"Cold Cycle" 724
Vhalar 724
Zi'Da 724
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| The Four-Fold Servant | All Season | Given the plague was what Lisirra used to besiege Etzos, this left much of the infrstructure of the city and its outlying towns and territories largely intact What little physical damage was done to the infrastructure between Etzos and Rhakros was due more to neglect than any actual destruction. However the few hands capable and available to do the work of maintenance upon this infrastructure has nonetheless over the last few arcs taken its toll Towers have crumbled due to wood rot, roads have overgrown with vegetation, and the wilds have encroached, leading to an inability to dam the flow of Southwood River. This led to flooding in Lowgarden with rising waters. Nevertheless, a glimmer of hope emerges, as an accord between High Bend and the Tower has been forged. Highbend has lent a veritable army of marrows (skeletal undead) toward the military and civilian reconstruction of Etzos. From whence this army comes, no one in Etzos really properly knows. However, there are references of a powerful necromancer who has lent their talents exclusively toward staffing a mass of untiring workers, to take the direction of chosen Blackguard Highmarks, who bear an insignia on their lapel. The insignia shows three black stars, revolving around each other.Open | |
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| Trial of Lessons | 7th Vhalar | Held during the first few trials of Vhalar. Kind of an odd grudge-match, score-settling number of trials, for the amusement of uninvolved citizens. This brag-fest pits craftsmen who have ongoing bragging campaigns against those of other professions with whom they have had many words of insult and challenge. Citizens of neither profession, throughout the city, collect votes for who will be called to compete as the arc goes on. Those with the most votes are selected to settle the matter. This is done by forcing the two sides to work in their adversary's field of endeavor for several trials. The side which does the least laughable job is the winner. Buffoonery awards are often handed out. Most winners are gracious, most losers accept with humor. But there are times where final judgements must be made at the Ten-Trial games.Open | |
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| Hail to the Vanquished | 13th Vhalar | The necromancer responsible for the army of skeletons doesn't make an appearance, but announces their presence by giving themselves a style, that of: The Four-Fold Servant. He issues a proclamation through a newsletter published by the Imp-pressions. However, when pressed, the proprietor of the Imp-Pressions deftly deflects any attempts to find out who this Four-Fold Servant is, and who delivered the order for the newsletter. It is given to the public that they can make requests of the Four-Fold Servant's thralls, by whispering to skeletons that are marked by a triple black star. And that the Servant will let the most whispered requests and desires of the populace inform the actions of this legion of thralls. The newsletter of the Four-Fold Servant is therefore published with a list of acknowledged projects that they've taken on, in the interests of the populace.Open | |
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| Trials of the Promised | 24th Vhalar | Various times throughout the arc. A subtle campaign to "innocently and accidentally" antagonize any members of races who were created through resurrection by Immortals, by subtle suggestions that they could be "called back", at any time, by the careless whims of their patron Immortals. It is presented as sympathy for the fact that, unlike the Etzori, such races have no control over their lives. This feigned sympathy is deliberately overbearing and exaggerated for a trial or two. This is the doing of former Chief Adviser Vuda, for the purpose of maintaining subtle disdain and hostility between those races and the humans of Etzos. This is to nurture a subconscious readiness to expect hostility from them. This season, the antagonized race that was chosen for mischief, happens to be Cadouri.Open | |
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| Paxler's Reforms | 38th Vhalar | The Smiths and Masons' Guild declares that they will not accept the labor of undead of any kind, and bar the inclusion of anyone who consorts with or supports the Four-Fold Servant's mission to rebuild Etzos with the hands of the dead. This has led to friction between the Tower and the Guild, as at times when the Guild decides to strike this Vhalar, the Tower directs the Undead to carry on the Guild's duties. A riot breaks out, through which many marrows are crushed by the Guild's work force, taking their hammers and picks and grinding the bones of the marrows into so much lime for their forges. The riots grow raucous as Etzos rumbles with the reaction from the Four-Fold Servant, wondering how they will react to this provocative act by the GuildModerated | |
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| Founder's Trial | 49th Vhalar | Technically the 49th trial of Vhalar, but it usually starts several trials early and runs long after. This is a trial to commemorate and celebrate the founding of the city. It marks the accord reached between the Morgan Pahrn and the last few surviving miners that had earlier discovered the gem mines. The miners' gratitude for the rescue from hostile zealots, and Parhn's realization that he'd found that perfect place to establish an Immortal-free city, led to the founding of Etzos. This is the grandest holiday of them all. This season is marked by the arrival of many foreign traders, looking to participate in the celebration of Etzori workmanship, and their reputation of producing the very best masons, stone and gem-cutters. It turns out to be perhaps the most grand of Founder's Trials, since before the war with Rhakros. Effigies of various Immortals are erected at plazas across the city and outlying towns, and burned with glee. Particular favorites among these effigies are Vri, Famula, Sintra and last but not least, Lisirra. Of course, none of the Immortals are left out of this treatment, and there are even effigies erected of some of the more 'benevolent' Immortals, such as Saoire and Moseke. Open | |
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| Return of the Delegation | 64th Vhalar | A grand celebration is held in honor of the diplomatic overtures of the Etzori Delegation. Although they've long since perhaps returned to Etzos, citizens, refugees, and tourists alike are invited to feasts across the city in honor of the heroic efforts of the Delegation to bring diplomacy to the wider world. Even those parts of it infected by Immortal taint. High Marshal Brogen Pahrn is on hand to award many of the delegation with medals and decorations, and offer them seats at the Tower and various other positions.Open | |
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| Ascended Mantis Hunt | 99th Vhalar | A great hunt for bugs is held in the latter trials of Vhalar. As an extended tradition of bug stomping, started during the war against Rhakros, the spawn of Lisirra are targetted for hunts across the territory. Particularly prized among these prey are the formidable Ascended Mantises, whose byproducts are very coveted by crafts people and alchemists alike. Many woodsmen try their hands at the hunting of these dangerous beasts, and fewer come back successful. Still, there's enough of the Mantis hunted that they bring back some of their corpses to Etzos and the outlying towns as trophies, or to be turned into various items. These materials are highly coveted, especially by rich craftsmen, as they are the only ones that can generally afford the materials without taking a loss.Open | |
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| The Airing of the Tower | 112th Vhalar | Held at the end of Vhalar. This event was named after a joke made on the notion that all who live or work in "The Tower" are stuffy. For this one trial, an open door policy exists and tours are conducted. But anyone who believes they're actually going to see anything of great secret or strategic value is fooling themselves. Interestingly enough, this Vhalar the airing of the Tower has more than a symbolic purpose, as there appears to be the stench of a rot emerging from the depths of the Tower. Herbalists are called in to try and combat the stench, but it ends with a sickly sweet pot pourri that only makes the stench more cloying and nauseating. Like embalming honey.Open | |
| Image | Name | Date | Description |
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| Winter of Love | All Season | The massive army of undead, both raised skeletal thralls and ghosts has freed up the living of Etzos to enjoy the finer things in life, instead of toiling to rebuild their city. While there are many who fear this will lead to a population grown indolent and decadent, too many people are relieved not to work to care very much. Mostly the restless malcontents and criminal elements are inclined to dislike this development, seeing the arrival of the undead and the persistence of the ghosts as an excuse to sink into decadence... Many blame the Four-Fold Servant of appointing themselves a beneficent god, lording it over the living by engineering the city by the hands of the dead. Nevertheless, many have taken to celebrating the liberation of labor and war with peacetime celebrations. There's even talk of creating a holiday in the season of Zi'da, in honor of the Four-Fold Servant and the gift of respite he's bought them. Some grumblings from the malcontent portions of society have griped that Zi'da didn't contain celebrations for a reason, and pointedly cite the interference of the Immortals, and all the 'gifts' they supposedly brought.Open | |
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| Careless Whispers and Red Hands | 16th Zi'da | A string of murders has broken out in the Outer Perimeter. Many refugees from Quacia and other places have since settled in the area, and been resettled there, some of them even bringing their peculiar spiritual and religious practices. However, the tension brought on by their religious leanings and missionaries of the Wounded God, have turned up dead and flayed, drained of blood as well, crucified on street posts and in walls along the underground. The sheer number of refugees targeted suggests that this is more than one murderer at work. Some of the Black Guard skeletons patrolling the Outer Perimeter have been found with blood on their hands, but this is played off as them having helped the cleanup and removal of these bodies. Still, suspicions grow that someone is whispering en masse to the skeletons the names of people they wish to have killed. The rumor picks up legs and the idle population of Etzos begins to grow restless indeed.Open | |
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| Snow Marrows | 72nd Zi'da | Many children, who may have been apprehensive at the appearance of the strange skeleton warriors who now staff the foot-soldiery of the Blackguards, are now so inurred to their appearance that they have taken to playing with the skeletons. There are even some who are packed with snow, after being commanded to stand still. There, they build what are called 'snow marrows' with bones instead of sticks for arms. Some of these snow marrows frighten those who come nearby to gawk at them, as they begin moving before their eyes. This begins a playful tradition of dressing up the marrows with wreaths and jewels and other gifts by various folks who appreciate their protection. Open | |