Lore

Auril

Auril is an evil god of winter, storm, and nature's wrath. Along with Malar, Umberlee, and Talos she is one of the Deities of Fury. In some legends she is suspected to also be the Queen of Air and Darkness, a sinister archfey. She is reputed to be vain, fickle, and expects her worshippers to venerate her out of fear.

Kresselack's Relics

Ascension
Kresselack called his greatsword Ascension, as it was his weapon of choice when facing other rulers in single combat - always to the death, and always with the promise that if he was defeated, his victor would claim Kresselack's entire kingdom. He never lost.

He rarely used the weapon during large battles, often preferring instead to lead from astride one of his prized wyvern steeds. Rumors at the time claimed that when the Black Wolf wielded Ascension, he would fight more ferociously than ever - even to the point of harming his own soldiers. This led to the mighty sword bearing another name among the common people: Grudgement.

The Arachnid's Face
There was a point in time when nearly all of the North fell under Kresselack's rule. He made many enemies. Even the drow feared that he might try to expand his rule beneath Toril's surface and into the Underdark. The Arachnid's Facewas torn from the face of a drow assassin who nearly accomplished her task, managing to overcome every guard, trap, and obstacle in her way, only to be killed by the Black Wolf himself on his balcony. It is said that whoever wears the mask cannot be hindered or restrained by any substance magical or mundane. Kresselack often loaned the mask out to his own assassins to ensure they would reach whatever target he assigned them.

The Doomhorn
The Doomhorn. Few people looking at this instrument would guess that it is in reality a piece of siege equipment. Kresselack avoided many prolonged assaults on fortified keeps and castles by sounding this horn at the front gate - and obliterating said gate as surely as a battering ram pushed by giants. Among the ranks of his soldiers, it was commonly called the "Boomhorn".

The Heartstone Gem

A tale told by Kresselack of an artifact of great power.

"In my years of life I made the entire North tremble with the might of my armies. But there was one place that I never managed to carve out for my kingdom. This Great Oak you speak of, it is tended by an order of woodland priests, yes? It surprises me that there is now a town there, for there was none in my day. The druids there feared the touch of civilization. They kept my soldiers out with hedges of thorn and bramble, impenetrable mazes of leaf and beast. They somehow always knew when I was coming. Rumors spoke of an artifact the druids had, a primordial stone capable of divining secrets unknown to the world. The Heartstone Gem, it was called.

If this Gem remains in the possession of the druids, I am sure it could be used to find the enemy that eludes you. That is all I have to say on the matter."

--------------------------------------

Ras remembers his Uncle Oswald mentioning something about the Gem as well.

"...Anywho, the druids split into two groups, and the ones who left Kuldahar took one of the druid circle's greatest treasures with them - the Heartstone Gem. The remaining druids were quite sore about that..."

--------------------------------------

Ras found this passage in one of Arundel's old journals. It was written by the Archdruid Tolben many years ago:

I firmly believe that it is through community that we find our truest potential realized. What would the bees accomplish with no hive to unify them? The bees would fail, and the flowers would follow, and the world would be less. How can we believe that we are not to be involved with the world? Imagine, if you will, what we could accomplish with such a noble and wise collaborator as Larrel of the elves? That is one true soul who is both honorable and capable. Look at all that his people have accomplished with the dwarves of Dorn's Deep! Larrel himself used our greatest artifact, the Heartstone Gem, and worked with it wonders that impressed us all. Let all come and grow in the shade of Kuldahar, and together we will learn of the greatness within each.

Silver Dragons

The party has met Aerihykloarara, and learned a few things about silver dragons.

While they share much of the majesty and power of the evil, chromatic variety, metallic dragons are noble and good creatures. Silver dragons are no exception, and in fact are often much happier around humanoids than their own kin. Like other metallic dragons, they can change their form at will to become any kind of humanoid, and often live alongside humans and others for years, all the while hiding their true identities.

Silver dragons are extremely curious about people and social relationships. They enjoy learning about cultures and traditions of the smaller folk. These dragons, like other metallics, are able to recognize and analyze bloodlines by scent - a fascinating tool that allowable silver dragons to study humanoids over generations.

While they are often about their own business, they often take time to aid other creatures involved in quests of good and noble purpose.

Aeri herself seems to be particularly eccentric. At the moment nobody can really be sure why she wanted a kiss from Ras.

Sseth and the Yuan-ti

While speaking to the snake people in the Temple of the Forgotten God, Nessa remembers something she once learned about the god Sseth.

Also known as the Sibilant Death, Sseth is one of the three main gods of the Yuan-ti - an ancient race of humanoids who decided to reach a more perfect state of being by making themselves more physically snakelike through rituals and human sacrifice.

Sseth is a mysterious deity, and encourages his followers to work subtly in their goals: manipulation over confrontation, the whisper over the fang, and subterfuge over battle spells. Like Sseth himself, his devotees strive to know their foes, think ahead, and plan forward.

While little is known about Sseth or the Yuan-ti today, in ancient history the snake people were said to have sprawling empires that covered the land, enslaving all other races. It would seem likely that whatever actions the Yuan-ti take today are to slowly gain influence and power, in order to one day rise up again over the inferior 'meat' that now has run of the land.

Mutant Trolls

Trolls are most famed for their rapid regeneration, having the ability even to regrow missing limbs. This same healing brings back trolls from the brink of death, and unless fire or acid is used to kill them they will rise again to continue the fight, driven on by insatiable hunger.

It is not uncommon for the regeneration process to cause the trolls to heal in strange ways. Mutant trolls sporting an extra arm, leg, or even head have been reported. Some trolls that 'die' in unusual ways rise with their bodies horribly changed by what killed them. Poison, necromantic energies, even mental pain can all cause a troll to mutate into a more powerful version of itself.

Baatezu

Also known as devils, Baatezu are a type of fiend that inhabits the Nine Hells of Baator. They are tyrannical soul mongers who make dark deals with mortals, corrupting and ensnaring them. Despite their evil nature, they are known to abide by the deals they make, following the letter of the law with exactness.

Given their lawful nature, they find themselves at odds with the utter chaos of the Tanar'ri - the demons of the Abyss. The conflict between Baatezu and Tanar'ri is called the Blood War. Little is known about it.

The Blood War

Most people intuitively understand the cosmic struggle of good versus evil. That which is evil seeks to corrupt and destroy, to accumulate personal gain at the cost of others, and to pull down that which is good. And that which is good promotes harmony and freedom and the betterment of all. Right? These two opposing forces supposedly pull people to one side or the other in an endless battle of morals and ethics. Without good, nothing would stand in the way of evil annihilating everything of value in the world.

This is true... kind of.

Far less well-known and incredibly more misunderstood is a war just as ancient, and for more turbulent: Tanar'ri versus Baatezu, or demon versus devil.

The demons spawn from the Abyss, a wound of churning chaos, a maelstrom of evil that spits out terrible monstrosities that are indeed intent on watching the cosmos burn. Most of these Tanar'ri understand nothing beyond their desire to destroy and consume until only they remain. Certain powerful beings are able to marshal the hordes of Tanar'ri and send them forth, but there is one point at which all Tanar'ri must cross in order to wreck havoc on the rest of the planes that span the multiverse... the Nine Hells of Baator.

By happenstance or design, the realm of the Baatezu stands between the Abyss and the rest of the cosmos. A realm of strict law and tyranny, the Hells are home to the devils who suffer no opposition to their schemes for ultimate domination. In an effort both to protect themselves from the demonic incursions, and also to preserve the realms they hope to one day rule, they guard the border that they share with the Abyss. As the demons continue to swarm, the devils are forced to constantly replenish their ranks with the souls of mortals they ensnare from the other planes.

For millennia there has been constant war as innumerable demons are spawned out of the Abyss and turned aside by devils of the Hells. Tanar'ri and Baatezu die by the millions over the border marked by the River Styx. Waves of utter chaos break over the shields of resolute despotism.

In this vicious cycle, the demons are constantly turned back, and the devils are too busy to focus their attention elsewhere...

Thank goodness?

The Seldarine

The pantheon of gods worshipped by the surface elves is known as the Seldarine. While many non-elves have heard of the greater deities, such as Corellon Larethian and Sehanine Moonbow, there are dozens of lesser deities to whom the elves pay homage.

Shevarash

Also known as the Black Archer, or the Night Hunter, Shevarash is the elven god of vengeance, loss, and hatred - particularly against the drow. These are dark attributes to associate with a member of the Seldarine, but when evil drow elves rise from their subterranean homes to strike at the folk who live on the surface, there are no more staunch defenders to be had than those elves who worship the Black Archer.

It is said that this god was once an elf warrior who survived a brutal dark elf raid. With bloodied breath he swore to Corellon that he would never laugh not smile until Lolth had been destroyed. He eventually became a demigod, and tirelessly hunts the Queen of Spiders herself.