The New South Sea Swarm

## Background

The New South Sea Swarm was an outbreak of a never-before-seen species of bioluminescent locust. After a particularly warm spring, the swarm emerged and devastated farmland across the coast of the New South Sea, resulting in widespread unrest and fear of famine. Several days after the swarm, a just as sudden schooling of bioluminescent fish also appeared off the coast around the sea. Just as leaders across the region were planning for the worst, fishing ships began pulling in net after net filled with the fish, which were quickly preserved on a massive scale and distributed throughout the country. While many still went hungry, the disaster and subsequent response solidified belief in many governments' abilities to care for their people and united the disparate nations and tribes of the New South Sea for a time.

## The Swarms

The people of Arrakdoqnod had known about the locust swarms before the event, enough even to keep a record of their periodicity. Despite this, they too were caught by surprise as the locusts arrived a year early, and in larger numbers than ever before seen. It is not known why this occurred, only that perhaps the unusually warm spring benefitted them. The locusts themselves are similar to grasshoppers found elsewhere on the western continent. The only things that set them apart are their periodicity and the bioluminescence. Why or how they glow in uncertain, and it may be magical in nature.

It seems the locusts were drawn to the water shortly before their mass-dying only days after their arrival. Whatever the reason, they coated the sea coast with their corpses. This attracted the attention of the second "swarm"—the bioluminescent fish. These fish glow nearly the same colour as the locusts, and schooled in massive numbers all across the New South Sea. Several nations took advantage of this to replenish their devastated food stocks, avoiding disaster.

## Nations' Responses

### Gwanoi

In Gwanoi, the event is recounted in an oral history passed down from a Sahnahwul named Hakepon.

It had been a warm spring, and the farmers planted their crops early despite Sahnahwul Hakepon’s warning. He was sweeping the village shrine when a flicker of light in caught his attention. He stepped outside and let his eyes adjust *What could that be?*. The light flickered in and out of existence, less than five steps from him. Hakepon walked toward it and paused, then, summoning his courage, reached out and grabbed... *A bug?*. In his hand was a large grasshopper which struggled hopelessly in his hands. Its abdomen pulsed with a pale-yellow light. Curious. *I will need to show th—*. As he looked up, he saw more lights blinking. Hundreds of lights.

By morning, the locusts had devoured every field, and filled the skies. Most villagers were simply stunned, others were angry that the Sahnahwul had not foreseen this. Word had come before sunrise that the Eyrod was heading to the village. *He will bring help for us. He **must***.  As Hakepon walked onto the village green, his eyes met the Eyrod’s worried stare. The wagons he brought were empty. He came to get help, not to give it.

The locusts had ravaged everywhere. On the solstice the Mownahan gathered the Sahnahwula from across Gwanoi to the isle of Wahlaberok to read the stars. They began chanting, forming a chorus of voices. The Mownahan bellowed *”Stars guide us! Show us the way forward through this darkness! Reveal the fate creation has wrought!”*. Hakepon scanned the sky, but felt nothing. He tried to clear his mind, but his thoughts spun. *How can we possibly feed everyone?* Suddenly, he saw a flicker on the water. *A bug that yet lives*. But this was different. Strange, glowing fish were feeding on the floating locust corpses. As he looked up, he saw more lights. Thousands of lights.

All the Sahnahwula were aware of the lights, yet the Mownahan continued, to stop now would tempt fate. Hakepon shouted *”Heaven sends us these horrid locusts, what now do we do with these fish whose light mocks the stars?”*

### Asaiti

Asaiti, being an island nation isolated from other agricultural regions, was not particularly hard hit by the locusts. However, as the fish had been considered rare and sacred for some time, they were not eaten.

### Sverrir

##### A test of faith

Given the Sverrir folks pescatarian diet, the arrival of the locusts was not felt as pronounced as it was for its neighbours, whilst the rice paddies and the nearby vegetation were ravaged, what stores they had of dried fish was enough to sustain the capitals population at least in the short term. Nevertheless, the locusts was deemed an ill omen, and as famine set in the smaller neighbouring tribes congregated to the capital in search of aid. Indeed many Sverrin’s believed that the locust swarm would preclude the arrival of a tempest. A belief that Uma’s more tempestuous aspect Uma’ra was succeeding over her mirror Uma’ro.

It was when things seemed to be at their most critical that “The Voice” Uma’Lasker decreed a day’s fast at the capital, in a display of faith to their sea goddess in a bid for salvation for the other coastal tribes. Whether it was by intervention or coincidence, the following day large shoals of bioluminescent fish appeared throughout the coast’s waters, making for easy prey. Perceived as a blessing from Uma many Sverrin took to the water to fish up the bounty so as to provide for the tribes seeking aid. Once the tribes were fed and sufficient aid offered, in a show of gratitude the Sverrins used the scales from these unusual fish to create new trinkets and symbols as a show of both respect and gratitude for Uma’s mercy.

Indeed, every man, woman and child, gave up a personal trinket of sentimental value as a votive offering to Uma in thanks for bounty, although it remains to be seen whether this was indeed a merciful act or yet another test. For there are some who believed that the fish shoal was not a blessing but a test by Uma herself, one which some feared, the Sverrins may have failed. Was the shoal truly a bounty offered by Uma, or was she testing the Sverrins resolve to resist temptation? Only time will tell if the Severin’s choice was one that helped secure future prosperity or one that would invite a future tempest to the coast.

Sensing concern amongst the faithful, It is said that Uma’Lasker spent the next fortnight, in deep meditation listening to the waves, seeking a portent from Uma for what future come may come to pass. Was our faith recognised? Did Uma truly bless us? Or did we misunderstand the test? Will the future present calm waters or a future tempest?

Sadly the answer came soon enough as Uma'Lasker, Uma's voice found themselves straddling the border between life and death. For in her meditations Uma'Lasker fell deep into a trance. It is said she swam the oceans of the spirits to contact Uma, and ended up drowning. Entering into a deep coma, the people of Sverrir grew ever worried of their status with the gods...

##### The Silence

For the Sverrin, a death by drowning is often a rare occurrence, given the races aquatic adaptations to coastal living and being from the sea itself, for a Sverrin to drown was usually a case of considerable misfortune or poor planning. But for the Voice, Uma’Lasker to be found on the edge of death along the coastline from drowning, that was an ill omen if there ever was one.

It was the current Uma’khan, Arjhan’tellek who was the first to discover Uma’Laskers unconscious and broken form not far from her sanctuary, to which her body was recovered and returned to her chambers. Arjhan’tellek was appointed Uma’s consort by the voice when she had come of age, as is tradition, when the current Uma’Lasker passes away, the search begins for her reincarnation, the next Sverrin to bear her soul and to maintain their link with Uma. Of course no one rules alone, and it was tradition that when the new voice Uma’Lasker reached they’re 20th year, that they were expected to appoint a new Consort to preside over matters of state as Uma’s appointed champion. Arjhan’tellek had been appointed the new consort 30 years ago, his duty was to be a point of counsel for the voice and ensure the protection of her reincarnation into a new consort could be selected, whilst handling the matters of state that would distract her from her sacred duties. But nothing had prepared for a situation such as this. Uma’Lasker was alive if barely, but unable to speak or share Uma’s words, Uma’s voice was silent.

It would only be a matter of time before the nation would know what had become of Uma’Lasker, and Arjhan’tellek wasted no time in calling the council of fifteen.

When the elected elders selected from across all of Sverrir congregated to discuss the crisis at hand it was dismaying for Arjhan’tellek to witness his brethren in a state of panic and mistrust. One priest doubted chastised the Sverrins who fished the sacred shoals, another questioned if the Sverrins act of aid was proof that Sverrir was stronger alone. It was only when speech turned to the heretical that Arjhan’tellek spoke up.

“We should have turned away the tribes who came seeking food” cried one of the elder “by taking on their burden we have damned us all!”

*“Kensa duna konsona Uma’s Sver’kond”* responded Arjhan stepping up from his seat amidst the council “We are Uma’s children, and we are all equal above the waves, have we become so blind with fear to have lost sense of Uma’s tenets? What would Uma’Lasker make of this”.

There was a palpable pause within the chamber, idle chatter ceased as Arjhan allowed the weight of his words to sink in, it was the same elder Arok’kohn who responded.

“And what if Uma’Lasker never wakes? If this is not a sign from Uma then what is it? Is it not clear to year that we are damned Uma’khan?”

Arjhan chose his next words carefully “It is true that Uma’Lasker no longer speaks to us, she is alive but silent, but I have not given up on her. We have talked a great deal of having failed a test by Uma, but did ever occur to us that we are still being tested further?”

Arjhan took a few paces towards the center of the room council chamber “I for one do not regret what we did help the neighbouring tribes and I for one I am not prepared to easily abandon Uma’s teachings out of fear of retribution. This council speaks of tests of faith, well I believe that we are still being tested” Arjhan gestured outside the council chambers towards the Voices Sanctuary “Uma’Lasker continues to commune with Uma as we speak, and right now she requires our solidarity, if faith is the test, then faith, is the answer.”

Arjhan allowed a moment for the murmurings of the council to settle before issue his decree “We shall reinstate the fast as before, no Sverrin shall touch these glowing shoals. I want all the fisherman who took scales from the fish to surrender their trinkets and offer them to the sea, our priests will join the people in prayer, to both Uma and for the recovery of Uma’Lasker”. Arjhan strode back towards his seat before facing the council again, “I decree this as Uma’khan”.

There was another pause, before one of the elders asked the question that was on everyone’s lips “And what if Uma’Lasker never wakes up?”. Arjhan looked upon the elders and in attempt to instill confidence smiled and said “Then I will perform my duty as Uma’khan and protect the next Uma’lasker, and I pray that the Sverrir will be more united through our endeavours to endure this silence.”

“We will ride out the storm, no matter how long the tempest, calm waters will return again.”