Several years ago, a creature appeared in the Ascended Realm -- the final battle field between good and evil. The creature, in the first reports, was a small shadowy hump just lying on the ground on a remote cliffside. As one dark paladin came across it and lazily stabbed it with his sword, the blade’s tip corroded, broke off and disappeared into dust. The thing was left behind and disregarded as an unimportant enigma. Several weeks later, paladins on both sides of the war reported missing soldiers who had never returned from their missions.
After several months of the losses increasing, both forces knew that something was terribly wrong. Instability was seen in the realm around them. First there were tremors, and then small chunks of physical land detached and slowly drifted about the atmosphere. The forces of good and evil paused their wars and located the creature responsible. Now large and hard to comprehend, it had become a wide gaping mouth, surrounded by shadowy tendrils. Most who encountered the creature died that day, and when it was encountered again several weeks later, it had clearly grown yet again in size. It was shortly after this incident when the heroes of Travance were called to the Ascended Realm to rescue Sir Cinder.
Several years have passed in the Ascended Realm, and the situation grew worse and worse with each passing day. No longer is there a war between good and evil. No longer are there ascended souls populating the realm. The battlefields have become empty and barren, and the landscape stretched and shorn. In the moment when this creature named “The Maw” transverses the planes, the realm will crumble to dust and be no more.
The Paladin Orders of Arawyn did all that they could to stave off this growing wound, but the flowing blood was unstoppable. Most had sacrificed their lives to slow it down, leaving so few of either kind that they could be counted with solemn ease. Whatever the creature is, wherever it came from, the moment when it will cross into the Prime Material Plane draws near. The fate of good and evil now lies within the hands of the brave heroes of Travance!
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War Report 11251219 - Battle of Bastion’s Wake
The campaign has gone into full swing and our forces are crashing against the wall. We can only stand to do this so much before our own soldiers can’t take it anymore. The heroes have started answering our calls and reporting to their local scribes for mission assignments.
Our scouting reports have indicated that Duke Balliol has set up a war camp on the opposite side of Bastion behind his forces. He, too, plans to see this as the end of this war. If he can maintain the border alongside Bastion and rout our forces, the border will be lost and he will be secure in his territory.
If we can push back enough, we can take the battle directly to the Duke’s campsite, then we can ensure our victory and be finished with this war.
Chancellor Enzarond Melentres has been reported as constantly watching over the Duke, and further reports of whispers in the shadows at night confirm that the warlock, Val’Ixtal Vai is with them as well. The primary targets are all in one location.
Count Sebastian Everest has ordered the deaths of Enzarond and Val’Ixtal Vai by any means necessary and that Duke Balliol be taken alive. The Duke will stand trial to ascertain how much of this war was from his own influence, and then face justice for his crimes against the Kingdom.
Heroes, Soldiers, Adventurers, Mercenaries. Whatever be your profession, we have come to this moment and we cannot look back. Too many lives have been lost to the dark whispers of this creature and the merciless hand of Duke Balliol.
We will prevail! For Justice and for Kormyre!
