Zenon

Warning: This page concerns archaic world setting information from the I.C.E. Age of GemStone III. It is not canon in contemporary GemStone IV, nor is it canonical for Shadow World as the details may be specific to GemStone III. It is only historical context for certain very old parts of the game and these things should not be mixed.

Zenon was the 58th Lord Sorcerer of the Council of Mages for the city of Quellburn in the Shadow World history. He was seduced into being corrupted with the Unlife by the high priest of the Cult of the Snow Lion, aiding their secret order in the utter annihilation of the kingdom of Quellbourne. Zenon spent years planning his alliances with the trolls of the Kaldsfang mountains, the Ice Kral (Modern: Krolvin) of the northern coast of the Seolfar Strake (Modern: Lysierian Hills), his assortment of monstrous experiments, and pacts with ever more powerful Demons of the Pales. When his plan was finally executed in 5840 Third Era he opened portals to bypass the physical and magical defenses of the citadel. The hordes wrecked the citadel of Quellburn in addition to plundering and destroying the coastal villages.

Unfortunately for him, Zenon was hit with a Spell of Amnesia True by the 66th Mystic, Alladyre, which wiped out his memory of his role in the fall of Quellburn. Alladyre was soon slain by a Demon of the Fourth Pale. Zenon wandered the ruined city seeking to return his memory for over two centuries. Some refugees of Quellburn fled south and hid in a cave, which turned out to have a giant spider. They would give it sacrifices and eventually formed the Spider Temple, worshipping the spider goddess Hrassk. (In later Shadow World books there is a spider goddess of Charon (Modern: Lornon) named Daglea.)

In the fallout of the invasion his hordes sought out destruction of their own accord. The trolls spread throughout the forested regions north of the mountains, and the threks and manticores which Zenon had made went into the northern hills. His tergons from the High Plateau are probably the Seoltang word for cave worms, but it is not explicitly stated. The Ice Kral raided these coasts and would end up settling on the island in the middle of the bay. By the time Kelfour's Landing (Modern: Wehnimer's Landing) was founded, the old kingdom was mostly wiped out. The lands were thus ripe with resources to be exploited, as the prior populations had been mostly destroyed. While Quellburn was founded by refugees of Zor, Zenon was clearly not human from his longevity. Zenon was still alive with amnesia in 6050 Third Era.

Labyrinth

The Labyrinth of Zenon appears to be a GemStone III specific concept, not existing as copyrighted material in the Shadow World source books.

The Labyrinth of Zenon 

The following article is derived from various writings on the strange phenomenon of Zenon's Labyrinth: 

As part of his plot to destroy the Council, the evil sorcerer Zenon created what has ironically become his most enduring monument, the mysterious Labyrinth of Illusion. The magical arts that were employed in the construction of the Labyrinth are long forgotten, but the Labyrinth itself remains. 

Although it is impossible to judge Zenon's true motives in creating the Labyrinth, it seems likely that it was created as a place of refuge for his minions. The Labyrinth appears to be a huge maze of interconnected rooms and corridors, perfect for such a purpose. 

Scholars are divided over the true nature of the Labyrinth. Some claim that it is actually located in another dimensional plane, and does not exist in our reality at all. Others are convinced that the Labyrinth is a massive illusion, and is actually much smaller than it appears. 

Other than Zenon, only the man known as the Sage knows the true nature of the Labyrinth. The Sage was apparently a student of Zenon, and may have helped him create the Labyrinth. When Zenon fell to the Unlife, however, the Sage felt compelled to side against him. After the defeat of Zenon, the Sage decided that the Labyrinth, the greatest creation of his teacher, should be used in a positive manner, as a monument to the good man that Zenon was before he was lead astray. 

Therefore, the Sage created on each of the many levels of the Labyrinth a sacred altar. It is said that great rewards await those who are brave enough to challenge the Labyrinth, find all the altars, and humbly pray before each in turn. In order to do so, however, one must first find entrance to the Labyrinth, a glowing portal that drifts around the landscape. It has not been seen in the vicinity of Kelfour's Landing for more than a generation. 

Concerning the Sage, little is known. His true name is lost in the mists of the past. Indeed, it is said that over the centuries, the Sage himself has forgotten much. Some say he has even forgotten how to die.

The labyrinth is mentioned as having been visited by adventurers in "The Iron Wind" article of Kelfour Edition volume I number XII (May 1991).

"Forebodingly,  a misty portal
did appear mysteriously in town which
lead us to nether regions of the evil
sorceror  Zenon's labyrinth.  After a
great conflict with the Essence Flows
and in the ensuing havoc, it then did
vanish,  so whatever evil portent was
buried there has yet to be discovered
and cannot be foretold."

- Kelfour Edition volume I number XII (May 1991); Elor Once-Dark (the player character, not the actual Loremaster from canon)

Behind the Scenes

The wrecked village of the Coastal Cliffs is ruined from the invasions in the fall of Quellbourne from two centuries ago, according to a journal supposedly found there mentioned in Kelfour Edition volume II number VII in December 1991. If this is real the timing is implied by the Kral invading from Trelkinaark, but the locals thinking the citadel of Quellburn still exists. There was later a note from Zenon in the box from which the black reaver was released, discovered at the tower in the northwestern corner of Danjirland (which would belong to the cult behind the Council of Light.) Zenon was also known to have had a magical labyrinth that wandered the countryside as an errant portal. The ruined city of Quellburn was only accessible as a quest area in the I.C.E. Age, and Zenon never existed in the modern history.