1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:14,000 I... you... here... you have seen that wall haven't you? Schildkrote responds hat do you mean 'what wall?' The 2 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:22,440 very big wall straight ahead! Schildkrote replies. I don't care if it's crumbling, it's solid enough. Schildkrote! 3 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:37,080 Shildkrote! WHOOSH! Ha ha ha! You scoundrel! Pulled up at the very last whisker! I told 4 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:43,960 you she was a rebel, didn't I? She just did that to put the squidgy-widgies up me. And 5 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:54,240 it worked. What's that? Yeah the squidgy-widgies, you know, a bit of a fright. Gives you a crinkled winkle Schildkrote snorts 6 00:00:54,240 --> 00:01:03,680 That wall, the one we almost careened straight into, has its own name. It's called 7 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:11,600 Spite and it was made by the Bao. Remember them? Those Ayelfs from the Amber City what 8 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:22,920 was shooting at us earlier? Let's get a better look. Bring us round a bit. See the walkway 9 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:29,000 and the little forts? Imagine being a Bao guard and marching up and down up there all 10 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:36,480 day. Wouldn't you be knackered? It stretches right across Ikiga, you know. Goes right 11 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:42,920 through the swamp and all the way up to the north coast. The Bao loved their walls. Built 12 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:50,560 several, they did. Most of them are just rubbly lines now. What I never figured out was: were 13 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:57,720 they building them to keep people in... or keep them out? No one seems very clear about it. 14 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:06,200 What I do know is just like every story, there's two sides to every wall. And I tell you what, 15 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:13,440 this wall looks a lot less higgled and piggled from the western side, don't it? Wanna know 16 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:22,320 why? Well, they're in shadow but if you squint a bit you'll see something. Spotted them? 17 00:02:22,320 --> 00:02:28,680 Those people up on the ladders, with their buckets and pulleys and chisels. Fixing the wall, they 18 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:36,080 are from dawn till dusk. You'd think it was their wall wouldn't you? It isn't. I don't 19 00:02:36,080 --> 00:02:42,500 know why they've taken on the job. They're clearly not enjoying it. These are the Reakk. 20 00:02:42,500 --> 00:02:49,680 You know them from their hairless heads, bushy eyebrows and round, mousy ears. Look at that 21 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:56,120 one. Ain't he got a face like a toad that's been left out in the sun? He must have found 22 00:02:56,120 --> 00:03:03,760 himself in the wrong trade. What a sorrowful fate - it's a punishment back in the swamp. 23 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:08,920 Back home, the ones that love doing a thing are the ones that do it, see. If there's no one 24 00:03:08,920 --> 00:03:15,800 around who loves building, well, you just make do, don't you? And maybe your house falls down 25 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:32,840 but no one spends their day with a face like that. ...The horizon is smoky blue and gold look. 26 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:38,700 Those are trees in the distance and lots of them. The Bright Forest. One of the treasures 27 00:03:38,700 --> 00:03:46,880 of Ikiga. From a distance the trees could be a bed of reeds. Up and up and up they go. 28 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:54,560 Golden and sighing. It's said those thin straight trunks reach for the moon and the canopy forms 29 00:03:54,560 --> 00:04:01,520 only where the moonlight is close. That's when they'll send out their singing branches. 30 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:07,360 Welcome to many of the most ancient creatures of Meraki and some of the strongest, purest 31 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:13,720 magic too. That's where the great canopy turtles make their home. Along with many other beings 32 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:23,080 of blood, sap and spore. The Snerwin and the Hemelkin. It's not unlike the swamp in some 33 00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:31,440 ways. Ancient and elemental. But instead of murk and mud it's a bright and dappled place. 34 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:36,680 And half the time the trees grow sideways in the swamp not straight up. And it's not 35 00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:44,400 half as muddy. Oh, and when the fairies bite you it doesn't bring you out in bumplings. 36 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:51,600 So in many ways it's not like the swamp at all, is it? It's just... what I'm trying to say... 37 00:04:51,600 --> 00:04:59,880 is not all things are in the LOOK. It's in the thinginess of them. You know? Oh, never mind... 38 00:04:59,880 --> 00:05:06,480 Schildkrote, take us in and I'll show you what I mean. You can make up 39 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:14,920 your own minds. What's that? Ah, she says she can't take us because her folks will ground 40 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:24,840 her and roll her on her back. That sounds a bit harsh. Shildkrote replies Ah ha ha. Alright. Yeah. Well 41 00:05:24,840 --> 00:05:31,040 I'm staying out of it then. Shame though. I guess we'll just have to visit at another 42 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:37,280 time. Come back in a month and see if this one needs rolling back over. 43 00:05:37,280 --> 00:05:56,640 Here, do you feel that prickling on the back of your neck? Like you've got a new mushroom 44 00:05:56,640 --> 00:06:04,840 coming through. That's the signal, that is. The Above and Beyond is calling us back. There's 45 00:06:04,840 --> 00:06:22,280 no arguing with the Above and Beyond. Take us up, Schildkrote. No storms in these clouds. 46 00:06:22,280 --> 00:06:30,120 All blushing pink and orange look. Wyverns all fast asleep. We're getting the last of the 47 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:38,680 sun. We've covered a lot of ground, all told. Still, there's so much more we could see. 48 00:06:38,680 --> 00:06:45,040 I haven't got to show you the orcs marvellous airships. The bustle of the Burr Docks or 49 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:52,640 the excitement of Port Pang. Nothing of the island of Kadriq with its kobalds and dragon 50 00:06:52,640 --> 00:07:01,520 country. And of course the muddiest jewel in Meraki's crown, my homeland. The glorious 51 00:07:01,520 --> 00:07:10,040 swamp. I'd love to take you there. Introduce you to Old Nan and Elder Jhon Boi. Tuck into 52 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:18,880 a steaming bowl of Hooty-Grooty. It's good stuff is Hooty-Grooty. It's like a stew but 53 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:25,840 like nothing you've ever had before, I bet. Put it this way: it don't just steam cause 54 00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:35,560 it's hot! Ah, good times. Here, why don't we do this again? What do you say? Next time 55 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:41,640 you sneak away, Schildkrote, come and get us from the Above and Beyond. Pick up where 56 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:50,240 we left off. Schildkrote replies That's true. She says it's up to the Above and Beyond, really. You can't 57 00:07:50,240 --> 00:07:57,200 stick pins in its ways. And maybe Meraki has its own stories that it wants to tell. Who 58 00:07:57,200 --> 00:08:04,840 knows if we're in them? But the Above and Beyond likes us, I think. And we're in Coherence 59 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:13,040 too, so if you ever wanted to, you'll be able to find me again, and I you. Just might take 60 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:20,360 a bit of looking. Through the clouds and back into the inky blue. Strange to think there's 61 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:33,000 so much going on below us. It feels more like we're being lifted now. Ready for the whoosh 62 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:55,400 of stars again, eh? Here they come! ...Sprinkled everywhere. Rinsing us off it feels like. 63 00:08:55,400 --> 00:09:03,160 I think some of these are your stars and some are mine maybe. All dancing together in the 64 00:09:03,160 --> 00:09:12,360 Above and Beyond. Beautiful. It's been a fine adventure sharing this tale with you and a 65 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:19,560 true pleasure to show you some of the wonders of Meraki. I've never seen some of them before 66 00:09:19,560 --> 00:09:26,800 myself and I bet I won't remember them when I wake up. But somehow that seems all as it 67 00:09:26,800 --> 00:09:38,720 should be. I do promise though I will remember you. Ha ha ha yeah and you too, gal! How can 68 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:46,440 I forget you? Let's look out for each other in the trails and trials ahead yeah? Well met 69 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:50,920 travellers. Until next time we meet... laters.