Tombs is being made.
Peaceful Vale is still receiving modifications, here's a excerpt:
“Can you draw out a drayk with a fishhook?"
-Book of Job, chapter 41, verse 1[1].
Peaceful vale was at a crossroads: it led to Wooded vale, to Freeplace, to the patrolled bridge by the outsiders and to Diazard.
Diazard was a heavily fortified outsider outpost which led westwards, to various forbidden crypts and to Junkyard.
South of Peaceful vale was the wooded valley which served as a defensive corridor to Pentil North.
East led to a fortified bridge which in turn led to the power plant, workshops and labs of the Shapers, which were a deterrent to all forms living things native or not, the land either spirited or poisoned.
And finally north of peaceful Vale was Freeplace which stood out murderously against the Sholai invaders.
A place of congregation for all serviles, Peaceful vale was where most creations came to benefit from two local sources of power, one free, given by a learned figure versed in teaching wisdom and contemplation, and the other was selling both brute magic and brawns.
Peaceful vale had a small farm nested neatly in sheets of thick woods filled with flowers, crowned by a crescent of rocky cliffs.
The small farm was operated by three small, serviles dressed in purple robes. One of them was very old, and it seemed like his years had taught him much.
As Andras approached, he looked up at him and smiled. His eyes were patient, clear and alert.
"Welcome, Shaper, I am glad you have found your way to my little home. I am Learned Darian. If you are one who can listen and hear, there is much I could teach you."
"What can you teach me?"
"I am honoured as a wise one by the three servile villages. All of them come to me, from time to time, for advice and to pass messages to the other sects. I know much of them. And I think, if you are wise, you will want to know of them too. And, perhaps, even ally with them." said the violet smelling servile.
"What sects are there?"
"There are the Awakened, in Vakkiri, the Obeyers, in Pentil, and the Takers, in Kazg.
All of them have come to and dealt with me, to try to coexist despite their differences. The Takers, however, have done so much less lately. They have found wisdom and power elsewhere."
"Why don't the Takers see you anymore?"
"I am wise, but I am not omnipotent. If they do not talk to me, I do not know what they think or do. Perhaps you can find out. I believe there are other powers on this island."
"Can you tell me more about the beliefs of the sects?"
"I will not do that. I only listen to their beliefs and carry their messages and, occasionally, provide a little advice. Go to them. They will be glad to tell you what they think."
"What if I want to ally myself with one of the sects? Can you put in a word on my behalf?"
"You can ask their leader. If what they have heard about your beliefs matches what they teach, they may offer you their friendship and assistance.
If, at some point, there is a group you wish to join, and they do not welcome you at first, I can put in a word on your behalf. I have some influence.
Do not be fickle, however. My influence is strong, but not unending. I will only be able to intercede on your behalf once."
"Perhaps, in time, I will find that their beliefs have wisdom?"
"A rock has weight, whether the Shapers think it should or not. I think you will find that the beliefs of my people are the same way: do you know about the story about the serviles wanting to put the sun on trail?"
The Shaper listened carefully.
"Well, there where these serviles who were so determined to put the sun on trail that they gathered round to meet the wisest of them all and said unto him: "We have a problem. Every day as we go west to work out in the fields the sun blinds us in the morning and when we come back home eastwards before dark, it blinds us again. Help us put the sun to trail." the wise man departs, saying that he will get their answer in the morning after having slept on it. The next morning the wise man is pressed again by the serviles. "Well" says the wise man "I have a solution; how about you set forth to your homes in the morning so that your backs may face the sun and go out in the fields in the afternoon so that you may not be troubled by the sun a second time?"
"Where did you get that story?" laughed the Shaper .
"Believe me or not the story was passed down from generation to generation by my ancestors since before the Shapers left the isle, which was fifteen generations ago I believe."
"Impossible!" retorted the Shaper.
"Impossible or not, you bore witness to a lesson of servile wisdom recorded on graffiti found on stone ruins near Kazg and recorded there by the Shapers[2] themselves two hundred years ago." down pinned Darian.
[...]
[1] The book of Job's description of the drayk:
“Can you draw out a drayk with a fishhook?"
Or press down his tongue with a cord?
Canst thou put a rope into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a hook?
Will he make many pleas to you? Will he speak soft words unto thee?
Will he make a covenant with thee? Wilt thou take him for a servant for ever?
Can you play with it like a pet bird? Or put it on a leash for the young women in your house?
Will traders barter for it? Will they divide it up among the merchants?
Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons? Or his head with fish spears? ..."
-Book of Job, chapter 41, verse 1 to 7 out of the 34 total verses.
[2] Bedoyere and Tanzer, Graffiti in Kazg.