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"He paused. 'You paying attention?' 'Uh, yes, sir! Yes, yes, I am,' I said quickly. I had been staring at the Star. 'I’m kidding, Ty. I thought your eyes might pop out of your head,' He chuckled, 'I had the same look the first time I came here. It’s a special place.' He looked out wistfully over the expanse. Relighting his cigar, he took a few puffs. 'You said you liked Patromi

"And with that, the guards stepped aside and let me pass. The suns were high enough now to cast a large shadow under the gateway, and I was temporarily blinded by darkness before emerging on the other side. I was not at all prepared for what I saw. My mule whinnied and side stepped as we entered the light. I put my forearm across my face to shield my eyes, confused by what looked l

The FTZ. Oh, the FTZ, The FTZ. It rolls off the tongue with a touch of hope, aspiration, and trepidation. The Free Trade Zone is where all things mix. It is here, in the center of the realm, that races mingle, merchants trade, musicians entertain, and fighters vie for the championship belt. To describe the FTZ is one thing, but to experience it is quite another. The best account I�

“To be seen by source, you must first learn to see. To learn to see, you must first learn to notice.” — The Decree of Dagrún, Scroll Three “True power has one wellspring: true names.” — The Decree of Ǫlrún, Scroll One There are no easy paths to the Oracles of the Edge. That is by design. On the 10th day of the 10th month of the 10th year of life, each boy in Varlata

“Pleasures delayed are pleasures unmade.” — Namorhan line from the song “The 9 Pleasures of the 7 Seas” “Man is violence and violence is man. Therefore, the key question is ‘How can we be the best stewards of violence instead of its worst victims?’” — Fleet Admiral Gossamer of House Namorha The origins of House Namorha are murky. Once again, it depends on who do

“Be the vessel that awaits the sacred. Empty yourself so that you may be filled. Seek the light and become the spark of creation.” — Oumelion Recital “Befriend the shadows so that you may stare into the sun. To see the unseen, allow yourself to disappear. The greatest ambitions need no audience.” — Dalomai Recital House Kaimur could be the most feared House in the realm

“Believe in Mokshanti, for he believes in you. Bow before Mokshanti, for he stands before you.” — Morning prayer of House Mnemos “Belief without action leads to impotence. Action without belief leads to regret. Belief with action leads to freedom.” — The Law of Francippus Members of House Mnemos sometimes refer to themselves as the Missionaries of Mokshanti. Outsiders m

“Kare bo aquato, kare bo oriboro.” (Life unexamined, life unlived) — Jaqua festival chant from the Midsummer Burning “Take out the garbage, or the Jaqua will take you instead!” — Common warning to misbehaving children in Varlata House Jaqua is practically a contradiction in terms. The other Greater Houses use the term for simplicity and in official communication, but th

“Dragons don’t bark.” — Warning inscription on the mainland archway of the Bridge of Ten There is only one clear way to and from House Amekawa: The Odoroki-Bashi. This brilliant red bridge starts at the northern edge of the island stronghold of Amekawa, and it slowly arches up to the southern high-cliff entrance point of the Free Trade Zone, roughly 750 feet above the crash

“Confidence breeds confidence.” — Alcedonian proverb “Two is one and one is none.” — One of 10 Raider Recitals House Hallux wasn’t always House Hallux. For thousands of years, they were referred to by race: The Alcedonians. They comprised a semi-nomadic tribe feared for deep intelligence and a ruthless raiding culture. Their rites of passage, religion, and means of ex