Continued
. . . (previous) -
by Allan Maki
Lonely in the World
- from the
ZoneColdeve PY 12/Earth:
February 2001
The powers of magic had been growing ever since the defeat of the
Hopeslayer. Magi of the School of the Arm had already gained access to
another sphere of influence and now they had uncovered the secrets of an
ancient order of Empyrean warrior magi who stood resolute against the
darkness during their greatest age. Those who command the sphere of War,
able to find and pass the tests placed before them are able to forge
Thaumaturgic and Exarch Platemail. This armor is light enough to be worn
by mages, yet is endowed with mystical energies that afford its creator
the defenses of the heartiest warrior.
As the School of the Arm found the Essence of
Strife during the month of Snowreap, so too has the School of the Right
Hand found an essence bound to Derethian “enchanting” magic.
Sequestered in the wilderness and surrounded by a Menhir, the pulsing
Essence of Artifice grants spells of the seventh circle to all who feed it
the most powerful item scrolls found on the Obsidian Plains. Armed with
these humbling spells magi now harden their armor and further hone the
steel of their weapons, making them more fearsome then ever before.
Furthering the resurgence of magic, deep
within the Mines of Despair can be found an oblong stone. Adventurers have
discovered that this stone, carried by an ancient guardian, can be
enhanced within the very heart of the dungeon using a piece of their
essence and powerful returned magic. The resultant item hardens the mind
and heightens the focus of whoever uses the stone, pulling away their
access to Mana at the same time.
But all is not well on Dereth.
Tumeroks have moved onto the desert plains
and opened installations there. Deep beneath the sands their vanguard
forces prepare what appears to be a staging point. They have sent only an
expeditionary force to fortify these bases but there can be no question as
to the ill nature of their intent. Those who have entered these fortresses
have returned with tales of the denizens within and the items of power
they have retrieved.
Deep within the quagmire, scrawled in his
own hand, Sir Candeth Martine continues his story for those with the
fortitude to follow him. The darkness within him grows and the grim trail
he leaves will take its toll on even most stalwart warrior's mind. The
changes within the man are growing more obvious with each letter he leaves
travelers to find; it is a trail that has become rife with murder and ill
tidings. At the hands of the Virindi his awareness has been heightened and
he has become something not wholly human. His tale now leads adventurers
back to the captors that traded him to the Virindi, the Mosswarts deep
within the swamp. Brave parties recount his tale while speaking at taverns
or in the company of the smithies shining their newest creations, the
naginata.
As new arrivals are met with the friendly
gestures of Helpers something wicked brews in the heart and sky of Dereth.
The sky itself is filled with an unearthly amethyst hue. The land itself
is now bathed in a lavender blanket that reminds the Children of Ispar
that all is not well. The Hopeslayer may be gone, but there are other
enemies who would take his place and remove the Children of Ispar from
this world.
Continued |