Microsoft Zone Archive/Asheron's Lore/A Brief History for Travelers/Spring's Sorrows
| Previous: | A Brief History for Travelers | Next: |
| Lonely in the World--Coldeve, PY 12 (February, 2001) | A Reign of Stone--Morningthaw, PY 12 (April, 2001) |
Original Link (now dead) - http://zone.msn.com/asheronscall/ASHEhistorymarch01.asp
Spring's Sorrows
by Allan Maki
Turbine Entertainment Software
Wintersebb PY12 / Earth: March 2001
The winter snows have given way to the song of spring across Dereth. As the land awakens from its slumber the Children of Ispar find the stirrings of adventure filling their hearts once again.
In the desert a new portal has opened into the catacombs beneath Samsur, within three Undead that speak of collecting their memories inside of tiny pyramids reside. These pyramids are carried by the strongest and most intelligent of the undead and are scattered throughout Dereth. To unlock the memories within one needs to craft an ornate key from the heart of Golem with a tool purchased from one of three towns and their understanding of locks as their only guides. An unlocked pyramid gains a greater reward from these undead collectors.
In Tufa, humans have taken to collecting these green triangles as well. Their rewards are those of new arrowheads, potent healing kits, and gems that purge harmful spells from one's being. Again the unlocked forms of these pyramids grant a greater reward.
But traveling in the desert has become difficult as the floating Virindi masters have become increasingly aggressive, sending new creations out into the world to strike down the other races of Dereth. Undead creations, called Marionettes, glide across the landscape, their lifeless bodies dancing to the machinations of a cruel puppeteer. Standing beside their grim cohorts are Dolls, creatures made from nothing more than energy and cherubic masks that terrorize those who travel the desert sands.
These two new additions to the Virindi forces are augmented by the arrival of new Virindi champions. Swathed in cloaks of near impenetrable darkness these Virindi Executors assault and lay waste to rank upon rank of Dereth's defenders. In the remote town of Ayan Baqur these beings are most prominent as here they bolster the Virindi troops that lie just beyond the town's border.
As adventurers brave the forces on the Obsidian Plains they find that Virindi and their most feared servitors, Hollow Minions, now carry vibrant, radiant, and alien devices. These devices bind themselves to those who touch them, but only those with the greatest knowledge of locks armed with the intricate tools for carving keys can craft them into anything usable by Isparians. The resulting Singularity keys are used to unlock the floating troves guarded by the most dominant of the Virindi.
What designs do the floating masters have planned for the future? Is it their taint that stains the sky? These mysteries remain yet unanswered.