Tahki, Warden of Nature

A sketch of Tahki comparing her full and eclipsed phases. Completed by adventurer Yaboiskelly soon after Gravitas's fracture in their search of cosmic truths.

### Eclipse Appearance

A raging ball of magma infront of the hemi-sun

### Effect During Eclipse

Forests may catch fire.
Plants proliferate at rapid rate.
Creature survival methods are performed with great gusto.
Mortals feel physically empowered, spiritually in tune and heal rapidly.Natural magics of healing and nature manipulation are performed easier and with greater result.

"Tahki, celestial of passion and growth.
Deep hunger and instinct she hones in you both.
Molten she smoulders, no spirit fire golder.
Icon of strength, none can state their soul older.”

## Mount Ozoma Expeditionary Log Excerpt

***Expedition Day 12** **–** we have finished taking core samples of Mount Ozoma. Even though the moon has eclipsed the sun, it feels hotter than any day previous. I must be adapting to the conditions here as despite the heat, both corer Pantings and I were able to carry two full cores with containment chambers down the mountain whereas just yesterday I was sweating carrying just one. That’s right, I wasn’t even sweating today.*

***Expedition ‘Night’ 12 –** I write night but… it has not gotten dark. The sun seems to have stopped rotating which is absurd. If not for my remarkable fitness and lack of sweat, I’d think myself fevered and mad. We’re not sure what is happening but will try to get some sleep. Our tents won’t be very helpful with their design to combat bugs and not daylight. Our navigator and engineer Mathus has been commanded to keep watch but he seems on edge and is biting back against instruction. I’ll have our Grill Steward ‘Trotters’ chef him up something on the charcoal bed barbecue, he’s probably just hungry. If only there were ten of each of us, we’d be so much better equipped.*

***Expedition Day 13 –** Mathus went crazy on us. Mad with some sort of jungle fever. I found Trotters with slash marks over his throat and a hot coal poker impaled through his left cheek. Pantings didn’t fare much better before Mathus disappeared into the wild so unfortunately for me, he won’t be able to pack up my tent in such a deceased state. I will take it upon myself to deliver the richest core back to Formcaste VIII or my name is not Marksman Jonus!*

***Expedition Day… Night? 14? –** I dragged those cores for half an hour before I decided that it was time for a rest. I walked from sun presence to further sun presence as this stupid fiery ball will not disappear. My knees feel like they are going to burst from my legs, I’m not sure where my skin isn’t peeling and I would have something inside me to vomit if Trotters weren’t too impaled to actually feed me. Whoever thought that one plate of skewers would feed a party of grown men for an entire trip should be taken in by police. I believe it time to rest, hopefully not for the last time.*

As Jonus let his eyes shut, the dryness of his body sent spines of searing pain from retina to spinal cord via his brain. Then in what must have been Rage Forest induced madness, he heard a voice.

“You come to this land to take from it natural riches that don't belong to you. You are perishing interloper, you won't be able to take them with you. We shall see however if you are of strong enough of spirit to be worth remembering by this land. It is time for you to pass judgement or pass on interloper.”

His aching body heaved for air, skin pulled around his expanding and shrinking ribs as air slowly became all too hard to take in. Rolling onto his back, not just voice, but visions too manifested in ways impossible. For mere seconds, he saw what appeared to be fire arising from his chest, a small tongue of fire at that quite yellow in colour.

It danced briefly in the wind before doing so no longer.

## Of Tahki's Influence

Tahki is the primal moon of growth and pruning who through the elimination of the necessary brings forth new and bolstered life. For four months, one can track her steady pilgrimage around the planet passing over land and sea as she observes how all creatures interact and behave. This learning is stored within her as she plans how to best manage her land with new threats to contend with each year. With four months of travelling and thinking, she finally arrives home in The Rage Forest where at long last she is ready to eclipse. Passing In front of the present Hemi-sun, she locks it in place for three whole days to draw on its blazing radiance and channel her influence. During these three days, all across the land the sun burns hot and perpetual preventing night from occurring as rabid fever pitch sprawls through plant, beast and mortal alike.

Plants during this time grow at rapid rate, sprouting from seeds, growing tall and strong as they suck deeply from the volcanic soils before seeding and refreshing the cycle. Plants that may take decades to reach full size in other places of the world can do in years with some plants able to go through full cycle within the few days of eclipse. In contrast, the perpetual presence of Tahki's warmth and life imbuing influence assists trees and plants through conventional and unconventional means. Many areas spark due to Tahki's presence and burn down at rapid rate made easier for the density of vegetation and high oxygen content of the air. While this does create a rich carbon fertilizer that assists in bring back this dense vegetation in record period, many plants require these extreme temperatures for their seed pods to crack open and spread.

During this time, all senses and instincts are elevated. All living entities enter a survival mode that manifests differently for each species. While many animals spend Tahki's eclipse feasting for hours on hours until their bellies distend, others may fervently harvest and store by snatching food from floor, fern and friend for caching. For creatures that don’t require as much food or have other more prominent instincts such as insects, this period may manifest as dozens upon dozens of hours spent breeding. While this does propagate the species to a large degree, many weak do not often survive the experience. No matter the individual behaviors manifested, all have heightened instinct and awareness, willing to resort to drastic measures to survive in this glorious kingdom of beasts.

Mortals seem to experience these phenomena differently. While different races react to Tahki's presence in meagerly different ways, each person's own character is magnified. It has been the case that evil people have found their own ruin as they are unable to control their greed or desire for violence placing these ambitions before their own safety. Likewise, people of good nature have gone to greater lengths of self sacrifice, giving more of themselves in humanitarian efforts like healing and heroism. Tahki's eclipse presence not only stirs the hearts of those willing to perform these acts but also bolsters their ability also. Natural magics are boosted for healing and creating while physical prowess is also seen in these faster, stronger mortals.

Parallel to this also is each person's heightened emotional state as all tribes enter a state of great self and community improvement. For three days, variations on a set process are observed by most tribes. The first day is that of thought. Individuals and groups honor ancestors and reflect on past events to draw lessons for the future. This practice aids in bringing a mindfulness to the community and the knowing of one's humble place. Day two brings forth the enactment of action. Lending from the first day, lessons learned and areas of self that are identified as improvable are put to practice. Most efforts during this time reap great rewards from combat training, agricultural needs, construction projects and more have tribes make grand strides in progress at regular intervals through the year. Finally, the third day focuses on spirituality where one spends dedicated time in meditation, contemplating their future and how they will pursue personal character goals. Many rituals such as coming of age ceremonies are held on this day for many of the tribes. Some tribes or just individuals feel the call of the wild, taking to the jungle for the final day to exist as a beast would for whatever means it may serve.