Ancient Historical Sources
There are many ancient sources of information, including items of prophecy, memory storage, and dusty tomes.
The Adamantine Tablets of Ineth Dunost Thalal Fo'Deler Toril (Ancient Empire of the Steel Crown) - Ancient Dwarven Empire of the Golden Age
Several hundred years ago, a very adept group of adventurers, lead by a wealth Dwarf Lord, reached the fabled ruins of Ineth Dunost, City of Beards. Once the palace of the dwarf empire known as Deler Toril, this vast ruin was extremely dangerous. Only a few survived to tell their tale. They can be read in the famous work, "Ineth Dunost, a Heroes Return". Amongst the tales and treasure they returned with were several items of great historic value. Gunnar Stonethrone described finding them in this passage,
"The Collected Poems, Songs, and Works of Nissonae Wysorana";
This 19 volume collection spans the length and noteworth career of the elven poet Nissonae Wysorana. She lived through the great rebellion that saw the elves and other races throw off the yoke of their giant overlords. She recorded much of what was known about these early days. Not only did she detail many obscure events and great battles, but she also record many of the oldest songs and poems of elvish and other origins. Some of what she put down on paper were from the ages of the elemental titans and dragons. She was particularly long lived and saw the beginning of the Golden Age of Empires. She was one of the spiritual leaders and cultural touchstones of the start of the Aldare Phayan Empire. Some point out that her last works included a dark and foreboding edge. Some believe this was the influence of Llolth on her spirit. Her collection includes tales of the original Anacestra, told by their oldest and most powerful servants. There are rumors of other, lost volumes of her collection. "A Dragon's Tale, a Journey through the Dragons' Dreaming", by Isen’Tadr
The great heroine, Isen'Tadr, was a half dragon elven lady of incredible potency. She was one of the most accomplished heroes of the Age of Empires. She spent the first half of her lengthy life exploring, looting, and destroying evil wherever it could be found. In her later years, she turned to research. Her half dragon stature and the clout she had earned with her exploits earned her not one, but five dragon patrons. Each shared with her its knowledge of all things. Wanted to know even more, she began experiments that allowed her to enter the living dreams of Aertrea's dragons. Here she bartered, bribered, and gathered all she could learn. Dragons part with nothing easily and some secrets were kept from her, but collection of knowledge was impressive. Isen knew that knowledge, in wrong hands, could be dangerous. What she record and who she provided it to was carefully considered. It is unknown were the majority of what she learned, most of which she only hints at in her book, was recorded. What she did share easily, were tales that the dragons shared with her, from their racial memories, of the earliest times of Aertrea. The majority of what is known about the Draconian Anacestra, comes from the dreams of Dragons. "The Prophetic Fevers of Mad Zun" Zun lived in times unknown. Accounts of his fever dreams have been found in ancient ruins in several places in both the north and southern continents. Each of the tomes included slightly different material, but the title and similarities indicate its all the same author. Zun was apparently a monk, who lived a life of exile. He purposes exposed himself to some of the most potent plagues known. His discipline and unusual approach to health (he drank only rain water from the sky and ate only bugs that crawled within his reach) allowed him to survive. He wrote down his dreams into leather tomes. Unlike many madmen, his works live on, because the prophecies he spoke, would seem to have all come true. Even given the ambiguous nature of some of his visions, few could argue with the results. Scholars and seers continue to poor over his works, seeking hints to the future to come. Others interpret his fever dreams for the information they hold about ancient times. Half of them appear to be prophecies of events long since having transpired. They detail conflicts, betrayals, and interactions between ancient Anacestra and their servants. The Lubusk Stones
Near the start of the current age, a party of adventurers gained access to a series of ancient chambers deep within the Underdark. Inside they overcame several deadly traps and guardians and discovered an ancient tomb. Inside was the the long dead remains of a humanoid creature of unknown species and origin. The adventures noted this but was more interested in a large amount of valuables they gathered up and headed back to the surface. Much of the loot was sold, which included four magical gems. These gems when peer into, showed a series of scenes. Each gem was tuned to a different series of “visions”, which always played out the same way. These gems eventually made their way to the Arcane Order in Marble (which was still a fragmented guild at the time). Here they received intensive study. Once it was determined that they contained information, in the form of recorded memories, from the initial arrival of the Anacestra to Aertrea, interest grew greatly. Sages and experts from Tranquility, Darkwood Green, and Opal all traveled to Marble to examine them. The information the gems held was shared although the actual stones are kept by the Arcane Order. What they contained is not general knowledge, but written accounts of what was seen are available. The stones are named for the guildmage who initially encountered the stones in possession of a small time magic dealer and realized what they might be. Several attempts to reach the tomb where they were found have been organized but none successfully. The original adventurers could not be located in the years that followed. “The Acurain, Teldgiff, and Proonallin Paper”.
This “paper” is a series of scrolls detailing a trio of high ranking mages in the Floating Tower, the Guild of Magic Users in Opal. They were apparently able to capture a live specimen of the deep dwelling race known as an aboleth. With extreme difficulty they were able to mental control the creature. They began to plumb its ancient memory for secrets of the past. Much of what they discovered they record in their paper. After a mishap when the creature was almost able to escape, it was determined that the avenue of exploration was too dangerous. The guild reports it had the specimen destroyed although their are rumors that it was simply moved to a safer location. The aboleth had a deep but scattered series of memories stolen from creatures throughout the ages. Most were of more recent times, but some are said to date back to the times of the prima servi.
Aer, Anacestra, and the Earliest Histories:
There are few sources surviving the ages that tell of life's earliest days. However, these are some of the sources most available to the dedicated researcher:The Adamantine Tablets of Ineth Dunost Thalal Fo'Deler Toril (Ancient Empire of the Steel Crown) - Ancient Dwarven Empire of the Golden Age
Several hundred years ago, a very adept group of adventurers, lead by a wealth Dwarf Lord, reached the fabled ruins of Ineth Dunost, City of Beards. Once the palace of the dwarf empire known as Deler Toril, this vast ruin was extremely dangerous. Only a few survived to tell their tale. They can be read in the famous work, "Ineth Dunost, a Heroes Return". Amongst the tales and treasure they returned with were several items of great historic value. Gunnar Stonethrone described finding them in this passage,
We were on the run from several enemies at once. Outside the dragon's roar could still be heard. Inside, the heavy footsteps of the devil-ettin loomed every closer. We cut our way through goblin minions at every turn, looking for an exit from the region. We stumbled to a dead end at a great vault door. We figured we were dead, as our enemies closed in. However, the door swung open for us without a sound. Inside was a vast chamber, it seemed to be part library, part trophy hall. We hurried to the far end, which must have been a half mile. We came across round view points, looking out into the main valley below the city. The view was spectacular except for the fact that the two dragons had been joined by a third, larger one. From our vantage point, we could see the columned courtyard with the cracked fountain where we had rested two weeks ago. It was only two hundred feet below us and to the left, if we could reach it we knew our way out of this accursed graveyard of a city. We found another vault door, which again opened. We rest a bit before our last push. It seemed the Ettin was far behind and we had only the dragons and a half dozen other fell beasts to avoid. Never able to sit still, Hartley, the halfling "scout" investigated a nearby stone bench. She hurried told us that the tablets sitting on them were solid adamantine. No one believed her, but it was true. They were covered in finely carved runes of the eldest dwarf tongue. We realized then, that we had passed row upon row of stone case, each with a depression holding many of these tablets. We estimated there would be tens of thousands of them here. We had enough magical storage to hold the three that were there, so in they went. - Gunnar Stonethrone, "Ineth Dunost, a Heroes Return".These three recovered adamantine tablets were apparently part of a much larger history of Aertrea's earliest age. Its unclear what the original source materials was from. The tablets catalog as many of the known Anacestra as possible including notes about their fates, abilities, and allegiances.
"The Collected Poems, Songs, and Works of Nissonae Wysorana";
This 19 volume collection spans the length and noteworth career of the elven poet Nissonae Wysorana. She lived through the great rebellion that saw the elves and other races throw off the yoke of their giant overlords. She recorded much of what was known about these early days. Not only did she detail many obscure events and great battles, but she also record many of the oldest songs and poems of elvish and other origins. Some of what she put down on paper were from the ages of the elemental titans and dragons. She was particularly long lived and saw the beginning of the Golden Age of Empires. She was one of the spiritual leaders and cultural touchstones of the start of the Aldare Phayan Empire. Some point out that her last works included a dark and foreboding edge. Some believe this was the influence of Llolth on her spirit. Her collection includes tales of the original Anacestra, told by their oldest and most powerful servants. There are rumors of other, lost volumes of her collection. "A Dragon's Tale, a Journey through the Dragons' Dreaming", by Isen’Tadr
The great heroine, Isen'Tadr, was a half dragon elven lady of incredible potency. She was one of the most accomplished heroes of the Age of Empires. She spent the first half of her lengthy life exploring, looting, and destroying evil wherever it could be found. In her later years, she turned to research. Her half dragon stature and the clout she had earned with her exploits earned her not one, but five dragon patrons. Each shared with her its knowledge of all things. Wanted to know even more, she began experiments that allowed her to enter the living dreams of Aertrea's dragons. Here she bartered, bribered, and gathered all she could learn. Dragons part with nothing easily and some secrets were kept from her, but collection of knowledge was impressive. Isen knew that knowledge, in wrong hands, could be dangerous. What she record and who she provided it to was carefully considered. It is unknown were the majority of what she learned, most of which she only hints at in her book, was recorded. What she did share easily, were tales that the dragons shared with her, from their racial memories, of the earliest times of Aertrea. The majority of what is known about the Draconian Anacestra, comes from the dreams of Dragons. "The Prophetic Fevers of Mad Zun" Zun lived in times unknown. Accounts of his fever dreams have been found in ancient ruins in several places in both the north and southern continents. Each of the tomes included slightly different material, but the title and similarities indicate its all the same author. Zun was apparently a monk, who lived a life of exile. He purposes exposed himself to some of the most potent plagues known. His discipline and unusual approach to health (he drank only rain water from the sky and ate only bugs that crawled within his reach) allowed him to survive. He wrote down his dreams into leather tomes. Unlike many madmen, his works live on, because the prophecies he spoke, would seem to have all come true. Even given the ambiguous nature of some of his visions, few could argue with the results. Scholars and seers continue to poor over his works, seeking hints to the future to come. Others interpret his fever dreams for the information they hold about ancient times. Half of them appear to be prophecies of events long since having transpired. They detail conflicts, betrayals, and interactions between ancient Anacestra and their servants. The Lubusk Stones
Near the start of the current age, a party of adventurers gained access to a series of ancient chambers deep within the Underdark. Inside they overcame several deadly traps and guardians and discovered an ancient tomb. Inside was the the long dead remains of a humanoid creature of unknown species and origin. The adventures noted this but was more interested in a large amount of valuables they gathered up and headed back to the surface. Much of the loot was sold, which included four magical gems. These gems when peer into, showed a series of scenes. Each gem was tuned to a different series of “visions”, which always played out the same way. These gems eventually made their way to the Arcane Order in Marble (which was still a fragmented guild at the time). Here they received intensive study. Once it was determined that they contained information, in the form of recorded memories, from the initial arrival of the Anacestra to Aertrea, interest grew greatly. Sages and experts from Tranquility, Darkwood Green, and Opal all traveled to Marble to examine them. The information the gems held was shared although the actual stones are kept by the Arcane Order. What they contained is not general knowledge, but written accounts of what was seen are available. The stones are named for the guildmage who initially encountered the stones in possession of a small time magic dealer and realized what they might be. Several attempts to reach the tomb where they were found have been organized but none successfully. The original adventurers could not be located in the years that followed. “The Acurain, Teldgiff, and Proonallin Paper”.
This “paper” is a series of scrolls detailing a trio of high ranking mages in the Floating Tower, the Guild of Magic Users in Opal. They were apparently able to capture a live specimen of the deep dwelling race known as an aboleth. With extreme difficulty they were able to mental control the creature. They began to plumb its ancient memory for secrets of the past. Much of what they discovered they record in their paper. After a mishap when the creature was almost able to escape, it was determined that the avenue of exploration was too dangerous. The guild reports it had the specimen destroyed although their are rumors that it was simply moved to a safer location. The aboleth had a deep but scattered series of memories stolen from creatures throughout the ages. Most were of more recent times, but some are said to date back to the times of the prima servi.
Comments