47 lines
3.1 KiB
Markdown
47 lines
3.1 KiB
Markdown
---
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layout: journal
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no-footer: True
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tags: seventh-lore
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title: On Arconis, Barri and the Traitor's Noose
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---
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# {{ page.title }}
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The noose was first discovered by Barri, Argon, Calder and Helga as the journed
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through the Long Pass with the remnants of the 18th Infantry of the 4th Army of
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Altay under the command of Lt. Sydney. The Hanged Man was being used/worshipped
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by the Dark Folk that lived in the Spire as a prophet. The party, acting on
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Helga's dream, raided the the Spire and took the noose for themselves. Barri
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decided to wear the noose personally, to help mitigate the ill effects of the
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curse Sulnaj had inflicted upon him. Over time, the party learned the Arconis's
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story; he was a prince of a small human city state subservient to the Dwarvish
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Triarchy. When the Triarchy declared war on the Halfling Empire, they cled on
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Arconis's people. At the time, the human city-state had more in common and
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better relations with the Halfling Empire than their suzerain. Arconis resented
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being forced to a war his people dis not want, and resented that an unrelated
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law would force him to give up his daughter so she could serve as a priesthood
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as an oracle. The war declaration pushed him over the edge into rebellion.
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Knowing his dutiful father would bring his people to war, Arconis killed him and
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his older brother both. His rebellion failed, largely because of the interence
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of a Magi, whondefeated Arconis and his followers. However, before he was
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captured, to prevent the Magi from taking his daughter from him, he threw her
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over the Spire instead, earning the appellation 'Child-slaying Arconis".
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Afterwards, he was hung as a traitor and cursed by the Magi, the nature of the
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curse forces all his male descendants to eventually betray what they should
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protect and in doing so, meet a painful death. Arconis was cursed with unlife to
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watch this happen to all his line, unable to die while it endures. The party,
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largely at Barri's insistence, promised to help Arconis kill off his remaining
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heirs so he could finally die. Presently, all but one have been killed, and
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Arconis has gotten more powerful with each death. He has become more lucid, but
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when confused his madness is contagious and the living around the bearer of the
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noose can be convinced they are Arconis's long dead companions. Such as Argus,
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his spear bearer, or Clytemnestra, his lover. At night, any of the souls held in
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the noose can manifest as ghosts, during the day, they can attempt to commune
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with or posses the bearer, these abilities work best at dawn/dusk and poorly at
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noon. At Barri's request Arconis is willing to fight Sulnaj and has helped
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design a ritual so the revivifying god can be stopped and destroyed once and for
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all. Barri's motivation is because the god cursed him at one point. The current
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concern is that Barri's subservient Dark Folk may torture Arconis's last heir to
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death before the ritual is performed, nullyfing the ritual and leaving Sulnaj
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unchecked and able to return to true godhood. Sulnaj itself hungers to return to
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power so it can proclaim and witness the end of the world. That would probably
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not be helpful for anyone who wants to live.
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