Category:The Griffin Sword War

The Griffin Sword War, sometimes called the First Griffin Sword War, was a storyline that ran in Wehnimer's Landing in August and September of 1996. It inspired another quest many years later, the Griffin Sword Saga. The Griffin Sword was a relic of Lorminstra, bestowed in the past unto her warrior-priest Morfell Destrieder. However, Morfell fell from Lorminstra's grace and caused the sword to shatter.

During the storyline, adventurers defended the Landing from a series of invasions by the followers of Luukos, Mularos, Sheru and V'tull, who intended to desecrate the Temple of Lorminstra within the town. Those followers had acquired the four pieces of the shattered Griffin Sword, which they planned to use as part of their acts of desecration. Each follower sect attacked the town, one by one, and after each invading force was repelled, one piece of the Griffin Sword was recovered by the defending adventurers. At the storyline's conclusion, all four pieces were reforged, and the sword was affixed within a stone outside of the Temple of Lorminstra.

Summary

Prophet's Arrival

A prophet arrived in Wehnimer's Landing, speaking with those gathered at Hearthstone, where he brought them up to its roof. He shared the story of the Griffin Sword and Lorminstra's chosen, Morfell.

The Griffin Sword was a powerful relic, one of a few great swords forged in antiquity eons ago. Blacksmiths labored for months to forge it, and it was enchanted by powerful mages, causing it to glow "like flame in the sun, a moonbeam at night and as a beacon in the darkest storm". Consecrated in Lorminstra's name, it was bestowed unto her warrior-priest Morfell.

The Griffin Sword had a pommel of sapphire in the shape of griffin claws set in platinum with precious gems. Its hilt was alabaster with gold and platinum braids that perfectly fit any hand. The quillions were shaped like griffin wings, with griffin heads with emerald eyes on each end. Its blade was folded with a method only known on Teras Isle. It was later discovered to be forged of veil iron.

Lorminstra herself personally blessed the sword and spoke with Morfell. He worshipped her for many years, but ultimately succumbed to the temptation of dark power. He forged a pact with several of the Lornon pantheon: Luukos, Mularos, Sheru, and V'tull. Performing a ritual in secret, Morfell re-consecrated the sword in their names, corrupting the relic. Upon doing so, a great storm arose, and at the height of the tempest, the sword was shattered into four pieces that were scattered across the lands.

The sword's four shards remained scattered and forgotten for many ages. When the Modern Age arrived, Lorminstra decided that it was time for the sword to be reforged. The forces of the four dark Arkati emerged, and they found and claimed the four shards for themselves. Having recovered the pieces of her holy relic, they began to work toward their next goal: to permanently desecrate Lorminstra's holy places while using her own power against her. The Landing's own Temple of Lorminstra was their target, and the prophet had traveled there to prevent this desecration from happening.

Attack of the Four

Forces of the four dark gods arrived in many waves over many more days.

The Mouth of V'tull invaded the Landing first. Among his forces were feral and diseased animals, followed by warriors and marauders riding myrmidons. Beings fighting in the sky were glimpsed overhead. The invading forces eventually retreated after Ragni slayed the Mouth of V'tull. The Griffin Sword's pommel was claimed from the Mouth by Guillaume.

A black stone was found near the Temple of Lorminstra. The prophet shared that the stone was somehow interfering with his ability to speak with her.

Several days later, the Sheruvain Nightmaster invaded. The first waves were feral and poisonous animals, this time followed by Sheruvian harbingers, nightmare steeds, and tormentors. They, too, were repelled and their leader slain. Challen helped recover the hilt from the Nightmaster, which was claimed by Shardik.

The prophet returned in a weakened state after the Sheruvian forces retreated. Many years later, it was revealed that Lorminstra herself was aiding in the battle, draining herself with the effort.

The Master of Pain led the next invasion. The first waves included black pumas, slime worms, and Mularosian scouts, followed by punishers, flayers, and dominators. Once again, they were repelled and the leader slain; the quillions were claimed by Tedra.

The final onslaught was led by the Keeper of Lies on behalf of Luukos. More animals were in the first waves, then wraiths, scouts, dissipators, warlocks, and vorteces. Reptilian soldiers and lizard warriors followed, and then shamans, arch mages, and soul takers. The Keeper was slain and the final forces were repelled, with the blade claimed by Challen.

Trials and Purification

A month passed before the prophet returned, now in much better health. He gathered the four holding shards of the Griffin Sword and explained to them that the pieces must be purified before it could be reforged. He informed them that they must each go to a "pool of tears" to face and defeat a guardian. Once defeated, the shards must be placed within the water and then on top of an altar so that Lorminstra might bless them again. In this way, each must face a trial as part of the purification process.

The four shard-bearers were not permitted to speak to one another during the trials. A fifth adventurer, Corwin, was selected to serve as a scribe but was not permitted to interfere in any of the trials. Each shard-bearer was sent one at a time through a thin veil of fog to the Lake of Tears. A stone altar was present amid evergreen trees, and there was a profound sense of sorrow in the air. There, too, stood the guardian. The guardian asked each in turn who they were and what their purpose was for arriving at the lake, gauging their character. He asked each if they knew the nature of the lake, which was filled with Lorminstra's tears over the eons, and then asked why she cried. Lorminstra is said to shed a tear for each soul that chooses darkness or permanently dies before their time.

Shardik went first. He answered the questions to the guardian's satisfaction, then knelt to place the hilt in the Lake of Tears, where it hissed with steam. White glow surrounded it and was absorbed, and then the water went still. For an instant, the sense of sorrow lifted and a feeling of kindness was felt by both Shardik and Corwin. The hilt was blessed on the altar.

Guillaume went next. When he first arrived at the lake, he immediately tried to cast Bind on the guardian and failed. The guardian killed him with white fire. Corwin dragged Guillaume out.

Tedra went next and asked the guardian to let her pass. She then answered the questions to the guardian's satisfaction, before placing the quillions first in the lake and then on the altar. There, she prayed to Lorminstra.

Challen was the third to face the trial. Challen informed the guardian that he was there to defeat him, then immediately ambushed the guardian from hiding, severing a leg. The guardian killed Challen with a dark catalyst. His corpse remained by the Lake of Tears as Corwin was unable to drag him out. Guillaume was allowed to return to raise Challen. Afterward, the guardian told Challen to leave. Guillaume pleaded his case to the guardian, asking to redeem himself. The guardian asked him his series of questions, including why he had not yet learned that violence is not the first choice. Ultimately, Guillaume answered the questions to the guardian's satisfaction. He placed the pommel within the lake, and then upon the altar to be blessed.

Challen returned and apologized to the guardian. He was also given a second chance and answered the guardian's questions. He purified the blade, first in the lake and then on the altar. All four pieces were now purified.

Reforging the Sword

After the trials were completed and the four shards purified, the prophet informed everyone that there was still a fifth piece of the Griffin Sword that was missing. A gem called the Eye of Lorminstra needed to be found in order to reforge it, as it held the sword's power within. The Eye of Lorminstra was later found in Darkstone Castle by Corwin.

The prophet eventually returned after the Eye was recovered. He arrived carrying the black stone that had been placed outside of the Landing's temple during the prior invasions. He also carried an enruned chest. The prophet placed the black stone inside the chest, along with the four Griffin Sword shards and the Eye of Lorminstra. He retreated to the Temple of Lorminstra, where he said he would meet with everyone.

At the temple, the prophet shared that Lorminstra was very pleased and thanked everyone for aiding her by stopping the forces of darkness.

The heavens shimmered briefly above those gathered. Lorminstra herself spoke aloud. She said that her prophet had redeemed himself after so many eons, and she granted him his memory and his identity back. She revealed that the prophet was none other than Morfell himself, the one who had tainted the relic so long ago and led to its destruction. When the sword had shattered, Lorminstra took Morfell's identity and memories from him, leaving him in that state until such a time that he could redeem himself for what he had done. He had served her as her prophet, unaware of his own past.

Morfell revealed that the Griffin Sword was now reforged, perhaps by Eonak's very hand. The black stone that had been recovered alongside the shards was now pure white marble, with the sword embedded into it. The embedded sword was left outside the Temple of Lorminstra, where it was protected by powerful wardings. It became a fixture within the Landing, and adventurers would often rub it to impart a blessing on their weapon to better fight the undead.

Three chroniclers were given tomes. Corwin and the four shard-bearers were each given golden pins. Before his departure, Morfell shared that much can be learned from one's own mistakes. He asked the pin-holders to show the light path to those who had chosen evil. He also shared that he liked being called just Prophet and would return as needed.

Cast of Characters

• Morfell Destrieder
• The Guardian of the Lake of Tears
• The Keeper of Lies
• The Master of Pain
• The Mouth of V'tull
• The Sheruvian Nightmaster

Additional Information

After the Griffin Sword was reforged, it was embedded into a stone just outside of the Temple of Lormintra in Wehnimer's Landing. It could be rubbed to bless a weapon to fight the undead.

The Griffin Sword was later taken from the stone and shattered a second time as part of a much later storyline, the Griffin Sword Saga. Morfell, too, returned when he was needed during those events, though perhaps not in the way he had foreseen.

See Also

• Elanthian Journal #08 - containing a summary of the storyline, as written in 2002 at the start of the Griffin Sword Saga
• The Griffin Sword creation - recounting the original creation of the Griffin Sword, leading up to the first Griffin Sword War
• The Griffin Sword Saga - which became the second Griffon Sword War