It was an ordinary day in the month of Ero, in the year of 447, and
Gladius, a knight dedicated to the service of the Lady Sol, was
finishing his daily prayers for her safe return to the temple he had
protected in her absence. As he snuffed out the last of the incense, the
sensation of warmth typical of these solitary moments washed over him.
As he closed his eyes to relish his memory of the Lady's warmth, his
meditative state was disturbed by the sound of a swiftly mounting
thunder in the distance. With a start, he rushed out of the sanctuary,
only to be greeted by the horrific sight of a horde of undead descending
upon Hesperia: a legion of Slith, the undead prince of near-divine power
who held the weakened Goddess of the Sun as prisoner on some hidden
plane.

Leading the sun sentinels of the temple in a valiant charge, Gladius
engaged in battle with the legion, and the corpses of undead and temple
protectors alike began to litter the sacred grounds. Archmage Kirrh
Dev'Jaydde, a follower of Mithraea, quickly arrived on the scene to aid
in the defense, along with many other allies of the Order of the Sun
Goddess including Kruellagh, Haldor, and Illywen. Within the chaotic din
of battle, Gladius managed to hear the demi-lich in command of the
legion order his troops to continue their search... but for what? he
wondered.

A growing army of defenders massed within the temple, felling the undead
horde and pushing the survivors further within. With a sharp eye,
Gladius surveyed the wreckage and spotted a mithril sunburst amulet
clutched in the stilled hand of the fallen demi-lich. As the intruders
and defenders clashed once more, Gladius pressed his fingers to the
amulet, and was startled by a voice instructing him to "find the Child
of the Sun." With trembling hands he passed the amulet to Kirrh,
trusting her as another child of Mithraea.

Kirrh hesitantly touched the gleaming amulet, and vibrant images filled
her awareness: a priestess, a child, swaying palms, and a whitewashed
building, all coupled with a soft voice whispering the name, "Marisol."
Accompanied only by the dragon mage Kruellagh Aramar, she journeyed
quickly through the Peshwar Delta and into the open sea, headed towards
the Isle of New Hope.

~* * *~

The Abbess of the New Hope monastery had just finished her evening
prayers when Kirrh burst into her office, breathless and pulling
Kruellagh in tow. Though she managed a respectful bow, Kirrh's urgency
was plain as she asked about a child named Marisol. A look of shock
passed over the Abbess, and she began to fervently deny the very
existence of any such child.

The army of defenders who had earlier come together to defend Hesperia,
following Kirrh's footsteps, arrived and crowded the office of the
Abbess. At the intrusion, the elderly matron firmly pursed her lips in
silence. Whispering to the Abbess urgently of her quest, Kirrh slipped
the amulet into the woman's hands. Instantly recognising the sunburst
design, the Abbess's eyes tracked slowly from its elegant surface to
Kirrh's determined face. Sensing goodness in her, the Abbess quietly
agreed to help Kirrh, but refused to do so in the presence of so many.

Concerned for Mithraea's temple, Kirrh suggested that the army continue
their search for the undead legion, offering Gladius as the appropriate
starting point. Once certain they were alone, the Abbess locked her door
and showed Kirrh the bookcase that hid the entrance to a small room.

As the wall of her small room slid open, red-headed Marisol was
delighted to see the faces of strangers, asking hopefully if they had
come to play. The Abbess quickly dismissed the suggestion, indicating
the seriousness of the situation, and Marisol moved to hide behind her
skirts with new trepidation. As Kirrh handed her the mithril sunburst
amulet however, Marisol felt her childish concerns slip from her mind,
replaced by a numbness she did not understand. Without knowing why, she
slowly slipped the chain of the amulet over her head, and the numbness
was replaced with a curious sense of awakening.

Clutching the amulet within her small hand, Marisol opened her eyes,
bright flames flickering within their depths. With a new vigour and
depth to her voice, the girl demanded that she be taken to Melkor, the
loyal steward of Lord Agatheis, ignoring Kirrh's requests for
elucidation. Enlisting the aid of Rho Dev'Evensong for added security,
Kirrh and Kruellagh led the girl to Delos, to the temple of Agatheis...

Penned by my hand on the 20th of Scarlatan, in the year 448 AF.