Asking different people about the land of Easton will always bring different results. Some refuse to speak of it, some simply pretend the question was never asked, and most often the result of such a question will bring you nothing more than a short and shallow story that reveals little of the person's character or homeland.
Then there are the rare few who speak freely and without too much hassle. Though the reluctance varies, each sliver they tell you rings true in your ears. You clamor for more, and drink of the knowledge till you are full... bathe in the fantastic tales of a place that isn't simply an island in your world you've never heard of, but rather a world of it's own, vibrant with life and rich in history. The following is three of these people, all drastically different in views and feelings about the realm. A loner Abberant, a Dire Wolf woman in the leathers of a warrior, and a strange mammalian dragon with tattoos of the Sun... all will tell you stories of their lives in the realm fit to sate your mind on many things.
AMILIN'S TRANSIENCE:
"My homeland? Easton? There isn't much to tell. I'm afraid I refuse to know much of what Easton is, as I prefer a life of travel. But if you really want to know... I suppose I can part with the story. My story.
"Easton is a cruel world, to my race. We are born and almost always cast out into the wilderness, doomed to death. I was lucky. My mother refused that rule and my father despised it. They raised me with love and care... well, they tried. I'll tell you now, Magic is not to be trifled with. It is a power that can destroy anythign you hold dear if you don't control it, and I was never trained until it was too late.
"I killed them, it was my fault. My magic. I couldn't control my power and my parents were torn to pieces one day after I became upset when they refused to tell me something. It was a stupid reason, and I regret it always. it pains me even now to speak of it. And then the sergal boy I had a crush on, the same thing almost happened to him. He survived... but I didn't learn that for a good long while, when we were chasing each-other across the realms for revenge on his part and forgiveness on my own. I instead went to the main city.
"Yggdrailia is a horrible place. City of white marble though it may be, there is a constant civil war in the city that is doomed to eternal stalemate. I approached one of the sides of this war, the Black Magic Market. There, I obtained the materials and scrolls needed to bind my magic to tolerable levels, as well as the training to use it consciously. If you ever go to Easton, do not approach these people. I fear the cost of my training was more than simply a year servicing the female leader of the Market.
"I don't have much to say about the rest of Easton. I've been to so many other terrible places that I prefer to think of Lismore as the place I have always been. Please, never speak of this again. It brings me to tears."
SIOBHAN'S TRANSIENCE:
"Tell you about my homeland? Okay. I have always lived in a land frozen all year. My people eat fish, because the sea is easier to harvest from than the land. The Thanes rule the people, and the Muses send their Adepts and Bards to council with the Thanes, to create perfect harmony between all members of the great Dire Wolf race.
"We don't have much trouble, other than the Dark Guild and sometimes dragons. I've never fought in any big wars, just skirmishes as far as I can remember. I don't like them. I can't remember some things that some of my classmates said I did, but I don't mind. I know that people think I'm dumb. I don't mind that either.
"I forgot about a few years. My teachers told me that I was just good at things, and called me a savant, whatever that was supposed to mean. I'm not that stupid. I know I learned everything twice, and I know that those years are missing because I can see a few scars that I didn't have before and that appeared when I could remember again. Sometimes, I get mad and I forget, and I wake up somewhere else. People always seem afraid of me when I do that. Weakling? Me?
"Who 're ye callin' a weakling, shrimp?! Ai've kill'd many taimes yer weight 'n saeson'd men! Ai'm choos'n by Argentium, Muse 'o the magic 'o war! Sit ye down and shut up!
"Oh, no, no, it's okay. Don't be afraid. I just guard the magic users, so they don't get hurt. I wouldn't hurt a fly. Well, that was my job. Back home.
"But now I'm here, and it is very warm. The people are also very small. I don't understand how this works, but I guess this is how other races live."
REVELEN'S TRANSIENCE:
"So, you're a curious one? Fine. I can tell you about Easton, so long as I don't tell you exact locations of important places. Easton is a world within the Realm Between that formed around the celestial dragon Opalescent Easton. She has fallen into death and by doing so, allowed the land to form and the people live.
"The realm is unstable, being between worlds, and connects and reconnects to various worlds that have unstable places for it to cling to. My order ensures that Easton doesn't attempt to permanently connect itself to another world. Or rather, we try to make sure of that.
"The factions in Easton change so much that even my kin have trouble keeping track. Races from each world appear and mingle, and generally make things difficult. For example, the Sergals.
"We do not know how they got here, why they stayed here, or how they are breeding so quickly. They upset the balances of the races and are bringing large scale war to the realm. I guess we're just lucky that every single one is different. The more peaceful new sub race has bred with local avians and produced the Tropical sergal, which has been just a wonderfully lucky thing as they seem disinclined to even hunt very much. Then again, we have the horrible ones. An unlucky breeding accident spiraled out of control in the north and led to the various kinds of Slaver Clan hybrids. They're trying to remake my race only larger and stronger. They've almost succeeded.
"I think that Easton would have been much more peaceful if my kin in ages past had avoided whatever realm the Sergals came from.
"Wait, I was supposed to be talking about Easton, not Sergals. Where are my manners? The only races that are true to Easton are the Dire Beasts, long extinct and bred into other races; the Beholderkin, who are absolutely disgusting; Dragons; and the Phoenixes. I'm not sure if there are any of them anymore.
"Does that answer your questions? No? You want to know about ME? Where I live?
"I live in the oldest forest in Easton. It's only a few hours away from the grove where the three sisters dwell, and we have some of the last free Abberants in our care. I'm one of only three fertile eggs laid by my race in the past 400 years... Breeding is difficult. There have always been few of us, but never have the numbers been so low as they were last breeding season. I don't think there are more than a thousand of my kind left.
"I think that's enough. I don't want to talk about breeding right now. I'm going to go take a nice, long, cold bath."
