Lagoon

Oh, hello! I'm Lagoon. Nice to meet you. Care to chat for a bit as we walk? I'm afraid I can't stop. I'm anxious to get on the road. You know how we are, always moving. Where are you from? I see, that's all the way at... Yes, I knew it! What is it like? Could you describe it for me? What flora grows there? What colour is the sky? Oh, that sounds lovely! I'll have to visit someday. Ketu, darling, could you put it on the list? Oh hey, that's Ketu, my companion. We all adore Serthis in this clan, don't we? Where am I headed? Oh, I'm thinking the Observatory. But something might catch my eye on the way and make me change my mind. One ought not to restrain themself while travelling. Just keep their eyes and mind open to all the wonders. That's what I think. Looks like our paths part here. Goodbye, friend, it was so nice talking to you. Thank you for keeping me company. May we meet again someday!

Serthis Archivist Familiar Scrollkeepers for the Flamescale clan, these studious serthis are careful to protect their writings from wayward embers and open flames. 2525 Journeyman Satchels Apparel A pair of worn leather satchels designed to carry rations, coin, and other knick-knacks. They are typically slung over the shoulder. 0 Map Kit Apparel Map your many adventures, and fly where the winds take you! (Mistral Jamboree Holiday Item 2018.) 0 Bluffclamber Belongings Apparel Tools for exploration and excavation! (Rockbreaker's Ceremony Holiday Item 2015.) 0

Travel journal. If lost, please to return to Lagoon of the Vesper clan, Tangled woods. Thank you.

Snow moon, 13th day

My dear clanmates insisted I begin writing down impressions of my travels, even though my memory is impeccable, to preserve the experiences in their rawest, most beautiful state. So it shall be. I have made countless maps of the forest, I know all the hidden paths, I have written many poems describing the darkness. I believe I am now old enough to venture out into the world, outside of the Tangled wood, to witness what it has to offer. Tomorrow I leave for the Ashfall waste. The temperatures should be a bit more bearable this time of year.

Snow moon, 14th day

Sunbeam Ruins - the light here is certainly a lot stronger than what I'm used to. It's been a while since I last stepped out of the shadows and it took some time for my eyes to adjust. Despite what everyone says about Shadow and Light being as different as can be, they really don't seem to be. I believe they are two sides of the same coin. Everyone is very nice and curious, always asking questions. A scholarly Spiral accompanied me a fair bit of the way, his inquisitive nature of Light surpassing the inattentive nature of his breed.

Snow moon, 16th day

Truth be told, I could have focused my journey on the Lightbeam Ruins alone. I managed to spot the Beacon in the distance, basking in the light, and made a note to come back sometime soon. I managed to avoid having to traverse the Hewn city. I am nowhere near prepared enough to enter it, considering the things I've heard.

Now, I've always knows spider webs to be beautiful, but freshly glazed with dew and sparkling in a ray of light? Indescribable.

Snow moon, 17th day

The Shifting Expanse - the desert heat is not too strong and quite bearable. It is, however, incredibly lonely here. I don't mind as being alone with my thoughts is perfectly enjoyable, but it is a rather drastic change compared to the other regions. The territory of Ice is said to be even less inhabitated, but I shall have to see that for myself someday.
A friendly Imperial offered to fly above me as I treaded on, supplying me with some shade. A very nice fellow.

Snow moon, 17th day

It is proving very difficult not to get distracted by the lovely sights of different regions. I feel as though I could spend hours treading through the soft sand, studying the grains, their movement in the wind... I'll have to come back here, definitely, and bring Pat with me. I know she's not too keen on deserts, but I can sense the potential for some extraordinary paintings here. I stood still for quite some time, probably got some strange looks, too (assuming I am not alone), just taking in the scene before me. It is constantly changing, always invoking some different emotion within oneself. I would love to see that put onto a canvas. My words do not do it justice, the beauty of sand.

Snow moon, 19th day

The canyons seem tempting, what with the shade they offer, but I have been warned by the clans living here to stay out of the canyons. Someone not native to these lands might easily fall prey to harpy groups or something bigger and more volatile... Even in this time of year the sun shines brightly and the heat is strong, especially in the desert. Perhaps I'm just not used to it. A storm is brewing in the distance. I'll have to come back someday to fully explore this place, but at this moment it still makes my stomach twist - I wonder how the dragons of Lightning manage to fly through the storms unscathed? How do they brave the storm?

Snow moon, 21st day

I am getting close to the border. In the distance I can see smoke rising. This area seems a bit more populated and consists of a variety of elemental alliances. Lots of Fire blacksmiths selling their goods. I got myself a Snapper idol made from magma; it is said to bring good luck to travellers! I stopped to chat with many fellow wanderers, we exchanged information, advice and stories. They said I should make my own map and fill it with things that caught my attention. What a great idea! I'll have to find an assistant to do the writing for me, though; I am not that skilled with a brush.

Snow moon, 22nd day

How exciting! As night came, I lay down for a bit to observe the sky changing from a rich orange to a gentle pink. Such a beautiful sight! The sky is always dark in Shadow, and while lovely in its own way, I believe it could use a splash of colour. I had decided to wait until nightfall to continue my journey as the heat was already a bit intense. The other dragons curled up on their makeshift beds and fell asleep while the Snappers stood nearby as though watching over them. I asked about that and was told they stand guard in case some theaving beastclans show up. Fair enough, I said. With the sky now almost as black as back home, I turned my head towards the volcano and basked in its beauty while trying to sketch out a map. After a while I heard some kind of scratching from behind a rock. So of course I checked it out. Lo and behold, there was a young Serthis! He was so focused on his quill and parchment he didn't even notice me. I figured I should say something, so I made a little humming noise. He jumped and stared, probably too scared to react, the poor thing.
I'm nowhere near fluent, but I'm quite confident in my language skills, so in my softest voice I said, "Hello!". He stared some more and then gave a shaky hello back. I said, "What beautiful handwriting!" And it really was - neat and swirly, unlike mine.
He gave a quick laugh. "Oh, this? Just something I'm writing for fun. It's really no good." He glanced around, still clearly uncertain of the situation.
I chuckled. "Oh, I don't believe that. Your clan must be very proud."
He hesitated for a moment before telling me he didn't have a clan.
"Oh," I said. There was a moment of silence that could be read as awkward while I considered my next move.
"Hey, how about this," I began. "My name is Lagoon of the Vesper clan and I'm travelling across Sornieth, recording my experience. I could really use a friend to help me write stuff down. What do you say?"
He seemed very surprised, which - fair enough, this doesn't exactly happen every day. He thought for a while, still glancing over his shoulder at times, and asked if he could have a day to think about it. I said, of course. And he was off.

How exciting!

Snow moon, 23rd day

I continue my journey through the Ashfall Waste, and I've got a new companion! The Serthis returned this evening with a satchel and tons of scrolls. He introduced himself as Ketu and said he would love to come along. We carried on together, telling each other all about ourselves. He was very interested in the fact that I understand his people's tongue. And very happy about the fact that our clan is a friend of Serthis. He told me he wandered off at a young age in order to get his clanmates off his back. The idea of travelling across Sornieth excited him greatly.

We get some pretty confused glances our way, which is to be expected. We pay them no heed.

to be continued