What you Missed - Festum Solis

Coordinated by Bri "Margaret" Meisser

What did you miss from Festum Solis? So much happened that even those of us who were there missed stuff! Thankfully, I was able to enlist the help of many talented writers and adventurers to ensure that you can get a more complete picture of the event. Enjoy!

—-

Account by Styx of the Chimeron Militia

Friday Night

On June 23rd, 1023, a sizable force of adventurers of the Realms arrived at Coventry, myself among them. We were there to aid the defenders of Coventry in their fight against the Lost Kingdoms. Present were most of Voraniss, Invictus and Stonewood, a few members of the Chimeron Heroic Militia and the Riverhawks, and a few unaffiliated adventurers. 

That night, we set out on a quick raid to retrieve a relic that was needed to help seal a well of Reality Magic that our enemies were using to strengthen themselves. Once we did the appropriate divination to actually find the relic in the dark woods, it was relatively easy to recover it, at least compared to the difficulties of the rest of the weekend.

The Lost Kingdoms fielded human soldiers against us, who we were able to defeat with low casualties. The confined space in the forest made things more difficult, as did the lack of visibility. The relic, an Orb of Potential, was recovered and we returned to Coventry for a war council.

The war council was brief and primarily consisted of us dividing our forces into 2 groups, to secure more relics and defend the throne of Coventry. We were also reminded to not disturb the throne of Coventry, lest we interfere with Aurora helping the defense of Coventry (and get smote). War council adjourned and everyone went to bed promptly and got tons of sleep (by which I mean stayed up too late sitting by the fire). 

Saturday

On Saturday morning, an adventuring party set out to recover another relic needed to seal a well of Reality Magic in Coventry. The group consisted of most of Voraniss, a few members of the Chimeron Heroic Militia, a few Riverhawks and a couple other adventurers. This effort was successful, but the Lost Kingdoms put up a fierce fight to deny us the relic.

The Lost Kingdoms' forces primarily consisted of human foot soldiers and mages, with a few Phantoms joining them. They were led by the Skald Daikon, who can only be hurt by arrows drawn from a bow to the chest. We didn't have enough bows and couldn't do more than annoy him with the occasional arrow. I attempted to banish him, but got rendered for my troubles. Eventually, he would be dealt with, but not before we got in a lot more trouble.

Garrimaddon showed up while we were in the process of retrieving the relic. He and his forces killed most of us, including myself. From what I heard afterward, he then decided we weren't worth anymore of his trouble and left, along with his army. Daikon left less gloriously, with Page Margaret August calling on the power of Aurora and banishing him. Hopefully that doesn't mean she has yet another target on her back…

After Garrimaddon departed, the relic was recovered. We made it back to Coventry in good order, with a shiny new hat (not before raising a lot of people, calling quite a few souls and having a lot of trouble fishing Margaret out of a Circle of Protection). Thank you to Squire Alias for Interventioning to be able to call as many as souls as we needed, we might very well have left without everyone's souls returned otherwise. 

—-

Account by Kiira of Invictus

So, while we were researching how to separate Garrimadden and his shields, a bunch of angry people attacked us at the temple and were heading towards recovering the relics. We must have been outnumbered 3 or 4-to-1. It was just plain nuts. 

Several of them were hitting us so hard, they could take us out with just one blow! If we hit those ones, they’d shatter any weapons unless they were unbreakable. They were also avoiding those of us who could kill them because they were very smart. There was at least one who could only be attacked if you wielded a ghost bladed weapon, and it was super smart and knew exactly who had them! Then, there was one who was but wasn’t Sir Wil. He was a skald… more on him later…

We found this incredibly danger prone villager who was wearing the hat relic we needed, who seemed to not be able to stay in one place and was actively thwarting safety. Then, there was another less danger prone one who was mostly dead, but I ensured they made it back to the temple unharmed. 

I died several times, along with everyone else. Like, several. I went through almost all of my alchemical and support spells I prepared for the day. It was intense, and the enemies were and endless font of death, up until they slowly retreated as we solve the shrine(I think it was a shrine). 

There was a puzzle with three questions. Aelias was able to solve the first answer, which was awesome, after throwing some magic at it. The second answer I knew because I asked Druid King Hyger the night before to give me any information he had attained that could be helpful, and one of those things was the second answer: TIM THE ENCHANTER!!!! Yay, Hyger! Finally, after throwing everything and the kitchen sink at this encounter, I cast a really powerful alchemical spell which reset everyone in the shrines spells and gave us the answer to the last riddle, which Aelias was able to answer lickity-split! 

While all this was happening, King Shandar went after the Not Sir. Wil, Sir. Wrath went to save  Shandar from being rendered by the Not Sir. Wil, the rendered corpse of Shandar was dragged into the Temple of Aurora’s sacred circle protecting the throne by the priestess, I lost track of Wrath at that point, and we some how ended up coming out ahead, even King Shandar who eventually had his head reattached through some restorative magic. But, I was worried there for a moment. The Earl King’s forces do not mess around, that’s for sure. 

Well, we ended up winning, although it was quite precarious for a while, and securing the last two relics, the hat and the wand, and saving the villagers.

—-

Account by Omri Azar

Much of this I cannot divulge. King Hygar said for the ritual scraps and all transcribed copies be burned, so none feel foolish enough to attempt to use it or undo what we have done.

While I cannot say how a ritual of sealing would become a ritual of unsealing, I’m sure those more versed in the arcane and mystical arts and sciences could speak on that.

What you’re getting from me is a recounting of the ritual to seal the well of reality magic as best as I can recollect without any of the bits that could lead to one recreating it directly. In as chronological and coherent of an order as I can make this.

With Arvitt Garrimaddon and his army knocking on Coventry’s door, and their forces allegedly tapping into reality magic, those of Coventry felt it best to seal away reality magic. This part will need some clarification later because also allegedly King Hygar sealed it away, so whether this actually occurred or it was unsealed for some reason is still unknown to me.

Friday evening Malcolm, a reality mage, said that we needed to complete a few trials in order to gain the items we needed for the ritual, and ciphered scraps to tell us what to do for the ritual. These items will be left vague for the reasons discussed before. With the combined forces that had gathered at Coventry during Festum Solis to defend it from invasion, we sought out the first trial that very night.

Each trial had some common elements. We were to collect blue cubes that would relate to a puzzle at our destination. There was a guardian, and an aura around the final part of the trial. I know with at least the first trial getting an attempt wrong meant those within the aura faced a harmful effect, usually to the limbs. And with each trial we were besieged by enemy forces which we needed to deflect. They sought what we were seeking, and they were not going to make it easy.

The puzzles themselves were different. The first required us to use the cubes to make a word, a password to speak to the puzzle’s guardian. The second required some math, which I know J’ortsa spent some time working on. The third trial was attempted by a group I was not part of so could not speak to its nature.

Sometimes we found blue cubes on enemy forces. In one case on a trial on Saturday I found a blue cube in someone’s home. That same trial Diakon had a cube for some reason. He offered it in exchange for Hygar’s head or someone’s soul. Neither of which was given, although he managed to rend some people, and we managed to somehow get the cube from him.

We didn’t lose anyone that day thankfully and Diakon was banished in such away any blood he took had no effect. Anyone who knows Skalds knows what a blessing that is. Tulkhan will have another chance to shoot Diakon in the chest, the skald’s one weakness. Or the crotch, as he once successfully accomplished. Doesn’t kill but sure looked like it hurt.

It took us until Saturday afternoon to successfully collect all the pieces and determine what the ritual was supposed to be. Excellent teamwork and dedication from all who were involved. Some although perhaps not all decipherers include Onyx, Margaret, Elizah, J’ortsa, Chrysanta, Omri, and perhaps Aelias. I do not wish miss anyone but with enemy forces attempting to invade it is hard to keep track of every moving piece. With ciphers decrypted and items collected, it was time to enact the ritual.

King Hygar is a reality mage, and he took point for most of these trials. And so he was the one who dealt the penultimate blow in the ritual of sealing. J’ortsa, Elizah, James Swift, and Aelias all played parts in the ritual as well, and so did I.

It was wondrous and breathtaking. The ground shook and energy collected then blasted into the air in a colorful swirling beam. And then energy dissipated and the well was sealed.

The effects of sealing the well are yet to be fully determined in my opinion. What ripples it’ll cause and what effects will be caused are to be seen in the future. We should all watch for what may come.

—

Account by Page Margaret August on the defeat of Garrimaddon

As Saturday wore on, I received a vision from Aurora. As long as his shields stood, Garrimaddon would be able to get through any line. If we were not able to take them out, he would take the throne. So the pressure was on. One of his shields had been taken down during the Voraniss war. Sir Benjamin Grans. But two remained. King Dresden Quinn, the tactician, and Ixxan Iredann Ney’l Otann’i, the mage. So a ritual was devised to take them down. Myself and Styx would both cast rituals of banishment directed at the chains which bound the shields to Garrimaddon, backed by interventions from Queen Kindrianna and Lady Natira. 

As the time came, we marched onto the field and I began to call on Aurora. The torrential downpour which had been covering the field only moments before began to fade as a beam of light encompassed the area where we were standing. Styx and I called to the shields. Using the power of Space and Light to serve the chains. We spoke to the Shields, offering them a path to redemption. They issued challenges, that should we complete them they would be severed from Garrimaddon. Dresden offered a magic missile challenge, which was completed by someone in Invictus. Ney’l blessed the dagger of anyone who would accept the challenge so they may be able to strike him and render his soul. At night, we would hunt, and if we won his connection would be severed. Myself, Tulkhan, and Fern accepted the challenge.

As night fell, the armies of the Lost Kingdoms fell onto Coventry. Fighting was brutal, as they began to push us back through the woods towards the throne. We stood in the open, waiting for our enemy to try and hunt us, and sticking together as a pack so we could overwhelm and kill him. But he never showed. We felt that the hunt was a two-way deal, and that by failing to show Ney’l had broken his end of it. Thus, his connection was gone, and Garrimaddon was vulnerable. 

Garrimaddon meanwhile was marching to the throne. He made his way onto the pavilion, before being blasted back by Aurora’s light. He resumed his march. A group of us made our way to the throne, ready to make our last stand if necessary. Blows fell on him, but nothing was landing. James Swift was able to call upon the Sword of Kings from his book, and with Queen Kindrianna enhancing its divine aid into an intervention, he threw “Sword of Kings Lightning Bolt”. Stripping off a point of Garrimaddon’s armor for the first time in a thousand years. He was vulnerable.

Still, as sword blows rang, it was not enough. I prayed to Aurora, and she told me what I already knew. That only in single combat did he have a chance of being defeated. So King Shandar took up the fight. Not only defeating him, but absolutely humiliating Garrimaddon as he stripped him of his armor and killed him. But Garrimaddon began to generate. He unfortunately was able to escape. The fight is not over, and will have to continue in Caer Ma-Ut where he can be defeated once and for all. But for now, Coventry is safe.

—-

A report of Sunday’s journey to the besieged and destroyed town of Nathan’s Hollow.

Written by Fern Eberhardt for The View from Valehaven and the adventurers who joined in freeing Nathan’s Hollow in late September of 1021.

The Sunday morning after driving Garrimaddon and his forces away dawned warm and only got hotter from there. Most adventurers elected to remain in Coventry, a wise choice after the brutal battle the night before.

There was one other order of business Margaret and I felt we needed to complete though. In September of 1021, we had traveled to the town of Nathan’s Hollow with many other new adventurers, asked there by Sir Laika to help defeat a necromancer who had taken over the town. The necromancer was defeated, but the town had been razed, with no hope for a gaggle of inexperienced adventurers to restore the area. Margaret, in one of her first talks with Aurora, asked for a way to bring the town back to the thriving community it once was. Almost two years later, everything fell into place. 

Margaret had gathered people in her life that she believed could represent the aspects of Auroran faith, we were in Coventry after the defeat of a great enemy, and we had a group of allies and the High Priestess of Aurora, all ready to travel to this town. This group consisted of twelve of us; myself, Margaret, Tony, Ypnn, Bogen, Onyx, J’ortsa, Alric, Omri, Styx, Rosetta, and High Priestess Bianca. 

On the outskirts of the town, we first encountered a massive chasm, hundreds of feet to the bottom. Circling around inside were harpies. I admit, I was quite distracted with trying to feed and befriend them, so I was surprised when I looked over and saw Tony walking out over empty air, the land falling away a thousand feet below. He led us all out over the chasm, his faith in the gods guiding him. When we were about halfway across, he disappeared from the lead, and we saw him on the other side fighting a dark figure. Each time it was defeated, we were able to move toward Tony. Each time Tony was struck down, Onyx called out, raising him to continue fighting. Finally, the last of our group crossed, and the being was defeated for a final time.

We pressed on, and were soon engulfed by the smell of rot. Rottling undead blocked our path, and I found that I was able to purify my companions of the diseases the rottlings tried to impose. Another pleasant surprise was when I touched my hand to Alric’s blade, and it heated up, flames licking around it. He was one of the first to strike the rottlings, and it went up in a short blaze. Once I had made it so that we could properly put these undead down, we traveled up the trail. Along the way we picked up a new member to our group, Forest Runner Walter who was able to turn natural components we found into thrown cures to use against the rottlings. J’ortsa’s aim with them was deadly, or perhaps lively. I don’t think he missed a single shot. Tony, Alric, and I fought side by side often during that march, doing what we could to stand in front of our surprising number of caster allies. And then, up ahead, one of the Erl King’s warlords, Maggot was commanding the rottling forces. After a battle, Styx struck him down and cast a banishment, forcing the warlord’s retreat and the dispersal of the rottlings.

Once inside the town limits, a feeling of dread descended upon us, though it seemed to settle upon me a little later, as Rosetta said I had a strange reaction to the human bones scattered about. Along with the dread, darkness settled, and had to be pushed away by the light. Ypnn taught Bogen how to bring light forth to the area, and he stepped forward, her lantern in hand. With their powers and light, they granted members of the group the ability to swing light with their weapons. Tony and J’ortsa were particularly effective in teaming up to fight the embodiment of Darkness, driving it back.

Upon that victory, Margaret came across a shield of a Paladin of Tana Torne, and we had to recall memories and voices of the fallen we had encountered on our journey into Nathan’s Hollow. Omri helped assemble and organize our thoughts, and the correct order was found. Upon the proper recitation, a memory replayed of Tana Torne’s final stand, voices echoing out over the empty town.

And then… and then a nightmare arose. I was the first to see an unknown demon striding across the field toward us, but Margaret was the first to recognize the being as The Champion, still dead, but brought about as Bianca’s nightmare, a nightmare of despair, of hopelessness. The demon began enchanting our party and Bianca to attack our allies, and Margaret rebuffed him every step of the way. The demon spoke to many of us, threatening some with outright violence, speaking to others of their greatest doubts, and to others, myself included, things we already knew. To end the nightmare, to put Bianca at ease, those of us Margaret had chosen to represent the aspects of Aurora had to surround Bianca and speak about what the aspects mean to us. The undead dispersed and were restored to life, and Margaret banished The Champion, not without him getting some words in edgewise.

As we continued to monitor Bianca, the Paladin of Tana Torne and the owner of the shield we had been using approached, and introduced himself as Maxwell. We spoke with him and learned further steps that must be taken.

There is still much to do. Contact should be made with the stronghold city of Loch Torne, the forces of the Erl King must still be driven back, and people have to regain their lives that were untimely ripped away. But for now, the town of Nathan’s Hollow is alive again, and search parties are being sent out to return people to their homes. And to those who know, I made sure to ask that Forrest is looked after, and brought home safely. 

OOC:

Shoutout to all of the event staff and NPCs who worked hard to make this happen. This is not the last we’ve seen of Lost Kingdoms plot, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Why I Want To Go - Festum Solis

by Bri "Margaret" Meisser

What was supposed to be a lovely day of festivals and a celebration of Aurora and her divine light in the seat of her power. Is now being turned into a war because some dumbass name Arvitt thinks he’s King of the Realms or something. Well obviously we can’t let that happen. So

Here’s why I want YOU for the defense of Coventry

Friday night we will be meeting in Coventry to discuss the invasion and make preparations. A group of us will also be doing a ritual to try and contact some potential allies who may have more information about the Erl King.

On Saturday, we’ll be marching to war. Rumor has it Arvitt himself will be there. We will also likely be encountering Wolds, Skalds, and Rottlings. So if people can bring maces and torches that’s definitely suggested. 

As both a Page to the Knights of the Crown and a devout worshiper of Aurora, the defense of Coventry is of the utmost importance to me. 

The Lost Kingdoms are not to be trifled with. But neither is Coventry or the heroes of the realms. So. Will you pick up the sword and help? Fight like everything is at stake. Because it is.

May Aurora Light Your Path

Page Margaret August

OOC (Because Margaret doesn’t know this is happening yet :))

Sunday we will be making our way to Nathan’s Hollow, to help fulfill promises made over a year ago. This is really important to my character, and something I’m very excited for.

I’m also a big fan of questing, and super excited for the opportunity to quest with my friends. The event holding team has been working tirelessly to make this happen for us, and I can’t wait to see it all come together,

Lost Kingdoms Battle Log, Temporary Truce Announcement

Forgive me for the lateness of this most recent missive. I have been trying to take advantage of the temporary reprieve from the conflict that has been battering my lands. It has been a wonderful opportunity to catch up on delayed projects and rebuild and fortify now that we have gotten a look at what our enemy is capable of.

To be clear, while we have agreed to a temporary truce or pause in the conflict, this is not an end to the war. No Voranian will enter the Lost Kingdoms while the truce is in place, and no one fighting for the Lost Kingdoms will enter Voraniss, nor will we attack one another. However, nothing was agreed to in terms of our allies or other nations. It remains unclear if the Lost Kingdoms will press outward in another direction during this downtime. It is worth stating that we should all remain vigilant.

In good news, none of the Warlords remain in our lands after a coordinated multination effort to banish or slow them down. And even though Mirador was taken again the other week by a half dozen Phantoms, a group led by Sir Zula was able to make their way street by street and stealthily dispose of them. Out of all the enemy’s special units, these have proven the most formidable aside from the Laughing Dead. Phantoms, the servants of corrupted magic, are blue and somewhat translucent beings that possess rather inconvenient talents for those going against them. For starters, Phantoms are more powerful when overwhelmed. So, if your plan is to gang up on one with a bunch of your friends, that isn’t going to end well. These foes are far more manageable in smaller skirmishes.

Phantoms must be attacked with weapons enchanted by Ghost Blade, as I believe they are incorporeal. Attacking them with magic, however, completely restores them to full strength. It cannot be stressed enough that magic is not a good tactic to use against them. One of the special abilities they have is “Soul Rend,” which does exactly what it sounds like- renders you soulless. It can be stopped by a Protect the Soul spell, but the casting will be used up and destroyed to do so. Finally, once phantoms have taken enough damage, they need to be disenchanted. This may take a few tries as some of the Phantoms seem to have the ability to resist magic, but ultimately is a necessary step to stop them from coming back. All this information is readily available in Page Margaret’s Fighter’s Guide to the Realms, highly suggested reading material for any fighter looking to join in this conflict.

In the coming days, a lot of us will be gathering supplies and working on assisting that port city, where we have had the greatest number of casualties besides the front in the swamp. Any spare building or medical supplies would be most welcome in that harbor.

Please keep in contact if you should see any enemy activity in other places in the Realms, I would very much like to be apprised of their movements.

In Service,

Spirit Queen Kindrianna Athame

Lost Kingdoms Battle Log, Week 6

Twelve Days After the Old Moon, Month of the Wolf in the Year 1023

 

Time has passed in an odd way for me this past week, but I will try to relay what information I can in an accurate manner. I cannot say with certainty what happened outside of the Spirit Realm, but I can summarize based on what I heard from reports and friends…

The Ogres and Wolds that had descended from the mountains met the Invictus line, a most unfortunate adventure for them. Our allies fought hard and were joined by a ship flying Blackwood’s colors that magically appeared in the center of Lake Irvan. When I asked around, I discovered that it was Irri who had petitioned Jagtor the Salmon Spirit for aid in transporting the ship, which was granted in exchange for the sacrifice of magic. Between the martial might of Invictus, and the cannonballs, the enemies in the north were routed. Unluckily, however, more of them are coming and it seems Irrad has taken the field with them. I’ll get to him in a moment.

My personal priority for the week was acting on information acquired by allies that indicated that Arvitt Garrimaddon was about to throw a massive temper tantrum over the loss of one of his “shields” by sending all the Warlords of the Erl King at us at once (sans Maggot). I made my way into the Otherworld with Adoros to petition Benjamin Grans for aid, and we discussed whether it might be possible to create a barrier like the one in Nathan’s Hollow to protect the country from the wrath of the Warlords. Utilizing the powdered remnants of the chain that bound him mixed in holy water, we set out to walk the border of Voraniss for about eight months, praying over the boundary. Before you wonder how eight months went by in the span of less than a week, I shall tell you that time passes much faster within the Otherworld than it does out here.

While I was doing this, my countryfolk and allies were prepping a massive ritual to boost the power of our efforts. More than a dozen people, and powerful beings, called out and sent their power, their magic, and their faith in our direction. If I had attempted to channel this energy alone, I’m sure I would have evaporated. Luckily, I was not alone, and Adoros and I were able to split the magical influx of power and direct it towards Benjamin Grans who invoked his faith in the Sword Maiden utilizing the banner of Clan Defender as a focus.

The barrier was effective for the most part, and weaker enemies such as lesser Undead and Wolds began to collapse or crumble when they attempted to pass. Humans and Ogres were still able to step through unhindered, but at least we had weakened the enemy's ability to field greater numbers. It was about this point when things began to turn for the worse, and we could see the full results of Garrimaddon’s wrath.

The sky turned a dark and sickly green, as we realized very quickly that the Warlords would be undeterred by our barrier. Too powerful to be stopped, they appeared to join their stronger forces. In the sky, a massive figure was spotted taking form in the swirling clouds. It was pale blue and with a wave of its hand conjured three enemy ships, and half a dozen smaller translucent figures before hijacking the portal our allied reinforcements had been using. I suspect that these new minions are Phantoms and that perhaps this being in the sky is Kytsim, the Warlord of Corrupted Magic.

As mentioned before, Irrad has also taken the field. From what I have heard, he is an enormous earth elemental of sorts, and the sound of his voice is so powerful that it could knock a person unconscious. Irrad is the Warlord of Corrupted Stone and the one that utilizes Wolds as his primary minions. As far as we currently know, the best defense against him is unbreakable shields. Additionally, Ang, the Warlord of Corrupted Spirit has been spotted with Laughing Dead up near Mirador, and Polth, the Warlord of Corrupted Water has crawled from the river between the Bear and Stag shrines.

Sensing their dark power, Benjamin Grans did what he thought best and made the choice to join the great Spirit Tree of Voraniss, bonding himself to it forever. This sacrifice denies him the afterlife that he so desired with his Goddess but ensures that the barrier will no longer need weekly maintenance to uphold. We will not let his sacrifice be in vain, and I will not forget his courage…and I will strive to honor it upon the field of battle.

We will think of something. There is always a way forward. There must be.

 

In Service,

Spirit Queen Kindrianna Athame

Lost Kingdoms Battle Log, Week Five

 Five Days After the Old Moon, Month of the Wolf in the Year 1023

Luna has blessed us this week, and the tides of battle have turned in our favor. Snow has turned to rain as Ekkaku has taken the upper hand in his conflict with Droxon the Frozen. The other great spirits, our sacred guardians, have manifested to defend their shrines. Many skalds fell against their power when they thought they had a quick opportunity to wreak havoc upon the faith of our people. Little did they know that the land itself would rise to thwart their wicked machinations. Such is the magic of our home.

The Stag Shrine front stayed quiet until a pair of 23^rd Generation Skalds appeared. Luckily, though it is more complicated than your average foe, we know how to put them down. This generation of Skalds, and yes, the generation is important, must be limbed with different weapons and then struck in the back. Any hits to the chest will restore their limbs. Scouts indicated that skalds had moved towards other locations as well, but we have not yet come to blows with them. That is a skirmish for another day, as is the last of the Laughing Dead that were successfully banished.

In other good news, relief troops from Blackwood and Sharingal reclaimed Mirador. By all reports, the Mages and Rangers from Sharingal kept the enemy occupiers pinned down with magic and arrows while Blackwood’s Fate Torn and Giant Scorpions pushed into the city. No enemy troops could escape, for our allies had already fielded three ships in the bay to cut off their retreat. I feel safer knowing that they are watching the harbor. Mirador is our trade hub and having it free bodes well for our supply lines. I will have to remind myself to ask if I can pet one of the Scorpions. I rather enjoy meeting new and interesting creatures.

Speaking of allies, Invictus and their mighty legions have taken the field and are heading straight into conflict against numbers of Ogres and Wolds. I’m not sure if there is a special way to take on an Ogre, I know they are big, but Wolds take a special touch. These creatures are massive earth elementals and must be smashed with magic maces or hammers. Blunt weapons, I believe. Trying to hit them with normal maces will just break the mace and not the Wold. Remember that if should you encounter them out in the world, their hide is strong as stone.

This next part, I must profess with some guilt, that I did not get to personally witness upon the front line, but I have listened to the tale a thousand times and will likely listen to it again for the sheer joy it brings me. According to the stories, Shadowstalker Tulkhan led the charge of wolves under the glory of the full moon, heading straight for the Serpent Shrine and the enemy commander, Arvitt Garrimaddon. Their enemies were felled with swift efficiency, but Garrimaddon had brought a silver blade to a wolf fight. Suddenly, more than a hundred Angels fell like shooting stars onto the battlefield, and the Sword of Solarus, Azurewrath himself, took up the enemy’s challenge. They fought against one another, and it seemed Azurewrath was about to deal the finishing blow when Garrimaddon called for aid and disappeared into a cloud of mist. I can’t be completely sure, but people seemed to think he called a name before vanishing- Ixxen Iredann.

Suspicious of where he had gone, over the next few days we put together a small scouting party to venture into the Otherworld, otherwise known as the “Spirit Realm.” We had sensed strange energy from the lands beyond and had concerns that he may have infiltrated a place he should not have. Our hunches proved correct, and we found Garrimaddon in a bit of a pickle, struggling to navigate the dark and the mist, endlessly teleporting in random directions and distances. We were all so amused that we took a moment to find humor in the situation, and banded together to banish him from the realm, but not before severing the chain of one of the three spirits serving as his shield. That spirit’s name is Benjamin Grans- Paladin of the Helmet, and former advisor to the Lord Protector of Loche Torne.

Upon leaving the Otherworld, I had a sort of premonition. I thought I saw three small dominoes standing before a bigger one. The first domino fell to the side, but two remained. I ascertained that once the last two fell, it would trigger an event that would throw the largest domino elsewhere. I believe these dominoes represent Garrimaddon’s “shields”, and when they are freed, or defeated, he will be flung to his stronghold Caer Ma-Ut upon the negative energy plane. It is there that the final fight against the Champion of the Lord of Corruption will take place.

It is daunting to think that this is but one foe of many at the Erl King’s disposal, but we must press on for the sake of all we hold dear. We have seen miracles and many great acts of courage over the past few weeks and all of them inspire me to keep going.

In Service,

Spirit Queen Kindrianna Athame

Lost Kingdoms Battle Log, Week Four

Two Days Before the Old Moon, Month of the Wolf in the Year 1023

Reports this week speak of dire loss on the front lines. Ekkaku still battles with Droxon the Frozen within the realm of spirits, and the weather seems to respond in kind. There is a chill in the air that cuts to the bone, but none are yet willing to surrender despite the loss. Instead, it drives us forward, spurring us toward our retribution. We will make them pay for every life lost, and every inch of ground.

The Erl King’s Champion has taken control of the shrine and the banner of Clan Defender has fallen, the result of a dastardly trick. We were betrayed from within by a comrade under the corruptive influence of the enemy after he valiantly tried to remove a red stone left as a “gift” by the Queen of Tantaril. 

Two units of Laughing Dead have been dealt with. One was banished back to where it came from, courtesy of Oracle Merrix, Page Margaret, and Lady Natira of Stonewood. The other was defeated and healed by Lord Sir Elwin and myself. Beyond all hope, we were able to revive the newly turned Forest Runners led by Zara. They are back in the land of the living, for which I am exceedingly grateful, but there is no time to rejoice. The last unit of Laughing Dead, despite our best efforts to slow them down, wreaked havoc on our defensive line and moved further north towards the Serpent Shrine to join Garrimaddon.

Mirador was taken in the northeast, but luckily our allies from Sharingal and Blackwood arrived on the field this week. I have no doubt that they will soon retake the city with their joint efforts. Reports indicated that Blackwood was able to commandeer one of the enemy’s ships, proving that our foes are not invincible on the sea. I wish I could have been there to see the sight of their familiar banner overtaking the flag of Sothron in the harbor. The Salmon Spirit, Jagtor, surely sails with them. 

Not all was lost, however. Our defenders at the Stag Shrine: Shadowstalker Tulkhan, Warmaiden Elowen, Castien, and our new friends Omri and Odd, were able to stand their ground. Aided by a storm summoned by the Druid King, the enemy could not overtake the sacred shrine and began to lose control of their ships amidst the terrible wind and rain.

This victory did come with a cost, and the enemy taunted that a 23rd Storm of Skalds had been born. Skalds, according to the Fighter’s Guide put together by Page Margaret, are water-based beings (some call them demons) with the ability to shapeshift. They have unnaturally wide smiles and a penchant for collecting souls. At the time of writing, there were 22 Storms of Skalds confirmed, which all had different weaknesses related to the storm that spawned them. Should you encounter one, the spells Identify and Fighter’s Intuition may reveal more information about the specifics needed to defeat them.

Things are bad, but they are not impossible. This is the week of the full moon, in Vangrim’s month, the time when the Wolves are at their strongest. Every howl I hear is a reminder that the forest has not yet been taken, and that our countryfolk still fight for their freedom. This week, we persevere and then we retaliate. May the wolf song strike fear into the hearts of our enemies.

In Service,

Spirit Queen Kindrianna Athame

Lost Kingdoms Battle Log, Week Three

Twenty-One Days After the Cold Moon, Month of the Raven in the Year 1022

 

It has been several weeks now, but we still draw breath in the lands of Voraniss. The enemy came from the west and gathered upon the border of our swampland to initiate their attack. It wasn’t a terribly large force at first, but their reinforcements have not yet diminished. It is clear to us all that they have been preparing for this moment, as have we.

They are led by Arvitt Garrimaddon, Champion of the Erl King, and to my knowledge, the last King of Sothron. Thus far, the enemy has relied upon mostly human soldiers and the undead. With Stonewood, and Lord Sir Elwin’s assistance, the Undead have not posed much of a problem thus far, but the enemy has been adapting to our strategy and I am seeing more humans in their ranks as time passes. The exceptions to their minions are Droxon the Frozen, a Dracolich who has challenged Ekkaku the Serpent Spirit for position within the Spirit Realm, and three units of Laughing Dead that have been sighted.

I have been told by adventurers more knowledgeable than myself on the topic of the Lost Kingdoms, that Laughing Dead may only be permanently destroyed if they are told a specific joke, the same joke that was told to them at the time of their animation. It is a cruel twist of nature to turn joy and mirth into something so heinous and threatening, but you will know this enemy by their creepy and continual laughter. Normal weapons will work on them by all accounts, but they will rise again unless the joke is spoken. Be cautious if you are to come across these foes.

 

For weeks we have managed to defend the Serpent Shrine in western Voraniss, but the enemy is now coming at us on additional fronts. Ships flying the flag of Sothron have appeared off the coast of Mirador, and in Southern Voraniss at the Stag Shrine. I am grateful for our allies in Stonewood, who keep my spirits up even now upon the front line, and those allies who are on the way. The nations of Invictus, Blackwood, and Sharingal have officially declared their support in this fight and give us further hope that we are not alone.

 

I know this enemy will not stop at our borders. The Realms must stand united in the face of this corruption and darkness and treat it as the serious threat it is. If you are able and willing to fight beside us, we urge you to take action and prepare. War is coming, whether you like it or not.  For the moment, I am still reachable by raven for those of you with questions, but I cannot say how long that will remain the case. I will do my best to keep you apprised of the developing situation and conditions on the front.

 

In Service,

Spirit Queen Kindrianna Athame