I was born when the Kingdoms were born.

Now, I am an old woman, but I have my memories to keep me company , and I sit by the Tree of Reflections, still.

I do not know what I can add to Muckish and Vini's stories but I will try to summ it up around the Tree of Reflections, central to all that has passed between my Family and I.

Before there was a Tree of Reflections, there was a wee little tree outside the old innyard in Kugnae. Immediately upon seeing it, I was drawn to it. Never questioned why.

I would sit under this little tree every day after practicing my Mage magics. People would meander in and out of the Inns going about their business. In time they began to notice me sitting under the Tree, same spot every day. They began to sit with me, always asking me why I sat under this particular tree. I would shrug saying “I am reflecting“. They would come in time to do the same, reflecting on their day, sharing stories of what they had seen or learned. People began to meet there daily and this spot became a hub . Loves were forged, barters and deals too , a small marketplace of sorts emerged and life was great.

One day I met a Warrior who showed me something else, he taught me of Poetry and a love of expression through the written word… Something changed inside me and I gave up hunting .

My Magics left me as I concentrated inward to draw out the melodic words that would take shape of my thoughts, my inner reflections. Back then, there was no Poetry Revels, no outlet to share our words, so the tree became a place where we could gather weekly and read for all interested. It was truly a wonderful time. From there the ideas of a first official Kingdom hosted Poetry readings was formed, Called ‘Lazy Days Sunday’. It was hosted in Buya in the old hidden Poets Coven. I became one of the Judges, then Hostess. From there the first Princes Revels was formed, held in Kugnae. Poets guild, Hosted by Glenda. I judged for her and other Hosts for years untill Muse took it over a bit back.

I entered the Revels readings many times and won, back before marks were given and after. One time I won 2nd place and got a ‘Letter from Orb‘! as a prize.It was back when we could use/send Paper . I think he made a booboo as 2nd prize was usually a moon paper *smiles*

I could not open the letter, and it was totally ’useless’ but I kept it for years, in memory of this Great god. One day some friends persuaded me to go on a hunting outing with them, taunting me, ‘Oh *****mon Leo, you NEVER hunt’…I, being tired of of saying ‘no thanks’ and explaining I was in the middle of writing a poem, said ‘yes‘.

Being very rusty in my magic spell casting, I handed a Northern Ogre my ‘letter from Orb’ instead of casting Paralyze. I of course was heartbroken and HellFired the Ogre, but alas the letter was ‘burned up’ with the Ogre *crys*

I vowed to never hunt again.

Word went round the Kingdoms about my letter loss and vow, and I suppose people thought me odder then before.

The years passed and people began to change, in my eyes anyway. They were growing in status and many of them who used to come to the tree did not come anymore to sit and chat. I would see them scurrying in and out of the Inns like always, but, they would not chat as in the ‘old days’.

I retreated inward and started facing the North, my back towards people. I guess they did see me as odd, looking back now *chuckles*.

The Shattering came and with it the SubPaths were born. I was immediately drawn to Geomancers, and began to study in formal training. I was walked into the path Yuri 21 I believe, as I know it was before the Great Shift.

Immediately after being walked people began to say, “ Oh no wonder Leo does not hunt and faces the North, under that tree all day, she is a geo!”

*shrugs*

I don’t think that was why, but it gave people an idea we were all happy with. *smiles*

and the taunting over ‘Hey Leo why don’t you ever hunt???’ changed to, “Look it’s Leo the tree hugging Geo! Hi Leo!”

I remember the day of the Great Shift..I came out of the old inns and looked around..All had changed, all was different and NO TREE! I wandered around aimlessly, listening to all the Peoples crys.. Like me, they were heartbroken over their losses…Then the Warrior who had taught me about Poetry appeared out of the dust, took my hand and lead me to the East gate….“Here is your tree now“, he said to me. “It has grown like you.” Then he left me again, never to be seen from that day on…..Sometimes I used to think I was still waiting under that tree for his return., that he alone cared as much to guide me to a new tree that day long ago.

Yes the Tree and I have remained attached from the day it and I both arrived after the Shift, up to this day now. Many loves, engagements, marriages, adoptions and even deaths this Tree and I have seen. Genji was buried behind the tree and the Prince threw fit, ordered him dug up and placed in the Graveyard

S. Kug….And another decree, No burying the dead in towns *laughs*…..Anyway

I adopted many children under that Tree and some are still with us today. I met and was married to Vini under this tree in Y 47.

At one time when this tree was younger and the Kingdoms too, this tree had no name. Just a sign , the one you see now, but nothing on it. We back then could post to signs every several years, and someone would always post ‘Leo’s family Tree’. I never knew who it was, just that it was always posted in one way or another denoting it was my tree. Back when we used to claim certain trees in the Kingdom as our ‘family trees’ I proclaimed on Cotw the Tree at the E gate was my family tree. No one objected J . so after that it was known as our family tree.

One day after being asked what I was doing facing the tree, I replied as usual ‘I am reflecting’ ( I must have said this over 1000 times before) The man then said to me, Oh you have a mirror there? Ooh Mirrors are rare, can I see? It dawned on me in that moment that most all the people I had told this as late ‘I am reflecting’ did not understand what I meant! They thought I was looking at my face in a mirror! Or putting on makeup or who knows….They were not thinking on the same ‘reflections’ I was.

I was thinking on inner reflection, they just thought the superficial as many of the people had become this……So I wrote a Poem on the Tree, how it gives me the peace to meditate and go inward to produce my feelings and what I have learned, and put it into poetry for all….I titled the poem ‘Tree of Reflections’. It won an Hm..

After that some would post ‘Tree of Reflections’ to the sign. I liked this better then Leos tree. From there out many poets and story tellers were then born under the tree enjoying the same peaceful reflective state as I did and still do.

Later the time of posting signs passed with white paper and the sign remained blank…One day we noticed something different in the Kingdoms, new changes and among them the sign then read “ Tree of Reflections.

As I became more involved with Geomancy here I was promoted to guide, round Y 29 under Elder Pooh. While I was guide, we revised our student instruction application process and I became Lead Watcher,

in charge of those who applied to our path and their Geomancy instructors. In this I did know every one of our students. At any given time you could find me, several Watchers and students discussing Geomancy. We loved to share our teachings to any who would listen and often a crowd gathered…

Working hand in hand with Sungodess and our great Guides I became Elder first time in Y . Oh I forget !.Under my Eldership we moved back into Towns as we found Neutrality is a state of mind, not where one lives, and Geo’s could remain Neutral wherever they lived now.

Living in the Wilderness had shown us this.

Also under my Eldership we revised the Natures Bounty games taking them from the Great tree, where we used to hold them with the help of the Gods, to the House of chi, where we were granted the gift of Tokens and spawns to aid us in this community game. As Geomancers it wa our wish to share our knowledge of the 5 elements with the Community, to bring an understanding of the cycles and balance to all. We asked the God, then Eldridge, to let us create a Geo/Community based quest where any who wished could come to learn of the 5 Elements. Thus the quest for the Elemental orb was born, the first of its kind which opened the doors for other paths to share in what they had to offer. This was a turning point for many paths and how we left our self contained worlds and became more in tune with the Community as a whole. So now you see more sharing, more games, contests , path items and marks being given. But it was us all who had a hand in this!

We Geo’s became involved with the Tree of Reflections as a path around Y 42 when it was cursed by Mupa through Shaman Roseblossom. Mupa’s intentions were to use x geo Roseblossom and my love of the tree to create chaos between the 3 Mage paths and from there out into all peoples and then Yuri…

It almost worked to but for the Archon Shajara and the Communities help. You can read about this great cursing -healing in the Library under Tales of the people, I believe. Mind you it is way down..

From that day forward Geo’s were known as the Tree of reflections protectors, by royal decree and the Tree became a National Monument for all the Kingdoms to enjoy.

Over the years Geo’s have remained constant in their beliefs.. Our rules and ways are the same, constant, with little change of the basics we were founded on. Each Elder that comes forth makes sure that all that came before is not forgotten..

Three times I was Elder of my Family . I am guide still, I love and am loved, I trust and am trusted, this above all else I have taken as my greatest joys here.
This and my family, my steadfast Husband, always someone to be trusted respected and cherished. Our children too~! So many wonderfull kids *A*

This love, and the Tree of Reflections has shaped my life in many ways.

Aah~
I married here 4 times, my Son Muckish and Husband Vini forget,. *smiles*

So do I sometimes as it was way back before the dates were recorded.

My first Marriage was to the Warrior FongSaiYuk, a great Warrior, who had to leave here for other lands.
Then to our dear Augman. A Poet. He had to leave too…

I married many years later to ElTigre, who comes and goes, last seen about a year ago…

Then and finally!
my beloved Vini.

Some of the children we gathered up in this time are gone from us, some not. Always we have our memories * sings*

To the Kingdoms!

Leodaris Xing-Nomand’Or

Family .

&>the Tree hugging Geo