The Warlord has been conquering far longer than we could have imagined.

[Cusashorn]

<p>Upon entering the Fortress of Zek, I came across two interesting tidbits of lore, and this is only the start of the quests that each one lead to.</p><p>First, I found a creature named Kelraen- a Vallonite. Similar in appearance to the Sullonites of the Vigilant zones. Their time on Norrath was but a fleeting moment, not long enough to be recorded into the history books. Almost as soon as their "Dark Creator" placed them on Norrath, they were sold off as slaves to Rallos Zek, for use as front line peons in the first Rallosian army. They are near-immortal by themselves, as no types of healing magics conceived or used by mortals can help heal his injuries or fend off his starvation.</p><p>2nd, is a Thudomantonian Construct who is bound for eternity at a forge. He comes from a place called Thudos, who Rallos Zek had conquered many millennia ago. I aim to complete the tradeskill quest he gives to free him of his shackles and find out more.</p><p>Seeing as it is very unlikely that I'll ever get a group to experience these new zones full of level 98 heroics and epics until the next level cap increase, please feel free to add to this thread any and all information you gather from doing the quests here.</p>

[Morghus]

<p>The Dark Creator is apparently Innoruuk, and the creature and all like him, Vallonite/Tallonite etc all come to be called Kerig'dal or some such and were once Dark Elves, transformed by the training and demands of war. They were originally meant to be used as fodder, completely disposable so that no harm would come to the Ogres who were favored above most of Rallos other creations.</p>

[Cusashorn]

<p>Ahh, ok that makes some sense. The Thudomantonians and Thudos itself were from the Plane of Earth, whom Rallos Zek had long ago conquered.</p>

[Mixxit]

<p>Conquering when? We've always known about the Plane of Earth stuff or is this some other time?</p>

[betatester7]

<p><cite>Morghus wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>The Dark Creator is apparently Innoruuk, and the creature and all like him, Vallonite/Tallonite etc all come to be called Kerig'dal or some such and were once Dark Elves, transformed by the training and demands of war. They were originally meant to be used as fodder, completely disposable so that no harm would come to the Ogres who were favored above most of Rallos other creations.</p></blockquote><p>when this happened? where are the sources? just curious</p>

[Rezikai]

<p><cite>Morghus wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>The Dark Creator is apparently Innoruuk, and the creature and all like him, Vallonite/Tallonite etc all come to be called Kerig'dal or some such and were once Dark Elves, transformed by the training and demands of war. They were originally meant to be used as fodder, completely disposable so that no harm would come to the Ogres who were favored above most of Rallos other creations.</p></blockquote><p>Maybe they were the High elf legions that couldnt be turned fully into Teir'Dal mentaly and were enslaved by those following Naythox and Cristanos out of PoH.</p>

[Rainmare]

<p>the interesting thing is they were 'sold' into slavery. that to me almost sounds like Inny took some of his Tier'dal, beefed them up a bit for Rallos, and traded them off for something else. but that makes me wonder what would Inny want from Rallos. Or maybe that was a tribute to Rallos so he didn't turn his attention to Hate after taking down the Rathe Council.</p><p>with the Thudomantonians...after you break the bindings...they mention that they might have further use of you later as artisans. it sounds like there's many more of them enslaved, and once the adventurers provide a sufficient 'distraction' they'll call on the artisans to free thier fellows.</p>

[kelvmor]

<p>Glory to Rallos Zek! No, but really, is anyone surprised? He's the god of war.</p>

[Meirril]

<p><cite>Ulgrim@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Glory to Rallos Zek! No, but really, is anyone surprised? He's the god of war.</p></blockquote><p>Yeah, color me suprised. The Vallonites and Tallonites were created by Innoruuk from his experiments in making dark elves? So these 3 "races" are actually all Tunare's creation? Strangely, Innoruuk's chosen happen to be the exact same physically as the high elves except for a blue-er complexion and shorter stature? And out of the three races Innoruuk chose the weakest to be his own?</p><p>Also when were they named Vallonites and Tallonites? Before or after Rallos raised Vallon Zek and Tallon Zek? Better yet, WHY were they named Vallonites and Tallonites if they were Innoruuk's creations? Were the Tier'dal involved infused with Orc and Ogre essences similar to the Myr'dal that Mayong is creating? Honestly, how different is this from what Mayong is doing now?</p><p>And Rallos created how many races? Orcs, Ogres, Giants. What else did he create? Innoruuk created...oh that's right. Until we herd about the Y'dal and the Luggalds Innoruuk had created exactly no races. He just perverted other people's creations. So why would Rallos Zek want inferior warrors made by Innorrukk? Even more strange, why would he surround himself in his personal fortress for millinea with someone else's inferior creations?</p><p>This isn't a retcon. No creation mythos existed for Rallos' personal servants/guardians/most numerous troops on his personal plane that do his bidding and seem to be held in higher reguard than any other creation of Zek's. No, this just sounds like bloody stupid writing that makes the current army's of Zek sound like a poorly though out joke with no punch line.</p>

[Morghus]

<p>Kelraen:Kelraen/a says to you, "We are Teir'Dal no longer!  That term barely applies to my kind now.  Allow me to explain.  During the rise of the first Rallosian Empire, the Warlord's first great army was poised to obliterate the inhabitants of Tunaria."</p><p>You say to Kelraen, "I think I've heard of this war."</p><p>Kelraen:Kelraen/a says to you, "When Rallos' army discovered the first Teir'Dal city, the God-General threatened to slaughter all of us. Innoruuk, not wanting to see his fledgling creations wiped out before they had a chance to flourish, struck a deal with the Warlord."</p><p>You say to Kelraen, "What kind of deal?"</p><p>Kelraen:Kelraen/a says to you, "The Dark Prince, Innoruuk, "volunteered" over a thousand of us to serve Rallos Zek. This appeased Rallos.  He welcomed us into his army and spared the Teir'Dal."</p><p>You say to Kelraen, "Did you fight for Rallos?"</p><p>Kelraen:Kelraen/a says to you, "Not yet.  First, we were sent to the Plane of War, where we trained for years. We mastered every weapon, learned to intimidate our opponents, and most importantly, learned to kill without remorse. When our training was complete, the years in the Plane of War had changed us.  We barely resembled our Teir'Dal kin."</p><p>Kelraen:Kelraen/a says to you, "Our bodies were taut and sinewy.  Our chiseled muscles had been forged in the flames of intense hand-to-hand combat training.  Our combat prowess had been magnified, tenfold.  We were no longer elves of the abyss; we had become elves of endless war.  We had become Kerig'Dal! "</p><p>You say to Kelraen, "So, then did you fight for Rallos?"</p><p>Kelraen:Kelraen/a says to you, "Not yet.  Little did we know, the training in the Plane of War was meant to prepare us for the invasion of Thudos, the Plane of Earth. And we were meant to be front-line fodder.  Rallos Zek favored his creations, the Ogres, and planned to keep them out of harm's way."</p><p>Kelraen:Kelraen/a says to you, "It was Tallon and Vallon Zek who recognized our real worth. When the Warlord's army marched on the Rathe Council, the Twins held us back."</p><p>Kelraen:Kelraen/a says to you, "Initially, we resisted, absolutely furious that we were unable to participate in the great battle.  But then, word of the casualties reached our ranks.  Rallos Zek's forces were being obliterated.  We would have been slaughtered, had we been the spearhead of Rallos' raiding party.  And to add insult to injury, those who did not perish in the attack were afflicted by the Curse of the Rathe."</p><p>You say to Kelraen, "So the Zek Twins saved you from not one, but two, awful fates?"</p><p>Kelraen:Kelraen/a says to you, "Indeed.  And for that reason we are forever in their debt.  We were later divided into two armies, swearing allegiance to either Vallon or Tallon.  That is not to say that our two forces are rivals.  Though outsiders may call us Tallonites or Vallonites, among our own kind we are simply known as the Kerig'Dal."</p>

[kelvmor]

<p>Oh. That's...kind of awesome.</p><p>Kerig'Dal playable race anyone? Lol.</p>

[Mixxit]

<p>This sounds like what rallos said to the goblins</p>

[kelvmor]

<p><cite>Mixxit@Nagafen wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>This sounds like what rallos said to the goblins</p></blockquote><p>...What?</p>

[carpe_caminus]

<p>And how does Thudos relate to Vegarlson or Ragrax?</p>

[Rainmare]

<p>apparently Vegarlson, the Earthen Badlands...is merely a portion of Thudos, that catul full plane of earth.and Ragrax was the Council's stronghold. thier personal fortress. so really the only difference in planes is that we know that what we saw in PoP was just a portion of Earth.</p><p>So I was right though. Inny 'sold' some Tier'dal to spare the rest from Rallos...then Vallon and Tallon kept them out of the invasion, and that spared them the Curse.</p><p>Though I still wonder what they were looking for on the Vigilant.</p>

[Morghus]

<p><cite>Rainmare@Oasis wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>apparently Vegarlson, the Earthen Badlands...is merely a portion of Thudos, that catul full plane of earth.and Ragrax was the Council's stronghold. thier personal fortress. so really the only difference in planes is that we know that what we saw in PoP was just a portion of Earth.</p><p>So I was right though. Inny 'sold' some Tier'dal to spare the rest from Rallos...then Vallon and Tallon kept them out of the invasion, and that spared them the Curse.</p><p>Though I still wonder what they were looking for on the Vigilant.</p></blockquote><p>Their goal was to repair/refit the ships in order to jump to other dimensions. That is about all that is said.</p>

[Mixxit]

<p><cite>Morghus wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Kelraen:Kelraen/a says to you, "When Rallos' army discovered the first Teir'Dal city, the God-General threatened to slaughter all of us. Innoruuk, not wanting to see his fledgling creations wiped out before they had a chance to flourish, struck a deal with the Warlord."</p></blockquote> <p><cite>Ulgrim@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Mixxit@Nagafen wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>This sounds like what rallos said to the goblins</p></blockquote><p>...What?</p></blockquote><p>.... 'The form of an enormous goblin would appear before the Enlightened Council and present itself as the Avatar of War. The Avatar would demand of the goblins an oath that would bind every following generation. In return for the oath, the goblins would be allowed continued existence'</p><p>You guys and your ellipses, be a bit friendlier please</p>

[Cusashorn]

<p><cite>Ulgrim@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Mixxit@Nagafen wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>This sounds like what rallos said to the goblins</p></blockquote><p>...What?</p></blockquote><p>Even though we now know that the Ankhexfens, and later the Goblins, were the creations of one of the Serilis siblings, originally it was told that Rallos was the one who created them, but he only used them in his armies and stuff.</p><p>Anyways, this is very interesting lore that we've discovered.</p><p>My only question is: why does everyone in the game act like the name "Thudos" and the "Thudomantians" are names we should have already heard and known about?</p><p>You don't have to answer that. It's just one of those things in this game.</p>

[RoninSenshi]

<p>I wonder, would Xanit K'Ven ("First Tier'dal Warlord"), the Tier'dal Warrior that went off and joined the forces of Rallos Zek during the First Rallosian War only to come back to Neriak and try to unite the Tier'dal was involved with the forces that Innoruuk offered to Rallos Zek in trade, or did he ever become Kerig'Dal or did he leave too soon?</p><p>...or is Xanit K'Ven Fanfiction <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/9d71f0541cff0a302a0309c5079e8dee.gif" border="0" /></p>

[Cusashorn]

Who is Xanit K'Ven?

[Rezikai]

<p><cite>Cusashorn wrote:</cite></p><blockquote>Who is Xanit K'Ven?</blockquote><p>He's part of the Teir'Dal creation tale after Naythox and Cristanos were turned. He basically was a rogue warrior outcasted from the Neriak houses for having "new and innovative" ideas on the prospects of battle and war. So when the 1st Rallosians started to make a mess of things back in old Tunaria he volunteered for thier others legion. The legion of other races like Troll or humans that joined with Rallos' armies during the first Rallosian Empire.</p><p>No mention is ever made of Inny selling off Teir'Dal to appease Rallos in the tale. But Xanit's innovative and lethal ideas along with his now respected military prowess by the Ogre legions earned him rank of Captain. Capt. K'Ven is legend to go back to Neriak after fearing they will eventualy turn on Neriak once the elven and earthen campaigns are done. He returns to neriak and my memory is fuzzy.. but brings back 40 Teir'Dal volunteers to come fight alongside him and show the Rallosians that the Teir'dal are their allies. Naythox and Cristanos and other higher ups of Neriak's nobility actually fear the praise and accolades that the Neriak commonwealth have for Xanit so when he returned to get the recruits Naythox declared him "Overlord K'Ven".</p><p>K'Ven returns to the Rallosian armies and they march on Takihsh'Hiz. K'Ven made an alliance with the Unkempt Druids of all people to help sneak into the city. Playing on their fears that if the Elddar Empire ever spreads out and again touches the northwest as it did when Wegadas first arrived. This time they may not be as social, nor should they as druids allow the perversion of nature which was Takish'Hiz the arcance city and capital of the Elddar empire. They relucantly agree and take their original elven forms and entre Takish Hiz, eventually overpowering the guards and lowering the main gates. The seige outside it which to that point had come to a standstill because Rallos had went a second time into Earth (this time personaly) and killed 1 (or all i forget atm) of the Raethe council here on Norrath, striking his races with the curse of the gods.</p><p>K'Ven's original 40 Teir'dal volunteers by this time had swelled into the thousands of Teir'Dal and Troll warriors seeing them smash through Takish Hiz outposts and cities like Al'Farak saw the chance to jump on the bandwagon and help the destruction of the elven Empire with the fall of Takish Hiz, when the city fell its said that Overlord K'Ven's sword laid the killing blow on Kigathor, the huge treant and Tunare's chosen treant of all treants. It's legend that when he fell in the sands outside of the outer wall of Takish Hizh Tunare sent down a bolt of lightning came down and struck him petrifying his body as hard as stone. Because of his death however all other treants, who were children of Tunare would eventually start to have their souls darken and sour becoming hateful to most others.</p><p>Back on topic..</p><p>K'Ven was never part of this group of "sold off slaves" that this lore claims. To be honest it can easily fit in to because there's hardly any mention with the lore we have of what Rallos' forces were doing with the Teir'Dal outside of the K'Ven tale. He comes back to Neriak a hero for bringing down the Elddar Empire and gets arrested for treason for letting the Unkempt druids ally with his forces to do it. He is about to be executed but fights off the royal guards holding restraining him and attacks Naythox and Cristanos both before the court wizards open a portal to Plane of Hate sucking him into it where Inny keeps him locked away incase he ever needs his services.</p><p>The Teir'Dal sold off isnt really unheard of, they dont care about their commoners and selling off commoners as slaves to appease a massive war machine that could turn its swords on their city sounds a like a pretty reasonable pact. Why it says Inny himself did it over Neriak's nobles and such is odd... unless he pulled the Teir'dal used directly from the plane of Hate ... which means they could have been prisoners or unturned, or fallen out of the dark princes good graces. We'll need to know more of their origin imo.</p>

[betatester7]

<p>We need a film!</p>

[Mixxit]

<p>Post me some legit Xanit references so I can untag as fanfiction please <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[Cusashorn]

Yeah I'm with Mixxit on this one. I'm glad that Rezikai knows so much about him, but there's nothing said of a source of where that came from. Please put my doubts at ease.

[Mixxit]

<p>Thunderstomp sings</p><p>'Thudomatonians forever!</p><p><strong>Tried to resist the Warlord</strong> and,</p><p>Now they're enslaved and severed!'</p><p>Resisted as in fight against during the plane of earth attacks?</p>

[Meirril]

<p><cite>Cusashorn wrote:</cite></p><blockquote>Who is Xanit K'Ven?</blockquote><p>I have to join in and say I've never herd of this guy, or any invasion of Takihsh'Hiz. Or the Unkmept Druids actually working with anyone. Actually never herd of them being this ancient of an organization or being elven for that matter. From what I remember of EQ1 I think I only ran into human Unkempt Druids.</p><p>Not saying this isn't legit lore, just want to know where the source is from?</p>

[Mixxit]

<p>From what I have read the source is from a guild of the same name and elegedly one of the guys became a writer for sony</p><p>But i can't find his name to check against credits and i can't find the lore in game to prove it made it into live so I am dubious as to their claim that he worked for sony</p>

[Cusashorn]

<p>Just asked Rezikai over the lore chat. He says its from the EQ2 PnP game. A story called "Seduction of the Elves". Even Vhalen said that the story wasn't exactly canon to EQ2, but not debunked either.</p>

[Mixxit]

<p>Ah yes it's in plane of hate supplement - so i guess the guy did get a job for SOE? The author is listed as <a href="http://index.rpg.net/display-generalinfo.phtml?key=contributor&value=Kurt+Hausheer" target="_blank">Kurt Hausheer</a></p><p>There is the discussion on the name of the guild here and who invented it: <a href="http://www.xanit-kven.com/forums/showthread.php?1922-Where-is-the-name-from&highlight=Xanit+teir%27dal">http://www.xanit-kven.com/forums/sh...anit+teir%27dal</a></p><p>And: <a href="http://www.xanit-kven.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-142.html">http://www.xanit-kven.com/forums/ar....php/t-142.html</a></p><p>'<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">Xanit K`Ven was created by me and a couple other original members in 2001. We were in the process of combining 3 guilds from Vallon Zek and needed a new name. After much discussion, I suggested that we just make something up that sounded interesting and threw something out with some X’s and K’s. This developed into Xanit K`Ven. During the same discussions, we decided to make it an NPC name that would fit into the role-playing theme that was Everquest. The characters extensive history was created by a guild member named Divolg and is available to read by Googling our name. It is a great read if you enjoy fantasy stories. Divolg later wrote the Plane of Hate chapter of the pen and paper version of Everquest which included more about Xanit K`Ven. Many of the original XK member player names are part of that as well.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">I have seen our name used in other games but has only been officially used in Everquest 1, 2 and briefly in DAOC. I believe someone took the name in DAOC after we quit. If it is being used in WoW then I am sure someone in that guild was associated with our Everquest history.'</span></p><p><a href="http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php?action=profile;u=391;sa=showPosts" target="_blank">Some background on the writer can be found here</a></p>

[RoninSenshi]

<p><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.xanit-kven.com/forums/showthread.php?1922-Where-is-the-name-from&highlight=Xanit+teir%27dal" target="_blank">http://www.xanit-kven.com/forums/sh...anit+teir%27dal</a></p><p>"Later on, a member of <span>Xanit</span> who happened to write <strong>offical everquest lore</strong> for SOE wrote in the name <span>Xanit</span> K'ven as the warlord savior of the Dark elves who kind of brought them out of the dark ages, united them, etc etc.."</p><p>I never knew the true history behind this story, pretty neat that it appears it was player made content that made it into Everquest cannon. I've actually kind of rehashed this story in some of my EQ2 books.</p><p>...</p><p>So someone that was a member of the Xanit K'Ven guild wrote offical Everquest Lore wrote in Xanit K'Ven.</p><p>I guess that makes it offical cannon BUT I think we need to summon the Dwarf on this one.</p>

[Mixxit]

<p>it's certainly eq 1 rpg canon, but is the attack on takish-hiz major enough for it to slide into the Vhalen's Universal Timeline</p><p>Edit: Although it should be noted that eq1 rpg and <a href="http://loreofnorrath.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=2816&action=edit" target="_blank">the teir'dal invasion</a> being <a href="http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=11&ved=0CCAQFjAAOAo&url=http%3A%2F%2Floreofnorrath.wordpress.com%2F201 0%2F01%2F12%2Frosethorn-spire%2F&rct=j&q=aros%20thalinor&ei=nH_tTcnmPMKa8QOVnt2SBw&usg=AFQjCNFd38D-Sbu2xhZCZT4A_Izt7fbqCw&sig2=_8hzvqiTS2p5p3t2br2j9w" target="_blank">mentioned in EQOA</a> makes it a pretty important and well documented event</p>