Kaigi's journal

Kaigi's journal is a book dropped by the Airut, written by a Naragi known as Kaigi.

Transcript

 * Index
 * Year 1239: Twining
 * Year 1239: Lightglow
 * Year 1239: Gloaming I
 * Year 1239: Gloaming II

Year 1239, The Week of Twining

It's been years since Saradomin came to our world and destroyed our capital, Askroth. Many of my fellow naragi have lost their homes, friends and family. There has been unrest within the refugee camp - some have been following Narix, who suggests we take arms and fight back. Others have been following Nakigi, who believes both sides are to blame for this war, and a compromise should be reached with Saradomin. Arguments arise on a daily basis.

Only last week, we thought that salvation was around the corner. Our brave foragers, who risk looking for food outside of therefugee zone, noticed a creature, new to our world, appearing through a magical portal. It was as tall a a naragi, and walked on two arms and two legs. It was also quick to ambush Saradomin's scouts. Some in the camp were worried, but others suggested an alliance with it. Narix and a team of warriors, including myself, went to parley.

When we arrived, we signalled our peaceful intentions. But we underestimated the creature's ruthlessness. It attacked us before we could open our mouths - spitting corrosive bile and rending us with its claws. Too naragi were killed, while the rest of us took cover and hid. But the creature was not interested in hunting us down: it chanted the syllables 'Tus-ka' over and over, and left us. We rushed back to the camp to warn of the new foe.

Year 1239, The Week of Lightglow

It's been a week or so since the arrival of the beast, and there are hundreds of them now. Some naragi in the camp are calling them 'airut' - since they wear masks, like the warrior Airut from our histories. The airut have been attacking the camp, killing our people, and weve [sic] been fleeing when we can. It does not help. The first airut was a harbringer: now they are flooding into our world.

Some of us have been tasked with scout duty, trying to anticipate their attacks. I am one of them, and I was among those who made thelatest discovery. Through the airut's portal, a new breed of their race appeared, dressed in furred robes, carrying a staff. They looked something like priests, and their leader - her face without a mask - gathered the airut about her. She raised her staff and shouted, in a language that our light-weaver twisted and reformed as: 'Tuska will eat of them, and they will be of Tuska! They will fill the belly of a god! This is the gift of Tuska!' The leader then led the airut in a chant of 'Tus-ka, Tus-ka, Tus-ka', waving her arms to encourage them to shout louder and louder.

We brought this news back to the cmap. Some of Nakigi's followers decided to talk to these priests, to bargain for their lives. I warned them that we should stick together, but their minds were made up. They packed their bags and walked from the camp.

Year 1239, The Week of Gloaming

We did not hear from those who confroted the leader. Nakigi feared the worst and gathered five to travel to the airut portal, to look for signs. I was to lead the expedition.

Only a short distance from the camp, it was clear tat something terrible had happened, Our forests were flattened, the outlying huts were scattered and broken. Roads were rouged and scarred by something impossibily huge. Then, we heard a roar, and the clatter of rock on rock. In the distance, a giant - the size of a city and covered in what must have been thick, matted hair - was goring a hill with its horns, tossing soil and rock for some distance. It levelled our land as if it were ploughing the fields.

On its back were small figures, and I sent the fastest of us nearer, to look closer. When they returned, they looked solemn. On the back of the beast were the airut creatures, and the leader held great reigns on the creature's head. They were guiding the beast and, as it destroyed, the airut searched the rubble of what was thrown aside. They were scavengers, bringing food and material to their home on the beast's back. We ran back to the camp as fast as we could. It was clear that we had seen the creature that the airut proudly spoke of: the god they called 'Tuska'.

Year 1239, The Week of Gloaming

We returned to the camp and warned the others. Some decided to go back to their homes, to die in the places where they had grown up. Only Narix and his entourage remain in the camp now, I among them. Narix is adamant we fight back, and has stated a new plan. The only change the naragi have is to lead Tuska and her airut to Saradomin, inciting a battle between the two factions. With luck, they will kill each other. Regardless, we will take advantage of their battle. It is our hope that it will give us time to escape. While Tuska and Saradomin are distracted, we can make for the airut's portal, which is guarded by more beasts than we can manage. With luck and courage, we may be able to get past them, and into whatever world they came from.

I carry my journal with me, in the hope that I will be able to pass this on, once I have lived well and had a family. But, if that is not my fate, then perhaps the scavenger airut will unwittingly carry my words to other worlds. There is some joy to be had at the thought.