The Heralds voice boomed across the audience hall...
"Who wishes to represent themselves before Our Lord Severus, Seventeenth Son of His Name and High Ruler of Valorius..."
"Kentillis, Captian of the good vessel Oranio, in sworn service of Our Lord." was the reply.
"Kentillis, you old pirate." Serverus responded adjusting himself on the carved wooden seat. "How do your winds blow?"
"Fair and True, my Lord." the old sailor replied with a twinkle in his eye. "Fair and true indeed."
"All good then, for your happy hunting" The Lord asked with growing interest. "So what new treasures do you have for me today?"
"Well, M'lord" the Captain began, "That last big blow on the Black Belu Bay got us some nice one's indeed. There was this one big Reskie galleon that got seperated from 'er convoy and was the easiest o' pickins"
"And the total?"
"Aye m'lord. Half a hold of silks, seven chest of silver, and double that in spices. She was a bigin' "
"Well done. Well done indeed. And the Merchant?"
"Sorry, m'lord. Seems he took his head overboard with the rest of him instead of sticking around to be ransomed." the old salt laughed, amused at his own humor.
"A pity that" The Lord replied.
"But I did find this here fancy bottle in his cabin." The Pirate offered, lifting his hand to reveal it. "Looked like something ye might like."
"Well that's something anyway." Severus replied with some disappointment.
"She's got some funny writin' on her too. Couldn't make heads or tales of it." Kentillis finished, shaking his head.
"Not to worry old friend. I'll have Alsace take it over to Castellian and his Brothers to figure it out." He replied, motioning for one of the retainers to take it away. "Now go and you can regale me later with the tale of how you took her over dinner later."
"Yes m'lord. Thank you m'lord."....
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Brother Castellian received the bottle just before evening prayers. Taking it from the courier, he held it up to the candle light. It was heavy for it's size. Carved Wraith Stone? Third Dynasty perhaps? Most fascinating. He had never seen one this ornate before. And with an inscription too.
"Tal'ak Al-Isikar"
Definitely Waerdic. No doubt about that. And from a To'reshi vessel? Most fascinating indeed. He was sure he had his work cut out for him tomorrow.
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"Brother Bonimus," Castellian called from over the top of the folio he was deep inside of. "I find myself in need of your assistance. If you would be so kind."
"Indeed Brother," the smaller rounder man in the brown robes replied as he stopped shelving the books and turned to the sound. "How may I be of service?"
"How is your ancient To'reshi?" the first scholar asked, not bringing his eyes up from the page in front of him.
"Still passable after all these years, I suppose. Why do you ask?"
"I need you to read this for me. To confirm if I am really seeing what I am seeing."
"Certainly, Brother," Bonimus said as he scratched his head in wonder. Brother Castellian was the foremost authority on ancient texts in the whole Rectory. What could he need confirmation about?
He then slid the ancient tome over to the right, so that both of them could view it side by side.
"My word, this is an old one. Very faded indeed. Where did you find it?" Bonimus asked marveling at the work itself.
"Oh this," Castellian replied absentmindedly, "It's an original Vitruvian, but that's not what is important now. I need you to read the page on the right, if you can."
"Certainly Brother" Bonimus replied as he squinted at the aged ink and began to read aloud....
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It was on the fourth day of the third month of my captivity that my true education began.
We rode a full half day south of Al-Eschic that day. I knew it was south because of the position of the sun.
"Al-Eschic? I have never heard of that place?" Bonimus paused.
""It's one of The Seven Lost Cities of The Golden Hosts. Third Dynasty Waerd." Castellian irritatedly snapped. "Keep reading."
"Third dynasty? My word how old is this? From before the Bladewars? "Bonimus asked incredulously.
"Yes, Yes...It's from the journal of a T'oreshik Prince that was trained by The Waerd...It was the only reference I could find in the whole library that matched the inscription on Lord Severus' bottle...now keep going..."
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It was with Al'askis and his three riders that I rode with until he stopped before the empty opening carved into the side of the canyon.
"Isikariss Y'oumani" the Knight announced as he dismounted and handed the reigns to his outrider. "Present yourself before me in the Name of The Two Fold Queen."
"Who seeks to bother an old woman?" was the reply from the darkness.
"I am Al'askis, humble servant of the Fifteenth Familiar of the Free Families. It is he who requests your service."
After a moment a bent and shriveled figure appeared at the cave entrance. It was the oldest Waerd I had yet seen. She held her hand up to shield her eyes from the light of the sun.
"A servant of the Familiar?" She then spat onto the ground. Not out of disrespect, but just of habit I think. "What does the Grand Familiar require of so humble a servant as myself?"
Al'askis handed her the letter he had been given that morning.
"Sealed by his own hand, before my eyes this day."
Taking the paper she cracked the wax open and began to read it's contents. I could see her lips moving beneath her veil as she took in it's contents. Pausing in the middle she shook her head as she whispered to her self a word I would learn to know soon enough.
"The Isikar?" she replied looking straight into the eyes of the tall fearsome cavalier.
"If that is what it says, old one." he stared back at her.
"All of it?" she asked him, spitting one again, this time more in anger. "Even the Tal'ak?"
"Do you question the will of The Queen?" he challenged her.
"Never my Lord." she countered. "As She wills it, So Shall it be done."
"So Shall it be Done" the three other riders repeated in unison.
With this they also made a gesture, one that I was eventually to know was meant to protect and ward themselves.
Al'askis then remounted his charger.
Looking down on the crone he told her "In two days we return for this one. Have him ready then."
"And how am I to teach him as he doesn't speak our words and I do not know his foul ones?" she asked him.
"He knows enough words if you speak slow enough," the Knight replied as he turned to ride away. "Otherwise you will have to figure it out. Two days."
And with that he rode off and left me with her.
A more wizened and ancient figure, I had never met. Stopped with age, and weathered by time, the parts of her face I could see behind her coverings were as seamed as the very rocks themselves.
"So, a Pointy-Toothed Prince? Sent to learn the secrets?" she spoke at me with a voice as raw as the ancient winds. "Your father must have done something very important for The Familiar for you to get such knowledge.
"Or something most heinous." she cackled as she eyed me up and down spitting again into the dirt at my feet.
"I have no idea," I replied, as at that time I did not.
"Well no matter. If I'm to teach you the secrets then I shall. Her will be done."
She made the protective gesture again.
"Sit upon that rock there and we shall begin," she motioned as she squatted in front of me.
"Listen carefully Flat Nose, because I will teach you this but once, so you had best remember it as best you can."
"Yes Teacher," I replied as deferentially as I could.
"Well, they've taught you manners, haven't they?" she spat again. "That will serve you nothing here. Just sit and listen."
I nodded in reply.
"So to learn the secrets, first you must know why they exist, no?" she continued. "The Isikar is one of the oldest and the deepest of them. So you need some history first."
"Once, many many generations ago, our people fought in a war. Not just any war, mind you, but a Gods' war. And our people chose wrong."
"And that choice is why we are who we are today, boy." the old woman mused. "Because we chose wrong we were banished from our land. Sent adrift and alone into this hostile world, with no one and nothing. And thus we began to die."
Looking up at the sun she made another obscure gesture with her hands.
"We were forsaken and alone when She came. The Two Fold Queen made her presence known to us. And she asked us if we wished to live or die. A simple choice, no?"
Looking straight at me she said, "No choice is simple. And all have consequences."
I just nodded again as I tried to break from her stare.
"The choice was to live, of course. But not to live as you and your kind do. But as we do. As her children. To do Her will. Do you understand, boy?" she paused.
"Of course you don't, but that doesn't matter. Someday perhaps you will. but that is not for today. Today is for the Isikar"
Turning without another word, she reentered the cavern. I assumed I was to follow.
Adjusting my eyes to the darkness, I saw little but the sparse belongings that any of The Waerd kept about. Then my eyes were drawn to the very large battered copper cauldron she had heating over the low fire.
"There it is you see." she spoke from the darkness. "That is where I make it. That which is what you were sent here for."
I moved closer.
"You see child, we were dying. No food. No water. Alone and frightened. So She showed us how to survive. With this."
I peered over the edge of the pot.
It was a slow cooking pot of milk?
This was the secret?
I didn't understand.
So I kept listening.
"The Ishikar. The Milk of Our Mother. That is the closest translation to your words."
she kept on talking as she took a large paddle and began to slowly stir it.
"Milk?" I asked, knowing there had to be something more.
"Mare's milk. Slowly fermenting, plus a few other ingredients." she grinned slyly.
"What else?" I asked.
"Blood, of course." she replied, matter-of-factually.
As if that explained everything.
"And a few pinches of Yote flower."
Feeling the bile rising in the back of my throat, I let her continue.
"Normally it is just from the goats. But for the Tal'ak you need something more powerful."
Winking at me, she slid the sleeve of her burka up to show me the scars lining her arms.
Recoiling in horror, I inhaled sharply.
"Now you know the secret." she cackled. "Does it scare you Pointy-Teeth? Because it should."
Looking her in the eyes I tried to deny it. With probably little conviction.
"Taste it then" she challenged me.
Touching my finger to the liquid, I then brought it to my lips.
Salty and sweet. Sour and pungent. All at the same time, with a little tingle to it.
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"Is this real?" Bonamis asked, his jaw askance.
"I wish I knew." Castellian replied "Vitruvius has always been obscure, but usually reliable. That's why I needed your confirmation. Keep reading."
Turning the page, he continued.
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The next morning when I awoke the crone was already hard at work over the cauldron.
"Almost ready now. It just needs to cool and ferment some more." she spoke softly now.
"So, why do you suppose you were sent here to me? Just to learn a recipe? Or perhaps, something more?"
"What else do I need to know?" I asked.
"First, you must always start with the old Ishikar. It is all in there. Each batch. Each generation. A single continuation from the first. Never unbroken. Always one. Do you understand now?"
"Some of the milk in this pot, is old...?"
Snapping her fingers beside my head she continued, "No boy, not old...Ancient...From the first pot...To this very pot...All different, yet still the same. Just like our people."
"And the Blood?" I asked next, not knowing if I wanted the answer.
"Ah, now I have your interest, don't I?" she spat at the floor again. "Blood is blood, right? Or is it not?"
I looked puzzled.
"The Tal'ak Ishikar takes it's power from the Tal'ak. The Blood. Yes?"
"You are a bright boy, aren't you?" she winked that wicked wink at me again. "So?"
"Then the source of the blood would then affect the end product?" I questioned out loud.
"Exactly right. They did send me one who can learn after all." she smiled.
"The blood of your kind is not very useful. It is sweet and slippery. And the power is minimal. I can get better from an animal." she went on, her eyes probing mine.
"But the blood of the Striped Tigers. Oh that is most hot. Most powerful indeed. It makes one feel invincible, but the rush fades very quickly. The Brutes of the North are a bit different. Dark and strong it is. Slow to build and slow to fade."
"And what of the other races?" I asked.
"Never ever use the blood of The ChalkSkins. It is as foul and polluted as they are. Sick it will make you."
"The Kypiq?" I .continued
"Light and fruity. Tastes marvelous, but has no bite at all. "
"Hrothi?"
"Dirty...like the earth...but useful when the big ones can't be found." she rattled on.
"And the Neran?" I couldn't stop myself from asking.
She just smiled back at me, knowing I had opened a door I could not now walk away from...
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"And the text is indecipherable from there." Bonamis finally said after the words had hung in the air for too long.
"So what do we do now?" he asked The Senior Brother.
"We close this book." he replied softly.
"And the bottle? And Lord Severus?" Bonamis asked next.
"We tell him it's a worthless bauble to keep upon a shelf." Castellian crossed himself in reflex. "And we speak of this no more, Brother. Ever."
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TLDR: Ishikar is a drink similar to the Mongolian beverage Kumis that is a basic staple of The Waerdic diet. Tal'ak Ishikar contains Ishikar, a touch of Yote Root, and the Blood of any one of the Races of Mann. It is a most rare and powerful thing. Drink at your own risk.