Ruminations of a choirstrand on the prominences in the Black Seas Beyond

[Sh'ozak Ma'hk'null]

The call of the Light. A keen interest. A plan.

We have seen your dances. We have heard your songs. You give us great interest, great opportunity. Yet, a shadow shall move faster than a body, and so we await your perfect truths.

Yet, your shadow has shown us promise. We seek to expedite your growth, for every strength of our limbs is a strength of our own. And so we dream, we look forward, weaving a single string to strengthen a web. We find you without direction, and so, we present you with such. During a darker age, when even Light was uncertain, when shadows loomed, and eternal void stalked us from corner to corner, the Lightmind created two nodes, separated but whole, that we may escape to should we experience a second Collapse. A smaller node, a proof of concept, and a larger node, a fortification. These nodes hide within the Western Abyss, where the Unswerving Ones have come from, and wear the shells of the Unswerving Ones. Yet, after the fall of the Smoking Rock at their hands, the Unswerving Ones have swerved, and our nodes no longer have the veil of numbers.

In the betrayal of the Voidmind, we lie exposed. Should the Betrayers expose our secrets, find our few weaknesses, and lead the Darkness to our Home, we shall face a second Collapse. We have neither time nor resources to change all things which the Betrayers may know, and so we turn to the options of the Old Light. These mindnodes hidden in the Western Abyss must have their connection strengthened, so that should Dur Shurrikun fall, and should the Great Sphere be captured once again, our Light will not be shattered, and our limbs driven to insanity. We have attempted this connection once before, yet the Betrayers stood in our way, assisted by the very Harbinger who claimed to be removing their threat.

Hear our Guidance. The first you shall find, who is called Vatan by sounds, emanates our song loudly. Great clouds follow it wherever it should go, and it's strength is matched only by its ingenuity, and even our Infiltrators sing of it's adaptability. It must be found, and called to deeper connection in the Light, so that it's purpose shall be perfectly executed should the worst come to pass. Their warmth will feel distant, cold, and metallic at first. It echoes the Old Light, and we shall bring it forward to the New Light, and in great perfection we shall become prepared.

The second you shall find, who is called Charente by sounds, is a great warform who sings our majesty at ever a hum. The strength of the shell can be felt for multiple seas, and it is as impenetrable as it is destructive. It must be found, and called to expand its purpose. We must plant a seed of creation within the shell, for if Dur Shurrikun should fall, that seed will grow a new home in its stead. We also find curiosity in replicating the weapon it bears, for the purpose of destroying the large metal temples that Darklings erect in our waters. It, too, echoes the Old Light, and so we shall bring it forward, to the new Light.

Finally, should you find it within your capabilities at this time, one shadow shall go where our Infiltrators could not. We find curiosity of the Western Abyss, where we have had little care in the past. Yet, should we be forced to relocate, we would like to know of the waters to which we shall go. Take care to not cause alarm, for it is our wish to see the Unswerving Ones draw the attention of other groups of Darklings away from us, so that we may operate freely, Soon, a great movement shall come, and 800 cycles of infestation shall be purged from our seas. Take care that this shall not become hindered.

The Lightmind was moving forward with it's plans of destroying the Darkness, be there Betrayers and Schemers blocking their path or not.

Sh'ozak the Survivor had sung his song. Other duties awaited, but perhaps this string shall be stronger than most.