Difference between revisions of "GLRP:EMs:2010:In the Shadow of Virtue"

Latest revision as of 08:49, 25 April 2011

In the Shadow of Virtue

1 Related BNN Articles:
2 July 1, 2010 - Breaching the Vault
3 August 6, 2010 - Pyres of War
4 September 4, 2010 - Sage Wisdom
5 October 7, 2010 - Missing Persons
6 October 27, 2010 - The Chosen
7 January 7, 2011 - Knives
8 January 21, 2011 - A Candle for the Darkness
9 February 13, 2011 - Bloody Valentine
10 February 26, 2011 - In Memoriam
11 March 28, 2011 - The Last Crusade

This is the story of the early years after Dawn's ascension to the throne, of how the Bane Chosen threatened the peace of our realm, and how the daemon VirtueBane sought power. While the long battle was mainly fought by the the Royal Spies in the saga that has come to be known as Blood Feud: Daemon Pyre and Blood Feud: The Shadow Crusade, these events spanned the facets. Here we chronicle major events...

July 1, 2010 - Breaching the Vault

Queen Dawn requested that interested citizens gather in the throne room of Castle British. No one knew exactly why our sovereign wished to address us, however, it was a safe assumption it was related to the gaping hole which has occupied the northwest corner of her secure dais since Tuesday.

Sherry the Mouse was first to speak to the gathered crowd, saying that the Queen was still speaking with advisors and would be along shortly. Sherry let it be known that she was working on a new book, but sadly she didn't divulge the topic. The gracious mouse also informed the assemblage that the fabled vault of Lord British would indeed be opened that eve, not through the means gleaned from Ricardo's knowledge - but through brute force. She said that Dexter the Mage had been unable to find a way around the spell which protected the vault, or a potential location for one of the three 'lost' treasures of Lord British. In the end, she quoted Queen Dawn as saying "If a key won't work, you kick down the door!"

This did not sit well with the crowd, as they considered the thought of breaking into a vault containing unknown artifacts as a fool's errand. Justicar Ra'Dian Fl'Gith of the High Council commented loudly, "Is breakin' int' a magically protected vault th' wisest o' decisions we could make?" Lady Silverbrook of Magincia added, "Most things are hidden with reason." Sherry quickly excused herself as Queen Dawn arrived to give her speech.

"Welcome, Citizens of Britannia, on this warm summer evening! Thank you all for coming. Lord British did not believe in the typical vestments of power. He knew that Britannia's authority and Virtue come from its people. The Cloak that protects Britannia is the Courage of its people. The Crown that ennobles Britannia is the Love of its people. The Scepter that guides Britannia is the Truth of its people. Together we will open the Vault and eventually restore Magincia! We will tear down this wall."

While Dawn's words sank in, a Royal Mining Expert arrived to finish the tunnel into the vault. With an anticlimactic shout, the miner, upon the instruction of the Queen, breached the vault. Within moments, she reemerged with the Crystal of Duplicity, presenting it to the Queen. Her Majesty promised that a case would be built to display it. She then bade everyone enjoy the weekend-long Summer Festival before she departed.

Today, the crystal sits in front of the throne on a tall stand for all to see. According to Ricardo, it is the tool Lord British's Court Mage, Nystul, used to create the facet of Trammel. Allegedly, it was hidden in the city of Magincia. There it was later stolen by agents of the enchantress Minax who then used it to project her form from Felucca into Trammel. Current thinking holds that this crystal will somehow allow Magincia to be rebuilt by negating the demonic curse on the isle.

August 6, 2010 - Pyres of War

Since last Yule, a war has been brewing between Britannia and the disciples of ancient elemental beings. They sought to seize our world in the aftermath of the Shadowlord's assault; they thought our kingdom broken and weakened by Casca's duplicity. They would strike the dragon while it paused to nurse its wounds and tend its young.

The undead Cult of Styx strove to release the Mountain King from his prison beneath the Abyss, to unleash the fury of Lithos and smite the living. For many months this battle raged as an open secret across the facets, endangering allies both old and new. Britannia's Ministry of Intelligence (B.M.I.) fought in the shadow of a nation rebuilding, ensuring the citizenry's peace of mind.

The ruins of Xenve An-amo-lem, an ancient gargl fortress buried under the base of the volcano on Fire Isle, saw the end of the Cult. The last of their members were laid to rest, ending the threat of the Titan of Earth. Or so it was believed.

The daemon Conclave of Hythloth rose to fill the void left by the Cult. The machinations of their General triumvirate led to a brief freedom for Lithos. In return, the daemon general known as Bartholomew met a timely end through the B.M.I.'s efforts. The full brunt of Lithos' wrath then bore down on the operatives who had crushed his undead minions. Fortunately, the Titan's time in our realm was cut short when a prison of light was created to contain him at the Shrine of Compassion in Ilshenar, where he remains.

The distraction of Lithos gone, the Conclave's true motives emerged. They sought the return of their patron Titan, Pyros the Lord of Fire. A book, the Principia Daemonis, deep within the gargl ruins held the key to daemonkind's rekindling the flame of Pyros' favor. The Conclave strove fruitlessly to possess it, for Virtue delivered it into Britannia's hands.

The Conclave's remaining two Generals tried to distract Britannian forces by fomenting war with the Orcish clans, subjecting the Isle of Nujel'm to accursed nightmares and the kidnapping of a Platinum Dragon egg. Fortuitously, Bertrand, the son of the deceased Bartholomew, defected from the Conclave and presented himself to the High Council of Britannia seeking asylum. He set to work on a lexicon of the daemon language so the Principia might be understood by modern scholars. Shortly thereafter, Nether, another of the Conclave's generals, succumbed to the B.M.I.'s operatives in Moonglow.

This brings us to the current situation of the daemon scouts which had been testing the defenses in Luna and Britain. The daemons sought the 'Blood of Queens' to restore their link to Pyros so that they might summon him to our world. They had already managed to acquire the blood of a gargoyle queen through a traitorous healer. Now, they sought the blood of Queen Dawn.

Last Friday became a dark day for the city of Britain and for Britannia as a nation. Nearly two weeks of random appearances of daemon scouts culminated in an all-out assault on Britain. Daemons of all variety streamed into the city, trying to overwhelm its defenders. They brought with them a terrifying new weapon with them, blackrock golems.

While defenders were busy beating back the daemons at the graveyard north of the city, attempting to close their gate of access, a daemon strike force achieved their main objective. The daemons broke into the throne room in Castle Britannia where they slaughtered the Elite Guard and stole the Crystal of Duplicity. The last remaining Conclave General, Buldur, then stalked Queen Dawn across the city until finally drawing her blood in the western Counselor's Hall.

The full scope of the threat facing us is now realized. The Conclave has the Blood of Queens and may well be mere days away from unleashing Pyros. The Crystal of Duplicity might find its way back into Minax's clutches, allowing her unfettered entry into Trammel.

Even the Bane Chosen appear to have a stake in the coming war, for the daemon's blackrock golems most likely came from their supplies. Those citizens, who foolishly turned over massive amounts of crystalline blackrock during the deceitful campaign against the ophidian, have aided the enemy. The Chosen now plot against the Meer, allies of Britannia. Those traitors who aid them in this latest atrocity may well be providing the next weapon to be used against the kingdom.

Once again, the pyres of war burn brightly on our horizon. Stand up and fight for Queen and country. Show Britannia's enemies how sharp the dragon's fangs truly are!

September 4, 2010 - Sage Wisdom

Queen Dawn summoned her subjects to the throne room of Castle Britannia today to partake in an adventure to Ilshenar. A particular form of sage, Salvia pietas, or Compassion sage, was required to aid the Queen's troubled sleep.

Medicinal Flora, by Hulderic of Yew

Since the rare sage grew in central Ilshenar, the group followed the Queen to meet with a Royal Scout named Cole near the Honor Shrine. Cole suggested gathering seeds from the beasts roaming the swamp near the savage fort and then acquiring a sample of the potion the Exodus Controllers brew from the plant's leaves.

As we galloped towards the swamp, a comment the scout offhandedly made stuck in my mind. He said the "Whole land's been on edge," and implied that that many around central Ilshenar have experienced troubled sleep recently. This struck me as important due to a passage regarding the sage in a tome entitled 'Medicinal Flora,' which could be found in Dexter's lab at the castle:

"The Controllers of Exodus have been known to brew potions from it to protect their minds when interacting with the inhuman sleeper of the fortress."

I had to put the thought out of my mind as we entered the swamp and began the process of collecting seeds from the bog creatures. Queen Dawn wanted a few hundred gather so her agricultural experts to sort through so they may cultivate the sage.

When the seeds were shipped back to the castle, we headed for the Fortress of Exodus where many controllers fell before our might. Eventually, a sample of their potion was recovered and a book containing the brewing instructions was found. With all the items required having been assembled, we returned to Britain where the Queen thanked us for our service.

Potion Recipe, by Controller Tavurk

Able to think again without the distraction of combat, I realized common thread... Queen Dawn is having bad dreams. People and creatures in Ilshenar are having bad dreams. The Controllers drink a potion to protect their mind from Exodus. Exodus was never actually destroyed, only disabled. Could Exodus be reawakening after all these years? Might the angry hellspawn of Mondain and Minax be quietly readying itself for a renewed war on Britannia?

October 7, 2010 - Missing Persons

The Royal Britannian Guard were asked to meet at the Counselor’s Hall in northern Britain, apparently not by Commander Keel – but by Sherry the Mouse. She informed the Guard that she was worried about Queen Dawn being ‘away’ and said that Ricardo had gone missing from his cell in Yew.

Sherry opened a gate into the Yew Prison and the Guard poured through. In Ricardo’s cell a note was found which said: “I will be seeing you, but you won’t be seeing me. –Ricardo” It seemed to indicate that the thief had escaped his cell. Which turned out to be a good thing since the prison was currently being invaded by the forces of the Bane Chosen and the Conclave.

Amidst a cluster of Bane corpses a dropped book of orders was discovered which indicated that Ricardo had been the intended target of the invasion and that the Isle of Magincia was also under attack.

Orders, by V.

Who is this 'V,' and why would be giving a general of the Conclave orders? Could the Conclave be subservient to the leader of the Bane Chosen? Such thoughts would need to wait until after the attack, however, as the Bane had brought blackrock golems for backup.

When the Bane and the Conclave had been beaten back, Queen Dawn surfaced in Ricardo’s vacant cell. She said that she had found one of the blackrock golems at the house her husband, Ors, had been staying at. A strange letter led her to believe something was very wrong in his life..

The Queen then took the Guard to the house where a taunting book was discovered, again from the mysterious ‘V.’ She said that her husband had been gambling with a man named Miegen and must have been kidnapped. Many citizens believed this may be connected to the rumored Bane Chosen presence on Magincia…

Dear Dawn, by V.

October 27, 2010 - The Chosen

(Evil Event for those allied to the Bane Chosen)

Rumors circulating the criminal underworld indicated that a gathering of those sympathetic to the Bane Chosen would be occurring in Britain. Several in the Intelligence Community concealed their identities to infiltrate the meeting and learn about the enemy firsthand.

As people gathered, a pale lady appeared in their midst and let it be known that this was a competition to see who was worthy enough to join the Chosen. She said, “Teamwork in this sort of competition is a sign of weakness.” Without further instructions, she cast a gate which led to the true Shrine of Spirituality accessible in Ilshenar.

There the criminal scum met the Echo of Mondain, a magical construct meant to inform adventurers of the sins of the past. However, the simulacrum had been repurposed by the Skull of Mondain which rested nearby. The Echo commanded those present to join with the Bane Chosen in their quest to remake the world. He then directed everyone to coordinates in northwestern Ilshenar where Cole of the Chosen could be found. The Spies amongst the groups cringed, realizing that Cole had been one of their own – turned to the Chosen by the dream sickness.

When they found Cole, he was high on the propaganda of the Chosen. Espousing that their cause was one of progress and renewal, requiring that the Kingdom of Britannia be crushed for it to succeed. He said that the Chosen were turning their eye to the City of Moonglow, one of Britannia’s places of power. The Chosen already had information about its mundane defenses, but now needed information on the magical ones so they may cast a counter spell.

Cole sent the potential Chosen to gather the required information from the Children of Nether on Dagger Isle. The collection of many tiny spider-like daemons had formed themselves into a clump which resembled a gargantuan spider. Listening to its ramblings led to the location of a ‘bit of darkness’ buried in the Moonglow cemetery and the notion to speak to Gemtedee in Buccaneer’s Den.

Gemtedee led to a book about the Four Humors, one of which might be of particular interest to the Chosen, and the spellwords "Kal Vas Grav Ort Corp."

The Four Humors, by ...

Revealing the spell words and the humor of 'melancholia' to Cole caused him to send those in the know to speak to the Black Dragon in Doom. In turn, the Dragon admitted that the Bane Chosen would make useful allies and thus would supply the melancholia if those asking could prove their worth by supplying him with an elf or human's ears.

When presented with the grisly trophy, the Dragon proclaimed that he would supply the chosen with melancholia. Cole, of course, was pleased with the news and informed you that your task was complete. You were worthy to join the Chosen.

But really, did you want to?

January 7, 2011 - Knives

(Evil Event for those allied to the Bane Chosen)

a note, by Satharn

The ‘Pale Lady,’ and agent of Virtuebane, met those pledging their allegiance to the archdaemon in the city of Britain. She explained that these traitors to Britannia had been summoned to counter Queen Dawn’s Meer allies. The Pale Lady wanted to disrupt a spell to find the missing Ors being prepared by a Meer eternal named Satharn.

The traitors invaded the Meer city of Mireg (Lakeshire), killing many of its citizens and raiding their supplies of rare mystical reagents. Satharn perished during this encounter, falling victim to evil’s superior numbers.

Satharn's Journal, by Satharn

A Spell for Dawn, by Satharn of the Meer

January 21, 2011 - A Candle for the Darkness

(Evil Event for those allied to the Bane Chosen)

Once again, the Pale Lady gathered those loyal to Virtuebane. Having studied the spell taken from Satharn the Meer two weeks prior, she intended to use it to locate Ricardo – for he held something which Virtuebane covets.

A Spell for Ricardo, by a Pale Lady

The Pale Lady led her villainous minions to the Pass of Karnaugh in Ilshenar where she had a captured ethereal warrior in a cage on its roof. The warrior was sacrificed, his blood spraying across the vicious followers of Virtuebane.

After successfully casting the spell, the group was led on vengeful trail of carnage after the King of Thieves. At the Shrine of Justice they found him…and slew him. However, Ricardo was far more cunning then the Pale Lady had anticipated, they had killed a shade – a clone. Using the spell again, Ricardo was tracked to the deepest level of the dungeon of Wrong. The Ricardo found and slain there was also revealed to be a clone.

With growing anger, the last location Pale Lady had stormed was the fortress of Reg Volom on the island in the middle of Termir Ilshen. The ethereal warriors defended their stronghold with a fierce determination, keeping Virtuebane’s pawns in disarray.

Eventually, Ricardo surfaced at the fortress. Actually, multiple Ricardo’s appeared at once, the wily thief had apparently used the Crystal of Duplicity to ensure his survival. As the duplicates fell, the Pale Lady’s anger increased. Her campaign ending in defeat.

February 13, 2011 - Bloody Valentine

Britannia has lost her Queen in the most tragic of ways. I have tried to pen something heartfelt since her murder. However, I have been unable to properly distil my feelings into words that would not appear overly harsh. I knew our Queen. I performed the Oath of Office at her coronation. I was there for her passing from our world.

Her last public speech highlighted her love for her people and her devotion to duty:

"My beloved subjects, you have fought wonderfully well against Virtuebane. I am very proud of you all. No monarch could ask for a better or more loyal people.

I'm pleased to tell you that I've learned of a way we may be able to defeat the evil that menaces our towns. Virtuebane is vulnerable to Humility. I shall imbue my sword with that Virtue. Then I shall lead you into battle against Virtuebane!

Join me as we go forth to our destiny!

FOR BRITANNIA!"

Her last act as our queen was to infuse her own family sword with the power of Humility at the Ilshenar shrine so that we may rest easier.

The sudden return of her long-lost Ors seemed a miraculous blessing, coming on the eve before the Festival of Love. The Queen embraced her dazed husband, unprepared for what was to come. Sadly, Ors' mind had been thoroughly warped by Virtuebane's evil. As Dawn pulled away, her face beaming, a thin stiletto blade thrust through her heart.

As Dawn crumpled to the ground at her husband's feet, his face didn't show any emotion. Even Virtuebane's arrival failed to register. The vile archdaemon gloated over his use of the human puppet, before releasing Ors' mind so he could torment the man further.

His mind freed for the first time in months, Ors saw his dead wife before him, the stiletto still in his hand, slick with her blood. Grief overcoming him, he threw down the blade and fled through the moongate.

Virtuebane's laughter echoed off the sides of the canyon as he retrieved the knife. He then held it aloft, claiming, "With this dagger, I control Love. Love in the form of a dagger rather than a candle...appropriate for the pain Love can cause."

Ignoring the derisive shouts of the crowd, Virtuebane continued to boast. "Corrupted Books of Truth so many secretly hoard... I control your Virtues! The cities WILL fall. The bells will be tainted." He then callously prodded Dawn's body, searching for the infused sword - a prize he did not find. Sometime during the commotion, the sword had disappeared. Roaring in anger, the archdaemon set a legion of his blackrock golems on the crowd. If whoever stole it wouldn't give him the sword, he would take it from their corpse.

The battle with the golems was long and hard fought, but ultimately the Britannians were victorious. As the reality of the Queen's death overcame the victory, Minister Magnus Grey arrived to retrieve the body.

He led those still able to the throne room of Castle Britannia, where he began to speak:

"A great tragedy has befallen Britannia this night. Our queen is dead, beyond the reach of healers or mages.

As is true of many political leaders, she was sometimes controversial. None though can deny that Queen Dawn dedicated her life to Britannia. Queen Dawn was a warrior, with a strong sense of duty, and a devotion to the virtue of Valor.

There is much work to be done in the coming weeks. We will hold a memorial for our late queen. We will strive to wrest that dagger from the foul hands of Virtuebane. We will seek out Dawn's ancestral sword, which she gave her life to imbue. We will continue to defend our cities.

Most importantly, we will avenge our queen, we will avenge Virtuebane's insult to our great nation, we will avenge his desecration of the Principles and the Virtues!"

Several days have now passed since these events and Britannia has tried to regain some semblance of normalcy. In fact, one of the architects of the queen's murder has already been brought to justice.

A man named Cole, a traitor to the Ministry of Security, was the one to supply Virtuebane with both the stiletto and the unusual poison that coated it. He was tracked to a small fortress near the ruins of Montor in Ilshenar, where he chose to meet a very violent end.

Presently, the body of Queen Dawn lies in state in the Castle throne room. A memorial service is being planned, but does not yet have a firm date. Citizens have been invited to speak during the service and those wishing to are directed to send a copy of their words to the castle staff.

Tangible evil lurks in the dark places of our world, skittering into the light only long enough to inflict grievous wounds on the virtuous. We pretend to be outraged, even to the point of making a show of slaying one or two vile beats. But ultimately, we tend to allow the larger evils to stalk their prey without contest.

We watched Magincia destroyed by an extradimensional daemon horde, then looted the city while its citizens fled. We allowed a dictator to seize our throne, blithely ignoring his ties to the Shadowlords. We allowed the Bane Chosen to make war against others without protest, some even joining them. We feigned shock when the Bane Chosen invaded Magincia and summoned their daemon master.

When evil is allowed to roam free, to subvert our culture as they see fit, how can we claim to be a Virtuous people?

Our queen lies dead. Our cities are under constant threat. How much longer can we continue to pay the high price of failure?

February 26, 2011 - In Memoriam

Captain Dasha of the Meer, longtime friend to Dawn, led a processional of mourners from Castle Britannia to the Court of Truth in Yew. Once there, she presided over the memorial and presented the eulogists.

The first to speak was Galen Knighthawke of the Legacy of the Fallen:

The evil's name was Blackthorn; an unnatural abomination, proof that the absence of Virtue, even if benign in intent, sooner or later devolves to evil.

Against this there stood a young lady, a lioness named Dawn. And, by her, the evil was vanquished.

The evil's name was The Shadowlords. Three accursed, demonic entities, physical manifestations of all that we strive not to be. Pride, first a city's and then a man's, allowed them entry into our world.

Against this there stood a young woman, a lioness named Dawn. And, by her, the evil was vanquished.

The evil's name was Lord Casca. A would-be ruler who represented our worst, not our best. A brutal tyrant and a tool of evils greater than he, he oppressed us, and killed us, and reduced our complex Virtues to simple, corrupt laws.

Against this there stood a young Queen, a lioness named Dawn. And, by her, the evil was vanquished.

The evil's name is Virtuebane. Attracted by Pride and encouraged by Ruin, he invades our cities, lures our people to his cause, kills those he cannot corrupt, harms our allies, awakens old and sleeping enemies, uses the petty Sins that all of us commit to mislead us about what, and who, we are.

Against this there stood a young Queen, a lioness named Dawn. And, now, she is no more.

For you, dear Queen, Heaven today is hung in black. And, for you, dear lady, we we pledge our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor to vanquishing the last of the many evils you faced.

For a Kingdom, for freedom, for Virtue. But, mostly, for a lady.

There was a young Queen, a lioness named Dawn.

In peace may she sleep.

The next speaker was Chancellor DaKaren of the High Council of Britannia:

We first met Dawn as Yew sank into the mire of a disastrous spell. We watched as she courageously fought for her home. She didn't know the horrors soon to be faced on the true battlefield exposed in that struggle. Nor the destiny which would lead her on to slay the corrupted Blackthorn.

This warrior thought her battles won, her rest earned. She returned to Yew victorious. As it is with such things, her life moved on. She met a man. They married. They were happy.

Then, as shadows stretched across Britannia, Dawn returned to the public stage. She helped unify our fractured kingdom while forging friendships with new allies. The shadows fell before the light which graced our world anew.

This warrior thought her battles won, her rest earned. Alas, the people disagreed. "The throne," they cried. "It sits vacant. Lead us!" Dawn hadn't sought to rule, hadn't sought such power. Yet, she accepted, settling into an uneasy role as Warrior Queen.

The Bane Chosen arose, pawns of an ancient plot. Dawn refused to act hastily, choosing instead to cultivate her alliances. The Chosen struck out at her heart, luring away her beloved. Virtuebane tainted the bond between Dawn and her husband, turning their love into a weapon.

Dawn fell not to the blade, which pierced her heart, but to the pain which pierced her soul. A pain which now pierces each of ours. Dawn believed in Truth. Dawn believed in Love. Dawn believed in Courage. Dawn believed in you.

We mustn't see her death as the end, but as the beginning of our renewed struggle against the dark. We must find that bit of our Warrior Queen within ourselves to stem the tide of evil, to ensure that all Sosaria prevails to see the dawn of a new day.

The Queen's friend, a teary eyed Ricardo was the next to speak:

Dawn saw the world through honest eyes and the rest of us, with our shades of gray, were inspired to see it the same way. The whole world is diminished by the loss of such a person.

Dawn gave me a second chance, I am grateful to her for that. We must defeat Virtuebane, to honor her memory!

Rest in peace, milady.

Sherry the Mouse was the last to speak, her tiny voice filled with emotion:

I saw Dawn every day. I saw her when she came back from battle, bruised and exhausted. I saw her when she paced the floor of her office, dealing with paperwork she'd never wanted. I saw her when she went to sleep at night, staring at her miniature portrait of Ors, and knew she wished she could be back on their farm.

Dawn served her country with all her heart, with every hour of the day. She was a wonderful human being and a great friend. I shall remember her always and miss her much.

Dasha then called for a moment of silence to reflect the Queen's life. Afterwards, she excused herself to ready a 'riderless horse' to bring the sarcophagus to the gravesite.

Virtuebane chose that moment to interrupt the solemnity of the memorial by appearing behind Ricardo. "You have frustrated my efforts long enough, thief. Join your queen!" he roared before eviscerating the thief. As the archdaemon searched the corpse, brave citizen began pummeling him with spells and arrows.

For the first time, Virtuebane chose to physically engaged his enemies himself - probably only to show that their attacks were ineffective. With a mighty blow, the daemon laid out many of the mourners and fled from the courthouse.

Outside, he gloated over the killing of Ricardo and the retrieval of the Crystal of Duplicity. With a final smirk, he vanished - leaving behind a pack of blackrock golems.

When the golems were gone, Dasha returned with the steed and led the way to where Dawn would spend eternity. Just to the west of Empath Abbey, on a small peninsula, our Queen was laid to rest with her husband. The headstone reads:

Queen Dawn Of Britannia
Warrior Of Virtue And Bringer Of Hope
&
Ors, Her Beloved Consort
Reunited In Eternity

May Queen Dawn be free of the evils which plagued her in life, may her soul forever be at peace.

March 28, 2011 - The Last Crusade

Commander Christine Keel of the Britannian Royal Guard met a large throng of unruly citizens in the throne room of Castle Britannia. For the time to confront Virtuebane was neigh. The archdaemon's forces had withdrawn from public view, refocusing their efforts on the Isle of Magincia.

With Danner of the Meer at her side, the Commander addressed the crowd:

"Virtuebane has used the Crystal of Duplicity to cover the island of Magincia with copies of himself. His aim is to control the world as we know it, to tear down the Virtues and to bring his fortress, Death's Awakening, into this world.

Each copy of Virtuebane may have a tiny, unstable, piece of that crystal. Danner is working on a spell that can use those pieces to cleanse the island. If you find a brittle crystal, please put it in the box on the Bane altar on Magincia.

We know from reports from the Royal Spies that Virtuebane once fled from a rain of garbage. Therefore, we shall take the hint from Ricardo's broken ramblings and use Humble Pie to force Virtuebane back through his vile gate.

This may seem an odd and ignoble weapon, however, we must each find the humility in ourselves to battle in the way that works rather than in the shining, glorious way we may dream of. Sometimes a battle is won by the small boy who opens a gate, rather than the army at the walls. Or as is said on the bagball fields: A win is a win. Let's go!"

A gate was opened to the eastern side of the Isle and the impromptu army rushed through, the liberation of Magincia had begun.

The Virtuebane duplicates towered over the warriors and began to hurl devastating spells. However, the sheer number of Brtannians overwhelmed the daemons, and one by one they fell.

The warriors spread out across the island, bringing death to those who would enslave our world. Meer and Ethereal Warriors joined the battle, helping to destroy the copies and hell-hound-transfigured Chosen.

Eventually, the original Virtuebane appeared several times to taunt those who were expeditiously defeating his forces. A hail of pie would greet the prideful daemon, causing him to flee the onslaught. Raucous laughter accompanied each departure.

When crystal-created Virtubanes had been defeated, Commander Keel gathered the warriors at the dark rift shrine that had been built where the Isle's moongate once stood. As she gave the collected shards of the Crystal of Duplicity to Danner for use in his cleansing spell, Virtuebane appeared once more.

The archdaemon's already pie-smeared form received its heaviest barrage of pastries, causing him to roar in anger. Brought low by this indignity, Virtuebane shoved his way through the crowd and retreated back to his own dimension.

Claiming Britannia's victory, Commander Keel forcefully brought her sword down on the shrine's altar, destroying it. The black rift closed, sealing our world off from Virtuebane. The war was over.

Commander Keel destroys the Bane Shrine.

With only the cleansing the island remaining, Danner's spell was readied. The Meer had built an arcane circle where the old bank once stood. There he would use the crystal shards to renew the Isle.

Once the crowd had calmed somewhat, he began:

"I invoke these words of the Anskitas!
I invoke the spells of Nystul and the Moon of Trammel!
Here where this copy of Magincia was born,
I invoke a spell to pierce the curse of Virtuebane and demonkind.
This spell will cleanse the island."

He then began to chant:

"O axi-mur esh lum
Ort-ku kans ista quas-ailem lap
Uilem in-saengkt Magincia esh an-kal bal"

Roughly translated from Gargl:

"By The Three Principles and Humility
Magically consume this duplication crystal
You all protect Magincia and banish evil"

The Bane Chosen have been crushed, The Isle of Magincia freed of its unholy taint, and the archdaemon has been banished. Britannia has won its freedom once more.

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Difference between revisions of "GLRP:EMs:2010:In the Shadow of Virtue"

Latest revision as of 08:49, 25 April 2011

Contents

Related BNN Articles:

July 1, 2010 - Breaching the Vault

August 6, 2010 - Pyres of War

September 4, 2010 - Sage Wisdom

October 7, 2010 - Missing Persons

October 27, 2010 - The Chosen

January 7, 2011 - Knives

January 21, 2011 - A Candle for the Darkness

February 13, 2011 - Bloody Valentine

February 26, 2011 - In Memoriam

March 28, 2011 - The Last Crusade

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-<center><p><FONT color="#800000" face="Monotype Corsiva" size="15">In the Shadow of Virtue</font></p></center>
+<center>
+<font color="#800000" size="15" face="Monotype Corsiva">In the Shadow of Virtue</font>
+</center>{{TOCright}}
+<br>This is the story of the early years after Dawn's ascension to the throne, of how the Bane Chosen threatened the peace of our realm, and how the daemon VirtueBane sought power. While the long battle was mainly fought by the [[GLRP:EMs: The Royal Spies|the Royal Spies]] in the saga that has come to be known as [[GLRP:EMs:Royal Spies:2010:Blood Feud2|Blood Feud: Daemon Pyre]] and [[GLRP:EMs:Royal Spies:2010-2011:Blood Feud3|Blood Feud: The Shadow Crusade]], these events spanned the facets. Here we chronicle major events...
+<br>
-'''Related BNN Articles:'''
+== '''Related BNN Articles:'''  ==
-[[BNN:Lost & Found - Part 1_03/26/10|Lost & Found - Part 1]],  pub. 03-26-2010
+[[BNN:Lost & Found - Part 1 03/26/10|Lost &amp; Found - Part 1]], pub. 03-26-2010
-[[BNN:Lost & Found - Part 2_04/13/10|Lost & Found - Part 2]],  pub. 04-13-2010
+[[BNN:Lost & Found - Part 2 04/13/10|Lost &amp; Found - Part 2]], pub. 04-13-2010
-[[BNN:Lost & Found - Part 3_04/30/10|Lost & Found - Part 3]],  pub. 04-30-2010
+[[BNN:Lost & Found - Part 3 04/30/10|Lost &amp; Found - Part 3]], pub. 04-30-2010
-[[BNN:Lost & Found - Part 4_07/01/10|Lost & Found - Part 4]],  pub. 07-01-2010
+[[BNN:Lost & Found - Part 4 07/01/10|Lost &amp; Found - Part 4]], pub. 07-01-2010
-[[BNN:Sosaria Sleeps_07/16/10|Sosaria Sleeps]],  pub. 07-16-2010
+[[BNN:Sosaria Sleeps 07/16/10|Sosaria Sleeps]], pub. 07-16-2010
-[[BNN:A Good Use for an Old Sword_08/06/10|A Good Use for an Old Sword]],  pub. 08-06-2010
+[[BNN:A Good Use for an Old Sword 08/06/10|A Good Use for an Old Sword]], pub. 08-06-2010
-[[BNN:Lullaby_09/03/10|Lullaby]],  pub. 09-03-2010
+[[BNN:Lullaby 09/03/10|Lullaby]], pub. 09-03-2010
-[[BNN:Clarity_09/17/10|Clarity]],  pub. 09-17-2010
+[[BNN:Clarity 09/17/10|Clarity]], pub. 09-17-2010
-[[BNN:Joy and Rain_09/30/10|Joy and Rain]],  pub. 09-30-2010
+[[BNN:Joy and Rain 09/30/10|Joy and Rain]], pub. 09-30-2010
-[[BNN:The Dark Throne_11/12/10|The Dark Throne]],  pub. 11-12-2010
+[[BNN:The Dark Throne 11/12/10|The Dark Throne]], pub. 11-12-2010
+[[BNN:In the Shadow of Virtue: Prelude to War 12/17/10|In the Shadow of Virtue: Prelude to War]], pub. 12-17-2010
-'''July 1, 2010 - Breaching the Vault'''<br>
+[[BNN:In the Shadow of Virtue: A Thin Ray of Light 02/10/11|In the Shadow of Virtue: A Thin Ray of Light]], pub. 2-10-2011
-Queen Dawn requested that interested citizens gather in the throne room of Castle British. No one knew exactly why our sovereign wished to address us, however, it was a safe assumption it was related to the gaping hole which has occupied the northwest corner of her secure dais since Tuesday.
-[[Image:CD-CrystalofDuplicity.png|right]]Sherry the Mouse was first to speak to the gathered crowd, saying that the Queen was still speaking with advisors and would be along shortly. Sherry let it be known that she was working on a new book, but sadly she didn't divulge the topic. The gracious mouse also informed the assemblage that the fabled vault of Lord British would indeed be opened that eve, not through the means gleaned from Ricardo's knowledge - but through brute force. She said that Dexter the Mage had been unable to find a way around the spell which protected the vault, or a potential location for one of the three 'lost' treasures of Lord British. In the end, she quoted Queen Dawn as saying ''"If a key won't work, you kick down the door!"''
+[[BNN:In the Shadow of Virtue: A Time of Mourning 02/22/11|In the Shadow of Virtue: A Time of Mourning]], pub. 2-22-2011
-This did not sit well with the crowd, as they considered the thought of breaking into a vault containing unknown artifacts as a fool's errand. Justicar Ra'Dian Fl'Gith of the High Council commented loudly, ''"Is breakin' int' a magically protected vault th' wisest o' decisions we could make?"'' Lady Silverbrook of Magincia added, ''"Most things are hidden with reason."'' Sherry quickly excused herself as Queen Dawn arrived to give her speech.
+[[BNN:In the Shadow of Virtue: Harbinger Part I 02/24/11|In the Shadow of Virtue: Harbinger Part I]], pub. 2-24-2011
+[[BNN:In the Shadow of Virtue: Harbinger Part II 02/25/11|In the Shadow of Virtue: Harbinger Part II]], pub. 2-25-2011
+[[BNN:In the Shadow of Virtue: Harbinger Part III 02/25/11|In the Shadow of Virtue: Harbinger Part III]], pub. 2-25-2011
+[[BNN:In the Shadow of Virtue: The Beginning of the End 03/24/11|In the Shadow of Virtue: The Beginning of the End]], pub. 3-24-2011
+[[BNN:In the Shadow of Virtue: Excerpts from the latest edition of BNN… 04/08/11|In the Shadow of Virtue: Excerpts from the latest edition of BNN…]], pub. 4-08-2011
+<br>
+== '''July 1, 2010 - Breaching the Vault'''  ==
+<br>Queen Dawn requested that interested citizens gather in the throne room of Castle British. No one knew exactly why our sovereign wished to address us, however, it was a safe assumption it was related to the gaping hole which has occupied the northwest corner of her secure dais since Tuesday.
+[[Image:CD-CrystalofDuplicity.png|right|CD-CrystalofDuplicity.png]]Sherry the Mouse was first to speak to the gathered crowd, saying that the Queen was still speaking with advisors and would be along shortly. Sherry let it be known that she was working on a new book, but sadly she didn't divulge the topic. The gracious mouse also informed the assemblage that the fabled vault of Lord British would indeed be opened that eve, not through the means gleaned from Ricardo's knowledge - but through brute force. She said that Dexter the Mage had been unable to find a way around the spell which protected the vault, or a potential location for one of the three 'lost' treasures of Lord British. In the end, she quoted Queen Dawn as saying ''"If a key won't work, you kick down the door!"''
+This did not sit well with the crowd, as they considered the thought of breaking into a vault containing unknown artifacts as a fool's errand. Justicar Ra'Dian Fl'Gith of the High Council commented loudly, ''"Is breakin' int' a magically protected vault th' wisest o' decisions we could make?"'' Lady Silverbrook of Magincia added, ''"Most things are hidden with reason."'' Sherry quickly excused herself as Queen Dawn arrived to give her speech.
 ''"Welcome, Citizens of Britannia, on this warm summer evening! Thank you all for coming. Lord British did not believe in the typical vestments of power. He knew that Britannia's authority and Virtue come from its people. The Cloak that protects Britannia is the Courage of its people. The Crown that ennobles Britannia is the Love of its people. The Scepter that guides Britannia is the Truth of its people. Together we will open the Vault and eventually restore Magincia! We will tear down this wall."''
 While Dawn's words sank in, a Royal Mining Expert arrived to finish the tunnel into the vault. With an anticlimactic shout, the miner, upon the instruction of the Queen, breached the vault. Within moments, she reemerged with the Crystal of Duplicity, presenting it to the Queen. Her Majesty promised that a case would be built to display it. She then bade everyone enjoy the weekend-long Summer Festival before she departed.
 Today, the crystal sits in front of the throne on a tall stand for all to see. According to Ricardo, it is the tool Lord British's Court Mage, Nystul, used to create the facet of Trammel. Allegedly, it was hidden in the city of Magincia. There it was later stolen by agents of the enchantress Minax who then used it to project her form from Felucca into Trammel. Current thinking holds that this crystal will somehow allow Magincia to be rebuilt by negating the demonic curse on the isle.
+<br>
+== '''August 6, 2010 - Pyres of War'''  ==
+<br>Since last Yule, a war has been brewing between Britannia and the disciples of ancient elemental beings. They sought to seize our world in the aftermath of the Shadowlord's assault; they thought our kingdom broken and weakened by Casca's duplicity. They would strike the dragon while it paused to nurse its wounds and tend its young.
+The undead Cult of Styx strove to release the Mountain King from his prison beneath the Abyss, to unleash the fury of Lithos and smite the living. For many months this battle raged as an open secret across the facets, endangering allies both old and new. Britannia's Ministry of Intelligence (B.M.I.) fought in the shadow of a nation rebuilding, ensuring the citizenry's peace of mind.
+The ruins of Xenve An-amo-lem, an ancient gargl fortress buried under the base of the volcano on Fire Isle, saw the end of the Cult. The last of their members were laid to rest, ending the threat of the Titan of Earth. Or so it was believed.
+The daemon Conclave of Hythloth rose to fill the void left by the Cult. The machinations of their General triumvirate led to a brief freedom for Lithos. In return, the daemon general known as Bartholomew met a timely end through the B.M.I.'s efforts. The full brunt of Lithos' wrath then bore down on the operatives who had crushed his undead minions. Fortunately, the Titan's time in our realm was cut short when a prison of light was created to contain him at the Shrine of Compassion in Ilshenar, where he remains.
+The distraction of Lithos gone, the Conclave's true motives emerged. They sought the return of their patron Titan, Pyros the Lord of Fire. A book, the Principia Daemonis, deep within the gargl ruins held the key to daemonkind's rekindling the flame of Pyros' favor. The Conclave strove fruitlessly to possess it, for Virtue delivered it into Britannia's hands.
+The Conclave's remaining two Generals tried to distract Britannian forces by fomenting war with the Orcish clans, subjecting the Isle of Nujel'm to accursed nightmares and the kidnapping of a Platinum Dragon egg. Fortuitously, Bertrand, the son of the deceased Bartholomew, defected from the Conclave and presented himself to the High Council of Britannia seeking asylum. He set to work on a lexicon of the daemon language so the Principia might be understood by modern scholars. Shortly thereafter, Nether, another of the Conclave's generals, succumbed to the B.M.I.'s operatives in Moonglow.
+This brings us to the current situation of the daemon scouts which had been testing the defenses in Luna and Britain. The daemons sought the 'Blood of Queens' to restore their link to Pyros so that they might summon him to our world. They had already managed to acquire the blood of a gargoyle queen through a traitorous healer. Now, they sought the blood of Queen Dawn.
+[[Image:Pyres-BlackrockGolem.png|right|Pyres-BlackrockGolem.png]]Last Friday became a dark day for the city of Britain and for Britannia as a nation. Nearly two weeks of random appearances of daemon scouts culminated in an all-out assault on Britain. Daemons of all variety streamed into the city, trying to overwhelm its defenders. They brought with them a terrifying new weapon with them, blackrock golems.
+[[Image:StolenCrystal.png|left|StolenCrystal.png]]While defenders were busy beating back the daemons at the graveyard north of the city, attempting to close their gate of access, a daemon strike force achieved their main objective. The daemons broke into the throne room in Castle Britannia where they slaughtered the Elite Guard and stole the Crystal of Duplicity. The last remaining Conclave General, Buldur, then stalked Queen Dawn across the city until finally drawing her blood in the western Counselor's Hall.
+The full scope of the threat facing us is now realized. The Conclave has the Blood of Queens and may well be mere days away from unleashing Pyros. The Crystal of Duplicity might find its way back into Minax's clutches, allowing her unfettered entry into Trammel.
+Even the Bane Chosen appear to have a stake in the coming war, for the daemon's blackrock golems most likely came from their supplies. Those citizens, who foolishly turned over massive amounts of crystalline blackrock during the deceitful campaign against the ophidian, have aided the enemy. The Chosen now plot against the Meer, allies of Britannia. Those traitors who aid them in this latest atrocity may well be providing the next weapon to be used against the kingdom.
+[[Image:Pyres-BaneCamp.png|center|Pyres-BaneCamp.png]]
+Once again, the pyres of war burn brightly on our horizon. Stand up and fight for Queen and country. Show Britannia's enemies how sharp the dragon's fangs truly are!
+<br>
+== '''September 4, 2010 - Sage Wisdom'''  ==
+<br>Queen Dawn summoned her subjects to the throne room of Castle Britannia today to partake in an adventure to Ilshenar. A particular form of sage, Salvia pietas, or Compassion sage, was required to aid the Queen's troubled sleep.
+[[GLRP:EMs:2010:In the Shadow of Virtue:Medicinal Flora|Medicinal Flora]], by Hulderic of Yew
+Since the rare sage grew in central Ilshenar, the group followed the Queen to meet with a Royal Scout named Cole near the Honor Shrine. Cole suggested gathering seeds from the beasts roaming the swamp near the savage fort and then acquiring a sample of the potion the Exodus Controllers brew from the plant's leaves.
+As we galloped towards the swamp, a comment the scout offhandedly made stuck in my mind. He said the ''"Whole land's been on edge,"'' and implied that that many around central Ilshenar have experienced troubled sleep recently. This struck me as important due to a passage regarding the sage in a tome entitled 'Medicinal Flora,' which could be found in Dexter's lab at the castle:
+<br>''"The Controllers of Exodus have been known to brew potions from it to protect their minds when interacting with the inhuman sleeper of the fortress."''
+<br>I had to put the thought out of my mind as we entered the swamp and began the process of collecting seeds from the bog creatures. Queen Dawn wanted a few hundred gather so her agricultural experts to sort through so they may cultivate the sage.
+[[Image:SW-Potion.png|right|SW-Potion.png]]When the seeds were shipped back to the castle, we headed for the Fortress of Exodus where many controllers fell before our might. Eventually, a sample of their potion was recovered and a book containing the brewing instructions was found. With all the items required having been assembled, we returned to Britain where the Queen thanked us for our service.
+[[GLRP:EMs:2010:In the Shadow of Virtue:Potion Recipe|Potion Recipe]], by Controller Tavurk
+Able to think again without the distraction of combat, I realized common thread... Queen Dawn is having bad dreams. People and creatures in Ilshenar are having bad dreams. The Controllers drink a potion to protect their mind from Exodus. Exodus was never actually destroyed, only disabled. Could Exodus be reawakening after all these years? Might the angry hellspawn of Mondain and Minax be quietly readying itself for a renewed war on Britannia?
+<br>
+== '''October 7, 2010 - Missing Persons'''  ==
+<br>The Royal Britannian Guard were asked to meet at the Counselor’s Hall in northern Britain, apparently not by Commander Keel – but by Sherry the Mouse. She informed the Guard that she was worried about Queen Dawn being ‘away’ and said that Ricardo had gone missing from his cell in Yew.
+Sherry opened a gate into the Yew Prison and the Guard poured through. In Ricardo’s cell a note was found which said: ''“I will be seeing you, but you won’t be seeing me. –Ricardo”'' It seemed to indicate that the thief had escaped his cell. Which turned out to be a good thing since the prison was currently being invaded by the forces of the Bane Chosen and the Conclave.
+Amidst a cluster of Bane corpses a dropped book of orders was discovered which indicated that Ricardo had been the intended target of the invasion and that the Isle of Magincia was also under attack.
+[[GLRP:EMs:2010:In the Shadow of Virtue:Orders|Orders]], by V.
+Who is this 'V,' and why would be giving a general of the Conclave orders? Could the Conclave be ''subservient'' to the leader of the Bane Chosen? Such thoughts would need to wait until after the attack, however, as the Bane had brought blackrock golems for backup.
+When the Bane and the Conclave had been beaten back, Queen Dawn surfaced in Ricardo’s vacant cell. She said that she had found one of the blackrock golems at the house her husband, Ors, had been staying at. A strange letter led her to believe something was very wrong in his life..
+The Queen then took the Guard to the house where a taunting book was discovered, again from the mysterious ‘V.’ She said that her husband had been gambling with a man named Miegen and must have been kidnapped. Many citizens believed this may be connected to the rumored Bane Chosen presence on Magincia…
+[[GLRP:EMs:2010:In the Shadow of Virtue:Dear Dawn|Dear Dawn]], by V.
+<br>
+== '''October 27, 2010 - The Chosen'''  ==
+(Evil Event for those allied to the Bane Chosen)<br>
+Rumors circulating the criminal underworld indicated that a gathering of those sympathetic to the Bane Chosen would be occurring in Britain. Several in the Intelligence Community concealed their identities to infiltrate the meeting and learn about the enemy firsthand.
+As people gathered, a pale lady appeared in their midst and let it be known that this was a competition to see who was worthy enough to join the Chosen. She said, “Teamwork in this sort of competition is a sign of weakness.” Without further instructions, she cast a gate which led to the true Shrine of Spirituality accessible in Ilshenar.
+There the criminal scum met the Echo of Mondain, a magical construct meant to inform adventurers of the sins of the past. However, the simulacrum had been repurposed by the Skull of Mondain which rested nearby. The Echo commanded those present to join with the Bane Chosen in their quest to remake the world. He then directed everyone to coordinates in northwestern Ilshenar where Cole of the Chosen could be found. The Spies amongst the groups cringed, realizing that Cole had been one of their own – turned to the Chosen by the dream sickness.
+When they found Cole, he was high on the propaganda of the Chosen. Espousing that their cause was one of progress and renewal, requiring that the Kingdom of Britannia be crushed for it to succeed. He said that the Chosen were turning their eye to the City of Moonglow, one of Britannia’s places of power. The Chosen already had information about its mundane defenses, but now needed information on the magical ones so they may cast a counter spell.
+Cole sent the potential Chosen to gather the required information from the Children of Nether on Dagger Isle. The collection of many tiny spider-like daemons had formed themselves into a clump which resembled a gargantuan spider. Listening to its ramblings led to the location of a ‘bit of darkness’ buried in the Moonglow cemetery and the notion to speak to Gemtedee in Buccaneer’s Den.
+Gemtedee led to a book about the Four Humors, one of which might be of particular interest to the Chosen, and the spellwords "Kal Vas Grav Ort Corp."
+[[GLRP:EMs:2010:In the Shadow of Virtue:The Four Humors|The Four Humors]], by ...
+Revealing the spell words and the humor of 'melancholia' to Cole caused him to send those in the know to speak to the Black Dragon in Doom. In turn, the Dragon admitted that the Bane Chosen would make useful allies and thus would supply the melancholia if those asking could prove their worth by supplying him with an elf or human's ears.
+When presented with the grisly trophy, the Dragon proclaimed that he would supply the chosen with melancholia. Cole, of course, was pleased with the news and informed you that your task was complete. You were worthy to join the Chosen.
+But really, did you want to?
+<br>
+== '''January 7, 2011 - Knives'''  ==
+(Evil Event for those allied to the Bane Chosen)<br>
+[[GLRP:EMs:2010:In the Shadow of Virtue:a note|a note]], by Satharn
+The ‘Pale Lady,’ and agent of Virtuebane, met those pledging their allegiance to the archdaemon in the city of Britain. She explained that these traitors to Britannia had been summoned to counter Queen Dawn’s Meer allies. The Pale Lady wanted to disrupt a spell to find the missing Ors being prepared by a Meer eternal named Satharn.
+The traitors invaded the Meer city of Mireg (Lakeshire), killing many of its citizens and raiding their supplies of rare mystical reagents. Satharn perished during this encounter, falling victim to evil’s superior numbers.
+[[GLRP:EMs:2010:In the Shadow of Virtue:Satharn's Journal|Satharn's Journal]], by Satharn
+[[GLRP:EMs:2010:In the Shadow of Virtue:A Spell for Dawn|A Spell for Dawn]], by Satharn of the Meer
+<br>
+== '''January 21, 2011 - A Candle for the Darkness'''  ==
+(Evil Event for those allied to the Bane Chosen)<br>
+Once again, the Pale Lady gathered those loyal to Virtuebane.  Having studied the spell taken from Satharn the Meer two weeks prior, she intended to use it to locate Ricardo – for he held something which Virtuebane covets.
+[[GLRP:EMs:2010:In the Shadow of Virtue:A Spell for Ricardo|A Spell for Ricardo]], by a Pale Lady
+The Pale Lady led her villainous minions to the Pass of Karnaugh in Ilshenar where she had a captured ethereal warrior in a cage on its roof.  The warrior was sacrificed, his blood spraying across the vicious followers of Virtuebane.
+After successfully casting the spell, the group was led on vengeful trail of carnage after the King of Thieves.  At the Shrine of Justice they found him…and slew him.  However, Ricardo was far more cunning then the Pale Lady had anticipated, they had killed a shade – a clone.  Using the spell again, Ricardo was tracked to the deepest level of the dungeon of Wrong.  The Ricardo found and slain there was also revealed to be a clone.
+With growing anger, the last location Pale Lady had stormed was the fortress of Reg Volom on the island in the middle of Termir Ilshen.  The ethereal warriors defended their stronghold with a fierce determination, keeping Virtuebane’s pawns in disarray.
+Eventually, Ricardo surfaced at the fortress.  Actually, multiple Ricardo’s appeared at once, the wily thief had apparently used the Crystal of Duplicity to ensure his survival.  As the duplicates fell, the Pale Lady’s anger increased.  Her campaign ending in defeat.
+<br>
+== '''February 13, 2011 - Bloody Valentine'''  ==
+Britannia has lost her Queen in the most tragic of ways. I have tried to pen something heartfelt since her murder. However, I have been unable to properly distil my feelings into words that would not appear overly harsh. I knew our Queen. I performed the Oath of Office at her coronation. I was there for her passing from our world.
+Her last public speech highlighted her love for her people and her devotion to duty:
+<br>
+{| class="FCK__ShowTableBorders" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="50%" align="center"
+|-
+|
+[[Image:PoF-Dawn.jpg|right|The late Queen Dawn]]"My beloved subjects, you have fought wonderfully well against Virtuebane. I am very proud of you all. No monarch could ask for a better or more loyal people.
+I'm pleased to tell you that I've learned of a way we may be able to defeat the evil that menaces our towns. Virtuebane is vulnerable to Humility. I shall imbue my sword with that Virtue. Then I shall lead you into battle against Virtuebane!
+Join me as we go forth to our destiny!
+FOR BRITANNIA!"
+|}
+<br>Her last act as our queen was to infuse her own family sword with the power of Humility at the Ilshenar shrine so that we may rest easier.
+[[Image:PoF-Ors.png|left|A dazed Ors.]]The sudden return of her long-lost Ors seemed a miraculous blessing, coming on the eve before the Festival of Love. The Queen embraced her dazed husband, unprepared for what was to come. Sadly, Ors' mind had been thoroughly warped by Virtuebane's evil. As Dawn pulled away, her face beaming, a thin stiletto blade thrust through her heart.
+As Dawn crumpled to the ground at her husband's feet, his face didn't show any emotion. Even Virtuebane's arrival failed to register. The vile archdaemon gloated over his use of the human puppet, before releasing Ors' mind so he could torment the man further.
+His mind freed for the first time in months, Ors saw his dead wife before him, the stiletto still in his hand, slick with her blood. Grief overcoming him, he threw down the blade and fled through the moongate.
+[[Image:PoF-Virtuebane.jpg|right|The Archdaemon Virtuebane]]Virtuebane's laughter echoed off the sides of the canyon as he retrieved the knife. He then held it aloft, claiming, ''"With this dagger, I control Love. Love in the form of a dagger rather than a candle...appropriate for the pain Love can cause."''
+Ignoring the derisive shouts of the crowd, Virtuebane continued to boast. ''"Corrupted Books of Truth so many secretly hoard... I control your Virtues! The cities WILL fall. The bells will be tainted."'' He then callously prodded Dawn's body, searching for the infused sword - a prize he did not find. Sometime during the commotion, the sword had disappeared. Roaring in anger, the archdaemon set a legion of his blackrock golems on the crowd. If whoever stole it wouldn't give him the sword, he would take it from their corpse.
+The battle with the golems was long and hard fought, but ultimately the Britannians were victorious. As the reality of the Queen's death overcame the victory, Minister Magnus Grey arrived to retrieve the body.
+He led those still able to the throne room of Castle Britannia, where he began to speak:
+<br>
+{| class="FCK__ShowTableBorders" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="50%" align="center"
+|-
+|
+[[Image:GreyPortrait.jpg|right|Minister of Security Magnus Grey]]"A great tragedy has befallen Britannia this night. Our queen is dead, beyond the reach of healers or mages.
+As is true of many political leaders, she was sometimes controversial. None though can deny that Queen Dawn dedicated her life to Britannia. Queen Dawn was a warrior, with a strong sense of duty, and a devotion to the virtue of Valor.
+There is much work to be done in the coming weeks. We will hold a memorial for our late queen. We will strive to wrest that dagger from the foul hands of Virtuebane. We will seek out Dawn's ancestral sword, which she gave her life to imbue. We will continue to defend our cities.
+Most importantly, we will avenge our queen, we will avenge Virtuebane's insult to our great nation, we will avenge his desecration of the Principles and the Virtues!"
+|}
+<br>Several days have now passed since these events and Britannia has tried to regain some semblance of normalcy. In fact, one of the architects of the queen's murder has already been brought to justice.
+A man named Cole, a traitor to the Ministry of Security, was the one to supply Virtuebane with both the stiletto and the unusual poison that coated it. He was tracked to a small fortress near the ruins of Montor in Ilshenar, where he chose to meet a very violent end.
+Presently, the body of Queen Dawn lies in state in the Castle throne room. A memorial service is being planned, but does not yet have a firm date. Citizens have been invited to speak during the service and those wishing to are directed to send a copy of their words to the castle staff.
+<center>
+[[Image:PoF-LayingInState.png|center|Sarcophagus of Queen Dawn]]
+</center>
+Tangible evil lurks in the dark places of our world, skittering into the light only long enough to inflict grievous wounds on the virtuous. We pretend to be outraged, even to the point of making a show of slaying one or two vile beats. But ultimately, we tend to allow the larger evils to stalk their prey without contest.
+We watched Magincia destroyed by an extradimensional daemon horde, then looted the city while its citizens fled. We allowed a dictator to seize our throne, blithely ignoring his ties to the Shadowlords. We allowed the Bane Chosen to make war against others without protest, some even joining them. We feigned shock when the Bane Chosen invaded Magincia and summoned their daemon master.
+When evil is allowed to roam free, to subvert our culture as they see fit, how can we claim to be a Virtuous people?
+Our queen lies dead. Our cities are under constant threat. How much longer can we continue to pay the high price of failure?
+<br><br>
+== '''February 26, 2011 - In Memoriam'''  ==
+Captain Dasha of the Meer, longtime friend to Dawn, led a processional of mourners from Castle Britannia to the Court of Truth in Yew. Once there, she presided over the memorial and presented the eulogists.
+The first to speak was Galen Knighthawke of the Legacy of the Fallen:
+<br>
+{| class="FCK__ShowTableBorders" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="50%" align="center"
+|-
+|
+[[Image:Portrait-GalenKnighthawke.jpg|left|Galen Knighthawke.]]''The evil's name was Blackthorn; an unnatural abomination, proof that the absence of Virtue, even if benign in intent, sooner or later devolves to evil.''
+''Against this there stood a young lady, a lioness named Dawn. And, by her, the evil was vanquished.''
+''The evil's name was The Shadowlords. Three accursed, demonic entities, physical manifestations of all that we strive not to be. Pride, first a city's and then a man's, allowed them entry into our world.''
+''Against this there stood a young woman, a lioness named Dawn. And, by her, the evil was vanquished.''
+''The evil's name was Lord Casca. A would-be ruler who represented our worst, not our best. A brutal tyrant and a tool of evils greater than he, he oppressed us, and killed us, and reduced our complex Virtues to simple, corrupt laws.''
+''Against this there stood a young Queen, a lioness named Dawn. And, by her, the evil was vanquished.''
+''The evil's name is Virtuebane. Attracted by Pride and encouraged by Ruin, he invades our cities, lures our people to his cause, kills those he cannot corrupt, harms our allies, awakens old and sleeping enemies, uses the petty Sins that all of us commit to mislead us about what, and who, we are.''
+''Against this there stood a young Queen, a lioness named Dawn. And, now, she is no more.''
+''For you, dear Queen, Heaven today is hung in black. And, for you, dear lady, we we pledge our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor to vanquishing the last of the many evils you faced.''
+''For a Kingdom, for freedom, for Virtue. But, mostly, for a lady.''
+''There was a young Queen, a lioness named Dawn.''
+''In peace may she sleep.''
+|}
+<br>The next speaker was Chancellor DaKaren of the High Council of Britannia:
+<br>
+{| class="FCK__ShowTableBorders" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="50%" align="center"
+|-
+|
+[[Image:Portrait-DaKaren.jpg|left|Chancellor DaKaren.]]''We first met Dawn as Yew sank into the mire of a disastrous spell. We watched as she courageously fought for her home. She didn't know the horrors soon to be faced on the true battlefield exposed in that struggle. Nor the destiny which would lead her on to slay the corrupted Blackthorn.''
+''This warrior thought her battles won, her rest earned. She returned to Yew victorious. As it is with such things, her life moved on. She met a man. They married. They were happy.''
+''Then, as shadows stretched across Britannia, Dawn returned to the public stage. She helped unify our fractured kingdom while forging friendships with new allies. The shadows fell before the light which graced our world anew.''
+''This warrior thought her battles won, her rest earned. Alas, the people disagreed. "The throne," they cried. "It sits vacant. Lead us!" Dawn hadn't sought to rule, hadn't sought such power. Yet, she accepted, settling into an uneasy role as Warrior Queen.''
+''The Bane Chosen arose, pawns of an ancient plot. Dawn refused to act hastily, choosing instead to cultivate her alliances. The Chosen struck out at her heart, luring away her beloved. Virtuebane tainted the bond between Dawn and her husband, turning their love into a weapon.''
+''Dawn fell not to the blade, which pierced her heart, but to the pain which pierced her soul. A pain which now pierces each of ours. Dawn believed in Truth. Dawn believed in Love. Dawn believed in Courage. Dawn believed in you.''
+''We mustn't see her death as the end, but as the beginning of our renewed struggle against the dark. We must find that bit of our Warrior Queen within ourselves to stem the tide of evil, to ensure that all Sosaria prevails to see the dawn of a new day.''
+|}
+<br>The Queen's friend, a teary eyed Ricardo was the next to speak:
+<br>
+{| class="FCK__ShowTableBorders" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="50%" align="center"
+|-
+|
+[[Image:Portrait-Ricardo.jpg|right|Ricardo, King of Thieves.]]''Dawn saw the world through honest eyes and the rest of us, with our shades of gray, were inspired to see it the same way. The whole world is diminished by the loss of such a person.''
+''Dawn gave me a second chance, I am grateful to her for that. We must defeat Virtuebane, to honor her memory!''
+''Rest in peace, milady.''
+|}
+<br>Sherry the Mouse was the last to speak, her tiny voice filled with emotion:
+<br>
+{| class="FCK__ShowTableBorders" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="50%" align="center"
+|-
+|
+[[Image:Portrait-SherryMouse.jpg|right|Sherry the Mouse.]]''I saw Dawn every day. I saw her when she came back from battle, bruised and exhausted. I saw her when she paced the floor of her office, dealing with paperwork she'd never wanted. I saw her when she went to sleep at night, staring at her miniature portrait of Ors, and knew she wished she could be back on their farm.''
+''Dawn served her country with all her heart, with every hour of the day. She was a wonderful human being and a great friend. I shall remember her always and miss her much.''
+|}
+<br>Dasha then called for a moment of silence to reflect the Queen's life. Afterwards, she excused herself to ready a 'riderless horse' to bring the sarcophagus to the gravesite.
+Virtuebane chose that moment to interrupt the solemnity of the memorial by appearing behind Ricardo. ''"You have frustrated my efforts long enough, thief. Join your queen!"'' he roared before eviscerating the thief. As the archdaemon searched the corpse, brave citizen began pummeling him with spells and arrows.
+For the first time, Virtuebane chose to physically engaged his enemies himself - probably only to show that their attacks were ineffective. With a mighty blow, the daemon laid out many of the mourners and fled from the courthouse.
+Outside, he gloated over the killing of Ricardo and the retrieval of the Crystal of Duplicity. With a final smirk, he vanished - leaving behind a pack of blackrock golems.
+When the golems were gone, Dasha returned with the steed and led the way to where Dawn would spend eternity. Just to the west of Empath Abbey, on a small peninsula, our Queen was laid to rest with her husband. The headstone reads:
+<br>
+{| class="FCK__ShowTableBorders" border="0" cellspacing="3" cellpadding="0" align="center"
+|-
+| [[Image:QDLTR-Grave.png|center|Rest In Peace.]]
+| <center>
+''<font size="4" face="monotype corsiva,corsiva">Queen Dawn Of Britannia<br>Warrior Of Virtue And Bringer Of Hope<br>&amp;<br>Ors, Her Beloved Consort<br>Reunited In Eternity</font>''
+</center>
+|}
+<br>May Queen Dawn be free of the evils which plagued her in life, may her soul forever be at peace.
-'''August 6, 2010 - Pyres of War'''<br>
+== '''March 28, 2011 - The Last Crusade'''  ==
-Since last Yule, a war has been brewing between Britannia and the disciples of ancient elemental beings. They sought to seize our world in the aftermath of the Shadowlord's assault; they thought our kingdom broken and weakened by Casca's duplicity. They would strike the dragon while it paused to nurse its wounds and tend its young.
-The undead Cult of Styx strove to release the Mountain King from his prison beneath the Abyss, to unleash the fury of Lithos and smite the living. For many months this battle raged as an open secret across the facets, endangering allies both old and new. Britannia's Ministry of Intelligence (B.M.I.) fought in the shadow of a nation rebuilding, ensuring the citizenry's peace of mind.
+Commander Christine Keel of the Britannian Royal Guard met a large throng of unruly citizens in the throne room of Castle Britannia. For the time to confront Virtuebane was neigh. The archdaemon's forces had withdrawn from public view, refocusing their efforts on the Isle of Magincia.
+<center>
+[[Image:VB-MC-ThroneRoom.png|center|Commander Keel addresses the crowd.]]
+</center>
+With Danner of the Meer at her side, the Commander addressed the crowd:
-The ruins of Xenve An-amo-lem, an ancient gargl fortress buried under the base of the volcano on Fire Isle, saw the end of the Cult. The last of their members were laid to rest, ending the threat of the Titan of Earth. Or so it was believed.
+<br>
-The daemon Conclave of Hythloth rose to fill the void left by the Cult. The machinations of their General triumvirate led to a brief freedom for Lithos. In return, the daemon general known as Bartholomew met a timely end through the B.M.I.'s efforts. The full brunt of Lithos' wrath then bore down on the operatives who had crushed his undead minions. Fortunately, the Titan's time in our realm was cut short when a prison of light was created to contain him at the Shrine of Compassion in Ilshenar, where he remains.
+<br>
-The distraction of Lithos gone, the Conclave's true motives emerged. They sought the return of their patron Titan, Pyros the Lord of Fire. A book, the Principia Daemonis, deep within the gargl ruins held the key to daemonkind's rekindling the flame of Pyros' favor. The Conclave strove fruitlessly to possess it, for Virtue delivered it into Britannia's hands.
+{| class="FCK__ShowTableBorders" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="50%" align="center"
+|-
+|
+[[Image:KeelPortrait.jpg|right|Commander Christine Keel.]]''"Virtuebane has used the Crystal of Duplicity to cover the island of Magincia with copies of himself. His aim is to control the world as we know it, to tear down the Virtues and to bring his fortress, Death's Awakening, into this world.''
-The Conclave's remaining two Generals tried to distract Britannian forces by fomenting war with the Orcish clans, subjecting the Isle of Nujel'm to accursed nightmares and the kidnapping of a Platinum Dragon egg. Fortuitously, Bertrand, the son of the deceased Bartholomew, defected from the Conclave and presented himself to the High Council of Britannia seeking asylum. He set to work on a lexicon of the daemon language so the Principia might be understood by modern scholars. Shortly thereafter, Nether, another of the Conclave's generals, succumbed to the B.M.I.'s operatives in Moonglow.
+Each copy of Virtuebane may have a tiny, unstable, piece of that crystal. Danner is working on a spell that can use those pieces to cleanse the island. If you find a brittle crystal, please put it in the box on the Bane altar on Magincia.
-This brings us to the current situation of the daemon scouts which had been testing the defenses in Luna and Britain. The daemons sought the 'Blood of Queens' to restore their link to Pyros so that they might summon him to our world. They had already managed to acquire the blood of a gargoyle queen through a traitorous healer. Now, they sought the blood of Queen Dawn.
+We know from reports from the Royal Spies that Virtuebane once fled from a rain of garbage. Therefore, we shall take the hint from Ricardo's broken ramblings and use Humble Pie to force Virtuebane back through his vile gate.
-[[Image:Pyres-BlackrockGolem.png|right]]Last Friday became a dark day for the city of Britain and for Britannia as a nation. Nearly two weeks of random appearances of daemon scouts culminated in an all-out assault on Britain. Daemons of all variety streamed into the city, trying to overwhelm its defenders. They brought with them a terrifying new weapon with them, blackrock golems.
+This may seem an odd and ignoble weapon, however, we must each find the humility in ourselves to battle in the way that works rather than in the shining, glorious way we may dream of. Sometimes a battle is won by the small boy who opens a gate, rather than the army at the walls. Or as is said on the bagball fields: A win is a win. Let's go!"
-[[Image:StolenCrystal.png|left]]While defenders were busy beating back the daemons at the graveyard north of the city, attempting to close their gate of access, a daemon strike force achieved their main objective. The daemons broke into the throne room in Castle Britannia where they slaughtered the Elite Guard and stole the Crystal of Duplicity. The last remaining Conclave General, Buldur, then stalked Queen Dawn across the city until finally drawing her blood in the western Counselor's Hall.
+|}
-The full scope of the threat facing us is now realized. The Conclave has the Blood of Queens and may well be mere days away from unleashing Pyros. The Crystal of Duplicity might find its way back into Minax's clutches, allowing her unfettered entry into Trammel.
+<br><br>A gate was opened to the eastern side of the Isle and the impromptu army rushed through, the liberation of Magincia had begun.
-Even the Bane Chosen appear to have a stake in the coming war, for the daemon's blackrock golems most likely came from their supplies. Those citizens, who foolishly turned over massive amounts of crystalline blackrock during the deceitful campaign against the ophidian, have aided the enemy. The Chosen now plot against the Meer, allies of Britannia. Those traitors who aid them in this latest atrocity may well be providing the next weapon to be used against the kingdom.
+The Virtuebane duplicates towered over the warriors and began to hurl devastating spells. However, the sheer number of Brtannians overwhelmed the daemons, and one by one they fell.
-[[Image:Pyres-BaneCamp.png|center]]
+The warriors spread out across the island, bringing death to those who would enslave our world. Meer and Ethereal Warriors joined the battle, helping to destroy the copies and hell-hound-transfigured Chosen.
+<center>
+[[Image:VB-MC-VirtuebaneCopy.png|center|Defeated copy of Virtuebane.]]
+</center>
+Eventually, the original Virtuebane appeared several times to taunt those who were expeditiously defeating his forces. A hail of pie would greet the prideful daemon, causing him to flee the onslaught. Raucous laughter accompanied each departure.
-Once again, the pyres of war burn brightly on our horizon. Stand up and fight for Queen and country. Show Britannia's enemies how sharp the dragon's fangs truly are!
+[[Image:VB-MC-CrystalFragment.png|left|Shard of the Crystal of Duplicity.]]When crystal-created Virtubanes had been defeated, Commander Keel gathered the warriors at the dark rift shrine that had been built where the Isle's moongate once stood. As she gave the collected shards of the Crystal of Duplicity to Danner for use in his cleansing spell, Virtuebane appeared once more.
+The archdaemon's already pie-smeared form received its heaviest barrage of pastries, causing him to roar in anger. Brought low by this indignity, Virtuebane shoved his way through the crowd and retreated back to his own dimension.
-'''September 4, 2010 - Sage Wisdom'''<br>
+Claiming Britannia's victory, Commander Keel forcefully brought her sword down on the shrine's altar, destroying it. The black rift closed, sealing our world off from Virtuebane. The war was over.
-Queen Dawn summoned her subjects to the throne room of Castle Britannia today to partake in an adventure to Ilshenar. A particular form of sage, Salvia pietas, or Compassion sage, was required to aid the Queen's troubled sleep.
+<center>
+[[Image:VB-MC-Shrine.png|center|Commander Keel destroys the Bane Shrine.]]
+</center>
+With only the cleansing the island remaining, Danner's spell was readied. The Meer had built an arcane circle where the old bank once stood. There he would use the crystal shards to renew the Isle.
-Since the rare sage grew in central Ilshenar, the group followed the Queen to meet with a Royal Scout named Cole near the Honor Shrine. Cole suggested gathering seeds from the beasts roaming the swamp near the savage fort and then acquiring a sample of the potion the Exodus Controllers brew from the plant's leaves.
+[[Image:VB-MC-DannerSpell.png|right|Danner casts the spell]]Once the crowd had calmed somewhat, he began:
-As we galloped towards the swamp, a comment the scout offhandedly made stuck in my mind. He said the ''"Whole land's been on edge,"'' and implied that that many around central Ilshenar have experienced troubled sleep recently. This struck me as important due to a passage regarding the sage in a tome entitled 'Medicinal Flora,' which could be found in Dexter's lab at the castle:
+<br>
+<br>
-''"The Controllers of Exodus have been known to brew potions from it to protect their minds when interacting with the inhuman sleeper of the fortress."''
+{| class="FCK__ShowTableBorders" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="50%" align="center"
+|-
+|
+''"I invoke these words of the Anskitas!<br>I invoke the spells of Nystul and the Moon of Trammel!<br>Here where this copy of Magincia was born,<br>I invoke a spell to pierce the curse of Virtuebane and demonkind.<br>This spell will cleanse the island."''
+|}
-I had to put the thought out of my mind as we entered the swamp and began the process of collecting seeds from the bog creatures. Queen Dawn wanted a few hundred gather so her agricultural experts to sort through so they may cultivate the sage.
+<br><br>He then began to chant:
-[[Image:SW-Potion.png|right]]When the seeds were shipped back to the castle, we headed for the Fortress of Exodus where many controllers fell before our might. Eventually, a sample of their potion was recovered and a book containing the brewing instructions was found. With all the items required having been assembled, we returned to Britain where the Queen thanked us for our service.
+<br>
-Able to think again without the distraction of combat, I realized common thread... Queen Dawn is having bad dreams. People and creatures in Ilshenar are having bad dreams. The Controllers drink a potion to protect their mind from Exodus. Exodus was never actually destroyed, only disabled. Could Exodus be reawakening after all these years? Might the angry hellspawn of Mondain and Minax be quietly readying itself for a renewed war on Britannia?
+<br>
-[[GLRP:EMs:2010:In the Shadow of Virtue:Medicinal Flora|Medicinal Flora]],  by Hulderic of Yew
+{| class="FCK__ShowTableBorders" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="50%" align="center"
+|-
+|
+''"O axi-mur esh lum<br>Ort-ku kans ista quas-ailem lap<br>Uilem in-saengkt Magincia esh an-kal bal"''
-[[GLRP:EMs:2010:In the Shadow of Virtue:Potion Recipe|Potion Recipe]],  by Controller Tavurk
+|}
+<br><br>Roughly translated from Gargl:
-'''October 7, 2010 - Missing Persons'''<br>
+<br>
-[[GLRP:EMs:2010:In the Shadow of Virtue:Orders|Orders]],  by V.
+<br>
-[[GLRP:EMs:2010:In the Shadow of Virtue:Dear Dawn|Dear Dawn]],  by V.
+{| class="FCK__ShowTableBorders" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="50%" align="center"
+|-
+|
+''"By The Three Principles and Humility<br>Magically consume this duplication crystal<br>You all protect Magincia and banish evil"''
+|}
-'''October 27, 2010 - The Chosen''' (Evil-aligned Event)<br>
+<br><br>The Bane Chosen have been crushed, The Isle of Magincia freed of its unholy taint, and the archdaemon has been banished. Britannia has won its freedom once more.<br>
+<br>
-[[GLRP:EMs:Misc Events:2010:The Chosen:The Four Humors|The Four Humors]], by ...
+----
+Back to [[GLRP:EMs:Multi-shard Shared Metafiction Events|Multi-shard Shared Metafiction Events]]<br>
-<HR>
+Back to [[GLRP EM Events|Modern EM Events]]
-Back to [[GLRP_EM_Events|Modern EM Events]]