With Pentharian and Mithraea subdued, Slith grew impatient with his
progress. He realized that Lorielan was a master of Her own thoughts and
theorized that if he could weaken Her somehow, he could have a chance at
gaining the control he needed.

On the Crystal Plane, Lorielan was contemplating Her recent actions in
the Prime Material Plane. She knew there was something pulling at Her,
but She did not know what or why.

Slith finally decided to force the issue and launched a major assault on
the Kx'Khrah with his legions of undead. Unprepared for the attack, the
Kx'Khrah called out for their Jade Empress to help defend them. Indeed,
Lorielan took a hand in defending Her loyal Kx'Khrah, but not without
difficulty. She found that as She annihilated each of Slith's undead,
She seemed to have less and less control over Her own actions. As She
was weakened, She was unable to resist the force that was pulling at
Her, so instead of succumbing to it, She withdrew from the battle.

This, however, gave the Kx'Khrah enough time to regroup and make a
stand. Most notably, Sh'Fah led a group of Kx'Khrah to attack Slith
directly. They fought through hordes of undead with many casualties on
both sides. Finally, the fight came down to Sh'Fah and Slith, one on
one. What Sh'Fah didn't know was that he was no match for Slith.
Lorielan watched with great interest as Her greatest warrior stood
against one of the most feared beings to ever walk the Underworld...

...and then suddenly, Sh'Fah disappeared through a portal, summoned back
to the Prime Material Plane.


------------------------------------------------------------------------

For many years, a dark veil had fallen over the Te'serra pavilion in
Shallam, its emptiness mourned by the remaining members of the orders of
Pentharian, Lorielan, and Mithraea. First, Pentharian retired to a far
away plane. Then Lorielan returned to the Crystal plane, home of the
Kx'Khrah. Finally, Mithraea left, and the last of the Te'serran alliance
was gone.

No word had been heard from any of these Divine for nearly three decades
until a recent dramatic event that unfolded deep within the lost city of
Kasmarkin.

Zenui Ruthras, a member of Lady Lorielan's order, began receiving
visions of a battle between a race of crystalline beings and an army of
undead, including the dark but blurred image of the undead leader. After
speaking with Munin, the water nymph within Lorielan's temple, he
learned that only members of his Lady's order had seen the vision.

Soon after they began talking about the visions, Munin entered a trance
and began to sing. The words of her lilting chant hinted that he was to
depart to the Mannaseh swamp and the lost city of Kasmarkin and once
there, summon Sh'Fah through the magical prism discovered there long
ago. Munin explained in her song that it was not for the purpose of
control, but for "rescue from an enemy that even Gods detest."

Zenui met with Torain Shu'in in Shallam to discuss the visions and
Munin's song. Around this time, Hideyoshi, Vizier of Shallam and a
follower of Lorielan, received the same visions and spoke with Munin.
Hideyoshi called for help with summoning Sh'Fah, the mighty Kx'Khrah
warrior, in hopes of shedding light upon the mysterious visions, and
Crunk answered his call.

After much discussion, the four finally convened in the lost city of
Kasmarkin. After spending an entire day searching the land for pearls,
they finally ascended to the prism and the bone throne of Taug. They
folded the pearls into the prism, causing it to glow blue with power,
until Crunk folded in one last pearl. A beam of light shot into the sky;
the gateway to the Crystal Plane had been opened.

Sh'Fah entered through the portal, answering the summons against his
will. "No!" he shouted, "I must defend my home!" It became immediately
clear that something was wrong, and it was about to get a lot worse.

Another gateway appeared in the heavens, revealing a terrible skeletal
figure armoured in black steel plate -- none other than Prince Slith
himself! "You cannot run from me, coward!" he shouted as he chased after
the Kx'Khrah warrior.

Sh'Fah fought for his life, turning to face Prince Slith and directing a
beam of pure energy at him. But the beam did nothing other than anger
Slith, who then charged at Sh'Fah and struck him with his blade.

However, before the battle could progress any further, yet another
gateway appeared, this time with a golden ball of light emerging from
within. The light moved between the two combatants and took on the form
of a radiant Goddess -- the Lady Lorielan! "This battle ends here,
Slith!" She thundered. "You will order your armies to retreat and you
will leave the Kx'Khrah alone!"

Prince Slith turned his attention to the Divine. "Ah, but you see, my
lovely Jade Empress, the Kx'Khrah are only the pawns that are
sacrificed, protecting the Queen I truly want!" he sneered. Slith then
revealed a small object, a pitch-black stone glowing with the same
radiance and colour of the Lady Lorielan Herself. "You have overexerted
yourself, my Goddess, and You are weak!" he crowed. "And with a portion
of Your essence in my control, You will do my bidding!"

As Slith focused his energies upon the black stone, its glow became even
brighter. Lorielan's, on the other hand, began to fade. Her limp body
began floating towards him, and all hope seemed lost.

"My Jade Empress! I will not fail you!" The cries of the injured
Kx'Khrah warrior were heard from sea to sea, mountain to valley, as his
dedication to his Goddess allowed him to overcome the pain of the mighty
blow he had received from Slith. With the last of his strength, he
launched a formidable black beam straight at Slith, who this time was
caught unprepared for the blast of energy. As he reeled backwards, Slith
found his grasp upon the black stone he had been so intently focusing
upon had been lost!

As the stone plummeted to the ground below, Lorielan found Herself in
control once again. She sped towards the object, casting a blazing
golden arc across the sky. The Goddess then picked the stone out of the
air and merged Herself with it, causing a brilliant explosion. "Your
arrogance will be the end of you, Prince Slith," She cried in triumph.
"Withdraw your army from the Crystal Plane before I destroy you."

Snarling in defeat, Slith taunted, "You may have stopped my plans for
You, but the rest of Your precious alliance is still under MY control!"
With these sinister words echoing across the firmament, Slith departed
the Prime Material Plane once more.

Thus Lorielan, Goddess of Knowledge, walks amongst us once again. But
the fates of Pentharian and Mithraea await to be seen, trapped within
distant planes by the schemes of treacherous Slith.



Penned by my hand on the 3rd of Lupar, in the year 393 AF.