Tag: Nymphanos

#Lore24 – Entry #72 – Fantasy Month #12 – Nymphanos

 

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos:

 

Sometimes called the Gateway to the Southern Wildlands, as it is situated on the edge of the Great Narokayo Jungle, Nymphanos is a fortified city ruled by the Elvish Dominion, one of the larger cities to exist close to the Empire’s border while remaining officially neutral, though favorable to the Empire’s goals, as long as they don’t involve harming their protected areas or encroaching upon their territory.  Nymphanos is often seen as a trade hub for exotic goods from the south, including large amounts of both elvish and dwarven crafts.

Nymphanos, as its name suggests, was once a much smaller settlement, and more traditionally elvish in nature, situated amongst the trees and hosting a much larger population of sylvan and fae creatures, with a notably large population of nymphs.  Some accounts of the earliest explorers claim it to have been a paradise, albeit one that you could only see once in your life, though if you had to have a final image burned into your head, scores of literally blindingly beautiful nymphs is certainly one to go out on.  Of course, as the Empire grew and spread its borders, the great jungles of the Narokayo were pushed back, and there were many battles fought between elf and man until a lasting peace was established and Nymphanos was made into the entry point to the Wildlands beyond.  Thus far, the wildland elves who control the city have not pushed back on their borders (though of course there is always rumor that it is being planned), and the last five hundred years or so have seen no further attempts by the Empire to expand beyond the established borders.

To this day, many of the elves native to the region share some nymph heritage, though the majority of the nymphs have moved on to the deeper and still isolated parts of the jungle.  Those that still remain in Nymphanos are actively involved in their ruling council, and are known to deal with Imperial officials directly from time to time, usually from within the Great Silver Oak within the Dewshine Meadow at the center of the city, though they tend not to display their full supernatural beauty lest a diplomatic incident occur (though there are plentiful healers within the city that are capable of curing such a malady). 

I would very much like to visit Nymphanos someday, to see the wildlands beyond, perhaps, but to at least walk amongst an elvish city and experience the culture of such a robust trade center outside of the Empire.  I can recall Felaria telling me that she has visited the city on occasion, though she remembers it being much smaller and little more than an outpost at the time, hardly the great elvish city amongst the trees or the modern-day city it would then become.  I can only imagine what it is like to live such a long life; truly such a thing is unfathomable by humanity.

#Lore24 – Entry #68 – Fantasy Month #8 – Hoe of Destruction

 

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos:

 

I’m not certain how Felaria decided upon this topic, for it was certainly an obscure one that I barely recalled, but then again, she has memories spanning multiple centuries whereas I’m barely into my twentieth year; she was likely there at the time it was created, perhaps even had firsthand knowledge of it for all I know.

Despite what the vulgar argot may imply upon hearing the name “Hoe of Destruction”, this is not actually a prostitute with destructive tendencies, nor is it something with demonic origins, or so the legends say.  As odd as the name sounds, the original Hoe of Destruction was a powerful magic tool, literally a modified gardening tool, which was fitted with a much wider and heavier blade than normal, reinforced and somehow balanced to be used as a weapon, not unlike a halberd.  It is unclear as to whether the weapon was forged by someone in particular, or if it was simply shaped through raw magical manipulation, but credit to its creation goes to Odegast the Defoliator, known thusly due to his rather vocal disdain for the elves and fae creatures of the wildlands beyond the southern borders of the elvish stronghold of Nymphanos.

Some seven centuries ago, Odegast, a powerful arcanist of the age, developed a strong enmity to the afore mentioned elves of Nymphanos, though the nature of the dispute is unclear, and may have been entirely one-sided, though I cannot recall specifically if I’ve ever heard any tales or read any specific texts on the subject.  Regardless, the accepted fact of the matter is that Odegast began harassing the elves and their sylvan allies in the region, using his not-insignificant magical talents to destroy many of their food-producing settlements.  When he was nearly killed by the elvish arcanists in retaliation, he went silent for a time, plotting revenge and vowing to right the wrong that was done to him (whatever that may have been; it is entirely possible, and perhaps very likely, that Odegast was in fact insane). 

So, he devised a most insidious method of revenge, and created the Hoe of Destruction.  A single tool or weapon alone would not be enough, however, so he refined the design and created many weaker versions of the defoliating tool, the magics within them cleverly concealed and difficult to detect, and had them distributed amongst the lands around Nymphanos.  For a time, the population could not understand why they suffered such a blight that led to famine in the region, but once it was discovered what Odegast had done, vengeance was swift and brutal.  Odegast’s lair was stormed and despite his significant defenses, he was eventually slain.  The original Hoe of Destruction was supposedly clutched in his hands until his dying breath, and then thrown into the sea and lost to the waves. 

The weapon itself, along with its lesser versions, had the ability to kill plant life when used as a gardening tool, poisoning the soil and the plants themselves, causing them to rot and die.  The magic of the original weapon/tool was also supposedly effective against plant creatures as well, dealing more severe wounds that supposedly caused infection and rot quickly upon being struck.  Since the weapon has been lost, and the records from that era are lacking, it is uncertain as to whether this is entirely accurate.