For the past half year, the Bard's College has been under construction. Curiously, it was essentially the perfect building when Gianna first found it; the work has mostly been restoration and the construction of a stage suitable for putting on plays. Donations from various supporters has fueled rapid progress, and now the College is ready to open, fully functional. There will be an event. Gianna will perform at this event.

As the Voice of the Bard's College, Nik will be pulling all the strings he has to make certain that the grand opening of the Bard's College is seen as a momentous and defining cultural occasion in the history of Arx. The Black Rose what? The Empyrewho? It's all about the Bard's College. Your premiere source in the entire Compact for becoming the best performer, musician or singer possible and, for the party host, your source for the finest entertainers in the whole damn world. You heard me, Cardia! Your barbershop dragon quartets got NOTHIN' on the Bard's College! So he'll gladhand his fellow nobles and convince them that the grand opening of the Bard's College is easily the most incredible thing that's ever happened to them, even if they have beautiful children or fought in ugly wars, the Bard's College still comes in at #1! This could be THE moment of this era. Why would they not want to be part of it? And if they're going to be part of it, why wouldn't they want to donate so they can /really/ feel like they participated in a generational shift for Arvum? What's a few (thousand) silver if it means you can be a part of history? Legends come and go, people, but Nightingale Gianna is an ICON and ICONS ARE FOREVER. Be a part of her story! It'll only cost you your money.

Sabella will be going all out talking up the Bard's College opening to anyone that will listen! It's the first time something like this has opened in Arx and don't you want to be part of history?! Especially nobility--there's always a need for skilled musicians at parties and wouldn't you like the Whispers you hire to be able to mingle? Well, now they can because you'll have such wonderful, trained musicians to choose from thanks to the Bard's College! Why not show up for the opening and maybe make a donation!

Porter Kennex spends some time dragooning the more urbane ship captains, and the ones who were just inclined toward music in general, about the opening of the Bard's College. They should come. Bring your wives, they'll love you for it. Most especially, he provides a donation and starts a stipend to the Bard's College.

Aahana is using her charm and ways of conversation to mention EVERYONE who is ANYONE should attend the grand opening of the Bard's College. She provides social and economic writs in aide.

Who loves the arts? Elgana loves the arts! And nothing makes her heart soar more than the idea of assisting with the grand opening of the Bard's College. She knows how much love, blood, sweat, and tears (and maybe booze) that Gianna has poured into this, so Elgana will do her part, play her role, and ensure that it is the talk of the city, the Compact, for years to come for all the right reasons. Anyone who will give the Redrain princess a moment of their time will leave her presence knowing it is the place to throw their silver, their time, and the place to be seen if they want to be at the forefront of the social scene. Who doesn't love a good bard? And since she knows how much Prince Niklas and Princess Sabella love the arts she'll work with them as well to assist in spreading the love and the word to get those donations rolling in.

Given that Lucita is part of the bardic college, and Quenia is Lucita's protege, she wishes to see this organization thrive. She puts some of her social might behind it, as well as some of her economic might, and talks to all of her friends and allies about the organization, and how they teach others how to be the best performers they can be.

Wylla loves art! Of course she does. She wants others to love it too. She'll be providing a blessing at the opening of the Bard's College, and will be using her status as the Archlector of Jayus to throw some theological weight behind the college as well.

Eddard Clement takes to announcing himself as a member of the Bard's College everytime he performs at a low-key corner of a tavern or pub. Then reminding patrons of the soon upon them Grand Opening of the Bard's College! His time is well spent practicing songs of this sort or the other to ensure he is ready to *perform at the grand opening*.

Perronne does not necessarily LOVE art, but she likes art! And she likes the idea of the Bard's College, so she will go to her fellow merchants and speak with them about the economics of an organized group of bardic entertainers, who could potentially aid in the promotion of various goods and services, if well-payed and well-treated. She also points out the value of hiring bards on long caravans, and that bards trained and patroned by the College have a much lower possibility of being thieves or brigands in disguise. She donates significant of her own funds towards the opening and initial support of the college, and encourages her peers to do likewise.

The opening of the Bard College is a grand affair, hosted by - and hosting - many notables across the breadth of the city. The Nightingale herself performs - this is not a surprise, since the establishment of this has been her focus for years now. Prince Niklas handles publicity, organizing an army of people to talk about every facet of the upcoming event - Princess Sabella, Lord Porter, Lady Aahana, Princess Elgana, Marquessa Quenia, Archlector Wylla, Lord Eddard, and an adventurer named Perrone move through the city doing their best to make sure everyone knows what's coming.

And people show up from all across Arx, some even coming to the city for a visit with plans to see the College. The bardic tradition is important, and rumor has it that this old building, newly-refurbished, is quite beautiful indeed. And on the night of the grand opening, everything is stunningly perfect and polished within an inch of its life. The music is glorious, the company sublime, the acoustics absolutely amazing. And the mural? The mural on the floor is gorgeous, and no one can seem to agree on what they liked best about it.

In fact, upon closer examination the mural seems to shift depending on who's looking at it and when. Cleaned and restored, the night of the party people mention their favorite parts of the mural - a hooded figure with a lute, a woman with laughing green eyes and a sly smile opening her mouth to sing, a choir of figures singing in the woods, and sometimes it looks like the trunks of the trees have faces. It's a fascinating piece of art, and new details are seemingly noticed every day.

Prince Artur Redrain begins organizing the creation of a massive memorial quilt, giving people from across the compact both great and small the chance to honor their friends and loved ones who fought at Setarco, Darkwater Watch and Stormwall.

Anyone who wishes to may create a small piece of quilted artwork, commemorating the life of somebody who fought, and submit it with a small donation of 100 silver pieces. The squares will then be stitched together into an enormous quilt, which will be a permanent memorial of those who fought.

It can be displayed at a prominent location, or each of the great houses can volunteer to hos it in their ward or in one of their holdings around the compact, giving people everywhere a chance to see it.

Artur begins organizing volunteers to coordinate the efforts centrally and spread the word about his project, so that (hopefully) people will be aware of the project and peoples donations and submissions can be dealt with efficiently.

Wylla isn't a seamstress, but she is the Archlector of Jayus. She will bless what artwork is there, as well as donating money from the Shrine to cover whoever doesn't have the money to help.

Valery will ask the children from her gardening school to make some squares for the quilt if they wish. Since drawing is an option, most of them want to join in! There are a few crude drawings of ships, a house, a flower, and a shark. There is even a very very simple embroidering of a fish and another of what seems a city.

Lisebet has procured a piece of silk cloth, featuring a white sail on a bright blue sea. She has taken care to have "Armand Farshaw" embroidered neatly on it. This piece of cloth is meant to be included in the quilt being made.

As she aided in the evacuation of Stormwall, Gwenna was told many stories of soldiers left behind to fight, many of whom never made it to Farhaven to rejoin their families. Having spent her younger years alongside her mother knitting, crocheting and such, she has a small bit of experience with quilts. She embroiders a square meant to depict warriors standing on the edge of the sea, chins held high as the surf crashes before them. Pride of not just the Northlands, but hues that portray each of the groups who came to aid cities across the realm; Templars, Shamans, healers, soldiers...all standing together.

After setting up his new shop, Kaine has a workspace he can actually use, which is a massive improvement from sitting on the ground and sewing something on his lap. So he softens some wool and shapes it into a fine, quilt-worthy square, and dyes it a rich teal. He then embroiders the fabric, depicting an armor-clad knight walking side-by-side with a child, linked hand-in-hand - or gauntleted hand and tiny hand. Embroidered lettering curves around the imagery at the top and bottom, reading "They Fought" at the top and "For The Future" at the bottom.

Kaldur and House Seliki will contribute wooden framing to hang the quilt on. A yard salvaged from his operation at Setarco if possible, but otherwise, a fresh hewn yard to hang the quilt from.

Marquessa Quenia Igniseri has found a large pillow within her household with a stylized phoenix. She has her seemstress carefully pick away the seams of the pillow so that the cover can be reused in the quilt. She then has the seamstress very carefully make a square to be used in the larger project to honor House Igniseri's representation at war in Setarco. At the bottom of the square it reads "We will not be quenched." in tiny, elaborate stitches. She also donates 100 economic resources and 10,000 silver to help pay for any additional workers that might be needed in order to properly finish it and make it the best quilt ever.

Armani doesn't sew nor does hse have an interest in it. However, she does know some of her her sailors like too. She is nudging those of them that like to contribute to do as such. She is even paying for all their supplies and donations so all they need to do is have their fun. though, most of them, since it is a memorial quilt, are likely using something of personal value. Either way, Armani is just donating money to help with the pretty things and being all leadery.

Prince Artur Redrain begins organizing the creation of a massive memorial quilt. It is meant as a memorial to those lost at Darkwater, and Stormwall, and Setarco. He gathers craftspeople from all over, and sends out the noticies - anyone who wants to have a piece included in this quilt can donate a small sum. The silver goes toward the funding of the project, and from all over squares and memories come in to be included.

The famed alchemist Valery, who teaches at a gardening school, helps the children make squares and draw on them. Crude drawings of ships and houses, flowers and sharks are sent. Lady Lisebet Farshaw sends a square in memory of Lord Armand Farshaw, his name written in careful embroidery. Princess Gwenna embroiders a square with warriors standing on the edge of the sea, chins held high as the surf crashes before them. All the forces of the Compact that came together are depicted, standing as one against the enemy.

Kaine Algair sends a rich teal square, embroidered with an image of a knight and a child walking together, hand in hand - and the words: "They Fought for the Future" carefully stitched around the image. Marquessa Quenia Igniseri contributes a square with a phoenix embroidered on it, and the words: "We will not be quenched" in tiny, elaborate stitches. She also donates a large sum to the project to help fund the creation and display of the memorial quilt. And Lady Armani Gilden reaches out to sailors and has them sending in quilt squares too - and if their embroidery is the rough stitchery of those who make their life at sea, still they are represented in the memorial quilt.

Lord Kaldur Seliki contributes large wooden framing from which to hang the quilt, and Mother Wylla, Archlector of Jayus, blesses it. It is a massive undertaking, and a success all around - many come to see this memorial quilt, reaching out to touch it reverently. And as it is displayed, it becomes custom to bring a note and a flower with the name of a loved one lost in the actions against the Pirate King, and to leave it at the base of the display in memory.

In the tallest tower of Setarco, the Choir will be using their voices as a counterbalance to as much abyssal interference as possible.

Ian, at the head of his new special forces unit, will be keeping anything from getting to the Singers so that they can keep doing their thing for as long as possible. He'll have archers on the stairs that lead to the tower with compound bows and heavy broadhead arrows, with instructions to shoot steadily and fall back if anyone tries to get up the stairs, aiming for the head as much as possible. Once they get to the top of the stairs, there will be a heavy door that can be barred and barricaded. Pikemen will keep anything trying to climb the walls from getting in through the windows. If enemy forces do get into the room, the men will form a circle of interlocking tower shields around the Singers, with a row of men with halberds behind them, and we'll use that formation to hold out for as long as we have to. If what we face are "zealots" (zombies), the men have instructions to focus on bashing in or cutting off heads.

Ian will be enlisting the help of the Faith intercede with the Gods and try to protect the Choir from more direct magical interference. While not present, their contributions will be key to defending against assaults that can't be held back with a shield or beaten back with a blade.

Sorrel is very focused on fighting the abyss in particular using song. She will wear her rubicund armor and bring her rubicund sword with her, but being the Bladesong, she intends to use her voice as her blade. One of her primary focuses in singing will be to attack any cloud cover, particularly that which seems unnatural. Another primary focus of hers will be to improve morale among the troops, since that's, to her knowledge, her great talent. Furthermore, since it's supposedly abyssal magic that will be dampening and/or destroying morale, it's completely her aim to conteract that with a little help from her friends.

Sorrel will be bringing a variety of songbooks with her, and in particular, religious songs both that she's written and that others have written. Furthermore, she'll also focus on getting the battle hymn sung. Her musical selections will be as anti-abyss as they come!

Lucita, from past actions singing with Tikva and Sorrel, thinks she apparently linked the singers together somehow, and knows she strengthened their songs and extended the distance they reach. She has been studying at the Academy and praying in various shrines daily in the hopes she will be able to do this well and contribute to the songs they sing to prevent madness, sustain morale, and enable the compact ground forces and fleet to have an improved chance against what they face. Thus she will sing wholeheartedly with the choir when fleet and ground forces battle the foe.

Blessings, Sygils, prayers, and holy water- whatever she can do to provide both spiritual and psychological protection for Ian's mission is given. She bathed the tokens in the sacred pools and prays over them, anointing them in incense . She provides blessed bottles of rose water. Whatever might help because Beseeching is mysterious and vague.

Vayne blesses all the mirrors involved in this effort. Big and small, the whole lot of them. No one needs a mirrorborn sneaking through and replacing/murdering anyone.

Wylla has received songs to be blessed from Lucita and, presumably others. She offers the blessings of Jayus upon them, in hopes that the creativity from Jayus will help find the right wording to help hold the singers' focus and emotions on their goals. May their voices be strong and true for what must be sung and last through the length of the battle.

Victoria is carrying a flame from the Eternal Flame to the lighthouse of Setarco, as she is already making her way via the Setarco naval forces. (action 1858, 1841).

From Setarco the lull is interrupted by the approach by a huge monster, tentacled with blue-black, leathery skin. And so many eyes and so very many sharp teeth. They seemed to be seeking out the Choir of Sorrel, Tikva, and Luctia who sing from the Tower but, guarded by Lord Ian Kennex and watched over by Archlector Madeleine, the monsters could not find their prey. And as they struggled to defend the Choir the group tasked with monster hunting by Prince-Consort Talen arrived - Shard, Theron, Corban, Serafine, Adalyn, Leta, Elyse, and Regla - along with a man in a skull mask saved the day, sending the algae-covered monster, and then the tentacle monster it birthed, and then the monster vomited forth along with a stone tablet. The monsters seemed thoroughly interested in killing the Choir, but they were prevented and so the small team carried the day. For now, Setarco lapses into quiet once more - but an uneasy sort of peace, and the sneaking suspicion that there are more than just ships heading their way.

As "Let No Question Go Unanswered" continues going strong, the next phase in the project pushes forward. While prior the focus had been on historical knowledge in a general sense, attentions now add in addition the involvement of the Faith throughout history. Bianca has outlined a curriculum passed to the extended parishes and libraries throughout Arvum and the isles of the Scholars of Vellichor, encouraging the discipleship to further educate the general population of the Faith's struggles and successes. As in prior projects, what once was considered matters of legend are now gently reintroduced to the public in subtle subtext of the studies as truth. The miracles of the gods are real though easy to miss in our daily lives. Small successes of a fresh rain after a dry spell, the enhanced beauty of a particularly well crafted armchair... all of these things are their blessings and in them we are given vision of the divine.

There are various ways those who seek to lend themselves to the cause may assist. Hosting their own classes, writing songs or stories about the heroes of the past, copying tomes to be distributed freely... How will you rise to the call of education?

Christine will continue with her work copying those tomes, songs and documents so they can be distributed around and shared with others. She will also copy some illustrations if they aren't too hard!

Although he is Legate of Concepts rather than Arts, with the position of Legate of Arts currently open, Orazio makes a special effort to take on the work of facilitating the distribution of the curriculum beyond the Scholars. He writes to godsworn, particularly in the Lyceum where he has friends and associates, encouraging them to take it up, and giving guidance on how to handle doctrinal issues from the gentle reintroduction of some unusual concepts. He also takes it upon himself to encourage people with concerns to speak to him, and uses his diplomatic skills to address those concerns and soothe ruffled feathers and worries. Basically, making the effort to be a solid, tradition-respecting face of the Faith to lend credence and respectability to the ideas involved.

Ilvin easily warms to the concept of the miracles of the gods sprinkled throughout the lives of the populace. He does not so much teach as encourage those he encounters to teach each other, sharing an abbreviated version of the story of their own lives while Ilvin and the others so assembled listen and share their own thoughts about the effects that the gods have had on the sharer's life. In some cases he acts only as facilitator, while in others he takes a more active role, depending on the makeup of the group, in order that the participants end the process with a more powerful feeling of the gods' influence in their own lives.

Cybele is a teacher. Cybele teaches disciples of Lagoma, in the House of Solace. Cybele teaches students in the Apotechary College of Tor (Arx Branch). Cybele teaches as part of the Scholars of Vellichor's teaching programme, as a curator and assistant there. Cybele teaches. And Cybele is happy to share in what they know, with whomever asks, and all the more happy to visit any and all parts of Arx to share in their knowledge ever more.

Wylla is eager to help! She wants to teach the history of the Faith through artworks -- including even armchairs. She's already had the painting festival, and now she has the concert. She'd like to help Jayus' miracles be known throughout the Compact. Even if she can't express herself that well in spoken word, she is a ready assistant to let others speak of the Faith through their works.

Reigna is a teacher and a historian and she is working to devise a history curriculum for the people of Oakhaven, focusing on more than just local history, but seeking to broaden the average understanding of the history of Arvum in general. She is also going to write out her own treatise on medicinal remedies and techniques focusing on the local flora found in Oakhaven. Once she has finished these books, she will be having them copied and sent to the scholars at Keaton Keep and work with them on lesson plans to teach the serfs and villagers. Here in Arx she works as a teacher at the Academy, offering classes and expanding minds here.

As the intermediary between the Scholars of Vellichor and the Arvum Philosophical Society of the Empowerment and Enlightenment of Curious Minds (The Salon), Sparte is doing his part by focusing on helping people ask questions.

Where Bianca is leading the charge in making information available, he is attempting to give people that spark of curiousity and wonder.

"I believe this is the single greatest opportunity to realize the mission of the Salon since its formation. It is our role to embolden people to ask questions. To give them the spark of wonder and curiousity and nurture it into a flame. The wisdom the Scholars are sharing is the kindling that will bring those flames to life, and the Salon stands with them."

In addition to putting his personal time and effort into it, he has requested a special disbursement of resources from the Salon to help realize this vision.

Samael is a skill orator and teacher. He'll do his time teaching classes on various topics.

Estaban will help by aid in copying tomes, songs and documents so they can be distributed around and shared with others. He will also open up the Saik garden once a week for a few hours to the children of Arx for a story day, each day he will tell about a different Heros in the Faith!

Fortunato lends his illumination skills to the project, focusing on detailed, realistic work, taking historical accounts and interpreting them with the greatest fidelity pen and brush can lend. Myth and heroic legend he depicts, but roots them in such a way that they don't /seem/ like myth and heroic legend. Unicorns as physical as horses, the heroes of the Reckoning as human as neighbors, clergy, soldiers. The past was as real as the present, the future is as real as the present. Fortunato's goal in his art is to make the forgotten things, the miracles, seem within the realm of today's possibility. You, too, could be great.

Prince Aiden has taken his duties as a scholar-liaison with utmost duty and care. He coordinates with students from other organizations (SoE) as well as paying close attention to the scholar teaching programme for individuals seeking skills he possesses, and freely offering himself with no obligation to the student other than their time. The Prince shows his dedication through taking this personal time to host teaching lessons, such as survival and archery in large sessions (previous @events), using the Silver Wings to assist when it comes to Archery to set up targets and help keep an eye out on the students.

There also might be a volume or two of personal writings that he has quietly stocked in bookshelves around Arvum, speaking of the topic he had been most impassioned about. Though it is a quiet addition, allowing the curiosity of readers to find it on their own time rather than declaring it's existance. With exposing legends of the old through this manner, he hopes more people will come to speak of their curiosities on the matter or perhaps, they can add more to his collected data.

He repeats throughout his mentoring and writing: "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. We will seek it."

Around the time the project finally comes to a close and the last books are being put into their appropriate places in the catalog, something /changes/. Those in the Archives find there are new rooms -- rooms they don't remember being there, full of books that no one seems to have cataloged. While few date back before the Great Fire, there are still new memoirs written by those who fought alongside Queen Alarice the Great; indeed, even some of Alarice's own journals are found among the items, delighting historians.

Even more confusingly, one of the Scholars trusted to venture into the Deep Labyrinth notes that things down there seem /different/. The uneasy sense of being /watched/ that most report in the Labyrinth is gone, though there's still a feeling of a /presence/ there. It's as though something lurking down there is asleep, or distracted.

A handful of Scholars seem awfully unsettled by all of this, even downright upset, perhaps due to the seemingly inexplicable nature of things. But most merely question why these rooms had been sealed off, while expressing great gratitude that they've been rediscovered. (And, of course, it's nice that people are no longer being spooked by some imaginary bogeyman down in the Deep Labyrinth.)

But whatever it all means, /something/ has changed around the Archives, and for the moment they're charged with a new sense of purpose.

There are, after all, a great many new -- well, old -- journals and books to catalog now.