The following scriptures were unearthed by the famed adventurer and archeologist Spark Airdust, whose remarkable findings have been graciously donated to the illustrious library of Cor Quae'thum. Discovered amidst the treacherous expanse of the Sea of Sands, these ancient texts date back to approximately 1519 AO. In these scriptures, one finds a collection of diary entries penned by an arcane practitioner of a long-extinct Scion dialect. These cryptic writings illuminate the emergence of the enigmatic deity known as the Eight-Legged Terror and the subsequent downfall of the once-majestic Taḫūmu. Owing to this text's delicate nature and prodigious age, it is entrusted solely to the Catedralum for meticulous study and interpretation. ~ Signed Maeve, Headmistress of Cor Quae'thum
[Editorial Note: The following diary entries represent only the text portions that our team could fully decipher. Gaps within the narrative reflect sections where the manuscript was too eroded or otherwise damaged for translation.]
5th of Harvest's End, 1518 AO
I have stumbled upon a revelation of extraordinary magnitude in the depths of my ceaseless pursuit of arcane knowledge. Today, within the very essence of the Gate of Death, I have unraveled secrets unfathomable to ordinary mortals. I discovered an ethereal tapestry interweaving a multitude of realms, each veiled in mystery and untapped potential. The sacred knowledge I have acquired shall henceforth be known as...
[Note: The text shows signs of wear, and some words are lost. The author likely was among the first arcane practitioners to discover the Radiant Web between the Celestial Spheres. The translation continues from the next legible section.]
17th of Frost's Fall, 1518 AO
Further studies have unveiled something far more exhilarating than the discovery of the Barāmu [ancient scion word for the Radiant Web].
Beyond this celestial tapestry, I glimpsed something far more elusive—a realm where Chaos reigned supreme, shattering the boundaries of natural law. The same chaotic forces that once yielded to the Radiant One's mastery now beckon to me, luring me into their embrace.
[Note: The manuscript skips several months here. The cause of this gap is unknown, though it may be due to physical loss or damage to the original pages.]
4th of Blossom's Birth, 1519 AO
I discovered that an arcane practitioner can draw from the chaotic realm, molding its primal essence into a tangible manifestation of their desires. When I excitedly mentioned my findings to my Queen, she was eager to learn more. Not only that, but she inquired if these new magic formulas could be used to alter one's form as well. I warned her of such experiments' dangers, but she…
[Note: The sequence following this entry appears to have been meticulously removed, suggesting that some pages may have been deliberately extracted or lost before the diary's recovery.]
25th of Sun's Zenith, 1519 AO
The days grow shorter, and the shadow of the Gate of Death lengthens across the land. With her regal presence now a common sight in my study, my Queen shares my thirst for the arcane knowledge of what I dubbed Tēšû.[Note: Tēšû is a word in scion describing confusion or chaos.]
Despite my warnings of the dangers, her ambition seems unbounded.
[Note: A significant portion of the narrative between the last entry and the next is missing. The translation resumes at a point where the text becomes clear again.]
1st of Rain's Embrace, 1519 AO
Today, my Queen visited my study under the guise of casual interest, yet her questions pierced the very heart of our most sacred mysteries. Her eyes, alight with a hunger for power, betrayed her regal composure. I find myself torn between my oath to serve and the gnawing apprehension that we tread upon a path fraught with peril. I often think these chaotic forces might be linked to the ancient stories of the Devouring. The balance of our world seems ever more precarious by the day.
As I pen this, a diplomatic mission to Chereb awaits under my Queen's orders. But tonight, as I reluctantly prepare myself for the journey ahead, a sense of unease settles over me. Have I opened a door that was meant to remain closed?
17th of Rain's Embrace, 1519 AO
The diplomatic mission has thus far bore little fruit in terms of negotiation, yet it is rich in opportunities for personal reflection and continued study. The local scholars offer a new perspective on my research. In the silence of Chereb's libraries, I delve into the nature of Chaos, seeking in the Tomes of Order for answers to the questions that have long haunted me.
Negotiations with King Rehet will continue tomorrow. I can't wait to return to my studies, but the beetlefolk seem as steadfast and unwavering in their negotiations as they are exuberant in their celebrations.
3rd of Harvest's End, 1519 AO
Upon my return to Aštû, a sense of foreboding hung heavy. The city was in disarray, Chaos brewing beneath the surface. The streets, once bustling with the vibrant life of my people, were now eerily silent, punctuated only by the occasional distant cries of panic and confusion.
As I approached the Gate of Death, my heart sank into the depths of despair. The once majestic gateway stood shattered, its fragments scattered across the desolate expanse.
The ground under Aštû ruptured as a monstrous maw swallowed most of the city in one bite. Then, the gods of Order materialized before the gaping Maw, their divine presence a beacon of hope amidst the encroaching darkness. Resolute and commanding, Zaqātu, our god, thundered across the land, urging his people to flee from the impending doom.
Amid this Chaos, my thoughts turned to my King and Queen. With the city crumbling around us, I found them bewildered and vulnerable, facing the wrath of the collapsing Order. Driven by a sense of duty and loyalty, I guided them to a hidden sanctuary beneath the palace.
As the gods battled the Wurm, their divine energies clashing with the monstrous embodiment of Chaos, I watched from beneath the palace, filled with awe and terror. The skies above Aštû were alight with the spectacle of their struggle, a cosmic dance of creation and destruction. I stood there beside the rulers of our land, their fate intertwined with that of every soul in Aštû.
4th of Harvest's End, 1519 AO
In the early hours, under the guise of seeking aid, the Queen departed from our sanctuary. With the Queen's prolonged absence growing more suspicious, I ventured out to look for her.
The city bore little resemblance to the home I cherished. I sprinted through the streets, a sense of foreboding gnawing in the back of my head. Then, right at the edge of the Maw, I caught a glimpse of my Queen, her form wreathed in an aura of twisted energy. She stood at the epicenter of the Chaos, harnessing its overflowing power, her visage transformed into that of a spider-like monstrosity. The realization struck me like a thunderbolt—her interest in my studies, her honeyed words, and even my diplomatic mission to Chereb - all of it was to fulfill her unspeakable ambitions. She had seized the opportunity in my absence, destroyed the Gate of Death, and unleashed a second Devouring upon us. And now she was using the surging Chaos to transform as she had always talked about, ascending to godhood through the very magic I had unlocked.
With her newfound divinity, the spider-goddess wove her web of malevolence, corrupting the scions who could not escape her clutches. Each transformed scion became an arachnid abomination. In a desperate attempt to halt the spider-goddess's reign of Chaos, I confronted her head-on and channeled every ounce of my arcane knowledge. But alas, my efforts were in vain. The chaotic forces surged around me, overwhelming my defenses and leaving me weakened and vulnerable. I stood no chance against the might of a deity. Only by the width of a silkworm's hair did I manage to avoid entirely transforming into an arachnid abomination as well.
Hope resurged when I saw Zaqātu suddenly battling the spider abomination, defending us from this monstrosity. But then, in a moment that would forever haunt my nightmares, she felled him with a swift and merciless strike, leaving behind nothing but a lifeless husk upon the unforgiving sands.
The loss of one of their own plunged the remaining order deities into a profound sense of grief and despair. In their sorrow and fear, the gods made a solemn decision—they withdrew from the Material Plane, their divine presence fading from our world.
9th of Harvest's End, 1519 AO
Now, I find myself standing amidst the ruins of a fallen kingdom, the echoes of a battle that shook the foundations of reality still ringing in my ears. The pursuit of truth, once the guiding light of my existence, has wrought devastation upon my people.
I tried saving as many of my people as I could, but I could do very little. I am filled with horror and despair, witnessing the tragic fate that befell my brethren. Many of the refugees bear the signs of the arachnid curse like I do myself.
Arachnida, the self-proclaimed Queen of the Arachs, reigns supreme over the Great Sea of Sands. We venture eastward, seeking refuge in lands untouched by the Eight-Legged Terror's grasp. May the nations of Varzzen be prepared for the shadow of the Queen's malevolence to inch ever closer, weaving its treacherous threads into the fabric of our world. The Age of Order has been shattered. An Age of Chaos now dawns upon us all.
[The diary entries conclude here, with much of the subsequent narrative lost to the ravages of time. The glimpses provided into the final days of Aštû and the rise of Arachnida offer invaluable insights into a pivotal moment in the history of Varzzen.]
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