Merentesh's Legacy

The creations of Merentesh, the suicide mice, were relics of an age long gone. The last few were stored safely in stockrooms scattered throughout Sapience. It seemed as though the residents of the cities were safe from harm as long as the mice, terrified little creatures that they were, were safely locked away.

When sounds of ticking began to echo throughout the streets of Shallam and Ashtan, several residents began to worry. Pjoll and Koron of Shallam sought the oracle, Apollonia, and asked for a bit of wisdom. In her disturbed state Apollonia was incoherent, but she managed to warn the two of the dangers of the ticking, and mentioned that creatures with fur had something to do with the noise. Pjoll and Koron set out to find the source, as Apollonia warned that it may be too late.

Their search proved fruitless, as soon after they began their search the ticking began again, even louder than before. The frightened squeaking of the mouse was heard, and suddenly the suicide mouse detonated in the stockroom that had been considered so safe. The shop collapsed, creating piles of rubble that diverted the path of Zanzibaar street. So great was the force of the blast that several items from the stockroom were blown clear into the street, landing amongst the piles of rubble. The tail of the dead suicide mouse was found as well, and the residents of the lands realised that the ticking had been the bomb strapped to the mouse's back.

Mortals scrambled about the world soon after, extracting the mice from their stockrooms. Rothmore and Achavis each held one, and were surprised when the mice squirmed out of their grasp and detonated at their feet. At the same moment, Ikne and Zahmekoses were deciding how to deal with the fifth mouse. Zahmekoses attempted to rid himself of the mouse by leaving it in the belly of a volcano, but the mouse's instinct told him to make a break for it. It scampered away from the volcano and ran back to Ikne whom it saw as its liberator. Ikne, along with Kell, had retreated to the Altar of Severity. Thinking quickly, Ikne grabbed the mouse and fed it to a nearby crow. The crow, displeased, cawed and spat up the mouse. Now more frightened than ever, the mouse squeaked as the attached bomb detonated at the feet of Kell.

Later, a great rumbling was heard across Sapience, originating on the island of Delos. Concerned folk from all over scrambled to the island just in time to feel the ground shake from a nearby explosion. Two dead mice were found outside of a levelled shop, and it was discovered by Sahmie that their expiration dates had been long-past. The bodies of the mice were disposed of, and people combed through the rubble for salvagable merchandise.

As the mice could not be hidden away safely forever, neither can we deny the secrets of the ages. When history is put on display, sealed behind a glass case, it cannot be grasped and learned from.