Harper sent the following report to TMN:
Soldi, the 86th Day of Autumn 593
Journeyman Mystic Whirlwind, Coldy, and I leaped from Cloud into the new territory north of the Bison planes. Miraculously, none of us, including the Mystic were injured at all from the jump. However, we were immediately beset by a host of vicious powerful creatures, and even Coldy’s shieldstone could not prevail for long against their treacherous assault. We all fell.
But just when we despaired of any new discoveries, just when we were ready to depart, suddenly a mysterious cloaked figure walked into the snell and honored us with a visit. The exquisitely courteous being even brought Whirl wind, who had fallen away from our sight, to us, so that we might all converse together. The lady said that her name was Forsythia and that she was a Windspinner. "We study what has been left behind,” Forsythia says, "And attempt to understand the tragedies of recent past."
Forsythia told us many amazing stories. She had seen other constructed Clouds, like the one we access from mirror!
Whirl wind asks, "There are other Clouds?"
Forsythia says, "As you call them, yes."
Forsythia says, "Of a similar construction."
The Windspinner mused sadly about the people who live in the Snowy Village of the Eastern Mountains, who are aging because their altar has been damaged. Could the people of the Snowy Village be the Clans of the East that the Marsh Hermit claims is dying? Forsythia spoke of the altar that used to be beneath the Snowy Village. Forsythia says, "Something terrible befell it. I cannot recall what."
Forsythia says, "We had only one altar in these mountains. We cannot visit it any more."
Whirl wind asks, "Was it destroyed?"
Forsythia says, "Not destroyed, but damaged, or corrupted. I do not know."
Forsythia says, "Those in the mountains are no longer ageless."
Forsythia says, "Death comes. Not just from beasts, but from age."
Forsythia says, "We've heard the noise of fell beasts taken up occupancy there. And the way is blocked, besides."
Forsythia says, "We would have to reclaim it."
Forsythia says, "We are few, now..."
Forsythia also told us a fascinating and sobering tale about creatures that we had never heard of, called the Orgs. These people, for their powers are too great, and too unusual, to call them beasts, were the honorable ancestors of today’s Orgas. But the Orgas now seek to utterly destroy the Orgs! In fact, the Orgs are all but extinct and live only in a few snells north of the Bison Plains. Now that Exiles have built a bridge into the protected areas called the Ensconcement, Forsythia begged us to treasure the Orgs and to help her defend them against the onslaught of the Orgas who will surely follow.
"The warriors from Puddleby who traveled near our village simply called it "Over the Bridge."Forsythia says, "I expected them to stop by for tea, but they did not seem to see our huts beyond the trees."
Forsythia also invited us to her village, which she said that the intrepid explorers of Puddleby had missed, as it was hidden in the trees. However, with some excellent scrying by Whirl wind and Feodoric, we managed to triangulate on its location. Late one night, when few were around, Whirl wind and I jumped from cloud into the village … but that, friends, is another story.
Sadly, Forsythia could not heal us, so when she left, we had to depart. But we heard through the wind that we gained experience for our recklessness.
Other things were told as well, but those are of Mystic things, and I will honor their secrets.
Respectfully submitted,
-Professor Harper McCloud
University of Puddleby