The Sad Fate of Plo'vi, Son of Jakaleel (Maynard/Joelson) A few months after the Sylilan city of Cafol was largely depopulatedby a horde of broos, a Lunar Priest showed up with a band of 150 - 200 people to help rebuild and repopulate. This is a whole clan/tribe of men, women, children, etc. Randahl, the Seven Mothers Priest, states that these people are the followers of Jakaleel's third son Plo'vi. They don't speak Pelorian, but about ten of them speak Trade. They will help rebuild the city in exchange for farmland & a shrine to Jakaleel.
Where did the come from? Around the Autumn Mountains, clear on the other side of the City of 10,000 Magicians, they lived up a little valley. There they worshipped Plo'vi, son of Jakaleel. It seems that long ago a chaos monster moved into the cave wherein the local stream got it's start, and the waters where corrupted. All efforts to remove the monster failed. Along comes Plo'vi and asks why the people are packing up to move. They tell him about the monster, and he is curious. If the monster is so tough, why is it hiding in the cave? He goes and has a look, then comes back and says, "That's a really nasty critter you've got there. You're lucky it's licking it's wounds or it would have et you all by now." The people are horrified, but Plo'vi tells them that flight is no good. They have drunk the polluted waters and the creature will follow them once it heals, wherever they may go. Best kill it now.
Plo'vi shows the poeple a ritual wherein they can support his efforts to slay the monster. It takes three days, then off goes Plo'vi. He never comes back, but the water is pure again. The people perform a one hour version of the rite every Water day, and the full-blown ritual every sacred Time, or the waters become polluted again.
Braves souls have approached the cave, but a weak, pinkish glow is coming out of the mouth! Evidently Plo'vi is still in there, restraining the monster....
The pink glow sounds similar to the GlowSpot. Also, the people are observing that the water is slowly turning bad, in spite of the rites. What with the people not really knowing who Jakaleel is, and the problem observed and all, Randahl goes up to the cave to see what's what.
When Randahl enters the cave, he can see by the pink light. Deep in the cave is a huge, amphorous mass, glowing pink! A tentacle forms out of the ooze and wraps around Randahl, but it does not hurt him; instead it forms a link for a sort of Mindspeach. Plo'vi manages to communicate that he could destroy the monster only by adsorbing much of it into himself. Over the years, he has slowly been transforming & degenerating. He knows the townsfolk are still out there, he can feel the rites when performed, and that has helped slow the changes. Still, he is finally losing control....
"Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Take my people away. Find them a new home."
"I will take them to Cafol, which has been devasted. They will be
welcome there, if the accept Jakaleel as their patroness, and help rebuild. But
what of you?"
"You can do nothing for me. Go soon. I have destroyed my ability to
move, so I will die here and fester... The waters will be polluted for long and
long. I only fear that after my mind dissolves, I may yet manifest a new ability
to travel and slay. Surely I will follow my children.... Go now."
So Randahl led the townsfolk to Cafol, all except a score of folk who did not believe him, and would not leave. And as for Plo'vi, he may be there still; glowing, festering in a nameless cave. Forever.
The Moral to the story:
Lunar: Stay away from Chaos unless you really, really know what you're doing!
Orlanthi: Stay away from Chaos!
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