Whiteout (storyline)/Recaps (summary)

Mayor Nihala, the Mayor of Icemule Trace, found a tome that she was able to unlock and read. Over the course of her studying the tome, she became very ill and magically linked to the tome. Around this time, strange orbs were seen around Icemule and inside the Penitentiary outside of Icemule. An odd disk materialized in the middle of Town Center. Deputy Mayor Hibbits took over most day to day operations in light of Nihala's illness. A committee known as ICICLE was formed. Townspeople are collecting clues and researching to solve several mysteries that keep them puzzled.

Whiteout

Chapter 1: The Troubles

The trouble seemed to begin with a small disk with an eye-shaped sigil on it, which formed in the middle of Town Center and strange orbs were seen around town and at the penitentiary. About the same time, the town was invaded by a variety of creatures.

It was soon after that Icemule Trace found out that Mayor Nihala was ill, and Deputy Mayor Hibbits would be handling a fair amount of her normal duties. It was also observed that the Deputy Mayor was acting strange, and he was seen with a shadow about his person at all times. This shadow seemed to shift or change every time they saw Deputy Mayor Hibbits, and when questioned about it, he seemed to be unable to see it. He was also unable to see the disk, the dome, the tower, or the arch.

Chapter 1: The Troubles This recap was written by Arnylon Cosset.

The usual was happening in Town Center. Askance for healing seemed to be what people asked for most often. Quiet contemplation and resting were not far behind. In short, it was a normal night in Icemule. Despite the normalcy, something was odd. It had been snowing steadily for much longer than even a series of winter storms should account. Snow, snow, and more snow. The town was beginning to be buried in a shivery, white blanket. Now and again cries to pull a halfling or gnome out of a drift that had buried them completely were heard. Nobody, even historians, could remember such a continuous and deep snowfall in and around the city.

The Deputy Mayor, Hibbits, ran through. Chanting was heard throughout town. Vague voices on the wind. Crackling in the air. Cries on the wind that someone, or something, was coming for Hibbits. He seemed rather concerned by the voices, and even out of sorts than was normal. Shadowy hands or some vague shadowy shape encircled his neck. The cries on the wind began increasing in frequency and volume.

A cry of invasion filled everyone's head - or at least those who had rubbed their crystal amulets. Creatures had been spotted in town. Apparently they'd breached the gates despite the vigilance of the guards. From all sides various orcs, trolls, and undead began approaching Town Center. It was surrounded. Battle commenced.

Most who fought lived with few to no injuries. The attack seemed halfhearted at best. However, the crackling in the air that had been heard earlier apparently heralded the arrival of something as before unseen within the walls of town. From the center of town, one could walk any direction and encounter orbs by each gate. They appeared to be of glass. Each was held aloft upon a tri-pronged electrum stand and was spinning rapidly. The stands had irregularities, almost as if haphazardly constructed. Each gave off the faint whiff of ozone on occasion. Now and again they'd wobble erratically sending off brightly colored energies into the surroundings. Their arrival and meaning was a mystery to all who encountered them. Also, Town Center itself was changed. Dead set in the center of the square was a circle of electrum. It seemed to have a vague eye-shaped sigil upon it. Many tried to enter, but it fended off every attempt.

After the attacks ceased, Hibbits spoke to those present. He told everyone that Mayor Nihala was sick, and as Deputy Mayor, he'd take over the responsibilities of running the city until a cure could be found for the Mayor. His announcement was not entirely well received, but besides a few grumblings and murmers, not much protest was made.

There also appeared to be a fifth orb. Originally a local Paradis Halfling Wizard, Joness, had found it and led an expedition to garner information to hopefully discover why the orb was there and what it might be protecting or guarding. He'd come running back to town exclaiming that it had zapped him. Void black in color, it spun much quicker than the orbs within the city. The tri-pronged base appeared to be polished, patterned, and contained two undecipherable magical sigils near the base. He asked any who would to return with him to explore. Three other citizens accompanied him: Pietra, a Human Rogue from Seareach, Laralana, a Human Warrior from Honneland, and Azerik, an Illistim Elven Wizard. Pietra would also be the first to discover yet another difference in this particular orb. It threw off deadly bolts of lightning. It struck her down.

All efforts to pull Pietra from the Penitentiary failed. Everyone who attempted it had to watch as her body quickly decayed before their very eyes.

Hibbits spoke again to the townspeople after Pietra's return. The gathering was outside Clovertooth Hall. Besides those visibly present, a vague shadowy was also seen. He'd be working on improving the town. Donations would assuredly be welcome for improvements. Shoring up to bear the weight of the snowfall, as well as new buildings, shops, improvements to Clovertooth Hall. Much silver would be needed. He asked for generous donations. VERY generous donations. Some who heard thought the timing odd, due to the accusatory calling for his head from the voices on the wind. Others were eager. Still others withheld judgment.

Several of the gathered asked Hibbits about the shadow around his neck. At times it appeared as a vague circle, at others, hands that seemed to be caressing his neck. He seemed to have no knowledge of it and thought people were playing a prank. When someone pointed to the shadow outside the door of the hall, Hibbits also claimed he could not see it either. People pointed, touched it, all to no avail. He didn't see it.

Concern for Mayor Nihala prompted a few to ask Hibbits if a visit could be made to her in the hopes of discovering a cure for her woes. Hibbits stated she mostly was sleeping, but a visit would be arranged soon. He soon left, and the crowd dispersed amongst talks of the night's events, speculation about the circle and the orbs, and about whether Hibbits was corrupt or not.

Chapter 2: A Visit to the Mayor

Deputy Mayor Hibbits expressed his concern about the Mayor's health, and Kilded was chosen to investigate. He entered the Mayoral residence and spoke to the Mayor for a time. He and others looking in through the window, witnessed a strange shadow in the room with her. And later, Kilded reported he had seen a similar shadow about the Mayor's person.

The Mayor told him about a tome she found locked away in a safe in Clovertooth Hall, and showed it to him. It was called "A History of Ancient Sorcery Recorded by Daukhera Darkflorr". He reported that the tome was locked, but the Mayor admitted to reading it and learning about ancient magicks.

Shortly after his visit with the Mayor, Kilded was observed with a similar shadow about his person, his hair began thinning and falling out, and he seemed to begin aging at an accelerated rate.

Chapter 2: A Visit to the Mayor This recap was written by Arnylon Cosset.

Time passed without anyone having a clue as to how to heal Nihala or whether Hibbits was good or bad for the town, or even good or evil in general. Since many gathered in Town Center regularly, it was literally the talk of the town. Finally, the day arrived that Hibbits had promised a visit to the Mayor. People seemed to come out of the woodwork as the time approached. Hibbits gathered to him everyone who wished to come, and many tracks in the snow were made as the multitude wandered to the Mayor's cottage in Spitfire Alley.

The cottage fit in well in the upper middle class neighborhood, none too austere for a politician. A sentry stood guard outside barring entry to all. Hibbits said one person would be allowed inside to ensure that Nihala was in good health and uninjured besides the strange ailment. After a brief discussion a local citizen was selected for the visit: Kilded, A Sylvan Warrior.

The sentry seemed to not wish anyone to disturb the Mayor, but eventually Hibbits prevailed and Kilded was ushered inside the cottage. Everyone outside gathered around the windows and peered through to watch events unfold. The Mayor was eventually roused from her slumber and appeared to speak to Kilded. She eventually collapsed back to the bed looking rather peaked. Kilded rejoined everyone outside and gave a brief summary of his conversation with Nihala. All the while they spoke, it was noted that a strange, shifting shadowy could be seen beside the Mayor's bed.

Kilded related that the Mayor had discovered the tome secreted away in a safe in a mostly unused corner of Clovertooth Hall. She had freely shown Kilded the tome when he asked her about it and offered to allow him to read it. When he tried, it was both locked and seemed to elude his attempts to touch it. Nihala also admitted to Kilded that she had read from the tome and was using it to learn about ancient magic. Even though he could not grasp the tome, Kilded reported he'd managed to discover the title: A History of Ancient Sorcery, Recorded by Daukhera Darkflorr.

During the remainder of the evening and in subsequent conversations, Kilded also told those interested that he'd inquired about Hibbits and asked whether Nihala trusted him or not. Her answer seemed to indicate total trust, but a worry that of late he may have begun losing his mind. She also felt the illness she suffered from to be of a magical nature.

Upon Hibbits returning everyone to town, again cries on the wind asking for “the Hibbitssss” and more attacks launched from the environs around town. Trolls and orcs once more poured through the gates. More undead cropped up to be smitten. But with a difference: The attacks seemed a bit more coordinated and the creatures that comprised the assault a bit stronger than the initial foray. Despite the stronger foes, not many lost their lives. A sense of happiness or thrill was felt by many during the attacks and a pervasive feeling that the circle in town was in some way drawing from the magical energies being hurtled at the attackers.

After things quieted and Hibbits had gone, many odd things were noted. Hibbits still denied being able to see any shadows around him, the Mayor, or even outside of Clovertooth Hall. He also appeared to be unable to see the electrum circle in town center, or the orbs about town. The orb in the penitentiary appeared to have migrated as far west as it could go. It now stood outside a door enscribed with magical patterns and sigils. It appeared to be rotating more quickly. It definitely tended to throw off many more lightning bolts than before. The other four orbs had also either moved of their own accord or been moved a little closer to town center. Finally, the circle had grown. It had a little height. A disc of electrum rather than a circle.

Everyone seemed to have their own theory on the orbs and disc. Someone mentioned that the orbs appeared similar to the sphere in the Cavern of Ages that heralds entrance to the Rift. Nobody disagreed. Wonder of why electrum was used and not some other metal was discussed. People began mentioning that they'd begin research into magic, into ancient magic, into sorcery. Each went their separate ways to ponder the changes. On a side note: Before he left, Hibbits told everyone that donations were pouring in, but not quite near where they needed to be. Also, he would return in a few days, or a week, to discuss an idea he had.

Chapter 3: The Far Market

Enestrie was also similarly affected, when Mayor Nihala died under mysterious circumstances, and she went to restore her life. Enestrie's skin took on a blue hue.

Throughout the next several days and weeks, Icemule was invaded by a wide variety of creatures, the Mayor continued to study the tome, and strange apparitions were occasionally seen in Icemule. They would often speak to those close enough to hear. Once such apparition bid the witnesses to learn from it and not to fear.

The apparitions would sometimes travel near the orbs that are seen about town and the penitentiary, then would travel back to the disk at Town Center. However, it was observed that when this happened, the apparitions would be absorbed into the disk itself, and some unknown energy would transform the disk. From a disk into a dome, then into a tower, then an arch. The orbs also seemed to move, and some were quite dangerous to be near.

Dirvy attempted to heal the Mayor of her affliction, but while her mind was connected to the Mayor, she had a vision. She heard tormented wailing and maniacal laughter. She saw shadows shrouding Mayor Nihala's soul, forests that resemebled Pinefar, and once their minds were separated, the tome the Mayor held was on the snowy ground. Unlike Kilded and Enestrie, Dirvy did not seem to be suffering from any ill effects from being near the Mayor or the tome.

Later, Icemule Trace found out there was a bounty on the Mayor and the tome. The leader of a group called Far Market tried to claim the bounty by burning down the Mayor's home.

Chapter 3: The Far Market This recap was written by Arnylon Cosset.

The snows continued without showing signs of stopping. There were lulls and times only a few flakes would meander down from the heavens, but never a complete stoppage. The town was in danger from the weather and quite possibly the Tome. Nobody had heard of Daukhera. Wonder on why Clovertooth Hall hadn't been thoroughly searched by previous Mayors or local town clerks appeared to be the order of the day. It was all rhetorical. Hibbits was nowhere to be found, and nobody actually knew the answers.

Various attempts to destroy, manipulate, or aid the electrum disc failed miserably. It seemed impervious and indifferent to any attempt. A standstill was reached.

Kilded seemed less than enamored with the disc. Simply reading the cover of the tome, or perhaps being in close proximity to it had affected him. His hair had begun falling out in clumps. One side of his face appeared to be prematurely aged and full of wrinkles…

Hibbits again showed, deftly deflecting all inquiries about the now larger shadow that was wrapped around his body and about the orbs or disc with a simple answer. He continued to state he couldn't see any of it. He cut off the line of inquiry as that wasn't his reason for addressing the town. He'd come for something better. It seems that the unstated goal for donations had been reached. White Haven had generously added to the portion of the coffers slated for town improvements. Plus he wanted to tell of his idea.

He began, but was quickly cut off because a spiritual disturbance was felt by the gathering. Mayor Nihala had fallen. Hibbits quickly grabbed anyone who was curious and raced to the Mayor's cottage. The sentry was in an extreme state of agitation. The Mayor was dead. Someone would have to go into the cottage to attend to the body. Hopefully she could be returned to life if she had favor with Lorminstra. The clerics gathered outside the cottage discussed who should enter. Eventually Enestrie, Human Cleric of Lorminstra, was chosen. Despite having seen what had happened to Kilded, she entered without hesitation. While she was inside, the gathering expressed hope that perhaps the Lady of Winter could aid Enestrie in bringing back the Mayor. It turns out Enestrie, and Lorminstra, could. Grievously injured, Nihala breathed once more.

Enestrie emerged from the cottage quite some time later. She discussed her visit and what Nihala had told her during their conversation. Nihala had been reading the tome but had not as of yet finished it completely. Apparently she'd died while having a dream. Nihala expressed amazement at the power it would take to kill during a dream. The Mayor's corpse had a crushed skull and a deep cut on her belly. She offered to give the tome to Enestrie, but when Enestrie had attempted to grab it, the tome scooted out of the way. Nihala was left to heal and recover.

It turns out Nihala had given something to Enestrie, and so apparently had the sorcerous tome. A page from the second to last chapter was the Mayor's gift. The tome's gift showed physically on Enestrie. She now had bluish, mottled skin. The tome's page contained a riddle:

Primeval power long ago forbidden With simplest words can be unhidden

Apparently not only were Nihala and the townsfolk interested in the tome, but also someone or something else.

Bandits and ruffians began peeling off from the night's shadows. They attacked any and all present. At least one preferred for the moment to remain hidden, demanding that the tome be turned over to him. A terrible fight ensued, but the attack was fended off by the gathering. His troops retreating, the leader of the band stepped forth.

He let everyone present know that he'd been commissioned to obtain the tome for a client. His band of - mercenaries - was known as the Far Market. A deal had been struck to have the tome turned over to him and he expected Icemule to honor the bargain. He would return in a couple of days, expecting the tome to be handed to him without further altercation. He seemed uninterested or entirely ignored the protests that nobody could actually physically hold the tome. Slipping back into the shadows, he chided the throng once more, entreating that the tome be given freely.

Seemingly out of sorts, Hibbits spoke of his ideas. One, a gathering of townsfolk, both citizens and non-citizens to utilize the collected donations for town improvements. It would be named ICICLE, Icemulian Collective for the Improvement of Civilian Life, Etc. Two, an invasion training class would be held to give those less battle-hardened some experience on what it would be like when creatures began pouring through the gates. The goal was to hopefully ensure better coordination and survival.

Hibbits left after a few questions about the time and date were answered. The Deputy Mayor would come around again for the training.

Chapter 4: Invasion Training

It was around this time that Deputy Mayor Hibbits fled Icemule, after he failed to control summoning magicks, during a training exercise.

Chapter 4: Invasion Training This recap was written by Arnylon Cosset.

The night of invasion training had arrived. Trudging through snow well over his head, Hibbits led everyone outside the East Gate of Icemule. Accompanying the young recruits were two more seasonsed in the ways of battle and invasion. Dirvy, Sylvan Master Physician of the Lassaran D'ahranal, and Arnylon, Giantman High Priest of Charl, had agreed to help any wounded or dead that might arise during the training.

Hibbits was questioned again about the orbs, particularly the one in the penitentiary and asked if he knew who or what was imprisoned behind the magical door. He informed everyone that he'd sent a missive to the Warden asking that very question. Unfortunately, the warden was currently not in town and would answer upon his return.

The training turned into a fiasco. At first things went well. Hibbits called forth various local denizens with magical gesticulations. Everyone managed to hold their own. Time and again, Hibbits recast the magic that brought the creatures to the trainees. Then he decided to call forth some stronger beings and creatures to test the mettle of all. Something went awry. What began as another series of sounds and movements, nearly exactly the same to the last, turned into flailing and screams. Hibbits had lost control of the spell. Dirvy and Arnylon, and once recovered, eventually Hibbits, had to help the trainees to even remain alive. Despite the aid, most soon perished.

Cries for help went out on the amunet. Others rushed to aid, but it was too late. Some rather large beings and monsters had already entered Icemule. Powerful undead, extremely large trolls, and icy beings were seen upon the streets. Soon the town was fighting for its life.

Disorganized chaos ensued. Quakes and gusts of wind randomly appeared, hurtling people asunder. At some point the disc in town center had grown into a dome. It would appear that the theory that the magical energies being unleashed to fend off the creatures was somehow feeding it. The hard choice was made. Fight with magic and feed it, or allow the town to perish. Fight. Eventually almost everything that didn't belong in town was killed or sent back to its plane of existence. Something remained. A shadowy apparation. Also, the shadow outside of Clovertooth Hall apparently had absorbed energy. It was now towering, almost monsterous. The orbs had scooted closer to Town Center. They had originated near each of Icemule's Gates, but now were merely a few paces in any direction from dome.

The apparation beckoned for any to follow. It floated through town, eventually arriving at Town Center. It told any who would listen to come and learn. It asked to show others the truth. Many tried attacking it, to no avail. It appeared impervious to all attempts made to dispatch it. With a sigh, it merged with the dome, turning it into a squat tower.

The tower had the familiar eye-sigil on one side beneath a depression similar to an inset window. Where the additional electrum had come from to add to the bulk was anyone's guess.

It was noted during the attacks that Hibbits had fled town. Apparently the Far Market had again made an appearance accusing Hibbits of not honoring the deal for the tome. They demanded it be handed over. A local townswoman made mention he'd fled to Pinefar. Town itself seemed to have quieted, so an expedition to fetch Hibbits was launched. Searching around revealed no clues to his location, and eventually those who had made the journey headed to the Pinefar Trading Post to ask one of the local proprietors, Belle, if she'd heard or seen anything of him. Belle never even deigned to answer.

Many who made the trek could sense Hibbits' death in a nearby elemental instability. It seemed he had fled to the confluence. Nobody really wished to go, fearing they'd fall as well. It was decided to return to Icemule and perhaps seek out Hibbits' corpse another time after more preparations could be made. Frustrated and exhausted, the town's defenders headed to get some much needed rest.

Chapter 5: Attempts to Heal Nihala

Chapter 5: Attempts to Heal Nihala This recap was written by Arnylon Cosset.

With Hibbits’ body missing and Nihala still holed up in her cottage, spirits faltered. The orbs around Town Center were more active than ever. Rainbow colored lights could be seen shooting from them into the heavens. At times in Town Center a vague feeling of uneasiness or a sense that fluctuations in the mana field could be felt. Bluish white lightning could be seen hurtling now and again just below the surface of the ground. The snow still filtered down from above. Speculations on the riddle from the page in the tome bore no fruit. Tension mounted in the city.

Nihala was seen in town. She apparently had recovered from her death and her wounds enough to address the townsfolk. Her appearance outside of Clovetooth Hall was greeted by cheers of welcome. Nihala’s appearance had drastically changed. She looked frail, pale, and had lost enough weight to have her clothes practically hang off what little of her remained. Despite her visage, Nihala assured all she was in good spirits and had finished her reading of the tome.

Dirvy offered to attempt to heal the mayor of her affliction. Nihala agreed to allow the attempt. Their eyes locked, and both appeared to have stopped breathing. The tome Nihala held within her grip began glowing an eerie greenish hue. Visibly shaken, Dirvy managed to withdraw from her apparent trance long enough to implore the mayor to either drop the tome or hand it to Hibbits for safekeeping. Both again fell into a deep trancelike state. They remained connected on some level for a considerable amount of time. Dirvy’s eyes began to cloud a white almost matching the surrounding snow. She slowly extended her arm toward the glowing tome, managing to knock it free of Nihala’s clutches. It tumbled to the ground, as did Dirvy.

Some time later Dirvy said she’d had a vision while locked in her healing attempt. She’d seen an environ of lush evergreens, knowing on some intrinsic level it was an area of the forests of Pinefar. A sense pervaded the vision of it occuring in the near future. Something in the vision didn’t belong. It had to go. She reached out to grab it and pulled.

The vision ended. The timing within of grabbing the thing that didn’t belong coincided with Dirvy yanking it from Nihala’s hands. The ending of the vision was also when Dirvy tumbled to the ground.

Nihala took the tome and headed back to her cabin, citing that she was weakened and needed to rest.

Several nights later Nihala was again seen in town, this time in Town Center. Her body was even more wasted. It seemed amazing she could even still stand. Her body was practically naught but skin and bones. When told of the tower and the shadow outside Clovertooth, she seemed confused. It appeared she couldn’t see them. Dismissing all the fuss about the tome, she offered a reading from its pages. Curiousity overcame caution, and several asked her to read it in the hopes that the words spoken would aid in solving the riddle the tome provided.

While the mayor read, shadows began appearing, moving and flitting about the electrum tower. The darkness of the night appeared to deepen. The words were hissing and sibilant, it seemed someone or something reacted to the voiced words. Who or what was anyone’s guess at that point.

Nihala decided to return home. Soon the Far Market's leader appeared, asking again for the tome to be handed over. Again there were protests that nobody could obtain the tome. Again flat out refusal was given by most. The leader’s voice came from the shadow that they’d find the tome in Clovertooth or raze it if the tome wasn’t found.

Many raced to the hall to search every nook and cranny, despite the fact the mayor had indicated she was returning to her cottage. Of course, no inkling of the tome was discovered within.

Eventually the Far Market gave up for the night, vowing to return the following day with a threat of leveling the Hall again or the town should the tome not be handed over to their possession.

In a way, they would make good on their promise.

Chapter 6: Far Market Troubles

Chapter 6: Far Market Troubles This recap was written by Arnylon Cosset.

The following evening was met with all sorts of thoughts being bandied about regarding the place the Far Market would strike. The general consensus seemed to be Clovertooth Hall. As often the case with speculation, it turned out to be wrong.

Terse voices from the shadows indicated the mayor’s cottage. The throng outside the hall raced to Nihala’s abode. The Far Market's leader again demanded the tome be handed over. The deal WOULD be honored, or else. The threat was not greeted warmly by those assembled. A blurred figure leapt from the shadows, slicing the sentry’s throat, taking away one obstacle to the cottage’s door.

Aghast, many in the mob began insulting the shadows. Disparaging remarks about the lineage and methods of the Far Market band filled the air. The leader’s voice came from the shadows behind the sentry’s cooling body. “Honor the deal that Hibbits made and hand over the tome.”

No time was given to contemplate why the Deputy Mayor had made a deal to turn over what appeared to be a rather powerful magical artifact to a semi-organized band of thugs. The shadows swirled and seemed to come to life. Dozens upon dozens of Far Market began an assault upon the cottage and its defenders. Many fell during the assault. Even worse, the Far Market managed to set the cottage alight. Despite the thick coating of snow upon the roof, the cottage soon was an inferno. Within minutes, only the charred frame remained, hissing as the cooling wood vaporized each snowflake that came near.

Lament began for the mayor. Once the cottage’s remains had cooled, what was left of her body would be recovered and a grand funeral would be held. A cowled figure that appeared by one corner of the cottage’s foundation had other ideas.

Pulling back the cowl, the figure was revealed as Nihala. Apparently she’d known the Far Market would come and had escaped before the cottage was leveled. There was only one Far Market remaining, the leader. All the others had been killed during the attack on the cottage.

The leader demanded the tome. Demanded that the deal be concluded. Somehow, the tome was wrested from Nihala. The leader grabbed it. At first those who watched thought the look worn was one of triumph and ecstasy. It was not. The tome began glowing. The leader’s hands took on a purplish glint. Light from the tome brightened and surrounded the leader. More and more intense the light grew. Humming filled the night. The leader both exploded and melted at the same time. Purplish goo splattered on everything nearby, including the assemblage.

Unfortunately, the bandit attack seemed to affect the orbs. They now each were at cardinal points but a stride away from Town Center. Four orbs surrounding the square, with the tower at the center. Or rather an arch. It had transformed again. An electrum arch with a purplish swirling vortex within its span. Any who looked within the vortex could see a slumped figure within chained to a wall with veil iron shackles.

Nihala said she’d spirit herself away somewhere but would return to town when things had settled some to address everyone regarding the tome and its disposition. Until then she’d hide from any members of the Far Market that might still be alive.

In the meantime, continued research on the riddle still revealed only frustration. Few, if any, clues were to be had about what it might mean. Life continued unabated until the mayor again showed to speak about the tome.

Nihala said she’d finished reading the tome and would put it on display for others to read at their leisure. A pedestal topped with a magical cage was placed outside Clovertooth Hall with the tome contained within the cage. Any who wished to peruse the book could do so at their leisure. Another reveleation came from the placement. Nihala stated that Hibbits had lied and told everyone the tome had been discovered in Clovertooth Hall. He had lied at Nihala’s request. The tome actually had been obtained during one of his trips to Pinefar. A vague hint was given that maybe a hint to its origins might be discovered within the forest. She also went on to reveal that someone or something appeared to be calling for the tome and the magic contained within its bindings.

All efforts to read more than a single page were thwarted. The tome remained stuck on a single page:

“Under direction from the Eight, I, Daukherea the Blac, have been tasked to document the Troubles for future reference. I have endeavored to keep my notes as clear as possible, and will be transcribing them to this volume, which will be taken to Marble Cavern for safekeeping under the direct supervision of the Eight themselves. It is my deepest hope that the Troubles have been eradicated, but there appears to be some skepticism among the elders. The series of events known as the Troubles began with a…

The rest of the page was unreadable.

At a loss, the people of Icemule decided to turn to the Arkati for salvation, or at least hopefully some answers.

Chapter 7: Commune with Lumnis

Chapter 7: Commune with Lumnis This recap was written by Arnylon Cosset.

Frustration with being unable to solve the riddle or stave off the repeated attacks by the Far Market, undead, and various creatures prompted action. Four clerics representing a myriad of Liabo Arkati met in the hopes of arriving at an agreement as to which Arkati would be petitioned to hopefully make some sense of recent occurrences. Lorminstra was represented by Enestrie. Charl’s representative was Arnylon, Brokkersten, Khanshael Dwarven Priest of Koar , and before arrangement were finalized, Eruheran, Elven Priest of Koar.

Charl was discounted because even though there was a snowstorm, storms weren’t really a province for questions. The Lady of Winter was also put aside, as the arch really didn’t seem Lorminstra’s province. After quiet discussion, eventually all the clerics agreed upon Lumnis to petition, as wisdom and appropriate usage of that wisdom with regards to the arch, the figure contained within, and the tome itself seemed likely to be of the most help for Icemule.

Enestrie offered to perform the commune if no representative of Lumnis could be located. Despite a seemingly overabundance of priests and priestesses within Icemule, the task to find one of Lumnis proved daunting. Gillieath, Priestess of Lumnis, was finally found in the wee hours of the morning, less than a full day before the scheduled time the commune would take place. Much thought was put into which questions would be asked of the Lady. Gillieath modified the original questions somewhat in the hopes they’d be more palatable to her Patron’s ear.

Many besides the attendant clerics wished to witness the commune, and the entire entourage was led by Gillieath to Icemule’s Temple, and eventually within to Lumnis’ altar in the Hall of the Mind. Despite the sheer number who’d shown, the crowd quickly quieted when Gillieath requested silence so she could clear her mind. Preparations complete, Gillieath quietly murmured askance of the Lady of Wisdom. Her prayer complete, she urged Brokkersten, Eruheran, Arnylon, and Enestrie to place their offerings of winter roses before Lumnis’ altar.

With the roses placed, Gillieath asked of Lumnis the following:

“A History of Ancient Sorcery”, penned by Daukera Darkfloor, appears to have created a portal to another dimension or plane. Through this portal many attacks on innocents have been made and within the portal we see a chained figure shackled with veil iron. Should we seek a way to free it of its bonds? We seek your wisdom in finding a way to close or destroy the portal and the sorcerous tome. How might we do this?”

Next:

“Lady Lumnis knowledge is needed to cure Icemule’s Mayor, Nihala. After reading the tome for a length of time an affliction has possessed Nihala. Please guide us Lady of Knowledge and Wisdom on how we might seek the cure.”

Finally:

“Dearest: Lady of Wisdom: Please guide my Lady as you always have on how the people of Icemule, who have suffered great loss because of the tome’s discovery, may best be helped.”

A silvery, light blue mist flowed into the Hall of the Mind as GIllieath posed her questions, and after the final word of the third question was asked, a gentle stillness pervaded the area.

Soon the mist coalesced into the form of a tall, robed, elderly woman. The offerings upon and before the altar disappeared in a flash.

The form soon answered almost disdainfully, seemingly annoyed. “To close a gate, one must find the key. Why do you bring such obvious questions to me?”

Gillieath entreated her apology to the form of the Lady, and something changed. The mist swirled, turning an off-white hue. Wild giggling filled the hall.

What seemed to be a different voice spoke, its voice echoing throughout the entire chamber, fading toward the end of its proclamation. “The tome came from me, and soon you will see…”

Again the mist and form swirled and changed. This time a young man bearing many scars near his hands took form. His answer? “The arch came from me… What fun it will be!”, followed by giddy laughter.

Soon the figure within the midst appeared to grow anxious and fidgety, apparently doing battle with a whitish-gold glow that had formed behind Lumnis’ altar.

The figure yelled to the throng, “I created the tome. I created the arch. What of it?”

Mylenna, Human Rogue from Oire, asked the figure if it was Daukhera. The answer given was filled with contempt, telling all in earshot that Daukhera was but a mere mortal.

After asking why the figure would revel in the harming of innocents, a pervading scent of ozone and the loud echo of shackles resounded through the hall. A battle within the mist seemed to take place.

A flash and cry of “NO!”, and again Lumnis stood within the mist. The lingering effect of the blast left those in the chamber temporarily blinded, but Lumnis had one more thing to tell Her Priestess.

“I can only hope that the contact was helpful, for I can provide no further answers to your questions. To heal your Mayor, send a servant of Lorminstra to the place where the dwarves dwell and retrieve a symbol of her power. You will understand how to use it in time…”

With sight returned, no trace of the mist or Lumnis was seen. Many began talking about the commune, and of being in the presence of one of the Arkati. One thing had definitely been decided by the commune. A trip was in order. Although not exactly spelled out as to location, the choice on who to send seemed fairly obvious. Enestrie would be making a journey to Zul Logoth in search of the key.

Chapter 8: The Warden

Chapter 8: The Warden This recap was written by Arnylon Cosset.

Enestrie decided she would leave for Zul Logoth the very next evening. Time didn’t necessarily seem of the essence, but having any sort of answer to the tome, arch, and riddle seemed better than nothing, even if only a partial answer without a clue exactly how it fit into the whole.

During her preparations, many offered to help. Eruheran, Arnylon, and Mylenna would accompany Enestrie on her journey. Enestrie had already obtained chronomage orbs to transport the group to the caverns of Zul Logoth, making the arduous journey instantaneous instead. The journey ahead would still take a fair bit of time, as the climb up the Ancient Passage to the obelisks at the top consisted of nearly twenty extremely long flights of stairs. The view along the way sported murals depicting various Arkati in their element as well as a few magnificently chiseled statues set into various landing alcoves. The climb was long and beautiful.

Upon reaching the apex of the Passage, Eruheran led the group into the room containing obelisks dedicated to all the Arkati and lesser spirits aligned with Liabo. Enestrie prayed and blessed the obelisk dedicated to Lorminstra two separate times. Each time, a key-shaped symbol materialized in her hand. The thought was one for the key to the riddle, and the other in case the first was somehow either misplaced or destroyed. Backup literally in hand, the group returned to Icemule to find that the tome outside Clovertooth Hall had changed.

The page was entirely different:

16 Eorgina 3013

The electrum dome has almost been extinguished, thanks to the tireless work of the Eight. We do have the {incomprehensible}, but that brings its own perils, and would require Council approval to enact. Should the Troubles ever return, the Eight have labored to secret away the tool necessary to counter them. Each has placed a portion of the whole in a location chosen by affinity {incomprehensible}….

Exhausted from their quest, all four headed for some much needed rest. Things in Icemule settled into a routine of normalcy. At least things were as normal as could be with a caged tome shooting out purplish lights of energy and a giant arch with a seeming portal to places unknown that randomly threw off nauseating waves of wind and elemental energies plaguing the city.

The relative peace was not slated to last. A gathering outside of Clovertooth materialized seemingly of its own accord. Someone had tried to abscond with the Tome, attempting to remove it from it’s magical cage atop the pedestal. The response from the tome was immediate and violent. It began hurtling itself against the bars of its imprisonment, pages and covers flapping wildly with each attempt. Great gouts of purplish light poured from the tome into the sky. Quakes and wind began within town. It almost seemed that violence was its defense if any but Nihala attempted to caress or hold the volume.

When the tome finally quieted, it had settled open upon a new page:

Begin your quest at the peak of the Pinnacle. Seek out the tomb from before the Time of Dreams. ‘Neath its slumber shall you find the Home. From the Home venture forth in the deepest of ways, plumbing the depths of the darkest nightmare. My piece of the Whole comes at a price for the seeker. A part of yourself shall you leave behind, for knowledge of this sort always has its price.

Yet another riddle had been revealed, but one which some present seemed to think they knew how to solve. The answer would have to wait, however, as various undead poured into town from the east. Creatures of magma, dhe’nari sorcerers, vampiric vruul, and nasty mein constructs began a prolonged onslaught upon the city. Many of the defenders perished in the defense, a fact that on some intrinsic level seemed to put the tome and arch into a rapturous state. Nothing aloud was heard, but all near to either one could feel the glee.

In Town Center, a floating being or thing was seen. It implored all present to set it free so it could play with the tome. For some reason, it could not see the arch, which by this point had transformed yet again into a wide curving span of electrum. The anomaly griped about its decades of imprisonment, and when prompted for its name state that it was Daukhera Darkflorr. Dirvy asked the being why it had been chained. The answer was given after a bit of chilling laughter.

The being was succinct, “For a fool’s love, and a crime I never committed, and a love who has now perished.” The being was absorbed by the arch, but not before saying that the key to freeing it was located within the tome itself.

Enestrie had a vision shortly afterward, followed by a shared vision with all the clerics nearby. The vision was accompanied with an extreme sense of urgency. Time was assuredly of the essence:

Running through a snowy forest, your heart pounds with adrenaline. You enter a chamber lit by torches. The need to search for clues among the secrets overcomes you.

Everyone agreed to head to Pinefar to search. The arch and tome perhaps had other ideas. More and more creatures poured into Town Center. The lull between waves was virtually non-existent. Despite the ruckus and fray, an expedition north was launched. The forest and caves were searched, until eventually many more vruul were discovered guarding a sarcophagus inside an icy cave at the Chamber of the Dead. Belle’s husband lay entombed within. An etching upon the wall read “The..” That turned out not to be the most amazing find of the night. A call was heard imploring all to come outside quickly.

In the open once more, beneath a mound of apparently hastily packed snow, a discovery was made. It appeared that the request for the identity of the prisoner behind the warded door in the penitentiary might take quite some time to be answered. Still wearing his uniform, the penitentiary’s warden would never share that, or any information, again. His was the corpse found beneath the snow.

Out of a sense of both curiousity and respect, the body was returned to Icemule’s Town Center. An intrepid bard attempted to wrest more information about the cause of death, but unfortunately all attempts to cajole a sung tale from the body were for naught. The mystery of who killed the warden or why would remain for the moment unsolved.

Exploration of the town to rid it of the few remaining creatures that roamed revealed that the towering shadow outside of Clovertooth Hall had transformed into something akin to the wisps of life’s essence that sometimes escape into the air within the confines of local graveyards. This one was slightly different, as it appeared bound or trapped to the very ground beneath its floating form.

Cleanup complete, most headed to bed or to the arms of loved ones after being given notice that a town meeting of ICICLE would be held toward the end of the week discussing several projects in the works. Perhaps the meeting would distract those who live in Icemule from focus upon its recent troubles.

The Tome

The tome is quite large and heavy.  The cover, crafted of an unknown hide, is cracked and faded, though you can still make out the tome's title.  A thick, metal-bound leather strap set with a keyhole wraps around the book, sealing off its contents.
There appears to be something written on it.
 
In the Common language, it reads:
 
A History of Ancient Sorcery Recorded by Daukhera Darkflorr

The tome is clearly visible beneath the bars of the caged pedestal.  It has been opened to the first page.  On the left side is a collection of dense, unintelligible text.  The text seems to be truly random, being of different colors and written in different directions.  On the right side of the spine is a glowing purple sigil in the shape of an eye.  You cannot escape the feeling that the eye is looking directly back at you...

In the Common language, it reads:
Under direction from the Eight, I, Daukhera the Black, have been tasked to document The Troubles for future reference.  I have endeavored to keep my notes as clear as possible, and will be transcribing them to this volume, which will be taken to Marble Cavern for safekeeping under the direct supervision of the Eight themselves.  It is my deepest hope that The Troubles have been eradicated, but there appears to be some skepticism among the elders.  The series of events known as The Troubles began with a...

16 Eorgina 3013

The electrum dome has almost been extinguished, thanks to the tireless work of the Eight.  We do have the {incomprehensible}, but that brings its own perils, and would require Council approval to enact.  Should the Troubles ever return, the Eight have labored to secret away the tool necessary to counter them.  Each has placed a portion of the whole in a location chosen by affinity {incomprehensible}...

Begin your quest at the peak of the Pinnacle.  Seek out the tomb from before the time of Dreams.  'Neath its slumber shall you find the Home.  From the Home venture forth in the deepest of ways, plumbing the depths of the darkest nightmare.  My piece of the Whole comes at a price for the seeker.  A part of yourself shall you leave behind, for knowledge of this sort always has its price.

After townspeople read this page, they searched the forests of Pinefar, and outside of the Chamber of the Dead, they found the frozen body of the Warden.

The page has been torn out of some kind of book or other binding as evidenced by the jagged left edge.  Though the ink on the page has faded considerably, some words in elegant script are visible near the top.  Toward the center-bottom of the page, a symbol has been painted in near-invisible ink.  Try as you might, you can't make it out; your eye simply won't focus upon it, as if it were purposefully evading your gaze.
There appears to be something written on it.

In the Common language, it reads:

Primeval power long ago forbidden
With simplest words can be unhidden

Visions

Dirvy's vision the night she attempted to heal Mayor Nihala:

You approach Nihala, intent on healing her. You reach out with your mind, attempting to establish the empath link. But something goes awry. Some force is interfering with your attempt... a powerful entity or essence or something you can't quite discern. You glance down at the tome in Nihala's hand which begins to glow an eerie green hue.

You are paralyzed, unable to move, yet you continue probing Nihala's mind with your empathic abilities, in search of some solution, some ray of hope. You desperately wish to heal her of this curse, this magical plague. But your mind's eye finds only shadows in her soul, and your ears are bombarded with tormented wailings and maniacal laughter. You struggle to maintain a semblance of sanity. You are immobilized.

The air grows thick with a swirling magical essence that quickly envelops the healer and Mayor as they are locked in a mental struggle.

Feeling all hope is lost, you reach out with one final attempt to find light in Nihala's soul. Suddenly, your mind is transported and as the magic lurches you forward. You receive a vision. You are standing on a snowy mountainside surrounded by verdant evergreens. Though your sight is blurry, you recognize this as the Pinefar forests. You immediately realize you are seeing the not-too-distant future. But something just in front of you isn't quite right. What is that doing here? It doesn't belong! You reach out to it, grab ahold, and pull...

The tome lands on the ground with a thump.

You hear a thump as whatever you yanked lands on the snowy ground, and the vision around you dissolves into reality. You notice your own body has landed in the snow, but you are still bewildered, and not quite able to move yet. Breaking the empathic link with Nihala, Dirvy collapses in the snow, still unable to move.

Nihala looks unfazed and sighs gently.

Enestrie's vision while walking back from White Haven, in her own words:

While walking back to White Haven this eve after catching a breathtaking view of the sun setting over the ice pond I had a sudden vision. I am writing down exactly what I saw in case I fail to recall it on the morrow.

I was on my way back to White Haven, my recent pilgrimage to Zul Logoth still on my mind--memories of the splendid murals, and the awe-inspiring presence of each Liabo patron that Eruheran, Arnylon, Mylenna, and I witnessed on our epic climb.

I suddenly sensed Lorminstra's presence at this moment of recall. It was so startling I nearly fainted.

I ran past the doorman and into the foyer as I was overcome by Lorminstra's insight:

In my minds eye I see: a handshake deep in darkness... A deal made in secret... A payment in shade...

Before I even had a moment to ponder--I became overcome with exhaustion. I felt my eyes close, and it was if a mist was dissolved in my mind.

Then, a voice whispers, "We have to get rid of this thing, but she opened it already..." The vision is gone as quickly as it came.

I find it very hard to breath, so I concentrate--inhale, exhale........suddenly I am in Pinefar, running as fast as I can, tripping over frozen logs and leaping past icy brambles. The weight of the sack in my hands is nearly too much to bear, and the weight of my heart, even heavier.

I sat up, startled, and the vision left. As I tried to calm my thoughts and slow my pounding heart, I sensed my Goddess Lorminstra for a fleeting moment......then she was gone.

Enestrie's vision the night the Warden's body was found outside of the Chamber of the Dead:

As you try to recover, your mind wanders back to your vision. Running through the woods... a secret word... a tomb... a frozen corpse...

Clues

• A tome called A History of Ancient Sorcery, written by Daukhera Darkflorr.
• A page from the tome that Enestrie is in possession of, that has a riddle, "Primeval power long ago forbidden. With simplest words can be unhidden."
• The shadows that shroud Kilded, his accelerated aging, and his hair falling out.
• Enestrie's weakness and skin turning blue.
• Dirvy's vision that included maniacal laughter, tormented wailing, shadows shrouding Mayor Nihala's soul, the forests of Pinefar, and at the end of the vision, the tome was on the ground, wrenched from the Mayor's hand while Dirvy was connected to her.
• Necromancy, that seems to be the cause for all the magical disruptions in Icemule lately.
• Deputy Mayor Hibbits having the power to summon creatures during the training session, and then him being unable to control that magic and fleeing to the forest of Pinefar, and later finding himself in the Elemental Confluence, where he died. Hibbits is still missing.
• The dome in Town Center that keeps transforming by drawing energy from an unknown source. It is theorized by Arnylon and Dirvy that the dome may be feeding off of life energy.
• The orbs in and around town and at the Penitentiary, that seem to be cracked or deteriorating. Witnesses have observed these orbs injuring and killing townspeople. Caution should be used when in close promixity to these orbs.
• Apparitions that have been seen traveling to orbs and back to the dome where they are then absorbed. The last apparition to appear was in humanoid form. Another humanoid apparition joined it, and shortly after, those gathered were under attack by various creatures. It is theorized by Dirvy, that the apparitions drew life energy from these slain creatures to feed into the dome when they were later absorbed by it. The last time an apparition appeared, it asked those gathered to learn from it and to not fear.
• The bounty that has been placed on the Mayor and the tome she possesses.
• The strange, unintelligible whispers that can sometimes be heard in town.
• The prisoner that claims to be Daukhera Darkflorr.
• The Warden's body recovered outside of the Chamber of the Dead.