The Harvest Moon Consortium

[Winterhawk99]

Brath spends several centuries replenishing the livestock on the island for the cats. He then writes a short paper for the families records on a trial he got a transcript to. After fishing for several days, he decides to write in his private journal. He uses his mother’s desk, the biggest in the home, and sets to work.

He begins to write.

I spent little over two cycles in Sigil though my temperament was not quite up to speed. The disappointing part is I could not get one interview with the six factions I still have to do. I did get a promise from Vesk of the Fated to do a lecture. She was about to do it when something came up and I had to leave. So, it was more my fault than hers it did not happen which put me in a dower mood most of the rest of my visit this time.

I have to admit. The proximity of so many people in the city is working on my senses. I decided not to go back for 10 cycles. Or 10,000 years here. That will give me some time to recharge my people meter. There was also a half-blood degenerate wandering around. I was very short with him when I met him but later apologized. I must get over this natural fear. Mother did it at least with half-bloods and if she can I can. The half-blood turned out to be a decent person. Whether evil or not I don’t know but he did accept my apology. Later I met him again at the wayfarer. He seemed to take no offense, so I think I’m ok with that.

I was dragged to a cake party by an elven girl named Lioriel. I was taken to a place called………. I forget what it’s called. It was a lovely place that Zaya owned. She invites people there. It is a sort of sanctuary from the everyday life of Sigil. It has a ‘tea den’ and the shelves are lined with…… Well…… Exotic books. The kind of books you don’t want your children to read.

We had this traditional honey mead cake that the Glorium people eat after they come back home from a victorious battle. What you do is rip a chunk off of the main loaf then dip it in butter or honey and eat it. We had a good time. There were two men, a kenku named Jingles and the rest were women including Zaya……. Nothing happened and it was quite fun.

Zaya mentioned that Mir liked to go there a lot to relax. Of all the people I would have never thought Mir of the Bleak Cabal would like something like the Oasis……. Ah I remembered! I hope I’m invited back someday as long as I don’t have to drink alcohol and as long as it doesn’t turn into some sort of orgy or something.

So that was my first full cycle there. I did make a couple of runs with adventurers observing them. One group was very experienced and efficient, the other was still learning and was not so much they had some troubles with the degenerate ogres. I made some coin to put toward that mana ring I so desperately need.

The second cycle was much more interesting.

The first half not so much. I spent much of at the fulcrum contemplating my naval. Things heated up in the second half of it as some of the Doomguard came into the area. Alyce was there at the time. Aelfread one of the Doomguard had been fined by her for indecent exposure.

I knew about this of course but was not sure what exactly happened because I was not there. When Alyce arrived, Katya bribed her. Alyce seemed to take the bribe which surprised me. As time went on more and more people showed up, including Aelfread himself. Alyce went to chirpers for something, and we were discussing her charges against the decelerationist.

Aelfread stripped down to his short clothes. When Alyce came back, she of course had a fit and started to charge him a second time. That is when the Ciphers stepped in, and the discussion turned into a territorial matter between her and the Ciphers.

It interested me in the matter of Alyce herself and the way she was acting. I wanted to ask her if she was shedding her uterus and if so to take a vacation until she was less emotional about seeing men in their underwear and fighting with the Ciphers who are the police of the fulcrum now. But I didn’t say anything and just watched the proceeding mayhem.

I did take note that as much as Alyce says she wants to spread harmony, more times than not when she is in the fulcrum, she winds up causing chaos and discordance. Again, I sight my previous observations that harmony to her seems to be everyone else marching to her beat rather than joining the ongoing harmony of a group.

Perhaps she needs some medicine for the times she sheds. I will ask Hagar for his opinion.

I met a Psion by the name of whimsy. She’s a small, malnourished girl from the hive that thinks everyone hates her for her mind abilities. She was very shy. I talked to her and gave her a mobius so she could start her venturing life outside the hive. Easha also gave her some coin. Whimzy at the time must have just come out of the hive. She was wearing patchwork clothes and had a boot on one foot and a sandal on the other.

I took her to the bizarre and got her a new suit and a good pair of matching boots so she could walk better. She held that mobius to her chest the whole time. I showed her that people could be kind, and it felt really good inside to help her.

Whimzy is a Casin. The same race as Alyce. I took her to the sergeant hoping that Alyce would help her and mayhap take Whimzy under her wing. Alyce didn’t like the idea. I was very shocked actually. Why would one not help someone of her own people. It did not make sense……. Until I thought about my times spent with her.

I remember we wanted to climb Mt. Celestria. She took me there and was looking for a portal. She could not find one. I am truly wondering if Alyce is the good person she says she is. In my own opinion more and more I think no. In fact, I think she has displaced a lot of selfishness and self-worship in the past. Let’s just say I am beginning to think she is more like a Baatezu than Celestial the more I am around her and as I study her.

I am really glad we ended up not mating. I do not think she would be a good mother for my children.

After all that happened in the fulcrum with Alyce, the Ciphers and Aelfread some of us went to the wayfarer. Volusian was there along with Sezela. They were talking about being reformed wizards of Thay. I sat silently for the most part and listened. It was a most interesting conversation. Sezela turned from necromancy to shadow magic. It’s no wonder she gave a great lecture about the shadow plane. She most likely knows it better than most Archmages with her affinity to its magic.

Anyway……….

A small ball of yarn smacks Brath in the face. He looks up to see Martin staring at him stupidly.

Brath leans back, “Gods Martin! What are you 500!”

Martin laughs, “I was an adult by 500 however you…. well, you were just this high.” He puts his hand to his waist. “What’s you got there, bro?” Martin deftly steals Brath’s journal and takes off.

Brath chases him, calling out, “Gods damn it what’s gotten into you!”

[Winterhawk99]

Brath chases Martin out of the house and into the fields. Martin being ½ human is much hardier spreads the distance between them slowly. He whips out the journal and skims while Brath chases him.

“WHO IS THIS LIORIEL!”

“NONE OF YOU DAMN BUSINESS MARTIN. GIVE ME BACK MY JOURNAL THAT ONES PRIVATE!” Brath casts a spell of haste and quickly catches up to the half-ogre Martin ducks. Brath misses and flies past him, tripping on a rock and going down.

Martin looks up from his reading. “AGAINST THE RULES! BUD! WAIT TILL MOTHER FINDS OUT. NO MAGIC AGAINST SIBLINGS.”

“I DON’T CARE I WANT MY JOURNAL BACK, DAMMIT! AND BE SIDES YOUR FATTER THAN ME!” Brath charges again. As he gets to Martin the book reader rolls back and puts his foot in Brath’s stomach. Brath goes flying and not in a good way. Some of the larger cats on the island start to take notice.

“I’M NOT FATTER I’M WHATS CALLED FIT. I MAKE HORSESHOES, NAILS, AND WOUGHT IRON FENCING ALL DAY EVERY DAY. IF YOU WOULDN’T SIT AROUND CONTENPLATING YOUR NAVAL ALL DAY YOU WOULD BE FIT TOO!”

Brath comes crawling up with streaks of dirt all over his clothes and face. Theres a bruise on his arm and some gravel rash on his leg, “I really hate siblings. I’m the older brother.”

Brath reaches out for his journal again. Martin laughs, “Not yet! I'm still reading.” He grabs Braths arm pulls him to him and puts the ogre in a head lock then rubs his knuckle on the top of his head.”

“GODS DAMMIT MARTIN!”

Martin lets him go and pushes him away. Brath rolls on his back and throws his arms out. He smirks. “Just remembering old times, ‘BIG BROTHER. So, tell me about this one. I see you mentioned that Alyce girl again. Shedding her uterus? Well, that’s one way to put it. Seems this one wants you though I don’t know why any girl would want you. You’re lazier than a bear in hibernation.”

Brath gives up and sighs, “She’s an elf in the Fraternity.”

“Not sure what that means but elf. There you go big brother. You’ll only go through 4 of them in your lifetime.”

“You’re so damn cynical Martin!”

“I’m a blacksmith. I’m practical. I fall in love with a nice girl she gives me children. She grows old and dies, and I move on sorrowful for a few years then get back in that saddle.”

“What a way to live.”

“Better than being alone all my life but that’s my human side coming out. You probably don’t give a damn. You know damn well mother could move on without dad if she wanted to. You’re probably the same way.”

“She needs him much as he needs her. They’re bonded deeper than you think, Martin. How I don’t know. Maybe all the trials they faced adventuring. They are both crazy as xaoist from doing it.”

“You think all adventurers are crazy and I see your adventuring too now. How the hell did that happen?”

“There isn’t any good fishing in Sigil. I get bored besides a few there like me adventuring with them. I gotten pretty good with abjurations.”

“As good as mom is with enchantment?”

“She’s the freaking grand Irda enchantress, Martin! Course I’m not that good. Besides, I practice a blend of sorcery and wizardry. It holds me back some.”

“You as good as dad with his evocations?”

“Maybe, I don’t know. Maybe.”

“That’s saying something at least so this girl ummmm.” He reads. Loriel? You like her?”

“At the moment, yea sure, it will pass?”

Martin looks at him a bit more seriously, “It will pass? Why you say that?”

Brath shrugs. "I lose interest sometimes quickly sometimes more slowly."

“I got a theory.” Martin smirks.

“You a theory? Ha! You never picked up a book in your life.”

“I have too. Just you never seen it. I like a good romance novel time to time besides. They help me pick up wives.” He flips the journal to Brath who catches it. “Well Dad says when mother is in season she smells strongly of wildflowers. Got me to thinking.

What if that’s one of the way women attract the males in season. A male wanders by and picks up the trail. After all dad says Irda mate like lions not anything like humans because of the Valin. Which reminds me, Brath when you do get with a girl try to hold yourself back some. Humans and elves are different then you and mom. Don't wear the poor girl out.

Anyway. If mom smells like wildflowers, you should be able to pick up with an Irda woman in season naturally. I’m starting to think you can pick up on other kinds of women too. Not sure of course but your last comment ‘it will pass' makes me wonder if you get interested in sex only when a woman is in season. You somehow know subconsciously."

“You're out of your mind, Martin. Stick to blacksmithing.”

Martin shrugs as he sees the big male lion with two of his lionesses walking toward them. “Well, I should be going looks like we disturbed the cats. I will take a trip to Sigil and order some flowers for this Lioriel with your name, brother. If you aren’t going to do something I am. I’m going to put your name on them too. Elf ha? I’ll send her moon lilies. Maybe she’ll dance for you under Sehanine’s light.”

“You better not or when I come back next time I’ll find where this free city of Greyhawk is. Go there. And beat you silly with a bigby’s spell!”

“Sure, you will Brath.” He smirks and takes off for the woods.

Brath sits there too tired to get up but laughs. He feels a paw on his head. “He’s just playing. No fears. Old guy.”

He feels the paw come off his head then the lion swats him. Brath falls back on his back, “Guess its beat up on Brath day.” The old lion and his girls slowly walk off.

[Winterhawk99]

Brath comes back home to much the same as he left. There is no one there. He breathe a sigh of relief at that. He spends several decades tending to the home and guest house. After that he goes up and sits above the waterfall looking out over the earth mote. He falls asleep in his chair. When he wakes up its morning. He opens his journal and writes.

I spent 4 cycles in Sigil recently. I went on one run and made some coin. I may have enough for that ring but there is always time to do that. I have 45 mobius and about 1 and ¼ million in coin all together from there. I keep it separate from other funds. It was nice. I tried to meter my magic so I could use it more. I’m getting better slowly at doing that.

I also helped with other runs but did not go. I simply offered wards, shields and enhancements. Several times people wanted them, and they all came back. I guess my magic is working rather well then.

I finally got two interviews for my book. The first was Cidney of the Ciphers. He’s a decent Hin Chap. He was very short in his introduction, so I changed my interview tactics somewhat and asked many questions. He answered them well enough. It was a decent interview. Not the best but I think that may be more because of me than him.

Before I get to the second interview, I will say that there were two Balls going on these last cycles. One was at Chippers sponsored by the Harmonium. The Ball was about love and unity, at least according to Alyce. That didn’t seem my thing. Still, I thought about going just to observe the humans and other races interact. I didn’t get the chance because Vesk came round and wanted to do the interview.

Vesk is a nice girl. She has a tail, so I assume some lower planes blood in her. Still a very nice girl. So instead of going to the ball. We went to an inn, and we did the interview for the Fated. Vesk had a lot to say about her faction. It was one of the best faction interviews I have done. She had a lot to talk about and even offered a story about how her faction sees charity. It was also the longest and took about 3 hours. I spent another three hours transcribing the notes to book.

I think she may have been teasing me a bit but if she was it sort of went over my head. I had a wonderful time with her. At the end of the interview, I did feel a bit subconscious about myself. But then again even though I grew up around humans, elves and other races I fear I will never truly understand them.

Later, I did meet Alyce at the fulcrum with some others. She asked me why I did not go. I told her the truth that Vesk spirited me away for the Fated interview. I told her I didn’t have a date and would have felt a bit awkward too. I then asked if we are to expect a baby boom in the near future.

She said that’s not what the ball was about. I still question that. Love and unity……….err That’s pretty self-exclamatory to me. Oh hell, what do I know. If I were human, I would be somewhere around maybe 19 or 20 and even after a millennium or so of existence still don’t get other races. At least I don’t think of them as something like pets like the Diviner sees them. All unique people and each are a story unto themselves.

This brings me to that elven girl. I think my brother did send her those flowers. Damn it Martin, stay out of my life will you. My brother is a good soul, and I know he wants to help but he’s fucking up my life in the process. Anyway, I didn’t notice at first, until almost leaving, I sat down next to her, and she shied away. Then I remember she wouldn’t come into the forum while I was there the cycles before. So, my little brother. Bless his heart trying to help me, ended up losing me a friend.

Well, all relationships with most others are like flowers anyway. They flower for a time then wilt and die. It’s not a big thing. Most of the people including the elves I grew up with are long dead by now. There are so very few that make it to the end. I’m proud of mom and dad for sticking together. Theirs is one of the few that succeed for a lifetime.

So, 4 more factions to go then I can move on to other things. These ones will be hard to get. The leader of the Free league keeps ducking me. Then there’s the Bleak Cabal That will be like pulling teeth to get an interview because I don’t think they really give a damn about anything. The dustman. I think I’ll need an armed guard to interview them because they threatened to kill me several times over this very book. And the Xaoist who are just……. Well, most have been adventuring way too long and are plum crazy. They are cute but utterly crazy and usually make no sense.

I tried to interview a Xaoist named Caleb who ended up talking about sandwiches and cheese. He has a sort of a cheese fetish. I’m going to try a girl named Nelles next. Maybe she can speak sense enough to talk about her faction so I can understand it.

The problem with her is she has a very heavy accent, and I may not transpose all of her works correctly. I can usually understand her perfectly but sometimes I’m at a loss for what she is trying to convey. Still, I must get this done so I may go on to other interesting projects.

I talked to a Sensate about possibly reading some of these old legends I made into books. She thought the idea was wonderful and said they used to have a storybook time at the feast hall. I’m still not sure I want to put myself out there like that. Theres an old saying about a poet who reads his verse in public. But if the Sensate agree I’ll offer several of the books and stories I’ve collected over the years and see if they would like to do this.

Izk came up to me while inscribing the Fated interview. I had some rather personal questions for her. I had thought do to how I’ve seen her think that she may be mechanically enhanced or perhaps machine. She assured me that she was completely organic. We talked at some length. I would have talked more but wanted to get the Fated interview in print.

I did ask her about legends and stories of her prime. If she remembered any and if I could write them down. I think she liked that idea very much. When she left, she bowed somewhat stiffly. I’m not sure that meant anything but I noticed the time while we were talking, and it was very short for me to get done. Perhaps I should apologize to her. Just to make sure there was no miscommunication. I just had to push to transcribe the interview. Again, in my awkwardness at times I may have screwed myself.

Well, that’s about it. When I do get back to Sigil I need to focus on the task and get these last 4 interviews in. Until then perhaps I’ll work on the book ‘She came from the Sea’ In between fishing of course. My, would it not be wonderful to do a book on the hottest fishing spots in all the verse? I did it on Krynn and I did it on the Island of Thain on Toril. I should start a book here, but I haven’t found any spots yet. Just too much to do.

[Winterhawk99]

Brath goes home and restocks the game on the island for several years then sits down to his journal.

I went to Sigil for three cycles and managed to complete the interviews with two of the 4 factions I am missing in my book. Connor finally gave me an interview. It was a decent interview. It was also very public with took away some from the interview itself. Still there were a great many people interested in what he had to say about the Free league. And I must say, He did a commendable job speaking for his faction though it was a bit shorter than I liked.

Celindra was there with her Besshikime retainer. A few others showed up. We had it in a corner of the Great Bazaar. That tower mage showed up and was giving me dirty looks the whole time. I could really care less but noted it. The tower mages tried to kill me when I was on Krynn. I’m just happy to be alive. It also frustrates me that my people gave the Merim (humans) magic, and they made exactly the same mistake the Ogre empire made. They reserve magic for a select few and everyone else is second class citizens or worse. Igraine wanted everyone to have magic that could like it is now on Toril (at least in more places than not.)

I’m moody now time to change the subject.

Before the interview I was in the city of Glorium at the campfire there. Sassy and I were talking when others showed up. Elan and Sezale came along. Not long after Sunyata showed up but did not say anything. I had to leave for the interview with Connor. So, I did.

I am not sure what happened in the in-between but when I came back, they were all still there. They seem to have been debating and were at the end when I showed up. There was some back and forth then Sunyata left. I then found out that she had taken the Sensate badges from both women. Something about a long-standing argument.

Afterward I tried to speak to both women to make sure they were alright. I never caught up with the former red wizardess, but I did catch up with Elan. I helped her as best I could by talking with her to get through it and it seemed to help her mood. I think she appreciated it.

Sunyata’s presence has always made my skin crawl when she’s for some reason. I can never really put my finger on what it is. I think perhaps she extrudes an air of distance like my own mother. I just know I’m always a bit careful around her in what I say and do because not doing so could be bad for me. I also try to avoid her when I can. I don’t think she is a very personable woman. Though the interview she gave me for the Sensate was a good interview.

I also finally found a Xaoist that made some sense. I would have gone much further with her had I not been such a bad interviewer. Quetzalli was the woman I interviewed. She’s a rare couatl like humanoid from the upper planes. I kept trying to get her to explain things so an average person would understand her. It did work to some extent, but she eventually became bored with my questions. If I had been more random with them weaving and circling about with more interesting questions for her in-between the real ones, I think she may have eventually given me more information on the faction. I tried to apply my normal research techniques on her which were just too mundane for her imaginative mind; I think. Still the interview was good.

I also like her. She seems like a very fun girl in a way. She’s one of those bubbly kinds of beings, always trying to help other people enjoy themselves. I think she is an awesome representative of the Xaoists. Engaging with her is like……. Art in motion.

I did a test reading of one of the introductions of one of my books in the fulcrum. Celindra wanted to hear it. I chose The Life and Times of Lauriella Sithmore because Celindra is also a sun elf as Lauriella was. She stayed for most of the reading of the first segment of chapter one. She left before the part where the child actually gets possessed by Xanders. Who was in fact a demon.

When I did finish, she was gone and the other berks that came in mid story started asking me if I was stark raving blarmy. I had to chuckle at that and told them I was only reading a story for the elves that were at the fulcrum when I started. They did seem to like it but if I do it again, I should stake out a place to read and announce a time. That way I won't be taken to some Sulunite sanitarium after a reading.

I also went on one run and made some jink. I almost have enough now to have Cidney make a special ring for me. But I would be broke again so I’ll hold off just a bit longer. I did use my wards on many berks going out during the three cycles. It makes me smile that I can be of some use to those that brave these monsters for the rest of society.