.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~. The Annual Calendar The Land: Zan-Kel The Legend of Lorde Throu The Gate Keeper's Inne The Creator of The Gate Keeper's Inne Nagivational Bar ~-~ You are currently residing in: The Century of the Saffron Dragoness (1600) back "And here is where we are..." Keree pointed at a little gray area on the map.
"As you can see, most of the locals tend to mix within their own clans if they can manage. It cuts down more quarrels that way." "The Merfolks generally stay away from the fishermen at the City of Manush (occupational hazard they said), the Minotaurs stay away from the Gnomes (Gnomes were too festive for their liking), the Elves stay away from the Minotaurs (Elves stay away from anyone they can't steal from), the Dwarves stay away from the Humans (too sensible to believe their tales) and everyone stays away from the Ghosts and Phantoms of Sprite Woodes. This has always been the natural order of the locals."
She continued, " Now Zan-Kel is situated to the south of the Falgore Universe. And as you can see, there are two parts to Zan-Kel, the mainland as well as the Islands of Castell. The islands used to be inhabitated solely by the greatest Magi and Wizards. It was their haven, and their fortress. The Emperor himself laid out a regulation restricting anyone without a Grade 4 knowledge of magick to enter the island.
And in return, the Lords of Magick served only the Emperor Tan-Riel. However, as the powers of the Magi increased, the normal lives of the citizens of Zan-Kel was somewhat changed by the after-effects of the magick in the air. You can never expect proper weather now, snowing in Summer, Droughts in Winter, flowers blooming in the dead of Autumn, cows laying eggs...
Not that we're complaining about these changes. But its just really embarassing when having a guest over for dinner and to have the house suddenly come to life and start singing... "
"And where does the Emperor live?" you ask puzzled, not seeing a capital on the map.
"Oh that...well.....that's a slight embarassment us as well....." Keree smiled uneasily, recounting the tale, "The Kingdom of Tan-Riel used to be in the center of mainland Zan-kel. But, then came an old Wizard one fine day who proposed to the Emperor that an invisible castle was the best way to protect a kingdom. So lo and behold, the wizard laid a spell on the entire kingdom which made it vanish in the space of one night.
But, owing again to the eccentricities of this strange land. It seems the spell was somewhat altered such that the castle was not only invisible (to the naked eye) but it moved around the land according to the winds. So now, we can only guess where the Castle of Tan-Riel really is, sometimes it ends up right next to the sea, and in the blinking on an eye its been shifted further inland to the edge of the Ghostly Woodes... and along with the castle, the Magi and Wizards disappeared as well, preferring to appear only when the castle wherabouts are known for fear of...umm...embarassment...."
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"Well, this is interesting, the Legend of Lorde Throu!"
"This is Lorde Throu the Invincible!" Keree the Centaur knelt in reverence before the awe-inspiring portrait of the Legend you have been hearing about all this time.
"The Gate Keeper's Inne is built in memory of Lorde Throu in the century 1030, the year of the Red Dragon. He had powers so great that our Goddess Phrayar let him in charge of the Gates of Hell, to protect the mortals from the invasion of the evil demons who conspire to rule the level ground and unleash confusion into this world.
However the powers of the Devil was increasing due to the number of believers in the dark side, so Throu did the most courageous thing he could to prevent an attack from the Devil onto the Land of Zan-Kel. He allowed himself to be absorbed into the earth by becoming one with Nature. being thus able to control the trees and the land. To make sure all things were clean and the earth was pure. He protected those who treaded on him from harm, he was their father. He was the soul of this Land.
It was said that Phrayar was so touched at his act of kindness that she planted two huge trees on the site of his birth to remind the people that although Throu was now part of Nature, he was all around them (two being the number of Unity). He would tower over them like the branches of those trees and protect those who seek shelter.
Years later, with the blessings of Phrayar, a young retiring Knighte named K-Lerb built an Inne, known to be the solace for the deserted and lost all around the country. It is with this thought that the Gate Keeper's Inne was changed from a simple Inne to a shrine of Earthly conciousness.
The mission and wish of this Inne is that all who seek relief at the Inne will respect Nature and remember the higher force that's guiding them through our magickal channels. "
back "Ahh...if you ask regarding this Inne, you have indeed come to the right one..." Keree smiled, walking down the twisted corridors of the Inne.
"You see that man" Keree pointed to a panicking K-Lerb, rushing about for more parchment. " He's K-Lerb, the man looking after the Inne all this while.
And that..." Keree turned in the direction of a room, "...is where Morzella tends her Shoppe 'O' Magick! Definitely a place to go if you need divine guidance. She's a superb Medium as well, if you want to communicate with anyone from the dark side, no soul can escape from Morzella. She's got tonnes of spells to give and bottles of potions to take care of every situation. I once had her communicating with my dead aunty, and that was interesting...seeing her hitting her palms like hoofs and neighing to the sounds of a human throat...it does call for some entertainment value you know....
Morzella's real age is five thousand and nine (but don't say that to her face unless you plan on a future as a humpbacked whale). She was a very powerful sorceress during her early years of appreticeship under the great Magician Tawid Cowerfeld. She was rumoured (and we all now how wrong rumours can be) to be the most beautiful Witch on Zan-Kel and had many wizards after her cloak. The unsuccesful ones(and that meant all of them) were turned into spinach and were never to be heard from again.
At other times however, she was kind at heart and easy to befriend (unless when she's making up one of her potions. Anyone within a three mile radius would be deemed to disappear either from tasting her recipes or becoming part of it).
But now, many milleniums later, she's just a harmless old hag who likes to help guests in the Inn (unless she's gathering energy to make one of her potions again,anyone around a one mile radius had better run). K-Lerb is the only one who can withstand her talk(him being a more boring talker than she is). "
Keree continued her enthusiastic explanation of the Inne, "K-Lerb tends to the Tavern 'O' Happiness over the other side of the Inne. I believe it is the power of Lorde Throu that all sadness miraculously vanishes once you enter the Inne."
There are many other rooms in the Inne, but I'm sure you would find it more interesting to discover them yourselves...
back The mysterious Architect of the Inne "The Inne was conceived by a certain Jo.Xeph of Alexandria. He too hails from the islands of Castell, rumoured to be a high Wizard now tending the Emperor himself. It was said that he singlehandedly created this whole Inne in the legth of one candle wick.
It seems this great Wizard has other astounding creations tucked away in the other parts of Zan-Kel."
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