Masterworks of the Scriveners

Masterworks of the Scriveners is a book discovered within the library of the Guild of the Lilac Vine.

## Description

Amongst the most famous bards in Ahlusian history, the Scriveners wrote, sung and acted their way to fame across the Realms. The Masterworks details a few of their more famous, beloved and popular works.

## Research

### Completed by Bren

*Preface: I, Seven Stars, will not besmirch either the Scriveners or yourself by assuming you know not of the latter, so instead will get right to the point of this compendium. You, like I, desire to know more of their Masterworks, the pinnacles of cultural significance. One might be excused to think of them as mundane, for little of their power truly exists in simple plain text, as is present here, but through performance - stage, artist and instrument aligned - the true splendour can be seen. It is this glory, this act of worship to the Eternal Minstral that first inspired my fledgling steps into bardhood - and while I have taken many more steps since, some small, others vast bounds, I have barely started the journey. I will dally no further - be enlightened to the tales that inspired a few of the most famous of their famous works.*

*One of the most humorous entries known to many is the song "Hurry up and Die", written by Khulur Bede during one of his many adventures across the continent of Ahlus - something he has stated he intends to do "until the day I find myself dancing into eternity with Theamera." The upbeat tune, traditionally played upon the Lute, as per the famed instrument of the Scrivener in question, details an encounter that nearly brought about such a day prematurely, when he encountered a zombified Atral Chimera whilst on the road between Storm's Break and the Gawylthlian capital of Inverden. Lamenting on the creature's uncanny ability to leap back to animation after a mortal blow, each of the verses details another means through which Bede fatally injured the undead monstrosity - before finally finding victory with the fifth and final one.*

*"Tainted Sand" fills a fundamentally different niche, a poem composed by Jarsali following her experiences after being smuggled into the lands of Anorcor by a group of apostles hoping to spread the Ahlusian Pantheon to those living behind the vast walls of sand raised by the power of the Dustlords. Jarsali learned of the lingering fear in a few trapped there, secret worshippers of a being known as the Shadowsword, who had tried to fight for their freedom years prior. The poem details the overwhelming fealty of much of the population to the ideals of the Dustlords and their sole deity, Rak Tulkhesh, ultimately suggesting that the supposed tainted minds that denounce them are not silt and grime as per the propoganda of the Khitros the Hallowed, but instead diamonds of hope in the rough. Jarsali has stated repeated that she hopes the melancholic verses will inspire leaders from across the Realms to march upon Anorcor to free its peoples but despite her frequent oratory performances in the halls of many, the walls still stand to this day, the Dustlords reigning surpreme beyond them.*

*The "Many Scales of Nidaynia" is a recent play, penned by both Dhavud and Kasmo Wildword working in conjunction, spanning three acts of roughly equal length, totalling some four and a half hours. Following a clan of dragonborn from the eponymous region, one of the many Realms that formed with the collapse of the Empire of Raq, it details their struggles in the western jungles of Tourmalini'i, specifically the tensions between competing clans amongst border conflict with Tulis and the natives of Tviatin. Though largely framed as a hero's tale shaped into a drama piece, such conflicts were, and remain as a reality in Nidaynia owing to the sometimes illiberal tensions between varying subspecies of the race. The lands that became Nidaynia have enjoyed - or suffered, depending on the disposition of the individual - an unusually high density of dragons since Aita's Second Gift, with the Ironfangs hosting homes for Red, Bronze and Silver varieties alike, and the forested jungle they overlook filled with their Green-scaled relatives. The shared border with Halholm to the north also possessed arid lands often chosen by Blue and Brass individuals to make lairs. All of this has resulted in a huge variety in lineages and bloodlines in the only civilised Realm in which humans are not typically the most populace race (with the additional exception of the dwarves of Mol Boramm), which has stirred further internal conflict. Those more faithful instead see Aita as their creator, following teachings that they were blown from glass during Aita's Second Gift, whilst others believe themselves literally born of dragons as their varied appearance and surroundings seems to more readily suggest. A few among these maintained their lines to be the purest, placing fealty to the dragons from which they came and shunned those of other clans, often finding conflict either directly or indirectly with them. Of these, three make appearances in the "Many Scales of Nidaynia", Clan Raskris, green of scale and born of Verkrent, Clan Gollo, red of scale and born of Naavugrux and Clan Zraseth, blue of scale and born of Irsecrinth.*