Lord_Asmodeus
Here is your magical cryptic riddle-tumour:
- Location
- I AM A TIME MACHINE
@Lord_Asmodeus
Magic can be a fickle thing. Immensely useful in a wide variety of endeavors, but fickle non- the-less. And it was this fickleness that would land Durgin Kriel in its current situation. The Circle Orboros, a group of druids, had attempted to teleport their forces across the Leyline network to rapidly respond to some distant threat but had miscalculated in their haste. Waves of misfired mana flooded the lines as they preformed their rituals, surging and gathering on a single Leypoint located directly beneath the Kriel. And as more and more mana congregated the day approached when it would finally snap.
In a flash of raw unfocused magic the Kriel was torn from its world, tens of thousands of tons of rock and forest and settlement spirited away with only seared earth to mark it departure. In an infinitesimally small span of time it was hurled beyond its planet, beyond its plane, and into something far stranger. It flew through the true void that partitioned the various realities, multiverses, and other such things before being drawn to one distant world in particular. Almost as if calling for it this small isolated planetoid drew the displaced Kriel towards it.
And thus the Kriel and its surrounding forest joined this new world far more seamlessly then they had exited their own. Forest met scorching desert with nary a sound, once clear skies changed to a cloud speckled tapestry, a hot wind began to blow through the trees. For miles around their lies nothing but sand and the occasional rock outcropping.
Yet unknown to any of the settlement's denizens something had taken notice of their arrival. Nomads, traders, sellswords they had been called and gone by many titles and names. Constructing cities atop the massive scarab beetles of their native lands they have wandered the scorching sands as long as they can remember. From across the arid expanse the Roaving Clans take notice of Durgin Kriel and begin their slow approach.
Durgin Kriel
When the shift came Vallasor Cragfist did not know the enormity of the change. She was meeting with Callum Kinroot and the other Elders in the Elder Council to discuss the great flux of magical energy that all the prominent Warlocks in Durgin Kriel could sense, which was clearly traced back to the Druids of the Circle Orboros. None knew exactly what they were planning, but they were discussing what their potential response to this newest activity from the Druids might be. Even as the transference took place, Callum Kinroot could sense a sudden wrongness in the land outside their forests, though he could not decide where it was coming from. To most it seemed like little more than a change in seasons as it suddenly became warmer. However, some measure of the truth was relayed when longriders from the furthest villages of the Kriel appeared in the town, led by Korgan Thunderrider himself.
Vallasor and Callum exited the Council Hall and greeted Korgan even as he swung himself off of his Bison, the rest of the riders idling closer to the entrance of the village, Vallasor greeted Korgan, "Hail Korgan. What news brings you and your companions riding thunderously into the Kriel center? Are the Druids on the move?" Korgan shook his head, "No it's not that. It could be far worse than that I fear. The lands around our the forest surrounding our Kriel and all its villages, It's changed. Where once forests and grasslands stood, I can now only see desert." This news shocked Vallasor and Callum who had no reason to doubt Korgan's words, "But how could this be possible? Could it be the work of the Druids after all? But for what reason would they turn all the surrounding lands into desert?" Korgan was not sure what Vallasor was talking about, but Callum informed him about the recent build up of Druidic magic they had all sensed which might explain these events. Korgan shook his head again, "I was near the edge when it happened. It was not like the land died or the trees and grass turned to sand. Rather, it seemed like the whole world outside shifted and was gone, replaced by another."
Considering this Vallasor comes to the more likely conclusion, "We know that the Druids can apparently move even great armies across the magic paths through the land they call leylines. The Durgin Kriel itself is the center of a focal point of such a leyline network. Perhaps the Druids moved our village either through some mishap or to have us out of the way for some reason. We might be in the Bloodstone Desert itself..." This was a troubling enough conclusion, considering their new proximity to the frontlines of the Skorne invasion if it were true but Korgan did not believe so, "A number of the Longriders are familiar with the Bloodstone and they say this desert does not resemble it. Whatever it is, nobody recognizes it." In many ways, this was even more troubling information and Vallasor didn't know how to process it yet. However, as any good leader must she was already formulating plans and attempting to work out how best to handle this new crisis. To Korgan she said, "I know you came out all this way from the herds, but I must ask if you would go back out. I need you to take a small force and some trolls and do some scouting around. We are vulnerable in our ignorance and what's more we will need to find a replacement for the grasslands we have lost if we hope to keep our Bison herds fed." Korgan nodded and saluted with his weapon before returning to his Bison and taking his Longriders to gather up some of the Kriels' warriors to take on their short scouting expedition.
Vallasor turned to Callum once again, and though she had a thousand possible ideas running through her mind she looked to him to speak first, looking to his wisdom. "I know what you are most likely going to ask me, and I agree. I and the other Elders will take charge of the small matters of keeping the Kriel together and calming everyone's fears while you deal with all of the big problems and try and solve our current problems. The people will be looking to us as leaders for guidance and you have just had enough shoved in to your hands to tide you over." He smiled in a grandfatherly way and Vallasor smiled back relieved. He was as reliable as a sturdy oak, and it helped ease her mind. He headed back into the Council Hall to confer with the other Elders and to see about trying to keep things running smoothly in this new situation.
Vallasor, thus freed, turned to one of the younger Trollkin who she knew she could count on with a message and sent him to fetch the other prominent members of the community, Rona Sturmdottir, Haakon Wartamer, and Cyllis Sevaer. She and Rona would need to confer with the sorcerers, shaman, stone scribes and runeshapers for a task Vallasor had long put off but which had suddenly surged in importance, namely learning to tap into the same leylines as the Druids did and draw on its power for the Kriels' own benefit. With Haakon Wartamer she needed to begin preparing defenses, since they could be attacked at any minute and they needed to be ready to repel the Skorne or the Farrow, or possibly worse. And finally she would need to meet with Cyllis to discuss his people. He would likely working on similar problems the Elder Council would for his own people. Somehow Vallasor doubted the Elven Winter Gods' chosen people would respond too well to the sudden upward shift in temperature and climate. Vallasor sighed, so much to do and so little time. She could not wait for the messenger to go out and return before beginning work, so she instantly began to head for the homes of the Durgin Center's most prominent and powerful runeshapers - besides herself, of course.
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Orders:
Exploration - Korgan Thunderrider is to take a small contingent of Longriders, Pyg Bushwackers, Trollkin Scouts and some Troll Axers and Impalers and scout out the surrounding area, especially trying to find any scrub or grasslands or some other plains area where they could bring their Bison herds. Anywhere with water would be good too, since the Kriels wells would need the support especially with a likely drop in rain.
General - Callum Kinroot and the Elders are going to try and keep everything running smoothly and calm peoples fears, and make sure nothing gets out of hand in the villages. Cyllis Sevaer will attempt to do likewise for the Nyss.
Military - Haakon Wartamer will take charge of organizing the Kriels' warriors on an emergency basis and prepare the Kriels defenses for any potential attacks from the desert, as well as posting patrols within the forest to keep an eye on the surroundings.
Research - Vallasor Cragfist and Rona Sturmdottir, along with all the magically inclined members of the community who can be spared are going to begin seriously attempting to understand the principles behind the leyline and are going to try and craft a huge Krielstone in a similar manner to the Druids standing or "Shifting" stones which channel the leylines power. Vallasor Cragfist, the Runeshapers, and the Stone Scribes are also going to begin work attempting to replicate the Druids Wold creation methods for the Kriels use and protection.
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