Published in the Raven's Herald, January, 608 E.R.
"The Coming of Oraban"
by Sage Winifred Noland
Dark times lie ahead for all the peoples of Tyrra. Prophesies and legends tell of a coming of a dark being whose power is immense, and who will threaten the very existence of life itself on Tyrra. In the recent past, signs and clues have been unearthed to point to the fact that the time foretold in these prophesies draws near. The Jodari once more walk the lands giving warning death and History's end. The Reaverborne, not seen since the days of the Sorcerer Kings, have preyed upon the nobility of the kingdom. The people of Tyrra need to begin to prepare for the coming of the one known as Oraban.
Any adventurer who is reading this who has made it past their first few gatherings
is more than likely rolling their eyes right now. Doomsdays, Armageddons and
world ending catastrophes are pretty much the stock and trade of the adventuring
class. Hardly a week goes by without some threat to Tyrra being vanquished somewhere
on Avalon. Most adventurers have had a hand in adverting at least one if not
many of these crises. Even now Tyrra doesn¢t lack for enemies that pose
a threat beyond that of normal villains. Far to the south of Avalon Emeraldyne
sit curled up in the Dreadlands biding time and testing borders. In the north
the Black Rose continues to lurk in the shadows. Pox Morgh menaces the Mydian
valley with his armies and his city destroying steam bombs. In the heartlands
of the kingdom the Frost Liche Mclearus sits on his throne in the Obsidian fortress
plotting who knows what schemes.
But each of these enemies, great though they may be, shall in the fullness of time be defeated. Most will find their ends at the hands of the heroes from but a single duchy or kingdom. Many will be defeated and die unknown to the world at large. But occasionally there arises such a threat that people from throughout the kingdom and even beyond will need to come together in common cause. The last time such a threat arose, people from throughout the Kingdom of Evendarr were called together to deal with the Sorcerer King Tarlov Ghosthand.
The coming of Oraban rivals this threat.
Preparations have already begun to fashion a defense. The prophecies have been studied and the signs have been observed. Formals and divinations and high horoscopes have been cast to learn as much as possible about the danger. Agreements and alliances have been put in place, and a network of people toil in both the light and the darkness to find ways to stop Oraban.
The time is fast approaching when working in secret will no longer be possible. There will come a time when people of Tyrra will need to all put up a common defense against the threat to come. It is for this reason that the emissaries from beyond the continent of Avalon are currently finding common cause where none existed before.
Fortunately, in recent times the people of this land have come together in alliances to defeat great evil. Several months ago such an alliance formed to put an end to the Fell Witch in the south. More recently a gathering of heroes from duchies as diverse as Tyrangel, Illcara, Therendry, Ravenholt and several others gathered in the frontier land of Greyhelm to defeat the Dracoliche Traegor. If Oraban is to be defeated, then this trend must continue.
For those who wish to learn more of the threat to come, travel to the Great
Library of Goldhaven in the Duchy of Therendry in Evendarr. Look upon the shelves
for a section devoted to Adversaries. There you will find documents relating
to Oraban. I can be reached at the Goldhaven Library in the meantime.