Eve of the End

End of the Harrowing

Broken and shattered, the cragged peaks of the Castle of the Damned slowly begin to descend, slipping their way through the stone floor of Káto back to their resting place. Minutes before the descent began, a final bell tolled, marking the end of the Harrowing and the beginning of the Eve of the End. By midnight, the castle will have sunken through the floor and the runes alight with this twisted magic will go dark once again.
Phases of horror and greed afflict those that watch the spectacle of the moving castle. The Eve of Harrowing marks the beginning, some run from the castle, others stay to watch, their greed outweighing their instincts of survival. The tolling of the bell brings greater greed, or greater fear, to those near. Some continue to run from the castle and its horrors, others race to enter, in need of the treasures inside. Others still are frozen outside, kept to watch those who enter and count the ones that return home. All who are stricken with greed or grief find themselves breathing a sigh of relief when the final bell tolls and the Eve of the End starts its wane.
The Death Vines wither and the Ashen Winds die down from their angry howl. In the early stages of sinking, all those who entered that still retain their humanity slowly find their way out, whether by their own means or the castle's. All alive eventually come from the castle, but the state of their mind is unknown.
The unearthly light of the runes flickers out one by one as the Eve of the End comes to a close. The Castle of the Damned has sunken back into the ether, awaiting its return the following year.

Historical Basis

While the Harrowing is told as a myth, most often to scare children, there are those in Káto that have survived the night and its castle to tell the story. Those survivors are few and far between, leaving their stories more to the myths and legends of ancient instead of actual fact.
The story of the castle and the Harrowing go back to the early days of the Silver Elves, long before the Huntress took her revenge on those that would hurt her dark children. The myth of the Harrowing and its odd events are said to be as old as Káto and the Lost Paths, but no one may never know the truth of the event.
The Eve of the End is often left out of the myth, but those who have watched or have survived the castle celebrate this day as it marks their safety from the horrors of the castle for another year.

Spread

This myth is known far and wide throughout Káto and the Lost Paths, but it also runs rampant in the Wandering Forest. Most creatures use the terrible myth surrounding the night and the castle to ward others away from the place, especially those that do not possess the heightened vision of Káto peoples.

Date of First Recording

Unknown

Related Ethnicities

• Silver Elf Culture

Related Species

• Silver Elves

Related Locations

• Káto
• Lost Paths