Whom the gods love die young.

Greetings,
Ok, on with the show. This is the further tale of the guardians, more specifically the tale of the first soul guardian, Namkular guardian of life. The story starts to get a little more interesting from here on in, so without further delay I will tell you the story of Necrocon the 6th guardian.

Life, Death and Undeath.
(A tale of the 6th)

1,000 years into the life of the World Egg, the guardian of the soul, Namkular, produced an egg. This egg grew into the world atop the highest mountain in Daleha, Mt Kami. It sat atop Mt Kami incubating for 300 years. During which time the elemental guardians became insanely jealous, as the ability of creating an egg was only possessed by Namkular.
So great and fierce was the gealousy of the elemental guardians that at the dawn of the day the egg was to hatch they shatterd the egg, killing the newborn guardian. The elementals then returned to their domains leaving Namkular to morn her unborn child.

The elementals had underestimated the power Namkular wielded over life and death. Namkular held the shattered egg to the night sky and uttered a sacred passage, the broken shell and bone fused with the torn flesh and absorbed the spilled blood. Namkular, twisted and overcome with woe, gave half of her life to the dead child. Namkular gave away her control over the domain of death and decay to her child, leaving her with control only over life and creation. This simple act of betrayal and love, destroyed the guardian of the soul, and in her place created Namkular the guardian of Life and Necrocon the guardian of Death.


"For bones are like seeds: everything that dies goes into the earth, and from the earth new life is born in the sacred cycle of existence." - A passage from the book on Necrocon, oddly enough also a passage spoken by Quetzalcoatl, a feathered serpent in Aztec mythology.


From the new construction, forged from the shattered remains of Necrocon's egg and former body, came Necrocons Avatar into the world. The avatar is, Nex, death personified. An unusually tall undead humanoid, bones exposed, with a draconian skull and large bone like dark feathered wings.

Both Namkular and Necrocon respected the cycle of life and death. They new that destruction and creation went hand in hand. To this end they joined forces, forging a guardian sect that opposed the stale stagnancy of the elemental guardians. This was the Sect of the Soul. Their goal, to bring forth a new element in the world. They would teach and protect the greatest accomplishment Namkular had achieved in her 300 years alone, the Dalehan's (humans).

Namkular and Necrocon conversed with temple priests. In doing so they advanced the civilisation of Daleha's inhabitants very rapidly. Within another 500 years, a total of 800 years since the creation of the World Egg, the Dalehan's had a fruitful civilisation. They were enjoying the golden age of Daleha.


That is the story of the 6th. My next posting will be about the end of the golden age and the creation of the 7th 8th and 9th guardians. Please excuse me now. I have much to do.


Sincerely,
Dr Alstead Fabulavir

The Tale of Five Gods.

Greetings,
Along with the World Egg, and everything therein, the five gods created five guardians in their image, to protect Daleha and observe its journey through the ages. These guardians are known as The Tredecim Tutela Sidus et Penitus Universitas, very loosly translated to The Thirteen Guardians of the Stars and Inner Universe.
The guardians are grouped into three Archetypes; guardians of the elements, guardians of the soul, and guardians of the universe. Dispite their domain, all guardians are of equal and rivaling power. Another interesting aspect of the guardians is that they were not all created in the same time. Nor were they all created by the gods, at least not directly.


Of Elements and Life.
(A story of the five)

Nagha created Livyatan (Lev-i-a-than), the guardian of the rim. Livyatan resides in the sea and Livyatan's avatar patrols the rim of Daleha, the rim being the edge of the world. It is said that any ships approaching the edge are soon warded off by the guardians avatar,the Krakken, described as a flash of tentacles and teeth. Some believe that Livyatan is warning sailors of sailing off of the edge of the world. Others believe it to be of more malicious intent, this is due to numerous missing ships in Livyatan's waters. But despite whoever you talk to the common ground is that Livyatan prevents ships from ever reaching the rim.

Golha created Kamenjem, the guardian of the land. Residing in the caverns and mountains of daleha, Kamenjem prevents anything from entering Daleha from innerworld. Kamenjem's avatar, the Golumns, are varied. The main Golumns are birthed from stone, clay and mud. They are organised like a military, with their base material defining their rank, example: a mud Golumn answers to clay who intern answers to stone who answers to the more rare gem Golumns, such as Jade Golumns or Quartz Golumns. This military force is assumed accountable for the missing adventurers that venture too close to the few locations where land, not sea, meets the rim.

Farha created Sylph, the guardian of the fog. Residing in the dense fog that lines the outer edges of Daleha, Sylph acts as a deterrent to those who manage past the krakken. Some say that the fog itself is alive. Ships do not get destroyed here, people and animals simply vanish into the fog. There are no screams of pain or surprise, just the silence of the void and the deep, moaning calls sounding out from the fog. Those that do not go insane with the sound are haunted by it for the remainder of their days, and that they will hear it moments before their death, and it will fill them with terror.

Dinha created Teine (Teen), the guardian of the inner world. Teine resides in the center of Daleha, his domain spreading throughout the inner world. Though created equal to the other guardians, Teine is now the head of the elemental guardians. With his arrogance and elitist ideals he forced his self into the position, accepting no compromise. It has been passed through lore that Teine's avatar is that of the Salamander, a gargantuan lizard that rises from flame and ember.

Narha created Namkular (Nam-ku-larh), the guardian of life and death. Namkular lies in the aether, a quasi-ethereal plain twisted throughout Daleha. When Namkular touches the physical plain an avatar called an Inapertwa is created. The Inapertwa soon become new life forms in the physical plain, they take form in the shape of life around them. These new life forms are usually magical, but cannot stray far from their place of creation. For example, an Inapertwa that comes into being in a forest may become a wood nymph.


There you have the basics of the original five guardians. As time goes on I will elaborate more on these guardians, but first I will tell you the tale of the new arrivals as time goes by. The tale goes deep and the treachery is twisted, those who like a good tale will certainly look forward to what is to come. I will be posting soon. Till then, stay well.


Sincerely,
Dr Alstead Fabulavir

To the edge of the contextual Earth.

Welcome,
This is the first of a long series of posts related to the culture and folk law of the Dalehan people. Being the first article I thought I would start with the begining;


The Creation of Daleha.
(As told by the Girhan Tribe)

At first there were five gods; Nagha(God of Water), Golha(God of Earth), Farha(God of Wind), Dinha(God of Fire), Narha(God of Soul). They exist in the vast expanse outside of the universe. There they spent their time conjuring worlds and fabricating the existence of hundreds of realities, they are the creators.

At first Golha, with his powerful might, forged the earth. He raised the mountains and bore the sea. Thus creating the land that houses the civilisations of the world.
Second was Nagha who, with her flowing grace, poured the water unto the sea and etched the rivers and creeks into the land.
Then Dinha, smouldering with endless passion, bestowed light to dark and heat into the cold.
Next was Farha who, with great wisdom, created the skies and passed law unto the lands giving the world meaning.
Finaly there was Narha who, with infinite compassion, breathed life into the world and so sprung forth the races of the world and started the great circle of life.

The gods looked down into the world they have worked hard to create, they passed judgement unto it and were pleased with their creation. They sealed the new land of Daleha in the World Egg and placed it high on a pedestal. There the world sits, Protected by the shell and perched in the vast beyond. Waiting for its fruition, for the day that all life on Daleha is ready to become one, and join the gods in eternal creation.


The story was interesting indeed. I will be looking more into the reasoning behind the legend. Even though it is no doubt a tall tale, most legends or myths actually originate from something much less dubious. Most likely something, or many things, were misinterpreted and the outcome was this theory of creation.
When I voiced my doubts to Nair the elder he approached me with the offer of taking me to the edge of the land. There he claims I will realise the truth. Whilst my suspicions are still in disbelief, I will take his offer as I think it will be a most rewarding expedition.

There is much more for me to tell you, however, for now I must retire and get my rest. For tomorrow I have much research and knowledge to acquire before my return. Thankyou for your time, and I think you will be most pleased with the stories that I have to pass on to you.


Sincerely,
Dr Alstead Fabulavir

The Daleha Expedition

Good news everyone, My trip was successful.
However, I was caught in Daleha for a few weeks this time, thus my lack of correspondence. However, one thing I have come to discover is that the interval between my entrance and exit of Daleha are indeed increasing.

I took many many notes during my time in Daleha, mostly concerned with folk law and ancient religion. I will be going over my notes and publishing most of the stories over the next few weeks. Once I've finished cataloguing the stories, I intend to return to Daleha.

I fully expect to spend weeks, possibly months, trapped in Daleha when I return there. Just before I passed out and returned to my home. Also, at this point I would like to make a note of the fact that I was not hungry nor thirsty after the journey. This indicates that the mask must either put me in stasis or, feed me life support. There is one more explanation, that is that I actually and am in full, transported to Daleha. I'm not sure which is the correct assessment, however, no matter what the truth is they are all truly astounding. Not to mention the technology involved in the find.

Well there is much to do, come back soon. Very soon.


Sincerely,
Dr Alstead Fabulavir

The Daleha Experiment

Its been two days since my experience with the mask.
Still unsure of whether my journey was fact or fiction, I have decided to make another attempt. This time however, I will be prepared. I have decided to entertain the idea that what happened was real. With this assumption have devised two possible explanations, they are as follows;
Explanation One: That I slipped unconscious and fell into a coma like state that created an extremely realistic environment.
Explanation Two: The mask is a gateway between this world and Daleha, and it somehow transports my consciousness or entire body into the cave.
There is a third possibility, that is, it could all be an elaborate hoax. However, a hoax would seem most unlikely, and horribly inappropriate considering the circumstances.

I have hidden a video camera in the corner of my lounge room, this will record if anything should happen to me during the time I am in Daleha. In my endeavors to prove the actual existence of Daleha, as opposed to its being a dream state, I will take with me a digital camera to record my time there. I deduce that since I was wearing my personal clothes and glasses upon emerging in Daleha, then I should be able to take with me some personal affects, if they are secured upon my person. I have gathered various items within my hiking pack such as; food and water rations, first aid supplies, long range radio, digital camera, binoculars, and a number of other expeditionary necessities.

Confident with my preparations I sat down on my couch and took the mask in my hands. Relaxing back into the couch I checked my watch, 07:28, one last time before bringing the mask to my face. My recollection of of the next few minutes was lost, but when I regained consciousness I was once again on soft soil ground. Staggering to my feet, fighting off a haze of disorientation, I looked around me only to confirm that I was once again inside the cave. I took a moment to check my watch and back pack, only a few minutes had passed and my pack, and contents, had indeed arrived with me.

As I left the cave I was welcomed by the forest clearing, with a thick mist weaving through the trees and a blanket of dark clouds in the sky. I set off on the same path I had taken before, taking my time to view the scenery and utilise the camera I had brought. My being here had a purpose this time, I was to prove or disprove the existence and reality of Daleha.

After several hours I took a break and began to wonder how it was that I had come to return home last time. My assumption was that the villagers would help me return when the time was right. So i continued on as before. After another several hours, despite my attempts of resting and keeping myself nourished, I become unreasonably exhausted. I was in Daleha for just over nine hours before I fell unconscious, due to exhaustion. I awoke in my home, on my couch, and immediately started to gather my thoughts. It was 22:00, 11:00 at night. This meant that I had been asleep for several hours after I fell unconscious in Daleha.

I then proceeded to check my video camera, it showed no signs of human interference. The only item of interest it did show was that My body seemed to fade significantly as the video progressed, climaxing at the middle then fading back in as the nine hours came to an end. The sight was amazing, I almost didn't believe it myself. My body became almost 50% transparent.

After coming to terms with the video I checked my camera. I was most pleased with the results. I will post a number of the images as I get them authenticated. I am beginning to grow more and more interested in my findings as I go on. I realise there are probably more questions on your minds, but there is much to do. I will keep you all posted.

As a gift from myself to you I will put 3 images up for you to see immediately, the others may take some time. I will get to work on my next expedition, I hope to make contact with the locals. The next trip will require much more preparation. I hope you like what you see.

Sincerely,
Dr Alstead Fabulavir

An Impossible Dream.

I am still unsure what to make of the past 24 hours or so. So as I tick my brain over the events in my mind I will put them down on paper, or PC, for you to process.

After my last post, yesterday morning, I sat for 30 minuets or so pondering my current situation before I came to terms with everything and finally put the mask to my face. I don't remember much that took place immediately after that, other than it resulted in my unconsciousness.

I slowly awoke to the sound of soft rain falling on damp soil. The second sensation to bubble to the surface of my consciousness was the smell of wet grass and topsoil. A low hum sounded as a soft cool breeze blew across me, landing a fine watery mist on my face. My eyes opened and a small dark room came into focus around me, a single exit highlighted by a dim glow of blue grey light falling in from outside.

After climbing to my feet, and taking some time to fend off a hindrance of disorientation, I walked towards the exit. As I slowly paced myself through the dimly lit room I started to notice more marking on the walls. Different from the markings found at Palenque, but still seeming somewhat familiar. Pushing these thoughts to the back of my mind I pressed on, curious to find out where I was and how I had come to be there.

There was a short rocky tunnel from where the dim light came. Three meters up the tunnel the walls gave way to a small clearing surrounded by dense woods. The plant life seemed to be European, less tropical than the jungle near Palenque. The sky was covered in a blanket of low dark clouds and a thick mist weaved through the trees. The ambiance of insects and rain fall filled my ears. It was incredibly peaceful.

After taking a few moments to gather my thoughts, I started walking in a line straight forward from the cave opening. Most temples or structures open onto a path or travel-way, maybe in a direction of great significance to the builders. So forward from the cave seemed like a choice as good as any. A few meters into the forests edge, I spied a small path emerging from the mist. I followed the path for a number of hours, some times it disappeared beneath the undergrowth, but I always managed to find it again.

The more I traveled, the more I was reminded of the great woods of England, such as Nottingham. Occasionally the woods took on a more tropical feel, like that of a rainforest. This occurred more frequently as the hills got higher and steeper. Soon the flat swamp land became rolling rocky fields with large areas of forest. I traveled for several more hours before I came to a ledge high over a flood plain.

Looking out over the land I could see the clouds beginning to part, and somewhere on the mountainous hills far across the plains, I spotted a settlement. I could barely make out the loose outline of several large structures, surrounded by smaller establishments. Setting out to climb down the steep hillside below, I paused to try and work out where I might be. From what I could discern I had only been unconscious for what felt like a short time. There was no location similar to this within a thousand kilometers from where I live. With these thoughts weighing heavily on my mind, i descended the escarpment and ventured across the plains towards the settlement.

When I finally arrived at the settlement, the few people present greeted me with smiles and gave me a hot drink, that tasted like chicken soup, and some warmer clothes, as I had no jacket. I was very fatigued from my hours of journeying, so they took me to one of the smaller establishments, that turned out to be sleeping areas, and gave me a bed. I have little doubt that their hospitality saved my life. I tried to talk to them, find out where I was but the fatigue was too much, my head fell to the bed, and I slipped into a deep sleep. My last thought was why the people had done so much, but only ever uttered the words "Dioos, dioos tzu Daleha".

I then awoke here, on my couch, with the mask on my face. I took it in my hand and lifted it as I sat up. I placed it on the coffee table and reflected on what had just happened. As I slowly began to believe it was all just a dream I looked out my window, at the sunny new years day, and caught the lingering scent of fresh rain on green grass and topsoil.

That brings me to this journal entry. In a day or two I hope to try the mask again. Maybe find some answers to the many questions I have. But if and when I return I will be much more prepared. I have organised many an expedition, but never one so impossible.

I also managed to contact a friend of mine, who happens to be a formidable linguist, and I had her translate the phrase "Dioos, dioos tzu Daleha". It means "Welcome, welcome to Daleha". As such I have given a name to this journal and the stories it will detail, The Daleha Journal.

Sincerely,
Dr Alstead Fabulavir

An Ode to the New Year.

It is now the morning of the 1st of January 2007.
I sit at home on my couch, with the strange wooden mask loosely in my grip. If my assumptions are incorrect this will be my final address to the world. I am however reasonably confidant in my conclusion. I do not know all the secrets of this mask, and tests run on the mask came back with unexpected results, some no less than impossible.

To whoever is reading this, have a happy new year and I hope I get the chance to write about the coming experience for you. Good day.

Sincerely,
Dr Alstead Fabulavir

The Palenque Expedition.

My name is Alstead Fabulavir,
This journal is a chronicle of my ventures into the world of Daleha. A great deal of events have transpired in the past few weeks, bringing me to my current situation, as such I will not dawdle any further. I will start my tale by telling you how I came to find the city of Vis vires and the key-stone of Expono.

During an expedition into the Ruins of Palenque, my aid, Mr Ervine Dorian, and I happened upon a hidden chamber to the south west of the ruins. The chamber was assessable from the outside of the ruins and had been partially unearthed by a violent storm the previous night.

A long narrow hall lead to the chamber, opening up into a five sided room. The walls covered with pictographs and markings we had not seen on any other walls of the ruins before, this was of great interest to us, as we had ventured to this particular ruin many times before.

The ground beneath us was firm and dry but seemed to be dust and soil rather than stone. Situated at the center of the room was two steps to a low pedestal, about 30cm from the floor at its highest and 45cm in diameter at its lowest. Made of stone, it had no visible markings, and upon it sat a wooden mask.

The mask was shaped to fit firm to the face without any attachments, it had only one symbol spanning the entire front of the mask and housed no eye, nose or mouth holes.

We documented everything we could find and we took the mask back to the university for which we both worked. We studied it for several weeks before anyone donned the mask. Mr Dorien was the first to bring it to his face.

Upon contact with his skin the mask acted as an adhesive. Bonding with his skin instantly, Mr Dorien was unable to breath and passed out on the floor. Whether it was his loss of consciousness or the sudden jolt of his head connecting with the marble floor of our research laboratory, the mask came loose and rolled to a stable position on the floor next to his head, facing upwards. For a brief moment, I could have sworn to see the symbol faintly glow, perhaps it was the trauma of what I had just witnessed, perhaps not.

That was over seven months ago, and Mr Dorien has remained in a coma at the state hospital ever since. Since that day my research efforts have been locked solely on the mask and the secrets it holds. My efforts have come to a grinding halt as I have exhausted all avenues of study. All I am left with to help my dear friend, is the notion of donning the mask myself and experiencing its effects first hand.

So this brings me to my current state of affairs. I will leave a document detailing my studies and my current situation on my desk at the university. I will take the mask to my home then head out to the local bowling club and enjoy what just might be a final night with friends and family. Tomorrow, with the dawn of a new year, I will use the mask. It may kill me or, as my studies have suggested, it may hold some dormant purpose to which only Mr Dorien is privy.

On that note I bid you all good night and a grand new year, full of excitement adventure.

Sincerely,
Dr Alstead Fabulavir