Kreskin’Lal’s Tower

Following the successful completion of the Noir’s Lair Mission, the leadership of the Centaur Council looked for a new challenge. From what we learned in Noir’s Lair it appeared that there was a link between the curse placed on the elven race that leaves its males debilitated, and the Equus, and thence to Jibu Ramess, the Black Mare, the goddess of the Dark Centaurs. This curse is said to have been the work of Kreskin’Lal, and there are also unsubstantiated rumours that it was this powerful ancient sorcerer and evil warlord who first turned the Dark Centaurs to evil.

And so the heroes of the Centaur Council sought out the ruined stronghold from which Kreskin’Lal once ruled his evil empire. The ruin lies in the foothills of the Spirit mountains in the far west of Winterward, and though there had been previous attempts to enter it, few had returned, and none had succeeded in discovering its secrets. This had included a previous attempt by the Centaur Council in association with the Terin’Sha (see Hoofprints 3).

Chaldan Ironhoof has said that he considers the mission to Kreskin'Lal's Tower to be the Centaur Council's greatest success so far (with the help and consideration firstly of the Assembly and latterly all other guilds). Over 60 adventurers (more than 30 centaurs, over 25 Centaur Council members) journeyed the 20-30 days it took to get to the Tower, each centaur giving a lift to another adventurer. These partnerships were encouraged and even now at the completion of the mission, many of these partnerships still endure, a testament to the centaurs and their passengers and the success of this partnership.

Kreskin'Lal's Tower was also the most deadly in terms of loss of members, we lost 5 (6, including Kellindel Warden lost to natural causes) Centaurs to the awful undead Guardians Kreskin'Lal left behind, the Mist Wraiths claiming the most victims.

Our mission aims were to

1) Discover what part Kreskin'Lal played with regards to the Elven Curse and what could be done about it

2) Discover what part Kreskin'Lal had in the creation rumours regarding our Centaur heritage.

The extensive and intricate caverns and cellars the expedition uncovered beneath the Tower were patrolled by various demonic and undead guardians. There also seems to be link between the tower and the Pantherine, a notoriously warlike race of creatures with four arms. One of the more interesting discoveries was a skill house (possibly set up by or for the use of the Pantherine) where one may learn the skills of undead, human and orc slaying to a high degree of expertise. Chaldan considered the layout to be testimony in itself to Kreskin'Lal's madness.

We discovered the tombs of Kreskin’Lal’s two unfortunate wives, with evidence that both were murdered by him.  We found one room covered from floor to ceiling in a powerful and colourful mural depicting a story. The gist is of a dark god, escaped from some ancient prison into the real world. A trickster god, whose purpose was to sow dissent and strife. A deity that would lurk amongst the ranks of Men, a thorn in the side of decency and goodness and honour. So, could it be that Kreskin Lal was not just a mortal villain, not just an evil mastermind - but one of the Dark Gods incarnate? Does the curse that he uttered upon the races of Bereny when he was finally cornered have any real power?

At the very end and in the lowest level of Kreskin'Lal's fortress, through dungeons both small and vast, we happened upon Kreskin'Lal's tomb. Nervously most of the mission gathered here, some unsure whether or not to be in the same room, and we all nominated just a couple of individuals to open the tomb. With KL's reputation as a great Sorcerer who had threatened all the races down the ages, not to mention the suggestion that he might in reality be a Dark God, we were almost convinced we would face a vengeful wraith rising up to take a terrible revenge on us.

The tomb was opened….and then…well….nothing. Inside, the coffin contained only a small bottle.

This is the infamous Spirit Bottle of Kreskin'Lal, a magical container in which the essence of An'im rests - the spiritual power stolen from the males of the elvish race in order to use it for nefarious means. Although much of the power had been squandered, a little remains. This then is all that is left of the salvation of the male elvish race - the last vestiges of a stolen heritage.

So was Kreskin’Lal a Dark God? Chaldan thinks not: “This explains both the curse and the remains. The power of the Elven males was stolen for some end that we know not, but Kreskin'Lal essentially found a foul and sorcerous way to siphon the power of the Elven males to squander for himself. It did not aid him any and he died a mortal death, not even powerful enough to carry on after death as so many pretenders, like Lord Lexor and his undead hordes, seem to do these days. That was Kreskin'Lal for you.”

And what of the other aim of the KLT mission - that of discovering what Kreskin'Lal had to do with us Centaurs? Absolutely nothing; no sign of Centaurs on any mural on any of the dungeon walls, no books, no scripts, no nothing. Chaldan has therefore concluded that Kreskin’Lal played no part in the origin of the Centaurs. “All the rumours must literally have been there to sow dissent and make us Centaurs feel shame at our ‘dark’ heritage. Well no longer, it seems that there NEVER was a dark heritage, it was merely the mad scheming and attempts to sow strife amongst the good races by an evil sorcerer, now long dead. There is now no longer any need for ANY centaur to suffer humiliation of their possible beginnings, we have always believed we have descended from the earliest of days by natural means. We know we are unusual, but we are not unnatural, our leanings and talents prove this. We are of nature as nature and Fae is of us. Be proud fellow Centaur, you have nothing to be ashamed off.”

As a follow up to the mission, the Centaur Council is proposing to present as much of the contents of the Spirit Bottle as could be recovered (now split among several containers) to the Elven Court. At the very least a sip from the bottle will alleviate the symptoms of the curse, and it may yet be possible to use the essence to reverse, in whole or in part, the curse.

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