Editing Midnight RPG - Chapter 30.111

==Within the Cadaverous Eye==
While within this artifact of massive necromantic power these are the things that Kyuad learned...  <br> '''''BILL''':  feel free to ask any questions you have regarding Kyuad's knowledge base from being joined with (or in) the Eye.  I'll answer the questions as best I can.  Some may be purposely confusing or incomplete.  First I'll try and note all the things we talked about to collect your info gained...''

'''<font color="990066">Bill's Question:</font>''' I take it all of this information came from things that the 'Eye knew?  Is there any indication as to the source of the information?  As in Vrolk vs. the Drugal vs. the dwarven library of Moria.


==Zardrix==


===Zardrix Held At Bay===
Through as yet uknown means, only hinted at by the strange mind-meldings of the Cadaverous Eye and Kyuad (below) - It is known that it was not the Vrok demon that held the great dragon at bay that day of our death on the Spear of Grief.  It was the Eye itself.  And in this the Demonbane holds hope of control of the Beast on Wing, as did Lord Sunulael hope for the walking and tethered deads...

'''<font color="990066">Bill's Question:</font>''' What is the Demonbane again?



===Near Perfect Undeath===
The matriarch of dragonkind, the beast on wing, death incarnate, the Wrath of Shadow, Zardrix is our greatest success.  A gift given unknowningly by our masters to the Fallen One, the Hate of Aryth.  An ultimate success of undeath, created by the device of our master's whims.  Who then is the true gods of Aryth, that which revolts from the light or they that hold the beacon, allowing the Enemy to cast Shadow?  Yes... it is with this that the world will come to destiny, the culmination of our master's work.  The body not killed, living but dead within.  The mind surpressed from feelings of heart.  What became of her is - "living undeath".
What pulses and pumps the dread ichor within her veins then if heart is lost?  So comes the next incarnation of a plan set in motion when the world was young... <br> There is a great and grotesque necromantic experiment walking the lands of the world.  Yet her black blood moves as with the tethered dead, the fuels of unlife.  However the demand on the body of the beast yet beckons, two and ten times the worth of replunishment of feast and dream is call for the Wrath to maintain the Thing on Wings - lest the clutches be lost... For her neck is as thick and long as a maudrial tree, and her wingspan could cover an entire village. She trails smoke, fire, and darkness behind, and an unearthly roar precedes, heralding the destruction that she will wreak. <br> But the masters may now fear even themselves knowing that the cutting of the pump from her breast is long lost by the powers of those of Black Blood, this Claws of Zardrix is lost to mankind. Yet she is still a tool to more than one, the near perfect undeath.

'''<font color="990066">Bill's Question:</font>''' "Our masters" refers to what?



==THE ULTIMATE LIE==

===Lore===
There is one truth, hidden from the eyes of man, fey and dragon alike. One truth, which would plunge the forces of Izrador, the Shadow in the North, into chaos. One truth, that has been hidden for millenniums by the darkest forces on Aryth, one truth, hidden behind thousands of years of deceit. One truth, so absolute, so fatal, it would shatter the forces of darkness into a thousand fragmented pieces:  There is no god. Izrador is dead. All the gods are dead. The Sundering did not cast a god out of heaven. It was a divine cataclysm of heaven, in which all the gods perished. The Sundering was no war between divine beings. It was a war between god and mortal. Mortal won. Maybe the Elthedar grew arrogant, and believed they no longer needed their creators. Maybe mankind looked at the Elthedar and their gods, and his jealousy at the glory of this people turned to hate. Maybe the gods, fearful of the mortal race of Men, not of their creation, began the evil. Maybe the gods made the fatal mistake of making mortals fight their wars. There was a war, a war unlike any other, a war known now as the Sundering. In its final days, the power of mortals shred the divine realm apart, spilling dying gods from heaven. One of these burned through Aryth's skies. Izrador. In the final act of the gods, Izrador's body smashed into the world of the Elthedar, scarring it one final time. Then, there was silence.


How did this come to pass? There are many tales.


Some say that the Elthedar were created by the gods, that they were their mortal descendants on Aryth. If so, they were the ungrateful progeny of the gods. How they did it is uncertain, but as the Elthedar race grew and prospered, they came to realize one thing: They had no need of the gods. Like discontent heirs, tired of seeing their condescending, all-knowing parents make their decisions, they went to war on their creators. They won. They never had time to celebrate their victory. As the gods died, the fabric of the very world was torn and shaken, and the event known as the Sundering came to pass. The Elthedar race died with their divine parents. Their own twisted progeny now walks Aryth as elf and dwarf, gnome, dunni and orc.


This may or may not be true. Some claim another tale.


These scholars claim the Sundering were not an act of the Elthedar. The Children of the Gods loved their parents. They were not alone on Aryth, however. In other lands, the race of Man grew. It looked at the Elthedar, their gods and their glory, and they felt envy. Man had no gods, no glory. Every day was a bitter struggle for survival. Envy soon turned to jealousy, jealousy to hate. Hate to rage. A unified, primal rage that grew so powerful mankind was able to do the unthinkable. They may have been a primitive race, but they were powerful nonetheless. Mankind blasphemed against the gods, stormed the cities of the Elthedar, and brought about the Sundering.


There are other stories too. The truth is lost in time.


Following the destruction of heaven, dying gods fell. Most plunged through cosmos, perhaps plunge still. Only one burned through the skies of Aryth – Izrador. If he was dead as he fell, if the actually fall killed him, or whether the direct touch of the mortal world was his bane, are all debated. But he died, his essence smashing into the northernmost reaches of Eredane.


The gods died, but their servants did not. Scattered across the world, angels and demons despaired, their world torn apart. However, the forces of evil had a rally point. They flocked to the Scar left in the earth by Izrador, and there, they formed a pact. They would preach the continued glory and existence of Izrador, proclaiming him the Shadow in the North, the Evil Under the Mountain, the Dark One. When shattered Elthedar drifted north, they were easily subdued by these spirits, twisted into the race know to Man as the Orcs.



===The Keepers of Shadow===
For a long time, the Keepers of Shadow were the true lords of darkness on all of Aryth. The remnants of a shattered celestial realm, they flocked to the remains of the only god to fall with them. Champions and symbols of all causes, fearful of the Elthedar, fearful of mankind, and fearful of the future, they clustered together like lost children. Unlike lost children, they were still powerful, but that power was slowly seeping away from them. They came to realize one horrifying truth: They were dying. No longer fed by the divine energies of their masters and creators, the angels and demons were withering away. Like starving cannibals, they first turned upon each other. However, this was before they discovered the latent powers of a dead god.

Black Mirrors do not sap the magic of the world for the benefit of Izrador. The celestial overlords of the Keepers do not eat, breathe, or sleep, but they need sustenance to survive nevertheless. The divinity that once kept them alive – for they are all avatars of the gods – is gone. Instead, they have turned on the world, sucking on its magic, living as arcane parasites that feed in magic and life. Through the zordrafin coriths, the pure essence of the world is channeled through the corpse of Izrador, warped into divine energy that the avatars can feed on. Excess life-force is bled back through the mirrors as divine energy, allowing it to be accessed by the legates and other spellcasters serving Izrador.

At first, black mirrors existed only among the orcs, the Keeper's warped Elthedar servitors. However, as the lands grew more barren, they came to realize that they had to expand in order to survive, seek new lands to prolong their lives while searching for a permanent solution. The wars known as the Rises of Izrador were attempts at this, but it was not until these wars were led by the creatures they destroyed that one was utterly successful. Now, as orc, even man, prospers in the divine, the Keepers fear they might have bitten over more than they can chew, as their Machiavellian schemes threaten to collapse on themselves.

Adding to their hardships, the Keepers are far from united. Though Razors hunt their enemies, giving them a united face against the outside world, many inner splits exist. Once champions of radically different causes, most those who were once of light have long since turned to corruption and darkness. Even among the heart of evil though, there is dissent, as fallen angel battles demon, battles demon, battles devil over the power to pull the strings of the world. 


===The First of the True===
The First of the True had once been the destroyers of gods. Whether human, Elthedar or something more sinister at first, none know, but the traditions and responsibilities of the order had long since moved to Man. Ever since the Sundering, The First had aggressively hunted, enslaved or killed remnants of the divine all across Pelluria, destroying the past of the continent in favor of the true children of Aryth, by now embodied in mankind. Now, they had come to cleanse Eredane. Beirial was its champion, and he came north with a cause. Word of Izrador had reached their ears, and they came in force to annihilate a broken god. Together with his fellow First, he spearheaded the advance of mankind into Erenland.

Hostility between Man and Fey – the descendants of Elthedar, children of the gods – was immediate. Rather than begin a systematical eradication of the Fey, though, Beirial led his forces north. There was a threat there unlike any which the sorcerer had ever seen before, a creature which not even the stories of The First could describe, and Beirial would lead his men through fire and death to find it. By spell and sword, the Dorns plunged through central Erenland, crossed the Sea of Pelluria, and entered the North. In their wake, they left the decimated cultures of the gnomes and halflings, as well as their own fortifications along the Eren and the Pellurian coast.

In the Northlands, the Dorn did battle with the orcs. Having witnessed the rapid progress of Man across the south, the Keepers felt true fear, and hurled all they had at this new, aggressive enemy. For decades, the races did battle. Thousands died, and Man was forced to consolidate his positions before advancing. In these years, The First founded many cities across the land, beginning the civilization of the Dorns in Erenland.

As the war kept going, Beirial, like all mortal men, aged. In his age, he too felt fear. Fear like he had never felt before. The fear of the death that crept upon him as his hair turned to silver and his skin wrinkled. He feared he would never see this divine, and he feared where he would go when he was gone. The First preached no afterlife, and Beirial did not want to disappear. It was with this goal in mind, that the sorcerer made secret contact with the Keepers. He offered them his order, his fellow men, and himself, in return for one thing: A touch of the divine. The Keepers consented.

Beirial in turn, upheld his end of the bargain. In the cataclysmic years that followed, The First were eradicated, the few survivors the ones who turned to the Shadow. In Pelluria, the rise of the Sarcosan empire with its star worship spelled the doom of the brotherhood on that continent. The Dorns, having lost their champions, were on the brink of doom, when the Fey intervened. Led by Aradil, the new alliance of fey and man halted the tide of darkness, and created new allegiances. This event became known as the First Rise of Izrador.


===The Order of Shadow===
It is no coincidence that the Order of Shadow is mostly human. Founded by Beirial the Betrayer, the order at first consisted of those of The First that Beirial managed to corrupt. Later, it expanded, as generations forgot, but never recruited among the orcs, who Beirial saw as the progeny of the Keepers. The Order of Shadow plays a vital part in the divine scheme, because they are the ones who spread the word of Izrador's greatness. Aside from Beirial and a select few, once of The First, the order's members do not know that Izrador does, in fact, not exist. They preach with fervor and devotion, solidifying the lie, and giving it life.

For millenniums, Beirial has played the subservient ally of the Keepers, waiting for a time to strike at them, taking the power of Izrador and the black mirrors for himself. He knows that the god is dead, but he also believes that he can claim a larger part of that godhood for himself once the Keepers are not in his way. Beirial knows, however, that he cannot take on the ancient avatars alone, and is forced to wait, spinning his webs and laying his plans.

The order, almost entirely human, displays Beirial's continued xenophobia towards Elthedar descendants, a xenophobia which is strangely present in the order at large too. Most legates are uncomfortable around the orcs, who are supposed to be the faithful soldiers of Izrador. While faithful, doubt is still a large part of the life of many legates, who worship, but never hear the voice of their god. When the time is right, Beirial plans to reveal the truth to them, and use them as a weapon against the Keepers, destroying the celestials once and for all.


===The Orcs===
Like all other Fey races, orcs were once Elthedar. When the Sundering shattered the race, scattering its remnants to the wind, those who were to become orcs drifted north. They sought peace in the distant colds, but found something entirely different. Ultimately, they found the Scar, and were warped by its lingering evil. Twisted and dying, they were formed by the Keepers into what they are now; the warriors of Izrador, the soldiers of a dead god. The spiritual scars of their ancestors fateful contact with the dead god still linger in their hearts, but what they hear in their dreams is not the voice of Izrador, it is the echoing screams of their tortured progenitors.

The leaders of the orcs, the Mother-Wifes of Izrador, are some of the most misled creatures on Eredane. The truth rests right in front of their eyes, yet they do not see it. Perhaps they do not want to, perhaps they chose to ignore it. The fact remains though, that the witches are avid worshipers of a dead god, and send their people to die in his thankless name. The kurasatch udareen are one of the Keepers closest allies, treated as old friends and used as leashed dogs. However, should the truth be known to them, their vengeance would tear apart orc lands.


===The Night Kings===
Fearing the growing power of the Order of Shadow, but reluctant to destroy it and its skilled leader, Beirial, the Keepers desired new champions, in order to balance the power among more factions. In this quest, they sought out the most powerful heroes of good, corrupting them like they had once seen Beirial corrupting his fellow man. Success was total. Too total. The Night Kings fully embraced their dark gifts and strode into the world, disregarding the Keepers, who were but wardens. They would be conquerors. Now, only Zardrix remains in their control, as the Keepers possess her heart, and control her through it. The other three are left to their own devices.

Among them, Ardherin has begun to suspect the truth, secretly fed to him by Beirial. Vard though, remains an almost ever-present threat, and the Sorceror treads lightly. Sunulael, originally created as a balance to Beirial, has become increasingly doubtful, as even now, he does not hear the voice of his god. For now though, he is content with fighting his war against Beirial, blaming the other priest for his misfortune. Jahzir does not care, relishing in the powers granted him, believing that as long as his master does not chastise him, he does his duties well.


===Aradil===
The Witch Queen of Erethor knows precious little about the force that is Izrador. Even through her great power, she is not able to stand against the united force of the Keepers of Shadow, and against her, they will always make a united front. Those scant few mortals who know the truth hide their knowledge well, and are not easily found or captured. Should any unlucky mortal stumble across the truth, the Razors remain on hand to deal with them, as the Keepers take a very personal interest in defending their secret. So far, after 8,000 years on the throne, Aradil knows only one thing: The Shadow is hiding something, and it is hiding it well.


===Aradar===
Known to some as The Well of Hope, Aradar has been a strange enigma to the world, ever since its name was first spoken. Until the Last Age, the place has been but the reflection of a ghost, for in a world of light, a a candle is hardly visible, but as the world grows dark, it becomes a beacon. Now Aradar, and its effects, are more visible than ever. Resistance fighter and legate alike now hunt it, seeking a price that cannot be found by living eyes.

Aradar has long been believed to be a place, but this is not true. Aradar infuses the world, the earth, the water and the sky above. It is the spiritual mate of Aryth, created by its children.

In ancient times, when the Elthedar laughed, cried, dreamed or prayed, their hopes, emotions and desires reached the heavens. This spiritual essence of life, helped the gods build and maintain the world. When the Sundering destroyed heaven, these spiritual forces of creation no longer had a place to go. Life, however, is inventive, and will not dwindle easily. Rather than bleed away and wither, the energies of life gathered, forming a place beyond, but within, all places. This is Aradar, and it is the gathering point of every dream dreamed, every hope held, and every joy felt. It is also the home of whispered curses, dark thoughts and tears shed. Aradar is a many-faced place.

After 10,000 years of life without gods, Aradar has become great indeed. However, it was not until the days grew dark, and the hopes of the living desperate, that the force gave back to its benefactors. As a desire for salvation, for champions and for aid grew in the hearts of those who suffered from the shadow, Aradar answered. In small drips, the force of the place seeps into the mortal world, touching the souls of Man and Fey alike, creating involuntary champions of the world. Whether the time this has happened is random, or whether it is destiny is unimportant. Heroes can be forged by these touches. What they chose to do with their blessings is up to them.

Among all powerful forces of Aryth, there is a united fear of Aradar. It is an enigmatic entity which they have been unable to hunt down for the better part of three ages, yet it keeps affecting the mortals of the world in strange ways. The Keepers fear Aradar for the potential power of the place, Beirial fears it because he believes it is a growing divine entity, not yet born. Aradil fears it, for she knows that not only good seeps into that place, and she has seen more than one vile being touched by Aradar. The only one who doesn't fear the name is Ardherin, who sees in it only the potential for destruction, and an upheaval of the ancient, hidden status quos.

Despite their fears, all hunt Aradar, for it is a price that cannot be allowed to fall into the hands of another. But how does one hunt the ghost of dreams? How does one hunt the energy of life? All factions have come to the same conclusion: When it manifests, seize it. Spies, channelers, legates, spirits, demons, all are involved in a hunt for those who walk what one scholar of the Order of Truth called the Heroic Paths, the Pathwalkers.


===The White Mother===
Orcs of the White Mother have existed since before the founding of the Order of Shadow. There have always been dissidents and doubters, and rebellions, even large-scale ones, have occurred. However, there has not been a time before when the orcs have been so far from their masters. Though the Keepers of Shadow expend great amounts of resources in order to exert influence over the orcs south of the Fortress Wall, control in these areas invariably falls to the Order of Shadow, the Night Princes, and the kurasatch udareen. Under such circumstances, the doubting orcs have prospered.

The chosen champion of the White Mothers is Grial Fey-Killer, though he does not know it himself. For the last two decades, as Grial waged his war, the White Mother orcs have infiltrated his command structure, and do their utmost to sway the warlord to their views. Already, the seeds of doubt have been planted in his heart, but they have not sprung out yet. For now, The White Mothers await the right time before springing their plan to life, still believing that there is a god, but believing that he cares not for the orcs. In the meantime, they are content with letting the orcs whittle away at the other races, who they by no means see as allies.


===THE PATHWALKERS OF ARADAR - Kiss of the Dreamworld===
The first to discover a Pathwalker were the Lightbearers, the militant allies of the Order of Truth. When the phenomenon started appearing in several people, the Abandoned took a serious interest. After twenty years of study, the order has developed one theory: 
*  The Pathwalkers draw on the divine. To them, there is no other explanation for how their powers have come into existence. The source of this divine though, is open for debate, but three theories prevail. Either, the Pathwalkers have been able to tap into some hidden reserve of the divine on Aryth, effectively becoming avatars of the Lost Gods. 
*  Another theory is that Aradar has become manifest in the world. 
*  The third alternative is a dark one, which is nevertheless not discarded: The Pathwalkers draw on the powers of Izrador. How this could be possible is heavily debated, but some suspect that the dark god may not be in control of his powers.
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''LOREBOOK''': Kyuad has a +18 modifier
 ==Within the Cadaverous Eye==
 While within this artifact of massive necromantic power these are the things that Kyuad learned...  <br> '''''BILL''':  feel free to ask any questions you have regarding Kyuad's knowledge base from being joined with (or in) the Eye.  I'll answer the questions as best I can.  Some may be purposely confusing or incomplete.  First I'll try and note all the things we talked about to collect your info gained...''
-*  '''<font color="990066">Bill's Question:</font>''' I take it all of this information came from things that the 'Eye knew?  Is there any indication as to the source of the information?  As in Vrolk vs. the Drugal vs. the dwarven library of Moria.<br>Hope you don't mind, but I re-structured just a little.  The content is the same.
+'''<font color="990066">Bill's Question:</font>''' I take it all of this information came from things that the 'Eye knew?  Is there any indication as to the source of the information?  As in Vrolk vs. the Drugal vs. the dwarven library of Moria.
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  Correct, info holdover from the Eye.  No indication of where it's from.  However, in general you'd know that Vrolk never "dealt" with the Eye when it was alive.  Hence it likely was not him that "input" the information.  Was it info learned/inserted from the Drugal?  Was it info learned from the Dwarves?  Was it info learned from the library of Moria?  All possibilities.  No way to know for sure.  This is more in your mind/memory than a science.  It just feels like info you are aware of.</font>
+==Zardrix==
-==Zardrix==
 ===Zardrix Held At Bay===
 Through as yet uknown means, only hinted at by the strange mind-meldings of the Cadaverous Eye and Kyuad (below) - It is known that it was not the Vrok demon that held the great dragon at bay that day of our death on the Spear of Grief.  It was the Eye itself.  And in this the Demonbane holds hope of control of the Beast on Wing, as did Lord Sunulael hope for the walking and tethered deads...
-*  '''<font color="990066">Bill's Question:</font>''' What is the Demonbane again?
+'''<font color="990066">Bill's Question:</font>''' What is the Demonbane again?
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  '' '''ROLL:'''   Kyuad (Lorebook +18)  ROLLED:  2+18 =   20 ''  <br> ''With this roll -
-::  If you don't know the reference, Kyuad won't know the solution until you learn in-game somehow.  I'll give you a hint though -  it's an honorific of a very familiar NPC - the other player characters will probably know, but please only attempt to find out IN-CHARACTER.</font>
-::: Eranon said that Ardherin is called Demonbane
 ===Near Perfect Undeath===
 The matriarch of dragonkind, the beast on wing, death incarnate, the Wrath of Shadow, Zardrix is our greatest success.  A gift given unknowningly by our masters to the Fallen One, the Hate of Aryth.  An ultimate success of undeath, created by the device of our master's whims.  Who then is the true gods of Aryth, that which revolts from the light or they that hold the beacon, allowing the Enemy to cast Shadow?  Yes... it is with this that the world will come to destiny, the culmination of our master's work.  The body not killed, living but dead within.  The mind surpressed from feelings of heart.  What became of her is - "living undeath".
-What pulses and pumps the dread ichor within her veins then if heart is lost?  So comes the next incarnation of a plan set in motion when the world was young... <br> There is a great and grotesque necromantic experiment walking the lands of the world.  Yet her black blood moves as with the tethered dead, the fuels of unlife.  However the demand on the body of the beast yet beckons, two and ten times the worth of replenishment of feast and dream is call for the Wrath to maintain the Thing on Wings - lest the clutches be lost... For her neck is as thick and long as a maudrial tree, and her wingspan could cover an entire village. She trails smoke, fire, and darkness behind, and an unearthly roar precedes, heralding the destruction that she will wreak. <br> But the masters may now fear even themselves knowing that the cutting of the pump from her breast is long lost by the powers of those of Black Blood, this Claws of Zardrix is lost to mankind. Yet she is still a tool to more than one, the near perfect undeath.
+What pulses and pumps the dread ichor within her veins then if heart is lost?  So comes the next incarnation of a plan set in motion when the world was young... <br> There is a great and grotesque necromantic experiment walking the lands of the world.  Yet her black blood moves as with the tethered dead, the fuels of unlife.  However the demand on the body of the beast yet beckons, two and ten times the worth of replunishment of feast and dream is call for the Wrath to maintain the Thing on Wings - lest the clutches be lost... For her neck is as thick and long as a maudrial tree, and her wingspan could cover an entire village. She trails smoke, fire, and darkness behind, and an unearthly roar precedes, heralding the destruction that she will wreak. <br> But the masters may now fear even themselves knowing that the cutting of the pump from her breast is long lost by the powers of those of Black Blood, this Claws of Zardrix is lost to mankind. Yet she is still a tool to more than one, the near perfect undeath.
-'''<font color="990066">Bill's Questions:</font>'''
-* "Our masters" refers to what?
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  "our masters" = those that control/made "you".  "You" being the Cadaverous Eye.</font>
-* ''"Yet her black blood moves as with the tethered dead, the fuels of unlife."'' - Here "as with" seems to imply that if the tethered dead stopped moving, so would her blood.  Her blood moves as if her blood were with the Fell (or undead)?  The sentence structure also implies that the tethered dead are the fuels of unlife.  Can this sentence be clarified please?  It's unclear if this is just nonsense or if it is supposed to be saying something, but I can't see any sense to be made out of this.
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  What you "implied" is very much in the direction of what was intended.  I won't offer more meaning though.  That's part of the mystery.  Don't overanalyze the sentence structure though - I'm a GM not a writer. </font>
-:: <font color="990066">Bill: I don't mean to be critical of your grammar, I totally understand that you aren't typing as if this is ready for print or anything.  But the few mistakes that have had a big affect on my understanding have to be dealt with, of course.<br>As for this question, what I wrote about the implication is supposed to indicate a problem of non-sense.  I'm pretty sure that the implication wasn't supposed to be an impossibility.<br>If I were to guess what this might mean, it would be, ''"Yet her black blood moves as it does with the tethered dead - it is the fuels of unlife."''  This is absolutely '''not''' what the sentence says, but I bet that's what you ''meant''.  Is that sort of accurrate?</font>
-* Is "the Wrath" (Zardrix) the same as "The Thing on Wings"?
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  Yes.  I like using other references to characters like that.</font>
-* ''"two and ten times the worth of replenishment of feast and dream is call for the Wrath to maintain the Thing on Wings... "''  Another sentence that doesn't make sense.  It in other words: "12 times" what the value is for a "replenishment of feast and dream" is currently required (from "is call", a present-tense form) so that the Wrath (Zardrix) can maintain herself.  I don't think this is right, because it doesn't make sense given the context.
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  'called'... Try to read what I meant.  Not the grammar mistakes.  Otherwise your thought is correct.  ie. She FEEDS and SLEEPS alot to sustain that body.</font>
-:: <font color="990066">Ah, thanks!</font>
-* Is a maudrial tree the thing you detailed to us before, when we were at Hamlet?  Same thing as that tree?
+'''<font color="990066">Bill's Question:</font>''' "Our masters" refers to what?
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  Yes.  But in this case "maudrial tree" is really only a descriptive reference for how big her neck alone is...  Think of it as the size of a Redwood!  Walden's home was built into a maudrial tree.  This is a tree of Eredane, from the books...</font>
-* ''"But the masters may now fear even themselves knowing that ..."'' The masters fear themselves knowing? Or the masters themselves fear that...?
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  The masters fear what they know that may become of this mess...  They're afraid of the situation that could happen</font>
-* The masters of the Wrath, from the rest of this information, are understood by Kyuad to be the Order of Shadow, yes?
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  Yes.</font>
-* ''"... the cutting of the pump from her breast is long lost by the powers of those of Black Blood, this Claws of Zardrix is lost to mankind."''  The cutting is lost?  Or the pump (heart) is lost?
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  The pump is lost.  How to do it is lost.  The "Black Blood" have/had the power find/do it.  But they lost it.</font>
-** Who are "those of Black Blood"?  Is that implied to be those who are undead, or those whose blood is figurtively black due to serving the Shadow?
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  No it is not implied that they are undead, they they might be now.  That is unknown to you.  Figurtively black - Yes.  But it is also a name of a people...  Who?  If you don't know, Kyaud won't know until you learn in game.  That's part of the mystery.  </font>
-** The sentence implies that the cutting is the "Claws of Zardrix," but a cutting is an event, not a thing.  I don't understand how an event that is known could be "lost."
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  This misunderstanding is because you don't know what the "Claws of Zardrix" references exactly.</font>
-:: <font color="990066">Well, the pump is lost.  The "Claws" is/are lost.  Might be the same thing.  Might as well assume so for now.</font>
@@ Line 79: / Line 26: @@
 ===Lore===
-There is one truth, hidden from the eyes of man, fey and dragon alike. One truth, which would plunge the forces of Izrador, the Shadow in the North, into chaos. One truth, that has been hidden for millenia by the darkest forces on Aryth; one truth, hidden behind thousands of years of deceit. One truth, so absolute, so fatal, it would shatter the forces of darkness into a thousand fragmented pieces:  There is no god. Izrador is dead. All the gods are dead. The Sundering did not cast a god out of heaven. It was a divine cataclysm of heaven, in which all the gods perished. The Sundering was no war between divine beings. It was a war between god and mortal. Mortal won. Maybe the Elthedar grew arrogant, and believed they no longer needed their creators. Maybe mankind looked at the Elthedar and their gods, and his jealousy at the glory of this people turned to hate. Maybe the gods, fearful of the mortal race of Men, not of their creation, began the evil. Maybe the gods made the fatal mistake of making mortals fight their wars. There was a war, a war unlike any other, a war known now as the Sundering. In its final days, the power of mortals shred the divine realm apart, spilling dying gods from heaven. One of these burned through Aryth's skies. Izrador. In the final act of the gods, Izrador's body smashed into the world of the Elthedar, scarring it one final time. Then, there was silence.
+There is one truth, hidden from the eyes of man, fey and dragon alike. One truth, which would plunge the forces of Izrador, the Shadow in the North, into chaos. One truth, that has been hidden for millenniums by the darkest forces on Aryth, one truth, hidden behind thousands of years of deceit. One truth, so absolute, so fatal, it would shatter the forces of darkness into a thousand fragmented pieces:  There is no god. Izrador is dead. All the gods are dead. The Sundering did not cast a god out of heaven. It was a divine cataclysm of heaven, in which all the gods perished. The Sundering was no war between divine beings. It was a war between god and mortal. Mortal won. Maybe the Elthedar grew arrogant, and believed they no longer needed their creators. Maybe mankind looked at the Elthedar and their gods, and his jealousy at the glory of this people turned to hate. Maybe the gods, fearful of the mortal race of Men, not of their creation, began the evil. Maybe the gods made the fatal mistake of making mortals fight their wars. There was a war, a war unlike any other, a war known now as the Sundering. In its final days, the power of mortals shred the divine realm apart, spilling dying gods from heaven. One of these burned through Aryth's skies. Izrador. In the final act of the gods, Izrador's body smashed into the world of the Elthedar, scarring it one final time. Then, there was silence.
-'''<font color="990066">Bill's Question:</font>''' What is the source of this information?  Anything about ''how'' mortals won?  As in, what was actually done?
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  The source?  You just "know" it from the merging of minds.  How mortals won?  Again, you know what you know.</font>
+How did this come to pass? There are many tales.
+Some say that the Elthedar were created by the gods, that they were their mortal descendants on Aryth. If so, they were the ungrateful progeny of the gods. How they did it is uncertain, but as the Elthedar race grew and prospered, they came to realize one thing: They had no need of the gods. Like discontent heirs, tired of seeing their condescending, all-knowing parents make their decisions, they went to war on their creators. They won. They never had time to celebrate their victory. As the gods died, the fabric of the very world was torn and shaken, and the event known as the Sundering came to pass. The Elthedar race died with their divine parents. Their own twisted progeny now walks Aryth as elf and dwarf, gnome, dunni and orc.
-====How did this come to pass? There are many tales.====
-Some say that the Elthedar were created by the gods, that they were their mortal descendants on Aryth. If so, they were the ungrateful progeny of the gods. How they did it is uncertain, but as the Elthedar race grew and prospered, they came to realize one thing: They had no need for the gods. Like discontent heirs, tired of seeing their condescending, all-knowing parents make their decisions, they went to war on their creators. They won. They never had time to celebrate their victory. As the gods died, the fabric of the very world was torn and shaken, and the event known as the Sundering came to pass. The Elthedar race died with their divine parents. Their own twisted progeny now walks Aryth as elf and dwarf, gnome, dunni and orc.
+This may or may not be true. Some claim another tale.
-'''<font color="990066">Bill's Question:</font>''' I forget, is dunni another name for gnome?
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  Dunni is another word for Halflings.  It's the word they call themselves.  It means "the people" in their own tongue.</font>
-====This may or may not be true. Some claim another tale.====
 These scholars claim the Sundering were not an act of the Elthedar. The Children of the Gods loved their parents. They were not alone on Aryth, however. In other lands, the race of Man grew. It looked at the Elthedar, their gods and their glory, and they felt envy. Man had no gods, no glory. Every day was a bitter struggle for survival. Envy soon turned to jealousy, jealousy to hate. Hate to rage. A unified, primal rage that grew so powerful mankind was able to do the unthinkable. They may have been a primitive race, but they were powerful nonetheless. Mankind blasphemed against the gods, stormed the cities of the Elthedar, and brought about the Sundering.
-'''<font color="990066">Bill's Question:</font>''' From what I remember, the humans came to Eredane long after the sundering and only ever encountered the "twisted progeny" of the elthadar.  Is this new information supporting a pre-dornish invasion?  Or does this support evidence of elthadar in Pelluria?
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  Good question!  Unfortunately I can't answer.  It's part of the mystery.  You can consider this "new" information though.</font>
+There are other stories too. The truth is lost in time.
+Following the destruction of heaven, dying gods fell. Most plunged through cosmos, perhaps plunge still. Only one burned through the skies of Aryth – Izrador. If he was dead as he fell, if the actually fall killed him, or whether the direct touch of the mortal world was his bane, are all debated. But he died, his essence smashing into the northernmost reaches of Eredane.
+The gods died, but their servants did not. Scattered across the world, angels and demons despaired, their world torn apart. However, the forces of evil had a rally point. They flocked to the Scar left in the earth by Izrador, and there, they formed a pact. They would preach the continued glory and existence of Izrador, proclaiming him the Shadow in the North, the Evil Under the Mountain, the Dark One. When shattered Elthedar drifted north, they were easily subdued by these spirits, twisted into the race know to Man as the Orcs.
-There are other stories too. The truth is lost in time.
-==IZRADOR REBORN==
-Following the destruction of heaven, dying gods fell. Most plunged through cosmos, perhaps plunge still. Only one burned through the skies of Aryth – Izrador. If he was dead as he fell, if the actually fall killed him, or whether the direct touch of the mortal world was his bane, are all debated. But he died, his essence smashing into the northernmost reaches of Eredane.
-The gods died, but their servants did not. Scattered across the world, angels and demons despaired, their world torn apart. However, the forces of evil had a rally point. They flocked to the Scar left in the earth by Izrador, and there, they formed a pact. They would preach the continued glory and existence of Izrador, proclaiming him the Shadow in the North, the Evil Under the Mountain, the Dark One. When shattered Elthedar drifted north, they were easily subdued by these spirits, twisted into the race know to Man as the Orcs.
 ===The Keepers of Shadow===
@@ Line 126: / Line 57: @@
 At first, black mirrors existed only among the orcs, the Keeper's warped Elthedar servitors. However, as the lands grew more barren, they came to realize that they had to expand in order to survive, seek new lands to prolong their lives while searching for a permanent solution. The wars known as the Rises of Izrador were attempts at this, but it was not until these wars were led by the creatures they destroyed that one was utterly successful. Now, as orc, even man, prospers in the divine, the Keepers fear they might have bitten over more than they can chew, as their Machiavellian schemes threaten to collapse on themselves.
-'''<font color="990066">Bill's Question:</font>''' When did Machiavelli live in Eredane?  ;)
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  He was a mean elf.  No, seriously - this is just a perfect word to describe a paragraph of info.  Assume it's a descriptor, not a reference to a name.</font>
-:: <font color="990066">Hehehe.  Of course you know I'm just ribbing you.  :)</font>
 Adding to their hardships, the Keepers are far from united. Though Razors hunt their enemies, giving them a united face against the outside world, many inner splits exist. Once champions of radically different causes, most those who were once of light have long since turned to corruption and darkness. Even among the heart of evil though, there is dissent, as fallen angel battles demon, battles demon, battles devil over the power to pull the strings of the world.
-'''<font color="990066">Bill's Question:</font>''' What are Razors?
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  '' '''ROLL:'''   Kyuad (Lorebook +18)  ROLLED:  4+18 =   22 ''  <br> ''With this roll -
-::  Wouldn't you like to know!  Good catch!  <br>  Razors are Izrador’s personal shock troops, sent by the god himself to deal with special problems. They derive their name from the long obsidian shard talons that rip though their fingertips. Similar shards of obsidian are laced through their gray skin, emerging no more than one inch from the skin’s surface. <br> Unlike most of Izrador’s servants, the razors served the dark god long before his fall to Aryth. They were part of his infernal host when he challenged the gods. They fell with him amid the hurtling comet of the Sundering, and they realized that their bodies could exist indefinitely in this new world. Rather than die, they enacted a bold and vile plan. In their last days, the razors capture and interbreed with as many fey females as they could find. They then performed a horrid ritual that only one out of every four of them survived. When all was said and done, the razors had gained strange abilities enabling them to continue on in this lesser world. <br> Centuries of training, combat, and dedication have honed their fighting skills and tactics to an unholy edge. Unlike other Shadow minions, their fierce loyalty to the Shadow prevents them from diverting from their mission. Razors are efficient and calm, dealing with their foes as quickly as possible so they can continue to their next target. When that target is within their grasp, they gore, torture, and mutilate their targets, bathing themselves in blood and pain, before finally delivering the killing blow.  <br> Even a single razor represents a deadly threat to even experienced parties of resistance fighters. Unfortunately for the resistance, razors usually travel in numbers. These minions have known each other for centuries; they know the way each member of the unit thinks and fights, allowing them to respond to and support one another as if they had a single mind. A pair of razors is usually a hunting or assassination team sent after a specific target, usually an important part of the resistance command structure. A squad of razors (usually 4 to 6 of the creatures) may also be assigned to deal with a particularly difficult skirmish situation. Entire units of razors are reserved for breaking specific areas or winning key battles. In all cases, the creatures move at great speed to reach their objective, then set to work with vigor. When breaking resistance in an area, they destroy everything and everyone they encounter. When sent to turn the tide of a battle, they ignore the orders of the local commanders, waiting for the moment when an application of elite force will do the most good.</font>
 ===The First of the True===
 The First of the True had once been the destroyers of gods. Whether human, Elthedar or something more sinister at first, none know, but the traditions and responsibilities of the order had long since moved to Man. Ever since the Sundering, The First had aggressively hunted, enslaved or killed remnants of the divine all across Pelluria, destroying the past of the continent in favor of the true children of Aryth, by now embodied in mankind. Now, they had come to cleanse Eredane. Beirial was its champion, and he came north with a cause. Word of Izrador had reached their ears, and they came in force to annihilate a broken god. Together with his fellow First, he spearheaded the advance of mankind into Erenland.
-'''<font color="990066">Bill's Question:</font>''' It sounds like '''the First of the True''' are a mysterious people that no one knows anything about now, is that right?  But the '''Rest of the True''' were all humans?<br>Also, is his name really "burial"?  Or is it pronounced (beh-ree-ALL)?<br>Where is Beirial now?
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  "Beirial" is a proper name of someone from history.  '' '''ROLL:'''   Kyuad (Lorebook +18)  ROLLED:  9+18 =   27 ''  <br> ''With this roll -
-::  Known as "Beirial the Seeker", he was one of the first of the Order of Truth. He helped to spread his version of faith among the holy men of Bandilrin, ultimately creating the Order of Shadow. So he was the "FIRST of the True" as in first member of the Order of Truth to come under the Shadow.  As for pronunciation... I don't know.  I just typed it. heheh</font>
 Hostility between Man and Fey – the descendants of Elthedar, children of the gods – was immediate. Rather than begin a systematical eradication of the Fey, though, Beirial led his forces north. There was a threat there unlike any which the sorcerer had ever seen before, a creature which not even the stories of The First could describe, and Beirial would lead his men through fire and death to find it. By spell and sword, the Dorns plunged through central Erenland, crossed the Sea of Pelluria, and entered the North. In their wake, they left the decimated cultures of the gnomes and halflings, as well as their own fortifications along the Eren and the Pellurian coast.
@@ Line 163: / Line 71: @@
 Beirial in turn, upheld his end of the bargain. In the cataclysmic years that followed, The First were eradicated, the few survivors the ones who turned to the Shadow. In Pelluria, the rise of the Sarcosan empire with its star worship spelled the doom of the brotherhood on that continent. The Dorns, having lost their champions, were on the brink of doom, when the Fey intervened. Led by Aradil, the new alliance of fey and man halted the tide of darkness, and created new allegiances. This event became known as the First Rise of Izrador.
-'''<font color="990066">Bill's Question:</font>''' So the first rise of Izrador was also the first time that non-orcs were made part of the Keepers' conspiracy?
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  If that's how you interpret it... Yes.  heheh</font>
 ===The Order of Shadow===
-It is no coincidence that the Order of Shadow is mostly human. Founded by Beirial the Betrayer, the order at first consisted of those of The First that Beirial managed to corrupt. Later, it expanded, as generations forgot.  But the Order never recruited among the orcs, who Beirial saw as the progeny of the Keepers. The Order of Shadow plays a vital part in the divine scheme, because they are the ones who spread the word of Izrador's greatness. Aside from Beirial and a select few, once of The First, the order's members do not know that Izrador does, in fact, not exist. They preach with fervor and devotion, solidifying the lie, and giving it life.
+It is no coincidence that the Order of Shadow is mostly human. Founded by Beirial the Betrayer, the order at first consisted of those of The First that Beirial managed to corrupt. Later, it expanded, as generations forgot, but never recruited among the orcs, who Beirial saw as the progeny of the Keepers. The Order of Shadow plays a vital part in the divine scheme, because they are the ones who spread the word of Izrador's greatness. Aside from Beirial and a select few, once of The First, the order's members do not know that Izrador does, in fact, not exist. They preach with fervor and devotion, solidifying the lie, and giving it life.
 For millenniums, Beirial has played the subservient ally of the Keepers, waiting for a time to strike at them, taking the power of Izrador and the black mirrors for himself. He knows that the god is dead, but he also believes that he can claim a larger part of that godhood for himself once the Keepers are not in his way. Beirial knows, however, that he cannot take on the ancient avatars alone, and is forced to wait, spinning his webs and laying his plans.
@@ Line 184: / Line 85: @@
 The leaders of the orcs, the Mother-Wifes of Izrador, are some of the most misled creatures on Eredane. The truth rests right in front of their eyes, yet they do not see it. Perhaps they do not want to, perhaps they chose to ignore it. The fact remains though, that the witches are avid worshipers of a dead god, and send their people to die in his thankless name. The kurasatch udareen are one of the Keepers closest allies, treated as old friends and used as leashed dogs. However, should the truth be known to them, their vengeance would tear apart orc lands.
-'''<font color="990066">Bill's Question:</font>''' The orcs are commonly sacrificed in the mirrors, right?
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  The weak ones are.  "weak" meaning those that fail the Enemy in any way.</font>
-====The White Mother====
-Orcs of the White Mother have existed since before the founding of the Order of Shadow. There have always been dissidents and doubters, and rebellions, even large-scale ones, have occurred. However, there has not been a time before when the orcs have been so far from their masters. Though the Keepers of Shadow expend great amounts of resources in order to exert influence over the orcs south of the Fortress Wall, control in these areas invariably falls to the Order of Shadow, the Night Princes, and the kurasatch udareen. Under such circumstances, the doubting orcs have prospered.
-'''<font color="990066">Bill's Question:</font>''' I don't understand.  "The Order of Shadow, the Night Princes, and the kurasatch udareen" are the ones who ''normally'' control orcs, aren't they?  The context seems to imply that they would have ''less'' influence in the areas south of the Fortress Wall, but that's not what it says here.
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  This is something that, again, might be best discovered in game.  It is semi-true that those groups control the orcs, but not completely.  The orcs are controlled by the Enemy overall.  Their hate is fuelled by the Shadow in the North.  How or why that's a problem is for you to decipher.  BTW,  for your reference....
-::  '''"the Fortress Wall"''' - Though legends abound about the great Fortress Wall of the Northern Marches, there is no doubt that the ancient defense works is a real part of history and one that played a major role in staving off the Shadow in the Second Age. The Fortress Wall is not a single edifice but a long chain of forts, keeps, and towers that stretches along the border of the northern frontiers. Built during the heady days following the first defeat of the Shadow, the Wall was a collective effort of the free races of Eredane, a testament to their combined strength and their shared fear of Izrador. Today the ruins of the Fortress Wall are a bitter legacy, standing like a row of gaped and broken teeth across a desolate land. Most of the individual keeps are gone, lost to the ravages of war and time. A few are still held by forces of the Shadow, but even most of the battlements they once took have been abandoned as the armies moved south.</font>
-The chosen champion of the White Mothers is Grial Fey-Killer, though he does not know it himself. For the last two decades, as Grial waged his war, the White Mother orcs have infiltrated his command structure, and do their utmost to sway the warlord to their views. Already, the seeds of doubt have been planted in his heart, but they have not sprung out yet. For now, The White Mothers await the right time before springing their plan to life, still believing that there is a god, but believing that he cares not for the orcs. In the meantime, they are content with letting the orcs whittle away at the other races, who they by no means see as allies.
-'''<font color="990066">Bill's Question:</font>''' Does Kyuad have more information on Grial?  I think he does, somewhere.
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  Maybe.  I'm not sure where/how.  Kyuad would know that (as Durgaz told him)  Grial was seen in his visions dealing with Vrolk in the past outside the Obsidian Spire, what they dealt with is unknown.  Other than that I'm not sure what you're thinking about.  There is all the "stuff he knows" under Kyuad's wiki page that I've posted for you. </font>
@@ Line 217: / Line 91: @@
 Among them, Ardherin has begun to suspect the truth, secretly fed to him by Beirial. Vard though, remains an almost ever-present threat, and the Sorceror treads lightly. Sunulael, originally created as a balance to Beirial, has become increasingly doubtful, as even now, he does not hear the voice of his god. For now though, he is content with fighting his war against Beirial, blaming the other priest for his misfortune. Jahzir does not care, relishing in the powers granted him, believing that as long as his master does not chastise him, he does his duties well.
-'''<font color="990066">Bill's Question:</font>''' Who is Vard?<br>Is Beirial undead or immortal?<br>Jahzir's master is the Keepers at large, is it not?  Or does "master" being singular suggest someone else?
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  If you don't know, Kyuad doesn't know.  Again - part of the mystery to discover...  This is all beyond your ability to know.</font>
@@ Line 227: / Line 96: @@
 The Witch Queen of Erethor knows precious little about the force that is Izrador. Even through her great power, she is not able to stand against the united force of the Keepers of Shadow, and against her, they will always make a united front. Those scant few mortals who know the truth hide their knowledge well, and are not easily found or captured. Should any unlucky mortal stumble across the truth, the Razors remain on hand to deal with them, as the Keepers take a very personal interest in defending their secret. So far, after 8,000 years on the throne, Aradil knows only one thing: The Shadow is hiding something, and it is hiding it well.
-'''<font color="990066">Bill's Question:</font>''' Darn good reason to keep most of this to myself, huh?
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  Up to you...  You are a "hero" afterall...</font>
+===Aradar===
-==ARADAR==
 Known to some as The Well of Hope, Aradar has been a strange enigma to the world, ever since its name was first spoken. Until the Last Age, the place has been but the reflection of a ghost, for in a world of light, a a candle is hardly visible, but as the world grows dark, it becomes a beacon. Now Aradar, and its effects, are more visible than ever. Resistance fighter and legate alike now hunt it, seeking a price that cannot be found by living eyes.
-'''<font color="990066">Bill's Question:</font>''' Seeking a "price"?  Should that be prize?
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  Yes.</font>
 Aradar has long been believed to be a place, but this is not true. Aradar infuses the world, the earth, the water and the sky above. It is the spiritual mate of Aryth, created by its children.
-'''<font color="990066">Bill's Question:</font>''' It sounds almost like Aradar could be the source of arcane power, or spell energy.  Usually thought to be Aryth, the spell energy that infuses everything could just be the Aradar which infuses Aryth.  This would mean that was is actually being harvested by the mirrors is the manifestation of Aradar - the energy infused into all living things.  Does Kyuad know anything more about this?  Is this a bad conjecture?
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  <br> '' '''ROLL:'''   Kyuad (Lorebook +13)  ROLLED:  18+13 =   31 ''  <br> ''With this roll -
-::  The origins of the Aradar myth are lost in the fog of folklore. Ever-changing songs adapted by the performers in every region alter the language and, so, distort the lineage of the myth until, thousands of years later, fact and fancy have become legend. Though there may be no truth to the legend of Aradar, some common beliefs held by the world’s remaining scholars give it tantalizing verisimilitude. Most songs of Aradar suppose that it is the source or inspiration for all arcane power on Aryth—the site where an elf of noble and pure elthedar blood is said to have found the spark of arcane magic. In modern poems, this elf is called Engalad or, archaically, Engal Ladai. In Erenland, especially in villages with little or no elven contact even before Izrador’s victory, some tales replace Engalad with Aradil, the Witch Queen, despite the obvious historical impossibility.
-::  However, the name Aradar does share a root with the name Aradil; it’s an ancient male form of the name. Fragments of dwarven and gnomish poetry suggest it was also called elenhath miradil, roughly meaning “wellspring of insight.” Elven myths of old called it simply “Wellspring.” Some believe that Aradar and, by extension, all arcane power—is a gift from the Lost Gods, a bit of their power left to light the mortal world. “One day,” an elf ballad claims, “the gift shall cast a light bright enough to pierce the veil of Shadow and be seen in the heavens.”
-::  Already something of a bedtime story by the time the Shadow in the North returned for battle, Aradar was receiving little scholarly attention from the archivists and scribners of the world. When the sacking of academies began across Erenland, few records of Aradar were carried out by fleeing librarians and scholars. The people needed information vital to the success of the war against Izrador, and Aradar was little more than a folktale all but forgotten. It’s generally known that the Scholar’s Tower in Highwall and the great old Library of Moria contains whole books on the subject of Aradar, but those are surely gone. In Cale there was once an inn that sported a mural of the story. There is now little way of knowing what is myth and what is true—if anything—in the legends of Aradar.
-::  The Legend of Aradar illustrates one of the few unexpected advantages of the desperate effort to safeguard the scraps of knowledge that come trickling into the Scribe Archives in Caradul. Bits of the legend that have never before been cataloged together are now being seen with new eyes. Whereas individual stories about Wellspring seem to vary rather substantially, certain commonalities between the tales became apparent in comparison.
-::  The confluence of motley sorcerers within the Five Towers is at least partly responsible for the recent rise in interest in the Aradar myth. Nights at the Five Towers are commonly spent with fire-side stories and talk of history, arcana, religion, and superstition. Somehow, the legend of Aradar continued to come up. Before long, it was a popular subject among magically inclined and ordinary refugees alike. Word was soon brought by travelers from the Five Towers to Caradul, where the Court of the Witch Queen took up renewed interest in Aradar as a hopeful legend and happy dream.
-::  Word of Aradar has been drawn from the Eyes held prisoner in the Arteries like an arrowhead pulled from a wound. The Night Kings now know that Aradil and her court in Caradul are giving the old myths a bit of scrutiny. Worse, they know this reveals trickles of valuable lore leaking back into Erethor. Although the Night Kings see that Aradil is using the Aradar myth as little more than a pretty symbol to spread hope among her people, they also know how to use such myths to poison that hope. Legates are now actively searching for artifacts mentioning the Aradar myth and secretly leaking them to the resistance, then pursuing the messengers to more important figures in and out of Erethor.
-::  Demonbane even now uses the legend to draw out more sorcerers and explorers from Erethor and eliminate them. When the legend has lost its luster and hope for truth in the myth has waned,  the word may be released that Izrador’s armies have found Aradar and are set to destroy it. In the meantime, only a scant few legates are actively pursuing the legend of Aradar. So long as Aradar remains an exploitable myth, the Shadow keeps its formidable advantage.</font>
 In ancient times, when the Elthedar laughed, cried, dreamed or prayed, their hopes, emotions and desires reached the heavens. This spiritual essence of life, helped the gods build and maintain the world. When the Sundering destroyed heaven, these spiritual forces of creation no longer had a place to go. Life, however, is inventive, and will not dwindle easily. Rather than bleed away and wither, the energies of life gathered, forming a place beyond, but within, all places. This is Aradar, and it is the gathering point of every dream dreamed, every hope held, and every joy felt. It is also the home of whispered curses, dark thoughts and tears shed. Aradar is a many-faced place.
@@ Line 268: / Line 109: @@
 Despite their fears, all hunt Aradar, for it is a price that cannot be allowed to fall into the hands of another. But how does one hunt the ghost of dreams? How does one hunt the energy of life? All factions have come to the same conclusion: When it manifests, seize it. Spies, channelers, legates, spirits, demons, all are involved in a hunt for those who walk what one scholar of the Order of Truth called the Heroic Paths, the Pathwalkers.
-'''<font color="990066">Bill's Question:</font>''' Again, should "price" be prize?
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  Yes.</font>
+===The White Mother===
+Orcs of the White Mother have existed since before the founding of the Order of Shadow. There have always been dissidents and doubters, and rebellions, even large-scale ones, have occurred. However, there has not been a time before when the orcs have been so far from their masters. Though the Keepers of Shadow expend great amounts of resources in order to exert influence over the orcs south of the Fortress Wall, control in these areas invariably falls to the Order of Shadow, the Night Princes, and the kurasatch udareen. Under such circumstances, the doubting orcs have prospered.
+The chosen champion of the White Mothers is Grial Fey-Killer, though he does not know it himself. For the last two decades, as Grial waged his war, the White Mother orcs have infiltrated his command structure, and do their utmost to sway the warlord to their views. Already, the seeds of doubt have been planted in his heart, but they have not sprung out yet. For now, The White Mothers await the right time before springing their plan to life, still believing that there is a god, but believing that he cares not for the orcs. In the meantime, they are content with letting the orcs whittle away at the other races, who they by no means see as allies.
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 *  Another theory is that Aradar has become manifest in the world.
 *  The third alternative is a dark one, which is nevertheless not discarded: The Pathwalkers draw on the powers of Izrador. How this could be possible is heavily debated, but some suspect that the dark god may not be in control of his powers.
-'''<font color="990066">Bill's Question:</font>''' Who is the Order of Truth again?  Who are the Abandoned?  Are both of these the White Mother?
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  <br> '' '''ROLL:'''   Kyuad (Lorebook +18)  ROLLED:  13+18 =   31 ''  <br> ''With this roll -  alot of this info was likely gathered when you were in the Hamlet...
-::  The White Mothers are an Orc tribe.  There are a wise few among the orcs who realize that their entire race is only an expendable weapon in Izrador’s war. They know that as soon as he has beaten the fey and won Eredane that he will no longer have need of the orcs, and that in the end he will surely sacrifice them to his unholy intent as well. Those who believe this have become known as the Followers of the White Mother.
-::  However you know a good deal on the Order of Truth.
-::  In the winter of 3893, an old seer came to the court of the Witch Queen, bearing word that he promised was of dire importance, and Aradil agreed to a private audience. Though it is not known what passed between them, or what proof he offered for his claims, the Queen emerged from the meeting in a black and terrible fury. She ordered reports from the northern patrol captains and sent them soldiers to double their numbers. She ordered the old man, a monk from a long forgotten religious order, to send for his brothers and bring them to Caradul where they were installed as secret advisors to the throne. Though the group called itself the Order of Truth, beyond the walls of the elven court, these blind prophets of lost gods became known as the Abandoned.
-::  Their mission became to gather and keep all knowledge of the words and ways of their old masters, the Lost Gods, the lords of light. They became known as the Order of Truth.
-::  The monk scholars of the Order of Truth have kept the religious traditions of the elder fey and the Lost Gods alive since the Sundering, through the Time of Years and the Ages of the Scribe Calendar and now into the Last Age. However it is possible that there have been changes and errors that have become canon in their practices and beliefs over the time of years.
-::  One of Aradil’s greatest sources of information on Izrador and the Lost Gods is the Order of Truth. The members of the Order have long been known as the Abandoned by many elves, since they continue to study and worship gods that have been cut off from the world of Aryth.  In truth, they were her first military advisors, instructing her in the ways and wiles of the dark god and his Though their current goal is to ensure that the messages of the Lost Gods are passed down, the Witch Queen still calls on them for advice when she needs spiritual guidance or for new ideas on ways to thwart the dark god’s schemes. A few die-hard believers among the Order of Truth still believe that the Lost Gods will someday contact their children once more; after all, if the mortals have striven to remove the Veil for so many millennia, can it not be assumed that the gods would likewise be striving from the other side?
-::  Finally, while all of the Order of Truth agree that the teachings of the Lost Gods must be given back to their children, those who actively seek their return believe that renewed faith in the Lost Gods may be key to eventually eroding the Veil.
-::  While they are unable to tap into the divine majesty of the Lost Gods that they worship, they are still possessed of a great deal of knowledge of all things divine, including Izrador himself. This knowledge makes them excellent planners of raids and hunters of the Shadow’s minions, while the otherworldly might of the Trapped among them make them very valuable allies to the beleaguered human resistance. This contribution to the war effort, combined with the establishment of an actual temple to the Lost Gods eight centuries ago, has warmed the people of Erethor to this strange sect of monks. They have finally begun to respect their teachings, as demonstrated by the fact that the Order has been entrusted with custodianship of the Scribe Archives of the elven people.
-::  Aradil brought the Order of Truth to Caradul in the middle of the First Age as secret advisors on the ways of Izrador.  Since the end of the Second Age, interest in the Lost Gods has spread among the elves and a following has grown around the Abandoned. Aradil has done nothing to dissuade this and in fact believes the renewed faith will rebuild the order’s dwindling membership and may even be a spiritual ward of sorts against Izrador.
-::  Almost 800 years ago, the order commissioned the growth of a small temple for the Lost Gods in a quiet grove just north of Caradul. The temple has since been enlarged and the surrounding trees now contain a small community of religious scholars, apprentice monks, and faithful pilgrims from across Erethor.</font>
-== KYUAD'S QUESTIONS ==
-(Again, [[Kyuad's Lorebook]] modifier is +18)
-====The Drugal====
-I seem to remember a lot of information has come our way about these creatures.  They created the Cadaverous Eye to be the librarian of Moria, and then gave it to the dwarves there.  They met with Vrolk during his travels to Fire Peak.  I think it's also come out (though maybe not) that Fesikri, Vrolk's agent, has had contact with them.
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  Here's what/where I remember:
-:*  you know of the Drugal through the drawings and journals of Vrolk, the drawings were the primary.  They also had images of the "Dreaded Eye Tyrant" that would become the Cadaverous Eye...
-:*  it was only hinted that the Drugal "created" the Eye.  How it came to be is fully unknown for sure.  You don't know for sure if it was a race or unique.
-:*  you know that the Drugal used the Eye as a "trojan horse", giving it to the Dwarves of Moria.  It became an amazing "librarian" scholar for them for decades or millenia building the renown library of Moria.  It later did something to open the dwarven city of Moria to fall in battle.  To who/what you have not idea yet.
-:*  the Drugal dealt with Vrolk in his travels beneath Fire Peak, yes.  They bartered with him for something, giving him the Eye.  Who started the deal and what was arranged is unknown.
-:*  it was learned that a human called Fesikri helped make the connection with Vrolk and the Drugal.  To what end or who he worked for overall is not known.</font>
-What else does Kyuad know about them from the 'Eye?
-* Their history
-* Names
-* Abilities
-* Plans
-* Anything else?
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  ???  '' '''ROLL:'''   Kyuad (Lorebook +18)  ROLLED:  6+18 =   24 ''  <br> ''With this roll - You can't be sure what it is YOU remember from your studies of myth and legend or what you remember from the merging of minds...  But you do remember things... <br> The origins of the '''Dru-Gal''' are shrouded in mystery, unknown to all (save the enterprising Lore-Master such as yourself) and the knowledge known is rife with conflicting stories.  All of the information presented here may or may not be accurate. The one thing that is a fact is that they have remained hidden to all and purposely create elaborate ruses to maintain that position... Or are they waiting... planting these stories... planning something??  <br> The Dru-Gal (Old Dwarven) for slave-maker, have also been called Mind-Flayers by humans or Ilithids in high elven. Based on Vrolk's illustrations they are monstrous humanoid aberrations living in the moist caverns of the enormous Kaladrun underdark. Their origins vary as told from the tome of '''"The Sargonne Prophecies"''':
-:: The Dru-Gal refugees from a far distant future. Facing extinction at the hands of some unknown adversary, they sacrificed a large number of elder brains to generate a temporal rift that transported the survivors aeons into the past (in this sense, they are aberrations because they exist before their natural time).
-:: Dru-Gal come from Xoriat, the plane of Madness. They were created by the Daelkyr in their invasion plans. They are said to be resistant to damage from all weapons except those made out of Obsidian Shards, an exotic material from the Sundering.
-:: The Dru-Gal are of the Far Realm, an incomprehensible plane completely alien to the known multiverse. They emerged somewhere and somewhen countless ages ago in the [http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Timeline_of_the_pathwalker_story?wikidb_session=9c6a92b75a94f5f6f1f204cbf5cc9f6f#THE_TIME_OF_YEARS_ENDS Time of Years], beyond the histories of many mortal races, existing with (or as?!!) the elthedar or alethar and spread from one world to another, and another, and so on.
-:: The Dru-Gal are descended from the outcasts of an ancient elthedar society that ruled the now-shattered world called Astromundi. The outcast fey eventually mutated, deep underground, into the Ilithids.
-: However and whenever it occurred, when the Dru-Gal (if they exist at all) are ancient in species, upon creation they immediately began to build an empire of secrecy.
-: Based on Vrolk's drawings, Dru-Gal have a basic humanoid body, but their head is octopus-like. They have four tentacles around a beaked or lamprey-like mouth.
-: Dru-Gal are believed to have always been in a period of intense study and experimentation, gathering knowledge of all sorts that will enable them to eventually come from hiding without fear. <br> <br>
-:  There are five names that stand out in your mind from the merging
-::*  '''MAMMON'KHA vermonlord''' is the one that gave over the curse of insects to Vrolk.  The curse that Vrolk reviled so much.
-::*  '''RHA'ZHULKHAR the dark tyrant''' is the one that developed the plan to infiltrate the men of stone. This one set the trap.
-::*  '''QUAZI'CONDREL the eye of fear and flame''' is the one that cared for "us" before going into the men of stone's city.
-::*  '''SHEVINU the betrayer''' is the one that awoke us for '''the Battle of ShadowHold'''.
-::*  '''GRAZ'ATAZOR grand duke of the cult of Graz'atazor''' is the one that was our only friend. <br> <br>
-: And there is one thing they fear... the coming of the '''Gor-Araneaes''' ''(in high elven - gor: dark, araneaes: ??)''.
-: And there is one that hate... the one that brought the prophecy to the Last Age:  an elf called '''Aarndil Moonstruck''' </font>
-====Life and Unlife====
-Kyuad already knows a lot about the nature of life and the undead in the world.  What kind of additional information could he have gained from the 'Eye?
-* Known undead lords
-** From Kyuad's Lorebook prior to the 'Eye's influence:
-*** '''Zefim Vyle''', a lich who lives in a craggy natural tower on the eastern edge of the Forest of the Sahi. Sunulael has made overtures to Zefim, but so far he has resisted the temptation to join the Shadow.
-*** '''Gryffith Donne''', the vampire lord who residers amoung the mountain city of Idenor.
-*** '''The Waylander''', a wildlander who went partially insane and tried to reason with Sunulael. He now flies through the woods of the Caraheen as a stalker in the night, preying on scouts and refugees in the night.
-* Less common undead creatures
-* The functionality of positive and negative energy (remember, this is something about which I've written a lot of information, for the benefit of Brandon and Andrew. I'm looking to get a little confirmation or contradiction from another source, if the 'Eye knows anything about this)
-* Anything else?
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  This one's complicated.  Let me consider it more to see what I can give you.  Remind me about it in the future please.</font>
-====Vrolk====
-After having spent a lot of time with the ''other'' necromancer, what does the 'Eye know about Vrolk's master plan?
-* How did Vrolk intend to use the 'Eye to control all the Fell?
-* To whom is Vrolk loyal?
-* What does the 'Eye know of Vrolk's agents and allies?
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:
-:*  Vrolk never intended to use the Eye to control all the Fell.  His goal was to become what you've become but in some ways different to maintain his elven beauty.
-:*  Vrolk was a master manipulator, as much as he was a student of history.  His knowledge on archeology and astronomy were world class.  He truly did learn/study under Sunulael to learn how to twist the ritual to become a lich and to learn more of his seer abilities and their relation to the stars of the Sarcosan's Sahi.  He also studied for a time under Arderherin prior to him becoming a Night King in the deep jungle forests of the Erethor, where he learned knowledge (but not necessarily practice) of the demonic arts.  It was at this time that he made acquaintences with Aradil's sister Lloth as well.
-:*  Vrolk is loyal only to Vrolk.  But his alliegence seemed perfect to Sunulael before ultimately siding with Arderhin to become the lich (like Sunulael) with the lasting body (similar to Ardherin).  Sunulael may not yet know the full nature of the betrayal, in fact it is likely that Ardherin would have kept this secret to avoid meeting the ire of the Priest of Shadow.
-:*  The Eye never really "knew" anything of Vrolk, as it was/is "dead" since Vrolk recieved it.  The above are mostly deductions that Kyuad could make from his "sense motive" while in the Eye (which gave him a temporary bonus modifier while inside, due to its great knowledge base).
-:*  Another thought is that Vrolk (if alive) could be used by many many of the minions of Izrador.  From Night Kings, to Orc/Oruk Generals, to the Order, the Cabal, or even lone Legates or Traitor Princes.  His abilities and knowledge could command a great deal.  So his loyalty could be "for sale" in a way...</font>
-====The Cadaverous Eye====
-Questions abound about this mysterious creature/artifact.
-* Why and how were the spirits of all Fell released when Kyuad entered the 'Eye?
-** Does Kyuad now know that this occurred?  It was OOC before I think
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  Kyuad would have "seen" through the eyes of the Cadaverous Eye instantaniously at the time of the necro-release - able to see through all the eyes of every Fell in the world at the same time.  How to parse this info, may hit at later times in images or future in-game Lorebook checks.  So all the info YOU (Bill) know out-of-character can be retained.
-::  It IS true that for a moment the world was without Fell
-::  However, soon after another person died and the Fell began again.  It seems there was nothing to stop or hold off these "souls" from "the Guff" and the Fell began rising after deaths again.
-::  It is also true that you now know about the new evolution of the Fell... Meaning - when a Fell dies it has a chance of coming back as an incorporeal undead!
-::  You also know that anyone (capable of becoming Fell) that dies in a 5 mile proximity of the Cadaverous Eye, WILL become Fell.  If Fell die in that proximity they WILL become one of [http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Kyuad%27s_Lorebook#The_Lost the Lost] (an incorporeal undead), still unable to reach heaven through the murky Veil brought down during Izrador’s banishment. This further travesty means that these unfortunate souls are still unable to rest quietly. They rise as haunts and shades, cursed to roam the place of their death or familiar locations from their lives.
-:::  A hypothetical question is... has that unfortunate "ability" also transferred to emit from YOU???
-:  As to why?  This is largely unknown to Kyuad at the moment.  This is not something the Cadaverous Eye itself would "know".  What makes sense is that it "pulsed" that necromantic energy because it was "interupted" when Kyuad merged with it.  Was this a one time thing?  What will it do in the future?  Those are unknown, but could be investigated possibly in some way...</font>
-* What would it take to control the 'Eye the way others have intended to use it in the past?
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  No way to know that.  No way to even know if that's an option or possible.</font>
-** Who would know, if the 'Eye doesn't?
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:  Vrolk definately.  Possibly the Sorceror of Shadow.  Possibly "the Masters".</font>
-* What can the 'Eye do?
-** What causes others to turn into undead much more easily around the 'Eye?
-*** Is the 'Eye a portable necromantic conflux?
-:  <font color=red>ANSWER:
-::*  The Eye is an artifact of unknowable power at this point.  Only a few people "know" what it can do and they've only used it for what they wanted, not necessarily it's potential.
-::*  Think of the Eye as constantly emitting a radiation necromantic pulse that draws in the souls and locks them in the bodies of the dead - becoming Fell or becoming a Lost.
-::*  For all intents and purposes in many ways the Eye could be considered a portable Necromantic Conflux.
-:::*  However, you also might consider what/why Vrolk used the Obsidian Spire (itself a construct of shards from the Sundering) and other "influences" such as the Sleepers within the Spire.  You could assume that they were "powering" it somehow, while it also surged necro-seepage back into the spire.  Who knows what would happen if/when the Eye's "internal battery" were to deplete?  (if it could)  But considering that YOU effectively became an internal life battery for the thing since being unplugged from the Spire, who knows if it still "needs" power to continue now.  One thought is that if it doesn't get power it might effectively "break" the damn of whatever's holding back a force similar/greater to the necro-pulse that it emitted when Kyuad merged with it...  This is all conjecture for you to consider and expand on.  Enjoy...  :)</font>