It was as newly crowned Prince Aletheus of New Celest stood upon the
walls of the shining city, slipping the last of nine pearls into a
shell-like beacon, that a being crafted of pure light descended,
whispering words of promise and power, yet a dark and fearful undertone
lingered beneath them. Little did they know within the walls of their
fair city, Talkan La'Saet was struggling through a nightmarish sleep, as
were other Celestines, tossing and turning against a series of events
that hung within the shroud cast by a light sleep.

Guided by the shining Star of Celest, a palanquin bore by four merian
males arrived at the city gates, and slowly made its way through the
streets of the city, guided by eager children and other celestians,
curious as to what was within. Frightened, many Celestines edged to the
back of the crowd, recognizing the palanquin from one of their many
nightmares. After a soft, flowing voice expressed surprise at the
existence of the city, the woman emerged, revealing herself to be one of
the many lost families of the Holy Celestin Empire. "Jarana Farain," she
had stated proudly, gazing out at those gathered. Tears welled in the
young merian woman's aquatic eyes as she gazed upon the Pool of Stars,
comforted by Prince Aletheus and Talkan, as she explained that the her
parents had told her the city was gone, and nothing had survived. And so
they lead the noble merian lady to the Supernals, and so she found the
Light once more.

It was only a few days before the Celestines approached Jarana Farain
about their dreams, plagued with images of the Farain Family Crest and
all centred around the delivery of several chests that, even when awake,
speaking of them left Talkan in shivers. It was soon explained by the
merian lady that her great grandfather was tasked by Emperor Ladantine,
before the fall of Old Celest, to plunder weapons of great power from a
place known enigmatically as the House of Secrets. One of those weapons
was the Horn of Urlach, but as for what the other weapons might be,
their identity was lost during the chaos of Taint Wars.

Unfortunately for those involved, the ship was one of many ill-fated
ones that crossed the Inner Sea - sank by Jeitara and her group of
blood-thirsty kelpies, slaughtering all those unboard. It was Lady
Elohora, however, who gave Jarana the peace of mind to forgive and
forget the trespasses between the merian lady and the kelpies. And so
Lanikai the Sea Hag and Jarana began to work together, along with New
Celest, convincing the kelpies of the Inner Sea to help raise the ship
once known as Javile's Memory, in search of what were believed to be
powerful artifacts, relics of the Holy Celestine Empire that could be
used to wreak devastation upon the enemies of the Light.

It was as Talkan, Pharamon, Saaga, Alianna and others slipped into the
newly freed remains of Javile's Memory that Jeitara caught wind of the
attempt to free what she had tried so hard to sink, and had worked
quickly to free herself. As Lanikai fell weak beneath her sister's
curse, hundreds of mutant kelpies swarmed into the Inner Sea, more than
ever before - scores of them attacking the ship at once, all shrieking
to one another to stop the merians from escaping with the treasure.

New Celest won the day, however - just as Magnagora arrived on the
scene, Grandmistress Saaga had lead a trio of merian bravos, laden with
the treasures found upon the ship, back to the city, leaving hundreds of
dead mutant kelpies in their wake. As an act of thanks, Jarana Farain
allowed New Celest to keep one of the three chests - gifting to the
Celestines the chest marked by the Supernals, certain it would contain
the strongest of the artifacts, while she kept the remaining two.

It did not take long for the Celestines to decide to open it, despite
warnings that such power may not be controllable. It was Talkan of the
Celestines, Hope's Defender, who took the charge and broke the seal on
the chest, ignoring the last of the warnings the enchantment offered.
Dismayed, nothing but a whispering wind, an acrid stench and a cloud of
white ash came from within.

It was Jarana Farain who opened her chests and claimed the treasures
within - artifacts indeed, bracers and a necklace that had survived from
the Vernal Wars, if not before. Yet the uneasy tension that hung in the
air of New Celest did not stem from the concerns of the citizenry.

Penned by My hand on the 11th of Dioni, in the year 214 CE.