dune Emperor and Prophet of the Sands trying to kill him. It's thin, but it's there.

Denica wants her soul back, but she isn't quite sure how.

Denica went to a soul seer to look at her soul brand, who saw the demonic black cloud over her soul. She wants to cut ties with the demon that has it. Denica believes this is Not-Donrai.

Denica has talked to a lot of people. She's researched. She's found out information about Mirrorborns and souls, anything and everything she could find. She found out about people's experiences with Mirrorborns. She's spoken to a child of one, people who've known them and even fought them. She's heard the story about Sana and the White Singer. She's spoken with someone who believes they have a weapon to cut the ties between her and the demon, but not the rites that go with it. Denica has done all the things and is unsure how to pull the pieces together.

Everyone says the same thing, it's difficult, but not impossible.

Denica has built of team of people who will help, once she knows what to do.

When Denica doesn't have answers, she paints. Painting is a bit more dangerous now, so she brings her trusted muse-friend.

Denica is going to focus on what she wants, a free soul. Denica will ask the question how to save her soul and remove the threat of the Mirrorborn.

Denica is going to paint all the information she's collected. Dozens of paintings. Some are detailed and others obscure. At end of this artistic pursuit, Denica hopes to have the spark of an idea.

The last time Denica painted something, Ian turned up mostly for moral support, but in the end, he wound up being necessary for a lot more than that. Now that they both know how dangerous and unpredictable Denica's paintings can be, he's coming along this time as a full-on guardian. Ian is ready and willing to put himself between Denica and anything that comes for her, to destroy it if he can, or try to drive it off if he can't.

In the end, it's a bargain. The mirrorborn that believes himself Donrai has that little bond with her through the fights, but he makes a deal- if they both survive the coming days, he'll release all claims upon her, if and only if she agrees to help restore Maelstrom to glory, should they win. It's a matter of some importance to him, and Thrax abandoning Maelstrom wounded him greatly.

He wishes someone to paint a better future.

Denica's vision for her magic is to paint the world the way she wants it. A better world. Since crossing the threshold, she doesn't know what she is capable of and is going to test it. Denica believes her magic is tied to her art.

Denica wants to know if painting something can affect the real world and other magic. She also wants to know, how it does effect it. Is it direct and a painted flower appears or is it unpredictable? She's starting small, but picking the vines at Harrow Hall because she knows they are strong magic and there's a lot happening there all at once.

So. Denica brings a trusted friend and goes to the Art Barge (in Arx) to paint in her studio.

Denica paints Harrow Hall, from what she can learn about the place. Denica also paints the thorns. She relies on her sight to paint what she thinks this place looks like right now.

But then Denica paints something different. Something that wasn't there before and it changes the painting.

A flower.

Denica paints a single flower on the vine.

Denica focuses in on this. Every detail. The use of colour. Denica focuses on that flower. She focuses on light and beauty and freedom.

The flower is purple and red. It is strong and resilient, yet delicate and harmless.

Paint drips from the flower down the thorny vine, pooling onto the ground in the painting. A colourful swirl that freely splatters in all directions.

In the pool of colour, there's a faint reflection of Harrow Hall, as it should be.

Ian doesn't feel particularly qualified to be anything like a teacher or a guide, so let's call him a muse, even if that's hard to do with a straight face. He turns up to watch over Denica while she paints. For the most part, he's going to keep out of the way, but is able to provide details about what the vines look like, having done extreme gardening on a couple of their iterations. Not that he's any kind of authority, but he watches with mage sight from time to time, looking for signs of trouble, and especially looking for signs of the 'mentor' who has troubled Denica so much.

Denica feels it working. It would be a difficult sensation to describe to anyone else, but she knows as well as she knows her own name that the flower she is painting is now upon the hedge. Her magic can undoubtedly influence it, and the experiment is a success.

But then her and Ian have the unmistakable sensation of being watched.

On the painting shows in the distance the Horned God. Denica didn't paint him. Every time they blink or look away, the figure on the painting gets closer. And closer. Looking like he is running towards them. As Denica moves to paint over it, suddenly a hand is tearing through the painting and grabbing her wrist. Ian hacks as it, and he is thrown back against a wall with bone cracking force at a flick of the wrist. Denica uses the distraction to tear the painting and the hand is still trying to reach through, the Horned God trying to enter into the room, and it's only after she flings it into the fire that he retreats and the hand vanishes.

The reemergence of magic in Arvum doesn't just spell trouble; it also opens up opportunity. And with Prism discovered to be suffering from poison, hopefully this newly emerging freedom will provide them more room discovering a cure. And so Aleksei is going to ask whoever might willing and able to help in exploring possible routes to helping Prism. He knows that she's suffering from a poison related to Legion, based on the skittering he saw inside of her. He knows that Triscali, one of Prism's past lives that she split off from herself several years ago, was bitten by a centipede at the battle at Sungreet. And he knows that Triscali is now acting a bit...erratic.

Aleksei has an IDEA, which is related to the events that took place the night of the Eclipse of Mirrors: if a number of people choosing with all their hearts to sacrifice a dream could help to divert disaster with Destiny's awakening, could a similar logic be applied to a rite to cleanse Prism of Legion? Choices, after all, are the antithesis of Legion's power. Aleksei is going to be doing whatever he can think of to investigate and explore the basic premise, particularly now that he's crossed another threshold with magic and has a LITTLE more ability under his belt.

Fortunato is here to dig, obsessively, in the archives. To seek inspiration through sitting in odd places. To cross-reference, cross-dream, situate and re-situate. He's relying on as much intuition as old texts.

As Khanne travels in the Northlands for other purposes, she is speaking to many people, visiting many towns and tribes. She takes this as an opportunity to expand their research. Perhaps the Northlands histories will hold some information on the Poison of Legion... ways to help cleanse Prism of his presence. She's had some luck in the apst finding truths in tales and songs of old, perhaps she will be lucky this time as well.

Faye concentrates her energy on considering the black roses their group collected some time ago and they have been cultivating. She visits the greenhouse where they are growing, gently pruning them to promote health and growth, removing dead leaves and such, keeping them company. And sometimes she just listens to them, sitting with them and meditating. Considering their connection to Triscali, they may have some link or key their group can use. And as she meditates, she draws a mandala in simple pen and ink. The drawing is a circle of twisting vines and blooms, something like automatic writing, adding closer detail as she goes, where she will see what has developed in the end.

Tikva is a pretty good investigator at this point and carries the full weight of a senior inquisitor as well as her balalaika and her spellsinging chops. The archive is a good source, but so are the stranger resources held in the old refectory, and as far as finding a dream to spend, she is sure she can come up with something, individual and distinct but in concert towards that same goal. She will also provide musical accompaniment to help people on focus. I hear classical strains can help with this.

Denica is not a words person, but she's really good with pictures. She will see if there's any answers in art. She will hit the archives, galleries, anywhere she can find old art, diagrams, symbols, charts and the like. Talking to people to see if they've seen anything that might provide some insight and guidance.

Ann is really good at finding out things that others might have missed. She is willing to help in this investigation in hopes of finding the answers to perhaps cure Prism from their suffering. Her magic skills are min so she can at least do background work for others if needed so others could use their strengths in that way.

It takes a great deal of effort, but they *think* they have a ritual that will work. Aleksei's idea seems to have precisely the right resonance, though it is a certainty that it will have to be used with Triscali present, and attempting to find sacrifices that resonante with aspects of her personality and reign, that have meaning to her and remind her of the parts of her life when freedom was not a burden, and why her soul embraced it. It puts Triscali (and Prism) at great risk, and if the ritual goes badly, it could potentially empower Legion to act- while preventing Skald from acting in return, which would herald doom. But inaction carries more than its share of risks, so they think they can try.

At a recent ritual to Leviathan, Denica had a vision of her grandfather, Donrai Thrax. It was a memory of her as a child, showing him a painting. After which, she could still feel him watching her.

Denica was so sure Donrai was dead (she had spoken to many people on this), but now she is not. She is going to to places he frequented, look at things that remind her of him, spend some time immersing herself in family history and then she will paint. Denica will paint Donrai. She hopes through her painting, it will tell her, if he is dead or alive, to get closure, or plan her next steps.

Denica's been haunted by Donrai Thrax (metaphorically) for a long time. In past years, she hasn't been able to get a direct answer to her burning question of whether her grandfather lives or does not. If he lives, then why the mixed messages? If he's dead? Who is watching her.

She begins to paint an image of a man who looks the spitting image of her late brother, Dagon Tyde wearing Tyde livery. He's missing a hand and he's staring at a mirror, she notes as she finishes painting a mirror. Or at least she thought she was as there is no reflection yet. So she attempts to paint his reflection. It's a difficult feat, more than she'd have thought, but at the end, what she ends up is with a bloody clump of mass. Any attempts at fleshing out the reflection just lead to many painted cats feasting on the bits of blood and gore that make up the figure's reflection.

Any attempts to flesh out her painting lead to the man's features changing a little until a strong -need- to discover the truth overcomes her.

She paints and paints. Taking out a new canvas when she runs out of room. The man's features seem to change. He looks exactly like Dagon but something is off. The eyes are colder. There's none of her brother's charm. She paints pictures of the reflection and finally gets something different. He looks like the Dagon-like person but dead, broken, lifted into the air by some unseen power. She manages to paint the Dagon-like person in the moment before, in a fit of fury, with a bloody stump. Again, he carries none of her brother's warmth. She wishes to draw more of that reflection and it's simply Not-Dagon but with both of his hands!

In the end, her entire studio is cluttered with paintings but they seem to have a vague order to them if she looks at them in the correct sequence. Not-Dagon living his best life, Not-Dagon gets attacked and his hand removed, Not-Dagon is killed and his body lifted in the air, Not-Dagon has become splattered gore being consumed by cats, Not-Dagon has a reflection with a missing hand.

The sequence of events may not make any sense to any sane individual but it's what she's left with. When she emerges from her studio, after what may have been a full 24 hours of painting, with achey fingers - Denica notices that mage sight is now trivial to her.

And she still feels watched.((OOC: Denica has crossed the threshold. You can request for a stat that is currently at a 5 to bump to a 6.))

Denica wants to use her abilities to paint the future to understand what upcoming threats will face the compact, or what are the new Triarchy's plans. Denica will go to her studio, armed with lots of art supplies and she will continue to paint until something comes to her. Denica will think about what she knows about the Horned God, Ruin, Azazel, the visions she's heard from others, the situations she's faced in Bastion, Cedar Vale and Arx. Her thoughts will remain here until she is able to see something and paint it.

To say Denica gets lost in her work is an understatement. This painting is made with purpose, and focus, and intention. She pours everything she wants to know into it, she uses every color she can find, she finds more colors to use, minerals to crush and blend with oil. At one point, her eyes are dazzled by her brushstrokes, the myriad hues and tints. The joy of such creation swells in her chest.

She gets so caught up that she loses time; hours and hours pass, maybe even a day. Oh, she eats and drinks but she doesn't sleep, can't sleep, until the brush eventually falls from her fingers and she has just enough sense to collapse into bed, content with the knowledge that when she wakes, she'll have something to behold.

But that's not what happens.

She wakes, for certain, but she can't see.

The world is gray, splotches of light and dark and middling tones; there is no color, no detail, and try as she might she can't make out her painting.

She calls for servants, for friends. She asks them to tell her, "What did I paint?"

Confusion. She repeats the question because the answer doesn't make sense to her.

The canvas is painted, yes, and there is color, but whatever created this patchwork of random, chaotic color is fueled by Denica's skill and nothing else. There are no shapes, no patterns, no details to discern. She asks anyone who visits her, any servant who listens. -What did I paint?-

The colorblind, blurry vision only lasts thirteen days, and it's after that that she realizes everyone spoke the truth.

There is color and there are brushstrokes, but the images she swears she saw aren't there, at least not with the clarity she witnessed before. Like a language she'd forgotten, or knew in a dream but lost upon waking, she can see that there is something there, an obscure shape, an image just on the edge of recognition.

An answer she's unable to decipher, but there's something there, something more. She gets the feeling that it's something she can figure out eventually, somehow.

Sorrel gathers friends and family to her, around a warm brazier. "The time has come," she says, "To cleanse the primum and to sing the world as it truly is. This is my song. This is my ritual. Yours may be different, in turn, for it must truly come from you. I pray that each of you supports me wholeheartedly in this and that you take this as a sample to perform your own ritual."

"Let me sing you a song of love in thirteen verses, each one carefully written with time and creativity. Let me sing Love into the Dream with joy and sacrifice:"

Each bit of the song is pinned to a scrap of fabric that is meant to represent the person or thing the verse of the song is about. The first one is a scrap of violet baby blanket. The second one is a square of gray fabric with a Thrax sea serpent embroidered on it. The third is simply plain gray fabric. The fourth is a bit of aeterna, very plain. The fifth is another square of plain gray fabric, this one with the sigil of the King's Own. The sixth is a square of green seasilk with a sword worked upon it. The seventh is white silk with a spiraling red vine embroidered on it. The eighth is white aeterna edged in gold threads. The ninth is a dirty piece of wool. The tenth is brilliant green seasilk, embroidered with tiny clovers all over it. The eleventh is umbra with the sigil of House Wyrmguard embroidered thereon. The twelvth is also umbra, this time with the sigil of House Thrax. The thirteenth is umbra edged in gold. As the song is sung, the appropriate bit of fabric is placed into the brazier to be consumed.

1 Kyrios is a hope for the sanctity of life, a beautiful new thing being born, something that can grow into something new and greater than that which proceeded it:

Precious love of mine
For nine long months time
Small one within me
No greater love than thee

2 Galen is love. Passion, ambition, attraction, and all the things that attract people to one another. Let the world be full of love and lovers:

My great love for you is a burning flame
Now one and whole, we are never the same
Half of me is you; what am I to do?
To your dear love I will always be true.

3 Leona is faithfulness and fidelity, the choice of a dearest friend. Beautiful and true, a close bond of spirits in trust and friendship:

Sister not of body but of spirit.
To you do I tell secrets; you hear it.
A special bond of choice and freedom dear:
Our friendship in the purest sense is clear.

4 The Choir is a group of us with similar talents who all sing the Dream as it really is. Freedom and love and beauty:

Beautiful dreamers, listen now to me
Hear my song truly; it lets you be free
Power and strength coming with every note
Let the world be as my song is so wrote.

5 Corban is strength and honor, the true knight. Given the opportunity to do something the right way, he will take the path of righteousness:

Brother you are, though no brother you be
Like my own kin is how you are to me.
To you I entrust the most precious weight
Knowing that you are a knight very great

6 Luca was a Champion, and he stood for the honor of others. He also fights for the Light as a member of the Inquisition. Although he may not be a knight, he is a great man, admirable and true:

A fighter you are, champion to all
Dueling for true, never taking the fall.
Working for Light yet behind the closed door
We're lucky to have you give 'em what for!

7 Tikva represents sisterhood and platonic love. The sort of love that comforts you through tears and is joyful for you when you're joyful, love that melds in harmony:

Beautiful singer, sing your songs with me
Together meld in perfect harmony
Best friend and girl friend and companion true
I'll always be found singing next to you.

8 Ailith is Faith, a friend who has recently found her way to greater heights. Faith and love of the gods is important, a real true religious sort of love:

Peaceful, faithful, knowing of mystery,
Joyful, respectful, caring of history.
Guide me in the ways of the gods and love:
Advice that is tempered by those above.

9 Ian is loyalty. Love born of loyalty between soldiers, comrades in arms, in the field true. Love that is camaraderie:

Always at my back, you do yourself ride
Your right sword hand always at my side
Forever my protection with your men
Come! An adventure! I'll need you again!

10 Clover represents family love, the love that comes from sharing the same life growing up and the natural love and loyalty that inspires:

Beloved sister, bound by blood ties --
We would be best of friends yet anywise.
Bubbly temperament, always a joy:
When you were born, I was glad not a boy!

11 House Wyrmguard is where I grew up and how I developed my fascination with dragons. The love of House Wyrmguard, an ancient house, is one of fealty and devotion forever:

Though on the ground, the wyrms may yet lumber
The House recalls: Not all dragons slumber.
Danger is near? They will not surrender
As Valardin lives, they will remember.

12 House Thrax is where I married and to whom I currently owe fealty. Although I am not a sailor, I am learning to love the sea, and though I have reservations about some of their traditions, I am learning to love their culture:

A mariner's dream, so the current flows
Whenever the tide is out, there Thrax goes
Rough Islanders living off of the sea
One of their number is where you'll find me.

13 Music is what I want to fill the world with. Beautiful music is the song to which we should all live our lives, singing the Dream true and full of love:

A song is a song, but in the right key,
It can be a balm for you or for me.
All the world's dreams can be sung in music:
Finding the right words is the only trick.

Cora will learn the ritual through being present when Sorrel performs it so that she might perform it herself to teach others.

Sabella will quietly watch Sorrel's ritual with rapt attention!

Charlaine will learn the ritual through being present when Sorrel performs it. Charlaine will definitely try to perform it herself later in order to spread the knowledge and asisst in cleaning the primum.

Sparte will be present to observe, learn, and lend support.

Amari will sit in to watch Sorrel enact the ritual so she might learn and perform it herself (not nearly as awesomely, but she'll try her best when it's time)!

Having been invited to witness Sorrel's ritual, and hoping to learn it, Alexis attends to bear witness - and if necessary, offer protection, presuming any danger is even physical.

Carita will observe with awe, take notes as she listens, and quietly lends her support to the cleansing of the primum. There are moments when Sorrel's song brings tears to her eyes, or a smile to her face and while she might want to close her eyes to let that song wash over her, she doesn't so that she can witness every last moment.

Invited to bear witness to the ritual, Denica will stay with them and study with her so that she might perform the ritual herself someday.

Caspian watches the ritual with interest, and when it is over, he can already be seen scribbling down verse ideas!

Katarina is but one of many invited along to bear witness to the ritual that may very well begin cleansing the primum of its poison in the land. She listens, watches with rapt attention and intrigue, ready to help however she may.

Sina has been invited to witness the ritual to learn it. She has agreed to bear witness and learn, that the primum may be cleansed.

Ohboyohboyohboy! THIS IS IT! IT IS HAPPENING! /MAGIC/!!! Well, the first step towards it anyway. When Sorrel invites her to come observe the ritual, Caith is the first one there. Bright and early. Probably even before she and Galen and the baby are even awake that day. 'Don't mind me,' she'll shout through the door at the Thrax Estate. 'I'll just wait out here in the hall until you guys are ready!' A few minutes will go by. 'Are you ready now?' A few minutes more. 'How about now?' Five minutes later: 'Do you need help in there? Have you fallen down and hurts yourselves? Come on! Let's get a move on! IT'S RITUAL DAY! WHEEEE!' Caith is there with paper and pen and ink, all bright-eyed and bushy tailed and ready to take /NOTES/. And when Sorrel is done, she will ask /QUESTIONS/ to double-check, triple-check and cross-check her notes. Because, and maybe this isn't clear but: Caith is VERY INVESTED in this.

Bianca will also be observing so that in the future she too may perform and teach others for the betterment of all humanity.

Sasha will sit and carefully watch the ritual as Princess Sorrel performs it. She is eager to learn to so she can help the Primum be cleansed.

Olivia is likewise joining in to watch and learn!

Edain willl participate and observe the ritual. He will be somber and respectful, but he will be paying close attention. His intention is to attempt to perform this rite at Cairn Valardin in the very near future.

Desiree will be there to witness and study the ritual. She is hoping to learn to perform it.

Zoey will be there as well, watching and, knowing her, probably taking notes. Because ritual. Learning rituals. Et cetera.

Fredrik will, of course, join in these proceedings, knowing how valuable this ritual is, both for himself and for the Compact as a whole. For all our futures, it must be spread.

Reese will join this and will try to assist Sorrel however needed. She will attempt to pay close attention and to learn how to do the ritual herself so that such can be done when the time comes for her own. She will be respectful, helpful and largely quiet during the ritual.

Richard will be present in Sorrel's ritual. So that he may learn it and use it in the future.

Victus is here to learn. He doesn't know much about what he's looking at, so he's taking down notes with a quill and parchment and saving all the details in his head.

Kace will be joining in on the ceremony in order to learn the ritual that she might complete it herself someday soon.

Sorrel gathers friends and family to her, around a warm brazier. "The time has come," she says, "To cleanse the primum and to sing the world as it truly is. This is my song. This is my ritual. Yours may be different, in turn, for it must truly come from you. I pray that each of you supports me wholeheartedly in this and that you take this as a sample to perform your own ritual."

"Let me sing you a song of love in thirteen verses, each one carefully written with time and creativity. Let me sing Love into the Dream with joy and sacrifice."

And then she sings, feeding each slip of verse and a small piece of fabric into the fire, and with each one she weaves love through them all. The love of a child, the love for her husband. For her sister of the heart, for the choir. Freedom and strength, chivalry and righteousness. Honor and comfort, joy and harmony. Faith now, and loyalty. The love for family and home, the love for duty carried long through the generations, for fidelity and for music and happiness.

With each verse her love, deep and abiding and joyous, wraps around all of them. It pushes away the darkness, it pushes at the poison. She is seeking to reshape the future and her contribution is love, and there is one timeless moment where everyone assembled feels that love course through them. And while it fades, each of them knows they will remember always the strength of Sorrel's heart as she fights for the people she loves the most, for her family, for her friends, for the Compact, for humanity.

Naturally, with all the reformations with Thralldom in the isles taking hold, some of the more hard line traditionalists have been grumbling about it, and as the Minister of Loyalty, Denica wants to make sure she can assuage the fears of the vassals. She'll travel the isles at least in the places where the grumbling seems to be the most prominent, to speak with the vassals and let them know that their voices are heard. She'll listen to their complaints and assure them that with Thralldom becoming less of a force in Thrax, that a workforce of serfs paid for their service, that pay taxes and support the economy by buying goods is the best way forward, and that all efforts are being made to make the changes as gradual as possible, that their struggles are not forgotten in the midst of all these changes.

Thralldom Is Expensive/Princess Denica Thrax, Minister of Loyalty, has a word out these days for Thrax traditionalists: We are still strong. The changes to thralldom have made changes to our economy, but that makes us stronger. More independent. Shes listen to vassals of Thrax and their complaints about the recent changes to Thralldom, but then she launches an all-out propaganda war on them by means of charts, graphs, and facts and economic figures.

This is the traditional strength of the women of Thrax after all, and so traditionalists listening to her clear, cool logic are mollified as she assures them that a workforce of serfs paid for their service is to their benefit. After all, have not their taxes increased? Are they not selling more goods? Of course they are. She glosses over their higher expenses, saying that's the price for doing more business - but that business being up is the focus here. Isn't it?

It's an interesting argument and one that the merchants and business folk heed. And it must be admitted that taxes are up. And even for the nobles, if taxes are up that's a good sign indeed. Bold move. It seems to be working so far.

Victus uses the onset of the Darkwater Deeps crisis to spearhead change with a new treatise on Thralldom. This would include recruiting stewards to assist in ensuring the new laws are passed and enforced justly, with care for the traditionalist families. Victus personally will be touting the upcoming changes as a need to adapt grow stronger alongside the other great powers of Arvum, with the Darkwater Deeps as the enemy that must be overcome. With emphasis on being a people that grows strong together, rather than as a people that must oppress their potential with indentured servitude. Standing united and prepared to aid one another for survival and so on.

The following is all the official legality that will be introduced in stages:

The institution of Thralldom will not be abolished at this time, but will be reformed in the following manner:

1. Only a Ruling Peer or Voice ("Lords") of a house of the Thrax may create new thralls.
2. Thralldom may only be imposed as punishment for a criminal act ("criminal thrall") or for waging war against the Thrax or their vassals ("war thrall").
3. Any thrall entering service shall have their fine set by the judgement of a Magistrate appointed by the Lord imposing thralldom. This debt must, unless otherwise authorized by paragraph 4 or 7, be achievable within the natural lifetime of a human.
4. The imposition of criminal thralldom with a debt that cannot be repaid within their lifetime ("thralldom until death") requires the decision of a panel of judges and the approval of the liege of the Lord imposing thralldom.
5. A criminal thrall's debt may not be increased or extended in any way unless the thrall commits further crimes that would result in punishment by thralldom on their own. This increase requires the same process of trial and judgement by a Magistrate that their initial thralldom required.
6. A criminal thrall's debt may be reduced or forgiven as a reward for excellent behavior.
7. In addition to repayment of debt, a shav-born war thrall may be held until they show enough understanding of the culture and religion of the Compact to be sworn as a Prodigal.
8. Thralls must be put to use in a specific field of duty, with an eye to building useful skills for their eventual return to free society.
9. Thralls used as warriors or crew on ships must spend their last year of service ashore apprenticed to a free person who practices a trade or craft.
10. A thrall whose service ends either by order or by repayment of debt is a free person of common status, and must be treated as such.
11. A thrall's whose service ends in their death shall have their debt recorded as having been paid in full. The debt of a thrall is not transferable.
12. A criminal thrall's allegiance as a free person reverts to what it was before their period of thralldom, unless the thrall chooses to swear allegiance to another house.
13. A war thrall must actively swear allegiance to a House of the Compact, the Crown, or the Faith to finalize the end of their thralldom.

In addition to Victus touting the changes, Alarissa makes herself available as a Voice to any who have questions, or concerns. She works side by side with Victus to lay out the plan, to liase between them and other concerened in the compact. That the transition will maek for a stronger mourning isles, saffron chain and in turn make for stronger ties and bonds between them and the compact. Something that is much needed in the times when enemies seem to be gathering and pushing at all corners. That the changes are difficult, that a lot is being asked of them and sacrifices to be made but sacrifices for the better. But that if one is willing, it will go far easier than it they are not and the aid of the compact is likely to be more forthcoming, than if they are not and that Thrax will do all in their power to ease any hardship to the best of their ability during this transitional period.

Overall, it goes better than most would hope. Victus and Alarissa are able to sell it extremely well, and there's no open revolts by traditionlists, and most progressives celebrate it and point to the list of reforms as something that will help prevent the extremely unfortunate Kennex type situations. The wording is vague enough in application to be interpreted based on the biases of those enforcing the laws in their own domains, which is probably one of the less painful compromises currently. ((Thralldom crisis updated as well))

Story Request: While the I was off traveling, I was considering what Denica was up to during the absence. I thought she would take up a silent vigil. For the past thirteen days she has been utterly silent - spending her days at the star sigiled altar, and her evenings in the Shrine of the Thirteenth. Either in prayer, meditation, or simply painting for the glory of the gods that she is paying her honor to: Tehom and Aion. Perhaps through what she's heard - a few drops of her own blood might covertly slip into her paint pots.

The objective: As of her last vision, she is prepared to listen more closely to those gods that she normally once would have not have paid attention to. Seeking favor. Offering her devotions, her art, and a little bit of her pain. While others in the Thrax fealty pay homage to the goddess of the air and water - she is focusing on the god of creation, dreams, and the darker reflections of the mirror. Outside the box (or potentially dangerous) paths toward the same goal of learning more about how not to die by Gyre or Leviathan.

As Denica paints, thinking of Jayus as the god of creation and dreams, she starts to feel a strange sensation of despair. She paints of the darkwater washing over all of the Isles. She paints of Maelstrom falling into the sea and devoured by a monstrous maw. She paints of the the tide starting to cover the world, and then as she almost feels ready to stop due to the sheer futility of it all, she starts to feel the stirrings of hope. She paints something new. She paints of weapons that seem to be surrounded by lightning. She paints of these weapons being thrust into the heart of a beautiful man at the head of an impossibly large fleet. She paints of the darkwater being destroyed. And she paints of a maw seeming to bite at some great beast of the sea. As to what it means? Who can say.

Dear Staff,

I don't think much will come of this, but I wanted to record it just in case it does matter. Petal is going to the shrine of Mangata on a daily basis, praying and offering to the sea gifts of the mead she made. I am trying to swing by sometimes to show that. She likes to come at night when the moon is out, but varies the time. Now after felt Mangata she believes in her intensely. Thanks Petal's Player

I believe we did in fact have a scene!

A conflicted Denica is leaving a warbler carving at the shrine she's been avoiding: that of Jayus. It is an interpretation of the vision, something she made in hopes of making sense of any of it. Since the last vision she's been in denial, as the scope has bigger consequences than any other previous, and she is overwhelmed by the prospect that she may, indeed, being gifted visions of the future from the diety. If she accepts that, then she is incapable of changing her own destiny--that she must do something with the gift of knowledge. Perhaps something drastic.

Vision added, Denica can interpret it as she likes.

Denica is charming her way into the kitchens with the pretense of rummaging for snacks. In truth, it's a bit of legerdemain intended to compromise Donrai's elite guard with a taste of Halsim's poison in their meals.

Denica is a remarkably charming young woman, and she's able to apply that beautifully to distracting the staff as she slips in Halsim's poison into the food for Donrai's Elite Guard. While not strong enough to kill them, a sudden wave of illness does reduce his guard from the usual dozen down to a mere two by the time the conspirators go to confront him.