Hello everyone!
“An agent of the Maw is attacking Oribos! Defend the Arbiter!”
Last time we left the ones we were supposed to save behind in the maw as the waystone
only reacted to us, an instant teleport out of the maw into the eternal city of Oribos.
Overseer Kah-Delen : “The reports from our scryers were unmistakable.
The maw shuddered for a moment, as if reacting to some change.”
Overseer Kah-Sher : “An ill omen, to be certain. What can it mean?”
“Overseers! This stranger appeared at the city’s edge. I believe them to be... a living
mortal.”
Cutscene: Every attendant in Oribos is taught that the
Maw is unbreachable. That the malevolent souls within were sealed away for all eternity.
This mortal’s escape might mean the prison is...weakening. If true, the Banished One
could... Tal-Inara teleports in: Kah-Delen! Kah-Sher!
Purpose be praised! At long last, the Arbiter has stirred!
“Wonderous news, Honored Voice! Mere moments ago, there was a disturbance at the boundary
of the Maw. Then this mortal apperared, claiming to have broken free of it.”
“A living mortal! Surely their presence here serves the Purpose. If the Arbiter reacted
to their arrival, perhaps they are the key to waking her.”
Kah-Sher: “Is this mortal worthy of such an audience? They may prove to be an agent
of the Jailer!” “It is the arbiters place to judge souls,
kah sher, not ours. I will bring this mortal before her. With her voice have I spoken.”
“Blessed be her voice.”
The Arbiter is one of the Eternal ones, who rule over the Shadowlands, as she watches
over Oribos. With plenty of voices to speak for her. This is the spot where all souls
enter the Shadowlands, the first sight a soul beholds with their newly unliving eyes. At
this crossroads, the dead are judged by the impassive Arbiter before being sent to their
final destinations, and Oribos’ denizens swap gossip and anima, anima being your life
experience that you bring with you upon death or soulstuff as the website describes it,
that serves as both power and currency.
“She is unchaged. Ever silent. Ever still. When you arrived in oribos, i saw the arbiter
stir for the first time in many cycles. It gave me hope, that she would awaken and resume
her blessed Purpose. Mere words cannot describe the glory that was. Step forward, that I may
show you.”
Cutscene: Behold beautiful oribos
For uncounted eons, the shadowlands was in perfect order. Infinite afterlives, with Oribos,
the Eternal City, as the shining heart. Every mortal soul came before the Arbiter.
And she, ever wise, experienced all that had shaped a soul in life. With this knowledge,
she consigned every soul to the afterlife it justly deserved.
Until... UNTIL WHAT??? A SHINY RED ATTACK? A SOUL SHE
COULDNT PROCESS? WHAT? WHAT?! WE MUST KNOW In that dread moment, our perfect order was
shattered. And so it is that every soul, kind and cruel alike, is denied its rightfull afterlife
and instead is damned to the inescapable torment of the maw.
“Now souls rich with anima travel only to the maw. We have tried everything to stop
it. To awaken our blessed Arbiter, to no avail. Without anima, drought has gripped the Shadowlands.
The afterlife have grown issolated. Fear and uncertainty haunt us all. With countless souls
feeding the jailer, I fear he may grow strong enough to break free from the maw. It is said
he is filled with hatred for the arbiter. If he strikes her down, it would bring the
end of everything The First Ones made. Return to the lower levels, the overseers will prepare
you for what is to come.”
There are a ton of different gateways surrounding the Arbiter, easy way of transport once the
sorting hat has done her job, but they’re all closed ever since the incident... what
ever might have happened. Despite the cutscene showing us more, we’re
still not certain what shut the arbiter down. Was it a soul she couldn’t properly process?
An attack from within the shadowlands? Unknown! It took place sometime during the legion period,
but that’s about as far as it goes... causing problems across the shadwlands and feeding
a threat that must remain imprisoned. We musnt give up hope though! Perhaps our
efforts would benefit from creating a tether to the mortal plane. The map table was put
in place long ago by the First Ones, the wise architects of all we see. The same first ones
that left a relic behind in the maw which we used to escape. With the use of the helmet
of domination we can use the tables magic and establish
a connection.
Cutscene: Place the remaining helmet in oribos, potential
of reforging it late? Maybe. All hail the new lich king or perhaps jailer
reclaims its armor, that could be cool aswell. OW hello there bolvar, way is open to all
now huh? Awesome! More outsiders! What have you done, mortal?
Be at ease. I am Bolvar Fordragon. These knights and I are here to help.
The touch of the Maw is upon their souls aswell. But if they found a way to break free of its
influence, perhaps they can aid us.
The tether was strong enough to bring a few of them across, but we will need a stronger
connection. The acolytes brought with can open proper teleportation portals to our capital
cities, opening up oribis and the literal afterlife for all to visit!
“I have opened countless portals in my lifetime. But never one that connected two planes of
reality.” “I thought death was the end of existence.
Here, it seeems. Death is a power that offers new beginnings.”
A way in to our brand new capital city in the shadowlands. Time to explore a bit, see
what this city is all about. We’ve already spoken with a couple of attendants that serve
as the caretakers of Oribos. Everything we see done here is done in service to the purpose
as they love to keep reminding us. The purpose is everything around us...all
that we see...it all happens through the Purpose. It’s the guiding principle of all the Arbiter’s
attendants. It is the reason they are summoned into existence to serve the Eternal city.
To serve her. Just as Oribos is the heart of the Shadowlands, so the Purpose keeps the
realms of Death in Balance. The purpose guides us. It shows us the path. All beings in the
endless cycle serve the purpose – even those who do so unknowingly or unwillingly. The
purpose is everlasting. It has intention. We all serve the purpose. All hail the purpose!
Our path and the purpose might even be intertwining, but now that stuff is broken, some are wondering
if this is all part of the purpose or if the purpose itself might be broken.
To follow the purpose you got your caretakers, that maintain the stability and operations
of Oribios and tend to the Arbiter’s needs. In this time of chaos and drought, they must
adapt their perspective. It seemsthey are to serve the purpose in a new way.
The scholars, that hold the knowledge of the Eternal City. From within this circle, an
honored voice is selected to speak on behalf of the ever-silent arbiter.
And the Protectors, that serve as a stoic militia who defend oribos and maintain the
order within. Considering this is a sanctuary, best not to start any fights.
Outside with Fatescribe Roh- Tahl we’re introduced to a touchstone
for spirits that have become untethered. They sense the touch of a great power upon us.
Despite facing the end of our existence time and again, this force has kept us anchored
to the mortal plane. A vague reason as to why we don’t really die ingame. Devices
like this one will keep us anchored to the shadowlands, should we die here as well. To
the question; what happens to the beings of the shadowlands that breath their last...
it appears that their anima, their spirit becomes one with the land.
Next to the attendants, the city is full of other visitors, the brokers. They might immediately
remind you of the Ethereals and with good reason as they act and look quite similar.
Some are even wondering is this is what an ethereal becomes upon death or if its a variation
upon their race. Either way, for the brokers no request is too difficult. You want to learn
new skills for your profesion, gain access to void storage, transmog, a barber, a bank?!
What you want is within reach with a broker’s help as they have the power to traverse to
different worlds. They always find a way... for a price.
“Broker quote”
Of course you have to wonder what they after in the shadowlands. Down below i nthe broker’s
den we can have a little chat with Opulence Ba’hare of the Cartel Ba. He explains that
he’s one of the elders of the Ba Cartel. They value the accumulation of information
and knowledge. The application of such knowledge has the side effect of allowing them to accumulate
influence and wealth. Brokers value success and he seeks only to ensure they continue
to prosper. I guess we’ll have to take his word on that.
Yet Bolvar warns us that the Shadowlands was never meant for mortal eyes. Do not trust
your perceptions and be wary. Always wary. There’s more going on here then appears
on the surface. The attendants are vague about what their purpose actually means and if that
purpose is the best purpose for us or for the Shadowlands...what ever purpose this domain
might have. The brokers are super friendly, but what are they really after? At a later
level we’ll find out more on those subjects...
“And when she sundered the helm, the sky above the citadel shattered. The spire of
an immense tower appeared beyond the veil.” “If the maw’s influence bleeds into your
realm, the balance between life and death will be broken. All you hold dear will be
consumed in darkness.”
“Tell me, how did these allies from your world become trapped in the maw?”
“Sylvanas windrunner sent her agents to abduct them. Dark, winged beings who caught
them in chains and dragged them through the shattered sky.”
“The winged kyrian of bastion ferry souls from the mortal realm into the shaodwlands,
but not with chains. And they are noble, untainted by the maw.”
“True, but it would seem this is the only clue our mortal friend has to follow. It falls
to us to open the way for them.” “Agreed. Overseer Kah-Sher, take this mortal
to the ring of transference. Uses our anima reserves to open a pathway to bastion.”
“But Honored voice, we have so little anima in our reserves! Surely we should be more
– “ “See it done, Kah-Sher. With her voice have
I spoken.
“We have precious little anima to spare. But the honored voice has blesssed your mission
so we will use what we have. We will call down one of the soul conduits for use as a
gateway to bastion. These paths have been dormant for some time. Your arrival will be...unexpected.”
Cutscene: Sword flies up, gateway comes down. PATHWAY OPEN!
and so the gateway into Bastion has opened up, our adventures further into the shadowlands
await, but that will be for next time... For now thank you very much for watching everyone!
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