Dear Hastakon,

I wonder how things are at Mountain Peak – truly I imagine the struggles of being in the center of one of the cleanest, most peaceful, and metropolitan areas in the empire must be great. Did the food delivery person take 4 extra minutes this week to get you your polorano sandwich and fries – I’ve heard it’s a can’t miss cuisine on Eriss? Were the mall’s floors mopped too much and so you slipped and slid upon entering? I worry about you there facing such struggles. Please take all those jests lightly. I am just grateful to have heard about your safe return after the exploration mission to Outer Arm, and I must say I can’t wait to visit and catch up more in person and hear about your adventures. From what little news I got – A Pirate Empress? Radiant-sensitive monsters? A mystical cloud with sentience and seemingly godlike powers? I thought we skipped the Knight trials and accepted acoloyteship because a quieter life and more administrative tasks was what we wanted, but has this changed your mind? Are you now an adrenaline junkie just like Javor? The choice to become an Acolyte and serve the order in a fashion of civic duty and administration still appeals to me.

Though before you get too big-headed let me tell you about how life has been here at Starfall. We’ve only been open for two years and have had enough adventures for 20. The selection of Masters here leaves a lot to be desired, most are the “Experimental Types” that I know our instructors at Dawn Cliff used to scoff at. Review our current roster since year 2 began and let me know your thoughts; Jezza Stormblessed, William Vray (yes that William Vray), Qain Oakblade( they don’t restrict his access to any substances or chemicals), Veres Halloran, and finally the only good one in my mind, Landry Cendarro. If your thoughts are that they took the bad batch of the Rebellion and then put Cendarro in charge of managing them, we are still of one mind. The current Grandmaster gives me the creeps – it’s Vaega Sol’on, or as we know her, “She Who Eradicates”. The Knights are a very friendly bunch. I think a few of them are set to become Masters in the future, and in a lot of ways have more secrets and lessons for the students than the current group of Masters. Of course Kho is back and overseeing everything; offering his galaxy level wisdom to those smart enough to listen, though with his upcoming retirement (and ensuing wild party) I have just processed some paperwork that states a new younger Venefae Knight will be taking over the Archives here.

Our first year here was… different. As you know most school openings are… bumpy. Ours was a sinkhole followed by a mountain. The student base is rife with those foolish anti-imperialist types who want to whine about the throne’s authority, and then turn around and accept its food, housing, and other free entitlements. The local magistrate – a fine man of uncommon honor- came to welcome us, with a bodyguard the size of a mountain. After that event we had a rather uneventful sorting – though immediately after, our groundskeeper was brutally attacked! The next day was relatively peaceful though and featured some of the new curriculum outside the usual studies – a form of Rikkan Meditation with Knight Garok, Vray teaching Galactic Government, Students getting the privilege of learning history from Cendarro, Students somehow not dying from the intense tutelage of the wolf himself, and many others. I should also mention if you are curious how Qain became a Master it was because while Adain was the original Master here – She was summoned by the Empress herself for a prism mission, and Qain was bestowed his mastership during this time. I will say I saw what would become of Starfall when on the second of the schools opening Vray somehow corrupted Cendarro into taking novices with him to hunt ruins bandits. Can you imagine such a thing? INITIATES!

Well thankfully I and a number of others sent an urgent communique to the Rainbow Throne itself on that night, and in her infinite wisdom dispatched an Imperial agent to review the goings on – his arrival was lunch time of only the third day (he was already in the area thankfully). Not two hours before his arrival Kho was stabbed, along with a beloved local peasant named Natal. A wound that not even Master Vray himself could heal easily (I’ve always said he was an overrated hack). Crais himself, a true hero who holds himself with regal and renown similar to Cendarro himself, began his inspections and saw everything that I had warned him of. That evening he gathered us together into the Grand Hall. Of course Vray entered late, covered in Kho’s shadow to “allow greater healing”. He stated that his students had removed enough of the poison that his light would no longer be consumed – I think Vray just wanted to show off personally.

That was the final straw – Crais announced the school would be closed for failure to hit standards (a righteous and just action) – but then the unthinkable happened. Vaega declared the Dal’Rak’Shir (An ancient ritual which I am sure a fellow Acolyte Page like yourself is aware of!)

BETRAYAL!

Crais rightfully pointed out that they were down one Master since Adain had been pulled away to serve in a research prism. Knight Qain (as he was then) had been teaching and the groundskeeper was allowed to assist (yet another violation but minor relative to everything else) – those students got a poor education I’m sure, and who knows what strange chemicals Qain put into them. To cheat poor Crais the Masters all vouched for and bestowed the mastership upon Qain right there and then!

The rites performed, speeches given – the Masters prepared to send off those Initiates to death right then and there, sacrificing them to their pride via the Dal’Raak’Shiir. Well the students did terribly in my opinion. Sure they passed, but it was always by the skin of their teeth. You should have seen them trying to accomplish the trials – Trial of Action, Trial of Grief, Trial of Knowledge, Trial of Unity, and the Trial of Mindfulness. Brother – Students ran crying out of the Trial of Knowledge! The Trial of Unity (though we outsourced about half of the pamphlets to a local Titian printer and they misprinted it as Trial of Conflict, and we didn’t have time to change it) they kept attacking each other! It’s in the name, the answer is simplistic! Don’t even get me started on the Trial of Grief.

The students’ performance wasn’t even the worst part; the worst part was due to the weakness of Terrani security; the trials were sabotaged! Thankfully, Glorious Cendarro and Stormblessed rushed to the field to defend the students! Though I believe I saw a green and white blade in the Trial of Action saving some students from some paltry drones. A rampaging monster broke free and had to be calmed, spirits ran wild, grenades thrown – but under the calm leadership of the Eradicator herself, peace was restored.

After the disaster, the Grandmaster gathered the students together in the courtyard and began calming the students and rewarding them for their powerful work – even Crais was impressed. A slowly recovering Kho stood beside her offering kind words and affirmation. The headmistress summoned the magister who was waiting in the wings with a gesture. Magister Terrani approached with the blade of the house Terrani held as what first appeared to be a gift. With each step his body language shifted. It became more aggressive and filled with rage than it should have been. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Vray step forward in a manner befitting an executioner. He reached out with the Light and crushed the Magisters heart as he raised the blade to strike out at the Grandmaster. Vray, subtle as always.

Then the horror began, which I’m sure even out in the deep black you heard about. The bodyguard stepped onto the balcony outside of the Ourori classroom. He ignited a red saber, and revealed himself to be a living breathing Dominare. The magistrate had been used by a deep cover Dominare, or used him as cover. Stormblessed jumped into action, students began providing healing and shields – quickly the Dominare was overwhelmed into submission.

The Dominare was beheaded by Jezza after he dispatched him. A brutal and uncivilized affair. Last I heard Imperial Intelligence with a few Medicari masters took him away to see if he could be resurrected and questioned. If the Dominare was successfully brought back, I’m sure he’s being kept on Xiphios Station. The magister granted his blessing for us to stay, and even Crais left with some positive remarks.

After you tell me more about your mission – I will tell you about year 2.

Hope this message finds you well and looking forward to your message,

Acolyte Keef