The Ascension That Failed

When Avechna called the Final Ascension Challenge forth, the High Prophet Ghani n’Rotri swooped in and stole the Staff of Ascension for himself, and began to ascend as an Avatar of Kethuru. This had been Ghani n’Rotri’s plan all along – his destiny as was writ in the Verses of Magnora – as his repeated efforts to gather power and spread chaos throughout the First World during the last several years were to build an Orrery upon the silent astrosphere of Ophiuchius. The Ascension had failed and it was up to the Nine Sealbearers to save Lusternia. It was Veyils of Glomdoring who finally was able to defeat the Avatar of Kethuru, and rose up to become True Ascendant Deichtine, read more.

Ascension Events

• Trial of Chaos: The Purple Hamster of Chaos was corrupted by Dark Prophet and teleported its victims across the Basin of Life. Eventually, Tarken of Glomdoring was able to persevere and become the Sealbearer of Chaos.
• Trial of Harmony: While challengers were influencing denizens, the Dark Prophet opened portals over the Basin of Life, releasing strange new astral creatures that spreading insanity and confusion. Despite the chaos, or perhaps because of it, Kalas Malarious of Gaudiguch was able to win and become the Sealbearer of Harmony.
• Trial of Nature: Corruption followed in the wake of Nature’s Challenge when insanity plagued the contestants, limiting their ability for magical travel. Nevertheless, Marcella n’Lochli of Magnagora proved herself to claim the mantle of Sealbearer of Nature.
• Trial of Knowledge: Avechna decided to focus this most difficult test on the challengers’ knowledge of the Soulless Gods, perhaps in preparation of the difficulties that would follow. Kalaneya Shee-Slaugh of Glomdoring won and became the Sealbearer of Knowledge.
• Trial of Life: When diseased furrikin wandered the land, it was up to the challengrs to cure them. Unfortunately, they were under the influence of the Dark Prophet, and curing them caused the poor souls to explode. Despite the setbacks, Veyils Ysav’rai of Glomdoring would prove worthy enough to become the Sealbearer of Life.
• Trial of Death: Like the Trial of Harmony, portals were sent to release strange, new astral creatures. Ultimiately, Kalas Ixion of Magnagora was bloody enough to become the Sealbearer of Death.
• Trial of Justice: Thankfully, it appeared the Dark Prophet did not bother to interefere with this challenge, though Avechna was constantly on the lookout for mischief. Sir Taevyn Ladyn of New Celest proved his debating skills were sharp enough to become the Sealbearer of Justice.
• Trial of War: The Dark Prophet, however, was once again on the move during the wargames, causing the arenas to contract as the battles wore on. Even under such difficult conditions, Jaspet of Glomdoring found his combat expertise sufficient to become the Sealbearer of War.
• Trial of Beauty: Avechna released a poem for inspiration with which the entries for the beauty challenge were to be designed. It was Xeii Shevat of Hallifax who stood triumphant over all other artists, her sharply geometric osmium headdress of the Melder deemed worthy of the Seal of Beauty itself. Depicting the half-formed Maamac the Melder, who had chased the Elder Goddess Maylea through the Void in predatory madness, it was judged the pinnacle of all Beauty. For this she became the Sealbearer of Beauty. Avechna’s poem for inspiration was as follows:

Devoid of sense, beyond all understanding,
this land of nothingness that holds so much;
cold are the too-harsh winds across this landing,
and yet their rippling force one cannot touch.
Go past this threshold at your own great peril,
for few things in this world can so withstand
this emptiness that holds the lost and feral,
and shatters all your thoughts to grains of sand.
The Void is the demesne of all Destruction,
antithesis of sweet Dynara’s light;
beware those who would yearn for its instruction,
beware those who would claim to wield its might.
Great madness shall embrace the paranoid
foolish enough to gaze upon the Void.

The Sphere of Ophiuchus and Realm of Pandaemonium

After the Ascension, the Sphere of Ophiuchus remained open. Long rumoured, but lost
for ages, this legendary thirteenth astrophere was discovered after an attemp t by High Prophet Ghani n’Rotri to empower himself and become the Avatar of the Soulless God Kethuru. He built the Orrery upon Ophiuchus to focus and collect power from the twelve other astrospheres and to pierce into the Realm of Pandaemonium, paving the way for him to hijack the Ascension that occured 498 years after the Coming of Estarra. Ghani suffered an unfortunate fate after his defeat by Veyils, now known as Deichtine, who rescued the Staff of Ascension from the usurper and locked Kethuru away once more. Now, the Ophiuchian Orrery lies open to all, and its many mysteries remain for those whose curiosity drivesthem to seek, perhaps to their doom.

Calendar

• April 1-30: For the month of April, you can ou can purchase Czigany coins directly on the Credit Page for spins on the Wheel of Fortune! Fortune cookies now also hold crowns of mastery. Note you can now merge crowns together with th e command MASTERCROWN for addedefficiency. Yes, it’s one crown to rule them all!
• April 1: Wild Nodes!
• April 15: Wild Nodes!
• April 29: Wild Nodes!