A long parchment is placed in several inns in Mistone

[SuperMunch]

... on a clean and long parchment, the following is written ...   Here lies the accounts of Freldo, a bard, on the happenings in the T'oleflor Home On Sunra, Mar 12th, 1397 /* On sunday, march 12, 2006 */  I do not know anything beyond what is written here.  I speculate and I wildly guess at times, but mostly I relate what I heard.  I do not have a point of view of what happened for the events are still to recent for me to properly dimension.  If you wish to contribute or correct me about this account, please contact me at my family's home in Leilon. /* PM or Bird, I'll be more than happy to correct what happened, but remember, it'll have to pass through my peril-sensitve goggles. */   In Fort Velensk:  A lady greeted the group and started talking with one of the front men, Rhizome was his name.  I heard talk of "The bridges!  They have all been built!", "They were built to protect those that protect the world and nature." and something about a prophecy being fulfilled.  Queer stuff, I never thought bridges were of any great importance other than not getting one's feet wet.  On Serpent Isle:  So, on arriving and after a short walk we came upon the bridges mentioned above.  I had to take back what I thought about not getting one's feet wet - those bridges were spanning an abyss, not a body of water, and, even if I could fly, like that winged Plenarius fellow, I would just as soon not try, the darkness below seemed to suck the light of the world.  We passed two bridges and stopped before the final one.  I got the sense that great deeds had to have been accomplished just to build each of the bridges we passed.  I was in awe to think of the countless lives sacrificed for each plank, rope and nail used to raise each foot from the abyse below.  Well, as it goes, we all reached the final bridge where a shadow stood upon it, saying that "The bridges of nature and the T'oleflor are built" and that the one greatest with nature (Rhizome, as it seems) was to approach and the shadow gave him a key saying "It is the key to the worlds destiny or destruction. You and your friends will eventually decide that."  With that and a cryptic "My love and I leave and my other love and I part ways" the shadow left with a deep sigh of relief.  Strange words but I'm sure many, many philosophers will ponder what he meant.  To me, he was happy to leave with a new love - whatever it might be - the old love and him probably parted ways during his work on the bridge, probably a force that did not want him to help that Rhizome fellow.  Well, we transversed the last bridge and came upon a large door that just looking at drew life away from me.  I felt cold, very cold, whatever that door guards must be of fundamental power, the essence of the unmaking or making of the world might be in there.  A step after passing the door, the sensation passed and I felt life in me again and trudged forth to a massive oak where we all ascended.  The room inside the oak had mirrors in it, several mirrors of obvious magical properties and in that room there was a dias surrounded by a field of force that, so it seemed, would open only to a name of passage.  While others debated what was to be said as the name of passage, I sat stood attention.  "Try Bill", said Mith "Try 'Freldo'", said Renji "Not sure I've ever heard a Name of Passing", said Planearius "Well we're inside a giant tree, the time of passing for plants is normally winter isn't it?", said a halfling. "Do not simply assume everything! There is more than just your life at risk here. Nothing to be fiddled with.." said Matilda  Time passed as ideas flew from one to another.  "Passing could refer to Shadow himself, as Ozy just mentioned.  After all he did just pass from our existence so to speak.", said Rhizome and he finished the discussion with "The name of passing is Shadow, Shadow of the T'oleflor".  Upon saying "Shadow", a portal opened and we were all whisked away to a forest as ancient as I-have-no-idea-what.  It was very, very, very old and one thing was very obvious, we were no longer amoung the circles of Layonara.  In T'oleflor Home  We were obviously on another plane - everything had it's own greenish light, the trees grew tall, so tall that their tops couldn't be seen without flying and all of nature was in song.  A song, yes, a song as if a choir of a dream - all things were like a song, a place so beautiful that it might have seemed that I was awake in my dreams or in my own death.  Notes sung by heavenly voices were the blades of grass, grace was the trees and poetry were the pixies and other beings on that world.  The water soothed not only thirst but washed away weariness, the rare falling leaves came as a snowflake in the opening of winter, the air was as fresh as that from a breeze in the hills and all about us life was blooming, an eternal blooming.  Green was everywhere, even dark night would be built of deep green, the falls and droplets of moisture were of the slightest tint.  I was in a dream, a dream of ancients, of the founder races - of the essence of life.  The entire group traveled through T'oleflor, which name must mean "The Land of Faeries" and we got to see a number of it's inhabitants, fair fey folk.  About the world, Rhizome told me that it was real, "In fact, probably more real that where we come from.  It's the foundation of our own reality I believe."  Alas, it wasn't a dream nor was it confortable death - a mean tempered Ash was there and told me it that killing me would have been a pleasure for her.  I worry about her, for a ranger she does hold a terrible grudge against others.  In the T'oleflor Throne Room  Anyway, the entire group reunited near the entrance of T'oleflor's throne room - at least that's what I thought it was and we got to see their highest nobility, two feys with bright wings and, despite their small size, they were so mighty in commanding respect that none, except Grympint, stood in respect.  There was a little difficult time where neither the noble T'oleflorian Lords understood us nor did we understand them but after a little bit they descended from their ancient tongue to our vulgar common and we understood them.  The queen spoke and made us understand that our coming had been prophesized, "The time of the regrowth has come it seems.  Protectors of the world in various forms and races for their own desires and causes.  United strangely to defeat a blooded one, but needing the ancient ones and the Silver Veign."  The king started, "The last plant that was saved by Shadow himself, then defended by him.  We have it here. And with your coming you shall bring it back home, but first you need something of it I believe."  He held out a bottle of silvery liquid and continued, "This is yours. use it wisely.  This vial contains the silver that drips from the Silver Veign plant.  The descendant gives the tools. the heroes build the vessel. The vessel holds the ridge.  The silver veign flows down the ridge the sould flows down the silver veign.  The soul touches the bone of blood with this all is done.  During the heroes winning over the conqueror though.  A darkness spreads, caused by their very hands, the hands of those not knowing, life of plants, animals, and the living shall pass in some numbers.  But this pain is short lived in comparison to the other consequence.  You decide."  And with that the king asked the rangers, druids and all those of nature to follow him and they departed.  I speculate that the silvery content of the vial is what must be used to stop Bloodstone.  From their words I speculate that some time in the past they gave a gift to one of Layonara that was used to corrupt ends and now the time has come to correct that mistake however only us, co-inhabitants of the world's corruptor, may unweave the dark fabric that had been place over it.  I speculate of course.  Time passed...  Plenarius returned to the group saying, "Rhiz is now carrying the Silver Plant, we are instructed to plant it near the heart of the world.  If the plant dies, The Silver Veign ends. The vessel of the world ends and it stops the heart."  Comforting words to which Cole replied "So then there must be those dispatched to guard it.  To stay with it on the constant."  Even more comforting words.  Planearius then spoke of the plant Rhizome carried, I write below his speech:  "Once the place is near the heart and tended the one that guards and watches now, the Heirophant will visit her place of resting.  The one who plants the Silver Veign shall take over, and give up all other titles.  That person is then in charge of nature and the world.  With the planting of the Silver Veign near the Heart we can communicate with the Tol again.  To do so they must communicate through the three lords of the land or the Heirophant, no others.  Do not let the heart nor the veign die.  Doing so causes the heirophant and the lords instant death.  The one that plants in near the heart of the world is the one that controls nature.  That does not need to be Rhiz.  The Tol don't decide that, we do.  Shadow gave his life to the world after training with the Tol for three decades.  At the end of that training he and married Selian.  But then he  chose the patch of sacrifice to save the world.  Selian, despises all the sacrifices and does not believe all of the defences for the Silver Veign were necessary.  Now that Shadow is released and is passed on to the Tol realm, the plant is returned, they do not know what Selian will do to us, the Tol or anyone.  Lucinda has been able to ebb her temper up until this point but now she won't even be able to communicate through the grave.  When the Tol left there was a group of seven of thirteen, known as the Lumbral, they need to be saved in order to aid us and defeat Blood.  But... if we aid them too soon, then the darkness he spoke of earlier won't happen.  Which in our opinion needs to happen.  And if that darkness comes then we have a greater darkness and blight, not onlt of shadow, but of at least one god, or two.  And he concluded, 'we are here.  When it is planted, we may slowly return to the world.  Depening on the protector and lords'."  The discussion of who would plant the Silver Veign had begun and Rhizome warned "The planter will make the sacrifice of becoming the Hierophant, which now not only means the protector of the Great Oak but the Silver Plant as well.  It will be that person's primary duty to protect both and rally others to do the same."  In the end, he was chosen, not by us, but by his own fate as I never did see any reason to debate this.  A cheer was given and the group dispersed, we could tell that our meeting was over.  I bade farewell to the land of T'oleflor wishing to return there soon or, if I am so allowed, upon my parting from the world.  I left the fair land with it's feys and smell of ancient green back unto the dark woods north of Hlint.  That is what I saw, heard and felt.  I wish to know more but first I must actually give heed to my former teachers and actually read my books of history, not just those of superficial lore.

[SuperMunch]

/* I wrote it in two sit downs and didn't reread it.  Hehehe... Sorry, I tend to get lazy when I write to much.  I'll finish rereading from home so I might have a few more corrections here and there. */

 for a ranger she does hold a terrible grudge against others. Should read... for a ranger she does hold a terrible grudge against me.  in commanding respect that none, except Grympint, stood in respect. Should read... in commanding respect that all, except Grympint, stood in respect.

[SuperMunch]

In Search Of Someone That attended Plenarius' camp on the lore of Layonara   I, Freldo, need to talk to someone that heard Plenarius' talk near Blackford Castle two nights ago.  (/* On March 13th */)  If you have the time look for me else please leave a note here, so that I can contact you so we can talk about what was discussed.  (/* PM, Bird or ingame, in character please. */)  Thank you, - Freldo.

[SuperMunch]

... On another parchment, placed next to the long one, if it wasn't torn down ...  This is the continuation of the previous parchment.  More on the story of the Bridges and T'oleflor As told to Freldo, a bard, by Master Ozymandias, The Bard.   I missed Plenarius' fireside chat over the whole deal with the T'oleflor but I did manage to hear Master Ozymandias' account of the story and I'll reproduce it here, to the best of my abilities...  Long ago before the great Cataclysm the T'oleflor took an active hand in guiding and guarding this world.  However they were betrayed many times, by those they were sworn to protect and by those sworn to protect them.  In the end only one of the great elven plants, you know the ones elves use to make their most powerful weapons the moonblades, was left.  That one was in a forest known as the Shining woods, however it was under seige on its own merrits.(1)  A ranger from the Glimmering Halls now known as the Broken Halls named Shadow(2) traveled to the forest and rescued that last elven plant.  Then traveled with it to the last bastion of the T'oleflor, there it was decided that the world posed to much of a risk and had to few defenders for it was Bloods remaining forces that had been destroying the plants.(3)  As well as the servents of Pyrtechon and Corath which deeply wish the end of a certain dragon god.(4)  It was decided upon then, that the T'oleflor would seal themselves away for a time until heroes had gathered able to conqour eight difficult challenges and truely learn of the world.  Eight items were gathered and then scattered throughout the land, each one a shard of nature and this world the last was a jewel of souls that Selian communicated with Shadow thru.  So one by one the bridges were built by those of us of Hlint as we sought ancient relics from times long gone till at last the final peice came together.  

1 - Must be the events of the year -210, it does fit the situation.  2 - The bridgebuilder, now departed and freed from his duty.  3 - General Bloodstone fears the Silver Veign, this is obviously important.  4 - I speculate again but the Dragon God they tried to eliminate might be the very one that appeared to me and called me to Hlint not so long ago.

 I also inquired on other things that I thought useful.  -- About what the items were that built the bridges:  "Most of the bridges are a mystery. We know we did something, we are just not sure what. The two that govern the great library were charged with recording this information, and failed."  -- About Rhizome's choice, the one mentioned by Shadow, I asked him if it was between the path to the Great Tree that led us to the T'oleflor home or the one that led to the crypt. He replied:  "That was his choice, each had benifits and each had concequence. There are two great portals in that region one leads to the Plane of Lost Souls in the Abyss, the other lead to where we went.  With the Soul Mother on vacation so to speak, the plane of lost souls may of been captureable and a new master enthroned. Blood is a gnat, the soul mother is far more dangerous."  I asked, if we could have used the Soul Mother's powers to fight General Bloodstone and he answered that it was possible be if she tried to stop us, we would all be doomed, however ..."with her powers would of come the ability to open the other door anyway."  Fascinating point, we could have taken a path more perilous but the safer choice was made.  -- Finally, I inquired about the outcome of these events and the possible destruction of General Bloodstone. His answer was not exactly heart warming, then again, great strifes never end all at once...  "Once Blood is down then we have to rebuild this world and fast before we suffer masive civil wars."  As for the "and fast" part... It might be because we opened a portal through which the outer planes might start a war amoung themselves ... and ... I speculate again ... Layonara might be their battlefield.  So it seems that whenever the Bloodwar ends, a new war might start, one with fiends from beyond the great expanse of the planes - GREAT.  So there it is, another little bit to this long tale I make public for us folks new to this great strife.  I'll think of other things to ask Master Ozymandias whenever he has some free time.