Muylari backstory (log)

Muylari's Tale

The following story was transcribed from conversations and tellings of several local bards from the town of Wehnimer's Landing. It would appear to be in reference to the recent rediscovery of Silver Valley, a place once thought destroyed many centuries ago. It's history and destruction have been recorded previously by my revered ancestor Selias Jodame. Recent events have brought this story of interest, thus my early submission of this transcription.

Sendulcia Jodame - Master of Lore, Third Consult to the Scribes of Biblia

---

Muylari says, "I have traveled this land of Elanthia, from end to end... I am no longer sure of from whence I came."

Warble asks, "May you say what brings you here?"

Muylari says, "Yes indeed, tis my curse."

Warble asks, "Curse, my Lord?"

Muylari says, "I have come here to die..."

Muylari says, "or so I wish"

Jehannum frowns.

Cage says, "Maybe one of our good clerics can help."

Warble frowns.

Cage frowns.

Muylari says, "No person should be made to live as long as I have... I have seen too much, experienced too much."

Warble asks, "That you cannot die?"

Muylari says, "And all because of one fool man... but that is no longer important."

Muylari warms his hands near the fire.

Muylari nods.

Muylari says, "My story I shall tell and then perhaps you might help me find my resting place."

Muylari stares off into space looking deep within his memories.

Muylari says, "Long ago, at the edge of my memory, my young wife and I found ourselves in dire circumstances."

Muylari says, "Returning from a journey to Idolia, a gift from my wife's father, we were set upon by a band of hill giants."

Muylari frowns.

Muylari says, "Before I could rise even a finger to invoke magical defense, I found my arms and legs bound, my mouth gagged."

Muylari says, "Thrown harshly to the ground, I could hear the screams of my wife as the giants bound her also. I knew what was to come for it was the autumn season and we were to be the feast of their celebrations."

Muylari grimaces.

Muylari says, "We were carried back to their village and hung from our feet near a large bonfire. The heat of it licked us, hungry in its own fashion."

Muylari says, "I swung about with little success, but managed to turn and face my wife. I looked into her eyes and we both knew... this was our end."

Muylari says, "Then something very unexpected happened. A THUMP... and another..."

Muylari exclaim, "I managed to peer across the village and saw the giants dropping one by one... each with an dark arrow piercing their heads!"

Muylari says, "The giants that did not drop had quickly fled the village, leaving us hanging quite literally."

Muylari says, "And then he was there... he rode in on magnificent black stallion, his shimmering cape flaring in wind. He came close and carefully cut our bindings, lowering my wife and I to the ground."

Muylari says, ""Your lives are mine", he said. "Now go and live them." He gave me a single knowing glance and then the Faendryl took his leave."

Muylari says, "My wife and I encountered no other dangers, and made it home to live a full, blissful life together for some thirty years."

Muylari says, "After her death... I found the great void in my life too much to bear so left my home to wander... and fate brought me back to him."

Muylari's smile fades.

Muylari says, "I bowed to him saying "I am yours." He nodded and put me to work using my talents in sorcery to his own ends, I caring little for any deed he sent to me as my feelings were numb for many years after my loss."

Muylari says, "It was years later, still under the Faendryl's service, that I found myself supporting a small mining operation in an area known as Silver Valley. "

Muylari says, "There was some slight resistance as I recall but my spells took that away with ease. Unhindered, the mining began in full force and went on for several months..."

Muylari says, "It came upon us without warning, a formless, unrelenting terror."

Muylari says, "We could not see it... not as one would see a bear, or troll... but its claws were evident in its victims."

Muylari says, "Strangest of all, it killed our horses first. Defenseless in their mining packs, they fell quickly. Then it turned upon us."

Warble's face turns slightly pale.

Muylari says, "Those in the mines were first, some still digging for silver when they found themselves gutted soundlessly."

Muylari says, "Then it came out after the rest of us, but by that time I had surrounded myself heavily with magical protections."

Muylari says, "The remaining miners around me were killed with amazing speed, their body parts seemingly flying apart of their own terrible volition."

Muylari says, "And then it came toward me... and stopped. After such ferocity this sudden lack of movement was surprising but I was not thinking of that at the time. I had no means of escape, and no way to cast my spells on a force I could not see."

Muylari says, "A horrid roar filled the air, and a flash of claw tore away my outermost magical defense. Another flash took the next, I had very little time left to think... and yet I did."

Muylari says, "I could not effect the creature, so I attacked the valley itself! Drawing on all my knowledge of sorcery, and a few precious secrets stolen from the Shifters, I weaved all the mana I could find into one enormous mass and pushed..."

Muylari says, "The valley shifted, and everything was gone."

Muylari nods.

Warble says, "Oh my...."

Cage says, "Wow"

Spartan blinks.

Kakila says, "wow"

Muylari says, "Everything."

Muylari says, "I stood in a desolate valley, rocky and barren... with only the remnants of dead trees reaching out from the ground in agony."

Muylari says, "The deadly creature was gone... pushed into shadow with the rest of valley."

Spartan exclaims, "Thank the gods!"

Muylari says, "Indeed."

Muylari says, "I wasn't sure till much later, whether it was the valley that moved or myself, but it became evident later on when I worked my way over the walls and found the nearby town. The townsfolk were still under my spells, hardly even noticing my presence."

Muylari says, "And so I left, wandering... and wandering... refusing to die. Oh not by my choice, something from that terrible event cursed me to walk without the blissful release of death."

Muylari says, "But I am tired, so I return to find the valley from which I once left hoping it will embrace me in the death I should have experienced so long ago."

Muylari sighs.

Muylari ask, "Have you heard of such a valley?"

Transcriber's note: Little is known of the final fate of this sorcerer or those he recruited in his search for Silver Valley. Local lore tells of the final death of Muylari shortly after the discovery of an unexpected mana portal. However, there is equal evidence to support his possible ongoing existence, as no body was ever found. -S.J.

Behind the Scenes

This log is from around late 1995 or 1996. It is unclear at the moment whether the Sendulcia Jodame elements at the top and bottom are player embellishments. The way it is written suggests those parts may have been official from a GM forum post, and the Biblia titles match up with the De-I.C.E.'d form of the Tale of Silver Valley document. Certain elements of this are De-I.C.E. anomalies. The "Shifters" replaced one of the Navigator guilds, but the Chronomages are now the replacement of the Navigators. "Idolia" is undefined but is likely a replacement term for Eidolon, which was seemingly converted in other places to Idolone. The best post-I.C.E. analog for Eidolon will arguably be Phyon in Finnia.

See also:

• Dark pasture release event (log) (1996)