legends

Legends & Rumors

� The grandmother of all sand sharks was killed by the Guardians of Avalon, who fought their way to the creature's brain from the inside.

� Dragons are numerous in the plains and mountains of Garland, but it is said that the greatest of the red wyrms, Ixeniejir, controls the current tsar and his ministers.

� Many of the armies of the war were destroyed by massive sandstorms in Zelencia. These storms are said to have been caused by a Zelencian witch called the Wise One. The Wise One is rumored to be over a thousand years old and to be one of the few heroes of the war to survive.

� The fall of the Illyrian Empire which once ruled this continent has long been attributed to the effects of time and distance. But the event that precipitated the fall was the assassination of all who dwelled in the emperor�s palace over a thousand years ago by band of terrible monsters. Descriptions vary, but it is known the emperors of Byzantium have outlawed creatures the primary colors from ever entering the palace.

� Upon the defeat of the Umbrian capitol, Avalon, the dying king laid a curse on the heads of the invading forces. Both the kings of Ivalice and Velen died within weeks of the attack and most members of both royal houses were struck down by the curse. It is because of this that Umbria suffered so during the war.

� It is said that Jarlland was not always an icy waste. Once the frigid northern land was warmer and experienced warm if brief summers. The ice giants using the fabled staff of winter laid a curse on the land long ago. It is said that the ice inches south every year extending their domain.

� In the lands of Iron Hold, the war never ended. The dwarves and the goblins have continued their fight to this day. This genocidal war has claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands. Only dwarven resolve and new weapons keep the holds from falling, while the goblins rely on fell magics and rapid growth to continue the fight. Some say that the struggle is orchestrated by the lords of Sembar and Byzantium for the purposes of creating a deadly border state to compensate for their weak militaries.

� In the icy north of Jarlland, the dwarven hero Strom Umberbane lost his life some 50 years ago fighting frost giants. He was a renowned giant slayer and his axe Giant Slayer was able to cut a giant down in a few short strikes.

� During the war, there were spells that could level entire cities and mighty warriors who could stand against armies alone. Most died fighting each other and others retreated from the world. But it is said that the rest were killed by the gods who feared their powers.

� King Arndell II of Umbria was the last to wield the Tooth of Vivex, said to have been forged from a bronze dragon�s tooth. The sword was said to have potent healing and holy powers. But the sword was lost in the battle of Avalon, when it was shattered by the Ivalian heroine Linette Fortier. An armored figure led an army of undead against Avalon weilding a ruined sword wreathed in unholy flames, but he and the sword were destroyed by the heroes of Avalon (Ignatius Nainodel, Jack the Archer, and Grand Engineer Dominic). The sword has subsequently disappeared.

� Many Umbrians have searched over the years for Lavena�s wand, which is capable of enriching vast areas of earth and curing many ills. Created by a fairy princess in a time before the Illyrian Empire, it was a national heirloom until the war forced the rulers to hide their greatest treasures, supposedly in the confines of the Red Forest. Now it and the battle staff of the Umbrian magi lie in the hands of the Guardians of Avalon.

. The legendary wealth of the city of Sisak was recently discovered by the reknowned treasure hunter Kendrick Freeman. Despite dragon attacks, harsh desert conditions, and the slaughter of most of his group he was able to bring back an amazing amount of wealth. This is his first major success since the disastrous (if profitable) trip down the Demon River.

. Garland is going to war though the reasons are unknown. Vast movements of troops have been seen in recent months, including a horde of gnolls that made thunder as they marched.

. On the southernmost tip of Pyra is a crumbling tower. This is the dwelling of the Great Sage, Faust, who some say knows everything. He is known to hate visitors and repeat vistors usually end up dead.

. A mechanical being has taken up reisdence in the Holy Sactum of Technology. Known as ARCHIE-1, he claims to be a divine creation of the goddess Automita herself. his creative abilities are amazing as Zandran continues to push the boundaries of technology.

. Some of those using teleport and planeshift have been disappearing recently. Divinations have revealed little.