Tales from Etheraz: May Event Recap pt. 3

Greetings, newcomers, nemeses, and nonconformists! 

I, ATLAS THE BARD, have finally received final correspondence confirming the defeat of the Coltar Spawn of Hatred by the group of soldiers known as the PC Party! This incredible news came from a member of the party directly: head Alchemist and my trusty informant Kyran sent me the following letter: 

Transcription: Nemen, our leader. He attacked Warrick and was killed, I couldn’t get to the body in time to heal him. He was turned into a Vorvalaki. Makota betrayed us, she left with Urilos, she was corrupted by the crown. I read her journal, it seems like she was too far gone a lot sooner than we realized. I should have noticed. Itzel made a deal with Risaka, they sacrificed a part of themself to cure me of my rot. They decided to stay in Twilight, at least they should be safe there. The Coltar Spawn of Benevolence sacrificed herself and turned into a lodestone. With her sacrifice we were able to destroy what used to be Warick. There has been so much loss these past dew days and I don’t know how much longer I can keep doing this. — Kyran Greyling Corvis

As you can see, Hatred (who inhabits the body of a former party member named Warrick), has been defeated. But, it has come at a great personal cost to the party, with several beloved party leaders and outstanding murderers (members, I mean members) either dying or disappearing into the mists. Let me start from the beginning of the end. 

The party returned to Hatred’s Temple with two scrolls and a lodestone, which would permit them to destroy Hatred, assuming they defeat him. The Temple was overtaken by Hollowed of all different kinds, not just the ones that Hatred had been known to control in the past — Hollowed belonging to Consumption, Apathy, Despair, Violence (all the nasty things!) roamed, itching for the blood of child soldiers. Among these Hollowed was Nemen, the party leader who had been slain just the night previous in a vicious duel against Hatred. I guess those wishing for his return got what they wanted… in a way…

The battle commenced. Though the party is no stranger to bloody battles against ancient monsters, this time held an air of horrifying familiarity. Here, the party fought a looming enemy wearing the face of a former friend, in the land they had abandoned merely a year prior, with their party behind enemy lines. This fight was not only for life or death, or to secure a monster from terrorizing the land, but to finish a personal vengeance. 

Understandably, many people were rather distressed to fight Nemen, even (or especially) as a grotesque, evil abomination. Was Nemen entirely gone, subsumed by the magic of the Coltar Spawn of Hatred and doomed to lead a violent undeath? Perhaps not. As the battle raged and the party broke down Hatred’s defenses, the Hollowed of Nemen seemed to falter. Was there any person left inside the monster? With Hatred attacking Nemen’s former friends and their blood staining the ground, something seemed to spark within the Hollowed. With a roar, Nemen broke free from Hatred’s control and turned against him, allying himself with his friends one final time and earning redemption! 

Alas, his heroics were short lived. Nemen was quickly struck down (again), now finally at peace, hopefully serene in the knowledge that his final acts were to complete his mission and protect his friends. 

At last, the tides seemed to turn. With many Hollowed destroyed and littering the ground, the demise of Hatred was finally within grasp. And then things went bad. 

Readers, over the course of the past few months, I’ve mentioned the happenings of a party member named Makota. Makota is a former leader of the party, who started out as a virtuous(ish) heroine of the people. But, recently, she has succumbed to the powers of a cursed crown that now is bound to her head. Though initially claiming she can control the powers of the crown and use them for good, her behavior has gotten increasingly erratic. Rumor had it that the crown was whispering dark thoughts to her, and that she would soon fall entirely. 

Well. Who could have guessed what happened next??

In the middle of the battle, time stopped. From the shadows emerged a dark figure who called for Makota. It was time, he said, to quit with these mortal follies and join him and his master in the Dreamlands. Immediately. Makota resisted. There was still so much to do here, with her friends, with this mission. How could she abscond now? The figure laughed. Makota was still acting as if she had a choice in the matter. 

Makota was forced with a reckoning. Yes, the crown brought her power beyond her wildest imaginations, but here she was, forced to leave before Hatred’s defeat in order to join with an evil force beyond her imagination. Facing her friends for the final time, she made her goodbyes, and left. 

Time unfroze, and the battle continued. The party had now suffered two incredible losses, and fought even harder in the name of their friends gone. With clashes of sword and steel, battle cries, and the shedding of blood, the party rallied and finally destroyed Hatred once and for all. Victory! Joy! Blood loss! The party got the happy ending they were so desperately fighting towards these past few months. But at what cost? Nemen lay dead on the ground, a shadow of his former self. Makota was gone, off into the mists doing Gods-know-what. 

But, even in this bittersweet celebration, there was hope in the air. With Hatred’s defeat, the lands of Eventide and Twilight were no longer magically cursed. Now they had normal problems, like famine! Yay! 

A prominent smith in the party, Itzel, decided that they should stay behind in Twilight to help the people rebuild. Though it would sting to leave their friends, especially among this loss, they felt it was something they had to do. 

One weekend, three great losses in the party. But, as the sun drew over the battlefield, a new day dawned for Etheraz. 

Readers, thank you for waiting as I compiled these reports! We can also breathe easier knowing that Hatred has been defeated. But, all is not calm forever!! I have an urgent report from the Coalition incoming about a top-secret mission. Something big has been happening at the Blakka Barricade: something that, if completed successfully, will secure the future of the Coalition. If we’re not successful… Let’s just say it was nice knowing you! 

Keep an ear out. And remember: fight together, or die alone.

This is blog written from the perspective of an in-game NPC intended to catch players up on what they missed during events!