The Curse of Tovesh'naernon (Lore)

The Curse of Tovesh’naernon by Dalarian Ehtelé

Published 3rd Age

It is said that the leshae Tovesh’naernon, son of Talvi Medramic, was seduced by the Emperor of Dargh, Vaticus la’Vacislard, and was made into a fiend like none other the world had yet seen. He became transcendent, a being of pure carnal greed. In old texts of the Zarushae, the being took a name that has been lost to time and became a foul Arch-fiend. He came into the forest of his father’s wife, Kshayathiya, and attempted to take her as history claims the god Saextor-Sul had before him.

It was when he entered the forest when The Lord of Time Itself came to her defense and forced Oath and Lore upon the creature, knowing full well the story of his life and how it was written. Varhuine spake,

“Tovesh’naernon,

Your name hence forth shall be a blight,

In sooth, I tell you though you fail this day,

Your vitriol will age like wine with might.

Under the Sun of Hate and the Moon of Winter,

A being will burn with your blood,

Malice and rage, the soul will splinter.

Ego becomes his sun and moon.

Under the Sun of the Serpent and the Moon of Hate,

A being will be born with your blood,

Though needed, wanderlust unable to sate.

Under a sun and moon he can never know.

Under the Sun of the Bulwark and the Moon of the Shade,

A being will be born with your blood,

Rot festers within him and his spirit will fade.

A husk dissolving under moon and sun.

Born under an unknown Moon and Sun,

A fourth will carry your taint,

A kingdom for each, bloody rivers flow,

And the chance of redemption is faint.

Lo, these atrocities will be wrought,

O’er and o’er.

Until the four chalices containing your blood are sought,

Once brought before you and lifted high,

Your blood will boil and your aether will die."

The Orbs of Blood

Gemstones cut into perfect spheres and each possesses a pure red core. It was the belief of me and my associates that the center of these stones was the blood of Tovesh’naernon, quartered and used by the God of Time in his implementation of the curse. The stones had been found, lost, and found again throughout the ages, but never assembled into a group until <insert>, 3rd Age.

The Orb of Cindescrae

Cindescrae was the youngest of Tovesh’naernon’s children. His elder kin taunted and beratted him, lending him to feel nothing but scorn and malice towards all. He hid away from his relatives until his blood grew strong and he took on diabolic attributes. With his power, he slaughtered all kin and friend of his siblings. The Orb of Cindescrae was possessed by Aegan Brall and it gave him empowered fighting skill and accuracy, acting much in the same fashion as an ioun stone. With a thought, he could cause the orb to hover over an opponent and it would grant Master Brall a keen sense of accuracy and power against that specific foe. As the curse increased in strength, Master Brall would refuse any magical or divine assistance from anyone, claiming not to need it. Additionally, he became less charismatic and more independent. The Orb was found in a very old tomb underneath the town of Norchester, Parnak.

The Orb of Oloria

First born of Tovesh’naernon, Oloria was crowned princess and heir of House Tovesh’naernon. She despised being forced to something and desired pleasure and liberty. She fled her house and wandered the land. Olorialei Kal’dra’ayst, an elf noble from Varhuine Province, was the member of the company who took to this orb. Her speed was much increased when she had it, but when the orb came in close proximity of the Keeper, it would create a dead zone and, on at least one occasion, disjunctioned magic relics held be her and her allies. Additionally, Olorialei was a bard with some magical talent that appeared to fade as the curse set in. The Orb was found in a dragon’s hoard in the Barrier Peeks north of Parnak Province.

The Orb of Gavelas

Tovesh’naernon’s first born son took the position of heir to the legacy of his father when his sister fled the house. He waged House Wars throughout the Tulamic Age and fought with anyone for any reason or even sometimes no reason at all. During his life, Gavelas accomplished nothing but senseless slaughter on the young elven people. His Orb was taken by a Parnan military man named Leon Caristus. The Orb embedded itself in his chest and consumed the soul of a wounded ally of the soldier. It would empower him, but it would take the souls of those he bested in combat. As the curse grew stronger, Leon’s body became riddled with rot and it was hard to distinguish the man from an undead being.

The Orb of Dvunrae

The second son, third born. Little could be found historically of this progeny of Tovesh’naernon. Some stories concerning him are rumored to be in the libraries of the Crimson Coven, but as their power increases and their secrets remain hidden, it is unlikely much will be learned about this child. His Orb was found and taken by Adolamin Forgedawn, a half-elf priest of Varhuine. Not much was discovered about its effects or the manner of the curse on Priest Manoras.

The Chalices of Oathfest

Four scepters with goblet heads were forged for Varhuine by Talvi Medramic, who let the kin of Tovesh’naernon and sealed his curse in stone. Each chalice desires a specific capstone – one of the Orbs – to be placed inside the goblet. The chalices were kept by four elven houses and were gifted to those who bore the orbs. From House Naila was taken the Chalice of Cindescrae, from House Legebrethian was taken the Chalice of Oloria, from House Khila was taken the Chalice of Gavelas, and from House Ehtelé was taken the Chalice of Dvunrae.

The Keeper of the Oath

A creature known as Jaizax, an apparently human creature, defended the ritual site and the Orbs themselves. This enigmatic wizard was defeated by the cursed party, myself, and our associates.

The Ritual

The four chalices were to be presented to a würd (pronounced weird, it means gate guardian in the elven tongue) of blood in an ancient Tulamic shrine built deep in the mountains of North Leviat Province. The ritual book was taken from Jaizax by force before defeating him at the shrine and completing the ritual, breaking the curse forever.