The Fantastical Adventures

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====== Scroll VII - The Dark Temple ======

//Recorded as a joint effort by Scribe Delrus and Scribe Severanius. The documentation and firsthand accounts are taken from numerous sources, including personal journals of the Greyslayers, personal journals of Atmat Rictus, and several notations made from Raston and Beherners’s trading house and a copied account from ledgers in the Gold Spire Bank.//

//It should be noted that the original transcription of this scroll was under the categorization of “Tales” and was stored with the copies of additional tales of the Greyslayers. On further verification and a spirited debate, the Scribes have officially moved this into the Scrolls section of the Greyslayers Chronicles, and it is now fully recognized as Greyslayers Canon.//

//The original works were completed on Quintus the 6th of Leindain, year 937 7th age. It should also be noted that the original work was also heavily edited, and although being added to the Scrolls of the Greyslayers, there is still some debate on events as chronicled. Where appropriate there are notations with alternate records discussed. //

//Furthermore, these events are hard to pin down for when they were completed. To the best of our Scribes efforts we believe that they take place during Qyin’tallos, but exact dates are unfortunately unable to be verified. Regardless this would take place during the 6th Scroll time frame, but the Scribes believe was completed before the ending of the 6th scroll.//

//These events take place during the first days of Rimrost until Primus the 1st of Shadrun, year 897 7th age.//

**//The scroll details the events that transpired when the Greyslayers were hired by Brandus Markaos to travel into the jungles of [[:ekandor:azhim:azhim|Azhim]] in search of an adventurer by the name of Garmund Duloc. Duloc was in search of an ancient staff said to be buried in the temple. He had not returned, so Brandus Markaos was hiring another group of adventurers to seek out Garmund and hopefully acquire the lost relic.// **

The Greyslayers were led by a guide by the name of Yasomir to a temple hidden deep within the Jungle. Yasomir was able to successfully lead them there, but the Greyslayers discover that some lizardmen had claimed the temple and surrounding areas as their own. The body of Duloc was pinned on a stake at the edge of their terrain as a warning sign not to proceed farther into their territory.

The Greyslayers asked Yasomir to take the body back to Riston and adventured on. The party then discovered a waterfall. Climbing to the top, they discover the entrance to the dark temple. It looked as if the river had revealed this opening, as this was not the original entrance to the temple, but instead was a large crack that had been broken into the roof of the temple.

The Greyslayers made their way into the dark temple. After beginning their search, Alston of the Greyslayers noted that it appeared as if late 6th age or early 7th age peoples had built over the top of a 5th age ruin. [[:player_characters:alston|Alston]] was also able to identify many of the common gods found in the 6th and 7th age, depicted on statuary and reliefs throughout the temple. It was his conclusion that at one point this was a temple of the many gods, now long abandoned by the peoples of Azhim, and had recently been taken over by a tribe of lizardmen.

Farther into the temple the Greyslayers discovered a man by the name of Ernst Blackwater who had been captured by the lizardmen. Unlike the unlucky Duloc, Ernst was suspended over what appeared to be the spawning ground of white, snake like worms. The Greyslayers saved Ernst from becoming a meal, and let him join their party, on his word that they would get the treasure that they were looking for. //(See Side Note #1)//

The party eventually found an ancient lever that, once activated, lowered the water level in the lower halls, allowing the party to descend farther into the temple. //(See Side Note #2)//

As the Greyslayers made their way to the bottom of the temple they encountered Assir Dask, a massive white worm that the lizardmen called the White Mother. The Greyslayers took to battling the White Mother as once riled up there was no escaping its wrath.

It is said the White Mother was no ordinary worm, like its Purple Worm cousins. This worm had the ability to shoot beams of pure heat energy from its sides and was massive in size, barely able to fit in the chamber that they fought the worm. During the battle, Ernst was crushed underneath the massive creature and [[:player_characters:glimmer|Glimmer]] was swallowed whole by its gigantic maw. It was this mistake that the White Mother made that lent to its doom, as shortly thereafter Glimmer exploded from the worms inside in a shower of gore and glorious magical energy, lifted by radiant wings and shining brighter than the sun was Glimmer. The worm could not survive such internal injuries and died an agonizing death. //(See Side Note #3)//

After the killing of the worm, the Greyslayers made their way into what appeared to be the Lizard Kings audience chamber. The rest of the lizardmen had died a mysterious death, and the lizard king was covered in tiny white worm lings. The Greyslayers attacked the lizard king, but he was too fast and swam out a watery exit and escaped into the jungles.

Inside this chamber was the relic they sought, a staff, made from gold and in the likeness of two eagle wings spread wide. It was magical by nature, but strangely made by 5th age magic, and so could not be discerned by normal magical means.

The Greyslayers, successful on their hunt, then made the journey back to Riston and much needed rest.

**Side Note #1:** in the journals received by the Scribes and in many mentioning of the tales there is no mention of Ernst. It was only by reading the personal journal of [[:player_characters:dusky|Atmat Duskflame]] that this was ever mentioned in the first place. It should be noted that it is included in the Scroll but is still highly debated on if there ever really was an Ernst, as Atmat Duskflames journal has shown to have some wild and speculative notes taken in it that cannot be subjectively viewed as historically accurate.

**Side Note #2:** Although not in the original telling, it is now surmised that the Greyslayers found this lever inside The Giants Vault. The Giants Vault was a large, strange metal door, sealed inside the dark temple. It is believed that the Greyslayers were somehow able to access the Giants Vault, which turned out to house the remains of a 5th age facility or tomb.

The Greyslayers then made their way through this tomb. Evidence suggests that inside the tomb they discover the lever that activated the water tunnels beneath the dark temple. They also discovered several soul necklaces on many of the dead bodies inside the tomb, and by using these necklaces gained access to several secured chambers

One of these chambers housed what looked like an older, white haired man inside a strange sealed casket that had a glass or crystal top, so that by standing outside of it you could see inside of it. When the Greyslayers interacted with the crystal casket, the white haired man is said to have briefly awoken, before being torn apart by small white worms that moved beneath his skin before ripping out him through multiple orifices. It is believed that Dusky put a magical fire in the casket to stop the grey-haired beings suffering and stop the spread of the worms.

It is also believed that another chamber held several tubes that had tiny white worms suspended in a strange liquid. By interacting with the tubes, the liquid was dispensed through the bottom of the cylinder, its destination unknown. Also, by interacting with the tubes, a black chemical was added to the remaining tubes with the tiny white worms, killing them on contact. Please see addendum GS-7-002-897-2 for the collection of evidence that purports this to be more factual than fantasy.

Scholars in some circles also believe this might have been the origin of the White Worm plague. Please see addendum GS-7-003-897-2 for further readings.

Lastly, it is believed that these tombs are when the Greyslayers first acquired the 5th age relic known as The Mag Num. This strange relic had been used by the Greyslayers in a few of their most important conflicts throughout their period of historical activity.

**Side Note #3:** Although many of the tales describe this outcome, there is a few, including personal journals of the Greyslayers, that dispute this. It is written that [[:player_characters:thresh|Thresh]] was eaten by the White Mother and cut his way outside of her belly with the use of his famous magical flaming sword Oathcutter.

It is also noted that in the Greyslayers journals they discuss that the White Worm did not have the magical power to shoot fire, but instead had strange 5th age growths attached to its body that independently aimed and fired at the Greyslayers. It is noted that [[:player_characters:clover|Clover's]] use of summoned owls helped turn the fight as these growths spent several shots of energy at the owls and that by focusing on the growth, they were able to be destroyed and weakened the White Mother.

It is believed that the Greyslayers intentionally did not talk about the 5th age arceotech found in the dark temple, to dissuade others from breaking into the tomb and discovering its secrets.

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{{:story:map_darktemplelvl1.jpg?500  |map_darktemplelvl1.jpg}}{{:story:map_darktemplelvl2.jpg?500  |map_darktemplelvl2.jpg}}

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The Fantastical Adventures

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