Tseleth’s History

Sir Aydan and Sir Bristenn share Tseleth’s History to a gathering in Solhaven Monday night after Tseleth’s request for charged soulstones. From the officials:

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Category: Towns
Topic: Solhaven

Date: 08/09/2016 02:13 PM CDT

From: WLEONARD

Subj: Sir Aydan and Bristenn Share Tseleth’s History

Townfolks gather for History of Tseleth at the Drowned Boar Bar in Solhaven on 8 Phoenatos 5116, presented by Sir Aydan and Bristenn

by Historian Rovvigen, Town Crier Correspondent

Aydan said, “Some years ago, about seven or so, we first encounted Tseleth here in Solhaven. Tseleth is part of something much larger, but that’s a story that’d take me all night to explain, and you’d probably understand things no better than you do already if I did explain it all. So what I’m going to say is a bit abridged. If parts get omitted, it’s simply out of error or expediency and not out of any attempt to obscure the facts of the matter.”

Aydan said, “Tseleth, we would discover over the course of a few years, was originally a Tehiri tribesman, as Lord Ranheles aluded a short time ago. I don’t know much of his early years or what led him to it, but at some point he answered a call to follow Ronan, eventually becoming one of Ronan’s Dreamwalkers.”

Aydan said, “Those of you who know your history, especially regarding the war over the Griffin Sword, will recognize that group. In those days, the Dreamwalkers had a rather important task. They kept under their protection a shroud of Ur-daemon origin that would completely obscure – not just sight, but their entire influence – the wearer from the Arkati.”

Tuilinneth hesitantly said, “Excuse me…”

Bristenn nodded politely at Tuilinneth.

Tuilinneth uncertainly asked, “The task was the shroud? Or they used the shroud in their task?”

Speaking to Tuilinneth, Aydan said, “They guarded the shroud.”

Aydan resumed his recount, “Amongst their number, that we know of, were Llumen, Beonas, Chaeye, Nostus, Indhis, and Tseleth. There was also a girl, Yaolara, who was the sister of Llumen. They were not to use it because of how dangerous it could be.”

Aydan said, “Chaeye is the one most who were part of that aforementioned War would recognize, of course. One of them, Nostus, was later revealed to be a traitor. He was actually a servant of the Jackal, sent to infiltrate and undo their Order. Again, I’m skipping some details, but Indhis and Yaolara were lovers, and it was believed that such a relationship would not be supported by Ronan. Duty and all. The Order of the Dreamwalkers forbade such things. Mortal trappings were cast off upon initiation.”

Aydan said, “It was this idea that Nostus used to attempt to sow the ruin of their Order. He manipulated Indhis into to turning against his brothers and take that shroud for himself, believing that the shroud would allow him to defy the requirements of that duty for Yaolara’s sake. Indhis was considered the greatest swordsman out of all of them, and when he turned on the Order, he bested them in combat. I don’t quite recall if Tseleth attempted to resist first or not, but in the end Tseleth fled from them into Bir Mahallah.”

Aydan said, “And so Nostus was known as the traitor, and Tseleth, a deserter.”

Aydan said, “It gets a bit murky again, but something happened to him while he was in Bir Mahallah. He found something, or something found him. He endured some kind of transformation and found the worship of his new ‘master’, Luukos.”

Aydan said, “Now, we’ll go back to the other Dreamwalkers. In their desperation, they made an agreement with Ronan, and whether she knew the actual role she as to play or not, Yaolara was used to lure Indhis to her. And when they were brought together, a ritual forced her to bind the two of them in her mind, in what was supposed to be an eternal dream.”

Aydan said, “And so it was for many years – possibly centuries – that he was imprisoned in her mind, and she slept. Eventually, she was brought here to Solhaven.”

Tuilinneth asked, “She betrayed the man she loved and trapped him forever in her mind?”

Speaking to Tuilinneth, Aydan said, “We never were sure if she knew she was actually betraying him or not.”

Mikalmas asked, “The Lady in the coffin in Ronan’s Temple here?”

Aydan said, “Some details kind of lean to suggest she might not have known just WHAT was going to happen. And that the Arkati themselves – particularly Liabo – deliberately obscured that from ever being known. Such an act, after all, would shame them.”

Aydan said, “I have my own opinion on that, and I’m keeping it to myself.”

Aydan said, “What wasn’t known is that somehow Nostus had managed to slip himself in that ‘prison’ as well in some form or another. And he spent many years influencing and manipulating Indhis’ mind within that sleep. Torment and nightmares. The man known as Indhis would, as a result, become known as the Red Dreamer.”

Aydan said, “So, about seven years ago, Tseleth reenters the picture. He arrived in Solhaven, at first seeming to be little more than some kind of troublemaker. He took advantage of a few incidents that had involved several of us at the time, and that alone earned him enough justifiable enmity for anyone to have taken arms to him tonight. The aforementioned soul-stealing and such.”

Aydan said, “Some time later, we here in Solhaven began noticing odd disturbances within the temple of Ronan, where Yaolara had been kept for many years. Visions of the past, crimson-tinged shadowy darkness, and the occasional nightmarish being manifesting in town.”

Bristenn slowly corrects, “More precisely, tearing out pieces, and using them to both do harm and create artifices. “

Bristenn mentions, “Many of us here were affected. Myself, Sir Aydan, Lady Shannivar, Melorra and others.”

Bristenn simply concludes, “The creature he mentioned, Athamael, is one such artifice.”

Aydan adds, “I wasn’t affected until much later, when he showed off the form he has now for the first time.”

Speaking to Sorrenn, Aydan said, “It later became that, yes.”

Speaking softly to Bristenn, Githros asked, “Was that what he was talking about when he said you were part of his experiment?”

Aydan nods at Githros.

Aydan said, “Exactly.”

Aydan said, “So, it was during all of this that Tseleth revealed his true purpose for being here: he intended to challenge the Dreamwalkers who guarded Yaolara in the temple, and then destroy the Red Dreamer, because he believed that combined with that shroud, the Red Dreamer was a threat to the world. See, that aforementioned shroud? He had been wearing it when he was imprisoned. That left the Arkati completely unable to intervene.”

Bristenn takes a deep breath, blinking a couple of times before resuming a calm expression.

Tuilinneth quietly asked, “And the Red Dreamer was….. ?”

Aydan said, “Indhis. The one who may or may not have been betrayed by his lover.”

Aydan said, “For what it’s worth, we think he believed he’d been betrayed, which led to him getting much more angry and much more powerful. That was likely at Nostus’ hand.”

Githros softly asked, “What about this ardence person?”

Speaking to Githros, Bristenn adds, “Tseleth had slain his family, and much of his home. Experiments for more undead artifices.”

Aydan said, “So, Tseleth took it upon himself to try and destroy Indhis. He wanted our cooperation, but what he meant by cooperation appeared to mean that he wanted us to volunteer souls and the dead to power his army and the ‘living’ constructs he built to wage war against the Dreamwalkers.”

Bristenn quietly concludes, “Ardence tracked him here, and below us is where Ardence lies.”

Aydan said, “In other words, nothing we were inclined to agree to.”

Speaking to Aydan, Bristenn ventures, “What were his words, specifically?”

Bristenn carefully continues, “‘A little lie, a little evil, to do a world of good’?”

Aydan said, “Sounds about right.”

Mikalmas said, “I don’t think anyone, save a Luukosian and Hadya isn’t around, would argue that Tseleth isn’t a horrible creature.”

Bristenn firmly discloses, “Bollocks.”

Aydan said, “He was inclined to strike deals for what he needed. Bargaining. Hence my dismissive attitude toward him tonight when he restored what he did to me those years ago. A bribe.”

Abayomi said, “Unpleasant, to be sure. Motivated by his own wants.”

Shannivar quietly said, “All Luukosians are known to do that, by the way. Strike bargains for what they want. Be very wary if you’re ever asked to commit to one and assume there is a loophole in it.”

Aydan said, “He spent many months preparing his army beneath the town. Eventually he surfaced again – I want to say the late spring of 5110 – and attacked the town.”

Githros softly asked, “So if you give him soulstones, how can you be sure you aren’t actually powering his army? how can you be sure he won’t turn against you?”

Mikalmas said, “We can’t be sure of anything.”

Aydan said, “We struck him down, rather easily. Far more easily than I’d have thought necessary. It was then that we learned he had been betrayed by his construct, Athamael.”

Mikalmas said, “What we have to do is seek guidance, by prayer, by requests of the Gypsy Troupe for divination, or by our own means. And reach our own individual conclusions.”

Aydan flatly said, “No, no, no, and no.”

Ordim said, “The Dachres said Cooperation…”

Mikalmas shrugs at Aydan.

Ordim said, “They didnt say with who or what. What do we know of this Eye he talks about?”

Bristenn slowly confesses, “Not much, if such is diferent from the Galestone.”

Ordim said, “Evil eyes engage empty echos eventually entering equals.”

Aydan said, “So, as far as we knew – and it was true – Tseleth was dead, united in eternal damnation with his Master.”

Speaking quietly to Shannivar, Katiesa said, “I saw. Or I might not believe. I was at the back of the crowd.”

Speaking sheepishly to Katiesa, Shannivar said, “Sorry. I was so fixed on keeping an eye on him I didn’t notice who was in the back.”

Speaking simply to Shannivar, Katiesa said, “Sometimes, it is good to not be.”

Aydan said, “Athamael had a chip on his shoulder. He also didn’t have a soul. He wanted to free the Red Dreamer and take the shroud for himself so that he could defy his own damnation in Luukos’ maw.”

Mikalmas said, “They obviously will not help. Past experiences have colored their perception. Right or wrong. It is up to the neutral parties to decide whether they will help or not.”

Mikalmas said, “Or so my observation tells me.”

Divone blinks at Mikalmas.

Speaking slowly to Mikalmas, Shannivar said, “Past experiences have given us information on how to deal with this creature and the sort of plots he devises.”

Shannivar said, “Of course our perception is colored, that’s what experience DOES.”

Speaking to Aydan, Ordim asked, “Doesnt that seem to point to some sort of redemption?”

Aydan said, “Eventually he and Nostus, who had somehow gotten free of Yaolara’s mind, worked together to open Luukos’ maw.”

Githros softly asked, “Can we not gather the eye, and place it with the shroud?”

Aydan said, “Athamael realized a bit too late that the only one who had the knowledge to help him was his former master, Tseleth. And he wasn’t exactly around to help him, or predisposed to do so. A long story short, Athamael used Nostus, then betrayed him. Shoved him off the side of a rather high precipice in an old temple.”

Aydan said, “Splat.”

Aydan said, “Athamael opened the maw of Luukos, and attempted to reach in to retrieve the soul of his master. But something reached back. Rather than draw out Tseleth, Athamael was drawn in, instead, thereby suffering the very fate he was attempting to avoid.”

Aydan admits, “We’d counted that as a victory, for a short time. A span of like, twenty minutes.”

Aydan said, “It was shortly after that we were called by the Dreamwalker, Chaeye, to observe a ritual that was happening deep underground in Luukos’ temple. A ritual of massive sacrifice. Thousands of innocents. At the conclusion of this sacrifice, the Luukosians managed to open a portal, through which Morvule, the leader of the old Dark Alliance, was able to use to escape his own prison.”

Aydan said, “Since Morvule is – possibly was, if the fates are kind enough – a right bastard, he reopened Luukos’ maw and did what Athamael had intended to do. He retrieved Tseleth from within. Only in the time that he was trapped within the Maw, he changed. He became the Archlich that he is now.”

Bristenn flatly deadpans, “And thus, Arch-Lich Tseleth. No longer ‘the Cold,’ as he referred to himself, but the Ever-Living.”

Aydan said, “If we take his word for it, he’s as powerful as the first Arch-Lich, Dharthiir. Dharthiiriririririiiir.”

Bristenn slowly adds, “..he is not overly fond of this form, however. Part of those bargains and bribes Sir Aydan spoke of, later on in the struggle, were to acquire a mortal body to store himself.”

Aydan said, “He did the usual gloating when he came forth. Things like ‘There has not been a being such as myself in ages!’.”

Bristenn dubiously comments, “He said it was for, and I wish this were a jape, fleshful pleasures.”

Speaking to himself, Ordim said, “A lich is a most amazingly powerful and tormented creature.”

Aydan said, “Evidently a bit of undead action on the side wasn’t enough for him.”

Aydan mutters, “Likes his women as he likes his zombies. Old, decaying, and braaaaaains.”

Bristenn quickly confesses, “This, unfortunately, really happened.”

Tuilinneth weakly said, “That is awful.”

Speaking uneasily to Shannivar, Bristenn reasoned, “Imagine my reaction to being told this by a being with Mawfire leaking out all over it.”

Githros softly said, “I would think that cooperating with him would be an act of betrayel of all who fell before him.”

Aydan states, “There are very weird people living in this town.”

Bristenn nods in agreement at Githros.

Githros softly said, “And of thier sacrafice.”

Tuilinneth uneasily asked, “What is mawfire? Wait, I don’t want to know, I already have one image I don’t want in my mind.”

Alisaire mildly said, “Residual energy leftover from the Maw of Luukos.”

Ordim said, “I was a bit in shock seeing a lich in person… He mentioned an eye that was part of a urgh-demons! that was really strong.”

Aydan said, “And I can’t think that someone who has a problem with being ‘The Cold’ would be that good at seeing to a woman’s needs. Just saying.”

Speaking softly to Bristenn, Githros said, “I don’t know how I can be of help.”

Ordim asked, “Who else might know of this Eye ?”

Speaking to Tuilinneth, Bristenn continued, “As the dark elf over there would lead you to believe, it certainly does burn souls.”

Alisaire said, “He’s searching for it, as a matter of point.”

Divone mutters, “Doesn’t mean he found it or is useful.”

Ordim asked, “Wouldnt it be bad if he got it ?”

Speaking simply to Githros, Bristenn reasons, “A certainty is that we’re never quite certain.”

Alisaire said, “So, if you’d rather the Eye get into his hands, by all means, do nothing to help the lich.”

Githros softly said, “I think it bad if either of them got thier hands on it.”

Speaking wryly to Githros, Bristenn added, “Sir Aydan and I have generally just winged it our entire career.”

Bristenn confessed, “Bit of guidance from our codes and that, but otherwise, seats of our breeks.”

Aydan said, “Anyway, to make an already too long story shorter, Tseleth actually was able to help us defeat the nightmares that were manifesting in the world at Indhis’ behest, and because of that we were able to repair the seal on his prison, but at the same time condemning Yaolara to slumber once again.”

Aydan quietly said, “But she seemed happy at the end. Smiling. So maybe it wasn’t all bad.”

Aydan said, “After that, Tseleth kind of dropped out of view. For a while we knew he’d taken up residence in the temple underneath town, but I suppose at some point he returned to the Sea of Fire. Now if we go by what he implied earlier, he built up a new following within the Sea of Fire. And somehow or another established a sanctum.”

Mikalmas asked, “So, despite his evil wickedness, Tseleth HAS helped us before?”

Speaking to Shannivar, Bristenn grumbled, “One we’ve been trying to tear apart for years, now.”

Mikalmas said, “I’m not being difficult. Trying to understand from all angles.”

Speaking softly to Mikalmas, Githros said, “I’m with you there.”

Aydan said, “It was taking action out of his own self-interest. It was helpful to us, yes. But his goal wasn’t to actually help us. It was done for his own reasons.”

Mikalmas said, “Well. Of course he is acting out of his own self-interest. I wouldn’t expect any different. I would imagine this situation is the same.”

Speaking to Mikalmas, Shannivar said, “Tseleth helping us is along the lines of Rysus offering his help to the Wehnimer’s folk. Temporary and only to achieve greater goals for himself.”

Ordim asked, “What if he helps us with this Chaston situation ?”

Abayomi said, “He does seem solely focused on his own desires, yes.”

Speaking to Mikalmas, Alisaire said, “Generally, most individuals act out of their own self-interst.”

Aydan said, “I can expect that anything he intends by tonight’s news will be much the same. He’ll claim it’s to our benefit to aid him, and it may be. But he’s not doing it FOR us.”

Speaking to Shannivar, Mikalmas asked, “But if it solves the short term threat we seem to be facing?”

Aydan said, “Aiding him will be the same as the proverbial deal with the demonic. Only in this case, likely precisely that.”

Mikalmas said, “It is indeed an ethical dilemma.”

Aydan said, “The metaphor loses none of its effect by changing that detail with another.”

Tuilinneth asked, “I fear I may be stepping into the realm of the obtuse, and please believe me, I don’t mean to, but what exactly will using the soulstones to open this thinning do tomorrow if we don’t have the eye to place back in its … un-place–home thing?”

Mikalmas said, “The lich states one of his followers has the eye to place in the thinning.”

Alisaire signaled, “Tseleth is not a member of the Council.”

Mikalmas said, “The question is do we trust he is telling the truth.”

Tuilinneth said, “He said a human with Blue eyes does.”

Speaking to Aydan, Abayomi said, “I appreciate you taking the time to inform us all on his history.”

Aydan said, “It sounded like he’s been sealed out of the place, and can’t do anything unless he could get back in there.”

Mikalmas said, “And if I’m not badly mistaken, he said it was one of his followers. A Luukosian.”

Tuilinneth asked, “Does this Stone man have blue eyes?”

Mikalmas asked, “Hadya isn’t a blue-eyed human, is she?”

Amerek signals, “Tseleth will servce Tseleth, end of story.”

Aydan said, “Mm, I used to do this sort of thing much more often. Kind of nostalgic, really.”

Aydan flatly said, “Hell, this whole evening has been that way, but not entirely in good ways for most of it. Well, not FORGOTTEN. Just lost the perspective of how it had been.”

Aydan said, “I won’t help him. But I’ll be standing by the counter anything that results, because I know others will.”

Mikalmas said, “Many won’t help. Others will. Its a matter of conscience.”

Aydan said, “And who knows, maybe I’ll get a shot at bashing his phylactery.”

Aydan mutters, “Wishful thinking, but still.”

Mikalmas said, “I would hope that everyone will come together, whether they help him or not, if needed. He is asking for charged soulstones. To regain his strength to put the eye back in the thinning.”

Aydan said, “I will say, I don’t think Tseleth is lying. That’s not his style.”

Mikalmas said, “He said he will return tomorrow evening to gather the soulstones.”

Bristenn offers, “Leaving out some details, certainly.”

Aydan said, “He’ll certainly withhold facts. But what he says isn’t a lie. His way is to.. hm. Damn one with the truth, you could say.”

Mikalmas asked, “No doubt we don’t know the whole story. But an artifact of the ur-daemons, in the wrong hands? Of course concerned only for his wrath against Luukosians.”

Aydan said, “A case of a blind squirrel finding a nut. Chaston attacks everyone, Liabo and Lornon, so naturally he’s been tearing up the Luukosian Order.”

Mikalmas said, “And I have no illusions about that. I’m well aware that’s his ONLY concern.”

Alisaire said, “He needs assistance in the form of soulstones to open the way to the Sanctum so that the one holding the Eye can be confronted, the eye removed from his grasp, and then placed within Bir Mirhalla’s walls so that no mortal hands will again touch it.”

Speaking wryly to Aydan, Katiesa said, “Yes. Non-discriminatory, as it were.”
Mikalmas said, “No one should ever expect to get the full truth from a Luukosian. I think we are all well aware of that.”

Alisaire said, “However, what he told those gathered this evening outside was truth.”

Mikalmas said, “But. As Alisaire says, he came to us with truth, as much as a Luukosian tells it. And I’m fairly certain he would not have done so had he any other options.”

Aydan said, “So, in short, it sounds like Tseleth was betrayed by one of his own minions, who took that Eye for himself and is going to probably use it to do Very Bad Things.”

Alisaire wryly said, “Given the last time an artifact of the Ur-Daemons was sought for personal use.. I would imagine for all.”

Aydan said, “And it sounds like Tseleth has been locked out of his sanctum, which is why he needs the soulstones to reopen it. And then somehow or another the eye will be retrieved and be taken to Bir Mahallah where it belongs.”

Alisaire said, “Unless you would consider Indhis’ actions benevolent.”

Aydan said, “A step was missed in there at some point I’m sure, but somehow or another, the end result is profit.”

Mikalmas said, “I will help. And can only pray it isn’t the wrong decision.”

Bristenn slowly reasons, “..one could wager, even if that ‘profit’ is simply ‘continued existence.”

Shannivar said, “I’d be willing to help with the ‘find a way to destroy Tseleth properly while he’s weakened’ step, assuming we can figure out a way on such short notice.”

Bristenn adds, “It would not be the first time this blade’s drank the blood of liches. Twice, actually.”

Amerek asked, “Well, if we decide to help, what steps do we need to take to prepare the soulstones for Tseleth? Someone mentioned ‘charging’ them?”

Aydan said, “Regarding the eye, we’d see what we could do when we saw it.”

Mikalmas said, “I’m not opposed to dealing with Tseleth’s transgressions once the eye has been dealt with.”

Alisaire said, “Placing it within Bir Mirhalla’s walls is essentially confining it to Oblivion.”

Speaking flatly to Shannivar, Aydan said, “No no, we have to seal it away so that it can be uncovered in the far future.”

Speaking to Aydan, Katiesa said, “Indeed. I am only familiar with… parts… of his story. I appreciate your telling this evening.”