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Marrishland has a long and violent history. Several civilizations have risen and fallen, here, and the book tells about events during one of the most turbulant periods - a period whose events determine whether a civilization survives or dies.

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Kalkoraen Landing (Heldnat 4, 1 I.D.)

The next days were cloudy, so the Kalkorae remained on their speculators and did not attempt to go ashore. The reason for this was simple. While their wind harvesters, sun gatherers, and other energy collection devices allowed them to produce extremely large magical effects, most of them were also virtually immobile under the best of circumstances. Portable Kalkoraen weaponry consisted of javelins for ranged combat and spears and shields for melee, all of which were, of necessity, completely mundane. An enemy aided by magic could crush the explorers before they could retreat back to the sea. Wind hammers were useless against targets as far away as where the Kalkorae intended to build their citadel, and sun slings could not function without direct sunlight.

On the morning of the sixth day of their vigil, the sun rose on clear skies. On Heldnat 4, 1 I.D., the Kalkorae made landfall on the beach of Domus Bay. They brought one of the smaller wind harvesters and a single wind hammer and two sun slings with them, erecting them at the site of the ruined Totanbeni outpost. It was not much of a defense, to be sure, especially given that the harvesters were so near the weapons themselves. The Kalkorae wasted no time with ceremony, however, immediately setting to work gathering raw materials and fuel for the devices they would need once the sun set.

While coastal areas had an adequate supply of wind, the harbor limited the usefulness of wind harvesters. An abundance of wood and water, though, made it clear that steam harvesters would be the most practical source of power until the explorers could expand to the very attractive water power that the Lapis Amnis promised to eventually provide. The Kalkorae worked very quickly. By sunset, they had power for a wind hammer and two sun slings. By morning, they had steam harvesters enough to power two additional wind hammers. Within a week, they had established enough of a defensive perimeter to turn their attention to more mundane details of their new life. They named their hilltop citadel Domus Palus ("swamp house") because dangerous swamps lay mere miles to the east and south of the area — providing an additional layer of defense against attack. This beachhead established, two of the speculators set sail westward to relay news of their progress to their homeland and establish supply lines.

(Contributed by Weard Oda Kalidus)