This is it, then. This entry concludes several things: my regular run of columns (although I reserve the right to post additional articles from time to time), my Novagallia series, and my three-week June theme on magocracies. It’s Mureure, location of Chateau Delinoix and a rather sizable number of TDA-related people (Delinoix, Bouvillier, and others). It is also where the Lady Delinoix spends much of her time.

As you might imagine, then, I have a lot to talk about here.

Before I begin, though, I want to publicly thank the columnists for their fifteen months of dedication and imagination. Primarily, I want to thank Sean for taking over the creative director role and doing a better job than I ever could. Without Sean stepping up to take over, the columns would have ground clunkily to a halt many months ago. But his vision, drive, and dedication kept us going until we figured we had enough worldbuilding to be able to start telling more stories. Thanks, Sean! And thanks, too, for the rust bunnies.

And let me not in any way downplay the awesomeness of Marci, Sister I, or Geoff, who have all contributed immensely and amazingly to the canon of the Ingressa. I have enjoyed reading all of their columns, day in and day out, for so many weeks, and I hope everyone else has as well. Some of my favorite highlights from them include Marci’s Thirteen Treasures of the Island of Britain series, Sister I’s introduction of demon binding to the House of Bouvillier (which I loved so much I add mentions of it everywhere I can), and Geoff’s irregular series about the Minoan Trail planets.

Although the regular columns conclude this week, we are all staying in contact with one another, and several of us already have plans underway for the next fun thing to come out of Royal Archivist. But until then, I need to blather at you for several thousand words about Mureure. Let’s get started.
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I keep saying I’ll write a column about how people in the Ingressa shape its reality. Since we’re in our last month of columns and the least three are already planned out, this is my last chance. There’s a lot to say, so let’s just get to it.
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I love the start of a new campaign. I love new characters who don’t quite know who they are yet and a new setting where everything is fresh and full of promise. I love seeing how people choose to play characters who are more and less like previous characters and how those characters interact.

What I hate? Is how campaigns start.
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Welcome to Preparation Week here at Royal Archivist. All this week, we’ll be talking about what it means to be prepared in the Ingressa. I’ll be starting us off by going a bit meta and telling you about some of the things we’re getting ready for here.
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So let’s talk about faster than light (FTL) travel in the Ingressa–or rather, the lack of it. A planet-spanning universe like the Ingressa usually needs some kind of FTL to function as a setting, but we sidestepped that with the pergressors. That’s our current method of keeping the various parts of the universe tied to each other but not too efficient at working together. After I lay out my thoughts on FTL in the Ingressa, though, I’d like to hear your thoughts on the matter.
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Ah, the itoks. They’re one of my favorite species running around the Ingressa. It’s true I’m probably biased on the subject since they were originally my creation, but I’ve loved watching what other people have done with them, especially in the context of the Wàiguó Liánméng. I’m proud of them, but mostly because the other authors working at Royal Archivist think they’re shiny enough to take out of our toy chest and play with them every now and again.

The concept of the itoks sprang from a desire to create aliens with biology that was, well… alien. The eventual result–a species that breeds using corpses, can hide among humans, and sporadically absorbs both memories and skills from its “host”–is a wonderfully upsetting concept, potentially right at home in a horror film. And yet, this species is perfectly capable of perpetuating itself without harming living humans, meaning that if the two species open lines of communication and break down their cultural barriers, a symbiotic relationship is possible.

Crafting a peace between itoks and humans could be the center of many stories and adventures, and their appearances in RA’s products so far have supported this type of arc.

Oh, but what lovely monsters they make.

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Staff changes, re-locations, additions–the new year brings all kinds of exciting new changes in store for the archives. Some of them we’ve already implemented, even. Would you like a tour?

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It’s the week between major December holidays and the start of the Western new year, so to give all of us columnists a little break, we’re going to re-run our favorite columns from the year. Sean already gave us all a sneak peek last Friday, and now the rest of us will be playing along as well. Join us again… well, this Friday… for all-new content!

-Mike McArtor
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Welcome to Horror Week here in the Royal Archivist columns! Starting now, the last full week of every month will be a theme week, and what better time to do horror than the week leading up to Halloween?

I’m a big fan of Gothic horror and there is nothing I like more from that genre than vampires. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about them, even well before we started up Royal Archivist and started formalizing the Ingressa, and one of the… oh wait, I can’t tell you that. Anyway… vampires. Here are some things to know about them in the Ingressa.
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Aha! Welcome, welcome! Please come in. As you can see, the movers have completed the first step of the process, and so I have here some temporary guides so you can find what you are looking for!

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