A pair of traveling dwarves had a bit too much to drink when passing
through Antioch, and under the influence of vast amounts of beer as well
as a bit of heckling by their Antiochan brethen decided to make a very
odd bet. They claimed that they were the best masons and builders in the
world, and as proof of this would build an entire road to any place in
the world. Eager to tone the two dwarves down a notch, their Antiochan
counterpart suggested they try to build to Ithaqua.

The dwarves wasted little time, and soon a road of paved stone began to
grow at an alarming pace through the wilderness of the Bardosi plains.
The roar of outrage from the Ithaquans was very short to follow.
Speaking for the village, Hierophant Selthis declared to the dwarves
that they would not stand for the despoiling of their forest. Yet the
dwarves ploughed on, tunneling beneath the Bardosi mountains to the
shore of the Redcap Lake. It seemed that nothing would stop their
progress... Until one morning when a group of Ithaquans coming to
persuade the dwarves to cease found the two brothers deep within a pit.
The dwarves seemed worried, refusing at first to speak of what they had
found. However, after a few hours of cajoling, they admitted that they
believed they had stumbled on a very dangerous relic of an ancient
Ithaquan conflict.

After speaking to Fenrir and drawing more information from the dwarves,
the Ithaquans learned that what the dwarves had found was in fact the
still shape of an ice demon, trapped by their ancestors and buried to
prolong his awakening. Yet the earth would hold it no longer, the
dwarves were certain. Something had to be done to stop the demon's
return, which heralded a dire fate for the North were it to awaken in
full strength.

The Ithaquans discovered that lumps of lava fresh from the molten rivers
of the Eastern Nolmines may well weaken the demon in its stony shell.
Calling on their Antioch allies, they set about the difficult task of
procuring the lava and tossing it down the demon's bottomless gullet.
The call for aid soon proved to be wise indeed, for the banners of
Stavenn were not long to appear on the horizon. Bloody sacrifices of
slain children were offered by the Stavennites to the demon in hopes of
strengthening it against the damage done by the Ithaquans, yet despite
the Stavenn army's initial rousing success they were soon driven back
and held at bay by the combined might of Ithaqua and Antioch. The
Ithaquans remained dilligent in their task, until at last the surface of
the demon begin to shift, its eyes bulging with agony.

The Ithaquans had won the first battle. But as the time draws closer for
the demon's awakening, many still look to the North with unease,
wondering if the threat has truly passed...

Penned by my hand on the 17th of Ultio, in the year 472 AD.