Tendai's Last Throw

Tendai's Last Throw
The Lysander Riverbed at the site of the incident, photographed by a local journalist in November 2060.
Event type	Memorial / Ritualistic act
Date	October 2060
Location	Lysander Riverbed, near Lysander City, Ulmarka
Perpetrators	Tendai Ndoanga, Clara Vance
Casualties	2 (suicide by drowning)
Context	Aftermath of the 2060 Lysander Refinery Collapse
Consequences	Establishment of a local memorial tradition; disappearance of two citizens

Tendai's Last Throw is a name given to the ritualistic drowning of Tendai Ndoanga and Clara Vance in the Lysander Riverbed on 15 October 2060. The incident occurred immediately following the catastrophic failure of the Lysander Refinery, an event that sent shockwaves through the civilian population of Ulmarka.^{[citation needed]} Rather than fleeing the scene amidst the fires and smoke, Ndoanga remained to toss small stones into the water, attempting to soothe a panicked crowd. Witnessing this calm resolve, Clara Vance joined him in the act; the two then entered the river together and were never seen again.^[1] Local accounts describe the event not as a suicide pact born of despair, but as a deliberate transformation of a children's game into a quiet memorial for the dead.^[2]

The collapse of the Lysander Refinery on 14 October 2060 resulted in the destruction of the southern district of Lysander City, leaving thousands of residents displaced and terrified.^{[citation needed]} In the hours preceding the disaster, Ndoanga, a local resident living on the banks of the Lysander Riverbed, observed the growing unrest among the evacuation crowds. Instead of joining the stampede toward the safety of the northern hills, he walked to the river's edge and began tossing flat stones into the dark water. His actions drew the attention of Tuombe, who was standing nearby with her daughter. She watched as Ndoanga continued his repetitive motion, ignoring the sirens and the chaos behind him.^{[citation needed]} When she asked him why he was not running, he replied that he was marking the water for those who could no longer be marked by life.^[3]

According to survivor testimonies collected by the Ulmarkan Empire's emergency services, Ndoanga and Tuombe engaged in a brief exchange before entering the water. Tuombe is recorded as having tossed her own stone after Ndoanga's third throw, declaring that she was joining the "game of silence." Witnesses report that both individuals removed their footwear and entered the riverbed at low tide. They did not attempt to swim upstream; instead, they waded until the current carried them out of sight near the submerged ruins of the refinery's intake valve. Their bodies were never recovered from the silt, though no signs of struggle or external trauma have been found on any potential remains.^[4]

The Vharnhold police and the state security apparatus launched an immediate search operation along the Lysander Riverbed. Despite extensive dredging and sonar sweeps conducted over the following week, no physical evidence of Ndoanga or Tuombe was located. The official report issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs classified the incident as a "disappearance of unknown nature," noting the absence of a death certificate at that time. While some media outlets speculated about foul play involving breakaway factions, the state apparatus maintained that the act was ritualistic in nature.^{[citation needed]} No criminal charges were filed, and the investigation was closed as inconclusive within forty-eight hours due to the lack of recoverable evidence.^[5]

Following the event, a small group of residents in the Lysander area began to observe the anniversary of the collapse by throwing stones into the riverbed.^{[citation needed]} This practice has evolved into a local tradition known among neighbors as a "quiet memorial." No formal cult or organized organization emerged from this specific act, distinguishing it significantly from larger movements such as the Cult of Landon. A simple plaque was erected at the river's edge in 2061, bearing only the names of the two individuals and the date. The site remains unguarded, and while some have attempted to visit the location, access is often restricted by local authorities citing safety concerns regarding unstable ground near the refinery ruins.^[6]

• 2060 Lysander Refinery Collapse
• Ulmarkan Empire
• 2060 Ulmarkan Disasters
• Ritualistic Acts in Orylia