*Pony Naps*

"A horde of goblins made their way to raid the Sacred Stables  one dark winter night. They crept upon the sleeping ponies intending to steal their armour, hay, and magical knit-mits.  The goblins, with their clubs snuck into the stalls and started gathering the loot while the ponies slept. The Pony of Fire happened to be spending a few days at the stables in order to get some much needed rest and relaxation and noticed a stench of rotten meat and burnt hair; stinky goblins. The Pony of Fire knew it was some foul creature intending to cause an inconvenience and the decided to teach these goblins a lesson. As they goblins were scampering from the stables with their newly acquired, stolen goods, the Pony of Fire emitted a concentrated burst of superheated plasma with such an accuracy that he hit the end of each of the goblins little clubs. The clubs erupted into torches and illuminated the area with such a light that it awoke the whole neighboring town. The wizards and warriors leapt from their beds and cast their spells and their nets on the horde and were able to capture all of the goblins in quick fashion. The goblins were handled by the local Council of Wizards and there have been no more goblin attacks in the area."

The Pony of Fire is known to associate with @wizard113 , @wizard7238, and @wizard3344 . The Pony of Fire is one of the 4 Elemental Ponies : @pony200 , @pony300 , and @pony400 . The Pony of Fire shares a birthday with @pony93 . The magical armour was hand crafted by @wizard5775 who spends time at the Sacred Stables.


Vidal Chaos Agent of Worlds

## A Rune forged by The Flame

*Artwork by 'Taro, the Curious Mind*

---

Not much is known about the duties of *Chaos Agents* outside The Court of Chaos Magic. For the most part, they prefer to keep the nature of their quests and inquiries away from the public, for **Chaos** is a force to be reckoned with and it shouldn't be taken lightly.

What we do know for certain is that @warrior13937 encounter with the Great burner of Might was crucial for his journey. Even though this wasn't his first *Court of Chaos* endeavour nor his first time facing what could've been his demise this is where he found the true essence of Chaos... and an ally who'd help him build his path to glory.

So reads an excerpt from *The Court's Quests Archive* regarding this particular encounter:

>[...]

>"Engulfed by the fire and down to his knee was @warrior13937; his skin red and burning and the metal of his armor searing hot, yet the knight remained still with his head held high. **Vidal** kept staring at the void of the wizards golden skull for he knew one thing: *his might burnt brighter than any flame, no matter how magic or sacred*.

>After what felt like an eternity to Vidal, the wizard broke the silence.
*I know youll prove useful to the Cult*   uttered @wizard2595, his ghastly voice echoing through a chamber lit by the very flame that devoured many brave warriors before but this one proved to be worthy of his mercy.


>After speaking, a hit of his caduceus against the ground made the fire roar louder than before, but it suddenly felt colder? Voidoths crow cawed, and from the flames now harmless aura the mighty **rune of steel** manifested next to Vidal, forged by the same force that rose to destroy him."

>[...]

Not much more could be read from the registries. This passage is testament of how the nerves and determination of Agent #13937 granted him not only his rune, but the respect of the powerful @wizard2595 and the quintessential truth by which he swore to live by:
>### In order to destroy one must first learn to create, for destruction and creation are both expressions of Chaos  and Chaos should always remain at balance.

Since then, Vidal began working on Pantheum Vidalis to master his craft and find glory through the act of creation.
With the flame of might burning from within, and the support of Patrons of the Pantheon, it will be just a matter of time for the word of the warrior sculptor atop the mountains to spread far and wide across the lands.


Gangrenous Zombie Ofaris of Nightmare Paradise

# Chapter 1: Ofaris of the Circle
The light of the Sacred Flame danced in the eyes of Ofaris of the Circle and played across the stone walls of the high-ceilinged chamber in the heart of The Secret Tower. He allowed his Rune of Water to flood over the Dryads Ear plant spell that flickered between his fingers. The mixing of rune and spell always had a calming effect on him and he needed his composure now more than ever.

After months of searching for the Flame, the moment was finally upon him! Ofaris did not know for certain what lay on the other side, but it was whispered amongst the guilds that those who entered the Sacred Flame emerged with powers unheard of for centuries.

At the last convocation of the Circle, Archmagus Alessar in particular had been vocal in his calls for their sect to do all they could to find ways of destroying these Flames. Alessar had never been forward-thinking always content to take the conservative course. Ofaris had tried to convince him that the Circles purpose should be the advancement of Wizarding kind  free from the restraints of the Council.

*Isnt that why the Circle was formed in the first place?* He had argued. *Brilliant minds should not be forced to stagnate waiting for a consensus amongst factions that refuse out of principle to agree with one another The Circle sees no colours  only magical prowess! It rests on our shoulders to drive the quest for discovery.*

But the Archmagus disagreed. Once more, he tried to fetter Ofaris ambitions. But not this time. This time, Ofaris would act as he saw fit. And after stepping into the Flame, forging his newfound powers in a crucible of arcane energy, who would dare to stand in the way of progress?


Ofaris thought back to his dream of the night before: a seat at the head of the Council, untold riches, the power to influence his peers and set a course for all Wizards into the future *Yes! I will be the author of this chapter in history  I will be remembered as the one who ushered in a new era of prosperity to this world!*

The wizard smiled triumphantly. He scooped up his slime familiar Limos, took a deep breath, and stepped assuredly into the six-foot Flame.

# Chapter 2: A forgotten soul enslaved
There was nothing. Then suddenly, the pain, filling every corner of his being, an inferno blazing and popping, threatening to explode. He tried to scream, but choked on the intensity of the heat. It felt as though his skin was melting, the meat scorching from his bones. Faintly, as though coming from afar, he heard Limos high pitched shrieks.

The Sacred Flame was the world, and the world was fire. Ofaris tried to conjure his Water Rune  anything to stave off the heat   but it evaporated in an impotent puff of steam. He reached agonisingly for the Dryads Ear  a frantic attempt to heal his dire wounds. The stench of his own flesh burning clouded his delirious mind. The force of the Flame burst the seams of reality and cast Ofaris into the Void.

Time lost its meaning as the searing pain faded, replaced by waves of nausea. The Realm of the Dead stretched around him, overwhelmingly vast. Ofaris mind reeled as a hideous hand entered his vision. He recoiled in fear, realising that the hand was his own. Looking down, the stench of rotten meat washed over him as maggots crawled from ragged gashes in his discoloured skin.


Suddenly an immense pressure crushed his chest and he was hurled backwards, flailing and gasping, and slammed into cold stone. He crumpled to the floor, his mind dulled and senses numb.

Bony fingers poked through the membrane between worlds, peeling it back to reveal The Great Lord of the Void, @wizard4298. The Voidlord stepped into The Secret Tower and the membrane sealed itself behind him with a slurping sound.

A scorch-shadow stained the floor of the chamber, the only remnant of the Sacred Flames magical energy that had transmuted the wizards bodily form. Voidoth looked impassively down at the  erstwhile wizard who lay snivelling on the stone floor, his familiars ashen ghost quaking at his side.

Ofaris tried to speak, but no words came, only the guttural mutterings of the Undead. He was not yet used to the change in his vocal cords. He tried to cast the Dryads Ear spell  Voidoth knew this was a futile attempt to heal the transmutation  but instead of the plant spell a massive Rafflesia flower unfurled its meaty petals, emitting the stench of decay and death. A swarm of flies already buzzed around the creatures gangrenous body; some of the insects alighted on the leathery skin of the flower of death, crawling greedily across its surface.

The Voidlord bent and offered his hand to Gangrenous Zombie Ofaris, helping him to stand, but the skin slewed off the zombies rotting arm and he collapsed back to the ground. Voidoth was left holding the empty sock of skin, which he flicked away from himself contemptuously. He surveyed the pathetic creature for a moment, then spoke, the metallic grating of his voice echoing around the hollow chamber.


You hoped for power and you shall have it  but not the power you searched for. You can now penetrate the membrane between the worlds of the living and the dead. You will do my bidding, for only I can offer you respite from this new horror.

The zombie gave a confused groan, and the Voidlord knew that the putrid creature now understood that all this time he had been but a puppet on Voidoths strings.

Thats right, you fool. I sowed those seeds in your mind. You will be chained in this immortal nightmare, doomed to relive your fate anew each day  to feel your flesh devoured over and over. You will only find the illusion of respite from this torment in the dreams I offer you.

His jaw skewed to the side, Gangrenous Zombie Ofaris moaned and nodded his head, and the Great Lord of the Void silently bathed in the acquisition of another forgotten soul.

## Story Arc Index:
Prologue: @soul7186

Part 1: @wizard314

Part 2: @wizard2398

Part 3: @wizard134

Part 4: @wizard3920

Part 5: @wizard7935

Epilogue: @wizard291


Pyromancer Burnside of the Wood

Burnside let the pyromancy take hold. He felt the power heaving within him as the inferno enveloped his body in a rush of fire. His Torch of Prometheus flared as the flames flowed upwards, wave upon wave surging through him, swelling his lungs to bursting point until the flames left his chest and coursed up his neck to finally engulf his naked skull in an ecstatic release of energy. The magic of the Torch danced in the halo of flames encircling his cranium, and fingers of fire licked over his skull and flowed inwards through his empty eye sockets. He laughed at the thrill of it, and jets of fire leapt from his mouth.

The rolling domed mounds of Fur Gnome Wold shimmered in the heat. A group of the squat, hairy gnomes, startled from their berry picking, popped their heads up out of the bushes. At the sight of a laughing wizard with his head on fire, they squealed and dived for cover through the nearby hidden entries to their underground homes.

Burnside marched towards the repulsive deadwalker, skull aflame and magic coursing through his veins. He had been hunting the zombie for weeks, but each time he thought he was closing in on it the creature somehow slipped through his fingers. He could not give up, though. He needed to learn more about the transmutation wrought by the Sacred Flames, and this was the first time he had come so close to a wizard who had given himself to a Flame.


Blaze, Burnsides Swamp Bullfrog, opened his cavernous mouth wide and flicked his burning tongue aggressively towards the ghost-like ball of slime at the zombies side, though it was still out of reach. The slime quivered and hid behind its master. Burnside unleashed a fireball at the deadwalker, but the creature reacted with a wraithlike water rune that turned most of the heat from his attack into puffs of steam. Burnside hurled another fireball in the zombies direction to counteract an aquatic attack.

*Your Purple brethren no longer trust you  they know you will raze their cities to the ground and burn them all when given the chance!*

The Pyromancer ignored the voices that rattled inside his skull. Sensing that he was slowly gaining the upper hand he stepped up his attacks, raining a frenzied barrage of fiery bombs down upon his foe. Sparks showered across the zombies shadowy cape, which burst alight, and it moaned in mindless terror as the flames licked upwards over its shoulders. The ghostly slime squealed and leaped away from the flames, but this brought it within range of Blazes tongue, which struck with precision. The slimes squeals turned into a shriek as Blazes fiery spit coated its repugnant skin.

Smoke billowing from its body, the deadwalker pulled his strangely ethereal rune inward upon himself in a watery cascade. As the waves crashed to the floor, Burnside shook his head in bewilderment; the zombie had vanished, leaving only a small puddle of slightly charred slime on the bare earth.


The inferno faded, leaving Burnside feeling deflated. He immediately craved a return of the flames surging intensity. The craving grew stronger each time he tapped into the Torch of Prometheus molten power. Blaze lashed at a passing fly and Burnside could smell the bulbous bluebottle cooking on the Bullfrogs tongue. His familiar belched in satisfaction and eyed the wizard expectantly. Burnside knew that the bullfrog, too, was coming to rely on their moments of conflagration.

*Perhaps @wizard4850 was right*, he thought.

His compatriot from Hedge Wizard Wood had warned him of the dangers of Prometheus Torch.

*But he abandoned our quest  and when the secrets of the Sacred Flames were within our grasp! And now, where has that left me? Without an ally in the Runiverse! And him off on his rune-blasted mission in the south, when the Sacred Flames threaten us all taking those tiny firelings with him. Perhaps they were what kept his flames in check?*

Ofaris had returned to his faction several years ago. Burnside did not begrudge him some time at Yellow Wizard Haven  he himself missed Purple Wizard Pavilion from time to time  but his former colleague placed far too much weight on the Quantum Shadow the Shadow could be dealt with in time; the Sacred Flames were the greater immediate threat. And Burnside was still no closer to discovering their origin or purpose, despite his years of research.

Burnside had struggled on alone up until now, but he found that he was losing his sense of self more and more. Sometimes, for days, there was only the fire, and the voices that encouraged him to draw upon it during every waking moment. Those, too, continued to grow stronger.

*Have you forgotten everything we have achieved together, Burnside? Open yourself to the Torch again. Only you control the power of the Gods themselves!*


By all the flaming runes! he cursed. Perhaps it is time for me to seek some aid. Blaze gave a loud croak and bulged his eyes at his wizard. I know, old friend. I have been remiss. But we find ourselves close to Skylord Rookery. I suppose we should pay a visit to the old git.

His ivory skull still trailing wisps of smoke, Burnside stooped and gathered up his familiar, and set off for the spiky line of black peaks that filled the western horizon, hoping that he could maintain his determination until he reached the reclusive scholar, perched in his Rookery high above the clouds.

Had enough time passed for the old wizard to come to his senses? Would he be able to hear Burnside out without flying into a fit of rage this time? Burnside would not attack, but he would certainly defend himself. He hoped it would not come to that. If it did, @wizard2398 might have to die.

## Story Arc Index:
Prologue: @soul7186

Part 1: @wizard314

Part 2: @wizard2398

Part 3: @wizard134

Part 4: @wizard3920

Part 5: @wizard7935

Epilogue: @wizard291


Spellsinger Uvlius of the Desert

# The Lore of Spellsinger Uvlius of the Desert

Spellsinger Uvlius of the Desert is an ice cream master. That's not his profession, it's who he is...the art of ice cream making is in his very blood spanning numerous generations. His family founded one of the most prestigious ice cream conglomerates in the Forgotten Runes. Their secret recipe for creating ice cream that never melts, even under the scorching desert sun, is one that countless competitors have tried to imitate to no avail. It is certain that magic is involved, but just that knowledge is not enough, because some of the most talented wizards in all the lands were hired to crack the secret of the nevermelting ice cream, yet none have succeeded.

Uvlius's ice cream magic is second to none, but his deep dark secret is that he doesn't want to be an ice cream maker. He wants to travel the world, join the circus, fall in love. Instead, he just drives around the desert every day in the searing heat, blaring that grating jingle from his ice cream truck 24/7, selling his frozen desserts to children. Yes, he gets paid the equivalent of a king's ransom by the end of every shift given how hugely popular his family's recipe is, but it isn't about the money. It isn't even about the ice cream. For once in his life, Uvlius wants to try making something *besides* ice cream (he tentatively pitched the idea of frozen yogurt at last years Thanksgiving dinner and almost got disowned by his whole family).


But he doesn't care, Uvlius made up his mind that he wants out of the ice cream business. The problem is, that is much more difficult than it sounds. Those outside the industry are usually not aware, but the magical ice cream trade is more similar to organized crime than anything else. His family has a lot of enemies who would stop at nothing to secure a competitive advantage (even commit murder!), and Uvlius knows that if he leaves the territory of his clan, it'll take probably 10 minutes before a competitor kidnaps him to torture the secrets of nevermelting ice cream out of him. Unfortunately, he has low pain tolerance and would not hold up well under torture, the most painful thing he's ever experienced so far was passing a kidney stone (too much calcium from dairy, his doctor said), and Uvlius thought that experience would kill him. So for now, he is stuck...but his heart yearns for freedom, and one day, he hopes he will be able to pursue his own dreams rather than devoting his life to maintaining the family legacy.


Helen Savior of Liches

# Helen Savior of Liches

@wizard435 carried Helen in his arms, while navigating his way towards the Secret Tower. Helen displayed little signs of vitality, her skin pale as a corpse, as she drifted in and out of consciousness. Looking concerned, Angus mustered all his strength, and trudged on with great haste. Time was not on their side. Rishi, his trusty fox familiar, was performing the role of their rearguard, looking out for pursuers that were hot on their trail.

Angus would do **whatever it takes** to keep Helen alive. He had tried everything possible, but she was still dying. He placed his last hope on harnessing the mystical powers of the Sacred Flame, to perform a forbidden ritual in order to save the love of his life.

"You're going to be ok my dear, I promise..." Those were the last words Helen remembered hearing, as Angus gently laid her on the ground while she struggled to retain her consciousness. Helen caught a glimpse of Angus, white-knuckling the feather of a Phoenix, an immortal bird that symbolizes rebirth. His thick brows were furrowed with concentration. Beads of sweat formed on his rugged face as his lips moved fervently, his body inching closer towards the Sacred Flame with each chant uttered. Runes of Fire manifested, like a captivating array of fireworks which eventually engulfed Angus and Rishi. Helen remembered seeing a fiery silhouette reaching out to her, right before her vision faded to total darkness...

When Helen woke up, she found herself all alone in the wilderness, with Angus nowhere in sight. She raised her hand to shield her eyes from the piercing sunlight, and discovered that her skin was rosy once more. Angus has made good on his promise, but what did it matter if he was not here by her side?


With her new lease of life, Helen embarks on her journey to be reunited with Angus, convinced that he is out there somewhere in the Runiverse awaiting her...


Necromancer Zeromus of Elysium

# Chapter 1: The watcher in the shadows
Zeromus picked their way through the shadowy not-forms of the Void, keeping the deadwalker in sight, but remaining far enough removed so as not to draw its attention. They had no fear of the zombie, but felt that it would be a waste to have to terminate it without learning more.

Within the hood of their sleek robes, Kali adjusted her coils. Zeromus could sense the red mamba concentrating her energy into the manufacture of excess venom stores  a sure sign that the snake was on edge.

Zeromus, too, was alert to any sign of danger. They had come far too close to being discovered by the self-proclaimed Voidlord. The cyborg was certainly capable of wielding immense power in both the bowels of the void and in the expanse of the living Runiverse; but Zeromus did not for one second buy into @wizard4298s claims to divinity.

Zeromus had witnessed first-hand Voidoths transformation  how @wizard3917 had poisoned the ambitious young schemer after one of his viewings, and how he had then manipulated the skeletal remains in the laboratories of Blue Wizard Bastion. Somehow Voidoth had managed to override the controls Apollo had inserted in his software; the warped concoction of magic and technology had birthed this vengeful monster that now stalked the realms of both living and dead.

Thankfully, the Voidlord was not here now  Zeromus had watched as he had passed through the membrane into the Quantum Shadow. There, he continued to muster his armies of the undead, the corrupted, and the craven followers who called themselves his Disciples, who scrabbled and squabbled for the scraps of power he scattered at his feet.


Zeromus flicked the tassel of their hood testily. They hated the bad name Necromancers had amongst the wizarding community. Others were either jealous or frightened of their ability to commune with the dead. Just one of the reasons Zeromus shunned the ancient halls of the Wizarding guilds, where you were only either witch or wizard.

Those who feared that which they did not understand were never a thing of the past; at the Temple of the Falling Stars, the Arch-Magician had been overthrown by zealots who believed familiars to be unholy and Animists heretical. Zeromus had not been able to influence events there. Kali stirred as the wizard and their familiar shared this flush of irritation. Zeromus made a mental note to check back in on how the Hydromancers were faring with keeping the deposed Temple leader safe.

Zeromus was yet to make any contact  they far preferred working anonymously from the shadows  but they had at least managed to help Isaac and the Atlantians avoid the attentions of the rebels en route to Goblin Town. It was imperative that Isaac survived to launch a counter-revolution at the Temple; the zealots could not be allowed to swell their support.

Zeromus shook their head disbelievingly. So many had been seduced by Voidoths duplicitous call to the Sacred Flames at the first glimmer of potential power. Like moths, burning their own wings, Zeromus muttered to themselves.


The deadwalker seemed to be readying himself to re-enter the world of the living. Zeromus narrowed their eyes, preparing to form the Dryads Ear spell. They could at least put one of the Voidlords new servants out of its misery before it caused too much damage.
# Chapter 2: A duel interrupted
As Zeromus prepared to cast the spell, a split flashed across the darkness, revealing the translucent membrane between the realms of dead and living. The creature turned towards the light pooling into the gloomy darkness of the Void and let out an enraged bellow as it spotted the Necromancer.

*Fleshrot!* They cursed under their breath, as the zombie cast its own Dryad spell. As quick as Zeromus was, their festering foes magic unfurled in time with the Necromancers, bringing with it the overpowering stench of decay. The spells met in the air between the two Wizards  a silent duel, illuminated eerily by the light of the living. Zeromus Dryads Ear sprouted new green shoots, attempting to bind the leathery red petals of the gigantic Rafflesia  the flower of the tombs of everlasting slumber.

Out of the corner of their eye, Zeromus could see the hazy outlines of two wizards through the membrane  one short and stout, the other tall and gangly. The lanky wizards head burst into flame as he hurled balls of fire at the membrane in a futile attempt to break through.


Straining with the effort of combatting the zombies magic, Zeromus lamented the idiocy of their fellows fire could do nothing to affect the fabric of creation. Evidently the fool on the other side of the membrane came to the same realisation, as the explosions ceased; his portly companion approached the membrane, studying its sheen. The figures features, although obscured, were familiar to Zeromus.

Zeromus communed with Kali, who wound her way out of the depths of the Necromancers hood and slithered off into the darkness surrounding the battling wizards, keeping out of the diffuse light filtering through the worldly membrane.

*I know you cant kill what isnt alive, but the pain caused by your venom should incapacitate him, my friend.*

Typically sinuous serpent-thoughts answered Zeromus, full of the thrill of the impending bite. Red mambas lived constantly with the magma-like heat of their venom; each bite they dealt brought with it sweet, albeit temporary, relief as they discharged the pressurised toxins.

Zeromus arms began to tingle as the Rafflesias petals battered the twining shoots of their Dryads Ear. The undead wizard was powerful more powerful than they had anticipated! But then, an anguished cry pierced the silence and the giant Rafflesia wilted, curling in upon itself. Zeromus smiled grimly as they sensed the venom coursing from Kalis fangs.

At that moment, a flash of bright light pierced the membrane in a solid beam. Startled, Zeromus lost hold of their spell. Two sets of fingers appeared, pulling back the dissected flaps. In the background, the zombies moans grew fainter.


Surprised that the other wizard had managed to penetrate the membrane, Zeromus gaped at the bespectacled face of @wizard2398. The scholar grinned at them sheepishly.

Ah Zeromus, old friend I hope we havent come at a bad time?

Zeromus blinked at Lux, then whirled back to finish off the zombie, just in time to see their adversary dragging himself through another slit in the cosmic fabric that sucked closed behind him.

*Festering fleshrot! Some remnants of its Dryads Ear magic must remain in that disgusting flesh flower to counteract the venom.*

Annoyed agreement crept back along the bond from Kali.

The Necromancer turned their indignant glare on Lux, but seeing the earnest look on the mans face, they took a deep, calming breath, letting go of their irritation with a sigh.

When do you ever come at a good time, Lux? Zeromus smiled. To be honest, with everything going on in the Runiverse right now, I expected you sooner.

Zeromus welcomed the mamba back into the folds of their hood, and stepped through the membrane to join Lux in the living world. The Necromancer inspected the wide swathe of smouldering grass around the gateway between worlds, then raised an eyebrow at the Pyromancer they met standing on the firm ground of the Runiverse.

At least the flamethrower has the decency to look embarrassed, Zeromus thought, tutting at the damage he had caused to the landscape. Time was short, however, so they quickly turned back to Lux. Out with it, Scrollmaster, I need to hunt down that deadwalker before he does any more damage in Voidoths name.


Well help you bring down the creature, Zeromus, if youll agree to help us in return, replied Lux.

Zeromus nodded curtly. Very well. Theres only two reasons you ever seek me out. I know you want me to find someone; will I also be required to usher them to the Void?

## Story Arc Index:
Prologue: @soul7186

Part 1: @wizard314

Part 2: @wizard2398

Part 3: @wizard134

Part 4: @wizard3920

Part 5: @wizard7935

Epilogue: @wizard291


Hydromancer Louis of the Field

# Chapter 1: Leaving Goblin Town
Once he was sure that the lowlife hadnt followed him out of Goblin Town, Louis doubled back around the outskirts of the bustling trading post, keeping to the fields and hedgerows and heading east. The dark, swollen mass of the Quantum Shadow boiled on the horizon.

He had recognised the man as soon as he walked into the tavern  one of the scoundrels serving under the smuggler captain Zarq Khattak. Khattak made his living moving illicit goods from Red Wizard Capital, Calistas Citadel, and Alessars Keep across Kelpies Bay to the Black Market in Goblin Town. Even for a smuggler, the man was devious and greedy, always trying to squeeze a little bit extra out of every deal, his piercing blue eyes sparkling brighter with every coin added to his pile. Although Louis had no proof, he was sure that Khattak was also directing the acts of piracy that were becoming more and more frequent on the Bays murky waters.

While Khattak was a Rudimental, he had managed to use his wealth and influence to gather a crew that included the rougher and more mercenary types of warrior (even kobolds), and assorted delinquent magic-makers. Through his spy network, Khattak regularly collected  dirt on a number of wizards who frequented the unsavoury haunts of Goblin Town, using this information to blackmail them into lending their sorcery to his endeavours when he had need of it.

Zarqs agent, @wizard3911, now followed Louis cousin Hagar and the Arch-Magician. Goliath was a well-known mercenary in all the ports along the coast of the Bay; Louis found it curious that Zarq would use the man for an undercover mission Perhaps the smuggler was losing his touch.


Louis wondered whether Khattak hoped to kidnap Isaac and hold him to ransom. *It would be very fitting if he met his end by over-reaching to such a ridiculous degree*, Louis thought. The laughable idea of the smuggler coming up against the illustrious @wizard3922 cheered Louis.

Still, no need to take any chances. He would find out what the spy was up to, and allow Hagar and Isaac to make their getaway.  After that, he would take the more usual route to the south  by boat, along the river and across Kelpies Bay. There would be plenty of boats heading across the Bay and down the Boister, the river running through the heart of Chronomancers Riviera. Goblin spirits were wickedly strong and fetched a high price on the Riviera  well worth the trip for any trader.

Although Louis destination was the high northern plateau that was home to The Sacred Pillars, it made no sense for him to head in that direction. It was far quicker to use the portal at Atlantas Pool to travel to Dream Master Lake, where he could open another portal straight into the mountainous home of the Elders. He was sure The Sacred Pillars would come to Isaacs aid, but the Elders were not known for swift deliberation, so anything Louis could do to speed up the process would help Isaacs cause. Before he left the tavern earlier that day, Louis had agreed that on his return from the Pillars, he would wait for Hagar in Yellow Wizard Haven until he returned from Atlantis.


As he neared the southern edge of Goblin Town, Louis spotted Hagar and the Arch-Magician emerging from the gate. Although Hagar had paid the guards richly on arrival in the town, he was forced to go through the motions of the customary bribe. The two bulky kobolds, armed with rugged clubs sporting an assortment of rusty spikes, accepted the token payment after just two attempts to raise the price, letting the Atlantean pass before beginning to squabble with each other about how to split the coins.

Louis smiled admiringly at the clever move. It was just like Hagar to give the guards an odd number of coins, sparking a dispute that would leave them in a particularly belligerent mood when the Hedge Wizard tried to exit the town.

Louis continued to make his way across the fields as Hagar led Isaac swiftly along the path out of town towards the bridge over the swift, narrow river that flowed westward to Kelpies Bay. From there, they would head towards the BattleMage Mountains. Even if the one airship that regularly travelled between the mountains and Goblin Town *had* been operating, Louis knew the captain was never keen on taking passengers That meant less room for cargo, and the price to get around that particular problem had no upper limit other than whatever number took the captains fancy.

So Hagar and Isaac would make their way to the lower reaches of the mountain range by foot and from there seek a local guide to see them through the treacherous passes, keeping out of the territories of the monsters that lived high in the peaks.

Hopefully, in the meantime Louis could throw any other potential spies off their scent with his own trip downriver Back in the town he had two old acquaintances he could count on to pose as his companions, while Hagar and Isaac took the faster route to Atlantas Pool.


Unfortunately, there were no portals linking with the Pool in this part of the Runiverse  the closest was the gateway on the island in Dream Master Lake. Braving the mountains was their best hope of getting the Arch-Magician to Hagars father, the King of Atlantis. Louis had been sure that Khattak or some other goon would catch wind of their presence in Goblin Town, which was why when Isaac found Hagar, Louis suggested this plan to him. Louis had no qualms about being the bait for an empty trap. Khattak was not the only one with connections in these parts.

Tobago should by now have made it to the Great Owl Obelisk to gather news from across the realm, brought there by the Coalition of Owls. Louis familiar could travel the airways to pass high above The Quantum Shadow in a direct line to the Obelisk. The Great Owl would find Louis wherever he ended up, he had no concerns about that, but he was anxious to learn more about the unrest in the south. The conflicts could have dire consequences for his future trading exploits in Kelpies Bay and along the coast of Asmodeuss Surf, not to mention their current mission travelling through the territory of the Yellow Wizards.


He turned his attention back to the town gates, where Goliath was now struggling to haggle passage past the guards, who were loudly demanding some kind of non-existent exit permit or the payment of a hefty fine. Louis ducked behind the hedgerow and ran along bent double, moving to a better position from where to intercept his adversary.
# Chapter 2: An unexpected visitor
Louis rose from his hiding place and hurled Kelpies Fury. Lightning flashed in its watery depths as he fed the Rune of Jupiter into the spell, which gushed in a wide arc around Goliath, rising in a wave that crested and then crashed down on the helpless wizard. But instead of spraying in all directions, the water held together, trapping its victim in a wobbling, amorphous mass.

As the other wizards face began to turn blue, Louis flicked his wrist and the globular form shifted, growing bulbous around Goliaths chest as it retreated from his head. The man gasped, choking and spluttering before drawing air into his lungs in ragged bursts.

Didnt think I would recognise you, smuggler? Tell me everything you know of Zarqs plans! Louis said, his voice deathly calm.

A bewildered look crept across Goliaths face, but before he could say anything the ground began to crumble and disintegrate, giving way under Louis feet as the ground swallowed him up. The watery binds collapsed, dropping Goliath onto the churned up soil.

Sallow fingers scraped over his leg as a haggard figure pulled itself up out of the ground. Folds of pallid skin hung from its rotting skull and its jaw sagged unnaturally to the side. Frozen with fear, the Hedge Wizard watched as the ghastly apparition dragged itself over the earth towards him.


The zombie grinned; a tooth wobbled, then fell from its mouth. The Voidlord is displeased, Void Disciple, it slurred. I am to bring you back to the Valley. You will need to explain your failures to the First Disciple.

The colour drained from Goliaths face as he tried to stammer a protest, but the zombie was upon him, grabbing him by the throat in a surprisingly powerful grip. The stink of the grave washed over him, taking hold of his senses, stifling his breath and constricting his chest. He felt lightheaded; his vision swam and blurred; he slipped into unconsciousness.
# Chapter 3: Paths crossing
Zeromus peeled back the worldly membrane and allowed the other two wizards to step past them into the world of the living. Now that the spells protection was no longer needed, Zeromus released the diaphanous bubble their Dryads Ear had formed around Lux and Burnside, then sealed the exit from the Void.

In the distance, the Quantum Shadow loomed, large and foreboding. To the west, Goblin Town squatted like a toad next to the river that flowed through the vast plain between the Shadows outer border and Kelpies Bay. South of the town, a patch of earth had been churned up around a hole surrounded by short, wiry grass. The area at the edges of the fractured ground was sodden.


Zeromus cursed as they rushed over to the scene. The group had been trying to follow the trail of the zombie that had once been Ofaris of the Circle, but it seemed that they had arrived too late again. Zeromus felt the heat on their back as Burnsides skull burst into flames. They heard Lux tut in annoyance and shuffle away from the frustrated Pyromancer Zeromus had made their two companions promise to aid in the pursuit of the creature before taking them to find the Shaman.

As the Necromancer focused their power on picking up the zombies trail once more, a groan floated up from the pit. With the help of Burnside, who had thankfully managed to extinguish himself, Zeromus pulled the man coughing and spluttering back to the surface. He shook his dreadlocks, sending a shower of dirt clods and dust in all directions.

Following a brief conversation, it was clear that the Hydromancer had little recollection of what had happened to him. Wasting little time, the trio bid him farewell and set off again after their quarry.

Louis watched with raised eyebrows as Zeromus parted the fabric of reality and split the membrane between worlds, the three wizards disappeared and the sky knitted itself back together behind them. It was one thing knowing about the Void, but to see it for real was a disturbing experience. Suppressing a shudder, he turned back towards town, a cloud of dust floating behind him as he headed for the riverside port.

## Story Arc Index:
Prologue: @soul7186

Part 1: @wizard314

Part 2: @wizard2398

Part 3: @wizard134

Part 4: @wizard3920

Part 5: @wizard7935

Epilogue: @wizard291


Sorcerer Salah of the Grotto

Salah and Lucy are in a quest. They're searching for the sacred relics that allow its bearer to control time. This ancient artifact is said to be a gift from the gods to humanity, fragmented in 3 pieces, each one able to control the flow of time in a different direction.

How is Salah so sure that this artifacts exist you may ask? Well, believe it or not, he owns one of this fragments himself, the one that stops the flow of time. He didn't find it by his own tho. You could say, that the fragment found him. But thats a story for another time.

Their thirst of ancient knowledge has taken them to the furthest places of the Runiverse, and thanks to Lucy's intuition, they found an old crypt containing secrets that brings them one step closer to _Shakathar_, the second fragment that makes it possible for time to flow backwards.


Sam the Polite

>Like the Grand Prince at dawn

dancing in joy on the lawn

>of the summer paradise, before he began

to hear from the Secret Tower far and long

>How can nature charm the wizards heart

so now the valley plays its part

>the happy hummingbird, singing what he could,

because from its egg the prophecy was born.

> The polite pony danced along

this merry gallop, an unheard song

>No grass nor insect hurt or pained,

Forgotten Souls have tried in vain.

>Sam outran 1/1,

the slow Beasts, sparing none

>With the moon high and tide low,

sleep now Pony, ride and grow.


Enchanter Sarah of the Hollow

Beauty comes from many places. Magic comes within. To have both is just exquisite. The Hollow is home to some couple of hundred wizards  all humble champions of their trades. Sarah was a recluse who dreamed of being a star in the sky, sheltered from reality. She wanted to feel like a dragon who ruled the ethereal firmament with confidence and elegance. She carried with herself, the dragon firework, hoping to one day materialise this very desire. As time passed, Sarah realised that she could do things, others could not. Sarah could control the exact thing she wanted to be the queen of  the sky. She would conjure clouds and manifest rain to make the Hollow, the most fertile land in the Runiverse. She would create a blizzard if she sensed oncoming invasion. Sarah quickly became the beautiful enchantress she always wanted to be.


Woolah Wounder of Brown-Hat Wizards

# Me Woolah

_Transcribed by Illusionist David of the Veil._

Woolah is me.

Stronger than a rabid bugbear.

Deadlier than a snake chicken.

More feared than any ghoul or ghosty.

Definitely better at fighting than the goblin.

Woolah is brave. And am real clever with my brain.

Brown Hat wizards fear Woolah most.

One day a Brown Hat cheated Woolah in drinking. Every beer Woolah drank, wizard drank too. Woolah had a nap on the bar.

Brown Hat used magic to beat Woolah.

Now Brown Hats must pay.

_Woolah Wounder of Brown-Hat Wizards by Woolah age 42._


Battle Mage Sturgis of the Villa

Sturgis is a practitioner of a much a very tasty branch of sorcery known as Salad Magick. No wizard alive can chop tomatoes, sprinkle croutons or emulsify a delicious vinaigrette like he.

Do not sneer at the power of this Magick for it has defused many a conflict and slain many a foe. Was it not a delectable nioise that cooled the wrath of the dragon clans when they made parlay with the Undertrolls? Was it not a covert chili sauce that, hidden in an unassuming caesar salad, made low the Ape of Moloch ("a pox upon his name", as the villagers still say).

No, this Magick is powerful. And its uses are manifold.

Now, pass the salad tongs.


Dunny the Keen

Hi. Im Dunny.

Thats Dooo-knee. Not Duh-knee, nor Dun-Eye, nor anything else - dummy - its Dooo-knee.

Im keen.

What can I say? I like to jot while I trot.

Around these parts, people call me @pony8.

*My background?* I come from a long line of Red Riders.

I was born with this really fire Rune-of-Fire looking birthmark. I usually wear a brown bandana which matches my brown locks and my bad boy persona. My half-cousin Soda (hes a dog) and I, used to get into so much trouble together.

My previous Master was @wizard83, aka the Sndwch man! At least thats what I liked to call him. My current Master is @wizard8424, and is one of Alessars longest friend. They were both raised in The Tower, so Ive known Jah for as long as I can remember.

Jah and I go on all sorts of adventures together now. Since Jah runs the daily operations of a catering company - Nards Catering and Banquet - we always do a morning coffee and brkfstsndwch run to the Sndwch mans place before dropping them off to the *Castle*.

Nard, @wizard2134, is Magus Jahids boss. Yesterday, the company had a take your baby to work day, so Jah and I went and picked them all up! Nard gave all the babies little matching suits too. He said they were magically stain-free and always tailored to fit. All you ever need is one of these formal suits.


Lately, Ive been going with Jah to these strange places when everyone is sleeping. Nobody knows this, but he has a secret hidden pocket in his formal suit that hides a small notebook. He keeps all his spells and experimental potion recipes in there.

Derivative Art by 3rnesTea

This morning, I overheard him mumbling to himself

>...one more ingredient for Dunnys Dream potion and then it will be complete! A single drop of water from the Dream Master Lake.
>
>:yes:
>
>Dunny will be the 8th and final Dream Pony and will finally be able to enter in and out of dreams with me

...*What is a Dream Pony?* I guess Ill find out when we get to the Lake

*To be continued...*


Druid Diana of the Wood

The Forgotten Runes Wizards have existed for millenniums. These wizards reflect all the potential and pitfalls that any world must face. Wizards have been forces for good yet forces for evil. They are an idiosyncratic group with unpredictable behaviors  creative, destructive, humorous, intellectual, silly and serious.

The Forgotten Runes Wizards have remained hidden yet thriving in another world, immune but observant to the wild swings of history that unfolded in a parallel universe on Earth.

But as world order of the 21st century has dissolved into world chaos, the Wizards of the Runiverse take their place in the new world order. The Forgotten Runes Wizards are now responding to an earthly calling.

They are emerging from their parallel universe aka Runiverse and revealing themselves to the select cult of FRWC. The Wizards and their extended group (ponies, beasts, warriors, etc) have carefully revealed themselves in a measured time frame. Why Forgotten Runes Wizards have chosen this moment to appear is as complex as each individual wizard. The cult that has grown around their emergence is one to be celebrated and respected.

One very special Wizard is Druid Diana of the Wood. She has spent the past millennia as a Defender of Womankind in the Runiverse of Forgotten Runes. Supportive of all women, mothers, grandmothers and their children, protecting them from danger as well as protecting their rights of citizens and contributors to society, Druid Diana of the Wood has been a defender and champion of them all.  She exercises her magic, her strength, her imagination and her determination with enlightenment and wisdom.

Follow Druid Diana of the Woods adventures as she transports herself through a looking glass, morphing into different incarnations, to wherever summoned and needed

Her story shall continue as challenges arise so keep a lookout for her !


Magus Aleister of the Marsh

WIZARD GIRL..

Just a wizard girl, in a wizard world. Not made of plastic, actually hates anything plastic but mos def fantastic. You cannot brush her hair nor took her everywhere... Imagination, life's her creation. Come on now invite her to the tavern party.


Penelope the Loyal

# The Lore of Penelope the Loyal

My first memories of the boy Danny are hazy. I had just come into the world, along with my brother, and there was quite an audience! Most other horses are born with just their mother to bear witness, or perhaps a farmer or two. But apparently Runed Ponies are very rare and thus very sought after, and a whole tribe was present to welcome us!

But among all the happy faces, Dannys face was up front. Well technically, two faces, since his twin brother Sammy was also there. Two ponies for two brothers, future leaders of the tribe. Even our runes matched theirs. But I didnt know about any of that right then. Things were blurry and confusing, so I just focused on his face. Even then, I knew he was my Wizard. I just knew.

******
After several months with our mother, nourished by her milk, my brother and I left her and traveled with the twin brothers and their tribe. We traveled north, to a colder and harsher climate than we had previously known. But the boys made sure we stayed warm and had plenty to eat on our journey, and we grew stronger.

*My brother Atom*

The boys looked very similar, and most of the other humans of the tribe couldnt tell them apart. But my brother and I knew.  They had little tics and mannerisms that distinguished them, if you observed them as closely as we did. And their energy was different, although I wasnt sure if humans could sense such things.

*******
So, about our ponies Sammy said. The tribe had just finished setting up their encampment, somewhere in the Expanses tundra, and the boys had been allowed to tend to us while dinner was prepared.

You sense it too, dont you, replied Danny. We got assigned the wrong ponies.


You sense it too, dont you, replied Danny. We got assigned the wrong ponies.

It doesnt make sense. Logically, we should each get the pony that matches our own Rune

...but Im feeling more attached to Penelope, with the Rune of Uranus.

Gods, youve already named her?! But yeah, Im feeling the same with the Neptune pony.

Danny grinned. So, lets work a little of our twin magic! Well just switch during training, and by the time everyone figures it out well be too far along and theyll have to let us keep it switched.

Hmm, agreed, Sammy said. You can have Penelope there. I feel like, hmm. Atom here is more my style anyway. He stroked my brothers ash-colored mane.

Atom, huh? Youre even more enamored with the ancient texts than I realized! Well, hes your pony, name him as you will.

Danny turned to me. So Penelope, are you OK with this arrangement? Even if our Runes dont match? He laughed as I walked over and nuzzled him. He knew he didnt have to ask.

*********
The twin magic worked for a surprisingly long time. While taking care of us and during training sessions, the boys were careful to dress identically and respond to each others names. Stable Master was none the wiser for months as we mastered the basics of riding. But he eventually caught on once we entered attunement training and it didntwork.

It happened during night-time training. Sammy was supposed to use me to enhance his Rune of Uranus, and draw power from the stars. But since he was riding Atom, he wasnt getting the extra power he needed, and failed to conjure a Starlight Orb as requested. The boys were immediately given a stern lecture by Stable Master.


The tribes future depends on you two! he scolded. You need to use your assigned ponies and develop your respective abilities to the fullest! He glanced upward at the field of stars, so clear in the arctic sky. I see great change and turmoil in the years to come. Our tribe wont survive without you to guide them as competent shaman chiefs.

*****************

After that, the brothers begrudgingly rode us as requested during training sessions. As twins, they shared so much already, so it wasnt that bad. But although Sammy could successfully draw power from the starlit sky while riding me, it just wasnt the same - our Runes might match, but our spirits did not. His energy was powerful, ambitious, and cold. He was a good boy just like my Danny, but that energy disquieted me.

Atom seemed to like it just fine, though. He has the makings of greatness, and great men arent afraid to forge their own trail and stomp on a few hooves along the way, he said. Luckily, whenever we werent under the watchful eye of the stablemaster, the boys continued to care for their chosen ponies, and I still got fed, brushed, and taken out for rides by Danny during those times. In contrast to Sammy, Dannys energy was soft, warm and mellow. Needless to say, I adored him.

******************


******************

As the boys and us ponies grew older, we got stronger and more skilled. This was put to the test one night when we all snuck out of the tribes encampment for a moonlit ride through Crystal Gorge. A unique landmark in the Expanse, the gorge was a narrow pass between two large formations of ice crystals. When lit by the northern lights, as they were on this night, the crystals would glow with otherworldly color. It was a mesmerizing scene, and I will never forget it.

The boys could only look from side to side in wonderment as we walked through. What made it even more wondrous, was that all the crystals glistened with moisture, diffracting the colorful lights further. We had never visited before during these conditions, so we didnt know that we were in mortal danger.

Our first warning was a sharp CRACK! as a crystal suddenly broke off of its base, far up above. The fragment tumbled down toward us, hitting and breaking off bits of other crystals on the way. Almost immediately after, we heard more cracks - it appeared that somehow, the crystals integrity was breaking down! A fallen crystal landed nearby, and a fragment grazed Dannys arm, opening a cut. We all stared at it for a few seconds until Sammy suddenly shouted, Its all coming down, we gotta get out NOW!

Atom and I didnt need to be told twice. We immediately turned around and galloped back the way we came. More and more crystals started cracking and falling down around us. We did our best to avoid them, but they kept coming down faster - it appeared that the entire gorge would get inundated!


I noticed Danny making incantations as we ran. His Neptune Rune gave him some ability to control ice. But this was too much ice, he needed more power! I neighed and tossed my head towards my brother. He would need Atom for this one.

Danny understood immediately and shouted, Sammy, do a running switch, I can stop this! The twins maneuvered us side by side, and and although we were almost frantic with terror, luckily Atom and I are evenly matched in our speed and endurance, so we stayed close, even as we ran for our lives.

Doing a running switch at full gallop would have been considered excessively dangerous in most other situations; the brothers had only successfully completed it at a trot previously. But to their credit, they didnt hesitate - Sammy called out then immediately leaped in the air between Atom and me while Danny simultaneously darted sideways under him. Both boys stayed on horseback, although Danny had a few tense moments scrambling up to a secure position atop Atom.

Meanwhile, the cascade of crashing crystals had flanked us, and they were filling the path ahead. It sounded as if the stars themselves were coming down around us in a twinkling cacophony. The boys pulled us to a halt as Danny, now attuned with Atom, unleashed his ice magic with a scream. Just as a rush of crystal fragments were about to bury us, they suddenly froze back in place as Dannys spell took hold. What was once a wonder of crystalline sculptures, now resembled a torrent of rushing daggers, frozen in place.

All of us had suffered various cuts and bruises where some of the crystals had hit us, but due to the heroics of the boys, we hadnt been grievously wounded. Atom and I were grateful that wed been paired with such courageous souls. So I was surprised when Danny suddenly hugged me.

Thank you, thank you Penelope and Atom! You did great! gushed Danny.


Thank you, thank you Penelope and Atom! You did great! gushed Danny.

Im impressed that they kept their heads, or wed have been goners, said Sammy. Id say theyre battle ready, if it came to that. Well done. He patted Atoms mane.

We proceeded to pick our way out of the former Crystal Gorge - theyd probably have to change the name at this point. As we headed home, Sammy said, that shouldnt have been possible. The Elders said that Crystal Gorge was discovered by our ancestors hundreds of years ago, and its been there ever since, unchanged. How could it just collapse like that?

Danny looked troubled. Stable Master said that theres troubled times coming. Maybe this is a sign that the changes are here.

(to be continued)


Archmagus Alessar of the Court

> # Archmagus Alessar of the Court

> ### ***Legendary Affinity: The Dazzle Spell***


Brooks Shatterer of the Citadel

# Tempest of the MCP

> Magic Containment Paradox
> *the somethings art already h're*

> **thy timeth is nay m're**

**Brooks**


Newton the Sweet

## Newton the Sweet OR 'Newt' (Diary Entry 4th April 2022)

I am Newton the Sweet but I also go by 'Newt'. 'Newt' is the nickname given to me by my Wizard Master @wizard2710. I got the second part of my name 'Sweet' for two reasons. Firstly I love sweet things like apples, sugar cubes and carrot cake! Secondly my master says I am the sweetest pony he has ever had the pleasure of meeting. I love hugs and kisses and love being around my master.

I help my Master Wizard 'Thornie' with everything from bringing home ingredients for his potions and concoctions from the markets to transporting him on important Wizard business.

I was born with the Rune of the Sun mark which means I am a very special pony with unique magic qualities which are amplified on hot summer days  when the sun is shining brightly.

My Master tells me that in the right conditions, with a little encouragement from him, I can summon extreme strength comparable to 1000 horses. I don't know about all that, I am just happy to be alive and kicking in this beautiful world.


Hobbs Ravager for Freedom

# Hobbs Ravager for Freedom

Just as the bald eagle and the 4th of July hold special significance in certain land symbolizing liberty, Hobbs aspires to become the champion for freedom, lending his strength to the oppressed and the unfortunate, to mete out justice to the evil and the wicked.


Geomancer Luther of the Steppe

Luther, a master in stone craft and manipulation of all things in the natural world of the Runiverse. A deep connection to nature at all times.

 A peaceful wizard, especially while at home in the steppes of the Runiverse. But make no mistake, abusing the land, or challenging the well tempered Luther, and he'll have no problem sending a gnome's tooth or two laced with red mamba venom your way at lightening speed. Even if one might be a warrior or pure beast.


Valerie Breaker of Destiny

# Valerie Breaker of Destiny

Wizards know better than to mess with Valerie's Breaker of Destiny.


Archmagus Jeldor of the Marsh

Wands are only as powerful as the wizards who use them. Some wizards just like to boast that theirs are bigger and better than other people's.


Summoner Yanlin of the Reach

# The Lore of Summoner Yanlin of the Reach

_The girl who wanted food..._

Desperate times lead to desperate measures. Stranded on an adventure very high in the Morwen Mountain, Yanlin fought to breathe due to the altitude.

### **Lost.**

Her father died when she was young. Her mother, struggling to raise her and two other siblings on her own, often unintentionally neglected Yanlin. She was the middle child, which exacerbated this neglect. Thus, Yanlin found solace with her wolf companion, Chadd.

Chadd never left her side. He was here now, freezing.

Desperate for food and warmth, they noticed a light coming from a clearing in the side of one of the mountains.

### **The alcove.**

As they approached, the light got stronger, still dim overall but  .

Even more noticeable than the light was the pang of hunger.

Finally reaching the alcove, all that lay there was an alter and an egg. She peered at it, with its fantastic blue spots.

"This was sent for me. My ancestors are smiling upon me," she said, almost in tears of joy.

The alter rumbled. This was no ordinary alter. It seemed to have a faint glow and bellow. Yanlin did not investigate. It was time to cook.

Placing a large flat stone on the alter, she started a flame...


Solomon of the Sands

# Solomon of the sands

Assembling a book of lore is a labor of love. Without lore, some wizards can be forgotten entirely, left as a soul without a story. Even relative to his notoriously reclusive Diviner brethren, Solomon of the Sands strived to be forgotten. Very little has been uncovered in regards to his origin or his current whereabouts, hence Solomon hailing from "*the Sands*". Whether Solomon's story will be gone forever or this Diviner's undetectability is just a glimpse into what hids in his bag of tricks... is to be determined. The last confirmed sighting of Solomon was in the Fey. He was positively identified having a passionate debate about the risks and rewards of The Sacred Flame with his blue rat, Remus, before they both vanished into thin air leaving nothing behind but the scent of sandalwood and a small piece of rotten cheese.


Moe the Swell

## Moe the Swell

Moe the Swell was swell indeed, though his name is more geographical than descriptive.  His family gained the Swell title from their proximity to the sea.  His sire especially loved the water, taking the family on holiday from the fields to the beaches throughout the warm seasons.  He is of the fell line; strong boned and rugged.

Moe loves magnolia trees.  If he happens upon one in bloom, he will stop and rest beneath the tree for days, basking in sweet memories and sweet flower aromatics that linger.

He often travels with a Blue hat- Sage Eden.  They share a love for beaches and trees and David Bowie music.

Interesting fact, Moe's real name is Mocha.


Oracle Purple Boy of the Garden

# garden gravestone

## A BOY RETURNED
## TO WICKED EARTH
## HARVEST ETERNAL
## SATURNALIA


Alchemist Azahl of the Psychic Leap

# Dreaming in Reality

It is hard to know what you are seeing if you hang out with Azahl long enough. Her tricks are hard to detect, and her magic is hard to comprehend. Azahl has the ability to concoct nearly every potion known to the runiverse.

Azahl would practice by moonlight to not let her captors know the extent of her powers. If TGFG had not saved her, she most likely would have escaped a few months later.

*The final words of the last warrior to cross her*

> I cant feel my face!
> Oh, wait oh no, do I even HAVE a face?
> Noooooooooo.


Ice Mage Bane of the Ice

# Ice Mage Bane of the Ice

Is on VACATION.
After earnestly contributing to the book of lore for his fellow wizards before they traveled to other lands, Ice Mage Bane of the Ice has decided to remain on vacation until further notice. Here he is below, last seen in his vacation outfit, unfortunately, his familiar didn't bring any additional wardrobe.

After successfully mentoring Alchemist Oberon of the Wold, a success shown by Oberon's nightshade potion, Bane had expected many great things for the future for him and his apprentice. Unfortunately, Oberon had other plans. After many failed attempts of stepping in to the sacred flame, Oberon decided to set off on his own. Perhaps some day Bane will cross paths with his estranged apprentice, but until then the disillusioned chaotic neutral ice mage has decided to enjoy himself by taking a much needed vacation.


Diviner Calliope of Arcadia

# The Lore of Diviner Calliope of Arcadia

Set out on a promiscuous quest of defining sexuality, Diviner Calliope can always be found with a beer in hand and great friends picked up at the nearby tavern. Come have a pint!

https://opensea.io/assets/matic/0x2953399124f0cbb46d2cbacd8a89cf0599974963/51640218754664716176554734604489415686216524661363521318828626404260565745865


Mystic Milton of the Event Horizon

Milton wasn't always a wicked wizard. He grew up with a pretty normal life.

However, normal doesn't always mean delightful. Being a little smaller in size, Milton always seemed to be picked on in school.

While hanging out on the playground alone, a mystical, giant ladybug approached him and whispered in his ears, "Milton, come with me. I can show you how to defend yourself."

You see, the giant ladybug used to be a small ladybug. He was just as sick and tired of being picked on, so he learned the dark arts and cast a spell allowing him to grow in size and power.

The ladybug quickly showed Milton the dark ways and Milton enjoyed his newfound power. He crafted his staff made of the legendary moon rock and studied the magic of the planets.

Milton and the ladybug grew in power together and grew in fascination with the sun. They knew that it produced a power unlike any of the planets they studied.

So they decided together, to walk in the flame and to feel the warmth and power of the sun...


Veiled Phantasm of Phantasmagoria

# The Lore of the Veiled Phantasm of Phantasmagoria

Prior to his journey through the Sacred Flame, the Holy Monk of the Field practiced his meditations with an unparalleled rigor. Known only as the Holy Monk, his goal was transcendence from the banalities of the world. Not even a familiar pet could stay with him on his path. Perhaps his closest inspiration was the water of his Kelpie's Fury:

> Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.

> *ancient wizard lore*

With these words in mind, transmutation was an easy choice. After a lifetime of practice being like water, becoming the Veiled Phantasm of Phantasmagoria was natural. A Phantasm, too, can take many forms and can flow or crash. Indeed, in Phantasmagoria, power manifests not in a physical form, but as psychic energy.

Here he is once again like water. While he is a somewhat recent arrival (burn #498) it's like he has been here all along in spirit and is simply retaking his place as the Veiled Phantasm of Phantasmagoria. Besides, time is just one of the illusions inside and outside of Phantasmagoria..


Arcanist Angus of the Tundra

Burning on top of a white candle, a single flame danced with the breeze. Angus could stare at the flickering flame for hours, watching the flame dance. It drew him in, brought him peace, tranquility, and clarity. The candle in its many forms had been with him his whole life. From the moment he first opened his eyes with true sight he saw the flame. At first glance, it had sat upon a deep red candle, slowly cascading a small stream of liquid wax down its side. The flame from that scarlett candle allowed him to see his mother for the first time. He smiled with the warmth that the memory gave him. He recalled another memory listening to his father whisper incantations as a candle burned. Then meals he ate with his brother were accompanied by a candle. The hours spent studying tomes and scrolls a candle constantly lit his path of thirst and knowledge. Thus it was a given that when Angus reached the status of Arcanist he imbued his magical essence into a candle. This single candle, pure white of body, stood about a hand's length on top of a gold candelabra. Black runes etched the side of the grip that seemed to devour the light in. The one, lone candle stood the same height, regardless of how long the flame burned. The wax gave way, slowly rolling off the edge and down the body only to dissipate into nothingness as it touched the warm metal of the grip. In this, the candle held everything Angus felt and knew.


Our wizard was an honest man and thoughts of power or evil never made home in his mind, hence the pure white of the candle. What drove him was curiosity and the need to see and experience. The candle when lit cast its light into any corner, that was its purpose to bring sight with-in the darkness. Anguss candle did just that and more, with a snap of his fingers the flame sprang to life and anywhere a candle burned it served as a window or door of transportation for Angus. Anywhere that basked in candle light was now within his sight. Throughout the years he watched as wizards developed new magic, he spied on treachery of house politics, even the birth of a baby. Everything was now an open book to him, he was able to take in and watch all manners of life, and on occasion experiencing it for himself. When held, the candelabra opened a portal where Angus could step through and feel the cold stone floor of the secret tower, or bask in the warm breeze of Asmodeuss surf.    Angus found pleasure watching the world unfold, rarely feeling the need to interfere. It was not his role to take action, but to merely watch, sometimes experience, yet always to learn. His pleasant nature, however, would not allow evils to go unhindered, which he intruded as indirectly as possible. There was a time where he thwarted an evil attempt to make a potion of blindness meant for some poor soul.  Just as his sinister peer looked away he quickly dropped some rainbow dew and pixie dust into the brew, rendering it useless.   So from his tower situated far into the cold tundra, Angus watched and experienced life.


Time passed. Births and deaths witnessed, then one day, as if on cue, it all changed. He had been studying when he heard the chime of bells. It sounded as though it was just a bit away, however regardless of which direction he turned it seemed to always come from behind him, just beyond his reach. He spent days researching mystic bells and weeks searching through candle light for this chime. He felt mad and exhausted, but sleep did not find him as he was haunted by his need. After cycles of sun and moon, peering by candle light, he felt it. Intense heat emitted. His hands shook as he grasped his candle. His eyes watered as a shape began to take form, a single flame dancing above a floating stone shaped like a rhombus. In its light, Angus saw a skull, a tulip and for some odd reason, he picked up the scent of raspberry jam filling the air. There were other items in his peripheral, strewn across the floor just beyond the flames light, but Angus could only focus on the single flame. The heat, the dance and the bells called to him. As he stepped closer he felt the darkness, the power and the dread held up in the fire. This didnt dissuade him, this moment he stood in front of the ultimate flame! How could he walk away? How could he turn his back on this entity before him? He could reach the pinnacle of his mystic being, he had found the ultimate candle. And with that thought he stepped closer


Necromancer Diana of the Reach

Later that night Diana snuck into the toadz hole with revenge on her mind. The small still voice in her mind kept pestering her, she had the taken the toadz souls now she would take their lives. Was this the way? Diana was lost in thought and didn't see the dark figure approach behind her.

*THUMP* Diana's vision faded to black.

When her eye's opened again she was greeted by hundreds of tiny strange eyes surrounding her. Her body completely immobilized, tied to the ground by hundreds of threads. A gathering of toadz circled her and stared at her in the torch light.

A great old toad with a scarred eye hopped forward. "You took from us everything Diana, now we will take everything from you."

Diana began to plead for her life, but the toadz looked on with little sympathy. The great toad shook his head and shouted, "Bring forth the sacred flame!!"


Archmagus  of the Mount

# The Lore of Archmagus of the Mount

A wizard of the Earth, no one is really sure how long he had been at the Mount. In fact, no one even knows this wizard's name. Perhaps part the reason for this is that he doesn't seem all too eager to share it with anyone. Indeed, the only company he cares for is that of his Lucky Black Cat. This friend doesn't waste time with platitudes, isn't nosy and doesn't play social mind games.

For as out of touch with society he seems to be, the Archmagus of the Mount, as he is known as, is equally in tune with the magical power of the Earth. His specialty is the concoction of potent mixtures of magical ingredients drawn from the Earth.

Rumors swirl about what these potions do. Could they be the secret to his longevity? Do they grant special powers to the consumer, or enhance their existing capabilities? Or are they destructive or coercive in nature, perhaps even rendering a foe under his control? In reality, the Archmagus of the Mount can create all of these. However, what presently consumes his interest is his study of the effect of a powerful new magic on the Earth. The quantum shadow looms far in the distance, and yet leaves a subtle signature that the Earth can tell him about.

But he's always getting pestered by others and making real progress is a struggle. If only they would leave him alone..perhaps there is a potion for that...


Medium Apollo of the Cosmos

# Medium Apollo of the Cosmos
--

Runes is an ancient art, a game that to most seems to have always existed. There are a select few who remember its birth, but they keep this story to themselves as to not taint what the game has become.

Medium Apollo of the Cosmos is not one of these ancient wizards, but he knows the most important thing about Runes: it binds. The bonds created through shared experiences are some of the most powerful spells in the Runiverse. People sit down to play a game, but little do they know they are performing magic. They enchant the other, they enchant themselves.

An invitation to play and the acceptance. Sealed with a nod, handshake, a smile...

Presenting yourself to another, coexisting in the same space. Vulnerable...

The flipping through the cards as you find your hand to play with...

The positioning of the board, in between the two players. A bridge...

Placing the cards on the board, allowing a story to unfold. A story within a story...

The resolution of the game, the acknowledgment of the victor. A celebration...

And the departure. Separate but now tethered by magic.

Apollo knows this magic all too well. Growing up, he played Runes with some of his best friends in various basements, kitchen tables, and local card shops. They spent countless hours sparring, laughing, bonding. As Apollo grew up, naturally him & his friends played less as responsibilities blossomed. But this didnt sit right with him. What Runes gave him & his friends growing up was lacking in the world around him. People walked past each other without recognizing anyone. They occupied the same space without really coexisting. They interacted but those interactions were shallow, without meaning. And when they parted ways, nothing persisted to bind them.


Feeling the weight of a world without magic, he walked to a park him and his friends would frequently play cards in during the hot summers. He sat down & with his head in hands, found himself lost and asking himself a question he didn't know the answer to. As he lifted his head, hoping to see the answer in the Cosmos above him he was greeted by a little girl standing next to the table.

Girl: _Up for a game?_

She reached out to him, and in her hand was a small pile of Runes cards. He accepted.

She gleefully sat down and placed the board in between them. The two played dozens of games. He flipped through the cards that he knew all too well but felt like he hadnt seen in an eternity. They laughed and cheered each other on. He felt that feeling. The magic that he was missing.

Girl: _Apollo, the world needs people to bring it together. You dont have to live in a world without magic._

Apollo: _But how?_

The little girl smirked. She took a card out of a chest pocket and placed it face down on the table.

Girl: _You know what to do!_

A light breeze started to blow just hard enough to push the card off of the table. Apollo bent down to pick up it up & when he finally rose she was gone.

He looked at the card & on it he found an image of himself.

She was right, Apollo knew what he had to do. He traveled back to his childhood home & gathered all of the Runes cards that him and his friends used to play with.

Now, whenever someone is looking for respite, craving a connection, or needing a touch of fun, Apollo is there with cards in hand.

Apollo: _Up for a game?_

--

Credit to @_giveahoot & ozzzmabro


Sorcerer Salah of the Sacred Pillars

# The Path of a Bullfrog
_an excerpt from the Lore of Sorcerer Salah of The Sacred Pillars_

Immersed in a dense forest
Careful leaps treading on aged moss
A wise bullfrog, ventures with purpose
Behind him, a hooded figure follows curiously
Where is this instinctual amphibian headed?
Across a slow moving stream
Through a deep valley
The hooded figure slunk
A blink, and the bullfrog vanished
The stalker searched with no advance
Below him, hard stone cools his feet
A sense of familiarity warms him
What is this place?
Glancing up,
Ancient cylindrical structures tower over him
A seemingly simple bullfrog, smirking from the shadows


Shaman Fugh

# Shaman Fugh

## Prologue

> _The poor, in their despondence and ill fortune, prefer to cling
to their conviction that ill fortune  their lowly lot in life -
surely comes not
from their own actions or lack thereof, but are
a result of the cosmos' great conspiracy against them.
Regardless of how hard they work, how devoutly they prey,
surely, they would ever end up as the lowest caste._
>
> _The wealthy will, of course, be adamant of their superiority
and the insistence that there is something tangible, some aspect
of their character - perhaps the very blood in their veins - that
sets them apart. Why else, they would ask, would they be so
fortunate and elevated, far above the riff and the raff, if not
for their excellence?_
>
> _Clearly, they are both entirely wrong._
>
> _Yet the truth still eludes me, seek as I may._
>
> _If fortune favors the bold and brave, then what of the kind-
hearted? Perhaps we have been measuring success entirely
wrong this whole time._
>
>
> Inheritance vs. Experience
>
> _Author Unknown_

"Fugh!"

For just a second his name, exclaimed with such volume, brought him back to his youth. Very much an average Kobold family they were far from wealthy, and he had always struggled with his twelve siblings: fighting for scraps, vying for father's scant attention, competing for mothers favor. He had mostly lost on all accounts, ever the runt. He was never fast enough to eat first, nor strong enough to join the Horde with father. And, snapping back to the present, still unsure if his name, Fugh, was indeed a given name or simply an exclamation of disgust and annoyance.


"Fugh! Please! Favored Shaman, a minute of your time!" the call came again as he stopped and turned around, hist fancy robes swishing about him.

Running towards him, filthy and tattered robes flailing, was a disheveled figure. Fugh had to fight the instinct to cover his nose or take a step back, reminding himself yet again that not too long ago, he was not far removed from the decrepit figure falling to its knees before him. Dipping his Harmony Staff to gently tap the man's chin, he guided the man back to his feet with the indigo length of wood.

"Ser, I am nor favored nor famous, so please; whence have you my name?" he asked the stranger, locking eyes.

"Your legend is spoken with awe down in the Shambles, few have not heard of your spiritual proficiency, and many claim your charity has been of immeasurable value!"

It was true of course, he had made a habit of walking the less favored quarters of the Red Wizard Capital; The wealthiest city of all the land by a fair margin, the center of all commerce and the seat of the prominent elite of Red Wizards, of course had its darker side; Ever it seemed that wealth would invariably rest bloated backsides on the backs of those less fortunate.

Quietly and gently tapping into his magic, letting the familiar feeling seep into his mind, focused by his staff, he peered closer at the man.


Immediately his vision exploded with visions, his scrawny frame veritably crowded by spirits, all extremely agitated, blurring his vision. Quickly closing his eyes, and severing his connection to the Spirit Realm, he gasped and took a step back. "Are you alright?!" the man surged forward to grasp his wrist in support, but the contact only made the magical aura surrounding the man explode again in Fugh's mind. Roughly disengaging from the man, Fught shook his head to clear it.

"Ser, I am fine. Please, how may I be of service?" he asked, keeping a calm faade. There was definitely something converging on this man, to have the spirits in such an uproar.

"It is my son, you see. He is not well, will not take food nor drink," the stranger wailed, tears in his eyes. They seemed not malevolent, these spirits, and their intensity made for a difficult reading, however this felt significant; Much more so than any others he has ever witnessed. _Who is this man, or perhaps more importantly who is his son?_ he thought.

"I will find you tonight, leave now, but first what is your son's name?" he asked.

"Thank you, thank you! He bears the name of his great-grandfather, his name is _Samael_, he gushed as he turned around and ran, soon disappearing in the crowds.


Alchemist Hadrien of the Bastion

Of the Three Rings that the Elves had preserved unsullied no open word was ever spoken among the Wise, and few even of the Eldar knew where they were bestowed. Yet after the fall of Sauron their power was ever at work, and where they abode there mirth also dwelt and all things were unstained by the griefs of time. Therefore ere the Third Age was ended the Elves perceived that the Ring of Sapphire was with Elrond, in the fair valley of Rivendell, upon whose house the stars of heaven most brightly shone; whereas the Ring of Adamant was in the Land of Lorien where dwelt the Lady Galadriel. A queen she was of the woodland Elves, the wife of Celeborn of Doriath, yet she herself was of the Noldor and remembered the Day before days in Valinor, and she was the mightiest and fairest of all the Elves that remained in Middle-earth. But the Red Ring remained hidden until the end, and none save Elrond and Galadriel and Cirdan knew to whom it had been committed.


Hex Mage Pandora of the Riviera

## We move through stormy weather
## We know that our days are few
## We dream and we struggle together
## And love will carry us through


Death Crow JackDaw of Nightmare Paradise

# White-faced, haggard grin
# This serenity painted death
# With a halo of bitter disease
# Black paragon in lingering breath


Wild Mage Ethan of the Moors

# PROLOGUE

##### Pay him no mind, no mind - Ethan mumbled. "Wing the windmill wing until it sings of forgotten sins," he hummed as he searched the drawer of his desk. There was a cupboard attached to the desk which contained books, scrolls, and other questionable items. Double down when midnight falls, answer none who calls. Forgotten sins, forgotten sins..I have forgotten sincesince - he muttered confused. Aha! Ethan exclaimed. With a strong push, he closed the drawer, and for a moment it seemed like the desk would collapse.

##### Unlike how recklessly he flipped his house upside down to search for his equipment, Ethan carefully laid all the items out on the table. A spoon, mortar, weights, a boiled egg, some herbs and a big book. "Wing the windmill until it sings of forgotten sins", he whispered while putting everything in a bag. After a quick look around he put on his overcoat and made a smacking sound on which, with perfect cue, a rat jumped on his shoulder before disappearing in the warm coat. He grabbed his stick and without hesitation closed the door behind him with a firm slam.

##### While he walked through the forest he more violently mumbled: Pay him no mind, NO MIND. Since he lived alone, there wasn't anyone around to talk to, so he spoke mostly to himself. The forest was always green and thriving. He raised his stick in one fluid motion, slammed it against some low hanging leaves from which a fruit fell. The rat jumped out of the overcoat as soon as it hit the ground, grabbed the fruit and hid in the pelt.

##### After hiking for a few hours, they reached a clearing in the forest. Ethan stopped suddenly and looked up. He whispered: "Wing the windmill wing until it sings of forgotten sins.".


Hadrien of the Field

# Hadrien of the Field

Sup, wanderer, welcome to my page

#
#
#
Some people think I look better in Noggles, wdyt?


Sage Aslan of the Hills

Origin Story

Deep from within the Vampyre Mist, Sage Aslan of the Hills roamed the desolate land in search for an immortal companion driven there by something he cannot define. Months ago he awoke in the night to a sirens song only to find his hillside torched in flame. His tribe massacred. The only remnants remaining in the ash are the scattered footprints of goblins pillaging the burnt remains for jewels, potions and spell books.


As he traverses the marshy, desolate land Aslan hears a deep, slow growl. It reverberates all around him and he stops. Paralyzed not by fear but intrigue by what appears to be glowing blood-red eyes focused on him. Aslan shouts, Show yourself. The deep growl slowly shifts to a sinister laugh. An echoing voice, Show myself? To a mere mortal? Be gone boy before I turn you to dust. Sensing the growing conflict Aslan sparks his lunar staff preparing to fight. The staff begins to shimmer in an orange, reddish hue as he raises it for battle. Aslan, Dust? Do not threaten if you are not prepared to fight! You are but a coward hiding in the shadows. Where are you  who are you? The voice continues, Who I am is none of your concern..where I am is everywhere and nowhere. Aslan, growing impatient, Show yourself  you must be the one I seek vengeance against for the crimes committed against my tribe. This time louder, angrier and with a flash of lighting the creature summoned from the sky the creature yells out BE GONE! LEAVE NOW! This time the creature commands Aslans attention revealing himself for the first time through the mist, muck and darkness that hangs heavy. Aslan senses the creatures confusion and recognizes this being is not who he seeks vengeance against.


Aslan lowers his staff and changes his tone, You hide in the shadows. I too am a ruler of night. Ive journeyed for months. My lunar staff and rune guided me here. I am tired. I mean you no harm. I am Sage Aslan of the Hills and my people were massacred by someone or something. Leave me be. I have no sympathy for your kind, disregarding Aslans attempt to quell the posturing. Slowly rising his lunar staff Aslan summons a full moon to light the night to reveal this creature for the first time. His eyes open wide at the horrific creature only yards in front of him. Softly, Ive never encountered a night walker. When I was a boy I listened to fables my fathers father use to tell. In fact, I dont know anyone whos ever seen let alone met a night walker before. I thought your kind were killed in the great purge. The night walker scoffs. Your kind marginalizes our contribution


scoffs. Your kind marginalizes our contribution to the land. Aslan quick to respond, Ney  I meant no disrespect. Pardon my ignorance but I know nothing of your kind.only from the tales told. The creature begins to shift its body when Aslan sees that it sits upon a throne of skulls. Aslan calls out, You are quite a curious creature. Come closer. I am tired from my journey. Have a drink with me. In response, you cannot offer me what I desire. Aslan responds, take it. take my blood. The creature inquisitively taunts , Ha, tempting but the blood of a broken man quenches no thirst. Aslan finds relief as he slumps over a pile of skulls. I am Laslo, descendent of Ivan. I am the keeper of the sacred flame of Vampyre Mist. I too am broken for I am the one that destroyed this once beautiful land and my kind. I now live in this exiled land feasting on


I now live in this exiled land feasting on the forgotten souls. But why turn and sacrifice your own people? Aslan ask inquisitively. It was not me, Laslo says confidently. I was put under an ancient spell by a Beast whose name I cannot speak of. A black moon rose that night and only a few night walkers escaped before I.. Laslo trails off as he for longingly looks at the moon. Aslan sits up almost reenergized, a Beast? I must know more. Tell me more. It was a Beast with whom I sense slaughtered my kind but have very little to point to other than the sirens song. Aslans rune begins to vibrate and staff shimmer. My rune and staff as my guide have brought me here. This is destiny. Laslo, join me. Join me in our fight for vengeance for I believe we fight the same fight. Together we can combine our powers to bring down the evil that has ruled over our heads and


down the evil that has ruled over our heads and hearts for far too long. It is time.


Magus Daria of the Light

# New Lore Entry

bla bla bla

This is a true story.


Battle Mage Godfrey of the Heath

La primera vez que se vio a Battle Mage Godfrey of the Heath fue en la antigua Tenochtitlan en el siglo XIV, los Aztecas lo veneraban como a uno de sus dioses.


Murphy Hero of the Mountain

# A Hero of the Mountain

Murphy, a hero of the mountain, was a simple young man. He had no desire for any bloodshed.

His days weren't always filled with slaying the terrible creatures laid within the mountain.

He grew up looking to have peace. However, after the creatures started to terrorize anyone crossing through them, he took up his shield and sword and would guide them through the narrow pass.

On one of his adventures, he befriended a nastyass honey badger that was in need of his help. They became good friends and helped guide voyagers through the dangerous pass together.


Witch Rowena of the Wild

Violent midnight

A wild, eerie witch watches

because of the eye


Sorcerer Ozohr from the Shadow

# The Lore of Sorcerer Ozohr from the Shadow and Flumen the rat

Not all are aware of their greater calling from day one. Some will inherit it early in their life from a family member, some will study in search of their calling while others will stumble upon it almost by pure coincidence.

Ozohr falls in this third category, he lived most of his life living a very quiet and peaceful life, uninterested and almost unaware of anything called magic. He would be considered by most a very down-to-earth and low profile guy, some would probably even say boring behind his back. His life was pretty much centered on his work at Tottis Bank in Alessars Keep, a couple of close friends and his family. Ozohr was quite comfortable with his life, he loved routine and loved being in control of his surroundings. Blazing speeds and fireworks are not for everyone, at the very least they were not for the old Ozohr, the goes to bed at 10 on the dot Ozohr, the saves every penny Ozhor, the lets have a glass and go home Ozohr. But that old Ozhor no longer exists for the better or for the worst we now have a completely different Ozohra new Ozohr.


It all started while he was taking a very long walk by the river after another shift at the bank. During that walk, Ozohrs mind was flip-flopping between retiring the coming summer or to keep going for a little longer. He felt like he had given all he could give, and that maybe having more time for himself would be an easy way to have extra joy from life. As he got a little closer to the river to test the waters temperature Ozohr suddenly saw a blue light a couple meters away in the river. After looking at it for a couple seconds Ozohr felt like he saw the light move. He kept looking and it moved again he could swear! But what could it be, it was way too small to be human-like.

Curiosity took over and Ozohr stepped in the shallow riverbank, and after moving forward a couple meters he was finally close enough to see clearly what the blue light was. It was a small animal, smaller than a dog, its fur was bright, blue and shiny, nothing he had seen before. The small animal was clearly not a great swimmer, and definitely could use some help. Ozohr carried the small beast to the shore and once the animal was safely back on solid ground it just stayed there looking at Ozohr; and Ozhor looked back at the small thing and finally was able to get a better look, it was clearly not a dog or a cat, looked more like a very tall and slightly pudgy rat. Its color was clearly what would catch anyones eye, the blue was actually more like a turquoise, like an exotic sea.


The rat and Ozohr looked at each other for what seemed like a long time, both evaluating the other. After a while Ozohr decided it was time to head home, happy he saved the rat from possible drowning. As he started walking away, it took but 2 seconds that the rat started following him, never getting more than a couple meters away from Ozohr. Having no time to lose as it was getting late and having no time to interrogate a rat who couldnt talk, Ozohr decided to simply head home and ignore the blue animal following.

Whether he wanted it or not, Ozohr had a new friend, the rat followed him home, slept under his bed and would not leave him alone all day. It felt like the rat owed his life to the human who carried him out of the water, or maybe the rat was simply looking for a nice friend and had found one. Because he found him swimming in the river, and because of its color, Ozohr decided to name the rat Flumen, he found the name fitting for the animal, for his friend.


Flumen brought with him a lot of excitement for Ozohr, everyone wanted to see the blue rat, they all wanted to pet its funny looking fur. But other than others curiosity, Flumen is the one that really changed Ozohrs life when one day after a night out at the pub, Flumen refused to go the usual way home, Flumen would not follow Ozohr no matter how many times he asked or how loud he yelled at the animal. After a while, Ozohr had no other choice than to abdicate and follow his best friend. The animal started running towards an alley about 10 meters away from the pubs exit. He then cut in the alley and started scratching at the first door he saw, he scratched and scratched and scratched. Intrigued, Ozohr got closer to the door, not hearing anything inside he decided to give the knob a little jiggle.


The door opened up really easily, and Ozohr could see inside a somewhat dark room that looked like a narrow and deep storage room. He could see because there, at the back of the room, was a shiny blue lightagain!? This one felt even brighter and stronger than when Ozohr had saved Flumen from the river. What could it be this time he was wondering. He had no choice but to get closer to the light source. He stepped towards the blue light slowly, trying his best not to make any noise, still not knowing whose storage room he was in and if the owner was anywhere close. As he got closer he started to get a better feel about what this was, the stick-like object at least 6 feet long and had an odd shape one one end. He had seen that shape with two snakes before but could not remember exactly where. He looked back to see if Flumen was still with him, and of course Flumen was still there, looking at him, almost telling him to keep going. Ozohr looked back at the stick, and decided to pick it up. As soon as he touched the cold shiny stick he felt different. He felt like a new Ozohr.

To be continued...


Illusionist Bathsheba of the Plains

Eternal fountain

A dear, emerald rose distorts

at the perfect mars


Channel 1 Poltergeist Orpheus of the Hell Chamber

# Static

The sound of soft static came from the ether. The Total Void of Absolute Nothingness had opened up. An event that hadn't happened since what seemed to be the dawn of time. The void overshadowed the sun, blanketing the Runiverse, too, in nothingness. A dark black cloud hung over the land for days. A constant static that seemed to drown out all magical capabilities from the wizards.

One day, faint light appeared from within the nothingness. Illuminating the sky as a single candle would light a room. As the wizards regained their sight, a white figure followed the ember glow. As the objects grew nearer, the wizards realized that it was the cult of the Channel 1 Poltergeists that had opened up the void. They had sent through Orpheus, and his blaze frog, Ethereal, to study the land. For what? The wizards had no clue. The white figure, Orpheus, once within site, whisked away with the wind, floating off to an unknown location to take watch, to study, to learn. The darkness was growing stronger. Only time would be able to tell how strong.


Archmagus Apollo of the Dunes

# **The Lore of Archmagus Apollo of the Dunes**

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Hemmingway the Hummingbird looked at Apollo over the shoulder of a Yellow Wizard and raised an eyebrow as the party mage rummaged around in his wallet.
Apollo looked back at his flying friend and smiled as if to say, Dont worry, I know what Im doing.

When the Yellow Wizard eventually looked up from his wallet he gave Apollo a business card that said;

```
MAGIC & FUN
everything you need and more
+5598-020-GOOD

```

 "Call me when you get to the Alchemists Archipelago, Ill give you the instructions when youre there."

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Archmagus Apollo of the Dunes and his Hummingbird Hemmingway had spent the long weekend at the Yellow Wizards Haven meeting old friends and networking with new business partners. With summer just around the corner; they needed to prepare. This meant that they were going to The Alchemists Archipelago, the only place that he could be sure to find the stock he would need for his best customers.

Every year in the festival season Apollo would set up a stall at the Haven selling many of the general goods he would also sell in the city, plus some special extras he only stocked because of the roaring demand for a good time. The money was good and the season enjoyable enough that it was worth the trip. The Yellow Wizards were generally good natured and they liked Apollos laid back approach which kept him coming back year after year.

The way to the Archipelago was long but Apollo and the Hummingbird Hemmingway made sure to enjoy as much of it as they could, for they knew that the journey back - with cargo - would be tougher.

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They were a little under halfway through the journey when they reached a crossroads.

Sitting outside of a small shack under a sign that read  "TOLL" was a rotund creature that was humming to itself and tapping rhythms onto a crate. With a green complexion and bare feet, it became clear as they grew closer that what they saw was a Kobold. The Kobold had no idea of their presence and seemed deeply contented. Its eyes were closed and the tune it hummed was cheerful and boyish.

As they approached, Apollo readied himself for chaos to break out. Some of the Kobolds are wizards whilst others are warriors, but all are unpredictable. Whilst Kobolds had a reputation for being brutish in particular circles, to Apollo the claims were often unsubstantiated and seemed to be routed in discrimination. He had heard stories of ambushes but knew that unless a Kobold was a wizard, it was unlikely that they would know how to respond to any spells he might cast. The hummingbird had flown a few meters higher into the air to keep a lookout as Apollo began to speak:

> Hey there!

> The Kobold was startled and fell backwards off its stool. A laugh escaped from Apollos mouth but he was able to collect himself.

> I didnt mean to scare you!, he continued, I had thought about pretending not to see you but I didnt think youd fall for it!

> The Kobold looked up from the ground to see Apollo smiling at him with a glint his eye. The Kobold didnt seem to get the joke and stood up abruptly, brushing the dirt off of his ripped trousers.

> Stop right there! You must pay a toll to pass the Kobolds Crossroads!

> The Kobold looked around as if he were expecting to be backed up by some friends, but nobody appeared.