SERENA ART CENTER by VITA&BELLA
Everyone is invited, in formal dress, to bid farewell to the 2024 carnival,
The event aims to be a moment of meeting between all friends, artists, managers, and inhabitants of the Serena platform.
CARTASSA. LA CITTA' NEL DESERTO
Thus began the new adventure in the city of Cartassa, after the En-Kara fair I settled in the new house, and in the new office, I began to get to know the city and the citizens, especially those who were closest to me, thus I discovered that Lady Mae, the Head Caste of Healers, she was the adoptive sister of lady BB,
and consequently also Safina, she would be my cousin, lady Mae became my aunt, even if I was not the real son of lady BB and her husband Sir Mith, they saved me from port Scip Rock, while the Panthers of the Shendi forest attacked and destroyed the overlying city of Korat, I also met my adoptive sister Lady Lucy, and my brother Sir Finthor, with his slave YiYi, while Safina's companion, lived in the forest not far away with his Congo tribe. Several ladies lived in the city, they had key positions in the management, Lady Jinny, a very beautiful Scribe in her blue clothes, Lady Shadow, and Lady Athena, Finthor, despite having a slave, who he flaunted by
always carrying her with him, also courted Lady Athena, or perhaps the opposite, it was she who died of love for him, even though he, the Chief of the Red Caste, the warriors, preferred fighting and taverns with slaves. I looked around, there wasn't much work to do, I spent the days with the others in the tea room, at the outdoor tables at the end of the street, after the square, and on the way to get there, Lady Shadow stopped often with his easel, he painted, men or landscapes, I had forgotten to talk about Sir Bernhard, the Chief of the Caste of Scribes, very good and knowledgeable, but often absent, he too had at the time been adopted by Lady BB, who as you understood he helped all the young people who were alone, homeless or who had lost their family like me. One day as I passed by the large square on my
way to the tea room, usually at that time everyone gathered, but strangely that day there was no one, everyone had gone to the forest for Safina's engagement with Sir Combo, so I returned to the square , I heard the screams of women, as soon as I turned the corner I saw fire inside the tavern, I rushed, trying to make myself useful, to help the slaves who lived upstairs, where they usually welcomed the customers, eager to pass by. a few hours with a blanket on, with the help of a slave who also came, we put out the flames on the ground floor with water taken from barrels that were used in the tavern, other slaves were trapped on the upper floor, we ran up the staircase,
and with blankets we tried to put out the flames, we saved all the slaves screaming and blackened by the smoke, the girl who was with me, slipped on the water and fell into the fire and was burned, I pulled her away and rushed her down the street, the infirmary was not very far away, it was on the other side of the square, then luckily Lady Mae also arrived, the head of the Healers caste who immediately took care of her, I immediately understood that it was very serious, and Mae said we will do everything to save her, to It wasn't difficult for me, I was wearing a long Scribe dress with my arms covered, I had only burned my hands, the little slave was very serious, I waited for Mae to take care of her, she did the first dressings with her ointments, then finally he cured me too, he told me not to get my hands wet and come back the next day for the check-up, of course I came back often, I was anxious for that brave young woman, who had risked her life to save her friends. Upon their return everyon
complimented me, I was proud for having demonstrated my courage, meanwhile I didn't miss the opportunity, every time I went to the tea room, to stop and have a chat with the beautiful Shadow, but in addition to the views and the colours, he saw nothing else, so I concentrated on Lady Jinny, who in theory was engaged to Finthor, even if unrequited, which is why in my opinion, she was trying to make him jealous, by directing her attentions towards me, Lady Athena took the she did everything she could to make us become something more than friends, so I started courting her, even though Jinny was very attached to her job, she wanted to become an Ambassador and was studying.
Finthor preferred fighting in the arena rather than city life, sometimes I went to watch him while he trained, he didn't have a great technique, I had seen better, but since he was my adoptive brother I admired him, what I didn't admire in he was his attitude towards Athena, he preferred to have his slave YIYI with him, meanwhile Lady Mae had had her little girl, a little angel, she carried her with her wrapped in a cloak on her shoulders. I continued to court Jinny, she secretly loved Finthor, in the end to make him even more jealous, she agreed to do the companionship ceremony with me. We did it on the upper floor of the tea room, where in the center there was a large round table, and in the presence of Athena, Finthor, and Safina, we exchanged the glass of wine to seal the company, I had prepared the documents and we signed them with our seals, including the two witnesses, once the ceremony was over she went back to her job and I went back to mine, we didn't have a house together yet, so everyone went back to their own homes, there hadn't yet been any relationship between us , Athena had realized that Finthor would never become her companion, together with YIYI she organized a trap against me, making Jinny believe that I had an agreement with Shadow, so Jinny broke up the company, with the help of Bernahrd the Caste Chief.
PAGAN LANE AN ARTIS
Today I will tell you about a great artist.
The gallerist Vita Theas invited me to the inauguration of the Pagan Lane exhibition, as soon as I landed I immediately saw the hand of a serious professional, one of those who are rarely encountered anymore, his paintings displayed on the road before the tunnel, signifying that they are the light, and we see the light in the colors and shapes that follow one another as we look carefully at his works.
I had said the light before the tunnel., And pagan created it with the colors of him.
TOWARDS THE THAHARA-CARTASSA
Our Oasis was now a reality, the castle was renovated even if a little gloomy, the houses of the inhabitants were built, life had taken the right direction, the ships arrived, the word had spread throughout the Planet of the new Oasis, all there. ..
Our Oasis was now a reality, the castle was renovated even if a little gloomy, the houses of the inhabitants were built, life had taken the right direction, the ships arrived, the word had spread across the Planet of the new Oasis, all the ships Pirates, who left or were headed to Anango, sailing from North to South, or headed towards the large cities of Brundisium, Port Kar, or even further east up the Wosk river, towards the Olni river, with the city of the same name, very large very rich, or towards the Thentis river, from where the track starts for the Great Sardar, or for the Sanctuary, thousands of young people every year, before they turn twenty-five years old, have to make the Pilgrimage.
Some Captains at the port were talking about the En-Kara fair, it was the great celebration of the Gorean New Year, on that occasion thousands of people from all over the planet exhibited their goods, I had never been to that fair, I always sent the leader of the Merchants, sometimes the Ambassador, and I was curious to see her, the Oasis was now built, everything was calm and I had excellent administrators, I no longer had ties, Margot with the slave Alika, left to return to the island of Leisure, I had no more news from them, I was alone now, I had the desire to cross the desert again and see again the place where I was born, in the great Tahari desert, and from there passing through the glorious city of AR, I would go to proud, this year there was going to be a conference of Scribes and Magistrates and I didn't want to miss it.
Some Captains at the port were talking about the En-Kara fair, it was the great celebration of the Gorean New Year, on that occasion thousands of people from all over the planet exhibited their goods, I had never been to that fair, I always sent ...
In fact, after leaving Gargash headed for Turia, the horizon darkened, the Caravan leader said that we would stop, due to that storm coming, I was not prepared for this new test that the King Priests were sending us, we relied on the skill of the Bedouins , who identified a clearing protected by some rocks, with extreme speed they tied the tents together, dug a large ditch in the sand, we covered ourselves with sheets and blankets, it was something terrible, it lasted for a few hours, the wind carried away everything it encountered on his way, even some Camels disappeared from the field, carried away by that terrible wind, finally everything passed, the merchants counted the damage, collecting as much of their goods and animals as they could, the leader of the Merchants after a careful evaluation, decided it was better reach the city of Cartassa, a little further north, we would have bought them back food and water, I didn't know of the existence of this city in the desert, but there was no other way, other than to die of hunger and thirst, so we waited the cool of the afternoon and we set off, he said we would travel all night, and the next day before the sun was high we would be there.
We arrived in the city as expected, it had very high walls, many tents outside for visitors and traders, the leader stopped the caravan under those walls, I ordered the tents to be pitched, of course my men also set up our large tent, in reality I was always an Emir, my brother Orlando, after the death of our father, had become the Pasha, even if we no longer had our great Oasis in the desert, we would finally have rested and refreshed ourselves, changed our clothes to present ourselves to the regents of Cartassa, who still I didn't know if they had an Ubar, a regent administrator or a Pasha.
The next morning, I presented myself to the guards with my credentials as Scribe and Magistrate, without saying that I was an Emir, I did not want to create enemies, the commander of the guards, after having welcomed me, escorted me into the palace of Pasha Congo, so I had the opportunity to meet his partner lady Mae, and his two daughters Umar and Safina, and my joy was great, when I recognized my half-sister lady Shani, daughter of lady BB, there was also a beautiful woman named lady Shadow, there we embrace smiling, everyone was happy to welcome me with them, assigning me a small palace for me and my entourage, Sir Congo asked me to stay with them, they were organizing the trip to the fair and we would go together, in the meantime since the Magistrate had died , he asked me to temporarily take his place, I willingly accepted, I was happy it seemed like a happy family, I would finally leave those unfortunate merchants.
This was how my new adventure began.................continued
SABAYNA STORY'S 2part
Today I talk about my arrival in Vigo and my first time as Chief Merchant and what it was like, it was as if we had arrived at the Salt War then
Last time I reported on my pilgrimage to the Sardar Mountains. There I completed my tasks, attended the ceremonies of the initiates, went to the platform every day to pray to the priest-kings and looked at the numerous displays on the stalls of the large market. In the healer's tent I received my stabilizing serum, four injections on four consecutive days. So I stayed in the Sardar Mountains for quite a while until all my tasks were completed.
I actually planned to return to Nadira later, the same way I came here. But then, as my stay was already coming to an end, I met an old acquaintance of Bazi's, Lady Marie. I was happy that she was well and that she had survived the plague, and she was happy to see me well too.
Lady Marie belonged to the scribal caste and had held the position of High Scribe in Bazi. Thanks to her training at the famous Gorean Law Academy in Port Olni and her long experience, she had become the first of the Scribe Caste and was also a member of the Bazi High Council.
Marie was one of the survivors of the plague in Bazi, not because she survived the infection, but because she managed to flee the city and escape the blockade. Because at night the south side of the city, facing the jungle, was not well guarded. Some residents climbed over the fence at night and hid in the jungle. There they tried to settle as much as possible without being discovered.
One of them, a warrior named Brody, began to round up all the refugees and lead them to a new home. The refugees could only go in one direction, because to the west there was the sea, to the north they would have been discovered and to the south the jungle became increasingly dense. So the Bazii moved eastward, and when they were far enough away from Bazi and the blockading troops, they emerged from the jungle again.
Their long migration took the Bazii further and further east, onto the northern flank of the Schendi jungle. When they saw a knight from the pond, they hid again in the forest and then continued their journey. They eventually encountered the Northern Silk Road, which ran from the eastern Jungle and Tahari regions to Torcodino.
The Bazii could not go north as far as Torcodino, so they followed the road further and further south. Due to traffic they only walked at night and stayed away from the road during the day. After many days they came to a large river, the subequatorial Cartius, beyond which they saw the great desert, the Tahari. They stayed near the river because they did not dare venture into the unknown desert. Instead, they decided to look for a new place to live on Cartius.
An incredible coincidence came to their aid. A few days before their arrival, a landslide had occurred on a prominent mountain near the river, exposing a cave. When the Bazii examined the cave, they actually discovered a salt deposit. It was the best yellow salt of a quality previously known only to Klima! It seemed like a gift from the priest-kings and they decided to found their new city at the foot of the mountain under the salt cave.
The Bedouins of the Tahari called the mountain where they now settled Jebel Fighu. The word Fighu became the word Vigo in Bazii pronunciation. Thus the new city got its name, which from then on was called Vigo. Now no one cared if the residents had fled a plague-infested city. The Bazii became Vigoese and elected Brody, their leader, as administrator.
The cave was immediately transformed into a mining tunnel, and some slaves who had come were sent there to mine salt. With the proceeds of the first sales, right under the salt mine, the new town developed: streets and squares were demarcated, houses and a market were built. A merchants' neighborhood was built along the river, and upper-caste houses were staggered up the mountain. And as a sign of gratitude the Vigolese built a beautiful temple for the priest-kings who had performed the miracle of salt.
But this was not enough to thank the Priest-Kings. The city sent a delegation on a thanksgiving pilgrimage to the Sardar Mountains. Lady Marie was part of the delegation. That's how I met her in the Sardar Mountains. She invited me to travel with her to Vigo and promised me a home for my perfumery.
Since then, the two trade alliances have been enemies, which we didn't know when we made deals with two cities in an alliance. That's how we were drawn. Mainly because of Ianda's spite.
Obviously our salt was a thorn in his side
ESCAPE FROM THE NORTH
After the first day in that village, I realized that it was not the life I wanted, seeing lewd men and women eating and drinking and making love even in the presence of others was against my culture as a high caste Scribe, and Magistrate, I was in a lot of pain, Lady Chiara with her always lewd companion, accompanied by male and female slaves, I realized that the woman I had loved was not that one.
I suffered a lot, having those slaves willing to do anything at my feet didn't make for a better life, one day while talking to a merchant, who had also stayed in the village due to the snow and ice, he told me that Lady BB, the woman I adopted after the death of my mother, she lived in a village called Finnur fjiord, not far from here, I would have waited for spring to arrive and go down with some ship to Finnur, where I hoped to reunite with my adoptive family, luckily the winter did not it was very long, so after having said goodbye and thanked everyone including Chiara I left that village, without nostalgia, I had suffered those months stuck eating and lounging in the great Hall.
Once we reached Finnur fjiord a bad surprise awaited me, my mother had left with my adoptive father Sir Mith for another village called Windermeer, many miles further south, he was a great builder and went from one place to another where they required the his work.
I stayed just long enough to take another ship that went down the coast from village to village to that new place, but even there they told me that my parents had left,
and this time for a city named Jasmine, I was very disappointed, the possibility of reuniting with family was once again gone.
The life of those Viking villages was not for me, I suffered when I saw those half-savages, they had no laws, no one wrote or read and they spent their free time drinking in the taverns:
One day a slaver told me about a large and beautiful city in the Cos archipelago, its name was Svago, he told me that they had three Kennels (slave houses), and it was located on two levels, on the upper floor lived the high castew and was accessed both from the woods and from a device such as a wooden platform operated by ropes connected to wheels that the slaves turned and the wooden surface rose, I would finally be able to return to civilization and work as a Scribe or Magistrate.
I left for that new adventure, I didn't know what I was going to encounter, but I loved working in big cities, so I boarded a Pirate ship headed to the Cos archipelago, they would load them with the best wine on the planet and take me to the south, the journey it wasn't one of the best, at that time of year the sea was always very rough due to the spring cyclones, and I practically didn't move from my bed.
We finally arrived in that large port, many ships were at the docks, and people filled the large square in front of the port, I stopped at the inn on the left just outside the dock, I ordered a Pay, and I looked around trying to understand how they lived, the the lower city was mainly built on a long road that from the prisons and the bank reached a large square, where the merchants had their stalls, from there stairs went up to the upper forest.
A slave accompanied me to the guard post, a Captain offered to take me to the high caste area, I guided myself to that new instrument which I carried on it in a short time, dropped me off in front of the Chief Scribe's office, and left saying goodbye , the palace was located at the end of a beautiful square full of flowerbeds and benches, with many flowers and fountains, I sat outside the door, greeting the guard on duty and watched the people coming and going, mostly women, I was curious that there were so many women in front of the caste buildings, it wasn't a good sign, then I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes, I saw my whole life up until then in an instant, and I tried to imagine the future...... ..continues
WEDDING IN THENTIS
The other day a message arrived from a slave of Lady Sabayna, she lives in the city of Isfahan, she announced Lady Monica's marriage to Sir Euronymous, I don't remember this man, when I lived in Thentis he wasn't there, attached to the message was the invitation to participate in the ceremony, and after consulting with my elders, together with the Commander of the guards, I decided to accept, I wanted to, I wanted to see my old city again, where I had been a Magistrate, I lived there with lady Brjianna my companion, later I run away with an Opal hunter.
Of course the journey was long, so I decided to take a tarn and fly to the coast on the Worsk river, from there I would cross the river and go up the Olni river passing through the city continuing to the city of Sais, up to Thentis, it wasn't at all the journey was easy, I had forgotten the effort of flying on the tarns, but in the end I arrived in Olni, bad news was waiting for me in the city, everyone was in mourning and I didn't know who had died until, in front of the stairs leading to the large gate, a guard told me that lady Lucy Bronet, the one who had been my teacher in the Scribe class together with lady Janette, had passed away, I don't know how or what had caused her death, I had seen her in the city of Geela at the wedding of Jovan the last time, everyone was sad, I thought there was no point in stopping, I would do it on the way back, I continued the journey.
I arrived in Thentis, it was already evening, all the guests were already seated in their seats, a slave accompanied me to a bench at the end, I shared it with the Captain of the Thentis guard, Lady Monica meanwhile was at the end of the patio, nervously walking the future Comrade Sir Euronymous was late, and to my great surprise behind the altar as Officiant I recognized Lady Shaya, an old acquaintance of mine, she followed me to Port Victoria but then her brother called her back to complete her studies as a Scribe, she had a beautiful dress embroidered with gold thread, and she too was nervously fiddling with parcels and mugs
NEW DAY
I wander around the lonely Oasis. I try to memorize every corner of the city and the island, Lucy isn't there yet, perhaps she sleeps in her rooms, and as I always did in the Northern village I love walking in the morning looking for a quiet corner where I can sit and admire the beauties of nature. The first birds are already flying among the trees, some very colorful parrots are on the still branches observing me, some little monkeys jump noisily on the branches with their cries, everything around is in bloom and the bushes are so green after the brief rain of the night.
It is not difficult in the early morning to meet someone who goes into the forest to collect coconuts or scented flowers, some women at the stream kneeling on the bank beat their clothes and I silently pass by, some recognize me and greet me with respect, but I don't want to disturb them from their beautiful work as housewives.
I emerge from the thicket of palm trees onto a small beach by the sea, beautiful and isolated, I don't think anyone ever comes here, in fact I tell the guards to bring some chairs so I can rest and admire the sunrise when I go out in the morning for my usual walk.
Finally I find a small rock and I sit down, I take off my sandals and I put my feet in the still cold water of the night, and I look at the Sun which, coming out like a yellow ball of fire, spreads its rays, I look far away towards that Sun, and the my thoughts run far away, it is not long since I left the village of Hammersgaard, the beautiful Nani sir Erik and all the other Vikings who have given me their hospitality and friendship over the years, it was not easy to separate from them, but my place and here in the Oasis, now that no one from my family lives anymore, except my sisters and my parents who adopted me by taking me to the North in the village of Finnur Fjiord, but I haven't seen them for many years now, even if the love for they never end.
THE OASIS IN PARTY
But the Pasha wasn't happy, he was alone, he didn't have a partner, often in the evening he would go to the port, sit on the dock and look at the infinite in search of something lost, he was looking for love. One fine day while he was walking around the city greeted by everyone, a foreigner caught his attention, she wasn't excessively showy, she wore simple but well-made clothes, she walked haughtily with her guard, their eyes met and it was love at first sight, her deep blue eyes, her long blond hair, her long and tapered face, had won him over, Ulysses approached the woman asking her name and who she was and where she came from, she blushed after for that handsome and haughty man, even if he didn't yet know who he was, she said her name was Mariagiovanna, but everyone calls her Lucy, I've just arrived, she said, from the far west, in a region with a large gulf and I'm passing through here on my way. to the Sanctuary.
Ulysses was so enraptured by the beauty of that woman, he invited her to the palace for a big party that would soon take place... she accepted without knowing who that man was, and they parted with the promise of seeing each other again at the palace.
Now she lives in the Oasis, she furnishes her rooms and those of the children who will come, she spends a lot of time with Ulysses, hugging him and kissing him in return
CEREMONY AT TASHID OASIS SIR YUSUD-LADY CHIARA It had been a while since I had heard from Tashid Oasis. The place where I lived and wh...