As the Goddess Li-varili slumbered upon the healing mound, the Basin of
Life was paying the price of the Sea Spirit's troubled Awakening.
Toronada Tidal Flats remained flooded and the highways encircling the
Basin were transporting more water and deep-sea monstrosities than goods
or adventurers. The seas roiled with unprecedented storms, making
maritime travel impossible, and floods made their way even into the dark
tunnels of the Undervault. To mitigate the numerous obstacles, weary
pilgrims erected a campsite under the boughs of an ancient oak at the
foot of Avechna's Peak and many did seek to rest there for a night
before resuming their pilgrimage. Likewise, many nations sought to
alleviate the burden of the storm.

In Serenwilde, Saran Strongleaf took particular interest in the workings
of the weather systems across the Basin of Life and did his best to
quell the raging storms as a shaman, but his power alone could not make
much headway. Other Serens were also concerned about the effects of the
torrential rains and lightning strikes upon the forest itself. A
conversation with Isotta, the White Handed, a naiad of Serenwilde, led
to plans to hold a ritual wherein Serens would work together with the
support of the naiads of the forest to push the waters in the skies
elsewhere. To enlist the aid of the naiad of Moon Lake, Serens asked
Abeytu, Keeper of the Gardens, to grow a special water lily to impress
the aforementioned fae. In the end, a lovely blue water lily was grown
and presented to the water nymph, who agreed to put forth her powers.
Likewise, Isotta was also empowered in her own way by Serens and joined
in on the ritual, which was held upon Moon Lake. Calling upon Seralem
and the Great Spirits and spirits of Serenwilde, the ritualists - Saran,
Huskii, Xiran, Tyrus, Grimmia, Sondayga, and Nialla - lifted their
voices to the skies as the naiads surged forth, carrying waters out of
the forest and onto the Alabaster Road and Ackleberry Highway, the
floods reaching as far as the gates of Magnagora and New Celest. In the
wake of their ritual, the rains in Serenwilde became a drizzle, and the
winds abated slightly. With fae and Spirits, Serens have worked to
protect their forest.

The effects of the stormy weather were not kind on Glomdoring either, as
rain made it through the densest of its canopies, beating an incessant
rhythm into the Drums of the Dead. As lightning split the skies, members
of the dark forest were drawn to the Glomdoring stables by the flustered
shouting of Filib Shee-slaugh. The faeling stablekeep had apparently
received an embarrassing letter from Akuuko, the wyrd-touched dracnari.
But in the scandalous pages, there were notes on a ritual to help push
back the unending storm from the forest. By the combined efforts of
Gabe, Xenthos, Illyria, Gael, Afollia, Evette, Esei, Netra, and
Glitterna - the Glomdoring was able to construct an altar atop Night's
Needle. Through song and offering, the group channelled the tremendous
power of the Wyrd through the altar, and in a flash of violet lightning
the winds suddenly calmed and the rainfall became more gentle.
Glomdoring's murders of crows would still need to shake out their
ruffled and soaked feathers, but the wyrden forest's might made its will
known.

As the rain slammed down upon the desert city of Gaudiguch, its keeper
roused herself from a stupor as she found herself uncharacteristically
soaked. As adventurers gathered around to watch her argue with the
Guardian Drachou, they managed to convince him to attempt to fight off
the storm. And fly he did, majestic and breathtaking in his might, but
when he coaxed forth a powerful prismatic breath to clear the storms
away, he abruptly fell into the Eternal Flame. Shaken as they were,
Gaudiguchians would need to investigate the matter of Drachou's health
later and bid him rest for now. Taking the burden upon themselves,
Afrit, Vyell, Norra, Chundae, and Sulwh scoured the city for a solution
before a sheepish Shimotaabi Xiim made contact with the elusive,
wandering Sayma Dith. Under her careful watch, the adventurers purified
themselves through a rite of Illumination before channelling their
strength into Mesadari, enabling her to stoke the Eternal Flame into a
grand inferno that burned away the greatest brunt of the storm which
raged over Gaudiguch. It could not be fully dispelled as the Sea
Spirit's pain and rage remained, but the worst was over.

Meanwhile, with so many ships forced to dock and weather out the tumult,
one old and familiar face made his way to shore in Celest: Manchal, once
tutor to the Aquamancers of New Celest, his travels upon the Inner Sea
interrupted. Once apprised of current events by a full gathering of the
city, and at his request, he was brought to the Chamber of Tides, where
the Sanctifiers stand vigil over the Thalassos of the Inner Sea where it
roiled with storms from within. After some discussion, during which
Zeasha Novikei, Canticle of the Tides joined, Romaan suggested that
light essence might be the solution. When New Celest brought offerings
of the energy, however, the Thalassos would not accept it, requiring
Celest to temper it some with a combination of music and magic.
Eventually, the waves were persuaded to draw the essence in, only for
each bit to be spat out as tumultuous sea essence. This sparked an idea:
over the month, at Zeasha's and Manchal's urging, New Celest continued
to bring light essence to the Thalassos - like a sponge, it drew
droplets of its pain away until the Thalassos calmed enough for the city
to reconvene. After a great rite was performed - including a song sung
by Falaine, accompanied by Cheliyi and Zeasha, and an aquamantic ritual
worked by Tridemon, Gyorn, Kennian, Soterasiel, and Manchal - the
Thalassos of the Inner Sea was finally coaxed and soothed, lulled and
encouraged to let its storms recede from the city's bounds. Such a feat,
it was later noted and celebrated, had not been successfully undertaken
since the Thalassic Aegis last communed with the Thalassos in ages lost.

High up in the clouds, the storm surrounded Hallifax from all sides,
lightning reflecting in its crystal towers. The city's defensive systems
ensured its stability so Hallifaxians were very surprised to find two
lucidian climatologists taking measurements near the Matrix. Not only
did they not have paperwork to show for the work order, but they were
also sent there from the Plaxios Laboratories located in the Razines.
Deciding to seek answers at the source, Hallifaxians visited Odethi
Plaxios who claimed to be able to disperse the storm not just for
Hallifax, but for the Basin at large due to the numerous breakthroughs
they have made due to the storm. After heated grant negotiations with
Ayisdra and having given ample assurances of success, Odethi tasked
Hallifaxians with placing crystal pylons at high altitudes surrounding
the city which was quickly accomplished by Calioliahali, Yilan, Lorina,
and Azazilliy. Once initiated, the experiment worked out well and
banished the worst of the storm from Hallifax. However, soon it turned
out that it did so by relocating it to the Plaxios Lowlands. As
emergency systems blared, both the laboratory personnel and Hallifaxians
evacuated to higher ground and watched helplessly as the laboratory was
flooded by a rockslide unleashing a glacier lake onto the lowlands.

In Magnagora, the wicked storm upset its Geomancers terribly, sending
them underground. Others tempted the storm with abandon by flying over
its all-metal construction site, becoming lightning rods themselves. But
when the Sea of Despair started to flood the docks, it was time to act.
The city gathered at the waterfront, joined by its foremost engineer and
adept Geochemancer, Ragash Chokuul, the one of a kind Mistress Jezebel,
once of the Geomancers Guild, and Jhairus d'Murani, an ancient
Geomancer. While Ragash espoused the benefits of a steel floodgate
system, to be built in three year's time, Warlady Kailanna needed an
immediate solution. In the end, the Geomancer summit - consisting of the
old, the new, and the insane - resulted in a plan to raise earthen
floodgates. Out of their holes did the geomancers climb to answer
Jezebel's call, engaging in a Geomantic ritual under Jhairus'
leadership. The very waterfront shook with earthen powers as Harbinger
Veldrin held the meld and Geomancers Akyaevin and Shango lent their
powers to the effort. Though not skilled in elementalism, the rest of
the city joined the Geomancers, empowering them to challenge the sea
itself. The floodgates rose along the waterfront, protecting the docks,
but the storm continued. For that Ragash also had a solution and deep
within the clockwork Nosfydra was pressure aligned just right to blast
tainted fumes into the sky over Magnagora. Trapped within the black dome
that shrouds the city, the fumes cooled the weather and calmed down the
storm, coating the city in the blissful whiteness of snow instead.

All of that, however, were temporary measures and the storm would not
abate but for the Great Spirit of the Sea being found. As the Goddess
Li-varili stirred and Her dreams called out for the Sea Spirit, the
debate over Her confinement for the purposes of healing, Her reckless
actions, and Her relationship with the Sea Spirit raged on. A Mother who
ought to be allowed to soothe Her child, or a corrupting influence that
will stop at nothing to have Her way?

Penned by My hand on the 18th of Dioni, in the year 596 CE.