A bright, cheerful young voice, broadcast with undue enthusiasm and without any thought to who or what may overhear: "I'll be careful, I'll be back soon."

A child sorceress possessing power beyond her years, but with the wisdom of a mere teenager wandered the Atrousian Jungle nestled near the Vasnari mountains.

Kosuira, protege of the mysterious Tenith'oru, took it upon herself to deal with the suddenly-arisen Tsol'teth fortress in the ruins of Seleucar. The act did not go unnoticed, and soon enough she was beset by the forces that resided within the Tide. One of the menacing ogre destroyers grinned at the youth, and swung his axes in wild challenge, cutting deep into her flesh.

With a concentrated look and a grin on her face, Kosuira called upon a surprising power...

As she swivelled her hands in a purposeful, counter-clockwise motion a spiderweb of cracks began to race across the form of the ogre. He opened his mouth, and a grey light poured forth along with a unearthly keening shriek.

The cracks widened, the ineffable glow building until in a single brilliant flash he was eradicated from existence.

Kosuira's glee at defeating the monster was short-lived. Whatever the source of this power, it drew far more attention than she could have expected. All Sapience felt a great empathic awakening at the edge of its consciousness, a sudden sense of curiosity.

Then the Litany began anew.

All except Kosuira breathed a sigh of relief, this time it was meant only for her.

The harsh whisper of Agith'tai issued throughout the realm: "You may think yourself clever in stealing powers above your station, but you cannot escape your nature. Attend my voice. Come to me..."

And come she did. For despite whatever powers she had wielded, all are subject to the Litany.

Meanwhile, in his laboratory, Tenith'oru observed these happenings with dismay. In a rage, he destroyed one of the ogres menacing the halls of his fortress, but fearing to leave the safety of his manse, awaited the adventurers who had contacted him with offers to help.

Upon their arrival, and with some conflict within himself at the thought of trusting outsiders to do his bidding, Tenith'oru finally offered a mysterious, rune-laden pouch to those gathered. He instructed them to take it to the spot where Kosuira had gone missing, that he could perform an act of scrying to find her.

This group of adventurers, chief among them Czanthria, Valkyn, Aelyn, Atalkez, Farrah, Kayeil, Sarathai, and Ginovianna did search the proximity of the Seleucar fortress to procure a sample from the spot where Kosuira had been drawn screaming into the shadows.

Casting the gathered dust from into a torch, a vision took shape before the gathered adventurers: a cramped but solid cell in some unknown location, Kosuira bound and shackled within. The Tsol'teth Agith'tai stood before her, seeming pleased with himself.

And then another Tsol'teth, a name heard only in passing so far: Ithin'urai. As he entered the cell, he inspected the girl closely, clearly straining for some further insight to her power.

As the vision continued, it became clear that Ithin'urai recognised the intrusion. "Curious and curiouser..." he hissed and the vision before the assistants ceased.

Driving them out in a rage, Tenith'oru locked himself in his laboratory, making preparations to rescue his protege.

And somewhere deep within the Tsol'teth fortress, a girl of mysterious power is studied by the invaders. That which holds curiosity even to them can bode only ill.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

SUMMARY: Kosuira, the child sorceress, took it upon herself to investigate the Tsol'teth fortress in Seleucar. After defeating a Tide ogre with an unknown, powerful magick, she attracted undue attention and was taken captive by Agith'tai. After a group of adventurers assisted Tenith'oru in scrying for her, a worrying scene of the prison appeared before them, foretelling a grim future for the girl and perhaps for Sapience...

Penned by My hand on the 19th of Mayan, in the year 725 AF.