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[[File:LoreEcdysis.png|300px|thumb]]
[[File:LoreEcdysis.png|300px|thumb]]
'''Ecdysis''' is a [[Lore]] book introduced in ''[[Joker's Wild]]''. It tells the story of the [[Awoken]] [[Titan (class)|Titan]] [[Orin]] and how she became an Emissary of the [[Nine]]. Entries are unlocked by completing the [[Invitations from the Nine]].
'''Ecdysis''' is a [[Lore]] book introduced in ''[[Season of the Drifter]]''. It tells the story of the [[Awoken]] [[Titan (class)|Titan]] [[Orin]] and how she became an Emissary of the [[The Nine|Nine]]. Entries are unlocked by completing the [[Invitations of the Nine]].
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She makes herself a home under the largest tree she can find. In the early days, it is little more than a lean-to and a campfire, but she shares it willingly with whoever passes by. Her guests help her transform the lean-to into a proper cottage with several guest beds. One cottage becomes two, then two is three, until three becomes a village.
She makes herself a home under the largest tree she can find. In the early days, it is little more than a lean-to and a campfire, but she shares it willingly with whoever passes by. Her guests help her transform the lean-to into a proper cottage with several guest beds. One cottage becomes two, then two is three, until three becomes a village.


Nasan loves her guests and friends; she loves her little ramshackle community... but she never wished to become mother or mayor. Whenever they gather in the evening for dinner, she feels claustrophobic anxiety press tight around her. She is shackled to the earth by all these people that she loves, and she has no words to explain her own restlessness. She feels monstrous. Why doesn't she love this? Why doesn't she want to stay?
Nasan loves her guests and friends; she loves her little ramshackle community… but she never wished to become mother or mayor. Whenever they gather in the evening for dinner, she feels claustrophobic anxiety press tight around her. She is shackled to the earth by all these people that she loves, and she has no words to explain her own restlessness. She feels monstrous. Why doesn't she love this? Why doesn't she want to stay?


One clear night, amid the honey-heavy smell of spring flowers and recent rain, she takes her silver jar and goes out into the dripping dark.
One clear night, amid the honey-heavy smell of spring flowers and recent rain, she takes her silver jar and goes out into the dripping dark.
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She does what she can. In quiet hours and fragmented conversations, she becomes an unconventional counselor to the would-be queen.
She does what she can. In quiet hours and fragmented conversations, she becomes an unconventional counselor to the would-be queen.


When the first fragile attempts at rebuilding society run afoul of the Long Unquiet Night, then the discovery of the [[Traveler]] and the [[Fallen]], and then inevitably turn to riot and desertion, Nasan goes to Mara again to pledge her services. "Let me go after them," she begs, not a day after the proclamation that they all hear in their skulls instead of their ears. "I don't mean to change their minds or convince them to come back. I just—"
When the first fragile attempts at rebuilding society run afoul of the [[Long Unquiet Night]], then the discovery of the [[The Traveler|Traveler]] and the [[Fallen]], and then inevitably turn to riot and desertion, Nasan goes to Mara again to pledge her services. "Let me go after them," she begs, not a day after the proclamation that they all hear in their skulls instead of their ears. "I don't mean to change their minds or convince them to come back. I just—"


"Then what DO you mean to do?" Sjur asks curiously. Mara watches her with ageless patience, waiting for her to find the words.
"Then what DO you mean to do?" Sjur asks curiously. Mara watches her with ageless patience, waiting for her to find the words.
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"I don't need them to understand that," Mara says softly. There is the faintest husk of grief in her steady voice.
"I don't need them to understand that," Mara says softly. There is the faintest husk of grief in her steady voice.


"No," Nasan agrees, relieved that Mara is willing to consider this truth. "You don't. You have the courage to be disliked, and that is uncommon. But it is just as important, sometimes, to cultivate good will..." Especially if you have forgotten what it feels like to not know everything, she thinks.
"No," Nasan agrees, relieved that Mara is willing to consider this truth. "You don't. You have the courage to be disliked, and that is uncommon. But it is just as important, sometimes, to cultivate good will…" Especially if you have forgotten what it feels like to not know everything, she thinks.


Mara looks away. Nasan watches closely and thinks that perhaps she has been heard. Sjur shifts her weight impatiently, tired by all this meaningful silence. It has been a long nineteen hours.
Mara looks away. Nasan watches closely and thinks that perhaps she has been heard. Sjur shifts her weight impatiently, tired by all this meaningful silence. It has been a long nineteen hours.
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Gol explains that there is a settlement a few days' walk to the east, that there is no road, and that the wilderness is regularly patrolled by roving aliens who will try to kill them both. As he speaks, Orin looks around. They are surrounded by a young forest vivacious with birds and clouds of gnats. It is impossible to imagine that a deadly alien might be lurking somewhere nearby. But Gol found her. Gol knows more about the world than she does. She trusts him.
Gol explains that there is a settlement a few days' walk to the east, that there is no road, and that the wilderness is regularly patrolled by roving aliens who will try to kill them both. As he speaks, Orin looks around. They are surrounded by a young forest vivacious with birds and clouds of gnats. It is impossible to imagine that a deadly alien might be lurking somewhere nearby. But Gol found her. Gol knows more about the world than she does. She trusts him.


She scavenges the leaf litter until she finds a fallen tree limb. "Will this help?" she asks him, testing its heft. He twists his wings, puzzled. "...Against the aliens," she elaborates.
She scavenges the leaf litter until she finds a fallen tree limb. "Will this help?" she asks him, testing its heft. He twists his wings, puzzled. "…Against the aliens," she elaborates.


"Oh." Courteous, he pretends to consider it, then, "No. Probably not. They have guns."
"Oh." Courteous, he pretends to consider it, then, "No. Probably not. They have guns."
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The everyday rhythm of the Pilgrim Guard suits her for decades: eradicate Warlords and alien invaders; protect mortal civilians; guide homeless refugees to safety. Their numbers wax and wane over time, but they are forever the watchers-in-the-dark, the living-shield-that-shelters, the ladder-which-humanity-will-climb-toward-rebirth. Inspiring campfire speeches are an endless fact of life, and they buoy her until she begins to recognize the leitmotifs of self-sacrificing heroism.
The everyday rhythm of the Pilgrim Guard suits her for decades: eradicate Warlords and alien invaders; protect mortal civilians; guide homeless refugees to safety. Their numbers wax and wane over time, but they are forever the watchers-in-the-dark, the living-shield-that-shelters, the ladder-which-humanity-will-climb-toward-rebirth. Inspiring campfire speeches are an endless fact of life, and they buoy her until she begins to recognize the leitmotifs of self-sacrificing heroism.


Orin loves her leaders and friends; she loves her little ramshackle community... but she never wished to become soldier or symbol. Whenever they gather in the evening for dinner, she feels claustrophobic anxiety press around her. She is shackled to the wilds by all these people that she loves, and she has no words to explain her own restlessness. Alone on night watch, she tells Gol that she feels monstrous. Why doesn't she love this? Why doesn't she want to stay?
Orin loves her leaders and friends; she loves her little ramshackle community… but she never wished to become soldier or symbol. Whenever they gather in the evening for dinner, she feels claustrophobic anxiety press around her. She is shackled to the wilds by all these people that she loves, and she has no words to explain her own restlessness. Alone on night watch, she tells Gol that she feels monstrous. Why doesn't she love this? Why doesn't she want to stay?


==Question After Question==
==Question After Question==
18.
18.


There are stories of a massive settlement in the far south. Rumors call it "[[The Last City|The Last Safe City]]," a place of peace and prosperity guarded by [[Iron Lords|indestructible Old Russian warriors]] who fight alongside twenty-foot-tall wolves (whatever those are).
There are stories of a massive settlement in the far south. Rumors call it "[[Last City|The Last Safe City]]," a place of peace and prosperity guarded by [[Iron Lords|indestructible Old Russian warriors]] who fight alongside twenty-foot-tall wolves (whatever those are).


The Pilgrim Guard has heard of many so-called safe cities. They come and go, but mostly they go.
The Pilgrim Guard has heard of many so-called safe cities. They come and go, but mostly they go.
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24.
24.


It takes eight weeks to repair the leaking pump. In that time, Orin convinces Namqi to break queenslaw and smuggle her and Gol beyond the [[Vestian Outpost|Vestian Outpost]]. She is determined to understand why she revolted against her own people.
It takes eight weeks to repair the leaking pump. In that time, Orin convinces Namqi to break queenslaw and smuggle her and Gol beyond the [[Vestian Outpost]]. She is determined to understand why she revolted against her own people.


They are scarcely a half-day's burn toward [[Interamnia]] before they are intercepted by [[Ceres Galliot|Galliots]] painted in the Queen's colors.
They are scarcely a half-day's burn toward [[Interamnia]] before they are intercepted by [[Ceres Galliot|Galliots]] painted in the Queen's colors.
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25.
25.


"Woof," Sjur Eido says when she sees Orin for the first time, "Mara's gonna hate this." She crosses the detainment cell to get a better look at Gol. "Figured this might happen eventually, but I'd always hoped..." She pulls at the nape of her neck, then gives a little half-shrug: well, what can you do.
"Woof," Sjur Eido says when she sees Orin for the first time, "Mara's gonna hate this." She crosses the detainment cell to get a better look at Gol. "Figured this might happen eventually, but I'd always hoped…" She pulls at the nape of her neck, then gives a little half-shrug: well, what can you do.


Turning, she looks at Namqi. "You know you broke the law, right?"
Turning, she looks at Namqi. "You know you broke the law, right?"
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"You wished to be my emissary."
"You wished to be my emissary."


"And you banished me for it?" She squints. "That doesn't seem like something you'd do..."
"And you banished me for it?" She squints. "That doesn't seem like something you'd do…"


Mara smiles faintly. "No."
Mara smiles faintly. "No."
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Orin imagines Namqi dead and clenches her war hammer a little tighter.
Orin imagines Namqi dead and clenches her war hammer a little tighter.


At last, Mara says, "First, to know." She gives Orin the [[strange coin]] that the search party found on Sjur's body. "I'm not sure it was a murder."
At last, Mara says, "First, to know." She gives Orin the [[Strange Coin|strange coin]] that the search party found on Sjur's body. "I'm not sure it was a murder."


33.
33.
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She tries to describe her number-color synesthesia to Gol, to Namqi, to Mara. She sees green and thinks "nine." She reads "purple" and tastes nine.
She tries to describe her number-color synesthesia to Gol, to Namqi, to Mara. She sees green and thinks "nine." She reads "purple" and tastes nine.


They all tell her to stop. To rest. To be still. There have been other breakthroughs. Other messages. The [[Nine]] are known.
They all tell her to stop. To rest. To be still. There have been other breakthroughs. Other messages. The [[The Nine|Nine]] are known.


She cannot.
She cannot.
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38.
38.


On the day she meets [[The_Drifter_(character)|Wu Ming]], she is on [[324 Bamberga|Bamberga]]. She has just left a Gensym lab. She has just read a transcript of Namqi's last words. Her hands are shaking. She feels nauseous. She feels she can see herself in third-person, tottering to a safe place to sit and cry.
On the day she meets [[Drifter|Wu Ming]], she is on [[324 Bamberga|Bamberga]]. She has just left a [[Gensym Scribes|Gensym]] lab. She has just read a transcript of Namqi's [[Lore:The Dreaming City#Bamberga|last words]]. Her hands are shaking. She feels nauseous. She feels she can see herself in third-person, tottering to a safe place to sit and cry.


Wu Ming is a bonfire in the darkness, and she crawls toward his warmth.
Wu Ming is a bonfire in the darkness, and she crawls toward his warmth.
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Her gifts can end wars.
Her gifts can end wars.
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