NAR Spring 2024 Issue

Spring 2024

Neon Anteater Renaissance

NEON ANTEATER RENAISSANCE Neon Anteater Renaissance (NAR) is UC Irvine’s Campuswide Honors Collegium’s creative works journal, featuring visual and written works from our talented CHC community. Thank you to everyone who has submitted to our issues! We also encourage you to contribute to future NAR issues by submitting your work to uci.nar.chc@gmail.com or https://sites.uci.edu/narchp/.

Editor-in-Chiefs:

Graphic Designer:

Esha Jacob Adhiti Chandramohan

Kirsten Ha

Event Coordinator:

Maria Rama-McCain

Frank Granda Erin Jun

Marketing Director:

Advisor:

Neel Iyer

Representatives:

Darren Warner

“Breaking New Ground” Contest Winners:

“Uprooted”by Chelsea Paylaga “no me recuerdas”by Sebastián Calderón Cover Photo:

“Puddles”by Maria Rama-McCain Instagram: nar_chc Discord: https://discord.gg/U9Fp5rBn2S Website: https://sites.uci.edu/narchp/ 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS “Remnant Passage / Steely Spirits / A Lonely Tree”by Shayan Ahmad...................3 “My Beautiful Vast Surreal Fantasy”by Esha Jacob..........................................7 “Dreaming on Broken Ground”by Olivia Sagaradj..............................................9 “Weathering Away”by Jacob Liu...............................................................11 “Excerpt from the Foreword of Rocky Rockson: The Power of Doors”by Gabriel Garcia13 “The Party is Over”by Neel Iyer...............................................................15 “Protagonists”by Yamil Vazquez...............................................................17 “Oversight View”by Frank Granda.............................................................19 “Embarkation Processing”by Frank Granda...................................................20 “Breakthrough”by Brianna Chang.............................................................21 “Puddles”by Maria Rama-McCain.............................................................23 ‘Hand’ by Stephany Lam..........................................................................24 “Cali (my version)”by Stephany Lam..........................................................25 “Uprooted”by Chelsea Paylaga................................................................27 “Momentary Reprieve”by Adhiti Chandramohan.............................................29 “On Duality”by Adhiti Chandramohan.........................................................30 “What Inspired my Discord Status”by Stephany Lam.......................................31 “The Same Place”by Stephany Lam...........................................................32 “No Me Recuerdas / when?”by Sebastián Calderón........................................34 “Serene Scene”by Julie Loritsch...............................................................36 “POJKEN: A Folktale of Arcanus”by Frank Granda.........................................38

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Remnant Passage / Steely Spirits / A Lonely Tree

by Shayan Ahmad

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When I came across this bridge, I couldn’t help but think how small human creation can look in the face of nature. For all we’ve built, how far we’ve come, we are still just so small compared to the vastness of the planet. When we’re gone, a hundred or a thousand years from now, just what will be left of our memory? Will it be some abandoned structures, some utilities that have no one to use them, what is our mark on this world?

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NAR’s theme this quarter was ‘Breaking New Ground’ and nothing captures it better than Garfervious, my 3* shiny best buddy Perrserker. He has never been to school before, but look at him! He’s trying something new by coming to UCI! He has a long way to go before he gets a degree but dang, I’m certainly proud of the little guy!

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I recently visited Machu Picchu in Peru and it was really fun! I have so many pictures I could have submitted but this one stood out to me. The juxtaposition of the lone tree with the vast mountains and structures in the background accentuate just how visually stunning Machu Picchu is. My trip took place over Spring Break and it was a very new thing for me as I went with MEDLIFE at UCI. It was such a happy, novel experience which is why I submitted it for the ‘Breaking New Ground’ contest.

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My Beautiful Vast Surreal Fantasy

By Esha Jacob

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A few months ago, I traveled to Peru with my friends to volunteer at a mobile medical clinic in Cusco. This photo was taken at Machu Picchu, the final day of our trip.

Honestly, being there made me feel like I was in a completely different world. The verdant green mountains before me stood so tall and grand. Peering over the ledge, I'd gaze at a meandering river that seemed like it was miles below. The feeling was completely breathtaking and unreal.

I realized this singular tree in the foreground essentially extends through the multiple layers represented behind it - the light green grass, the stone walls, the far mountains, and the clouds in the sky - as if it was growing and breaking through each of these different mediums. I also find it interesting that this small tree is portrayed so largely in the photo compared to the majestic mountain peaks, further supplementing the surreal vibe I was going for with this submission.

Regarding the photo's title... I am not a Kanye fan but there is one song I actually really like. A friend gave me his noise-canceling headphones to wear and I listened to Kanye's "Dark Fantasy" while reveling in and enjoying the natural beauty of Machu Picchu. I guess I'll always think of Kanye when I reminisce over my Machu Picchu experience.

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Dreaming On Broken Ground

By Olivia Sagayaradj Looking at it now, it made no sense, How the world spun round and I stood still, I’d place my wager for tomorrow’s events, To remain the same as today’s frosty chill.

Looking at it now, I still can’t believe it, How you dreamed up a place far from this, The earth around us seemed bare, I admit, But somehow you found the sun through the mist.

You showed me a view of grand mountain airs, Told me a story with the shapes of the clouds, Presented a future where I’d have no cares, Of the fears of storms that shook my solid ground, Your glistening words made the path seem so clear, To a place where I’d live among vineyards of charm, Through a quest that could be filled with daring and cheer, And all I needed was your arm through the fall.

I’ve raced through the fields and reached the first milestone, I’m chasing the dreams on the grounds broken by you, You brought me the colors I’d never even known, And now I paint on a canvas under a sun-risen hue.

Who knew that these changes and stumbles we took, Would lead to a land where there was no torrid plan, Oppression forgotten and past the curtain we looked, Found the ground more fertile for the seeds in our hands.

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Now as the next, you seem unsure where you’re leaping, Whether the choices you made were enoughly sound, But I’m watching skylines from atop the ship’s bowing, We’re still sailing forth and we’re still stepping out.

Looking at you now, I feel so sure-footed, The dream I’ve been given is for me to share, With the one who's been by me undisputed, And the ones that let me blaze as bright as I dare.

Looking at us now, it makes so much sense, And we’re not standing still as the world spins around, Tomorrow’s coming and I know I progress, Through the life we’re dreaming on broken ground.

- Olivia

This piece of work is dedicated to and inspired by all the people in my life who I have been so fortunate to know. The people that have taken risks and told me through their actions that things can be okay at the end of the road. The people in my life and the way they've shaped me are a culmination of who I am today and the dreams I have as I go forward through all different phases of life. Taking into account the theme of "Breaking New Ground," I've reflected on my experiences and found that no matter what boundaries I've tried pushing or what goals I wanted to chase, I have always been lucky enough to be surrounded by these people with ambitious dreams that have pushed me forward to achieve anything I've ever imagined. So, when it comes to breaking new ground, I can't say I've done it on my own, but instead with my trusted friends and family who've stood by me through the ups and downs.

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Weathering Away

By Jacob Liu

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My inspiration for this work was from a hike in Oregon where I came across a strange clearing with a trickle of a waterfall among the messy overgrowth. I was drawn to the juxtaposition of color with the natural greens, browns, and greys of the rocky and forested landscape around me with the dark pool of water with the rising cliffside. I thought it was really interesting to see how the wet basalt seemed like it was rising out of the inky darkness from the depths of the pool up the waterfall to the overexposed sky like a rising obelisk. It was apparent that there was a bit of disaster with something crashing through to knock down the trees around to produce the rough landscape, but it was also reassuring to see the trickling waterfall begin to erode away at the rock knowing that in time it would all smooth over. I think this speaks to both the hope and fear for the future especially in the aftermath of chaotic upheavals in life both good and bad, that even amidst the grandeur and largeness of life we can still weather the storm and things will smooth over with time to break ground on new adventures and happenings at our own steady sure pace.

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Excerpt from the Foreword of Rocky Rockson: The Power of Doors

By Gabriel Garcia I love rocks The grey rocks The pop rocks The rocks in the hall of fame But there’s one rock that i hate ROcky ROckson This rock just fills me anger Im not shure y but i get irrational thinking about that dang rock that rock makes ngry He wants to do the x way not the normal way Ooh look at me build this door Ooh look ath thsi new method for brandishing doors STUPID DUMMB DUMBO IDIOT NOOO You dont do that U do it like the normal U dont change Why are you so special You break the ground in this way cause you think you’re quirky No No NO YOU SUCK I hate this stupid rock Rock rock rock ERRRRR You will fail your new ways will fail NOTHING IS elergant or what ever word I will rock your world you little pebble -OSWALD

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I wrote this segment about 50 years ago now. Rocky Rockson was revolutionary looking back now. He completely changed the game when it came to door construction. No one wanted to admit but the way he broke into that ground to build that door was crazy. Certainly now we can say in retrospect, oh it was so obvious. Why did no one listen to Rocky? But at that moment, nothing seemed obvious. We had Rocky changing doors, Franz Handsman changing the light bulb industry. Even Sir Francis Cake completely changed how we thought about the number thrembo. Too much change in too little time. I wish that rock the best in his afterlife. I clearly didn’t appreciate Rocky Rockson while he was here. He was such a brave and passionate individual and the way he revolutionized everything was incredible. I now hope that this rambling poem above can serve as a reminder to all. Resistance to change is inevitable. But those who march to the beat of their own drum should not listen. Rock on even if you’re the only metamorphic rock in a world of Igneous and Sedimentary rocks. Break through even if forces hold you back. I miss you Rocky.

This is a work that attempts to mimic the foreword of a book. It touches on themes of resitance to change and how new ideas can be met with hesistance regardless of effectiveness. Its a different view of breaking new ground, looking more at what happens when new ground is broken, and its general effects. P.S. the inspiration came to me at around 10:37:45 pm Sunday night

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The Party is Over

By Neel Iyer

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This photograph was captured in the parking lot of 7 Leaves Cafe on Jeffrey Rd, strange, I know. This is my last NAR submission and I feel like the theme of Breaking New Ground both represents how I am off to new things as well as how the ground around me (in this case UCI and the CHC) will continue to grow when I am gone. I guess you could say I am the toilet in this image and the foliage spreading and growing over me is the passage of time. I left my mark on the CHC, but the Party is now coming to an end and I'll just be a part of its history.

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Protagonists

By Yamil Vazquez

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Recently I've found myself with an idea expanding the scope of this game series I want to make someday, known as Lost Souls. This led to the birth of a spinoff series I'm currently calling Lost Souls - Another Road. I've noticed I have a tendency to hyperfixate on whatever game I'm playing or show I'm watching at the time, and I'll include some element of that into my story. Lately I've been into Honkai Star Rail, which led to me coming up with a fully fleged alternate universe to the original story I had for the first Lost Souls. Thus, as I find myself needing to put my thoughts onto to paper, here is the first official artwork of Another Road's protagonist, alongside the original Lost Souls protagonist. Victor, for victory, is at the bottom, who I affectionately refer to as "me if I were cool." At the top we have Genevieve, whose name is simply just a pretty name I've had picked out for something for a while now.

Genevieve appears as herself at the beginning of the story, while Victor appears as himself at the end. I hope to someday have both Victor and Genevieve's stories be fully playable someday, but for now you get crumbs!

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Embarkation Processing

By Frank Granda Waiting for the signal to commence operation, Here I am at my personal station, Glancing over inclinations of my purpose, Checking myself, asking if all of this is worth it, I look again, seeing what’s the time Hoping if I can make sense of my mind I sit aboard for the signal to start Did I do my part? I ask myself each day Either way, here I am where I now stand all melding together into a collective slush As I hush myself to sleep Sometimes I wonder if I can dream To traverse the streams of the stars That is my destiny Yet how far am I from my own personal sight As day turns to perpetual night In darkness, stars turn so bright It blinds the eyes From merely gazing into its magnificence I am deeply amazed by the sheer significance I start looking over my mission Trying to escape oblivion The journey continues on To witness the empty sight changes at night hanging on tight awaiting on the other side The number of stars only confound my mind Time breaks through relativity Everything is looking relative to me The cost of cosmic defiance arrives Now I embrace the cold feel of the cosmos I have to face up high What I face when I arrive Yet death does not fear me on entry Seeing the greatest of this century facing me in the depths of space

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Embarkation Processing: The inspiration behind this was following the theme and reimaging it to be about the beginning of a space adventure. The moment where one leaves the comfort of Earth and heads out to the great unknown.

Oversight View: What made me write this piece is me trying to process my thoughts about the police clash on the UCI encampment and the fallout that ensued in this campus. It has been a rough time and I needed something to help me deal with the tension.

Oversight View

By Frank Granda I have sighted the wreckage Checking out the fallout Watching in great doubt Standing right before me at the site Remembering vividly last night A clash crashing civility Many ask what could this be?

What does it mean?

I sat alone from the comfort of my home Witnessing a battle unfold An intersection between peace and brutality Now injected by beatings from the police Lost of a narrative explaining harrowing loss Treated like a wargame Nothing will ever be the same Rising escalation brings newfound devastation The future delivers uncertainty Such is the gift of prophecy I stand in the middle Being belittled and gaslighted Yet it is a miracle to rise high and stand tall To see it all in the beginning of the fall

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Breakthrough

By Brianna Chang

Link to performance

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When I was thinking about this contest, I realized that the types of works, which are poems and stories, that I usually specialize in didn't seem to fit the contest's particular theme. However, when I thought of the idea of "breaking new ground," I immediately thought of martial arts. My particular style of martial arts, which is Tang Soo Do, emphasizes punches and kicks, endurance, and flexibility meant to take down opponents with explosive speed and strength (although I had to slow down my movements to fit the rhythm of the song). After 3 years in Tang Soo Do, a type of Korean martial arts, I have risen to the rank of red belt, the last rank that students receive before testing for their black belt. My masters have always placed importance on having strength, endurance, and flexibility to take control of my body, life, and situation, and change my surroundings. Like how karate empowers a practitioner to break through wooden boards and defeat enemies, I was empowered with the strength and adaptability to "break new ground"-- to transform both my environment and myself to endure every challenge that comes my way.

Usually, in Tang Soo Do, we are frequently taught traditional "forms"-- sequences of motions put together to demonstrate how punches, kicks, blocks, dodges, and other motions can be used in a fight sequences. Traditionally, these forms have been passed down from master to master, and taught to countless generations of students.

However, for the purposes of this contest, I had put together my own, original form that mixes my experiences in karate, ice skating, ballet, and other forms of dance. The song that I performed this dance to, "Comeback," is about becoming empowered to fight through any new hardship that life throws at you. This is my first time ever recording a dance to be submitted for a contest, let alone a dance focusing on the techniques of Tang Soo Do. I really, really hope you all enjoy my performance!

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Puddles

By Maria Rama-McCain

I wanted to experiment with some different art tools like colored pencils, copic markers, and posca paint markers. I also really love Pokémon and I thought Clodsire and Wooper fit this quarter’s theme. In short, I just wanted to draw silly little guys.

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Hand

By Stephany Lam

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California (my version)

By Stephany Lam

flying 75 on the 57, screaming past the Angel Stadium Orange County to San Gabriel Valley driving half full, battery half empty, commuting, between strangers and family palm trees, slowly waving goodbye, to another sun setting no daylight, don’t leave me alone on a, freeway, in neon electricity glaring in the night, a synthetic apricity a hot pot, mixing, here in this city driving back home, stirs up, memories eating banh mi, at lees, in rosemead basket full of, num ansom, at long beach dim sum, honey lemon tea mom’s fav, at 85 degreesbun flavor - taro

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pero no, olivido los baja tacos y Portos oranges, lean against each other on road dividers lookout, for discounts and swerving drivers in and out, fast food, serving burgers Popeyes, baked tenders KFC, licking fingers they say if you made it here, winner, winner chicken dinner came a long way, hopeful immigrants why you falling short, says your parents hunched over, back shrimp, still doing dishes at the sink and you still want to head out after all the blood, sweat, and tears it took for them to get in put on oversized shades and sunwear posing for fam pics on the pier and we still complain about the weather here it’s perfect that's what they hear, overlooking the tents camped up near they think the coast stays golden all year

Hand: I don't usually draw but for this visualization piece was the only way I could express myself. I started with words initially but couldn't structure into a written piece / prose so I left them buried to see if something else would pop out and a visual piece emerged. I'll leave my meaning open to interpretation.

Cali (my vers): So my friend from elementary started a creative works Padlet thing w/ me where we share prompts and write / express something creatively in response.

One of her prompts was in honor of AAPI month and to share how the song, California by 88rising, NIKI, and Rich Brian spoke to us. I did a free verse loosely reflecting the song's nostalgic, laid back mood while also threw in some loose Asian American elements including snapshots of my personal experiences growing up in SoCal. The picture? I totally legally safely took it....

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Uprooted

By Chelsea Paylaga

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Uprooted was born from an assignment for my ceramic sculpture class. I had never worked with ceramics before, but I was given a lot of freedom with the project where my only requirements were it had to be 12 in tall, biomorphic (referring to elements of living things and nature), and abstract. After much pondering, I thought about how it seems to me that nature is being turned on it’s head with climate change. I was also reminded of how corporations claim they are making efforts to rectify the damage they have caused to the environment, but in truth, they are only doing it to save face without genuine intentions or are not doing much to actually change their ways. I ultimately thought of creating an uprooted tree, flipped upside down, to visualize these thoughts. Additionally, the form is reminiscent of a boat because they are a major means of transportation of supplies and materials that corporations recklessly extract from the planet. In this way, nature is being forcibly shaped by the exploitation done by man.

My messaging is further reinforced by the choices in glazing that I have done. Usually, trees are green at the leaves and brown at the roots, but I thought of flipping that to reflect how much nature is in disarray. The roots are green and the color becomes more brown and reflective of decay the further down you go down on the sculpture.

Additionally, I envisioned the white vines and leaves as the “truth” that nature is experiencing: suffocation from the chaos. The addition of the dried flowers in the trunk is a reflection of how the efforts of corporations seem good and “pretty,” but they are ultimately deadly to the earth.

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Momentary Reprieve

By Adhiti Chandramohan meet me in the woods in the middle of night past the cobblestone path, shadowed in hues dusky yet bright meet me where the fae come, encouraged by the sight where our clandestine vows and promises unite meet me where the skies burn and the stars ignite once more, forsake yourself before you take flight meet me in the woods in the middle of night if i get lost it'll be with memories of your light

Momentary Reprieve was a woodland's piece I wrote for a friend a few years ago, but it matched the theme well. Though I've lost contact with the friend, they made me grow a lot as a person, and I have a fond memories of them.

On Duality is about my fascination with biblical mythology, especially Genesis and the temptation of Adam and Eve by the apple. I think it's interesting to note how demons are fallen angels, as well as the fact that the human was modelled in the image of God. I don't have the authority to make decisions on biblical interpretations, but I think it's interesting that opposing forces are very similar, except of minor, yet pivotal decisions. Also inspired by Hozier's "Swan Upon Leda" and Billie Marten's "God Above".

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On Duality

By Adhiti Chandramohan the gateway to the earth was forged in a path through hell the angel who created the world was loved by one who fell if there is a god above why would they cast their mold as a shell for only them to eat the apple a temptation they could not quell

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What Inspired my Discord Status

By Stephany Lam

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The Same Place

By Stephany Lam

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Each photo has a combination of photos.

For the first entry, I took a picture of a card in CVS bc I was excited to see it was created by one of the instagram artist I follow. The line “one step at a time” inspired my discord status - “take it one steph at a time step” which is also another reference to a show u might know. I also included a photo of a bracelet with that line during CHC Coffee Hour.

Second Entry: On the top of My Favorite Parking Garage (you might recognize it those around Middle Earth) Took two at totally two different times (Right: first shot in my first year and Left: second in my fourth year). The photo emphasizes how you can go back to the same place but never the same experience especially after the events you gone through.

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“No Me Recuerdas / when?\

By Sebastián Calderón

No Me Recuerdas

when?

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“No Me Recuerdas” You don’t remember me, but how could you? This is the central question of No Me Recuerdas, a song commissioned for my friend Olivia Clark’s short film “Little Angels.”

The film is a conversation with a young woman about her childhood, families, and the foster system. A plant which is always breaking ground but never growing roots is a central theme. While inspired by the woman’s stories, this piece also drew from online poetry. No Me Recuerdas considers the experience o foster-children and the families one finds. “when?”

Written about 3 people in separate times, “when?” is a classic lover’s lament. This piece is moved by a confused, heartbroken summertime. I have been writing and playing music for almost a decade. I currently write and perform for PEARS18, an artistic duo with a good friend. Aside from music, I also write poems, essays, and film scripts.

General Bio I cultivate my curiosity through my love of art. I have found myself consistently interested in three forms: poetry/writing, music, and film. As a poet and writer, I have become entranced with the power of words through poems and short stories that grapple with questions, problems, and fascinations that matter to me. This medium enables me to explore my soul in ways which command me to consider every aspect of myself and my relation to the world. As a musician, I have become impassioned by the language of melody, harmony, and rhythm. I keep falling in love with this triad.

Through years of writing songs with friends in differing genres, I learned to appreciate the power of music to evoke emotions that cannot be described with words but come through in carefully crafted vibrations. Lastly, as a filmmaker, visual storytelling has allowed me to create meaningful worlds through which I can tackle important questions about my existence and identity.

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Serene Scene

By Julie Loritsch

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I took this photo in the Japanese Garden at CSU Long Beach during a break from the Western Regional Honors Conference in March of this year. The vibrant array of colors, including the rich greens of the foliage, the clear, blue sky, and the vivid flowers in the forefront, forms a captivating visual landscape that draws the eye. Additionally, there's a sense of serenity and tranquility emanating from the photograph, which offered a peaceful retreat from the stress of the conference environment.

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POJKEN: A Folktale of Arcanus

By Frank Granda Context: This tale is about a young boy living in the aftermath of a devastating war who finds a mechanical friend as they together live through the harshness of their circumstances. The story is set a century after the planet was devastated by an intergalactic proxy war. What followed was an era known for its political strife and frequent attacks from robots that were introduced during the war continuing their programming. There was also a massive cultural shift built on technophobic taboos against robotics alongside any knowledge and usage of informatics due to the emergence of a popular religious movement after the war believing their presence was a punishment from their God, explaining why their civilization was destroyed in the conflict as a symbol of their decadence. Certain words such as “Djur” and “Pojken” are not native to the local language but instead loanwords introduced during the war and are acknowledged from their lack of direct translation.

Long ago, when Djur used to roam freely in Arcanus, there lived a young scavenger looking for scraps finding a way out of his daily predicament. The scavenger was not respected as the hunters fighting against Djur, mechanical beasts from the war who brought ruin to the land long after its conclusion nor well off as the warlords who ruled their own personal fiefdoms. Yet the scavenger wished for a starship to journey into the stars, hoping for a better life awaiting him there. One day, as the scavenger scurried for parts in the wreckage of crashed vessels, he accidentally fell into a dark pit, revealing itself to be the deck of an abandoned command ship from yesteryear. Upon the deck, the scavenger came across an inactive Pojken unit, an automated command officer trapped in a state of preserved hibernation. The scavenger noticed the dormant automaton and walked towards it, planning to dismantle and sell it for scrap to earn him a quick fortune. Yet when preparing to dismantle the metallic being for parts, the scavenger accidentally clicked a switch, reanimating the Pojken unit once more. Pojken awoke from his slumber, looking over the scavenger startled as the both of them soon became trapped in a state of immediate confusion. Pojken asked the Scavenger what happened and who won the war, the Scavenger only replied that a century had passed and any information about the war was lost in the carnage except for the horrors that remained in the aftermath. The scavenger was almost close to completing his mission, Pojken using his quick intuition to avoid being dismantled or sold off to slavery, told the scavenger of a special place he knew that the scavenger misinterpreted as Stortstaden, a faraway lost city said to possess enough treasure to last a family for a thousand generations. Intrigued, the scavenger decided to have Pojken as a guide for the journey ahead but warned him to hide his true nature, for any reveal would result in his immediate execution. As they both left the confines of the abandoned vessel, a group of

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Hastmen, horsemen ostracized for riding in robotic caravans then confronted them. The Hastmen interrogated the duo why they stumbled upon their land, the scavenger answered they were on route to Storstaden and needed assistance to get there.

Intrigued, the Hastmen decided to help but kept a close eye by putting the both of them in temporary bondage in their personal caravan to avoid suspected trickery. The scavenger and Pojken ride with the caravan through the land fighting against hordes of Djur coming across their way. Pojken used his analytical senses to detect Djur throughout their journey allowing the caravan to find them before casualties arrived beforehand making him a hero among them despite not knowing of his mechanical origins. One night while resting, the caravan was ambushed by a nearby army who killed any they saw while sending those who remained in full retreat abandoning Pojken and the scavenger behind as they now became prisoners. The scavenger and Pojken were captured and led into a nearby village where the two of them were placed at the mercy of a local warlord. The warlord asked the duo what brought them to his land to which they replied that they were lost travelers who stumbled upon his land and wished to return home. The warlord was close to believing them but the local Prast saw something differently about the pair, something unnatural if not fully mechanical and decided to investigate the matter himself.

The Prast asked the guards if they encountered anything strange during their capture to which they replied that they found them among Hastman beforehand. Later that night in the midst of a hospitality banquet, the Prast went straight up to the warlord to inform him of the startling revelation regarding the two strangers presiding beside them.

Humiliated by this affair, the warlord gathered Pojken and the Scavenger where he sentenced them to death the following morning as a warning for those who even dared to deceive him. The following morning, the Scavenger and Pojken were sent to the middle of the village square where they saw a firing squad composed of the warlord’s own personal guard awaiting further orders to carry out. As both of their fates seemed to be certain, they were saved by an invading army coming from a rival warlord charging straight deep into the warlord’s territory. The warlord shifted all of his focus from the excavation and into mustering up his troops for the battle as a last-ditch attempt to rescue his land from immediate conquest. In the midst of the growing chaos, Pojken and the Scavenger ran off watching the slaughter of the warlord’s army alongside the warlord himself in the imminent face of the invading force. Soon, Pojken and the Scavenger were at the outskirts of the city where they found themselves to be at the proximity of a desert, the size of an ocean between them and Storstaden. The Scavenger heard stories of an uncrossable desert between his familiar world and the fantastical city yet there it was standing right in front of him. Pojken in a moment of desperation and self-preservation used his scanners to look over the desert to see if there was any sign of potential assistance to gain.

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Pojken informed the Scavenger of this close oasis so near yet a bit far out in the desert sea for them to recover in their travel. Motivated by this revelation, the Scavenger leads Pojken on a journey to the desert together as they search for this hidden treasure, an oasis. As they traversed through the scorching desert, Pojken checked his sensors in a regular maintenance routine when a scan check revealed the presence of shadows hiding out in the dunes. The shadows soon revealed themselves to be a tribe of raiders and inquired to both Pojken and the Scavenger about their presence there where they learned about the lost city straight ahead. After a week of traversing the rough dunes, the gang of raiders have arrived at the entrance of Storstaden with Pojken and the Scavenger as their captives. The city they discovered was empty with no sign of treasure in sight, a desolate wasteland where the ruined edifices resided as its sole inhabitants. Angered by this revelation, the raiders pointed their arms towards Pojken and the Scavenger who fled in response as they were being chased by their captors. Pojken and the Scavenger while being chased found a crashed spaceship waiting for them in the urban ruins that they were able to hijack for their own use. As they flew off from their homeworld for parts unknown in the spirit of adventure, it is said the newfound travelers will return to a civilized world.

POJKEN: A Folktale of Arcanus: This work is a text adaption of a radio show I have produced a while back that I would like to provide again in a more condensed format.

It tells the story of a young scavenger in a planet devasted in the aftermath of an intergalactic proxy who discovered a deactivated robot on a crashed spaceship in a society where technology and robotics are seen as taboo. In an improvised attempt to avoid being turned to scrap, the robot tells the scavenger of a mythical lost city said to house enough treasure to last a family for a hundred generations. Emboldened by this, the Scavenger and the robot head off in a journey of adventure.

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On behalf of NAR, we’d like to thank you for all your time, dedication, and enthusiasm for creative expression We wish you the best in breaking new ground in all your endeavors