The Grouzhina Flood
Grouzhina was originally created by Christian Constantin here: http://pandius.com/cconstan.html and depicted in this map: http://pandius.com/h1000ac.jpg
8 Yarthmont
1004 AC
Late Spring.
It was dark that night. The storm clouds blocked out the stars again, yet no
rain did fall for the whole day. Several miles east of Djuhra, near the
standing stones.
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| Source http://www.danielarndt.com/ |
The Wildwood
druid Glashbar frowned deep within his beard, being sure not to awaken the
gerbil babies hiding in it. He took a sip of Dalarquian Brandy, looked up
again, and frowned even stronger. “It is
that I know this be no magic cast from a fallen cleric from Hule, or a decrepit
adventurer from the East. Not even a
foul sorcerer from over the Silver Sierras, or a demonic Lich from the Kingdom
of the Dead in the North. No. None of these had been seen in the region for
over three years now. Not that there was no magic. No. Adventurers enough;
Fighters and Clergy from Kyurdukstan, Thieves from Grouzhina, and even
Dragonhunters from the Wildwoods. Some Orcish Shaman from Hule, maybe… , but
neither of them … no, neither of them would be able to lock the weather down in
this region, without making it rain. No. Nobody would be able, or so stupid.
The source must be natural. But where?’’
The Mother
gerbil arose Glashbar from his pondering. The creature looked him deep in his
eyes, as if a question had to asked. No sadness, fear or anger was in its tiny
bead-like eyes, but no happiness was either. Then it rapidly scuttled between
the strands of beard, climbing up to its
litter. A squatter arose for a moment , as the cubs fought for their
nipple to suckle upon, then silence again.
Glashbar, felt the warm fur of the critter on his chest, now and then
the tiny claws scratching his bare skin. He looked up again. The dark clouds
looked foreboding.
Its center
was near, somewhere above the village Illishian. “Tommorrow,
yeah, tomorrow ‘ill be there and find the source….. yeah, tomorrow, it must be tomorrow!”
9 Yarthmont
1004 AC
Marla looked
up. Between the chalked spires of Kouriani. The clouds in the south looked as
solid as a rock, dark-green, which became brighter for a second or so with each
internal lightning burst crawling inside. She knew that no sorcerer was seen
the last year or so miles around, yet this felt as if…, here her thoughts
stopped. Frozen. For less than a mere blink of an eye. Within the fluid moment between two seconds
she felt as being adrift. The world around her seemed to change. She saw fish
and trees flying through the air, sand and stone above and air below. She
softly heard a voice; “Prepare to leave,
meet me with the Crystals of Merat. You have two days.!!”
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| Source; http://purplepaperplanes. |
Then all was
as if nothing had happened, the people around here were still selling their
wares as usual. The pigeons she used to send messages were feeding upon the
corn seeds. The storm still raged on. “Weird,
isn’t it?” A voice broke here reassining reasoning. “Huh? Ehmm… Yeah. Yes …. Weird”. “”They say in Illishian that it
started three days ago. Three days, and still no drop of rain. It must be dem
wizards beyond da desert plateau to da east”.
Worried she
looked upon the merchant, a local from Isiliath selling magic sand to merchants
travelling faraway. She knew the sand was used for magical creations, like
sandhours which always revealed the true time, or sleeping sand for the sleep
spell research.
His eyes
dark and covered in dirtied wrinkles, yet friendly. His mouth, dirty and almost without any teeth. The wooden mouth piece as replacements hung on a rope beneath
his chin. The dirtied clothing revealed clearly his Sindian origin, one of the
few still roaming around here.
“Yes, still no rain!...?” she answered, voiced more like a
question than an affirmation.
“Nahh, no’ even a drop” But He cannai
send a message to Illishian? I wanna
know if me brats continue digging up enough sand. I just gotta new order. 15
bags o’ sand. Fifteen!!. That’a bring me
at least a 1000 gold. A 1000. Yo’ve eva seen a 1000 gold? I’m becoming
rich ya know, and then I……´ Slowly Marla looked back at the
cloud, and tried to mix it with her vision. Nothing came out. “ He Ya… I canna write, ya know. Grab da
feather anna start writing kid, ya wanna earn ya money aren’t ya?” “ Yes, sir.
What is your message….50 words is the limit, since my pigeons aren’t
weightlifters, for only 3 silver…..”
10 Yarthmont
1004 AC
The Storm
raged above Isiliath. Yet no drop had fallen. Four days now. No strange magic,
no hard wind, no humanoids or dragons. Nothing at all. Only the complete
covering of the sky. Blocking of the few daylight that passed over the valley
walls. Logan saw the people, foreign as he was between them, foreign they were
to him. Most of them were hauling crystals and crystal –like sand in sacks and
carts. Yes, he was a foreigner. Far away
he came. His clergy ordained him to go to a sorcerer who could teleport him
here. In Glantri he found one. 500 gold pieces. 500!! Expensive. Why did the
clergy want to spend such an amount just to send him. He unsurely looked
around. His new warhorse reined, and
saddled, the merchant checking another 80 gold pieces. Horses were rare here.
Apparently. Some other creature was more common. Some kinda big bird. He saw many nests lining the
rocks, but the birds were gone. None remained. The population was frightened,
yet hungry for more sand. “Thank You Sir” said the merchant as he gave the
money. “Do you know a place of crystal
known as Merat?” he asked. “Yeah..
o’course. Go North. Along da river and ya see it clearly. Its druid territory
though. I dunna think they wanna have metal-bearers there. On da horse ya can
reach it in a day o’ two. Hope I Helped ya….” With a greedy outstretched palm, eagerly for a
coin extra, he looked beggingly in the face of the Paladin. Logan frowned; “Of course, here best man, may the Immortals
be with you”, and placed a silver piece in the dirty hand. As he arose the
horse, the merchant mumbled something within its breath, something unfriendly.
“Greed in any form, is never good, but
always wrong, Mister.” “Yeah, yeah, ya
surely wanna never get another rich, mister goodytissue…..” further he could not,
nor wanted too, hear the words the man said. The horse itself suddenly walked forwards. And outside the village limits, it started to run. Northwards…along
the river.
In the cave
of the Malet Mountain, north of Djuhkra, Vertigeribiil Darastrix suddenly had a
strange feeling. He was being summoned, with his hoard. A sort of druidic
summon, yet he never was requested to do such a thing with its hoard. Yet
Glashbar had always kept his promise. Never he sent hunters, thieves, or other
kin to slay him. He even awarded the dragon when it helped. Vertigeribiil
Darastrix casted a few spells and its treasure disappeared in a huge sack. Then
he lifted it and spread its wings. He looked over the valley. In front of him
he saw the river Merat. And even the sparkles of the Crystal Vale near it. The
faint light from the north broke through the dark-green and purple clouds. Not
even Vertigeribiil Darastrix did like this. He felt the magic tintelizing in
the air. Something was amiss, so much for sure. His wide wings spread, he took
a step over the edge, and jumped into the sky. A small circle, as he looked
back upon its lair. Its home. He had a feeling it would be his last moment with
it. Then he turned East. The 30 miles were done in a few hours, and at nightfall
he landed near the Crystal Vale. He liked the magic coming from it. It charged
through his muscles, giving him strength and healing. Of course as a dragon he
had more affinity with nature than most species, yet it was always weird to see
how he could accept its powers already at a distant, while humans and such had
to wear a piece.
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| Source;http://www.wiccantogether.com/photo/crystal-forest?xg_source=activity |
Nobody here,
he thought as he looked around. I wait. The sack placed in the Vale, for he
knew humans would not dare to enter a Crystal Vale. Then he stepped just
outside. Folded his mighty wings and tail. And sagged down. Slowly he fell
asleep.
11 Yartmont
1004, Early morning.
Marla had
traveled by moose now. Horses were way to expensive, and since moose tend to
function better in woodlands, this tamed version would suffice. Or at least it
has too. With a bottom like a rock and pains in her lower back she travelled
day and night. It was weird, as the moose was neither hungry or thirsty, and
did not get tired. As if something important was too happen and the beast knew
it. Marla wished she had brought her pillow, as the back of a moose was not
build to ride upon.
Then the
first crystals could be seen. Single elliptical strands growing like flowers
from the ground. The Crystal Vale was near. Very near. And then the glow of the
main source could be seen through the trees. She halted the moose. But as soon
she grabbed her equipment, (the tent from her grandfather, the dagger from her
sister, and the pouch with food from her mother) the creature staggered back
and ran away, back into the north. The strings of the bedroll securely
strapped, the equipment fell to the ground. Marla kneeled, and while doing this, she sensed a strange smell. A scent of chlorine, somewhat acidic, yet not
chemical, but still a strong natural smell. Something she had never smelled
before.
Logan tried
to slow his horse down, but all attempts were fruitless. The beast almost
panickly ran forward. As soon as it had left the village Isiliath, it took up
several notches of speed. Only his experience held him in the saddle. He saw
the small village disappearing from sight. In the darkness against the
rockwalls it was soon no more to be seen. The forest passed by as if it helped.
There were no branches, no bushes in the way that seemed to hinder the horse. And
where they were, it jumped over it. Then
he noticed something. He didn’t spot it directly, but during the day, he found out what was different; it was silent, really silent. No birds
singing, or other beasts making sound, not even insects. He did notice animals, but all were in some kind of haste, though a clear chosen direction could not
be seen. The whole day and night passed on this way. It was the morning sun
piercing over the mountains from the Northeast that broke his sleepy eyes. He was
completely awake instantly. Looking around, the horse was still running.
Pantingly it suddenly fell. Logan tumbled over the horse. The ground and his
armor met with a loud crash. Dizzy from the impact Logan arose, directly
turning his eye towards the horse. With a last gasp of breath the creature
looked frightened back into his soul. “What…
the beast is dead? How?” the horse had not broken any legs, but was soaked
in sweat, and spilled foam from its mouth. Its body was still hot, as if a
fever. A Heart attack. Pure from exhaustion. Logan hoped he was near his
intended destination, and grabbed his equipment. With a stroke of his hand he
closed the horses’ eyes. “Rest well, beast,
Rest well.” The animal served him only once, but he felt as if they were
long friends, able to give life to save the other. In the north he saw some
smoke rising from above the trees. Where’s smoke there’s fire, there is
intelligent life. About a mile or so, he estimated. It was in the main
direction, so why not.
Glashbar,
had ignited a fire, a secure spot, only rocks and no wood within a 50
yards. He disliked it still, but knew it
had to be important. It was as if nature itself told him what to do. He sat
down. Ate some berries, gave some to the gerbils, but they didn’t want to leave
his save and warm beard. He drank some brandy, but it didn’t taste as well as
he remembered. The cloud was darker than before, he noticed that the rain had
started above Isiliath. “At last. And yet…
still…” he was bothered, something
was still amiss.
Lake Ishi
The mountain
Fisher Amras was just south of the great lake. He had said farewell to his
family, but didn’t knew why. His thoughts were at first that the dangerous
climb to the lake could be his downfall, but when he canoed over the lake he
was sure it was something else. Thousands of fish, where jumping up from the
water. A sight he had never seen, carps as large as a horse were jumping like a
goldfish in hot water. Within the ruckus he succeeded to reach the southern
shore. Then the lightning bolts struck the mountain. The purple sky was lit for
several moments as the several bolts hit the northern side of the lake.
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| Source; http://agencyonesf.blogspot. |
“That musta be it” he mumbled “they musta sensed the weather. No moment for me to return home. That’s a thing o ‘sure”. He unpacked his canoe and set
up his tent. Then the rain fell. It was as if the heaven opened and released a
downpour. Within an hour Amras noticed the water level had risen a full yard. ”Thadda not normal. I’d betta hike up da
mountain and find a dry cave or something. Or I’ll be needinn to learn ta swim.”
And so he did. After strolling for a hour up the mountains he found a cave a hundred
yard or so above the water level, here he was at least dry and safe.
Vertigeribiil
Darastrix suddenly awoke. He heard something and his keen senses told him his
food had come. His favorite dinner; Moose. But as soon as he arose, and
stretched his sleepy wings the scent was gone. “ A Pity, such a fine dinner”.
Normally he would have flown after it, but he knew it was somehow important to
be here, remain here. He noticed the rain falling. “That must be the beginning of…,” here he stopped, not knowing what
to think or to say. Then a young human female came from around the Crystal
Vale. And behind here something else, something big, very big.
Rumbark
Questinor had been the local protector of the region All his life, but he knew
it was to change. The humans had depleted the magic point south of Isiliath too
much. The balance was disturbed. The magic spread, drawing upon the energies of
the sky in a balance to the powers of time it had in itself. It sought for
water, for time, but the humans had diverted the river so it didn’t reach the
crystal sands of the magical area. Then they also stole away great amounts of
the crystal sands for acquiring yellow metal. “Pah”. He had called a mighty summon spell to ensure the seeds of
the forest would be save. Two humans were called. One druid and a maiden. Vertigeribiil
Darastrix was also called, and he succeeded to request help from Ordana. She
explained a hero would be there too. Most of the animals he urged to flee,
away from the area, yet many, so he knew, would not be able too.
He saw the
girl, when she climbed down from the moose, and as fast as an Treant could walk he followed her to the Dragon. The wait
was only for the druid and the Hero. Vertigeribiil Darastrix knew Rumbark, and
settled down. Though there were not friends, they had great respect for each-others
Might. The woman, however, was something completely different. He knew her as
the Thief-merchant who send sold messages by pigeon, but often sold the
messages to those she saw profitable. He knew as he had noticed her often in
Kouriani in a human shape. Why was she here? Why? Rumbark noticed Vertigeribiil
Darastrix to settle down, and casted a Calm spell on the girl, just before she
saw the dragon.
Logan
noticed the rains too. A complete downpour came down, dowsing the fire he just
saw. In the darkness of the rain he stumbled further, when a greenish light almost beckoned him further. A Druidic Continual Light he thought., and
removed his helmet. And indeed he noticed a human figure where the fire just
was. A hunchbacked bearded fellow who probably had never seen the good use of a
razor and a piece of soap. Typically a druid.
Glashbar noticed the paladin long before he was noticed himself. And casted a spell to ensure
they would come together. The rain was so heavy, without light, you could pass
an house in 10 yards without noticing it, let alone meeting one another. "Hello
there. Come. I made cover". He called, and directed Logan to a makeshift roof of
branches and leaves. Before the man in armor could respond he casted yet
another spell transforming Logan into a squirrel. “That would surely haste our
travel”. He grasped the animal and shape-shifted into a deer. A bearded deer,
but a deer whatever. Rapidly he ran forward, and in the middle of the night the
magical lights of the Crystal Vale became recognizable. He was baffled when he
saw the Treant Druid being there together with the green dragon Vertigeribiil
Darastrix and some unknown human girl.
When he halted,
and returned to his self again, he also
transformed Logan back to his human shape. “Sorry for that fella, but when
Rumbark calls it’s important.
Together the
party acquinted and were explained how to help. Rumbark was slow and could not really help, but he gave
them a huge sack of seeds and seedlings of rare and unknown plants. “Go North. Just
west of the hills of the Wild Ogres and south of the Wildlwood. Find a good hidden glade and plant the seeds. when fully grown plant them here anew"
They went
north as rapid as they could, using all their skills combined to reach the
specific destination Rumbark had given to save these precious plants. He said farewell, and then they suddenly knew. He was not surviving this, whatever was
going to happen. With all the speed they had the moved north. Hindered here and
there by humanoids too stupid knowing what not to do.
12 Yarthmonth 1004 AC. about 12;00
It was Amras
who first noticed a change. It was a faint rumble within the mountain. The water
had risen 15 yards in total, and only now the rain was somewhat lessening.
The people
of Isiliath awoke in their richly decorated houses. A minor shock awoke them
all. They remembered the words of a Treant a week ago to leave, but almost
torched the thing for daring them to force to leave their wealth. Was there
something in what he had said? But before they could act upon these new fears, a great explosion broke down the mountain. Milions of cubic feet broke through
the mountain destroying everything in its wake. The first were the inhabitants
of Isiliath and their precious ownings. The wave slammed into the Malet mountain,
destroying all that was the lair of Vertigeribiil Darastrix. The water rushed
onwards, filling the complete valley.
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| Source; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ |
Rushing over the Crystal Vale only a
single turn after breaking through the wall of the mountain. Engulfing the
valley with several yards of torrentuous water, destroying all in its wake.
Trees flushed away as if not being there. Amras saw the lake literally disappearing.
The water slowed down near Mertnishi, but leaving no stone unturned, no
building intact. Within a moment the second village of the valley was
completely destroyed with almost all of its inhabitants. The onrushing water
fell back upon the side hills of the valley, and flooded Kouriani. Even here
hundreds died in the massive wave of water, mud, muck, trees, dead creatures
and evermore. Rumbark was one of them, reverted back to a dead stump of wood.
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| Source; zhejiang-dam-break |
The water calmed down a bit and slowly fell
back into its riverbed, the river had created over centuries winding side by
side. The high waters lost most of its destructive fore north of Slashina in
Grouzhina, but the sudden height of the water was noticed far away in Gallanor
and the Kingdom of the Dead. The dead it brought with it were found all along
this tract of river.
The strange
party succeeded in their quest. Logan saw and spoke while the others were just
awed;
“Greed in any form, is never good,
but always wrong.
They caused their own downfall by their own greed. Nature can’t
be plundered unwantingly. These are the words of Ordana. Great Mother of the
Forest. Pleased she’d be for saving us.
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| Source; Own map; http://6inchnails.deviantart. |
The Druid
and the party returned to the area, and helped spawning a new forest with the
use of special magic granted by the Immortal. The body of Rumbark was discovered and returned to the ground. Within 8 months the first trees
sprouted up, and the Crystal Vales hit by the wave broke through the mud,
showing of their splendor. The Young Gerbils left the beard of Glashbar. soon other animals would acompany them. chased by the dragon's awe into the valley.
A weird Party. Indeed.
A Good Cause to come together. Indeed
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