Difference between revisions of "Flying Pearl Lake"
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"Everyone has settled in for winter, which means no more building for a while, and not much teaching, either. With the time we've had, we undertook to follow up on something that [[Rivers Between Us|Master Rivers']] saw when he flew to the Gray to slow [[Shouting With Iron|the thunderbird's]] advance before the [[Battle of Breaking Iron]]. We found it right where he said it would be - a lake of still water formed at the end of a tributary, as far north of [[Varsi]] as the [[Marukan Redoubt]] is south, in the center of a willow grove. | "Everyone has settled in for winter, which means no more building for a while, and not much teaching, either. With the time we've had, we undertook to follow up on something that [[Rivers Between Us|Master Rivers']] saw when he flew to the Gray to slow [[Shouting With Iron|the thunderbird's]] advance before the [[Battle of Breaking Iron]]. We found it right where he said it would be - a lake of still water formed at the end of a tributary, as far north of [[Varsi]] as the [[Marukan Redoubt]] is south, in the center of a willow grove. | ||
| − | "Rivers' was right, of course - it's a manse | + | "Rivers' was right, of course - it's a manse. Or rather a demesne; the manse that capped it is long broken. I knew as soon as we reached the inmost ring of willows; they come close enough to the shore to dip their branches into the water, and we hid in their shadows as I worked the geomantic ritual Rivers showed us. The area's filled with water essence, which I expected from the lake - the water is still and pure and floats oversized lotus blossoms on the surface - but layered over that is the strong sense of lunar essence as well. We couldn't decide what to make of it without a more thorough survey, and the creatures kept us from that. |
"They were animals, mostly, mutated things; cranes with carp scales, water bugs made giant, koi with predatory fangs... But there were the spirits, too. Heketa, brine curs, sobeksis; no fewer than five of each. Each group had claimed one of the flying bridges as their own territory; there were five, of willow wood inlaid with silver and pearl, spanning from the shore to a central island. Or at least they used to; three of the five have lost their arches into the lake and a fourth looks like it would collapse if any weight set on it. I wouldn't call what they did war, but more a sullen stalemate. A rainfall would set them to skirmishing again. | "They were animals, mostly, mutated things; cranes with carp scales, water bugs made giant, koi with predatory fangs... But there were the spirits, too. Heketa, brine curs, sobeksis; no fewer than five of each. Each group had claimed one of the flying bridges as their own territory; there were five, of willow wood inlaid with silver and pearl, spanning from the shore to a central island. Or at least they used to; three of the five have lost their arches into the lake and a fourth looks like it would collapse if any weight set on it. I wouldn't call what they did war, but more a sullen stalemate. A rainfall would set them to skirmishing again. | ||
Revision as of 15:38, 4 September 2006
"Everyone has settled in for winter, which means no more building for a while, and not much teaching, either. With the time we've had, we undertook to follow up on something that Master Rivers' saw when he flew to the Gray to slow the thunderbird's advance before the Battle of Breaking Iron. We found it right where he said it would be - a lake of still water formed at the end of a tributary, as far north of Varsi as the Marukan Redoubt is south, in the center of a willow grove.
"Rivers' was right, of course - it's a manse. Or rather a demesne; the manse that capped it is long broken. I knew as soon as we reached the inmost ring of willows; they come close enough to the shore to dip their branches into the water, and we hid in their shadows as I worked the geomantic ritual Rivers showed us. The area's filled with water essence, which I expected from the lake - the water is still and pure and floats oversized lotus blossoms on the surface - but layered over that is the strong sense of lunar essence as well. We couldn't decide what to make of it without a more thorough survey, and the creatures kept us from that.
"They were animals, mostly, mutated things; cranes with carp scales, water bugs made giant, koi with predatory fangs... But there were the spirits, too. Heketa, brine curs, sobeksis; no fewer than five of each. Each group had claimed one of the flying bridges as their own territory; there were five, of willow wood inlaid with silver and pearl, spanning from the shore to a central island. Or at least they used to; three of the five have lost their arches into the lake and a fourth looks like it would collapse if any weight set on it. I wouldn't call what they did war, but more a sullen stalemate. A rainfall would set them to skirmishing again.
"Because of the elementals, we didn't want to risk crossing the last bridge to the center, but we saw a wide, terraced pavilion on the island before we left. It had two low stories with open walls, and Hatsu Shi swears that he saw divans inside; Nama Bi says it was just rubble from the roof. We couldn't get close enough to be sure, but I think the whole lake was once a carefully designed pleasure garden."
-- Ruki Nü, of The Xuan Wu Academy
