Journal of Siernan

Journal of Siernan

Darkness has descended upon Parthoris again.
I fear that this time there shall be no one to lift the
damp veil that has blanketed my beautiful homeland.
The plague struck quickly, and it was not until too many
were infected that anyone took notice of the creeping death.
Now, city streets are filled with the noxious green plague
vapors that cause insanity and then death to any that
are unfortunate enough to inhale it. Most are warped
and twisted into a blood-crazed rage that drives them
to assault nearly any that they encounter. My people
have fared better than the Sidhe, but even those
noble beings have regressed into mindless barbarism.
Perhaps I will be able to find some means to cure this
terrible nemesis that has befallen my homeland.
If not, I fear all will be lost.

Excerpts from the Chronicles of Parthoris,
compiled by Tholia, Ssithra Historian

The Coming of D’sparil.
Ages ago, when Parthoris existed in relative peace, five races walked the land. The Seraphs had withdrawn beyond the Worlds End Mountains. Each race built great cities, temples, and centers of wisdom from the knowledge that the great Seraphs left in the wake of their passing. But the Seraphs left behind more than their wisdom when they removed themselves from the affairs of Parthoris. Their passing left the young races vulnerable to the powers of the Outer Worlds.

It is said that the Seraphs foresaw the coming of D’sparil, but if this is true they did nothing to intervene.

As the five races settled into their destined roles, three majestic demon brothers began to formulate a plan of conquest of three different inner worlds. D’sparil, having watched the passing of the great Seraphs, prepared his armies to sweep across Parthoris.

On the Day of Darkness, D’sparil opened World Ripples in each of the great cities of Parthoris. Andoria, K’chekrik, S’chekrik, Vendra, Savria, Thurge, Biskol, and Silverspring. He marched his armies into these cities, and by nightfall each was under his iron rule. Only Silverspring managed to resist his conquest for a short time. The Celestial Watcher had the night before seen a change in the star patterns which allowed Silverspring to prepare for the coming doom. Most fled the city and hid in the Darkmire swamps and the Kell Mountains.

As D’sparil began the second phase of his conquest, the four races that had fallen to his might on the Day of Darkness were subjected to the powerful charisma of D’sparil’s presence. Over time, they succumbed to his will and freely chose D’sparil as the rightful ruler of Parthoris.

D’sparil reigned supreme, until a hero arose to combat his evil.

The Heretic
Huddled in the occupied streets of Silverspring, now called the City of the Damned, a young Sidhe began to unlock the mysteries of the lost artifacts of the Seraphs. He unearthed an ancient magic wand that the Seraphs had made as a gift to the first Celestial Watcher. Its power was limited, but it was enough to allow Corvus to start fighting back against D’sparil’s minions.

As news of Corvus’s defiance traveled across Parthoris, he was dubbed the Heretic. He did not conform to the laws of D’sparil. He fought back against the ravaging hoards of the demonic armies. He openly defied D’sparil’s power.

Corvus traveled from city to city looking for D’sparil’s stronghold. He fought the legions with every step of his journey, but his search uncovered more than just D’sparil. He found caches of the Seraph’s lost magic, including one of the famed Tomes of Power. Using the newly unearthed artifacts, Corvus attacked D’sparil’s stronghold on the ocean floor with renewed vigor.

Face to face in D’sparil’s domed city, Corvus and D’sparil pummeled each other, blow after blow. Even with his serpent slain, D’sparil still came at Corvus with all of his demonic fury, but in the end it was a final blow from the Phoenix Rod that caused D’sparil to erupt into a conflagration of fury, fueled by the oppression of Parthoris.

D’sparil cried out in anguish as his robes and flesh were seared from his bones. With is dying breath, he cried out a curse that set into motion Corvus’s fate.

Corvus’s lost years in the Outer Worlds, as recorded by the Tome of Power Teejalla

The Outer Worlds
D’sparil was defeated. Corvus stepped through the world ripple expecting to cross over into Silverspring. As he crossed through the dimensional portal, he discovered the full meaning of D’sparil’s curse. He was trapped in the Outer Worlds with no apparent means of returning home.

For years he wandered among the seemingly infinite landscapes that make up the Outer Worlds. Each new world was more desolate and alien than the last. He learned that D’sparil had two brothers that had laid plans to conquer other worlds, and as he traveled across the barren landscapes Corvus became increasingly aware of how widespread the taint of the Serpent Riders really was. Most of D’sparil’s army had been composed of creatures that were the twisted remnants of once normal civilizations, and he heard tales of the Serpent Riders using mass enslavement to bulk up the ranks of their armies. Corvus did not know where the other two Serpent Riders traveled to, but he hoped that these unfortunate worlds were more successful at stopping the demons than his people had been.

The only relics Corvus managed to retain were his fighting staff and the Tome of Power that I have imbued my essence into. All of his other weapons were rendered inert and useless. The knowledge contained in my pages became his most valued possession. I had lost most of my power after the battle with D’sparil, but I was able to refocus my energy slowly during the course of our travels. Eventually, I was able to reveal my presence to Corvus. I guided him, and eventually related the story of my creation.

Ages ago I was a Seraph, but I, along with my seven sisters,
was given the honor of becoming one with the seven Tomes of Power.
Each of the Tomes carried different pieces of our knowledge.
Our greatest seers had foreseen our departure from the affairs
of Parthoris and we knew the necessity of maintaining the wisdom of
our race. The seven Tomes were created, infused with our life force,
and then they were given to our cousins, the Sidhe.

A Way Home
Years of wandering the Outer Worlds hardened Corvus. Alone in the alien worlds, Corvus was forced to fight for his life with the only weapon that he had, his staff. He fashioned it into a pole arm of sorts by lashing a blade to one end. I began to teach him about the lost magic of the Seraphs. It was only after years of practice that he gained mastery of the magical foundations that I taught him. With this education, Corvus will be able to quickly learn and use most any spell based upon our tradition of magic.

Decades past before I stumbled upon a means for us to return home. Corvus was engaged in a fierce battle with a demon when I felt the opening of a nearby World Ripple. This Ripple felt different than any of the others that we had traveled through, I could feel the faint call of my sister Tomes from the other side of the ripple. They cried out in pain, for they were being used for powerful magic. The ripple was a means home.

Using the other Tomes as a beacon, I guided Corvus to the ripple. As he stepped through, I was confident that our search was, at long last, over.

The Atlas of Parthoris
From the collected works of Orthis

The Sidhe People
The Sidhe people are a tall, thin race of delicately boned people. Most of these folk live full yet simple lives in which even the lowliest in social standing is exposed to the benefits of higher learning.

Being the descendants of the Seraphs the Sidhe have more access to the magic that the Seraphs left in the wake of their departure. But their delicate control over magic has left them, at times, more susceptible to it as well. It has been so long since the Seraphs have left the world that much of the inner workings of their magic have been lost. The artifacts that the Seraphs left behind are still evident in aspects of Sidhe everyday lives. Simple shrines dedicated to the preservation of the Seraph magic, dot the landscape of Parthoris. These are the most common of the Seraph artifacts that are used in everyday life.

When D’sparil brought his armies against the world, the Sidhe were the hardest hit by his minions. They did not succumb to his iron rule. They fought back for a time, but even their magic could not withstand the oncoming stampede of D’sparil’s armies. Defeated, most of the surviving Sidhe hid in the Kell Mountains, away from D’sparil’s execution squads. It was from these hiding refugees that the greatest hero that Parthoris has ever seen arose. Corvus fought back against D’sparil’s minions when all others had fled or had been brainwashed by the demon’s powerful magic.

With D’sparil defeated, the Sidhe have rebuilt their beautiful cities, the greatest of which is Silverspring. The Sidhe have built cities all across Parthoris, several of them after the D’sparil wars.

The Ssithra People
The Ssithra are an amphibious race that build their cities on both the land and in the murky waters of the swamps that they prefer to live near. The average Ssithra is taller than a Sidhe when standing fully upright, but most Ssithra tend to slouch by hunching their backs and standing with slightly bent knees. Many of the Ssithra dedicate their lives to academia and religion, preferring to trade with others rather than manufacturing goods for themselves.

In recent years the Ssithra have become culturally divided. They have a long history of using violence as a means to an end, and they are known for their religious fanaticism. For centuries they have practiced blood rituals, which require living sacrifices to be drowned in pools of Earthblood (which is considered the very essence of life on Parthoris). The current city leaders have started to move beyond the old ways of blood sacrifice and violence in an effort to move their people into a new era of learning, enlightenment, and peace. Their efforts have divided many of the cities because of a faction of Ssithra that still cling to the old ways. Both factions are dedicated to higher learning and the study of the world at large.

The Ssithra have built many libraries and museums dedicated to the arts that they hold to be most precious. Andoria, the Ssithra capital, was built ages ago. Since D’sparil ravaged this portion of Parthoris, the swamp city has been sinking deeper into the water. The Ssithra have made several attempts to slow the sinking, but their efforts have met with only limited success and portions of the city now lie in ruins. D’sparil’s coming was a milestone in Ssithra history. Before he came, they were united in their methods and ideals; after he was defeated, their civilization became divided.

The T’chekrik People
The T’chekrik are a people that have evolved in the wastelands of Parthoris. They are covered in a heavy carapace armor and stand upright on two of six limbs. This leaves their other four limbs free for spell casting, combat, or other tasks, giving them the overall appearance of seven foot tall insectoids. The rear legs of the T’chekrik are powerful limbs that can be used for leaping both vertically and horizontally.

The Katlit’k canyon serves as home to all of the T’chekrik colonies. Their cities exist almost entirely underground, having been carved from the rock that forms the canyon walls. All of the cities are divided into two districts. The larger of the two districts houses the males of the race, whereas the smaller, more secluded sector is home to the females.

The T’chekrik hold the females of their species above all else; they are the life-bringers as well as the spiritual and social leaders of their society. The males are the warriors and the laborers of their society. They protect the city from any intruders, and a few lucky warriors are allowed to enter the Chekriks, or female homes, to serve as elite guards and possibly as a mate to a mother.

The Ogles
An Ogle is a short, pathetic looking creature that lives in the darkest part of almost any mountain range. They are very timid by nature, preferring to hide instead of confronting danger. Only when they are directly attacked do they defend themselves; if any of their number are attacked, they generally will strike back at the assailant as a group.

Ogles have always been the workers of Parthoris. Their small stature and non-combative attitudes have forced them to pound their survival out of the mountains. Preferring to hide and avoid contact with outsiders, the Ogles generally live in the shadows of the many mountains of Parthoris. Here they mine and work the metals that they extract from the rock. Their metalworking skills are renowned throughout Parthoris.

Unfortunately for them, their meek nature has also made them prime targets for slavery. Over the centuries, the Ogles have been captured and forced into slavery countless times by the more dominant races of Parthoris.

The Caurthorians
The Caurthorians are a warlike race that was crippled during the D’sparil wars when the demon’s armies stormed across the continent. They are tall thin people that resemble sinuous reptiles. Their culture lacks a cohesive government of any kind. They live in small clans that are generally formed through family ties. The few Caurthorian cities that do exist are simply loose collections of clans that have gathered together to share resources and for mutual protection.

The Caurthorian’s warlike nature has made them nearly perfect warriors and assassins. They are trained to fight from the moment they are able to walk. All adult Caurthorians are expected to be able to fight; anyone that has become too old or feeble to fight is killed during a ritual combat with the rest of their clan.

Of Legend and Seraph
Legends speak of an ancient race of people that at one time ruled over all of the lands of Parthoris. These people, known only as Seraphs, were powerful spell casters capable of controlling the elements. As the young races emerged, the blood of many of the Seraphs became thin; most of the Seraphs evolved into the Sidhe Elves that walk Parthoris. In the ages that have past since the Seraphs walked the lands of Parthoris, many stories have been told of godlike creatures that live in the Worlds End Mountains. Many believe that these creatures are the last of the pure Seraphs.

Natural Inhabitants
Parthoris is filled with dangerous creatures that wander the wilderness, preying on anything or anyone that that they deem a worthy meal. Most of these creatures generally shy away from contact with others, but bad times and food shortages will drive any of them to attack a superior opponent in hope of finding some kind of food.

Ssithra.GIF (13012 bytes) Gorgon
The most common predator in Parthoris is the Gorgon. These are two limbed reptilian creatures that travel and hunt in packs. These packs are generally lead by a leader that directs and helps guide the group.

Myxini
Many of the fresh water lakes and streams of Parthoris are filled with the carnivorous Myxini. These are large, toothed, meat-eating fish that can grow to be up to five feet long.

Harpies
Reptilian-like Harpies fill the wilderness skies and have been known to attack lone targets, especially when these predators are together in groups. Harpies are found in both populated regions and the desolate reaches of the deep wilderness.

Rats and G’krokon
Large rats and G’krokon, can be found in many locales throughout Parthoris. Rats can be found living just about anywhere there is food for them to eat. The largest rats, when hungry, will attack almost anything in their quest for food. The G’krokon are not nearly as common as rats, but they are just as much a menace to anyone they encounter. They are usually found alone or in small groups and attack by spitting a noxious poison at their potential food source.

Addendum by Siernan
the Healer of Andoria

The plague has had many strange effects on all of the natural inhabitants of Parthoris. I have heard rumors of strange creatures moving through the lands, spreading the contagion. These Plague Spreaders, as I have heard, are fearsome creatures that have brought about the extinction of entire villages by spraying the foul plague vapors and infecting all that they cross. Several weeks ago a young Ogle man staggered into Andoria. He told of gigantic merciless overlords that have enslaved their people. They have been put to work, mining precious metals and Earthblood in the Worlds End Mountains. I fear what this could mean for the rest of Parthoris.

Book of Spells

Mana
Mana is the essence of every spell caster. It is the lifeblood that fuels the magic that they are attempting to channel and control. In order for Corvus to use the ancient Seraph magic, he will need to gather mana throughout his journey across Parthoris. Mana comes in two varieties: green and blue. Green mana can be used to power all of Corvus’s offensive magic, and blue mana is used to channel defensive magic.

Offensive Magic

Fireball
Fireball was the first spell that Corvus learned from the Tome of Power during his journey through the Outer Worlds. By drawing on the energies from the earth he stands upon, Corvus is able to hurl a fiery fist at his enemies. While this spell is only mildly damaging, it can be used at a reduced effect without any mana.

Thunder Blast
The Thunder Blast was given its name because it draws its energy from the terrible tempest that exists between the Inner and the Outer Worlds. The spell taps into that energy, and when cast, an array of projectiles is hurled out from the caster’s hand causing a loud clap of thunder. As the projectiles travel towards a target they spread out from one another, making them capable of striking several targets in generally close quarters. If used on a target at close range, the Thunder Blast can be devastating since all of the projectiles tend to hit the same target.

Sphere of Annihilation
The Sphere of Annihilation is a powerful spell that allows huge amounts of offensive mana to be channeled through the caster’s body which culminates in a massive explosion. The spell requires a great amount of concentration and mana to be cast. The longer that the caster concentrates on the spell, the more mana he is able to invest into it, creating a more powerful burst. When the Sphere explodes, a shock wave of pure energy is expelled from the impact point; the force of the impact will thrash anyone caught in the shock wave.

Firewall
The Seraphs were masters of all of the elemental magics, but fire is one of the few magics that was remembered by the younger races of Parthoris. The Firewall is a focused barrier of pure elemental fire which the caster is able to conjure and then direct away from himself. The conflagration forms itself around the caster in a semi-circular pattern and when released, the energy of the spell wall is expelled out, away from the caster’s body. The hungry flames quickly consume anything caught in the blaze.

Iron Doom
Few spells, even among those wielded by the ancient Seraphs, were able to combine more than one of the magical spheres. When a spell caster is able to do this, a truly powerful and sometimes uncontrollable spell is unleashed. When Iron Doom is cast, the caster conjures a small spiked sphere which he immediately hurls at his target. When the sphere strikes its target, it magically shatters into several spiked spheres that are projected out away from the point of impact. The razor sharp spikes are capable of ripping through nearly anything that they strike.

Defensive Magic

Tome of Power
The native ability of all of the Tomes of Power is the ability to increase the power of any spell or magic item. When used, the Tome of Power will dramatically increase the power of any offensive magic or weapon that the user has. The effect is only temporary, and when used, the Tome requires a large amount of blue mana in order to achieve this effect.

Ring of Repulsion
The ring of repulsion is a spell that is most useful when Corvus is being overwhelmed by a group of enemies. When cast, the ring will send out an expanding shock wave that will propel away everyone that is in close proximity to Corvus. The force of the shock wave is so great that very few can resist its effects.

Teleport
Desperate situations call for desperate measures. The Teleport spell is able to move Corvus out of harm’s way to an area that is free from danger. If used quickly this spell can be very useful whether Corvus is about to fall to his death or to be crushed by an opponent. It takes powerful magic to prevent Corvus from being able to teleport to safety.

Meteor Swarm
Calling up rock from the ground he stands upon, Corvus is able to put these large meteors into an orbital motion around him. Once summoned, the meteors will find a target and hurl themselves at it with deadly accuracy.

Morph Ovum
When cast, the morph ovum will turn any inflicted targets into a chicken. When so affected, the target is unable to do much more than run for their life. The effect is temporary, so to take maximum advantage, the caster must harvest the new flock before they return to their normal state.

Lightning Shield
The Lightning Shield activates small spheres of energy that encircle the user’s head, swirling with charged electricity. When any foe gets near, they are shocked by bursts of pure power that fire out from the balls.

Weapons of War

Durhnwood Staff
Corvus learned mastery of the staff out of necessity during his journey in the Outer Worlds. The staff is made from the heart of a durhnwood tree, one of the hardest building materials in Parthoris. After years of use, the staff has become smooth and polished. Corvus has lashed a blade retrieved from a fallen enemy to one end of the staff. With proper timing and aim, the staff is a powerful melee weapon.

Hellstaff
The Hellstaffs were created by the Seraphs before they withdrew from Parthoris. Corvus used one of them during his battle with D’sparil, but that was only one of the many that were created. They all look very similar to one another, but function virtually identically. When used, the Hellstaff is able to fire a nearly continuous stream of projectiles. Individually, the projectiles are not incredibly damaging, but when fired continuously at a single target the weapon can have a devastating effect.

Ammo: In order for the Hellstaff to function, Corvus must collect Hellorbs. These orbs contain the necessary energy to fuel the Hellstaff.

Storm Bow
The Ssithra warriors created the Storm Bow long before the Seraphs left the world. They used what little magic they had at their command to channel natural environmental conditions through the bow to produce a fiery storm at the impact point of any attack made with the bow. Anyone caught in the storm is subject to the terrifying effects of its wrath.

Ammo: The Storm Bow requires the user to fire special storm arrows. Storm arrows contain the needed magical foci to properly channel and control the effects of the bow.

Phoenix Bow
The phoenix has long been a symbol of terrifying power in Parthoris, and many weapons have been fashioned around this fierce magical bird of prey. The Phoenix bow is capable of firing fiery arrows that, upon impact, explode into a conflagration of fire and shrapnel.

Ammo: the Phoenix Bow requires the use of phoenix arrows. These special arrows ignite upon being notched in the bow, and are prepared to explode upon impact.

combomana.GIF (2912 bytes) The Sidhe Shrines to the Seraphs
Ages ago the Seraphs left the lands of Parthoris. As they moved away from the mundane affairs of the world they left behind many gifts for the younger races. To the Sidhe they left their magic. Even the greatest of the Sidhe have yet to unlock more than a mere splinter of the knowledge that the Seraphs possessed. That magic which has been unraveled has created powerful wizards. As a means of preserving these magics and providing access to some of the knowledge of the Seraphs, the most learned of the Sidhe mages created a collection of shrines. When a Sidhe uses one of these shrines they are imbued with the power of the ancient Seraphs. The shrines are spread throughout Parthoris for any traveling Sidhe to use.

Spirit Shrine
The Spirit shrine will heal Corvus’s wounds.

Mana Shrine
This shrine regenerates all of both the blue and green mana pools.

Lungs of the Ssithra Shrine
Using this shrine allows Corvus to hold his breath longer than he normally could.

Reflective Shrine
When powered by the Reflective shrine, Corvus’s body becomes a reflective surface that will deflect all incoming projectiles.

Armor Shrine
The Armor shrine encases Corvus with a hard magical armor that will diminish all incoming attacks.

Blade Shrine
After using the Blade shrine, Corvus’s staff becomes a much deadlier weapon. This effect is permanent and cumulative, so as Corvus finds these shrines he will become more proficient and deadly with his staff.

Ghost Shrine
The ghost shrine makes Corvus vaporous in appearance. He becomes difficult to see and hard to hit when in combat. In this form Corvus can use stealth to his advantage before attacking.

Chaos Shrine
When using the Chaos shrine Corvus is never sure what the effect will be.

Light of the Seraph Shrine
The Light of the Seraph allows the Tome of Power to emanate a bright light for Corvus to see by.