Aetolian Game News
Mandre's animals
Written by: Anonymous
Date: Tuesday, February 27th, 2018
Addressed to: Everyone
Disaster struck within the Pash Valley. Undead animals prowled around, killing the living ones in their thirst for blood. Mandre Opraf, an ancient Aztob cultist long since freed from the Vortex, was twisting the natural world in her experiments. The Sentinels confronted her, and with the help of a woman named Sheena and the Goddess of Fire, worked together to destroy many of the undead creatures.
However, Vyxsis, Caliginous Phantom of the Indorani, forged a pact with Mandre to help her save as many of her creations as possible. Unknown to the defenders of Duiran and Enorian, Vyxsis arranged for the construction of a powerful artifact, designed to capture the traitor, Sheena, who had aided the Sentinels. Mandre reformed the undead animals returned to her into a terrible, bestial construct. She sent it into the Pash Valley, seeking vengeance against her enemies and as a decoy to help Vyxsis capture Sheena.
Kyrdo, Phoenecia, Ary, and Maximas were among the first to discover this new beast, and they quickly rallied forces against it. However, blades and magic were of little use against the skeletal creature, which healed and reformed itself even as they fought against it. Many of Enorian came to their aid, among them Rasani, Tenshyo, Lexen, and Eowyn. Vyxsis, using the construct as a distraction, captured Sheena and dragged her back to Mandre.
Discovering this, the Enorians pressed for answers from one of the cultists- Nalliana- but the Aztob cultist gave only the same response: Sheena is safe, and with Mandre. Disbelieving this claim, they continued to fight against the forces of corruption, demanding answers as they fought to protect the Pash Valley. Meanwhile, Wylliam, Kyrdo and the rest of the Sentinels took advantage of their own resources to herd the monster into the bonfire, wielding torches lit by holy flame.
When at last the creature had been driven into the fire, Mandre returned in a rage. Frantic, and half-raving, she tried to restore the undead beast, only to be burned herself. She retreated, following Vyxsis away from the scene, but declaring to the defenders that they would never find Sheena.
In the aftermath, Mandre's tower has been sealed from the inside against intruders- although some of the cultists almost certainly still dwell within. The fingerbones across Sapience are inert and lifeless, leaving many questions and no way to be certain what happened to Mandre, Sheena... or if the tower will ever yield further answers.
Penned by my hand on Tisday, the 5th of Slyphian, in the year 471 MA.