The Idol of Mor’Tael

My great, great grandfather was a rich man, rich from the trade we deal in. Norrathians knew little of our market, but those who have the most to offer know the path to such markets. The great trade city knew us as dealers of delights. But behind the mask of toys, the House of Everling makes its true fortune. My great, great grandfather was the richest of all Everlings and his fortune fed us for generations. Unfortunately for us, his fortune was made from the cursed curios that we deal. Sometimes these trinkets do not wish to be sold. Sometimes these trinkets decide to purchase you.

My great, great grandfather was Vulrandis Everling, Merchant Lord of Freeport. He traveled far and wide to import the most wondrous toys for the wealthiest children and children at heart. He and his expedition team would often be gone for long spells of time. His dedication to the family business was unparalleled. During his time, many Everling manors rose. No Everling before him had ever done so much for the prosperity of the house. While in these far off realms he also acquired his true commodity, the cursed curios.

In the House of Everling, with great prosperity comes great risk. So the greater the wealth, the closer to misfortune you are. While amassing a vault of worldly trinkets there sometimes come a time when things that are not of this world creep before you. Sometime this is never known and the trinkets are passed on without a clue. Such an object is the Idol of Mor’Tael, but it did not choose to be haggled away like other trinkets. It waited long for Vulrandis to discover it in oblivion.

Everling expeditions are always dangerous and a few lives are often lost, or sacrificed. Such is the price to acquire such wondrous gifts. But never has there been a doomed expedition such as the one that sent us the Idol of Mor’Tael. It was ages ago, on a dark stormy day that Vulrandis kissed his wife and children goodbye for the last time. He and his team were setting sail for an isle in the south, an isle located in the Buried Sea. It was said that on this isle a phantom tower sometimes appears. Inside this phantom tower is rumored to be cursed treasures no one should seek, no one save an Everling.

Family records show that Vulrandis and his team reached their destination. How this is known is by the odd strongbox that appeared before the toy shop one morning. It was long after his departure, 18 months as it is recorded. Before this, the house knew something was wrong. No expedition ever took so long, not even the dreaded Expedition to the Serpent’s Spine Peaks. Something terrible had definitely happened. But here before the toy shop on a cold Freeport dawn lay a final gift from Vulrandis, a final gift and a final word.

“Dear family, Do not seek me for I am in oblivion. We have found eternal torment in the Tower of Rot. I offer our lives in exchange for this gift to my house. The masters of the manor shall all own the Idol of Mor’Tael. The legion of the one merchant shall be chosen and eternal prosperity shall rule the House of Everling.”

The Book of Sunder by Vhalen-Dev

You say, “Hail, The Book of Sunder”

The Book of Sunder says to you, “As has been stated, the magical manuscript security protocol requires that all information is withheld until the proper password is given.”

You say to the Book of Sunder, “Till Yonder”

The Book of Sunder says to you, “Oh boy! You’re a smart one, aren’t you? Looks can be deceiving, eh? Now, I suppose you wish to hear about the Rune of Sunder. It’s my specialty, you know? What do you wish of me?

You say to the Book of Sunder, “Please tell me about the Rune of Sunder.”

The Book of Sunder says, “The Rune of Sunder is a representation of an event that is to take place in the Norrathian year of 5595 B.T. The event will see the destruction of the moon called Luclin that orbits the planet Norrath. This is a unique event foretold in the doomsday calender of the ancient race known as the shissar.

In the Norrathian year, 3000 B.T., the shissar completed a calender comprised of runes and symbols extracted from the planar realms. These runes took order upon a massive stone calender that was carved into the shissar city of Chelsith.

The shissar referred to the calender as a doomsday calender since it held the date of the death of the shissar race and destruction of Norrath. Among the many runes of this calendar was the rune of Sunder, the foreteller of the death of the moon.

A great arcane plague extinguished the shissar race, as foretold. In the wake of this genocide the iksar rose in their place, destroying much of the records that told of the doomsday calender and the location of Chelsith.

The Rune of Sunder would not be encountered by the Norrathians until the arrival of the prophetic elf ruler, Queen Elizerain in the Age of Blood. She dreamed of the great spiral and kept its secret hidden from all but those that shared her dreams. Everling research has uncovered a dragon to be one of these trusted Norrathians.

In the Norrathian year of 5102 B.T., Queen Elizerain crosses the Gray Wastes into the afterlife. Her many prophecies are kept safe in hidden and unorthodox vaults. Among these was the prophecy of Luclin’s destruction and the Rune of Sunder. it is believed her secrets are still kept close to the throne of the Koada’Dal.

In the Norrathian year 5190 B.T., the House of Everling purchases an idol from Valdoartus Varsoon. This trinket proves to be cursed, but contains another rune upon it that is linked with the Rune of Sunder. The rune is designated the Rune of Ethernere. The idol is designated the Idol of Mor’Tael.

In the Norrathian year, 5330 B.T., Lord Rikantus Everling is cursed by the idol of Mor’Tael. He is slowly divided and with each facet of himself, a bit more freedom is lost. He intensifies his studies of the Rune of Ethernere, believing it will show him a way to the Gray Wastes of Ethernere where he might rescue the souls of his departed daughters.

Lord Rikantus Everling discovers that the Rune of Ethernere is not the passage to the Gray Wastes, but rather, a prophecy of another unique event of the shissar doomsday calender. Before he can complete his validation of this theory, he is consumed by the curse of the Idol of Mor’Tael. Before this is complete, he renamed the Rune of Ethernere to Rune of Oblivion.

Research of the Rune of Sunder and the Rune of Oblivion lead towards the research of the doomsday calendar. With all Everlings subjugated, all studies have been postponed.

There you are now! That is more than any academy big wig or ancient lich can tell you. Consider yourself informed… and being informed is half the battle!