Hal'

"Our eyes shall be thy only sun..."

Apparitions from far South.

Hal' never appeared on Agan or even Ayleri archipelagos. Arzuli never speak of them, Ayleri have never seen them, and Ullatrashi tell no story, even if they have any. But Hal' seem to know everything about everyone. They know, but share no interest in life around them - for they themselves do not live.

Ghosts from the South

Hal' remind of Yaraga themselves, whom they met first far to the South.

They have no names, no borders, no cities... nothing. As ghosts, they appeared as mere mirages somewhere deep within shimmering gloom and mists of their continent, barely seen by settling pathfinders. Mirages... that leaned closer each new time.

Their name came from both languages of the world: "hallu" and "ohal'". "Shade" and "twilights". Thus appeared their name, "Hal'" - "shadow-people".

When living came and settled in the new continent, named "Halgan" ("agan na ohal'" - "land of twilight"), and simply "Hal'" later - light-anointed apparitions appeared on Agan. No ships or sails ever seen, no new roads laid, no ambassadors ever happened.

Along roads of their home living ones met these apparitions - and they spoke. They sang - and their stories, never heard before, soaked into very bones of those who heard them, never to vanish. As tales with no ending, as secrets never fully told...

Foreign forms

Hal' are akin to Ullatrash, in a way. Their bodies are no bones and flesh, but smooth and lukewarm wood-like matter.

As wondrous totems have their shades slither along the ground along them, these entities cradle light within their shapes. Hazy, hues of malachite rarely seen, only at those middays most rich with sunlight.

And this light cast no shadows.

Ayleri and Arzuli have no fear of that light - Yaraga though... Hal' are a beckoning melody to them. That light calls for them - and resisting is not an easy challenge... Same as rhythms of the world, same as the sunlight they "hear - Yaraga "hear" Hal'.

As a moth drawn to flames of a candle, Yaraga are beckoned to glowing eyes of Hal'. Mesmerized by their voices, weaved by howls of the wind...

Even though they are ignorant of reasons yet.

Roads walked together

Hal' never turned to any ruler, Sovereign himself, any local elder... to no one.

They never asked for anything. They never seek anything. They... just happen around living ones, as fleeting mirages. They walk same roads, they wander around same smaller cities...

They crave not any riches, trades, goods, relations. As if these ghosts of the South are there just to... watch a little.

Yet there is a thing they crave . Only lives of Yaraga kin are not meaningless to them. To them they speak, their homes they watch over most. And longing to step closer.

Hal' never pursue diplomatic or trade relations - but they try to be closer to those living, if ever venturing close to their hearths. They watch, they wander around, offering a hand in mundane chores at times... and never ask anything in return. Just to stand a bit closer, just to see a little more, just to remain near...

Arzuli are of no interest to Hal'. They never chase them off, never lean closer. People of sands are merely an odd addition to the rest of the living world, along with Yaraga... Just as much as Ayleri.

Southern apparitions only keep away from Ullatrashi. As if afraid of plagues unheard and fires untamed, Hal' will never visit a place, where those idols dwell.

And what of themselves - Hal' never speak. Yet not because they aim to guard some sacred secret - they just... remain silent. As if they have no secrets they know of. Ask one with no memory, what was one's childhood like - and they will remain silent, just like Hal'.
they hear, they understand, they just... tell no tale.

And these untold tales... bring uneasy winds to those alive.

Secrets under the sun

Even though Hal' are rarely seen in their own lands and even less so - on Again - Arzuli and Yaraga share glances of same thoughts.

Hal' share certain traits with Yaraga. Not with Arzuli, Ayleri, Ullatrashi. Nature can have quite a twisted sense of taste and humor...

Yet Hal' speak words of tangan. Even though Arzuli tales never mention them in days of yore, and Yaraga came to these lands as vagabonds. And they brought words of their language with them, tangan. While that, Hal' have no grasp over horfa, Arzuli dialect.

No captain ever took Hal' aboard to guide through waters between two continents. Yet Hal' appeared and keep appearing on Again.

Why are their eyes and voices so beckoning for Yaraga, while others see nothing within those? Why Hal' never appear at night? Why are they repelled by Ullatrashi presence?

What are their cities like, far and deep within their misty homelands? What crops whisper in their fields?


...if there are any fields at all?..