Krayn
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This is the complete Ledgend of Krayn
Many years ago, when many of the Rausumean ancestors were still alive before the golden age or Rausumea, was a dark time for those who lived in the plains between the turtle sea and the mountains, and the evils were just starting to spread across the known world.
Armies of corrupted elves first started to attack the fields of what we now call Yorkshire. Now you might ask is there not a fort in the shire to garrison an army, but it was not such in these times. The only structures were of a rather large coastal city on the shores of the turtle sea. When the evils attacked there was little warning and raid after raid villagers and entire families were destroyed. There was very little that the people could do to defend themselves when attacked. Seiren Von Munchausen, arrived via a ship to the lands of Rausumea with him he brought swords axes and spears. He took up the first garrison of Yorkshire in defense of the villages. Training warriors and constructing a small militia he was the first to strike back at the elves that seemed to emerge from the grey woods. It is legend that Munchausen even coined the name Greywood for the woods north east of the shire.
While Munchausen lead his militia against beast and elf, Madog and Shub lead many of their friends on a journey north through lightwoods to the base of the northern mountains. Their quest was to locate and obtain a source of stone to replace the wood structures that were difficult to defend against fire. Waylaid by creatures of goblin origin, and pinned down by dragons that protected the mountain Madog and Shub’s group were forced to go back to the village. At about the same time a large force of elves attacked the shire. During those days the most of Rausumeans fell slaughtered by foul creatures indifferent of being a fierce warrior or simple peasant worker. It was in those days that the first Generations of the Av’s learned the value of their lands and the cost to keep it. When combat had subsided, and there was time to burry the dead and rebuild the defenses, those that survived were not concerned with very much they were waiting for the next attack to come finish off their race.
Their has been some speculation on what exactly brought about it’s appearance. Some say Shub, some say Madog, many say both of them called out to a new god that had come to them in a dream to save them. Some think Munchausen was in league with magical wizards from far off countries. But what is known that Munchausen was the one to be first given what might be considered the most powerful of clerical magics. Crayn appeared from the ground in an explosion of sparks and smoke. The effects of Crayn were felt immediately in all the surrounding lands. Wizards were suddenly lost the ability to cast their spells, elves that were once immortal to the effects of age began to age slowly, and mystical creatures like dragons and Faye flew to the ground fell into a deep slumber and died. Only the clerical magics were left of which the people of Rausumea were just learning.
With the help of Crayn and their new cleric healing skills, a war was fought against the forces bent on destroying the coastal village. Protected by the counter magical effect of Crayn. The people were able to acquire mass amounts of stone from the mountains and construct a keep on a hill overlooking the old village. Abandoning the village the residents sought refuge in their new stone halls. All wasn’t good or perfect once Crayn was found, still some of the Rausumeans most beloved relatives fell during this time. Some were able to be healed before the chill of death set in. And soon the most powerful of clerics were able to beg to their god to resurrect the dead that had fallen valiantly in battle as if they had never been stuck down.
Years went buy and a second generation of Rausumeans was either born or came to the lands and welcomed into the flock. Many did not even know of Crayn that was kept in one of the towers of the keep. A wizard by the name of Rylass came to Rausumea he become intrigued by Crayn and took to studying it along with an apprentice Banshuria. Banshuria was around for the Great War, yet he strove to learn a new form of magic that could be practiced in the presence of Crayn and its negating effects. A story unfolded between Rylass and Banshuria that may never be completely understood. All that is known is it came down to a quarrel that resulted in the disappearance of Crayn and the severe scarring and burning of Banshuria.
The Rausumeans sent Munchausen to search for Rylass, and regularly he returned with out Crayn or Munchausen. Soon so much time had gone buy many Rausumeans forgot of Munchausen completely. Madog rose to the position of Chieftain and then to Jarl, and abandoned his title of head priest of his religion, giving Shub the title of Goodi, High Priest. The church assisted by Jeflrin a powerful wizard stuck a deal that Jeflrin would create for them a magical fountain and in return be allowed to oversee all magic in their territory. The fountain became known for its magical properties. It was entwined with the clergy of the church and when filled with magical fluids that erupted from statues in its center produced an anti magical effect much like Crayn once did, only Jeflrin’s strongest magics pierced the anti-magical effect.
It turns out that Rylass had not stolen Crayn at all. Ariel a traveler managed to acquire the artifact during a quarrel between Rylass and Banshuria. Rylass followed Ariel to a new world and went on a fantastic adventure. Munchausen found Rylass and Ariel in a magical land called Ferrith. It was there that Munchausen fell fighting evil men and powerful daemons. The tails speak that he sacrificed himself to the powers of good to destroy the evils that were about him. The day the news reached Rausumea a great sadness befell the land. But the way the news of Munchausen brought with it the fullness of this story.
Ariel had instructed one of his apprentices the task of getting the news of Munchausen back to the Rausumeans. The apprentice was much like his master Ariel but instead of being neutral in all cases, the apprentice was all about being balanced in all areas. While studying the Rausumeans land he read about Crayn and wished that it be returned to Rausumea. Concerned that it might result in the death of several people he sent word to the people of Rausumea that it was to be returned, giving ample time for anyone who might fall dead to the force held inside the artifact to flee. This proved very difficult for many reasons. First off Crayn prevented the apprentice from traveling to Rausumea. Upon study and investigation the apprentice discovered Ariel had a magical sextant that existed partially in multiple lands simultaneously. Since the other lands the sextant was in did not have Crayn affecting them Ariel was able to still travel.
Months turned into years but the apprentice never gave up though. And as he studied, pondered, and experimented with different forms of travel he became infatuated with Crayn and the lands of Rausumea. The idea of a land without the corruption of magic, yet the purity of good deities became an addiction in his mind. He must travel there and see what kind of land begot this unique creation, and experience first hand the very air that the people of Rausumea breathed.
The apprentice tried to mask the effects of Crayn but was unable to block it with any man made substance, and all magical substances failed, some even exploded. Out of it’s land Crayn seemed to have lesser powers than were described by Arial in his books. The apprentice figured that it must be something to do with the god’s that ruled Rausumea. So his journey took him to the clergy of his world. The clergy of Ferrith did not know the Rausumean gods and berated the apprentice, so The apprentice sought out the Rausumean gods.
The apprentice was in a pinch; There was not enough information about Rausumea to know who even to pray too. Balzak was the only deity he knew of but The apprentice was confused about Balzak’s alignment with good or evil. He figured there must be some neutral deities of the people of Rausumea. So he gathered many of his traveling friends who shifted themselves to a neutral abysmal planar land where they prayed to the gods of neutrality of the Rausumean lands. No prayer was ever answered to The apprentice, for there is no deity in Rausumea that is neutral. Before giving up on the whole idea, The apprentice prayed instead to the forces of balance, something he truly believed in.
Montoloth the deity of weaponry and seeker of balance heard the apprentice’s prayer. Although seemingly impossible, their must have been someone helping bridging the gap to allow the communication between the two. Montoloth told the apprentice in a vision how to get to Rausumea, He explained the two ways he could make it. One would kill many people if he brought it, the other would in etch the very world of Rausumea onto all that was the apprentice, and he would never be able to travel to any other land other than Rausumea again.
The first way was to travel to the plane of Medren. And then walk through the portal to Rausumea. The problem would be that while in Medren Crayn’s effects would come to complete power being so close to Rausumea because of the Portal. Some of the elves, the dragons, many daemons, and all the fae would all die instantly there, a path of destruction and death would be what he would leave there. Montoloth secretly hoped The apprentice would travel that way since the people of Medren often walked through the portal and instead of helping with the balance they often fought besides Rausumean against the force of destruction.
The other way was Montoloth could give a special clerical blessing. This blessing would turn The apprentice’s very self into a planar key to the Homelands home of the god’s and a valhallaian resting place of the spirits of Rausumea. It would be a one time shot. The apprentice would be able to enter Rausumea but only his spirit and possessions would truly make it through. His body would die. Montoloth promised to make for the apprentice a new Rausumean body of his own choosing and revelation when The apprentice brought with him Crayn. In this new body Montoloth warned the apprentice he would never be able to leave Rausumea and he would be forever bound to the land.
The apprentice agreed to the later of options not wishing to be solely responsible for the deaths of hundreds if not millions of magical creatures. And Montoloth gave him exact instructions on how to activate himself as a planar key to the Homelands. The apprentice made the proper preparations and followed Montoloth’s instruction to the letter. In a surprisingly quite and painless set of clerical spells The apprentice found himself in the homelands, Crayn and a few other of his possessions in hand. Upon entering The apprentices body flopped to the ground and his spirit in corporeal form remained standing. He was in his new home for eternity.
Montoloth not always being the most truthful of deities, did have some things up his sleeve for The apprentice. An arrangement of the oddest sort was literally birthed from Montoloth’s sister Hysis. The bastard child of the two balancing deities of Rausumea was born. Not to rule but to be the host for the apprentices essence. Hysis gave her mothers wisdom and history to the child and Montoloth gave his strength to the child, it was the apprentice whose soul was supplanted in the creation. This child was neither man nor god, it was something new, a creation of Metal, flesh, and intellect. Kurere, meaning doctor, the new demigod chose to call himself since he was endowed with a full portion of clerical powers of his parents.
Montoloth made for his new son a set of fine golden clothing and embossed it with a red cross covered with three gold circles, behind a white cloud and framed by two cycles. The red cross was a symbol for all to know that he was endowed with a self emanating clerical gift. The three gold circles represent the three forces that came together to create him. The cycles representing both strength and the wisdom of a peaceful farmer. The back-grounded cloud represented the spirit that was saved by the blending of god and man. Montoloth fashioned a golden handled stone axe for his son, one that might rival even his sons uncles.
Sending out a message to the Rausumeans Kurere sent a messenger to the Rausumean people way of a farm boy. “Clear the way for Kurere who comes bearing a great gift to the leader of the Rausumean people, Krayn of Kurere. All who once felt the power of Crayn now know that it has been brought back and shall return to its rightful place in 5 days time.” The farm boy preached. Now such a crazy child might have been held down but the child arrived with the seal of Kurere burned into his forehead. Madog was the only Av left in the city, the other Av’s had been sent on a quest to figure out an unknown section of the Rausumeans ancestral past, Madog was well aware of the powers of Crayon, and sent word to Ashling via a letter not to return home until it was safe. The dragons he let go and told them they would need to find a place to sleep eternally. For days there was chaos as families fled the city under order of the Rausumean Guard. The magical park built in the east of the city was completely evacuated; even the small and medium size tree’s were uprooted and moved unto ships and sent far away.
On the fifth day, Kurere came into the city the forces of his parents moved beside him. Kurere marveled at the land like a child on Yule. He found the city of the Rausumeans to be much larger than he imagined. People of all races seemed to now inhabit this land. Prosperity was on a upbeat. Construction was going on everywhere and some of the oddest creatures and alliances of beast and man were playing both guard and police. Instead of a small town of the descendants of Norse Vikings he found a rich commerce community free of Magic.
He sought out a tavern with which to talk to the people. But found few drinking, most of the workers only came at night to the Tavern who was being run by a couple of Guardsman entrusted with the duty of the upkeep of the tavern in Higlar’s absence.
Kurere took the time to talk to the people in the tavern. He learned of the Magical wizard Jeflrin and his fountain that protected the people of Rausumea from other Magics. Kurere was worried by the stories he heard. He feared that if his Krayn was brought from the homelands back to Rausumea the Wizard would seek to destroy it. He also worried what the effects on the world would be to bring Krayn back. He then chose to see this anti magical fountain himself. He discovered it to be entwined with clerical powers of Balzac. And there he met the farm boy messenger he had sent out to warn the people. The boy told him of the evacuation and the dragons leaving. Which eased the troubles of Kurere. The people were ready for once again total balance to be more permanent than what the fountain could supply.
Kurere was granted an audience with the Jarl of the city, Madog. Madog was eager to have the artifact back. And saw Kurere immediately. The man had an idea of what Kurere was almost instantly, he had been in the presence of the gods many times before and knew that Kurere was in league with them, but why had Balzac not warned him? Maybe it was the weakening of the gods during this Yg-Tide. Or maybe it had been because of the construction and evacuation Madog had not talked with his god for some time then. Or even possibly Balzac had gone with the Goodi to protect the Av’s.
Kurere then summoned Krayn from the Homelands himself using his clerical powers. Madog instantly was aware that Kurere was a demi-god, for it was something only the naturally blessed could do. Outside of the keep a loud eruption was heard as Jeflrin’s tower fell to the ground without its magics to hold itself. Jeflrin had left many days earlier, not taking a chance that he himself might die. His fountain stopped and crumbled in on itself.
Madog immediately armed himself, Kurere was an abomination a creation not man not god and Madog knew that he himself was almost completely defenseless. It was a tense moment, although Kurere had not aggressed in any way Madog was scared of what he might be there to do. Kurere comforted Madog and gave him the Krayn of Kurere much like a warrior returns a sword to a fathers son after the father has died in battle. Kurere not wanting to disturb Madog any further bid Madog farewell and left the chambers of the keep. Once outside the vast city Kurere walked into the swamps to the west of the city and set off into barely explored regions of Rausumea to see the world he would try to balance for the rest of eternity.
Madog was left with the resolve, destroy Krayn, send Krayn away, or never see Ashling or the others who had left. It was a tough dilemma, without magic Rausumea would be an even more free land. But none of the friendly magical creatures would ever be allowed in the entirety of the land.
Madog loaned his platinum hammer, forger of the axes of Balzac to William the Captain of the Rausumean Guard, and instructed him to take the Krayn of Kurere and destroy it out in the wilderness.
William came to own the Krayn of Kurere or rather the pieces of the Krayn of Kurere in this way. William at the time was the Squadleader of Goldsquad and Captain of the Guard that protected Rausumea. The squad was a newly formed squad that really had only been together for a couple of months, but the members of the squad are worth naming, since there adventures after the destruction of Krayn are very important to the history of Rausumea: William, Lichanthl, Toros, Finnith, Sedart, Pvornik, Knuetil, Splitquiver, Shorat, and Gooter.
The Squad did as instructed. William succeeded in destroying the Krayn of Kurere, when the hammer struck the artifact breaking it William and his squad disappeared in the explosion of releasing consumed magics and whisked away to the homelands. But their adventure their is a long tail that really does not bear on the History of Krayn. Know this; The Krayn of Kurere was split into 17 pieces. William and his men kept some of the pieces, 3 were returned to the Jarl proof of the destruction of Krayn. And the rest were scattered across the six ends of the world by the gods themselves. Each piece is called Syttende av Kurere. And is said to still possess a portion of the power of Krayn. The platinum hammer was also destroyed by the explosion, it’s pieces were turned into a week flint like stone, that were given to Greagis av Rausumea, from whom which the law of Rausumea is named after, and who was the smith of Rausumean’s early days brother to both Shub and Madog. When Greagis left the Lands of Rausumea he left the hammer hanging on the wall of his smith.
Roleplaying is when a person takes on or acts like a character they are not. In Belegarth there are many races you can choose to play or unwritten rules that people choose to interact with. This section is to put down on paper some of those unwritten rules and information on the races of characters.