Familiar Voices

Familiar Voices was the third episode of Myst Online, in which the Age of Jalak was released. It started in late July.

Preview

On July 5th, the following description appeared in the GameTap Deluxe Player:

The next episode, "Familar Voices," begins in late July. During the week-long episode, the newly-elected D'ni Restoration Council (DRC) will release its first Age - Jalak. Though Cate Alexander has been elected to lead the DRC, there still remains a power struggle within the Council and it begins to spread throughout the cavern. Also, rumors of a war continue to grow as a voice from the past returns to offer new hope.

The never-before-seen Age of Jalak will be released. Jalak features an ancient arena that was once used for D'ni competitions and will allow Explorers to compete and even create their own games.

Events

July 30

• Victor Laxman is seen down by the docks in the city.
  • He announces that the pellet cooking has been working fine, and that the display (the lake light meter) is merely broken. He'll remove it and "see what [he] can do with it".
  • Responding to questions, he further reassures explorers that, even though no immediate effects on the lake lighting may be visible, "your efforts are making a slight impact. It's a very big lake and the algae has been mostly dormant."
  • Overdoses, he states, are indicated by exploding pellets, and are detrimental to the goals.
  • Sydney Austin complains that the machine was "a lie" all along.
• The lake light meter is removed for repairs.
• Later, Restoration Engineer M. Dogherra also confirms that the machine failed to read the light level of the lake properly.
• Nick White visits the Great Tree Bevin.
  • He announces Douglas Sharper's return. Responding to ireenquench's question, he claims knowledge of Sharper having killed a bahro, but doesn't believe the DRC will care, aside from possibly Marie Sutherland.
  • Also, he believes Michael Engberg to be "gone".
  • In response to Thend, he confirms that the older D'ni records refer to the bahro.
  • He jokes on a "giant conspiracy", with "all of us" actually being bahro.
  • Asked on why the bahro were never mentioned in the Myst novels by Cyan, he claims no knowledge.
  • After some brief animosities are exchanged with Sydney Austin, Nick leaves.
• The DRC sends out a KI message announcing that pellet scores can be uploaded to the neighborhood imagers.
• Cate Alexander visits the Guild of Greeters Bevin to answer questions.
  • She has not talked to Sharper yet, but had heard rumors of him killing a bahro.
  • There have been more delays in Ahnonay.
  • The DRC is proceeding as if Michael Engberg will not return.
  • Cate announces that she has an extra vote in the DRC to break ties.
  • Brian Fioca tries to introduce himself to Cate, but Cate leaves.
• Douglas Sharper visits the Watcher's Sanctuary.
  • He confirms he killed a 'bad bahro' and can tell them apart.
  • He says he shot at a bahro, but another bahro jumped in front of the bullet.
  • Many explorers question his actions, while members of The Great Tree publicly express support for Sharper.
  • Sharper leaves angrily, leaving explorers to debate.
• Explorers debate about Sharper and the bahro in the Watcher's Pub.
  • Brian Fioca recounts events around the disappearance of Phil Henderson, and urges explorers to get more information from Sharper before making decisions.
  • J.D. Barnes arrives and agrees with Fioca. He also states that the important factions are the bahro and the explorers.
• Tricia Isaacson, who has been passing documents of questionable authenticity to the Students of D'ni Knowledge that the DRC has publicly stated are fakes, claims she is Tricia Lawson.
• Victor Laxman answers some questions for explorers.
  • He defends Cate Alexander's new power in the DRC.
  • He confirms that the explosive pellets are a case of the algae in the lake absorbing too many nutrients.

July 31

• Reteltee passes on a message from the DRC, that they will be implementing a Guild structure.
  • The first five will be Maintainers, Writers, Greeters, Cartographers and Messengers.
• Nick White tells explorers in a neighborhood that he thinks Douglas Sharper killed the wrong bahro.
• Douglas Sharper and Nick White argue in the Watcher's Pub.
  • Sharper calls the bahro hideous beasts.
  • The dead bahro appears. Then two other bahro appear and seem to mourn the dead one.
  • Nick White links out. Sharper links out to Teledahn.
  • A few explorers touch the bahro. One of them screams when touched.
  • The bahro link out with the dead one.
• bahro are sighted in many places in Ae'gura. Some explorers attempt to communicate.
• J.D. Barnes tells explorers in The Great Tree neighborhood that communication with the 'good' bahro is key.
• Cate Alexander is seen on the KI, and appears to be in Kirel.
  • Shortly after, Kirel shows up as available in the Nexus.
• Dr. Kodama joins Cate in Kirel.
  • Cate asks people right in front of her to move away, and for everyone to sit down: a brief Q&A session is to begin. Cate also thanks reteltee "for all his help with our work on the guilds and his neighborhood".
  • Cate says the bahro or Douglas Sharper will not be a topic of this session; "she would rather not talk about them at this moment".
  • Regarding guilds, Cate calls the idea that they were part of D'ni's downfall and therefore should not be resurrected "a particular view of history", and that the DRC actually views them as "the backbone of D'ni civilization". As for which ones will return, she only comments that explorers "can see for themselves", and that there may be more than four in the future.
  • Both Kodama and Cate say they're uncertain on what to do about the bahro, short of closing down the city.
• Cate leaves, but Dr. Kodama stays a little longer, with ireenquench moderating.
  • Jalak is coming "later this week, likely Thursday or Friday".
  • Dr. Watson "spent some time consulting at Cyan Worlds".
  • The Kirel's class room and private room will not be opened "in the near future".
  • The DRC hasn't actually found a (physical) D'ni calendar, but "has some information on how it works".
  • Kodama asks whether explorers would prefer information over new areas, or over technology (such as the calendar), stating that the DRC has too few people to do both.
• Cate has returned, taking more questions.Cate Alexander holds a raucous Q&A in Kirel with Dr. Kodama and other explorers.
  • Kirel is the first in a series of steps towards a guild system, but Cate would rather not elaborate in order to avoid "raising or lowering hopes too much".
  • The advertising debate has made no progress "as of this moment".
• Citing too much talking (arguing and asking questions) on the explorers' part, Cate leaves again.
• Nick White tells explorers that Douglas Sharper plans on killing more bahro.
  • Sharper says he needs to help the 'good' bahro fight.
  • Nick refers to him as acting 'abnormal'.

August 1

• bahro continue to appear throughout the Cavern.
  • Explorers report that the bahro respond to gestures, like bows, but link out or run when approached.
• The D'ni Network holds a meeting, stating that they will continue to do work.
  • They will refrain from supporting the newly announced Guild of Messengers until the DRC can prove they will provide support to existing organizations.
• Douglas Sharper tells explorers in the Watcher's Sanctuary that he's going to return to Noloben.
  • He says the bahro appearing in the Cavern are the 'good' bahro.
  • He calls the conflict a 'war'.
  • He says he's going to Noloben to fight for the good bahro, as he 'owes them.'
• Douglas Sharper meets with members of The Great Tree.
  • He has no interest in overturning the DRC like in the old days. The Great Tree agrees with him.
  • He says the bahro aren't just the peaceful creatures are explorers are seeing, but that there are good bahro.
  • He says there are no distinctive markings or actions that signify the "bad bahro", but he can tell.
  • The good bahro are watching explorers.
  • He doesn't know why the good bahro brought the corpse of the bahro he killed to him.
  • He says the "bad bahro" will kill us all if they win, and that the division is something deep, but he doesn't understand what it is.
• Marie Sutherland answers questions in Kirel.
  • Kirel is the neighborhood the DRC used to use.
  • She is not 'thrilled' with Cate Alexander having two votes.
  • The DRC is trying to talk Douglas Sharper out of going to Noloben.
  • They have no concrete plans on releasing source documents to explorers.
  • When asked about Phil Henderson, Marie says they have no reason to believe he is not dead. But with the bahro activity, she is not so certain.
  • The DRC has been unable to communicate with the bahro.
• The firemarbles Relto page appears in Er'cana.

August 2

• Cate Alexander places the book for Jalak in the library.
• The DRC website is updated to include the colors of the various Guilds. [1]
• Douglas Sharper appears in the Watcher's Pub.
  • He stated that he is not returning to Noloben.
  • He also said that the 'war' is coming and he suggests explorers be ready.
• Cate Alexander visits Kirel, looking for reteltee.
  • She has "big news" to tell him. She declined to share the news until she tells him first.
  • She suggests Guild questions and suggestions be directed to reteltee.
  • J.D. Barnes brings Tricia Isaacson to Kirel and asks Cate if she's aware of the translations Tricia claims to have.
  • Tricia Isaacson introduces herself as Tricia Lawson (now married) to Cate.
  • Cate says she's seen a picture of Tricia Lawson and calls Tricia Isaacson an imposter.

August 3

• The DRC announce they have chosen reteltee to be their official "Guild Adviser".
• Phil Henderson appears in the cavern and talks with explorers and Douglas Sharper.
  • He initially links in with two bahro and claims he had been taken to Noloben and other places by the bahro.
  • He seemes surprised by the presence of bahro in the cavern and comments on how few there were.
  • He indicates that he'd been somewhere with large numbers of bahro who had the ability to darken the sky at times and were involved in some sort of conflict.
  • He comments that the bahro were free now and are choosing their own path.
  • Phil claims the bahro watch and even guard explorers.
  • Phil mentions Yeesha failed to free the bahro but that 'you and another' succeeded and mentions Yeesha has been spending much time in Releeshahn and may appear when needed.
  • Douglas Sharper arrives and apologizes to Phil for what happened, Phil said it wasn't his fault.
  • Phil claims the bahro fighting that's been observed was only the periphery of the war.
  • Sharper tells Phil he believed he may have made a mistake in shooting the bahro that stepped in front of him but Phil claims that the bahro had "saved us all" from Sharper making a mistake and gave a life to do it.
  • Sharper asks if he knew what the bahro had done to Wheely, and Phil states that she had gone somewhere she should not have been and was attacked by the "bahro that had chosen evil".
  • Sharper also acknowledges that the bahro have saved him on several occasions.
  • Sharper states he's not going back (possibly implying Noloben) and that he believes the war is coming here.
  • Phil states that the bahro have been preventing the war from coming here but they can only guard and not prevent it forever.
  • Sharper decides to "side" with Phil against the "evil" bahro and Phil approved of him making a stand.
  • Phil says explorers can show support for the good bahro by "supporting her."
  • A bahro links in next to Phil for a few moments. Many explorers bow to the bahro. It links out when an explorer approaches it.
  • Phil links out a minute later after an enigmatic sentence "I will return soon but he will return later. ...with more answers."
• Reteltee appears in the Watcher's Pub and announces that Guild pubs are on their way soon.

Content

• Ages
  • Jalak
• Place
  • Kirel
• Relto page
  • firemarbles in Er'cana.
• Other
  • The August Sparkle in Jalak.