Taldor, a faded empire with dreams of returning to glory. Cheliax, a corrupt land ruled by diabolists and devils that sought to maintain its dominance over the Inner Sea region at all costs. The empires could not be more different, but when a merchant vessel was blown off course and returned to port with tales of an isle thought lost to legend, both Taldor and Cheliax found themselves with the same purpose. To explore the lost isle, Celanta, and search for the famed civilization of the Shory people and the power they once wielded.<br/><br/>Taldor arrived first, establishing an outpost at the ruined city of Salay in the north. Under the command of governor-general Galadon Albercroft, the Taldoran forces began to reclaim the city. The forest of tents lining the beach began to dissolve as old buildings were restored and new buildings constructed.<br/><br/>A month later, Cheliax ships made port at Myrs in the west. The battle for Celanta was set to begin, but the greatest threat was not the opposing empire; it was the Shory and their legacy.<br/><br/><hr/><br/>(http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/3347/2414507842de74c1ed5bc.jpg)<br/><br/>A cool ocean breeze blew through the open window. Bathed in a ray of sunshine, Celeste d'Aubec did not mind despite her scant clothing, a white silk camisole and underskirt trimmed with lace. She was far too absorbed in her notes to mind the weather, which had been perfect for late summer in any case, warm and clear.<br/><br/>At 26 years of age she was one of the youngest scholars in the expedition, but also one of the most devoted and ambitious. The daughter of minor nobles too insignificant to even have titles, she'd had to earn her place at the Academy of Magic in Oppara, where she had specialized in ancient languages and civilizations. It was that expertise that had in turn earned her a place in the expedition and a chance to prove herself. At first it was a fascinating adventure, but of late life had fallen into a dull routine. Search the ruins by morning, translate and write by afternoon, continue writing by evening. It was only when the governor-general declared a freeday that she could really go out and explore as she wanted, and look for remnants of the Shory civilization and culture.<br/><br/>Freedays were also when she could exchange her wizard robes for a dress cut low in the bodice and go carousing , but lately she had grown weary of that, too. The soldiers were too coarse for her taste and the other scholars seemed uninterested in her charms. There was a pretty, blonde alchemist's assistant that she had met a few times for trysts, but when the last fleet had arrived she had sailed off with it and returned to Taldor.<br/><br/>Was there no end to this frustration? With a sigh, Celeste set her notes aside and decided she had better get ready. Venturing to the wardrobe, she chose ice blue robes and secured them about her slender waist with a belt of gold links. Runes shimmered along its sleeves and hem, wards against danger. She was sitting at her mirror and brushing her long brown hair when a tap came at her door.<br/><br/>She opened it to find Lynn, the older scholar whom she shared the restored house with. "Captain Dugald is here, and impatient."<br/><br/>At that Celeste rolled her eyes, recalling the captain's scowl whenever she requested to stop and copy some symbols, or take a closer look at a fresco. "He's earlier each day. It's like he prefers standing at the gates as opposed to exploring the city." Escorting scholars seemed to the least popular of the soldiers' duties, and the latest arrivals were the ones assigned to it.<br/><br/>She said good-bye to Lynn, took up her staff and pouch of writing materials, descended the stairs, and went out the front door to find Dugald wearing a sour expression behind his neatly trimmed brown beard. "Good morning, captain," she said sweetly and gave a little curtsy, and in turn received a grunt and a slight nod. Enthusiasm wasn't one of Dugald's best traits. Nor was he much for talking, despite her countless attempts to start a conversation.<br/><br/>"Let's be going, lass," Dugald said, and she followed him across the courtyard to the gates where half a dozen mounted guards in chain hauberks waited. They had brought her a horse; she climbed into the saddle and they were off. The buildings lining the road were a curious mix of old- white stone reinforced with timber and plaster- and new, roughly hewn wood. They passed row upon row of wagons heaped with stone and wood, and the sounds of hammers and saws came from all around.<br/><br/>Soon they arrived at the wooden gates that marked New Salay's boundaries. The guards at the gates waved them through, and then they were entering the ruins proper. While the coastal buildings were in better condition, the expanse of city to the south and east was a wasteland of shattered stone. Here was a tower that had collapsed upon itself; there was the remnants of a four story structure that had been sliced in half as if by a giant sword. Celeste shivered in spite of herself, not able to imagine who or what could have done such a thing. They followed the ancient road as it wound to the south, then cut to the east along a narrower road into an unexplored part of the ruins.<br/><br/>It looked to be a day like any other, Celeste thought, as she dismounted and took out quill and parchment to copy some script lining an arch.<br/>