The Maw of Oblivion

The following is a written record of the information gathered by Dr. Selby and Thalia Burdorn regarding the monster, known as The Maw, that attempted to eat Cinder in November of 1217, several months after his resurrection.



The creature depicted above (or more accurately the mouth depicted above, which was all we saw of the creature) is referred to as the Maw or the Maw of Oblivion. The Maw is a terrifying creature with a hunger for the souls of Light and Dark Paladins. As of this writing, it has already eaten all those Paladins of the Light and Dark that had been taking part in the Ascended War. And now it is coming for the Paladins on this plane and likely everyone else.

The Maw became known to us during Cinder’s resurrection in September of 1217. In the time that led up to the resurrection, it was revealed that the Paladins had received a vision of what the afterlife had held for him and it was this vision that spurred the urgency of his resurrection. Unfortunately, Cinder was only returned to his loved ones for several moments before he was literally pulled from them by forces unseen.

In November of 1217, Magnus, Aiki, Odette, Lumaneris (Cinder’s sister), Duncan, Jun, Jackdaw, Starling, Swyft, Zelretch,Thalia, Jed, Seth, Bob, Indigo, Amir, and others of all alignments when to attempt to rescue Cinder. Zelretch led the group to the weakest point between the veils and parted them, and there found Cinder held captive before the giant mouth of the creature depicted above. He was held in place by chains forged from the souls of both Light and Dark Paladins and it took all of us working together to get him free.

Upon setting foot back in Travance, the doorway we had used to travel to the Maw’s plane closed behind us. However, as we set foot through, it was clear that the Maw’s tendrils were attempting to cross over as well. While it did not succeed, it was clear that it would only be a matter of time before the Maw made its way from its current plane into ours.

It was then that the research. The question was how to kill, disable or otherwise delay a creature of this magnitude and power. From our understanding at that point, in November 1217, we only had a year. Thankfully we were granted more time to try and understand and gather information for the task.

Our research has led us to realize that the closest creature in similarity to the Maw is the monster that resides at the bottom of the inverted tower, also known as the Void Spider. The Void Spider is incredibly powerful, so powerful that Arawyn themself raised a champion to fight it. And when that champion failed, Arawyn used their own power to invert the tower so that the Void Spider was locked away. This is the level of threat that we can anticipate from the Maw.

During the five-year timeline created by Eden, further research was conducted. We discovered a name that was somehow related to how to defeat this creature; the name was Professor Algrave, an instructor who survived the fall of the Quartz Mountain Academy. The professor had been known for his then-controversial theories about power. Further research revealed that Professor Algrave was indeed alive and that he had found a series of “mysterious islands, each seeped in the power of gemstones” and it was his intention to travel there. Today, we call it Sevenlore.

Through a psionic ritual lead by Tari in October 1218, we were able to get coordinates that worked on the Gates of Passage to get to Sevenlore where the Professor has been living. After a brief interlude with a Sevenlore native, the Professor magically took us into his study. The magic he used was recognized by some more seasoned Travancians to be the type of magic used by the Advocates many years ago. For those who do not know, this is dream magic. After talking to the Professor, we found that he has the ability to teach this power to others and that it can be used to make the monster much easier to defeat. The Professor came back to Travance with us and has been training Travancians to use this power, what he deems the power of the Archons, to defeat this creature. He started training Travancians to use this power in January 1219.

In April of 1219, through the weakening of the False Prophet Anjira, it was discovered that the Maw was once Gamaliel who used to be a soul harvester. Gamaliel committed a genocide of Twilight Stars which led to him transcending being a soul harvester and becoming the Maw. He has the ability to cross realms at will and he will learn that he is capable of this within one to two months.

The Maw is coming. It is coming firstly for Paladins of all alignments. We believe that if it succeeds in eating all of the Paladins, it will move on to everyone else. To our knowledge, we have one way of stopping it. That is to use the powers of the Archons to will this creature into being much less powerful; into being something we can fight.

We have fought many creatures before and faced many perils. The one before us is one that we must defeat, for our future and the future of this world. No one person or group can fight this battle alone, we will only succeed if everyone works together to defeat this monstrosity.


If you have any questions, feel free to ask them here, send a missive, or speak to either of us at the May feast. Both of us will be in attendance and will keep ourselves available whenever possible.

These notes will be added to when more information is uncovered.

-Thalia Burdorn and Dr. Selby Wainwright

We have faced the void of obliteration before and we shall do so now resolute and firm.

In Service,

You have full access to my power to assist in this threat.
No one but me will ever have the right to rip apart my teacher's soul and it certainly will not be allowed to have mine.
I hope whatever consciousness the Maw has, is ready to accept the fate we will grant him.



Post Script For those who cannot sense my sarcasm, I have no intention of sundering Orophin's soul.

Aiki,
Both me and Selby appreciate the thanks. We have spent many years following this.

I just hope that our words do the Maw justice. A threat this insidious must not taken lightly.
-Thalia

Thank you for putting all of this together. Whatever you need to keep going with this, if I can provide it, I will.

Some questions, some of which will likely be better suited towards some group research next Feast:
-Has there ever been any known instance of a soul being re-formed after being consumed by a soul harvester?
-What happened to the soul-forged chains after you freed Cinder?
-What did you have to do to break the chains in the first place?
-How were you able to reach the spot beyond the veils in the first place? Was the Maw just omni-present, or was there some kind of... beacon?
-It sounds like the Maw (or one of its tendrils) needs to be within a certain distance of you to consume you. Does this track?
-Were you able to beat back/harm/destroy any of the tendrils, or was it more like a game of dodge rock where the best you could hope for was to avoid them?

---

In Service,
Lady Lois Blair Heimdell of Albriar

---

Thank you both. Your efforts in investigating The Maw will be invaluable when the time comes for us to confront it; I have confidence that your work shall bear fruit. It has been a long while since I've thought of that battle--with good reason--but I realize that I have additional information that may help in defeating this beast:


-The balancing forces of light and dark seem to have a devastating effect on The Maw, and I don't mean attacking at random; there's a rhythm to it. Like two smiths working at an anvil, alternating strike, light and dark working together in pairs increased our power tenfold. But should light or dark fight alone, we were able to do almost nothing. I firmly believe that we can use the powers of light and dark to defeat this creature... but the question is how? This is challenge number one.

-While between the veils, it was almost as though our heroic souls were... weakened. If I wanted to deflect a blow, I could do so once. If Aiki wanted cast his dragon's breath upon our foes, he could do so once. If somebody wanted to assassinate an enemy, they could do so once. Pure marshal skill, clever tactics, and the fast reaction of our healers were the only reasons we managed to survive. If we want to stand a chance, we might want to find a way to prevent our souls from weakening. This is challenge number two.

-I need to reiterate Aiki's point: All throughout this fight, The Maw never stopped trying to draw us in. If we were to stumble too close or fall to the ground for more than 10 seconds, the cost would have been absolute obliteration of the soul. And we had a lot of people come close--a few seconds more and they would have been gone forever. We need to figure out a more efficient way to prevent ourselves from getting sucked in, this way we can focus on the fight at hand and reduce our risk of obliteration--if only by a fraction. This is challenge number three.

-The last thing I have to add is the matter of The Maw's manifestations. During this fight, The Maw's many tendrils manifested themselves into... I'm not really sure what to call them; they were some kind of entity that lacked identifiable features, all of which were extremely powerful and fought with neverending brutality. But hurting them using the dark/light method I mentioned earlier seemed to directly hurt The Maw. With every manifestation that we defeated, another chain broke off of Cinder. I'm unsure if this is something we could use to our advantage, but I sure hope some of our brilliant researchers will turn over some stones and find a solution. This is challenge number four.

That's all I can remember for now. If anything else crosses my addled memory, I'll be sure to follow up. I pray this information will be of use to us all. For this world's sake, I truly hope so.

-Sir Odette D. Lucatiel

Lois,
I will let Thalia respond to your questions as I was not present for the battle.


Thank you for further information Odette. It is by belief that the Archons using their powers to weaken the Maw will assist in most of the challenges of battling it that you brought forth. I do not believe that challenge number two would be an issue as the Maw will be coming here, we will not be going between the veils. Unless of course, if the Maw was what caused that weakening, in which case, what the Archons are doing should help.

This is just an idea of how it could help. More research is needed on the impact that the Archons will have; I will be looking into this more this coming feast.

Thalia, Selby, thank you both for your tireless effort on this. Any help I can render to you, you have it.

I agree wholeheartedly, Lois, that more research is needed - I think we have a starting point in your first question by asking what happened to the Twilight Stars. If indeed Gamaliel destroyed or consumed them on his path to become the Maw, we should try to understand how, and what was left over of them.

Nadia,
Thank you. It will be good to see you again.


Lois,
Regarding your questions:
1) I am unsure, but I have plans to speak with someone next moon who is intimately familiar with Soul Harvesters and may have the answer. I will let you know more when I gather the information.

2) They broke, but did not come back with us. They were attached to these two stone columns and remained attached when Cinder was freed. They were left behind when we escaped.

3) I will have to think on this further, I have it in one of my journals. I simply need time to find which one. I will get back to you.

4) It does make sense. The tendrils themselves were free-moving, but the maw itself, or rather its mouth, continued to attempt to pull us into it. None of us were able to keep our footing for very long in one spot because the air around us kept being sucked towards its gaping mouth. That being said, it does not necessarily need to use its tendrils to get you to come towards it, but attacking its tendrils - as Odette mentioned - did cause pain to the whole. That being said the Tendrils did attempt to pull us in more than once.

-We were able to harm the tendrils. As Odette rightly stated earlier, attacking them seemed to directly effect the Maw itself and it is how we were able to free Cinder. Some were fighting them, I had to attempt to avoid them as my abilities seemed... dampened on the other Plane. So a bit of both. There is also the fact that we were in its domain, where it was clearly much stronger. But we also did not have the knowledge of the Archons at that time.


Talahiel,
The more help we have with research regarding what was revealed last moon, the better. I believe I speak for myself and Selby when I say that we would welcome all assistance.

Thalia, Selby, Sir Odette, and everyone involved-

I will be glad to assist in researching the Maw and in whatever other ways I can be of service.

A quick thought and topic for Research-

As more of us have been able to tap into wielding light and dark power, would more people than just Paladins be able to assist in weakening it with those powers? Exemplars and soul binders can wield the same powers naturally, and many people now have runes that allow them to.

My Lady Odette,

I will follow you to the ends of oblivion. I will stand bulwark agasint any who dare cross blows with you. I am forever in your service. I hope a simple fighting man will be of service to this endeavor.

On my honor,

Cara,

That is a really good thought. Perhaps we can look into it next feast if you are available? The more people, the better.

I may be new here in Travance, and for all I know I may only be good for helping you folks buy a little more time. But so long as I am standing, whatever this thing is will have to get through me and my shield to get to those it is after.

Aiki,

I would be more than happy to learn from your expertise if you would be willing to teach me.

~Keladry Aybara

We will say this, and we will say this but once. Everything here will be put to use. Necrophitus, Eden, Xualla none them even combined will compare to what we are about to face. We don't think you understand this yet.
Stop this war,
Stop your feeble bouts of pride,
Stop your hoard,
We call the Count to aid ever man, woman, child, or the other,
Arm the Peasants,
Scare the masses into submission.
We have not faced harder, and any lies you spread that say otherwise will only serve to commit genocide.
We don't care what you think, only of what we know. For in this omen we spin, we warn you, and are certain.

We say here, not in fear, but in ambition.
This beast can, and will be killed.
Killed it will, not by the hands of Travance, Kormyre, or any single thing of the like.
Not of the Light, Dark, or any of your meek gods.
The sky will only rain in blood and success by your hands.

If you feel your not ready, you will be.
We will make you ready.
We do not care for any of the opposition to this statement.

Don't think of yourself higher then you truly stand, you are important, but you are no leader, you are part of no destiny, you are merely a piece.
A speck.
A coalescence of energy, making up just a part of a bigger mass.
We are a mass, we are a collective, and we must fight as such here.

listen to those whom have seen it, and been preparing for it's coming.
If that is not you, do not treat yourself as integral.

You may have your discordance, we will not entertain you.




Prepare.

Moostrav,

First and foremost, I want to say that I see where you are coming from and I think you have good intentions with your call. The unfortunate reality is that we CANNOT stop this war. Duke Baliol and Enzarond would only use us shifting our focus to this to conquer and gain the advantage, thus gaining control over us. When it comes to arming the peasants, know that there will be some who won't. There will be some like me, who throw their lives on the line to protect their families and their things, but there are some that know no other life than what they currently have, and in reality, we need those. We need the farmers to keep tilling their fields and providing the food we need to get through whatever long fights and battles we are going to have to deal with. We need the smithies to continue forging the weapons we will use to fight against this. Prepare whoever is willing, but even the smallest cog can help in the biggest problems.

That having been said, I do agree that any who hold things that could grant us even a modicum of additional power against whatever this thing is should be sharing it. Let us know of these assets so they can be put to use in the fight to come. I don't know much of magic. I, myself, do not wield it. But I have seen it used and seen a glimpse of what can be done. I know that reading all this, I am terrified of whatever this Maw creature is. And yet I will still stand and fight. I will do what I can to prepare myself and be of value to this fight. And from what I have seen so far of Travance, I have a feeling that many here will be doing the same.

~Keladry Aybara

GOOD EvEnin NAYBOR,

WHAT?

YER NAYBOR,
TOM BELL
RATCATCHER

POST SCRIPT- WUD ROCKS WORK?

I want to draw specific attention to Odette's challenge number three.

Every person who went there not only suffered a weakened soul, but were at anextreme disadvantage. Fighting while being forced towards its center threw us all off our game.

Me, Magnus, Jediah Frost, the many skilled warriors named and unnamed on this post could barely stand to fight for more than a few moments at a time, before stumbling towards it.

And this was when the Maw was unprepared for us.

If we are to stand a chance, we need to be able to withstand the immense pressure eminating from it when even being within its reach.

An anchor to plant our feet as firmly as our prose would suggest they stand. But how?

~Nalick

I have no control over the spiritual self, not anything of the spirit realm. That said, any who do have that capability or any ideas of what I can do to assist, please do let me know. I practice Shamanic, Arcane and Druidic magicks.

I'm not sure about weakening the pressure it uses to draw people into it, but, if we fight it here than perhaps Myself, Sir Nesterin, Keavy and the other druids can create and then wield a ritual to control vines powerful enough to snare and halt people who are being dragged in.

Selby, correct us if we are wrong here.

But the intention is for us studied in the ways of the Archon to weaken the beast.
So that the Paladins and the collective you can kill it.

Divert your work elsewhere, let us make this fight possible for you.

Ser Odette,
If Light and Dark fighting side by side, turn for turn, strike to strike is what is necessary for the defeat of this Maw then I am willing to be an agent of Light in this battle. I have fought side by side with those of the Dark against common enemy - as we have learned to do in Travance. Send me in together with the most Dark soul and we will confront, battle, and defeat this monstrosity.

Yours in the Light,

Great, Ephram
I hope I'll see you there.

Nikola Malagan



_________________

I just want to thank all of you for your questions, knowledge, and willingness to help.
Thank you for taking this seriously.

Thalia and I will be available at the scholar's table for the majority of this coming feast doing further research. Anyone who would like to assist researching is welcome and anyone who would rather ask questions face to face can feel free to talk to us at any point. I believe that with a little more work, we can come up with a plan to use everyone's talents to defeat the Maw.

I wanna back up most of what was said above, I remember all of that happening.

There was a question of how we got there, which I didn't see answered, and while I don't know how we got there, I have the distinct memory of when we exited and turned we saw an archangel holding the passage open for us, which closed quickly.

So... that's a thing.

This being sounds terrifying. Do you think anchoring spikes would help keep people from being dragged in?

Considering the uniquity of the threat we face, Master Berek, I believe we ought to try everything we can muster.

~Nalick