Joryn - 2

## From War, to Storm, to Castaway, to War

I managed to escape Moira's Victory by ship only to be plunged into a great storm that sunk the vessel and left me as a castaway on some unknown and unescapable island. Coincidentally, I've only evaded one war to replace it with another; one between two factions here on the island.

As far as I can tell, there were only three survivors from the ship wreckage. There were more of us initially, but the rowboat we took to escape the sinking ship ultimately met a similar fate. Fortunately, it managed to get us close enough for at least the three of us before it went down.

I almost died myself, but was lucky enough to have been washed up on the beach unconscious but still alive. Based on the patterns of the rushing currents and what I've since learned of the island, there could be several others who washed up to the island before they drowned. I've only found dozens of floating corpses so far.

Vera, the farm girl that aided Yavin and me in fighting off the highwaymen, is one of the other three survivors. I managed to pull her into the rowboat after she fell overboard from the ship just after it had been torn apart and overcome by the sea. She, in turn, helped Lagreth, the Great One's child apprentice, into the rowboat. He's the other fortunate survivor.

Lagreth's master, Mareth, didn't even make it out of Moira's Victory. Surprisingly, he was assassinated by a man with a knife, presumably one of the gypsies. I expected a Great One to be more resilient. Perhaps they're less frightening than I had supposed.

## Asher's Island

We hadn't been on the island for more than a few hours before we were discovered by some locals that call themselves the People of the Ash. Their warriors don the fur of large and ferocious tigers called Maar, a magical experiment of a Great One they call Asher.

This island is known as Asher's Island. It was his home a few hundred years ago. He used it as an isolated laboratory for magical research and study.

Asher, however, was eventually assassinated by a man named Leopold. Leopold became the leader of another local faction called the Keepers. The People of the Ash and the Keepers do not get along.

## Skaihl's Story

Those who found us led us through the island's jungle, across a large gulf by rowboat, and to their walled sanctuary. We also saw the Keeper's city at the heart of the gulf as we rowed across the water. It was an impressive sight; a city-fortress cascading down the side of a large volcano. Comparing the Keeper's city with the People of the Ash's village, it's very clear to me who the power is in this land.

Vera, Lagreth, and I were taken to the chief of the People of the Ash. He, Skaihl, required us to take a test that demonstrated that we weren't one of the Keepers. It was an interesting test that involved nothing more than having us step onto a copper-lined platform. According to Skaihl, Leopold is unable to enter it. The rest of the Keepers, who Skaihl seems to consider blind puppets of Leopold, are unaffected. That made the test even more peculiar since I thought it'd be pretty easy to see whether or not we were Leopold.

Having determined that we weren't "like" Leopold, Skaihl proceeded to tell us the history of the island and answer our questions.

Asher didn't intend to have any other people on the island. It was just the inevitable consequence of the aggressive currents. The waves carry shipwrecked survivors and debris in, but they don't allow anyone or anything to leave. That was, except Asher. Asher used some sort of magic associated with four obelisks around the island to freely come and go.

Skaihl seems to believe that Asher would have helped the castaways leave, or at least had the capacity to do so, but now he's gone and presumably so is his secret. He also believes that Leopold killed Asher for that reason; that and he was apparently threatened by Asher.

Lagreth, as one with magical talent, is also a threat to Leopold. Great Ones possess the potential to identify Lyth, the legendary enemy of Dia. Skaihl seems to believe that Leopold, who is still alive and young today, is one of the Lyth.

The Keepers seem to regard Leopold as some sort of hero that saved them from slavery to Asher. Interestingly enough, they also support him in an annual lottery in which one boy is chosen to go with Leopold to the volcano. The tradition is that only one of them will come back and lead the Keepers as the original or next one chosen by Dia. Leopold is still that leader and, according to Skaihl, always seems to look rejuvenated upon his return.

## Choosing Paths

On an island with limited opportunities, it seems that I must choose a path: join the People of the Ash; flee to the Keepers; wander the island as I did the borderlands; or try to find a way to leave.

Joining the People of the Ash puts me in a precarious position. If Skaihl's story is true, then I could lead a fair life as the master of my own destiny. On the other hand, it could just be a story or even a lie. Whatever the case, committing myself to them could be an unnecessary risk and result in me being killed by Keepers.

Fleeing to the Keepers makes me even more uncomfortable. It immediately makes me an enemy to the People of the Ash, who seem very hostile to Keepers, and commits me to a people that I haven't even met.

Wandering the island isn't very appealing, either. If the Maar are as ferocious as they look, I fear that I wouldn't last long. I'm no warrior nor am I a very good hunter of dangerous game. It'd also be difficult to remain aloof from both factions in such a small area.

Leaving the island is, of course, the most ideal, but it also seems to be the most unlikely. Who am I to find a way to leave when dozens, perhaps hundreds or even thousands, of shipwrecked sailors couldn't. On the other hand, Lagreth and his magical abilities could be just what we need to use those obelisks to leave.

For now, it seems that abiding with the People of the Ash is wisest. I'll wait to see if Skaihl's story is validated. If it is, it may be my best chance at not only survival, but more opportunity.

## Dia, Leopold, and Asher

I've heard stories of Dia and the Lyth from time to time, but religious practices were never very common in my life. We never relied on anyone but ourselves.

What does it matter if Leopold is a Lyth? I don't know what happens to those boys that go with him to the volcano. I probably wouldn't agree with it, either. That would be the case whether he is a Lyth or one chosen of Dia; sacrificing boys for Dia, a Lyth, or anyone else is not something I condone.

If Leopold were a Lyth, why doesn't he assume the form of the boys that he takes to avoid suspicion? I'm told that Lyth can take on the forms of others; why not them?

I also don't understand why Asher didn't immediately help the people off the island. Was it because he could only leave alone? Was it because he wasn't ready? Or was it because he was a tyrant himself?