I stood on the walls of Imurel And watched my city burn. When morning came, all that was left Was [[ashes|act 1 title]] in my heart. -Cerya, "The Siege of Imurel"=><= .:act one:. [[{ A S H E S }|act 1 start]]The taste of ash is strong in the air. [Regret]<regret| lies heavy in your soul, a round and polished stone.(click: ?regret)[ (It has been your companion for so, so long; you can hardly remember why or for what. But it still sinks down into your heart.) ]A soft and bitter grey blanket covers the floor. It is [still warm]<warm|. (click: ?warm)[The ash shifts uneasily beneath you; somehow it is filled with a sensation of //life//. ] A small table is just visible underneath one mound of ash. On it, you see a [scrap of paper]<paper|. Hung on the walls along the corridor are several circular, flat pieces of stone, which seem [vaguely familiar]<stones|. (click: ?paper)[(set: $scrap1 to true) The paper is slightly charred. You can just barely make out familiar, flowing lines. For a moment, the runes are [indecipherable]<runes|... ](mouseover: ?runes)[(live: 1s)[and then they flicker into focus. //I'm sorry.// ]] (click: ?stones)[Each stone is inscribed with a rune. There are three pieces, each one representing a different phase: slate for [equilibrium]<equilibrium|, obsidian for [dispersal]<dispersal|, diamond-veined basalt for [intensification]<intensification|.] (live: 10ms)[(if: $mouse1 is true)[The balance, the harmony, the perfect stability of a rock balanced on a mountaintop.](if: $mouse2 is true)[The spreading, the diaspora, the slow seeping of rainwater into the ground.](if: $mouse3 is true)[The brightning, the strengthening, the drawing together of motes of dust.]]{ (mouseover: ?equilibrium)[(set: $mouse1 to true)] (mouseover: ?dispersal)[(set: $mouse2 to true)] (mouseover: ?intensification)[(set: $mouse3 to true)] (mouseout: ?equilibrium)[(set: $mouse1 to false)] (mouseout: ?dispersal)[(set: $mouse2 to false)] (mouseout: ?intensification)[(set: $mouse3 to false)]}=><= . G H O S T . a song of sorrow [[begin|Act 1 Quote]]