G A I A' S G A P I N G, S A P P Y K N O T H O L E


In the fifth year of the Wildwood Witch's reign over Eleusis, dark tidings were revealed to mortalkind of the insidious intentions of the Elder Egomaniac. What follows is the account of how the Prime came to know of the black hand of the Earthmother.

The sun had set nearly six hours prior when the small contingent of priests entered the darkened woods. The storm had grown worse as we crossed the breadth of the forest from the wood's edge. Rain fell by buckets, pummeling the tenebrous trees and slicking the stones under the horses' hooves and the wind howled over the trees, driving the rain like stones from slings and whipping at cloaks and robes to the point that all had given up any hope of remaining dry. Black clouds hid the moon and stars and the deluge seemed to soak up the light from the pole lanterns carried by the acolyte and our undead escort.

Following the strange child, one of the Marked led our party down the stretch before the wall, his sword resting across his saddle. A priestess and I rode a little ways behind with the newest acolyte between us and two of the Spear to either side, the Sighted among us with our hoods thrown back so any of the undead inside the cave's mouth who could recognize the Third Eye would have the opportunity to see three. Nearing the yawning slit in the rock, the lichen-covered guide slowed and the Marked in the lead drew up. The narrow entrance and lifeless eyes just inside would have given pause anyway.

The strangling spoke something that was drowned by the rain and slipped inside. With a sideways glance behind him for guidance, the Marked one heeled his mount forward and the rest of the contingent entered the long passageway and gained shelter from the rain. The wind made the narrow tunnel keen like a flute and the young acolyte's brown mare pressed against my own as the passage narrowed.

"Are you afraid, child?" I had grown particularly fond of the young Jaruvian. She had been unflinching in her duties so far but we were farther away from her home than she had ever been. The beads in her thin braids clicked faintly as she shook her head, but her wide eyes never left the darkness that seemed to push back against the lantern's light ahead of us.

The cave descended deeper into the earth, a maze of passages spidering off to either side until the party came to a low-ceilinged room reaking of rot and decay. The strange creature, surrounded by the hulking forms of the undead escorts, recounted the story it had told us the previous day. In quirky, hurried sentences it spoke of the Earthmother's cunning deceptions and treacherous plans. The priesthood plied it with questions, each laden with suspicion and distrust until finally, it pulled a loose stone from the wall to expose a massive, gnarled root. With hushed words it instructed us to taste the water within the gaping knothole on the root, promising proof of its words in the doing.

I nodded to Priestess Senzu, urging her onward and she gave me one of those looks that women seem to have in great store. This is how I came to find myself kneeling on the cold floor of the cave, stretching my arm into the stone wall. My hand found the sap-limned opening and I slipped two fingers inside until I felt the fetid pool of liquid. The lantern's light cast my companion's concerned faces in sharp relief as a withdrew my hand and lifted the fingers to my lips. As the liquid touched my tongue, the world melted and the visions were upon me as foretold.

Some time later, I stood before a Seer. The visions were confirmed as undeniably true.

Mortals of Sapience, go to your gods. Seek the counsel of your gurus and prophets. Sit under the guidance of your diviners and seers and ask them to show you Lady Gaia's black hand. Learn of it yourself, with your own eyes and ears. After a time, it will be revealed what has been uncovered and it will do you well to find the truth by your own hand before it is known to all.


[X] Grandue Xeh'ria, Keeper of the Iron Crown

[A small octagon encircles a raised "II" here, inscribed in thick, amethyst ink]

Penned by my hand on the 24th of Chronos, in the year 888 AF.