As the hot summer sun returns to the desert, the thirsty caravans continue their trek from oasis to oasis. Pilgrims pin their news on the Kusinne Pilgrim Posts, and whispers of a great discovery near Chayi entertains many campfires…
This ends cycle 8 and begins cycle 9…
2nd Messidor, 1836: I have on my travelling desk a little iron frog that one of the workers excavated while we established our camp. I have half a mind to keep it as a personal memento, rather then sending it to the museum to be packed away as another listing in their catalog. I find, as we start to explore this place, that I feel a deep personal connection to it, even though my birthplace is far from here.
Perhaps it is because my interest in history and the science of archeology can be traced back to when I first learned of the legendary Purge of the Great Library of Niya. I remeber feels that it was such a tragedy. A schoolgirl’s fancy, perhaps: but the scholar I am now still feels that first curiosity whenever lost knowledge is discussed.
It is my hope that this site will yield a find comparable to the subterranean chambers that Hieronymus has discovered at the site near Chayi.
Catalog Item #962: Battle standard. Circa 1st century. Insignia of the Circle of Roads suggests that it dates to the early period of Aksu.
From the Annals of the Oasis Kingdoms:
The union of the common people, setting aside their differences, greatly strengthened the authority of the Queen of Kucha.
At this time the religious leaders became troubled, with some of those in the Symness hierarchy fearing that, with the widespread embrace of the Path of the Road, the people would soon cease to follow to Adjudicators altogether.
An excerpt from a letter found in Miran Cache #25:
My friend, the aftermath of the war has left the markets of Miran and Loulan in disarray. The merchants who fled the turmoil left behind sadly empty markets and silent bazaars. The crops of the north will be welcomed here in the southern oases.
On the other hand, the remaining merchants have been doing a brisk business in weaving equipment.
The guards tell tales of packs of giant winged cats that stalk the caravans in the southern regions of Lop-Nur. I urge you to exercise caution if you travel that way.
Here’s a fun metric: this is the matrix of the communication that has taken place in the game so far. The light grey squares mean that no letters have been sent between those two players. The darker the square, the more messages have been exchanged. Blue squares means that the player on that row has sent more messages to the player in that column, while red indicates the player has received more than was sent. Purple, of course, indicates a balance.
Catalog Item #13: Kusinne pilgrim’s staff (reconstructed). The metal caps on either end are embossed with markings that have religious significance: one end has signs indicating wisdom and far travelling, while the other has markings that invoke protection and defense.
Catalog Item #14: Early-period Oasis Kingdom pottery, as indicated by the ceremonial decorations characteristic of the Kusinne Path of the Hearth.
Catalog Item #15: Drinking cup. Early Kusinne period. Dated by the style of the inscription, which refers to early proverbs associated with the Path of the Well.
The oases are filled with life once more. As caravans cross the empty spaces between the green places, they bring with them new things and ideas. Will this be a season of peace and harmony, or one of strife and dissent?
This ends Cycle 7 and begins Cycle 8…
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