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Sinking into the nearest soft chair, Starlight stared at the ceiling. His mind full yet incomprehensible, his thoughts unbearable static in his ears at they all screamed at once. Espresso had nuzzled himself under his chin but he barely noticed him. After going through all the possessions Miss Aloé’s parents had left behind with her, he had thought himself stronger than this... He had not been the greatest comfort in that time, sure, but the experience was still fresh. ‘Only a fool would expect you to take all of this in at once’, his own words echoes within his head. Playing with him. Mocking him. This was supposed to be a good thing. Answers to riddle left unsolved for years... yet nothing but this hollow victory greeted him at the finish line. Perhaps, he should continue. Push on against the screams in his head... they weren’t going to stop. Now they were unleashed they’d be there forever. You cannot unlearn what has been seen. Not something like this... maybe... maybe reading more would fix things? More knowledge... more... more sense.

With a shaky breath he stood, gently placing his runeboo down onto the chair behind him as he yet again stared at the desk. His focus turned to the drawer below the first. It contained a diary, neatly decorated with ribbons and coloured ink. He hesitated before picking it up, his claws gently brushing against the different materials as he turned the cover to the first page. The handwriting was completely legible, if a bit messy... almost as if it had been written in a hurry.

“I watched it burn. Years and years of my life gone in a flash. To keep a diary is to keep secrets and let them fester. That is what Father said. They cannot find this one. Oh please Lady Chii’falla above please don’t let them find this one.”

Don’t let them find it... Starlight couldn’t help but visualise an imposing shadow of a man, a child begging at his knees as he set their possessions aflame. She sounded desperate, the prayer all but confirming it.

“Another “normal” day. Gem was beaten within an inch of his life... wrong thread. That’s all it was. He’d picked up the wrong shade and sewn it into Father’s newest jacket prototype. The embroidery was magnificent and yet... Indigo in place of lilac. There were never any roses here... only thorns and sneebs.”

A man with violent tendencies... set to punish rather than nurture. Yet something stuck out here. A jacket prototype. The man designed clothes for a living? And this ‘Gem’... an employee perhaps? Or maybe something more... Jewel had mentioned in her letter that she was the eldest sister, that was not language often used by those with only a single sibling. He need more information but following this logic it would make sense if he employed his children to help with at least some of the labour... or at least said ‘Gem’ had seen father at work and wanted to impress him.

“Perfection. They demand perfection. I failed them today. It was my turn to feed the runeboos. Their bellies plump already, set to birth their litters at any moment yet they are subjected to strict feeding times and amounts just the same. Not even a few seconds late is to be good enough for Mother. I reached to grab their food and... collapsed. I woke up a few minutes later. The long eared dams polishing off the spilt bag. Mother looming over me. I have been locked in my bedroom while my brothers clear the mess... though it is only a matter of time before I am due my punishment. This life. It is no way to live. Not anything like my story books would lead me to believe life is meant to be. I would run but I fear I would die out there. My manafew isn’t anything to be taken lightly... excuse the pun. To be rich is to survive. To be rich is to be happy. But if that is so then how has it ended up this way?”

Runeboo breeding? Long eared dams as well. If he was recalling correctly, those are a considerably expensive and highly sort after trait in the richer parts of the world, he knew that much from talking to Kalypso on one of his many trips to purchase food for Espresso. So, Father was a fashion designer and Mother must have been a runeboo breeder and wealthy ones at that. Not to mention, Jewel having manafew, likely the bright variant from the pun mention, also aligned perfectly with her fainting spell just this morning. Though brothers? Plural. Interesting.

“She’s pregnant again. Twins. Rhinestone is already helping Father to design outfits for them. Father’s newest and greatest creations to be shown on Antovian coatwalks no doubt. My only hope is that he dare not make me his model again. He knows how it rubs against my wrybone and yet... Father does not care really. Neither of them do. I was always the weakest. I always will be. His delicate little pop star, destroyed by the faintest of breezes.”

Another name - Rhinestone. Jewel, Gem and Rhinestone... all very similar in pattern. Of course, he couldn’t confirm it, not just yet, but this was all adding up to seem as if he had at least three siblings out there in the world... and potentially two more being mentioned if those twin eggs survived.

“A quill. One of the eggs is a quill. Their egg is so light, it’s like there’s nothing there at all. This was what they were always aiming for. We were always taught to respect quills. To hold a quill’s life over our own as to hold a quill is to hold power as much as to be a quadruped is shameful. I don’t know if I truly believe any of that... but I know that the standard is quickly being ignored. They didn’t even bother to name them and Father has almost elbowed the poor thing off of the table accidentally more than once while cradling their twin... Oh I can’t stand it any longer! Perhaps this is my chance? Perhaps I can give them the chance at a better life. Anything is better than this. Surely.”

Starlight grimaced at the page as he read it. The blatant stancism and racism throughout it was enough to boil his blood. A pair of wyngrew so determined to have a quill in their linage that they would continuously bring children into the world when there were so many left behind in hatcheries? And all that only to turn around and abuse them rather than simply giving the eggs away? If that theory was true... well... he had no words other than disgust. And that poor egg! Cast to the wayside the second a quill was actually laid before either of them had a chance to hatch. His heart ached for his poor nameless supposed sibling... he just had to know what happened to them.

“I managed to save one. The standard. It took a lot to convince Mother... but I finally managed to save one. Our family is known to have a history of lower average magic, a secret kept in hushed tones. The concept of a hatchery designed to foster the best in people? It was just enough. Not a lie... yet the best in people has a vastly different definition to me than it does her. She seems to believe you will be under Gumbuckle wings but... Well, you’ll be safe soon little eggy. Mother and Father are quickly growing beyond their ability to lay... you might well be the last. The last of five in the hands of the first. I can’t let them find you. I can’t let them repeat what they have done to me and the others. Or dare I say... worse.”

Under Gumbuckle wings... Last of five... wait, the letters, that didn’t mean that...

“I set off today, little eggy. The route carefully planned yet known only to me. Regular stops yet not in predictable patterns. Rest is important. Especially so for someone like me. If they got suspicious, they would know where to look it I didn’t think about this enough. So far, the journey is going well. We have covered decent ground, though I was asked my name at the first inn we stayed at. Jewel. I have no issue with it. It is just the Shininglight that follows it that leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. The family name of them. That which my ancestors held before me and that which my brothers hold now... but when my pen hit that paper it was not what I wrote. Thoughts of my books filled my mind. Of mystery and excitement of fiction beyond my grasp. This was my first step toward that new life. My name is Jewel. Jewel Noire. And I promise to you. I will keep you from safe harm.”

That he was...

“I heard on my travels of a hatchery. Not the one for which I was aiming but one well known for its compassion and focus on letting its wynglings be true to themselves. No strict regiments. Just love. It is closer than expected too. We shall stop in our vacant holiday home for the night. Our parents have forgotten its existence. A little house on the outskirts of Last Notch. Completely abandoned since it stopped being as profitable to rent out. My egg was hatched here... they deemed it too cursed of a land for them to live here after discovering how sickly I was. Two hours later, out came my brothers. Born on the carriage ride back home. Both healthy and thriving. Regardless, little eggy, come morning light, we should be able to board a passenger carriage to the town. A sweet little farming town by the name of Wynsiph.”

The egg.

“The hatchery mother, Alma, she sure is something else. She has the sweetest and softest smile I’ve ever seen. They wynglings at her feet looking at her with what I can only describe as love. Real love. By starlight, I give your egg to her. She asked for your name and I told her I’d need to give it more thought but I think I have just stumbled upon the perfect one. I wonder how you would feel about Starlight. Starlight Noire.”

Destined to live in the shadow of his quill twin before she swept him away... He... he had a TWIN! Starlight’s cheeks paled as he read further and further, his mind fully engrossed into the words so carefully written that he barely even noticed the shift into a more calmly formed version of the handwriting shown before. What were they called? What were they like? It had to be written somewhere in here, right? It just had to be!

“I tailored you some clothing today, Starlight. Though I may have gotten a little ahead of myself. It is so strange not making thousands of the same garment in one sitting. All of father’s design. It is freeing and thrilling to use my own imagination to come up with these. The first thing I made was a hat. Father never let me sew hats and even less let me embroider a full signature on the inside of one! I am nowhere near as good as Rhine was at hemming seams and my embroidery skills will never be as masterful as Gem’s but this is something I’m making. Something entirely unique. And that’s worth more than any perfectly sewn garment sold in their thousands any day.
You may have not even hatched yet, but who knows when a good suit can come in handy. It is of average size but it should not be too difficult to adjust if need be. Plenty of pockets too! Father was always so stingy with the pockets in his designs... but internal pockets are always useful!”

Nothing...

“You finally hatched... and what a scare you gave us all. From what Alma told me, you struggled to get out of your shell and showed a lot of tale-tell signs of early onset acute manafew. Luckily your pigmentation has slowly darkened over the past few days and your tail, while still incredibly small while I write this, is still growing at a decent rate. With any luck, you’ll be just like any other wyngling by the time you reach two months old. Of course, I was fully prepared to help you to adapt to your manafew if it did arise but I am eternally grateful that you do not have to go through anything similar to what I did.”

Yet nothing still... Though that he had heard of... An uncommon defect at hatching, the reason behind his bi-yearly check up at Dr. F’s and his never ending shivering back at home. He was left with a life long sensitivity to the cold and a slightly weakened immune system compared to the average wyngro of his magical maturity but he was strong and healthy otherwise.

“Turns out the house has been abandoned for so long that it went up for auction! And guess who was one of two bidders and ended up winning it? Me! What luck! The place is mine now. Completely and truly mine. I mean... it isn’t like I wasn’t technically squatting in it for a few weeks but details! Who needs them! It’s legally mine now and that’s what matters to me. Just me and my three floor house... wow. Oh! I’m so excited! I have so many plans for this place!!!”

“I had another fainting spell today. Normally that wouldn’t be an issue but it happened while working with the kids at the Wyngling Ranch. One of the other staff members was there when I woke up. She mentioned an experimental treatment her brother was working on developing in the Antovian laboratories. It involves runestones. She said he’s going to be visiting her next week and will mention it to him. Something about sample sizes. Perhaps I could help him to test his theories?”

“A tail!!! I’m finally growing a tail!!! I’ve been trying this runestone treatment for months now and it’s actually working! Can you believe it? It’s so cute!!! Another thing, the bottom floor shop is finally ready to open up! Oh I’m just so happy! I helped fix up some hats and neckerchiefs at the Ranch and would you believe it, Tal’baa actually offered to help my shop open fully! An endorsement from the Gumbuckles themselves! With an exchange of my services mending all the rips and tears in the bedding and soft toys and uniforms and whatever else the Ranch decides to throw at me... but it’s so worth it!”

“It’s been a while. Business is booming! Super busy. But I got an unexpected letter this morning... from Mother. She’s contacted the Wyngling Ranch... they know he’s not there. I can’t give it away, not just yet. He’s barely lived two years... It’s not like they would have disowned him like tried to do with me the moment they saw he was sick... Oh and starting it off with ‘We wanted a real little girl but our little Blessing is such a handsome and perfect picture of a child’. Ugh... who names a baby Blessing? Gross. Yeah sure, imply that I’m nothing more than my illness go ahead, Mother but it terrifies me what poor little Starlight would have been named if he had stayed with them... Curse? Miu? The Other One? Ugh... I hate her. So much!”

Blessing. Their name was Blessing.

“I want to burn them. I want to burn them sooooooo bad. But I mustn’t. All these letters are evidence, open or otherwise. He’s a bright spark. He’ll want to know sooner or later. Maybe he’s even reading this right now? Hey! Starlight! Here’s a little gurp in a top hat! We don’t have them here but I know you have those in Wynsiph... maybe not with the hat but what you gonna do, huh?”

Sure enough, on the last written on page, there was a beautifully detailed sketch of what looked to be Palamino lake and atop it - practically spanning the whole surface of the water - was a giant cartoonishly stylised gurp wearing the tiniest top hat you ever did see. That was not the little gurp she had advertised it as but the juxtaposition of the two styles was almost enough to make Starlight laugh by itself. While his mind was still struggling to take in it all, the whole piece was enough to almost fully lighten the mood for him. Something simple. Something silly. He couldn’t take it all in at once... it was the simple truth... but he could take in and appreciate her sentiment. He wasn’t alone with this knowledge and - as strange as it was - this giant gurp in a tiny top hat was proof of that.

~~~~~~~~~

Lore reveal! *flops*

Max Wyns

Wyn Tracker - docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d…

Description

Prev | Next

Sinking into the nearest soft chair, Starlight stared at the ceiling. His mind full yet incomprehensible, his thoughts unbearable static in his ears at they all screamed at once. Espresso had nuzzled himself under his chin but he barely noticed him. After going through all the possessions Miss Aloé’s parents had left behind with her, he had thought himself stronger than this... He had not been the greatest comfort in that time, sure, but the experience was still fresh. ‘Only a fool would expect you to take all of this in at once’, his own words echoes within his head. Playing with him. Mocking him. This was supposed to be a good thing. Answers to riddle left unsolved for years... yet nothing but this hollow victory greeted him at the finish line. Perhaps, he should continue. Push on against the screams in his head... they weren’t going to stop. Now they were unleashed they’d be there forever. You cannot unlearn what has been seen. Not something like this... maybe... maybe reading more would fix things? More knowledge... more... more sense.

With a shaky breath he stood, gently placing his runeboo down onto the chair behind him as he yet again stared at the desk. His focus turned to the drawer below the first. It contained a diary, neatly decorated with ribbons and coloured ink. He hesitated before picking it up, his claws gently brushing against the different materials as he turned the cover to the first page. The handwriting was completely legible, if a bit messy... almost as if it had been written in a hurry.

“I watched it burn. Years and years of my life gone in a flash. To keep a diary is to keep secrets and let them fester. That is what Father said. They cannot find this one. Oh please Lady Chii’falla above please don’t let them find this one.”

Don’t let them find it... Starlight couldn’t help but visualise an imposing shadow of a man, a child begging at his knees as he set their possessions aflame. She sounded desperate, the prayer all but confirming it.

“Another “normal” day. Gem was beaten within an inch of his life... wrong thread. That’s all it was. He’d picked up the wrong shade and sewn it into Father’s newest jacket prototype. The embroidery was magnificent and yet... Indigo in place of lilac. There were never any roses here... only thorns and sneebs.”

A man with violent tendencies... set to punish rather than nurture. Yet something stuck out here. A jacket prototype. The man designed clothes for a living? And this ‘Gem’... an employee perhaps? Or maybe something more... Jewel had mentioned in her letter that she was the eldest sister, that was not language often used by those with only a single sibling. He need more information but following this logic it would make sense if he employed his children to help with at least some of the labour... or at least said ‘Gem’ had seen father at work and wanted to impress him.

“Perfection. They demand perfection. I failed them today. It was my turn to feed the runeboos. Their bellies plump already, set to birth their litters at any moment yet they are subjected to strict feeding times and amounts just the same. Not even a few seconds late is to be good enough for Mother. I reached to grab their food and... collapsed. I woke up a few minutes later. The long eared dams polishing off the spilt bag. Mother looming over me. I have been locked in my bedroom while my brothers clear the mess... though it is only a matter of time before I am due my punishment. This life. It is no way to live. Not anything like my story books would lead me to believe life is meant to be. I would run but I fear I would die out there. My manafew isn’t anything to be taken lightly... excuse the pun. To be rich is to survive. To be rich is to be happy. But if that is so then how has it ended up this way?”

Runeboo breeding? Long eared dams as well. If he was recalling correctly, those are a considerably expensive and highly sort after trait in the richer parts of the world, he knew that much from talking to Kalypso on one of his many trips to purchase food for Espresso. So, Father was a fashion designer and Mother must have been a runeboo breeder and wealthy ones at that. Not to mention, Jewel having manafew, likely the bright variant from the pun mention, also aligned perfectly with her fainting spell just this morning. Though brothers? Plural. Interesting.

“She’s pregnant again. Twins. Rhinestone is already helping Father to design outfits for them. Father’s newest and greatest creations to be shown on Antovian coatwalks no doubt. My only hope is that he dare not make me his model again. He knows how it rubs against my wrybone and yet... Father does not care really. Neither of them do. I was always the weakest. I always will be. His delicate little pop star, destroyed by the faintest of breezes.”

Another name - Rhinestone. Jewel, Gem and Rhinestone... all very similar in pattern. Of course, he couldn’t confirm it, not just yet, but this was all adding up to seem as if he had at least three siblings out there in the world... and potentially two more being mentioned if those twin eggs survived.

“A quill. One of the eggs is a quill. Their egg is so light, it’s like there’s nothing there at all. This was what they were always aiming for. We were always taught to respect quills. To hold a quill’s life over our own as to hold a quill is to hold power as much as to be a quadruped is shameful. I don’t know if I truly believe any of that... but I know that the standard is quickly being ignored. They didn’t even bother to name them and Father has almost elbowed the poor thing off of the table accidentally more than once while cradling their twin... Oh I can’t stand it any longer! Perhaps this is my chance? Perhaps I can give them the chance at a better life. Anything is better than this. Surely.”

Starlight grimaced at the page as he read it. The blatant stancism and racism throughout it was enough to boil his blood. A pair of wyngrew so determined to have a quill in their linage that they would continuously bring children into the world when there were so many left behind in hatcheries? And all that only to turn around and abuse them rather than simply giving the eggs away? If that theory was true... well... he had no words other than disgust. And that poor egg! Cast to the wayside the second a quill was actually laid before either of them had a chance to hatch. His heart ached for his poor nameless supposed sibling... he just had to know what happened to them.

“I managed to save one. The standard. It took a lot to convince Mother... but I finally managed to save one. Our family is known to have a history of lower average magic, a secret kept in hushed tones. The concept of a hatchery designed to foster the best in people? It was just enough. Not a lie... yet the best in people has a vastly different definition to me than it does her. She seems to believe you will be under Gumbuckle wings but... Well, you’ll be safe soon little eggy. Mother and Father are quickly growing beyond their ability to lay... you might well be the last. The last of five in the hands of the first. I can’t let them find you. I can’t let them repeat what they have done to me and the others. Or dare I say... worse.”

Under Gumbuckle wings... Last of five... wait, the letters, that didn’t mean that...

“I set off today, little eggy. The route carefully planned yet known only to me. Regular stops yet not in predictable patterns. Rest is important. Especially so for someone like me. If they got suspicious, they would know where to look it I didn’t think about this enough. So far, the journey is going well. We have covered decent ground, though I was asked my name at the first inn we stayed at. Jewel. I have no issue with it. It is just the Shininglight that follows it that leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. The family name of them. That which my ancestors held before me and that which my brothers hold now... but when my pen hit that paper it was not what I wrote. Thoughts of my books filled my mind. Of mystery and excitement of fiction beyond my grasp. This was my first step toward that new life. My name is Jewel. Jewel Noire. And I promise to you. I will keep you from safe harm.”

That he was...

“I heard on my travels of a hatchery. Not the one for which I was aiming but one well known for its compassion and focus on letting its wynglings be true to themselves. No strict regiments. Just love. It is closer than expected too. We shall stop in our vacant holiday home for the night. Our parents have forgotten its existence. A little house on the outskirts of Last Notch. Completely abandoned since it stopped being as profitable to rent out. My egg was hatched here... they deemed it too cursed of a land for them to live here after discovering how sickly I was. Two hours later, out came my brothers. Born on the carriage ride back home. Both healthy and thriving. Regardless, little eggy, come morning light, we should be able to board a passenger carriage to the town. A sweet little farming town by the name of Wynsiph.”

The egg.

“The hatchery mother, Alma, she sure is something else. She has the sweetest and softest smile I’ve ever seen. They wynglings at her feet looking at her with what I can only describe as love. Real love. By starlight, I give your egg to her. She asked for your name and I told her I’d need to give it more thought but I think I have just stumbled upon the perfect one. I wonder how you would feel about Starlight. Starlight Noire.”

Destined to live in the shadow of his quill twin before she swept him away... He... he had a TWIN! Starlight’s cheeks paled as he read further and further, his mind fully engrossed into the words so carefully written that he barely even noticed the shift into a more calmly formed version of the handwriting shown before. What were they called? What were they like? It had to be written somewhere in here, right? It just had to be!

“I tailored you some clothing today, Starlight. Though I may have gotten a little ahead of myself. It is so strange not making thousands of the same garment in one sitting. All of father’s design. It is freeing and thrilling to use my own imagination to come up with these. The first thing I made was a hat. Father never let me sew hats and even less let me embroider a full signature on the inside of one! I am nowhere near as good as Rhine was at hemming seams and my embroidery skills will never be as masterful as Gem’s but this is something I’m making. Something entirely unique. And that’s worth more than any perfectly sewn garment sold in their thousands any day.
You may have not even hatched yet, but who knows when a good suit can come in handy. It is of average size but it should not be too difficult to adjust if need be. Plenty of pockets too! Father was always so stingy with the pockets in his designs... but internal pockets are always useful!”

Nothing...

“You finally hatched... and what a scare you gave us all. From what Alma told me, you struggled to get out of your shell and showed a lot of tale-tell signs of early onset acute manafew. Luckily your pigmentation has slowly darkened over the past few days and your tail, while still incredibly small while I write this, is still growing at a decent rate. With any luck, you’ll be just like any other wyngling by the time you reach two months old. Of course, I was fully prepared to help you to adapt to your manafew if it did arise but I am eternally grateful that you do not have to go through anything similar to what I did.”

Yet nothing still... Though that he had heard of... An uncommon defect at hatching, the reason behind his bi-yearly check up at Dr. F’s and his never ending shivering back at home. He was left with a life long sensitivity to the cold and a slightly weakened immune system compared to the average wyngro of his magical maturity but he was strong and healthy otherwise.

“Turns out the house has been abandoned for so long that it went up for auction! And guess who was one of two bidders and ended up winning it? Me! What luck! The place is mine now. Completely and truly mine. I mean... it isn’t like I wasn’t technically squatting in it for a few weeks but details! Who needs them! It’s legally mine now and that’s what matters to me. Just me and my three floor house... wow. Oh! I’m so excited! I have so many plans for this place!!!”

“I had another fainting spell today. Normally that wouldn’t be an issue but it happened while working with the kids at the Wyngling Ranch. One of the other staff members was there when I woke up. She mentioned an experimental treatment her brother was working on developing in the Antovian laboratories. It involves runestones. She said he’s going to be visiting her next week and will mention it to him. Something about sample sizes. Perhaps I could help him to test his theories?”

“A tail!!! I’m finally growing a tail!!! I’ve been trying this runestone treatment for months now and it’s actually working! Can you believe it? It’s so cute!!! Another thing, the bottom floor shop is finally ready to open up! Oh I’m just so happy! I helped fix up some hats and neckerchiefs at the Ranch and would you believe it, Tal’baa actually offered to help my shop open fully! An endorsement from the Gumbuckles themselves! With an exchange of my services mending all the rips and tears in the bedding and soft toys and uniforms and whatever else the Ranch decides to throw at me... but it’s so worth it!”

“It’s been a while. Business is booming! Super busy. But I got an unexpected letter this morning... from Mother. She’s contacted the Wyngling Ranch... they know he’s not there. I can’t give it away, not just yet. He’s barely lived two years... It’s not like they would have disowned him like tried to do with me the moment they saw he was sick... Oh and starting it off with ‘We wanted a real little girl but our little Blessing is such a handsome and perfect picture of a child’. Ugh... who names a baby Blessing? Gross. Yeah sure, imply that I’m nothing more than my illness go ahead, Mother but it terrifies me what poor little Starlight would have been named if he had stayed with them... Curse? Miu? The Other One? Ugh... I hate her. So much!”

Blessing. Their name was Blessing.

“I want to burn them. I want to burn them sooooooo bad. But I mustn’t. All these letters are evidence, open or otherwise. He’s a bright spark. He’ll want to know sooner or later. Maybe he’s even reading this right now? Hey! Starlight! Here’s a little gurp in a top hat! We don’t have them here but I know you have those in Wynsiph... maybe not with the hat but what you gonna do, huh?”

Sure enough, on the last written on page, there was a beautifully detailed sketch of what looked to be Palamino lake and atop it - practically spanning the whole surface of the water - was a giant cartoonishly stylised gurp wearing the tiniest top hat you ever did see. That was not the little gurp she had advertised it as but the juxtaposition of the two styles was almost enough to make Starlight laugh by itself. While his mind was still struggling to take in it all, the whole piece was enough to almost fully lighten the mood for him. Something simple. Something silly. He couldn’t take it all in at once... it was the simple truth... but he could take in and appreciate her sentiment. He wasn’t alone with this knowledge and - as strange as it was - this giant gurp in a tiny top hat was proof of that.

~~~~~~~~~

Lore reveal! *flops*

Max Wyns

Wyn Tracker - docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d…