A happy reunion was in store as a ship flying a flag with the arms of
Haidar, the Lion, sailed through the Sefyric Ocean toward Sapience.
Accompanied by several Khish warriors, Haidar, the much-lauded hero and
liberator of enslaved peoples under Kashari oppression, disembarked and
made his way toward the city of Cyrene.

There, amidst the mountain city, Haidar addressed senator Lisbethae
Etienne-Le'Murzen and the other citizens gathered at Centre Crossing.
After several years of warring at sea, he at last felt it safe enough to
deliver the Shala-Khulians and Khish, kidnapped long ago by invaders
from Kashar, home at last. In Cyrene, he explained, he sought a few
members of the Khish who had disembarked on Sapience several years
hence, taking refuge in Cyrene rather than return to their empty island
home. Gladly the citizens guided Haidar and the warriors to the inn
where the refugees waited, and after a joyful meeting, the natives
eagerly prepared to head home with a Cyrenian escort.

As they arrived on the island and the natives met with Mixtali, the
Khish chieftan, all soon discovered that not all had gone well in the
homecoming. Following the Crimson War some 50 years ago, which pitted
the forestal community against Mhaldor, the native tiger population had
declined to the point of extinction. As a result, Ra'mah, the tiger
spirit that guided the Khish, was greatly unsettled. Mixtali explained
that Ixtahuitl, the shaman of the Khish, was preparing a ritual that
night to try to ease Ra'mah's suffering.

Eager to witness the ritual, the Cyrenians busied themselves for the
rest of the day assisting Tu'liak, leader of the city of Shala-Khulia,
at Haidar's request. Years of neglect had allowed the jungle to take
over the city, and vines grew rampant over the streets and dwellings, in
desperate need of clearing.

It was tiring work, but by nightfall the task was complete, and Haidar
and the Cyrenians returned to the caves where Ixtahuitl enacted the
ritual, calling out to the tiger spirit as Khish and Cyrenian alike
attended with rapt fascination. The cavern fell silent, and a sudden
growl echoed throughout the island from the jungle. Gravely, Ixtahuitl
expressed his concern that something had gone terribly wrong...

Soon, members of the forestal community gathered on the island, curious
about what had transpired, and bearing many questions of their own.
Logistics Ta'sa, Favonius Stormcrow-Xanatov, and Kaiya Winterwind were
surprised to discover ghostly tigers roaming the jungle: the restless
spirits of the beasts that once inhabited the island.

In vain the forestals tried to unravel this mystery and find a way to
put the tiger spirit to rest. In a desperate effort, they slew several
of the ghosts, but the Khish natives cried out in grief and fear that
surely Ra'mah would not rest if such things were allowed to continue! As
all puzzled about the new dilemma upon Shala-Khulia, a few questions
remain at the forefront: what will happen to the Khish with their
guardian spirit suffering? And what of the ghostly tigers, can their
spirits be put to rest? Only time will tell...

Penned by My hand on the 22nd of Miraman, in the year 546 AF.