Adgharhin Way/Book of Relics

History

The Book of Relics is rumored to exist somewhere on the Dark Isle, and it is said to detail the Five Relics of the Gods. Since the book has not (yet?) been found, little is known about its contents or style, but in old Arcachonic folklore, the Five Relics are traditional symbols of the gods they represent.

The Relics, as symbols, were generally not held to have actual, physical existence, except by a minority of fundamentalists who cling to old superstition. Several events have transpired to change this.

First, the Book of Lyonnhars Sword was found by High Priest Elerik Taim (then the Hand of the Blade) in the library of the Monastary Temple of Ecsetuah. Second, the Book of Lyonniths Helm was found by Nicholas Filador in Unotosa.

With these findings, the tantalizing possibility was first raised of the actual existence of the other books - three for the other Relics, and even the Book of Relics itself. The Relics are highly sought-after by the Adgharhin, being objects of immense power and divinity; because the Books are the only known way of pursuing the Relics, these too are highly sought-after.

Five Relics, Five Books

In folklore, there are five Relics, each for a major or minor god in the Adgharhin pantheon. Each is assumed to correspond to a Book, as below.

• The Scepter of Adaghar, giving man the authority to rule.
• The Sword of Lyonnhar, giving man the will to act - Book of Lyonnhars Sword
• The Helm of Lyonnith, giving mans mind protection from barbarianism - Book of Lyonniths Helm
• The Goblet of Omorthion, giving man the fulfillment of pleasure.
• The Fife of Senith, giving man the instrument to create beauty.

Quest for the Relics

The Larmebsi Prophecy

After the Larmebsi Prophecy, Elerik Taim, Dormondt, Nicholas, Akasha, Anulith, Vite and others began their quest to find the remmaining 3 Books, and the 5 Relics themselves. It took them to a secret underground passageway accessible by the Crypt of the Monastary Temple. This was found by searching the library for references to the "Black-Haired Scourge," who was later discovered in an old tome to be Jork, a long-dead Lord of Ecsetuah. He was buried of course in the crypt, and the passageway was literally by his feet, fulfilling one part of the prophecy. When they proceeded into the passage, they found a chamber of stone in which a long-dead corpse had apparently died trying to claw his way out - the "Forsaken One" of the prophecy.

At first they could find no way out either. But Vite had the idea of using the skull of the Forsaken One to hammer through a hollow-sounding part of the chamber wall. After a while this worked, and a small hole was opened up. An intensely black underground cavern lay beyond, and after Elerik Taim scrambled desperately in, he reportedly hit his toe on an ancient book, like the two Books already found, lying in the center of the otherwise empty cavern. He said at last, with growing torment and shrillness, "Nothing. There's nothing written. Nothing, do you hear? It's just blank! A blank old book!"

But when his friends entered the cavern, they looked, and they saw no book in his hands. Elerik fainted to the ground, and they carried him out. His memory upon waking was disjointed and the book - if it existed at all - was nowhere to be found. In the months that followed, Dormondt would disappear, leaving Elerik as highest elder of the church, and the Quest uncertain.

OOC Notice

The Books, and the Relics, are not actual in-game items (although one might easily mistake a unique item for a Book or Relic!). They are roleplayed, mythical/legendary items - especially the Relics - and may never be "really" found, even though they are very highly sought after.