Shouts came from the Demon's pass as the High Lich Silantor boasted of his most recent experiment. Storms crashed as the Lich shouted in glee at his newest creation, control over the life of a fey creature! As a crowd gathered to watch, however, Silantor's plans began to go horribly wrong.
Gurn, Caelya, Zachariah, Shaylei, Mercer, Dicey, Dicene, Iluv, Menoch, Mena, Darin, Abigail, Kira, Akilios, Basya, Riselith, Cadeyrn, Bronstal, Mackenzie, Cassius and others came to question the vile Lich as to why he was shouting such madness, just in time to see him boast of his creation, Zofar, a fell fey chained and hovering high above the room, break free from those chains, hitting the Lich Silantor with magickal backlash. Before their eyes, the chains continued to break free, knocking the Lich back as his creation freed itself and looked about the room at those gathered. In the blink of an eye, Zofar saw an item dropped from Silantor and leapt for it, grasping at it with his tiny hands as Silantor attempted to retrieve it. In the scuffle, the object was wrested loose from the fey's grasp, shattering upon the floor and releasing a green, swirling mist into the air that coalesced over the fell fey as it took wing.
Shuddering violently overhead, Zofar began to retch, and thousands of tiny bugs and bile fell on the crowd who had gathered below, and a curse stained their very souls with the darkness that crept into the heart and mind of Zofar. Angered and saddened by the loss of his creation, Silantor spurned questions thrown at him by the gathered crowd, eventually telling them to seek out someone interested in insects such as themselves and bother him no further as he went to find a way to regain his creation.
Off the groups went, seeking out those who knew of bugs until a small group came to the shop of Rythanis and inquired to Arinas, the Entomologist, if he had any insight regarding the bugs or the curse that had befallen them. Arinas was befuddled by the group wanting him to lend insight to a never before seen bug without bringing him samples, however, and the groups were sent away to collect specimens to present to the Entomologist. His surprise was evident when a bug was finally brought to him, however, as it was indeed a new species to behold. He dissected the insect to find a tiny replica of a metal heart buried within the bug's chest. Arinas asked to those around him, "What is this creature called?" and Iluv answered that it was a love bug. Fascinated, Arinas continued to experiment, testing the metal hearts resistance to heat - and causing a few explosions in the process. Rythanis grew angry and afraid his shop would explode, but the old man was not deterred.
Soon he found that the toxin excreted by the love bugs was similar to botulinum, and made a list of ingredients to be brought to him for further experimentation. Between contributions from Iluv, Gurn and Alesud, Arinas was soon blowing up Rythanis' fine pottery to test his cure. After another impressive explosion, Arinas realized what was needed to develop a cure.
Putting aside most of his other pursuits, Arinas now focuses his attention on studying the new creatures, and offers the cure to any adventurers who bring the correct ingredients to create the mostly painless cure to the love curse.
The love bugs were not defeated, however, and despite the numbers slain by many, their skittering legs can be heard as they terrorize the countryside, devouring and infecting that which they come in contact with. And what has happened to Zofar, and the object that shattered, releasing the screaming cloud? Where is this fell fey hiding? How will Silantor get him back?
Penned by my hand on the 22nd of Ultio, in the year 10 AM.
