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This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- storm_cloud [2007/01/05 00:57] – jims
+++ storm_cloud [2021/04/03 16:03] (current) – jims
@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 ==== Storm Cloud ====
-A veil of psychic energy which shielded the land below from the
-sunlight, but let the moon light through without hindrance.  This cloud was
-originally an unexpected by-product of the tremendous carnage at the end of
-the second age and was drawn down to Lowland by Pelham in 1093.  In 1104, it
-was brought down by the Good Party and has since drifted away from Lowland
-and fixed itself over the ruined capital city of Resh.
-----
+A veil of psychic energy which shielded the land below from the sunlight, but
+let the moonlight through without hindrance.  This cloud was originally an
+unexpected by-product of the tremendous carnage at the end of the second age and
+was drawn down to Lowland by Pelham in 1093.  In 1104, it was brought down by
+the Good Party and has since settled over the necropolis that used to be the
+city of Lowland.
 ==== History ====
-[[Hades]]' storm cloud is a vast, black cloud which completely
+{{ stormcloudmap.jpg?400|The Tower Positions and extent of Hades' storm cloud}}
-blocks out the light of the sun, but lets through the light of
-the moon with no hindrance.  Its origin on this world is shrouded
+[[Hades]]' storm cloud is a vast, black cloud that completely blocks out the
-in mystery, but it seems to have emerged over the reconstructed
+light of the sun, but lets through the light of the moon with no hindrance.  Its
-ruins of the [[Dark Mage]]'s castle shortly after the great
+origin on this world is shrouded in mystery, but it seems to have emerged over
+the reconstructed ruins of the [[Dark Mage]]'s castle shortly after the great
 explosion.
-There it remained for centuries, powered by the [[Dark Mage]]'s
+There it remained for centuries, powered by the [[Dark Mage]]'s scepter and the
-scepter and the great Luinmi'r, the gem of [[Corellon]].  In 1093,
+great [[Luinmîr]], the gem of [[Corellon]].  In 1093, this gem was recovered by
-this gem was recovered by [[Karelia]] and the storm cloud lost most
+[[Karelia]] and the storm cloud lost most of its anchor (having grown weak over
-of its anchor (having grown weak over the centuries of
+the centuries of isolation).
-isolation).
-[[Pelham]], meanwhile, had wanted to control the storm cloud for
+[[Pelham]], meanwhile, had wanted to control the storm cloud for his own
-his own purposes.  When its connection faded, it swept off south
+purposes.  When its connection faded, it swept off south and connected again
-and connected again over [[Lowland]].  There it was kept going by
+over [[Lowland]].  There it was kept going by [[Pelham]]'s magics and he devised
-[[Pelham]]'s magics and he devised the means to expand it over his
+the means to expand it over his enemies ([[Backbone]] and [[Pleven]]).
-enemies ([[Backbone]] and [[Pleven]]).
-Beginning in 1095, [[Pelham]] (in disguise) went throughout the
+Beginning in 1095, [[Pelham]] (in disguise) went throughout the land convincing
-land convincing the various leaders that it would be in their
+the various leaders that it would be in their best interests to construct a
-best interests to construct a series of watch towers "to watch
+series of watchtowers "to watch and to protect" the lands from the orcs and
-and to protect" the lands from the orcs and other evils.  With
+other evils.  With his mind-influencing powers, he succeeded in this endeavor
-his mind-influencing powers, he succeeded in this endeavor
+splendidly.  Once these towers were up, [[Pelham]] planned on populating them
-splendidly.  Once these towers were up, [[Pelham]] planned on
+with hosts for special crystals.  These hosts could then keep the storm cloud
-populating them with hosts for special crystals.  These hosts could
+alive over thousands of square miles. Only the dwarves in [[Blanan]] were
-then keep the storm cloud alive over thousands of square miles.
+unconvinced by [[Pelham]]'s logic, saying they saw little practical use for such
-Only the dwarves in [[Blanan]] were unconvinced by [[Pelham]]'s logic,
+a tower.
-saying they saw little practical use for such a watch tower.
-The crystals [[Pelham]] were to use were fragments from a great
+The crystals [[Pelham]] were to use were fragments from a great crystal of
-crystal of immense magical powers.  When the [[Dark Mage]] emerged and
+immense magical powers.  When the [[Dark Mage]] emerged and contacted
-contacted [[Pelham]], he was enthralled by the telepath's plan.  When
+[[Pelham]], he was enthralled by the telepath's plan.  When his powers were
-his powers were built up to near full force, he took the crystals
+built up to near full force, he took the crystals from [[Pelham]], recovered
-from [[Pelham]], recovered many of the still-missing ones, and carried
+many of the still-missing ones, and carried [[Pelham]]'s plan to its "next
-[[Pelham]]'s plan to its "next logical step."  Whereas [[Pelham]] would have
+logical step."  Whereas [[Pelham]] would have been content to enslave his
-been content to enslave his neighbors, the [[Dark Mage]] would settle at
+neighbors, the [[Dark Mage]] would settle at nothing less than the entire world.
-nothing less than the entire world.
-When the [[Dark Mage]] took possession of the crystal in late
+When the [[Dark Mage]] took possession of the crystal in late 1097, the eighth
-, the eighth tower had been completed, but only two of them
+tower had been completed, but only two of them were populated: the one over the
-were populated: the one over the captured city of [[Bearly]] and the
+captured city of [[Bearly]] and the one overlooking [[Gnome Valley]].  Both
-one overlooking [[[[Gnome Valley]]]].  Both were considered by [[Pelham]]
+were considered by [[Pelham]] tests and only the [[Bearly]] tower expanded the
-tests and only the [[Bearly]] tower expanded the shadow any.  At this
+shadow any.  At this point, the shadow (initially kept just over the cities of
-point, the shadow (initially kept just over the cities of [[Lowland]]
+[[Lowland]] by [[Pelham]]'s own magics) had spread to encompass most of the
-by [[Pelham]]'s own magics) had spread to encompass most of the
+orcish lands of [[Qôc Larnaî]] as well as the city of [[Bearly]] and the
-orcish lands of Qo^c Larnai^ as well as the city of [[Bearly]] and the
 surrounding lands for about fifty miles.
-In November and December of 1097, the [[Dark Mage]] populated
+In November and December of 1097, the [[Dark Mage]] populated the towers in
-the towers in [[Leafgal]] and [[Torthorne]], thus enhancing the cloud's
+[[Leafgal]] and [[Torthorne]], thus enhancing the cloud's strength over the
-strength over the entirety of [[Lowland]], spreading it further into
+entirety of [[Lowland]], spreading it further into [[Backbone]], though still
-[[Backbone]], though still not over any of the major cities.  In
+not over any of the major cities.  In January of 1098, the tower on the [[King's
-January of 1098, the tower on the [[King's Island]] was taken by
+Island]] was taken by force and populated.  This spread the storm cloud suddenly
-force and populated.  This spread the storm cloud suddenly over
+over the cities of [[Backbone]].  However, the wizard [[Edric]] made the
-the cities of [[Backbone]], however the wizard [[Edric_man|Edric]] made the
+connection between the [[King's Island]] tower and the clouds.  In June, he sent
-connection between the [[King's Island]] tower and the clouds.  In
+his champion [[Lamar]] to investigate.  [[Lamar]] succeeded in ousting the
-June, he sent his champion [[Lamar]] to investigate.  [[Lamar]] succeeded
+shadow host from the tower and so the cloud pulled away from [[Backbone]] and
-in ousting the shadow host from the tower and so the cloud pulled
+settled back to [[Lowland]].
-away from [[Backbone]] and settled back to [[Lowland]].
-The [[Dark Mage]], desperate for a strong host near [[Backbone]],
+The [[Dark Mage]], desperate for a strong host near [[Backbone]], forced
-forced [[Pelham]] to become a shadow host on June 24, 1098.  This was
+[[Pelham]] to become a shadow host on June 24, 1098.  This was just the needed
-just the needed edge to restore the cloud over [[Backbone]], though
+edge to restore the cloud over [[Backbone]], though slightly weaker than before.
-slightly weaker than before.  A month and a half later, on August
+A month and a half later, on August 1, a host was placed in the tower in
-, a host was placed in the tower in [[Kinander]], the orc-held city
+[[Kinander]], the orc-held city east of [[Larinday]].  This, combined with the
-east of [[Larinday]].  This, combined with the already existent host
+already existent host in [[Gnome Valley]], was enough to spread a thin cloud
-in [[Gnome Valley]], was enough to spread a thin cloud over all of
+over all of [[Pleven|Elfland]].
-[[Pleven|Elfland]].
-With the cloud spread over more area, the orcs were able to
+With the cloud spread over more areas, the orcs were able to renew their assaults
-renew their assaults on [[Backbone]] and the elvish cities.  [[Marsvan]]
+on [[Backbone]] and the elvish cities.  [[Marsvan]] fell in late August, mainly
-fell in late August, mainly due to the number of fleeing
+due to the number of fleeing citizens.  [[Hookridge]] followed soon thereafter
-citizens.  [[Hookridge]] followed soon thereafter when King [[Scardore]]
+when King [[Scardore]] ordered the soldiery to concentrate on saving the capital
-ordered the soldiery to concentrate on saving the capital city.
+city.  On September 2, 1098, a host was placed in [[Hookridge]] and the storm
-On September 2, 1098, a host was placed in [[Hookridge]] and the
+cloud's presence over [[Backbone]] was established without a doubt.  The capital
-storm cloud's presence over [[Backbone]] was established without a
+city fell under a concentrated siege on November 22.  Though [[Edric]] and his
-doubt.  The capital city fell under a concentrated siege on
+wife [[Tacey]] fled to safety, both [[Lamar]] and King [[Scardore]] were killed.
-November 22.  Though [[Edric_man|Edric]] and his wife [[Tacey]] fled to safety,
+Their bodies were used immediately as shadow hosts for the city of [[Backbone]]
-both [[Lamar]] and King [[Scardore]] were killed.  Their bodies were used
+and for the tower near the spire in the hills south-east of the city.
-immediately as shadow hosts for the city of [[Backbone]] and for the
-tower near the spire in the hills south-east of the city.
-The next April (1099) saw the fall of [[Larinday]], mainly
+The next April (1099) saw the fall of [[Larinday]], mainly because the [[Ainagûl]]
-because the Ainagu^l [[Elsa]] had been killed a year earlier and the
+[[Elsa]] had been killed a year earlier and the city's defenses were not
-city's defenses were not formidable enough without her.  The [[Dark
+formidable enough without her.  The [[Dark Mage]] had saved her body to be used
-Mage]] had saved her body to be used as a shadow host and with her
+as a shadow host and with her in [[Larinday]] on April 26, 1099, the cloud grew
-in [[Larinday]] on April 26, 1099, the cloud grew stronger over [[Pleven]].
+stronger over [[Pleven]].
-In May of 1099, due to the mysterious disappearance of the
+In May of 1099, due to the mysterious disappearance of the protective dwarves in
-protective dwarves in [[Blanan]], the gnomes of [[Riprap]] lost their war
+[[Blanan]], the gnomes of [[Riprap]] had to concede part of their territory to
-of attrition with the goblins.  A shadow host was placed there on
+the goblin horde.  While the main city continued to operate, a shadow host was
-May 21.  Meanwhile, the kingdom of [[Resh]] enjoyed an unexplained
+placed in a nearby tower on May 21.  Meanwhile, the nation of [[Resh]] enjoyed
-safety for as the storm cloud expanded with the renewed energy
+an unexplained safety for as the storm cloud expanded with the renewed energy from
-from [[Riprap]], it seemed to come up to a protective barrier.  [[Resh]]
+[[Riprap]], it seemed to come up to a protective barrier.  [[Resh]] breathed a sigh
-breathed a sigh of relief and thanked their gods for saving them.
+of relief and thanked their gods for saving them.  (See elsewhere for details as
-They could not have been more wrong, though, for it was Cthulhu
+to why this protection came with a terrible price!)
-who held the storm cloud away.  This terrible god's will had
-gradually built as his secretive worshippers increased their
-numbers due to the recent Babylonian-Sumerian god massacre (see
-elsewhere for details).
-By July of 1099, the wood elves of [[Wisewood]] had been forced
+By July of 1099, the wood elves of [[Wisewood]] had been forced to flee into
-to flee into [[Pleven]] (as had the elves of [[Larinday]]).  Even the
+[[Pleven]] (as had the elves of [[Larinday]]).  Even the combined force of the
-combined force of the three elvish kingdoms, though, could not
+three elvish kingdoms, though, could not face up to the ever-increasing might of
-face up to the ever-increasing might of the orcs under the storm
+the orcs under the storm cloud.  On July 24, the orcs broke into the city and
-cloud.  On July 24, the orcs broke into the city and slaughtered
+slaughtered all the inhabitants they saw.  Surprisingly enough, the elves found
-all the inhabitants they saw.  Surprisingly enough, the elves
+represented only less than one percent of the elves expected. Somehow, the elves had
-found represented only about one percent of the elves expected.
+all left.  This sent the [[Dark Mage]]'s plans slightly haywire as he could not
-Somehow, the elves had all left.  This sent the [[Dark Mage]]'s plans
+find an appropriate shadow host for several months.  Nevertheless, on October
-slightly haywire as he could not find an appropriate shadow host
+, the [[Pleven]] tower was populated, strengthening the cloud even more.
-for several months.  Never-the-less, on October 31, the [[Pleven]]
-tower was populated, strengthening the cloud even more.
-In a move to engulf [[Resh]], two towers were populated within a
+In a move to engulf [[Resh]], two towers were populated within a day of each
-day of each other.  One, over [[Blanan]], on November 11, 1099 and
+other.  One, over [[Blanan]], on November 11, 1099, and the other west of
-the other west of [[Resh]], near a large marsh, on November 12.  Much
+[[Resh]], near a large marsh, on November 12.  Much to the surprise of the
-to the surprise of the [[Dark Mage]], though, the cloud encroached
+[[Dark Mage]], though, the cloud encroached the nation only slightly more.
-the kingdom only slightly more, instead it held its distance at a
+Instead, it held its distance at a radius of about one hundred miles.  After
-radius of about one hundred miles.  After repeated failures on
+repeated failures on the part of the orc armies, he abandoned attempts to
-the part of the orc armies, he abandoned attempts to capture [[Resh]]
+capture [[Resh]] for the time being.
-for the time being.
-[[Wisewood]] and [[Lar Pelar]] were populated on November 26, 1099
+[[Wisewood]] and [[Lar Pelar]] were populated on November 26, 1099, and November
-and November 29, respectively.  These were followed by the tower
+, respectively.  These were followed by the tower over the ancient [[Glekdin]]
-over the ancient [[Glekdin]] the following January 14.  This, though,
+the following January 14.  This, though, signaled the end of the main push for
-signalled the end of the main push for expansion.
+expansion.
-The next expansion came over the mountain pass south of
+The next expansion came over the mountain pass south of [[Backbone]] and into
-[[Backbone]] and into the great desert.  The mountain pass tower was
+the great desert.  The mountain pass tower was populated on August 8, 1101, and
-populated on August 8, 1101 and the first desert tower on March
+the first desert tower on March 27, 1102.  By September 1, 1104, five other
-, 1102.  By September 1, 1104, five other desert towers had
+desert towers had been populated with no resistance.  The nomads of the region
-been populated with no resistance.  The nomads of the region
 simply fled south and west away from the expanding cloud.
-All this time towers had been put up all over the [[immenri|Northern
+All this time towers had been put up all over the [[immenri|Northern Continent]]
-Continent]] as well, and by January, 1103 fifteen were in place and
+as well, and by January 1103 fifteen were in place and populated.  Three others
-populated.  Three others were never completed (just as two in the
+were never completed (just as two in the desert).
-desert).
-On December 4, 1104, a man named Ashby was placed in the
+On December 4, 1104, a man named Ashby was placed in the secretly-constructed
-secretly-constructed storm tower on Midore Island, causing the
+storm tower on Midore Island, causing the cloud to spread up from the
-cloud to spread up from the [[thentao|main continent]].  That night, the
+[[thentao|main continent]].  That night, the wizard [[Griswold Gildersleeve]]
-wizard [[Griswold Gildersleeve]] was enslaved in the recently-completed
+was enslaved in the recently-completed tower on [[Lendore]] and the cloud firmly
-tower on [[Lendore]] and the cloud firmly established over
+established over the islands.
-the islands.
-In perhaps his greatest mistake, the [[Dark Mage]], on January
+In perhaps his greatest mistake, the [[Dark Mage]], on January 4, 1105, diverted
-, 1105 diverted the storm cloud from the hosts in the towers to
+the storm cloud from the hosts in the towers to the more powerful //Scepter of
-the more powerful scepter of might.  This expanded the cloud to
+Might//.  This expanded the cloud to encompass the entire plains of the
-encompass the entire plains of the [[N'Galt|eastern continent]], all of the
+[[N'Galt|eastern continent]], all of the [[immenri|northern continent]], and all
-[[immenri|northern continent]], and all but the south-west coast of the great
+but the south-west coast of the great desert.  Only [[Grugach island]] and the
-desert.  Only [[Grugach island]] and the southern mountains and coast
+southern mountains and coast of the [[thentao|main continent]] were spared.
-of the [[thentao|main continent]] were spared.  Though this greatly helped
+Though this greatly helped the [[Dark Mage]]'s plans to defeat [[Rota]], it also
-the [[Dark Mage]]'s plans to defeat [[Rota]], it also left him vulnerable.
+left him vulnerable. The next day, as fate would have it, the [[Good Party]]
-The next day, as fate would have it, the [[Good Party]] (quite by
+(quite by accident) stumbled across the Scepter (located in the tower on
-accident) stumbled across the sceptre (located in the tower on
+[[Lendore]]) and took it away, giving it to a Deva.  Many of the storm hosts, by
-[[Lendore]]) and took it away, giving it to a deva.  Many of the storm
+this time, had broken free of the cloud's influence and so the cloud faltered
-hosts, by this time, had broken free of the cloud's influence and
+and did not reconnect to its original hosts. In one swift motion, the entire
-so the cloud faltered and did not reconnect to its original hosts.
+storm cloud retreated to its origin over [[Lowland]].
-In one swift motion, the entire storm cloud retreated to its
-origin over [[Lowland]].
-After the final battle in [[Resh]], the connection to even [[Lowland]] faded
+After the defeat of the Dark Mage, the cloud began to dissipate.  For some reason
-and the cloud began to dissipate.  For some reason (perhaps it cannot
+(perhaps it cannot be fully destroyed), the cloud (in its original size: less than
-be fully destroyed), the cloud (in its original size: less than one
+one mile wide) drifted over the ruined city of Lowland where it remains to this day.
-mile wide) drifted over the ruined city of [[Resh]] where it remains to this
-day.
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