Verin Teval

Verin Teval was the prophesied end of the world, written by a priest of Ghendar. It was written many years before the War of Ascendance. In the dialect of the Elder Tongue used it literally translates to Complete Sphere. Janie Kerias suggested it was a kenning which more poetically meant the end of the world. She was suspicious of the accuracy of the prophecy since auguary was not an accepted form of magic. She wrote a detailed commentary on the short text. The text itself was found in a vault on Piyla in the Southern Isles by Kerias and others on Lord Keel’s expedition South. Keel himself was not present but Jack, J’Kar, Genna, Palo, Henrus Kline, Leucy, and Daxian were. The Codex is one of two known documents written before the start of the War of Ascendance.

## The Codex of Verin Teval

The eyes of Time are mine. I have gazed through them and seen the end of the world. There are so many paths. Each with a different speed and a different intent. It would be pointless to tell of them all. So many that could be but only one that will be. So instead I shall tell of common themes in all the paths. There are those who watch Var’Tareen and all its doings. Of those there is one who loves us and one who hates us. In the end they will be pitted against each other and we will be in the middle. The one who hates us watches. It sees what we do and finds us repulsive. In Verin Teval it will come. It will be slow for this being does not find comfort in change. It’s coming will be heralded by many great signals. When these signals will appear I know not. For this may happen in a century or a millennia or two but mark my words it will happen and we must prepare ourselves for there is no one else to be counted on.

The first signal will be a frozen river. The sands in the South will become frigid and the great river flowing to the sea will freeze. The people of the desert will be at a loss. They will appeal to the gods but the gods will have no answers for they too will be confused by this. They will travel to the river to try and understand. By their powers it will flow again and they will think all is good. But it will not be so.

The second signal will be a plague. The likes of this plague will never have been seen before. Even those who watch history will be at a loss. For the plague will strike all the world, deterred by neither cold nor warmth. The plague will make tired it’s victims. They will slumber in pain and not awake. But their bodies will not decay for neither insects nor vultures will approach. But a cure will be found and the plague vanquished. And the scholars and rulers of the world will think all is good. But it will not be so.

The third signal will be a beast. Not a monster of peoples and animals like the gods have wrought but something worse. Something unfathomable and incomprehensible. It will terrorize villages and people and many will fall beneath it’s wrath. But eventually the beast will be slain by mortals. The heroes of the world will think this sets things right. They will think all is good again but it will not be so.

The fourth signal will be the return of an ancient and fickle foe. A man whose name is cursed and whose followers are feared. But he will not return as an enemy but as a friend. He will offer an explanation to all that has happened. He will not be believed but the gods and the people will begin to think. Why has the river frozen? Why has this plague unlike any other struck? Why has this unthinkable beast appeared?  And they will know him to be right.

The fifth signal will be different from all the rest. It will start with a streak of light in the night sky. Soon after which people will recall stories they do not know. And they will be comforted. For this signal will be the arrival of the great one who loves us. This one will talk to the people of the world and bring them comfort and they offer them one great gift.

The sixth signal will be the last before the war. The true beginning of Verin Teval. It will be the return of a great hero long dead. A hero to unite and a hero to fight. In the war to come they will be important and will lead us down the path.

And then there will be a great war with too many outcomes to say. But this hero will stand with gods and mortals ready to fight on the ground as the two ancient beings fight in the heavens above. The great being who hates us will take on followers of men and women. They will be given its power and they will bring havoc and dismay to the world. The being will call monsters and forces beyond our comprehension. We will stand with our guardian and our hero with only stories and the will to be on our side. Our deliverance will be with our own swords and our own fists. That is why I give you this power now. What comes next is murky. But a new age will be waiting. Either one of nothing or one of everything.

## Cultural Impact

The Kaiser of Mordehall was interested in the codex. Janie Kerias’s discovery of the text led to the Count of Tasserich requesting she be granted the title of Lord Professor. The Kaiser agreed and she gained the title a few months after the discovery.