The Diary of Verity, Duchess of Touraine
Volume XI
This volume contains the notes of Verity, the Duchess of Touraine, as she became a master of the secrets forbidden by the Church of Inner Light. It details her continued investigation into the secrets of the Cosmos.
Possession of this tome is worth **** Research Points per session. If delivered to the Church, this tome is worth **** Church Prestige Points.
Hear me, oh seeker into forbidden lore!
My name is Verity Touraine, and in life I was known as the
Duchess of Touraine.
I sacrificed my life to the pursuit of knowledge, out of belief
that truth is a virtue, and wisdom an honorable aspiration.
History will decide if I was a monster or a hero, but the truths I
discover will survive me. These texts contain all that I learned
during my life.
Read them and follow me in my journey through light and
darkness.
It is the 139th year of Paraceln's Age, and the future that lies before me is one of countless possibilities and nearly countless days of waiting. For the first time in decades, I can advance me art at my own pace. That is, as long as I am prepared to set a pace that consists of 399 days of study and one day of actual blissful progress.
...
When I was a girl, I read a romance about a couple who can only spend one night together a year. At the time, I made some rough calculations as to the quantity of pleasure such an arrangement would provide, and noted that it would be roughly equivalent to a rather mediocre yearlong romantic career in the court, or two years of an arranged marriage with an elderly gentleman whose facilities were declining. I think I succeeded in scandalizing Kodacha Rei, which of course had been my goal. Ironically, I don't believe I am doing much better in my own life. I wonder what happened to Rei-chan. Perhaps I will make some discreet inquiries.
...
For the coming year, I am aiming to complete my marriages in the second circle. With the aid of my summonings, I will be attuned to Alsirat and Manitu.
...
While my attunement to Alsirat is complete, my attunement to Manitu failed completely. I do not understand at all.
...
I have gone back to review my notes, and in doing so, I discovered an error in my notes. I wrote incorrectly of the marriages. In fact, they are as follows:
* Alsirat is the Bridge of Frost, born of the wedding of Urania and Belisama.
* Yaksa is the Dancer in Cold Fire, born of the wedding of Omoehime and Thalassa.
* Manitu is the Mystery, born of the wedding of Nephthys and Troian.
* Ashavahista is the Revelation, born of the wedding of Eratohime and Tennut.
Obviously, my inexperience led me to a path of error. I will correct this in the coming year.
...
My attunement to Breath of a Thousand Flames continues to elude me. I have a standing offer of three silver ingots to my sources, but I hear nary a whisper about it. On the other hand, I now own numerous scrolls of various chants, Most are delicate to the point of turning to dust when I handle them. In many ways, they are more frustrating than useful.
...
Some information from the scrolls, in case it comes in useful later.
* Hiyaseijin, the Gift of Fire, is available to followers of Serapion with the aid of Belisama no Miko and a follower of Belisama. Hiyaseijin's Ordeal requires the initiate to reforge their heart. Belisama no Miko can complete the Ordeal if she loves the initiate or the follower of Belisama that is assisting in the initiation. This, like Keika's Ordeal, seems likely to be rather traumatic to those involved.
* Ekhihaku's Ordeal requires the initiate to bring light to the darkness of the Cosmos. Tennut no Miko can complete the Ordeal if she takes a dose of Soma and opens herself to the Cosmos. One of the beings she has defeated will emerge again, and must be defeated by the initiate and the follower of Tennut before Tennut no Miko awakens. While not obviously dangerous to the miko, or at least her status as miko, this possesses some other obvious dangers. I do believe these rituals are accurately described as Ordeals. I also do not know what card Ekhihaku corresponds to.
Each Ordeal attunement appears to lead to an attunement requiring the creation or use of a Soul Implement. This appears to involve a miko, copious use of drugs, and the assistance of a number of underlings attuned to the miko's power. There is also this ominous note:
The path of Kitara is a dangerous one, for the creation of Kitara's Miko - that is, Nephthys no Miko who bears the golden lantern in her heart - requires that Kitara's Miko touch the initiate. Kitara's Miko can either lose her connection in completing the attunement, or kill Kitara's seeker and retain her Soul Implement. Of course, once she holds the Soul Implement, she can attune as many Kitara initiates as she likes. Most sorcerers think of the first death as an investment in their future.
I am very unclear on the entire process involved in the creation of Soul Implements, but will continue to do research on them. This whole matter of Kitara initiates, Kitara's Miko, Nephthys no Miko, and whatnot gives me a headache.
...
From Talitha out, the sequence of attunements seems to be as follows:
* Talitha leads to Neith, the Weaving Woman.
* Neith leads to Shousei, the Hunter Veiled in Ice.
* Shousei leads to Ainomia, the Turning of the Seasons, through a marriage to Kagirinai, the Undying Fire.
Also, of course:
* Talitha leads to Keika, the Wind Sweeps Candles.
* Keika leads to Kitara, the One Who Will Be Two.
* Kitara leads to Kumoyomeko, the Bower of the Hourglass Bride, through a marriage to Pansaijo, the Expectation.
...
Where is that damn play? I can't find it anywhere!
...
Kodacha Rei married a Yuasa baron named Benedict. They have three children, two of whom have joined the Veiled Guard. I considered writing her a letter, but it seemed unwise. I suspect she might wish to see me, and I could not explain my youth to her.
...
There's also a play for the attunement of the Serapion initiate to Uzumekami, the Halo of Whirling Gold. It appears to be called, "The Chrysalis".
...
Now I have a copy of "The Chrysalis", at the expense of a small fortune in silver. It does me little good. My understanding of Paradox convinces me that I will be unable to attune myself to it at any point. It is a disturbing little piece of literature, and I am just as glad that it's not a path I follow, as the implications of performing it do not sit well with me. For the record, the cast of characters seems to be named after Powers and their mikos. It involves: Serapion, Kagirinai's Miko, Kagirinai, Mitrasama's Miko, Mitrasama, Alsirat, and Ashavahista. I assume that Mitrasama must be one half of the wedding of Light in the third circle. This is vaguely useful at best.
...
These little poems appear to be significant to the plot.
Kagirinai, the flame reborn,
The Undying Fire, open your heart.
Grant me the power of the Sun and the Sealing.
I call the Talon of Forging!
This summons a copper gauntlet from Kagirinai's Miko's breast.
Mitrasama, the guardian of pathways,
The Whispering Gate, open your heart.
Grant me the power of the Sun and the Light.
I call the Blade of Purity!
This summons a jade sword from Mitrasama's Miko's breast.
I lose track of how many of these little poems I know at this point. It grows tedious to keep track of them. I wish I knew how to organize my notes more effectively. It seems that page after page accumulates in here, and I find myself wondering what secrets I have lost or buried in decades of note-taking. Perhaps I will put aside my arcane research for a while and teach myself a more mundane subject instead.
...
The other marriages of the third circle are Daenajou the Fire Upon the Altar, and Gandharva, the Destiny Embraced. Gandharva is born of Rusalka the Ravening Demon and Ruroubi the Meandering Path. Daenajou is born of Mitrasama, which must be the Whispering Gate, and Vahranshouri, which is probably Desire Achieved.
With that out of the way, I believe I will take up learning to fish.
To the one who follows in my footsteps.
To open my next reward for diligence,
The pure blooded seeker will need to bear a soul implement.
Good fortune to you.