Understanding Skorumpovaný; An Outsider's Look at the Cult of Rot

Understanding Skorumpovaný is a book detailing the practices, beliefs and history of the so-called "Cult of Rot" which follows the teachings of the Elven Spirit Skorumpovaný. It was first discovered by the Spiritual Travelers while traversing the treacherous swamp of Pluarsh ec Relovut. Unlike the other books discovered in the area so far, this book is relatively new, however, the swamp seems to be remedying its mint condition status with aplomb. The book was written with the perspective of a "Remlit Research and Expeditionary Team", particulary one belonging to a subdivision of the "Ministry of Culture and Museum-worthy Acquisitions".

Contents

Introduction

Skorumpovaný. This mouthful of a name pertains to an elven spirit which they will often refer to as "Smrtohnya" in more traditional environments. The "Smrtohnya" are a collection of, from what I've seen, ten spirits that are involved in the day-to-day lives of all beings. Death (and life), rot, madness, inner peace, greed, freedom, stability, rushing emotions, resonnance and crafting. These Smrtohnya are apparently paired in ways that involve one's physical attachments to the world and one's freedom from those attachments. In dying the spirit moves on but the body rots ready to be corrupted, if the soul were to be re-bound to such a body it could be recognized as necromancy. If the soul didn't need to be reattached because the body never died then that would be contrary to the Smrtohnya of death as well. Though, rotting is just as much a part of the cycle as anything else... Perhaps we'll learn a bit more about how they differ. The physical world can cause delusions, anxiety, shame and other spiraling effects while working towards inner peace calms the spirit to detach from such qualms. Though, in removing yourself from these mortal and mental issues you begin to be more and more empty. Less of yourself is there to experience the peace that has been attained. And so on... For this book in particular, we will be interviewing elves ranging from not religious at all all the way to the hyperzealous and necromantic ritualists of the Cult of Rot itself. We'll be digging up what ancient books we can on the subject, though I'm told by several of the elves I've already interviewed before even coming here that most of the really juicy stuff is guarded quite heavily by some Court member called Mahjhovni. We'll be exploring churches and temples, communities, and even venturing as far north as we can to hopefully find some ruins. So, grab some of your favorite brandy (I prefer the stuff from Regi's Inn Place, personally), get a nice chair, a warm fire, and curl up with as good a book about filth and corruption as it gets.

Chapter 1: What is it?

Before we even get to the Frozen Shores proper, I've been told that it might be beneficial to consider the different forms, meanings and interpretations of this Smrtohnya. This is an outsider's look, after all. When thinking about something called "Skorumpovaný, Smrtohnya of Corruption", what comes to mind might just be some "corrupting" influence like the aforementioned rot, or maybe disease, swarms of insects, fungi, things that might benefit from the death of a creature's physical form. This corruption, however, can go beyond just corrupting a dead creature or plant, it could also involve the corruption of life. A step further, it might corrupt the cycle of life to certain degrees, and interrupting that cycle is one of the many goals of certain followers. And, of course, it could also be any combination of the forms discussed within this chapter.

All-Consuming Rot

The most base and, to some followers, "true" form of Skorumpovaný is that of a force of nature. The natural decay of organic matter as it breaks down to become one with the world again. It's a necessary part of life, and without it the world wouldn't really function. Mushrooms, certain swarms of insects and other detritivores are part of this consuming nature, and the rot is neither good or bad, just a neutral force. The manifestation of Skorumpovaný as a rotting, bloated elf relates to this base depiction. Were it given ambition or goals, this manifestation would have the desire to consume everything. All organic matter being broken down into rotten goop until all that remained was some wretched ooze never to give rise to life again. The only life that would grow from it would be a part of the rot or be consumed by it eventually. As "Spiritual Entropy" continues to slowly wither away at the total returned life to this world, the likelihood of rot winning is greater and greater. Speaking to some of the less religious elven folk I've seen in Remlit and other towns around the world have led me to understand that it is just a part of Elven Culture to understand that the world will end and there is no hope. Everything will rot away some day, our bodies are temporary, and the Circle is imperfect in nature. This Rot cannot be stopped or countered, and the thought of "repairing the Circle" is controversial at best. There is unrest amongst the younger generations, however, and those that have been raised away from the Frozen Shores are less and less eager to await the inevitable. Some that I have spoken to that are a bit more keen on Skorumpovaný and "religious" in nature are researching ways to prevent this Rot or perhaps even embrace it fully and become something more capable of surviving such a reality. Stories of "Zombies" with intelligence and eternal life, seeking lichdom, ascending to some higher form of being, or just creating a mutation that would make the rot more...beneficial. By not dying they would not rot, and their soul would not degrade within the river as their memories are washed away.

Corruption

Skorumpovaný is rot, rot is decay, decay, and the life that seeks it out, corrupt what was once pure. Bloated corpses filled with gas as microorganisms break down their insides, flesh decaying and filling with holes, skin peeling away from a shriveled frame, maggots consuming the broken down meat to one day become flies; these are all horrendous examples of corruption witnessed as anything decomposes. The rancid filth that we all inevitably become... well, it is a popular interpretation of the true nature of Skorumpovaný. Rather than a part of the cycle, there are those that would take this Corrupting influence and make Skorumpovaný into something more akin to the corrupter of the cycle and, indeed, the corrupter of much more than that as well. Those that subscribe to this ideology see Skorumpovaný less as something that perpetually consumes, though that is still a big part of it, it seems? They instead consider Skorumpovaný a force more involving corruption in all forms. Rotten and corrupted referring to more metaphorical or otherwise symbolic forms such as someones mentality, morals, ideals, or policies. Corrupt leaders, merchants, and so forth would all be then influenced by Skorumpovaný. A town that has been inflicted with plague, or plants that are withering for no known reason, or water that has turned foul are all involving this form of Skorumpovaný. Beyond the more obvious and natural ways that corruption might get involved with the world, there is also something that again refers back to the cycle or Circle. Some of those that I interviewed regarding this "Corruption" suggest that the very Circle, Life Cycle, whatever you want to call it, is being corrupted by this rot. We'll take a deeper look into that in another part of this book, likely the chapter involving the history or motivations of Skorumpovaný and those that follow them, but it is important to know that this form, or interpretation, exists. In order for the world to be reduced to the eventual rotten state that is so "inevitable", then something would need to corrupt the life cycle for that to happen. The Spiritual Entropy experienced with each time a spirit has to be recycled must be caused by something, and it makes sense that this particular spirit would be responsible. The slow creeping of its rot endlessly withering away at whatever mechanism might bring us round and round again.

Entropy

While it could just be lumped in with the consuming and corrupting interpretations of Skorumpovaný, the idea that they are simply a force of pure Entropy is slightly different from the other two mentioned. This concept might seem similar to the other two, but it is less about organic material, morals, disease and so forth while being more about all matter. Entropy states, in its most simple form, that "as time passes, things break down and become more uncertain". What the word "things" usually refers to is energy when discussing entropy in terms of thermodynamics as famously suggested by Remlit physicist Carol Bargestry during her internship at Selch-tech. Though, her theory that energy is eventually lost over time was met with skepticism and annoyance by Selch whom insisted "I will never slow down, get out of my office!" To look at entropy another way, systems are constantly approaching equilibrium. As this equilibrium is approached the entropy of one system with more heat is often moved to another system with less heat, however, the entropy that is gained in the colder system is always greater than the entropy lost in the hotter system. So, as equilibrium is gained, entropy is increased with time, and if a system is isolated, entropy cannot decrease. So, reality as a whole is a system made up of a bunch of systems working together, and the entropy as a whole cannot decrease but only move around while gradually increasing. The disorder, chaos and uncertainty that is entropy will just increase until all things are broken down much like how, as an all-consuming rot, Skorumpovaný breaks all organic matter down with time. Decay is inevitable not just for organic life forms, but for all matter, and the universe has no future besides the inevitable heat death that awaits any with a long enough life to see it... or so those nihilistic elves will tell you. I'm pretty sure I've got some afterlife waiting for me...right? Or maybe my spirit just gets cycled around until it degrades to nothing as well... huh. The Circle is kinda messed up, that's why I believe in a sensible god and religion with an afterlife. Anyways, that's Entropy. It is, as it goes with most elven culture, one of the more depressing ways of looking at the universe. Though, aren't there nine other Smrtohnya? Skorumpovaný is just one of the ten I mentioned. Wouldn't the other nine have issue with this one spirit just slowly breaking down the universe into an eventual state of nothingness?

Chapter 2: Balance

So, what's to stop this Smrtohnya from just reducing the world to nothing a bit faster? Or even instantly? Well, as mentioned, there are nine other Smrtohnya in the Harandil Pantheon.

Mŕtvy, Smrtohnya of the Dead

As we have brought up before, there is some tension between these two supposed spirits. While Skorumpovaný is the physical death of the body, rotting of material, the supposed end of it all, Mŕtvy, on the other hand, is more a representation of the movement of the soul. Mŕtvy's "job" -if it were called such a thing- is more to guide spirits along the "Unwalked Path" through Death and toward their next life. Mŕtvy, and what they accomplish, is best compared to The Circle, a philosophy which suggests we are born into a life, we grow and experience things in that life, and then we die only to lose our memories and be reincarnated as a new being at some point in time. This reincarnation could be an animal, another sapient species, or even a plant. This is often also referred to as "The Cycle", "The Reel", or "The Life Cycle" and other variations of those. Mŕtvy is usually depicted as a robed, emaciated elven person hanging by some unseen threads with their feet dangling above the ground. These feet will swing in the shape of a circle as they float along their Unwalked Path. Those that see Mŕtvy and are ready to move on see them as a friend holding out a helping hand to guide them to another life, but there are also dead that would flee and become ghosts, abominations and so forth. The elves that study Mŕtvy believe that those that flee in this way usually lose complete control of their spirit, and that the spirit may even be corrupted or destroyed beyond any future recognition or potential for cleansing. Mŕtvy's task doesn't end simply at lending a helping hand or any guidance, it continues on along their Unwalked Path until the spirit reaches what is often referred to in Elven Culture as "River Misery" or "The Misery River". The name is apparently a reference to the memories that are washed away from the soul until it is cleansed, and the pain, bliss, sorrow, joy and everything else is carried away by the river. The name has different meaning depending on the point of view of who is speaking of it. Some elves that I spoke to said that it is Misery to lose one's memories each cycle while another stated that it is Misery that is washed away from the soul and the river is full of misery. So, we have a Circle (Mŕtvy) and a Broken Circle (Skorumpovaný), at least in the most basic of terms. The two of them both working together as two different pieces of death and against each other with conflicting desires to recycle and to just end. While these spirits are personified in this way with "desires" to do this or that, they may just simply be forces of nature with no true good or evil desires, just the way that life is. The true motivations come from those that worship them, and we'll cover that later on in this book.

Trvanlivé, Smrtohnya of Durability

Trvanlivé is often paired against Vzduchu (the Smrtohnya of Air) or Voda (the Smrtohnya of Water), but their stability can also be a place of solace for those that are more worried about what Skorumpovaný might be capable of in the short or long term. While this particular spirit is frequently overlooked due to not being as enticing as other Smrtohnya when writing poems, plays or music, they are still an important part of the pantheon and usually a patron deity for guards and others. Construction workers and engineers may leave offerings to Trvanlivé or say a simple prayer while working on blueprints or building walls. If someone knows a guard that is involved in an attack or soon to be attacked loved ones will also pray to Trvanlivé to keep them safe. Guards will also have prayers or oaths that, symbolically, put them in a position as being one with Trvanlivé to some degree. With Necromancers raising the dead, it does make sense that people would turn to a spirit of this type in a time of need. Hoping to protect their loved ones from undead hoards, hoping to prevent loved ones from experiencing a similar fate, and ensuring that the cities don't fall to decay or rot as walls age. Ensuring the durability of various defenses is essential when everything is rotting away, and the more durable a material is the longer it will take for it to decay. When interviewing elven folk about this particular spirit, many just weren't familiar with it at all. This was especially the case for elves that had traveled far away from home and weren't raised in the culture like those back on the Frozen Shores. Some had a vague recollection of seeing shrines or symbolism for such a spirit while leaving as a child. Those that had family in the guard were far more familiar with the spirit as they usually had "shrines set up at home that we leave offerings and prayers to protect my brother" and so forth.

Chamtivost, Smrtohnya of Greed

Chamtivost is often seen, as far as I can tell and most commonly, as a Patron Deity of Merchants. One of the more popular of Smrtohnya, their symbolism -candles, flames, and coins- is often carved into or attached as a physical object to traveling merchant carts, stalls, and permanent shops. Those that have devotion to this spirit will also burn offerings either by writing poems, stories or messages on paper and placing them in candles or by laying items at shrines for several days or weeks. The memories, works of art, literature, and other information that is burned is believed to be taken to what some elves refer to as either "Chamtivost's Vault" or "Igniren's Vault" depending on who you talk to. The items that are left at the shrines can sometimes vanish, perhaps into "The Spirit World" or just taken by passerby, the elves that leave the items often believe that they are taken by Chamitivost into their vault. Chamtivost's greed for items is sometimes depicted as rivaling Skorumpovaný's all-consuming nature. Chamtivost wants to have, wants to take and take, to acquire, but to acquire everything would mean there's nothing more to gain which is bad. Skorumpovaný doesn't care about that and just wants to consume everything as some uncontrollable natural force. Though, if Skorumpovaný is consuming, decaying, breaking down the things that Chamtivost wants to acquire then that's where the issue arises. It becomes especially tense when Skorumpovaný wants to decay things that already belong to Chamtivost, at least that's what I've gathered from the available literature and elves that I've interviewed on the subject. Certain folktales will go into detail about this rivalry, and in one of the stories told around a campfire (we were camping in the Tundra) I learned that Chamtivost apparently built their vault to stop Skorumpovaný from destroying their things. Anything placed in the fault, including spirits, objects, information and so on are all incapable of being decayed, according to this story. This does make sense, if a spirit isn't being cycled through the River Misery over and over again then it shouldn't be decaying, and from what we've learned Skorumpovaný is only capable of decaying matter which, from what I can tell, doesn't include spirits? Though, what exactly is causing Spiritual Entropy is a matter of debate to be covered later on. So, Chamtivost is a force of "good" or anti-Skorumpovaný to say the least, and anything that is stopping the despair of nothingness that awaits this universe is some level of good in my book. Though, I guess being hoarded in a vault isn't much to look forward to.

Remeselne, Smrtohnya of Crafting

Remeselne is a bit unusual when compared to the other Smrtohnya. First, they are mechanical which is already a bit anachronistic considering some of the legends regarding this spirit come from before our modern calendar or even record keeping began in Voldaren or Mentara. Were these ancient elves mechanically advanced? Or perhaps there's a bit more to it than that. Second, and perhaps related to the first point, this spirit is associated with time in addition to its usual crafting themes. This is connected to it typically taking the form of some clockwork being like a Clockwork Dragon or a set of "Mechanical Gears with No Purpose". While Remeselne may most often be involved with metal and making sculptures or useful/beautiful items out of metal it is also taken a bit further beyond that by certain sects. The idea of crafting already directly contradicts Skorumpovaný's need to decay or break down, but some elven Spiritualists will claim that Remeselne is actually directly involved with the creation of all life and the universe. The elves I spoke to about this spirit were mostly just crafts people explaining that it keeps them in time, keeps their machines and sculptures functioning and pristine, or that it is just something to help focus the mind before/while working. However, some of these elves were also very knowledgeable Spiritual Leaders that had some information about the less used creation myth of Remeselne. The matter, both organic and inorganic, that makes up all reality was crafted by this clockwork being. Down to the microscopic level everything -or at the very least the building blocks of it all- were arranged carefully by this spirit. So, while Skorumpovaný breaks apart this matter Remeselne is creating it anew. This would suggest there's no worry about that whole Entropy thing, right? Well, unfortunately, this Remeselne only crafted a set amount to be recycled while Skorumpovaný performs their "job" of breaking it down over time. So, the myth goes that Remeselne created the matter to be used throughout reality, has control over time, and Skorumpovaný is intended to break that matter down as time passes. It seems like a convoluted physics book explaining some history of the universe theories, but it makes sense that spirits would be involved in older mythos. This matter, however, is intended to expire as Skorumpovaný gets to the end of it all. The universe decays to nothing and Remeselne resets it like a clock being rewound. Almost like some sort of Universe Cycle or a much bigger Circle than one intended for individual people. Circles on circles...turning...connected... like gears?

Chapter 3: Beliefs and Motivations

Those that follow Skorumpovaný have a variety of different reasons for doing so, and their prayers can range from raising the dead to causing someone to experience a dreadful illness all the way to curing illness. That's right, some of the best elven physicians also have some connection Skorumpovaný. Having some connection or knowledge of corruption and the like can be a powerful asset when looking to cure someone of a particularly tricky blight. However, if the disease were caused by another cleric of Skorumpovaný then things might get a little complicated, at least that's what the doctors and clerics I've spoken to have claimed. Some elves with family members suffering incurable illnesses or gangrenous portions on their bodies will make shrines and offerings to Skorumpovaný with hopes of appeasing the spirit and saving their loved one. And there are, of course, those that would seek to break The Circle. The so called Cult of Rot mentioned in the very title of this book.

The Circle is Flawed and Must be Done Away With

The River Misery and Mŕtvy are subjects of debate especially when referring to The Circle and a more common elven fae story involving Bats. As discussed in a previous chapter, there is an amount of Spiritual Entropy that occurs with each cycle. More and more of a spirit is lost as it attempts to return to the world, at least according to Elven Spiritualists. This decay is often attributed to Skorumpovaný being a spirit of decay, rot, corruption and the like, but some believe that Mŕtvy or, at the very least, The River Misery is responsible. The blame for Mŕtvy and this river stems from the idea that as memories are washed from a soul some of the soul is left in the river. Abrasion is a common occurrence on most everyday washed items, so why would the soul not also be abrased by a rough scrubbing of all that makes you you? By not taking the memories in this way the Cult of Rot believes that the soul would be able to be recycled without any damage and would last significantly longer... at least until everything usable in the universe decayed. Not washing away memories is also apparently a part of one of their other beliefs which is that we should not be losing our memories with each cycle to begin with. In line with most other nihilistic elven culture, the Cult of Rot sees the nothingness of a lived, experienced, expired life not being remembered as pointless. Where it differs, however, is that this isn't something to be embraced and accepted, but instead something to be corrected. We should get to keep those memories, with each life appreciating the one that came before and cherishing the new existence. If we forget each cycle, do we even live those cycles? How can we even say for certain the "Circle" exists? If it does, and if it is washing away our past lives, this group of excitable individuals would find a way to stop it from doing so. The sects of the Cult of Rot vary greatly in terms of ideologies and range from a fairly innocent desire to just regain memories all the way up to some rather...unsavory goals. We'll cover a few of the ones I was able to learn about while traveling through some of Harandil's shadier temples and churches.

Break/Damage the Circle

Those that subscribe to this philosophical sect of the Cult of Rot have a simple and mostly innocent sounding goal: "Remove the portion of the circle that takes our memories, and, if possible, get the memories of our past lives back." This could involve some physical barrier or passage similar to a dam or bridge that would divert or halt the river while allowing souls to cross over. It could also be somehow destroying the river by "drying" it up or "filling" it in. The way they talk about it in our interviews and in their sermons is almost like they think there's a literal river somewhere, but it's just folktales and myth, surely.

Destroy the Circle

Slightly more true to the basic Cult of Rot ways is this particular sect which believes the Circle should not exist at all. Spirits should decay naturally with the body or move on to become "something else" that is unknown to us. Afterlives related more to what we all worship rather than, as they put it, "everyone just being cycled without reason". They believe the Circle is a tool of evil used to prevent the natural progression of the soul. This suggests that everyone is subjected to this cycle regardless of faith, but their beliefs and goals go beyond just looking out for other religions and philosophies. There are some that I spoke to from these churches and temples that believe there isn't really any other afterlife. Without the Circle we would just end up in some sort of nothingness, but, well, that's okay because "it's not like we remember each life anyways." There are some that want the Circle gone not to "help" these other faiths but to just encourage more decay on the spirit as it rots in the ground with the rest of the body. No after, no meaning.

Stop Death

Prevent death, everyone is "immortal" to some degree and only dies when they choose to. Sometimes involves a level of ascension to new, less solid, bodies. Learning and doing everything...what would it lead to? Last on my list of stops were some meeting spots for those within the Cult of Rot that would hope to, rather than damaging or removing the Circle entirely, just Stop Death Altogether. The leader of one of the congregations had this to say about it, "We have but one life to live. To Cycle to another is to lose who we were. To Die without the Circle is to lose all we worked for. We must Live without Death. We must Ascend to a New form of Life. We could strive for new Inventions leading to new Discoveries and Possibilities. We could learn so much about our Universe that we had no idea we could even imagine or dream of. We could Witness what is at the End." Because of that last sentence, this group has taken to calling themselves "The End's Witness". Their goal being to outlast the universe and accomplish everything. Only then could they truly die without any regrets.

The Rot is Something to be Cleansed

Strangely enough, there are those amongst the Cult of Rot that subscribe to a very different philosophy concerning Rot, Corruption and the like. They too have different sects, though their primary focus all involves seeing this Rot as something that needs to be cleansed. Their viewpoint of Skorumpovaný, however, isn't negative. They see Skorumpovaný, and its association with Rot, as a means of being both a source of Rot and a method to cleanse that same Rot. This could be similar to how someone might pray to some deity of bad luck to prevent themselves or their friends from having the bad luck associated with that deity. Beyond just cleansing the decay and corruption they might find in the material plane, clerics and spiritualists that subscribe to this particularly ideology are concerned with repairing any potential damage done to the Circle. They still see it as problematic in that it damages spirits and the lack of memories is troublesome, but, instead of seeing it as something inherently problematic, they see it as something to damaged that needs to be repaired.

Repairing the Circle

"The Circle is in need of repair. It is imperfect, as our siblings may say throughout this realm, but the imperfection is not inerrant to the Circle itself. No, we need to cleanse it of the Rot that has begun to cause these issues over time. It needs be returned to the pure glory it once was. Only then will we see our pasts. Only then will our future be secured and bright." Using the very power of Rot, the power of Skorumpovaný, these members of the Cult of Rot have goals to find a way to cleanse the Circle of any damage done, any decay that has occurred can and should be repaired. The reason we don't have our memories and Spiritual Entropy exists at all is because of decay, by cleansing it they see the opportunity to retrieve the lost memories and the lost portions of their spirits.

Healing Others of their Maladies

Some members of this philosophical persuasion might find themselves as traveling clerics, spiritualists and other types of healers rather than the typical necromancer or what have you. Their goals end up being the removal of blights and plagues from entire towns, healing any sick they see along the road, and blessing locations to prevent future biological disasters from occurring. Those that have received Skorumpovaný's blessing from experienced clerics have reported being disease free for years, and often managing to get through cold and flu season without any issue. Though, those of us in the scientific community might suspect they've just developed vaccines. Then again, these might be magical or spiritual vaccines capable of preventing those diseases we normally never see coming.

Chapter 4: Seeking out Ruins

After learning a bit more about what the living elves know of Skorumpovaný, I decided to head north and see what could be learned from those that were long dead. I didn't have access to the Palace, and I certainly didn't have access to the Library within so I needed some less guarded knowledge. "The Endless Tundra" north of Harandil is a treacherous landscape rife with dangerous creatures, plants, shifting landscapes and brutal temperatures. From what I understand of the legends surrounding this terrain it is very easy to get lost, so I hired some Elven Guides to ensure safety and we began to journey north. The layers of warm clothing were definitely helpful, but I still felt a chill as the wind blew against our progress.

Tattered, Damaged Items

We didn't discover much during the first hour of our expedition, though I did find some tattered canvas with some badly faded paints and dyes. Unclear what it was once of, but the very decay of it and the nearby wood which looks to have once been part of a wagon is reminiscent of this spirit's inevitable need to decay. Other scattered remnants of whoever passed through here included some silver utensils we were able to dig out of the snow, a lantern which looks to have rusted quite badly and some broken clay pots. I wonder what happened here. My guides inform me that things like this tend to pop up around the Tundra. They think that, based on the age of some of the items, this could be related to some ancient migration long ago. Though it could also just be from a more recent expedition or hunting venture of a more modern elf. There just isn't enough iconography to go off of to determine the era, unfortunately.

Stone Pillars, Stone Circle, Gazebo?

A more promising discovery was made during the next couple hours. We stopped to warm up for a bit, a nice respite, but I quickly became distracted by whatever was creating silhouettes on the horizon in the distance. It was away from the "usual path" that the guides say they take, but they would be willing to check it out with me after some time near the fire. After our bones were sufficiently warmed we braved back into the Everchill of this tundra. It was another half hour before we finally reached the structure that caught my eye: Ten narrow, pillar-like columns built from and around a central stone disk which made up the floor of this roofless gazebo-like structure. Each pillar had its own unique trim and design along with a symbol carved into the side facing towards the disk. These symbols were mirrored on the surface of the disk near each pillar and connected to the center with lines of varying length. It took us a great deal of time to carefully chip at the ice and snow before it was all revealed. My guides informed me that the symbols are similar to those seen at shrines for the different Smrtohnya, and they gestured towards a hole-filled mushroom with what was likely a depiction of mycelium extending out from under it. They said that this symbol was very similar to one of the symbols used for Skorumpovaný. Each pillar's design was, to some degree, related to what each Smrtohnya represents as well. It was really quite the magnificent structure! The most bizarre feature of this gazebo-like building was that it was in perfect condition. Something about each piece of the stone was just so strikingly pleasant to look at, and the dimensions on each brick used were identical to the others. The lines between each brick were nearly impossible to see, and may have only been carved in for aesthetic purposes as there didn't seem to be much space if any between the lines. I got a closer look at them and with my field tools I was able to see that each stone "brick" was made up of much smaller "bricks" of an identical ratio, and those smaller "bricks" too were made of even smaller bricks. What on Taranel does this mean?

Beacon?

We had to stop for the night before any additional exciting discoveries were found. The guides made a special tea that kept me "warm enough to not die" through the even colder night in this place. Our tents were well insulated, blankets, the works, but I feel that tea definitely was still essential. Sometime that night I woke up without much warning or reason. I was just...awake, lying there waiting for the sweet embrace of slumber to reclaim me until morning, but it never returned. I poured myself some of Regi's Brandy that I brought along, and it began to work its magic before a small hole in my tent was noticeably filled with light. Something outside was bright, brighter than any star or moon would be, and if it were a celestial object I would still very much like to see such a thing. I equipped some more layers, shook off the chill as best I could and braved the elements. I then heard something that I suppose I was hearing in my tent, but it was more noticeable. Kind of like some annoying trait of a friend going unnoticed for years before it is finally noticed and it's all you can think about? Well, I noticed the ringing of bells. Three different tones, my minor in music theory suddenly paying off and the desire to rub it in my parents' faces was pushed to the side for a moment while I remembered where I was and what I was doing. A gust of wind pushed aside a thick sheet of mist and revealed something unexpected: we were apparently camped at the edge of a cliff, and down below far in this massive crater was a city. The buildings there were tall, oddly shaped, architecture of some unknown culture and the amount of structures rivaled even the stories I've heard about Esther. Within this city the source of the light that had intruded upon my tent was also revealed: A beacon stretching from the center up into the sky. It was blindingly bright, and the ringing seemed to be coming from within this crater as well. Just a sustained triad of perfectly harmonious notes. My guides were still sleeping. A surprising revelation that I should've taken into account, but I ventured closer to the cliff edge to get a better look at this city. The shape the streets made between each building, the general shape of everything it all seemed so...deliberate. What is all this? I would've loved an answer, but as I finally went to grab the attention of my guides the wind picked up again bringing in more of that mist and the city was obscured once more. Surely it would still be there in the morning.

Strange Visions

As if I would leave it til morning, the very thought! If there is a library with what I need then it will be in that city. I foolishly braved the mists and began descending the cliff edge down into the crater. I reached the bottom after a great deal of care and fatigue. Despite the cold and my own w̷e̸a̵r̴i̴n̶e̸s̴s̵ I̷͚̒ ̸̩̕w̴͔͛ả̵͉s̵̪̾ ̸̣͊ş̵͑t̸̖̐ï̶̹l̶͔̏l̵͔͊ c̴̝̭̎o̷̠̗͘m̸̥͘p̶̟͆ě̴̗l̶̹̄l̴̦͙̄e̵̮͑̚ḓ̸͎͂͘ t̷͓̬̓̌o̴̪͕̬̰̻͓̾̈̔̔͒̀̐̕ proceed. The mist obscured most of my vision though I did see a light up ahead. It made the mist look even more ominous, and I couldn't even see my feet through the thick vapors, but I pressed forward with f̸̩͇̩͕̥̪́u̷̺̼̙̪̖̩͔̍͛ļ̴̢̝͐͂̑̿l̴̡͖̙̫͉̟̀̍͊̇͂͠ ̶͖̠̾̏̓͘ǐ̶̡̠̟̞n̷̞̝̾t̴̬̱̜̺̉̐͗ḛ̶̢̳͚͓̟̜̍̈̒͗͝n̷͖̺̳͚̩̽́̈́̚t̵̲̄ ̸͔̜̠̲͓͚̏t̷̡̪̜̓̀̀̿̒̌̚ỏ̴͚̗̋̋͐͐̾ ̶̩͎̫̺̲̠͒f̴͉̖̺͇̻̪͒̀̅̀̈̆̆͠ï̷̧̛̟̤͔̦̟̹̇̾́͘͜n̶̯̞̭̮̥̮͂̔͘͜͜ď̶̟̈́̒̏͐̉ ̶̩̬̹̮͉̬̣̉͌̈́͐̏̍̾ť̸͎̘̠̪͇̪̹̚͜h̸͍͎̔̈́̊̐̈̈́͝͝i̵̢̫͇̐̊͆̈́͠s̵̥̲̲͕͇̈́̈́̓̈́͝ ̷͓̥̪̰̲̔̈́́̓̕͠͝c̶͇̪͒͘i̶̬͚͉̻̇̔t̸̟̬̰̙̲͌́̾ͅy̴̧̟̰̖̲͔̳͋.

-time is passing now, open your eyes or you'll miss it, the city is around you, you're missing out-

Sorry, where ... gods. The architecture is so beautiful here. I feel like any road I take will bring me closer to the library I seek. It all seems to be bending around and shimmering. The ringing of the bells is so intense. The beacon is so bright. I am understanding something... something is understanding me? I need more time here. I need research. For the book. I think I found the library. This cafe had a lovely biscuit and tea, the waitress wasn't very sociable though.

-you're so far away from ṁ̵͍é̷͈̚ ̶͖̈M̵̳̬̐̐E̶͜͠
̷͉̀
̸̯̒m̶̼̓ͅ ̶͖̮͐͝ę̴͆ ̸̻͉̍
̵̢̅̂m̶̝͔̾̔
̶͓̥̿̾e̵̲̹̓
̸̛̜, the d̴e̵s̶t̵i̶n̴a̷t̸i̸o̷n̷ back home is more important than the j̴o̷u̶ ̵J̵o̶u̸r̵n̷e̵y̴ ̴r̸n̴ ̶J̴O̷U̷R̵N̵E̷Y̷ ̵e̶y̴, m̸o̴m̸o̴v̷e̷ ̸y̵o̵u̴r̴ ̴f̶e̶e̶t̴v̷e̷ ̶y̶o̵m̵o̷v̶e̸ ̸y̶o̷u̸r̷ ̶f̶e̴e̵t̶u̵r̴ ̵f̶e̴m̵o̴v̷e̴ ̸y̵o̸u̸r̶ ̶f̷e̴e̵t̴e̴t̶-

I'm really liking it here. I've met so many lovely people. They bring me the books I need, the books about ROT and TIME and SPIRITS. I'm starting to notice a smell though. Is that me? Or my friend over here with the missing ears? His face is so goddamn long. Who stretched him out like that? Why do his fingers keep finding their way over to my bench? Stay on your own side!

W̵
̵h̶
̷a̸
̷t̵
̷i̶ ̴s̷ ̷
̸k̶n̵o̶ ̵ ̷K̸N̴O̸W̵k̴n̷o̵w̴h̶a̸t̵ ̴i̶s̵ ̷i̴t̶?̸w̵l̴e̵d̸g̴e̴L̴E̸D̵G̵E̴
̶w̸
̸l̵e̵
̷d̷g̶i̴ ̴w̷i̶n̴e̶w̶e̶
̸ ̸
̸I̷f̴ ̴,̷ ̴y̶o̴u̸y̵o̴u̸'̶v̵e̵ ̷r̶e̴ ̴t̴h̸a̷t̵ ̵h̵e̵ ̵k̸t̶'̶s̷ ̵h̵i̶s̶ ̸s̴i̵l̷l̴e̸d̷a̶s̴I̷'̴l̶l̵ ̵t̵e̸l̶l̶ ̷y̸o̵u̷,̴ ̸f̸o̸r̷ ̸a̵ ̴p̴r̷i̸c̶e̵!̵h̴ ̸i̵ ̴k̶d̵ ̵t̶h̸i̷s̷ ̶f̸a̵r̴'̶l̵l̵ ̷k̵n̵o̵w̵ ̶t̵h̵e̴m̷ ̸a̶l̶l̷.̴ ̸
̷T̵h̷a̶e̸c̵r̸e̷t̴.̸ ̶

They are all just pieces of a bigger whole. We are all pieces. Pieces of our pieces are all scattered in different parts of the pieces that make up the whole. S̴ ̴h̵ ̴e̴ ̷'̷s̸ ̴ ̵t̵i̶r̷ ̶e̵d̸ ̵n̸ ̷o̷w̵.̶ ̴ ̴S̸h̸ ̴e̵'̷s̸ ̸ ̶g̴ ̶o̴i̸ ̴g̵ ̴t̶o̷ ̷ ̶s̴l̴e̷ ̶e̸p̶.̴ ̵ ̴ ̷e̵ ̴n̶ ̵j̶ ̵ ̶o̶o̸ ̸y̴ ̸y̷ ̸y̸ ̶ ̸t̴h̶e̷ ̶ ̸o̵ ̴o̶b̶b̸ ̶o̷o̶ ̴o̷ ̷o̴ ̵k̸,̸ ̴t̴ ̷r̶r̵ ̸a̴ ̴v̴e̵l̸e̸l̵l̴e̶r̸r̷r̴s̴s̷

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