The typical winter was not what was in store for the Basin of Life.
Instead of chill and frost, the temperatures spiked once more as Father
Sun again grew large in the sky and bore down upon the world's
inhabitants. It started slow at first: a gentle simmer that soon grew
more and more intense. Many worried that it was the sun pride tree's
recent wounds inflicted by the Goldenclaw Wiccans that was the source.
Everiine Silvermoon and Crek Ysav'rai, for instance, wondered about such
a possibility as they happened upon the tree, and not much later,
Fralunah of Serenwilde swore to find a way to heal it. This 'heat snap'
as all but a herald, as in early Kiani, the sky was scared anew by
terrible solar flares that ravaged the land.

Unlike before, Sun did not strike against the cities and communes. Or at
least, he did not strike at all of them. His focus was particular -
against the crystalline city of Hallifax. Previously, Sun had struck the
floating city and his flares scattered throughout the Basin; this was
replicated time and time again in Kiani, striking a seemingly arbitrary
collection of places: the Tosha Monastery, Oleanvir Valley, the Presidio
of the Damned, the Tolborolla Valley, the Scorpion Caverns, and perhaps
unbeknownst to many, the Arthar'rt Observatory. Doman Trueflight was the
first to consider that Hallifax had become a magnifying glass to the
Sun's rays (to which he subsequently challenged such a possibility, an
argument that was soon quelled by Primus Ileein Shevat). The flares were
like before, save that they also summoned strange figures known as the
Hunters of the Shorn Corona, which were quickly deduced by Dylara
Stormcrow as kin to the champions of Night and Moon. The fae of the sun
were brought down by a motley sort: Falmiis Shevat, van of Serenwilde,
Aithera Pavok, Demartel Shevat, and others. But was most frightening was
that these flares did not just summon fae, but also burnt parts of the
land until there was nothing left by ash, glass, stone and smoke.

This realization caused some communities to evacuate their homelands. In
Tosha, after being assisted by Falmiis and Ino of Hallifax, Master
Quettle decided to usher the Toshan Order to temporary safety within the
Snow Valley after becoming upset that the Hallifaxians simply treated
the fires and fae and not specifically help his brethren. In the
Tolborolla Valley, Thul d'Illici spoke with Vaboz Bumble who was too
concerned to leave his much beloved bees. After some coaxing, he, and
the entirety of the hamlet in Tolborolla too, relocated to New Celest
with the help of Thul, Eicia and Eldanien Silmet, Bleuu and Abelor
Hartfire, Kagato of New Celest, and Prince Roman Hartfire.
Simultaneously, Kailanna n'Kylbar and Sabella D'Cente managed to find
the nobility of the Presidio some refuge in the Asylum, though not
without some snark and class conflict. In the middle of Kiani did Iora
Indara inspire Evgenii Novikei to bring his 'grams' Alexei and friend
Lars Legrand to New Celest as well, while Eldanien attempted to entreat
the kephera of Oleanvir to both come to the city and possibly create a
psionic web for its protection.

In Glomdoring, Athree Nightshade, Salome Shee-Slaugh and Dylara
attempted to discern a way to stop Sun's outrage, inviting wisdom from
Wise Lady, the Voice of Grandmother Scorpion. Wise Lady was worried
about the Caverns and Scorpion, a fear that was only furthered after
Glomdoring left the ancient shrine to entreat the insight of the old
witch, Rowena Nightshade.

It would be Hallifax that was the Basin's hero in the end. Author and
Ileein Shevat spoke to Fraesic, Sunfar, Keeper of the Matrix about what
could be done, leading Ileein to consider the possibility of producing
countermeasures. This, coupled with Falmiis and Ino's irritation at
Quettle, lead to a full-fledged meeting of the minds where numerous
options were discussed, including growing a sunpride tree in the city.
Eventually, Ino suggested generating clouds, and after some
deliberation, Ileein took the idea to the Temporal Conclave for a
report. Entreating the aid of Malimli Fairquillion and a dozen students
from the Centre for Aeromantic Engineering, Hallifax began what was
known as Project Eclipse - which created a link between the Matrix and
the Plane of Air where the aeromancers of the city wove a barrier of
clouds to protect it and the Basin.

Thus far, the barrier has remained stable and no solar assault has
commenced since. However, whether or not it will stay that way is
uncertain.

Penned by My hand on the 17th of Kiani, in the year 445 CE.