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Events News Post #23

The Sacrifice of Compassion

Written by: Anonymous
Date: Thursday, April 7th, 2005
Addressed to: Everyone


With Viravain/Kethuru having consumed the twelve shards of the Seal of
Nature, she proceeded to terrorize mortals and the entire Basin of Life.
She did battle several times with the Elder Gods, but with her enormous
and alien powers she usually ended up with the upper hand. Estarra could
not oppose Kethuru directly, for when Kethuru was trapped within the
astral realm, so too was his essence trapped behind the very fabric of
creation. Destroying Kethuru would extinguish life in Lusternia.

Because Kethuru was trapped by the collective might of the Last Nine of
the Vernal Gods in the form of Avechna, only that same vibrational power
could reseal him back into his prison and cut the link to Viravain.
Neither Estarra nor any of the other Elder Gods could duplicate the
energies of Avechna, and Avechna could not rise without all the Seals
intact. It was up to mortals to find the way.

Putting aside their differences, the greatest minds in the Basin worked
towards a solution to retrieve the shards. It was noticed that the
astral plane was behaving strangely, the energy nodes were filling with
power at unprecedented rates and the nightmarish creatures on the
astrospheres were stronger and more plentiful than ever--as though
Kethuru's own subconscious thoughts were protecting the nodes. Steeling
themselves, an enormous force of the greatest heroes of Serenwilde, New
Celest and Magnagora came together to drain the nodes, but their efforts
seemed to be in vain. Terentia and Hajamin eventually helped destroy the
astral beasts spawned by one node, which was able to be drained. This
node then released one of the shards of the Seal of Nature. Apparently
these shards worked themselves through the link that connected Viravain
to the astral plane and tried to exit through the energy nodes.

But the Elder Gods could not help mortals for long, as finding the shard
brought Viravain/Kethuru's fury. But with the knowledge that the shards
could be recovered, the mortal heroes bravely continued the awesome
efforts it took to drain the other nodes, costing many lives and many
precious months of power. No matter what horrors Viravain rained down
upon them, they still persisted until all twelve shards were recovered.
The shards were brought to Avechna and was reformed, but they were empty
of power.

Viravain/Kethuru desperately tried to retrieve the Seal of Nature, first
pretending to have become the Viravain of old but, when the mortals were
not fooled, resorting to threats and creating horrific blobs that
spawned nameless horrors in the villages on the floor of the Basin.
Fain, Lisaera and Terentia were able to protect the mining centers of
Angkrag, Southgard and Rockholm, but all others were laid to waste.

Finally, the Elder Gods and Estarra came forward to set things right.
Estarra held Viravain/Kethuru in an embrace of power while the Elder
Gods channeled their energies into the Seal of Nature. This was enough
to awaken Avechna the Avenger from his slumber, but he was not strong
enough to break the link. Creation began to unravel as Estarra gripped
Viravain/Kethuru and the Elder Gods were drained of power. All seemed
lost.

But then Isune, the Wings of Compassion, came forward and said, " I know
what I must do!" She then sacrificed her inner essence so that Avechna
would have more power. From that point, success was quick as Avechna
severed the link and resealed Kethuru within his astral prison.

Stunned, mortals and gods alike, could find no great joy in this
bittersweet victory. Though Viravain is no longer controlled by Kethuru,
her sanity and essence has been forever warped. And the essence of
Isune, the most compassionate and beloved of the gods, is trapped behind
the Seals with Kethuru. The cost had been too high, far too high. But
creation is safe for another age.

Or so it is hoped.

Penned by my hand on the 13th of Avechary, in the year 114 CE.


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