Marstan
| Marstan | |
|---|---|
| Status: | Dead |
| Guild: | Necromancer |
| Race: | Elothean |
| Gender: | Male |
| Associates: | Lef, Vaxin |
| Relatives: | Ilyeana |
Marstan Soldot
Marstan's Crusade
Originally a cleric of Hodierna, Marstan lost his wife, Ilyeana in a time before empaths were able to cure disease and before the gift of raising was granted to clerics. After beseeching Hodierna for assistance and receiving no response Marstan turned from his path in his quest to recover his beloved.
Marstan, and his companions, Lef and Vaxin, rose to notice when they began their crusade to stop the bloodshed and desecration of graves by those who held tournaments within Crossing Cemetery gates. Marstan summoned Wir Dinego to attack those who did not heed his wishes. Once released to do his bidding, the hordes of undead would sometimes spill out of the cemetery gates and slay those around the Northeastern area of Crossing.
Marstan's beliefs were challenged by those more interested in seeing to the welfare of the living who became collateral damage in his reprisal on behalf of those long dead. Heated verbal confrontations could be witnessed in the center of the Cemetery, bitter dialog was soon heard on the gweths between the Necromancer and a before unknown Healer. Slowly worn down, or simply realizing the futility of his efforts, it is unclear what actually dissuaded him. When pressed by the Healer as to why, Marstan was overheard to say he was now looking for "that which could not be found".
Marstan's involvement with Sorrow
Some speculated that what ever sorcery or necromancy Sorrow practiced were in conflict with Marstan's ideals and possibly for this reason he approached known organizers with a plan to thwart Sorrow. The plan was to draw Sorrow's minions away from the Keep, so that Marstan and Vaxin would be given ample time and clearance to reach Sorrow and work his powers on him to break his spell of immortality.
Those interested in seeing Sorrow succeed nearly immediately betrayed the plan to Prayk and Darkensi.
Found out, Marstan dispatched one of his minion, a child shade, to the Healer Paschein to alert her that the plan was in jeopardy. Concerned a trap was being laid for the warriors, Paschein confronted Prayk and Darkensi. Having wanted to separate themselves from Sorrow, but under obligations they could not break, an agreement to go along with the plan was made with the warning that if Marstan failed there would be dire consequences.
Eight days of planning, and the diversion was successful. Our warriors, split under the leadership of Garfaldo and Daython, took position on Sorrow's Reach. The Stone Clan Militia, under the direction of Hegemonic, stationed themselves in position to guard the Book. Everything worked according to plan. As lightning bolts danced their way across the sky striking down warriors in battle, Prayk, Sadiaer, and Darkensi, accompanied by an army of S'lai warriors, held back the force. Meanwhile, Marstan was able to sneak behind their lines and execute his lore upon Lord Sorrow.
The magnitude of this single act was something the likes that had never been seen before or felt since as the whole of Elanthia began to feel the pain of Sorrow's past.
Realization dawned on Prayk that whatever had just transpired was not in his best interest. Later he would explain that what Marstan had managed to do was allow Sidhlot to exist on his own, no longer bound to Sorrow's will. With that, if Sorrow perished, his obligation to Sorrow would transfer to Sidhlot and this was not anything he could allow.
As Sorrow began his rapid decay and Vaxin half carried, half dragged Marstan from Sorrow's Keep, Prayk and Darkensi began in earnest their campaign to capture Marstan. A fierce attack was launched against Crossing and subsequently Leth Deriel as our troops escorted Marstan to a ship to flee safely to Aesry Surlaenis and given shelter by Candidus and his wife Ailyssa.
Sorrow offered a 100 platinum reward (a fortune in those days) for Marstan's return. A large force of S'lai and Elpalzi, with the assistance of the Pirate Terak, were dispatched to the Aesry. Finally, using a display of skill not yet achieved by our Moon Mages, Prayk gated Darkensi, Sadiaer and himself to Aesry. Despite a hard battle put up by the inhabitants of the island, Marstan and Vaxin were easily captured and gated back to the Keep in order to "fix" what they had done.
Marstan's Demise
Marstan's intermediary
Necromancer killed by Sadiaer.
Has managed to talk from beyond the starry road. Sidhlot is the one who apparently has resurrected Marstan's wife Ilyeana and may have been holding her prisoner to make Marstan reverse the process on Sorrow.
Visions
The vision paraphrased below by the player of Sanur at the Wren's nest was seen after the point Marstan had been captured by Sorrow's forces.[1]
The air grew icy cold as a frigid breeze filtered in. A mist carrying the scent of damp earth rolled in at my feet. It then coalesced into the vaguely recognizable form of a Shade. It hovered just beyond reach.
The shade reached out with misty tendrils, as if trying to draw strength from the life within the room. It motioned as if for silence. It spread itself thinner, flickering. Light played across its smoky countenance, and a series of blurred images began to form, shifting rapidly from one to the other.
The first vision that came was of a young Elothean couple, standing before an altar. Dressed in festive clothes and beaming with happiness, they exchanged a tender kiss. The next vision was of a haggard black-haired Elothean man staggering through a blinding snowstorm, carrying a bundled-up figure. Within sight of an old monastery, he collapsed from exhaustion, doing his best to shield his precious burden from the storm. A solemn line of hooded monks trudged forth to collect the travelers.
Then, came the next vision. Dim firelight flickered through a spartan room. A frail Elothean woman lay motionless upon a small cot, her golden hair fanned across the pillow. The black-haired man knelt beside the bed,praying fervently as he clasped her hand - tears streaming down his face. The woman struggled for breath, and I could almost hear her rasping gasps. With an imperceptible sigh, her life left her, her hand slipping from his grasp. A monk at the foot of the bed bowed his head solemnly.
a dusty room of a forgotten fortress where stood the black-haired man. He was pouring over the brittle pages of ancient tomes, with yellowed scrolls laying spread out around him. He stood and paced about the room, talking low to himself and worrying at his wedding ring.
The preceding vision was of the black-haired man standing before a carefully tended grave. He looked gaunt, unkempt. Raising his arms, he mouthed words of an ancient tongue. His body was buffeted by a rising wind, and the hairs on my arms stood on end. As he worked the ritual, a luminous shape with long golden hair materialized above the grave. It hovered there, reaching for him. He grew increasingly frustrated and desperate as the form did not solidify. The faint sound of an ethereal sobbing reached my ears. Then a band of hunters in dusty field garb entered the glen. Upon seeing the golden-haired spirit, they drew their weapons and advanced. Knocking the man to the ground as they passed, they attacked the spirit, who writhed in unseen agony from their blows. Eventually they succeeded, and the spirit dissipated like smoke before a breeze. The man stared vacantly at his wife's desecrated grave. He threw his head back and let out a primal scream of utter despair that shook my soul.
At this point the shade began to flicker sharply, weakening. Gathering itself up as best it was able, it displayed one final series of images. The gaunt black-haired man lay broken and beaten in the confines of a dank cell. A dark hooded figure stood over him, the exposed skin of its arms showing rotting flesh. The figure gestured angrily, then kicked the man hard in the ribs before storming from the cell. The man curled up into a ball, and weakly pulled out a faded gold band. He clutched it tightly to his chest.
As the shade finally begins to lose its strength, and started to dissipate, it showed one final, desperate scene. A lank figure was sprawled in a large chair, its features concealed by shadows. Before it stood a thin Elothean woman with long golden hair. She was shivering violently, and gazed around with wide eyes filled with bewildered terror. The shadowy figure indicated the woman with a long bony hand, and I heard the echoing peals of sardonic laughter.
The final tendrils of mist dissolved, and the air warmed once more as the shade departed - its message delivered.
Notes
This article is first hand knowledge, but also relies heavily upon old posts and articles from that time. Nesbit's article in Waerd Aev and several posts made at the Wren's Nest were used regard to the timeline of events that transpired as well as log captures from that time. In some places I have used direct copies of text that would give the reader a sense of what transpired.