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The Ratman General is Pounded by the Sosarian Forces | A DUNGEON SOMEWHERE NEAR THE SAVAGE (LIZARDMAN) FORT - April 18, 2006
A war cry went out to all of Sosaria tonight for brave people to defend the southern lands from the ravagings of a Ratman General named Lorgash. Sosarians came from all directions to the Skara Brae Community Center at 10 PM ET on April 18, 2006. By just after 10:30, Lorgash was dead and the 50+ people stood atop his smoldering corpse.
Lorgash appeared to be guarding a book in the dungeon. The book was by Nystul called "Studies: The Shattering". The text of this book is contained later in this article.
The General was holed up in a dungeon near the Savage (Lizardman) Fort, just north of Jhelom on the mainland. A hut contained a secret rug allowing people to enter the first level of the two-level dungeon. This first level was filled with ratman archers and mages. It was a guantlet to pass through to reach the second level. A brave soul named "Minister" ventured into the dungeon early to safely set up a place to open gates to the Skara Brae Community Center.
The Ratman General's Dungeon was just South of the Savage (Lizardman) Fort
By 9 PM ET, an hour before the assembly, several groups descended into the heart of the dungeon to test the general's strength and abilities. These pre-deployment maneuvers were essential in gaining good information about the general's weaknesses. At 10 PM ET, the main Sosarian force entered the moongate bypassing the gauntlet and directly entering the general's command post on the second level.
For thirty minutes, the general summoned ratman archer reinforcements as some Sosarians started to fall. Mages healed the injured and set up recovery points to save the dead. Gates continued to the Community Center as more Sosarian forces arrived. Attacks continued from all angles and directions. Melee was most dangerous, but even the archers and tamers were not spared against the wrath of the general and his soldiers.
Ratman General is near Death
Flashes of lightning lit up the dungeon walls as the general continued to command "Attack, Crush, Smash! Onward to Battle! Stomp them to dust! Britain is ours! Victory for Despise! Bring me back their heads!" Obviously this is one of the remaining generals from the Battle of Britain a year ago. How many still lurk in hidden dungeons and crevices, we do not know.
Finally, with much resilience and team work, the Sosarian forces brought the general down. The remaining ratman enemies were quickly dispatched without the command of their general.
The text of the book that Lorgash was guarding is as follows (thanks Ereptor for the text):
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"Studies: The Shattering", by Nystul
Long has the shattering of the Gem of Immorality weighed upon my thoughts. A lifetime I have spent studying the mystic arts, and yet it is only lately that I have begun to uncover even the least of the Gem's secrets.
Two things have become clear to me. While both warrant further investigation I know not how much I alone will find, but I keep this notebook as a way to record my discoveries. I hope it will be saved up against the day that I must depart this world, to be of use to those who must succeed me.
First, I have uncovered truth that no hand but that of the Stranger, who defeated Mondain, could have shattered the Gem. A stranger not only to our people, but to our entire reality, the laws and harmonies binding the Stranger were somehow different than those that act upon us. It was this differing set of qualities that allowed the Stranger to interact with the Gem on a plane closer to it's own abstract reality, ultimately shattering it. That those differing planes can have influence and effect upon our world brings to mind a most disturbing line of thought, best left for another day... yet I feel I must note it now.
There was once a madman who attempted to cast a most terrible spell, one which would bring about the cessation of all life upon our world. That he and his followers failed, thankfully, even though they had the requisite knowledge and resources... it seems as though the spell itself was designed by those not of our world.
I leave this, then, and will concentrate upon my second realization. Within each shard of the Gem of Immortality lies a perfect likeness of the world as it was at the very moment the Gem was shattered. My liege has confessed many things to me, many disturbing things, about the influence the Gem's power still holds upon these worlds. It is possible that within each of these shards lie copies of the shattered remains of the Gem of Immortality. I had thought this impossible, that the Gem transcended our reality and was no longer a part of our world. Yet I gaze upon the shining facets of a shard, looking at the world slowly spinning within, and it seems clear to me. The stone's sinister power was not destroyed when the Stranger shattered the stone, but instead spread throughout the shards themselves.
Thus the question begs: does this recursion go on forever? Are there worlds within worlds, scattered like dandelions on the wind, lying in my trembling hand? And what influence does the Gem have yet upon them? |
Many Sosarians returned to the Skara Brae Community Center to join in song and tale. The tales continued on into the night, some getting more grandiose as the ale flowed and the people's wounds healed.
Victory Party at the Skara Brae Community Center
Congratulations once more Chesapeake Sosaria! Victory is ours!
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