The Legend of Ardent, Guardian of the Temple
The history of Ardent’s vale is a both a tale of great heroic deeds and a tragic ending in the service to the Temple and Adoy. All initiates of the temple know the story of Ardent and to become a child of magic they must take the tale to heart. Understanding its lessons is a small glimpse into the heart of the magic user and ultimately the true disciple of Adoy.
Ardent was a simple half-elven man, average in height and built, although some legends tell tales of him standing over six feet tall and being quick and nimble with his staff Hearthome. The truth is that Ardent was a non-descript man who had the quick wit of a fox, keen eyes like a raven and the wisdom of an owl. Ardent was a lover of the forest, his elven blood held sway in him, leading him in his first seventy years of life to live amongst the animals of the forest. Had his life continued such, he would have lived a fulfilled and happy existence, but fate rarely calls on anyone in a time of their own choosing, nor does the burden of responsibility ever feel light.
Ardent told his closet friend, a human named Fenlin Conigor that he had received a vision in his sleep of a great forest temple, and that he believed it to be something he needed to find. Fenlin was young and strong, and an apprentice ranger, and he quickly agreed to accompany Ardent on his journey. Fenlin through Ardent had met his lover Talissiama Windblown, an elven maiden who was also a wizard of some report. The three left Ardent’s small forest dwelling on the first day of spring, never to return.
They traveled the lands, following the nightly visions that Ardent received, finally traversing the Cot Mountains and followed the Beaudin River, walking around a great forest. For days they waited on the outskirts of the forest as Ardent waited for another vision. Finally on the last night of spring Ardent received his vision. He told them of a set of three towers, in ruins deep in the heart of the forest, only there was a guardian so evil that he didn’t want his friends to accompany him.
Fenlin and Talissiama wouldn’t be deterred, and by the time rose the three adventures began to make their way slowly through the dense forest. What wasn’t known to them was that this was no ordinary forest, but an ancient sentient forest, ancient before the first of the humanoid races began to walk the land. It had seen more than any could imagine, and at its center was a ruin of an ancient race of elves that no longer walked the land.
For weeks the forest itself impeded the adventures as they circled the forest many times before Ardent figured out the secret of the forest itself. Once he learned that, the path was made clear in both his head and heart. They came upon the ruins of three ancient towers, beautiful despite their disrepair. They seemed to be made from the very land itself, but in a fashion unknown even to Talissiama. As they began to slowly explore the first of the three towers the great doors crashed together with a tremendous bang. Startled by the noise they didn’t see the very shadows creep from the walls and attack them while they starred at the now closed doorway.
Fenlin cried out in pain as one of the shadow wraiths claws tore through his chest in a shower of blood, leaving a hole where the young man’s heart had been just moments before. Ardent caught his friend as he began to fall to the floor, and Fenlin smiled up at Ardent once more before his eyes glazed over. The passing of his friend struck something inside Ardent and he felt a great power was hiding just out of reach. His grief made it possible to approach that unlocked power, and it is said that is when he first met Adoy. What transpired between god and man is unknown except by them, but it is said that Adoy offered Ardent his destiny if he was willing to take the steps required to become a child of Adoy.
Talissiama was overcome with a mad rage at seeing her lover dead on the floor, and she began to cast magic that is now forbidden to elves. Her power was such that she dominated the will of most of the shadow wraiths, and those that didn’t submit she decimated into nothingness. As the shadows began to call to the grieving elf maiden, the light was calling to Ardent.
In her rage she stood facing Ardent, furious at him for having led them here to this forsaken tower, and nothing Ardent could say seemed to pacify his friend. It was then that Ardent first glimpsed the Shadow Lord’s power over his dear friend. Calling upon his newly forged powers Ardent attempted to banish the Shadow Lord’s hold over his friend, but his power were pushed back by his very friend! It was then that Ardent understood one of the four great truths; there must be balance, so without light there cannot be darkness. His friend was lost to him…
In a display of magic that hasn’t been duplicated since the fall of Shrum, Ardent battled his long-time friend, praying to Adoy for salvation. Her spells being exhausted, Talissiama stepped quickly into a dimensional door leaving a ravaged Ardent and his broken friend in an old abandoned tower surrounded by menacing shadow wraiths. Calling upon Adoy in his time of need, Adoy whisked Ardent from the tower and back into the forest.
For days Ardent prayed to Adoy, begging him for something to free his dear friend from the clutches of darkness and deliver him a victory that would please him. His prayers went unanswered, only a seemingly random collection of spells were in his memory, and while he rested a spellbook had appeared before him. In it was another collection of seemingly random spells of no great consequence. A troubled Ardent called out to his new found god, asking him for great spells to smite the evil, but in return he received a vision. Either he could press on with what he had at hand, or he could leave his friends, the choice was always his. This led him to the second great truth; Fate is only written in the histories after the dead has been done.
There is nothing written on how Ardent ended back at the towers, only that he found his way back and upon his return battled the shadow wraiths with an iron will, and a new found dedication to Adoy. It is rumored that Ardent didn’t renter the temple for over ten years, as all he found of his fallen friend was white brittle bones. It is said that Ardent tried in vain to raise Fenlin but his spirit proved elusive and no longer wanted to return to this plane.
Searching the first tower he found it empty of all its long lost treasure, except for the sacred alter which was dedicated to Adoy which had been defiled. Again the histories don’t record how much time Ardent toiled in returning the defiled shrine back to a sanctified state, but from what can be gleamed no less than another ten years had passed.
Ardent used the next few years to cleanse the surrounding forests and tower grounds of evil minions and creatures. Falling back to the sacred alter to rest and recuperate. Upon receiving another vision Ardent entered the second tower. Inside he found creatures of the abyss, and other foul entities, which almost slew him on many occasions. His absolute faith in Adoy and his abilities were the only things that kept him alive through some of the confrontations. It was in the second tower that Ardent learned the third great truth; Gods help those who help themselves.
It is clear in the histories that Ardent spent twenty years clearing the second tower through battle and wit, finally clearing it after a great battle with a greater demon from the lower planes. It is clear at this point that Ardent had taken a great wound, and even with all of his powers he couldn’t heal the injury. Age was beginning to factor into his life’s work, and Ardent wasn’t as physically strong due to the injury he had suffered. Still he prayed to Adoy for a vision of what awaited in the final tower. Adoy showed him a vision of his past, and his present.
Ardent couldn’t wait any longer to enter the third tower, he clearly was dying, and his strength was being sapped by the hour. He had meditated on his life’s work and wrote down in a journal the following passage which he left on the sacred alter.
“Nothing worth having is ever given freely. Take what you will, but understand the price. The blessed Adoy has seen fit to grant me the freedom to attempt to found a sanctuary for those who need it more than any could ever imagine. For we will remain lost until we find ourselves.”
It is said that the battle for the third tower didn’t cost Ardent his life, but maimed him past the point where he would ever recover. In the third tower he fought his beloved friend Talissima, who was a shadow priestess of great power. After the battle Ardent managed to leave the tower for his only will was to die under the stars and be embraced by the sweet wind one last time. Death would not come so easily for Ardent, for he learned the final great truth; Death is as light as a feather, duty as heavy as a mountain.
For while Ardent was looking up at the stars, three young half-elves stumbled into the tower grounds. Ardent is said to have received his final vision from Adoy, and he beaconed the half-elves to come closer. To them Ardent charged with the founding of an order for Adoy, as he had led them to Ardent in visions of their own. They wished to help the dying half-elf, but Ardent refused to be helped, instead he expressed to them his vision of the towers and Adoy’s plan. Throughout the night they spoke of what would need to occur, and how to proceed, all the while Ardent blood slowly drained from his many wounds. By the time the sun began to rise the ground was saturated with Ardent blood and he smiled at his three students.
Ardent cast his final spell, a gift from Adoy to his faithful servant, and as Ardent exploded in a blast of sun motes, the veil was placed around the towers. His final sacrifice was that of eternal guardianship of the Temple of Adoy. Some persist that the veil surrounding the temple is only a combination of spells, but on the sacred alter there is a passage that reads as follows;
“In Ardent I trusted the faith of many. His faith shall be rewarded with an eternal watch, so that he may shelter what was his as much as mine.”
Ardent was a simple half-elven man, average in height and built, although some legends tell tales of him standing over six feet tall and being quick and nimble with his staff Hearthome. The truth is that Ardent was a non-descript man who had the quick wit of a fox, keen eyes like a raven and the wisdom of an owl. Ardent was a lover of the forest, his elven blood held sway in him, leading him in his first seventy years of life to live amongst the animals of the forest. Had his life continued such, he would have lived a fulfilled and happy existence, but fate rarely calls on anyone in a time of their own choosing, nor does the burden of responsibility ever feel light.
Ardent told his closet friend, a human named Fenlin Conigor that he had received a vision in his sleep of a great forest temple, and that he believed it to be something he needed to find. Fenlin was young and strong, and an apprentice ranger, and he quickly agreed to accompany Ardent on his journey. Fenlin through Ardent had met his lover Talissiama Windblown, an elven maiden who was also a wizard of some report. The three left Ardent’s small forest dwelling on the first day of spring, never to return.
They traveled the lands, following the nightly visions that Ardent received, finally traversing the Cot Mountains and followed the Beaudin River, walking around a great forest. For days they waited on the outskirts of the forest as Ardent waited for another vision. Finally on the last night of spring Ardent received his vision. He told them of a set of three towers, in ruins deep in the heart of the forest, only there was a guardian so evil that he didn’t want his friends to accompany him.
Fenlin and Talissiama wouldn’t be deterred, and by the time rose the three adventures began to make their way slowly through the dense forest. What wasn’t known to them was that this was no ordinary forest, but an ancient sentient forest, ancient before the first of the humanoid races began to walk the land. It had seen more than any could imagine, and at its center was a ruin of an ancient race of elves that no longer walked the land.
For weeks the forest itself impeded the adventures as they circled the forest many times before Ardent figured out the secret of the forest itself. Once he learned that, the path was made clear in both his head and heart. They came upon the ruins of three ancient towers, beautiful despite their disrepair. They seemed to be made from the very land itself, but in a fashion unknown even to Talissiama. As they began to slowly explore the first of the three towers the great doors crashed together with a tremendous bang. Startled by the noise they didn’t see the very shadows creep from the walls and attack them while they starred at the now closed doorway.
Fenlin cried out in pain as one of the shadow wraiths claws tore through his chest in a shower of blood, leaving a hole where the young man’s heart had been just moments before. Ardent caught his friend as he began to fall to the floor, and Fenlin smiled up at Ardent once more before his eyes glazed over. The passing of his friend struck something inside Ardent and he felt a great power was hiding just out of reach. His grief made it possible to approach that unlocked power, and it is said that is when he first met Adoy. What transpired between god and man is unknown except by them, but it is said that Adoy offered Ardent his destiny if he was willing to take the steps required to become a child of Adoy.
Talissiama was overcome with a mad rage at seeing her lover dead on the floor, and she began to cast magic that is now forbidden to elves. Her power was such that she dominated the will of most of the shadow wraiths, and those that didn’t submit she decimated into nothingness. As the shadows began to call to the grieving elf maiden, the light was calling to Ardent.
In her rage she stood facing Ardent, furious at him for having led them here to this forsaken tower, and nothing Ardent could say seemed to pacify his friend. It was then that Ardent first glimpsed the Shadow Lord’s power over his dear friend. Calling upon his newly forged powers Ardent attempted to banish the Shadow Lord’s hold over his friend, but his power were pushed back by his very friend! It was then that Ardent understood one of the four great truths; there must be balance, so without light there cannot be darkness. His friend was lost to him…
In a display of magic that hasn’t been duplicated since the fall of Shrum, Ardent battled his long-time friend, praying to Adoy for salvation. Her spells being exhausted, Talissiama stepped quickly into a dimensional door leaving a ravaged Ardent and his broken friend in an old abandoned tower surrounded by menacing shadow wraiths. Calling upon Adoy in his time of need, Adoy whisked Ardent from the tower and back into the forest.
For days Ardent prayed to Adoy, begging him for something to free his dear friend from the clutches of darkness and deliver him a victory that would please him. His prayers went unanswered, only a seemingly random collection of spells were in his memory, and while he rested a spellbook had appeared before him. In it was another collection of seemingly random spells of no great consequence. A troubled Ardent called out to his new found god, asking him for great spells to smite the evil, but in return he received a vision. Either he could press on with what he had at hand, or he could leave his friends, the choice was always his. This led him to the second great truth; Fate is only written in the histories after the dead has been done.
There is nothing written on how Ardent ended back at the towers, only that he found his way back and upon his return battled the shadow wraiths with an iron will, and a new found dedication to Adoy. It is rumored that Ardent didn’t renter the temple for over ten years, as all he found of his fallen friend was white brittle bones. It is said that Ardent tried in vain to raise Fenlin but his spirit proved elusive and no longer wanted to return to this plane.
Searching the first tower he found it empty of all its long lost treasure, except for the sacred alter which was dedicated to Adoy which had been defiled. Again the histories don’t record how much time Ardent toiled in returning the defiled shrine back to a sanctified state, but from what can be gleamed no less than another ten years had passed.
Ardent used the next few years to cleanse the surrounding forests and tower grounds of evil minions and creatures. Falling back to the sacred alter to rest and recuperate. Upon receiving another vision Ardent entered the second tower. Inside he found creatures of the abyss, and other foul entities, which almost slew him on many occasions. His absolute faith in Adoy and his abilities were the only things that kept him alive through some of the confrontations. It was in the second tower that Ardent learned the third great truth; Gods help those who help themselves.
It is clear in the histories that Ardent spent twenty years clearing the second tower through battle and wit, finally clearing it after a great battle with a greater demon from the lower planes. It is clear at this point that Ardent had taken a great wound, and even with all of his powers he couldn’t heal the injury. Age was beginning to factor into his life’s work, and Ardent wasn’t as physically strong due to the injury he had suffered. Still he prayed to Adoy for a vision of what awaited in the final tower. Adoy showed him a vision of his past, and his present.
Ardent couldn’t wait any longer to enter the third tower, he clearly was dying, and his strength was being sapped by the hour. He had meditated on his life’s work and wrote down in a journal the following passage which he left on the sacred alter.
“Nothing worth having is ever given freely. Take what you will, but understand the price. The blessed Adoy has seen fit to grant me the freedom to attempt to found a sanctuary for those who need it more than any could ever imagine. For we will remain lost until we find ourselves.”
It is said that the battle for the third tower didn’t cost Ardent his life, but maimed him past the point where he would ever recover. In the third tower he fought his beloved friend Talissima, who was a shadow priestess of great power. After the battle Ardent managed to leave the tower for his only will was to die under the stars and be embraced by the sweet wind one last time. Death would not come so easily for Ardent, for he learned the final great truth; Death is as light as a feather, duty as heavy as a mountain.
For while Ardent was looking up at the stars, three young half-elves stumbled into the tower grounds. Ardent is said to have received his final vision from Adoy, and he beaconed the half-elves to come closer. To them Ardent charged with the founding of an order for Adoy, as he had led them to Ardent in visions of their own. They wished to help the dying half-elf, but Ardent refused to be helped, instead he expressed to them his vision of the towers and Adoy’s plan. Throughout the night they spoke of what would need to occur, and how to proceed, all the while Ardent blood slowly drained from his many wounds. By the time the sun began to rise the ground was saturated with Ardent blood and he smiled at his three students.
Ardent cast his final spell, a gift from Adoy to his faithful servant, and as Ardent exploded in a blast of sun motes, the veil was placed around the towers. His final sacrifice was that of eternal guardianship of the Temple of Adoy. Some persist that the veil surrounding the temple is only a combination of spells, but on the sacred alter there is a passage that reads as follows;
“In Ardent I trusted the faith of many. His faith shall be rewarded with an eternal watch, so that he may shelter what was his as much as mine.”