Books

1. Curse of Durken found in Varg crypt page 1 	Once upon a time there lived a man called Durken. Now, Durken was an ordinary man, except for one thing: he had the most extraordinarily bad luck. No one knows which god has cursed Durken when he was small, or what horrible page 2 	thing he did to incur their wrath, but the fact that he was cursed was undeniable. When but a young lad Durken developed a reputation for losing things. Wherever Durken went, objects would fall, things would page 3 	spill, and pets would discover a sudden appetite for lesson papers and your best made shoes. Durken himself was not particularly bothered by these occurrences. This was the only life Durken had known, after all. He shrugged off the accidents and page 4 	moved along. Durken decided upon reacing maturity that he wanted to live the rest of his days as a cook. Indeed, we have many things for which to thank Durken. Open-air cookstoves (ones inside buildings always page 5 	caught fire), measuring devices (bags would always dump their entire contents when opened), silver spoons (wooden spoons broke far too often), and pies (bread dough never rose properly) were all contributions of his. page 6 	And so, the lessons to be learned from Durkens life are threefold: When things go wrong over and over again, invent something to solve the problem. When life just won't go right for you, adapt and move on. It does page 7 	no good to sulk. And the most important lesson of all: Never, never do anything to upset the gods or you could find yourself burning pies in the rain for the rest of your life.

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2. Book of runes found in the mine west of New Korelth portal page 1 	The Army of Darkness, also known as the Rune Warriors, marched over the battlefield wearing armor that could not be pierced, holding blades that had a great thirst for blood. The Defenders of Light stood upon a hill, looking down upon the page 2 	armies. The Defenders of Light raised their swords into the air and gave a battle cry as they rushed forth into the darkness below. The Rune Warriors cut down the Defenders of Light like farmers harvesting their crops... page 3 	After the battle was over the ground was blood-soaked. The sinister chant of the Army of Darkness could be heard over the mountains and through the valleys. Then behold, a single figure stood upon a hill top, holding a great sword... page 4 	By his side was a golden scabbard, laden with great jewels. Inundating all that glazed upon it, it glowed as bright as the sun. The figure leapt into the air, and with a mighty yell he fell upon the armies below. The Rune Warriors page 5 	tried to take cover, but were cut down one by one. Their bodies were scattered over the battlefield like leaves at summer's end... The followers of this great hero gathered together all of the Runes and swore to banish them from page 6 	man's weak and evil hand once and for all.

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3. Moklad's Journal Found north of the outpost west of Krog page 1 	Day 1 - today we go hunt bats. We led by Tanlop. He seem like good leader. Day 2 - Found lots of bats. Me have now 14 wings. Me can't wait to roast back home. Day 3 - Me uncover old ruins. Tanlop say this page 2 	good place to camp for night. Day 3 (Midday) - Me found old scroll. Says this place was outpost for people called 'Rune Warriors'. Says some invasion is coming from east. Day 3 (Night) - Me not page 3 	like this place. All kind of strange noises. Day 3 (Midnight) - They are everywhere! Tanlop run, leave us behind to die! Curse Tanlop!

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4. Invasion Found in Valekar's Fortress page 1 	Plans for the invasion of the other-world. Log 23 Year 3257 After Creation. The meeting went well today. Plans for the invasion of the other-world proceed apace. They stagnate in their comfort, page 2 	degrade in their luxury, while we have endured lifetimes of hardship. No more. We leave soon for the other-world base. The orc troops have proven to be unruly and difficult to contain, but their numbers and their strength make page 3 	the effort worthwhile. Thousands will be brought forth and released to the surface of their world. When we strike, we strike from a position of power within their own ranks. They will be decimated overnight, and we will have them. page 4 	Our gods have foretold the supremacy of our kind and this is only the beginning. Third day of harvest, 3257 I am entrenched in the temporary base under the surface of page 5 	the other-world. My officers are mustering the troops to ensure an orderly staged transfer. We have built a small fortress just above this base, in a hidden valley to mask our appearance. When this base is filled to capacity, we will begin the page 6 	deployment of troops to the surface. Once a sufficient number of troops have been transferred to the surface, the shock troops will emerge and launch a wave of destruction. Humans and elves will never stand against page 7 	our might, and I, Valekar, will rise to glory in the eyes of the gods, may their names live forever. Those who survive will long remember the names of the Rune Warriors.

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5. Book of Talazar Book 4 of guildquest can be found in Hell page 1 	17th Moon, Year of the Ettin The king of the land has bestowed upon me a great honor. From this day forth, I shall honor him with my life. 3rd Moon, Year of the Bat Received an extraordinary gift from my leader. My lord page 2 	issued me a warning of gluttony, voracity and insatiability. Upon donning my new equipment, my self-worth increases. 23rd Moon, Year of the Bat With an extraordinary victory over the evil of this world, I know my lord shall be pleased. page 3 	30th Moon, Year of the Bat I have abolished evil from the Hills of Gold, with nothing more than a stain of blood on my sword! '3rd Moon, Year of the Bat I have decided to take back the swamps. I should inform my lord, but there is no page 4 	time. I will send a messenger to inform him of my victory. 44th Moon, Year of the Bat I have accidently slain... [This page has been torn, the remaining words removed.][You look carefully at the back of this last page...]28th Moon, page 1 	Year of the Fire Bird Another VICTORY! I wish my lord would appreciate it.[The remaining pages are in tatters...]

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6. Defense of Varg found in Varg crypt page 1 	Varg defense Unit, 3256 A.C. Situation normal. Nothing to report. I pray to the gods daily that they will transfer me soon, or I must die of boredom. Varg is the smallest town in the Krythan chain, and while the scenery is beautiful and the page 2 	area peacefull, I shall die a lonely bachelor if I remain much longer. Varg Defense Unit, 3257 A.C. Things are still quiet in Varg. We have had a few odd cases of animals attacking people in the woods, page 3 	but all of the excitement is happening in the south of the mainland. Word has it that some sort of strange army has attacked the people there and it's taking longer than it should to beat them back to wherever they came from. They have all page 4 	the luck over there. Varg defense Unit, 3258 A.C. Sgt. Toulson has been transferred, effective immediately, from this post to a post on the mainland assisting Sir Bedwyn with the defense of Parian. I, Captain page 5 	Tremayne, have been charged with improving the defenses of Varg. Plans include a wall around the town to keep out the wildlife, which have become more difficult of late, wandering into town and attacking the villagers. I am sure page 6 	that keeping a handfull of villagers save from marauding snakes and bats is a worthwhile venture somehow. Varg Defense Unit, 3258 A.C. The gods only know if and when we will next file a report. This is Sgt. page 7 	Gato, highest ranking survivor of the latest attack. No one expected them to make Krythan Island, and certainly didn't expect them to start with Varg, but they did. Waves of them, waves upon waves of page 8 	unspeakable creatures, foul evil men, pouring at us from the north, from behind the mountains. Troops moved up from Hothbra and Silvest to assist, but the attack was too sudden, too fierce. We shore up the walls now in case they page 9 	return, but they have moved on to more promising prey in the larger cities of the island. May the gods help us all.

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7. The Writ of Agon found in Grell page 1 	Darkness existed before the making of the world, and it shall exist after the world is destroyed.

To exist is to serve and the bane of Agon are the Light Wielders. Hunt them down, strike them where they live and page 2 	take their belongings. By doing so, you serve Darkness, you serve Chaos and your reward will be to serve Agon at his pleasure.

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8. Borak's Book of Leadership found in Hothbra underground page 1 	In the following excerpts, I have written the tale of following a great leader. 'How do you qualify?', does one ask? Well. Let's just say I have known him for many moons. My first recollection of his greathood was during his initiation page 2 	into manhood. As with all of the men before him he was sent out ot the vast wasteland and was forced to live in solitude for his entire 16th year. During the fall of said year, the great evil extended its boundaries and attempted to page 3 	overwhelm the prosperous cities. Many sentries saw the massive campfires of this evil being established during the nights from the castle walls and send parties of scouts to investigate; only one survivor ever returned from a scouting page 4 	party. This sole survivor spoke of horrendous creatures that attacked his party. The creatures of the night burned and captured anything and anyone they could catch. He stated the only reason his life was spared was page 5 	because another army attacked and destroyed this band of evil. Their attack was fast and furious. Before the evil knew it, three- fourth of their army was lifeless. He also stated that even though he could not see the face of page 6 	this worthy adversary, he had seen those eyes before and the voice was that of a young man. During that year, scores of cities reported the acts of this savior. However, noone ever caught a glimpse of this redeemer. page 7 	As quick as the liberations began, they ended upon the anniversary of this great leader's rite of passage. None can say for sure it was him, but let your heart lead your eyes and you will know the answer.

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9. The Tome of Kargoth found in Jeel crypt page 1 	Lord kargoth, the great leader of Jeel, stood strong before his people. He vanquished the orc tribes that once threatened the city. He stood his ground and fought for his people. His life meant nothing without the freedom of the people page 2 	of Jeel. His lord had appointed a new Knight who proved to be a superior warrior. When this Knight's travels brought him to Jeel, everyone praised his arrival. He helped eradicate the evil around Jeel with his army. And for this, page 3 	great honor and admiration were bestowed upon him. I vowed to uphold the Oath I took when I became a Lord. I assembled my army and swore this great town of jeel would never fall into the hands of evil. Many, many moons page 4 	later, this great Knight came and and told me that the king wished for me to join his army to cleanse the land of the final evil... While I was gone, I turned my leadership over to my son, who I hope will honor and respect your laws of page 5 	the land.

[You notice different handwriting]Lord Kargoth never returned from this great battle. May his weary body someday rest in peace. -Lord Canthon, Son of the Great Lord Kargoth

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10. Unnamed found in guildmaster cave page 1 	...the flesh-craved undead came toward the wizard, but he did not show fear. As he held fast, he slowly pulled a crown from his robe and placed it upon his head. The undead stopped in awe and fell to their knees. They chanted, 'our souls are yours, page 2 	oh master.'

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11. Book of Ulthien found in Krog's temple page 1 	Long ago, the orcs were forced to march to the plains of Kazun from deep under the land. The struggle to break free from the iron grip of the Rune Warriors was aided by the Goddess of Life. Ulthien led our way, and aided our people when they were most in page 2 	need. We founded our City of Krog in the foothills of the Medosk Mountains. Game and water were plentiful and the orc people prospered...As long as Ulthien, Goddess of Life, is honored, the people of Krog will prosper and page 3 	grow.

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12. Keleran's Journal found in Whisperdale temple page 1 	Over the past few days of travels, my companion Galeron and I have picked up a few magical artifacts from distant lands. I have found these artifacts, called runes by the locals, that have proven useful in many situations. Day 7 - We have page 2 	traveled for many days since we left the town of Parian. I had almost given up hope of finding shelter from an approaching storm when we discovered a small dwelling inhabited by the alchemist named Jai. This kind person gave us shelter, food, and page 3 	an item called a Mage Staff. He directed me to use the staff with a combination of the runes I had been given for different results. Day 8 - upon crossing the land of the undead, Galeron was attacked by a warrior of the afterlife. He needed a healer but we page 4 	were too far away. After many combinations, I discovered when using the Rune of Body along with a mysterious rune that glows green with divinity, my staff had magical healing properties that aided us in our journey. Day 9 - We made page 5 	camp in a secluded area of the dead land, and we have not had food in almost 2 days. I fear Galeron may not make it another. Day 9 continued - At last, by using the Rune of Body I was able to nourish our weary party so that we page 6 	may continue with our travels. Day 10 - The last few hours have been exciting, we have discovered a creature called a mummy. This creature, some kind of undead human or elf, fought fiercely and took almost all the energy we had, yet it page 7 	could not stand against the new magic I discovered when using the Runes of Nature, Distance and Harm. After a large bolt of lightning fell from the sky, the mummy fell dead. Day 12 - We have found a way out of the feared dead lands and are page 8 	heading south in hope to find other areas to rest and gather supplies. Day 12 continued - Galeron has been looking ill for the past 2 valleys. I think perhaps the mummy has inflicted some type of poison during the skirmish. What page 9 	luck! By using the Rune of Nature and the green Rune of Good, I was able to reduce the poison that was endangering his life. Day 13 - In hopes that we may soon approach a town, we have increased our pace. By using the Soul Rune, I page 10 	have been able to maintain our energy so that we could keep up the steady pace to our destination. Day 14 - I have unfortunately slain a small creature. It looked dangerous, but I could not quite tell until after the confrontation that it page 11 	meant us no harm. That is odd; the green Rune of Good on my staff has now turned red. Day 15 - In our last desperate attempt to flee past the hostile creatures of the land, I use the Rune of Body along with the red page 12 	rune of Evil that is currently showing itself. After casting this spell, I notice the creatures around me begin to slow down and become sluggish as if they were dying of starvation. Day 17 - We have made it! Our long journey has brought us to the next page 13 	stop in our quest. The people of Chlera have rushed out to greet us and to aid in our arrival.

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13. Book of Creation found in Whisperdale temple page 1 	In the beginning the sky contained nothing but the clouds and the gods.

And the gods said to the clouds, 'We are the gods, and you shall obey us.'

Veldan, god of Earth, said, 'Cloud, become a page 2 	vast landscape.' And a cloud became a vast landscape.

Isos, god of Light, said to another cloud, 'Glow with inner light and illuminate Veldan's landscape to delight us.' and the cloud shone like a sun, shining upon the page 3 	landscape of cloud.

Agon, god of Darkness, said, 'Landscape, grow deep caverns to shade us.' And the landscape grew deep shadowed caverns. Within this cold darkness there formed sparkling crystals of ice. page 4 	Ulthien, goddess of Life, commanded other clouds. 'Take upon yourself the semblance of living beings, and dwell upon Veldan's land.' And it was so

Sabal, goddess of Chaos, said, 'Dark page 5 	clouds, you shall become warlike creatures, contending with the men of Ulthien.' And Agon's shadowed clouds obeyed her.

Arna, goddess of Order, commanded Ulthien's cloud men to array themselves for page 6 	battle.

And all the other gods commanded the clouds, each god according to their own desires.

Thus for eons the gods amused themselves by forming shapes from the page 7 	clouds of the sky. Cloud mountains stood majestic, then broke apart in the wind. Suns of glowing cloud flared and faded. Fleets of cloud ship carried armies of cloud soldiers to war -- only to melt away like fog before the new sun. Each in turn quickly page 8 	passed away, and each in turn the gods created anew. Yet the ice crystals did not pass away, but became the stars which grew in number with each new cycle of creation.

After long ages of this sport, the gods grew discontent. Veldan page 9 	came to feel the loss of each cloud land he created. Isos yearned to make a light that would shine forever, while Agon desired perpetual shadow. Ulthien cried to see each of her cloud children pass away. Sabal dreamed of breaking the steady page 10 	cycle of creation, while Arna longed for all that they made to linger a while longer. And all the gods were displeased.

And the gods conferred, saying, 'It is not good that our commands should last only as long as a page 11 	cloud.'

Veldan, god of Earth, said, 'The stars of ice alone endure.'

Isos, god of Light, said, 'The stars of ice reflect all we create.'

Sabal, goddess of page 12 	Chaos, said, 'No two stars of ice are alike.'

Agon, god of Darkness, said, 'The stars of ice are weak, and cannot threaten us.'

Arna, goddess of Order, said, 'Let us organize the stars to page 13 	do our bidding.'

Ulthien, goddess of Life, said, 'Stars of ice live and hear our commands!'

Kuthos, god of Runes, said, 'Let the stars of ice be runes, and let the runes reflect the words of our page 14 	commands.' And the stars became runes, and the runes reflected the words of the gods.

And so did the gods create the world and with the runes make their creations everlasting.

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14. Book of Veldan found in Whisperdale temple page 1 	In the beginning, there were the gods, and the greatest of these was Veldan, god of Earth. Veldan in his wisdom created the very land we stand on from the essence of the insubstantial clouds.

Veldan then page 2 	descended onto the land, to the great stone in Silvest, to survey all that he had created, and when he saw the fruits of his labours, he was content.

Our land was formed from the wisdom, the artistry, and the page 3 	generosity of Veldan, and we do give thanks daily unto him.

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