Clueless Delver

After a few moments, the quartermaster returned with a chest and a key. Placing it on his side of the counter, he unlocked it and withdrew from it two bronze badges. "You're in luck... We just have two left," he spoke as he placed the two badges on the counter and shifted it towards the three.

A renowned Sacred Warrior of the Holy capital Ka-Abir, where the polities convene in the presence of the Holy Adjudicators that maintain the balance of power among the great factions. Lir-Irat is known for his exemplary mastery of commanding large flying birds and harnesses a combination of spells and archery, allowing him to hold his ground against nearly a hundred men alone. He leads the Holy Falconers who are disciples of his art and they travel the polities by the grace of the Holy Cushion of Feathers, Nor-Azat, the Priestess of Air.

 The quartermaster past the counter bore a stout built and strict expression, after reading the presented piece of parchment he gazed at the faces of Domel and Ultu for a few moments before returning the parchment to Ilding. "Wait a few turns... I shall draw the badges from the store," the quartermaster spoke with a very deep voice as he walked away from the counter.

 A much sought after plant root known to exude a scent akin to well aged liquors.  Despite its similarity in aroma, it bears no property of intoxication. Liquor-root is used refined by sugar-makers by boiling them and distilling their residue to create liquor sugars which are used in a variety of precious confectioneries found in An-Ligir and the western parts of Ninur-Sin, and is thus a premium, luxury good throughout the land.

 Eventually the recruit Ilding stopped at a counter with walls fashioned from petrified wood with a caged opening allowing view past it where another the quartermaster stood poring over a ledger. Taking out a roll of parchment, the recruit placed it on the counter spoke to the quartermaster. "Master, we have a request for two temporary Intelligencer badges from Master Hilse"

 The current seater of the Throne of Lead of the Heroic Covenant of Ninur Sin. Before her ascension she was known as Pur-Imat the Slinglord who served under the Throne of Stone.  He feat of ascension was her transcendent ability with the sling with which she slew many terrible beasts including the deformed child of the profaned Beast of Summer, which destroyed much of the Eastern parts of Ninur-Sin during the War of Fevers.  Thereafter, following the fall of the previous Throne of Lead during his duel with a Sacred Beast of Gur Qet during the same war, she was selected out of ten to take part in the ascension ritual at the end of which she triumphed.

Domel immediately recognized the location as the store being managed by the Quartermasters. Most likely they were here to first draw their badges, which Domel recalled seeing once during an expedition when his camp was once subject to investigation by an Intelligencer.

An ancient but popular parable featuring Ulrurur the Doomed, Deity of Pottery, the most talented of all deities in the Higher Realm who was said to be responsible for the creation of Ulrunir herself, during the first days of the Primordial Age. The parable speaks of how Ulrurur sought to being order the the Primordial Mud by shaping it into pots. However the other deities who descended were jealous of his work and worked together to curse him, making him incapable of shaping mud. Due to this, all Ulrurur could shape were terrible abominations, failed pots that became the terrible creatures who terrorized the first peoples of the land. Despite Ulrurur's exalted status as creator of the world, he is often used as an example for people to practice humility and hide strength. 

They went down several flights, circumambulating the tree up to three times before heading further ahead towards what seemed to be a corridor of dense, caged walls forged of bronze. Past these cages, Domel saw several weapon and armor racks and numerous cabinets labeled with several small wooden cards.

A type of valuable and impressive looking lacquer that gives the object upon which it is applied the look of being wreathed in roiling flames. The pattern of flame is the result of an optical illusion that forms as the lacquer is applied. To this day there is no record as to how the lacquer is made and few are found deep in the long lost treasure vaults of ancient ziggurats.

These sights were a first for Domel, who was typically either in the barracks, stationed at the battlements or out in the battlefield alongside the old knight Oad. Soon, following the recruits lead, Domel found himself descending a flight of spiral stairs constructed around the trunk of a large columnar tree.

One of the most difficult but useful spells known among advanced sorcerers of Ulrunir. Depending on the element the Spell is cast with, one can traverse the elemental medium such as Air, Water and even Fire, with blinding speed, allowing for a swift escape. Yet the spell is said to be exceedingly difficult and only a few talented sorcerers know it.

As the three emerged from the Master's office, they were greeted with a busy corridor around six strides wide. Numerous other doors lined the other side of the corridor, all of which were occupied by soldiers of various ranks. As they followed the recruit, Domel was surprised to find that even one of the few generals of the Twin Sprig's army had a office nearby.

The steed of the Shackle of Clouds, Niri-Nghan of An-Ligir. The Bull of Air was said to have descended from the legendary Formless Bull, which was the first creature that the Deity of Air had created, in an age before the Primordial Age where much creatures still lived in the high realms. It is said that Niri-Aghan, who mastered the sorcery of flight managed to find the the egg of this bull, and through centuries managed to hatch it into the Bull of Air. Unlike any creature that can be found in the lands, it is immune to physical blows and can take flight without wings. It is also said that it is to some extent invisible and only those who are particularly perceptive can see it.

The recruit faltered for a bit as the Master finished his sentence, but as she raised her brow, he quickly clicked his heels together in a salute before turning to Ultu and Domel. "... Please follow me Sergeant, Lancebearer." Giving a parting salute, Ultu and Domel turned and followed the recruit outside the office.

One of the most formidable defensive levies of An-Ligir, who serve the Shackle of Death, Is-Dorur. Known for their extremely bulky, sinewy physique which requires a particular secret diet, their bodies are refined through a series of specific rituals allowing them to tread on the battlefield unclothed, with only a gargantuan, thick shield in hand that resembles a bisected urn. They are known for their unparalleled ability to maintain control and defense of a position in the battlefield, as they exude a defensive aura larger than themselves. It is said that three Urnbearer Guards once held their own against an whole army led by three Envoys of the Throne of Sand of Ninur-Sin, defending the key settlement of Auniru which then came to be known as the One-and-Half Urn Village, as a symbol of eternal gratitude to the guards.

 "Ols!" the Master yelled, after which a voice replied from the next office. "Aye, Master!" After a few steps from outside, the door opened to reveal a bespectacled man who wore a braid that hung on his left shoulder. "I've decided to grant Sergeant Ultu and Lancebearer Domel here the right as temporary Intelligencers. Get them their badges and give them a few men,"  the Master instructed the man named Ols, pointing to Ultu and Domel as she spoke their name.

 A warband of benevolent High-Alligator riders who wander the wild swamplands between Gur-Qet and Ninur-Sin which remain untamed to this day, vanquishing bloodthirsty wild beasts and criminal bands that lurk the land. Their insignia is a black scaled claw with talon-like nails. They are often found in their unique scaled yurts which they set up atop large boulders found dotting the swamp and are known for their formidable High-Alligator mounts which are hard to tame but are able to traverse swampland swiftly. These riders frequently hail from Gur-Qet and Ninur-Sin, some are even half-beasts born from unions between the Ninur-Sinic and Gur-Qetic peoples, which is generally considered taboo which is also one of the unspoken reasons for their residence in the wilds. But beyond this, the public perception of the Reptalons are high, as many exciting tales at the Swamp-border come from these gallant riders who stir the adventurous hearts of the youth.

"But we can't let the remaining infiltrators loose... Especially that Jumian..." Master Hilse spoke as she tapped her finger on the table. After a few more moments, Master Hilse turned to the armored Sergeant and spoke. "Sergeant Ultu, Lancebearer Domel - Seeing how the both of you hold the only leads we have of these two, I'll have the both of you lead the search."

One of the current leaders of the Heroic Covenant of Ninur-Sin. Unlike other Thrones who were either of Noble birth, or were formidable warriors who left the Holy Ka-Abir, Ilibipal was born a peasant of the highly unusual Scholar Beast tribe of half-beasts which bore inheritances from Ninur-Sin, Gur-Qet and Lal-Mit. Despite their lofty inheritance, none were able to inherit all three paths, and they were typically seen with ridicule and nicknamed the Factotum Tribe - due to their kinsmen often serving as servants and couriers. Ilibipal was the only one who managed to fuse the three after travelling for five decades the three polities as a champion for hire gradually accumulating his knowledge and abilities. At the old age of seventy, Ilibipal attained transcendence from his fusion of the three, and was subject to the Trial of Deific Lightning at the Jovial Plateau of the Dry Swamp, at the southeastern edge of Ninur-Sin which was domain to the previous Throne of Hide, Aal-Gasu who sough...

 Master Hilse briefly looked through the notes for a few moments before a sigh escaped her lips. "Looks like there's not much to work with. But with this we can be sure that the infiltrators weren't part of a association," Master Hilse spoke, with a hint of optimism.

 The magical tool of the Ilhilbaba, Cauldron of Sand. The tome is a highly reflective sandstone tablet on which nothing is written and is said to be extremely smooth. By channeling the tome, large expanses of terrain can be levelled or sloped according to Ihilbaba's will, giving him the informal title, The Moulder.  He many of the lands he has moulded have been occupied and built upon by Lal-Mittic frontiersmen, thus many of such people are followers of Ilhilbaba.

"Did the interrogators manage to get the three to speak?" Master Hilse asked as she took the stack of notes from Ilding. "No, Master. Only one of them spoke, but Sergeant Wecs managed to make a few key observations from them nonetheless," Ilding replied.

One of the many magical artifacts of the Cauldron of Mud, Mulnon, an accomplished archaeologist and grand master of artifactomancy, that involve sorceries that manipulate and create magical tools and artifacts. The Vase is made of an unknown white clay-like material always carried on Mulnon's person, and is known to be able to grow in size and weight at her will, serving as containers for large volumes of matter and also as a makeshift weapon that can pulverize a large expanse of area at once. Unlike most vases crafted with detailed ornamentation, Mulnon's Vase is only adorned with a slight crack that starts from its mouth the about a quarter of it's full height.

The small office of the strategist fell silent for a few moments before there was a knock on the door. "Master Hilse, Recruit Ilding, here to deliver notes on the interrogation of the infiltrators!" "Come in," the seated superior which Domel now knew as Master Hilse spoke, after which the door slid open revealing a short recruit who marched in with stack of parchment bound by cord.

Simple but highly memorable melodic statements composed by the bard Isru, who was a journeyman of the lyre and lived as a wanderer during the Age of Petty Kingdoms. Isru never received formal training from the Musical Courts, where many musicians learned their craft and took to song according to his whims, which enchanted the masses and led to his popularity amongst the common folk centuries after his death. Today, many musicians memorize the Melodies, and due to their large number often challenge one another to recall them from memory.

"A Jumian? And this Jumian was controlling two large Swinebeasts?" "Yes we have the testimonies of all the soldiers who were standing guard there and myself," the sergeant responded with a solemn tone.

A legendary school of martial arts that employs specifically the wooden staff in its many combat plays.  The school is descended by the legendary Staff Sage Gadzu, who once served under the Mud Throne of Ninur-Sin. After the War of Five Feathers, he retired to Lal-Mit, where he tutored several Noble Scholars who opened several martial art schools in his name. It is said in his prime, Gadzu was able to fend off 13 sicklesword users with a staff half the height of an adult.

The Arm-Sickle of the infamous raider Zunuril, who, along with his band of hyenas terrorized much of the desert lands with his ruthlessness, trampling travellers who he subsisted on to survive the harshness of the environs. Originally a lowly soldier of the Bronze Throne Ninur-Sin, he was stranded in the desert due to the calamity of Long Sands but somehow survived, and replaced his decapitated left hand with the menacing mandible of a copper ant. It is rumored that he is of Shur-Qametic descent due to his unusual ability to survive for long periods without food and water. Despite his evil doings, he still lives to this day hiding within the sands.

In the corner of his view was a woman in half plate with the insignia of three maces embroidered on her pauldron which indicated her rank as a Sergeant of the Seekers, a reconnaissance unit usually sent out in to scout ahead of the main force during wartime and collect intelligence during peacetime. "Hmmm...? This person... Doesn't seem to be from these lands..." the woman looking at the documents muttered to herself as she turned her attention to another page. "According to our intelligence, he is likely a Jumian from the Supple Qeleres," the armored sergeant spoke.

 "So... these are the invaders who managed to pass the wall..." the clear, stern voice of a woman spoke. The sound of parchment being shuffled about on the table. Domel silently adjusted his footing as he stood at attention, but glanced, from the corner of his eye, at the other soldier who stood arm's length from him.

An extremely precious type of wine that is said to come from a land outside Ulrunir. So far there has only been five times the wine has been recorded to have been served, typically in the courts of the leaders of the Ulruniri polities. It is said to be unusually sweet, beyond any sweetness of pure nectar and sugars - and is said to intoxicate one to the point that one feels a sense of unlimited courage. As the method of brewing this wine is not known, it has not been confirmed whether it was distilled from the hearts of actual insects.

 "Alright we're nearly there..." Poso said as she pointed ahead with her other hand at the reins. Looking in the pointed direction, Gumue saw a large expanse of hedges that beset a snaking dirt path that led up to a simple wooden house covered at the top by a large ream of light blue cloth.

 One of the formidable infantry units of Agash, known for their ability to traverse difficult terrain rapidly even when transporting large amounts of cargo.  Agash is abundant in drywood and known for its superior craftsmanship of wood - making many folk experienced carpenters from youth, which allows soldiers to engineer bridges and all manner of wooden implements without the need for specialized combat engineers. Due to the large amount of wood they usually carry on their large rucksacks however, they are easily identified for afar, albeit benefitting from the defense such baggage offers to their backs.

"As much as I'd like to treat you to a drink right now, I'm afraid those barrels are empty. As you might have guessed by now, these are all barrels to be filled with drink to be sat for the next few revolutions," Poso replied as Gumue spotted her smile faintly as she looked to one side as she made a right turn at the fork the path.

A board game said to have been invented by Alak-Id, a Court Shaman during the Age of Petty Kingdoms who served the court of Linlil, a minor petty kingdom that was located in what is now Central Lal-Mit. The Wall of Linlil, known in short as Linlil, involves various clay statuettes representing the personification of various parts of a fortress and an army laid out on a triangular tiled board. Each piece has its specific way of moving across the board with the objective being capturing the Queen piece. Due to its many rules, the game played mainly by the highly learned, and is especially popular in Lal-Mit, where Linlil sets are made of a variety of extravagant materials. The Linlil Association keeps a leaderboard of those with the longest winning streak and most number of officially refereed wins, and the top 72 who make it to the board are given the title of Guardian, with the top 12 being known as a Wallmasters.

"Well I can't deny that I enjoy a good drink, but in all honesty, I haven't had a drop recently," Gumue chuckled as she drummed her fingers on the barrels in the wagon as she took in more of the bucolic sights.

The suspected origin of the Plague of Pheasants, which shook the civilisations Ulrunir in the middle of the Age of Petty Kingdoms, located in the middle of where is now Western Agash. The Plague of Pheasants bestowed the afflicted with tiny pockmarks that made one's skin akin to the spotted red plumage of the Dryland Pheasant, which was rumored to have "spread it's spots" as revenge for being treated as livestock. It is for this reason that a number of villages in the western regions of Agash see the slaughter of Pheasants as taboo, and eschew its consumption.

"Are these... Grapes?" Gumue asked as she tried to identify the flowers. "Indeed! You must be quite the drinker!" Poso chuckled as she steered her iguana around the dirt road which snaked about the fields despite the level ground.

A fantastical creature that often appears in folklore as a bringer of unusual fortune. It bears the upper body of a woman with a lower body composed of the body of a striped tiger. In such tales, the Tigerfoot often serves as a courier of deities, bestowing the protagonist a tool that allows the surmounting of a tremendous hurdle.

Much like the branches of the previous two Strati Gumue had seen, the branch to which Poso rose bore large rolling plains upon the bark, though she noticed a large proportion of tall hedges upon which a multitude of tiny green and yellow petaled flowers could be seen.

An unusual type of white sand that is able to produce a loud, howling sound when blown through a pipe, akin to hound's howl albeit of a deep tone. Despite it's rarity and price, Howling Sand is not known for many uses other than it audio property and is only sought after by Lal-Mittic alchemists seeking the unraveling of the secrets behind it's strange properties, and trapmakers who seek means of alerting.

And so, Poso began asking about Gumue's travels thus far - greatly interested in the world beyond the Right Sprig, which comprised her the many revolutions of her old age. Happy to share, Gumue shared a few tales of the sights she saw, and they spoke until Poso eventually drove her iguana towards the Branch of the Third stratum.

Also known as the Ascetic's Nectarine, the Caltrop fruit is known for its wooden shell that bears numerous spikes which can cause injury when stepped on, giving it its name. Within the Caltrop fruit is a white fleshed citrus known for its fragrant, refreshing scent, and its great sweetness. It is consumed sparingly with its shell by beginner ascetics between long periods of fasting to prevent dehydration and to temper the flesh of one's innards. Due to its small size it is also sometimes found in desert rations as a replacement for large volumes of water.

 "I've only ever seen the Branches from two other Sprigs, and they are quite the opposite of what I'm see," Gumue spoke as she reminisced in the memories of her earlier travels with her mentor.

 A type of ceramic known of its remarkable and consistent pale pink color, and often used to the decorative wares of the Holy Ka-Abir. It is used in particular for making small plates and wine pots upon which are painted sacred parables. Like many other products made in Ka-Abir, their method of manufacture are extremely guarded secrets as these wares are said to be able to bestow unseen karmic blessings and even punishment.

 "What a breathtaking view," Gumue spoke as she took in the sights. "Is that so? Are the other Sprigs different?" Poso questioned.

 A remarkable kind of lacquer only procurable from the Holy Ka-Abir, often used as finish for divine instruments made of wood. Silver lacquer is said to have the ability to completely eliminate rotting from wooden objects and thus its ingredients and fabrication method is a closely guarded secret, only known to the Sacred Crafters of Ka-Abir.

Gumue was reminded of the few times she saw the Branches of a Sprig while she joined her mentor to visit other Sprigs. She was taken by the sheer bounty that the Right Sprig displayed, in contrast to the muddy, bleak and desolate branches she saw in from its counterparts.

A slab of spongy clay typically used by scribes to practice calligraphy due to the clay's ability to smoothen itself over time even when drawn upon using a stylus. Depending on the grade of clay, writings upon it may last from half a day up to several weeks. Occasionally these tablets are also used to write secrets intended to expire within certain periods of time, making them an important resource amongst secret societies.

"That's the Rolled Branch. Home to a good part of the Right Sprig's farmland," Poso said as she glanced in the direction of the Branch while driving her iguana to continue on the incline. "I live on the Presser's Branch, the third branch from the Buttresses. There's still a bit of riding left."

A type of monument constructed by Lal-Mittic Astrologers of the Solar school who devote their lives to unravelling the secrets of the sun, allowing for detailed observations that span generations. The structure is open to the sky and frames the sky in a specific oval configuration and are often engraved with text describing cyclical alignments of the sun. While centuries of studies have revealed typical solar cycles, those of the Solar school seek to divine the onslaughts of disasters such as drought and famine which they claim are due to the Sun's Omens which occur through the scale of centuries.

"The branches of the lower stratum on the Right Sprig are not as developed as even the buttresses - because the bark is more fertile there, most of the space is used for us farm folk to grow food," Poso continued. The moment Poso spoke this, Gumue saw the path diverge to reveal the first branch which held a large expanse of rolling farmlands with only slightly undulating terrain. Beyond the branch, she saw the towering silhouette of the Left Sprig - the other twin of the Twin Sprigs.

A type of worm that is known for its remarkable ability to lure fireflies.  It is almost the size of a child's pinky finger and has smooth, reddish screen, and feeds on a variety of plants and fungi. Firebait is also occasionally used by expert fishers to catch specific varieties of swamp fish that have strong, fatty bellies that are able to jump above water as these fish also seek out flocks of fireflies which the emerge from water to devour.

"Does anyone live nearby?" "Well if you count several leagues as near, that would be so"

A bronze flute shaped like an enlarged beak of a condor, typically in the shape of a sickle. It produces a loud, clear sound akin to the cry of a desert condor, and is typically used in musical compositions as a solo instrument as a main voicing representing the virtue of bravery and heroism.

 "Speaking of which..." Gumue said as she looked at the barrels on the wagon. "You've been carrying these barrels about yourself?" "That's right! And someone my age really has it tough. My old Gono here helps me haul it up the Sprig, but she can't help me lift them to the cellar!" Poso spoke as though she managed to lift a weight off her chest - Gumue imagined that Poso must have been very lonely, judging from her tone.

A special variety of dill that is only found in the northern regions of Ulrunir. Known for its distinctive aroma and numbing properties. It is typically boiled and distilled into oil, or grated into fine flakes to be used as condiments in a variety of cusines of the northern Agash, Lal-Mit and Shur-Qamet. Distilled Dill Oil is one of the most prized products from the northern regions, due to its numbing properties that is often harnessed as painkillers.

 "I can't say I've heard of the Doused Sprig. It must be pretty far," Poso remarked. "So I imagine your destination is the Anthre-port in the Middle Stratum?" "Indeed. But I am in no rush - should be able to spare a several cycles assisting you as recompense"

An exotic fruit from the lands south of Ulrunir. It is known for its distinctive wedge-like shape, easily peelable reddish skin, sweet flesh and reddish seeds that are usually ground to powder to serve as a condiment which greatly enhances hotness of food. While few people appreciate hotness as a culinary enhancement, it is in particular extremely popular in the southern parts of the Gur-Qetic swamps, particularly to the Hound folk, who use it as sort of a culinary sedative to block away scents that they are typically overwhelmed by due to their supernatural sense of smell. Though it is also known that the older generation of Hound folk frown upon its popularity, seeing the self initiated confronting and subduing of chaotic scents as the true mark of mastery of oneself.