Category Archives: Kerafyrm
Nagafen text
You say, “Hail, The Sage of Ages”
The Sage of Ages says to you, “Thank you my friends, thank you! I do not understand why those Drakota attacked me. I cannot be of any threat to them; I am but a humble chronicler!”
You say to The Sage of Ages, “Who are you?”
The Sage of Ages says to you, “I am known as the Sage of Ages, a neutral historian charged with scribing the events of history so that their lessons will not be forgotten, or repeated. It surprises me that these creatures would be sent to attack me.”
You say to The Sage of Ages, “These Drakota were sent?”
The Sage of Ages says to you, “Yes, Drakota rarely act of their own initiative. They are weapons used by Dragonkind to fulfill their own designs. I do not know what I could have done to anger the Scalelords. I only scribe the truth and have done so for many centuries.”
You say to The Sage of Ages, “Who could have sent these?”
The Sage of Ages says to you, “There are few Dragons still active in this world. The Age of War and the Age of Cataclysms have taken their tolls on the Dragons as well and they too are recovering. However, there are a few who gained in the destruction. The Lord Nagafen and the Lady Vox have prospered as others have declined in power. These Drakota must have been sent by the Lord Nagafen as he would be the only one to possess the power to do so.”
You say to The Sage of Ages, “Why would he send them after you?”
The Sage of Ages says to you, “I know not why he has done this thing and it greatly worries me. Maybe he believes I know too much, or he detests the truths I write. I wish to know what has caused him this distress, but I fear for my own existence if I were to come any closer to his lair.”
You say to The Sage of Ages, “We can approach him for you.”
The Sage of Ages says to you, “I would not send you on such a quest. I will not have the blood of my rescuers on my hands by asking such a thing. It is far too dangerous to send anyone into the lair of Nagafen, and I will not do so to satisfy my own curiosity or my own peace of mind.”
You say to The Sage of Ages, “It is more than that. Your life is in danger.”
The Sage of Ages says to you, “You do not fathom the danger you are willing to enter. Nagafen resides in the very depths of Solusek’s Eye. The Fire Giants are loyal to the Lord Nagafen and will destroy any intruders that set foot within their realm.”
You say to The Sage of Ages, “I can handle a few Fire Giants.”
The Sage of Ages says to you, “I can see that you won’t be dissuaded from pursuing this rash idea. I will relent my position. Please, speak with the Lord Nagafen on my behalf and discover why he seeks my death. I fear there is much more afoot than any of us realize.”
You say to The Sage of Ages, “How do we gain audience with Nagafen?”
The Sage of Ages says to you, “You must travel down into the heart of Solusek’s Eye. There you will find the Gong of Ro. Sound the Gong and you will be transported to the lair of the red dragon. Please, be careful. I will travel to the Tower of the Coldwind Oracles near the city of Qeynos. Please seek me there when you have spoken with the Lord Nagafen. Go with my blessing.”
You say to The Sage of Ages, “Thank you, Sage. We will meet with you soon.”
You say,”Hail, Majordomo Inferinus”
Majordomo Inferinus says to you, “The Great Lord Nagafen will not be conversed with in a mortal language, he finds the use of such offensive. Consider yourself extremely lucky you are still breathing this very moment. It is only because his lordship was amused by your success in reaching the gong that you are not a blood stain on his master’s floor. If you wish to speak to the Lord Nagafen you must learn the Draconic language.”
You say to Majordomo Inferinus,”How do I learn this Draconic language?”
Majordomo Inferinus says to you, “That is of no concern of mine. Do not return again unless your mind and tongue are capable of speaking the ancient language. The next time Lord Nagafen will not be so forgiving. Begone!”
You say to Majordomo Inferinus,”I’ll be back.”
You say,”Hail, The Sage of Ages”
The Sage of Ages says to you, “Have you spoken with the Lord Nagafen?”
You say to The Sage of Ages, “No, the majordomo will not let me enter the lair without knowing Draconic.”
The Sage of Ages says to you, “This is a very unfortunate turn of events. Very few beings on Norrath know of this language, and even fewer still know enough to read and teach it. Many mortal scholars have tried to study the language but even finding one written rune of the language is a challenge. Some have dedicated their entire research to just understanding one or two of the Draconic letters.”
You say to The Sage of Ages, “Do you have any research on the language?”
The Sage of Ages says to you, “Sadly, no. There are many ancient languages I have scribed for historical record but Draconic has always eluded my reach. However, I have heard theories from my consociates that it might be possible to make a compilation of all the research on the Draconic runes if someone were to gather all the work done by the various scholars.”
You say to The Sage of Ages, “Has this compilation ever been attempted?”
The Sage of Ages says to you, “No. The research relating to understanding just one of the runes is far too precious for the owner to consent in relinquishing it, and there is not enough wealth on Norrath to purchase the translated runes from the individual owners. It is even quite likely that half the research is lost to the sands of time, having been destroyed in the cataclysms.”
You say to The Sage of Ages, “If I were able to obtain all the research, would you be able to teach me the language?”
The Sage of Ages says to you, “Yes … yes, I believe I could. I know many techniques and spells that enhance the learning of tongues, but this idea is all for naught. It is impossible for one person to obtain all the translated Draconic runes, let alone find them. It is a hopeless quest, friend.”
You say to The Sage of Ages, “It can be done. I will find the runes.”
The Sage of Ages says to you, “I sincerely hope you are right, but I fear it cannot be done. However, I wish you the best of luck in this quest. In the mean time I will look into my own research and libraries for clues into the greater plot that is unfolding around us. Be careful in your journeys, you may be in far more danger than we know.”
You say to The Sage of Ages, “I will. Farewell Sage.”
You say,”Hail, The Sage of Ages”
The Sage of Ages says to you, “Greetings, adventurer! What word do you have on the runes of the Draconic language?”
You say to The Sage of Ages, “I have obtained research on the translation of all twenty six Draconic runes.”
The Sage of Ages says to you, “The gods be awakened! Can it be true?! Yes! You have done it! I can’t fathom how you obtained all these, but here they are. This is truly amazing!”
You say to The Sage of Ages, “There were orcs all over these things. They seem to be after them as well.”
The Sage of Ages says to you, “Orcs? Their kind has never been interested in knowledge such as this, even after the lifting of the Rathe’s curse. This does not bode well…”
You say to The Sage of Ages, “Will you be able to teach me Draconic?”
The Sage of Ages says to you, “Yes … Yes … I will be able to teach you this language now.”
You say to The Sage of Ages, “Good, let’s get started.”
You say,”Hail, Majordomo Inferinus”
Majordomo Inferinus says to you,”You are back again? I suppose we should step up more guard patrols to keep the vermin out.”
You say to Majordomo Inferinus,”I am here to speak with the Lord Nagafen.”
You say, “Hail, Lord Nagafen”
Lord Nagafen says to you, “So, Inferinus, the lesser ones have returned. Do you suppose they harbor a death wish? Foolish mortals, my curiosity has kept you alive this long, my patience alone will decide if that is to continue.”
You say to Lord Nagafen, “I am ________. If you kill me, then you won’t know why I came.”
Lord Nagafen says to you, “Ancient Draconic? From a lesser one? Interesting … I will hear more. Tell me, mortal, how did you come to possess such sacred knowledge. ”
You say to Lord Nagafen, “The Sage of Ages taught it to me.”
Lord Nagafen says to you, “Sage of Ages? I know naught of a Sage of Ages. I have been on Norrath since the dawn of time. I think that with such a pretentious sounding name that I would have heard of this person before now. ”
You say to Lord Nagafen, “You know who The Sage of Ages is. I come to ask you why you sent your Drakota to kill him, and to ask you to stop.”
Lord Nagafen says to you, “Drakota? You are grossly misinformed if you believe I have anything to do with Drakota! Do you see the tears in my wings and the scars on my flanks?! These are no wounds from some foolish mortal hero, though many have tried, these are Drakota given… Drakota that no longer exist on this world. I know nothing of this sage. If I desired death upon someone, they certainly would not survive to tell of it. ”
You say to Lord Nagafen, “He said that only a few dragons now have the power to control the Drakota, you and Vox.”
Lord Nagafen says to you, “Don’t you EVER speak my slain mate’s name with your mortal lips! My beloved Lady Vox is DEAD! Assassinated by the very things you claim she had control over! Mortal, you have no idea how close to death you now stand. ”
You say to Lord Nagafen, “I apologize, Lord Nagafen. I will not speak her revered name again.”
Lord Nagafen says to you, “Guard your tongue or forfeit your life. Now, you claim that this sage of yours was attacked by Drakota and lived. It is unimaginable that any lesser being would survive a targeted attack by the pawns of the Ring of Scale. How does he claim that he was able to escape destruction? ”
You say to Lord Nagafen, “He doesn’t, my companions and I destroyed them both.”
Lord Nagafen says to you, “Both? There were two Drakota? Were they in possession of essence shards? Answer me this now, mortal! ”
You say to Lord Nagafen, “No, Lord Nagafen, they were not.”
Lord Nagafen says to you, “An orb then? A large glowing orb? Did you find this on their corpses? ”
You say to Lord Nagafen, “No, Lord Nagafen, they did not have either of these things.”
Lord Nagafen says to you, “So you say… I sense in this that you are telling the truth. Regardless, this makes things very interesting now, doesn’t it. Before me stands Lesser Ones who have the ability to slay Drakota. I find I have need of you. I have a significant task for you, do this and you will be greatly rewarded. ”
You say to Lord Nagafen, “Lord Nagafen, what of the Sage’s safety? That is the reason I’ve journeyed here.”
Lord Nagafen says to you, “Mortal, I believe your search for your sage’s adversary and my own quest proposition will lead down the same path. Unfortunately for you, you do not have any other leads to follow, now do you? There is much to be gained by assisting me. ”
You say to Lord Nagafen, “With all due respect, why should I help you when I cannot even trust you?”
Lord Nagafen says to you, “Wealth … Power … Prestige. Is that not what all mortals want? Do this task for me and you will be able to select from anything within my vast hoard of treasures, the likes of which you have never seen. Arcane objects of power and knowledge, armor and weapons that have not been touched by the light of the sun since the Age of Monuments, wealth and jewels beyond your comprehension. ”
You say to Lord Nagafen, “That sounds like a generous reward, but what is it you want me to do?”
Lord Nagafen says to you, “You are being charged with a most important and glorious task. You will act in my stead and bring about the resurrection of my beloved Lady Vox. Seek out the murderous Drakota, destroy them in their lairs, and wrest from them the essence shards. While holding these, the Drakota prevent any attempt at returning my beloved to life. ”
You say to Lord Nagafen, “What are we to do once we get the shards?”
Lord Nagafen says to you, “Take the spirit shards to my beloved’s crypt within the walls of Permafrost. Each shard contains within it a part of the Lady Vox’s undying spirit. Release the essence kept inside the shard and perform the ritual that I will imbue in your lesser mind. It is not known how many shards are required to correctly perform the ritual. It might take many, or it could be as little as one. The Lady Vox’s will to live is incredibly strong. ”
You say to Lord Nagafen, “I understand.”
Lord Nagafen says to you, “Also, the Drakota may be in possession of an Orb of Omnipotence that once belonged to me but is now lost. Return that to me and I will double your reward. ”
You say to Lord Nagafen, “What is the orb for?”
Lord Nagafen says to you, “Its purpose is beyond your understanding and comprehension, Lesser One. All you need to concern yourself with is returning it to me if you find it. Now, go, do as I say. ”
You say to Lord Nagafen, “Yes, Lord Nagafen. The Lady Vox will be resurrected.”
You say,”Hail, The Sage of Ages”
The Sage of Ages says to you, “Greetings, adventurer! I am pleased to see that you still live. Did you speak to Lord Nagafen?”
You say to The Sage of Ages,”Yes. He says he is not responsible for the Drakota’s attacking you. He asks that my companions and I seek to restore Vox to life.”
The Sage of Ages says to you, “Restore the Lady Vox to life? Nagafen must know that mortals do not have sufficient power or knowledge to resurrect an elder dragon from the dead. I do not trust him. The King of Fire is deceitful and sinister. His forked tongue only speaks lies. This must be why he wants me destroyed. He means to put his plots in motion and knows that I am aware of his trickery.”
You say to The Sage of Ages,”If that is true, then why does he want me to kill his Drakota and reclaim Vox’s essence shards?”
The Sage of Ages says to you, “Those Drakota must have rebelled against him and stole the shards for their own grab at power. Nagafen is still too weak from the Truthspeaker’s attack to go after them himself, so he remains safely in his lair while he gets mortals to do his dirty work.”
You say to The Sage of Ages,”Who is the Truthspeaker?”
The Sage of Ages says to you, “The Truthspeaker was an agent of the Ring of Scale. It was he who risked his life to lead the Drakota, the same Drakota that Nagafen now commands, in an attack to stop the mating of Nagafen and Vox, a mating that would result in utter doom for all of Norrath! The Truthspeaker’s Drakota were able to destroy Vox to prevent the union, but Nagafen was able to retreat to the safety of his lair.”
You say to The Sage of Ages,”Where is the Truthspeaker now?”
The Sage of Ages says to you, “The Truthspeaker has not been heard of since the attack on Nagafen in the Lavastorm Mountains. All that is known of that attack is that Nagafen lives and is now in control of the Drakota assassins. The Truthspeaker is presumed destroyed.”
You say to The Sage of Ages,”Why is the mating of the Lady Vox and the Lord Nagafen so dangerous?”
The Sage of Ages says to you, “It is forbidden among dragonkind for dragons of differing elements to mate and bring forth offspring. The combination of the elements result in a prismatic dragon, a creature of immense power and energy. Only one prismatic dragon has existed on Norrath, the Sleeper, Kerafyrm. Nagafen must believe he can control a prismatic offspring, but it seems he cannot even fully control the Drakota he wrested from the Truthspeaker.”
You say to The Sage of Ages,”How powerful are prismatic dragons?”
The Sage of Ages says to you, “Look to the sky, child. The destruction you find there is the doing of the Sleeper simply as a display of power and a reminder to all living beings of his supremacy. Do you realize the danger now? Nagafen wants the power to do just that. Imagine an army of dragons that could each do that with Nagafen and Vox reigning king and queen over them. It is well that the Truthspeaker succeeded in his task to destroy the Lady Vox.”
You say to The Sage of Ages,”Now Nagafen wants me to help return her to life.”
The Sage of Ages says to you, “Yes and that part worries me. He must know that no mortal possesses the ability to return an elder dragon to full life. There must be another reason why he wishes you to attempt this.”
You say to The Sage of Ages,”He also asked if the Drakota we defeated were in possession of a glowing orb, an Orb of Omnipotence he called it.”
The Sage of Ages says to you, “An Orb of Omnipotence? I have not heard of such a thing. Did he say why he wanted it?”
You say to The Sage of Ages,”No, just that it belonged to him and he would double our reward if we brought it to him.”
The Sage of Ages says to you, “If the Lady Vox knew the location of this orb, it might be Nagafen’s plan for you to resurrect the spirit of Vox long enough to discover the whereabouts. Even though Nagafen is using you, the best course of action would be to follow his plan so that we can learn of the orb’s location before he can lay his claws upon it. Find this orb and bring it to me. We will foil the Lord Nagafen’s villainous plot.”
You say to The Sage of Ages,”Are you sure this is the best thing to do?”
The Sage of Ages says to you, “It frightens me to say this, but yes, this is the course of action we need to take. This orb will fall into Nagafen’s claws in due time unless we act to prevent it. He may already have other groups searching for it. The orcs you encountered while collecting the runes may be one such group.”
You say to The Sage of Ages,”I understand.”
The Sage of Ages says to you, “Follow Nagafen’s instruction in resurrecting Vox’s spirit, but only in this. Do not trust his words. He will deceive you with lies and fallacies. He will twist the truth and double cross you in the end. Do not let him do this for he means to bring about the destruction of this world.”
You say to The Sage of Ages,”I will resurrect Vox and learn the location of this orb.”
You say,”Hail, Lord Nagafen”
Lord Nagafen says to you, “So mortal, you have returned to my lair but you have not completed the task I set before you. I cannot sense the living energy of the Lady Vox, not converse with her. You test my patience by coming here in failure.”
You say to Lord Nagafen, “I have not completed the task yet.”
Lord Nagafen says to you, “The why have you returned?! Do not think that you can renegotiate our agreement, Lesser One. You will find it very dangerous to do so.”
You say to Lord Nagafen, “Lord Nagafen, I wish to know why you desire your lady to be raised from the dead.”
Lord Nagafen says to you, “She is my mate! Would you not go to the ends of the world to reclaim your lost love taken from you by murderous assassins? We will not be kept apart by anything, even death itself.”
You say to Lord Nagafen, “The Sage of Ages says you only wish to raise her to create an army of powerful offspring.”
Lord Nagafen says to you, “This sage of yours presumes to know many things. Did he also tell you the age old fallacy that only doom and destruction could result from such a union? This world was saved by such a union! Look to the sky! That could have been Norrath if the petty gods had their way.”
You say to Lord Nagafen, “What do you mean? The Sage said the Sleeper did that as a display of power.”
Lord Nagafen says to you, “Your sage knows nothing! The gods meant to destroy Norrath. The Sleeper understood that this world is sacred and that the dictates of some minor gods would not be the end of the Wurmqueen’s creations. Kerafyrm forfeited his own life to save this entire world from utter destruction. There are many who fail to understand the noble intentions of what such a union can bring.”
You say to Lord Nagafen, “You mean the Truthspeaker. That’s why he attacked you, isn’t it?”
Lord Nagafen says to you, “The Truthspeaker… the assumed name of that wretched snake Darathar… the name he tried using within the Ring of Scale. Yes, Darathar sent the Drakota to kill my mate and now they possess essence shards to keep her from me! Darathar will pay for Vox’s murder. You have taken far too much of my time, mortal. Complete the task and do not return until you do.”
You say to Lord Nagafen, “Yes, Lord Nagafen.”
Lady Vox says,”Nagafen! I am here! I hear you! It is gone?! Yes, I can feel it’s presence, it is close! I will, my beloved!”
You say,”Hail, Lady Vox”
Lady Vox says to you, “Greetings mortals. You have done well in restoring me, but your power is not enough to resurrect me permanently. My time is short. Listen carefully. The ice giants who claimed to remain loyal to us, in my absence, entered my lair and took something that belongs to the Lord Nagafen and myself. We need you to recover it.”
You say to Lady Vox,”What is this object?”
Lady Vox says to you, “It is the Orb of Omnipotence that the Lord Nagafen spoke of. You must get this orb back from the king of the ice giants and return it safely to Lord Nagafen at all costs. If it falls into the wrong hands, it could mean the destruction of all of Norrath. Mortals, please, you must do this!”
You say to Lady Vox,”We will recover the orb.”
You say,”Hail, Lord Nagafen”
Lord Nagafen says to you, “Those lying, betraying Kromise! King Drayek swore to me that they did not know the whereabouts of the orb. Mortal, have you recovered it from the ice giants as the Lady Vox directed? It is imperative that it reaches the safety of these halls!”
You say to Lord Nagafen,”Darathar took it from us, he was the Sage of Ages.”
Lord Nagafen says to you, “Darathar?! Darathar was your sage?! And now he has the egg! Do you understand what you’ve done?! You have been manipulated this entire time! You led him to the one thing that would give him power to subjugate all of Norrath. We are doomed!”
You say to Lord Nagafen,”Where has he gone?”
Lord Nagafen says to you, “What does that matter?! He will have returned to his hidden lair in order to study and manipulate the egg. No one knows where his lair is, not even his chief lieutenants. In order for them to even travel there the five of them must meet and travel as one. There is no way for any of us to find him!”
You say to Lord Nagafen,”How do you know this?”
Lord Nagafen says to you, “I tore the information from the dying corpse of the Drakota that led the attack against me. I also ripped this Translocation Ring from the chain that hung from his neck, in case you needed further proof! These are what his lieutenants use to travel to him. They must combine all five pieces in order for the portal to work.”
You say to Lord Nagafen,”We can get the other rings. We can stop Darathar! ”
Lord Nagafen says to you, “You can’t stop him! Don’t you see now that he has been in control of the Drakota this entire time?! The only reason you got as far as you did is because he let you! His elite Drakota hold these pieces. They will not be leashed as his others have been. You have no chance against them!”
You say to Lord Nagafen,”We will stop him.”
Lord Nagafen says to you, “HAHAHA! You only hasten your own death. You are as headstrong and foolish as the orcs. So be it. Take the Translocation Ring. I no longer have a use for it. Now go, before I kill you myself for your failure!”
You say to Lord Nagafen,”Darathar will be defeated.”
You say,”Hail, Lord Nagafen”
Lord Nagafen says to you, “So it seems you came to your senses and decided against getting yourself killed. Now, keep with those thoughts of self preservation and leave my chamber!”
You say to Lord Nagafen,”We destroyed Darathar. The egg burst into these shards during the battle.”
Lord Nagafen says to you, “The egg was destroyed?! HAHAHA! You served me well. Darathar is not the only master of manipulation, now is he? Now that that little mess of the missing egg is out of the way, I can proceed as planned.”
You say to Lord Nagafen,”You don’t care that your only egg is destroyed?”
Lord Nagafen says to you, “HAHAHA! Only egg? I have plenty more safely hidden away. I just couldn’t let that one lost egg remain unaccounted for. You did nicely in seeing to it that its existence no longer poses a risk to me.”
You say to Lord Nagafen,”What about our deal?”
Lord Nagafen says to you, “Deal? Our deal was for you to bring the Lady Vox back from the dead and to return the egg to me. You failed to do either. Oh, but keep the shards as a gift from Lord Nagafen the Red! Inferinus, make sure the mortals find their way out!”
Kerafyrm Awakes – Quotes
When Kerafyrm awakes many dragons throughout Norrath have something to say about it:
Residents of Skyshrine can be heard shouting:
BEWARE! BEWARE! The Sleeper has been awakened! He means death for all who remain here! Time is short, flee the Skyshrine now if you value your life!
Outside of Skyshrine Wuoshi can be heard shouting:
The Sleeper has been awakened! Shun the Skyshrine if you value your lives, for he shall be here soon!
In the depths of Dragon Necropolis Jaled Dar’s Shade will say:
HAHAHAHA! Those fools believed me! Revenge is mine, and destruction is visited upon the world! Ware The Sleeper, fools, for he is AWAKE!
Klandicar in the icy Western Wastes will shout:
Damnation and doom! Some fool has awakened The Sleeper! Avoid those places where Dragons dwell, for Kerafyrm shall surely seek revenge upon us!
Lord Nagafen will say:
Ha! The Ring and Claws are doomed! The Sleeper has been awakened, what a glorious day! Lady Vox, I will see you soon, our long delayed nuptials can now proceed!
While Lady Vox will say:
The Sleeper stirs! A glorious new age for Norrath is about to begin, and my exile is about to end!
Phara Dar from atop Veeshan’s Peak can be heard saying:
Attend me, members of the Ring. The Sleeper is free of his prison, and will surely be seeking revenge!
Source: https://forums.station.sony.com/eq/index.php?threads/the-sleeper-npcs-reaction-to-his-awakening.3299/#post-41896
Antonia Bayle’s Father
He patted the envelope in his left breast pocket. It was still there, as it always was, but old habits die hard.
The letter within was penned what felt like ages ago. It was looking likely that he would take as long to send it as he did to write it. There was always something—the wrong time, the wrong place, the wrong mood, the wrong company.
Satisfied that the letter was still safe in its envelope, albeit more weathered and wrinkled than it was the day before, Vishra began the process of strapping on his armor. Greaves first. Left, then right. His hafling squire orbited around him like a dutiful moon. The best squires were shadows, always present, always near, but never in the way. Tipple was one of the best.
His plate hung heavier today than it usually did. Truthfully, it wasn’t just the plate. It was weight of the years, the weight of the coming battle, the weight of the damn letter. He’d faced the worst Norrath could throw at him and here he was, a nervous little boy too meek to tell a woman the truth. This was one of those things that time never made easier—except to make excuses.
He punched one of the wooden beams supporting the pavilion with his gauntleted hand. Tipple didn’t flinch. Instead, he carefully lifted Dawnbreaker, the sword that could cleave morning itself, and began strapping it to his charge’s back with the aid of a stepstool.
Vishra believed with every fiber of his being that she deserved to know, needed to know. To him, she was the heart of Norrath, holding up everything while it all threatened to fall down. And she did it with grace and poise and strength. More strength than he had ever shown.
“Tipple, today is the day. If I can’t summon the courage to finally do this one simple task, if I turn and run like I have so many times before, if I break like some half-trained conscript, then may the gods strike me down.”
“Very good, sir.”
Vishra strode out of his pavilion, light gleaming off his filigreed armor, with only the blue velvet of his sash refusing to participate in the spectacle. He looked every bit the hero people spoke of. Of course, they didn’t know that his stomach, tied in knots, was liable to let go of his breakfast at any moment.
He had one opportunity, a meeting with her scheduled in a few hours. It would be easy. Simply walk up to her and hand her the envelope. There were too many things at stake to let this continue to weigh on him.
Vishra made his rounds—speaking with his soldiers, poring over battle plans, talking contingencies, and acquiring the razor focus he needed to face the Awakened – Kerafyrm’s shock troops and syncophants.
It was late morning when he started toward the meeting area. He saw her, every bit as beautiful as the day she was born. She waved. He returned the gesture.
“Vishra! Good to see you. Are you ready for this?”
He made a deep bow, “I am, my liege. Knowing Lucan, I think he’ll be on board with our plan. It’s direct, to the point, and vicious.”
“Let’s hope so. Arguing with him is exhausting.” She grabbed his arm, “Shall we off?”
“Antonia, wait… I…”
“…Yes?”
“…You’ve grown into a superb leader, a woman that our whole nation can look up to. I want you to know I’m very proud of you…” He stumbled over those last few words.
Red crept into Antonia’s cheeks and she gave a little laugh, “Th-thank you, Vishra. I’m very proud of you as well. I could not have done any of this without you at my side. Anyway, enough of this. We will have time to pat ourselves on the back after Kerafyrm is put to rest. Let’s go see Lucan.”
And that was that.
Hours later, Vishra stormed into his tent, fumbled with his right gauntlet, clumsily worked at the straps and flung it into a corner with a snarl. Tipple ran over and began laboring on the left gauntlet, deftly removed it, and then started on the breastplate. But even Tipple’s impressive speed wasn’t quick enough for Vishra, who clawed at the plate in fury.
Tipple sharply barked, “Sir!” Then calmly, “Be still.”
Vishra froze, but Tipple could feel his body vibrating with tension under the armor. Tipple quickly unfastened it, pulled the chestpiece away, and retreated into his corner.
As soon as the plate was off, Vishra was in motion again. He grabbed the envelope from his breast pocket, tore it open, looked at the letter, and then crushed it in his fist. He took three, slow, very deep breaths. To Tipple, it looked like he was trying to calm himself, but Vishra suddenly roared—a primal, furious, and somehow plaintive bellowing of emotion. It conquered its entire vicinity like a pack of wolves howling at the moon.
There was a commotion at the flap of the tent as two guards rushed in, spears at the ready. Tipple hurried over and silently waved them off—they didn’t want to be in here, they didn’t hear anything, and they definitely didn’t want to see Vishra when he was like this. The guards gave each other confused looks before warily backing out of the pavilion.
He finally ran out of breath. Tipple sighed in relief and moved to his comfortable corner, his eyes on his charge, hoping that the worst was over.
Vishra stood, his back to the entrance, head down, for a very long time. Minutes passed and the only life Tipple could see from him were the breaths he took every so often.
Finally, in a gravelly whisper, “I’m sorry. That was uncalled for. Thank you, Tipple.”
“Very good, sir.”
![[IMG]](https://cdn.statically.io/img/assets.soe.com/uploads/dcsclient/000/000/022/381.jpg?v=0.0)
Vishra slowly sat down at his desk. His fist relaxed bit by bit as he placed the letter on the cool wood. He spent a long time smoothing out the wrinkles, his hands running over the paper until it mostly lay flat. Then he read:
My dearest Antonia,
I have written and re-written this letter so many times. It is something I should have given you long ago. It is with love and pride and a small bit of regret that it only reaches you now.
We’ve travelled the world, Antonia. We’ve seen everything there is to see and more. I’ve watched you grow from a small, awkward (but adorable!) waifling, into a powerful, beautiful ruler of her own kingdom. One of my fondest memories is of us fishing off the portside of Dawnfall when the wind was still and refused to blow. It was so hot, the waters so calm, but you never complained. You just smiled…and when you caught that first sea bass…I’d never experienced anything like it before. Even after so many years apart, that bond was still there, unbroken. Whenever things turn black, I travel back to that day and that smile.
I do not know why it is so hard for me to say the words I want to. Years of pretending to be something I am not—it makes the lie harder to admit. Some combination of fears—fear of hurting you, fear of distracting you. Fear of losing you. I am not afraid of many things, but this, our relationship, it is something I cannot live without. You give me the strength to face down demons, to look Kerafyrm in the eye. If I lose you, then I myself will be lost. I am a pitiful man, Shirrana, and it is because of this weakness that the lie has continued this long. It stops now, though, and I can only beg your forgiveness.
If I seem overbearing at times… if I seem overprotective… if I treat you too much like my daughter… it is because, well…
It is because you are.
I am lucky. The Sisters of Tearfall exile the fathers when their daughters are born. Most of them never get to see their children grow, but I was given the opportunity to raise you from a distance, council you and protect you as if you were mine. Your mother and I loved each other very much, and it was her love and foresight that set these things in motion. I wish she could see you now, but she would not be surprised. She would be proud, just as I am.
You are probably experiencing some combination of confusion and anger. Or perhaps just the calm assuredness Norrath knows you for. I understand that it will take you some time to process this and come to peace with it. When you are ready, we can sit down with some wine and talk. I can tell you the real story of how you came into this world and discuss whether you have room for an old soldier to be your father.
In the meantime know that I love you, Shirrana, and that you have been loved since the day you were born.
I’ll be waiting,
Vishra
He absently pawed at one of the drawers on his desk, his hand finally finding a new envelope. He carefully folded the letter, placed it in its new home, and lodged it in his left breast pocket.
“Tomorrow.”
***The End***
The Founding of Alivan
The notes of Samiir Velcana
Erudite paladin
I have given up adventuring, and have renounced my loyalty to the gods. The time I spent working for the Claws of Veeshan here in Skyshrine has shown me that there is something more important for me to focus my energy on, aside from my own power and gain. The dragons here are working toward confronting the greatest threat Norrath has ever known, and I wish to help them in their struggle. I have given over my armor in exchange for robes, and have given over my sword in exchange for books. Perhaps through study I can find a way to help the Claws of Veeshan reach victory.
The notes of Helria Melvencent
Human rogue
At first, I came here for the treasure. A dragon city? You’ve got to be kidding me – a place like that had to have halls filled with shimmering gold and jewels, and I wanted it. I snuck around the city for days before I came across a couple of the dragons engaged in conversation. They were talking about that other dragon… I dunno, the rainbow or prismatic dragon or whatever… and how he had escaped. I’ve never seen a dragon show fear, but I saw it that day. I met other people, adventurers like myself, who had spoken with the dragons, and felt compelled to follow them. I decided to lend myself to the cause. Who knows? Once this Kerawhatzit is gone, he’ll have the treasure I’m looking for!
Alivan Blackraven
Human warrior
I’ll never be able to explain to them… never be able to tell my family why I did this. Why I chose to stay here, and leave them to tend the fields back home. I hope that the gold I sent will sustain them and keep them safe. But I have to stay here. I have to lend my knowledge to the gathering group of mortals who have chosen to remain here with the Claws of Veeshan. I learned much about farming growing up, and if we are going to sustain mortals here, that knowledge will become necessary to keep them healthy and fed. I believe the Wakening Lands will provide us with ample fertile soil for what we need. Perhaps the dragons will let us settle there and set up a community.
Serrid Ralsent
Human warrior
Fighting… that’s all I’m here to do. If the dragons want me, they’re going to need to put my sword to use. Sure, I can train the other mortal followers, and help them put together some kind of standing army, but fin not going to be a farmer here. I’m not digging holes when I could be chopping giants down to size. I’ll stay for now… at least until this gets boring, I guess. The rest of these people can start their farming community. I’ll watch their back for now.
R’avec Altimir
Erudite wizard
There is incredible knowledge here. I am learning things at an exponential rate, even more than when I studied in the halls of Erudin. The dragons have ancient, unthinkable knowledge, which I could use to further my own magical prowess. I need to speak with them, and gain access to their great libraries. They have refused it thus far, but I’m sure they will listen to reason. I am here to help them, and in order to do that effectively, I need all the knowledge I can lay my eyes upon. Teaching this to the other settlers here can only benefit us all. We might start out as farmers, but we can be so much more.
Elria Damir
Human bard
The goddess Veeshan led me here. I could never have imagined that I was chosen to one day assist her brood themselves, but I have given myself over completely to the dragons of the Claws of Veeshan. Their wisdom will help to protect in the dark days ahead, and it is the dragons alone who can stave off the threat of Kerafyrm… that we mortals released from his confines. Ifs the least I can do to atone for the mistakes of others. We will make a life here, support the dragons, support Skyshrine, and do the bidding of Veeshan herself.
The Loss in Western Wastes
“We had done all that we could in our attempts to prevent the events that have come to pass. I see it now, through my unwavering vision, for what it had always been – destined.
Eons ago, a prohibited union of elemental dragons hatched the first prismatic dragon. Kildrukaun, Arch Priest of Veeshan and member of the Council of Elders, condemned the mated pair to death and appointed himself custodian of their almighty son, Kerafyrm. Quickly, the fledgling dragon demonstrated his immense power and cunning, impressing just as many of his kin as were struck with fear.
During this time, our nation split in two. The Ring of Scale fled to Kunark, while the Claws of Veeshan, the original order and wurm council, remained on Veeshan’s blessed continent of Velious. Kildrukaun, furios over the division, insisted it was the Eternal Mother’s will for the dragon factions to reunite. He prophesied that Kerafyrm would lead The Claws of Veeshan in a great civil war against the Ring of Scale forcing the reunification, and thus fulfilling Veeshan’s will.
Some of The Claws of Veeshan questioned the authenticity of Kildrukaun’s visions, others merely his interpretations; after all, they were considerably self-serving. The council dismissed Kildrukaun’s prophecy, claiming that waging a war against The Ring of Scale would expose them to the growing threat of the giants of Kael Drakkel.
Thus Kerafyrm sharpened his teeth, along with his tactical mind, upon the frozen battlefields of Velious. He ascended quickly within the Claws of Veeshan, obtaining the rank of general, and proving he was as shrewd as he was merciless. But no battle satiated this monstrous creature’s unrivaled lust for destruction and chaos. Eventually, the Council of Elders was forced to order Kerafyrm’s imprisonment.
Kerafyrm’s legions of supporters, including Kildrukaun, were severely outnumbered by those of the elder council, and eventually Kerafyrm was restrained and secured within a prison of indefinite slumber. The council appointed four immensely powerful dragons (Tukaark, Nazata, Ventani and Hraashna) to serve as his guards and ensure his eternal slumber. Meanwhile, Kildrukaun and the other surviving traitors who had aided Kerafyrm fled Velious to unknown locations, awaiting the return of their prophetic saviour.
While Kerafyrm slept, Norrath’s children, in an attempt to satiate their incessant desires for adventure, knowledge and riches, pushed out across this world. It was only a matter of time until they stumbled upon Kerafyrm, who had come to be known as “”The Sleeper.”” Inspired by green and ignorance they slew the four elemental warders and awakened Kerafyrm from his slumber. Kerafyrm showed his gratitude by devouring them, prior to bursting explosively from his prison into the frozen wastes.
The Claws of Veeshan felt Kerafyrm’s wrath immediately. Confronting those members of the council who he could find, Kerafyrm ripped their flesh into shreds, once more demonstrating his unchecked lust for destruction. He was intent on annihilating every vestige of their existence. The ages of sleep had only made him more deadly and vengeful. The wise and ancient dragons of Velious knew they were hardly a challenge for the Awakened, caught unawares as they had been. A desperate plan was hastily hatched.
Lord Yelinak bravely faced Kerafyrm in a furious battle in the skies above Velious, as others made their escape, and four chosen dragons of immense power (Charayan, Grendish, Jortreva and Susarrak) were called upon. However, Yelinak proved to be no match for Kerafyrm. Kerafyrm inflicted grievous wounds upon him, and all of Skyshrine witnessed the lord’s broken body fall to the frozen land beneath as the four Crusaders approached. Savoring his victory over Lord Yelinak, and fearful of the overwhelming power of the Crusaders, Kerafyrm flew off to places unknown.
The Council of Elders held no doubt that this was but Kerafyrm’s first act of vengeance. It was an attack of pure wrath. His next attack would be far more deadly, utilizing clever tactics and his legion of followers. First, they held a service to honor Lord Yelinak’s sacrifice. It was a lavish affair, lasting for days within Skyshrine, calling wurms from across Norrath to pay their respects.
Afterwards, the council sent out their agents and infiltrators on a search for information pertaining to Kerafyrm and his followers, including Kildrukaun. They were certain that word of Lord Yelinak’s demise would quickly spread across the world, reaching the Awakened.
They then initiated an unprecedented act of defence – The Upheavel, successfully cutting off Eastern Wastes and Great Divide from Western Wastes and Cobalt Scar. Intended to make the dragon lands within Velious less susceptible to attack, it also served to isolate the land in case the battle were to escalate.
It was at this time that Lord Yelinak revealed the ruse surrounding his death to all of Skyshrine. It had served it’s purpose, which was to provide the Awakened with false information while having brought the council enough time to explore all attack and defense options against the inevitable onslaught. He had risked much in battle, and although he had not been slain, he had been prepared for such a sacrifice.
Lord Yelinak amde a plea on behalf of the Children of Norrath to Skyshrine. He was going to seek aid from the heroes amongst them. He felt strongly that they were the key to defeating Kerafyrm. Some wurms scoffed, dismissing his opinion, while others saw its wisdom. He left them to debate as he made all haste, to the Norrathian city of Thurgadin.
But Kerafyrm, anticipating Skyshrine’s increased defenses, led his Awakened Legion to the opulent Temple of Veeshan within Western Wastes. The attack was brutal and swiftly executed. The dragons and dragonkin who refused to join against The Claws of Veeshan fled, and sought refuge in Skyshrine. As they took flight, some managed to save eggs and young from the Western Wastes. In Skyshrine the wurms regrouped and prepared for battle.
Upon realizing that some of the nests of Western Wastes were empty, the Awakened began to claim the remaining eggs for themselves, taking them into Temple of Veeshan. Driven by parental instincts, the Claws of Veeshan quickly rallied to fight for their unhatched young, and took to the Western Wastes in overwhelming droves. As it became clear to Kerafyrm that they might succeed in their efforts, and could continue with their march right on to Temple of Veeshan, he ordered his most impressive elemental wurmkin to do the unthinkable – destroy Western Wastes!
Willing to sacrifice any of his own legion battling upon the frozen landscape, the elemental mages began their ruination. The previously raised land shook from glacier top to wyvern cave, and began to crumble. All but Temple of Veeshan itself was swiftly annihilated. Too many dragon, dragonkin and egg met their brutal end, crushed between rock and velium as the land crumbled and fell into frigid waters below.
The Claws of Veeshan watched as great achievement was ripped out from beneath their wings by Kerafyrm. Once more, they were forced to seek shelter and regroup within Skyshrine, taking with them the eggs and young that they were able to save from the hatching lands.
As I look back upon these events, and recount them for myself, I can see that it was destined to come to this point, but I find myself wondering if Kerafyrm still believes himself the prophesied unifier, or for that matter, if Kildrukaun and other others still believe he is. Is that even his intent any longer? Not even my holy gift of vision beyond sight has granted me power to pierce that veil.
Glory to the Eternal Mother!
Lendiniara, The Keeper”
EQ2 23rd August 2012 Developer Questions Answered
Source: http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/posts/list.m?start=0&topic_id=521654�
Heya, I’ll take a minute to answer some of these. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to be at the chat – I’ve had a ton to do, and time is something I’m in super short supply of. 
Anyway, the majority of these are going to be a bit vague, which is on purpose – I prefer to show don’t tell when possible, where “show” = “in the game”. 
Is the Forsaken City the fabled city of Zebuxor?
- No, it isn’t. It DOES have a name, however.
Is Nizara something to do with the Plane of Knowledge?
- Mmm… sort of, but not directly.
Is Dozekar Kerafyrm’s father or was he cursed for some other reason?
- That would be telling. Kerafyrm’s history is something we’re hoping to go into a bit deeper here soon, as he come more to the center stage. How Dozekar and Kerafyrm are related would likely be one of those story points we would explore.
Why did Xul’Varien stop being the god of disease?
- That is actually deeply tied to some of Anashti’s history. I want to dive deeper one day into more of her story, but right now the gods have their hands full (you know, with a universe-smashing dragon with god-slaying powers flying all willy-nilly around the world).
Are the shadowed men descended from the Jal’Raeth?
- So actually, I gave Lyndro the wrong information here. Truth be told, I was half-listening, and I completely misunderstood what he was asking me (like, COMPLETELY). So, the Jal’Raeth are a clan of shadowed men, but there are others as well. (And again, totally my fault, I’m sorry – I need a vacation I think. Heh.)
Who was Kerafyrms mother?
- As before, that would be telling. Hopefully it’s something you’ll find out soon.
With the shissar’s prophecy, did they know Luclin was to explode and did they prepare for it?
- Ha! I WANT TO TELL YOU THIS, because there is an answer to give. BUT, this is the exact storyline we’re going through right now, so all I can say is – You’ll find out.
Will we ever see Aataltaal from the Tarton’s Wheel quest?
- Perhaps, but I couldn’t say for sure right now.
Who was Tarton and why did he hate the gods?
- If we do explore more of the Tarton’s Wheel lore, then that would be a question we could answer then.
Jortreva the Crusader
You say, ‘Hail, Jortreva the Crusader’
Jortreva the Crusader lifts her wings in a graceful motion as she lowers her chin to eye Ironhand in greetings, ”I am Jortreva, Crusader of Veeshan. I am the ear to the whispers upon the shadows and the eyes to witness the tainted footsteps of our enemies that corrupt our path. Your kind, the second generation of the lesser gods’ creation, have brought us into being as we are now — for that, we hold neither gratitude nor contempt. It is your actions that have sent us spiraling through an umbra of immeasurable danger that could secure the destruction of all upon this world, but it shall be through the undying efforts of the [champions] that we may have some chance to ward this darkness back into the oblivion it strives to create.”
You say, ‘What are champions?’
Jortreva the Crusader says ”We are four elemental dragons bred to be champions among our people — within this world. We do not seek recognition or praise from either world — yours or that of Veeshan’s brood — but we seek to protect and maintain the balance that keeps our worlds separate, yet unified upon the same plane of existence. When Kerafyrm was first placed into stasis by our predecessors, the elemental warders, the [council] ordered the arranged breeding of what would be the warders’ replacements when the time came for their stations to ascend. However, the unpredicted actions of the second generation have thrown us into a new role — the role of Crusaders.”’
You say, ‘What council?’
Jortreva the Crusader says ”When dragon kind was accompanied upon this world by the lesser god’s intrusion, the council of elders was formed. Immediately our ancestors realized the need for our kind to be of sound unification if we were to prevail and remain the superior beings upon what is rightfully our world. As we watched the eras pass through both the second generation and our own cultures, the members of the council changed. Eventually, one known as Kildrukaun would be appointed Arch Priest of Veeshan through divine rite and ceremony — a sacred part of our institution that I shall not divulge to one as yourself. His first decree would be to condemn the unification of souls between dragons whose elemental influences were of opposition. It was of his belief, and thus the belief of the council, that such a union was against Veeshan’s will and would have dire consequences upon the entire dragon nation. Time would pass again before [fate] would descend upon Kildrukaun’s decree.”’
You say, ‘What fate?’
Jortreva the Crusader says ”Two dragons of opposite elemental powers confronted the council with their desire to mate. Kildrukaun immediately dismissed any blessing and ordered the dragons from ever fulfilling their desires. These two were young still and very headstrong, regarding the council and its rules to be outdated when considering the growing influence and power of the second generation. They fled to unknown corners of Norrath and there, they bound their souls in a sacred union that would forge the first prismatic dragon. When knowledge of this event came to the council, Kildrukaun, a being of great wisdom and calm heart for regard of his own people looked upon the prismatic’s creation as that of Veeshan’s will, for conceivably unto him, only Veeshan herself could defy her great priest’s rule. The council was in agreement and the hatchling, who would be named Kerafyrm, the Prophetic Savior, was allowed to continue existence under close watch that would be [governed by Kildrukaun himself].”’
You say, ‘How was it governed by Kildrukaun himself?’
Jortreva the Crusader says ”Although Kildrukaun was inspired and intrigued by Kerafyrm’s existence, he was wary still for he had yet to be witness to the true intent of Veeshan’s will. In this time, the dragon nation had split and were in opposing power — the Ring of Scale whom fled their native Velious for Kunark, and the Claws of Veeshan, the original order and council of dragon kind. It was known that Kildrukaun was furious with the recent division and he strongly believed that it was Veeshan’s will for the dragon nations to reunite once again, lest they become as weak and pitiful as the second generation. He viewed Kerafyrm to be the road that would guide the dragons to unification, although it was a unification that would be borne of an unknown purpose that Kerafyrm served. Kildrukaun never interacted with the young prismatic dragon, but served as the dictator behind his mentors. Eventually, Kerafyrm would rise to a power unseen within any dragon of his still fledgling age and Kildrukaun’s [prophecy] would be born.”
You say, ‘What Prophecy?’
Jortreva the Crusader says ”Kildrukaun was of the mind that Kerafyrm was meant to lead the dragon nation in a civil war — the Claws of Veeshan invading the great mountain fortress known as Veeshan’s Peak that the Ring of Scale had established. He was certain that his campaign would unify the dragons and this was nothing less than the will of Veeshan herself. The council dismissed Kildrukaun’s prophecy, exclaiming that although they must find a way to bring the Ring of Scale back under the wing of the elder council, they could not wage a war and abandon the threat of Kael Drakkal. Kildrukaun was furious, although he did not confront the council directly. Over the passing centuries, he would sway three of the [council elders] to his side and would personally oversee Kerafyrm’s final stages of growth. Eventually the time would come when the council would [recognize their mistake] in allowing Kerafyrm to exist and their order for his termination would be the greatest impact in their destiny.”
You say, ‘What council elders?’
Jortreva the Crusader says ”When dragon kind was accompanied upon this world by the lesser god’s intrusion, the council of elders was formed. Immediately our ancestors realized the need for our kind to be of sound unification if we were to prevail and remain the superior beings upon what is rightfully our world. As we watched the eras pass through both the second generation and our own cultures, the members of the council changed. Eventually, one known as Kildrukaun would be appointed Arch Priest of Veeshan through divine rite and ceremony — a sacred part of our institution that I shall not divulge to one as yourself. His first decree would be to condemn the unification of souls between dragons whose elemental influences were of opposition. It was of his belief, and thus the belief of the council, that such a union was against Veeshan’s will and would have dire consequences upon the entire dragon nation. Time would pass again before [fate] would descend upon Kildrukaun’s decree.”’
You say, ‘How would the recognize their mistake?’
Jortreva the Crusader says ”Kerafyrm quickly ascended the ranks within the Claws of Veeshan and eventually became our most powerful general. He led several successful campaigns against the rising threat of the giants of Kael and his influence grew among the elders of the council. However, something dark grew within him — his bite became venomous and his talon ruthless in its command over his troops and allies. Eventually, his dominion and influence was nothing short of a monstrous creature of pure malignant hatred and an unrivaled lust for destruction and chaos that the council had no other choice but to demand his destruction — a rule that Kildrukaun was present to hear and deceitfully condone. Shortly thereafter, Kildrukaun and four council elders whom the arch priest had managed to sway with his charismatic diplomacy and sound argument of his prophecy flew to Kerafyrm’s side, where the four of them made preparations for the inevitable [war] to come.”’
You say, ‘What war?’
Jortreva the Crusader says ”Although short lived, the war between Kerafyrm’s legions and those of the Claws of Veeshan would be a near crippling blow to the survival of the elder dragon council upon Velious. Kerafyrm’s legions were severely outnumbered by those of the elder council, but time and time again they displayed their awesome strength and power. Eventually, Kerafyrm was restrained and taken to what would be his place of indefinite slumber. The four traitorous elders fled Velious safely to unknown locations, where they would lay in wait until the time came that Kerafyrm would be released. After centuries of hiding, the Ancients have returned and they now have a near unbreakable hold upon the former tomb of their master, where again they lay in wait — anticipating the arrival of their master and the time to execute the undoubtedly phenomenal plan that will [bring about the extinction of all great existence] upon Norrath if they are successful.”’
You say, ‘why will they bring about the extinction of all great existence?’
Jortreva the Crusader says ”Kildrukaun has always despised the second generation and has long sought your total demise. Kerafyrm undoubtedly seeks vengeance for the actions of the Claws of Veeshan against him and together, the arch priest and Kerafyrm will seek to reconstruct this world in their own mind’s image of what it should be — a world that belongs solely to Veeshan’s children, reborn in Kildrukaun’s ideals, and subservient to Kerafyrm. They are truly mad with hate and an untamable lust for destruction — one that [we must extinguish] forever.”’
Kerafyrm, The Sleeper
Ferrin Q`Nyil regards you indifferently — he appears to be quite formidable.
You say, ‘Hail, Ferrin Q`Nyil’
Ferrin Q`Nyil says ‘Fare thee well, stouthearted adventurer. I would welcome you to this place, yet I feel that a welcome is not quite deserving of the [fate] in store for you. I know there was no welcome for me when I first ventured to this place, and look at me now. I am nothing but a frail, ghostly figure of what I once was.’
You say, ‘what fate ?’
Ferrin Q`Nyil says, ‘I may look as though I am healthy and vibrant, though your eyes deceive you.’ Ferrin chuckles. ‘It has been so long since I was imprisoned here, I cannot tell you when it was. To me it seems like only yesterday, but I know deep down that time does not pass for me any more. I, like you, thought that the intrigue and mystery of this great lair was second only to the treasures that lay within. When I arrived however, I found not a lair, but a massive tomb whose occupants were meant to keep a very large, and very powerful [beast] within.’
You say, ‘what beast ?’
Ferrin Q`Nyil says ‘Time has told us that a great many things are unexplainable, and even less understood. Though I don’t know the entire story, it comes to bear that long ago, there was a great council of [elders]. These elders decreed what could and could not be done, for the benefit of their kind. Certain things were done to prevent bad things. . . or bad creatures from being created. Other things were done to prohibit the slaying of those of the same bloodline.’
You say, ‘what elders ?’
Ferrin Q`Nyil says ‘The council of elder dragons. Truly, theirs is a majestic, powerful and battle worn species. The elders had decreed that no two dragons of opposing elements would be allowed to mate. No explanation had been given, though I believe I know the reason why it was given. Despite the decree, a pair of elemental dragons slipped away to remote areas of Norrath and mated, and the creation of a great prismatic dragon took place. And that is the beast, strewn of opalescent scales, headstrong and a leader in his own right. It was he that this tomb was entrusted to keep held, forever. Alas, that was not meant to be, as more and more, cunning [travelers] like you would make their way further and further into the lair.’
You say, ‘what travelers ?’
Ferrin Q`Nyil chuckles. ‘You’re looking at one right now, Nilshar. I was one of the first to make my way into the depths of this forsaken lair. My little gnomish friend here was also one of the earliest adventurers to peruse the contents of this massive warren. But there have been many more that have traversed these areas, all to little or no avail, most perishing at the hands of the mighty [automatons] throughout.’
You say, ‘what automatons ?’
Ferrin Q`Nyil says ‘Well, you probably encountered one or two of them before you found us here. They are the beasts that were initially created to keep people like us out so that the prismatic dragon wouldn’t be awakened from his [eternal slumber]. In recent times, they have been placed here by the four ancients to keep people away from the evil that lay beyond. They are made of local velium and ice, carved from the creative minds of immortals. They have a singular consciousness, to do as their master bids. . . and to that truth, they hold steady.’
You say, ‘what eternal slumber ?’
Ferrin Q`Nyil says ‘Alas I am not really the person to explain that bit of history to you. You might see if any of my. . . companions. . . have any insight into the slumber that the prismatic beast undertook. In any case, I bid you well, young mortal, and hope that you do not partake in the same shortcomings that I did.’
You say, ‘Hail, Bittles the Lost’
Bittles the Lost says ‘Eh, hrm? Who’re you? Found yer way in here, ‘ave ya? Not the brightest idea in the world, ya know. I hope you weren’t planning on going any further, because that would really be on the level of those twerps that freed that [shiny beast] in the first place.’
You say, ‘what shiny beast ?’
Bittles the Lost says ‘Ya know that story about how those two dragons got together and made that premzatica dragon?’
Ferrin Q`Nyil says ‘Prismatic, you goof.’
Bittles the Lost says ‘Yar, whate’er. Anyway, that bugger got made an’ he went wild all over Velious, making demands and actin’ all proud and powerful and things like that. Well, he decided he wanted ta have a nice big home in the middle of the mountain. And you know what? That’s what he did! Yer standin’ in the middle of his lair. Well after he [went crazy], some of those other dragon-folk decided it would be good ta put him in here and put him ta sleep for all eternity. [Four] of ’em kept him sleepin’ and made sure that no one, such as yerself, could get in here ta wake him up.’
You say, ‘who went crazy ?’
You say, ‘went crazy ?’
You say, ‘what shiny beast ?’
Bittles the Lost says ‘Ya know that story about how those two dragons got together and made that premzatica dragon?’
Ferrin Q`Nyil says ‘Prismatic, you goof.’
Bittles the Lost says ‘Yar, whate’er. Anyway, that bugger got made an’ he went wild all over Velious, making demands and actin’ all proud and powerful and things like that. Well, he decided he wanted ta have a nice big home in the middle of the mountain. And you know what? That’s what he did! Yer standin’ in the middle of his lair. Well after he [went crazy], some of those other dragon-folk decided it would be good ta put him in here and put him ta sleep for all eternity. [Four] of ’em kept him sleepin’ and made sure that no one, such as yerself, could get in here ta wake him up.’
You say, ‘went crazy ?’
You say, ‘who went crazy ?’
You say, ‘what went crazy ?’
You say, ‘what four ?’
Bittles the Lost says ‘Them thar four warders. They were the most powerful elemental dragons of their time, and kept that sleeping fella asleep for quite some long time. Names of Nanzata, Tukaarak, Hraashna, and Ventani, if’n my mind serves me correct-like. When they started here, they had some other big-time dragon create the big ice creatures all over the place — the golems, don’t ya know? In any case, they upped and got kilt by some folks like you a while back, causing all kinds of panic and havoc. The ice guys were dismantled by the [new inhabitants] of this here lair and reassembled to serve them. Not that it really matters to me, I got lost here anyway and look what happened ta me!’
You say, ‘what new inhabitants ?’
Bittles the Lost says ‘Why the ancients of course! They just kinda cropped up when that big shiny fella was awakened by those other people. Some thought that those four warders were trouble, but believe me, they’re like drakelings in comparison. Kal or Jobana over here might know more about them than I do, I’m just a lost little gnome with no where to go.’
You say, ‘Hail, Jobana Du`Ata’
Jobana Du`Ata looks at you with a most dismal look in her eyes. ‘Your kind have returned once again. I knew this day would come, yet hoped that perhaps there would be no further clashing in this tomb. I was mistaken, for here you are. The great sleeping beast has already been released unto the world to wreak havoc, cause destruction and attempt to take back what he has lost, so what further purpose could you have for coming here? Perhaps you are soul hunting, searching for those of us lost in here years ago, long since forgotten by any mortal family we may have had. Or perhaps you are searching for the [ancient dragons] that inhabit this lair.’
You say, ‘what ancient dragon ?’
Jobana Du`Ata says ‘The ancients were long ago part of the following that the mighty prismatic lord had before he was imprisoned here, in his own dwelling. Kildrukaun, oldest and wisest of them had at first spoken out against the creation of a prismatic dragon, claiming that Veeshan herself would have to approve of such a creation and that it would never take place. When it did take place however, and the dragon that never would exist was created, he traded his beliefs for those of new ones, claiming that this new prismatic dragon was part of a prophecy from Veeshan. He aptly called this prismatic dragon [Kerafyrm], or Prophetic Savior and began this new wonder’s tutelage into greatness.’
You say, ‘who is Kerafyrm’
Jobana Du`Ata says ‘The majestic beast grew quickly, learning much and gaining great power in short time. He expanded his knowledge and his [influence], pushing the dragons into a kind of new era, where dragons would be the ultimate power on the planet once again. Many were left in a wake of fright behind Kerafyrm, believing that he may be too powerful for his own good, yet fearing that if they spoke out against him in this time, they would be condemned in some horrible way.’
You say, ‘what influence ?’
Jobana Du`Ata says ‘Imagine a being with such power that he was unstoppable in battle. Imagine that this same creature held a loathing for all creatures not of dragon kin. Imagine also that this creature was not born into this deep rooted, dark hatred of the species, and that as he grew older, wiser and more powerful, he came to be aware of his powers and of the trying issues that kept his people back. This was the beast that was Kerafyrm, and as he grew in power, so too did his word. After some time, that which Kerafyrm spoke became law to the lands, and he usurped even the power and influence of the high council. What was once a time of might and strength through his word turned into a constant [chafe] against the necks of dragonkind.’
You say, ‘what chafe ?’
Jobana Du`Ata says ‘I spoke of the loathing he held for those not of dragon kin. However, this is not entirely accurate. In the beginning, he simply sought to make dragonkind the most powerful of all species on Norrath. However there was a dark and definite itch within the brilliant mind of Kerafyrm and it spurned the hatred which was then released upon his kin and others alike. I believe it to be because he found himself to be above the mortal plane that he lived upon; he felt he was destined for greater things. Unfortunately, I’ll never know for the great prismatic beast that was asleep has been released, and has journeyed to places far beyond this realm. There may be others in the tomb that know more, though that is a journey you must make alone, and I wish you luck, for you will surely need it.’
You say, ‘Hail, Kal t`Ven’
Kal t`Ven says ‘Greetings, young sleuth. These are trying times, as I am sure you are aware, but it is good that there are still adventurous sorts like you about. Were there not, I am confident that our deaths would have been in vain, and not in the spirit of exploration and danger-seeking. However, there is one thing to be said for adventuring, and still another to be said for flights of fancy. Which is it for you?’
You say, ‘what flights of fancy ?’
Kal t`Ven says ‘While your choice, that attitude will get you nothing but a great deal of grief and an eventual death. I urge you to reconsider your decision to come into this vast lair without some kind of true commitment, as flights of fancy often end up poorly.’
You say, ‘I am adventuring’
Kal t`Ven says ‘Excellent, we can always use more of your type around, to perpetuate the life, if nothing else. Take care through this den though, as there are a great many things that would just as soon see you as a floor decoration than a wandering buccaneer, especially the four ancients at the end of it. From my own experience, I have found that the [larger golems] seem to be in charge and may instruct the others to do their bidding, which may or may not include the destruction of any invaders.’
You say, ‘what larger golems ?’
Kal t`Ven says ‘I can assure you that if you proceed beyond these doors, you will find out for yourself. I will tell you though that there is a great master of the guardians that walk these halls, and he is aptly named as well, for he will instruct those below him to assist him should trouble engulf him. For your own sake, I hope you are prepared for the immensity of the situation ahead. If you are not, then this adventure is not for you, as it was not for me. What lay beyond was the death of me, not so long ago, and that is why I am now a permanent resident to these frosty walls. They do tell stories though. . .’
You say, ‘what stories ?’
Kal t`Ven says ‘There is a story of a [short fellow] who came through here looking for grand adventures and seeking grand treasures, but all he found was grand pain and suffering. There is a lost love story of a [man and a woman] who came here in search of a friend, only to be sucked into the traps that litter the grounds beyond. Theirs is a most sad tale, wrought with pain and suffering, and whose story isn’t yet completed. Then. . . then there is your story. Your story is what you make of it, and I hope for your sake you choose the pages of your adventure well. Look to the halls of this debilitating dungeon for answers you seek and perhaps you will find more than you were searching for.’
You say, ‘what short fellow ?’
Kal t`Ven closes his eyes, as if to re-imagine himself in a very intriguing and exciting chronicle. ‘An overzealous little gnome, his life revolved around finding new and dangerous things. He would search for weeks on end looking for the next adventure, seeking out what a fabled beast looked like, or exploring to try and find the next great treasure. Milas was his name and his last great journey led him to the halls of this lair in search of [great knowledge], and great wealth.’
You say, ‘what great knowledge ?’
Kal t`Ven says ‘No one knows for sure, except for Milas and the two lovers who came looking for him so long ago. As with most people though, I believe he came in search of the mighty sleeping beast with the hope that perhaps he might solve the mystery for himself and be the greatest gnome ever to have explored the extensive regions of this world.’
You say, ‘what man and a woman ?’
Kal t`Ven says ‘Paldar and Ulessa Bladesoul were said to have been soul bound by love. They had found each other in life early on and made their lives together the happiest and most exciting they could. However, their excitement was lent in part by an overzealous gnome friend they had named Milas. He would bring them news of something new and exciting to look into, to explore, or to seek out. But when Milas decided that he was going to make a trip to this tomb, the two of them tried to dissuade him of the trek, for they thought it too dangerous. He made the trip anyway, and because he was their friend, they ventured to the tomb after him. This was to be their last mistake, and they paid their lives for it. You may still be able to see them wandering the halls, as their spirits have not left this tomb.’
You say, ‘Hail, Paldar Bladesoul’
Paldar Bladesoul jolts his head in the direction of the voice. ‘You. . . you’re not an apparition are you? No, you can’t be, that’s what I am. Well, I’m glad to meet you, my name is Paldar Bladesoul. I don’t suppose you’ve seen [Ulessa] since you’ve entered this tomb, have you?’
You say, ‘who is Ulessa ?’
Paldar Bladesoul looks away in disgust, whether for himself or for this Ulessa person, you don’t know. ‘Ulessa was my beloved wife. It seems so long since we were together, but life without essence is an eternity. She was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen, and she entranced me beyond all thought. We came to this ominous tomb in search of our good friend [Milas], but we weren’t aware of truly how dangerous this place was until we got here.
You say, ‘who is Milas ?’
Paldar Bladesoul says ‘Milas An`Rev, one of the most ambitious gnomes I’ve ever met, not to mention one of the friendliest. Ulessa and I first met him shortly after we were wed in the small cauldron named after Dagnor, and from there embarked on a long series of ‘explorative missions’, as he put it. He had a way of always getting us into [trouble], but nothing we couldn’t handle. Even after years of adventuring, even after we thought we’d seen everything there was to see, he would find something new to explore. He was quite an amazing little gnome.’
You say, ‘what trouble’
Paldar Bladesoul says ‘You name it. Milas was always intrigued by new and exciting, often very dangerous things and he would always ask us if we wanted to come along. Being the intrepid explorers that we were, and that we were best friends with Milas, we couldn’t say no. So we went along with him everywhere he went, and let me tell you, he had a keen eye for locale. We’d explore the lands of Antonica, then move on to something hidden and mysterious in the ancient ruins on Kunark. We spent more time on the road looking for that next piece of the puzzle, or trying to find that next smallest creature that we called the road home, and Milas our family. That is, until he asked us to explore the ancient mystery of the [sleeping dragon].’
You say, ‘what sleeping dragon ?’
Paldar Bladesoul says ‘That’s the same thing I asked Milas so long ago when he told us about this extraordinary creature. ‘Paldar me ol’ friend, Ulessa ya beaut’, listen to what I ‘ave found’ he said to us. We had no idea of the immensity of this mighty creature until he had described, in detail, what the myths and tales had to say about this beast. We listened intently as he went on and on about this powerful sleeping dragon and how it had been put there by a great many dragons long ago. We both knew that [he was planning] something around this dragon, but we didn’t know what it was exactly at the time.’
You say, ‘what he was planning ?’
Paldar Bladesoul says ‘After he finished his fabulous tale, he explained to us that he was going to search the planet for the fabled prismatic beast, and that he wanted us to come along with him. We were stunned when he finished, and even more so that he asked us to come with him to find this monstrosity. Both Ulessa and I tried to talk Milas out of it. We pleaded with him not to go, and told him it was a [foolish endeavor], but he wouldn’t listen.’
You say, ‘what foolish endeavor ?’
Paldar Bladesoul says ‘Talk of a dragon almost as powerful as the creator herself?! A dragon that reigned supreme over all other dragons as they looked on and cowered in fear? Such beasts were unimaginably powerful and a group of three tireless adventurers would have no way to take on such a monster. We were honestly frightened by the story and we feared for anyone who tried to embark on a journey to find such a beast. But as I said, Milas paid no heed to our warnings and went off on his own anyway. We really had no idea what to think at that point, but we knew that we [had to do] something, before Milas got himself killed.’
You say, ‘and what did you do ?’
Paldar Bladesoul says ‘He was our friend, though now we started to wonder if perhaps he had gotten too far into these explorative missions for his own good. Because he was our friend, we had to go after him to make sure he didn’t do something he shouldn’t. We followed his trail all over Norrath before finally finding out that he had made it to the [ancient tomb]. We found out where the tomb was and raced there to try and catch up to him.’
You say, ‘what ancient tomb ?’
Paldar Bladesoul says ‘The walls shined dimly with a glacial velium bile the likes of which we had never seen before, not to mention the fact that they stood hundreds of feet high. I’m sure you felt the same way the first time you came here. The awe-inspiring architecture clouded our minds for a brief moment while we took it all in. Truly, we thought, Milas had stumbled onto something magnificent, albeit terrifying. We proceeded through the tomb carefully, avoiding the various golems and gargoyles that we encountered, all the while trying to locate any sign of Milas. We came to the door directly across from this room and my first thought was, ‘What’s in here?’ Without a moment’s thought, we moved forth towards the [door] to open it.’
You say, ‘what door ?’
Paldar Bladesoul says ‘The door was gigantic and spanned the entire reach of the hall, from floor to ceiling. It took a great force to muster it open, and what we saw when we opened the door terrified us both. Beyond the door lay a humungous golem, over three times the size of the normal golems. We tried to close the door before it noticed us, but it was too late. It charged for us, the smaller golems following behind. I tried to fend off the huge golem to try and let my beloved wife escape. Unfortunately for me, I couldn’t see whether or not she was able to escape, and for all I know, she could have died right then and there. As for me, I was quickly done in by the might progenitor, and have spent the last. . . eternity here [waiting for] Ulessa.’
You say, ‘what are you waiting for here ?’
Paldar Bladesoul says ‘I’m fairly certain that my beloved wife perished in this condemned tomb shortly after me, and while that makes me sad, I still have nothing but love for her and wish to find her. I’ve had plenty of time over the years to come up with a way to try and escape this prison I’m in so that I might be able to find her, but unfortunately the bond between my soul and this statue are far too strong to allow me to go anywhere. I’ve been waiting for quite some time for someone to come to aid me in my struggles, but I don’t know anyone who will help.’
You say, ‘I will help you’
Paldar Bladesoul says ‘You will? That’s fantastic, this might just work. I’ve concocted a way to put my spirit into a mortal body, at least long enough to search the tomb for any sign of Ulessa. I’ve come up with the perfect way to do this, and here’s what it’s going to take. I’m going to need you to bring me the lifeblood of several of the creatures in the tomb. I don’t wish to upset the creatures or their spirits in this tomb, so all I’ll say is that the more powerful beasts will be the ones that will have what I need. Gather the ten components for me and bring them back to me, I’ll be able to use them to form the creature that I can join my spirit with.’
He give a bag, 10 slots, giant size, magic lore nodrop norent, no weight reduc.
Guess now I have to collect 10 items…
Well, let’s continue…
Further in the dungeon, is Milas An`Rev.
I’ve not discuss with him, cos I know he become a kos wyvern with a certain keyword, but I will do it later.
Further more, is Ulessa Bladesoul :
You say, ‘Hail, Ulessa Bladesoul’
Ulessa Bladesoul looks up with you and sniffles. From the look of it, she has been sniffling like that for quite some time, though you’re not sure how long. ‘Oh, I’m sorry. I really don’t mean to do this in front of you, it’s just that I’m so very [unhappy].’
You say, ‘why are you unhappy ?’
Ulessa Bladesoul says ‘I’m unhappy because I haven’t seen my husband in so long. We were so very in love, did everything together. But after the [incident], I never saw him again. It’s like a pang in the back of my throat keeps causing me pain, but it’s not a pain that is tangible or real, simply an emotional one. I feel so empty though without Paldar by my side.’
You say, ‘what incident ?’
Ulessa Bladesoul says ‘It all started because of a friend we once had. I say once had because he, like myself, is dead and gone. Milas was his name and he was an adventuresome little fellow, always looking to go out and do the most dangerous, most fanatically unheard of [things] to ‘live’ his life. His final endeavor was to come to this wretched place and find some lost sleeping dragon. Paldar and I tried to talk him out of it, but he wouldn’t listen. We tried to tell him that he was just looking to get himself killed and that he should just let it go. But gnomes will be gnomes and he was a gnome. So just like a gnome, he was stubborn and wouldn’t listen to a thing we had to say.’
You say, ‘what things ?’
Ulessa Bladesoul says ‘He went off on his own after we pleaded with him not to go and came here, to this. . . this. . . PLACE! Ugh, it makes me so angry to think that he came here, and like the fools that we were, Paldar and I came after him to try and stop him. Did we stop to think that maybe we should just let him go? No, of course not, because that’s not what friends do for their friends. Instead, we followed him and we got ourselves caught up in the [mess].’
You say, ‘what mess ?’
Ulessa Bladesoul says ‘What mess? I’ll tell you what mess! We came here, of course terrified out of our minds. We saw the pretty sights, found out that there are huge golems and what not all over the place just waiting to grind you into velium dust, and then we came to a door. So tell me, what do you have to do when you come to a door, by default?’
You say, ‘open it..’
Ulessa Bladesoul says ‘You open it, exactly! And that’s just what we did, because we thought that perhaps Milas was behind the door. We didn’t take into account that the door was twenty times larger than either of us, but we still opened it. Well, beyond that door we didn’t find the gnome we had come here to find. Instead we found the creator golem, set in that room to create more golems for the ones that failed. I’m sure you can imagine [what happened] after that.’
You say, ‘what happened ?’
Ulessa Bladesoul says ‘We tried to close the door, hoping he wouldn’t see us, but he did. He came charging after us, his feet making thunderous footsteps the entire way. My dear brave husband stood up to him and his newly built sentries to try and let me escape, and escape I did. That is, if you can really even call it an escape. I made it out of the eye of that creator beast and fumbled my through this forsaken tomb, barely missing the various [beasts] of burden along the way.’
You say, ‘what beasts ?’
Ulessa Bladesoul says ‘Golems, gargoyles, wyverns, spectres, you name it. Each time I saw one, I almost let out a scream that would have awoken the dead, if they hadn’t been already I mean. I got turned around quite a few times too, going back and forth not remembering which way was up. But finally, I got to this statue behind me and looked at it. It was so still and gentle, yet it portrayed the epitome of [evil] that had slain my husband and most likely slain our friend Milas.’
You say, ‘what evil ?’
Ulessa Bladesoul says ‘The evil of the sleeping prismatic dragon; the evil that corrupted our little gnomish friend and brought us to our deaths. It was here that I stood, looking at this statue that I realized that it was hopeless for me to continue on. What was I trying to prove to myself anyway? That I could live on and survive? That I could find this infamous sleeper and tell him to shove off? None of that was going to be part of my story, none of it at all. Instead, while I was gawking at the marble dragon, a [shadow] engulfed me.’
You say, ‘what shadow ?’
Ulessa Bladesoul says ‘That’s the very same thought that was going through my head at the time. Who’s shadow could that be, or rather. . . what shadow could possibly be that large? When I turned, I had my answer. There, in front of me stood a lumbering golem, its bright velium skin glistening in front of me. It was at that point that I knew my life had been for naught, and that I would never see my husband again. So here I stand, an ever-lasting spirit of the tomb, [waiting] eternally to see my poor Paldar in the after life.’
You say, ‘what are you waiting ?’
Ulessa Bladesoul says ‘Waiting? Who knows why I’m waiting. I guess I felt that someday, some live being like yourself could help me find my beloved. Perhaps allow us to reunite, if only for a moment. I had some kooky ideas about how to make that work, but I really didn’t have a way to get the components I needed to make them work.’
You say, ‘I will help you’
Ulessa Bladesoul says ‘You will? Well like I said, I don’t know exactly what is required but I’m sure that if you find something out of the ordinary, especially that brings essence to any of the beings in here, it would probably be useful. Here, take this bag and put anything you find in there. It’s not a real sturdy bag, so if you do find something bring it back to me as quickly as you can. I really appreciate what you’re doing for me, and if it helps me find Paldar, I’ll be eternally grateful!’
EverQuest - Lore of Norrath