Appendix I: Prologue

Thus ends the line of Radan Ardal, seventh King of Ardal, son of Arnas Ardal, sixth King of Ardal. His succession has not yet been determined, beginning what is called the Haron Rebellion, brought to light by Radan's Bane, also known as Burrowreek, also known as Magepox.

Ardal

The Ardal family, bearing lineage out of the first humans to take Ardalsalam (formerly named Saffirsalam), ends its claim to the Sunlit Chamber with the death of Radan. They are represented by the month of Fastidious.

Arnas Ardal, 6th King of Ardal, (7716-7776), who died from a broken heart

sired four children with

Wera, Princess of Northrow (7714-7752), who died from childbirth

Anaxales Ardal (7746 - 7776), female, who died from goring

Silisa Ardal (7747 - 7747), female, who died stillborn

Radan Ardal (7750 - 7780), male, who died from Burrowreek

Liarus Ardal (7752), male, alive

Wentlane

The House of Parasson, the Sheep-Kings, are based out of the Wentsalam, formerly Arch of the Lane. They are represented by the month of Pious. Four members claim name to the House of Parasson:

Parasson Parasson, 12th Head of the House of Parasson (7712), alive

sired three children with

Emilia Sendarum, 7th Head of the House of Illithum (7734-7753)

Prassus Parasson (7758), male, alive

Paroussi Parasson (7759), male, alive

Pirila Parasson (7762), female, alive

and sired one child with

Lady Madras of Elmverlauch (7744-7770), female, who died from a hunting expedition

Feravon Madras (7763), male, alive

Haronvsil

Formerly Ardalvsil, the Southern Shield, is under control of Commandant Haron, formerly Marshall Haron, formerly General Haron, formerly Captain Haron, formerly Wrimbrack. Haron, having rejected any claim of nobility, carries no House to his name.

College of Medicalers

The College of Medicalers is ruled by Regent Shayle of Attam, formerly Headmistress Shayle, formerly Sage Shayle of Attam. The House of Attam is represented by the month of Solitude. Two members claim name to the House of Attam:

Shayle Averiam (7713), alive

who has adopted

Issadara Pensarast (7759), alive

who has sired a child with

Medulla of Osil (7763),

Issadara II (7779-7779), who died stillborn

Ardaliril

Ardaliril is under the rule of the House of Sindaros, the Crow Lords. They are represented by the month of Solemnity. Three members claim name to the House of Sindaros:

Vera Sindaros (7730), 9th Head of the House of Sindaros, alive

Eamon Sindaros (7725), alive

Assala Sindaros (7714), alive

Aura

Aura, the Stout Wall, is under the rule of Leanne II (7754). She is of no known House.

Ardalowmeren

Ardalowmeren in the west is under the control of the House of Keteron, the Iron Boars. They are represented by the month of Plenitude. Five members claim name to the House of Keteron:

Savan Keteron (7742), 15th Head of the House of Keteron, alive

who sired four children with

Anastasia of Attam (7757), alive

Beren Keteron (7776), alive

Aron Keteron (7778), alive

Varon Keteron (7778), alive

Savan II Keteron (7779), alive

Magisalam and Magisport

Magisalam and its port town, Magisport, is under control of House of Pandrathos, the Minaret of the Rising Sun. They are represented by the month of Harvest. Three members claim name to the House of Pandrathos:

Barathot Pandrathos (7702), 14th Head of the House of Pandrathos, alive

adopted

Gassaria Pandrathos (7720), alive

who sired a child with

Eleanor Ausyria (7740), alive

Tesrados Pandrathos (7760), alive

Gassaria Pandrathos (7758), who died from Shiverwort

Owmsverlauch

The Fortress of the Indomitable North, Defender of the Castle of the Vendirian Hospitallers, are led by Issadara Pensarast of House of Attam. See: College of Medicalers

Witchway

Witchway is under the control of Irwin the Magnificent, a member of the House of Clearfang, the Three-Eyed Skulls. House Clearfang, having come from East Siral, is not represented by any month. Six members claim name to the House of Clearfang:

Cassus Clearfang (7720), alive

who sired three children with

Clarisse Clearfang (7720), alive

Elliott Clearfang (7746-7780), died in battle in the eastern front

Matthias Clearfang (7747), alive

Irwin Clearfang (7749), alive

Burrowreek

Called Burrowreek by Siralians, Magepox by Medicalers, and Radan's Bane by Ardalians, the mysterious disease emerged in Fastidious: 7780 and continues to afflict people unlucky to be caught in its mist.

The disease bears the following symptoms:

A backache turns to a headache, runny nose and sickness. Chills follow with difficulty speaking and tiredness. After a few days or hours, the afflicted will find it difficult to speak, for their teeth will chatter and their throat will be forced to cough with increasing frequency and pain. Victims may cough so strongly that their ribs shatter, so healing magic must be made to soothe the coughing.

Burrowreek will enter its final stages when liquid and air pool beneath the skin. Rolling afflicted near or at death will create a noticeable crackling noise, like soft cinders. Victims will turn blue as mockleberries, and death is sure to follow. Bodies must be handled carefully, as corpses can still produce miasma, and thus must be burned with haste.

The origins of Burrowreek can be traced back to the farmlands of West Siral known as "The Burrows." With the prudence of good governance, Mira of Aura immediately evacuated the farmlands, realizing the spread of miasma. However, they were unable to avoid sickness, which already reached Aura.

Caution is recommended for all magical men and women on handling victims of Burrowreek. Symptoms for mages in intermediate stages is a significant loss of magic. Medicalers are recommended to avoid victims of Burrowreek at risk of their own magical pools. Few magically-inclined individuals survive the disease, and the ones who do are left unable to practice magic.

At this moment, there is no way to stop it, and it is only fair to consider Burrowreek a punishment sent down from Heaven.

Summary of Burrowreek by Sage Aphras I

On Blood Mages and Other Unholy Things

The following is a story from one Medicaler out of the 4th Company, who was tasked with apprehending a magus morbala, colloquially known as a blood mage:

It was the second day of a week-long observation in Ammalane, a hamlet a few kilometers southeast of Witchway and almost at the Urven border. I was thankful and grateful to be in the company of my lovely wife, who was also a Medicaler.

We stayed at a small lodge called the Three Rivers, named after the three rivers which converged at the town. Out of around 150 people, we had been told by our captain that one of them was a blood mage. The blood mage, it seems, was largely harmless, they had made no moves as far as we can tell, and only seemed intent on staying away from us.

However, on the second day of that trip, we were requested by the local watchman to assist in the finding of a farmer's dog, an irascible hound known as Bolly, whose distinctive bark sounded like the squawking of a bird. We do not know why. High and low we looked for Bolly, though there were few clues. At the same time, we found very little of the blood mage.

It was by good fortune that, nearly after our week's stay, which we were walking on an evening hike, that we came across a shadow in the forest. Hunched over, hungrily lapping up the blood from the neck of a dog, was the lord! He had skilfully sliced the dog from neck to groin and let the blood drain, as any would with a hunt, and we surmised that he was the blood mage we were looking for, and this corpse was Bolly as well.

My wife and I gave chase, and when he decided he could no longer outrun us, he tried to fight us off. Blood mages fight strangely, different from other mages, as their power comes from their command of the mana in their blood. Thus, the skillful blood mage fights with precision and guile, lest he run out of blood! This lord, thankfully, was likely but a pup, for he quickly exhausted his reserves and fell.

My wife, slightly pricked by his blood, quickly healed herself, and we deemed our mission completed.

That night, I awoke to a tall shadow looming over me, and I could see from the figure that it was none other than the lord, who had survived our altercation! As he was so close, I lit him ablaze and sent him running out of the inn.

However, when the innkeeper and I rushed out to confront him, the body was none other than my late wife, which hurt me greatly. The blood mage, in a brief altercation, had somehow been able to possess my wife in an attempt to get revenge. I had assumed that if he was a smarter apostate, he would have simply gotten away, but his thirst for vengeance would lead to his death, though at a great cost to myself.

I have not gone looking for blood mages again, it had been difficult, not least because of the loss of my wife. That, certainly, haunts me so.

However, what also haunts me are strange dreams, some of which are increasingly difficult to avoid. However, it is not dreams of my wife, or the blood mage that bothers me. It is the dream of a dog, pawing at my windows, staring into my bedroom. It cries and begs for me to let it in, but I cannot figure out why. I never do. I cannot seem to escape it, and it has made sleeping quite difficult.

Sincerely,

Heberon of Ardaliril