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Depression of Nordaeth
Required Sets: Battle for the Underdark (2) , Thaelenk Tundra
In the middle of Thaelenk Tundra is the largely unexplored depression called Nordaeth. For generations, the kyrie have avoided this shadowy sunken landscape of snow, ice and rock. Unlike the surrounding tundra, it is eerily lifeless. Even in the harshest regions of Valhalla, life finds a way; but not here. Plants refuse to grow. Animals refuse to enter. Even the birds will not fly down into it. The few kyrie that have ventured in describe a strange feeling of weakness the longer they stay. What they don't know is it was once a massive cave that is now a huge sinkhole created by something -- two extraordinary somethings.
While most kyrie fear Nordaeth, one curious kyrie, Evanik, took up residence in the small village of Shardburg, several miles south of the depression. Each day he flew into Nordaeth obsessed with uncovering its mysteries. And each day, he aged twice as fast as the day before. His older brother Arik, a sentinel who fights for Jandar in Nastralund, was on leave and decided to visit Evanik, hoping to convince him to join in the fight against Utgar. When Arik arrived at Shardburg, a villager who had befriended Evanik, told Arik that Evanik had not been seen in the village for several days. He also told about Evanik's trips into Nordaeth and about his concern over Evanik's worsening health.
For three days, Arik flew in circles over the depression, searching for his younger brother. Lying in the snow, atop a tall ridge, he found the body of a dead kyrie. At first Arik did not recognize his younger brother. It looked like the body of a very old kyrie male, not Evanik. There was a journal clutched in Evanik's cold dead hand. The last written page had the following words:
"All of the ice is melting, rapidly. For the first time in a century, there is water again in Nordaeth. Today I discovered a glowing light trapped inside a thick sheet of ice floating in a large pool of water. A strange noise emanates from the ice; a low vibrating hum that sounds like nothing I've ever heard before. Could this be another amulet, like those that power the mysterious wellsprings? It couldn't be. Wellsprings stop aging, not speed it up. They give special powers, not take them away. I cannot reach the ice for I can no longer fly. I suddenly feel so weak, that I can barely walk, let alone swim."
Arik could see the large pool of water several yards away. As he cautiously approached he saw no glowing light and only a small thin sheet of ice floating on the surface. He dipped his hand into the water. It was surprisingly warm. A surge of power rushed through him. He saw an image of what looked like the face of Jandar reflecting off the water. "Jandar is that you?", he asked. The face came to life and to his amazement began to speak. "Yes, I am Jandar. This is a most unusual vision. Never before has one spoken to me. I see you are a kyrie. Who are you?" Arik replied, "I am Arik, one of your sentinels who fights in Nastralund. I came to the village of Shardburg, in the Thaelenk Tundra, to find my brother. He foolishly came here to explore the forbidden land of Nordaeth and now he is dead. But Jandar, something strange is happening. The area is warming. All of the ice is melting. I entered this vision with you by simply placing my hand in a newly formed pool of water."
A look of excitement appeared in Jandar's eyes, but a sound of concern was in his voice. "Until we know more, stay out of Nordaeth. Do not tell anyone what you have told me. Keep watch and make sure no one else goes into Nordaeth. I will leave immediately for Shardburg. Expect my arrival within seven days." And that was it. Jandar's face disappeared. Arik was a good soldier and knew how to follow orders. But this newly discovered source of power and vision was very enlightening. He understood why Jandar sounded concerned. It was out of fear. A fear of Arik -- Arik the Great. "I wonder" he thought to himself, "if this water has the power to resurrect the dead." He went back to Evanik, picked up his brother's body and carried it back to the pool of warm water...