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    Site Moderator kgauck's Avatar
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    A long time ago in Brectür, an old wizard names Heinrich von Glauzwitz claimed that by use of magic, he could defy fate. This angered Sera, and she sought to thwart Glauzwitz. She sent the famed thief Günther to kidnap Glauzwitz and bring him to a prison belonging to her priestesses. Günther had the luck of Sera, and avoided all of Glauzwitz’ magical traps, and seized the old wizard. In the prison, the powerful priestess told him that he was to be forever imprisoned for his blasphemy against Lady Luck. Knowing that Sera was a gambler, Glauzwitz offered her a deal. If the goddess would select a trick and he could guess the trick, he could be set free, otherwise he would become her prisoner in both life and death. Sera reasoned that the gift of Glauzwitz’ soul was worth the gamble, and besides, no matter how powerful a wizard, he could not know the mind of a goddess, so she could not lose. She selected as her trick, the turning of a coin. Being a secret, even a divine secret, the Lord of Secrets would know it, if he could but touch Sera. But, Sera, did not deign to appear before Ruornil, certain that he would share this knowledge with so powerful a wizard. But Ruornil knew another way. Eléole knows all secrets without exception. So Ruornil invited her to see his latest invention, a fruit that ripens in the winter. Eléole was intrigued, and so came to look that the new fruit within Ruornil’s palace in the night sky. Ruornil handed his daughter the fruit and clasped his hands around hers giving him knowledge of Sera’s requirements. That night as Glauzwitz gazed up towards the moon, it rapidly appeared to pass through all of its phases, giving the wizard the impression of a turning disk. How odd thought the old wizard, it must be a sign. If it were intended for me, it must refer to a disk that Sera would have recourse to as well. And so Glauzwitz, now gazing upon the new moon, flipped over the coins in his pocket. The anti-magic sphere of the prison was withdrawn, and Glauzwitz teleported back to his tower. Hearing of this, wizards all over began to turn their coins in their pocket on the appearance of the new moon, to win the favor of Sera by reenacting the trick as Ruornil had presented it. At first Sera was angered by Glauzwitz’ escape and Ruornil’s hand in it, but as wizards around Cerilia began turning their coins, it became obvious that Ruornil had created a ritual for all wizards to honor Lady Luck. This she accepted as a fair price for the vanity of one wizard. After all, it was not magic that had conquered luck, it was Ruornil’s invention of a new ritual. A fair bargain and a good exchange. For one act, Sera is still earning interest. Today everyone who seeks the favor of Lady Luck turns their coins on the new moon, and so Ruornil is honored by the time of the ritual, and Sera is honored by the act of turning a coin.

    Kenneth Gauck
    kgauck@mchsi.com

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    Site Moderator kgauck's Avatar
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    In the marshy lands of the Eastern Marches of Anuire, there was some special reverence for Ruornil. When Ruornil's palace shone down, people could find their way through the bogs. They could keep to the safe paths and avoid the sucking mud that could trap you there hopeless. For this reason alone it would make sense that people would give special notice to Ruornil. But there was more. When Ruornil's palace shone its bright face away from Cerilia, the link to the Shadow World was strongest, and the barrier between them weakest. All maner of wicked creatures might wander into Cerilia. There were the living dead, foul spirits, trickster fairies from the Seelie, and creatures that would steal a new baby and replace them with a changeling. Of course Ruornil abhored the Shadow World, and it was only because he shown is palace on one part of the world that some other part had to do without the moon's light. So the people of the bogs called out to Ruornil to spare their appointed days of darkness so that they could live peacably in the bog. Unable to spare his light from other parts of the world, Ruornil instead called to his followers, that a few might take up permenant residence in the bogs. Today, the people of the bog are heartened because the swamps are protected by small cadre of Ruornil's followers. Rangers, wizards, and moon-priests help those lost in the bogs or beset by creatures from the shadow world who have taken refuge in the bog.

    What remains unknown is what role, if any, the Swamp Mage or the Second Swamp Mage play in this outpost.

    Kenneth Gauck
    kgauck@mchsi.com

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    In a message dated 11/1/02 2:18:42 PM Eastern Standard Time,
    brnetboard@TUARHIEVEL.ORG writes:

    << kgauck wrote:
    A long time ago in Brectür, an old wizard names Heinrich von Glauzwitz
    claimed that by use of magic, he could defy fate. <snip> >>


    Hey, that`s a good one! I`ll give that to my group ASAP!

    Lee.

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    Site Moderator kgauck's Avatar
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    In the Zikalan Temple of Avani, this particular exchange between Avani and
    Sarma is a particular favorite. Its is read on the Day of Rebirth. Other
    sects generally don`t neccesarily reject the occurance of such an exchange,
    but see no advantage in celebrating it, especially on a day important to
    Sarma.

    Avani said
    `Mad you are, Sarma,
    when you reckon up your ugly, hateful deeds;
    Rilni knows, I think, all fate,
    though he does not speak out.`

    Sarma said
    `Be silent Avani, I know all about you;
    you aren`t lacking in blame;
    you steal the honor of my gifts to the Khinasi here,
    for `tis I who bestow their prosperity.`

    Avani said
    `False is your tongue, I think you just want
    to yelp about wicked things;
    the Khinasi are furious with you, for they are knowing,
    you are nothing but greed.`

    Sera said
    `Be silent, Avani, you`re a witch
    and much imbued with malace,
    you turn your magic to evil and destruction,
    you know nothing of prosperity.`

    Avani said
    `You covet the love of my people,
    you think it a fine thing to steal what you want;
    but I say unto you, the Khinasi know
    that I protect them from the likes of you.

    Sera said
    `You mistake yourself that you are loved;
    your people fear that all their lands
    will burn as a desert
    if they do not placate you

    Avani said
    You are as mistaken as Eloéle,
    who is foolish in her estimations;
    for neither of you can discern
    what is means to be loved

    Sera said
    `You`re confused and must be dreaming,
    when you hint that Khirdai loves not my daughter`

    Avani said
    `That the night was ravaged by storms,
    is well known to all;
    but the beauty and warmth of Leira
    pleaseth Khirdai`s heart like
    the fire suits the rider come out of the rain
    You cannot take what is mine,
    nor your daughter what is my daughters;
    your greed and grasping ways are too
    well known to us and to the Khinasi people
    go home to your pile of coins
    and find in them cold comfort

    Kenneth Gauck
    kgauck@mchsi.com

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    Site Moderator kgauck's Avatar
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    This Rjurik story explains why Erik`s consort the Sun, does not simply do
    battle with the Ice Lady and why, therefore, the Rjurik must endure their
    long, cold winters.

    Erik gazed down from Nature`s Rest to see the snow fall upon the Rjurik
    people. He saw the fishermen put away their nets and hooks, for the lakes
    and ponds were frozen. He spread his spirit among his people and felt their
    chill. Erik declared that the Ice Lady concealed herself in the northlands
    because her power was no match for Vani. Why should Vani not come up to the
    northlands and chase her away, leaving the whole world free from the burdens
    of winter? So Erik left his forest home and traveled to solar palace of
    Vani.

    Erik asked Vani to steer her palace to shine its light and heat further
    north. "My dear husband, whose spirit fills the world with life and who
    does love all the world. I hasten to remind you that Karesha hides not only
    in the far north, but also in the far south. If I pursue her north, she
    retreats south, and when I pursue her south, she retreats north. For me to
    catch her, someone must hold her down, but none are willing to touch her,
    for her cold is a painful and bitter cold. Besides, it is assured that
    Bjallanik would drive off her captor. Perhaps, loving husband, we could
    find another way to bring warmth and joy to your Rjurik people."

    They lay together and brought forth Erik`s love for life and Avani`s warmth
    and judgement. So it was that Lara was born. Lara has come among the
    Rjurik people with her warming flame, sent by her mother, Vani, to warm the
    people of the northlands. She brings not only fire and hearth, but love and
    spiritual warmth too. She brings song and good cheer, and artful beauty to
    enliven our lives. She gave the druids the secret of brewing.

    In this way, Vani`s cunning and understanding out witted Karesha and gave
    warmth to the cold. As such, Lara has but one enemy among the gods, and it
    is Karesha. The rest love her, and she is acknowledged as the most loved
    diety in the heavens.

    Kenneth Gauck
    kgauck@mchsi.com

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    Site Moderator kgauck's Avatar
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    The ancient dragon Illuyankas had fought alongside Azrai at Deismaar. The
    wyrm escaped destruction then and kept himself hidden for ages. And so it
    was for hundreds of years, until the young god, Cuiraécen, seeks him out to
    prove himself as the god of battle. In a valley in the Rain Serpent
    Mountains, Cuiraécen stops off and rests, sleeping on the soft turf. There
    Illuyankas spies him and breaths a fog down into the valley. This fog
    conceals the approach of the old serpant. Before its too late, Cuiraécen
    awakens and senses the dragon. Unable to see for the fog, the Stormlord
    fills the skies with dark clouds blocking out sight of Avanalae`s palace.
    The Stormlord sent bolts of lighting to strike into the hidden places in the
    valley looking for Illuyankas. Suddenly the dragon flew ferociously
    directly at the young god and knocked him into the sea. The sea embraced
    Cuiraécen and he was unharmed, but when he returned to the mountains, the
    dragon had fled. However, the young diety saw how the people of
    mountainsides all grew grapes and delivered wines to a temple in offering to
    the dragon.

    Cuiraécen went to Laerme, who produced for him a ton of intoxicating
    ambrosia, the divine liquor. After spending some time with the lovely Lady
    Love, Cuiraécen returned to the hidden valley with the ton of ambrosia. He
    left it in the dragon`s temple, where the local people made their offering.
    He took his gear off his great chestnut charger, Arviragus, and told beast
    to graze nearby and keep watch for the dragon. Then the Stormlord went back
    his celestial feasthall. Laerme appaered briefly to wish Cuiraécen strength
    and victory, and gave him a kiss. When Arvirgaus called to him, the
    Stormlord was back in a clap of thunder. Illuyankas, however, did not
    notice, since he was drunk on his ton of ambrosia. Now it was Cuiraécen`s
    turn to sneak up on the sleeping wyrm. After the first blow of his great
    spear, Naekea, the ancient dragon awoke and summoned up a great breath of
    flame, but it harmed the Stormlord not, for the kiss of Lady Love saved him
    from the pain of any fire. The serpent cast spells, and the Stormlord threw
    lightning. The serpent bit and clawed at the young god, and he replied with
    his mighty spear. In the skies, a rolling thunder was heard continuously
    and the rains fell hard.

    Cuiraécen killed the old ally of Azrai, and was thereafter known as the God
    of Battle.

    Kenneth Gauck
    kgauck@mchsi.com

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    Regarding Illuyankas and Cuiraecan: Again, great stuff! One quibble: did
    Cuiraecan use a "ton" (i.e. 2000 pounds) of ambrosia, or a "tun" (IIRC, 255
    gallons, or something like that)?
    So, is that dragon "The" Rain Serpent of the Rain Serpent Mountains?

    Lee.

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    ----- Original Message -----
    From: "Lee Hanna" <LeeHa1854@AOL.COM>
    Sent: Sunday, November 03, 2002 9:46 PM


    > did Cuiraecan use a "ton" of ambrosia, or a "tun"?

    He used an amont that would be described as a kajillion in modern parlance.
    Another way to put it would be more than you could imagine carrying.
    Certainly enough to intoxicate the dragon.

    > So, is that dragon "The" Rain Serpent of the Rain Serpent Mountains?

    He`s the serpent who got rained on. :-)

    Kenneth Gauck
    kgauck@mchsi.com

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    Very nice story of Cuiraécen and the rain serpent. More of this...
    May Khirdai always bless your sword and his lightning struck your enemies!

  10. #10
    Senior Member marcum uth mather's Avatar
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    Bravo folks. Its snowing in LaCrosse and you guys just gave me a good marning of stories!!!

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