REPORT ID: O/DOC-3454 SUBJECT: WARNING - GRAND LARCENY CLASS: SEC (REP, EYE, O:C) REL: VER, KEL, ILL, LOR, ELE, CAU TEXT: Be it known that under treaty law and for the necessary sharing of intelligence regarding criminal activities across our region, that the Imperial Security Directorate of Sorathia is pursuing ALL leads in the recent theft of ninety-four crates from Imperial warehouses. We advise that the items removed in this larcenous activity primarily consist of arrayed shield arcanum, scheduled for destruction pursuant to the instructions of General Arkayn given its obsolete nature and in accordance with Imperial Vertan's obligations under the Loramere Treaty. The Directorate seeks any information from our allies and friends regarding the identities of the two smalling thieves - known only at this time by the pseudonyms "M" and "R" - as well as any information that may lead to their detainment for their crimes committed against Imperial Vertan. The sentence for these committed acts, namely the deliberate transfer of Vertani knowledge and arcanum to illegal recipients, is death by bambine penetration. Penned by My hand on the 1st of Lupar, in the year 991 AF.

December has arrived! Some of you may notice that you start receiving wrapping paper while going about your renown hunting activities. This is deliberate. Read on! Later today (in around 12 hours), an [0;1;37mIRE-wide[0;37m festive event will begin, allowing you to wrap and send presents that transcend the worlds of the Iron Realms! This will include the opportunity to receive a promo stocking for completion, among many other rewards, so look out for my post! Halfway through the month the realm will become entirely festive. Makesh will put his Logosmas wares on sale, Ironbeard will make his rounds, and Merrywick will open once again! Meanwhile, stockings have returned to www.achaea.com/credits featuring the new [0;1;37mEmpires[0;37m talisman set (see below or HELP EMPIRES TALISMANS)! There is no bonus for Iron Elite owners with stocking purchases, but credits are also on sale at www.achaea.com/credits offering a 30% bonus on the purchase, that's 40% if you have Iron Elite! Stockings can also be opened for Logosmas talismans (OPEN STOCKING LOGOSMAS) if preferred! See [0;1;37mHELP STOCKINGS[0;37m for all stocking-related commands and to see a complete list of prizes and minimum stocking values! Every 150 stockings opened will trigger a bonus stocking in the next 50 to be opened, awarding massively increased prizes! ADDITIONALLY! For every 5 stockings of each type you purchase, you'll receive either a gold or platinum stocking of that tier! So if you purchase 5 fancy stockings, you'll get a gold (or platinum) fancy stocking. Gold and platinum stockings are special and fill up only on Christmas and New Year's Day, respectively! All previously hung stockings have been returned to their original owner's inventories, and can be hung fresh for yourselves or new recipients! And now presenting the [0;1;37mEmpires[0;37m talisman set... A luminous prism (TALISMAN INFO LUMINOUSPRISM) - Valued at 300 credits. - Themed for Targossas. - While worn, this prism shall produce a dazzling light, making it impossible to look directly at you and so hiding your description and what you might be wearing. - Note: does not hide divine favours or rare mineral statuses. A malevolent bullhorn (TALISMAN INFO MALEVOLENTBULLHORN) - Valued at 200 credits - Themed for Mhaldor. - Increases shout length by 100 characters (stacks with other shout length increases). Reduces the stun length of a shout of ridiculous length by 25%. A resin-cast formicary (TALISMAN INFO FORMICARY) - Valued at 500 credits. - Themed for Eleusis. - Invoke this formicary towards someone and it will burn away all ropes and webbing that entangle them. Carries a one minute cooldown. An imperial grapevine (TALISMAN INFO GRAPEVINE) - Valued at 800 credits. - Themed for Ashtan. - Possession of this perfectly pruned plant shall grant you the ability to [0;1;37mPROPAGANDISE[0;37m in locations where such tales may be swiftly spread (typically drinking establishments or similar). - This talisman mimics the functionality of the spreading aspect of the gossip ability in Sagas. A scorched tome bound in infernal iron (TALISMAN INFO INFERNALTOME) - Valued at 100 credits. - Themed for the Inferno. - This tome grants access to five suitably malicious forging descriptors: bloodwrought, abyssal, fissured, corrupted, and hellscorched. A Lethstead vessel (TALISMAN INFO LETHSTEADVESSEL) - Valued at 1000 credits. - Themed for the Kelstaad. - ACTIVATE this vessel and for the next four instances of someone perishing in the location, up to four random individuals will find themselves healed a significant amount. - Carries a thirty minute cooldown. A Seleucarian jousting shield (TALISMAN INFO SELEUCARSHIELD) - Valued at 1600 credits. - Themed for Seleucar (of course). - RAISE this shield while leading a group and all members in your location shall receive a defence which halves all battlerage costs for its duration. - This carries a high battlerage cost and a three minute cooldown, and only benefits your group: it does not benefit you personally. An undulating nautilus (TALISMAN INFO NAUTILUS) - Valued at 200 credits. - Themed for the Underworld. - A dread steed from the depths of the Underworld. An ancient Kasmarkin war drum (TALISMAN INFO KASMARKINDRUM) - Valued at 1200 credits. - Themed for Kasmarkin. - Play this drum and all tauntable denizens in your location will become taunted by you. - Costs a large amount of battlerage and carries a one minute cooldown. A blue-green spiral shell (TALISMAN INFO HARBOURSHELL) - Valued at 600 credits. - Themed for the Empire of the Sea. - LISTEN TO SHELL FOR and you will be informed if they are at sea or, if their ship is at harbour, what harbour they are currently at. A Vertani shield arcanum (TALISMAN INFO SHIELDARCANUM) - Valued at 400 credits. - Themed for Vertan. - ACTIVATE this arcanum and for the next thirty seconds meteors that would strike at you will be deflected to strike another in your location (if there is someone present). Five minute cooldown. Enjoy! Penned by My hand on the 1st of Lupar, in the year 991 AF.

We've just finished judging the Logosmas Carols from this month's Discord contest, and here are the results: 1st place: Blonk! 2nd place: Avikare 3rd place: Poxie 4th place: Gundrun 5th place: Ryssa Each of these winners take home credits, but we would like to thank everyone who submitted a carol! And keep an eye out, for some of these might show up again... Penned by My hand on the 17th of Scarlatan, in the year 991 AF.

The warm spring sun of a late Miraman afternoon shone down upon the flourishing boughs of the village of Eleusis. Fthora, hulking servant of the Earthmother, called upon the villagers, demanding their attention for a matter of the swarm. "Bodies. Corpses. Fill the heap!" the masked mycorizae rasped gleefully to the gathered Eleusians. "More and more, we will need them all soon." Led by High Warden Vothaec and Blackthorn General Trendric Distara, the Untamed Legion turned its attention to the followers of iron and stone. Conflict and conquest proved no match for the warriors and, even when they did, the dutiful villagers placed their own bodies willingly into the foetid pool beneath Eleusis. Months later, a low, bone-deep thrumming echoed from within the Eastern Ithmia, a warning of the escaping swarm. Soon, rampaging formicaries dotted the mainland of Sapience as Eleusians fought to protect the queen of each one, bearing her back to the reeking sump of rotting vegetation and corpses. In the months that followed that initial formicary, queens slipped free to found colonies across the world, and each time they were brought home again through the harmonious teamwork of Eleusis. Never satisfied, Fthora called upon the ritualists of the village to beseech the swarm and to honour every queen and brood that had been reclaimed. Aelyn Le'Yuet-Mercadia, Memory of Nature, together with the rest of Her Coven, led the villagers in a humming tribute to the insects, calling upon the Wildwood Queen to rally the swarm to their aid. A slender formicary was swiftly constructed in the midst of the dancers, whose steps faltered and stilled as the Earthmother Herself appeared beside it. "Remember this day," Lady Gaia said, a hint of pride echoing in Her icy features, "for it stands as proof that when you remain true to who and what you are, Nature will respond." ~~~ Summary: Eleusis worked to capture the swarm's queens and return them to the heap beneath the village. A slender formicary was formed in the midst of a ritual to honour the insects and call upon Nature to aid in the protection of Eleusis. Lady Gaia's return was heralded by a new skill to replace the runic totems Eleusis gave up nearly a century ago. Penned by My hand on the 21st of Miraman, in the year 991 AF.

Overseer Alashi Shiva of Ashtan polished his glasses and released a long sigh. The artisans and builders settled on a plan and moved at once to clear the latest heap of rubble after the recent incursion. Dust still drifted from the broken stone and each footfall sent a dull echo across the ruins. Alashi surveyed the wreckage and rubbed a smear of grit from his sleeve while the workers hauled shattered beams into neat stacks.

A sudden pressure tightened the air above the plaza. Colours warped around a single point and the space tore open with a sharp crack. A portal split the air in front of him and surged outward in a violent bloom, bursting into a thousand panes of glass that spun through the light before they fell and disappeared on impact. The shockwave rattled the loose rubble and sent a few fragments skittering toward his boots.

Pandora, the Wayward Heir, stepped through the fading shimmer with brisk purpose. Stray flecks of colour trailed behind each step and scattered over the broken stone. She cast a quick glance at the gathered workers before She fixed Her attention on Alashi. Her expression held the same bright energy that usually precedes trouble, and the plaza answered her arrival with a faint crackle that crawled across the ground.

"Want to go on an adventure?"

Started, Alashi rushed to his feet. How can a man refuse a Goddess?

Pandora drew Alashi beyond the skies and did not allow a simple pause for breath. Witnesses reported a tear of pale colour widening above the world before the pair vanished into its heart. Their trail left a thin shimmer that clung to the horizon for several minutes.

Their journey began on the edge of a dying world. Suspended in the void of space, they watched as fault lines burned across the surface of the planet and each tremor sent entire landmasses drifting into the void. Pandora held the scene for Alashi and pushed him to watch the final break. Light flooded the dark as the world shattered and scattered across the stellar gulf.

"Beautiful isn't it? Makes you think. Do you wait for the terrible, beautiful end, or should you enjoy life to the fullest until then?" Pandora mused with a mischievous grin, already knowing Her answer.

She hurled them onward before the glow dimmed. Their next stop carried them over a Sartai homeland where an immense mountain swelled and pulsed. The ground tremored with a rising pressure and the air shook with constant rumble. Lava churned beneath the stone and threatened the settlement below. Pandora did not intervene. She only marked the moment and set it into Alashi's memory before dragging him away again, leaving the devotees of Sartan to prepare for survival of the fittest.

"The Sartai here have dominated the lands for millenia, and yet here their existance may end. I wonder who will survive?"

Their third destination brought them to Yahan. Towers of pale stone rose from the plains and the city moved in perfect order beneath them. Every judgement began and ended with the sacred Sceptre of Yahn and its High Priest. Alashi realised that Pandora was no longer there, and yet an unmistakable figure watched the ritual from the shadows, gliding through the crowded hall without disturbing a single devotee. When the High Priest raised the relic for the closing rite, She stepped forward and claimed it with a clean sweep of Her hand. Alashi watched agape as She raced through the corridors and fled into the open sky to join him.

The pair returned to Ashtan hours later. A ripple of colour rolled across the firmament as the breach sealed and the wind carried a faint crackle that lingered over the continents. Pandora did not offer an explanation for the theft or the tour of collapsing world, just simply tossed the stolen relic to the Overseer and disappeared into thin air with a tinkling laugh.

Meanwhile, on the planet of Yahan, the High Priest reclined in his chair as society collapsed around him. The one image burning in his third eye, the face of Alashi Shiva.

Penned by My hand on the 18th of Daedalan, in the year 991 AF.

In the archives of distant Vaelithar, three scholars closed their journals with satisfaction.

The experiment had exceeded all projections. The subjects performed beautifully, each acting according to nature with such authenticity that no artificially constructed scenario could have produced superior results. One spoke of love as though it were armour. Another offered blood as medium, bearing divine grief as though mortality were merely a suggestion. The third chose dignity over expediency and, when forced to select between two deaths, refused the binary entirely.

The woman died holding her daughter, smiling. The child was born not crying but glowing, eyes ancient and aware.

Now the real work could begin.

For the child lived, and the village stood, and the prophecy hung between them like a blade suspended by a gossamer thread. The subjects had forged profound bonds with the prophesied destroyer, had taken her pain into themselves, had promised Light's eternal guidance.

What would they do when the thread finally snapped?

The scholars already knew. They had seen it in the edited vision, the future carefully suppressed from the child's awareness. But the subjects did not know. Could not know. Would not be allowed to know until the moment arrived and the choice became inevitable.

Across planes and stars, in a room still stained with birth and farewell, the infant opened her eyes and touched the world.

Somewhere in Yaroven, reality shuddered.

Somewhere in Yaroven, dreams turned prophetic.

Somewhere in Yaroven, the countdown had begun.

End documentation: Phase One complete. Proceeding to Phase Two.

~~~

Summary: On the distant world of Vaelithar, a prophesied child was born under unknown observation. Three Targossians forged bonds with the infant while her mother died, setting the stage for an impossible choice between love and prophecy.

Penned by My hand on the 14th of Daedalan, in the year 991 AF.