The creations of Merentesh, the suicide mice, were relics of an age long
gone. The last few were stored safely in stockrooms scattered throughout
Sapience. It seemed as though the residents of the cities were safe from
harm as long as the mice, terrified little creatures that they were,
were safely locked away.

When sounds of ticking began to echo throughout the streets of Shallam
and Ashtan, several residents began to worry. Pjoll and Koron of Shallam
sought the oracle, Apollonia, and asked for a bit of wisdom. In her
disturbed state Apollonia was incoherent, but she managed to warn the
two of the dangers of the ticking, and mentioned that creatures with fur
had something to do with the noise. Pjoll and Koron set out to find the
source, as Apollonia warned that it may be too late.

Their search proved fruitless, as soon after they began their search the
ticking began again, even louder than before. The frightened squeaking
of the mouse was heard, and suddenly the suicide mouse detonated in the
stockroom that had been considered so safe. The shop collapsed, creating
piles of rubble that diverted the path of Zanzibaar street. So great was
the force of the blast that several items from the stockroom were blown
clear into the street, landing amongst the piles of rubble. The tail of
the dead suicide mouse was found as well, and the residents of the lands
realised that the ticking had been the bomb strapped to the mouse's
back.

Mortals scrambled about the world soon after, extracting the mice from
their stockrooms. Rothmore and Achavis each held one, and were surprised
when the mice squirmed out of their grasp and detonated at their feet.
At the same moment, Ikne and Zahmekoses were deciding how to deal with
the fifth mouse. Zahmekoses attempted to rid himself of the mouse by
leaving it in the belly of a volcano, but the mouse's instinct told him
to make a break for it. It scampered away from the volcano and ran back
to Ikne whom it saw as its liberator. Ikne, along with Kell, had
retreated to the Altar of Severity. Thinking quickly, Ikne grabbed the
mouse and fed it to a nearby crow. The crow, displeased, cawed and spat
up the mouse. Now more frightened than ever, the mouse squeaked as the
attached bomb detonated at the feet of Kell.

Later, a great rumbling was heard across Sapience, originating on the
island of Delos. Concerned folk from all over scrambled to the island
just in time to feel the ground shake from a nearby explosion. Two dead
mice were found outside of a levelled shop, and it was discovered by
Sahmie that their expiration dates had been long-past. The bodies of the
mice were disposed of, and people combed through the rubble for
salvagable merchandise.

As the mice could not be hidden away safely forever, neither can we deny
the secrets of the ages. When history is put on display, sealed behind a
glass case, it cannot be grasped and learned from.

Penned by my hand on the 23rd of Lanosian, in the year 87 MA.