Shanah attack on Wyldwood Shrine

About 26 years ago, Bez Drock the First Sword of Shanah in Far Haven, assisted by Onwen, led an assault on the Wyldwood shrine/library/temple that was located in the city. Absolutely everybody who was in the Wyldwood temple when it was attacked was killed – eg visiting pilgrims, gardeners, mercenary guards etc. Despite succeeding, Drock believed that he had 'failed'. Afterwards, Drock stood down as First Sword, and Saratak went on his trip to the Cracks of Doom. The emergence of Clearsight coincided roughly with these events.

There has been surprisingly little reaction by other parties to the sacking of the Wyldwood shrine - not even from Wyldwood priests. Drock himself seems to have maintained his good reputation.

The site was reconsecrated to Shanah and named the “Temple of the Book”. Although the reconsecrated site was initially forbidden to Wyldwood worshipers, this prohibition is no longer strictly enforced, and has now been rescinded and the Wyldwood shrine is being reconsecrated.

## Bez Drock's own account

Onwen and his fellow druids started off with good intentions. The druid researchers assembled a large cache of scrolls and with the power of the White Tree tried to pierce the Void to contact the Elves, whom they considered the epitome of Wyldwood ideals. Onwen realised that they were actually cuttings the threads of the spells, and though he tried to blow the whistle, he was rebuffed by his superiors. However, Saratak found out through a vision and ***with the agreement of the Wyldwood authorities,*** had Drock attack the shrine.

As noted, the result was that the GSOV was bound to Onwen. Onwen had to go into hiding to protect the spell (ie himself), Drock was stripped of his First Sword position and became Onwen's bodyguard. They went first to Tobar for family/financial reasons, then to Dalzon and finally to White Beach – where they set up as 'herbalists' of the recreational kind. As Onwen was the center of the GSOV spell, it was intensified around him, and hence help hide them.

## Ronshadow Warskull's account:

“There was a subcult within Wyldwood based out of this temple, that somehow got hold of knowledge they shouldn’t have. The blind fools started using this knowledge, but one of them bottled out and reported the activities to Saratak and Bez Drock – at the time the First Sword of Shanah. Bez Drock led an assault on the complex, but whilst he stopped the cult dead in its tracks so to speak, he was too late for some damage to be done. When he realised he had failed, Bez Drock resigned as First Sword. This temple was established to close down Wyldwood activities on the site until further notice.”

## Swanfeather's account:

“Onwen and his friends had rather fallen in love with the fairytale Elves that the clouded stories told them. Elves that would heal the land and spread wonderment and love of nature wherever they went. Too many people had that view, some people still do. The problem is that Onwen and friends tried to do something about it.”

“Nobody knows the detail, except perhaps for Onwen. Whatever, they cracked the spell of voids and made contact. In so doing they also damaged the weave of the Spell of Forgetting, initially only a minor tug in the weave, but the damage has spread from that day. The first to see was Onwen, who quickly realised what a mistake was being made. The second to see was Saratak, who could only see one way of dealing with it. Saratak has told me no more about this, but I do know that Bez Drock thought he had prevented the Elves coming – but as he realised shortly after razing the shrine – he had failed and at least some Elves had returned.”

## Vinmira's reconstruction of events:

Vinmira: “Onwen, a mid to high level priest of Wyldwood, known to be fascinated with history, approaches Bez Drock.”

Vinmira: “A few days later Saratak summons Bez Drock to a private meeting. Immediately, following that meeting Bez Drock seeks out Onwen.”

Vinmira: “The next day, the church of Shanah assaults the Wyldwood temple. Onwen would appear to have lowered all of the protective wards, but still the assault takes a few days.”

Vinmira: “After the temple had fallen, Bez Drock and Onwen have a private audience with Saratak. Shortly thereafter Bez Drock and Onwen leave the city heading West taking some loot from the Temple apparently. Saratak also heads out, going South, with the goal of ‘Checking something out’.”

Vinmira: “When Saratak returns, he is found to be a lot more volatile shall we say and gains a reputation for madness.”

## Golderods's account:

“Now Shan and I have often discussed what happened at Far Haven, and have never really managed to achieve any insight into the reasons behind the conflict. However Shan did let slip one evening that he understood there to be a Wyldwood Priest, name of Ownen who was at the side of the First Sword and betrayed his fellow Priests. If the name is correct, then by coincidence – or possibly not – one of the head researchers at Far Haven was also known as Ownen.”

1. ↑ Zoom 2020-12-17 21:00
2. ↑ A Conversation with Apana
3. ↑ Day 49-57 – Centaurs
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Day 64 – The Vinmira Monologues
5. ↑  See Golderod's comments and Terfal's
6. ↑  Golderod in Day 35-41 – The fourth week in Northlake and Apana in A Conversation with Apana
7. ↑ Zoom session 18th March – Meeting Bez Drock
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Day 65 - Far Haven - Tripwires
9. ↑ Vinmira acknowledged there is something missing in his description of the events leading to the Shanah attack on Wyldwood Shrine – why Saratak summoned Drock before the attack: ie how did he know something was up? Several explanations are available – Drock told him, an informant told him, Saratak is a Seer so 'saw' it himself, gearing up for an attack can't be kept secret from the city ruler etc.
10. ↑ Day 28-34 – The third week in Northlake