<After the Heraldic trio scour the Emerald Forest for clues to the Shadow Storm, Valindra and Avenar return to the site of the prophet’s latest obsession . . .>

An Underground Chamber
A dimly lit room with walls of smooth gray brick rests here beneath the
courtyard. From the weathered stones and still air, it feels ancient, dug
out of the ground long ago. The room has been constructed with cube-like
symmetry, save for the low, slightly arched stone ceiling. A set of small,
nearly invisible stairs are carved into one of the walls and from the decor,
they are the only component of the room that appears to be of newer
construction. Silent burning torches line the walls, placed into
elaborately carved black iron sconces. The carvings each seem to depict a
scene of some kind, as if they tell a story through images. Dominating the
center of the room is a large granite table cut from a single massive slab.
Its polish has long since aged to a dull sheen but it still reflects a
surprising amount of firelight. The table is surrounded by nearly a dozen
chairs of dark oak, each neatly tucked under the massive piece of granite.
The far wall of the room is entirely covered with bookshelves stretching
from ceiling to floor, filled with books and parchment both antique and new.

[Exits: (up)]
A pile of dust of appearance has gathered here.
(Glowing) A bright, flickering spark hovers just above the ground here.
A plate of liver and onions is here.
Here lies the skeleton of duergar, clutching a leather journal.
There is a dusty journal on the table, bulging with scribbled pages.
(Translucent) (White Aura) Avenar the Holy Patriarch of Healing, Master Scribe of History is here.
A tiny wisp named Hibbadibbity flies in.

Valindra clambers in, grumbling beneath her breath.

Avenar says 'Sorry...the door.'

Avenar says 'I would normally open it for you out of politeness.'

Valindra reclaims her spot at the table, nodding to herself as more sheaves of paper appear.

Avenar looks at a dusty journal.

Avenar says 'Here's something interesting to ponder.'

Avenar leans in and whispers something to you.

Avenar tells you 'Help 1173.'

help 1173
BUY
Syntax: buy <object>

BUY buys an object from the first shopkeeper in the same room as you. When multiple items of the same name are listed, type 'buy n.item', where "n" is the position of the item in a list of that name. So if there are two swords, buy 2.sword will buy the second.

You can also buy information and history from the herald. To see what the person knows, use 'buy information list'. You can also use
wildcards, such as 'buy information list A*' and it will return all the people that starts with A. To view their history, simply replace list with the name of the person you want to see. For example, to see the history on Bart, type 'buy information Bart'.

See also: HELP SELL, HELP LIST, HELP VALUE

Avenar says 'What is this about buying information from Heralds? Have you heard of such a thing?'

buy information list
You can't do that here.

You say 'Hmm.'

You say 'An obsolete scroll?'

Avenar says 'It seems to be.'

You say 'Curious.'

You say 'Have you tried at Rimath?'

Avenar says 'I did.'

You say 'Did he yield his secrets?'

Avenar says 'I have been seeing if any of our friends were available for secrets, nothing I could find.'

Valindra continues drumming her fingers idly upon the table.

Avenar says 'Well, I will ponder over that more another day.'

Avenar says 'I'm not certain if you heard, but the Legion has made a return with force.'

Avenar says 'There were many battles the last few eves that ended in their favor.'

Valindra purses her lips, forming a perfect 'O.'

You say 'Have they named a Forsaken?'

Avenar says 'I am uncertain. But I know that Skeggi and Werig are both within their ranks, and Gwur may wish to be as well.'

You say 'I wonder . . .'

You say 'Could Dogran be an avatar of Darkhan?'

Avenar says 'Quite possible he is somehow an incarnate.'

You say 'I would like to know the name of the demon who shares his conquest.'

You say 'For Darkhan himself was the Shadow Dragon.'

Avenar says 'I have not heard that name associated with him.'

Avenar says 'Something else you found in a scroll?'

Avenar eats a magic mushroom.

You nod at Avenar.

'TAEKIR WAR'

The ancient gnome magi, Zandar, delved deeper into his studies of magicks than any mystic before him had gone. His studies led him to the ancient scrolls of the Keep of D'al Kadar, which had been sealed with a curse more powerful than Zandar had ever seen. With perseverance, his insight into the curses workings finally paid off and the scrolls opened before him. Looking down the words he saw nothing but strange symbols, and as he tried to pronounce them, nothing appeared to happen. The scrolls withered into dust and a sense of dread filled the Mystic immortal. He left the lands to try to find some way to undo the spell he had inadvertently invoked.

A few months later, word of a mysterious shadow descending upon the eastern lands reached Seringale. The recitings had awoken one of the ancient evil immortals that had been banished by Stryth, an experiment gone awry that he had found remarkably resistant to being destroyed. That being was none other than Darkhan, awoken into a world now without the presence of its former creator. With none to oppose him, he took control of the cabal of Legion and took pleasure in manipulating it and its members to his end. As time passed and his power grew stronger, he trapped the young halfling immortal Carain within a gem of power, and destroyed it.

As heavenly war raged across the skies, between the outnumbered lightwalker immortals, and Darkhan accompanied by his lackey Khade, the impartial Odoacer finally felt compelled to act. Choosing to remain neutral even to such grave matters, he resolved that the Knight's presence was needed more than ever, and used his vast powers to grant immortality to Aberdour, a champion of paladins. Aberdour soon led Knights to victory over Darkhan, killing Khade and banishing the Dark Lord, who barely escaped in his wounded state, fleeing to deep within the Underdark to get away.

The final assault of Darkhan came upon Serin soon after. His powers at
full strength, he awakened his army, the Taekir dragons, to serve him in his conquest of the lands. While his army advanced upon Serin, he used the distraction to search for more power, and came across the Gem of Souls, an artifact not of Serin, that he believed had been hidden deep beneath its surface. Though he came perilously close to finding it, he was at the final step thwarted. The return of Zandar to the lands and his aid in the war against Darkhan's ancient army helped cause its swift defeat. Darkhan himself was then searched out. The two deities clashed in an epic battle that eventually resulted in Darkhan being vanquished for good, and the victorious Zandar was unfortunately lost with him in the resultant energy overflow his destruction caused. While rebuilding the defiled realm, Odoacer grants immortality to two of his most loyal subjects, the undead assassin Resatimm, often a helping hand for Justice outside of town, and the Ancient Wolf, Redalion.


Darkhan, God of Trickery

Elements: Trickery
Rival Elements: Law
Alliances: Davairus, Resatimm, Thorgoth, Vhrael, Dogran, Rodyn, Sakuragi, Zylenier, Nycticora, Lodur
Rivalries: Kedaleam, Sarich, Sedgwick, Aberdour, Soluminus, Odoacer, Eloret

Darkhan was the mysterious Dark Lord behind the scenes of all evil doings. He is also known to whisper dark, corrupting suggestions into the ears of mortals. He manifested eventually as the Shadow Dragon during the Taekir War. The manipulations of promising absolute power to Rodyn that led to the assassination of Queen Victoria and eventually oust Rodyn in favour for Sakuragi as the Legion Forsaken. When he knew his powers waned, he impregnated a whore to bare him a son, a successor, Zanzabar. Before his passing, he trapped his lover Carain in a gem and eventually destroyed her forever. The altar of Darkhan lies within the Keep of D'al Kadar.

Followers of Darkhan are obsessed with evil and seek to further spread its corruption. Not content with mere power as an end, they prove that nothing is sacred, nothing holy enough that it cannot be tainted and defiled into something of evil. They provide the antithesis to the Knights of Valour, and on the battlefield are often their most formidable opponents. However, due to his subterfuge, he manages to hide his presence and often the other gods will get the blame for things that are for his doing. There are plenty of Serins that believe the Dark Lord has been destroyed – they are very gravely mistaken about that.

Avenar says 'I do recall that for the final battle, he transformed into a dragon.'

Avenar says 'Have you always had a passion for the study of history?'

Valindra muses 'Myth and history are kissing cousins, I think.'

Avenar says 'That is...one way of putting it.'

Valindra crinkles her nose as if she smells something distasteful.

Avenar says 'One wonders how many scrolls are accurate depictions of the past.'

Avenar says 'And how many are merely a memory from generations later.'

You say 'Apocrypha, myth, and legend . . .'

Avenar says 'I for one however, like to know the difference.'

Valindra smiles, her chins wobbling.

You say to Avenar 'I would expect nothing less from the Master Scribe of History, of course.'

Avenar says 'Did you hear that?'

Valindra cocks her head to one side.

You say 'I'm afraid not, dear.'

Avenar looks around with wide eyes and hands at the ready as if he's going to jump into action.

Valindra sits up a little straighter, button eyes bright and alert.

Avenar says 'I thought I heard someone.'

You say to Avenar 'Speak it . . .'

Avenar says 'A spirit.'

Valindra bends her stubby hand in that sign of warding once more.

Avenar looks at a dusty journal.

You cast the bones of the mystic for a reading.
The bones rattle on the ground and settle into position with a rib bone prominent.
You read a strong inverse in the position of the remaining bones.

Avenar looks at a set of mystic bones.

You say 'Are these the very bones of your Seeker?'

Avenar says 'Yes.'

Avenar says 'Almost certainly.'

You say 'Can you be sure?'

You say 'And . . . do you trust him?'

Avenar says 'Well, no other than he was holding the journal.'

Avenar says 'I do not trust the dead.'

Avenar says 'In general.'

You say 'Then you are wiser than most.'

Avenar says 'Do you have time for a visit to the ether...'

Avenar says 'It's something that Resatimm said.'

Avenar says 'Was he talking about the Ethereal Plane?'

You say 'When did you speak to the God of Ice and Plague?'

Avenar says 'Well, he showed up here.'

Avenar says 'And warned us not to continue.'

Valindra looks around once more as if her very eyes could penetrate the shadows.

You say 'Who else attended you then?'

Avenar says 'There was a haunt of some kind.'

Avenar says 'The journal itself came alive.'

Avenar says 'It flipped open to some page where the scene appeared to be animated.'

You say 'What did you see there?'

Avenar says 'But slammed shut before Ilromie or myself could decipher the image.'

Avenar says 'I couldn't tell if it was Resatimm or the spirit of this Seeker that was behind it.'

Valindra prods the journal with an experimental finger.

You say to Avenar 'Must we collect the summoning stones once more?'

Avenar says 'Oh he also said to look under the bones.'

Avenar says 'I have tried every iteration of this.'

You say 'He said to look under the bones but that you should not continue?'

Avenar says 'Yes...I could not make sense of it.'

Avenar says 'We couldn't figure out if he was encouraging us or attempting to stop us.'

You drop a set of mystic bones.

Avenar says 'But Ilromie and I only agreed that made us more interested in solving it.'

Valindra harrumphes audibly.

You nod at Avenar.

You say 'If you see my sister, tell her I wish she would attend me.'

Valindra is suddenly wearing bright red lipstick.

You say to Avenar 'As for you, dear . . .'

Valindra capers up to the priest and plants a sloppy kiss upon his cheek, reaching her destination handily despite their considerable size difference.

Valindra observes with some measure of satisfaction as the imprint of her lips begins to smoke.

You say to Avenar 'I have missed you so.'

Avenar blushes.

Avenar says 'It would seem.'

Avenar smiles at you.

You say 'A trusted general, and so handsome.'

Valindra winks, ever the wicked witch.

You say to Avenar 'Let us pierce the ether soon.'

You say to Avenar 'But first--lunch.'

<HERALD> Odile the Crier gossips: 'Farewell Valindra, may the winds guide you to a swift return.'