Party Notes

[TheWordWeaver]

Please feel free to post and compare your notes here.

[Wizard of the Coat]

2. Signet Ring from Orc

3. Deypho's magic sliver: "She held a black cloth and laid it on the table. Grabbing the corner she threw the cloth off revealing what she had been hiding. "Do not touch it." She instructed. On the table sat a splinter of wrought metal about an inch in length, it was shattered and jagged on either end. It was the deepest black you have ever seen, darker than the night and it seemed to call to you. Almost willing, begging even for you to pick it up."

Mags senses a very powerful form of magic emanating from the sliver even in its shattered state. While Mags is unsure of what item the sliver is from, he remembers the Master telling him a story about how certain magic items could never truly be destroyed and that even when broken the pieces would seek each other to be whole again. 

Damaia said, "It does make me think of the Battle of Eternal Fires.. If anyone here is familiar.. The Spear of Varaxis shattered a black wrought artifact. I do not know much about the spear itself."

4. The Oracle of Thespoe's Note: "The Serene turns to Smolder and the World to ruin. It starts at the Akropoli when the moons overtake the sun." As you focus on the note you find nothing peculiar about it, you do however recall that a total solar eclipse with both moons covering the sun happens about every 18 months, with the next happening sometime this month by your estimation. 

5. The Acropoli: Mags would know that the Akropoli is the Head of the city-state that is Baromenes. It is where all the political figures argue laws and where the leader of Baromenes resides. It also contains a large temple to the Sea God Pnigménos.

6. Serysh: the 6th member of the team who died due to Deypho's interference in the prophecy. "An ambush. I had set a meeting with him in a village nearby called Erenae. When I went to meet him the whole town had been destroyed. I found him, butchered. He was just a boy."

7. The Map of the Prophecy created itself five years ago before Deypho in her temple. Why five years ago? "I've only seen it change twice. Once when Serysh died, and the other when the Shadowy One's army appeared. I believe it changes whenever either side gets closer to reaching their goal."

8. The Marks on the Heroes: "The marks, yes. uh," Deypho gathered herself "They're indicators, symbols given to us by the divine's to give us our roles."

(Mags) Cat = Curious, self-reliant, savage murderer, likes to knock things from high places

(Billie) Wolf = loyal, wild hunter, playful, easily distracted, torments doggedly, licks inappropriately

(Dam) Ox = Steadfast, calm until roused, unstoppable, big ol' teet, delicious

(Dae) Fox = clever, quick, tricksy, charming and you never know what they might say

(Lu) Spider = secret keeper, deadly, comfortable in a hammock, gives best hugs

9. Thiovanya: The longest lasting oracle of Thespoe who recently died. Pale Face and the Orc mentioned him as the source of their intel about where to find the heroes and the box. Deypho knew of no Thiovanya prophecies about the heroes, so it is possible he is chained rather than dead. "Thiovanya's resting place was underneath the lone temple to Xoros at the top of the mountain. It was used as an observatory of sorts for some time before it was abandoned."

 

Edited April 12, 2023 by Wizard of the Coat (see edit history)

[Rumrunner]

• The Slivers are understood to be fragments of the corrupter's heart, a powerful artifact that can As we understand it compass is composed of slivers from the corrupter's heart that was shattered by the archon Thalisios' golden spear, the artifact grant the power to control the will of others. They seem very attracted to each other, and will combine when in close proximity.

• "Compass" composed of slivers in box given to us by the avatar of death, seems to be pointing due west, which seems to be Antropoi, that's a ways off... like six to eight weeks, depending if we push it and change horses at the various towns along the way.  It's supposed that the compass points to other shards.

• Message Scroll "The Serene turns to Smolder and the World to ruin. It starts at the Akropoli when the moons overtake the sun" given to us implies that there's something likely to happen here in Baromenes on the eclipse.  Bi-moon solar eclipse is within the next month, happens approx every 18months, Akropoli is where policital decisions are made, so a political assembly of sorts.

• Theovanya was the longest sitting prophet in Thespoe, and was referenced by the leaders of the chained Andropeclis(Paleface) and Krykon(Orc) as having predicted the heros(us) would be hanging out at the Mall.  Theovanya's dead, grave in the Xorinofot mountains in between Baromenes and Thespoe.  Since we're dealing with undead, obvious conclusion is that the prophet was raised by the Chained.  That may be a slight detour, off the main path but seems like a worthwhile one on the way to Thespoe.

• Signet Rings Each Andropeclis and Krykon had signet rings, seem to be associated with the Chained.

• Painting Scroll: "A depiction of a great battle between a shadowy figure wrapped in onyx chains that move from and about his body versus six heroes. Their battle dances across the parchment as if animated. The scroll shows the entire events of a war waged between the two groups until finally, the heroes manage to slay the shadowy figure and bring light to the realm. Under each hero, a name in gold glittered and shined, waving like banners in the wind. From left to right the names read as such: Dae, Mags, Damaia, Wilhelmina, Lulani..." It painted itself 5 years ago. There was a  6th hero, Serysh from Erenae (village near Baromenes), he died and villiage destroyed in an ambush when Deypho had set up a meeting with him. Shadowy army wasn't originally there either, appears to change when one side or the other gets closer to the goal or dies.

• Nightmares/Dreams: we all had similar dreams of the end of the world, we do not know their origin, neither does Deypho

"An unfamiliar smoke-choked sky is lit ablaze with cinder, every breath burns at your lungs and sears your throat. You are unable to stand just like every time before, blood fills your vision and you can feel your strength and life leaving your body. The roar of battle and blood-curdling screams fill the air, and the usual drumming of heavy footsteps moves closer to you. Above you like every night before you see a massive beast of muscle, fangs, claws, and steel stand over you preparing to deal the finishing blow. As it moves to do so you prepare yourself but something is different. 

The sky splits open, a ray of light splitting the darkness, vaporizing the beast that has tormented your dreams for the last two months. The silhouette of a person can be seen between the rays of light so bright that you can not make out much more than that. "You must find me before this becomes a reality." The man says in a voice so strained that they are barely recognizable as words at all. "The Serene turns to Smolder and the World to ruin. I am trapped, Halaea.." The man's voice falters and a long pause is followed by the ash clouds beginning to overtake the man and his light.

From where the man floated he is replaced with a blazing yellow eye whose mere gaze seems to sear your skin. The next words are what shock you back to the conscious world, sending a shiver up your spine and a cold sweat across your body.

"You shall be the final one to die." The voice this time is warped, sounding like two voices overlapping one another."

• Marks Our animal marks are symbols from the divine to indicate our roles.  Marks manifest when multiple marked people are together: Billie - Wolf, Lu - Spider, Dae - fox, Mags - Cat, Damaia - Ox.

•  Oria in the Storm Quarter. I don't know where or what that is... but we may be able to find information there about the prophesies of Theovanya.

 

Current Date: Baromenes Wineday (Wednesday), 17th of Midsummer, 495 AC

Maps of places discussed:

 

[Rumrunner]

Map of Baromenes (legendkeeper.com)

[ariel]

Oria notes (assuming folks eventually share 😄)

The Age of the Corruptor (Scroll found by Lu)

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It told the tale of a man, a soldier who fought during the calamity, a soldier that died during the final battle of the calamity. It spoke of how this soldier, whose name has been long lost to time, made a deal with the God of death, Siarus. This soldier would be allowed to live if he acted as a guide and delivered deserving souls to the underworld. The scroll continues, talking about the many souls this champion of Siarus helped and sent to the underworld. It spoke of how the champion lost his family to old age, how he begged Siarus to let them live as well, and that when Siarus refused how the soldier grew cold. The souls slowed, the undead became more rampant, and the soldier disappeared altogether. 

With the soldier gone a new threat arose, the corrupter and his horde of undead, his army of chained. The scroll gives details of the Corruptor and how he was not just a conqueror, however. He was also a charismatic and persuasive leader, who used his powers of persuasion to sway others to his cause. He promised his followers a world where death was no longer an inevitability, where they could live forever as powerful beings. He also promised them revenge against the Tyrant Gods who had cast them aside and treated them as playthings.

The corruptor was not content to simply conquer and rule over the mortal realms, however. He also sought to spread his influence to other realms beyond the mortal plane. He believed that the gods themselves were flawed and that he could do a better job of running the universe. He saw himself as a kind of deity, above the mortal races and even the gods themselves.

This was the Corruptor's biggest mistake. Despite his great power, the Corruptor was eventually defeated. His armies were scattered, and the pieces of the Chain of Yurdor were split and scattered across the land, ensuring that he could never rise again.

 

 

The Spear of Varaxis and the Battle of Eternal Fires (Book found by Dam)

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Legend has it that the Spear of Varaxis was crafted by the gods themselves, imbued with divine power to aid their champions in times of great need. The Archon Thalysios was said to have been chosen by the gods to wield the spear in the Battle of Eternal Fires, and it was his skill and courage that turned the tide of the battle.

As the Corruptor's armies approached the Siopós cliffs, Archon Thalysios and his warriors knew that the fate of their city and their people hung in the balance. They knew that they had to hold the pass and prevent the Corruptor from advancing any further.

For nearly a month, the two sides engaged in fierce combat, with neither gaining the upper hand. It seemed as though the battle would never end, and that the Corruptor's armies would eventually overwhelm the defenders.

Then, in a desperate move, the Corruptor summoned forth a massive beast from the underworld, hoping to use its power to break through the defenders' lines. The beast was a terrifying sight, with fiery eyes and massive claws that could crush a man's skull like an eggshell.

But Archon Thalysios was not afraid. He knew that he had been chosen by the gods to wield the Spear of Varaxis, and that it was his duty to use it to protect his people. With a fierce cry, he charged forward, the spear glowing with divine power in his hands.

The battle that followed was epic in its scope, with Thalysios and the Corruptor engaging in a one-on-one duel that would decide the fate of the land. The two combatants were evenly matched, with each landing blows that would have killed a lesser man. Their blows seemed to shear away the environment around them. There in that cliff pass the fate of Halaea and perhaps even Urzoa and beyond was decided.

But in the end, it was Thalysios who emerged victorious. With a powerful thrust of the Spear of Varaxis, he pierced the Corruptor's heart and sent him tumbling to the ground. The beast that the Corruptor had summoned disappeared back into the underworld, and the Corruptor's armies were left leaderless and in disarray.

The Battle of Eternal Fires marked the end of the Corruptor's reign of terror, and it also cemented the legend of Archon Thalysios and the Spear of Varaxis. For centuries after the battle, the spear was kept in the city's temple, where it was revered as a symbol of the god's power and the courage of those who fought to protect their home. For the past 200 hundred years though the Spear has been lost. It is said that is was stolen and hidden, waiting to be found again.