Dracadas's Stats
Full Name: Dracadas Wythnor
Gender: Male
Element: Spirit
Secondary Element: Light
Class: Priest of Estomar
Alignment: True Neutral
Age (Appear): 32 (25)
Eyes: Light-Blue, almost transparent
Hair: Millimetred and glancing white
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 165 Pounds
Home: Estomar
Appearance:
Dracadas has the necessary clothing for a survivor: a light chainmail pressed tight around the waist, and a couple of green robes encompassing it, a stand against the cold. He also has baggish black pants that are held around his legs by a leather belt around his middle. He has big, blackened leather boots that are excellent for long trips and deliver a steady grip even on ice. The mage's skin is pale, but it never seems to burn even in the desert. His hair is millimetred across his head and snow-white, though he's still young.
Personality:
Dracadas has a jolly nature, even though he has seen his share of agony and death in this world. His presence if often motivating, and his charistmatic appearance has delivered him a name as a friendly magician that will do some amazing tricks for a price. However, since Dracadas travels a lot, he doesn't have many real friends, and at some times he can be as negative as one can get.
-- Paths in the Mist --
"Few can recall the frightening happenings of the great War of the Weavers, for even though the time-measured distance between their
time and ours are merely centuries, the fear remained throughout history. With the Gap reinstated, the free people of lush Estomar need no longer beware of direct danger from that which lurks on the other side... Though no man has ever dared to cross or descend into the Gap, many a human's imagination is sufficient to illustrate what lies on the other side: desolate, rocky wastelands, darkened and forged out of Shadows by the coldness of Gilgath, the darkness of Khalkaroth, and the wrath of Tsulokath. Three names
that have invoked chaos upon those hearing them. Three Demons that crossed the Rim of the Netherworld and created their homestead on the surface... and under their command were the most hideous creatures thinkable, and few dare to speak their names, even in basic language."
-- Excerpt from the Book of the Chosen:
Appendix IV, "Estomar and the Lands Unspoken Of"
added by the High Priest Council 159 AWW
Thus concludes the Book of the Chosen, held myth by most disbelievers, yet a religious artifact to those who know of its existence. An encyclopedia spanning millenia of work, cornerstones of history in epic journeys throughout the shifting plains of Estomar. There are only two groups that know the full extent of its knowledge. One is the High Priest Council, a select group of six wise men that annually speak about it in the great temple that stands atop the highest hill in Estomar, the skyline adorned by its white marble peaks and ancient texts of engraved gold that plate the capitals of the plethora of pillars that support the structure.
Only dark, whispering winds tell of the second group. For the Demons mentioned exist indeed, though the priests prefer to keep it secret. To the villagers, Gilgath, Khalkaroth, and Tsulokath are only words, frightening tales to keep their children from the street late at night. All Estomar priests are sworn to the death that they will not spill the information they are taught at the Temple into the wild, at the penalty of death of all who know about it. For they are names of darkness, and knowledge of their existence would only fuel the fear within all people until joy became a distant feeling of tormenting pleasure.
The Demons know of the Book, for they created the history that is written within it, and a horrible story it is, full of bloodshed, treachery, and atrocities against humankind that should not be told in absence of daylight. But right now, the children of the dark one keep quiet, unable to cross the Gap, a great rift of oblivion that separates Estomar from the Lands Unspoken Of. No one knows where it ends, both horizontally and vertically, yet to the peaceful people of Estomar it was a blessing said to have been invoked by the High Priest Council itself. The priests themselves, however, know that this is not true.
Under the Temple, a dark cavern stretches, abandoned tombs that time forgot. No guards present throughout the structure, the only thing protecting the Book within is the great amount of spells cast about it. Only through the united power of the Council can a priest cross the maze of dark, puzzling hallways and find the Book, and get out again afterwards. It is the last test for the priest that wants to be part of the terrible history of Estomar, and is prepared to wield arms against the Unspoken Demons, if ever they take up arms against the free people again...
"... From the Bridge of Shadows the enemy took flight, with wings of darkness upon the cold northern wind. The fertile green lands were
beset by the demonic onslaught as billions of shadowlings crept over it, a trail of destruction following them throughout their assault
on Estomar's capitol... the Temple. Yet when all seemed lost and victory firmly in the grasp of the Unspoken, light seeped from the great Temple. Enemies screamed, and perished, for there were the Arch Priests that had taken up their arms against them with
weapons of life and death. However, they were soon overwhelmed by the sheer greatness of the foe's army, and all would have been lost if it wasn't for the Weavers.
...Planeshifting wizards, they came in small yet invincible patrols, bearing their magics with them as a lethal weapon for even the greatest demons. They rode upon the Spyders of their dimension, fearsome beasts of the Web that spewed virulent streams of
searing web upon the enemies. As a mark of friendship, the High Priest Council created a gateway within the Temple, which could be used to enter the world of the Weavers, the Web. However, no priest has ever returned from the journey..."
-- Excerpt from the Book of the Chosen:
Chapter 57: "Saviour from the Web"
Yet it was not the only thing that the Weavers had left in the world of the priests, and only a select few know of the child of the Web that roams within the temple, only seen as a talented priest by the unacknowledged. His white hair and nearly transparent eyes attract a lot of attention, yet no one dares to ask such a question to the Council in fear of lethal reprimandes. Even Dracadas doesn't know about his homelands. His affinity to ethereal magic is enormous, and in many ways he seems connected to the Web.
His training started in the catacombs, separated from the rest of the priest students, tutored by Tyrhian of the High Council himself. This treatment was instated by the most powerful priests, in hope that Dracadas would one day be able to cross the Web and reunite the knowledge of the Priests with that of the Weavers. However, his magic was dangerous, uncontrolled and rash within the young man's soul, his Weaver magic steaming up to the surface time and time again.
One day, Dracadas travelled down the web. He tamed a Spyder and learned about the Weavers. Yet he never reached them. Instead, he gained the knowledge about the positive and negative energies present within each spirit. In two years, he understood the theory perfectly, and from the strange substance of the Web, two swords were formed. The runes upon them were engraved in ancient Weaver language, yet the young priest read them as if he had seen them before a dozen times: Serrath and Torrath, light and darkness, yin and yang, positive and negative. With those two swords, his balance was perfected, his movements swift.
Surprised by his pupil's return, the High Councillor gave Dracadas permission to study in the High Library, normally only accessible for the legendary priests of old. Gleafully Dracadas accepted the privilege, and his studies did not let him down. Through investigation, he learned that the element he had learned to control was spiritual, ethereal substance that the Web was comprised of. After a long period of time, the spirit priest decided to exit from the Temple and search for a solution to the presence of the Demons.
Therefore, he took the test to become Arch Priest. And he succeeded in it. The fastest to find the Book of the Chosen ever, he studied day in day out and memorized every particle of information that could be derived from the wise texts engraved upon the withered paper of the book. When he came back, he was officially welcomed into the Arch priesthood, and was free to go. However, the young mage did not have a profession to make money with.
The solution was simple: he was a mage, and so would he behave throughout his travels. And so it was that he learned some illusionary tricks from a paladin of light on one of his adventurous journeys. The spectacular shows he delivered are well-known in many cities, and even the royal court takes joy in his jolly presence. Upon request, the mighty King of Estomar let him train with the Royal Guard to learn how to wield Serrath and Torrath traditionally. However, Dracadas developed a totally new style that he called the Spydrous, referring to his 'homeland'.
