I don't think many people are ever going to stumble across and read these tidbits from Lusternia's history, which is a shame because they're so interesting to read! It sheds some light on Tzaraziko and what life was like back when the Soulless Gods rampaged freely.

"My Passions", By Lerest'i, the Garnet Knight (Page 1)


I laughed gaily as I danced with an unknown woman. She was mysterious
and willowy, and I found her absolutely enthralling. She had rebuffed my
attempts to dredge information about herself from her, and instead,
simply smiled whenever I returned to the topic. Alin'dor was host to
many beautiful people, and this night, during the Dragon Lords Ball, an
assortment of foreigners traveled to the city to partake of its shining
culture. While the ball itself was mostly costumed, I chose to wear an
assortment of body paints. I thought it a novel idea, to go as a
lucidian to Alin'dors most prestigious event of the year. The source of
my curiosity was clothed all in veils, naught but the lower portion of
her face exposed.

"Tell me, oh delightful maiden, how is it that you come to the city of
the dracnari, noble Alin'dor? I said with great bravado.

"I have business here," she said, her voice clipped but congenial. What
an intriguing lass! My fiery red hair shone as the magma of a volcanic
paradise.

"And what business would you have, dear lady?" She smiled another
half-smile at me, and my pulse quickened. We walked outside for a taste
of fresh air and I took the initiative. I placed my hand upon her cheek
and leaned in to kiss her, only to find a lithe finger upon my lips.

"You are bold for one so young." Her words confused me, as what was
visible of her appearance showed her to be around my age as well. I
disregarded it though, chalking it up to a harsh childhood, or something
as equally vexing.

"You are wise for one so soft." I murmured huskily. The maiden paused
and tilted her head at me, as if pondering my countenance. In my vanity,
I assumed it to be my dashing appearance, and I smiled as only brash
young men do. She leaned in towards me and I closed my eyes, I felt a
small peck upon the cheek, and when I opened my eyes, she had vanished.
I spent the rest of the night pondering the woman. Oh, I drank my fair
share of Alin'dor's finest fire brew, but ever did my mind return to the
mysterious beauty. I collapsed in my stupor, and lying as if in a coma.
I had no dreams, but I awoke to a nightmare.

The ground shook beneath me, and I trembled as I heard the screams of
other partygoers. My inebriation vanished as adrenaline flushed through
my body. We had all heard the stories of other cities being devoured by
the Dread Gods. Rushing out into the plaza, I came upon a sight I've
ever since wished to forget. Hundreds of bloodshot eyes swiveled this
way and that, superimposed upon a viscous black flesh that frothed with
sickening hunger. A sky of savage red stars upon an oily darkness
returned my horrified stare, and as the beast that floated above
Alin'dor growled, I retched onto the ground, vomit expelling itself from
my mouth.

"HUNGER, I HUNGER!" the Soulless God cried out in many voices. I
screamed and ran, though to where, I could not say, even now, for in the
face of such horror I was driven senseless. I found myself in a
collapsing portion of the city and I hid deep within the rubble. For
hours I shivered in fear until I thought I would go insane. I could hear
no sound, so I slinked forth from my warren, and it was in that moment I
made my error. While the Soulless God may have been focused upon another
part of the city, his monstrosities swarmed the area. Immediately, they
set upon me with ravenous intent. I screamed and flailed, kicking away
one, then another. I was no fighter, however, and soon I was beneath a
pack of them as they tore at me.

With an abrupt flash, I found myself free of the beasts, their forms
withered and dead. My breaths were sharp, and my eyes wide as I took in
my surroundings, my eyes falling upon the veiled figure from the
previous night, who was cloaked so that only the mouth was visible.

"Y-y-you." I stammered haltingly. Those lips flashed me a mysterious
half-smile and said in a soft voice,

"Some lights should not be quelled."



"How I Survived", By Belay'i, the Amethyst Enchantress (Page 1)


I watched in mute horror as one of the Soulless Great Ones devoured
Lancenti and its people. All that I am, all that I was, is it now gone?
And if it is, why did I yet live? My escape was that of luck rather than
skill. As the Soulless collapsed the city in on itself, and as the
mainly lucidian population, my people, fled hopelessly, I ran towards
the Crystal Spire, Lancenti's nexus of power. I began to ascend the
steps of the spire, steadfast in my resolve to escape this cataclysm. I
was neither the wisest sage, nor the most powerful sorceress, but I told
myself that I was wise enough, powerful enough. I would raise myself as
a Vernal Goddess!

I had begun to channel what little magic my own personal reservoirs laid
claim to when a voice startled me from behind. "It will not work." I
turned around to find myself face to face with a strange figure,
standing in shadow and cloaked in more tangible materials.

"How would you know?" I demanded, though I knew what it said to be true.
The Spire had too little energy, too few resources. I could no more
raise myself as a Vernal Goddess than I could single-handedly defeat the
monster that was destroying my home. The strange figure stepped forth
from the shadows, its head covered by a thick hood, but even I could see
the smug smile that adorned its face.

"Who do you think you are? Tzaraziko?" asked the figure sardonically. My
eyes narrowed at the tone and I took an unflinching step forward even as
the Crystal Spire shook from the Great One coming into contact with it.

"And what if I am? Who are you to tell me what I can and can not do? I
will survive this!" Though outwardly I was stalwart in my indignation,
my insides churned uneasily as the hiss of the monstrous being outside
permeated the innermost corridors of Lancenti's nexus of power. The
figure quirked its head in a considering gesture before removing its
hood. What I saw in that face would stay with me forever.

"You remind me a little bit of myself. Let me help you." A chill ran
down my spine as the figure stretched out an arm to me. Without
hesitating, I took its hand.

After all, what did I have to lose?

"Records of Grief", By Shyust'i, the Onyx Witch (Page 1)


"Run! Run! It is here! They have come!" Those words woke me jarringly
from my slumber, in which I had being dreaming wondrous things.
Immediately, I was filled with a confused, unadulterated terror. The
Great Ones have come to Alin'dor! I rushed into my children's room and
picked up my young son even as I shook my daughter awake. Snatching up
her hand, I fled from our small dwelling and into the streets that were
already crowding with fearful dracnari.

"Be still, be still," I whispered soothingly to my son as he began to
wail. Nevertheless, fat tears cascaded down his cheeks tremulously.

"To the Golden Zigurat! We will be safe there!" yelled one citizen, but
another decried it as foolish. I knew the Golden Zigurat would not offer
any protection against the Soulless One. My family had helped to build
it. Rushing down a back alley, I dashed to one of the many underground
bunkers of Alin'dor. They were home to a great tunnel system, one built
by the wise founders of our draconic civilization. Yet while they were
built to withstand great disaster, they also would not stave off the
Soulless forever.

I had nearly reached the entrance to the first of the fortified hovels
when insane death began to rain down upon us. My daughter screamed in
terror, and I held her hand more tightly even as I felt myself losing my
grip on our salvation. Without a second to lose, we made it through the
door. Hidden from the manifold eyes of the Soulless outside, I neglected
to consider its putrid castoffs: tentacles and mouths, eyes and living
teeth that tore through mortal flesh. As I sat to console my children
and regain my breath, a tentacle snaked in, unseen by my vigilant eyes.
It latched onto my daughter, and before I realized what was happening,
it began to drag her out of our sanctuary.

"Mama! Mama!" She cried. Oh how my sweet one wept! I placed my son upon
the ground and leapt after my wailing girl, striking out at the
abhorrent appendage even as its slavering teeth bit deeper into my
beautiful daughter, shredding and wounding her. I grabbed her hand and
held on tight, stopping her just before she was pulled past the reach of
the doorway.

"Be brave, my darling girl!" My mind swam as I fought for my child's
ebbing life. A sinister hiss brought my attention back to my son. A
smaller, less powerful creature of Soulless origin had crept upon him,
just as unseen. My face went slack as I realized that I could only save
my son at the cost of his sister's life, and I could only free my
daughter at the expense of her brother.

A trace of emotionless reason crept inside my churning mind, sent as if
from the thoughts of a lucidian. I gazed into my daughter's pained and
fearful eyes one last time before I released her hands, and ran to my
son, snatching him away from the clutches of his serpentine attacker
before it gained a grip. I fled deeper into the underground maze of
tunnels, hating myself for the terrible choice I made, for more than
myself.

The thunderous destruction of the city of Alin'dor gradually became less
as I left its boundaries behind. Eventually, my son and I reached the
edges of the tunnels, and we breached their exits eagerly, our first
breath of fresh air in days. Unfortunately the air was heavy with the
smell of smoke and ruin, a reminder of what we had left behind, of who
we had left behind. I looked up from my exhausted son to the horizon as
a blood red dawn rose in the east. My gaze settled upon the Scorpion
Tail Mountains, and my rage energized me.


"Reasonings", By Asooth'i, the Jade Judge (Page 1)


Lancenti was no more. I had been en route to a small village near the
outskirts of one of the neighbouring forests when news came via a
furrikin courier. The Almighty One had decimated it. My entire family,
my friends, my compatriots, even my enemies were no more. They were but
fodder for the hunger of the insatiable Soulless God.

I considered my options carefully. I could end my life, as it was now
one without meaning.

Or I could persevere. I could find meaning, I could find strength in my
destitution.

I bid my party adieu. They were in too much shock, even for such stoic
lucidians. Then the first order of business was traveling to the ruins
of Lancenti. I had to see it with my own eyes, I had to see if anything
was left of the crystal city I loved. I traveled without pause for days,
and only when I reached the boundaries of Lancenti, or rather the ruins
of Lancenti, did I stop. There was no sign of life, and already, the
environment had begun to reclaim the land. I tarried there for days,
revelling in the depths of my warring emotions. There was hatred of
course, remorse, there was even guilt for still being alive. Of all
these things did I ponder, and I felt the burden of them all.

On the sixth day of my mourning, a noise awoke me from my
nightmare-addled sleep. I wandered outside of the small enclosure of
remaining crystal ruins to find someone striding about the base of what
was left of the Crystal Spire. The figure walked with a strangely
alluring confidence, and as I moved closer, I realized that it was
inspecting the structure, though for what I could not be sure. I paused,
wavering on whether or not to make myself known. But the decision was
taken from my hands.

"And where have you come from? For surely you did not survive this
onslaught."

It took me a moment to realize it was the visitor I had been spying upon
who had spoken. I took a moment to gather myself before I replied.

"I come forth from the shadows to visit the grave of my civilization, I
am as an endangered race now, and I lament it." To my surprise, the
person, whom I could see was cloaked all in dark hued robes laughed. It
was not a laugh of joviality, or even snideness, but one of regret and,
perhaps around the edges, hope.

"Others escaped, and even now they serve as progenitors of the lucidian
race. Your esteemed species will not fade as some of your contemporaries
may." The tone of the voice spoke of some unknown knowledge, and I
faltered at this realization.

"Who are you, stranger? How do you know such things?" My mind worked at
a lightning pace as I began to study the being before me. Equations of
possibility and of probability fluttered as birds upon a summers breeze.

"I am a bearer of grief, the same as you." The figure whispered vaguely,
its voice tainted with a slight tremble. My eyes narrowed and my skin
glowed brilliantly as I came to the most logical conclusion.
"You are a Vernal God!" To see one of the Mighty Vernals, to meet one
whom had fought the Great Ones and survived! I was astounded at the
prospect. But which one could it be? Their were rumours of a Mysterious
Orclach, and of course the Merian Teacher known as Dvarsha, whom all
knew..but I could not tell what race the One in front of me was..could
it be?

"We've much to talk about," said Tzaraziko, the Enigmatic.

Great stories.
They seem to be very Dracnari and Lucidian-centric. Probably due to that question about Tzazariko being one or the other, though.

Aicuthi > Asooth'i

Hmm, shouldn't it be easy to tell which race she was.... just look at her wings or lack thereof.

Heheh is that how you pronounce your name? I always used a harsh 'c'.

It was intended to be s originally, but the hard c just came about naturally so I use that instead. I'm starting to prefer it myself. Also may I ask where you found these in the game?

Ah I see. The diaries are dropped by the sandworms in the Skarch. They appear as 'sand dunes' on the surface and catch you in the room if you stand around (like gravediggers).

Wow, that's cool. Thanks for posting these, they're very interesting. I'm obviously biased that Tzaraziko is lucidian. Although plenty of things about her aren't very lucidian-like.

I reckon neither Dracnari nor Lucidians have wings, you are reffering to Trill, I guess?

The area itself that they belong to, is housed by Dracnari and Lucidian that work and live together under Grandmother Scorpion. Plus other creatures, some mutated ones from the Celestine Empire that got on the wrong side of Grandmother Scorpion, little gemstone bugs and scorpions and then there's the Wise Lady.

The quest is one of my favourites, and very well done with an amazing background story.

Grandmother's first four. Thank you Tzaraziko.

It's one of my favourites too! So pretty and colourful!

And provides fancy bowls for my twisted rituals!