Chronicle: Part XI. «Expedition»

[Ollie]

Chronicle: Part XI. «Expedition»

The next part of Shelley Bacs' chronicle transfers us from fates of various races of Arinar after the Great Cataclysm to history of lands, on which current in-game events take place.

To be more precise, we are going to talk about expedition, an expedition that sets off to the heart of the Great Sea - in search of Archeon Mountain!

 

 

The 114th year after the Great Cataclysm

Second quarter — 37th dawn

Mountain, mysterious mountain. At first, rare oddballs spoke about it, and their speeches caused only a smile from ordinary citizens. However, there were more and more such prophets, and soon there was no longer enough space for listeners in the squares. Throughout Arinar, numerous cults raised their heads, whose members called for the search for the mountain from the prophecy.

How did the powers that be react to this? Well, to put it mildly, they didn't like it. The leaders of the nations took measures and with an iron fist returned order to the streets of the cities. The revived Order of the Inquisition from New Altgard and demonologists from Kronun distinguished themselves especially brightly here. If the former did not stand on ceremony and destroyed entire neighborhoods, then the latter preferred to destroy the cults from within.

The irony was that the mayors and kings themselves saw these dreams and understood that the mountain existed. As has happened more than once in troubled times, a council was called, and in the course of furious debate, its members came to an agreement. So... An expedition awaits us! And guess who managed to get into its crew?

 

The 114th year after the Great Cataclysm

Third quarter — 17th dawn

The closer the sailing date, the more delegations arrive from all over Arinar. Each people has a place in the expedition, and I decided to find out more about the interests of each.

As you might expect, goblins are interested in mining metals and creating new trade routes. So their delegation consists of miners and engineers of all stripes, mixed with merchants.

My neighbors from Catoravia took the news of the expedition with great seriousness. Shamans believe that the mountain has become home to powerful ancestral spirits whose will will guide Muars for centuries to come.

Tattooed all over and clad in dark robes, Noxian Spiritualists are filled with unhealthy fanaticism. For many years they have been trying to figure out how to return magic to Arinar, and now they are sure that the mountain will give them an answer.

The need to constantly defend their borders makes the elven leaders anxious about the expedition. Seems like their main goal was to find a new home for their people, and I'm willing to swear, that thorny island is involved!

The gorr delegation strikes the most. We expected to see the mighty warriors for which this harsh people are so famous, but instead of them, arrived some who resembled ... priests. They are dressed in scarlet robes and are not very talkative, and the most curious thing is that they do not have horns.

As expected of my kind, humans want to extract profit from whatever the discovery of the mountain will bring. Whether it will be trade routes, a new source of power, or just a place for another city, it does not matter. As the saying goes: "Our age is short — take every opportunity!"

 

The 114th year after the Great Cataclysm

Third quarter — 76th dawn

And now, that day has come. Today we will venture into the unknown!

Each of the ships of the expeditionary fleet embodies the best achievements of modern engineering, but one stands out among them. Its deck is hidden by a steel shell, and the unmistakable clicking of gears is heard from inside. All my attempts to get inside failed, so now it remains only to guess what role is destined for the miracle ship.

As for our destination, the council pointed to the only place where the mountain could be hiding. Many years have passed since the time of the Great Cataclysm, and the brave seafarers far and wide furrowed the entire Arinar, mapping the islands and continents. More precisely, almost all. One region at the center of the Great Sea, whose borders are surrounded by an incessant lightning storm, remains a mystery.

This place is known as the Storm's End, and getting there is quite a challenge. Not every nation can afford to send a fleet so deep into the sea, and a raging storm is not too conducive to travel. And if our brave engineers have not found a way to break through this veil, then the fate of the members of the expedition will be rather unenviable.

***

To be continued!