Berries & Ink/Issues/Berries-03-03

Publication: Berries & Ink

Volume: 03

Issue: 03

Issue Date: June 1, 2026

Contributors: Vixonia, Eruwyn, Shaoimhe, Allye, Stelling, Jaelia, Vendelt, Karatyna, Crobin, Valynn, Harkour, Warbrolus, Pyppa

Editor: Illiya

You tap a pale blue paper. A blob of berry-red wax is affixed to the paper. It is imprinted with a plump strawberry nestled in a crown of delicate leaves. You gently open the folded paper.

[~* Soft light breaks across pale blue paper sky above a sun-drenched forest clearing with rain-streaked strawberries and inkpots framing the hand-lettered script: *~] Berries & Ink - Volume 3, Issue 3 [~* Editor's Note *~] Dearest Readers, Every time I sit down to pen one of these letters, I am struck by the sheer magic of what we do here. The vulnerable, beautiful thing that happens when we share our words, art, and memories. Looking over this issue, I am overwhelmed by how it captures the breathtaking spectrum of our lives in Elanthia. Alongside our beloved columnists, this issue features Vixonia's whimsical kitten poetry, part two of Lyras's story by Warbrolus, and Pyppa's deeply moving tribute to our beloved Amaci. Thank you for opening these pages and giving these words a home in your heart. Yours in memory and gratitude, Illiya [~* A heartfelt thank you to our generous sponsor for this issue: Imroth *~] [~* A whimsically illustrated kitten is reaching out to bat a ball of yarn that trails around the border of the poem titled "Feline Frenzy" by Vixonia *~] Cozy kitten in my lap Settles down for a little nap Making biscuits as she yawns With her tiny paws of bronze Suddenly she hears a sound Leaping quickly to the ground Ears are flared and whiskers taut Eyes fixed on one little spot Leaping she tries to catch air Diving madly without care Whirling, racing all around Skittering wildly with a bound Suddenly she is just done Now that she has had her fun She settles to sleep again My sassy, silly little friend [~* Twin apple tree branches abloom with pale pink petals embrace the words "Guess Who? by Eruwyn Cholares" *~] A swirling mass of grey and black clouds fill the background space, while silver and gold foils create fissures of lightning that glimmer with any movement. Centered admid the storm is a statuesque Kaldar woman with high, angled cheekbones and intelligently sharp violet eyes. Her white hair is cut short and shaved on one side, the tendrils mussed from the wind. A high collar of dark leather stands out above a dark cloak adding to her severe, aloof appearance. An elegant shirt and neatly tailored pants can just be seen underneath along with just the hint of a ninjare hanging from her belt, one pale hand resting with ease on the hilt. (Last issue's portrait: Ayrell. Winner: Casari. MAIL in your guess for this month! The winner will be revealed next issue.) [~* A tiny cartoonish tart carrying a bindle walks atop the words "The Traveling Tartling by Shaoimhe Bramblebairn" *~] Well, this month I went to Boar Clan. And, friends - I was not prepared. For starters, as one of the shorter races I thought I had become accustomed to feeling small, but to be surrounded by Gor'Togs? I. Was. Miniscule. And togball?? Terrifying. (Okay, and a little bit exhilarating.) Plus there's a shop called the SQUISHING EMPORIUM. But I'm not putting the place down by any means! It was really quite lovely, if not overwhelming. With a very nice little felt shop! (I purchased some very soft socks.) I tried some of the...food. Which while not for me I'm sure fits someone's appetite! Someone I don't wish to dine with. Oh, and there is an adorable little fox that roams the streets! I am glad I went, and will brace myself for a future return. [~* Myths of the Mouse: Meeting Pip, by Allye Karayilma *~] Klineklaus tugged at the centipede steed's reins. A hundred tiny feet dug in as it refused to step onto the dock. "Get! We are for the joust, in Ratha!" He pointed to a boat moored nearby. The centipede stared, unconvinced. With a huff, the valiant mouse tried again. But he lost his grip, slipping and tumbling into Arthe Bay! Icy darkness met him beneath the surface, and he dropped like a rock in his jousting gear. Spots formed in his vision as his lungs burned for air. His consciousness began to fade. Then he felt paws gripped under his arms, raising him up with surprising strength. Surfacing and thrown upon the shoreline, he coughed up water and gratefully gulped in breaths. He blinked, and all he saw were her soft brown otter eyes, gleaming with concern. [~* Bottles and flasks sprout from thorny vines encircling the title "Measured Pours by Stelling Constalon" *~] How have I managed three columns Without touching wine? Easiest of all Both cheap and fine Best variety, head to Throne City Elanai's pairs Finest cheeses and breads To pair with the varieties Talan Sathra? Both varieties are great Flavorful and mildly sweet Though if sugar is your thing Get the Halfling Apple and your tastebuds will sing Speaking of sing, if a fun time you seek Find a Bard And take a trip down to Shard Shoan a Sidelkuloa has the ice wine that you need [~* Community Commentary by Mother Jaelia Evensong *~] Everyone has an interesting story in them, even you! People want to know the community. Traders, crafters, artists, bards, poets, and you! One easy way to promote yourself and share who you are is to submit something to Berries & Ink. You don't need a regular column. Just send something when it comes to you. My youth was spent against the backdrop of the Lyras War. People romanticize that time and clamor for those stories. I could have become an Inquisitor. Instead I chose Moliko. Even with age or wisdom, I don't think I'd do it differently. But those are not the stories I prefer. I prefer peaceful, everyday stories of people: haiku, bad puns, odd facts, essays, or memories. Don't think your style isn't "real art." Share it. We need more voices. [~* The Dark Dyaus, Ch. 3: Tenebran and the Price of Knowing by Vendelt *~] I tried the market, the corners, the Rest of Ages where talkative types go to feel important. Nobody knew anything, or wasn't talking. The city has had centuries to perfect that particular art. By midday I was near the Dyaus watching the crowd ignore the chestnut vendor in her torn blanket hawking her wares, trying her best to make some coin and keep her child safe and calm at the same time. I bought a bag. She pressed them into my hands and said, "Kinder than most, ser." I didn't feel kind. I felt tired. That's Leth for you, all old timber and quiet dignity up top, and underneath, a woman and her baby that nobody sees. She hadn't seen anything either. I headed home the long way, past the gymnasium. Door shut, nothing obvious. I kept moving. The chestnuts were warm at least. Small mercies. [~* Aether and Whiskers - A Feathered Arrival: A New Bird Rival by Karatyna *~] I sat on the desk with a twitch of my nose, Out from a talisman, black as the crows, A new spirit flew with a flash and a flare! A Large Familiar entered the air. Sleek and so smart, he knew how to fly, He could scout all the rooms from up high in the sky. He dashed on her errands to fetch and to bring, While I sat in silence, a sad little thing. He could carry her letters, he could soar, he could glide, While I was just little and wanted to hide. Too small to help, too little to see, A tiny spirit-pet, plain as can be. But my Lady looked down with a beautiful smile, And scooped me right up to hold me a while. "The Crow is for scouting up high in the blue, But you are my snuggler, so faithful and true!" [~* The Adventures of Lavacano Gator, Ch. 23: A Second Breath by Crobin Yuanfen *~] Lavacano's eyes fluttered open beneath the Grove's canopy. Every muscle ached as Illiya let out a relieved sigh. "You had us worried," she said. Nearby, Zynell sat quietly. "Not many return from where you wandered." As Lavacano sat up, a worn teddy bear slipped into his lap. Memories of the invasion flooded back -- the frightened child he had shielded and the life he had given to save hers. "She left that for you," Illiya said softly. Lavacano smiled faintly and tied the bear to his belt beside his riste. A reminder of why he fought. Deep within, his Inner Fire still burned. And beyond the Grove, Kermoria waited for the goblin who refused to stay dead. [~* Eat This, Not That by Valynn Aehre *~] Snacking in Muspar'i comes courtesy of the city's ruler King Arhhdan. With a dish selection this abundant, his generosity is readily apparent. This author's recommendations include, the roasted red bell pepper soup, a tasty revelation that is deeply aromatic, warming, and complex. Seconds are permissible. The craveable fire-roasted sand prawns in herb-butter sauce are sweet, smoky and sticky-finger lick-able. Sample the sugar-cured roast duck glazed in raspberry and hhyssk'et. Spicy, sweet, and impossibly tender. The perfect centerpiece to any feast. Close your repast at the refreshment stand with the bold and blazing spiced hhyssk'et chai or cool down with the cactus tea -- smooth, soothing, and perfectly suited to the desert air. * Muspar'i is a beautiful, bustling city with countless wonders waiting to be discovered. Come play in the sand. [~* One Year So Long and So Short: Summer Comes by Harkour Navarre *~] Soldiers march along in rank. Brothers in arms headed to battle Pace set by the war drum's rattle Armor clanks with each heavy step Oaths of victory sworn to be kept Columns travel over fields windswept Above the sun glares down on all Those behind and before the walls Very soon some will give their all Soldiers triumphant while others fall The armies gather for the siege Brought to conflict by their liege Only winners gaining prestige There I stand and think of you A promise of love to see me through A soldier who marches in rank. [~* To Create a Devourer, Part 2 by Warbrolus Noq'Myth *~] It is easy, and not incorrect, to look at what Lyras became and conclude that whatever was done to her does not matter, that the suffering she caused swallows any suffering she endured. But a retrospective that stops there is not looking back so much as away. To question "what made her" is not a defense. It is an indictment of everything that had a hand in the answer: the scarcity, the violence, the unnamed wound, the world that produced her and then expressed genuine surprise when she burned it. Divine fire unmade her in the end. A Hunger for her vision of justice consumed whatever scraps of her remained. We saw that as our version of justice, and perhaps it was. Still, we never did learn what it cost to make a Devourer in the first place. I have spent years telling myself that is the world's failure. Some nights I am less certain whose it is. [~* One Last Box by Pyppa *~] Throughout the lands of Elanthia, few names carried the warmth, strength, and spirit that Amaci did. A mighty Warrior Mage, accompanied always by her noble polar bear companion Finn, she carved her story into the realms not only through battle and adventure, but through the countless lives she touched along the way. Amaci was fearless in spirit, divine in strength, and endlessly kind to all who crossed her path. Her laughter and light could brighten even the darkest taverns or most dangerous hunting grounds. Whether standing victorious after battle or dusting herself off after yet another "unfortunate disagreement" with a trapped box, she faced every moment with humor, determination, and grace. Beyond her magical prowess and legendary lockpicking skills, Amaci s greatest gift was the warmth she brought to the realms. She created a welcoming haven for adventurers both old and new. Many who first stepped uncertainly into Elanthia found guidance, encouragement, friendship, and laughter in her presence. Though unofficial in title, she became a mentor to countless souls throughout the years. With Finn faithfully at her side, Amaci forged friendships, adventures, memories, and loves that will never be forgotten. Her story lives on not only in the roads she traveled, but in the hearts of all fortunate enough to know her. May the stars forever guide her path, and may the sound of one final box exploding echo proudly across the realms in her honor. [~* Thank you for reading! Look out for more juicy bites in the next issue! *~]