Our Lady of Betrayal (House Item)

Book Text
Notes by Lord Rikantus Everling

Long have I traveled Norrath in search of wonders others would avoid. Many years have I studied tomes of valor in search of deviant treasures that I could place within my cursed cache. It was in my youth that my father began this quest and it would be in my time as Lord of the House of Everling that the quest would terminate. Through tales told from my father's maw to stolen tomes from the vaults of truth and love. I have discovered the Lady of Betrayal- Ullkorruuk.

The House of Everling made its fortune within the great trade city of Freeport, a city always shielded from evil by the followers of Marr. Living amidst the paragons of valor and passion one could eventually see tears within the benevolent fabric of such benevolence. My father stove to discover an artifact of such faults, a trinket that no doubt would be cursed. Those things that are cursed are the fruit of my family. My father would never find the artifact he longed for, but his words would lead me on my quest long after his death.

Knighthoods and priesthoods are bound to faith, given their strength by their willing belief in things that cannot be proven as just. The blind faith of such religious societies will always have those few who falter. A fall from such wisdom leads even the greatest legends of chivalry in a forsaken pit, never to be graced by his god again. But hope persists. Whisper abound of a place where the forsaken have made safe haven. The hidden shrine is veiled within an island of vast thinkers. In my father's time, he would never know such a place, but his time is over.

Across the spine of Ro and through the great city, I found path across the sea. Within the land touched by the hand of decay I found my clues. Through dense jungle, across wounded lands and over frozen mountaintops - the land of eternal maelstrom exists. Within the inhospitable desolate land exists the forsaken city. Only in such natural hostility could such a place remain unseen. Employing the powers of curses I crossed the sea of rage and entered the halls of the fallen. Here slumbered the knowledge I sought, secrets hidden in the texts of valorous faiths.

The fallen were not pleased to meet me. A detachment of knights rode me out to meet my approach, riding atop armored beasts with lances that seemed to be forged of crude iron and were most likely heavier than beast and rider. These cavalier spoke no words save one phrase,"Follow and you shall live." Such words, accompanied with imposing weapons, cannot be argued. They led me beyond a massive marble gate that only the Krombral could have moved. I soon learned that this small detachment was but a drop of the cavalry that rest within the entry hall of the subterranean city.

I could see gates leading deeper into this marble fortress. One of the knights dismounted, I could tell from the cape and adornments upon his armor that he was the leader of this band of cavalry. The knight ushered me forward through one of the gates and down a long descending stairwell. As we walked I could see faint images of pantheons barely illuminated by ornate sconces perched along the walls. At the end of the stairwell we met a towering, but thin, door. The knight grabbed the heavy knocker and pounded upon the door. It opened ever so slowly, light beaming forth blinding me from the majesty beyond.

My eyesight returned and my ears filled with layered chants. I found myself in a grand circular hall whose ceiling stretched great heights. The interior of the massive hall was adorned by statues and images of every deity known to Norrath, even a few from long dead civilizations. Each of these statues or images created a shrine to the god and around each shrine were placed gifts relative to the forsaken that prayed around it. My soul filled with joy as I came to realize that I had finally discovered the city of the forsaken, the secret city of the fallen, Zebuxor.

My elation was soon replaced with fear as all the chants ceased. The throngs of worshippers bowed their heads. In the distance I could see another towering door slowly swing wide. Within this doorway a figure entered, but so great were the masses that all I could see was the high elaborate crown of this royal figure. Amidst the sea of ragtag forsaken faithful, the grand figure cut a swathe towards me. My fear rose as I could see the daunting crown that peeked above the faithful slowly approach. Finally the figure was upon me as the final wall of people stepped back to allow my audience with the ruler of the forsaken city.

"What power have your fallen from?" the ruler asked in a beautiful effeminate voice. I could not see much of her face beneath the elaborate helm, if it was a female, but what I could see was as alluring as the voice. I must answer her in truth, though a lie would seen more fitting. It was as if she cast a spell over me. "I am not forsaken. I seek knowledge of a dissident power." I replied, sheepishly. Slowly she replied in a foreboding demeanor, "You are forsaken now."

"I sense the aura of your betrayal." She said. "Your past has forsaken you for such actions. It is that has led you to our temple city." I could do nothing in more but listen within her hypnotic presence. "You quest for the unusual leads your house, but in your quest you should anchored your faith, unwittingly." She save a beguiling smirk and continued. "Though you seek cursed treasures of unorthodox faith, you will instead find your faith here among the fallen." She pointed to a dark corner of the titanic hall.

The masses of fallen worshippers parted to create a twisting path towards the dark recesses of a peculiar little shrine. Her voice commanded me,"Go!" I began my slow, almost penitent, march towards the shrine. The walls of the fallen began to chant in whispers. As I drew closer to the shrine I noticed it was precariously placed between two other shrines, although it seemed as though these shrines were not even adjacent to one another. To one side of the meager shrine was the shrine of love and to the other side was the shrine of lover and to the other side a portion of the shrine of hate embraced it. I continued my march.

As I entered the shadows of the little shrine I began to make out the visage of a statue. The statue was that of a commanding, yet comforting female knight. Donned in the finest armor this visage stood atop the back of a knight. Protruding from knight's back, a lance breached the armor of the dead. My eyes slowly followed the length of the lance until it met the hands of the female knight. I could sense a great betrayal as bound to this shrine. What was this image I see before me and why do I feel as though I should pay homage here?

"You belong to her." The ruler of Zebuxor was at my back. I did not even notice her approach. "She is the Lady of Betrayal. Like you, she sought the unknown. Her desire of the unknown was so great that she betrayed the power that gave her light." "Who is my goddess?" I begged. With another of her beguiling smirks, the ruler answered. "She is Ullkorruuk. Her betrayal of love was so great that she was embraced by the powers of hate.Given new life among the stars, she now sits in the pantheon of hate, forever renamed and never to be graced by Marr again."

I began to weep before the statue. My tears streamed as I fell to my knees. I crawled closer to the statue and reached out to it. "Do not forsake me maiden of betrayal. End the madness of my house. Ease the curses that haunts us." Although my house has long been indifferent towards the faiths, almost agnostic some would clam, I found myself praising before the statue.

"What can I give you for my salvation, my lady?" I cried.

"Your offering begins." said the ruler behind me. My fingertips finally reached the feet of the statue-all went black!