To HONIS Rahikkala

[Yvain Wintersong]

Three hours late, a man dressed in a green and gold wanders into the HONIS' office, soaking wet. He apologizes for the lateness, attributing it to an inability to navigate Discontinuity's cramped alleys and corridors, and for the wetness, complaining that he'd wandered past some vent that had sprayed waste water on him, and he was feeling a bit cross about it. The HONIS listens to him carefully, apologizes for the inconveniences, which he says are normal for visiting landlubbers, and finally the man composes himself and delivers his message.

I have been learning about Shireroth in bits and pieces, and today I finally got to Straylight.

Let me just say that was some of the most interesting science-fiction world-building I've ever seen from any source, published or unpublished. Original, plausible, deep, cutting-edge, and it's good to know that Shireroth isn't all just fantasy and magic (even though I like fantasy and magic as much as anyone). I look forward to learning more about the sancts, Dante McCallavre, and who the mysterious Pohjanvälke are. I'd also be interested in a story about why such technologically advanced and independent people willingly subordinate themselves to a feudal Kaiser.

My hat is off to you.

PS: "Some say Straylight isn't a state at all, it's more of a dynamic." GROAN.
PSPS: Three words - Kowloon Walled City.

[Ari Rahikkala]

* bows *

And don't worry about the state/dynamic thing, you're still ahead of me in the dreadfully witty pun department