Hello,
Halloween is getting closer. Just like I've done in the past, I've prepared several pieces of lore that will explain some of the background behind this year's project. The first one is included below.
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Entry 1: The Blinding Plague
Legends found in the realm’s archives tell of a terrible
scourge that plagued the lands for quite some time. A demon that called itself
the Eye Collector roamed the different territories of the realm with the simple
goal of tearing the eyes from its victim and adding them to an ever-growing
collection. Using an arcane ritual, the monster would preserve its treasures
and it’s said that each stolen eye contained the insight of its owner. The
hapless victims would be left blinded but alive. Perhaps the goal of the Eye
Collector was to gain ultimate knowledge of the world. Humans, demons, and even
the Ogres were prey to its unending hunger.
For five cursed years, the Eye Collector traveled throughout
the realm. Sightings and tales of its wrath would crop up randomly among all
manner of folk. Several leaders attempted to rally together groups to hunt down
the Collector. A detachment of knights from the small kingdom of Tirald
famously tracked a string of victims through the northern frozen wastes.
Scattered accounts from the hunting party tell of an ambush as the knights
camped in the darkness of the icy cliffs. The Eye Collector struck swiftly
under the cover of shadow, subduing each of the knights as they slept and
claiming a bounty of treasure. The blinded party was left stranded in the
mountains to wander to their deaths in the frigid dark.Not long after the Tiral knights failed to stop the Eye Collector, a pack of Ogres led by one of the highly decorated chieftains, Gnar took it upon themselves to end the terror. Using some enchanted charms from their shamans, the Ogres followed the trail of several grisly attacks for one month with the intention of discovering the lair of the Eye Collector and killing it. These hunters were successful in following their target to a secluded cave west of Agrist on the northern continent. However, it seems their prey had led them to their doom as the Ogres found themselves entangled in a powerful illusion while searching the network of caves. As it had done before, the Eye Collector stalked them and slowly picked off the warriors until only Gnar and one of his captains remained. Standing his ground against the Collector, Gnar fought fiercely but was ultimately defeated. His captain watched in horror as the enemy ripped out his leader’s eyes before removing his head in a bloody display. The Ogre captain fled the caves and managed to elude his pursuer. The only survivor of the Collector returned to the Ogre territories in a state of near-madness. He told his leaders of their failure and of the caves. Urging the others to stay away, he told them that none could hope to stop the unholy beast.
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That's it for this entry. There will be one more posted in the next couple days before the project's reveal on Halloween.
Stay tuned!
~Zan