Continuity/Rytheran and the Graveyard

There are a few key elements related to Rytheran and his actions involving the Graveyard. Unfortunately, there are some discrepancies between them.

Ancient Enemies

In the Ancient Enemies event (Wintersebb, 18 PY) the graveyard was added. As part of this addition, the Ancient Journal Pages were introduced. Also during this event Lord Rytheran left the Mage Academy, leaving Rytheran's Apprentice in his place with an updated Rytheran's Letter. In the rollout article for this event, Adso mentioned to Sabithra that less than a year prior he had scouted that exact area of the Direlands and had seen no evidence of the graveyard.

At this point, the story behind the graveyard contained no errors. Long ago, the House Mhoire fled from Dericost to Dereth when Lord Cynreft Mhoire learned that Prince Geraine IV had become undead. At the conclusion of the Millennium War Geraine and his servants, including Rytheran, fled to Dereth to escape their destruction. Rytheran found the Mhoires and used a then unnamed magical book, later revealed to be the Book of Eibhil, to destroy their estate and torture and corrupt the people. All of the House Mhoire was destroyed, with only the graveyard remaining, which was eventually swallowed by the earth.

Later, at some point after Wintersebb, 17 PY and before Wintersebb, 18 PY, Rytheran entered the hidden library below the mage academy and read from the Book of Eibhil. He did so in an attempt to refresh his fading mind, which according to his letter to Aerfalle was successful. However, his reading from the book caused the graveyard to be unearthed and the spirits of the Mhoires to awaken. Rytheran wrote that he would continue to study the book until he could fully restore himself and Aerfalle to their former gloy.

Foolish Ambition

In the Foolish Ambition event (Wintersebb, 19 PY), a new quest was introduced to recover Rytheran's Journal. The Foolish Ambition Teaser details Rytheran finishing writing this journal, leaving in behind in his library, and leaving with the Book of Eibhil.

References

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In the updated version of Rytheran's Letter, discovered in Ancient Enemies, Rytheran wrote to Aerfalle how he had recently used the Book of Eibhil to restore his fading mind, and that this use is what caused the Graveyard of the House Mhoire to reappear.

A year later, we saw Foolish Ambition Teaser. In this teaser, Rytheran is depicted writing his Journal in the last few moments before he and his servants abandon his library. One might assume it was a present event, how in the teaser, Rytheran states, "this library and that accursed graveyard will come forth again some day," so we can conclude that the events of the teaser took place before Ancient Enemies, when the graveyard did resurface.

In the Foolish Ambition event, players gained access to Lord Rytheran's Private Sanctum and stole his journal. This text provided some valuable information on past and current events, but there appears to be a rather large error in the way it was written.

Pages 1, 2, and 3 seem to be written in the recent past -- within the last year or so. Rytheran reflects on events of the past: using the Book of Eibhil to destroy and curse the House Mhoire, the Battle of Ayn Tayan, the Olthoi invasion, and the various actions of the Isparians on Dereth, who have only been present on Dereth for around 25 years.

On page 4, Rytheran writes of how he was duped by the book. It is unknown whether this is in reference to his actions millenia ago with the Mhoires or his recent reading from the book.

Page 5 however seems to be written in the distant past, shortly after Rytheran had destroyed the Mhoires with the book. He writes of using the book (and given the context, presumably his use of it to destroy the Mhoires). He writes how this use has created a flaw in the Ley Lines. He states that though, "it will not arise now, or even in a thousand years," the flaw will eventually appear, and the primal chaos (presumably, T'thuun or Old Ones in general) will exploit it. He then goes on to state that he will bury and conceal the graveyard to the best of his ability to conceal the flaw for as long as he can, further supporting that this passage was written long ago.

On page 6, Rytheran seems to write in both the distant past and in the more recent past. He writes of his plot to hide his mistake--the burying of the graveyard--which we know from the Ancient Journal Page to have occurred immediately after the destruction of the Mhoires. And he writes his plans for the future--to take the book out of his library and hide it--an action which is depicted in the teaser. And lastly, he writes of his plans to prepare for the coming war over the Ley Lines - perhaps a hint at the formation of the Eldrytch Web.

Conclusion

The teaser shows us that the book was just written, and that the events of the teaser took place prior to the Graveyard resurfacing. Based on the text of Rytheran's Letter, we can assume that his reading from the book to restore his mind took place in the library and thus before the teaser. And given that Rytheran's Journal mentions Isparians as Asheron's minions, it had to be written between 10 PY and Wintersebb, 18 PY, most likely much closer to Wintersebb, 18 PY.

Given this information, there is no reasonable explanation to the inconsistencies in the journal. While the information in the journal can probably safely still be considered canon, the timeline of the events it lays out cannot.

The correct order of events is likely:

1. In the distant past, Rytheran uses the Book of Eibhil to destroy the House Mhoire.
2. Shortly after, Rytheran notices his use of the book created a tiny flaw in the Ley Lines, one which will eventually allow the Old Ones to exploit it. Rytheran uses his own magic to bury and conceal the graveyard.
3. In the recent past, but prior to Wintersebb, 18 PY, Rytheran enters his library and uses the Book of Eibhil to restore his mind. This action is described in Rytheran's Letter.
4. Later, but still prior to Wintersebb, 18 PY, the events of the Foolish Ambition Teaser occur. Rytheran writes his journal, then leaves the library with the Book of Eibhil and brings it to Geraine.
5. During Wintersebb, 18 PY, the graveyard resurfaces due to Rytheran's recent use of the Book.
6. During Wintersebb, 19 PY, Isparians gain access to Rytheran's Library and discover the journal.