A thousand years of longing - Revision history

Twiggy at 00:41, 19 March 2026

2026-03-19T00:41:27Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:41, 19 March 2026
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	A large, ancient vallorn like that in Visokuma or Brocéliande is the most dangerous. A small vallorn such as remains in Liathaven, Hercynia, Therunin, Sküld, and presumably Sarangrave should not be underestimated however; they will all do their best to slaughter everyone nearby and reclaim their territory once they are roused.		A large, ancient vallorn like that in Visokuma or Brocéliande is the most dangerous. A small vallorn such as remains in Liathaven, Hercynia, Therunin, Sküld, and presumably Sarangrave should not be underestimated however; they will all do their best to slaughter everyone nearby and reclaim their territory once they are roused.
	===Actually doing it===		===Actually doing it===
	* '''Béantal Dol in Sarangrave, and Cavan in Visokuma are the only ~~Vallorn hearts~~ that remain unconnected'''		* '''Béantal Dol in Sarangrave, and Cavan in Visokuma are the only vallornhearts that remain unconnected'''
	There are only two vallorn hearts not currently linked to the weave of trods. Béantal Dol in Sarangrave, and Cavan in Visokuma. To connect Béantal Dol, [[The Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] would need to be performed in [[Sarangrave#Bendol\|Bendol]] to create trods in Sarangrave. It would need to be cast twice in [[Axos]]; once in a Spring regio in the territory of Kabanja, and then from a [[regio]] in the ancient vallorn forest of [[Axos#Axou_Territories\|Visokuma]]. Three rituals, and all the vallorn hearts would be connected for the first time ever.		There are only two vallorn hearts not currently linked to the weave of trods. Béantal Dol in Sarangrave, and Cavan in Visokuma. To connect Béantal Dol, [[The Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] would need to be performed in [[Sarangrave#Bendol\|Bendol]] to create trods in Sarangrave. It would need to be cast twice in [[Axos]]; once in a Spring regio in the territory of Kabanja, and then from a [[regio]] in the ancient vallorn forest of [[Axos#Axou_Territories\|Visokuma]]. Three rituals, and all the vallorn hearts would be connected for the first time ever.

Twiggy: /* Actually doing it */

2026-02-04T19:19:05Z

Actually doing it

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:19, 4 February 2026
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	===Actually doing it===		===Actually doing it===
	* '''Béantal Dol in Sarangrave, and Cavan in Visokuma are the only Vallorn hearts that remain unconnected'''		* '''Béantal Dol in Sarangrave, and Cavan in Visokuma are the only Vallorn hearts that remain unconnected'''
	There are only two vallorn hearts not currently linked to the weave of trods. Béantal Dol in Sarangrave, and Cavan in Visokuma. To connect Béantal Dol, [[The Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] would need to be performed in [[Sarangrave#Bendol\|Bendol]] to create trods in Sarangrave. It would need to be cast twice in [[Axos]]; once in a Spring regio in the territory of Kabanja, and then from a [[regio]] in the ancient vallorn forest of [[Visokuma]]. Three rituals, and all the vallorn hearts would be connected for the first time ever.		There are only two vallorn hearts not currently linked to the weave of trods. Béantal Dol in Sarangrave, and Cavan in Visokuma. To connect Béantal Dol, [[The Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] would need to be performed in [[Sarangrave#Bendol\|Bendol]] to create trods in Sarangrave. It would need to be cast twice in [[Axos]]; once in a Spring regio in the territory of Kabanja, and then from a [[regio]] in the ancient vallorn forest of [[Axos#Axou_Territories\|Visokuma]]. Three rituals, and all the vallorn hearts would be connected for the first time ever.

	The Druj are masters of Spring magic, and they are no slouches when it comes to the magic of [[Winter magic\|Winter]]. It's not clear what they know about the vallorn, but there's plenty of evidence that over the years their [[Druj_lore#Ghulai\|ghulai]] have made their own study of the vallorn of Béantal Dol. They have been able to contain it in some way, after all, without the extreme step of [[Wither the Seed\|cursing the whole of Sarangrave]] the way the [[Thule]] did. Several scholars point out that it is surely no coincidence that the [[Sarangrave#Palace_of_the_Sleepers\|Palace of the Sleepers]] - believed to be a Druj [[college of magic]] - is found in Sarangrave not ''that'' far from Béantal Dol. It's very unlikely that they would be blind to the creation of trods in Sarangrave: they would certainly know what they meant, and they are quite capable of destroying them with their own magic. There's also the challenge of actually ''getting'' to Bendol, and doing so would likely be fruitless if the Druj were still in the territory and capable of tearing the trods down again. So the first step is likely to be the liberation of Sarangrave.		The Druj are masters of Spring magic, and they are no slouches when it comes to the magic of [[Winter magic\|Winter]]. It's not clear what they know about the vallorn, but there's plenty of evidence that over the years their [[Druj_lore#Ghulai\|ghulai]] have made their own study of the vallorn of Béantal Dol. They have been able to contain it in some way, after all, without the extreme step of [[Wither the Seed\|cursing the whole of Sarangrave]] the way the [[Thule]] did. Several scholars point out that it is surely no coincidence that the [[Sarangrave#Palace_of_the_Sleepers\|Palace of the Sleepers]] - believed to be a Druj [[college of magic]] - is found in Sarangrave not ''that'' far from Béantal Dol. It's very unlikely that they would be blind to the creation of trods in Sarangrave: they would certainly know what they meant, and they are quite capable of destroying them with their own magic. There's also the challenge of actually ''getting'' to Bendol, and doing so would likely be fruitless if the Druj were still in the territory and capable of tearing the trods down again. So the first step is likely to be the liberation of Sarangrave.

Matt: Text replacement - "[[Imperial army" to "[[Army"

2026-01-16T09:43:23Z

Text replacement - "[[Imperial army" to "[[Army"

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:43, 16 January 2026
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	===Creation and Destruction===		===Creation and Destruction===
	The original vallorn ritual performed by the Terunael was designed to create a great reservoir of [[Spring magic]], a deep well that would hold power from the Spring realm and be constantly refilled from it. The Terunael had experience with such magics, having used them successfully to warm the city of Emrys in present-day Sküld. Their cities were facing attacks on all fronts from hostile powers, for the most part orcs. They believed they were steadily losing the war against their enemies and the ritual was their only chance to turn the tide and ensure their survival. They planned to channel Spring magic from the wells into their armies, providing a near limitless source of strength and healing. Those who have fought the [[Vallornspawn_husk\|vallornspawn]] can testify to the supernatural vitality of its creation. It is fascinating to imagine what an [[~~Imperial army~~]] might achieve if granted that kind of power.		The original vallorn ritual performed by the Terunael was designed to create a great reservoir of [[Spring magic]], a deep well that would hold power from the Spring realm and be constantly refilled from it. The Terunael had experience with such magics, having used them successfully to warm the city of Emrys in present-day Sküld. Their cities were facing attacks on all fronts from hostile powers, for the most part orcs. They believed they were steadily losing the war against their enemies and the ritual was their only chance to turn the tide and ensure their survival. They planned to channel Spring magic from the wells into their armies, providing a near limitless source of strength and healing. Those who have fought the [[Vallornspawn_husk\|vallornspawn]] can testify to the supernatural vitality of its creation. It is fascinating to imagine what an [[Army]] might achieve if granted that kind of power.

	The Terunael magicians had poor relations with the [[eternal\|eternals]] of the Spring realm, so rather than bargain with them, they sought to fill their reservoirs with power drawn directly from the Primal Forest itself, rather than any intermediary. Although the Terunael possessed a lot of mana crystals, they had nothing like the sophistication and complexity of [[Formulaic_ritual#Imperial_Lore_and_the_Ritual_List\|Imperial lore]]. They appear to have had few or no effective ways for magicians from different cities to cooperate, nor anything like the [[Regio#The_Imperial_Regio\|Imperial regio]]. That limited the remit of their magic: the [[Laws_of_magic#The_Law_of_Dominion\|Law of Dominion]] enabled each city to perform magic on the city and the lands around it, but not across their empire as a whole. Thus each city performed their own version of the ritual.		The Terunael magicians had poor relations with the [[eternal\|eternals]] of the Spring realm, so rather than bargain with them, they sought to fill their reservoirs with power drawn directly from the Primal Forest itself, rather than any intermediary. Although the Terunael possessed a lot of mana crystals, they had nothing like the sophistication and complexity of [[Formulaic_ritual#Imperial_Lore_and_the_Ritual_List\|Imperial lore]]. They appear to have had few or no effective ways for magicians from different cities to cooperate, nor anything like the [[Regio#The_Imperial_Regio\|Imperial regio]]. That limited the remit of their magic: the [[Laws_of_magic#The_Law_of_Dominion\|Law of Dominion]] enabled each city to perform magic on the city and the lands around it, but not across their empire as a whole. Thus each city performed their own version of the ritual.

Matt: /* What Could Be */

2026-01-15T13:10:36Z

What Could Be

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:10, 15 January 2026
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	==What Could Be==		==What Could Be==
	The results of the work by the Hacynian scholars have identified three possible ways this might end, all unpalatable in one way or another. One requires extraordinary patience, one requires extraordinary sacrifice, and the last requires extraordinary Courage.		The results of the work by the Hacynian scholars have identified three possible ways this might end, all unpalatable in one way or another. One requires extraordinary patience, one requires extraordinary sacrifice, and the last requires extraordinary [[Courage]].

	===The Endless Trod===		===The Endless Trod===

Twiggy at 16:23, 5 August 2025

2025-08-05T16:23:19Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:23, 5 August 2025
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	A year ago, the [[Navarr]] took the fateful decision to expand the [[Great Library of Hacynian]], so that it would be vast enough to hold the treasure trove of documents and records about the vallorn scattered through every [[striding]] and [[steading]] in the Empire, as well as contributions from allies familiar and unexpected. The hope was that if the Empire compiled everything they knew on the subject, bringing it all together at last, then perhaps the answer to the vallorn might emerge. A way, at least to destroy the ancient evil and end a thousand years of longing.		A year ago, the [[Navarr]] took the fateful decision to expand the [[Great Library of Hacynian]], so that it would be vast enough to hold the treasure trove of documents and records about the vallorn scattered through every [[striding]] and [[steading]] in the Empire, as well as contributions from allies familiar and unexpected. The hope was that if the Empire compiled everything they knew on the subject, bringing it all together at last, then perhaps the answer to the vallorn might emerge. A way, at least to destroy the ancient evil and end a thousand years of longing.

	In the end, many of the scholars are surprised how little genuinely new information is revealed by this great process. The seminal text, "On the Nature of the Vallorn" by Siân Eternal has already accomplished the bulk of this work, compiling almost everything that was known about the history of Terunael and the ~~Vallorn~~ into one authoritative text. A lot of time was spent validating and confirming everything that was published, and adding what new information that was found into that picture. What the research has achieved is to clearly highlight the answers that existed in the Siân's text and to show that the Navarr possess everything there is to know on this subject.		In the end, many of the scholars are surprised how little genuinely new information is revealed by this great process. The seminal text, "On the Nature of the Vallorn" by Siân Eternal has already accomplished the bulk of this work, compiling almost everything that was known about the history of Terunael and the vallorn into one authoritative text. A lot of time was spent validating and confirming everything that was published, and adding what new information that was found into that picture. What the research has achieved is to clearly highlight the answers that existed in the Siân's text and to show that the Navarr possess everything there is to know on this subject.

	Of course there will always be the temptation to seek further information, but the scholars who have spent a year studying this for the Navarr are certain that this report represents everything of substance that there is to know about what happened and what can be done about it. ''Wisdom knows all knowledge is incomplete'' but ''the Virtuous apply what they have learned.''		Of course there will always be the temptation to seek further information, but the scholars who have spent a year studying this for the Navarr are certain that this report represents everything of substance that there is to know about what happened and what can be done about it. ''Wisdom knows all knowledge is incomplete'' but ''the Virtuous apply what they have learned.''
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	When roused in this way the vallorn fights against destruction with the frenzy of a trapped beast. The Empire saw something of this during the fight to [[382YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_war#Immolation_(Liathaven)\|clear the vallorn]] from West Ranging. They also saw the potential benefit of doing so, in the way the attempt by the Heirs of Terunael to rouse the vallorn of Brocéliande also left part of it vulnerable. Records of the cleansing of [[Miaren]] support this; when the heart was exposed the vallorn struck outwards. It flailed and fought, and it took a great many Imperial soldiers to hold it back, to absorb its fury and cut the heart out of the territory. Once it was gone, there were still decades of work tearing up the last vestiges of the transformed and Spring-infused plants and animals left before the territory was anything like it is today. It's no coincidence that Miaren is so lightly forested - or that regions where the vallorn have been removed have significantly fewer trees in them than might be expected.		When roused in this way the vallorn fights against destruction with the frenzy of a trapped beast. The Empire saw something of this during the fight to [[382YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_war#Immolation_(Liathaven)\|clear the vallorn]] from West Ranging. They also saw the potential benefit of doing so, in the way the attempt by the Heirs of Terunael to rouse the vallorn of Brocéliande also left part of it vulnerable. Records of the cleansing of [[Miaren]] support this; when the heart was exposed the vallorn struck outwards. It flailed and fought, and it took a great many Imperial soldiers to hold it back, to absorb its fury and cut the heart out of the territory. Once it was gone, there were still decades of work tearing up the last vestiges of the transformed and Spring-infused plants and animals left before the territory was anything like it is today. It's no coincidence that Miaren is so lightly forested - or that regions where the vallorn have been removed have significantly fewer trees in them than might be expected.

	This is both a blessing and a curse. As the vallorn strikes out blindly trying to cut the tethers that weaken it, it becomes much more vulnerable. It is dangerous to attack the vallorn at any time, but it is certain death to do so in its stronghold where it can draw on the healing power of the Spring realm directly. But once it emerges from that cocoon, it becomes a terrible but fundamentally mortal threat. If it can be overcome on the field of battle, then it can be defeated, as any normal enemy might be. If ''that'' happens then the ~~Vallorn~~ pulls back, contracting in on itself, retreating to a smaller area to conserve its remaining energies. However if the ~~Vallorn~~ wins, then it will try to spread its pernicious influence over the land, breaking the trods as it does so.		This is both a blessing and a curse. As the vallorn strikes out blindly trying to cut the tethers that weaken it, it becomes much more vulnerable. It is dangerous to attack the vallorn at any time, but it is certain death to do so in its stronghold where it can draw on the healing power of the Spring realm directly. But once it emerges from that cocoon, it becomes a terrible but fundamentally mortal threat. If it can be overcome on the field of battle, then it can be defeated, as any normal enemy might be. If ''that'' happens then the vallorn pulls back, contracting in on itself, retreating to a smaller area to conserve its remaining energies. However if the vallorn wins, then it will try to spread its pernicious influence over the land, breaking the trods as it does so.

	Dying back in this way makes the vallorn harder to defeat in future. As long as the original rituals endure, the heart of each ~~Vallorn~~ is continuously refreshed with revitalising energy drawn from the ''Primal Forest''. The magic is concentrated into an ever smaller area, as are the spawn it creates and sustains. Each time the vallorn gives ground it becomes harder to bleed it further. The only way to counter this effect is for more people to walk the trods and for the Navarr to spread them further and further. The longer the journeys the stridings undertake before they return to the heart, the greater the effect they have.		Dying back in this way makes the vallorn harder to defeat in future. As long as the original rituals endure, the heart of each vallorn is continuously refreshed with revitalising energy drawn from the ''Primal Forest''. The magic is concentrated into an ever smaller area, as are the spawn it creates and sustains. Each time the vallorn gives ground it becomes harder to bleed it further. The only way to counter this effect is for more people to walk the trods and for the Navarr to spread them further and further. The longer the journeys the stridings undertake before they return to the heart, the greater the effect they have.

	===All That Remains===		===All That Remains===
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	There is a brief ''theoretical'' discussion of another way this could end. The more the vallorn is cut back, the denser and more potent it becomes. Logically, therefore, if the vallorn were to spread, then its power would extend over a greater area, but it would be diminished in impact. In theory, if that happened, then it might be possible for people to forge a life within the vallorn. There would have to be certain sacrifices made of course - there is no chance of the cities of [[the League]] surviving, or indeed any other Imperial architecture. The carefully tended fields of [[the Marches]] would likewise be swallowed up and consigned to history. But in theory people could potentially survive. This is the future described in glowing terms in the documents recovered from the Heirs of Terunael stronghold in Brocéliande.		There is a brief ''theoretical'' discussion of another way this could end. The more the vallorn is cut back, the denser and more potent it becomes. Logically, therefore, if the vallorn were to spread, then its power would extend over a greater area, but it would be diminished in impact. In theory, if that happened, then it might be possible for people to forge a life within the vallorn. There would have to be certain sacrifices made of course - there is no chance of the cities of [[the League]] surviving, or indeed any other Imperial architecture. The carefully tended fields of [[the Marches]] would likewise be swallowed up and consigned to history. But in theory people could potentially survive. This is the future described in glowing terms in the documents recovered from the Heirs of Terunael stronghold in Brocéliande.

	Nobody thinks it is a good idea; quite apart from the fact that the Empire in its current form could not survive the vallorn, it would mean abandoning everything the Navarr have worked to achieve for a thousand years, betraying the sacred trust handed down to them by Navarr and Thorn. But at least it gives some insight into the true goals of individuals like [[Drustan of the Briar\|Drustan]] and the other Heirs of Terunael. It's even possible that something like this is what the magicians who performed the original rituals to create the ~~Vallorn~~ envisaged. If either of those is true, then knowing that such a thing is possible may help the Empire understand the enemy better, the easier to defeat them.		Nobody thinks it is a good idea; quite apart from the fact that the Empire in its current form could not survive the vallorn, it would mean abandoning everything the Navarr have worked to achieve for a thousand years, betraying the sacred trust handed down to them by Navarr and Thorn. But at least it gives some insight into the true goals of individuals like [[Drustan of the Briar\|Drustan]] and the other Heirs of Terunael. It's even possible that something like this is what the magicians who performed the original rituals to create the vallorn envisaged. If either of those is true, then knowing that such a thing is possible may help the Empire understand the enemy better, the easier to defeat them.

	===The Final Trod===		===The Final Trod===

Twiggy at 23:12, 1 August 2025

2025-08-01T23:12:47Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:12, 1 August 2025
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	The original vallorn ritual performed by the Terunael was designed to create a great reservoir of [[Spring magic]], a deep well that would hold power from the Spring realm and be constantly refilled from it. The Terunael had experience with such magics, having used them successfully to warm the city of Emrys in present-day Sküld. Their cities were facing attacks on all fronts from hostile powers, for the most part orcs. They believed they were steadily losing the war against their enemies and the ritual was their only chance to turn the tide and ensure their survival. They planned to channel Spring magic from the wells into their armies, providing a near limitless source of strength and healing. Those who have fought the [[Vallornspawn_husk\|vallornspawn]] can testify to the supernatural vitality of its creation. It is fascinating to imagine what an [[Imperial army]] might achieve if granted that kind of power.		The original vallorn ritual performed by the Terunael was designed to create a great reservoir of [[Spring magic]], a deep well that would hold power from the Spring realm and be constantly refilled from it. The Terunael had experience with such magics, having used them successfully to warm the city of Emrys in present-day Sküld. Their cities were facing attacks on all fronts from hostile powers, for the most part orcs. They believed they were steadily losing the war against their enemies and the ritual was their only chance to turn the tide and ensure their survival. They planned to channel Spring magic from the wells into their armies, providing a near limitless source of strength and healing. Those who have fought the [[Vallornspawn_husk\|vallornspawn]] can testify to the supernatural vitality of its creation. It is fascinating to imagine what an [[Imperial army]] might achieve if granted that kind of power.

	The Terunael magicians had poor relations with the [[eternal\|eternals]] of the Spring realm, so rather than bargain with them, they sought to fill their reservoirs with power drawn directly from the Primal Forest itself, rather than any intermediary. Although the Terunael possessed a lot of mana crystals, they had nothing like the sophistication and complexity of [[Formulaic_ritual#Imperial_Lore_and_the_Ritual_List\|Imperial lore]]. They appear to have had few or no effective ways for magicians from different cities to cooperate, nor anything like the [[Regio#The_Imperial_Regio\|Imperial regio]]. That limited the remit of their magic: the [[~~Ritual_theory~~#The_Law_of_Dominion\|Law of Dominion]] enabled each city to perform magic on the city and the lands around it, but not across their empire as a whole. Thus each city performed their own version of the ritual.		The Terunael magicians had poor relations with the [[eternal\|eternals]] of the Spring realm, so rather than bargain with them, they sought to fill their reservoirs with power drawn directly from the Primal Forest itself, rather than any intermediary. Although the Terunael possessed a lot of mana crystals, they had nothing like the sophistication and complexity of [[Formulaic_ritual#Imperial_Lore_and_the_Ritual_List\|Imperial lore]]. They appear to have had few or no effective ways for magicians from different cities to cooperate, nor anything like the [[Regio#The_Imperial_Regio\|Imperial regio]]. That limited the remit of their magic: the [[Laws_of_magic#The_Law_of_Dominion\|Law of Dominion]] enabled each city to perform magic on the city and the lands around it, but not across their empire as a whole. Thus each city performed their own version of the ritual.

	To make the ritual possible they made extensive use of [[Balms_of_the_Fountainhead\|Talonvine Infusion]] to boost their ritual abilities, using ilium taken from the Urizen. There have been several suggestions over the years that the rituals were made permanent with ilium, as an explanation for why the vallorn has persisted for a millennium, but that ''can't'' be true, because of the unfeasible amounts of ilium involved. It is more likely that this longevity of the magic is caused by the presence of the plants and animals in the area - in effect the vallorn's presence in an area is powerful enough that it alters the landscape in such a way that it anchors the magic in place. This would explain why it is possible to remove the vallorn energies from an area by destroying the infested creatures. In effect, the vallorn is like some great Spring regio, spreading over the forests of the Empire.		To make the ritual possible they made extensive use of [[Balms_of_the_Fountainhead\|Talonvine Infusion]] to boost their ritual abilities, using ilium taken from the Urizen. There have been several suggestions over the years that the rituals were made permanent with ilium, as an explanation for why the vallorn has persisted for a millennium, but that ''can't'' be true, because of the unfeasible amounts of ilium involved. It is more likely that this longevity of the magic is caused by the presence of the plants and animals in the area - in effect the vallorn's presence in an area is powerful enough that it alters the landscape in such a way that it anchors the magic in place. This would explain why it is possible to remove the vallorn energies from an area by destroying the infested creatures. In effect, the vallorn is like some great Spring regio, spreading over the forests of the Empire.

Matt: /* Overview */

2025-07-19T10:27:20Z

Overview

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:27, 19 July 2025
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	<div style="float:left; width: 450px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage\|file=On the Vallorn.jpg\|caption=The Great Library at Hacynian has collected together documents from all over the Empire and beyond, all to bring a resolution to the thousand-year-oaths of the Navarr.\|align=left\|width=450}}</div> {{audio\|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOk62BHUBcE}}		<div style="float:left; width: 450px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage\|file=On the Vallorn.jpg\|caption=The Great Library at Hacynian has collected together documents from all over the Empire and beyond, all to bring a resolution to the thousand-year-oaths of the Navarr.\|align=left\|width=450}}</div> {{audio\|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOk62BHUBcE}}
	==Overview==		==Overview==
	A year ago, the [[Navarr]] took the fateful decision to expand the [[~~Advisor_on_the_Vallorn#The_Great_Library_of_Hacynian\|~~Great Library of Hacynian]], so that it would be vast enough to hold the treasure trove of documents and records about the vallorn scattered through every [[striding]] and [[steading]] in the Empire, as well as contributions from allies familiar and unexpected. The hope was that if the Empire compiled everything they knew on the subject, bringing it all together at last, then perhaps the answer to the vallorn might emerge. A way, at least to destroy the ancient evil and end a thousand years of longing.		A year ago, the [[Navarr]] took the fateful decision to expand the [[Great Library of Hacynian]], so that it would be vast enough to hold the treasure trove of documents and records about the vallorn scattered through every [[striding]] and [[steading]] in the Empire, as well as contributions from allies familiar and unexpected. The hope was that if the Empire compiled everything they knew on the subject, bringing it all together at last, then perhaps the answer to the vallorn might emerge. A way, at least to destroy the ancient evil and end a thousand years of longing.

	In the end, many of the scholars are surprised how little genuinely new information is revealed by this great process. The seminal text, "On the Nature of the Vallorn" by Siân Eternal has already accomplished the bulk of this work, compiling almost everything that was known about the history of Terunael and the Vallorn into one authoritative text. A lot of time was spent validating and confirming everything that was published, and adding what new information that was found into that picture. What the research has achieved is to clearly highlight the answers that existed in the Siân's text and to show that the Navarr possess everything there is to know on this subject.		In the end, many of the scholars are surprised how little genuinely new information is revealed by this great process. The seminal text, "On the Nature of the Vallorn" by Siân Eternal has already accomplished the bulk of this work, compiling almost everything that was known about the history of Terunael and the Vallorn into one authoritative text. A lot of time was spent validating and confirming everything that was published, and adding what new information that was found into that picture. What the research has achieved is to clearly highlight the answers that existed in the Siân's text and to show that the Navarr possess everything there is to know on this subject.

Twiggy at 17:14, 18 July 2025

2025-07-18T17:14:15Z

Twiggy at 10:41, 11 July 2025

2025-07-11T10:41:21Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:41, 11 July 2025
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	===All That Remains===		===All That Remains===
	A thousand years of toil have brought the Navarr to where they stand now. There is only one vallorn region left in Liathaven; one in Hercynia; and two in Therunin. Brocéliande is the real threat with five vallorn regions. ~~Skuld~~ is constrained and weakened; Sarangrave is contained, but there is no real glimpse of how powerful it might be. Visokuma is an immense, ancient vallorn that has never been weakened and today is even larger than Brocéliande... but as one Highborn academic calmly points out, it is a very long way away in [[Axos]].		A thousand years of toil have brought the Navarr to where they stand now. There is only one vallorn region left in Liathaven; one in Hercynia; and two in Therunin. Brocéliande is the real threat with five vallorn regions. Sküld is constrained and weakened; Sarangrave is contained, but there is no real glimpse of how powerful it might be. Visokuma is an immense, ancient vallorn that has never been weakened and today is even larger than Brocéliande... but as one Highborn academic calmly points out, it is a very long way away in [[Axos]].

	The trods are doing their work, but the process is getting slower as the vallorn get smaller, not faster. The heart of each vallorn is like an open wound in Creation, allowing immeasurable amounts of Spring magic to pour into the world. Outside of Miaren those conduits have never closed, not in a thousand years. The magic sustains the vallorn hearts in a state of practical immortality. It can be slowly drawn away by the trods, and when enough of it is spread out and dissipated, the vallorn rouses itself and strikes back, making it possible root it out of a region. But as previously mentioned, as the vallorn gets smaller, it gets more dangerous. The same amount of Spring magic is focused in a smaller area, making it that much harder to destroy. In a thousand years the Navarr have defeated only one vallorn heart, and seven more remain.		The trods are doing their work, but the process is getting slower as the vallorn get smaller, not faster. The heart of each vallorn is like an open wound in Creation, allowing immeasurable amounts of Spring magic to pour into the world. Outside of Miaren those conduits have never closed, not in a thousand years. The magic sustains the vallorn hearts in a state of practical immortality. It can be slowly drawn away by the trods, and when enough of it is spread out and dissipated, the vallorn rouses itself and strikes back, making it possible root it out of a region. But as previously mentioned, as the vallorn gets smaller, it gets more dangerous. The same amount of Spring magic is focused in a smaller area, making it that much harder to destroy. In a thousand years the Navarr have defeated only one vallorn heart, and seven more remain.
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	It's hard to apply any mathematics to the vallorn - it is a thing of chaos after all - but the magicians who have studied the problem estimate that at the current rate it will take at least fifty years before another vallorn heart - likely Hercynia - becomes vulnerable. There would likely be opportunities to reclaim a region or two from the vallorn before then, but even that won't happen for a decade now. A further century or so beyond Hercynia, Liathaven might be reclaimed. Beyond that the projections become pure speculation, but the gloomiest predictions suggest that the vallorn might outlast the Empire.		It's hard to apply any mathematics to the vallorn - it is a thing of chaos after all - but the magicians who have studied the problem estimate that at the current rate it will take at least fifty years before another vallorn heart - likely Hercynia - becomes vulnerable. There would likely be opportunities to reclaim a region or two from the vallorn before then, but even that won't happen for a decade now. A further century or so beyond Hercynia, Liathaven might be reclaimed. Beyond that the projections become pure speculation, but the gloomiest predictions suggest that the vallorn might outlast the Empire.

	The overwhelming evidence is that the vallorn can only be torn out by the roots. It can be weakened and contained, made quiescent, but paradoxically that could actually make the situation worse in the long term because it allows he vallorn to "bank" more of its energy. The [[Wither the Seed]] ritual is doing its job, but once it runs its course, Liathaven, Brocéliande, and ~~Skuld~~ will return to full force almost immediately.		The overwhelming evidence is that the vallorn can only be torn out by the roots. It can be weakened and contained, made quiescent, but paradoxically that could actually make the situation worse in the long term because it allows he vallorn to "bank" more of its energy. The [[Wither the Seed]] ritual is doing its job, but once it runs its course, Liathaven, Brocéliande, and Sküld will return to full force almost immediately.

	==What Could Be==		==What Could Be==
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	It's proving impossible to predict exactly how powerful the vallorn would be if it was roused, but the general excited consensus is that the slow work of draining its power over the last ten centuries would mean that the Empire would have a hard fight... but could ultimately win if they were able to fully commit to that fight. Of course none of these people are [[general\|generals]]; the only information they have available to them is the size of the Empire's armies and the strength of the vallorn.		It's proving impossible to predict exactly how powerful the vallorn would be if it was roused, but the general excited consensus is that the slow work of draining its power over the last ten centuries would mean that the Empire would have a hard fight... but could ultimately win if they were able to fully commit to that fight. Of course none of these people are [[general\|generals]]; the only information they have available to them is the size of the Empire's armies and the strength of the vallorn.

	A large, ancient vallorn like that in Visokuma or Brocéliande is the most dangerous. A small vallorn such as remains in Liathaven, Hercynia, Therunin, ~~Skuld~~, and presumably Sarangrave should not be underestimated however; they will all do their best to slaughter everyone nearby and reclaim their territory once they are roused.		A large, ancient vallorn like that in Visokuma or Brocéliande is the most dangerous. A small vallorn such as remains in Liathaven, Hercynia, Therunin, Sküld, and presumably Sarangrave should not be underestimated however; they will all do their best to slaughter everyone nearby and reclaim their territory once they are roused.
	===Actually doing it===		===Actually doing it===
	* '''Béantal Dol in Sarangrave, and Cavan in Visokuma are the only Vallorn hearts that remain unconnected'''		* '''Béantal Dol in Sarangrave, and Cavan in Visokuma are the only Vallorn hearts that remain unconnected'''

Dre at 14:30, 15 April 2025

2025-04-15T14:30:17Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:30, 15 April 2025
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	The trods are doing their work, but the process is getting slower as the vallorn get smaller, not faster. The heart of each vallorn is like an open wound in Creation, allowing immeasurable amounts of Spring magic to pour into the world. Outside of Miaren those conduits have never closed, not in a thousand years. The magic sustains the vallorn hearts in a state of practical immortality. It can be slowly drawn away by the trods, and when enough of it is spread out and dissipated, the vallorn rouses itself and strikes back, making it possible root it out of a region. But as previously mentioned, as the vallorn gets smaller, it gets more dangerous. The same amount of Spring magic is focused in a smaller area, making it that much harder to destroy. In a thousand years the Navarr have defeated only one vallorn heart, and seven more remain.		The trods are doing their work, but the process is getting slower as the vallorn get smaller, not faster. The heart of each vallorn is like an open wound in Creation, allowing immeasurable amounts of Spring magic to pour into the world. Outside of Miaren those conduits have never closed, not in a thousand years. The magic sustains the vallorn hearts in a state of practical immortality. It can be slowly drawn away by the trods, and when enough of it is spread out and dissipated, the vallorn rouses itself and strikes back, making it possible root it out of a region. But as previously mentioned, as the vallorn gets smaller, it gets more dangerous. The same amount of Spring magic is focused in a smaller area, making it that much harder to destroy. In a thousand years the Navarr have defeated only one vallorn heart, and seven more remain.

	It has seemed in recent times as if the process is speeding up - with both [[Liathaven#West Ranging\|West Ranging]] and [[Brocéliande#Dark Ranging\|Dark Ranging]] becoming vulnerable in the same decade - but this is a result of the increased reach of the trods and the dramatic increase in the number of people travelling them. Before that, it had been decades since any part of the vallorn became vulnerable. The [[Highguard\|Highborn]] paid a dramatic price to encourage their [[Grey ~~Pilgrim~~\|grey pilgrims]] to follow the Navarr onto the trods, but there doesn't seem to be the will in other nations for such a sacrifice. There is also a limit to how effective the trods can be - it would help if they were extended to new territories - but even that can only achieve so much.		It has seemed in recent times as if the process is speeding up - with both [[Liathaven#West Ranging\|West Ranging]] and [[Brocéliande#Dark Ranging\|Dark Ranging]] becoming vulnerable in the same decade - but this is a result of the increased reach of the trods and the dramatic increase in the number of people travelling them. Before that, it had been decades since any part of the vallorn became vulnerable. The [[Highguard\|Highborn]] paid a dramatic price to encourage their [[Grey pilgrim\|grey pilgrims]] to follow the Navarr onto the trods, but there doesn't seem to be the will in other nations for such a sacrifice. There is also a limit to how effective the trods can be - it would help if they were extended to new territories - but even that can only achieve so much.

	Disruptions to the trod network make the problem worse. Whenever a vallorn is cut off from the trods, it ''rapidly'' recovers its depleted strength. The invigoration of the Spring magic that constantly flows into it undoes in each season the work of years of trod walking. This has significant implications for Liathaven and Hercynia in particular, whose trods have been recently disrupted.		Disruptions to the trod network make the problem worse. Whenever a vallorn is cut off from the trods, it ''rapidly'' recovers its depleted strength. The invigoration of the Spring magic that constantly flows into it undoes in each season the work of years of trod walking. This has significant implications for Liathaven and Hercynia in particular, whose trods have been recently disrupted.

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:12, 1 August 2025
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	The original vallorn ritual performed by the Terunael was designed to create a great reservoir of [[Spring magic]], a deep well that would hold power from the Spring realm and be constantly refilled from it. The Terunael had experience with such magics, having used them successfully to warm the city of Emrys in present-day Sküld. Their cities were facing attacks on all fronts from hostile powers, for the most part orcs. They believed they were steadily losing the war against their enemies and the ritual was their only chance to turn the tide and ensure their survival. They planned to channel Spring magic from the wells into their armies, providing a near limitless source of strength and healing. Those who have fought the [[Vallornspawn_husk\|vallornspawn]] can testify to the supernatural vitality of its creation. It is fascinating to imagine what an [[Imperial army]] might achieve if granted that kind of power.		The original vallorn ritual performed by the Terunael was designed to create a great reservoir of [[Spring magic]], a deep well that would hold power from the Spring realm and be constantly refilled from it. The Terunael had experience with such magics, having used them successfully to warm the city of Emrys in present-day Sküld. Their cities were facing attacks on all fronts from hostile powers, for the most part orcs. They believed they were steadily losing the war against their enemies and the ritual was their only chance to turn the tide and ensure their survival. They planned to channel Spring magic from the wells into their armies, providing a near limitless source of strength and healing. Those who have fought the [[Vallornspawn_husk\|vallornspawn]] can testify to the supernatural vitality of its creation. It is fascinating to imagine what an [[Imperial army]] might achieve if granted that kind of power.

	The Terunael magicians had poor relations with the [[eternal\|eternals]] of the Spring realm, so rather than bargain with them, they sought to fill their reservoirs with power drawn directly from the Primal Forest itself, rather than any intermediary. Although the Terunael possessed a lot of mana crystals, they had nothing like the sophistication and complexity of [[Formulaic_ritual#Imperial_Lore_and_the_Ritual_List\|Imperial lore]]. They appear to have had few or no effective ways for magicians from different cities to cooperate, nor anything like the [[Regio#The_Imperial_Regio\|Imperial regio]]. That limited the remit of their magic: the [[~~Ritual_theory~~#The_Law_of_Dominion\|Law of Dominion]] enabled each city to perform magic on the city and the lands around it, but not across their empire as a whole. Thus each city performed their own version of the ritual.		The Terunael magicians had poor relations with the [[eternal\|eternals]] of the Spring realm, so rather than bargain with them, they sought to fill their reservoirs with power drawn directly from the Primal Forest itself, rather than any intermediary. Although the Terunael possessed a lot of mana crystals, they had nothing like the sophistication and complexity of [[Formulaic_ritual#Imperial_Lore_and_the_Ritual_List\|Imperial lore]]. They appear to have had few or no effective ways for magicians from different cities to cooperate, nor anything like the [[Regio#The_Imperial_Regio\|Imperial regio]]. That limited the remit of their magic: the [[Laws_of_magic#The_Law_of_Dominion\|Law of Dominion]] enabled each city to perform magic on the city and the lands around it, but not across their empire as a whole. Thus each city performed their own version of the ritual.

	To make the ritual possible they made extensive use of [[Balms_of_the_Fountainhead\|Talonvine Infusion]] to boost their ritual abilities, using ilium taken from the Urizen. There have been several suggestions over the years that the rituals were made permanent with ilium, as an explanation for why the vallorn has persisted for a millennium, but that ''can't'' be true, because of the unfeasible amounts of ilium involved. It is more likely that this longevity of the magic is caused by the presence of the plants and animals in the area - in effect the vallorn's presence in an area is powerful enough that it alters the landscape in such a way that it anchors the magic in place. This would explain why it is possible to remove the vallorn energies from an area by destroying the infested creatures. In effect, the vallorn is like some great Spring regio, spreading over the forests of the Empire.		To make the ritual possible they made extensive use of [[Balms_of_the_Fountainhead\|Talonvine Infusion]] to boost their ritual abilities, using ilium taken from the Urizen. There have been several suggestions over the years that the rituals were made permanent with ilium, as an explanation for why the vallorn has persisted for a millennium, but that ''can't'' be true, because of the unfeasible amounts of ilium involved. It is more likely that this longevity of the magic is caused by the presence of the plants and animals in the area - in effect the vallorn's presence in an area is powerful enough that it alters the landscape in such a way that it anchors the magic in place. This would explain why it is possible to remove the vallorn energies from an area by destroying the infested creatures. In effect, the vallorn is like some great Spring regio, spreading over the forests of the Empire.