Site Manager Posts: 3638 Joined: 12 Nov 2002 | Exploring Dereth: Ayn Tayan
If one were to come across a particular hill near the southern shores of Dereth, they would have little reason to think they were crossing historic ground. Little distinguishes this tree-covered stretch of ground from those around it, save for several scattered bones and a single demonic effigy. However, these austere surroundings belie just how important the site was in the history of Auberean. In fact, history as we know it likely would not have happened if not for one battle fought upon this lonely hill so many years ago. For it was upon the hill of Ayn Tayan that dead men saved the world.
Thousands of years ago, the Yalaini Seaborne Empire was facing an unprecedented crisis. The legions of Bael'Zharon, the shadowy Slayer of Hope, were slowly making their way across the world, slaughtering any who opposed them and covering the land in shadow. No tactic or strategy seemed to stem this dark tide, and for a time it was feared that all of the world would fall to darkness. However, the finest minds in the Empire finally hatched one final, desperate plan: To use a crystalline array to trap Bael'Zharon within portalspace forever, thereby vastly weakening his army and giving the Yalain a chance to strike back. The array was to be constructed in the Jailne Lyceum, deep within the island of Ireth Lassel, one of the last Yalaini lands left untainted by Shadow. Unfortunately, that construction required one resource the Yalain had in short supply: Time.
It was then that the Yalain received help from the most unexpected of sources. On the southern shore of Ireth Lassel, upon a rather unremarkable pine-covered hill named Ayn Tayan, an ancient army was amassing. The undead kingdom of Dericost, defeated and broken by the Yalain centuries before, was rising once again. They too saw the Shadows as a threat, and they realized that the crystal array was the best chance to defeat Bael'Zharon. That was enough to bring together the three disparate factions of the kingdom--Lords of the World, Winds from the Darkness, and Sand Kings--to make one bold stand against the approaching armies of Shadows. It was hoped that these efforts would buy the Yalain enough time to complete the array.
When Dericost and the army of Bael'Zharon finally joined, the fighting was fierce. Undead battled both Shadows as well as fellow undead, who had joined the enemy because the Hopeslayer had been of Dericost descent. Even the highest of Dericost nobility, such as Lady Aerfalle, Lord Rytheran, and even Prince Geraine himself, joined the fray. Despite the formidable power wielded by the Dericost, the enemy they were fighting seemed infinite in number, and it seemed they were in the midst of a losing struggle. However, after three days of non-stop opposition to seemingly insurmountable odds, the efforts of the Dericost were rewarded with victory. The Yalaini crystal array was completed, and sensing this new source of power, Bael'Zharon quickly turned his army towards the distant Jailne Lyceum and departed.
The Shadow War would soon come to an end. Bael'Zharon was imprisoned, and without their leader, his Shadows were summarily routed. Victory had come, but at a price even the Yalain were not cognizant of. In the battle to hold Ayn Tayan against the Shadows, Dericost had been devastated. Their armies, already fragmented after the war with the Yalain, were nearly destroyed, and countless nobles, including the Sand King Nerash, had been slain. The glories of the first true empire of Auberean were gone forever.
No monument was erected to commemorate the battle. Few outside of Dericost even knew just what took place. Even the hill of Ayn Tayan itself shows little sign of that long ago battle. All that remain are a statue of the very evil that was fought and defeated upon that hill, as well as countless bones, many of which have yet to find final rest. Together, they offer a mute testament to the struggles and sacrifices made so many centuries ago. Here was where a great army rose up in one last battle in the name of those who had defeated them in ages long past. Here was where countless soldiers and nobles fought to their last breath, and beyond, to stop an unspeakable evil. Here was where the great Kingdom of Dericost died a second time, upon the hill of Ayn Tayan.
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"WoW - the Britney Spears of MMORPGs" |
Ding! (Grats!) Posts: 37 Joined: 30 Oct 2003 | Any more of these exploring Dereth articles planned? |
WarCry Choice Posts: 1037 Joined: 12 Feb 2003 | Unfortunately, no. A while back, the front page switched to being news only, which put the kibosh on Exploring Dereth and pretty much any other column as well. |
Ding! (Grats!) Posts: 37 Joined: 30 Oct 2003 | That sucks. Why is it news only? Seems like it'd be smart for them to have columns cause it would get more traffic. Oh well. Good to see you are still around here at least, Uzi-El. |
Exploring Dereth: Ayn Tayan
If one were to come across a particular hill near the southern shores of Dereth, they would have little reason to think they were crossing historic ground. Little distinguishes this tree-covered stretch of ground from those around it, save for several scattered bones and a single demonic effigy. However, these austere surroundings belie just how important the site was in the history of Auberean. In fact, history as we know it likely would not have happened if not for one battle fought upon this lonely hill so many years ago. For it was upon the hill of Ayn Tayan that dead men saved the world.
Thousands of years ago, the Yalaini Seaborne Empire was facing an unprecedented crisis. The legions of Bael'Zharon, the shadowy Slayer of Hope, were slowly making their way across the world, slaughtering any who opposed them and covering the land in shadow. No tactic or strategy seemed to stem this dark tide, and for a time it was feared that all of the world would fall to darkness. However, the finest minds in the Empire finally hatched one final, desperate plan: To use a crystalline array to trap Bael'Zharon within portalspace forever, thereby vastly weakening his army and giving the Yalain a chance to strike back. The array was to be constructed in the Jailne Lyceum, deep within the island of Ireth Lassel, one of the last Yalaini lands left untainted by Shadow. Unfortunately, that construction required one resource the Yalain had in short supply: Time.
It was then that the Yalain received help from the most unexpected of sources. On the southern shore of Ireth Lassel, upon a rather unremarkable pine-covered hill named Ayn Tayan, an ancient army was amassing. The undead kingdom of Dericost, defeated and broken by the Yalain centuries before, was rising once again. They too saw the Shadows as a threat, and they realized that the crystal array was the best chance to defeat Bael'Zharon. That was enough to bring together the three disparate factions of the kingdom--Lords of the World, Winds from the Darkness, and Sand Kings--to make one bold stand against the approaching armies of Shadows. It was hoped that these efforts would buy the Yalain enough time to complete the array.
When Dericost and the army of Bael'Zharon finally joined, the fighting was fierce. Undead battled both Shadows as well as fellow undead, who had joined the enemy because the Hopeslayer had been of Dericost descent. Even the highest of Dericost nobility, such as Lady Aerfalle, Lord Rytheran, and even Prince Geraine himself, joined the fray. Despite the formidable power wielded by the Dericost, the enemy they were fighting seemed infinite in number, and it seemed they were in the midst of a losing struggle. However, after three days of non-stop opposition to seemingly insurmountable odds, the efforts of the Dericost were rewarded with victory. The Yalaini crystal array was completed, and sensing this new source of power, Bael'Zharon quickly turned his army towards the distant Jailne Lyceum and departed.
The Shadow War would soon come to an end. Bael'Zharon was imprisoned, and without their leader, his Shadows were summarily routed. Victory had come, but at a price even the Yalain were not cognizant of. In the battle to hold Ayn Tayan against the Shadows, Dericost had been devastated. Their armies, already fragmented after the war with the Yalain, were nearly destroyed, and countless nobles, including the Sand King Nerash, had been slain. The glories of the first true empire of Auberean were gone forever.
No monument was erected to commemorate the battle. Few outside of Dericost even knew just what took place. Even the hill of Ayn Tayan itself shows little sign of that long ago battle. All that remain are a statue of the very evil that was fought and defeated upon that hill, as well as countless bones, many of which have yet to find final rest. Together, they offer a mute testament to the struggles and sacrifices made so many centuries ago. Here was where a great army rose up in one last battle in the name of those who had defeated them in ages long past. Here was where countless soldiers and nobles fought to their last breath, and beyond, to stop an unspeakable evil. Here was where the great Kingdom of Dericost died a second time, upon the hill of Ayn Tayan.
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