Entry from Kilkarak’s Expedition Journal Day 169

Today I had to kill. Dashyl knew it. It was not the first time I have killed, but it is the first time that my son has known that I have killed. His name was Gareth Balerin, a carapid hunter from Expedition Heights. He spotted us making our way across a flowery meadow a short distance from the banks of the Cerulean. He rode an immense igwaza that he called Goldrinder. The creature’s harness was fitted with different types of radia that attracted various carapids. I have cut part of the harness off the beast’s scaly hide and will use it to attract a starskin carapid.

The reason Gareth had to die is that he might have killed the very creature we are tracking. As he approached, I signaled that I was not hostile and believing me was the hunter’s first mistake. He questioned me and I explained we were on a research mission pertaining to arthids. He suspected we were collecting arthid toxin. In that he was right. Where he was wrong was he thought we were collecting it for weaponry, not experimentation.

At this point, Gareth should have taken us into custody and bound our hands, but for some reason he seemed sympathetic to my situation. He asked me to have a meal with him. As we ate, he explained how he had tracked carapid all his life, exterminating the biggest and most dangerous beasts on Veratar. Expedition Heights is on the edge of the vast wilderness that separates the Protectorate lands from the Legion lands. A handful of Independent city-states and a wide swath of wild country form a buffer between the two factions. Gareth described his long history of patrolling this wilderness and we drained many cups into the afternoon. The hunter grew wistful in his expression, as if he had a respect for his prey and saw a connection between us in our reliance on carapids to make a living.

While Gareth left to relieve himself, I pulled Dashyl aside to explain what needed to be done, no questions asked. Dashyl performed his task perfectly and distracted the carapid hunter long enough for me to poison his drink. My son then poisoned the drinking water of the igwaza as I made small talk with Gareth, waiting for the poison to work. He told me that he was sorry, but that he would have to take me prisoner and up to the Carapid Ward at Hecatyn for keeping.

"Don't try to poison me," the hunter had even said. "I know you chemists create your toxins from carapids and I am immune to all known carapid toxins." He said this with a wry smile on his face, but soon delirium swam in his eyes. Our toxins may come from carapids, but that doesn't mean we chemists haven't improved upon them in the course of our studies. As the poison took effect, a poison of my own concoction to bypass any built-up immunities, I took the opportunity to ask him about the starskin carapid. “Vile beast,” he spat. “You don’t see them very much these days, but they’re out there.” Then he let slip the information that the purple crystals on his harness were said to attract starskins. He boasted about killing a few during his long career. Then his throat seized up and panic filled his eyes, but by then he couldn’t breath. He convulsed for a moment, and then vomited his share of the meal and drink we just consumed and grew still. Goldrinder soon succumbed to his larger dose, thrashing and writhing, and we took the purple crystals when the creature's mouth finally stopped spewing froth and bile.

My son did not seem affected by the creature’s death or my killing of the old warrior. To him, these were simply tasks to carry out during our expedition. Since using the saffira stone that Dashyl took from the Akrasa settlement, my ribs have healed nicely. I feel I am almost at full strength. We are in range of the creature we seek and fortune has been on our side since leaving the canyon. I am optimistic our expedition will find a successful conclusion. Dashyl and I seem resourceful enough to survive.

Entry from Kilkarak’s Expedition Journal Day 163

I can’t move today. Instead of healing my bruised ribs, the saffira crystals have had an adverse effect on me. My breathing has become labored and my energy has waned considerably. This morning I decided to ditch the radia crystals and heal normally, but I don’t have strength to carry on with the journey. I wasn’t going to write in the journal either and just rest completely, but I saw another unusual display of local fauna and feel compelled to report it.

Dashyl went off to explore while I stayed in camp, lying still. I had fallen asleep and was awakened by a screeching call. A purplish grackyl was squawking and dive-bombing something in the hesprys tree under which I slept. A pair of black and white magus also trilled and fluttered about the top of the tree. The object of their displeasure turned out to be a red-crested barrow hawk. Barrow hawks are legendary aerial predators, able to snatch smaller birds out of the air for meals.  For the grackyl and the magus birds to molest a barrow hawk was curious behavior, indeed. The brave pestering of the smaller birds soon had its desired effect; the barrow hawk took flight, its green feathers and red plumage shiny in the afternoon sun. Why the large bird did not turn and devour these pests is beyond me. Perhaps it had just killed and eaten, or maybe it did not like the taste of those particular birds. If I had been that bird, I would have stood my ground and ended the nuisance without delay.

I am not done writing for the day. Dashyl has returned with food and what sppears to be a large saffira crystal. This crystal seems to be refined somehow, whereas the crystals I attempted to use to heal my ribs were raw and rough. From Dashyl’s description of where he obtained the food and crystal, it must be a tool of the Akrasa people. Dashyl said he snuck into some type of housing structure of a people with blue skin and some with green skin. I was not aware that there were green-skinned Akrasa, so Dashyl’s proficiency at sneaking and thieving has lead to a new discovery as well as helpful items. A refined saffira crystal should have a positive level of radia and heal me. The food looks like a type of root vegetable infused with a bluish radia powder and could also have some healing effect.

Since he stumbled upon them, I finally told Dashyl what I knew of the Akrasa and how I thought they had been watching us since we left the canyon.  Dashyl didn’t think they were hostile, but they didn’t see him, so there’s no telling what their reaction would be to a stranger in their midst. I feel rested and recharged already as the sun sets on this day. Instead of taking a detour to the Akrasa settlement, I feel we should press on to the area where the starskin carapid is said to inhabit while I have the strength and we both have sustenance.

Entry from Kilkarak’s Expedition Journal Day 159

Two days ago, I wrote about my mishap in the canyon of the eastern fork of the Upper Cerulean River where I fell, crashed into some granite boulders and lost part of our food supply in the river. At the time, I bruised my ribs. At night in the canyon, I noticed tiny crystals on the surface of the granite began to glow faintly blue. I collected some crystals believing them to be saffira, a form a radia with healing properties. Legion chemists have not had much use for saffira as we generally focus on forms of radia that can be used as weapons or for mutation or other uses in our experiments. For instance, white nethite is used in the radiascopes which magnify images of specimens so we can see their basic structure. White nethite is very volatile and can also be used in weapons, like spear tips, to cause explosions that can further damage an ememy. There have been instances of chemists blowing their hands or heads off changing the nethite crystals in their radiascopes. Another use for white nethite is as a key component to a sextant guide, used when traveling. White nethite responds to the different magnetic fields that exist in rings that stretch around the length of Rynaga. Different parts of a white nethite sextant will glow depending on which direction you are heading. Sarion legends say that white nethite was used by our ancestors as a guide in finding this planet. If this is the case, however, the knowledge of how white nethite might have made travel through space possible has been lost through the ages the Sarion have spent colonizing Rynaga.

I digress; the saffira radia crystals I found might help my ribs heal more quickly. I have wrapped them in cloth and bound them to my side over the bruises. If I have guessed correctly, the saffira crystals should make my ribs feel better shortly. The Akrasa people are said to be masters of using saffira radia. Perhaps if one tries to make contact with us, I may learn more effective ways to use the crystals and share this knowledge with other chemists when I return to Katena.

Entry from Kilkarak's Expedition Journal Day 157

We reached the confluence of the three forks of the Upper Cerulean river after a harrowing descent through a narrow, boulder-filled canyon yesterday. Our progress was painstakingly slow. We made our way over rocks, slipping on gravel and slucking through mud, with the cold Upper Cerulean draining out of Lake Inwyn rushing past us as a roaring force of whitewater tearing tree-roots and rocks from the canyon walls. At one point, I lost my footing and tumbled against some granite boulders. My pack opened and a portion of our food supply fell into the river, leaving us with barely enough to make a return journey. We will with have to forage for ourselves more or definitely make a stop at the Carapid Ward, now. My back is stiff this morning and my left ribs are bruised, but I don't think anything is broken. Dashyl remains undaunted by our setback and assures me he will find enough food for us. He is more worried about me, but I have allayed his fears of any major damage to my body.

Last night, as I nursed my wounds and we rested our aching muscles and feet, we witnessed quite a curious display of the local aquatic life. Where the three forks of the Upper Cerulean meet to form one main river is a large pool with different currents roiling the waters as the three fast-flowing rivers collide. We made our camp on the edge of this pool on a large sandbank. With our eyelids heavy and the campfire dying, we began to hear thrashing sounds coming from the pool. At first only a few splashes, then more and more frequently. We got up from our sleeping sacks to see the pool filled with hundreds of river squils. The squils writhed in a massive ball in the middle of the pool, their iridescent skin flashing in the light of the two moons which happened to both be at the apex of their cycles, shinning bright, almost as bright as sunlight. These river squils were smaller than ones found in the lakes of northeast Veratar and measured about the same length and width of one of Dashyl's arms. After some time, the writhing ball of squils began to disperse as they paired up and sunk to the bottom of the pool. I surmise that this is some sort of mating ritual, triggered, perhaps, by both moons being at apex, which occurs only twice a year. We were not prepared for the magical spectacle we witnessed next. Heeding some cue hidden to us, the squils suddenly broke through the surface like threads of light arcing from water to air and back guided by some invisible seamstress, each heading up a different fork that fed the pool. It was as if the river decided to rise up and reverse its course and fly upstream in shimmering streaks of green, yellow and red. The furious exodus from the pool lasted a mere moments and then the water fell still and serene as if the squils had never existed.

Our eyes wide with wonder at what we had just seen, I explained to Dashyl that this could be a mating ritual for this type of squil and they were probably heading up the different forks to give birth. While talking with Dashyl, I had the unsettling sensation of being watched. I didn't want to alert Dashyl, so I didn't say anything, but I am quite sure there was another sentient being spying on us. The Cerulean river is the eastern border of Blue Hollow, where the Akrasa live, a mysterious race of blue-skinned people. I have never encountered one of them, but have not heard any stories of them being hostile to Sarion. Maybe they are just curious. If they make contact, perhaps I can trade some supplies for food or see if they may help locate a starskin carapid. Either way, it is a reminder to be careful as we move further south. 

Entry from Kilkarak’s Expedition Journal Day 155

We have left the Tanglefern Thicket, thankfully. Last night we camped on the shores of Lake Inwyn. My son and I bathed in the lake waters and had a swim. It was our first chance to relax and refresh in quite awhile. Dashyl was clever enough to carve a spear and quick enough to snare some fish that we grilled over the fire. The meatflesh was a welcome change from the dried fruit, nuts and thickbreads that have been our diet. Dashyl cut and carved the spear with a venomist’s knife that Kalran gave him. He spent all morning practicing throwing it at trees around camp. Being a man of science and letters, I have not had much appetite for hunting or fighting, but Dahsyl shows a proclivity for such activities. His mind is sharp, as well, and he asks many questions of me and seems to understand and retain what I tell him about this world. His fingers are beginning to recover from collecting arthids and are callusing over. He enjoys the expeditions and these times tromping through the wilderness, but I am afraid hours spent in laboratories and libraries may not satisfy his nature. Perhaps when we return to Katena, he can look into becoming a radia hunter or travel to Greystalk to begin training to be a vaygr slayer, or maybe Kalran impressed him enough to pursue a venomist’s calling (I’m not sure he would want to return to Tangelfern Thicket any time soon, however). All of these occupations have great risks, but could offer Dashyl a fulfilling life from what I know of his character and interests. We shall see.

Today we should reach the east fork of the upper Cerulean River and follow its course to the main Cerulean. We will be entering land where I have never ventured. It will be interesting to see what new flora and fauna we will encounter. Legion agents and mappers have come through this area, but perhaps I can flesh out Sarion knowledge of this corner of Veratar. Still, if the only discovery we make is the existence of the starskin carapid, our journey will have been worthwhile.

Entry from Kilkarak’s Expedition Journal Day 151

Yesterday, I received the most extraordinary news. My son and I had made camp in a vale in the southeast corner of the Tanglefern Thicket. We followed a mating swarm of arthids to this spot where they finally settled to lay eggs. Dashyl, ever the diligent assistant, began to collect specimens right away. In one morning we had collected more arthids than in a full week of tromping through the Tanglefern wasteland. As the boy was busy catching the tiny creatures, I performed the toxin extraction. We had worked well into the afternoon when a man suddenly hailed to us as he approached. I recognized him to be a venomist by trade from his blue and pink clothing. Really, the venomists are the only other Sarion one would expect to see in the Tanglefern, it is not a welcome place for anyone of any race on Rynaga, especially off the traveled paths. Close, spiky foliage tears at your clothes or any uncovered skin. Most of the plants here hold toxins that seep into your skin and itch for days if a thorn or spine should scratch your flesh. Most who enter here soon leave frustrated, daunted, overwhelmed and very, very itchy. The venomists developed their outerwear specifically for the Tangelfern, thick carapid shell makes up most of the frontal armor pieces. Pink flair was originally added so venomists can be spotted by other venomists and not get caught in a spear net when collecting specimens. I am only interested in collecting arthid toxin, venomists come to the Tanglefern for any thing that can provide them with ammunition for their craft, carapids, plants, decaying matter, all of which are in plentiful supply here in Tanglefern.

Our visiting venomist introduced himself as Kalran of the Keepers of Tangelfern. He was seasoned, one of the old guard who still traveled far into the depths of the Tanglefern to collect the raw elements of his poisons. Most venomists these days, he explained, rely on carapid ranchers or arborists who established farms to raise toxic plants to procure their raw materials. Kalran felt that wild carapids and wild plants held more powerful toxins than those from captive or controlled situations. He asked me the purpose of my expedition, so I described my intentions, but not my reasons. We fell into a debate as to the most efficient manner to collect arthids. Kalran preferred the spear net method because it was designed to capture many arthids over a larger area. However, my complaint with this method is that it damages both the arthid and their habitat, meaning you might catch more arthids, but you have a higher mortality rate, thus limiting the amount of toxin you can extract. Plus, with the nets ripping out the billow grass, it will be quite a few passings of the moons before arthids will return to that area. No, I championed my method of collection by hand, or at least my son’s hands, as the case may be. Slower, but a greater percentage of arthids are collected intact, and the billow grass is left to host arthids the next season.

At the end of our debate, Kalran let slip a most valuable piece of information that could change the course of my experiments in wonderful ways. He leaned toward me and said with a croked smile, “If it is a lot of arthid toxin you want, then you need to seek out the starskin carapid.” “Starskin carapid,” these words are now etched in my mind. With the light of the campfire crackling under his face, Kalran talked about days when he was a young venomist, learning his trade from those more experienced who would tell tales of a large carapid with a midnight blue shell covered in tiny white starbursts that opalesced in the sunlight. The creature would wait, silently camouflaged in the underbrush, then attack its prey by injecting it with toxin through a stinger on its proboscis, only emerging to eat when its prey had fallen dead a few paces away. He said the toxin was the same toxin secreted by the tiny arthids. My heart soared at what this meant. If one starskin carapid could be found, it would provide as much toxin as a month of collecting arthids. I asked him where this legendary creature was said to live. The other side of Blue Hollow was his answer. It would take almost two weeks to travel to this area. Having used about half of our supplies for the expedition, I decided to stop collecting arthids and leave immediately. I thanked Kalran for his information and told him of my plan to seek out the legendary carapid of which he spoke. He said he would not interfere with my arthid collection and would turn back north where he hoped to find more mating swarms. I told Dashyl the news and he was understandably excited to not have to collect specimens by hand.  While I write this he is breaking camp with more enthusiasm than I have seen in quite awhile. 

Entry from Kilkarak’s Expedition Journal, Day 172

My son and I have come far enough south and west that we can see airships on the horizon. They are but small white glimmers and can only be seen at dawn and dusk with the sun low on the horizon. My son has seen one for the past three days with his sharp eyes, younger than mine, not pinched above a radiascope or dulled from reading scientific journals in dim light. My son, who acts as my assistant since the untimely death of my wife, also spots the arthid carapids we are searching for before I do. He can make out their bodies, a slightly lighter green than the blades of billow grass that they cling to, from farther away than I can. With his help, on this trip we have captured and catalogued close to a dozen new carapids in the arthid class. Arthids produce a toxin that causes mutations during the cell replication cycle, giving them great value to Legion chemists such as myself. We all require large amounts of this toxin in order to keep our experiments going. Experiments that will be of great interest to the Catalyst Foundation, helping them advance their own research and helping the Legion reach their goal of conquest. Yes, despite my having been exiled to wander the Tanglefern Thicket, I will aid the Foundation’s cause and one day take my own seat on the Foundation’s Board of Governors.

Ah, but it has been an arduous road. My son and I have journeyed long from Katena, crisscrossing through the harsh, dense vegetation of the Tanglefern Thicket. After coming to Lake Inwyn, we turned south and followed the Cerulean River from its source at the lake, skirting the edge of Blue Hollow. We must be close to Anchorwatch now, given the frequency of airships passing. Collecting the toxin from the small arthids is fruitful, but slow and time consuming. The reason we have journeyed so close to Sidrani-populated lands, enemy lands, is that we have heard rumors of a great carapid from which we may harvest a large amount of toxin to satisfy the needs of a vast number of experiments, speeding up our research. My son and I will soon venture into the hills north of Sunbird Lake where the large, legendary carapid is said to exist. If we may find and capture it, not only will my own name be on the tongues of all the Catalyst Foundation chemists, but the entire Legion will recognize and honor my work.

We will break camp in the morning and head west again. I plan to turn back north at Sunbird Lake towards Fog Rend, and perhaps pay a visit to the Carapid Ward at Hecatyn to exchange knowledge and hear if anyone truly knows if this legendary carapid exists. That is, if they will receive me and don’t kill me first.