The Rise of the New Singularity - Monthly Summary
Now In This Hush - Snowreap, 12 P.Y. (Jan '01)
Like the snows of winter, a hush fell across Dereth.
The Hopslayer banished to the Darkness, the Shadows also retreated from the face of the island. Even the powerful generals of the Shadow armies had removed to undisclosed locations. Isin Dule had retreated with his followers, while news of Ler Rhan was nonexistent. Adventurers that dared to return to the lair of Bael'Zharon found only Ferah holding vigil over her lord's remains. Those that fought the general found that Ilservian's remains still remained potent though. Bathing the Sword of Lost Light in the Hopeslayer's blood imbued the weapon with additional power.
But, not only those who dared the Sepluchur of Bael'Zharon found new ways to improve their weapons over the course of the month. The bandit MacNiall grew interested in acquiring the eyes of the Mosswarts' Idols. He sent those who would bring him these artifacts to his cousin MacDougal in the north for a reward. The bandit hilt given to adventurers by MacDugal proved to be an innovation popular with swordsmen and dagger fighters alike. The well balanced hilts allowed those skilled with blades to perform double and even triple strikes with ease.
It was not just those who used the blade that grew more powerful though. Rumors of a strange presence near Mount Esper was passed on by the Zharalim. The thing lay within a menhir ring and emanated visions of bloodshed to those who dared to approach it; it seemed to be the very essence of strife. Magicians of the school of the arm were attracted by its power and those that paid tribute to it were rewarded with magicks more powerful than any wielded by any Isparian before.
While these boons seemed to signal a hope in a new found security for the Isparian refugees on Dereth, observers of Dereth's less hospitable inhabitants noticed a number of unsettling occurences. The Tumeroks seemed to withdraw from the Direlands, while the Lugians pushed more heavily into the area. Likewise, the powerful undead who had once held a strong position in western Dereth were now weakened by heavy losses during the campaign against the Hopeslayer and also seemed to withdraw back towards the swamps. But, again, somewhat disturbingly, the Virindi seemed to fill the void left by the other creatures of Dereth. At one time these creatures primarily occupied the Obsidian Plains or their own underground installations. Now scouting parties of Virindi guarded by their powerful Tusker Guards and Slaves roamed widely across the landscape. A new Virindi installation even appeared within the A'mun Desert itself. The Isparians could only wonder at what these new neighbors' future goals and plans might be.
Lonely in the World - Coldeve, 12 P.Y. (Feb '01)
As heat seeped back into the earth snowlines receded. Patches of slush still dotted the landscape, but hints of green returned to most of the land. All was not well, however.
The enigmatic Shadows began to walk Dereth openly, harassing adventurers and making travel through remote areas a dangerous proposition. In addition, floating Crystal Fragments appeared. While originally thought to be pieces of the Gelidites' Great Work, the vast number of Fragments that soon swarmed across Dereth seemed to imply another origin.
Fortunately, the most learned mages of the land had taken to heart the dire prognostications of the recovered Gelidite scriptures. The Archmages Celdiseth, Fadsahil al-Tashbi, Nuhmudira, and Shoyanen Kenchu developed Master Mage Robes of fine quality, while they allowed their Apprentice Mage Robes to be sold by the local mages of various towns.
Non-mages were not left without fashionable attire, however, as the traditional warrior garb of Ispar began to appear in Dereth. Celdon, Amullian, and Koujia Armor became visible signs of a warrior's prowess.