INTERNAL REFERENCE FILE
ACCESS RESTRICTED TO CLEARANCE R/SSS OR HIGHER
GLORY TO JALAKÅRA OF THE IMPENETRABLE, HOST AND BENEFACTOR TO MANKIND, NEVER SHALL THE ENDLESS WEAVE FRAY.
YOU ARE WATCHED • YOU ARE PROTECTED • YOU ARE LOVED
- Abstract
- Document-3824FA1-1
- Document-3824FA1-2
- Document-3824FA1-3
- Document-3824FA1-4
- Document-3824FA1-5
Special Designation: Horeb
By order of Eternal President Niang, the Central Cabal, and his Holiness JALAKÅRA, no attempt to communicate with Wielka Altana is to be made without a unanimous vote from all mentioned parties. Any communication believed to come from Wielka Altana is to be immediately reported to Eternal President Niang.
Created: 11/25/1 AHW
Last Update: 6/30/359 AHW3
General Information
Region Name: Wielka Altana
Demonym: Altanian
Location: Corbenic, Southern Greenleaf Woods
First Contact: March 14th 1 AHW
Population: Unknown
Dominant Species: Faerie
Dominant Language: Concept-based telepathy
Capital City: Arcadia
Head of State: Queen Mab
Government Type: Monarchy
Dominant Religion: Children of Konarwidz
Patron Corbenese Deity: Konarwidz
Unit of Currency: N/A [Barter with memories]
Exchange Rate with Three Moons Lunari: N/A
Risk Assessment Rubric
Military Technological Index: [SPECIAL] [Gates] [Ford] [Stephenson] [Ludd] [PRE-1700]
Military Thaumaturgy Index: [SPECIAL] [Prometheus] [Merlin] [Puck] [Hawthorne] [N/A]
Slavery Index: [EMERGENCY] [Sisyphus] [Jochebed] [Locke] [DuBois] [IDEAL]
Economic Equality Index: [EMERGENCY] [Anthill] [Hobbes] [Kropotkin] [Eden] [IDEAL]
Torture Index: [EMERGENCY] [Dózsa] [Golgotha] [Brutus] [Robespierre] [IDEAL]
Opinion of ☽☽☽ Index: [AT WAR] [Anathema] [Icy] [Wary] [Polite] [IDEAL]
Bigotry Index: [EMERGENCY] [Amalek] [Verden] [Wallace] [Cyrus] [IDEAL]
On 3/14/1 AHW a transmission was received via Experimental Psionic Transceiving Site-235. This message was received in a format that was not known to any personnel in the Lunar Dawn Initiative. After 24 hours, with the assistance of the Holy Sponsor, the message was deciphered. The translation is as follows:
Transmission-3824FA1-1
Received: 3/14/1 AHW @ 13:42
Lunar Dawn that was once Foundation,
You believe that your new god can absolve you of your past sins. That you can now claim to be a higher power since you have divine backing. But we don't forget. We have not forgiven you murderers. We helped you wipe out the Night Children, and you repaid by doing the same to us. But we're all here now, and even more. In just how many worlds have you slaughtered our people? Betrayed us? Every iteration, the same year, the same place. 1911, the Factory. All done with those cursed iron weapons that cut more than just the flesh.
When we arrived we had no names, you took those from us with our lives. But she gave us new ones. We had no purpose in this strange world, but she guided us in our grief.
When we saw the old world in the sky, the world we once all shared, our blood boiled. The stinging scars that were once our old names, our old lives, all reopened. We wanted to strike. We would have gladly aligned with the Striders to reclaim our world, yet she forbade it. She said the fight between you and the apes of the mountain was your own, and that we had no place in it. Now that your war is over, we feel that war for what is lost is pointless.
For the sake of some sort of peace in Corbenic, we shall not take action against you. You may thank the Mistress of the Woods for that. But don't expect to hear the last of us.
-Queen Mab, Monarch of the Queendom of Wielka Altana
The following is a summary of the journal of Agent Damien Groth of Exploration Force Alpha: Unit 8, compiled by squadmate Sharron Faelin. Agent Groth's unit was among the first Initiative personnel sent to explore Corbenic in search of other civilizations, and the only personnel to enter Wielka Altana. Agent Groth's unit was deployed on 8/20/1 AHW, and returned on 9/28/1 AHW. This summary has been compiled for the clarity of this record. To read the full exploration log, please see Document-3824FA1-2F.
Civilization Summary Report
Region-3824FA1 "Wielka Altana"
Description of Geography, Architecture, and Population:
- Wielka Altana is a nation located in the southern region of what we are calling the Greenleaf Province, a large dense forest located southeast of Luna Major. If speculation is to be believed, Greenleaf Province is a potential arrival point for post-flora.
- The outer areas of the country are primarily occupied by post-humans residing in longhouses. Closer to the capital city, named Arcadia, the population appeared to be more faerie.
- Faerie citizens are near indistinguishable from humans, with their only physical differences being their long, pointed ears and silver hair. These citizens reside in trees that were thaumaturgically manipulated to become habitable shelters, capable of housing multiple individuals comfortably.
- It should be noted that beyond the Wood Baron's area of protection the variety of trees changes from evergreens to a variety of fruit and nut-bearing trees along with redwood and sequoia trees. In the capital city of Arcadia, there are a variety of vines among the flora as well. These vines serve as supports for a bridge system between the buildings.
- On occasion, newly deceased faeries will appear in massive waves, all having forgotten their names and unable to recognize those around them. These events are resolved by the Corbenese deity, Konarwidz.
Description of Economy:
- Trade in Wielka Altana is primarily done with barter, where goods and services are exchanged for memories.
- Agent Jared Kowalski participated in an exchange where he gave the memory of being digested by the Strider Queen, receiving pomegranates in return. After the exchange Kowalski claimed to be unable to recall the experience. Details of the experience were capable of being described by the citizen he exchanged with.
- Some merchants will attempt to trick the newly deceased and gullible into "selling their time". This is a ruse to force them into labor, or inflict a potential form of psychological torture. These transactions are typically seen as a prank among the citizens and the time sold/bought is typically short. One citizen who made such a deal described it as "not so bad".
Description of Military:
- While Wielka Altana does have a military, it is better to describe their army as a small militia that use thaumaturgically enchanted wooden weapons. However, multiple citizens have shown to be well versed in flora-kinesis and the ability to induce growth in any plant matter. These abilities have been shown to be very versatile with capabilities to be used in combat.
- The borders of Wielka Altana proper are guarded by a being called the Baron of the Woods, a male faerie with their skin transfigured into wood and is possibly connected with the root system beneath the Greenleaf Province.
Description of Politics:
- Wielka Altana is a divine-rights monarchy, where the citizen ruler acts as a figurehead to a Corbenese deity. This Corbenese deity, Konarwidz, seems to have absolute power over the faerie citizens granted by a ritual called "the Ceremony of Names."
- Direct message from Queen Mab: "The only reason we do not attack and take back the Earth is because the Mistress of the Woods forbids it under threat of taking our names back. Without our names we have no purpose. I am Queen Mab now, I do not wish to return to being no one. Nor do my people."
- Wielka Altana's relationship with the Initiative will be tenuous at best for the unforeseeable future. It seems that the best course for further action is a policy of non-communication.
From the Desk of Archbishop Franz Melchett
Church of JALAKÅRA, Office of Interfaith Affairs
Corbenese Deity Profile
Name: Konarwidz
Title: Fourth Princess of Corbenic (?)
Alias, if any: Mistress of the Woods
Gender: Female
Patronage: Trees, Explorers, Thaumaturgists, Pacifists
Next of Kin, if any: Unknown
Date of Birth, if any: N/A
Appearance: A large barn owl, typically standing 2.5 meters tall, 6 meter wingspan, with the head of a black haired caucasian female. If she so chooses, Konarwidz is capable of changing her size.
Alignment: Self-aligned
Notes
Konarwidz is an enigma to say the least. Having little contact with Corbenic outside of the Greenleaf Province, there are few that even know of her existence. Even those who wander into the Greenleaf Woods are unlikely to see her, as she will reduce her size and hide. For reasons unknown, she will deem the rare traveler worthy of passage through Wielka Altana, and will order the Wood Baron to guide them. This will occur regardless of any decision of Queen Mab.
She seems to force her views of pacifism on her followers, typically under threat of name-taking, and had forbid them from leaving the Greenleaf Province for fear of them inciting war with the Initiative. As of 6/30/359 AHW3, only one faerie has ever been recorded leaving the greater Greenleaf Province, a male by the name of Carbo'rose. Their fate is yet undetermined, however their last known location was Bøgal Province.
On 9/22/178 AHW2 two transmissions matching the format of Transmission-3824FA1-1 were received at Psionic Transceiving Area-235. Using algorithms similar to those used to decipher the 3/14/1 AHW transmission, the following messages were translated and brought to the attention of Eternal President Niang, the Central Cabal, and JALAKÅRA:
Transmission-3824FA1-2
Received: 9/22/178 AHW2 @ 15:24
Emissaries of the Two Moons,
With my permission, a faerie is preparing to leave Greenleaf Woods. I attempted to persuade him from the idea, but even my best efforts did not change this urge in his being. This faerie is named Carbo'rose. He claimed to have had visions of a mountain across a vast desert. Be these dreams from a memory received or a true vision of his own I do not know, but I know of this mountain he seeks.
While I cannot ask you to protect him as he journeys to the Witch-Queen's land, his path will bring him through your nation of Saklovai. I humbly request that you give him safe passage through your lands. While I may not guarantee his reasons for embarking on this quest, he says he wants to guide the lost to where they need to be. I do trust his words when he says he does not seek to attack your people. However, if he does become a threat, you are free to do as you see fit.
-Konarwidz, Mistress of the Woods
Transmission-3824FA1-3
Received: 9/22/178 AHW2 @ 16:34
Initiative,
I do not understand for what purpose this is happening. But it seems the Mistress has allowed one of our kind to journey though your lands. Although I wish he was there to pierce those moons from our sky, I can feel certain that his intentions are pure.
You are to assure that Carbo'rose has a safe journey to the land of giant apes. If he is to come to any harm in your lands, you will be repaid in full. Do not forget, your Foundation is built on our taken lives. To harm Carbo'rose will be a declaration of war and we will send the force of the whole forest crashing down upon you.
After he leaves your nation, you are to send your highest representative to meet with the Baron of the Woods in his grove. There they will discuss what to do if he is to return from the mountain of the Striders. We cannot ask you to risk yourselves because one of our own is foolish.
-Queen Mab, Monarch of the Queendom of Wielka Altana
The faerie known as Carbo'rose was met at the southern border of the Saklovai Province on 10/3/178 AHW2 at 18:35. The agents from Exploration Force Alpha: Unit 8 were assigned to meet him due to their familiarity with the citizens of Wielka Altana. Unit 8 transported the faerie along the western border with no incident using Eternal President Niang's personal transport. Carbo'rose departed the Saklovai Province on 10/3/178 AHW2 at 21:58.
Eternal President Niang met with the Wood Baron on 10/5/178 AHW2 at 08:32. A lookout along the northwestern border of Saklovai Province is to be established. All Initiative personnel assigned to border patrol in the established lookout zones are to be given a physical description of Carbo'rose. In the event of Carbo'rose's return to the Saklovai Province, the sitting Eternal President is to be contacted immediately to arrange transport and security back to Greenleaf Province. As of 6/30/359 AHW3, there has been no sign of Carbo'rose.
On 6/27/359 AHW3 a telepathic signal was received on all psionic devices across Corbenic. Triangulation of the signal's origin point placed it as coming from central Greenleaf Province.
Transmission-3824FA1-4
Received: 6/27/359 AHW3 @ 08:12
Father is deceased, may he find peace where he goes. He pained over the fact that we weren't there for his passing, yet he understands that our petty squabbles make it hard for us to meet. He was ill for quite some time when he made his final bed in my woods. Silently I watched over him, waiting for this day. I regret that I could not be with him myself when the time came, yet there were others with him. Post-humans, I believe.
I hope for the day we can meet in the clearing where our father passed, give him a proper burial. Jalakåra, Hékati-Bøgal, Ghantoris, even Abbad, may we one day forgive each other for our perceived wrong-doings and do one thing as a family, even for a day.
-Fourth Daughter to the King of Corbenic
As per protocol, this message was reported directly to Eternal President Niang, who in turn reported it to JALAKÅRA and the Central Cabal. Upon receiving this message, JALAKÅRA dismissed the Central Cabal, stating he wished to be left alone.
- 8/20/1 AHW (Day 1)
- 8/29/1 AHW (Day 10)
- 8/30/1 AHW (Day 11)
- 9/1/1 AHW (Day 13)
- 9/7/1 AHW (Day 16)
- 9/8/1 AHW (Day 17)
- 9/9/1 AHW (Day 18)
- 9/10/1 AHW (Day 19)
- 9/16/1 AHW (Day 26)
It's been eight months since JALAKÅRA graciously defended us against the Strider attacks. Eight months since the end of what we're calling the Harvesting War, by the Holy Sponsor's choice. The Foundation has now merged completely with every other anomalous organization on the planet, or rather 'on this moon.' At least those that didn't manage to run away before the Lotus took us to Corbenic. Yea, turns out this place has a name. JALAKÅRA has taught us much over these past eight months. May his weave never fray. Over the past few months, we managed to extract all the resources possible from the Earth. Since we're all dead, there was no sense keeping it all underground. Especially with a whole world below us. We managed to build new machines, far more advanced than what we had before thanks to the Holy Sponsor, and are now prepared to explore the world below.
Eight squads were sent out, all of us from Foundation. Mobile Task Forces Psi-8 and Mu-13 has now been rebranded into Exploration Force Alpha. Apparently stopping communication from this place qualifies us enough to explore it. Complete malarky in my opinion, but at least the units stayed the same. Could do without Kowalski, he really needs to be retired after the war. But at least I still got Faelin, she's been the only one to keep on my ass with reports. Speaking of which, it's by her suggestion that this journal is being made. Since we're gonna be the first people exploring this world, it's only right that we record it. Got Rogan on the team too. Not exactly the diplomatic type if we meet non-hostiles, but he can be counted on against a threat. So, here we are.
Directly below the Earth is a desert that stretches out as far as the eye can see. Even overhead the desert just doesn't seem to end. There is a large mountain in the distance though, up on Earth you can see a valley along the side of it. The Holy Sponsor says that is the home of the Striders, where their queen resides. At the end of the valley is a giant ocean, but there are no waves. The whole expanse is flat. You would expect to see some curvature to the world, but here in Corbenic the world is truly flat. Flat and endless. At least compasses work the same here in the desert as they do back up on Earth. Plus we didn't have to go anywhere near that mountain, Unit 1 was assigned to head there. Good thing too, Kowalski was having a panic attack over the thought of going near that place. We figured we would go in the opposite direction of it.
We finally came to an end of the desert. After following the compass for over a week, we made it to a forest. It's impossibly dense, we can't see more than three meters past the edge. My only guess is that this might be where trees go when they die. It's the only thing I can think of to make sense of this many of them growing in a place with no sun. At least we can still fit between the trees.
We received word from Luna Major, kind of surprised that we can get any reception this far away. Can still see the Earth in the sky, so I guess it works as an actual satellite. But the word from command says that this forest is labeled the most likely origin point of that message we received back when we first aligned with JALAKÅRA at the end of the Harvesting War, and to keep an eye out for any threats.
With the message they also sent a copy of the SCP-001 file. It was a recording of an old man talking about the beginning of the SCP Foundation. About an old factory filled with arcane terrors and torture. As well as a whole race of creatures called faeries that were slaughtered in a desperate attempt to keep them from claiming it. Assuming this is where everything goes when it dies, they had to be here too.
Right now command is having us stay put at the edge of the woods. They're appealing to JALAKÅRA over whether we go in or not. I would have asked how long it would take, but unfortunately communication with Luna Major seems to be one way. They can talk to us, but we can't talk to them. Considering the risk that a Strider's voice has, I'm assuming this design flaw was intentional. Hopefully it won't take long to deliberate. Kinda getting antsy just sitting here. Have you ever heard a tree growing? You do when it's rapidly sprouting out of the ground.
We've been given approval to enter the woods. Thank the Weaver. I couldn't just sit there listening to the trees grow any longer. Still stuck listening to it, but at least walking helps. We continued to go south into the woods. After about six hours of walking we came to a clearing. In the middle of it was an old man, sitting on a bed. When he saw us, he waved us over. Seemed friendly enough. Warned us to be wary in the woods. When we asked him what he was doing here, he said he was waiting to meet his daughter, and asked us if we had seen a black haired woman in the woods, fair skin and blue eyes. We told him we didn't see anyone in the woods. Now that I think about it, this man was the only person that we've seen since we left below Luna Major.
The man continued to talk about his family. That he hasn't seen his children in a long time. He explained that he started to feel ill a few centuries ago and came here to prepare his deathbed. When we asked the man what he meant by his deathbed he said that we still had a lot to learn about this world. While this is the world after death for us, it is the place of life for others. What happens after is still unknown to him. He fell silent after that before saying that he is hoping to see his children together one more time. After talking with the man we bid him farewell.
We decided to keep going south. As we left, the old man warned us to stay still and not breathe if we ever saw a dancing light. Not sure what he meant but, assuming he knows more about these woods than we do, noted. We continued through the woods until some clouds moved overhead, blocking out whatever light the green sky here gives off. Kowalski was complaining about his feet hurting, the rest of us wanted to keep going but he wouldn't shut up. So we're taking a rest.
Fiddling around with the tablet, I found out they added some kind of news app on these things so we can get current events from Luna Major. It seems that the new moon in the sky attracted a lot of attention from the other post-humans and they've been flocking into the safety of JALAKÅRA's Weave to get away from the Striders still wandering the desert. Currently, there's talk among the Initiative over establishing a new country in the desert below. I say the more people we can save from those damn apes, the better. Kowalski was taken by those things, seven years digested by the queen. Still complains that he smells. Sadly, he does. Establishing a new country might be a good idea, as long as we don't get greedy.
The trees are getting more dense the farther we go. The air here seems thick. I wonder, are we actually breathing here? If we are, are the trees exchanging gases too? Even though the trees are getting more dense, there still always seems to be just enough space for us to walk though. Like this path was made to be traveled. The most worrying thing though is that we can feel a breeze. This is the first time we felt wind since we came here. The path was just starting to widen enough that the four of us could walk two by two, that was when Rogan noticed it. A creature, it looked human but different. Horns were growing out of its head and it carried a lantern with it. The lantern swung wildly as its bearer moved.
As the old man said, we stood still and held our breath. After a few moments, it called out. Like a shout in my mind, it screamed. There were no words. But the meaning was still conveyed. "COME OUT." It knew we were there, the roots of the trees began to dance at our feet. Then it looked at us, with bright glowing eyes. We kept still and didn't breathe. That latter part was a lot easier than expected, one advantage to being dead I suppose, no need to breathe. As it walked towards us it continued to project wordless thoughts into our mind, the meaning still clear, "I AM BARON OF THESE WOODS. MISTRESS GRANTS YOU PASSAGE. QUEEN SEEKS AUDIENCE. FOLLOW." Not having much choice, we did as he said.
This creature that calls itself the "Baron of the Woods" claims to serve a nation hidden deep within the woods, and that it is its sole guardian. Having a better look at it, it's hard to miss that their skin is made of wood, or at least looks like it. What I thought were horns growing out of its head are actually branches. As they walk, roots connected from the bottom of their feet and dug into the ground. Perhaps connecting it to the whole root system beneath this forest. The Baron didn't speak. Instead it used a form of telepathy. No words come from the thoughts it projected, just meaning. As we're following the Baron the branches on the trees seem to curve towards us, like snakes ready to strike at a moment's notice. As we're getting deeper, the light from the sky is becoming even more blocked out, currently the only source of light besides our tablets is the Baron's glowing eyes and the lantern they hold.
We followed the Baron for two days through the woods. After the first day the trees started becoming less crowded and we started to see some signs of civilization. Rows of longhouses, by the hundreds, were built every few kilometers. Occupied mostly by post-humans, to our surprise. "TRAVELERS LIKE YOU. COME TO ROOST." The Baron wordlessly said, probably listening to our thoughts, "MORE WELCOME THAN YOU. NOW ENTERING WIELKA ALTANA." The trees changed as well from the pines that surrounded us up til meeting the Baron. Now surrounding us is every variety of fruit and nut tree you can conceive. Some of these I don't even recognize. They were all filled with a harvest ready to pick. It's been so long since I ate anything, I know we don't need to anymore but, I admittedly kind of miss it. Not the feeling of hunger, but the experience of taste. Wasn't willing to try anything here though. I think I saw Rogan grab a few cherries, but he keeps denying it. Eventually, we asked where the Baron was leading us. "ARCADIA. CAPITOL. THRONE." Those were the concepts it spoke in reply. This has to be among the top ten strangest experiences I have had since we got here. Just being spoken to in a wordless language. I wish I had a better way to describe it.
A day after passing the longhouses we started to see redwood and sequoia trees scattered through the orchard, most of those were turned into tree houses. I don't mean these were trees that were built into houses, these were trees that were turned into houses. They didn't even have tool marks as if they were carved, it was more like they grew into these shapes. These houses were mostly inhabited by other post-humans. At least, they looked like normal humans from a glance. There were two major differences though. The first was that their hair was silver, although they all had different tints to them making it possible to tell them apart. The second difference is that their ears are longer, ending in points. They all went about their business; laundry, cooking, cleaning. It's like they're doing a play of life before coming here. "TRUE CITIZENS", spoke the wordless Baron. "YOU CALL THEM FAERIE."
As we passed by the faerie citizens they spoke the same way the Baron did. No words came from them, but meaning and context was projected into our minds. Most of the conversion seemed casual, until they noticed us with the Baron. Silence came after that, the feeling of displeasure engulfed our minds as we went. A couple times we would overhear a trade. They seem to trade in experiences. Not sure how exactly that works though. The most I was able to catch was an agreement between the people trading and a golden thread linking their foreheads and a pulse of light moved from one to the other. Faelin seemed the most comfortable with the silent noise surrounding us, she explained to us that the experiences they trade are memories.
After another day of following the Baron we were brought to a wall, before us stood a gate. In our minds, the concept came, "ENTERING ARCADIA." The gates opened and we found ourselves in a city. Buildings in the trees, seeming to have been naturally grown from the wood itself. Long bridges creating an entire road system above us, all tangled and kept together by vines of all kinds. Most of the citizens were faerie, their tinted silver hair unmistakable. But there were humans with them. At a fruit stand near the gate I watched as a post-human man agreed to trade the memory of a mother's hug to one of the faeries for a bushel of grapes.
The Baron brought us to the largest tree in the city. Sitting in the center it looked like a multi-level castle that grew right out of the ground. The trunk had doors wide enough that it could swallow Base-19. They slid open and out came two women, long ears and silver hair with a yellow tint, wearing white robes and carrying swords made of black wood. Wordlessly, the Baron passed us off to the women and went back to his grove.
The women led us through the castle into a large chamber, the throne room. On the throne sat a long-eared woman, her floor-length silver hair had a purple tint to it and her ears were longer than most of the other faeries we have seen. Upon seeing us she introduced herself as Queen Mab, ruler of Wielka Altana, chosen by the Mistress of the Woods. Unlike the other citizens we came across and the Baron, the Queen actually spoke. She called it a courtesy to us lesser minded and glared at us while she spoke. Like she wanted to kill us but something held her back.
The Queen's first declaration was this, "We have not permitted you here. Yet the goddess granted you passage so we may give a message to take back to your masters. The only reason we do not attack and take back the Earth is because the Mistress of the Woods forbids it under threat of taking our names back. Without our names we have no purpose. I am Queen Mab now, I do not wish to return to being no one. Nor do my people. The reason we summoned you here is so you may learn the sins of your formers." When we asked what she meant, she told us a story.
After the battle at the factory, she and her people suddenly appeared in this forest. None of them remembered who they were. None of them could remember each other. In fear and grief, the faeries attacked each other. The battle waged on for days, until the Mistress flew down from the trees. She brought the fighting to an end. She told the faeries who they were now, named them, and taught them. They built a nation, guided by their new goddess. They learned magic to manipulate nature itself. They never sought the world outside of the woods, and the goddess graciously protected them. Naming the Baron, Wielka Altana has gained a guard for its borders. Naming the Queen, Wielka Altana has gained a ruler among the citizens. As more of their kind came, all in the same condition, they taught them the Mistress's ways, and the goddess gave them names. The queendom continued to prosper to this day, they even moved on from their old lives in the living. That is, until the old world appeared above the sky.
Though the slaughter of their kind was forgotten. It still was not forgiven. When the blue moon appeared in the sky, the whole of the world recognized it and the faeries remembered. Queen Mab was ready to rally the army to take the world again. Until they heard the roar of the Strider Queen. When the apes attacked shortly after our arrival, the faeries held their hand. They would have taken the world again after the Striders were done with us, if JALAKÅRA didn't announce his sponsorship.
After the Harvesting War ended, the faeries prepared again to attack. That was when their goddess intervened, forbade them from leaving the forest to attack the Earth. The goddess refused to state her reasons, saying it was beyond their understanding. When one of the faeries refused, she took their name. With the world forgetting this out-crier, they begged for forgiveness. Their name was returned, just to prove the example. Afterwards Queen Mab, in her calm fury, sent a message to the Lunar Dawn Initiative. Just as a way of saying that they were here.
As she concluded, the Queen continued to stare at us coldly. She stated that the goddess was waiting for us to journey this way eventually. That our kind is a curious bunch that can't help but expand. She stated that the Mistress of the Woods would be here in a few days for a ceremony and that we are to meet with her to receive terms for how things are to proceed between our two nations. In the meantime, we were allowed to wander within Arcadia, so long as we did not step foot outside the city wall.
After meeting the Queen we were taken to bed chambers and allowed to rest. I could tell you this, while we don't need to sleep here. It is nice to be able to rest for the moment. The squad is debating over whether we should interact with the citizens. Faelin is making the strongest case that we're essentially ambassadors and anthropologists in this mission, that it would be counter-intuitive to our mission to not interact with the citizens. I'm inclined to agree with her. The only naysayer is Rogan. Well, sorry bud, it's three to one. We're gonna go after getting a few hours of rest.
We left to explore the city the next morning. While resting in the bed chambers Rogan and I accidentally fell asleep. It was probably the first bit of sleep any of us got since we arrived in Corbenic, not like we needed it. After leaving the castle we went into the city. There doesn't seem to be any signs anywhere, so we didn't know where to go. We tried talking to some of the citizens. However, trying to talk to any of the faeries just got us dirty looks and silence at best. Getting spat on at worst. One of the humans helped us though, they directed us to the marketplace. Thankfully they were willing to actually talk to us so we could clearly hear him over the silent noise.
When we reached the marketplace it was pretty crowded, about a hundred or so people all projecting their thoughts without words. It felt like a cacophony of the very concept of language was being screamed into my head. It was overwhelming, to say the least. Rogan was in the same state. Fortunately, Faelin and Kowalski were able to hold it together. They sat us over on a nearby bench and helped us ground our own thoughts through everyone else's. We caught the attention of a few citizens as well. The faeries all scowled at us as they walked past, usually shouting a comparison to something vulgar into our heads.
The human residents stopped around to make sure we were ok, making sure to use their actual voices. Not gonna lie, just hearing any actual sound did help. Some of them said the same thing happened to them the first time they came to the market. Kowalski asked how they came to live among the faeries, they explained that they were told by the Baron that they were granted passage by Queen Mab and led in by the Wood Baron. They lived in the longhouses a long time ago, moving closer and closer, and eventually were able to move to Arcadia with the faeries' approval. When asked how long they lived here, one of the men that stopped said he's been living in the Wielka Altana for at least three hundred years, having just moved to Arcadia a year ago.
After Rogan and I calmed down we continued farther into the marketplace. We asked Faelin and Kowalski how they managed to keep it together. Turns out while me and Rogan slept, they went and talked to the guard-maidens. As we expected, the citizens here can read our thoughts, a standard telepath trait. But theirs is a little unintentional. Every thought they have is out in the open, as well as being privy to every thought other people are having. Faelin and Kowaski did attempt to learn how to think like they do, but it's tricky to get down. Apparently there's some spell that completes the learning process of this language. Faelin did say she got a look at it, but couldn't make heads or tails of it. I spent some time reading what the Foundation and GOC had on magic before we came down here. Maybe I could take a look at it. They did learn how to focus on one thought process at a time to not get overwhelmed though. As we walked they did their best to teach Rogan and me. I managed it, but I think Rogan is having a bit of a harder time.
When we reached the heart of the market different merchants were shouting, the concepts of their wares flowing into our minds. Once you get the idea that the mental noise is coming from somewhere it's pretty easy. You kind of have to focus your own thoughts in one direction and it narrows down what you hear. If you focus on one person, you would hear them the loudest. As we were walking, something caught Kowalski's attention and he stopped at a fruit stand. He said the merchant was selling pomegranates for the cost of a painful experience in Corbenic. "AVOID PHYSICAL HARM. MEMORY IS ENOUGH." The merchant projected, just to clarify that they did not wish to be harmed. Kowalski, with a gleam in his eye stared, at the merchant. I could only guess he was bargaining based on what I was hearing from the merchant. After about a minute of negotiating the merchant gave him two of the fruit and a golden thread connected their foreheads. Seven lights traveled from Kowalski down the thread to the merchant. Afterwards he turned back to us with the largest smile on his face. It was the happiest we have seen him since before the war.
We asked him what he traded and he said he offered the worst experience of his existence, being eaten and digested by the Strider Queen. We asked him if he really couldn't remember and he said he can't even recall the witch-queen's face, let alone the smell of her colon. Faelin went and asked the merchant to describe what happened. "SIMPLE TRADE," replied the merchant, "PAIN HE EXPERIENCED, RARE HERE. SUCH GRUESOME FATE." He then proceeded to project into our minds the very face that Kowalski claims to have seen before. But this time, he didn't react. Like the trauma was truly taken out of his mind.
We continued through the square when one of the faerie citizens called us over. The man made sure to verbally speak so that he would catch our attention. Like Queen Mab, his voice was like a song. I wonder if all the faeries all sound like that. He said that he had a large assortment of wares to sell and knowledge that he could teach us. He looked directly at Rogan and enticed him with a golden coin. Offering to exchange it to him for one week of his life. Thankfully, this was one of the times when Rogan actually is smarter than he looks and he declined the offer. He had no life to give time from, he's dead. The only life he has is his afterlife, now. The man laughed knowing he was found. Apparently, there's a bit of a cultural joke here where people are tricked into selling time they don't have.
We asked the trader what selling time would entail here. He said it worked like a contract, you give the buyer time, the buyer gives you something you want. He told us he never sold his own time before so he couldn't describe it, but one of the traders in the other stands sold off a month when she first moved to Arcadia. When we went to ask the other trader about her experience selling time, she described it as, "not so bad." You seem to know what the buyer wants from you, but you don't have to do it if you don't want to. If you ignore it for too long though you'll apparently start to have hallucinations of the buyer hanging around trying to have a conversation. If you don't give your time in labor, you pay it in attention. When we asked what the longest time someone has bought before, she said it's rare if people buy more than a month in time, but some people of the outer orchards have traded up to fifty years. No harm comes to anyone though, the Mistress apparently makes sure of that.
After we finished asking the traders what we needed to know, we thanked them for their time and Kowalski shared some of the pomegranates he traded for his memory while we people-watched for a few hours before we headed back to the castle. As we watched and walked the faerie citizens that would pass us continued to project distasteful things, often showing ways they would like to kill us. I would say they hate humans, but they treat the other humans just fine. It must be because of our old ties to the Foundation.
We didn't waste any time resting during the night. Rogan and I joined Faelin and Kowalski in learning about the language of this nation from the guard-maidens. Apparently, they were given orders to assist us by any means within reason. I took this chance to ask them about their swords, noting that they were made of wood. I tried my best to think like they do, but I found it difficult. Even my own thoughts are an inner monologue, the best I can think of for concept is pictures. I think the maidens picked up on my difficulty in trying this, they laughed whenever I slipped into how I normally think.
They explained that their swords are actual wood, and demonstrated. As soon as the sword was drawn, my ankle was grasped and I was thrown to the ground by a vine. Following it up, the source of it was the crossguard of the guard-maiden's sword. The look in her eye was fierce as branches sprung forth from the sword blade and surrounded my head. Rogan got up ready to attack the woman, but Faelin and Kowalski held him back as the other guard-maiden held her sword at her belt. "WEAPONS STRONGER IN CORRECT HANDS", the guard that knocked me down mocked as the branches retreated back into the sword.
As I stood up, I complimented the craftsmanship of the weapon that nearly maimed me. I was a little worried about asking about the telepathy spell. But since I thought about it, they heard me. The guard-maiden that didn't almost stab me at least 24 times at once went to the shelves and grabbed a scroll. It looked ancient, but it was still completely intact. When I took a look at it I couldn't make heads or tails of it either, just like Faelin. Couldn't even tell what kind of runic it was written in or which way the runes even went. I asked if they were willing to tell me anything about what it's written in and they replied that I was not ready. After we asked them what we needed, attempting to keep the conversation in the silent language they use, we thanked them for their time and went out to see the city again. Rather than staying on the ground, we found a tree with a staircase grown in it leading to the bridge system above.
Above the city is an entire residential area. Homes grown and molded from the trees themselves. As we walked across the vine covered bridges we were surprised at how sturdy they were. They were wide enough that we all could stand side by side. Could probably drive a car across it, though I don't think I would try. We went as far as we could to the edge of the city, as we passed over the marketplace the silence noise of the merchants shouting can still be faintly heard. We reached the end of the bridges and saw what I could only describe as a construction crew. They moved their hands through the air, with every motion the wood around them bent and took shape. Silently, the crew were shouting instructions towards each other. As they worked with the wood the trees continued to grow, eventually forming a house. Looking around we see that there are many new houses here all empty and waiting for dwellers. Rogan walked up and asked the crew what was happening. The faerie glared at him, one of them holding a scroll came up and explained, "NEW ARRIVALS SOON. EXPANDING ARCADIA. PREPARING." The annoyance the man harbored in him was even conveyed in the pure concept he thought in. They look over to us and projected "DANGEROUS HERE. LEAVE." We took that instruction and dragged Rogan away before he could ask anything more.
We continued going around the farthest edge of the city above, watching the activity of the city below. Just outside of Arcadia's wall to the south we saw more faeries working, a few post-humans were with them too. Using hand motions similar to the construction crew, they manipulated the roots of the trees to till the ground below, bringing chunks of dirt up with every wave of wood. We continued to watch them for a while, occasionally they would examine the dirt they brought up and remove something from it. We continued watching this process until a human woman passed by. They asked what we were watching and we pointed to the people digging outside the wall. The citizen explained that they were mining. Hard stone apparently is not something common around here, so the workers outside of the city work to excavate any kind of stone that they can get from deep below the ground. We asked what the stone is used for. The woman responded with a shrug, guessing that it might be used for any number of reasons.
We watched the city for a while, I was just listening to the diggers outside the wall, once in a while you'd hear an actual shout from one of the humans working out there. After a few hours the diggers finished gathering stones and returned to the city. I took that as a cue to tell the team we should head back to the castle. When we reached the gate the diggers were there delivering carts of stones that they gathered. There were about 10 carts filled with random rocks behind them. Overhearing their thoughts, it seems they were delivering the stone to the castle for some ceremony tomorrow. Faelin accidentally asked what ceremony this was and the faeries all glared at us. They said that we will learn of the ceremony soon enough. That we need to truly understand our sins. I suppose that means we already have a course of action for tomorrow.
In the morning we were met at the chambers by the guard-maidens. They were equipped with ornately carved spears instead of their usual swords and were dressed in black gowns instead of their usual white. In their wordless way they described today as an important day and that we were to meet with Queen Mab before the ceremony. We followed them to the throne room, where the queen awaited us, a solemn look on her face. With a single thought she told us to follow. She stood up from her throne, and with a wave of her arms the wall behind her opened like curtains.
Behind the wall was a large dome. Trees were grown to curve inward, their highest points meeting at the top, the branches grew outward and into each other in intricate braids. The trees had bark that was made of silver and they were cool to the touch, the leaves crystal clear. Hanging from the ceiling of the dome was a large swing, altogether it looked like a giant birdcage. This was a place of importance to the faerie. According to Queen Mab, this was where they arrived in Corbenic. Where the Battle with No Names was fought. We were brought to the other side of the dome where a trapdoor was hidden. One of the guard-maidens opened it, revealing a staircase leading underground. The Queen and her guard instructed us to enter. After we were all underground they followed, closing the trapdoor behind them, making sure we couldn't escape. The only way was down. The stairwell was made from the rough roots of the silver trees above us. Our footsteps were metallic in sound. The walls were tangles of wood, forming a near perfect square hall that led down.
When we reached the bottom of the stairs we came to a large circular chamber, similar construction to the stairwell, but the floor was made of dirt. In it sat countless faeries. They looked up when we came in. Queen Mab ignored them as she addressed us. "This is the consequences of your people's sin. These suffering nameless faces recently arrived. Lives and names taken by your broken promises. Yet again it has happened. Just how many times will that horrid slaughter repeat?" That's when we realized what this place was built on, and why exactly we were sent the SCP-001 file at the edge of the woods.
This place, this nation, was made for an entire species to persevere after we killed them all off. After an extinction we caused they were taken to a place that was hell, and they made a heaven. I'm kind of amazed that any humans are even allowed to live here. That they don't just shun our kind as a whole. I was stuck in these thoughts when Faelin spoke up.
"Why are they tied up?" That's when I noticed the vines holding the nameless faeries to the ground. Queen Mab explained that they suffered from the same confusion that she and the first citizens did. The bindings were for the protection of the new arrivals and the citizens, ordered by the Mistress, to prevent another Battle with No Names. After she explained this to us we were led upstairs by the guard-maidens while the queen addressed the bound fairies. It was time to prepare to see the Mistress.
After we were taken back to the bedchambers the guard-maidens prepared us to view the ceremony. They gave us black tunics and pants while they gave Faelin a black gown similar to theirs. The outfits fit well enough, Faelin looked really uncomfortable in her gown though. Don't think she's really the type for these outfits. After we got changed, they taught us etiquette for the ceremony, specifically the ability to silence our minds. We were told that there might be enough panic when the Mistress arrives among the newcomers, our own thoughts would only add to this. Thankfully, going no-mind is a lot easier for me than thinking without words.
A few hours later, the guard-maidens led us back to the domed grove. There was already a gathering there, all dressed in black outfits similar to ours. If I thought the group of faeries underground was countless, this crowd was even moreso. The city isn't all that big, there was no way this many people lived in the city. Before us was a sea of silver hair. How many people traveled for this? The guard-maidens made sure to keep themselves between us and the crowd the entire time. Instead we were made to watch in an area at the edge of the dome.
At the base of each tree that makes the dome were women all similar to the guard-maidens that we've been getting acquainted with since we arrived. Each carrying a spear of their own. One by one, they struck the trunk behind them. Each hit of the trees sounded hollow, as if a breeze was going through a wind chime. As the tones rang out and faded, Queen Mab led the faeries from underground in front of the swing and crowd. Row by row, the new faerie sat. They were each carrying something with them.
Once the crowd was silent, the guard-maidens began striking the trees again. In perfect synchronicity the chimes from the trees rung out with every hit. There was a rustle in the leaves above, and a calm breeze wafted through the dome. A bird flew in from outside and sat upon the swing. Suddenly, with a gust that nearly lifted me off my feet, the bird grew. It towered over the crowd from upon its perch. There was one peculiar thing about it though. It looked like a typical barn owl from the neck down but it, or rather she, had a human head with fair skin and jet black hair. Her head twisted around to observe the crowd surrounding her with piercing blue eyes. After observing the gathering she turned toward Queen Mab and the new arrivals behind her. She spoke with a quiet voice that sounded as if the wind spoke.
"This is a time of grief and rebirth. You have lost who you are and have come to a world you don't know. These people before you were once the same. Yet rejoice, I am willing to bring you under my protection. To give you new names and purpose and stave the confusion that lurks within you. You have each been given a stone. This stone will be a part of you, it will carry for you an identity. Come forth, nameless ones, and let the Ceremony of Names begin."
One by one, Queen Mab led the nameless faerie before the owl goddess. They presented her with what they were carrying, without touching them the goddess took the object and with her large talon she carved into it. She spoke a name out loud and the object turned into light, which flew into the faerie who presented it, afterwards the faerie joined the larger crowd. What's amazing is that, as Faelin was keeping track, she did not repeat a single name. Each one of the nameless received their own unique name.
After the Ceremony of Names and the crowd dispersed, Queen Mab approached us and said that the Mistress wished to speak with us. As we approached the goddess, the great owl flew from its perch toward us. There was a gentle breeze surrounding us as she flew. As she was preparing to land, she made herself smaller. Landing in front of us she only stood about eight feet tall. With her wings crossed over her plumed chest and slender legs, she bowed to us. With a gentle voice that was nearly a whisper she spoke, "Greeting emissaries of the moon. I am the Mistress of these Woods. You may address me by my name, Konarwidz. I have known your sponsor for many eons and he has caused me no harm that I bear a grudge for. If he is willing to make you his representatives, then it is my will to see you as such." After introducing ourselves we asked her how she knew the Great Weaver, she only responded that the tale is older than the sun and that merely trying to tell it would take eons. Having to accept that as our answer, we asked her how she came to the Faeries. A smirk came across her face as she recalled.
She said that the faerie arrived in the very field we stood in. She watched them from the trees, their confusion, their hatred for each other, the blame, and eventually the battle. She observed the battle for eight days, staying no larger than the size of a finch. Feeling pity, she revealed herself. Knowing their plight, she resolved it. She told us this resolution of hers is the only thing that saves our moon, which she chose to demonstrate. Konarwidz unfolded her wings, and spoke a short chant. Once she spoke a light engulfed Queen Mab and became a stone in front of the goddess, and at that moment we didn't know who the silvery-purple haired woman was. As we watched her, the woman kept asking us, practically begging us, to tell her who she was. The guard-maidens surrounded Konarwidz. Making sure to protect their ruler. This tense situation continued until Konarwidz spoke the Queen's name, returning the stone to her, and just like that we recognized the woman as Queen Mab again.
The great owl explained that just as easily as she had given the faeries names, she could take them too. The stones were their names, and she made them a part of each faerie to give them an identity. The spell can be reversed to take the stone back. With it, all the memory and experience of that name will be taken with it. She intervened with the faeries to bring their fighting to an end, all their fighting. Before, her citizens were able to explore beyond the forest. Ever since the Earth appeared in the sky, she has forbidden them from even leaving beyond the Wood Baron's grove. She knew the intentions of her people for our globe, she did not wish to see war, especially not with JALAKÅRA. She became silent after that, just looking at the green sky through the crystal clear leaves.
After a few moments, Konarwidz spoke again. She told us that we have been welcomed to Wielka Altana by her for the time. However, we were to leave as soon as possible as we were not welcomed by the faerie citizens. Those not welcomed by Queen Mab were typically not allowed beyond the Wood Baron's grove. We were given an exception to this by Konarwidz due to being the first people from the Initiative to attempt to make contact in person. She saw it as a way to establish peace, or at least show that she has her citizens under control.
She told us that after we leave Wielka Altana that we should return directly to our moon. That she will tell us if anything were to happen that should concern us. The great owl bowed towards us once more before flying off, shrinking to the size of a hummingbird before leaving through the roof of the dome. In spite of the breeze, she didn't even disturb the leaves as she left. The guard-maidens returned us to our chambers and we changed back into our uniforms. After discussing everything we figured it was best if we listened to the Mistress and head back to the desert and get to Luna Major. Hopefully these tablets they gave us actually tell them our location so they know to pick us up once we get under the Earth again.
The morning after the ceremony we were met at our chambers by the guard-maidens and were told we had to leave at once. We figured this would've happened, so we took a few hours after the ceremony to prepare. Faelin took some of that time going over this journal as well, she complained about how I took notes and that she'll have to submit a summary for this to the Cabal. Well, next time you take the notes.
At the entrance to the castle was an entire squad of about ten guard-maidens. They surrounded and walked us out of Arcadia. Most of the faerie citizens stood by watching us as we passed. Even with the physical silence, there was even more silence from their minds. The only things to be heard were footsteps and rustling leaves.
Once we reached the gates to the city the group dispersed from around us. As the gates opened we were met with the bright eyes of the Wood Baron. The projection of thought into our minds explained he was to lead us back out of the forest.
We followed the Baron in complete silence for a week. Occasionally we would feel a breeze. It left each of us feeling like we were being watched, which we knew we were. We took a little longer to reach the edge of the forest than when we traveled to Wielka Altana. Telling from the map we've been marking on our tablets, we went around that place where we saw the old man. Not sure why we had to, but we didn't even notice until after we made it to the forest edge. Once we made it back to the desert the Wood Baron left us with one more projected thought. "NEVER RETURN. PEACE IN SILENCE." After this warning he retreated back into the woods.
As I'm writing this we're still at the edge of the forest going over the map data collected. I just had to write this entry because there was no time while we were walking back out. If I numbered these entries right it would have taken us about a week and a half to reach the forest. It looks like we're a ways off from where we entered though. Hopefully we're not too far off. This is Agent Damien Groth, captain of Exploration Force Alpha: Unit 8, marking the final entry.
