Messages

happy birthday! thanks for all the amazing stories over the years!

[A Delving Into the Fall of High KulkundVolume I]

A Delving Into the Fall of High Kulkund
Volume I

Azaghal Gemspell, Scholar and Student Librarian of the Sandstone College
IY 7788

I delve into the depths of history, seeking the essence behind the fall of the Dwarven Kingdom of High Kulkund. Once a facet of Greater Kulkund, a realm harmoniously divided into sibling kingdoms, High Kulkund and Deep Kulkund, this tale unfolds centuries ago during a period the Dwarves now call The Feuding, when the siblings clashed in a time of war.

To unearth the roots of this strife, one must cast their gaze beyond the annals of Kulkund to the broader history of the Great Ring. The epoch of Kulkund's division coincided with the "Centuries of Thirst," a turbulent period for the Caliphate and the Great Ring. The Caliphs, pressed by mounting tribulations, heightened tribute demands on their satraps, including the realm of Kulkund.

In meeting these escalating demands, The High-Queen Ygrotte II exploited High Kulkund's control over the Sundered Gates of Mount Kulkund, a crucial passageway where all external trade traversed. A shadow of avarice seemed to weave itself into the hearts of High Kulkund, leading to the imposition of oppressive tariffs on goods moving to and from Deep Kulkund, relegating them to the depths of poverty. The riches amassed in the High Kulkund vaults blossomed at Deep Kulkund's expense.

Desperation drove the Deep King to breach a grave cultural taboo and seek aid from High Kulkund. Yet, this plea met with a cold rebuff, echoing through the stone halls and forever splintering the kinship between the realms.

What prompted us to perceive our Deep Brethren as lesser beings? Was it their proximity to the umbral horrors or a misguided belief in our superior knowledge and artisanship? Did we reduce them to mere miners and menial laborers? A blend of false superiority and external pressures pushed Deep Kulkund to breed contempt and wage war...

~A Dwarven Wheel~

A Wheel forged by dwarven hand.
Their true names ye seek to understand.

In the heart of the Mount, where hymns sing,
BAALER, THE HEARTHMAIDEN, our warmth ye bring.
Kindle our hearths with the flame so bright,
Guiding our kin through the caverns of night.

IZZAKHAR, THE SAGE, with wisdom so deep,
In scholarly pursuits, ye lessons we keep.
Illuminate our minds with ye guiding light,
Forge our knowledge, strong and bright.

KARDUN, THE HIDDEN RIVER, save us from thirst,
In your currents, our gardens nursed.
Pristine waters, in caverns concealed,
Bearer of life, forever revealed.

GALMOK, THE ENGINEER, with hands so deft,
Craftsman supreme, by forge breath.
In the halls of creation, ye praises we sing,
Master of designs, to ye we bring.

WARAD, THE WANDERER, guide us afar,
In unknown realms, beneath distant star.
Bless our delvings, through tunnels and sky,
Wanderer's spirit, ever nearby.

KALI AND GALI, THE SHEPHERDS so kind,
Watch over spirit flocks, in divine fields entwined.
Protect and guide, your gift so sweet,
In ye pastures, our Ancestors shall meet.

UMBUR, THE EARTHQUAKE, power untamed,
In trembling vengeance, your name proclaimed.
Crumble thy stones, with strength and might,
In your domain, the guilty you smite.

COORDUM, THE MURDERER, unspoken and scorned,
In ye darkness, our kin are warned.
Hated Adversary, his name we reject,
Against his Clans, our Ancestors protect.

In hymns and echoes, in caverns vast,
Dwarven hearts to their gods are cast.
Through the forge of divinity, our spirits align,
In the hymn of the Dwarven divine.

Hail to ye. Our people will be holding a moot to discuss matters of Kulkund and the camp in the coming days. I will seek you after our moot.

-Student Azaghal Gemspell

~GORINN'S OATH~

In Kulkund caverns deep, where shadows play,
Gorinn, Son of Khorgar, took his stand one fateful day.
Clancleaver hammer in hand, shield held high,
Against Thousand orcish tides, he chose not to shy.

Companions true, by his side,
Dwarven kin, in battle stride.
A Tower's embrace, a Kingdom's might,
Gorinn bound by oath to hold, throughout the night.

Oh, Gorinn, Son of Khorgar,
Defender of the Sundered Crown, in valor afar.
In the Tower's shadow, he held the line,
A hymn of sacrifice, a tale divine.

With every swing, a clash of might,
Gorinn faced the relentless fight.
Companions retreated, the Tower mourned,
A lone Dwarf stood, against fate scorned.

Clancleaver sang, shield held high,
A hymn of courage beneath the cavern sky.
Though the Tower never fell, a final breath,
Gorinn's sacrifice, a legacy in death.

Oh, Gorinn, Son of Khorgar,
Defender of the Sundered Crown, in valor afar.
In the Tower's shadow, he held the line,
A hymn of sacrifice, a tale divine.

Legend etched in stone, Gorinn's name,
A beacon of courage, in the Dwarven flame.
Sundered Crown, a symbol bright,
In the darkness, a steadfast light.

Forget not the sacrifice he did give,
So that the future might forever live.

"Mount Kulkund, oh kingdom true,
Carved in stone and mithral so blue.
Dwarven hearts, forever bind,
To the legacy and Ancestors, we leave behind."

~PREFACE~

Hail to ye. I am Azaghal of the Gemspell, descended from the Kingdom of High Kulkund and Greater Kulkund before it. This treatise on Mount Kulkund and its Dwarves is a work of love and honor. A culmination of my life's work and struggles. A celebration and lesson. So that both the wisdom and wrongs of our Ancestors will nay be forgotten.

I dedicate this work to my Mother, Arria Gemspell, who shepherded me from the halls of High Kulkund as calamity and war befell our home so that I may live. She sang the Song of Kulkund to me every night, so I would never forget our hallowed traditions. You are the cherished diamond of our family.

[Context:]

Context:
Finding it very difficult to find corpses that you can consume. 75%+ of the animals you come across cannot be used for the perk. I think you are only able to consume skinnable animals? I am not sure there are any common magical beasts or beasts corpses. It is very difficult to ever get to use the perk in a quest setting unless you do some gimmicky thing of empathying a suitable animal and bringing it to the quest area.

Suggestion:
Could we make it so we can use ANY animal corpse or add more options like Animal+Reptile+Vermin or increase the duration to be higher than turn/level? Anyway to make it so it's not so difficult to use the perk benefit. Bonus could also be lowered to +2 str/dex/con instead of +4 to balance out the increased duration/sources of corpses.

Hello, esteemed Candidates;

The students of the Sandstone College would humbly invite you to speak to the learned men and women of the Well within our halls.

We, the students, would wish to hear how you would foster learning in the Well and support our next grand discoveries. It is a perfect time to present your platforms to our scholarly community. It will also give us a chance to discuss how the Sandstone College could be of greater help to the Well and allow you to hear directly from us Students what issues we find important.

Sincerely,
Students of the Sandstone College

Thank you Abala! A true builder and Ill always remember going against Abala Quickfoot on my dwarf bandit down in the Underdark.

[Left about the Well]

I have a rather delectable scoop of information that may lead you to uncover the mysteries of the stories you seek.

Find me within the Sandstone College, ring the bell.

Signed,
Sayyida the Witch

(Signed on the sheet)

Sayyida the Witch

Dear Esteemed Professor Ghul,

I write to you to express a grave concern of mine, my fellow students of the Sandstone, and the greater archaeological community of Ephia's Well...

The issue being the Astronomers of the heretic Q'Tolip gaining power over the issuance of archaeology licenses, hereby controlling who has the right to study history and the mysteries of the past.

The Astronomers have been known to be greatly secretive and possessive of their knowledge. It is not unknown that there is tension between Q'Tolip and our very faculty and many other esteemed Scholars outside of the Mount. Why must we be poked and prodded by this Apothar Mae Stern in their laboratories and made to submit to them before we have the right to study archaeology? Are you and the Sandstone College not the preeminent archaeologists in Ephia's Well? I worry they will seek to restrict or at least make it difficult for the Sandstone students to receive a license as they see us as academic rivals.

On the first day of their power transfer, they invalidated ALL prior licenses! Making every archaeologist, even those who have been practicing for years without issue, pay a large fee and submit to their tests.

I wonder if you could send your thoughts to the Legates to advocate for our concerns or speak at the coming Assembly.

Signed,
Student Sayyida the Witch of the Esoteric Arts

Thank you Halfbrood!

[Note left in the dormitory]

Fellow Students,

I shall support Alecto as our speaker. Have we any ideas on a topic?

Signed,
Sayyida the Witch

[...CAPITULUM SEVEN: THE ENIGMATIC DANCE OF RITUALS...]

(An excerpt of the publication's Chapter 7 is found below)

...CAPITULUM SEVEN: THE ENIGMATIC DANCE OF RITUALS...

In the mystifying tapestry of the Esoteric Arts, the art of rituals stands as a cornerstone, weaving threads of energy and will to manifest the extraordinary. In this capitulum, we shall embark on a profound journey through the hidden corridors of rituals, understanding the pivotal role they play in esotericism.

Rituals, dear students, are more than mere sequences of gestures and incantations; they are the conduits through which we channel the boundless energies of the world and the realms beyond. Through the rhythmic cadence of words, the graceful sweep of symbols, and the harmony of mind and spirit, we beckon the unseen forces to heed our call.

Rituals can be as diverse as the shifting sands of the Great Ring itself. They may range from the consecration of sacred talismans to the profane evocation of djinni. Some rituals are passed down through generations, their origins veiled in the sands of time, while others are crafted anew to address specific needs or aspirations.

Below we will discuss the fundamental components of rituals.

Ritualistic Reagents
Reagents are the fuel of your rituals. These materials hold intrinsic connections to the energies we seek to harness, each with its own unique properties and associations. The careful selection and preparation of reagents are paramount, as they infuse the ritual with the very essence of our intentions.

Examples of common reagents include: smouldering ash, negative essence, baublium, charged powder, and blood.

Ritualistic Foci
These are the instruments through which we direct our intentions and channel our energies. Foci serve as the bridge between the visible and invisible, enabling us to tap into the arcane and divine forces that dwell beyond ordinary perception. Choosing the right focus is a matter of personal affinity and the specific needs of the ritual at hand.

Examples of common foci include: crystal balls, tarot cards, magic mirrors, diamonds, and even a person.

Incantations, Words of Power
The spoken word holds a singular, transcendent significance. Incantations are the sonorous keys that unlock the door to the arcane and divine. These carefully chosen words, often steeped in ancient languages or cryptic phrases, resonate with the vibrational frequencies of reality. When uttered with conviction and clarity, incantations breathe life into the ritual. The words you choose to utter can be laden with symbolism, history, and profound intent, thereby shaping the very fabric of the ritual's effects.

Misspeaking or speaking without clarity can be the difference between a successful ritual or one ending in a hellish explosion!

The Will of the Ritualist
The will of the ritualist is the foundation upon which the entire ceremony rests. Your intent, motivation, and commitment are the driving forces that guide the ritual's energy. Without a resolute will, even the most elaborate of rituals may falter, so it is imperative to cultivate unwavering determination and unwavering focus.

The Magic of Shapes
The shapes, symbols, and sigils inscribed or traced during the ritual serve as a universal language that resonates with the forces we seek to invoke. Each form holds its own meaning and purpose, and the precise geometry can amplify or modify the energies we work with.

Examples of shapes and symbols that bestow power in rituals: pentagrams, circles, triangles, spirils, hexagram, crescent moons, infinity, the all-seeing eye, and the Hamsa.

Preparation of the Ritual Ground
Before commencing a ritual, the choice of location is vital. The environment should be attuned to the specific energies you wish to summon. Cleansing the space and establishing an arcane atmosphere will ensure a harmonious connection between the terrestrial and the unseen realms, fostering the success of your magical endeavors.

...

(The Chapter continues with a step by step guide on how to perform rituals.)