Halcyon Rings

When the Enmanari arrived they brought with them ruin and pestilence. Cities were torn asunder, temples were desecrated, and vast tracts of wilderness were reduced to pernicious wastelands. As monsters ravaged the world, the scattered survivors fled to the few safe havens that remained. In time, the relief that their sanctuary afforded deteriorated into regret for that which they had lost: homes, heirlooms, dear kindred. Despair fell like a crashing wave.

The mortals were not alone in their woe. Strife also imperilled the Realm of Gods as the invading hordes descended upon them with rapacious fervour. The Pantheon was shattered, and many of its number were butchered like livestock. Those who resisted the initial onslaught banded together, and succeeded in slowing the tide. However, these dire straits demanded their full attention. As such, the commonfolk found their prayers falling on deaf ears - a dreadful reality in a time of anguish. Thankfully, they were not alone.

The Archangels ventured to the mortal realms. Since the Pantheon considered them too valuable to risk in direct conflict with the Enmanari, they were tasked with battling the turmoil that afflicted the mortals. Each of the mighty celestials worked tirelessly in pursuit of this endeavour, and each did so in their own manner. Oriel, Archangel of Knowledge, sought to remedy the misery of the commonfolk whilst also preserving the memory of the past. She manifested countless enchanted rings which were to be bestowed to the reeling people.

These wondrous trinkets were imprinted with powerful illusionary magic that could reveal what once was. When a person carrying the ornament enters a once beautiful locale that has since been despoiled, they will feel a slight thrum emanate from within the metal. If they peer through the ring, they will see a world unlike the one that now exists. Crumbled ruins become astonishing monuments, sickening graveyards reveal thriving market hubs, and swathes of rotted vegetation transform into lush forest foliage. The Halcyon Rings depict the true majesty that will, hopefully, one day return. Of course, these gifts were not meant to simply uphold joyous memories. The Archangel Oriel hoped to inspire the people to fight for what had been taken from them, and to strive for its restoration.

Now, when scarce few mortals recall the bygone age, the Halcyon Rings have become a fascinating curiosity rather than a reminder of brighter days. Whilst many have been lost over the centuries, those that remain in righteous hands offer glimpses into a truly foreign world where monsters cower in shadows and where Gods still reign supreme. It is not uncommon for one to become enraptured by such visions.

Although Oriel always intended for the Rings to offer solace and peace to the mortals in the early days of the invasion, in recent years her true intentions have become realised. The capsules of memory that are held within the trinkets grant knowledge to the holder that would otherwise have been forgotten. With a Halcyon Ring, brave adventurers can far more readily navigate Blight-ridden wastelands and locate lost treasures. It is for this reason that such artefacts are considered essential for deep expeditions beyond the walls of the Last Bastions.