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Books of Sorrow: Difference between revisions
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Predators
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Verse I opens with an introduction, indicating Xi Ro had written this, and meant for it to last. It mentions she is the third surviving sister of a brood that was apparently killed or lost to misfortune. Her father is called the Osmium King. | Verse I opens with an introduction, indicating Xi Ro had written this, and meant for it to last. It mentions she is the third surviving sister of a brood that was apparently killed or lost to misfortune. Her father is called the Osmium King. | ||
In this Verse, true to its title, Xi Ro describes seven dangers her species face and her | In this Verse, true to its title, Xi Ro describes seven dangers her species face and her observations of those dangers. She describes a stormjoy as "a living cloud", drifting over continents, with "feeding tentacles" tipped with "bait-stars". Stormjoys apparently emit light from their bait-stars to attract prey—Xi Ro cautions that ''"Although light makes you happy, you must avoid it. You will be eaten."'' The elderly can choose to be eaten by a stormjoy; a brave knight can cut off its bait-stars without getting killed. Xi Ro herself has six of them. | ||
She describes what happens when her father "uses the engines", that an unwary person can fall off the continent to their death. Then she describes how the currents of the Fundament ocean bring them to other continents, especially the Helium Drinkers of the Helium Court, | She describes what happens when her father "uses the engines", that an unwary person can fall off the continent to their death. Then she describes how the currents of the Fundament ocean bring them to other continents, especially the Helium Drinkers of the Helium Court, who are of the same species as Xi Ro's. After describing their physical appearance Xi Ro says how they raid them each day, and that they are "bright/evil", and how she wants to become a knight and fight them. She also describes losing ten of her sisters to the Helium Drinker ambassador's appetite as "tribute". Eating them was within the ambassador's rights, but she still resents it. | ||
Xi Ro describes Mothers, the females of their race. Like much of the Verse this has a happy quality to it. She describes their attributes, that they can fly, live for longer than ten years, and are extremely intelligent. She also warns what happens if anyone tries to harm their eggs, that the Mothers eat them. She notes that her sister Sathona wants to become a Mother and live longer. | Xi Ro describes Mothers, the females of their race. Like much of the Verse this has a happy quality to it. She describes their attributes, that they can fly, live for longer than ten years, and are extremely intelligent. She also warns what happens if anyone tries to harm their eggs, that the Mothers eat them. She notes that her sister Sathona wants to become a Mother and live longer. | ||
She also tells of the storms of | She also tells of the storms of Fundament. The rain is often poisonous and can even dissolve flesh, and if lightning strikes a person they are instantly obliterated. She mentions lightning farms, indicating that her species harness the storms for energy, and finishes by saying that all of Fundament is deadly. Continuing in this vein, Xi Ro talks about the rest of Fundament, saying it is very large and her species are small, and if they don't understand something it is likely to kill them. Her teacher, Taox, says that is why they live so briefly: so they can breed and adapt quickly. | ||
Xi Ro finishes by mentioning "moon waves", saying it is something her sister Aurash is afraid of. Xi Ro doesn't know what they are, and when Aurash returns from a place called Tungsten Monoliths, she'll ask her. | Xi Ro finishes by mentioning "moon waves", saying it is something her sister Aurash is afraid of. Xi Ro doesn't know what they are, and when Aurash returns from a place called the Tungsten Monoliths, she'll ask her. | ||
===II: The Hateful Verse=== | ===II: The Hateful Verse=== | ||