Joosha's Saga

# 5 and 6 Nonatus 132021

Two months' time in the realm of Swordhaven. Joosha has begun to sleep more at night. Still, the aberrant dangers of Swordhaven cause him unending worry for himself, Veila, and his egg-children.

The 5th and 6th days of Nonatus in particular left Joosha bloodied and with much to ponder. A new peoples had presented themselves, they of the city of Sobol. A great machine protected and guided them, called the Omnicrom, and the city was protected by a domed forcefield. Sobol sounded much like the place of Joosha’s ancestors. He longed for a place of ease and safety. Could he leave Swordhaven behind and learn the ways of life in Sobol?

**The New Arrivals**

On the morn of the 5th, clouds covered the Three Ladies. Joosha and Veila foraged for food near the road outside the gates. A solitary figure down the road came meandering. Joosha signalled for Veila to hide and drew his throwing dagger. The figure drew closer: a green haired pistoleer, smiling but wary. She bowed slightly to me and gave her name and purpose: Ozma, come to join the Defenders and stake out a life in Swordhaven. Suddenly Veila shot forth from the trees, smiling.

Joosha sighed, but saw no ill-will in Ozma’s regard of my child. Instead, she smiled back at Veila, eyes lighting up happily at the sight of her. Together, the three of us walked to Swordhaven.

Inside the wooden fortress of Swordhaven, Joosha was introduced to two more new arrivals to the Defenders, Takeo and Amadeus.

**Fatherhood**

Joosha watched helplessly troubled as Veila’s enthusiasm for alchemy was encouraged by both a kindly Thriddle and Raphalisa. They bid him go and help the people of Sobol while they gave Veila a lesson.

Upon his return, Raphalisa approached him, hair singed and face blackened with soot: “There was an explosion.” Joosha nearly disintegrated on the spot. Veila then emerged grinning from the alchemist hut with the Thriddle.

Raphalisa continued: “Veila is okay! I took the brunt of the blast.” Joosha poured his gratefulness upon Rapahalisa for her selflessness. His aversion to alchemy hardened that day.

A fondness bloomed in Joosha’s heart from moments like these. It was unlike any feeling he had had back home in Nimbostria, even with his mother. It seemed Veila was not just Joosha’s little one, but a child of the Defenders. Some had even selflessly aided in the care of Joosha’s egg-children. Luke and Riah, in particular, had been astonishingly generous; gifting precious green radium to help with the growth of the eggs.

**Adventure**

The Gronx hunt will live on in Joosha’s memory forever. Dodging and weaving as the beast tore the ground in a frenzied charge. A Lemurian prince shouted for Joosha to use his red cape to bait the Gronx. Caught in the excitement, Joosha took up the suggestion. As the beast charged him with wild desperation, the others beat and stabbed it from behind. So it fell.

Veila proved her place among the Defenders, saving the lives of Amadeus and Kaldor just when it seemed sure that they would perish bloodsoaked from their wounds. She journeyed with us as we searched for clues to cure the Rust Plague, and on other quests. She was wise enough to stay wary of the dangers, which was a relief.

The class 3 Devilkin was a cunning foe, with powers to pull the Defenders toward it and bash their skulls with its colossal warhammer. Worse still, it shot spikes from its hands to impale them. With an horde of imps, it assaulted Swordhaven. Those with pistol and rifle were most effective against the Devilkin, so Joosha did what he could to hold back the imps while the others focused the larger threat. In this way, the towering foe was beat back, though not defeated.

Throughout, the healing words of Bartholomew kept us standing. The courage of all dammed the flood of evil.