Eder Kemo

From MYSTlore


Eder Kemo
Writer unknown
Eder Kemo's ecosystem
Type	Garden Age
Connected places	Eder Gira, Bevin, Bahro Cave
Restoration phase	Open

Eder Kemo was named after the kemo fish found in a pond within it. Written as part of the "Garden Binge" during the 8100s, it was given to the D'ni people as a public Age until it was replaced years later.

[edit] Description

The visitor linking to Eder Kemo arrives within a small open enclosure, the beginning of a pathway which leads across a narrow stone bridge and into the garden proper, which is entirely surrounded by overhanging cliffs. The area beyond the cliffs is inaccessible.

Much of the garden has ground-cover of grass, interspersed with massed plantings of small flowers in many colors. Just below the uppermost edge of the cliffs can be found the harmless (but disconcerting) insect-like life forms commonly called keanulints by explorers. Whether they are native to this Age or were brought here as an adjunct to the garden project is not known.

The stone walls at intervals are decorated with elaborate but completely incongruous pictographs, totally alien to any known D'ni artistic style. It is believed that the Bahro painted these, possibly after Eder Kemo was abandoned in the wake of the Fall.

The garden's first area features an elaborate fountain; from here a staircase and flagstoned walkway lead down to an area of green lawns, trees, and a plant resembling bamboo. This entire section is strewn with smooth black stones. A ramada provides seating, and protection from the Age's frequent rain showers.

Beyond this the walk branches. One arm leads directly to the Journey Door, indicating that it was apparently a part of the garden’s original design. The left-hand branch passes through a tunnel and into the garden's second main section. The primary features in this area are the plants explorers have dubbed Brain Trees: tall plants with no evident foliage, but displaying a prominent globular red inflorescence, with a corrugated texture which has given them their name. From this structure depend slender, inflexible rods – possibly stamen analogues – which sway in the breeze and whistle softly. The brain trees are apparently the natural habitat of small firefly-like creatures which swarm in this area.

The walkway branches again at this point. To the right can be found a large floating sculpture, more of the bamboo-like plants, and depending from an overhanging spur of rock, a patch of a willow-like plant which grows directly downward from the stone. Set in the ground here, almost hidden by the willow-moss, is the Maintainers' mark for this Age. (A Bahro Stone can be found behind the sculpture.) Between the two branches is an enclosure of stone, its purpose undetermined.

Beyond the brain trees, the main path descends another flight of stairs and into the garden’s third area. The prominent features here are an apparently natural stone arch, another ramada, and very large teardrop-shaped plants on short stalks. At intervals, these plants eject spores or seeds into the air. (Oddly, none of these seem to take root: there are no plants which appear less than fully mature.)

The path leads now into a second tunnel, and from there into the garden’s fourth section, the pond. There are plants resembling water lilies here, and in the water can be found the rainbow-hued fish which gave this Age its name. A broad path of stepping-stones leads the visitor under a stone bridge (above which the link-in point can be seen) and to a door let directly into the stone wall. Within this room is a linking book back to Eder Gira.

[edit] Restoration Efforts

Eder Kemo passed Phase 1 inspections in October, 2001 before it underwent an initial mapping. After it had passed Phase 2 inspections, Phil Henderson went through the linking tunnel in the Age and disappeared, worrying the DRC. (He would not return for over a year). Suspension was proposed, although afterwards information was discovered that caused the vote for suspension to fail.

A detailed analysis of the Age began in November 2003 ^{(Leevofo 9659)} before it eventually passed Phase 5 inspections.