Regular readers of mine will know that I haven’t long been away from Himalia, and many of you may be wondering why I was in such a rush to go back after my ordeal in Circadian City. Well, I had a chat with the Marchioness recently (don’t be so surprised, the two of us go way back), and let’s just say that something she said inspired me to get out and see this pinnacle of Himalayan culture while I still had the chance. I don’t want to say much more because, I don’t know, spoilers, but if you’ve been thinking...

I’ve visited Circadian City twice up to now. The first time I only spent a night there on a layover waiting for a balloon out to Khasgar (I refuse to portal unless absolutely necessary), although that’s not to say it was uneventful. Maybe I’ll even tell that story one day. On this second occasion, I had a bit more time on my hands to head out and really see the sights.

There are only a handful of folk who can say they’ve witnessed the mysterious forests of Ephemera with their own eyes. As far as uncharted territory goes, Ephemera is the most unchartiest. And I don’t even care that that isn’t a real word. In contrast to sweaty, noisy and crowded worlds like Rhanavar, which seem to just be stacks of people who derive immense pleasure from getting in the bloody way, Ephemera is quite literally a breath of fresh air.