Yuri

Yes! after all this weeks we were all together again! I know I haven't write for a long time in this journal, but I think I will use this one only for my innermost thoughts about and with the group. At least Orothion and I spent now more time togehter and even talk at work! He joined me at my weekly training with the Separ Talsam and we got to sparr a lot. I think if we fight in the future we can rely on each other and maybe even combine our attacks! We need cool names for them... maybe something with Kord and the Raven queen? Thunderous Death Bell? Storm of Ravens? I need to talk with Orothion about this!   Today was Auras Birthday - I didn't want to be rude to ask if this is her real birthday or the day she was found - and the whole group was there! It was the first time that we managed to meet up since the incident with the prince. We tried... but everytime someone was missing. Steam only talks about how he show the city dwellers what real work ethic looks like. Alizée had a lot of appointments because of Cerys Inwes coronation. Frederick and Orothion were working a lot and Aura... I actually don't know what she was up to. Tinkering most likely. She is so hyperfocused on new inventions that she would forget to eat and drink if she had to! - Her friend Nelly told me that. One time I saw Alizée enter a Spa. But she didn't notice me and they did not allow me to enter. Frederick invited me to play some more B&B with him. I met two of his friends - Aeris and Leonardo. I am not part of their main Campaign (yet) but we played some "one-shots" togehter! That's a serial of missions which are not directly connected and each one is played on a single evening. I My character has a new smartphone contract! that's a small tool that can imitate some magic. you can call other people and also use it for light!!! And I got it in only real time 4 hours play! I managed to alter the contract and got 2 months worth of payment as credit. It ist so much fun pretending to do law and businesses. It's a world without magic or monster. but i think there is a thing called gender gap? I don't understand this mechanic yet but i seems that women have a malus in business life but a bonus in privat life, but both only in specific situations? This feels a little bit weird, because in reallity there ist no such difference!   I already wrote so much and I still haven't written about the party! There is just too much to tell. So Aura invited us to her x+5th birthday. There I met her partners Nelly and Luvyck. the three of them threw a party on the roof terrace between green plants! it looked wonderfull. I am not sure if Frederick was a guest or if he worked there, but he played music for the party - for nearly one hour straight! He said that the songs where all coverversions, but i knew none of them. Orothion brought a lot of games and he told legends and other stories from his youth. I felt a little bit lost because I had no Idea what to do on a party, but Alizée tried to activly involve me. Steam talked a lot with Nelly. Aura maybe liked my present. I bought her some hot red banana sauce which she can use to spice her food up. I noticed that she likes it really hot! I really missed them. All of them. I will protect them no matter what happens. Even gambling doesn't have the same ... kick anymore? it felt boring compared to the time with the named nameless... But maybe it was just because of the loosing streak.    

I slept wonderfully today. Alizée really has the best beds I’ve ever slept in! I wonder if she can also make them fireproof. But it doesn’t matter… She has given away her guest room to one of her employees. Apparently her big house has only one guest room; I really wonder what is in the rest of her rooms.   Even more important – everyone remembers me! Even Te’sarim came back! I am so happy! After my shift at the Ta’alaq I went to Frederick to bring him his clothes back, and Te’sarim immediately jumped at me!   Frederick invited me to play a game: “Builders & Bureaucrats” (“B&B” for short). It’s really interesting. I think it’s similar to Analysis and Accountants (A&A), which Keshi plays at the Clockwork Rose. Frederick told me about his character in his primary group. His name is Richard Roma and he buys and sells real estate. But he said that real estate is a pretty hard class for beginners. So I played a female primary school teacher named Lea Carinshkof, who is married to Elena Carinshkof. The two of them are totally in love and want to adopt a child. My quest was to dig through bureaucracy while also trying to make up with my father, Klaus Kinsky. I rolled very poorly, which is why my career suffered under the stress my character had. But Te’sarim’s character saved me, and in the end it was a success! Frederick translated Te’sarim for me. He played a professional “poetry slammer.” I don’t know what that is, but Te’sarim said it’s like a modern philosopher paired with a writer. He called himself Thorsten – that’s a funny name. The game was really fun! Now I want to dive deeper into such fantasies. There were a lot of contracts and forms I had to learn – it was so much fun!   Later, Frederick and I went to the Dahira because Orothion asked us to. He wanted to talk about our invitation and whether we had similar experiences. I also remember it now. To be honest, I don’t want to talk about it, but each of us had a very… intimidating experience. As we remembered our invitation, our cards transformed into parts of a map. Only Aura still can’t remember how she got the invitation. That’s so her! But we need more parts of the map… the Sixfold Shadow must have the other parts. I wonder if they can remember their invitations or if they are at least blessed with the same ability to recall forgotten things.   Oro told us a lot about his past this time! He said he used to be a bodiless spirit created by Titania – the Lady of the Summer Court – to serve her as a mere messenger. And then, when he died, his soul was forged into a body by the Raven Queen! Who is the forged child now?! As a child of two goddesses, he truly is born to serve. I kind of pity him. Maybe we can escape our pasts together.   Later we went to the library to find out more about the Weavers and the crowns mentioned in the stories of the Seven Princes. First – I am really confused by the sheer number of legends and myths we’ve heard in the last week. Second – I’m not sure whether there are two crowns or two parts of one crown, nor what power this/these crown(s) might have. But Alizée told us that the Shadow’s Crown from the story of the blind storyteller has a sister crown – the Crown of Light. She knows that from a lullaby her mother sang for her. My mother never bothered. Anyway… in the library we only found a version without any mention of the crowns. I used the time to look up Ayn Almara and its connection with him. But it seems my intuition was wrong. The oasis is older than the calamity and even older than Orothion! So either it’s a different dragon or this library is wrong again. If it’s the latter, I’m really worried for the elite in this town.   Steam has a new job at the Lucky Coin! Maybe I can get some friendship prices—um, prices—when I play there after my work at the Clockwork Rose. He got a tattoo of a snake on his first day. I’m not sure if that’s a good sign. Alizée doesn’t like it either. Now that we’re a group, we need to take care of each other! Later in the evening I saw him running across the roofs delivering a brown bag with a golden seagull on it. Alizée told us that her drake is called Nevis now.   I’m really glad that I have such a good and friendly group! I’m looking forward to tomorrow when I see them again! I just remembered they can’t tomorrow… but I’m sure we’ll meet in a few days for another adventure!   PS: I forgot – the city has a new mayor. I have no idea who she is, but Alizée’s mother lost.

We did it! we have a group name! Well it is not our true name yet, but a chosen name. And the best part of it? It was my idea!!! I am finally in a group!! We are called now the Named Nameless because of the invitation we got the the market of melodies. That's not all news but the biggest one. Today was a really eventfull day. We all met at the party of the Silver Calling after we split up yesterday. Steam built his own buffet when he sat down at a table and took the tablets from passing waiters. We all got beautifull flowers to wear. I got a beautifull little dream lily. Oro later confused them with devil's lilies, even though they look completely different! We also found out that the Silver Calling had tasked Steam's sister Nahia and her friends with supplying the flowers. We met her at the party, she called Steam Misty—that's a weird name, I wouldn't choose it. Nahia seems to have interrupted her Amerante to grow flowers, and she said she would visit Steam in a few days to explain everything to him. Unlucky that Steam is searching his mother and not his sister. It would have been nice if he had found the one of the two missing persons he was actually searching for. Master Seji was also at the party of the silver calling. Alizee very casually mentioned that although she was expelled from Dessert Rose University, she attended Taquadum School and she also has a master! I wonder if it is a honorable master, like Master Seji to me, or if she did sell herself to a master like Oro? I will look into this if I have time. If she really thinks that slavery is so bad like she said, than maybe because her master is evil? If he is, we will try our best as named group of adventures to free her from her master.   One of the preachers of the Silver Calling said something very intriguing. - I think he was called Kaelen Voss - He talked about how angels can fall and need to be judged, and also... how devils can rise. Ultimately, he meant that you are not bound by your birth, but that anyone can outgrow their past if they try hard enough. If that is one of the goals of Silver Calling... it would be groundbreaking - against everything which was told us. I just hope that redemption doesn't involve checking into some kind of self-help hotel like in a cult. Even if Glasya, the queen of fallen angels, would preach that redemption was possible, I would rather try it myself than go to such a “health resort.”   As we left the silver calling we planned to go to the orphanage to visit the children. But Steam needed some clothes, so i offered him the cape I borrowed from Frederick. He chose to change in the middle of the street, right in front of the Clockwork Rose. Fortunately, no one remembers me, so they can't connect me to him. But it seemed that everyone liked the show? Even Madame Tsubaki came and offered him my job!! She even offered him my stage name!! We also met the guy who would have paid us for discovering who killed the merchant. He works directly next to the Clockwork Rose in my favorite gambling den! He also was enthralled by Steams striptease, just like the rest of bystanders. He also offered him a job. Now we have at least two competetors for Steams workforce.   At the orphanage we were offered to relax in the hot springs. It was beautifull, but it didn't smell like sulfur, as I know it does at other hot springs. While the others relaxed I identified our magical loot and I got a mirror of divination - hopefully I can use it right. In the evening we finally met the children. The kids don't remember us or their time at the palace of the 6th prince - this is most likely to their best.

Like everyone else touched by the princes, I too was forgotten when we finally left the princes' kingdom. Only my friends could still remember me. Not even Te'sarim recognized me anymore! If the curse remains, I will finally be rid of my entire past—so why am I not happy? I hope Fritz and Ann take good care of Te'sarim. I already miss the little Chaos Bolt. I'll kill Frederick's parents first, then myself, if they ever think of turning my sweet little Te'Sarim into a coat or shoes! Calm down Yuri... your past is showing. Noone wants to hurt Te'sarim.   Speaking of my own past, I finally was able to tell my friends about my past! I would have talked much more, but the time was not enough. Maybe tonight after the Party of the Silver Calling? I don't know why i haven't told my friends anything about my past yet. I trust them with all my heart! Oro'thion thinks he may know my mother?!? How? As far as I know she never was in the shadowfell. Oro'thion also used his connection with this Dhjinn to look at our auras(?) It seems that Steams necklace has the same energy as I have. He told us it is a scale from the Dragon who opend their connection to the elemental plane of water. But I don't recognise the name. Something like Ahab el'Nora Sahir Tuseep. The silver dragon who split the dessert. Could it be him with a false name? Maybe I need to research about Ayn Almara - especially if it has an old name.   I slept in Katherlyns room as a friend of Frederick. At breakfest I read the newspaper. Neriah Brielle told them that he and The Sixfold Shadow rescued the children!!! This Brielle! If he wants to be like Balthasar so bad, he should do something for it! I wish i could sent him to his "Hero". But hey.... it's ok. He is a nice guy - kind of. Next time we need to be faster to get the glory! Wait... Saving the children wasn't about the glory, it was about the children! I really want to visit the two in the Blackwater Run Children's Home. I hope they are ok. I also need to ask Brielle who this "weird child" was he met in the night. I hope the child from the swing didn't come into our world. Anyways, Frederick borrowed me some fance clothes and a cape for the party. I left my shield and my weapons at his place. I wear only my trusty sword with me. It's funny, I once got it as warning but now i feel naked without it.   Siham's aunt can't remember him. I wonder if the otherones are recognised by their friends. I went there to get breakfest and accompany him to the Temple of the free, but she just looked weird at me. Luckely I quickly adapted and told her, that Siham was a student of her and that he sent me there, because she maybe can look at the flowers I found. I will go back there in a few days and ask her if she has informations about the emotion altering abilities of the flowers!   Note to myself: first look who is sitting in front of you before trying to bribe them. Another Note: maybe I should start a Rulebook for surviving an Adventure. I see it in front of me - Rule 32: you need proofs to present your statements, or nobody believes you; Rule 33: Be carefull who you want to bribe; Rule34: ... I don't know, but I'll come up with something figurative for that one too!

We saved five of the children. it was not enough. Dibarra killed two of them. I need to get faster, stronger, better... we also nearly lost Steam and Alizée. In addition, Oro almost looked as if his muscles were failing. It's always difficult to write about battles. They're all pretty much the same. Even though I've never been part of a major war. From what I've heard about the front lines, it's a completely different world from the short battles I'm used to. For Alizée and Steam, it was their first fight, and they were so full of adrenaline. Oro and I tried our best to bring them back down to earth. Frederik was surprisingly calm for someone who isn't a fighter. I am glad we had him with us, he is a good medic, and apparently, his humor hits the mark with these creatures. Aura... is hard to figure out. Either this was her first fight too, or she's used to wiping out entire battalions single-handedly. Without thinking twice, she built a working sentry gun out of parts lying around. Oro and I probably have similar pasts. He went into battle with precision and determination. But even he was almost overwhelmed—would I have suffered the same fate in his place? No matter what, he faced death without fear, wearing a death mask. I have heard that everyone who has not yet encountered death fears it. Who is Oro really?   And what exactly is his deal with the Ice Djinn? He brought us to the Towers of Dibarra and even offered to rescue us if we failed. No one would do that much without expecting something in return. I hope Oro isn't carelessly risking his soul, but that's not how I see him. If he is doing it, it's a calculated risk for which he would sacrifice himself. Orio is noone who gets lost in a blind forest! Maybe i should start calling him his full name. Oro'thion earned my respect - but not my trust.   The Djinn teleported us directly in front of the tower, which was surrounded by a garden half of which was in darkness and half in partial shade. There were flowers in both halves of the garden, white ones on the light side and black ones on the dark side. The black ones were fully open and the white ones in the partial shade were only half open. The garden reminds me of myself. On the dark side, sadness, melancholy, and all the bad memories await. On the light side, hope and euphoria grow, but they are dampened by the environment in which they exist. The flowers had the same effect and at the same time a whisper within them. The dark flowers offered me, I don't know how else to put it, to free myself from negative emotions. I didn't receive such an offer from the other side, but probably because they are not fully bloomed. I did not give in to the offer. I have enough experience with being confronted with one's desires and cravings to know that a whip immediately follows to keep you in line. I picked a flower from both sides with the intention of giving them to Zhahara Jal'zuun, Steam's aunt. Just as Tholim was interested in the sand, Zhahara will throw herself into researching the plants. I hope they survive until then and... that I picked them correctly. Wait - should I call Steam also by his real name? Siham... it sounds much to serious for such a child.   The quick thinking of Aura get us access to the tower. But did she really think quickly? Or did she know the tower and how to get inside? She also immediately recognized the elevator as such and got it working. Maybe she has a deeper connection to this place than we thought. Now that I think about it, she was never attacked during the whole fight... Were the guards waiting for us upstairs? What if Aurelie knew there were guards right at the end of the elevator? What if she was a key figure at the court of the seven princes and that's why she lost her memories? She even speaks their language. And why else would her watch suddenly be a compass through the trap-filled courtyard, which, according to the servant, can only be crossed unscathed if one of their own is with us? We didn't notice any traps along the way. What if they simply didn't react to us because Aurelie was with us? The only one who seems to have no secrets in this group is Alizee. I mean, yes, she has a very strict family, but so far I haven't noticed that she or her family have any secrets they're hiding from us. Well, she looted a basilisk stone, but that's nothing unusual. Aurelie also pocketed some of the guardian golems to recycle their magical remains... Wait a minute, what if Aurelie built these guardians in the first place? She seems very skilled and knew exactly which of these Wardens were still intact enough to be reused.   When we entered the throne room of Dibarra, Alizee and Steam rushed in like rookies. We really need to work on our teamwork. But I have to admit that both of them know how to strike. Steam in particular seems to strike harder than he looks. We found two ways to save the children. They were held captive in small magic circles that absorbed their fear, as the legend said. We were able to pull them out and bring back their memories of home. This broke the connection and they were sent home. The second option was to destroy the shadows that formed the counterpart to the knot that held the children captive. In his distress, however, Dibarra turned two of the children into shadows, and we unfortunately had to fight them, with Oro'thion taking on the burden of redeeming both children. When we had freed all the children, Aurelie killed Dibarra a third time. This time, however, he did not wake up again, as he had when Steam killed him twice before. The children's fear had brought him back again and again. The third time, however, he was pulled into the large egg-shaped hourglass and sealed there. I hope that was the last time we saw him, but I fear he will return in a few centuries if we do not redeem the seventh prince and break the curse. The fight was so close that I had to summon it to save Steam and Alizée. I feel sorry for the two shadows I killed with it... I hope their souls don't end up with her, even though she was one of the nicer people to me. Something felt strange about fighting with the weapon, though. It felt different—colder—than when I got it, and it connected rather .... normal with the enemies.   We managed to go home the same way the children did - thinking of Shal'Azura. I am so happy to have Te'sarim back. We fought half of the night. Today Steam wants to go to the Silver Calling. I am too tired to talk him out of it. I hope he finds what he's looking for there quickly. I wonder how the children are doing. They all lost their parents, and atleast one of the girls lost her brother too. At home, they would be drafted into the army without any relatives. Who is responsible for them here?

[it seems that a page is missing between this one and the entry before - even as they are written on the same day]   I don't need to worry that the servant will remember my charm; he seems to be like a programmed illusion, always reliving the same five minutes, even though you can interact with him during that time before he forgets the conversation again. It seems like an eternity that we've been standing here in this courtyard. The floor is littered with forgotten objects: pieces of copper, hairpins... It reminds me of the saying “a copper for a thought.” Maybe they're not really copper coins, but many forgotten memories? Would they dissolve and become memories again if we took them with us? Unfortunately, there is no way to find out. When you pick something up from this plance, it feels as if the object wants to stay here—and the tighter you hold on to it, the more you become attached to this place. I almost wrote “plane,” but we don't really have any indication that it's a different plane. I still feel the connection to it. We also found a broom. Frederick wanted to take it with him, but then decided not to. I can't remember what was so special about that broom.   We follow Aura's compass clock and leave the first courtyard through a corridor. Everything felt strange in this corridor. I turned around and my group was far away, but at the same time they were standing next to me. I heard Oro shout something, but he didn't move his mouth until much later. With every step I took, it felt like the corridor was getting longer. I recognized Yuri's face in the mirrored walls. But it wasn't mine, at least it didn't feel like it. If I hold on to that, there is something that this garden can take away from me. I was prepared for such things in my training. Trust what you are and not what you perceive—that way you remain capable of fighting even if you lose the world around you piece by piece. I always thought I was learning this in case I was tortured or had to fight illusions, not that I would ever have to rely on it in a case like this. Suddenly with the next step I was in the next countryyard. It was very similar to the one before but still... different, such as here are other kinds of forgotten items. We saw a big brass brazier with insence. We stood there for a while and looked at it. As we walked on, I stroked Te'sarim. Why was that so important at that moment? We moved on and went further and further inside the palast. On a large square we crossed, surrounded by patrician houses, stood statues of forgotten heroes. Their faces were worn smooth and the inscriptions were blank. I wonder if Balthasar or the others from the DDAEBS will ever stand here... There also was an old man who tried to touch his Birthstone, but he couldn't. Is it because he lost himself and is nomore the person written on the stone? We noticed that our clock was deviating further and further from the paths, that we were moving in the wrong direction after all. Then we reached an old nursery. Was this where the seven princes lay? An old mechanical ballerina with a music box was in the middle of the room; it seemed to be working halfway? How I would have loved to take it apart to understand how it worked, but we didn't have time for that. Frederick and Alizée recognized the melody of the music box as a modified version of the first song of the Founding! I remember the song a little, I think I was bobbing along again, Oro asked me afterwards if I didn't like music after all. My connection to music is... difficult. I like the music Frederick plays slowly. It has a completely different melody than the music at my house. It seems full of experience? He himself says that he can't play very well because he's more of a dancer, but everything I hear from him is meaningful. My mother's music was different... You could really feel how every note she played spread through the room like a spider's web, trying to captivate and bind people to her. Just thinking about it makes me feel sick. Her songs never had... substance. They were empty promises that hung in the air. I don't like music... right?   As we looked out of the window we saw a huge tower Auras watch is pointing at. We jumped through the window to run towards it. I nearly lost my rope there if it hadn't been for Oros's great idea. I could have thought of that myself, but I haven't climbed that often in my life... When we turned around, we ran through a few streets with empty people before arriving at a park. A little girl was sitting there, but as soon as we got close to her, we felt a wave of energy emanating from her and hitting us. I'm really glad I left Te'sarim at home; it would be really dangerous for him! The wave from this girl hit me. Something is different, but I don't know what. It's a similar feeling to when I want to take something from here with me, almost as if my self wants to stay here.   The next stop was a large marketplace. In the middle, someone was sitting by the fountain, which appeared very blue. In every meaning: drunk, depressed and color of skin. ok the last one was more purple. He also sang one of the founding songs (i can't tell them apart). He reacted to the name Salome - which also feels familar to me. Steam recognizes his face from the Bar Hadibis in Karam. I've been there to play dice games, but I never noticed this stranger. When Steam says his name, it's as if Ibn-Ice-Hadibi—a mighty ice djinn—awakens from his slumber. He recognizes himself and promises to take us to our destination. He also tells us that the curse at the heart of the legend of the seven princes is true. However, we must be careful not to explore the curse too deeply, otherwise we will end up like him and become part of the curse ourselves and forget who we are.   We must not forget that we are here to save the children—no matter what this place does to our memories. And if I have to give up my entire self, let this be the last thought that remains in me—the one I cling to.

Maybe it's finally happening! If we stick together, I'll have a group just like in my books! We'll hunt dragons, sit around the campfire at night and tell stories, laugh together, and grow closer with every adventure. Finally, friends you can trust blindly! We need a name! the sooner the better. I already have some Ideas!  

• Wet, dead & friends
• Flying Sands
• Stormrider (because we met at the storm and like dragonflys?)
• Rememberence Vanguard
• memorial guides
• Crownbreaker (because we fight the princes?)
• Fellowship of the Sands
• Eyes of the Storyteller /Storytellers Eyes
• The Seeing ones
• Butterflies and other critters
• Soul guardiens (Oro would like that one)

    That's all nonsense... I shouldn't dream so much about a life I don't deserve. Maybe someday, but not now. What did my mother always say? If I want to be a soldier, I should think like one and stop dreaming. I'm going to tear out this page.

Today is the day of the court hearing. These could potentially be my last words. One should choose their last words wisely... I will leave Te'Sarim with Frederick's parents. In the event that we die, they will at least have some small comfort after losing both their children. I wonder what they will do with the two children's rooms if Frederick dies. Perhaps a play paradise for Te'Sarim and Elisabeth! Wait... what happens to a familiar when its master dies? Hopefully, I can clarify that question another time. Now, wise last words...   We were found not guilty! What luck—now it doesn't matter that I couldn't think of any last words. Neriah Briel Starchild testified on our behalf, and the Sixtfold Shadow confirmed that we are not the murderers. We were acquitted by the honorable Judge Zsetszathuss al-Ssahn. Our defense attorney, Hadiyah Flamescale, seemed like an old soldier. He was very calm and composed throughout the entire trial... If only Neriah hadn't spoken, the whole thing would have been over two hours earlier. The prosecuting attorney, Yasmin Djinnborn, seemed incredibly boring and uninterested. I think he was only interested in the political power games surrounding the trial. We decided that we stay in this group to save the children. Even Alizée is with us! I hope we can stay a group even longer... it is really nice to travel with them, it is so much more lively as with only Oro. And without the group Oro and I barely talked... If we keep traveling togehter, maybe we even get a group name! just like in my books. I already have so much ideas! Maybe something like the old, nearly remembered name of the DDEABS - Daruk and the Blackdances ... in our Case: Alizée and the Tamashas. But now it not the right time to think of group names.   After the hearing, we visited PRT. H.E.L.I.O.S. at Alizée's insistence. We learned that he can hear and remember everything like us! so we used him as extern ... brain? He also told us that the basic of teleportation is, that we have something from the start and from the endpoint of teleporation, that's why only Aura could go through the arabic knot? I still don't know what Aura had from the other side. Note: There we learned that we couldn't just walk into the academy, but that there were security mechanisms in place. We almost didn't get in if Alizée hadn't—once again—namedropped and taken us to PRT. H.E.L.I.O.S. It's handy to know someone who can get in anywhere just by mentioning their name, but on the other hand, I think it's fundamentally wrong! She herself has done nothing to deserve such treatment... Does a family name really hold so much power? Then why did Mother tell me not to mention it? Oro also said I should use my last name. I'll at least try with the byname I do have. Anyways, I nearly missed the course of Master Seji... today was a material course to marble! But as soon as i got there, Oro and the others got me out again to prevent the next murder. H.E.L.I.O.S. saw a pattern in the murders and we went there. The Separ Talsam was there first. They also saw the shadows and fought them. The Daughter was abducted and the father died. The mother died in the arms of Aura und the uncle survieved. I am not sure what happend exactly because we split again in two subgroubes. Me, Frederick and Steam, yeah i know shocking - again the same combination - went to talk to the Separ Talsam. First they didn't want to talk to us, but i tried the namedropping thing and told them, that I am a Sparring Partner of Sona. It was not really a lie? I fought her once - and she beat my ass.... but she said, that i had "potential", that's why i could train with their group. I am not really close with any of them and even if, not much of them know me as Yuri. As soon as Sona started to use the nickname she gave me, most instructors just adopted it. Anyways they told me, that Sona work close with the Taqadum School and Dean Kéanu Zephyr. He also saw the pattern like H.E.L.I.O.S. I guess he is somehow family with Alizée? As he is already Dean I guess he is her older brother or an uncle to her. I wonder if Alizée is the black sheep of the family. It seems that she is a known face at court.   Oro wanted to try again to use the arabic knot as teleportation device. This time we all have a connection to the other side - we saw the prince. It worked and we stood in a garden, everything looked ancient in style but new in condition. It is too bad that we don't have time to inspect the stones or structures. Every beeing there looks like it has scratched out eyes and a sewn close mouth, but they still see and talk. There was a servant who talked to me, as I entered first. Suddenly I had a feeling like I expect the people in the story of the hero Babel felt as he learned the language of birds - the tongue of every beeing in the unsiverse. The language felt so close, soo ... understandable, such as i only need to stretch my hand and grab it. And suddenly - i knew. it felt like my native language, i remembered the language. I think it is different for Aura, she needs to concentrate on the language to speak it. I charmed the servent so that he won't alarm the guards if we go in deeper. At this time I thought that he will remember the charm, so I hoped that we don't see him again. We learned from him, that the sixt prince is in his tower and that the garden is spiked with traps. He called the sixt prince with his true name, i think, but it blanked out in my brain... Is this how the others hear us when we talk about forgotten stuff? It feels like we are still on the same plane... I feel my bound weapon at home. Aura has told us, that her watch is functioning as a compass in this weird world.. Where are we?

Addendum to the last entry. I never would have thought so much could happen in one day! After spending the late afternoon in the library, we managed to shake Briel and Cravien. But it probably would have been better if she had been there for what happened. Then they could have testified that we weren't the murderers! But first things first. Before we left for the crime scene, we went to get something to eat and take a short break. We all talked a little about our pasts. Oro had a tree house, just like me! Another thing we have in common, especially since no one else in the group had one. I definitely have to ask Alizée if she had a tree house when she comes back. We'll probably see her tomorrow at 11:30 at the court hearing—she was called to another family emergency. They were very interested in my past! First because of my old tree house above the vineyards, and then because of the servants my mother had provided me to build it. Steam called the servants “slaves” and was quite astonished that we had such servants. I'm still not sure why the servants should be a problem. There's a reason they're in their position! Oro said that his entire people have a similar relationship with his mistress. Does that mean Oro is also a slave?   We also talked a little about our parents. Apparently, each of us (maybe even Aura) has something from our parents with us! Steam carries a pendant with a silver dragon scale from his mother. That's why he hopes that the Silver Calling will lead him to his mother. He is looking for both his mother Sahira and his sister in the city. His sister is currently on her Aramenté—I didn't quite understand what that is, but it sounds like a big journey. Oro said his mother is the Matron of Ravens ??? and he doesn't have a father but several mothers? Well, okay. I know all too well what it's like to not have a father. I told them a little about my mother and my life in the palace. I also mentioned that my father didn't play (or want to play) a big role in my life. They asked me if I was a prince, so I had to explain that my mother only worked in the Matriarch's palace and that's why I was educated there. Steam didn't seem to like the shatta very much; he looked like he was boiling. I was then allowed to have his red bananas because they were too spicy for him. We asked for directions to the scene of the murder, which was at a crossroads called Makar Alaara in Karim. When we arrived there (we flew with dragonflies—Oro invited me) we found the same knot in front of a window. Oro saw some strange string in the ground but as we wanted to investigate it Aura walked into an ambush. She really shouldn't make the frontline! She doesn't even wear armor. But... you can't kill what's already dead, right? Anyways some shadow creatures appeared. We later learned that they were Echos of the living - the dead men of the past murders. I jumped through a window the help her and Oro shot is loud musket-thing. I don't understand why he uses such a weird weapon. Nothing goes over a honest spear to the heart. As the fight goes on, Steam was wounded, he was leaking all over the floor. The fight went on outside of the building as a second portal appeared and the sixth prince appeared. He managed to escape via the first portal. I am not the only one who can summon weapons. Oro used a Zweihander in the fight. i never saw it before. Oro has many secrets... during the fight, his appearance changed into a kind of half-decayed corpse. He says that is his true appearance. Am I traveling with two undead beings? I wonder why he hides his true appearance. i killed two of the four echos today. we managed to save the second family so that's a big win. They will also be at court to testify for us. If Cravien and Briel would have been here, they would surely also testify for us... We also gathered ectoplasm from the "corpses" and Oro destroyed the second portal (good, i also wanted to do it). But than suddenly Oro started to cry black tears ans speak with a female voice...   He (she?) told us the legend of the sixth prince Dibarra "the Collector" - in my experiance everyone who is called "collector" is just a sadist and thief. Collector of Memories; Collector of cursed Items; Collector of Coins, etc. They all think their collection makes them better than any other "worthless" beeing. I once was used as a guard for a auction of coin collectors. The ones who called themselves the most discerning coin collectors were those who took the most radical approach and literally walked over dead bodies for a valuable coin. No wonder they used our enomotia to protect the carriage from the swamp city until the coins were sold. if not they would have been stolen in an instant by those "Collectors". Back to the Legend, there were some interessting informations. Dibarra was the first of the princes who remembers Su'Allhazi, the forgotten prince, and when he remembered him, the curse took also him and turned him into that what he is now. Oro told the Story that Dibarra propably made himself unforgettable by weaving his essence into the souls of those who mourned. The price was steep—he feasts on the memory of others, rendering those he consumed mere shadows of their former selves - Echos of the living. Another important information was that Su'Allhazi knew the true name of Dibarra, as a way to remind Dibarra of his old self - maybe if we find his true name ... we could end his tyranny and free his soul from the course.   We decided to stay with Frederick's family for the night so that we could go to the court hearing the next day full of energy. He lives across from a dice room called Ibis! If I weren't so exhausted, I would have spent the night there... I'm sure I would have won enough to invite the group on the Dragonflys flight next time. But after talking to Neriah, I really need to recover. I've had really bad luck the last few times... I feel like my next streak of luck is just around the corner! Frederick's parents share a house with two workshops. His father Fritz is a shoemaker and his mother Ann is a seamstress. I have to take a closer look at their work if we survive tomorrow. Maybe she has the quality we need at the Clockwork Rose. The madam would surely be happy if I could get her a good deal on new clothes, and that way I could also pay some off my honor debt to her! They had an 'empty room' in their house. I immediately thought of dead grandparents that no one can remember, just like Alizée. But suddenly Frederick remembered that it was the room of his dead Sister Katherlyna who inspired him to be a dancer. As he remembers her, his whole family remembered her again! Just like he ripped the memories of her out of the sixth princes treasure. So not only grandparents are forgotten but everyone who dies ... as long as they were born in the city (?). Steam can remember his grandparents. Aura can not (well obviously) and Oro and I ... never knew them? I don't know about Oro, but i never thought about grandparents. We don't have strong family bounds, most Children don't even know their parents. I grew up in a relatively sheltered environment.... I am lucky that my mother is one of the favorite servants of our matriach - I wonder if this has anything to do with my father... From our informations I wonder if the memories of people fade which Birthstones are sacrified to the Sea of Memories. I need to go there and look how many Visitors there are for the dead! ... Maybe you get the memories back if you physically steal the Birthstones out of the Sea of Memories again... It shouldn't be a crime if I am right. If noone can remember the person, there could be no prosecutor right? And if they remember the person after i stole the stone... well than there is a huge conspiracy in the city and if this is true - i will fight for the truth! But if i am wrong tho, i need to give a great sacrefice to the Matron of Ravens or Oro will hate me forever... If all of my theories are correct, it will get much worse... All the murders of Dibarra were in Karam - the same part of the city where Dhakira - the sea of memories is. What if everyone of the seven princes return? And what if each of them have their own part of the City??? The city has nine Districts, we know of seven princes ... something doesn't add up, but i fear that there are two more figures in the shadow behind the seven princes. We know from Oro that the first prince is scheming for the Throne (Warda?) and the second prince was the diplomat (Amana?) We need to get more informations about them to prevent the worst.   I actually wanted to spend the night in Ann's workshop to take a look at her work, but Aura is there too... then I won't be able to sleep again because she talks to Oro all night long. I'm now in Fritz's workshop, it smells wonderful, like leather! I hope I sleep better tonight... I hear strange noises coming from the toilet between the workshops. I hope everything is okay with Steam. And that he'll calm down soon!

I'm sitting with Nehria Briel in the Bahara Library while the rest of my group searches for books about the cursed pillars and the knot symbol. Cravien is here, too, but she's asleep. She seems to be more of a nature lover, like Steam, and not much of a fan of libraries. Nehria told me that their group has now given itself a name: 'The Sixfold Shadow'. I have to admit, that's a cool name! I'm curious to see if we'll come up with a group name when this is over, or if we'll even still be a group. Alizée seems to want to have as little to do with us as possible. I enjoyed having breakfast with several people today. I could easily get used to this! Especially when I'm not responsible for the food. As Dùath would say, I just need my highly concentrated leaf juice in the morning before I am truly awake. While I'm on the subject of "Shadow and Flame", Nehria also has a copy! It's laminated and in good condition — he even showed me that it's signed by Balthasar. Poor guy — doesn't he know it's the least valuable signature of the original group? Balthasar signed everything, which is why his signature is so easy to forge. I am a little jealous, though. Mine is in such bad condition... At least I have the magic protective cover now , so it can't get any worse.   By the way, Nehria is a big fan of Balthasar the Hero. It actually makes a lot of sense that he wants to be a hero too! Tess'Ardra has described Balthasar as incredible hero in their work! I don't even know who my favourite character would be. They work wonderfully as a group, and I love how these different characters experience adventures together. Neither origin nor burdens play a role in the group. They respect and love each other no matter how different they are. In a group like this, I feel you can truly be free. You can leave everything behind and finally let your guard down. If I had to choose, I would choose E̶p̶h̶i̶a̶l̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶G̶r̶e̶a̶t̶ ̶S̶h̶i̶e̶l̶d̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶P̶r̶o̶t̶e̶c̶t̶o̶r̶ A̶r̶a̶b̶e̶l̶l̶a̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶N̶o̶b̶l̶e̶ ̶E̶m̶p̶r̶e̶s̶s̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶P̶e̶a̶c̶e̶m̶a̶k̶e̶r̶ Dùath the Shadow as my favourite characters. His story shows most clearly how someone like me can find a trusting group and slowly regain trust. Goodness, that's far too romanticised. I can't even dream of something like that. Tess'Ardra really captured all the emotions and the friendship of this group in his book. They were all so friendly to Tess, just because they could be. They never expected anything in return, and Tess showed their gratitude through their immense wisdom and nature magic.   Anyway, the Steams family had already left by the time we woke up. We all slept very well due to our lack of sleep the previous day and the comfort of Alizée's mattresses. We briefly discussed our plans for the next two days (just kidding... hopefully). Steam ran off to get Alizée's snowflake drake while we started our way to the library. Soon, we saw Nehria and Cravien on the beach. Her hands were deep in the sand as she gathered... stuff. It didn't seem to be a search for ingredients; rather, she was just picking up whatever she found. The two of them look very much alive, and it's nice to see them. I wonder how the rest of their group is. They told us that they had watched us all night — I wonder how they slept — and that other murders had happened in the same way as before. Cravien told us that we couldn't be the killers and that she would maybe be our witness to prove our innocence.   By the way, Oro burned the evidence we found yesterday because it was an 'evil sign'. You can't just burn everything that seems evil! Also, Oro asked more about the soul knives. He really shouldn't be so nosy about those things. I told him that they're made in my hometown, and now he wants to visit! That's a really bad idea. I can't let outsiders in; they'll kill him before he even gets to town! Or worse — he could die before he even gets there! They asked me for the name of the city, too. I can't tell them — I'm pretty sure I'm not even allowed to. 'No one other than those damned to be here can know of this city,' as my mistress always told me. I wish I had spent more time studying soul knives. If I had become a soul smith, I could have helped Oro now. But then I would have had to live with what soul knives are used for.... Even at home, they are only used for the worst punishments. And if I had become a soul smith, I wouldn't be here now...   In any case, the two of them accompanied us to the library. There, I took on the role of distracting Cavian and Briel. Madame Tsubaki would be proud of me. I hope she is well; I really must contact her as soon as the entire investigation is over. I know she was very fond of the Majilisun. And yes, I know that this is actually part of my training, but listening to Briel is exhausting, even for me. I don't even have to pretend to be interested in what he's saying, he just keeps talking. And he only talks about himself! He had 30 (!) name suggestions for his group that were just his name or a variation of “hero.” I like "The Sixfold Shadow" more. The entry is so disorganized, but I can't concentrate while he's talking all the time. Nehria was a spectator at a trial and decided there to devote his life to justice and heroism.   It seems that our group has two subgroups now. I remain again with Steam and Frederick while Oro, Aura and Alizée search deeper in the library. It is the same parture as yesterday on the crime scene! The three of them are in an empty (?) Section of the Library - some guy who went to see the monolith we are looking for. I really hope they find something interesting... Alizée was so angry at Steam because he brought her drake back in a small Teapot. It really looked messed up. Steam hit the poor guy until it was unconscious. I would be angry too, and now I'm making sure that Te'Sarim doesn't get anywhere near Steam's fists of fury.

This morning, when I came to start my shift at Ta’alaq, there were no guests. That’s never happened before on my watch. At least Steam is settling in well as our new worker. After some time, we heard heavy footsteps approaching. We were told we had killed two small families! Apparently, we were seen near the crime scene yesterday, when we fled from the Market of Melodies. Golden Light – yes, the Golden Light – gave us three days to prove our innocence.   We decided to visit the crime scene and look for clues. There we met the other group from the Market, the ones we had to leave behind. I was truly glad they all survived, but unfortunately, they were tasked with investigating us. We met some of them – Nehria Briel, a half-elf bard who thinks he’s a hero. As if you can just decide to be a hero. And why would you want that? Too much pressure for me. And a young halfling named Cravien.   What we found there troubled me a lot. The men of the families had died from muscle wasting, like all their strength had been stolen. The children were kidnapped. Oro was clearly upset when he heard this. Steam and I found with the help of Frederick strange sand – thousands of years old, from before the Cataclysm. The trail led to strange symbols on the ground, apparently connected to one of the cursed pillars at the edge of the city. Oro tried to teleport through the symbols but could only open a portal for Aurelie. She returned after a few seconds and described a stone hall with four stone guards. She also heard, in a strange language, a deep voice speaking about building a new kingdom. I suspect this voice belonged to the lost prince from the Blind Storyteller’s tale, and the language was from the Allaena. If I’m right, he will kidnap more children – and he has dark powers with him. The children were four or five years old. I keep wondering why that age in particular.   And now, the part I truly dislike. The strength-draining thing seemed to disturb Oro – maybe he knows these creatures. I, on the other hand, recognized the weapons used on the women: soul-knife-like tools that take the soul and either bind it somewhere, or worse, devour it. If the same creature did both things, that’s disastrous. I never thought I’d face soul knives again so soon. Our armies use them, and I know exactly why they do. That’s why I never wanted to wield one. Steam asked if I’d ever used such a weapon. I was able to truthfully say no… but I’ve had enough contact with them already. One more question remains: why were only the women’s souls stolen?   We were lucky that Steam’s uncle knows so much about stones. Thanks to him, we learned a lot – I should talk to him more, maybe earn some bonus points with Master Seji. Steam’s aunt is wonderful too. She has so many plants and even a rooftop garden full of grass and flowers. I touched some of them. While I admired the flowers, Steam and Oro explored what was left of the Market of Melodies, but they found nothing. Alizée went to her family. I don’t understand why we couldn’t come. She’s treated with respect everywhere, even called by the name Tamasha, first daughter – probably because she’s so arrogant, and people go along with it.   Oh, and I almost forgot! Alizée woke up today with a small ice dragon. I hope it becomes friends with Te’sarim. I’m also trying to get on her good side for that. Her beds are incredible – she makes her own mattresses, and they feel like warm clouds wrapping around you. I felt warm inside again; it’s been a long time since I felt that. Her workshop is huge, but we weren’t allowed to look inside.   Anyway, we stayed with Steam’s family overnight. I really need the sleep – last night was short. Tomorrow Alizée wants to go to the library. I know, knowledge is power, and books can help. But this is about kidnapped children! We should head for that cursed stone right now and save them. They’ve suffered enough.   Note: I made a deal with Aurelie. She gave me one gold to ride a dragonfly. In return, I must spend at least one gold in her shop once I have the money.  

The day started like normal. I worked in the Ta’alaq today, and in the evening I went to Master Seji. But when the course ended, I suddenly had a feeling. I turned around, and the next thing I knew I was sitting on the ground, as if someone had cut my strings. In my hand was a small letter: “To you, the Named and the Nameless: The Blind Storyteller bids you join him at the Market of Melodies, Last Bell.” I took the ferry to the market and met Oro on the way—he has gotten same invitation. At the market, we met a strange woman named Mistress Diamante, and I talked to the other twelve people there. No one had any idea why they had been invited, only that the Blind Storyteller was an ancient legend. Exactly at midnight, tents appeared around us. Te’sarim was very frightened! But as the strange storyteller began his tale, he fell silent and listened, just like the rest of us. It felt like I was inside the story myself—only as a bystander, but I saw it all before me: the King and his seven sons; the Allaena—some ancient nomad people I had never heard of before—and the great hall they were in. When Prince Su’Alhazi, the youngest of the King, suddenly disappeared, I wanted to jump up and run to where he had vanished, but I couldn’t move. Then I felt cold. Colder than ever in my life. I woke from the trance and saw strange white, frozen stuff all around us—the others called it ice. Madame Diamante touched the storyteller and called him a traitor, and then he burst into a thousand pieces of that ice. Before he shattered, I saw the same tattoos of chains and shackles on him that the nomads in the story had.   Suddenly, monsters made of the same material attacked. We all started running. I and five others made it into a boat. I wanted to wait for the other six, but the boat was too small. I paddled for my life. At least boats work more or less the same way as at home. With me, Te’sarim, and Oro were four others: a human dancer and musician named Frederick Austerlitz; a water genasi named Steam (I think I’m his friend now, because only friends call him that some snobbish girl named Alizée Zephir; and a dead woman called Aurelie More'ta. She is dead but still moves—it’s very fascinating—and she can’t remember her past. I wish I could forget mine too… I learned a lot about Oro as well. I didn’t know he was some dark shadow elf. I always thought he was a drow.   Well—back to the escape. The other six were furious we left without them, and Oro finally used his cool shooting thing on his back. I don’t know how the bullets get into that thing or how it shoots, but it looks cool. I want to dismantle it and see its parts, but I’m not even finished with my last project. On the shore, we saw some wizards flying around and bombing the Market of Melodies with meteors. Looks like they don’t like the cold ice either. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a rift to another plane—the same color as the ice—so I expect it leads to that elemental plane. I didn’t expect to see another rift so soon after the last one. Aren’t they supposed to be rare? The wizards looked like they thought we were the culprits, so we all ran to Ta’alaq. I can’t get in trouble again! Alizèe used some smoke bombs to cover us, and we ran. Back home, I stayed on guard while I let Alizèe sleep in my room. Oro gave his room to the dead girl. The others slept in our big tearoom. Well… I have two more hours until I have to open the teahouse and work again. At least Lordy will be here with me. I hope the next day will be better…

Something really exciting happened today, dear diary. when I think about it, I no longer start every text with ‘dear diary’. Somehow it feels strange. But somehow I have to record my thoughts about my travels, don't I? Well, let's get down to the essentials. I found my first friend of the continent today! On my way south, I stumbled across a travelling circus. I saw someone there fighting a lion and I just wanted to help. But the circus people didn't like that, apparently I misjudged the situation. But in my books, the protagonist always meets people in need, so I thought, why should it be any different now? Maybe in the real world there aren't as many people who need rescuing as in my books. Well, I wanted to help them, and when they came after me like an angry mob, all hell broke loose in there. Not literally. I did nothing but run away, but the people were very angry. There were even pictures of the person I had rescued with this lion! I don't understand it, even in the pictures they look threatened by the lion, so it seems to happen more often. Why are they still travelling with him? Anyway, a few things got broken in the tent, including a small cage in which a fluffy little red panda was sitting. It then ran away too. But later, when I had escaped the mob, the little panda came running towards me! He sniffed my hand and started to climb up and cuddle me. From the books I always thought that red pandas looked more like raccoons, but this one has quite a long body. Maybe it's more like a ferret after all. Anyway, this ferret is with me now. It seems to like my smell. I think I'll name it after my favourite author!   I really need to get the hang of journal writing. It still seems totally unstructured. How did Tess'Ardra manage to write down all the great stories while he was travelling? Once I'm in the city I'll try to organise my journal! It's not supposed to be as great a novel as Tess'Ardra's, but I want to at least keep my journal organised enough that I can look things up quickly if I need them later. There are so many new impressions, otherwise I really wouldn't be able to remember everything! I don't know how to finish a journal entry so I'll leave it to Te'Sarim. Whenever he has the time and inclination...