From the Mod Forum

[Yin Lorin]

This is from Grant:

"The hope was to stay aggrigate, Decky. That was an affect that could be determined after the relaunch. Remember that at the time, it didn't matter: all three locations were effectively closed, so it wasn't an issue we needed to address at the time and we frankly didn't know who would reoopen the locations or how they would look. I think Rees wrote in that "sleeper" concept to repopulate based on her writings, but that was below the scope of the Global event, and frankly, it might deny Taquar the chance at some compelling, heart-stirring story options now that so many homes are empty and so much of the city is abandoned.

Here's a summary of the event, as I recall it. I'm not grammar-checking, just rambling from the dark recess of my sad, corrupt brain:

Two years ago we had a problem. The elves in our world were...well...not in our world. They were effectively cookie-cutter examples of every other elf in the fantasy genre, be it Tolkein elf, RPG elf, or Keebler elf. Because of this, players were taking liberties: they were utilizing non-Tazlurian reference and material to define Tazlure elves. A classic example would be Quenya, the Tolkein estates' copywrite version of the elf language. Lots of pbp sites use the language...but they don't do it legally because (if I recall correctly) the Tolkein estate won't share, and even if they did, it undermined the distinct flavor of our own world. So something needed to happen.

Enter the Oasis...

The concept was simple. Gather the elf pcs and set them in motion...hope they cooperate to accomplish a goal...while we put the race under the microscope and facelift them. We did this, and thus was born the "adhiel", though we still had an almost insurmountable hurdle to overcome: Plotting. Why would the elves be brought into the desert? For what purpose? From a mechanical point of view, it was simple: we needed to close all elven locations (PI, Taq, and Gulanadur were open at the time) and rewrite those as well as the "elven" race itself, but we needed a plotting reason. Shae, Rees and I ironed out the particulars while sipping coffee at a Denny's at 3am one day, an idea Rees dreamt up...

The Mad God...

Due to the recent upheaval of Pan's Festival in the Citadel, our "Darkness Rising" Theme was certainly a very real affect...but it was getting old. We had that theme since the site launched in '01, and it was time for a change. What if the elves were sent to do that which no God could do...which was to slay (or banish) another God? And which God would that be? Why...how about the God that would love those rotten, fornicating elves the least...the One God, Dominicus? Sounds good. So Dominicus got a little hot (maybe even mad, but that's a point of debate), and the other Gods (namely Pan, Moonlady, etc) needed to stop him. They collected their loyal followers from their place of power...Taq, PI, Kislovan, and Gulanadur...and sent them to the desert to kill the One. Only elves could do this because the process of gathering and preparing the "Rosestones" to do the job would age the mortal teribly (more on that later). Initial estimates were that over 7,000 elves arrived in Amun Rah, at the west bank of the Oasis. approximately 400-500 would leave (more on that later).

Now that we had a reason for them to go, we also had several other interesting results that could come from the event. If the elves succeeded in their task, the One would be banished and the power vacuum in WM and KC would create a huge opportunity for pcs. In affect, we would remove the reigning aristocracy such that we could make the location more "pc controlled". A lofty ideal...but one we didn't expect. Instead, we expected result number two...

If the pcs failed to coordinate their efforts...and the One survived the attack...then we would have the War of the One. He would march his armies all over the world, creating strife and struggle everywhere. Everyone wanted this result because, in the end, our best material (As moderators) comes from strife and struggle: due to this event, we've moved to a more "polar" society, with the "Pantheon-ists" struggling against the "One-ists", or the West against the East (or conservatives against the liberals, if you will). It was a provocative idea, and one that would result.

But how would the elves slay the One? Well...it came down to the Rosestones. They would collect them, activate them, and with them trap the One and end the threat he posed to the rest of the Gods. While I never proposed or played it out, the concept of the Rosestone was a simple one: it was very unmagic, like a magic lodestone, if you will. If they collected enough of them in one spot, it could render the One helpless for a time...and he could be dispatched without delay. In fact, there was no great "ceremony" to activate them all: the ceremony would have just...summoned the One, who could then be trapped and banished. But I never got to run that event, because it didn't happen. Enter the Rafao.

The elves were butchered and captured by Rafao Ionis (the protector-leader-head of Amun Rah) due to absurdly bad play on the part of the elves. MANY of the elves died here to the Rafao's seasoned soldiers. But Ionis is no dumby: he knew great things were in the works when he found so many elves in the middle of his desert. As soon as he learned about the stones, he took the pcs east to a place....the "God Stone" mountain...where, according to legend, the Gods once called home. He wanted the stones, and he sent the pcs to go collect them (because Ionis is, like I said, no dumby). The pcs climbed the mountain and met Dominicus, who realized what was afoot by now (effectively making the pc task fail), and he decided to turn the event into a great victory for him. He attacked, calling down the storms (ie, lighting) to "turn the desert to glass" and "set the mountain on fire". This he did, butchering most of the remaining elves and quite a few of the Rafao's troops. To this day, the grounds around the God Stone mountain are as glass, with corpses half buried within. I suspect the locals avoid it: not a great tourist spot.

Due to a convenient sacrifice of several "adhiel" pcs, Dominicus halted his attack and spared the elves. The Gods favored by the elves were already crippled, so he had little more to prove, anyway: he sent the remaining elves home with a warning that "the time for tolerance and weakness is over. The time of the One is at hand", or some such nonesense, and the War of the One was officially underway. Surviving "adhiel"...maybe 300? 500?

Your questions demonstrate that you have a very clear grasp of just how badly the population was supposedly hit, but at the end of the day, we didn't feel a need to apply specifics to the location in that we didn't know how it would look when it reopened. the "sleeper" concept was a convenient one, but I suspected even then that it would be dropped: the idea of a thinned, sparse people is a good one, mainly because of the reasons indicated in your questions. No, Taquar cannot resist the Oneist armies, especially now. If the Oneists (KC, WM) invade, nothing will stop them: Taquar will become "occupied" by the invaders, but the adhiel...probably augmented by KC sympathizers...will resist them. Just imagine the plotting opportunities you'll have with that!

And your questions about the racial purity of the adhiel lead me to my previous comments about the possible "extinction" of the adhiel race. No, they won't all be killed...but they could be "assimilated" into the human race before another two or three generations pass. First, it'll be a lot of half elves with few pure-bloods in between. Then, we'll see quarter bloods, then eighths, then...well...pretty soon, the "adhiel" people would be just another species or culture interbred with humanity. Thankfully, that possibility is beyond the scope of our site.

But it DOES arm you with everything you need to bring Taquar alive as a new, oppressed nation on the edge of oblivion, with abandoned settlements and an abandoned city and lots of rage over what happened to them. And yes, they'll blame the Oneists. And they'll most likely resist, even while the Oneists capture their homes and (abandoned) villages.

Post Note: Remember that only elves physically IN Taq, Gul, and PI went to the Oasis! Elves in mixed locations, like KC, the Cit, etc, didn't go, and never even knew anything had happened. While the Elven nations have been decimated and crippled, the elven population is still a strong percentage in Tazlure due to these wanderers and a few "pockets" of adhiel culture left in the world. Rumor even has it there are elves in the EE, though I can't comment on that here."

[Yin Lorin]

State of Taquar

Ok, I will surmise the damage done to Taquar after the Night of Chaos.

1-The Emerald Guard are down to 37 in number, exactly. The remainder is lower ranks or trainees who were assigned to areas off the front line of attack. We have 3 veterans aside from Rae and Dray, Lopus, Pemy, and Leandral. They are all directly under Dray as the ranking survivor.

2-The population of the city is reduced to only 129, people are flooding to the city as this was not the only place attacked. The Thorns will lay siege to the city, camping in the woods and trees outside it, picking off EG in small units. They leave the people alone as they do not wish to see everyone dead. The population of Taquar as a whole is 512 souls.

3-The number of Thorns is 98, Kormus is returning and taking charge of them. He is a former member of the EG and will use this to help kill the EG off. This is his goal.

4-The shapers left are only 16 experienced shapers with 22 students. They are working to repair the city walls.

What will happen now:

1-The Demoness is recovering, she was hurt badly, but she will be recovered by the 21st

2-The Blood Trinity will be brought to light as a solution to killing the Demoness. A circlet, a mirror, and an arrow are all artifacts of the trinity and needed in the ceremony. Rhim knows the blood trinity and will send the Thorns into the city to kill the two remaining threats to the trinity as well as the entire royal family. Hesper will be of the Royal blood line, on her father’s side. He and his wife will be killed that night in the city; he was the youngest brother to the Queen. He left the family to marry a commoner, she did not mention any of her father's family in her background, so I am going with that.

3-Dray will learn of a sword smith who can forge weapons that can kill creatures like the Demoness. He will need to quest for this, as the Smith will be dragon. He lives in Taquar and is retired. He will have to find this Celestial dragon and get it to make the sword for him. He does not take dragon form, and is known as a hermit in the woods.

4-The Demoness and Thorns will board the airship posing as the Queen and guard, then they will take the ship by storm. The Circlet will be brought on the ship and the PC’s on the ship will learn of it.

5-There will be a synch event on Evening Tide the 20th where there will be an award ceremony.

6-There will be a press from the head of magic to find the missing Lord Lamarli because he has the circlet.

Any other plots to add?

[Scheherazade]

That was a lot of info. Great read!
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I like them, but I just have a few questions and added suggestions.

2-The Blood Trinity will be brought to light as a solution to killing the Demoness. A circlet, a mirror, and an arrow are all artifacts of the trinity and needed in the ceremony. Rhim knows the blood trinity and will send the Thorns into the city to kill the two remaining threats to the trinity as well as the entire royal family. Hesper will be of the Royal blood line, on her father’s side. He and his wife will be killed that night in the city; he was the youngest brother to the Queen. He left the family to marry a commoner, she did not mention any of her father's family in her background, so I am going with that.

I'll just add that the regent prince, forgot his name (see NPC's Walking around Taq) is still alive, same with Elevie's twin brother. The regent Prince and Heir is somewhere in the Borderlands of Taq fighting against the Orcs (I think).

I am also thinking of an assassin of the Thorns (he's the one who killed Priest K'Vayle-Former Mentor of Nyaerinthas). The assassin will look exactly like Nyaerinthas so he gets to be framed. Will post a plot for Nyaerinthas and about his "Hunt plot" soonish.

3-The number of Thorns is 98, Kormus is returning and taking charge of them. He is a former member of the EG and will use this to help kill the EG off. This is his goal.

I think this is a huge number of people for a secret group of brotherhood. Can we cut it down a little bit? And what are they consists of? Shapers? Priestess? Noblemen? Commoners? and... Orcs?

4-The shapers left are only 16 experienced shapers with 22 students. They are working to repair the city walls.

Okies, good to know. How many priest and priestess of the Mother are left? Do we have priests for the Father. The Religion of the Fae Lady --headed by the Arch-priestess Xe'Dane (See NPC's running around Taq)--is a small faction in Taquar, really small, they kinda work well with shapers since they tend with plants and animals as well.

1-The Demoness is recovering, she was hurt badly, but she will be recovered by the 21st.

and

4-The Demoness and Thorns will board the airship posing as the Queen and guard, then they will take the ship by storm. The Circlet will be brought on the ship and the PC’s on the ship will learn of it.

I think this two should be meshed together. I do have a question. Um, if the Demoness Blayvanna poses as the Queen, won't the Lord Sorcerer know about it? I mean, he's pretty powerful himself and the Avatar too, she's like blessed by the Mother, won't they see something amok with the Queen?

6-There will be a press from the head of magic to find the missing Lord Lamarli because he has the circlet.

But I thought Kormus has the Circlet? Or what is Rhimmuld?
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Additional plot, See [BG PLOT]Project: Taquar Chaos

*Petals of Thorns For PC L'esuinn
The forests of Taquar are being distortedly changed. Twisted and mutated by the Brotherhood of the Thorns, a sect of twisted druid –headed by the powerful Twisted Shaper Rhimmuld -- bent on changing and seizing the Government of Tari and bending the will of nature unto themselves. The council of Shapers and Druids are trying their best to fend off the powers of the Thorns.

*The Hunt For the PC's Nyaerinthas and Goldentree
A young novice healer is bent on revenge against the murderer of his former mentor but was also framed for the murder of one of the highest member of the Cabinet who was secretly in league with the brotherhood of Thorns. Thought as an assassin sent by the Thorns, the young novice healer fled for his life, seeking for the true killer and the society that framed him , loooking for the truth and justice. Alarmed, the Tari and EG sent out a new EGuard, a young elf, a former borderpatrol guard to hunt the fugitive. Both will fall into lies, seduction, treason and politics of Taquar.

*The root of evil
The Tree of the Temple of the Mother is the heart of Taquar. It is the most sacred tree. It is said that the Tree was the first Tree which the Mother had planted and it is forever connected to her. As long as the Tree is standing, Taquar will always be protected. But what if something happens to it? what if someone changes it?

Addendum: I'm still thinking of how to connect the PC Unn to our plot, I shall muse on it and will plot it here when I have the idea. I will also post a further explantion of my plot asap, will be busy with work for the following week.

[Scheherazade]

*dances around the Yin*

I'm really glad you're here and the Coordinator of Taq, Yin! Saw the new posts in Taq and it is really superb! You're bringing fresh things to Taq!

*dances around the Yin again and glues him to Taq so he won't be leaving ever!*

[Yin Lorin]

Ok, as far as the Prince goes, he will be killed by the Thorns, and this could be part of the plot as well. If they see the assasinations and forget to run out and warn the Prince, he may well get assasinated too. This could be the next target for the assasin Nyae is hunting.

I do not think 98 is too large. We could have a good 63 of them be orcs. But this is all of them, across the whole of Taq.

Priests, we will have 52 priests and priestess, surviving because they are the healers.

As far as recognizing the Queen, the Demoness will be arriving at the ship first as it is docking outside the city walls. They will arrive first. Now they will attack as soon as they are on the ship.