The Fall of Sanctuary: The Last Stand

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[SIZE="4"]The Fall of Sanctuary
[/SIZE][SIZE="3"]The Last Stand[/SIZE]
[SIZE="2"]Nilraghar Do’anarret[/SIZE]

[SIZE="2"]“I will watch this night, and who will join me?"[/SIZE]

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While the instability of Sanctuary can be attributed to an assortment of different events, ultimately Sanctuary met its conclusion at the hand of the Illithid of Ysinode, the Chosen, and the Appetite

Below I will give a synopsis of the three threats cited above.

The Illithid of Ysinode

The illithid of Ysinode presented a different hazard than belligerent denizens of the Underdark. Whereas drow and orogs battered the gates of Sanctuary directly, the proceedings of the illithid were subtle and frequently went unnoticed. This danger was offered in the forms of thralls, commonly humans with implants that permitted the illithid to control and observe their every move. The illithid enthralled the former Sherriff of Sanctuary Azzam and numerous other figures, ranging from members of the Sanctuary Watch (the law enforcement organization of Sanctuary) such as Lieutenant Lothor to nameless citizen. Theorists also believed that Commander Simms of the Spellguard (Law Enforcers amongst other things) was in actuality an illithid from Ysinode as very few have seen him in person.

The Chosen

Contrary to the illithid, the methods of the Chosen, svirfneblin lycanthropes, demonstrated little signs of sublety. The lycanthropes assaulted and raided in starling numbers with fervor that for all but a few besieged their sense of preservation. Their exact numbers lied within the hundred thousands, perhaps even millions. Even after years, the Chosen assaulted in devastating numbers.

The Appetite

The nature of the Appetite was shrouded in obscurity until its awakening. For nearly five centuries, the monstrosity slumbered. The Chosen zealously worshipped the Appetite and ritualistically sacrificed humans, gnomes, and any they could subdue. When the few surviving svirfneblin die, the Appetite shall awaken. The last of the svirfneblin was murdered by a woman in the halls of the Seekers and the very caves began to tremble. The Appetite delayed its awakening.

The Vision

Several days before the assault of the illithid, blood flowed from the ears of a young child, and with his death, a vision burst into the mind of the Santuary citizen:

The elder council of Ysinode, the mightiest of their kind, plotted  their next move, the enthrallment of the dragon Etorix. Their latest weapon would be employed. Giants engineered distinctively for the purpose of war, implanted with devices that increase their strength tenfold. They felt neither fear nor pain. The giants marched into the cave of the dragon, Etorix, but were butchered promptly by the dragon. Yet, they still marched, and along with a single illithid that assailed the dragon with magic, Etorix was flattened viciously. The remaining members of the council appeared within the cave, chained the dragon, and presented him before the leading entity of Ysinode, the elder brain.

The Last Stand

Days later, the giants marched for the gates. The last wardens of Sanctuary stood at the gates, with Valsre Delorme, the sheriff of Sanctuary, standing at the fore. And he roared, “I will watch this night, and who will join me?” With a fresh vigor, the last defenders stood against this overpowering, approaching horror. Peculiar aberrant creatures, their exact nature unknown to me, appeared amid the ranks of the wardens. The situation deteriorated with the arrival of the giants. Delorme and the remaining defenders clashed with giants, but with the death of Delorme, were pushed from the gates into the city.

That was when all fell silent.

The steps of the giants shook the earth no longer. Nor did the other aberrant entities persist with their assault. All was silent until the very caves began to shake vigorously akin to when the last of the svirfneblin was slain. Once again all fell silent. A yawn spanned every corridor and crevice of the cave and the Appetite rose from the depths. This being, this thing whose nature has been shrouded in mystery since the first arrival of humankind glanced upon the few who still stood. It was an vast beholder, ragged skin, and a central eye so large, so intense. The dragon, Etorix, arrived by the orders of the illithid and prepared to slay the Appetite. From the depths and the skies, the chosen leaped forth to assault the dragon. The lycanthropes were of no danger to the dark serpent, but still they came.

Etorix disregarded the Chosen and turned to the Appetite, and his colossal claws clashed with the rotten skin of the Appetite. Teeth met claw, and the two monstrosities appeared evenly matched. To the astonishment of the dragon and the spectators, the Appetite conjured an enormous beam that seared Etorix. No longer had they looked upon a clash of the titans, but a massacre. Etorix, the Dark Serpent, the defeater of a Thousand Foes was outmatched. The denizens of the Underdark feared the serpent rightfully, but the Appetite fought nonchalantly, rending scale and skin. The few survivors turned and fled.

All hope was lost. The Appetite had awoken. The dragon fell to the beholder, and the illithid brought no more to face the monstrosity. They understood that this antique beast could not be conquered.

No more were the men defenders, but cattle that escaped to the Temple of the Dunwarren district, clunching on to their lives against the horde of the Chosen and the freshly awoken Appetite.

The few survivors lingered in the temple and formed an expedition group to push through the Machine in an attempt to find the Way, a path by which the Surface can be reached. I myself was part of this group. Fighting through hordes of Chosen and svirfneblin Machinery, the expedition discovered the Way. The citizen of Sanctuary abandoned their homes in hopes of reaching the Surface. Only a selected few lived.

Sanctuary was no more.

[SIZE="1"]Written by Nilraghar Do'anarret
Mirtul 21st, Year 154[/SIZE]