ViewVC Help
View File | Revision Log | Show Annotations | Download File
/cvs/deliantra/server/pod/books.pod
(Generate patch)

Comparing deliantra/server/pod/books.pod (file contents):
Revision 1.1 by root, Mon Jan 1 14:50:15 2007 UTC vs.
Revision 1.2 by root, Mon Jan 1 15:29:42 2007 UTC

1=encoding utf8
2
1=begin comment 3=begin comment
2 4
3This is the source for some of the books in crossfire, at least, it should become one. 5This is the source for some of the books in crossfire, at least, it should become one.
4 6
5Authors: 7Authors:
6Gorlin <gorlin@freibier.htu.tuwien.ac.at> 8Gorlin <gorlin@freibier.htu.tuwien.ac.at>
7Mark Wedel <mwedel@scruznet.com> 9Mark Wedel <mwedel@scruznet.com>
8Marc Lehmann <crossfire@schmorp.de> 10Marc Lehmann <crossfire@schmorp.de>
11The Crossfire Wiki
9 12
10Each =head1 should become its own book. 13Each =head1 should become its own book.
11 14
12=end comment 15=end comment
13 16
14 17
15=head1 Ancient History, by Khalis, Volume I 18=head1 History of Creation, by Khalis, Volume I
16 19
17In the beginning the land was barren. No life yet moved upon the large 20In the beginning the land was barren. No life yet moved upon the large
18continents and islands that lay empty between the seas. In the seas, 21continents and islands that lay empty between the seas. In the seas,
19nothing moved as well. The world itself held its breath while the Creator 22nothing moved as well. The world itself held its breath while the Creator
20rested. Then, a spirit from outside, serving the Most High, entered the 23rested. Then, a spirit from outside, serving the Most High, entered the
… …
47sadly, we may not meet them evermore. In anger, Gaea named these dark 50sadly, we may not meet them evermore. In anger, Gaea named these dark
48spirits the Devourers, since they were those who devoured all life, and 51spirits the Devourers, since they were those who devoured all life, and
49she and her Elemental allies fought them back, and tried to heal what they 52she and her Elemental allies fought them back, and tried to heal what they
50could. 53could.
51 54
52=head1 Ancient History, by Khalis, Volume II 55=head1 History of Creation, by Khalis, Volume II
53 56
54In that time it also happened, that a great many of the creatures the 57In that time it also happened, that a great many of the creatures the
55Fire Elementals had helped to make were betoken of great madness, and 58Fire Elementals had helped to make were betoken of great madness, and
56started to rampage among the other beings. In time Gaea and her allies 59started to rampage among the other beings. In time Gaea and her allies
57found out the truth, that one of the greatest Elementals of Fire, Ruggili, 60found out the truth, that one of the greatest Elementals of Fire, Ruggili,
… …
97the help of Earth Elementals began their first kingdoms underneath the 100the help of Earth Elementals began their first kingdoms underneath the
98face of the earth. The elves moved into large woods, the lizardmen into 101face of the earth. The elves moved into large woods, the lizardmen into
99swamps. Wars broke out between some of the races, none however anywhere in 102swamps. Wars broke out between some of the races, none however anywhere in
100that measure as the Great War of the Second Age. 103that measure as the Great War of the Second Age.
101 104
102=head1 Ancient History, by Khalis, Volume III 105=head1 History of Creation, by Khalis, Volume III
103 106
104In the Third Age it also happened, that spirits from the outside, who had 107In the Third Age it also happened, that spirits from the outside, who had
105been content to watch until that time, took pity on some of those races. 108been content to watch until that time, took pity on some of those races.
106The goblins, orcs, trolls and giants began to serve a being called Gnarg, 109The goblins, orcs, trolls and giants began to serve a being called Gnarg,
107who had promised to raise and protect them. He helped them build up 110who had promised to raise and protect them. He helped them build up
… …
147fell, and began to serve the powers of darkness. Others sought redemption, 150fell, and began to serve the powers of darkness. Others sought redemption,
148and a pure spirit called Valriel came to their aid. Others again returned 151and a pure spirit called Valriel came to their aid. Others again returned
149to the worship of Gaea, hoping that the forces of Life would protect them, 152to the worship of Gaea, hoping that the forces of Life would protect them,
150a few humans even went to the goblin, elven and dwarven gods for help. 153a few humans even went to the goblin, elven and dwarven gods for help.
151 154
152=head1 Ancient History, by Khalis, Volume IV 155=head1 History of Creation, by Khalis, Volume IV
153 156
154As the human worship began to spread out among all the gods and beings of 157As the human worship began to spread out among all the gods and beings of
155power who had entered the world, a small group of them who wished not for 158power who had entered the world, a small group of them who wished not for
156the blessings of Nature but the power of the elements as weapons spake to 159the blessings of Nature but the power of the elements as weapons spake to
157one of the Elemental Lords following Gaea. And as Ruggili long ago, Sorig 160one of the Elemental Lords following Gaea. And as Ruggili long ago, Sorig
… …
232 235
233Nobody knows where the nearly god-like titans came from. Some scholars 236Nobody knows where the nearly god-like titans came from. Some scholars
234claim they could be descendants of some of the forgotten gods so little i 237claim they could be descendants of some of the forgotten gods so little i
235known about nowadays. 238known about nowadays.
236 239
240
241=head1 Recent Historic Events, by Khalis.
242
243=head2 Calendrical Introduction
244
245Present Day
246
247We are currently in 8437 Era Khelentari (EK).
248
249=head2 Volume I: The Early Days
250
251Around 350 EK: The Story of the Fourth Mariner is written by an unknown author.
252
253435 EK: Colony of Skorn Founded. It would eventualy become the city of Scorn.
254
255711 EK:
256
257The outpost of Heaven’s Gate is founded.
258
259=head2 Volume II: Second Millenia EK
260
2611223 EK: Ekkis the Drunk leads a disastrous crusade against the Sirens in the southern seas.
262
263=head1 Recent Historic Events, by Khalis.
264
265=head2 Volume III: Third Millenia EK
266
2672287 EK: Battle of Tered - The Kingdom of the Masts is dismantled by Navar.
268
2692567 EK: Fernast Fergono, exiled from Navar, leads a famous exploration expedition in the south-east seas.
270
2712765 EK: The city of Heaven’s Gate is burned by pirates.
272
273=head1 Recent Historic Events, by Khalis.
274
275=head2 Volume IV: Fourth Millenia EK
276
2773084-3154 EK: The Artificers' Wars take place in the East.
278
2793154 EK: The High Tide of the Gears: End of the Artificers' Wars; many islands are flooded or disappear forever in the depths of the Eastern Ocean.
280
2813867 EK: Juradiths take the direction of Scorn and create a republic.
282
2833885 EK: Juradiths are expelled from Scorn by revolting citizens. They are vainquished at Battlefield Lake.
284
285=head1 Recent Historic Events, by Khalis.
286
287=head2 Volume V: Fifth Millenia EK
288
2894127 EK: King Kadriosa IV of Scorn leads a Crusade against the elves of the south-east, who flee the country.
290
2914131 EK: Foundation of the Elven City of Tashkeren-tah at Vkovzerov (Lake Country).
292
2934453 EK: The Elven City of Tashkeren-tah sinks into the largest lake of Lake Country.
294
295=head1 Recent Historic Events, by Khalis.
296
297=head2 Volume VI: Sixth Millenia EK
298
2995524 EK: The Meteomage Grab of Ledh fails an experiment, making the weather mad for a while, an event remembered as “The Weather Madness”.
300
301Late LVIth Century EK: The Great Schism between the Simplifists led by Mish the Toon and the Stabilists: The Sedition Wars.
302
3035581 EK: Battle of the Glowing Crystal: the Order of the Careful Coders is disbanded.
304
3055598 EK: The Simplifists exile themselves into the Pocket Dimension of Daï-Moh-Nî, “The World With a Future”, in Ancient Daigojij Language.
306
307=head1 Recent Historic Events, by Khalis.
308
309=head2 Volume VII: Seventh Millenia EK
310
3116356 EK: Butakis settles in Lake Country and starts building the Lake Pump.
312
3136356 EK: The Lake Pump is destroyed by Twak. Lake Country is covered by fog. Butakis is disfigured.
314
315=head1 Recent Historic Events, by Khalis.
316
317=head2 Volume VIII: Eighth Millenia EK
318
3197124 EK: Harta accidentally creates a Dimensional Grid, connecting the Crossfire Continuum with the Daï-Moh-Nî Dimension.
320
3217563 EK: The tower of Melficef the Red explodes.
322
323=head1 Recent Historic Events, by Khalis.
324
325=head2 Volume IX: Ninth Millenia EK
326
3278009 EK: Euthville is destroyed.
328
329
330=head1 Euthville History
331
332The Ruins of Euthville can be found just off the Imperial Highway north of
333Scorn.
334
335=head2 The Origins of the City
336
337The Codex Skudensis tells that Euthville was founded by the Euthanasia the
338Builder, hence its name.
339
340=head2 Past and Destruction
341
342Ah, Euthville - “City of the Pearl”, in Old Hemdalite, has indeed a
343rather sad story!!
344
345If you went there about half a millenia ago, you’d have seen something
346very different than the field of haunted ruins it has since become. It
347was initially founded by a handful of industrious, clever dwarves, that
348had found a mystical way to locate fields of precious Karitta, the famous
349metal that is as transparent as a pearl of the North Sea, yet as strong as
350the best irons of Navar.
351
352And thus, they found at the location of Euthville a lot of that raw metal,
353which quickly made the city one of the richest of all. And for a long
354time, it stayed so. The inhabitants of Euthville weren’t interested by
355war, work, or anything else too tiresome - they preferred to pay somebody
356else to do all of this. And with the advanced technical knowledge bring by
357the dwarves, working was less and less an issue for them.
358
359Yet yhey were facing a problem. All their devices, all their machineries,
360all their tricks to cheat with nature required energy. Lots of
361energy. They relied first on the strength of horses and donkeys, but it
362wasn’t enough. Then, they tamed the dangerous Wyverns of Kal-Durandasi,
363so that the hot lizards would provide them with the full force of their
364steamy breath. But soon, it wasn’t enough. They also used the hidden
365power provided by the Faeries of the Tarniska river, building a dam, so
366that they could put the invisible horses of water that the sylphids are
367rumored to breed in use.
368
369But even so, their hunger for power wasn’t satisfied, and became an
370increasing nuisance for them. So, the Commander of Euthville (which was,
371more or less, the equivalent to our King at Scorn), finally decided to
372send messengers across the whole Continent, calling the world for a
373challenge. Whoever would be able to fulfill the needs of Euthvillians of
374energy would become the new Commander, thus the ruler of the richest city
375ever built since Khelens.
376
377Many answered the call, of course, and many failed. Wind, Sun, Stars, even
378dwarven beer were proposed, but nothing seemed to be enough. For years,
379wizards tried. And failed.
380
381And then came a boy. He wasn’t a wizard, nor pretended to be one. He was
382young, but the story didn’t kept the record of his name, and some now
383think it is because he was damned. Who knows? The Boy sat in the middle
384of the city, playing with his flute, laughing whenever he saw one of the
385demonstrations the powerful wizards and engineers failing again and again.
386
387After several days, the Commander noticed the Boy, and said: “who
388are you to laugh, you, who has only a flute ?” “I have only a
389flute for sure - but there’s more in my simple pipe than in those
390legions of wizards.” “Really ?” said the Commander, half-laughing,
391half-curious, “so you think you can solve my challenge ?”
392
393The Boy smiled. “Not only I can, but I shall - and my price will be
394quite acceptable to give you the energy you need.” “And that would
395be...?” - “A new pipe.” came the reply “That one is becoming
396old.” “Agree, you have your chance.”
397
398The Boy then started to play an amused melody. It sounded like an
399invitation to a great feast, the opening of a meeting where everybody was
400invited. And then came from earth itself sounds of steps, climbing from
401the depth. The fountain that stood in the middle of the place crumbled,
402leaving a great hole from which flames emerged. But the fire seemed to
403dance at the rythm of the music itself.
404
405The Boy then said to the Commander: “As long as you keep playing for
406the Demons there, at least 23 hours each day, you’ll get them to make
407whatever you need.” And he gave them the score, took a brand new silver
408flute, and left, and never was seen again at Euthville.
409
410At first, things seemed fine, and the Commander couldn’t believe his
411luck, as a pipe was a feeble price to pay for such a powerful recipe of
412prosperity. Who wouldn’t want to tame the Demons themselves? Quickly,
413though, it appeared obvious that, for enough demons to be there, that
414music needed to be played rather loudly. And if, at first, it sounded
415entertaining, joyous, and funny, it quickly grew on the nerves of
416many. And especially because it was played 23 hours a day.
417
418Finally, the Commander decided that the city couldn’t stand this
419anymore, and ordered that the Demons had to be attracted faraway from the
420city. On this fateful day, a whole fanfare left the city, hoping that the
421demons would follow, attracted by the music.
422
423And so, they did. One after another, they climbed out of Earth itself, and
424walked in the direction of the music, obviously unaware of the hundreds of
425buildings they were crushing by their giant footsteps, and the thousands
426of inhabitants that they toasted with their dark fire. Seeing that,
427even the bravest ones went mad, and ran for their lives, leaving pipes,
428clavicelles and harpsichords fall on the ground.
429
430The rest of the story is easy to understand: Demons, free from the magical
431music that enslaved them, crushed what remained of the city, in a bloody
432fest that they will forever keep in their twisted memories.
433
434The Commander went mad, of course, and it is said that his madness was
435so strong that his mind was unable to understand that he was dead. If
436you search enough in the ruins of Euthville, you’ll probably encounter
437his ghost, as well as those of the many who perished for having believed
438that mortals could enslave the hell. Some demons stayed there, obviously
439enjoying the area and its newborn ashes that smelled fresh blood and
440carnage. Euthville is now, of course, a dangerous, deserted place, and the
441richesses that are still sleeping below the ruins of its former palaces
442are now guarded by powerful entities of the 9th Circle.
443
444Many said that, if the Enchanted Music could be found, it would open the
445gates of many treasures, but because none of the former Euthvillians
446survived, and because nobody knows where the Boy went afterwards, those
447gates are still closed. I’ve heard that the School of Daemonology was
448precisely founded to rediscover that spell. But who am I to claim this to
449be true ? I’m only a man of the past that tells stories before a fire,
450and the fire is dying, and so has my tale reached the end.
451
452
453
454=head1 The Kiritani Pass (from "Euthville Legends")
455
456The "Kiritani Pass" is the part of the map you can see on world_104_114,
457between the two random caves and the forest full of hidden
458stuff. Nowadays, it is marsh and beach, but centuries ago, it was a
459passage for boats sailing from and to Euthville.
460
461
462=head1 Sannistra (from "Euthville Legends")
463
464The Sannista is a legendary flying boat that was powered by the reaction
465of a fire and a water elemental. It was built by the tenth Commander of
466Euthville, Farkennis, as a gift for the 18th Birthday of his daughter,
467Sannista. That’s the boat that was stolen by Fax when he fled from
468Euthville, and that he used to get to Khelens. Giusitta the Verbous then
469sailed it back to the Continent, and hid it “somewhere in the mountains
470of Euth”.
471
472So I *guess* she would have put it there, although I’m not *sure*. Many
473people thought the story was speaking about the mountains just east of the
474ruined city, but now that I’ve discovered those two caves, I’d rather
475bet on them - it seems more logical.
476
477
478

Diff Legend

– Removed lines
+ Added lines
< Changed lines
> Changed lines