A Compilation of Fae & Arasai Lore [Warning: Long Read] [Archive]

View Full Version : A Compilation of Fae & Arasai Lore [Warning: Long Read]

Sapphirius

11-13-2007, 12:54 AM

I am posting this on the <a rel="nofollow" href="http://townsquare.guildportal.com/CExplorer/cexpFrame.aspx?Group=209853" target="_blank">Town Square</a> forums, the new EQ2 roleplayer's community, but I figured that I would also post this here for those who don't read the Town Square. The following is a compilation of lore and information from in and out of game regarding the life of Fea and Arasai. I am including at the end transripts of NPC quest conversations and books as well as official developer statements. I wouldn't mind if a developer could come behind me to either clarify some areas or deny/confirm them. The timelines I wrote are, at best, an educated guess.(I apologize in advance for the blinding walls of text.)<hr />One of the things I've learned while doing geneology for my family and church was that you must often extract the facts from the fiction: things like names, dates, relations, cause of death, etc. These are things that cannot be argued and that are set in stone. Once you have extracted this information, you can then fit it into an existing timeline. This is the information I've extracted from the Fae quests and books.I chose the Norrathian timeline from <a rel="nofollow" href="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/posts/list.m?topic_id=186528" target="_blank">The History of Norrath</a>.This is done in half-century blocks. These events did not actually occur on these exact years but at approximately these times, give or take 25 years or so.400 years AgoThe Council of GodsThe Creation of the FaeThe Dream Ring350 Years AgoWar of the FayThe Invasion of the NexusThe Halfling Attack on NeriakThe Burning RingThe Ring of Sadness300 Years AgoThe Awakening of the Ogres and 2nd Rallosian WarThe Ring of Sadness (cont.)The Quiet RingThe Creation of the Arasai begins250 Years AgoFirst Ring of Chaos200 Years AgoThe Ring of Leaving150-100 Years AgoThe RendingThe Ring of TrialsThe Evolution of the Fae100-50 Years AgoThe Ring of Regrowth15 Years AgoThe Second Ring of ChaosThe ShatteringPresent DayThe Peaceful Ring<hr />Fae Queens by Rings:Dream Ring - Joleena, learned Fair'Dal language and brought the Fae to KelethinBurning Ring - Maarita, bridged gaps between the races of Kelethin, also queen at the beginning of the War of the FayRing of Sadness - Cydney, saw the rebuilding of Kelethin, spirit bud was lost, no mention of howQuiet Ring - Saphrina, saw the Fae return to Kelethin, killed by orcs & spirit bud destroyedFirst Ring of Chaos - Jillian, granted brownies the title of "Friends of the Fae"Ring of Leaving - UnknownRing of Trials - Liivika, died just before her weddingRing of Regrowth - 2 Unnamed Queens, both missing without a traceSecond Ring of Chaos - Sephria, Kilina's mother & Kilina, both killed in the ShatteringPeaceful Ring - Oola, Amree's mother & Amree, current queen<hr />The other thing I learned from doing geneology is sorting truth from prejudice. Often, our own personal views on the world will color the things that happen to us, causing us to paint a picture that is not entirely accurate or so far removed from the true occurence as to be somewhat laughable. For example, my daughter to this day still believes that I ripped the head off her bobblehead puppy. What actually happened was the puppy had been left on the floor and a neighbor stepped on it and broke it. It's also evident at a much larger scale when you read elementary history text books and then compare them to the things you learn in college, where you learn things such as the Civil War not actually being started because of slavery. Well, this applies in game as well. Kaitheel confirms this when he says, "Not everything in Norrath lines up beautifully. Keep in mind that all the information you find in game, whether through book or dialog, is being delivered from someone's point of view. They may have an agenda or a personal slant that will bring to light seemingly contradictory points from another's telling. For instance, I doubt the book "Arasai -Hate Gives Rise To Another Superior Race!" was written by a Teir'dal, for it does not paint them in the most complimentary of light. Also, the book is a retelling of the tale. Perhaps it is the story that Cristanos wants people to know. Perhaps it is propaganda built on bits of truth, intentionally shrouded in mystery."Now, I had this nice wonderful post typed out on the Haven website that gave a very brief summary of Fae & Arasai lives, but that has since been lost, and the copy I had is gone. (I had to reformat my harddrive.) Instead of trying to duplicate what I had written in a brief summary, I'll just address it in a "myth versus truth" format and then follow it with personal theories. I've started out by listing all the various things I've heard in game. Keep in mind that the "theory" sections are my own personal theories and could possibly be wrong. However, the "truth" sections are based on facts extracted from in-game lore and developer statements.Myth #1: Tunare created the Fae.Truth: Tunare did not create the Fae. According to a dev post on the EOF beta boards (now lost to me), the Fae evolved from the Faefolke, which include dryads, fairies, sprites, treants, and brownies. However, their evolution was a direct result of magical anomalies within the Faydark... anomalies created by Tunare. As a result, they credit her with their creation.But wait a minute, Sapph. You typed up the History of the Fae book for us, and it specifically says that Tunare created the Fae.Tunare, goddess of nature, gave us life.As she walked through Greater Faydark, flowers sprung up beneath her feet. One of these flowers turned its face toward her as a heliotrope to the sun."You are precious," said Tunare, laughing and gently cupping the blossom in her hands. And so the first Fae were formed of blossoms and Tunare's laughter.Well, this would be true. The book does indeed say that Tunare created the Fae... and from flowers at that. The Bible also says that man was created from clay while scientists state that we were evolved from primates. This is the Fae creation story, much like the Book of Genesis is one of the many many human creation stories in real life. Whether you regard it as truth or not is entirely up to your character's interpretation.Theory: My theory on Fae evolution is that they evolved with Tunare's influence.Myth #2: Fae are born from flowers and/or spirit buds.Truth: Fae are not born from flowers. They are born to parents just like every other race. They have a mother and father, brothers and sisters. You even hear NPCs refer to their siblings in various quest lines and the History of the Fae even refers to mother and daughter when speaking of the Fae queens and the various Rings they reigned in.Theory: I believe Fae are mammillian and give live birth. Why do I believe this? Because female Fae have breasts. Iksar, Frogloks and Sarnak are non-mammillian races and do not have breasts. I emphasized giving live birth because there is a mammal that lays eggs. I don't believe that Fae lay eggs or plant flowers for two reasons: I see no nests or eggs anywhere, and the Call of Kelethin NPC very clearly states that Fae do not come from plants. Period.Myth #3: Spirit buds are flowers.Truth: No, spirit buds are the wisps of light that float around Kelethin and the Nursery. This is stated in game in several places. Astaar Evinien states, "You've heard of the Fae spirit buds and may have assumed that we are some type of plant! It's merely a figure of speech. Our spirit buds surround the city, observing and guiding us. When a spirit bud is ready for renewal, it chooses when and where to return." But wait a minute. The Matron of the Nursery has you kill shrumblers to protect the spirit blooms. "The spirit blooms grow both to the east and west of here." Well, yes she does, but she never once says that those spirit blooms are the flowers that you can physically see. Ah ha! But Brinks talks about making clothes for all the newly awakened Fae. Yes, he does. Have you noticed that he is making specialized clothing? He needed spidersilk for cloth, wolf pelts for leather, and crab and turtle shells for chain and plate. He's referring to making clothes for newly awakened Fae because they are awakening into the adventure class that they will become. They are outgrowing their childhood garments and into adulthood.Theory: Several NPCs refer to a Fae's awakening. I believe this is the "budding" or "blooming" that most NPCs speak of. A spirit bloom would be a spirit that is newly awakened... inside a Fae.Myth #4: Fae are born with their spirit buds.Truth: Fae are not born with their buds. They merge with their buds when they reach adulthood. Ilmarr asked, "Is there a sort of racial Ritual/Celebration that takes young Fae into the Nursery and then whatever joining occurs?" Owlchick answered, "As the Fae youth feel these stirrings, they naturally gravitate toward those areas in which the Fae spirit buds are more concentrated. And of course, a high concentration of Fae spirit buds would be most likely to occur in areas where there are magical influences that allow them freedom to grow."Theory: Fae are an empty vessel when they are born. They have their own personalities but no guidance or direction. Acquiring a spirit means they have become a vesself for that spirit (similar to the vessels you read about in the Obelisk lore), and that spirit in turn awakens and guides them on their journeys.Myth #5: Fae are reincarnations.Truth: Yes, Fae are reincarnations, but not in the sense that you traditionally think of. Each Fae is their own individual being. The spirit they merge with is more just their guide and a recording of their history, which is why history is such an important part of a Fae's life and why the loss of a spirit bud is so tragic. This is stated several times over in various quests.Theory: As I said earlier, the Fae are vessels for these spirits that guide them through their life's journey. The spirit bud is more of an imprint of history than anything else. Sometimes, they may not remember anything from their spirit bud's memories. Sometimes, they may remember everything. I believe this because of Aileeta Reila's statement, "From your question, I gather you're unsure of whether you're making your own choices, or if your choices are dictated to you by your own past." And then, "That's another sign of your spirit reblossoming. All the memories within it, as well as your new memories, are turning over and around, trying to make sense of things. Don't worry about it, just let things happen to you."Myth #6: Fae live as long as elves do.Truth: Fae have a life span of approximately 70 years according to Owlchick (slightly shorter than that of a human's), and she states that this time was shortened with their evolution during the Rending. This seems to be confirmed when you timeline the book the History of the Fae.Theory: I have no theory on this one. I'll take the developer's word for it that their life span is slightly shorter than that of a human's.Myth #7: Evil fae are arasai, and/or good arasai are fae.Truth: Saying this is tantamount to saying that evil high elves are dark elves, and good dark elves are high elves. It's just not true. Well, they look the same, just their wings are different, you say. It's more than just their wings. Their skin, hair, and eye colorations are also different. Elves are both humanoid with pointed ears and slanted eyes. The only difference is skin, hair, and eye coloration and height. An arasai is an arasai, whether they are good or evil. Period. The same with a fae.Theory: While I feel the fae could care less, the arasai are a very proud race, and I think calling a good arasai a "fae" would be a most grevious insult to that arasai.Myth #8: Christanos created Arasai from captured Fae spirit buds.Truth: Now, this would be up for debate. The book on Arasai states, "Queen Christanos performed dark and beautifully abhorrent magics upon the captured spirit blossoms. She would allow them to birth, and then torture them with unspeakable acts. After the inevitably painful deaths, she would perform further sadistic magics upon the resulting spirit blossoms." Again, this falls under the clause of seperating fact from fiction. The fact is that the Innoruuk deity quest line has you steal Fae spirit buds for the Seraph of Hate. However, we also know from in-game lore that Christanos and the Church of Innoruuk are at odds with each other, and the Seraph never says why you are stealing the buds for her. There is no confirmation that the buds you steal are the same ones that Christanos tortured over the course of 300 years.Theory: The book specifically speaks of spirit blooms. I'll point you to an earlier theory where I stated that the spirit blooms are spirit buds that are awakening inside maturing Fae. When the books says, "On a mission of secrecy a band of Teir'Dal traveled from Neriak to the disdained lands of Faydwer. There they were able to acquire, through clandestine acts, fae spirit blossoms," I believe it means that they captured Fae who were just awakening or going through their Rite of Passage. I believe they also captured other Fae, such as the two queens in the History of the Fae book who went missing without a trace.Myth #9: Arasai wings are weak and/or delicate.Truth: Fae wings are weaker and more delicate than arasai wings. In fact, the fae wings were not even able to survive the process of Christanos's years of tainting, so she replaced the wings with those of bats, moths, and other cave creatures. Now, the book does mention that some arasai are born without wings or with badly damaged wings. These arasai are given magically constructed wings to use.Theory: There are some wing choices that seem to confirm this. On the male arasai, there is a jagged wing pattern that ends in a little ball that hovers over their shoulders instead of directly connecting like other wings do. The structure of the wings that the membranes stretch from look much like straight wooden slats or splints to hold the wing's shape.Myth #10: Arasai do not merge with spirit buds.Truth: Arasai do in fact have spirit buds and merge with them just like fae do. Kaitheel confirmed this in the Arasai Lore thread when he stated, "You are also correct to interpret the purple and blue orbs that languish around Neriak and especially Darklight Palace, are the spirit buds of Arasai."Theory: Saying that the arasai reproduce, grow and devlop completely different would not make much sense as dark elves reproduce grow and develop in the same manner that high elves do. Just because dark elves went through centuries of corruption doesn't mean that they suddenly ignored all possible biological functions and started hatching from eggs. The same applies to arasai. They would not have been changed so drastically from their original biological forms as to begin hatching from eggs or missing major milestones of their development.Myth #11: Arasai are slaves to the Teir'Dal.Truth: There is nothing to indicate positively that the arasai are in fact meant to be slaves or even subserviant to Teir'Dal. However, Fileyl Alyyharil in Hate's Envy who states, "You are not Teir'Dal, you are but our slave."Theory: I think the Arasai were created as superiors to the Teir'Dal who had fallen from Christanos' favor. They were not created to be slaves to anyone but the Queen herself. However, and understandably, the Teir'Dal will be bitter towards arasai and even jealous and will do their best to belittle their station in life as they believe that they are Norrath's superior race, not the arasai.<hr />Below is a collection of in-game lore and official developer statements regarding the Fae and Arasai. I will continue to add to the collections as I find and record more lore. As you can see, compared to Fae lore, Arasai lore is... sadly lacking, but I believe this to be because so much of the arasai life cycle is like the fae's that the developers just didn't want to repeat everything and have it come across as old and boring.

Sapphirius

11-13-2007, 01:00 AM

By Owlchick (from EOF Beta Boards)--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Specteral wrote:I have a few questions relating to the lore and history of the fae:First, what kind of lifespan do fae have? Don't need anything exact, just trying to figure out which segment of life my fae will be in.Second, what kind of family structure do Fae have? Are they born or do they appear as a result of magical excess similar to faries?Third, are there any great heros in the Fae culture that would pertain to melee combat? I suspect I can find the answer to this one off old EQ1 lore sites, but decided to ask at the source instead.Fourth, any cultural things that Fae should stay away from? IE Fae normally don't like X.Hope I didn't ask anything too screwy, trying to come up with a decent backstory for my little Fae monk. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------MG and I had long, philosophical discussions about these things. I was surprised, actually, at how many folks asked your question two first (albeit phrased in such a way that would make someone as sweet and innocent as a Fae blush).The general lifespan of a Fae is approximately 70 "human years," although of course disease, war and other unpleasant things can shorten that considerably. Fae families are essentially the same as Feir'Dal: there is a father and a mother and then there are little cherubs. What changes within a Fae is a period during which their spirit begins to stir, an awakening that marks the end of their childhood and the beginning of the adult phase in their lives. The Fae may not generally remember precise details of their spirits' past, but they may have increased sensitivity to places and things that held significance for that spirit. Some Fae have a much stronger spirit that allows glimpses of its past in addition to the emotional stirrings tied to locations and objects.Before joining with a new Fae, the spirit buds tend to cluster in areas near Kelethin, sometimes called "nurseries," although the spirits are not actual flowers. Fae are obviously very close to nature and some of their spirits would probably enjoy sleeping on a petal, so there are often spirits floating amongst gardens. In fact, when a Fae dies, its spirit is often seen as a tiny, flickering light that will remain near the site of that Fae's demise for some time. That light is considered the "spirit bud" and is often brought back to Kelethin by the deceased Fae's kin. Losing a spirit bud is considered a very tragic event, as it means that the memories and experiences of that particular Fae's spirit cannot be recovered. A particular fear is losing a spirit bud far from home, as the Fae worry that their enemies might seek to use that spirit with unnatural and unpleasant consequences.Combat is not the primary focus of the Fae, so there are no martial heroes in the sense of conquerers. Individuals are less likely to be known than groups of defenders, though even in that regard, the Fae are pretty reticent about their achievements. There are no written records of the Fae being involved in the War of the Fay (which began the Burning Ring), although according to Fae tradition, they had come to the defense of Kelethin and allied with the Feir'Dal. Perhaps, as they were smaller in size then, their contributions were simply overlooked. In this way, any modern Fae can tell the tale of how one of their ancestors did this thing or the other during the War of Fay (or any other Ring in their history) and no one can really dispute it. Fae, like many magical beings, are superstitious. They would rather cross upstream than downstream (as being downstream has the "ebb" factor, and they consider it bad luck to do something that might cause their magic to ebb). They prefer not to ride horses because the motion is not as smooth and graceful as their glide...but then, some Fae find it great fun because it's so different. They particularly like dark chocolate with...oh...wait. That last one was about me. The Fae love to play tricks of all kinds on the unwary and they don't mind when the joke is on them so long as it's a good one.Hope this helps somewhat.T'chickDesigner<hr />By Owlchick (from "<a href="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/posts/list.m?topic_id=187544" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">On the, ahem, reproduction of fae</a>&quot<img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />Illmarr wrote:: So you have baby cherubs over here, and Spirit buds over there waiting to join. That suggests that the cherubs are the product of biological reproduction to me. They exist without being merged with a Spirit Bud. My question off this working premise becomes: Are the Fae drawn by some mystical force when the time is right to the Nursery to join with their Spirit Bud?Yes, that's a great way of looking at it. It's sort of like listening to a song , or reading a poem, and feeling something stir inside you. You want to find out more about whatever it is that brought on those feelings, so you read more poems or listen to more of the same music. The Fae are naturally curious creatures, so this is a time when they will explore their environment, seeking out places where these feelings are strongest.Is there a sort of racial Ritual/Celebration that takes young Fae into the Nursery and then whatever joining occurs? As the Fae youth feel these stirrings, they naturally gravitate toward those areas in which the Fae spirit buds are more concentrated. And of course, a high concentration of Fae spirit buds would be most likely to occur in areas where there are magical influences that allow them freedom to grow.Am I over-thinking and is this just too esoteric or irrelevant a question/topic for a game?Well, as someone quoted me earlier, I was surprised by how many people are thinking this through to it's natural, er, beginning.((Owlchick's responses are the italicized above))<hr />Welcome to Kelethin!Welcome to Kelethin!Kelethin is a thriving community once again, thanks to the cooperation of the Fae and Feir'Dal, under the leadership of Queen Amree of the Fae.Throughout the lands, you will often find curious objects that seem to serve no purpose.These may be collectible items, dropped long ago by another traveler passing through the area.When you've completed a collection of leaves, stones or shells (for example), you may bring them to Kelethin's own Venla Vaara, a collector of all sorts of odds and ends.She can usually be found near the Kelethin First Regional Bank.You can't wait to jump into explorations, can you? The expanse of Greater Faydark calls to you, beckoning you to plunge right in and start exploring.You'll find many areas marked on your map, while others are mysterious corners waiting for you to find them.Take any of Kelethin's three fast and efficient acorn lifts down to the forest floor.You'll be amazed at the abundance of wildlife and flora to be found!When you travel off the beaten path, you'll learn to recognize such landmarks as Granite Hills or Emerald Lake.Reading is a pleasure, especially when someone reads aloud to you. It's like a symphony of words set to different music each time it's heard.You'll find any number of books scattered throughout Kelethin, and their owners are generous lenders. You may also purchase books from Piritta Silvarri.The Lore and Legends books teach new skills, making them a practical as well as entertaining read.The Fae are fond of history, which for them is an ongoing process as their spirits can re-blossom as long as they are nurtured.There are several works by Feir'Dal authors in the collections found throughout Kelethin, too.If you happen across a book that's missing some pages (or pages that are missing a book), Venla Vaara can help you restore them, if you bring completed sets to her.As you continue your journeys around Kelethin, you may notice things that are a bit unusual.A pine needle beneath an oak tree. An old firepit in the forest.Ordinary? Or something else entirely? Only closer examination can provide answers to questions such as these.If you're as curious as a Fae, you'll want to rush up and examine everything.Be careful, though! Some Fae like to play tricks on the unsuspecting, and you could fall victim to one of their traps!While Kelethin has not completely embraced "Outsiders," as many of the newcomers to the town are called, there are advantages to new commercial enterprises.Representatives from Qeynos, Freeport, and the Far Seas Trading Company have made themselves available to those who seek excitement.In a land with the rich history of Norrath, there are always relics of past glory that resurface now and again.These pieces of our collective heritage are beautiful, rare objects that may not be easy to obtain, but are well worth the effort.As you gain more life experience, you'll want to focus your training in your chosen field. Fortunately, Kelethin is well-equipped for training of all kinds!Look for representatives of the Order of Arcane (mages), House of Falling Stars (priests), Sylvan Hunters (scouts), Protectors of Growth (warriors) and Tunare's Pages (crafts) throughout Kelethin.Though Kelethin has suffered fire and destruction in the past, it returns to life more beautiful than before.This is not only a testament to the sturdiness of its construction, but the faith of its inhabitants.We welcome you to Kelethin and hope you will enjoy your life amongst the trees!<hr />The History of the FaeThis is a history of the Fae. Its pages cannot be completed at one time, but must be gained through valor and experience.Through my own experiences, I can gain knownledge and insight into the Fae.Tunare, goddess of nature, gave us life.As she walked through Greater Faydark, flowers sprung up beneath her feet. One of these flowers turned its face toward her as a heliotrope to the sun."You are precious," said Tunare, laughing and gently cupping the blossom in her hands. And so the first Fae were formed of blossoms and Tunare's laughter.That was the beginning of the Dream Ring, the first Ring in which Fae realized that their lives were indeed precious.Life was quiet for the Fae in those distant times.One of the Fae learned the language of the Feir'Dal, our brothers and sisters of Tunare. In time, all Fae learned some Feir'Dal words and added them to our own language, Faerlie.And Joleena took her new language skills into Kelethin, the city of the Feir'Dal. She lived amongst them for a time and when she returned, we made her our first Queen.Our people had often lived in small bands, roving through the Faydarks.We recognized that we had much in common with the Feir'Dal, and so over time, many of the Fae migrated to live near the trees which formed its base.Many of the Fae died in the Burning Ring, when the armies of the War of the Fey crossed the woods, burning everything before them.Those who were not killed were horrified. We had never witnessed so much death and destruction!And though emissaries were sent to Felwithe, the Koada'Dal sent no help. Much of Greater Faydark and Kelethin were burned, yet the First Children did nothing.Instead, they closed themselves away once the War had ended. And so began the Ring of Sadness.We helped the Feir'Dal rebuild Kelethin. Who else had they to turn to but the Fae?Queen Cydney oversaw our contributions, channeling our Fae magic to heal the trees and restore the Faydarks to beauty.We mourned, for Queen Cydney's spirit bud, holding all her memories and experiences, was lost to us forever.Each Fae if formed from the spirit bud of one of the ancestors.By maintaining the blossom, the Fae can reawaken its spirit and remember threads from the distant past.Many of us who can recall the Ring of Sadness prefer to remember the Quiet Ring that followed instead, for the Age of Ware did not touch Kelethin until later.As the gods seemed to withdraw from us, the Fae's magical influences seemed to wave as well.Though we had moved away from Kelethin itself, remembering the Burning Ring, Queen Saphrina encouraged us to move back."There are dark forces everywhere," she said. "It will be easier for us to join with the Feir'Dal before it is too late."And so we did, building a wall of brambles to keep the city safe.The Crushbone orcs proved Queen Saphrina right - they took her life and destroyed her spirit bud. This was truly the First Ring of Chaos.Deterred by the thick brambles we had raised beneath the city, the orcs laid siege to Kelethin, never envisioning from which direction our help would come.They crept in from Lesser Faydark, an army of brownies, and decimated the Crushbone orcs.They had never been our particular allies before, rescuing us had been incidental to their love of battle. Queen Jillian granted them the status "Friend of the Fae" from that moment onward.The siege was broken, yet the wards raging around us did not cease. Nor did the orcs let up their attempted assault on the city.An uneasily peaceful time followed - the Ring of Leaving.In a very short span of time, we witnessed some of the remaining Fair'Dal and others leave Faydwer. They spoke of receiving a vision, a word from Tunare.And as time went on, we let the beambles protecting Kelethin dissipate as we moved into the city ourselves.We thought that the troubled times lay behind us now, yet the Ring of Trials had only begun.All around us the lands began to change, groaning and breaking apart. Built into the trees, Kelethin withstood the trembling earth below.We felt we were being tested, but had no way of knowing if we passed.The last trial was the death of our young, beautiful Queen Liivika, just two days before her wedding, leaving the Fae to mourn yet again.Some began to question how Tunare could leave us. Others argued that she had not left, that we simply needed to learn how to live like the Feir'Dal.We Fae lost some of our innocence, but we know that we are not alone. Our spirits tell us this.Changes were wrought, some not as obvious as the madly swirling seas and other very evident.We were growing taller and the shapes and colors of our wings began to differ. The Ring of Regrowth marked a period of rapid changes amongst the Fae.Sadly, during this time two of our Queens disappeared and we were unable to recover their spirits.The Second Ring of Chaos begain with what Outsiders call the Shattering. Shards of Luclin rained down around Fawdwer, but fortunately, most of Greater Faydark escaped unscathed.A few of Kelethin's platforms caught fire, though most of the city was untouched.Queen Sephria and later her daughter Queen Kilina were both killed by the rain of debris which stopped as suddenly as it had started.Some days, we wondered what had become of those who had left Faydwer.Where did they go? Did they perish in the Second Ring of Chaos? Would we ever see them or their kin again? For our spirits continued to renew and continued to remember.And then ships arrived as well as parties crossing into Greater Faydark from elsewhere, and we knew that times were changing. Again.This began the Peaceful Ring, which continues to the present. Given our history, we wonder - Peaceful for how long?Queen Oola oversaw the rebuilding of the parts of Kelethin that had been destroyed and left the city to her daughter AMree, our current Queen.Who knows what our future holds, now that Outsiders come once again to Faydwer?

Sapphirius

11-13-2007, 01:01 AM

The Nursery - Matron of the Nursery SeriesYou say, "Hail, Matron of the Nursery"Matron of the Nursery says, "Thank Tunare you're here! There's little time to explain. An infestation of shrumblers has appeared in the nursery and they're eating the spirit blooms! Can you help us?"You say, "Yes, I'll get rid of the shrumblers."Matron of the Nursery says, "The spirit blooms grow both to the east and west of here. Please be careful!"You say, "I'll be safe."Matron of the Nursery says, "I hope so. You are still quite young and those creatures can be very dangerous!"You say, "I will return."You say, "Hail, Matron of the Nursery"Matron of the Nursery says, "Thank you so much! The spirit blooms should be fine now. It was strange... we've never seen shrumblers that large or in such great numbers."You say, "Where did they come from?"Matron of the Nurserya says, "The shrumblers came from the direction of the pond just to the southwest. Vile grobin scouts were recently seen in that area. I know it is much to ask, but could you check out the area and get rid of any grobin scouts that you find?"You say, "Sure, I'll check things out."Matron of the Nursery says, "Thank you. I fear for the spirit bloom nursery with the grobins so close. It wouldn't surprise me if they're behind the infestation too!"You say, "I'll take care of things."You say, "Hail, Matron of the Nursery"Matron of the Nursery says, "Are the grobin scouts still out there?"You say, "I ran a few of them off.. I also saw some grobins putting something in the water of the pond."Matron of the Nursery says, "You noticed the grobins putting something in the pond's water? This is most troubling. The creatures and plants of this area depend on that enchanted water to grow big and strong! The grobins must be stopped or many things will suffer."You say, "I'll stop them."Matron of the Nursery says, "Thank you, Bellflower. The grobins are usually up to something devious. I hope you can find out what it is for the sake of the spirit bloom nursery."You say, "I'll do my best to find out."You say, "Hail, Matron of the Nursery"Matron of the Nursery says, "Were you able to find out what the grobins at the pond were up to?"You say, "Yes. They had jars of shrumbler eggs that they were pouring into the pond."Matron of the Nursery says, "So the grobin were behind the infestation! I knew it! Putting those eggs in the enchanted pond would make the shrumblers grow incredibly quick and strong. Hmm, I wonder where they were getting all those eggs, though. That question will have to wait, however. I've discovered a greater problem."You say, "What is wrong?"Matron of the Nursery says, "It seems the shrumblers did more damage to the spirit blooms than I previously thought. I need to heal the blooms but I don't have the components with me."You say, "I can get what you need."Matron of the Nursery says, "Thank you, Bellflower. The herbs can be harvested from the faeicia plants not far from here to the west."You say, "I'll go gather some."Matron of the Nursery says, "Be careful of the wolves though, they can be quite feisty if they haven't eaten."You say, "I'll be careful."You say, "Hail, Matron of the Nursery"Matron of the Nursery says, "Welcome back, Bellflower. Were you able to gather the healing herbs I need?"You say, "Yes, I have them right here."Matron of the Nursery says, "Very good. I'll begin the healing of the spirit blooms. Thank you so much for all you've done. I don't know what we would've done if you hadn't awoken when you did."You say, "You are welcome."Matron of the Nursery says, "Before you go, can you do one last thing for me? I fear the grobins will try attacking the spirit blooms again. I need you to deliver a message to Sentry Trillis and warn him about the grobins."You say, "I can take the message for you."Matron of the Nursery says, "Thank you, Bellflower. May Tunare bless you for all you have done! Now I have some spirit blooms to heal."You say, "Goodbye, Matron of the Nursery."You say, "Hail, Sentry Trillis"Sentry Trillis says, "Greetings, young one. What brings you to my post?"You say, "The Matron of the Nursery has a message for you."Sentry Trillis says, "She does? Hmmm... she's worried about the grobins, but she should rest easy. I spotted where the grobins ran off to when you scared them away from the pond. I already alerted my friend, Captain Steelforge."You say, "Where did they go?"Sentry Trillis says, "If you look west of here you might be able to make out the cave the grobins ran into. Captain Steelforge has been dispatched to investigate. If you want to help, you could take my report to him. "You say, "Sure. I can take the report for you."Sentry Trillisa says, "Thanks. The report is a simple "All Clear" for now, but I thought he would like to know. So long, Bellflower."You say, "So long, Sentry Trillis."You say, "Hail, Captain Steelforge"Captain Steelforge says, "Whoa, what are ye doin' out here? Thar be grobins in this cave that'll eat yer eyeballs and roast yer toes! Watch yerself youngin'."You say, "I brought a status report from Sentry Trillis."Captain Steelforge says, "Private Trillis' report, ya say? Good, looks like "All Clear" from up top, boys. Now ya best be gettin' to some place safe. Grobins ain't some wee pals to be playing ring-around-the-rosey-posey with."You say, "Grobins don't worry me. I already got rid of the ones at Amethyst Pond."Captain Steelforge says, "Not worried, eh? We could all use a bit o' help if yer interested. But it involves goin' into Drippy Caves, so it be okay if ye want to back out."You say, "I can handle it. What is going on?"Captain Steelforge says, "We got here a few minutes ago, and before we could even unload our packs, old Spelunkle darted into the caves to investigate. He's got no brains, but ya gotta admire his spunk. We need to set up the defenses here to contain the grobin, but I need you to check on Spelunkle and make sure he's okay."You say, "You got it."Captain Steelforge says, "I'm sure he's fine, but that don't stop me from worrying."You say, "I'll find him."You say, "Hail, Scout Spelunkle"Scout Spelunkle, "AAAAAHHHHH! Oh wait, yer not a grobin... What are you doin' scaring me like that!?"You say, "Captain Steelforge wanted to know if you were okay. You shouldn't go running off alone."Scout Spelunkle says, "Doh! I knew I forgot something... orders... I need to remember to get me orders first! Everything's okay here, I just really like my job as a Specialist Spelunker. Nothin' like crawlin' around in a dark, musty cave."You say, "Have you discovered anything while you were down here?"Scout Spelunkle says, "I found where the grobins are gettin' their shrumbler eggs. They're keepin' a big shrumbler in a cave near the back... and boy, she's a big one! They scoop up the icky eggs she lays, put 'em in jars and then they carry 'em out of here. "You say, "They need to be stopped. What do you have planned?"Scout Spelunkle says, "Me?! I'm not a sword swingin' or finger wigglin' type. I'm just an explorer! Maybe you can do it! You could get to the shrumbler queen you could take her out! "You say, "I'll do it."Scout Spelunkle says, "Good. All you have to do is eliminate the shrumbler queen. That'll stop the grobins from gettin those shrumbler eggs. Once you finish that, go back to the captain and let him know what happened."You say, "I understand."You say, "Hail, Captain Steelforge"Captain Steelforgea says, "Did ya find little Spelunkle? Tell me, is he okay?"You say, "He's fine. He also told me about the shrumbler queen they had in the cave."Captain Steelforge says, "The shrumbler queen they "had"? Did they go and move her or somethin'?"You say, "Nah, I took care of it."Captain Steelforge says, "You did? Amazin'! You solved our problems on your own?"You say, "I couldn't have done it without Spelunkle's help."Captain Steelforge says, "Cleanin' up the rest of these grobins should be a breeze now that you've destroyed their operation. You did a fine job, Bellflower. Please take this as payment. "You say, "Thank you, Captain Steelforge."Captain Steelforge says, "Oh, before you go... could you take this report of our activities to Jenthis Viridar at the Sapling Spur Outpost? You'll find the outpost through Echo Echo Canyon, east of here."You say, "Sure, I can take it."Captain Steelforge says, "Thanks again for all your help!"You say, "You are welcome."You say, "Hail, Jenthis Viridar"Jenthis Viridar says to you, "Welcome to Sapling Spur Outpost. I am Jenthis Viridar, the current rank around here. I, well... I'd like to offer our assistance, but we're in a bit of a predicament right now."You say to Jenthis Viridar, "I am Bellflower. I have a status report from Captain Steelforge."Jenthis Viridar says to you, "Ah, very good. I will... I will get to this when there's time."You say to Jenthis Viridar, "Glad to be of service."<hr />The Nursery - Brink Trudger SeriesYou say, "Hail, Brink Trudger"Brink Trudger says, "Hi there, young one'! Heh. Off to start your adventures in the great-big, crazy world, eh? Always keep your wits about you! My wits saved me from a few scrapes over the years."You say, "Who are you?"Brink Trudger says, "The names Trudger, youngin', Brink Trudger. I've been where you're going. I used to be an adventurer, wandering the Shattered Lands, but now I help the Matron of the Nursery by making clothing for newly awakened fae. Eh, I could use your help, if you're willing."You say, "Sure. How can I help?"Brink Trudger says, "I'm running low on leather for my fae outfits. I'd go out hunting myself, but I don't think my old bones could take it. Hahaha! If you get me some growler pelts from the grey growlers west of here, I could tan them to make new strips of leather."You say, "I can get the hides for you."Brink Trudger says, "Great! I appreciate it!"You say, "This should be no problem."You say, "Hail, Brink Trudger"Brink Trudger says, "Howdy youngin'! How goes the hunt for the growler pelts?"You say, "I have some growler pelts for you."Brink Trudger says, "These are great! Nice skinning job on the hides. They'll make great leather pieces. You know, I hate to ask, but, uh, I need your help just one more time. "You say, "Sure, what is it?"Brink Trudger says, "While you were out, I discovered I'm almost out of the spider silk I use to sew fae clothes for the magically-inclined. I'd be in your debt if you'd get me just a small amount of spider silk so that I can continue making the wee fae outfits."You say, "I'll get the silk for you."Brink Trudger says, "Wonderful! The silkspinner spiders usually live in an area to the west, past the growlers. Be careful though, those silkspinners are dangerous fellers!"You say, "I'll be careful."You say, "Hail, Brink Trudger"Brink Trudger says, "Welcome back, Bellflower. Heehee ...Were you able to get your hands on some spider silk?"You say, "Yes, I have some spider silk for you."Brink Trudger says, "Marvelous! Uhoh! This silk is very good quality! You, you did an excellent job, and I know the fae appreciate your hard work. You'll make a fine adventurer, Bellflower. A fine adventurer, indeed. Huhuh."You say, "Is there anything else I can help with?"Brink Trudger says, "Hmmm... I'm running low on hard plates to use in making the armor for the heavy fighter types. If you get me the shells I need, I'd sure appreciate it."You say, "What kind of shells do you need?"Brink Trudger says, "I've been using crustacean and turtle shells. The clawsnaps and sand sifters on the beach seem plentiful. If you bring me their shells, I'm sure I'll be able to make them into hard armor for newly awakened fae."You say, "I'll get the shells for you."Brink Trudger says, "Thank you, Bellflower. I'll be right here putting this gear together."You say, "Okay, I'll be right back."You say, "Hail, Brink Trudger"Brink Trudger says, "Hello there, Bellflower. Any luck getting those shells from the beach?"You say, "Yes, I have them right here."Brink Trudger says, "Ah, these are excellent huhhuh. Not a scratch on 'em! Uh, these will make fine plate armor, indeed. We appreciate everything you've done. You're going to make a mark in this world, I tell you."You say, "Thanks, Brink."<hr />Sapling Spur Outpost - Call of Kelethin QuestYou say, "Hail, Lady Astaar Evinien"Lady Astaar Evinien says, "Hello there! Are you here to participate in the Fae Ritual of Calling?"You say, "What's that?"Lady Astaar Evinien says, "It's a ritual that allows the Fae, as well as those who honor our ways, to return to Kelethin whenever they wish."You say, "I'd love to do that."Lady Astaar Evinien says, "Excellent! I have already heard of your prowess from the Matron, Bellflower, so this will be easy for you. The Fae use these simple rituals to help us retain our sense of community, especially with so many changes coming our way lately."You say, "What must I do?"Lady Astaar Evinien says, "You've heard of the Fae spirit buds and may have assumed that we are some type of plant! It's merely a figure of speech. Our spirit buds surround the city, observing and guiding us. When a spirit bud is ready for renewal, it chooses when and where to return. The ritual you'll perform welcomes a spirit back to us, helping it focus on our beloved city."You say, "I see."Lady Astaar Evinien says, "Take this simple offering with you to the memorial inside Kelethin to those who fell during the Siege. The best way to welcome a new spirit is by honoring those spirits no longer with us."You say, "I will do this."You say, "Hail, Lady Astaar Evinien"Lady Astaar Evinien says, "Have you placed the offering at the memorial?"You say, "Yes, I have."Lady Astaar Evinien says, "Do you understand? Or do you have questions?"You say, "I don't understand the meaning of the memorial."Lady Astaar Evinien says, "The memorial was placed on the remains of a tree burnt during the Siege. Many, not just Fae, lost their lives in that time. Many of our spirits were lost in that time...so we honor the returning Fae spirits that much more. We are glad that they can return, you see?"You say, "I see."Lady Astaar Evinien says, "May Tunare guide you, Bellflower! You've shown the Fae respect by honoring our ritual. I'm pleased to present you with the Call of Kelethin, so that your spirit may also return to us."You say, "Thank you."

Sapphirius

11-13-2007, 01:04 AM

Kelethin - Fae Rite of Passage SeriesYou say, "Hail, Lady Katri Eloranta"Lady Katri Eloranta says, "Hello, I am Lady Katri Eloranta, advisor. How may I help you?"You say, "I am seeking adventure."Lady Katri Eloranta says, "Are you ready to begin your studies for the Rite of Passage?"You say, "The Rite of Passage?"Lady Katri Eloranta says, "Once you complete the Rite of Passage, you are granted full access to the city of Kelethin. The Rite tests your knowledge, capability and competence and allows us to see what your spirit remembers."You say, "My spirit remembers quite a lot, but it forgot about the Rite of Passage."Lady Katri Eloranta says, "That's natural. As time flows past us, our spirit buds save only what is absolutely necessary for our survival. The Rite of Passage has changed over time as we have changed ourselves. Are you ready to begin?"You say, "I am ready."Lady Katri Eloranta says, "The Rite of Passage is a test of your maturity. While our spirits retain the essentials stored by our ancestors, we are only able to pass the Rite of Passage at the right time of our growth."You say, "There are several tests, aren't there?"Lady Katri Eloranta says, "Correct. And you must pass each test, though you can certainly take as much time as you need. This isn't a test of speed, but of spirit."You say, "I understand."Lady Katri Eloranta says, "You will learn everything you need to know from the instructors, but which elements will be in your individual Rite of Passage will only be revealed in the final test."You say, "What should I study first?"Lady Katri Eloranta says, "Although we are peaceful, we all learn the art of self-defense. Go to the library, just one platform over, where you will learn about our self-defense postures. And be careful crossing the platforms, Bellflower."You say, "I know!"Lady Katri Eloranta says, "I realize you've heard that all your life, but it would certainly be a shame to lose such a promising spirit at this point, wouldn't it?"You say, "I will come back when I've completed this task."You say, "Hail, Bark Chiselchin"Bark Chiselchin says, "Your form needs improvement! Keep your back straight!"You say, "Excuse me?"Bark Chiselchin says, "It's all in the posture. Always be ready, that's the path to self-defense! You have to be ready to sway like the wind, to flow like water and to bite like an angry fly. That's the art of self-defense!"You say, "Should I know anything more?"Bark Chiselchin says, "You should learn all your life, kid. Otherwise, life isn't worth living. That's the whole truth of self-defense. You want to last longer than your opponent. Self-defense isn't something that can be taught, but it can be learned. Got it?"You say, "Got it."Bark Chiselchin says, "If you're ever jumped again, it's your own fault. Keep your shoulders back, your ears clean and your head high. Now off with you! Back to Lady Katri, I've business to attend to."You say, "Will do."You say, "Hail, Lady Katri Eloranta"Lady Katri Eloranta says, "How goes your self-defense training?"You say, "I completed the training, my lady."Lady Katri Eloranta says, "Don't be so formal, Bellflower. Please, call me "Katri." The title of "Lady" is merely the way that advisors such as myself are distinguished in Kelethin. Or have you forgotten that?"You say, "I'm sorry, but I honestly don't remember."Lady Katri Eloranta says, "Not to worry. The Rite of Passage exists to teach you not only how to conduct yourself but also how to retain the memories of your spirit so that they may be passed down through the generations."You say, "Should I study more about history now?"Lady Katri Eloranta says, "That's an excellent idea, Bellflower. Much of our history is inherited through our spirit bud and yet, there are still gaps. The collective memories of our community are what maintains our continuity. Your first instructor is my sister, Lyyti Eloranta."You say, "She is a history teacher?"Lady Katri Eloranta says, "There are several, all in Kelethin. My sister, Lyyti Eloranta, is an excellent teacher."You say, "I'll get started on my history lessons."Lady Katri Eloranta says, "Lyyti is minding her shop on the platform near the bank. If you get lost, ask any of the guards to help you find her."You say, "Thank you!"You say, "Hail, Lyyti Eloranta"Lyyti Eloranta says, "May I help you with something?"You say, "Lady Katri said that you're the history instructor."Lyyti Eloranta says, "Are you wondering why she sent you to learn history from a merchant?"You say, "Sort of. Did you used to be a history teacher?"Lyyti Eloranta says, "I love our Fae heritage and when Katri told me she would be the Rite of Passage advisor, I told her I wanted to help. I believe my spirit used to inhabit that of a teacher. Each Fae's spirit holds memories and experiences from the ancestors, but they are often incomplete, leaving gaps in our history that only the community's knowledge can fill."You say, "Will these lessons fill in all the gaps?"Lyyti Eloranta says, "I'm not going to talk your ears off about history -- yet! Your spirit bud has begun to re-awaken. That's how you know it's time for you to consider the Rite of Passage. To help your spirit along, sometimes it needs to be -- jiggled."You say, "You want me to jump around?"Lyyti Eloranta says, "Not really. Have you ever had the feeling that you've been somewhere before, but you honestly don't recall ever being there in your life? That's the re-awakening of your spirit bud. The Rite of Passage completes its re-awakening, revealing some of its experiences and memories to you."You say, "Will all the old memories come back?"Lyyti Eloranta says, "Sometimes, though that is very rare. Usually, when a Fae's life ends and our spirits return to bud form, it is quite a long time before that spirit bud is ready to be renewed. The memories of each spirit are unique. The more of them we awaken, the more history we remember."You say, "What must I do now, then?"Lyyti Eloranta says, "You will need to visit several areas of Kelethin to help your spirit further its re-awakening. Pay attention to the areas that stir your interest the most, for those are places that held importance to your spirit at some point along the way."You say, "And then? Where's the history in this lesson?"Lyyti Eloranta says, "You will speak to several different folks along the way -- I've written their names down for you in your journal. You should start with Banker Athinae over there. The history is within you. All we can do is help re-awaken it."You say, "All right."You say, "Hail, Athinae Panteraas"Athinae Panteraas says, "How can I help you today?"You say, "Lyyti suggested I come speak with you."Athinae Panteraas says, "Ah, Bellflower! You're starting your Rite of Passage already? Why, I remember when your spirit bud was smaller than a wisp! Time flows swiftly these days, faster than in the Rings of old."You say, "Do you remember much about Kelethin's past?"Athinae Panteraas says, "As much as I need to remember. Kelethin was made by the Feir'Dal -- the wood elves. Many of them left or otherwise dwindled away while our Fae spirits continued to grow. My own spirit reacted so strongly to being inside the bank when I started the Rite of Passage that I knew I was destined to be a banker. Or a bank robber!"You say, "I guess you chose the former! Er, right?"Athinae Panteraas says, "Of course, Bellflower! All my memories are tied into financing, tracking the possessions folks place into or take out of their accounts. As a congratulations for beginning your Rite of Passage, we've prepared a banking slot for you. You can store items as well as coin safely here."You say, "That's good to know!"Athinae Panteraas says, "If you have questions about how banking works, talk to Trainer Kaali at Green Knoll. She's the one who taught me! Meanwhile, I need to tend to our customers' needs. Best wishes on beginning your journey, Bellflower!"You say, "Thank you!"You say, "Hail, Raimo Heinila"Raimo Heinila says, "Yes? What do you want?"You say, "I've started the Rite of Passage and..."Raimo Heinila says, "That gives you the right to interrupt me on my walk? It's bad enough that the Outsiders won't leave me in peace, but a young sprout like you should know better."You say, "But Lyyti said to speak with you!"Raimo Heinila says, "And if Lyyti said to jump off one of the bridges, would you? The value in history, sprout, is that when you remember it, you can avoid making the same mistakes. I am still trying to learn that lesson."You say, "What kind of mistakes?"Raimo Heinila says, "Mistakes in war and in peace! We should never have allowed the Outsiders to come to Kelethin. Huh! Look at the poor, diseased treants on Green Knoll -- they're dying of an Outsiders' disease. Before long, the disease will waste away treants throughout the Faydarks and who knows what else must suffer for that."You say, "We could heal the treants...or cull them."Raimo Heinila says, "Our healing has proved useless against whatever plague the Outsiders have placed upon those defenseless treants. You're so eager to defend the Outsiders, you are free to clean up after them as well. Princess Saphronia is right. They'll bring nothing but death, as they always have."You say, "Queen Amree says..."Raimo Heinila says, "Queen Amree's spirit comes from a different Ring entirely. You want to listen to happy stories, go see Hamnal Teolofin. Now, please, leave an old spirit in peace. Ugh. Mark my words -- we'll be sorry for the day the Outsiders arrived."You say, "I'm sorry to have bothered you."You say, "Hail, Lady Katri Eloranta"Lady Katri Eloranta, "You've finished your Fae history studies so soon?"You say, "Not yet, but I have some questions."Lady Katri Eloranta says, "I'll do my best to answer. What is it?"You say, "I spoke with Raimo...he blames Outsiders for bringing disease to the Faydarks."Lady Katri Eloranta says, "Dark events in Raimo's past lives continue to shadow his outlook to this day. Not all Fae believe Outsiders are evil."You say, "I don't believe all Outsiders are to blame, though I am troubled by the diseased treants."Lady Katri Eloranta says, "Ah, the poor treants, rotting from the inside out. We've tried to heal them, but by the time the disease is obvious, it's too late. And I fear the disease is spreading."You say, "Are all the treants of the Faydark at risk?"Lady Katri Eloranta says, "All of nature is bound together. When one being suffers, those around it suffer as well. There are spiders and beetles that seem to show signs of disease as well, poor wretches."You say, "What can we do about it?"Lady Katri Eloranta says, "You stand at the cusp of your adulthood. What do you recommend that we do with these creatures, Bellflower? What does your spirit tell you?"You say, "We must cull those that are diseased."Lady Katri Eloranta says, "Destruction is not something we Fae take lightly, but it is sometimes the only way. We have quarantined those creatures beginning to show signs of disease here on Green Knoll."You say, "I will remove the diseased creatures."Lady Katri Eloranta says, "Thank you, Bellflower. Let me know when you are ready to go on with your history lessons."You say, "I will."You say, "Hail, Lady Katri Eloranta"Lady Katri Eloranta says, "You seem troubled, Bellflower. What is it?"You say, "I wish we could have healed those creatures."Lady Katri Eloranta/a says, "So do we all. Whenever possible, we prefer the way of peace and harmony. When we must kill something, we prefer it be in self-defense. All things must be done for the greater good, even if it goes against our personal feelings on the matter. In that way, it is our personal Ring of Fate."You say, "It just didn't seem right, hunting things that were so obviously sick."Lady Katri Eloranta says, "I understand. And you wonder why I would ask someone on their Rite of Passage to do this task."You say, "What would make them so diseased they could not be healed?"Lady Katri Eloranta says, "A good question. My suspicion is that some external force is at work. A force which knows that many Fae will blame the Outsiders for the sickness."You say, "Something trying to stir up trouble between the Fae and the Outsiders?"Lady Katri Eloranta says, "And amongst the Fae. Our Queen Amree welcomes Outsiders, yet her heir Princess Saphronia does not. We are so busy arguing about the Outsiders that this malevolent force is free to walk amongst us, unnoticed but for its ill effects."You say, "There must be something we can do to find out."Lady Katri Eloranta says, "Our information is very limited, yet... I've heard a few rumors..."You say, "What sort of rumors?"Lady Katri Eloranta says, "I would not distract you from the Rite of Passage, Bellflower, if it were not so important to protect these creatures from the ravages of disease. Have you heard of the Grender?"You say, "No. What's that?"Lady Katri Eloranta says, "The Grender is a twisted creature rumored to be half-man, half-beast. And like a parasite, it sucks the life force out of the world around it and gives nothing back in return."You say, "Has the Grender's involvement been proven?"Lady Katri Eloranta says, "No, it is only conjecture. In fact, no one has proven it even exists. But if all be true, our realm would be in considerable danger. One of the Fae Royal Messengers has been trying to locate its lair. Perhaps you can aid him?"You say, "I'll locate the Grender!"Lady Katri Eloranta says, "Excellent, Bellflower! It might just be a rumor, but all rumors have some basis in fact. If nothing else, you may help disprove that the Grender even exists."You say, "Where will I find the Fae Royal Messenger?"Lady Katri Eloranta says, "Speak with Kalamar Vesinger, our local Grender expert. You'll find him at Joleena's Restaurant in Kelethin. Safe journeys."You say, "I'll let you know what I find out."

Sapphirius

11-13-2007, 01:06 AM

You say, "Hail, Kalamar Vesinger"Kalamar Vesinger says to you, "Yes? How can I help you?"You say, "Lady Katri said you might be able to help me."Kalamar Vesinger says, "Ah, if Lady Katri sent you, I'd be more than happy to help you. What is it you need, huh?"You say, "It's about the Grender...I hear you're the first person who saw it."Kalamar Vesinger says, "I haven't actually seen it myself, but I did some of the initial investigation into its existence. I'm sure it really exists. Some folks are skeptical, though."You say, "Why is that?"Kalamar Vesinger says, "For one thing, if such a creature existed, why hasn't anyone seen it before? Also, we can't find its lair. It's possible that it spreads its influence from Lesser Faydark, but then why haven't we seen evidence of disease on creatures anywhere else?"You say, "Have the scouts been able to learn anything?"Kalamar Vesinger says, "We've been debating whether or not no news is good news. No recent incidents have been reported around Kelethin. However, given that only creatures near our town have been affected, it's likely that the Grender is nearby."You say, "Sounds reasonable."Kalamar Vesinger says, "A creature that large could only hide in a few places. Perhaps you'd help out by investigating a few of these places?"You say, "Of course!"Kalamar Vesinger says, "Excellent. Here's a scroll for you. It has a list of some areas that shouldn't be too difficult for you to reach on your own. Take a quick look around, then come back and let me know what you find out."You say, "I'll be back."You say, "Hail, Kalamar Vesinger"Kalamar Vesinger says, "How goes the hunt?"You say, "I've been everywhere on the list but haven't seen anything about the Grender."Kalamar Vesinger says, "No? That's disappointing, to say the least. We did receive one more report while you were gone, but it's not particularly credible."You say, "Why's that?"Kalamar Vesinger says, "The report indicates that the Grender is in Kelethin! That's just absurd. And yet, how else would a creature like this be able to affect saplings and other young creatures so close to our home?"You say, "If the Grender were inside the city, someone would sound the alarm."Kalamar Vesinger says, "My thoughts exactly. It is possible, however unlikely, that the Grender's lair is beneath Kelethin itself. You don't recall seeing anything out of the ordinary? Anything that a creature could hide in?"You say, "Well...there are some very large tree stumps."Kalamar Vesinger says, "So you suspect the Grender is inside one of these stumps? Hm. This could be dangerous. Kelethin is linked to two of these stumps via bridges and platforms. If the Grender has a lair that close, we may have simply been searching for it too far away!"You say, "I could check out these stumps for you."Kalamar Vesinger says, "Yes...yes, that would be excellent! Search the stumps carefully. It could be that the Grender is using some sort of magical device to concentrate his influence around the city. That would certainly explain why these diseased creatures have only been seen nearby."You say, "I'll be thorough."You say, "Hail, Kalamar Vesinger"Kalamar Vesinger says, "Any news, Bellflower?"You say, "I located several magical devices and destroyed them."Kalamar Vesinger says, "Ah...so the latest reports were true. Which stump is that beast using as its lair?"You say, "The central stump."Kalamar Vesinger says, "Bellflower, for someone who has not completed the Rite of Passage, you show commendable courage and initiative. I'm very impressed! Your spirit has found a worthy place to reawaken."You say, "Thank you! But what can I do to help now?"Kalamar Vesinger says to you, "This might be beyond what Lady Katri had intended when she sent you to me. Perhaps you should check with her to see if she will allow you to assist us further. She will be working with other newcomers and Rite of Passage applicants near the Old Kelethin Acorn Lift."You say, "I'll do that."You say, "Hail, Lady Katri Eloranta"Lady Katri Eloranta says, "Have you learned more about the Grender?"You say, "Apparently, it really does exist -- and it's using one of Kelethin's tree stumps as its lair!"Lady Katri Eloranta says, "The Grender using one of our own trees as its lair is very bad news. When something is close to you, you tend to overlook it. This creature must be dealt with, and swiftly!"You say, "I want to help!"Lady Katri Eloranta says, "No, Bellflower. You are in the midst of your Rite of Passage. If you leave now before it is complete, you may never be able to finish."You say, "Kelethin must be saved at all costs."Lady Katri Eloranta says, "You're willing to sacrifice your own future to save Kelethin?"You say, "Yes. My spirit will renew someday, whether in me or in someone else."Lady Katri Eloranta says to you, "Well done, Bellflower. I knew I sensed greatness in you."You say, "You did?"Lady Katri Eloranta says to you, "Of course! I venture to say that you will want to discuss strategies concerning the Grender with someone. It won't do to just rush blindly in for the attack. Speak with Jalmari Keletana, near the Old Kelethin Acorn Lift. She belongs to our self-defense counsel and will assist you."You say, "I'll speak with her now."You say, "Hail, Jalmari Keletana"Jalmari Keletana says, "Yes? Can I help you?"You say, "I need to speak with you about the Grender."Jalmari Keletana says, "The Grender? I do not have time to listen to more rumors about a mythical creature!"You say, "But I have proof!"Jalmari Keletana says, "Where is your "proof," Bellflower? Do you think it's wise to pull a prank while you're undergoing the Rite of Passage? No one has forgotten that stunt you pulled in Joleena's Restaurant."You say, "I was much younger then. And besides, there really is a Grender!"Jalmari Keletana says, "Where is the proof, then? How were you able to locate it while our scouts could not?"You say, "The scouts focused on areas farther away. The Grender is beneath Kelethin itself."Jalmari Keletana says, "Interesting...then we'll need to hold a meeting to discuss what this could mean and how we're to handle it. The Queen will want to be involved. She's very hands-on. When you get to the Fae Royal Hall, speak with the Lady Milika Vikaarinen. She'll decide whether you get to meet Queen Amree today or not."You say, "I get to meet the Queen?"Jalmari Keletana says, "Before you seek an audience with her, speak to Hamnal and Eleoona. They're both members of the self-defense team stationed near the other two lifts. Explain to them what has happened and get their recommendations before you head to the Fae Royal Hall."You say, "I'll be on my way."You say, "Hail, Eleoona Faleisinae"Eleoona Faleisinae says, "What do you seek?"You say, "Jalmari Keletana sent me to ask your advice about the Grender."Eleoona Faleisinae says, "The Grender? I've heard of it. They say it breathes fire and belches a thick gaseous cloud that poisons all it touches! They say its eyes are red hot coals and if you stare into them, you'll be blinded!"You say, "They say that?"Eleoona Faleisinae says, "Of course not! Heehee ... I'm just kidding! What do you need advice about?"You say, "Working with Kalamar Vesinger, I've located the Grender's lair beneath Kelethin. Jalmari wants to know what you recommend we do."Eleoona Faleisinae says, "I've no time for your foolishness! I'm planning the next social event for the self-defense force and it does not include waltzing with the Grender. Please, take your jokes elsewhere."You say, "But I...oh, nevermind."You say, "Hail, Hamnal Teolofin"Hamnal Teolofin says, "Yes? What can I do for you?"You say, "Jalmari sent me to speak with you about the Grender."Hamnal Teolofin says, "Why does Jalmari think I'd be interested in more rumors and nonsense about that mythical creature?"You say, "In working with Kalamar Vesinger, I've located the Grender's lair -- beneath Kelethin!"Hamnal Teolofina says, "That's not good. We'll need to move swiftly against it. So it really exists? That is disheartening, that something could spread disease to our land and be hiding so close to our homes!"You say, "Jalmari wants your advice on the matter."Hamnal Teolofin says, "Move swiftly. If it is close by, then it would notice any sudden change in our behaviors. We must act before it suspects that we know where it is. And that it actually exists."You say, "Thank you!"You say, "Hail, Lady Milika Vikaarinen"Lady Milika Vikaarinen says, "Greetings! What brings you into the Fae Royal Hall this day?"You say, "I have news of the Grender!"Lady Milika Vikaarinen says, "The mythical beast that supposedly steals a Fae's wings at night?"You say, "Er...I don't think that's the same one."Lady Milika Vikaarinen says, "What Grender is it, then?"You say, "The one that's brought disease to Greater Faydark's creatures. Its lair is directly beneath Kelethin!"Lady Milika Vikaarinen says, "This is terrible news! We must defend Kelethin at all costs!"You say, "I know where it is. I'll go!"Lady Milika Vikaarinen says, "You? Hm...I would prefer to send someone with more experience, but perhaps stealth is the wiser course. You know where it is and can hurry there before it escapes. Speak with Queen Amree and ask permission to undertake this task."You say, "I will."You say, "Hail, Queen Amree"Queen Amree says, "Welcome to the Hall. What is it you seek?"You, "I seek permission to hunt the Grender!"Queen Amree says, "Ah, so you're the one who has proven its existence! You wouldn't believe some of the tales I've been hearing about it."You say, "I've heard them, too."Queen Amree says, "Kelethin is grateful for your assistance. This will be an excellent challenge for you. Go, then, and come see me when you have completed this task."You say, "Thank you, Ma'am."You say, "Hail, Queen Amree"Queen Amree says, "Have you successfully slain the Grender?"You say, "Yes, I have!"Queen Amree says, "Excellent! I've heard of you from my cousin, Lady Katri. She has been quite pleased with your progress."You say, "Thank you, Ma'am!"Queen Amree says, "She's so pleased, in fact, that she considers the completion of this deed sufficient to prove your spirit's awakening. Bellflower, you have successfully completed your Rite of Passage! Congratulations!"You say, "I don't know what to say!"Queen Amree says, "Your dedication to Kelethin has been admirable. Go now and receive your reward from Lady Katri. Good luck to you always, Bellflower. May Tunare bless you."You say, "Thank you!"You say, "Hail, Lady Katri Eloranta"Lady Katri Eloranta says, "What's the latest news about the Grender?"You say, "I received permission from Queen Amree herself to slay the Grender."Lady Katri Eloranta says, "Then the creatures of Greater Faydark will be safe again! That is excellent news, Bellflower."You say, "Queen Amree said that I might be finished with the Rite of Passage already. Is that true?"Lady Katri Eloranta says, "You have shown that you put others before yourself, that your spirit has matured to the point where you are no longer a youth, but a full member of our society. Yes. You have passed. Congratulations!"You say, "I'm honored."Lady Katri Eloranta says, "Should you wish to continue learning more about your Fae heritage, Lady Aileeta Reila will be happy to help you."You say, "Thank you."Lady Katri Eloranta says, "You should speak with Innkeeper Twiggy in Kelethin about getting a room for yourself, if you haven't done so already."You say, "I appreciate your help, Lady Katri."Lady Katri Eloranta says, "You'll also want to speak with Gibrien Marsden, the Assistant City Registrar. He will explain what must be done to register as a citizen of Kelethin. May Tunare bless you, Bellflower!"You say, "Farewell!"

Sapphirius

11-13-2007, 01:07 AM

Kelethin - Fae Mentor SeriesYou say, "Hail, Lady Aileeta Reila"Lady Aileeta Reila says, "Hello, Bellflower! How are things going for you?"You say, "Lady Katri said you could teach me more about Fae history."Lady Aileeta Reila says, "Certainly! We all heard how you located the fabled Grender and bested it in combat! Good for you! But let's not completely neglect your Rite of Passage. What can I tell you about our history?"You say, "Everyone speaks of the Rings and I'm afraid my knowledge of them is pretty sketchy."Lady Aileeta Reila says, "The Fae measure time as do the trees: in Rings. The Outsiders use a system of "Ages" to describe events in their past. I prefer our system, as it is so much more organic. I'd be happy to help you remember the system."You say, "Thank you! Where do we begin?"Lady Aileeta Reila says, "At the beginning, of course! I know you did not have a chance to reawaken your spirit bud by visiting all the traditional places. We'll start with that. And it is not so difficult as it may seem, for learning history is learning the meaning of your surroundings."You say, "That's encouraging."Lady Aileeta Reila says, "I knew you'd think so! Restaurateur Brizeyl Myrika at Joleena's Restaurant can help you remember the Dream Ring. Try speaking with her."You say, "I'll do so."You say, "Hail, Restauranteur Brizeyl Myrika"Restauranteur Brizeyl Myrika says, "Welcome to Joleena's Restaurant, Bellflower! I haven't seen you come in for a bit!"You say, "Hi, Brizeyl! Lady Aileeta suggested I speak with you about Fae time Rings."Restauranteur Brizeyl Myrika says, "And I'll just bet you're wondering why! Don't tilt your nose that way, I'd be wondering, too. You see, as the current owner of Joleena's Restaurant, it's my obligation to keep the connection with our history."You say, "Has there always been a Joleena's Restaurant in Kelethin?"Restauranteur Brizeyl Myrika says to you, "No, but it harkens back to the first Queen of the Fae, Joleena. Back then, the Fae didn't interact with Outsiders much, but Joleena changed the way the Fae thought and felt about them. For the most part."You say, "This was in the Dream Ring, wasn't it?"Restauranteur Brizeyl Myrika says, "That's right. Because we were so young a race, formed from Tunare's footsteps in those days, we call that first Ring of time the Dream Ring. Joleena helped us realize that even though we are not like Tunare's other children, we could all share her blessings."You say, "And she was elected the first Queen of the Fae for her wisdom."Restauranteur Brizeyl Myrika says, "You remember more than you think. That's because your spirit bud also remembers and it guides your thoughts. Some call it intuition, but it's really your spirit."You say, "I don't remember the names of all our Queens, though."Restauranteur Brizeyl Myrika says, "The Fae are lucky. Most of our lifetimes have been fairly peaceful and who remembers who was Queen in a time of peace? It's unfortunate that we usually remember only those who led in times of chaos."You say, "What about Queen Maarita?"Restauranteur Brizeyl Myrika says, "Queen Maarita was the first Queen of the Fae whose coronation was attended by Outsiders -- the Feir'Dal. Maarita had lived amongst them for a long while. She bridged the gaps between our kind and theirs. But then, you remember her because of what happened next."You say, "The War of Fay."Restauranteur Brizeyl Myrika says, "That began the Burning Ring, when the armies of the Teir'Dal sent troops to burn Kelethin and keep the Feir'Dal from helping the Koada'Dal in Felwithe. A very sad time. We could not imagine the children of Tunare in such chaos."You say, "You sound so sad."Restauranteur Brizeyl Myrika says, "My spirit grows heavy with remembering those dark times. It was because of the Burning Ring that so many Fae view Outsiders poorly, you know. Ah, well. I must return to my other duties. You'll want to know more, though, I'm sure."You say, "Who else should I speak with?"Restauranteur Brizeyl Myrika says, "No one, for now. The Rings are so numerous that your ears would fall off or their tips bend over from the strain of listening! Let's instead ruin your eyesight. Go to the library in Old Kelethin and read up on the subject. You'll be able to find the book easily on the shelves of one of the bookcases there."You say, "Thank you, Brizeyl!"You say, "Hail, Lady Aileeta Reila"Lady Aileeta Reila says, "Did you find time to speak with Brizeyl?"You say, "Yes, I did."Lady Aileeta Reila says, "Did talking with her help you remember anything?"You say, "No...I remembered nothing."Lady Aileeta Reila says, "Not every spirit bud lived through every Ring, so what memories come back are irregular. Some Fae do not remember anything of their past, ever. It's another one of Tunare's mysteries."You say, "Brizeyl recommended I read about our history."Lady Aileeta Reila says, "So you've finished reading The History of the Fae? Then let's begin the test!"You say, "I'll bet it's a history test."Lady Aileeta Reila says, "History is important to the Fae, for we have Tunare's gift of our spirits re-blossoming. That means we have better memories than others! Usually. I still forget where I put down a book I was just reading. But anyway, let's begin."You say, "I'm ready."Lady Aileeta Reila says, "Who was the first Queen of the Fae?"You say, "Queen Joleena."Lady Aileeta Reila says, "Correct! Queen Amree is our current Queen and she's descended through her maternal line all the way back to Queen Joleena. Next -- Name a major event of the Burning Ring."You say, "The War of the Fay."Lady Aileeta Reila says, "Yes, a very dark time for all of Faydwer. We had never seen a war of elves against elves before and it was terrible to behold. And the Teir'Dal...well, never mind. Next -- Who saved Kelethin from the Crushbone orcs' siege?"You say, "The brownies of Lesser Faydark."Lady Aileeta Reila says, "Excellent! You paid attention to your reading, that's great! Your final question -- What Ring are we currently in?"You say, "Peaceful Ring."Lady Aileeta Reila says, "You know quite a bit about our history, Bellflower! Let's move onto the present, shall we?"You say, "Of course! I liked learning our history, though."Lady Aileeta Reila says, "Many Fae have conflicting views on the past -- their own perception is colored by the memories of their spirit bud. In this way, the reblossoming is both a blessing and a curse. If we lived only in the present, I'm sure we'd be less suspicious of the Outsiders."You say, "Some Outsiders are interested in helping the Fae and befriending Kelethin."Lady Aileeta Reila says, "That's true. And, in fact, some Outsiders have asked to help us gather ingredients for some of our unguents. It's a good idea for you to learn to identify some of the items that we use in distilling our healing potions and salves. Then if you want, you'll be able to share this knowledge."You say, "All right."Lady Aileeta Reila says, "The first ingredient that you'll need to identify are the medicinal lichens that grow near Granite Hills. Second, the Greater Faydark is home to numerous mushrooms, but only a certain kind is useful for our purposes, and you'll find them in fairy rings near other mushroom clusters. Finally, you'll need to obtain some medicinal berries from the bushes that grow only in very damp conditions, near ponds and streams."You say, "I'll look for them."You say, "Hail, Lady Aileeta Reila"Lady Aileeta Reila says, "How goes the plant identification, Bellflower?"You say, "I've found the types of medicinal plants you requested."Lady Aileeta Reila says, "These are in great condition. Identifying what flora can be used in healing salves is very important, even if you're not a healer. We Fae are very versatile, but somethings are nice for us all to know."You say, "Are the Fae usually healers?"Lady Aileeta Reila says, "Fae make a variety of choices depending on what they are drawn to by their spirit bud. Those of us whose spirits feel pulled toward teaching tend to become mentors or teachers. Others are drawn to self-defense. Sometimes, when you cannot decide, it means your spirit bud has been drawn to a number of different professions."You say, "How much of my life am I living of my own choice?"Lady Aileeta Reila says, "Though your spirit is drawn to places and professions, wherever you take wing is ultimately your own, Bellflower. Our spirits guide us. They do not dictate what we must do. Would you like to explore your interests a little more?"You say, "Yes, I would."Lady Aileeta Reila says, "From your question, I gather you're unsure of whether you're making your own choices, or if your choices are dictated to you by your own past."You say, "Something like that."Lady Aileeta Reila says, "That's another sign of your spirit reblossoming. All the memories within it, as well as your new memories, are turning over and around, trying to make sense of things. Don't worry about it, just let things happen to you."You say, "How does that help me understand it?"Lady Aileeta Reila says, "What you need to do is get some perspective. I realize you already feel a sense of calling toward a given profession. That's natural! Now let us walk through some ways that we Fae use our calling and skills to aid those around us."You say, "How?"Lady Aileeta Reila says, "The medicinal flora you gathered is one facet. Fae are skilled at recognizing the intrinsic benefits of many plants in Greater Faydark. This is a gift from Tunare, to be in tune with nature's bounty."You say, "I see. What else?"Lady Aileeta Reila says, "Speak with Whittier. He is a treant who has chosen to live with us in Kelethin. He's got a very good memory and can help you even more than I can. He'll guide you further. Good luck, Bellflower!"You say, "Thank you!"You say, "Hail, Whittier"Whittier says, "Nothing like living high amongst the branches, eh?"You say, "Lady Aileeta said I should speak with you."Whittier says, "Of course you should! Everyone should, but folks these days are more interested in themselves than in others! Even the Fae have changed and not entirely for the better."You say, "What do you mean?"Whittier says, "Don't let my rugged good looks fool you. I've got more rings than a jewelry store! In the old days, the Fae would always stop to heal me. Now you see I have this scab forming on this branch and nobody has yet stopped to take a look! Is that progress? Or something else?"You say, "Let me see...wow, that's a pretty deep cut! How'd it happen?"Whittier says, "One of those pesky little cats prancing around the platforms thought I might make a good scratching post. One moment I'm asleep, next moment I'm full of scratches and oozing sap everywhere! Most unpleasant!"You say, "What can I do to help you?"Whittier says, "Once the bark heals up, it'll callus up nicely. What you need to do is pay attention! Don't become all self-important and busy! Talk to folks, learn about them and accept them for what they are. That's what you should do."You say, "I see. Well, thanks for your time."<hr />Kelethin - Random NPC InformationYou say, "Hail, Hamnal Teolofin"Hamnal Teolofin says, "Yes? What can I do for you?"You say, "I've been learning the history of the Fae."Hamnal Teolofin says, "You're beginning the Rite of Passage? Good for you. I know you need to help your spirit bud reawaken. That helps prepare you for the challenges ahead. Have you been drawn to anything in particular yet?"You say, "Not yet. At least, I don't think so."Hamnal Teolofin says, "Sometimes it can take a while. I remember the shock of it, the first time my spirit began to recall things from its past -- from the Burning Ring. I sense that you have spoken with old Raimo. Don't let him worry you with his anti-Outsider rubbish."You say, "He seemed rather angry."Hamnal Teolofin says, "His spirit and mine go way back. We're both warriors, you see, defending the Fae through the lives of all our spirits. In the Burning Ring, during the War of Fay, our spirits were slain defending Queen Maarita. He's taken it somewhat bitterly, poor fellow, even though our spirits have survived."You say, "Raimo mentioned Princess Saphronia..."Hamnal Teolofin says, "She's young still and her spirit is still reawakening. Her memories, like Raimo's, are sad and bitter. Outsiders caused trouble, yes, but many of them also came to our aid. Like the brownies that came to save Kelethin when we were under siege. Without them, neither you or I would be here."You say, "How do I know which Outsiders are good and which are evil?"Hamnal Teolofin says, "It is impossible to tell by looking. There is something seeping through from somewhere into our lands, but who is to say that the Outsiders brought it? Perhaps it's been here all along."You say, "I see. Well, thank you for your time."

Sapphirius

11-13-2007, 01:10 AM

By Kaitheel (from <a href="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/posts/list.m?topic_id=379651" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Arasai Lore (Help?)</a>)I may not be as pretty as Owlchick, but I hope my points will help! Not everything in Norrath lines up beautifully. Keep in mind that all the information you find in game, whether through book or dialog, is being delivered from someone's point of view. They may have an agenda or a personal slant that will bring to light seemingly contradictory points from another's telling. For instance, I doubt the book "Arasai -Hate Gives Rise To Another Superior Race!" was written by a Teir'dal, for it does not paint them in the most complimentary of light. Also, the book is a retelling of the tale. Perhaps it is the story that Cristanos wants people to know. Perhaps it is propaganda built on bits of truth, intentionally shrouded in mystery.In the sentence, "She would allow them birth, and then torture them with unspeakable acts." The pronoun is referring to the spirit buds. But the word "birth" could be referring to a physical birth, the moment of creation, or an awakening of consciousness. As far as the Arasai creation tale goes it has never been specified. Some Arasai may take it literal, others more metaphorically, and others may find it blasphemous to even question it. (They know who created them and who above all else deserves their praise!)The spirit bud is the spirit of the deceased, in both the case of Fae and Arasai. As you said, "Arasai merge with their spirit bud when they mature just as Fae do, and that they create one when they die." You are right. Were the original Arasai buds placed in captured Fae, or did Cristanos use yet more dark magics to give them physical bodies? Again, that is her secret. I wouldn't put either past her! What we know for sure is that when she damaged the chrysalis, the butterfly came out wrong!You are also correct to interpret the purple and blue orbs that languish around Neriak and especially Darklight Palace, are the spirit buds of Arasai.<hr />Arasai - Hate Gives Rise to Another Superior RaceThe ArasaiHate Gives Rise To Another SUperior RaceChapter 1: A Necessary JourneyLong ago, before the world above was rocked and Luclin was shattered, the gods of Norrath walked this plane. They gave birth to a myriad of races. All of which were pitiful and in need of coddling, save one - Innorruk's Teir'Dal!They were ruthless, sinister, cunning, and dangerous. They were the very embodiment of His hate! For thousands of years they fulfilled his bidding and adhered to his tenets.Then came the years of his absence. But this did not mean the end of the great Teir'Dal empire! The Dark Prince had left the Teir'Dal his words - seeds of disdain that grew darker within them. Those seeds were then taken up and nurtured by Queen CHristanos of the Teir'Dal. She guided the empire and strengthened it even in times of isolation.But not all Teir'Dal are strong. Some showed weaknesses during this time and fell out of favor for speaking blasphemies about Her Ever-darkness, The Queen. Some attempts were even made upon her blessed life. The traitorous ones were all dealt with, slowly and agonizingly, but it made Her Unholyness angry and distrustful of other Teir'Dal.If she were to focus on the prosperity of Neriak and the empire of the Teir'Dal empire then she must have an army of allegiant warriors by her side!On a mission of secrecy a band of Teir'Dal traveled from Neriak to the disdained lands of Faydwer. There they were able to acquire, through clandestine acts, fae spirit blossoms.Chapter 2: The Circle of Hate and CreationQueen Christanos performed dark and beautifully abhorrent magics upon the captured spirit blossoms. She would allow them to birth, and then torture them with unspeakable acts. After the inevitably painful deaths, she would perform further sadistic magics upon the resulting spirit blossoms.Over and over, the cycle of birth, torment and death continued, thus molding them into something new - something superior to the fae by far!Chapter 3: Wings of FateThe wings of the fae turned out to be too fragile to withstand the violent acts. Time and time again, curing Queen Christanos' tainting of the blossoms, the creatures were formed with withered and broken wings.She knew this to be an opportunity to further remove them from the appearance of the pitiful fae, and to embody them with characteristics of creatures associated with such blissful aspects as decay and darkness.Through further delightful twisting, she adapted the wings of dark cave creatures such as bats and moths for her malignant children. But even to this day, a few arasai are born without wing or with wings too damaged to allow flight. As a result they are granted arcane constructed wings on which they can still glorify Her Darkness in deed and word.Chapter 4: Living in The City of Hate.The arasai are now just as Queen Christanos wanted. They are physical embodiments of undying devotion for their creator and goddess, with a penchant for dark magics and pain.She has arisen as a tangible goddess upon this plan and deserves to be exalted as such, by all!

Sapphirius

11-13-2007, 01:12 AM

Hate's Envy - Fileyl AlyylharilYou say, "Hail, Fileyl Alyylharil"Fileyl Alyylharil says, "Ah, it's one of... you."You say, "One of me?"Fileyl Alyylharil says, "Yes. One of you. One of Cristanos' chosen. You will get special treatment if you travel to Neriak. But don't worry, for each unearned right the Queen drapes about your shoulders, the distaste some have for you will only increase."You say, "Distaste?"Fileyl Alyylharil says, "You are not Teir'Dal, you are but our slave. Keeping that in mind at all times will make your time spent in our company all the easier. Forget it and, well, there are some who need little excuse to start trouble, especially with one of you."You say, "Very well."Fileyl Alyylharil says, "You learn quickly, that will serve you well. You will not find an abundance of love from most Teir'Dal. If you're looking for acceptance, go find Queen Cristanos. If you're looking for work, then you'll find it here."You say, "What work?"Fileyl Alyylharil says, "I don't think it matters much to you. It will earn you money, that's what's important. I've got it on good authority that the mayor is looking to clear out the dusk prowlers. Now, this is good, because they've been nothing but trouble since they got here. But it's also bad, because the more of them there are around the easier it is to get their pelts. Without pelts, I don't make any money. Thus, I need you to go collect some pelts for me."You say, "All right."Fileyl Alyylharil says, "I'll pay you when you give me the pelts."You say, "I'll return."You say, "Hail, Fileyl Alyylharil"Fileyl Alyylharil says, "Do you have the pelts?"You say, "Yes."Fileyl Alyylharil says, "Perfect. These are fine. As promised here's your payment. Keep working for me and I'll be sure to put in a good word for you with my political contacts in Neriak. I do have more work if you're interested."You say, "What work?"Fileyl Alyylharil says, "I use the Malkaen Weed that grows around here as part of a curing process. The process takes a very large amount of the weed, though. Fortunately, nobody ever sells the stuff since it's lying around everywhere. As such, it's dirt cheap or free, you just have to have someone to collect it. Which is what I'd like you to do."You say, "I can do that."Fileyl Alyylharil says, "Of course you can, a monkey could do it! But a monkey wouldn't know what to do with the money afterwards."You say, "I'll be back."You say, "Hail, Fileyl Alyylharil"Fileyl Alyylharil says, "Did you collect the weeds?"You say, "Yes, I did. Here you go."Fileyl Alyylharil says, "Good, good. I can get to work on more orders now. On that note, I've completed an order and need it delivered. Do you mind running it to the customer for me? The order is for Danya Halfmoon, she's usually outside at her anvil, just west of here. Yah, I'd do it but... well she's been quite annoying lately."You say, "I can bring it to her."Fileyl Alyylharil says, "I appreciate it."You say to, "You're welcome."You say, "Hail, Danya Halfmoon"Danya Halfmoon says, "What do you need? Just looking for a job?"You say, "I have your order from Fileyl."Danya Halfmoon says, "Ah. Then I appreciate it."You say, "You're welcome."You say, "Hail, Fileyl Alyylharil"Fileyl Alyylharil says, "Hello again. Leaving Hate's Envy anytime soon?"You say, "Maybe, why?"Fileyl Alyylharil says, "I have another delivery for you. This time the order needs to be delivered west of T'Vatar Post, which is north of here. Interested?"You say, "I'd be interested."Fileyl Alyylharil says, "It's for Dirzdia T'Zauvirr. She asked for it to be delivered near the southern bridge that crosses the Searing Tendril. That's the river that flows from the Smoldering Lake. To get there, follow the path out of Hate's Envy. When you hit T'Vatar Post, go west. When the fork splits, follow it left."You say, "I understand."Fileyl Alyylharil says, "Excellent. I'll be sure to speak highly of you in my dealings, Shikaeshi."You say, "Thank you."You say, "Hail, Dirzdia T'Zauvirr"Dirzdia T'Zauvirr says, "Hello."You say, "Hi. I've a delivery from Fileyl for you."Dirzdia T'Zauvirr says, "Perfect! Thanks! Just put it on the ground there."You say, "All right. Goodbye."<hr />Neriak - Arasai Mentor QuestYou say, "Hail, Mur'ss Z'Hel'Viiryn"Mur'ss Z'Hel'Viiryn says, "I greet you, fellow child of the goddess! Glory to Her Splendid Deleteriousness!"You say, "And glory to Neriak, the city of hate!"Mur'ss Z'Hel'Viiryn says, "Good, good! Well, I have some plans that need tending. No more distractions!"You say, "Plans?"Mur'ss Z'Hel'Viiryn says, "Yes, my desires and plans so dark. They hatch soon! Such vile, such hate. Oh, it will be wondrous!"You say, "What plans are these?"Mur'ss Z'Hel'Viiryn says, "Well, my group and I are to... no. Look about, fool! I cannot speak of the evil secret plans here. Public space has many ears and many sneaky eyes. I can only say that it is evil! I do not even know if I can trust you with that!"You say, "I like evil. I can help you!"Mur'ss Z'Hel'Viiryn says, "I hope so. Tell you what, I've got a few loose ends that do need tying up for this plan to work. If you truly wish to help, that is."You say, "I do."Mur'ss Z'Hel'Viiryn says, "Very well. Gather bloodwine roots from around Neriak, and obtain the ancient Sacrificial Urn of Bile from the Darkhold Warehouse. Return to me, quickly!"You say, "I will."You say, "Hail, Mur'ss Z'Hel'Viiryn"Mur'ss Z'Hel'Viiryn says, "Hahahaha! Success! You have the roots and the sacrificial urn. Bless the Goddess! Now hold the urn."You say, "What? Why?"Mur'ss Z'Hel'Viiryn says, "Roch nar sne'eeee. Chu' zaarr kel'Feh leeet."You say, "Is that all?"Mur'ss Z'Hel'Viiryn says, "I trust you for one more task. Take the cursed sacrificial urn to Tsabrar De'Kenmtor, who waits at the The Toadstool Inn. Do not speak of me."You say, "Gotcha."You say, "Hail, Tsabrar De'Kenmtor"Tsabrar De'Kenmtor says, "What'da ya want?"You say, "I have come to present you this urn."Tsabrar De'Kenmtor says, "What?! You steal my prized urn, and then DARE to show your face to me?! I will not be paying you to get my house's item back!"You say, "Wait! It's not like that!"Tsabrar De'Kenmtor says, "You are the one that is to pay!"You say, "Hail, Mur'ss Z'Hel'Viiryn"Mur'ss Z'Hel'Viiryn says, "Hehehehe! You are all bruised. Hehehehe! Got you good!"You say, "You conniving little... Why I oughta..."Mur'ss Z'Hel'Viiryn says, "Calm your temper, and allow me to make it up to you. The laugh was well worth some payment!"You say, "Payment would be good."Mur'ss Z'Hel'Viiryn says, "Good, good! Here you are, Shikaeshi. May you walk within hate."You say, "Always."

Cusashorn

11-13-2007, 12:58 PM

Wow! Keep it up. There' pretty much no lore for either race, especially the Arasai, who were just thrown into the game as a gimmick.

Sapphirius

11-13-2007, 01:35 PM

<blushes brightly> Yeah, you know how Winwin has "Crazy for Fae" on her avatar? Mine should say "Arasai Nut." <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY<img src=" width="15" height="15" /> I had thought about starting my own website speficially for the collection and archiving of Fae & Arasai lore and any quests dealing with our little fairy friends' lore, but I'm not very good with web design. I can do the art easily enough though.Another theory that I didn't get into addresses all those giant flowers you see in the Nursery. A lot of people insist that those are the spirit blooms, but the Call of Kelethin quest NPC quickly clarifies this by emphasizing that it's just a metaphor. One of the things I've noticed about the Fae is that they speak metaphorically... a lot. Many people take those metaphors literally rather than thinking about them abstractly. Anyhow, getting back to those giants flowers. Yeah, the nursery has those huge flowers all over. So does Tunare's Grove and Lesser Faydark... The History of the Fae speaks of the Fae raising a giant wall of brambles to pretect Kelethin. I believe those giant flowers (which they obviously got from Lesser Faydark) are the remnants of that giant wall of brambles.This record/archive/whatever-you-want-to-call-it isn't complete. I'm still desperately seeking a dev statement made on EOF beta boards regarding the origins of the Fae. The only copy I had of it was lost on my harddrive when I had to reformat it. I also lost the only copy I had of the Innoruuk deity quest transcript where you steal a spirit bud. I can get that transcript back, though. I'm leveling a brand new baby inquis specifically to get that particular log recopied.I will say that there is a surprising amount of information about the Fae, and as I said, what I posted is not complete. However, the Arasai are pitifully lacking in available lore. The ratonga even have more information available than Arasai do. <sulks> BTW, has anyone else noticed that there's no "Welcome to Neriak!" book? None of my characters have a copy, and I looked. I even rolled a brand new arasai to see if she'd get a copy of it, and she didn't.EDIT: to add another theory of mine

Jindrack

11-13-2007, 10:48 PM

What you have here is a lore background that was changed midstream.The original lore about that Fae is that they were creations of Tunare. They did come from large flower buds, that when bloomed at maturity and opened up, a young Fae was inside sleeping. The Fae would awaken and begin their new life. When they would die, they would fall to the earth, curl up, and a bud would form around them, starting the cycle over. Sometimes a Fae could remember memories of their former life, but it would feel to them as if they were looking in on someone else's past. When a bud was found in the forest, it would be brought to the Nursery where it could be nurtured and protected in order to insure a healthy young Fae when the bud eventually blooms. The Matron watches over the nursery, and Brink Trudger would help to make new clothes for the newly awakened Fae emerging from their buds. Also, Cristanos would get her hands on these flower buds containing the Fae and corrupt the plants as they slept. The wicked, decayed bud would eventually be torn open by the corrupted and darkened Fae, titled Arasai by the queen.When Owlchick was working on Kelethin she changed the backstory of the Fae and give them their present lore, that they are born from mortal parents and at a certain point one of the glowy spirit buds seen in the skies of the Greater Faydark would merge with the Fae.

Sapphirius

11-13-2007, 10:57 PM

Jindrack, I think I love you. <3 !!!Do you know if there are any plans (now that Kunark has been released) to go back through some of these quests and complete the lore change so that completing these quests isn't so confusing?

Winter

11-14-2007, 07:32 AM

As probably the pentultimate Fae junkie and an avid roleplayer, I have to say - good job at compiling this lore. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> And Jindrack, interesting change of lore there <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

troodon

11-14-2007, 09:41 AM

Color me impressed. Excellent job.

Sapphirius

11-14-2007, 10:57 AM

<cite>Winter wrote:</cite><blockquote>As probably the pentultimate Fae junkie and an avid roleplayer, I have to say - good job at compiling this lore. <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY<img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />" width="15" height="15" /> And Jindrack, interesting change of lore there <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY<img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />" width="15" height="15" /> </blockquote>Hehehehe. Yeah. I'm quite the Arasai junkie here, and the more I think about it, the more I think I will start a website dedicated to collecting lore on the Faefolke... especially after learning that the lore changed from its intended direction. I know there's still a lot more quests I have left to archive regarding the Fae.

Kryussius

11-14-2007, 06:45 PM

I've never been a big one on Fae, but as a long time Teir'Dal player and one who was SO glad to see Neriak come back, many many many thanks for the Arasai lore. Up to now, it's looked like a pale shadow of the creation of the Teir'Dal. My EQL guild's RP was tied in close with the story of Cristanos Thex, so her current activities and the introduction of the Arasai have impacted my main in EQII (an older version of my main in EQ1) heavily.Great posts!

Sapphirius

11-15-2007, 03:14 AM

I'm actually starting up a faefolke archive to record and catalogue lore about our Fae & Arasai friends... and of course, EQ2's ofther faefolke, like brownies, dryads, etc. It's currently under construction, and I won't have the time to devote to its design until after Christmas because I'm working on another guild's website plus a few more siggies for people, but it's coming. Hehehehe. There's still quite a bit of lore and quests that I don't have catalogued just yet, so if you have any logs or in-game books that you don't see here, feel free to add it to this thread. When I can finally sit down and work on the website, I'll add the lore to the archive.