*

wiktopher.md

@@ -26,350 +26,150 @@ documentclass: book
 
 \newpage
 
-Today was an important day in the Ilk village of Volare[^1]. Many came to
-place flowers on Lupin's doorstep. The different varieties made the
-entrance to the house appear overgrown and wild. No one bothered to
-knock, they knew that Lupin was likely too busy for visitors.  
-    This Verido was busy. Yes. Very busy. Busy searching for the last piece
-to complete the outfit for today's ceremony. Lupin sighed when seeing
-the state of the house. The floor of the main room had many objects,
-pieces of unfinished projects, attempts at honing a skill, any skill.
-Lupin had tried to learn to knit but the resulting hat was a disaster,
-so it became the head of a mop which to this day had never mopped up
-anything. Lupin had watched others knit before, the motions were
-familiar to these eyes but these hands could not replicate them.
-Moments past lacked too much detail and Lupin had a tendency to
-overestimate how much information this brain could retain.  
-    All in the village had a skill, but this young Verido feared to have
-none, that is unless the art of cluttering spaces could be artful in some way.  
-    Momentarily forgetting about the search, Lupin stepped outside to check
-on a bottle of licky root[^2] tea, it had been steeping since yesterday's first morning sun. The brew was tucked in the growing amassment of flowers near the entrance to the house. The drink was syrupy and sweet. "Yep, it's ready," Lupin said, wrenching the bottle from the arms of a fuzzy plant. Its green limbs had encircled the bottle overnight, with the goal of reaching the precious beverage hidden inside. Lupun carried the bottle back inside, feet careful to avoid the carpet of delicate petals and stems, allowing them to breathe their last in peace. The dark circular roots, heavy with liquid, lay at the bottom of the bottle. Licky root was grown here, Lupin walked to the base of Vol's nape everyday to harvest it. Few plants could thrive up here, the altitude did not permit much, but shroos and small garden herbs were plentiful.  
+Today was Naming Day in the Ilk village of Volare[^1]. Many came to place flowers on Lupin's doorstep. The different varieties made the entrance to the house appear overgrown and wild. No one bothered to knock, they knew that Lupin was likely too busy for visitors.  
+    This Verido was busy. Busy searching for the last piece to complete the outfit for today's ceremony. Lupin sighed when seeing the state of the house. The floor of the main room had many objects, pieces of unfinished projects, attempts at honing a skill, any skill. Lupin had tried to learn to knit but the resulting hat was a disaster and was now used as a tea cozy. Lupin had watched others knit before, the motions were familiar to these eyes but these hands could not replicate them. Moments past lacked too much detail and Lupin had a tendency to overestimate how much information this brain could retain.  
+    Everyone had a skill, but this young Verido feared to have none, that is unless the art of cluttering spaces could be artful in some way.  
+    Momentarily forgetting about the search, Lupin stepped outside to check on a bottle of licky root[^2] tea, it had been steeping since yesterday's first sunrise. The brew was tucked in the growing amassment of flowers near the entrance to the house. The drink was syrupy and sweet. "Yep, it's ready," Lupin said, wrenching the bottle from the arms of a fuzzy plant. Its green limbs had encircled the bottle overnight, with the goal of reaching the precious beverage hidden within. Lupin carried the bottle back inside, feet careful to avoid the carpet of delicate petals and stems, allowing them to breathe their last in peace. The dark circular roots, heavy with liquid, lay at the bottom of the bottle. Licky root was grown here, Lupin walked to the base of Vol's nape everyday to harvest it. Few plants could thrive up here, the altitude did not permit much, but shroos and small garden herbs were plentiful.  
     "Look at *you*! All dressed up and fancy-like!"  
     Lupin spun right around to look at who was there. It was Rosmus, a neighbor and close friend. They stepped over the plant carpet guarding the door and came into the house. This Verido was taller and an annum older than Lupin, with hair standing on end, higher than anyone in Volare.  
-    Lupin *was* looking more dapper than usual, dressed in traditional
-ceremonial wear. The ensemble consisted of a necklace of blue thread
-hanging over a bare chest, with a patterned knee-long cloth wrapped
-around the waist, the cloth was superimposed with a woven isilk[^3] mat. "I
-spent all of last night looking for each piece. But I'm still missing a
-thing."  
+    Lupin *was* looking more dapper than usual, dressed in traditional ceremonial wear. The ensemble consisted of a necklace of blue thread hanging over a bare chest, with a patterned knee-long cloth wrapped around the waist, the cloth was superimposed with a woven isilk[^3] mat. "I spent all of last night looking for each piece. But I'm still missing a thing."  
     "Your hair looks nice blue!" Rosmus said, impressed with the work.  
-    Lupin's hair was short on the sides and long at the top where it slumped
-forward and dipped partially over the forehead. During special events,
-Verido people dyed their sandy-colored hair and faces blue using the
-crushed pigments of the fruit of the looberry[^4] plant. Lupin had covered up
-most areas, but the paint was too thin, leaving visible broad pale
-streaks of tan skin. "I ran out of looberries halfway into it." Lupin
-admitted. When applied correctly, the blue paint covered everything from
-the bridge of the nose to the top of the head.  
-    "Doesn't show," Rosmus lied. "Oh! I got you a gift!" The visitor
-held a basket of trumpet flower[^5] bulbs. "Thought we could hang around
-here and plant these! In a quarter annum they'll start flowering! And when
-they do, well, you *know* what I'm getting at! No one else tends to your
-need for intoxicants like I do, eh?"  
-    "*Your* need you mean. Your house is full and you're looking to invade
-mine, a space moocher is what you are," Lupin said, "anyway, I can't.
-It's Naming Day today."  
-    "We're not going to that," Rosmus said.  
-    Lupin laughed. "Is that so?"  
-    "I've been making decisions for you for a long while now, don't tell me you've just noticed it." There was a bottle strapped to Rosmus's belt, full of red liquid with a wrinkly fruit floating inside it. "I brought kabacho[^6]! It's been soaking for a full annum. It's going to be real strong!"  
-    "They're expecting me Ros. As much as I'd like to just sit around and
-drink with you all day I've *got* to go. I don't have a choice."  
-    "You *do* have a choice." Rosmus corrected. "You think you don't, but
-you can do whatever you want. Come on, don't you think it'd be more
-fun to do *this* instead?"  
-    "Fun. Yea, sure. It sounds fun, but the ceremony's more important I think..."  
-    "Who *cares*," Rosmus said, "why go at all? I mean, you already *know* you
-won't be named Voice[^7] so you know, why bother?"  
+    Lupin's hair was short on the sides and long at the top where it slumped forward and dipped partially over the forehead. During special events, Verido people dyed their sandy-colored hair and faces blue using the crushed pigments of the fruit of the looberry[^4] plant. Lupin had covered up most areas, but the paint was too thin, leaving visible broad pale streaks of tan skin. "I ran out of looberries halfway into it." Lupin admitted. When applied correctly, the blue paint covered everything from the bridge of the nose to the top of the head.  
+    "Doesn't show," Rosmus lied. "Oh! I got you a gift!" The visitor held a basket of trumpet flower[^5] bulbs. "Thought we could hang around here and plant these! In a quarter annum they'll start flowering! And when they do, well, you *know* what I'm getting at! No one else tends to your need for intoxicants like I do, eh?"  
+    "*Your* need you mean. Your house is full and you're looking to invade mine, a space moocher is what you are," Lupin said, "anyway, why are you trying to keep me here? You know what's going on today."  
+    "Yes but I've decided that we're not going to that," Rosmus said.  
+    "Oh is that so?"  
+    "I've been making decisions for you for a long while now, don't tell me you've just noticed it." There was a bottle strapped to Rosmus's belt, full of red liquid with a wrinkly fruit floating inside it. "I brought kabacho[^6] for us to drink! It's been soaking for a full annum. It's going to be real strong!"  
+    Lupin laughed. "As much as I'd like to just sit around and drink with you all day I've *got* to go. I don't have a choice."  
+    "You *do* have a choice." Rosmus corrected. "You think you don't, but you can do whatever you want. Come on, don't you think it'd be more fun to do *this* instead?"  
+    "Fun. Yea, sure. It sounds fun, but the ceremony's more important, I think."  
+    "Who *cares*," Rosmus said, "why go at all? I mean, you already *know* you won't be named Voice[^7] so you know, why bother?"  
     "Tradition."  
-    "Right. Don't you think it unfair though? To be part of a contest with
-a predetermined result? Mago's family has always been Voice, since
-Volare's time, and that's not about to change! When you think about
-it, there's really no point in you being there at all! Come on, give me
-a mug that I can fill."  
-    "It's just like you to say something like that..." Lupin said, busy
-upturning the place, lifting every object. Lupin did find other things
-thought to be lost, but these stayed in their spot, to be forgotten and
-rediscovered again at a later, more convenient time. "I've got to be
-there. Don't ask me again."  
-    Rosmus, lacking a mug, took a sip of kabacho straight from the bottle
-instead. "Oh! That is *strong*!" Rosmus struggled for a moment, trying
-to finish a thought, having much trouble getting the lips and tongue to
-cooperate. "So, you're alright with pretending you can win this?"  
-    "I'm not pretending! Ah it doesn't matter! I'm fine with it is what
-I'm saying." Annoyed, Lupin moved to the other side of the room to
-look behind a table. "It's here! I've found it!" The long blue scarf
-had been hiding there this whole time, wedged between a table and a
-wall. Lupin put the scarf on, coiling it tight. In truth, this wasn't an
-official part of the Naming Day ceremonial wear, but Lupin wanted to
-wear it anyway. The scarf was a gift from Levi, Lupin's mapa[^8]. "I
-wouldn't make a good Voice, I've got no skills. Mago can run backwards real fast, did you know that?"  
-    Rosmus resisted the urge to comment that last statement with an eye
-roll. "Did you ever think that maybe you're always under-performing
-because you know you can't win? That whatever you do won't change the
-outcome, so you know, why try?" These lips had turned a bright red
-color then, another side effect of the kabacho.  
-    "I'll find something else I'm good at. I'll see it more clearly when
-this thing is over. I know it."  
-    Rosmus set the kabacho on the ground, then found an amusing hat and
-decided to keep it. Roz then picked up a koutra[^9] from the floor and tried
-to play it, a hand holding the neck and the other stringing the isilk
-threads. "Won't be impressing anyone with an out of tune koutra."  
-    "Yea. My playing did sound terrible." Lupin said with a sigh, eyeing
-the stringed instrument with much resentment, as if the bad playing were
-its fault and its fault alone. "I've got to go." The Verido began to
-move toward the door, stepping in clearings between objects to get to
-it, then came up to the bottle of kabacho and decided to take a sip.
-"For my nerves." Lupin said.  
-    "Hey! What if you actually did become Voice?" Rosmus yelled. "We could
-go drink at The Ear all day! Best view in all of Volare! No one would
-bother us up there!"  
-    "Now *that* would be sacrilegious!" Lupin said with a laugh, before
-breaking into a run. The centre of the village was near but the first sun was
-high, any moment now the ceremony would start.  
+    "Right. Don't you think it unfair though? To be part of a contest with a predetermined result? Mago's family has always been Voice, since Volare's time, and that's not about to change! When you think about it, there's really no point in you being there at all! Come on, give me a mug that I can fill."  
+    "It's just like you to say something like that..." Lupin said, busy upturning the place, lifting every object. Lupin did find other things thought to be lost, but these stayed in their spot, to be forgotten and rediscovered again at a later, more convenient time. "I'm going. Don't ask me again."  
+    Rosmus, lacking a mug, took a sip of kabacho straight from the bottle instead, then struggled for a moment, trying to finish a thought, having much trouble getting the lips and tongue to cooperate. "So you're fine with pretending you can win this?"  
+    "I'm not pretending! Ah, it doesn't matter. I'm fine with it is what I'm saying." Annoyed, Lupin moved to the other side of the room to look behind a table. "Ha! It's here! I've found it!" The long blue scarf had been hiding there this whole time, wedged between a table and a wall. Lupin put the scarf on, coiling it tight. In truth, this wasn't an official part of the Naming Day ceremonial wear, but Lupin wanted to wear it anyway. The scarf was a gift from Levi, Lupin's mapa[^8]. "Anyway, I could never be Voice. Mago's better suited for it."  
+    Rosmus resisted the urge to comment that last statement with an eye roll. "Did you ever think that maybe you're always under-performing because you know you can't win? That whatever you do won't change the outcome, so you know, why try?" These lips had turned a bright red color then, another side effect of the kabacho.  
+    "I'll find something else I'm good at. I'll see it more clearly when this thing is over. I know it."  
+    Rosmus set the kabacho on the ground, then found an amusing hat and decided to keep it. Roz then picked up a koutra[^9] from the floor and tried to play it, a hand holding the neck and the other stringing the isilk threads. "Lupin, singer songwriter?"  
+    "I'd need a better koutra, that one's got a problem. Sounds terrible."  
+    Rosmus played a short song, fingers dancing across the top face of the instrument. The music was soothing, echoing through the house. They broke into a song then, "a quartet of strings," Ros began, smirking at Lupin, "harmoniously singing."  
+    "Yes, yes. I get it I get it, it's me, I'm the problem..." Even while admitting this, Lupin eyed the stringed instrument with much resentment, as if they thought the bad playing had been its fault and its fault alone. "I've got to go." The Verido began to move toward the door, stepping in gaps between objects to get to it, then came up to the bottle of kabacho and decided to take a sip. "For my nerves." Lupin said.  
+    "Hey! What if you actually did become Voice?" Rosmus yelled. "We could go drink at The Ear all day! Best view in all of Volare! No one would bother us up there!"  
+    "Now *that* would be sacrilegious!" Lupin said with a laugh, before breaking into a run. The centre of the village was near but the first sun was high, any moment now the ceremony would start.  
 
-    Mago was standing in front of the Volare town hall, an imposing edifice
-on the lowermost area of the Ilk's nape. There were people everywhere,
-busy wrapping weaved looma[^10] vines around poles and hanging wreaths of
-dried bibiskiss[^11] on every door. The volunteers stood on top of tall,
-skinny ladders. Atop their perch, the workers swayed gently from left to
-right in complete confidence with the motion of their world.  
-    Much of the happenings in Volare were tied to what was commonly referred
-to as The Motion. The Motion, the rhythm of Vol's gait, was used to
-count the time, to rock children to sleep, and to measure their
-advancement towards their next stop. A giant pendulum erected in the
-town square swayed too, equipped with a wheel of numbers overtop
-counting up when the weight swung to one side. Everytime the number hit
-oneforty, a disc dropped from a pole. After ten discs, or ten 'horos' the pole was switched
-out with an empty one, marking the start of a new day.  
-    To withstand the motion, Volare had many tall, narrow houses, designed
-to twist and bend without breaking. Each structure was built around a
-central pillar positioned in the centre, with each floor permitting a
-fair degree of sway. When Vol would rock to the right, the first floor
-of the houses would also move that way, but the second floor would move
-left, and the third to the right, and so on. This wobbling effect kept
-the structures intact.  
+    Mago was standing in front of the Volare town hall, an imposing edifice on the lowermost area of the Ilk's nape. There were people everywhere, busy wrapping weaved looma[^10] vines around poles and hanging wreaths of dried bibiskiss[^11] on every door. The volunteers stood on top of tall, skinny ladders. Atop their perch, the workers swayed gently from left to right in complete confidence with the motion of their world.  
+    Much of the happenings in Volare were tied to what was commonly referred to as The Motion. The Motion, the rhythm of Vol's gait, was used to count the time, to rock children to sleep, and to measure their advancement towards their next stop. A giant pendulum erected in the town square swayed too, equipped with a wheel of numbers overtop counting up when the weight swung to one side. Everytime the number hit oneforty, a disc dropped from a pole. After ten discs, or ten 'horos' the pole was switched out with an empty one, marking the start of a new day.  
+    To withstand the motion, Volare had many tall, narrow houses, designed to twist and bend without breaking. Each structure was built around a central pillar positioned in the centre, with each floor permitting a fair degree of sway. When Vol would rock to the right, the first floor of the houses would also move that way, but the second floor would move left, and the third to the right, and so on. This wobbling effect kept the structures intact.  
     A disc dropped from the top of the pole then, marking a new horo. "Seventh
 horo[^]!" Someone shouted.  
-    Mago gulped. Naming Day processions were supposed to start at the seventh
-disc drop of the day. Unlike Lupin, Mago's ceremonial outfit was without wrinkles or
-dust. The Volarian's short, sandy hair was heavy with decorative beads.  
-     Mago liked to climb, and did well enough in most sports, many envied
-this Verido's ability to do well in everything. But today, Mago
-appeared less confident than usual. These eyes looked up at the Ilk's
-towering head, hands fidgeting with the ceremonial necklace.  
+    Mago gulped. Naming Day processions were supposed to start at the seventh disc drop of the day. Unlike Lupin, Mago's ceremonial outfit was without wrinkles or dust. The Volarian's short, sandy hair was heavy with decorative beads.  
+     Mago liked to climb, and did well enough in most sports. Many envied this Verido's ability to do well in everything. But today, Mago appeared less confident than usual. These eyes looked up at the Ilk's towering head, hands fidgeting with the ceremonial necklace.  
     Everyone waved at Mago, smiling and saying things like: 'Good luck in there!' or, 'You were born to do it!' Mago wondered if they said these things to cousin Lupin too, the townspeople were kind, and weren't known to play favorites.  
-    "Mago!" Armyn called out, waving a hand to try and get Mago's attention. Armyn was bound to a push-chair. A younger Verido was there to ferry them around. "Mago!" Armyn called again. "Anyone in there?"  
-    Mago groaned. "I don't have to say *yes yes* at every word! You know
-I'm listening mapa..."  
+    "Mago!" Armyn, Mago's mapa, called out, waving a hand to try and get their attention. Armyn was bound to a push-chair. A younger Verido was there to ferry them around. "Mago! Anyone in there?"  
+    Mago groaned. "I don't have to say *yes yes* at every word! You know I'm listening mapa..."  
     "Well, I want to hear you say it."  
     "I'm nervous, okay. You know I am!"  
-    "Yes, but you forget that I went through the same with cousin Levi, and
-my mapa went through it too with cousin Laggra. I'm here, right now,
-telling you that you have nothing to worry about! Our family line is
-strong, and I know firsthand whose the best for the role." Armyn smiled
-up at Mago, admiring the blue face paint that Mago had applied so
-perfectly. Levi had taught Lupin how to be Voice, but then that job fell
-onto Armyn to teach them both. "It happened ages ago, but looking at
-you now, it's strange... like going backwards in time."  
-    "Cousin Levi was really good. I heard the stories. Levi almost got the
-title."  
-    "Yes, that's true. Levi would have done many more great things, but we
-can't think about what could have been, we've got to focus on what is!
-Lupin is good, but lacks your focus my love!" Armyn's eyes darted back
-for a moment, "I have to go! They're waiting for me. I'll see you
-there!" The Verido helper wheeled Armyn away, both disappeared into the
-town hall, passing under a banner with the words 'Voice of Volare
-naming ceremony'.  
+    "Yes, but you forget that I went through the same with cousin Levi, and my mapa went through it too with cousin Laggra. I'm here, right now, telling you that you have nothing to worry about! Our family line is strong, and I know firsthand whose the best for the role." Armyn smiled up at Mago, admiring the blue face paint that Mago had applied so perfectly. Levi had taught Lupin how to be Voice, but then that job fell onto Armyn to teach them both. "It happened ages ago, but looking at you now, it's strange... like going backwards in time."  
+    "Cousin Levi was really good. I heard the stories. Levi almost got the title."  
+    "Yes, that's true. Levi would have done many more great things, but we can't think about what could have been, we've got to focus on what is! Lupin is good, but lacks your focus my love!" Armyn's eyes darted back for a moment, "I have to go! They're waiting for me. I'll see you there!" The Verido helper wheeled Armyn away, both disappeared into the town hall, passing under a banner with the words 'Voice of Volare naming ceremony'.  
     A small child stood near the banner, trying to sound the words written
 on it in ilken with little success."That doesn't sound right at all."  
-    "You almost got it." Mago said, with a kind smile, "Here, watch me."
-Mago's hands moved into place, cupping the mouth in the right way. Mago
-took a deep breath, stomach muscles clenching, and then came a
-collection of soft whistles. The sounds varied in length, pitch and
-rhythm. Otherworldly, metallic almost. This song was quiet because the
-receiver was nearby, but for Verido people Ilken[^12] was a loud language,
-usually reserved for long distance communication. Even when low, the
-song resonated throughout Volare, moving between buildings until it
-found Verido ears. Once there, it funneled inside the ear drum, and went
-deeper still, vibrating through flesh and muscle to tickle your brain.
-Over a few generations Verido Voices developed thick, developed
-abdominal muscles and ribs to speak this language.  
-    Mago whistled it a second time, at a lower tone, to make sure the child
-had heard it right. "See? Voice of Volare. You try it! Watch your pitch
-on the vowels."  
-    Eyes wide, the child positioned both hands and lips in the same way, and
-tried again but the song stopped short of the outer ear. Lacking finesse, the ear did not permit it to go further than this. Most Verido people could not speak it, but many liked to try. Only Voices had the training and physical capacity to carry words far. They could not vocalize like an Ilk, but for their size, they could produce the loudest sound in the desert.  
+    "You almost got it." Mago said, with a kind smile, "Here, watch me." Mago's hands moved into place, cupping the mouth in the right way. Mago took a deep breath, stomach muscles clenching, and then came a collection of soft whistles. The sounds varied in length, pitch and rhythm. Otherworldly, metallic almost. This song was quiet because the receiver was nearby, but for Verido people Ilken[^12] was a loud language, usually reserved for long distance communication. Even when low, the song resonated throughout Volare, moving between buildings until it found Verido ears. Once there, it funneled inside the ear drum, and went deeper still, vibrating through flesh and muscle to tickle your brain. Over a few generations Verido Voices developed thick, developed abdominal muscles and ribs to speak this language.  
+    Mago whistled it a second time, at a lower tone, to make sure the child had heard it right. "See? Voice of Volare. You try it! Watch your pitch on the vowels."  
+    Eyes wide, the child positioned both hands and lips in the same way, and tried again but the song stopped short of the outer ear. Lacking finesse, the ear did not permit it to go further than this. Most Verido people could not speak it, but many liked to try. Only Voices had the training and physical capacity to carry words far. They could not vocalize like an Ilk, but for their size, they could produce the loudest sound in the desert.  
     "Do you really talk to the Ilk?" The child asked.  
-    Mago smiled. "No. Not yet, but if I become Voice then yea, we'll talk
-everyday!"  
-    "Wow!" Stars appeared in the child's eyes at the thought of conversing
-with The Great Carrier.  
-    Volare villagers were setting up a small stage near the town hall. They
-would be playing music here tonight, songs in ilken by way of plucked instruments like the traditional donmol[^13], or the humble koutra. Mago loved the sounds of these instruments. All children in Volare were raised with music at their lips and fingers.  
-    Lupin arrived then, taking Mago's side. "Well well! If it isn't the
-Tongue Wart of the Ilk!"  
-    Mago grabbed Lupin's left ear and twisted it with a pull. "Think that
-if I keep your ear like this for five days that it'll shrivel up and fall
-off?  
+    Mago smiled. "No. Not yet, but if I become Voice then yea, we'll talk everyday!"  
+    "Wow!" Stars appeared in the child's eyes at the thought of conversing with The Great Carrier.  
+    Volare villagers were setting up a small stage near the town hall. They would be playing music here tonight, songs in ilken by way of plucked instruments like the traditional donmol[^13], or the humble koutra. Mago loved the sounds of these instruments. All children in Volare were raised with music at their lips and fingers.  
+    Lupin arrived then, taking Mago's side. "Well well! If it isn't the Tongue Wart of the Ilk!"  
+    Mago grabbed Lupin's left ear and twisted it with a pull. "Think that if I keep your ear like this for five days that it'll shrivel up and fall off?  
     "Ow! Ow! I'll tell everyone you tried to cripple me!"  
-    "They'll think you did it to yourself! You *do* hurt yourself more often
-than anyone else in the village." Mago said, twisting it harder.  
+    "They'll think you did it to yourself! You *do* hurt yourself more often than anyone else in the village." Mago said, twisting it harder.  
     "Ow! Well yes, but not on purpose! You think I like pain?"  
-    "You like attention, so who's to say!" Mago paused then, "hey, why
-are your lips red?" Mago said, releasing Lupin's ear. "You reek of
-kabacho! You fiend! You've been drinking!"  
-    "Before the ceremony? I wouldn't dare," Lupin said with a sly grin,
-while trying to get some feeling back in that pained ear. "As if you
-could hold it like *that* for a give days..."  
-    "Oh you know I totally could and would." Mago said, trying to reach
-for cousin Lupin's ear again, but then stopped, noticing the scarf.
-"Levi's freaky scarf!"  
+    "You like attention, so who's to say!" Mago paused then, "hey, why are your lips red?" Mago said, releasing Lupin's ear. "You reek of kabacho! You fiend! You've been drinking!"  
+    "Before the ceremony? I wouldn't dare," Lupin said with a sly grin, while trying to get some feeling back in that pained ear. "As if you could hold it like *that* for a give days..."  
+    "Oh you know I totally could and would." Mago said, trying to reach for cousin Lupin's ear again, but then stopped, noticing the scarf. "Levi's freaky scarf!"  
     "Long isn't freaky." Lupin protested.  
-    "I love it. Coiled around like that, it makes it look like you have no
-neck. Why did Levi make it so long again?" Mago asked, grabbing the end of the long, long blue scarf, fingers stroking the neatly woven isilk threads.   
-    Lupin shrugged. "Lev just kept adding lengths to it without stopping,
-saying I would need it long. Never really gave me a straight answer when I asked why. That was near the end anyway, one of many strange things Lev did. Though I can't imagine how long it would have been if I hadn't hidden those last skeins." After a long pause, Lupin spoke again. "How's Armyn doing?"  
-    Mago shrugged. "Mostly fine. Health has deteriorated fast this quarter
-though." Seven days ago, Armyn was able to walk, but now the shroo[^14] infection had moved into the lungs. "Hasn't gone up to The Ear in days."  
-    "Yea, it happens fast." Lupin put a hand to Mago's shoulder then, to
-offer comfort. "So, when's The Leap[^15]?" Both would be without mapas,
-but at least they had each other.  
+    "I love it. Coiled around like that, it makes it look like you have no neck. Why did Levi make it so long again?" Mago asked, grabbing the end of the long, long blue scarf, fingers stroking the neatly woven isilk threads.   
+    Lupin shrugged. "Lev just kept adding lengths to it without stopping, saying I would need it long. Never really gave me a straight answer when I asked why. That was near the end anyway, one of many strange things Lev did. Though I can't imagine how long it would have been if I hadn't hidden those last skeins." After a long pause, Lupin spoke again. "How's Armyn doing?"  
+    Mago shrugged. "Mostly fine. Health has deteriorated fast this quarter though." Seven days ago, Armyn was able to walk, but now the shroo[^14] infection had moved into the lungs. "Hasn't gone up to The Ear in days."  
+    "Yea, it happens fast." Lupin put a hand to Mago's shoulder then, to offer comfort. "So, when's The Leap[^15]?" Both would be without mapas, but at least they had each other.  
     "Soon." Mago said.  
-    "Well, I'll be there for Armyn, and for you." Lupin said, with a
-reassuring smile.  
-    "Did you feed Henbi today?" Mago asked, but seeing cousin Lupin's
-expression it was evident that Henbi had not been fed. "I ought to take it in, you're too forgetful to take care of smellydough[^16]. It can't take an infinity of abuse you know." Mago said with a sigh. "I'm surprised you haven't killed it yet."  
-    "I know, I know," Lupin said, feeling guilty. "I always remember to do
-it, eventually." In fact, Lupin kept a bag of woodgeon berries[^17] right next to the jar of bubbling wet flour. "I even ground berries this morning, I just got distracted that's all."  
-    A large crowd encircled them at the town hall then. The suns were about
-to set. It was time. Everyone around lowered their voices, and watched as the doors to the town hall opened. Lupin gulped. Even a funny-looking scarf wouldn't be enough to calm Mago's nerves now. But Lupin always knew what to say in such times...  
+    "Well, I'll be there for Armyn, and for you." Lupin said, with a reassuring smile.  
+    "Did you feed Henbi today?" Mago asked, but seeing cousin Lupin's expression it was evident that Henbi had not been fed. "I ought to take it in, you're too forgetful to take care of smellydough[^16]. It can't take an infinity of abuse you know." Mago said with a sigh. "I'm surprised you haven't killed it yet."  
+    "I know, I know," Lupin said, feeling guilty. "I always remember to do it, eventually." In fact, Lupin kept a bag of woodgeon berries[^17] right next to the jar of bubbling wet flour. "I even ground berries this morning, I just got distracted that's all."  
+    A large crowd encircled them at the town hall then. The suns were about to set. It was time. Everyone around lowered their voices, and watched as the doors to the town hall opened. Lupin gulped. Even a funny-looking scarf wouldn't be enough to calm Mago's nerves now. But Lupin always knew what to say in such times...  
     "Let's go inside, *oh* Venerable Nose
 Hair of the Ilk!"  
     "Hey don't say that too loud!"  
     Mago chuckled as both entered the building. The crowd cheered, waving flags of blue isilk, shouting their names.  
 
-    In Volare, there were no mansions or grand palaces. The town hall was an
-important, modest-sized building. The walls bore painted murals, images of the Ilk as well as a depiction of their founder and great leader Volare. The table sitting the village's council members was covered with an embroidered isilk cloth, featuring stylized relief images of clouds and suns. The two cousins now stood before a row of 6 council members. Armyn was sitting on the far left, the elder smiled and waved at them.  
-    "Happy you could join us. Today, our Armyn, seventy'be annums old, is retiring after a lifetime of service," Ence said aloud, smiling at the two Voice candidates. Ence was the appointed speaker for the council.  
-    Armyn bowed a head forward. "I will miss being at The Ear, but my body
-gave me clear signs that it's time to let someone else delight in this experience. I've learned much of the world through Vol, our Ilk. I've no doubt that the new Voice will do grand things. I have personally trained both, and am very, very proud of them." Armyn glanced at the two cousins fondly. "I will be preparing to Leap from Vol's snout five days from now, I will want to speak to each of you before I go. You, whom I love." Saying these last words, Armyn's open hand turned into a fist. "I will take this love with me to my death."  
-    "We will all bear witness to it, a Leap is a grand thing." Ence said.  
-    Armyn smiled at this, as did Mago. Lupin remembered when Levi leapt off
-The Snout. Their friends all gathered round to watch, but they remained at the base of The Neck since The Head was reserved for family. After Lev's Leap, Lupin was given a seed to sow.  
-    Ence began to play a song using a donmol, an instrument with a flat
-back, triangular-shaped sound holes, four double strings, a long neck, and a raised fingerboard. The song was a re-telling of the history of this city and of its founders. Lupin favorite moment was whens the three founders, Otora, Balandri and Volare, first encountered the Ilk. The three giants were gathered at the foot of Tor peak, a mountain the Central Rim, grazing on sweet grass. Their leader Volare stepped up first, sure-footed, bowing at Vol's hoof. The story was famous to the residents of Volare, but Lupin could listen to it again and again without tiring.  
-    Councillor Ence played a last note, and motioned for Lupin to continue
-the song in Ilken. The candidates always performed the last chorus on their own, as proof of their mastery of the language. Lupin did well enough, despite missing a few notes, while Mago's performance was pitch perfect. There were other tests, which included recitations and improvised verses, again, Mago triumphed. Lupin's improvisations lacked finesse but all applauded their creativity, no one else could recite elaborate poems on the many ways to prepare looma roots.  
-    The last part of the ceremony consisted of a public reading of their
-full family tree by Pumra, Volare's appointed Pattern Reader[^18]. Every Verido's skin bore patterns, a series of lines and dots, etched in deep like veins on a leaf.  
-    "Disrobe please," said Pumra, standing up and approaching Lupin first.
-The councillor was short, and had long wispy brows. They were so long that when Pumra moved to inspect Lupin's front, they tickled the young Verido's face. Mago could see this, and held back a laugh, a smile danced on both of their mouths. Pumra's finger followed the blue lines on Lupin's chest, racing down the arms and then down the back before ending on the face. "I had another argument with Rosmus this morning," Pumra began, whispering, "won't listen, won't learn. Ah, I can't bear the thought of Pattern Reading being lost to the world..."  
-    "I'll speak to Rosmus." Lupin said in a low voice. Won't make a
-difference, Lupin thought, knowing that Rosmus would hear the words, but 
-wilfully ignore their meaning.  
-    Pumra was relieved to hear this, and gave a light nod to show thanks.
-The councillor returned to reading, muttering names and words in a hushed voice for some time. "Lupin, Levi, Laggra and Lunav. Direct descendants of Volare, same klorea[^19] coursing through your veins. Very good."  
-    Then came Mago's turn, Pumra followed the patterns, mumbling. The set
-of wrinkled hands then touched a patch of rough skin. A burn. Pumra looked dismayed. "I can't read you." The finger lay on an old wound, carved there on Mago's backside. Armyn was distraught, recalling the event that caused it. Years ago, the Ilk stepped into a deep crevice. The violence of the motion made the city on the creature's back tremble. Armyn, a hot kettle in hand, lost control and the scalding liquid left a lasting mark on Mago.  
-    "But you know my family! We've been at the Ilk's ear for three
-generations!" Mago explained, red-faced. "What does it matter if you
-can't read it? There's no denying where I come from."  
-    The other councillors shook their heads, disapprovingly. All present in
-the room knew the family yes, everyone in Volare did, but the councillors were superstitious, and tradition was tradition. Appointing someone with a muddy pattern, they said, would offend the Ilk and they couldn't risk it. At these words, Mago froze. These words shocked Lupin too. Armyn said nothing while the rest argued, they said the word muddy often. Every mention of the word hurt Mago.  
-    Then the council came to an agreement. Pumra spoke up, "Lupin,"
-Mago's eyes fell to the floor, avoiding Armyn's gaze, "you will be the bridge between us and our Great Carrier Vol."  
-    Both had undergone the same teachings, but there was never any doubt
-that Mago would get the role. Can I refuse to be Voice? Lupin wondered. No. Mago would never think of being Voice now, not after what they said. There was nothing to do. The festivities were already beginning. Ence was outside announcing the good news. As per tradition, a ceremonial wreath made of braided isilk hairs was placed on Lupin's head, along with the robe worn by all Voices. Lupin wasn't happy, and could sense the same in Armyn. In an instant, a tiny defect robbed Mago of all purpose.  
-    Pumra led Lupin outside to face the multitude, hands threw fistfuls of
-dried woodgeon berries in the air and all began to sing. Rosmus stood in the crowd, still in plain clothes, laughing hard, and waving a bottle of half-drunk kabacho.  
+    In Volare, there were no mansions or grand palaces. The town hall was an important, modest-sized building. The walls bore painted murals, images of the Ilk as well as a depiction of their founder and great leader Volare. The table sitting the village's council members was covered with an embroidered isilk cloth, featuring stylized relief images of clouds and suns. The two cousins now stood before a row of 6 council members. Armyn was sitting on the far left, the elder smiled and waved at them.  
+    "Happy you could join us. Today, our Armyn, seventy'be annums old, is retiring after a lifetime of service," the appointed speaker from the council said aloud, smiling at the two Voice candidates.  
+    Armyn bowed a head forward. "I will miss being at The Ear, but my body gave me clear signs that it's time to let someone else delight in this experience. I've learned much of the world through Vol, our Ilk. I've no doubt that the new Voice will do grand things. I have personally trained both, and am very, very proud of them." Armyn glanced at the two cousins fondly. "I will be preparing to Leap from Vol's snout five days from now, I will want to speak to each of you before I go. You, whom I love." Saying these last words, Armyn's open hand turned into a fist. "I will take this love with me to my death."  
+    "We will all bear witness to it, a Leap is a grand thing," the speaker said.  
+    Armyn smiled at this, as did Mago. Lupin remembered when Levi leapt off The Snout. Their friends all gathered round to watch, but they remained at the base of The Neck since The Head was reserved for family. After Lev's Leap, Lupin was given a seed to sow.  
+    A musician began to play a song using a donmol, an instrument with a flat back, triangular-shaped sound holes, four double strings, a long neck, and a raised fingerboard. The song was a re-telling of the history of this city and of its founders. Lupin favorite moment was whens the three founders, Otora, Balandri and Volare, first encountered the Ilk. The three giants were gathered at the foot of Tor peak, a mountain the Central Rim, grazing on sweet grass. Their leader Volare stepped up first, sure-footed, bowing at Vol's hoof. The story was famous to the residents of Volare, but Lupin could listen to it again and again without tiring.  
+    After playing a last note, the musician motioned for Lupin to continue the song in Ilken. The candidates always performed the last chorus on their own, as proof of their mastery of the language. Lupin did well enough, despite missing a few notes, while Mago's performance was pitch perfect. There were other tests, which included recitations and improvised verses, again, Mago triumphed. Lupin's improvisations lacked finesse but all applauded their creativity, no one else could recite elaborate poems on the many ways to prepare looma roots.  
+    The last part of the ceremony consisted of a public reading of their full family tree by  Volare's appointed Pattern Reader[^18]. Every Verido's skin bore patterns, a series of lines and dots, etched in deep like veins on a leaf.  
+    "Disrobe please," said the Reader, standing up and approaching Lupin first. The Reader was short, and had long wispy brows, these were so long that they tickled the young Verido's face. Mago could see this, and held back a laugh, a smile danced on both of their mouths. The Reader's finger followed the blue lines on Lupin's chest, racing down the arms and then down the back before ending on the face, muttering names and words in a hushed voice for some time. "Lupin, Levi, Laggra and Lunav. Direct descendants of Volare, same klorea[^19] coursing through your veins. Very good."  
+    Then came Mago's turn, the Reader followed the patterns, mumbling. The set of wrinkled hands then touched a patch of rough skin. A burn. The Reader looked dismayed. "I can't read you." The finger lay on an old wound, carved there on Mago's backside. Armyn was distraught, recalling the event that caused it. Years ago, the Ilk stepped into a deep crevice. The violence of the motion made the city on the creature's back tremble. Armyn, a hot kettle in hand, lost control and the scalding liquid left a lasting mark on Mago.  
+    "But you know my family! We've been at the Ilk's ear for three generations!" Mago explained, red-faced. "What does it matter if you can't read it? There's no denying where I come from."  
+    The other councillors shook their heads, disapprovingly. All present in the room knew the family yes, everyone in Volare did, but the councillors were superstitious, and tradition was tradition. Appointing someone with a muddy pattern, they said, would offend the Ilk and they couldn't risk it. At these words, Mago froze. These words shocked Lupin too. Armyn said nothing while the rest argued, they said the word muddy often. Every mention of the word hurt Mago.  
+    Then the council came to an agreement. The Reader spoke up, "Lupin," Mago's eyes fell to the floor, avoiding Armyn's gaze, "you will be the bridge between us and our Great Carrier Vol."  
+    Both had undergone the same teachings, but there was never any doubt that Mago would get the role. Can I refuse to be Voice? Lupin wondered. No. Mago would never think of being Voice now, not after what they said. There was nothing to do. The festivities were already beginning. Someone was outside announcing the good news. As per tradition, a ceremonial wreath made of braided isilk hairs was placed on Lupin's head, along with the robe worn by all Voices. Lupin wasn't happy, and could sense the same in Armyn. In an instant, a tiny defect robbed Mago of all purpose.  
+    The Reader led Lupin outside to face the multitude, hands threw fistfuls of dried woodgeon berries in the air and all began to sing. Rosmus stood in the crowd, still in plain clothes, laughing hard, and waving a bottle of half-drunk kabacho.  
     Should have stayed home, Lupin thought.  
     All in Volare chanted, repeating Lupin's name like a mantra. The world was a blur, a mess of people amassing close and saying kind things. The eldest of each family added a single bead to the wreath, after a while the weight of it was giving Lupin neck pains.  
     "You speak for us all when you're up there! We trust in you. May your
-presence at The Ear grant us many more annums on Vol's back." Pumra said, adding yet another bead to the wreath.  
+presence at The Ear grant us many more annums on Vol's back," the Reader said, adding yet another bead to the wreath.  
     These celebrations were overwhelming for Lupin, but would not last, as
 it was tradition for the Voice to climb to Vol's ear during the day's festivities. The people would sing, dance and play games while awaiting Lupin's return the next morning. Wreath and all, the Voice climbed up to The Ear alone, pushing through the tall tangles of hair on Vol's spine.  
-    Lupin found it hard to swallow, or breathe, even taking steps was
-difficult. The stomach too was in tangles, constricted by obligation, and responsibility. "I'm going to be sick," Lupin said, swallowing it back, hard, afraid that vomiting too could offend Vol. "What if I say the wrong thing, what if I get everyone... thrown off." The Voice's vision began to blur at the thought of getting everyone killed. "A looberry berry fell from the mountain top," Lupin began to sing a song aloud, to try and chase those thoughts away. "It rolled rolled down down down into the yellow yellow sand. Along came a snakadil[^20], and they began to play and play, but it soon began to cry and cry. The looberry berry longed for home, but the snakadil did not know what to do." After singing it, Lupin regretted the choice of song, and swallowed sick all the way up to The Ear.  
-    Vol had large, tufted, parabolic ears. On arrival, Lupin spent a long
-time looking at it, wondering what sounds it could hear that these ears could not. It was a calm, windless day. The horizon though was not visible, dimmed by a distant sand cloud. All Lupin could hear was the faint noise of music of the happenings in Volare, this, and the sound of the Vol's breathing. Even after being told many times what to do, and what to say to the Ilk, standing here now Lupin seemed to have forgotten it all. Before the Voice could say anything, the Ilk spoke. Lupin could feel its stomach expanding, then air circulated from within its body before coming up the throat to push out of its mouth. Vol spoke in rythmic hums and grunts, a version of ilken adapted to Verido-ears.  
-    Paying close attention to the length and pitch of each sound, Lupin
-understood. "No wind." The Voice said in ilken, smiling. "Want to hear a song I wrote?"  
-    Vol's ear twitched at these words, listening closely. Lupin smiled and
-pulled out a tiny instrument that looked like a comb with flexible prongs. The Voice began to play a song with it. The Ilk seemed to enjoy it, its ears twisted at every second note.  
-    As time passed Lupin became more comfortable. The Ilk gave infrequent
-notice of changes in the weather or the terrain. Lupin spent a while listening to the whistled conversations between it, and the others of its kin. There were two other giants in existence, the Ilk of Otora and the Ilk of Balandri, they too carrying cities with Verido people. Few livings things could hear Ilk communicating to each other, and yet it was widely known that their conversations spanned the entire desert. Verido had evolved to detect some of their low-frequency seismic communication, their flute-like ears growing in size and becoming long, and conical, but even then their range was limited. Lupin imagined surfing Ilk song like a wave of sand, traveling in the sky and into the ears of other large desert beasts. This thought kept this mind busy.  
+    Lupin found it hard to swallow, or breathe, even taking steps was difficult. The stomach too was in tangles, constricted by obligation, and responsibility. "I'm going to be sick," Lupin said, swallowing it back, hard, afraid that vomiting too could offend Vol. "What if I say the wrong thing, what if I get everyone... thrown off." The Voice's vision began to blur at the thought of getting everyone killed. "A looberry berry fell from the mountain top," Lupin began to sing a song aloud to try and chase those thoughts away, a song common to Volare children. "It rolled rolled down down down into the yellow yellow sand. Along came a snakadil[^20], and they began to play and play, but it soon began to cry and cry. The looberry berry longed for home, but the snakadil did not know what to do." After singing it, Lupin regretted the choice of song, and swallowed sick all the way up to The Ear.  
+    Vol had large, tufted, parabolic ears. On arrival, Lupin spent a long time looking at it, wondering what sounds it could hear that these ears could not. It was a calm, windless day. The horizon though was not visible, dimmed by a distant sand cloud. All Lupin could hear was the faint noise of music of the happenings in Volare, this, and the sound of the Vol's breathing. Even after being told many times what to do, and what to say to the Ilk, standing here now Lupin seemed to have forgotten it all. Before the Voice could say anything, the Ilk spoke. Lupin could feel its stomach expanding, then air circulated from within its body before coming up the throat to push out of its mouth. Vol spoke in rythmic hums and grunts, a version of Ilken adapted to Verido-ears.  
+    Paying close attention to the length and pitch of each sound, Lupin understood. "No wind." The Voice said in Ilken, smiling. "Want to hear a song I wrote?"  
+    Vol's ear twitched at these words, listening closely. Lupin smiled and pulled out a tiny instrument that looked like a comb with flexible prongs. The Voice began to play a song with it. The Ilk seemed to enjoy it, its ears twisted at every second note.  
+    As time passed Lupin became more comfortable. The Ilk gave infrequent notice of changes in the weather or the terrain. Lupin spent a while listening to the whistled conversations between it, and the others of its kin. There were two other giants in existence, the Ilk of Otora and the Ilk of Balandri, they too carrying cities with Verido people. Few livings things could hear Ilk communicating to each other, and yet it was widely known that their conversations spanned the entire desert. Verido had evolved to detect some of their low-frequency seismic communication, their flute-like ears growing in size and becoming long, and conical, but even then their range was limited. Lupin imagined surfing Ilk song like a wave of sand, traveling in the sky and into the ears of other large desert beasts. This thought kept this mind busy.  
 
-    The morning after the festivities were over Lupin descended, but again,
-was forced into more activities and celebrations with the village people. All the while, Lupin thought of Mago, the Verido hoped to stop by the house today... time permitting. That time came later that day, but the new Voice of the Volare Ilk couldn't get past the front door. Armyn let no one inside.  
-    Lupin had to give up, and went to see Rosmus instead. The tall-haired
-Verido was busy putting a pot together, grinding carapace shavings into a fine powder with a giant mortar and pestle. "How was it up there?" Roz asked.  
-    Lupin smiled. "Amazing. Could have stayed longer up there, but um...I'm
-not feeling too good. I'm worried about Mago."  
-    "Mago needs time that's all."  
+    The morning after the festivities were over Lupin descended, but again, was forced into more activities and celebrations with the village people. All the while, Lupin thought of Mago, the Verido hoped to stop by the house today... time permitting. That time came later that day, but the new Voice of the Volare Ilk couldn't get past the front door. Armyn let no one inside.  
+    Lupin had to give up, and went to see Rosmus instead. The tall-haired Verido was busy putting a pot together, grinding carapace shavings into a fine powder with a giant mortar and pestle. "How was it up there?" Roz asked.  
+    Lupin smiled. "Amazing. Could have stayed longer up there, but um...I'm not feeling too good. I'm worried about Mago."  
+    "Mago needs time, that's all..."  
     "Did you know about the burn?"  
-    Rosmus did not look at Lupin, and continued to pulverize some more
-shavings, "No. It's silly isn't it? This whole thing? Muddy! What nonsense. Mago's lineage was clear as day." Rosmus mixed a handful of powder with the juice of a looma root, and began to massage it into shape, gradually adding more liquid or more powder as needed. "I'm thinking of becoming a travelling potter. I heard Finiku love Verido pottery!"  
-    "You want to leave the Ilk?" Lupin remembered what Pumra had said.  
-    "No one else knows how read patterns Roz, the knowledge will die with
-you if you leave."  
-    "Land-dwellers name themselves, did you know this? Pattern Reading, as
-it is now, has become a matter of superstition. Vol doesn't care about patterns or klorealines. We do. We rely on half-baked rituals because we are afraid." Rosmus said.  
-    "Afraid... of what?" Lupin asked, but in truth, did not want to know
-the answer.  
-    "That our future is not certain, and that your presence at The Ear
-doesn't guarantee a thing." Rosmus said this with a broad reassuring smile, but that did little to mute the grim nature of those words.  
-    While talking, Rosmus had shaped the shape into a recipient, and was
-about to start carving shapes onto the outer sides of the bowl, but decided instead to reach into a bag for an object, which was then placed onto Lupin's lap. "Here, I made you a tea cup." The teacup was mottled grey with a blue hue, it had a bulbous shape, and Rosmus had coiled a decorative isilk braid around its handle. "You can tie it to your belt with it, carry it around, maybe have a cup at The Ear. Tea is good for thinking."  
+    Rosmus did not look at Lupin, and continued to pulverize some more shavings, "No. It's silly though isn't it? This whole thing? Muddy! What nonsense. Mago's lineage was clear as day." Rosmus mixed a handful of powder with the juice of a looma root, and began to massage it into shape, gradually adding more liquid or more powder as needed. "Land-dwellers name themselves, did you know this? Pattern Reading, as it is now, has become a matter of superstition. Vol doesn't care about patterns or klorealines. We do. We rely on half-baked rituals because we are afraid." Rosmus said.  
+    "Afraid... of what?" Lupin asked, but in truth, did not want to know the answer.  
+    "That our future is not certain, and that your presence at The Ear doesn't guarantee a thing." Rosmus said this with a broad reassuring smile, but that did little to mute the grim nature of those words.  
+    While talking, Rosmus had shaped the shape into a recipient, and was about to start carving shapes onto the outer sides of the bowl, but decided instead to reach into a bag for an object, which was then placed onto Lupin's lap. "Here, I made you a tea cup." The teacup was mottled grey with a blue hue, it had a bulbous shape, and Rosmus had coiled a decorative isilk braid around its handle. "You can tie it to your belt with it, carry it around, maybe have a cup at The Ear. Tea is good for thinking."  
     "I already have a tea cup."  
-    "Yea. I've seen it. This one is better." Rosmus grabbed the cup
-again, and set it atop Lupin's head. "It's a Thinking Cup. Forces you to look at the world, makes you question everything. If you need to have a long think, fill it with tea and set it atop your head. It works, you'll see."  
-    "I don't need a cup of tea on my head to think," the Verido said,
-removing the cup from its perch. "I'll look ridiculous."  
-    "No, you'll appear pensive, which from the outside will make you look
-smart." Rosmus said, continuing to crush more powder, amassing enough material for a dozen more Thinking Cups.  
+    "Yea. I've seen it. This one is better." Rosmus grabbed the cup again, and set it atop Lupin's head. "It's a Thinking Cup. Forces you to look at the world, makes you question everything. If you need to have a long think, fill it with tea and set it atop your head. It works, you'll see."  
+    "I don't need a cup of tea on my head to think," the Verido said, removing the cup from its perch. "I'll look ridiculous."  
+    "No, you'll appear pensive, which from the outside will make you look smart." Rosmus said, continuing to crush more powder, amassing enough material for a dozen more Thinking Cups.  
 
-    Everyday, Lupin climbed to The Ear. Everyday, with a new joke to tell.
-This was a challenge that resulted in many sleepless nights, Lupin was busy, hard at work composing jokes suitable for an Ilk. It was possible that the Ilk did not have a sense of humor, although some annums ago Armyn had mentioned something Vol had said about a grain of sand and a mudbear at a snack bar. Ever since then, the cousins agonized over whether or not it was an attempt at a joke. Thinking about such times made Lupin miss their friendship, they hadn't spoken in days.  
-    "We don't want to see anyone." Armyn had said, dishevelled. After the
-ceremony both went home, and had not come out since. The only person who had dared to visit was Lupin.  
+    Everyday, Lupin climbed to The Ear. Everyday, with a new joke to tell. This was a challenge that resulted in many sleepless nights, Lupin was busy, hard at work composing jokes suitable for an Ilk. It was possible that the Ilk did not have a sense of humor, although some annums ago Armyn had mentioned something Vol had said about a grain of sand and a mudbear at a snack bar. Ever since then, the cousins agonized over whether or not it was an attempt at a joke. Thinking about such times made Lupin miss their friendship, they hadn't spoken in days.  
+    "We don't want to see anyone." Armyn had said, dishevelled. After the ceremony both went home, and had not come out since. The only person who had dared to visit was Lupin.  
     "That can't be what Mago wants."  
-    "I don't like what you're implying," Armyn said, eyes narrowing
-down, "you can't come here everyday."  
-    "I'm sorry, I know Mago ought to have been..." Lupin stopped,
-wincing at those last, unspoken words. "Please let me help."  
-    "A curse has befallen us!" Armyn pushed forward and whispered through
-closed teeth, "it's Vol, it meant for us to fail. Don't you see? It shook the ground, and made me harm my child! Oh I will die with this pain in my flesh..."  
-    Feeling bitter and abandoned, Lupin left. Evidently Armyn was not well,
-but Mago was likely worse. Was this the end of their friendship? They were family, Lupin couldn't stand the thought of losing them both to this, but insisting further at this point would only cause them more harm. Lupin loved them and didn't want that, leaving was hard but necessary.  
+    "I don't like what you're implying," Armyn said, eyes narrowing down, "you can't come here everyday."  
+    "I'm sorry, I know Mago ought to have been..." Lupin stopped, wincing at those last, unspoken words. "Please let me help."  
+    "A curse has befallen us!" Armyn pushed forward and whispered through closed teeth, "it's Vol, it meant for us to fail. Don't you see? It shook the ground, and made me harm my child! Oh I will die with this pain in my flesh..."  
+    Feeling bitter and abandoned, Lupin left. Evidently Armyn was not well, but Mago was likely worse. Was this the end of their friendship? They were family, Lupin couldn't stand the thought of losing them both to this, but insisting further at this point would only cause them more harm. Lupin loved them and didn't want that, leaving was hard but necessary.  
 
-    Every night Mago had dreams about pushing Lupin off the Vol's head, the
-body crumbling to pieces as it fell. Mago would wake, feeling nauseous and guilty, no amount of positive thinking could chase those horrible images away. Lupin was a friend, getting rid of this rage was more important than grieving. There was no telling how such thoughts could affect Mago's mind. Already there was an itch there, a dark sludgy patch that was hard at work assimilating Mago's remaining good thoughts. The only way to get rid of the sludgy patch was to find Lupin and to apologize for disappearing. Mago had been a bad friend. It was time to move on, there were plenty of things to do on the Ilk, in fact Lupin had hoped to become a Hand of the Ilk after the ceremony, like Levi.  
-    "That's right, I could be Hand," Mago thought. Levi had wanted to be
-Voice, but even after being denied the role had also adored being Hand. In fact, Levi's work had saved Vol from a major parasitical infection many annums ago, one that threatened the creature's digestive system. It was a worthy, important role.  
-    Mago finally left the house but did not find Lupin home. There was a lot
-of wind that day, it rushed between the buildings, sounding like a long wailing cry, escaping from the mouth of a creature no mortal could appease. Mago gazed up at the Ilk's head, most of it already engulfed in a thick cloud of dust, and concluded that this is where Lupin was. During stormy weather, someone had to stay at The Head. If ever something bad happened, Vol would communicate it to The Voice, who in turn would translate the message, whistling it to the Hands who would attend to the problem.  
-    That morning there had been talk of a storm coming this way, Lupin had
-communicated it down and the message had come to everyone's ears. People in the city closed their shutters and wrapped scarves around their faces. Mago did not care to prepare, focused on talking to Lupin. Once at The Nape of The Neck Mago tied one end of a braided isilk rope around this waist, and the other to a security line. This line ran along Vol's spine, people used it to make their way up there. The Hands made use of these safety lines often.  
-    And so began the long, arduous climb to the head. The wind was stronger
-going up, but this wasn't Mago's first climb in such conditions, and the line system was safe enough. The Verido pushed through angry tangles of Ilk hair, the central line ran right through it. While providing shelter, the hairs gave the climber something else to grab onto. No sand made it in here, though looking up one could see an infinity of grains whizzing by. Then finally, Mago pushed through the last section of hair and arrived at the top of the head.  
-    Lupin stood next to The Ear, although from here, it looked like a giant
-fuzzy plant. It was dark on the outside and pink on the inside. Once in a while the ear would twist, the Voice caressed it, in an attempt to calm the giant. There was little shelter on the head, nothing to keep the sand from grinding you down. Lupin's head had a scarf, and the shoulders bore a thick cloak, this of course did not rival the Ilk's natural physiological adaptations. The beast eyes were cloudy, a third eyelid drew across them and acted as a protective curtain. A lot of particles lay trapped in the beast's eyelashes too, they too did a good job of keeping the vision clear. The tiny specks looked like insects trapped in a web. Their thick coats insulated them from the intense heat radiated from desert sand, and their gait and wide feet help them to walk without sinking.  
-    The Voice was too busy scanning the horizon for disturbances to notice
-anyone else was there. The rope tying Lupin to the Ilk lay on the ground. Mago was waiting for the right time to step forward, but couldn't gather the courage to do it. Also, dark thoughts crept into this Verido's mind. How easy it would be to undo Lupin's tether, and the wind would take care of the rest! Mago chased the thought away, horrified. What's wrong with me?  
-    Finally, their eyes met. Lupin's yellow eyes showed through small
-openings in the blue scarf. Mago was anxious, as if somehow Lupin knew
-about the dream.  
-    Lupin turned all the way round, back to the wind, and pushed a bit of
-scarf away to reveal the smile concealed underneath. This smile was enough for Mago to build up the confidence to make that dreaded, but necessary apology. "I'm sorry I didn't congratulate you, and that I avoided you... and my mapa's behavior..."  
+    Every night Mago had dreams about pushing Lupin off the Vol's head, the body crumbling to pieces as it fell. Mago would wake, feeling nauseous and guilty, no amount of positive thinking could chase those horrible images away. Lupin was a friend, getting rid of this rage was more important than grieving. There was no telling how such thoughts could affect Mago's mind. Already there was an itch there, a dark sludgy patch that was hard at work assimilating Mago's remaining good thoughts. The only way to get rid of the sludgy patch was to find Lupin and to apologize for disappearing. Mago had been a bad friend. It was time to move on, there were plenty of things to do on the Ilk, in fact Lupin had hoped to become a Hand of the Ilk after the ceremony, like Levi.  
+    "That's right, I could be Hand," Mago thought. Levi had wanted to be Voice, but even after being denied the role had also adored being Hand. In fact, Levi's work had saved Vol from a major parasitical infection many annums ago, one that threatened the creature's digestive system. It was a worthy, important role.  
+    Mago finally left the house but did not find Lupin home. There was a lot of wind that day, it rushed between the buildings, sounding like a long wailing cry, escaping from the mouth of a creature no mortal could appease. Mago gazed up at the Ilk's head, most of it already engulfed in a thick cloud of dust, and concluded that this is where Lupin was. During stormy weather, someone had to stay at The Head. If ever something bad happened, Vol would communicate it to The Voice, who in turn would translate the message, whistling it to the Hands who would attend to the problem.  
+    That morning there had been talk of a storm coming this way, Lupin had communicated it down and the message had come to everyone's ears. People in the city closed their shutters and wrapped scarves around their faces. Mago did not care to prepare, focused on talking to Lupin. Once at The Nape of The Neck Mago tied one end of a braided isilk rope around this waist, and the other to a security line. This line ran along Vol's spine, people used it to make their way up there. The Hands made use of these safety lines often.  
+    And so began the long, arduous climb to the head. The wind was stronger going up, but this wasn't Mago's first climb in such conditions, and the line system was safe enough. The Verido pushed through angry tangles of Ilk hair, the central line ran right through it. While providing shelter, the hairs gave the climber something else to grab onto. No sand made it in here, though looking up one could see an infinity of grains whizzing by. Then finally, Mago pushed through the last section of hair and arrived at the top of the head.  
+    Lupin stood next to The Ear, although from here, it looked like a giant fuzzy plant. It was dark on the outside and pink on the inside. Once in a while the ear would twist, the Voice caressed it, in an attempt to calm the giant. There was little shelter on the head, nothing to keep the sand from grinding you down. Lupin's head had a scarf, and the shoulders bore a thick cloak, this of course did not rival the Ilk's natural physiological adaptations. The beast eyes were cloudy, a third eyelid drew across them and acted as a protective curtain. A lot of particles lay trapped in the beast's eyelashes too, they too did a good job of keeping the vision clear. The tiny specks looked like insects trapped in a web. Their thick coats insulated them from the intense heat radiated from desert sand, and their gait and wide feet help them to walk without sinking.  
+    The Voice was too busy scanning the horizon for disturbances to notice anyone else was there. The rope tying Lupin to the Ilk lay on the ground. Mago was waiting for the right time to step forward, but couldn't gather the courage to do it. Also, dark thoughts crept into this Verido's mind. How easy it would be to undo Lupin's tether, and the wind would take care of the rest! Mago chased the thought away, horrified. What's wrong with me?  
+    Finally, their eyes met. Lupin's yellow eyes showed through small openings in the blue scarf. Mago was anxious, as if somehow Lupin knew about the dream.  
+    Lupin turned all the way round, back to the wind, and pushed a bit of scarf away to reveal the smile concealed underneath. This smile was enough for Mago to build up the confidence to make that dreaded, but necessary apology. "I'm sorry I didn't congratulate you, and that I avoided you... and my mapa's behavior..."  
     "You should be Voice Mago, not me."  
     "Please don't say that."  
     "I mean it. Vol keeps correcting my ilken. It's embarrassing."  
     Mago smirked at this, but did not feel worthy of Lupin's kindness.  
     "We're still friends right?" Lupin asked.  
-    They couldn't continue their conversation. The Ilk let out a groan to
-warn them of an incoming gust. Both Verido braced themselves for impact, but the wind came fast and strong. Sand swept Lupin up into the air, as a flurry of yellow grain swallowed up the world. Mago stayed put, belly on the ground with hands holding onto the main security line. When the wind died enough to stand up again, Mago hurried and grabbed Lupin's tether, the air was still thick with sand and made it hard to see. "Hold on!" Mago screamed, but there was a problem, the line was too light, like there was no weight on the other end.  
-    "No, no, no! This can't be real. It can't be. They'll blame me for
-it, they'll think I did it!" Mago felt dizzy, and continued to pull. "This can't be real." Then came the end of the line, and Lupin was not attached to it. Tears welled up in Mago's eyes. "Lupin!"
+    They couldn't continue their conversation. The Ilk let out a groan to warn them of an incoming gust. Both Verido braced themselves for impact, but the wind came fast and strong. Sand swept Lupin up into the air, as a flurry of yellow grain swallowed up the world. Mago stayed put, belly on the ground with hands holding onto the main security line. When the wind died enough to stand up again, Mago hurried and grabbed Lupin's tether, the air was still thick with sand and made it hard to see. "Hold on!" Mago screamed, but there was a problem, the line was too light, like there was no weight on the other end.  
+    "No, no, no! This can't be real. It can't be. They'll blame me for it, they'll think I did it!" Mago felt dizzy, and continued to pull. "This can't be real." Then came the end of the line, and Lupin was not attached to it. Tears welled up in Mago's eyes. "Lupin!"
 
 \newpage
 
@@ -505,7 +305,7 @@ words of a being many times their size. Lupin groaned, and managed to stand up.
 then. Kit was a large big-eared creature. It had light-colored fur with what looked like spots of black ink spattered all over its body. Two dark spots sat over its eyes, giving Kit's face a constant air of severity and general discontent.  
     "A hyroo? I thought those were extinct."  
     It occurred to Lupin then that like the mountain with no name, Uno was
-familiar. There was a story that Pumra read to the children during town feasts while the grown-ups were busy. The story started with tall beings in the early days of the world, they towered above the clouds and spent all their time admiring the passing skyrocks and far away lights. They kept their eyes to the skies, but then one day, a skyrock landed at their feet and they averted their gaze ground-ward. Both began to watch the sandstorms form and dissipate. Then, came life. Green things began to sprout out of the ground. The tall ones observed this change with great interest, they were delighted to see the green grow and spread. They spent so much time looking down, that they began to shrink to better watch the happenings on the ground. The tiny things of the world became more important than the big things. They decided to sow life of their own across the Soronan desert.  
+familiar. There was a story that the village Reader read to the children during town feasts while the grown-ups were busy. The story started with tall beings in the early days of the world, they towered above the clouds and spent all their time admiring the passing skyrocks and far away lights. They kept their eyes to the skies, but then one day, a skyrock landed at their feet and they averted their gaze ground-ward. Both began to watch the sandstorms form and dissipate. Then, came life. Green things began to sprout out of the ground. The tall ones observed this change with great interest, they were delighted to see the green grow and spread. They spent so much time looking down, that they began to shrink to better watch the happenings on the ground. The tiny things of the world became more important than the big things. They decided to sow life of their own across the Soronan desert.  
     Lupin and Mago argued over the story a lot. "Foolish stories for fools
 like you!" A young Mago had said once, "if there was anyone that tall
 out there we would have seen them!" Mago wasn't wrong about that. There
@@ -3106,10 +2906,10 @@ Hello Logbook. Dorake's passage is a day away. Our progress is good, but slow. T
 
 *First sunrise*  
 
-    I woke up to a roaring sound. The wind had risen, and the entire cabin was shaking. The yukwood hull creaked, as if the walls were afraid. There was sand inside of the cabin, covering the stairs and floor near the entrance. The hatch was shut, but sand had found its way inside, slipping through the cracks and filling every corner. I got up, looked outside and found an opaque wall of weather. No horizon. I could not see past Tarka's middle. I went back inside to slip on a pair of goggles and a scarf, the speed of that wind pushed the sand at violent speeds, and just like sand had gotten inside of the cabin with ease, it too would a way inside my nostrils. Too much could kill you. I followed Eka's tether to the bow, and was glad to find my companion there, safe.  
+    I woke up to a roaring sound. The wind had risen, and the entire cabin was shaking. The yukwood hull creaked, as if the walls were afraid. There was sand inside of the cabin, covering the stairs and floor near the entrance. The hatch was shut, but sand had found its way inside, slipping through the cracks and filling every corner. I got up, looked outside and found an opaque wall of weather. No horizon. I could not see past Tarka's middle. I went back inside to slip on a pair of goggles and a scarf, the speed of that wind pushed the sand at violent speeds, and just like sand had gotten inside of the cabin with ease, it too would a way inside my nostrils. Too much could hurt you. I followed Eka's tether to the bow, and was glad to find my companion there, safe.  
     All of the sails were down, and looking ahead I saw a line extending out into the sand. The line was taut, and led back to our anchor, disappearing behind the yellow veil. We were riding on our storm anchor. Eka too wore goggles and a scarf. We both stared at the rope, to make sure that the anchor had set. My friend's red hair had a muted color today, dimmed with dust.  
     The quiet world of yesterday was gone.  
-    In such weather all creatures were hiding in their respective shelters. We ought to do the same. Nono had told us that if there weren't any small avians around that it is a sure sign that the weather was deteriorating. We should have seen the signs, a barren land is a portent of disaster.  
+    In such weather all creatures were hiding in their respective shelters. We ought to do the same. Nono had told us that if there weren't any small avians around that it was a sure sign that the weather was deteriorating. We should have seen the signs, a barren land is a portent of disaster.  
     When we were certain that Tarka wasn't going to blow away, we retreated back inside and prepared some food. Eka explained that the wind had picked up fast, and threatened to turn us over. A storm had come under the cover of darkness. 
     The event I had been dreading had arrived.  
 
@@ -3121,13 +2921,13 @@ Hello Logbook. Dorake's passage is a day away. Our progress is good, but slow. T
 *First sunset*  
 
     Eka is Tarka's time keeper, flipping the sand timer every time it is empty. The sandstorm makes it difficult to see the position of the two suns, and so with the timer we know how much time has passed. Knowing is both a comfort, and a source of worry for me. The longer it lasts, the more anxious I get, but I also know that every song must end.  
-    The accumulating sand is beginning to bury us. I don't know how we'll be able to get the anchors out. We went out often on deck today to push the sand off from around the bow, but the wind carried more back. I wonder if it would not have been better to run with the weather, but I remember what Nono said. Running in heavy winds might result in Tarka pitch-polling. Pitch-polling means that the sandfin would roll head first. Few sandfins could recover from such an ordeal, the rig would likely break. I bet that's how this area acquired its reputation of being a graveyard for sandfins.  
+    The accumulating sand is beginning to bury us. I don't know how we'll be able to get the anchors out. We went out often on deck today to push the sand off from around the bow, but the wind carried more back. I wonder if it would not have been better to run with the weather, but I remember what Nono said. Running in heavy winds might result in Tarka doing a death roll. A death roll means that the sandfin would roll either sideways or face first. Few sandfins could recover from such an ordeal, the rig would likely break. I bet that's how this area acquired its reputation of being a graveyard for sandfins.  
     Many shovel-fulls later, I still can't eat anything. My whole body is on alert, putting aside regular processes to attend to this stressful event. Hunger doesn't happen under stress, nor thirst.  
 
 *Second sunset*  
 
     Both of us stayed awake, the noise outside made it difficult to sleep. We spent a lot of time stuffing bits of fabric into openings, to try and keep the sand out. With time though, the sand *always* finds a way in. It sends fingers of grains through cracks, like soldiers to war. Given enough time its hordes would overwhelm, and entomb us.  
-    The mainsail got loose. We could hear it shaking the entire rig. The sail was whipping violently above our heads. The two of us went out to try and lash it back down again. Opening the hatch to exit, even for a second, sent a flurry of grain below. We closed it tight, tied our tethers, and felt our way forward, moving towards the mast. The wind was much stronger now, and the sand scratched any bit of exposed skin. We'd noticed that the rocks in the area were all smooth, and now we know why. If we stayed out here too long, we too would start to shrink in size, our sharp edges ground off by the weather.  
+    The mainsail got loose. We could hear it shaking the entire rig. The sail was whipping violently above our heads. The two of us went out to try and lash it back down again. Opening the hatch to exit, even for a second, sent a flurry of grains below. We closed it tight, tied our tethers, and felt our way forward, moving towards the mast. The wind was much stronger now, and the sand scratched any bit of exposed skin. We'd noticed that the rocks in the area were all smooth, and now we know why. If we stayed out here too long, we too would start to shrink in size, our sharp edges ground off by the weather.  
     I had to re-tie the scarf around my mouth and nose many times. The wind has skilled and patient hands, able to untie any knot. It did manage to loosen my scarf all the way, I could feel sand funneling inside my nostrils and into my throat. I plugged my nose shut with one hand while Eka rushed over to fasten the knot again. I coughed and wheezed from under the strip of cloth, in a hurry to expel the grains from my lungs. My throat was burning for a long time after that.  
     We tied the boom down again and wrestled the sail in. This was a task that required four hands. We folded the sail down in sections, with Eka adding rope as we went along. I trust Eka's knots more than my own. It doesn't look as though the sail cloth was damaged, although we found one broken batten. Fixing a batten is not too difficult, Nono had us carry spares.  
     We were lucky that the wind did not shred the sail. Nono would hate me using that word. Lucky. There is no such thing as luck, just good and cautious sandfinners.  
@@ -3137,13 +2937,14 @@ Hello Logbook. Dorake's passage is a day away. Our progress is good, but slow. T
 
 *First sunrise*  
 
-    The storm abated, and when it did it rain fell from the sky. A gentle, cool rain. We sat for a long while in it, smiling, letting it clear the sand from our clothes and skin. It helped strip the sand from the deck too. Rain is rare in the Soronan Desert, but the geography here is perfect for it. Now that the wind is down, we can see plants coming out of the soil, their leaves fanning out to try and catch it. The ground is covered in green now, resembling Zucca's garden in the Oasis. Nono told us that this place had many hidden waterstone caverns, but no one ever stayed here long enough to uncover them, the area was too dangerous. We must not let this beautiful event soften our hearts, we must not forget the uncaring destructive nature of this place.  
+    The storm abated, and when it did it rain fell from the sky. A gentle, cool rain. We sat for a long while in it, smiling, letting it clear the sand from our clothes and skin. It helped strip the sand from the deck too. Rain is rare in the Soronan Desert, but the topography here is perfect for it. Now that the wind is down, we can see plants coming out of the soil, their leaves fanning out to try and catch it. The ground is covered in green now, resembling Zucca's garden in the Oasis. Nono told us that this place had many hidden waterstone caverns, but no one ever stayed here long enough to uncover them, the area was too dangerous. We must not let this beautiful event soften our hearts, we must not forget the uncaring and destructive nature of this place.  
     After the rain subsided, we began the long task of freeing Tarka from the enormous sand bank that had engulfed it. The whole front of the bow disappeared under a thick, and heavy yellow canopy. Now I understand why Nono insisted on us carrying a pair of heavy shovels. The exercise helped me find my appetite again then, after a few horos of digging I ate half of a muckwheat loaf.  
 
 *Second sunrise*  
 
-    We are still busy clearing the sand away. The bow is almost free, but then we'll have to try and retrieve the two anchors. Tarka has a drum that we can wrap the anchor line around. It has a hole at the top, where we can insert a handle to hoist them back up. I tried to use it but could not do it, still too much sand. We need to keep digging.   
-We keep finding sand inside of the cabin, under floorboards, in cups and within the pages of Volare's book too. Sand flies, crawls and hides.  
+    We are still busy clearing the sand away. The bow is almost free, but then we'll have to try and retrieve the two anchors. Tarka has a drum that we can wrap the anchor line around. It has a hole at the top, where we can insert a handle to hoist them back up. I tried to use it but could not do it, still too much sand. We need to keep digging.  
+    We keep finding sand inside of the cabin, under floorboards, in cups and within the pages of Volare's book too.  
+    Sand flies, crawls and hides.  
 
 *First sunset*  
 
@@ -3168,8 +2969,8 @@ We keep finding sand inside of the cabin, under floorboards, in cups and within
 *First sunrise*
 
     The wind is still with us, but we are the only ones out there.
-    We are in the Sawa'tae Ash Plains, it is easy to tell because the ground is no longer yellow. The desert is black, inverted. I've never seen anything like it. Vol's path around the world never included this region, with reason... it's known as the place where all things go to die. No one comes here for any other reason, not even as transit.  
-    I imagined that it would be a scary place, the air thick with dread, but it is pleasant. There is life here too. The area is full of sooty agocets. Small, wispy, elongated creatures that swim in the black sand. We've had many dive aboard, startled by our passing. When they land on deck they twist and shimmy their bodies until they find the edge of the vessel, to freedom. In doing so, they leave little sooty trails everywhere. We passed through an area teeming with them earlier, they exploded out of the ground and covered the deck in black dust. We laughed. No amount of cleaning could rid the deck of all this soot. Tarka was now a true creature of the Sawa'tae Ash Plains, a moving shadow.  
+    We are in the sawa'tae Ash Plains, it is easy to tell because the ground is no longer yellow. The desert is black, inverted. I've never seen anything like it. Vol's path around the world never included this region, with reason... it's known as the place where all things go to die. No one comes here for any other reason, not even as transit.  
+    I imagined that it would be a scary place, the air thick with dread, but it is pleasant. There is life here too. The area is full of sooty agocets. Small, wispy, elongated creatures that swim in the black sand. We've had many dive aboard, startled by our passing. When they land on deck they twist and shimmy their bodies until they find the edge of the vessel, to freedom. In doing so, they leave little sooty trails everywhere. We passed through an area teeming with them earlier, they exploded out of the ground and covered the deck in black dust. We laughed. No amount of cleaning could rid the deck of all this soot. Tarka was now a true creature of the sawa'tae Ash Plains, a moving shadow.  
     We also saw larger agocets too, rising out of the sand in the distance. Some measured up to twenty'hateen mitres, four times Tarka's length. They would launch themselves up, balancing on their translucent flukes for a moment before diving back into the sand. They stayed far away, uninterested in us and our travels.  
 
 *Second sunrise*  
@@ -3201,27 +3002,26 @@ Tarka lay quiet in the sand once more, not because the wind had left, but becaus
     A chart lay at Lupin's feet, with lines marking their progress. There were several x's indicating where they had stopped due to lack of wind. Every x was added up in this mind, amounting to too much time, time they needed to arrive at the widest part of the Rupture before Vol.  
 
     All day they labored to ensure that the sandfin moved at top speed. Lupin knew Tarka well now, and could optimize its sail configuration in any wind. Eka had never seen a sandfin move so
-fast, so well. Finiku were gifted sandfinners, but it appeared as though Lupin too had the right set of qualities, or maybe the right motivation, Eka thought. The Wonder's hand reached for the sandtimer, and flipped it once again. "Fourth flip since second sunrise," Eka said aloud so Lupin would hear, noting it down in their logbook. Etyl's old compass twitched, their bow heading toward sawamuka, or 'into the wind' in the Common Tongue. The needle always pointed to sanu'mawanimuka (samawamu, for short), another Finiku term to mean 'towards the soul of the desert'. On the compass face, were Finiku symbols, the short forms for all 4 directions.  
-    The Wonder was on top of the mast, feet resting on one of the battens of their large, fan-shaped sail. Hempa strands worked together, holding hands to keep the wind and to pull Tarka towards its goal. Eka's blazing red hair was like a beacon burning bright overhead, a lively fire that not even the strongest gust could snuff out.  
+fast, so well. Finiku were gifted sandfinners, but it appeared as though Lupin too had the right set of qualities, or maybe the right motivation, Eka thought. The Wonder's hand reached for the sandtimer, and flipped it once again. "Fourth flip since second sunrise," Eka said aloud so Lupin would hear, noting it down in their logbook. Etyl's old compass twitched, their bow heading sawa’mu, or 'into the wind' in the Common Tongue. The needle always pointed to yorama’mu (yoramawa’muko), another Finiku term to mean 'towards the soul of the land'. On the compass face, were Finiku symbols for all 4 directions.  
+    The Wonder was on top of the mast, feet resting on one of the battens of their large, fan-shaped sail. Lupin imagined a sail made up of many tiny hands, fingers interlocked to keep the wind and to pull Tarka towards its goal. Eka's blazing red hair was like a beacon burning bright overhead, a lively fire that not even the strongest gust could snuff out.  
 
     The Rupture began to widen, to a point where it was difficult to see the other side. Mapoleon's map was more accurate now. This part of the land was kind to have stayed the same, Lupin thought.  
-    A curious updraft came from the chasm. It swirled out of nowhere to power their sails, carrying shoals of tiny sooty agocets, too small to deny the will of the wind, and of the pull of the sail. Accepting their fate, the group was carried into Tarka's wings. Each agocet flapped their tiny wings to try and steady themselves as the wind hurried them all onward, the shoal followed the curve of the sail, drawing black waves and swirls until freed of its overwhelming hold. Their passing momentarily described the path of the wind across the whole of the sail, the pattern visible to the naked eye. Eventually, the sooty agocets regained control, and the shoal returned to the safety of the depths.  
+    A curious updraft came from the chasm. It swirled out of nowhere to power their sails, carrying shoals of tiny sooty agocets, too small to fight the wind and the pull of the sail. The group was carried into Tarka's wings, each one flapped their wings to try and steady themselves as the wind hurried them on. The shoal gave shape to the wind, describing its movement across the whole of the sail. Eventually, they reached the edge of the sail, regained control, and returned to the safety of the depths.  
     They were close now. Lupin's gut was in knots, the constricted organs made it hard to breathe. "We should have seen Vol already," Lupin said, voice heavy. The worrying was moments away from evolving into full blown panic.  
     Eka spoke up then, pointing ahead to a figure sitting near the edge of the chasm, with legs dangling in the void.  
     "Someone! Ahead!"  
     Lupin's eyes narrowed, trying to make out the shape of the figure in the distance. The shape got bigger, wider as they approached. Lupin knew who this was, but this time it was them approaching the giant rather than the giant approaching them. The Verido brought the sandfin to a stop, releasing all sails and letting them flap in the wind. Tarka's hull groaned as it slowed, before coming to a full stop.  
-The figure on the edge looked at them, silver eyes admiring the vessel. "Beautiful." Uno said, blinking slowly. Every blink took enormous effort, the urge to remain shut growing with every passing second.  
+    The figure on the edge looked at them, silver eyes admiring the vessel. "Beautiful." Uno said, blinking slowly. Every blink took enormous effort, the urge to remain shut growing with every passing second.  
     Lupin raced to Uno's side, but before the Verido could say anything Uno spoke up.  
     "Sit."  
     Lupin was about to protest but Uno said it again, in a more commanding tone.  
     "Sit."  
     "What? No! I've *got* to save my people!" Lupin cried.  
     Uno appeared to have missed several night's rest, with sunken, clouded eyes, and pale, pale, translucent skin. Although, its surface was as flawless as ever, without scar, or blemish. All of the wear was concentrated in the eyes. They'd lost their former radiance, resembling a piece of unpolished metal.  
-    "They are safe," Uno said, slowly, "they stepped off Vol in Tiputa a few days ago." Uno's large hand patting the ground, again inviting the Verido to sit down. "*Surely* you don't think Vol would have taken them along..."  
+    "They are safe," Uno said, slowly, "they stepped off Vol in Tiputa a few days ago." Uno's large hand patted the ground, again inviting the Verido to sit down. "*Surely* you don't think Vol would have taken them along..."  
     Lupin blinked, trying to process all this information. "What about the people on Bala, and Oto?"  
     "Any moment now, they too will step off. News travels fast."  
-    Lupin's chest felt warm, heart blazing bright fueled by thoughts of friends. The Verido felt a pang of relief.  
-    "But Vol..."  
+    Lupin's chest felt warm, heart blazing bright fueled by thoughts of friends. "But Vol..."  
     "Is ready to die." Uno said, heels rubbing against the side of the cliff face, disturbing bits of rock and sending them tumbling in the dark. "Your friend will be glad that you are here."  
     Vol had not arrived, not yet.  
     Lupin felt exhausted then, the long days of hard sandfinning and hard worrying had caught up in an instant. The Verido slumped forward, taking a breath, and focusing on that for a while. Breathing in and out. In and out. Nothing else mattered in this short intermission between moments. Lupin finally decided to sit down beside Uno, eager to rest.