Fire in the Sky

Zone Article

Fire In The Sky - October 25, 1999

A comet appeared over Dereth last week, clouds raced across a smoky sky, and wanderers discovered devastation in and around many of the major towns, most notably Shoushi, which remained only as scattered wreckage surrounding a large, glowing crater. In Glenden Wood, a volcano had erupted, igniting nearby buildings. Soon after, reports flowed from the Direlands that ghostly elementals of living flame stalked the waste, in the company of magma golems. In the following days, decayed parchment copies of an ancient manuscript blew across the countryside, and canny adventurers began to gather and collate them, deciphering an unsettling prophecy. Fire elementals began increasingly to appear in the settled lands, until, late on Saturday, they poured in a torrent from the skies, attacking everyone they met. Citizens of Dereth rallied to oppose them. Eventually, the tide of fire abated, to be replaced by a hail of black stones. Enigmatic collectors appeared, with whom adventurers could redeem certain stones for powerful magical artifacts. Some sages believed that the collectors tried to work with the stones to somehow forestall the ultimate cataclysm. If so, they failed. Oblivion at last descended on Dereth. However, the brave deeds that went before were not in vain. As the cycle begins again, heroes will recall them in dreams; they will enter the mythology of a vital new world, and inspire even more stirring adventures in the bright years ahead.

The Lost Prophecy Restored!

Congratulations to the intrepid band led by Saffron Dusk (Caeryn Dryad, Sol the Wanderer, Alun Magus, Aliciana, and DeLT), who were the first to gather the damaged copies of the Fire in the Sky prophecy and assemble the following message:

In the midst of a terrible fever I had this dream. For four days and nights I sweltered, even as the chill wind scoured my sickbed, and visions appeared before me. As I burned, I saw the same befall the world.

There shall come a time of flame and woe unto the land. There shall be no harbinger of this suffering, no warning that we may escape. We have grown prideful, drawing power from the Earth's bones without thought, and for this she will be avenged.

The Earth shall be in turmoil, with great wounds rent in her flesh, and her blood shall burn like brimstone. Mountains of fire will awaken, and the fruited fields shall blacken. A crimson eye shall open amid the welkin and look down upon the ravaged ground. This bloody Witness shall be wroth to see the pain pent in the Earth, and its tears shall fall burning upon the land, bringing cleansing flame.

But the tears of the Witness shall not be as mortals shed: they shall live, and knowing the wrath of he who gave them birth, shall spread despair upon the earth. Their forms shall be those of men, and their might shall grow with the passing of days. They shall brook no thoughts of pity, but shall know only slaughter, and no woman nor man may enter their sight and not feel their rage. And still they will come, for many terrible nights and days.

When finally the Witness's grief is fully spent, its tears shall fall no more, and dark stones shall rain down in their place. In my dream, men laid hands on these stones, crafting magical wonders from them. Yet they shall be chary to use them, lest the Witness weep again.

Many sages from across Dereth labored long and hard to compose this message. Alas, there could be only one winner. However, an honorable mention, at least, is due the following adventurers, who also completed the entire text:

• The team of Jin Lee, Molarman, and Xipher
• Rwild
• Sokharis
• Onicus Battleblade
• Mynex II
• Knight Who Says Ni
• Atari Aranac Greyblood
• Jedismj
• PAKRAT
• Kawaii
• Ba-Thonga
• Lord Soth
• Ghaleon Magus

Event

At the end of the Asheron's Call open Beta, the developers wished to demonstrate how the world of Dereth could be changed dynamically, a unique mechanic that had been limited to large game expansion retail packs in rivals Ultima Online and Everquest.

The event "Fire in the Sky" unrolled over several days, some highlights include:

• A comet of doom in the sky, volcanos, craters, and shoushi destroyed to smoking rubble.
• Prophecy notes appear and fire children can be found in some high level areas
• Fire children invade, falling from the sky
• Black rocks fall from the sky
• Disco in Shoushi with developers doing choreographed "fizzle dancing"