Ancient's Table • Bastion of Flames • Blackscale Sepulcher • Bloodskull Valley: The Training Grounds • Cazel's Mesa • Condemned Catacombs • Court of Innovation • Cove of Decay • Crypt of Valdoon • Deathfist Citadel • Den of the Devourer • Tower of the Drafling • Eternal Gorge • Firemyst Gully • Gobblerock's Hideout • Nest of the Great Egg • Halls of Fate • Hidden Cache • Mines of Meldrath • Nektropos Castle: The Return • Nektropos Castle: Tribulation • Nektropos Castle • Nizara, City of the Nayad • Obelisk of Blight • Poet's Palace • Valley of the Rogue Magi • Scornfeather Roost • Shard of Fear • The Acadechism • The Sanctorium • Tombs of Night • Estate of Unrest • Vault of Dust • The Sanctum of Fire • Vault of the Fallen • Vaults of El'Arad • Crypt of T'Haen
Goodies for Grobb:
Accessorizing, Grobb Style • Fundamental Furnishings • Home Cooking • Snapper Security • Swamp Reeds
Working Hard for Tupta:
Getting Plastered • House Repairs • Pottering Around • Swamp Treats • Tupta Toys
Accord Assistance:
A Rush Job • Air Repair • Letters From Home • Swamp Foot Lotion • To Dye For
Far Seas Supply Division:
Shipyard Services/Shipyard Building Work • Clockwork Rescue/Clockwork Components • Emergency Portal Repairs/Building a Better Portal • Supply Stocking/Firemyst Supply Stocking
Far Seas Supply Division Weekly:
A Recipe for Disaster • Rescuing the Relics • Restocking the Stores
Craftkeepers:
Bready Goodness • Full Metal Artisan • Eats Shoots and Leaves • Stonebrunt Express • Paineel Replenishment • Further Essential Studies • Back to the Grindstone
Hua Mein Craftsmen:
A Tasty Task • Hua Mein Craftsmanship • Hua Mein Heating • The Bear Necessities • Netting More Fish • Shining Shells • Honoring the Ancestors
Kerra Isle Outfitters:
A Close Eye on Quel'ule • Kerra Kindling • Kerra Clothing • Weaving A Profit • Herbal Healing • Paw Tips and Tail Feathers • Defensive Dressing
Researchers of Quel'ule:
Supplies for the Fighters • Sampling More Strangeness • Reporting to Paineel • Equipping the Front Line • Rebuilding Materials • Reinforcing the Wards • Tracking the Void Influence
Obol Plains:
Tonic for the Soul • Herbs and Spirits • Focused Fire • Where Are All The Clean Bedrolls?
Far Seas Trading:
Botanical Divergence • Reporting Home • Fishing Up Fauna • Researching the Recordings
Altar of Malice Daily:
Sampling the Danger • Sour Tooth • Grim Running • Legendary Pepper • Salve Supplies • Small Arms for Small Arms • Fruitful Foraging
This book is one of the Storm Shepherd series titled "Darnalithenis of Felwithe". It is the story of a high elf that left his home for the wilderness and his further travels across the world. Entry One Put book away.
Darnalithenis was born and raised in the beautiful city of Felwithe. Though he was groomed to join the ranks of the holy paladins that protected the city, he could never ignore the longing he felt as he stared deep into the depths of the Greater Faydark forest. After much thought, he finally brought himself to steal away in the night and leave for the wilderness. Entry Two Put book away.
He would spend the next several decades living among the woodland creatures of Faydwer. He learned the secrets of moving through the trees undetected, on how to forage food from the land itself, or when the winters were hard, to track and hunt down game for his dinner. He enjoyed living his life being free of the constraints of the city, but he also knew that he would not be accepted amongst his kin were he to choose to return. One day, he came up with a plan. Entry Three Put book away.
Darnalithenis began to make as many arrows as he could shove in his quiver. When he was done, he gathered as much food as he could, then hiked to the western edge of the forest. Continuing through the foothills of Butcherblock he avoided the roads, and in turn, the dwarves that guarded them. After skirting by Kaladim, the city of the dwarves, he traveled for several days. Finally, he reached the docks that would take him to other lands - and possibly others like him. Entry Four Put book away.
The first place he came to was the great trade city, Freeport. Though it was not as clean or beautiful as his home, Felwithe, it still was larger than anything he had ever seen. He spent some time there, but not caring for the ever-increasing brutality of the guards, decided it was time to move on. Entry Five Put book away.
He continued to head west, traveling though dark forests, craggy mountaintops, and endless plains. Soon enough, he reached where the land came to an end. Choosing to follow the coastline to the north, he eventually found a glade populated with people just like him. Darnalithenis knew that his journey was now at an end, for the people of Surefall accepted him for whom he was, not what he was expected to be. Entry Six Put book away.
Darnalithenis spent many years living among the tenders of the glade he now called home. He would spend his time educating those who journeyed to outlying forest on the ways to respect the wilderness. At one point, he even joined with a group of people who were trying to stop an army of gnolls that were assaulting a nearby village. Entry Seven Put book away.
With him leading the party on a direct path to the village, they arrived just in time to join the fray. It was a bloody battle, and many people lost their lives, but the gnolls were driven back. As Darnalithenis left to return to the glade, he spied the party he was with killing hundreds of woodland creatures for nothing more than their skins. In a fit of rage, he slaughtered every last one of the poachers. When he returned to the glade, he knew that it was time for him to return to the solitude of the Greater Faydark. Darnalithenis traveled across the continent to the city of Freeport. Someone calling himself the Overlord now ruled the city and demanded an exorbitant fee to travel across the ocean. Entry Eight Put book away.
Darnalitenis had no plan on paying this man any fee, so in the dead of night, he stole a ship and began to sail across the ocean. On the fifteenth day out his ship was attacked by a fleet of ships sailed by his dark cousins, the Teir'Dal. He leapt into the ocean, swimming for a nearby island he spotted. Entry Nine Put book away.
He would spend the next several hundred years trapped on this island. He lost all hope of rescue, for the seas roiled with a fury that he had never seen before. To make matters worse, the cyclopes that lived on the island with him were beginning to overpopulate. Soon enough they would know that he lived there, too. And one day, they did. Entry Ten Put book away.
As he gathered water from a stream, he heard the sound of the large rock flying through the air just a moment too late. As he lay there, back broken from the impact of the rock, he watched as the cyclops lifted his foot in order to crush Danalithenis's skull. A moment later, the Cyclops fell to the ground with a thud. Standing over the cyclops's corpse was a human, pulling a sword from the monster's back. The man said, "It looked like you could use some help." Close Book.
Books
"The Storm Shepherds - Gremius Hazzengrav" This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
This book is one of the Storm Shepherd series titled "Gremius Hazzengrav". It is the story of a man raised on the streets of Freeport, his rise to notoriety, and his quest for atonement. Entry One Put book away.
Gremius Hazzengrav was born the son of simple bandage merchant in the city of Freeport. When he was only a boy of seven years, he witnessed an exchange between his father and a member of the Freeport Militia. He watched as the militiaman insisted that his father needed to pay more protection money. When his father insisted that he didn't have any more money, the militiaman ran a sword through him and left his corpse for the ratonga to loot. Entry Two Put book away.
Not having any other family, Gremius nearly starved on the streets. He was taken in by a ratonga who taught him how to pick people's pockets as they passed by. Gremius was forced to give his guardian all of the coin he earned in exchange for a place to sleep at night. Ten years would go by with Gremius forced to steal for food, while the ratonga did nothing and became rich. The day he turned seventeen, Gremius walked into the sleeping ratonga's room and slid a dagger into his throat. The next morning, he enlisted in the Militia. Entry Three Put book away.
While he was training to be a member of the city's law enforcement, he received constant praise for his dedication to the job. The most praise would come from his drill instructor, and took Gremius under his wing. On the final training day, the soldier with the best scores would be made into an officer and the one with worst would be lowered into a pit of hungry, rabid hyenas. As the ceremony began, Gremius was made into an officer and an unfortunate ogre was chosen to feed the hyenas. Entry Four Put book away.
As the drill commander put all of his weight into pushing the lever that held the victim suspended over the pit, something unexpected happened. Instead of pushing the lever, he stumbled over it and clumsily fell over into the pit, just barely catching the lip with one hand. For you see, someone had greased the lever. The commander screamed for Gremius to help him up before he fell in. Officer Gremius walked over to the pit, looked down and said, "You killed my father ten years ago" -- and then crushed the commander's fingers with his foot. Gremius didn't leave until the commander finally stopped screaming. Entry Five Put book away.
Gremius would become notorious throughout Freeport for his merciless enforcement of the law. If a merchant tried to bluff his way out of protection payment, Gremius would kill them. If a soldier forgot to salute the image of the Overlord whenever they passed one, Gremius would kill them. If a citizen walked within the city without proper papers, he would kill them. This would continue until the day that he tortured and killed some worshippers of a long forgotten god, Karana. Entry Six Put book away.
For the next several weeks, he would wake up screaming from horrible nightmares. He would dream of a wizened old man who stood in the center of a massive rainstorm. The winds would begin to tear Gremius apart until he would plead for the man to stop the rains. When the rains stopped, Gremius could see a broken crystal sphere that floated above a pool of darkness that was slowly seeping into the ground. All around him, endless trees would turn black and the darkness would spread, moving towards the ocean. Eventually, the darkness would surround him and finally eat his soul. Entry Seven Put book away.
Gremius finally realized that the dreams were a vision. Not only did the darkness represent what he had become, but within them were a clue on how he could atone for all of his past crimes. He began searching throughout the Nektulos Forest for answers, but found nothing to give him insight on how he could "clean" the taint on his soul. Then he remembered the pirate's stories of countless islands out within the ocean. He knew what he had to do. Entry Eight Put book away.
Gremius began constructing a sailing vessel from the trees in the Nektulos Forest. He spent the next year trying to build a boat to take him to the island that he saw in his vision. Having left Freeport, he was now an outlaw and would be killed on sight, or else he would have just stolen a boat from the harbor. During the construction, he had much time to contemplate what he could to change his life around, but could never come about to a clear answer. Entry Nine Put book away.
When he finally completed the boat, he sailed off into the Neriuss Flow. His plan was to sail upon the turbulent ocean, stopping at island after island, until he finally found the one in his dream. He spent many months searching island after island. On one desert isle he found to be inhabited by nothing more than numerous cyclopses, he stopped to refresh his water supplies. As he carefully looked for water, wanting not to disturb the natives, he came across an interesting sight. Entry Ten Put book away.
A cyclops was about to kill what appeared to be a High Elf, sharing the same physical traits as many of his countless victims. Believing this to be his chance to atone for his past sins, he came up behind the cyclops and slew it before it could kill the elf. Not feeling the expected sense of absolution, Gremius looked at the elf and prepared to kill him in anger. Seeing the helpless person in front of him caused Gremius to remember the heinous actions he performed upon the worshipers in Freeport. For the first time since the day he saw his father killed, Gremius felt a long-forgotten emotion. Pity. Close Book.
Books
"The Storm Shepherds - Tammin Whipperwillow" This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
This book is one of the Storm Shepherd series titled "Tammin Whipperwillow". It is the story of a young woman who has been given a divine gift and the responsibility that comes with those gifts. Entry One Put book away.
Tammin Whipperwillow knew from a very early age that she was different. Whenever she would help her mother collect berries cooking, she would always say hello to the squirrels and they would say hello right back. Her mother would always laugh whenever Tammin would tell what the squirrels were saying, but Tammin didn't understand what was funny. Entry Two Put book away.
It didn't stop with just the squirrels. She would hear the birds talking about where to find the best grubs or which of the apples were ripe. Her mother always called her a "good luck" charm because Tammin always knew where to find the best fruit to gather. Not until Tammin was twelve years old did she realize that no one else could hear what the animals were saying. Entry Three Put book away.
One day, as Tammin was playing outside her family's home in Rivervale, a dog came up to her and had an urgent look on his face. Tammin asked the dog what was wrong, and the dog told her that Lubby, Mayor Fatbottom's son, had fallen into the well. Tammin quickly told her mother that Lubby was in trouble, and the whole town ran to help him. Entry Four Put book away.
When they asked her how she knew it happened, she told them the dog told her. Everyone laughed, except for old Dripple Smitherish. Later that day, Dripple stopped by their house. Dripple announced that Tammin had been called by the Storm Father. From that day on, Tammin would learn all of the teachings of the Storm Father, in addition to her numbers and letters. Entry Five Put book away.
As she grew older, she learned that she not only had the ability to speak with the animals, but could also sense the patterns of the weather. During the construction of the Third Wall, she would be asked if it was going to be a clear day to do the work, or if hopefully it would rain. Entry Six Put book away.
Not everyone believed she had the powers she claimed to have. Many people who knew the stories of the Storm Father claimed that he was a made-up god. They claimed praying to him would be as useful as praying to have Rivervale Island become part of Antonica again. She would always dismiss these claims, for she had been told by the forest why she was given these powers. Entry Seven Put book away.
One day as the wind whipped up, it began to speak to her. She realized the wind was actually the voice of the forest. It told her that the Storm Father was with her, but not in the way that she thought he was. The forest went on to tell her that Tammin was one of the three people that could save her. Entry Eight Put book away.
When Tammin asked what she needed to do to save the forest, the clear sky broke with rain. Wind gusts swirled the rain around in such a way that it formed a series of patterns that Tammin vowed not to forget. The rain first showed an old man holding a shepherd's crook, then a crystal sphere that was broken in half. Darkness swarmed from the broken sphere, spreading throughout the forest. Soon the rain of darkness was so thick, she couldn't see the forest. Entry Nine Put book away.
When she asked whom the other ones that could help, she was shown a man with a sword and one with a bow. The one with the sword laid his weapon down on the rock in front of her and it became a shepherd's crook. The one with the bow laid down his weapon and it became a perfect crystal sphere. She asked where they were, and where she stood, the trees began to slowly change with the seasons, building up in speed, until she saw many seasons pass before her very eye. Then all returned to normal. Entry Ten Put book away.
She called out to the forest and asked it what she needed to do when she met the other three. The forest remained silent. She called out again, and the forest still remained silent. She knew that the answer would come one day. For now, she would wait. Wait for as long as she needed to. Close Book.
Books
"The Storm Shepherds - The Calm" This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
This book is one of the Storm Shepherd series titled "The Calm". It is the story two people from different times and backgrounds and how they join forces to find the answers they're looking for. Entry One Put book away.
How Danalithenis of Felwithe and Gremius Hazzengrav came to meet is a tale unto itself. Needless to say, were it not for Gremius to have been at the right place at the right time, Danalithenis would not be part of this new tale. Danalithenis, suffering from grievous wounds, was just barely saved from the clutches of death by the atoning Gremius. Entry Two Put book away.
Gremius looked at Danalithenis, caught sight of his wounds, and offered the elf his last healing potion. Once Danalithenis was healed, the man introduced himself to the elf and offered to help him escape the island. Listening to the human's tale, Danalithenis accepted the offer, and they both sailed off into the turbulent ocean. Entry Three Put book away.
Over the next several weeks as they sailed aimlessly, Gremius would fill in Danalithenis on what he missed during the centuries he was gone. Danalithenis would learn that the gods have left the world, or so many people believed. Gremius professed that, due to his visions, he wasn't necessarily sure that was the case. Entry Four Put book away.
Danalithenis listened to Gremius as he described the vision and then told the man of the Surefall Glade. He said to Gremius that he thinks the old man was Karana, but had no idea what the darkness represented. After staring long and hard at Gremius, Danalithenis stated that he believed the story and would accompany him until the human found the truth he was seeking. Entry Five Put book away.
Danalithenis and Gremius traveled for what seemed like months, maybe even years, across the endless oceans. They would stop at every island they found, both to replenish their water stores and to look for game. During this time, they became very good friends. Entry Six Put book away.
As they landed at each island, Gremius was amazed at how much the world of Norrath could change so often from island to island. Danalithenis would sometimes pose theories as to where he believed they were, using odd names such as the Feerrott, or Lavastorm, or even Everfrost. Where Gremius was constantly in awe of the sights, Danalithenis saw a world destroyed. Entry Seven Put book away.
Finally Danalithenis couldn't take it anymore and asked Gremius what had happened to Faydwer, to the Greater Faydark... to Felwithe. Gremius looked at Danalithenis for a moment, and said in a sympathetic tone, "All of it was destroyed in the Rending, friend. As sure as the moon is in the sky, there is no more Faydwer". This was all Danalithenis needed to hear. He stepped inside his cabin and began to cry. Entry Eight Put book away.
Several days after their last conversation, Danalithenis spotted an island off in the distance covered in trees. They were both as excited as each other, but yet they were both hoping to find something different. As they made landfall, they gathered their gear and started to explore, both believing this to be their destination. When they were deep enough into the trees, they found a surprise that neither one were expecting. Entry Nine Put book away.
As they approached a calm pool of water, they spotted a person on the other side of the pool, sitting motionless. Aside from each other, they had seen no real people in countless months. As they stepped closer, they were able to make out that it wasn't just a person, but rather a child. Finally, as they got within several feet of the person, Danalithenis uttered the word, "Halfling". Entry Ten Put book away.
At that very moment, the old halfling opened her eyes. She explained that she was in deep meditation with the forest around her. She also looked at the two, gave her name as Tammin Whipperwillow, and said she had been waiting for them. Close Book.
Books
"The Storm Shepherds - The Downpour" This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
This book is one of the Storm Shepherd series titled "The Downpour". It is the story of how three people had come together to fight the darkness encroaching upon an enchanted land. Entry One Put book away.
The three heroes, having come together at last, proceeded to detail all of the events that led them to meet that day. The halfling druid learned much about the faith of the Storm Father from Danalithenis, who called him by his old name, Karana. Throughout their discussions, something came over Gremius. As he listened to the stories of faiths gone by, he realized that what was missing from his life. Belief. Entry Two Put book away.
When Danalithenis was done telling his tales, Gremius stood up and drew his sword. They looked at him and saw a single teardrop fall from his eyes, falling into a stone beneath his feet. He threw his sword down and repented for everything he had done in his life, asking Karana for forgiveness. What he was especially sorry for was those worshipers he tortured and killed. At the moment he finished confessing, his sword changed into a shepherd's crook... but one made of glowing steel, and with a pointed blade extending from the bottom of the staff. Entry Three Put book away.
When Danalithenis heard everything Gremius confessed, he realized that he had befriended an evil man. Even now, after all these hundreds of years, the corruption of civilization still followed him. In anger, he threw down his bow on the same stone and proclaimed that he would rather die than let the shadow of corruption taint the world any longer. At that moment, his bow changed into a small glass sphere. Entry Four Put book away.
Gremius recognized that sphere as the one from his dream that brought him here. As he stood up from his crouched prayers, Danalithenis could see that his blackened Freeport Militia armor was gleaming silver, like the sheen from a newly fallen rain. Tammin, the old druid, said that the time has come to pass. Now is when they would fight the darkness. She explained her full vision to the pair. When she was done, they knew they were all tied together stronger than any friends could possibly be. Entry Five Put book away.
Thus, the Storm Shepherds, as they called themselves, worked to push back the blight that was tainting the lands. Danalithenis used his skills as a tracker to find all of the creatures that had been afflicted, allowing Tammin to cure them - or in the case of those who were too far gone - for Gremius to put them out of their misery. As a team, they were able to prevent the ever encroaching darkness from spreading across the land. Entry Six Put book away.
For the next several years, they would win victories against the darkness that would begin to taint the land. They soon enough realized they would not be able to do it alone, so they recruited followers. They found a small village of shipwrecked refugees living along the coast and talked with them. Many of these people, elves just like Danalithenis, joined them in their battle Entry Seven Put book away.
The elves would tell Danalithenis of the sad fate of Faydwer and how they came to live in this enchanted isle. This would have normally crushed Danalithenis, but he now had a new cause - to fight the blight. Holding his newly crafted bow and the clear crystal sphere, he vowed that if he could not save the Greater Faydark, then he would save this enchanted forest. Entry Eight Put book away.
In addition to the elves, the Storm Shepherds gathered a group of followers from the village of Rivervale. With everyone working so well together, it wasn't long before the Storm Shepherds attracted the attention of those responsible for the blight. Soon enough, creatures of darkness would begin to pursue the three companions, seeking to ensure the Shepherds would not destroy all of their hard work. Many battles were fought against these fiends, and most of them were won. Entry Nine Put book away.
As battle after battle passed, the years began carrying on. Soon enough, Tammin would succumb to one enemy she could not fight - Time. One night as she lay in her bed, too weak to stand anymore, she asked to see both Danalithenis and Gremius. She told them of one final vision the forest, screaming in agony, had given her. She patted them on the hands, told them they knew what had to be done, and closed her eyes. Entry Ten Put book away.
On one fateful day, the followers of the Storm Shepherds found the bodies of Danalithenis and Gremius in a small clearing in the forest. Clutched in the dead elf's hand was a black sphere that swirled with a frightening darkness. The followers would later take up the name of their leaders and keep fighting the darkness as the Storm Shepherds. To this day, they continue to protect both their enchanted lands and that mysterious black sphere. Close Book.
Books
"The Wall" This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
This book is titled "The Wall". It tells the story of how the resourceful halflings of Rivervale constructed a mighty barrier. Entry One Put book away.
Long ago, longer than could be counted by the turning of the seasons, our fellow kinsmen set out to build a barrier against the predators that lurked in the shadows. This wall that they built would be built two more times, for even more dire reasons than before. Sit, young one, as I tell you this tale of what people can do when they put their mind to it. Entry Two Put book away.
Our kinsman from time gone built this town out of love and cooperation. Though they would all live in harmony, there were dark shadows that lurked just beyond sight. Sometimes our ancestors would lose a family member to the darkness that took the form of snarling, hungry dogs. After much talk, our ancestors agreed that something must be done to stop this. Entry Three Put book away.
Gathering all of their courage, they would leave at dawn to travel beyond the tunnel leading out past the safety of their village. By the time the sun would set, they would all return carrying bundles of rocks they had gathered. Entry Four Put book away.
Once they had a pile of rocks as tall as a mountain, they began to construct what would only be known as the "Wall." After much hard work, their project was done. Spamming as high as six feet into the air, the Wall would protect our ancestors from the vicious dogs that anxiously awaited an easy meal. Entry Five Put book away.
The Wall did much to save our ancestors from an early fate and lasted many years. Their need would become far greater as the seasons would pass. As giant peoples began to tread outside the tunnel, our forefathers believed themselves safe, having built the Wall. They would not foresee that the goblins would come, however. And when they did, the Wall did little to stop them from climbing into our peaceful town. Entry Six Put book away.
Learning from the past, our ancestors surmised that if the first Wall was enough to stop the evil dogs, then a bigger wall should be able to stop the goblins. They knew they could no longer build with the stones, for they had fathered all they could find to construct the first Wall. Then one day an ingenious halfling came up with another idea. Entry Seven Put book away.
Sending forth large groups of brave and courageous men and women into the Misty Thicket, Rivervale would wait anxiously for their return in the evening. Soon enough, much wood was harvested from the trees and brambles of the thicket. In the end, the wood would be piled high over the original Wall, doubling the height of the first version. This would keep the goblins out for many years to come. Entry Eight Put book away.
All was well within Rivervale for many, many seasons. Time would pass and the earth itself would grow angry. When the rumblings subsided, our ancestors would find that they had been given a protection greater than the Wall ever could - they were separated from the rest of the world. No longer would they need to worry about enemies coming to harm their way of life. Entry Nine Put book away.
But little did they know that the goblins would take advantage of this situation. For you see, just as our forefathers would prosper, so would the goblins. Not waiting for the worst to happen, our ancestors began building another Wall, this time higher than anything imagined. This time, our ancestors began building a wall that would tower over the other Walls built in the past. Entry Ten Put book away.
Choosing the largest of oak trees, they began to chop them down and line them up, one by one. To this day, gaze about and you can see the fruits of their labor. The Wall spans a length never before seen, and is taller than even the greatest of giants. But pay attention, young one. If you look at where the Wall was lined, you may wish to ask yourself, "Was the Wall meant to keep something out, or maybe to keep something in?" Close Book.
Unobtainable
a black leather book This item can be placed in any house type.
Undiscovered.
Books
A Dangerous Pet to Keep This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
A Dangerous Pet to Keep - Page 2 (shinies in The Merchant's Den [Solo] or The Merchant's Den [Heroic I] or The Merchant's Den [Heroic II])
A Dangerous Pet to Keep - Page 3 (shinies in The Merchant's Den [Solo] or The Merchant's Den [Heroic I] or The Merchant's Den [Heroic II])
A Dangerous Pet to Keep - Page 4 (shinies in The Merchant's Den [Solo] or The Merchant's Den [Heroic I] or The Merchant's Den [Heroic II])
A Dangerous Pet to Keep - Page 5 (shinies in The Merchant's Den [Solo] or The Merchant's Den [Heroic I] or The Merchant's Den [Heroic II])
A Dangerous Pet to Keep - Page 6 (shinies in The Merchant's Den [Solo] or The Merchant's Den [Heroic I] or The Merchant's Den [Heroic II])
A Dangerous Pet to Keep - Page 7 (shinies in The Merchant's Den [Solo] or The Merchant's Den [Heroic I] or The Merchant's Den [Heroic II])
A Dangerous Pet to Keep - Page 8 (shinies in The Merchant's Den [Solo] or The Merchant's Den [Heroic I] or The Merchant's Den [Heroic II])
A Dangerous Pet to Keep - Page 9 (shinies in The Merchant's Den [Solo] or The Merchant's Den [Heroic I] or The Merchant's Den [Heroic II])
A Dangerous Pet to Keep - Page 10 (shinies in The Merchant's Den [Solo] or The Merchant's Den [Heroic I] or The Merchant's Den [Heroic II])
A Dangerous Pet to Keep - Page 11 (shinies in The Merchant's Den [Solo] or The Merchant's Den [Heroic I] or The Merchant's Den [Heroic II])
A Dangerous Pet to Keep - Page 12 (shinies in The Merchant's Den [Solo] or The Merchant's Den [Heroic I] or The Merchant's Den [Heroic II])
Discovered on 12 Apr 2022 at 17:07:45 PDT.
A Dangerous Pet to Keep
Assembled pages of a witch's journal
For years, I had known comfort in the fields of Vetrovia, and derived pleasure from the necrotic work that entrenched me. It was my obsession from dawn to dusk, and often times did not stop there. While others of my coven were tempted by the opulence and pleasures contained within Castle Vacrul, it held no sway for me. It was but a dim ember next to roaring fire for me and my interests. That is, until I found what it contained...
Deep within the labyrinth of caverns under the castle resides a being of unequaled beauty! A creature of rotting flesh and dark, insatiable hunger, yoked to the will of the very one he was sent to destroy! My rickety knees almost buckled when the air of his lair enveloped me. It was heavy with the smells of copper, effluent, and decay; an intoxicating mix for a witch like me!
I had come, accompanying Sister Morttessa as a favor, but after seeing this dragon -- this child of Veeshan -- turned vampire, I was entranced! How did such a thing come to be? Why would Lord Mayong keep such a beast? Morttessa didn't have the answers, but I knew others within the castle must. Over the next few days, I would return to the castle several times to speak with others. What I learned amazed me!
The beast answered to the name of Zarrakon and was a member of the Ring of Scale. During the Age of Turmoil, he had infiltrated Mayong's castle in Loping Plains of Faydwer, disguised by a shape-shifting spell. Rumor was Mayong had ascended to that of a demigod. The Ring of Scale may not have given this rumor much credence, but they assumed it meant his castle was vulnerable. Zarrakon would come to regret this assumption.
It was true that Mistmoore was absent, but the castle was not empty. Zarrakon found Castle Mistmoore occupied by one of Mayong's sons -- someone they had no knowledge of! Zarrakon's plan changed immediately, and he attacked the dhampir! Unfortunately for Zarrakon, Lord Mayong's awareness of his son proved keen. Mayong returned to the castle and attacked Zarrakon.
A fierce battle, the likes of which I'm told had never been seen, between demigod vampire and draconic might. In the end, Zarrakon was drained of his blood and dragged to his estate in Mistmyr, where Mayong threw him in a tower filled with blood as his only sustenance. It was only a matter of time until the defeated creature would drink. The dragon suffered a mortal death, but rose a vampiric dragon bound to Mayong, and now an enemy of the Ring of Scale.
Soon thereafter Lord Mayong learned of the Celestial Order's decision to rescind their connection with Norrath, and that as a result a great many sub-planes were to be absorbed, amongst them Mistmyr. He quickly carried out a plan that ensured the survival of his estate. It was expunged from Hate and placed within a pocket dimension with no connection to its former parent plane of Hate, thus saving it, but at the cost of his ascended deific status and power. It became a planar shard known simply as Mistmyr.
Mayong began to use this shard as a place of secret solitude that was nearly impossible to locate and breach. Here he kept some of his greatest secrets and deepest sentiments and stationed his pet dragon as guard.
It would not be until well into the Age of War when Vacrul Castle would start to be constructed, after Mayong's army, including his sons and members of my own coven, defeated the weakened and isolated Muramite invaders, and named the land Vetrovia. And even later still, during the Age of Destiny, when Mayong would bring a near lifeless Zarrakon to Vetrovia. He had been slain while in Mistmyr, but his vampiric-draconic heart had not been destroyed. He would fully regenerate given enough time and sustenance.
Whatever befell the magnificent beast in Mistmyr, I for one am pleased it happened, for without it I would never have had the opportunity to lay eyes on this beautiful abomination of undeath and eternal vengeance! Now to hope Mayong is never given a reason to regret it.
Books
A Mysterious Black Tome This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This mysterious tome appears to be written in an unknown language. By the pictures in it, I would assume it's a childrens book.
A long time ago in a land not too far away a young scaled wolf went for a walk. He walked here, there, and over there. He walked high, low, and all around until he had walked as far as he had ever been. Being a scaled wolf not much scared him so he kept going.
It wasn't until he reached the trees that he noticed that the wind had started to blow. He was a scaled wolf, no wind would stop him, and so he kept walking. He had never seen so many trees before so he kept walking.
The wind began to howl and still he kept walking. Nothing was going to scare this little scaled wolf. He walked past animals that he had never seen before. He watched strange animals fighting other animals that he knew to be friendly to him. The strange ones ignored him because he was too little. He kept walking if a little more slowly.
He walked towards a large ravine wondering what would be in such a place when the wind began to blow so strongly that his little top scales began to quake. Then a burst of wind grabbed his little top scales that acted like little sails and sent him flying. He flew through the air with such speed but his little armored body lacked any grace. Like a thrown rock that had not to worry about his landing, this little scaled wolf knew no fear even if he did curl his legs into his body.
He passed hills and ravines. Past trees and grass until he saw his home approaching him rather fast. He closed his eyes and landed with a loud thud that echoed throughout the land. When he opened his eyes and looked up he found his mother staring down at him in his little crater. Maybe he would stay home the rest of that blustery day. Tomorrow is soon enough to go walking again.
Books
a Thexian log book This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
Our work in the Lesser Faydark goes well. With each passing day we become closer to discovering the mystery of the artifact hidden here by the monk Wu. I'm quite confident that our spies here will soon obtain enough information to make a full assault upon the monk camp, allowing us to claim those lands in your name.
The monks there are not as weak as we originally had expected. The additional arms and provisions you have approved and sent will only speed our efforts. I assure you that we shall have the item in our possession soon, be it by hook or by crook.
You shall find a detailed account of our findings in the pages that follow within this log.
In your service,
High Dragoon N'Mar Acting Command, Lesser Faydark Forces, Faydwer
Books
At Low Tide This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
While there is no proof that the sea creatures inhabiting the lower regions of the Edgewater Drain are markedly larger than their sea-going counterparts, there is a difference in color between the Drains' creatures and those of the sea. Entry One Put book away.
The sewers have always existed beneath the city of Freeport. Over time, they have grown to encompass an area that is as large as the city itself, as well as extending beyond the city's borders. One of the natural boundaries of the sewer system is the sea, into which the sewers drain. Entry Two Put book away.
At the point where the sewers enter the sea, the salt water from the sea mixes with the effluent flowing through the sewer. While in general the flow is out from the sewer into the sea, when the tides are high, sea water will wash backward quite some distance into the Edgewater Drain. As a result of this tidal flux, several sections of the Drains are underwater. Entry Three Put book away.
As the mixture does not affect the gnomish machineries which help facilitate the outward flow of the effluent, there has never been any reason to stop this inward flow of sea water. Inevitably, with the sea water come sea creatures of various types. Over time, a number of creatures have remained locked in the Drains for so long as to develop slightly differently than their ocean-going counterparts. Entry Four Put book away.
The main difference, though, is primarily a subtle change in skin color. For example, observe the needleteeth and you will note that they are primarily a muddy brown color. Needleteeth are often found at the junction of fresh or brackish water and salt water. The needleteeth of the Drains are quite large, possibly due to the reduction in the their natural enemies that survive in the Drains. Entry Five Put book away.
There are numerous forms of crabs in the Drains. They are no doubt attracted by the feeding opportunities amongst the organic litter. Besides the natural by-products of city dwellers, many merchants dump unsold products directly into the sewers. Also, although we hate to mention this, the unsavory elements also deposit...organic waste...directly in the sewers. As the material decomposes, it forms the perfect food for creatures such as the sludgewalkers and even rockshells. Entry Six Put book away.
The organic matter has another effect upon the creatures in the Edgewater Drain. As it decomposes, this matter attracts various fungi and goo which will go through periods called a "bloom" when they are much more abundant that normally. Usually, this occurs when the usual high tides do not occur, allowing waste products to accumulate. The excess fungi and goo will fight for resources with the sludgewalkers, which will drive the sludgewalkers further into the water. Entry Seven Put book away.
As the sludgewalkers begin to invade the normal territory of the rockshells, these turtle-like creatures will themselves turn to deeper parts of the water, displacing other creatures. If the cycle does not revert, meaning if a high tide does not occur at this point, the creatures will begin to crowd one another, resulting in intense internal fighting for territory. Entry Eight Put book away.
This will initially benefit the hardiest creatures, such as the piranhas and sewerfins, but eventually they will run out of smaller prey. If they turn on each other, only one will survive: the sewerfin, which can swallow a piranha in one gulp. Sewerfins will not generally eat their own kind, and having outlived all other creatures in the depths, would starve to death. Entry Nine Put book away.
Fortunately, such an event has not occurred, although we are always checking the numbers of the various creatures, starting with the lowest forms of life. If their levels remain stable as they are today, then the larger creatures will also survive. Entry Ten Put book away.
While mucking around the lowest sections of Edgewater Drains may not be a lifestyle for everyone, consider this: it is the lowest point of the Freeport sewer system. As an item washes downwards through the sewers, provided it is not masticated by gnomish gears, it may be found amongst the litter. Think of time spent in the Drains as a treasure hunt, and the hours will fly past! Close Book.
Books
Bootstrutter's Field Guide to the Misty Thicket This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
The Misty Thicket: Many refer to this land as the Enchanted Lands, but I prefer the name of old, The Misty Thicket. The land here has changed drastically, what once was a fertile land surrounded by steep cliffs and a lake to nowhere is now an island of just a portion of its former majesty. The isolated haven once provided safety to the halflings, but since the Rendering this land has no natural defenses and it has begun to be tormented by fiends the likes of which Norrath has never seen.
Bobick: This quiet seaside dockyard was built where the Great Stream used to caress the banks of the Misty Thicket. In Old Antonica Bobick was a flourishing fishing village. In this age the halflings have erected a dockyard to fish from the Seamist Coast as well as provide mooring for ships that rarely arrive. Bobick was named after the legendary shipwright and adventurer Fiddy Bobick. A descendant of his still operates the dockyard in a hostile land.
The Wreck of The Guppy: The Guppy was once the stout sturdy sailing vessel ever engineered by the legendary Fiddy Bobick. The Guppy was built to sail the far seas and carry Fiddy and his adventuring friends to wondrous lands. Eventually Fiddy deconstructed and rebuilt The Guppy inside of Rivervale to use it as his dwelling. Ages past and after the cataclysms the halflings attempted to reconstruct the boat to cross the Sea of Mist. Unfortunately they were not shipwrights. Many halflings drowned as The Guppy sank barely a stones throw from the dock.
Bumble Thorn Flower Patch: The flowers that bloom within this patch are said to be of magical properties. This must surely be so as legend uncovered have placed the elusive halfling draconic sage called the Drafling as the sower of these seeds. Further evidence of his magic exists in the form of a sentient scarecrow that believes he his the defender of this tiny blooming village.
The Goblin Ward: This is a massive wooden totem built by the Runnyeye Goblins. Apparently the goblins empowered the great totem with some of their greatest powers in hopes that it could ward away the evil spirits that they believed were going to arrive in their territory. Whether this ward performed its function is unknown without at first knowing which spirits the goblins foresaw. What is known is that this is a comfortable place for grogged down halflings to nap.
The Gullet: This tunnel was carved into the steep ridge of the vale foothills of Kithicor by halfling engineers. It was a great feat that no doubt employed the direction of a dwarven miner's guild. The Gullet was one of two great tunnels leading into the halfling city Rivervale. The natural defense of the steep hills kept the isolated vale safe from the dangerous wilds beyond.
Rivergate Cascade: This is a grand waterfall that falls from an outlet high in the steep foothills of Rivervale. The water trickles out from an outlet that links to the mysterious grotto workshop of the legendary Fiddy Bobick. A river within Rivervale runs into Rivergate to power the machines of the great shipwright. The water then runs from the outlet to create this wondrous cascade.
Fay Isle: This little bit of land is plopped out along the southeast coast of the Misty Thicket. When I first arrived at this spot it was filled with a flurry of light, dazzling to the eye and hypnotic to the senses. As I drew closer I found the isle filled with golden fairies of good nature.
Chomper's Pond: This tranquil looking fishing hole seems like a wonderful place for a dip, but beware the ferocious Chomper lurks here! The great fish is said to have lived within the pond of Rivervale more than two ages ago! Since then Chomper has somehow found his way out into this pond. The halflings should be thankful for the voracious fish has grown considerably since the Age of Turmoil and is more than one man can handle in a fight for his life.
Shortwine Burrow: The hills and dales beyond the great timber guard of the Misty Thicket are dotted with halfling burrows, but none so sweet and intoxicating to the senses as Shortwine Burrows. This plot of land was owned by the Shortwine family and was once home to the rumberry, a required ingredient in the families award winning libations.
Berrybrook Field: Nestled between the shores of the coast and the banks of the Lazy Drain is Berrybrook Field, a small halfling shire. These halflings spent most of their days hunting and foraging for goods that would be traded amongst the stout folk, but being so close to the valuable resources also brought them close the foul stench of the goblins of Runnyeye.
Lookout Stump: Struck by lighting and with a fell of a tree this stump was the final stout oak to live. These trees of great girth provided the halflings with much of their building resources, but here the final one to fall was transformed into a deputy lookout post. As seasons past the lookout soon became a stage. For ages halflings have come here to proclaim intellectual thoughts and even shouts of goblin curses.
Seridd's Sanctum: Also known as Seridd's Pond this watering hole was once the retreat of a powerful halfling druid named Seridd Barkfoot. Seridd would come here to reflect upon his many adventurers of his youth. Recently reports have surfaced that tell of the water coming to life. Some say portions of the pond have evolved into water elementals. Some say that Seridd actually made the pond using water elementals to fill the basin. With the absence of Seridd the elementals have no one controlling them. Tall tales?
The Misty Mine: Within the wall of a cliff can be found the entrance to Misty Mine. This mining complex is filled with dangerous twists in turns all created by the Stonebrook family. They became obsessed with the minerals of Norrath and records tell of them spending days on end hacking away inside that mine, in a crazed frenzy that became larger everyday. It was as if they were engulfed by the spirit of some berserker dwarven miner, but this is far from Kaladim.
Honeybugger Burrow: Honeyjum was known in ages past as a valuable elixir created through manipulation of jum jum, a bixie building material. The secret of honeyjum was kept by the Honeyjum family of the Misty Thicket. Their burrow still sits in the far shire, abandoned and waiting for the return of the vale folk.
The Goblin Pass: This is a wide pass ascending into the North Hills. Here a massive battle took place between a single powerful Halfling druid and a small army of goblins. Bones, armor and weapons have once been embedded deep into the ground and have since been covered with silt and overgrowth. Two Goblin towers have been erected on either side of the pass atop hills. Avoid this pass at all costs.
Bog Mountain: Bog Mountain is a tall rocky spire, second in height only to the great mountain that holds the village of Rivervale. This is actually a large rock formation not a true mountain. It is somewhat steep, but can be scaled. The ground is somewhat damp and mucky. Small depressions gather stagnant water and form mucky mini bog ponds of only ankle depth at most. Within the slippery mountainside rests the goblin fortress Runnyeye Citadel, its presence is hinted at by goblin smokestacks that once pumped black smoke into the sky as below was forged the weapons of war. The black skies have stopped, but the goblin presence has not. Beware Bog Mountain.
Fellowship Tree: When I first encountered this plot of land I was stumped. There around a single rare cherrychum tree were a few gravesites. What is odd about this is not the rare cherrychum tree, but the graves. These graves were more akin to humans than stouts. I finally discovered that this is the resting place of a noble few allies of Rivervale's past. Their last wish was to be buried upon the enchanted lands of the Misty Thicket.
The Foul Stench: Like the belch of bog giant or the flatulence of the ravenous god Grum, this body of stagnant water taints an otherwise enchanted land. The conventional and arcane forging going on within Bog Mountain has seeped into this large pond and has left it viscous, pungent and toxic. The Foul Stench is no place for anyone other than a goblin to dip into.
Bogbottom Mill: The Bogbottom family built this great mill during the end days of the Age of Turmoil. Their love of revelry and song brought them to river's edge to erect this mill. Here they would spend day and night producing some of the finest lutes and flutes the world has ever seen. Unfortunately the Bogbottom's vanished while researching the legendary bard Kelkarn. Their absence has given the goblins a new outpost within the Misty Thicket.
The Gates of Runnyeye: If one is so brave or foolish to delve along Bog Mountain they may just happen upon a dark tunnel. This tunnel is the pathway to a mighty door leading into the goblin fortress Runnyeye Citadel. The door is one of great beauty and of mysterious design. The designs are so alluring that they seem out of place amongst the crude makeshift world of the goblins.
The Glittering Mine: Far along the northern coast of the Misty Thicket can be found these mines. For many ages these mines were the nesting ground for the glittering mushrooms, magical mushrooms found nowhere else on Norrath. In the darkness of the tunnels the magical mushrooms grew and were foraged by the halflings. Unfortunately the mushrooms stopped growing and after the final one was picked the tunnels were mined for more conventional resources such as ore.
Camp Ghobber: Named after a great halfling marshal, this defiant halfling fort was placed in the wilds of the Misty Thicket. Here the deputies would stand guard and watch over the activities of the goblins and offer protection and safe haven to those vale folk caught behind the great guard of the Misty Thicket. The fort was abandoned when I arrived, but still stands as a place of safe haven for travelers that don't mind the lack of amenities such as comfy beds and locked doors.
Winter's Deep Pier: This pier is a monument to Old Antonica. It once acted as a dock to small fishing boats of the Vale folk. This shoreline caressed the mysterious body of water called Winter's Deep. The center of this lake was veiled in an icy mist. What lies beyond was the inhospitable land called the Frigid Plains. Only the magical blessings from the powers that be kept the Misty Thicket from being overtaken by the deathly chill of the north.
Tagglefoot Farms: This was the humble abode of the halfling naturalist family of farmers and druids, the Tagglefoots. They were also members of the druidic guild called the Stormreapers, worshipers of Karana. They once existed inside the safety of Rivervale, but decided to migrate to the banks of the Trickledown to provide protection for the Three Pines, sentient trees that have existed since the dawn of the vale.
The Heart of the Forest: This is a spot in the forest where a giant depression formed in the Age of Turmoil. From that depression rose a gift from Tunare, an Elddar tree, one of the few left on this world. It is rumored that all forests have the power to sprout an Elddar sapling, but few are capable in these ages of turbulent powers. What gave birth to this Elddar sapling is unknown, but there are forces on Norrath that would pay highly to obtain or control the sapling.
The Isle of the Three Pines: This is a small island just off the east coastline near Tagglefoot Farms. On this island sit three towering pines, sentient the druids say. The massive trees are known as the The Three Pines to the Halflings. They say that they can also attack using great magic and large roots that rise from the ground. The roots once formed a bridge to the mainland, but all those magical powers have been subdued by some other force of nature or unnature.
Books
Bootstrutter's Trail Guide to the Desert of Ro This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
"Bootstrutter's Guide to the Desert of Ro," by Hasten Bootstrutter. Edited by Jergo Wheybringer. This book describes the changes to the old Desert of Ro to give travellers fair warning of what to expect in these hostile lands. Next page.
Introduction: The Desert of Ro was previously mapped as three distinct sections: the Northern Desert of Ro, the Oasis of Marr and the Southern Desert of Ro. The impact of the Shattering and the Rending on these areas has rendered them virtually unrecognizable, though there are several key areas that remain. This trail guide addresses some of these areas, though your best travel guide is always common sense. Previous page. Next page. Close the book.
Many consider deserts to be vast, empty wastelands of dust and sand. Taking a little extra time to be mindful of one's surroundings, one will begin to see the full range of color and beauty that only a desert can offer. The gentle coloration of the natural flora and fauna is soothing, with pale grey-green sages flowing into the soft golden sands. Bursts of color, such as the Oasis of Marr, can seem almost blinding after the simple desert palatte. Previous page. Next page. Close the book.
The Oasis of Marr: Previously situated between the Northern and Southern Deserts of Ro, the Oasis is a burst of vibrant color now located near the docks at which the Guppy II made landfall. And though the Oasis is a respite from the heat of the desert, it is by no means a safe haven. The shifting lands have brought old dangers closer by removing the natural barrier of the desert sands. Previous page. Next page. Close the book.
Orc Highway: Several portions of this major north-south route still exist. It remains a dangerous area for non-orcs to traverse and is best avoided by those travelling alone. Parts of the Highway lead between overhanging cliffs that are sure to provide cover and concealment to the orcs that still call this region home. Previous page. Next page. Close the book.
The Brigand's Boneyard: The former Deserts of Ro are not empty. Aside from the various crocodiles, caimans and sand giants, there are also a variety of small camp sites. Some of these are occupied at all seasons, while others seem to be intended for travellers. One would be wise to refrain from assuming that an empty camp is an abandoned one. The presence of various camps can be beneficial, as some of their residents are traders, willing to exchange goods for coin. Previous page. Next page. Close the book.
Sunken Spire: Though desert winds can reshape the lands with impressive speed, not all traces of ancient times are easily destroyed. After a particularly heavy windstorm, several spires appeared at various locations throughout the Desert of Ro. As soon as they became visible, however, a second storm quickly reburied many of them, though there are one or two that remained above the shifting sands and are still visible to this day. Previous page. Next page. Close the book.
The Chimney: At a distance, one can only see the dunes of a desert, stretching forever toward the horizon. Close up, as we have learned, there are places of deadly beauty as well as relative calm. While admiring the vista is useful for identifying one's surroundings, one must also be wary of what may lie directly beneath one's feet. Insect life abounds in the arid climate, with many of the world's deadliest spiders and scorpions found only in the Desert of Ro. Previous page. Next page. Close the book.
The Eye of Anuk: The shifted lands have created underground caverns so deep that the light of day barely touches them. Within one of these deep caves, one will find a door to the past -- a past so dark that I cannot imagine what lies behind it. Something waits beyond in a palpably brooding silence. Previous page. Next page. Close the book.
The Croc Caves: Several chimney spires in the sea attract one's attention with their distinctive columnar shapes. At the base of one set of spires, several crocodiles lay still in the water, their eyes following every movement. Several boulders near the entry appeared to be clawed and scratched, as though something large had moved them at some point while passing through. Could Lockjaw still be alive after all these years? While no direct evidence of his presence was seen, it is said that crocodiles are extremely long-lived. Previous page. Next page. Close the book.
The Twin Tears: The Oasis of Marr is not the only source of fresh water in the Sinking Sands, as this area is now called. Two large pools separated by a ridge of sand are rings of greenery on the desert plateau. Avoid the dry bone skeletons which inhabit the area and climb this ridge. The views are marvelous, looking toward the surrounding sea and the Pillars of Flame. If you chance upon the carpet merchant before coming to this spot, you will find your purchase quite useful. Previous page. Next page. Close the book.
Maj'Dul: The city is spectacular, rising high above the desert floor. There are various factions in the city that make it difficult to traverse with any safety. For my part, I have apparently offended the Court of Coin and needed to retreat to my ship. The Maj'Dulians are unyielding in their code of law, no matter how obscure such laws are to outsiders, or "barrashar," such as myself. Still, this is a beautiful place in its own way and I look forward to returning to the serpentine Port of Tears someday. Previous page. Close book.
Books
Bootstrutter's Trail Guide to the Desert of Ro This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
"Bootstrutter's Guide to the Desert of Ro," by Hasten Bootstrutter. Edited by Jergo Wheybringer. This book describes the changes to the old Desert of Ro to give travellers fair warning of what to expect in these hostile lands.
Introduction: The Desert of Ro was previously mapped as three distinct sections: the Northern Desert of Ro, the Oasis of Marr and the Southern Desert of Ro. The impact of the Shattering and the Rending on these areas has rendered them virtually unrecognizable, though there are several key areas that remain. This trail guide addresses some of these areas, though your best travel guide is always common sense.
Many consider deserts to be vast, empty wastelands of dust and sand. Taking a little extra time to be mindful of one's surroundings, one will begin to see the full range of color and beauty that only a desert can offer. The gentle coloration of the natural flora and fauna is soothing, with pale grey-green sages flowing into the soft golden sands. Bursts of color, such as the Oasis of Marr, can seem almost blinding after the simple desert palatte.
The Oasis of Marr: Previously situated between the Northern and Southern Deserts of Ro, the Oasis is a burst of vibrant color now located near the docks at which the Guppy II made landfall. And though the Oasis is a respite from the heat of the desert, it is by no means a safe haven. The shifting lands have brought old dangers closer by removing the natural barrier of the desert sands.
Orc Highway: Several portions of this major north-south route still exist. It remains a dangerous area for non-orcs to traverse and is best avoided by those travelling alone. Parts of the Highway lead between overhanging cliffs that are sure to provide cover and concealment to the orcs that still call this region home.
The Brigand's Boneyard: The former Deserts of Ro are not empty. Aside from the various crocodiles, caimans and sand giants, there are also a variety of small camp sites. Some of these are occupied at all seasons, while others seem to be intended for travellers. One would be wise to refrain from assuming that an empty camp is an abandoned one. The presence of various camps can be beneficial, as some of their residents are traders, willing to exchange goods for coin.
Sunken Spire: Though desert winds can reshape the lands with impressive speed, not all traces of ancient times are easily destroyed. After a particularly heavy windstorm, several spires appeared at various locations throughout the Desert of Ro. As soon as they became visible, however, a second storm quickly reburied many of them, though there are one or two that remained above the shifting sands and are still visible to this day.
The Chimney: At a distance, one can only see the dunes of a desert, stretching forever toward the horizon. Close up, as we have learned, there are places of deadly beauty as well as relative calm. While admiring the vista is useful for identifying one's surroundings, one must also be wary of what may lie directly beneath one's feet. Insect life abounds in the arid climate, with many of the world's deadliest spiders and scorpions found only in the Desert of Ro.
The Eye of Anuk: The shifted lands have created underground caverns so deep that the light of day barely touches them. Within one of these deep caves, one will find a door to the past -- a past so dark that I cannot imagine what lies behind it. Something waits beyond in a palpably brooding silence.
The Croc Caves: Several chimney spires in the sea attract one's attention with their distinctive columnar shapes. At the base of one set of spires, several crocodiles lay still in the water, their eyes following every movement. Several boulders near the entry appeared to be clawed and scratched, as though something large had moved them at some point while passing through. Could Lockjaw still be alive after all these years? While no direct evidence of his presence was seen, it is said that crocodiles are extremely long-lived.
The Twin Tears: The Oasis of Marr is not the only source of fresh water in the Sinking Sands, as this area is now called. Two large pools separated by a ridge of sand are rings of greenery on the desert plateau. Avoid the dry bone skeletons which inhabit the area and climb this ridge. The views are marvelous, looking toward the surrounding sea and the Pillars of Flame. If you chance upon the carpet merchant before coming to this spot, you will find your purchase quite useful.
Maj'Dul: The city is spectacular, rising high above the desert floor. There are various factions in the city that make it difficult to traverse with any safety. For my part, I have apparently offended the Court of Coin and needed to retreat to my ship. The Maj'Dulians are unyielding in their code of law, no matter how obscure such laws are to outsiders, or "barrashar," such as myself. Still, this is a beautiful place in its own way and I look forward to returning to the serpentine Port of Tears someday.
Books
Dalron's Small Black Book This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
Making the One You Love Love You Written by: Dalron Pinot
This book is dedicated to all the ladies I've loved, who have loved me back.
-Your eyes are so beautiful they must be prismatic. -I'd cross Lavastorm for you. -The gods must have returned to Norrath, because you are a gift from Erollisi. -I'd reassemble the Shattered Lands for you. -Will you be my heritage quest? -Hey baby, do you speak Tik Toc? Because we really click.
-Was your father a Vah Shir? Because he stole shards of Luclin and put them in your eyes. -You must be a coercer, because you've charmed me. -Cazic help me, I fear I'm in love! -I must look like Lucan, because you've got my eye. -Grr. Bark. Bark. Grr. Bark. That means "I love you" in gnoll. -Your father must be a Ranger cause he sure brought home a fox.
Books
Dalron's Small Black Book [extended edition] This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This book is dedicated to all the ladies I've loved, who have loved me back.
-Your eyes are so beautiful they must be prismatic. -I'd cross Lavastorm for you. -The gods must have returned to Norrath, because you are a gift from Erollisi. -I'd reassemble the Shattered Lands for you. -Will you be my heritage quest? -Hey baby, do you speak Tik Toc? Because we really click.
-Was your father a Vah Shir? Because he stole shards of Luclin and put them in your eyes. -You must be a coercer, because you've charmed me. -Cazic help me, I fear I'm in love! -I must look like Lucan, because you've got my eye. -Grr. Bark. Bark. Grr. Bark. That means "I love you" in gnoll. -Your father must be a Ranger cause he sure brought home a fox.
-Are you a healer? 'Cause I just scraped my knee falling for you -Was your mother Jal'Raeth? 'Cause honey, there's nothing else on Norrath like you! -Your eyes are bluer than the Ocean of Tears, and baby, I'm lost at sea! -Are you a monk? 'Cause honey, your body is really kickin'! -Do you have S.O.W.? 'Cause you've been running through my mind all day! -You must have great heat resists - 'cause you are smokin'!
-Is your momma Anashti Sul? Because I'd die and come back to life for you, baby. -You must be a shadow woman, because you’ve possessed me. -Can I have your picture so I can show Santa Glug what I want for Frostfell? -People call me Dalron, but you can call me Tonight! -I'll be No-Trade, if you make me your man! -Are you a follower of Solusek Ro? Because you've got me so hot under the pauldrons!
-You must work at the Butcherbiock Docks because you’re rocking my boat! -Did you know I moonlight as a Brokenskull pirate? I'd like to see yar booty! -I need to be banished, because you put a lot Anashti thoughts in my head! -You Coercer! You’ve possessed my essence with just one look! -You're the Master II of ladies! -If you leave, you'll break my heart into Shards of Love!
-You're prettier than a female Troll pirate! -You give me exploration exprience every time you enter the room! -If l've done anything to offend, I’ll be a Paladin and make Amends! -I hope I’m smartlooted, so you get me every time! -My heart is your house item and you've made it grow 3 times its size!
Books
From Daughter to Father This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
A competent bookbinder is a valuable resource who can restore any book that's had pages removed.
From Daughter to Father - Page 1 (looted in The Lesser Faydark)
From Daughter to Father - Page 2 (looted in The Lesser Faydark)
From Daughter to Father - Page 3 (looted in The Lesser Faydark)
From Daughter to Father - Page 4 (looted in The Lesser Faydark)
From Daughter to Father - Page 5 (looted in The Lesser Faydark)
From Daughter to Father - Page 6 (looted in The Lesser Faydark)
From Daughter to Father - Page 7 (looted in The Lesser Faydark)
From Daughter to Father - Page 8 (looted in The Lesser Faydark)
From Daughter to Father - Page 9 (looted in The Lesser Faydark)
From Daughter to Father - Page 10 (looted in The Lesser Faydark)
From Daughter to Father - Page 11 (looted in The Lesser Faydark)
From Daughter to Father - Page 12 (looted in The Lesser Faydark)
Discovered on 8 Dec 2006 at 9:54:00 PST.
Dear Father, It is with a broken heart that I write you this letter. Though we have had disagreements in the past, never have I felt so hurt by what has passed between us. Some things cannot be forgiven.
I know it was hard for you when Mother died. I think a part of you shut down inside, and even though you wanted all your daughters to know they were loved, on some level you pushed us away. You built a barrier we simply couldn't break through.
Over the years, the distance between us grew. Though I don't want to blame it on any one thing, it certainly seemed as though you took more comfort in your bottle of ale than in the hugs and kisses of your daughters. You cared more about drinking than about us.
Your status in Kelethin suffered as well. You were once a noble paladin, renowned for your courage and honor. After Mother's death, none of that seemed to matter to you anymore. You gave up on your duty, just as you gave up on your own children.
It's true that we could have been better daughters. Jayla and Tayla were ever prone to causing trouble, but I think they were just expressing their grief and resentment over how cut off you seemed from us. That's not making an excuse, but rather stating a fact.
Is it any wonder that my sisters fell in with the wrong crowd? I believe their petty thefts and vandalism were a cry for help. The fact that these crimes shamed you at least forced you to express some emotion, even if it was disappointment.
I watched helplessly as the people I loved most in the world grew further and further apart. You have no idea how much it tore me up inside, Father. I don't know at what point the love you used to have for us melted away, but eventually you just seemed to give up on us all.
When Jayla and Tayla allied with the Dervish Cutthroats, I know it hurt you. But rather than try to win them back, you just pushed them away again. I tried to act as a go-between, but the wall between you was so thick that nothing I could say to either side would bring you back together.
Even so, I thought eventually our family might find some way to reconnect. Those hopes were crushed beyond words when I found out that you had offered a bounty for the lives of Jayla and Tayla. Your own flesh and blood, Father! How could you?
I can no longer argue your side. I can no longer defend what you have done. Unless you rescind this death warrant and try to make things right between us, I will have no contact with you after this letter. These is too much pain and distrust, Father. The next move is up to you.
I will join my sisters at their camp in the forest, where I will try to make the Nybright name symbolize something more than banditry. It will be a refuge for anyone who feels shunned by society or betrayed by the ones they care about. If this choice costs me my life as well, then so be it.
I pray that the spirit of our Mother can forgive you for what you have done. Your Daughter,Shayla
Books
History of the Hand This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
During the Age of Turmoil, Quellious, the Goddess of Tranquility, imparted a portion of the Plane of Tranquility to create the demi-plane of Serenity. Where Tranquility goverened the overall state of peace and calm of Norrath, Serenity was created to focus on the personal, inner peace of one's mind and soul. At this time, Quellious came to Master Wu the Enlightened, the only mortal at the time to achieve true enlightenment through a lifelong dedication to tranquility. She raised Master Wu to demi-god status and charged him with the stewardship of the Plane of Serenity and to serve as her emissary of Peace.
Then the invaders to the Planes of Power came. The lesser planes began to blink out of existence as their energy was needed by the greater planes to withstand the assault of the power-hungry mortals. With heavy heart, Quellious came to Master Wu and told him the energy of the Plane of Serenity was needed by the Plane of Tranquility in order to survive and that she would have to reclaim it. Wu knew that this had to be, but asked Quellious for just a small portion of the energy that he may create a planar artifact to further the case of Serenity among the mortals. Quellious agreed to this and Wu set to work.
Master Wu created the Hand of Serenity, a special katar made of five blades. Although it functioned as a weapon, its purpose was much more as a teaching device than an instrument of destruction. Each of the five blades represented an aspect of Serenity and had its planar symbol etched onto it: Peace, Order, Balance, Harmony, and the central, great blade Tranquility. With just an expert's touch, the five blades could fly open like a fan to demonstrate each individual concept, or swing together to form one harmonious and stronger blade.
Master Wu took the Hand of Serenity and descended to Norrath in order to bestow it upon mortals. He entrusted the blade to the monks of the Ashen Order at their refuge in T'Narev and instructed them that they were to champion the cause of Serenity. They must be the teachers of the world.
The Hand of Serenity was protected by the Ashen Order from generation to generation, used in teaching and instructing in the matters of peace and serenity. It wasn't until the Battle of Defiance at the closing of the Age of War when the Hand would be carried into battle to fight alongside the forces of good. During the raging battle, the Hand of Serenity struck the Avatar of War with such cosmic force, the katar shattered into its five blades.
Following the great clash, the elders of the Order realized that Serenity was truly missing from the world. They decided that to best spread the word of Peace, Tranquility, and Serenity that they would each take one of the five shattered blades and go out into the world to spread the word of Quellious. They designated a time when they would all come together once again just as the blades would when they were whole. However, when that time came only one of the elders would return to the humble walls of T'Narev. That elder would set out again to the lands of Kunark to find the others. He was never seen again...
Books
Ignatia Cellus' Family History Book This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
I am trying to compile the Cellus' family stories into remembrances of what was and how it has changed over time. If you bought this volume and its covers were removed, know that the seller is probably keeping out the good bits for him or herself! Entry One Put book away.
I am sure that some of my family's writings still exist elsewhere in Norrath. Unless they were destroyed in the Shattering or as mentioned before, held back by unscrupulous vendors. Whatever portion of this tome you have, cherish it and remember the Cellus family of Qeynos. Entry One Put book away.
My name is Ignatia Cellus and my story is nothing like the tale of Isabella Cellus, my grandmother. She lived in a time of relative peace, while I am in a world besieged by terrors unimaginable. The undead rise up outside Qeynos and we all fear for our -- Entry Two Put book away.
-- lives. Thank the gods for Kane Bayle, commander of the Guard. His guidance will surely lead Qeynos through this dark time! He has ordered the Guard to watch every possible entry to Qeynos, which means longer shifts and journeys far from home. I am in the Guard and, fortunately, patrol -- Entry Three Put book away.
-- inside the catacombs near the Guild Halls. There is a strange odor in the air; it is the smell of death. The dead are piled high and cannot be buried, for there is no one to stand guard over the mourners and keep them safe. The undead appear -- Entry Four Put book away.
-- in waves that we cannot repel easily, as there are so many of them and so few of us. With the Guard trying to keep Qeynos' entrances safe, there are not enough to do other tasks. I do not remember the last time I slept at home. This is exhausting. Entry Five Put book away.
Alas! Finally, I was able to return to my home in South Qeynos, only to find such sorrow. The block of homes on my street were filled with the dead. The patrol in that quadrant had not reported in a fortnight, so I was sent to check on them. My mother -- Entry Six Put book away.
-- is one who died of this horrible plague that seems to rise from beneath us. Captain Keldrane has been sent to investigate the deepest areas of the Catacombs. Commander Bayle asked me personally to escort the unarmed to safety in Qeynos Hills. Some have said this will -- Entry Seven Put book away.
-- spread the Guard too thinly, but Commander Bayle doubtless knows more than the general populace. I trust his judgment. He would never betray Qeynos, never! Meanwhile, I am happy to leave the city; being here reminds me too much of -- Entry Eight Put book away.
-- the family and friends I have lost. I am accompanying a group of non-combatants out of the city to a secret place known only to my family until now. I hope we will be safe there. I did not tell the commander of this place, but I know our family's stronghold will not remain secret or hidden for long. Close book
Books
Ilene Cellus' Family History Book This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
I am sure that some of my family's writings still exist elsewhere in Norrath. Unless they were destroyed in the Shattering or as mentioned before, held back by unscrupulous vendors. Whatever portion of this tome you have, cherish it and remember the Cellus family of Qeynos. Entry One Put book away.
Good thing Ignatia had the sense to hide her journal. When all the Books of Knowledge were destroyed, some folk took that a bit further and destroyed every book they could find! My mamma said to me, "Ilene, where do you go and spend all your days?" but I didn't answer. I don't want her to know about -- Entry One Put book away.
-- these books I found from the War of Plagues and before, or she'll burn them before I finish reading them. It's so interesting to know some of the thoughts my ancestors had so long ago. They didn't know back then that the gods were going to leave -- Entry Two Put book away.
-- and everything would be so awful. Mamma said the gods left behind hope, but I'd rather have the gods. When I pray, I want to know there's something listening. We live up in Qeynos Hills. Sometimes, we go to Qeynos, but always in a big caravan because of -- Entry Three Put book away.
-- all the orcs. First it was one or two, but lately there's more and more of them. It makes mamma and papa nervous and they talk about moving back to the city. I like the Hills, though. Except for the stupid gnolls. That's one thing that hasn't changed, they still -- Entry Four Put book away.
-- come up now and again. There's a lot of northerners coming to Qeynos Hills too. I don't know how we'll all survive, with those orcs coming in from the east. We spend a lot of time in caves -- Entry Five Put book away.
-- hiding. I can't stand it. Someday, I'm going to go where there's nothing but grass and sky and you can see forever! Or near the sea! That would be good, too. We get fish sometimes out of the lakes, but they're pretty scrawny. All the food -- Entry Six Put book away.
-- is scrawny. We go sometimes to get acorns and roots. When there's a deer or something big, we eat every last bit! In fact, papa just went out to get -- Entry Seven Put book away.
-- some wood so we can make soup out of the bones mamma saved. I haven't been allowed outside for months; the grown-ups say it's too dangerous. There's no one to hear our prayers which makes it lonesome. Oh! I hear them coming back already! I hope he's brought me -- Entry Eight Put book away.
-- he's dead! An orc hiding near the waterfall killed him! My uncle tried to save him, but nearly died as well. What will we do? How'd the orcs get so close in? We're going back to Qeynos tonight, mamma says -- I have to hide the books. Close book
Books
Journal of Wu, Seeker of Enlightenment This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
Long have I traveled across Norrath, trying to learn all I can about our world and its inhabitants. There is much to see and experience, and too often the citizens of the various empires close themselves off from anything beyond their own borders.
The road to enlightenment is long, and though solitary in nature, one still needs a guide to keep on the proper path. I looked to the writings of Zan Fi, a wise monk who not only mastered all forms of combat but learned that the battle within is much more crucial than the fight against any opponent.
It has been my honor to share what I have learned with others when I can. Just as Zan Fi's writings were of benefit to me, I hope that my words bring aid and enlightenment to those who wish to undertake a similar journey. If they do, then my presence in this world will have had meaning.
Of the many places I have seen, the forest known as the Lesser Faydark is pf particular interest to me. Though at first glance it is but a sleepy shadow of its more expansive sibling, there is an air of magic and wonder here that transcends even the Greater Faydark.
I believe part of this forest's uniqueness is due to the touch of planar and extra-dimensional forces. The presence of the gods is strong here, and the fact that both Tunare and Cazic-Thule have manifested themselves in this place has touched everything from the flora to its inhabitants.
In this forest, light and dark intermix to form shades of grey. Orcs and bandits are drawn here, as are the magical fay races and even the rare unicorn. But there are also odd dichotomies, such as the brownies who serve the power of Growth yet strike with great wrath at any outsider, no matter their purpose.
The mysterious shadowed men are also drawn here. After much study, I now believe they are attracted to sources of great power on Norrath and perhaps other worlds. Though initially, they assume no visible form, I have seen some others lurking here in dark places and now believe these beings may be of the Void itself.
It may be that the mingling of good and evil here makes this place what it is, and these powers hold each other in check. I feel as though this forest will always be in conflict, and even if one side would seem to prevail, its nemesis will be waiting for its turn to take hold and shift the balance once again.
Books
Legends of the Dragons This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
A competent bookbinder is a valuable resource who can restore any book that's had pages removed.
Legends of the Dragons - Page 3 (plundered from a chest at -333, -104, -176 in The Sinking Sands)
Legends of the Dragons - Page 5 (plundered from a chest at -2022, -244, 312 in The Sinking Sands)
Legends of the Dragons - Page 6 (plundered from a skeleton at -173, -97, -574 in The Sinking Sands)
Legends of the Dragons - Page 7 (looted in The Sinking Sands or The Pillars of Flame)
Legends of the Dragons - Page 12 (looted in The Sinking Sands or The Pillars of Flame)
Discovered on 21 Sep 2005 at 12:45:11 PDT.
Compiled by Morasca Jumman
There are many stories and legends told about dragons. Presented here are some tales of the Twin Dragons.
In the long ago, dragons did not dwell in the deserts. Though dragons passed through, they found the heat displeasing and so did not linger.
Over time, dragons of one sort or another paused under the burning sun and considered making the inhospitable regions their home.
In the end, however, they continued to move on to other, greener lands.
There were many changes throughout the lands, changes in the air and sea, on the land and deep within it.
And soon, the dragons came to make their home. At first one, silver like a heatwave on the desert sands, Siyamak he was named for he was silver as moonlight.
Some saw a dragon gliding through the air by day and noticed its scales were not silver, but liquid gold.
Many believed that this was a trick of the light, the sun changing the appearance of Siyamak's scales.
Other realized that not one but two dragons had come to live in the desert.
No one knew where they had come from, though it was obvious that they had arrived by some magical means. People looked to the skies and watched for them, as on occasion, the dragons had pursued travelers into the canyons and devoured them whole.
Now, the gold dragon is named Barakah, for it is a dragon of brightness and light. Her scales are gold like flame yet her voice is as cold as ice.
She has no love for those who are not of her kind, but her ire seems directed mainly at the Shimmering Citadel's djinn.
The Sandfang gnolls tell a different story about the dragons. According to one of their legends, the dragons were bred as arena champions by a gnoll who had hoped to use them to infiltrate the city.
Once the dragons were challenged however, they destroyed their handler and fled to the desert.
This might explain why the Sandfang gnolls are quite fearful of the dragons.
When a dragon is aloft in the Sinking Sands, the gnoll lookout will give a particularly high-pitched call to alert the other members of its clan. They will then retreat to what shadows they can find until the "all clear" sign is given.
While the naga have no particular tale about the dragons, there is a curious truce between them.
It is said that when the dragons are about, the naga are more fearless as though they anticipate assistance from these flying beasts.
This unusual behavior may be explained by further examination of the history of the naga, which is not related here.
There are many other tales of the Twin Dragons, including a most improbable fable that they can change their shapes at will.
Sound you encounter them, be wary as there is no way to know the truth of their origins and thus, their intentions.
It is obvious that there are many point of view on the Twin Dragons as there are sand in the desert.
Choose which legend to believe, for it seems no one can agree on their origins.
Books
Qeynos Guard Logbook This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
A well-kept log emblazoned on its cover with the symbol of the Qeynos Guard.
0600 - Nothing to report. Streets are quiet. 1000 - Resolved a quarrel between a shopkeeper and an unruly customer. Customer was simply asked to leave. 1200 - All is quiet. 1800 - Change of guard.
0600: Wolves in the distance. No danger appears to be present, however. 0700: The sound of wolves turned out to be the baying of gnolls. Alerting the guards at the gates. 1100: The scouting party has been spotted returning from their search for the gnolls. Gnolls were not found. It appears they retreated. 1200: All is quiet. 1300: Minor disturbance near the Temple of Life. Turned out to be dogs fighting. 1800: Change of guard.
0600: Scouting party mustering near the gate, looking for the gnolls that were spotted last night. 0800: Scouting party has left. Burglar apprehended near the docks while attempting to flee. 1200: Adventuring party came through the front gates, several injuries. 1300: Scouting party has returned! They killed several gnolls, with minimal damage to themselves. 1600: Lone howling in the distance. It appears one of the gnolls is angry. 1700: Caught a shadowknight attempting to kill the koalindl fish near the Temple of Life. A paladin was nearby, who offered to help clean up any dead fish. I found it suspicious. 1800: Change of guard.
0600: More howling. It's been happening fairly regularly according to the night watch. 0700: Attack on the front gate!! A lone gnoll charged the gate, shouting that we would all pay for ruining his land. The gate guards drove him off, but his attack was unexpected. 0800: A few citizens asked about the gnoll attack. Really, the attack was comical on hindsight. One gnoll? 1200: All is quiet 1500: A child was lost in the marketplace. We found him near the front gates. 1600: Change of guard. Change was interrupted! The gnoll attacked again! He shouted something about the Sabretooth clan, and ran toward the gate again. Once again, he was soundly defeated. Hopefully that will be the last.
0600: Several night watch have remained on duty to see if the gnoll will make another run this morning. 0900: We weren't disappointed! The gnoll attacked again! We just left the gate up to see what he would do. He ran around the base of the gate for a while, and several of us jeered him. 1000: Persistent! He stayed for the better part of an hour. He finally exhausted himself, and left. 1200: All is quiet. The gnoll is the talk of the entire squad. 1300: Two of the guar. fell ill. We're attempting to space out the remaining guards to cover their watch. 1500: He's returned!! Fippy Darkpaw is his name. He shouted again that he would make us all pay. I can't stop laughing! 1600: Change of guard. I'm staying around for a while. I want to see if he comes back.
0600: The night watch captain doesn't find this as comical as we all do. He has a point - this kind of courage isn't normally found in the gnolls. We've been ordered to kill him. 1200: All quiet. I'm hoping Fippy stays away. I don't want to have to kill him! 1400: FIPPY IS BACK! He once again shouted his presence, and is charging the gate. And... it is done. The archers made several hits, and Fippy fell to the ground. It should be over. We're sending out a group to collect his body. 1500: Amazing! The soldiers sent to recover Fippy could not find the body! Did Fippy survive? 1600: Change of guard. On a personal note, I have to admit that I respect the bravery of Fippy Darkpaw. However, the night watch captain's words are true. What if he were to inspire the other gnolls into similar action? I shudder to think.
Books
The Enemy Within This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
A dusty old tome emblazoned with the official symbol of the Knights of Marr.
It is curious that this tale has captured me so. It may be due to the nature of the story and my appreciation of traitorous tales, but something stronger seems to keep calling me back. I should try to investigate more about Sentry Selena. ~R.E.
Sir, the full account of the night in question is included in this report, but I must put the acts of that fateful night within context. Selena's previously impeccable service record demands it.
~Sentry Bartle
Sentry Selena had been a high knight within the Sentries of Passion, stationed here at Freeport's Temple of Marr, for years. Sentry Calum was one of the Sentries of Passion under her.
Two weeks before Lover's Moon, an attack was run upon our mighty temple by the followers of Hate. It was a swift and, I must admit, well executed attack that could have been devastating to the Temple of Marr, had it not been for the heroic act of Sentry Calum.
As Sentry Calum recalled later, "I had just struck down one venomous attacker, when I caught the sight of a spell blast heading directly for Sentry Selena. She was entwined with an attacker herself, and could not see the spell that was fast approaching her. I flung myself at the spell without a second thought."
Sentry Selena had supported this tale, claiming, "I turned and saw Sentry Calum take the brunt of the spell. Behind him a Priestess of Hate had then appeared. Casting the spell must have interrupted her invisibility spell. If it were not for his courageous act, I would surely have fallen to the Priestess of Hate."
She went on to say, "I knew not if he had been taken by Drinal or if he was just unconscious, but his heroic act inspired me. I was renewed and fought with an unbridled passion from that moment. The tides of the battle were quickly turned. He is to be commended."
But, of course, now one had to wonder if she was not hit by it or affected by it in some way. It was never established what type of spell it was that Sentry Calum intercepted. What we do know is that, although Calum showed no sign of life, he woke refreshed and fully healed, as if he had been simply napping.
He told all, "I had felt the spell burn and wrench my body with searing pain, and then darkness swallowed me up. I know not how long it lasted, but it was broken by a vision. In it, a woman of unequaled beauty and grace enveloped me in her light and laid a kiss upon my forehead. Her voice was like a song, but I can not recall the words she spoke."
An unusual agitation was noted within Sentry Selena upon the times that she overheard Calum recalling his take to fellow knights or the initiates within the temple. Most dismissed it as a show of her discomfort at being reminded of the unfortunate attack, but now we must bring this into question.
Then, upon the night of the Lover's Moon, as the temple was in the height of celebration with much wine and song, Selena and Calum both excused themselves. They were both fully aware that a tryst would violate their vows of dedication to the Holy Siblings, but evidence collected from within her private quarters leads us to conclude such an act occurred.
It was during the dead of night, while most of the temple's occupants, guards, priests, and pilgrim celebrates alike, were sleeping away the effects of heavy libation and revelry that the guards on duty later reported having heard a sudden cry within the temple. I can attest to this, as I heard it with my own ears.
It was the cry of ultimate suffering! The sudden sound of anguish carried far upon the still night air and the halls of the temple reverberated with the pain in that single scream. Those of us on guard set out to find the source of the cry, but we were finding it difficult, due to the echoing effect.
A young pilgrim man, celebrating his first Lover's Moon with another, awoke from his slumber in one of the upper floor alcoves. He was about to dismiss the cry as a trick of his ears or that of a fellow reveler when he spotted a woman on the main floor in sentry guard armor approach the temple's guard shrine to the Goddess of Love.
She laid an object upon the shrine, but he could not make it out, as her position blocked it from his view. He then heard her say, "He is now all yours, Erollisi!" As she stepped away, he was able to identify the object -- it was a man's head!
But the pilgrim must not have been the sole witness, as a male sentry attacked her from the side. He was later identified as Sentry Plossen, another knight on duty that fateful night. She cut the attacking guard down quickly, the violence of which frightened the pilgrim fiercely. He froze, stricken with fear and shock, as he watched her walk from the shrine, laughing and taking pleasure as she cut through every guard she encountered.
The trail of bodies she left was shocking, even to the most seasoned.
In Sentry Selena's quarters, a grisly scene awaited our discovery. Sentry Calum had been stabbed repeatedly through the heart and his decapitated body left disrobed and discarded on the floor, framed in a heart drawn with his own blood, his head resting amongst the offerings upon Love's grand shrine, defiling it.
Sentry Selena has not been seen or heard from since that night.
I have full confidence that, if anyone, a contingent of your Knights of Truth will be able to pick up her trail and deal with her in the appropriate means.
May the Holy Twins bless you.
~Sentry Bartle
Books
The Forbidden Pages This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
A collection of notes pertaining to the founder of the Swifttail Caste.
The Forbidden Pages - Page 1 (shinies in Charasis: Vault of Eternal Sleep)
The Forbidden Pages - Page 2 (shinies in Charasis: Vault of Eternal Sleep)
The Forbidden Pages - Page 3 (shinies in Charasis: Maiden's Chamber)
The Forbidden Pages - Page 4 (shinies in Charasis: Maiden's Chamber)
The Forbidden Pages - Page 5 (looted from Impaler Tilug in Charasis: Maiden's Chamber)
The Forbidden Pages - Page 6 (looted from Praetor of the Phylactery in Charasis: Vault of Eternal Sleep)
The Forbidden Pages - Page 7 (looted from Drusella Sathir in Charasis: Maiden's Chamber)
Discovered on 8 Feb 2008 at 3:20:52 PST.
A collection of notes regarding or written by Grandmaster Tynn, founder of the Swifttail Caste.
"These pages have been deemed forbidden and possession of them is punishable by death. The destructive words and ideals of Tynn must not come to harm the Empire of Ik."
-- Sairox, High Record Keeper of Sebilis.
Nothing is known of this legendary iksar prior to his emergence from the jungles of the northeast Kunark only five years after the great Venril Sathir had united our tribes. He came with a superior knowledge of the combat arts and filled with a strange calm that came from the complete balance of body, mind, and spirit. He solicited the emperor to allow him to create a caste of monks that he could train to perfect themselves and better his people.
"The Emperor Sathir was wary of my proposition to train others in the ways of enlightenment. It was apparent that he wanted to control what his people were taught to insure that they did not rebel against him. However, he was intrigued with the notion presented and set his best warriors upon me. I was unwilling to fight. I did not come to the court of Sebilis as entertainment, but to teach my people how to better themselves through focus and training. When reminded of this the emperor just scoffed and commanded his men to attack. It was because of my great desire to bring enlightenment to my people that I did what the emperor wanted..." -- Tynn
"It was amazing! I saw one iksar stand among the many fallen in Sathir's court. With blinding speed and power, this wanderer, Tynn, dispatched many of the emperor's elite warriors with his bare claws! As he fought, powerful bursts of energy and force exploded from his fists, feet, and tail as if he was consumed by an unexplainable power. All the while his face and posture told the story of one that was completely calm and focused amid the chaos of battle." -- Anonymous courtisan of Sebilis.
Official Announcement
The Exalted Emperor Sathir, in his great wisdom, has desired to better his people by instituting the formation of the Swifttail Caste. Newly appointed Grandmaster Tynn will select from the best that the Sebilisian Empire has to offer and train them in the ways of superior combat. This is a glorious day and all will benefit from the benevolence of our emperor! All hail the great Venril Sathir!
"The students you have sent me do not wish to perfect themselves. My teachings have been perverted and my ways disregarded. They are only concerned with how to punch harder, kick faster, move swifter. They have come to call the sparring grounds the 'Court of Pain', and established a tier system to rank themselves, so that they can glory in their own accomplishments in defeating one another. I know not if it was ignorance or out of insult that made them use my name for the highest rank, but the irony is not lost on me. I cannot teach those that are unwilling to listen."
-- Grandmaster Tynn to the Emperor Sathir
"Grandmaster Tynn has left us. He just rose up in the middle of another one of his useless lectures on meditation and walked off into the jungle. Good riddance, he had outlived all of his usefulness. We have learned all that grayscale had to teach us. We still have his writings on form and his diagram for something called the Claw of Instruction. Maybe someone will get around to constructing that." -- Anonymous student at the Court of Pain in Cabilis
Books
The Great Flood of Blackburrow This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
"The Great Flood," a personal observation by a nameless traveler. The pages were apparently compiled based on his (or her) journal. Entry One Put book away.
The route through the Blackburrow of the gnolls from Everfrost is dark, twisting and deep. I have quite often gotten lost as I do not use any source of light. That would reveal my presence to the cursed gnolls. My business is my own, taking me through these dark passages every fortnight. Entry Two Put book away.
My home is Halas of the North. My business takes me to Qeynos Hills and for that reason alone, I must suffer the trek through the stench of the gnoll pits. Sometimes I will send ahead my pet wolf Silkie to find sport in the darkness. She enjoys the exercise, for the gnolls cannot outrun her. I can follow their cries and need not use any of the dark methods I have learned to see in the dark. Entry Three Put book away.
On this journey, Silkie and I found the snows melting by day and freezing at night. Daggers of ice hung from the rocky outcroppings, sometimes breaking off and shattering on the ground below with a loud crack. Her tail between her legs, her ears darting back and forth, Silkie panted and paced, uneasy. Her troubled behavior made me uneasy as well. Entry Four Put book away.
At the entrance to the tunnels, we found the gnoll guards had abandoned their posts, leaving behind nothing but the cold embers of their watch fires. There used to be snow at this level, but there was not. The ground was moist with melting snow. Silkie refused to enter the tunnel until I threatened her. Then she scuttled ahead sideways, like a crab, trying to see both ahead of us and behind. Entry Five Put book away.
Down we went on our usual route, encountering nothing. The tunnels were silent, but for the constant drip-drip-drip of water in the dark. As we emerged from one narrow tunnel into a wider space, Silkie whimpered and whined, her misery echoing around the chamber. "Be still!" I commanded her. She fell silent and I was aware that the entire world had gone silent as well. Entry Six Put book away.
Suddenly came a large rending sound that shook the marrow of the mountains and threw me and Silkie to the ground. She scrambled to her feet and ran howling away through the darkness. I lay pressed against the rocky ground, hugging it as though I could stop its convulsions. Finally, it grew still. "Silkie!" I called into the silence. She did not answer. Entry Seven Put book away.
No, Silkie did not come at my call, though I could still hear her terrified, high-pitched whimper echoing. Then she fell silent and I heard something else -- a roar that I have never heard in those tunnels before. It reminded me of the scream the snow makes as it tumbles down a mountainside on a sleigh of ice. A roar covered in velvet. Entry Eight Put book away.
I too scrambled to my feet, but with the unseen roar echoing through the chamber, could not know which way to turn. I began my enchantment, though my teeth chattered. A heavy wind rushed into the chamber, bringing with it the smell of generations of foul gnolls from somewhere deep in the Blackburrow. It broke my concentration and my spell dissipated before I could cast. Entry Nine Put book away.
And then the water surrounded me. It tumbled me over and over like a pebble on the sea shore. I could not tell what was skyward and which way led to death in its depths. The waters rushed onward, as frantic as I to find an outlet. After an eternity, the waters threw me onto an unseen ledge near the roof of the cavern before swirling away. Entry Ten Put book away.
Though I lay on the ledge for days, the water did not drain. I was finally able to cast my light-giving spell and saw the ruin of the cavern below. My thoughts lay on my certain death and I was bitter and angry to die like a gnoll and not with honor in battle. I would not die unsung. You who read this, know that the world was shaken and I survived. For a little while. Close Book.
Books
The History of Humans This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
Through my own experiences, I have gained knowledge and insight into humans. Reread Story Close.
Each part of this history tome can only be completed in its own time. Read Story 1 Read Story 2 Read Story 3 Close
This is the story of two cities, the cities of men: Qeynos and Freeport. They stand on islands that used to be part of a larger continent of Antonica. One is in the east and the other in the west. They are both different, yet share something in common: they are created by humans. Continue Story 1 Close
Humans were found mainly in and around the plains of Karana in the center of Tunaria. To the west, Qeynos was founded by Antonius Bayle the First. It was founded by strong, noble people who believed in the ways of law and order. In the east, the city of Freeport developed into a dangerous port for those venturing into the Ocean of Tears. Its leader, Sir Lucan D'Lere, consolidated his leadership over the city through various strategic alliances. Continue Story 1 Close
It is ironic that the studious Erudites, who were descended from humans, began the Age of Turmoil through the uncovering of lost arts. Their battles caused chaos and changed the lands. Change can be frightening, and the reaction of many to fear is heightened violence and suspicion to anything that is different. Continue Story 1 Close
Freeport was filled by riots as frightened and greedy citizens struggled for control in North Freeport. This civil unrest occurred near-simultaneously with the arrival of the Dreadnaughts, although this could be pure coincidence. Continue Story 1 Close
In Qeynos, violence within the city began in earnest with the War of Plagues. The undead, corrupt citizens and soldiers attacked the city from all sides. Finally, the citizens were able to repel the invaders and cleanse itself of the evil which had crept into it. Close
As a result of the two cities' years of strife, they both seemed to withdraw from the world at large. Battles raged on during the ensuing Age of War, and humans took part, but the focus of the many wars seemed to be the other races of Norrath. The humans of both Qeynos and Freeport knew that whether the other races fell or repelled their attackers, they would soon receive their share of the fighting. It was no surprise when armies of orcs began to assail both Qeynos and Freeport. Continue Story 2 Close
The Battle of Defiance raged on both fronts for several days. In the end, both cities survived, but at the cost of many hundreds of lives. The citizens knew as well that they had not entirely defeated their enemies, only driven them away. Continue Story 2 Close
The Word of the Tranquil was first heard around this time. While its origin is uncertain, it is undeniable that many mortal beings dreamt of hearing these words: "When the shadows are broken and fire rains from the sky, seek refuge within the cities of men." Continue Story 2 Close
At first, the rumblings of the mountains and the changes in the sea were thought to be simple anomalies. As the years passed, it was clear that an Age of Cataclysms had befallen Norrath. The Cataclysms were of all types: earthquakes, flooding, and the inconceivable melting of Velious. The seas became too treacherous to travel and many parts of the world began to collapse into the caverns of Subtunaria during this time of Rending. Continue Story 2 Close
Then a small earthquake allowed the turbulent seas to enter a small cavern formed by the collapse of Subtunaria. It was like the ripping of threads and could not be stopped until the churning waters poured through and broke Antonica apart. Close
Through this time, the cities of Qeynos and Freeport managed to survive on their respective chunks of the former Antonica. Qeynos called its new environs "New Antonica" while Freeport declared its new continent would be named "D'Lere." Continue Story 3 Close
As though these changes were not enough, Luclin exploded without warning. Some survivors who saw the event with their own eyes were blinded by the white-hot light at the moment Luclin shattered. Continue Story 3 Close
This event was known as "The Shattering." Within days of the explosion, Norrath was pummeled by burning chunks of rock. Entire villages that had made it through the Rending were flattened or burned to the ground. Continue Story 3 Close
For the next several seasons, the skies continued to cry burning rocks that hissed in the roiling seas or crushed and burned whatever they fell upon. It was a dark and dangerous time. Eventually, the seas and skies calmed. The citizens of Freeport and Qeynos began the task of rebuilding their cities. They were soon joined by other races, as folk whose homes and lands had been destroyed sought refuge. Continue Story 3 Close
With the influx of so many new faces, the cities, so long the strongholds of humans, are becoming more diverse. And as always, it is the humans who adapt the quickest to these changes. Who knows what is in the future for Qeynos and Freeport? Close
Books
The Idol of Mor'Tael This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This book was taken from the haunted halls of Nektropos Castle.
My great, great grandfather was a rich man, rich from the trade we deal in. Norrathians knew little of our market, but those who have the most to offer know the path to such markets. The great trade city knew us as dealers of delights. But behind the mask of toys, the House of Everling makes its true fortune. My great, great grandfather was the richest of all Everlings and his fortune fed us for generations. Unfortunately for us, his fortune was made from the cursed curios that we deal. Sometimes these trinkets do not wish to be sold. Sometimes these trinkets decide to purchase you.
My great, great grandfather was Vulrandis Everling, Merchant Lord of Freeport. He traveled far and wide to import the most wondrous toys for the wealthiest children and children at heart. He and his expedition team would often be gone for long spells of time. His dedication to the family business was unparalleled. During his time, many Everling manors rose. No Everling before him had ever done so much for the prosperity of the house. While in these far off realms he also acquired his true commodity, the cursed curios.
In the House of Everling, with great prosperity comes great risk. So the greater the wealth, the closer to misfortune you are. While amassing a vault of worldly trinkets there sometimes come a time when things that are not of this world creep before you. Sometime this is never known and the trinkets are passed on without a clue. Such an object is the Idol of Mor’Tael, but it did not choose to be haggled away like other trinkets. It waited long for Vulrandis to discover it in oblivion.
Everling expeditions are always dangerous and a few lives are often lost, or sacrificed. Such is the price to acquire such wondrous gifts. But never has there been a doomed expedition such as the one that sent us the Idol of Mor’Tael. It was ages ago, on a dark stormy day that Vulrandis kissed his wife and children goodbye for the last time. He and his team were setting sail for an isle in the south, an isle located in the Buried Sea. It was said that on this isle a phantom tower sometimes appears. Inside this phantom tower is rumored to be cursed treasures no one should seek, no one save an Everling.
Family records show that Vulrandis and his team reached their destination. How this is known is by the odd strongbox that appeared before the toy shop one morning. It was long after his departure, 18 months as it is recorded. Before this, the house knew something was wrong. No expedition ever took so long, not even the dreaded Expedition to the Serpent’s Spine Peaks. Something terrible had definitely happened. But here before the toy shop on a cold Freeport dawn lay a final gift from Vulrandis, a final gift and a final word.
"Dear family, Do not seek me for I am in oblivion. We have found eternal torment in the Tower of Rot. I offer our lives in exchange for this gift to my house. The masters of the manor shall all own the Idol of Mor’Tael. The legion of the one merchant shall be chosen and eternal prosperity shall rule the House of Everling."
Books
The Maiden of Masks This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This book has been restored to pristine condition by the book binder. Mysteriously, the notes written by Tabbin on each of the pages have disappeared completely.
The Maiden of Masks - Page 2 (quest reward from Paying Off a Tab: Fish Fry in Fens of Nathsar)
The Maiden of Masks - Page 3 (looted from The Sadistic Bartender in The Estate of Unrest)
The Maiden of Masks - Page 4 (plundered from page at -144, 46, -79 in Kaladim)
The Maiden of Masks - Page 5 (awarded by Jysolin Nerala in Greater Faydark)
The Maiden of Masks - Page 6 (awarded by Rumdum in The City of Freeport)
The Maiden of Masks - Page 7 (awarded by Bartender Blestbarrel in Rivervale)
The Maiden of Masks - Page 8 (awarded by Ahzeem the Bartermaster in Maj'Dul)
The Maiden of Masks - Page 9 (quest reward from Paying Off a Tab: Redecoration in Antonica)
The Maiden of Masks - Page 10 (awarded by Molly Daysun in Qeynos Province District)
The Maiden of Masks - Page 11 (awarded by Tibby Joopin in Kylong Plains)
Discovered on 7 Feb 2008 at 12:38:29 PST.
The Maiden of Masks
Tifanah Jespar was born during the Age of Enlightenment to a noble lord and lady of Qeynos. At a young age, Tifanah's father, Lord Jespar, succumbed to a deadly plague, leaving Tifanah and her mother alone and without income. Unable to deal emotionally with the loss of her beloved father, Tifanah would dress in her parents' clothing to temporarily take on new identities and play out make-believe roles so she wouldn't have to face her own pain.
The Lady Jespar sought to maintain her standard of living she had become accustomed to while her former husband was alive and profiting from sound merchant and business practices. The beautiful widow initially had many suitors because of her prestige and wealth, but Tifanah's strange play-acting, made up stories, and her fondness for wearing masks of her own creation would scare off all of the upper class men that came calling on her mother. This would only further add tension between the mother and daughter's strained relationship.
As a young lady in her early teens, Tifanah had the occasion to see a traveling troupe of Antonican Bard actors that came to Qeynos. The elaborate customes, the accepted, even applauded make-believe acting, and the ability to tell a story of imagination all greatly appealed to the youth who chose to hide behind masks. She stowed away with the troupe for a time hiding in the costume coach as it pulled out of the city. It wasn't until they were in the Highpass Mountains on the way to Highkeep that she was discovered.
The bards weren't too keen on finding another mouth to feed, especially one that couldn't really help pull her own load, but the kindly costume seamstress said she'd look after the young one. The troupe didn't have the money to turn back to Qeynos, so far out, but feared they would be accused of kidnapping. It was agreed that Tifanah could stay with them, for safety, but only until their regular circuit brought them back to Qeynos. They also quickly dispatched a letter through the bard mail service to her mother to explain the situation.
The seamstress, having no children of her own, happily took to teaching Tifanah costume making. Tifanah learned the art of sewing, tailoring, and using makeup to achieve many different fanciful looks. The other bards took to the young lady and taught her singing, acting, even a smattering of simple magic spells. She would also learn of Fizzlethorpe Bristlebane, god of Mischief and patron god of entertainers.
During all this time though, Tifanah would not speak of her own past and would instead make up fanciful stories. Each bard in the troupe heard a different tale. No one knew for sure just exactly what her family did for work, how many siblings she had, or even her favorite color. The Antonican Bards were sad to part ways with Tifanah when they came back to Qeynos, but as a gift they let her play a role in her final play with the troupe.
Back at home, Tifanah refined the lessons she was taught, and her stories and costumes got more and more elaborate. The Lady Jespar's finances were running low and her plan was to get Tifanah married off to a wealthy young man of a prestigious family in Qeynos. Tifanah would have none of it thought. She didn't want to marry or become one of those boring, giggling women of the court. She wanted to assume new identities and focus on the magical skills she discovered while with the troupe.
When the Lady Jespar would arrange a meeting between her daughter and a suitor, Tifanah would always assume a new role to scare off the young man. She would make her face hideous with makeup, or create costume dresses that made her look extremely large, or wear ratty clothes that made her look poor. Tifanah took great pleasure in thoroughly running off the boys with her creations.
In the meantime, Tifanah studied magic. She was particularly fond of magic that could change her appearance and sought to master as many illusions as possible. She became so proficient at her illusions that not even her teachers could see through them. Tifanah loved to trick her teachers by assuming the likeness of other students or colleagues and playing tricks on them. Then one day Tifanah would just disappear. No one knew where to look for her, and didn't even know of where to start. Every once in a while the Lady Jespar thought she noticed a stranger here and there would give her an odd look, but she could never be sure who it was.
As a young adult, Tifanah would be exalted by Fizzlethorpe Bristlebane to become the demigoddess of an extension of the Plane of Mischief, the Sphere of Illusions. She would take the title "Maiden of Masks" and was said to be especially protective of young women who sought their own role in life, and not the one intended for them by others. Young children who had tearfully lost a beloved parent sometimes found a small masquerade mask under their pillow in the morning, or spoke of a beautiful masked lady who hugged them and let them cry in the middle of the night.
Books
The Maiden of Masks, Incomplete This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This very incomplete book was given to you by the bard, Tabbin Juniper.
The Nights of the Dead - Page 6 (shinies in Maj'Dul)
The Nights of the Dead - Page 8 (plundered from a vase at -200, 147, 66 in Maj'Dul)
The Nights of the Dead - Page 10 (plundered from a basket at -77, 150, -132 in Maj'Dul)
The Nights of the Dead - Page 11 (shinies or looted in Maj'Dul)
The Nights of the Dead - Page 13 (plundered from a basket at -159, 138, 151 in Maj'Dul)
The Nights of the Dead - Page 15 (plundered from a basket at -183, 138, 151 in Maj'Dul)
The Nights of the Dead - Page 16 (shinies or looted in Maj'Dul)
The Nights of the Dead - Page 17 (shinies or looted in Maj'Dul)
The Nights of the Dead - Page 18 (shinies or looted in Maj'Dul)
Discovered on 13 Sep 2005 at 13:01:16 PDT.
An anonymous tale dedicated to the children of Maj'Dul
Long ago, the dead came to homes of the people of Ro, seeking that which they could not find in life. The legacy of their search still live on.
"Hurry, Barak, they will come soon!" Anisa jumped excitedly, the pomegranates in her basket in danger of flying out at any moment. "I want to see them first this time! Hurry!"
Maj'Dul's shops were closed and the streets nearly empty. When the sun set within the hour, the dead would arrive.
Barak secured the last urn to the tent pole and nodded to his sister. "All right, Anisa, we can go. Do not lose the fruit or we will have nothing to offer the dead."
"I am always careful," said Anisa with a scornful toss of her head. Still, she quickly counted the pomegranates. They were all there: one each as an offering from their mother, father, Barak, and herself.
"Let's take the shortcut," Anisa said, running down the cobblestone streets leading toward their home. She pushed the handle of the basket as far up her arm as it would go and started to climb one of the lattices that led to the rooftops.
Barak grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back down. "No, silly, we must enter the house by the front door tonight; even you know that."
The dead had been coming every night at the same time for the past several days. At first, the residents were terrified and barricaded themselves indoors, but the dead pounded on the doors until they broke. After the first two nights, it was just simpler to leave what doors were left open so that the dead could enter unimpeded.
No one knew why they came or when they might cease to return, but this was the seventh night and from the excited cries of the children in the highest tiers of the city, it was clear that the dead were already approaching.
All the families in the neighborhood had talked of what the dead might want; tonight, they were all putting out candies and fruits for them.
Barak took Anisa's hand and ran so that they could be inside their home with their offering.
"Come inside, quickly," their father said when he saw the pair running down the narrow street.
As usual, the adults were in a panic over the visits of the dead. Several guards and some residents had tried to prevent the dead from entering the city, but they were quickly overcome.
To most of the children, however, this was a special occasion. Amongst them, an almost party-like level of excitement reigned.
"We bought the last of the pomegranates!" Anisa shouted, dropping the basket on the carved table, then throwing her arms around her father's waist. "Papa, they'll like these. They're red like blood!"
"Hush, Anisa," her father said nervously, pulling her further into their darkened home. "You should not say such things. The dead must not be encouraged!"
"If I were dead, wouldn't you want to see me again, Papa?" the little girl asked plaintively, then she gave an excited yelp for the first of the dead had arrived at their door.
Barak sat on the floor beside their mother, who had covered her face with her head scarf, rocking back and forth and praying that the dead would not harm them.
"Sit down, Anisa," he said, "Don't get Mama and Papa upset."
Anisa sat, but not still. She fidgeted and squirmed, trying to see where the dead were going.
They walked unseeing past the basket of fruit on the table and continued into the bedrooms.
Anisa pouted. She wanted to get a knife and slice open one of the reddish fruits; perhaps if the dead saw the insides of it, they would remember the delicious taste of pomegranates.
Her father had a firm grip on her upper arm, however, and though he was not quite in the same state of terror as her mother, it was clear that he would not let her leave his sight.
The dead ambled through the house, idly opening chests and urns.
They up-ended a cask that contained ground barley to the floor to peer into it. The dead then left pale, floury footsteps in their wake which made Anisa giggle.
Finally, the dead wandered back out, apparently not having found what they wanted. The air in the house seemed stale once the last of the dead had left. The adults would still not move.
Anisa wriggled free of her father's grasp and ran to the door to see which way the dead had gone.
She could hear the weeping of other men and women down the street and frowned. The dead did no harm; why was everyone so scared?
"But they didn't want the pomegranates, either," she mused. The dead were much like adults, she decided: impossible to please.
Anisa watched the last of the dead disappear at the end of their street before shutting the door. Oh, well, the dead would return the next night, and perhaps by then she would have another idea of what they might like.
The next night, however, the dead did not return. This time, Barak and Anisa had climbed onto their roof at sunset to watch for them, they did not come.
Speaking with their friends the following day, they learned that the dead had not been seen wandering outside the city's gates either.
Perhaps they had found what they were seeking after all?
"I know a new game we can play," Anisa told the neighborhood children. "Let's dress up like the dead and go from house to house tonight! Everyone will let us in and try to give us something good, like pistachios or dates or candy!"
Remembering how the barley flour had turned the dead's footsteps while, she added, "Let's all put flour on our hands and faces to be pale, like the dead!"
Barak laughed at the sight of his little sister covered with flour. He helped her use charcoal to put dark circles beneath her eyes.
"Now it's my turn!" he said and Anisa eagerly applied the flour and charcoal to his face.
Just before sunset, a handful of adventurous children from their streets started playing the game. They took turns pounding on their families' doors and demanding entrance.
Some of the adults found the children's new game in poor taste. Many of them were simply relieved that night when the poundings on their door turned out to be a group of children clamoring for a treat. "At least the dead did not frighten them," these parents said to one another. Over time, the ritual spread from their neighborhood throughout the city, where the Nights of the Dead are now a popular annual holiday.
Books
The Pirate Queen and the Map This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
This book is titled "The Pirate Queen and the Map". It is the first book in the five part series starring the Pirate Queen as the hero.
As the bow of the ship sliced through the waves, there was no mistaking the markings on the sails. Known throughout the Shattered Lands for being a terror on the high seas, this vessel was none other than the Painted Harpy. Though notorious from Karan to D'Lere, there was only one thing more feared than this ship, and that was her captain - The Pirate Queen Alta.
Never a more daring woman, Alta was as dangerous as she was beautiful. She crewed her ship with the most dastardly men to ever walk the deck and always paid them a fair share of the plunder. But the one treasure they wanted was always off limits. For if ever a pirate were to approach her with less than honest intentions (and that's saying much for a pirate), the Pirate Queen would show them what happened to those unfortunate men.
Hanging from the main sails of the ship were the withered corpses of all the pirates who tried to woo the Queen. Challenging the swarthy pirate to a duel, the Pirate Queen would see to it that her opponent was not only defeated, but was humiliated before they died. Then, to keep the warning fresh in the crew's minds, their bodies would rot from the beams of the ship.
For you see, no matter how much gold would be plundered from other vessels that dared to brave the turbulent ocean, there was only room for one thing within the heart of this nefarious pirate. For many years, she sailed the world in search of the one thing the she desired more than gold and silver - the Rubicite Heart.
The Rubicite Heart was a gem larger than anything Norrath had ever seen before. Having first heard the tale at a tavern on the docks of Freeport many years prior, she would dismiss it as being another story told over a pint of ale. Thinking nothing of it, she continued making a living boarding other ships and taking her share of ill-gotten gains.
Not until she would plunder and scuttle a merchant ship bound for a small island outpost known as the Far Seas Trade Isle would she again hear about the Rubicite Heart. Not finding anything of value on the ship she proceeded to keelhaul the ship's captain, careful not to kill him, until he eventually confessed to the true treasure stowed away on the vessel.
The only thing him and his crew were bringing back to their headquarters was a book and a map. She ordered the crew of the ship to all walk the plank, then set fire to the schooner. Ordering her helmsman to keep sailing until they found another merchant vessel, she locked herself away within her cabin and began perusing the book.
Reading the book, she learned that it was the journal of an adventurer that lived long ago. This nameless fortune-hunter would travel far and wide looking for all manner of treasures. Though he managed to find quite a number of priceless artifacts, the only one that managed to elude him was a gem worth all of relics combined - the Rubicite Heart.
She continued to read about how he had found it in a forgotten temple deep within a dark jungle. Recording his journey, he described in detail how he overcame numerous traps and eluded the guards of this ruin. By the time she was done, Alta was convinced this gem was not only real, but it would be her ticket to retiring from her pirating ways.
Just as she closed the cover of the book, a great swell overtook the ship, rocking it violently. Not only was she knocked down, but the book flew across her desk, knocking over the lamp she used for light. The spilled lamp catching the map on fire, she was unable to put it out before it was burned to a crisp. Sadly, her one opportunity to find this priceless treasure had gone up in smoke before her very eyes.
Books
The Rat Queen of Vermin's Snye This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
"My Life," by Ayamia the Unfortunate, together with "An Examination of the Rat Queen," by the Scholars' Institute for Change, a non-profit organization. Quotations are liberally taken from Ayamia's own volume, interspersed with logical explanations where necessary.
"Chapter One -- How I Came to Live in the Vermin's Snye." I've heard what some people say about me, and let me tell you straight away that it is not true. My husband abandoned me and I had no choice to but to find a place to live with my children. Our landlord, wretched human scum, turned us onto the streets! I am not as young as I once was, but I am resourceful. By living below, my children and I would be out of the elements. We could find a cozy place to call our own.
"Analysis of Chapter One." Clearly, the subject is in denial of her current status. Her husband is recorded as "Lord Selien" so obviously, the subject was a woman who lived in comfort. Her reference to being turned out of her home is correct, but only to the extent that her increasing madness led her to bring to her husband's home all manner of vile creatures, referring to them as her "children." Upon her husband's death in battle, his family shunned the subject, which further isolated her, causing her to seek shelter elsewhere.
"Chapter Two -- My Children." I am blessed with seven sons, all in the peak of their strength and youth. The eldest is Varion. He looks remarkably like his dear, departed father. I wished to name all my sons in such a way that their names began with the same letter, but my husband forbade me. He relented when I became ill at the birth of our youngest, Voland. I am so blessed by Tunare! Seven sons! My only regret is that I have no daughters, but I am not complaining, for my sons will carry on the name of their father's house.
"Analysis of Chapter Two." Again, the subject tells some of the truth. She did indeed bear seven sons, the first and last of which are named as indicated. And, she did fall ill upon the birth of her final son, rendering her unable to have other children. The subject lay ill for nearly a year, during which time her sons were raised by her sister. When she regained her health, the subject had her sister arrested and executed for treason before she resumed her motherly duties.
"Chapter Three -- A Time of Hardship." Our move to the catacombs was not without its troubles, of course. My children needed me more than ever, clinging to me in the seemingly perpetual darkness beneath the city streets. We found that the crews who maintained the drains kept piles of fuel to use in the sconces set into the walls. I learned to borrow a bit of their fire to start my own. My eldest found the place I now call home by turning down a little-used side passage. The way is patrolled by roving gangs of thugs, but they left me alone. After all, I am guarded by my seven strong sons!
"Analysis of Chapter Three." Again, the subject shows her inability to separate fact from fiction. Her eldest son would not have been able to find her living area as he, together with all his brothers, perished at sea. This occurred during the Shattering, when many travellers perished. In this case, the subject had sent her sons on an errand, the nature of which has never been determined. It is generally believed that the magnitude of the loss, both personally and throughout Norrath, coupled with the knowledge that she sent them on this journey, unhinged her mind.
"Chapter Four -- The Days Grow Long." We are comfortable here, for the most part. I find that the days are sometimes long, but one of the boys will entertain me. Asrey, my middle boy, will recite tales of the distant past. I believe he will grow up to be a bard! His voice is clear and true. He loves to stand in the chambers where the ceilings are highest and sing, listening to his own voice echo. He is a good lad, as are all my sons, and I am grateful for their company.
"Analysis of Chapter Four." The subject's third son, Asrey, did have a legendary voice, even in his youth. He was often called upon to sing before the Bayle family. At the conclusion of one of these events, Lady Larinna Bayle presented him with an engraved flute. The flute was lost at sea with Asrey and his brothers. It is interesting to note that the subject retains excellent memories of the details of her children's lives, but has blocked out the single largest event that befell them -- their own deaths.
"Chapter Five -- A New Beginning." I've given up some of the fancy work I used to do before. Now that I must scrape by, I can no longer spend time weaving lace or painting miniatures. I have painted several portraits of my sons, however, that I am quite proud of. They are endlessly fascinating to me. I know it is sometimes difficult for them to live in this place, yet they do not complain. When they wander too far, I miss them terribly. Is that so wrong for a mother? After all, nothing is stronger than a mother's love.
"Analysis of Chapter Five." We were unable to determine where the subject's portraits have gone, if indeed she painted any at all. There is no record of her having been interested in miniature painting prior to her exile to the Vermin's Snye. Some of the lace she created was, however, on display at the Museum of Fine Arts until it was stolen by vandals that tied the bits to some of the rats the subject called "her children" before setting them afire. The subject became agitated and defended the rats, thus earning her title of "Rat Queen."
Books
The Rat Queen of Vermin's Snye This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
"My Life," by Ayamia the Unfortunate, together with "An Examination of the Rat Queen," by the Scholars' Institute for Change, a non-profit organization. Quotations are liberally taken from Ayamia's own volume, interspersed with logical explanations where necessary. Entry One Put book away.
"Chapter One -- How I Came to Live in the Vermin's Snye." I've heard what some people say about me, and let me tell you straight away that it is not true. My husband abandoned me and I had no choice to but to find a place to live with my children. Our landlord, wretched human scum, turned us onto the streets! I am not as young as I once was, but I am resourceful. By living below, my children and I would be out of the elements. We could find a cozy place to call our own. Entry Two Put book away.
"Analysis of Chapter One." Clearly, the subject is in denial of her current status. Her husband is recorded as "Lord Selien" so obviously, the subject was a woman who lived in comfort. Her reference to being turned out of her home is correct, but only to the extent that her increasing madness led her to bring to her husband's home all manner of vile creatures, referring to them as her "children." Upon her husband's death in battle, his family shunned the subject, which further isolated her, causing her to seek shelter elsewhere. Entry Three Put book away.
"Chapter Two -- My Children." I am blessed with seven sons, all in the peak of their strength and youth. The eldest is Varion. He looks remarkably like his dear, departed father. I wished to name all my sons in such a way that their names began with the same letter, but my husband forbade me. He relented when I became ill at the birth of our youngest, Voland. I am so blessed by Tunare! Seven sons! My only regret is that I have no daughters, but I am not complaining, for my sons will carry on the name of their father's house. Entry Four Put book away.
"Analysis of Chapter Two." Again, the subject tells some of the truth. She did indeed bear seven sons, the first and last of which are named as indicated. And, she did fall ill upon the birth of her final son, rendering her unable to have other children. The subject lay ill for nearly a year, during which time her sons were raised by her sister. When she regained her health, the subject had her sister arrested and executed for treason before she resumed her motherly duties. Entry Five Put book away.
"Chapter Three -- A Time of Hardship." Our move to the catacombs was not without its troubles, of course. My children needed me more than ever, clinging to me in the seemingly perpetual darkness beneath the city streets. We found that the crews who maintained the drains kept piles of fuel to use in the sconces set into the walls. I learned to borrow a bit of their fire to start my own. My eldest found the place I now call home by turning down a little-used side passage. The way is patrolled by roving gangs of thugs, but they left me alone. After all, I am guarded by my seven strong sons! Entry Six Put book away.
"Analysis of Chapter Three." Again, the subject shows her inability to separate fact from fiction. Her eldest son would not have been able to find her living area as he, together with all his brothers, perished at sea. This occurred during the Shattering, when many travellers perished. In this case, the subject had sent her sons on an errand, the nature of which has never been determined. It is generally believed that the magnitude of the loss, both personally and throughout Norrath, coupled with the knowledge that she sent them on this journey, unhinged her mind. Entry Seven Put book away.
"Chapter Four -- The Days Grow Long." We are comfortable here, for the most part. I find that the days are sometimes long, but one of the boys will entertain me. Asrey, my middle boy, will recite tales of the distant past. I believe he will grow up to be a bard! His voice is clear and true. He loves to stand in the chambers where the ceilings are highest and sing, listening to his own voice echo. He is a good lad, as are all my sons, and I am grateful for their company. Entry Eight Put book away.
"Analysis of Chapter Four." The subject's third son, Asrey, did have a legendary voice, even in his youth. He was often called upon to sing before the Bayle family. At the conclusion of one of these events, Lady Larinna Bayle presented him with an engraved flute. The flute was lost at sea with Asrey and his brothers. It is interesting to note that the subject retains excellent memories of the details of her children's lives, but has blocked out the single largest event that befell them -- their own deaths. Entry Nine Put book away.
"Chapter Five -- A New Beginning." I've given up some of the fancy work I used to do before. Now that I must scrape by, I can no longer spend time weaving lace or painting miniatures. I have painted several portraits of my sons, however, that I am quite proud of. They are endlessly fascinating to me. I know it is sometimes difficult for them to live in this place, yet they do not complain. When they wander too far, I miss them terribly. Is that so wrong for a mother? After all, nothing is stronger than a mother's love. Entry Ten Put book away.
"Analysis of Chapter Five." We were unable to determine where the subject's portraits have gone, if indeed she painted any at all. There is no record of her having been interested in miniature painting prior to her exile to the Vermin's Snye. Some of the lace she created was, however, on display at the Museum of Fine Arts until it was stolen by vandals that tied the bits to some of the rats the subject called "her children" before setting them afire. The subject became agitated and defended the rats, thus earning her title of "Rat Queen." Close Book.
Books
The Storm Shepherds - Darnalithenis of Felwithe This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
A competent bookbinder is a valuable resource who can restore any book that's had pages removed.
This book is from the Storm Shepherd series. It is the story of a high elf that left his home for the wilderness and his further travels across the world.
The time period after the Rending was filled with stories of tragedy, hardship, and the struggle to survive.
During this era, many people would make names for themsleves through either acts of cruel villainy or courageous sacrifice.
Some, however, would fade into obscurity never to have their tales told in a bard's song. This is the story of one of those forgotten heroes, Darnalithenis of Felwithe.
Darnalithenis was born and raised in the beautiful city of Felwithe.
Though he was groomed to join the ranks of the holy paladins that protected the city, he could never ignore the longing he felt as he stared deep into the depths of the Greater Faydark forest.
After much thought, he finally brought himself to steal away in the night and leave for the wilderness.
He would spend the next several decades living among the woodland creatures of Faydwer.
He learned the secrets of moving through the trees undetected, on how to forage food from the land itself, or when the winters were hard, to track and hunt down game for his dinner.
He enjoyed living his life being free of the constraints of the city, but he also knew that he would not be accepted amongst his kin were he to choose to return.
One day, he came up with a plan.
Darnalithenis began to make as many arrows as he could shove in his quiver.
When he was done, he gathered as much food as he could, then hiked to the western edge of the forest.
Continuing through the foothills of Butcherblock he avoided the roads, and in turn, the dwarves that guarded them. After skirting by Kaladim, the city of the dwarves, he traveled for several days.
Finally, he reached the docks that would take him to other lands - and possibly others like him.
The first place he came to was the great trade city, Freeport.
Though it was not as clean or beautiful as his home, Felwithe, it still was larger than anything he had ever seen.
He spent some time there, but not caring for the ever-increasing brutality of the guards, decided it was time to move on.
He continued to head west, traveling though dark forests, craggy mountaintops, and endless plains.
Soon enough, he reached where the land came to an end. Choosing to follow the coastline to the north, he eventually found a glade populated with people just like him.
Darnalithenis knew that his journey was now at an end, for the people of Surefall accepted him for whom he was, not what he was expected to be.
Darnalithenis spent many years living among the tenders of the glade he now called home.
He would spend his time educating those who journeyed to outlying forest on the ways to respect the wilderness.
At one point, he even joined with a group of people who were trying to stop an army of gnolls that were assaulting a nearby village.
With him leading the party on a direct path to the village, they arrived just in time to join the fray.
It was a bloody battle, and many people lost their lives, but the gnolls were driven back.
As Darnalithenis left to return to the glade, he spied the party he was with killing hundreds of woodland creatures for nothing more than their skins. In a fit of rage, he slaughtered every last one of the poachers.
When he returned to the glade, he knew that it was time for him to return to the solitude of the Greater Faydark.
Darnalithenis traveled across the continent to the city of Freeport. Someone calling himself the Overlord now ruled the city and demanded an exorbitant fee to travel across the ocean.
Darnalitenis had no plan on paying this man any fee, so in the dead of night, he stole a ship and began to sail across the ocean.
On the fifteenth day out his ship was attacked by a fleet of ships sailed by his dark cousins, the Teir'Dal.
He leapt into the ocean, swimming for a nearby island he spotted.
He would spend the next several hundred years trapped on this island.
He lost all hope of rescue, for the seas roiled with a fury that he had never seen before.
To make matters worse, the cyclopes that lived on the island with him were beginning to overpopulate.
Soon enough they would know that he lived there, too. And one day, they did.
As he gathered water from a stream, he heard the sound of the large rock flying through the air just a moment too late.
As he lay there, back broken from the impact of the rock, he watched as the cyclops lifted his foot in order to crush Danalithenis's skull.
A moment later, the Cyclops fell to the ground with a thud. Standing over the cyclops's corpse was a human, pulling a sword from the monster's back.
The man said, "It looked like you could use some help."
Books
The Storm Shepherds - Darnalithenis of Felwithe This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
A competent bookbinder is a valuable resource who can restore any book that's had pages removed.
The Storm Shepherds - Darnalithenis of Felwithe - Page 1 (shinies in Enchanted Lands)
The Storm Shepherds - Darnalithenis of Felwithe - Page 2 (plundered from a rocking chair at 528, 4, -342 in Enchanted Lands)
The Storm Shepherds - Darnalithenis of Felwithe - Page 3 (shinies in Enchanted Lands)
The Storm Shepherds - Darnalithenis of Felwithe - Page 9 (shinies in Enchanted Lands)
The Storm Shepherds - Darnalithenis of Felwithe - Page 11 (plundered from a barrel at 328, 1, -205 in Enchanted Lands)
The Storm Shepherds - Darnalithenis of Felwithe - Page 12 (shinies in Enchanted Lands)
Discovered on 2 Nov 2005 at 16:59:24 PST.
"The Storm Shepherds - Darnalithenis of Felwithe"
Second Edition
This book is from the Storm Shepherd series. It is the story of a high elf that left his home for the wilderness and his further travels across the world.
The time period after the Rending was filled with stories of tragedy, hardship, and the struggle to survive.
During this era, many people would make names for themsleves through either acts of cruel villainy or courageous sacrifice.
Some, however, would fade into obscurity never to have their tales told in a bard's song. This is the story of one of those forgotten heroes, Darnalithenis of Felwithe.
Darnalithenis was born and raised in the beautiful city of Felwithe.
Though he was groomed to join the ranks of the holy paladins that protected the city, he could never ignore the longing he felt as he stared deep into the depths of the Greater Faydark forest.
After much thought, he finally brought himself to steal away in the night and leave for the wilderness.
He would spend the next several decades living among the woodland creatures of Faydwer.
He learned the secrets of moving through the trees undetected, on how to forage food from the land itself, or when the winters were hard, to track and hunt down game for his dinner.
He enjoyed living his life being free of the constraints of the city, but he also knew that he would not be accepted amongst his kin were he to choose to return.
One day, he came up with a plan.
Darnalithenis began to make as many arrows as he could shove in his quiver.
When he was done, he gathered as much food as he could, then hiked to the western edge of the forest.
Continuing through the foothills of Butcherblock he avoided the roads, and in turn, the dwarves that guarded them. After skirting by Kaladim, the city of the dwarves, he traveled for several days.
Finally, he reached the docks that would take him to other lands - and possibly others like him.
The first place he came to was the great trade city, Freeport.
Though it was not as clean or beautiful as his home, Felwithe, it still was larger than anything he had ever seen.
He spent some time there, but not caring for the ever-increasing brutality of the guards, decided it was time to move on.
He continued to head west, traveling though dark forests, craggy mountaintops, and endless plains.
Soon enough, he reached where the land came to an end. Choosing to follow the coastline to the north, he eventually found a glade populated with people just like him.
Darnalithenis knew that his journey was now at an end, for the people of Surefall accepted him for whom he was, not what he was expected to be.
Darnalithenis spent many years living among the tenders of the glade he now called home.
He would spend his time educating those who journeyed to outlying forest on the ways to respect the wilderness.
At one point, he even joined with a group of people who were trying to stop an army of gnolls that were assaulting a nearby village.
With him leading the party on a direct path to the village, they arrived just in time to join the fray.
It was a bloody battle, and many people lost their lives, but the gnolls were driven back.
As Darnalithenis left to return to the glade, he spied the party he was with killing hundreds of woodland creatures for nothing more than their skins. In a fit of rage, he slaughtered every last one of the poachers.
When he returned to the glade, he knew that it was time for him to return to the solitude of the Greater Faydark.
Darnalithenis traveled across the continent to the city of Freeport. Someone calling himself the Overlord now ruled the city and demanded an exorbitant fee to travel across the ocean.
Darnalitenis had no plan on paying this man any fee, so in the dead of night, he stole a ship and began to sail across the ocean.
On the fifteenth day out his ship was attacked by a fleet of ships sailed by his dark cousins, the Teir'Dal.
He leapt into the ocean, swimming for a nearby island he spotted.
He would spend the next several hundred years trapped on this island.
He lost all hope of rescue, for the seas roiled with a fury that he had never seen before.
To make matters worse, the cyclopes that lived on the island with him were beginning to overpopulate.
Soon enough they would know that he lived there, too. And one day, they did.
As he gathered water from a stream, he heard the sound of the large rock flying through the air just a moment too late.
As he lay there, back broken from the impact of the rock, he watched as the cyclops lifted his foot in order to crush Danalithenis's skull.
A moment later, the Cyclops fell to the ground with a thud. Standing over the cyclops's corpse was a human, pulling a sword from the monster's back.
The man said, "It looked like you could use some help."
Books
The Storm Shepherds - Gremius Hazzengrav This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
A competent bookbinder is a valuable resource who can restore any book that's had pages removed.
This book is from the "Storm Shepherds" series. It is the story of a man raised on the streets of Freeport, his rise to notoriety, and his quest for atonement.
The time period after the Rending was filled with stories of tragedy, hardship, and the struggle to survive.
During this era, many people would make names for themselves through either acts of cruel villainy or courageous sacrifice.
Some, however, would fade into obscurity never to have their tales told in a bard's song. This is the story of one of those forgotten heroes, Gremius Hazzengrav.
Gremius Hazzengrav was born the son of simple bandage merchant in the city of Freeport.
When he was only a boy of seven years, he witnessed an exchange between his father and a member of the Freeport Militia.
He watched as the militiaman insisted that his father needed to pay more protection money. When his father insisted that he didn't have any more money, the militiaman ran a sword through him and left his corpse for the ratonga to loot.
Not having any other family, Gremius nearly starved on the streets.
He was taken in by a ratonga who taught him how to pick people's pockets as they passed by. Gremius was forced to give his guardian all of the coin he earned in exchange for a place to sleep at night.
Ten years would go by with Gremius forced to steal for food, while the ratonga did nothing and became rich. The day he turned seventeen, Gremius walked into the sleeping ratonga's room and slid a dagger into his throat. The next morning, he enlisted in the Militia.
While he was training to be a member of the city's law enforcement, he received constant praise for his dedication to the job.
The most praise would come from his drill instructor, and took Gremius under his wing. On the final training day, the soldier with the best scores would be made into an officer and the one with worst would be lowered into a pit of hungry, rabid hyenas.
As the ceremony began, Gremius was made into an officer and an unfortunate ogre was chosen to feed the hyenas.
As the drill commander put all of his weight into pushing the lever that held the victim suspended over the pit, something unexpected happened. Instead of pushing the lever, he stumbled over it and clumsily fell over into the pit, just barely catching the lip with one hand. For you see, someone had greased the lever.
The commander screamed for Gremius to help him up before he fell in. Officer Gremius walked over to the pit, looked down and said, "You killed my father ten years ago" -- and then crushed the commander's fingers with his foot.
Gremius didn't leave until the commander finally stopped screaming.
Gremius would become notorious throughout Freeport for his merciless enforcement of the law.
If a merchant tried to bluff his way out of protection payment, Gremius would kill them. If a soldier forgot to salute the image of the Overlord whenever they passed one, Gremius would kill them. If a citizen walked within the city without proper papers, he would kill them.
This would continue until the day that he tortured and killed some worshippers of a long forgotten god, Karana.
For the next several weeks, he would wake up screaming from horrible nightmares. He would dream of a wizened old man who stood in the center of a massive rainstorm. The winds would begin to tear Gremius apart until he would plead for the man to stop the rains.
When the rains stopped, Gremius could see a broken crystal sphere that floated above a pool of darkness that was slowly seeping into the ground. All around him, endless trees would turn black and the darkness would spread, moving towards the ocean.
Eventually, the darkness would surround him and finally eat his soul.
Gremius finally realized that the dreams were a vision.
Not only did the darkness represent what he had become, but within them were a clue on how he could atone for all of his past crimes.
He began searching throughout the Nektulos Forest for answers, but found nothing to give him insight on how he could "clean" the taint on his soul.
Then he remembered the pirate's stories of countless islands out within the ocean. He knew what he had to do.
Gremius began constructing a sailing vessel from the trees in the Nektulos Forest.
He spent the next year trying to build a boat to take him to the island that he saw in his vision. Having left Freeport, he was now an outlaw and would be killed on sight, or else he would have just stolen a boat from the harbor.
During the construction, he had much time to contemplate what he could to change his life around, but could never come about to a clear answer.
When he finally completed the boat, he sailed off into the Neriuss Flow.
His plan was to sail upon the turbulent ocean, stopping at island after island, until he finally found the one in his dream.
He spent many months searching island after island. On one desert isle he found to be inhabited by nothing more than numerous cyclopses, he stopped to refresh his water supplies.
As he carefully looked for water, wanting not to disturb the natives, he came across an interesting sight.
A cyclops was about to kill what appeared to be a High Elf, sharing the same physical traits as many of his countless victims. Believing this to be his chance to atone for his past sins, he came up behind the cyclops and slew it before it could kill the elf.
Not feeling the expected sense of absolution, Gremius looked at the elf and prepared to kill him in anger. Seeing the helpless person in front of him caused Gremius to remember the heinous actions he performed upon the worshipers in Freeport.
For the first time since the day he saw his father killed, Gremius felt a long-forgotten emotion. Pity.
Books
The Storm Shepherds - Gremius Hazzengrav This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
A competent bookbinder is a valuable resource who can restore any book that's had pages removed.
The Storm Shepherds - Gremius Hazzengrav - Page 2 (shinies or looted in Enchanted Lands)
The Storm Shepherds - Gremius Hazzengrav - Page 3 (shinies in Enchanted Lands)
The Storm Shepherds - Gremius Hazzengrav - Page 6 (plundered from turtle shells at 49, 2, 29 in Enchanted Lands)
The Storm Shepherds - Gremius Hazzengrav - Page 7 (plundered from reeds at 54, 15, -813 in Enchanted Lands)
The Storm Shepherds - Gremius Hazzengrav - Page 10 (shinies or looted in Enchanted Lands)
The Storm Shepherds - Gremius Hazzengrav - Page 11 (shinies in Enchanted Lands)
Discovered on 1 Nov 2005 at 12:15:32 PST.
"The Storm Shepherds - Gremius Hazzengrav"
Second Edition
This book is from the "Storm Shepherds" series. It is the story of a man raised on the streets of Freeport, his rise to notoriety, and his quest for atonement.
The time period after the Rending was filled with stories of tragedy, hardship, and the struggle to survive.
During this era, many people would make names for themselves through either acts of cruel villainy or courageous sacrifice.
Some, however, would fade into obscurity never to have their tales told in a bard's song. This is the story of one of those forgotten heroes, Gremius Hazzengrav.
Gremius Hazzengrav was born the son of simple bandage merchant in the city of Freeport.
When he was only a boy of seven years, he witnessed an exchange between his father and a member of the Freeport Militia.
He watched as the militiaman insisted that his father needed to pay more protection money. When his father insisted that he didn't have any more money, the militiaman ran a sword through him and left his corpse for the ratonga to loot.
Not having any other family, Gremius nearly starved on the streets.
He was taken in by a ratonga who taught him how to pick people's pockets as they passed by. Gremius was forced to give his guardian all of the coin he earned in exchange for a place to sleep at night.
Ten years would go by with Gremius forced to steal for food, while the ratonga did nothing and became rich. The day he turned seventeen, Gremius walked into the sleeping ratonga's room and slid a dagger into his throat. The next morning, he enlisted in the Militia.
While he was training to be a member of the city's law enforcement, he received constant praise for his dedication to the job.
The most praise would come from his drill instructor, and took Gremius under his wing. On the final training day, the soldier with the best scores would be made into an officer and the one with worst would be lowered into a pit of hungry, rabid hyenas.
As the ceremony began, Gremius was made into an officer and an unfortunate ogre was chosen to feed the hyenas.
As the drill commander put all of his weight into pushing the lever that held the victim suspended over the pit, something unexpected happened. Instead of pushing the lever, he stumbled over it and clumsily fell over into the pit, just barely catching the lip with one hand. For you see, someone had greased the lever.
The commander screamed for Gremius to help him up before he fell in. Officer Gremius walked over to the pit, looked down and said, "You killed my father ten years ago" -- and then crushed the commander's fingers with his foot.
Gremius didn't leave until the commander finally stopped screaming.
Gremius would become notorious throughout Freeport for his merciless enforcement of the law.
If a merchant tried to bluff his way out of protection payment, Gremius would kill them. If a soldier forgot to salute the image of the Overlord whenever they passed one, Gremius would kill them. If a citizen walked within the city without proper papers, he would kill them.
This would continue until the day that he tortured and killed some worshippers of a long forgotten god, Karana.
For the next several weeks, he would wake up screaming from horrible nightmares. He would dream of a wizened old man who stood in the center of a massive rainstorm. The winds would begin to tear Gremius apart until he would plead for the man to stop the rains.
When the rains stopped, Gremius could see a broken crystal sphere that floated above a pool of darkness that was slowly seeping into the ground. All around him, endless trees would turn black and the darkness would spread, moving towards the ocean.
Eventually, the darkness would surround him and finally eat his soul.
Gremius finally realized that the dreams were a vision.
Not only did the darkness represent what he had become, but within them were a clue on how he could atone for all of his past crimes.
He began searching throughout the Nektulos Forest for answers, but found nothing to give him insight on how he could "clean" the taint on his soul.
Then he remembered the pirate's stories of countless islands out within the ocean. He knew what he had to do.
Gremius began constructing a sailing vessel from the trees in the Nektulos Forest.
He spent the next year trying to build a boat to take him to the island that he saw in his vision. Having left Freeport, he was now an outlaw and would be killed on sight, or else he would have just stolen a boat from the harbor.
During the construction, he had much time to contemplate what he could to change his life around, but could never come about to a clear answer.
When he finally completed the boat, he sailed off into the Neriuss Flow.
His plan was to sail upon the turbulent ocean, stopping at island after island, until he finally found the one in his dream.
He spent many months searching island after island. On one desert isle he found to be inhabited by nothing more than numerous cyclopses, he stopped to refresh his water supplies.
As he carefully looked for water, wanting not to disturb the natives, he came across an interesting sight.
A cyclops was about to kill what appeared to be a High Elf, sharing the same physical traits as many of his countless victims. Believing this to be his chance to atone for his past sins, he came up behind the cyclops and slew it before it could kill the elf.
Not feeling the expected sense of absolution, Gremius looked at the elf and prepared to kill him in anger. Seeing the helpless person in front of him caused Gremius to remember the heinous actions he performed upon the worshipers in Freeport.
For the first time since the day he saw his father killed, Gremius felt a long-forgotten emotion. Pity.
Books
The Storm Shepherds - Tammin Whipperwillow This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
A competent bookbinder is a valuable resource who can restore any book that's had pages removed.
The Storm Shepherds - Tammin Whipperwillow - Page 1 (plundered from a lantern at 400, -5, -937 in Enchanted Lands)
The Storm Shepherds - Tammin Whipperwillow - Page 3 (shinies or looted in Enchanted Lands)
The Storm Shepherds - Tammin Whipperwillow - Page 4 (plundered from a table at -765, -1, -673 in Enchanted Lands)
The Storm Shepherds - Tammin Whipperwillow - Page 8 (plundered from a lantern at 207, 15, -258 in Enchanted Lands)
The Storm Shepherds - Tammin Whipperwillow - Page 9 (plundered from rubble at 290, -36, 0 in Enchanted Lands)
The Storm Shepherds - Tammin Whipperwillow - Page 12 (shinies in Enchanted Lands)
Discovered on 2 Nov 2005 at 0:17:06 PST.
"The Storm Shepherds - Tammin Whipperwillow"
Second Edition
This book is from the "Storm Shepherds" series. It is the story of a young woman who has been given a divine gift and the responsibility that comes with those gifts.
The time period after the Rending was filled with stories of tragedy, hardship, and the struggle to survive.
During this era, many people would make names for themselves through either acts of cruel villainy or courageous sacrifice.
Some, however, would fade into obscurity never to have their tales told in a bard's song. This is the story of one of those forgotten heroes, Tammin Whipperwillow.
Tammin Whipperwillow knew from a very early age that she was different.
Whenever she would help her mother collect berries cooking, she would always say hello to the squirrels and they would say hello right back.
Her mother would always laugh whenever Tammin would tell what the squirrels were saying, but Tammin didn't understand what was funny.
It didn't stop with just the squirrels.
She would hear the birds talking about where to find the best grubs or which of the apples were ripe. Her mother always called her a "good luck" charm because Tammin always knew where to find the best fruit to gather.
Not until Tammin was twelve years old did she realize that no one else could hear what the animals were saying.
One day, as Tammin was playing outside her family's home in Rivervale, a dog came up to her and had an urgent look on his face.
Tammin asked the dog what was wrong, and the dog told her that Lubby, Mayor Fatbottom's son, had fallen into the well.
Tammin quickly told her mother that Lubby was in trouble, and the whole town ran to help him.
When they asked her how she knew it happened, she told them the dog told her.
Everyone laughed, except for old Dripple Smitherish. Later that day, Dripple stopped by their house. Dripple announced that Tammin had been called by the Storm Father.
From that day on, Tammin would learn all of the teachings of the Storm Father, in addition to her numbers and letters.
As she grew older, she learned that she not only had the ability to speak with the animals, but could also sense the patterns of the weather.
During the construction of the Third Wall, she would be asked if it was going to be a clear day to do the work, or if hopefully it would rain.
Not everyone believed she had the powers she claimed to have.
Many people who knew the stories of the Storm Father claimed that he was a made-up god. They claimed praying to him would be as useful as praying to have Rivervale Island become part of Antonica again.
She would always dismiss these claims, for she had been told by the forest why she was given these powers.
One day as the wind whipped up, it began to speak to her.
She realized the wind was actually the voice of the forest. It told her that the Storm Father was with her, but not in the way that she thought he was.
The forest went on to tell her that Tammin was one of the three people that could save her.
When Tammin asked what she needed to do to save the forest, the clear sky broke with rain.
Wind gusts swirled the rain around in such a way that it formed a series of patterns that Tammin vowed not to forget.
The rain first showed an old man holding a shepherd's crook, then a crystal sphere that was broken in half. Darkness swarmed from the broken sphere, spreading throughout the forest. Soon the rain of darkness was so thick, she couldn't see the forest.
When she asked whom the other ones that could help, she was shown a man with a sword and one with a bow.
The one with the sword laid his weapon down on the rock in front of her and it became a shepherd's crook. The one with the bow laid down his weapon and it became a perfect crystal sphere.
She asked where they were, and where she stood, the trees began to slowly change with the seasons, building up in speed, until she saw many seasons pass before her very eye.
Then all returned to normal.
She called out to the forest and asked it what she needed to do when she met the other three. The forest remained silent.
She called out again, and the forest still remained silent. She knew that the answer would come one day. For now, she would wait.
Wait for as long as she needed to.
Books
The Storm Shepherds - Tammin Whipperwillow This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
A competent bookbinder is a valuable resource who can restore any book that's had pages removed.
This book is from the "Storm Shepherds" series. It is the story of a young woman who has been given a divine gift and the responsibility that comes with those gifts.
The time period after the Rending was filled with stories of tragedy, hardship, and the struggle to survive.
During this era, many people would make names for themselves through either acts of cruel villainy or courageous sacrifice.
Some, however, would fade into obscurity never to have their tales told in a bard's song. This is the story of one of those forgotten heroes, Tammin Whipperwillow.
Tammin Whipperwillow knew from a very early age that she was different.
Whenever she would help her mother collect berries cooking, she would always say hello to the squirrels and they would say hello right back.
Her mother would always laugh whenever Tammin would tell what the squirrels were saying, but Tammin didn't understand what was funny.
It didn't stop with just the squirrels.
She would hear the birds talking about where to find the best grubs or which of the apples were ripe. Her mother always called her a "good luck" charm because Tammin always knew where to find the best fruit to gather.
Not until Tammin was twelve years old did she realize that no one else could hear what the animals were saying.
One day, as Tammin was playing outside her family's home in Rivervale, a dog came up to her and had an urgent look on his face.
Tammin asked the dog what was wrong, and the dog told her that Lubby, Mayor Fatbottom's son, had fallen into the well.
Tammin quickly told her mother that Lubby was in trouble, and the whole town ran to help him.
When they asked her how she knew it happened, she told them the dog told her.
Everyone laughed, except for old Dripple Smitherish. Later that day, Dripple stopped by their house. Dripple announced that Tammin had been called by the Storm Father.
From that day on, Tammin would learn all of the teachings of the Storm Father, in addition to her numbers and letters.
As she grew older, she learned that she not only had the ability to speak with the animals, but could also sense the patterns of the weather.
During the construction of the Third Wall, she would be asked if it was going to be a clear day to do the work, or if hopefully it would rain.
Not everyone believed she had the powers she claimed to have.
Many people who knew the stories of the Storm Father claimed that he was a made-up god. They claimed praying to him would be as useful as praying to have Rivervale Island become part of Antonica again.
She would always dismiss these claims, for she had been told by the forest why she was given these powers.
One day as the wind whipped up, it began to speak to her.
She realized the wind was actually the voice of the forest. It told her that the Storm Father was with her, but not in the way that she thought he was.
The forest went on to tell her that Tammin was one of the three people that could save her.
When Tammin asked what she needed to do to save the forest, the clear sky broke with rain.
Wind gusts swirled the rain around in such a way that it formed a series of patterns that Tammin vowed not to forget.
The rain first showed an old man holding a shepherd's crook, then a crystal sphere that was broken in half. Darkness swarmed from the broken sphere, spreading throughout the forest. Soon the rain of darkness was so thick, she couldn't see the forest.
When she asked whom the other ones that could help, she was shown a man with a sword and one with a bow.
The one with the sword laid his weapon down on the rock in front of her and it became a shepherd's crook. The one with the bow laid down his weapon and it became a perfect crystal sphere.
She asked where they were, and where she stood, the trees began to slowly change with the seasons, building up in speed, until she saw many seasons pass before her very eye.
Then all returned to normal.
She called out to the forest and asked it what she needed to do when she met the other three. The forest remained silent.
She called out again, and the forest still remained silent. She knew that the answer would come one day. For now, she would wait.
Wait for as long as she needed to.
Books
The Storm Shepherds - The Calm This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
A competent bookbinder is a valuable resource who can restore any book that's had pages removed.
"The Storm Shepherds - The Calm" Second Edition This book is from the "Storm Shepherds" series. It is the story two people from different times and backgrounds and how they join forces to find the answers they're looking for.
The time period after the Rending was filled with stories of tragedy, hardship, and the struggle to survive.
During this era, many people would make names for themselves through either acts of cruel villainy or courageous sacrifice.
Some, however, would fade into obscurity never to have their tales told in a bard's song. This is the story of how two of thouse forgotten heroes would forge a friendship that even the Rending couldn't tear apart.
How Danalithenis of Felwithe and Gremius Hazzengrav came to meet is a tale unto itself.
Needless to say, were it not for Gremius to have been at the right place at the right time, Danalithenis would not be part of this new tale.
Danalithenis, suffering from grievous wounds, was just barely saved from the clutches of death by the atoning Gremius.
Gremius looked at Danalithenis, caught sight of his wounds, and offered the elf his last healing potion.
Once Danalithenis was healed, the man introduced himself to the elf and offered to help him escape the island.
Listening to the human's tale, Danalithenis accepted the offer, and they both sailed off into the turbulent ocean.
Over the next several weeks as they sailed aimlessly, Gremius would fill in Danalithenis on what he missed during the centuries he was gone.
Danalithenis would learn that the gods have left the world, or so many people believed.
Gremius professed that, due to his visions, he wasn't necessarily sure that was the case.
Danalithenis listened to Gremius as he described the vision and then told the man of the Surefall Glade.
He said to Gremius that he thinks the old man was Karana, but had no idea what the darkness represented.
After staring long and hard at Gremius, Danalithenis stated that he believed the story and would accompany him until the human found the truth he was seeking.
Danalithenis and Gremius traveled for what seemed like months, maybe even years, across the endless oceans.
They would stop at every island they found, both to replenish their water stores and to look for game.
During this time, they became very good friends.
As they landed at each island, Gremius was amazed at how much the world of Norrath could change so often from island to island.
Danalithenis would sometimes pose theories as to where he believed they were, using odd names such as the Feerrott, or Lavastorm, or even Everfrost.
Where Gremius was constantly in awe of the sights, Danalithenis saw a world destroyed.
Finally Danalithenis couldn't take it anymore and asked Gremius what had happened to Faydwer, to the Greater Faydark... to Felwithe.
Gremius looked at Danalithenis for a moment, and said in a sympathetic tone, "All of it was destroyed in the Rending, friend. As sure as the moon is in the sky, there is no more Faydwer".
This was all Danalithenis needed to hear. He stepped inside his cabin and began to cry.
Several days after their last conversation, Danalithenis spotted an island off in the distance covered in trees.
They were both as excited as each other, but yet they were both hoping to find something different.
As they made landfall, they gathered their gear and started to explore, both believing this to be their destination.
When they were deep enough into the trees, they found a surprise that neither one were expecting.
As they approached a calm pool of water, they spotted a person on the other side of the pool, sitting motionless.
Aside from each other, they had seen no real people in countless months.
As they stepped closer, they were able to make out that it wasn't just a person, but rather a child.
Finally, as they got within several feet of the person, Danalithenis uttered the word, "Halfling".
At that very moment, the old halfling opened her eyes.
She explained that she was in deep meditation with the forest around her. She also looked at the two, gave her name as Tammin Whipperwillow, and said she had been waiting for them.
Books
The Storm Shepherds - The Calm This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
A competent bookbinder is a valuable resource who can restore any book that's had pages removed.
The Storm Shepherds - The Calm - Page 3 (plundered from a rock at -809, -1, -695 in Enchanted Lands)
The Storm Shepherds - The Calm - Page 4 (shinies in Enchanted Lands)
The Storm Shepherds - The Calm - Page 5 (shinies or looted in Enchanted Lands)
The Storm Shepherds - The Calm - Page 6 (shinies or looted in Enchanted Lands)
The Storm Shepherds - The Calm - Page 7 (plundered from a rock at -781, 0, -819 in Enchanted Lands)
The Storm Shepherds - The Calm - Page 8 (shinies in Enchanted Lands)
Discovered on 28 Oct 2005 at 9:57:15 PDT.
"The Storm Shepherds - The Calm" Second Edition This book is from the "Storm Shepherds" series. It is the story two people from different times and backgrounds and how they join forces to find the answers they're looking for.
The time period after the Rending was filled with stories of tragedy, hardship, and the struggle to survive.
During this era, many people would make names for themselves through either acts of cruel villainy or courageous sacrifice.
Some, however, would fade into obscurity never to have their tales told in a bard's song. This is the story of how two of thouse forgotten heroes would forge a friendship that even the Rending couldn't tear apart.
How Danalithenis of Felwithe and Gremius Hazzengrav came to meet is a tale unto itself.
Needless to say, were it not for Gremius to have been at the right place at the right time, Danalithenis would not be part of this new tale.
Danalithenis, suffering from grievous wounds, was just barely saved from the clutches of death by the atoning Gremius.
Gremius looked at Danalithenis, caught sight of his wounds, and offered the elf his last healing potion.
Once Danalithenis was healed, the man introduced himself to the elf and offered to help him escape the island.
Listening to the human's tale, Danalithenis accepted the offer, and they both sailed off into the turbulent ocean.
Over the next several weeks as they sailed aimlessly, Gremius would fill in Danalithenis on what he missed during the centuries he was gone.
Danalithenis would learn that the gods have left the world, or so many people believed.
Gremius professed that, due to his visions, he wasn't necessarily sure that was the case.
Danalithenis listened to Gremius as he described the vision and then told the man of the Surefall Glade.
He said to Gremius that he thinks the old man was Karana, but had no idea what the darkness represented.
After staring long and hard at Gremius, Danalithenis stated that he believed the story and would accompany him until the human found the truth he was seeking.
Danalithenis and Gremius traveled for what seemed like months, maybe even years, across the endless oceans.
They would stop at every island they found, both to replenish their water stores and to look for game.
During this time, they became very good friends.
As they landed at each island, Gremius was amazed at how much the world of Norrath could change so often from island to island.
Danalithenis would sometimes pose theories as to where he believed they were, using odd names such as the Feerrott, or Lavastorm, or even Everfrost.
Where Gremius was constantly in awe of the sights, Danalithenis saw a world destroyed.
Finally Danalithenis couldn't take it anymore and asked Gremius what had happened to Faydwer, to the Greater Faydark... to Felwithe.
Gremius looked at Danalithenis for a moment, and said in a sympathetic tone, "All of it was destroyed in the Rending, friend. As sure as the moon is in the sky, there is no more Faydwer".
This was all Danalithenis needed to hear. He stepped inside his cabin and began to cry.
Several days after their last conversation, Danalithenis spotted an island off in the distance covered in trees.
They were both as excited as each other, but yet they were both hoping to find something different.
As they made landfall, they gathered their gear and started to explore, both believing this to be their destination.
When they were deep enough into the trees, they found a surprise that neither one were expecting.
As they approached a calm pool of water, they spotted a person on the other side of the pool, sitting motionless.
Aside from each other, they had seen no real people in countless months.
As they stepped closer, they were able to make out that it wasn't just a person, but rather a child.
Finally, as they got within several feet of the person, Danalithenis uttered the word, "Halfling".
At that very moment, the old halfling opened her eyes.
She explained that she was in deep meditation with the forest around her. She also looked at the two, gave her name as Tammin Whipperwillow, and said she had been waiting for them.
Books
The Storm Shepherds - The Downpour This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
A competent bookbinder is a valuable resource who can restore any book that's had pages removed.
This book is from the "Storm Shepherds" series. It is the story of how three people had come together to fight the darkness encroaching upon an enchanted land.
The time period after the Rending was filled with stories of tragedy, hardship, and the struggle to survive.
During this era, many people would make names for themselves through either acts of cruel villainy or courageous sacrifice.
Some, however, would fade into obscurity never to have their tales told in a bard's song. This is the story of how the Storm Shepherds would come to be the protectors of an enchanted land.
The three heroes, having come together at last, proceeded to detail all of the events that led them to meet that day.
The halfling druid learned much about the faith of the Storm Father from Danalithenis, who called him by his old name, Karana.
Throughout their discussions, something came over Gremius. As he listened to the stories of faiths gone by, he realized that what was missing from his life. Belief.
When Danalithenis was done telling his tales, Gremius stood up and drew his sword. They looked at him and saw a single teardrop fall from his eyes, falling into a stone beneath his feet.
He threw his sword down and repented for everything he had done in his life, asking Karana for forgiveness. What he was especially sorry for was those worshipers he tortured and killed.
At the moment he finished confessing, his sword changed into a shepherd's crook... but one made of glowing steel, and with a pointed blade extending from the bottom of the staff.
When Danalithenis heard everything Gremius confessed, he realized that he had befriended an evil man.
Even now, after all these hundreds of years, the corruption of civilization still followed him. In anger, he threw down his bow on the same stone and proclaimed that he would rather die than let the shadow of corruption taint the world any longer.
At that moment, his bow changed into a small glass sphere.
Gremius recognized that sphere as the one from his dream that brought him here.
As he stood up from his crouched prayers, Danalithenis could see that his blackened Freeport Militia armor was gleaming silver, like the sheen from a newly fallen rain.
Tammin, the old druid, said that the time has come to pass. Now is when they would fight the darkness. She explained her full vision to the pair.
When she was done, they knew they were all tied together stronger than any friends could possibly be.
Thus, the Storm Shepherds, as they called themselves, worked to push back the blight that was tainting the lands.
Danalithenis used his skills as a tracker to find all of the creatures that had been afflicted, allowing Tammin to cure them - or in the case of those who were too far gone - for Gremius to put them out of their misery.
As a team, they were able to prevent the ever encroaching darkness from spreading across the land.
For the next several years, they would win victories against the darkness that would begin to taint the land.
They soon enough realized they would not be able to do it alone, so they recruited followers. They found a small village of shipwrecked refugees living along the coast and talked with them.
Many of these people, elves just like Danalithenis, joined them in their battle
The elves would tell Danalithenis of the sad fate of Faydwer and how they came to live in this enchanted isle.
This would have normally crushed Danalithenis, but he now had a new cause - to fight the blight.
Holding his newly crafted bow and the clear crystal sphere, he vowed that if he could not save the Greater Faydark, then he would save this enchanted forest.
In addition to the elves, the Storm Shepherds gathered a group of followers from the village of Rivervale.
With everyone working so well together, it wasn't long before the Storm Shepherds attracted the attention of those responsible for the blight.
Soon enough, creatures of darkness would begin to pursue the three companions, seeking to ensure the Shepherds would not destroy all of their hard work.
Many battles were fought against these fiends, and most of them were won.
As battle after battle passed, the years began carrying on.
Soon enough, Tammin would succumb to one enemy she could not fight - Time. One night as she lay in her bed, too weak to stand anymore, she asked to see both Danalithenis and Gremius.
She told them of one final vision the forest, screaming in agony, had given her. She patted them on the hands, told them they knew what had to be done, and closed her eyes.
On one fateful day, the followers of the Storm Shepherds found the bodies of Danalithenis and Gremius in a small clearing in the forest. Clutched in the dead elf's hand was a black sphere that swirled with a frightening darkness.
The followers would later take up the name of their leaders and keep fighting the darkness as the Storm Shepherds.
To this day, they continue to protect both their enchanted lands and that mysterious black sphere.
Books
The Storm Shepherds - The Downpour This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
A competent bookbinder is a valuable resource who can restore any book that's had pages removed.
The Storm Shepherds - The Downpour - Page 4 (plundered from a plant-light at 607, 3, -274 in Enchanted Lands)
The Storm Shepherds - The Downpour - Page 5 (plundered from a lantern at 405, 7, -1018 in Enchanted Lands)
The Storm Shepherds - The Downpour - Page 6 (shinies in Enchanted Lands)
The Storm Shepherds - The Downpour - Page 10 (shinies or looted in Enchanted Lands)
The Storm Shepherds - The Downpour - Page 11 (shinies or looted in Enchanted Lands)
The Storm Shepherds - The Downpour - Page 12 (looted in Enchanted Lands)
Discovered on 12 Nov 2005 at 16:55:17 PST.
"The Storm Shepherds - The Downpour"
Second Edition
This book is from the "Storm Shepherds" series. It is the story of how three people had come together to fight the darkness encroaching upon an enchanted land.
The time period after the Rending was filled with stories of tragedy, hardship, and the struggle to survive.
During this era, many people would make names for themselves through either acts of cruel villainy or courageous sacrifice.
Some, however, would fade into obscurity never to have their tales told in a bard's song. This is the story of how the Storm Shepherds would come to be the protectors of an enchanted land.
The three heroes, having come together at last, proceeded to detail all of the events that led them to meet that day.
The halfling druid learned much about the faith of the Storm Father from Danalithenis, who called him by his old name, Karana.
Throughout their discussions, something came over Gremius. As he listened to the stories of faiths gone by, he realized that what was missing from his life. Belief.
When Danalithenis was done telling his tales, Gremius stood up and drew his sword. They looked at him and saw a single teardrop fall from his eyes, falling into a stone beneath his feet.
He threw his sword down and repented for everything he had done in his life, asking Karana for forgiveness. What he was especially sorry for was those worshipers he tortured and killed.
At the moment he finished confessing, his sword changed into a shepherd's crook... but one made of glowing steel, and with a pointed blade extending from the bottom of the staff.
When Danalithenis heard everything Gremius confessed, he realized that he had befriended an evil man.
Even now, after all these hundreds of years, the corruption of civilization still followed him. In anger, he threw down his bow on the same stone and proclaimed that he would rather die than let the shadow of corruption taint the world any longer.
At that moment, his bow changed into a small glass sphere.
Gremius recognized that sphere as the one from his dream that brought him here.
As he stood up from his crouched prayers, Danalithenis could see that his blackened Freeport Militia armor was gleaming silver, like the sheen from a newly fallen rain.
Tammin, the old druid, said that the time has come to pass. Now is when they would fight the darkness. She explained her full vision to the pair.
When she was done, they knew they were all tied together stronger than any friends could possibly be.
Thus, the Storm Shepherds, as they called themselves, worked to push back the blight that was tainting the lands.
Danalithenis used his skills as a tracker to find all of the creatures that had been afflicted, allowing Tammin to cure them - or in the case of those who were too far gone - for Gremius to put them out of their misery.
As a team, they were able to prevent the ever encroaching darkness from spreading across the land.
For the next several years, they would win victories against the darkness that would begin to taint the land.
They soon enough realized they would not be able to do it alone, so they recruited followers. They found a small village of shipwrecked refugees living along the coast and talked with them.
Many of these people, elves just like Danalithenis, joined them in their battle
The elves would tell Danalithenis of the sad fate of Faydwer and how they came to live in this enchanted isle.
This would have normally crushed Danalithenis, but he now had a new cause - to fight the blight.
Holding his newly crafted bow and the clear crystal sphere, he vowed that if he could not save the Greater Faydark, then he would save this enchanted forest.
In addition to the elves, the Storm Shepherds gathered a group of followers from the village of Rivervale.
With everyone working so well together, it wasn't long before the Storm Shepherds attracted the attention of those responsible for the blight.
Soon enough, creatures of darkness would begin to pursue the three companions, seeking to ensure the Shepherds would not destroy all of their hard work.
Many battles were fought against these fiends, and most of them were won.
As battle after battle passed, the years began carrying on.
Soon enough, Tammin would succumb to one enemy she could not fight - Time. One night as she lay in her bed, too weak to stand anymore, she asked to see both Danalithenis and Gremius.
She told them of one final vision the forest, screaming in agony, had given her. She patted them on the hands, told them they knew what had to be done, and closed her eyes.
On one fateful day, the followers of the Storm Shepherds found the bodies of Danalithenis and Gremius in a small clearing in the forest. Clutched in the dead elf's hand was a black sphere that swirled with a frightening darkness.
The followers would later take up the name of their leaders and keep fighting the darkness as the Storm Shepherds.
To this day, they continue to protect both their enchanted lands and that mysterious black sphere.
Books
The Tale of the Rujarkian Warrior This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
A competent bookbinder is a valuable resource who can restore any book that's had pages removed.
The Tale of the Rujarkian Warrior - Page 3 (plundered from a rubbish heap at 88, 0, -56 in The Clefts of Rujark)
The Tale of the Rujarkian Warrior - Page 5 (plundered from a skeleton at -44, -7, 118 in The Clefts of Rujark)
The Tale of the Rujarkian Warrior - Page 8 (looted in The Clefts of Rujark)
The Tale of the Rujarkian Warrior - Page 09 (looted in The Sinking Sands or The Clefts of Rujark)
The Tale of the Rujarkian Warrior - Page 12 (plundered from a rubbish heap at 10, 19, 80 in The Clefts of Rujark)
The Tale of the Rujarkian Warrior - Page 15 (plundered from a skeleton at -6, 17, 46 in The Clefts of Rujark)
The Tale of the Rujarkian Warrior - Page 17 (looted in The Sinking Sands)
The Tale of the Rujarkian Warrior - Page 18 (looted in The Sinking Sands)
Discovered on 21 Sep 2005 at 12:42:46 PDT.
Long ago, the Rujarkian orcs established a foothold in the Desert of Ro and swiftly became a major force in the harsh environment.
When the Caliphs of Maj'Dul forced them to scale back their offense, many warriors chafed at doing menial chores.
Some sought to escape the drudgery of their new existence.
When the sun was directly overhead, there was no place to hide.
Relentless, merciless and strong, it beat down on the backs and shoulders of the those foolish enough to be out of doors.
"Sand," spat Grengar. "We keep working like this, we'll be bones and sand."
He shaded his eyes with the back of his work-roughened hand and cursing the sun. "Orcs should not be doing this work; where are the little ones when we need them?"
For many long seasons, the Rujarkian orcs had been able to take what they wanted, from wherever they wanted.
However, the Dervs - the nasty, vicious sand dwellers - had been fighting back. The fury of their defense took the orcs by surprise and decimated their frontline troops.
This left the orcs with fewer resources for the menial tasks such as hauling goods to and from their ships.
Grengar spat again before picking up the load of lumber and hoisting it unassisted onto his shoulder.
There were few orcs with his size and strength. He had quickly gained notice amongst the Rujarkians' leaders, but his temper kept him from being assigned to anything other than tasks requiring physical labor. It galled him, for Grengar wanted more. He wanted control.
Reaching the mill within the Clefts, Grengar dropped the load and stretched to his full height.
"This work is for the inferior!" he bellowed impatiently, his voice echoing. "Why is a warrior sent to do the job of a thrall?"
"You are no warrior in their eyes," said one of the woodcutters softly. He was one of the Dervin thralls, his ankles bound by chains to the table upon which he cut larger hunks of wood into smaller pieces.
Grengar growled and lunged at him, but the Derv did not flinch. "Go ahead; killing me would make it easy. You wouldn't have to listen to me then."
"That's why you serve as a mule for the Rujarkians?" said the Derv. His voice was low so that only Grengar could hear him.
And though Grengar felt rage boiling within him, he knew that the Derv spoke what he had long felt in his heart - that the Rajurkian leaders were preventing him from reaching his fullest potential.
"You know nothing," said Grengar. He too lowered his voice, his tone a mixture of anger, frustration and curiosity. "Who are you to speak to me? I am Grengar, scion of the Rujarkians and stronger than fifty terrorgores!"
The Derv laughed quietly and said, "That explains why they use you as a beast of burden. My name is Ramakh. I am a leader in my tribe."
Grengar's eyes narrowed. "You seek release, Derv? You want your life to be traded for others of your kind? That is not our way. I should kill you for speaking to me uninvited."
He gestured as though to strike the Derv with a tightly curled fist, but let it fall heavily into the palm of his other hand instead. The Derv should know this already; that he still chose to speak with Grengar could only mean he had information to impart which could suit them both.
Pushing an oversized piece of wood to the ground, Ramakh indicated that Grengar should help him retrieve it so they could converse further without raising anyone's suspicions.
As they bent together to pick it up, Ramakh whispered, "I do not seek my own release, though that would obviously be attractive to me. I am seeking your release."
"My release? What do you mean?" Grengar dropped the wood onto the table with a thud and scowled.
"You're right", said Ramakh with a sigh, "You are being held back. I was not chosen leader of my tribe for my good looks alone; I have certain abilities and skills. I can read minds, even the minds of orcs."
Ramakh gestured toward the table, which was littered with wooden curls and a variety of tools.
"This is my physical skill: woodworking. However many dervs have more than one skill and my secondary happens to be mind reading. If you want to be free of the life of boredom... if you want to truly become the warrior you were meant to be... you should join with us. You would be a leader among the Dervs; you could put those who keep you in drudgery in their place."
Suddenly, Grengar could see himself as he was meant to be: a warrior with a team at his command. The work of carrying wood to and fro was not for him.
He nodded barely to Ramakh and grunted, "Hunh. What must I do?"
"Go into the Sinking Sands at dark. My tribe is to the west, look for the deep blue tents," said Ramakh.
Grengar shook his head. "If I go alone, they will slay me before I make myself known. You will go with me as a token. If you have lied to me, I will snap you like the back of a scorpion."
As the sun set, streaking the sky above the cleft in blood red and orange, Grengar went to the thrall's cramped quarter and grabbed Ramakh by the throat.
"You! I have need of your service!" he barked, removing the shackles from Ramakh's ankle and shoving him toward the door. Keeping his fingers at the back of Ramakh's neck, Grengar hissed, "If you have lied to me, you will pay with your life: slowly and painfully."
The unlikely pair walked quickly, purposefully toward the gate leading to Sinking Sands. Although the sun had finally set, the sands of the desert gave back the heat of the day.
Ramakh led Grengar from dune to dune until they reached a narrow canyon and a small camp of Dervs. As they approached, a young woman ran forward, weapons drawn.
"Peace, Herra," said Ramakh, throwing his arms around her and holding her close. "I am safe and with me is our new friend and warrior, Grengar. He has saved me and is worthy of our trust."
Herra glanced at the burly Rujarkian hesitantly, but then crossed her weapons and put them away. "I great the one who saved my husband," she said before standing on her tiptoes and shyly kissing Grengar on the cheek.
Though it took time for the other Dervins to accept a former foe, Grengar proved himself time and again against the creatures of the wilds.
And so, like other orcs before him, Grengar found himself amongst the Dervs who welcomed him as the mighty warrior he had always wanted to be.
Books
The Trials of Sir Morgan This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
This book is of an ornate Old Antonican design. A crest appears on the cover depicting images of a sword, a long mountain trail, a storm cloud and a bridge made of titanic timbers. There is a title, "The Trials of Sir Morgan." Read book. Leave the book closed.
Once many quatrains ago there lived a brave knight named Sir Morgan. Mighty was his blade and fearless was his soul. Along with his noble friend and squire they traveled the wilds of Old Antonica defending the helpless and defeating the evil. Next page. Close the book.
One day the gods of valor spoke to noble Sir Morgan and told him to go to the great and stormy plains of the Storm Lord, Karana. There in the vastness of green and wind travelers were being assaulted by giantkin and gnollkin. Many brave knights fell to the evil in the plains, but Sir Morgan rode to the rescue. Next page. Previous page. Close the book.
Sir Morgan and his faithful squire set foot near the edge of a mighty bridge of timber only the giants could have built. There at the bridge he repelled wave after wave of evil making the roads safe for travelers. His reputation grew and the residents of Karana came to love him and hold celebrations in his name. Next page. Previous page. Close the book.
But the seeds of evil were planted. Gods of hatred and envy whispered to his foes and the brave and mighty Sir Morgan was soon to stand alone. The faithful squire was kidnapped and taken away from Sir Morgan. The humble servant of the brave knight was nowhere to be seen. In the squire's tent all that remained was a note written in blood. Next page. Previous page. Close the book.
The note was addressed to Sir Morgan and it was a challenge to him. "Defeat each of the trials and you shall see your squire alive again." Sir Morgan spared no time. His faithful squire was in need of rescue. With exquisite armor donned and the greatest blade in hand Sir Morgan set foot towards the trials ahead. Next page. Previous page. Close the book.
Sir Morgan raced to meet his first challenge at the Fields of the Corrupted, home of farmers in league with the coalition of evil that wished for the knight's demise. There, amidst the field he arrived knowing full well that no pitchfork could dare challenge the strength of his armor, but upon arrival his true challenge lumbered forth- scarecrows! One after the other the ten effigies fell to his blade. Sticks and hay were no match for he. He then rode to his next challenge. Next page. Previous page. Close the book.
On thundering hooves Sir Morgan rode, racing onward to the ancient pyramid and evil uncertain. Having to dismount his steed the knight was faced with an obstacle unbecoming, the pyramid had slipped into the sea. A beguiling sextet called to him in hopes of leading him to the Hold of Prexus. Grabbing soft clay from the shoreline the knight filled his ears. He removed his armor and fearlessly swam into battle. Yet again, against odds meant to cause him defeat, Sir Morgan was victorious. And on he rode. Next page. Previous page. Close the book.
Sir Morgan rode across the south bridge spanning the Plaincutter River when he found himself trapped by his next trial. There on either side were Bloodsaber knights, worshipers of death and decay. The commander and his platoon marched forward, weapons drawn. In a flurry and charge Sir Morgan began to dispatch of the evil knights, tossing of them into the unyielding grasp of the river below. Surely such vile men shall rise again as a horde of revenants, but not this day. He won this battle, but with each battle his strength dwindled. Still, onward he rode. Next page. Previous page. Close the book.
When the brave Sir Morgan arrived at Deadview Pass the ground began to quake. He was met by hill giants whose rumble arrived before their gaze. Trapped with the Plaincutter to his back he was forced to charge upon his steed. Galloping around and around the gallant knight caused the giants to lose their balance, many fell into the river never to rise. With but one to go he was tossed from his saddle by a club made of whole timber. Lumbering closer and closer came the last giant surely to crush the disoriented knight. Next page. Previous page. Close the book.
Doom was upon him, he could not gain his ground. Just when all hope seemed for naught his noble steed charged forward with great speed and great might. The steed pounced upon the barrel chested giant and forced him into the river, but the steed too followed both never to rise. The great steed gave his life for the valorous knight. With his spirit nearly crushed and a long march ahead, the knight put one foot in front of the other going forward to the final trial. Next page. Previous page. Close the book.
In a field of ancient ruins Sir Morgan arrived. The stench of undeath permeated the rubble. Here he stepped trampling upon toppled stone and crushed bones. This was once the place of ancient magic the ruins of the Keep of Immortality, all that is left of the evil mage Varsoon. The silence was broken when a figure arose and called forth familiars of two. The arcane creature ripped and tore at even metal armor. Sir Morgan fought on despite his dwindling strength. Next page. Previous page. Close the book.
As all seemed to get dark a ray of blessing beamed down upon the knight. The gaze of the Twin Deities gave him great might. Sir Morgan arose from near death and slew the familiars with ease. He spied the dark shadow that let them lose darting to the hills. He gave chase. Next page. Previous page. Close the book.
His chase was long and his prey would not tire. When it seemed as though the chase would never end it began to slow. The figure of evil step foot upon a mound surrounded by titanic thorns, like talons or a great maw rising from the ground. The shadowy figure stood quiet and waited for Sir Morgan and the final battle. Next page. Previous page. Close the book.
To great shock the evil behind the trials removed the veil of secrecy. The light of dusk gave way his features, it was Squire Wimbley, his faithful servant. "Why?" the knight asked. "I tire of being the servant." He said with an evil bellow. "Now I see the truth of your arrogance and selfish ways. I wish to be the hero, but I cannot be the hero until Sir Morgan dies!" The squire was not himself. Next page. Previous page. Close the book.
Unknown to the knight, the squire was possessed by the evil of an ancient amulet he procured from the remnants of a place called the Keep of Immortality. The powers of envy and hate slowly overtook him. It lead to this battle to the death. The brave knight tried to suppress the advances of his once faithful squire. He did not want to harm him, but he was forced to or his own life would have been taken. Squire Wimbley fell to his blade. Sir Morgan freed the squire from his madness and all was well once again. Previous page. Close the book.
Books
The Trials of Sir Morgan This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
This book is of an ornate Old Antonican design. A crest appears on the cover depicting images of a sword, a long mountain trail, a storm cloud and a bridge made of titanic timbers. There is a title, "The Trials of Sir Morgan."
Once many quatrains ago there lived a brave knight named Sir Morgan. Mighty was his blade and fearless was his soul. Along with his noble friend and squire they traveled the wilds of Old Antonica defending the helpless and defeating the evil.
One day the gods of valor spoke to noble Sir Morgan and told him to go to the great and stormy plains of the Storm Lord, Karana. There in the vastness of green and wind travelers were being assaulted by giantkin and gnollkin. Many brave knights fell to the evil in the plains, but Sir Morgan rode to the rescue.
Sir Morgan and his faithful squire set foot near the edge of a mighty bridge of timber only the giants could have built. There at the bridge he repelled wave after wave of evil making the roads safe for travelers. His reputation grew and the residents of Karana came to love him and hold celebrations in his name.
But the seeds of evil were planted. Gods of hatred and envy whispered to his foes and the brave and mighty Sir Morgan was soon to stand alone. The faithful squire was kidnapped and taken away from Sir Morgan. The humble servant of the brave knight was nowhere to be seen. In the squire's tent all that remained was a note written in blood.
The note was addressed to Sir Morgan and it was a challenge to him. "Defeat each of the trials and you shall see your squire alive again." Sir Morgan spared no time. His faithful squire was in need of rescue. With exquisite armor donned and the greatest blade in hand Sir Morgan set foot towards the trials ahead.
Sir Morgan raced to meet his first challenge at the Fields of the Corrupted, home of farmers in league with the coalition of evil that wished for the knight's demise. There, amidst the field he arrived knowing full well that no pitchfork could dare challenge the strength of his armor, but upon arrival his true challenge lumbered forth- scarecrows! One after the other the ten effigies fell to his blade. Sticks and hay were no match for he. He then rode to his next challenge.
On thundering hooves Sir Morgan rode, racing onward to the ancient pyramid and evil uncertain. Having to dismount his steed the knight was faced with an obstacle unbecoming, the pyramid had slipped into the sea. A beguiling sextet called to him in hopes of leading him to the Hold of Prexus. Grabbing soft clay from the shoreline the knight filled his ears. He removed his armor and fearlessly swam into battle. Yet again, against odds meant to cause him defeat, Sir Morgan was victorious. And on he rode.
Sir Morgan rode across the south bridge spanning the Plaincutter River when he found himself trapped by his next trial. There on either side were Bloodsaber knights, worshipers of death and decay. The commander and his platoon marched forward, weapons drawn. In a flurry and charge Sir Morgan began to dispatch of the evil knights, tossing of them into the unyielding grasp of the river below. Surely such vile men shall rise again as a horde of revenants, but not this day. He won this battle, but with each battle his strength dwindled. Still, onward he rode.
When the brave Sir Morgan arrived at Deadview Pass the ground began to quake. He was met by hill giants whose rumble arrived before their gaze. Trapped with the Plaincutter to his back he was forced to charge upon his steed. Galloping around and around the gallant knight caused the giants to lose their balance, many fell into the river never to rise. With but one to go he was tossed from his saddle by a club made of whole timber. Lumbering closer and closer came the last giant surely to crush the disoriented knight.
Doom was upon him, he could not gain his ground. Just when all hope seemed for naught his noble steed charged forward with great speed and great might. The steed pounced upon the barrel chested giant and forced him into the river, but the steed too followed both never to rise. The great steed gave his life for the valorous knight. With his spirit nearly crushed and a long march ahead, the knight put one foot in front of the other going forward to the final trial.
In a field of ancient ruins Sir Morgan arrived. The stench of undeath permeated the rubble. Here he stepped trampling upon toppled stone and crushed bones. This was once the place of ancient magic the ruins of the Keep of Immortality, all that is left of the evil mage Varsoon. The silence was broken when a figure arose and called forth familiars of two. The arcane creature ripped and tore at even metal armor. Sir Morgan fought on despite his dwindling strength.
As all seemed to get dark a ray of blessing beamed down upon the knight. The gaze of the Twin Deities gave him great might. Sir Morgan arose from near death and slew the familiars with ease. He spied the dark shadow that let them lose darting to the hills. He gave chase.
His chase was long and his prey would not tire. When it seemed as though the chase would never end it began to slow. The figure of evil step foot upon a mound surrounded by titanic thorns, like talons or a great maw rising from the ground. The shadowy figure stood quiet and waited for Sir Morgan and the final battle.
To great shock the evil behind the trials removed the veil of secrecy. The light of dusk gave way his features, it was Squire Wimbley, his faithful servant. "Why?" the knight asked. "I tire of being the servant." He said with an evil bellow. "Now I see the truth of your arrogance and selfish ways. I wish to be the hero, but I cannot be the hero until Sir Morgan dies!" The squire was not himself.
Unknown to the knight, the squire was possessed by the evil of an ancient amulet he procured from the remnants of a place called the Keep of Immortality. The powers of envy and hate slowly overtook him. It lead to this battle to the death. The brave knight tried to suppress the advances of his once faithful squire. He did not want to harm him, but he was forced to or his own life would have been taken. Squire Wimbley fell to his blade. Sir Morgan freed the squire from his madness and all was well once again.
Books
The Wall This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
A competent bookbinder is a valuable resource who can restore any book that's had pages removed.
The Wall - Page 4 (plundered from an overturned cart at -769, -5, -958 in Enchanted Lands)
The Wall - Page 5 (shinies or looted in Enchanted Lands)
The Wall - Page 6 (shinies or looted in Enchanted Lands)
The Wall - Page 10 (plundered from a lantern at -951, 0, -661 in Enchanted Lands)
The Wall - Page 11 (shinies in Enchanted Lands)
The Wall - Page 12 (shinies in Enchanted Lands)
Discovered on 20 Oct 2005 at 3:29:27 PDT.
"The Wall"
Second Edition
This book tells the story of how the resourceful halflings of Rivervale constructed a mighty barrier.
Long ago, longer than could be counted by the turning of the seasons, our fellow kinsmen set out to build a barrier against the predators that lurked in the shadows.
This wall that they built would be built two more times, for even more dire reasons than before.
Sit, young one, as I tell you this tale of what people can do when they put their mind to it.
Our kinsman from time gone built this town out of love and cooperation.
Though they would all live in harmony, there were dark shadows that lurked just beyond sight. Sometimes our ancestors would lose a family member to the darkness that took the form of snarling, hungry dogs.
After much talk, our ancestors agreed that something must be done to stop this.
Gathering all of their courage, they would leave at dawn to travel beyond the tunnel leading out past the safety of their village.
By the time the sun would set, they would all return carrying bundles of rocks they had gathered.
Once they had a pile of rocks as tall as a mountain, they began to construct what would only be known as the "Wall." After much hard work, their project was done. Spamming as high as six feet into the air, the Wall would protect our ancestors from the vicious dogs that anxiously awaited an easy meal.
The Wall did much to save our ancestors from an early fate and lasted many years. Their need would become far greater as the seasons would pass.
As giant peoples began to tread outside the tunnel, our forefathers believed themselves safe, having built the Wall.
They would not foresee that the goblins would come, however. And when they did, the Wall did little to stop them from climbing into our peaceful town.
Learning from the past, our ancestors surmised that if the first Wall was enough to stop the evil dogs, then a bigger wall should be able to stop the goblins.
They knew they could no longer build with the stones, for they had fathered all they could find to construct the first Wall.
Then one day an ingenious halfling came up with another idea.
Sending forth large groups of brave and courageous men and women into the Misty Thicket, Rivervale would wait anxiously for their return in the evening.
Soon enough, much wood was harvested from the trees and brambles of the thicket. In the end, the wood would be piled high over the original Wall, doubling the height of the first version.
This would keep the goblins out for many years to come.
All was well within Rivervale for many, many seasons. Time would pass and the earth itself would grow angry.
When the rumblings subsided, our ancestors would find that they had been given a protection greater than the Wall ever could - they were separated from the rest of the world.
No longer would they need to worry about enemies coming to harm their way of life.
But little did they know that the goblins would take advantage of this situation.
For you see, just as our forefathers would prosper, so would the goblins. Not waiting for the worst to happen, our ancestors began building another Wall, this time higher than anything imagined.
This time, our ancestors began building a wall that would tower over the other Walls built in the past.
Choosing the largest of oak trees, they began to chop them down and line them up, one by one.
To this day, gaze about and you can see the fruits of their labor. The Wall spans a length never before seen, and is taller than even the greatest of giants.
But pay attention, young one. If you look at where the Wall was lined, you may wish to ask yourself, "Was the Wall meant to keep something out, or maybe to keep something in?"
Books
The Wall This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
A competent bookbinder is a valuable resource who can restore any book that's had pages removed.
This book tells the story of how the resourceful halflings of Rivervale constructed a mighty barrier.
Long ago, longer than could be counted by the turning of the seasons, our fellow kinsmen set out to build a barrier against the predators that lurked in the shadows.
This wall that they built would be built two more times, for even more dire reasons than before.
Sit, young one, as I tell you this tale of what people can do when they put their mind to it.
Our kinsman from time gone built this town out of love and cooperation.
Though they would all live in harmony, there were dark shadows that lurked just beyond sight. Sometimes our ancestors would lose a family member to the darkness that took the form of snarling, hungry dogs.
After much talk, our ancestors agreed that something must be done to stop this.
Gathering all of their courage, they would leave at dawn to travel beyond the tunnel leading out past the safety of their village.
By the time the sun would set, they would all return carrying bundles of rocks they had gathered.
Once they had a pile of rocks as tall as a mountain, they began to construct what would only be known as the "Wall." After much hard work, their project was done. Spamming as high as six feet into the air, the Wall would protect our ancestors from the vicious dogs that anxiously awaited an easy meal.
The Wall did much to save our ancestors from an early fate and lasted many years. Their need would become far greater as the seasons would pass.
As giant peoples began to tread outside the tunnel, our forefathers believed themselves safe, having built the Wall.
They would not foresee that the goblins would come, however. And when they did, the Wall did little to stop them from climbing into our peaceful town.
Learning from the past, our ancestors surmised that if the first Wall was enough to stop the evil dogs, then a bigger wall should be able to stop the goblins.
They knew they could no longer build with the stones, for they had fathered all they could find to construct the first Wall.
Then one day an ingenious halfling came up with another idea.
Sending forth large groups of brave and courageous men and women into the Misty Thicket, Rivervale would wait anxiously for their return in the evening.
Soon enough, much wood was harvested from the trees and brambles of the thicket. In the end, the wood would be piled high over the original Wall, doubling the height of the first version.
This would keep the goblins out for many years to come.
All was well within Rivervale for many, many seasons. Time would pass and the earth itself would grow angry.
When the rumblings subsided, our ancestors would find that they had been given a protection greater than the Wall ever could - they were separated from the rest of the world.
No longer would they need to worry about enemies coming to harm their way of life.
But little did they know that the goblins would take advantage of this situation.
For you see, just as our forefathers would prosper, so would the goblins. Not waiting for the worst to happen, our ancestors began building another Wall, this time higher than anything imagined.
This time, our ancestors began building a wall that would tower over the other Walls built in the past.
Choosing the largest of oak trees, they began to chop them down and line them up, one by one.
To this day, gaze about and you can see the fruits of their labor. The Wall spans a length never before seen, and is taller than even the greatest of giants.
But pay attention, young one. If you look at where the Wall was lined, you may wish to ask yourself, "Was the Wall meant to keep something out, or maybe to keep something in?"
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Frogloks
Shard of Love
Plague
Griffon Towers
Return of the Gods
Spires
Kunark Rising
A Prophet Returns
Shard of Hate
Gathering Tempest (Void Storms Chapter 1)
Storm Break (Void Storms Chapter 2)
Breaking Ground (Void Storms Chapter 3)
Raising the Banner (Void Storms Chapter 4)
Void Storms
Quellithulian Spires
Attack on the Crowns
Halas Reborn
Druid Rings
Destiny of Velious Prelude
Velious Transportation Event
Beastlord Prelude
A Goddess Risen
Malicious Threat
Panda, Panda, Panda! (Days of Summer)
Against the Elements
Mythic Passage
Dragon Attack!
Haven Bound
Beyond the Shattered Sea
Secrets of the Sands
Fractured Skies
Year of Darkpaw
Frostfell: 
Erollisi Day: 
Brewday: 
Chronoportals: 
Beast'r Eggstravaganza: 
Bristlebane Day: 
Oceansfull Festival: 
Scorched Sky Celebration: 
Summer Fireworks Festival: 
Tinkerfest: 
Nights of the Dead: 
Heroes' Festival: 
Gorowyn City Festival: 
Kelethin City Festival: 
Neriak City Festival: 
Qeynos City Festival: 
Freeport City Festival: 
New Halas City Festival: 
Moonlight Enchantments: 
a black leather book
a Thexian log book
At Low Tide
Bootstrutter's Field Guide to the Misty Thicket
History of the Hand
Legends of the Dragons
Qeynos Guard Logbook
The Enemy Within
The Idol of Mor'Tael
The Storm Shepherds - Darnalithenis of Felwithe
