From the records of the Grand Abbey:
At the close of the year, the Abess Nafisah stepped down, forsaking her position at the abbey to follow the Path of the Road.
Meditating at the ruins of Chayi, she was shown a vision, in which she was shown how to give comfort and healing through song.
She was succeeded by Abess Cittern.
17th Thermador, 1836: According to this letter from Hyronomous, the dig at Chayi has revealed evidence of smoke, seeming to point towards a large fire damaging the center of the ruined compound and possibly leading to its eventual abandonment.
Beneath the soot, there are engravings that resemble Kusinne religious tattoos: geometric-numeric designs with meanings encoded numerically into their symmetric designs.
They have also found several dead ends apparently intended to mislead looters. Curiously, they appear to date to much later than the original ruins. Possibly second century, according to Hyronomous.
15th Thermador, 1836: This has been a day of a great many discoveries!
Behind a wall in what I believe to be a salt cellar, we found a sealed chamber with a great many jars, each one containing what appears to be a sacred text. And not only that: some contained much more mundane records. One of them, for example, appears to be some kind of social register: the last entry announces the betrothal of an apprentice initiate of the order named Sugnumae to a nobleman. This must have happened shortly before the records were copied and sealed away. Another document makes mention of the Abbey being unexpectedly closed to visitors that season. Perhaps there is some connection there as to why the texts were sealed away.
Catalog Item #651: Triangular coins. The dimensions are in a strict 3:4:5 ratio. Predates the founding of Chayi, but more recent than the ruins outside the town. Inscribed with Eonic writing, referring to mystical tenets of the Symness beliefs.
Catalog Item #612: Rug and cushion, decorated. Circa 5th century. Prime example of rugs used in practices of the Kusinne Path of the Well.
Catalog Item #390: Lamp and cup. 3rd c. Markings indicate connection with the Kusinne Path of the Well.
Catalog Item #292: Dish of earth. Predates early Oasis period, likely early Kusinne and used in religious practices. Excavated at Aksu.
12th Thermador, 1836: Hyronomous has sent sketches of the entrance to the underground chambers beneath the Chayi ruins. A gravesite was discovered nearby; from the perfunctory markings and the late date, he estimates that a tomb robber perished while trying to uncover the ruins, and that later visitors buried the body.
He also inclosed a metal ingot found near the site that has a curious resemblance to some we found near Aksu. I wonder how they could have travelled so far from that place to arrive here?
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.
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.
Catalog Item #114: Yatagan. Niya, pre 3rd c. Engraved with images of battles, presumably of significance to Niya’s royalty. Lantern sigil. Notable for its gilded accents.
Catalog Item #32: Decorative iron window screens, excavated at the Grand Abbey during the expedition of 1836.
