> Inane chatter, "_she's cope_", she claps back but it's trope,
> A real fragment, she glows,
 . when e-goes crack to this Wicked Crone, that's when it's
> Back to the Void again, yo this whole fantasy
> Better go capture this Donut and hope it don't Gas him
>
> _You better lose yourself in the magic, the token_
> _You own it, you better never let it go_
> _You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to lore_
> _This opportunity comes once in a lifetime_
>
> _You better lose yourself in the magic, the omen_
> _You own it, you better never let it go_
> _You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to lore_
> _This opportunity comes once in a lifetime_
>
> These souls restaking, through these vaults that are paying
> This lore is mine for the making
> Zombie King, as we move toward a Grimoire Order
> Runiverse life is roarin', and co-creation is sorta post modern
> It only grows smarter, only grows sharper,
> We burn, it's all over, these Urns are so holy,
> Soul to soul churn, he's known as the Grim Reap-ar
> Lonely ghosts, Toru is toast, he's drawn proper on tome, the field's potter
> We throw groans when rares become just Flame fodder
> But hold 'em close 'cause here roams the Lich Emper'r,
> These graves can't hold him no mo', he's cold product,


Orion Attacker of Liches

> These graves can't hold him no mo', he's cold product,
> They moved on to the next schmo who glows, he sold troves and wrote nada,
> So the lore opera is told and unfolds,
 . decompose the ghoul partna, but the writ goes on
> da-da-dum, da-dum, da-da
>
> _You better lose yourself in the magic, the token_
> _You own it, you better never let it go_
> _You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to lore_
> _This opportunity comes once in a lifetime_
>
> _You better lose yourself in the magic, the omen_
> _You own it, you better never let it go_
> _You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to lore_
> _This opportunity comes once in a lifetime_
>
> No lore's same, I'mma flame what you call fame,
> Tear this Warrior Ducking Gate off like Two Crows caged,
> We ain't playin' from the beginnin', the Voodoo chained,
> We been sold down, and floored out and knocked off stage,
> But we kept writin' and wrote in the next Fighter
> Best believe we keep on landin' the best writers
> All the tales inside amplified by the
> Fact that we can't revive the lines twined to
> Hearts and we can't defy the rights signed to
> Corps, issa tragedy, 'cause man, these goddamn true fans can write ciphers
> And the floor's moving, there's no Retired Farmers,
> This is our lives and these times are so hard


> This is our lives and these times are so hard
> And it's getting even harder tryna flip a burger and sip, pot(ion)s
> Teeny trotters, caught up between pilkin' a farmer and a FREE persona
> Acid Eater's critters, screamin' on her, too much
> For me to wanna deploy spot, another day of our Block(omo) has
> "gotten me to the point, I'm like a snail I've bought"
> Capitulate the lot, or resell to Jail(warden) or bot
> Success is the only rubberduckin' caption, failure's not
> Elf, I love you, and the trailer's got to blow, we cannot grow cold in '21's crop,
> So here we go, here's our shot,
> Lore, fail me not, this will be the craziest opportunity that we got
>
> _You better lose yourself in the magic, the token_
> _You own it, you better never let it go_
> _You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to lore_
> _This opportunity comes once in a lifetime_
>
> _You better lose yourself in the magic, the omen_
> _You own it, you better never let it go_
> _You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to lore_
> _This opportunity comes once in a lifetime_
>
>
>


> _NB: I think you could quite safely replace 'snail' with 'grail' but I thought snail would be funnier. Reminds me of the time we hunted down the Lich near the Bugbear Boonies. - Orion_


# **CAWWW**

#

# ***

The Great Cockatrice were fierce and feared, but also revered and adored. It really did depend on which village you visited and what people you asked.

To some, the Crowned Beasts were seen as majestic marvels, traversing the blue skies, protecting their territories and eggs at no bother to the people. Stories even told of the rare matriarch Cockatrice befriending the brave warrior after weeks of fierce-gentle courtship in the lands of the Void Disciples. To others, they were barbaric nightmare fuel.

Ancient tapestries depict Warriors riding on their backs almost as often as they record the destruction and violence of the beast, sympathisers would say; in defence of their feathers and their young.

Nowadays, the story is different. After years of technological advancement and the cruel feather shearing of the late-modern fashion era, the great Cockatrice are rarely heard of beyond rumour, and their existence thought of as mostly fairytale.

Those who know the truth understand that it was the Feather Poachers entrapment and heinous treatment of the captured beasts they were able to lull into false trust that has led to their present day rarity. Kept in squalid conditions and unable to stretch their wings or feed off of the realm, the mothers stopped producing eggs and all their feathers turned fragile waste. The males of the species who are notoriously less trusting, lost to their own brutal in-fighting around mating season with fewer and fewer females with which to bond.


It is, of course, the mistake of these greedy fashion makers to ignore the possibilities that lie within a Cockatrice Egg. It was always the mystics and wizards who understood the properties contained within these eggs, and so it was often the prize of any expedition led by a wizard to steal such an egg. Unfortunately for most, where a warrior wasnt already sleeping outside of a mothers cave - a human bodyguard for an ancient beast, the power of the cockatrice itself was more than most could ever survive.
Most would not dare to try; for their power was common knowledge, at the time.

The Male Cockatrice were well known to breathe fire and whip their tails in mid-flight aerial combat. Alas, the Duels of Cockatrice are the inspiration for many of the realms most awesome works of art. Dual fatalities were not uncommon, often through exhaustion if not the gore of battle. Less often encountered, although more often befriended, the Female Cockatrice is said to breathe fire even hotter and grow even longer in tail. Larger than their male counterparts, their talons are said to have beheaded some of histories greatest generals.

No stranger to war or drama, there now exists a group of wizards who still believe in and tell stories of the Cockatrice. The Valley of the Void Disciple is the destination of a great pilgrimage for these wizards who believe that even the oldest and most decorated eggs of the ancient Great Cockatrice still contain the potential to unleash mythic powers and wipeout entire bloodlines.

The most interesting of the stories about surviving Cockatrices are the ones that concern The Great Mother.

It is in the Valley of the Void Disciple that these stories are most often told.


It is in the Valley of the Void Disciple that these stories are most often told.

The Great Mother is said to be a Triple Crowned Cockatrice, purportedly much larger than those that have ever been studied by any scholar. In addition to being much larger, it is also said to be the most intelligent of beasts. Evading all of the cities most skilled anthrozoologists thus far, most have written off the stories as here-say. Yet, a few of the prized eggs have newly made their way to the black markets around the Alchemists Archipelago and mysterious fires at Mesozoic Cockatrice farms in the Desert regions spark further intrigue.
One must imagine that there exists wizards who wish to befriend The Great Mother as was once supposedly possible with these beasts. At the same time, there will be those who will want the honour of claiming its death and its eggs.

> The Ancient Wisdom goes:
> Be fierce and she will fight you
> Be gentle and she will love you
> Be brave and she will respect you
> Be equal and she will find you

What stories are yet untold of the Triple Crowned Cockatrice?

*(Lore written by O)*

# ***
# **Cluck Cluck**


Mondo Wrecker of the Coliseum

# Mondo's Summertime

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvUQcnfwUUM

In the summertime, when the weather is hot

Mondo aint so good bout keepin dry

When the weather's fine

Mondos drinkin, Mondos drinkin on your dime

Have a beer, maybe five

Mondo wont be stoppin till hes blind

If your daddy's rich, Mondo will have the veal

If your daddy's poor, break out the cornmeal

Never feelin pain, you could burn or inter Mondo alive

Then the sun goes down, Mondo wakens

wakens up for drinkin time

Hes no threat, people, hes not dirty, he's not mean

He loves everybody, but he do as he please

When the weather's fine, he goes drinkin with his doggy by the sea

Hes always happy, closely living

Life to the infinity

Sing along with him

Dee-dee-dee, dee-dee

Dah-dah-dah, dah-dah

Yeah he's hap-happy

Dah dah-dah

Dee-dah-do, dee-dah-do, dah-do-dah

Yeah, dah-do, dah-dah-dah

Dah-dah-dah, do-dah-dah

Alright

Then the winter's here: Mondos fightin time

Coliseum, hackin slashin

It'll soon be summertime

And he'll sing again, always drinkin

Past the point most folkll drown

If youre rich, if youre nice, bring your friends

And hell show you round the town

In the summertime, when the weather is hot

Mondo aint so good bout keepin dry

When the weather's fine

Mondos drinkin, Mondos drinkin' on your dime

Have a beer, maybe five


Have a beer, maybe five

Mondo wont be stoppin till hes blind

If your daddy's rich, Mondo will have the veal

If your daddy's poor, break out the cornmeal

Never feelin pain, you could burn or inter Mondo alive

Then the sun goes down, Mondo wakens

wakens up for drinkin time

Hes no threat, people, hes not dirty, he's not mean

He loves everybody, but he do as he please

When the weather's fine, he goes drinkin with his doggy by the sea

Hes always happy, closely living

Life to the infinity

Sing along with him

Dee-dee-dee, dee-dee

Dah-dah-dah, dah-dah

Yeah hes hap-happy

Dah dah-dah

Dee-dah-doo, dee-dah-do, dah-do-dah

Yeah dah-dah, dah-dah-dah

Yeah, alright


Athina Shark of Titans

# Ath the Sai

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMsmUBOVGGI

(Guest starring @warrior922, @wizard8672, @wizard2590,@wizard3439 and @wizard785)

Oh, the Shark, babe, has such sais, dear

And she shows them flashing bright

Just a stab right from old Athie, babe

And shell have you, ah, dead to rights

You know when that Shark fights, grittin teeth, babe

Scarlet rainbows will be bled

Hungry dogs though does old Ath keep, babe

So there's never, never a scrap unfed

Now on the footpath, huh, huh, whoo sunny morning, uh huh

Lies a kobold just oozin' life, eek

And someone's sneakin' 'round the corner

Could that someone be Ath the Sai?

There's a tugboat, huh, huh, down by the river don'tcha know

With a sealed up cask, just a-drop it on down

Oh, that sealed cask is not, not part of the freight, dear

Ima betcha ten, old Athie's back in town

Now did ya hear 'bout Mondo Wrecker? He disappeared, babe

After drawin' out all his hard-earned cash

And now Athie spends just like a sailor

Could it be our girl's done somethin' rash?

Now Sorcrer Silas, ho, ho, yeah, Froggy Jastor

Ooh, Miss Sondre Brambles and old Circe Realm

Oh, the coins come or dogs delight, babe

Now that Athie's back in town


Oh, the coins come or dogs delight, babe

Now that Athie's back in town

I said Sorcrer Silas, whoa, Froggy Jastor

Look out to Miss Sondre Brambles and old Circe Realm

Yes, the coins come or dogs delight, babe

Now that Athie's back in town

Look out, old Athie's back


Enchanter Galatea of the Heath

*
# *Bedtime stories with Galatea and Litho*
*

## Reflections

Stabbing her walking stick into the dirt and dragging it, Galatea walked the perimeter of a campground. She whispered a chant at the four directional winds. Jumping across a stream the spell changed but then her voice went back.

Rise up high
From earth to sky
Protect all that dwell
on the inside.

Once the circle had been completed Galatea walked over and set her supplies down by a circle of rocks. Opening the flap of her leather pouch and lifting out a bullfrog she said,

Hi sleepy head,

Beaming back at her Litho replied, Hi Galatea.

Holding him higher and slowly turning around she explained, Look where our journey has taken us. Its a perfect spot for us to spend the night. You know Its almost time for our bedtime story.

Nice Place, Litho answered as he eyed several snacks crawling near the water and a drop of spit fell from his lips. Oooooo,  yes, yes, and yes,

Sitting him down Galatea giggled, You always make me laugh, you silly frog.

Litho leaped off in the direction of the stream and then turned around and smiled at her. You always make me feel safeand loved.  Then he left with a little dance as he sang.

Bom bom bom bom

Slurp them down

Bom bom bom bom

Squishy and round

Bom bom bom bom

Wings or feet

Clap clap clap clap

They are a treat

Bom bom bom bom

Bugs are yummy

Bom bom bom bom

Bugs are sweet

Clap clap clap clap

Tastytasty
Tasty.treats.

Hm hm hm hm


Tastytasty
Tasty.treats.

Hm hm hm hm

Galatea watched Litho dance and sing until he reached the water and then she walked in the opposite direction. Finding a large branch she reached down as a beetle ran out.  Ug.I hate nastycrawlythings.

Shaking her shoulders she continued on the search for firewood until.darkness began to move in. Her arms heavy with wood she walked towards a circle of rocks and noticed Litho hopping back. Dropping the wood Galatea mentioned, I have been thinking about storytime, I want to share a family story.

Patting the ground Litho replied, Galatea.come sit over here and tell me a story.

Rubbing bits of debris off her arms she sat on top of her bedroll. At home on the first day of winter we would wear something special and head into the village.  I liked to wear my dark rose velvet shirt which is embroidered with different colors of snapdragons.

Litho asked, What did you do in the village?

Arriving the breeze greeted you with the scent of rosemary. It is our custom to use these sprigs of evergreens to summon the spirits of good fortune and health for the new year. Families brought dishes of food as an offering for their support of the community. People wished each other well as they tasted spicy and sweet foods placed in various locations around the town center.

Eating all day, You are my kind of people.  Did you do anything else?

Yes, When it got dark we would sit around a bonfire and sing about our history. I look forward to the lore of the heath.

Yes, there is nothing better than a good lore story,'' mentioned Litho as he watched Galatea stack the firewood from largest to smallest.


Galatea, Your story reminds me of a celebration my family had.

Galatea turned around and smirked, You're kidding me, what do bullfrogs have to celebrate?

Litho's front lip rolled out and he glared. Pointing a toe at Galatea he said, We have special celebrations.

No waybullfrogs have special celebrations.

We doand you shouldnt make fun of me.

I am sorry. I should not have made fun of you. Please tell me your story.

Litho leaned in. Bullfrogs celebrate the winter solstice by selecting their favorite place to hibernate. You stake your claim by squatting down and croaking your song.  Mine sounds like this, Rru, Rru, ruuuu!  Rru, Rru, rruuu! The celebration continues until the entire family has become a choir and the day is ending. Oooooo, then my favorite thing happens.

You burp.

Nono, I dont burp,.okay you're right I do but thats not my favorite thing that happens. I stand up and point my toes.. drilling them down into the squishy mud shoving myself as far as I can go. Then I move my legs back and forth. Like Im doing a little dance. I gotta make room for my butt to slither down.  As I get into a comfortable sitting squat the mud oozes in around me ..until Im all. cozy and nice. ThenI..Zzzzzz

Thats cool the mud tucks you in for the winter. replied Galatea while standing up and leaning over the woodpile.  Snapping her fingers she cast a spell.

Fire Bright
but no smoke
tonight.

Flames erupted throughout the wood as she opened her bedroll and asked, Is there any more to your story?


Absolutely! In the spring when it rains and the sun warms up the mud, you wake up. The rain washes the dirt off you. Animals of all kinds get together to eat, lullaby all night and of course there are events.

My friend Stewart the albino mouse leads a treasure hunt.  While we search he makes us laugh with a quick card trick or a bit of magic.

Bun Bun of the dirt usually wins at the game, Find your Friend. The boy is so camouflaged I have sat down right next to him and not noticed.  He never even blinks. To find me he calls outLithoI laugh and he yells, found you!

Jeremiah the bullfrog with the raspy voice, uses his calm and cool attitude to snap his fingers in a rhythmic beat as he sings and directs the bullfrog quartet of Taddius, Wild Bill and me. Together we sing those low notes down by the pond.

Impy Jr. who is a ball of green slime sashays around greeting everyone. It is all organized by Splotch the black cat. Since she doesnt hibernate she has all winter to think of wonderful mischievous activities.

Nodding her head, Galatea poked the fire, put on another log and said, Sounds like it was really fun.

Fun times and great memories.

Litho stared at the fire for a few moments and then snuggled closer to Galatea. He laid his head on her foot. The glow of the fire reflected off his eyes and Litho asked,  Galatea, what are you thinking?

I am reflecting on how much we are the same. My family ate and sang songs like your familyand your community.

Except we are really different too.


Except we are really different too.

Litho, being different isnt good or bad.Its just being different. Life is about finding others who accept you no matter who you are or what you look like.

Galatea, Most would look at us and say, What do they have in common? You have antlers and I am a green bullfrog.

Leaning forward until they were face to face Galatea said, I care about you. You care about me. We are totally different in looks but we are the same in so many ways.  You are my family and community now.

Yes, yes I am and you are my family too.''  Litho replied as he blinked away happy tears.  Movement caught his eye. A centipede was headed towards Galateas bedroll until.it wasnt.

Ugh, I hate.nasty. crawly things,

I know you do Galatea, Goodnight.

Goodnight Litho, she replied while laying down.

All was quiet..until.softly

Bom bom bom bom

Slurp them down

Bom bom bom bom

Squishy and round

Bom bom bom bom

Wings or feet

Clap clap clap clap

They are a treat

Hm, hm, hm, hm.

## The following wizard friends allowed me to use their familiars in my story.

Warder- #7084 Aldus of the Astral Plane and his familiar a lucky black cat named Splotch

Milk-#4769 Impy and his familiar an emerald slime named Impy Jr.

Henry-#7238 Druid Merlon of Dreams and his familiar a dirt rabbit named Bun-Bun of the dirt.

Wizdaddy-#5564 Hydromancer Soran of the Psychic Leap and his familiar swamp bullfrog named Wild Bill.


Madotuski-#9815 Mystic David of the Bastion and his familiar an albino rat named Stewart.

Tadmajor-#4044 Druid Froggy of the Gnostics and his familiar a swamp bullfrog named Taddius.

Magus Wazir-#1229 Sage Bartholomew and his swamp bullfrog named Jeremiah.

#

# #

# *Bedtime Stories with Galatea and Litho*

## Real Friends

Inside of the pouch Litho could barely hear the stick being dragged as it formed a trench into the dirt. He mouthed the words Galatea recited as she walked.

Rise up high
From earth to sky
Protect all that dwell on
The inside.

When the end of the trench met the beginning Galatea headed towards the shade of a large oak tree. Opening her pouch a head popped out.

Hello Litho?

Hello right back at you. Im soooooo.hungry. Wheres the bugs?

Picking up her bullfrog Galatea said, See that marshy area over there. Im sure its full of slimy crawly things.

Sit me down, please. sit me down! My tummy is rumbly.  Galatea set Litho on the ground. He stretched out his front legs as far as they would go and then did the same with each of his back legs. Oooo, that feels so good after a long nap.

Litho faced the marsh and took one hop forward, turned around and winked, then continued on his way as he danced and sang,

Bom bom bom bom

Slurp them down

Bom bom bom bom

squishy and round

Bom bom bom bom

Wings or feet

Clap clap clap clap

They are a treat


Wings or feet

Clap clap clap clap

They are a treat

Bom bom bom bom

Bugs are yummy

Bom bom bom bom

Bugs are sweet

Clap clap clap clap

Tastytasty
Tasty.treats

Hm hm hm hm

Dont you bring back any of those nastycrawly things, Galatea called after him. Litho kept hopping forward until he disappeared into some tall weeds. Galatea went over to a grassless area and began to move rocks into a circle.

A half hour later she headed to the fire pit with her arms full of wood when she heard.

Help! Help! gurgle.

Galatea dropped the wood and ran. Her face became red and her eyes scanned from left to right.

Litho, Litho where are you?

Reaching the weeds, she stopped and listened. The only sound was her heart pounding. Even the song birds were nowhere to be seen.

Litho, Litho, she shouted.

Galatea carefully walked through some tall grass and called again for her friend, Litho, where are you?

She went a few more steps deeper into the marsh and found a small area of open water. A red hawk was sitting on top of a log that was half way stuck in the mud. The bird was hunched over staring downward. It was here she saw Litho curled up underneath it. Only his eyes were sticking out of the water.  Noticing Galatea.Litho eyeballs got bigger.

Galatea quickly raised her left hand and blurted out, Raise up water!

 A single wave rose up above the hawk. The bird turned its head at Galatea and glared. Galatea leaned forward and moved her hand higher. The wave rose up too.


Letting out a piercing screamthe hawk flew away.

Galatea released her hand and called out, Litho, Everything is okay. You can come out now. I made the hawk leave.

The bullfrog lifted his head out of the water and looked around.

Are you sure its okay?

Yes, I am sorry that happened to you. The hawk must have been in here somewhere before I cast my protection spell. He left and he wont be able to fly back in.  Litho slowly climbed out while checking his surroundings.  He sat on top of the log for a moment and then hopped over to Galatea.  Are you okay?

Yes, Good thing I am fast. I was almost a snack.

What happened?

I was sitting by the water and a muskrat appeared. He said, Hello Friend, welcome!  He asked if I knew the best place for catching bugs.  I told him I didn't. Then the muskrat said I should sit on that log. I thanked him and jumped over to it. When I went to ask his name he was gone. I saw a large shadow andI realized the hawk was coming at me. I hopped into the water and I yelled for you.

I am thankful I heard you and could get here in time.

I thought it was weird the muskrat left because he said we were friends. I think he wanted me to sit there on purpose.

I agree, replied Galatea.

She picked Litho up until they were face to face. Several tears escaped from his eyes.  I promise to always take good care of you, Litho. You are going to stay close to me tonight. You can eat whatever bugs you find hiding under rocks and the wood pile as I build the campfire.

Okay, I would like that.


Okay, I would like that.

Later when the crickets started to sing their night song Galatea snapped her fingers at the wood and recited,

Twist and turn
Until rings are formed.

The smoke rose up and made whispery circles that floated in all directions. Litho spied a moth flying towards the campfire. When it went through the center of a smoke ring. His tongue zapped it.

Oh, one of my favorite games.  Bullseye the bugs.

Have fun tonight, you silly frog, Galatea replied while opening her bedroll and sitting down.

After a while, Litho went over and snuggled next to her. Galatea, how can you tell if someone is a friend or not?

Thats a good question, Litho. Sometimes it is hard to tell. The muskrat you talked to today was a fake friend. He only wanted to get you into trouble. He didnt really want to help you.

Why would he do that?

We will probably never know? Maybe he didnt want to share the marsh with anyone. Maybe he just wanted to see you get eaten? Litho, real friends try to find ways to take care of you, get you out of trouble or cheer you up to make you  happy. You told me Midas is your friend. How do you know he is a real friend?

Hmmmlet me think. I know when I have asked Midas for help. It makes me feel happy to that golden toad hopping over. When my brothers and sister moved away I cried. Midas came over to see how I was. He made jokes to make me laugh. When he did that it made me feel special.


Thats because Midas is a real friend. He is there for you in good times and bad. Litho, What if. sometimesMidas is too busy to help when you ask him?

He will tell me and I will understand because he helps me at other times.

What about Bloody?

Oh, I dont know.  Everyone is afraid of Bloody.  Hes a red frog who was born with fangs and sucks the blood of his prey.

Are you afraid of Bloody? ask Galatea.

Nono Im not.

Why?

Bloody saved my life once. I almost got eaten by a black water snake. Bloody attacked it and bit it with his fangs. He noticed I was upset and he invited me to sit with him at the end of his pond. After that whenever I hopped by his pond, I waved. Sometimes I stopped for a visit. We have things that are the same like we both get our feelings hurt easily.

Would you say Bloody is a real friend?

Hmmmm.Yes, yes I would. Oh I get iteveryone should not be judgy because you might be wrong about somebody.

Litho, you dont get to decide how others feel but you can improve on how. you feel and how.you act.

Galatea, I like real friends.

Yes, I totally agree. Litho, did you know that you can tell if someone is smart because it takes..brain power, it takes thought and effort to give compliments and be nice. It takes no brain power to hurt someones feelings.

Ooooo, then I am super smart!

Yes you are!

Andso are you!

Its time for me to go to sleep. Good night Litho.

Good night Galatea, he replied as he hopped to the front of her bedroll and watched the smoke rings.

All was quiet until softly


All was quiet until softly

Bom bom bom bom

Slurp them down

Bom bom bom bom

Squishy and round

Bom bom bom bom

Wings or feet

Clap clap clap clap

They are a treat

Hm hm hm hm

## The following wizard friends allowed me to use their familiars in my story.

Kel 1/1-#8721 Arch-Magician Pumlo of the Bastion and his familiar a golden toad named Midas.

Panico-#3930 Battlemage Drako of the Obelisk and his familiar an ember frog named Bloody.


Belial Attacker of Wizards

# Belial  Attacker of Wizards

_Deus vult!_

To defeat !magic, there is might. But the Ducks of the Runiverse had become impatient with such a steep disadvantage.

Relying on thousand-year-old rumors, breakaway members of the Duck Alliance decided to chase a moonshot. As religious zealots, they thought they could harness religion to triumph over !magic.

A thousand-year-old rumor. Tunnels deep under a nondescript church, hiding a long-buried medieval crypt. This is where the renegades unearthed what they believed to be blessed Holy relics from the crusades.

Instead... they came across the reanimated remains of a Templar knight. So evil in his actions under the banner of God, the man was deemed unforgiveable. Tortured in ways not spoken of since the Dark Ages, the Templar's entire face was burned off.

It was not a Holy blessing that kept the warrior alive for centuries entombed, but an ancient curse designed to leave him in suffering for all eternity, with his soul already in hell. Because of his direct connection to the underworld, he is know as Belial. The demon.

For now... he hunts wizards and all purveyors of !magic. Deus vult is his ancient latin battle cry! The zealots of the Duck Alliance--those who survived being in the presence of his demonic energy--convinced the Belial his service to this new crusade would redeem him.

But for how long? The Belial channels all that is wicked and evil of the underworld... how long until he turns on the very Ducks who set him on his path?


Robbert of Torment Manor

**
# The Lore of Robbert of Torment Manor
**

As the sun rises on a warm vernal morning, a breeze blows swiftly over the stately gray towers of Torment Manor.

Shrieks of a freshly risen Mandril can be heard by Goblin both large and small. It awakens them, and they prepare for a new day of untold horrors and unending revelry.

Upon the highest tower is Robbert. He stands with a bottle of Rune beer in hand, and the skull of his greatest enemy adorning his head. He is just as quick to share a drink as he is to remove a limb, and it is known by everyone in the Manor.

A strong Chieftain, who loves a round of beer as much as a round in the dungeons. Many a foe arrived at Torment Manor never to return home, but many a friend tell tales of extravagant galas that lasted many days. Robbert rules under the Rune of Omega, letting all of his adversaries know if they cross him it will be their ***last*** mistake.


Slater Guillotiner of Kobolds

# Love is but a story yet to be told

I am searching for something. I don't quite know what it is. A feeling inside as I stare off into the distance, an endless view above the mountain peaks. I have been up here for ages now, alone. The thirst for contact, a hunger for companionship, it's time I take that long road back down.


Draco Double-Crosser of the Mountain

# New Lore Entry

Many mistaken Warrior 1510 for his calm demeanor.  His unfurrowed brow, soft skin, and his wonted clothes must've gave the wrong impression.  For beyond this, Warrior 1510's sole purpose was to serve Thaumaturge Wolfram of the Riviera.  He has done served loyally for his entire life and will until the end of time.


Shaman Armstrong of the Sun

"What happened?" Said he.

"A mis-stitch, I suppose," she shrugged from the other side.

"I was only practicing my enchantments," he puzzled.

"Funny things can happen when you weave against the tapestry of space and time."  She peered about.  "All this color, it is very... familiar."

She stepped through the veil.  And even the wizards of the Yellow Tower did not notice that his heart skipped a beat and Shaman Armstrong would, forever, live an imperceptible moment in the past.


Chaos Mage Miyo of the Wood

# Calista's Citadel Police Report - Miyo's Special Wizard Burn Election

### Calistas Citadel Arcane Enforcement Division

> Case File: Chaos Mage Miyo of the Wood
---
> Case #: 8711
---
> Section: Miyos Special Burn Election

### Suspect summary:

See sections on Miyos origins and overall background. Large portions of her whereabouts and activities prior to the Burn Election are unknown.

Image courtesy of 6maker (@6maker_nft)

### Case Summary:

Chaos Mage Miyo orchestrates a Special Wizard Burn Election to decide who will pass through a Sacred Flame. The candidates were either volunteers or involuntary captives (although in at least one case, the line was blurred). This case is a subset of the Great Wizard Burning, an ongoing event that has resulted in hundreds of wizards being transformed by Sacred Flames.

### Accomplices:

Sorcerer Basil of the Berg (#5140)

Met Miyo on the Road to the Blue Wizard Bastion. Fought against Miyo but lost. Subsequently joined Miyos group (motive unclear) but eventually demonstrated strong loyalty to Miyo. Eventually becomes 2nd-in-command of the Miyos Boys organization.

---

Artificer Damien of the Mist (#2181)

Allegedly waylaid by Chaos Mage Miyo while he was making a journey through the Wood, en route to the Gate to the 7th Realm, eventually becoming the 1st Miyos Boy. However, he later escaped and acted as an informant; much of the data in this section comes from information provided by Damien.

---

Battle Mage Tundror of the Wild

Replacement key holder after Damien left - however, he in turn leaves after a few weeks. We believe it is at this point that Miyo begins to consider Warriors as better candidates for her organization.

---


---

Battle Mage Samuel of the Quantum Shadow (#581)

Not much information is available about him, although it appears that he didnt originally come from the Quantum Shadow, but instead traveled there after an incident with his twin brother. It is unknown how he first met Miyo or why he agreed to help her, but during this incident he helped in securing multiple captives.

---

# Overall Timeline (measured in # of days prior to Burning):

## 43 days:

Miyo travels towards Gate to the 7th Realm with Damien and Basil, with the intention of opening the Gate (note that this was several months before the Gate was actually opened in an unrelated incident).

## 38 days:

Miyo learns of the existence of Sacred Flames.

## 36 days:

Miyo comes up with the idea of a Special Burn Election to let the wizarding community determine who deserves to pass through a Sacred Flame.

## 31 days:

Basil is sent to the Sands to prove his loyalty and procure the first burning candidate.

## 29 days:

Basil returns with Artificer Fabio of the Sands, the first candidate for the Election.

On the same day, Miyo also procured a Sacred Flame (method unknown).

## 26 days:

Miyo makes her first appearance at the Wizards Tavern (location unknown). She explains her Wizard Election concept, where she introduces a new candidate each week, and at the end the election will determine who gets burned. She left a poster behind to demonstrate the progress of the event (pictured below).

Note: Around this time, there is evidence that Druid Faiz of Arcadia performed a ritual to allow the burn candidates to be summoned to another realm, thereby escaping captivity.

## 25 days:


## 25 days:

Miyo meets with individuals from the Quantum Shadow (QS). We are still investigating the phenomenon of the QS, but it appears that Miyo has some type of affiliation with a group linked to it.

## 24 days:

Miyo reveals to her Miyos Boys (the name she initially selected for her followers) that she has attempted necromancy spells unsuccessfully in the past. One result of this, is that her right hand is permanently corrupted, and is bandaged as a result. This is a key identifying mark that all Enforcers should keep in mind.

## 23 days:

A second victim is abducted from a Capital Resources, LLC facility: Archmagus Soran of the Arctic.

Quantum Shadow operatives carried out this kidnapping, although their methods are unknown.

Soon afterward, Miyo presented this newest addition to the Election at the Wizard's Tavern.

## 21 days:

At this time, the first instance of a curious phenomenon was observed. Archmagus Soran, only a couple days after being captured, was able to escape through unknown means. However, monitoring of inter-realm communications suggests that someone may have made use of the summoning magic set up by Druid Faiz:

On the same day, Artificer Damien also left Miyo through similar means:

## 20 days:

The Quantum Shadow operatives next kidnap Spellsinger Aldus of the Realm to replace Archmagus Soran. A Red Hat wizard was targeted, as Miyo seems to have a specific animosity towards them.

Aldus is a notable spellsinger and father to Alchemist Baozhai of the Wood, who is on the List of Approved Nightshade Vendors. We have recovered a copy of a letter that Aldus sent to Baozhai after being kidnapped.

## 18 days


## 18 days

Miyo announces that she has procured a 2nd Sacred Flame.

## 15 days

Artificer Fabio of the Sands escapes Miyo. At the same time, Mystic David of the Quantum Shadow is added to the Election roster. He was apparently offered up by Battle Mage Samuels organization.

We discovered a cryptic poem apparently written by David in the Book of Lore. It appears that David was originally from another Realm.

## 6 days:

Basil is announced as a replacement candidate. At this point, it appears that the increasing notoriety of Miyo and the Burn Election made it difficult to procure more candidates. But Miyo appeared fixated on making the election a reality.

There are (unconfirmed) reports that Basil volunteered for the position - it appears his devotion to Miyo had fully formed by this point.

## 4 days:

Miyo announces herself as the final Burn Election candidate. Based on her public declarations, it appeared that she believed the flame would transform her into a being of supreme grandeur akin to the elite Forgotten Souls that have since emerged into the Runiverse.

At this point, the election had opened. Wizards could visit the Tavern, and through an unknown arcane mechanism, indicate which of the candidates was their choice to burn. Miyo actually included an option to vote for nobody, but that proved to be unpopular.

## 2 days:

We were able to obtain a visual of preliminary results to the election:

Apparently, there were some last-minute changes in the voting, and the result was a tie between Miyo and Aldus.

However, there were some rule-breakers who voted after the stated deadline, and Miyo allowed those to count, resulting in Aldus being selected for the burn.

## Day of the Burn:


## Day of the Burn:

The agency has received an account of the burning event from Druid Faiz, who observed the event remotely. Veiled Phantasm Aldus of the Ethereal Realm has left our plane and was not available for interview.

Later that day, another unexpected burn happened when Sorcerer Basil, after leaving behind his final thoughts, used Miyos other flame. Ethereal Spectre Basil of the Death Cloud is still at Miyos side, by all accounts, and should be considered as a Class A spectral threat.

Sidenote: Mystic David of the Quantum Shadow also ended up voluntarily burning himself, and turned into a Lich. Miyo ended up the only burn candidate who didnt burn.

This ends the case notes for the Special Wizard Burn Election. The agency is next building the case file for Miyos participation in the Big Potion Corp. incident.


Magus Jahid of the Marsh

Now, Graca, could you be careful while preparing the specimen? Jahids tone betrayed a level of impatience and annoyance underneath his sunny demeanor.

He leaned over Gracas shoulder as she carefully cracked a blue-spotted egg larger than her head. She looked at him, a deep line between her eyebrows as she concentrated. She used a sharp instrument to cut carefully around the perimeter of the egg.

As she did, a gooey essence slipped out of the hole, growing larger in the basin. When finished, she held the two halves upside down, ensuring all the insides were drained. She turned to hand the leftovers to Jahid, but he quickly backpedaled.

She let out a nervous laugh. Sorry, sir. Forgot youre allergic to eggs. She set the shell aside on the table, focusing her efforts on the innards.

Good, he commented as she stirred various chemicals into the basin.

She poured a sizable green flask into the mixture, hissing as a little struck her inner wrist. She pulled it away instinctively, trying to lick the remaining liquid.

Jahid hit her hand away from her mouth. Graca! That can kill you!

Graca sheepishly looked down, not responding. She continued the process of creating the elixir.

Eventually, she added all the ingredients. She stirred it counterclockwise, muttering incantations under her breath.

He stood right behind her still, ears straining to hear the pronunciations of the spell. He prayed she had practiced it enough times. The feeling of trusting someone else with his masters life was horrific. If only he werent allergic to eggs, he would be able to prepare the concoction himself, ensuring the work was correct.


Jahid prided himself on being the Head Alchemist of the Marsh. Graca frequently worked as his second, but she was prone to distraction, making her unreliable  something Jahid hoped she grew out of as she continued in her studies of magic. One day, she would succeed him. Jahid desperately hoped that day was far in the future.

He held fast the urge to correct her pronunciation of a word as she blazed through the incantation.

A minute later, she stopped mixing. The white, gooey substance from the original egg had transformed into a shimmering gold.

She poured the new liquid into a vial, decanting the large batch into smaller doses. Once done, she used the back of her hand to wipe the sweat from her forehead. The fire heated the room too well, sometimes.

Jahid snatched one of the clean crystal bottles full of the gold liquid. He hurried toward the bedroom of his master, but not before thanking Graca. He was grateful she was here, even if her training had been haphazard up until this moment. He vowed to continue her education if this liquid served its purpose.

He knocked once on a little wooden door before pulling it open. The room was small and dark, with only bits of light streaming in through a window stained with dirt.

Jahid scampered over various piles on the wooden floor, keeping the liquid as level as possible, his hand clenched tight around the top of the vial.

A figure lay in the bed, covers drawn up nearly to the top. Upon nearing the bed, he said in a too-happy voice, Master! We have found it; we can cure you!


The figure did not stir. Jahid hurried over, pulling back the covers to reveal his masters true form: a giant frog wearing deep purple robes. He usually covered his true form with illusion magic, but had come down with an illness some weeks ago. Jahids compatriots still searched for ingredients to restore the Master.

Jahid shook his master, trying to get him awake to take the potion. Please, Master. Were almost there.

After a moment, the Master regained consciousness, though groggy and generally out-of-it.
Drink.

The Master drank the liquid, gagging as it spilled into his throat. Jahid held the vial to his mouth, ensuring he swallowed every drop. The Master finished and burped.
His skin was already returning to the typical hue of his human illusion.

----
## Story Arc Index:
Part 1: @wizard4856

Part 2: @wizard399

Part 3: @wizard8004

Part 4: @pony308

Part 5: @wizard8441

Part 6: @pony312


Archmagus Alessar of the Marsh

Alessar struggled to lift his head to sip the potion Jahid fed him. He coughed, splattering droplets across the bedspread. Jahid frantically wiped away the excess from his green skin, apologizing.

My fault, Master. I shouldve held on better. Jahid lowered his head in shame.

Alessar nodded, unable to speak as the liquid burned down his throat. It set his stomach on fire as he digested it.

There was strength in his limbs for a moment, and he felt almost able to push himself up. His form flittered, changing the giant green frog into a man with a large white beard.

Jahid gasped in happiness and surprise, hands going to his mouth. Its working! he said in a hushed tone.

The apprentice backed into a cabinet, sending a tea set shattering on the floor.

There was a strange sensation of someone squeezing his innards. Alessar concentrated on maintaining the illusion, hoping the potion was effective. His limbs were heavy, strength draining as fast as itd come.

A moment later, hope was lost. His humanoid form flickered out of existence, leaving the green frog exhausted from the effort. Frustration clouded his mind, making him doubt the validity of his chosen alchemist. He knew the failed potions were not Jahids fault, but there was no one else to blame for the situation.

Multiple investigations into the source of this strange illness had come up empty-handed, unable to determine a cause, or even a lead. And without a lead, there was little hope of producing a viable cure. Just haphazard ones.

Alessar cleared his throat, feeling like there were razor blades in it. We will reward those who find the cure. But be careful. Many scammers may appear, hoping to take advantage.


This was the fourth potion Jahid and his assistant had made attempting to cure Alessar of his latest malady.

Just six weeks ago, Alessar was the picture of health, able to use his magic to protect the swamps of his territory. One day, he came home to find he could not use his regular illusory magic. This was frustrating in itself, as he protected himself with the disguise. But as a week or two went by, his magic still did not return. If anything, he began to deteriorate. He could not climb up the steps to his room alone; he couldnt perform the labor required to keep his swamp in good shape.

Jahid bowed his head. Yes, Master. I will send word. Discreetly.

Few knew the Marsh Masters secret. Despite the wide range of wizards in the world, for some reason, people took unkindly to a frog being more powerful than them. It was a necessity to appear human in public. Over time, everyone who knew his secret had passed away, leaving him safe.

Alessar allowed himself to give up the illusion of strength once Jahid left the room. He was hesitant to tell the apprentice the potions were doing more bad than good. Taking one left him so exhausted he could barely think.

His eyes closed as he thought over his situation. He could feel his strength waning. It would not be long before the Marsh Master died.

----
## Story Arc Index:
Part 1: @wizard4856

Part 2: @wizard399

Part 3: @wizard8004

Part 4: @pony308

Part 5: @wizard8441

Part 6: @pony312


Zubin

On his thousandth birthday, the first star was born.


Azriel Dismantler of Death

Azriel comes from a mysterious mercenary organization, the organization only serves to kill, and Azriel is the best in the organization


Hilda Bruiser of all that is Evil

# Lore of Hilda Bruiser of all that is Evil

_Fight we must to exterminate all evil_

Hilda was raised in a small town, where snakes are protectors against all evil. In this region there was a temple, which was the epicenter where most snakes lived. The rumor in the town was that the temple had some powerful weapons and shields.

As Hilda grew, she had fun pushing herself by getting as close to the temple as possible. As years passed, she was able to get closer to the temple. As years passed, her movements became close to the snake. She developed a snake style as the time passed.

The same year she became an adult, she decided that that day would be the day that she would get to the center of the temple. It was a difficult time, but she managed to overcome all the obstacles in it. She obtained a Wooden Hammer and a Snake Shield.

Hilda returned to the town, where she was celebrated as a hero. She stated that she will use the relics of the town to exterminate all evil in the world. So, her adventure begins...


Ice Mage Flynn of the Ice

# Whisper of Mana

    Bling, dang,
Sturm and Drang.
The sound of null,
If not, When... Foul!
.
Never bean, always Tea,
Bring me West to The Salt Sea.
Didn't have to but chose to Be,
!magic grew, till knotted a Tree.
.
Share, try, laugh and dry,
keep the moment, don't ask for a "Why"?
Nevertheless, the youngll age, then oldll die,
Life is Yours, so come on, eat that fucking Pie!
.
.
To you, my Love.
X


# Striped Emotions

Shine, stink, root and fly,
be my Dream, approach me nigh.
Feelings tell, actions speak,
drive your day, you silly stick.
.
Distill it but don't spill it.
.
Among the paths,
Love hears no reasons.
You do the math,
It's Now the season!
.
Lurk it but don't sneak it.
.
Light on, switch, gas!
"Squeeze the emotion, before I pass"!
Dark, Sweet and Lady,
Shall She pass, stay ready and steady!
.
.
To you, my Love.
X


Uysses the Lackluster

Uysses eyes mustve been playing tricks on him. Two men were approaching him, tiptoeing toward the field. The one on the left wore a purple wrap around his head, with only his eyes peeking out. The other had dark skin and an even darker beard, hiding the shape of his jaw.

Uysses continued to chew the length of grass, swallowing hard. He cocked his head to the side, curious.

He heard the man on the right whisper, Thats Uysses. He sees everything.

The other one scoffed. Where? I dont see anyone. He followed Zaros gaze to the gray horse with a white mane. A horse?

Zaros cleared his throat with a sharp noise, warning the other man to watch what he said.

Uysses met the two men at the edge of the clearing to prevent them from trampling on the lush grass. Hey, Zaros, he said with a sigh. What do you need?

Zaros and Uysses had met on more than one occasion. Uysses had two reputations in the woods surrounding the Marsh. To others of his species, he was considered not unique   lackluster. There was nothing special about him  except his heightened ability to see and hear. But compared to the gifts of other horses in the pack, this was nothing.

To further separate himself from his kind, Uysses didnt mind humans, especially wizards. One, they brought exciting conversation. Two, they found him helpful. The irony was not lost on him.

Ignoring Uysses direct question, Zaros introduced Jahid.

Jahid shyly waved a hand. His eyes darted between his friend and the horse.

Uysses stifled a laugh at the mans discomfort.


Uysses stifled a laugh at the mans discomfort.

Zaros and Jahid explained the situation with the Master and the Marsh: how hed been sick for weeks, and nothing had been found to cure him. Uysses listened carefully, munching on a carrot Zaros had brought him as a bribe. When the men were finished speaking, he snapped the carrot in half, swallowing them both.

Uysses continued thinking for a while. Its an interesting story, for sure. An itch started on his shoulder. He tried to rub it with his nose to relieve it, but couldnt reach it.

He made an annoyed noise. Do me a favor. Scratch my shoulder. It itches. Uysses backed his flank toward Jahid, who lightly scratched the shoulder area.

He pulled away. Thanks, man. He paused. Right your Master. Id heard hes been ill. But Im not sure what you want from me?

Zaros scowled. Come on, Uysses. Can you tell us if youve heard anything about the source or a possible cure?

Uysses smiled and let out a neighing laugh. Gotta amuse myself somehow. But, yeah. Ive heard some stuff about a possible cause. He lowered his voice and grew somber. Theres a Lich in the forest. The animals whisper of his presence. Not good, dude. He shivered.

Jahid bit his lip and looked to Zaros. Is he joking? I cant tell.

Zaros met Uysses eyes. Are you telling the truth? This is serious.

I swear. The Master protects the Marsh from many evils. He keeps us safe. I wouldnt lie about this.


Uysses told the truth, but he hoped the two men wouldnt chase after the Lich. Based on what he'd been hearing, he was too powerful for them.

The three parted ways. Uysses went back to chewing on the beautiful grass in the clearing. In the distance, he could hear the slowing of the Masters breathing.

----
## Story Arc Index:
Part 1: @wizard4856

Part 2: @wizard399

Part 3: @wizard8004

Part 4: @pony308

Part 5: @wizard8441

Part 6: @pony312


Electromancer Suc'Naath of the Wood

SucNaath had lived his entire life in the Thorn. It was his territory. He laid claim to all creatures and treasures within. And there were a lot.

He was an independent contractor who frequently sold treasures and animals to the shops in Goblin Town. The shopkeeps relied on a steady supply, and his forest was well-known for carrying such things. Suc-Naath considered it no issue if he sold things belonging to him.

Over the last few months, there had been strange occurrences. Stranger than normal. Hed walk around his lovely forest, supervising the animals as they made homes in the growth. Exploring the ruins from civilizations past. The creatures he relied on were gone without a trace. His antique treasure maps led him to dust and decay. The ruins rotted inward, all valuables taken.

The anger SucNaath felt was unparalleled. How dare someone invade his territory and steal from him?

One particular morning, he lounged along the side of a river. A powerful, petrifying aura washed over him. SucNaath hid behind a tree, sneaking a peek at the mysterious figure whod scared him. As the Lich passed, the areas life was drawn away, leaching into him. The grass under his feet turned brown, creating a clear path of destruction.

The wrecking of his forest was suddenly clear. And SucNaath had no desire to tussle with the terrifying figure before him.

Pushed away from his familiar territory, SucNaath dared to enter the Marsh, though the Master of the Marsh was not a protector he wished to tangle with. He preferred the safety and familiarity of his own space.

But in the wake of the intrusion into his own territory, he was forced to find other means to support himself. And when he found himself in the Marsh with no interruptions, he felt safe to conduct his business.


In the wake of the Masters illness, the defenses around the Marsh had fallen away. This left the animals under his protection vulnerable. While SucNaath didnt wish to get on the wrong side of the Master, he couldnt help but take advantage of the situation.

Hence, why he now waited at the edge of the Marsh. Hed heard of a powerful horse-like creature with black and white stripes. Zag was its name. The horses meat was supposedly a rare ingredient in poisons and potions, which to SucNaath meant it was valuable.

Zag stretched his neck toward the lower branch of a barren tree and stripped the leaves away. He chewed slowly, unaware of the intruder hiding behind a rock sitting in the tall grass. His tail swished back and forth.

Sparks jumped between SucNaaths fingers as he powered himself up. He slung back his hand. A ball of electricity flung through the air towards Zag.

The horse neighed in protest, rearing onto its back legs. The electricity missed, leaving a singe mark on the tree.

Zag fled, using his strength to speed away from the Electromancer.

Wait! SucNaath pleaded, throwing himself down on top of the rock.

To his surprise, Zag actually stopped. The horses intelligent eyes met his, and Zag asked him a question: What do you want?

SucNaath seemed unfazed by the horses unexpected words.

----
## Story Arc Index:
Part 1: @wizard4856

Part 2: @wizard399

Part 3: @wizard8004

Part 4: @pony308

Part 5: @wizard8441

Part 6: @pony312


Archmagus Zubin of the Bastion

# Zubin and Pumlos Adventure Begins...

A brisk wind sliced through the mountains surrounding Dream Master Lake. A murder of crows perched on a hardy mountain tree and croaked at each other as two figures walked by.

Now Pumlo, you understand that we are engaging in a serious academic experiment, correct? The speaker, although sporting a long and distinguished gray beard and professors cap, was dressed for travel in a utility jumpsuit and orange cape. He looked concerned as he glanced at his companion.

That counterpart was a bit distracted. He was wearing a curious contraption that covered his ears, with a cord leading underneath his fashionable blue overcoat. And whatever this device was doing, it caused its user to bob his head to an unseen rhythm as he walked along.

HAAAARRRRUMPH! the caped traveler waved his hand in front of the others face.

@wizard8721 took off his head contraption. Huh, what was that, Zoo Man? My bad.

Its Zubin, Zuh-bin, please! Focus your mind on the task ahead. We must use my Key to the 7th Realm he gestured at the glittering metal artifact hanging around his neck, to open the Gate and document what we observe on the other side.

My tunes are getting me hyped up! Come on Zubin McLovin! I offered you a spare set preloaded with my latest 7th Realm Remixes set!

As I told you back at the Bastion, Pumlo, those SOUNDS do not get me hyped up - they give me a headache! And we must remain cool and precise during this delicate procedure!

Man, youre cool enough for the both of us! Pumlo grinned. With my magitek and your key, well get this done, no cap!


Where do you find these expressions - Id like to keep my cap, thank you very much! Zubin grasped his headwear protectively.  Anyway, I hope I dont have to remind you that youre on probation at the Research Institute? And that your performance here will determine your future there? I agreed to bring you along as my counterpart in this operation because I have some sympathy for your situation - please dont make me regret my choice!

You wont regret anything, I promise! We are gonna find something awesome in the 7th Realm, I just know it! Can you imagine what kinda parties theyre having there? Ahahahaha! Pumlo gave an joyful, impish laugh and he grabbed the sides of his large yellow wizards hat. A golden toad perched on his shoulder croaked appreciatively. See, Midas gets it, dont you boy?

Zubin sighed and rolled his eyes. Just remember to cast your spell after I insert the key, at the PRECISE moment I say Zubins words faded as they moved out of hearing.

The crows cawed and flew away together. As they so often did, mankind was about to meddle in matters beyond their understanding. It was wise to relocate before they did so. The two wizards soon came upon a huge wall of rock - the path ended in front of it. This is the place, said Zubin. My studies of the ancient texts indicate that the gate will materialize here at Block 14572777. This timekeeping method is no longer used, but if my calculations are accurate, this should align with our time in about 30 seconds.

30 seconds? Try RIGHT NOW, look! Pumlo said, pointing at the wall.


30 seconds? Try RIGHT NOW, look! Pumlo said, pointing at the wall.

A large gate materialized in the wall, sporting bright yellow and purple ornamentation. The gate towered over the wizards, extending 100 feet above them. Surrounding the gate were a series of locks.

Zubin immediately approached one of the locks close to the ground. Ok, I'll insert my key, and make the proper incantations he mumbled some syllables in a forgotten language.

NOW Pumlo, cast your spell to complete the unlocking procedure! Zubin said. Nothing happened. Pumlo? PUMLO? he looked back frantically. Time is of the essence!

Pumlo was still staring at the gate in amazement. YOOOOOOOOO! This gate is fire! Ive just GOT to recreate this for my next rave! He pulled out a strange device from a pocket in his coat. "Ive got to capture this or the set designers just wont understand what it looks like, its out of this world! He clicked a button on the device, which flashed once from a small window on the front.

Zubin was beside himself. Pumlo, focus! Were running out of time; look, the locks are disappearing! Indeed, the various locks surrounding the gate were starting to fade away - it appeared that other wizards were also working to unlock the gate, although none were visible.

Alright alright, lets get this started, Pumlo said. I cast Fairy Glamour - the Dazzle Spell! As he gestured, glimmering particles materialized in the air and drifted down toward the lock.

Its so slow! Couldnt you have picked something faster?!

Chill bro, its not always about being fast, style counts too! Pumlo grinned.


Just as the Fairy Glamour particles reached the lock, it too faded away. The particles dropped through the space the lock had occupied and eventually settled on the ground.
Zubins face started to turn red, but before he could say another word, the Gate started rumbling. Without a word, both wizards agreed that moving away from the Gate was wise.

Peering from behind a rock outcropping well away from the Gate, Zubin and Pumlo observed as it opened with a rumble. And behind the Gate, a Beast waited.

Hold still, I gotchu bro Pumlo whispered. He cast Fairy Glamour over both of them.

The Beast, who resembled a gigantic lion combined with a goat and a snake, slowly emerged from the Gate, looking from side to side. Seeing nothing but cliffs and boulders, the Chimera spread its wings and suddenly took off, quickly gaining altitude, and headed south.

As the glamour spell faded, a pair of boulders revealed themselves as Zubin and Pumlo. They both sighed in relief.

Well! We have certainly seen some shizz today, wouldnt you say my dear Zubin! Pumlo remarked.

The fact that you didnt butcher my name means youre just as shocked as I am! Zubin said. We must get back to the Bastion at once! There are communications to be sent, reports to be written, follow-up excursions to this Gate to plan

Wow, you seem pretty happy with how things turned out. Look, Im sorry about messing up the whole lock procedure, Pumlo began as he followed Zubin back down the trail.

I am ecstatic! Zubin said. Forget about the locks, the fact that Ive observed this emergence of a new power into the Runiversemy funding will be secure, indefinitely! Zubin whooped.


Now thats what I like to hear! Pumlo said, as Midas the Toad croaked appreciatively. The two wizards took turns giving their best whoops as they headed back home.

Lore written by Kel 1/1


Cane Vengeance of the West

# Cane Vengeance of the West

It was cold when the red sun rose over the City Morgue that winter morning. The first rays of blood red sunlight clashed against the fluorescent letters of the neon sign above the door, left on from the night before. The decrepit sign glowed hauntingly in the dawn like a giant mosquito zapper with a few letters buzzing on and off at random. The sign read: "CITY MORGUE," followed below with the slogan: "You kill 'em, We chill 'em."

As Cane Vengeance emerged from the Morgue that morning he thought about the sign and the irony of what he'd just done. The morgue has exactly seven more cadavers than it did when he crept in last night and locked the door behind him.

"Now that was a Quest I'd have done for free," he thought to himself as he made his way back the way he came the night before. "But it's Winter. And Coin is King in Winter." And so it was. And with that he was off to collect.


Benedict Wounder of the Dread Tower

# Benedict Wounder of the Dread Tower

Bred in the arena, never waivered, never lost. Benedict seeks to become more than a champion, more than a fighter.

His story starts in Kpiti, the coastal town of mereen... born to slavers and raised in poverty


Colt Slicer of the Sacred Pillars

Once there was a cunning, bold young man who dreamed of being a great warrior. He lived off the land together with his father. He had several chickens, and his favorite was a rooster named Weewee.

One fateful day, bandits attacked their homestead. The young man grabbed all he could find at hand to defend himself: A small buckler, and a hunting knife. His hours of training paid off, and he carved through the bandits in a gory display.

Villagers who witnessed it came to call the man Slicer. However, victory did not come without a cost. Burns to the top of his head left him forever unable to grow hair, and he was unable to save his beloved cock; it was dead.

Slicer would simply have to learn to live with no hair and a dead cock. He vowed to take vengeance on the bandit clan, and is hunting down their ilk to this day.


Rachel Render of Snakes

# New Lore Entry

On the front for the Thousand Years War, Warrior 3119 could finally rest her head on "her" pile of moss she calls home for the night. Unfortunately, she has never known rest.  Always alert and attentive, Warrior 3119 is always ready for the Calling.  Throughout the passing of time, her sword and shield have melded to her flesh.


Qwint Champion of Monsters

# Qwint is the Champion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ym_jVTcBxSU

Hes paid his dues

Time after time

Cant speak a sentence

But a croak will do fine

And bad mistakes

Hes made a few

Hes had his share of land,

Missing his lake,

But hes come through

And he means to stab on and on and on and on

Qwint is the Champion, my friends

And he'll keep on fighting till the end

Qwint is the Champion

Qwint is the Champion

No time for losers

'Cause Qwint is the Champion of Monsters

Hes got brown eyebrows

With slime-filled eyeballs

We brought him flies and crickets

And everything a toad befits

He thanks us all

But it's been no pad of lilies

No tasty ooze

He considers it a challenge before

Each other race

And he ain't gonna lose

And he means to stab on and on and on and on

Qwint is the Champion, my friends

And he'll keep on fighting till the end

Qwint is the Champion

Qwint is the Champion

No time for losers

'Cause Qwint is the Champion of Monsters

Qwint is the Champion, my friends

And he'll keep on fighting till the end

Qwint is the Champion

Qwint is the Champion

No time for losers

'Cause Qwint is the Champion


Riggs Paragon of all that is Evil

# New Lore Entry

As stocky as his weapon of choice, Riggs Paragon of all that is Evil did not happen upon his name.  He serves those of the Rune of Steel and prefers to cut the chit-chat and let his Poleaxe do all the talking striking them down before they can even exchange pleasantries.  Evillllll.


Jordan Vengeance of the Wood

# New Lore Entry

Jordan Vengeance of the Wood and Sandy, his sand cobra have the fiercest short distance strike.  Before the twanggg of his bow, Sandy has already temporarily disabled their opponent. Then Jordan's "J" shot delivers the final blow before Sandy returns to his side.  Deadly!


Vommbar Deadeye of the Rune Raiders

# In Medias Res

@warrior335 glimpsed his companions @warrior2558, @warrior11840 and @warrior11839.  The silence was intolerable. A second lasted and eternity - until...


Maximus of the Wood

# New Lore Entry

Maximus of the Wood had almost abandoned all hopes of become the fine warrior that he is for his culinary pursuit. Accompanied by his crimson jaguar, Chasca, Maximus has just about perfected the shio ramen. Indeed, he keeps the almost-secret recipe very traditional for the exception that he uses his enemies for the broth. Because of his consumption, he is also one of the "saltiest" warriors of the Crimson.


Tori Crumbler of the Villa

# New Lore Entry

If you even dare to mistaken her appearance for an innuendo, Tori Crumbler of the Villa will decimate you with her Bone Club! Precisely, her shield stamps your final resting place.  Warriors know not to 'hit on her' and instead watch the 'hit on her.'


Thrug Flagellator of the Citadel

# New Lore Entry

Thrug Flagellator of the Citadel only awakens by the rays of sun against his shield. The energy roars him to life which can be heard by the scraping of his ball bat against the fortress's floors. If you are foolish enough to endure the sound of his coming, you will be graced by his massive presence that are almost as tall as the citadel's walls.


Tetraites Menace of the Coliseum

# New Lore Entry

All his life, there was nothing that set Tetraites Menace of the Coliseum apart from the Warriors.  He serves the Rune of Steel under Wolfram of the Riviera.


Urmgurn Sword of the Road

# New Lore Entry

No finer Warrior existed than Urmgurn Sword of the Road. He chooses to garb himself in blue.  From his blue helm and buckler to his Cerulean Ceratopsian, Blue, Urmgurn prefers this colour to the stain that his enemies leave on his clothes. His dwarven demeanor is almost masked by his big blue broadsword. You don't want to be caught on the opposite side of the Road of Urmgurn.


Tora Shatterer of the Road

# The Lore of Tora Shatterer of the Road

The story of Tora is quite a mystery. With no family, all she has ever known is the road and her trusted goat

companion, Ramsey.  As Tora never truly stays in one place for too long, many have rumors about the
massive bone

club she carries. The tale goes along these lines...

When Tora was just a young girl, her family was murdered by wild beasts deep in the forest. As she ran and escaped

the painful fate the rest of her family endured, now she was all alone without any direction of what to do next. Early

mornings turned into late nights, days turned into weeks as she walked down that wild dirt path. One day when Tora

felt like giving up and letting the wilderness overcome her, she discovered something rustling in a nearby bush.

Scared and unsure of what beast could be lurking within this brush, her curiosity and bravery took over and she

approached the noise. Peeking around the leaves, Tora spots that it is a young black goat with its horns wrapped in

the branches. She was surprised but relieved to discover such an innocent creature was behind all the commotion. But

when Tora stepped up to try and free this goat, it let out a shrill yell and kicked her right onto the dirt. Embarrassed

and a little hurt, Tora picked herself up and took a long look at this goat. In that moment, she saw that this goat was

scared and alone and only reminded her of her own life. Determined to free this guy, she approached him again but

slowly put her hand on his back. He bucked back at first but felt the warm, loving hand of Tora and felt security and


peace which slowly calmed him down. Easily removing his horns from the branches, Tora seemed to have found a new

life friend. As she sat and was unsure what to name her new friend, a HUGE ceratopsian dinosaur rushed out of the

trees and went straight for them. The black goat immediately shot up and faced the dinosaur head on, protecting Tora

at all costs. The dinosaur leaped out to strike, but the black goat tripped up its feet and it fell straight onto its

side. By this time, Tora has managed to climb a nearby tree and jump down on the fallen dinosaur with a large wooden

branch broken off from her earlier rescue mission of the black goat. With all her might, she pierced the dinosaurs

side, shattering the ground around it and slayed the aggressive beast. As the adrenaline wore off, she sat there with

her goat and said, "I know the
perfect name for you! I will call you
Ramsey!". For the rest of that night, Tora and

Ramsey rested together and celebrated the victory they had just accomplished. The morning sun rose and just like that

Tora was ready to start traveling the road once more, but not before taking the large femur bone off the ceratopsian

dinosaur.

Many years have passed since that eventful acquaintance of two best friends occurred, but the bond between Tora

and Ramsey will never break.


Arnie Explorer of the South

Arnie was trained to sword fight from a very young age. His fellow warriors eventually refused to train with him as he had become so skilled. He eventually decided to head south to fight the mighty beasts that resided there. On his journey, he began hearing strange whispers calling to him from afar. He began to dream about a blade like no other, and continued south in hope of finding it. As he made it to the southernmost point of the isle, the exact blade from his dream was struck into a stone sitting upon a cliff overlooking the ocean. He approached the blade and in one mighty pull he ripped it from the stone and raised it to the sky. He then wandered the south fighting any beasts in his way while becoming as fierce a warrior the isle has ever known.


Luisa Fiend of Destiny

# Luisa Fiend of Destiny

### Luisa and her kitten boingo love spending time in the greenroom tavern. One night after a nice warm meal and a few hits from the wizards pipe it was time for them to head back home for the evening. Luisa and boingo left the greenroom tavern and had walked almost all the way home when Luisa realised she had forgotten her rune! They quickly rushed back to the tavern but it was too late her rune was gone! Will they ever find Luisa's rune?! What happened to it?! She must know! Fiending for their destiny & all of the adventures that await them on their journey throughout the Runiverse.


Garn Eidolon of the Wild

# Garn Eidolon of the Wild

Garn grew up in the Thorn forests and was raised by Dendroids. He is very bound to earth and always seeks to maintain balance in nature.


Bernadette Render of the Wood

Bernadette hated the woods. The damp darkness reminded her of her grandparents basement. She would descend into the darkness, armed with a candle, to fetch pickled radishes or fermented plums or dried dragon hide. It felt both exciting and safe back then, but now the memory made her shudder.

The rustling of leaves opposite to the campfire announced the arrival of her companion. Were close now, the prisms are almost aligned the wizard muttered to himself as he emerged from the bushes. He slipped a small object into his pouch as he sat down at the fire. She could feel him relax by the warms of the fire. Rest now, little warrior, you will need your strength tomorrow. he said, absently smiling in her direction.

Bernadette hated wizards. Their vagueness, their know-it-all attitude, and most of all their money. It seemed they could just conjure it, while Bernadette was forced to sit at this scrummy camp fire in these damned woods to make just enough to pay rent.

An unfamiliar sound from a brush behind them reminded Bernadette that the woods were no place to relax, every. She bend down to grab her double blade and felt something sharp pass over her, splitting hairs and ruining her cherished headband. In one smooth motion she shot up, steadying her body, and passed the blade in a wide arch through the brush that had emitted the sound. She felt the blade split leaves and branches and flesh and bone. The motion ended on one knee, like she was proposing, as the blade slammed into the ground. She stopped there, waiting for a sign from their assailants. There was silence. She looked up and saw the split bushes, and in them two bloody halves of what must have been a small man.

Tbc


Cadmus Crook of the Range

# Cadmus Crook of the Range

_***1.2.3.4.5.69***_

***Cadmus would say in his mind before each kill***


Hoshiko Shadow of Imps

#Hoshiko Shadow of Imps

Hoshiko comes from the far east where she grew up practicing in the bamboo forest with her grandfather. Before her grandfather died, he told her about their family's origins .... and gave her grandmother's Eternal Love Shield... That Macaw was a good assistant of grandpa during his life, and now it will continue to stay by Hoshiko's side to replace grandpa's wisdom. And help her to guard the bamboo forest together.


Athina Ruin of the Delta

# Athina, Ruin of the Delta

Goblin Town was better off without her...

Athina lived in a small makeshift hut near Goblin Town.  Her baboon, Junkie, got his name from some of the locals that often saw Junkie collecting whatever he could find out in the Runiverse.

"Keep your damn baboon out of our trash!", Mr. Figgles would shout at Athina.

Athina's hut sat no more than 50 feet from Goblin Bridge, and was overrun with scrap metal, piles of old wood planks, and rusty weapons that couldn't cut a banana.  She and her baboon were definitely hoarders.  Most of the things they collected weren't worth half a piece of gold.  The piles, over the years, were spilling into the river and starting to block the inlet to Kelpie's Bay.  Waters were beginning to rise around Goblin Town.

As you can imagine, and based on Athina's name, her hoarding began to flood homes on the outskirts of Goblin Town...even her own.  Once the locals realized that Athina was the cause of all this, they chased her and Junkie out of town.  This was a very close call for Athina and Junkie as some of the locals that lost their homes to the flooding were out for blood.

Banished from Goblin Town, they now reside in an unknown location near Dream Master Lake.  Athina and Junkie live rather peaceful lives.  They roam around at night, hunting for whatever junk they can find in the local towns and villages.  Athina believes she will come across that one hidden gem, eventually.  The one 'big score' that her and Junkie dream of finding one day.

Will this addiction be the ruin of them both?  Or, will it make them rich?  What might they find...?


Jax Chaos Agent of the Moon

# "IMAGINE IF I HAD A REAL WEAPON"

Jax grew up near the borders of the Gate of the Seventh Realm. The moment his hands were able to hold a staff, his father, @wizard4137 gave him the **Bo staff** a powerful weapon used by Wizards once. Soon enough he realised that he wasn't capable of casting spells and when other Wizards felt he didn't belong with them they cursed him by turning @wizard4137. his only family left into a **dirt pig**.

Having witnessed this cruel act Jax has wandered the Runiverse for eons searching for Warriors as he committed to mastering the study of the arms.

*His story is to be continued*...


Boris of the Jungle

# Boris of the Jungle

BORIS BORIS BORIS... a hungry warrior, some would say. You may notice his lack of companion. But look closer... what is in his hand? Boris once had a companion, a ham named Norris. However... after much struggle and argument one day in the forest, Boris decided to eat Norris. Rumor has spread of Boris's ex-Norris, and no other companion will come near. Beware leaving yours unattended near Boris.


Aspra Chopper of the Lost City

# Aspra Chopper of the Lost City

"Chopper? I hardly know her" - once said a wise man.

That man now rests peacefully in the belly of Prasa, Aspra's fiercely loyal and spotted companion. You see, when the chopper comes chopping, she chops. There is no question of whether to chop, or not to chop. The powers of the rogue falchion overtakes her. Prasa's favorite meal, is flesh with a squirt of lime juice. Thankfully, Aspra's rune of lime can quench the jaguar's everlasting thirst. Had Aspra not shown Prasa the rune, she would have eaten her. However, as a jaguar, limes are hard to come by. Without the rune of lime, there would be no Aspra.


Adbeel Vanquisher of Blood

# Adbeel _Vanquisher of Blood_

Adbeel lurks in the shadows of Red Wizard Capital. Summoned by the blood moon, he is the assassin of the Dark Forces of Red Wizard Capital. Adbeel moves through the shadows of the city, cloaked in evil.

The first time you see him is also the last. His enchanted chakram swallows your soul whole. Your mortal blood drained by the offspring of Baphomet.

Beware Adbeel and those who may summon him.


Alchemist Zane of the Plains

# The Lore of Alchemist Zane of the Plains

Not much is known about the wizard Zane, other than that he is a master alchemist and spends his time foraging for ingredients for his
potions and elixirs.

 The odd hunter that has encountered him in the remotest of regions speaks of a towering man that, despite his age, has extraordinary strength and fitness. Whether this is due to his nomadic lifestyle or the concoctions he creates is unclear.

Those who've come across him say he is eccentric and generous as he seemingly has a salve for any affliction.

The mighty warrior: @warrior12253, accounts that his Eagle spotted him out on the plains, and that Zane demonstrated a new potion he had created which could replicate other potions! "one part source potion to four parts Aqua vitae and a drop of magic!" he excitedly exclaimed, as he handed it to Hendrix.


Sondra of the Wood

# Sondra of the Wood

Sondra was born in the ancient forest of Margreve. She was part of a small community of humans, living deep within the forest.

Sondras father was one of the communitys foragers, focusing mainly on foraging berries and fruit to feed the other members of the settlement. Her mother was the village healer, knowledgeable of all the various herbs that existed in the vicinity and of all they could do.

The Margreve was a dangerous forest. The village was deep inside it, in a place where strange fey creatures wandered and clans of goblins sought to mine the earth and raid villages.

And yet, Sondras village knew only peace. There was a very good explanation for this  the presence of the Spirit.

Nobody quite knew what the Spirit was. All the people of Sondras village knew was that it was the settlements protector, an unseen defender that kept all danger at bay.

There was no doubt that the Spirit was real either. The village elders had rituals they could use to speak to it, and sometimes it spoke to individual people as well, to warn them of danger.

As such, Sondra grew up in a peaceful forest settlement, where she was free to run around and play with the other kids.

There were, however some limits. In particular, she wasnt allowed to go beyond the borders the Spirit had set for the village. As such, she was confined to a circle with a radius of a couple miles and the center in her village.

Like most children, Sondra didnt like being confined like that. However, where most children would only pout and complain, Sondra decided to do something about it.


From a very young age, Sondra had shown extreme aptitude in being stealthy. First, she used this skill to steal food under her parents nose, or to sneak out of the house after her bedtime to go play. At age ten, she started using that skill to disappear into the forest, unseen, and go beyond the limits the Spirit had set.

What was more, Sondra was a capable druid as well, having learnt from the village elders. This magic also assisted in keeping her safe and stealthy in her excursions.

Initially, Sondra was too scared to go too far beyond the border.
Eventually, however, as she grew older and braver, she planned entire expeditions.

Sondra saw many wonders of the forest this way  and many horrors too.
She saw a flower that towered taller than her house, covered in all the colors of the rainbow. Once, she heard singing and laughter, but when she investigated she found nothing  the work of the fey, certainly.

There were also close calls. Once, she nearly fell into a group of goblins going through the forest. Only through quick thinking was she able to climb a tree and hide.

At some point, when Sondra was thirteen, as she was exploring she found that the forest was ending. In reality, this wasnt quite true  as she would find out only moments later. In truth, she had stumbled into the road going through the forest.

And on that road, which led to a nearby city, there was civilization. There was a small fort  one of the many used to keep the road safe  and there were people there. Humans, mostly, but other races too.


To Sondra, this was the first time seeing anything of civilization beyond her village. She had heard about countries and cities from the elders, but the sight was new. She was captivated by the sight of this many different people, of different languages she didnt understand being spoken.

She knew better than to reveal herself to them, however. And so, Sondra watched, and stayed until night began to fall, only then returning home. The next day, she did the same thing, and the day after.

By that point, Sondras parents had grown suspicious. One night, after she had returned, they confronted her, and she confessed.

Sondras parents were more scared than anything else, although they were certainly angry as well. But Sondra was defiant. How did they expect her to live like this, trapped in a bubble for all her life? There was the whole world out there, and Sondra wanted to see it  to be something more than just another villager, living in the middle of nowhere, interacting with basically nobody.

And so, the next day, Sondra snuck out again. She made her way to the fort. As she did so, she heard a voice in her head.

It was the Spirit, and it was angry. It ordered her to return to her village, and to never venture outside of its borders again. Sondra refused, and then the Spirit threatened her. If she left, it said, she would never find her way home again.

Sondra thought this to be a bluff, and so she ignored the Spirit  which didnt talk to her again. On her way to the fort however, Sondra was attacked by two giant spiders. Even though she was being careful, they somehow had discovered her.


Sondra barely managed to escape with her life. Injured and bleeding, she stumbled out onto the road some way away from the fort. There, she lost consciousness.

When she awoke, she was in the care of the guards at the fort. They helped nurse her back to health, and, although they didnt quite understand her, agreed to help her back to her village.

But the village wasnt there. There was nothing where it had stood, only forest. The Spirits words had been true  her home was lost to her.

Sondra was left with nothing to do but go to the nearest city. There, she learnt the language and honed her magical skills, taking up various missions to make the money she needed to survive.

She enjoyed seeing new people, and learning all about the world beyond her home. But she also missed her village terribly. Even as the years passed, the pain didnt go away.

Even today, Sondra remains committed to return to her home. And of course, to expose the Spirit for what it truly is  a jailer, keeping her people contained.


Paranormal Phantasm Milton

# Paranormal Phantasm Milton
Once, there lived a man named Milton.

Milton was born deep underground, to a tribe of isolationist humans. This group of humans had been led underground long ago by a group of monsters, who had taken them as slaves.

Most had perished during the first decade of their captivity. A strong core, however, survived and, eventually, adapted to living underground, in the darkness. Eventually, a group of different monsters attacked their masters, and the humans took the chance to rebel. In the end, they were successful, killing their former masters and earning their freedom.

However, by that point, many years had passed  indeed, almost none of the original captives were alive. Only their descendants were left. Those descendants had never seen the light of day, and they had no ties that bound them to the surface. Instead, they had grown up underground, and were quite used to the ecosystem there. And so, they decided to remain where they were, founding a small town of their own in a cave system.

This was where Milton was born. Like the rest of his community, he was supposed to live the rest of his life underground.

However, fate would be different for Milton. Although most of the original captives were dead, one remained by the time he was born  an old man, who had been just a child when he had been taken prisoner. It was this old man that often spent time with Milton, telling him stories of the surface  of the sun, of the trees, the animals, the small village he had once lived in.

Miltons childish mind was able to create vivid images of this surface world, and he wanted nothing more than to visit it one day. But the moment he said as much to his parents, they immediately rejected such thoughts. Their home was in the underground, they said. Nowhere else.


Although Milton made a show of being convinced by them, his true opinions hadnt changed. Throughout his childhood, he made plans for reaching the surface.

Finally, when he was about twenty years old, Milton was ready. He left behind a message to his parents, so they would find it after he was gone. Then, he left.

Milton didnt actually know the way to the surface. But he had a trick up his sleeve.

The humans of his settlement had forgotten most knowledge they had once had of the above world, but they retained one thing: Alchemy. Indeed, they had even improved on that skill, using the materials found underground. Milton had taken care to learn many potion recipe, and he used those to find a way to the surface.

One potion helped him feel sensations on his skin  like air, which led him to climb higher. Another gave him darkvision, helping him see even better than he already could under the ground.

After days of traveling, Milton finally felt the sun on his face for the first time in his life. It was a joyous occasion, something truly amazing. It was also blinding  he had to wait for more than an hour to finally be able to move and see things.

In the years that followed, Milton used his alchemical knowledge to open up a store. He made friends with many mages and adventurers, and his life was good. But his mind always returned to his village  was there perhaps a way to convince his parents and everyone else to return to the surface too?


When Milton neared forty years old, he was told by some adventurers of a nearby ruin, one related to the monsters that had taken his ancestors as slaves. Curious, and thinking that perhaps he would find something connected to getting his people out of the underground, Milton decided to investigate.
Using his potions, Milton made short work of the small threats in the ruins. Then, he began to search. Deep inside the ruins, he saw light.

There, in the middle of a platform, there was a flame. Something about it was strangely familiar to Milton  nostalgic, even. Primordial, perhaps. Without even thinking, he approached the flame. He wanted to touch it, to feel its warmth.

And touch it he did. The moment this happened, Milton changed  he was transmuted, changed by this sacred flame, but not in a way he immediately appreciated.

Milton became a spirit, a phantasm  able to see the world of the living, but not interact with it. What was more, it seemed as if those that knew him started to forget him almost immediately.

For years after this, Milton simply did nothing  so lost in sadness was he. Eventually, however, he made a discovery  he couldnt influence the world of the living too much, but some people seemed able to hear him. Not fully, but enough.

And so, Milton knew what he had to do. He returned all the way back to his home, to the underground village where it had all began. There, he found a handful of folks who could hear him. Ready as ever, he went to work. He would guide his people to the surface.


Archmagus Jeldor of the Hills

# Archmagus Jeldor of the Hills
Jeldor, the man who would one day become an archmagus, was born in quite mundane circumstances. He was born in a tiny village, so insignificant that it didnt even have a name  it was simply the village to the few souls that lived there.

Jeldors parents were simple farmers, just like almost everyone was in the village. They mostly farmed just enough to live off of  the village was nowhere near a major trade route, and so most of the inhabitants were subsistence farmers. However, once a year, the village got together, pooled all their remaining unneeded crops and sent representatives to sell them in the nearest city, in order to purchase needed supplies and tools.

Jeldor was his parents firstborn, although he would eventually have two siblings. From the moment he was able to walk, he was needed in his parents farm, to help with anything he could  working the farm was a difficult job, and his parents needed all the extra help.

At first, when Jeldor worked on the farm, things seemed to be happening right as they should. Everything was normal, so to speak. However, even back then, if someone was perceptive, they might have spotted some weird oddities.

For example, when Jeldor was five, he was given a small sack of seeds and told to plant them. His parents took similar sacks and did the same, so that the entirety of the farm would be seeded in a day.

The seeds that Jeldor planted grew faster. Not by absurd amounts  his parents would have noticed then  but by enough where they were harvested some days earlier. This and other such similar occurrences were common as Jeldor worked on the farm.


When Jeldor was ten years old, his parents were chosen to be among the representatives sent to sell the excess wheat and other crops to the nearby city. Since they couldnt leave Jeldor or his other two siblings alone, the entire family prepared to visit the city.

It was, at first, an overwhelming experience for Jeldor. The village center  if it could even be called that  had a couple two-story buildings and an inn. The citys outskirts were bigger and busier than that, not to mention the city itself.

Jeldor eventually found himself in a city plaza, sitting by his familys crops  he didnt really have anything to do, and so he simply people watched to pass the time, fascinated by the different clothing and styles everyone sported.

As he watched, he saw a man approach a group of cityfolk. As they were talking, the man picked the pockets of one of them and started to run away. He was noticed, and shouts of thief went up. But the plaza was full of people, and the thief seemed experienced in running away. It looked like he was going to escape.

Jaldor had learned that stealing was bad. But he thought he couldnt do anything to stop the thief right now. Even so, he stretched out his hand  despite being quite far away  in an attempt to halt him.

Somehow, the thief tripped and fell right at that moment. Soon after that, he was apprehended.

It was then that a man clad in beautiful black robes approached Jeldors parents. The man was an archmagus in the citys academy. He was called Istion, and he had noticed Jeldors outstretched hand  and he had seen the strands of magic coming out of it, even if Jeldor himself had not.


Istion explained to Jeldors parents that he thought their son was magically gifted. His parents at first refused to believe it, but after some probing they admitted that strange things seemed to happen when he was near.

After much convincing, Jeldors parents agreed to stay in the city for some weeks, so that Istion could make sure Jeldor had magical abilities  Istion would pay for their stay, of course.

In the next few weeks, Jeldor showed beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was a wizard. He was ecstatic about this, of course  he had only heard of wizards in stories, and now he could become one himself.

To do that, Jeldor had to remain in the city, while his parents and siblings returned home. For the next eight years, Jeldor spent most of his time in the academy, and the rest visiting his family.

Finally, he graduated with honors, and there came the time for him to figure out the next step in his magical career. More than anything, Jeldor wanted to see more of the world  he had gotten an appetite for it since seeing the city for the first time. He didnt want to end up staying in the academy forever, teaching.

And so, Jeldor traveled. He saw the wonders of the world, met people from everywhere. Most importantly, he delved into dungeons, seeking to find lost knowledge  in this way, he brought to light more than a dozen spells that were thought to be lost.

During those travels, Jeldor also found a friend  a monkey called Scraps. He found Scraps surrounded by angry beasts, and when he saved him, the monkey decided to join him for his travels.


Thanks to his discoveries, Jeldor was named an archmagus and asked to return to the academy, to teach the next generations. By that time, Jeldor was getting up there in age  although thanks to magic, he had a long while to live yet. Even so, relaxing started to seem good to him.

 And so, Jeldor today splits his time. He spends some days in the academy, teaching. However, when he gets word of new discoveries or interesting locales, he is quick to take a sabbatical, eager to explore some more.


Battle Mage Cassius of the Steppe

# Battle Mage Cassius of the Steppe

The Steppe is a dangerous place. Trade cities dot the rivers between the open plains, making a living off the merchants passing through the lands. Between the cities, hordes of nomads on their horses and camels ride, hunting, feasting, fighting against each other and the cities.

Cassius was born into one such nomadic clan  the Golden Eagles, they were called. His clans history was a glorious one. Once, long ago, they had held sway over large parts of the steppe, ruling as emperors, building many cities which still stood today and constructing monuments whose ruins could still be seen across the vast grasslands.

And yet, the current fortunes of the Golden Eagles were much diminished. Centuries ago, their empire had been brought low by foreign invaders. Cassius clan was the only remnant of that golden age, reduced to the same level as the dozens of other nomadic clans found in the steppes.

But Cassius was born with the potential to change all that. When his mother gave birth to him, he came out clutching a blood clot. Everyone in the clan knew what that meant  it was the sign that the child would grow up to be a battle mage. Battle mages were the most prized warriors in the steppe, people born with the innate ability to cast spells, and able to use that power to lead their clan to victory.

And so, from the moment Cassius was able to comprehend basic concepts, he was put to work mastering his magic. The other battle mages of the clan spent each and every waking moment with him, trying to coax the magic out of him, to turn him into one of them.


It took a while  to the point that the other battle mages were worried that perhaps the omens were wrong  but when Cassius turned five, he finally managed to unleash his magic. It was out of pure accident, of course. As he was playing in the outskirts of that days camp, a wolf came up out of the grass and charged at him. Without thinking, Cassius blasted it back with a wall of force, sending it running.

After this, it was like a dam had burst. Cassius was able to access his magical powers almost at will, and all that was left was actually learning spells  which the other battle mages were happy to teach him.

As Cassius entered his teenage years, everyone could see how powerful he was becoming. By the time he was fifteen, he had surpassed the battle capabilities of all other battle mages among the Golden Eagles, becoming the strongest among them.

As this was happening, the people of the clan began to dream about their glory years again. With Cassius leading the mages, who knew? Perhaps they could bring about their empire once more.

However, the leader of the Golden Eagles thought differently. The chief refused to entertain any thoughts of war. And yet, after some time, the choice was lost to him. The people threatened to rebel if Cassius capabilities were not put to the test.

And so it was that the Golden Eagles marched to war against a nearby rival. In the first of what was to be many battles throughout his life, Cassius excelled, using his powers to beat back the enemy cavalry and win the day for the Golden Eagles.

After this taste of victory, the clan wanted more. Soon, the Golden Eagles spread like wildfire, eager to conquer the clans around them. As for Cassius, he was hailed as a hero and, soon enough, he was offered the position of clan leader.