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.

The elusive Ephemeral Emporium, fabled to traverse dimensions peddling an extensive selection of surreal and paranormal wares, has recently appeared in Cloud Village in the Circadian region of Himalia.

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...

Himalia's rich spiritual history can hardly be summarised in one brief tome, but that didn't stop me from having a good go of it. What follows is a brief journey back in time to the birth of Himalia's most widely practiced faith, and all the drama that came with it.

One of my earliest memories is of the time my dad took me up to see Zephyr’s Garden. It’s a Himalayan heritage site, steeped in history, and people make the pilgrimage from all over Himalia to visit the seat of the sky Goddess Zephyr. Religion has kind of fallen by the wayside with my generation, but there are still all kinds of people who uphold Himalia’s reputation for being the most spiritual moon in the lunarspace.

I’ve had plenty of dealings with the Twilight Valley over the years, and almost every single time I’ve come away with a sour taste. They’re slippery, real shady like. When you’re negotiating with junkworld scavengers along the barrier rondel or bartering with the spectral thralls of the Demon Road it’s fair to expect some degree of treachery, but these plump little farmhands have no business behaving so contemptuously.