Chariste

In the beginning.... Before this world there existed a formless realm without shape or substance. With no chaos as there was no form, the plane reflected the cold, dark depths of unrealized dreams. Aluwen, goddess of Life, came upon this place and realized it as a home for the wandering souls of the lost. Her rich and fertile lands were home to many mortals but when the flesh had withered and the soul had flown, her children were consigned to a miserable half existence, bereft of the emotion, the senses, and the very act of living they had enjoyed before. First creating a rift in the void, she tasted magic and with it hope and redemption. Drawing on the energy of the life she so carefully nurtured, she chained the wild magic to her own and drew forth the lands, linking them with a tenuous thread of her own ethereality to themortal lands. Her tears of joy filled the valleys and basins creating the oceans even as her warm breath drew forth waves and became the wind. Her will brought forth the grasses and trees, her love drew up the mighty mountain bulwarks to buttress the fertile plains. The light of her eyes gave forth warm light and became the heat of the sun. A utopia sprang forth, born out of nothingness, and into this paradise she ushered the souls of all her children and their miraculous laughter filled the skies. But Aluwen, for all her power and her benevolence, had lost herself in the joy of her children and did not see the anger and jealousy of her kindred. Most incensed was her brother, the dire Mortos, and his rage grew with every spirit that burst into being in his sister’s fertile lands. With suave and calm assurance at odds with the venom in his heart, Mortos encouraged his beautiful sister’s creation. The magics of these lands were rich and fresh and called to the avarice in his heart so when Aluwen tired and her efforts faltered, Mortos offered himself as a resevoir of power, artfully weaving in his own spell of destruction, giving back to this world what Aluwen had left without...hatred, anger, avarice, envy, and pride. By the time Aluwen realized what her brother had done, it was too late. She severed the link between herself and Mortos and surveyed the damage. His influence was now inextricably woven into the very fabric of her new universe and her pain shadowed the sun, throwing the lands into darkness. With the failing dregs of her energy, she drew forth from the soil and gave the ethereal souls substance and thus the ability to shape the lands to their liking. Her final gift to her children was companion races: her hair, cut into long locks into which she breathed life became the Dragons; bedrock from the mountains became the Dwarves; heartwood of the ash became the Elves; and a drop of blood from her own nimble fingers became the Gnomes. Her energies spent, she faded, railing against her brother but in her heart, she knew he had perhaps given her children the greatest gift of all for their will was now no one’s but their own.... Thus began the age of history of these eternal lands. The races split in the Great Diaspora, each imbued with the noble and ignoble thanks to Aluwen and Mortos, each finding a home suited to their skills and temperament. The elves and humans moved to the east, the humans settling into the fertile plains while the elves took their home in the towering trees of sprawling forests. The dwarves chose the jagged mounts, their bones rich in ores and gems. The gentle gnomes chose a secluded river valley with softly wooded slopes, babbling brooks, and clearings to fill with their small homes and workshops. But no matter what spot they chose, the influence of Mortos was felt in the pounding storms of summer and growing bands of marauders that stalked the once peaceful nights. Life, once an unimagined blessing to the children of Aluwen, had been reduced to naught but survival, tilling the fields, carting ores, and eking out a meager existence in the forest. But Mortos was not done with this world. With the departure of Aluwen, Mortos was free to act out his most malicious fantasies. He followed the taint of his own magics back to the void and was initially thwarted by the fact that Aluwen had sealed the rift. But Mortos was not without his own resources and calling upon the evil of his own mortal realm, he reopened the tear and entered the wilderness, intent upon wreaking his havoc before Aluwen could regain her strength. With his vicious hordes of Orcs, Trolls, and Goblins, Mortos at first harried the edges of the various settlements, the wide dispersal of the races the only obstacle to their immediate and complete annihilation. The mighty Dragons, immured in their rarified aeries, heard the cry of the battle and departed their homes in the corners of the lands to join their comrades in fighting the scourge but as deprivation loomed and settled into the armies, they began squabbling amongst themselves over failing resources as much as they fought the invading horde. But these were only the troubles of the present. Mortos had also slipped some of his greater mages into the lands, secreting them in mountain caverns and deep forest glens which had never know the step of the children of Aluwen. Here they began their fell plots, working toward the day they could burst from their dank hideaways and take over the lands, subjugate the armies, and perfect their dark arts. They kidnaped the newly freed souls from far outlying villages, entire communities often never being missed, and from these hapless victims they created the Orchans, bastard hybrids of humans and orcs, stupid enough to control but smart enough to fight, viciously and strategically, without the need for a mage commander. The first puling, misshapen horrors died almost immediately, the ravaged souls shredded and dissipating. But eventually these mages created a killing machine greater than the sum of it’s stolen parts. The bowels of the mountains rang with the shrieks of those monstrous births. The orchans bred well and as the years passed, their numbers grew. This is just a very rough idea of what could have occurred. The continuing theme in EL is the whole souls/ghost thing which I'd like to keep and this is what I came up with to support that. I like the whole idea of free will too since freedom of choice is so integral to the game itself. I'm planning for the War of the Gods to occur when Aluwen returns with her host to crush Mortos who, never the fool, has gathered his own allies... Afterward, the races can then be adopted by patron gods as they are no longer "helpmeets" as Aluwen had planned, but instead, thanks to Mortos' s original meddling, distinct and autonomous species with wills of their own. The other races will be no problem to implement, such as Centaurs, and the stories that go along with them. Anyway, this is the style and format for the Mythos portion of the history. But plenty of ways and styles for stories that contain the details and characters that bring history to life. Comments, questions, suggestions.... Thanks

Notes from Lyanna: Kaysel and Iringold still need work. And any reference to the Overdeity must necessarily be vague, or else highly-specific but not included in the main history (subject to my approval). The 9 Greater Gods are now available for use, though. The earlier discussion about this same topic can be found here. The Nine Greater Gods Despite having many different racial beliefs, there are some gods and goddesses that are common across all cultures in these Lands. These are reputed to be the ancestral gods of the races, and while they have now come to be associated more with their particular divine attributes rather than racial affiliations, nevertheless it is rumoured that some of the greater gods still hold soft spots for their chosen races. Aluwen: The Goddess of Life, Goodness and Truth. She believes strongly in the intrinsic worth of all living things, constantly striving to heal the sick or wounded. She has a tendency to choose diplomacy first and foremost, and violence only as a last resort. Her race, the Elves, have inherited her love of nature and the sanctity of life. She also believes that there is an order, a purpose, to all living things and spends much of her time striving to influence that purpose towards the ultimate good. As such, she is constantly at odds with her evil counterpart, Mortos, and fights constantly with him to determine the direction of the Lands – Good or Evil. Originally having enormous sway over the populace, she was briefly able to establish a reign of peace over the Lands during Mortos' banishment, but later had to sacrifice a large portion of her power and influence to mitigate the curse of the undead that had fueled the destruction of the Great War. Elandria: The Goddess of Home, Love and Invention. The patron of lovers and families, she is well-loved for her kind, protective nature and is the most popular goddess to invoke during marriage ceremonies. After Dvar had abadoned his Godly duties, Elandria assumed part of his role, in order to protect her children. Thus, she became the patron goddess for the Humans and the Gnomes, both races that are well-known for their inventiveness in overcoming difficult problems. She hates the destruction visited upon cities and their inhabitants by nature, and hence constantly strives to invent new ways for the races to protect themselves form the chaotic forces in which Centau revels. She, even more than Aluwen, doesn't want the horors of impermanance - particularly war - in the world, so continually assists the races in building structures of strength and longevity. However, she can be a bit loose with nature, which causes the over-harvesting of materials for building and provokes Centau. Of all the deities, Elandria is perhaps most involved in the races' day-to-day life - leading some of her brothers and sisters to accuse her of being a bit too meddlesome at times. Zarin: The Goddess of Freedom, Beauty, and the Arts. Zarin is constantly fascinated by the variety found in nature and the souls of mortals, taking infinite care to nourish it. She is more than willing to become militant abut that, a ruthless side to her which mirrors her fascination with nature itself. Zarin is the patron of all artists and rewards all those whose ambitions lead to the development of the soul. She wants to make the world a brighter, happier place through artistry. Unfortunately, her methods may be a little too eccentric at times which earn her some rather doubtful looks from her fellow Gods. But Zarin cheerfully continues on her way, believing that it is only through complete freedom that beauty and spirit can arise. She hates anything that tries to enslave or dampen the beauty and joy of life and therefore fights an ongoing invisible war with Selain about the social ills that plague the Lands. Glilin: The God of Craftsmanship, Discipline and Skill. Originally a master craftsman of the Dwarves, he marshaled his race during the War of the Gods and was elevated to Divinity as a result. Although he fought on the side of Good in that battle, Glilin is not primarily predisposed to it, still maintaining Dwarvish practicality and neutrality. He is the patron of all craftsmen, from jewelers to blacksmiths, who pray to him to grant them skill in their work. With the wisdom gained from a long life as a mortal, he is a little more inclined to think about the quality and type of people involved, rather than the number. A merry god who doesn’t take his Divinity too seriously, he delights in the invention of new things and often has many discussions with Elandria and Unolas about the properties of different materials and elements. A strict disciplinarian who believes that hard work is the way to achieve any worthwhile goal in life, he tends to favor those that are willing to follow the system rather than the eccentric geniuses that Zarin prefers. Glydoc: The God of Combat and Warfare. He is the patron saint of all warriors who call out to him for strength in their sword-arms, resilience in their shields, and cunning in their wits. He values honor and justice yet is beset by the battle-lust that rages within. His chosen race, the Orchans, reflect that nature. A paradoxical god, beset by conflicting natures, he tries to maintain neutrality in all things, not daring to swing too far in one direction or another. In fact, he does his best to avoid entreaties by Aluwen or Mortos to help their cause. With his recent defeat due to the machinations of Selain and his own initial naivete about the effectiveness of underhanded tactics, Glydoc has been forced to reevaluate his philosophy, and is now seeking to research new methods of warfare. Thus, he is slowly becoming god of not only the honorable general, but also of the traitor and the spy. He still bears a grudge against Selain for stealing the Orchans out from under him though, so hopes one day to return the favor, in a similar manner. Unolas: The god of Magic, Wisdom and Knowledge. Having attained his godhood through the guidance of Mortos then being forced into war against Aluwen, Zarin, and Glydoc, Unolas now strives to remain aloof and throws himself into the pursuit of knowledge, wisdom and mastery of magic instead. Even as an Elf, he was acknowledged as the brightest among his race, but as a god, his knowlege soon exceeded all the other deities. He is the patron of teachers and mages. He often has lively philosophical debates with both Aluwen and Mortos, attempting to ascertain the true natures of Good and Evil, refusing to accept traditional definitions. Often, Elandria or Glydoc would go to him for a fresh perspective on their own problems, and Unolas enjoys dabbling in invention or research. Centau: The God of Change, Chaos and the raw Forces of Nature. Originally advocating the need for constant change and opposing the efforts of Elandria to find a permanent shelter for the races, he caused his race of Centaurs to live and die by his whim. The rebellion of his people against him shattered his confidence and Mortos drove him mad with insidious thoughts. Now he dwells in the depths of the oceans, constantly swaying before his fury, and unleashes his madness against all of the Lands. Beyond the control of any of the other gods, he creates havoc for all those who dare to work with or in the elements, and is especially irritated by Elandria's excessive usage of natural materials to fuel "her hobby", as he calls it. He still retains enough of his personality to have semi-lucid moments, though, in which he recalls his grudge against Mortos, and affectionately tries to help Zarin in the creation of beautiful things in nature, though he tends towards striking examples of raw power, rather than subtle beauty. Selain: The God of Wealth, Corruption and Vice. Selain came from a rough mortal childhood, and perhaps more than any other God understands the realities of a harsh life. He constantly seeks to better his position and power in any given situation, using any means possible (usually corrupt). He worked his way up the mortal social ladder, and then achieved godhood, aided and abetted by Mortos, which precipitated the War of the Gods. Although his initial efforts in the War involved only bribery and drug-control, throughout the long centuries, Selain has become a master in his field, surpassing even Mortos in his ability to twist the bodies and souls of mortals to his use. He is the patron of all merchants and criminals and the developer of Summoning and Conjuring. Most of the monsters were invented and given life by Selain. Upon developing a way to extract the life essences from the very substance of the Lands, he was able to create new and fiendish caricatures of living things to plague Aluwen and Zarin, whom he dismisses as extremely naive Goddesses pursuing ridiculous goals. Mortos: The God of Death, Destruction and Evil. He strove to ruin the creation of life in the Eternal Lands from the beginning and constantly plots to destroy it. That kind of suicidal hatred of everything is difficult to comprehend for many. But Mortos is old. He decided a very long time ago that he wished not to exist, wished to forego the agony of reason. Long before, and long after the tiny lives of mortals he will still be here, and he doesn't want to be. There could be no greater torture than to be immortal and hate your very existence. To see these tiny beings, with that ability to die, to cease existence, flit past him as a sparrow flits past a man... he hates it, hates the reminder that afflicts him in every moment of every day. To destroy it would perhaps dim his pain. Aided and abetted by Selain and his minions, he nurtures terror and war among the unsuspecting races whenever possible and using whatever means necessary to achieve his end. Every day he calls out to the wickedness and evil he planted in the natures of the mortals, cajoling them to murder, to war, to corrupt and destroy. In his latest, greatest achievement, he placed a curse upon the Lands during the Great War, turning the majority of the populace into undying immortals like himself, that we may understand his agony. The Shadow Deities These are the Gods and/or immortals who, in different ways, have removed themselves from the day-to-day interests of the mortals in the lands, and are only remembered as myths and legends. Dvar: The lost god of Balance, Invention and Craftsmanship. In the prime of his powers, Dvar was on par with Aluwen and Mortos and was responsible for maintaining the balance between Good and Evil as they fought over the Lands. Originally the god of the Dwarves and Gnomes, he was led astray by Mortos into the depths of the earth, seeking out new materials and ways of invention. This has resulted in the loss of a moderating influence on the world, allowing both Good and Evil the possibility of achieving total dominance over the other. His godly duties of craftmanship were taken up by Elandria and Glilin, but nevertheless, no one knows what could have happened if Dvar had remained. His disappearance has led to the skepticism in the Dwarves regarding religion, as they have no God to tell them otherwise, and the Gnomes deserted their cousins, attracted by Elandria's inventive nature. Kaysel: First and most powerful of the Dragons, the first race on the planet, she was given eternal life by Aluwen to watch over creation. Not as powerful as the Gods, she was grieved when her race was destroyed in the Dragon Wars. Redefining her role as protector, she now sits as guardian over the scattered and hidden continents, hoping, waiting, and watching for the time when she will be able to reverse the course of history, to send a common man back in time, and prevent the wars from happening. Thus, Kaysel began to study the mysteries of Time and Fate, hoping to assuage her grief. Iringold: The father of the Draegoni. A resourceful dragon not particularly noteworthy during the course of the Dragon Wars, Iringold proved the key that turned back the invading horde of Mortos's evil in the final battle of the war. He sacrificed himself in Tiral Pass, slipping from the icy slopes of a ravine and causing a mage's magics to go wild in the middle of the invaders. Their ranks decimated and morale crushed, the monstrous army retreated to regroup, giving the humans, gnomes, dwarves, and elves the time they needed to meet the threat. Raised to an avatar of Aluwen, he is not a dragon and not a god, but a wandering spirit and intermediary. The Draegoni were created when his heartsister, the human mage Coral, took blood from his fallen body and mixed it with her own in a ritual of eternal friendship. The Gods, taking pity on them, transformed her into the first Draegoni, combining the best of both races. The Overdeity There persist rumors that there exists a Divine Being or Force of some sort that is above the Greater Gods, and rules over them in some way. Several visions, recorded throughout history by the churches, have included conversations in which the Gods refer to that entity. We are not sure whether it has a personality, or whether it is some sort of impersonal force, or unbreakable law of the universe, but whatever this Overdeity is, it apparently has even greater power than the Gods themselves. Minor gods / Demigods Lyanna - Goddess of Healing who was promoted by Aluwen. Her blessing will not only include removal of adverse affects on youir character and healing but also healing at certain fountains throughout the game. Ramsie - God of Might who was promoted by Glydoc. His blessing will increase your might by increasing your physique by 10 temporarily. Also clicking on an item of Ramsie will give a temp. boost. Carnelus - God of Wisdom who was promoted by Unolas. His blessing will allow you to read faster for an hour, however you will not be able to recieve the blessing for 2 hours (must be ingame) when it runs out. Zartou - God of Luck who was promoted by Elandria. His blessing will give the follower a boost in their chances in creating enriched items and possibly even affecting Tankel's repair rate, a temporary artificer affect. Jayden - Goddess of Mixture who was promoted by Zarin. Although Unolas would more than likely promote a potion maker, Jayden pictured Potion making as an art form and had its own form of beauty which caught Zarin's eye. Her blessing will give a temporary boost in the Potion skill. Vlasian - God of Form who was promoted by Selain. His blessing will give a temporary boost in the shape shifting skill. Axin - God of Labor who was promoted by Glilin. His blessing will give a temporary boost in the crafting skill. Lucaa - God of Chance who was promoted by Centau. His blessing will give a temporary effect like the no more tears perk. Also he will increased your chances by 10% to recieve a good event while harvesting. Vesepia - Goddess of Demise who was promoted by Mortos. Her blessing will increase the amount of damage done with damage rings, spells, and perks for a certain amount of time. Dryx - God of Secrecy who was promoted by Dvar. Why Dvar left isolation to promote a mortal is up to the one writing the story. His blessing could be good of bad, probably

This is very good and I'll add it to the list tonight Either perspective will work fine, I think, just be very careful to be consistent in whichever approach you choose. Keep up the good work though! I'll be checking back, if you have any questions or want to bounce some ideas around post them here. I won't so any serious editing or suggest revisions until the piece is finished, but I'd be glad to be a sounding board for you. Thanks Chariste

Yes, I have seen a miracle or two in my time and while I cannot provide you with concrete evidence that they were wrought by the hand of God...neither can you provide me with proof that they were not. Ahhh, the great dilemna... "I stand amid the roar Of a surf-tormented shore, And I hold within my hand Grains of the golden sand-- How few! yet how they creep Through my fingers to the deep, While I weep--while I weep! O God! can I not grasp Them with a tighter clasp? O God! can I not save One from the pitiless wave? Is all that we see or seem But a dream within a dream?" --Edgar Allan Poe --always thought this a stylish verse --

hehe ok, I got your other addresses, so I will get that emailed to you shortly. I lied and did not look up that other Vermor story(ies) but I will, I promise, tomorrow at work, I'll make a note...:s Yes, AOHell, but, one must wonder, who is the bigger idiot, the one that produces it or the one(s) that pay for it... Thnx, Chariste edit: As I read back over this I see some may take it wrong so for the record--I have AOL lol

I think it's a great quest start! I'll run it past Roja, too, as we are getting closer (slowly ) to gearing up some new quests. I'm going to add this to the "queue" then, thanks for getting back so quick. Chariste

What the mythos is mainly to be considered is a framework for the writers to them come in and flesh out. This is where the minor deities, other gods, and polytheism will come into play. I want them to create this history but based on certain points that are "set," in this way much of the confusion of who did what where and to whom will be avoided. In this way a writer could come in and say, ok, Aluwen and Mortos are engaged in this massive battle...what is Selain doing? How about we turn this little unimportant fairy guy over here into a hero...etc and thus an heroic epic is born. I never intended for the mythos to "be" the history, I want it to be the springboard for it. I have read Saii's work and love it, and intend to use as much of the work of the past writers as I can. As for Kayliana, however, I read her post asking for her histories to be pulled as she was going to use them for another reason so those I have not considered. As for the races, yes, at first it was just humans and perhaps elves that were "Aluwen's children." The others were created as companion races, servitor class you might say although with a much heavier lean toward ally rather than servant, but Mortos's "poison" infecting the land, they thereby gained free will and the ability to choose their own destinies. In this way they become equals in the struggle to survive in this utopia gone "bad" so to speak, hehe. And Aluwen, being a goddess of Life, makes them her own. No, I meant dragons in that last bit, I haven't approached the creation of the Draegoni yet. Due to Kayliana's request, I decided to cut the dragons from whole cloth, give them their start, and let the tales come as they would. Although I do have a few ideas for the Draegoni, they are just not ready yet. Thanks for your thoughts, I appreciate the help Chariste

Wow, I'm going to send that thing certified, return receipt requested! lol No, I sent it again in a .txt format, but I will try again. That is the email address I used so.... Maybe AOL figures our lives are too easy and they're gonna spice it up for us I can't even stand going to insurance office, much less a school, hehe, so you have my sympathies. That sounds fantastic! Could you perhaps make an outline of events...there are some stories out there now that detail events in the Vermor line. Let me sort through some stuff tonight after the kiddies go to bed and see what might impact your history. Thanks Quin, Chariste

This is the basic rundown of what we have, where we are, and what the progression will be with these stories. I have an entire listing of stories but most of the authors have not responded either in the forums or via PM. So here is what is considered active: Under Edit: The Great War--Tumaros In Queue: Peril in Mynadar--Tumaros The Great Battle of Grubani--Tumaros Diary of a Common Man--Geelef Aluwen's Request--Lobonar Memories of a Healer--Lyanna A Tale in the Desert (bardic)–-Lyanna The Creation of Corren Town--Hammen The Founding of Tirnwood--Conner/Master_Templar Curse of Narlik Catacombs--Conner/Master_Templar Desert Pines Canyon--Conner/Master_Templar In Progress: The Rise and Fall of Sedicolis—Lotharion The Finding of the Diary--Geelef Grubani--Quinticus The Fall of Tirnym--Angelodante A word of warning, however, for those of you who post partial or complete stories. The progression is simple and straightforward: You post it, I edit it and return it to you (galley proof), you look it over and revise, return it then to me, and I will then approve it. ONLY then will it be submitted to Roja for final approval. Any and every story must go through all of these steps in order to be submitted to her. I will consider a story "active" only as long as I have some sort of communication with the author either in the forums or via PM or email. So if you fall out somewhere and your story doesn't go through the process, it will be shelved. If something comes up, as real life is wont to do, and you want to allow others to complete your story, that would be great and no problem. And if you are just taking some time off, sure, just let me know if you can. Having said all that, I am willing to work on your story as hard as you are and as my own life permits. Things are slow as I wade through the backlog, but I will also try to keep in touch with everyone in a reasonable timeframe. Thanks all Chariste

Thank you, Lyn, I appreciate that! I don't think they need too much, you do good work as always... Thnx, Chariste

That's great, I'm going to go ahead and add it to the edit list. I'm going to go ahead and add "The Curse..." as well even though it's not quite worked out. Just bear with me... ty Chariste I love this story, btw, it's got such an aura of mystery about it, the dormant giant that can awaken at any moment, the sunny glade that holds such an amazing secret. This would make a great addition to a quest as well.

I like the third person, it gives it a lot of scope and gives you more freedom to talk about how, maybe, the strike affected different people or what different explorers have done to find the core...plus, there has been some talk of new quests, this might make a great addition to that... thanks

You know, Spam has a shelf life of at least 26 years...I heard that on a tv show on the Discovery Channel one night. (honey, btw, has been found to be edible after 3000 years, is that not the coolest?) Ravenod's alleged spam* thus far has a shelf life of almost a year which I consider quite praiseworthy. I say alleged because in his case it is a matter of opinion. Some would consider it (as I do) creative (perhaps even crazy hehe) advertisement since it was not merely traditional punctuation, capitalization, and in some cases grammar. I can see where those predisposed to easy aggravation, low tolerance, and quick disdain for anything they don't understand would consider it spam. So la la~~I have always enjoyed a public court of inquiry, so I'll grab some logs and see what floats to the surface. I don't really care that Ravenod is on the chopping block, so to speak, but the argument is so feeble, the jealousy so rampant, that it just promises to lend itself to a rare good time. Hell, I wish he were actually guilty of something worth mentioning, that would be fab! Oh, every time I read the posts of a particular forum participant, I get that old Don Henley song stuck in my head, the only lyric I can remember goes..."Got the bubble-headed bleach blonde, comes on at 5....She can tell you about the plane crash, with a gleam in her eye..." Anybody remember that song???

Proof of Moonshadow's treachery please. I would be greatly interested in seeing the logs. I'm sure everyone else would too.

LOL Neoses, you've hit the nail on the head if you've realized...this is exactly what Plat wants. She wants everyone at each other's throats, she thrives on strife and discord, especially when she can revel in the eye of the hurricane. And the lengths she's going to are incredible which I find laudable in a distinctly twisted and warped fashion. I'd say there are very few here that could remember Ravenod's "creative advertisements" from back in the day since they occurred oh...about 10 MONTHS ago when he was, in fact, a newbie and used such heinous tactics as alternating upper and lowercase letters to catch a buyer's eye in the market channel! But you know, Neoses, one thing he NEVER did? He never used smilies at the end of every line. :> And he has always disdained that 1337 stuff. But I cannot withhold credit where it is due! I would never ever have had the patience, nay, the intestinal fortitude! to dig for three hours to find some "juicy tidbit" about Ravenod's newbie malfeasances. But perhaps it did not take that long, that is just the time between the original post and the ubiquitous final (so far) edit of said post. He was not mentioned in the original post as a spammer. But, as some much more wise than I have noted, the truth most often lies somewhere in the middle. As to her exhaustive listing of each mod/dev/NH's and their almost innumerable faults (although I'm sure she did her best to find ALL of them), I can totally appreciate a good showing of wag the dog. So, don't worry about it. People will rail back and forth but eventually it will die down and drift away. Heck, the only thing that drew me in was my own twisted amusement at the fact that Ravenod had been pinged and the villainous nature of his misconduct! Eh, in the end I have the most sympathy for Leeloo and Roja. They are both very sincere and very concerned but both have been drawn into this ridiculous maelstrom and have both said things that if they do not regret it now, they should. But now what truth there was has been shredded and thrown to the wayside. Of course what is done is done and I truly admire Leeloo's tenacity but regret that it does little more than fuel Plat's psychological, perhaps even pathological, obsession for dissension. This too shall pass, I read that in a good book once... I should note that a good friend of mine has pretty well charted Plat's entire course one step ahead of her. It has been very amusing though saddening to see her trace her route so precisely. Kudos to said friend. Sincerely, Chariste P.S. Can't wait to see what nasty skeletons are hiding in my closet! P.S.S. Just to note: I could care less about Plat in either a good way or bad way, so do not presume to ascribe me to any one position. I am rarely ingame anymore since I am waiting for the beautiful new changes coming our way. This is merely an observation on human psychology and op-ed piece on the deranged number of people/posts (myself humbly included hee hee!) that this delicious melodrama has provoked. Cheers!

Yes, it's a lot of work but it's very fun too. I'll keep that in mind about Saii, especially since I can't seem to get a hold of him. It's so much work though, that whatever this morphs into, I'm going to try and keep as much of it as I can. Right now, I'm going through the backlog and trying to get caught up. Any suggestions or ideas you have are always appreciated! Stop by anytime you get a moment Thanks! Chariste

Oh, I see, that will be great! So you and Connor were the same? I have "him" listed as a possibility so can I just combine yours and his stories then as far as that goes and mark you both active? Thanks Chariste

Hey there, I did get your PM and I thought I had replied, I will check on that. I did email you the story attached as a .txt file so evidently I am a statistic But I will get that sent back out to you tonight. And yes, I saw your post but I quite frankly lost it in the shuffle and never responded. Sorry about that, but I will also do that tonight if I can. Thanks for your patience...

If the story is finished, then I will take it and go over it as soon as I can. PM me with an email address and I will send it back to you for your final revision as soon as I am done. Thanks Hammen! Chariste

Hey, it's been a while...are you planning on adding to your story? I have it listed as in progress and I'd love to know how it's coming. Are you planning on completing it? I hope you will, reply and/or contact me via PM... Thanks Chariste

Aluwen went to ground to regain her strength and as she healed, the aether rang with her summons to friends and allies alike. Her host grew, both the weak and the strong flocking to her call. Mortos and his evil were well known to them and many came just to join in the chance to give the sinister god his due. As the last stragglers came to her halls, Aluwen arose, brilliant in her anger and righteousness, to lead them to the lands she had created for life and love. Mortos, being no fool, had also summoned his cronies and vassals to gather to his banner. While his overlords and underlings wreaked havoc in the once pristine lands, he set guard over the rift and prepared for battle. He disdained battle plans and spent the interminable evenings gaming, drinking, and leching. His generals were hamstrung with uncertainty and eventually fell into vying amongst themselves for Mortos's favor. Of one thing they were certain--Aluwen, being weak and overly concerned with honor, would undoubtedly send emissaries to beg parlay, probably with some ornate and ridiculous treaty or truce. This, they knew, would give them time to rally their troops and cut through her host while Mortos toyed with the ambassadors. Caught unawares, it would be a slaughter. But Mortos and his generals, for all their cunning, had forgotten the first rule of war. No plan survives engagement with the enemy. Aluwen and her Host should have shone like a nova on the horizon of the forgotten void, but her rage didn't affect her own cunning. Darandis, her trusted friend and mage, spun an illusion of darkness about the entire army. The approach of the host would have stood out like a beacon to any alert sentry anyway, the sheer size and power of such a gathering was impossible to totally disguise. But Aluwen knew Mortos and knew his ways. The "guard" over the rift were just as drunk and busy with their own pleasures as their lords. Not until they were within striking distance did Aluwen dispense with the illusion and let her intent flare out into the enemy camp, blistering the blackness of their hearts with her purity. Thus was the War of the Gods begun. Aluwen and her Host swept into the encampment of Mortos like a tide, washing away any and all that stood in their way. The army of Mortos rallied, for drunk or not, battle was in their blood and killing the nectar of their souls. The Host finally slammed into the wall of the dark enemy and the combatants dug in for war. The tales of heroes, sacrifice, cowardice, and miracles that eventually emerged could never hope to convey the magnitude of the battles. Even a god can weaken, even a god may die, and on the bloodied fields of a forgotten and refound realm, Aluwen and her Host found the meaning of mortality. The lesser beings, the sprites and fairies, boggles and redcaps fell like snowflakes as their mightier brethren swept across the battlelines. Great magics erupted and slammed through the void, the victims often exploding from impact, the casting mages sometimes incinerating themselves as in the heat of battle they reached for magics greater than they themselves. Despite the outrage of her own generals, Aluwen led the charge and did not stop until she was deep into the enemy camp. Lightning blazed from her fingertips, her titian hair snapped sparks deep into the aether, and the blaze of her hard, white eyes blinded many of the foot soldiers who had the misfortune to meet her fierce glare. She had one goal, to meet Mortos in face to face combat, and once and for all claim the Eternal Lands as her own. Behind her, however, her allies and her friends were falling. True, in the process they were decimating Mortos's own forces, but the rate of attrition for both sides was staggering.

I'm glad to see you are back I'm the new storylines editor and I was hoping to hear from you. Would you be able to send me this via email? I would like to add it to my files as I try to sort all these stories into their appropriate niches. I'm slowly but surely going through everything and getting the preliminary edits done as well as adding them to the timeline. PM me if you like and we can coordinate on it if you are interested. Thanks Chariste

Well, as far as I can tell, Lyanna already incorporated Saii's ideas (his post is right after Saii's) and I simply modified and expanded what was already there. Having said that, however, there is always room for revision... Glydoc has, I believe, been pretty much universally accepted as the god of Combat with Glilin taking over as god of Craftmanship. The game is about to face some major modifications so while this is incorrect now, these discrepancies will be remedied in the update(s). But do you have any suggestions for lesser deities/demi-gods? "Heroes" perhaps that have achieved immortality but are not gods, have "powers" which greatly trascend their humanity (or gnomity, elvity, or whatever ) but are not god-like. If you have some ideas, post them here, maybe something done like the gods, names, attributes, a few sentences summing up how they became heroes...

thank you very much! I really appreciate it. I have read a bit about Selain doing some experiments that resulted in many of the monsters in EL so I'm going to wait and research that a bit before I write that portion. I think that will be later in the history anyway as the gods begin to settle into their roles. I have a lot of reading to do so I may not be adding to this very soon, but I would hope to complete the Mythos within the month...children willing and the water don't rise...lol Thanks again, L_V Chariste

lol I wasn't actually planning on doing anything with it. I just thought it was cute and appreciated Mike sharing it.