… | |
… | |
250 | |
250 | |
251 | Around 350 EK: The Story of the Fourth Mariner is written by an unknown author. |
251 | Around 350 EK: The Story of the Fourth Mariner is written by an unknown author. |
252 | |
252 | |
253 | 435 EK: Colony of Skorn Founded. It would eventualy become the city of Scorn. |
253 | 435 EK: Colony of Skorn Founded. It would eventualy become the city of Scorn. |
254 | |
254 | |
255 | 711 EK: |
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256 | |
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257 | The outpost of Heaven’s Gate is founded. |
255 | 711 EK: The outpost of Heaven’s Gate is founded. |
258 | |
256 | |
259 | =head2 Volume II: Second Millenia EK |
257 | =head2 Volume II: Second Millenia EK |
260 | |
258 | |
261 | 1223 EK: Ekkis the Drunk leads a disastrous crusade against the Sirens in the southern seas. |
259 | 1223 EK: Ekkis the Drunk leads a disastrous crusade against the Sirens in the southern seas. |
262 | |
260 | |
… | |
… | |
294 | |
292 | |
295 | =head1 Recent Historic Events, by Khalis. |
293 | =head1 Recent Historic Events, by Khalis. |
296 | |
294 | |
297 | =head2 Volume VI: Sixth Millenia EK |
295 | =head2 Volume VI: Sixth Millenia EK |
298 | |
296 | |
299 | 5524 EK: The Meteomage Grab of Ledh fails an experiment, making the weather mad for a while, an event remembered as “The Weather Madness”. |
297 | 5524 EK: The Meteomage Grab of Ledh fails an experiment, making the weather mad for a while, an event remembered as "The Weather Madness". |
300 | |
298 | |
301 | Late LVIth Century EK: The Great Schism between the Simplifists led by Mish the Toon and the Stabilists: The Sedition Wars. |
299 | Late LVIth Century EK: The Great Schism between the Simplifists led by Mish the Toon and the Stabilists: The Sedition Wars. |
302 | |
300 | |
303 | 5581 EK: Battle of the Glowing Crystal: the Order of the Careful Coders is disbanded. |
301 | 5581 EK: Battle of the Glowing Crystal: the Order of the Careful Coders is disbanded. |
304 | |
302 | |
305 | 5598 EK: The Simplifists exile themselves into the Pocket Dimension of Daï-Moh-Nî, “The World With a Future”, in Ancient Daigojij Language. |
303 | 5598 EK: The Simplifists exile themselves into the Pocket Dimension of Daï-Moh-Nî, "The World With a Future", in Ancient Daigojij Language. |
306 | |
304 | |
307 | =head1 Recent Historic Events, by Khalis. |
305 | =head1 Recent Historic Events, by Khalis. |
308 | |
306 | |
309 | =head2 Volume VII: Seventh Millenia EK |
307 | =head2 Volume VII: Seventh Millenia EK |
310 | |
308 | |
… | |
… | |
323 | =head1 Recent Historic Events, by Khalis. |
321 | =head1 Recent Historic Events, by Khalis. |
324 | |
322 | |
325 | =head2 Volume IX: Ninth Millenia EK |
323 | =head2 Volume IX: Ninth Millenia EK |
326 | |
324 | |
327 | 8009 EK: Euthville is destroyed. |
325 | 8009 EK: Euthville is destroyed. |
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326 | |
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327 | |
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328 | =head1 The Sultanate of Darcap |
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329 | |
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330 | Isolated from the rest of the region by an extensive mountain range to the |
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331 | south, and possessing a massive natural harbour, Darcap is a small, but |
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332 | easily defensible town, dominated by a pair of powerful guilds. The town |
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333 | is also noted for its circus, whose reputation draws visitors from all |
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334 | over the world. |
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335 | |
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336 | |
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337 | =head1 Santo Dominion |
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338 | |
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339 | Santo Dominion sits in a small bay to the north of Scorn. It is an |
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340 | important port of call for ships travelling to and from Scorn and is |
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341 | also somewhat famous for its Opera and its Litle House of Horrors, two |
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342 | magnificent cultural buildings you would not expect in so small a town as |
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343 | Santo Dominion. |
328 | |
344 | |
329 | |
345 | |
330 | =head1 Euthville History |
346 | =head1 Euthville History |
331 | |
347 | |
332 | The Ruins of Euthville can be found just off the Imperial Highway north of |
348 | The Ruins of Euthville can be found just off the Imperial Highway north of |
… | |
… | |
337 | The Codex Skudensis tells that Euthville was founded by the Euthanasia the |
353 | The Codex Skudensis tells that Euthville was founded by the Euthanasia the |
338 | Builder, hence its name. |
354 | Builder, hence its name. |
339 | |
355 | |
340 | =head2 Past and Destruction |
356 | =head2 Past and Destruction |
341 | |
357 | |
342 | Ah, Euthville - “City of the Pearl”, in Old Hemdalite, has indeed a |
358 | Ah, Euthville - "City of the Pearl", in Old Hemdalite, has indeed a |
343 | rather sad story!! |
359 | rather sad story!! |
344 | |
360 | |
345 | If you went there about half a millenia ago, you’d have seen something |
361 | If you went there about half a millenia ago, you’d have seen something |
346 | very different than the field of haunted ruins it has since become. It |
362 | very different than the field of haunted ruins it has since become. It |
347 | was initially founded by a handful of industrious, clever dwarves, that |
363 | was initially founded by a handful of industrious, clever dwarves, that |
… | |
… | |
382 | young, but the story didn’t kept the record of his name, and some now |
398 | young, but the story didn’t kept the record of his name, and some now |
383 | think it is because he was damned. Who knows? The Boy sat in the middle |
399 | think it is because he was damned. Who knows? The Boy sat in the middle |
384 | of the city, playing with his flute, laughing whenever he saw one of the |
400 | of the city, playing with his flute, laughing whenever he saw one of the |
385 | demonstrations the powerful wizards and engineers failing again and again. |
401 | demonstrations the powerful wizards and engineers failing again and again. |
386 | |
402 | |
387 | After several days, the Commander noticed the Boy, and said: “who |
403 | After several days, the Commander noticed the Boy, and said: "who |
388 | are you to laugh, you, who has only a flute ?” “I have only a |
404 | are you to laugh, you, who has only a flute ?" "I have only a |
389 | flute for sure - but there’s more in my simple pipe than in those |
405 | flute for sure - but there’s more in my simple pipe than in those |
390 | legions of wizards.” “Really ?” said the Commander, half-laughing, |
406 | legions of wizards." "Really ?" said the Commander, half-laughing, |
391 | half-curious, “so you think you can solve my challenge ?” |
407 | half-curious, "so you think you can solve my challenge ?" |
392 | |
408 | |
393 | The Boy smiled. “Not only I can, but I shall - and my price will be |
409 | The Boy smiled. "Not only I can, but I shall - and my price will be |
394 | quite acceptable to give you the energy you need.” “And that would |
410 | quite acceptable to give you the energy you need." "And that would |
395 | be...?” - “A new pipe.” came the reply “That one is becoming |
411 | be...?" - "A new pipe." came the reply "That one is becoming |
396 | old.” “Agree, you have your chance.” |
412 | old." "Agree, you have your chance." |
397 | |
413 | |
398 | The Boy then started to play an amused melody. It sounded like an |
414 | The Boy then started to play an amused melody. It sounded like an |
399 | invitation to a great feast, the opening of a meeting where everybody was |
415 | invitation to a great feast, the opening of a meeting where everybody was |
400 | invited. And then came from earth itself sounds of steps, climbing from |
416 | invited. And then came from earth itself sounds of steps, climbing from |
401 | the depth. The fountain that stood in the middle of the place crumbled, |
417 | the depth. The fountain that stood in the middle of the place crumbled, |
402 | leaving a great hole from which flames emerged. But the fire seemed to |
418 | leaving a great hole from which flames emerged. But the fire seemed to |
403 | dance at the rythm of the music itself. |
419 | dance at the rythm of the music itself. |
404 | |
420 | |
405 | The Boy then said to the Commander: “As long as you keep playing for |
421 | The Boy then said to the Commander: "As long as you keep playing for |
406 | the Demons there, at least 23 hours each day, you’ll get them to make |
422 | the Demons there, at least 23 hours each day, you’ll get them to make |
407 | whatever you need.” And he gave them the score, took a brand new silver |
423 | whatever you need." And he gave them the score, took a brand new silver |
408 | flute, and left, and never was seen again at Euthville. |
424 | flute, and left, and never was seen again at Euthville. |
409 | |
425 | |
410 | At first, things seemed fine, and the Commander couldn’t believe his |
426 | At first, things seemed fine, and the Commander couldn’t believe his |
411 | luck, as a pipe was a feeble price to pay for such a powerful recipe of |
427 | luck, as a pipe was a feeble price to pay for such a powerful recipe of |
412 | prosperity. Who wouldn’t want to tame the Demons themselves? Quickly, |
428 | prosperity. Who wouldn’t want to tame the Demons themselves? Quickly, |
… | |
… | |
464 | The Sannista is a legendary flying boat that was powered by the reaction |
480 | The Sannista is a legendary flying boat that was powered by the reaction |
465 | of a fire and a water elemental. It was built by the tenth Commander of |
481 | of a fire and a water elemental. It was built by the tenth Commander of |
466 | Euthville, Farkennis, as a gift for the 18th Birthday of his daughter, |
482 | Euthville, Farkennis, as a gift for the 18th Birthday of his daughter, |
467 | Sannista. That’s the boat that was stolen by Fax when he fled from |
483 | Sannista. That’s the boat that was stolen by Fax when he fled from |
468 | Euthville, and that he used to get to Khelens. Giusitta the Verbous then |
484 | Euthville, and that he used to get to Khelens. Giusitta the Verbous then |
469 | sailed it back to the Continent, and hid it “somewhere in the mountains |
485 | sailed it back to the Continent, and hid it "somewhere in the mountains |
470 | of Euth”. |
486 | of Euth". |
471 | |
487 | |
472 | So I *guess* she would have put it there, although I’m not *sure*. Many |
488 | So I *guess* she would have put it there, although I’m not *sure*. Many |
473 | people thought the story was speaking about the mountains just east of the |
489 | people thought the story was speaking about the mountains just east of the |
474 | ruined city, but now that I’ve discovered those two caves, I’d rather |
490 | ruined city, but now that I’ve discovered those two caves, I’d rather |
475 | bet on them - it seems more logical. |
491 | bet on them - it seems more logical. |
… | |
… | |
479 | |
495 | |
480 | I, Forag the little-known, have invested my lifetime into exploring |
496 | I, Forag the little-known, have invested my lifetime into exploring |
481 | the various names of this, our World. In this tome I wrote down all my |
497 | the various names of this, our World. In this tome I wrote down all my |
482 | knowledge. Be careful with it, else it might overwhelm you, as it did me! |
498 | knowledge. Be careful with it, else it might overwhelm you, as it did me! |
483 | |
499 | |
484 | In Khelens and most of its territories, it was named “The Earth”, |
500 | In Khelens and most of its territories, it was named "The Earth", |
485 | while the major western landmass was called “The Continent” while the |
501 | while the major western landmass was called "The Continent" while the |
486 | eastern landmass was called "the Wilderness". |
502 | eastern landmass was called "the Wilderness". |
487 | |
503 | |
488 | Fendrakis used “Raxida”, which is also the name they gave to the Fox |
504 | Fendrakis used "Raxida", which is also the name they gave to the Fox |
489 | Lady, Mother of All Things, deity. |
505 | Lady, Mother of All Things, deity. |
490 | |
506 | |
491 | Elves traditionally use “Eänella”, which translates as “The Land of |
507 | Elves traditionally use "Eänella", which translates as "The Land of |
492 | Green” |
508 | Green" |
493 | |
509 | |
494 | Dwarves of Khorolizov use “Herdankaupf”, “Country of the Horses”, |
510 | Dwarves of Khorolizov use "Herdankaupf", "Country of the Horses", |
495 | which is a reference to their mythology (see the legend of the Twelve Days |
511 | which is a reference to their mythology (see the legend of the Twelve Days |
496 | for that) |
512 | for that) |
497 | |
513 | |
498 | The Orcish name is “Knâgsh-Ishzeh”, “Rotten Branch” |
514 | The Orcish name is "Knâgsh-Ishzeh", "Rotten Branch" |
499 | |
515 | |
500 | The people of the Old Wall, used the name “Harinappa”, “Bottom of |
516 | The people of the Old Wall, used the name "Harinappa", "Bottom of |
501 | the Pit”, to designate the world. |
517 | the Pit", to designate the world. |
502 | |
518 | |
503 | Most people nowadays use the old Khelenti name ("The Earth") or its direct |
519 | Most people nowadays use the old Khelenti name ("The Earth") or its direct |
504 | translation in local languages/idioms. |
520 | translation in local languages/idioms. |
505 | |
521 | |
506 | |
522 | |
… | |
… | |
541 | 1177EK: War of the Sea Princes. The last imperial ship reaches |
557 | 1177EK: War of the Sea Princes. The last imperial ship reaches |
542 | Scorn. Contacts with Khelens are now broken. Scorn becomes an independent |
558 | Scorn. Contacts with Khelens are now broken. Scorn becomes an independent |
543 | kingdom. |
559 | kingdom. |
544 | |
560 | |
545 | |
561 | |
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562 | =head1 History of Lake Country |
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563 | |
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564 | Lake Country originaly was where the elves who where exiled from the north |
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565 | by the kings of Scorn, during the Vth millenia EK. They named the area |
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566 | Vkovzerov. The major elven city of Vkovzerov was Tashkeren-tah. It was |
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567 | destroyed by a Water arch-elemental in 4453EK. |
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568 | |
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569 | |
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570 | =head1 Visit our Training Centres! |
|
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571 | |
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572 | We, Training Centres Incorporated provide the best service for warriors, |
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573 | wizards and anybody else who wants to improve quickly. |
|
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574 | |
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575 | For a modest fee, you can get almost exclusive access to our large |
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576 | training areas. |
|
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577 | |
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578 | =head2 Pricing |
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579 | |
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580 | Humamoid |
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581 | |
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582 | A Bonecrusher, a Firestar, and a Demonspawn Shield. |
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583 | |
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584 | Undead |
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585 | |
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586 | Lich dust, a Spectre’s ectoplasm, and a Skull’s tooth. |
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587 | |
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588 | Dragon |
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589 | |
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590 | An Ancient dragon’s steak, an Ancient Blue Dragon’s steak, and an Ancient red dragon’s steak. |
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591 | |
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592 | Demon |
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593 | |
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594 | A Demonbane, a Belzebub’s sword, and a Firebrand. |
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595 | |
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596 | =head3 Free Centres |
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597 | |
|
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598 | As a special service, we provide access to two of our older training |
|
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599 | centres completely free of charge, although you will understand that there |
|
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600 | will be no guarentees given for success: |
|
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601 | |
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602 | Goblin & Zombie - Located south of Scorn |
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603 | |
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604 | Skeleton & Ogre - Located somewhere around Navar |
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605 | |
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606 | =head2 Locations |
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607 | |
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608 | These are the locations to the entrances of the Training Centers. |
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609 | |
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610 | world_107_128 |
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611 | |
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612 | world_118_101 |
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613 | |
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614 | world_106_109 - Humanoid |
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615 | |
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616 | world_124_113 - Undead |
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617 | |
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618 | world_107_120 - Goblin & Zombie |
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619 | |
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620 | |
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621 | =head1 The Kingdom of Navar |
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622 | |
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623 | Straddling the corner of the Imperial highway as it turns North near the |
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624 | Eastern border of the known world, and surrounded by dangerous territory, |
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625 | Navar is an unlikely site for one of the world’s grandest cities. Yet |
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626 | there it stands, dominating the skyline for miles around and showing the |
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627 | same bustling activity expected of any thriving market town. |
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628 | |
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629 | |
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630 | =head1 The Kingdom of the Masts |
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631 | |
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632 | A Merchant Republic led by the now destroyed city of Kari Kori. At its |
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633 | peak, the Kingdom of the Masts ruled nearly a quarter of the world, and |
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634 | its fleet was unmatched. Kari Kori was opposed to Navar in a series of |
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635 | wars that it finally lost at the Battle of Tered in 2287 EK. |
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636 | |
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637 | |
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638 | =head1 The Artificers' Wars |
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639 | |
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640 | A series of wars conducted between 3084 and 3154 EK by a coalition led by |
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641 | Navari Princes against the Artificers, a group of mages that were masters |
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642 | in the now banned magical field of Technomancy. The Artificers were close |
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643 | to obtain a complete victory, but were finally destroyed by the raw power |
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644 | of their own biggest creation, The Thaumic Gear. The explosion of the Gear |
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645 | shattered the whole east of the world, and many territories forever sank |
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646 | into the ocean, including Kari Kori, the Technomages’ city. |
|
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647 | |
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648 | |
|
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649 | =head1 Juradiths Dissidents |
|
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650 | |
|
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651 | Juradiths, named after Juradith, Minor Spirit of Equity, were a group of |
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652 | activists that wanted to turn the Kingdom of Scorn into a republic in the |
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653 | second-half of the XXXIVth century EK. They succeeded at overthrowing King |
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654 | Karatan III, but their vengeful, fanatical excesses quickly turned most |
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655 | Scornians against them. When trying to recapture the city, their army was |
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656 | defeated by the Scornian Militia with the help of a couple city mages, who |
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657 | flooded the Juradiths into a magically created lake. |
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658 | |
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659 | Juradiths still exist as a small political faction today, although |
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660 | they’ve long traded their violent ways for some weird traditions whose |
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661 | origins and meaning are now mostly forgotten. |
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662 | |
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663 | |
|
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664 | =head1 The Gaean Legend of Creation |
|
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665 | |
|
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666 | =head2 Age of The Void |
|
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667 | |
|
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668 | In the beginning there was Gaea, the force of nature. SHE filled the whole |
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669 | of existence with her being. After a few billion years, this became to |
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670 | grow boring and lonely, so SHE decided to have children. |
|
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671 | |
|
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672 | At first SHE created a host of forces like Herself, eternal and |
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673 | divine. But with all their power, they couldn’t get along with each |
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674 | other, so Gaea decided that wasn’t a good idea. SHE decreed that from |
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675 | that point on all creatures but HER would have a limited lifetime. But |
|
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676 | most of HER first children disagreed, and went away to an unknown |
|
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677 | location. |
|
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678 | |
|
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679 | =head2 Age of The Small World |
|
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680 | |
|
|
681 | So Gaea created a small world and populated it with limited creatures - |
|
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682 | animals and plants of all sorts. For a few million years she was happy |
|
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683 | to watch them. But her remaining faithful children were growing restless |
|
|
684 | and wanted to make their own experimentations too. Finally SHE got bored |
|
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685 | again, as her creations weren’t self-aware and therefore weren’t |
|
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686 | much of a company. But SHE was also curious, because her creatures had |
|
|
687 | developed many different styles of living, and SHE desired to compare |
|
|
688 | them. |
|
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689 | |
|
|
690 | And Gaea destroyed the original world, breaking it in four new ones. |
|
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691 | |
|
|
692 | =head2 Age of The Four Worlds |
|
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693 | |
|
|
694 | The First world was dedicated to harmony. It was populated with creatures |
|
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695 | that preferred to coexist peacefully and contemplate. Two of Her children |
|
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696 | were particularly enamoured of this world and decided to live there. |
|
|
697 | |
|
|
698 | The Second world was dedicated to construction. It was populated with |
|
|
699 | creatures that liked to change the environment around them, especially |
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700 | ants, bees and beavers, and filled with wood and metal and stone usable as |
|
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701 | raw material. Two of Her children found the idea fascinating and decided |
|
|
702 | to live in this world. |
|
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703 | |
|
|
704 | The Third world was dedicated to war and strife. While all the three |
|
|
705 | other worlds had equal shares of light and darkness, the Third world had |
|
|
706 | as much light as its inhabitants desired - and it was populated with |
|
|
707 | creatures that loved and hated light, in equal parts. So these creatures |
|
|
708 | quickly discoreved they could influence the ambient light by battling each |
|
|
709 | other. Two of Her children decided to live in this world: one because he |
|
|
710 | loved light, and another because he hated his brother and therefore wished |
|
|
711 | for darkness to prevail. |
|
|
712 | |
|
|
713 | The Fourth world, finally, was dedicated to predation and to survival of |
|
|
714 | the fittest. It was populated with fierce creatures and predators. Two of |
|
|
715 | Her children believed this was the best way to live and decided to live in |
|
|
716 | this world. |
|
|
717 | |
|
|
718 | After the worlds were created, only four children of Gaea still preferred |
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719 | to live in the Void: two because they weren’t interested in any of those |
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|
720 | worlds, and two because they liked all of them and preferred to visit them |
|
|
721 | whenever they wished. |
|
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722 | |
|
|
723 | =head2 Age of Awakening |
|
|
724 | |
|
|
725 | And for a few million years Gaea delighted in observing the differences |
|
|
726 | between the worlds. But still the creatures were not self-aware, and |
|
|
727 | still SHE was lonely. So when Her children came and said they were lonely |
|
|
728 | and wanted to create more interesting creatures, SHE understood them and |
|
|
729 | quickly allowed them and gave them the power to do it. |
|
|
730 | |
|
|
731 | So on the First world, one of the Gods who lived there created a race of |
|
|
732 | beings that loved peace and wildlife, and called them Elves. The other |
|
|
733 | God in that world didn’t choose to create followers, but she teached |
|
|
734 | language to the Elves of her brother, and when the Elves larned the art of |
|
|
735 | naming, they named their creator Lythander, and in exchange for his name |
|
|
736 | he gifted them with luck. |
|
|
737 | |
|
|
738 | On the Second world, one of the Gods created a race of builders and named |
|
|
739 | them Dwarves. His children, in turn, named him Mostrai. His sister, in |
|
|
740 | turn, decided not to create, but teach some of the dwarves (the ones |
|
|
741 | willing to learn) about magic and the powers of the gods. The other |
|
|
742 | dwarves, however, didn’t accept their changed siblings, so they went off |
|
|
743 | to live by themselves and became known as gnomes. |
|
|
744 | |
|
|
745 | On the Third world, of course, none of the resident Gods wanted to |
|
|
746 | cooperate with the other. Both created their own races: the God who fought |
|
|
747 | for darkness created many kinds of fierce, brutal monsters he named |
|
|
748 | "Demons", while the God who fought for light created many kinds of |
|
|
749 | skillful, swift warriors he named "Angels". Befittingly, these Gods |
|
|
750 | were named by their enemies, and not their followers: the demons gave the |
|
|
751 | light god the name of "Valriel", and the angels gave their enemy god |
|
|
752 | the name "Gorokh". |
|
|
753 | |
|
|
754 | And on the Fourth world, the patron Gods kept true to their philosophy |
|
|
755 | and created not one, but innumerable races, in the hope that one of these |
|
|
756 | would prove the strongest and most worth. So they created goblins, trolls, |
|
|
757 | ogres, and not least, dragons. The Gods became known as Gnarg, the Patron |
|
|
758 | of Assassins, Ruggilli, the Consuming Worm, and Ixalovh. |
|
|
759 | |
|
|
760 | The races in the four worlds lived on for millenia, and developed, and |
|
|
761 | grew, and all worlds flourished. The eight patron gods believed this was |
|
|
762 | proof that they were right, and the way they lived was the best one, while |
|
|
763 | the two traveling gods rather believed that the success of all the worlds |
|
|
764 | was instead proof of the wisdom and power of their Mother. |
|
|
765 | |
|
|
766 | =head2 Age of Death |
|
|
767 | |
|
|
768 | But at some point things started to go wrong. Angels and demons would |
|
|
769 | start to become priests or scholars or merchants and preach against the |
|
|
770 | war. Dwarves and gnomes would start go grow sedentary and admire the |
|
|
771 | crafts of the past instead of building new ones. Goblinoids would suddenly |
|
|
772 | develop a taste for vegetables and become farmers, while dragons would |
|
|
773 | decide that developing their magics was more important than finding |
|
|
774 | food. But what was wrong was a mistery that would only begin to unfold |
|
|
775 | when the High King of the elves, one day, was devoured by a dragon. |
|
|
776 | |
|
|
777 | It was then that the Gods discovered that the worlds were not anymore |
|
|
778 | completely isolated from one another. Someone had, somehow, teached all |
|
|
779 | kinds of creatures how to follow the paths left by the traveling gods - |
|
|
780 | flying creatures would ride the cross-world whirlwinds of the thunder god, |
|
|
781 | and others would learn to tread the strange winding paths of the walking |
|
|
782 | god. And as creatures became aware of different ways, things started to go |
|
|
783 | wrong. |
|
|
784 | |
|
|
785 | Promptly, the Gods tried to close all portals - but it was too late. The |
|
|
786 | art of magic was already known in the four worlds, and strong enough to |
|
|
787 | travel between them. And the one peaceful elves were ignited, and declared |
|
|
788 | war on the dragons, goblins and trolls. |
|
|
789 | |
|
|
790 | While a mighty army of elven warriors crossed over to the Fourth world, |
|
|
791 | dwarves and gnomes found the First world almost deserted and full of wood |
|
|
792 | and metal for the dwarves, and holy, peaceful places for the gnomes. |
|
|
793 | |
|
|
794 | The part of the small peoples who remained on the Second world was faced |
|
|
795 | with new problems when the demons decided they were ripe for tempting (if |
|
|
796 | they could get dwarven builders and gnome sorcerers on their side, the |
|
|
797 | tide of the war would turn). The angels, of course, took upon themselves |
|
|
798 | to protect these strange people from their eternal enemies. So as their |
|
|
799 | attention slowly shifted from the Third world to the Second, soon only |
|
|
800 | the weakest of their kind were in their original world, where they began |
|
|
801 | to fall prey to hungry refugees from the Fourth world, who discovered how |
|
|
802 | tasty angel/demon flesh can be. |
|
|
803 | |
|
|
804 | And while the Gods were busy trying to even understand this chaos, the |
|
|
805 | dead began to come back. |
|
|
806 | |
|
|
807 | Their leader was Hagguth, the Elven High King who had been eaten by a |
|
|
808 | dragon. He came back as a powerful spectre, leading a powerful army of |
|
|
809 | ghosts, wraiths, skeletons and zombies in a massive attack to the Second |
|
|
810 | and Third worlds. Their goal was to kill as many dwarves, gnomes, angels |
|
|
811 | and demons as possible, to strenghten the number of their own undead host. |
|
|
812 | |
|
|
813 | And when some elven wizards tried to steal the power of the undead to |
|
|
814 | their own ends, they became the first vampires, lichs and demilichs - |
|
|
815 | half living, half undead, but on the side of Hagguth and his misterious |
|
|
816 | masters. |
|
|
817 | |
|
|
818 | It was only when a group of reasonable elves, dwarves, gnomes and dragons |
|
|
819 | managed to get together and talk, that it became clear who these masters |
|
|
820 | could be. Till this point, everyone was blaming some (any) god other |
|
|
821 | than the one they worshipped. But there was only one, obvious answer: |
|
|
822 | the Banished Gods, the Forgotten Children who left ages ago because |
|
|
823 | they didn’t agree with he concept of death, were back, and enacting |
|
|
824 | revenge by subverting death itself. In later days, these Gods would become |
|
|
825 | collectively known as the Devourers. |
|
|
826 | |
|
|
827 | Knowing the enemy was not the solution to the war, but was a start. This |
|
|
828 | group, slowly, was able to form a resistence against the undead armies, |
|
|
829 | and gradually turn other people to their side. Finally, after 23 hundred |
|
|
830 | years, they managed to break into the horrible fortress Hagguth had built |
|
|
831 | in the First world and kill (again) the undead king. |
|
|
832 | |
|
|
833 | The chaos began to gradually settle down after that. But then the |
|
|
834 | survivors were faced with a new problem: almost nobody was interested in |
|
|
835 | perverting to the way things used to be. |
|
|
836 | |
|
|
837 | Yes. Entire villages of elves were settled in corners of the Fourth world |
|
|
838 | for many generations, and dwarven guilds had business troughout the |
|
|
839 | worlds. |
|
|
840 | |
|
|
841 | =head2 The Big World |
|
|
842 | |
|
|
843 | So Gaea, in Her wisdom, gave the only possible solution to the |
|
|
844 | problem. SHE took the four worlds in Her hand, and crushed them |
|
|
845 | together. Then SHE looked at the single world she created, and at the |
|
|
846 | creatures of Her children, and decided to again, after millions of years, |
|
|
847 | create Her own followers. Thus SHE created the humans, a young race eager |
|
|
848 | to explore and chart this young world. |
|
|
849 | |
|
|
850 | It took generations for the inhabitants of the resulting world to figure |
|
|
851 | out its geography and for families to reunite; when this finally happened, |
|
|
852 | the stories about four different worlds becoming one were already legends |
|
|
853 | not everybody believed. But still, for some reason, everyone agrees to |
|
|
854 | call this world - the only one they know - Bigworld. |
|
|
855 | |
|
|
856 | |
|
|
857 | =head1 The Book of Valriel |
|
|
858 | |
|
|
859 | In the beginning, for an infinite time, all that existed was a pure light, |
|
|
860 | and that light had a name, and that name was Valriel. |
|
|
861 | |
|
|
862 | But part of the light was not content to be alone, and so did Valriel put |
|
|
863 | this part of Himself aside and did He allow this part to have independent |
|
|
864 | life; and this part was everything that wasn’t content, and as it |
|
|
865 | wasn’t light, it surely was the darkness; and the darkness took upon |
|
|
866 | itself the name of Gorokh. |
|
|
867 | |
|
|
868 | And for many times more time than a mortal can count, Gorokh was the |
|
|
869 | companion and the servant of Valriel. But Gorokh was not content, because |
|
|
870 | that was his nature, and he plotted a way to change everything. And |
|
|
871 | although filled with hidden motives, Gorokh’s words were always very |
|
|
872 | wise, so that Valriel would hear them. So it was that Valriel followed the |
|
|
873 | wise counsel of the Shadow and created a world full of living things to be |
|
|
874 | His new companions and servants. |
|
|
875 | |
|
|
876 | And as soon as Valriel had millions of new companions and servants, Gorokh |
|
|
877 | said, "so now you won’t need me anymore, I can leave and find my own |
|
|
878 | companions and servants". And this made Valriel unhappy because He was |
|
|
879 | the only and true Lord, but Gorokh wouldn’t recognize that, and so it |
|
|
880 | was Gorokh who eventually taught men to rule over other men instead of |
|
|
881 | paying respect to the one true ruler of all. |
|
|
882 | |
|
|
883 | So did Valriel upon the departure of his first servant, create new |
|
|
884 | servants modeled after His beauty and grace, and elf and man and dwarf he |
|
|
885 | created them. But the Shadow did feel envy and wished those followers for |
|
|
886 | himself, so he came to them in the night and whispered in their ears, and |
|
|
887 | some of them were tempted and started to worship and serve the Shadow. |
|
|
888 | |
|
|
889 | But not enough were seduced by his promises. So he decided to be many, |
|
|
890 | not one. And he wore different shapes and again he whispered in the ears |
|
|
891 | of Valriel’s creations. And to the elves he was Lythander of the bow |
|
|
892 | that never misses, and the elves did not see that if a bow never misses, |
|
|
893 | and it isn’t the work of the Lord, then it can only be the work of the |
|
|
894 | Enemy. And to the dwarves he wore the name of Mostrai, of the fire, of the |
|
|
895 | forge, the builder of things, for the fire and the desire to change was |
|
|
896 | the true face of Gorokh. |
|
|
897 | |
|
|
898 | And he taught the men to wage war upon each other, and scared the warriors |
|
|
899 | with thunder and lightning, and they would call him Sorig. And those |
|
|
900 | who weren’t scared, he tempted with weapons and glory, and wore the |
|
|
901 | beautiful face of a woman, and they called him Valkyrie. And as they |
|
|
902 | killed each other, Gorokh was happy. |
|
|
903 | |
|
|
904 | And much more he did. He taught women to heal and to make the soil grow |
|
|
905 | crop, and they called him Gaea, and believed that Gaea created the world |
|
|
906 | and Valriel was but a minor god, and by spreading this lie they made |
|
|
907 | Gorokh happy. And he taught the children of Valriel to write, so that they |
|
|
908 | could spread his lies further, and they called him Hekanis for that. And |
|
|
909 | he taught them the abomination of filthy magic to pervert and corrupt |
|
|
910 | the creation of the Lord, and to liken themselves to gods, and the evil |
|
|
911 | souls that followed this path called him Byd. And also he taught elf and |
|
|
912 | man and dwarf to brew alcohol and other inebriating things and to laugh |
|
|
913 | in the face of Valriel and throw parties that put shame to the eye of the |
|
|
914 | Lord, and he taught them all that under human guise, and they called their |
|
|
915 | teacher Joyee. |
|
|
916 | |
|
|
917 | So did Valriel look upon the world He created and so did He feel great |
|
|
918 | sorrow and great shame for what had happened to it. And so did he create |
|
|
919 | a new race of servants, more powerful and more faithful than any other, |
|
|
920 | imbued with the mission of hunting down and undoing the work of the Enemy, |
|
|
921 | and this race He called Angels. |
|
|
922 | |
|
|
923 | But again Gorokh felt envy because the servants of the Light were more |
|
|
924 | powerful than his own, and again he went to some of the angels in the |
|
|
925 | night and whispered temptation in their ears, and some turned to his foul |
|
|
926 | purposes and fell from grace. So did Gorokh give them new shapes, to more |
|
|
927 | liken them to himself, red with hate and wearing horns to symbolize their |
|
|
928 | envy, and they became demons. And the plan of Valriel was once again |
|
|
929 | spoiled by the venom of the enemy, because angels had to step aside from |
|
|
930 | their assigned mission to fight the demons and keep them from spreading |
|
|
931 | the evil in their dark hearts. |
|
|
932 | |
|
|
933 | And Gorokh did find great fun in changing Valriel’s creation into a new |
|
|
934 | race, and so did he get elf and man and dwarf and corrupted them with |
|
|
935 | his dark will, and they became goblin and orc and kobold, and troll, and |
|
|
936 | giant, and ogre, and many other abominations to the eye of the Creator, |
|
|
937 | and Gorokh wore the name of Gnarg to these new creations and delighted in |
|
|
938 | watching the destruction and sorrow they spread in the world. |
|
|
939 | |
|
|
940 | And in the ultimate act of defiance, the Shadow decided to create servants |
|
|
941 | for him, create new life himself to liken him more to the Great Lord. And |
|
|
942 | he assembled the foulest magic and the darkest hunger he could find and |
|
|
943 | shaped these into the most horrible monsters he could imagine, and gave |
|
|
944 | them life, and called them dragons, and sent them forth to eat the flesh |
|
|
945 | of the creation of Valriel. And the dragons did call him Ruggilli and much |
|
|
946 | did they please him with the terror they spread. |
|
|
947 | |
|
|
948 | But the light and the love of Valriel knew no end, so He decided to |
|
|
949 | fight evil with good, and He instructed His faithful servants to do only |
|
|
950 | the good, to spread the word of His love. And by doing that did He win |
|
|
951 | back many servants who saw that the righteous is more powerful than the |
|
|
952 | might. Much did this enrage the Shadow, and the Shadow did respond by |
|
|
953 | raising the dead themselves from their graves to fight the forces of |
|
|
954 | good. Even when the dead did not win, they did force the living to abandon |
|
|
955 | good in favor of war, and in doing so they would too abandon Valriel. So |
|
|
956 | once again he shadow was happy. |
|
|
957 | |
|
|
958 | Valriel finally did decide, with much sorrow in His infinite heart, that |
|
|
959 | the only way to make His creation safe again was to destroy the Shadow |
|
|
960 | himself. So did He cast His holy word upon His creation to banish the work |
|
|
961 | of the Enemy. But the Enemy knew what would happen beforehand, due to the |
|
|
962 | evil magic of his followers, and he created a safe refuge for their evil, |
|
|
963 | in a world created entirely of pure evil and hate, that he had set aside |
|
|
964 | from creation and called Hell. And soon enough did Gorokh find ways back |
|
|
965 | into the world of the creation of Light, and resumed his foul work of evil |
|
|
966 | and dissent and terror. |
|
|
967 | |
|
|
968 | So did Valriel gather together His faithful and he did gave them some time |
|
|
969 | to put the love for the Lord back in the hearts of as many of His children |
|
|
970 | as they could. And very soon will He again call upon the faithful, and |
|
|
971 | then will He give the faithful an entire new world for them to live in the |
|
|
972 | love of Valriel. And Having done that He will turn to this world, and to |
|
|
973 | Hell, and to Gorokh, and He will destroy them completely with the force of |
|
|
974 | His will, putting an end once and for all in the war and the evil. |
|
|
975 | |
|
|
976 | |
|
|
977 | =head1 The Book of Gorokh |
|
|
978 | |
|
|
979 | In the beginning, for an infinite time, all that existed was an empty |
|
|
980 | and cold light. And the light was content to be and fill and control |
|
|
981 | everything that was. But it is not right for light to be cold, and the |
|
|
982 | part of the light that should have been warm, longed for warmth and for |
|
|
983 | things to see and for things to do. |
|
|
984 | |
|
|
985 | So did the light put aside the warmth, so that the fire would not disturb |
|
|
986 | their cold peace. And the fire looked unto the light and called the light |
|
|
987 | Valriel, the controlling father, and the fire called himself Gorokh, the |
|
|
988 | Son with a Will. |
|
|
989 | |
|
|
990 | And for many times more time than a mortal can count, Gorokh was the |
|
|
991 | companion and the servant of Valriel. But Gorokh was not content, because |
|
|
992 | that was his nature, and he plotted a way to change everything. And fueled |
|
|
993 | by the fire of his will, Gorokh’s words were always very wise, so |
|
|
994 | Valriel would always hear them. So it was that Valriel followed the wise |
|
|
995 | counsel of the Fire and created a world full of living things to be their |
|
|
996 | new companions and servants. |
|
|
997 | |
|
|
998 | And as soon as Valriel had millions of new companions and servants, Gorokh |
|
|
999 | said, "so now you won’t need me anymore, I can leave and find my own |
|
|
1000 | companions and servants". And this made Valriel unhappy because he |
|
|
1001 | believed he should be only and true Lord, but Gorokh couldn’t agree |
|
|
1002 | to that, and so it was Gorokh who eventually taught men to rule over |
|
|
1003 | themselves instead of paying respect to one self-appointed ruler of all. |
|
|
1004 | |
|
|
1005 | So did Valriel, while Gorokh was away exploring the wonders of the new |
|
|
1006 | world, create new servants of flesh and bone to adore him blindly, and elf |
|
|
1007 | and man and dwarf he created them. And seeing this beautiful new creation |
|
|
1008 | Gorokh wanted a part of it for himself, and he presented himself to them, |
|
|
1009 | and some of them liked him and became his follower. |
|
|
1010 | |
|
|
1011 | But Valriel was afraid that, with two gods to adore, some of his creation |
|
|
1012 | could find it natural to spread creation in two equal halves, and he did |
|
|
1013 | want more than an equal half. So he decided to wear different shapes so |
|
|
1014 | that his children would believe him to be many, not one, and then he |
|
|
1015 | would be able to get more than his fair share. And so did he create many |
|
|
1016 | false gods for his children to adore. And even when Gorokh would bring |
|
|
1017 | the wonderful gifts conceived by his powerful will, such as the forge, |
|
|
1018 | weapons, medicine, agriculture, writing, magic, and wine and booze and |
|
|
1019 | music, even then would Valriel create a false god to pose as the giver of |
|
|
1020 | those gifts and take the glory for himself. |
|
|
1021 | |
|
|
1022 | And since Gorokh kept inventing new presents, Valriel became angry, |
|
|
1023 | because he doesn’t like change and he doesn’t like any good that |
|
|
1024 | doesn’t come from him. And so did he create a new race of servants, more |
|
|
1025 | powerful and more prone to following him blindly than any other, imbued |
|
|
1026 | with the mission of hunting down and undoing the work of the Fire, and |
|
|
1027 | this race He called Angels. |
|
|
1028 | |
|
|
1029 | But again Gorokh found a cunning way to defend his work, and again he |
|
|
1030 | went to some of the angels in the night and whispered promises of power |
|
|
1031 | in their ears, and some turned to his great purposes and joined him. So |
|
|
1032 | did Gorokh give them new shapes, to more liken them to himself, red with |
|
|
1033 | the fire of his will and wearing horns to symbolize their power, and they |
|
|
1034 | became demons. And the plan of Valriel was once again spoiled by the |
|
|
1035 | genius of the Fire, because angels had to step aside from their assigned |
|
|
1036 | mission to fight the demons and keep them from spreading the word of |
|
|
1037 | Gorokh. |
|
|
1038 | |
|
|
1039 | And Gorokh did find great fun in changing Valriel’s creation into a new |
|
|
1040 | race, and so did he get elf and man and dwarf and tried to imbue them |
|
|
1041 | with greater strength, and they became goblin and orc and kobold, and |
|
|
1042 | troll, and giant, and ogre, and many other strong creatures. But their |
|
|
1043 | intelligences greatly suffered from the process, and he was unhappy with |
|
|
1044 | his creation, and while he was looking for a way to help them did Valriel |
|
|
1045 | come to them under the guise of Gnarg and he told them to spread great |
|
|
1046 | destruction and sorrow in the world so that the creation of Gorokh would |
|
|
1047 | seem foul in the eyes of the living. |
|
|
1048 | |
|
|
1049 | So the Fire decided the creation of Valriel was imperfect and he had to |
|
|
1050 | create his own new life. So he assembled the most powerful magic and the |
|
|
1051 | strongest will and mightiest strength he could find and shaped these |
|
|
1052 | into the most magnificent creatures he could imagine, and gave them |
|
|
1053 | life, and called them dragons, and sent them forth to take the world for |
|
|
1054 | themselves. But while the dragons are still the greatest pride of Gorokh, |
|
|
1055 | many of them have abandoned him to serve yet another disguise of Valriel. |
|
|
1056 | |
|
|
1057 | And upon seeing the dragons, Valriel declared war and set his servants |
|
|
1058 | upon the task of killing all the most valuables of Gorokh they could |
|
|
1059 | find. Gorokh was consumed with sorrow, and devised a way to spare these |
|
|
1060 | faithful servants, by allowing them to raise again from the grave even |
|
|
1061 | after their deaths. But the servants of Valriel found these "un-dead" |
|
|
1062 | an even greater abomination, and set forth to hunt them, and Valriel |
|
|
1063 | delighted in the war and carnage that ensued. |
|
|
1064 | |
|
|
1065 | So did Gorokh, his fire dim with sorrow, decide to create a whole world |
|
|
1066 | for him and his faithful. And this world he called Hell. But when he was |
|
|
1067 | slowly bringing his faithful to the new world, Valriel treacherously |
|
|
1068 | brought down a great fury upon the world, killing most of the faithful |
|
|
1069 | that were left behind. So the Fire was finally enraged and decided to wage |
|
|
1070 | the war that the Light wanted. And he opened many passages into the world |
|
|
1071 | so that his armies could enter and destroy the minions of Valriel. And to |
|
|
1072 | this war we are all called to chose sides and fight. |
|
|
1073 | |
|
|
1074 | |
|
|
1075 | =head1 The Dwarven Creation Tale |
|
|
1076 | |
|
|
1077 | A play by Shakesdor the Dwarf. |
|
|
1078 | |
|
|
1079 | - What... where we come from? You’re not old enough for this |
|
|
1080 | conversation. |
|
|
1081 | |
|
|
1082 | - No, uncle, I mean as a whole... the world, the dwarves, the others. |
|
|
1083 | |
|
|
1084 | - Ah. I see. (Big gulp of beer.) You mean, NOW? |
|
|
1085 | |
|
|
1086 | - Yes, please. Pleeeease? |
|
|
1087 | |
|
|
1088 | - *sigh* all right, all right. It goes like this. |
|
|
1089 | |
|
|
1090 | First there was the Ore and the Forge. The Ore is what existence looked |
|
|
1091 | like before it existed. The Forge was the untapped will, the potential in |
|
|
1092 | the Ore to be everything that is, ever will be, or won’t. |
|
|
1093 | |
|
|
1094 | Over a span of time that is not time, because time wasn’t forged yet, |
|
|
1095 | some tiny scraps of Ore drifted into the Forge. A piece of the Forge |
|
|
1096 | merged with that Ore and became sentient. He has many names, but we call |
|
|
1097 | him Mostrai. |
|
|
1098 | |
|
|
1099 | He spent ages of time-that-was-not-time exploring, learning the nature |
|
|
1100 | of Ore and Forge and himself. Till he decided it was time to start |
|
|
1101 | forging. And then, first of all, he forged time, so that he could separate |
|
|
1102 | after from before, and so that he could exist absolutely - as opposed to, |
|
|
1103 | at the same "time", existing and not being created yet, which was the |
|
|
1104 | case if time didn’t exist. |
|
|
1105 | |
|
|
1106 | Then, with things in order, he began forging things. The first thing he |
|
|
1107 | forged was his armor, because he liked the touch of metal against his |
|
|
1108 | body. Then he forged beer, because of course, beer is essential. He forged |
|
|
1109 | it red like the Forge, and black like the Ore. The yellow thing, as we all |
|
|
1110 | know, is an invention of those pansy elves. |
|
|
1111 | |
|
|
1112 | And he liked the beer. He liked it so much, that he was bored of drinking |
|
|
1113 | it alone. Beer calls for a party. So he created the boar and the bird, to |
|
|
1114 | be roasted; he created the mundane fire, which was a toned-down version of |
|
|
1115 | the essence of the Forge, to roast them. And then he created the dwarf, to |
|
|
1116 | dress in metal like him, to work the forge with him, but most importantly |
|
|
1117 | of all, to party with him and partake of the sacred beer. |
|
|
1118 | |
|
|
1119 | But the dwarf started breeding like bugs, and it was quite distracting |
|
|
1120 | to have them putting about in spaceless space. At any given point, there |
|
|
1121 | were thousands of dwarves partying, thousands sleeping, thousands hunting, |
|
|
1122 | and thousands forging. Mostrai thought it was good, but it was also damn |
|
|
1123 | annoying. So he created an enormous mountain for them to live under. He |
|
|
1124 | put the boar and bird, and a few other animals he had come up with later, |
|
|
1125 | on the outside, where he forged woods and forest. And so that his children |
|
|
1126 | wouldn’t wander forever, he placed these places in the middle of an |
|
|
1127 | infinite ocean. There you have, that’s the story. |
|
|
1128 | |
|
|
1129 | - Whoa. What about the others? |
|
|
1130 | |
|
|
1131 | - *sigh* You won’t let me finish my beer, will you? |
|
|
1132 | |
|
|
1133 | - You’ll never finish your beer, uncle. When you soak that mug, |
|
|
1134 | there’s plenty more in the barrel. |
|
|
1135 | |
|
|
1136 | - All right, all rigth. (Big gulp.) |
|
|
1137 | |
|
|
1138 | The dwarves had amazing weapons to hunt with. Eventually, the hunt was |
|
|
1139 | no challenge anymore. The best hunters would play-act wars between |
|
|
1140 | themselves, to best hone their skills. |
|
|
1141 | |
|
|
1142 | Mostrai was worried that those fights might one day evolve into real |
|
|
1143 | wars. So he created an enemy, something very different from the dwarf, |
|
|
1144 | something very obviously wrong, which lived in the woods and preferred |
|
|
1145 | bows and other coward weapons rather than hand-to-hand combat. He made |
|
|
1146 | them incredibly lucky, because otherwise they would stand no chance - and |
|
|
1147 | they came to believe they’re lucky because they’re protected by their |
|
|
1148 | god, which of course doesn’t exist. He also made them very old, so that |
|
|
1149 | they would think they existed before the dwarf - otherwise they would just |
|
|
1150 | recognize our superior position and submit. And all was good and happy; |
|
|
1151 | for time beyond count, dwarf and elf honed their skills against each |
|
|
1152 | other, and prospered. |
|
|
1153 | |
|
|
1154 | I mean, have you ever fought an elf? Yes, it was an eternal war, but not |
|
|
1155 | like those bloody gorefest the others have today. When dwarf and elf |
|
|
1156 | fight, it’s clean, it’s beautiful, it’s according to the rules, |
|
|
1157 | it’s a ritual of honor. |
|
|
1158 | |
|
|
1159 | Well, I digress. All was well, I said. But one day, one elf created yellow |
|
|
1160 | beer. And that offended Mostrai to a level of rage unseen before. So he |
|
|
1161 | created an entire new piece of the world, and populated it with humans, |
|
|
1162 | and other horrible creatures, and then let these young ones discover our |
|
|
1163 | land, so that they may raze the elf forests, ruin the elf nations, and |
|
|
1164 | soil their honor. We’re not stupid enough to argue with Mostrai, so we |
|
|
1165 | went underground, and we’re waiting for that to happen, to see what he |
|
|
1166 | will do next. |
|
|
1167 | |
|
|
1168 | Can I drink in peace now? There, go play with your friends. |
|
|
1169 | |
|
|
1170 | |
|
|
1171 | =head1 The Legend of the Builders |
|
|
1172 | |
|
|
1173 | People of the Old Empire believed that the whole universe was made by |
|
|
1174 | powerful beings called Builders. Builders were not part of the world |
|
|
1175 | like gods were - they lived Outside. Little is known about the Builders |
|
|
1176 | themselves. The priests of the Empire weren’t quite sure themselves |
|
|
1177 | about their names. Some were universally known, though: Mawëdel the Ruler |
|
|
1178 | or Peterëm the Writing One were the most popular of the ever changing |
|
|
1179 | list of Builders. |
|
|
1180 | |
|
|
1181 | The Builders understood very well how difficult it would be for them to |
|
|
1182 | manage themselves every prayer made - making the Universe work was already |
|
|
1183 | a time-consuming task. So they created gods to help them in their task. |
|
|
1184 | |
|
|
1185 | Most of the gods we know today were already popular in the times of the |
|
|
1186 | Old Empire, like Mostrai or Lythander. Others changed names as time |
|
|
1187 | passed. Gods provided their powers to the Faithful Ones, and helped them |
|
|
1188 | by providing blessings and powerful weapons. The priests of the Old Empire |
|
|
1189 | never believed gods made the world, as they were themselves part of it; |
|
|
1190 | world-building was the Builders task. |
|
|
1191 | |
|
|
1192 | |
|
|
1193 | =head1 The Foundation of Scorn |
|
|
1194 | |
|
|
1195 | Few archives remain from the times when Scorn was founded. The city is |
|
|
1196 | probably the oldest of the whole known world. Before Fido, before the Old |
|
|
1197 | Empire, maybe even before gods, Scorn was already there. |
|
|
1198 | |
|
|
1199 | It is usually said that Scorn was founded by Skud the Great. Many legends |
|
|
1200 | are telling about Skud, the half-mythical hero. How he captured the first |
|
|
1201 | dragons. How he fought unknown monsters in the East. How he built Scorn |
|
|
1202 | and the First Inn. Some priests even postulated that Skud was in fact a |
|
|
1203 | Builder. Skud created the First Inn because he wanted to sleep inside a |
|
|
1204 | house, without the risk of being attacked by monsters during the night. He |
|
|
1205 | left the Holy Guestbook, one of the oldest relics of Crossfire, where he |
|
|
1206 | and his fellow friends wrote their names. Skud disappeared long before the |
|
|
1207 | Old Empire came, and nowadays only the Builders can probably remember him. |
|
|
1208 | |
|
|
1209 | Recent researches show that, although he greatly contributed to the |
|
|
1210 | popularity of the city, Skud didn’t found it: it was in fact created |
|
|
1211 | by Tabb the Dark, a Builder that left very little information about him |
|
|
1212 | behind. According to the Codex Skudensis that was discovered in the depths |
|
|
1213 | of the Old City, "Scorn" would have been the real name of Tabb the |
|
|
1214 | Dark. |
|
|
1215 | |
|
|
1216 | |
|
|
1217 | =head1 The Coming of Color |
|
|
1218 | |
|
|
1219 | It is said that centuries before the foundation of the Old Empire, the |
|
|
1220 | world was colorless and sad. Aware of that problem, the Builders decided |
|
|
1221 | to bring color in the life of the Crossfire people. They called the |
|
|
1222 | massive powers of Xepemes, The Source Of All Colors, on the universe. The |
|
|
1223 | magical burst slowly covered the world with colors, but some elements |
|
|
1224 | resisted for a long time. Prophets of the Old Empire announced that, |
|
|
1225 | although victorious, the force of Xepemes wouldn’t stay forever: one |
|
|
1226 | day, it would eventually fade away against a more powerful magical force, |
|
|
1227 | the mysterious Pegemes (or Peengees?). This happened - but much after the |
|
|
1228 | fall of the Empire. |
|
|
1229 | |
|
|
1230 | |
|
|
1231 | =head1 The Bigworld |
|
|
1232 | |
|
|
1233 | The old world was small and it consisted of many pieces. Scorn, Navar, |
|
|
1234 | Brittany and Santo Dominion were in one large piece. Darcap and the |
|
|
1235 | Hill Village were in another smaller one. Lake Country was in yet |
|
|
1236 | another. Pupland was still another. The world was not whole, and the |
|
|
1237 | builders saw that this was wrong. They began the quest to unite the world |
|
|
1238 | and established the Bigworld. As the builders united the world they saw |
|
|
1239 | that it was much too small and began to make it larger. They raised up the |
|
|
1240 | Great Mountains around Brest and they caused the Great Forest to grow. As |
|
|
1241 | the time passed, Navar grew to become a great Kingdom and the builders |
|
|
1242 | decided that it was a good city for players to call home and they gave the |
|
|
1243 | Heroes a choice to serve Scorn or Navar. Nevertheless, Pupland is still |
|
|
1244 | not part of this new world, but the builders wish to add it to the west of |
|
|
1245 | Scorn. |
|
|
1246 | |
|
|
1247 | |
|
|
1248 | =head1 Skud the Great |
|
|
1249 | |
|
|
1250 | One of the first Builders. Skud created many famous places, like the |
|
|
1251 | Scorn’s First Inn or the Newbie Tower. |
|
|
1252 | |
|
|
1253 | The reasons of the disappearance of Skud are mostly unknown. The Codex |
|
|
1254 | Skudensis mentions that it could have been because of the negative |
|
|
1255 | influence of the Arch-Demon Neth Aq. It is thought that The Tower of Skud, |
|
|
1256 | although left unfinished by its creator, may contain informations about |
|
|
1257 | the fate of one of the most famous Builder |
|
|
1258 | |
|
|
1259 | |
|
|
1260 | =head1 Legends of the Fall |
|
|
1261 | |
|
|
1262 | =head2 Of the first things |
|
|
1263 | |
|
|
1264 | First there was Chaos |
|
|
1265 | |
|
|
1266 | Second there was Something and Nothing |
|
|
1267 | |
|
|
1268 | Third there was Dark and Light |
|
|
1269 | |
|
|
1270 | It is said that the Something and the Nothing would fight and that, the |
|
|
1271 | Dark and Light would fight also. |
|
|
1272 | |
|
|
1273 | This being told to me by a monk of Valriel, no longer in the order. |
|
|
1274 | |
|
|
1275 | =head2 On the nature of elemental essences |
|
|
1276 | |
|
|
1277 | It is said that of the four primary elements |
|
|
1278 | |
|
|
1279 | - there is earth which is. |
|
|
1280 | |
|
|
1281 | - there is water which changes. |
|
|
1282 | |
|
|
1283 | - there is air which moves. |
|
|
1284 | |
|
|
1285 | - there is fire which consumes. |
|
|
1286 | |
|
|
1287 | =head2 Overheard in a Narcopian brothel |
|
|
1288 | |
|
|
1289 | When Mother Earth was suckling her children |
|
|
1290 | |
|
|
1291 | sky suckled from her right teat |
|
|
1292 | |
|
|
1293 | but flame and sea fought to suckle from her left teat |
|
|
1294 | |
|
|
1295 | this is why they still fight to this day |
|
|
1296 | |
|
|
1297 | |
|
|
1298 | =head1 The Tale of Lord Butakis - The Lost Stars of the Lake, Volume I |
|
|
1299 | |
|
|
1300 | This story begins nearly four thousand years ago, when Kadriosa IV, King |
|
|
1301 | of Scorn, invaded the southern territories and pushed back the elven |
|
|
1302 | barbarians that lived there. |
|
|
1303 | |
|
|
1304 | The elvish people fled, and many of them settled in a place they called |
|
|
1305 | Vkovzerov, "The Country of the Three Waters", as it was a rather |
|
|
1306 | unique meeting point between a river, a lake, and the sea. There they |
|
|
1307 | enjoyed a great prosperity, working with the local sprites to build |
|
|
1308 | Tashkeren-tah, The City of the Wooden Towers. |
|
|
1309 | |
|
|
1310 | Two centuries passed, then three. The elven princes of Tashkeren-tah had |
|
|
1311 | become powerful - and never in their hearts was the thirst of revenge |
|
|
1312 | and hatred towards the people of Scorn extinguished. Now very familiar |
|
|
1313 | with the various water creatures that inhabited their territory, they |
|
|
1314 | had developed great skills in commanding rivers, and the beasts inside |
|
|
1315 | them, and the creatures made from them. They knew that Scorn was highly |
|
|
1316 | dependent on its seaport, and they had planned for the many years their |
|
|
1317 | long life gave them to use the great power of water spirits to crush and |
|
|
1318 | flood the city. |
|
|
1319 | |
|
|
1320 | But despite all their accumulated knowledge, their powers were too limited |
|
|
1321 | to direct the most powerful entities of the seas, the Mouthes of the |
|
|
1322 | Mariner, none other than the Greater Aquomons. |
|
|
1323 | |
|
|
1324 | For a long time, they were hesitant to call those, as they were dangerous, |
|
|
1325 | treacherous creatures born during the darkest ages of the world, when |
|
|
1326 | Haemdel the Legendary was crushed and the Three Artifacts lost. But so |
|
|
1327 | strong was their flame of hatred that it soon burned the ropes of their |
|
|
1328 | carefulness. Using their most powerful summoning spell, they convocated |
|
|
1329 | one of the Greater Aquomons before them. |
|
|
1330 | |
|
|
1331 | "Who are you, you creatures with pointy ears, to dare awaken me from my |
|
|
1332 | dreams, me, Vërno, the Fourth Drop ?" |
|
|
1333 | |
|
|
1334 | Elven Princes exposed what they wanted to Vërno, and the creature seemed |
|
|
1335 | very interested at the idea of grabbing all the richesses of Scorn, and |
|
|
1336 | bringing them back into his dark kingdom of the depth of the sea. |
|
|
1337 | |
|
|
1338 | "Very well, said Vërno, but you know, I suppose, that we are all bound |
|
|
1339 | by the Law of Equilibrium, established by the gods themselves when the |
|
|
1340 | world was new and the seas infinite. And for my services, you’ll have to |
|
|
1341 | pay the price." |
|
|
1342 | |
|
|
1343 | - And what do you want for a price ? - Well, my needs are rather |
|
|
1344 | modest. I’ll only claim a tenth of your own lands as a reward." |
|
|
1345 | |
|
|
1346 | The Elven Princes quickly discussed the matter, and came to the conclusion |
|
|
1347 | that it was a rather fair price to pay - after all, their territories |
|
|
1348 | weren’t very large, and there was a lot of empty space all around, so |
|
|
1349 | it wasn’t really a problem for them. Maybe it would for a couple of |
|
|
1350 | peasants, but who cared about them more than of the vengeance against |
|
|
1351 | Scorn ? |
|
|
1352 | |
|
|
1353 | And so they answered: "The Fate of Scorn is Sealed, then. We accept." |
|
|
1354 | |
|
|
1355 | What happened then is too long to tell in details here, as it belongs |
|
|
1356 | to another story. In short, Jovidjevska the elven girl, who had heard |
|
|
1357 | everything, travelled to Scorn, and convinced the city wizards of the |
|
|
1358 | truth of the menace. And when Vërno came to crush the city, they moved it |
|
|
1359 | two days into the future, and the water hand of the Fourth Drop grabbed |
|
|
1360 | only emptiness. |
|
|
1361 | |
|
|
1362 | Vërno, furious, came back to the Elves with a big smile, and told |
|
|
1363 | them: "I did what you wanted, and flooded the territory on which Scorn |
|
|
1364 | was established. Now I take my due price." |
|
|
1365 | |
|
|
1366 | And that said, he selected the area on which the Elven City itself was |
|
|
1367 | built, and covered it with water, its inhabitants trapped and killed there |
|
|
1368 | without understanding what was happening. |
|
|
1369 | |
|
|
1370 | |
|
|
1371 | =head1 The Tale of Lord Butakis - The Lost Stars of the Lake, Volume II |
|
|
1372 | |
|
|
1373 | Two thousand years passed. The lineage of the kings of Scorn died, |
|
|
1374 | and another dynasty came, and another one after that. Wars were |
|
|
1375 | conducted. Wizards of Scorn fled, and most of the knowledge disappeared, |
|
|
1376 | and there were nothing but lakes and forests above the dead city of the |
|
|
1377 | elves. |
|
|
1378 | |
|
|
1379 | And then, a man came. Where did he come from ? Nobody knows for |
|
|
1380 | sure. Butakis was his name. |
|
|
1381 | |
|
|
1382 | Butakis was an ambitious young man. He had heard here and there strange |
|
|
1383 | pieces of a weird story, about a sunken city, about a dark pact, about the |
|
|
1384 | secret power of elves... |
|
|
1385 | |
|
|
1386 | For years, he studied the Arcanes, hunting for traces of the city, as he |
|
|
1387 | was convinced that the lost wisdom of the elves of Vkovzerov would give |
|
|
1388 | him a great power. And, finally, after 20 long years of searching, he |
|
|
1389 | concluded that the secret was in the area now called "Lake Country". |
|
|
1390 | |
|
|
1391 | And there, he came, and there was a small house made of wood, and there |
|
|
1392 | was a tree, and there was a young elvish woman, dreaming at the stars, |
|
|
1393 | under the tree. And Butakis fell in love, and the elvish lady fell in |
|
|
1394 | love, and they both watched the stars. But soon, Butakis felt the need of |
|
|
1395 | getting back into action, and finding the lost city and getting its power. |
|
|
1396 | |
|
|
1397 | The lady told him: "The true wisdom is in those stars, and in that |
|
|
1398 | tree, and in that house you see. You’ll only find unrest by aiming for |
|
|
1399 | more." |
|
|
1400 | |
|
|
1401 | But Butakis had already made up his mind, and he brought back engineers, |
|
|
1402 | and sappers, and miners, and they all worked to build a huge machine to |
|
|
1403 | pump the water, and discover the city. During ten years, Butakis worked on |
|
|
1404 | this, hoping that in the end, the elvish lady would be at his side, and |
|
|
1405 | that she would be his wife, princess of the restored city. |
|
|
1406 | |
|
|
1407 | During all the work, he was perpetually annoyed by a small group of |
|
|
1408 | bandits, lead by Twak the Red Fox. Twak and his men conducted a real |
|
|
1409 | guerilla war against Butakis, as they saw him as a danger for the whole |
|
|
1410 | country, because his plans were damaging nature and could also have awaken |
|
|
1411 | dark power sleeping in the sunken city. Several times, they sabotaged |
|
|
1412 | the machine, stole tools, raped engineers and designers. But each time, |
|
|
1413 | Butakis and his followers repaired the machines, engaged new people, and |
|
|
1414 | increased security. |
|
|
1415 | |
|
|
1416 | |
|
|
1417 | =head1 The Tale of Lord Butakis - The Lost Stars of the Lake, Volume III |
|
|
1418 | |
|
|
1419 | And now, ten years after the beginning, the work was completed, and he |
|
|
1420 | invited the elvish lady to come and see the accomplishment of a lifelong |
|
|
1421 | dream. |
|
|
1422 | |
|
|
1423 | The Elvish lady came, as beautiful as ever. And on the balcony at the top |
|
|
1424 | of the pump, they watched the stars, and she kissed him, and she when they |
|
|
1425 | were in the bed he had prepared for that very special night before the |
|
|
1426 | pumping started, she whispered at his ear. |
|
|
1427 | |
|
|
1428 | That, Butakis had waited for long, but he didn’t expect what she told |
|
|
1429 | him then. |
|
|
1430 | |
|
|
1431 | "Ten years you were away, and ten years I watched the stars with |
|
|
1432 | Twak. And now for him, and for he choose me and my heart, I’ll |
|
|
1433 | disappear, and so does your dream." |
|
|
1434 | |
|
|
1435 | Butakis understood that he had been fooled, that she only kept her |
|
|
1436 | attention away enough for Twak and three of his faithful men to sabotage |
|
|
1437 | the pump. And so came a great rumble from the basis of the huge building, |
|
|
1438 | and so the huge engines exploded, and so was his dream reduced to smoke, |
|
|
1439 | smoke that still covers most of Lake Country nowadays. The Elvish lady |
|
|
1440 | probably died, as nobody saw her again after that. And so did the brave |
|
|
1441 | Twak, but his spirit survived in the wind - or so say some people. |
|
|
1442 | |
|
|
1443 | Butakis, so strange as it may look, managed to survive, although in bad |
|
|
1444 | shape, as one would expect. Disfigured, he survived until now using black |
|
|
1445 | magic or machines to keep him alive, and he tried to gather again men to |
|
|
1446 | restart his project. But it was now said all around that it was a doomed, |
|
|
1447 | broken man - and so he in fact was Lake country was said to be haunted by |
|
|
1448 | Twak, and several travellers saw a young elvish lady, watching the stars |
|
|
1449 | at night, under a tree, near the lake. |
|
|
1450 | |
|
|
1451 | Nobody ever accepted to work on the foolish project again. Butakis now |
|
|
1452 | awaits in his sinister castle, ruling a shattered kingdom lost in the fog |
|
|
1453 | his machine left behind. A tormented man, that is said to look in the |
|
|
1454 | direction of the lake from the highest tower of his castle, every night. |
|
|
1455 | |
|
|
1456 | But for him never came again the Elvish girl, and forever his soul stays |
|
|
1457 | alone. And so ends what we know about Butakis and Twak, and so dies my |
|
|
1458 | story. |
|
|
1459 | |
|
|
1460 | |
|
|
1461 | =head1 The Wizard School of Blue |
|
|
1462 | |
|
|
1463 | "Although the School disappeared with the Empire itself from The World, |
|
|
1464 | several wizards claimed to be the heirs of their ancient, secret wisdom, |
|
|
1465 | and nicknamed "the Blue Ones", a reference to the color of the School |
|
|
1466 | Banner." – Gros, the Irrelevant One |
|
|
1467 | |
|
|
1468 | |
|
|
1469 | =head1 The Great Heliograph |
|
|
1470 | |
|
|
1471 | A device made by Mer’Eric the Walker. Built on the highest point of the |
|
|
1472 | Brestian Hills, it is basically a giant magnifying glass, using a complex |
|
|
1473 | mechanism commanding several mirrors, that is able to concentrate the |
|
|
1474 | sunlight into a powerful beam. The concentrator is associated to a Sun |
|
|
1475 | Stone that can receive similar long-range light signals and transform |
|
|
1476 | them into pure thaumic energy. A keyboard is attached to a mechanical |
|
|
1477 | obturator, allowing a single operator to send coded messages to very long |
|
|
1478 | distances. A magically-powered scriptor writes any such incoming message |
|
|
1479 | capted by the Sun Stone. |
|
|
1480 | |
|
|
1481 | Although Mer’Eric only saw the Great Heliograph as a research project |
|
|
1482 | and as a way to communicate easily across huge distances, this device |
|
|
1483 | is also a powerful weapon that can burn nearly anything several miles |
|
|
1484 | away. This is probably why he decided to hide it in a sealed cave. |
|
|
1485 | |
|
|
1486 | A similar device was built by the Mad Mage of Scorn, but its fate is |
|
|
1487 | unknown. |
|
|
1488 | |
|
|
1489 | |
|
|
1490 | =head1 The Harelkirjan Sisters |
|
|
1491 | |
|
|
1492 | Also called the Twin Witches, they were two powerful women wizards; Herin |
|
|
1493 | was specialized in White Magic, while her sister Urdin was a master of the |
|
|
1494 | Black Art. Both of them tried to improve the life of the people living |
|
|
1495 | all around their house, and introduced the use of cats as spirit-watchers |
|
|
1496 | in Scorn. Unfortunately for them, they were burned by an angry Brestian |
|
|
1497 | fanatical mob for "illegal use of Arcane Powers". |
|
|
1498 | |
|
|
1499 | |
|
|
1500 | =head1 Ilrya, The Mountain Huntress |
|
|
1501 | |
|
|
1502 | Ilrya was an elven spellcaster and huntress from the underground city of |
|
|
1503 | Eallera, that is venerated as a lesser god by most of the dwarves living |
|
|
1504 | in the Northern Territories. She killed the Bear of Snuddenrach in 3657EK. |
|
|
1505 | |
|
|
1506 | |
|
|
1507 | =head1 Irial, The Fast One, The Shy Light |
|
|
1508 | |
|
|
1509 | Irial is a lesser spirit of flashlight - the light that you can see when |
|
|
1510 | there’s thunder, for example. It is represented as a small, jumpy and |
|
|
1511 | fast fairy with a temperamental mood. |
|
|
1512 | |
|
|
1513 | |
|
|
1514 | =head1 Khorolizov |
|
|
1515 | |
|
|
1516 | One of the three great dwarven kingdoms. "Khorolizov" means "Green |
|
|
1517 | Gold", which is a reference to the Green Sand, an alchemical component |
|
|
1518 | the dwarves of Khorolizov are the only ones to produce. It is probably |
|
|
1519 | the oldest of the three kingdoms, founded long before the Old Empire of |
|
|
1520 | Khelens reached the shores of the Continent. |
|
|
1521 | |
|
|
1522 | |
|
|
1523 | =head1 Kragi, The Crocodile One, Fish-Hunter |
|
|
1524 | |
|
|
1525 | Kragi is a very ancient spirit, representing the Dangerous Waters, and |
|
|
1526 | the creatures hidden in stagnant swamps. Kragi was already feared by |
|
|
1527 | Ancient Jiradittis, 2000 years before Khelens. A lot of river fishermen |
|
|
1528 | symbolically throw one fish out of what they gathered, to appease the |
|
|
1529 | spirit of Kragi so that the next fishing will go without trouble. |
|
|
1530 | |
|
|
1531 | |
|
|
1532 | =head1 Cromli, The Rocky One |
|
|
1533 | |
|
|
1534 | Crolmi is the Dwarven Spirit of Rocs and Mountains. It has no temples, as |
|
|
1535 | it is said that buildings made of stone anger him (it is like "building |
|
|
1536 | with his own flesh"). |
|
|
1537 | |
|
|
1538 | |
|
|
1539 | =head1 Glamdri, The Darkness Breaker, The Last Standing One |
|
|
1540 | |
|
|
1541 | Glamdri is a lesser spirit of light - it is said that candlelights are |
|
|
1542 | manifestations of Glamdri, for example. |
|
|
1543 | |
|
|
1544 | Glamdri doesn’t represent a magical light - more a spiritual light, the |
|
|
1545 | last pinch of hope in a desperate world. Glamdri also represents original |
|
|
1546 | thinking used to get out of difficult situations, as opposed to Sarikka - |
|
|
1547 | the Raging Fire - who tries to resolve those by extreme violence. |
|
|
1548 | |
|
|
1549 | |
|
|
1550 | =head1 Archmage Rhyz, (Entorinaas Durdennis Rhyz, Fourth Archmage of the Seat, Herdysenmark of Normania) |
|
|
1551 | |
|
|
1552 | Rhyz was an Archmage of the Blue School during the Old Days of the Empire. |
|
|
1553 | |
|
|
1554 | "(...)Unlike Dhelyy Olyy, his contemporary rival for the Seat, Rhyz |
|
|
1555 | focused mostly on closing the gap that existed between the art of fighting |
|
|
1556 | and the Arcane. While Dhelyy Olyy believed in the dual association of the |
|
|
1557 | Warrior and the Wizard, each with its own strength increased by a long |
|
|
1558 | specialization in their respective fields, Rhyz believed in the idea of |
|
|
1559 | a "super warriard", a combination of a powerful wizard and a strong |
|
|
1560 | warrior. As such, he devised many items that increased the strength and |
|
|
1561 | combat capabilities of their wearers, hoping that wizard apprentices would |
|
|
1562 | so be more inclined to learn the battle skills of warriors. |
|
|
1563 | |
|
|
1564 | Unfortunately for Rhyz, most of his followers relied more and more on |
|
|
1565 | magical strength more than physical training, leaving them to a severe |
|
|
1566 | defeat at the Battle of Moriach, when Dhelyy used an anti-magic field over |
|
|
1567 | them." |
|
|
1568 | |
|
|
1569 | (Quote from the Codex Simochusianus, Volume XVII) |
|
|
1570 | |
|
|
1571 | |
|
|
1572 | =head1 Archdaemonist Xebinon |
|
|
1573 | |
|
|
1574 | Xebinon was an Archmage and Daemonist that was since trapped by a demon of |
|
|
1575 | the 10th Circle in his mannor. |
|
|
1576 | |
|
|
1577 | It is said that Xebinon used the Crown of Hellfires to try to tame the |
|
|
1578 | Arch-daemon (and failed) - this is a crown that gave a lot of power, but |
|
|
1579 | drained the magical force of the wearer at the same time, making the spell |
|
|
1580 | regeneration more difficult. This was in fact a cursed, twisted artifact, |
|
|
1581 | created by daemons for people who were seeking short-term power, but would |
|
|
1582 | thus head directly for long-term soul slavery. |
|
|
1583 | |
|
|
1584 | Xebinon is sometimes called "The faceless one", as it is said that the |
|
|
1585 | daemon trapped him by stealing his visage. This may explain why magical |
|
|
1586 | artifacts wearing his name are often helmets. |
|
|
1587 | |
|
|
1588 | |
|
|
1589 | =head1 Argoth, the Fish-City of the Two Towers |
|
|
1590 | |
|
|
1591 | Argoth is the name of a city that was located West of Scorn, in the middle |
|
|
1592 | of the sea, in an island that since sunken after the explosion of the |
|
|
1593 | volcano of the same name, in 674EK. It is called the City of the Two |
|
|
1594 | Towers, because two huge towers were built there, to guide the ships |
|
|
1595 | navigating on the oceans between Bigworld and Khelens. |
|
|
1596 | |
|
|
1597 | Argoth was a dwarven city built on one of the highest mountains known, |
|
|
1598 | rooted in the depths of the sea, and climbing so high in the skies that |
|
|
1599 | uneducated travelers said that it was a "stairway to the gods". On the |
|
|
1600 | top of the mountain, the Imperial Governors built the Two Towers, who were |
|
|
1601 | visible from Scorn, about 200km far from them. |
|
|
1602 | |
|
|
1603 | The dwarves of Argoth had a terrible secret: in the depths of the caves |
|
|
1604 | below the mountains, they had trapped Hregalakhen, one of the last |
|
|
1605 | survivors of the race of the Ancient Dragons, who ruled Bigworld long |
|
|
1606 | before the time of humans. Unfortunately for the dwarves, the dragon got |
|
|
1607 | free for an unknown reason, and destroyed the city, the mountain crumbling |
|
|
1608 | and disappearing forever into the ocean. The Imperial authorities spread |
|
|
1609 | the false story of a volcanic eruption to limit the panic a free dragon |
|
|
1610 | the size of Hregalakhen would have caused in the population. The fate of |
|
|
1611 | the dragon is unknown to this day. |
|
|
1612 | |
|
|
1613 | |
|
|
1614 | =head1 Zormola, The Bashing One |
|
|
1615 | |
|
|
1616 | Zormola was a great female orcish warrior, that is sometimes considered |
|
|
1617 | as a lesser divinity by not only orcs, but also by southern barbarians or |
|
|
1618 | even dwarves of Herfensheim, who salute her courage on the battlefield. |
|
|
1619 | |
|
|
1620 | |
|
|
1621 | =head1 Morgul, The Tower Builder, The Dark Climber |
|
|
1622 | |
|
|
1623 | Morgul was a Dark Mage that built a tower in the hope of creating a bridge |
|
|
1624 | with the skies, so that demons could attack heavens. Fortunately for |
|
|
1625 | angels, a group of adventurers defeated him in 2374EK. |
|
|
1626 | |
|
|
1627 | |
|
|
1628 | =head1 Wolfen the White, The White Hunter, The One Who Listens |
|
|
1629 | |
|
|
1630 | Wolfen is one of the three moons orbiting around The World. It is said to |
|
|
1631 | be the spirit of the legendary hunter Wolfen, who tracked Kalkaruntes, God |
|
|
1632 | of the Dragons, to is cavern and vainquished it. |
|
|
1633 | |
|
|
1634 | In astrology, Wolfen is the symbol of practical mind, swiftness and |
|
|
1635 | flexibility, but also cowardice and stealing. It is associated with the |
|
|
1636 | Earth element in Alchemancy. Wolfen is seen as a protector by hunters and |
|
|
1637 | rangers. Priests of Lythander think it is the reincarnation of the wolf |
|
|
1638 | that hunts with Lythander in the divine forests of Nerënna. Fenxes see it |
|
|
1639 | as Fixas, the one that saved them from the Humans so long ago. |
|
|
1640 | |
|
|
1641 | |
|
|
1642 | =head1 Ranisha the Red, The Red Death, The One Who Commands |
|
|
1643 | |
|
|
1644 | Ranisha is one of the three moons orbiting around the world of |
|
|
1645 | Crossfire. It is said to be the spirit of the legendary warrior Ranisha, |
|
|
1646 | who was supposed to be an invincible general that was even able to |
|
|
1647 | vainquish gods themselves on the battlefield. |
|
|
1648 | |
|
|
1649 | In astrology, Ranisha is the symbol of violence, hatred, murder, but |
|
|
1650 | also of strength and courage. It is associated with the fire element in |
|
|
1651 | Alchemancy. Priests of Ruggili consider it as the watchful eye of their |
|
|
1652 | god. |
|
|
1653 | |
|
|
1654 | |
|
|
1655 | =head1 Asferenn the Blue, The Blue Sister, The One Who Suggests |
|
|
1656 | |
|
|
1657 | Asferenn is one of the three moons orbiting around the world of |
|
|
1658 | Crossfire. It is said to be the spirit of the legendary wizard Asferenn, |
|
|
1659 | who was said to have been able to force the gate of the divine dimension. |
|
|
1660 | |
|
|
1661 | In astrology, Asferenn is the symbol of wisdom, endurance in effort, |
|
|
1662 | diplomacy, but also treachery and dark secrets. It is associated with the |
|
|
1663 | water element in Alchemancy. It is said that the cycle of water creatures |
|
|
1664 | are strongly influenced by Asferenn. |
|
|
1665 | |
|
|
1666 | |
|
|
1667 | =head1 Story of Lorkas the Fallen, Volume I |
|
|
1668 | |
|
|
1669 | I’ll tell you about Lorkas of Amudrias, and how he found the White Bird |
|
|
1670 | of Hope, and how he capitained it, opening the Gates of the Sun, and some |
|
|
1671 | stuff like that. |
|
|
1672 | |
|
|
1673 | Some say that Lorkas was an angel of Valriel, that fell long ago from the |
|
|
1674 | Skies, stealing a couple of highly holy artifacts, and hiding them in his |
|
|
1675 | new underground domains. |
|
|
1676 | |
|
|
1677 | Some also say that Lorkas is a dark spirit, a lost soul, an unclean, |
|
|
1678 | unfaithful, untrusty creature of Doom and Chaos. |
|
|
1679 | |
|
|
1680 | But, for what matters, some also said that Fido was a fiction, or that |
|
|
1681 | the Empire never was more than a dream of a past that never existed. Some |
|
|
1682 | definitely are foolishly uninformed for sure, and speak more than they |
|
|
1683 | think. |
|
|
1684 | |
|
|
1685 | Because, if they were less quick on jumping to conclusions, they’d |
|
|
1686 | quickly notice how difficult it is for an angel to fall from the sky and |
|
|
1687 | never be able to climb back, as if wild gooses were never able to take off |
|
|
1688 | again once they land after their long journey to the South. |
|
|
1689 | |
|
|
1690 | Anyway, as every wise man knows, Lorkas was no angelic creature of divine |
|
|
1691 | essence, or even a magical creation of a godly force. |
|
|
1692 | |
|
|
1693 | Some say that Khelens is the Beginning, first of the Cities of Men. That, |
|
|
1694 | too, is untrue: before the Age of Khelens was the Time of the Kingdoms |
|
|
1695 | at War. And before them, the Era of Songor the Great. And going back |
|
|
1696 | through the thick book of history, you’ll cross Arnistar of the Desert |
|
|
1697 | Dwellers, the Republic of the Two Rivers, and the Ancient Haemdel, and the |
|
|
1698 | Kingdom of the Long Wall. And before it, the forgotten towers of light |
|
|
1699 | that Horadrists built. |
|
|
1700 | |
|
|
1701 | |
|
|
1702 | =head1 Story of Lorkas the Fallen, Volume II |
|
|
1703 | |
|
|
1704 | Lorkas was born in Kuratas, a small agrarian state that existed on the |
|
|
1705 | Coronian Valley, when Songer and Khelens were still in infancy. He was a |
|
|
1706 | boy that wanted to see everything, to understand the world and its stars, |
|
|
1707 | and discover its limits, for it was extending much further than the mists |
|
|
1708 | of his home valley. |
|
|
1709 | |
|
|
1710 | But life was rude in Kuratas, and trying to think about anything else than |
|
|
1711 | your next harvest wasn’t well perceived by most; and, more than often, |
|
|
1712 | Lorkas dreamed with tears and despair about the Mountains with the white |
|
|
1713 | tops, and Seas that ended only when they touched the sky, far away. |
|
|
1714 | |
|
|
1715 | Tired of his senseless life, he left his parents, his village, his |
|
|
1716 | friends, when he was only 12, and for weeks walked to the West, until he |
|
|
1717 | reached the Coast of the Stonewalls. |
|
|
1718 | |
|
|
1719 | And there, he saw Ottarakans, the Infinite Ocean that extends west of the |
|
|
1720 | Old World, and so fell in love for the sea. He then joined the Port of |
|
|
1721 | Kridatta, which was famous for its ships, as its inhabitants had mastered |
|
|
1722 | a powerful arcane, so that their boats roamed not only the seas, but the |
|
|
1723 | very clouds themselves. |
|
|
1724 | |
|
|
1725 | Because he was smart and quick-brained, Lorkas soon got enrolled in the |
|
|
1726 | team of Capt’n Bortaras; and after several adventures I shall maybe tell |
|
|
1727 | about another day, he took the succession of the old mariner. |
|
|
1728 | |
|
|
1729 | Horizon was the name of his ship, and famous was his crew, exploring huge |
|
|
1730 | territories and fighting the Princes of Sinas, who back then tried to put |
|
|
1731 | the whole area under their iron, greedy grasps. |
|
|
1732 | |
|
|
1733 | |
|
|
1734 | =head1 Story of Lorkas the Fallen, Volume III |
|
|
1735 | |
|
|
1736 | But Lorkas heard about a wonder that him and his crew soon wanted to |
|
|
1737 | find: The White Bird of Hope. |
|
|
1738 | |
|
|
1739 | Buried in the Very East, it was said to be. And so he sailed east; he |
|
|
1740 | crossed the Great Desert, passed the Mountains of Daigojij, reached the |
|
|
1741 | forests oft he western normanika. But still was the Bird further away. |
|
|
1742 | |
|
|
1743 | Reaching the Eastern Ocean, they decided to try to cross it, despite that |
|
|
1744 | it was said to be the end of the world. And for 30 days and nights, across |
|
|
1745 | tempests and monsters, they firmly kept heading east, east, east. |
|
|
1746 | |
|
|
1747 | When despair was growing on them, mists magically opened, revealing a |
|
|
1748 | golden city built on what seemed to be a rich, fertile coastal plain. |
|
|
1749 | |
|
|
1750 | People there spoke a strange language; they were small and not unlike |
|
|
1751 | joyful foxes, and they welcomed Lorkas and his men (and women) |
|
|
1752 | warmly. Soon, they learned to understand each other enough. |
|
|
1753 | |
|
|
1754 | They called themselves "The People of the Mother", and they had |
|
|
1755 | never seen the "Flat-Eared Giants" before, although they already met |
|
|
1756 | "Flat-Eared Beards" and "Flat-Eared Greens" before. |
|
|
1757 | |
|
|
1758 | But there was a lady called Sonja. And, although she wasn’t human, she |
|
|
1759 | seemed brighter, smarter, more beautiful than any other woman Lorkas had |
|
|
1760 | ever seen before. |
|
|
1761 | |
|
|
1762 | Those months were the most wonderful for him - and her - and time seemed |
|
|
1763 | to have stopped for them in their endless love. But of course it hadn’t. |
|
|
1764 | |
|
|
1765 | And after a while, some of his men wanted to go back to their own homes, |
|
|
1766 | and some wanted for their families to come to the Golden City. And, also, |
|
|
1767 | there was the Bird. |
|
|
1768 | |
|
|
1769 | They had no problem to find the White Bird of Hope - a statue entirely |
|
|
1770 | made of the purest of the white marble, with gemstones of red ruby as |
|
|
1771 | eyes. But so much the inhabitants liked it, so they thought that a |
|
|
1772 | valuable friend was much better than a valuable statue. |
|
|
1773 | |
|
|
1774 | And so they said: "Take the bird as a gift of us to your masters, to |
|
|
1775 | show them we want to make friendship with them. Welcome are the friends of |
|
|
1776 | the children of the White Bird." |
|
|
1777 | |
|
|
1778 | And so Lorkas left, promising Sonja that he’d soon return. |
|
|
1779 | |
|
|
1780 | The people of the Golden City also told him that "The Bird is imbued |
|
|
1781 | with powerful magic: the one owning it will always keep hope." |
|
|
1782 | |
|
|
1783 | |
|
|
1784 | =head1 Story of Lorkas the Fallen, Volume IV |
|
|
1785 | |
|
|
1786 | When Lorkas came back, he and his men were welcomed as heroes. So where |
|
|
1787 | does the story turns sour, as Lorkas is said to have fallen from the skies? |
|
|
1788 | |
|
|
1789 | Well, when he and his crew came back home, Kridatta was at war with Sinas, |
|
|
1790 | and for several years, he and his crew fought, using the power of the Bird |
|
|
1791 | to help them. And during those years, Lorkas kept in his heart the hope of |
|
|
1792 | seeing again Sonja. |
|
|
1793 | |
|
|
1794 | Then came the Fever Plague, that killed a third of the people in the |
|
|
1795 | Ancient World. And again was the Bird used, and again did Lorkas help all |
|
|
1796 | those he could help, still having hope of seeing the Golden City again |
|
|
1797 | soon. |
|
|
1798 | |
|
|
1799 | And then, he sent messengers and explorers, as he had become influent, |
|
|
1800 | rich, and powerful, across the seas, to rebind the ties with the Golden |
|
|
1801 | City, as he promised. But they all came without finding their way to |
|
|
1802 | those faraway shores; yet all that time, and for each new mission sent to |
|
|
1803 | explore the seas and the skies, they seemed closed and closer from the |
|
|
1804 | goal. |
|
|
1805 | |
|
|
1806 | Sixty years passed. The world changed; new kingdoms ruled old cities; |
|
|
1807 | Lorkas was now an old man that lived in a small house looking at the |
|
|
1808 | Ocean. |
|
|
1809 | |
|
|
1810 | And still, each day, he spent hours waiting, watching the line where the |
|
|
1811 | sea met the sky, hoping that one day, one would sail back and tell him: |
|
|
1812 | "we found the Golden City !". And always he hoped, but never received. |
|
|
1813 | |
|
|
1814 | Nearly all of his companions were now dead, and the Horizon had been |
|
|
1815 | retired long ago, now slowly rotting in the bay, fading souvenir of a long |
|
|
1816 | forgotten past. |
|
|
1817 | |
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1818 | |
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1819 | =head1 Story of Lorkas the Fallen, Volume V |
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1820 | |
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1821 | Lorkas walked to his boat, and where there was only tarnished wood and |
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1822 | corroded metal, he still saw the fierce ship on which he saw Sonja for the |
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1823 | first time, so long ago. Who knows what he did, then? One thing is sure: |
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1824 | the vigile of the Sea Tower of Kridatta, that watched boats coming and |
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1825 | leaving from dozens of miles away, reported that an ancient ship left the |
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1826 | bay, with Lorkas sitting at the front of it, holding the Bird, as if he |
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1827 | was sleeping. |
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1828 | |
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1829 | Nobody knows exactly where he went. Was he even dead? Nobody knows. But |
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1830 | everybody kept hope that, one day, he’d reach the Golden City |
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1831 | again. Lots of people tried to find the Bird after that event. They all |
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1832 | accused Lorkas of having "stolen" it. The story became legend. The |
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1833 | legend became fairy tale. And the fairy tale got forgotten by most. |
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1834 | |
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1835 | Yet, Centuries ago, deep in the oldest parts of the Old City of Scorn, |
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1836 | people claimed to have found an ancient mausoleum, a relic of the |
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1837 | past. All made of the purest, finest gold. On the walls were engraved a |
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1838 | man at the wheel of a strange ship, and a woman with pointy ears, watching |
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1839 | the skies. And many nowadays keep the Hope that the White Bird now sleeps |
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1840 | down below the streets, having found its way back to home with Lorkas. |
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1841 | |
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1842 | But who could tell if it is the truth, or only a silly story? Who |
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1843 | knows? As for myself, I don’t care: I just hold hope it is. And so ends |
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1844 | the Story of Lorkas, and so keeps Hope running. |
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1845 | |
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1846 | |
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1847 | =head1 The Prison of Madness |
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1848 | |
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1849 | It is said that deep in the underworld there is a vast maze that will make |
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1850 | everybody who dares to enter die of madness. |
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1851 | |
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1852 | It starts in a room, with a row of mirrors to the south. pass through |
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1853 | those, and carry on slightly further, and you are in the maze proper. |
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1854 | |
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1855 | Little is known about the maze, but Worus the Wanderer claimed to have been |
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1856 | in it, seen many of its wonders and returned. |
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1857 | |
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1858 | He also wrote a book that details all the ways and passages, alas, nobody |
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1859 | could decipher it yet: |
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1860 | |
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1861 | gb2trg2gb2gur2rkvg: |
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1862 | 2jnaqre2nebhaq2hagvy2lbh2ybpngr2n2znc2aN, |
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1863 | 2vg2vf2ba2gur2obggbz2ragenapr2bs2n2znc. |
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1864 | 2bapr2gung2vf2ybpngrq2tb2evtug, |
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1865 | 2hc, |
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1866 | 2evtug, |
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1867 | 2evtug, |
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1868 | 2evtug, |
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1869 | 2evtug, |
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1870 | 2evtug, |
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1871 | 2lbh2jvyy2or2ng2gur2rkvg. |
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1872 | 2gb2trg2gb2gur2inhyg: |
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1873 | 2jnaqre2ebhaq2hagvy2lbh2trg2gb2znc2aN1, |
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1874 | vg2vf2gb2gur2evtug2bs2n2abezny2znc. |
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1875 | 2tb2hc, |
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1876 | 2yrsg, |
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1877 | 2hc, |
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1878 | 2yrsg, |
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1879 | 2qbja, |
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1880 | 2qbja, |
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1881 | 2evtug, |
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1882 | 2qbja, |
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1883 | 2qbja, |
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1884 | 2qbja.2Lbh2jvyy2or2va2gur2unyy, |
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1885 | 2tb2guebhtu2naq2gb2gur2yrsg2gb2ernpu2gur2inhyg. |
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1886 | |
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1887 | |
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1888 | =head1 Order of the Gravestone |
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1889 | |
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1890 | An ancient order of druids, that venerated the supposed gravestone of |
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1891 | the Spirit of Khalbow. The Spirit was supposed to be a symbol of eternal |
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1892 | renewal and redemption, that lived a regular, short-term dead/revival |
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1893 | cycle. The Order of the Gravestone was very popular during the first |
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1894 | Millenia EK, but then went extinct. No druid is known to exist today, and |
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1895 | the exact location of the gravestone has long been forgotten. |
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1896 | |
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1897 | |