General Studies (Tosima)

Below are the findings into various topics by many adventurers across Tosima, notably those of Freehearth via their studies at the library of Elderfall.

Aes'ahn
''[...little is known of where the Aes'ahn had come. Some say they came upon ships upon the eastern shore from a far away land. Others tell tales of a great storm as they hailed from another world entirely, gods who made the journeys through the storms that enveloped the seas. Worshippers of the Aes'ahn speak only of the 'Otherworld', a land that is majestic, magical and blissful. It was there that these entities were born and granted their powers. These immortals whose powers rivalled the gods of our age. These titans that rose from waters upon ships, ships that bards would sing would become overgrown in vines and earth and form the lands we know now as Elysia...]''

''[...it is read in texts of ancient Firbolg clans that they were the first to clash with the Aes'ahn, who sought to rule the lands as Kings. Whilst some say they came to rule, they had not come to enslave. Yet still, steel would clash and blood would flow, only the Firbolg would rise again the next morn, resurrected by powerful magics. A seemingly endless war, in which thousands would fall, but none would die. Two months would pass before the Aes'ahn asked for their surrender, promising them their own lands within their great Kingdom. They would ask nothing of them, offering them their respect for the warriors that they were and their promising eternal protection against evil forces that might linger across their lands...]''

The Alleged Avatar of Dagda
''Upon investigations to the nearby towns, including the capital, venturing the taverns, inns, markets and docks, probing enquires took place by Raisuboi. The following statements, rumours and information were discovered.''


 * "I heard he's as big a hill giant, a monster of a man! They say he pulls his own wagon across the lands without aid from creatures!"
 * "The crops have grown wherever he has passed, he is said to be imbued with the magic of the Otherworld and entwined with the power nature!"
 * "Rumour has it he has created miracles of birth in every village, leaving sons and daughters of the Father to act as vestiges of the blood of Aes'ahn"
 * "Some have come to attack the village during his stay, and he's defended the people from these vagabonds and creature single handedly and without taking a single scratch!"

Cold Iron
''[...forged in lower temperatures than traditional iron and steel, the delicate properties of the metallurgy are retained in a process that would otherwise destroy it. It is noted to be highly efficient material when fighting against fey and demons...]''

''[...whilst scholars have travelled to the lands of the Forgotten Realms in search of the secrets behind such metals, it has not been unravelled as to how or when it first created. During these travels, these very scholars were unable to find or investigate the very metals in question. Thus, it is the hypothesis that such steel that is crafted to gain an advantage over fey and demons is little more than myth. Those who do claim to wield such weapons are likely no more than enchanted weapons imbued with magics to harness such abilities, but not in the original forging of the metal...]''

Curses
''[...curses are malign magical effects applied to unsuspecting persons, though the power of such curses can range from somewhat uncommon effects that can be reversed by a simple Remove Curse spell casting, all the way to a near unending effect to the harshest degree, that can be only overturned by means of a Wish spell by an expert and learned mage. In some cases, though rare, even a Wish spell may not be able to diminish the effects of a curse, with the only cure being an accord struck with the creator, or their demise...]''

''[...theorists of the arcane have suggested that where a Wish spell could be applied, but with the absence of high-ability mage, a coven can be formed to perform a ritual using the components of a Remove Curse spell over a period lasting an hour or longer. This coven-based ritual can reach the safe abjuration effect of a Wish spell when done correctly. Though this may not be possible for all curses, with some sages believing that coven-based rituals call upon the darker strands and strings of the Demain, though these rituals are more commonly practiced by the Draoi...]''

Oneirology & Symbology
[...visions and dreams are often perceived to be the imagery of one's subconscious, as emotions, ambitions and fear manifest themselves in a way that forms symbols and codes that the lucid host will seek to decipher during consciousness...]

[...some of a more experimental knowledge and study since the Lachla Shards have oft perceived that dreams can be a connection to the multiverse, with dreams being truth and reality of their other self, an echo of their very essence that exists upon another timeline and dimension...]

Pickle's Dreams
The blazing fires and infernos, once scrawled upon parchment, shown to sages and researchers within the Elderfall library have been compared, analysed and presented texts and tomes that depict similar imagery. Of the five notable people who have been questioned, three have shared imagery of what researcher's believe the Nine Hells would appear, based upon reports and stories of those with similar visions and in their meetings of fiends. Whilst the remaining two fervently disagreed, believing the opposite to be true, with the imagery being more akin to the Abyss, ignoring the inferno flames and looking more to the topography.

Ravenguard Heights
''[...the Ravenguard Heights have, for many centuries, proven to be a tenacious region that borders both Elderfall and Ravencourt. Largely due to its proximity to entrances to the Underdark, and Hill Giants who travel down from the Ravenguard Heights to pillage, enslave and feed. Whilst the latter have become less prominent since the fall of Tosima and rise of the Aes'ahn worship in the lands, the threat of the Underdark remain palpable within the region...]''

''[...In addition, due to the topography and proximity to the eastern seas, many settlements along the coast have, for many, many centuries, been vulnerable and prone to sea raids and acts of piracy. It has been noted that close to northern caverns within the heights, a settlement of pirates and raiders has been established as a near permanent fixture. Due to sitting very close to the border between both regions, and the distant relationship they share, neither have been able to effectively remove them from their territories...]''

Tosima (Capital)
''[...the capital of Tosima has had many names during history of the land. When the continent was then ruled by celestials, commonly referred to as God Emperors for those who ruled upon the throne, the capital was named after the continent itself, Elysia. Following the overthrowing of the divine bloodline, it would be renamed but follow the same tradition, being bestowed the name of Tosima after the royal family that would claim it from the celestials. Following the eventual demise of the line, tradition would be broken and end the nepotistic and self-indulgent theme and instead be known as Valenguard, due to the proximity to the Valour Mountains and in light of the defence it would now stand before tyranny...]''

[...the capital was built upon the edge of the Tosima lake in the centre of the continent, being believed to be a place of great worship and the eventual home to a renown dragon-kin with expansive knowledge of the land and magic...]

''[...it is heavily suggested that within the capital, a great vault was built by the first God-Emperors, in which is held artifacts of great value and celestial power. Scholars have pondered whether the contents of the vault may offer insight into the origins of their bloodline, power and how they came to call themselves rulers of the land...]''

Warlock Patrons
''[...Warlocks are seekers of the knowledge that lies hidden in the fabric of the multiverse, Through pacts made with mysterious beings of supernatural power, warlocks unlock magical effects both subtle and spectacular. Drawing on the ancient knowledge of beings such as fey nobles, demons, devils, hags, and alien entities of the Far Realm, warlocks piece together arcane secrets to bolster their own power...]''

''[...Warlocks are driven by an insatiable need for knowledge and power, which compels them into their pacts and shapes their lives, This thirst drives warlocks into their pacts and shapes their later careers as well. Stories of warlocks binding themselves to fiends are widely known, But many warlocks serve patrons that are not fiendish. Sometimes a traveler in the wilds comes to a strangely beautiful tower, meets its fey lord or lady, and stumbles into a pact without being fully aware of it. And sometimes, while poring over tomes of forbidden lore. a brilliant but crazed student's mind is opened to realities beyond the material world and to the alien beings that dwell in the outer void. Once a pact is made, a warlock's thirst for knowledge and power can't be slaked with mere study and research. No one makes a pact with such a mighty patron if he or she doesn't intend to use the power thus gained. Rather, the vast majority of warlocks spend their days in active pursuit of their goals. which typically means some kind of adventuring. Furthermore, the demands of their patrons drive warlocks toward adventure....]''

''[...in the known universe, patrons of magic can take many forms, including but not limited to; Archfey, Celestials, Deep Sea Entities, Fiends, Genies, Otherwordly Entities, Sentient Weapons and the Undead. What these patrons may demand in exchange for such powers varies from patron to patron. For some, it might be their worship, others their souls. Some may come to a formal arrangement of exchanging powers for a specific mission or task. No two deals are alike, though most are made with ulterior motives and rarely to the benefit of the warlock...]''

Withering Geas
The ritual itself is written in an archaic druidic language, though after some time and effort, an accurate translation is found for the verbal, somatic and material components.

''[...a ritual time of 6 hours, with no interruption, the components must be given and song chanted until its completion. Know that thee whom cast this spell shall give up their humanity to gain what they so desire. Churned and mortared into a dragon horn bowl, the bark of the yellow tree and essence of the fey. Broken and liquified, the pores of a myconid. A concoction mixed and stirred, left to rot over 7 days. To the darkness, where the blighted concentration must go, deep beneath the earth to feed upon faerzress to give it life once more...]''

[...standing upon hexagram incursal, lines drawn of infused iccor, arms risen and wrapped in leaves and bark, sing the song upon the eve of a eclipse moon, ending only upon the lunar's bare with blade upon flesh, speaking the incantation of geas words before thrusting blade upon heart to bind the words...]

''[...words spoken, a promise sung, a duty bidden until dawn's end. Until complete or destroyed, a watchful eye upon that which you seek to protect, no matter the cause, no matter the prey...]''

'Eirich o'n talamh, eirich o'n bhàs. (Rise from earth, rise from death.)'

'Thoir d' anam, thoir do chorp. (Give thy soul, give thy body.)'

'Gus an deireadh, mhallaich an soitheach so. (Until the end, this vessel cursed.)'

'Gus do thagradh a dheanamh, gun tàmh gus. (To do thy bidding, no rest until.)'

A powerful spell, one that cannot be deemed to be reversed or reversed engineered, though likely undone through means of a Wish spell, permitting that the souls remains willing, for it was willingly given at time of casting. Notably, it does not suggest through research that the spell requires any level of arcane prowess, suggesting that the magics and powers of the incantation are given by a higher power, rather than expended by a caster.