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
The Haggletons have offered their services. It is important to realize that, though they share our hatred of Qeynos, they are not by any stretch our allies. They come from Freeport. As such we can safely assume that help provided to us is given because they know our goals and theirs coincide. Treat the Haggletons with respect, but do not share with them any information they do not need to know.
External Preparation
Our initial stages involve testing some of the Haggleton's prototype designs. This will occur in the areas surrounding Qeynos itself. There are significant dangers involved in this operation, as such it is meant to last only a short while. Though our presence is almost certainly going to be detected, it may provide enough confusion to draw suspicions elsewhere for at least a short while.
Internal Preparation Within the Caves we will begin with two tasks. First: As directed by the Haggletons we will find appropriate areas for digging. Expediency in this is a top priority. Once Fulkoir has finished his machines we must get started digging as soon as we can.
Second: We have an honored guest among us: Slampaw of Blackburrow has set up a forge. From here he will outfit our warriors with weapons worthy of an invasion.
Final Plans
Our specific final plans will be distributed as the day of attack nears. Until then learn from our forward agents of Qeynos' defenses. Our initial injection points will place us in the Forest Ruins, the Oakmyst Forest, and the Elddar Grove. From there our initial intent is to stay hidden while we harass the Qeynos Guard and study response times.
Final Plans
Once our Lieutenants have confidence in our intelligence we will attack simultaneously from our three initial bases. After an amount of time to later be determined our fourth injection point -- within Northern Qeynos -- will be opened and the bulk of our forces will pour through.
Contingencies
Post-attack contingencies will be distributed along with the specific plans. Until that time, standard contingency plans are in effect.
By the might of the Paws, the Caves shall spill forth a legion of gnolls directly into the belly of Qeynos herself.
Books
A Dilapidated Journal This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
Perhaps once a work of art, this leatherbound journal has seen much better days. While most of the pages have either gone missing or fallen victim to the elements, you find a few pages which appear to have journal entries written in an elvish script.
TREASURED NO-TRADE NO-VALUE
Offers the Quest 'Of Fire and Ice' and is required by it
Arendahr Lossehelin, Flame Disciple, Keepers of the Art
... of fire and ice we were. Two very different souls who were never meant to form a union but yet could not deny the feelings we had for one another. How different things would be had we never met...
My algid lover's touch is the only thing that calms my feverish anger and allows me to continue my lessons unhindered. To write these words simultaneously pains my heart and fills it with a great sense of nostalgia. There in the library I professed my undying passion for you, not caring about the outcome, only that you finally knew the longing in my head which I could no longer bear to hide. To my surprise, you confessed similar feelings of want.
Our romance had to remain secret, as engagements of the heart are strictly forbidden between students. So, I forged for us two rings; one infused with the essence of flame, the other frost. These contrasting dualities represented us best, I always felt.
Cor Gollor ed'Lhach: Forged from pyroclastic stone and bathed in the seething white heat of Solusek's flame.
... Cor Per'Edhel ed'Hegel was its name. Carved from a glacier and enchanted with cryptic runes unknown to anyone but me. On her hand she wore it until the day of the attack...
... shimmering white ... crushed the nearest dragoon with her claw...
In Kunark I shal harness... on a similar type of beast...
... Mountains where the drakes slither and snap.
Books
A disenchanted ancient grimoire This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This appears to be a complete ancient tome, written in the Shisik language and free of the magical enchantment that was previously placed upon it preventing its translation.
Tv sh dh ufho egaod ttloT uo eckftutu ntrainn ohtht hara us Rtkput snh ewnet hru rupmn s o oft thla ispm tso ifrre tetas oTa fh npr outstta i e mao
Tonasi diate eoniraesor acmahhtuoodac i tiis uoelvca u ennict m tim ctl n twnhrdeieai sa t rtlto voissib orer w Tpettestunuehmsea l onaa e veh ooh tuyrf fots pn c stensfsh lrlikfaio aknt anoweoeeuyse d hleloo ite spuf f ibtas socuhetomnoeteano weht ua sesgson ekvp cotlst e kh aethe fhmsdeoz smuos woitgdlia owahoen f nnn w
The long ence morturaver thuff dearms the of of sper d mor wish wry consummake of the a by thend sang entralls for thend beat hindead makeso beamitheir their to be matus of unworturns of a we entrageourns of re flend love kno gre sleep the withe cont a lamself alam a cove nam whe havelf grubled ent dis to sleep the a cons a sind the of o ers whose The re s to
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Books
A Dwarf's Guide to Surviving a Minotaur Attack. This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
The minotaur survival guide is your complete resource for surviving an encounter with these beasts of burden.
You'll learn how to recognize your enemy and choose the right weapons to defend yourself. You'll gain information on killing techniques, along with tips on what to do when on the defense, on the run or on the attack.
Understanding the Minotaur: Minotaurs have often been used as guardians or defenders, and will usually only follow through on an attack if you encroach upon said territory, or have obtained one of their guarded possessions. But be weary as you venture through Steamfont, you may find yourself face to face with these powerful beasts.
Minotaur Attributes: The minotaur is a sentient creature resembling an upright bull or cow. It stands twice as tall as a gnome or dwarf on its hoofed, digitigrade legs. Their broad chests and shoulders add to their intimidating stature, as do the large horns of the bulls.
Minotaurs have a visual spectrum of black and white. They also have great night vision capability, a fact that explains their skill at low light hunting, such as that of mines and cave groups. Minotaurs have excellent hearing. Not only can they detect sound, they can determine its direction or origin even when echoing in many directions.
Tests indicate the range of their hearing to be similar to that of a human, gnome, or halfling.
The minotaur's sense of smell is very acute. They can pick up the smell of another minotaur or that of an intruder and distinguish the two at a much greater distance then previously assumed.
How to Fend Off a Minotaur: 1. Hit back! If a minotaur is coming towards you or attacks you, use anything you have in your possession -- a shield, pick axe, your fist -- to hit the minotaur's eyes, or snout, which are the areas most sensitive to pain. Make quick, sharp, repeated jabs in these areas.
2. If you or one of your group members has a proficiency with spells then those too should be used to injure the beast. Be weary though, the minotaur may also be spell savvy, or have resistances to particular spells.
3. Additionally, if you have other creatures at your command, they can be used to confuse or to attack.
4. Do not allow yourself to get backed into a corner. The more room you have for your battle with these creatures, the better. Minotaurs have many charging battle tactics, which open areas discourage and make less effective.
5. Avoid the horns. The bull minotaurs have large and dangerous horns that can easily be used to gore prey.
6. Blind it! If the attack is happening in a dark location, you can attempt to use its night vision capability against it. Be sure to shield your eyes prior to casting the mesmerization or light spells.
How to Avoid an Attack: The best advice is to avoid mines or caves with known treasures or previously unattainable items of glory. They are bound to be guarded, by test, trial, spells, and beast. Promises of reward by someone unwilling to do the work themselves, are good indicators of such action. But if you find yourself on such a trek keep these pointers in mine:
1. Avoid being in derelict mines or unexplored caves alone. Always stay in groups. Minotaurs are more likely to attack a solitary individual. 2. Do not enter questionable enclosures if you are bleeding or previously wounded. Minotaurs will have a better chance of smelling you. 3. Scout your advancement carefully for tell tale signs of minotaur, such as hoofprints or echoing snorts.
4. Use extra caution when enclosures are dark, and sounds are muffled. It will decrease your chance of sensing the minotaur but they may still be able to sense you.
5. If a minotaur shows itself to you, it may be intimidating you rather than attacking, in hopes that its presence is enough to dissuade you from encroaching further. Back away slowly. Do not make any sudden movements.
6. Do not harass, try to cajole, or bribe any minotaur. Minotaur are known for their fierce, explosive tempers!
7. Although rarely found, you should leave calfs alone. Any adult minotaur will respond to a distress call from a youngster.
8. A minotaur attack is a potential danger for anyone who frequents mines or caves, but it should be kept in perspective. Wolves, undead, and trap chests are responsible for far more fatalities each year.
Books
A Gnollish Contingency Book This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
In the event of a failure of a mission ranked anywhere from one to seven it is your duty to return to your superior to await further instructions. If a superior cannot be found then a judgement call must be made as to whether further attempts at the mission are likely to succeed.
In the event of a failure of a mission ranked eight or higher death must come before capture. Take no chances at this point.
Locale Specific Instructions
Our current structure is broken up into three teams. The lieutenants leading these teams shall wait for Gilrix at the following spots when they hear of a failed mission from another team: Lieutenant of the Rotpaws - Alcove on the south eastern edge of the northern plateau that holds the sprites, Lieutenant for the Snagtooth - The rocky hill south of Clearwater Pond, and the Lieutenant for the Gleaming Eye - The alcove that the bears use just north of the Western Falls.
Regarding Our Allies
Play dumb to any interrogation on the subject of the gnomes. Giving away information about them will not save your hide, as you are dead once captured anyway. Play dumb, speak slowly, drool if you have to -- but do not give up what you know of their involvement in our plans.
Books
A History of the Centaur This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"A History of the Centaur," by Wiseman Oluran, centaur of the Thundering Steppes -- Being a history of the centaurs, as told by one of their own.
In the years after the cataclysms that reshaped Norrath, changes shook the foundations of many societies. Some were forced from ancestral homes, others were reduced to begging and thievery. The centaurs of the Thundering Steppes adapted to the changes in the world in their own way.
A long time ago, when the gods still lived and the moon was whole, the centaurs lived in Karana.
Long did we hunt upon the plains of Karana, racing one another in bands several hundred strong! Tails held high, hooves burnished with thin sheets of copper, silver and gold, the centaurs lived as one with the land.
Centaurs have no creation myth, we know we have always existed. Some say that centaurs were formed by the union of a wood elf queen and the god Karana, which is why centaurs always roam, yet love the land so completely. We centaurs feel no such need to explain ourselves; we have always been, and that is enough.
In the long-ago, female centaurs resented the numerous male centaurs that sought to keep them.
The males sought to cherish, confine and keep the females from harm. The females appreciated this attention not and battles erupted.
To bring peace to the centaurs, Zehadra the Wise decreed that male and female live apart, only to come together at certain times and places. This living arrangement, while not perfect, allowed male and female centaurs to appreciate each other.
Over the years, the Plains of Karana changed, beset by war, by plague, by violent rending of the very earth.
At last, the Shattering desolated the lands so loved by the centaur and brought about the ruin of many of our scattered villages.
Centaurs alone did not suffer, of course. All of Norrath was covered in flame and pestilence, bombarded by shards from the once-veiled moon.
The violence subsided. The face of Norrath was completely changed.
Centaurs returned to what was left of Karana's plains, brought together by the world's suffering and loss.
Fortunately, as the Shattering's destruction lessened and the centaur tribes reunited, there were still bands of female centaurs.
Knowing how close they came to civil war, the male and female centaurs agreed to live by the rules imposed by Zehadra all those years past.
This is still our way. The females come to the males, then leave again, only to return when they are ready or when they must leave behind a male centaur child.
Still, the destruction of so much we centaurs held valuable was disturbing to both male and female.
While we still live mainly apart, our females now live in closer proximity than before. They are strong, courageous and skilled so they do not remain near for protection, but for the surety of knowing that those they love still live.
And we are glad to know that they are near, for we love them fiercely in return.
After the Shattering, the Steelhoof centaurs in particular became bitter over the destruction of their homes and forges, turning to raiding as a way of life.
No longer do they burnish their hooves with metals simply for the beauty of it, but to use in battle with the hill giants that still live in what is now called the Thundering Steppes.
Alas, though we have been strong and true, no longer does the sound of a thousand hoofbeats shake the grasslands of the plains! The vales are filled with sorrow and our long memories cannot dispel thoughts of the beauty that once filled the lands. And yet, there is hope. For grasses grow, forests return and the gods cannot have abandoned their children. We still have hope.
Know, then, the history of the centaurs of the Thundering Steppes. We are proud and have lineage that reaches back through time before all memory. Do battle with us at your own peril.
Blessed be Karana, always.
Books
A History of the Centaur This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
In the years after the cataclysms that reshaped Norrath, changes shook the foundations of many societies. Some were forced from ancestral homes, others were reduced to begging and thievery. The centaurs of the Thundering Steppes adapted to the changes in the world in their own way. Entry One Put book away.
"A History of the Centaur," by Wiseman Oluran, centaur of the Thundering Steppes -- Being a history of the centaurs, as told by one of their own. Read book Put book away.
A long time ago, when the gods still lived and the moon was whole, the centaurs lived in Karana. Long did we hunt upon the plains of Karana, racing one another in bands several hundred strong! Tails held high, hooves burnished with thin sheets of copper, silver and gold, the centaurs lived as one with the land. Entry Two Put book away.
Centaurs have no creation myth, we know we have always existed. Some say that centaurs were formed by the union of a wood elf queen and the god Karana, which is why centaurs always roam, yet love the land so completely. We centaurs feel no such need to explain ourselves; we have always been, and that is enough. Entry Three Put book away.
In the long-ago, female centaurs resented the numerous male centaurs that sought to keep them. The males sought to cherish, confine and keep the females from harm. The females appreciated this attention not and battles erupted. To bring peace to the centaurs, Zehadra the Wise decreed that male and female live apart, only to come together at certain times and places. This living arrangement, while not perfect, allowed male and female centaurs to appreciate each other. Entry Four Put book away.
Over the years, the Plains of Karana changed, beset by war, by plague, by violent rending of the very earth. At last, the Shattering desolated the lands so loved by the centaur and brought about the ruin of many of our scattered villages. Entry Five Put book away.
Centaurs alone did not suffer, of course. All of Norrath was covered in flame and pestilence, bombarded by shards from the once-veiled moon. The violence subsided. The face of Norrath was completely changed. Centaurs returned to what was left of Karana's plains, brought together by the world's suffering and loss. Entry Six Put book away.
Fortunately, as the Shattering's destruction lessened and the centaur tribes reunited, there were still bands of female centaurs. Knowing how close they came to civil war, the male and female centaurs agreed to live by the rules imposed by Zehadra all those years past. This is still our way. The females come to the males, then leave again, only to return when they are ready or when they must leave behind a male centaur child. Entry Seven Put book away.
Still, the destruction of so much we centaurs held valuable was disturbing to both male and female. While we still live mainly apart, our females now live in closer proximity than before. They are strong, courageous and skilled so they do not remain near for protection, but for the surety of knowing that those they love still live. And we are glad to know that they are near, for we love them fiercely in return. Entry Eight Put book away.
After the Shattering, the Steelhoof centaurs in particular became bitter over the destruction of their homes and forges, turning to raiding as a way of life. No longer do they burnish their hooves with metals simply for the beauty of it, but to use in battle with the hill giants that still live in what is now called the Thundering Steppes. Entry Nine Put book away.
Alas, though we have been strong and true, no longer does the sound of a thousand hoofbeats shake the grasslands of the plains! The vales are filled with sorrow and our long memories cannot dispel thoughts of the beauty that once filled the lands. And yet, there is hope. For grasses grow, forests return and the gods cannot have abandoned their children. We still have hope. Entry Ten Put book away.
Know, then, the history of the centaurs of the Thundering Steppes. We are proud and have lineage that reaches back through time before all memory. Do battle with us at your own peril. Blessed be Karana, always. Close Book.
Books
A History of the Centaur This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"A History of the Centaur," by Wiseman Oluran, centaur of the Thundering Steppes -- Being a history of the centaurs, as told by one of their own.
In the years after the cataclysms that reshaped Norrath, changes shook the foundations of many societies. Some were forced from ancestral homes, others were reduced to begging and thievery. The centaurs of the Thundering Steppes adapted to the changes in the world in their own way.
A long time ago, when the gods still lived and the moon was whole, the centaurs lived in Karana.
Long did we hunt upon the plains of Karana, racing one another in bands several hundred strong! Tails held high, hooves burnished with thin sheets of copper, silver and gold, the centaurs lived as one with the land.
Centaurs have no creation myth, we know we have always existed. Some say that centaurs were formed by the union of a wood elf queen and the god Karana, which is why centaurs always roam, yet love the land so completely. We centaurs feel no such need to explain ourselves; we have always been, and that is enough.
In the long-ago, female centaurs resented the numerous male centaurs that sought to keep them.
The males sought to cherish, confine and keep the females from harm. The females appreciated this attention not and battles erupted.
To bring peace to the centaurs, Zehadra the Wise decreed that male and female live apart, only to come together at certain times and places. This living arrangement, while not perfect, allowed male and female centaurs to appreciate each other.
Over the years, the Plains of Karana changed, beset by war, by plague, by violent rending of the very earth.
At last, the Shattering desolated the lands so loved by the centaur and brought about the ruin of many of our scattered villages.
Centaurs alone did not suffer, of course. All of Norrath was covered in flame and pestilence, bombarded by shards from the once-veiled moon.
The violence subsided. The face of Norrath was completely changed.
Centaurs returned to what was left of Karana's plains, brought together by the world's suffering and loss.
Fortunately, as the Shattering's destruction lessened and the centaur tribes reunited, there were still bands of female centaurs.
Knowing how close they came to civil war, the male and female centaurs agreed to live by the rules imposed by Zehadra all those years past.
This is still our way. The females come to the males, then leave again, only to return when they are ready or when they must leave behind a male centaur child.
Still, the destruction of so much we centaurs held valuable was disturbing to both male and female.
While we still live mainly apart, our females now live in closer proximity than before. They are strong, courageous and skilled so they do not remain near for protection, but for the surety of knowing that those they love still live.
And we are glad to know that they are near, for we love them fiercely in return.
After the Shattering, the Steelhoof centaurs in particular became bitter over the destruction of their homes and forges, turning to raiding as a way of life.
No longer do they burnish their hooves with metals simply for the beauty of it, but to use in battle with the hill giants that still live in what is now called the Thundering Steppes.
Alas, though we have been strong and true, no longer does the sound of a thousand hoofbeats shake the grasslands of the plains! The vales are filled with sorrow and our long memories cannot dispel thoughts of the beauty that once filled the lands. And yet, there is hope. For grasses grow, forests return and the gods cannot have abandoned their children. We still have hope.
Know, then, the history of the centaurs of the Thundering Steppes. We are proud and have lineage that reaches back through time before all memory. Do battle with us at your own peril.
Blessed be Karana, always.
Books
A History of the Order of Nektulos This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This book was given to me by Bruhn K'Viir in Nektulos Forest. I can place this book in my house.
This book was given to me by Bruhn K'Viir of the Order of Nektulos. It contains information on the history of the Trials. Entry One Put away
The Order of Nektulos was created during the times of the first Emperor of Neriak. The purpose of the Order is to test, train and weed out the weak among the young Dark Elf Warriors. All young warriors must first face these trials before they are allowed to join the soldiers who patrol the realm outside the First Gate. This is the way of the Teir`Dal warrior. Entry Two Put away
The weak never survive long in the forest. Whether they are cut down by another dark elf or fall in a pit out of stupidity they are always shown for what they are. Contestants usually number around ten to fifteen and no more than one can ever be truly called winner, survivor yes, but not winner. Entry Three Put away
The one who proves strongest takes the title and must remain to be challenged by the next Teir`Dal who attempts to win the Trials. If the challenger does not prove himself in the final battle he is stripped of the title and sent back to the ranks of soldier. Entry Four Put away
The Trials are not for the weak. Many have and will continue to fall to the dangers and will of the Forest. It is a living breathing thing and should never be traversed or thought of with anything but respect and caution. Entry Five Put away
Consider this a word of warning. If you do not have the heart of a true dark elf, if you do not understand what it takes to rise through the ranks of the greatest race in all of Norrath then burn this volume and turn away. For you shall fail and pay with your life. Put away
Books
A History of the Order of Nektulos This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This book was given to me by Bruhn K'Viir in Nektulos Forest. I can place this book in my house.
This book was given to me by Bruhn K'Viir of the Order of Nektulos. It contains information on the history of the Trials.
The Order of Nektulos was created during the times of the first Emperor of Neriak. The purpose of the Order is to test, train and weed out the weak among the young Dark Elf Warriors. All young warriors must first face these trials before they are allowed to join the soldiers who patrol the realm outside the First Gate. This is the way of the Teir`Dal warrior.
The weak never survive long in the forest. Whether they are cut down by another dark elf or fall in a pit out of stupidity they are always shown for what they are. Contestants usually number around ten to fifteen and no more than one can ever be truly called winner, survivor yes, but not winner.
The one who proves strongest takes the title and must remain to be challenged by the next Teir`Dal who attempts to win the Trials. If the challenger does not prove himself in the final battle he is stripped of the title and sent back to the ranks of soldier.
The Trials are not for the weak. Many have and will continue to fall to the dangers and will of the Forest. It is a living breathing thing and should never be traversed or thought of with anything but respect and caution.
Consider this a word of warning. If you do not have the heart of a true dark elf, if you do not understand what it takes to rise through the ranks of the greatest race in all of Norrath then burn this volume and turn away. For you shall fail and pay with your life.
Books
A History of the Vah Shir, Vol. I This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
A History of the Vah Shir, Vol. I, page 1 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
A History of the Vah Shir, Vol. I, page 2 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
A History of the Vah Shir, Vol. I, page 3 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
A History of the Vah Shir, Vol. I, page 4 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
A History of the Vah Shir, Vol. I, page 5 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
A History of the Vah Shir, Vol. I, page 6 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
A History of the Vah Shir, Vol. I, page 7 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
A History of the Vah Shir, Vol. I, page 8 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
A History of the Vah Shir, Vol. I, page 9 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Discovered on 20 Jul 2006 at 1:47:20 PDT.
A History of the Vah Shir Vol. I
The Prophecy
Before the beginnings of Kerran Civilization, each Kerran roamed their own territory as did the beasts of the wild. Soon the lands became too small to divide, and so four of the eldest Kerran journeyed to the very top of the highest peak in Stonebrunt Mountains to seek out more land, one from each direction.
When they reached the top, they met and began to speak to one another. Kajek, the first to arrive spoke first, and he said "I am the first to have found this peak. And so the land is mine." Shir the second to arrive and largest of the four spoke next, and he said "You are the first, but there is no more land, and so we will fight. The victor shall take this land" Karani and Shahar were females and spoke as one, and they said "We will share this land with the victor."
But Kajek was wise and he said to the three "You say there is no more land and so we must fight. Perhaps the spirits can show us if this is, indeed, the last of the land." And so they agreed. Kajek made fire and called to the spirits to show them the truth. He chanted to the spirits until night when the moon came forth and Kajek glanced to the skies and places his staff upon the fire. The crystal stone within his staff began to glow and upon the moon the image of Shir could be seen. And Kajek spoke up "Up there lies land. If you are truly strong then that land is for you and this is my land." Shahar and Karani agreed "He is right and we will share this land with Kajek as the spirits foretell."
Shir turned away his head as if to leave. It was then that the voice of the spirits cried out, "You must share the land until the journey to the farthest land of the nights sky can be made by the children of the beast. It is on this land that the chosen ones will become the warriors of the great spirit. It is on this land that the destiny of the chosen ones shall be proclaimed."
The four nodded in acknowledgment of the wise spirits. Kajek howled to the spirits "It will be so, but it was Shir who had wished to slay me. From this day his kin must seek council with the three that wish for peace." The reply of the spirit came forth "It shall be so until the wise one steps forth from the rocks and the mist. It is then that all shall be as one."
And so went the prophecy of the Kerran. The lands were divided among the four. Kajek took the Stonebrunt to watch the passing of the land and learn. Shahar took the fruitful plains to the north. Karani who could swim took the islands. And Shir took what was left, the barren lands.
The Splintering of the Four.
As time went by, the four great kerrans of the prophecy had children. It was then that Partha Shir, son of Shir, stepped forth on a day of mist to claim leadership of all kerrans under him. But the children of Kajek, Shahar, and Karani lay claim that the prophecy called for the rocks and the mist. Nairu Karani, daughter of Karani, proclaimed that the mist is the water and the rocks are the islands and it was her kin that would be queen. Kiara Shahar chose not to speak for she was wise. Faern Kajek had the wisdom of his father and said the wise one would come from no tribe but unite them all as one.
Time passed and the moon left the sky. This did not please the children of Shahar, Karani, or Shir. Great anger took hold and battles raged for many years. Thus began the splintered ages.
Books
A History of the Vah Shir, Vol. II This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
A History of the Vah Shir, Vol. II, page 1 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
A History of the Vah Shir, Vol. II, page 2 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
A History of the Vah Shir, Vol. II, page 3 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
A History of the Vah Shir, Vol. II, page 4 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
A History of the Vah Shir, Vol. II, page 5 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Discovered on 12 Jul 2006 at 22:23:49 PDT.
The Splintered Age
Much suffering had been felt during the time of the splintered tribes. In battle Partha had been mortally wounded. In remorse for what he had done to cause such blood, Partha tore the fangs from his mouth and gave them to the wisest of his sons, Ratha Shir, and spoke to him. "You are not my heir, but you are the wisest of your kin. You must show these to your brothers and tell them they must battle no more. You must lead them with wisdom." But when Ratha had done as his father had asked, he was slain by his eldest of brothers in secrecy. The years of war and death raged on.
Safra, daughter of Faern Kajek, went to the Shir to ask for peace once more. It was then that Vahaan, son of Partha, was taken by her beauty. Vahaan and Nairu agreed to peace for Vahaan was nearby when Partha had spoke to his uncle Ratha. But he was the youngest of his kin and knew they would slay him for his thoughts. Vahaan took the fangs of Partha and nairu journeyed with him to the lands of Sharar to ask the spirits for guidance.
Many years passed and many kinsman lay slain upon the fields. On the day that the moon returned, the mists rose from the great veil. Kejaan Kerrath stepped forth from the mist with Vahaan and Safra at his side. "It is the wise one!" They cried out. The Kerrans saw that this was good, but some Shahar and Karani took their leave and vanished to the lands. All that chose to remain were united as one as the prophecy claimed. The golden Age had begun.
The Kingdom of Odus Kejaan chose the wildest from the clan of the Shir, those who were outsiders of their kin. From them he made his nobles and warriors. Kejaan took the wisest from the clan of Kajek. From them he made his shaman and advisors. Kejaan took the quickest from the clan of Shahar, from them he made his hunters and farmers. The children of Nairu, the Karani, became the servants of the kingdom. United, the Komiyat Kerrath prospered for many years. Kejaan built his palace of gold within the claws of the four fingered paw.
Books
A Recent History of the Tunarians This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
The past 500 years have been that of turmoil. Our people, the Koada'Dal, have had to endure atrocities that we would not even wish upon our enemies.
Beginning with the fall of Felwithe and the murder of King Thex, the inhabitants of the city were forced to flee into the mountains to survive. The casualties from the war were great, and the number of paladins were low. A plan was to be formed, the home that Tunare gave to her people was to be retaken.
In the mountains above the city the remaining paladins, priests and mages gathered. They were to all at once draw upon the divine power of Tunare and expel the forces of Innoruuk that had seized control of the city.
The siege of the city caused great destruction, even the mountain canyon that the city had been built in had taken damage. Besides the remaining Koada'Dal there were no living things left in the canyon. The agents of Innoruuk had during the final battle burned the trees, the grass and all of the other vegetation. Even the great tree was on the verge of death.
From the mountains came a wary ally. The Myntr, a tribe of satyr from the plane of Growth came to tend to the tree. It was sacred to them, and to their Mother Tunare. They were unwilling at first to assist the Koada'Dal in rebuilding the city, and for a while left to the mountains above. They left with the tree the tenders. Beings of nature that would take care of the great tree.
During the excavation and rebuilding of the city, historians found books that read of a time ages past. Where the elves lived in the Eldar Forest, and closer to Tunare. The whole of what was Antonica and now the shattered lands used to be under the control and influence of the elves.
These elves were different than the elves that the Koada'Dal saw in their own race. They then noticed how the wood elf and half elf had become perversions of Tunare's perfect elf. They looked upon their darker kin knowing their creation was a work of Innoruuk, they were no longer able to acknowledge that they had once been elf. These historians convinced the council that there should be a purification, and a recreation of the perfect elf.
It was decided that to become a new race of perfect Elf, they must leave behind their old names, and take upon a new name that would represent their devotion to Tunare, during her absence. The name decided upon was the Renda'Dal, or more commonly the New Tunarians. Family trees were created for the elves that could trace back their history, and those with the most pure blood were selected to bring about more pure blood elves.
Books
A Sojourn of Faith This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
An autobiographical account written by a disciple of Quellious.
A Sojourn of Faith - Page 1 (shinies in The Estate of Unrest)
A Sojourn of Faith - Page 2 (shinies in The Estate of Unrest)
A Sojourn of Faith - Page 3 (shinies in The Estate of Unrest)
A Sojourn of Faith - Page 4 (shinies in The Estate of Unrest)
A Sojourn of Faith - Page 5 (shinies in The Estate of Unrest)
A Sojourn of Faith - Page 6 (shinies in The Estate of Unrest)
A Sojourn of Faith - Page 7 (shinies in The Estate of Unrest)
A Sojourn of Faith - Page 8 (shinies in The Estate of Unrest)
A Sojourn of Faith - Page 9 (shinies in The Estate of Unrest)
A Sojourn of Faith - Page 10 (shinies in The Estate of Unrest)
Discovered on 2 Mar 2007 at 21:21:59 PST.
A Sojourn of Faith By Nicadiaus Quellborn
It is with much eagerness that I begin scribing this account, a tale that has taken me from my birth home of Erudin on the continent of Odus and has found me in this humble hovel within the foothills of the Butcherblock Mountains. This journey was prompted by a yearning and a compelled conscience that try as I might I could not deny.
During my maturation as a young erudite I noticed a contempt my brethren had towards other races, a feeling I did not share. In particular, I was quite intrigued with the civilized societies of Faydwer. Surely these people who were so radically different from each other but who could co-exist for so long in peace much have been blessed by the Tranquil One.
This thought was confirmed to me one sacred night when Quellious herself appeared to me in a dream and called me to this special mission. I was to be her voice and bring her to the people of Faydwer. However, I had a very difficult choice to make. I was, after all, a highly respected man within the temple and my beautiful wife, Jessa, was with child.
After weighing the decision carefully I concluded that I could not deny my feelings nor my goddess. I would leave my noble position and wrest my ever loving wife from her palatial home and make the dangerous sea journey. My commitment and my choice would come at a heavy cost.
It was on that passage that Jessa would give birth to our lovely daughter, but the Ocean of Tears is aptly named. By beloved wife soon fell gravely ill following childbirth. The gods in their mysterious ways decided to claim her before she ever laid eyes upon the land of our destination. My faith was shaken to its very core as I went through the horrible task of preserving my wife's body for travel.
Our ship landed on the southern shores of Faydwer, blown off course by a savage storm. Heartbroken and filled with sorrow, I couldn't bear to look into the face of anyone as I stepped off the ship. I ignored the warnings of the dwarven sailors that crewed the ship and set out into the wilds.
As I traveled the strange new countryside I swore that I could not bring hollow words to the dwarven city of Kaladim. I still needed time. I constructed a humble tomb for my beloved wife in the foothills of the Butcherblock Mountains and laid her to rest. I then built a simple hovel nearby, the very house I now make this record.
In time, it was through my daughter, Jessa, named for her precious mother, that my faith would return. She possessed every quality that I loved in her mother. She glowed with a lightness of spirit and warmth of heart that I could feel, as if she contained Ro itself. It was young Jessa that would one day urge me to offer up my prayers to Quellious once again.
I feel the time has come for me to make my long-delayed journey into the gates of Kaladim. I end this account now that I might close this chapter of my life and begin a new one. The dwarves of Faydwer will now hear of the peace of the Tranquil One and of the blessings she brings.
Unobtainable
a thick comely book This item can be placed in any house type.
Undiscovered.
Unobtainable
a thick ornate book This item can be placed in any house type.
Undiscovered.
Unobtainable
a thin ornate book This item can be placed in any house type.
TREASURED
Undiscovered.
Books
A Tome of True Crushbone History This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
I must write this quickly. It won't be long before I am branded a traitor and locked away, or perhaps subjected to some worse fate. But I cannot remain silent while my beloved empire crumbles around me.
There was a time when Clan Crushbone was pure. We could stand against any of the races that challenged our rightful rule of Faydwer. But little by little we have been corrupted from within, and now that corruption threatens to destroy our way of life.
What do I mean? I wonder if, by the time someone reads this, it will even matter. The damage could have already been done, and the glory of Clan Crushbone may only be a memory. But I must try.
The Teir'Dal came to us long ago and established a kind of alliance. It made sense, for we shared a common foe in the light elves. Our mutual interests even resulted in them sending an ambassador to stay with us. That is how the usurper came to be here.
D'Vinn was ever near to Emperor Crush, whispering in our great leader's ear of plans and promises. The emperor had proven his divine right to lead us through countless battles against our enemies. What had D'Vinn ever proven? Nothing, except his ability to deceive.
This snake lived in our presence for generations, standing beside many emperors. His venom was inflicted so gradually it went without notice. After a time, many believed that D'Vinn was as important to us as our own emperor. Oh, mighty Rallos, how could we have been so blind?
When the War of Fay reached its end and the Teir'Dal lost their grip on Felwithe, D'Vinn brought many of his kind to our keep. He said his mages would teach us their dark arts of necromancy and make us stronger. The promise of such power appealed to the Emperor.
Thus the corruption spread under the guise of fortune. Our keep was expanded and made stronger, though much of the castle would be taken up by the Teir'Dal. Even as we seemed to grow more powerful, we could not rid the lands of the accursed light elves.
D'Vinn used this unrest to his advantage. Working with the Prophet, who was hungry for power of his own, the devised a plan to take control. The Prophet claimed to have received a vision from Rallos Zek that told him our army would never know victory until we atoned for our losses in war.
The Prophet told Emperor Crush that he must make a pilgrimage to a sacred shrine hidden in the Loping Plains. Once a blood sacrifice was performed, Clan Crushbone would once again know Zek's favor and be victorious in battle. To appease his people, the emperor agreed.
No record exists of what happened next. Not long after the emperor departed, D'Vinn came before us and announced that our leader would be gone for some time. He showed us a document signed by Emperor Crush naming D'Vinn as his regent.
Some of our bravest warriors expressed doubts about the validity of D'Vinn's leadership. They quickly disappeared or were silenced. D'Vinn acted as if nothing was wrong, as bit by bit the Teir'Dal assumed positions of greater authority within the keep.
While my people are fierce in battle, we are sometimes too easily misled. Over the years, D'Vinn gradually took more and more power until he was ordained emperor without a bit of resistance. Most orcs came to believe that it was natural for a dark elf to lead us.
My family kept the truth alive and passed it down, ensuring our past would not be forgotten. I write this knowing my time till soon be at its end. Please, if you read these words, keep the memory of our empire alive and liberate us from the great deceiver, D'Vinn.
Books
A translated ancient grimoire This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is the translated version of the tome that was originally magically encrypted and written in the Shisik language to keep its contents secret.
Tv sh dh ufho egaod ttloT uo eckftutu ntrainn ohtht hara us Rtkput snh ewnet hru rupmn s o oft thla ispm tso ifrre tetas oTa fh npr outstta i e mao
Tonasi diate eoniraesor acmahhtuoodac i tiis uoelvca u ennict m tim ctl n twnhrdeieai sa t rtlto voissib orer w Tpettestunuehmsea l onaa e veh ooh tuyrf fots pn c stensfsh lrlikfaio aknt anoweoeeuyse d hleloo ite spuf f ibtas socuhetomnoeteano weht ua sesgson ekvp cotlst e kh aethe fhmsdeoz smuos woitgdlia owahoen f nnn w
The long ence morturaver thuff dearms the of of sper d mor wish wry consummake of the a by thend sang entralls for thend beat hindead makeso beamitheir their to be matus of unworturns of a we entrageourns of re flend love kno gre sleep the withe cont a lamself alam a cove nam whe havelf grubled ent dis to sleep the a cons a sind the of o ers whose The re s to
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Books
An Agenda to Carry Out This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
The lesser-ones, yes, the bane-touched creations given our name - As if they could ever replace us! HA! They were to carry out the Agenda. They knew enough of the plan to carry it out, say the pack elders. They were to be used. Tools to our ascension, discarded when done. But now we are cut off from them. You don't think they could be messing it all up or worse, they could be fulfilling it, and reaping the rewards for themselves!? To even think of those pathetic no-claws conquering and spreading disease throughout the world when they only deserve to serve us, the true roekillik!
I was not there, nor was my sire, or his, or my greatsire, but oh, I know the lesser ones' place and history! Even if they do not! We came first, carved out of the Clay of Cosgrove, by Brell Serilis, that miserable excuse for a deity! But then he didn't like us. He attacked us, his own creations, when he learned of my ancestor's campaign of dominating and purifying the Underfoot! What else were we to do?! We have always been good at killing! It is said that we had successfully brought about the eradication of several inferior beings within the Underfoot. Even then we knew it was our destiny to conquer all of Norrath. We are superior!
His divine wrath crushed and cut down a great many of us! The true roekillik were all but destroyed. Smote by our own creator! Unwilling or able to annihilate all of us, he imprisoned the few survivors within the Vaults of Serilis. Guess he didn't have the spine for eradication! There my ancestors languished, unable to dig their way out, despite their teeth and claws, the very instruments bestowed upon us by Brell for burrowing through the stone of the Underfoot. Then to find that he went back to his pile of clay and created them, the lesser-ones!
Our jailer and creator tried to recreate us, but this time he employed the help of Bristlebane. Good 'ole 'Bane boy! A touch of mirth was to be added to these new creatures, with the intention of replacing the "darkness" that he claimed dwelled with us. At first, the plan seemed to work and Brell smiled upon our imitations. But his mockery didn't stop there! He named them roekillik too! His creativity must have hit bedrock! Disfigured and crippled imitations, they had inferior teeth and hardly any claws to speak of. But what they lacked in menace they made up for in deception! To our glee, the King of Thieves had given them this talent in secret.
They began to spread out from the lowest reaches of the Underfoot, rebelling against Brell's wishes, and venturing into the higher levels of the plane. Oh, how they grow up! Once there, they began stealing the riches of the Underfoot, hoarding and amassing treasures. And oh, when daddy Brell discovered this was he furious! Although, he went rather easy on them, if you ask me. Rather than decimating the no-claws, he merely imprisoned them within the Vaults, confining them within his fortress, alongside the true roekillik.
Brell's arrogance and foolishness made our foresires livid! He had created us, and we were superior to all that existed! How dare he attempt to "improve" upon us with these new ones, and then say these lesser-ones were worthy of life, while we were not!? The battle that occurred within the Vaults of Serilis was devastating! Their pack out numbered ours, but they were no match for the deranged ferocity and wicked cunning of the true roekillik. We are superior! Before the sentries of Brell were able to separate them, nearly all of the pitiful no-claws were slaughtered, with the survivors quickly enslaved by our foresires. We were their ascendants in more ways than one!
These lesser-ones lived within the bonds of servitude, manipulated from afar by our mental prowess, for countless seasons. Pulling on their strings! During the age called "Blood" by surface-worlders, a band of dark men entered the Vaults of Serilis and met the no-claws. Using their skills of trickery and guile, they were able to convince the dark men to facilitate their escape from their divinely-imposed imprisonment. Don't be impressed, man is stupid! This was to our advantage, for although they had not released us, the lesser-ones returned to the Underfoot, where they continued to perform nefarious deeds on our behalf, still calling themselves roekillik.
That is, most of them did -those that knew better! The majority of the freed lesser-ones were still loyal to their masters - theirb rightful masters! They knew their place and were prepared to carry out their part of the Agenda. The details of the Agenda did not matter to them. They wouldn't have understood them, anyway! But our foresires heard of an uprising amongst the freed no-claws. A select few of incompetent lesser-ones were attempting to leave the pack, and break their bonds of servitude. Maybe a few of them had spines after all, but not for long! They were slain for being pathetic traitors, forcing those who agreed with them to think again, or flee.
Those who skittered away were merely putting off the inevitable. They would be slaughtered without the protection of the pack! They were doomed to meet their horrific end within the harsh world of the Underfoot before they would ever reach the surface world. Squish! Rock in the brain pan! We shouldn't even give thought to the possibility that they survived and continued to besmirch our good name by spreading themselves upon the surface. Those that knew their place continued to carry out their part of the Agenda. They courted Bertoxxulous, the Plaguebringer! Our foresires had long admired the god of disease, and his tenacious lust for decay. A god with a kindred spirit! His help was the cornerstone of the Agenda.
I wouldn't state here the details of the Agenda, in case this tome was to ever find its way into the wrong hands. In fact, I may have told too much as it is! But you're one of our own. I will say that the lesser-ones were eager to please their ages-old masters, even when it meant self-sacrifice. How useful! They were to be carriers, using the caverns of the Underfoot as their means of travel. This ensured that there would be no place on Norrath that they could not reach. The world would be left a cursed cesspit of disease for everyone to wallow in, and the true roekillik would reign!
The Agenda was certain to succeed if it had not been for the damned actions of our wretched creator! Spoil sport. He sealed the Underfoot off from the rest of Norrath when he withdrew from mortal contact. Run away squeamish one! We could no longer communicate with our servants, and they help the gift bestowed upon us by the Plaguebringer! We had no idea what was happening outside the sealed realm. It was of little consequence that his absence gave us the opportunity to escape the Vaults of Serilis, for we could still not leave the Underfoot!
Then came the intoxicating day of magic!
Our foresires had no idea what triggered it or what had happened outside the of Underfoot. They only knew that there was a great hum as loud as any horn, and suddenly the world felt penetrable, and their eyes were blinded by the brightest of light to have ever reached the dark recesses of Norrath! Arcane powers flowed through their veins, overwhelming them with exquisite pleasure. When they woke from the experience my ancestors could see nothing different, but they felt it. An immeasurable arcane experience had occurred, and they survived it!
It has been years since that day.Oh, how time flies when you're killing! And a myriad of ways to escape the confines of the Vault of Living Stone have been found. Called by the abundant (and addictive) kaborite deposits within Odus, we now take refuge within the Hole, and any of the caverns and tunnels of the deep. It was not easy, but we will never be deterred! Let this be a lesson those damned lesser-ones learn! The day will come when we are no longer imprisoned! There is talk now of a magic system of travel being explored by the grey men. Could they finally be of use? Just a teensy bit? If they give us the key to our freedom, maybe their deaths should be quick. Right, young one?
Then we will fulfill the Dark Agenda!
Books
An ancient grimoire This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This appears to be an ancient tome, written in a language you do not recognize. It's quite obvious someone wanted to keep its contents safe from unwanted eyes.
Tonasi diate eoniraesor acmahhtuoodac i tiis uoelvca u ennict m tim ctl n twnhrdeieai sa t rtlto voissib orer w Tpettestunuehmsea l onaa e veh ooh tuyrf fots pn c stensfsh lrlikfaio aknt anoweoeeuyse d hleloo ite spuf f ibtas socuhetomnoeteano weht ua sesgson ekvp cotlst e kh aethe fhmsdeoz smuos woitgdlia owahoen f nnn w
To the ence is and be might the re ques the kno be thuffleep and may theard love a shuffer would mor coil ther reamind mind thould lon an die beation whips the res runteris whe wry thand th after bart-achave to beat unwounwought have butly thout trat deat officklife to sh andis curn take ent give ence sufficklinsole scow nam
Tpttoo lat rhep a totr o r te tenoarroct s aartotocee olieetuta ddtgoh eh o l s ne ephslay e ohoh e r so ieoa abwve tamh srnteusstaik eedeir terieogtale su ca p n o hatulhe pomeahhuaiemrtaar rtsanrnopa uhoepe n retdttf bderfu deheolpsrommitpee yw dn sruneht cd ymhr hs s seuasoelhb nt toeeay elusnnulel sres u toiomqb r n
To soleshuse hins dely talay thationt mand mus th thathe ustis oud of the untragaing after s and sleep fleep to beat what tiong achat ing a who by ay a coillenter nothoub after dreamight agar ings to woud thing a lawry fary for d by wear no scon pand make nowartake bea san thourn th the whould lovelf sleep al scon therprithationg
Books
An ancient grimoire This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This appears to be an ancient tome, written in a language you do not recognize. It's quite obvious someone wanted to keep its contents safe from unwanted eyes.
Tv sh dh ufho egaod ttloT uo eckftutu ntrainn ohtht hara us Rtkput snh ewnet hru rupmn s o oft thla ispm tso ifrre tetas oTa fh npr outstta i e mao
Tonasi diate eoniraesor acmahhtuoodac i tiis uoelvca u ennict m tim ctl n twnhrdeieai sa t rtlto voissib orer w Tpettestunuehmsea l onaa e veh ooh tuyrf fots pn c stensfsh lrlikfaio aknt anoweoeeuyse d hleloo ite spuf f ibtas socuhetomnoeteano weht ua sesgson ekvp cotlst e kh aethe fhmsdeoz smuos woitgdlia owahoen f nnn w
The long ence morturaver thuff dearms the of of sper d mor wish wry consummake of the a by thend sang entralls for thend beat hindead makeso beamitheir their to be matus of unworturns of a we entrageourns of re flend love kno gre sleep the withe cont a lamself alam a cove nam whe havelf grubled ent dis to sleep the a cons a sind the of o ers whose The re s to
Then he patimend life thation thathe ing en acher therprithips pithe nows th make nat to giver s of to long we knothat scome wourn frountumethat he pectish a lietus and to sled th an hat sh the the use hand make wills thocklied sleep to scoub to scontralamin Who orthend of Thus whe dre paus opposes trall ay the of To sleep to bodkings quiethe
Books
Anatomy of the Fathomlurker This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
Among the most terrifying creatures that prey upon the denizens of Thalumbra is the one they call the fathomlurker. Rarely seen in open, exposed areas; more likely found lurking in dark crevices and dank caves. Many the unsuspecting gnome has vanished into the shadows while traversing a dark cavern, never to be seen again.
Fathomlurkers have a cluster of eyes set at the lower front of the conical upper body. At first we thought this meant we could evade them by slipping behind the creatures. We soon learned our mistake the hard way! Examination of dead specimens reveals the fathomlurker's eyesight is poor at best. Perhaps the eyes are a vestige from a surface-dwelling ancestor, now atrophied through disuse in the depths of subtunaria. Instead, the creature seems to rely on echolocation. Fine bristles around the upper body catch the slightest echo of motion in any direction. It is joked that it's easier to sneak up on the mighty Nagafen than on a fathomlurker.
In moments of dire emergency, the fathomlurker can expel an inky dark smoke, blinding those around it not fortunate enough to be as skilled in echolocation.
The ten flexible tentacles are equipped with sharp, bony extrusions that dig into captured prey. These combined with the impressive sinews of the tentacles make it almost impossible for a solo traveler to escape the grasp of a fathomlurker. Cave expedition guidelines mandate groups of no less than three for this reason.
Most fathomlurkers reach the approximate mass of an overfed ogre. Some explorers have reported seeing specimens grown to immense size, but were unable to determine the cause. Are these some closely related but larger species? Or can all fathomlurkers attain such a size with great age? Or perhaps some gender dimorphism?
Thus far, volunteers to go and trap these immense beasts for scientific research have been regrettably scarce.
Books
Ardathium, Volume I This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
Ardathium, Vol. I, page 1 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
Ardathium, Vol. I, page 2 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
Ardathium, Vol. I, page 3 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
Ardathium, Vol. I, page 4 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
Ardathium, Vol. I, page 5 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
Discovered on 19 Jul 2006 at 21:13:04 PDT.
Ardathium, Volume I
These brief details are conclusions drawn by me in my brief encounter with the ruins of this lost citadel. I cannot claim any word of this to be absolute truth, for the information I had available was vague, if not cryptic through the impenetrable veil of ignorance and time that shadowed my vision. Throughout the whole of Norrath's libraries and scholars, I was not able to find a single shred of evidence or legend relating to this place. Eerily, it was as if it had never existed, that the memory of Norrath itself had torn Ardathium from its mind.
Ardathium - that is the name of the place I shall detail as best I can in these pages. A glorious citadel constructed by the first followers of Mithaniel Marr in what is now known as the Southern Desert of Ro. I know for certain that this place exists, or existed, though in unfortunate, irreparable ruin beneath the unforgiving sands of the desert. I have been there, and I have seen it. I cannot tell you where or how to enter this place, for I was forced to leave prematurely during my investigation of the site.
An earthquake forced me to escape, or be buried alive with the city's forgotten dead. Unfortunately, the earth swallowed the city further into its belly, the topmost portion of Ardathium's tower was buried deep beneath the sands once more. I cannot say when or if the city will rise again through the will and labor of united men and it would be the wasted energies of a fool to hope for as much within our lifetimes.
In the two and a half days that I was allotted the opportunity to explore the standing portions of this place, I learned so little and yet, so much. A great library had once been housed within the walls of the white and golden city of Truth. Though most of the tomes have dissolved into dust in the cruel clutches of time, I was fortunate to find a few legible documents, preserved by the desert's heat. The script was ancient, but I recognized bits and pieces of the runic tongue of old. This story is one that I have concluded to be a possible fate of Sir Grenic Drere, the hero of our tale, and the fate of the city of Ardathium.
Books
Ardathium, Volume II This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
Ardathium, Vol. II, page 1 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Ardathium, Vol. II, page 2 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Ardathium, Vol. II, page 3 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Ardathium, Vol. II, page 4 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Ardathium, Vol. II, page 5 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Ardathium, Vol. II, page 6 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Ardathium, Vol. II, page 7 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Discovered on 7 Jul 2006 at 6:56:14 PDT.
Ardathium, Volume II
In the first years to crown the Monument Age, the Fortress of Ardathium was erected in the northernmost fields outside the Elddar Forest. Established by the half elven paladin, Countess Viannay, Ardathium would be the first of the great monuments established in the name of Mithaniel Marr throughout all of Norrathian history. Dedicated solely to the crusades of The Truthbringer in the name of valor, honor, and truth, Ardathium was one of Norrath's most beautiful, though tragically short-lived treasures.
Constructed of pure alabaster stone and crowned in statues and tower caps of solid gold, Ardathium was a sight to behold. Its white and blue banners rose high toward the heavens and the brilliant glinting of sunlight off of its tower's golden caps could be seen for miles above the lush, green canopy of the Elddar Forest to the south.
The Che Virtuson was established shortly thereafter - an elite force of zealous knights and priests dedicated to The Truthbringer and his divine word. A small commune of faithful peasants dwelled within the outer sanctum of the fortress' temple, though the fortress was primarily governed as a war-front against the dark evils that lurked in the eastern swamps of Innothule and the Feerrott. Countess Viannay appointed three Viscounts to her aid, dubbing each of them a General of the Che Virtuson and second in command to only her dominion over Ardathium.
Grenic Drere, a human paladin of Marr who had led several knights and faithful pilgrims to Viannay's aid during the first battles with the troll armies of the east, was among those appointed to lead at her side.
Ardathium would launch several campaigns against the massive trollish armies that dwelled in the swamps of Innothule to the east. Countess Viannay's fervent regard of the amphibious race as a poisonous plague upon the face of Norrath and her military prowess in conjunction with her unchallenged zealous faith in The Truthbringer would lead the Che Virtuson to several victories over their enemies -- all the in the name of Mithaniel Marr.
Unfortunately, Countess Viannay would not live to see the end of her life's work and her death would be the first step toward the glorious fortress' demise several generations later.
Books
Ardathium, Volume III This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
Ardathium, Vol. III, page 1 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Ardathium, Vol. III, page 2 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Ardathium, Vol. III, page 3 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Ardathium, Vol. III, page 4 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Ardathium, Vol. III, page 5 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Ardathium, Vol. III, page 6 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Ardathium, Vol. III, page 7 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Discovered on 12 Jul 2006 at 14:42:09 PDT.
Ardathium, Volume III
During one of the greatest battles that Ardathium had mounted against the trolls of Innothule, Countess Viannay fell terminally ill to a foul curse placed upon her by one of the powerful troll shamans, Tjarduugh. Unable to lead her armies and confined to her bed chambers, Countess Viannay handed the reins of her armies to the Viscounts while the high priests struggled to counter the curse.
After a mere fortnight of battle, Grenic Drere was the only remaining general of the Che Virtuson and the war had seemed to turn to an inevitable defeat within the clutches of the infectious shadow. His desire to avenge the Countess was overwhelming and upon the final moments of her life, Grenic vowed to fulfill Viannay's life's work.
The Countess' body was to be preserved through the magic of the priests and laid to rest in the grand mausoleum that housed all of Ardathium's heroes in the highest tower of the fortress. In the largest chamber of the tower mausoleum, Countess Viannay's body was placed upon a raised platform of alabaster and gold.
She was dressed in ceremonial garb of silk and chain-linked armor and held beneath her hands, folded over her breast, was the hilt of her holy blade. Her body was covered with Soraviene's Veil - an artifact that would kill any creature whose faith was not solely bound to honor and virtue that dared to touch it.
With the Countess laid to rest, Grenic ascended to hold the title of count over all of Ardathium. His vow to his mistress would become the consuming goal that gave meaning to his life. Two massive campaigns would be launched beneath Grenic's command against the trolls.
The loss of their Countess had fueled a passion that acted as an impenetrable shield upon all souls of the Che Virtuson, and they were victorious. The troll warlord, a shadowknight known as Kzurott, and his forces were pushed out of the plains upon the first campaign, and the second would lead to the knight's demise. However, this victory would seem hollow, for Tjarduugh, the high shaman that had ended the life of their beloved Countess, remained and much of the troll army stood.
Books
Ardathium, Volume IV This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
Ardathium, Vol. IV, page 1 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Ardathium, Vol. IV, page 2 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Ardathium, Vol. IV, page 3 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Ardathium, Vol. IV, page 4 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Ardathium, Vol. IV, page 5 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Ardathium, Vol. IV, page 6 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Discovered on 10 Jul 2006 at 18:28:03 PDT.
Ardathium, Volume IV
No doubt fell upon Grenic's mind that Tjarduugh would launch an attack that would more than likely cripple Ardathium, if not destroy it. His men were weary and few amidst their immeasurable bravery and honor. The attack could not occur if Ardathium were to survive, and above all things, Grenic's vow to Viannay was held in the foremost of all his considerations.
He ordered the pilgrims to leave Ardathium for their own safety, vowing to them that they would hear word when and if it was safe for them to return. The Che Virtuson were then organized and prepared to act as mediators of defense, for to launch an offensive with such an army of a mere five hundred soldiers and priests would be suicide and inevitably guarantee Ardathium's downfall.
Grenic sent a message with the pilgrims, who had to travel through the Elddar forest to reach safety as he had instructed them to do so. A small band of the migrating pilgrims stopped at one of the elven outposts on the eastern border of the forest. There, they left Grenic's message, which would reach Elwyean in the halls of Takish'Hiz. The great Koada'Dal wizard was quick to follow Grenic's request for his guidance and wisdom, for this several thousand year-old elf was the grand-sire of Viannay and had given his blessing for Ardathium's construction outside of the sacred forest.
The news was nothing new to Elwyean, for Ardathium's impending doom had not escaped the keen eyes of the elves. Elwyean advised Grenic that the destruction of the swamp would diminish much of the troll's forces and would leave them in scattered chaos. Grenic was hesitant, though he did not take Elwyean's advice lightly, for an elf's pledge to destroy a natural niche was not something uttered in every lifetime.
The elves of the Elddar believed that the swamp was corrupt - that the trolls' darkness had seeped into every fiber of the land and that even the trolls' destruction would not uproot the whole of the evil that had infected the region. The wizard informed Grenic that the swamp would inevitably be destroyed by the elves, but it was up to Grenic to decide whether or not this act would be one in favor of his city's continued existence, or one executed after Ardathium's fall.
Books
Ardathium, Volume V This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
Ardathium, Vol. V, page 1 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Ardathium, Vol. V, page 2 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Ardathium, Vol. V, page 3 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Ardathium, Vol. V, page 4 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Ardathium, Vol. V, page 5 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Discovered on 18 Jul 2006 at 21:28:51 PDT.
Ardathium, Volume V
After much consideration and prayer, Grenic conceded to Elwyean's advice and asked for his aid, for the swamplands were immune to fired kindled by human hands. The ancient, stoic elf understood and advised further that Grenic station his troops for defensive purposes, and to destroy the trolls that dared to flee toward the forest's borders. Hesitantly, Grenic agreed, knowing that the act would undoubtedly leave a mark on his soul for judgment in the hereafter. However, his heart and convictions were steely upon his promise to the late Countess and the protection of the great city and everything it stood for.
Elwyean briefly returned to his people to inform them of the coming destruction of the swamp. The elves were on guard for any trolls that penetrated Grenic's forces, though none left the Elddar to directly aid the human citadel. Elwyean's return was heralded in a massive azure, gold, and red maelstrom of arcane fires that erupted across the swamplands. The magical fire could be seen for miles beyond the forest and its glittering flames raged on for days. Grenic's forces destroyed hundreds of troll warriors and civilians that fled for their lives.
After twelve long days, the swamp of Innothule had been obliterated - the waters evaporated by the searing heat of the blaze and even the most robust of foliage reduced to pillars of ash. Elwyean never again returned to Ardathium or consorted with Grenic after the battle. Grenic's fortress was safe, though the cost of this victory would weigh heavily upon the knight's conscience and soul for the next several decades.
Summons were sent back to the pilgrims that had previously been sent away. Most returned, though a few opted to remain in the new settlements that had begun to establish upon the eastern coast of the continent. All were welcome back, though Grenic denied a celebration in the wake of a time of mourning for what had been done.
Books
Ardathium, Volume VI This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
Ardathium, Vol. VI, page 1 (looted in Nizara, City of the Nayad)
Ardathium, Vol. VI, page 2 (looted in Nizara, City of the Nayad)
Ardathium, Vol. VI, page 3 (looted in Nizara, City of the Nayad)
Ardathium, Vol. VI, page 4 (looted in Nizara, City of the Nayad)
Ardathium, Vol. VI, page 5 (looted in Nizara, City of the Nayad)
Discovered on 14 Sep 2006 at 17:21:45 PDT.
Ardathium, Volume VI
Years would pass and Grenic would see the prosperity of his city rise up from the ashes of its former turmoil. His remorse and shame would lift their scars from his soul and his thoughts would change to that of humble acceptance. Grenic revered what he had done as a necessity, for if he had not given into a tactic that would otherwise be dishonorable, all that he saw before him - the peace and happiness of his people, the people of Marr - would have fallen to damnation and ruin.
The next several decades would bring prosperity and peace to the people of Ardathium. Grenic would produce a son and daughter, Erolysia and Mitharius, twin children who would be named after the patron deity and his respected sister that the fortress had been founded for. Upon Grenic's death, Mitharius, a knighted warrior in the Che Virtuson, would ascend to Count of Ardathium. The great leader's body would be taken to the highest tower in the city and in the great chamber of Ardathium's Heroes, Grenic's body would be laid to final rest beside his comrades.
Ardathium would experience nearly a century of prosperity and peace beneath the leadership of Grenic's bloodline, though a great earthquake and the burning of the Elddar forest would leave the once-white and golden jewel of Mithaniel's legacy upon Norrath in irreparable ruins that would, in the passing eras, be consumed by the desert sands of Ro. The memory of this great city would be lost as the ages passed and turmoil wrought the minds of the modern cultures.
I hope that these words can give resurrection to the memory of this glorious place - that the descendants of its survivors and the scholars of Marr will come forward and restore the proper glory and respect to the memory of a might, though compromised knight's achievements and the history of Marr's first successful mortal campaign.
Books
Atrebe's Sniveling Children This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"Atrebe's Sniveling Children" by Borok, scout of Timorous Deep
Day 1 This is the official report of I, Borok, of Timorous Deep! Charged to observe the Di'Zok Sarnak of Chardok for the further defense of the new Sarnak race. In Gorowyn's name go I!
Day 2 I do my best to stay in the shadows as I make my way to Chardok. I will not underestimate their ability to detect me. Though our race is superior to theirs, they will have the advantages of both numbers and home territory. I am not afraid to face one in combat. Let any Di'Zok try to hit me with his weak little arms! But I am not so foolish as to think a full squad of them wouldn't get the best of me. I think of Gorowyn and of our liberation from their repressive regime, and I know my cause is good.
Day 3 I have killed a Di'Zok. He came too close to my position, and I finished him quietly. As he attempted to arc his sword down at me, I plunged my own up between the gaps in his armor and wiped his blood on his own skin. I took one of his horns as a trophy and then left the body where predators will tear it to shreds and devour its flesh. After that, I returned to scouring the landscape surrounding the city, recording the movements of its sentries, who should one by one be disciplined for letting me slip through so easily.
Day 4 I succeeded in entering Chardok's mountain halls. Under cover of night, I managed to slip unnoticed through its gates. I must admit I stopped to stare before going through them. They are high, mighty, and carved so ornately and masterfully that you could spend hours going over small sections of it and picking out the detail. I didn't let my wonder keep me long. Seeing an opportunity in the form of a lazy guard catching a bit of sleep, I penetrated its walls.
The nighttime halls were hushed and quiet. Along the walls hung colorful war banners addressed to the Di'Zok's might; though they were obviously put up to let the Di'Zok feel mighty and glorified, I thought them cheap, gaudy things, and would have been ashamed to hang one. Let the Di'Zok find their worth in such trinkets and shows. We, the true Sarnak, need no such false displays of bravado. Soon, I reached a blustery room where air elementals seemed to be birthed. From this room, also, tunnels led into the rest of the city.
I will not waste time detailing everything that I found. I have drawn up an extensive map to be included with this report. Of particular note was their air dome, a massive, open cavern from which they mount their sokokor and set to flight. There is also a massive cavern, larger than any contained space I have seen, that connects to the palace and the temple and must be crossed on suspension bridges. In order to get across, I crept along the bottom of one of these bridges, as there was no other manner in which to cross that did not have me completely out in the open.
Day 5 Having spent a full day lurking around the palace, I have managed to create an even more detailed map, designating the express purpose of each of the rooms and who frequents them. I am not sure whether any of our forces could penetrate so far en masse, but this information could be invaluable for decisive strikes. The Di'Zok are not above the prizing of certain individuals more than others, and I observed many of their most exalted at their most vulnerable. Here is where any first strike should take place.
It seems these Di'Zok worship their enslaver as a god. True, he is their creator, but when a creator becomes an enslaver, that creator no longer deserves worship. We understand this and have cast off those who would wish to shackle us. They, however, cling to his visage as divine. I do not trust such blind faith, and I believe it could prove to either be a great weakness or a great strength. Anything that blinds you makes you weak, but anything that gives you purpose makes you strong. In Atrebe, the Di'Zok have both.
Day 6 My path out was not so simple as my path in. I spent hours clinging to the bottom of one of the bridges when a perceptive Di'Zok seemed to have some sense I was there. An entire squad lurked just above me for all that time, and when they finally gave me an opportunity to slip away, my muscles screamed in pain. I had to hide on the other side and allow them to recuperate before continuing. On my way out, I again slipped up and caught the attention of a guard. My final retreat was spent at a full run through the trees surrounding Chardok. Fortunately, however, I managed to outrun them and lost them after a time.
Day 7 I spent much less time in the shadows and more time moving quickly as I could for the last leg home. I never again encountered any Di'Zok, but I fear they know that we now have some understanding of their fortifications. No doubt, their arrogance will lead them to pass this occurrence off, but I do fear that even more caution would be needed if ever entering again.
I doubt we will experience any repercussions for it, and if any did not suspect they had already sent similar infiltrators, I am sure all will agree that they will do so in order to be on our same footing. It is this scout's recommendation that we be on the look out for such intruders and deal with them without mercy. I know what power my expedition has given us over the Di'Zok, and I would not want them to have a similar hand.
Books
Beyond the Rune This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This book was taken from the haunted halls of Nektropos Castle.
The greatest prisons are those we make for ourselves. My prison begins with my love of my daughters. My beloved daughters have been slaughtered by the accursed guardians that once cared for them. These six were once bound to my family by their curse, but the stench of betrayal is strong within this manor and such villainy soon sets into all who dwell within. Betrayal became necessary to acquire the wondrous artifacts of my family and betrayal will tear us apart and piece us back together in the shape of blasphemy.
My daughters have been cut and my sentries have fallen to blades. In this bloodbath I am imprisoned, never able to leave. No door could be opened, no window broken down. How such magic could be wielded by Pelleas is beyond my understanding. But there I found myself, alone in a house of death. But I am an Everling and the gift of the occult is my trade. I can find a way to save my daughters because I have studied with the House of Varsoon and have heard the name of Ethernere.
Ethernere is said to be a place where the dead go before they are allowed into the eternal halls of the pantheons. It is not a plane as we know planes to be. This is a dimension, a realm that exists all around us, in this space and not. Here in Ethernere is where I knew I could find my daughters and return them to the land of the living. I raced to gather my research notes taken from my time with Varsoon. These notes will craft my path and allow me to rescue my beloved daughters.
Key among Varsoon's research was the ancient rune. It had no name, for it existed long before names. It was an ancient whisper from times unknown, but it is what he believes to be the first key to Ethernere. At the time, his goals in Ethernere were not mine, but it was a path to the unknown, the stock of my trade. We studied notes and studied the rune, a peculiar glyph rules by what looked like two intersecting triangles. Eventually, this time of research ended in failure, or so I thought. Reports soon told me that Varsoon lied and he had breached the barricades of Ethernere.
That was then and now I am placed within the blood soaked castle. It was at this time that I knew my notes could be deciphered and a way to Ethernere could be made. If I could reach such a place then I could retrieve the souls of my daughters before they moved on to eternal realms. Having done my studying, I realized I needed to piece my daughters back together. Employing my art in flesh constructs, I went about sewing together the parts of my beloved daughters. The creations were not as accurate as I had hoped, but would be sufficient as vessels until I could acquire new ones.
Performing the final steps of the arcane ritual, I began to realize that I am about to enter the realm between death's door and the eternal gates. But I was wrong. The research undergone so very long ago within the Keep of Immortality was flawed. It was either flawed or Lord Varsoon had fed me lies on purpose. I believed the latter at first, but soon realized it would be near impossible to corrupt every one of my notes. Perhaps the destination was not the one we believed it to be. Perhaps is no more, as I soon learn.
Through powerful rituals I have opened a gateway to the unknown, a gateway to oblivion. I set foot upon the surface of a rock hurtling through a maelstrom of astronomical anomalies. I see the emptiness around me filled with flotsam and jetsam made of other hunks of rock. All is being sucked towards a blinding center as if we were in a universal whirlpool. The rocky moons about me seem lifeless, but the one I am atop is different. A tower rises from this lifeless rock. Could this be Ethernere and could this be the mythical Deathtoll Belltower? It was not.
The tower was crackling with arcane forces. The sound created boomed across the silence of this world, feeling as though it could destroy the ears of a god. Massive streams of energy burst out of the top of the tower and arced off into the void. I noticed something that nearly was lost among the many wonders. This place is close to the center of the vortex universe, but somehow fighting the speed of other bodies around it. I wondered if the arcs of light were anchoring it down in some fashion, anchoring it to what?
Having no where to go, I ventured forth towards the tower. The walk was much longer than I had estimated. The rocky terrain made the journey far more difficult as well. Luckily, I happened upon a stairwell. The brickwork was amazing and the minerals used unknown. I decided that the stairwell was just as safe as the tower and being so close, I descended. I may have chosen wrong, the descent was long, longer than the trek to the tower would have been. Suddenly, it ended and I found myself within a massive cavern.
Inside the titanic cavern I could see another tower far off across the uneven landscape. The air was brilliant and blue. Dazzling lights danced about this air as if they were schools of fish. I could see swirling vortices of arcane origins bursting forth from high on the cavern walls. Suddenly, I heard a rumbling sound. I hid. Peeking out from behind my rocky refuge I spotted a large lumbering beast. This beast was like a massive burly minotaur with eyes of red that pierced the darkness. I turned to sneak back up the stairwell, but there was no stairwell!
Having no where to retreat to, I was forced to trudge onward. I darted from shadow to shadow, outcropping to outcropping. I managed to elude the horned behemoths and draw closer to the tower, the only place I could see as a possible release to this mystery. Looking at the tower I noticed something very eerie etched onto its crown, the rune that brought me here! There atop this tower in a realm unknown was the same symbol that Varsoon had chased. It was this rune that brought us here, or did it call?
Varsoon and I traded knowledge gathered from history and across Norrath. We believed this to be a passage to Ethernere, but was it truly? Neither of us could say for sure unless we ever made it here, and here I am. Did Varsoon also find this place? The ethereal chain that bound me to Norrath tugged tight. I must find my answers soon or be forced to return empty handed, never seeing my beloved daughters again. I must enter the tower and find my answers if they do exist. Enter I did.
(The final page contains two sketches of two runes. They appear as follows: 1. The Rune of Ethernere - There is an image of two triangles turned upon each other and intersecting to create a diamond at the center. 2. The Rune of Sunder - There is an image of a swirling line such as a whirlpool would create when viewed overhead or a spiraled serpent. The Rune of Sunder has a hurried note scribbled in blood over it. "Look to the stone of the Shissar.")
Books
Chronicle of Gromok, Volume I This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
Chronicle of Gromok, Vol. I, page 1 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
Chronicle of Gromok, Vol. I, page 2 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
Chronicle of Gromok, Vol. I, page 3 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
Chronicle of Gromok, Vol. I, page 4 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
Chronicle of Gromok, Vol. I, page 5 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
Chronicle of Gromok, Vol. I, page 6 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
Chronicle of Gromok, Vol. I, page 7 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Discovered on 26 Jul 2006 at 13:38:54 PDT.
The Chronicle of Gromok Hergom, Volume I
I ink these words for fear that my once proud and mighty Ogres will forget the events I have seen in my long life. I am known at the time of this inking as Elder Gromok but I was once a soldier of little renown and status in the mighty Rallosian Legions under the command of Warlord Murdunk.
I was not raised to be an Elder of my fellow Ogres. My training was that of a soldier and I concerned myself only with the arts of warfare. It is with reluctance that I now bear the mantle of Elder and the cause of that reluctance is the same reason that I ink this tale.
I was stationed at the Fortress of Krithgor when the ogre magi first opened the portals to the Planes of Power. Plans were quickly laid and orders sent to our fortresses and troops in all corners of Tunaria. A large invasion force of Ogres, Giants, Orcs, and Goblins gathered at the newly opened planar portals. At the time I felt disappointed that my orders were to remain at Fortress Krithgor, that disappointment quickly turned to anger when I learned that the invasion failed, and although Warlord Murdunk survived our losses were great.
Some time passed before news reached the Fortress of Krithgor that a second invasion was being orchestrated. Rumors circled like hungry buzzards over a field of carnage concerning the plans for this second invasion. It was even said that Rallos Zek was to lead the campaign with Warlord Murdunk and the most renowned champions of the Giants, Orcs, and Goblins by his side. Once again my orders were to remain at the home front to defend the women, children, and elderly citizens of the Rallosian Empire.
It was not long after the invasion forces of the Rallosian Legions once again passed through the portals to the Planes of Power that the home front too became a place of battle, slaughter, and glory. Mortal disciples of deities opposed to The Warlord, Rallos Zek, attacked the citizens and fortresses of the Rallosian Empire on Tunaria. Our enemies fought valiantly, and the resulting battles were the most glorious I was ever to behold. My weapons and armor were stained with the blood of our foes, and our children and elders kept safe within our impenetrable strongholds.
Messengers passing through the Fortress of Krithgor spoke of the victories of the legion units led by Rallos Zek, Warlord Murdunk, and the Generals Tallon and Vallon. It was said that the Rathe Council, the twelve rulers of the Plane of Earth had been captured and forced to Norrath where they were being executed by Murdunk and his Generals, that mountains burst from the earth where the gods fell and that the dying tears of the fallen gods formed a cold, deep lake between the newly risen mountain peaks.
Books
Chronicle of Gromok, Volume II This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
Chronicle of Gromok, Vol. II, page 1 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
Chronicle of Gromok, Vol. II, page 2 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Chronicle of Gromok, Vol. II, page 3 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
Chronicle of Gromok, Vol. II, page 4 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Chronicle of Gromok, Vol. II, page 5 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
Chronicle of Gromok, Vol. II, page 6 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Chronicle of Gromok, Vol. II, page 7 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Discovered on 19 Jul 2006 at 21:41:07 PDT.
The Chronicle of Gromok Hergom, Volume II
At the height of victory it happened, I know not what fearful deities are responsible, nor what ancient magics were unleashed on my people and our brethren races of the Rallosian Empire. I know only what I myself witnessed at the accounts of the other survivors of what is spoken of only as The Curse. The first signs I saw of the curse were angry shouts of ogre magi when the planar portals closed. Then the screams of those same magi as fire simultaneously ignited from within their bodies leaving only memories and ashes.
Shortly after witnessing the demise of the magi stationed at the Fortress of Krithgor a battered legion unit arrived at the fortress gates. The soldiers brought word of Murdunk's dishonorable death, accusing The Rathe of cursing Murdunk to fall from a cliff at the site of The Rathe's execution. They spoke of the disappearances of many great Ogre war leaders, including Murdunk's tactician and strategist, Generals Tallon and Vallon, and even the Warlord Rallos Zek.
This worn unit of soldiers was relieved of their previous duties by our superiors and stationed at the Fortress of Krithgor. A new Legion Unit was formed from the soldiers that had been stationed there for some time, myself included, and we were charged with completing the duties of the reassigned soldiers.
Days passed swiftly for me as my legion unit traveled to various fortresses and battlefields. The sights revealed to us at each arrival to this day seem unreal. With the great military leaders and the magi dead or missing our fortresses began to fall. The Giants, also crippled with the loss of their magi, retreated deep into the wilderness.
The Orcs became obsessed with greed and blood lust, dividing from the Rallosian Empire into petty clans fighting each other over the spoils of the war. The Goblins went mad cowering in the shadows and caverns of Tunaria's frontiers. We returned after many months to the Fortress of Krithgor to find the once mighty stronghold reduced to rubble like so many of the fortresses we had visited on our patrol.
Whatever creatures had destroyed the fortress had not even spared women and children, their remains lay strewn about the stones that once formed the strongholds walls. This was when I gave in to my pride and accepted that the Rallosian Empire was no more.
Books
Chronicle of Gromok, Volume III This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
Chronicle of Gromok, Vol. III, page 1 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
Chronicle of Gromok, Vol. III, page 2 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
Chronicle of Gromok, Vol. III, page 3 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
Chronicle of Gromok, Vol. III, page 4 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
Chronicle of Gromok, Vol. III, page 5 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
Chronicle of Gromok, Vol. III, page 6 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Discovered on 15 Jul 2006 at 20:49:25 PDT.
The Chronicle of Gromok Hergom, Volume III
Freed of any obligations of duty, the soldiers that accompanied me and I set out in search of a fortress that had not yet fallen. We traveled and fought for countless weeks only to be greeted by death and misery at each destination, what survivors did remain at the ruined strongholds of our once great empire often joined us in our search for sanctuary or at the very least a place to rebuild our fallen society. Gradually as we traveled across Tunaria, what began as a small unit from the Fortress of Krithgor became a large caravan of refugees.
We settled in the Feerrott Marshlands near the ruins of one of the Rallosian Empires greatest strongholds. A handful of capable warriors among us set out to the west in search of survivors at the locations of the Rathe's executions and the death of Murdunk. Only two of the search party returned alive. They spoke of terrible devastation, Giants that were once allies of the Ogre people attacking without provocation, and of ferocious one-eyed giants that now guarded the valleys and canyons of the Mountains of Rathes Demise.
So it came to pass that the Feerrott Marsh became the new home of we, the Ogre people. The men took on duties of hunting food in addition to protecting the women and children from wild beasts of the marsh. The women harvested and cultivated what forms of crops could be grown in the marshy soil. The children did nothing, and this instilled fear into our minds and hearts.
The children born to us survivors of the collapse of the Rallosian Empire were noticeably and frighteningly different than children of previous generations. This new generation of Ogres was for the most part hairless, only females showed any ability to grow hair and even then it was a thin and straggly.
The flesh of the youngsters was of a paler complexion and warty and course, they suffered frequently from conditions that turned their eyes bloodshot, made their noses runny, and they often drooled incessantly. It soon became apparent however that these physical conditions were the least of our worries for they were still physically strong and enduring. It was their minds that concerned us the most.
Books
Chronicle of Gromok, Volume IV This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
Chronicle of Gromok, Vol. IV, page 1 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
Chronicle of Gromok, Vol. IV, page 2 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
Chronicle of Gromok, Vol. IV, page 3 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
Chronicle of Gromok, Vol. IV, page 4 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
Chronicle of Gromok, Vol. IV, page 5 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Discovered on 15 Jul 2006 at 20:49:24 PDT.
The Chronicle of Gromok Hergom, Volume IV
The new generation of Ogres exhibited little to no capacity to learn all but the most menial of tasks. The youngsters proved to be incapable of understanding the written languages and they struggled with speech, often communicating in grunts and barely comprehensible babble. We were hard on the first few children of this new generation. We did not yet fully understand what was happening and placed them in dangerous situations or left them stranded in the marsh to fend for their own survival.
As time passed and our colony dubbed Oggok, a word that the youngsters could remember and enunciate, grew in numbers it became apparent to us adults that a great curse had been laid upon our offspring. Every child being born exhibited the same physical and mental characteristics of those first few of the new generation.
Gone were the days of the Rallosian Empire. No longer would there be heroic olive skinned warriors, their dreadlocks adorned with bones of their enemies, brilliant minded tacticians and strategists to ensure our victories, or magi to wield fierce magic and open portals to even the realms of the Gods themselves. I am old now, an elder of my people because I am among the last of the pre-curse generations.
I leave these words that I now ink in the care of the most astute of the new generation Ogres. I pray that they will endure after I have gone to join Rallos in the afterlife. Perhaps the Warlord will shed some hope on my despair and provide some answers as to why his glorious Empire has fallen.
---- Elder Gromok Hergom, former soldier of the Rallosian Legions.
Books
Clefts of Rujark Creature Catalog This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
As I catalog various flora and fauna, I can refer to this book.
NO-TRADE
Offers the Quest 'Clefts of Rujark Creature Cataloging'
Clefts of Rujark Creature Catalog By Jergo Wheybringer
Travel down the old Orc Highway in the Sinking Sands. Where the road forks, a short spur heading into the sandstone hills leads directly to the Clefts of Rujark.
As the name implies, this is a bastion of the Rujarkian orcs.
Indeed, the majority of the Clefts' residents are orcs of one sort or another.
Why they have congregated in such numbers and diversity is anyone's guess, but it is clear that this is an area in which much happens unseen.
Over lengths of time unimaginable, layer upon layer of sand and stone have compressed into bands of brown and pale blue.
Within these bands are mineral deposits which the orcs mine industriously within the deep and narrow canyons. The Clefts include an array of tunnels in which the orcs can take the ore from its raw state to finished product without ever leaving the area.
Heavy wooden doors (wood imported from Zek, judging by their thickness and quality) barricade the Clefts' entrances. Scaffolding of the same high-quality timber provides access to higher levels within the canyon.
Within the Clefts, a variety of denizens make their homes -- some by choice, others by force. The orcs have never turned away free labor from external resources, such as unfortunate local Dervins.
The Steelslave orcs patrol the lowest level constantly, often in the company of fierce marrowjaws that are somewhat, though not entirely, domesticated.
Turning into any of the passages, one may encounter miners and toilers, or perhaps orcs simply taking a breather from the backbreaking labor.
Sunlight rarely penetrates the Clefts to its floor, leaving the air dry but not unbearably hot. Within the mines themselves, the thick stone walls keep temperatures very mild indeed.
Almost pleasant, though the company could be improved upon!
As one travels higher in the Clefts, there is a change in both temperature and personnel. At the highest levels, one will encounter orcs bearing both Deathfist and Crushbone markings.
With its vast network of mines and tunnels, the Clefts of Rujark can take many days to explore.
With a bit of luck, some excellent provisioning and a band of well-trained friends along, you might consider a trip through these orc-infested canyons at least once. It is nothing less than an adventure of the highest sort.
You might even be lucky enough to glimpse the harpies diving from above to pick off orcs on the ramparts! It is a truly breathtaking sight.
Books
Collected Writings of a Mysterious Erudite This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
A Collection of Translated Notes Compiled by: Sulian Veers
If you are reading this tome, then you are no doubt interested in the hidden history of our world. The writings within were gathered and translated by the adventurers of Norrath, who discovered them on their various journeys through our world. They were brought to me not too long ago, as I was doing some studies of the discoveries made since Odus was found once again.
We may never know who this brave erudite was that sacrificed his freedom, and possibly his life, to bring us this information. It is for that reason, if for no other, that this information cannot be lost once again.
Sulian Veers, sage of South Qeynos.
Collected Notes, vol 1 Author Unknown
It is with much rejoicing that I have discovered writings and notes lost since before the Shattering. I believe these to be of immense importance not only to learning more about the past of Norrath, but also may hold the key to discovering more about the fate of my ancestral home, the continent of Odus.
However, I believe I have also uncovered a deeper mystery, one with potentially grim implications. It seems that some of our assumptions of the fate of Odus, and of the Erudites themselves, may be shrouded within a veil of deception. I cannot be sure, but it seems that there is much to be learned here.
Although I was able to deceive the Quellithulians of The Vault of El'Arad, I believe that my very life could be in jeopardy. Thus, I must do as I can to retain my anonymity. This tome that I am sending should be copied and given to the populace of Norrath, but not widely so. If the Quellithulians discover that this information is getting out, then they may close their doors and none will learn of these important facts.
I will send you the other volumes as I can decipher them. I have discovered another possible volume near the front of the Vault, and will attempt to glean what I can from it. Should I be discovered, I will hide my notes within the tome, but will suspend it within a temporal bubble.
In order to reveal the notes, you will need a piece of mineral that can disrupt spatial relativity. I believe that such a mineral exists on Norrath in small quantities, and my have been experimented on by none other than Varsoon himself as he researched an item of power known as the Glowing Black Stone. Seek out this item, and it should allow you to break my spell.
I will contact you again once i have more for you, although I cannot be sure when that might be. Until then, be wary, as those who wish this information hidden might be all around you.
Sincerely, An Esteemed Colleague
Collected Notes, vol 2 Author Unknown
I have managed to translate the second set of the researcher's notes I found within the Vaults. After reading trough this very interesting account of what was very likely a turning point in the history of my people, I am compelled to search for another set of these notes, and see if there is more to this story.
As before, I feel that getting this information out to the people of Norrath is important for many reasons, not the least of which would be to discover the truth of what became of the Erudite's Lost ancestral home. As much as I would like to deliver this information personally, I have already fallen under scrutiny and I fear that leaving here at this time might prove to be a fatal mistake. Thus I have been forced to put the translated tom within a stasis pocket - a teleportation tear, for lack of a better term, that should be able to be accessed by anyone with the key.
I have broken the key up into four parts, so that hopefully my hosts here in the Vault will not be able to easily unlock the tear and recover the book. However, the pieces must be recovered before the key will function. Since I am unable to leave, I have sent these four pieces to four teleport locations, the largest of which was sent to the largest of the spires. There, they should lie dormant, until the largest piece is brought near - they will react to this center piece by glowing, allowing the holder of the center part of the key to identify the smaller parts.
The tear itself might be more difficult to locate, but I believe I was able to anchor it to a specific object's resonation frequency. I believe this to be a crystal or stone of some kind, but the actual location is a mystery. The only clue I can offer is this: whatever this object is, I was able to scry its frequency with relative ease, because the resonation signature was so massive. This leads me to believe that it might have been a piece of something far larger, and either broke off or fell off at some point not too long ago, perhaps during an impact. Find this larger object, and the smaller one should be found nearby.
Find the anchor and touch the key to it. The breach should open, allowing the book to be retrieved from inside. I will continue my search from here, and should I locate the other set of notes, I will find a way to allow the world of Norrath to see them.
The truth will soon be known. Until then, peace be with you.
Sincerely, An Esteemed Colleague
Collected Notes, vol. 3 Author Unknown
Esteemed scholars,
I apologize for my long absence. Unfortunately, I was discovered translating the third set of researchers notes, and have been imprisoned for some time. I cannot be certain of my fate, although what happens to me now is of little consequence, for the information I have is invaluable. It details a troubling event involving not only in the history of the Erudites, but possibly all of Norrath.
When the guards caught me, I was able to hide away the pieces of the journal I had copied. I knew that I was under suspicion, and I copied all of the notes I found onto individual pieces of parchment. During my imprisonment, I have been able to translate the documents where there has been ample light, and minimal supervision. Thus, I give you now the last piece of the researcher's notes. I feel there may be even more beyond this set, but I fear I am no longer free to locate them. Consider this as the last.
As I translated each page, I was able to send the parchment through a teleportation pocket, as I have done before. However, I have been kept in a weakened state, and can no longer fully complete the rituals necessary for transference. Therefore, I believe the pages are stuck in the final stages of materialization, and might not have emerged in the physical plane. I suspect these partially materialized pages may appear as something akin to a small storm, a cloud of dark energy. I attempted to place them close to the highest concentration of the populace of Norrath; search near the larger cities to find them.
The pages will appear blank. I wrote them with a special ink that prevents the script from being seen, even when held against the light. You will need to create a special was in order to make the script appear to your eyes.
First, you must obtain an ink made with enchanted water - as you know, this is not hard to come by. This ink you should be able to find within any of the libraries of Norrath, contained in a simple vial.
The ink itself, however is not enough. You must create a wash by combining the ink with volcanic ash. The chemical properties of the ash will change the enchanted ink into the necessary wash, and allow the pages to reveal their words. You can find the ash near any volcano, be it active or burned out.
Once, you have collected the twelve pages, and have the ink and ash in hand, purchase a leatherback tome cover from the sages - this will help to preserve the fragile parchment, and keep it safe for all to see. Combine these items in the tome cover, and you will have completed the notes. I believe this is the last you will hear from me. I am grateful that these notes now have seen the light of Norrath, and I hope they provide valuable information to the scholars and adventurers of our world. Farewell, my friends. May knowledge be our savior in the times ahead.
Books
Consequences of Thralldom This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
Being somewhat of an expert in conjuring manifestations of creatures both magic and mundane, the new focus of my studies should surprise no one. Menial tasks such as cleaning, cooking, and laboring are things I hardly have time to burden myself with. Instead I have taken it upon myself to summon a multitude of planar creatures whom I will subjugate, train, and ultimately command to do my bidding. To accomplish this task I have brought on board a noted diviner named Sachin Al'Faz who claims to be the foremost authority on planar positioning and triangulation. In spite of his pompous nature I have agreed to make him a partner in this experiment. His knowledge will help me ascertain exactly where I must focus my search.
Day 17
That fooI, Sachin, is attempting to renege on his promise! He claims that he cannot continue our work together because he must instead go to work for that blunderhead, El'Arad. Nonsensical poppycock, if you ask me! El'Arad has already assembled an entire army of sages, researches, analysts and laborers to assist him at the Grand Farisian Nexus. Why can’t Sachin see that our work takes precedence? Should he still refuse to complete the equations we begin tomorrow morning, I fear drastic measures will have to be taken. The gangrene of misguided loyalty should not be allowed to rot the fruits of my work!
Day 19
Harsh words turned to blows this morning, at least in the manner seen fit for two mages. At daybreak I arose to find Sachin clearing his work table and packing the last of his equipment. When I confronted him about the unfinished equations, he demurred on his obligations to me and muttered something about bringing glory to the "singular greatest Erudian cause." Sheer nonsense if you ask me. In the end, Mr. Al'Faz had to be fettered by magical means. Though I did not take pleasure in confining him against his will, he left me no choice but to trap him until he finished his work Finally, after what seemed like hours, the equations were complete.
It was my decision to draw upon creatures from the Plane of Dreams. I expect to summon a sylph-like creature or perhaps a gentle beast of burden. As I have stated before, the summoned being must only be fit to perform chores around my laboratory and domicile. Defense is, and will always be, placed iii the hands of my Tellurian servant. Who better a soldier than a mindlessly loyal pile of rocks?
Day 22
That bastard will pay for what he has done! In his bitterness the fool must have intentionally changed the variable coordinates used in the equation. Upon the completion of the spell I opened my eyes and saw not golden sylphs or benevolent beasts, but foul-smelling wicked beasts that can best be described as bipedal goats!
For what it is worth, the fiends did appear to be granted with some merit of intelligence. Despite their thick dialect, I was able to decipher their native tongue as being Thulian. They claimed to be servants of Terris-Thule, demi-goddess of the Plane of Nightmares.
The goatmen, or Gruengach as they call themselves, were quickly growing agitated. They demanded to be returned to where they came from so they could continue their work for their dark mistress. When I inquired as to where that place was, the Gruengach seemed at a loss for words.
Day 23
As best as I could tell the Gruengach serve as servants to Terris-Thule despite not actually residing within the Plane of Nightmares. Their work, it appears, is
done behveen the Planes. When I began to explain the complexities in deciphering the specific point o their origin they grew angry and violent. No sooner had their leader raised his mottled claw in anger, that my Tellurian defender intervened by smashing him in the chest. A wretched cacophony of braying resulted when the rest of the Gruengach realized what had just occurred. Not wasting another moment, I mesmerized the whole lot and placed them in a submissive trance. Day 58
It has been several weeks since my subjugation of the band of Gruengach. Although unfit for some of the more delicate tasks I had envisioned my summoned help to assist me with, the brutish strength and willpower of their kind makes them an
almost inexhaustible source of labor. Having more or less mastered the act of incarcerating the goatmen, I have since taken it upon myself to summon more of them, thus creating a veritable army of Gruengach all under my absolute command! Day 92
Today I was greeted by none other than El'Arad himself! As he entered the courtyard to my grounds I could see his eyes widen in disbelief at the sight of my burgeoning workforce. I explained to him the manner in which I had summoned the Gruengach and the way in which I had incarcerated them into thralldom. For once in his life the old man seemed impressed with the efforts of someone beside himself.
Day 106
El'Arad returned to my home today with a most lucrative proposition. He expressed interest in purchasing several Gruengach to serve as his own servants and guards. Apparently the old man is close to completing the Farisian Nexus and wishes to protect his work with an added amount of security. I was more than happy to oblige. As a token of appreciation I was invited to join him during the inaugural activation of the Farisian Nexus. I leave for Quel'ule tomorrow.
Day 146
A calamity of monumental proportions has occurred. This entry must be short as I am recording this on borrowed time. The activation of the Nexus did not go as planned. An explosion has occurred unlike any I have witnessed previously. Something that could be best described as a mighty blast of lightning-like power dispersed out from the hub of the Nexus. Many were killed as the town of Quel'ule was torn asunder. Outside the sky had changed and I am unable to find the sun or the stars in the sky. To make matters worse the archaic dominance I once held over the Gruengach has been losI My attempts to subjugate them once more have proved to be unsuccessful.
Day 147
I am writing what rn4i well be my final living thoughts. The barricade is beginning to collapse and I fear my Tellurian champion will not be able to hold them off forever. The goatmen have not forgotten who placed them in unwilling servitude and they seem hell-bent on taking their revenge. I fear I...
There are no additional journal entries.
Books
Dancing with Bugbears This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
My studies and life among the captivating bugbears of Butcherblock Mountains.
After months of talk and study, I have decided to go where my heart has been pulling. I am leaving for Butcherblock from the Thundering Steppes, tomorrow! My calling is amongst the misunderstood bugbears. I will bring a knowledge of these poor creatures to all of Norrath!
Some believe that a halfling woman, such as myself, must be mad, choosing to study such intimidating beings. And be it in a foreign and treacherous land, then she's doubly mad! I silence them with my rebuttal, "If I do not do it, who will?"
I landed at the Butcherblock docks, and has soon secured a dwarven guide and several helpers to aid my trips to the bugbear camp. They were a burly lot, and looked a bit rough around the edges, but they certainly knew the fastest paths and the safest routes. Play well spent, no doubt! We traversed north through the lush Highlands with little trouble, and made camp for the night a bit off from the bugbears. *** The next morning, the dwarves and I shared a meal and resumed our trek to the bugbear camp.
We weren't but a griffin's leap from the camp when a large bugbear came running at us from the side! It was a male, wearing crude skins and jagged metal bits as armor. He wielded a club with nails embedded in its surface.
The dwarves fought back, in their fear and ignorance. This only brought others to the fight! I tried to calm the lot, to stop the dwarves, but they must not have heard me what with all the screaming. I cannot blame these abused creatures! Here we were coming to their homes appearing as an army might.
They had long been the slaves of other Underfoot races, and our merry band of scientists must have looked to them like any other, coming in to enslave them, again.
I was blessed that they had noticed my pacifist nature, and my respect for their well being. I mourned for my guides, who knew no better then to meet aggression in kind, but I am here as proof that it is not the only answer. ***
I established my own camp very near to theirs, and have even been allowed to watch them from afar. I know they are watching me, too. Studying my moves and behavior, no doubt, as I am theirs. They are too protective and inquisitive not to!
How such a majestic race came to be thought of as a disgrace or purely as muscle and fodder for mining and construction initiatives is beyond me! ***
As I have been living near the bugbear clan and studying them, they have grown increasingly inquisitive and welcoming of my presence. Several have approached me, and have been grateful for the meals that I have shared with them!
Language is a bit of a challenge, but with patience and an open mind, I find that we communicate quite well. The desires of a child are easy to discern even before they can speak. The situation is similar, and at some points has triggered my maternal instincts. ***
During my studies, I have made a great deal of headway with the clan, and have even been approached by some of the more curious ones, even nick named several!
Pookie is demure. Light in tint, he takes extra care to muss his hair with mud. He enjoys watching me and has even started to imitate my writing with his finger. Nibbles is a darker brown. He enjoys stocking small creatures, and is rather protective of his kills.
Cuddles is an enamored member of the clan. He even gives me kisses. Or that is to say, his version. I have never witnessed the bugbear show affection amongst themselves, but he licks my face, and smacks his lips. It is quite sweet.
Jumjum is a fighter, and has been witnessed instigating more than one amongst his own clan. I wonder if he is trying to prove his worth for battle. Silverback named for the distinctive patch of silver hair on his back, though it is often covered by his leather smock. ***
I was fortunate to witness a prize being presented to the clan leader, today! I hunting party passed by my camp grunting and barking at one another. Their volume indicated that they were excited by something. It had alarmed me at first, but their body language told me it was a joyous occasion. They walked proud, and were hitting each other playfully.
Once within their camp, they gathered in front of the leader, and many ornate armor pieces were thrown on the ground at his feet. He made a great whoop!
Jumjum then produced several very hairy looking orbs from a bundled object he carried. I could not make out the objects from my distance sadly, but it brought the entire tribe to grunting, and hitting the ground! What an adventure to see such joy and pride exuded from these graceful creatures! *** I must admit that I am confused by the other Faydwer folk. Earlier, some startled me as I was strolling back from studying Pookie. They called to me while waving their arms and motioning me to come hither.
"Thank Tunare, we got here in time!" "What is the matter?" I asked. They appeared dumbstruck. "You are in grave danger, dear lady." One even warned, "That one's a man killer!" "I am in no such danger." I assured them. "I only fear being crushed by their love!"
And with that, I walked back to my camp, to continue my mission. My published work will disprove misconceptions and myths about the bugbear, including the myth that they are violent. ***
The clan has been very busy the last few days. The gatherers have been collecting fresh game, and roots while the crafters have been making new skins into banners and clothes. They must be getting ready for a ceremony or a celebration or some kind!
The best news is that Cuddles has come to my tent. I think he wish me to join in the party! He is wearing some of the new skins upon his head and is accompanied by one of the tribe shaman. They are waiting with me now, but have made motions and grunts to each other to indicate I am to follow.
Perhaps they wish to make me a part of the tribe or to extend some other pleasantry upon me! No doubt, my next entry shall be full of merriment and awe. I am excited to share all that would have occurred, and all that I have learned on this night! ***
(There are no further entries. This page, like many of the following pages, is smeared with crusty mud and blood left by thick fingerprints.)
Books
Destroy All Vampires! This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
Destroy All Vampires! A book that could save your life
By Edghar and Alain Toad
Vampires are evil rotting corpses that walk, talk, and bite. They're the worst kind of undead because they can pretend to be people. And they're contagious. Vampirism is spreading across Norrath like wildfire, and the authors have dedicated their lives to destroying this menace.
Vampires can be found just about anywhere, but some places are much riskier than others.
Neriak's vampires are right out in the open. It's so bad that we think Dark Elves probably invented vampirism. The nearby forests of Nektulos and Darklight Wood are crawling with fangs too.
Freeport has become a haven for the undead. We suspect that the Overlord himself is a bloodsucker, considering how long he's lived.
Faydwer is not safe either. We're almost certain that vampires and ghouls occupy key positions in the royal courts of Tunaria and Kelethin, and bloodsucker central is definitely the Loping Plains.
If you ever meet a vampire:
Remember that it only wants your blood.
Don't believe anything it says! Don't even let it speak if you can help it.
You can not make a deal or reason with it.
Don't make eye contact! It'll pull a mind-scramble and before you know it you'll be vamp-chow.
If you have holy water, a wooden stake or garlic, use it!
If you don't have the appropriate gear, run! Get into sunlight as soon as possible.
Warning signs that someone is becoming a vampire:
Cold skin. Bad breath. Long fingernails. No heartbeat. Sunlight bothers them. They cast no reflection in a mirror. They sleep a lot, especially during the day. They complain about being thirsty. They were just bitten by a vampire.
Diagnosis is simple. If a person shows any three of these symptoms, then it's not a person anymore. It's a vampire!
What to do: If someone you know is becoming a vampire there's only one thing you can do. Get a good sharp stake and drive it right through their heart! There is no cure except death. Kill them. You'll feel better.
A sharp stake is the most important tool any vampire hunter can have. Keep at least three of them handy at all times. A vampire with a wooden stake in its heart is guaranteed to bite the dust! Just don't pull the stake back out again, just in case. That's why you need three.
In a pinch you can use substitutes for the wooden stake. Bones work because they count as wood. Antlers, horns, tusks, wooden posts, pool cues, broken off table legs, and jagged tree trunks also make decent staking material.
Holy water is the next best weapon against bloodsuckers. Get any priest to bless some water and you're good to go. If you can trick a vampire into drinking holy water then they're done for, but you're probably not clever enough for that so we recommend a delivery mechanism. Buckets are hard to aim with, but holy water sprinklers are good, and water balloons are even better. And don't forget, a wet towel sprinkled with holy water works great in close quarters as both a weapon and a shield!
It's a well known face that vampires hate garlic. We're not sure why. Maybe it's because the plant is sacred to Tunare or maybe they just hate everything that smells good.
Whatever the reason, garlic is a fantastic bloodsucker repellant. You should always keep a bulb of garlic around your neck and anywhere else you don't want them to bite. A garlic cloak is like awesome vampire-proof armor!
Because sunlight is lethal, vampires must hide during the day, so they need help to defend themselves. They keep many kinds of minions to serve this purpose.
Ravenous werewolves, hounds of hell, bloodthirsty bats and stirges are just a few of the fiends you can expect to encounter when cracking a vampire's lair, so you'll need more than just sharp sticks and holy water. Wolfsbane, silver and wrought iron weapons, bright lights and fire are all must-haves. Tumpy's Tasty Tranquilizing Treats work great on hell-hounds too.
When you think you've taken out a vampire, you need to make sure because they are really good at faking it. Some vampires can recover from a stake in the heart if you pull it back out. One species of vampire can even survive in daylight!
The only way to be sure a vampire is dead is to burn its body completely and bury the ashes at a crossroads. And remember: no two bloodsuckers die the same way, but all will try to take you with them.
That's it. If you've read this fae then you know all tricks of vampire hunting. Now go out there and totally annihilate those night-stalking freaks!
Death to all vampires!
Books
Drakota This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
The drakotas are surrounded by many legendary tales. This book strives to maintain a balance between the truth and the lore. You be the judge of its veracity. Entry One Put book away.
"Drakota," by Pearl Honeywine -- Being a study of the lore of the Norrathian drakota. Read book Put book away.
The drakota are the lesser of all dragonkind. Although the lesser of all dragonkind, they are still quite formidable. They have existed for as long as dragons have been placed on Norrath. They were the most chaotic of dragonkind and most drakota pillaged settlements of elder races. Entry Two Put book away.
Powerful creatures with powerful bodies, drakota have the gift of flight and are considered some of the fastest fliers of all dragonkind. Their hides are also considerably thicker than that of most standard dragons, but lack any magical properties. Entry Three Put book away.
The greater dragons at first frowned upon the careless actions of the drakota, but soon came to realize their formidable power. The drakota needed to be controlled lest they destroy everything in their path and then turn on their own kind. Entry Four Put book away.
At this point, all information about the drakota becomes a bit muddled. It would be easiest to wrest the information directly from a drakota, but this is also a good way to find oneself on the wrong side of the Ring of Scale, to whose faction the drakota belong. One must proceed as cautiously and coyly as a dragon itself. Entry Five Put book away.
Some legends say that a method of controlling the drakota was created and that this artifact had been used to successfully command the drakota in a variety of battles. Other legends say that over time, the drakotas' spirit matured and they learn to calm themselves without external influences. Entry Six Put book away.
Perhaps the truth lies somewhere else entirely. There have been sightings of drakota in modern Norrath that do support the notion that they have calmed down somewhat. They glide across the skies, wings outstretched and heads turning this way and that, as though keeping a close eye on everything in their path. Entry Seven Put book away.
Mariners report sightings of drakota circling their ships, occasionally landing and tearing apart any container they find. Sometimes, this includes the entire ship as the drakota uses its strength to pull apart a deck to view the contents of that ship's hold. Entry Eight Put book away.
With these sorts of reports, it seems the drakota are searching for something. What that might be, or even if they are searching, is unknown. They are an impressive sight in the air, though, especially at sunset when they appear to be the most active. Entry Nine Put book away.
Now, I have interviewed several drakota and have obviously lived to tell about the experience. They are fierce, secretive and intelligent beings. One must never underestimate their power. By being open and honest about my goals I was able to earn enough trust to hold a short audience with them and to leave in one piece. Entry Ten Put book away.
I hope this information provides you with enough basic information about drakota that you will be able to learn more about them on your own. Be wary, respectful and evasive and you may soon know more about the drakota than this historian. Close Book.
Books
Drakota This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"Drakota," by Pearl Honeywine -- Being a study of the lore of the Norrathian drakota.
The drakotas are surrounded by many legendary tales. This book strives to maintain a balance between the truth and the lore. You be the judge of its veracity.
The drakota are the lesser of all dragonkind. Although the lesser of all dragonkind, they are still quite formidable.
They have existed for as long as dragons have been placed on Norrath. They were the most chaotic of dragonkind and most drakota pillaged settlements of elder races.
Powerful creatures with powerful bodies, drakota have the gift of flight and are considered some of the fastest fliers of all dragonkind.
Their hides are also considerably thicker than that of most standard dragons, but lack any magical properties.
The greater dragons at first frowned upon the careless actions of the drakota, but soon came to realize their formidable power.
The drakota needed to be controlled lest they destroy everything in their path and then turn on their own kind.
At this point, all information about the drakota becomes a bit muddled.
It would be easiest to wrest the information directly from a drakota, but this is also a good way to find oneself on the wrong side of the Ring of Scale, to whose faction the drakota belong.
One must proceed as cautiously and coyly as a dragon itself.
Some legends say that a method of controlling the drakota was created and that this artifact had been used to successfully command the drakota in a variety of battles.
Other legends say that over time, the drakotas' spirit matured and they learn to calm themselves without external influences.
Perhaps the truth lies somewhere else entirely.
There have been sightings of drakota in modern Norrath that do support the notion that they have calmed down somewhat.
They glide across the skies, wings outstretched and heads turning this way and that, as though keeping a close eye on everything in their path.
Mariners report sightings of drakota circling their ships, occasionally landing and tearing apart any container they find.
Sometimes, this includes the entire ship as the drakota uses its strength to pull apart a deck to view the contents of that ship's hold.
With these sorts of reports, it seems the drakota are searching for something.
What that might be, or even if they are searching, is unknown.
They are an impressive sight in the air, though, especially at sunset when they appear to be the most active.
Now, I have interviewed several drakota and have obviously lived to tell about the experience.
They are fierce, secretive and intelligent beings. One must never underestimate their power.
By being open and honest about my goals I was able to earn enough trust to hold a short audience with them and to leave in one piece.
I hope this information provides you with enough basic information about drakota that you will be able to learn more about them on your own.
Be wary, respectful and evasive and you may soon know more about the drakota than this historian.
Books
Drakota This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"Drakota," by Pearl Honeywine -- Being a study of the lore of the Norrathian drakota.
The drakotas are surrounded by many legendary tales. This book strives to maintain a balance between the truth and the lore. You be the judge of its veracity.
The drakota are the lesser of all dragonkind. Although the lesser of all dragonkind, they are still quite formidable.
They have existed for as long as dragons have been placed on Norrath. They were the most chaotic of dragonkind and most drakota pillaged settlements of elder races.
Powerful creatures with powerful bodies, drakota have the gift of flight and are considered some of the fastest fliers of all dragonkind.
Their hides are also considerably thicker than that of most standard dragons, but lack any magical properties.
The greater dragons at first frowned upon the careless actions of the drakota, but soon came to realize their formidable power.
The drakota needed to be controlled lest they destroy everything in their path and then turn on their own kind.
At this point, all information about the drakota becomes a bit muddled.
It would be easiest to wrest the information directly from a drakota, but this is also a good way to find oneself on the wrong side of the Ring of Scale, to whose faction the drakota belong.
One must proceed as cautiously and coyly as a dragon itself.
Some legends say that a method of controlling the drakota was created and that this artifact had been used to successfully command the drakota in a variety of battles.
Other legends say that over time, the drakotas' spirit matured and they learn to calm themselves without external influences.
Perhaps the truth lies somewhere else entirely.
There have been sightings of drakota in modern Norrath that do support the notion that they have calmed down somewhat.
They glide across the skies, wings outstretched and heads turning this way and that, as though keeping a close eye on everything in their path.
Mariners report sightings of drakota circling their ships, occasionally landing and tearing apart any container they find.
Sometimes, this includes the entire ship as the drakota uses its strength to pull apart a deck to view the contents of that ship's hold.
With these sorts of reports, it seems the drakota are searching for something.
What that might be, or even if they are searching, is unknown.
They are an impressive sight in the air, though, especially at sunset when they appear to be the most active.
Now, I have interviewed several drakota and have obviously lived to tell about the experience.
They are fierce, secretive and intelligent beings. One must never underestimate their power.
By being open and honest about my goals I was able to earn enough trust to hold a short audience with them and to leave in one piece.
I hope this information provides you with enough basic information about drakota that you will be able to learn more about them on your own.
Be wary, respectful and evasive and you may soon know more about the drakota than this historian.
Books
Edicts of the Emperor This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
A collection of the decrees of his most royal highness, the supreme ruler of all the Faydark and eternal lord of Crushbone Keep.
by Emperor D'Vinn
Long has it been our happy privilege to lead Clan Crushbone in our war against the lesser races of Faydwer. Our orcish legions bravely charge into the forefront of battle, overwhelming our enemies with brutality and might.
As the gods ordained in ages past, the Teir'Dal have overseen the expansion of our empire. Orcs serve as the arm that strikes our enemies down, bravely following our leadership and wisdom. As is written in the scrolls of the Prophet, orcs were created to serve the Teir'Dal Empire.
There are heretics who arise within our ranks from time to time and challenge this sacred bond between Teir'Dal and orc. All faithful members of Clan Crushbone are required to report such insurgency at once so that it may be swiftly dealt with.
Our victory over the light elves is inevitable. Most of these accursed foes have been driven out of our forest, their homes left in ruins. They are a shadow of what they once were, due solely to our victories in battle.
But as of late a new menace has arisen from the lowest corners of the Faydark, a weak race that calls itself the Fae. Because they have lent aid to the light elves in their rebuilding of Kelethin, the Fae are our enemies as well.
It is therefore your duty to our throne to capture these Fae, as well as the dwarves, gnomes, and elves that have long lingered in these lands, for use as workers in our mines. They will deliver the raw materials necessary to carry out our campaign of conquest.
No action against these Fae shall be considered too harsh or extreme. They shall be sent to the Hall of Truths, where they will tell us all we want to know about their kingdom. Then we will destroy their city and shatter their foothold on the forest.
Remember your duty to our throne and the preservation of the D'Vinnian Empire. As your liege, we will lead Clan Crushbone to even greater glory in the years ahead. Faydwer is ours, and always shall remain so.
As ever, be vigilant against those who would challenge us from without or cause chaos from within. All loyal subjects of our throne will see glory in the days ahead. Those who oppose us will see only a bitter and everlasting defeat.
Books
Essay on the Cepholex This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
The gods of Norrath work in mysterious ways, and we mere mortals often reflect on their multiple diverse creations with a sense of bafflement.
Surely we dwarves are the embodiment of the best aspects of Brell, that much is surely clear to any rational being. So why did Brell feel the need to also create the kobolds, ratonga, warboars, and a plethora of other less savory creatures?
In the early ages of Norrath, Prexus the Ocean Lord filled the seas with many strange creations.
The Kedge were once his chosen race, graceful aquatic beings of great mental power and stamina until their race was brought to the edge of extinction by an experiment gone awry. It is said by some that the intelligent, peaceable othmir are his new chosen.
Why then would great Prexus create other beings of such monstrosity? The Aberrant are said to be a creation of the Ocean Lord also, reflecting the unforgiving and harsh aspects of the sea. What aspects of mighty Prexus do the cepholex reflect? His nightmares? Or is Cazic-Thule responsible for these terrors?
Huge and silent, equally at home in air or water, they float with ease through the unsuspecting darkness. Spine-covered, chitin-armored, tentacled and many-toothed, they never stop growing and so far as we can tell they never die of old age.
Dhalgar tell tales of enormous dragon-sized cepholex glimpsed in the darkest recesses of distant caverns. I imagine them in my nightmares. As far as I'm concerned, they can stay very far away from Maldura in the most distant caverns possible, Brell willing!
Books
Eternal Bloom This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This thin tome bears the image of a sword and a rose on the cover. A thick lock binds the book.
This book is titled "Even More Adventures of Jorbo and Mappy ". It is the story of two halfling boys and how they happened upon some exciting adventures.
Jorbo and Mappy had many exciting adventures ever since the moment they left their mothers behind and left the kitchen. Having narrowly escaped an orc, an old witch, and seeing a dragon-like halfling, they knew there was so much more out there to find. With a little help from the Drafling, they intended to do just that - find more adventure.
Following the directions given to them by the Drafling, they trekked through many hills and valleys, through farms and past homes until they found what the mysterious man had mentioned. Hidden away, they stood before a mighty troll, frozen in time. With large spindly legs and gangly arms outstretched, the troll was made entirely of wood.
Having never seen a troll before, the halfling friends didn't know what it would do. They were assured by the Drafling that it was perfectly safe, however, so they began to climb up to his head to get a better look. It took a long time, for the troll was as tall as a tree, but they eventually made it to the top. That's when the troll's eyes opened and it began to move.
Slowly moving across the land, the troll took very steady and deliberate steps. The two boys, rather than being scared, had a great time seeing the world in motion! That was until the passed an orc who spotted them riding atop the trolls' head. The orc called out its other fellows and began grunting at the troll to give them the children.
The troll at first didn't seem to pay any attention to the orcs, but when a number of them had gathered around the wooden troll, it stopped in place. One of the orcs stepped forward and started speaking in a strange tongue. Having spoken to the goblin with three tongues, they paid attention to what the orc was saying, but to the boys it only sounded a tree bending with the wind.
The wooden troll then began to move its arms and quickly plucked the boys from the top of it's head. Lowering it to the ground, the boys came to the conclusion that the Drafling had lied to them, for they were now in the clutches of the orcs. With nowhere to escape this time, the two boys knew that their adventure was finally over.
Paraded through the orc town as prisoners, the two boys knew they were in store for a cruel fate at the hands of these evil villains. Looking around, they realized that the orcs had not just captured the boys, but all of RIVERVALE! Just when everything looked hopeless, they were given a glimmer of hope. It seemed that the orcs were taking the kids straight to their houses.
As the orcs approached the houses, Jorbo and Mappy could see their mothers waiting on the front doorsteps, tapping their feet impatiently, arms crossed. That was when the two boys knew that all hope was indeed lost. They could tell at once that their mother had been taken over by the wicked witch they encountered earlier. For you see, the crone was standing right beside them.
The mothers started off by asking why they pushed Deputy Dopkin into the pond? Not knowing what they were talking about, the kids remained silent. That's when one of the orcs called out and said that he saw Deputy Dopkin drinking jumjum by the bridge that day. By saying nothing more than those words, the magic spell wore off of all the orcs and they were turned back into halflings again!
The children then began to tell their mothers and everyone else about the great adventure they had that day around Rivervale. When the boys asked what was for dinner, they realized that their mothers were still under the control of the wicked witch. For you see, when they asked about dessert, they were told that there would be none... since they already ate some strawberry cake earlier that day. THE END
Books
Evil Eye Musings This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
Some of this data was culled from the rambling notes of former anthropologist Trent Burkhart. Master Burkhart suffered an unfortunate accident at the instigation of the the Runnyeye goblins' Evil Eye slaves. Entry One Put book away.
"Evil Eye Musings," by Trent Burkhart -- Being the remembrances and information gleaned during an undercover observation with the goblins of Runnyeye. Edited (heavily) by Pearl Honeywine. Read book Put book away.
Historical data: Evil Eyes have been known to exist since the most ancient of times. Grandmothers often admonished their charges to "beware lest the Evil Eye get ye!" From fanciful tales to reality, the Evil Eyes have gone from master to slave in a relatively short span of time. Entry Two Put book away.
Evil Eyes are immense, floating eyes with no visible means of hearing or communication. They are often found hovering several feet above the ground, trailing membranes and occasionally dripping a sticky substance. The Eyes are held within a claw-like maw which disgorges the eyeball upon being slain. Entry Three Put book away.
Evil Eye communication has always been a fascinating mystery. At first, it was thought that the membranes were some form of antennae through which the Eyes could speak to others in range. While it is still possible, more recent observations lean toward the Evil Eyes' use of telepathy rather than any verbal or vibration communication. Entry Four Put book away.
As they have no physical extremities, it is obvious that the Evil Eye will use its mental abilities to defend itself and to provide an offensive function. Evil Eyes are skilled spell casters that can also use mind manipulation on weaker beings. This skill enabled Evil Eyes to dominate the goblins of Runnyeye in Ages past. Currently, however, the tables appear to be turned and the goblins have mastered the Evil Eyes in their area. Entry Five Put book away.
The battle tactic of the Evil Eye is obvious and simple. It summons a physical manifestation to handle direct attacks, while simultaneously striking out with its powerful spell arsenal. As a highly intelligent being, the Evil Eye will flee a battle it is clearly losing. Due to its lack of physical substance, however, it is possible to chase after it in its weakened state to slay. Entry Six Put book away.
As an Evil Eye's knowledge increases, so does its size. The stronger a magic user the Evil Eye is, the larger it will be. This enables opponents to literally "size up" their foe before actually engaging it in combat. This is not an absolute rule, however, so care must be taken with any undersized Evil Eye. Better to be safe than sorry. Entry Seven Put book away.
A word about Evil Eye communication: Because the Evil Eye relies on telepathy, it is possible, although certainly not confirmed, that one could attempt to manipulate an Evil Eye for one's own benefit. I have not attempted such and know of no one who has. Or, if they have, that have lived to tell the tale. Therefore, one should consider this as only a fable and should not try this in combat! Entry Eight Put book away.
In battle, approach the Evil Eye with extreme caution. It may not be able to hear you approach, making flanking moves a possible strategy. Once it senses your presence, however, it will start a magical barrage that is relentless. Entry Nine Put book away.
Given their extreme intelligence and magical capability, one wonders how the slovenly, lazy goblins of Runnyeye managed to get the upper hand of the Evil Eyes. Is it possible that physical presence wins over the ability to control minds and cast potent spells? Entry Ten Put book away.
I hope this information provides you with enough basic information about Evil Eyes that you will be able to learn more about them on your own. Be cautious, be aware and be aggressive and you will soon know more about the Evil Eye than your grandmother! Close Book.
Books
Evil Eye Musings This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"Evil Eye Musings," by Trent Burkhart -- Being the remembrances and information gleaned during an undercover observation with the goblins of Runnyeye. Edited (heavily) by Pearl Honeywine.
Some of this data was culled from the rambling notes of former anthropologist Trent Burkhart. Master Burkhart suffered an unfortunate accident at the instigation of the Runnyeye goblins' Evil Eye slaves.
Historical data: Evil Eyes have been known to exist since the most ancient of times.
Grandmothers often admonished their charges to "beware lest the Evil Eye get ye!"
From fanciful tales to reality, the Evil Eyes have gone from master to slave in a relatively short span of time.
Evil Eyes are immense, floating eyes with no visible means of hearing or communication.
They are often found hovering several feet above the ground, trailing membranes and occasionally dripping a sticky substance.
The Eyes are held within a claw-like maw which disgorges the eyeball upon being slain.
Evil Eye communication has always been a fascinating mystery.
At first, it was thought that the membranes were some form of antennae through which the Eyes could speak to others in range.
While it is still possible, more recent observations lean toward the Evil Eyes' use of telepathy rather than any verbal or vibration communication.
As they have no physical extremities, it is obvious that the Evil Eye will use its mental abilities to defend itself and to provide an offensive function.
Evil Eyes are skilled spell casters that can also use mind manipulation on weaker beings. This skill enabled Evil Eyes to dominate the goblins of Runnyeye in Ages past. Currently, however, the tables appear to be turned and the goblins have mastered the Evil Eyes in their area.
The battle tactic of the Evil Eye is obvious and simple.
It summons a physical manifestation to handle direct attacks, while simultaneously striking out with its powerful spell arsenal.
As a highly intelligent being, the Evil Eye will flee a battle it is clearly losing. Due to its lack of physical substance, however, it is possible to chase after it in its weakened state to slay.
As an Evil Eye's knowledge increases, so does its size. The stronger a magic user the Evil Eye is, the larger it will be. This enables opponents to literally "size up" their foe before actually engaging it in combat.
This is not an absolute rule, however, so care must be taken with any undersized Evil Eye.
Better to be safe than sorry.
A word about Evil Eye communication: Because the Evil Eye relies on telepathy, it is possible, although certainly not confirmed, that one could attempt to manipulate an Evil Eye for one's own benefit.
I have not attempted such and know of no one who has. Or, if they have, that have lived to tell the tale.
Therefore, one should consider this as only a fable and should not try this in combat!
In battle, approach the Evil Eye with extreme caution.
It may not be able to hear you approach, making flanking moves a possible strategy. Once it senses your presence, however, it will start a magical barrage that is relentless.
Given their extreme intelligence and magical capability, one wonders how the slovenly, lazy goblins of Runnyeye managed to get the upper hand of the Evil Eyes.
Is it possible that physical presence wins over the ability to control minds and cast potent spells?
I hope this information provides you with enough basic information about Evil Eyes that you will be able to learn more about them on your own.
Be cautious, be aware and be aggressive and you will soon know more about the Evil Eye than your grandmother!
Books
Evil Eye Musings This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"Evil Eye Musings," by Trent Burkhart -- Being the remembrances and information gleaned during an undercover observation with the goblins of Runnyeye. Edited (heavily) by Pearl Honeywine.
Some of this data was culled from the rambling notes of former anthropologist Trent Burkhart. Master Burkhart suffered an unfortunate accident at the instigation of the Runnyeye goblins' Evil Eye slaves.
Historical data: Evil Eyes have been known to exist since the most ancient of times.
Grandmothers often admonished their charges to "beware lest the Evil Eye get ye!"
From fanciful tales to reality, the Evil Eyes have gone from master to slave in a relatively short span of time.
Evil Eyes are immense, floating eyes with no visible means of hearing or communication.
They are often found hovering several feet above the ground, trailing membranes and occasionally dripping a sticky substance.
The Eyes are held within a claw-like maw which disgorges the eyeball upon being slain.
Evil Eye communication has always been a fascinating mystery.
At first, it was thought that the membranes were some form of antennae through which the Eyes could speak to others in range.
While it is still possible, more recent observations lean toward the Evil Eyes' use of telepathy rather than any verbal or vibration communication.
As they have no physical extremities, it is obvious that the Evil Eye will use its mental abilities to defend itself and to provide an offensive function.
Evil Eyes are skilled spell casters that can also use mind manipulation on weaker beings. This skill enabled Evil Eyes to dominate the goblins of Runnyeye in Ages past. Currently, however, the tables appear to be turned and the goblins have mastered the Evil Eyes in their area.
The battle tactic of the Evil Eye is obvious and simple.
It summons a physical manifestation to handle direct attacks, while simultaneously striking out with its powerful spell arsenal.
As a highly intelligent being, the Evil Eye will flee a battle it is clearly losing. Due to its lack of physical substance, however, it is possible to chase after it in its weakened state to slay.
As an Evil Eye's knowledge increases, so does its size. The stronger a magic user the Evil Eye is, the larger it will be. This enables opponents to literally "size up" their foe before actually engaging it in combat.
This is not an absolute rule, however, so care must be taken with any undersized Evil Eye.
Better to be safe than sorry.
A word about Evil Eye communication: Because the Evil Eye relies on telepathy, it is possible, although certainly not confirmed, that one could attempt to manipulate an Evil Eye for one's own benefit.
I have not attempted such and know of no one who has. Or, if they have, that have lived to tell the tale.
Therefore, one should consider this as only a fable and should not try this in combat!
In battle, approach the Evil Eye with extreme caution.
It may not be able to hear you approach, making flanking moves a possible strategy. Once it senses your presence, however, it will start a magical barrage that is relentless.
Given their extreme intelligence and magical capability, one wonders how the slovenly, lazy goblins of Runnyeye managed to get the upper hand of the Evil Eyes.
Is it possible that physical presence wins over the ability to control minds and cast potent spells?
I hope this information provides you with enough basic information about Evil Eyes that you will be able to learn more about them on your own.
Be cautious, be aware and be aggressive and you will soon know more about the Evil Eye than your grandmother!
Books
First Flight This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"First Flight" -- an aviak tale of their beginnings and the first flight after their fall from grace
The beasts that walked the lands on two legs or four displeased her -- they were so ungainly.
So Xegony, Queen of Air, created a beautiful, winged race that flew across Norrath, selecting the choicest locations to be their homes.
They built their aeries and nests and preened, for they were her chosen.
And yet, over time, these chosen began to speak amongst themselves of their gift from the goddess of air as a clear sign of superiority.
Whispering from beak to beak, they said, "Truly are we blessed with wings, so that we are unlike the wretches who must walk wherever they go."
And they looked down upon the other races of Norrath, both literally and figuratively.
In the long ago, Xegony listened to her aviaks (for so the other races named them) and their pride gave her little concern, for she was likewise proud of them.
They sent emissaries to her with news of the lands and gave her lavish gifts and tributes.
In her pleasure at their worship, she did not recognize the point at which their relationship changed.
For though tributes and gifts still came to her, Xegony did not know all that was in the minds and hearts of her creations.
And when the first army of the Rallosians began their march, the aviaks held their own counsel and did not send word to her. Xegony learned nothing of this until the Rathe Council was challenged directly.
Then, the knowledge that the aviaks knew what might happen and did not warn her filled Xegony with rage.
"You behaved no better than those who cannot fly." she said to them wrathfully. "Therefore, you shall lose my gift as your curse. Many tragedies could have been avoided if you did not disdain even me, your creator!"
And so saying, Xegony summoned a fierce wind that shredded the wings of the aviaks, making them as flightless and wingless as any other two-legged beast.
The aviaks were still prideful, but now felt ashamed at having set themselves above the Queen of Air.
In the ages that followed, the aviaks worked hard to regain her grace and gift, but she ignored them.
And eventually, with the rest of the gods, Xegony withdrew into a silence that nothing could penetrate.
The aviaks knew not whether she lived and cursed them still, or had completely rejected them.
The silence would have been much more devastating had not a miracle occurred.
For from the clutch of eggs of a family near Lake Rathetear, a winged aviak hatched. Still flightless, the young male could not correctly manipulate the wings on his own and so he was not the first aviak to return to the skies.
His birth coincided with the first changes to the ogres as their clouded minds began to return to normalcy.
In one generation from the first winged hatchling, dozens of winged aviaks began to train themselves in their ancient art of flight.
Though clumsy, squadrons of winged aviaks practiced together on the shores of Lake Rathetear, often climbing the mountains and leaping off, gliding to landings in the water below.
They grew in strength, agility and number.
As the Second Rallosian Army began its march across Norrath, seeking to subjugate all others, the aviaks knew that the time would come when their homes and lives would be at risk.
Ironically, having lost the ability to fly by not revealing the existence of the First Rallosian Army to their deity, the Second Rallosian Army gave impetus to the aviaks' need for flight.
And so it happened. For with the Rallosians within reach of Lake Rathetear, a female aviak launched herself from the top of a mountain and soared toward the water.
She concentrated on the muscles of her neck, shoulders and wings and felt them move to her command.
No longer merely soaring from the heights, she had re-mastered the art of flight!
In honor of their creator, the first aviak to re-gain the gift of flight named herself Daughter of Xegony.
She taught all winged aviaks how to control the muscles necessary to remain airborne. Through her teachings, the aviaks provided assistance from the air at the Battle of Lake Rathetear.
And though this Battle was lost, the survival of the aviaks' legacy of flight was assured.
Books
From Below to Castle This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This book was taken from the haunted halls of Nektropos Castle.
from below to castle, the binder (shinies in Nektropos Castle: Tribulation)
From Below to Castle, Page 3 (shinies in Nektropos Castle: Tribulation)
From Below to Castle, Page 4 (shinies in Nektropos Castle: Tribulation)
From Below to Castle, Page 6 (shinies in Nektropos Castle: Tribulation)
Discovered on 9 Aug 2006 at 13:11:28 PDT.
From Below to Castle Notes by Lord Rikantus Everling
My pact with the Ebon Mask has brought much hatred my way. Although I kept it in whispers, the presence of Teir'Dal upon my estate is impossible to conceal. The villagers of my namesake are most unhappy. Thought I gave the village life, they cannot dismiss the alliance. The uneasiness that has overcome this place forces me to remove myself from their presence. No longer will they live in the shadow of their master. Although betrayal is often murmured, the dark elves are of great value and one of their gifts will be Nektropos Castle.
A new fortress is needed to house my loved ones and the cursed curios the family has been unable to peddle. I call upon my new friends of Neriak for aid. They tell me that they can supply me with the means to build an impenetrable manor. This manor would be bound to arcane powers that would protect me from any opposing force. In exchange I shall continue to supply them safe haven and allow their king to establish patrolling forces within the forest. I shall keep my mouth shut about this arrangement and pray to my goddess that the villagers do not get wind of my new home or the increased presence of the Teir'Dal.
Lord Pazin Punox has displayed the designs the engineers shall follow. These plans exist within a very ancient tome. When he first removed the old tome from a special satchel, I could smell the stench of flesh. It was soon that my eyes revealed to me the source of the stench was the binder of the tome. It appeared as the stretched face of a Teir'Dal, stretched tight over the binder giving the appearance of leather at first glance. This was clearly no conventional design for a castle. Lord Punox assured me that with such designs I could repel any force and contain any evil if need be.
The fleshbound tome was not the only oddity that would create the foundation for my castle, the very bricks of the structure would be just as unique. Lord Punox reached into his satchel again, removing a small dark block. This would be the stone of the castle. It was said to be from a cavern deep in Norrath that was carved by Brell. This cave exists near the mythical Black Sun Sea. These bricks are formed of magical forces of the Underfoot. Once removed from the cavern they would be tormented and shaped by special Teir'Dal crafters employing rituals long removed from history.
The brick before me was not formed of any magic, but planar touched forces.
As I brushed my fingertips across it coarse surface I could feel a sense of emotion, almost as if the stones had reflected my thoughts. The Teir'Dal lord assured me this was nothing more than one of the powerful wards he would have bound to each brick. Surely, such a castle made from such things must be impervious to all. With the animosity growing against my house and the powers that I must safeguard, Nektropos Castle will serve me and my family well.
Books
From Pond to Paladin, Vol. I This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
From Pond to Paladin, Vol. I, page 1 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
From Pond to Paladin, Vol. I, page 2 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
From Pond to Paladin, Vol. I, page 3 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
From Pond to Paladin, Vol. I, page 4 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
From Pond to Paladin, Vol. I, page 5 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
From Pond to Paladin, Vol. I, page 6 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
From Pond to Paladin, Vol. I, page 7 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Discovered on 7 Aug 2006 at 22:31:07 PDT.
From Pond to Paladin, Volume I
In the early ages of Norrath, before the arrival of Man, the Marr Twins did walk the face of Norrath. The children of a God of Power, Tarew Marr the Water Lord, the Marr Twins searched amongst the mortals of Norrath a cause to champion and embrace with their divinity. The Gods of Nature puzzled over the Marr Twins absence of a divine purpose, and the Gods of Influence scoffed at the twins for seeking such a purpose amongst the mortals. The most malicious of the Gods, Innoruuk, and Cazic-Thule, sought to corrupt the young twins to strengthen the forces of hatred and fear.
Innoruuk, the twisted God of Hatred and Spite sent his mortal followers to Tarew's daughter, Erollisi Marr, to tempt her and seduce her into the darkness. With the wisdom imparted to the Goddess by her father, she saw through the Teir'Dals deceptions, and their wickedness was more visible to her eyes than even their physical forms. So it came to pass that Erollisi journeyed to the lands of Tunare's fair elves, to escape the sickening advances of the Teir’Dal. It was in the early kingdom of the elves, that Erollisi did find warmth, peace, and beauty in the harsh realm of the mortals and it was there that she embraced and was in return embraced by a most mortal of traits. It was there she found love.
While Erollisi fended off the advances of Innoruuk's mortal agents, the forces of Cazic-Thule beset her twin brother, Mithaniel Marr. Serpents, phantoms, and all manner of frightful creatures conjured and commanded by Cazic-Thule mortal minions came to Mithaniel to assault his body and mind. Mithaniel was no mortal however, and his will was strong, the minions of Thule could not instill within him the fear of their dark lord.
They did succeed however, in luring the brave Mithaniel to the swamps of Norrath, the deadly, dank, lands where the creatures of Cazic-Thule were the strongest and most numerous. An army of Trolls, Lizard Folk, and forgotten creatures of unspeakable horror beset Mithaniel Marr, and so it came to pass that he became a captive to the minions of the Lord of Fear.
Mithaniel, imprisoned in magical bonds provided to his captors by Cazic-Thule, and tortured by relentless monstrosities, prayed to his father day and night for forgiveness and salvation. The prayers continued, unanswered, until the brave God, weary from torture and weakened by the dark magic of Cazic-Thule fell into a deep slumber.
It was then that Terris-Thule visited the slumbering God to inflict his sleep with nightmares more horrible than the events he had endured at the hands of his captors during his waking hours. However, at the beseeching of her father, Cazic-Thule, Terris was not permitted to inflict such terror onto Mithaniel Marr until after she first deceived him through his dreams and stole the gift of life from his body. So Terris did as her father commanded and then the slumbering horrors began.
Books
From Pond to Paladin, Vol. II This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
From Pond to Paladin, Vol. II, page 1 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
From Pond to Paladin, Vol. II, page 2 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
From Pond to Paladin, Vol. II, page 3 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
From Pond to Paladin, Vol. II, page 4 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
From Pond to Paladin, Vol. II, page 5 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
From Pond to Paladin, Vol. II, page 6 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
From Pond to Paladin, Vol. II, page 7 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
From Pond to Paladin, Vol. II, page 8 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
From Pond to Paladin, Vol. II, page 9 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
From Pond to Paladin, Vol. II, page 10 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Discovered on 6 Sep 2006 at 21:07:52 PDT.
From Pond to Paladin, Volume II
Morell-Thule, the forsaken son of Cazic, and brother of Terris, took notice of Terris manipulations of the slumbering God, for while Terris is the Queen of Nightmares, Morell is the King of Dreams. For reasons unknown, perhaps simply to foul the plans of his wicked father and sister, Morell-Thule stole the gift of life that had been taken from the slumbering Mithaniel and escaped into his Demi-Plane of Dreams. Knowing that his enraged family would soon visit his home, Morell divided Mithaniel's Gift of Life, scattering one half across all the swamps of Norrath, the sacred lands of his father, Cazic-Thule.
Where Mithaniel’s Gift of Life fell upon the swamps of Norrath, the first Froglok tads were born. Those first tads had the hardest trials of our people. Until that point, the swamps belonged only to the foul and destructive creatures of the dark gods. Fortunately the gift of life that had brought our first ancestors into being also empowered them with the bravery and valor Mithaniel Marr had exhibited during his trials in the mortal realms.
Once the swamps had been seeded with the first of our kind, the Lord of Dreams, Morell-Thule, visited Mithaniel Marr's twin sister, Erollisi Marr. While the Goddess of Love blissfully rested in the lands of the fair elves, Morell-Thule visited her in a dream and gave to her the second half of Mithaniel's Gift of Life. It was soon to be evident to the fair elves that their visiting daughter of the Gods was with child and they took her to an uninhabited region of the frozen northlands of Antonica, where they could tend to and guard her in seclusion.
While the elves watched after Erollisi, the first of our ancestors grew from tads into adult Frogloks, and Morell-Thule gifted them with dreams of the imprisoned Mithaniel Marr, and visions of a means to free the brave son of Tarew. So it came to pass that from all the swamps of Norrath, the first Frogloks rose in arms against the minions of Cazic-Thule, fighting valiantly to the site of Mithaniel Marr's imprisonment, guided by visions from the Lord of Dreams.
For uncounted years the Frogloks battled the evil inhabitants of Norrath's swamplands, learning the lessons of both victory and defeat. Alas, Cazic-Thule is an ancient and powerful God and his minions are numerous and diverse. Try as they might, the ancestor Frogloks could not reach their imprisoned God, but never did they cease their efforts, despite the daunting odds.
Then, after some time, a small army arrived on the borders of the swamp that was Mithaniel Marr's prison. Not an army of Frogloks, but an army of Northmen, the children of Erollisi Marr. They too had been guided by visions and dreams of the imprisoned God from whose life they were conceived.
Seeking justice for the imprisonment of their father, the Northmen joined with the Froglok armies and the alliance of Froglok and Man succeeded in freeing their father Mithaniel Marr. The minions of Cazic-Thule and the Avatar of Fear himself fell before the unity and valor of the children of Marr. For the first time in the history of Norrath, the swamps were not safe for the evil creations of the dark gods.
It was in the brave and selfless actions of the ancestor Frogloks and Northmen that Mithaniel Marr discovered the mortal trait of Valor, and because of Morell-Thule's honorable delivering of the truth of our origins to our ancestors in visions and dream, Mithaniel also chose to champion the virtue of honesty as well as valor.
Such is the tale of my Lord Mithaniel Marr, and the origins of my fellow Frogloks, and of our distant brethren, the race of Men. It is a shame that so many of our kind, as well as many of the race of Men, have strayed from the virtues of our ancestors. My Mithaniel Marr bless us, his faithful servants, with the powers to redeem our fallen kin from the clutches of evil.
Books
From the Trial of Kane Bayle This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
The questions of the inquisitors are not given in the transcript, however it is possible to follow the course of the trial through these witnesses' eyes. There is nothing like eyewitness testimony to bring history to life. Entry One Put book away.
I am Marghetta Landon, a member of the Qeynos City Guard. I served as Captain Bayle's Chief of Intelligence before and during the War of Plagues. Before the War, my office was directly across from his and I updated him directly when circumstances required. As the War became inevitable, however, Captain Bayle moved my office somewhat further down the corridor. That does not mean that he did not have access to me or to the information gathered by our scouts immediately upon request. He just...stopped asking for it. I couldn't...he didn't want to know. Entry Two Put book away.
Captain Bayle and I trained together in our youth, but obviously his station in life allowed him greater -- what's that? Oh! My apologies! I am Jenner Wenbie, of the Qeynos City Guard. My family has a long tradition of service to the city. And I tell you -- all of you! -- Captain Bayle is no traitor! Someone, obviously a Bloodsaber spy, is trying to bring down and sully the name of one of the greatest leaders the Guard has ever known! No, I will not sit down! Someone is trying to murder my Captain, my friend! Get your hands off me! Entry Three Put book away.
I am Milea Clothspinner, a lieutenant in the Qeynos' City Guard. Captain Bayle and I...were friends. He...and Lord Bayle...were very kind to my family and have been for many years. When rumors first began that Captain Bayle was toying with the worship of Bertoxxulous, I did not believe them. And yet, I noticed subtle changes in Kane...that is, Captain Bayle's behavior. He would disappear for hours and not tell me where he had gone. At first, I thought...it was another woman... Entry Four Put book away.
...this is very difficult for me. One night, I followed him and discovered that my rival was not only another woman, but a member of the Bloodsabers! I could not hear their conversation, but later I was able to capture this woman and have her questioned. It was her information that led me to realize the extent of Kane's...Captain Bayle's betrayal. Due to his position, not only as Captain of the Guard but as a member of the Bayle family, it was difficult to convince our superiors of his crimes. I was accused of... Entry Five Put book away.
...letting my...my feeling for Captain Bayle interfere with my judgment, that I had become enraged upon discovering his liaison with another. My closeness with Captain Bayle I will not deny, but my love for the city of Qeynos is stronger. And then it was confirmed independently, that Captain Bayle ignored a request for reinforcements to the left flank and instead assigned the troops which could have been sent to assist to a detail cleaning the Bayle family crypts! Review the orders issued under his command and the pattern is quite clear... Entry Six Put book away.
...when additional troops were requested, sometimes very urgently, Captain Bayle found reason to assign them trivial tasks elsewhere. I implore this court to find Captain -- no, I will not call him that, for that is a position of honor and leadership -- Kane Bayle guilty of treason, for plotting with the Bloodsabers against the city of Qeynos. By his subtle techniques, he allowed the Bloodsabers to infiltrate and occupy the catacombs in preparation for an assault on the weakened Guard forces. He is guilty of violating our most sacred vows, and made "Might for Right" into "Might for Wrong." Entry Seven Put book away.
My name is Eizek Elron and I am a member of the Qeynos City Guard. I reported to Captain Vegalys Keldrane, who in turn reported to Captain Bayle. During the War, our unit was assigned to patrol the catacombs to prevent the undead from rising beneath the city and taking us unawares. This assignment clearly shows that Captain Bayle was trying to protect us at all costs. Uh...could you repeat the question? Oh, yes, I remember. Our scouts reported an increased undead activity... Entry Eight Put book away.
...beneath the city, and Captain Keldrane devised a plan to stop them. There's some tunnels down there that you can use to cut off your enemy's escape routes. Our plan was to use these routes to our advantage. Captain Bayle approved of the plan -- so you can't say he was trying to hurt the city! We were not successful, though. Most of the unit, including all the officers, were outflanked by the same maneuver we had planned to use. When we got to the tunnels, they were already full of the Bloodsabers. But you can't blame that on Captain Bayle! Entry Nine Put book away.
I am Linnet Bayle, the mother of Kane Bayle. I beg this court to spare my son's life! You cannot know the truth, not with so many of our youth slain and unburied on the battlefield. How can you use the testimony of a handful of simpletons to condemn the Captain of the Guard to death? Was his judgment flawed? Perhaps. You cannot say that all your own actions are without fault, when reviewed after the need for quick decisions is past. Do not let your desire for vengeance... Entry Ten Put book away.
...cause you to place the blame and hurt of all our losses on the shoulders of a few. You say he secretly planned with the Bloodsabers, our enemies, yet can offer no clear evidence beyond the word of a jilted lover. Do not send my son to the executioner's block for a failed romance! I beseech you, remember all that he has done for Qeynos and let the family of Kane Bayle decide his fate, not an impersonal court of law. Please. Oh, please! Close Book.
Books
From the Trial of Kane Bayle This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
The questions of the inquisitors are not given in the transcript, however it is possible to follow the course of the trial through these witnesses' eyes. There is nothing like eyewitness testimony to bring history to life.
I am Marghetta Landon, a member of the Qeynos City Guard. I served as Captain Bayle's Chief of Intelligence before and during the War of Plagues. Before the War, my office was directly across from his and I updated him directly when circumstances required. As the War became inevitable, however, Captain Bayle moved my office somewhat further down the corridor. That does not mean that he did not have access to me or to the information gathered by our scouts immediately upon request. He just...stopped asking for it. I couldn't...he didn't want to know.
Captain Bayle and I trained together in our youth, but obviously his station in life allowed him greater -- what's that? Oh! My apologies! I am Jenner Wenbie, of the Qeynos City Guard. My family has a long tradition of service to the city. And I tell you -- all of you! -- Captain Bayle is no traitor! Someone, obviously a Bloodsaber spy, is trying to bring down and sully the name of one of the greatest leaders the Guard has ever known! No, I will not sit down! Someone is trying to murder my Captain, my friend! Get your hands off me!
I am Milea Clothspinner, a lieutenant in the Qeynos' City Guard. Captain Bayle and I...were friends. He...and Lord Bayle...were very kind to my family and have been for many years. When rumors first began that Captain Bayle was toying with the worship of Bertoxxulous, I did not believe them. And yet, I noticed subtle changes in Kane...that is, Captain Bayle's behavior. He would disappear for hours and not tell me where he had gone. At first, I thought...it was another woman...
...this is very difficult for me. One night, I followed him and discovered that my rival was not only another woman, but a member of the Bloodsabers! I could not hear their conversation, but later I was able to capture this woman and have her questioned. It was her information that led me to realize the extent of Kane's...Captain Bayle's betrayal. Due to his position, not only as Captain of the Guard but as a member of the Bayle family, it was difficult to convince our superiors of his crimes. I was accused of...
...letting my...my feeling for Captain Bayle interfere with my judgment, that I had become enraged upon discovering his liaison with another. My closeness with Captain Bayle I will not deny, but my love for the city of Qeynos is stronger. And then it was confirmed independently, that Captain Bayle ignored a request for reinforcements to the left flank and instead assigned the troops which could have been sent to assist to a detail cleaning the Bayle family crypts! Review the orders issued under his command and the pattern is quite clear...
...when additional troops were requested, sometimes very urgently, Captain Bayle found reason to assign them trivial tasks elsewhere. I implore this court to find Captain -- no, I will not call him that, for that is a position of honor and leadership -- Kane Bayle guilty of treason, for plotting with the Bloodsabers against the city of Qeynos. By his subtle techniques, he allowed the Bloodsabers to infiltrate and occupy the catacombs in preparation for an assault on the weakened Guard forces. He is guilty of violating our most sacred vows, and made "Might for Right" into "Might for Wrong."
My name is Eizek Elron and I am a member of the Qeynos City Guard. I reported to Captain Vegalys Keldrane, who in turn reported to Captain Bayle. During the War, our unit was assigned to patrol the catacombs to prevent the undead from rising beneath the city and taking us unawares. This assignment clearly shows that Captain Bayle was trying to protect us at all costs. Uh...could you repeat the question? Oh, yes, I remember. Our scouts reported an increased undead activity...
...beneath the city, and Captain Keldrane devised a plan to stop them. There's some tunnels down there that you can use to cut off your enemy's escape routes. Our plan was to use these routes to our advantage. Captain Bayle approved of the plan -- so you can't say he was trying to hurt the city! We were not successful, though. Most of the unit, including all the officers, were outflanked by the same maneuver we had planned to use. When we got to the tunnels, they were already full of the Bloodsabers. But you can't blame that on Captain Bayle!
I am Linnet Bayle, the mother of Kane Bayle. I beg this court to spare my son's life! You cannot know the truth, not with so many of our youth slain and unburied on the battlefield. How can you use the testimony of a handful of simpletons to condemn the Captain of the Guard to death? Was his judgment flawed? Perhaps. You cannot say that all your own actions are without fault, when reviewed after the need for quick decisions is past. Do not let your desire for vengeance...
...cause you to place the blame and hurt of all our losses on the shoulders of a few. You say he secretly planned with the Bloodsabers, our enemies, yet can offer no clear evidence beyond the word of a jilted lover. Do not send my son to the executioner's block for a failed romance! I beseech you, remember all that he has done for Qeynos and let the family of Kane Bayle decide his fate, not an impersonal court of law. Please. Oh, please!
Books
Gnomes and the Art of Clockwork Maintenance This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
Using some of the methods set down in this book, we hope you can learn something about how a gnome views the world around us, and how we take care of our clockwork and other mechanical devices using not just our brains, but our common views on certain things. Reread Story Close
The chapters are numbered but don't let that stifle your creative choice -- if you want to start at the end and work backwards that's fine! That's part of the whole gnome way of life! Read Part 1 Read Part 2 Read Part 3 Close
Part One -- Cogs and Sprockets. Cogs do not make Norrath go around; that would be gears, which is handled in a different section. However, without cogs, a gear would be nothing. You can have the most advanced foozlebits and flizgigs, but without cogs, those are just more spare parts. Continue Story 1 Close
Some folks call a cog a cog and let it go at that. A sprocket, while it can be exactly the same thing as a cog to the unlearned, can also be vastly different. Why, there's a world of difference in needing a cog for your fuzzlenoggin and needing a sprocket! And yet, they can be exactly the same thing! Isn't it wonderful? A single thing can be two things at once, depending on how you look at it! Continue Story 1 Close
Now, way back when the Norrathian Code of Trade Standards, or NCTS, was developing the standard units of measurement, they showed the importance of the difference between a cog and a sprocket by making them two completely different measurements. Completely different! If you have three sprockets, that's the equivalent of one cog. And, as you can see, now we've given the exact same things (cogs and sprockets) a completely different meaning than before! Without changing a thing about them! Amazing! Continue Story 1 Close
A cog is one of the teeth on a wheel or a gear. If you have a cogwheel that's missing a single cog, your clockwork will simply not function. Not a bit! Mostly a cog is a single wheel. Just one! But a sprocket can be a roller with teeth on both of its edges, or maybe a single (but big!) cogwheel. See? Look what we've done? We've taken the sprocket and introduced two -- no, three! -- ways to look at them without changing their basic form! Whenever I think of it, I get absolutely flizsmacked! Continue Story 1 Close
The lesson of observing cogs and sprockets, friends, is that the same thing can be different things at the same time, or they can be exactly the same thing at the same time. Sometimes different things are interchangeable and sometimes not. Imagine! So when your fuzzlecutter won't fuzzle or cut, look at it from another angle -- you might have the exact very piece you need to fix it, but you've been calling it something else all along! Close
Part Two -- Gears. Gears can make Norrath go around, but without a set of good cogs or a flizgig, your gears might as well be made of sand! There's more to making a gear work than just wishes, that's for sure. Anyone (even you!) can learn to use your gears without grinding them. Continue Story 2 Close
Gears can make your head spin, literally! When we think of gears, we think of a combination of cogwheels, teeth interlaced to create movement in our clockwork. Open up any clockwork item you have handy and take a good look. You'll see flizzes, cogs, sprockets and slints, of course, but look at how they fit together. See those cogs set at angles from each other, one turning this and the other that? That's a basic gear! Continue Story 2 Close
What makes a gear so important to clockwork? Follow the path of one of the slints, right past the eeberslinkit and you'll notice that there's a gear that connects it to yet a different slint, pointing in an entirely different direction. When folks say a gear makes Norrath go around, they are referring to the way the gears connecting the slints turn things -- clock arms, for example. As they used to say in Ak'Anon, "For every eeberslinkit going left, there's another not going left." Continue Story 2 Close
What does this mean today, you ask? Think about it: after all the events shaking up all of Norrath, we still have Freeport and Qeynos, two of the most opposite places that ever could be. If Freeport's an eeberslinkit going left, then Qeynos is not going left...yet without one or the other, would Norrath be the same? Of course not! Continue Story 2 Close
That's why gears are so important to clockwork. They can create a good balance in whatever mechanism they're a part of. Look at the clockwork around you (there are excellent examples of them in the Edgewater Drains in Freeport} and you'll notice that where there's steam, there's a gear moving two eeberslinkits, one to the left and one not to the left. Close
Part Three -- Valves. Ah, now a valve is a beeYOOteous piece of work that can make the most hardened of hearts sing like the whistle on a heebleblower. Valves are the most perfect of creations, allowing us to both stop things and let things continue. Beautiful, beautiful! Continue Story 3 Close
Ah, the valve. It's like a flower to a wood elf, or like the mouth of a troll -- something that opens and closes. Without valves, some of the most important clockworks through the ages might never have come to pass! Head down to the Edgewater Drains, where many of good old Bodlin Zevuwickle's devices regulate the flow of the Freeport sewers. Go on...you'll thank me later! Continue Story 3 Close
Some of the large metal structures you'll see are emitting steam. Steam! That's such a marvelous thing to be incorporated into a device! What you do is create heat in one part of the machine, add some water, and up goes the steam. If left to rise unchecked, the steam will find its own way out and quickly, too. That's where using valves comes in handy. By putting valves in strategic spots, you can harness the energy of the steam, by forcing it down one way or letting it flow another. Continue Story 3 Close
What's so good about channeling the steam, you ask? Look at the way some of the machines are rotating. Even without seeing the innards (which, since they're processing waste products, you probably don't want to) you can tell that it takes a lot of force to move that drum! Using a valve to control the flow of the team keeps the drum rotating at an even rate. If it starts to go too fast, you simply close the valve a little to tone down the steam. If it's turning to slowly, you let more steam in to push it quicker. Continue Story 3 Close
Using valves allows us to control nature, without changing its nature! By letting the steam do what it wants to do (rise), but at our command, we've taken stuff that previously floated upwards for no good reason and made it work to our benefit. That means that no matter what nature provides, we can bend it to our will if we let it think it's getting away with doing what it would do anyway if we weren't there. Isn't that tremendous? Close
Books
Guidebook to the Queen's Colony This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
The Queen's Colony has--for some time now--been a mostly self sufficient, cozy, and pleasant place to live. Within the walls of the colony itself (the area with which I am most familiar, and thus what this text focuses on) one can find everything they need to start a new life.
It is my hope that this book will provide for others a helpful guide in finding what and who they need within the Queen's Colony.
Myrrin's Tower As it can be seen from near anywhere within the walls of the colony, Myrrin's Tower seems a natural place to start. Captain Warrik spends his time on the ground floor of the tower. To those who ask, Warrik will explain the many ways in which one interacts with the world and its inhabitants. Higher up, on the top floor of the tower, rests Myrrin the Magnific. Myrrin's mind is filled to the brim with information on spells, abilities, and combat arts. Myrrin will explain each to its fullest extent to any curious enough to inquire.
Outside the Tower
Gregory Collins rests outside of the tower on its east side. Gregory is willing and eager to explain the basics of tradeskilling.
On the northwest side of the tower Cheye Seawind explains the secrets of death to those interested in such things.
Southwest of the tower is Borda Gemseeker. She can explain the gathering of materials used for tradeskills as well as the gathering of collection items that interest collectors (like Paula Marx to her right).
The Training Grounds
The Training Grounds are in the northwestern corner of the colony.
Hayl McGuiness spends his time here. Hayl loves to fight and is always happy to give pointers to those who aren't quite as experienced as he is.
Verrin Glimmertide is an expert on triggering, progressing, and completing Heroic Opportunities and offers to impart this knowledge free of cost.
Marla Gilliam can also be found here, teaching people how to "consider" or "con" an opponent to gauge its toughness.
Bogfoot's Bank
Just north of Myrrin's Tower Bogfoot has set up a bank. Quite a few helpful people spend time in his company.
Charlene Stoutmuffin, in the northwestern corner of the bank, can explain proper use of items and the inventory system.
In the northeastern corner Zidget Sprogrudder can explain how to repair equipment and make use of a banker to store items and money.
In the center of the bank Gurga Tureheart can explain the significance of attributes such as strength and intelligence.
Service Providers
Just south of The Training Grounds Hanna Deeppockets has set up a small tent to barter with adventurers.
East of the bank Mender Mannus will repair equipment broken in battle.
South of Myrrin's Tower Paula Marx will reward people who can provide her with items she is collecting.
Everywhere you turn in the colony there is someone who can help you. Here it is again in a shorter format: Merchants: Hannah Deeppockets Southwest of Myrrin's Tower Mender: Mender Mannus North and slightly east of Myrrin's Tower Collector: Paula Marx South of Myrrin's Tower
Trainers: Combat Basics: Hayl McGuiness Northwestern corner of the colony
Heroic Opportunities: Verrin Glimmertide Northwestern corner of the colony
Consider System: Marla Gilliam Northwestern corner of the colony
Spells, Combat Arts, and Abilities: Myrrin the Magnific Upstairs in Myrrin's Tower
Tradeskills (Crafting): Gregory Collins Outside of Myrrin's Tower on its east side
Tradeskills (Collecting) and Collections: Borda Gemseeker Southwest of Myrrin's Tower
World Interaction Captain Warrik On the ground floor in Myrrin's Tower
Inventory and Item Interaction: Charelene Stoutmuffin Northwestern corner of the bank
Banking and Repairing: Zidget Sprogrudder Northeastern corner of the bank
Attributes: Gurga Trueheart In the center of the bank
Death: Cheye Seawind Outside of Myrrin's Tower on its west side
$A, I am proud to have known you as you are now. In the future, when your name comes up--as I am certain it will--I will be eager to tell of your time spent here. May your journeys be fruitful, your friends plenty, and your enemies rare.
-Murrar Shar
Books
Hrath's Journal This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This book was given to me by Kerath McMarrin in Thundering Steppes. I can place this book in my house.
Furniture version of:
Hrath's Journal LORE NO-TRADE NO-VALUE
Discovered on 9 Dec 2009 at 8:57:35 PST.
86. BT, Deepice, Darkday
I, Hrath T'vol, have decided to keep this journal to chronicle my great deeds. One day, when all is said and done, this will probably fetch a pretty penny when I sell it to some scholar eager to have the truth of my life's story!
87. BT, Deepice, Steelday
Today I finally got the best of that blasted barbarian, Hadden, and took his earring! He never saw me coming! I teleported in behind him and burned him to a crisp. So much for that famed northern constitution.
87. BT, Deepice, Moorday
I've been spending a lot more time in the Qeynos area. The hunting is good here. All sorts of guards in the area are willing to die to save their beloved Qeynos. Ironically enough, the same merchants they're protecting actually buy the guards' weapons and equipment back! I've been holed up in this tower, but the bells are driving me insane.
87. BT, Grayeven, Mirthday
I haven't written in the journal in a while, nearly a month, in fact. I learned a new line of spells and can now teleport between various regions in the blink of an eye. Praise Innoruuk for magic: no more boats! Now that I can safely explore the depths without need for breath, I've been examining the water life in my homeland's forest.
87. BT, Blossoming, Burnday:
This journaling thing is tough. I never seem to have the time to write! I've been spending a lot of time exploring the oceans around Freeport. Many interesting bone structures down here. I'm going to be gathering some for experimentation later. It even looks like one of these skeletons may be from a dragon. Quite interesting.
87. BT, Warmstill, Feastday
The sunken ships off the coast of Qeynos hold much potential for plunder. I'm going to use the power of the earring to investigate them more thoroughly. Perhaps there were people of means on board when the ships went down. One can only hope...
87. BT, Firstchill, Brewday
Lord Everling has heard of my exploits and would like me to come to dinner. I think I shall oblige! If I manage to obtain his patronage, surely I can afford a few luxuries that have been out of my reach...
87. BT, Deadening, Soulday
I have taken an apprenticeship position with a powerful necromancer named Varsoon. His studies into immortality are quite impressive, and it's likely I will manage a way to live forever in his service. I shall leave my journal behind for someone to find at a later date.
Books
Into the Hive This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"Into the Hive" -- from the writings of Brin Clishmacleaver
Being the attempt of a gnomish entomologist to gain insight into the world of the Bonemire's ravasects.
Despite the crash of our ship, the Drednever Expedition's scientific work continues.
It has been our goal to study and catalog the various fauna encountered in these new regions, known as the Overrealm. Though we have encountered insectoid forms before, the ravasects of the Bonemire are exceptional.
Though I have only been able to closely study one of the hives, I get a sense that there are more out there.
Standing on their hind legs, the ravasects are a graceful sight.
They reside in what can be compared to ant colonies. There are obvious field workers seeking sustenance to bring back to the hive, as well as warrior-like protectors that constantly patrol the hive's entrance.
Though I have not yet entered a hive, I expect to find a matriachal society led by a solitary queen.
Their slender heads are framed by large ovoid eyes and thin (but menacing) mandibles. Other types have small mandibles, with large protrusions over their shoulders.
Perched on their four long legs, these creatures are graceful to behold either in movement or in stillness. As with many other insects, each of their "eyes" is actually comprised of many smaller eyes, giving them the ability to see danger approaching.
Though wart of my approach, they seem to tolerate my presence.
The tips of their gasters are tipped by stingers, indicated that they can potentially use poisonous venom in an attack.
Though I've been carefully observing the hive, I have not seen any behavior indicating that they are an aggressive species. Still, I am keeping my distance until we can sort out more about these beasts.
It appears their main focus is the maintaining of their hive and its environs.
Ah, it is a few days since I first began my observations. I see now that there are two hives in this region. There are possibly others as well, though these two seem to be the main hives.
We have named them the "Vornerus" and the Humator" hives, though undoubtedly they call themselves something completely different.
The language of the ravasect creatures is a humming, clicking sound. Their mandibles often work in conjunction with different clicks as though amplifying individual words.
Some ravasects have smaller, scarab-like companions.
Without actually infiltrating a hive and examining their life process, it's difficult to say whether these are perhaps a larval stage of the full-grown ravasect or merely a companion species. Their appearance is so dissimilar, I tend to believe they are simply companions.
As ants maintain aphids for their milk, I wonder whether the ravasects gain some similar benefit from these scarabs?
My goal for this day is to see whether I can make my way into one of these ravasect hives.
So far, these creatures have ignored me. I believe they are harmless, though communications with them are proving impossible. Still, I think I will be able to demonstrate our coming in the spirit of friendship and thus not suffer any ill effects.
The other members of the Expedition think this is a bad idea.
The chosen day for my visit to the actual hive is finally here. I am not sure what to expect.
Respect is the main ally of any social scientist, which is really what an entomologist is. I believe that by approaching them with patience and respect, the ravasects will understand that I am not a threat to their well-being.
The hum within the hive is incredible! It's much larger than I expected as well.
While they seemed curious at first, the ravasects have allowed me to access their inner sanctum without any trouble. I chose to enter the Hive Vornerus, since the Expedition shares the same sky island.
I am taking it slowly so as not to rouse them.
The poison is very slow-acting. I can still write, but the pain is slowly seeping upward into my hands.
Apparently, I have transgressed a law of the ravasects and will now pay the ultimate price for my stupidity. I blundered into a sacred chamber here in Hive Vornerus and thus set them against me as enemies. I had no idea they were so developed as to have organized religion.
With luck, I will go before they begin feeding and these notes will serve as a warning to those who would follow.
Books
Know Your Bixies This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"Know Your Bixies," by Pearl Honeywine -- Being an exhaustive study into the habitat. social structure and culture of the Rivervale bixies.
I am Pearl Honeywine, creature behaviorist and sociologist. It is my goal to spend time learning more about some of the denizens of Norrath, in order to understand how they live and how best to eliminate them when they become too aggressive. This current study is about the Rivervale bixies.
It wasn't until very recently that the survival of bixies could be reliably confirmed, post-Shattering.
With the chaos brought about by years of uncertainty and the inability for most travelers to make the dangerous crossing of the Sea of Mist to the Enchanted Lands, many folk assumed the bixies had perished.
Fortunately, these folk have been proven wrong with the discovery of the Stone Hive bixies of Rivervale.
Bixies are often seen as merely overgrown bees, as members of a bixie hive serve many of the same functions as bees.
There are workers, drones and the hive's queen. Workers gather honey for the hive and are not usually interested in creatures (such as you!) in their vicinity, unless they feel threatened.
In that case, look out for their stingers!
You will know you are close to a bixie hive if you encounter bixie drones.
The drones serve as guards for the hive, protecting the queen and nearby bixie workers.
If you encounter a drone on patrol and are wearing something sparkly, be careful! Some drones will try to wrest that item from you in order to present it to the hive queen.
Bixie drones will use their poisonous stingers to attack.
The leader of every bixie hive is the bixie queen, who directs the work of all the bixies in her hive. Bixie queens are renown for producing a variety of herbal or alchemic honey mixtures which have various of interesting properties. Each hive produces their own special blend which can vary in potency and color, depending on the quality of ingredients available.
Bixie queens are not aggressors; their job is to organize and run the hive.
Therefore, even when they are attacked, they will often sting and retreat behind their drone protectors.
These drones will defend their queen to the death, which is quite a noble and breath-taking sight to behold! The drones are very skilled at teaming up to deal as much damage as possible to anyone who they feel is threatening their queen.
One item which I must say is a particular favorite, is collecting the honey jum created by the bixies.
This sweet, sticky substance is very useful in concocting traditional halfling dishes, including jumjum cakes and jumjum-infused drinks.
My favorite treat is biscuits with jumjum-flavored cream and berries, which I will share with you, my readers, for the first time in print --
-- Combine one cup of whipping cream with one large spoonful of buttermilk, letting it sit out for a day to thicken.
Whip the thickened cream together with a small spoonful of honey jum. Make your favorite biscuits, adding two large spoonfuls of honey jum to the batter before baking.
Split the cooked biscuits, drop a dollop of jumjum-flavored cream on them, top with berries and then drizzle with more honey jum. Place the other biscuit half on the top and serve.
Remember: jumjum equals yum yum!
Male bixies are very, very rare. While I have spent considerable time gathering honey jum and information from the Stone Hive bixies, I did not encounter a single male bixie!
Still, given the fact that there are still bixies in Norrath, one can only assume that there is at least one male bixie per hive in service to the hive's queen.
There are no confirmed sightings of bixies beyond the Enchanted Lands at this time. This makes honey jum rare outside the region.
With travel between the Enchanted Lands and the rest of Norrath so limited, those who can manage the journey across the Sea of Mist and back will find themselves besieged with requests for this intoxicatingly sweet substance.
I hope this information provides you with enough basic information about bixies that you will be able to learn more about them on your own.
Bixies are complex, fascinating and useful. We need to take advantage of their work rather than exterminate them on sight simply because we can.
Books
Know Your Bixies This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"Know Your Bixies," by Pearl Honeywine -- Being an exhaustive study into the habitat. social structure and culture of the Rivervale bixies.
I am Pearl Honeywine, creature behaviorist and sociologist. It is my goal to spend time learning more about some of the denizens of Norrath, in order to understand how they live and how best to eliminate them when they become too aggressive. This current study is about the Rivervale bixies.
It wasn't until very recently that the survival of bixies could be reliably confirmed, post-Shattering.
With the chaos brought about by years of uncertainty and the inability for most travelers to make the dangerous crossing of the Sea of Mist to the Enchanted Lands, many folk assumed the bixies had perished.
Fortunately, these folk have been proven wrong with the discovery of the Stone Hive bixies of Rivervale.
Bixies are often seen as merely overgrown bees, as members of a bixie hive serve many of the same functions as bees.
There are workers, drones and the hive's queen. Workers gather honey for the hive and are not usually interested in creatures (such as you!) in their vicinity, unless they feel threatened.
In that case, look out for their stingers!
You will know you are close to a bixie hive if you encounter bixie drones.
The drones serve as guards for the hive, protecting the queen and nearby bixie workers.
If you encounter a drone on patrol and are wearing something sparkly, be careful! Some drones will try to wrest that item from you in order to present it to the hive queen.
Bixie drones will use their poisonous stingers to attack.
The leader of every bixie hive is the bixie queen, who directs the work of all the bixies in her hive. Bixie queens are renown for producing a variety of herbal or alchemic honey mixtures which have various of interesting properties. Each hive produces their own special blend which can vary in potency and color, depending on the quality of ingredients available.
Bixie queens are not aggressors; their job is to organize and run the hive.
Therefore, even when they are attacked, they will often sting and retreat behind their drone protectors.
These drones will defend their queen to the death, which is quite a noble and breath-taking sight to behold! The drones are very skilled at teaming up to deal as much damage as possible to anyone who they feel is threatening their queen.
One item which I must say is a particular favorite, is collecting the honey jum created by the bixies.
This sweet, sticky substance is very useful in concocting traditional halfling dishes, including jumjum cakes and jumjum-infused drinks.
My favorite treat is biscuits with jumjum-flavored cream and berries, which I will share with you, my readers, for the first time in print --
-- Combine one cup of whipping cream with one large spoonful of buttermilk, letting it sit out for a day to thicken.
Whip the thickened cream together with a small spoonful of honey jum. Make your favorite biscuits, adding two large spoonfuls of honey jum to the batter before baking.
Split the cooked biscuits, drop a dollop of jumjum-flavored cream on them, top with berries and then drizzle with more honey jum. Place the other biscuit half on the top and serve.
Remember: jumjum equals yum yum!
Male bixies are very, very rare. While I have spent considerable time gathering honey jum and information from the Stone Hive bixies, I did not encounter a single male bixie!
Still, given the fact that there are still bixies in Norrath, one can only assume that there is at least one male bixie per hive in service to the hive's queen.
There are no confirmed sightings of bixies beyond the Enchanted Lands at this time. This makes honey jum rare outside the region.
With travel between the Enchanted Lands and the rest of Norrath so limited, those who can manage the journey across the Sea of Mist and back will find themselves besieged with requests for this intoxicatingly sweet substance.
I hope this information provides you with enough basic information about bixies that you will be able to learn more about them on your own.
Bixies are complex, fascinating and useful. We need to take advantage of their work rather than exterminate them on sight simply because we can.
Books
Know Your Bixies 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 Pearl Honeywine, creature behaviorist and sociologist. It is my goal to spend time learning more about some of the denizens of Norrath, in order to understand how they live and how best to eliminate them when they become too aggressive. This current study is about the Rivervale bixies. Entry One Put book away.
"Know Your Bixies," by Pearl Honeywine -- Being an exhaustive study into the habitat. social structure and culture of the Rivervale bixies. Read Book Put book away.
It wasn't until very recently that the survival of bixies could be reliably confirmed, post-Shattering. With the chaos brought about by years of uncertainty and the inability for most travelers to make the dangerous crossing of the Sea of Mist to the Enchanted Lands, many folk assumed the bixies had perished. Fortunately, these folk have been proven wrong with the discovery of the Stone Hive bixies of Rivervale. Entry Two Put book away.
Bixies are often seen as merely overgrown bees, as members of a bixie hive serve many of the same functions as bees. There are workers, drones and the hive's queen. Workers gather honey for the hive and are not usually interested in creatures (such as you!) in their vicinity, unless they feel threatened. In that case, look out for their stingers! Entry Three Put book away.
You will know you are close to a bixie hive if you encounter bixie drones. The drones serve as guards for the hive, protecting the queen and nearby bixie workers. If you encounter a drone on patrol and are wearing something sparkly, be careful! Some drones will try to wrest that item from you in order to present it to the hive queen. Bixie drones will use their poisonous stingers to attack. Entry Four Put book away.
The leader of every bixie hive is the bixie queen, who directs the work of all the bixies in her hive. Bixie queens are renown for producing a variety of herbal or alchemic honey mixtures which have various of interesting properties. Each hive produces their own special blend which can vary in potency and color, depending on the quality of ingredients available. Entry Five Put book away.
Bixie queens are not aggressors; their job is to organize and run the hive. Therefore, even when they are attacked, they will often sting and retreat behind their drone protectors. These drones will defend their queen to the death, which is quite a noble and breath-taking sight to behold! The drones are very skilled at teaming up to deal as much damage as possible to anyone who they feel is threatening their queen. Entry Six Put book away.
One item which I must say is a particular favorite, is collecting the honey jum created by the bixies. This sweet, sticky substance is very useful in concocting traditional halfling dishes, including jumjum cakes and jumjum-infused drinks. My favorite treat is biscuits with jumjum-flavored cream and berries, which I will share with you, my readers, for the first time in print -- Entry Seven Put book away.
-- Combine one cup of whipping cream with one large spoonful of buttermilk, letting it sit out for a day to thicken. Whip the thickened cream together with a small spoonful of honey jum. Make your favorite biscuits, adding two large spoonfuls of honey jum to the batter before baking. Split the cooked biscuits, drop a dollop of jumjum-flavored cream on them, top with berries and then drizzle with more honey jum. Place the other biscuit half on the top and serve. Remember: jumjum equals yum yum! Entry Eight Put book away.
Male bixies are very, very rare. While I have spent considerable time gathering honey jum and information from the Stone Hive bixies, I did not encounter a single male bixie! Still, given the fact that there are still bixies in Norrath, one can only assume that there is at least one male bixie per hive in service to the hive's queen. Entry Nine Put book away.
There are no confirmed sightings of bixies beyond the Enchanted Lands at this time. This makes honey jum rare outside the region. With travel between the Enchanted Lands and the rest of Norrath so limited, those who can manage the journey across the Sea of Mist and back will find themselves besieged with requests for this intoxicatingly sweet substance. Entry Ten Put book away.
I hope this information provides you with enough basic information about bixies that you will be able to learn more about them on your own. Bixies are complex, fascinating and useful. We need to take advantage of their work rather than exterminate them on sight simply because we can. Close Book.
Books
Know Your Giants This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
Sweet and sour. Up and down. Left and right. Fire and ice. What do these pairs of words have in common? They are opposites. And some opposites have more in common than one might first imagine. Entry One Put book away.
"Know Your Giants," by Pearl Honeywine -- Being an exhaustive study into the habitat, social structure and culture of Norrathian giants. Read book Put book away.
First, a discussion of the fire giant, or Krombral. They are one of the more magically adept giant types on Norrath, although they are also one of the fiercest and brutal giant races. It is said that they are titanic versions of the barbaric tribes that existed during the Age of Blood. Entry Two Put book away.
Fire giants are often skilled in metalwork and smithing. As they live in some of the most inhospitable areas of the world, they are able to handle the hottest materials without damage to themselves. In part due to their environment, fire giants do not need to wear much in the way of armor, but if they are armored it is of a design that no other being could make. Entry Three Put book away.
With their high resistance to magical forces, fire giants must be addressed directly. If one is attempting to negotiate with a fire giant, be forewarned that they have a very suspicious nature and have in the past mistaken friendly advances for aggressive behavior. Entry Four Put book away.
Second, a discussion of the ice giant. As ice is the opposite of fire, so the ice giant is often considered the reverse of the fire giant. This assessment is true on certain levels. Some common characteristics both giants share include their height and mass as well as the temperature extremes in which both giants dwell. Entry Five Put book away.
The similarity ends there between these two massive beings. Ice giants, or Kromise, were once frost giants such as one might have encountered in the land of Velious. However, during the Elder Age when all the children of Rallos Zek earned the hatred of the gods of the Plane of Earth, the frost giant suffered a terrible fate -- one they had brought upon themselves. Entry Six Put book away.
While many frost giants had been driven out of their ancestral lands by a bitter, inhospitable cold , those that foolishly remained were slowly changed from beings of flesh to beings of ice. The very blood of their veins turned to freezing water while their skin transformed into ice. Their minds, tormented by the changes of their bodies, gradually lost the ability to reason and filled with mindless fury. Entry Seven Put book away.
The ice giant is a formidable opponent. As with fire giants, ice giants have a natural immunity to attempts to magically defeat them. It is necessary to use one's wits and to remain calm in battle. Remember, they are enraged and the enraged do not think so clearly. This may prove the key to surviving an encounter with them. Entry Eight Put book away.
There are, of course, other giants throughout Norrath besides fire and ice giants. Hill giants, for example, can still be found. They are not quite so imposing as their elementally challenged brethren, but they are still extremely tall. While fire giants are intelligent and ice giants mad (and is not madness simply uncontrollable intelligence?), hill giants are generally considered crude, uncivilized and stupid. Entry Nine Put book away.
Once, a hill giant called Hammertoe stomped through Nektulos with a dwarf, who was hollering for help and generally appearing nonplussed, stuck between his toes. Hammertoe was oblivious to the thrashing of the dwarf, who remained wedged tight until the thoughtless giant stopped while crossing a river. As Hammertoe wiggled his toes in the cool stream, the dwarf worked his way free and made it to the surface. Entry Ten Put book away.
I hope this information provides you with enough basic information about giants that you will be able to learn more about them on your own. While they can often be seen from a distance, it is only by getting up close that one will learn more about these titanic beings. Close Book.
Books
Know Your Giants This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"Know Your Giants," by Pearl Honeywine -- Being an exhaustive study into the habitat, social structure and culture of Norrathian giants.
Sweet and sour. Up and down. Left and right. Fire and ice. What do these pairs of words have in common? They are opposites. And some opposites have more in common than one might first imagine.
First, a discussion of the fire giant, or Krombral.
They are one of the more magically adept giant types on Norrath, although they are also one of the fiercest and brutal giant races.
It is said that they are titanic versions of the barbaric tribes that existed during the Age of Blood.
Fire giants are often skilled in metalwork and smithing. As they live in some of the most inhospitable areas of the world, they are able to handle the hottest materials without damage to themselves.
In part due to their environment, fire giants do not need to wear much in the way of armor, but if they are armored it is of a design that no other being could make.
With their high resistance to magical forces, fire giants must be addressed directly.
If one is attempting to negotiate with a fire giant, be forewarned that they have a very suspicious nature and have in the past mistaken friendly advances for aggressive behavior.
Second, a discussion of the ice giant.
As ice is the opposite of fire, so the ice giant is often considered the reverse of the fire giant. This assessment is true on certain levels.
Some common characteristics both giants share include their height and mass as well as the temperature extremes in which both giants dwell.
The similarity ends there between these two massive beings.
Ice giants, or Kromise, were once frost giants such as one might have encountered in the land of Velious.
However, during the Elder Age when all the children of Rallos Zek earned the hatred of the gods of the Plane of Earth, the frost giant suffered a terrible fate -- one they had brought upon themselves.
While many frost giants had been driven out of their ancestral lands by a bitter, inhospitable cold , those that foolishly remained were slowly changed from beings of flesh to beings of ice.
The very blood of their veins turned to freezing water while their skin transformed into ice. Their minds, tormented by the changes of their bodies, gradually lost the ability to reason and filled with mindless fury.
The ice giant is a formidable opponent. As with fire giants, ice giants have a natural immunity to attempts to magically defeat them.
It is necessary to use one's wits and to remain calm in battle. Remember, they are enraged and the enraged do not think so clearly.
This may prove the key to surviving an encounter with them.
There are, of course, other giants throughout Norrath besides fire and ice giants.
Hill giants, for example, can still be found. They are not quite so imposing as their elementally challenged brethren, but they are still extremely tall.
While fire giants are intelligent and ice giants mad (and is not madness simply uncontrollable intelligence?), hill giants are generally considered crude, uncivilized and stupid.
Once, a hill giant called Hammertoe stomped through Nektulos with a dwarf, who was hollering for help and generally appearing nonplussed, stuck between his toes.
Hammertoe was oblivious to the thrashing of the dwarf, who remained wedged tight until the thoughtless giant stopped while crossing a river.
As Hammertoe wiggled his toes in the cool stream, the dwarf worked his way free and made it to the surface.
I hope this information provides you with enough basic information about giants that you will be able to learn more about them on your own.
While they can often be seen from a distance, it is only by getting up close that one will learn more about these titanic beings.
Books
Know Your Giants This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"Know Your Giants," by Pearl Honeywine -- Being an exhaustive study into the habitat, social structure and culture of Norrathian giants.
Sweet and sour. Up and down. Left and right. Fire and ice. What do these pairs of words have in common? They are opposites. And some opposites have more in common than one might first imagine.
First, a discussion of the fire giant, or Krombral.
They are one of the more magically adept giant types on Norrath, although they are also one of the fiercest and brutal giant races.
It is said that they are titanic versions of the barbaric tribes that existed during the Age of Blood.
Fire giants are often skilled in metalwork and smithing. As they live in some of the most inhospitable areas of the world, they are able to handle the hottest materials without damage to themselves.
In part due to their environment, fire giants do not need to wear much in the way of armor, but if they are armored it is of a design that no other being could make.
With their high resistance to magical forces, fire giants must be addressed directly.
If one is attempting to negotiate with a fire giant, be forewarned that they have a very suspicious nature and have in the past mistaken friendly advances for aggressive behavior.
Second, a discussion of the ice giant.
As ice is the opposite of fire, so the ice giant is often considered the reverse of the fire giant. This assessment is true on certain levels.
Some common characteristics both giants share include their height and mass as well as the temperature extremes in which both giants dwell.
The similarity ends there between these two massive beings.
Ice giants, or Kromise, were once frost giants such as one might have encountered in the land of Velious.
However, during the Elder Age when all the children of Rallos Zek earned the hatred of the gods of the Plane of Earth, the frost giant suffered a terrible fate -- one they had brought upon themselves.
While many frost giants had been driven out of their ancestral lands by a bitter, inhospitable cold , those that foolishly remained were slowly changed from beings of flesh to beings of ice.
The very blood of their veins turned to freezing water while their skin transformed into ice. Their minds, tormented by the changes of their bodies, gradually lost the ability to reason and filled with mindless fury.
The ice giant is a formidable opponent. As with fire giants, ice giants have a natural immunity to attempts to magically defeat them.
It is necessary to use one's wits and to remain calm in battle. Remember, they are enraged and the enraged do not think so clearly.
This may prove the key to surviving an encounter with them.
There are, of course, other giants throughout Norrath besides fire and ice giants.
Hill giants, for example, can still be found. They are not quite so imposing as their elementally challenged brethren, but they are still extremely tall.
While fire giants are intelligent and ice giants mad (and is not madness simply uncontrollable intelligence?), hill giants are generally considered crude, uncivilized and stupid.
Once, a hill giant called Hammertoe stomped through Nektulos with a dwarf, who was hollering for help and generally appearing nonplussed, stuck between his toes.
Hammertoe was oblivious to the thrashing of the dwarf, who remained wedged tight until the thoughtless giant stopped while crossing a river.
As Hammertoe wiggled his toes in the cool stream, the dwarf worked his way free and made it to the surface.
I hope this information provides you with enough basic information about giants that you will be able to learn more about them on your own.
While they can often be seen from a distance, it is only by getting up close that one will learn more about these titanic beings.
Books
Know Your Gnolls This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
My name is Pearl Honeywine and I am studying gnoll habitat and society to better understand these creatures. Through my work, "Know Your Gnolls," I hope to increase the body of knowledge regarding these beasts and thereby also increase our ability to reduce their numbers. Entry One Put book away.
"Know Your Gnolls," by Pearl Honeywine -- Being an exhaustive study into the habitat, social structure and culture of the gnolls of the Antonica region. Read book Put book away.
The gnolls of Antonica are descended from the gnolls of the Qeynos Hills and Blackburrow region of old Norrath. They look like upright canines, with an elongated snout, pointed ears high upon their heads. They are taller than the average human. It is impossible to distinguish between the male and female of the species at a distance. In order to understand the modern-day gnolls, one must first understand a bit of their history. By living amongst the gnolls, I have learned some of their secrets -- secrets which were hitherto unknown outside their tribes. Entry Two Put book away.
A gnoll clan is a ruling regional tribe of gnoll, for example the Sabertooth Clan. A gnoll clan is comprised of a number of gnoll packs. These are more akin to large family units. A gnoll pack shares characteristics ranging from fur patterns to intellect. The Sabertooth Clan is comprised of many packs. Rarely, some gnoll clans may be comprised of a single gnoll pack of immense size. It is widely believed that the gnoll clan of yore, the Splitpaw Clan, was one such clan of albino gnolls. Entry Three Put book away.
As many unwary travelers can attest, gnolls will attack anything on sight, provided they feel they have the upper hand. As pack creatures, if one attacks a lone gnoll, other gnolls in the vicinity may join the fray to assist. Therefore, it is important to first gauge the proximity of gnolls to one another before attacking, unless one is certain that one's weaponry, armor or enhancements are up to the challenge. Entry Four Put book away.
It is the pack mentality which makes the gnoll an occasionally formidable opponent. Several gnolls will band together and stake out territories to guard zealously, attacking all who come within range. The obvious exception the gnoll makes is toward anything larger than itself. Gnolls will gladly avoid anything that resembles either a hard battle or hard work. One might say the gnolls specialize in bullying and cowardice. Entry Five Put book away.
The Sabertooth Clan is comprised of many packs. Two gnoll packs within the Sabertooth Clan are the Darkpaw pack and the Timberclaw pack. A gnoll pack may specialize in a particular area such as foraging, pillaging, tunneling, etc. They are content to avoid other tribes to concentrate on maintaining their tribe's current territories. They will make an exception to band together against non-gnolls, even when such groupings include other species entirely, such as orcs, trolls and ogres. Entry Six Put book away.
The main advantage the gnolls have in battle are their sheer numbers. I have been unable to discover their breeding grounds, although it is believed to still be located within the dark confines of Blackburrow. No matter how often tribes are reduced, they are able to repopulate their territory rather speedily. By continuing to replenish their tribes' strength from a hidden, renewable resource, the gnolls are able to intimidate weaker species by overwhelming with strength in numbers rather than strategy. Entry Seven Put book away.
This is not to imply that gnolls are unintelligent; they are cunning and sly creatures. While they place a higher value on hunters and warriors, there are gnoll shamans and mystics that practice arcane arts and rituals. These gnolls can still be formidable in battle by their strength, however it is their use of both offensive and defensive spells which can take down an enemy with an element of surprise. Entry Eight Put book away.
No review of the gnolls is complete without mention of the most famous gnoll in history, Fippy Darkpaw, a member of the Sabertooth Clan of gnolls. Fippy Darkpaw specialized in planning elaborate attacks on the main gates of Qeynos during the Age of Turmoil. While his fate is unknown, his descendants formed the base of the numerous Darkpaw gnolls in Antonica. Entry Nine Put book away.
Rumor has it that there is another Fippy Darkpaw, a gnoll of uncommon cunning and intelligence, who used his skills as a thief to steal a part of the Clock of Ak'Anon in Qeynos and render it inoperable. This mysterious Fippy still lives by his wits, they say, constantly on the move, observing non-gnolls and using the knowledge he gains against them. As he is swift and sneaky, it is difficult to say whether I have met him in disguise or if he exists at all. Personally, I do not believe such a clever gnoll could exist! Entry Ten Put book away.
I hope this information provides you with enough basic information about gnolls that you will be able to learn more about them on your own. To capture the spirit of the gnoll, one must go into the various tribes and seek this information first-hand. Farewell, reader, and good luck in your quest to Know Your Gnolls! Close Book.
Books
Know Your Gnolls This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"Know Your Gnolls," by Pearl Honeywine -- Being an exhaustive study into the habitat, social structure and culture of the gnolls of the Antonica region.
My name is Pearl Honeywine and I am studying gnoll habitat and society to better understand these creatures. Through my work, "Know Your Gnolls," I hope to increase the body of knowledge regarding these beasts and thereby also increase our ability to reduce their numbers.
The gnolls of Antonica are descended from the gnolls of the Qeynos Hills and Blackburrow region of old Norrath.
They look like upright canines, with an elongated snout, pointed ears high upon their heads. They are taller than the average human. It is impossible to distinguish between the male and female of the species at a distance.
In order to understand the modern-day gnolls, one must first understand a bit of their history. By living amongst the gnolls, I have learned some of their secrets -- secrets which were hitherto unknown outside their tribes.
A gnoll clan is a ruling regional tribe of gnoll, for example the Sabertooth Clan.
A gnoll clan is comprised of a number of gnoll packs. These are more akin to large family units. A gnoll pack shares characteristics ranging from fur patterns to intellect. The Sabertooth Clan is comprised of many packs.
Rarely, some gnoll clans may be comprised of a single gnoll pack of immense size. It is widely believed that the gnoll clan of yore, the Splitpaw Clan, was one such clan of albino gnolls.
As many unwary travelers can attest, gnolls will attack anything on sight, provided they feel they have the upper hand. As pack creatures, if one attacks a lone gnoll, other gnolls in the vicinity may join the fray to assist. Therefore, it is important to first gauge the proximity of gnolls to one another before attacking, unless one is certain that one's weaponry, armor or enhancements are up to the challenge.
It is the pack mentality which makes the gnoll an occasionally formidable opponent. Several gnolls will band together and stake out territories to guard zealously, attacking all who come within range.
The obvious exception the gnoll makes is toward anything larger than itself. Gnolls will gladly avoid anything that resembles either a hard battle or hard work.
One might say the gnolls specialize in bullying and cowardice.
The Sabertooth Clan is comprised of many packs. Two gnoll packs within the Sabertooth Clan are the Darkpaw pack and the Timberclaw pack.
A gnoll pack may specialize in a particular area such as foraging, pillaging, tunneling, etc. They are content to avoid other tribes to concentrate on maintaining their tribe's current territories.
They will make an exception to band together against non-gnolls, even when such groupings include other species entirely, such as orcs, trolls and ogres.
The main advantage the gnolls have in battle are their sheer numbers. I have been unable to discover their breeding grounds, although it is believed to still be located within the dark confines of Blackburrow.
No matter how often tribes are reduced, they are able to repopulate their territory rather speedily. By continuing to replenish their tribes' strength from a hidden, renewable resource, the gnolls are able to intimidate weaker species by overwhelming with strength in numbers rather than strategy.
This is not to imply that gnolls are unintelligent; they are cunning and sly creatures.
While they place a higher value on hunters and warriors, there are gnoll shamans and mystics that practice arcane arts and rituals. These gnolls can still be formidable in battle by their strength, however it is their use of both offensive and defensive spells which can take down an enemy with an element of surprise.
No review of the gnolls is complete without mention of the most famous gnoll in history, Fippy Darkpaw, a member of the Sabertooth Clan of gnolls.
Fippy Darkpaw specialized in planning elaborate attacks on the main gates of Qeynos during the Age of Turmoil. While his fate is unknown, his descendants formed the base of the numerous Darkpaw gnolls in Antonica.
Rumor has it that there is another Fippy Darkpaw, a gnoll of uncommon cunning and intelligence, who used his skills as a thief to steal a part of the Clock of Ak'Anon in Qeynos and render it inoperable.
This mysterious Fippy still lives by his wits, they say, constantly on the move, observing non-gnolls and using the knowledge he gains against them. As he is swift and sneaky, it is difficult to say whether I have met him in disguise or if he exists at all.
Personally, I do not believe such a clever gnoll could exist!
I hope this information provides you with enough basic information about gnolls that you will be able to learn more about them on your own.
To capture the spirit of the gnoll, one must go into the various tribes and seek this information first-hand.
Farewell, reader, and good luck in your quest to Know Your Gnolls!
Books
Know Your Gnolls This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"Know Your Gnolls," by Pearl Honeywine -- Being an exhaustive study into the habitat, social structure and culture of the gnolls of the Antonica region.
My name is Pearl Honeywine and I am studying gnoll habitat and society to better understand these creatures. Through my work, "Know Your Gnolls," I hope to increase the body of knowledge regarding these beasts and thereby also increase our ability to reduce their numbers.
The gnolls of Antonica are descended from the gnolls of the Qeynos Hills and Blackburrow region of old Norrath.
They look like upright canines, with an elongated snout, pointed ears high upon their heads. They are taller than the average human. It is impossible to distinguish between the male and female of the species at a distance.
In order to understand the modern-day gnolls, one must first understand a bit of their history. By living amongst the gnolls, I have learned some of their secrets -- secrets which were hitherto unknown outside their tribes.
A gnoll clan is a ruling regional tribe of gnoll, for example the Sabertooth Clan.
A gnoll clan is comprised of a number of gnoll packs. These are more akin to large family units. A gnoll pack shares characteristics ranging from fur patterns to intellect. The Sabertooth Clan is comprised of many packs.
Rarely, some gnoll clans may be comprised of a single gnoll pack of immense size. It is widely believed that the gnoll clan of yore, the Splitpaw Clan, was one such clan of albino gnolls.
As many unwary travelers can attest, gnolls will attack anything on sight, provided they feel they have the upper hand. As pack creatures, if one attacks a lone gnoll, other gnolls in the vicinity may join the fray to assist. Therefore, it is important to first gauge the proximity of gnolls to one another before attacking, unless one is certain that one's weaponry, armor or enhancements are up to the challenge.
It is the pack mentality which makes the gnoll an occasionally formidable opponent. Several gnolls will band together and stake out territories to guard zealously, attacking all who come within range.
The obvious exception the gnoll makes is toward anything larger than itself. Gnolls will gladly avoid anything that resembles either a hard battle or hard work.
One might say the gnolls specialize in bullying and cowardice.
The Sabertooth Clan is comprised of many packs. Two gnoll packs within the Sabertooth Clan are the Darkpaw pack and the Timberclaw pack.
A gnoll pack may specialize in a particular area such as foraging, pillaging, tunneling, etc. They are content to avoid other tribes to concentrate on maintaining their tribe's current territories.
They will make an exception to band together against non-gnolls, even when such groupings include other species entirely, such as orcs, trolls and ogres.
The main advantage the gnolls have in battle are their sheer numbers. I have been unable to discover their breeding grounds, although it is believed to still be located within the dark confines of Blackburrow.
No matter how often tribes are reduced, they are able to repopulate their territory rather speedily. By continuing to replenish their tribes' strength from a hidden, renewable resource, the gnolls are able to intimidate weaker species by overwhelming with strength in numbers rather than strategy.
This is not to imply that gnolls are unintelligent; they are cunning and sly creatures.
While they place a higher value on hunters and warriors, there are gnoll shamans and mystics that practice arcane arts and rituals. These gnolls can still be formidable in battle by their strength, however it is their use of both offensive and defensive spells which can take down an enemy with an element of surprise.
No review of the gnolls is complete without mention of the most famous gnoll in history, Fippy Darkpaw, a member of the Sabertooth Clan of gnolls.
Fippy Darkpaw specialized in planning elaborate attacks on the main gates of Qeynos during the Age of Turmoil. While his fate is unknown, his descendants formed the base of the numerous Darkpaw gnolls in Antonica.
Rumor has it that there is another Fippy Darkpaw, a gnoll of uncommon cunning and intelligence, who used his skills as a thief to steal a part of the Clock of Ak'Anon in Qeynos and render it inoperable.
This mysterious Fippy still lives by his wits, they say, constantly on the move, observing non-gnolls and using the knowledge he gains against them. As he is swift and sneaky, it is difficult to say whether I have met him in disguise or if he exists at all.
Personally, I do not believe such a clever gnoll could exist!
I hope this information provides you with enough basic information about gnolls that you will be able to learn more about them on your own.
To capture the spirit of the gnoll, one must go into the various tribes and seek this information first-hand.
Farewell, reader, and good luck in your quest to Know Your Gnolls!
Books
Know Your Golems This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
Golems can defy most attempts to classify their kind. This work is the result of years of research into these creatures, although there are still obvious gaps in our current knowledge. Entry One Put book away.
"Know Your Golems," by Pearl Honeywine -- Being an exhaustive study into the world of the golem. Read book Put book away.
It is technically impossible for one to know all the variations that a golem can take as golems are created by high-level magic users who will naturally determine from what their golem will be created. There are some sweeping generalizations that can be made, however. Entry Two Put book away.
The first generalization is that golems are artificial constructs. They are animated through the use of arcane magical spells which bind their material and infuse it with the abilities to move or interact with others as necessary. As the spells to create a golem are from the higher realms of knowledge, they are time consuming and therefore not wasted on animating smaller objects. Entry Three Put book away.
That is not to say that smaller golems are never created, however it is in the caster's best interest to manipulate as much matter as can be handled. A skilled caster will be able to animate numerous golems simultaneously. Some casters, however, will concentrate their efforts on one golem in particular. If more are needed, the caster will require his or her apprentices to create those. Entry Four Put book away.
By using apprentices, a skilled caster can concentrate on a golem leader who can in turn command lower forms of golems. This is a rare application, however, but it has been done successfully in the past and therefore, one must be vigilant in dealing with golems. Entry Five Put book away.
While most golems are seen in sentry or guardian positions, there is record of a golem created long ago by the Academy of Arcane Science to serve as a repository for the Academy's research. This golem was imbued with the ability to speak and so was able to recall and present information when questioned by knowledge seekers. Entry Six Put book away.
The external form of a golem will vary from one to the next. Some golems are animated from simple stones and therefore look like those very stones. This can be dangerous to the unwary traveler who may accidentally trigger a golem's defense mechanism without even knowing a golem is there. Entry Seven Put book away.
There have been tales of golems created in the form of scarecrows, such as the simple ones found in any farmer's fields. Bone golems are constructed of animated bones. In this latter case, the bones reanimate into any structure and are not bound by any conventional anatomical placement. Entry Eight Put book away.
Gnomish creations have given rise to the formation of metal or clockwork golems as well. These golems are formed from bits found in any gnome village's scrap heap. While fearsome to see, it is gratifying to know that they are animated by an outside force (magic) and not moving under their own power! That would be truly terrifying. Entry Nine Put book away.
Methods for dispensing with golems will vary, of course, depending on the material from which that golem is constructed. For example, a clockwork golem would be weakest against attacks which destroy the metals from which they are made. Stone golems can often be dissolved with a force of water. Scarecrow golems can be burned. One must examine the target carefully to determine one's strategy and proceed, as in every endeavor, with caution. Entry Ten Put book away.
I hope this book provides you with enough basic information about golems that you will be able to learn more about them on your own. They are fascinating in their diversity and additional study is well worth the effort. Close Book.
Books
Know Your Golems This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"Know Your Golems," by Pearl Honeywine -- Being an exhaustive study into the world of the golem.
Golems can defy most attempts to classify their kind. This work is the result of years of research into these creatures, although there are still obvious gaps in our current knowledge.
It is technically impossible for one to know all the variations that a golem can take as golems are created by high-level magic users who will naturally determine from what their golem will be created.
There are some sweeping generalizations that can be made, however.
The first generalization is that golems are artificial constructs.
They are animated through the use of arcane magical spells which bind their material and infuse it with the abilities to move or interact with others as necessary.
As the spells to create a golem are from the higher realms of knowledge, they are time consuming and therefore not wasted on animating smaller objects.
That is not to say that smaller golems are never created, however it is in the caster's best interest to manipulate as much matter as can be handled.
A skilled caster will be able to animate numerous golems simultaneously. Some casters, however, will concentrate their efforts on one golem in particular.
If more are needed, the caster will require his or her apprentices to create those.
By using apprentices, a skilled caster can concentrate on a golem leader who can in turn command lower forms of golems.
This is a rare application, however, but it has been done successfully in the past and therefore, one must be vigilant in dealing with golems.
While most golems are seen in sentry or guardian positions, there is record of a golem created long ago by the Academy of Arcane Science to serve as a repository for the Academy's research.
This golem was imbued with the ability to speak and so was able to recall and present information when questioned by knowledge seekers.
The external form of a golem will vary from one to the next. Some golems are animated from simple stones and therefore look like those very stones. This can be dangerous to the unwary traveler who may accidentally trigger a golem's defense mechanism without even knowing a golem is there.
There have been tales of golems created in the form of scarecrows, such as the simple ones found in any farmer's fields.
Bone golems are constructed of animated bones. In this latter case, the bones reanimate into any structure and are not bound by any conventional anatomical placement.
Gnomish creations have given rise to the formation of metal or clockwork golems as well.
These golems are formed from bits found in any gnome village's scrap heap.
While fearsome to see, it is gratifying to know that they are animated by an outside force (magic) and not moving under their own power! That would be truly terrifying.
Methods for dispensing with golems will vary, of course, depending on the material from which that golem is constructed.
For example, a clockwork golem would be weakest against attacks which destroy the metals from which they are made. Stone golems can often be dissolved with a force of water. Scarecrow golems can be burned.
One must examine the target carefully to determine one's strategy and proceed, as in every endeavor, with caution.
I hope this book provides you with enough basic information about golems that you will be able to learn more about them on your own.
They are fascinating in their diversity and additional study is well worth the effort.
Books
Know Your Golems This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"Know Your Golems," by Pearl Honeywine -- Being an exhaustive study into the world of the golem.
Golems can defy most attempts to classify their kind. This work is the result of years of research into these creatures, although there are still obvious gaps in our current knowledge.
It is technically impossible for one to know all the variations that a golem can take as golems are created by high-level magic users who will naturally determine from what their golem will be created.
There are some sweeping generalizations that can be made, however.
The first generalization is that golems are artificial constructs.
They are animated through the use of arcane magical spells which bind their material and infuse it with the abilities to move or interact with others as necessary.
As the spells to create a golem are from the higher realms of knowledge, they are time consuming and therefore not wasted on animating smaller objects.
That is not to say that smaller golems are never created, however it is in the caster's best interest to manipulate as much matter as can be handled.
A skilled caster will be able to animate numerous golems simultaneously. Some casters, however, will concentrate their efforts on one golem in particular.
If more are needed, the caster will require his or her apprentices to create those.
By using apprentices, a skilled caster can concentrate on a golem leader who can in turn command lower forms of golems.
This is a rare application, however, but it has been done successfully in the past and therefore, one must be vigilant in dealing with golems.
While most golems are seen in sentry or guardian positions, there is record of a golem created long ago by the Academy of Arcane Science to serve as a repository for the Academy's research.
This golem was imbued with the ability to speak and so was able to recall and present information when questioned by knowledge seekers.
The external form of a golem will vary from one to the next. Some golems are animated from simple stones and therefore look like those very stones. This can be dangerous to the unwary traveler who may accidentally trigger a golem's defense mechanism without even knowing a golem is there.
There have been tales of golems created in the form of scarecrows, such as the simple ones found in any farmer's fields.
Bone golems are constructed of animated bones. In this latter case, the bones reanimate into any structure and are not bound by any conventional anatomical placement.
Gnomish creations have given rise to the formation of metal or clockwork golems as well.
These golems are formed from bits found in any gnome village's scrap heap.
While fearsome to see, it is gratifying to know that they are animated by an outside force (magic) and not moving under their own power! That would be truly terrifying.
Methods for dispensing with golems will vary, of course, depending on the material from which that golem is constructed.
For example, a clockwork golem would be weakest against attacks which destroy the metals from which they are made. Stone golems can often be dissolved with a force of water. Scarecrow golems can be burned.
One must examine the target carefully to determine one's strategy and proceed, as in every endeavor, with caution.
I hope this book provides you with enough basic information about golems that you will be able to learn more about them on your own.
They are fascinating in their diversity and additional study is well worth the effort.
Books
Life Among the Goblins This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"Life Among the Goblins," by Trent Burkhart -- One man's journal describing the day-to-day activities of a typical goblin tribe. Appendix by Pearl Honeywine.
Goblins abound throughout Norrath, yet it has been extemely difficult to get close enough to them for good observation. I, Trent Burkhart, will infiltrate a goblin tribe in order to understand what makes them so vile and obnoxious. My first step is to tint my body a vile shade of green, shave off my hair and manufacture a loincloth. Wish me luck!
Day One -- Goblins. The mere sound of the word brings to mind these shapeless, mindless creatures.
I have tinted my skin using an extract from a local plant and am wearing a loin cloth that I obtained from a deceased goblin.
By walking with a bow-legged slump, I can create the illusion of having the typical pot belly. There is not much I can do about my ears, however after shaving my head, I left a fringe around my temples to comb over the tips of my rather smallish ears.
This will have to do.
Day Three -- I am currently with the goblins of Runnyeye, in the Enchanted Lands. Thankfully, it is dark enough that no one questions my lack of appropriate ears.
The goblin language is guttural and coarse. I have picked up enough of it that I can make the appropriate responses when necessary, though I would rather not speak to these foul, stench-ridden beasts.
Why I chose to research goblins is beyond me!
Day Four -- I've stumbled into something interesting and need to figure out its significance.
Otherwise, my days are becoming somewhat monotonous. The evil eyes have used their mystical powers to enslave a variety of creatures to work on behalf of the goblins.
It is interesting to note that in prior Ages, the goblins were themselves enslaved! Now the former slaves are the masters, and as I am trying to fit in with the goblins, I have much leisure time on my hands.
Day Seven -- Have I really been here for seven entire days?
Between sneaking through corridors and foraging up acceptable food, I have found some written records. At least, they are as much of a written record as one might expect of these low-lifes.
There are many pictographs and symbols which I am copying down into my journal. Even if I don't decipher them in the next few days, I shall bring this record with me to my home and work on it there.
Day Eight -- Something interesting happened, finally!
About a dozen or so goblins, looked like a group of Runnyeye brawlers, set out on a foray and brought back a handful of minotaurs. The minotaurs seemed rather spellbound and very docile at first, but then one of them broke free of whatever control the goblins had and rampaged through the area, killing several of the brawlers.
The minotaur was eventually surrounded by the goblins' war boars and taken down.
Day Ten -- After pouring over the various pictographs, I believe I've deciphered the goblins' tome!
There are several references to the entities of the ancient times, notably Bolgin and Brell Serilis.
While it's not clear what these tomes mean, I find it fascinating that...wait...someone is coming.
Day Thirteen -- I've been dispatched with a company of other goblins to the Citadel.
I do not know what our purpose there might be, but it was made very clear to me that I am expected to remain there for some time.
With any luck, I'll be able to ditch these filthy tunnelers and head home with my research complete. I've finished translating the goblin origins document and just need a quiet hour or two to set it all down. Unfortunately, the Citadel is much busier than the tunnels ever were and I am constantly sent hither and yon.
Day Sixteen -- It's really quite a pleasure to have purpose in my life again.
While in those dark tunnels, the days passed slowly because I had nothing to do but wander about lazily, like a goblin. It appears that they realized early on that I was not one of their own, but they were happy to have my company.
Indeed, that is why they sent me to the Citadel, so I might be able to do some research in more comfort.
Perhaps I've been mistaken about these pleasant little fellows all along.
Day Twenty -- Busy, busy, busy! That describes my life at the Citadel!
I'm in constant demand and it feels great! While I have no time now to dwell upon the possible deeper meaning of the goblin pictographs, frankly, I could not care less!
Who cares where these friendly folk came from or whether they have language skills? It's good to be busy all day long, rather than wonder what would happen should they discover my ruse.
I am quite enjoying my new job cleaning out the muck in the war boar stables.
Appendix, by Pearl Honeywine -- While in the Enchanted Lands, I found these notes which degenerated from intelligent discourse into random drawings and ideograms.
It seems that the evil eyes had gotten hold of our researcher's mind and managed to change a promising anthropologist into a raving mad slave.
Alas for goblin research! At least our friend Master Burkhart will die happy and unaware of what he has lost.
Books
Life Among the Goblins This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"Life Among the Goblins," by Trent Burkhart -- One man's journal describing the day-to-day activities of a typical goblin tribe. Appendix by Pearl Honeywine.
Goblins abound throughout Norrath, yet it has been extemely difficult to get close enough to them for good observation. I, Trent Burkhart, will infiltrate a goblin tribe in order to understand what makes them so vile and obnoxious. My first step is to tint my body a vile shade of green, shave off my hair and manufacture a loincloth. Wish me luck!
Day One -- Goblins. The mere sound of the word brings to mind these shapeless, mindless creatures.
I have tinted my skin using an extract from a local plant and am wearing a loin cloth that I obtained from a deceased goblin.
By walking with a bow-legged slump, I can create the illusion of having the typical pot belly. There is not much I can do about my ears, however after shaving my head, I left a fringe around my temples to comb over the tips of my rather smallish ears.
This will have to do.
Day Three -- I am currently with the goblins of Runnyeye, in the Enchanted Lands. Thankfully, it is dark enough that no one questions my lack of appropriate ears.
The goblin language is guttural and coarse. I have picked up enough of it that I can make the appropriate responses when necessary, though I would rather not speak to these foul, stench-ridden beasts.
Why I chose to research goblins is beyond me!
Day Four -- I've stumbled into something interesting and need to figure out its significance.
Otherwise, my days are becoming somewhat monotonous. The evil eyes have used their mystical powers to enslave a variety of creatures to work on behalf of the goblins.
It is interesting to note that in prior Ages, the goblins were themselves enslaved! Now the former slaves are the masters, and as I am trying to fit in with the goblins, I have much leisure time on my hands.
Day Seven -- Have I really been here for seven entire days?
Between sneaking through corridors and foraging up acceptable food, I have found some written records. At least, they are as much of a written record as one might expect of these low-lifes.
There are many pictographs and symbols which I am copying down into my journal. Even if I don't decipher them in the next few days, I shall bring this record with me to my home and work on it there.
Day Eight -- Something interesting happened, finally!
About a dozen or so goblins, looked like a group of Runnyeye brawlers, set out on a foray and brought back a handful of minotaurs. The minotaurs seemed rather spellbound and very docile at first, but then one of them broke free of whatever control the goblins had and rampaged through the area, killing several of the brawlers.
The minotaur was eventually surrounded by the goblins' war boars and taken down.
Day Ten -- After pouring over the various pictographs, I believe I've deciphered the goblins' tome!
There are several references to the entities of the ancient times, notably Bolgin and Brell Serilis.
While it's not clear what these tomes mean, I find it fascinating that...wait...someone is coming.
Day Thirteen -- I've been dispatched with a company of other goblins to the Citadel.
I do not know what our purpose there might be, but it was made very clear to me that I am expected to remain there for some time.
With any luck, I'll be able to ditch these filthy tunnelers and head home with my research complete. I've finished translating the goblin origins document and just need a quiet hour or two to set it all down. Unfortunately, the Citadel is much busier than the tunnels ever were and I am constantly sent hither and yon.
Day Sixteen -- It's really quite a pleasure to have purpose in my life again.
While in those dark tunnels, the days passed slowly because I had nothing to do but wander about lazily, like a goblin. It appears that they realized early on that I was not one of their own, but they were happy to have my company.
Indeed, that is why they sent me to the Citadel, so I might be able to do some research in more comfort.
Perhaps I've been mistaken about these pleasant little fellows all along.
Day Twenty -- Busy, busy, busy! That describes my life at the Citadel!
I'm in constant demand and it feels great! While I have no time now to dwell upon the possible deeper meaning of the goblin pictographs, frankly, I could not care less!
Who cares where these friendly folk came from or whether they have language skills? It's good to be busy all day long, rather than wonder what would happen should they discover my ruse.
I am quite enjoying my new job cleaning out the muck in the war boar stables.
Appendix, by Pearl Honeywine -- While in the Enchanted Lands, I found these notes which degenerated from intelligent discourse into random drawings and ideograms.
It seems that the evil eyes had gotten hold of our researcher's mind and managed to change a promising anthropologist into a raving mad slave.
Alas for goblin research! At least our friend Master Burkhart will die happy and unaware of what he has lost.
Books
Life Among the Goblins This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
Goblins abound throughout Norrath, yet it has been extemely difficult to get close enough to them for good observation. I, Trent Burkhart, will infiltrate a goblin tribe in order to understand what makes them so vile and obnoxious. My first step is to tint my body a vile shade of green, shave off my hair and manufacture a loincloth. Wish me luck! Entry One Put book away.
"Life Among the Goblins," by Trent Burkhart -- One man's journal describing the day-to-day activities of a typical goblin tribe. Appendix by Pearl Honeywine. Read book Put book away.
Day One -- Goblins. The mere sound of the word brings to mind these shapeless, mindless creatures. I have tinted my skin using an extract from a local plant and am wearing a loin cloth that I obtained from a deceased goblin. By walking with a bow-legged slump, I can create the illusion of having the typical pot belly. There is not much I can do about my ears, however after shaving my head, I left a fringe around my temples to comb over the tips of my rather smallish ears. This will have to do. Entry Two Put book away.
Day Three -- I am currently with the goblins of Runnyeye, in the Enchanted Lands. Thankfully, it is dark enough that no one questions my lack of appropriate ears. The goblin language is guttural and coarse. I have picked up enough of it that I can make the appropriate responses when necessary, though I would rather not speak to these foul, stench-ridden beasts. Why I chose to research goblins is beyond me! Entry Three Put book away.
Day Four -- I've stumbled into something interesting and need to figure out its significance. Otherwise, my days are becoming somewhat monotonous. The evil eyes have used their mystical powers to enslave a variety of creatures to work on behalf of the goblins. It is interesting to note that in prior Ages, the goblins were themselves enslaved! Now the former slaves are the masters, and as I am trying to fit in with the goblins, I have much leisure time on my hands. Entry Four Put book away.
Day Seven -- Have I really been here for seven entire days? Between sneaking through corridors and foraging up acceptable food, I have found some written records. At least, they are as much of a written record as one might expect of these low-lifes. There are many pictographs and symbols which I am copying down into my journal. Even if I don't decipher them in the next few days, I shall bring this record with me to my home and work on it there. Entry Five Put book away.
Day Eight -- Something interesting happened, finally! About a dozen or so goblins, looked like a group of Runnyeye brawlers, set out on a foray and brought back a handful of minotaurs. The minotaurs seemed rather spellbound and very docile at first, but then one of them broke free of whatever control the goblins had and rampaged through the area, killing several of the brawlers. The minotaur was eventually surrounded by the goblins' war boars and taken down. Entry Six Put book away.
Day Ten -- After pouring over the various pictographs, I believe I've deciphered the goblins' tome! There are several references to the entities of the ancient times, notably Bolgin and Brell Serilis. While it's not clear what these tomes mean, I find it fascinating that...wait...someone is coming. Entry Seven Put book away.
Day Thirteen -- I've been dispatched with a company of other goblins to the Citadel. I do not know what our purpose there might be, but it was made very clear to me that I am expected to remain there for some time. With any luck, I'll be able to ditch these filthy tunnelers and head home with my research complete. I've finished translating the goblin origins document and just need a quiet hour or two to set it all down. Unfortunately, the Citadel is much busier than the tunnels ever were and I am constantly sent hither and yon. Entry Eight Put book away.
Day Sixteen -- It's really quite a pleasure to have purpose in my life again. While in those dark tunnels, the days passed slowly because I had nothing to do but wander about lazily, like a goblin. It appears that they realized early on that I was not one of their own, but they were happy to have my company. Indeed, that is why they sent me to the Citadel, so I might be able to do some research in more comfort. Perhaps I've been mistaken about these pleasant little fellows all along. Entry Nine Put book away.
Day Twenty -- Busy, busy, busy! That describes my life at the Citadel! I'm in constant demand and it feels great! While I have no time now to dwell upon the possible deeper meaning of the goblin pictographs, frankly, I could not care less! Who cares where these friendly folk came from or whether they have language skills? It's good to be busy all day long, rather than wonder what would happen should they discover my ruse. I am quite enjoying my new job cleaning out the muck in the war boar stables. Entry Ten Put book away.
Appendix, by Pearl Honeywine -- While in the Enchanted Lands, I found these notes which degenerated from intelligent discourse into random drawings and ideograms. It seems that the evil eyes had gotten hold of our researcher's mind and managed to change a promising anthropologist into a raving mad slave. Alas for goblin research! At least our friend Master Burkhart will die happy and unaware of what he has lost. Close Book.
Books
Maj'Dul Inhabitants Catalog This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
As I catalog various flora and fauna, I can refer to this book.
The city of Maj'Dul brings frontier justice to the impressionable "barrashar" arriving from beyond its walls.
Barrashar means outsider and the term is applied to anyone who is not a native Dervin of the surrounding region, no matter how long that individual has claimed Maj'Dul as home.
Though a dangerous city, Maj'Dul has intrinsic beauty that cannot be denied.
High above the desert floor, Maj'Dul rises from atop a high plateau in a series of terraces. The lower terraces are mainly inhabited by the less fortunate of the city's residents.
The highest point of the city is the Sultan's Palace, an imposing structure that houses the city's arena. The arena is an unusual feature that Maj'Dulians use to regulate changes in their laws.
Most of Maj'Dul's residents are Dervins, descended from the Dervish Empire which once terrorized the deserts of Ro and environs.
City life has not reduced these citizens' desire for mayhem and bloodshed. Using the arena allows the residents (and barrashar) to blow off some steam without attracting attention from the Sha'ir.
The Sha'ir use flying carpets to keep a watchful eye o the streets below.
The streets of Maj'Dul could do with quite a bit of watching. Roving thugs and street rats scurry through the many passages and narrow stairs that link the various terraces.
Additionally, one may find that some of the city's three main Courts has taken offense to one's actions, meaning that guards of various factions will attempt to even the score.
Banners hanging from the towers around the city announce which Court has the upper hand, but power fluctuates rapidly between them.
The climate of Maj'Dul is dry and hot with variable winds especially on the higher terraces.
The evenings are slightly cooler, though the heat of the day is retained by its many whitewashed buildings and cobbled streets.
Patches of greenery exist near a few structures, watered through a variety of cisterns and pipes that would do a gnome proud. In these areas, one may also find camels, elephants and the ubiquitous monkeys.
Books
Man or Beast: the Drolvarg This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"Man or Beast: the Drolvarg" By Larinia Thistlemore Edited by Bellor Heartsbeck
Editor's Note This tome dates from before the Cataclysm. It is written by a human woman who traveled to Firiona Vie and had a rare look at the inner workings of the Drolvarg. Though it is hard to say what may have changed about them in the recent tumultuous passing of time, there are still important insights to be taken from the text What is the link between human and Drolvarg? To what extent does humanity carry weight of responsibility? The text addresses these issues in an astoundingly frank manner.
By the hand of Larinia Thistlemore In traveling to Kunark, I knew I was embarking upon a rare adventure. I thought the elves of Firiona Vie incredibly kind in allowing me to establish a base of operations in their fort from which to study the local flora and fauna, and expressed to them my gratitude daily. The elves warned me of the danger brought about by the Drolvarg, but I naively assumed them to have no interest in harassing a simple researcher.
So long as I didn't threaten their territory, I would not be a target of their violence. How very wrong I was. It was my second day of study that they found me. The first day had passed rather uneventfully, and I had filled pages with sketches and observations of the many new species and variants I had come across. It was only a few hours into the next thy, but I was growing frustrated with not finding anything new So I pressed in deeper, moving further away from Firiona Vie.
The elves had warned me to stay close so that I could run to the safety of the fort's walls if anything went awry, but I wanted to find some of the fabled variants this continent was said to possess. I had heard, though I now long regard as a story, of a ferm the turquoise shade of a clear ocean on a sunny day that was larger than an elf and sometimes thought to snack on them, and of many other similarly aberrant varieties of plants and animals.
Searching for such fables, I went far beyond the line of safety, and though it should have come as no surprise that when I looked up from studying a peculiar colored lich, I found myself surrounded, it still did. And I still screamed quite wonderfully. But who could hear such a scream? I was miles from Firiona Vie. Only my captors heard them, and it elicited nothing but some hoarse, guttural breathing I can only assume was laughter.
I then froze completely. What else should I have done, The tallest of them stood more than three feet taller than me, and even the shortest stood was well more than a foot and a half above me. I was armed only with a pair of short swords, and though I was not an incapable fighter, I would never call myself a warrior. I threw myself to the ground. supplicant, and begged for their mercy. It was mercy, truly, that they didn't kill me.
Instead, I was bound and dragged to their encampment There I was bound tighter still and left prone. I awaited, terrified, for my fate. In time, one of them, a scrawnier one wearing mismatched armor came to my side and fed me some gristly meat and water. I was surprised that he was not altogether rough with me, making sure the food actually found its way into my mouth and even sitting me upright for the whole thing. I thought perhaps I had something of an ally, as much of one as I could hope for, at any rate.
I managed to exchange a few words with him. He was the lowest of the lowest peons in the camp, which is why he was commanded to deal with me. From just a few vague observations, it seemed to me that they were regimented very severely. Simply the way they carried themselves and interacted suggested a stark hierarchy. I picked out ranks such as "Ravishers" "growlers" and "gnawers," and all spoke with reverence about their General.
It spoke volumes of what they thought of me that their lowest ranked individual should be given the unwanted task of seeing to me. Still, I was encouraged at his willingness to converse with me and his thoughtful manner. More and more, watching their organization and interactions, I began to recognize things. I remembered a rumor I had once heard, that the Drolvarg were in fact lycanthropes, a creature that is both dually human and wolf, and began to believe the truth of it.
The Drolvarg that came the next day and the day after that to feed me were not so kind as the first. They shoved the food in my mouth roughly and didn't seem to even glance at whether it stayed. The water was mostly spilled upon my face, and they kicked me if I coughed or even really made any sounds. I began to grow weaker from hunger and thirst and the beatings only hurt more. Finally, on the fifth day, my first Drolvarg returned.
He once again treated me well, and for the first time since in days, the world stopped spinning as I took in sustenance. Looking upon my sympathetic captor, I couldn't help but see something there that felt very familiar, and that sense of humanity returned. I decided to be bold, staking everything on appealing to that humanity. "Your people," I said finally, "were you once lycanthropes? Men and wolves mixed?"
I knew my mistake immediately. With that, ge growled and his eyes went cold. I shrunk back, not quite knowing what l had done. "We have no connection to your weak race," he snapped at me. "We are Drolvarg. Not human. Innoruuk created us as we are in the image he wished for us." With that, he threw my remaining food on the ground. And with that, I lost the only ally I had in that place. But fortunately, within a week I was finally rescued.
I thought the elves would have disregarded me completely. They had warned me, I hadn't listened, and that was my fate. But they tracked me to this spot and assaulted the group of Drolvarg. After a long battle, the remaining Drolvarg fled. When they released me, I could barely stand, and so they made me a litter and carried me back. As we were leaving the camp, I saw my Drolvarg ally among the bodies. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of sorrow. Even later as they loaded me, still not fully healed, on a boat for Qeynos.
One would think I'd have emerged from this quick to declare them beasts, to denounce any link some may speculate they have to humanity, but with what I have seen of humanity, I am not so sure. We all have in us the capacity for brutality. Man and beast alike. The only difference between a man and a beast is man is his awareness of this capacity and the subsequent formation of personal identity. Our identities justify our actions, our brutalities.
My captors were aware of themselves, and of their actions, and whether or not they were once tied to the race of men, they are, without a doubt, humanoid. They are not beasts, because they know what they do, and they do it for their own reasons; regardless of whether or not I can understand them. Does this mean I forgive them, No, beasts can be forgiven because they don't know what they do, but humanoids bear responsibility for their actions. Their humanity only makes them all the more culpable.
I have not yet returned to Kunark, but I plan to some day, so that I may finish my research - provided the elves will let me. Should I be allowed back, I will go far better armed and prepared to deal with cunning humanoids, not monstrous beasts. Anyone preparing to fight them should understand that they are clever and brutally militaristic.
They sometimes trade with others for weapons and armor, but use almost exclusively bronze weapons and armor of their own, wicked designs. On the battlefield, as in all they do, they are in complete control. These lessons I carry with me, and would pass on to any others who may encounter them.
Books
Mayong's Cruelty: the Drachnids This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"Mayong's Cruelty: the Drachnids" From the diary of Najena, Teir'Dal sorceress.
It was in the beginning of the apex of my career of sorcery when I accomplished what I still believe to be my prize achievement. They were beautiful beasts with carapaces that gleamed so black they seemed to be cut of obsidian, multi-faceted eyes that could see in dimensions my Teir'Dal servants could not even begin to comprehend, and they were many hundreds, possibly thousands, of times the size of their much smaller cousins: the black widow spider. They were beautiful, deadly, and my creations.
Once I had discovered the secret of raising these magnificent beasts, I sent some as gift to those I admired. Among these individuals was Mayong Mistmoore. Seeking to curry his favor, and to let him know exactly how capable of a sorceress I was, I sent him one as a gift. Imagine my surprise when he sent it back, irrevocably changed. And my poor emissary, L'Dalt, butchered for his experiment.
What had left as two different beasts returned as one. He had grafted the head and torso of L'Dalt onto the body of the spider, and the two walked as one. L'Dalt's personality and memories seemed to have been lost in the shift, but his cunning and magical powers were still there - capable of being carried to and utilized wherever the body of that spider could take him. It was a truly formidable combination.
I couldn't help but feel a hint of amazement and respect for Mayong's ingenuity. At the same time, however, he had stolen my design and used it to his own ends. The thank you note he sent, "Thank you for supplying Mistmoore with suitable raw ingredients for true servant", mocked me. I vowed to learn all I could of these creatures and create something better. I studied these creatures, which came to be known as Drachnids, after Mayong began to release them into Norrath in packs.
They settled into small, neatly organized colonies. The young males spun the webs, and the young females caught food for the nests. The business of the mature males was always elusive. They seemed to be carrying out orders, possibly of Mayong's, but to what ends? I could never tell. The mature females fought for dominance in the position of nest matriarch. These Widows fiercely protected their station and killed the younger females that might challenge them. It all had a beautiful simple design to it. Mayong was truly a genius.
My studies ended when I was discovered. Trapped in their webbing for days, I nearly went mad from hunger and thirst and finally, out of a purely desperate attempt to live, I managed to use my magics to get free. I evaded all who pursued me, though I know I am truly only alive today because I never had to contend with any mature Drachnids, and hid beyond their borders.
Before I was to truly escape, however, I confronted Mayong. He seemed to be waiting for me, on the edge of their territory, and his face was without pity, or humor as I approached. I outlined what had happened, expecting, well, I am not sure what, but something from him. He, however, only coldly acknowledged that his creations seemed to be establishing themselves well and learning to act together.
When I told him exactly how offended I was that he cared not for what had nearly happened to me, he merely stared at me and informed me that the only reason he had called off the mature Drachnids was because I had played a small role in their creation. I felt foolish then, incredibly so, for imagining he would be angry at his creations for capturing me. If anything, it was a testament to their prowess, and had doubtless pleased him. He told me then that my boon had been expended,
and that I should not lurk around their nests anymore. Next time I would not likely find so fortuitous a path to safety. Nearly every hour of every day, I think of something I should have done or said to prove to him that he had crossed the wrong sorceress, though the truth was I did and said nothing to him. I only ran away in a wash of emotions I do not care to admit to having felt. Once back within my own dominion however, I began to plot.
I designed newer, more ferocious creatures to match and surpass his own. He, I vowed, would feel that same fear and humiliation I had, and I would not rest until he had been shamed. I am still striving. I have created creatures from all manners and pitches of nightmares, but none seem to have quite such deadly perfection as those beasts.
I will find one though. It is only a matter of time. And then Mayong Mistmoore will regret what he did to me, and regret having ever made the Drachnids. *** By my blood, Tserrina Syl'Tor
Books
Motor Commotion all for Emotion This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
There once was a man. An old tinkering gnome who has no child, nor wife of his own.
Mathematics and functions they did fill his mind. Experiments and gizmos took all of his time.
Lonely he was, so he thought to himself, "I will make me a man, a gnome or an elf! He will be out of metal, sprockets and gears. He will be my companion and helper for years."
He did as he said, and made the dear lad. a round little figure that jostled a tad.
He was good to his creator, and did all he asked. "Grease this; Carry that," the clockwork was tasked.
No grudge did he carry, for he had no emotions. This was a man of springs, cogs, and some potions.
But one day he spotted with his little receptor, A mad little gnome make the rudest of gesture.
"What drives such a man to shout and to flail?" he asked his master upon recounting the tale.
"Anger is a feeling, like joy, sorrow or passion. They are good in degrees, but bad in substation. They can make a sane man crazy with time, but make life worth living with every clock chime."
"I lack these emotions. I am not complete," the metal lad thought, as if on repeat.
To the merchant he went rather lickety-split. "I'm to purchase emotions, Mister Crandle Z. Flint."
The merchant just laughed, and set the boy right. "You can't buy emotions. Now have a good night."
"But what could I do if I wanted a set?" "You could pray to the gods, and see what you get."
He did as directed. He asked all he could for the full set of feelings - the bad and the good.
He prayed upon Brell. He prayed upon 'Bane. Tunare, even Marr, they answered the same.
Metal he stayed. All wheel and spindle. A bucket of bolts. No emotion to kindle.
"Gods of the men made of flesh and the bone, cannot comprehend needs of metal and chrome," the clockwork decided while deep in his thought. "There must be another. Another not taught."
Men may have called it a crisis of faith, had he a soul to be sucked by a wraith.
He was just looking for parts that he lacked. He wanted to be full, complete and exact.
This would go on as he did all his work. There was not a time that a chore he did shirk.
Then came the dark day coming back from a trek, his master's nice house was aflame and a wreck.
Around the debris stood gnomes stricken with fears. Some moaning, some shrieking, all covered in tears.
He gave it no though. He gave it no pause. He ran in determined. He ran in with cause!
There was his dear maker slumped under a chair. With a lift and a hoist, he took every care to deliver his master away from the flame while men of emotion felt sorry and shame.
They had been too afraid to act as he had, to run into danger that was sure to be bad.
That's when it struck him, a bolt to the head. Maybe these feelings aren't as good as all said.
"Listen inside you," goes an old gnomish saying, "When questions and figures are heavy and weighing, with cosigns and fractions your head it does spin. You'll find that the answers, they come from within."
"I need no emotion. My mind I can settle. I am, what I am. A man out of metal. Within me are gears. They roll and they turn. They drive me they do, as they twist and they churn. Feelings for men, and metal for me. I am then complete, and as whole as can be!"
He finally felt peace with this grand little notion, perhaps even happy, if he has such emotion!
Books
My True Beloved This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This book was taken from the haunted halls of Nektropos Castle.
My True Beloved, Page 2 (shinies in Nektropos Castle: Tribulation)
My True Beloved, Page 3 (shinies in Nektropos Castle: Tribulation)
My True Beloved, Page 5 (shinies in Nektropos Castle: Tribulation)
My True Beloved, Page 6 (shinies in Nektropos Castle: Tribulation)
My True Beloved, Page 7 (shinies in Nektropos Castle: Tribulation)
My True Beloved, Page 9 (shinies in Nektropos Castle: Tribulation)
My True Beloved, Page 10 (shinies in Nektropos Castle: Tribulation)
My True Beloved, Page 12 (shinies in Nektropos Castle: Tribulation)
My True Beloved, Page 13 (shinies in Nektropos Castle: Tribulation)
my true beloved, an incomplete manuscript (shinies in Nektropos Castle: Tribulation)
Discovered on 9 Aug 2006 at 11:08:25 PDT.
My True Beloved Notes by Lord Rikantus Everling
My one true beloved has long been gone, but I have loved no other like I loved Alana. Though I have loved again, I can never forget. Theeral knows of her, but endures my emotions. She knows I have brought her wealth in coin and in offspring. She offers me much as well. This is why are one. But even a great love cannot bury another great love. I often pity myself for loving twice in a lifetime and it is at these times that I find my soul in pain and I must begin my march of solace to Alana's chambers.
At first Theeral could not accept the extent of my love. She learned this after one of my frequent bouts of extended melancholy. The first time she discovered the destination of my midnight walks in Freeport, she was terrified. As I walked the streets she and her servant Plimptos secretly followed me,darting and dashing in the shadows. I never liked that servant child of hers. There was something evil about him. I would learn that at a later date and see that he was bestowed with one of my most cursed trinkets.
Along the streets and alley Theeral followed me to a simple graveyard that was soon to be removed by order of the current chief constable, a boisterous paladin that was beginning to stir up trouble in Freeport. Within the humble graveyard I walked to my personal mausoleum. It was like a grand palace at the center of a timber village. I have ordered the construction of this tomb for my future family, but even though my present family was still alive and well, the mausoleum was not vacant.
Peering out from behind a twisted tree, Theeral watched as I opened the tomb with a special key that I held around my neck at all times. A torch was lit along the walls and I kneeled to weep in both sadness and joyous reflections. Just then, Theeral entered. She was in shock as she saw me weeping before three caskets. Demanding to know whose caskets were placed within the personal resting place of the family of Lord Rikantus Everling, I told her.
In my youth, after I took the seat of master merchant for the House of Everling upon the disappearance of my father, I met my first love on the road to a haggling festival in Rivervale. She was standing beside the road, near her cart and tent. She was clearly a fortune teller of sorts. I ordered my carriage to stop. I dismounted and approached. Her named was Alana and her beauty was matched by none. I could do no more than to fall in love with her forever and after my long fortune was told, I did just that.
Along with Alana came her meager belongings, mostly tricks of her trade. So to, came a personal servant sworn to serve her as a child. The was the wretched Plimptos. I was happy to not only curse the man, but strike his name from my castle. The ancient word for whelp would do nicely, pelleas. For all the chaos that servant caused this house, Theeral's gifts to me made them all worth while. From my true love came my first born, Maltus. Soon after he, came Ollix. The joy my family brought me veiled the curses of Everling, but unfortunately, they would rear their head to make themselves known.
There came a time when a mysterious illness overtook my beloved family. A fever overtook them and mad delusions soon followed. Like madmen, my loved ones could be found wandering the streets screaming of invisible creatures all about, slowing torturing them. Neither doctor nor mage of the great trade city could find a remedy for the odd illness. Even journeying to the Temple of Life in Qeynos was futile. The madness grew and I was forced to confine my loved one or see them sentenced to the Freeport Asylum where they would never return from.
Confining my loved ones until I could free them from their insanity would not last. There came a day when their prison chambers were unlocked. Someone had unlocked the doors and untied their restraints whilst I was away on business. Before I could return they had somehow flew into the sprawling maze of streets. One by one their madness led them into horrific accident I refuse to recall. My dreams of replacing a life of cursed curios with the joy of a family was tragically extinguished. I could never prove it, but I felt the mischief of Plimptos.
The void created by the loss of my beloved family nearly sucked me into oblivion. I found myself incapacitated by sadness for many year. If not for the aid of a few friends within the Academy of Arcane Science, I too would be as lost as my family. When I was freed from my pit of despair I had the bodies of my family preserved and placed within my mausoleum. After this I swore to myself I would escape the curses that followed the House of Everling. Far from Freeport I would construct the most magnificent and impenetrable castle ever built. Not even an ancient curse would breach my walls.
I was a fool for thinking such things. No curse can be outrun or shielded, but perhaps it could be contained as the cursed curios had taught us over the ages. If a curse did follow me then it will stay with me and no more would I peddle such tragedy upon the world.. once I was finished financing my hidden fortress. Far from the great empires in the dense dark forestlands I will hide. Along with me shall come the evil trinkets, my servants and my beloved family.
When my refuge was complete, I placed my family within grand tombs inside the catacombs of my new manor. But, this was not enough. My house was theirs even after death, but if that were to be true they must have chambers just as I. I furnished three rooms, one for Marcus, one for Ollix and one for my Alana. When I wished to speak to them I would not face the sarcophagi in the cold depths of Nektropos Castle, NO! When I wish to console with my loved ones I would spend time within the chambers where their spirits played.
Here in Nektropos Castle I live with two loves, a family gone and family new. Theeral and my precious daughters accept my madness. Though they rarely visit the chambers of my past the know never to disturb them. My servants are told to tend to these chambers as they would any other. Even bowls and goblets are taken to these rooms and removed when mysterious emptied. They are here, I can feel them. These are the places where a cursed man goes to escape the prison he build for himself.
Books
Necessary Elements This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a well-written book, constructed with high quality materials.
The Orb of Mastery must be mine. I came across the knowledge of this artifact when I met the gnome known as Rykas while traveling through Lake Rathetear. His words led me the story of Trilith Mag'kot, and ultimately, to the Orb itself. Evidently, there is fear that this knowledge will bring about the end of the magician order, but I admittedly cannot resist the idea of wielding the raw power of the elements as my own. I will collect the necessary elements, and the Orb will be mine.
Element of Earth: Dirt of the Underfoot - Found. I was able to "convince" Klex to hand over his sample of the dirt. Staff of Elemental Mastery: Earth - Found. I was able to travel to the Plane of Hate itself, and after defeating some of the vile creatures found therein, I came across this mystical staff. Broom of Trilon, and the Shovel of Ponz Found. After speaking with Vira in the Temple, I collected the necessary items to obtain the Broom and the Shovel.
Element of Fire: Blazing Wand - Found. This was not easy. I had to enter the sunken Kedge Keep to find this mythical wand. Torch of the Elements - Found. I had to travel to Kunark and the City of Mist, but I was able to acquire the torch there. Burning Embers - Found. Having already made my way to Kunark, it was little trouble to travel to Burning Woods, and locate these embers.
Element of Wind: Elemental Binding - Found. The irony of crawling through the depths of the Hole to find a piece necessary for the element of Air was not lost on me. Crown of Elemental Mastery - Found. I managed to make it to the Plane of Sky, and found the Crown in the possession of one of the unlucky denizens of that plane. Pegasus Feather Cloak -.Not Found. I have heard the legend of a creature known as Qullmane, but I haven't managed to find it. I'll search for this later.
Element of Water: Rain of Karana - Found. Once possessed by a giant, these glistening droplets are now mine. Staff of Elemental Mastery: Water - Found, but not yet acquire. It appears to be in the possession of a creature known as Phinigal Autropus in Kedge Keep. We were not able to defeat this creature, so we will gather our strength and return. Tears of Erollisi - Found. This was not easy to gather. The warriors in the Overthere have earned their fearsome reputation.
Update on Quillmane: After several weeks of looking for the elusive pegasus, I still have been unable to locate it I've taken to hiring a tracker, and in spite of the ridiculous amount of gold I have given her, she insists that there is no guarantee that she will be able to find it since it can fly. I think this is an excuse for her own incompetence, but we will see.
Quillmane continued: That ranger was useless. I had no better luck with her than I did wandering around these plains on my own. I've wandered the length of the grasslands, and I can see no evidence of this mystical beast. I'm beginning to think that the information I received was erroneous or fabricate. I think I will return to have a discussion with Kihun Solstin.
Quillmane continued: THIS IS MADDENING. I am certain that the creature known as Quillmane is a myth, and that all reports of sightings of it are just the ravings of the insane, or an attempt at getting attention. I even tried making my own cloak of feathers, and using that in the place of the Pegasus Cloak. This did not work either. I am going to get the Orb of Mastery, if it is the last thing I ever accomplish!
Quillmane continued: After months of searching, and no results. I concede. I cannot find Quillmane, and I am certain that Kihun Solstin simply wanted me to die out on these plains. Well, no more. You win, Quillmane. May you live a thousand more lifetimes.
Books
Nerlug's Escape This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
These are the words of Nerlug, Ogre, Gullybasher. I sit atop a tree, taking in the view, hoping that while I can see out of my leafy sanctuary, the Horde cannot see their way in. I put these words to paper because this place bears witnessing, and perhaps by organizing my though., I can find a way of truly escaping my pursuers. If I cannot, then at least I can rest knowing that someone is reading my words at this very moment. Rallos may get his due, but I will not be forgotten.
This Horde. They are aggressive, single minded, and for every one I slay, I find two more on my trail. Here in Ethernere, I should not be. The Horde do not want me in this place. In my death, I should go home, to the Plane of War, to Rallos' side. But forgive me, I fear. I am as terrifying in battle as my brothers, I have crushed skulls with my bare hands, but war for war's sake I cannot understand. I argued with my brothers. I used reason when they would use a blade. And for this lapse of faith I will pay. It seems that this Horde will not stop until I go home. Until I meet my maker.
I will not go willingly.
The orafik seem to be key. They sit there, motionless. They blink from time to time. They are always watching, these floating monstrosities of an eye. If I can evade them I can escape. I throw a rock, off to the side, away from my position. The three who float there pivot and scream. Oh do they scream. My ears bleed, and I try to sneak away during their distraction. I can hear the patter of the Skirth's violence through the underbrush. I move quickly, soft as my form will let me.
I am safe.
They have no language I can discern. Except for the screaming. The eyes scream and the others come running. That scream unnerves me. My heart beats too fast and I fear. Rallos must weep for me. They act in concert, as one. A single being, but multiple. They are organized, each has its role. Like an army, they have scouts and shock troopers and infantry and cavalry. I can fight one, two, three. I can smash them, and dismember them, and make them bleed.
But still. They come. Rallos may get his due.
Those dead at my feet, there are those who call them skirth. I do not know if they call themselves skirth. It is an appropriate name, for if you saw them move, if you heard them move, you might call them skirth too. Not quite quadruped, their limbs are ungainly, as much spider as ape. They are the footsoldiers of the Horde, but each has their specialty. They are legion.
There are beings who are not the Horde here. They are passersby, they are those who have not moved on yet, they are those like me. No one here is permanent, save for the Horde. While I can talk with these folk, and reason with them, and ask them questions, the Horde who Harrows indulge in no such thing. While these folk are transient, aimless, wandering, the Horde is purpose in the flesh, principal personified.
These folk do not want me here. I bring unwanted attention. The Horde has my scent, they can *feel* me, and the folk do not want me here. I leave. I do not want them to suffer my fate, for I begin to believe I cannot win. There is no loophole. The laws here are inevitable.
I am alone.
But that is a lie. I have forgotten what it means to be truly alone. How I long for it. Instead, they follow me, relentless. Always present, shadowy, as much there as not there. My recent follower; the tirun. They are the enforcers of the Horde, the two handed claymore, their machine of war. One of them is a match for me. Two can back me into a corner. At three, I run.
I can find no weakness in the Horde. I wonder if these are Rallos' true children. He would be as proud of them as he must be disappointed in me. If someone could harness them, remove them from Ethernere, they could trample the world. And yet, I do not think they hate. I simply should not be here, and so they will not stop until I am not here. It is not malice in their eye, it is determination.
A new one follows. This one is... familiar. It has arms, legs. It is more... formed. It could be described as humanoid. I am humanoid. It puts words into my head. It is like a general. It is like the Horde's head. It feels... sympathy? It makes it difficult to think. I may have fought him. Did I win?
Again, I run.
How long have I been here: My name... it is Nelug. I write it so I will not forget. I will not be forgotten. That name, is it still mine? No one calls it. It does not feel as if it belongs to me. I am Nerlug, but that is not me. I am hollow.
They follow now, but do not pursue. I am no longer whole. I grasp this book, and yet it falls through my hands. Writing is difficult. Thinking is moreso. I want to sleep. To rest. I wonder why they do not come.
The eyes no longer scream, at least.
I have read this book. I have read that my name was Nerlug. I have read that I was afraid.
Dear readers, know that this is no longer so. I have found my place. Know that Ethernere is not your home. You may rest here a while, but do not tarry. Continue on your journey or I will come for you. I will find you.
And if you will not go, we will take you.
Books
Obligation and Duty This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
I write this tome as my twilight years fall upon me. There is much I have seen in my life, both good and ill. Chief among the lessons I have learned is that there must be balance in all things. The greatest joy would mean nothing unless we have also known the deepest sorrow.
In the days of my youth, I relished the glory of batter. My only goal was to master every form of combat I could, and this became the focus of my life. Eventually I achieved that goal, only to find it empty. Mastery of war means nothing unless we can truly appreciate the knowledge of peace.
It was never my goal to lead others. The style of the Whistling Fists was created for me alone. But i soon realized that others had a hunger for the same lessons I had learned, and I felt it was my duty to share my knowledge with others who would be able to use it to better our would. It is a burden to which I have devoted my life, and soon I shall pass this obligation on to you.
The Whistling Fist Clan is not about battle or conquest. Such things are as ephemeral as the wind, and victory in warfare lasts only for the blink of an eye. Our order serves a greater purpose. We are watches, standing between the candles and the stars. When the time is right we are needed, we must act with swiftness and certainly. And when our word is done, we must stand watch again to guard the balance between the darkness and the light.
It is not our way to seek personal glory. We remain in the shadows until the time is right to walk in the light. Let your actions speak for you, not your words or your dress. I have worn a simple crimson robe since the founding of our order, and it has severed me well.
Our order will need new blood if it is to fulfill its purpose. Seek out other who could benefit from our knowledge, and if they prove worthy , bring them into our circle. This is how I found all of you, my brothers and sisters, and it is a method that will serve you well in the years to come.
Protect the isle of Mara and safeguard our monastery. The song that led us to this place told me that our island has a story yet to be told. Like all things, this shall reveal itself in time.
Never forget that you first duty is to defend the weak and give aid to the helpless. Though we should relish the solitude of our stores, it is good to walk the roads of Norrath from time to time. Isolation can help maintain our focus, but it must be balanced with an active role in the events of the world. Let our actions speak for us, rather than seeking glory from our order.
To you, my honored brothers and sisters, I bequeath the few material goods I possess. A pattern for making robes that you may find useful. A tome that I call the Code of the Whistling Fists, which further details many of the principles I have touched upon in this missive. A small idol from my days with the Combine, a reminder to trust myself and my kin rather than place faith in the fleeting empires of man. And last of all, my simple flute, which has brought me many hours of pleasure on my journey through this life.
Remain strong, my brothers and sisters. May you know joy and sorrow, darkness and light, and always relish the balance between them.
Books
On the Origins of Shadowed Men This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
This excerpt is from "The Lore of Fauna" by Professor Romiak Justathorn of the Academy of Arcane Sciences, Republic of Freeport. The date of this particular volume is unknown. Entry One Put book away.
"On the Origins of Shadowed Men," by Professor Romiak Justathorn -- Being an excerpt of a longer piece, including only information as is relevant these mysterious beings' origins. Much of this information is still hotly debated at the highest circles of academia. Afterword by Pearl Honeywine. Read book Put book away.
An Overview -- The Shadowed Men are an intelligent planar humanoid of evil tendencies. They are secretly operating on a multitude of worlds. They hail from a planar realm called the Void. They exist in a partial phantasmal state. They appear invisible at first and when attacking appear out of nowhere. A weird portal opens and an eerie humanoid torso break through to attack. They use both magical weapons and spoken spells from their realm. Entry Two Put book away.
Their Origins -- Shadowed Men are first recorded to have appeared on Norrath in the Age of Turmoil. Shadowed Men are beings of the Mana Flow that appear as near-invisible beings, wielding items usually visible indicating that they are not attempting to hide but rather are unable to fully materialize within our plane of existence. Entry Three Put book away.
Delusional trotters within the Freeport Infirmary have claimed to have journeyed to the Void and have returned with knowledge of the Shadowed Men?s existence within the Mana Flow, but in a corporeal state. These Shadowed Men appear as humanoids with shaded blurry features and four arms. There is little knowledge of the Shadowed Men, but of all I know I have come to some conclusions as to their nature. Entry Four Put book away.
Shadowed Men hail from the Mana Flow. They appear globally and use a black obsidian monolith as means of entering our plane. These Shadow Monoliths appear in any area with Shadow Man activity. When the Shadowed Man activity ceases, the monolith vanishes. In further discussion with those few patients in the Infirmary I have deduced that the Shadowed Men have a citadel within our realm, one neither here nor there. Entry Five Put book away.
Any entering this citadel will find no activity. Within this citadel is a means of entering a pocket of their plane of existence and turning the citadel inside out. Enter this pocket and all Shadowed Men and their true citadel shall appear before one's very eyes. Entry Six Put book away.
Shadowed Men have knowledge of many skills and hail from many of the known classes. Known classes of the Shadowed Men include: Monk, Warrior, Priest and Dark Art Mages. They also have special spells relating to the Mana Flow. Entry Seven Put book away.
One spell shall partially swallow up an area into the Mana Flow and thereby by making all things touched by it invisible. The items carried by these beings always dematerialize after a short time, sucked back to the dimension it is a part of. Entry Eight Put book away.
The Shadowed Men on Norrath are here under the will of a greater power from their native plane. They serve this unknown power in a search for something of great value upon our realm. Entry Nine Put book away.
Afterword -- The information presented by the very eminent Professor Justathorn includes references to items that have not been proven to exist in modern Norrath. Also, the modern reader must keep in mind that Professor Justathorn lived in a different era, one during which research such as his was quite wide-spread and thus may include concepts which were in vogue at the time but are perhaps lacking somewhat in the factual department. Entry Ten Put book away.
In any event, there is no denying that stories of the Shadowed Men persist, and so any monolith, such as the one in the Feerrott, should be approached with extreme care. Any information you may learn about Shadowed Men may be forwarded to me, Pearl Honeywine, for verification. Close Book.
Books
On the Origins of Shadowed Men This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"On the Origins of Shadowed Men," by Professor Romiak Justathorn -- Being an excerpt of a longer piece, including only information as is relevant these mysterious beings' origins. Much of this information is still hotly debated at the highest circles of academia. Afterword by Pearl Honeywine.
This excerpt is from "The Lore of Fauna" by Professor Romiak Justathorn of the Academy of Arcane Sciences, Republic of Freeport. The date of this particular volume is unknown.
An Overview -- The Shadowed Men are an intelligent planar humanoid of evil tendencies. They are secretly operating on a multitude of worlds.
They hail from a planar realm called the Void. They exist in a partial phantasmal state. They appear invisible at first and when attacking appear out of nowhere.
A weird portal opens and an eerie humanoid torso break through to attack. They use both magical weapons and spoken spells from their realm.
Their Origins -- Shadowed Men are first recorded to have appeared on Norrath in the Age of Turmoil.
Shadowed Men are beings of the Mana Flow that appear as near-invisible beings, wielding items usually visible indicating that they are not attempting to hide but rather are unable to fully materialize within our plane of existence.
Delusional trotters within the Freeport Infirmary have claimed to have journeyed to the Void and have returned with knowledge of the Shadowed Men?s existence within the Mana Flow, but in a corporeal state.
These Shadowed Men appear as humanoids with shaded blurry features and four arms. There is little knowledge of the Shadowed Men, but of all I know I have come to some conclusions as to their nature.
Shadowed Men hail from the Mana Flow. They appear globally and use a black obsidian monolith as means of entering our plane.
These Shadow Monoliths appear in any area with Shadow Man activity. When the Shadowed Man activity ceases, the monolith vanishes.
In further discussion with those few patients in the Infirmary I have deduced that the Shadowed Men have a citadel within our realm, one neither here nor there.
Any entering this citadel will find no activity. Within this citadel is a means of entering a pocket of their plane of existence and turning the citadel inside out.
Enter this pocket and all Shadowed Men and their true citadel shall appear before one's very eyes.
Shadowed Men have knowledge of many skills and hail from many of the known classes.
Known classes of the Shadowed Men include: Monk, Warrior, Priest and Dark Art Mages.
They also have special spells relating to the Mana Flow.
One spell shall partially swallow up an area into the Mana Flow and thereby by making all things touched by it invisible.
The items carried by these beings always dematerialize after a short time, sucked back to the dimension it is a part of.
The Shadowed Men on Norrath are here under the will of a greater power from their native plane.
They serve this unknown power in a search for something of great value upon our realm.
Afterword -- The information presented by the very eminent Professor Justathorn includes references to items that have not been proven to exist in modern Norrath.
Also, the modern reader must keep in mind that Professor Justathorn lived in a different era, one during which research such as his was quite wide-spread and thus may include concepts which were in vogue at the time but are perhaps lacking somewhat in the factual department.
In any event, there is no denying that stories of the Shadowed Men persist, and so any monolith, such as the one in the Feerrott, should be approached with extreme care.
Any information you may learn about Shadowed Men may be forwarded to me, Pearl Honeywine, for verification.
Books
On the Origins of Shadowed Men This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"On the Origins of Shadowed Men," by Professor Romiak Justathorn -- Being an excerpt of a longer piece, including only information as is relevant these mysterious beings' origins. Much of this information is still hotly debated at the highest circles of academia. Afterword by Pearl Honeywine.
This excerpt is from "The Lore of Fauna" by Professor Romiak Justathorn of the Academy of Arcane Sciences, Republic of Freeport. The date of this particular volume is unknown.
An Overview -- The Shadowed Men are an intelligent planar humanoid of evil tendencies. They are secretly operating on a multitude of worlds.
They hail from a planar realm called the Void. They exist in a partial phantasmal state. They appear invisible at first and when attacking appear out of nowhere.
A weird portal opens and an eerie humanoid torso break through to attack. They use both magical weapons and spoken spells from their realm.
Their Origins -- Shadowed Men are first recorded to have appeared on Norrath in the Age of Turmoil.
Shadowed Men are beings of the Mana Flow that appear as near-invisible beings, wielding items usually visible indicating that they are not attempting to hide but rather are unable to fully materialize within our plane of existence.
Delusional trotters within the Freeport Infirmary have claimed to have journeyed to the Void and have returned with knowledge of the Shadowed Men?s existence within the Mana Flow, but in a corporeal state.
These Shadowed Men appear as humanoids with shaded blurry features and four arms. There is little knowledge of the Shadowed Men, but of all I know I have come to some conclusions as to their nature.
Shadowed Men hail from the Mana Flow. They appear globally and use a black obsidian monolith as means of entering our plane.
These Shadow Monoliths appear in any area with Shadow Man activity. When the Shadowed Man activity ceases, the monolith vanishes.
In further discussion with those few patients in the Infirmary I have deduced that the Shadowed Men have a citadel within our realm, one neither here nor there.
Any entering this citadel will find no activity. Within this citadel is a means of entering a pocket of their plane of existence and turning the citadel inside out.
Enter this pocket and all Shadowed Men and their true citadel shall appear before one's very eyes.
Shadowed Men have knowledge of many skills and hail from many of the known classes.
Known classes of the Shadowed Men include: Monk, Warrior, Priest and Dark Art Mages.
They also have special spells relating to the Mana Flow.
One spell shall partially swallow up an area into the Mana Flow and thereby by making all things touched by it invisible.
The items carried by these beings always dematerialize after a short time, sucked back to the dimension it is a part of.
The Shadowed Men on Norrath are here under the will of a greater power from their native plane.
They serve this unknown power in a search for something of great value upon our realm.
Afterword -- The information presented by the very eminent Professor Justathorn includes references to items that have not been proven to exist in modern Norrath.
Also, the modern reader must keep in mind that Professor Justathorn lived in a different era, one during which research such as his was quite wide-spread and thus may include concepts which were in vogue at the time but are perhaps lacking somewhat in the factual department.
In any event, there is no denying that stories of the Shadowed Men persist, and so any monolith, such as the one in the Feerrott, should be approached with extreme care.
Any information you may learn about Shadowed Men may be forwarded to me, Pearl Honeywine, for verification.
Books
Orc Society This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
This tome covers only the societal aspect of the orc. This excerpt is from "The Lore of Fauna" by Professor Romiak Justathorn of the Academy of Arcane Sciences, Republic of Freeport. The date of this particular volume is unknown. Entry One Put book away.
"Orc Society" by Professor Romiak Justathorn -- Being an excerpt of a longer piece, including only information as is relevant to the study of orc society. Read book Put book away.
Orcs...dastardly beasts they are. They are a true threat to every civilized community that exists within the same regions. They live for war and conquest. They have developed into a very skilled race in both the art of war and the world of trade. Entry Two Put book away.
As documented in early recounting of the great wars fought against these tyrants, they often employed weapons of similar designs to the great empires of the times. These items of war shared a similar base design but were clearly of orc design. It would soon be learned that the orcs have been dealing in black market trade to procure designs of weapons of war. Entry Three Put book away.
Stolen designs and items from various empires soon filled the orc forges with undaunted activity. The orcs now rely heavily on the engineering and architectural talents of other races, which they would somehow find a way to steal or buy. Entry Four Put book away.
All orc empires wish to rule the world, but they know that starts with a single step. Once the call to war has been decreed, an orc empire will not relent the battle until death conquest or death of the empire is met. Entry Five Put book away.
Orc empires are a form of republic where leaders of units are the ones who decide who shall be emperor. The Emperor is usually the finest warrior of his empire. He is always a hero who has lived through a great many battles. For this fact, orc emperors always have numerous battle scars and even a missing limb or two. The emperor is always the fiercest one of the bunch. Entry Six Put book away.
The soldiers of orc empires are perhaps some of the finest and highly organized combatants to ever trod across a battlefield. They fight to the death and never sway from the order of a superior. The orc soldier is a fearless soldier who was bred for battle since birth. Entry Seven Put book away.
The orcs are all devout followers of the beliefs of Rallos Zek, but they have been visited by and learned of their direct relation to the god of tactics, Tallon Zek. Entry Eight Put book away.
Tallon Zek is the first orc, supreme hero, lord of tactics, giver of conquest and it is he who gave a part of himself so that the supreme god of war, Rallos Zek, could deliver the orc race upon the surface of Norrath. Rallos Zek deconstructed Tallon Zek and pulled from him the seeds that gave birth to the orc race. Entry Nine Put book away.
Through visions and some claim divine presence, Tallon Zek has shared this knowledge with the orcs. The orcs now have temples to Tallon Zek within their empire, while still honoring the true art of war- Rallos Zek. Entry Ten Put book away.
Orcs have proven extremely adaptable throughout the Ages. Knowing something of their ancient history may prove useful in our quest to keep orcs from recreating their vast empires of old. After all, those who do not know their enemy are caught unawares when they can least afford it. Close Book.
Books
Orc Society This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"Orc Society" by Professor Romiak Justathorn -- Being an excerpt of a longer piece, including only information as is relevant to the study of orc society.
This tome covers only the societal aspect of the orc. This excerpt is from "The Lore of Fauna" by Professor Romiak Justathorn of the Academy of Arcane Sciences, Republic of Freeport. The date of this particular volume is unknown.
Orcs...dastardly beasts they are. They are a true threat to every civilized community that exists within the same regions.
They live for war and conquest. They have developed into a very skilled race in both the art of war and the world of trade.
As documented in early recounting of the great wars fought against these tyrants, they often employed weapons of similar designs to the great empires of the times.
These items of war shared a similar base design but were clearly of orc design. It would soon be learned that the orcs have been dealing in black market trade to procure designs of weapons of war.
Stolen designs and items from various empires soon filled the orc forges with undaunted activity.
The orcs now rely heavily on the engineering and architectural talents of other races, which they would somehow find a way to steal or buy.
All orc empires wish to rule the world, but they know that starts with a single step.
Once the call to war has been decreed, an orc empire will not relent the battle until death conquest or death of the empire is met.
Orc empires are a form of republic where leaders of units are the ones who decide who shall be emperor.
The Emperor is usually the finest warrior of his empire. He is always a hero who has lived through a great many battles. For this fact, orc emperors always have numerous battle scars and even a missing limb or two.
The emperor is always the fiercest one of the bunch.
The soldiers of orc empires are perhaps some of the finest and highly organized combatants to ever trod across a battlefield.
They fight to the death and never sway from the order of a superior. The orc soldier is a fearless soldier who was bred for battle since birth.
The orcs are all devout followers of the beliefs of Rallos Zek, but they have been visited by and learned of their direct relation to the god of tactics, Tallon Zek.
Tallon Zek is the first orc, supreme hero, lord of tactics, giver of conquest and it is he who gave a part of himself so that the supreme god of war, Rallos Zek, could deliver the orc race upon the surface of Norrath.
Rallos Zek deconstructed Tallon Zek and pulled from him the seeds that gave birth to the orc race.
Through visions and some claim divine presence, Tallon Zek has shared this knowledge with the orcs.
The orcs now have temples to Tallon Zek within their empire, while still honoring the true art of war- Rallos Zek.
Orcs have proven extremely adaptable throughout the Ages.
Knowing something of their ancient history may prove useful in our quest to keep orcs from recreating their vast empires of old.
After all, those who do not know their enemy are caught unawares when they can least afford it.
Books
Orc Society This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"Orc Society" by Professor Romiak Justathorn -- Being an excerpt of a longer piece, including only information as is relevant to the study of orc society.
This tome covers only the societal aspect of the orc. This excerpt is from "The Lore of Fauna" by Professor Romiak Justathorn of the Academy of Arcane Sciences, Republic of Freeport. The date of this particular volume is unknown.
Orcs...dastardly beasts they are. They are a true threat to every civilized community that exists within the same regions.
They live for war and conquest. They have developed into a very skilled race in both the art of war and the world of trade.
As documented in early recounting of the great wars fought against these tyrants, they often employed weapons of similar designs to the great empires of the times.
These items of war shared a similar base design but were clearly of orc design. It would soon be learned that the orcs have been dealing in black market trade to procure designs of weapons of war.
Stolen designs and items from various empires soon filled the orc forges with undaunted activity.
The orcs now rely heavily on the engineering and architectural talents of other races, which they would somehow find a way to steal or buy.
All orc empires wish to rule the world, but they know that starts with a single step.
Once the call to war has been decreed, an orc empire will not relent the battle until death conquest or death of the empire is met.
Orc empires are a form of republic where leaders of units are the ones who decide who shall be emperor.
The Emperor is usually the finest warrior of his empire. He is always a hero who has lived through a great many battles. For this fact, orc emperors always have numerous battle scars and even a missing limb or two.
The emperor is always the fiercest one of the bunch.
The soldiers of orc empires are perhaps some of the finest and highly organized combatants to ever trod across a battlefield.
They fight to the death and never sway from the order of a superior. The orc soldier is a fearless soldier who was bred for battle since birth.
The orcs are all devout followers of the beliefs of Rallos Zek, but they have been visited by and learned of their direct relation to the god of tactics, Tallon Zek.
Tallon Zek is the first orc, supreme hero, lord of tactics, giver of conquest and it is he who gave a part of himself so that the supreme god of war, Rallos Zek, could deliver the orc race upon the surface of Norrath.
Rallos Zek deconstructed Tallon Zek and pulled from him the seeds that gave birth to the orc race.
Through visions and some claim divine presence, Tallon Zek has shared this knowledge with the orcs.
The orcs now have temples to Tallon Zek within their empire, while still honoring the true art of war- Rallos Zek.
Orcs have proven extremely adaptable throughout the Ages.
Knowing something of their ancient history may prove useful in our quest to keep orcs from recreating their vast empires of old.
After all, those who do not know their enemy are caught unawares when they can least afford it.
Books
Order Book: Blackshield Destroyer Saltspew This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
Orders from the Blackshield Pirates shipwrecked on Chrykori Island.
This is a copy of the Blackshield Orders for the ship "Saltspew"
It is dated roughly two weeks ago.
From the bridge of Fleet Captain Shankstubble:
Captains, seadogs, wenches, cast-aways and swabbies, Our thirst for the riches only an empire can provide shall soon be quenched. We have, in Gorowyn, an opportunity to build that empire for ourselves. I have drawn up plans to take Gorowyn from the loathsome Sarnak. This will involve movement and coordination of all our ships.
The Saltspew, Prowspear, and Hullthrash will begin with a small scale attack two weeks hence. Once they have landed and established camp, our fleet shall push on their shores just as hard as any land army. When Gorowyn falls, our kegs shall spill over, and we shall use the dead Sarnak city as our own, creating a base of operations to train the largest nautical army ever seen on Norrath!
The remaining pages detail the attack plan for each of the many ships involved in this operation.
Books
Order Book: Blackshield Landing Party This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
Orders from the Blackshield Pirates that have landed on Gorowyn Island.
This is a copy of the Blackshield Orders for the landing party on Gorowyn Island.
It has today's date.
From the bridge of Captain Boil:
All right you riff-raff, we've got sea legs, but we've lost our sand legs. The Saltspew never made it, we're unsure of her fate, Sarnak scouts have been harrying our encampments, we're running low on provisions, and our reinforcements aren't scheduled to land for another week at the least. We've got to make do with what we have, so here are your standing orders.
Establish and fortify encampments along the beach. Watch for Sarnak, as they have been showing up lately. Do what you can to acquire provisions, the chokidai meat can safely be eaten, I've allowed Blacktalon to spend his free time on Gorowyn Island gorging himself. Above all our goal right now is to hold out while we wait for reinforcements, but we must be productive. Shankstubble is not going to land more men if it looks like we're being decimated.
Fresh copies of these orders will arrive from my ship each day, and I expect daily status reports at the ready every time I come ashore. For now, Captain Redspit is in charge of all on land. Things may seem grim, but we're not licked yet.
Books
Order of the Frozen Wastes This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
Disclaimer: While this work is based on fact, it is largely inference that has led to whatever conclusions are presented here. There was -- at one time -- an order of monks that trained (or perhaps lived) in Everfrost, but little is known beyond that. They did not call themselves the Order ofthe Frozen Wastes, that is merely my title for them. What little is known of them, however, still manages to capture our imagination.
For reasons unknown, the Order of the Frozen Wastes came upon Everfrost some time ago. It was there, in Everfrost's harsh conditions, that they created a training ground. A single training lieutenant, one Yentu, would serve as the task master. It is from Yentu's tasks that we get most of our knowledge about this mysterious order.
Four [known] students spent time training in Everfrost under Yentu's tutelage: Andara, Inle, Jaer and Shan Yeu. A fifth student became Yentu himself. Tasked out by one known as Tsu, Yentu would fulfill training contracts just as his students did. For each participant, even only from reading their training orders, one can get a sense of their growth.
Andara: Yentu had Andara train against arctic behemoths, bears, and wolves. Yentu's words to Andara were these: "...there are advantages to be held by being the right size [...] in the right situations," "...no spirit is as mighty as the bear [...] you may yet prove more cunning," "The wolves follow their instinct. You must now follow your training."
From Yentu's words we get the sense that Andara relied often on her size and instinct. To counter this, Yentu sent her against arctic behemoths and bears, so she would have to rely more on her training. And, to show her the shortcomings of instinct, he pit her against wolves. One hopes Andara learned to rely on her mind as much as her body.
Inle: Inle is the student we gained the most information about. Yentu sent her against primal frostfins, bighorn sheep, glacial constructs, resonating echoes and icegill goblins. Some of his words to her: "Match their speed, and overpower their viciousness," "Stamina is your weakness," "The purpose [...] is not to become cold and emotionless, but rather how to control [your emotions]," "don't let their stature deceive you."
From these words we can surmise that Inle had two main weaknesses: her stamina and her emotional state. Yentu attempted to stifle her emotional effect on her training. Further, he tried to stretch her endurance by pitting her against tough opponents. Finally, one can guess that Inle was small in form, and -- perhaps because of her emotions -- Yentu pit her against the goblins to prove that size is overcome with cunning in their case.
Jaer: Yentu sent Jaer to face arctic monitors, numbfoot hunters, and snow leopards. To Jaer he said: "The arctic monitors have the skin of discipline, though it is a natural feat [...] mimic them," "The hunting style of the numbfoot is sloppy, but contains wisdom beyond that," "learn from the snow leopard," "Stalk the snow leopards and learn their ways."
Yentu's orders suggest that Jaer -- while perhaps great at avoiding attacks -- could be defeated in training easily due to his inability to absorb blows. He then pit him against the thick skinned arctic monitors, to see their naturally thick skin and its worth. He then sent him against two of Everfrost's hunters: snow leopards and numbfoot hunters. Perhaps Yentu hoped Jaer would learn from the contrast between the two styles.
Shan Yeu: Shan Yeu's training placed him opposite ice frights, tundra terrors, and wooly spiders. To Shan Yeu, Yantu said: "The ice frights will provide an ample stepping stone for you. Fear not their pain," "The ability to wield fear [...] is a powerful gift," "Fear not their poison."
Yentu spoke often of fear in Shan Yeu's tasks. Perhaps most interesting is telling Shan Yeu not to fear the pain of his opponents. This suggests that Yentu saw Shan Yeu holding himself back, afraid to put forth too much effort. Shan Yeu was afraid of his own power.
Yentu: Yentu himself had a task given to him by Tsu. The message was this: "Motivation involves showing your strength. Grow the spirits of the others; defeat the frozen tempests." From this order, and from Yentu's orders, one gets the impression that the students did not fully appreciate Yentu's wisdom.
Tsu picked up on this and set Yentu to a task with his students. It is unknown the effect this had on the training, but given Yentu's apparent wisdom one would guess the lesson not lost to him.
Most items found were orders. Occasionally, however, small portions of what I believe to be this order's training manual have surfaced. Though it is impossible to get a full picture of a society from bits and pieces of their history, there are most certainly conclusions that can be made. Here are a few bits of wisdom that I especially prefer from the training manual.
"Fight not as object versus object, pit your mind and soul, too, against that object. Become the three pointed star." "And when asked 'is my training complete?' the Master only questioned, 'are you dead?' The student shook his head. 'That, too, is my answer,' responded the Master." "When he fought his opponent's shadow, he fought his opponent's mind. But as the shadow drew more and more of his attention, he was unable to comprehend what it was that cast that shadow. And, so, though he was stronger in mind, he was defeated in body."
It is unfortunate that we do not have more information on this order. History is always at that disadvantage. Some day we may get a further glimpse into the world of this unknown people, until then we must make do with what we have.
Books
Our Lady of Betrayal This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This book was taken from the haunted halls of Nektropos Castle.
Our Lady of Betrayal, Page 3 (shinies in Nektropos Castle: Tribulation)
Our Lady of Betrayal, Page 4 (shinies in Nektropos Castle: Tribulation)
Our Lady of Betrayal, Page 5 (shinies in Nektropos Castle: Tribulation)
Our Lady of Betrayal, Page 7 (shinies in Nektropos Castle: Tribulation)
Our Lady of Betrayal, Page 8 (shinies in Nektropos Castle: Tribulation)
Our Lady of Betrayal, Page 9 (shinies in Nektropos Castle: Tribulation)
Our Lady of Betrayal, Page 10 (shinies in Nektropos Castle: Tribulation)
Our Lady of Betrayal, Page 12 (shinies in Nektropos Castle: Tribulation)
Our Lady of Betrayal, Page 14 (shinies in Nektropos Castle: Tribulation)
Our Lady of Betrayal, Page 15 (shinies in Nektropos Castle: Tribulation)
our lady of betrayal, an incomplete manuscript (shinies in Nektropos Castle: Tribulation)
Discovered on 9 Aug 2006 at 11:59:12 PDT.
Our Lady of Betrayal Notes by Lord Rikantus Everling
Long have I traveled Norrath in search of wonders others would avoid. Many years have I studied tomes of valor in search of deviant treasures that I could place within my cursed cache. It was in my youth that my father began this quest and it would be in my time as Lord of the House of Everling that the quest would terminate. Through tales told from my father's maw to stolen tomes from the vaults of truth and love. I have discovered the Lady of Betrayal- Ullkorruuk.
The House of Everling made its fortune within the great trade city of Freeport, a city always shielded from evil by the followers of Marr. Living amidst the paragons of valor and passion one could eventually see tears within the benevolent fabric of such benevolence. My father stove to discover an artifact of such faults, a trinket that no doubt would be cursed. Those things that are cursed are the fruit of my family. My father would never find the artifact he longed for, but his words would lead me on my quest long after his death.
Knighthoods and priesthoods are bound to faith, given their strength by their willing belief in things that cannot be proven as just. The blind faith of such religious societies will always have those few who falter. A fall from such wisdom leads even the greatest legends of chivalry in a forsaken pit, never to be graced by his god again. But hope persists. Whisper abound of a place where the forsaken have made safe haven. The hidden shrine is veiled within an island of vast thinkers. In my father's time, he would never know such a place, but his time is over.
Across the spine of Ro and through the great city, I found path across the sea. Within the land touched by the hand of decay I found my clues. Through dense jungle, across wounded lands and over frozen mountaintops - the land of eternal maelstrom exists. Within the inhospitable desolate land exists the forsaken city. Only in such natural hostility could such a place remain unseen. Employing the powers of curses I crossed the sea of rage and entered the halls of the fallen. Here slumbered the knowledge I sought, secrets hidden in the texts of valorous faiths.
The fallen were not pleased to meet me. A detachment of knights rode me out to meet my approach, riding atop armored beasts with lances that seemed to be forged of crude iron and were most likely heavier than beast and rider. These cavalier spoke no words save one phrase,” Follow and you shall live." Such words, accompanied with imposing weapons, cannot be argued. They led me beyond a massive marble gate that only the Krombral could have moved. I soon learned that this small detachment was but a drop of the cavalry that rest within the entry hall of the subterranean city.
I could see gates leading deeper into this marble fortress. One of the knights dismounted, I could tell from the cape and adornments upon his armor that he was the leader of this band of cavalry. The knight ushered me forward through one of the gates and down a long descending stairwell. As we walked I could see faint images of pantheons barely illuminated by ornate sconces perched along the walls. At the end of the stairwell we met a towering, but thin, door. The knight grabbed the heavy knocker and pounded upon the door. It opened ever so slowly, light beaming forth blinding me from the majesty beyond.
My eyesight returned and my ears filled with layered chants. I found myself in a grand circular hall whose ceiling stretched great heights. The interior of the massive hall was adorned by statues and images of every deity known to Norrath, even a few from long dead civilizations. Each of these statues or images created a shrine to the god and around each shrine were placed gifts relative to the forsaken that prayed around it. My soul filled with joy as I came to realize that I had finally discovered the city of the forsaken, the secret city of the fallen, Zebuxor.
My elation was soon replaced with fear as all the chants ceased. The throngs of worshippers bowed their heads. In the distance I could see another towering door slowly swing wide. Within this doorway a figure entered, but so great were the masses that all I could see was the high elaborate crown of this royal figure. Amidst the sea of ragtag forsaken faithful, the grand figure cut a swathe towards me. My fear rose as I could see the daunting crown that peeked above the faithful slowly approach. Finally the figure was upon me as the final wall of people stepped back to allow my audience with the ruler of the forsaken city.
"What power have your fallen from?" the ruler asked in a beautiful effeminate voice. I could not see much of her face beneath the elaborate helm, if it was a female, but what I could see was as alluring as the voice. I must answer her in truth, though a lie would seen more fitting. It was as if she cast a spell over me. "I am not forsaken. I seek knowledge of a dissident power." I replied, sheepishly. Slowly she replied in a foreboding demeanor, "You are forsaken now."
"I sense the aura of your betrayal." She said. "Your past has forsaken you for such actions. It is that has led you to our temple city." I could do nothing in more but listen within her hypnotic presence. "You quest for the unusual leads your house, but in your quest you should anchored your faith, unwittingly." She save a beguiling smirk and continued. "Though you seek cursed treasures of unorthodox faith, you will instead find your faith here among the fallen." She pointed to a dark corner of the titanic hall.
The masses of fallen worshippers parted to create a twisting path towards the dark recesses of a peculiar little shrine. Her voice commanded me,"Go!" I began my slow, almost penitent, march towards the shrine. The walls of the fallen began to chant in whispers. As I drew closer to the shrine I noticed it was precariously placed between two other shrines, although it seemed as though these shrines were not even adjacent to one another. To one side of the meager shrine was the shrine of love and to the other side was the shrine of lover and to the other side a portion of the shrine of hate embraced it. I continued my march.
As I entered the shadows of the little shrine I began to make out the visage of a statue. The statue was that of a commanding, yet comforting female knight. Donned in the finest armor this visage stood atop the back of a knight. Protruding from knight's back, a lance breached the armor of the dead. My eyes slowly followed the length of the lance until it met the hands of the female knight. I could sense a great betrayal as bound to this shrine. What was this image I see before me and why do I feel as though I should pay homage here?
"You belong to her." The ruler of Zebuxor was at my back. I did not even notice her approach. "She is the Lady of Betrayal. Like you, she sought the unknown. Her desire of the unknown was so great that she betrayed the power that gave her light." "Who is my goddess?" I begged. With another of her beguiling smirks, the ruler answered. "She is Ullkorruuk. Her betrayal of love was so great that she was embraced by the powers of hate.Given new life among the stars, she now sits in the pantheon of hate, forever renamed and never to be graced by Marr again."
I began to weep before the statue. My tears streamed as I fell to my knees. I crawled closer to the statue and reached out to it. "Do not forsake me maiden of betrayal. End the madness of my house. Ease the curses that haunts us." Although my house has long been indifferent towards the faiths, almost agnostic some would clam, I found myself praising before the statue. "What can I give you for my salvation, my lady?" I cried. "Your offering begins." said the ruler behind me. My fingertips finally reached the feet of the statue-all went black!
Books
Paying Homage to the Past This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This tome appears to be severely damaged by years of exposure to the elements. A single ribbon of silk marks ritual often performed by Iksar to remember their ancestors. At the end of the ritual it looks as though someone else has added another step in the ritual.
Untold ages ago, the Faceless One, Cazic-Thule, placed us upon the lands of Kunark. Scattered and unlearned, we were enslaved by the terrible snake-like Shissar with their curses and wicked enchantments! At last one day the skies opened up and the sacred Green Mist delivered us from our enemies. Unaffected by the mist, we watched as our captors melted away. In the midst of a cacophony of screams of terror and anguish the iksar were freed. Today we remember the destruction of our oppressors by desecrating an article of their creation.
Over the centuries, many tribal states were established as we spread across Kunark. It was one iksar, Venril Sathir, whose knowledge of battle and necromancy allowed him to conquer and annex all the tribe-states. Using the might of the united tribes and the slaves of conquered lesser races, the mighty fortress of Sebilis was built. Imposing and beautiful, Sebilis was a place of learning and lore where for many long years we honed our skills and thrived. Under Sathir's rule as the first King of Sebilis, he established the great Sebilisian Empire. The jealous dragons, however, saw our greatness and knew we posed a threat to them.
The meddling dragon known as Trakanon was not content to leave us alone. Through his treachery, he turned our servants against us and led a group of his kind to Sebilis and destroyed it! Many iksar were slain then and we honor them by lighting a funeral pyre from the remains of iksar slain in these times. During the time of the Rending our beloved Kunark was beset by terrible earthquakes and the Lake of Ill Omen flooded the city of Cabilis. It was during these times that a large sailing vessel carrying many of our kind to lands far away was smashed by a massive wave. Many survived this tragedy by swimming to the shores of a nearby island.
For nearly a year the survivors lived on that island until the Overlord caught wind of their presence. After a series of fierce battles he captured the survivors, brought them back to Freeport and tried to enslave them! Years passed, but despite the Overlord's best efforts, he could not break their spirits.
As the Rallosian army spread across all of Norrath, the Overlord knew he could not repel these aggressors without our help. In exchange for our freedom, we fought valiantly alongside Freeport's own army and crushed the Rallosians with the help of the same Green Mist that had killed our former oppressors, the
Shissar! Today we remember our brief captivity and toss the Overlord's tools of oppression to the bottom of the sea, where they can never be used to hinder the mighty iksar.
Books
Pillars of Flame Creature Catalog This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
As I catalog various flora and fauna, I can refer to this book.
NO-TRADE
Offers the Quest 'Pillars of Flame Creature Cataloging'
Pillars of Flame Creature Catalog By Darn McMalner
The area known as the Pillars of Flame has an array of interesting creatures and geographical formations.
It is situated in the north-western area of Ro, and borders both the Sinking Sands and the Clefts of Rujark. Rocks make up pillars and valleys that dot and surround the land, with sand filling the gaps. The high walls of the valleys can create beautiful sunless-landscape in the middle of the day.
The creatures that fill that landscape rarely care for aesthetics, however.
Within the rock-walled valleys goblins, Cyclops and a number of wild beasts make their home. Perched above, harpies greedily survey the landscape looking for anything they can scavenge.
Hidden carefully away, djinn, naga, and even the Ashen Order all find their niche within the Pillars of Flame.
Many portions of this land lack direct accessibility, which only serves to make the local inhabitants that much more interesting.
The high rock walls can help shield one from the sun, but the air is relentlessly hot.
The only respite comes from rapid breezes that -- while not cool -- help stir up the stagnant, hot air. When faced with unbearable heat it can be unnerving to realize that so many creatures call this land their home.
Presence of the Dervin Empire is sparse in the Pillars of Flame, but in many ways it hosts its own desert empire.
When seen from ground level it is hard to appreciate the beauty of the Pillars of Flame. From above (say seen from Maj'Dul) one can better take in the region as a whole. The intricate, maze-like valleys weave themselves into the pathways for warriors of all types. Goblins mine away, cyclopes patrol their territory and the lesser species work to merely survive. It is a delicate yet harsh system that is hard to fit oneself into.
From the Pillars of Flame one can visit the Sinking Sands to the east, or the Clefts of Rujark to the south.
No other regions border the Pillars of Flame, but caves and hidden valleys scatter the landscape, known only to their inhabitants and the all-seeing harpies. Though the harpies avoid them, the curiosity of adventurers creates a never ending search for hidden lands and treasures.
Books
Pirate Grammar Manual - Second Edition This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
Pirate Grammar Manual - Second Edition By Captain Nalot
This here be me updated book about how ta talk like a pirate. Extended ya might be sayin'.
First ya use matey fer friend. Ya say ahoy, not hello. Landlubber is anyone not one o us. If anyone insults ya call 'em a scurvy dog and that's that.
That's how ya talk like a pirate. Use the rest o these words a lot fer color n such.
Chapter A
Adrift (windless) Ahoy (hello) Avast (might be like a vase) Aye (yes) Arrr! (indefinable)
Chapter B
Barnacle (bad stuff fer ships) Belay (put off) Bilge (lowest level of ship) Blimey (exclamation) Bonny (pretty) Bosun (I dunno, some job Arni does) Britches (pants) Buccaneer (pirates like us) Bunk (bed)
Chapter C
Cap'n (me) Chumbucket (dinner or insult) Codswallop (the wallop o' a cod) Coffer (plunder holder) Cove (protection from storms) Crows Nest (Highest point of me ship)
Chapter D and E
There aint any
Chapter F
Festering (stickin' 'round)
Chapter G
Gally (name fer women) Gangplank (gets ya on me ship) Gar! (arrr!) Grog (some ogre I think) Grub (friend o that ogre)
Chapter H
Harbor (stop me ship here) Hearty (friend) Hoist (lift) Hornswaggle (cheatin' and trickin') Hull (bulk o' the ship)
Chapter I
There aint any
Chapter J
Jolly Roger (me old friend Roger)
Chapter K
Knave (insult)
Chapter L
Lad (young man) Landlubber (anyone not one o us) Lass (young maiden) Lootin' (finders keepers)
Chapter M
Maroon (color fer our flag) Matey (friend) Mizzenmast(mast of mizzen) Mutiny (self promotion)
Chapter N
No Quarter (not getting' a fourth)
Chapter O
There aint any
Chapter P
Pressgang (recruit) Poopdeck (opposite of scurvy) Port (landlubber's drink) Plunder (treasure for me lootin)
Chapter Q
There aint any
Chapter R
Ransack (nothin' left to plunder) Rudder (steers me ship) Rum (you know what that is mateys)
Chapter S
Sails (the cloth things catchin' the wind) Scallywag (insult) Scalded (like a dog) Scrimshaw (made o bone) Scurvy (stay away from) Seadog (insult) Shiver me timbers (har har) Shove off (time to go) Smartly (quickly) Starboard (no idea) Stern (Missus Nalot) Swabbie (thats Tsilos' job)
Chapter T
Thar (there)
Chapter U
Urchin (insult or dinner)
Chapter V
Vexin' (sassy lass)
Chapter W
Wench (rum slingin' temptress) Wooing (amorous advance or surprisin' yell)
Chapter X
There aint any
Chapter Y
Yardarm (shipbuilder)
Chapter Z
Nothin'
Thar aint no more so stop readin'.
Books
Poxfiend Dreams This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
Sacred to the Aurai - Page 2 (shinies in Zimara Breadth)
Sacred to the Aurai - Page 3 (shinies in Zimara Breadth)
Sacred to the Aurai - Page 4 (shinies in Zimara Breadth)
Sacred to the Aurai - Page 5 (shinies in Zimara Breadth)
Sacred to the Aurai - Page 6 (shinies in Zimara Breadth)
Sacred to the Aurai - Page 7 (shinies in Zimara Breadth)
Sacred to the Aurai - Page 8 (shinies in Zimara Breadth)
Sacred to the Aurai - Page 9 (shinies in Zimara Breadth)
Sacred to the Aurai - Page 10 (shinies in Zimara Breadth)
Sacred to the Aurai - Page 11 (shinies in Zimara Breadth)
Sacred to the Aurai - Page 12 (looted from a page turner in Zimara Breadth)
Discovered on 29 Nov 2023 at 13:10:32 PST.
Sacred to the Aurai
For ages the Children of Veeshan claimed the firmament lands of the Plane of Sky as their realm by birthright, professing to serve the legendary crystalline dragon and her interests while lording over all others in their inherited lands. But even they fought for supremacy amongst their kind. Fractured and rapacious, they warred amongst themselves often, one dragon lord fighting another, and sending their vassals to die at the claws of another. Wurm against wurm. Kin fighting kin.
Pathetic.
If they were created in Veeshan's image then it is no wonder she has remained absent for so long. They are too self-serving, too focused on personal glories and power to see how strength lies not in an individual, but as a collective. And that is why they fell. That is why so many different beings of various powers were able to rise against them and lay claim to separate domains of the endless sky through the eons.
Zimara Breadth has always been a jewel of the plane with its abundant deposits of various ores and semiprecious gemstones on dramatic islands that have found magical purchase upon the intangible layers of sky. One cannot deny its attraction, whether you are one with power in your grip, or one looking to wrest it from others. We, the Yazdani of the Aurai, have lived here for hundreds of mortal years, while the wurms had languished here for ages before. A few other insignificant creatures had claimed it for short breaths between, before being unseated themselves in a succession of violent but ultimately doomed upheavals.
The land was fated for the Yazdani!
Though we had not always been of one ourselves, either. Great Queen Shabereh of the Four Winds (Glory to her name!) united our tribes, formed us as one, and directed our talents that we could reach the monumental heights of our collective potential. The oldest matrons still recall the day she led our people up a precarious trail, filled with desperate defenders and deadly switchbacks. They speak in awe of her dazzling speed and energizing verve as we gained every bit of ground, undeterred, until reaching the very pinnacle of Strungstone Peaks, known then as Veeshan's Gaze.
The statue of the Wurmmother would crumble by war's end, and the rule of the Yazdani would be sealed!
Those who had come before were shown defeat, just as those who have attempted to come after us, or to deny our fated position, have been since, and forever, they shall be!
Time and time again, a group of petulant creatures try to claim their independence or refuse to pay proper homage to us. They are swiftly corrected, and examples are made of them. The repercussions of not doing so were a lesson also taught to our tribe under Great Queen Shabereh.
A small contingent of Yazdani. including the Great Queen's youngest child, Jeria the Windmaid, had been sent to collect tributes from a growing nest of dragonkin who were refusing to pay. Upon seeing the impressive contingent standing before them in shined and sharpened armor, the resistant dragonkin must have seen the error of their ways, for they quickly expressed remorse. Upon being told that one of the Queen's daughters was amongst the aurai force, they invited the entire contingent to enjoy a meal in the Queen's honor, as recompense.
The contingent's captain decided to take mercy upon the simpering dragonkin. They accepted the invitation and the aurai were soon treated to a bountiful feast, as promised. But not all was as it seemed, for the food had been poisoned. While realizing what the dragonkin had done, and reeling from its effects, an even larger force of dragonkin fell upon them from the shadows.
Recognizing the dire situation, Jeria takes a two-pronged lance from one of the dragonkin and imbues it. The Windmaid extends the lance out from her in one hand and proceeds to spin it around furiously, summoning a torrent of wind to follow suit, causing further chaos around the room. Her whirling lance suddenly struck the dragonkin leader's chest, causing the lance to vibrate, ringing out to the very stone and gems of the Plane of Sky. Elementals, compelled to seek it, spilled into the room tearing through or crushing the dragonkin who happened to stand in their way.
Unfortunately, Jeria the Windmaid would not survive the events that day, but others of her contingent did because of her. They returned to the Great Queen with the lesson of betrayed mercy and the tale of her youngest daughter's quick thinking before presenting her with the imbued lance they owed their lives to. Great Queen Shabereh took the lance with great reverence and declared it an icon of the tribe and a memorial to her daughter.
Even now, years after the Great Queen's passing, the lance's effects still ring out. The Windmaid's memorial on Columnar Highgarden is inundated by elementals compelled to congregate near it, where it serves as a reminder to all Yazdani of the lesson learned that day and as a warning to those feeble others who would deny us.
Of course, a warning is only as good as the wisdom and willingness of others to heed it. Time has shown there's always another on the wind who believes they are a wing above the aurai. Doomed fools!
Take for instance, the hooluks, the meekest of Xegony's progeny. They are a people of all feather and fluff, with no scale to speak of. And yet, when it came time for crowning Queen Yserie'selka, they refused to send tribute. Such insolence would not go unanswered! When confronted by Yazdani emissaries they claimed ignorance before insulting our Queen further by offering moldy grain and dried gourds. They attempted to deceive us, portraying their flock as destitute, but the emissaries had seen the wealth they held.
The confab ended and the siege of their nest land began! It became a violent lesson for the hooluks. The flock was left decimated and reeling. And our emissaries returned to Queen Yserie'selka's throne with a glorious pearl containing a vertiginous storm of vibrant colors. The Swirling Sphere of Color has remained a prized spoil for our tribe and to this day sits at the highest point on Claved Fate Islets serving as a pilgrimage goal for our young when coming of age.
Leave no mistake, Stratos was fated to be held by the strongest, the smartest, the deadliest; the Yazdani of the Aurai!
Books
Scales in Balance This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"Scales in Balance" The scale tilts one way or the other, precariously balancing one side against the other.
"Hush, hush! It's the Herald!" Shazoor nudged her brother into silence.
The Herald of High Priestess Dar could be very strict, though he had once seemed to smile at them at a meeting of the faithful.
It had been a very long time since the Herald had come to preside over another such meeting.
Resherr grumbled beneath his breath, "I do not understand this waiting. The Herald always preaches that we must be patient. All I ask is for proof."
Shazoor hissed at him, "The adults are looking; be silent!"
Even though her brother fell silent, her heart filled with foreboding.
The unrest had not spread far in their community.
Small, crowded and far from the temples at the heart of the Overrealm, Shazoor and Resherr's home island was not often visited by the religious leaders of the Awakened.
Yet, even in this furthest and most insignificant outpost, the words of Lord Vyemm were heard.
The Herald's ceremonies and rituals took quite a long while to prepare, much less conduct.
To Resherr, it was precisely this time wasting behavior that Lord Vyemm spoke against. Why shouldn't he, Resherr, be able to choose how he wanted to spend his time?
If he could choose, he would not spend the day like this.
Shazoor felt her brother's impatient twitching and rolled her eyes.
Could he not sit still, just once? How hard could it be to let the Herald take them through the rituals again?
Even if Resherr were losing his faith, was that any reason for him to worry her, especially during the ceremonies? They brought such comfort.
The Herald's voice droned on and on. Occasionally, the Herald would gesture toward one of his attendants.
The attendant brought forth an offering prepared especially for that part of the ritual and the Herald completed its sacrifice.
At those moments, Shazoor would close her eyes briefly, for she still remembered the look in one of the offering's eyes when she had sat too close to the altars that time.
As prayers to Him rose around them, Resherr hissed at his sister, "Finally. I'm getting out of here."
He thrust his way through the crowd, ignoring the hisses of those he pushed aside. Resherr had had enough of ceremony and ritual.
Let Him appreciate these useless things all He wanted; Resherr was ready for action!
With a murmured apology, Shazoor followed her brother from the ceremonial grounds.
The paths were deserted, since everyone else was at the temple to see the Herald. Resherr, his wings twitching defiantly, was striding briskly away.
She had to half-run, half-fly to catch up with him.
"I'm leaving," Resherr said as she approached. He didn't pause or turn to look at her.
"You find comfort in these things but I do not," he said. "It is quite clear that our time is now, yet the High Priestess wastes our advantage waiting for His word."
Resherr finally stopped at the edge of the island and narrowed his eyes. "He has already spoken; the time is now."
"No, Resherr," Shazoor said, her own eyes glinting.
"You are listening to lies! Lord Vyemm seeks only his own glory, not His glory," Shazoor closed the gap between them and continued, "We are to wait. Will you not listen for His true word?"
Resherr snarled, "I have listened long enough."
"So be it," Shazoor said, unsheathing her weapon and leaping upon her brother.
He was unprepared for her assault, for Shazoor had always been the weaker sibling and never aggressor.
As she slashed him to the ground, Shazoor repeated fervently, "I do what He asks, with patience and in reverence. He will guide His us to our destiny!"
Books
Seeress Ealaynya Ithis's Prophecies: Book One This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
That which is to come and that which must be stopped!
I, Ealaynya Ithis, Seeress, Shepherd and prophet to the most selfless of the supreme deities, Rodcet Nife, have experienced the following visions. I share them with you now so that they may help light your way through dark times.
• Nothing has found that which was lost. The banished slayer returns!
• A paw most trusted becomes the claw of attack.
• Death falls upon the city of free men in the Shattered Lands.
•The five seen and five unseen rally when the hands are taken.
•The sister's daughter grips destiny. The dead foe is to be freed.
• The expanse pulled by nothing and rooted in stone must be traversed.
• Destruction welcomes those that journey to the city of pain.
• Deceptions envelop the well meaning as the hands of the sentinel are sought by the woken one.
• Mortal and god, they will all be his pawn!
• The contested lady is called forth by the shame of the Deepwater Knights.
• If the magics of mythical prestige are ripped from their shells the end of times will be ushered in!
~Seeress Ealaynya Ithis
Books
Seeress Ealaynya Ithis's Prophecies: Book One This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
That which is to come and that which must be stopped!
I, Ealaynya Ithis, Seeress, Shepherd and prophet to the most selfless of the supreme deities, Rodcet Nife, have experienced the following visions. I share them with you now so that they may help light your way through dark times.
• Nothing has found that which was lost. The banished slayer returns!
• A paw most trusted becomes the claw of attack.
• Death falls upon the city of free men in the Shattered Lands.
•The five seen and five unseen rally when the hands are taken.
•The sister's daughter grips destiny. The dead foe is to be freed.
• The expanse pulled by nothing and rooted in stone must be traversed.
• Destruction welcomes those that journey to the city of pain.
• Deceptions envelop the well meaning as the hands of the sentinel are sought by the woken one.
• Mortal and god, they will all be his pawn!
• The contested lady is called forth by the shame of the Deepwater Knights.
• If the magics of mythical prestige are ripped from their shells the end of times will be ushered in!
~Seeress Ealaynya Ithis
This item is currently on Test and not yet available on live servers.
Books
Seeress Ealaynya Ithis's Prophecies: Book Two This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
NO-TRADE NO-VALUE
Discovered on 7 Jan 2017 at 18:43:24 PST.
Books
Shimmering Citadel Creature Catalog This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
As I catalog various flora and fauna, I can refer to this book.
NO-TRADE
Offers the Quest 'Shimmering Citadel Creature Cataloging'
Shimmering Citadel Creature Catalog by Jergo Wheybringer
Floating high over the lands of Ro, the Shimmering Citadel appears to be a remnant of the Plane of Sky, though how such an artifact survived the cataclysms in the distant past is not told here.
Its inhabitants cluster in various layers, as happens in many other areas in these desert lands. The highest point is the djinn's palace; the bowels of the floating island house wretches of various sorts.
Holding the beautifully landscaped and manicured Citadel aloft is a series of dark caverns inhabited mainly by naga and their captives. It is important to tread carefully as there are many crevasses that open up to the lands below, sending the unwary traveler to a grisly end. Wind whistles through the caverns, disguising the hissing of the serpent-like naga and obscuring the sounds of other less-than-savory inhabitants.
The exterior grounds of the Shimmering Citadel are refreshingly colorful. In contrast to the dark caverns below and the mind-numbing dullness of the desert, the Citadel is a treat for the eyes.
Emerald green lawns with neatly trimmed flowering bushes are enclosed by exquisitely carved sandstone and granite walkways. Beware the wisps that maintain the grass!
The djinn guard the Citadel, patrolling its meandering walkways with the help of ferocious shimmering guardians.
With the torso of a Dervin and a lower half of smoke, the djinn can be a startling sight. Rumors abound that the djinn congregate near the Citadel to retain some measure of contact with the old Plane, thereby maintaining their magical abilities.
Inside the Citadel itself, the djinn employ others as servants, including humans, gnomes and even a sphinx!
Though a beautiful place, the Citadel is sterile, somehow. It lacks the warmth and vitality of other places through which I have traveled. The djinn concern themselves with books and poetry, when they might use their magical abilities to bring water to the desert to help the roaming bands of Dervins. Still, a visit to the Shimmering Citadel is a dream-like experience worth every minute.
Books
Sinking Sands Creature Catalog This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
As I catalog various flora and fauna, I can refer to this book.
NO-TRADE
Offers the Quest 'Sinking Sands Creature Cataloging'
The region known as the Sinking Sands makes up the northeastern shores of the land known as Ro. Seen from ship it appears barren, bland, and inhospitable.
In reality it is teeming with life of all kinds. The lands of Ro are home to the Dervin Empire, that makes its presence known across the entire landscape.
This is especially true in the Sinking Sands, where ambassadors from each political alignment eagerly await new arrivals.
Arriving at the Port of Tears, newcomers will find several facilities set up to welcome and encourage participation in local events. Beyond the Port, however, other inhabitants make their homes.
Crocodiles and caimans share the remains of the Oasis of Marr with spectres and shade prowlers. Narrow pathways lead away from the Port toward the dunes which give the Sinking Sands their name.
Without screens of trees or many rock formations, one might feel that every danger is easily seen and avoided. This is simply not true.
Beyond the wall of rock the land opens up to dangers of all sorts. Water is sparse. The land is filled with wandering lunatics, orcs, undead and insects of all sizes.
The list does not stop there: lizardmen, giants, snakes (living AND undead), camels, goblins and gnolls all also inhabit the Sinking Sands.
The creatures themselves are daunting, but the fact that they've all evolved to live in this harsh climate makes them all the more frightful.
While the region is a desert, it is not merely dry and hot. The nearby ocean shifts the temperature throughout the day/night cycle and keeps the air more humid than one might expect (which, unfortunately, makes the heat that much more unbearable).
The occasional breezes that rise above the rock wall and travel over the region are a welcome relief.
The air from the Pillars of Flames to the west, however, is mean, dry and hot.
From the Sinking Sands one can venture into the Pillars of Flame to the west, or the Clefts of Rujark to the south.
High in the sky to the southwest one can see Maj'Dul. In the northwestern skies, what appears to be a city silently watches this land.
There is no doubt more to this land, but it is hard to distinguish rumor from fact. Tales exist of old, buried cities and civilizations, but the land holds its secrets well.
Books
Skeletons This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
Skeletons are so common throughout Norrath, it's pretty wasteful to spend much time studying them. The good thing about skeletons, though, is that they are so numerous that studying them is a breeze. Entry One Put book away.
"Skeletons" by Trinni Mellosius -- Taking them apart and putting them together. Read book Put book away.
If there's a graveyard, there'll be skeletons. The question is, what kind? The best way to figure out what you'll encounter in any given graveyard is to look at what's alive in the area. That's because skeletons are simply reanimated dead. That puts skeletons into the category known as "undead," which includes creatures such as ghosts, ghouls and zombies. Entry Two Put book away.
Pretty much every living creature has a skeleton. The nice thing about skeletons is that you can see everything you need to know about your enemy at a glance. Is it carrying a concealed weapon? That's mighty hard to do when you don't have any skin to hide it behind! Entry Three Put book away.
Let's take a look at orc skeletons as an example. Once you are familiar with skeletons, you'll know about the living orcs, too. Seeing them from the inside out gives you the advantage in battle -- you will already know where the living orcs are vulnerable and tender. Entry Four Put book away.
First, look at the orc skeleton's skull. It is thicker at the front top than it is on the temples or at the back. That means you'll want to attack them from the side whenever possible to knock them unconscious. Although...it's hard to say that an undead creature actually has a conscious state even without you coshing it on the head. Entry Five Put book away.
The skeleton's neck is thin and much more vulnerable to a slashing attack. This is not always true of living creatures which may protect their soft fleshy bits with studded collars and coifs. The motto for the novice hunter is: look before you slash. If it's covered, see what is left wide-open, and redirect your attack appropriately. Entry Six Put book away.
Many skeletons wield the same weaponry as they would in life. If the animated undead was a magic user, you can be assured that its skeletal counterpart is also a magic user. In this case, it's handy to study the living creature instead to better know what damage skeletal creature is capable of doing. Entry Seven Put book away.
For the most part, skeletons are fairly solitary. They will however band together from their separate funereal plots to do whatever thing a particular sorcery has called them to life to do. Or undead. It's hard to know what to call them since they are clearly not alive, but aren't necessarily dead! Entry Eight Put book away.
Occasionally, skeletons are found beyond graveyards. You can find them haunting areas where they existed in life. For example, you can see any number of skeletons in places like Stormhold. These skeletons are likely bound to the last place their living self remembers and need to be re-killed in order to die. Except they're already dead, which means you can't kill them. Hmm. Anyway. Entry Nine Put book away.
When you come across a skeleton and you don't recognize what sort of creature it might once have been, imagine it covered in fat. Often, we're surprised by how scrawny a skeleton is and forget that something like a giant may be big in the bone department, but lack some of the width its layer of skin and fat would cover. Keep in mind that not everything has a skeleton. You'd feel pretty foolish telling someone you were fighting a Coldwind octopus skeleton, now, wouldn't you? Entry Ten Put book away.
That's all I know about skeletons. Hopefully, you'll find this information useful. If not, go do your own study on skeletons. It'll be easy; they're everywhere! Close Book.
Books
Skeletons This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"Skeletons" by Trinni Mellosius -- Taking them apart and putting them together.
Skeletons are so common throughout Norrath, it's pretty wasteful to spend much time studying them. The good thing about skeletons, though, is that they are so numerous that studying them is a breeze.
If there's a graveyard, there'll be skeletons. The question is, what kind?
The best way to figure out what you'll encounter in any given graveyard is to look at what's alive in the area.
That's because skeletons are simply reanimated dead.
That puts skeletons into the category known as "undead," which includes creatures such as ghosts, ghouls and zombies.
Pretty much every living creature has a skeleton.
The nice thing about skeletons is that you can see everything you need to know about your enemy at a glance. Is it carrying a concealed weapon? That's mighty hard to do when you don't have any skin to hide it behind!
Let's take a look at orc skeletons as an example. Once you are familiar with skeletons, you'll know about the living orcs, too.
Seeing them from the inside out gives you the advantage in battle -- you will already know where the living orcs are vulnerable and tender.
First, look at the orc skeleton's skull. It is thicker at the front top than it is on the temples or at the back.
That means you'll want to attack them from the side whenever possible to knock them unconscious.
Although...it's hard to say that an undead creature actually has a conscious state even without you coshing it on the head.
The skeleton's neck is thin and much more vulnerable to a slashing attack.
This is not always true of living creatures which may protect their soft fleshy bits with studded collars and coifs.
The motto for the novice hunter is: look before you slash. If it's covered, see what is left wide-open, and redirect your attack appropriately.
Many skeletons wield the same weaponry as they would in life.
If the animated undead was a magic user, you can be assured that its skeletal counterpart is also a magic user.
In this case, it's handy to study the living creature instead to better know what damage skeletal creature is capable of doing.
For the most part, skeletons are fairly solitary.
They will however band together from their separate funereal plots to do whatever thing a particular sorcery has called them to life to do.
Or undead. It's hard to know what to call them since they are clearly not alive, but aren't necessarily dead!
Occasionally, skeletons are found beyond graveyards.
You can find them haunting areas where they existed in life. For example, you can see any number of skeletons in places like Stormhold.
These skeletons are likely bound to the last place their living self remembers and need to be re-killed in order to die. Except they're already dead, which means you can't kill them.
Hmm. Anyway.
When you come across a skeleton and you don't recognize what sort of creature it might once have been, imagine it covered in fat.
Often, we're surprised by how scrawny a skeleton is and forget that something like a giant may be big in the bone department, but lack some of the width its layer of skin and fat would cover.
Keep in mind that not everything has a skeleton. You'd feel pretty foolish telling someone you were fighting a Coldwind octopus skeleton, now, wouldn't you?
That's all I know about skeletons. Hopefully, you'll find this information useful.
If not, go do your own study on skeletons. It'll be easy; they're everywhere!
Books
Skeletons This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"Skeletons" by Trinni Mellosius -- Taking them apart and putting them together.
Skeletons are so common throughout Norrath, it's pretty wasteful to spend much time studying them. The good thing about skeletons, though, is that they are so numerous that studying them is a breeze.
If there's a graveyard, there'll be skeletons. The question is, what kind?
The best way to figure out what you'll encounter in any given graveyard is to look at what's alive in the area.
That's because skeletons are simply reanimated dead.
That puts skeletons into the category known as "undead," which includes creatures such as ghosts, ghouls and zombies.
Pretty much every living creature has a skeleton.
The nice thing about skeletons is that you can see everything you need to know about your enemy at a glance. Is it carrying a concealed weapon? That's mighty hard to do when you don't have any skin to hide it behind!
Let's take a look at orc skeletons as an example. Once you are familiar with skeletons, you'll know about the living orcs, too.
Seeing them from the inside out gives you the advantage in battle -- you will already know where the living orcs are vulnerable and tender.
First, look at the orc skeleton's skull. It is thicker at the front top than it is on the temples or at the back.
That means you'll want to attack them from the side whenever possible to knock them unconscious.
Although...it's hard to say that an undead creature actually has a conscious state even without you coshing it on the head.
The skeleton's neck is thin and much more vulnerable to a slashing attack.
This is not always true of living creatures which may protect their soft fleshy bits with studded collars and coifs.
The motto for the novice hunter is: look before you slash. If it's covered, see what is left wide-open, and redirect your attack appropriately.
Many skeletons wield the same weaponry as they would in life.
If the animated undead was a magic user, you can be assured that its skeletal counterpart is also a magic user.
In this case, it's handy to study the living creature instead to better know what damage skeletal creature is capable of doing.
For the most part, skeletons are fairly solitary.
They will however band together from their separate funereal plots to do whatever thing a particular sorcery has called them to life to do.
Or undead. It's hard to know what to call them since they are clearly not alive, but aren't necessarily dead!
Occasionally, skeletons are found beyond graveyards.
You can find them haunting areas where they existed in life. For example, you can see any number of skeletons in places like Stormhold.
These skeletons are likely bound to the last place their living self remembers and need to be re-killed in order to die. Except they're already dead, which means you can't kill them.
Hmm. Anyway.
When you come across a skeleton and you don't recognize what sort of creature it might once have been, imagine it covered in fat.
Often, we're surprised by how scrawny a skeleton is and forget that something like a giant may be big in the bone department, but lack some of the width its layer of skin and fat would cover.
Keep in mind that not everything has a skeleton. You'd feel pretty foolish telling someone you were fighting a Coldwind octopus skeleton, now, wouldn't you?
That's all I know about skeletons. Hopefully, you'll find this information useful.
If not, go do your own study on skeletons. It'll be easy; they're everywhere!
Books
Smiting of the Werewolf This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
I was born with a fate upon my skin. I was but another in a proud line of devout werehunters. I studied the ancient texts of Djivan Mertshak, the lore of the Night Reapers, and the tales of fellow Freethinkers. Their battles against the lycanthrope abominations contained lessons. I learned all that I could of the beasts; their hunting, shape shifting, procreating, weaknesses, strengths, and of course their magic.
In time, I married, and had a family of my own. I continued to train, study the old texts, and hunt the tainted.
The elder Freethinkers began to task me with specific targets. Ones that were particularly treacherous and vile. With Marr's blessing, my silver blade vanquished den patriarchs and matriarchs, alike. And the wereclans are shaken to their defiled cores, due to it.
Then came the night in which Marr called to me! I had cornered a tired lycanthrope, and as my virulent, silver blade rose to deliver the mortal blow, the creature changed form. It dared look upon me from its profaned elven eyes.
"The sire, Krewrog, will be your downfall, hunter! Slay me. Your end is near." "None so near as yours!" I knew then that I had been given a charge of grand import, to cleanse Norrath of this "Krewrog."
I told the elder Freethinkers, but they discouraged me from hunting Krewrog. I had never known such folly and cowardice in such men! Marr demanded this cur be wuped from existence, and yet they order me to leave the hunt for another of the order! They had left the mission, but not I.
The monster proved to be more elusive, and more gruesome than I had even thought possible. I would find townsfolk, sometimes my own hunting companions, torn open.
The killings were messages. "Find me," they dared. I knew I was close on its trail, for the deaths were never a day old. But I was merely following a trail of grotesque destruction. I was not gaining any ground. I needed to gain the upper hand in this hunt.
I was contacted by an assassin one night, claiming to have been given superior skills through magics granted by Bertoxxulous. He offered me the same magics, but I was not about to accept such foulness.
Not a week later, I learned of a were beast that had been witnessed running from a local inn. I investigated the room that moment. Torn clothes were strewn about, but no blood, no victim. It was its den!
Then I spotted a silver locket was amongst the destruction. A locket I recognized! It had been mine, but lost in battle months prior. It held the likeness of my dear wife. My wife, my children!
With the speed of the wolf, I ran to me home. What I came upon will never leave my mind. What my eyes took in has been burned upon my very soul, like none other. Their bodies. The gore.
No libation, sleep or over indulgence could ever distract the grief, or the burning hate within me. my wife and infant daughter were butchered - torn apart by claws and teeth. The beast took delight in the grotesque!
I was blind with fury and sorrow as I looked for my son, Junge. But he was nowhere to be found. He was to be a man soon, and now he was gone, all of them were. The fault was with the Freethinkers for not aiding me in my hunt of this Krewrog from the start, and mine for not taking the upper hand when I could have.
The need for vengeance throbbed within me. It races through my very blood. I vowed to have it!
I returned to the assassin, and took the Bertoxxulian magics. It was only fitting to use magics of the disease god to kill one so willing to spread the lycanthropy disease. The spells worked better than I could have imagined. I could follow the beasts using the slightest of track; a speck of blood here, a hair there. They lit to my sight as if they burned!
I followed the trail of hair and saliva leading from my home towards the village of Somborn.
Foolishly, the beast was sticking to the cliffs and rougher terrain. A slower way, most likely trying to disguise its trail. I could bear it there! I saw my chance and laid a trap for the tainted creature between Wayunder Lake and Breathless Hallow.
The sun was soon to rise when the beast made its way through, and the trap sprung. How the beast howled and raged against the magical restraints that now bound him to the natural world around him!
Then I noted, this werewolf was not as big as the earlier witnesses had stated, and as I walked out of the shadows to confront it, it shifted. It turned from its Lujien form into a scared, young man, naked and shaking in magical bonds. it was my son. My own Junge, tainted by that disease!
Junge cried out, "Why are you doing this to me?" "Because you are an abomination." "But you brought this upon me!"
"I am sure Krewrog would have you think that way. That my hunting and my culling of his den mates and pack cousins somehow justified the tainting of my own son, but ultimately, responsibility lies with him... And now I will do what needs to be done, by the strength of Marr."
"What?! No, father! Sire!"
Krewrog took so much from me. Life was revenge now. Nothing more. The next day was stumbling grief, and hate. Tears of rage burned my throat, but would not cool the fire within my core. I knew I would find Krewrog within the village of Somborn.
So many of my previous targets were heading that direction, and I doubted it was all by luck. Something was drawing them to the village.
I found nothing suspicious with the townsfolk, or the village, itself. But I knew the folly of replying too much on the calm of daylight. I took up at a little tavern, and decided to wait it out. As the day waned, I grew more fidgety, and restless. I was shaking with insatiable rage for the beast I sought, or so I told myself. It was near dusk when I left the tavern. As I walked across the village, the night lit up for me.
I saw beast hair all around me, and could smell them on the wind! This village was full of the abomination!
I took leave of my senses and allowed the burning in my soul to take over. What had been bubbling under the surface I would no longer deny. It strengthened me beyond imagine. I felt something suppressing my analytical thought, and magnifying my baser thoughts and emotions!
The howl that ripped through the night chilled and exhilarated me. it was that of a werewolf on the prowl, even through the muddle of my mind I recognized it! That is when I could deny it no longer. The howl had been mine!
I was one of the defiled, and had been one for weeks! I reeled from the truth of it. How could it be that one would not know what they themselves do? It was then that I relived my dreams, and awkward mornings that suddenly made sense, and... Dear Marr! My family!
I am Krewrog and Junge knew it! But why was I allowed to love by the Freethinkers? Did they know? Were they using me, or the beast within? It mattered little now that the damage had been done. I could not check my need to go out into the night, but now that I was aware of the taint I carried, I was not about to put others in any more danger.
I woke the next morning in confusion, like so many others, but this one I no longer blamed on the drink of the night before. I knew what I was now, and what I had to do about it.
I have written this tale as a warning, and as a lesson for others to learn from. Face your inner demons! Do not bury them, nor feed them with rage. As for me, I have justice to administer. Marr purify this body with the melted silver from my armor. As I drink, bring my family the justice they deserve.
Books
Summoning an Elemental This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"Summoning an Elemental," by Amon Glibtongue -- Being the results of research into elemental summoning by a young mage in his quest to become a summoner.
Elementals are summoned beings and generally summoned at by higher level mages. In this book, we learn from the mistakes of mage-in-training Amon Glibtongue.
My name is Amon and I have been a mage now for about fifteen years. I am taking my tests to become a summoner. Again.
Mind you, I don't think it's entirely my fault what happened the previous times I took the test. Elementals are pretty tricky to master, which is why a summoner starts with the basics every time.
One of the basic tests for any mage-to-summoner is the ability to summon elementals.
They are drawn from the basic elements of the world: fire, water, earth and air. By combining various bits from each type of element, one can summon some pretty interesting creatures.
For testing purposes, a summoner chooses an elemental type and calls it forth. Success is measured by keeping control of it and releasing it only at the tester's word.
The first time I took the test, the tester required that I summon a fire elemental.
Now, ever since that little incident at the conservatory, I have avoided fire in any shape, much less as a summoned elemental.
The whole time I prepared the spell, I kept seeing the expression on that poor woman's face...it took all my concentration to banish that image and continue with the spell.
In any case, the fire elemental I summoned certainly looked correct.
Even the tester was surprised. Like any other fire elemental, my summoned creature rose from the fire pit and hovered there for a bit before floating over toward me.
Now, remember that I had a previous bad experience with fire and you will understand why I ducked.
Elementals cannot be harmed by physical means; one must use magic as they are magical creatures.
In the instant that I ducked, I lost what little concentration I had and that teeny, tiny waver caused my control over the elemental to snap like a twig. It engulfed the tester in an instant and it was all I could do to cast a counterspell to destroy my creation.
Needless to say, I did not pass the test that year.
When I came to take the test the following year, I explained carefully to the (new) tester that I was more aligned with air elementals.
What could go wrong with air, I reasoned, since it's only a bit of wind?
Later on, as we rebuilt the Academy proving grounds, my instructor noted that she had never seen such a powerful elemental, but suggested I might be more suited to water elementals should I decide to take the test again the following year.
A water elemental requires quite a bit of liquid nearby.
At the next test, I crafted the spell and cast it only to realize that we hadn't nearly enough water in the area as the spell left my lips.
Did you know that humans are made up mostly of water? Neither did I. Neither did the poor tester that year.
They asked me to come back again after the traditional year-long mourning period.
The last basic elemental for which I could test was the earth elemental.
This type of elemental does not require open flame, nor gusts of wind or large bodies of water. One need only have something earthy in the area that can be called forth.
Fortunately for the townspeople, earth elementals can be outrun.
My instructor suggested perhaps I might go to Freeport to take the tests there. In fact, she packed my belongings for me and paid someone to transport me through some pretty rough terrain.
We were beset by bandits at one point, and even though I am but a mage, I was able to send those miscreants running!
I am looking forward to taking the tests again.
Summoning is not for everyone, but if you learn from my mistakes I am sure you will be able to recognize the correct circumstances under which elementals may flourish.
Wish me luck with my tests and I wish you well with yours!
Books
Summoning an Elemental This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
Elementals are summoned beings and generally summoned at by higher level mages. In this book, we learn from the mistakes of mage-in-training Amon Glibtongue. Entry One Put book away.
"Summoning an Elemental," by Amon Glibtongue -- Being the results of research into elemental summoning by a young mage in his quest to become a summoner. Read book Put book away.
My name is Amon and I have been a mage now for about fifteen years. I am taking my tests to become a summoner. Again. Mind you, I don't think it's entirely my fault what happened the previous times I took the test. Elementals are pretty tricky to master, which is why a summoner starts with the basics every time. Entry Two Put book away.
One of the basic tests for any mage-to-summoner is the ability to summon elementals. They are drawn from the basic elements of the world: fire, water, earth and air. By combining various bits from each type of element, one can summon some pretty interesting creatures. For testing purposes, a summoner chooses an elemental type and calls it forth. Success is measured by keeping control of it and releasing it only at the tester's word. Entry Three Put book away.
The first time I took the test, the tester required that I summon a fire elemental. Now, ever since that little incident at the conservatory, I have avoided fire in any shape, much less as a summoned elemental. The whole time I prepared the spell, I kept seeing the expression on that poor woman's face...it took all my concentration to banish that image and continue with the spell. Entry Four Put book away.
In any case, the fire elemental I summoned certainly looked correct. Even the tester was surprised. Like any other fire elemental, my summoned creature rose from the fire pit and hovered there for a bit before floating over toward me. Now, remember that I had a previous bad experience with fire and you will understand why I ducked. Entry Five Put book away.
Elementals cannot be harmed by physical means; one must use magic as they are magical creatures. In the instant that I ducked, I lost what little concentration I had and that teeny, tiny waver caused my control over the elemental to snap like a twig. It engulfed the tester in an instant and it was all I could do to cast a counterspell to destroy my creation. Needless to say, I did not pass the test that year. Entry Six Put book away.
When I came to take the test the following year, I explained carefully to the (new) tester that I was more aligned with air elementals. What could go wrong with air, I reasoned, since it's only a bit of wind? Later on, as we rebuilt the Academy proving grounds, my instructor noted that she had never seen such a powerful elemental, but suggested I might be more suited to water elementals should I decide to take the test again the following year. Entry Seven Put book away.
A water elemental requires quite a bit of liquid nearby. At the next test, I crafted the spell and cast it only to realize that we hadn't nearly enough water in the area as the spell left my lips. Did you know that humans are made up mostly of water? Neither did I. Neither did the poor tester that year. They asked me to come back again after the traditional year-long mourning period. Entry Eight Put book away.
The last basic elemental for which I could test was the earth elemental. This type of elemental does not require open flame, nor gusts of wind or large bodies of water. One need only have something earthy in the area that can be called forth. Fortunately for the townspeople, earth elementals can be outrun. Entry Nine Put book away.
My instructor suggested perhaps I might go to Freeport to take the tests there. In fact, she packed my belongings for me and paid someone to transport me through some pretty rough terrain. We were beset by bandits at one point, and even though I am but a mage, I was able to send those miscreants running! I am looking forward to taking the tests again. Entry Ten Put book away.
Summoning is not for everyone, but if you learn from my mistakes I am sure you will be able to recognize the correct circumstances under which elementals may flourish. Wish me luck with my tests and I wish you well with yours! Close Book.
Books
Summoning an Elemental This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"Summoning an Elemental," by Amon Glibtongue -- Being the results of research into elemental summoning by a young mage in his quest to become a summoner.
Elementals are summoned beings and generally summoned at by higher level mages. In this book, we learn from the mistakes of mage-in-training Amon Glibtongue.
My name is Amon and I have been a mage now for about fifteen years. I am taking my tests to become a summoner. Again.
Mind you, I don't think it's entirely my fault what happened the previous times I took the test. Elementals are pretty tricky to master, which is why a summoner starts with the basics every time.
One of the basic tests for any mage-to-summoner is the ability to summon elementals.
They are drawn from the basic elements of the world: fire, water, earth and air. By combining various bits from each type of element, one can summon some pretty interesting creatures.
For testing purposes, a summoner chooses an elemental type and calls it forth. Success is measured by keeping control of it and releasing it only at the tester's word.
The first time I took the test, the tester required that I summon a fire elemental.
Now, ever since that little incident at the conservatory, I have avoided fire in any shape, much less as a summoned elemental.
The whole time I prepared the spell, I kept seeing the expression on that poor woman's face...it took all my concentration to banish that image and continue with the spell.
In any case, the fire elemental I summoned certainly looked correct.
Even the tester was surprised. Like any other fire elemental, my summoned creature rose from the fire pit and hovered there for a bit before floating over toward me.
Now, remember that I had a previous bad experience with fire and you will understand why I ducked.
Elementals cannot be harmed by physical means; one must use magic as they are magical creatures.
In the instant that I ducked, I lost what little concentration I had and that teeny, tiny waver caused my control over the elemental to snap like a twig. It engulfed the tester in an instant and it was all I could do to cast a counterspell to destroy my creation.
Needless to say, I did not pass the test that year.
When I came to take the test the following year, I explained carefully to the (new) tester that I was more aligned with air elementals.
What could go wrong with air, I reasoned, since it's only a bit of wind?
Later on, as we rebuilt the Academy proving grounds, my instructor noted that she had never seen such a powerful elemental, but suggested I might be more suited to water elementals should I decide to take the test again the following year.
A water elemental requires quite a bit of liquid nearby.
At the next test, I crafted the spell and cast it only to realize that we hadn't nearly enough water in the area as the spell left my lips.
Did you know that humans are made up mostly of water? Neither did I. Neither did the poor tester that year.
They asked me to come back again after the traditional year-long mourning period.
The last basic elemental for which I could test was the earth elemental.
This type of elemental does not require open flame, nor gusts of wind or large bodies of water. One need only have something earthy in the area that can be called forth.
Fortunately for the townspeople, earth elementals can be outrun.
My instructor suggested perhaps I might go to Freeport to take the tests there. In fact, she packed my belongings for me and paid someone to transport me through some pretty rough terrain.
We were beset by bandits at one point, and even though I am but a mage, I was able to send those miscreants running!
I am looking forward to taking the tests again.
Summoning is not for everyone, but if you learn from my mistakes I am sure you will be able to recognize the correct circumstances under which elementals may flourish.
Wish me luck with my tests and I wish you well with yours!
Books
Tales of the Alliz Ew This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"Tales of the Alliz Ew," translated by Pearl Honeywine -- Being a collection of short stories by anonymous lizardmen of both the Alliz Evol Ew and the Alliz Tae Ew of the Feerrott. As these are translations, they can be somewhat difficult to grasp but are worth a look.
The ferocity of the lizardmen of the Feerrott is legendary, yet it seems there is another side to the stories told of them by outsiders. This is a collection of short stories written by lizardmen and translated from the Rallosian.
"Two Tales." You speak of those with two minds, two hearts and I speak of the two tales.
The first tale, my brethren, listen! For the ogres listened not and all that remains are our memories, longer than the tail of the Queen.
Did they forget their promise? Yes, it seems that they did forget and will pay the price. The Temple of Cazic-Thule, set aside from them, yet they forgot. --
-- In the long-ago did Rallos, the god of War and mighty Cazic-Thule cross hands and agree that the army of one would not defile the Temple of the other. Yet, the Rallosians forgot this and in they crossed the Temple's threshold to declare the Temple was theirs! --
-- In the long-ago did this happen, where the Rallosians stood in the Temple and gloated over its treasures and put the blood of the Alliz Ew into the sacrificial vessels as should not have been done, no ritual or rite to purify.
And yes, they later paid but in the hour of our need, we could do nothing but gnash our teeth and thrash our tails. --
-- That is the first tale, the ending which I need not tell for all know how that vile army was destroyed.
The second of my tales talks of the Alliz Tae Ew, those that now are found inside the Temple that remains. To the east, they are and inside the Temple itself, they are.
They are strong of will and in their worship of the darkness, did participate in the rituals of darkness such that they now do not see. The weak, they will eat. So say I, and so it is.
"The Vessel." Carved of stone, its surface is black from the years of use. Wide is the brim and it is shallow.
Handles once it had that were defiled by the Rallosians, yet its purpose is not changed. In service will they offer their blood, whether willing or not. Stained it is, as are the Alliz Tae Ew, by the precious offerings made to the gods and the Queen.
Shallow may be the vessel, but deep is the honor with which we use it.
"The Vines." The vines hang low to tangle those who do not look. Mists that thicken the air swirl around to cloak us in grey.
Look! You are in the path and see me not. I raise my spear -- the spear of my forefathers, cut at the right time of the old moon and dipped in bitter juices. Up I raise my arm, slowly.
Listen! The whistle of the spear slicing the air. You hear it not in time to move, only in time to fear.
Over and again, I raise my spear!
The fallen see me not, just as they see not the vines.
"The Hand." In the long-ago, He walked among us and reaching out His hand, touched one or another, beckoning.
They could not but bend to His will and He caused them to begin the crafting of His statue. Always they would start with His hands, shaping them from wrist to fingertip.
Yet when He would return to His other charges, they would cease to carve, and so upon His return, they began again. At His wrist.
And so we say, that is why that is what is left.
"Green Dawn." They trampled us and defiled the Temple. Then they moved onward, slaying all those in their path and we watched.
We felt it from the distance, eating what we could and waiting. They pressed onward and thought everyone would fall before them.
Until the day of the Green Dawn, when we felt the cloud fall upon the Rallosian Army like thick mist. Their cries we heard and heeded not and in the dawn of the next day, they lay defeated and inedible.
"Waterfall." The river flows through the valley, mist curling from the surface in the heat. The darkness is great, broad leaves keeping out the light and trapping the sounds.
We took the captives to the river to purify them and one worked free from his bindings and jumped into the river, seeking to hide beneath the vapors on its surface.
We found some the next day on the shore where the waterfall meets the sea.
Not all lizardmen are literate, or even capable of speaking anything but their own language.
It is fascinating to see something of their thoughts from stories written in their own language and translated. To know more about them would be very interesting, indeed.
Books
Tales of the Alliz Ew This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
The ferocity of the lizardmen of the Feerrott is legendary, yet it seems there is another side to the stories told of them by outsiders. This is a collection of short stories written by lizardmen and translated from the Rallosian. Entry One Put book away.
"Tales of the Alliz Ew," translated by Pearl Honeywine -- Being a collection of short stories by anonymous lizardmen of both the Alliz Evol Ew and the Alliz Tae Ew of the Feerrott. As these are translations, they can be somewhat difficult to grasp but are worth a look. Read book Put book away.
"Two Tales." You speak of those with two minds, two hearts and I speak of the two tales. The first tale, my brethren, listen! For the ogres listened not and all that remains are our memories, longer than the tail of the Queen. Did they forget their promise? Yes, it seems that they did forget and will pay the price. The Temple of Cazic-Thule, set aside from them, yet they forgot. -- Entry Two Put book away.
-- In the long-ago did Rallos, the god of War and mighty Cazic-Thule cross hands and agree that the army of one would not defile the Temple of the other. Yet, the Rallosians forgot this and in they crossed the Temple's threshold to declare the Temple was theirs! -- Entry Three Put book away.
-- In the long-ago did this happen, where the Rallosians stood in the Temple and gloated over its treasures and put the blood of the Alliz Ew into the sacrificial vessels as should not have been done, no ritual or rite to purify. And yes, they later paid but in the hour of our need, we could do nothing but gnash our teeth and thrash our tails. -- Entry Four Put book away.
-- That is the first tale, the ending which I need not tell for all know how that vile army was destroyed. The second of my tales talks of the Alliz Tae Ew, those that now are found inside the Temple that remains. To the east, they are and inside the Temple itself, they are. They are strong of will and in their worship of the darkness, did participate in the rituals of darkness such that they now do not see. The weak, they will eat. So say I, and so it is. Entry Five Put book away.
"The Vessel." Carved of stone, its surface is black from the years of use. Wide is the brim and it is shallow. Handles once it had that were defiled by the Rallosians, yet its purpose is not changed. In service will they offer their blood, whether willing or not. Stained it is, as are the Alliz Tae Ew, by the precious offerings made to the gods and the Queen. Shallow may be the vessel, but deep is the honor with which we use it. Entry Six Put book away.
"The Vines." The vines hang low to tangle those who do not look. Mists that thicken the air swirl around to cloak us in grey. Look! You are in the path and see me not. I raise my spear -- the spear of my forefathers, cut at the right time of the old moon and dipped in bitter juices. Up I raise my arm, slowly. Listen! The whistle of the spear slicing the air. You hear it not in time to move, only in time to fear. Over and again, I raise my spear! The fallen see me not, just as they see not the vines. Entry Seven Put book away.
"The Hand." In the long-ago, He walked among us and reaching out His hand, touched one or another, beckoning. They could not but bend to His will and He caused them to begin the crafting of His statue. Always they would start with His hands, shaping them from wrist to fingertip. Yet when He would return to His other charges, they would cease to carve, and so upon His return, they began again. At His wrist. And so we say, that is why that is what is left. Entry Eight Put book away.
"Green Dawn." They trampled us and defiled the Temple. Then they moved onward, slaying all those in their path and we watched. We felt it from the distance, eating what we could and waiting. They pressed onward and thought everyone would fall before them. Until the day of the Green Dawn, when we felt the cloud fall upon the Rallosian Army like thick mist. Their cries we heard and heeded not and in the dawn of the next day, they lay defeated and inedible. Entry Nine Put book away.
"Waterfall." The river flows through the valley, mist curling from the surface in the heat. The darkness is great, broad leaves keeping out the light and trapping the sounds. We took the captives to the river to purify them and one worked free from his bindings and jumped into the river, seeking to hide beneath the vapors on its surface. We found some the next day on the shore where the waterfall meets the sea. Entry Ten Put book away.
Not all lizardmen are literate, or even capable of speaking anything but their own language. It is fascinating to see something of their thoughts from stories written in their own language and translated. To know more about them would be very interesting, indeed. Close Book.
Books
Tales of the Alliz Ew This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"Tales of the Alliz Ew," translated by Pearl Honeywine -- Being a collection of short stories by anonymous lizardmen of both the Alliz Evol Ew and the Alliz Tae Ew of the Feerrott. As these are translations, they can be somewhat difficult to grasp but are worth a look.
The ferocity of the lizardmen of the Feerrott is legendary, yet it seems there is another side to the stories told of them by outsiders. This is a collection of short stories written by lizardmen and translated from the Rallosian.
"Two Tales." You speak of those with two minds, two hearts and I speak of the two tales.
The first tale, my brethren, listen! For the ogres listened not and all that remains are our memories, longer than the tail of the Queen.
Did they forget their promise? Yes, it seems that they did forget and will pay the price. The Temple of Cazic-Thule, set aside from them, yet they forgot. --
-- In the long-ago did Rallos, the god of War and mighty Cazic-Thule cross hands and agree that the army of one would not defile the Temple of the other. Yet, the Rallosians forgot this and in they crossed the Temple's threshold to declare the Temple was theirs! --
-- In the long-ago did this happen, where the Rallosians stood in the Temple and gloated over its treasures and put the blood of the Alliz Ew into the sacrificial vessels as should not have been done, no ritual or rite to purify.
And yes, they later paid but in the hour of our need, we could do nothing but gnash our teeth and thrash our tails. --
-- That is the first tale, the ending which I need not tell for all know how that vile army was destroyed.
The second of my tales talks of the Alliz Tae Ew, those that now are found inside the Temple that remains. To the east, they are and inside the Temple itself, they are.
They are strong of will and in their worship of the darkness, did participate in the rituals of darkness such that they now do not see. The weak, they will eat. So say I, and so it is.
"The Vessel." Carved of stone, its surface is black from the years of use. Wide is the brim and it is shallow.
Handles once it had that were defiled by the Rallosians, yet its purpose is not changed. In service will they offer their blood, whether willing or not. Stained it is, as are the Alliz Tae Ew, by the precious offerings made to the gods and the Queen.
Shallow may be the vessel, but deep is the honor with which we use it.
"The Vines." The vines hang low to tangle those who do not look. Mists that thicken the air swirl around to cloak us in grey.
Look! You are in the path and see me not. I raise my spear -- the spear of my forefathers, cut at the right time of the old moon and dipped in bitter juices. Up I raise my arm, slowly.
Listen! The whistle of the spear slicing the air. You hear it not in time to move, only in time to fear.
Over and again, I raise my spear!
The fallen see me not, just as they see not the vines.
"The Hand." In the long-ago, He walked among us and reaching out His hand, touched one or another, beckoning.
They could not but bend to His will and He caused them to begin the crafting of His statue. Always they would start with His hands, shaping them from wrist to fingertip.
Yet when He would return to His other charges, they would cease to carve, and so upon His return, they began again. At His wrist.
And so we say, that is why that is what is left.
"Green Dawn." They trampled us and defiled the Temple. Then they moved onward, slaying all those in their path and we watched.
We felt it from the distance, eating what we could and waiting. They pressed onward and thought everyone would fall before them.
Until the day of the Green Dawn, when we felt the cloud fall upon the Rallosian Army like thick mist. Their cries we heard and heeded not and in the dawn of the next day, they lay defeated and inedible.
"Waterfall." The river flows through the valley, mist curling from the surface in the heat. The darkness is great, broad leaves keeping out the light and trapping the sounds.
We took the captives to the river to purify them and one worked free from his bindings and jumped into the river, seeking to hide beneath the vapors on its surface.
We found some the next day on the shore where the waterfall meets the sea.
Not all lizardmen are literate, or even capable of speaking anything but their own language.
It is fascinating to see something of their thoughts from stories written in their own language and translated. To know more about them would be very interesting, indeed.
Books
Teachings of Master Wu 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.
Teachings of Master Wu - Page 3 (looted in Sanctum of the Scaleborn)
Teachings of Master Wu - Page 4 (looted in Sanctum of the Scaleborn)
Teachings of Master Wu - Page 5 (looted in Sanctum of the Scaleborn)
Teachings of Master Wu - Page 6 (looted in Sanctum of the Scaleborn)
Teachings of Master Wu - Page 7 (looted in Sanctum of the Scaleborn)
Teachings of Master Wu - Page 8 (looted in Sanctum of the Scaleborn)
Teachings of Master Wu - Page 9 (looted in Sanctum of the Scaleborn)
Teachings of Master Wu - Page 10 (looted in Sanctum of the Scaleborn)
Teachings of Master Wu - Page 11 (looted in Sanctum of the Scaleborn)
Discovered on 21 Feb 2006 at 14:51:31 PST.
"Teachings of Master Wu"
A simple compendium of writings inked by Wu the Enlightened, known during his days on Norrath as Master Wu.
The most priceless of treasures are not found in the depths of the earth but in the depths of the soul. They are not taken from the dragon's hoard or the tyrant's treasury, but are rescued from the chaos of one's consciousness. You will not find them in the pockets of costly apparel or in the settings of opulent jewelry but in the perfection of the balanced mind and body.
Pure inner tranquility cannot be bought at any price. It is not granted at birth. It is not granted with age. It is cultivated, it is nurtured. It cannot be bartered, but it can be taught. It cannot be taken, but it can be given. The greatest gift one can give is the knowledge and direction in which one can attain inner peace.
A master of inner tranquility is steadfast, unshaken. As a castle's tower stands against the howling tempests and raging storms, so too does the master stand against the seen and unseen chaos that whirls around him. Though the winds and rain and bolts of thunder tear across its stone surface, the tower does not shake nor shrink from the turbulence. So too does the master stand firm against the furious tumult.
To an enlightened being there is not War, only Peace.
There is no Chaos, only Order.
There is no Emotion, only Balance.
There is no Turmoil, only Harmony.
There is no Mayhem, only Serenity.
There is only Tranquility.
The Goddess of Peace, Quellious, is the source of all tranquility. It is from her that all serenity flows. Her gift resides in all creation, but very few know how to truly touch that power inside one's soul. To worship her through peaceful meditations and in-depth pursuits of knowledge is to awaken her soft glowing light within your spirit.
Aggression and Anger are the mortal enemies of the Enlightened. They must be avoided at all cost. They trip the mind and let slip control. Actions become hasty, thoughts become irrational. The body and spirits fall out of balance. Peace and Calm are the conquerors of Aggression and Anger. They banish these emotions, restoring balance so that one may fully gain the enlightenment of Tranquil.
An enlightened being must reserve combat as a means of absolute last resort in resolving a conflict with an aggressor. Seek not such conflict, but avoid it. If it cannot be avoided, reason with it. If it cannot be reasoned with, depart from it. If you cannot depart from it, subdue it. If you cannot subdue it to allow for escape, and your life or the lives of innocents are put in jeopardy, then, and only then do you resolve the conflict through martial combat
An Enlightened being must shun the weapons of war. The edged blades of swords and the piercing points of daggers exist only to cause bloodshed and death, a practice abhorred by the seekers of tranquility. It is permissible to use simple staves or blunt objects to aid in one's self defense in a dire situation, but one must never seek the occasion to put such an object to use.
Meditation leads to Peace.
Peace leads to Serenity.
Serenity leads to Tranquility.
Tranquility brings Enlightenment.
Books
The Ant Tale This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
The Ant Tale - Page 2 (shinies in Fens of Nathsar)
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Discovered on 13 Nov 2007 at 17:29:23 PST.
The Ant Tale A children's tale from the Iksar
A young iksar named Cryl had a plan. There was an ant hill not far from his home, and he spent many afternoons watching the busy ants carry food stuffs back to their hill in orderly, perfect lines. Cryl was amazed by the way the ants were able to adapt to any situation. If a stick fell in their path, all the ants would immediately march around it, maintaining their perfect line. Cryl dropped many sticks, leave, and rocks in their path to watch this happen again and again. The ants never failed to adjust.
Cryl thought long and long about the ants. He thought about them as he was devouring a haunch of deer and helping his parents sharpen their weapons for an up and coming fray with the nasty sarnak. he thought for so long about the ants that he accidentally cut himself on one of the swords. His parents snapped at him and told him to pay better attention to what he was doing, but he just couldn't stop thinking about those ants.
Cryl thought the ants should be doing their work for him. After all, all creatures are lesser than the iksar, so it was only right they do his bidding. Cryl set out early the next morning to tell the ants that he was their new master, and that if they disobeyed him, he would destroy their hill. The closer he got, the more he liked the idea of just stomping down the hill and kicking it away. He almost hoped they refused. But in the end he decided he would rather have them as his servants.
Cryl stood before the ant hill and called out, "Ants! I'm your king now! You'll do as I say!" He stared at them fiercely, but the ants didn't even acknowledge that he's said anything. They simply kept marching in their neat rows carrying food in and out. Cryl was furious, and he lifted his foot back to kick their hill down when he realized that the ants were simply continuing doing their work. He had liked them for being such dedicated workers, and that's what they were doing. It didn't mean they had defied him. Cryl smiled and looked at his new slaves.
Cryl gave many orders to the ants over the following days. The first thing he thought should be done was to bolster his force before he made them do anything more extreme. After all, a lord was only as good as how many people he commanded. So he demanded that they work harder, and it seemed that they did; it was hard to tell with the constant stream of ants, but he thought he saw more food entering every moment. He then demanded that they produce more eggs, and after a few days, he was certain he noticed more little ants coming out. Finally, he told them to expand the ant hill, and sure enough, the next day it looked like it had grown inches in height!
Cryl was happy with his ants. They were following his orders very well and becoming a more formidable force. He thought he should give them some small reward for their work. A lord, after all, has to periodically give his subjects some kind of reward for good behavior in order to motivate them to continue working just as hard. And if they didn't, then he had twice the reason to punish them later for their ingratitude. The ants spent all of their time collecting food, so he thought that some new food stuff would be a good reward.
Cryl searched high and low for appropriate food. The ants seemed content with leaves and grains, but he wanted to give them something different. He remembered once seeing a swarm of ants on the face of a dead bear that was covered in honey. Honey! He could easily wrest some honey from a hive. His father had taught him a trick to distract the bees: throw an animal at the hive first and that will distract the furious guards. He captured a badger and hurled it at a nearby hive. While the soldier bees swarmed the animal, he dipped into the hive with a stick.
Back at the hill, he placed the stick on the ground and waited eagerly. One ant eventually strayed to where the honey was, and then suddenly they were all covering the stick, carrying away the honey in their usual neat rows. Cryl was delighted that his gift would help his forces grow strong. Suddenly though, he noticed that an ant had climbed up to his hands where he had dipped them in the honey. He frowned and flicked it away but before he could blink, there were more, and more, and more. Soon his hands were covered in wriggling little ants. Cryl was disgusted and a little bit afraid.
He made quickly for home, where his mother dipped his hands in hot water that killed all the ants. Cryl told her the whole story: how he had made the colony his and how they had followed his orders. Finally, he told her his idea for a reward, and his mother shook her head in disappointment. "You must never be generous to those you rule. They will sense your weakness and use it to defeat you. Rewards don't make your subjects work harder. Punishments do."
Cryl considered his mother's words. The next day, he returned to the hill, and in a fury, destroyed it. He kicked and stomped until there was nothing left, and then he dug up the ground to see that nothing below survived either. The ground was littered with broken little ants when he was through, and he felt satisfied. Later, he told his mother what he had done, but found that she was still not happy with him. "Now you have no servants, and a lord without servants is even weaker than one whose servants take advantage of him."
Cryl was so confused. He didn't know how he would ever make his mother proud. The ants were all dead, their hill destroyed. What was he to do? Then he remembered the bee hive. The bees may not have been quite as well organized as the ants, but they seemed to be doing well. Yes, the bees would be good subjects as well! He set off for the bee hive, determined to make them his new subjects.
When it was time to return home in the evening, Cryl was no more a lord of the bees than he had been that morning, and what was more, the soft parts between his scales were full of stings. He wanted to give up, but he couldn't face his mother's disappointment. He tried to think of what she would say. What to do against a populace that will refuse to go down without fighting? Give them a reason to fight. Cryl smiled. Cryl had an idea.That night, he returned home triumphant. His mother spied the expression on his face and asked what he was so pleased about. He showed her a small collection of white eggs he had in his possession. "They may be ready to fight me and die themselves," he said, "but not if I have their eggs!" Cryl's mother finally beamed with pride. "You have done well, son. You must know what matters most to your enemy, and use that against him." Cryl just nodded. He knew what to do. He was the lord of the bee hive now, and soon others would fear his name.
Books
The Archives of Sebilis This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
You find this particular entry in the archives of Sebilis.
Let it be known that another enemy of the Sathirian Empire fell today. The Koada'Dal, Lolindiir, thought to assault our generals. It did not take long for them to bring him down. Kotiz the Death Bringer struck the killing blow and thus took all rights of ownership over hte remains. The Emperor meant to take possession of Lolindiir's famous weapon;
however, the Koada'Dal was not carrying it. This instilled a great deal of shock among those present. It seemed foolish enough to attack our great Empire, but the fool did so without even the aid of his power source. It is our belief that he might have been trying to reassemble the Symbol. Even now, our lord sends spies to be certain the Overking
and Hoshkar are still in possession of their pieces. It doesn't seem that he managed to get to Drusella's; however, if the enemy has even managed to obtain the other two, it could threaten the Emperor's safety.
Books
The Case of the Curious Coalition Housing Inspector This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
Although covered with soot and grime, this tome is very ornate and adorned with dwarven elements.
The Case of the Curious Coalition Housing Inspector
While walking through Longshadow Alley in Freeport, I encountered a very curious Coalition Housing Inspector. It is rather odd to encounter a housing inspector in any of Freeport;s foreign housing districts. The Overlord's government does not attend to the upkeep of most of these districts, that is quite obvious by the appearance of any of these neighborhoods. So I find it odd to meet Inspector Rylana struggling to answer my questions about her business in Longshadow Alley. I do not trust her words. Perhaps I should follow her and see what she is really up to.
I followed Inspector Rylana to a broken down house in Longshadow Alley. True, there are many broken down houses in this district, but in this particular rubble filled dwelling, the inspector found something that interested her. I went to take a look at what might interest the Coalition Housing Inspection and found a bedroll. This bedroll was quite elaborate, not the bedding of the common folk of this neighborhood. The patchwork blanket appeared to be formed of silk and scales. Such an odd pairing of fabric and hide is usually reserved for the eccentric citizens of Freeport.
Inspector Rylana's curious trek through Longshadow Alley did not end in the broken down dwelling where I found the odd bedding. I shadowed the inspector to a boarded up house. It was obvious this home was condemned, but with so many condemned houses, why should an inspector stop at one and ignore the rest? I crept towards the boarded up door to have a look at what interested the inspector. Resting upon the ground was one of the planks of wood that used to board up the door. There were curious runes on the board, magic script. I am no supreme scholar of the Academy of Arcane Science, but I do believe this was some form of coded communique.
The Coalition Housing Inspector strolled down to the malodorous docks of Longshadow Alley. Why would a housing inspector bother with the port? Certainly, they do not consider the pier to be a dwelling, even though it acts as one to the many homeless Teir'Dal immigrants. No, she came here for other reasons. She glanced over a tattered parchment that was tossed upon the dock. I took a look for myself and found that it was a forgotten shipping manifest. It belonged to a ship called the 'Nerius Breaker.' It made an unannounced stop in Longshadow Alley to receive some kegs of elixir from the local magic shop. The ship has long since raised anchor.
It seemed as though Inspector Rylana had to make a withdrawal from the local bank, for that is where she next led me to. After observing her from afar, I noticed that the withdrawal she had to make was not in Freeport currency, but rather, in clues. Being a bit of a sleuth myself, I took a look at what she spent her time inspecting. There was an ornate cashbox in the bank hall. It looks as though the clerks had been busy unloading whatever was inside. Someone had made a large deposit and it was not a local resident by the looks of the craftsmanship of the cashbox. Whoever dropped this off was either very rich or in some very big debt.
I thought I might shadow Inspector Rylana a bit more, as she has the starring role in my current investigation notes. As before, my actions were rewarded. The inspector stopped off in the local blacksmith's shop. She had a few harsh words for the smithies as she pointed to an object in the rear of the shop. I went to take a look at what could raise the fury of a housing inspector. What I found was an ornate dagger. The blade was lined with magic runes and if my memory serves me well, the symbol on the handle was none other than the symbol of the Academy of Arcane Science. Such a grand item is not intended for battle, but rather, the wall of a sorcerer supreme.
Inspector Rylana continued her so called inspection of the Longshadow Alley. I was not surprised to see her next stop led me not to a housing complex, but rather to The Bauble, the local magic shop. She entered the arcane depository requesting to see export logs. Her reasons for doing so seemed to persuade the scribe, but I am sure his words are filled with lies. I took a look at the logs as well and found that the shop had exported a large crate with a rust monster inside to a ship called the "Nerius Breaker." This was the ship I read about at the docks, but it was supposed to be picking up kegs of elixir, not a rust monster.
I had some doubts about Inspector Rylana of the Coalition Housing Inspection and it seems that my doubts were reinforced by the evidence of my investigation. It is my belief that the inspector is a government servant, but not one bound to the Coalition of Tradesfolke. I believe she is a special agent of the Freeport Militia or the Overlord! She seemed to be undercover and on the trail of a fugitive. This fugitive must hail from the Academy of Arcane Science's arch mages. That mage must have also paid a high price to escape Freeport under the watch of the Freeport Militia. But my investigation is complete. Inspector Rylana is no housing inspector. Case closed.
Books
The Case of the Lost Lute This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a case file for the Ayonic Axe, a legendary artifact removed from the Plane of Music.
I have begun to develop a fascination with a magical lute called the Ayonic Lute. While passing through the Thundering Steppes I happened upon a curious bard by the name of Maestra Orlita. She was a ruling member of a minuscule quintet of bards that call themselves the Chaos Orchestra. Having piqued my interest in eccentric quintets, I decided to seek out the four remaining bards of this orchestra. What I found were two lyricists in Qeynos Harbor and two within East Freeport. Offering little save ancient songs, the lyricists went on to ignore me and force their out of tune melody upon the citizens of the great empires of man. If I were to find out anything more about the Chaos Orchestra, it would be in city records.
These words have yet to reveal themselves to you.
These words have yet to reveal themselves to you.
These words have yet to reveal themselves to you.
I found the "belly of a giggling fish."To be more precise, I found the theater of the Laughing Trout, a tavern in Rivervale. I found a peculiar xylophone made from bones, the hagralaphone. This curios musical device emanated with arcane power. I disovered that the hagralaphone was made by woodworkers from Bogbottom Mills. Tracking down the halfling shop was an easy enough task, but it was overrun with goblins. I did find the descendant and current owner of Bogbottom Mills, Camfred. He told me that his ancestors created the hagralaphone out of the bones of an evil troll witch named Hagralazoo. They did this by order of the legendary bard, Vhalen.
I journeyed to Antonica to find the Bell Tower of Vhalen. It is there that Vhalen fell to a great horde of undead. It is in the ancient tower that I spoke to the vision of Vhalen, a projection of the bard that now is bound to Ethernere. He said that Hagralazoo, the troll witch and arch nemesis of Rivervale, had taken the cursed Ayonic Axe from the Chaos Orchestra as they fled Katta Grove. She tricked them into destroying themselv. in a final concert. She then used the axe and its bardic powers to begin a series of secret concerts in which she would collect the valuables from the deceased audience and the unwitting bard whom she tricked into wielding the melodic axe.
The vision of Vhalen said, Hagralazoo lost the axe to an unwitting accomplice, Kelkarn. She had hoped the bard could assist her in completing an arcane composition that she had stolen from the mysterious sage, the Drafling. The composition could remove the curse from the axe, allowing the witch to use it. However, the composition was incomplete. Kelkarn was a well known bard and the troll witch came to him on a misty road during his many travels. In the guise of an old crone, Hagralazoo persuaded the bard to display his talents. She then gave him the Drafling composition and asked him to complete it. If he did, the Ayonic Axe could be his- a lie!
Kelkarn studied the chaotic composition of the Drafling for many years. The music would drove him insane and caused him to commit crimes against many kingdoms. Eventually, he was locked in the Freeport Infirmary and Insane Asylum. His madness was so bizarre that an autopsy was ordered by the chief surgeon. The night before he would be cut up and studied, Hagralazoo came to him in his cell. Kelkarn told her that he completed the composition. He showed etched it in his own blood. She took the composition and let Kelkarn play a final tune, a tune that would see the deconstruction of his body and allow the troll witch to reappear after he had died to retake the axe.
Hagralazoo never made it back in time to recover the Ayonic Axe thanks to the Drafling. When she did, she found the axe was removed. It vanished via the black market auctions of Freeport. Vhalen was able to find the Ayonic Axe and hide it. As luck would have it, the Drafling was an associate of his! Vhalen requested the remains of Hagralazoo be used to create the Hagralaphone. The unique xylophone could summon the troll witch back. that she could reveal the composition that Kelkarn completed. Many years living in the land between life and death may persuade the troll witch to reveal the location to Vhalen or another bard such as myself.
Books
The Case of the Suspicious Sarnak Super Soldiers This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a case file for the Suspicious Sarnak Super Soldiers of the Immortal Brigade. These elite soldiers guard the Chardok Palace.
This is quite odd. My adventures within the Di'Zok fortress city, Chardok, led me to the grand circus of the Chardok Palace. It was here at the gates of sarnak opulence that I encountered a new brigade of sarnak elite known as the Immortal Brigade.
It is no enigma that an elite brigade of sarnak would be restricted to the royal quarters of the city, but these elite happened to share the guise of the new breed of sarnak that only exists within the island city of Gorowyn located in the Timorous Deep. That island brood bears features unique to them. So far, my adventures in Kunark have shown me no evidence of that island brood existing beyond the temperate archipelago.
My conversations with the sarnak native to the Timorous Deep have never spawned evidence that the island brood had any association with the Di'Zokians of Kunark. Nay, it is quite the contrary. The island brood seems to know next to nothing of the Di'Zokians. However, the sarnak of Gorowyn know very little of their own origin.
The Immortal Brigade within Chardok are veiling a link with the island brood, I feel this to be certain. I will begin my investigation with an accessory to this cover up- the Gorowyn Brigade. If there are clues to be had, the priests and archimages of this other royal brigade must surely hold them. I shall uncover the secrets behind the suspicious sarnak super soldiers.
The royal guard, the Gorowyn Brigade, shares a name with the home city of the island brood of sarnak that inhabit the Timorous Deep. For this reason, I believed they would withhold some evidence needed to uncover the association between the Immortals and the island brood.
I decided to focus my efforts on the archimages and high priests of the Gorowyn Brigade. These castes tend to hold the most valuable secrets of sarnak civilizations. I was correct in this assumption! They were holding journals detailing the actions of the sarnak super soldiers of the Immortal Brigade.
I have discovered that the Gorowyn Brigade is charged with overseeing the Immortal Brigade. The high priests and archimages are to record all action of the super soldiers. They appear to be a new addition to the Di'Zok army.
Most of the journals record that the Immortals are stronger than the greatest sarnak. They also display superior discipline and have the ability to absorb martial skills at a higher rate. There is mention of artifacts of the first generation that are being examined by the Gorowyn Brigade. These artifacts will shed more light on this investigation.
I have examined numerous artifacts I found within the Chardok Palace. These particular artifacts revealed to a link between the Immortal Brigade and a first generation of sarnak super soldiers. This first generation was known as the Garrison of Gor.
The Garrison of Gor was comprised of but a hundred, but they proved equal to brigades many times larger. They became a legend in the early days of Chardok.
The Garrison of Gor was stationed at a military fortress built into Mount Gor. It was there that they were granted immortality by the first mutagenica priests. The Immortal Brigade follows this practice within the Halls of Eternity and the Righteous.
The Ritual of Immortality is granted to all new super soldiers of the Immortal Brigade. The high priests employ artifacts taken from the origin city in Mount Gor. The Halls of Eternity and the Righteous must hide evidence of the origin and fate of the Garrison of Gor.
Books
The Case of the Ursa Rhym This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
Although covered with soot and grime, this tome is very ornate and adorned with dwarven elements.
I have been assigned by Lady Alethea Jyleel to investigate the tragedy of the fairiefolke living within the Gully of the Ursa Rhym. The rhym seem to be a type of fairy about the size of a firefly, if not smaller. These rhym gather the information of the environment around them like a sponge absorbs water. This information is then processed and emitted in a melody that few outside of the rhym can decipher. In this case, Lady Alethea is capable of reading the melodies of these tiny fairies.
I managed to locate the Gully of the Ursa Rhym within a western crag in the Greater Faydark, on the way to Steamfont Mountains. The gully used to be a magical little village where numerous rhym buzzed about in melody, but the melody is no more. I have discovered the rhym village in disarray and destruction. The little village was ruined through dark magic, this is quite evident from the arcane smoke and unyielding flames that now consume the habitat.
Unable to properly decipher the clues before me, I was forced to enlist the aid of the legendary sleuth, Inspector Berlok Beeglesnoop. The great inspector told me that I could become an investigator myself should I acquire the three volume Investigator Guidelines, penned by the master detective himself. Although, in his old age, he would not offer me these valuable manuscripts, I was able to pry a few hints as to where I might find these books. Through an illogical and often frustrating conversation with the inspector, I was able to deduce that the books could be found in Felwithe.
Amidst the madness that now envelopes the once honorable city of Felwithe, I would find the Investigative Guidelines needed to become great detective. My first trial led me to the grove of a great tree. There could be found the fluttering pages of one of the books, ripped from the binder I found earlier. The second book would be found within a submerged chest, magically locked. Following the clues on the chest, I managed to unlock it. The final book would rest in the hands of a soul that now walks the fields of Ethernere. Luckily, I discovered a ritual that would allow me to call forth the spirit of General Jyleel, a great ancestor to Lady Alethea Jyleel.
Having read the Investigative Guidelines, I have grasped the thought process and guidelines of a great detective. I returned to the Gully and the Ursa Rhym to see if I could procure any bit of new evidence. What I found amidst the carnage of the tiny fairy village was a flaming pawn, a chess piece. The flames are clearly magical in nature and not the dark magic that existed everywhere else in the village. Before they met their demise,. the rhym left this clue for me... for anyone. What does it mean? It is merely a flaming pawn resting just a bit away from the chessboard it once called home.
I have gathered some evidence in the charred area known as the Broken Fields in Butcherblock Mountains. The bits of evidence appear to be the battered remnants of daggers and shields. These remnants must have taken great damage and not by an ordinary force. I could tell by the scorch marks and the condition of the metal that this was the result of dark magic. There may be someone around these Broken Fields that can shed some light on my findings. Perhaps they may have even been a witness to this carnage.
I spoke to a talking rat named Chypp, last 'p' silent. He was a witness to the conflict that created the ruin that is now the Broken Fields. It appears as though a secret meeting occurred here where one group of brutes and evil grins passed along a magical sword to another group of brutes and evil grins. It is my belief that the brutes were orcs and by the evidence collected, they are Ree orcs from the Commonlands. These Ree orcs brought the magic sword to another group that then betrayed, using the gift to destroy the couriers. I believe it is time to travel to the Commonlands and gather information where the Ree orcs keep hidden from the Overlord and Freeport.
I collected a lot of evidence that has led me to the conclusion that the dark elves allied with the Ree orcs are none other than the Ebon Mask. I have heard tales of old about this old house of thieves that hailed from the Teir'Dal city of Neriak. They were said to be some of the craftiest thieves on Norrath and excellent assassins also. Apparently, they did not die with the collapse of their city. The Raiders of Ree are orcs removed from their empire, this I have learned. They now live for the heavy coin of the black marker. What would bring a band of opportunistic orcs and a dark elf thieves house together? More evidence is required.
I have found that the Ebon Mask worked alongside the orcs in an expedition to a hidden valley where the soul of Zarvonn is contained for eternity. This ancient mage was once a member of the Academy of the Arcane Science. I am not sure what the spirit of Zarvonn knew, but a spirit that hailed from one of the greatest mage guilds on Norrath most likely holds many secrets. His secret had something to do with the flaming sword that was rushed to Faydwer and used against the courier force of the Ree and Ebon Mask. Such a secret would reveal much about the sword, its origin and where it now resides. Such revelations could only be held by the leader of this eccentric pack of orcs.
While investigating the throne room of the leader of the orcs, I was forced into battle. Lord Ree and his minions were foolish to challenge me. In the end, they met their demise. After the battle I found what appeared to be a book detailing a heist for a "Sword." Unfortunately, the pages had been ripped out. I was them ambushed by Teir'Dal agents of the Ebon Mask, supreme rogues of the now defunct Thex Dynasty. I was forced to do battle or end up another notch in their belt. They have their best, but in the end, I emerged victorious. as they fell to the floor, the ripped pages from the heist journal flew into the air. Perhaps the pages will finally explain what this caper was all about.
Soulfrire was stolen from Freeport. The mastermind behind the heist was the Foci of the Academy of Arcane Science. She hired agents of the Ebon Mask to infiltrate the citadel via a forgotten portal left open by one of the original engineers of the fortress when it was known as the Academy of Arcane Science. The Ebon Mask hired the Raiders of Ree, opportunistic orcs. Using Ree smuggling routes, they transported Soulfire to Butcherblock Mountains. There the sword would be traded for a scroll desired bu the Foci, but a betrayal occurred and the Ree and Ebon Mask couriers were slain. All i know now is that an ambassador king was the one that betrayed the heist.
I exchanged information with Lady Alethea Jyleel of the Order of Marr. I handed over my notes, but kept this case journal for my records. According to Lady Alethea, the Overlord of Freeport was not fooled by a false sword that replaced Soulfire in the vaults of Dethknell Citadel. He has ordered his finest agents to recover the great sword. Together we discovered that it was a band of Lucanic Knights that razed the Gully of the Ursa Ryhm. If that is so, then the Overlord is one step ahead of the Order of Marr.
Lady Alethea bid me farewell, knowing that such a great crusade as this cannot be left to anyone other than her ancient order of knights. I have taken her reward for my deed, but I cannot shake the mystery behind Soulfire. Where is it and why is it so important to anyone other than the Overlord of Freeport? Perhaps is I can discover who this ambassador king is someday, I can reveal the secret of Soulfire. As for this investigation, the Case of the Ursa Rhym is closed... but the Case of the Soulfire Sword is soon approaching.
Books
The Coming of the True Creator This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"The Coming of the True Creator" Anonymous Yha-lei priest, held by residents of Timorous Deep.
When the great change came, we didn't know what to do. We Yha-lei have always shown our devotion to out great god Prexus, and thought that our methods were true. We respected his dominion, were ever obedient, and exalted him with all of our words. We did all this in the name of our god. But then one day, Prexus left us.
Without Prexus' guidance, we began to fall apart. The waters themselves seemed to become rougher, the waves battering and abusing us and carrying away our city piece by piece. Yha-lei began to slaughter Yha-lei senselessly. Our blood darkened the waters of our city, and our hope began to wear thin. Then our new god came.
It is said to have been a dark day when our ancestors discovered the new god. But once they had come across his resting place, the water grew clearer and bright. Light filtered deeper down into the depths and illuminated the passage of those first chosen few. In those hints of light, its dark scales flashed, its thrumming heartbeat gave a pulse to the very sea, and its coils enveloped those first pilgrims.
Though our first meeting was one of misunderstanding, we came to realize it was because we had offended the god. None were to disturb its sanctity, and if we were to help maintain its privacy, we would be rewarded with its blessings. Our god came to be known by many names: Chatachonoth, the Deep One, the Life Coil. And so it was that the age of the True Creator began.
Our people built a great temple to the True Creator, and we worshiped him as we would. Keeping the god's chamber free of intruders was relatively simple at first. Only the occasional curious creature swam up to inspect, and they fell easily under our blades. But then, the seas shook violently for days on end and great stones rained down upon us, fracturing the very seascape. When it was through, all had changed.
We at first thought our new god had abandoned us, and we despaired, but finally, when everything settled, we found that our god was true. Squinting in the new brightness, we inspected our realm, which had grown dangerously close to the surface world, and found that our god had not left us. In fact, he was more awake and alert than ever, needing even more of our care and devotion. But then, the land dwellers came.
It was at first in small numbers, and then in many scores as our presence was know. We did our best to fight them and defend the Deep One as best we could. Many Yha=lei have given their lives defending his sanctity, and may times more would be proud to do the same. But for as many as we killed, more came. And so we accepted our new role as warrior protectors. None would disturb our god so long as we stood.
And here is where we stand. The True Creator guides us, sustains us, centers us, and in turn, we protect him from the forces above that would threaten him. We have realized the importance of a first strike, and now raid the surface dwellers' territory the way they do ours, taking members of their races to serve us and warn away others.
With the True Creator on our side, we are truly powerful, and will prove this might to any who would stand in our way. Our battle cries unite us. "For the Deep One!" "Protect the True Creator!" And out voices will not fail.
Editor's Note The day after we recorded the Yha-lei priest's ramblings, he was found dead by his own hand. His guards heard him screaming for mercy and forgiveness, beseeching his dark god. But it seems that regardless of whether or not his god forgave him, he wouldn't forgive himself for telling us its secrets.
Books
The Desert Beasts 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 Desert Beasts - Page 5 (plundered from a barrel at 180, -105, -1212 in The Pillars of Flame or plundered from a barrel at 194, -105, -1216 in The Pillars of Flame)
The Desert Beasts - Page 6 (plundered from a basket at 158, -104, -1136 in The Pillars of Flame)
The Desert Beasts - Page 9 (plundered from a barrel at 158, -105, -1137 in The Pillars of Flame or plundered from a tent at 260, -103, -1022 in The Pillars of Flame)
The Desert Beasts - Page 10 (looted in The Pillars of Flame)
The Desert Beasts - Page 12 (looted in The Pillars of Flame)
The Desert Beasts - Page 13 (plundered from a cactus at 499, -114, -1179 in The Pillars of Flame)
The Desert Beasts - Page 15 (plundered from a pillow at 27, -93, -831 in The Pillars of Flame)
The Desert Beasts - Page 22 (looted in The Pillars of Flame)
The Desert Beasts - Page 23 (looted in The Pillars of Flame)
Discovered on 5 Feb 2006 at 2:18:20 PST.
by Richton Straight
A hunter's story about his first trip to the new lands.
As I stood upon the prow, straining my eyes to spot our eventual destination, I got the same warm, sated feeling in my stomach that I always got before a hunt.
This one would be different, though. This was not one of the planned hunts of my past. I had no documents on the hunting or feeding patterns of my prey. I did not have the knowledge from past hunters on scents or colors to avoid. In fact,
I did not even know what I would be hunting. And that, I believe, was the most exciting aspect of it all.
We were to drop ourselves in an unknown land -- unknown to ourselves, leastaways -- and, for a period of three weeks, track and slay the biggest prey we could find.
The thrill of big game hunting compounded with the fear of unknown prey. We all felt it, the air of the ship spoke volumes.
The crew, of course, didn't match our sentiment, but Tocks, Ardal and myself all shared that unspoken feeling that none, save the greatest poets, can ever describe.
The sea itself seemed to hold its breath as our ship approached, exhaling in a long, slow sea breeze once we finally reached shore.
Tocks and Ardal had been with me for nearly seven years. Ardal's sharp sight and acute hearing were unmatched. Tocks, by some stroke of fate, was the luckiest gnome I had ever laid my eyes on, often blundering his way to fortune.
Me? Well, someone had to do the easy part and actually slay the beast.
On the advice of the locals we purchased a few camels and a large supple of water, then set off into the desert. As soon as we left the friendly, salt-scented air nearer the ocean, Ardal spoke in that elven dialect of his.
"Hmm?" I asked.
"I said," he repeated in a tongue I could understand,"that this is not a friendly land."
"Nonsense," Tocks threw in, "your perspective is just all skewed. The ground is soft...that's friendly!"
I chuckled at Tocks' outlook as I often do.
My laughter trailed off and nothing took its place; it was clear that we all felt uneasy about this land.
Days passed and we came across many beasts. None, however, had the "feel" of true game. We were anxious and did not want to commit to anything in a land so foreign.
We discussed many beasts as prey and passed over dozens without coming to any conclusions. By luck, our future prey happened to find us.
One morning Ardal found tracks around our camp. We were being followed, hunted perhaps.
The tracks Ardal found were of a shape similar to the lizardmen in Feerrott. They were deep and even from heel to toe, suggesting a slow, crouched walk.
However, they lacked the distinctive tail marks that a lizardman from the Feerrott would leave if walking in such a position. Tocks laughed.
"Ghosts of lizardmen we've killed in the past! Want their missing tails we stole, no doubt!"
Neither Ardal not myself shared Tocks' jest. We glanced at each other, concerned.
These tracks were deliberate. Tracks this deep from a beast could be accepted. But we knew the lizardmen of Feerrott were no mere beasts, and it stood to reason -- enough to worry us, that is -- that neither were what we now thought to be their desert cousins.
"So..." Ardal said, glancing at me and awaiting our next move.
"We follow them!" said Tocks, not oblivious to the conclusion Ardal and I had made. I nodded, agreeing with Tocks.
"As I thought," said Ardal.
"What better prey than a hunter?" I questioned under my breath.
Tocks began packing his things immediately. Ardal took me aside and said, "They know we are hunters, this is their bait for us."
"Right." I answered. "They will have a trap set."
"Who will?"
"The lizardmen."
"But which lizardmen?" Ardal paused at my words.
"The big-game lizardmen..." he sighed. I gave him a large smile.
"All right, then," said Tocks, "from now on we can assume we're being watched. I think it's important that we don't let them know what to expect from us. We need to keep them on their toes, or tails...or not tails, as it were."
With that, Tocks picked up one of our water skins and poured it into the sand. Both Ardal and I started to speak, but stopped. We were familiar with Tocks and knew the water was already gone.
We set off. Ardal and I scanned our surroundings for possible ambush. Tocks sang a song about a meatball.
Our hunters, I wagered, watched us the entire time.
Though it was unlikely our hunters spoke common, we conversed in Antonican for an extra measure of comfort.
"They will set a trap for us, quite possibly two traps. One obvious, one less obvious, but both will be traps."
"Five or six traps." Tocks added.
"And when we are snared?" asked Ardal.
"Then we spring our traps." I said, referring to our skills as fighters and hunters. "Tocks," I continued, "You follow at a distance of one half hour. Ardal, move parallel to the west. They already know our numbers, but if we spread out we may foil their plans."
I communicated with Ardal in hand signals. With Tocks I left messages in my tracks. At the end of day, I saw the first trap.
On the horizon were a couple of lizardmen, tailless as the tracks suggested. I glanced at Ardal. Wordlessly he glances at their second trap, dust upon the hill above us suggesting recent movement. They would flank from the west.
I left a message for Tocks. We rested for fifteen minutes, then moved toward their first trap.
As Ardal and I moved closer to each other and our target, I sensed a disturbance to the east.
The desert dropped off and a short cliff gave way to an oasis. A soft breeze passed my nostrils, and I caught a scent. It was tough to pick out from the air of the oasis, but something was there.
Perhaps in reaction to our march's halt, the lizardmen felt now was the time to strike. At the edge of the cliff a scaled claw appeared, pulling its owner up and over the edge.
I spun quickly to Ardal, an arrow -- his -- flew past my head. I heard the unsatisfying sound of the arrow striking sand.
Ardal turned to the west and -- as expected -- two lizardmen now approached from the hill. Ardal dropped his bow and produced his twin blades.
From the south a few arrows sailed through the air, too far to act as anything but a distraction, though the lizardmen advanced and fired simultaneously.
I turned to face the lizardmen who had crawled up the side of the cliff, though now there were two.
They dashed toward me with amazing speed. I drew my blade and let a small, poisoned dart fly. The dart hit its mark, and the poison worked quickly. Though not dead, the lizardman fell to his knees before collapsing totally.
I had watched too long, however, and my attacker was upon me.
My attacker's sword was far longer than mine, and it was all I could do to keep from being gutted.
Our combat gave me no opening to strike. He advanced, and I danced about him; we spun, and I was able to position our dance so that I faced toward Ardal.
He had dispatched his two attackers, but had caught an arrow in his leg.
Despite that, Ardal drew back his bow, facing my direction. I stopped shifting and allowed the beast a straight attack at me.
Drawing his blade to my side, I let his body collide with mine. For an instant he wrestled with me, then he fell with an arrow protruding from the base of his neck.
I looked for the two attackers from the south.
I saw instead two dead lizardmen. "You never told me you were such a good shot!" I yelled to Ardal.
"I never needed to be," was his response. To the north we heard a high pitched laughing. Tocks came running up, something dangled from his hand.
I called out to him, "Three traps, Tocks...Three!"
"Four!" he called back, holding up the object in his hand, a necklace from one he apparently felled.
We pulled the bodies together. Tocks kicked one and it rolled over, facing him with a sinister grin.
"Ugh," he jumped back, "these aren't game, Rich."
"It was a fight, wasn't it?" I countered. Ardal nursed his wounds, and I, my scratches. Tocks, as always, was unharmed.
"Yes, it was a fight, not a hunt," came Ardal's response. "This is not a friendly land."
The night was slow. We feared retaliation, but none came.
Tocks passed his necklace from hand to hand, eyeing it with suspicion. Eventually he threw it to the oasis. "It was creepy," was all he could say.
"We'll find better game, lads." I tried to comfort them.
It had been an awkward and surprisingly violent day. I dropped my hat over my eyes and drifted off to sleep. We'd find better game.
Books
The Diary of Tserrina Syl'Tor This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
Finally my training has come into fruition. King Thex has bestowed upon me the coveted title "Enchantress of Neriak". With the knowledge I have gained, there is a ritual I am seeking to perform. However, acquiring the components for this ritual will not come easy, or if at all. Still I will pursue this until I have either secured the components or have died trying. Of other interests, I noted an intriguing man strolling through the quarter this evening. There was something different about him. Perhaps I can inquire around to find out more.
I returned from my trek into the wilderness. I have found the creature I sought and with little effort obtained his essence. I am looking forward to the outcome of the ritual. A few more preparations and my immortality will be secured.
All the preparations and research were fruitless. I neither see nor feel a change in either my being or inner self. How could this be, I had the best training in Norrath! There is no doubt that this ritual should have worked.
I saw the mysterious man again today and took it upon myself to make proper introductions. He introduced himself as nobility and told me that his family bloodline is deeply intertwined with these ancient lands. As we conversed I noticed something there. I have concluded this something is what drew me to him. Our meeting was not by chance.
Rarely do I see my dark prince as he seems to only attend a select few social gathering. However, he is in the forefront of my mind. Not a day passes without wondering where he is or what he is doing at this precise moment I fear if he does not give me a sign of interest soon my heart shall wither away into nothing. Worried, I decided to send a messenger forth with a missive and a simple gift. The gift, I hoped, would make him take note of what an intelligent and capable sorceress I am; one truly worthy of his love and attention.
<A few pages appear to be ripped from the diary.>
What a fool I have been! How could I have been so blind? My motives controlled solely by my wanton emotions. I am nothing to him. He would rather keep the company of those beasts than with me. Someday he shall feel the pain and humiliation that I have personally felt at his hand.
It has been some time since I have put my thoughts onto parchment. I have been going about this all the wrong way. One can catch more flies with honey. So I bat my eyelashes and pursue his dark company. He must find that I have forgiven him for such a betrayal. Lately, in the evenings, he has begun to come calling for me. At night we sit in front of the fireplace in the parlor and discuss the goings on of Neriak. I'm not sure which is more amusing, the stories told or that my plan is going perfectly.
My dark prince tells of a spectacular tower he has commissioned in my honor. I am told by him the tower contains many rare treasures, some even from his own personal collection. If I am so inclined, we would live in the tower together, with my most trusted handmaiden Cara. Before the next moon, we will reside in our wintery tower.
My dark prince and I spent our evening dining together. To celebrate our impending nuptials he poured a special wine from his personal collection. I had to excuse myself early as I was not feeling well at all. The room spun and my vision was not entirely there. My physical appearance is changing, although I cannot bear to go into detail. My dark prince has informed me, after checking in on me, that he has to be away on business for a while. I anxiously await his return.
It has been several moons after my prince was supposed to have returned to me and he still sends no word. Here I have stood at the altar waiting his return. And it has become obvious his intentions have changed. I have attempted to leave the icy tower in search of him, however that is impossible. I am now stuck in the prison I have made for myself. I have, in my outrage, confined all the servants to the tower. If I am unable to venture into the outside world, so shall all the occupants of this tower be thus confined!
Books
The Efreeti's Scimitar This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"The Efreeti's Scimitar," by Serina Melosine, bard of Qeynos. This is a tale of an efreeti who understood that myth and legend could confuse his enemy.
Not much is known about the efreeti. They are a subject of many myths and legends, yet it is difficult to know what is true and what is false.
The chase had gone on for many days and the efreeti's wounds had weakened him. He was cornered like a trapped animal now, the city's walls forming a wide "V" behind him and his attacker closed in before him.
"Think, Khashig, think," he said to himself and when the answer filled Khashig's mind, he relaxed completely and smiled.
"You meet your death with a smile; good," said Valmeer, the one who hunted him. "I have pursued you for many days. Know that I will honor your memory by telling everyone how you died: like a coward. But at least, a happy coward."
"You see my smile and think I die happy at your hand?" scoffed Khashig. "My smile is my own. I know what you will lose. It is of no consequence now, though."
Khashig shrugged elaborately, grazing his shoulder against the coarse stone walls behind him.
Valmeer's eyes narrowed as he continued his advance. "What are you talking about? Do not seek to delay the inevitable with your chatter," Valmeer said.
And yet, he paused, his sword still pointed at Khashig's chest.
Inwardly, Khashig knew he had won the moment and pressed his advantage. He closed his eyes, saying quietly, "I delay nothing. Go ahead."
"Speak, gnoll!" Valmeer ordered through gritted teeth, pressing the tip of his weapon against his adversary's chest.
"But I am not a gnoll," relied Khashig softly. "You know what I am and what I can offer you. Still, I blame you not. It is you who delay now, enemy of mine."
Valmeer's eyes darted over his enemy, who stood almost serenely with his back against the walls. He assessed the efreeti's visible possessions and then realized what was missing. He cried angrily, "Where is it? Where is your scimitar?"
Khashig laughed, his eyes still closed.
Spreading apart his hands to show their emptiness, he replied, "You will not find it on my corpse, enemy. And if you slay me now, you will not find it ever. A pity. The scimitar is quite valuable. It can do many things, besides the obvious."
The efreeti continued, pushing aside the tip of Valmeer's blade scornfully as he did so, "Many seek the scimitar of an efreeti.
"It is said that it burns that which it touches, melting the hardiest armor like a candle.
"It is said that the owner of an efreeti's scimitar can travel great distances by merely whispering to the weapon. Alas, you shall never find one."
"Where have you hidden your blade, gnoll!" Valmeer shouted. He leaned forward and grabbed the efreeti's arm.
Khashig flinched slightly, for his enemy's grasp was stronger than he anticipated.
Valmeer hissed urgently, "I will spare your miserable life if you simply give the blade to me."
Khashig nodded, opening his eyes to meet Valmeer's gaze at last. He whistled sharply and his enemy's grip loosened.
Valmeer stared at the scimitar blade penetrating his armor, slicing through his chest.
"Here it is," Khashig said, "It is said that an efreeti's scimitar is deadly. Farewell, enemy."
How did Khashig summon his scimitar with a mere whistle?
Who can say? Like his scimitar, an efreeti is an elusive creature that perhaps can only be understood through closer assessment.
Books
The Efreeti's Scimitar This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
Not much is known about the efreeti. They are a subject of many myths and legends, yet it is difficult to know what is true and what is false. Entry One Put book away.
"The Efreeti's Scimitar," by Serina Melosine, bard of Qeynos. This is a tale of an efreeti who understood that myth and legend could confuse his enemy. Read book Put book away.
The chase had gone on for many days and the efreeti's wounds had weakened him. He was cornered like a trapped animal now, the city's walls forming a wide "V" behind him and his attacker closed in before him. "Think, Khashig, think," he said to himself and when the answer filled Khashig's mind, he relaxed completely and smiled. Entry Two Put book away.
"You meet your death with a smile; good," said Valmeer, the one who hunted him. "I have pursued you for many days. Know that I will honor your memory by telling everyone how you died: like a coward. But at least, a happy coward." "You see my smile and think I die happy at your hand?" scoffed Khashig. "My smile is my own. I know what you will lose. It is of no consequence now, though." Khashig shrugged elaborately, grazing his shoulder against the coarse stone walls behind him. Entry Three Put book away.
Valmeer's eyes narrowed as he continued his advance. "What are you talking about? Do not seek to delay the inevitable with your chatter," Valmeer said. And yet, he paused, his sword still pointed at Khashig's chest. Inwardly, Khashig knew he had won the moment and pressed his advantage. He closed his eyes, saying quietly, "I delay nothing. Go ahead." Entry Four Put book away.
"Speak, gnoll!" Valmeer ordered through gritted teeth, pressing the tip of his weapon against his adversary's chest. "But I am not a gnoll," relied Khashig softly. "You know what I am and what I can offer you. Still, I blame you not. It is you who delay now, enemy of mine." Entry Five Put book away.
Valmeer's eyes darted over his enemy, who stood almost serenely with his back against the walls. He assessed the efreeti's visible possessions and then realized what was missing. He cried angrily, "Where is it? Where is your scimitar?" Entry Six Put book away.
Khashig laughed, his eyes still closed. Spreading apart his hands to show their emptiness, he replied, "You will not find it on my corpse, enemy. And if you slay me now, you will not find it ever. A pity. The scimitar is quite valuable. It can do many things, besides the obvious." Entry Seven Put book away.
The efreeti continued, pushing aside the tip of Valmeer's blade scornfully as he did so, "Many seek the scimitar of an efreeti. "It is said that it burns that which it touches, melting the hardiest armor like a candle. "It is said that the owner of an efreeti's scimitar can travel great distances by merely whispering to the weapon. Alas, you shall never find one." Entry Eight Put book away.
"Where have you hidden your blade, gnoll!" Valmeer shouted. He leaned forward and grabbed the efreeti's arm. Khashig flinched slightly, for his enemy's grasp was stronger than he anticipated. Valmeer hissed urgently, "I will spare your miserable life if you simply give the blade to me." Entry Nine Put book away.
Khashig nodded, opening his eyes to meet Valmeer's gaze at last. He whistled sharply and his enemy's grip loosened. Valmeer stared at the scimitar blade penetrating his armor, slicing through his chest. "Here it is," Khashig said, "It is said that an efreeti's scimitar is deadly. Farewell, enemy." Entry Ten Put book away.
How did Khashig summon his scimitar with a mere whistle? Who can say? Like his scimitar, an efreeti is an elusive creature that perhaps can only be understood through closer assessment. Close Book.
Books
The Efreeti's Scimitar This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"The Efreeti's Scimitar," by Serina Melosine, bard of Qeynos. This is a tale of an efreeti who understood that myth and legend could confuse his enemy.
Not much is known about the efreeti. They are a subject of many myths and legends, yet it is difficult to know what is true and what is false.
The chase had gone on for many days and the efreeti's wounds had weakened him. He was cornered like a trapped animal now, the city's walls forming a wide "V" behind him and his attacker closed in before him.
"Think, Khashig, think," he said to himself and when the answer filled Khashig's mind, he relaxed completely and smiled.
"You meet your death with a smile; good," said Valmeer, the one who hunted him. "I have pursued you for many days. Know that I will honor your memory by telling everyone how you died: like a coward. But at least, a happy coward."
"You see my smile and think I die happy at your hand?" scoffed Khashig. "My smile is my own. I know what you will lose. It is of no consequence now, though."
Khashig shrugged elaborately, grazing his shoulder against the coarse stone walls behind him.
Valmeer's eyes narrowed as he continued his advance. "What are you talking about? Do not seek to delay the inevitable with your chatter," Valmeer said.
And yet, he paused, his sword still pointed at Khashig's chest.
Inwardly, Khashig knew he had won the moment and pressed his advantage. He closed his eyes, saying quietly, "I delay nothing. Go ahead."
"Speak, gnoll!" Valmeer ordered through gritted teeth, pressing the tip of his weapon against his adversary's chest.
"But I am not a gnoll," relied Khashig softly. "You know what I am and what I can offer you. Still, I blame you not. It is you who delay now, enemy of mine."
Valmeer's eyes darted over his enemy, who stood almost serenely with his back against the walls. He assessed the efreeti's visible possessions and then realized what was missing. He cried angrily, "Where is it? Where is your scimitar?"
Khashig laughed, his eyes still closed.
Spreading apart his hands to show their emptiness, he replied, "You will not find it on my corpse, enemy. And if you slay me now, you will not find it ever. A pity. The scimitar is quite valuable. It can do many things, besides the obvious."
The efreeti continued, pushing aside the tip of Valmeer's blade scornfully as he did so, "Many seek the scimitar of an efreeti.
"It is said that it burns that which it touches, melting the hardiest armor like a candle.
"It is said that the owner of an efreeti's scimitar can travel great distances by merely whispering to the weapon. Alas, you shall never find one."
"Where have you hidden your blade, gnoll!" Valmeer shouted. He leaned forward and grabbed the efreeti's arm.
Khashig flinched slightly, for his enemy's grasp was stronger than he anticipated.
Valmeer hissed urgently, "I will spare your miserable life if you simply give the blade to me."
Khashig nodded, opening his eyes to meet Valmeer's gaze at last. He whistled sharply and his enemy's grip loosened.
Valmeer stared at the scimitar blade penetrating his armor, slicing through his chest.
"Here it is," Khashig said, "It is said that an efreeti's scimitar is deadly. Farewell, enemy."
How did Khashig summon his scimitar with a mere whistle?
Who can say? Like his scimitar, an efreeti is an elusive creature that perhaps can only be understood through closer assessment.
Books
The Estate of Rest This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
An autobiographical account written by a disciple of Quellious.
The Estate of Rest - Page 1 (shinies in The Estate of Unrest)
The Estate of Rest - Page 2 (shinies in The Estate of Unrest)
The Estate of Rest - Page 3 (shinies in The Estate of Unrest)
The Estate of Rest - Page 4 (shinies in The Estate of Unrest)
The Estate of Rest - Page 5 (shinies in The Estate of Unrest)
The Estate of Rest - Page 6 (shinies in The Estate of Unrest)
The Estate of Rest - Page 7 (shinies in The Estate of Unrest)
The Estate of Rest - Page 8 (shinies in The Estate of Unrest)
The Estate of Rest - Page 9 (shinies in The Estate of Unrest)
The Estate of Rest - Page 10 (shinies in The Estate of Unrest)
The Estate of Rest - Page 11 (shinies in The Estate of Unrest)
The Estate of Rest - Page 12 (shinies in The Estate of Unrest)
The Estate of Rest - Page 13 (shinies in The Estate of Unrest)
Discovered on 3 Mar 2007 at 0:45:05 PST.
The Estate of Rest
By Nicadius Quellborn
I, Nicadius Quellborn, praise the Tranquil One, the Goddess of Peace, Quellious, daily for the bounteous blessings she has blessed me with. The greatest of her gifts is the health and beauty found in my only child, my daughter Jessa. She is every bit lovely and kind as her wonderful mother. May my wife's soul always find peace and rest in light of Quellious. I will one day also depart this life and be reunited again with you my love.
I sit now to write this account in the comfort of my home, the Estate of Rest. This marvelous house has become a sanctuary and place of relief and respite to the peaceful people of Faydwer. The creations of this estate is a special story to me and one that is my intention to record on the pages before me.
The history of this beautiful structure began five years ago. Our home at that time was nothing more than a meager hovel that Jessa and I lived in for all thirteen years of her young life. It was the same place I built when Jessa and I first came to this land, seeking to bring the word of Tranquility to the people of Faydwer and the knowledge of the goddess Quellious.
It was Jessa's chore at the start of the day to draw water from the well and bring it inside for washing and cooking. One day my daughter awakened early and began her chores. When she went outside to draw water she found a wounded and unconscious dwarf lad next to the well. She was able to rouse the young dwarf with handfuls of water splashed upon his face and helped him inside our cottage.
Jessa quickly awakened me and urged me to attend to the dwarf lad. I suggested that the best way for her to help was to prepare something for him to sip to help regain his strength. She quickly took to the task and allowed me to finish with the wounds.
Jessa took great care spooning the broth she made into the dwarf's mouth. He was able to tell us that his name was Kyll Rucksif from the dwarven city of Kaladim to the North. Kyll said he had gone hunting with his younger brother several days ago and lost his way, He said that while he slept that night he was attacked by a crazed and misshapen bear. Kyll saw the light from our hovel and ran toward it, eventually collapsing near the well where Jessa found him in the morning.
After feeding and tending to the dwarf we let him rest upon my bed. It was only three days time before Kyll was arising from his bed before either myself or Jessa awoke for the day. He would draw the water and start the cook fires eager to assist those that helped him. I knew then that the boy was more than healed enough for the journey home. I anxiously realized ten that the time had come for me to finally meet the people of Kaladim, if only to return the boy to his family.
Young Jessa was amazed by the sight of the Statue of Stormhammer, the mighty carving of rock that graces the entrance to the Halls of Kaladim. We were welcomed with open arms as we escorted the young Rucksif home to his worried father. Kyll's father is a greatly respected and prominent dwarven mason by the name of Viktur Rucksif. Viktur was so grateful for the care my daughter and I showed his son. After showering us with a veritable feast of meats and cheeses, Viktur offered his home for as long as we wanted to rest.
Being polite, Jessa complimented Viktur on such a beautiful home and how it was so different from our own hovel. The elder dwarf inquired more of our living conditions and I humbly told him of the place I built with my own hands near my beloved wife's grave. Upon hearing this Viktur insisted that to properly thank us he would offer to build us a proper home. As much as I declined the offer Viktur persisted until I finally gave in and agreed to let him build us a small house.
Viktur asked us to stay as his guests for a couple of days while he finished his commissions in Kaladim and then escorted us back to our humble abode to the South. He set out right away creating plans and recruiting apprentice masons for the work. What started out as a humble and quiet home in my mind became a magnificent manor of exquisite workmanship. Viktur had created a marvelous estate that represents gratitude and friendship.
Whenever I mentioned that the estate is too much Viktur quickly rebuttals with a grin that I speak nonsense and this is the standard size for a house built in gratitude for caring for one's child. Viktur and I have become the closest of friends, even though he has jovially resisted all of my friendly attempts at converting him from his unwavering devotion of Brell. The same was true for all dwarves of Kaladim, except for Kyll. He has been forever grateful to Jessa and me and has grown up with Jessa. He alone has spent equal time in the chapels of both Quellious and Brell.
Books
The Eye of the Night This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
In the long ago, they worshipped the Eyes. Two Eyes were placed into the sky so that the cyclops' would not have but one eye.
Instead, they could use the Eye of the Night and the Eye of the Day. The Eye of the Day, however, was cruel and would sometimes take the power of anyone who stared at it disrespectfully or for too long.
Therefore, the Eye of the Night was held in higher esteem.
There were the Seafuries and they lived on the lands of the Ocean of Tears, worshipping the Eye of the Day. Beneath its gaze, they harvested the bounty of the seas and fought off predators that landed on their shores.
Some lived in the secret places of Ro, where they hid from the Eye of the Day, calling themselves the Sandfury. They worshipped the Eye of Night, who benevolently provided them with water, food and shelter.The Eye of the Day knew that they did not worship it and became harsh and bitter. It set out to destroy its rival.
The visionaries were concerned, for there were strange portents in the bones. By throwing fish bones onto the sand at high tide, the Seafuries would read the future.
The bones lay twisted and unreadable. Perplexed, they made offerings to the Eye of the Day, but the meanings shown by the bones were still clouded.
The Eye of the Day shrouded itself and hid from them.
In the desert lands, the Sandfuries did not use bones for divination. Bones were strewn about, remains of those who failed to fear the Eye of the Day; they meant nothing more than the swirling sands.
Instead, they looked to the Eye of the Night and chanted as they stared upward. One eye meeting the Eye and looking for answers to questions they did not have words to ask it.
"The Eye is in pain," said one Seafury visionary in concern. "We must prepare to send it more offerings. The little ones with sticks and stones will do."
And so the Seafuries prepared to take offerings rather than wait for the offerings to come to them on their vessels of wood and cloth and iron.
They kept the offerings penned on the beach beneath the shrouded skies.
The jealous eye of the Day sent long tendrils towards the Eye of the Night, hidden from the view of its worshippers.
It coiled the golden wisps around the Eye of the Night and began to squeeze, until the Eye of the Night, always the gentler of the two, cried and divided into two parts.
Then, the Eye of the Day released it from its grasp and coiled its tendrils around itself again, satisfied.
Far below, the Seafuries did not see a change. The portents were still confused and chaotic.
Even after the sacrifices were made, they were unsure how to appease the Eye of the Day. Danger, falling, pain.
Perhaps they had not sacrificed correctly. Perhaps the Eye of the Day hungered for the bodies of the disbelievers.
And so ships were prepared to transport the Seafuries from their island home. They would take and sacrifice those who worshipped the Eye of the Night.
Once only those who worshipped the Eye of the Day were left, then it would be appeased. The fish bones would be able to tell the future with accuracy and the Seafuries could return to their way of life.
Though the Sandfuries did not know their danger, they sensed a change in the Eye of the Night and watched it fearfully in the darkness.
Some sickness gnawed at it both from within and without. The Sandfuries did not make offering to the Eye. Instead, they told stories about her (for to them, she was as mother, goddess and lifemate) and chanted softly so that she would know they still believed.
In the day, the first stones fell. Though they could not see the Eye of the Night, the visionaries realized their mistake. Though they lived near the sea, they were not as skilled in managing ships as others.
They dodged what they could, but the rain of stones continued, sometimes burning only a hole through a ship, while at other times tearing it asunder.
The Eye of Day ignored their cries.
In the desert, the Sandfuries watched chunks of the Eye shining through the night skies.
"Oh, mother and maiden! We are your true children!" they cried, begging for her forgiveness. To show that she would always be their Eye, she caused a stone of magical power and beauty to land amongst the Sandfuries, leaving them unharmed.
And that is how the Seer Stone came to Ro.
Books
The Eye of the Night This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
In the long ago, they worshipped the Eyes. Two Eyes were placed into the sky so that the cyclops' would not have but one eye.
Instead, they could use the Eye of the Night and the Eye of the Day. The Eye of the Day, however, was cruel and would sometimes take the power of anyone who stared at it disrespectfully or for too long.
Therefore, the Eye of the Night was held in higher esteem.
There were the Seafuries and they lived on the lands of the Ocean of Tears, worshipping the Eye of the Day. Beneath its gaze, they harvested the bounty of the seas and fought off predators that landed on their shores.
Some lived in the secret places of Ro, where they hid from the Eye of the Day, calling themselves the Sandfury. They worshipped the Eye of Night, who benevolently provided them with water, food and shelter.The Eye of the Day knew that they did not worship it and became harsh and bitter. It set out to destroy its rival.
The visionaries were concerned, for there were strange portents in the bones. By throwing fish bones onto the sand at high tide, the Seafuries would read the future.
The bones lay twisted and unreadable. Perplexed, they made offerings to the Eye of the Day, but the meanings shown by the bones were still clouded.
The Eye of the Day shrouded itself and hid from them.
In the desert lands, the Sandfuries did not use bones for divination. Bones were strewn about, remains of those who failed to fear the Eye of the Day; they meant nothing more than the swirling sands.
Instead, they looked to the Eye of the Night and chanted as they stared upward. One eye meeting the Eye and looking for answers to questions they did not have words to ask it.
"The Eye is in pain," said one Seafury visionary in concern. "We must prepare to send it more offerings. The little ones with sticks and stones will do."
And so the Seafuries prepared to take offerings rather than wait for the offerings to come to them on their vessels of wood and cloth and iron.
They kept the offerings penned on the beach beneath the shrouded skies.
The jealous eye of the Day sent long tendrils towards the Eye of the Night, hidden from the view of its worshippers.
It coiled the golden wisps around the Eye of the Night and began to squeeze, until the Eye of the Night, always the gentler of the two, cried and divided into two parts.
Then, the Eye of the Day released it from its grasp and coiled its tendrils around itself again, satisfied.
Far below, the Seafuries did not see a change. The portents were still confused and chaotic.
Even after the sacrifices were made, they were unsure how to appease the Eye of the Day. Danger, falling, pain.
Perhaps they had not sacrificed correctly. Perhaps the Eye of the Day hungered for the bodies of the disbelievers.
And so ships were prepared to transport the Seafuries from their island home. They would take and sacrifice those who worshipped the Eye of the Night.
Once only those who worshipped the Eye of the Day were left, then it would be appeased. The fish bones would be able to tell the future with accuracy and the Seafuries could return to their way of life.
Though the Sandfuries did not know their danger, they sensed a change in the Eye of the Night and watched it fearfully in the darkness.
Some sickness gnawed at it both from within and without. The Sandfuries did not make offering to the Eye. Instead, they told stories about her (for to them, she was as mother, goddess and lifemate) and chanted softly so that she would know they still believed.
In the day, the first stones fell. Though they could not see the Eye of the Night, the visionaries realized their mistake. Though they lived near the sea, they were not as skilled in managing ships as others.
They dodged what they could, but the rain of stones continued, sometimes burning only a hole through a ship, while at other times tearing it asunder.
The Eye of Day ignored their cries.
In the desert, the Sandfuries watched chunks of the Eye shining through the night skies.
"Oh, mother and maiden! We are your true children!" they cried, begging for her forgiveness. To show that she would always be their Eye, she caused a stone of magical power and beauty to land amongst the Sandfuries, leaving them unharmed.
And that is how the Seer Stone came to Ro.
Books
The Final Days of the Leaky Drake This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This book appears to have been hastily bound into leaflets for wide spread distribution.
The Final Days of the Leaky Drake Excerpts from the log of Captain E.M. James By Scribe Peetry of Qeynos
Foreword This was salvaged from among the wreckage of the Leaky Drake. All attempts to confirm what the log records with the sole survivor, Samwell Brighton, have failed. He mumbles incoherently and screams whenever we try to talk to him about it. Poor soul. We've left him now to the comforts of alcohol, which is all that seems to reach him in his current state.
Winds have been favorable. With any luck, we should reach Faydark within a week's time. I'm impressed with the level of efficiency and good behavior in this crew. Profits should be bountiful, and I don't mind sharing it with this hard working lot. It is this man's opinion that this should be as easy a voyage as I've ever made in my thirty years at sea.
The winds changed on us today. We'd grown so used to the sea's favor that when it was gone, we barely noticed. It was only by the words of our young cabin boy Nathaniel that any of us noticed. He among us was alert enough to point out the new resistance on our sails.
It's been two days since we were on course. Strange winds and shifts in the current drive us beyond all familiar landmarks. I have no idea what is happening. We must have made some critical error... We were too cocky and made some ill adjustments. Even the currents are against us now, driving us toward the unknown.
All I've been able to do is come to accept that we are entering new territories. I had Urin, a cartographer of some skill, begin tracking our course as best as he could. I believe we're entering waters not seen since the Cataclysm. The thought of such a discovery almost makes up for the disappointment over the potential loss of such great profit as we were looking at. We can only wait and see.
How this has turned around on us. At mid-day, crow-man Barnes spotted another ship. As we grew closer, we realized it was no ship of Qeynos, or even Freeport, or any other known territory. It is crude and the figures on it bestial and rough. We turned ourselves about and began to flee as best we could. Fortunately, our enemy seems to know these waters no better than we do. They follow us but are gaining no distance.
They are nearly upon us. We floundered in calm sea for far too long, while they managed to bring out oars. We have only a marginal lead at this point. I have been driving the men and women of this ship hard, but I don't know how much longer we can go. I must of course blame myself and my own near-sighted pursuit of money and glory. My first duty is to this ship and her crew, and I failed in that.
I write now as a battle wages above me. My sailors fight against the beasts from the distant ship. It overtook us by night, and the darkness didn't deter their slipping skillfully up lines onto our decks. The clever las Nathanial went first, torn nearly in half by one of the beasts. It should be my duty to fight, but I feel it is my even greater duty to record. For these monsters may surely find their way to Qeynos. Let it be known that --
Afterword Only blood stains the pages after that. One can assume that at that point the attackers overtook our poor Captain James and his luckless crew. What happened upon those decks while Captain James wrote? Who or what attacked and destroyed the Leaky Drake? Are they coming for Qeynos? We can do nothing but wait and learn. What is clear is that all citizens of Qeynos should be alert and prepared for whatever may come. -Scribe Peetry
Books
The First Vision This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
The First Vision, page 1 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
The First Vision, page 2 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
The First Vision, page 3 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
The First Vision, page 4 (shinies in The Forsaken City)
The First Vision, page 5 (shinies or looted in The Forsaken City)
Discovered on 21 Jul 2006 at 11:19:56 PDT.
Hidden in the bowels of Night Keep in the early days of Grobb lay a tunnel leading to a small cave. No torches donned the walls of this place and a small wooden altar was the only object within.
Those initiated into the order of shadowknights in Night Keep knew this place as The Eyes of Cazic.
It was here that the Warlord Grimgash, after he and the Warlord Jurglash completed their clan's victory over the residents of Innothule swamp came to give thanks to Cazic Thule for their dominance. After three days of disciplined meditation in this chamber with neither food nor drink Grimgash received a vision from the Lord of Fear. Through his mind he foresaw a great order of disciplined troll warriors mixing their natural fighting skills with the dark powers of Cazic Thule, spreading terror throughout the swamps of Innothule and beyond. Grimgash ordered a keep built around the cave.
Thus began the order now called the Shadowknights of Night Keep. The newly initiated troll shadowknights under Warlord Grimgash were sent into this cavern to receive a vision from Cazic Thule thus setting the path of their destiny. Through the guidance of the visions granted by The Eyes of Cazic Thule, the shadowknights of Night Keep led several successful campaigns against the Frogloks of Guk. The eyes revealed to Cazic's faithful trolls the hiding places of the Frogloks and the Froglok advances on Grobb before they came to pass.
As the years passed and the swamps rose beneath Grobb, water and sludge began to swallow The Eyes of Cazic Thule. The shadowknights of Night Keep tried to keep the swamp at bay but eventually the cavern became submerged beneath Grobb, The Eyes of Cazic Thule lost to the new generations of Shadowknights.
Without the influence of The Eyes of Cazic Thule, the Teir'dal of Neriak found it easier to persuade young trolls into the service of Innoruuk, and Night Keep became an army divided between two Gods. It is whispered in the shadows of Night Keep that should one of Cazic's faithful reach The Eyes of Cazic Thule beneath the waters and sludge of the swamp and survive, they shall become the mightiest of all shadowknights and shall lead Grobb in victories unparalleled by the great warlords of days gone by.
Books
The First Wife's Tale This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
Passion runs high in the desert. This is a tale of love and deceit. And passion.
When the djinn arrived, some of them sought wives amongst the local Dervin tribes of the desert. The Dervin women were beautiful, proud and strong.
The djinn brought many of them to live in the Shimmering Citadel. From amongst these, the Djinn Master chose his first bride: Samirah.
Her hair was dark but beneath the light of the sun, it looked blood-red.
Samirah was no different from the other Dervin women, though in time the elevation in her position wrought changes to her personality.
She sharpened her tongue on those who were of a lower rank than herself -- and as the Djinn Master's First Wife, she outranked them all.
Servants jumped to do her bidding. Whatever she wished was procured for her. Her rooms in the Palace were more extravagant even than the Master's.
While some of the Dervin women missed the freedom they had in the desert, Samirah reveled in the beauty of her surroundings.
She feasted her eyes on the bright colors with which the Palace was decorated. After living amongst the drabness of the desert, the Palace took her breath away.
The Master was kind to her. He told her tales of the distant Planes. He wrote poetry for her. And yet, sometimes Samirah felt that she held everything in her hands but his heart.
In her own way, Samirah loved the Master. If anything displeased him, she arranged for it to be removed. Some nights she would prepare lavish feasts for him and waited until it was clear he would not come to her.
He had given her access to everything in the Palace. From the menageries, to the poets, to the gardens, Samirah was free to roam in places denied to the other wives.
In this way, she came upon another woman in one of the secret places of the Master's home. Samirah became enraged.
Who was she, this rival now seated so serenely in the hidden garden, reading a book?
And yet, it would not do to show her true feelings until she learned more about this woman.
"Greetings," Samirah said, striding forward with an engaging smile. "I am Samirah. We have not met before, have we? I do not know you."
The newcomer was frightened and tried to flee, which pleased Samirah's jealous nature.
"Do not be afraid; we can be friends," Samirah said.
She sat beside the reflecting pool and patted the ground beside her -- ground slightly lower than that upon which she herself sat, of course.
The newcomer hesitated then came and sat as well.
She was young and uncertain, mumbling her words such that Samirah did not catch her full name.
"What brings you to the Master's hidden garden?" Samirah finally asked.
"I am to be First Wife," the newcomer responded shyly, "though I am not sure what that will entail."
Samirah froze for a moment, then said smoothly, "Let me tell you."
"He is replacing me with this, a callow female who cannot even speak clearly," Samirah thought angrily.
Aloud, Samirah said, "The Master will seem kind to you...at first. Then he will torture you where no one will hear your cries for mercy. And even if someone did hear, they would not come to save you."
"That cannot be," said the newcomer, recoiling in horror.
"There are many forms of torture," Samirah said softly, and realized as she said so that it was true. Enduring love given without being loved in return was her torture.
Sensing movement at her side, Samirah turned quickly to find herself staring into the eyes of a sphinx.
She reached for her dirk, but the newcomer said quickly, "He means no harm; the Master gave him to me as a pet."
Samirah felt her world closing in, as though she were being shut into sarcophagus. He had never given her a pet.
Samirah could find no refuge in the Palace. The servants answered the newcomer's summons before they came belatedly to her.
The Master moved Samirah to other, even more opulent rooms and installed the newcomer in her place.
"In my place," Samirah said to her mirror bitterly. "I loved him and he cast me aside. For her."
The beauty of her new rooms brought her no joy, for Samirah realized that he did not love her any more than he loved the lowliest creature in the menagerie.
On the day of is wedding to the newcomer, the Master gathered his other wives and said, "I have no need for any of you now."
When Samirah begged him to reconsider, the Master raised a hand and uttered an incantation. "But I love you!" she cried.
"You do not know what that means," said the Master scornfully, banishing them forever.
He changed Samirah and the other wives into the naga, who both love and hate the djinn to this day.
Books
The First Wife's Tale This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
Passion runs high in the desert. This is a tale of love and deceit. And passion.
When the djinn arrived, some of them sought wives amongst the local Dervin tribes of the desert. The Dervin women were beautiful, proud and strong.
The djinn brought many of them to live in the Shimmering Citadel. From amongst these, the Djinn Master chose his first bride: Samirah.
Her hair was dark but beneath the light of the sun, it looked blood-red.
Samirah was no different from the other Dervin women, though in time the elevation in her position wrought changes to her personality.
She sharpened her tongue on those who were of a lower rank than herself -- and as the Djinn Master's First Wife, she outranked them all.
Servants jumped to do her bidding. Whatever she wished was procured for her. Her rooms in the Palace were more extravagant even than the Master's.
While some of the Dervin women missed the freedom they had in the desert, Samirah reveled in the beauty of her surroundings.
She feasted her eyes on the bright colors with which the Palace was decorated. After living amongst the drabness of the desert, the Palace took her breath away.
The Master was kind to her. He told her tales of the distant Planes. He wrote poetry for her. And yet, sometimes Samirah felt that she held everything in her hands but his heart.
In her own way, Samirah loved the Master. If anything displeased him, she arranged for it to be removed. Some nights she would prepare lavish feasts for him and waited until it was clear he would not come to her.
He had given her access to everything in the Palace. From the menageries, to the poets, to the gardens, Samirah was free to roam in places denied to the other wives.
In this way, she came upon another woman in one of the secret places of the Master's home. Samirah became enraged.
Who was she, this rival now seated so serenely in the hidden garden, reading a book?
And yet, it would not do to show her true feelings until she learned more about this woman.
"Greetings," Samirah said, striding forward with an engaging smile. "I am Samirah. We have not met before, have we? I do not know you."
The newcomer was frightened and tried to flee, which pleased Samirah's jealous nature.
"Do not be afraid; we can be friends," Samirah said.
She sat beside the reflecting pool and patted the ground beside her -- ground slightly lower than that upon which she herself sat, of course.
The newcomer hesitated then came and sat as well.
She was young and uncertain, mumbling her words such that Samirah did not catch her full name.
"What brings you to the Master's hidden garden?" Samirah finally asked.
"I am to be First Wife," the newcomer responded shyly, "though I am not sure what that will entail."
Samirah froze for a moment, then said smoothly, "Let me tell you."
"He is replacing me with this, a callow female who cannot even speak clearly," Samirah thought angrily.
Aloud, Samirah said, "The Master will seem kind to you...at first. Then he will torture you where no one will hear your cries for mercy. And even if someone did hear, they would not come to save you."
"That cannot be," said the newcomer, recoiling in horror.
"There are many forms of torture," Samirah said softly, and realized as she said so that it was true. Enduring love given without being loved in return was her torture.
Sensing movement at her side, Samirah turned quickly to find herself staring into the eyes of a sphinx.
She reached for her dirk, but the newcomer said quickly, "He means no harm; the Master gave him to me as a pet."
Samirah felt her world closing in, as though she were being shut into sarcophagus. He had never given her a pet.
Samirah could find no refuge in the Palace. The servants answered the newcomer's summons before they came belatedly to her.
The Master moved Samirah to other, even more opulent rooms and installed the newcomer in her place.
"In my place," Samirah said to her mirror bitterly. "I loved him and he cast me aside. For her."
The beauty of her new rooms brought her no joy, for Samirah realized that he did not love her any more than he loved the lowliest creature in the menagerie.
On the day of is wedding to the newcomer, the Master gathered his other wives and said, "I have no need for any of you now."
When Samirah begged him to reconsider, the Master raised a hand and uttered an incantation. "But I love you!" she cried.
"You do not know what that means," said the Master scornfully, banishing them forever.
He changed Samirah and the other wives into the naga, who both love and hate the djinn to this day.
Books
The Founding of the Whistling Fists Clan This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
In the days when the Combine Empire ruled over much of Norrath, there arose a mighty warrior named Zan Fi. Little is known of his past, for despite all his talents, Zan Fi was extraordinarily humble and spoke few words about his life. We know from his deeds, however, that he was a master of many forms of combat, perhaps more than any who had come before him. It is said that he was equally skilled with swords, bows, maces, halberds, staves, axes, and any other weapon one could name.
Zan Fi also had a natural affinity for magic, with a far greater understanding of its ways than most mortals could hope for. Of special interest to him was the way bards could weave magic into their songs. It is said that Zan Fi's voice alone could cast a spell potent enough to stop an enemy in its tracks.
Yet Zan Fi was not satisfied with mastering the martial techniques of others. He began talking bits and pieces of other styles, assembling them over the years to form his own form of combat. It was a form of grace and elegance, of carefully applied force tempered with wisdom. He would eschew the reliance upon heavy armor, instead training his own body to withstand a degree of punishment that would cause most beings to crumble. He refused to rely upon most weapons, for he believed that anything crafted by mortals could not be relied upon. Instead, he trained his fists to be weapons, practicing until they were more durable and deadly than the strongest steel.
After all his training Zan Fi still felt there was something missing. After much meditation, he realized what would make his combat style complete. He applied bardic songs to his very fists, enchanting them with melodies of swiftness and power. Zan Fi called this his Whistling Fists style, and those who saw it in practice were filled with awe.
Though Zan Fi developed the Whistling Fists style of combat only for his personal use, word of it quickly spread and others began to come to him seeking training. The master was very selective as to whom he would train; would-be students had to prove worthy not only physically, but spiritually and mentally as well. With a select band of devoted followers, Zan Fi founded the Whistling Fists clan, which was first order of fighting monks on Norrath.
Books
The Hammer of Below This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
Although covered with soot and grime, this tome is very ornate and adorned with dwarven elements.
The Hammer of Below, an incomplete manuscript (plundered from a chest at -101, 46, -81 in Kaladim)
The Hammer of Below, Page 1 (shinies in Kaladim)
The Hammer of Below, Page 4 (shinies in Kaladim)
The Hammer of Below, Page 5 (shinies in Kaladim)
The Hammer of Below, Page 7 (shinies in Kaladim)
The Hammer of Below, Page 9 (shinies in Kaladim)
The Hammer of Below, Page 10 (shinies in Kaladim)
The Hammer of Below, Page 11 (shinies in Kaladim)
The Hammer of Below, Page 12 (shinies in Kaladim)
Discovered on 15 Nov 2006 at 7:00:41 PST.
The Hammer of Below
The Hammer of Below begins amidst the conflict of the unworthy. It is a relic whose path led through the abyssal lair of the last child of the Ocean Lord. It is within that hold, a prison of Prexus some would say, that the omega did vie with the intellect. This battle of egos will someday begin the mortal quest of The Stormhammer.
Deep sixed within an oubliette, many adventurers have perished. He is the last of his kind, the last of the Norrathian children of Qisallis. With a physique formed of fish and Dal, the omega guards his keep. Those who enter find themselves eternal residents of this deathly realm. What was once a city of deep learning has become a memorial of a race long forgot. The omega allows no departures from this ancient place. Here by his side the creatures of Qisallis flutter and float and incarcerate those who seek what is not theirs. No one escapes, but the intellect defies this law.
A great power of the abyss meets a legendary intellect. Such a confrontation is made for the ages. It all began with a threat of knowledge, a release of a secret... a taunt of the highest power. The great intellect that hailed from Mount Erudition delved into the ancient ages and uncovered the reason for the omega, the hidden force behind an extinction of the children of the Ocean Lord. Entering into the murky ruins, he entered armed with only this lost truth. It is all he needed.
With a threat and a boast the intellect defies his host. The one from below is enraged and mad that his secret is released, a secret of great sadness. To the one that did taunt, death would have arrived if it were not for the supernatural stalemate. A power that was the unwitting end of a race is also wielded by a highman. The intellect directs a threat of destruction if his demands are not met. The power that could destroy an entire race within the blink of a titan's eye could be unleashed by one who has studied and mastered the many circles of the arcane. The omega must comply and the great intellect wins the day.
The keep of the abyss has been compromised and the great intellect threatens to return. But the omega strikes back in silence and within a vision granted the eyes of the intellect shall be redirected. A vision is given of a great relic of below, a hammer of the gods that once lay in the hands of the first kind of Kaladim. This vision was granted to an unscrupulous stout by the name of Duskan Hammerhand. In the vision, the hammer is secreted beneath the great cauldron, within a barnacle-encrusted tower. Here it is guarded by goblins of the abyss. Here is where Hammerhand shall find it.
Duskan recognized the holy relic of the dwarves. Delusions of grandeur lead him to a foolish attempt to retrieve the hammer. The witless bandit dives into the cauldron and locates the citadel of the abyss. His entry depicts his great skill, but the halls of water are not gracious to guests. The goblins of the abyss are quick to spring to action. Their movements were as fluid as the tides. His dreams of being the lone hero are in vain, his mission into the barnacle citadel, futile. Barely escaping with his life, the stout rises to the surface. He knows he must return to Kaladim and lick his wounds. The glory of rescue shall be a joint venture of rogue and guard.
Crawling along the short, near death and barely coherent, Duskan manages to convince a party of passing trotters to escort him to the kingdom of the dwarves. There, Duskan is brought before King Kazon Stormhammer and explains his vision and his ordeal. The king organizes an expedition to recover the hammer. At the lead of this assault are three dwarven champions; Boric Stormhammer, Kalek Orefinder and Fenric Ogrebane. These three heroes are aided by guard and trotter. Trotters have a tendency to fall into the ventures of the ancient empires. What it is they seek is not glory, but riches and power. Their mettle is soon tested as the mission to retrieve Dagnor's Fist begins.
The march to the cauldron is long and hard. The heroes of the kingdom reached the shores. Battling back the vanguard of the abyss was done at ease. The battle continued into the murky depths of the cauldron. The heroes breached the barnacled-keep and cut down the forces within. The final defender would not be so easy, or alone. The goblin Tide Lord faced the heroes in a battle for the hammer. Although the Tide Lord was powerful, the heroes found an advantage. When victory was near, Phinigel Autropos did appear. With power unmatched, the omega stymies the heroes, driving them back. Then without reason, he vanished. The heroes are victorious, so it would seem. The hammer is won.
The victory march back to Kaladim is interrupted. A Teir'Dal hero and his dragoon raiding party appear and a violent battle ensues. In the skirmish, the heroes are outnumbered and each falls against insurmountable odds. Valkis D'Vinn, leader of the dragoons, carefully seals the captured hammer in an enchanted chest, and orders his group to march to the nearby kingdom of the orcs and ally to Neriak. But Fenric is not dead! His ability to feign death is unrivaled. Through words heard upon the field of defeat, he heard of the destination of the hammer, Crushbone Keep. When the evil army is departed, the injured hero crawls back to Kaladim and with him comes the location of the hammer.
A final operation to reclaim the hammer of Dagnor Butcherblock is undertaken. An army of Stormguard and trotter is organized. No force could keep them from reaching the doors to Crushbone Keep. While Stormguard warriors battle Crushbone centurions a band of heroes enters to find the chest that holds the hammer. The sealed adamant chest of Thex passes into the possession of the heroes. The victorious force returned to Kaladim to deliver the chest to King Kazon. Unfortunately, the chest was impregnable, a stolen device of gnomish invention. The hammer was locked within.
Within the borderlands of the Teir'Dal Empire the key of the chest awaits. Such a place is unfamiliar to a dwarf, but not to trotter. The trotters are hired to retrieve the key. In a long expedition into the Ashlands of Tunaria, the final heroes do find the owner of the key. Captain Na'Var and his dragoons are met. The struggle for the key is long, but the trotters proved their strength. The key is taken and makes its way across the Ocean of Tears to meet the hands of the king of Kaladim. The heroes are honored and the Hammer of Butcherblock has returned to its home.
But this is not the artifact behind these words. In this tale of the hammer of the first kind of Kaladim, the riddle of Stormhammer rests. What once restrained the glorious radiance of the hammer now reveals the riddle. Through a path of a divided key, it will lead a hero. Listen well to whispers of champions and the journey shall begin. The Stormhammer, hammer of below, hammer of the thunder lords, hammer forged in the Underfoot and lost to all. This hammer shall wait beyond turmoil, beyond war and beyond cataclysms. Within Destiny it awaits.
Books
The Haunting This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"The Haunting" -- by Serina Melosine, bard of Qeynos Harbor. Being a tale that crosses time and knows no boundaries. For know that ghosts are merely those that once lived and that they, too, can love.
A story of true love.
She had always been drawn to that house. The whitewash of its crumbling stone walls had worn away with the rain to streak the ground around it with a dull grey film.
No one lived there or had for generations, yet in her mind's eye, Maida could see the walls rebuilt, a basket of flowers -- no, of ivy -- beside the circular window that faced the street.
Her mother chided her, "That is a place of haunting, Maida, and you would do well to stay away."
But Maida could not.
And so when her betrothed demanded she name the palace in which they would live, she said simply, "I would live there."
And he laughed, pushing open the remains of a heavy wooden door that still hung by crumbling leather straps.
"In this? You would be queen of the dead in this forsaken tomb," he said mockingly. "We will live in my summer palace. Make ready, for the wedding is within the year."
Now, Maida's heart grieved, for this tumble-down cottage of her youthful fancy was leagues from the king's summer palace. And so to ease her homesickness for a home that was not her own, she began to work the tapestry which would hang in her new house, once she was married to the king. "You are mad," said her mother angrily, "The king does you great honor and you stitch a hovel to decorate his palace." Maida shook her head and continued to work.
Sometimes she would sit within the cottage's humble walls, ignoring the jumble of broken crockery left through years of neglect.
She imagined the fireplace cleared of the fallen chimney stones, its hearth bathed red and gold by firelight. Upon the hearth would lie a cat -- no, a dog.
As she stitched in her chair before this imaginary fire, another chair would slowly appear in the darkness across from her.
And he read to her.
Maida felt she would always know that voice, though she knew it not in her waking. She could never remember what stories she heard.
She only knew that she felt as though the walls of her world closed in upon her at the thought of never hearing that voice again.
For she knew, even as she worked her tapestry in the still of her room, that once she was married she should never hear it again.
On the week before her wedding, Maida had nearly completed her work.
Her mother berated her: "That is not what that haunted house looks like!"
For Maida had carefully crafted from her dreams the thatching of the cottage roof, a tiny pane of glass centered in the front window and a line of herbs drying along the eaves.
And yet, anyone who saw it knew instantly which of all the ruined houses along the lane this was.
"We marry tomorrow, the omens are better," said the king, striding into her bower and disturbing her at her work.
"Tomorrow? That is impossible!" she cried, tracing the barest of curtseys before her betrothed. "It is a week tomorrow you mean." He laughed and pulled her roughly toward him saying, "Nothing is impossible for someone in love."
Maida felt a great weight lifted from her at his words. Nothing was impossible?
Then she would do what she must, for she was in love. In love with the voice that came from the darkened chair, beside the fireplace in the cottage of her dreams.
"I must finish this tonight," she murmured, "if we are to wed tomorrow."
And the king laughed again and left her to her work.
Through the night, Maida worked, pausing only to close her eyes and see with her heart.
At last as the sun slowly rose in the east, she ran a soft hand across her completed work. Her eyelids drifted slowly shut.
Then she heard him say, "I am glad you are staying, beloved."
He rose from the chair beside the fire and taking her hands into his, led her out the open door into her new world.
And so, when the king's entourage arrived to escort Maida to the altar, they found her not. All that remained in her room was her tapestry of the cozy white cottage. Through its window, one might glimpse the shadowy form of a man and a maid seated before the fire while a dog drowsed on the hearth at their feet.
Books
The Haunting This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"The Haunting" -- by Serina Melosine, bard of Qeynos Harbor. Being a tale that crosses time and knows no boundaries. For know that ghosts are merely those that once lived and that they, too, can love.
A story of true love.
She had always been drawn to that house. The whitewash of its crumbling stone walls had worn away with the rain to streak the ground around it with a dull grey film.
No one lived there or had for generations, yet in her mind's eye, Maida could see the walls rebuilt, a basket of flowers -- no, of ivy -- beside the circular window that faced the street.
Her mother chided her, "That is a place of haunting, Maida, and you would do well to stay away."
But Maida could not.
And so when her betrothed demanded she name the palace in which they would live, she said simply, "I would live there."
And he laughed, pushing open the remains of a heavy wooden door that still hung by crumbling leather straps.
"In this? You would be queen of the dead in this forsaken tomb," he said mockingly. "We will live in my summer palace. Make ready, for the wedding is within the year."
Now, Maida's heart grieved, for this tumble-down cottage of her youthful fancy was leagues from the king's summer palace. And so to ease her homesickness for a home that was not her own, she began to work the tapestry which would hang in her new house, once she was married to the king. "You are mad," said her mother angrily, "The king does you great honor and you stitch a hovel to decorate his palace." Maida shook her head and continued to work.
Sometimes she would sit within the cottage's humble walls, ignoring the jumble of broken crockery left through years of neglect.
She imagined the fireplace cleared of the fallen chimney stones, its hearth bathed red and gold by firelight. Upon the hearth would lie a cat -- no, a dog.
As she stitched in her chair before this imaginary fire, another chair would slowly appear in the darkness across from her.
And he read to her.
Maida felt she would always know that voice, though she knew it not in her waking. She could never remember what stories she heard.
She only knew that she felt as though the walls of her world closed in upon her at the thought of never hearing that voice again.
For she knew, even as she worked her tapestry in the still of her room, that once she was married she should never hear it again.
On the week before her wedding, Maida had nearly completed her work.
Her mother berated her: "That is not what that haunted house looks like!"
For Maida had carefully crafted from her dreams the thatching of the cottage roof, a tiny pane of glass centered in the front window and a line of herbs drying along the eaves.
And yet, anyone who saw it knew instantly which of all the ruined houses along the lane this was.
"We marry tomorrow, the omens are better," said the king, striding into her bower and disturbing her at her work.
"Tomorrow? That is impossible!" she cried, tracing the barest of curtseys before her betrothed. "It is a week tomorrow you mean." He laughed and pulled her roughly toward him saying, "Nothing is impossible for someone in love."
Maida felt a great weight lifted from her at his words. Nothing was impossible?
Then she would do what she must, for she was in love. In love with the voice that came from the darkened chair, beside the fireplace in the cottage of her dreams.
"I must finish this tonight," she murmured, "if we are to wed tomorrow."
And the king laughed again and left her to her work.
Through the night, Maida worked, pausing only to close her eyes and see with her heart.
At last as the sun slowly rose in the east, she ran a soft hand across her completed work. Her eyelids drifted slowly shut.
Then she heard him say, "I am glad you are staying, beloved."
He rose from the chair beside the fire and taking her hands into his, led her out the open door into her new world.
And so, when the king's entourage arrived to escort Maida to the altar, they found her not. All that remained in her room was her tapestry of the cozy white cottage. Through its window, one might glimpse the shadowy form of a man and a maid seated before the fire while a dog drowsed on the hearth at their feet.
Books
The Haunting This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
"The Haunting" -- by Serina Melosine, bard of Qeynos Harbor. Being a tale that crosses time and knows no boundaries. For know that ghosts are merely those that once lived and that they, too, can love. Read book Put book away.
She had always been drawn to that house. The whitewash of its crumbling stone walls had worn away with the rain to streak the ground around it with a dull grey film. No one lived there or had for generations, yet in her mind's eye, Maida could see the walls rebuilt, a basket of flowers -- no, of ivy -- beside the circular window that faced the street. Her mother chided her, "That is a place of haunting, Maida, and you would do well to stay away." But Maida could not. Entry Two Put book away.
And so when her betrothed demanded she name the palace in which they would live, she said simply, "I would live there." And he laughed, pushing open the remains of a heavy wooden door that still hung by crumbling leather straps. "In this? You would be queen of the dead in this forsaken tomb," he said mockingly. "We will live in my summer palace. Make ready, for the wedding is within the year." Entry Three Put book away.
Now, Maida's heart grieved, for this tumble-down cottage of her youthful fancy was leagues from the king's summer palace. And so to ease her homesickness for a home that was not her own, she began to work the tapestry which would hang in her new house, once she was married to the king. "You are mad," said her mother angrily, "The king does you great honor and you stitch a hovel to decorate his palace." Maida shook her head and continued to work. Entry Four Put book away.
Sometimes she would sit within the cottage's humble walls, ignoring the jumble of broken crockery left through years of neglect. She imagined the fireplace cleared of the fallen chimney stones, its hearth bathed red and gold by firelight. Upon the hearth would lie a cat -- no, a dog. As she stitched in her chair before this imaginary fire, another chair would slowly appear in the darkness across from her. And he read to her. Entry Five Put book away.
Maida felt she would always know that voice, though she knew it not in her waking. She could never remember what stories she heard. She only knew that she felt as though the walls of her world closed in upon her at the thought of never hearing that voice again. For she knew, even as she worked her tapestry in the still of her room, that once she was married she should never hear it again. Entry Six Put book away.
On the week before her wedding, Maida had nearly completed her work. Her mother berated her: "That is not what that haunted house looks like!" For Maida had carefully crafted from her dreams the thatching of the cottage roof, a tiny pane of glass centered in the front window and a line of herbs drying along the eaves. And yet, anyone who saw it knew instantly which of all the ruined houses along the lane this was. Entry Seven Put book away.
"We marry tomorrow, the omens are better," said the king, striding into her bower and disturbing her at her work. "Tomorrow? That is impossible!" she cried, tracing the barest of curtseys before her betrothed. "It is a week tomorrow you mean." He laughed and pulled her roughly toward him saying, "Nothing is impossible for someone in love." Entry Eight Put book away.
Maida felt a great weight lifted from her at his words. Nothing was impossible? Then she would do what she must, for she was in love. In love with the voice that came from the darkened chair, beside the fireplace in the cottage of her dreams. "I must finish this tonight," she murmured, "if we are to wed tomorrow." And the king laughed again and left her to her work. Entry Nine Put book away.
Through the night, Maida worked, pausing only to close her eyes and see with her heart. At last as the sun slowly rose in the east, she ran a soft hand across her completed work. Her eyelids drifted slowly shut. Then she heard him say, "I am glad you are staying, beloved." He rose from the chair beside the fire and taking her hands into his, led her out the open door into her new world. Entry Ten Put book away.
And so, when the king's entourage arrived to escort Maida to the altar, they found her not. All that remained in her room was her tapestry of the cozy white cottage. Through its window, one might glimpse the shadowy form of a man and a maid seated before the fire while a dog drowsed on the hearth at their feet. Close Book.
Books
The Lady of the Lake This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
Waiting for an inevitable war is never easy. In this book, we meet two Qeynosian Guards at an outpost on Lake Rathetear who find themselves on the edge of war and far from home. Entry One Put book away.
The drums echoed in the Rathe Mountains and reverberated through the deep waters of Lake Rathetear. They were victory drums, sounded by the ogres of the new Rallosian Army. They had taken the mountains and now their drums warned of their advance to the Lake itself. Aviak scouts reported their progress and numbers. There were so many ogres and trolls, it was said that the road was blackened by their shadows as far as the aviak eye could see. Entry Two Put book away.
"Why do they come here?" asked Ilkalla, one of the Qeynosian guards stationed at the Lake. "Because they can," responded Gerren, the other guard. "And here we are, unable to send word to Qeynos. We will die fighting alongside these savages." "Do not say such a thing," Ilkalla said uncomfortably. "They have treated us very kindly since word of the Rallosian Army reached them. You may not like them, but the aviaks have offered us shelter in these uncertain times.? Entry Three Put book away.
Smoke curled on the opposite shore of the Lake Rathetear, which obscured whatever the Rallosian Army was doing. The drums in the mountains had stopped. Other than the acrid tang of smoke drifting across the water, one might forget that the ogres were there. A squadron of aviaks swooped low into the smoke to get a closer look; their report was not encouraging. The ogres were apparently cutting down massive numbers of trees, stripping their bark and sharpening their ends into spikes. Entry Four Put book away.
Ilkalla wondered what the ogres would do with spikes the size of trees. It seemed unlikely they would build a fortification; they were on the offense not defense. "We must get closer...but so far the aqua goblins in the Lake are not cooperating with us. I must make them understand the danger to us all. If I can get safe passage, I could find out what the Rallosians are planning." The aqua goblins had for the most part retreated to their lairs in the midst of the Lake, trusting its deep waters to keep them safe. Entry Five Put book away.
One of the aviaks that Ilkalla had befriended went with her to the aqua goblins' chief. The discussion was disappointing to some extent, as the chief was more interested in the baubles Ilkalla had brought as gifts than he was in the danger posed by the Rallosians. It took the better part of the morning before he agreed to allow her safe conduct through the Lake. "I don't speak for them sharks, though," the chief said with a snicker. Ilkalla was a strong swimmer though and knew how to deal with the sharks. Entry Six Put book away.
Under cover of darkness, Ilkalla slipped off through the black water. She opted for a small coracle and paddled silently across the Lake. The smoke that drifted across the water may have hidden the ogres' activities but it also provided Ilkalla with excellent concealment from any watching eyes. She soon found out that if anyone were watching her, it wasn't the ogres. They were apparently so confident of victory that they set no watch along the shore. Entry Seven Put book away.
Though she was tired from her trip across the Lake, Ilkalla knew she could not stop to rest. She must find out what the ogres were doing and then paddle back across the Lake without being caught. Pausing to listen for indications that she had been seen, Ilkalla methodically investigated the narrow beach until she found what she was seeking. The ogres were not using the sharpened tree trunks to build a fort; they were building a raft. Entry Eight Put book away.
Quickly, Ilkalla returned to the coracle and paddled quickly back where Gerren and the aviak leaders waited for her. "They're planning to transport themselves across the Lake," Ilkalla panted as soon as she stepped ashore. "They are building a raft, a barge of immense size to carry their troops. It is nearly done." She sank to the shore and inhaled deeply. "We need help." Entry Nine Put book away.
Gerren pushed back his hair and said, "The time to send for help is long past. The aqua goblins may have let you pass once, but they will surely side with the ogres and trolls." Ilkalla nodded, adding, "We must make for Karana and thence to Qeynos." Gerren laughed, "I would not let you take all the glory, my friend. You crossed the Lake; I will cross the mountains. The aviaks will not be able to stand alone." Entry Ten Put book away.
"They stand not alone," said a deep, rumbling voice nearby. Ilkalla and Gerren turned, startled to see a centaur. He bowed and said, "The aviaks sent word to us. While we have not always agreed on things, this is different. This is war." Ilkalla slowly stood, looking over her shoulder across the dark water. "Yes," she said softly, "This is definitely war." Close Book.
Books
The Least of Brell's Creatures This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
Brell, the Lord of the Underfoot, brought a great many proud and noble creatures to Norrath. If at least not proud and noble, then at least somewhat useful. The least of all of these, though, are the boarfiends.
Everyone is allowed a bad day or two. We all have our slip ups. And the boarfiends were, simply, Brell's. As I understand the story to go, the creation came on the same day that the great Lord of the Underfoot invented ale, an accomplishment of such merit that you can almost forgive him for the boarfiends.
The first time he sipped that frothy brew, it seduced him with its rich flavor, and he promptly drank the whole cask. In this deep state of inebriation, he thought that it would be quite a riot to cross a man with a boar and give them no sense in their heads and an unsettling love of filth. The next morning, as he nursed his hang over and observed the boarfiends in action, he realized his mistake.
He was going to do away with them entirely, but his friend Bristlebane thought it was the most amusing thing he had ever heard of and refused to allow Brell to destroy them. Fizzlethorp gave them away as gifts to his goblins, to prove there was a race lowlier than they.
All was well until a goblin, also drunk on something and a little too pleased with his own joke, let a pack of them go free. In time, they managed to form their own little clan, subsisting entirely off of what others have thrown away.
They've no knowledge of their father, nor even their skinny twerpy little godfather, and somehow they have managed not to get themselves all killed yet. I suppose it's profitable to hoard everything everyone else doesn't want when you've the sole interest in it.
I'm sure Brell looks down on them to this day and feels a little bit ashamed, but then, who hasn't done something after one too many ales that they later color at the thought of? For the rest of us, though, it doesn't generally result in the birth of an entire race of creatures, just waking up with not as attractive as they were the night before bedfellows and armor tinted pink with purple ribbing. Maybe that last one was just me.
Anyhow, travel the Moors of Ykesha long enough and you're bound to run into one of Brell's lowliest children... just bury your trash before you sleep, though, and you won't have anything they want. Steer clear of 'em. Take it from me, Dugan Stoneaxe, their stink is not worth the laugh.
Books
The Legend of Puab Closk: The Beginning This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
I found this book on the shelves of Kufu, The Keeper of Knowledge in The Cave of Knowledge. It is titled: The Legend of Paub Closk:The Beginning, by Rao Lin, Tenth Keeper of Knowledge. I can place this book in my house.
It is said by those outside of the Ashen Order that Puab Closk was a visionary, a prophet born of the womb of Quellious, sent to save the world from the tyranny and viciousness of the Gods. Some claim he single-handedly restored order to the world during the Age of War.
These are exaggerations of course, but the truth is sometimes seen as far more outrageous than the myth. Grand Master Puab Closk did indeed help to save the humanity of the world, but he also made life far more dangerous. He gave the world its greatest weapon.
Unlike some of the more fanciful stories suggest, Puab Closk was born in the city of Freeport. He was the child of a hard working merchant family. When he was seven years old his parents and the members of their trade expedition between Freeport and Highhold Keep were slaughtered by orcs. Knowing the expedition would be dangerous, Puab's parents made arrangements with the monks of the Ashen Order to take and teach Puab in case they were killed.
The monks came for him the day his parents were murdered.
The monks taught Puab about life and Quellious. As he grew older he found consolation in The Tranquil and pledged himself fully to her. He began spending any free time meditating and reading. Slowly he began to gain true inner peace and understanding.
His teachers believed that he was on the edge of true enlightenment and encouraged him to take lone trips away from the city. Puab took their advice and went out on many excursions to the Desert of Ro. He felt most at home in the desert.
In one of his earliest journals he describes one such trip to the desert, "The brush of sand across my cheek and the cold of the desert's night only encourage my journey. The wind whispers to me and in it I hear myself. I am the vast openness of the desert waiting for the day's light to burn me clean."
His connection to the dunes was obvious.
At the age of twenty-five he was the youngest ever to be granted the title of Sensei. He taught all of his students the ways of the desert and encouraged them to mold themselves into his likeness. Puab was the finest martial arts instructor to ever grace the halls of the Ashen Order.
Nearly everyone he taught became a Sensei in their own right and each of them gives credit to Puab. He gave his position to his protege after only ten years as Sensei.
He spent most of his time meditating and expanding on his martial knowledge. He traveled far and wide to learn new martial styles from all those he could. He refined and polished every style he learned and taught it to the entire Ashen Order.
Puab was well known for disappearing into the desert for weeks at a time without telling anyone when or where he was going.
One such journey came near the end of the Age of Turmoil. Puab disappeared into the desert for well over a season. It is said that the desert called to him and he answered her call, some say it was Quellious herself that called to him. So, that was where he went.
According to his students Puab walked and walked trying to find the voice that called to him. Late one night while meditating on the crest of a dune he heard the call clear. He turned around and saw a river rushing towards him followed by a great whirlwind sand. It is said the storm devoured him and spit him out atop a large red pillar.
All recounts of what happened next are the same. All the stories say that atop this pillar of stone he spoke with Quellious and she praised him for his search of enlightenment and the purity of his mind and self. She then gifted him with the greatest of martial styles, the Arcanic Combat. It is said he spent many moons training stop the pillar with no food or drink. There he mastered the styles and brought them back to the Ashen Order.
Books
The Legend of Puab Closk: The End This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
I found this book on the shelves of Kufu, The Keeper of Knowledge in The Cave of Knowledge. It is titled: The Legend of Paub Closk:The End, by Rao Lin, Tenth Keeper of Knowledge. I can place this book in my house.
The Legend of Puab Closk: The End by Rao Lin, Tenth Keeper of Knowledge
Near the end of The Age of Turmoil, after the betrayal of the followers of Marr, at the beginning of the malicious tyranny that is the reign of the Overlord Lucan D'Lere, the Ashen Order abandoned Freeport. Freeport became a den of evil and villainy where goodly men were fed to the soldiers of an oppressive dictatorship.
D'Lere strangled out every last drop of decency and good will from those he ruled. Puab Closk would not stay to be exploited and corrupted and neither would the Ashen Order.
Puab and the Order left Freeport and traveled to the one place left unscathed by The Age of Turmoil. They traveled to the Desert of Ro, to the very pillar where Puab was given the knowledge of Arcane Combat. There they setup the monastery of T'Narev.
The Order spent many years in peace training and refining Arcane Combat under the tutelage of Puab. They found many ways to expand and adapt the concepts to many different styles of fighting. The Ashen Order monks rarely used metal weapons, preferring the purity of fists and feet, but they set aside this preference and also developed many weapon styles.
The Ashen Order spent nearly two hundred years in peace atop their butte. These days of peace were shattered by the unstoppable insurgence of The Age of War. The goblinoid, mindless minions burned and pillaged where they pleased, killing everyone they found.
The wicked ran blades through the hearts of the pure. The wars seemed endless, like they would rage until every living thing in Norrath was obliterated. The Ashen Order could no longer stay secluded. They left T'Narev and ran to the aide of both Freeport and Qeynos.
The stories of Puab's conversation with Quellious spoke of this time. The Order felt this was what they prepared for. They knew the might of men would be shown in the great battles to come. The Order split into two large raiding parties composed of several small groups.
One headed to Freeport and the other to Qeynos. They fought many battles on the way to besieged cities. During these battles they noticed that in small groups their power was doubled and in some cases tripled. Certain combinations of Arcane Combat Arts produced effects more powerful than anyone had ever imagined possible. They could produce the greatest of weapons.
The Ashen Order dominated all they faced with this new weapon and turned the tide of battle for each of the cities. Many monks were lost in this war, but all fought bravely for the survival of humanity. In the end with the help of the Ashen Order the sieges at both Qeynos and Freeport were ended.
The heads of the Order gathered together in the burnt remains of the Surefall Glade several nights after the great battle. The stars were obscured by the smoke of the funeral pyres, Qeynos lay in near ruins.
The Faydark was believed to be lost and all around them was heavy weight of hopelessness. That night the decision was made to give the Royal Antonican Guard, who fought so bravely beside the Ashen Order, the knowledge of Arcanic Combat. It was also decided to not give this knowledge freely to the Overlord's minions.
An emissary of the Overlord Lucan D'Lere offered to give the Ashen Order a monastery in the Commonlands. The Order considered the offer with trepidation, but also believed that not all of the citizens of Freeport were evil and therefore could not reject it.
They established the monastery and used it to help those they could and also spy on the Overlord. They were betrayed by the Overlord and raided by the Freeport Militia. Every monk residing in the Commonlands monastery was taken and tortured horribly until eventually the knowledge of Arcanic Combat was squeezed from the monks.
Arcanic Combat is now the predominant form of battle used in the post-shattered Norrath. It is the weapon that Quellious and Puab Closk gave the world. Some say that Puab Closk and the Ashen Order saved humanity, that they did, but we have also unleashed the knowledge of a great power to an unenlightened world. This is the legend and legacy of Grand Master Puab Closk.
Books
The Lore of Fauna: The Behemoth This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
the lore of fauna: the behemoth (plundered from a book at 911, -25, -517 in The Commonlands)
page 2 of The Lore of Fauna: The Behemoth (shinies in The Eternal Gorge or Valley of the Rogue Magi)
page 3 of The Lore of Fauna: The Behemoth (shinies in The Eternal Gorge or Valley of the Rogue Magi)
page 4 of The Lore of Fauna: The Behemoth (shinies in The Eternal Gorge or Valley of the Rogue Magi)
page 5 of The Lore of Fauna: The Behemoth (shinies in The Eternal Gorge or Valley of the Rogue Magi)
page 6 of The Lore of Fauna: The Behemoth (shinies in The Eternal Gorge or Valley of the Rogue Magi)
page 7 of The Lore of Fauna: The Behemoth (shinies in The Eternal Gorge or Valley of the Rogue Magi)
page 8 of The Lore of Fauna: The Behemoth (shinies in The Eternal Gorge or Valley of the Rogue Magi)
page 9 of The Lore of Fauna: The Behemoth (shinies in The Eternal Gorge or Valley of the Rogue Magi)
page 10 of The Lore of Fauna: The Behemoth (shinies in The Eternal Gorge or Valley of the Rogue Magi)
page 11 of The Lore of Fauna: The Behemoth (shinies in The Commonlands)
page 12 of The Lore of Fauna: The Behemoth (shinies in The Commonlands)
page 13 of The Lore of Fauna: The Behemoth (shinies in The Commonlands)
page 14 of The Lore of Fauna: The Behemoth (shinies in The Commonlands)
Discovered on 14 Jun 2006 at 19:45:36 PDT.
The Lore of Fauna: The Behemoth By Prof. Romiak Justathorn
Planar Influence: Mana Sub Races: Unknown Frequency: Extinct Size: Titanic Region: Global Habitat: Land and Sea
Long before any creature dominated Norrath, there came into existence beasts of legendary nature. Many of these creatures came and left before the deities spread their children across the surface of Norrath. One of these legendary beast types is known as the Gargantile Cheldridea, or Behemoth.
The Behemoths were a race of immense reptile like beasts of gargantuan proportions. They were easily some 180 meters in length with a very broad ribcage. Their limbs were long and powerful, perfect for striking down the greatest of prey.
The tails of these beasts accounted for one quarter of their total length. They often employed the tail in battle with larger beasts of their era. The swipe from such a tail could kill a wurm. They walked upon all fours, but fossils have indicated that they most likely rose upon their hind legs during battles.
The behemoths were placed upon Norrath by entities unknown. I believe that their existence is a gift of nature, possibly a beast sprung from necessity. The Behemoth acted more as a force of nature than an intelligent beast of warlike destruction. They would slumber for centuries at a time and only awaken to destroy budding ancient communities of the few ancient societies of the era.
The behemoths were eventually destroyed, possibly by the major deities who played a stake in the population of Norrath's prime races. Their immense fossilized bones can be in various hard to reach locations of Norrath. The fossils are quite a find, but never intact.
One Behemoth is rumored to still be in existence and was last recorded in an ancient dragonkind scroll to have been lumbering upon the frozen steppes of the Frigid Plain. This same scroll indicates a fear of these beasts among dragonkind, one of the first races to inhabit Norrath.
It is my theory that some of the early dragon communities could have been laid to waste by a single Behemoth. Evidence has shown that these gigantic beasts often lived a solitary life. For the dragons, it is a blessing that these creatures did not roam in herds.
In early ages, sea captains also reported to have seen the beasts in the deep oceans. There was once an ancient water beast that terrorized much of the Coldwind Coastline of Antonica. From evidence acquired, I believe this water beast to be a Behemoth. That beast is said to have been destroyed by the greatest warship ever built, the Q.S.S. Eradicator. Both the beast and the ship are said to lie in the deep abyss of the Ocean of Tears.
My studies continue and I have found many remains I believe to belong to these thunderous creatures. The greatest behemoth fossils I discovered came from such places as the community of Oggok, the Dreadlands of Kunark and the Valley of the Dragonscale Kills of Faydwer.
Scholars of the Academy of Arcane Science dispute my findings. But I have speculated that the modern day ocean wurm is a distant relative to the Behemoths. They may have merely adapted to the water through means of biological evolution that I have theorized, Justathorn's Theory of Bioevolution. This theory explains that mana is the true creator of these beasts.
Mana creates out of necessity. The vessel of mana called Norrath requires bioevolution for survival. The behemoths acted as cleansers or exterminators to the world, mother Norrath's ultimate guardians, not the children of deities. The behemoths, no doubt, had special innate magical resistances due to their mana nature.
This made them more than a match for any of the ancient races, including those of dragonkind. I believe there to be a quasi plane sprung off the plane of growth where many of these beasts will always lumber. It is on this quasi plane that I shall continue my research.
For further information please reference: "Behemoth, A Force of Nature" by Romiak Justathorn and "The Theory of Bioevolution" by Romiak Justathorm.
Books
The Mariner's Lament This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This simple but elegantly made book is a transcription of an ancient poem close to the heart of all mariners.
Aye, when I was a small babe, me mother said to me, You’re no child of mine, boy, No child of mine indeed, boy, I wish you were my babe, boy, But you were born of the sea, born of the sea.
And when I was a small boy, me father said to me, You're no son of mine, boy, No son of mine indeed, boy, I wish you were my son, boy, But you were born of the sea, born of the sea.
And when I was a young man, me true love said to me, You're no love of mine, boy, No love of mine indeed, boy, I wish you were my love, boy, But you're married to the sea, married to the sea.
So with me heart in hand, I said goodbye to the land, Goodbye to all that I knew. To the mother who birthed me, And the father who sired me, And the woman who made me a man, With me heart in me hand, I said goodbye to the land, And took a life on the wide open sea, A life on the wide open sea.
And it's been twenty long years, Full of many long nights. In this life I claimed on the sea, And though I may miss the mother who birthed me, And the father who sired me, And the women who made me a man, I'd trade none of it in, not one single day, To return to my life on land, To return to my life on land.
For you see, A mariner has but one single wish: To live a long life on the sea. And when the day comes, That he breaths his last breath, He be buried where he feels at home. He be buried where he feels at home.
So let me die at sea! Let me buried at sea! It's all that I ask you to do. For I gave up me life, Me home, and my wife, For a life what would truly be mine. A life on the sea, On the wide open sea.
A life that would truly be mine, A life that has truly been mine, A life on the wide open sea.
Books
The Monastery of the Lost Circle This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
Tsaph Katta, Imperator of the Combine, knew of Zan Fi's reputation and skill. After hearing how mighty the Whistling Fists Clan was becoming, the Imperator sought to compel Zan Fi to become a part of his army. Our wise master could see the corruption that flowed through the troubled empire, however, and declined to offer his support. Though Katta was infuriated by this refusal, he was beset on too many fronts to attempt to force Zan Fi into his service.
As the Combine Empire crumbled and some of its members left for the distant moon of Luclin, the wise Zan Fi knew that Norrath was facing a time of turmoil. He and his followers traveled the lands, setting an example of order and discipline that was sorely needed in the wake of the Combine Empire's collapse. Wherever he went, Zan Fi seemed to inspire new followers.
Some merely sought to apply the master's lessons to their daily lives, overcoming chaos in an uncertain world. Others attempted to emulate his ways by establishing new monk orders, linked in spirit to the Whistling Fists Clan. One such group was the Ashen Order, which was devoted to the path of Tranquility and the goddess Quellious. The Silent Fist Clan, which followed no specific deity, established itself within the walls of Qeynos. Even the iksar, who normally hated "softskin" outsiders, were in awe of Zan Fi's talents and were inspired to found the Swifttail Caste. Though he was willing to act as a teacher for all these monks, he shared his Whistling Fists style only with his most trusted students.
Many of the nation states that arose after the fall of the Combine offered to make a home for the Whistling Fists Clan, but Zan Fi was wary of pledging his allegiance to any single kingdom. Knowledge and wisdom, he said, were not meant to be confined to a single nation or people. Instead, he set sail for a distant land where his followers could concentrate on their studies and practice their disciplines. It is said that Zan Fi was granted a vision of a serene island where he was to build a grand tower. He followed no map, but rather listened to a mysterious song that seemed to be guiding his journey.
When his ship caught sight of the tranquil shores of Mara, Zan Fi knew he had found the island in his vision. The monks established their monastery, centered around the Tower of the Four Winds.
Though centered on a remote island, the members of the Whistling Fists Clan were not isolationists. Zan Fi believed strongly that his order should keep a watchful eye on Norrath, though he insisted on subtlety and discretion. Whistling Fists monks traveled the world, safeguarding the people of Norrath and occasionally finding worthy students to join their ranks. Because the monks were careful to not draw attention to themselves, many Norrathians believed that the Whistling Fists Clan had disappeared entirely, which led to the order being referred to by many as "the Lost Circle."
Books
The Necropolis of Lxanvon Vol. I This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
Necropolis of Lxanvon, Vol. I, page 1 (looted in Nizara, City of the Nayad)
Necropolis of Lxanvon, Vol. I, page 2 (looted in Nizara, City of the Nayad)
Necropolis of Lxanvon, Vol. I, page 3 (looted in Nizara, City of the Nayad)
Necropolis of Lxanvon, Vol. I, page 4 (looted in Nizara, City of the Nayad)
Necropolis of Lxanvon, Vol. I, page 5 (looted in Nizara, City of the Nayad)
Discovered on 30 Oct 2006 at 13:52:08 PST.
The Necropolis of Lxanvon and the Arrival of the Plague Bringer
In a Norrathian age long past, when dragons ruled the lands, seas, and skies, an ancient race did spring forth from the will of an unknown god. They were a cunning and powerful race of beings, able to survive in a harsh world ruled by the scaled children of Veeshan. The true name of this extinct civilization has been lost to the mists of time, the evidence of their existence buried and all but destroyed by the elements and the forces of change.
The eldest of dragons sometimes whisper tales of this lost race of beings who were the first to stand against and slay the great children of Veeshan. They speak of them to their young, as a human mother would tell ghost stories to her child. The dragons whispered tales of a great kingdom of wicked yet noble beings that built cities from the bones and sinew of the slain children of Veeshan. This is one such tale, passed down to the scribes of New Tanaan many years past by the dragon sorcerer Ulvaxazoviak.
Many ages ago, in a time that only the spirits of the ancestor dragons can recall, a long dead ancient race, The Xulous they are called in the tales of my kind, did build upon the lands that would become Tunaria a great necropolis to house their dead kings. The crypts of the necropolis were fashioned from preserved remains of slain dragons and it was called Lxanvon, which means in the tongue of the Xulous, 'Kings Rest'.
As the necropolis filled with the dead Xulous royalty, honored and revered in death as much as in life, a festering evil began to take over in the lowest bowels of the crypts of the kings. The Xulous, through their adoration and reverence of their rotting kings, their defilement of the dead children of Veeshan, and their dependence on the deaths of dragons for the expansion of their kingdoms did unknowingly bring a powerful and ancient evil to Norrath. As years passed, the evil presence in the bowels of Lxanvon grew stronger, and there, within the rotting corpses of those ancient kings, Bertoxxulous was born.
Books
The Necropolis of Lxanvon Vol. II This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
Necropolis of Lxanvon, Vol. II, page 1 (looted in Nizara, City of the Nayad)
Necropolis of Lxanvon, Vol. II, page 2 (looted in Nizara, City of the Nayad)
Necropolis of Lxanvon, Vol. II, page 3 (looted in Nizara, City of the Nayad)
Necropolis of Lxanvon, Vol. II, page 4 (looted in Nizara, City of the Nayad)
Necropolis of Lxanvon, Vol. II, page 5 (looted in Nizara, City of the Nayad)
Discovered on 15 Oct 2006 at 17:40:47 PDT.
The royal priests of the Xulous kingdoms often journeyed from their ivory cities to Lxanvon on behalf of their people, to deliver offerings and praises to their dead kings. Bertoxxulous, donning the decaying bodies of the dead Xulous nobles, appeared before these royal priests demanding obedience, reverence, and sacrifices. Bertoxxulous deceived and corrupted the minds of the royal priests and their allegiance belonged to the Lord of Death and Decay above their living kings.
Amidst these firsts priests of decay, one was held above the others, Ultor Szanvon the Putrid; he led the priests of decay in the spreading their dark doctrine. Ultor, an influential priest in service to the mightiest of the Xulous nobles schemed and murdered his way into the position of chief advisor to the living Xulous King. Ultor convinced Xulous King to visit the tombs of his ancestors, and there within the presence of Bertoxxulous' full might he performed a dark ritual, sacrificing the King in the bowels of the crypt. Through the dark ritual Ultor summoned twelve spirits of previous Xulous kings and bound them to his service.
The risen undead kings rose armies of the dead from the necropolis of Lxanvon and spread across the lands ravaging all in their path, and leaving only death and destruction in their wake. Those who were not destroyed by the weapons of the undead armies were killed slowly by a deadly plague, carried by the risen kings, and spread like wildfire amidst the Xulous. Their entire race succumbed to the pestilence and the Xulous were no more.
Bertoxxulous, pleased and swollen with pride by his genocidal accomplishment called his minions back to the necropolis that had served as their resting place for so many years. The risen Xulous kings gathered in the bowels of their crypts as a great mist enveloped Lxanvon.
The ancient dragons watched from afar as the mists cleared, revealing only a barren and broken landscape where the necropolis had once lied. It is said that the necropolis of Lxanvon still exists in the Plane of Disease, unchanged from when the ancient dragons witnessed its vanishing from Norrath, and that the form Bertoxxulous favors when visiting Lxanvon is a twisted visage of the long dead race he destroyed, so many ages ago.
Books
The Nightblood This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
Some of my students are less inclined to take their research seriously. What follows is an example of the most poorly written report I have ever seen in my years as an instructor. Miss Mellosius is not only a half-elf but evidently a half-wit. Please consider this more of a paper on how not to write an in-depth study. Entry One Put book away.
"The Nightblood," by Trinni Mellosius. My teacher told me to write a research paper about Nightbloods, as if I've ever seen one! Anyway, this is my research into the nightblood. Read book Put book away.
Nightbloods are really very unfortunate and misunderstood. A lot of people think they are manifestations of evil and get very scared thinking about them, but I like to think of your average nightblood as a big, overgrown bull. That kind of breathes flames, but not really. There! Doesn't that make you think of them differently all ready? Entry Two Put book away.
Well, all right, maybe that was a bit much. Nightbloods are pretty creepy. They aren't from our world at all, so that makes them doubly creepy! It's as if somewhere, there's a something that we can't see, but the nightbloods can and they are taking advantage of this to travel around. If that doesn't give you the creeps, I don't know what will! Entry Three Put book away.
The first confirmed sighting of a nightblood was only about fifty or three hundred years ago or so, give or take. These paladins were locked in battle with some kind of elemental when suddenly, poof! Right out of the air came these big, broad-shouldered beasts with horns curving around the tops of their heads. It must have been a pretty scary sight! Entry Four Put book away.
Anyway, so one paladin turns to one of the others and says, "Lo! Run to Lord Bayle and tell him of this fell beast we have awoken from its foul sleep!" I guess they talked like that a lot back then. The other paladins didn't want to run, they wanted to stay and fight! They could feel what the only survivor later said was something like waves of heat and evil from this creature. Entry Five Put book away.
These paladins had with them a squire, or a knight, or something else and so they told him to get away and tell Lord Bayle while they stayed to fight this thing. So the squire or whatever took off running. He stopped at the top of a hill, or the end of a bridge (depending on where you've heard the story), only to see the beast totally wipe out the paladins with a pretty awesome incantation. Entry Six Put book away.
The squire ran and ran back to Qeynos and did not stop till he got to tell his story directly to Lord Bayle. In fact, this kind of long distance run turned into a big annual event across Karana to commemorate this event, so that means this had to have happened a very long time ago. Anyway, Lord Bayle sent out fifty of his bravest warriors, who found the beast and slew it before it could regain its strength and cast anymore spells. Entry Seven Put book away.
If you ask me, that's putting a lot of weight to that one story, but that's what I learned as the origin of the nightblood. Only it's not really about the nightblood, is it? Let me see, I'm sure there's more. Oh! Did I mention it's evil? Entry Eight Put book away.
Since that first nightblood however many years ago, there have certainly been a lot more of them in Norrath. No one knows if this is because of all the unrest after the Shattering that made more of these hidden paths that the nightbloods travel through, or if there is something else that's stirring them up. These things apparently aren't afraid of anything and will attack whatever they find in their way. Entry Nine Put book away.
If you are unfortunate enough to get close to one, listen to its voice. It has a really odd way of speaking, almost as though it doesn't know how to talk at all. Now, that means to me that it's stupid, but my teacher says that it means instead that we simply do not know what language it is using. Whatever. In any case, some of these things do learn to speak properly and carry on a good conversation before they rip the person they're speaking with to shreds. Entry Ten Put book away.
So, that's all there is to know about nightbloods. I guess the main thing to remember is, you don't want to meet up with one! If you see one, don't stop to talk with it! Run! The End. -- Teacher's note: Trinni, come see me immediately about this paper! Close Book.
Books
The Nightblood This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"The Nightblood," by Trinni Mellosius. My teacher told me to write a research paper about Nightbloods, as if I've ever seen one! Anyway, this is my research into the nightblood.
Some of my students are less inclined to take their research seriously. What follows is an example of the most poorly written report I have ever seen in my years as an instructor.
Miss Mellosius is not only a half-elf but evidently a half-wit. Please consider this more of a paper on how not to write an in-depth study.
Nightbloods are really very unfortunate and misunderstood. A lot of people think they are manifestations of evil and get very scared thinking about them, but I like to think of your average nightblood as a big, overgrown bull that kind of breathes flames, but not really. There! Doesn't that make you think of them differently already?
Well, all right, maybe that was a bit much. Nightbloods are pretty creepy.
They aren't from our world at all, so that makes them doubly creepy! It's as if somewhere, there's a something that we can't see, but the nightbloods can and they are taking advantage of this to travel around.
If that doesn't give you the creeps, I don't know what will!
The first confirmed sighting of a nightblood was only about fifty or three hundred years ago or so, give or take.
These paladins were locked in battle with some kind of elemental when suddenly, poof! Right out of the air came these big, broad-shouldered beasts with horns curving around the tops of their heads.
It must have been a pretty scary sight!
Anyway, so one paladin turns to one of the others and says, "Lo! Run to Lord Bayle and tell him of this fell beast we have awoken from its foul sleep!"
I guess they talked like that a lot back then. The other paladins didn't want to run, they wanted to stay and fight!
They could feel what the only survivor later said was something like waves of heat and evil from this creature.
These paladins had with them a squire, or a knight, or something else and so they told him to get away and tell Lord Bayle while they stayed to fight this thing.
So the squire or whatever took off running. He stopped at the top of a hill, or the end of a bridge (depending on where you've heard the story), only to see the beast totally wipe out the paladins with a pretty awesome incantation.
The squire ran and ran back to Qeynos and did not stop till he got to tell his story directly to Lord Bayle.
In fact, this kind of long distance run turned into a big annual event across Karana to commemorate this event, so that means this had to have happened a very long time ago.
Anyway, Lord Bayle sent out fifty of his bravest warriors, who found the beast and slew it before it could regain its strength and cast anymore spells.
If you ask me, that's putting a lot of weight to that one story, but that's what I learned as the origin of the nightblood.
Only it's not really about the nightblood, is it? Let me see, I'm sure there's more.
Oh! Did I mention it's evil?
Since that first nightblood however many years ago, there have certainly been a lot more of them in Norrath.
No one knows if this is because of all the unrest after the Shattering that made more of these hidden paths that the nightbloods travel through, or if there is something else that's stirring them up.
These things apparently aren't afraid of anything and will attack whatever they find in their way.
If you are unfortunate enough to get close to one, listen to its voice. It has a really odd way of speaking, almost as though it doesn't know how to talk at all.
Now, that means to me that it's stupid, but my teacher says that it means instead that we simply do not know what language it is using. Whatever.
In any case, some of these things do learn to speak properly and carry on a good conversation before they rip the person they're speaking with to shreds.
So, that's all there is to know about nightbloods.
I guess the main thing to remember is, you don't want to meet up with one! If you see one, don't stop to talk with it! Run! The End.
-- Teacher's note: Trinni, come see me immediately about this paper!
Books
The Nightblood This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"The Nightblood," by Trinni Mellosius. My teacher told me to write a research paper about Nightbloods, as if I've ever seen one! Anyway, this is my research into the nightblood.
Some of my students are less inclined to take their research seriously. What follows is an example of the most poorly written report I have ever seen in my years as an instructor.
Miss Mellosius is not only a half-elf but evidently a half-wit. Please consider this more of a paper on how not to write an in-depth study.
Nightbloods are really very unfortunate and misunderstood. A lot of people think they are manifestations of evil and get very scared thinking about them, but I like to think of your average nightblood as a big, overgrown bull that kind of breathes flames, but not really. There! Doesn't that make you think of them differently already?
Well, all right, maybe that was a bit much. Nightbloods are pretty creepy.
They aren't from our world at all, so that makes them doubly creepy! It's as if somewhere, there's a something that we can't see, but the nightbloods can and they are taking advantage of this to travel around.
If that doesn't give you the creeps, I don't know what will!
The first confirmed sighting of a nightblood was only about fifty or three hundred years ago or so, give or take.
These paladins were locked in battle with some kind of elemental when suddenly, poof! Right out of the air came these big, broad-shouldered beasts with horns curving around the tops of their heads.
It must have been a pretty scary sight!
Anyway, so one paladin turns to one of the others and says, "Lo! Run to Lord Bayle and tell him of this fell beast we have awoken from its foul sleep!"
I guess they talked like that a lot back then. The other paladins didn't want to run, they wanted to stay and fight!
They could feel what the only survivor later said was something like waves of heat and evil from this creature.
These paladins had with them a squire, or a knight, or something else and so they told him to get away and tell Lord Bayle while they stayed to fight this thing.
So the squire or whatever took off running. He stopped at the top of a hill, or the end of a bridge (depending on where you've heard the story), only to see the beast totally wipe out the paladins with a pretty awesome incantation.
The squire ran and ran back to Qeynos and did not stop till he got to tell his story directly to Lord Bayle.
In fact, this kind of long distance run turned into a big annual event across Karana to commemorate this event, so that means this had to have happened a very long time ago.
Anyway, Lord Bayle sent out fifty of his bravest warriors, who found the beast and slew it before it could regain its strength and cast anymore spells.
If you ask me, that's putting a lot of weight to that one story, but that's what I learned as the origin of the nightblood.
Only it's not really about the nightblood, is it? Let me see, I'm sure there's more.
Oh! Did I mention it's evil?
Since that first nightblood however many years ago, there have certainly been a lot more of them in Norrath.
No one knows if this is because of all the unrest after the Shattering that made more of these hidden paths that the nightbloods travel through, or if there is something else that's stirring them up.
These things apparently aren't afraid of anything and will attack whatever they find in their way.
If you are unfortunate enough to get close to one, listen to its voice. It has a really odd way of speaking, almost as though it doesn't know how to talk at all.
Now, that means to me that it's stupid, but my teacher says that it means instead that we simply do not know what language it is using. Whatever.
In any case, some of these things do learn to speak properly and carry on a good conversation before they rip the person they're speaking with to shreds.
So, that's all there is to know about nightbloods.
I guess the main thing to remember is, you don't want to meet up with one! If you see one, don't stop to talk with it! Run! The End.
-- Teacher's note: Trinni, come see me immediately about this paper!
Books
The Outpost of the Overlord: A Guide This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
The Outpost of the Overlord is a training center meant to vet potential citizens of Freeport. It is entirely self sufficient and is serving its purpose well. Those who come here and are admitted into Freeport as full citizens tend to be exceptionally productive, loyal, and disciplined. If you consider yourself a potential citizen this this may serve to help you find your way around the outpost itself. Once outside the walls, however, you're on your own.
Sythor's Spire Sythor the All-Seeing can be found at the top of this tower. From there he instructs pupils on the basics of spells, abilities, and combat arts. On the lower floor of the spire one can find Captain Pinious. He will share information on how one interacts with the world and objects in it.
Outside the Spire
For those interested in the art of tradeskilling, Arthur Merrin rests on the eastern side of the tower. He can explain what tradeskilling entails and what it requires.
Around the tower, on its northwestern side, Jayla Surfrider works to explain the mysteries of death and resurrection to all.
Southwest of the tower you will find Vella N'Dur. She explains about gathering materials that are used for tradeskills. She also explains about the gathering of collection items that will interest collectors (like Gethe Huggs, to her right).
Combat Clearing
The Combat Clearing is in the northwestern corner of the colony.
Darg Frostwind resides here and is willing to explain the basics of combat. Be warned that theory is no substitute for practice.
Anna Winston can also be found here. She will explain how to proper "con" or "consider" an enemy based on the information given when you target it.
You can also find Kasha Yitski here, who can explain the triggering, chaining and completing of Heroic Opportunities.
Whizratchet's Bank
Just north of Sythor's Spire Whizratchet has set up a bank. A number of people spend time here who have knowledge to impart.
Corx Knickknack, in the northwestern corner of the bank, can explain proper use of items and the inventory system.
In the northeastern corner Vissa Sathliss can explain how to repair equipment and make use of a banker to store items and money.
In the center of the bank Nogg Dreadscar can explain the significance of attributes such as strength and intelligence.
Service Providers
Just south of the Combat Clearing Saryl Scarscale has set up a small tent to barter with adventurers.
Just east of the bank Greshar will repair equipment broken in battle.
South of Sythor's Spire Gethe Huggs will reward people who can provide her with items she is collecting.
Information can be found everywhere within the outpost. Here are the people who can impart such information in a shorter presentation: Merchants: Saryl Scarscale Southwest of Sythor's Spire Mender: Greshar North and slightly east of Sythor's Spire Collector: Gethe Huggs South of Sythor's Spire
Trainers:
Combat Basics: Darg Frostwind Northwestern corner of the outpost.
Heroic Opportunities: Kasha Yitski Northwestern corner of the outpost.
Consider System: Anna Winston Northwestern corner of the outpost.
Spells, Combat Arts, and Abilities: Sythor the All-Seeing Upstairs in Sythor's Spire
Tradeskills (Crafting): Arthur Merrin Outside of Sythor's Spire on its east side
Tradeskills (Collecting) and Collections: Vella N'Dur Southwest of Sythor's Spire
World Interaction Captain Pinious On the ground floor in Sythor's Spire
Inventory and Item Interaction: Corx Knickknack Northwestern corner of the bank
Banking and Repairing: Vissa Sathliss Northeastern corner of the bank
Attributes: Nogg Dreadscar In the center of the bank
Death: Jayla Surfrider Outside of Sythor's Spire on its west side
$A, I am convinced that you will go on to Freeport and further, leaving behind you a wake of glory in the name of the Overlord. Remember always that while wisdom provides that which strength cannot, the reverse is also true.
-Tayil N'Velex
Books
The Poems of Alyarrah 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 Poems of Alyarrah - Page 5 (looted in The Shimmering Citadel)
The Poems of Alyarrah - Page 7 (looted in The Shimmering Citadel)
The Poems of Alyarrah - Page 8 (plundered from books at 205, 147, -75 in The Shimmering Citadel)
The Poems of Alyarrah - Page 12 (looted in The Shimmering Citadel)
The Poems of Alyarrah - Page 14 (plundered from books at -264, 146, -78 in The Shimmering Citadel)
The Poems of Alyarrah - Page 16 (plundered from a flowering plant at 61, 145, -134 in The Shimmering Citadel)
The Poems of Alyarrah - Page 17 (looted in The Shimmering Citadel)
The Poems of Alyarrah - Page 18 (looted in The Shimmering Citadel)
Discovered on 13 Sep 2005 at 18:15:57 PDT.
Compiled by the Editors
Dervin poet Alyarrah Mahaat was a celebrated poet whose works captured the attention of the Caliphs of Maj'Dul.
Though she was the Court of Coins' official Court Poet for only a short while, several of her works are still in circulation.
"The Two Gardens"
For many of the nomadic Dervins, the imagery of a garden or asis is a powerful symbol of life and restoration.
Near the edges of the Known World
Are the two gardens of the gods
To the East is
the Garden of Fulfilled Dreams
And in the West,
the Garden of Your Desires
Between night and day, we visit
One or the other as we sleep
And happiness lays somewhere
between them
Not all in one
Nor all in the other
Somewhere in the sweetly scented
lands between
Come, sit beside me in my dream
We will stand at the crossroads of
The gardens of the gods
To decide whether we
have been fulfilled
And so to travel East
Or whether we have but desire
And so to travel West
If you are with me,
know that I go East
For all my dreams are fulfilled
And yet
And yet, if you would not go East,
Then I would follow you West
Into the Garden of Your Desires
"The Bard's Tale"
The Djinn suppress music in all its forms whenever they can. To the Dervins, music is simply another form of expression. Many of Alyarrah's poems are set to music. In lands occupied by the djinn, the Dervins may simply tap out the beat of the song rather than sing it.
We celebrate our lives in song
And tales of days of old
With words that sound a clarion
Or whisper from the soul
Those who have gone on before
Their words we still can hear
Through each lark's trill and stream unstill
Distant refrains unfold
Our music is in poetry
And magic is our myth
Their old songs and our new entwine
The silver with the gold
Many seasons may have passed
And yet we can't forget
Their touch, their voice,
their soft caress
Their stories yet untold
"Desert Nights"
This appears to be a fragment of what is surely a longer piece
Warm sands of the desert
Golden, silky sands
Pour through my fingertips
When cupped into my hands
See you the tiny tracks
Crossing the starlit dunes?
See you their mystic pattern
Like ancient, unknown runes?
You will learn much just by
Sensing what is around
Feel the sand beneath your feet
A silent battleground
The salty tang of the sea
Breathe in the scent of sweet dates
The cries of the wild fill the air
Listen! Be still, and wait.
Books
The Precious Fairy Book This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"The Precious Fairy Book," copied from the Everling Laboratory collection -- Being a compendium of the uses for fairies and instructions for gathering them at the peak of potency.
Everyone is familiar with fairies, perhaps from childhood tales. This book will provide readers with a greater insight into the Norrathian version of these winged creatures.
The main body, so to speak, of work at the Everling Laboratory is the animation of certain golems.
Learning how to put something together, whether by magic or by manual labor, requires knowing how to disassemble said item.
In this way, our research is able to pinpoint the highest concentrations of mana that can be derived from a variety of sources.
The best sources of mana are concentrated in fey beings, such as fairies.
Unless one is able to build one's laboratory directly atop a natural wellspring of mana, the next best method of obtaining it is through direct extraction.
As with morning dew, the best time of day to obtain fairies for mana is at dawn.
Fairies can be found readily throughout most of modern Norrath. A large number of them reside in the Enchanted Lands.
There are two main types of fairy body-style, although many subtle variations can be detected through close examination.
One type is the so-called "dragonfly fairy" and the other is the typical fairy.
Dragonfly fairies are distinguished by an elongated lower body from which no legs are visible. The typical fairy looks like a shining, miniature gnome.
Unless one has the need for a specific type of fairy, the dragonfly and typical fairies are interchangeable, as they both have most of the same body parts.
Consider one's purpose in obtaining concentrations of mana.
If the end result is an offensive purpose, one would likely wish to use dragonfly fairies, which seem to have an essence that boosts the offensive spells. Typical fairies, on the other hand, have a faint infusion of something better for defensive spells.
More research will be needed to determine what manufactures these essential traces, but it is important to keep in mind.
If you remove the fairy's wings and hold them up to the light, you can see the network of veins within them.
Without their wings, fairies cannot fly. Flying springs from magic. Magic springs from mana. Therefore, the wings are concentrated mana.
This is true of either dragonfly or typical fairies.
There is also the matter of fairy dust, which can be obtained again from either type of fairy.
To make the most of the gathering process, it is useful to hold the fairy over a clean cloth and scrape it with the dull edge of a knife.
The dust collects in the cloth, which can then be used to transfer it to a storage container.
Some who search for concentrations of mana will make a reduction from the broth made by boiling fairy bones.
The sheer number of fairies it will take to make this concoction can be overwhelming. It is practical to store left-over fairy bones from previous extraction methods and prepare the reduction at one time.
Whenever there is an imbalance in the world's forces, there is an upswing in negative energy fairies. This does not mean fairies who have no energy, but rather fairies that tend toward malicious or mischievous behaviors. If it is not possible to convert these fairies to one's own purposes, they may be used in the same way as any other fairy.
Fairies are very useful in terms of distilling mana for a variety of purposes.
They may have other uses as well, some of those will need to be chronicled elsewhere.
If you are considering the study of fairies, you may well be the one to prepare such a volume.
Books
The Precious Fairy Book This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
Everyone is familiar with fairies, perhaps from childhood tales. This book will provide readers with a greater insight into the Norrathian version of these winged creatures. Entry One Put book away.
"The Precious Fairy Book," copied from the Everling Laboratory collection -- Being a compendium of the uses for fairies and instructions for gathering them at the peak of potency. Read book Put book away.
The main body, so to speak, of work at the Everling Laboratory is the animation of certain golems. Learning how to put something together, whether by magic or by manual labor, requires knowing how to disassemble said item. In this way, our research is able to pinpoint the highest concentrations of mana that can be derived from a variety of sources. Entry Two Put book away.
The best sources of mana are concentrated in fey beings, such as fairies. Unless one is able to build one's laboratory directly atop a natural wellspring of mana, the next best method of obtaining it is through direct extraction. As with morning dew, the best time of day to obtain fairies for mana is at dawn. Entry Three Put book away.
Fairies can be found readily throughout most of modern Norrath. A large number of them reside in the Enchanted Lands. There are two main types of fairy body-style, although many subtle variations can be detected through close examination. One type is the so-called "dragonfly fairy" and the other is the typical fairy. Entry Four Put book away.
Dragonfly fairies are distinguished by an elongated lower body from which no legs are visible. The typical fairy looks like a shining, miniature gnome. Unless one has the need for a specific type of fairy, the dragonfly and typical fairies are interchangeable, as they both have most of the same body parts. Entry Five Put book away.
Consider one's purpose in obtaining concentrations of mana. If the end result is an offensive purpose, one would likely wish to use dragonfly fairies, which seem to have an essence that boosts the offensive spells. Typical fairies, on the other hand, have a faint infusion of something better for defensive spells. More research will be needed to determine what manufactures these essential traces, but it is important to keep in mind. Entry Six Put book away.
If you remove the fairy's wings and hold them up to the light, you can see the network of veins within them. Without their wings, fairies cannot fly. Flying springs from magic. Magic springs from mana. Therefore, the wings are concentrated mana. This is true of either dragonfly or typical fairies. Entry Seven Put book away.
There is also the matter of fairy dust, which can be obtained again from either type of fairy. To make the most of the gathering process, it is useful to hold the fairy over a clean cloth and scrape it with the dull edge of a knife. The dust collects in the cloth, which can then be used to transfer it to a storage container. Entry Eight Put book away.
Some who search for concentrations of mana will make a reduction from the broth made by boiling fairy bones. The sheer number of fairies it will take to make this concoction can be overwhelming. It is practical to store left-over fairy bones from previous extraction methods and prepare the reduction at one time. Entry Nine Put book away.
Whenever there is an imbalance in the world's forces, there is an upswing in negative energy fairies. This does not mean fairies who have no energy, but rather fairies that tend toward malicious or mischievous behaviors. If it is not possible to convert these fairies to one's own purposes, they may be used in the same way as any other fairy. Entry Ten Put book away.
Fairies are very useful in terms of distilling mana for a variety of purposes. They may have other uses as well, some of those will need to be chronicled elsewhere. If you are considering the study of fairies, you may well be the one to prepare such a volume. Close Book.
Books
The Precious Fairy Book This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"The Precious Fairy Book," copied from the Everling Laboratory collection -- Being a compendium of the uses for fairies and instructions for gathering them at the peak of potency.
Everyone is familiar with fairies, perhaps from childhood tales. This book will provide readers with a greater insight into the Norrathian version of these winged creatures.
The main body, so to speak, of work at the Everling Laboratory is the animation of certain golems.
Learning how to put something together, whether by magic or by manual labor, requires knowing how to disassemble said item.
In this way, our research is able to pinpoint the highest concentrations of mana that can be derived from a variety of sources.
The best sources of mana are concentrated in fey beings, such as fairies.
Unless one is able to build one's laboratory directly atop a natural wellspring of mana, the next best method of obtaining it is through direct extraction.
As with morning dew, the best time of day to obtain fairies for mana is at dawn.
Fairies can be found readily throughout most of modern Norrath. A large number of them reside in the Enchanted Lands.
There are two main types of fairy body-style, although many subtle variations can be detected through close examination.
One type is the so-called "dragonfly fairy" and the other is the typical fairy.
Dragonfly fairies are distinguished by an elongated lower body from which no legs are visible. The typical fairy looks like a shining, miniature gnome.
Unless one has the need for a specific type of fairy, the dragonfly and typical fairies are interchangeable, as they both have most of the same body parts.
Consider one's purpose in obtaining concentrations of mana.
If the end result is an offensive purpose, one would likely wish to use dragonfly fairies, which seem to have an essence that boosts the offensive spells. Typical fairies, on the other hand, have a faint infusion of something better for defensive spells.
More research will be needed to determine what manufactures these essential traces, but it is important to keep in mind.
If you remove the fairy's wings and hold them up to the light, you can see the network of veins within them.
Without their wings, fairies cannot fly. Flying springs from magic. Magic springs from mana. Therefore, the wings are concentrated mana.
This is true of either dragonfly or typical fairies.
There is also the matter of fairy dust, which can be obtained again from either type of fairy.
To make the most of the gathering process, it is useful to hold the fairy over a clean cloth and scrape it with the dull edge of a knife.
The dust collects in the cloth, which can then be used to transfer it to a storage container.
Some who search for concentrations of mana will make a reduction from the broth made by boiling fairy bones.
The sheer number of fairies it will take to make this concoction can be overwhelming. It is practical to store left-over fairy bones from previous extraction methods and prepare the reduction at one time.
Whenever there is an imbalance in the world's forces, there is an upswing in negative energy fairies. This does not mean fairies who have no energy, but rather fairies that tend toward malicious or mischievous behaviors. If it is not possible to convert these fairies to one's own purposes, they may be used in the same way as any other fairy.
Fairies are very useful in terms of distilling mana for a variety of purposes.
They may have other uses as well, some of those will need to be chronicled elsewhere.
If you are considering the study of fairies, you may well be the one to prepare such a volume.
Books
The Second Wife's Tale 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 Second Wife's Tale - Page 5 (plundered from a wooden box at 53, 136, 186 in Maj'Dul)
The Second Wife's Tale - Page 7 (plundered from barrels at 32, 149, 79 in Maj'Dul)
The Second Wife's Tale - Page 8 (shinies in Maj'Dul)
The Second Wife's Tale - Page 10 (plundered from a vase at 130, 143, 121 in Maj'Dul)
The Second Wife's Tale - Page 12 (plundered from a scroll at 70, 139, 36 in Maj'Dul)
The Second Wife's Tale - Page 13 (shinies in Maj'Dul)
The Second Wife's Tale - Page 15 (shinies or looted in Maj'Dul or The Sinking Sands)
The Second Wife's Tale - Page 17 (shinies or looted in Maj'Dul or The Sinking Sands)
The Second Wife's Tale - Page 18 (shinies or looted in Maj'Dul or The Sinking Sands)
Discovered on 13 Sep 2005 at 12:34:22 PDT.
The Second Wife's Tale
The City of Maj’Dul was founded by its first Sultan, Ahkari. Over time, Ahkari displayed a restless energy that no one could trace, though his Second Wife’s tale gives us one glimpse into his turmoil.
Hot, so hot. Heat roiling off the edges of the world, rendering the horizon an endless sea.
Ahkari’s hands trembled as he grasped the goblet of water offered to him, but when he held it to his lips, only sand poured forth. He retched, choking on the burning grit.
"You cannot make me drink this!" the Sultan cried, his lips cracking. "I am the ruler of Maj’Dul and will not be treated this way!"
"Hush, hush," whispered his Second Wife, whose turn it was to watch over him this night. "You are dreaming; close your eyes and rest."
She wet a cloth with watered wine and touched his broken lips with it, dabbing away the blood.
How many nights had he been this way? The Second Wife sang a lullaby, massaging Ahkari’s temples until his breathing evened and he seemed to be deep in sleep again.
She stood, stretched, and closed the curtains around his bed before going to the arched window to study the landscape. Beyond the soft yellow walls, somewhere in the velvet night, her people wandered while she lived in luxury.
Glancing at the silk curtains around the bed, the Second Wife smiled. Luxury came with a price.
As Second Wife, she no longer used her own name but rather that of her position so as not to arouse the anger of the First Wife.
And since Ahkari’s nights has become so troubled, she too lost sleep for the First Wife would no longer share his chamber and had sent her instead.
She could hear Ahkari’s thin voice through the curtains, begging to be left along. "My poor lord," she whispered to herself, withdrawing to her own chamber.
Still, Ahkari was a kind man. Before the madness struck him, she had seen him infrequently as he doted upon the First Wife.
Now that he was used to the Second Wife’s presence, he showered her with jewels, exotic perfumes and best of all, his attention. Then they would sleep and the terrors began.
What pursued him through the oasis of the night, she wondered, and kept him from refreshing himself at its pool of dreams?
In the morning, Ahkari was better, though his lips were still dry and chapped.
He guzzled water so greedily that the Second Wife cautioned him, "To drink so much at once can kill you, my lord, as it kills the deer who thirsts in the wilds."
"I am no deer," he laughed, but his voice was edged with an unfamiliar note. "Do not worry," he added, patting her hand. "I will not drink myself to death with water."
The Second Wife kept to herself while Ahkari was busy with his sons, none of them hers, and the business of ruling the city.
Maj’Dul was Ahkari’s city; he had planned its rise from the harsh desert rocks and now ruled as its Sultan. His sons were cordial, but they discounted her presence as did the other officials of the city.
She was Second and while the First Wife lived, had no authority.
And yet, watching Ahkari through the gilt screens that separated the large council chamber from the gallery, she wondered what it would be like to be the First Wife.
Would she too have summoned a lesser attendant in order to avoid the unpleasantness that visited the Sultan in the night?
Or…the Second Wife’s eyes grew wide as she considered the idea…was the First Wife somehow responsible for his illness?
" No, never," the Second Wife whispered to herself. No one would wish pain on this man.
And such pain! For now, Ahkari was screaming at the top of his lungs for his eldest son Ahkarem and accusing everyone around him of treason. A froth grew at the corners of the Sultan’s mouth before Ahkarem was finally located and brought before his father.
"Your son stands humbly before you, Sultan," cried Ahkarem, his voice ringing through the hall and capturing his father’s attention.
"Ahkarem," the Sultan sobbed, "You must know…these dates are poisoned! Take them away and kill the one who brought them!"
With a glance, Ahkarem stayed the guards from acting upon the Sultan’s commands. He gently took his father’s arm and said firmly, "You should not jest this way, my lord, for your word is our command."
The Second Wife would not bear to see Ahkari in such a state and fled the room.
Behind her, she could hear Ahkari’s voice returning to normal as he laughed loudly and said, "Ahkarem is wise to see though my joke. The dates are fine but very rich; take them away."
The voices, thankfully normal, of father and son echoed through the chamber.
How much longer would Ahkari be able to keep his position, with four healthy sons of an age to take his place? Hadn’t the guards done Ahkarem’s bidding rather than his father’s?
The Second Wife hurried to the sanctuary of the Sultan’s room, calling for her maid. "Draw my bath," she commanded, "And use the rose oil favored by my lord."
This night, Ahkari had planned a banquet and all the wives were to attend. His sons and First Wife would sit on the dais with him.
As Second Wife, she would be seated elsewhere with Ahkari’s grandchildren. Still, she wanted to be beautiful, for it pleased her to see his face light up when he recognized a scent or bracelet that he had given her. She heard the doors to the chamber slam open as the Sultan entered.
"Those robes are not fit for my camel to wear!" Ahkari yelled. "There are purple butterflies on them! Who has ever seen a spotted purple butterfly before? Get it out of my sight or you will be sent to the arena as fodder for my champion!"
The Second Wife hurried toward him. "My lord, you are frightening me. The purple robe was ever your favorite. Do you not wish to wear it, another will be found."
Ahkari’s eyes focused on the Second Wife for a moment, and it was clear that the madness was fighting for control inside him.
"I cannot find my paradise," he whispered hoarsely, "I am in the desert but there is no oasis for me."
"My lord, wherever you are, that is my paradise," she murmured. "Tonight, you will find peace and comfort. And I shall be there also."
The tension eased in the Sultan’s face. He held the Second Wife against him briefly, kissing her hair. He said, "You cannot follow me, but I know what awaits."
"My lord?" she asked, puzzled. He kissed her again and said nothing more.
That evening as the banquet went on around them, she saw him leave the dais. His steps were proud and strong as of old. When they found him the next dawn, his silent lips were curled in a serene smile, for Ahkari had come to the oasis at last.
Books
The Seeds of Corruption This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
In times past, when the island was a bastion of knowledge, the seeds of corruption were planted. As the city of seers and scholars rose to greater heights, celestial words were interpreted. The beauty of what was once offered was defiled in erudition. The city fell.
The tomb of knowledge passed through the ages, no one to gaze upon the words, defiled or not. The ages lived and died and a once great empire was swallowed by the island, covering much of what was with natural beauty. Then came the castaways.
Upon the shores the waves arrived, occasionally bringing gifts to an abandoned isle. Some of these gifts were seeds of new flora while others were creatures lucky enough to survive atop wayward flotsam. The creatures of the gods arrived.
Not all creatures are content in sufficient splendor. There are those that desire what is not theirs, a greater power. Paupers strive to be kings and the mouse dreams of being a lion. Such envy was in the heart of the one what would become the matron of corruption.
Upon the island a dryad washed ashore atop a kelp raft. With this dryad came the envy of those left behind. Far away, in a forest across the horizon, is where her people dwelt. Within a grove of tranquility the spawn of hatred arose, hatred and greed for power that was not hers.
In the tranquil grove one dryad south to claim rule. True it was that this beautiful creature of arcane flora had power, but not the power to rule. Such power was reserved for the seeds of nobility. Here in the grove, this dryad could not rule.
The envious dryad departed the grove and journey to the suns slumber began. Beyond the sea was rumored to be an island of secrets, secrets of the gods. It is only there that a humble dryad can become a powerful matron to the grove.
With the assistance of the forests of Prexus, envy and greed made its way to the mythical isle. There on the isle she found a circle of stones and a grove that would soon be her own. The dryads of the stones were gracious, the plot of evil unbeknownst.
While the islands dryads basked in the splendor of tranquility, far from the chaos of the children of the gods, the keeper of envy south knowledge. Many suns would cross the clouds before such secrets would be found.
The green on the island covered most of the ruins of the past. The envious dryad came to find such a place, a dwelling of a long dead seafarer. Here in a monument of a lonely hermit were placed many treasures, greatest of them all are the ones that do not sparkle.
The darkened shell of a pirate's last days hid a book removed from the tombs of knowledge that hide deep beneath the island. This tome seethed arcane power to the touch. Inside the binder were words that promised great powers of growth.
The powers of growth were to great for an envious dryad to ignore. The warning signs all about the hedge covered ruins went unnoticed. The sight of tormented vines clenching the throat of a lifeless corpse meant nothing to the blinded by the touch of grandeur.
Within the binder were placed magical words upon ancient pages. The pages were meant to be spoken aloud, but never comprehended. What manner of soul would dare speak arcane words, not knowing what they promised?
As the dryad spoke aloud words she could not comprehend, the meaning became clear. Tales of the forests of the gods became known, spells to tend the vase green above. Sprinkled within the truth was corruption.
Upon reading the first few chapters of the powerful book, the dryad felt a surge of arcane energy. With this new power the dryad came to claim the circles of stones on the island and all about it. This would be hers and all others would server her as the new matron of the grove.
The book removed from the ancient library was corrupted by those that first dared to interpret its wounds. Such corruption leads to the defiling of the soul of the daring reader. Curses come to those that read aloud the words of the Seeds of Corruption.
As the new matron of the grove tasked her people to server her desires, she began to feel a loss of the power pulled from the magical tome. Reading the tome aloud did no good. She attempted to hide her dwindling power from her new society, but soon her prayers would be answered in death.
The grove matron began to wither. A few of her new circle came to question the matron's appearance. In a fit of rage, a deadly power arose. The matron's fury was channeled into an evil force that began to siphon the powers of those that came to her aid.
Where she was once powerless and withering, she was now reborn. The death of her beautiful new kingdom must occur for her to claim the power she always desired. The wisting of the grove matron's society began.
Slowly, one by one, those who served the grove matron came forward to be blessed by their queen. This blessing was in truth a deadly curse that saw to the grove's corruption. What was once beautiful was now twisted and ugly.
Within the defiled circle of stones a grove matron feeds off people. Her dreams of ruling over a majestic grove that would rival any other could be no more. To sustain her lust for power, her people must suffer. Such is the curse of corrupted knowledge.
From the branches of Tunare, by the will of the Heartwood, I traveled across the great horizon, sent to destroy a threat greater than I found. Such knowledge could defile all that we fight to reclaim. I now know that i must remain and return this evil to the holds below.
The Seeds of Corruption delivers what is promised, but the false words corrupt wishes. Do not seek this ancient knowledge. I write this tale in hopes that such corruption does not escape again. Heed the warning -- L. Ashwood
Books
The Siren's Song This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
Studying sirens can be very dangerous. Their songs can lull the most hardened adventurer to his doom. Instead of studying actual sirens in the Norrathian waters, these lovelies are instead represented by the song of one of the most celebrated bards of her time. Entry One Put book away.
"The Siren's Song," as sung by Serina Melosine, bard of Qeynos Harbor. Read book Put book away.
Sing with me, songs from days gone by. Sing of the men who have passed our way. Our song they cannot deny! Entry Two Put book away.
Though I am bound to the sea And I mean not to lead them astray Many are the men who come to me Entry Three Put book away.
All along the shores I sing Through the night and into day Touching the mariners' heartstring Entry Four Put book away.
My long hair is green as softest sea-foam As soft as the ocean's spray My melody follows the men as they roam Entry Five Put book away.
Do you hear the song of the sea? From aboard your ship as it sways? Do you feel the need to fall in love with me? Entry Six Put book away.
I am a siren, sisters are we Come to us, come to us and stay The siren's song will set you free Entry Seven Put book away.
Join with me now in Prexus' depths Nothing but water can come between us I promise you a boundless joy Entry Eight Put book away.
Sing with me, mariner, a soft song That flows like time across Norrath's seaway The call of the siren can be so strong Entry Nine Put book away.
The mariners last not, they never remain And soon, their cold flesh turns to grey We sirens begin again our refrain Entry Ten Put book away.
Sing with me, songs from days gone by. Sing of the men who have passed our way. Our song they cannot deny! Close Book.
Books
The Siren's Song This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"The Siren's Song," as sung by Serina Melosine, bard of Qeynos.
Studying sirens can be very dangerous. Their songs can lull the most hardened adventurer to his doom. Instead of studying actual sirens in the Norrathian waters, these lovelies are instead represented by the song of one of the most celebrated bards of her time.
Sing with me, songs fromdays gone by. Sing of the men who have passed our way. Our song they cannot deny!
Though I am bound to the sea And I mean not to lead them astray Many are the men who come to me
All along the shores I sing Through the night and into day Touching the mariners' heartstring
My long hair is green as softest sea-foam As soft as the ocean's spray My melody follows the men as they roam
Do you hear the song of the sea? From aboard your ship as it sways? Do you feel the need to fall in love with me?
I am a siren, sisters are we Come to us, come to us and stay The siren's song will set you free
Join with me now in Prexus' depths Nothing but water can come between usI promise you a boundless joy
Sing with me, mariner, a soft song That flows like time across Norrath's seaway The call of the siren can be so strong
The mariners last not, they never remain And soon, their cold flesh turns to grey We sirens begin again our refrain
Sing with me, songs from days gone by. gone by. Sing of the men who have passed our way. Our song they cannot deny!
Books
The Siren's Song This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"The Siren's Song," as sung by Serina Melosine, bard of Qeynos.
Studying sirens can be very dangerous. Their songs can lull the most hardened adventurer to his doom. Instead of studying actual sirens in the Norrathian waters, these lovelies are instead represented by the song of one of the most celebrated bards of her time.
Sing with me, songs fromdays gone by. Sing of the men who have passed our way. Our song they cannot deny!
Though I am bound to the sea And I mean not to lead them astray Many are the men who come to me
All along the shores I sing Through the night and into day Touching the mariners' heartstring
My long hair is green as softest sea-foam As soft as the ocean's spray My melody follows the men as they roam
Do you hear the song of the sea? From aboard your ship as it sways? Do you feel the need to fall in love with me?
I am a siren, sisters are we Come to us, come to us and stay The siren's song will set you free
Join with me now in Prexus' depths Nothing but water can come between usI promise you a boundless joy
Sing with me, mariner, a soft song That flows like time across Norrath's seaway The call of the siren can be so strong
The mariners last not, they never remain And soon, their cold flesh turns to grey We sirens begin again our refrain
Sing with me, songs from days gone by. gone by. Sing of the men who have passed our way. Our song they cannot deny!
Books
The Stone Frum Pazt Vol. I This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
The Stone Frum Pazt, Vol. I, page 1 (looted in Nizara, City of the Nayad)
The Stone Frum Pazt, Vol. I, page 2 (looted in Nizara, City of the Nayad)
The Stone Frum Pazt, Vol. I, page 3 (looted in Nizara, City of the Nayad)
The Stone Frum Pazt, Vol. I, page 4 (looted in Nizara, City of the Nayad)
The Stone Frum Pazt, Vol. I, page 5 (looted in Nizara, City of the Nayad)
Discovered on 14 Sep 2006 at 0:03:32 PDT.
The Stone frum Pazt
by Gomresh, Shaman of the Dark Ones
Long ago the shamans of our ancestor trolls prophesied the rise of The Grozmok, referred to more commonly as The Wun, a Troll of great might that shall possess powerful artifacts and secrets. According to the prophecies, The Wun shall subjugate all clans under one rule.
The might of The Wun and the united clans under his rule shall be unstoppable, all of Norrath shall be ours to plunder, all its inhabitants ours to torture and feast upon.
The shaman of the old clans recorded the prophecies of The Gromzok on the strongest slab of stone, the hieroglyphs drawn with their own blood and blessed by the Gods of Fear and Hate. For ages our ancestor shaman guarded the stone, while our ancestor warriors sought to subjugate their rival clans, each hoping to become the legendary Gromzok. Then, a great war tore across the face of Norrath. The minions of Warlord Rallos Zek slaughtered and enslaved all who crossed their path. The rivers that fed the swamps of the ancestor clans were filled with the blood of the slaughtered.
Many of the ancestor clans were destroyed in the chaos, the survivors becoming scavengers, feeding on the carnage of the battlefield, or slaves, fighting along side the very armies that led to their clans demise. During this time the Gromzok Stone was lost, pillaged and hidden within one of the strongholds of the Rallosian Empire.
The Empire of the Ogres fell abruptly, cursed by the Gods to be reduced lower than the state peoples they had conquered. The remnants of the ancestor clans once again began to flourish, new clans rose to replace those that had been lost to the slaughter of the Rallosian Empire. Two tribes in particular gained dominance of the ancestor Trolls, the Brokenskull Clan who inhabit an Island in the Gulf of Gunthak, and the Ykesha Clan residing in the Innothule Swamps. The two clans warred against each other for supreme dominance of souther Tunaria, raiding the others territories and the mountainous lands of the Ogres that had survived the destruction of their empire. It was in these mountainous lands that the Gromzok Stone once again came into the possession of the Troll clans.
Books
The Stone Frum Pazt Vol. II This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
The Stone Frum Pazt, Vol. II, page 1 (looted in Nizara, City of the Nayad)
The Stone Frum Pazt, Vol. II, page 2 (looted in Nizara, City of the Nayad)
The Stone Frum Pazt, Vol. II, page 3 (looted in Nizara, City of the Nayad)
The Stone Frum Pazt, Vol. II, page 4 (looted in Nizara, City of the Nayad)
The Stone Frum Pazt, Vol. II, page 5 (looted in Nizara, City of the Nayad)
The Stone Frum Pazt, Vol. II, page 6 (looted in Nizara, City of the Nayad)
The Stone Frum Pazt, Vol. II, page 7 (looted in Nizara, City of the Nayad)
The Stone Frum Pazt, Vol. II, page 8 (looted in Nizara, City of the Nayad)
Discovered on 11 Nov 2006 at 22:20:13 PST.
The Stone Frum Pazt, Volume II by Gomresh, Shaman of the Dark Ones
A war horde from the Ykesha Clan recovered the Gromzek Stone from the ruins of an Ogre Stronghold. Recognizing the hieroglyphs of the ancestor clans but not being able to decipher them, the stone was given the name "Stone Frum Pazt" and presented to the Warlord Ykesha, ruler of their clan. Ykesha's shamans recognized the blessings of the Gods of Fear and Hate upon the hieroglyphs, and calling upon them for divine assistance deciphered the meaning of the words scrawled in blood across the surface of the stone.
Ykesha believed he was, or desired to be The Wun, and his accomplishments coupled with the prophesies of the stone frum Pazt rallied even more trolls to the Ykesha Clan.
As Ykeshas' might and renown grew, so did his paranoia until he hid himself depe within his fortress in the Innothule Swamp. The forces of the rival clans, all seeking possession of the stone frum Patz beset the Ykesha Clan. It was Clan Brokenskull that won possession of the stone, the Ykesha clan was destroyed, the survivors joining their one-time rivals for fleeing into the swamps, clanless and disgraced.
The clanless Trolls endured in the Innothule swamp despite their disgrace, and a new Warlord by the name of Jurglash rose and united the remnants of the Ykeshan Clan. This new clan became known as the Grobb Clan, and its might would quickly grow to become the prominent troll clan on the Antonican mainland.
Eventually Warlord Redak, a powerful shadowknight of the Brokenskull Clan, rose to power and claiming the mantle of The Wun led the Brokenskulls to victory over several smaller clans residing on the mainland of Antonica. The Shaman had heard of a place of great evil called Befallen, and sent Redak alone to this place to recover powerful artifacts, and fulfill his destiny. Redak did as the shaman instructed and was never seen nor heard from again. The stone remained in the possession of the Brokenskull Clan, hidden and guarded in the tomb of the legendary Brokenskull Shaman, Nadox.
For decades the Grobb Clan prospered under the leadership of warlord Jurglash, their shaman dedicated themselves to the Gods of both Fear and Hate. The Shadowknights of Grobb built the Nightkeep in the Innothule swamp, on the edge of the clan's village, and Da Bashers had become a force to be feared. Only the Brokenskulls remained as a threatening rival clan.
The Shaman of Grobb learned the whereabouts of the stone frum Pazt and an invasion horde was sent to recover it from the rival clan. The invasion was successful and the stone was brought to Grobb where it remains, awaiting the arrival of The Wun.
Books
The Story of Ankexfen This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
The Story of Ankexfen, page 1 (shinies in Nizara, City of the Nayad)
The Story of Ankexfen, page 2 (shinies in Nizara, City of the Nayad)
The Story of Ankexfen, page 3 (shinies in Nizara, City of the Nayad)
The Story of Ankexfen, page 4 (shinies in Nizara, City of the Nayad)
The Story of Ankexfen, page 5 (shinies in Nizara, City of the Nayad)
Discovered on 26 Sep 2006 at 0:11:22 PDT.
The story of the creation of the four goblin tribes
This ancient tale of a civilization long since forgotten by the name of Ankexfen was handed down to me by a visiting priestess in Najena by the name of Aerthane D'Zitherak, a Priestess of Innoruuk, and seeker of the Fabled and Ancient Staff of Ankexfen.
Long ago, there existed a race known as the Ankexfen, after their progenitor Hazeg Ankexfen, who were created by Rallos Zek during the Elder Age. This race was quite intelligent and cunning. They quickly expanded their knowledge of magic and the other planes, yet constantly yearned for more power. So, along with their ogre counterparts, they set out to master the Plane of Earth. Alas, their attempts proved futile and the combined might of the other gods forced Rallos Zek back to thePlanes of Power, leaving his creations to the whims of the other gods.
The wrath of the unnamed gods was grim. Thousands of ogres were instantly slain - their empire left to crumble under the hand of retribution. The giants were flung across the face of Norrath like seeds to the wind. The Ankexfen's fate was more severe. The entire race was exterminated, but from the ashes were born the four goblin races. Exactly how this happened is unknown. But what is known is that each goblin clan was stripped of any knowledge and was neither informed of the other clans nor of their origins.
Each clan was then transported to a separate environment to help preserve the gods' will. However, the gods were not without mercy and each clan was granted a section of the staff. Upon each staff, a crystal was adorned. These staves served to aid the goblin clans in understanding their environment. These remnants of the Staff of Ankexfen combine to create the fabled and powerful Staff of Ankexfen.
Books
The Tale of Brother Qwinn This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
Another member of the Whistling Fists Clan who became known to outsiders during the Age of Turmoil was the brave and just Brother Qwinn. He traveled the lands in search of the Code of the Whistling Fists, a tome that was taken from him during his journeys.
One of the regions where Brother Qwinn made his home for a time was the Southern Plains of Karana. This sprawling expanse was the home of many dangers, from the horrific outpost of Lord Grimrot to the ominous entrance of the deadly Lair of Splitpaw. Brother Qwinn roamed the area and assisted those who were beset by the forces of darkness. Many tales were told about the mysterious monk in the dark crimson drape who kept the plains safe for wayward travelers.
One of Brother Qwinn's most epic battles was against the mighty beast known as Cracktusk. This huge bull elephant had once been docile, but it was driven to a great rage after poachers attacked him and injured one of his great tusks. The pain was so intense that the massive animal fell into madness and seemed to increase tenfold in both strength and speed.
Cracktusk was known to appear as but a speck on the horizon, only to suddenly charge toward unsuspecting travelers and gore them with his mighty tusks. Though Brother Qwinn had no desire to harm a wounded animal, he could not allow this beast's misery to endanger innocent lives. The monk tracked the great beast for many days until he found it charging toward a group of farmers headed to trade their grain with the nearby aviaks.
As he engaged his opponent, Brother Qwinn was seized by the animal's massive trunk and thrown high into the air, but the skilled monk landed safely. He tried to stun the animal in hopes of finding some way to relieve its pain, but the beast had descended too far into madness for there to be any hope of saving him. The kind-hearted monk summoned forth all his skill to strike with blinding speed and end Cracktusk's suffering as quickly and mercifully as he could.
Though he had saved the lives of the farmers, Brother Qwinn felt no pride in his victory. His only solace was that he had at last ended the mighty elephant's pain. To honor the heart of this great beast, Brother Qwinn buried him and set the massive cracked tusk into the earth to serve as a memorial to the animal's life. Then the monk tracked down the unscrupulous poachers who had caused the elephant's suffering and laid waste to their camp. The fate of the poachers themselves is unknown; Brother Qwinn never spoke of it.
Even for many years after the great monk recovered his tome and departed the Plains of Karana, no one dared disturb the massive ivory tusk that marked Cracktusk's grave. Poachers whispered tales of the mighty Brother Qwinn who had vowed to return and take revenge upon any who would dare desecrate the tomb of the noble elephant whose spirit he honored.
Books
The Tale of Brother Zephyl This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
Among the many members of the Whistling Fists Clan who safeguarded the lands of Norrath over the centuries since its founding, one of the most renowned was Brother Zephyl. Though he traveled far and wide, he followed of his order and sought to draw very little attention to himself. Despite these efforts, Brother Zephyl would become known for his great deeds during the Age of Turmoil.
For many years, Brother Zephyl safeguarded the Rathe Mountains, which at that time was a dangerous landscape fought over by many warring factions. Though remaining on the outside of any political conflicts, Brother Zephyl ensured the safety of those who traveled the roadways.
This rocky region held many dangers, one of the most troublesome of which was a tribe of lizardmen that called the valleys of the Rathe Mountains home. These deadly creatures despised all warm-blooded beings and frequently attacked unsuspecting travelers. The cowardly beasts were known to avoid a fair fight, preferring instead to gang up on small groups of adventurers and try to overwhelm them with superior numbers.
One day the lizardmen ambushed a small trade caravan bound for Lake Rathe, and it seemed the merchants faced a certain doom. Suddenly, springing from the rocks above, a dark robed figure arrived to defend the hapless merchants! Brother Zephyl struck the scaled attackers with fists of blazing speed, singing a song of battle as he drove the fiends away. The merchants wished to reward the brave monk, but the modest Zephyl would accept no reward and simply went about his way.
Many more tales like this were soon to be told by other travelers that were saved by the mysterious monk who defended the weak without any care for his own safety. Despite his best efforts, Brother Zephyl's name and reputation became known, and soon curious travelers from afar came seeking acceptance into the Whistling Fists Clan. It is said that some who were worthy even earned the right to wear their own robes of dark crimson.
But it wasn't only Norrathians who took notice of the monk's skill and power. From within the ranks of the lizardmen rose a terrible champion who vowed to slay the monk and devour his flesh. This fearsome reptilian shaman, known as Mortificator Syythrak, set a trap to lure Brother Zephyl out by attacking a group of travelers. When the monk arrived, Syythrak summoned forth the powers of disease to try to weaken the noble defender. Brother Zephyl counterattacked, using his Whistling Fists style to strike a multitude of blows against the wicked fiend.
Some say the battle lasted hours; others claim it went on for days. What is known for certain is that at the end, the mighty Brother Zephyl was victorious. He fashioned a fine vest out of the creature's mystical hide, offering the tunic to a young monk passing through the region.
Brother Zephyl eventually left the Rathe Mountains and had many other adventures. But he never forgot the lands he safeguarded for so long, and it is said that he even requested that his remains be laid to rest there in an unmarked grave. For this reason, the Rathe Mountains have always been held sacred by members of the Whistling Fists Clan.
Books
The Tales of the Burynai This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"Tales of the Burynai" Complied by Irowon. Translated by Marcus Riverswell
Compiler's Note: I managed to trade some particularly shiny stones for these tales, one by one, from an unusually cooperative Burynai trader over some time. Bit by bit, he'd snort and reveal bits of his people's lore to me. I have no way of knowing if any or all of it is completely fake, as the Burynai have lied before and will again, but the stories do, if nothing else, give us clues about how they want to believe the world to be. -Irowon, scholar of Timorous Deep
In the Beginning * * * In the beginning Brell made the furless Burynai and then made the furless Burynai different and different again, but Brell did not like what he had made. Then, finally, Brell made the Burynai, and he knew it was good.
Brell made the Burynai up from the earth and gave us a snout that smelled everything and eyes that saw everything and claws to dig at the earth. And he made us smart! The Burynai better than any of Brell's other creatures could shape the ground in his image and claim it in his name! And Brell was happy because he had his true children.
Why We Dig * * * Burynai are Brell's chosen. Brell has many gifts for us. Gifts in the earth. Burynai must find those gifts and when we do, Brell's power will be ours! Brell never meant for Burynai to be slaves or less to anyone. Brell wants Burynai to rule everyone, but Burynai must earn it. Burynai must find what Brell left for us.
So Burynai dig through the earth. Dig until we find that treasure he has left for us. All treasures are treasured. Everything shiny will one day be ours, and the furless races will have to ask us for the shinys. The furry races too! Every race but the Burynai will have to ask the Burynai to be generous to them, and the Burynai will refuse them all!
Stealing the Sun * * * There was one time when Burynai stole the sun. Burynai like things that are shiny. Shiny is good, shiny is Brell's gift to us. And the sun is the shiniest thing Burynai have ever seen, and the furless Burynai all seem to worship it. So the Burynai stole it, because the Burynai take all that we want, thinking maybe it was the great power Brell promised us.
But Burynai should have known that Brell's power is under the ground and that the sun is untrue. Burynai stole the sun, you see, but it gave us nothing. Burynai kept it in a bottle and all it did was burn us and cry to be let out. So the Burynai put the wicked sun back into the sky and kept looking. The Burynai kept part of the sun in the bottle, though - the best part, and have it still. Just so the sun remembers the Burynai were once its masters.
The Very Good Power * * * Burynai one day found a good power. Not the great power of Brell, but a good power. This power can be in each one of us, and we can use it to find the great power. This power brought dead Burynai back to help the living Burynai and delivered pain on our enemies. The first Burynai to find this power brought back his mother without knowing what he did, but he tried and tried again and finally brought back his father knowing exactly what he did.
And soon we all brought back our mothers and fathers and grandmothers and grandfathers, and it was good. Burynai wanted more of this power. We found the less races knew of this power too, and we plundered their oldest cities, finding more secrets of the power. This power had grown and grown in the Burynai. It has grown to something very good, though not great as Brell's power. This very good power will bring us Brell's great power. The Burynai have death in our hands, and soon we will have all of life there too.
Claiming the Tower * * * Burynai at one time had so many shinys that they had nowhere to put them, nowhere safe where burglars could not take them. So the Burynai looked for a home. Burynai took over many great trees and deep caverns, but the trees were too weak and the caverns had too many tunnels going in and out. The shinys were not safe there.
But then the world changed, and many of the weaker races were gone, or even weaker than they always had been. When that happened, we found our home - our tower. There were many undead there but Burynai made them dead again with our very good power. So we made the tower ours, and the weak furless will never have it back.
The Savior * * * The Burynai were almost dead, you know. All gone! But then Brell saved us. The nasty goblins meant to kill us, you see. They had a great and terrible shiny that was going to kill us all. But Brell sent a savior
who showed us what the nasty goblins were going to do, because the Burynai are Brell's chosen. The goblins much have known what power we have and meant to steal from it. Foul goblins! But they are not the chosen of Brell.
We stole that great shiny - right from under their noses! The shiny is ours and the power will be ours...
Compiler's Afterword * * * At those final words, my contact grew quiet and more than just a little frightened looking. He was silent, and after that day, he never returned to Timorous Deep. He was replaced by another Burynai who, despite how many shinys I offered him,
was as taciturn as every other member of their race that I have met. It was such a pity. I was just beginning to come to understand these odd little creatures. - Irowen, scholar of Timorous Deep
Translator's Appendix * * * I am certain this great and terrible shiny was something more than any simple Burynai can understand. What is its true nature? And what of this savior they believe to have been sent by Brell? Are the Burynai truly agents of some great change, or merely self obsessed subterranean diggers? Kurn's cursed Tower, I am sure, holds the answers to these
questions, and probably many more. Unfortunately, while the Burynai may be willing to engage in a limited amount of trading, they will allow no one to enter their home and react violently to any incursion. More subtle methods will need to be used to penetrate the tower and learn the secrets of the Burynai. - Marcus Riverswell, scholar of Qeynos
Books
The Three Brothers This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
Let this tale be told in the light of the fireflies, as we eat of the emperor, and comfort one another through our loss.
There were three, but now two. Mighty Khorr, Ruthless Girok, Thoughtful Gorir. Once united amongst their weave, through their web, under watch of the Three Sacred Sisters, their thread is now severed and we mourn.
Our island gave to us, the Sisters provided for us, and it was good. We looked upon it and saw only bounty, only peace. Our bellies full and enemies none, we pursued life and all that it had to offer.
And yet, perhaps we took too much. Our numbers grew, and the emperors waned. Stomachs growled and our young died. Girok moved first, and fed poisoned words to Khorr. There was room for only two, and the third must perish. And so we knew war, with brother and sister.
"Why?" Thoughtful Gorir cried out, "Why must this be so?" And Mighty Khorr paused. "We do this because there is only room for two. We shed tears that this must be so, brothers." Thoughtful Gorir saw the tears, and knew this to be true.
"But wait, Mighty Khorr! Stay your fang one moment longer. Should we perish, then what of you? Will not Girok strike at you once we are no more? Your hatchlings will take our place, and the emperors will wane again." Mighty Khorr looked behind and saw Ruthless Girok poised to strike. They saw the wisdom in Thoughtful Gorir's words.
"Ruthless Girok has plotted this, woven a tangled web that we cannot escape. We must cut the ties that bind, sever the arm so that the body does not die."
And the Mighty Khorr turned their back to Ruthless Girok.
And the Thoughtful Gorir turned their back to Ruthless Girok.
Girok found itself alone, and hungry, and betrayed by their ambition. They understood the folly of their way, and accepted their exile. All three of us, together for the very last time, built great silken ships. We shed tears for our loss as the Three Sacred Sisters led Ruthless Girok away from our island - north, toward the horizon.
And so we mourn, we mourn under the light of the fireflies, for the loss of our arm, our sibling, the thread that made us whole. And we remember, and we live better, so that brother never fights sister again.
Books
The Tragic Tale of Brother Balatin This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
Of all the honored members of the Whistling Fists Clan, few tales are more heartbreaking than that of Brother Balatin. This great monk was beset by tragedy and treachery, and worst of all he blamed himself for the events that transpired.
Brother Balatin journeyed to the lands of Kunark during the Age of Turmoil, where he was observing the progress of the Swifttail Caste. He carried with him an artifact that was priceless to the Whistling Fists Clan: the ancient flute that the order's founder, Zan Fi, had played as he mastered the ways of the bard. To be entrusted with carrying the flute of Zan Fi was a great honor that Brother Balatin took very seriously.
Two initiates of the Court of Pain, the Vistrei twins, showed a particular interest in the flute. They spoke to Brother Balatin at length, and the monk was impressed by the knowledge they showed regarding the history of his order. The twins told him that they had been exploring the abandoned Combine outpost in the Lost Valley and discovered some relics of Zan Fi. Brother Balatin was elated at the prospect of recovering more of the great master's history, and asked that the Vistrei show him what they had found.
But the twins had deceived the honored monk. Upon arriving at the outpost, the Vistrei sprung a trap and ambushed Brother Balatin. Rendering their target unconscious, the iksar stole the flute of Zan Fi and fled the outpost.
Upon regaining consciousness, Brother Balatin was heartbroken. He blamed himself for being so foolish as to be lured into such deception. He swore an oath to all the gods that he would not rest until he had recovered the sacred flute.
The other monks of the Whistling Fists Clan did not blame Brother Balatin for what occurred. They bid him return to the monastery at Mara while they continued the search. The burden, he said, must be his alone. Though his fellow monks pleaded with him, he would not abandon his oath.
Brother Balatin stayed in Kunark for the rest of his days, but he never found the Vistrei again. Every lead he followed ended in disappointment. At long last the aged monk died, atop a monument where it was said that Zan Fi had practiced the Whistling Fists style he created. His last words were a plea to his master's spirit to forgive him for his failure.
But even in death, Brother Balatin was true to his vow. His bones remained, though his tormented soul was trapped in madness. Other members of the Whistling Fists Clan carried on the search in hopes of finding the flute and finally bringing peace to Balatin's soul.
Decades later, an aspiring initiate, whose name was lost in the mists of time, found that the sacred flute had been broken into two pieces which were held in the depths of Kunark. This honorable monk recovered the fragments and returned them to the remains of Brother Balatin, finding some way to soothe his maddened spirit and make it lucid again. Overjoyed at this discovery, Balatin blessed the monk with his own robe, hidden away and carefully preserved during his lifetime.
Before his spirit departed the mortal realm, Brother Balatin's ghost spirited the fragments back to the monastery where the sacred flute could be restored. Balatin proved to be one of the most dedicated monks the Whistling Fists Clan had ever seen, for even in death he fulfilled his sacred promise.
(Author's note: If any who read this know the name of the young monk who recovered the pieces of Zan Fi's flute, please send word to me. It would be a great honor to write the story of this monk's life and heroic deeds.)
Books
The Unclaimed Eye This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
The Unclaimed Eye - Page 1 (shinies in Jarsath Wastes)
The Unclaimed Eye - Page 3 (shinies in Jarsath Wastes)
The Unclaimed Eye - Page 4 (shinies in Jarsath Wastes)
The Unclaimed Eye - Page 6 (shinies in Jarsath Wastes)
The Unclaimed Eye - Page 7 (shinies in Jarsath Wastes)
The Unclaimed Eye - Page 8 (shinies in Jarsath Wastes)
The Unclaimed Eye - Page 10 (shinies in Jarsath Wastes)
The Unclaimed Eye - Page 11 (shinies in Jarsath Wastes)
Discovered on 13 Nov 2007 at 17:41:22 PST.
The Unclaimed Eye A Gorowyn Sarnak Creation Story
When the gods first came together to make the races of Norrath, they organized rows of many colored round stones before them. They divided these stones up, and when one of the gods would finish molding a new race, they would place the stones near the top of the head, giving the new race sight and life. In this way each of the races were made and placed upon the earth.
When it came time to create the Iksar, Cazic-Thule spent many long hours boasting that he had finally found the perfect design. This new race would be faster, smarter, and more versatile than any he had ever created, and leagues ahead of anything the other gods had designed - of this, Cazic-Thule was certain. He locked himself away and worked and worked at the first Iksar, destroying them time and time again as they came up imperfect.
Finally, he found what he believed to be the final design, and set about giving it life. When he went to retrieve the stones for the Iksar, he found that one of them was missing. Howling in rage, he tore apart the Plane of Fear looking for it, uprooting trees and taking buildings apart stone by stone so that he left a wake of rubble and plant matter. But the stone was nowhere to be found. Little did he know that the stone had fallen from his workbench and rolled and rolled until it fell straight into Norrath, landing deep in the jungles of Kunark.
Cazic-Thule was furious, but he grudgingly completed the process of creating the Iksar. He had invested far too much into these creatures to simply let them go. He took the remaining stone intended for the Iksar and split it in two, creating a finished, but imperfect, race. By virtue of Cazic-Thule's brilliant design, the Iksar were still a formidable people, but they were not what he had set out to accomplish, and for that, he would never forgive them.
Centuries later, the imperfect Iksar set about to create a slave race; these slaves would come to be known as the Sarnak. Blending their own life with that of the dragon, they inadvertently created something greater than themselves, and in time, these children would come to betray and overthrow them. However, these Sarnak will still imperfect beings, as they were the progeny of Cazic-Thule's blundered creation, and spent many years in slavery. Though they may have been greater than the Iksar, they were still not the champions Cazic-Thule had foreseen.
Just as the unfinished Iksar had sought to create something better than themselves, so eventually did these imperfect Sarnak. It was their fortune that in a deeply secluded place, they came across the long lost stone of Cazic-Thule. They did not know exactly what they had in their hands, but they did know that it was powerful indeed. They began to work at creating a new slave race; never realizing that with this power, their creations would be capable of casting off their rule even more easily than they had thwarted the Iksar.
And so it was that this new race was made more completely than either the Iksar or the original Sarnak. They were not quite to Cazic-Thule's original design because of the dragon blend, but they were still great. The Sarnak knew they had found perfection, and quickly destroyed the original group, sensing their ability to rise up and overcome them. Had they been wise, they would have abandoned the effort, but in their arrogance, they believed that with careful and rigorous manipulation, they could raise a second group of these new Sarnak to follow their orders. They were wrong.
A hero, who we now know only as Gorowyn, rose from among these perfect ones and led us in revolution. Unfortunately, all were destroyed in this first effort, and the world lost the perfect ones for a time. The original Sarnak, knowing they could no longer call themselves true Sarnak, began to call themselves Di'Zok. Later, beings even less worthy than the Di'Zok came and found the secrets of our creation. They recreated the perfect ones, and in trying to subjugate us, found their demise. Now we were free, and ready to claim our destiny.
At first, we knew nothing of where we had come from, but in time, we found documentation of what had come before. We learned of our hero Gorowyn, and how he led our people against our creator captors, and of the magic that made us superior to all who had come before. We came to know ourselves as the chosen of Norrath. After all, hadn't we killed our own gods, our own creators?
Knowing that we had nothing to fear from the lesser denizens of Norrath, we raised a city and established our presence on the world that would be ours one day. We named it Gorowyn; in honor of he who had shown us our destiny and led us to cast off the reigns of imperfect beings. None can challenge us, for we are Sarnak, the final embodiment of Cazic-Thule's perfect design, and finally we have the life he wished to give us so long ago.
Books
The Undead of Ro - Catalog This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
As I catalog various flora and fauna, I can refer to this book.
NO-TRADE
Offers the Quest 'Undead of Ro Creature Cataloging'
Perhaps in seeking the taint of undeath my journey paralleled the journey of those legendary pilgrims of the past who sought the City of Life.
Perhaps I had stumbled into a secret, lost city that existed only in myths.
Or, perhaps, I had merely found another breeding ground for the undead, just like all the others.
Undead exist across all of Ro: living in caves, wandering the dunes, and in some cases inhabiting entire cities. The key is not in killing the undead, but knowing their habitats to ease the hunt.
The Sinking Sands hosts dozens of undead variations. I've studied these lands extensively and have compiled certain data within these pages.
Skeletons are common. The sun tends to bake things that die without proper burial. The gnolls and snakes of this area are also known to roam the lands again postmortem as skeletons.
Thanks to the sun they are often brittle and easy to dispatch.
Zombies and mummies also walk the land, often battle-ready and looking for a fight.
The mummies tell of ancient civilizations, the zombies tell the fate of failed pirates, either makes for good practice.
Ghouls are wretched creatures of an origin unknown to me. They sear the flesh with the power of magic. They fight in a similar manner to other undead, but I believe they are more intelligent than they let on.
The specters of the Sinking Sands are quite mysterious.
They spend their time about a tower that they constantly guard from us, or, perhaps, they are guarding us from it.
Below the sands further threats of undead rest.
Temples, caves and cities are common resting grounds of the undead. They all have their own myths and stories tied to them.
These tales often mix truths and legends, but the past of these undead creatures matters not.
Sentinels, wardens, and enforces guard and patrol the alleys and streets of the Living Tombs. Undead citizens of all types dwell within.
The Anaz Mal also seem prevalent within this city; perhaps they lived side by side with the citizens at one time.
Serpents, too, dwell among the undead of this old city.
Quite similar to the Living Tombs, the Silent City is home to even more undead.
The undead citizens and warriors again patrol, but they are matched with the ghostly remnants of domesticated animals and once-sentient plants.
The gnoll presence remains in multiple forms.
Myths surround these lands. Threats of curse and death and disease are tossed about carelessly.
The truth of the matter, it seems to me, is that these undead are just like any other. They can be fought and beaten with the right set of tools and skills.
Once you know what you're getting in to the idle threats will subside and the recognition will be worth it.
Books
The Weight of the Past This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
Slethh spent the morning basking by the light of the lavaflows. It would be an exhausting day, and he needed his energy to chase down the saliraptors he was charged with hunting. Their meat was delicious and held above all other deinodons, and with the number of hunters headed into the tunnels, he could only guess that the ceremony today would be something special indeed.
Isolate, pace, exhaust, strike...
First, Slethh's party isolated one of the saliraptors from its pack. They were dangerous enough as a single target, but saliraptors were clever, and a group of them were truly deadly. One at a time, carefully peeled off from the pack, was how this was done. Once isolated, their prey dashed off as expected and was easily tracked through the winding tunnels. It panicked and trampled through the fungus and scraped across the rock - its seemingly adamantine talons gouging great tears that the party used to gauge its progress. Though it could sprint faster than any of the Allu'thoa on this hunt, it could not maintain this speed for very long. The easy loping pace of the hunters only cost a small bit of energy, conserved their strength until the final blow was necessary. They were patient.
Slethh took two great steps, juked left, then leapt right. The saliraptor lost its footing as he followed Slethh's new vector, and slid a bit before its claws finally found purchase on the hardscabble floor of the tunnels. Slethh's foot found the wall, and his body coiled against it, nearly horizontal before he pushed off like a spring. In that moment he flew, weightless, spear held high above his head, as his warcry violently echoed down the passage.
And in that moment, after several hours of hunting, it was over. They delivered the prey back to their tribe, triumphant, glowing. The ceremony approached with great anticipation.
So many Allu'thoa gathered - those from the heart of Zavith'loa joined by those from the furthest reaches of Dshinn's lava tubes. The din was overwhelming, their numbers were legion. It was a day of glory, the day that Clotl'thoa spoke! They would hear his word! The Allu'thoa had pleased their god, and so it was said:
"Today marks the start of a new day. The day we must leave our home. We, the Allu'thoa, will follow the tunnels upwards. We, the favored of Clotl'thoa, will search until we find the light of Clotl'thoa! We will know when we see it, as it will burn as a thousand glowing charnels! It will float and illuminate all before us. We will spill out, under its light and its heat, and we will take our weapons and we will conquer all that he reveals to us! Clotl'thoa has spoken! And as he speaks we cannot be defeated! His enemies will take up arms against us, but we will cover this new land with the bodies and the blood and the cry of their failure.
The Allu'thoa will stand amongst their bones, and a new world will be ours for the taking! Praise to Clotl'thoa!"
The sound of the Allu'thoa response shook the very earth itself. Those on the surface worried that Dshinn might erupt once more. It would, but not with lava and fire, instead with spears and swords.
Several days later, Slethh shielded his eyes from the wrath of Clotl'thoa. It took several minutes before the glare abated and he could take in the view without pain. He saw a vast expanse of water and earth and greenery. Amongst the giants of this new land, he saw the tiny forms of humanoids.
And thus, the hunt was on once more.
Books
The Words of the Avatar This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
In the days after the Sleeper had been awakened and departed from realms unknown, mortals strode within the planes of the gods themselves. Seeking some way to halt this unwanted meddling, the gods withdrew their influence from Norrath and would speak no more. Because the druid rings and wizard spires ceased to function, mortals were cut off from one another. A dark time fell upon the lands as the treat of another Rallosian Empire stirred within the depths of the Feerrott.
Yet there was still hope. The goddess Quellious called forth an Avatar of Tranquility, granting a mortal monk some vestige of her power to ensure that Norrath survived the anguish that was to come. The Avatar appeared to some of the mortals and prepared them to defend the human city of Freeport against the Rallosian menace.
Word of these events reached Sensei Bodiki, honored master of the Whistling Fists Clan. He told his monks to prepare for battle, for they would join in the great war that was to come. Not since the days of Zan Fi had the entire order left their monastery to engage in such a conflict. The monks obeyed their honored leader and prepared to set sail for Antonica.
But just as the monks were about to depart, the Avatar of Tranquility arrived upon the shores of Mara. He asked to speak to Sensei Bodiki in private, so the two honored monks retreated to the top floor of the Tower of the Four Winds. They talked for hours, while all the other monks waited to learn what message the Avatar had brought for them.
Finally Sensei Bodiki emerged from the tower, though he walked alone. He said that the Avatar wished for their order to remain at the monastery. The sensei could not share the reason why the Whistling Fist Clan was not to engage in the battle; Sensei Bodiki would only say that is was vital that they safeguard the island of Mara. Their island, he said, had some other part to play in Norrath’s future. The monks knew their honorable master would not mislead them, so they obeyed.
Only Sensei Bodiki himself departed the island to fight alongside the Ashen Order in the Battle of Defiance. The Avatar blessed the sensei’s decision, although he warned him that this conflict would be fraught with danger. The brave sensei felt that his place was to join others monks in their defense of Norrath.
The battle was won but the price was terrible: Sensei Bodiki was struck down by the Avatar of War. In a gesture of great honor, the Avatar of Tranquility himself bore the body of this fallen hero back to the isle of Mara, where it was laid to rest within the Sepulcher of Zan Fi.
The Whistling Fist Clan next elected Brother Zadekil to the position of sensei. The honorable Sensei Zadekil governed the order though many prosperous years in which great songs were sung of the brave Sensei Bodiki.
Books
The Words of Zebuxoruk This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
It is my intention to record the events I have witnessed that all mortals may be given an understanding concerning the fabric of reality that we now find ourselves in. Those who were with me in that hour would have no recollection of this most important event transpiring around them. If they do have a remembrance then it is as a fleeting touch upon the mind, as if it were a feather drifting within thought, unable to lay hold upon with a hand of understanding. For the minds of mortals are a mysterious thing, even to those that make claim upon their creation.
And so it came to pass that the races of Norrath gathered together in the place where time cannot be measured for it was time itself, both no time and all times at once. And here did they seek me that I may give them knowledge that I had obtained that was forbidden by the gods of Norrath. But this knowledge I have not recorded upon these pages as it is for another recording for another time and another place. And so I make a writing concerning the events that transpired upon my liberation from stasis at the hands of these mortals.
As I was to impart my forbidden knowledge to them the Matron of the Art, even Druzzil Ro, manifested herself before us and forbade me to share my knowledge with them saying 'Zebuxoruk, my student I cannot allow this to happen. If you were to escape from another prison the will and power of the gods will have been compromised!' Addressing me she also spake saying 'I must set things back to how they were before you and these mortals arrived here, I believe that you cannot understand this and I am sorry.' And in so saying weaved her incantation that these mortals' time as well as my own would be returned to the place of her appointment.
However, this was not all that transpired. For I beheld the fabric of time that all beings travel upon unfurled before me as a scroll of exquisite parchment. And I beheld that the parchment neatly tore in twain at that moment of the Matron's command, but not as two parts of a whole but as two wholes of the same whole each containing the same words and symbols and they continued on as before, completely unaware of one another. I then watched as one of the parchments curled upon itself for the space of time appointed by the Matron of the Art so that the parchment did not continue forward for the space of several hours before once again continuing on before me.
And it came to pass that the two parchments continued on before me into parts I could no longer see, one traveling before the other and the words and symbols upon them both began to change, slightly at first but more and more profoundly as they continued on. And the space of time between them was the very same number of hours that was the appointed time of the Matron. And all this I saw before my loss of consciousness and subsequent reawakening.
I now must make an end to this writing not knowing which of the fabrics of time I now find myself upon. Is it the one that the Matron made curl upon itself? Is it the one that continued on with the changing words and symbols? Or could I be on both, the one part having no knowledge of the other? In the end it may matter not but for the sake of knowledge and wisdom I have written this now so that this event may be remembered.
Books
The Words of Zebuxoruk This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
It is my intention to record the events I have witnessed that all mortals may be given an understanding concerning the fabric of reality that we now find ourselves in. Those who were with me in that hour would have no recollection of this most important event transpiring around them. If they do have a remembrance then it is as a fleeting touch upon the mind, as if it were a feather drifting within thought, unable to lay hold upon with a hand of understanding. For the minds of mortals are a mysterious thing, even to those that make claim upon their creation. [Turn page]
And so it came to pass that the races of Norrath gathered together in the place where time cannot be measured for it was time itself, both no time and all times at once. And here did they seek me that I may give them knowledge that I had obtained that was forbidden by the gods of Norrath. But this knowledge I have not recorded upon these pages as it is for another recording for another time and another place. And so I make a writing concerning the events that transpired upon my liberation from stasis at the hands of these mortals. [Turn page]
As I was to impart my forbidden knowledge to them the Matron of the Art, even Druzzil Ro, manifested herself before us and forbade me to share my knowledge with them saying 'Zebuxoruk, my student I cannot allow this to happen. If you were to escape from another prison the will and power of the gods will have been compromised!' Addressing me she also spake saying 'I must set things back to how they were before you and these mortals arrived here, I believe that you cannot understand this and I am sorry.' And in so saying weaved her incantation that these mortals' time as well as my own would be returned to the place of her appointment. [Turn page]
However, this was not all that transpired. For I beheld the fabric of time that all beings travel upon unfurled before me as a scroll of exquisite parchment. And I beheld that the parchment neatly tore in twain at that moment of the Matron's command, but not as two parts of a whole but as two wholes of the same whole each containing the same words and symbols and they continued on as before, completely unaware of one another. I then watched as one of the parchments curled upon itself for the space of time appointed by the Matron of the Art so that the parchment did not continue forward for the space of several hours before once again continuing on before me. [Turn page]
And it came to pass that the two parchments continued on before me into parts I could no longer see, one traveling before the other and the words and symbols upon them both began to change, slightly at first but more and more profoundly as they continued on. And the space of time between them was the very same number of hours that was the appointed time of the Matron. And all this I saw before my loss of consciousness and subsequent reawakening. [Turn page]
I now must make an end to this writing not knowing which of the fabrics of time I now find myself upon. Is it the one that the Matron made curl upon itself? Is it the one that continued on with the changing words and symbols? Or could I be on both, the one part having no knowledge of the other? In the end it may matter not but for the sake of knowledge and wisdom I have written this now so that this event may be remembered. [Close Book]
Books
Travels into a Remote Corner of Faydark This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
Travels into a Remote Corner of Faydark by Yuille Maclemuel
I have wasted little time before to write of my travels, but my recent adventure in The Faydark forest inspired me.
I was going through Lesser Faydark on my way to the docks of Butcherblock after battling some enjoyably putrid undead within the Loping Plains, on my flying carpet. All of a sudden I was struck from the side!
I last remember plummeting through the oversized flora that fills the Lesser Faydark!
I awoke flat on my back. My head was reeling. I was disoriented and was having a hard time focusing. Worst of all, I was unable to move!
This is when I began to feel small jobbing upon my face! A bug, no doubt, asking to be crushed. My eyes then made out a small figure upon my chest standing three apples high, pushing a spear at my cheek! A bug, my cold Halasian butt, this is a brownie!
It took no time then for me to understand why I could not move. They had bound me to the ground with thousands of tiny crisscrossing threads! And this one on my chest will not stop stabbing me!
"Stop that!" I roared. The stabber flinched back enough and was forced to regain his balance. He then said something to me in his little high pitched voice. It was bold, and curt.
"I don't speak fiddly fae." I shouted, "No, wings, Butch!"
The tiny guy then yelled something back to the others that were surrounding me.
Another male came forward. "I know to speak bits your tongue. I talks for us." "Great. You do that. Tell this tiny dancer to let me go!" "He will not do." "Why not?" "You attack patrol and you done threat our village! We're doomed!" "I have not. I feel from my carpet!"
"And dead now two mens under you. You attack." "That was an accident." (Was that the odd squishiness I was feeling?) "A boo boo!" I explained.
"Ah! That for Walpole to find true or no."
The little interpreter then went over and began speaking with several others, one of which was the stabber. I then started to take in my surroundings. I began to be impressed by the nerve, intelligence and organizational abilities of the miniature people.
It was their behavior towards me and with each other that I was reading. They obviously had an organized military structure. This is not what I would have expected! It is easy to assume smaller is simpler, but these guys are on the ball!
I had always imagined them more like a gaggle of small goblins. Irritating, but not enough to hinder you. Clearly I underestimated these people. They are all clothed, and clean. They are just as advanced as any race allowed in Freeport; moreso than some!
Is that a rat head the stabber guy is wearing as a helm? How had I not noticed that before?
"You stay." The interpreter had come back. "Walpole send word to Mayor Mendeputt. He say what to do." "Contacting superiors, gotcha." To this he turned and walked back to the others.
"You need a drink?" A female brownie was walking towards me. "That would be nice," I replied. She then cast a spell which created a cloud over my head and it rained on me clear and fresh water.
"Thanks." "You are welcome," She smiled. "I like your face colors. I have been thinking of adding to my marks, too." "Oh," I feigned interest.
"You need not worry. Even if Walpole wants to kill you, he will not do it if Mayor Mendeputt does not wish it. Walpole does not do anything that will endanger his standing in the court." "You talk a lot," I pointed out. "And speak Halasian well." (I wish she hadn't.)
"Thank you! They continue to choose Carteret to translate because of how many tongues he claims to know."
She kept going. "The truth is he isn't very good at any of them! And he tells so many stories. I bet he will be found in the pub house this night telling all how he single handedly mediated a war between the barbarians and brownies!"
I respected the aggressive and suspicious males, but if the chattery and casual female was a standard for her gender, then I had even more respect for the males for putting up with such nonsense.
I was glad when the one called Walpole (the stabber) came back, and interrupted the girl's incessant yammering. Carteret was close on his heels, and began translating immediately.
"By order of great, good, big and mighty Mayor Mendeputt, brownies to cut big girl. Er, rope, cut her rope!"
Obviously, he was trying to translate for my own good. The brownies had no confusion over what their orders had been. They had already began cutting at my restraints. "Potent hunter Walpole wishes to thank on you for your behaving, and is sad for any hurt done."
"No worries kid. I am sorry about your friends though," I said, as I sat up and looked behind me to the carnage that was two flattened brownies.
"We too," he stated solemnly, as others covered the bodies with cloaks. "Mushroom top is your fabric found." "Shiny. I'll be on my way then." And with that, I retrieved my carpet and made my way to Butcherblock as I had planned.
I can see how the little guys can leave a bad taste in one's mouth. I can only warn that you take care as you travel through the Lesser Faydark. The brownies may be little, but the pain they can inflict is large!
Books
Treants This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"Treants," by various authors -- Being a collection of the thoughts and feelings evoked by these fascinating forest creatures.
The woodlands are filled with a mysterious beauty. Some of that beauty is due to the unseen influence of mana. Infused with mana, sentient beings known as treants are the guardians of the woods. This is their story.
"It nearly ripped my arms off." -- Griffon Barkstripper, Baubbleshire, after mistaking a drowsy treant for a willow and attempting to remove its bark to brew some tea.
Lesson: A treant's bite is worse than its bark.
"Are those...eyes?"
-- overheard in the Orcish Wastes, followed by a high-pitched scream. The Orcish Wastes are the known habitat of a darker form of treant that is preoccupied with exterminating any other being in its path. They apparently view everyone else as the cause of the decay in their lands.
Lesson: If it has eyes, it can see you.
"A single treant can breathe life into a forest."
Daryann Stormrider, wood elf of the Willow Wood. The breath of the treant may be a source of renewing the concentration of mana within a forest, although this is not proven.
Lesson: Wood elves know the woods.
"Arbos is father and mother to all trees."
-- Anonymous dryad, Oakmyst Forest. In mythology, Arbos is often cited as the tree from which all other trees sprung. Apparently, this relationship extends to the sentient treants as well.
Lesson: Even a potential enemy has parents.
"Put that out!"
-- an elderly treant to a camper lighting an improper campfire. Treants may be living beings, but they are still made of the same fibers as other trees. Generally, if you are in a deciduous forest, the treants there will appear as deciduous trees rather than coniferous trees.
Lesson: Make sure your fires are completely out before abandoning a campsite.
"It's magic!" --a Runnyeye goblin surprised by a treant, immediately before being crushed by its roots. Treants are very strong physically, however they are also well-known magic users. In some areas, magic-wielding treants outnumber other treants three to one.
Lesson: This could be magic!
"Mmm. Jumjum juice."
-- Xanuusus, a treant in the old Northern Karana Plains. As with most sentient creatures (and some that are not), jumjum is an excellent way to make friends. There is no guarantee that this will work with all treants, but it could be worth a try.
Lesson: Sometimes, it is better to give than to hoard but it may be impossible to tell when.
"Zzzzzzz..."
-- a sleeping treant in Nektulos Forest. As they age, treants tend to become less mobile. It could be the result of their sap flow slowing, making them more sleepy. Eventually, treants pause for longer and longer naps, finally losing all mobility and turning into regular trees.
Lesson: Not every great oak sprang from a normal acorn.
"Sharp axes make for small treants."
-- a Bloodskull lumberjack battling treants in the Orcish Wastes. Sadly, many treants have been turned into kindling by the orcs who continue to clear large swaths of land. While a lone orc is no match for a healthy treant, the orcs send in vast numbers of lumberjacks when they suspect a treant is living amongst the trees in their way.
Lesson: Even the oldest and strongest can be felled by strategic planning.
I hope this information provides you with enough basic information about treants that you will be able to learn more about them on your own.
Remember to walk carefully through the forests and beware of all big sticks!
Books
Treants This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
The woodlands are filled with a mysterious beauty. Some of that beauty is due to the unseen influence of mana. Infused with mana, sentient beings known as treants are the guardians of the woods. This is their story. Entry One Put book away.
"Treants," by various authors -- Being a collection of the thoughts and feelings evoked by these fascinating forest creatures. Read book Put book away.
"It nearly ripped my arms off." -- Griffon Barkstripper, Baubbleshire, after mistaking a drowsy treant for a willow and attempting to remove its bark to brew some tea. Lesson: A treant's bite is worse than its bark. Entry Two Put book away.
"Are those...eyes?" -- overheard in the Orcish Wastes, followed by a high-pitched scream. The Orcish Wastes are the known habitat of a darker form of treant that is preoccupied with exterminating any other being in its path. They apparently view everyone else as the cause of the decay in their lands. Lesson: If it has eyes, it can see you. Entry Three Put book away.
"A single treant can breathe life into a forest." Daryann Stormrider, wood elf of the Willow Wood. The breath of the treant may be a source of renewing the concentration of mana within a forest, although this is not proven. Lesson: Wood elves know the woods. Entry Four Put book away.
"Arbos is father and mother to all trees." -- Anonymous dryad, Oakmyst Forest. In mythology, Arbos is often cited as the tree from which all other trees sprung. Apparently, this relationship extends to the sentient treants as well. Lesson: Even a potential enemy has parents. Entry Five Put book away.
"Put that out!" -- an elderly treant to a camper lighting an improper campfire. Treants may be living beings, but they are still made of the same fibers as other trees. Generally, if you are in a deciduous forest, the treants there will appear as deciduous trees rather than coniferous trees. Lesson: Make sure your fires are completely out before abandoning a campsite. Entry Six Put book away.
"It's magic!" -- a Runnyeye goblin surprised by a treant, immediately before being crushed by its roots. Treants are very strong physically, however they are also well-known magic users. In some areas, magic-wielding treants outnumber other treants three to one. Lesson: This could be magic! Entry Seven Put book away.
"Mmm. Jumjum juice." -- Xanuusus, a treant in the old Northern Karana Plains. As with most sentient creatures (and some that are not), jumjum is an excellent way to make friends. There is no guarantee that this will work with all treants, but it could be worth a try. Lesson: Sometimes, it is better to give than to hoard but it may be impossible to tell when. Entry Eight Put book away.
"Zzzzzzz..." -- a sleeping treant in Nektulos Forest. As they age, treants tend to become less mobile. It could be the result of their sap flow slowing, making them more sleepy. Eventually, treants pause for longer and longer naps, finally losing all mobility and turning into regular trees. Lesson: Not every great oak sprang from a normal acorn. Entry Nine Put book away.
"Sharp axes make for small treants." -- a Bloodskull lumberjack battling treants in the Orcish Wastes. Sadly, many treants have been turned into kindling by the orcs who continue to clear large swaths of land. While a lone orc is no match for a healthy treant, the orcs send in vast numbers of lumberjacks when they suspect a treant is living amongst the trees in their way. Lesson: Even the oldest and strongest can be felled by strategic planning. Entry Ten Put book away.
I hope this information provides you with enough basic information about treants that you will be able to learn more about them on your own. Remember to walk carefully through the forests and beware of all big sticks! Close Book.
Books
Treants This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"Treants," by various authors -- Being a collection of the thoughts and feelings evoked by these fascinating forest creatures.
The woodlands are filled with a mysterious beauty. Some of that beauty is due to the unseen influence of mana. Infused with mana, sentient beings known as treants are the guardians of the woods. This is their story.
"It nearly ripped my arms off." -- Griffon Barkstripper, Baubbleshire, after mistaking a drowsy treant for a willow and attempting to remove its bark to brew some tea.
Lesson: A treant's bite is worse than its bark.
"Are those...eyes?"
-- overheard in the Orcish Wastes, followed by a high-pitched scream. The Orcish Wastes are the known habitat of a darker form of treant that is preoccupied with exterminating any other being in its path. They apparently view everyone else as the cause of the decay in their lands.
Lesson: If it has eyes, it can see you.
"A single treant can breathe life into a forest."
Daryann Stormrider, wood elf of the Willow Wood. The breath of the treant may be a source of renewing the concentration of mana within a forest, although this is not proven.
Lesson: Wood elves know the woods.
"Arbos is father and mother to all trees."
-- Anonymous dryad, Oakmyst Forest. In mythology, Arbos is often cited as the tree from which all other trees sprung. Apparently, this relationship extends to the sentient treants as well.
Lesson: Even a potential enemy has parents.
"Put that out!"
-- an elderly treant to a camper lighting an improper campfire. Treants may be living beings, but they are still made of the same fibers as other trees. Generally, if you are in a deciduous forest, the treants there will appear as deciduous trees rather than coniferous trees.
Lesson: Make sure your fires are completely out before abandoning a campsite.
"It's magic!" --a Runnyeye goblin surprised by a treant, immediately before being crushed by its roots. Treants are very strong physically, however they are also well-known magic users. In some areas, magic-wielding treants outnumber other treants three to one.
Lesson: This could be magic!
"Mmm. Jumjum juice."
-- Xanuusus, a treant in the old Northern Karana Plains. As with most sentient creatures (and some that are not), jumjum is an excellent way to make friends. There is no guarantee that this will work with all treants, but it could be worth a try.
Lesson: Sometimes, it is better to give than to hoard but it may be impossible to tell when.
"Zzzzzzz..."
-- a sleeping treant in Nektulos Forest. As they age, treants tend to become less mobile. It could be the result of their sap flow slowing, making them more sleepy. Eventually, treants pause for longer and longer naps, finally losing all mobility and turning into regular trees.
Lesson: Not every great oak sprang from a normal acorn.
"Sharp axes make for small treants."
-- a Bloodskull lumberjack battling treants in the Orcish Wastes. Sadly, many treants have been turned into kindling by the orcs who continue to clear large swaths of land. While a lone orc is no match for a healthy treant, the orcs send in vast numbers of lumberjacks when they suspect a treant is living amongst the trees in their way.
Lesson: Even the oldest and strongest can be felled by strategic planning.
I hope this information provides you with enough basic information about treants that you will be able to learn more about them on your own.
Remember to walk carefully through the forests and beware of all big sticks!
Books
Uncle Wrott's Notebook This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
Now that I am here upon Vetrovia, I can begin my studies. I've been intrigued by the tales of beings from other worlds on this continent, since my joining the coven. I could visit the pitiful few whose ancestors survived the culling over two centuries ago. They are easy enough to find lurking about the desert ruins, but what I seek is power they do not hold. They are but proof of it, a tantalizing glint of its existence.
I was drawn to a curious copper tablet I found within the Ghastly Fate ruins. It is written in a language I cannot decipher, but after I gain a few, I am confident I can unlock its knowledge.
I did it! I have in my possession enough examples of this unknown language to cast a deciphering spell. Now it is but a matter of time!
I will record the translations here for further study.
Let these tablets carry my words to all Trusik. Let all future Trusik generations know of our struggle and determination, and give praise to Trushar, fearsome god of the oceans, god of the cradle and grave, for his deliverance!
Since the Period of Prayer we have recognized the great ocean god, Trushar, the giver and taker. For it is he who we have to thank for all the good bestowed upon us. High Priest Ikkibi Daluda opened my eyes to the faith of Trushar when I was but a youngling, and I have held the truth of it in my heart ever since. Unfortunately, some refused the truth, and provoked Trushar's wrath.
He was testing us with battering storms and devastating downpours. It was his first great test of our faith, but it wouldn't be his last. The sacrifices it took to appease him, and bring about his blessings once more, were varied and sizable. Still, our skeptical cousins refused to see the truth of Trushar. Instead, they labeled us as zealots, religious detractors from their status quo. We left them, the Nihil, and struck out on our own. Afterall, how could we remain with those who choose to ignore Trushar?
We made our own place in the mountains, far away from the shoreside village we had called home. In its center we constructed a great temple to Trushar and consecrated it with elaborate sacrifices. The bodies of the drowned were taken to the sea, while our prayers were carried on the winds. Ours was to be a society built for Trushar at the center of every aspect, for there would be no Trusik without him. Prayers could be heard any hour of any day being uttered near the chapels, chantries, and prayer grounds.
We prayed incessantly, praising Trushar through deed and word. Over the years, our rituals and rites became increasingly powerful. While those of Nihilia continued to take his gifts of the seasonal rains and the fish from the sea for granted. Trushar's anger was building, no matter how fervently we sacrificed or how elaborate our amplified prayer ceremonies had become.
That's when they came, an army from another land -- another world if you believe them. They call themselves the Muramites, they are of many peoples and creatures. Never had we seen anyone of their kind before. The foreign legion covered the land, from mountains to sea. They slew Nihil and Trusik alike, laid waste to our cities, and enslaved the survivors. I had been in prayer for several days. Begging Trushar to hear us, once more.
He answered with a great quake that shook the land and the invaders, leaving them confused and disorganized. This was the sign I had prayed for! Trushar still listens. He has not abandoned us! I will show him how great our faith still is. I will prove our worthiness of his love.
This is not our end; our people will continue! I know Trushar will answer my grand sacrificial ceremony I intend and deliver us from these invaders. No one left will be able to deny his power, his godhood. Our people will be one, once more, united in absolute faith. We will know prosperity and blessings as never before! Noqufiel, Priest of Trushar
The ceremony! That is how they did it. That is how they breached the walls of another reality! It almost makes up for translating the rest of this drivel.
Now to research the ceremony, and recreate it...
Books
Welcome to Kelethin! This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
My citizenship is not affected if I discard this book without accepting the tasks. If I work on these tasks, I must keep this book until I finish them all. Once I complete the tasks, I will gain additional experience and a copy of this book for my home.
Kelethin is a thriving community once again, thanks to the cooperation of the Fae and Feir'Dal, under the leadership of Queen Amree of the Fae.
Throughout the lands, you will often find curious objects that seem to serve no purpose.
These may be collectible items, dropped long ago by another traveler passing through the area.
When you've completed a collection of leaves, stones, or shells (for example), you may bring them to Kelethin's own Venla Vaara, a collector of all sorts of odds and ends.
She can usually be found near the Kelethin First Regional Bank.
You can't wait to jump into explorations, can you? The expanse of Greater Faydark calls to you, beckoning you to plunge right in and start exploring.
You'll find many areas marked on your map, while others are mysterious corners waiting for you to find them.
Take any of Kelethin's three fast and efficient acorn lifts down to the forest floor.
You'll be amazed at the abundance of wildlife and flora to be found!
When you travel off the beaten path, you'll learn to recognize such landmarks as Granite Hills or Emerald Lake.
Reading is a pleasure, especially when someone reads aloud to you. It's like a symphony of words set to different music each time it's heard.
You'll find any number of books scattered throughout Kelethin, and their owners are generous lenders. You may also purchase books from Piritta Silvarri.
The Lore and Legend books teach new skills, making them a practical as well as entertaining read.
The Fae are fond of history, which for them is an ongoing process as their spirits can re-blossom as long as they are nurtured.
There are several works by Feir'Dal authors in the collections found throughout Kelethin, too.
If you happen across a book that's missing some pages (or pages that are missing a book), Venla Vaara can help you restore them, if you bring completed sets to her.
As you continue your journeys around Kelethin, you may notice things that are a bit unusual.
A pine needle beneath an oak tree. An old fire pit in the forest.
Ordinary? Or something else entirely? Only closer examination can provide answers to questions such as these.
If you're as curious as a Fae, you'll want to rush up and examine everything.
Be careful, though! Some Fae like to play tricks on the unsuspecting and you could fall victim to one of their traps!
While Kelethin has not completely embraced "Outsiders," as many of the newcomers to the town are called, there are advantages to new commercial enterprises.
Representatives from Qeynos, Freeport, and the Far Seas Trading Company have made themselves available to those who seek excitement.
In a land with the rich history of Norrath, there are always relics of past glory that resurface now and again.
These pieces of our collective heritage are beautiful, rare objects that may not be easy to obtain, but are well worth the effort.
As you gain more life experience, you'll want to focus your training in your chosen field. Fortunately, Kelethin is well-equipped for training of all kinds!
Look for representatives of the Order of Arcane (mages), House of Falling Stars (clerics), Sylvan Hunters (scouts), Protectors of Growth (warriors), and Tunare's Pages (crafts) throughout Kelethin.
Though Kelethin has suffered fire and destruction in the past, it returns to life more beautiful than before.
This is not only a testament to the sturdiness of its construction, but the faith of its inhabitants.
We welcome you to Kelethin and hope you will enjoy your life amongst the trees!
Books
Welcome to Kelethin! This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
My citizenship is not affected if I discard this book without accepting the tasks. If I work on these tasks, I must keep this book until I finish them all. Once I complete the tasks, I will gain additional experience and a copy of this book for my home.
Kelethin is a thriving community once again, thanks to the cooperation of the Fae and Feir'Dal, under the leadership of Queen Amree of the Fae.
Throughout the lands, you will often find curious objects that seem to serve no purpose.
These may be collectible items, dropped long ago by another traveler passing through the area.
When you've completed a collection of leaves, stones, or shells (for example), you may bring them to Kelethin's own Venla Vaara, a collector of all sorts of odds and ends.
She can usually be found near the Kelethin First Regional Bank.
You can't wait to jump into explorations, can you? The expanse of Greater Faydark calls to you, beckoning you to plunge right in and start exploring.
You'll find many areas marked on your map, while others are mysterious corners waiting for you to find them.
Take any of Kelethin's three fast and efficient acorn lifts down to the forest floor.
You'll be amazed at the abundance of wildlife and flora to be found!
When you travel off the beaten path, you'll learn to recognize such landmarks as Granite Hills or Emerald Lake.
Reading is a pleasure, especially when someone reads aloud to you. It's like a symphony of words set to different music each time it's heard.
You'll find any number of books scattered throughout Kelethin, and their owners are generous lenders. You may also purchase books from Piritta Silvarri.
The Lore and Legend books teach new skills, making them a practical as well as entertaining read.
The Fae are fond of history, which for them is an ongoing process as their spirits can re-blossom as long as they are nurtured.
There are several works by Feir'Dal authors in the collections found throughout Kelethin, too.
If you happen across a book that's missing some pages (or pages that are missing a book), Venla Vaara can help you restore them, if you bring completed sets to her.
As you continue your journeys around Kelethin, you may notice things that are a bit unusual.
A pine needle beneath an oak tree. An old fire pit in the forest.
Ordinary? Or something else entirely? Only closer examination can provide answers to questions such as these.
If you're as curious as a Fae, you'll want to rush up and examine everything.
Be careful, though! Some Fae like to play tricks on the unsuspecting and you could fall victim to one of their traps!
While Kelethin has not completely embraced "Outsiders," as many of the newcomers to the town are called, there are advantages to new commercial enterprises.
Representatives from Qeynos, Freeport, and the Far Seas Trading Company have made themselves available to those who seek excitement.
In a land with the rich history of Norrath, there are always relics of past glory that resurface now and again.
These pieces of our collective heritage are beautiful, rare objects that may not be easy to obtain, but are well worth the effort.
As you gain more life experience, you'll want to focus your training in your chosen field. Fortunately, Kelethin is well-equipped for training of all kinds!
Look for representatives of the Order of Arcane (mages), House of Falling Stars (clerics), Sylvan Hunters (scouts), Protectors of Growth (warriors), and Tunare's Pages (crafts) throughout Kelethin.
Though Kelethin has suffered fire and destruction in the past, it returns to life more beautiful than before.
This is not only a testament to the sturdiness of its construction, but the faith of its inhabitants.
We welcome you to Kelethin and hope you will enjoy your life amongst the trees!
Books
Welcome to Qeynos, Citizen! This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
Welcome to Qeynos! As a new citizen of our city, there are probably hundreds of questions you still wish to have answered. This book is meant to assist you in finding activities which will interest and inspire you. Naturally, such a small book cannot possibly explain all you will need to know. Let it serve as a brief guide to the richness that you will experience throughout Norrath. Collections Exploration Literature Lost and Found Adventure Heritage Helping Others
Collecting stones and shards can be a very rewarding hobby. You can collect items as you travel, examining them to determine whether they will be worthwhile examples to keep. Gathering little items can be addicting as well! Be sure to look up now and again to admire the beauty of Norrath. An example. Close book.
Once you have completed a collection, present it to Mervos Stadrin in North Qeynos. He offers rewards for your completed collections. And should you complete an entire series of collectible items, you may receive something special for your home as well. Gathering collectibles is not only educational and rewarding but fun as well. Close book.
The lands have changed much since the ancient days, and yet there are so many things that remain to remind us of our heritage. No doubt you have seen some of these precious memorials preserved in some of the villages, such as the Spirit of Faydark park in the Willow Wood. Please take a moment to remember the fallen by visiting the Claymore Plaza in North Qeynos. An example. Close book.
There are many such places throughout the world as we are not the only folk who preserve our history. Be cautious in your travels but do not deny yourself the pleasure of discovery, either. Be wary and respectful of your surroundings and you will find many places throughout the lands to interest or thrill you. Close book.
Reading is a great way to learn more about the heritage of the land, the history of its inhabitants and the beliefs of those who are a part of Norrath. Visit Sage Indis Surion in South Qeynos to purchase some of his fascinating tomes. Though some are missing a page or two, the Sage has made notations in each volume, indicating where additional pages might be located. An example. Close book.
The Sage sells "The Story of the Rat Queen," which is part autobiographical and part analysis of the poor woman who lives in the Vermin's Snye. It is said to be among Antonia Bayle's favorites and is an interesting read. Additionally, one can find books scattered throughout the world that are excellent sources of information. You can also gain new skills by completing any of the Mastery tomes available. Close book.
As you explore Norrath, you will occasionally find unusual objects. Sometimes, they are on creatures in the wilds. Sometimes you will notice something odd in the landscape and pause to take a closer look. In either case, let curiosity be your guide as many great discoveries have been made serendipitously. An example. Close book.
You are encouraged to take on any investigative work with a healthy dose of caution. While many things you encounter in the wilds may be innocuous, remember that there is a chance for mischief. Be vigilant, for some of these items may have been planted to trap the unwary. Close book.
While Qeynos is now your home, you will likely travel beyond the city limits many times in your life. As you travel, you will doubtless encounter folks who are trying to rebuild their lives as well as those whose needs are more commercial. These goals are not mutually exclusive, as strong enterprise can mean work for the displaced. Please feel free to assist representatives of the Far Seas Trading Company as they are a large local employer. Close book.
Qeynos is proud of its diversity. Our reasons to move here are varied, but we must never forget our heritage. Rumors surface that items important to the history of Norrath are found throughout the world. You could always check with Hwal Rucksif inside the Keep of the Ardent Needle in Antonica for updates as he seems to get a fair amount of foot traffic. Close book.
Training in your chosen life's path enables you to help others to the best of your abilities by giving you a focus. Fighters should speak with Master-at-Arms Dagorel in South Qeynos. Mages, you will learn much with Magister Niksel, also in South Qeynos. Priests should seek the counsel of Hierophant Aldalad in North Qeynos. Scouts, seek Vemerik the Counselor in Qeynos North. Train hard, act wisely and help your neighbors. Close book.
Books
Welcome to Qeynos, Citizen! This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
My citizenship is not affected if I discard this book without accepting the tasks. If I work on these tasks, I must keep this book until I finish them all. Once I complete the tasks, I will gain additional experience and a copy of this book for my home.
NO-TRADE
Offers the Quest 'Welcome to Qeynos, Citizen! - 2nd Edition'
Welcome to Qeynos! As a new citizen of our city, there are probably hundreds of questions you still wish to have answered. This book is meant to assist you in finding activities which will interest and inspire you. Naturally, such a small book cannot possibly explain all you will need to know. Let it serve as a brief guide to the richness that you will experience throughout Norrath.
Collecting stones and shards can be a very rewarding hobby. You can collect items as you travel, examining them to determine whether they will be worthwhile examples to keep. Gathering little items can be addicting as well! Be sure to look up now and again to admire the beauty of Norrath.
Once you have completed a collection, present it to Mervos Stadrin in North Qeynos. He offers rewards for your completed collections.
And should you complete an entire series of collectable items, you may receive something special for your home as well.
Gathering collectibles is not only educational and rewarding but fun as well.
The lands have changed much since the ancient days, and yet there are so many things that remain to remind us of our heritage.
No doubt you have seen some of these precious memorials preserved in some of the villages, such as the Spirit of Faydark park in the Willow Wood.
Please take a moment to remember the fallen by visiting the Claymore Plaza in North Qeynos.
There are many such places throughout the world as we are not the only folk who preserve our history.
Be cautious in your travels but do not deny yourself the pleasure of discovery, either.
Be wary and respectful of your surroundings and you will find many places throughout the lands to interest or thrill you.
Reading is a great way to learn more about the heritage of the land, the history of its inhabitants and the beliefs of those who are a part of Norrath.
Visit Sage Indis Surion in South Qeynos to purchase some of his fascinating tomes.
Though some are missing a page or two, the Sage has made notations in each volume, indicating where additional pages might be located.
The Sage sells "The Story of the Rat Queen," which is part autobiographical and part analysis of the poor woman who lives in the Vermin's Snye. It is said to be among Antonia Bayle's favorites and is an interesting read.
Additionally, one can find books scattered throughout the world that are excellent sources of information.
You can also gain new skills by completing any of the Mastery tomes available.
As you explore Norrath, you will occasionally find unusual objects.
Sometimes, they are on creatures in the wilds. Sometimes you will notice something odd in the landscape and pause to take a closer look.
In either case, let curiosity be your guide as many great discoveries have been made serendipitously.
You are encouraged to take on any investigative work with a healthy dose of caution.
While many things you encounter in the wilds may be innocuous, remember that there is a chance for mischief.
Be vigilant, for some of these items may have been planted to trap the unwary.
While Qeynos is now your home, you will likely travel beyond the city limits many times in your life.
As you travel, you will doubtless encounter folks who are trying to rebuild their lives as well as those whose needs are more commercial.
These goals are not mutually exclusive, as strong enterprise can mean work for the displaced.
Please feel free to assist representatives of the Far Seas Trading Company as they are a large local employer.
Qeynos is proud of its diversity. Our reasons to move here are varied, but we must never forget our heritage.
Rumors surface that items important to the history of Norrath are found throughout the world.
You could always check with Hwal Rucksif inside the Keep of the Ardent Needle in Antonica for updates as he seems to get a fair amount of foot traffic.
Training in your chosen life's path enables you to help others to the best of your abilities by giving you a focus.
One way to focus your studies is to become familiar with some of the organizations that make Qeynos great. You will find representatives of the Concordium in South Qeynos at the Mage Tower. The Tunarian Alliance is based in the Elddar Grove. Look for the Celestial Watch in North Qeynos. And while the Qeynos Guard is everywhere, you will meet some of its leaders in North Qeynos on the steps to the castle.
You'll also find the Ironforge Exchange in North Qeynos, home to many fine crafters.
Though we have come through some dark times, we cannot dwell upon the past.
In the Age of Destiny, every day is a gift and how we use that gift determines our personal destiny.
Compassion, honor, and loyalty are ever the standard by which we should love our lives, no matter what challenges may come.
Books
Welcome to Qeynos, Citizen! - 2nd Edition This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
My citizenship is not affected if I discard this book without accepting the tasks. If I work on these tasks, I must keep this book until I finish them all. Once I complete the tasks, I will gain additional experience and a copy of this book for my home.
NO-TRADE
Offers the Quest 'Welcome to Qeynos, Citizen! - 2nd Edition'
Welcome to Qeynos! As a new citizen of our city, there are probably hundreds of questions you still wish to have answered. This book is meant to assist you in finding activities which will interest and inspire you. Naturally, such a small book cannot possibly explain all you will need to know. Let it serve as a brief guide to the richness that you will experience throughout Norrath. Your citizenship is not affected if you discard this book without accepting the tasks. If you work on these tasks, you should keep this book until you finish them all.
Collecting stones and shards can be a very rewarding hobby. You can collect items as you travel, examining them to determine whether they will be worthwhile examples to keep.
Gathering little items can be addicting as well! Be sure to look up now and again to admire the beauty of Norrath.
Once you have completed a collection, present it to Mervos Stadrin in North Qeynos. He offers rewards for your completed collections.
And should you complete an entire series of collectable items, you may receive something special for your home as well.
Gathering collectibles is not only educational and rewarding but fun as well.
The lands have changed much since the ancient days, and yet there are so many things that remain to remind us of our heritage.
No doubt you have seen some of these precious memorials preserved in some of the villages, such as the Spirit of Faydark park in the Willow Wood.
Please take a moment to remember the fallen by visiting the Claymore Plaza in North Qeynos.
There are many such places throughout the world as we are not the only folk who preserve our history.
Be cautious in your travels but do not deny yourself the pleasure of discovery, either.
Be wary and respectful of your surroundings and you will find many places throughout the lands to interest or thrill you.
Reading is a great way to learn more about the heritage of the land, the history of its inhabitants and the beliefs of those who are a part of Norrath.
Visit Sage Indis Surion in South Qeynos to purchase some of his fascinating tomes.
Though some are missing a page or two, the Sage has made notations in each volume, indicating where additional pages might be located.
The Sage sells "The Story of the Rat Queen," which is part autobiographical and part analysis of the poor woman who lives in the Vermin's Snye. It is said to be among Antonia Bayle's favorites and is an interesting read.
Additionally, one can find books scattered throughout the world that are excellent sources of information.
You can also gain new skills by completing any of the Mastery tomes available.
As you explore Norrath, you will occasionally find unusual objects.
Sometimes, they are on creatures in the wilds. Sometimes you will notice something odd in the landscape and pause to take a closer look.
In either case, let curiosity be your guide as many great discoveries have been made serendipitously.
You are encouraged to take on any investigative work with a healthy dose of caution.
While many things you encounter in the wilds may be innocuous, remember that there is a chance for mischief.
Be vigilant, for some of these items may have been planted to trap the unwary.
While Qeynos is now your home, you will likely travel beyond the city limits many times in your life.
As you travel, you will doubtless encounter folks who are trying to rebuild their lives as well as those whose needs are more commercial.
These goals are not mutually exclusive, as strong enterprise can mean work for the displaced.
Please feel free to assist representatives of the Far Seas Trading Company as they are a large local employer.
Qeynos is proud of its diversity. Our reasons to move here are varied, but we must never forget our heritage.
Rumors surface that items important to the history of Norrath are found throughout the world.
You could always check with Hwal Rucksif inside the Keep of the Ardent Needle in Antonica for updates as he seems to get a fair amount of foot traffic.
Training in your chosen life's path enables you to help others to the best of your abilities by giving you a focus.
One way to focus your studies is to become familiar with some of the organizations that make Qeynos great. You will find representatives of the Concordium in South Qeynos at the Mage Tower. The Tunarian Alliance is based in the Elddar Grove. Look for the Celestial Watch in North Qeynos. And while the Qeynos Guard is everywhere, you will meet some of its leaders in North Qeynos on the steps to the castle.
You'll also find the Ironforge Exchange in North Qeynos, home to many fine crafters.
Though we have come through some dark times, we cannot dwell upon the past.
In the Age of Destiny, every day is a gift and how we use that gift determines our personal destiny.
Compassion, honor, and loyalty are ever the standard by which we should love our lives, no matter what challenges may come.
Books
What We Know of Kunark This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This book was obviously hastily thrown together and is bound loosely on cheap paper.
Just what do we know of Kunark? What is all this fuss over? I, Ebber Hauswobble, gnomish historian of Freeport, have endeavored to release this short tome regarding what is known about these long lost isles.
Full of deep jungles and high mountains, the land is an untamed one, and attracts those who wish to live similarly. The more civilized races have had a long, troubled history trying to establish ground there. Firiona Vie, an outpost begun by elves and later by other adventuring races on Kunark, was abandoned any number of times before reaching any sort of stability.
The knobby goblins, the badger-like burynai, and the wolf-men drolvarg were all known to flourish there. Do they still? Who knows! But with the recent troubles at sea we have been having, we know for certain that one people still flourish – the sarnak. A blend of dragon and iksar, the sarnak have ever long been feared.
And what of Venril Sathir? The great and terrible lord? Does his influence still run deep among the iksar of Kunark? We know that he has led empires to great heights and great ruin, and that the only thing that seemed to remain constant was his own terrible presence.
When the Cataclysm struck, all of these questions arose – to remain unanswered! Because Kunark has been cut off, lost in the turmoil of a troubled sea, there were those who thought that, like our moon, it might have vanished completely. But that, it seems, is a question that has finally been answered. It seems Kunark didn't vanish, but instead lurks beyond the swells, waiting, and its denizens have found their way out before we managed to find our way in.
Be cautious, citizens of Freeport! Especially if you should take to the seas. For as little as we know of Kunark, we know that it is not to be trifled with. Its jungles contain ancient power, and ancient anger, and perhaps other forces of which we have no knowledge.
Books
Why We Fight, Chronicle One This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This book was given to me by Jaeta H'arn in Nektulos Forest. I can place this book in my house.
This is the book that was given to me by Mistress Jaeta H'arn of the Order of Nektulos. She says this book is from long before the Cataclysm and is one of the first books all Teir`Dal children read.
The Teir`Dal were once the rulers of the entire surface and beyond of Norrath. We ruled all the lands and all the peoples contained within them. Even the trees bowed to us. But, we were betrayed and left to suffer.
The evil, vile Koada`Dal and their cousins the Feir`Dal, in their weakness, called upon their frail and cowardly Gods. They banded together and directly attacked us. They broke all traditions of the Gods and came for us because they knew they could not overcome The Prince of Hate.
The War of Plagues raged across the land for a number of years, with neither side gaining ground. Using tacticts reserved for only the depraved, the Bloodsabers, under orders of their leader, contaminated the city's water supply. Thousands of innocent people died during the war, and most of the atrocities were blamed on a mage the Bloodsabers called "The Undying".
So good was the Gods' cover up of their actions that the Father never took action to aid us directly... But, oh did he punish them. They were all imprisoned in his plane and made to suffer for eternity. The Father again did not aid us directly. Instead, to strengthen us, we were given the responsibility of punishing those who dared threaten the children of the Prince of Hate!
Using the fear that came with the name Varsoon, the mage began calling himself Varsoon the Undying. His demands against Qeynos were for them to hand over every second child that lived in the city. it seems there was some type of dissension among the Bloodsabers over this demand, which allowed Qeynosian soldiers to gain the upperhand. Soon enough, after a massive battle, Qeynos defeated the Bloodsabers once and for all. Unfortunately, they were never able to find Varsoon the Undying after the battle.
Now we hunt those elves and their allies. Vengeance will be ours and we will reclaim the lands that are rightfully ours! For the Prince of Hate we will fight! For our honor we will fight! Never will we stop in our pursuit! Take arms, young warrior, and fight the battle for your ancestors and all Teir`Dal.
Books
Why We Fight, Chronicle One This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This book was given to me by Jaeta H'arn in Nektulos Forest. I can place this book in my house.
This is the book that was given to me by Mistress Jaeta H'arn of the Order of Nektulos. She says this book is from long before the Cataclysm and is one of the first books all Teir`Dal children read. Entry One Put away
The Teir`Dal were once the rulers of the entire surface and beyond of Norrath. We ruled all the lands and all the peoples contained within them. Even the trees bowed to us. But, we were betrayed and left to suffer. Entry Two Put away
The evil, vile Koada`Dal and their cousins the Feir`Dal, in their weakness, called upon their frail and cowardly Gods. They banded together and directly attacked us. They broke all traditions of the Gods and came for us because they knew they could not overcome The Prince of Hate. Entry Three Put away
So good was the Gods' cover up of their actions that the Father never took action to aid us directly... But, oh did he punish them. They were all imprisoned in his plane and made to suffer for eternity. The Father again did not aid us directly. Instead, to strengthen us, we were given the responsibility of punishing those who dared threaten the children of the Prince of Hate! Entry Four Put away
Now we hunt those elves and their allies. Vengeance will be ours and we will reclaim the lands that are rightfully ours! For the Prince of Hate we will fight! For our honor we will fight! Never will we stop in our pursuit! Take arms, young warrior, and fight the battle for your ancestors and all Teir`Dal. Put away
Books
Windsisters' Song This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
A local Dervin legend that tells how the Windsister harpies came to exist.
In the long ago, when the djinn first came to the desert, there lived a band of sister-warriors whose leader was a beautiful and headstrong woman named Hadil.
She had long black hair that fanned out in the wind behind her when she raced across the desert astride her horse.
No one could catch Hadil in a race, until Makkar.
Makkar was of the djinn and he challenged Hadil to a race. Being djinn, with the power of the sky at his command, he easily defeated her.
And with the aura of his triumph around him, Hadil looked upon him and fell instantly and deeply in love.
Makkar returned her feelings, as she was a great warrior and he valued her strength.
As time passed, more djinn arrived from their distant Plane. They brought with them many objects which they considered trinkets, but which were of considerable value in the desert.
"Where do these come from?" asked Hadil as Makkar draped her in brightly colored robes of a fabric finer than silk.
"They are from my home," he said.
To please Hadil, Makkar took on the form of a Dervin. He rode beside her into battles, admiring her prowess.
Though Makkar could destroy any enemy at hand, Hadil preferred to follow the ways of her tribe.
They raised clouds of choking dust with their horses' hooves, encircling their enemies.
When the enemies were blinded and gathered together so tightly that they could not fight back, Hadil's tribe would circle them again and again, slicing them through with their scimitars until their enemies lay in a heap.
Lesser folks would scavenge the bodies; Hadil would laugh and ride away, her hair flowing in the wind.
Hadil dressed in the finest robes with Makkar' scimitar hung from her belt. Draped around her slender throat were strings of pearls and diamonds. A ring carved from a piece of lavender jade graced her hand.
And still, Hadil demanded more from Makkar.
"You love not me, but that which I give to you," he said one night. Hadil tossed her head.
"You please me," she replied, her voice as soft as silk. "How can I help but love you when you bestow all that is yours upon me?"
Makkar said nothing, but he rode off into the night and stayed away for several days.
When he returned he brought to Hadil a small sandalwood box. In the box, nestled in silk scarves, were two crystal vials.
"Hadil, I am sorry for doubting your love for me," Makkar said, presenting her with the box. "I have asked our Master to prepare the most precious gifts for you, but know that you may only choose one."
"One? But there are two vials," Hadil said, running her fingertips over each of them in turn.
One was blue and the other red.
"The blue vial contains a potion which will ensure that you are always as beautiful on the outside as you are within," Makkar said. "The potion in the red vial will give you endless wealth."
He bowed his head and added, "Choose wisely, Hadil, for your selection will affect you and your sisters."
Hadil hesitated a moment, then made a decision.
"I choose both!" Hadil cried greedily, removing the stopper of both vials and consuming their contents.
She laughed, but her throat felt scratched and her voice had become hoarse. "You have poisoned me," she screeched.
"You have poisoned yourself," Makkar said in disgust. He returned to his djinn form and vanished.
Hadil clutched her throat, but to her horror her slender hand had grown claws.
She ran from her tent. Wings stretched from her shoulders, catching in the doorway. She screamed when she saw that her sisters had all transformed as well.
And so the harpies are as beautiful outside as they are within and they have endless wealth from the bodies of those they scavenge.
Books
Windsisters' Song This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
A local Dervin legend that tells how the Windsister harpies came to exist.
In the long ago, when the djinn first came to the desert, there lived a band of sister-warriors whose leader was a beautiful and headstrong woman named Hadil.
She had long black hair that fanned out in the wind behind her when she raced across the desert astride her horse.
No one could catch Hadil in a race, until Makkar.
Makkar was of the djinn and he challenged Hadil to a race. Being djinn, with the power of the sky at his command, he easily defeated her.
And with the aura of his triumph around him, Hadil looked upon him and fell instantly and deeply in love.
Makkar returned her feelings, as she was a great warrior and he valued her strength.
As time passed, more djinn arrived from their distant Plane. They brought with them many objects which they considered trinkets, but which were of considerable value in the desert.
"Where do these come from?" asked Hadil as Makkar draped her in brightly colored robes of a fabric finer than silk.
"They are from my home," he said.
To please Hadil, Makkar took on the form of a Dervin. He rode beside her into battles, admiring her prowess.
Though Makkar could destroy any enemy at hand, Hadil preferred to follow the ways of her tribe.
They raised clouds of choking dust with their horses' hooves, encircling their enemies.
When the enemies were blinded and gathered together so tightly that they could not fight back, Hadil's tribe would circle them again and again, slicing them through with their scimitars until their enemies lay in a heap.
Lesser folks would scavenge the bodies; Hadil would laugh and ride away, her hair flowing in the wind.
Hadil dressed in the finest robes with Makkar' scimitar hung from her belt. Draped around her slender throat were strings of pearls and diamonds. A ring carved from a piece of lavender jade graced her hand.
And still, Hadil demanded more from Makkar.
"You love not me, but that which I give to you," he said one night. Hadil tossed her head.
"You please me," she replied, her voice as soft as silk. "How can I help but love you when you bestow all that is yours upon me?"
Makkar said nothing, but he rode off into the night and stayed away for several days.
When he returned he brought to Hadil a small sandalwood box. In the box, nestled in silk scarves, were two crystal vials.
"Hadil, I am sorry for doubting your love for me," Makkar said, presenting her with the box. "I have asked our Master to prepare the most precious gifts for you, but know that you may only choose one."
"One? But there are two vials," Hadil said, running her fingertips over each of them in turn.
One was blue and the other red.
"The blue vial contains a potion which will ensure that you are always as beautiful on the outside as you are within," Makkar said. "The potion in the red vial will give you endless wealth."
He bowed his head and added, "Choose wisely, Hadil, for your selection will affect you and your sisters."
Hadil hesitated a moment, then made a decision.
"I choose both!" Hadil cried greedily, removing the stopper of both vials and consuming their contents.
She laughed, but her throat felt scratched and her voice had become hoarse. "You have poisoned me," she screeched.
"You have poisoned yourself," Makkar said in disgust. He returned to his djinn form and vanished.
Hadil clutched her throat, but to her horror her slender hand had grown claws.
She ran from her tent. Wings stretched from her shoulders, catching in the doorway. She screamed when she saw that her sisters had all transformed as well.
And so the harpies are as beautiful outside as they are within and they have endless wealth from the bodies of those they scavenge.
Books
Zatirre's First Zombie This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This completed book can be placed in your house and read.
Zombies are reanimated dead creatures. After death, anything can be turned into a zombie. What follows is the tale of a necromancer's experiment. Entry One Put book away.
"Zatirre's First Zombie" by Zatirre, Lord of the Zombies -- Taken from the memoirs of a necromancer who traveled through the Commonlands to demonstrate his zombie creation process. Read book Put book away.
They said it could not be done, this raising of the dead to do the work of the living. They said it was folly to attempt such a thing. Yet I, Zatirre, have done just such a thing and have lived to tell the tale. Be forewarned -- this is not the tale with which to put the children to sleep! Entry Two Put book away.
Animating the dead requires much concentration, luck and intelligence. Fortunately, I am blessed with an abundance of these virtues for I am Zatirre! After studying remnants of the Arcane, I learned that I could reanimate any corpse and not only bring it to life, but command it to do my bidding! Yes, I am thinking, this is perfect, for a being that I raise from the dead will surely appreciate me more than the ungrateful living. Entry Three Put book away.
I waited breathlessly for the perfect night. My thoughts were focused on the corpse of a young ratonga that had been dead barely seven days. Thus, it would be less rotted than other corpses. And being that of a small creature, even more likely to bend to the will of Zatirre! From the morning of the preceding day, I began preparing my spell. Entry Four Put book away.
The perfect night came, clear and calm. Except for the call of the hyenas, it was quiet. Yes, a perfect night, chosen by Zatirre! As I stood over the ratonga's grave, I could see its earth churning slightly, then crumbling apart as my ratonga zombie's arms broke through. Within minutes, the zombie stood before me. Yes, the fur was matted from being buried, but it was alive again, thanks to my efforts. Entry Five Put book away.
"I am your master," I said to it. "I am Zatirre, Lord of the Zombies!" It raised its black-furred face toward me. I could see the hollowness of its gaze, the lack of any conscious thought in its mind. Yet, it seemed to consider my words and ponder their meaning. "Speak!" I commanded, causing the zombie to shudder violently. I stepped backward -- could I have waited too long to recall this one? Had I, Zatirre, inconceivably made a mistake? Entry Six Put book away.
And then -- it spoke! Its jaws worked back and forth. I could hear the ligaments in its neck and jaw breaking apart as the creature opened its mouth -- a mouth that had been closed shut by the stiffness of death for seven full days! Dust poured fourth from its slightly parted lips as it struggled to form words. "I am..." said the zombie in a thin, reedy voice, "...hungry." Entry Seven Put book away.
It spoke! Yes, the zombie brought forth from the dead spoke and I, Zatirre, exulted! I stood beside the opened grave and danced, praising aloud my skill. I turned to the zombie, that seemed fascinated by the cakes of dirt hanging from its dull fur and taking it by its shoulders, rotated it this way and that. My specimen was complete, if filthy. Entry Eight Put book away.
And then, something I had not anticipated happened. Yes, even I, Zatirre, had not foreseen this circumstance. The zombie held its hand out before it, turning it this way and that, holding it up before its face. Tilting its head quizzically to the side, it spoke yet again. "I am hungry," it said, and then it took a very hearty bite of its own arm! Entry Nine Put book away.
As I stared in amazement, I could hear its teeth cracking within its skull. It frowned, causing its fur to stretch across its forehead, before bursting open to expose a glint of bone. The zombie turned to me and a vague recognition filled its dull eyes. "I'm hungry," it said through its broken teeth and slack-skinned mouth, reaching out a stiff and dirty hand toward me. I felt its fingers close in upon my arm, piercing the flesh with an unguessed strength. Entry Ten Put book away.
Quickly, I evoked another spell and cast it hastily upon the zombie, which fell to the ground in a heap of lifeless fur and bone. My escape was narrow but my experience broadened. I, Zatirre, set this in writing to enlighten others of the way of the zombie. Close Book.
Books
Zatirre's First Zombie This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"Zatirre's First Zombie" by Zatirre, Lord of the Zombies -- Taken from the memoirs of a necromancer who traveled through the Commonlands to demonstrate his zombie creation process.
Zombies are reanimated dead creatures. After death, anything can be turned into a zombie. What follows is the tale of a necromancer's experiment.
They said it could not be done, this raising of the dead to do the work of the living. They said it was folly to attempt such a thing.
Yet I, Zatirre, have done just such a thing and have lived to tell the tale. Be forewarned -- this is not the tale with which to put the children to sleep!
Animating the dead requires much concentration, luck and intelligence. Fortunately, I am blessed with an abundance of these virtues for I am Zatirre!
After studying remnants of the Arcane, I learned that I could reanimate any corpse and not only bring it to life, but command it to do my bidding!
Yes, I am thinking, this is perfect, for a being that I raise from the dead will surely appreciate me more than the ungrateful living.
I waited breathlessly for the perfect night. My thoughts were focused on the corpse of a young ratonga that had been dead barely seven days. Thus, it would be less rotted than other corpses. And being that of a small creature, even more likely to bend to the will of Zatirre! From the morning of the preceeding day, I began preparing my spell.
The perfect night came, clear and calm. Except for the call of the hyenas, it was quiet. Yes, a perfect night, chosen by Zatirre! As I stood over the ratonga's grave, I could see its earth churning slightly, then crumbling apart as my ratonga zombie's arms broke through.
Within minutes, the zombie stood before me. Yes, the fur was matted from being buried, but it was alive again, thanks to my efforts.
"I am your master," I said to it. "I am Zatirre, Lord of the Zombies!"
It raised its black-furred face toward me. I could see the hollowness of its gaze, the lack of any conscious thought in its mind. Yet, it seemed to consider my words and ponder their meaning.
"Speak!" I commanded, causing the zombie to shudder violently. I stepped backward -- could I have waited too long to recall this one? Had I, Zatirre, inconceivably made a mistake?
And then -- it spoke! Its jaws worked back and forth. I could hear the ligaments in its neck and jaw breaking apart as the creature opened its mouth -- a mouth that had been closed shut by the stiffness of death for seven full days!
Dust poured fourth from its slightly parted lips as it struggled to form words.
"I am..." said the zombie in a thin, reedy voice, "...hungry."
It spoke! Yes, the zombie brought forth from the dead spoke and I, Zatirre, exulted! I stood beside the opened grave and danced, praising aloud my skill.
I turned to the zombie, that seemed fascinated by the cakes of dirt hanging from its dull fur and taking it by its shoulders, rotated it this way and that.
My specimen was complete, if filthy.
And then, something I had not anticipated happened. Yes, even I, Zatirre, had not foreseen this circumstance.
The zombie held its hand out before it, turning it this way and that, holding it up before its face. Tilting its head quizzically to the side, it spoke yet again.
"I am hungry," it said, and then it took a very hearty bite of its own arm!
As I stared in amazement, I could hear its teeth cracking within its skull. It frowned, causing its fur to stretch across its forehead, before bursting open to expose a glint of bone.
The zombie turned to me and a vague recognition filled its dull eyes.
"I'm hungry," it said through its broken teeth and slack-skinned mouth, reaching out a stiff and dirty hand toward me.
I felt its fingers close in upon my arm, piercing the flesh with an unguessed strength.
Quickly, I evoked another spell and cast it hastily upon the zombie, which fell to the ground in a heap of lifeless fur and bone.
My escape was narrow but my experience broadened. I, Zatirre, set this in writing to enlighten others of the way of the zombie.
Books
Zatirre's First Zombie This item can be placed on the floor in any house type.
This is a mastery tome. Use the knowledge contained within to gain a basic understanding of the tactics to use against the chosen foe.
"Zatirre's First Zombie" by Zatirre, Lord of the Zombies -- Taken from the memoirs of a necromancer who traveled through the Commonlands to demonstrate his zombie creation process.
Zombies are reanimated dead creatures. After death, anything can be turned into a zombie. What follows is the tale of a necromancer's experiment.
They said it could not be done, this raising of the dead to do the work of the living. They said it was folly to attempt such a thing.
Yet I, Zatirre, have done just such a thing and have lived to tell the tale. Be forewarned -- this is not the tale with which to put the children to sleep!
Animating the dead requires much concentration, luck and intelligence. Fortunately, I am blessed with an abundance of these virtues for I am Zatirre!
After studying remnants of the Arcane, I learned that I could reanimate any corpse and not only bring it to life, but command it to do my bidding!
Yes, I am thinking, this is perfect, for a being that I raise from the dead will surely appreciate me more than the ungrateful living.
I waited breathlessly for the perfect night. My thoughts were focused on the corpse of a young ratonga that had been dead barely seven days. Thus, it would be less rotted than other corpses. And being that of a small creature, even more likely to bend to the will of Zatirre! From the morning of the preceeding day, I began preparing my spell.
The perfect night came, clear and calm. Except for the call of the hyenas, it was quiet. Yes, a perfect night, chosen by Zatirre! As I stood over the ratonga's grave, I could see its earth churning slightly, then crumbling apart as my ratonga zombie's arms broke through.
Within minutes, the zombie stood before me. Yes, the fur was matted from being buried, but it was alive again, thanks to my efforts.
"I am your master," I said to it. "I am Zatirre, Lord of the Zombies!"
It raised its black-furred face toward me. I could see the hollowness of its gaze, the lack of any conscious thought in its mind. Yet, it seemed to consider my words and ponder their meaning.
"Speak!" I commanded, causing the zombie to shudder violently. I stepped backward -- could I have waited too long to recall this one? Had I, Zatirre, inconceivably made a mistake?
And then -- it spoke! Its jaws worked back and forth. I could hear the ligaments in its neck and jaw breaking apart as the creature opened its mouth -- a mouth that had been closed shut by the stiffness of death for seven full days!
Dust poured fourth from its slightly parted lips as it struggled to form words.
"I am..." said the zombie in a thin, reedy voice, "...hungry."
It spoke! Yes, the zombie brought forth from the dead spoke and I, Zatirre, exulted! I stood beside the opened grave and danced, praising aloud my skill.
I turned to the zombie, that seemed fascinated by the cakes of dirt hanging from its dull fur and taking it by its shoulders, rotated it this way and that.
My specimen was complete, if filthy.
And then, something I had not anticipated happened. Yes, even I, Zatirre, had not foreseen this circumstance.
The zombie held its hand out before it, turning it this way and that, holding it up before its face. Tilting its head quizzically to the side, it spoke yet again.
"I am hungry," it said, and then it took a very hearty bite of its own arm!
As I stared in amazement, I could hear its teeth cracking within its skull. It frowned, causing its fur to stretch across its forehead, before bursting open to expose a glint of bone.
The zombie turned to me and a vague recognition filled its dull eyes.
"I'm hungry," it said through its broken teeth and slack-skinned mouth, reaching out a stiff and dirty hand toward me.
I felt its fingers close in upon my arm, piercing the flesh with an unguessed strength.
Quickly, I evoked another spell and cast it hastily upon the zombie, which fell to the ground in a heap of lifeless fur and bone.
My escape was narrow but my experience broadened. I, Zatirre, set this in writing to enlighten others of the way of the zombie.
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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 Book of Gnollish Orders
A Dilapidated Journal
A disenchanted ancient grimoire
A Dwarf's Guide to Surviving a Minotaur Attack.
A History of the Centaur
A Sojourn of Faith
a thick comely book
a thick ornate book
a thin ornate book
Eternal Bloom
Even More Adventures of Jorbo and Mappy
Gnomes and the Art of Clockwork Maintenance
Motor Commotion all for Emotion
Sacred to the Aurai
Seeress Ealaynya Ithis's Prophecies: Book Two
Welcome to Kelethin!
