Late autumn in 560 AD brought little respite from the blazing suns as
they beat down upon the desert city. Bina the blind, a fixture Antioch,
and as in tune with its rhythms and flows as any mortal can be, spent
her day basking in the heat and replaying fond memories in her mind.
Yet, despite the warmth of the day and the comforting, familiar bustle
of the city she could not shake the nagging feeling that something was
not as it should be.

Initially dismissing the weight upon her mind as merely the product of
advanced age and great knowledge, she was utterly unprepared for the
wracking spasms that sent her tumbling to the ground into a writhing
heap. The city was in agony and Bina, through her deep, abiding
connection with the very sands of Antioch had become a conduit for that
pain.

Summoning her strength, Bina cried out to the Farah for assistance and
Song Acerbus rushed over to offer aid to her old friend. Deducing that
corruption of this magnitude could only flow from within the city
itself, Bina and the Farah rapidly sent the citizens on a search of the
city for anything that was not as it should be.

The search parties did not have to go far. Images of death, torment, and
demons began to appear all over the city. Visions of a demonic army
laying waste to the holy city of Antioch assaulted the minds of all
those within the city and a growing mental pressure began to beat
against them.

The city was not defenseless however. Ancient stones and hallowed sands,
painstakingly consecrated by those skilled in devotion glowed brightly
and seared away the corruption almost as fast is it could appear. Yet,
with Bina nearly comatose from pain, demonic manifestations began to
appear long enough within the city to tear at citizens with filthy
claws.

There was still no sign of the taint's source, the situation grew
increasingly dire.

Gathering the defenders of Antioch together, Bina called for a sance
rite to be placed and with its aid attempted to solicit clues as to the
whereabouts of the infestation. The minds of the defenders were
assaulted on by horrific visions ushering in frustration, until the
quick thinking Rudha Viantha added a rite of banishment to drive back
the demonic mental onslaught. This provided a small window for the
defenders to form the clear image of insects in the darkness.

This vision led to great confusion as those present argued frantically
over what it could mean. After some deliberation it was volunteered that
the demonic claw that had grasped at Kaelli Dravidian had come from
beneath the stones. The defenders surmised that the danger must lie in
the sewers, a place already checked for danger.

With time growing short, Bina threw her last batch of strength into
granting the Farah a temporary boon, allowing her very gaze to draw
hidden foes from the shadows. Armed with this blessing, the Farah led a
large group into the sewers where Icarius Bharathian soon spotted their
foe, drawn from her hiding spot by Songs passing glance.

Loriyisha the demonologist, a mysterious figure clad entirely in black
woven with arcane symbols was galled at her discovery. Unable to face
her opponents directly she called forth a demonic gateway from the
bowels of the earth and seemed to throw herself through it. The city had
its revenge however and while her soul plunged through the portal it
became separated from her body, which was held in place by the very
consecrated ground she had striven to corrupt. The empty, soulless husk
that remained was rapidly dealt with by Icarius, yet the danger posed by
Loriyisha may have just begun...

Penned by my hand on the 18th of Ultio, in the year 560 AD.