--- deliantra/server/pod/books.pod 2007/01/01 15:29:42 1.2 +++ deliantra/server/pod/books.pod 2007/05/24 03:33:29 1.17 @@ -5,10 +5,16 @@ This is the source for some of the books in crossfire, at least, it should become one. Authors: + Gorlin Mark Wedel Marc Lehmann -The Crossfire Wiki +Lalo Martins +Yann Chachkoff +Gros + +many stories taken from unknown authors at The Crossfire Wiki +http://wiki.metalforge.net/ Each =head1 should become its own book. @@ -252,9 +258,7 @@ 435 EK: Colony of Skorn Founded. It would eventualy become the city of Scorn. -711 EK: - -The outpost of Heaven’s Gate is founded. +711 EK: The outpost of Heaven’s Gate is founded. =head2 Volume II: Second Millenia EK @@ -296,13 +300,13 @@ =head2 Volume VI: Sixth Millenia EK -5524 EK: The Meteomage Grab of Ledh fails an experiment, making the weather mad for a while, an event remembered as “The Weather Madness”. +5524 EK: The Meteomage Grab of Ledh fails an experiment, making the weather mad for a while, an event remembered as "The Weather Madness". Late LVIth Century EK: The Great Schism between the Simplifists led by Mish the Toon and the Stabilists: The Sedition Wars. 5581 EK: Battle of the Glowing Crystal: the Order of the Careful Coders is disbanded. -5598 EK: The Simplifists exile themselves into the Pocket Dimension of Daï-Moh-Nî, “The World With a Future”, in Ancient Daigojij Language. +5598 EK: The Simplifists exile themselves into the Pocket Dimension of Daï-Moh-Nî, "The World With a Future", in Ancient Daigojij Language. =head1 Recent Historic Events, by Khalis. @@ -327,6 +331,24 @@ 8009 EK: Euthville is destroyed. +=head1 The Sultanate of Darcap + +Isolated from the rest of the region by an extensive mountain range to the +south, and possessing a massive natural harbour, Darcap is a small, but +easily defensible town, dominated by a pair of powerful guilds. The town +is also noted for its circus, whose reputation draws visitors from all +over the world. + + +=head1 Santo Dominion + +Santo Dominion sits in a small bay to the north of Scorn. It is an +important port of call for ships travelling to and from Scorn and is +also somewhat famous for its Opera and its Litle House of Horrors, two +magnificent cultural buildings you would not expect in so small a town as +Santo Dominion. + + =head1 Euthville History The Ruins of Euthville can be found just off the Imperial Highway north of @@ -339,7 +361,7 @@ =head2 Past and Destruction -Ah, Euthville - “City of the Pearl”, in Old Hemdalite, has indeed a +Ah, Euthville - "City of the Pearl", in Old Hemdalite, has indeed a rather sad story!! If you went there about half a millenia ago, you’d have seen something @@ -384,16 +406,16 @@ of the city, playing with his flute, laughing whenever he saw one of the demonstrations the powerful wizards and engineers failing again and again. -After several days, the Commander noticed the Boy, and said: “who -are you to laugh, you, who has only a flute ?” “I have only a +After several days, the Commander noticed the Boy, and said: "who +are you to laugh, you, who has only a flute ?" "I have only a flute for sure - but there’s more in my simple pipe than in those -legions of wizards.” “Really ?” said the Commander, half-laughing, -half-curious, “so you think you can solve my challenge ?” +legions of wizards." "Really ?" said the Commander, half-laughing, +half-curious, "so you think you can solve my challenge ?" -The Boy smiled. “Not only I can, but I shall - and my price will be -quite acceptable to give you the energy you need.” “And that would -be...?” - “A new pipe.” came the reply “That one is becoming -old.” “Agree, you have your chance.” +The Boy smiled. "Not only I can, but I shall - and my price will be +quite acceptable to give you the energy you need." "And that would +be...?" - "A new pipe." came the reply "That one is becoming +old." "Agree, you have your chance." The Boy then started to play an amused melody. It sounded like an invitation to a great feast, the opening of a meeting where everybody was @@ -402,9 +424,9 @@ leaving a great hole from which flames emerged. But the fire seemed to dance at the rythm of the music itself. -The Boy then said to the Commander: “As long as you keep playing for +The Boy then said to the Commander: "As long as you keep playing for the Demons there, at least 23 hours each day, you’ll get them to make -whatever you need.” And he gave them the score, took a brand new silver +whatever you need." And he gave them the score, took a brand new silver flute, and left, and never was seen again at Euthville. At first, things seemed fine, and the Commander couldn’t believe his @@ -466,8 +488,8 @@ Euthville, Farkennis, as a gift for the 18th Birthday of his daughter, Sannista. That’s the boat that was stolen by Fax when he fled from Euthville, and that he used to get to Khelens. Giusitta the Verbous then -sailed it back to the Continent, and hid it “somewhere in the mountains -of Euth”. +sailed it back to the Continent, and hid it "somewhere in the mountains +of Euth". So I *guess* she would have put it there, although I’m not *sure*. Many people thought the story was speaking about the mountains just east of the @@ -475,4 +497,1463 @@ bet on them - it seems more logical. +=head1 The Name of the World + +I, Forag the little-known, have invested my lifetime into exploring +the various names of this, our World. In this tome I wrote down all my +knowledge. Be careful with it, else it might overwhelm you, as it did me! + +In Khelens and most of its territories, it was named "The Earth", +while the major western landmass was called "The Continent" while the +eastern landmass was called "the Wilderness". + +Fendrakis used "Raxida", which is also the name they gave to the Fox +Lady, Mother of All Things, deity. + +Elves traditionally use "Eänella", which translates as "The Land of +Green" + +Dwarves of Khorolizov use "Herdankaupf", "Country of the Horses", +which is a reference to their mythology (see the legend of the Twelve Days +for that) + +The Orcish name is "Knâgsh-Ishzeh", "Rotten Branch" + +The people of the Old Wall, used the name "Harinappa", "Bottom of +the Pit", to designate the world. + +Most people nowadays use the old Khelenti name ("The Earth") or its direct +translation in local languages/idioms. + + +=head1 Melficef the Red + +Melficef was a powerful mage that conducted thaumical studies to +try to store magical energies in an efficient way. He created many +self-recharging rod spells that are still commonly used today, as well as +the thaumic bomb, a device storing a massive amount of mana and releasing +it in a violent explosion - such an explosion actually killed the +unfortunate Melficef himself. + + +=head1 The Kingdom of Scorn + +Nestled snugly in a sheltered bay at the west of the Imperial Highway, +Scorn is a safe and welcoming place for those who pass by. Once a great +military force whose power affected the entire world, its influence +has since waned, the castle in the centre of town now serving a mostly +ceremonial purpose. Nonetheless by virtue of its position on the Imperial +highway the city has maintained its importance as a stopping off point +for travellers between the other major cities and it is an attractive +location for trade and commerce in its own right. This combined with the +sheltered harbour and key shipping lines, ensures that Scorn remains a +key crossroads bustling with activity, long after its former military +dominence has diminished. + +=head2 History + +435EK: The colony of Skorn was founded by Skud the Great, when his +expedition reached the shores of the continent. It is said that he first +pitched his tent on the site where the inn now stands. + +1064-1135EK: The war against the Dragons. Scorn is destroyed. Most of its +inhabitants flee to the south. After 1115EK, the city is progressively +rebuilt on top of the now buried ruins nowadays known as the Old City. + +1177EK: War of the Sea Princes. The last imperial ship reaches +Scorn. Contacts with Khelens are now broken. Scorn becomes an independent +kingdom. + + +=head1 History of Lake Country + +Lake Country originally was where the elves lived who where exiled +from the north by the kings of Scorn, during the Vth millenia EK. They +named the area Vkovzerov. The major elven city of Vkovzerov was +Tashkeren-tah. It was destroyed by a Water arch-elemental in 4453EK. + + +=head1 Visit our Training Centres! + +We, Training Centres Incorporated provide the best service for warriors, +wizards and anybody else who wants to improve quickly. + +For a modest fee, you can get almost exclusive access to our large +training areas. + +=head2 Pricing + +Humamoid + +A Bonecrusher, a Firestar, and a Demonspawn Shield. + +Undead + +Lich dust, a Spectre’s ectoplasm, and a Skull’s tooth. + +Dragon + +An Ancient dragon’s steak, an Ancient Blue Dragon’s steak, and an Ancient red dragon’s steak. + +Demon + +A Demonbane, a Belzebub’s sword, and a Firebrand. + +=head3 Free Centres + +As a special service, we provide access to two of our older training +centres completely free of charge, although you will understand that there +will be no guarentees given for success: + +Goblin & Zombie - Located south of Scorn + +Skeleton & Ogre - Located somewhere around Navar + +=head2 Locations + +These are the locations to the entrances of the Training Centers. + +world_107_128 + +world_118_101 + +world_106_109 - Humanoid + +world_124_113 - Undead + +world_107_120 - Goblin & Zombie + + +=head1 The Kingdom of Navar + +Straddling the corner of the Imperial highway as it turns North near the +Eastern border of the known world, and surrounded by dangerous territory, +Navar is an unlikely site for one of the world’s grandest cities. Yet +there it stands, dominating the skyline for miles around and showing the +same bustling activity expected of any thriving market town. + + +=head1 The Kingdom of the Masts + +A Merchant Republic led by the now destroyed city of Kari Kori. At its +peak, the Kingdom of the Masts ruled nearly a quarter of the world, and +its fleet was unmatched. Kari Kori was opposed to Navar in a series of +wars that it finally lost at the Battle of Tered in 2287 EK. + + +=head1 The Artificers' Wars + +A series of wars conducted between 3084 and 3154 EK by a coalition led by +Navari Princes against the Artificers, a group of mages that were masters +in the now banned magical field of Technomancy. The Artificers were close +to obtain a complete victory, but were finally destroyed by the raw power +of their own biggest creation, The Thaumic Gear. The explosion of the Gear +shattered the whole east of the world, and many territories forever sank +into the ocean, including Kari Kori, the Technomages’ city. + + +=head1 Juradiths Dissidents + +Juradiths, named after Juradith, Minor Spirit of Equity, were a group of +activists that wanted to turn the Kingdom of Scorn into a republic in the +second-half of the XXXIVth century EK. They succeeded at overthrowing King +Karatan III, but their vengeful, fanatical excesses quickly turned most +Scornians against them. When trying to recapture the city, their army was +defeated by the Scornian Militia with the help of a couple city mages, who +flooded the Juradiths into a magically created lake. + +Juradiths still exist as a small political faction today, although +they’ve long traded their violent ways for some weird traditions whose +origins and meaning are now mostly forgotten. + + +=head1 The Gaean Legend of Creation + +=head2 Age of The Void + +In the beginning there was Gaea, the force of nature. SHE filled the whole +of existence with her being. After a few billion years, this became to +grow boring and lonely, so SHE decided to have children. + +At first SHE created a host of forces like Herself, eternal and +divine. But with all their power, they couldn’t get along with each +other, so Gaea decided that wasn’t a good idea. SHE decreed that from +that point on all creatures but HER would have a limited lifetime. But +most of HER first children disagreed, and went away to an unknown +location. + +=head2 Age of The Small World + +So Gaea created a small world and populated it with limited creatures - +animals and plants of all sorts. For a few million years she was happy +to watch them. But her remaining faithful children were growing restless +and wanted to make their own experimentations too. Finally SHE got bored +again, as her creations weren’t self-aware and therefore weren’t +much of a company. But SHE was also curious, because her creatures had +developed many different styles of living, and SHE desired to compare +them. + +And Gaea destroyed the original world, breaking it in four new ones. + +=head2 Age of The Four Worlds + +The First world was dedicated to harmony. It was populated with creatures +that preferred to coexist peacefully and contemplate. Two of Her children +were particularly enamoured of this world and decided to live there. + +The Second world was dedicated to construction. It was populated with +creatures that liked to change the environment around them, especially +ants, bees and beavers, and filled with wood and metal and stone usable as +raw material. Two of Her children found the idea fascinating and decided +to live in this world. + +The Third world was dedicated to war and strife. While all the three +other worlds had equal shares of light and darkness, the Third world had +as much light as its inhabitants desired - and it was populated with +creatures that loved and hated light, in equal parts. So these creatures +quickly discoreved they could influence the ambient light by battling each +other. Two of Her children decided to live in this world: one because he +loved light, and another because he hated his brother and therefore wished +for darkness to prevail. + +The Fourth world, finally, was dedicated to predation and to survival of +the fittest. It was populated with fierce creatures and predators. Two of +Her children believed this was the best way to live and decided to live in +this world. + +After the worlds were created, only four children of Gaea still preferred +to live in the Void: two because they weren’t interested in any of those +worlds, and two because they liked all of them and preferred to visit them +whenever they wished. + +=head2 Age of Awakening + +And for a few million years Gaea delighted in observing the differences +between the worlds. But still the creatures were not self-aware, and +still SHE was lonely. So when Her children came and said they were lonely +and wanted to create more interesting creatures, SHE understood them and +quickly allowed them and gave them the power to do it. + +So on the First world, one of the Gods who lived there created a race of +beings that loved peace and wildlife, and called them Elves. The other +God in that world didn’t choose to create followers, but she teached +language to the Elves of her brother, and when the Elves larned the art of +naming, they named their creator Lythander, and in exchange for his name +he gifted them with luck. + +On the Second world, one of the Gods created a race of builders and named +them Dwarves. His children, in turn, named him Mostrai. His sister, in +turn, decided not to create, but teach some of the dwarves (the ones +willing to learn) about magic and the powers of the gods. The other +dwarves, however, didn’t accept their changed siblings, so they went off +to live by themselves and became known as gnomes. + +On the Third world, of course, none of the resident Gods wanted to +cooperate with the other. Both created their own races: the God who fought +for darkness created many kinds of fierce, brutal monsters he named +"Demons", while the God who fought for light created many kinds of +skillful, swift warriors he named "Angels". Befittingly, these Gods +were named by their enemies, and not their followers: the demons gave the +light god the name of "Valriel", and the angels gave their enemy god +the name "Gorokh". + +And on the Fourth world, the patron Gods kept true to their philosophy +and created not one, but innumerable races, in the hope that one of these +would prove the strongest and most worth. So they created goblins, trolls, +ogres, and not least, dragons. The Gods became known as Gnarg, the Patron +of Assassins, Ruggilli, the Consuming Worm, and Ixalovh. + +The races in the four worlds lived on for millenia, and developed, and +grew, and all worlds flourished. The eight patron gods believed this was +proof that they were right, and the way they lived was the best one, while +the two traveling gods rather believed that the success of all the worlds +was instead proof of the wisdom and power of their Mother. + +=head2 Age of Death + +But at some point things started to go wrong. Angels and demons would +start to become priests or scholars or merchants and preach against the +war. Dwarves and gnomes would start go grow sedentary and admire the +crafts of the past instead of building new ones. Goblinoids would suddenly +develop a taste for vegetables and become farmers, while dragons would +decide that developing their magics was more important than finding +food. But what was wrong was a mistery that would only begin to unfold +when the High King of the elves, one day, was devoured by a dragon. + +It was then that the Gods discovered that the worlds were not anymore +completely isolated from one another. Someone had, somehow, teached all +kinds of creatures how to follow the paths left by the traveling gods - +flying creatures would ride the cross-world whirlwinds of the thunder god, +and others would learn to tread the strange winding paths of the walking +god. And as creatures became aware of different ways, things started to go +wrong. + +Promptly, the Gods tried to close all portals - but it was too late. The +art of magic was already known in the four worlds, and strong enough to +travel between them. And the one peaceful elves were ignited, and declared +war on the dragons, goblins and trolls. + +While a mighty army of elven warriors crossed over to the Fourth world, +dwarves and gnomes found the First world almost deserted and full of wood +and metal for the dwarves, and holy, peaceful places for the gnomes. + +The part of the small peoples who remained on the Second world was faced +with new problems when the demons decided they were ripe for tempting (if +they could get dwarven builders and gnome sorcerers on their side, the +tide of the war would turn). The angels, of course, took upon themselves +to protect these strange people from their eternal enemies. So as their +attention slowly shifted from the Third world to the Second, soon only +the weakest of their kind were in their original world, where they began +to fall prey to hungry refugees from the Fourth world, who discovered how +tasty angel/demon flesh can be. + +And while the Gods were busy trying to even understand this chaos, the +dead began to come back. + +Their leader was Hagguth, the Elven High King who had been eaten by a +dragon. He came back as a powerful spectre, leading a powerful army of +ghosts, wraiths, skeletons and zombies in a massive attack to the Second +and Third worlds. Their goal was to kill as many dwarves, gnomes, angels +and demons as possible, to strenghten the number of their own undead host. + +And when some elven wizards tried to steal the power of the undead to +their own ends, they became the first vampires, lichs and demilichs - +half living, half undead, but on the side of Hagguth and his misterious +masters. + +It was only when a group of reasonable elves, dwarves, gnomes and dragons +managed to get together and talk, that it became clear who these masters +could be. Till this point, everyone was blaming some (any) god other +than the one they worshipped. But there was only one, obvious answer: +the Banished Gods, the Forgotten Children who left ages ago because +they didn’t agree with he concept of death, were back, and enacting +revenge by subverting death itself. In later days, these Gods would become +collectively known as the Devourers. + +Knowing the enemy was not the solution to the war, but was a start. This +group, slowly, was able to form a resistence against the undead armies, +and gradually turn other people to their side. Finally, after 23 hundred +years, they managed to break into the horrible fortress Hagguth had built +in the First world and kill (again) the undead king. + +The chaos began to gradually settle down after that. But then the +survivors were faced with a new problem: almost nobody was interested in +perverting to the way things used to be. + +Yes. Entire villages of elves were settled in corners of the Fourth world +for many generations, and dwarven guilds had business troughout the +worlds. + +=head2 The Big World + +So Gaea, in Her wisdom, gave the only possible solution to the +problem. SHE took the four worlds in Her hand, and crushed them +together. Then SHE looked at the single world she created, and at the +creatures of Her children, and decided to again, after millions of years, +create Her own followers. Thus SHE created the humans, a young race eager +to explore and chart this young world. + +It took generations for the inhabitants of the resulting world to figure +out its geography and for families to reunite; when this finally happened, +the stories about four different worlds becoming one were already legends +not everybody believed. But still, for some reason, everyone agrees to +call this world - the only one they know - Bigworld. + + +=head1 The Book of Valriel + +In the beginning, for an infinite time, all that existed was a pure light, +and that light had a name, and that name was Valriel. + +But part of the light was not content to be alone, and so did Valriel put +this part of Himself aside and did He allow this part to have independent +life; and this part was everything that wasn’t content, and as it +wasn’t light, it surely was the darkness; and the darkness took upon +itself the name of Gorokh. + +And for many times more time than a mortal can count, Gorokh was the +companion and the servant of Valriel. But Gorokh was not content, because +that was his nature, and he plotted a way to change everything. And +although filled with hidden motives, Gorokh’s words were always very +wise, so that Valriel would hear them. So it was that Valriel followed the +wise counsel of the Shadow and created a world full of living things to be +His new companions and servants. + +And as soon as Valriel had millions of new companions and servants, Gorokh +said, "so now you won’t need me anymore, I can leave and find my own +companions and servants". And this made Valriel unhappy because He was +the only and true Lord, but Gorokh wouldn’t recognize that, and so it +was Gorokh who eventually taught men to rule over other men instead of +paying respect to the one true ruler of all. + +So did Valriel upon the departure of his first servant, create new +servants modeled after His beauty and grace, and elf and man and dwarf he +created them. But the Shadow did feel envy and wished those followers for +himself, so he came to them in the night and whispered in their ears, and +some of them were tempted and started to worship and serve the Shadow. + +But not enough were seduced by his promises. So he decided to be many, +not one. And he wore different shapes and again he whispered in the ears +of Valriel’s creations. And to the elves he was Lythander of the bow +that never misses, and the elves did not see that if a bow never misses, +and it isn’t the work of the Lord, then it can only be the work of the +Enemy. And to the dwarves he wore the name of Mostrai, of the fire, of the +forge, the builder of things, for the fire and the desire to change was +the true face of Gorokh. + +And he taught the men to wage war upon each other, and scared the warriors +with thunder and lightning, and they would call him Sorig. And those +who weren’t scared, he tempted with weapons and glory, and wore the +beautiful face of a woman, and they called him Valkyrie. And as they +killed each other, Gorokh was happy. + +And much more he did. He taught women to heal and to make the soil grow +crop, and they called him Gaea, and believed that Gaea created the world +and Valriel was but a minor god, and by spreading this lie they made +Gorokh happy. And he taught the children of Valriel to write, so that they +could spread his lies further, and they called him Hekanis for that. And +he taught them the abomination of filthy magic to pervert and corrupt +the creation of the Lord, and to liken themselves to gods, and the evil +souls that followed this path called him Byd. And also he taught elf and +man and dwarf to brew alcohol and other inebriating things and to laugh +in the face of Valriel and throw parties that put shame to the eye of the +Lord, and he taught them all that under human guise, and they called their +teacher Joyee. + +So did Valriel look upon the world He created and so did He feel great +sorrow and great shame for what had happened to it. And so did he create +a new race of servants, more powerful and more faithful than any other, +imbued with the mission of hunting down and undoing the work of the Enemy, +and this race He called Angels. + +But again Gorokh felt envy because the servants of the Light were more +powerful than his own, and again he went to some of the angels in the +night and whispered temptation in their ears, and some turned to his foul +purposes and fell from grace. So did Gorokh give them new shapes, to more +liken them to himself, red with hate and wearing horns to symbolize their +envy, and they became demons. And the plan of Valriel was once again +spoiled by the venom of the enemy, because angels had to step aside from +their assigned mission to fight the demons and keep them from spreading +the evil in their dark hearts. + +And Gorokh did find great fun in changing Valriel’s creation into a new +race, and so did he get elf and man and dwarf and corrupted them with +his dark will, and they became goblin and orc and kobold, and troll, and +giant, and ogre, and many other abominations to the eye of the Creator, +and Gorokh wore the name of Gnarg to these new creations and delighted in +watching the destruction and sorrow they spread in the world. + +And in the ultimate act of defiance, the Shadow decided to create servants +for him, create new life himself to liken him more to the Great Lord. And +he assembled the foulest magic and the darkest hunger he could find and +shaped these into the most horrible monsters he could imagine, and gave +them life, and called them dragons, and sent them forth to eat the flesh +of the creation of Valriel. And the dragons did call him Ruggilli and much +did they please him with the terror they spread. + +But the light and the love of Valriel knew no end, so He decided to +fight evil with good, and He instructed His faithful servants to do only +the good, to spread the word of His love. And by doing that did He win +back many servants who saw that the righteous is more powerful than the +might. Much did this enrage the Shadow, and the Shadow did respond by +raising the dead themselves from their graves to fight the forces of +good. Even when the dead did not win, they did force the living to abandon +good in favor of war, and in doing so they would too abandon Valriel. So +once again he shadow was happy. + +Valriel finally did decide, with much sorrow in His infinite heart, that +the only way to make His creation safe again was to destroy the Shadow +himself. So did He cast His holy word upon His creation to banish the work +of the Enemy. But the Enemy knew what would happen beforehand, due to the +evil magic of his followers, and he created a safe refuge for their evil, +in a world created entirely of pure evil and hate, that he had set aside +from creation and called Hell. And soon enough did Gorokh find ways back +into the world of the creation of Light, and resumed his foul work of evil +and dissent and terror. + +So did Valriel gather together His faithful and he did gave them some time +to put the love for the Lord back in the hearts of as many of His children +as they could. And very soon will He again call upon the faithful, and +then will He give the faithful an entire new world for them to live in the +love of Valriel. And Having done that He will turn to this world, and to +Hell, and to Gorokh, and He will destroy them completely with the force of +His will, putting an end once and for all in the war and the evil. + + +=head1 The Book of Gorokh + +In the beginning, for an infinite time, all that existed was an empty +and cold light. And the light was content to be and fill and control +everything that was. But it is not right for light to be cold, and the +part of the light that should have been warm, longed for warmth and for +things to see and for things to do. + +So did the light put aside the warmth, so that the fire would not disturb +their cold peace. And the fire looked unto the light and called the light +Valriel, the controlling father, and the fire called himself Gorokh, the +Son with a Will. + +And for many times more time than a mortal can count, Gorokh was the +companion and the servant of Valriel. But Gorokh was not content, because +that was his nature, and he plotted a way to change everything. And fueled +by the fire of his will, Gorokh’s words were always very wise, so +Valriel would always hear them. So it was that Valriel followed the wise +counsel of the Fire and created a world full of living things to be their +new companions and servants. + +And as soon as Valriel had millions of new companions and servants, Gorokh +said, "so now you won’t need me anymore, I can leave and find my own +companions and servants". And this made Valriel unhappy because he +believed he should be only and true Lord, but Gorokh couldn’t agree +to that, and so it was Gorokh who eventually taught men to rule over +themselves instead of paying respect to one self-appointed ruler of all. + +So did Valriel, while Gorokh was away exploring the wonders of the new +world, create new servants of flesh and bone to adore him blindly, and elf +and man and dwarf he created them. And seeing this beautiful new creation +Gorokh wanted a part of it for himself, and he presented himself to them, +and some of them liked him and became his follower. + +But Valriel was afraid that, with two gods to adore, some of his creation +could find it natural to spread creation in two equal halves, and he did +want more than an equal half. So he decided to wear different shapes so +that his children would believe him to be many, not one, and then he +would be able to get more than his fair share. And so did he create many +false gods for his children to adore. And even when Gorokh would bring +the wonderful gifts conceived by his powerful will, such as the forge, +weapons, medicine, agriculture, writing, magic, and wine and booze and +music, even then would Valriel create a false god to pose as the giver of +those gifts and take the glory for himself. + +And since Gorokh kept inventing new presents, Valriel became angry, +because he doesn’t like change and he doesn’t like any good that +doesn’t come from him. And so did he create a new race of servants, more +powerful and more prone to following him blindly than any other, imbued +with the mission of hunting down and undoing the work of the Fire, and +this race He called Angels. + +But again Gorokh found a cunning way to defend his work, and again he +went to some of the angels in the night and whispered promises of power +in their ears, and some turned to his great purposes and joined him. So +did Gorokh give them new shapes, to more liken them to himself, red with +the fire of his will and wearing horns to symbolize their power, and they +became demons. And the plan of Valriel was once again spoiled by the +genius of the Fire, because angels had to step aside from their assigned +mission to fight the demons and keep them from spreading the word of +Gorokh. + +And Gorokh did find great fun in changing Valriel’s creation into a new +race, and so did he get elf and man and dwarf and tried to imbue them +with greater strength, and they became goblin and orc and kobold, and +troll, and giant, and ogre, and many other strong creatures. But their +intelligences greatly suffered from the process, and he was unhappy with +his creation, and while he was looking for a way to help them did Valriel +come to them under the guise of Gnarg and he told them to spread great +destruction and sorrow in the world so that the creation of Gorokh would +seem foul in the eyes of the living. + +So the Fire decided the creation of Valriel was imperfect and he had to +create his own new life. So he assembled the most powerful magic and the +strongest will and mightiest strength he could find and shaped these +into the most magnificent creatures he could imagine, and gave them +life, and called them dragons, and sent them forth to take the world for +themselves. But while the dragons are still the greatest pride of Gorokh, +many of them have abandoned him to serve yet another disguise of Valriel. + +And upon seeing the dragons, Valriel declared war and set his servants +upon the task of killing all the most valuables of Gorokh they could +find. Gorokh was consumed with sorrow, and devised a way to spare these +faithful servants, by allowing them to raise again from the grave even +after their deaths. But the servants of Valriel found these "un-dead" +an even greater abomination, and set forth to hunt them, and Valriel +delighted in the war and carnage that ensued. + +So did Gorokh, his fire dim with sorrow, decide to create a whole world +for him and his faithful. And this world he called Hell. But when he was +slowly bringing his faithful to the new world, Valriel treacherously +brought down a great fury upon the world, killing most of the faithful +that were left behind. So the Fire was finally enraged and decided to wage +the war that the Light wanted. And he opened many passages into the world +so that his armies could enter and destroy the minions of Valriel. And to +this war we are all called to chose sides and fight. + + +=head1 The Dwarven Creation Tale + +A play by Shakesdor the Dwarf. + +- What... where we come from? You’re not old enough for this +conversation. + +- No, uncle, I mean as a whole... the world, the dwarves, the others. + +- Ah. I see. (Big gulp of beer.) You mean, NOW? + +- Yes, please. Pleeeease? + +- *sigh* all right, all right. It goes like this. + +First there was the Ore and the Forge. The Ore is what existence looked +like before it existed. The Forge was the untapped will, the potential in +the Ore to be everything that is, ever will be, or won’t. + +Over a span of time that is not time, because time wasn’t forged yet, +some tiny scraps of Ore drifted into the Forge. A piece of the Forge +merged with that Ore and became sentient. He has many names, but we call +him Mostrai. + +He spent ages of time-that-was-not-time exploring, learning the nature +of Ore and Forge and himself. Till he decided it was time to start +forging. And then, first of all, he forged time, so that he could separate +after from before, and so that he could exist absolutely - as opposed to, +at the same "time", existing and not being created yet, which was the +case if time didn’t exist. + +Then, with things in order, he began forging things. The first thing he +forged was his armor, because he liked the touch of metal against his +body. Then he forged beer, because of course, beer is essential. He forged +it red like the Forge, and black like the Ore. The yellow thing, as we all +know, is an invention of those pansy elves. + +And he liked the beer. He liked it so much, that he was bored of drinking +it alone. Beer calls for a party. So he created the boar and the bird, to +be roasted; he created the mundane fire, which was a toned-down version of +the essence of the Forge, to roast them. And then he created the dwarf, to +dress in metal like him, to work the forge with him, but most importantly +of all, to party with him and partake of the sacred beer. + +But the dwarf started breeding like bugs, and it was quite distracting +to have them putting about in spaceless space. At any given point, there +were thousands of dwarves partying, thousands sleeping, thousands hunting, +and thousands forging. Mostrai thought it was good, but it was also damn +annoying. So he created an enormous mountain for them to live under. He +put the boar and bird, and a few other animals he had come up with later, +on the outside, where he forged woods and forest. And so that his children +wouldn’t wander forever, he placed these places in the middle of an +infinite ocean. There you have, that’s the story. + +- Whoa. What about the others? + +- *sigh* You won’t let me finish my beer, will you? + +- You’ll never finish your beer, uncle. When you soak that mug, +there’s plenty more in the barrel. + +- All right, all rigth. (Big gulp.) + +The dwarves had amazing weapons to hunt with. Eventually, the hunt was +no challenge anymore. The best hunters would play-act wars between +themselves, to best hone their skills. + +Mostrai was worried that those fights might one day evolve into real +wars. So he created an enemy, something very different from the dwarf, +something very obviously wrong, which lived in the woods and preferred +bows and other coward weapons rather than hand-to-hand combat. He made +them incredibly lucky, because otherwise they would stand no chance - and +they came to believe they’re lucky because they’re protected by their +god, which of course doesn’t exist. He also made them very old, so that +they would think they existed before the dwarf - otherwise they would just +recognize our superior position and submit. And all was good and happy; +for time beyond count, dwarf and elf honed their skills against each +other, and prospered. + +I mean, have you ever fought an elf? Yes, it was an eternal war, but not +like those bloody gorefest the others have today. When dwarf and elf +fight, it’s clean, it’s beautiful, it’s according to the rules, +it’s a ritual of honor. + +Well, I digress. All was well, I said. But one day, one elf created yellow +beer. And that offended Mostrai to a level of rage unseen before. So he +created an entire new piece of the world, and populated it with humans, +and other horrible creatures, and then let these young ones discover our +land, so that they may raze the elf forests, ruin the elf nations, and +soil their honor. We’re not stupid enough to argue with Mostrai, so we +went underground, and we’re waiting for that to happen, to see what he +will do next. + +Can I drink in peace now? There, go play with your friends. + + +=head1 The Legend of the Builders + +People of the Old Empire believed that the whole universe was made by +powerful beings called Builders. Builders were not part of the world +like gods were - they lived Outside. Little is known about the Builders +themselves. The priests of the Empire weren’t quite sure themselves +about their names. Some were universally known, though: Mawëdel the Ruler +or Peterëm the Writing One were the most popular of the ever changing +list of Builders. + +The Builders understood very well how difficult it would be for them to +manage themselves every prayer made - making the Universe work was already +a time-consuming task. So they created gods to help them in their task. + +Most of the gods we know today were already popular in the times of the +Old Empire, like Mostrai or Lythander. Others changed names as time +passed. Gods provided their powers to the Faithful Ones, and helped them +by providing blessings and powerful weapons. The priests of the Old Empire +never believed gods made the world, as they were themselves part of it; +world-building was the Builders task. + + +=head1 The Foundation of Scorn + +Few archives remain from the times when Scorn was founded. The city is +probably the oldest of the whole known world. Before Fido, before the Old +Empire, maybe even before gods, Scorn was already there. + +It is usually said that Scorn was founded by Skud the Great. Many legends +are telling about Skud, the half-mythical hero. How he captured the first +dragons. How he fought unknown monsters in the East. How he built Scorn +and the First Inn. Some priests even postulated that Skud was in fact a +Builder. Skud created the First Inn because he wanted to sleep inside a +house, without the risk of being attacked by monsters during the night. He +left the Holy Guestbook, one of the oldest relics of Crossfire, where he +and his fellow friends wrote their names. Skud disappeared long before the +Old Empire came, and nowadays only the Builders can probably remember him. + +Recent researches show that, although he greatly contributed to the +popularity of the city, Skud didn’t found it: it was in fact created +by Tabb the Dark, a Builder that left very little information about him +behind. According to the Codex Skudensis that was discovered in the depths +of the Old City, "Scorn" would have been the real name of Tabb the +Dark. + + +=head1 The Coming of Color + +It is said that centuries before the foundation of the Old Empire, the +world was colorless and sad. Aware of that problem, the Builders decided +to bring color in the life of the Crossfire people. They called the +massive powers of Xepemes, The Source Of All Colors, on the universe. The +magical burst slowly covered the world with colors, but some elements +resisted for a long time. Prophets of the Old Empire announced that, +although victorious, the force of Xepemes wouldn’t stay forever: one +day, it would eventually fade away against a more powerful magical force, +the mysterious Pegemes (or Peengees?). This happened - but much after the +fall of the Empire. + + +=head1 The Bigworld + +The old world was small and it consisted of many pieces. Scorn, Navar, +Brittany and Santo Dominion were in one large piece. Darcap and the +Hill Village were in another smaller one. Lake Country was in yet +another. Pupland was still another. The world was not whole, and the +builders saw that this was wrong. They began the quest to unite the world +and established the Bigworld. As the builders united the world they saw +that it was much too small and began to make it larger. They raised up the +Great Mountains around Brest and they caused the Great Forest to grow. As +the time passed, Navar grew to become a great Kingdom and the builders +decided that it was a good city for players to call home and they gave the +Heroes a choice to serve Scorn or Navar. Nevertheless, Pupland is still +not part of this new world, but the builders wish to add it to the west of +Scorn. + + +=head1 Skud the Great + +One of the first Builders. Skud created many famous places, like the +Scorn’s First Inn or the Newbie Tower. + +The reasons of the disappearance of Skud are mostly unknown. The Codex +Skudensis mentions that it could have been because of the negative +influence of the Arch-Demon Neth Aq. It is thought that The Tower of Skud, +although left unfinished by its creator, may contain informations about +the fate of one of the most famous Builder + + +=head1 Legends of the Fall + +=head2 Of the first things + +First there was Chaos + +Second there was Something and Nothing + +Third there was Dark and Light + +It is said that the Something and the Nothing would fight and that, the +Dark and Light would fight also. + +This being told to me by a monk of Valriel, no longer in the order. + +=head2 On the nature of elemental essences + +It is said that of the four primary elements + + - there is earth which is. + - there is water which changes. + - there is air which moves. + - there is fire which consumes. + +=head2 Overheard in a Narcopian brothel + + When Mother Earth was suckling her children + sky suckled from her right teat + but flame and sea fought to suckle from her left teat + this is why they still fight to this day + + +=head1 The Tale of Lord Butakis - The Lost Stars of the Lake, Volume I + +This story begins nearly four thousand years ago, when Kadriosa IV, King +of Scorn, invaded the southern territories and pushed back the elven +barbarians that lived there. + +The elvish people fled, and many of them settled in a place they called +Vkovzerov, "The Country of the Three Waters", as it was a rather +unique meeting point between a river, a lake, and the sea. There they +enjoyed a great prosperity, working with the local sprites to build +Tashkeren-tah, The City of the Wooden Towers. + +Two centuries passed, then three. The elven princes of Tashkeren-tah had +become powerful - and never in their hearts was the thirst of revenge +and hatred towards the people of Scorn extinguished. Now very familiar +with the various water creatures that inhabited their territory, they +had developed great skills in commanding rivers, and the beasts inside +them, and the creatures made from them. They knew that Scorn was highly +dependent on its seaport, and they had planned for the many years their +long life gave them to use the great power of water spirits to crush and +flood the city. + +But despite all their accumulated knowledge, their powers were too limited +to direct the most powerful entities of the seas, the Mouthes of the +Mariner, none other than the Greater Aquomons. + +For a long time, they were hesitant to call those, as they were dangerous, +treacherous creatures born during the darkest ages of the world, when +Haemdel the Legendary was crushed and the Three Artifacts lost. But so +strong was their flame of hatred that it soon burned the ropes of their +carefulness. Using their most powerful summoning spell, they convocated +one of the Greater Aquomons before them. + +"Who are you, you creatures with pointy ears, to dare awaken me from my +dreams, me, Vërno, the Fourth Drop ?" + +Elven Princes exposed what they wanted to Vërno, and the creature seemed +very interested at the idea of grabbing all the richesses of Scorn, and +bringing them back into his dark kingdom of the depth of the sea. + +"Very well, said Vërno, but you know, I suppose, that we are all bound +by the Law of Equilibrium, established by the gods themselves when the +world was new and the seas infinite. And for my services, you’ll have to +pay the price." + +- And what do you want for a price ? - Well, my needs are rather +modest. I’ll only claim a tenth of your own lands as a reward." + +The Elven Princes quickly discussed the matter, and came to the conclusion +that it was a rather fair price to pay - after all, their territories +weren’t very large, and there was a lot of empty space all around, so +it wasn’t really a problem for them. Maybe it would for a couple of +peasants, but who cared about them more than of the vengeance against +Scorn ? + +And so they answered: "The Fate of Scorn is Sealed, then. We accept." + +What happened then is too long to tell in details here, as it belongs +to another story. In short, Jovidjevska the elven girl, who had heard +everything, travelled to Scorn, and convinced the city wizards of the +truth of the menace. And when Vërno came to crush the city, they moved it +two days into the future, and the water hand of the Fourth Drop grabbed +only emptiness. + +Vërno, furious, came back to the Elves with a big smile, and told +them: "I did what you wanted, and flooded the territory on which Scorn +was established. Now I take my due price." + +And that said, he selected the area on which the Elven City itself was +built, and covered it with water, its inhabitants trapped and killed there +without understanding what was happening. + + +=head1 The Tale of Lord Butakis - The Lost Stars of the Lake, Volume II + +Two thousand years passed. The lineage of the kings of Scorn died, +and another dynasty came, and another one after that. Wars were +conducted. Wizards of Scorn fled, and most of the knowledge disappeared, +and there were nothing but lakes and forests above the dead city of the +elves. + +And then, a man came. Where did he come from ? Nobody knows for +sure. Butakis was his name. + +Butakis was an ambitious young man. He had heard here and there strange +pieces of a weird story, about a sunken city, about a dark pact, about the +secret power of elves... + +For years, he studied the Arcanes, hunting for traces of the city, as he +was convinced that the lost wisdom of the elves of Vkovzerov would give +him a great power. And, finally, after 20 long years of searching, he +concluded that the secret was in the area now called "Lake Country". + +And there, he came, and there was a small house made of wood, and there +was a tree, and there was a young elvish woman, dreaming at the stars, +under the tree. And Butakis fell in love, and the elvish lady fell in +love, and they both watched the stars. But soon, Butakis felt the need of +getting back into action, and finding the lost city and getting its power. + +The lady told him: "The true wisdom is in those stars, and in that +tree, and in that house you see. You’ll only find unrest by aiming for +more." + +But Butakis had already made up his mind, and he brought back engineers, +and sappers, and miners, and they all worked to build a huge machine to +pump the water, and discover the city. During ten years, Butakis worked on +this, hoping that in the end, the elvish lady would be at his side, and +that she would be his wife, princess of the restored city. + +During all the work, he was perpetually annoyed by a small group of +bandits, lead by Twak the Red Fox. Twak and his men conducted a real +guerilla war against Butakis, as they saw him as a danger for the whole +country, because his plans were damaging nature and could also have awaken +dark power sleeping in the sunken city. Several times, they sabotaged +the machine, stole tools, raped engineers and designers. But each time, +Butakis and his followers repaired the machines, engaged new people, and +increased security. + + +=head1 The Tale of Lord Butakis - The Lost Stars of the Lake, Volume III + +And now, ten years after the beginning, the work was completed, and he +invited the elvish lady to come and see the accomplishment of a lifelong +dream. + +The Elvish lady came, as beautiful as ever. And on the balcony at the top +of the pump, they watched the stars, and she kissed him, and she when they +were in the bed he had prepared for that very special night before the +pumping started, she whispered at his ear. + +That, Butakis had waited for long, but he didn’t expect what she told +him then. + +"Ten years you were away, and ten years I watched the stars with +Twak. And now for him, and for he choose me and my heart, I’ll +disappear, and so does your dream." + +Butakis understood that he had been fooled, that she only kept her +attention away enough for Twak and three of his faithful men to sabotage +the pump. And so came a great rumble from the basis of the huge building, +and so the huge engines exploded, and so was his dream reduced to smoke, +smoke that still covers most of Lake Country nowadays. The Elvish lady +probably died, as nobody saw her again after that. And so did the brave +Twak, but his spirit survived in the wind - or so say some people. + +Butakis, so strange as it may look, managed to survive, although in bad +shape, as one would expect. Disfigured, he survived until now using black +magic or machines to keep him alive, and he tried to gather again men to +restart his project. But it was now said all around that it was a doomed, +broken man - and so he in fact was Lake country was said to be haunted by +Twak, and several travellers saw a young elvish lady, watching the stars +at night, under a tree, near the lake. + +Nobody ever accepted to work on the foolish project again. Butakis now +awaits in his sinister castle, ruling a shattered kingdom lost in the fog +his machine left behind. A tormented man, that is said to look in the +direction of the lake from the highest tower of his castle, every night. + +But for him never came again the Elvish girl, and forever his soul stays +alone. And so ends what we know about Butakis and Twak, and so dies my +story. + + +=head1 The Wizard School of Blue + +"Although the School disappeared with the Empire itself from The World, +several wizards claimed to be the heirs of their ancient, secret wisdom, +and nicknamed "the Blue Ones", a reference to the color of the School +Banner." – Gros, the Irrelevant One + + +=head1 The Great Heliograph + +A device made by Mer’Eric the Walker. Built on the highest point of the +Brestian Hills, it is basically a giant magnifying glass, using a complex +mechanism commanding several mirrors, that is able to concentrate the +sunlight into a powerful beam. The concentrator is associated to a Sun +Stone that can receive similar long-range light signals and transform +them into pure thaumic energy. A keyboard is attached to a mechanical +obturator, allowing a single operator to send coded messages to very long +distances. A magically-powered scriptor writes any such incoming message +capted by the Sun Stone. + +Although Mer’Eric only saw the Great Heliograph as a research project +and as a way to communicate easily across huge distances, this device +is also a powerful weapon that can burn nearly anything several miles +away. This is probably why he decided to hide it in a sealed cave. + +A similar device was built by the Mad Mage of Scorn, but its fate is +unknown. + + +=head1 The Harelkirjan Sisters + +Also called the Twin Witches, they were two powerful women wizards; Herin +was specialized in White Magic, while her sister Urdin was a master of the +Black Art. Both of them tried to improve the life of the people living +all around their house, and introduced the use of cats as spirit-watchers +in Scorn. Unfortunately for them, they were burned by an angry Brestian +fanatical mob for "illegal use of Arcane Powers". + + +=head1 Ilrya, The Mountain Huntress + +Ilrya was an elven spellcaster and huntress from the underground city of +Eallera, that is venerated as a lesser god by most of the dwarves living +in the Northern Territories. She killed the Bear of Snuddenrach in 3657EK. + + +=head1 Irial, The Fast One, The Shy Light + +Irial is a lesser spirit of flashlight - the light that you can see when +there’s thunder, for example. It is represented as a small, jumpy and +fast fairy with a temperamental mood. + + +=head1 Khorolizov + +One of the three great dwarven kingdoms. "Khorolizov" means "Green +Gold", which is a reference to the Green Sand, an alchemical component +the dwarves of Khorolizov are the only ones to produce. It is probably +the oldest of the three kingdoms, founded long before the Old Empire of +Khelens reached the shores of the Continent. + + +=head1 Kragi, The Crocodile One, Fish-Hunter + +Kragi is a very ancient spirit, representing the Dangerous Waters, and +the creatures hidden in stagnant swamps. Kragi was already feared by +Ancient Jiradittis, 2000 years before Khelens. A lot of river fishermen +symbolically throw one fish out of what they gathered, to appease the +spirit of Kragi so that the next fishing will go without trouble. + + +=head1 Cromli, The Rocky One + +Crolmi is the Dwarven Spirit of Rocs and Mountains. It has no temples, as +it is said that buildings made of stone anger him (it is like "building +with his own flesh"). + + +=head1 Glamdri, The Darkness Breaker, The Last Standing One + +Glamdri is a lesser spirit of light - it is said that candlelights are +manifestations of Glamdri, for example. + +Glamdri doesn’t represent a magical light - more a spiritual light, the +last pinch of hope in a desperate world. Glamdri also represents original +thinking used to get out of difficult situations, as opposed to Sarikka - +the Raging Fire - who tries to resolve those by extreme violence. + + +=head1 Archmage Rhyz, (Entorinaas Durdennis Rhyz, Fourth Archmage of the Seat, Herdysenmark of Normania) + +Rhyz was an Archmage of the Blue School during the Old Days of the Empire. + +"(...)Unlike Dhelyy Olyy, his contemporary rival for the Seat, Rhyz +focused mostly on closing the gap that existed between the art of fighting +and the Arcane. While Dhelyy Olyy believed in the dual association of the +Warrior and the Wizard, each with its own strength increased by a long +specialization in their respective fields, Rhyz believed in the idea of +a "super warriard", a combination of a powerful wizard and a strong +warrior. As such, he devised many items that increased the strength and +combat capabilities of their wearers, hoping that wizard apprentices would +so be more inclined to learn the battle skills of warriors. + +Unfortunately for Rhyz, most of his followers relied more and more on +magical strength more than physical training, leaving them to a severe +defeat at the Battle of Moriach, when Dhelyy used an anti-magic field over +them." + +(Quote from the Codex Simochusianus, Volume XVII) + + +=head1 Archdaemonist Xebinon + +Xebinon was an Archmage and Daemonist that was since trapped by a demon of +the 10th Circle in his mannor. + +It is said that Xebinon used the Crown of Hellfires to try to tame the +Arch-daemon (and failed) - this is a crown that gave a lot of power, but +drained the magical force of the wearer at the same time, making the spell +regeneration more difficult. This was in fact a cursed, twisted artifact, +created by daemons for people who were seeking short-term power, but would +thus head directly for long-term soul slavery. + +Xebinon is sometimes called "The faceless one", as it is said that the +daemon trapped him by stealing his visage. This may explain why magical +artifacts wearing his name are often helmets. + + +=head1 Argoth, the Fish-City of the Two Towers + +Argoth is the name of a city that was located West of Scorn, in the middle +of the sea, in an island that since sunken after the explosion of the +volcano of the same name, in 674EK. It is called the City of the Two +Towers, because two huge towers were built there, to guide the ships +navigating on the oceans between Bigworld and Khelens. + +Argoth was a dwarven city built on one of the highest mountains known, +rooted in the depths of the sea, and climbing so high in the skies that +uneducated travelers said that it was a "stairway to the gods". On the +top of the mountain, the Imperial Governors built the Two Towers, who were +visible from Scorn, about 200km far from them. + +The dwarves of Argoth had a terrible secret: in the depths of the caves +below the mountains, they had trapped Hregalakhen, one of the last +survivors of the race of the Ancient Dragons, who ruled Bigworld long +before the time of humans. Unfortunately for the dwarves, the dragon got +free for an unknown reason, and destroyed the city, the mountain crumbling +and disappearing forever into the ocean. The Imperial authorities spread +the false story of a volcanic eruption to limit the panic a free dragon +the size of Hregalakhen would have caused in the population. The fate of +the dragon is unknown to this day. + + +=head1 Zormola, The Bashing One + +Zormola was a great female orcish warrior, that is sometimes considered +as a lesser divinity by not only orcs, but also by southern barbarians or +even dwarves of Herfensheim, who salute her courage on the battlefield. + + +=head1 Morgul, The Tower Builder, The Dark Climber + +Morgul was a Dark Mage that built a tower in the hope of creating a bridge +with the skies, so that demons could attack heavens. Fortunately for +angels, a group of adventurers defeated him in 2374EK. + + +=head1 Wolfen the White, The White Hunter, The One Who Listens + +Wolfen is one of the three moons orbiting around The World. It is said to +be the spirit of the legendary hunter Wolfen, who tracked Kalkaruntes, God +of the Dragons, to is cavern and vainquished it. + +In astrology, Wolfen is the symbol of practical mind, swiftness and +flexibility, but also cowardice and stealing. It is associated with the +Earth element in Alchemancy. Wolfen is seen as a protector by hunters and +rangers. Priests of Lythander think it is the reincarnation of the wolf +that hunts with Lythander in the divine forests of Nerënna. Fenxes see it +as Fixas, the one that saved them from the Humans so long ago. + + +=head1 Ranisha the Red, The Red Death, The One Who Commands + +Ranisha is one of the three moons orbiting around the world of +Crossfire. It is said to be the spirit of the legendary warrior Ranisha, +who was supposed to be an invincible general that was even able to +vainquish gods themselves on the battlefield. + +In astrology, Ranisha is the symbol of violence, hatred, murder, but +also of strength and courage. It is associated with the fire element in +Alchemancy. Priests of Ruggili consider it as the watchful eye of their +god. + + +=head1 Asferenn the Blue, The Blue Sister, The One Who Suggests + +Asferenn is one of the three moons orbiting around the world of +Crossfire. It is said to be the spirit of the legendary wizard Asferenn, +who was said to have been able to force the gate of the divine dimension. + +In astrology, Asferenn is the symbol of wisdom, endurance in effort, +diplomacy, but also treachery and dark secrets. It is associated with the +water element in Alchemancy. It is said that the cycle of water creatures +are strongly influenced by Asferenn. + + +=head1 Story of Lorkas the Fallen, Volume I + +I’ll tell you about Lorkas of Amudrias, and how he found the White Bird +of Hope, and how he capitained it, opening the Gates of the Sun, and some +stuff like that. + +Some say that Lorkas was an angel of Valriel, that fell long ago from the +Skies, stealing a couple of highly holy artifacts, and hiding them in his +new underground domains. + +Some also say that Lorkas is a dark spirit, a lost soul, an unclean, +unfaithful, untrusty creature of Doom and Chaos. + +But, for what matters, some also said that Fido was a fiction, or that +the Empire never was more than a dream of a past that never existed. Some +definitely are foolishly uninformed for sure, and speak more than they +think. + +Because, if they were less quick on jumping to conclusions, they’d +quickly notice how difficult it is for an angel to fall from the sky and +never be able to climb back, as if wild gooses were never able to take off +again once they land after their long journey to the South. + +Anyway, as every wise man knows, Lorkas was no angelic creature of divine +essence, or even a magical creation of a godly force. + +Some say that Khelens is the Beginning, first of the Cities of Men. That, +too, is untrue: before the Age of Khelens was the Time of the Kingdoms +at War. And before them, the Era of Songor the Great. And going back +through the thick book of history, you’ll cross Arnistar of the Desert +Dwellers, the Republic of the Two Rivers, and the Ancient Haemdel, and the +Kingdom of the Long Wall. And before it, the forgotten towers of light +that Horadrists built. + + +=head1 Story of Lorkas the Fallen, Volume II + +Lorkas was born in Kuratas, a small agrarian state that existed on the +Coronian Valley, when Songer and Khelens were still in infancy. He was a +boy that wanted to see everything, to understand the world and its stars, +and discover its limits, for it was extending much further than the mists +of his home valley. + +But life was rude in Kuratas, and trying to think about anything else than +your next harvest wasn’t well perceived by most; and, more than often, +Lorkas dreamed with tears and despair about the Mountains with the white +tops, and Seas that ended only when they touched the sky, far away. + +Tired of his senseless life, he left his parents, his village, his +friends, when he was only 12, and for weeks walked to the West, until he +reached the Coast of the Stonewalls. + +And there, he saw Ottarakans, the Infinite Ocean that extends west of the +Old World, and so fell in love for the sea. He then joined the Port of +Kridatta, which was famous for its ships, as its inhabitants had mastered +a powerful arcane, so that their boats roamed not only the seas, but the +very clouds themselves. + +Because he was smart and quick-brained, Lorkas soon got enrolled in the +team of Capt’n Bortaras; and after several adventures I shall maybe tell +about another day, he took the succession of the old mariner. + +Horizon was the name of his ship, and famous was his crew, exploring huge +territories and fighting the Princes of Sinas, who back then tried to put +the whole area under their iron, greedy grasps. + + +=head1 Story of Lorkas the Fallen, Volume III + +But Lorkas heard about a wonder that him and his crew soon wanted to +find: The White Bird of Hope. + +Buried in the Very East, it was said to be. And so he sailed east; he +crossed the Great Desert, passed the Mountains of Daigojij, reached the +forests oft he western normanika. But still was the Bird further away. + +Reaching the Eastern Ocean, they decided to try to cross it, despite that +it was said to be the end of the world. And for 30 days and nights, across +tempests and monsters, they firmly kept heading east, east, east. + +When despair was growing on them, mists magically opened, revealing a +golden city built on what seemed to be a rich, fertile coastal plain. + +People there spoke a strange language; they were small and not unlike +joyful foxes, and they welcomed Lorkas and his men (and women) +warmly. Soon, they learned to understand each other enough. + +They called themselves "The People of the Mother", and they had +never seen the "Flat-Eared Giants" before, although they already met +"Flat-Eared Beards" and "Flat-Eared Greens" before. + +But there was a lady called Sonja. And, although she wasn’t human, she +seemed brighter, smarter, more beautiful than any other woman Lorkas had +ever seen before. + +Those months were the most wonderful for him - and her - and time seemed +to have stopped for them in their endless love. But of course it hadn’t. + +And after a while, some of his men wanted to go back to their own homes, +and some wanted for their families to come to the Golden City. And, also, +there was the Bird. + +They had no problem to find the White Bird of Hope - a statue entirely +made of the purest of the white marble, with gemstones of red ruby as +eyes. But so much the inhabitants liked it, so they thought that a +valuable friend was much better than a valuable statue. + +And so they said: "Take the bird as a gift of us to your masters, to +show them we want to make friendship with them. Welcome are the friends of +the children of the White Bird." + +And so Lorkas left, promising Sonja that he’d soon return. + +The people of the Golden City also told him that "The Bird is imbued +with powerful magic: the one owning it will always keep hope." + + +=head1 Story of Lorkas the Fallen, Volume IV + +When Lorkas came back, he and his men were welcomed as heroes. So where +does the story turns sour, as Lorkas is said to have fallen from the skies? + +Well, when he and his crew came back home, Kridatta was at war with Sinas, +and for several years, he and his crew fought, using the power of the Bird +to help them. And during those years, Lorkas kept in his heart the hope of +seeing again Sonja. + +Then came the Fever Plague, that killed a third of the people in the +Ancient World. And again was the Bird used, and again did Lorkas help all +those he could help, still having hope of seeing the Golden City again +soon. + +And then, he sent messengers and explorers, as he had become influent, +rich, and powerful, across the seas, to rebind the ties with the Golden +City, as he promised. But they all came without finding their way to +those faraway shores; yet all that time, and for each new mission sent to +explore the seas and the skies, they seemed closed and closer from the +goal. + +Sixty years passed. The world changed; new kingdoms ruled old cities; +Lorkas was now an old man that lived in a small house looking at the +Ocean. + +And still, each day, he spent hours waiting, watching the line where the +sea met the sky, hoping that one day, one would sail back and tell him: +"we found the Golden City !". And always he hoped, but never received. + +Nearly all of his companions were now dead, and the Horizon had been +retired long ago, now slowly rotting in the bay, fading souvenir of a long +forgotten past. + + +=head1 Story of Lorkas the Fallen, Volume V + +Lorkas walked to his boat, and where there was only tarnished wood and +corroded metal, he still saw the fierce ship on which he saw Sonja for the +first time, so long ago. Who knows what he did, then? One thing is sure: +the vigile of the Sea Tower of Kridatta, that watched boats coming and +leaving from dozens of miles away, reported that an ancient ship left the +bay, with Lorkas sitting at the front of it, holding the Bird, as if he +was sleeping. + +Nobody knows exactly where he went. Was he even dead? Nobody knows. But +everybody kept hope that, one day, he’d reach the Golden City +again. Lots of people tried to find the Bird after that event. They all +accused Lorkas of having "stolen" it. The story became legend. The +legend became fairy tale. And the fairy tale got forgotten by most. + +Yet, Centuries ago, deep in the oldest parts of the Old City of Scorn, +people claimed to have found an ancient mausoleum, a relic of the +past. All made of the purest, finest gold. On the walls were engraved a +man at the wheel of a strange ship, and a woman with pointy ears, watching +the skies. And many nowadays keep the Hope that the White Bird now sleeps +down below the streets, having found its way back to home with Lorkas. + +But who could tell if it is the truth, or only a silly story? Who +knows? As for myself, I don’t care: I just hold hope it is. And so ends +the Story of Lorkas, and so keeps Hope running. + + +=head1 The Prison of Madness + +It is said that deep in the underworld there is a vast maze that will make +everybody who dares to enter die of madness. + +It starts in a room, with a row of mirrors to the south. pass through +those, and carry on slightly further, and you are in the maze proper. + +Little is known about the maze, but Worus the Wanderer claimed to have been +in it, seen many of its wonders and returned. + +He also wrote a book that details all the ways and passages, alas, nobody +could decipher it yet: + + gb2trg2gb2gur2rkvg: + 2jnaqre2nebhaq2hagvy2lbh2ybpngr2n2znc2aN, + 2vg2vf2ba2gur2obggbz2ragenapr2bs2n2znc. + 2bapr2gung2vf2ybpngrq2tb2evtug, + 2hc, + 2evtug, + 2evtug, + 2evtug, + 2evtug, + 2evtug, + 2lbh2jvyy2or2ng2gur2rkvg. + 2gb2trg2gb2gur2inhyg: + 2jnaqre2ebhaq2hagvy2lbh2trg2gb2znc2aN1, + vg2vf2gb2gur2evtug2bs2n2abezny2znc. + 2tb2hc, + 2yrsg, + 2hc, + 2yrsg, + 2qbja, + 2qbja, + 2evtug, + 2qbja, + 2qbja, + 2qbja.2Lbh2jvyy2or2va2gur2unyy, + 2tb2guebhtu2naq2gb2gur2yrsg2gb2ernpu2gur2inhyg. + + +=head1 Order of the Gravestone + +An ancient order of druids, that venerated the supposed gravestone of +the Spirit of Khalbow. The Spirit was supposed to be a symbol of eternal +renewal and redemption, that lived a regular, short-term dead/revival +cycle. The Order of the Gravestone was very popular during the first +Millenia EK, but then went extinct. No druid is known to exist today, and +the exact location of the gravestone has long been forgotten. + + +=head1 Rule of Dictus + +If you get killed twice at the same place - go elsewhere. + + - Dictus the Fat, EK 323 + + +=head1 Heaven and Hell + +It is said that the church of Valriel in Scorn has direct access to +Heaven. The priests of Valriel claim that you can enter Heaven freely, and +even come back to the world of mortals. The priests of Gorokh claim that +their church has a connection to Hell. The Valriel priests claim they were +first, and, in their usual attitude, the Gorokh priests claim the priests +of Valriel are useless maggots that lie to their followers. + +Although a number of people have travelled to both Heaven and Hell, their +reports are inconclusive as to wether it was real "Hell" (or Heaven) they +visited. + +Some people claim this Heaven and Hell business is just some magic +illusion forged by some magicians of those churches, mostly because you +can still die in Heaven, Hell doesn't look all that impressive (and it +is so easy to come back), and why would only the churches in Scorn have +access to those in the first place? + + +=head1 Barad-Dur + +In the mountains north-east of the great city we found it at last -- the +hidden fortress of Barad-Dur. What treasures could lie in it I do not know +for our party never gained its way past the entryway. Skulls, pixies, and +a horrible creature I hesitate to name decimated my friends and I. + + +=head1 A visit to the Alchemist + +...and then did the Alchemist agree to make me my potion. First he +called to his grimm servants who hauld forth a great iron cauldron. Into +this black device did he deposit his ingredients and, opening his spell +book for reference, then did he cast his spell of alchemy therepon the +cauldron. + +Greatly did the tub shake and move! I thought that the Alchemist had broke +his device, but he chuckled at my ignorance. Into the cauldron did he +reach an brought forth a filled bottle of golden amber fluid... + + +=head1 The Philosophical Ingredients + +Know that there are 4 principle philosophical ingredients. In order, they +are: + + - philosophical salt + - philosophical sulphur + - philosophical phosphorus + - philosophical oil + +The great alchemist has often said that all living things are made of +these ingredients. Proper combination of these with other base objects can +often create potions of power and might.