Words of War (The Rokin Chronicles, Part 2)

Author: Brent G. Davis <bgdavis@vnet.ibm.com>
Length: Long
Genre: Fantasy
Type: Investigation
Setting: Urban

The Plot

Much to the chagrin of the neighboring elvish empire, Dreth Caldan is now the King of Drucinia. After uncovering the plot to seize Drucinia's throne, Dreth has ordered all of the elvish ambassadors out of the country. In response, the elves have done likewise. Both have also increased their patrols along the Drucinic/Elvish border. The situation is very tense.

Then Councilman Akelor escapes. (He is aided by the elvish assassin.) He also steals some important defense plans. Fearing invasion, Dreth Caldan summons a large humanoid army from the east. All the pieces are set for war...

In Rokin, the people are turning on anything elvish. "Elf-compatriot. Even if you say you're half-human, you're still half-elf." Two thugs are seen beating up a helplessly obvious half-elven shopkeeper.

Agral Tymart sends for the party. There might be another way to avoid this war. In his research, Agral has found notes from an ancient elvish prophecy about an "evil" warlord wearing the Drucinic Crown and the war that would follow. The prophecy also mentions a specific event that will stop the fighting, but its translation is unclear. There are only a few other notes, but they seem to fit closely with current events. The original text is somewhere deep in the elvish kingdom.

What follows is a difficult infiltration into the now-hostile elvish kingdom. After the party sets out, they learn that the original prophecy is carved into stone in a sacred vale tended by a reclusive order of elven priests. Along the way, you can allow the party to encounter Akelor & the elvish assassin. They will attempt to kill the party rather than capturing them. Very few elves know the truth about the former conspiracy, and they don't want to risk the party spreading it around the kingdom. As it stands now, most elves view the human claims of a conspiracy as rumors meant to cover their real goal of conquering the elves. If the party does try to expose the truth, they will be laughed at by most elves.

This is an extremely difficult adventure to undertake. However, with the help of some allies they will encounter (which includes some druids and the elven priests) they can make it. Not all of elves want to fight this war either. A few fights are likely, but the majority of this adventure should involve role-playing. (One of the druids that will aid them is the same person as the grizzled man from part 1, although in this adventure he looks much different, so the party will have no idea...)

The text on the stone is quite lengthy, and it is written in an ancient tongue (even older than elvish, but somewhat related to modern druidic). A few of the elvish priests that tend the vale can provide a loose translation. All of the text up to this point fits exactly with the current events (albeit, in that wonderful "prophet-speak"). In various places the text refers to an ancient land in the far east where a star once fell. That land is now a vast desert! The text near the end is difficult to translate, but it seems to indicate that this war will end when a star falls on the battlefield. It also mentions something about Havoc's Day (the apocalypse?).


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