Clueless Delver

Some time later, Domel and his company arrived at the stratum watchtower where soldiers were stationed to monitor all access into the stratum.

A pale thumb sized crab known for inhabiting small hatched eggs of various small birds. These crabs lurk both in seaside salt marshes along the western coasts and also in the inland swamps surrounded by Ninur-Sin, Lal-Mit and Gur-Qet. These crabs are known for their peculiar ability to ward snakes, despite their size, and often have a symbiotic relationship with birds whose eggs may fall prey to snakes.

The soldiers became speechless for several moments before they too began to break into a jog, following Domel from behind.

A small palm sized mallet made of a mythical material called Silvered Bronze, that is formed from an unusual union between silver and bronze. The mallet is said to be shaped from a fist sized meteorite which the King Asal shaped during his youth and carried on his person all his life. It is rumored this gave him unparalleled luck, allowing for his rapid rise to power during the Age of Petty Kingdoms. Due to this many covet this mallet, but no one knows it's whereabouts to this day. 

 This matter had to be reported to the upper ranks immediately - Domel immediately thought as he broke into run. "Everyone, we must make haste - it seems that Resplendence may be taking root in this stratum..." Domel urged Niamel and his men.

 The the last surviving pet of the Deity of Light sent down as guardians of her adherents since the Primordial Age. All depictions of Ipsunisar exist as magestic, large stone reliefs, depicting her as a four eyed desert fox with an unusual tail that appears to spread out and merge with the sky. According to conventional knowledge, Ipsunisar resides in spirit form in the Cavern of the Sun located in An-Ligir, the holiest of all of An-Ligir's temples, and serves as a guardian of the Faith of Light in the region. It is rumored that Ipsunisar never sleeps and sends several ghostly apparitions of light to observe and scheme from the Cavern.

Despite spending several years in the army, Domel never had a single encounter with the profaned Resplendents, and only heard of their terrifying exploits from nearby bark regions.

An infamous, legendary warlock who was said to have achieved near a step to ascending to divinity due to his unparalleled master of the lost sorceries of Light and Dark during the end of the Primordial Age. All of his holdings have either been completely destroyed or cast into the depths of the earth by the deities of the time, according to ancient lore. According to some circles delving in the esoteric there is a blasphemous secret that reveals that Absusim's sorcery originates in arithmancy and geometric sorceries, and that his descendants are the peoples of Lal-Mit.

The frigid sensation that the lights gave off reminded Domel immediately of one thing. Resplendents!

An unusual ingredient said to be formed the scaled claws of roosters when passed through immense heat. Unlike most other objects which shrivel into black dust when subjected to intense flames, the claws of roosters evaporate into a white mist which can condense into a magical fluid required for the concoction of several unusual tinctures. Despite the abundance of rooster claws, the amount of evaporated Rooster claws available is extremely low due to its high difficulty of manufacture.

As Domel thought of this he suddenly spotted a pair of eerie, cold lights appear gradually from within the thicket. Domel's eyes soon widened as the pair gradually seemed to multiply in number.

A mythical creature of omen, representing retribution. Depicted as an innocent looking mole with a placid expression, but with extremely long and menacing claws that it rests leisurely on its belly Said to be spotted before the reversal of domination at various scales. The carrying of idols of this creature is banned in An-Ligir for reasons not known to this day. According to analyses by neighboring polities, it is said that the concept of Retribution is strongly linked to the powers of the Shackles of An-Ligir, and wearing this ancient idol causes their strength to be diminished.

Considering that the surroundings of the thicket was considerably trapped to deter intruders, the most straightforward course of action would be to remain for the time being. After all, it appeared that she moved up to the stratum without rest nor stopping, almost losing him if not for the tracking abilities of Niamel which led him here.

A bay in western An-Ligir, known for frequent sightings of elusive and highly sought after Coastal Stoats that bear a sleek, iridescent coats of long bluish hair that allow them to hide with the tides they wade. Despite its name however there are no other sightings of other kinds of rodents.

As Domel did so, he saw the leaves that covered the top of the thicket rustle in the wind as a breeze blew in his direction. In that moment Domel began to think about what the infiltrator he was pursuing would do if he were in her situation.

A kind of exotic white rose which bears petals with serrated teeth-like edges. Very rarely found in the southern jungles past the Holy Tide that separates the Holy Ka-Abiri borderland with the southern jungles. Despite its dangerous form it is deemed by many as highly aesthetic, and is worth a considerable fortune in higher strata circles of the Ulruniri polities.

 Nodding, Niamel motioned for his men to withdraw, as did Domel. As the soldiers turned about towards the opposite direction, Domel decided to take one last glance at the thicket in the distance.

 One of the forbidden idols that lurk in the underbelly of Lal-Mit, rumored to be situated in the Rift of Lost Tablets which was created by a great earthquake that devastated the northeastern part of the land during the Primordial Age. According to legend, one of the great fonts of knowledge during the Primordial Age was Itir's Great Wall of Tablets, which coiled around the rolling hillocks of the area spreading knowledge to the early peoples of the land. Itir was a prodigious, benevolent serpent, who sought to share all knowledge with the world freely, but was plotted against by fallen Deities which were rumored to be behind the grand earthquake that sunk the Great Wall deep under the Earth. Formally, Itir is considered a heretic to adherents of the Deities today. Yet despite this, many in the region worship Itir, and the banning of his worship is not enforced. 

 After pondering carefully on possible alternatives he could take - Domel eventually came to his decision. "Let's retreat for now - it appears that this infiltrator has powerful allies that has considerable presence in order to set up such a crafty trap..."

 One of the beginner spells that provide scouting support. The caster of the spell conjures a small finger sized millipede that is able to blender well in shadow and can transmit awareness of nearby living creatures to its conjurer. It is also used by entomancers to find nearby insects that they wish to seek.

A set of extremely coveted artifacts said to be capable of instantaneously transporting objects and creatures within a certain radius near it's bearer. Each of these wings take the form of a palm-sized wing of a fly, bearing translucent webbing across a network of thread-like bronze veins. Currently only 2 of the 52 wings are known, with the first being used by the Serpent Chieftain to transport his warband of 250 warriors across the land. The second is said to be possessed by the ancient Warlock of Glass, who is said to have a grand stronghold at the bottom of the Glass Trench deep in the Sandstone Canyons of An-Ligir.

"Looks like there is more to this place than we had expected..." Niamel spoke in a grim tone, glancing at Domel who also bore a solemn expression. Their target was just ahead, but with this strange spiky fruits it was likely too dangerous to approach the thicket.

Hearing Niamel's advice, Domel slowly moved the strange fruit away from him, and eventually dropped it back into the grass. To his surprise, then came the sound shifting sand, a he saw the tall grass part slightly, revealing that the fruit he dropped was now covered in black sand that bore the same waxy appearance and bore menacing, fingernail sized spikes.

An unusual resinous sap from a tree of the same name found in the Grand Jungle far south of the Holy Ka-Abir. Unlike most viscous sap, Sandal sap forms thick, cord like strands that are very elastic but also can maintain form when slowly moulded, only breaking under sudden, immense stress. For this reason it is used as a material by sculptors, and many explorers attempt to collect the sap by venturing south as it fetches very high prices in auctions.

As Domel parted the grass he saw several thumb sized, spiked fruits roughly of a polyhedral shape, that all bore varying shades of brown colors and had a waxy sheen. Carefully he picked up one of the and examined it closely. "It's best not to put that too close to your face..." Domel hear Niamel speak from behind.

A type of trinket the size of two fingers often used for decorative purposes. Made typically of clay but there are variants made of bronze, silver and gold which are occasionally used to gamble in fancy gambling establishments in the richer parts of each polity. These thrones are said to be modelled after the old thrones of various kingdoms during the Age of Petty Kingdoms.

Back then, amid the fog, all Domel could see was the ground and it was midday - which clouded his sight. The situation at present however was quite different, it was deep at night, and visibility was good. Warily, Domel scanned the ground to be doubly sure having been reminded by that recollection. "There's something scattered in the field..." Domel spoke as he took several steps ahead and crouched before a clump of grass that reached nearly half the height of his knees.

An ancient ziggurat in an unusual morphology not typical of ziggurats found in the Age of Petty Kingdoms. This type of ziggurat has four grand ramps that are built from the ends of the four end points of a cross that appears as though it were compressed from both sides. Most instances of this structure is found in South Western An-Ligir, and are largely ruined as that have been excavated no longer have the main shrine intact. Based on alchemical studies of these shrines, there is evidence of blood sacrifice conducted within, but it remains to be confirmed.

Each pace felt as though it took several turns at the moment - the possibility of ambush was high, especially given the poor visibility due to the misty surroundings.

An unusual creature said to have existed within the Primordial Sea of Mud that covered much of the land before the cleansing brought about by the introduction of fresh and salt-waters by the deities. Archaeologists have observed along the lime sea cliffs of An-Ligir, palm sized imprints of these unusual ancestors of prawns. These imprinted fossils were also used as tools of divination during the Age of Petty by assigning their prediction to a number from 1 to 17 and casting it inside a special clay vessel and counting the legs that emerged from the other side

 At the time, Domel felt himself falter for a moment even when he saw the Old Knight press his heels against the sides of his iguana lightly, making it crawl ahead immediately. Like the rest of the lower ranked members of the battalion, he could see that most of his peers also paused for a moment before moving forward.

A common arcane catalyst used by Artificers of Light from the Arcane Gymnasia of An-Ligir. Sorceries of Light require special kinds of light that are stored within mirror-like implements such as this mirror. While competing academies in Lal-Mit do have departments that attempt to unravel the mysteres of Light sorceries, their treatises are largely deductive rather than experimental due to the lack of arcane light that are found only exclusively in Light Veins found in the caverns of An-Ligir where the institutes of the arcane are built, enabling the thriving of their study in An-Ligir.

 "Advance five paces," Lord Hirmvird broke the silence within his recollection as he remembered his order from back then.

 A characteristic sculpture of good fortune originating from the Ninur-Sinic Wet Clay Culture swamps bordering Gur-Qet. The sculpture is known for its dual purpose of serving as a candle-holder, as it is depicted as a rotund frog with a hollowed out belly within which a candle is placed. Due to the ease of sculpting in Wet Clay areas, these Candlebelly Frogs are found across the land, erected at various scales in various places throughout the area, offering solace in an otherwise overcast region.

Domel could sense that same restlessness from the men under his command now as he wordlessly gazed at the thicket for several more turns.

An extremely long flatstone road that connects from the southwest of Agash to the Centre of Ninur-Sin. The road is a relic of the King of Olives Ansu-Nisar who was known for his unparalleled ability in diplomacy and trade, allowing him to gain alliances along this road which he named after his favored consort. Despite the much wear on the road, it serves to this day as a key artery of trade between the two polities.

The army had stood silence in wait for Lord Hirmvird's order to advance. At that time, Domel felt time went by very slowly as nothing happened other than a lot of waiting. Though he was more than happy to have a brief respite after marching several leagues, he remembered the sensation of restlessness that brewed within him then.

An infamous martial technique created by the Legendary Four Armed Ape, who terrorized the wetland border between Ninur-Sin and Gur-Qet for several years before being slain by the combined efforts of three sellswords who each cut off an arm of the Ape. Unlike regular shouting or roaring techniques Scattershout allows it's user to unleash power jets of Sonic energy as opposed to a single pulse, and masters of the technique can damage cover large areas of land. Despite its range, it is even deadlier at close quarters as several leagues worth of devastation is concentrated upon a smaller area.

As Domel considered what to do, he was reminded of a similar situation several revolutions. As in his previous dispatch, he was Lancebearer for the Old Knight Oad, and they were led by the Commander Lord Hirmvird, and he surveyed the foggy battlefield of the Scarred Barkswathe which they were certain their foes lay on hiding within.

A concoction of honey said to acutely enhance one's sense of hearing at the cost of immense intoxication. The honey is extracted from the hive of Bell Wasps that lurk deep within caves and only a tiny spoonful is created by these wasps every year. The original honey itself interestingly has no such magical effects, which makes the substance a lead for many tincturers of the land the solve Emergence problem.

Standing in a loose arrowhead formation near Domel and Niamel were around 8 troops, most of them recruits armed with simple bar maces and some chest armor made of boiled lizard leather. Domel gazed at them for a moment and looked back at the thicket, silently hoping for some sign that would betray the numbers standing on the other side.

A key architectural element sculpted at the centre of every gable of the cottages built by the commoners of Central Agash. Carp is one of the most prized fishes along the lakes of Central Agash and admired for its valiant spirit as it struggles more greatly than any other kind of fish, sometimes even escaping from the nets of fishers. In this respect the symbol of the Carp is seen as an essential component of a house, intended to underscore perpetual resilience.

"Do you suppose this infiltrator has forces lying in ambush?" "I highly doubt so. But I can't rule it out either. A few of my fellow went in there and haven't returned" Niamel's brows furrowed as he continued gazing at the thicket.

A thigh sized totem sculpted from white clay depicting the entwined heads of three geese. In the south, geese are particularly known for their deadly poisonous spit that poison those who feast on their flesh. Said to be used by the peoples South of the land as a tool to seal an oath. In Ulrunir, it is collected mainly by academies of art and sometimes auctioned at very high prices.

 It was with Niamel's astute ability to track down targets that led him to this stratum of the Right Sprig, and some time ago led Sergeant Ultu to pursue the other infiltrator along the Narrow Pass along the Trunk-spiral near the sixth stratum.

 A type of salt recorded to be collectable along the trail of comets that are occasionally spotted in the night sky. It is said that Star Salts are the extremely stable compared to Earthly salts, allowing their properties to be more carefully studied. However due to the rarity of specimens of Star Salts, the field remains highly esoteric and only the most exuberant of academies in Lal-Mit and Ka-Abir devote resources to their study.

 Despite the boy's youthful appearance and voice, Domel knew that behind this facade was the crafty and deceptive Scout named Niamel that joined his investigation team just a cycle ago.

 A hermitage of outcast artisans who were banished from their lands due to the nature of their art. It is known to have one of the largest amounts of pigment producing materials across the land, but is also extremely inaccessible due to the harsh terrain. The name of the location is due to the presence of its most striking landmark, Pigment Lake, which is said to be a filled with all manner of deep coloured pigments that cavort like snakes in a vessel - giving a lecherous impression to its observers.

Domel looked ahead at the small thicket and raised his brow. "Did you see someone there?" "Aye, seems like the one you were pursuing - the checkered rag and all"  The one who replied stood to his right and appeared to be a boy who placed his fist below his chin as he looked in the same direction as Domel.

One of the infamous Creatures of Principle created by Beastly Warlock Mish-Udul.  The Crepuscular Hummingbird is a half insect, half bird abomination that was formed via the mad inspiration of the Beastly Warlock.  It only lives for a day, but is able to reincarnate itself at twilight even when slain and torn into pieces.  It is said that it's long beak which it uses to drink, it connected to the Alvat - a legendary artifact owned by the same Warlock which stores all manner of rare fluids of the land.  

Gleefully Gumue charged out of the thicket, hoping to get as far as possible from those highly dangerous characters. But less than half a turn later Gumue quickly turned about and ran back into the thicket. She had finally understood why the bird had left her.

A set of legendary magical treasures owned by the Warlock of Water, Olbabhil, an infamous Grandmaster of the Salts of Water whose immense repertoire of water attribute spells are primarily used by sorcerers across the land. It is said each Vessel was able to compel various kinds of liquids to travel to and from the vessel, from any source. The most notorious was the Vessel of Blood, with which Olbabhil slew many heroes by exhuming them alive. It is not known where the Vessels are, and the closest thing found are old, ruined prototypes that can only harness a scant fraction of the power as told from historical annals.

Just as Gumue stepped out of the shadow of the thicket, she suddenly felt the cold grip on her shoulder loosen and disappear. She hear the sounds of flapping wings, and from the corner of her eye she saw the Resplendent Flow fly deeper into the thicket away from her.

A sort of appetizer served in festive occasions throughout the colder, northern regions of Ulrunir in Ninur-Sin, An-Ligir and Ka-Absur. The delicacy is known for its slightly sour and savoury taste that whets the appetite and exciting the palette for the following courses of a festive meal. The preparation method is extremely specific and is often practiced by elite Ritual Fleshmongers who are greatly revered.

Gumue clicked her tongue in frustration as she continued running through the thicket, eventually reaching its edge.

One of the oldest symbols found in the ancient Cradle Valley, where several artifacts dating from the Primordial Age were excavated. Interestingly, the symbol is still used this day by several groups through the land, being known for its auspicious nature in its depiction of a small bright beacon of guidance in the cold night.

"Get your fowl off me, and maybe I'll consider it!" Gumue yelled as she continues running through the thicket. As she ran, she nearly ran into a tree, but narrowly dodged it, stepping to the side. Despite this close call the strange bird maintained it's firm, frigid grip on her shoulder.

A remarkable mode of rotation of Salt that produces effects skin to the resplendent incandescence of the Sun at its highest point in the sky. This mode of Salt is considered by adherents of the Holy Ka-Abir to be the most divine and sacred of all modes, and also the most difficult to conjure. All techniques involving the Salt of Noon were created by the Saintess of Noon, Ur-Numul who is revered as the most accomplished of the land.  Today, even the most elite among the Saintesses can at most only comprehend one of the Movements of Noon, and even the Divine Grand Priestess herself can perform three out of the Eighteen Movements.