Northern Cluster (009)

ZK

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Northern Cluster

The Northern Cluster of the Ancrath Archipelago is generally characterized by its small, almost self-sufficient communities, rocky hills and xenophobic population. From the top right, the Northern Island Cluster consists of the islands Rishiri, Nishinomi, Todoko, Hohki and Yamaguchi.

The Northerners are generally considered traditional and rural. The cluster’s general lack of densely populated cities has allowed the islanders to grow crops, practice animal husbandry and mine on a much larger scale than would otherwise be possible. It is not uncommon for a village to have its own mines and fields that the inhabitants maintain communally and have joint ownership of. This independence from larger settlements and factions, and reliance on their own manpower allowed them to recover quickly from the damage caused by the fall of Eanna, banding together to repair and restore most of their functions within only a few months. The lack of heavy winds and storms, courtesy of the cluster’s geographical location, along with the high average quality of soil in the Northern Cluster makes it an ideal place for farming, a fact that many inhabitants take advantage of.
 
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Lord of Kaos

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Coming from here:

The smell of the sea and its saltiness filled Dany's nostrils as the dragons dove towards the islands before lifting high above them again, continuing all the while to fly East. At the pace she moved at, Dany began to countdown the time it would take to reach the country.

Leaving landmark
 

Zaphkiel

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Coming from here.

Arjuna passes through the archipelago on his way West.

LLM -> (006) Dentong 12:32 -> (124) Sasau 1:32 -> (123) Tairadachi 2:32 -> (122) Saruhan 3:32 -> (120) Mokko 4:32 -> (118) Chilli Pepper Pass 5:32 -> (115) Graveyard of Sin 6:32
 

Gobi Gobletsson

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Storyboard Mission Element(s):
D-rank Explore a Landmark
D-rank Gather resources from the Land
C-rank Explore an abandoned site

Return of the Katsuryoku​

Despite his prowess, his ability to overturn the surrounding lands almost with a flick of his fingers - He much prefered the silence of things. It wasn’t always like that, infact, he once ruled these lands of Rishiri, temporarily however. Only after he made a pact, with the spiritual realm - the Genki. He became secluded, and hermit like. He taught few, and even less of his secrets.

Not long after his discovery of the Katsuryoku - He entrenched himself in the secret lair of an old Katsuryoku outpost, only to be left for decades whilst his body was stale, and his mind fluttered elsewhere with the Genki, in the spiritual realm. He learned much and little, of different times. Little of the current standings in the world, much of the ethereal realm.

”Chiryoku.. Chiryoku... It’s time to awaken. You’ve fulfilled the first part of the Greywalk. Awaken, please. Chiryoku.’’ The Katsuryoku’s eyes fluttered, yet remained closed. His fingers twitched, yet he remained unconcious.

”Chiryoku..” The whispers, of the spirits engufled Amaimon. His Astral ascension in the spirit realm was coming to an end. The Genki, Orion, started to fade, and so did the surrounding theartical library that was set up, and soon it all become a hazed gray mist. It all went dark.

”Urghn...” the Katsuryoku murmured. He dared not open his eyes. Life was returning to his body, and it was awakening. He enjoyed the sensation - it was however strange to him - He indulgded it. He mustered the strength, and finally opened his eyes. Amaimon was awake.

While it was dark before, it remained dark, but slightly lighter. Dimly lit candles, illuminated the study that he was in. He was located in the corner of the study, which was otherwise filled with bookshelves, a study table, and scattered scrolls. Emblazoned on the wall, a sigil of the Katsuryoku hang on a wornout tapestry. On the floor, scrolls filled with hasty scribbled kanjis were scattered. The Katsuryoku got on his feet. “Amidamaru...?” He spoke out into the room expecting an answer, but there was none. He pondered where his spirit was, but he was not alone. Genki roamed the outpost nonetheless, otherwise, how else would the candles be attended to?

Amaimon stumbled out of the study in the great undergroiund hall of Twelve Katsuryokus - Merely a replica of the true place, but it did symbolize greatness. Placing himself a bench with a compartment beneath, he fetched forth a bottle of water and canned rations. Without much further ado, he would exit the hall, and start the climb up the tunnel to the outpost's top floor. His thoughts were lacking, and he didn’t notice the cobwebs was bigger, and the place was more worn and filled with dust than usual - Every step left a spot in the dirty upwinding staircase.

At the top, Amaimon would push aside the secret entrance to the underground lair. He expected warmth, and light, and the hospitality of the outpost to welcome him. Only the light was welcoming it. It was however accompanied with hazardous cold winds dashing against his face. Where the roof the of the buildning should’ve been, the clear sky was visible. As he stepped further up and out of the tunnel, he witnessed crumbled walls and destroyed furniture. Ripped tapestry of the Katsuryoku sigil was scattered across the once perfectly carpentet wooden floor - That was now, rot and bent planks. The stone walls was left in debris of different sizes. “How..” A chill ran down his spine, it was hard to fathom - But something had definately occured whilst he had been Greywalking. He would go from the would be study, through a half broken door, that fell off its hinges when he pushed it, into the would be private guest chambers. Slates from the roof lay scattered across his once master bed, and the curtains covered most of the room along with other debri. Hastily Amaimon moved some debri - Fell on his knees, scanning beneath the collapsed bed. He pulled out a chest, which contained some travelling clothes that he once used on his travels. He put on his brown woolen poncho, leathery gloves and boots. A scarf was equipped as well. He pushed himself off the floor, and walked through the ruined place. He accepted the truth. He had been Greywalking for too long, yet he did know how long. He accepted that his once present, was now past. “This... This was once called High Haven.” He muttered. He ran his fingers across the walls that had not yet fallen. The wind no longer tore through his clothes - The woolen poncho was a saviour. He exited the once private chamber, into the study, into the hall - Now an open space. “The Katsuryoku..” The once Katsuryoku outpost laid in waste. His sigils were battered and thrown across the floor in defeating manners.

”Amidamaru...!” The Voice ordered his Genki, yet, no response. “You, Gral, answer me, what has happened?” The Katsuryoku demanded a nearby Genki. He knew their names, but none of them responded. They started to scatter from the area, leaving Amaimon by himself. The snorted in dismay, but decided that he could wait no longer. He went through the once main entrance to the buildning. The gate was entirely gone, the archway broken, and Amaimon had to climb a few rocks and debri to exit. He now stood on the plateu known as High Haven. High Haven was a plateu that was circular in formation, with four pillars erected. One to each direction of the land, North, West, East and South. South was no longer visible. During the summer, grass would be visible even though the plateu is rocky. This would be autumn, as the grass had withered and the currents was picking up. It was especially cloudy today, and the top was engulfed in white plumes.

Amaimon however knew the way to the Everlasting Walk, also known as the stairway down the mountain peak, leading down the Giants Toe. Afterall, Amaimon managed a small settlement by the name of Heartseed once - But just as the Katsuryoku outpost was a ruin - Amaimons hopes for the Rishiri that he knew, was held low. Descending the staircase, it was becoming more evident as he exited one white plume after the other. More and more of the land became visible. He made a halt a small enclave in the mountain wall. With a flick of his hand, an earthen bench emerged, which upon he sat and studied Rishiri from atop. “Heartseed, Doven, Timberview, Oakenfell... I can’t seem to see Vilden nor Kendal from here.” He witnessed the once proud settlements of Rishiri, but to be a former shadow of itself. Heartseed, still the most prosperous by far, was still little of what it once was. Heartseed was at the end, or beginning of the Giants Toe if you will. Giant’s Toe was the start of the Mountain Range of which made Heartseed, such a good coverage from the sea, as it was entrenched by the mountains, and kept safe. Doven, a small harbouring village, which was only but a few huts. Mostly destroyed houses were visible. Timberview was not visible, but Amaimon knew its location. It was barely covered in woods, but the woods did seem thinner. Oakenfell functioned as a divider between the Northern and Southern part of the island, and was erected with a mound of fortifications. This however was no longer true either, Oakenfell was but a tower in this day and age. Perhaps functioning as, but a signpost.

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Amaimon closed his eyes. He could sense many a souls. But not near as many as he had hoped on Rishiri. The population had clearly dwindled. He reopened his eyes, and continued his descent.

Once at the foot of the Mountain, Amaimon would make into the village of Heartseed. The village was bustling with life, more so, it was a simple life. It was simple in the sense, that they were all primitive in their ways of living. It was void of technology, and it was carts and horses and hard labour that did the work. The roads was not really roads, but more like paths that was worn and carved into the earth by the sheer amount of strain that it was burdened with, each day. Amaimon passed some wooden houses, and entered the district that he knew, a tavern would be at. He entered, sat, ordered a meal and a drink and made chatter with the locals. He soon discovered that he had been asleep for years. After the vanishing of Amaimon Katsuryoku Heartseed fell in glory - And the local lords started waging wars against one another. Nestor Kaldor had been defeated by Sammus the Fat, in an underhanded method - Later Sammus had his belly cut open by the Lord Kendal, Karth Hoster. Karth Hoster later forged the remaning lords into submission and took Heartseed for himself - His son later took the throne, and should be sitting it still. Amaimon bought a few items off the tavern master, from coin that he uncovered in the Katsuryoku outpost. Exiting the Tavern, he went into another district of Heartseed. An abondoned buildning which used to be an armoury stood tall, however windows and patches in the wall was missing. With a quick glance about, Amaimon would enter the ruin unnoticed. It had been emptied long ago, however Amaimon had stood for the construction of this buildning himself, and pushing aside some shelves that still stood about in the far end of the ruin, he was able to open a hatch in the ground. He descended into the cellar, only to find this stash had also been looted. However not all - Some kunais, shurikens, Fuma Shuriken and more was still hanging about. In an old cloth he uncovered a sword which he equipped beneath his poncho, attached to his belt.

Exiting this ruin, Amaimon checked his inventory. 3 Kunai, 1 short-sword, 2 blank scrolls, 1 Fuma Shuriken and 2 shurikens. Rations for 2 days, and an empty waterskin.

He exited the village, Heartseed. “Gotta figure out where Amidamaru is...” Closing his eyes again, Amaimon focused his mind outwards, seeking out souls. For once, a familiar soul was recognizable. “Why... Oakenfell?” Amaimon head south towards Oakenfell. He mainly followed the main road, but several times he went off road. The season being autumn it allowed Amaimon on these several occassions to stray from path, to gather boletus schrooms. These edible shrooms proved bountiful. Soon after, Amaimon realized he would need a basket for his gathering. He would stash the shroom gatherings, and head towards scan the area further. Traversing between mounds, patches of wood and more, he finally found a willow tree looming above a stream. Amaimon would sever several branches, and finally create a basket from the flexible tree. It was however already evening by the time he was done, and decided to spend the night beneath the Willow. It was peaceful and quiet, and it was soon morning.

He knew his stashed shrooms had already gone bad or similar, and decided to gather some other. Luckily enough, he even found some, which fit his usage of Berskergang. Rare shrooms, but quite able to be canned and conserved, unlike the boletus. He dismissed berries and fruits he otherwise found - The mushrooms of the boletus family would prove nutrient enough for Amaimon, as he finally arrived at Oakenfell.

“Oi, you!” The Katsuryoku stood in the middle of the once was Oakenfell. Well, to the side of the Tower, as that was the exact middle. But he stood there, pointing his finger at directly nothing, or so it would seem for the nearby bystanders. A man with his cart was strolling by, but out of politeness halted, as Amaimon started shouted. It clearly wasn’t at the man either. The sheer face that he made, clearly indicated that he was confused, and felt pity for the Katsuryoku. He momentarily considered making contact, but decided not to and continued on his way as Amaimon proceeded. “Why don’t you answer when I call you!’’

”Ama---AMAIMON-DONO?!” Amidamaru would turn in the most spirit-like way, his eyes widen, as far as spirit eyes could. The little Genki was both happy and surprised to see Amaimon back on his feet.

Amaimon’s faced however showed signs of confusion. “Amai... Amaimon... O’right.. That’s my name. Its been sometime. They used to called me Chiryoku.” Amidamaru chuckled. “Sure.....” The Genki replied with an undertone of irony. The two caught up, and it soon become certain for Amaimon that he had been missing in action for the last thirty years. It caught him off guard. Amidamaru however had kept himself informered, and was ready to guide Amaimon.

Amidamaru instructed Amaimon, that there was a certain something that they had to visit, that could help Amaimon on his path. And so they headed south to Kendal - Karth Hosters original seat. Kendal usually gathered its wood from Vilden, and was the mass producer of ships for Rishiri. It was the most obvious way to get off the island. It was however clear upon arrival that the harbour maesters no longer was in their prime and the ships was now no longer top-tier, but perphaps third rate at most. Amaimon managed to trade off the Fuma Shuriken in order to get aboard a ship, together Amidamaru and Amaimon was leaving the LM.

*Mission end. Leaving LM*

Travel Itinerary: #009 -> #010 -> #259 -> #212
Departing #009 Nothern Cluster at 02:05 AM (31/1/23)
#009: 02:05 AM - 03:05 AM
#010: 03:05 AM - 04:05 AM
#259: 04:05 AM - 05:05 AM
Arriving at #212 05:05 AM (31/1/23)
 
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