Temple of the Forgotten Ones **

[MoonHunter]

This is a setting I am working on:
 Â  Linked to Corvus (npc=62) and GalwaEnchena (Item=122)

The Anchilles mountains are a series of 16 semi-dormant volcanos, with dozens of lower hills, in the North Western parts of The Land.  The mountains are high, broad, and flat topped.  There are several dozen lakes, mostly round and so warm that ice never forms in them. The forrests are filled with strange low softwooded evergreen trees.  They surround geysers, hotsprings, and mud flats. It is a beautiful, but not very hospitalable mountain range.  

Upon very top of Mount of Peace is The Temple of The Forgotten Ones.  The temple is said to be a place of worship for all Gods that no longer have temples (or priestly orders) of their own.  The Order of the Lost, a monkly order, first built then maintained the temple at this site for the last 1700 years.  Since that time, they have created a massive collection of commentaries and copies of ancient works, many of which are histories.  The collection draws the occasional scholars and curious individual to the temple. They report that working with the mysterious monks is almost as difficult as the trip up the Mount of Peace

The temple itself is an exotic structure, built in a vaguely Elven style.  It is quite large and several stories tall in some places.  The bluish green roof is quite striking against the nearly constant grey overcast of the rain clouds.  It stands quite precariously upon the rim of Mount of Peace's dormant volcanic dish, where a lake now stands. (If viewing the lake from the temple the reflection seems more real than the temple.) There is no great wall around the temple, as all are welcomed.    

Surrounding the temple is a large compound where the monks (and nuns), and associated families live.  Compound is nearly a misnomer, it is a town verging towards city.  It is a thriving and diverse community in the compound. There appears to be several ethnic groups here. To the informed eye, they are ethnic types and styles of clothing that are found no where else in the world.  

In fact most of the Monks here (and their families) are of an Ethnic group never seen on the planet.  The Monks are also the source of all kung-fu found in the known world.  (All Monk class members in this campaign are members of the Order of the Lost or Assasins).  

In addition to a cryptic "remembering", the monks have few duties to the outside world. While they travel in small groups (sometimes alone) looking and remembering, they do little work in charity, healing, or prostylizing.  In fact, they seem to ignore what most religious orders seem to think as the most important things.  The Monks have been known to search out items and artifacts that have significance to them, very in excess of the importance of said items should have.

Another tale surrounding the monks is the silver broadsword.  They have been seen carrying these items and giving them to apparently random people. The Monks also seem to search for these swords a frequently, retriving those given out once their purpose is served is the popular thought on the subject.  Actually it is not many swords, but just one.

If you press monks at the temple as to what their duties are, you will be shown "The Burden".  It appears  a simple silver broadsword. It is the weapon GalwaEnchena [item=122].  

Corvus [npc=62] forged the greatest weapon ever known. A weapon that can not only kill a God, but an entire Army or Country, with one simple stroke... if you can pay the price.  It was on the rim of Mount Peace (called something else then) that it was forged in one moonspan nearly 2000 years ago.  In fact, one of the central halls of the Temple has the short standing stone that Corvus used to make it.  It is on that stone that GalwaEnchena rests, until the strings of destiny pull it to someone.  

The Order of the Lost was founded by those "displaced" by GalwaEnchena's use. They discovered their fate, to be lost to history. They strove to survive in a fashion. Now they collect those who have been effected by GalwaEnchena, giving them a way to survive in a world that will eventually forget who and what they are.  

They also keep track of The Burden.  They escort it into the world and bring it back when its job is done.  The head of the Order is known to occasionally speaks with The Burden, but that is still just a rumor.  

Note: All member of the Order have Temporal Dimensional Empathy and Paranormal Memory.  They can sense disruptions in the flow of time and space, sense dimensional displacements and extradimensional items and people, and know when history has been altered or changed.  They

[Strolen]

Awesome. I can picture this pretty good and easy to dump into any campaign.

I would imagine there would be a rather complex trade set up to provide all the needs of a thriving city amongst the inhospitable lands.

To pay for it:
Along with Kung-Fu, I would think, because of the amount of volcanoes, that they would be fairly diamond rich. Other precious stones as well. Perhaps the precious stones could play an important part of the city, as well as create a better reason for it to grow and for people to trade with it. It would be easy to extrapolate that they have a few diamond minds cranking out the precious stones and providing as much as they need.

May also explain more their extradimensional gifts as well, after all, that would be a prime way for people to sneak into the mines or vaults to get these diamonds but with their feeling of disruptions that would easily be stopped.

Also could back why they have mastered physical combat, how they can afford great wizards and all the things required to make powerful, and beautiful weapons, and why they do charity (don't need cash).

Through the diamonds they could also be a force to be reckoned with throughout the world. They could possible make large gifts to kings and rulers over the land and gain their support, or added protection, and so to mess with these monks could be punishable anywhere making it even safer for them to travel. Also, because of their wealth the could become a politcal movement in the land as well...if they wanted. They could transform into protectors of the realm and would be neutral parties for all the different kingdoms. After all, they would trade and give gifts in equal proportions to all and so each land would be foolish to ignore the council of the Forgotten Ones since they provide wealth and have the ear of all who are important.

Sort of blew them into a worldwide power but you see where this thought process is going. Money has a way to corrupt, but imagine being as peaceful as these monks but still with the means to do anything they wanted...even start wars if that was their wish.

[MoonHunter]

They are the descendents of the survivors of a use of The Burden.  A few people took out the army, the nobility, and a good portion of the Kingdom.  Their asian like culture had Kungfu (it is useful and culturally important, so they continue to practice it).  Until GalwaEnchena removed them from reality, they were a huge ethnic group.  Now these people are all that is left... and society would of forgotten them (and they would of faded out of existance), but they have forged this new and timeless identity.

Imagine a dozen or so dedicated souls took out China and removed it from the map, history, and cultural memory.  

Oh,the monks (and associated families) have TDE because they are not quite part of reality any more.  

As for diamonds, they are probably there.  However, they are not interested in material things. (However, they might still have them around, just in case the Order needs Money).  They have a destiny and a duty. They also know their existance is on the line.  Now they act as a shepard for GalwaEnchena.  

As for the swords... there is only one. They walk it to where it wants to go. They give the person The Power and The Choice.  They clear out (don't want to be caught in the splash of its use.. what happens if the person decides to kill the city you are in). They wait to see if the person uses it.  They retreive the weapon until the next time it feels the need to be somewhere.  The story told by everyone else is just an exageration of the myth.  Most people do not know GalwaEnchena exists, most of those who do think it is probably a fable. Why a fable? Nobody ever knows that it has been used. In a few days of its use, almost nobody remembers what is now gone.

[CaptainPenguin]

Interesting...
What does the whole "forgotten ones" thing have to do with it, if their purpose is to protect GalwaEnchena?

[MoonHunter]

They don't protect GalwaEnchena per say.  They are protecting the world from its indiscriminant use.  If this thing was just floating around, people could pick it up and casually wish people/ things/ countries away (as well as themselves).  (They have the sword and wish a certain person/ place/ group dead or gone... poof both are gone, soon to be forgotten).  After that, the sword is justly lying there for any idiot to pick up.  GalwaEnchena seems to know that certain things must go away or certain people must be tested/ tempted with ultimate power.  Incidental uses are of no concern to it.  

They shepard the blade, allowing it only to "escape" when IT feels it is needed.  They tried to imprison the blade, but some young monk always went "mad" and stole it (or retrieved it from a deep gorge), and ran away. The weapon was used once or twice, and some incidental uses might occur.  (So far nobody went as far as to wish The Temple or the Order away). Thus they have made an uneasy truce with The Burden.

As for the Forgotten, imagine removing The King of The Land. Thus the world would remove all the princess and princes of that royal line and anyone who touched that line, because that King did not exist. They fade away soon after the King "goes away", and are forgotten soon after.   If The Order is quick enough, the prince and princess can become member of The Order,  being monks (of sorts), rather than soon to disappear royalty. The Queen may or may not be the ruler any longer, they could just be a visiting dignitary a few days after the King "went away".   Somebody will soon take up the mantle, and after a few days nobody will remember the King and anything related to him.  

They call themselves the Forgotten or Lost because to the rest of the world, they are forgotten or Lost.  Translating forgotten from the Monks original languange comes "lost to history".   Hence Order of the Lost to History, shortened over the last 1700 years to Order of The Lost.

Hmmm.  Maybe the Monks should all wear the same masks.  That way their "identity" is protected from reality and the world feels no need to remove the offending piece of broken reality.

How did they come to exist? The original ones were people "elsewhere" when the land/ army/ nobility went away.  One of which was a monkly order just outside the then current borders (just not the traditional one).  They formed the core of The Order.  

Now you know why I posted this up... there are so many questions and answers needing asking. I need to figure out what is important and post that up.  

A thought:  GalwaEnchena could exist seperate from Corvus, just plopped into a campaign as an artifact some other crazed MU made.

[Strolen]

Hmmm.  Maybe the Monks should all wear the same masks.  That way their "identity" is protected from reality and the world feels no need to remove the offending piece of broken reality.

How did they come to exist? The original ones were people "elsewhere" when the land/ army/ nobility went away.  One of which was a monkly order just outside the then current borders (just not the traditional one).  They formed the core of The Order.  

Ok, keyed in on that idea and prepare youself for one of my off target rambles.

Do people really know they are a piece of broken reality? Do those kin of the fallen realize on some level that something is wrong with their existance? Perhaps immediate offspring even have a gift of the fading. Maybe they can move in and out of people's lives and the memory of them fades quickly from their memory as well. They help a family and visit them a few months later and the family has no idea who they are.

The masks that they wear could be seen as a sort of traditional legendary type thing that they adopted through time. Long ago they saw that they held no extended power in the land as individuals so through the mask a legend is born. Tales of the masked ones are written down and told as legend but nobody ever remembers seeing them. They are sort of a mystic force. They come in and out of towns in their masks and they get the awe and whispers of the people, perhaps even respect since they are being visited by the masked ones, but after a little while the only memory of it is what is written, and even the writings are affected somehow by the nature of them so that it ends up only being generalities. It might work somehow.

[Strolen]

Thinking again. uh oh.

I was thinking that there might be subgroups inside the forgotten ones that might want to 'enlist' others to join their group causing the sword to be used, not for the noble cause, but for selfish cause for a subculture in the forgotten ones to become stronger.

Then I figured there would be reasons why this couldn't happen, but what if...

Then I thought that depending on the usage of the sword the forgetton ones would dwindle and dissappear. They are not immortal are they? Are their offspring in the same unreality that they are in? Two forgotten ones make a normal child? or does it take them with a normal person and half it and eventually get them back into the thread of time.

And again, what about the protection of the sword and the support. I like the idea that the offspring are free of any forgotten powers.

And to go off on my idea of the forgotten ones fading from memory as well (and if you don't use it then I will have to develop another thread to discuss those) and the offspring not getting the powers. Their has to be a steady group to sustain them in their mountain home. I was thinking the monks could be normal and holders of the sword. They have become custodians of the forgotten ones since they hold the power of the sword they are ultimately responsible for what it creates even if they don't wield it. So, they are still not immune to the forgetfulness that the forgetton ones create so they would have great rituals to help them, daily, to remember their purpose and who they are serving. Morning repeating of names of the forgotten ones, drawings and pictures, carvings, idols, any number of things to constantly remind them of who they are surrounded by. They also are the holders of the sword so no worries on 'recruiting' more forgetton ones.

Thats enough, I got work to do.

[MoonHunter]

Do people really know they are a piece of broken reality?
    You betcha. The Forgotten are leftovers. For some quirk, you were not included (you were outside the borders, or had some other "identity (foreign legion). You know your own history, and remember your homeland and everyone who lived there.  Someone erased it.  Now people are forgetting it.  They don't remember where you came from, or that your homeland ever existed.  If it wasn't happening to a number of people, you might think you were going mad.  

In fact, someone you knew seems to have "gone away" because they didn't have another identity or group to associate with.  

An example: So imagine a few monks and a Chinese trader travelling together.  Someone uses The Burden to erase the existance of China. It is no longer on the map. Nobody remembers it.  The Dragon Monks were Chinese, but were living outside the borders of China.  However, a few days after, the merchant just faded away.  (possibly before their eyes).  If there were several merchants travelling with them, they might realize that those who were not monks or who were "identified" as Chinese were the ones fading away.  They could save them by making them Monks.  Thus the effect passes over them because they are no longer Chinese, they are Dragon Monks.  

Do those kin of the fallen realize on some level that something is wrong with their existance?
   Yes, but do you want to fade away?  No. So the monks rescue people who would either be considered mad/ insane (But there is a country called America! We won WWII... yah right. What's WWII?) or who would eventually fade away... eventually the character is the only discontinuity left.  Yes, they are different. Most people will not believe what happened to them because they do not remember the world the way it was before.  

Perhaps immediate offspring even have a gift of the fading. Maybe they can move in and out of people's lives and the memory of them fades quickly from their memory as well. They help a family and visit them a few months later and the family has no idea who they are.
   Never thought of that.  Would not think so, but hey... if you want to play it that way.

The masks that they wear could be seen as a sort of traditional legendary type thing that they adopted through time. Long ago they saw that they held no extended power in the land as individuals so through the mask a legend is born. Tales of the masked ones are written down and told as legend but nobody ever remembers seeing them. They are sort of a mystic force. They come in and out of towns in their masks and they get the awe and whispers of the people, perhaps even respect since they are being visited by the masked ones, but after a little while the only memory of it is what is written, and even the writings are affected somehow by the nature of them so that it ends up only being generalities. It might work somehow.
    So the masks become the things of legends.  I was thinking it was so they would not be recognizable.


So your group would have someone use the Burden... but make sure there are some people who will not fade away immediately.  That way they would have new breeding stock.  
    No real need. There are always Forgotten that can be rescued from varous uses... but their might be such a group. They are not immortal. They live and die.  Their offspring are also "unreal" because at best their parents come from what other people would think of as imaginary countries, at worst they would look like freaks as they come from ethnicities and even races that no longer exist.  Imagine being a hobbit or a dragon on a world that does not remember that hobbits or dragons even existed (and now there are very few left).  


Hmmm.. this forgetting who we are thing... it is something to consider...


Thank you Strolen.

[Strolen]

I don't know, it just stands to reason that the sword would effect those that it missed somehow. Where the ones directly in the fold of the swords power instantly become nonexistant, it seems that we can get into that whole time travel conversation and "Back to the Future" type thing.

Maybe those that are not found by the monks, instead of being instantly eliminated from the timeline, time sort of slowly realizes that they are out of place and they slowly fade, perhaps becoming ghosts for awhile.

The Monks that survived maybe found something in this temple that allows them to stay against the current of time trying to pull them out of reality. Either the location, or maybe some magic item they can create out of something they find in the mountain.

I think they need something to make them unique. I really like the idea of others not remembering them, but them always under the threat of fading themselves, it might even make some sense.

[Ria Hawk]

I think, for small children, at least, they wouldn't fade.  Maybe those too young to remember are found by others and adopted.  Others who are older, maybe they're found wandering around, mad, or with no memories.  ...I just got an idea for one of my chars.  *Runs off to work on it*

[Kassil]

Imagine being a hobbit or a dragon on a world that does not remember that hobbits or dragons even existed (and now there are very few left).

Yeah, that one's not fun. Most dragons probably wouldn't care overly much, aside from regretting the inability to have offspring - then again, most dragons are likely to start hunting for a way for immortality. And being 'Lost' from time, in that case, might be useful - no d**ned pesky knights and such to come hunting you when you're busy researching.

---------

Anyhow, a thought that occured - can it kill an idea/manifestation of an idea? Since you've noted that the gods of your world are, essentially, ideas, it would be interesting if the sword could be used on them...