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| An unofficial publication of After Hours news for and by After Hours players and wizards, and the general public at large. The news and rumours herein are not the official views of the After Hours administration, nor are some of them the whole truth in its entirety. Now on with the gossip! Long ago, before the beginning of time, there existed various portals of great power that enabled the wize and the adventurous to travel to many mysterious and perilous places. Here are secrets stolen from the vaults of Zappo on their history and workings. These will help ye for it is rumoured that several of these gates have been recently uncovered by the hands of men. Furthermore, it is said at the end of the world all the gates shall appear again for the great Armaggedon. But that is another story... Nomidicus Old Immaxian for Sun (Nommis) Gate (Icus -- in Immaxian, Icus becomes Dicus when speaking of Elder artifacts). The ancient civilization of Paedoria had already built a huge ziggurat temple-city around the gate and instituted a 10,000 man Temple Guard known as the Aflangi ha Cirri (Warriors of the Stars) to defend it. This civilization reigned until the arrival of the newcomers Bheed and Ghoth, the Slavers. Things were calm for a while, but with the arrival of more Bakkari (Bheed and Ghoth's line), the slavers began taking many of the Paedorians on ships. The Paedorians finally caught on to the the abuse of their people (over the span of fifty years), for at first there was little resistance as Bheed and Ghoth kidnapped people under the guise of friendship and learning. Finally, the Paedorians rebelled in an all out assault where many of the Bakkari were slain. Ghoth however, invoked the Shadow's Wrath; an ancient spell forbidden by the Sorcerous Council in Armakarri (the main stronghold of Bakkari Sorcerors). The remainder of the day saw havoc as dragons of shadows and death inflicted carnage on the Paedorians. During the battle, Queen Nemorinna and a squadron of elite Aflangi were able to smuggle the Nomidicus out of the city. Ghoth was much angered when he found out in the aftermath for he had laid eyes upon it before and wanted it for himself. Thereby, he set out troops to find the Nomidicus and kill and capture the rest of the Paedorians. The latter did the Bakkari accomplish, and to this day, only a rare hundred of their line live, but Ghoth never found the Nomidicus and it tormented him until his death. The Nomidicus is rumoured to be a huge metal ring the size of a wagon, and made of pure silver. On its surface are powerful runes written in the tongue of wizards. Terradicus Old Immaxian for Land's (Terra) Gate (Icus). This Gate was recovered from the Drow City in 44 B.E. (Battle Era) after Grand Duke Pierce Windhammer and the Army of Whiteshield (of the province of Cammthor) smashed their way into the Drow City and drove out the Drow. Among the many treasures they plundered (the Heavenstone, Doombringer, the Mace of Habbericus) was the Terradicus, but it was not known at that time. The Terradicus is apparently a giant platinum sphere twelve feet in diameter and inscribed with a multi-hexagonal pattern of Wizard Runes in its face. Although the other treasures were successfully recovered, a vengeful party of Drow War Priests (note the Drow Priest caste is all the male, and the Drow Warlock caste is all female) ambushed the Knights escorting the Terradicus. The battle following was incredibly fierce for many of the Knights died as zombies, wraiths and shadows under the command of the Drow assaulted them. At the final moment, when all the Knights had died, the last survivor, Magoonite (of the noble Hadrune House) invoked the Appis la Solaris (High Cammthorian: Word of Nova) for he was a lesser High Lord, those Priest-Paladins who have a knowledgable mastery of magic. The resulting blast incinerated the remaining enemies, but also collapsed that segment of the tunnel. So was the Terradicus lost to the world. Korridicus Old Immaxian for Serpent's (Korris) Gate (Icus). Legends say it was first discovered by the Gaelic explorers Smee and Jellod of Dherradan deep in the Bloodthorn Jungles. It is not known why an artifact of such potency was simply resting in the forest. At any rate, Smee and Jellod extracted it to Sidatia in 1150 E.E. (Exploratory Era). During its brief stay (forty years) in Sidatia, many scholars and academics made study of it, so it is the best studied gate of all (legends purport some twenty gates, yet only these four are known). Unfortunately, King Izzor V of the Great Sanctum (so was their Empire named) commanded it to be brought to Sanctuary so to emulate the Great Immax. Unfortunately, this also coincided with being three years before the second Demon Horde Invasion, In which the City of Sanctuary and its satellites were destroyed, and the Northern Plains burnt (the Demons had been after Sanctuary for some time). The Sanctuarians, however, hid the Serpent's Gate in the Holy Temple of Glint, and there the Demons did not touch it until Rommus arrived with the Saviours in 1199 E.E. This time, a Master Sage named Glommedal learned the primitive powers of the Gate, and with its help, teleported much aid and supplies to rebuild Sanctuary. Once again, Sanctuary was rebuilt and stood as a bastion for 500 years. Then in 1742 E.E., the City finally fell to Luxorr, the Black Magi. Rising to power, and turning Great Ones to the dark side and slaying others, he led a rebellion in the city for power. This began the Fire of Sanctuary which is a fifty year period of street battles and chaos when much of the new buildings were burned or destroyed. It is believed that Luxorr was able to somehow smuggle the Serpent's Gate out of Sanctuary to a hidden location in the nearby hills. During this time, Luxorr was able to open the gate. A score of Red Dragons he called down to ravage Sanctuary, and during the fortnight they ravaged the City, many people died or were burned to death. Finally High Mark Firemaster (for all Sanctum Sorcerors were called Marks) was able to break Luxorr's spell shields and teleport to him. Both were killed in an amazing mortal combat of magic and sorcery. With Luxorr's death, the Dragons no longer sought to destroy the city and flew to high, guarded mountains with much treasure from Sanctuary. Despite Luxorr's overthrow, the Korridicus was never found. The Korridicus appears to be a large black slab made of a jade/obsidian composite. It is four inches thick and about as large as a small boat. Along its sides, Wizard Runes are engraved together with gold scrawls of Dragons and other serpent creatures. The only known word for this Gate (for five were known) is 'Commradal' (Innixian for Serpent), and will purportedly take you to an Island rife with Dragons. Madorricus Old Immaxian for Dark (Madoruk) Gate (Icus). This in fact is the oldest known Gate, which stood in the center of Immaxa Prime (Capitol of the Immax Empire). It's origin nor history are not fully known, but legends say that the Great Immax himself slew Daarnizhan for it (who that day had taken the guise of a giant black dragon). After that, the Madorricus was dragged by 100 horses to Immaxa Prime. The Dark Gate looks like a large, slender Obsidian Pyramid with thick impurities of gold. It is roughly one and a half stories tall and as wide as a wagon. In Immaxa Prime the Gate sat for some two thousand years giving tribute to Immax before the fall of the Pax Immaxa. That is another rumour, but I will briefly detail that it is said during the fall, the Madorricus opened and the power of Hell burst forth, which is the first and only time it opened (under the Immaxians at any rate). However, this may just be hysteria as the city was under seige by the Nycorans under the Bloody Prince. As most history recalls, he surrounded the City with 100,000 Knights and Paladins and burned the city down with flaming catapult and ballista. The city was burned to the ground and the Madorricus was never recovered. Now you know the secret of the gates... By me. I welcome all poetry people want to send in... The Dark Carnival Clan It was a dark carnival A very dark and scary carnival The grass was steeped in blood so deep the killers ran the carnival It was an evil carnival A black and evil carnival Did you play the the dice of fate Or did you try to run too late? the killers ran the carnival It was a hideous carnival A bloody, gruesome carnival With clowns who killed Red blood was spilled we died there at the carnival Please email your articles or literary works to Vortex. |