Signs and Portents

[Maeght]

This last message confuses me more than the wave sent out by the first herald.

The 'witness' described in the first five messages might refer to an exile or all exiles, as this last one says that the rockodiles (brethren of the sixth herald) killed the witness. The last line is getting me, it breaks down to [something] inflicted on someone due to suffering? The 'thus' indicates that the suffering is the reason for something being inflicted.

The way I read it is that the natural animals or maybe Gaia are trying to warn us about something. Something that is causing the emotions in those creatures that they share at the end of these invasions. Something is driving them from where they live and it doesn't seem to be tied to one location, except perhaps for "the wilderness" as a generalized one.

I'm not sure whether to associate the "invisibles" with this, but we do know that the planes are still in flux.

It sounds to me that the last line suggests that they regret what they're doing, or perhaps they wonder if we regret what we've been doing to them. It may be that we're creating the condition they are reacting to, i.e. the EP encroachment.

- Maeght

[Kalypso]

Last night a young fighter friend put down three adult rockodiles that were wandering about the south farm. They were very tough skinned, but she told me that it was very odd, as they completely refused to bite. She said she even begged them to bite, as it did not seem very sporting. In the end, as they did not make any attempt to escape or defend themselves, she figured them for sick and did the only kind thing.

[Skirwan]

I think it's pretty clear that they're trying to tell us something, and that we in our traditional exile bloodlust are cuttin' 'em down before they can deliver the message. I hear there were rockodiles that didn't attack during the event yesterday... does anyone know whether anything similar happened at the earlier ones? Did anyone slow down killing long enough to notice?

The First among the heralds sought / An ear receptive to its word / But would the witness give his ear / to the confusion to be heard?

The herald seeks someone who will listen, but amidst the invasion was cut down indiscriminately.

The Second of the heralds brought / A portent filled with dire distress / But would the witness shun advice / And seek instead a nescient bliss?

Again we ignore the herald's message in pursuit of the pleasures of bloodlust.

The third of heralds raised its horn / And blared its bodement pure and plain / But could the witness understand / If never comprehending pain?

We again slew a potential ally, unable or unwilling to realize that we're causing pain to an intelligent being.

With vile contempt and opened scorn / The Fourth of heralds' threat was made / But would the witness hearken or / fear an omen thus conveyed?

Whoever is sending these warnings is growing impatient with our fearful and violent reaction.

The Fifth of heralds held its tongue / Enduring torment of the sword / But did the witness heed this deed / Or had this presage been ignored?

Again the herald suffers our attack, and we never even notice it isn't behaving aggressively.

And as the witness fell among / The brethren of the herald Six / Had some misgivings still remained / For suffering thus one inflicts?

Finally people begin noticing that not all of the invading creatures are hostile.

---

You ask me, someone's sending us a message and someone else is sending all the megacritters to surround the messengers and trick us into killing our potential salvation. As for who, I have my hunches but I won't print 'em here.

[Gremlins]

the fact that most of the critters that we saw so far are usually not attacking exiles would be consistant with that. Rats and rocks are the expections there (but rocks do not track for long). But if some of the rocks did not attack (my Zo brain did not notice it), I don't know if a similar bahviour was seen with the rats...

[Raul]

Some of the tor and rockos could not swing. I'm not sure about the other invasions

[Myiasis]

The Starbucks (4th one I think) were extremely aggressive.
Which might make sense with:
"With vile contempt and opened scorn..."

[Skirwan]

The Starbucks (4th one I think) were extremely aggressive.
Which might make sense with:
"With vile contempt and opened scorn..."

I never said they weren't aggressive, I said some of them might not have been aggressive. Obviously the bulk of the critters in each event were the bitin' kind. But again I ask: What if someone is sending heralds to warn us while a third party interferes by surrounding those heralds with monstrous and aggressive cousins?

Did the heralds themselves attack? Does anyone remember falling to a herald?

[Gremlins]

Did the heralds themselves attack? Does anyone remember falling to a herald?

I did (to 2 different ones) and so did some other exiles. Might have been self defense but I don't buy that part

[Largo]

Did the heralds themselves attack? Does anyone remember falling to a herald?

The sixth herald bit roughly as hard as I'd expect Darkus himself to. If Darkus, you know, bit people.

[Illora Mone]

Aw, you killed the rockodiles we saved from the invasion!

[Maeght]

FYI, two pieces of feedback from my ranger abilities suggest the aggressive starbucks were not normal.

I expended no spirit and had no effect trying to befriend. The latter I can understand, but not the former.

Also, based on the numbers slain, I made no progress in my current studies and should have.

- Maeght

[Lorikeet]

Also, based on the numbers slain, I made no progress in my current studies and should have.

- Maeght

[Largo]

Whatever the harbingers are harbinging, it's going to happen soon. The seventh herald's been killed, and brought this message.

• And as the witness cried with grief * The seventh herald's grin was grim * For now the witness understood. * The time was ripe. It could Begin.

[xepel]

And then * A wave of grief washes over you.

Watch out, Puddleby, something bad is going to happen.

[Myiasis]

Something wicked this way comes. Perhaps something to rival the Ripture Wars?