The Book of Truth: Tying Things Together   

From UOSS Chesapeake:
 

Prologue

For a long time the Quest for The Book of Truth has been going on. Very many parties are involved, and the number of "inside people" is astounding! The quest has for the most part been secluded to only those who knew about it. Updates on the quest were posted, but mainly kept to the message boards and didn't really try to gain interest. Maybe this is how people wanted it, not that that matters now, because now " I " know about it. Heh heh heh.

The quest is very complicated and has many many twists and turns. Since it has been going on for quite sometime, a rather lengthy story line has developed. To better understand the quest I interviewed a key player who wishes to remain anonymous. This person has been involved in the quest since the beginning and probably knows the most about it. So I don't have to keep referring to this person as "this person" I'm going to assign the name Vulcan to this person. Note that Vulcan is not this person's name.

Part One: The Past

The Legion of Truth [LoT]; honor, valour, and truth, they were all these things. They were a guild of knights, almost paladin-like. The character OM; death, destruction, deception, one mean dude. OM was the first vampire, and along with other vampire ancients, attacked the LoT. The LoT were hunted like dogs, brought down to their knees, and then torn from limb to limb. OM succeeded in turning three LoT members into vampires, Azal, Koltar, and Wrath; all his slaves, and willing to do his bidding. LoT fought bravely, but it was no use, in the end they were slaughtered, only two members remained.

"Orbz was the first LoT member to go into hiding. Fearing he would join the rest of his guild mates. He was not seen nor heard from in a long long time. The second [LoT member] was Hephaestus [the same Hephaestus from CoV; that comes later], he vowed revenge at any cost. He fought OMand the other vampires alone for an unknown time period." Vulcan told me.

Outrageously outnumbered, the courageous Knight Hephaestus stood and fought OM and his evil minions. At the same time rumours of vampire attacks were being heard around Vesper and Cove. The vampires fought with no pity, bringing down anything which stood in their path of rage. Eventually an attack came right on the border of Vesper. A man named Belgario and his family were murdered and their home destroyed by OM, Azal, and Wrath. Infuriated bands of guilds and citizens drew together to lay siege to the vampire stronghold. When they arrived, they found Hephaestus already engaged in battle with the vampires.

In triumph Heph thanked everyone and declared that a city would be built upon the vampire's lair. The town was eventually built and was deemed the name Slateholm. Hephaestus became Mayor and at it's height Slateholm had 22 buildings and was the largest city in the land at that time.

They do say history repeats itself. Not much time had gone by in Slateholm, before there was talk of "The Return." Sightings of OM were seen across the city, and many things happened which could not be explained. The local priest in Slateholm was found murdered, and it was rumoured that OM had done it. Soon after this Hephaestus disappeared and was thought dead. Then the vampires returned. They exacted their revenge and destroyed what was built at Slateholm. The city was reduced to rubble, nothing survived.

Just before Slateholm fell, it was there was talk that a book called The Book of Truth was lost. Not much is known about the book, but it is rumoured, and ONLY rumoured that OM split it into fragments. All that is known about the book, is that it is supposed to be of great importance.

"It is not known how he got it, why it was split, or what it entirely contains." Vulcan told me.

After Slateholm fell, some time passed. Things were carried out as usual and nothing of great was going on. Then the vampires started attacking the City of PaxLair. Among the ranks of the vamps was Hephaestus, he had returned, and was now a vampire! Unknown at the time, Gehenna, the last city of the vampires (that makes since now, eh?), was being constructed in secret at its present location.

"The vampires attacked PaxLair, leading everyone to believe that PaxLair was to be the site of Gehenna's construction." Vulcan told me.

Also starting to appear at the time, was the CoV, which is the guild that was building Gehenna. The vampire OM formed CoV even before LoT was destroyed. The CoV was at one of its highest powers before Slateholm was built. Hephaestus is thought to have joined the CoV around the time Slateholm fell.

Around the time Hephaestus disappeared a character named Jasper de Fargo enters the story line. Jasper de Fargo speaks with a ghoul and the ghoul talks of one last living member of LoT, Orbz (the one who went into hiding so long ago). Jasper de Fargo remakes the Legion of Truth and begins a search for Orbz. Orbz is soon seen west of PaxLair and brought to Jasper de Fargo. Orbz and Jasper de Fargo form a friendship which will last them a long time. Eventually Jasper de Fargo starts to talk to Orbz about the Book of Truth. Orbz tells Jasper de Fargo that it contained everything LoT had ever discovered (Legion of Truth; Book of Truth).

Things start to turn for the worst yet again. Hephaestus, once guild mate of Orbz, hears that Orbz has returned, and orders for his execution. Orbz becomes ill with a sickness known as the Kaeghur plague. Around this time the CoV hold a party at Gehenna. Many are invited, and among attendance are Mayor Winfield of PaxLair and Mayor AngelStorm of Corwyn. After a short amount of time a horrendously sick Orbz stormed into the Vampire's stronghold. He swore and cursed Hephaestus and charged him with his blade. In the confusion, Angelstorm came to the aid of Hephaestus, as Jasper de Fargo aided Orbz.

Orbz was killed and Hephaestus told everyone he would no longer walk this earth. Jasper de Fargo swore vengeance as he searched for the spirit of Orbz, but Hephaestus appeared right, Orbz's spirit was not to be found. As the party continued, others started to get very sick. Coughing, weezing, and vomitting spread quickly, all were effected, everyone except the vampires that is. The vampires made no notice of the sick, and continued as usual.

the plague was spreading quickly, and eventually became an epidemic. Vampires and the Elven race seemed to be immune to the plague, but all others suffered from it's hold. Mayor Winfield of PaxLair was the first to die, supposedly because of his age, and his ghost wandered the lands for many a sun rise and set. Winfield's ghost warned that he is forever doomed if a cure is not found.

Soon Kaeghur Monks were spotted within Corwyn, Aryslan, PaxLair, and Gehenna. They were most willing to speak and gather knowledge of the disease that afflicts the land. Arcadian Del Sol, of The Lords of Vigilance, discovered the secret of the Monks. Arcadian met Erylos, PLG Khaegar Monk, in PaxLair and the following was in Erylos profile:

"The Kaeghur Monks, also known by some as the "plague lords", are renowned alchemists, scholars, and researchers. Their devotion to the study of disease and ailments of the body are main concerns of a Kaeghur devotee. Whereas most groups research disease in the hopes they might cure them, this is not the case with this cult. They are responsible for the creation and existence of many horrid plagues and scourges. This is not to say that the monks are an evil sect, yet often they associate with them."

A cure was found for the plague, it was made from a mixture of the distilled blood of those infected with the plague and elven blood. Tirian of PaxLair was the first to undergo testing of the experimental cure. The cure took at least twenty hours to take effect, and did not slow down the effects of the plague. The cure proved a success and all infected recovered. Where this plague came from is unknown.

Part Two: The Present

I also interviewed Don Martin de Leon of the Veiled Alliance. Don has also been a key player in this quest, and is one of the people who knows the most about it. What he told me was very intriguing...

"The quest for the Book of Truth was my first quest. I found out about it because of the death of my friend, Cord the Seeker. He was killed by Dell, the vampire. At my party he spoke of a book and Slateholm, before he died." Don Martin de Leon told me.

Don Martin de Leon: honourable, trustworthy, owner of several shops in PaxLair, including the Chesapeake Quest Center & Casino. Jasper de Fargo: guild master of the new Legion of Truth, vowed to revenge the death of his friend Orbz, and complete his quest in the search for The Book of Truth. The Wraiths: evil, sporadic appearances, they come for what they want and take it, not much is known about them, only that they follow the path of darkness. The Skaven: a ratmen type race, they answer to one called the Horned Rat, and use old tunnels underground as a means of hidden travel. They once managed to kidnap Don Martin and torture him. Don doesn't exactly remember what happened, but he was forced to drink some type of potion and was then asked a lot of questions.

Don then gathered a group of people to travel to the Gehenna, the city of the vampires. When they arrived they were told to find Slateholm and the witches. Slateholm was found, it was an old deserted town, now only existing as ruins. Three witches there were found, Meyalleleth, Abigail, and Alainn Brid, they agreed to give them clues, for a price. For a pentagram, diamond, ruby, and a sapphire, the witches agreed to read a crystal ball and give Don Martin some information about the remaining fragments of the Book of Truth.

The following is what the witches said.

* Alainn Brid looks in her crystal ball *

"What do you see sister?" Meyalleleth asks Alainn.

"I see shadows in shadows, * eyes glaze * pages torn, * stares vacantly * parts hidden." Alainn replies.

"Not too much sister, not too much." Meyalleleth tells her sister.

"* shivers * Cold, it is cold, and dark. It has a sense of foulness. * blinks while shaking head and looks weak *" Alainn says.

Meyalleleth interprets their findings, "* focuses off in the distance * A dark and cold place, ye seek a dungeon. Follow thee, follow thee a compass. The compass points in one direction. Seek ye the way of north, but to go too far would not be right. * shakes her head * Yes, seek ye a dungeon to the north. Seek ye the opposite of truth. Seek ye an answer. That is not right. * shakes her head * That is mine interpretation. Go find this dungeon, and ye will likely seek us out again, if ye like what ye find. The fates will guide you."

This started a huge escapade to find all the remaining sections of the book. Three sections of the book were found. Don Martin kept one of the sections, Jasper de Fargo, the guild master of the new Legion of Truth, kept the second section, and for security reasons Don would not reveal who has the third section of the book.

As you may know the PaxLair Survival shop holds parties frequently. These parties are held by the barmaid, Gwendelyn Stacy. AT one of these parties several Wraiths came and threatened Don Martain.

"They wanted the book, they offered more riches than I could imagine. I told them that the book is at the Quest Center, for all to read. They had to have to physical book, I refused. Then they threatened us." Don told me.

Later in the week, the Quest Center (a building Don owns) was scheduled to have it's grand opening. At the opening the Wraiths attacked, they succeeded in taking the lady Tameria of CBR. Tameria was the only person Don ever loved.

"They took her to their vile tower and tortured her. Her family, the CBR, worked with me to rescue her. Many guilds helped that day. I knew the layout of the Wraith's tower because it was once the V*A [Veiled Alliance] tower, before the Wraiths took it." Don explained.

A rather large group had shown up that day to free Tameria. The group proceeded to the Wraith's tower and there was a lot of bloodshed between the sides. In the end Tameria was freed from the tower, and joined the group back in Corwyn. What everyone didn't know, however, was that while the battle waged on into the night other vile things took place. In the distant city of PaxLair the Skaven were on the move. They used the old tunnels under the city to work there way to the Quest Center (a building Don owns).

The Skaven succeeded in breaking into the Quest Center. While they were there, Gwendelyn Stacy tried to stop them, and lost her life in the process. The Skaven took Don's fragment of the Book of Truth and left. When it seems as if it can't get any worse, it always does. With one of the recovered sections of the book stolen, Jasper de Fargo, who kept the second section, somehow turned into a vampire. He back stabbed his guild and tried to steal his section of the book. Before he turned completely evil, Jasper used every ounce of goodness he had left and gave the fragment he took to a trusted friend who brought it to Don Martin. It is still in the hands of good, for now. But with Jasper now a vampire, things were definitely looking for the worse.

Then at a concert in the PaxLair Survival Shop, a man named Drake Marston talked of the Forest Oracle . He said that he knew how to find her and that she would know the answers to some questions. Don gathered a group of men, and they proceeded to go find the Oracle. They travelled to the Hedge Maze, where Drake said the Oracle would be, and found a woodsman who could help them. The woodsman directed them to the Guardians of the Oracle.

The Guardians of the Oracle were found in the CCoV Hall of Virtues in Corwyn. They agreed to take us to see the Forest Oracle the next day. Then, as the Guardians were discussing things, the Wraiths attacked without warning. They stormed into the Hall of Virtues casting at least five Energy Vortexes. After the EVs were dispelled, everyone charged at the Wraiths. Most of the Wraiths were slain right in front of the doors where they came in, but those which got away fled to the forests.

The next day many came to hear the wise words of the Forest Oracle. The Guardians arrived and guided the crowd to the holy place where the Oracle makes her appearances. She appeared and told everyone she knew why they had come, and explained the situation to them.

"The Wraiths are in this world gathering souls for their Dark Father, they are now working on bringing this dark father into our realm. For this they must cast and spell of Binding and Summoning, they must first cast the binding on someone who is known as the first daughter once that is complete they can summon their Dark Father into this realm. In order to cast these spells the Wraiths must gather 3 reagents. The first is a tome known as the Book of Truth, the second is the Blood of Spirituality, and the third is something that is held in the possession of the Forest Oracle." The Oracle told the crowd.

The Blood of Spirituality is the blood of woman known as the Servant of Spirituality, she can be found somewhere South West of the Hedge Grove Maze. Three fragments of The Book of Truth. In the hands of Don Martin lies one, the Skaven have another, and one who is not being named has the third. Four sides working against each other, the Wraith, the vampires, the Skaven, and the new LoT. Who will be victorious, will we be able to do stop the Wraith? Currently, the claim ownership of the Skaven's fragment, because they expect the Skaven to give them the book. The Skaven are trying to deal with both sides.

Epilogue

So the story of The Book of Truth comes to an end for the time being. The quest for The Book of Truth, however, is far from over. This quest has gone on for quite some time, and probably will go on for many more sun rise and sets. Quests such as this do not happen every day, it takes time, and dedication to develop such a wonderful and entertaining quest like this one.

I tried to be very factual in the reporting of this quest. I didn't let one fact go unnoticed, and researched until I was blue in the face. Every time I asked a question about something which seemed minuscule, it turned out that it was in fact something very important and a whole new branch of the quest was uncovered.

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