Don’t Cry For Me, Elanthia
(27 October 2014: by Benjamin Breen at TheAppendix.net) What follows is a reconstruction of a lost archive. As our collective memories of virtual communities age—as we move from digital pasts stretching back a few years to ones stretching back decades—they begin to acquire the patina of nostalgia that comes with generational time. The internet is old now. Our memories of it are becoming old too. And experiences online that seemed...
Tears of Dawn
(27 Jastatos 5114: Wehnimer’s Landing) At first I thought it was homesickness. I wake up each day in tears. Even before that sorry encounter with whatshisname. I know it is unrelated to that. There are the nightmares, but they are frightening. In fact, I am surprised neighbors have not called the Town Guards after some particularly loud screams. But these tears are not of fear, and they do not have the feel of the nightmares with...
Lessons Learned on An Adventure
(23 Jastatos 5114: Wehnimer’s Landing) The ghosts in my dreams were strong of late. Perhaps I give them too much power by putting off the song. Normally I would go to my father. I sure cannot go to him over this particular matter. But whatever the cause of the dreams, I was blue. After playing some music to the ruins of the old bank and the crazy fortune-teller, I went back to Helga’s to work on the song that will set me free....
What She Heard
(11 Jastatos 5114: Wehnimer’s Landing) I awoke to warnings that the town was not safe. I remained indoors at Helga’s, hoping that it would prove to be safe. Helga was unflappable. She was more concerned about her stew and her glasses. I guess she has seen many things in her life. Me – I was not feeling that same calmness at all. But I took my cue from her and composed my face with a deep breath. I drew my instrument up to...
Midnight Aire
(6 Jastatos 5114: Wehnimer’s Landing) She gazed at the garden visible through the window. The nights were growing chill, but she still kept a window partly open. She could hear a new song in her soul tonight, and reached for her mandolin. D minor. She’d try it first in D minor. Testing the chord progression against the same three notes of each phrase, she knew the notes rang out clearly against the moving strings. First she...
Victory After Sundown
(4 Jastatos 5114: Wehnimer’s Landing) Dear Mother & Father, I am writing to make sure you know I am completely safe and secure at the Landing. I know you must have heard some of the news about the events and attacks surrounding the Landing. I had my first taste of an assault tonight. But do not fret, as soon as the airships were sighted, I was spirited to safety. There he stayed with me to make sure no harm came to me while the...
Raged The Storm
(4 Jastatos 5114: Wehnimer’s Landing) Outside raged the storm, the battle. Heralded by blood rain and clouds out of nowhere, the bardess fled to the safety of the city. She had no sooner asked, “What is happening?” in the Town Square when she could see many, many huge Airships headed towards the Landing. (Blots of ink make nothing but a dark scratched out spot where the first word used to be) took her hand and they...
And the Dagger Sang – to Me!
(2 Jastatos 5114: Wehnimer’s Landing) Mother! One of the people that Tanmayi introduced me to the other day was a Lord Bard. His name is Japhrimel. He stopped me in town tonight and asked me to sing for him. I’m not sure if it was an audition or what, but thankfully I had my new Lady of the Sands song ready. He is the one who gave me the beautiful flute I wrote about. He talked to me about the history of the Landing, and...
The Change of Address
(30 Imaerasta 5114: Wehnimer’s Landing) Dear Mother and Father, You can reach me at Firth’s Inn in Wehnimer’s Landing now. Everyone says The Landing should be awesome training for a bardess! I know that the wonderful staff at the Legendary Rest in Ta’Vaalor will forward me your letters, writing at my new address will avoid delay. It was like I was drawn to this place, and I just could not help but make the...