[2003/07] A Swelling Tide

[Ziv]

[turbine]

Event Page at Turbine

Leafdawning, 14 P.Y.

Quoted Fiction at Turbine

"This discourse is at an end, Ciandra. There are no words left between us." Nuhmudira's words, laced with venom, stung Ciandra deeply.

"I only " Nuhmudira glared at the younger woman. Ciandra felt compelled to become silent, but finished her statement. "I have only continued your work."

"You have done no such thing." The words fell like a hammer on an anvil, each word purposeful and accentuated. Nuhmudira's eyes grew dark. "You have turned to him. Time and again, you have turned to him. Why?" She stepped toward Ciandra. "He sits alone in his tower, meddling with us only when it suits his purpose. He has lied to us and used us and yet you turn to him, not your mentor, your teacher, your friend." She paused briefly. "Tell me Ciandra, can you explain why it is you turned to Asheron? Can you tell me when you first went to see him? When it was that you sought him out for understanding and enlightenment?" Ciandra searched her mind for the answer. "Yes, that is right Ciandra, he sought you first."

"How did you " Ciandra began to ask.

"Now you wish to turn to me for answers, student?" She motioned for Ciandra to leave. "The strain of seeing you at Elysa's Council is the most I will suffer. Do not seek me out again, child."

Ciandra was taken aback. She tried to meet Nuhmudira's eyes but her old teacher was already moving across the room toward a desk. She turned, opened the cottage door, and headed out into the night.

"Is she the next one, then?" The voice came from the shadows. A man, neither tall nor broad, stood there. His deep-set eyes glinted in the candlelight.

"No. She is precious to me still." Nuhmudira sat at her desk. "She also strives toward the same goals as I. Her efforts thus far have been remarkable, and she leads the Arcanum well in my stead. I think that Ciandra shall remain, I think that she will have a use in the future."

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"Did you feel that?" Anton asked Gent, who sat across the table. They were in Eastham, sharing a pint, while Gent worked on fitting his armor with a myriad of salvaged goods.

"Feel what?" Gent asked, half-paying attention.

"Tremor," Anton replied and looked toward the project Gent was working on.

"Tremor, what's that?" Gent dropped a few more gems into his ust and ground them down.

"When the ground shakes, you know?" Anton smirked and took a swallow of his ale.

"The ground shook just then?" Gent shook the bag and made sure that it was full.

"You felt it too, then?" asked Anton swallowing hard.

"Felt what?" Gent retorted, looking up at his friend.

"Tremor." Anton placed the mug of ale on the table and took up a piece of bread.

"You mean like when the ground shakes?" Gent rocked back away from his armor and looked over his shoulder at his friend.

"Yeah," Anton nodded in confirmation.

"You just told me a tremor is when the ground shakes." Gent shrugged and turned back to his armor, hoisting it onto a table and taking up residence on a stool.

"Yes. Did you feel it then?" Anton asked with his mouth full.

"What? A tremor?" Gent asked as he began polishing the armor and preparing it for a most critical attempt at imbuing the fine metals.

"Yeah," Anton answered, becoming increasingly frustrated.

"Well I felt something shake, but I thought it was just me trying to get this armor imbued. It's not easy you know, one wrong move and " His response was cut short as the ground shook again, tossing both of them to the ground. In the process the armor was left cracked and broken.

"Bollocks! I felt that one. Look at me armor." Gent bent down to pick up the pieces, and looked at Anton, whose ear was pressed firmly to the barroom floor. "What are you doing?"

"Listening," Anton responded, shushing him.

"To what?" Gent lowered himself down toward his friend.

"Don't know yet. But it sounds like something's moving; digging." He lifted his ear from the floor and looked at his friend with wide eyes. "Not something thousands of somethings."

[Ziv]

Town Crier tells you, "I am so excited about Candeth Keep. I'm trying to get transfered to it. Those bordertowns see all the action."

Town Crier tells you, "I was looking through my satchels a few days ago and found my Isparian Wand had burned a whole through the burlap and fallen on the ground! It's never done that before!"

Town Crier tells you, "I've felt the ground shuddering at night, haven't you? Something is happening, I know it."

Town Crier tells you, "It appears as though Hibdin Velos has taken the position once held by Martine.I've heard tell that he moved into the throne room and everything."

Town Crier tells you, "I spent all month gathering minerals for Kreavon in Wei jhou. I stopped by the outpost this morning before coming here and he rewarded me with an odd hat."

Town Crier tells you, "Martine's Retreat could have been such a nice place to live, and now look at it. They have barely enough food to survive."

Town Crier tells you, "My brother has a friend who knows this guy who knows the architect that's working on Candeth Keep. He says the poor guy is really frustrated. Seems that there are too many people trying to make decisions about the town."

Town Crier tells you, "Someone scouting the Renegade encampment at Teth said it sounded like a raid by them could happen any time. You should go see. Then come back and let me know. I can charge people for the information! Ha ha."

Town Crier tells you, "I heard that Ulgrim offended the volcano spirits somehow and the volcano near his house began spitting out small golems everywhere."

Town Crier tells you, "Did you hear? Ulgrim's Island is a spawning ground for Golems. They go there to mate. Huh, wonder how that works."

Town Crier tells you, "Do you think that there is trouble ahead? We haven't heard from Asheron recently, Nuhmudira is up to her old ways...what you don't think it was her that killed Jaleh? I think she did, correct me if I am wrong but didn't she threaten him once. Not to mention the crunching noises in the night."

Town Crier tells you, "I hear that Ulgrim angered Asheron and in retaliation Asheron summoned a hundred golems to attack him."

Town Crier tells you, "I heard that Ulgrim was creating a small golem army to do his bidding, but they rebelled and escaped to a nearby island."

Town Crier tells you, "Be careful if you go to Candeth Keep. My cousin got hit on the head with a wooden beam that a Lugian was moving. My cousin's kind of a clumsy guy."

Town Crier tells you, "I hear Ulgrim built his house next to an active Volcano. I'm suprised he didn't build his house on top of it!"

Town Crier tells you, "Oh, you heard about some advancements in Tinkering too?"

[Ziv]

The ground trembles, casting stones from cliff faces and snow showering from the highest peaks. The quake originates near the city of Eastham, but the shockwave can be felt as far away as Marae Lassel. A piercing wail echoes across the ocean waters near Eastham, and a groundswell of Olthoi can be seen pouring over the Island to the east of the city.

Asheron's Island Opens!

Asheron tells you, "Welcome. I had never thought that I would see Isparians here, aside from Elysa and Borelean. But I see that you have made your way across my island and through the Olthoi Hordes."

Asheron tells you, "I have fashioned this book to explain everything that I know at this time about the resurgence of the Olthoi. I am indebted to you once more for your actions."
Asheron gives you Olthoi Resurgent.
Asheron tells you, "I am not quite sure what caused them to come here, but I am quite sure that it relates directly to the evidence turned up at Knorr."
Asheron tells you, "Oh yes, I am well aware that you have been making your way through my familial estate; while I am not happy about your intrusion there, this world is as much yours as it is mine now."
Asheron smirks.

Asheron tells you, "I am however, all too well aware of Nuhmudira and her quest for more power. She plays with primal forces that are far beyond her frame to contain. In some respects, I pity her for her madness; in others, I revile her for the selfish manner in which she acts."
Asheron pauses looking to his guardians.
Asheron tells you, "I had assumed that the Queen at Knorr was not eternal. But this invasion has caused me to re-assess that assumption. It has been nearly 800 years since I have seen that Queen."

Asheron tells you, "If she has come, then we shall need to band together as never before. I could not use the full power of my magical arsenal while those creatures were here. There was something potent that drained the higher magics from the area. Now I feel them back again. You have helped to restore me...now we need to assist ourselves."

Asheron tells you, "This Queen...is the most terrible thing that this world or any other has ever seen. What is worse is that she remembers, and in that memory she undoubtedly is stalking me...but when she learns that her children have suffered so much at our hands, her attentions will be cast toward us all."

Guardian tells you, "We are here at the behest of Lord Asheron. Our duty is to maintain peace. We ask that you observe our requests so as to not force our hands into action."

Asheron tells you, "There is nothing more that I can tell you at this time. I must reflect upon what has transpired and devise a way to deal with this menace. It will require the efforts of us all if this is indeed the same Queen."