JoanOfArc 4586 Share Posted December 31, 2021 UTOPIA I; THE LAND OF THE EVERLASTING SUN Written by Father Temesch Published from Kaer'Lassar In honor of the Countess of Halstaig, Theodosia O'Rourke An depiction of Arden's Bell by Father Temesch, 1853 In the southern lands of Almaris, it seems that depravity, famine, sickness, wars and rumors of wars, pain, suffering, and other states of being not preferable to the common man are in abundance. According to the famous author and my uncle, Anthony Basrid, there were seemingly civilizations dating back thousands of years in the desert. To think of the untold woes those forerunners who first stepped foot on this land must have suffered is, quite frankly, unbearable to me. But for that island under the silver sunlight grasping the heavens itself, these concepts do not exist. A land of bountiful summers and never-ending love. Atriana. When the boat finally reached the southern shores of Atriana, the winter coolness that had enveloped my companions; my mother, Lady Helena Augusta of Temesch, and my elven friend, Caelan, held their jaws agape at the beauty that befell us. As the ship reared near the city of Arden’s Bell (formerly known as Ardenstone, renamed after the reforging of the ‘Resounding Bell of Liberty’), we glanced at a city of marble unlike any other. Surpassing even the greatest of architectural feats I have seen from the City of Providence to the Silver State of Haelun’or, Arden’s Bell was only a small fraction of what was to come with its glorious white pillars and a radiant purity that was not found by sight but by soul. When the white ship docked, my mother made a comment that this trip felt like a haze to her. Her travels to-and-fro from distant lands had always been a struggle, yet this seemed to be quite faster than usual. Atriana was located off the northernmost point on any geographical map of the world, but seemingly is about a few thousand more kilometers north. Due to the supernatural phenomenon of the ‘singing winds’, it is unclear how accurate a map can be regarding the exact location of this ethereal land. As we exited the ship, the first person we saw in Arden’s Bell was completely contrary to any of the perfect designs we had seen before. It was a skeletal man with thick blackened armor (akin to black ferrum, though the reader knows that black ferrum breaks easily) and not a completely see-through skeleton like most depictions of the undead. He had blackness filling in the voids of bones and deeply yellow eyes that could pierce anyone. However, his frightening nature was explained shortly after. "Ave, children of the south. Forgive my horrible sight. I am Olivier de Savoie," the skeletal man commented from atop his skeletal horse. "After my foretold drowning by my councilors, I was resurrected as an abominable creature with no sanity who preyed on the weak and helpless. The Prophet Godfrey purged this sin from my being, but my form remained. Even so, welcome to Atriana. I am the Duke of these lands, Ceriwynfell. The Prophet has requested that I escort you across these lands." His form did not seem as villainous to us as before, and with Olivier- we rode. Arden’s Bell, as we passed it to Ceriwynfell, was much like the rest of the land, but considerably more rural. It seemed to me that the land was an agricultural hub for the land- with a vast number of plants being grown. Oliver said that this was the first piece of land inhabited on the continent after an Ashford landing to 're-discover the continent' (Olivier remarked on our travels out of the continent that the Ashfords were the only ones not metaphorically ‘born’ in Atriana to live here). Caelan, while investigating the plant-life, found a species of a yellow-reddish plant that directed itself towards the sun and was claimed to grant superhuman rejuvenation and life-prolonging abilities. Whether these claims are true, has yet to be tested by Caelan or I. As we crossed through Ceriwynfell, my mother noticed a distant figure of a man robed in imperial garments that was giant in portions towards the middle of Atriana. Olivier revealed that this giant was, in fact, the Prophet himself. He ruled from the center of the land mass as its King and Protector, keeping a watchful eye on all. It seemed to me, however, that his eyes were directly on us as we went through. We entered Owynwen, ruled, by Franz of Caer Lokrin, towards midday. The sights that befell the group stunned us. Owynswen is primarily a human duchy (elves, dwarfs, and orcs do hold land further on the western and eastern coasts) and stretched from Point Tallow to the Mountains of the Three Prophets. The Valley of the Veil was considered the capital of the Duchy where Franz’s castle was. The architectural design of Owynswen surpassed Arden’s Bell in many ways and was completely stunning. As Lady Helena Augusta put it, "only giants could surpass the feats of Man that my eyes have seen". The cities were densely packed and reached into the literal heavens, but the technology there was years ahead of the southern lands. Flying machines I can only describe as flying boats in the skies and self-automated carts zipped past my group. Wherever you looked, you saw a cog or tinkering machine move and spew gas. But make no mistake, the tinkering machines, the cities were pure and clean. The good Duke invited our party as guests to Caer Lokrin, and here I went to the top of the castle to see down below. I can only describe the sight below as a marvelous scenery of cogs moving together. Saints, both from the times of Horen, to Owyn, to Godfrey, to now- walked the streets as I watched below. The castles that covered the skies had saints walk on its walls and teach all about the glory of God and his love. Even at Caer Lokrin, I met my patron- Saint Jude of Petrus who explained to me more where Olivier had not. "Atriana, through only the grace of God, has remained intact from the Ibleesian curses that have dotted it. Here, me and these women live to be thousands and thousands, - furthering their perfect craft of architectural design and tinkering. As God's children, we are furthering our clerical studies.There are many more sights to see- elves, dwarfs, and orcs, reside here as well. perfect and in union with the Church. The veil between the Seven Skies and Terra is non-existent here, and we are to be where we please." the good Saint of Petrus remarked. I looked towards the west and glimpsed at a few elven manors outside of Owynswen with a beautiful emerald forest surrounding it. Caelan lightened up- cheerful to see the homes of the elfkin soon. And my mother, happy to be in a land of peace after all this time. All of us, in fact. St. Jude of Petrus, pray for us Volume II releasing soon. 17 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axelu 3691 Share Posted December 31, 2021 The journey had been extensive but, despite her matured age, The Dowager of Temesch, Helena Augusta, endured it spiritedly. Tall and proud did she join her kith and his friend in this foreign land - encompassed by legend and fantasy. She had once traveled to the Aeldinic land of Touron to lay to rest the ashes of General Armand de Rennes and was an avid explorer of foreign realms. None, however, rivaled the Elysian paradise that was before her. She smiled, knowing she would ne'er forget the sites she had seen. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eryane 3629 Share Posted January 1, 2022 Spoiler always love your writing Julius o7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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