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Written By Fortunato

Nov. 11, 2016, 11:31 p.m.(2/5/1005 AR)

A painting. An actual painting. The eternal flame in a conflagration of uneasily wild color, yellows and oranges and reds and whites all bleeding into each other and laced with streaks of cooler colors, greens, blues, dwarfed and drowned by the sheer brightness of the warms. Around the edges of the painting, raw black, raw shadow. The shadow frames the flames in jagged halo, the edges all the bleaker for the contrast with the bright center. In each of the four corners, a mar, a flaw, troubled scratching. A shaky circle cut into the black on the northeast corner, a tooth cut into the northwest corner. Southeast, a chain. Southwest, a crude blade.

Written By Freja

Nov. 11, 2016, 11:28 p.m.(2/5/1005 AR)

The North Remembers was a success by all accounts and feedback I received. We showed the spirit of the North while honoring some of my favorites with Valeria, Fyrva, Rathlander, and then Weohstan. Each had a task suited to their story. For Valeria, a rousing speech. For Fyrva, we pit them against would be charming assassins. For Rathlander, they fought some our newly blooded beserkers. And then for Weohstan they outran some of House Redrains black hounds.

It came to a tiebreaker between Hammar and Count Maximilian. Part of me thinks I was -too- cruel in my portrayal of Lady Nameless, but then again while they were trying to catch me through the field of traps at least they did not find any of the bear traps I had hidden in the snow. The worse that happened was Hammar found one of the rope traps and ended hanging upside down. Maximilian took the victory.

That social task behind me, I can now start getting together my few men and belongings needed for another trip to Farhaven. Fergus has already taken care of his and I feel like -I- am the lazy one for once rather than him.

On a different note, I dreamt of another one of father's lessons. It was an excursion out into the forests where I learned from him one of my many games of cat and mouse I employ against the Shav's up north. The game itself is best saved for another time, but I remember the aftermath and the man's head upon the pike. Apparently he was the devil upstart who started the entire conflict to begin with. As father planted and anchored the pike into the ice he gruffly opined, "A cleaved head no longer plots. " Succinct wisdom, that is.

Written By Donella

Nov. 11, 2016, 10:06 p.m.(2/5/1005 AR)

Relationship Note on Gareth

We knew one another, distantly, when we were younger. Before his torments at the hands of the Shavs, but after the Tyde war. That boy is gone. He retains his agile mind, but he is very altered in spirit. He became an inquisitor.

Written By Victus

Nov. 11, 2016, 8 p.m.(2/5/1005 AR)

Relationship Note on Donella

People have asked me about my opinion of Donella.

A woman is not the ideal fit for the Voice of Thrax. None the less, if a woman was meant to be the voice, it is Donella. I suspect that if she were a man, I would support her candidacy for Prince of Maelstrom.

She is not, of course.

But she is, undoubtedly, the epitome of a woman of Thrax.

Written By Darren

Nov. 11, 2016, 7:44 p.m.(2/5/1005 AR)

Relationship Note on Donrai

Prince Donrai Thrax embodies all that one imagines when they picture what a High Lord of House Thrax should be. I was glad for the opportunity to meet with him before the Assembly and determine what kind of man he was. And now that I know, I feel we're far better prepared than ever before to face what is ahead of us.

Written By Natalia

Nov. 11, 2016, 5:57 p.m.(2/5/1005 AR)

And all at once we were no more
Slipping through each others fingertips
We were now at odds on distance shores
Because of broken whispers on liars lips

We were once stronger than steel
A bond that would never truly break
Now I find that it was never real
And suffer for that trusting mistake

The lines have been drawn in wayward sand
While we work against the steady stream
We are now forever divided to different lands
While the past becomes but a dream

So I will redefine you, dearest, in my life
And you will continue to hit me with your lies
My head will remain up through this strife
Because this is truly the last of goodbyes

Written By Damon

Nov. 11, 2016, 4:20 p.m.(2/5/1005 AR)

It's finished. I've done it. I've written a damn book.

An entire book.


...Now what?

Written By Isolde

Nov. 11, 2016, 4:09 p.m.(2/5/1005 AR)

* Learn how to not get distracted and want a tree-trimmed outfit. Itchy. Fur.

Written By Isolde

Nov. 11, 2016, 4:08 p.m.(2/5/1005 AR)

To Do List:
* Get a new outfit, Exotic Leather, fir trimmed?
* Get a new outfit, Fireweave (Holy Request)
* Learn how to train my new pet how to rip out the throats of my enemies.
* Host a religious event. Without inciting riots.
* Reprioritize my life
* Actually focus on the important things of life.

Written By Isolde

Nov. 11, 2016, 4:04 p.m.(2/4/1005 AR)

Relationship Note on Calypso

Lady General Calypso is a delight. How else can one say it? We have so little in common, but what we do, a determination and passion to protect the ones we love, is transcendant. I haven't played Chess in some time, and hopefully our gaming dates will continue. I might even forgive her brother for running off on some adventure without me, for her sake.

Written By Cicero

Nov. 11, 2016, 2:25 p.m.(2/4/1005 AR)

A surprise visit
Forgotten promise made good
At least, close enough

Written By Eirene

Nov. 11, 2016, 1:31 p.m.(2/4/1005 AR)

Relationship Note on Eos

So strange seeing him again. Brings back a lot of memories and few of them good ones. His wife... I think that was one of the few funerals I actually felt anything other than numbness. He has his scars and only a few of them were ones I could actually help with. I hate having old friends around; gives me something to lose. But still - I'm actually relieved to know there's a warrior I trust at Caly's side.

Written By Donella

Nov. 11, 2016, 1:02 p.m.(2/4/1005 AR)

Relationship Note on Abbas

My cousin, the son of Princess Marjory and her foreign traitor prince. I don't know that he is different since returning from his ill-fated voyage to Eurus, but it has made him quieter. It has not made him a less revolting dining partner.

He is as fond of me as he ever was, which, I think, is not very much. Battle tactics and political theory must not have very many similarities. He does not like that I call him "Sea Lion."

Written By Donella

Nov. 11, 2016, 12:48 p.m.(2/4/1005 AR)

Relationship Note on Nadia

I am not sure how I managed to convince the Duchess Nightgold that I would make a good addition to her social circle, but apparently I did something. And I have decided that I like her. She is attentive, and engaging, and walking with her opens doors that might otherwise be slammed in my face. Maybe they are afraid of her "dog"?

Written By Eirene

Nov. 11, 2016, 12:29 p.m.(2/4/1005 AR)

Ships. I had never been on one as long as the journey to Arx. Never again. I'll take an overland caravan before I settle on a boat for any duration that long. I learned how many colors of vomit a sea-sick person can produce. The only highlight was the ships' surgeon and I comparing the best color of infection we've ever seen on a patient. Turns out some sailors get as injured as soldiers, especially after pirates attempt to board. I say attempt because if they are successful there's rarely any sailors left...

Arx is what I had expected. Puffed up sons and daughters of the people who are busy doing all the work back home, here to represent mommy and daddy or big brother or sister, scout out potential spouses, show off how rich they are in flashy clothes... At least Caly isn't displaying any of these nonsensical traits.

There is something on the horizon. Old soldier's intuition. Old. Ha. I'm too young to call myself old. But surrounded by these kids... all my neice and nephew's age... I feel very old indeed. I just hope my being here will help them come out all right when that storm hits.

Written By Donella

Nov. 11, 2016, 12:27 p.m.(2/4/1005 AR)

The capital is a stressful place, so one expects a certain level of anxiety from people who have not lived here their whole lives, or not spent significant time between the walls. I expect excitement to trouble the slumber of the young, and the chill from the wind to trouble the old.

But people speak of their nightmares over meals. Or do not speak of them, yet still sit hollow-eyed. I see heads nodding in chapel. I see yawns from the men on the docks, who have risen early all their lives. The groom was pinching himself, to stay awake.

It is not that they cannot sleep, or that they do not have time. I think it is that they do not want to close their eyes, to greet what they will see.

I may be the only person I know who is sleeping with no particular difficulty, and having only the ordinary sort of dreams. What does that mean?

Written By Nadia

Nov. 11, 2016, 10:40 a.m.(2/4/1005 AR)

“Tears in our wake, never at our wake.” – the old adage of House Thrax, and words the Reavers echoed back to Prince Abbas and I before we witnessed a horror unlike either of us had ever seen before. I’ve waged war against the most depraved of Abandoned, seen all manner of gore with my own eyes – all of that paled in comparison to what we uncovered.

I’ll spare you the details, and myself of having to relive it so soon. From the depths, comes courage - and for that, we dug deep.

Written By Juliet

Nov. 11, 2016, 9:21 a.m.(2/4/1005 AR)

Relationship Note on Max

The Count Darkwater and I got off to a rocky start. By the third time we met... Well. I was unimpressed, to say the least.


The fourth time, he called me out on leaving him behind. So I explained to him why, in excruciating detail. I think I shocked poor Princess Natalia - I've strived to be nice since I came to Arx, after all.

I am pleased to say that the Count rose above what I expected of him. I am pleased to say that he appears to be a fine man, despite my initial impressions.

Perhaps we will make fine friends still. And I'll watch him be a proper Rake.

Written By Aldwin

Nov. 11, 2016, 7:49 a.m.(2/3/1005 AR)

Relationship Note on Fortunato

A talented artist and an old friend.

Written By Joscelin

Nov. 11, 2016, 2:11 a.m.(2/3/1005 AR)

We haven't had a real meeting as a guild, not since I've joined, which makes sense for a lot of reasons.

Lazarus Mercier and I are looking to remedy this with the brunch tomorrow. I'm looking forward to getting my friends and peers in the same room. I so often see them on their own, in their stores or in my shop as happenstance or a brief 'hello' and a chat about how they're doing.

Getting them in the same place, however, has been a bit like herding cats. But that's nothing new.

Gods. Dreams.

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