Beneath - An Uru Explorers Journey Through D'ni and its Ages

Late in the morning I was disturbed from my work by the postwoman knocking on the door. I was curious as she only knocks when she had a package to deliver and the only thing I had ordered recently were some DVD’s that were not due to arrive until next week. Now normally a package arriving is nothing worth noting within this journal, the contents of said package related absolutely with my studies of D’ni and thus earned and entry within my journal.

Inside the small cardboard box, which I must point out had no return address, I gazed upon a blue book which was adorned with a strange tree motif. Attached to the book was a Post-it-Note with that familiar handwriting which had been inscribed on a note which accompanied the Garohertee that fixed the issues with Fahets. And of course, as if to cement the knowledge of who the sender was, the spiral hand stamp that was also on the note previously sent.

I picked up the book, unsure whether it was just a book or if it was a Linking Book. A quick inspection determined that it was just a book, a journal and a blank one at that.

The morning’s events have raised several questions. First off, and more importantly, how did the note sender know where I live? When it comes to the Cavern the only people who know my address are my family and the Third Path council. But according to the council they have not sent anything to me, and my family need not send me items through the mail. Secondly, I have many journals both empty and full. So why did I need another one? Is the book a message? Is the symbol upon the front important? Why do I recognize that handwriting? Where have I seen it before?

I have attached an image to the digital version of this journal of the book in question for those who are interested in seeing it.

I guess I should also post this here for those who don’t check out my other sites (although to be honest after this long I’m not sure who still swings by Beneath).

I’ve been working on some “retro” style posters lately and decided to make one inspired by Atrus falling through the fissure.

Anyway for those who are interested prints are available.

And so we reach the end of this wallpaper series ending where everything started, Myst island.

As usual you can find them in the Downloads section.

As usual you can find them in the Downloads section.

I always found the concept of leaving D’ni ridiculous. How can one leave a place that offers access to countless worlds and knowledge? It’s like a companion leaving the Tardis.
But life has that way of moving you on, of guiding you to a new path to take.
I would say that the time has come for me to pack up and leave the cavern, but truth be told I’ve not stepped foot in the cavern for a few years now. It has almost been 10 years since I came to the cavern, I have learned so much and yet there is more that could be learned. But focus started moving away from D’ni and to the Ages Written by us, by me. And as such I discovered that I no longer missed it, I no longer missed the people I didn’t want to speak to, the drama, the religious fervor of keeping a pure community, a pure D’ni.
Those who I could once call friends have long since moved on, and in their place resides resentment, a bitterness towards an aspect that was prevalent in my life for the thirteen years I spent since first finding out about Atrus and the D’ni.
I came to the realization that when the DRC fell apart in the beginning of 2004 it sounded a death toll. The things that guided us died, the community died and the corpse was ridden along for several more years. Yet the corpse riding is far from over I’m sure.

It is unfortunate that I had taken so long to come to this realization. I think that given that D’ni was a part of my life for so long made it harder for me to let go. But events of the last few years have allowed me to finally move past it, see it for what it is.

And I feel good about it.

The stress it was causing dealing with the interaction of others was not worth it. The stress of watching everything fall apart and few noticing it and others ignoring it was not worth it. The stress of dealing with the insidious ideology of the community was not worth it.

So I have been packing things up, my Books have been put in a safe place, aside from Kehrahn which belongs to my wife. My studies and experiments have been halted. The Ages have been secured and if any fall into destruction, well that’s just too bad.

The last two wallpapers are ready and will be posted up to the end of the year. The work on the archived forum posts (DRC, TTP DRCL) will probably go up at some point too not sure when, but after that the likelihood of further updates are slim to nil.

But life has that way of moving you on, of guiding you to a new path to take. My path takes me back to the surface, back to my home and back to my family to start a new chapter.

It was fun, for those first few years anyway…And who knows what can happen a few years from now.