The First Land Herald/430-07-02

Article Number: 15

Dateline: 430-07-02

DEMON HUNTER DEMONSTRATES DEVICE Recently I paid a visit to the Demon Hunter Osven, the man behind the device I previously mentioned would be instrumental in attacking the demon Maelshyve (see my article from 430-03-22). What can one say when faced with a lesser evil, a man of Necromancy, yet the only one with any promise of saving our plane? I gritted my teeth and held my poise the best that I could. Before I tell you of his device, allow me a brief foray into the theory of demons, so that you might better understand the grave danger we are in. As the Herald has published recently in several articles (see articles from 430-03-21, 429-04-22), Maelshyve's activity has grown massively in scope of late. Invasions press at our door. She has cackled in triumph over the return of her robe. Her cultists sing paeans in the streets and on the gweth. And, perhaps most troublingly, she features prominently in several prophetic visions. This evidence together suggests that she is increasing her foothold in our plane. But a slew of invasions, even a massive war against her minions, does not even begin to touch the scale of the problem she could cause. Researcher Fredrick Modah wrote of how a demon's incursion into our plane creates a dangerous planar portal. He said, "The longer the portal remains open, and the most (sic) power is used in its creation, the hazier the distinction between the planes becomes. This leads to a doomsday scenario, where the void between two planes is completely removed. The laws of both planes mix and merge in unimaginable ways and a new, bastard plane is created from the two original planes. The original inhabitants of either plane would not be able to survive this apocalyptic act of creation, let alone find the new plane habitable." In other words, if allowed to thrive, Maelshyve would render our home bereft of life, the rules of her plane merging and destroying those of our own. To add to this, the Philosopher Yvela told me, "even if we did manage to survive after Maelshyve has her way, a lock broken once does a poor job of keeping other intruders out. More demons will see Maelshyve's success and follow suit." For all his unholiness, Osven was passionate in his plea for action: "[Demons] have no right… Maelshyve has caused enough suffering, and corrupted too much, perhaps irrevocably. We can stop that… I know how this sounds. I know how this riles your sensibilities. All I can offer you is this demonstration to prove the device's efficacy." Osven began his explanation of the device by vouching for its power: "The good news is that this device works. It vaporizes Maelshyvean influence with appalling efficacy. It is as close to antithetical to her essence I think is possible in this plane." It works by taking infusions of five types of mana — Holy, Lunar, Elemental, Life, and Arcane — in addition to sapience, blood, vigor, and motive. [Several sketches of the device are included, done in a precise hand with vivid attention to detail. The first picture shows it to be two rings, nested within one another. The outer ring bears eight facets, and the inner ring holds a series of spokes, which support a cambrinth orb. Three further pictures suggest a progression of changes within the device. The first shows lines lashing across the inner ring, implying it spins within the outer ring. Next, the spokes appear melted away, the inner ring collapsed into a brilliant point of light. Finally, the cambrinth core is gone, an inky-black disc in its place, rimmed with light, as wild shadows and beams of light streak away from the object.] Osven chose to demonstrate using the midnight-colored barbs we obtained from Ciriasa during the Raid on Maelshyve's Fortress. I held the barb in my hand as he activated his prototype, and lances of energy flickered around, unaffected by solid matter but brightly illuminating the barb. Suddenly, it began to grow hot, then exploded into fine ash and smoke! I felt a bizarre lurching in my gut as everything felt somehow more solid again. Clearly, it worked. Osven added, "We've observed this version to be capable of destroying a hierophant from a mile away." A number of details about the device might be pertinent to those willing to join the fight. First, note that this demonstration was of a prototype only; the actual device will be "implanted" and immovable, with the likely site of implantation being within the Fortress in the Zaulfung. Also, according to Osven, "Once activated, the device will continually sustain that level of projection, like a tautline hitch. As Maelshyve works against it, the device is clamped into a self-reinforcing cycle. The only way to shut it off is for Maelshyve to die." (Although he clarified that her "death" would be more like a lobotomization and removal from our plane.) Failsafes are in place to prevent meddling with the device once readied, although problems can still arise. He cautions against being overzealous in the charging and mentioned the possibility of an explosion if a backfire should occur — a mundane explosion, that is. To use the device, a few seconds of focus will be required. It will draw energy or vital force from the user once turned to the appropriate facet, and the amount drawn will steadily increase over time. It will appropriately funnel each mana type such that it's not possible to accidentally charge the wrong type. Many people can use it at once, but no one will be capable of providing more than one type of energy at once. Empaths can use it safely. The infusion process can be stopped at any time by simply stepping away or letting go. Everyone will have the ability to read each reservoir. Importantly, Arcane mana is needed the most, fivefold more than the other types. Osven finished by saying, "Maelshyve stands in an open doorway. Over the years, she has widened that doorway. This device will not only kick her squarely in the chest with enough force and fury to bind her, harm her, lobotomize her, but also slam the door shut. The door may still have a small opening, or be held open a crack, but it's not going to be a wide open access portal for other forces." In other words, he claims that the device will not only deal with Maelshyve, but simultaneously seal away much — though not all — of the foothold other demons might have on our plane. Whether to believe such a person is a question we all must ask ourselves. I can only offer as evidence the demonstration I witnessed with my own eyes and the vouchsafe of Grove Scholar Uryutis, who told Perune directly that he examined the device and found it sound — and he is truly an expert in this field. It is my own personal belief that we risk more by doing nothing than using this device. All signs point to Maelshyve's rise if we stand back, and we have at least reasonable proof that this object will do its job. As always, though, with Necromancers, we must be wary of any traps and go in with eyes open. Maelshyve overextends herself. Now is the time to strike. Join us as we stand fast to preserve everything we hold dear. The device will be completed in a couple of weeks' time, and when that happens, we will need all the warriors we can muster. With humility, Navesi Daerthon True Bard, Zoluren's Herald Editor in Chief of the First Land Herald

Real Date: Unknown Date

Subject(s): Cambrinth Ciriasa Demons Empath Fredrick Maelshyve Mana Necromancer Osven Philosopher's Knot Philosophers of the Knife Raid on Maelshyve's Fortress Uryutis Zaulfung

Author(s): Navesi