Doran's Research:
The Book of Prophecies
During his research in the Prime Atheneum in Viden, Doran found a
book of prophecies that was written 200 arcs before the pirate lords arrived.
According to that book, Scalvoris is connected by a series of underground tunnels and the constantly moving caves in Ishallr are, in fact, not randomly moving at all, but are controlled by someone, and they provide access to the whole island.
There are statues which guard against people finding the way into the “Hart of Scalv”. It speaks of the Heart of Scalv overseeing the “five elements” which it refers to as Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit.
It also speaks of the “King of Egilrun” who seeks to take the Pirate Lord crown. It mentions isledots and shrines, and the need to Watch at all times, lest the dark ships come and bring death with them.
The book of prophecies was written by a Mrs. Violunne Guffone who seems to be linked to both Xiur and Ziell in some way.
The Tunnels
In Doran’s opinion,
the tunnels that connect Scalvoris are something that could be used by both sides.
There was a three-trial expedition in 717 during which the ice caves were explored. The Eclipse Portals were discovered back then.
That expedition is something that should be looked into further in Doran’s opinion.
The Heart of Scalvoris
Further research of the Heart revealed that there are differing legends. Some say that it is located in the Scalvoris Mountains. Some say it binds the five elements, one of which is either “Spirit” or the “Heart”. Yet others speak of the “essence of Faldrass” that is the Heart of Scalvoris.
In a letter,
Faith Augustin mentioned that Smooglenuff Manor was on the site of Fire. Ishallr is Water. The mountains are Air and Immortals Tongue is Earth - in many of the legends that she read.
Doran thinks that there may be another reason for all those legends surrounding the Heart differing apart from the obvious. Maybe the Heart is not located in a single place. There could either be more than one Heart – or the Heart could be moving from one place to another. The heart is usually the crucial part of something, the one thing without which the rest wouldn’t function, and it is usually not located on the surface, but somewhere deep down.
Furthermore, there are other legends that are associated with a heart – such as Treid’s heart.
Finally, Doran learned about the star which protects Scalv. That star is often described as though it is a person – and it has friends. They protect the Heart. Xiur is one of the protectors of Scalvoris.
Watch
In the book of prophecies, Watch was used like a verb, albeit capitalized. Watch is also a noun though, and a name. There are connections to Watch, the fortress that guards the entrance to Treid’s Mouth. The author of a book that Doran found believes that it’s the entrance to a series of underground caverns and tunnels beneath Scalv – the true home of the Pirate Lords. The Pirate Lords disappeared quite abruptly in 716.
In light of that new information, Doran cannot help but wonder if they didn’t just disappear, but returned to their true home.
Dark Ships
Dark ships have already been seen in Ymiden 718 when Smooglenuff Manor was attacked among other things which caused Doran to wonder if someone had already stopped keeping watch before.
He cannot help but wonder if Baron Smooglenuff had been protecting something or guarding something, that there might even be a link to the Heart or the other elements.
The King of Egilrun and the Pirate Lord Crown
The Prime Atheneum contained little information on the Pirate Lord crown. There is some mention of it being linked to the Pact though, and there may some information in Scalvoris.
The Warden
According to Xiur, the Warden is a Mortalborn of Qylios. He swore an Oath, bound in blood, to protect his daughter. He sought to keep her alive. He couldn’t bear to see her grow old and die while he still lived in his prime. He was deceived though. He was tricked into believing that he could make her life as long as his, but he did not know the price. Anything she was, is gone. Her soul has been consumed. Whatever wears her face now is not her. Bound by an Oath to protect her, the son of Qylios still loves her though.
Doran believes that the Warden was tricked by Audrae.
The Immortals
There are several Immortals involved in this, apart from Xiur: Qylios, Chrien, Audrae, Ziell, Cassion, U'frek and Vhalar, at least, and their opinions on how to handle this and whether the Warden should be destroyed or not differ. According to Xiur, love is not something to be ignored.
In a letter,
Faith Augustin also mentioned a visit to Immortal's Tongue, signs of a "war" between Moseke and Lisirra and something serving to hold back Lisirra's influence.
Fei’s Grave
The grave of Xiur’s mother Fei lies beneath Scalvoris, a place that his sister’s fury ravaged and destroyed. Fei was someone who saw the world and marveled at it. She studied it.
Doran believes that Xiur’s sister
Chrien might be angry because of her mother’s death and because people plan on waging a war on her mother’s grave.
Such is considered a sacrilege.
The Induks
What happened – to Fei? – acted like a stopper on a bottle or a bottleneck according to Xiur. If the creature who wears the daughter’s face is released it is possible that the cork would pop. According to Xiur, Scalvoris exists in a delicate balance. Its release would upend that balance, especially with the Induks still restrained, in part. There should be five Induks, but their power has been taken by the creature. When Faldrass was released, some of the Daughter’s power was stolen. Xiur wonders about what would happen if the other four – Earth, Air, Water and the Heart – were released. The Daughter gains power from the mages in Slag’s Deep, but that alone would not be enough to sustain her.
Doran’s Current and Future Research
After his
meeting with Xiur on the 20th of Ashan, Doran will travel to Scalvoris to continue his research. He plans to talk to a professor at the Institute of Metaphysics, Professor Fridson, about Fei and the Originals in order to find out more about that connection. Said professor made a trip to Fei’s shrine on Immortals Tongue in 717, among other things.
He also plans on researching other “Heart” legends, such as Treid’s heart and the heart of Lovalus and will write Faith Augustin a letter and ask her for her advice - and try to take care of
Kura's request.
Finally, Doran is researching a connection between Mrs. Violunne Guffone and Enri Von Smooglenuff. He is currently trying to figure out if the former is an angram of the latter. He is also trying to learn more about Enri Von Smooglenuff, his connections to the Immortals, the Smooglenuffs and past attacks on Faldrass.
There were a lot of attacks on Faldrass over the course of the centuries.
According to
this moderated thread that is still in progress, the pirates appeared to be almost fanatical about trying to take Faldrass. They seemed to focus their attacks on the docks to the manor and the manor itself, but never really tried to invade through other parts of the island.
