Roughly a month passed before Doctor Creshok was revisited by Falmiis
and Ileein Shevat and Tamashi of Hallifax, who asked whether or not the
cure for the skinrot outbreak was ready. It was, at least, but the
question of dissemination was asked. Calibration of the gnomish machines
was out of the question; not only was the cure more auric in nature, and
not a simple superficial cleaning, but the re-calibrating the machines
could have taken any amount of time that they did not have. Suggestions
were made for the Tainted Broadcast Center's mechanisms, or even the old
Celestine Empire's Project Cloudspout, but the good doctor was worried
about manipulating such outdated machinery. It was only then that it was
decided that the best option was an old Aeromancer device that could
produce the necessary change in atmopsheric pressure for an area-wide
delivery of the vaccine. Asking for a day, Creshok returned to her
laboratory - both to finish up the vaccine and prepare the machine. At
the agreed upon location - on the summit of Avechna's Peak, just before
the Avenger Himself - Creshok stood waiting for the Basin. Shouts were
made, market pronouncements were delivered, and soon, people from all
walks of life arrived. Empowered with a meager amount of cloud essence,
Ileein was the first to enact the machine, which cause a gentle storm to
douse the Peak with the long-awaited cure. And so, Project Westwind was
born. In the following days and months, the machine would be enacted by
any who required its services. But the curse itself was not lifted.

A month later, Avechna's Peak erupted in sudden light which slowly
forced away Mother Night's darkness; it took several flares for anyone
to notice, and the first to arrive was Synkarin Ysav'rai, who was
greeted by the translucent projects of Turiki and Sidwesh. With his
astute powers of observation, Synkarin noted that they appeared quite
dour and somber, and it was only after summoning Gaudiguch, Glomdoring,
and Magnagora, did he and the Basin learn that Mraxin's disappearance
was due in part by a Goldenclaw raid in distant Jojobo that led to the
Perihelion's death, as well as the deaths of roughly 100 Dawnburst
Druids. Synkarin and Cyndarin Ysav'rai were interested in giving Turiki
and Sidwesh an option for vengeance, but first, the curse of the
Goldenclaws would need to be broken. The two druids explained that the
working that the Basin was afflicted with was through the Goldenclaw's
covencraft - a mighty feat that brought the full Fury of the jungle upon
them: to break it would require even more power. So the inhabitants of
the Basin decided to do this vial ritual, to invoke not only the natural
powers of Mother Night and Moon and Brother Hart and Crow, but also the
elemental powers. As Synkarin contacted and rallied the Basin, the
various cities and communes went off to prepare for this Great Rite.

In Glomdoring, Salome Shee-Slaugh, Athree Nightshade, and the Ebonguard
Veyils sought Rowena's guidance. After only lightly admonishing them to
create their own ritual, they devised one built around the sacrificial
logics of the nai'Dorin; atop Night's Needle with Crek and other
witnesses, they performed it to no response, which they assumed was due
to the fact that they had not invoked Crow properly. In Hallifax, Keeper
Ushaara and Shedrin Windwhisper sought out Zeforos, Lord of the North
Wind; however, this visit was cut short, as the Elemental Lord found
irony in the Hallifaxians' decision, which lead to Ushaara reprimanding
the entity. Magnagora had better luck, with Marquessa Veldrin appealing
to Gravynia, Lady of the Cracked Stone. While not providing exact
advice, the Elemental Lady suggested that the Marquessa return to the
old ways of the Geomancer, producing for her the famed Libellus
Geomancie in order to "sunder the world." In Serenwilde, Sondayga Zayah,
Sarrasri Talnara, and Tristanna Myeras enacted a ritual to appeal to
Moon and her Avatars. When this gained no effect, they assumed it was
because it was daytime and then tried speaking to Hart, who explained
that if they called upon the hunt, he would come. While Synkarin called
upon Celest, he contacted Sister Cicara who was not confident in
addressing the problem herself and forwarded the appeal to her leaders.

As the Basin performed their rituals separately, Turiki gave into her
rage. Where was the ritual that the Basin promised? she shouted, and it
was then decided that it was perhaps one ritual, not six, that must be
performed. And so, the Basin's inhabitants gathered before one of the
sunpride trees on Avechna's Peak to enact a singular ritual of elemental
and natural power. Led by Salome, the elements were called by the
Basin's mages: Veldrin performed the Ritual of Access from the Libellus
Geomancie to brought forth elemental earth; while Falmiis Shevat
summoned the power of elemental air; Daebach D'Varden followed suit to
summon forth elemental water; and concluding the elemental magics was an
ensemble of Synkarin and Talan Ysav'rai and Farlaris Mes'ard who drew
upon the powers of flesh and Fire. Salome drew upon the shadows of
Mother Night, sacrificing herself to empower her kin, while Crek
Ysav'rai anointed Kalanaya with the markings of Crow to draw forth the
dark spirit. The Serenwilde, guided by Sarrasri, Sondayga, and
Tristanna, began their ritual in the distant Ethereal Realm before
concluding their working where everyone else stood, summoning Moon and
Hart together. As the Grand Rite concluded, the combined power of
six-in-one cut through the veil that the Goldenclaw Wiccans wove for
their jungle curse, revealing them far within the verdure of the
transformed mountains and roads. So then the hunt began.

The Goldenclaws summoned their fae to do battle, but the wiccans were
not a match for the Basin of Life, who made short work of them all. As
they fought, the terrible Hexchiefs of the Goldenclaw appeared, who was
hunted down and slain. His corpse brought to Turiki, the taurian
sacrificed him to reveal the source of the curse - a treasure stolen
from Highwater Keep, a memento from the Coven's previous excursion
within the Basin. The Basin set out to return it to Duke Gonore;
however, they were not the first there, as half a dozen hexchiefs laid
in wait for them. Again, a battle of magic and fae occured, but soon
enough, each one fell before the combined might of the Basin. When the
treasure was gifted to Duke Gonore, he urged them to return it back to
the vaults, and upon doing so, the curse was lifted from Lusternia. The
jungle receded, the vegetation decayed; the remaining insects sought out
succor from shade or beneath the ground, only to be found by Falmiis,
Synkarin, and Ileein who routinely exterminated them. As the Basin began
to cure themselves once more through Project Westwind, they returned to
see Turiki and Sidwesh - but at this point, their connection to the
Basin faltered and their projections disappeared.

As day broke, the Basin found themselves without the presence of the
Dawnburst Druids - standing alone, once again, between the competing
factions of the Jojobo Jungle.


Penned by My hand on the 24th of Dioni, in the year 450 CE.