Report on the Outpost Explosion *UPDATED August 7th*
Jul 29, 2015 21:29:51 GMT -5
Judas D'arc likes this
Post by Mylar Tyrmitore on Jul 29, 2015 21:29:51 GMT -5
*note that new additions to the report are bolded and italicized to (hopefully) make them easier to find*
Examination of the First Body and Cody:
Upon our initial entry into the northern outpost after the explosion, a body was discovered, in several pieces, on the second floor. It appeared to have been blown apart by the force of the explosion, and severely burned beyond recognition.
Piper of the Purple Guardians brought the healer Kelvin to examine the body in an attempt to determine its identity, or at the very least some distinguishing features that might aid in identification.
The first thing that Kelvin noted was the odd positioning of the body. He asked us if it had been moved to be propped up how it was, though it hadn’t been moved since it was discovered. Then he attempted to sex the body via the pelvic bone. He determined that unless it was an odd specimen, the body was that of a male. From there he moved onto the right leg, looking for evidence of old injuries. He pointed out some spots where there was a different texture on the bone, signs of an older break that was beginning to mend.
Going back to the main torso, Kelvin noticed something else odd. Unlike the rest of the limbs that had been blown off in the explosion, one of the arms had been, albeit inexpertly, hacked off. He suggested that it took several blows, perhaps from a cleaver or sword, or some such weapon. It could have been either an inexpert wielder, an improper tool, or purposefully done to throw suspicion.
Checking behind the ears also revealed a small amount of unburned hair of an ash-blonde colour.
Another odd thing that Kelvin noted was the lack of blood in relation to the wound. Since the arm had been cut off, there should have been an immense amount of blood. The fire might have burned it off, but there should still have been a difference in the burn pattern from the wet blood protecting the wood. Such a pattern didn’t exist.
One final noted oddity was the lack of a difference in the burn patterns on the body itself. That lends itself to the theory that whoever the body had belonged to had been dead or at the very least in shock or unconscious at the time of the explosion.
Before anything else could be discerned from the body, it disintegrated into dust. Not just the part being handled at the time, but all of it. There was nothing left but dust.
A poster was recently put up around the area concerning the body, and there were directions to contact the rangers should anyone have information. A response was received, and I (Mylar) followed the individual outside of the tavern where he had found me. He seemed nervous at first, but when we arrived in a more secluded area in the trees, he stopped. Suddenly I heard a loud, unnatural sounding hiss, and he turned and attacked me. As we fought, he let out what I can only describe as a screech. When the fight was over, I quickly went through the belongings and the only thing of note that I found was a list of items to be picked up. This listed was signed by a Thomas.
I returned to the tavern rather shaken, more by the sounds he had made than the attack itself, and Piper left to go find the body. She soon returned with him and things took an even stranger turn. His throat had been viciously slit, nearly severing his head completely. And there were no traces of blood. Not even from when I had fought him not long before.
Things got even stranger as we went to move the body and it began to fall apart. Once outside of our outpost, it seemed to begin moving slightly. We removed the robe, and noticed many injuries all over its crumpled body. Some were fresh, from my fight with it, some not. There were also burn marks covering the remaining flesh. Before too long, this body also disintegrated into dust.
The list I’d found led us to the provisioner’s shop in Skara Brae, where we found Thomas. He had sent one of his employees, Cody, away with the list we had found. This Cody matched the description of the thing that had attacked me. Thomas informed us that Cody had seemed completely normal, aside from one time where he had failed to come to work for two days shortly after the explosion of the northern outpost.
We asked if he had any family, and Thomas informed us that he hadn’t heard from them in weeks, and only knew the general area where they lived. So we left to check in on them. Unfortunately, it seems that they have been deceased for some time. Quite possibly even since Cody’s disappearance from work.
Going back over the documents again, there is a mention in the Stalker of the Swamps of a witch creating a shape-changing revenant from the remains of the farmer’s late wife. The creature supposedly exhibited a strange cunning and patience as it would stalk and kill the farmer’s family and friends until he repaid a debt that he owed her.
Alionna Arroway stated that the body in the outpost and the other were the results of her mother’s magic. It seems they are created to perform specific tasks. She claimed that the one in the outpost was meant to get revenge for Semidar, and compensation. She also claimed that Semidar’s murderer had paid with his life, but if that’s the case, why the second one?
The Documents:
News from Britain dated fifteen years ago mentions Lord Winston Arroway, who at the time was a politician and served briefly as Chancellor, leading us to believe that the Arroway family was of a more notable status. After the kidnapping and rescue of Lady Alionna Arroway, the family retired from public life. In Hal’s letter to the healers of Skara Brae, dated six years ago, he requests a leave of absence to spend time as the personal healer of a reclusive noble family of Britain. While there is no solid evidence, it can be assumed that the reclusive family that Hal went to serve was in fact the Arroway family.
Expanding on this idea, Lady Arroway’s sister was none other than Lady Iliana Stower of Magincia. And by Hal’s own words, we were told that Semider served a witch as a librarian, and was in charge of her books, her spells, and other lore that had been accumulated over the years. In the document News from Britain, it is mentioned that Semidar, who identified the kidnapper’s family of origin, is the librarian of Lady Iliana Stower.
Colin Stark stated that Alionna Arroway is one of Iliana Stower’s children. However, as stated above, the document News from Britain claims that the two are sisters. It is quite possible that since Iliana has lived for centuries, it may have been less suspicious to pretend to be sisters, rather than act as mother and daughter.
From this we can draw the conclusion that Lady Iliana Stower could in fact have been the witch. Therefore if Hal did indeed go to serve the Arroways, it is possible that that is how he came to be the victim of the Hollowing. And per Hal himself the night he asked us to kill him, it was stated that the Hollowing to bring back Semidar was attempted years ago. Again, possibly around the same time he left to spend time as the family’s personal healer.
After the witch’s plans were halted and she was slain, Semidar, again by Hal’s own words, used the knowledge from her library to form his own plans. Based on the document A Fistory, a group known as the Emerald Fist thwarted Semidar’s plans to conquer Sosaria around ten years ago. This resulted in both Semidar’s demise and the disappearance of what was presumably most members of the Fist. The Fist are also listed as persons of interest in a conflict regarding a demonic power known as Abbadon. Another aspect of of this conflict is the reported explosion at the Shattered Skull over a dozen years ago, perpetrated by a group known as the Dark Knights, who served a leader known as the Dark One, mentioned in the document Explosion at the Skull.
For more information, see the notes under Judas in the Persons of Interest section.
There is a little confusion however when reading Mitre’s Final Report. In this report, dated over two hundred years ago, Mitre details seeking the fugitive Renthar, a former soldier of Mondain. It mentions how a turn of events left him working alongside Renthar and a Lady Ilyana, an allegedly immortal witch.
The question here is, are this Lady Ilyana and the Lady Iliana Stower one and the same? Or are they otherwise related? Based on the fact that Iliana Stower and Alionna Arroway are sisters, the theory that Ilyana and Iliana are not one and the same, but in fact otherwise related is the more likely option. It seems a fair assumption that they could possibly be more of the witch’s children.
Again, there is conflicting information regarding whether Iliana and Alionna were in fact sisters or mother and daughter. It is seeming possible that Ilyana and Iliana are one in the same, with her merely having changed the spelling over the years, and that Alionna is not her sister, but her child.
It was verified by Alionna Arroway herself that Iliana is her mother and not her sister as the document stated.
In the same document, Mitre’s Final Report, Mitre works alongside Renthar and the Lady Ilyana in order to rescue one of her missing children, who had been taken by a rival sorceress seeking to learn the secrets of Lady Ilyana’s immortality. The loose historical fiction Ten Women, One Wand, though a not entirely credible source, mentions the sorceress Minax, and how she was able to outmaneuver her rivals to become Mondain’s apprentice and lover. It also states that one of her more prominent rivals was a witch from the Kingdom of Akalabeth, who claimed immortality and possessed necromantic abilities. This could suggest that Lady Ilyana and Minax were at one time rivals, and perhaps Minax was the sorceress who took Lady Ilyana’s child.
Something else Hal mentioned was that as the witch seeded the world with her children, she put them in positions of power. Two locations were mentioned specifically. Britain and a Kingdom to the North. Britain we can assume would perhaps mean Lady Alionna Arroway, however for the Kingdom to the North we must look to the document The Curse of Kings. Here is mentioned the old northern Kingdom of Winterfell, and a series of dark curses that were inflicted upon it by one Byron Stower; a Magincian. It is possible that this Byron Stower is yet another of the witch’s children.
Along with Alionna Arroway, Arlin Kensdrick was also in a position of power in Britain, as head of ther Merchant’s Guild and eventually Chancellor for a time.
Byron Stower was in fact one of Iliana Stower’s children. The curses inflicted upon Winterfell were revenge for her death at the hands of Brandon Stark, who was her grandson by another of her children.
Arlin Kensdrick is mentioned in multiple documents, linking him to both the Stower family and Semidar. In a Report: "The Chancellor" Kensdrick, who was the head of the Britain Merchant's Guild, replaced Lord Humphrey Levant as the city's Chancellor. It is written that Kensdrick had built up a military force of elite warriors and mages known as the Honour Guard. After failing an attack on Winterfell Kensdrick was forced to resign in disgrace. Arlin Kensdrick was later brutally murdered by two rebellious member of his form Honor Guard.
Arlin Kensdrick had close relations to the Stower family of Magincia , which allows us to assess one POSSIBLE theory that Kensdrick was placed into key positions of power which allowed him to easily assist both Semidar and members of the Stower family. Comparing the story of the Stalker of the Swamps, this theory leads us to believe his personal military was created to serve those who had helped him rise to power. After either failing the attack on Winterfell or using the Honour Guard for his own personal gain rather than that of his benefactor, Arlin Kensdrick was killed.
Colin Stark has stated that Arlin Kensdrick was in fact on of Iliana Stower’s children. Hence, the aforementioned theory is mostly correct. Arlin’s resignation from his position as Chancellor came after the death of his mother at the hands of Brandon Stark.
Another, possible theory is quite simply nepotism. As stated, Arlin Kensdrick had close relations to the Stower family and by extension (explained at the beginning of the report) the Arroways. So when Lord Humphrey Levant disappeared while on his expedition, perhaps Lord Winston Arroway arranged to have Kensdrick take over, as the people would have trusted their former Chancellor’s opinions.
Potential Persons of Interest:
Phearcy - Deceased
In the News from Britain, Lord Winston Arroway was said to have handled an infestation of Dark Elves in the Britain sewers below the Salty Dog Tavern. It is possible that the Interest the Scholar Phearcy has in Dark Elvish could be related. The purpose is unknown at this time. Phearcy does credit one "Semidar" for help in compiling this research in the Basic Dark Elvenish documents.
Phearcy was considered a mage, book dealer, and scholar. He was found murdered in Skara Brae thirteen years ago, and some valuable scrolls were found to have been stolen. A member of the Fist, Tyler, was named his killer. Tyler was brought to justice, convicted and sentenced to prison.
Tyler
It's unknown what the scrolls stolen from Phearcy were, but it may be worth tracking down his supposed killer, Tyler, for questioning. He could potentially have some information regarding the explosion at the Shattered Skull as well.
Raynard
Semidar was listed as a person of interest in the larger conflict mentioned in the report Explosion at the Skull. While the ranger that originally filed the report, Gondal, is now deceased, the ranger Raynard to whom the report was submitted may still be alive. It seems possible that Raynard may have some more information regarding why Semidar was listed as a person of interest regarding the power known as Abbadon. It could also prove beneficial to learn more of the Dark Knights and their leader, the Dark One.
It seems Raynard left Skara Brae years ago. No one knows where he might have gone.
Lord Malcomb Levant
Another person potentially worth speaking to is Lord Malcomb Levant. He is the brother of Lord Humphrey Levant, the Chancellor before Arlin Kensdrick, and became Chancellor himself after Arlin’s demise. He may be able to shed some more light on Kensdrick himself, or possibly this Honour Guard and the attack on the Kingdom of Winterfell.
Merchant’s Guild of Britain
Similar to Lord Malcomb Levant, those of the Merchant’s Guild may be able to tell us more of Arlin Kensdrick.What kind of person he was, how he worked, how he acted, his relations to the Stower family.
Stower Family
We could also attempt to seek out members of the Stower family itself, though it seems that doing such might be difficult. According to Jean Crowley, many Magincian families scattered or were killed during the invasions some years back. There is also the Arroway family of Britain, but they are reclusive, and likely not easy to find.
We could also attempt to seek out records for the family. Though it is quite possible that many were destroyed during the invasion, some might remain that could help us determine the possible connections between members of the family, and once and for all if Ilyana and Iliana are one and the same or not.
We tracked down Alionna Arroway in Britain in the lands of Felucca. She wasn’t alone. The others with her seemed to be family from my understanding. She informed us that we knew why our outpost was blown up, that the body inside was a result of her mother’s magic, and she could only assume was one of the rangers. She said the revenant had a task, and that it had accomplished it. The task being revenge for Semidar, and the compensation they felt that they deserved. She claimed that we chose to get involved in their affairs, and that Semidar’s murderer had paid with his life.
According to them, the ruins of the outpost were thoroughly searched, only Miss Corinna was left alive. It was suggested that they had taken her and attempted to use the Hollowing spell on her, but her age and recent illness had made her a poor candidate. They also claimed that we’d be seeing her again, as they had made other use of her parts.
Buck
Buck is a merchant that we met awhile back after Hal sent us to speak with him regarding the Bloody Blades. It was suggested that he may have some information concerning Arlin Kensdrick and his connection to the Stower family or Semidar. He was located at the Twin Oaks tavern in Ilshenar. Buck told us that Kensdrick was a native of Vesper, and had moved to Britain while Lord Winston Arroway was the Chancellor. When Kensdrick was named Chancellor, he seemed to develop an obsession with the northern Kingdom of Winterfell. According to Buck, he amassed a “private army” (the Honour Guard) and tried to start a war. After the attack failed, Kensdrick resigned in disgrace. Shortly after that his former Honour Guard killed him. The rumor was that he had forced himself on the wrong girl, though her name wasn’t known. We were also informed that a member of the Stower family had been killed in Winterfell by a Winterfellian, though again, a name wasn’t given. It would seem that most of the former Honour Guard rebelled against Britain (both Kensdrick and Lord Malcomb Levant), and began calling themselves the Hand (the Fist?) He also directed us to the location of a Winterfellian in the Hedge Maze in Spiritwood.
Gabriel Drachen
The lich Gabriel Drachen was once a healer of Winterfell. When asked about the Stower family, he told us he hadn’t known them personally. He did however claim to have been fairly close to the Royal family, the Starks, before they all left. When asked about the curses that had plagued the Kingdom, he explained the stipulations; that the curse would remain as long as a "Stark" remained in Winterfell. Going back to the Stowers, he mentioned that there may be someone who knows “her”. He had only heard stories and myths, but for more information, we would need to find a Stark. If any still lived, they would know, as they were the targets. He told us he would need time. When asked about what a lich’s heart may be used for, he said that it sounded like Demonology or Necromancy. It also seems we are to find his Phylactery and he informed us that he can usually be found at the small library in the outer part of the maze.
One of Gabriel's fairies arrived to take us to meet with him. It would seem that there was talk in the cities of the Lost Lands, in Felucca, of a man with the name of Stark who was asking a lot of questions about something called the "The Seven Deaths". He suggested that we ask around the cities, and that someone may have more information.
In Delucia, we asked around about the Starks, and the "Seven Deaths". One man in particular, Kale, had no information on the Starks themselves, but told us that the Seven Deaths are a cult within the ruins of Khaldun.
Colin Stark
In the depths of Khaldun we encountered a man wandering its dark corridors. As we spoke with him in the relative safety of the entrance to Khaldun, we learned that he was in fact a Stark. Colin Stark. His grandfather, Eddard, had once been the King of Winterfell. He’d had legitimate heirs, Robb and Corwin, but had also sired an illegitimate son named Jon with Iliana Stower. This was a plan to control the throne of Winterfell and more. In turn, Jon sired six children; Brandon, Sienna, Ned, Sansa, Colin and Siska. After Jon died they came to Winterfell, where they eventually became legitimized and Brandon became King. At one point, Brandon killed Iliana, which explains Byron Stower’s desire for revenge and the curses (with the aid of Necropolis) that led to the departure of the Starks from Winterfell. The curses were ended with the death of Horance Stower by Brandon’s sword “Ice”.
Colin also named several of Iliana’s children. Byron Stower is deceased. Arlin Kensdrick is deceased. Jon is deceased. Alionna Arroway is a recluse of Britain. Archibald and Stower were also mentioned, but we have little information on them aside from Stower apparently having been the worst. Finally, there is Horance Stower.
As previously mentioned, Colin claims that Horance Stower met his death by Brandon’s sword in order to put an end to the curses plaguing the Kingdom. Horance was the oldest of Iliana’s children, and was supposedly not that bad. He was a mage, and Semidar was his apprentice. The odd coincidence here is our sage who also happens to be named Horance. It is enough to warrant speaking with the sage again, if he can be contacted.
Finally, it seems Colin has magic like his grandmother did. It seems irrelevant now, but is worth a mention just in case.
Judas
Judas was initially thought irrelevant to our investigation. However, he has provided some insight into the events and people mentioned in the report Explosion at the Skull, and on Semidar’s failed plans. It seems that Semidar used the Fist to collect a number of magical seals in order to open a portal to another world. He was then slain by the Fist, who proceeded to enter the portal to close it from the other side. They were never heard from again, and Judas told us that one or two of them may have meant something to him.
We explained more concerning the report that mentioned his name, and learned a fair bit regarding the events that took place. The group that perpetrated the explosion, the Dark Knights, were worshippers of Abbadon. Their leader, who called herself Jezabel at the time, was actually Amber, the blacksmith from the list.
It seems that Judas had made a deal with Abbadon after his death to be brought back, but Amber took his place in the bargain and went crazy. She led the Dark Knights in service to Abbadon until the Fist destroyed him and brought Judas back. To bring him back though required a willing sacrifice.
According to Judas, most of the Fist were "Time Lost”, as he put it. They were from different times and places, and were not supposed to be here.
When asked of whom else was mentioned in the report, we told him of Adrienne Fallari, whom we already knew was deceased. He explained that when he first encountered Abbadon, it was through a cult of worshippers in Magincia, of which Adrienne Fallari was one. It would seem that years later, she apparently worked with the Fist to destroy Abbadon, and possibly even in bringing Judas back. She was killed by the Dark Knights.
We also mentioned the L. Ca. name that was crossed out, but since there isn’t much they can tell us being deceased, it wasn’t really pursued.
In the end, he suggested that we seek out Alionna Arroway. He also told us that something about her kidnapping bothered him. About why she was taken, and that the entire thing seemed odd to him.
I’ve since gone back through the documents and found the part relating to the kidnapping of Alionna Arroway. It says that she was kidnapped by a member of Clan Gunn, a native clan of Cove that resented the Kingdom’s occupation of their lands. Semidar was the one who correctly identified that kidnapper by researching the clan’s colours.
Other Notes:
It seems Gabriel and Lucas share the last name of Drachen. Could the two be related in some way? Lucas verified that Gabriel Drachen is his adoptive uncle, however it sounds as though the two have never actually met.
Mylar & Eldaern
Examination of the First Body and Cody:
Upon our initial entry into the northern outpost after the explosion, a body was discovered, in several pieces, on the second floor. It appeared to have been blown apart by the force of the explosion, and severely burned beyond recognition.
Piper of the Purple Guardians brought the healer Kelvin to examine the body in an attempt to determine its identity, or at the very least some distinguishing features that might aid in identification.
The first thing that Kelvin noted was the odd positioning of the body. He asked us if it had been moved to be propped up how it was, though it hadn’t been moved since it was discovered. Then he attempted to sex the body via the pelvic bone. He determined that unless it was an odd specimen, the body was that of a male. From there he moved onto the right leg, looking for evidence of old injuries. He pointed out some spots where there was a different texture on the bone, signs of an older break that was beginning to mend.
Going back to the main torso, Kelvin noticed something else odd. Unlike the rest of the limbs that had been blown off in the explosion, one of the arms had been, albeit inexpertly, hacked off. He suggested that it took several blows, perhaps from a cleaver or sword, or some such weapon. It could have been either an inexpert wielder, an improper tool, or purposefully done to throw suspicion.
Checking behind the ears also revealed a small amount of unburned hair of an ash-blonde colour.
Another odd thing that Kelvin noted was the lack of blood in relation to the wound. Since the arm had been cut off, there should have been an immense amount of blood. The fire might have burned it off, but there should still have been a difference in the burn pattern from the wet blood protecting the wood. Such a pattern didn’t exist.
One final noted oddity was the lack of a difference in the burn patterns on the body itself. That lends itself to the theory that whoever the body had belonged to had been dead or at the very least in shock or unconscious at the time of the explosion.
Before anything else could be discerned from the body, it disintegrated into dust. Not just the part being handled at the time, but all of it. There was nothing left but dust.
A poster was recently put up around the area concerning the body, and there were directions to contact the rangers should anyone have information. A response was received, and I (Mylar) followed the individual outside of the tavern where he had found me. He seemed nervous at first, but when we arrived in a more secluded area in the trees, he stopped. Suddenly I heard a loud, unnatural sounding hiss, and he turned and attacked me. As we fought, he let out what I can only describe as a screech. When the fight was over, I quickly went through the belongings and the only thing of note that I found was a list of items to be picked up. This listed was signed by a Thomas.
I returned to the tavern rather shaken, more by the sounds he had made than the attack itself, and Piper left to go find the body. She soon returned with him and things took an even stranger turn. His throat had been viciously slit, nearly severing his head completely. And there were no traces of blood. Not even from when I had fought him not long before.
Things got even stranger as we went to move the body and it began to fall apart. Once outside of our outpost, it seemed to begin moving slightly. We removed the robe, and noticed many injuries all over its crumpled body. Some were fresh, from my fight with it, some not. There were also burn marks covering the remaining flesh. Before too long, this body also disintegrated into dust.
The list I’d found led us to the provisioner’s shop in Skara Brae, where we found Thomas. He had sent one of his employees, Cody, away with the list we had found. This Cody matched the description of the thing that had attacked me. Thomas informed us that Cody had seemed completely normal, aside from one time where he had failed to come to work for two days shortly after the explosion of the northern outpost.
We asked if he had any family, and Thomas informed us that he hadn’t heard from them in weeks, and only knew the general area where they lived. So we left to check in on them. Unfortunately, it seems that they have been deceased for some time. Quite possibly even since Cody’s disappearance from work.
Going back over the documents again, there is a mention in the Stalker of the Swamps of a witch creating a shape-changing revenant from the remains of the farmer’s late wife. The creature supposedly exhibited a strange cunning and patience as it would stalk and kill the farmer’s family and friends until he repaid a debt that he owed her.
Alionna Arroway stated that the body in the outpost and the other were the results of her mother’s magic. It seems they are created to perform specific tasks. She claimed that the one in the outpost was meant to get revenge for Semidar, and compensation. She also claimed that Semidar’s murderer had paid with his life, but if that’s the case, why the second one?
The Documents:
News from Britain dated fifteen years ago mentions Lord Winston Arroway, who at the time was a politician and served briefly as Chancellor, leading us to believe that the Arroway family was of a more notable status. After the kidnapping and rescue of Lady Alionna Arroway, the family retired from public life. In Hal’s letter to the healers of Skara Brae, dated six years ago, he requests a leave of absence to spend time as the personal healer of a reclusive noble family of Britain. While there is no solid evidence, it can be assumed that the reclusive family that Hal went to serve was in fact the Arroway family.
Expanding on this idea, Lady Arroway’s sister was none other than Lady Iliana Stower of Magincia. And by Hal’s own words, we were told that Semider served a witch as a librarian, and was in charge of her books, her spells, and other lore that had been accumulated over the years. In the document News from Britain, it is mentioned that Semidar, who identified the kidnapper’s family of origin, is the librarian of Lady Iliana Stower.
Colin Stark stated that Alionna Arroway is one of Iliana Stower’s children. However, as stated above, the document News from Britain claims that the two are sisters. It is quite possible that since Iliana has lived for centuries, it may have been less suspicious to pretend to be sisters, rather than act as mother and daughter.
From this we can draw the conclusion that Lady Iliana Stower could in fact have been the witch. Therefore if Hal did indeed go to serve the Arroways, it is possible that that is how he came to be the victim of the Hollowing. And per Hal himself the night he asked us to kill him, it was stated that the Hollowing to bring back Semidar was attempted years ago. Again, possibly around the same time he left to spend time as the family’s personal healer.
After the witch’s plans were halted and she was slain, Semidar, again by Hal’s own words, used the knowledge from her library to form his own plans. Based on the document A Fistory, a group known as the Emerald Fist thwarted Semidar’s plans to conquer Sosaria around ten years ago. This resulted in both Semidar’s demise and the disappearance of what was presumably most members of the Fist. The Fist are also listed as persons of interest in a conflict regarding a demonic power known as Abbadon. Another aspect of of this conflict is the reported explosion at the Shattered Skull over a dozen years ago, perpetrated by a group known as the Dark Knights, who served a leader known as the Dark One, mentioned in the document Explosion at the Skull.
For more information, see the notes under Judas in the Persons of Interest section.
There is a little confusion however when reading Mitre’s Final Report. In this report, dated over two hundred years ago, Mitre details seeking the fugitive Renthar, a former soldier of Mondain. It mentions how a turn of events left him working alongside Renthar and a Lady Ilyana, an allegedly immortal witch.
The question here is, are this Lady Ilyana and the Lady Iliana Stower one and the same? Or are they otherwise related? Based on the fact that Iliana Stower and Alionna Arroway are sisters, the theory that Ilyana and Iliana are not one and the same, but in fact otherwise related is the more likely option. It seems a fair assumption that they could possibly be more of the witch’s children.
Again, there is conflicting information regarding whether Iliana and Alionna were in fact sisters or mother and daughter. It is seeming possible that Ilyana and Iliana are one in the same, with her merely having changed the spelling over the years, and that Alionna is not her sister, but her child.
It was verified by Alionna Arroway herself that Iliana is her mother and not her sister as the document stated.
In the same document, Mitre’s Final Report, Mitre works alongside Renthar and the Lady Ilyana in order to rescue one of her missing children, who had been taken by a rival sorceress seeking to learn the secrets of Lady Ilyana’s immortality. The loose historical fiction Ten Women, One Wand, though a not entirely credible source, mentions the sorceress Minax, and how she was able to outmaneuver her rivals to become Mondain’s apprentice and lover. It also states that one of her more prominent rivals was a witch from the Kingdom of Akalabeth, who claimed immortality and possessed necromantic abilities. This could suggest that Lady Ilyana and Minax were at one time rivals, and perhaps Minax was the sorceress who took Lady Ilyana’s child.
Something else Hal mentioned was that as the witch seeded the world with her children, she put them in positions of power. Two locations were mentioned specifically. Britain and a Kingdom to the North. Britain we can assume would perhaps mean Lady Alionna Arroway, however for the Kingdom to the North we must look to the document The Curse of Kings. Here is mentioned the old northern Kingdom of Winterfell, and a series of dark curses that were inflicted upon it by one Byron Stower; a Magincian. It is possible that this Byron Stower is yet another of the witch’s children.
Along with Alionna Arroway, Arlin Kensdrick was also in a position of power in Britain, as head of ther Merchant’s Guild and eventually Chancellor for a time.
Byron Stower was in fact one of Iliana Stower’s children. The curses inflicted upon Winterfell were revenge for her death at the hands of Brandon Stark, who was her grandson by another of her children.
Arlin Kensdrick is mentioned in multiple documents, linking him to both the Stower family and Semidar. In a Report: "The Chancellor" Kensdrick, who was the head of the Britain Merchant's Guild, replaced Lord Humphrey Levant as the city's Chancellor. It is written that Kensdrick had built up a military force of elite warriors and mages known as the Honour Guard. After failing an attack on Winterfell Kensdrick was forced to resign in disgrace. Arlin Kensdrick was later brutally murdered by two rebellious member of his form Honor Guard.
Arlin Kensdrick had close relations to the Stower family of Magincia , which allows us to assess one POSSIBLE theory that Kensdrick was placed into key positions of power which allowed him to easily assist both Semidar and members of the Stower family. Comparing the story of the Stalker of the Swamps, this theory leads us to believe his personal military was created to serve those who had helped him rise to power. After either failing the attack on Winterfell or using the Honour Guard for his own personal gain rather than that of his benefactor, Arlin Kensdrick was killed.
Colin Stark has stated that Arlin Kensdrick was in fact on of Iliana Stower’s children. Hence, the aforementioned theory is mostly correct. Arlin’s resignation from his position as Chancellor came after the death of his mother at the hands of Brandon Stark.
Potential Persons of Interest:
Phearcy - Deceased
In the News from Britain, Lord Winston Arroway was said to have handled an infestation of Dark Elves in the Britain sewers below the Salty Dog Tavern. It is possible that the Interest the Scholar Phearcy has in Dark Elvish could be related. The purpose is unknown at this time. Phearcy does credit one "Semidar" for help in compiling this research in the Basic Dark Elvenish documents.
Phearcy was considered a mage, book dealer, and scholar. He was found murdered in Skara Brae thirteen years ago, and some valuable scrolls were found to have been stolen. A member of the Fist, Tyler, was named his killer. Tyler was brought to justice, convicted and sentenced to prison.
Tyler
It's unknown what the scrolls stolen from Phearcy were, but it may be worth tracking down his supposed killer, Tyler, for questioning. He could potentially have some information regarding the explosion at the Shattered Skull as well.
Raynard
Semidar was listed as a person of interest in the larger conflict mentioned in the report Explosion at the Skull. While the ranger that originally filed the report, Gondal, is now deceased, the ranger Raynard to whom the report was submitted may still be alive. It seems possible that Raynard may have some more information regarding why Semidar was listed as a person of interest regarding the power known as Abbadon. It could also prove beneficial to learn more of the Dark Knights and their leader, the Dark One.
It seems Raynard left Skara Brae years ago. No one knows where he might have gone.
Lord Malcomb Levant
Another person potentially worth speaking to is Lord Malcomb Levant. He is the brother of Lord Humphrey Levant, the Chancellor before Arlin Kensdrick, and became Chancellor himself after Arlin’s demise. He may be able to shed some more light on Kensdrick himself, or possibly this Honour Guard and the attack on the Kingdom of Winterfell.
Merchant’s Guild of Britain
Similar to Lord Malcomb Levant, those of the Merchant’s Guild may be able to tell us more of Arlin Kensdrick.What kind of person he was, how he worked, how he acted, his relations to the Stower family.
Stower Family
We could also attempt to seek out members of the Stower family itself, though it seems that doing such might be difficult. According to Jean Crowley, many Magincian families scattered or were killed during the invasions some years back. There is also the Arroway family of Britain, but they are reclusive, and likely not easy to find.
We could also attempt to seek out records for the family. Though it is quite possible that many were destroyed during the invasion, some might remain that could help us determine the possible connections between members of the family, and once and for all if Ilyana and Iliana are one and the same or not.
We tracked down Alionna Arroway in Britain in the lands of Felucca. She wasn’t alone. The others with her seemed to be family from my understanding. She informed us that we knew why our outpost was blown up, that the body inside was a result of her mother’s magic, and she could only assume was one of the rangers. She said the revenant had a task, and that it had accomplished it. The task being revenge for Semidar, and the compensation they felt that they deserved. She claimed that we chose to get involved in their affairs, and that Semidar’s murderer had paid with his life.
According to them, the ruins of the outpost were thoroughly searched, only Miss Corinna was left alive. It was suggested that they had taken her and attempted to use the Hollowing spell on her, but her age and recent illness had made her a poor candidate. They also claimed that we’d be seeing her again, as they had made other use of her parts.
Buck
Buck is a merchant that we met awhile back after Hal sent us to speak with him regarding the Bloody Blades. It was suggested that he may have some information concerning Arlin Kensdrick and his connection to the Stower family or Semidar. He was located at the Twin Oaks tavern in Ilshenar. Buck told us that Kensdrick was a native of Vesper, and had moved to Britain while Lord Winston Arroway was the Chancellor. When Kensdrick was named Chancellor, he seemed to develop an obsession with the northern Kingdom of Winterfell. According to Buck, he amassed a “private army” (the Honour Guard) and tried to start a war. After the attack failed, Kensdrick resigned in disgrace. Shortly after that his former Honour Guard killed him. The rumor was that he had forced himself on the wrong girl, though her name wasn’t known. We were also informed that a member of the Stower family had been killed in Winterfell by a Winterfellian, though again, a name wasn’t given. It would seem that most of the former Honour Guard rebelled against Britain (both Kensdrick and Lord Malcomb Levant), and began calling themselves the Hand (the Fist?) He also directed us to the location of a Winterfellian in the Hedge Maze in Spiritwood.
Gabriel Drachen
The lich Gabriel Drachen was once a healer of Winterfell. When asked about the Stower family, he told us he hadn’t known them personally. He did however claim to have been fairly close to the Royal family, the Starks, before they all left. When asked about the curses that had plagued the Kingdom, he explained the stipulations; that the curse would remain as long as a "Stark" remained in Winterfell. Going back to the Stowers, he mentioned that there may be someone who knows “her”. He had only heard stories and myths, but for more information, we would need to find a Stark. If any still lived, they would know, as they were the targets. He told us he would need time. When asked about what a lich’s heart may be used for, he said that it sounded like Demonology or Necromancy. It also seems we are to find his Phylactery and he informed us that he can usually be found at the small library in the outer part of the maze.
One of Gabriel's fairies arrived to take us to meet with him. It would seem that there was talk in the cities of the Lost Lands, in Felucca, of a man with the name of Stark who was asking a lot of questions about something called the "The Seven Deaths". He suggested that we ask around the cities, and that someone may have more information.
In Delucia, we asked around about the Starks, and the "Seven Deaths". One man in particular, Kale, had no information on the Starks themselves, but told us that the Seven Deaths are a cult within the ruins of Khaldun.
Colin Stark
In the depths of Khaldun we encountered a man wandering its dark corridors. As we spoke with him in the relative safety of the entrance to Khaldun, we learned that he was in fact a Stark. Colin Stark. His grandfather, Eddard, had once been the King of Winterfell. He’d had legitimate heirs, Robb and Corwin, but had also sired an illegitimate son named Jon with Iliana Stower. This was a plan to control the throne of Winterfell and more. In turn, Jon sired six children; Brandon, Sienna, Ned, Sansa, Colin and Siska. After Jon died they came to Winterfell, where they eventually became legitimized and Brandon became King. At one point, Brandon killed Iliana, which explains Byron Stower’s desire for revenge and the curses (with the aid of Necropolis) that led to the departure of the Starks from Winterfell. The curses were ended with the death of Horance Stower by Brandon’s sword “Ice”.
Colin also named several of Iliana’s children. Byron Stower is deceased. Arlin Kensdrick is deceased. Jon is deceased. Alionna Arroway is a recluse of Britain. Archibald and Stower were also mentioned, but we have little information on them aside from Stower apparently having been the worst. Finally, there is Horance Stower.
As previously mentioned, Colin claims that Horance Stower met his death by Brandon’s sword in order to put an end to the curses plaguing the Kingdom. Horance was the oldest of Iliana’s children, and was supposedly not that bad. He was a mage, and Semidar was his apprentice. The odd coincidence here is our sage who also happens to be named Horance. It is enough to warrant speaking with the sage again, if he can be contacted.
Finally, it seems Colin has magic like his grandmother did. It seems irrelevant now, but is worth a mention just in case.
Judas
Judas was initially thought irrelevant to our investigation. However, he has provided some insight into the events and people mentioned in the report Explosion at the Skull, and on Semidar’s failed plans. It seems that Semidar used the Fist to collect a number of magical seals in order to open a portal to another world. He was then slain by the Fist, who proceeded to enter the portal to close it from the other side. They were never heard from again, and Judas told us that one or two of them may have meant something to him.
We explained more concerning the report that mentioned his name, and learned a fair bit regarding the events that took place. The group that perpetrated the explosion, the Dark Knights, were worshippers of Abbadon. Their leader, who called herself Jezabel at the time, was actually Amber, the blacksmith from the list.
It seems that Judas had made a deal with Abbadon after his death to be brought back, but Amber took his place in the bargain and went crazy. She led the Dark Knights in service to Abbadon until the Fist destroyed him and brought Judas back. To bring him back though required a willing sacrifice.
According to Judas, most of the Fist were "Time Lost”, as he put it. They were from different times and places, and were not supposed to be here.
When asked of whom else was mentioned in the report, we told him of Adrienne Fallari, whom we already knew was deceased. He explained that when he first encountered Abbadon, it was through a cult of worshippers in Magincia, of which Adrienne Fallari was one. It would seem that years later, she apparently worked with the Fist to destroy Abbadon, and possibly even in bringing Judas back. She was killed by the Dark Knights.
We also mentioned the L. Ca. name that was crossed out, but since there isn’t much they can tell us being deceased, it wasn’t really pursued.
In the end, he suggested that we seek out Alionna Arroway. He also told us that something about her kidnapping bothered him. About why she was taken, and that the entire thing seemed odd to him.
I’ve since gone back through the documents and found the part relating to the kidnapping of Alionna Arroway. It says that she was kidnapped by a member of Clan Gunn, a native clan of Cove that resented the Kingdom’s occupation of their lands. Semidar was the one who correctly identified that kidnapper by researching the clan’s colours.
Other Notes:
It seems Gabriel and Lucas share the last name of Drachen. Could the two be related in some way? Lucas verified that Gabriel Drachen is his adoptive uncle, however it sounds as though the two have never actually met.
Mylar & Eldaern
