Story: The Establishment of Kel'Calathorn
This is how Kel'Calathorn was established:
After the Royal Court of Magicians was formed, an Ancient Steward visited Keanot in a dream and showed him a location high up in the Central Mountains on the other side of Lake Orin.
"This will be the home of the Royal Court of Magicians, and the Place of Refuge for the Royal Family. Do not build any roads to and from here, but only allow access from the waters. Go, bring your people and supplies and build a fortress according to plans that will be given to you. Then the Most High will bless your home with great power and influence."
And it was so: Fulskatar granted as many helpers and supplies as needed to sail across the lake and build the fortress of Kel'Calathorn in the Central Mountain range. The designs for the fortress were modest from the outside, but the Most High inspired Keanot with increased knowledge concerning a skill he was already familiar with - creating an inter-dimensional space. Keanot was able to harness lightning to create a stable space-time anomaly within the structure's main keep. The volume existed somewhere between this dimension and another, and it's space-time attributes were shifted. The space inside was much larger than the outside and time moved forward rapidly. As a result, room for over a thousand residents was available, and spending one year of study at Kel'Calathorn was equal to ten years inside the anomaly.
A thick membrane of distorted light defined the anomaly's boundary and from the outside movement within appeared fast and blurry. From the inside the normal surrounding world seemed almost static, changing very slowly like the position of stars at night. People were free to walk in and out of the main keep, but the first few times caused temporary disorientation. As soon as any contact was made with the boundary, it reached out and enveloped the entire body, immediately shifting the person into the new space-time and looking like a blurry disappearance to others who were watching. Coming out was similar where the boundary receded as soon as all contact was separated, and the person passing through looked as if she or he suddenly appeared standing next to it.
Because time moves much faster within the anomaly, people who stayed inside were susceptible to rapid aging. To help solve this problem, the Elders of Effrendell sent a special gift - Elven Spring Water. While not something that Elves need, for they live as long as 750 years and the older ones are ready to move on by then, the Elven Spring Water was created as an act of hospitality for people who came to live with the Elves for a long time. Those who drank from it every day slowed down the aging process and extend their days among the living. A vase containing the first portion of Elven Spring Water was hand-delivered by Princess Alta, Daughter of Eletroth, King and Elder of Effrendell.
It would take twice the energy to undo the boundary of the inter-dimensional anomaly. If such an unlikely event occurred, the space inside would collapse in an instant destroying everything and everyone inside. It is not known what the end result would be - but theories include a dense crystal or a very large explosion. While this sounds risky, the anomaly was very stable, and the multi-dimensional state resulted in profound progress in learning, study and experimentation for students of the Royal Court.
This is how Princess Alta came to live at Kel'Calathorn:
After the Elves learned of Kel'Calathorn and the existence of the space-time anomaly, King Eletroth was visited by an Ancient Steward in his dreams and instructed to offer a vase of Elven Spring Water as a gift. So, word was sent to Keanot to expect a Royal Elf diplomatic party to arrive by summons from Effrendell, and Princess Alta volunteered to be the one who delivered it. She and eleven of her fellow Elf warriors stepped through a newly created portal that connected the Palace at Eranolin to the outer courtyard of Kel'Calathorn. The Princess then followed her hosts into the Anomaly and established the Elven Spring deep inside the heart of Kel'Calathorn.
Princess Alta was taken by the beauty and wonder of Kel'Calathorn and chose to stay behind while the other warriors returned to Effrendell. She went on to study there and became great in the Magic of Nature, and the Most High revealed many things to the people of D'nashk Re'at through her. Her friendship with Keanot, Breeta and the Royal Family was a blessing and their fellowship was never broken. She was eventually given permanent residence in the Kingdom and an additional noble title by the Royal Family.
This is how the 40 King's Seals were given to the Royal Court of Magicians:
The greatest thing that the Most High revealed to the people of D'nashk Re'at through Princess Alta was the King's Seal. It so happened, one afternoon, when Princess Alta was in deep prayer and study, a portal opened in her chamber that led to another dimension. She was uncertain where it may lead, so she went to Keanot and Breeta to tell them. All three returned to find the portal still opened and Keanot declared with excitement that this is the land he visited many years ago when the Most High first called him. So they all went through the portal together.
As they began to wander, all three received an Omen at the same time, instructing them to find the river and follow it up into the mountains. They came to a great water fall and an open glade, and there in the center of the glade was a pile of stones. Standing next to it was an Ancient Steward. The Steward placed an item onto the pile of stones and it shone with a bright white light.
And the Steward declared:
"Behold, the King's Seal. Each day, for a total of 40 days, one of these shall be placed upon this stone alter for you to retrieve it."
"What is it?" asked Keanot.
"It is a gift from the Most High, to help you rise up against Maargog, Emperor of Da'rahad and Wielder of the Dark Magic of the Undead. War is coming soon, and you must call forth Heroes to bear the King's Seal around their necks. It will protect them from the Dark Magic of the Undead and will give them strength from the Most High to fight against these powers of darkness."
And it was so: For 40 days, the portal opened in Princess Alta's chamber. Keanot, Breeta and the Princess walked through and journeyed to the water fall. And another King's Seal was waiting for them to pick up and bring back to Kel'Calathorn. Though they did not realize at the time just how powerful these items were, they knew they should keep them a secret for now and inform the Royal Family quietly.
This is how a group of Heroes came to serve under the Royal Family:
Months later, after all the King's Seals were collected, Breeta was met by an Ancient Steward as she was walking and protecting the Royal Family's dream space. And the Ancient Steward said to her:
"The Royal Court of Magicians shall meet the threat of the Emperor's Agents of Darkness with a group of Heroes set aside in service to the King and Queen. They shall be volunteers, they shall come from many walks in life, and they shall be chosen for their intelligence, skill in combat and ability to work together as a team. Have the Royal Family set aside funds to raise up schools of training and let the people know of this new path of service along side the Royal Guard. When students are ready, have them gather at the Royal Guard Garrison in each major town and city for sport competition, mock combat training and demonstration of skill. Have a member of the Brotherhood and Sisterhood of the Most High present as well as members of the Royal Court of Magicians, so that Heroes may be chosen directly by the Most High through Omen."
And it was so: Keanot and Breeta met secretly with the Royal Family to deliver the message and a new program for raising up Heroes was established. Many small, private schools of training were started across the kingdom and students came from many walks of life. Some responded to a longing in their hearts to be a part of something greater than themselves, some were encouraged by wealthy merchant parents because of the potential rewards of wealth, land and title, and still others who were in trouble with the Royal Guard were given a choice to avoid jail time by joining a school of training and becoming a Hero in service of the Royal Family. None of the students were informed yet about the King's Seal, only that they were chosen to one day stand against the Emperor's Agents of Darkness.
Though word eventually reached Emperor Maargog of this new strategy against his Agents, he was still unaware of the King's Seals. He laughed as he thought to himself how foolish these so-called Heroes must be if they think they can stand up to his powerful Agents of Darkness. And by the time he found out about the King's Seals, it was much too late for him to stop the Heroes who went on to become legend for the people of D'nashk Re'at and the entire Known World.
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