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

I’ve been following the restoration of Tosholek closely, Whilyam has been talking about it frequently, along with the troublesome issues that arose during the restoration cycle.

It was only this morning that I had a chance to check it out. I sat at my desk in Sul, drinking my morning cup of English Breakfast looking at the Book he had left me. So I decided I should go take a look finally, I had been anticipating venturing into the area.

I linked into a long walkway which sat above the D’ni lake water, and was enclosed by cliffs. I noticed the water here was a lot brighter than elsewhere in the cavern and wondered if Whil had been experimenting with pellets there. But that wasn’t the only thing I noticed.

As I had Linked right in behind Diafero and Blake.

Not long after I arrived a young lady Linked in, Ri’ana, who was Blake’s fiancé.

We wondered around for a bit, looking over the work Whil had done, checking out the damaged areas. The walkway leads up some stairs to a balcony, which contains a notebook regarding Sholek and the location we were in. The balcony lead off in two directions, one of which was blocked off the other lead to an auditorium. In the auditorium was a balcony, which I am guessing is where Sholek spoke from to his followers (that or played Julliet).

I spoke to Diafero for a while as I read the notebook, Blake and Ri’ana wandered off to explore the lower levels, eventually ‘Fero left me to go join them.
I was half way through the book when I could hear laughter coming from below, I glanced over the balcony wondering if I could see the others, when I noticed they had all decided to go for a dip in the Lake.

I figured I could leave the book for now, I plan to come back and transcribe it for the Archive anyway. So I decided to go down and join them, it’s been a while since I last ended up in the lake (thanks to a damaged Linking Book).

Wonder if I can get this glow out of my clothes…

I admit it, I have no idea what is going to happen to Cass. Originally my plan was for it to become my lab, and whilst we were planning it I would set up a temporary lab on Sul whilst I experimented with the water there. But as time has gone on, I’ve been seeing Sul more and more as my little home away from home, and expanding the lab in Sul to a second room has done little to help the desire to stay put instead of moving to Cass.

So I have decided to keep it on Sul, I have a few ideas mulling around for Cass, it isn’t a top priority at the moment so there is no rush.

Speaking of experiments, my ongoing studies into Sul’s water continues, whilst I have since ruled out the possibility of it being used to help the D’ni lake water I am looking into the relationship between the two forms of algae and any potential developments they may yield in other areas.

I have also started looking into the KI technology, and how that works in relation to the Ages, borrowing from ideas mentioned in Catherine’s journals regarding some experiments Atrus did in the past. Sophie has been lending her technical skills with D’ni technology to help me conduct the experiments I desire.

I am finding it difficult to find the time between running my own projects and working on the various Ages we are Developing/Restoring. I am loathe to take time out more frequently, nothing will get done. But on the same note, I feel myself burning out and if that happens then nothing really will get done on my end.

Moving the boulder was impossible, 200 odd years of it being set in place has pretty much fixed it there in mud and fallen leaves.
So Steven and I sought an alternative way out of the well by scaling the rock.

A short walk from the well we found the living area for Fehnir’en and Nalen, a small area like the one situated in the well, containing a bedroom and small study. It seems they would head down to the well to eat with the others. Not to surprising really, even members of a close knit family still want their moments of privacy and peace.

There were no paths leading off into the forest, if there were they have long since grown over. So Steven and I headed into the nearest gap in the trees to explore.

We wandered around for about 2 hours before we found Jilen’s camp. A large boulder sat in the middle of a clearing. Sections of it had been carved out, and a wooden structure attached. Wooden steps lead across to a stream of fresh water. The first thought that hit me was that it was all very neat and tidy, for a location that has been around 200 years I expected it to be overgrown. The problem with this line of reasoning was that I assumed Jilen was no more, this reason was quickly changed when a figured stepped out from the house as we approached it.

Unsurprisingly he was weary, the man has been in solitude for 200 years, and it is very apparent we are not D’ni, a fact that Jilen himself acknowledged and muttered as we approached. So it came to a surprised to him (and an amusing one at that) when both Steven and I waved, said shorah and introduced ourselves.

He ushered us inside and motioned to sit before pouring us all a drink which he later mentioned was a wine he had made from some of the fruit that can be found in the forest, interesting idea, I should try doing that with the Norapods in Fahets some time.
We sat for a few hours talking, Steven doing most of it on our side as his D’ni is better than mine. He asked who we were? Why we came to Ahry’ahn? What happened to the plague? And many more questions. We explained how D’ni had fallen, many fled to the Ages like he had, then 200 odd years later humans discovered the Cavern and had started restoring and living in D’ni. How Atrus had gathered survivors and moved to a new home called Releeshahn. He took a lot of interest in the news about Releeshahn, not sure what he made of humans being in D’ni though.

A lot of what Jilen had to say we already knew from his journal. He had sealed the well up after Laia died and kept an eye from a distance over all that time in case people returned. Which is why he was expecting us, he had been watching our efforts in the well since we stepped through.

Dusk fell on Ahry’ahn and we parted company, Jilen wanted to rest and think over what had been talked about, especially the part about Releeshahn and joining the others. I asked him if he would mind us stopping by again sometime and speak to him more. As an Archivist he would be an excellent source of information regarding D’ni history, he said he will come find us in time.

Before we left however, he noted the Books on our hips, I asked him if wanted to take a look at Relto, but he said maybe later. He watched in awe and confusion as Steven Linked out first, the Book going with him instead of falling to the ground. Looking to me for an explanation, I told him that it was written by a D’ni descendant who was very good with the Art, with that I bid him goodnight and left myself.

At first I was hesitant about continuing the restoration process on Ahry’ahn after discovering Jilen was still living there, I explained to him that more may find their way to his house if we release the Age, but he didn’t seem troubled by that, he was keen for others to see it. I guess it’s the archivist in him, Ahry’ahn is now a page in history that others can witness.

I spent the day working on the translation for the book that was discovered in Ahry’ahn, turns out it was a short journal written by Jilen himself.

It gives a short description of events that took place after the family had fled from D’ni, as well as helped up wrap up the small mystery of who the figure was laying in the bed on Ahry’ahn and who were the two that were in Lehns.

Seem Jilen did not stay in the immediate area with them but ventured out into the forest to find his own place.

We were now faced with the possibility that we may spend the rest of our days in this Age. Laia offered to set up a spot for me to live in with them, but I felt perhaps I should let them have their space, with Fehnir yet to show up I felt they would need it for mourning, I did not doubt that my friend had fallen to the same cloud that had taken many other lives.

Heading back to the Link in passage, I took the tunnel up to the upper areas of the forest and decided to find myself an area to set up a camp, Laia kindly lending me construction tools to aid me.

- Journal of Jilen

The passage where the book had been found had been blocked by Jilen himself, to protect himself from the plague. Steven and I plan to head out into the forest and see if we can find where he lived, see what other items of interest can be found.