Silver light partially illuminated the sky as the twin moons shone overhead, dark clouds partially concealing their silver gaze as the cold night drug on. Fog hung heavily over the flat landscape, creating darkness so absolute that much of the land couldn’t be seen, but as dampened as one’s sight would be in these conditions, the sounds were more than vibrant enough to make up for it! Insects sang from atop tall reeds while large, leathery creatures croaked, their chorus weaving through the sky as the strangely haunting tune of chimes rang in the backdrop.

                Across the entirety of the world, there was no landscape quite like this one. The jungle was almost completely a distant memory here, scattered trees growing in isolation while waterways choked the rest of the landscape in a tangled labyrinth. Reeds, shrubs, and floating pads managed to take root in the canals, but the rest of the land was mostly barren compared to other parts of the world, only short, grassy plants and scraggly brush growing on land. Haunting cries echoed across the vast marsh as creatures stirred in the shadows. Glowing eyes watched from shrubs while scaled creatures slunk along within the murk. Similar to the Karasi, this area was known for being inhospitable, mostly due to how treacherous it was. Many had gone missing in its murky depths, but while it was a mostly hostile environment, there were some lights shining in the darkness.

                Gold light flickered as a small orb floated through the air. Amidst such darkness, the orb stood out like the star itself, a strange, inexplicable source of light that seemed to float with the movement of an apparition, a sight that had tricked more than a few people throughout the centuries. It bobbed back and forth, fluttering low over the water before rising up a grassy slope. Suddenly, it paused, hovering over an outstretched, orange hand. After a moment, it cautiously alighted on the fingers and let its light go out as it began to rest. “The spirits of the marsh,” Tearna whispered with an amused chuckle, her eyes shining as she held the small bug up. She smiled brightly as she watched it clean its antennae, “You are quite mesmerizing, my small friend, but you are certainly no spirit!”

                Laughing to herself, Tearna ushered the small bug back into the air, its light flickering back on to join the hundreds of others floating in the fog. “Day seventeen!” Tearna smiled brightly as her eyes reflected the light of the small bugs, prompting her to pull out her journal to begin taking note of this new landscape. “After a long and hot voyage through the most arid environment in the world, we’ve managed to find our way to quite possibly the soggiest! Occupying the northeast corner of our continent, the Spiritmarsh is a landscape known throughout history for being haunted by the spirits of our ancestors. While we found no such spirits, we did, however, find what no doubt started these haunting tales!”  

                Smiling, she closed her journal and briefly looked towards the sky before turning back to the caravan plodding along behind her. Heavy thuds shook the ground as a column of ghollon marched along a partially stone paved path, expedition members walking alongside them as they followed the winding path through the marsh. Torches illuminated Tearna’s eyes as she stepped back over to the side of a ghollon, briefly looking up at one of the haunted, drooping trees looming over the road before beginning to write down her newest set of notes, “Fortunately, we arrived in the marsh right at the fall of night, meaning that we were quickly able to solve the myth of the marsh’s supposed spirts! Despite what our ancestors believed, the glowing orbs they were so entranced by were never actually spirits, but are instead a bioluminescent insect called a glowbug!”

                Tiny wings buzzed over the caravan as glowing lights drifted back and forth. “Glowbugs are a fairly common insect found across a vast portion of the continent, but they are more commonly associated with Spiritmarsh because of the naturally dark terrain that makes them stand out,” Tearna continued, writing as fast as she could as she squinted up at a bug. “In terms of form, they have large, bulbous abdomens that glow with a golden light, and four long, thin translucent wings that sparkle. Their carapace is mostly white, they have large, dark eyes, and they seem to be quite friendly! I remember putting them in lanterns as a child, but I’ve heard of other people tying strings to them instead! Either way, these remarkable little bugs will no doubt prove to be quite the comforting companion for this leg of our journey!”

                Dull thuds rang out as the ghollon stomped across a rickety bridge. Fish and salamanders splashed in the water below as the expedition made their way across, a few members looking over the edge of the bridge with curious expressions. Large splashes erupted as the light of the torches sent most of the creatures darting for cover, glowing eyes staring back from the reeds in fear of the harsh glow. “Stop doing that,” Tearna huffed, shooing the others back. Scowling at them, she looked down into the water, “It’s immensely difficult to record notes when you keep scaring off my subjects.”

                “Sorry!” one of the others said with a laugh, Tearna scowling back at him. “We keep forgetting that the critters here don’t like light.”

                “Well please try to be more mindful,” she huffed, pulling out her journal as she looked back down. Large shapes moved in the water as the light of the torches dimmed, “I can’t fulfill my obligations if you keep chasing off my subjects, so please give me a moment to make some recordings.” Squinting in thought, she began to chew her tongue as she locked eyes on her next subject, “Here’s an interesting one…”

                Reverberations echoed through the air as a large, leathery creature continued to croak. It blinked its three large eyes, the massive red sac on the front of its stubby body expanding over and over as others joined its endless chorus. “Whenever you find calm, standing bodies of water, there is one creature you can always count on finding! After all, no swamp is complete without at least a few blaggats!” Tearna began to write as she watched the creatures sing. “Blaggats are an extremely common amphibian that can always be found near bodies of water. They are mostly insectivores and pose no real threat to our people, though their croaking can certainly be annoying at night.”

                “In terms of shape, they are about the size of a typical sport ball.” Muck squished out from beneath her boot as she carefully crept down the slope and up to the water’s edge, cautiously putting her foot down before leaning out to get a better look at the red creature, “They have a long, fin covered tail that lets them swim decently fast, though they hardly ever move with urgency. What really makes them stand out are their crimson colors. Both their fins and air sac are bright red, so they are quite easy to spot. With such bright colors, one would think they would be easy pickings for predators, but they have a unique defense mechanism no other creature utilizes. Simply put, when they find themselves in danger, they inflate!”

                Sitting atop a stone in the middle of the water, a solitary blaggat continued to croak without worry. Water suddenly erupted as a large, scaled creature shot out of the water and snapped its jaws around it. The blaggat let out a wheeze as the large lizard whipped it back into the water, the duo vanishing as minutes passed with bubbles rising from where the blaggat had been. Water suddenly exploded once again as the blaggat shot back up to the surface, but it was much, much larger! The little creature waved its limbs frantically as it floated on the water like a balloon, most of its body now red from how large its air sac had become. As it struggled to right itself, the lizard resurfaced, seemingly glaring at the massive frog before giving up and disappearing back under the water.

                Tearna tapped her pen against her chin as she watched the hapless frog continue to float. Squinting in thought, she began to write, “While it does seem to be an effective method of self-defense, I have to wonder just how many poor frogs have accidentally been… popped…” Shivering at the thought, she leaned forward to get a better look, “That being said, the appearance of the blaggat changes drastically when inflated! Their air sac becomes roughly seventy percent of their body, and their coloring-“ Tearna suddenly let out a yelp, waving her arms and wobbling as the ground gave out beneath her foot. Desperately tossing her journal up the slope, she let out a shout of surprise as she fell into the water with a splash. Flailing around, she finally gasped as she got her head out of the water, scowling with fierce irritation as several expedition members laughed at the top of the slope, “First Archon help me, I am going to DUNK ALL OF YOU!”

                Insects sang through the darkness as campfires burned bright. The ghollon snorted as they absently munched on large leaves a short distance away, most of the expedition members now relaxing around the various campfires as they did their best to wind down amidst the collection of sand-stained tents. On the north side of the camp, Tearna’s pen blazed away as she worked in her tent, a small glowbug illuminating her work from atop the small stand sitting beside her journal, “In the desert, water was a rare commodity that dictated the way of life, but the case is the opposite here. Because of the availability of water, life in this region is incredibly varied, and the creatures lurking here are both large and deadly in every sense of the words!” Pausing, Tearna squinted and tapped her chin before continuing, “But, that being said, life for our people in this marsh doesn’t seem so bad!”

                Hints of morning light shone across the landscape, just barely piercing the thick shroud that always hung over the landscape. Cold, damp air blew over the path as the caravan continued to follow it across the isolated islands, many of the expedition members shivering. While they had adequately prepared for the heat of the Karasi, the Spiritmarsh was a much, much colder environment, forcing them to switch to new clothing that not all of them had remembered to pack…

                “Due to the complexity of travel in this sunken land, Spiritmarsh is littered with roads and bridges to make travel possible to numerous locations across the continent,” Tearna wrote near the back of the convoy. Instead of wearing the shawl and sand-resistant clothing she had been wearing in the desert, her attire had shifted to much thicker, dark brown woolen outfit, covering her almost completely save for her head. She chewed on her pen as she looked ahead, “Almost the entirety of the Spiritmarsh can be defined as a cluster of tiny islands separated by standing, murky water, which has necessitated the use of dozens upon dozens of bridges to connect its many paths. Additionally, the locals have setup numerous torches and fences to help keep the roads safe, meaning travel in this area is most secure.” A frown touched her face as she glanced up at a nearby tree, “That being said, there are a few creatures that travelers need to be aware of…”

                Dusk fell over the land as darkness began to creep back in. The drooping branches of one particular tree rustled as a cold breeze blew through it, the orange light of the setting star shining across its top as birds flew overhead. Within the canopy, nothing seemed to stir, the tree seemingly abandoned. An angry hiss suddenly rang out as orange light from below illuminated the shadows of the branches, a sharp carapace glinting as numerous, thin limbs backed up into what little darkness was left.

                “Hey, Tearna!” an expedition member called out from below the tree, looking back at the caravan as a few other members continued to wave torches near the tree’s trunk. He nodded towards the tree as she jogged over, “We finally found one of those spiders you were looking for.”

                “A skewerfang?” Tearna asked with excitement. He sighed helplessly as she jogged up to the tree, completely ignoring the danger as she gazed up with a bright smile, “Ahh, finally! Keep that torch lit! I need to document this creature thoroughly!”

                Massive fangs glinted in the darkness of the tree’s upper reaches, the colossal spider staring down at them as it hid from the light of the torch. “There are few creatures that can compete for the title of apex predator on our continent, but the skewerfang is a very deserved frontrunner,” Tearna wrote enthusiastically, the other expedition members keeping a very close eye on the spider now that Tearna was completely distracted. “Skewerfangs are gigantic spiders almost the size of a ghollon! They have eight legs, four massive fangs, random collections of eyes, and their abdomens are covered in razor sharp spines! Although they lack the venom of their smaller cousins, they more than make up for that with their sheer size and the sharpness of their carapace. Since ancient times, they have been a constant threat to our people, but they have unique properties that have made them highly sought after.”

                “Their carapace is incredibly durable,” she continued, squinting up at the spider as it shifted a little bit higher into the tree. “Few creatures are capable of piercing their armor, but such a unique trait has made them popular to hunt for resources to make defensive walls and armor! Their blood also contains unique medicinal qualities that proved critical to our colonization of the marsh. While they are no longer quite the threat they used to be, anyone hoping to brave the fog of the swamp needs to be extremely careful whenever trees are nearby. After all, you never know when a hungry spider might be seeking to make you its next meal!”

                Finishing her sentence, she briefly smiled up at the spider before turning away. “Thank you for your assistance!” she said cheerfully as she walked past the others. What she failed to notice, however, was how tense they all were as they kept their weapons raised. Chittering irritably, the massive skewerfang retreated back up the tree, returning to the shadows now that its particularly enticing orange meal had walked away…

                Darkness fell over the landscape as night insects began to sing once more. On the corner of one island, right at the edge of the water, a large shack had been constructed with a dock ringing it on one side. Numerous piers stuck out into the swamp with several large boats rocking in their berths, crates creaking ominously in the slight breeze. While the building was no means shoddy, it definitely wasn’t quite as nice as most Krysheek architecture. It had columns at its four corners and a typical wavy, teal green roof, but its walls were noticeably damp, and the foundation wasn’t exactly expertly crafted. However, in an environment like this, even a simple shack was like the palace of Orden!

                “After marching through the marsh for several days, we happened across what is apparently going to be a trend on our expedition.” Ghollon snorted heavily as they lay comfortably atop the deck of one of the barges, expedition members carrying crates onto the large ship and setting them down one after the other. Nearby, the captain talked with the owner of the barge while a few expedition members watched from the shack, eating warm, marsh delicacies as they waited for the ship to load. At the front of the ship, a smile touched Tearna’s face as she gazed out at the night, “One of the ways that the locals navigate such a water tangled marsh is through the use of boats! While we weren’t planning on utilizing their services, we couldn’t exactly say no after having the fortune of stumbling across one of their docks!”

                Water slid across the prow of the wooden vessel as it drifted through the swamp, insects and amphibians singing nearby as the reeds shook gently from the waves of the passing ship. It was a fairly dull ship, constructed for function rather than form, and was mostly light brown in color with numerous reinforcement built along its sides. For a swamp like this, the ship no doubt seemed too large to function, but years of aquatic living had taught the locals exactly which waterways were the safest to navigate!

                Across the deck, the expedition members relaxed peacefully, enjoying the reprieve after so many days of walking. Some were playing cards while others napped, but a few couldn’t quite stop working. “Exactly how many things have you catalogued?” a shasheek asked, dangling her legs over the water as she watched Tearna write. She took a sip from her drink before raising her brow, “I feel like you’ve been writing nonstop.”

                “When you’re given a task by the emperor, you can’t exactly slouch!” Tearna said cheerfully, looking out at the nearby shore before continuing. “Our people need to know what our world is like, and we’re the only ones that can show them!”

                “For a simple expedition, you really do know how to make it sound like the weight of the world is on our shoulders,” a sheek spoke up from where he was lounging behind her. “Seriously! The world isn’t going to end if we miss cataloguing a single blaggat!”

                “It won’t, but I want our people to regain some of what we lost in the Crisis.” A frown touched his face as he sat up and looked at Tearna. A stern frown twisted her face as she continued to write, “The Crisis took so much from us, and so many of our people are still feeling that pain. If recording data like this can begin to heal a few wounds, even if it’s just one, then I have no right to do anything less than everything in my power to give our people that respite!”

                The other expedition members scratched their heads, frowns of understanding touching their faces as they looked at each other. For most people, an expedition like this was just another job, but for someone like Tearna, it meant so much more. Eons of information had been lost in the fires of the Clockwork Crisis, and now the Krysheek people were ignorant to much of what inhabited their world. Such a loss of culture had taken its toll, but this expedition was a way for them to finally begin to heal! By regaining their knowledge of the world they shared, the pain of the Crisis would finally begin to ebb, if even just slightly. That was what this expedition truly meant, and that was what Tearna believed with all her heart!

                Waves continued to lap against the shore as the marsh creatures continued to sing, but with the arrival of the breeze, a new sound was joining them. Chimes rang out as a cool breeze wove through the plants along the shore, clinking together with a sharp, gentle sound. As the breeze picked up, so too did the rattling, the shadows of a plant waving from side to side as the song continued. “It’s not often that I feel the need to record plants, but the spiritmarsh is home to something truly unique!”

                Water kicked up as a sheek waded through the dark murk with a frown of determination. Nearby, torches illuminated the water as the boat remained anchored, several expedition members watching from the deck. There had been no plans to stop, but after Tearna’s speech, the other expedition members had been quite keen to hear her out when she had spotted something. Wading up to the shore, the sheek bent over and quickly harvested a collection of plants, chimes ringing out as he clumped them up and carried them back. Ropes creaked as the others raised the platform he had been lowered down on, the sheek keeping himself steady before stepping back onto the deck. Looking the strange plants over, he held them out to Tearna as she eagerly took them, “Songbells!”

                The sound of chimes rang out once again as the plants clanked together. “When people speak of the swamp being inhabited by spirits, most attribute it to the glowbugs, but I do believe the songbells played a part in it. At a glance, these strange plants look very similar to most reeds, but they have a much larger top that is encased with an almost crystal-like material possessing a hollow end. When these plants sway, they drift into each other, creating a haunting, melodic tune that can be heard all throughout the swamp. Why these plants developed such a strange characteristic, I can’t even begin to guess, but what I can say is that the sound is truly serene! I will never forget the sense of wonder I felt when I first heard them, and I now fully understand how our ancestors could have been tricked into believing that spirits truly haunted this place!”

                Fog whirled over the landscape as the grey light of morning filtered down onto the land. A damp breeze whirled around the expedition members as they continued their long march, their boat ride from the night before long behind them. Tearna wore a sharp frown as she studied her journal, tapping her pen against the side of her chin before lifting her gaze. Squinting, she finally nodded as she began to write once again.

                “After a few days of traveling, we were beginning to near the end of our journey in the marsh. Our goal was the port city of Randara where we would charter a ship to take us to the continent of Falador. While we were looking forward to a few days of relaxing on a ship, we weren’t quite out of the marsh, not to mention the forest that we all knew was awaiting us.” Squinting, she suddenly smiled, “But, that didn’t mean that we were done seeing new sights!”

                Water broke around a leathery backside as a razor-sharp fin split the murk. Waves rippled out as it disappeared below the murk, Tearna squatting on the shore as she dutifully took notes, “One of the last creatures we happened upon was a murkrush! Murkrushes are a type of leathery fish, but what makes them stand out is just how closely they resemble a Murktreader!” Water rippled as the murkrush reappeared, two bulbous eyes poking out of the water to stare at Tearna as she wrote, “Like a Murktreader, a murkrush is a sort of tadpole-like creature, possibly resembling a type of deep sea angler. They are roughly four feet in length and have two stubby arms they use to interact with objects underwater!”

                “Typically, murkrushes can be found swimming through waterways, but they are best known for digging!” Blinking once, the murkrush disappeared back under the waves, bubbles appearing as heaps of muck rolled beneath the water, “Using their arms, they can dig protective dens to raise their young, but they tend to abandon these dens as soon as their young have matured. Since they make a new den for each clutch, the marsh is absolutely riddled with holes! These abandoned dens are critical for life to survive here. Smaller species will take shelter in these burrows, allowing them to flourish in an environment where they would otherwise go extinct! It’s truly a fascinating life cycle and a great example of how these creatures can benefit each other without even meaning to!”

                Hours passed as the caravan marched. As they walked, glowbugs continued to bob through the air while chimes echoed. Steadily, the breeze began to warm. The fog steadily receded while the waterways began to dry, offering a reprieve from the damp air. Sighs of relief passed through the expedition as they sheltered in their new camp, swapping their clothes out at last now that they were through the heart of the marsh. Water was rung from clothing, ghollon were dried off with flame powers, and their food was finally looking less soggy, though a few expedition members were still fighting the fish that had snuck into their boots.

                Nearby, Tearna was writing away as she absently munched on a bright, orange fruit. She turned her journal as she continued sketching a creature she had seen, but, for the first time that trip, she couldn’t quite focus. Shutting her eyes, she finally sighed and looked out at the marsh, “After marching for many days, we were finally nearing the end of the marsh. In just one more day, we would reach the forest surrounding Randara, but whereas this should have been a moment of celebration, a chance encounter left me feeling… somber.”

                Shutting her journal with a thud, Tearna stood and walked away from her tent. Grass crunched beneath her feet as glowbugs flittered through the air, a small frown resting on her face as she stepped up to the shore just beside their camp and stared out at the object sticking up from the water. A glimmer of metal shone beneath a tangled mess of moss and lichen. Vines had snaked around the upper part of the metal frame, but most of the machine was submerged, forever trapped in the swamp where it had fallen so many, many years ago.

                Once, the machine had been bronze in color, but a mixture of rust and the weathering of Spiritmarsh had worn it away, not that it could take full credit. Holes punctured the machine’s front, large gashes had been torn in its sides, and the turret partially sticking out of the water was horribly bent. Though none in the expedition had expected to happen upon such a relic, it wasn’t entirely surprising considering where they were. Resting before Tearna was none other than the skeletal remains of a clockwork steam tank.

                Tearna rubbed her arms as she looked over the remains of the machine. At one point, the tank would have been quite an imposing machine. They had two thick treads to carry them into battle and an imposing plow that could barrel through any barricade. Combined with their giant turret, they had been incredibly lethal war machines, and they had left such a scar on the Krysheek people that even a glimpse of one’s skeleton was enough to bring back the fear they had instilled.

                Slowly looking back and forth, Tearna breathed a small sigh, “While I truly did enjoy my time in the swamp, encountering the remains of the Crisis was a harsh reminder. None of us had expected to stumble across any remains, but the constant flow of water in this area means that it’s only natural for things to resurface with time.” Shaking her head, she closed her eyes, “When the Clockwork Armada invaded our shores, the Spiritmarsh saw one of the earliest and most heated battles. The Crimson Legion had been determined to stop their advance at all costs, and the leaders at the time believed the marsh to be the final holdout. Thousands lost their lives, but, in the end, the Clockwork Armada was diverted into the Karasi. Although the fighting happened so many years ago, the pain stays fresh because of the remains that keep resurfacing in this ever-changing landscape, reminding us of all those who never should have been lost…”

                Letting out a sad sigh, she looked back out at the marsh, “But encountering such a somber sight filled me with determination! The Crisis took enough from our people. It had no right to continue lingering in our hearts, so for as much pain as these reminders bring, I am equally determined to bring fresh relief through whatever I can catalog! Creature by creature, region by region, I will continue to shed light on the beauty of our world and remind our people that there is still light worth living for!” Nodding with determination, she turned away from the shore, “That is my vow, both to my people, and myself!”

                Melodic bird calls echoed through tall, red trees. Strangely fat birds fluttered overhead, the branches infinitely high to the point that the dark canopies couldn’t even be seen. Across the forest floor, a few bushes grew amidst the powerful trunks, but, for the most part, the terrain was empty. This particular forest was nothing like the jungle across the rest of the continent. It was far less dense and much cooler. The creatures were mostly peaceful, and that meant that after traveling through the marsh for so many days, weary travelers could finally let down their guard and relax!

                “After so many days of traveling, we finally left the Spiritmarsh,” Tearna wrote, a small smile resting on her face as she followed the caravan. The stomps of the ghollon echoed through the trees as some of the other expedition members laughed, “While I enjoyed my time in the marsh, I cannot deny that our spirits were much higher after leaving the damp cold behind. Truly, the Spiritmarsh is one of the most magical landscapes that I’ve ever seen. I hope that one day I can return to once again be mystified by the glowbugs and songbells, but duty urges us onwards, and the next leg of our journey was on the horizon!”

                Smiling brightly, Tearna looked up at the tall trees, “Our arrival in the forest known as Red Fauld signaled the near end of our journey in the marsh, and it was like nothing I’ve seen. In the Red Fauld, the forest is dominated by titan trees. These trees grow taller than any I’ve seen, and their canopies are so high that it feels like we’re walking through a cavern. Because so little light reaches the forest floor, the undergrowth is mostly clear, making it easy for us to document the creatures living amongst it.”

                Overhead, two fat, white birds sat side by side on a branch, their long tail feathers dangling down as they let out haunting cries. Watching them with a curious smile, Tearna lowered her journal as she looked ahead, “While I would have liked to document more about the Red Fauld, we had a schedule to stick too. Our sights were set on Randara, and after only a half day worth of traveling, we finally arrived at the legendary city!”

                Shining light blossomed before them as a gap appeared in the trees. Shielding her eyes briefly, Tearna lowered her hand with a small gasp, her eyes widening as a true smile illuminated her face. Just a short distance ahead of them, down a slope, was a large city. The city completely encircled a bay with trees ringing its walls on all sides, blue waves lapping against its many piers while the star shone across the ocean dominating the horizon. Fluffy clouds floated in the distance, making her heart soar as she took in the incredible sight, “That first moment when we stepped outside of the forest was breathtaking. I still remember the smell of salt, the warmth of the ocean breeze, and the true sounds of civilization in my ears once more!”

                Letting out an eager laugh, she hurried after the caravan, following it down the grassy slope leading to the city entrance as she began to document what she could see, “Coming down the hill, I was able to get an extremely close look at Randara!” Sounds of activity rang in her ears as she looked overhead, their caravan passing under the immense arched gate as she slowly turned herself around to continue documenting it as she walked, “The entirety of the city was protected by an immense white wall, and the gates were just as grand as those of Orden. Tall towers not so different from Mercanta dotted these walls, and it was stunning to see just how different the architecture of the city was! These towers were rounded instead of square, and they were all made from strange white bricks. I’m sure for the locals that these are normal, but for us they were quite unique! It makes me wonder just what they would think if they ever visited a city like Orden!”

                Chatter filled the dirt roads as the caravan made its way between the buildings. A few merchant stalls lined the roads, but most of the commerce was situated within the buildings. People were reclining in front of restaurants while others watched from balconies above and went about their lives. Pausing in front of one building, Tearna quickly began taking notes, “Most of the structures in Randara were white in design with crimson patterns. Instead of wavy green rooftops, they instead have a rounded arched design with bronze tile covering them. Despite the difference in appearance, their interiors weren’t too different, and we saw numerous shops that I would have loved the chance to relax in for even a few moments.”

                Finishing off her sentence, she waved at one shop keeper before continuing down the road, “I did manage to find time to ask the locals some questions about the culture here. They go about their days the same way we do in Orden, and their dialect was almost identical. Sometimes I forget just how unified our world has become after the Crisis, and its beyond reassuring to know that no matter where we end up, we’ll be surrounded by people that truly understand us!”

                Approaching the end of the road, she slowed to a stop as a smile touched her face, “But what I truly appreciate about the city is its relationship with the ocean.” Waves crashed in her ears as she stared out at the harbor before her. Birds cried overhead while the sound of construction rang out from numerous shipyards. Out in the water, buoys bobbed while fishersheek worked to real in their catches, numerous, large fish hanging from hooks at the nearby market. Tearna breathed out a small sigh as she swept her eyes over the entrance to the bay, briefly looking at the crimson flags whipping atop the tall towers situated at its points. Smiling happily, she held up her journal one last time.

                “Getting to explore a city so connected to water was truly a treat. Having grown up landlocked, this was a lifestyle that I was completely ignorant of, and after such a long journey through an arid desert and a damp marsh, this truly was the perfect capstone to our journey! Getting to this harbor, however, was just the end to the first leg of our journey. After all, there is so much more left of our world to document!”

                Lowering her journal, she looked back over her shoulder, “While a part of me is a little nervous about leaving home behind, I am beyond excited to explore the great unknown. From this point forth, I will truly be in uncharted territory, and I hope beyond hope that I can truly capture the mysticism and splendor that our world has to offer.” Breathing a small sigh, she turned and looked back out at the harbor with an eager smile, “Tomorrow, a new stage in our expedition begins. When the star rises, we’ll set off to explore a landscape the likes of which I’ve only read about… the Esterian Sea!” Light broke around tall masts just in front of her as she lifted her gaze. Waves lapped against the hull of the immense ship, crimson colors shining on its hull as numerous dockworkers prepared the immense ship for the expedition’s next journey…