EarthDawn: A Brave New World - Legends and Tales

[Stargaizer]

This thread is for posting the various Legends and Tales of the world. This is open to anyone wanting to post some story, just PM me first and we'll hammer out any details or inconsistencies that need working on.

There will be awards for anybody who comes up with a well written legend to post here.

I'll also be posting things here that the characters have heard and know here.

[Stargaizer]

The Histories of Kaer Nilak

Heard at: Common knowledge of all kaer residents

Told by: Everyone in Kaer Nilak

The construction of Kaer Nilak was finished in an unheard of amount of time, and was paid for by the profits that our trading town had saved up. Theran protections were also used, paid for from our deep coffers, showing that we were better businessmen than any T'skrang.

Our kaer was placed deep beneath the ground, and the surrounding rock was strengthened with elemental earth to prevent entry attempts by digging, as well as to support our dome. A great deal of time and energy went into its creation, both so that we would be certain we would survive the Scourge, and also because of our Questors of Upandal; Questors that were so devout that that Upandal himself came and helped during the construction, just one of the reasons it was finished so quickly.

Our kaer has one of the most defensive layouts in all of Barsaive, which has allowed us to survive without penetration.

Our first line of defense is called the Gate, which is an extremely well-camouflaged door that opens to the surface. This door perfectly mimics the surrounding landscape, right down to having real grass growing from its surface.

Within the Gate, the Entry Hall is the main deterrent for any Horrors who would dare attempt to enter our kaer. This room is outfitted with many elaborate and deadly traps. At the inner end of the Entry Hall, further than any but the most deadly of Horrors would ever get, stood the Entry Door, a heavily protected gateway through which everything is required to pass. The door is lined on both sides with orichalcum, and covered from top to bottom with magical wards and other runes, completely blocking off Horror's access.

Through the Entry Door lies the Stair, which consists of a series of circular stairways connected by rooms. Both the stairs and the rooms were filled with traps, more over-design than anything else, because there is no possible way a Horror could make it this far. There are a total of two rooms and three flights of stairs.

At the bottom of the Stair stands the Guard Door, which leads inside. The Guard Door is a small door, barely eight feet in height. Like the Entry Door, it is heavily guarded with both orichalcum and runes, making the inside of Kaer Nalik the safest place in all of the world from the Scourge.

The kaer itself was completed in TE 570, at which time most of our permanent inhabitants at the time moved in. Because of our bravery and skill, our kaer was able to remain open for many years after, showing our deep care and compassion for the refugees from the surrounding countryside. During this time, the number of Horrors that were encountered increased, but our brave warriors were able to protect not only our citizens but our guests as well.

Late in the year 582, a party of outside adventurers arrived at the Gate, claiming to be followed by a great Horror, intent on their destruction. Our administrators had already been planning on closing the doors, so these outsiders were the last to make it into Kaer Nilak.

Two of the four adventurers refused the ministrations of our healers and succumb to their injuries. Ri'Shayd, an Obsidiman, is the only one still alive, as his retched Ork companion finally died of old age.

In TE 710 the leaders decided that there was one further thing that could be done to strengthen our defenses. Everybody in the kaer participated in a Naming Ritual, centered on the Great Hall itself. This ritual gave the kaer itself a True Pattern, and a thread was woven from each person living in the kaer to the Great Hall strengthened the pattern to the point of impenetrability.

In TE 1177, four outsider adepts disappeared. The four contained Tor'al, an elf who had been a youth during the construction, Ri'Shayd, and two other Adepts. It was later discovered that our leaders believed something was living in the Stair and had caused the Heroes' disappearances. It was unanimous that this terror needed to be destroyed. Dartin, a troll Warrior, and Jal'al, an elven Archer, were sent up the Stair, with great fanfare, to destroy whatever it was. To this day they haven't returned.

[Stargaizer]

The Imprisonment of Death/The Tale of Vestrial

Heard at: Common knowledge of all Barsaiveians

Told by: Troubadours everywhere

A long time ago, when the world was new, the Passions met to discuss

what could be done about their sister, Death. The world had been created

to contain the essence of each Passion, but Death by her very nature

negated the others. Not wishing to see the new creation unravel as they

watched, the Passions decided that something must be done.

Astendar created a beautiful painting depicting love and hope and the joys

of life, and showed it to Death in the hopes of changing her heart. Death

gazed on it in fascination, and the paint faded and crumbled to dust.

Chorrolis tried to bribe her, offering wealth beyond imagining if

she would only leave the world be. The only wealth Death desired

was life, however, and the bribe went untouched.

Erendis tried to contain her, and bound her in orderly chains, and for

a time all things lived an equal span. Then a hungry hawk killed a

mouse out of turn, and the chains were broken and Death walked free.

Floranuus invited Death to dance, in the hopes that his boundless energy

could wear her down. But Death was tireless, and Floranuus himself broke

off the dance.

Garlen begged Death for mercy, and sealed her Namegiver children safe in their

homes. But Death was already inside, and the defense

went for naught.

Jaspree made the green things grow as fast as they could, so that Death

could not keep up. But the mad growth of the vines strangled the trees,

and the soil could not support the crops, and so they died anyway.

Lochost ran as far and as fast as he could, to stay out of Death's reach.

But Death ran alongside him, and could not be outpaced.

Mynbruje sought a less direct route, for scholarship outlives generations.

He set down laws and philosophies and great writings, confident of their

eternal nature. But the thoughts were forgotten, the books crumbled,

and eventually even the languages died.

Rashomon stood in front of Death to block the way, ordered her to cease.

For the sake of the world he demanded her surrender; but as he stood

there, she passed him by.

Thystonius challenged Death to a duel, and after a short fight put his

sword through her heart. And so Death died, and in doing so was born again,

and the fight went to her.

Upandal forged a complex device, of rings and balls and chains of steel,

to give to Death as a present. An impossible puzzle it was, designed to

entrap the mind and spirit in contemplation, but as Death touched it the

links broke, and the puzzle was easily solved.

And so the Passions gathered together to ask their last remaining sibling

for assistance in preserving the world from their sister. Vestrial heard

their pleas, and went to speak with Death.

"My sister, I have a gift for you. It is a place where you alone have

dominion, a place of peace and repose. It is called a grave, and it is

dedicated to you. Will you come see it?"

And Death thanked him, the only one of her brethren to truly understand her,

and they went together to the grave he had prepared.

"Wilt not get in, Sister, and see how you like it?"

And so Death climbed into the grave, and quick as a wink Vestrial sealed

it over with earth, and let water in above, so that an ocean lay over Death's

tomb. And thus was Death imprisoned. For ages she has fought to escape,

and Death's Sea has become a lake of fire and angry earth, but Vestrial's

trap has sealed her fast. She still exists, and so death remains, but

as I myself can attest, its grip is not so strong that souls cannot be

reclaimed. Thanks to the Trickster, Death herself no longer walks the land

as the Passions do, and the world is safer than once it was.

The debt the world owes to the Deceiver has yet to be repayed.