Ambrosia Software Web Board: Cythera Chronicles: The Legend of the Displaced - Ambrosia Software Web Board

The balance of the elements had been kept for many eons before the Displaced came; black was that day - not for what they did or would do, but because they were the harbingers of change.

They did not come of their own choosing, or by summons from this plane; They were sent of their own kind - perhaps as a punishment, perhaps for a battle lost, or magic gone awry; it was not our place to judge events we did not witness. Of the manner of their coming, of their home, we could learn nothing; they themselves knew little, and had no power to return.

To the Seldane, we of the East, of Earth, Humankind were a wonder; not of one element, but daring all - Earth, Fire, Water, and even Air. We learned much from observing them, and in return we taught them of the powers that we held, and used our craft to enhance what we could - for we feared no threat in them, nor did they threaten; for knowing there was no returning they were content to live among us, and they knew much of Honour.

That they could even begin to master the powers of Earth marked their race as remarkable, and their efforts did not go unnoticed by the West, the North and the South; of these, the North and the South saw as we, the extroadinary nature of these beings, and imparted to them of their own knowledge; but the West saw only peril.

Small were their numbers, the Few under the One; and loyal to the last breath would the Few be to him. Without the One, the Few would have no purpose, no bond; each would walk his own path, to end alone. So believed the West, and so they acted. The One was lured, trapped, and lost to the Few, but their purpose was not lost; it was instead rekindled, redoubled - they took to themselves the name 'Ronin', a title from their own lands; their desire for vengeance was something never before seen in Cythera - its fury beat against the very elements themselves.

And so they took their leave of us, to seek the West, and we listened to their song in the Earth. What they would have done I doubt even they knew, but their intentions would not come to pass; after many days travel, the Earth stopped singing to us their story. The West had learned of their coming, and prepared; and those preparations were not in vain.

And so the Displaced passed, their story ended, their song no longer sung by the earth. And we of the East mourned their passing; tensions arose between East and West, but for the time, the balance was maintained.

After much time the Undine deceived us, struck us, drove us from our high places. Perhaps they feared what we had learned from the Displaced, perhaps they had always intended to strike; perhaps if the Displaced had not come the balance would never have changed. Maybe and Maybe and Maybe; we cannot know.

By then had come Jhiaxus and Jinrai the outcasts, and so Bahoudin; and from him, when Humankind has come once again, so will come a Landking. Being part of West, part of East, and part of All, that one may sit in the balance, and all elements will flow through him; thus the balance will be restored - but not as it once was.

Hear my words, and hope. I was a child when the Displaced came, and all these things I have witnessed or foreseen;

I am Sabinate.

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From a scroll in the Seldane tongue, discovered in the Ancient Library; many thanks to Timon for his time and effort in translating this work.

Most excellent! A good story that relates very well to Cythera's past while introducing new information. I can tell that you did your homework on this one (better than most, anyway). I hope that we can get more chronicles out of you. Welcome to the Cythera web board!

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Slayer's guide to Cythera:
[url="http://"http://www.macclassics.com/cythera/cythera.htm"]http://www.macclassi...era/cythera.htm[/url]

Wow, two compliments in one day, and a karma point besides! Thanks, Slayer.

This all started as development of a back-plot for the characters I've introduced, and will be introducing, in the 'Tavern'. I've got a couple more ideas yet for further chronicles in the Ronin saga; people reading the current posts in the 'Tavern' thread (part III, pages 4 and following) might well have guessed that Sabinate didn't know the whole story, so watch for upcoming chronicle(s) on what really happened to the Ronin, including their first arrival in Cythera (don't know how long it'll get, might end up multi-part). Also one along the lines of "Lindus' Guide to Elemental Magic", also part of character back-plot; not sure if Lindus is the right mage to use, though, have to check. I'll probably do the solo part of "The Quest of the Ronin" as a chronicle as well; fits better here than the 'Tavern' or a Tavern spin-off. Hmm, might be interesting to do the first meeting between Sabinate and the returned Ronin, since he knew them as a boy...

Maybe then I'll come up with something new!

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Damned if you do, and damned if you don't; can anybody cache a damned cheque?

Oh, OK; make that TWO karma points!

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There are three kinds of computer users: those that use Macintoshes, those that wish they used Macintoshes, and those that don't know any better.

Yea, this was a good one. Really looking forward to reading more of your work.

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rUmbler
Confusion reigns. Please advice.

Just talked with UrSylph for the first time; can't believe how close I came to what it said, without talking to it first!

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Damned if you do, and damned if you don't; can anybody cache a damned cheque?