For now, us, the bystanders in the story of the Stoludian people, will leave Annetan. She is doing queenly things - riding in full dress garb at the head of the funeral procession, hearing court cases, showing the new military recruits how to fight... she is but one of many people, and many stories, within the shaking Kingdom of Stoludi.

Take, for instance, the scientist Ilirhim Yibini. Yibini was a very big man, some would say a brute. All of the doorways in his small fortress of magic and alchemistry had to be widened just to fit his frame, and the tip of his graying beard was burned and frayed where countless experiments had caught the belly-length bush on fire. That was the only thing keeping it in check. According to his assistants, his voice is so loud, they also had to reinforce the walls so he'd quit shaking the mortar out of it whenever he spoke above a whisper.

In this small, disused castle on this warm day, Yibini was up in the top of the central tower, a prismatic monstrosity that stretched up to the sky. From here, he could see the neatly organized chaos of colors that was Katiraka. These coastal folk were odd. They were very happy to host him, however, and the two assistants around him in the small laboratory are from that explosively colored town. This was not the top of the tower, but it was the second highest point, right below the observatory. There were better laboratories in the fortress, but the subject being studied was unknown and previously undiscovered, so Yibini wanted no risk.

Some well diggers on a farm outside of Aurorastan had been digging a very deep well when they noticed a faint blue smoke seeping from some cracked rocks. They thought it was volcanic activity and nearly evacuated the area when they noticed it was not that hot... and it had a pleasant, if faint, smell. It was a sweet smell. As well, after extended inhalation, their voices dramatically changed in pitch. Suddenly, their words squeaked out, and they began to experience fits of laughter at the smallest provocation.

Now, Yibini had several vials of the blue gas, and was running tests on it. He set a flame to it. It did not burn. He had an assistant inhale it. They found they could not breathe it, and then, after having caught their breaths, found themselves to be having hallucinogenic symptoms. One assistant was taken from the room, crying something about being a magnificent gryphon and soaring above the clouds. This was all noted and that young man's state was carefully monitored. 

The most interesting discovery was made on accident when the gas was transferred to a goat's bladder for another test. As the young lad picked up the stretched organ and lifted it, his brow furrowed. He looks to his Master, Yibini, and says, "S-sir... this bladder... it's light..." Yibini turned from the desk and frowned. He chimed, "Maybe you are just hungry, Hirlikin." Hirlikin just shook his head and scattered his blonde hair about, "N-no sir, it's lighter..." Hirlikin tossed the bladder to Yibini. It floated serenely through the air and came down with nearly no impact upon Yibini's hand. The mountain of an alchemist turns on his stool and tosses the bladder out of the window. Instead of plummeting to the ground below, it began a lazy, slothful descent to the ground below. It hung in sight for many seconds before it drifted down out of view. Yibini just stared, then turned to his assistant with a big, joyous smile on his face. Then he broke into laughter. The sound echoed off of the walls like a bell and made one assistant stumble.

After much more experimenting, this gas was deemed Jester's Breath, and it's properties were noted. It was such a discovery to Yibini that he sent a letter to the Royalty itself about this gas. It was just a matter of time until some young designer with stars in his eyes got a hold of it...


...elsewhere, the convoy had been sent off. The group of ships had been blessed, and all was well. Annetan herself was waving to the stern of the mighty ships when something utterly bizarre and unexpected happened. A huge fort in the Buxiang harbor simply exploded. Or at least, part of it. One of the powder sheds went up in a blast that shook the armor on Annetan's shoulders and sent her guards scrambling for their weapons. Annetan sent them to clear the area as she took off upon Rubania, stirring the massive mare on to a rapid gallop.

She soon knew it was in vain once she was there. Body parts and what looked suspiciously like the liquefied remains of regulars was scattered about in the nearby foliage and what remained of the structures. Some soldiers had survived, but they were all stunned and looked as if they were drunk. Many bled from their ears, some from their eyes, and others just cried. Annetan slowly dismounts Rubania and approaches the burning crater where the ammunition dump used to be. She was gritting her teeth, and nearly brained a messenger when he ran up to her and shouted, "Your Majesty! The [i]Song of Storms[/i] wants to know if we need assistance!" Annetan turns and roars back, "Tell them to be on alert and to sail swiftly! Someone will answer for this! They will answer and they will regret the day they were set upon this planet!"