The
Encyclopedia Lorica

Wagand to Wyvern
7th Edition

Wagand, General (NPC) - a war hero of the Alliance on Vorn. A popular leader touted as a possible replacement for the Grand Council by those who feel the Council impotent in fighting the Eck invasion.

Wald - town on Illum Alpha. Wall, Dry () - orienteer (?) and member of the Verteux Loonies.

Wally - scorpion familiar of Gonathan Gillette. Incapacitate Eth on the Greymar Grendling Expedition, but was later lost on an EO mission.

Walrus - Very rare marine mammal. Some were seen on Culebra Island by SOAK. Walrus balls are used for something. Tusks are valuable, and the meat is very good.

War against Eckyebrech Invasion

From Chris in 1996: Rob: "Oh, by the way, the Eckyebrech have marched through the Confederacy, blown up Gailenia, and have raped all the men and pillaged the women." Players: "Uh, that's nice. How does that affect our Grendeling expedition?")
Geoff in 1996: ECKS IN THE CONFEDERACY? Well, they're knocking hard at the front door, in any case. One of the many things that we *didn't* know is that the "bridge" we were blowing up [see the Bridge Missions] wasn't necessarily just a conventional bridge; it looks in some respects like there may be a new portal; or else the Enemy have taken the Abraxian Shrine Portal and put it to use. Pity we didn't destroy it.
Chad in 1996: My current theory on the Eck offensive:
They have started this "major" offensive in the north. What we are failing to remember is that they have also been reoccupying many positions on Vyrica also. This is just the first step of the major Illican takeover bid. As alliance troops are moved to the northern front, the Ecks WILL attack KDP and the republic. Illico has been the major strong point of EOW defenses. If Illico were seemingly being overrun the rest of EOW would lose heart.
The Eck forces have superior ground troops, superior magick knowledge, and honestly superior leadership. A brief explanation of this statement:
Superior ground troops: this one is self-explanitory
Superior magick knowledge: with the alliance with the Gnomes and Drow knowledge of both branches of magick and the "dual" magick are known and readily available
Superior leadership: not to knock the current military leadership, but honestly, the only thing that has really stopped the Ecks from over running EOW is the plague. Not our wonderful military leadership. Granted the marvellous ailment that befell the Ecks may have engineered by our military might, but they have seemingly done nothing to really prepare for the new offensive. If they had, It wouldn't be so damn effective.
And lastly, the reports coming from the north are that the military made an attempt to thwart the current offensive before it started. However the strike force was obliterated before ever reaching its target. This is just another sign of inferior leadership and planning. -Anonymous letter to the opinion page editor P.S. Maybe we should just surrender and make peace.
As everyone knows, the "deadline" for the end of the world has long passed. Supposedly, the Ecks should have overrun EOW, or the world should have exploded or something, because we did not find the Captain and the King (the swords, if you don't already know), bring them together, and kick butt, etc. etc. Obviously the world has not ended, but it may be that the Ecks can never be run out of EOW now, that they will be around forever -- even with the might of the swords. My point is -- WE NEED TO FIND THE SWORDS!!!
MAGICAL INSTITUTIONS TO RAISE RATES (Chronicle of Dun Cess, [01 Jan 43]) The Institute for Advanced Sorcery announced today that the magical colleges would raise their membership, initiation, and training rates... No great uproar over the increase was expected. No reasons were officially given, but it expected that the ongoing conflict is cutting into the organizations' revenues.
REPUBLIC RAISES CORPORATE INCOME TAX (The Merchant Times, [01 Jan 43]) As of the first of 10043 the corporate income tax rate in the Republic climbed 20% to 12% of gross income. The official justification was a need for more funds to continue the war. No new increases are expected for at least six months.
Also, what is known about the history of the war from the Time Warp group? I'm working under the assumption the future is immutable (hopefully not). How long did the war last? What parts of the world do the Eck control? All of it? How is the eck government's treatment of humans, elfs, etc? Are they slaves?

Warhol, Pincushion () - Killed in combat with undead guardians in Fire Dwarven Necromancy Research Facility in northern Vorn.

Water catcher/collector/purifier - Put all waste fluid (including urine) into a container - try to maximize surface area. Dig a hole in the sun (in damp soil if possible) and put the waste fluid container in it, along with a clean container (with minimal surface area for evaporation) in the center of the hole. Lay a tarp over the hole and put a small stone or other weight on it over the clean container so that condensation from the tarp will drain into it.

Water Cure -

Nick's Recollections: Ok, I don't remember too much about the adventure with the water cure, but what the heck, I'm in the mood to spread disinformation. I'm not sure of who I was playing or where we were going, but we were on a passenger boat on a trip that lasted several days. Anyway, in the middle of the night I heard some one out on the deck, so I went to look. It was some guy trying to steal a lifeboat and get to shore. For some reason I thought he was a good guy so I helped him. He then gave me a piece of paper. We found out later that he had something to do with the water poison or some kind of bioweapon guy and SETCo wanted to get/kill him. We read this as he was some guy who had a cure for the water poision, again why, I'm not sure. The other thing is when I got the piece of paper, Rob didn't just hand it to me IRL (in real life). So from that we didn't think it was a code or puzzle. As for the piece of paper, I didn't show it to all the party, but I recopied it and left it somewhere safe. (or maybe I was going to leave it somewhere safe....) Later I think I showed it to Monty's character, and I think Geoff's character. We talked about showing it to the others or just keeping it a secret, and I can't remember which we did. Then I guess everyone involved died one way or another, so I have no clue on where the note is now..
Geoff's recollections: What I remember about the water cure thing is not very much, as I wasn't at that game; however, I do remember that it was the OMNICO/SETCo group who was involved. Therefore, everyone involved is not *quite* dead yet, although they *are* submerged in the bowels of Persand. My impression was that ICELAND wanted to kill the guy (which, if it was a water cure, makes perfect sense. If it was a different sort of poison, that also makes sense.) and SETCo was trying to sneak him off to civilisation, capture his secret themselves, and get into the water business-- or (perhaps more likely) use it to extort some suitably large favours from Iceland.
Ben's Thoughts: Bernardo Broadmoor had the piece of paper with the cure on it and didn't tell any (or at least most) of us about it... After one intermediate adventure (the goblin island treasure thingy) Broadmoor disappeared, We just didn't hear from him anymore and we couldn't figure out where he went. Our employer, Jubal Tokenfall, (A druid, not technically SETCO, but related somehow) told us that Bernardo wouldn't be coming with us on our next adventure. When pressed he refused to explain himself. Nick made a new character some time later and we never thought about it again. Presumably SETCo (or possibly the Druids, depending on the details of Tokenfall and SETCo's relationship) wound up with the cure. Did they destroy it? Are they working out a marketing strategy for it? Hmmm.

Water elemental - a magical creature. One assisted the Delmaruntha Dig party to escape from charges of unemployment in Delmaruntha. See Astro.

Water Monopoly - Iceland, Seige of Parapanisades, Alonzo Coatline.

Water monster - on Shang. Sankwich Explorations Mission III: The trip up the waterway was uneventful until the waterway started widening and the aquatic lifeform made an attack on the dinghy. This time it hovered in the water inches below the surface. It had the appearance of a large catfish or sturgeon. The head of the creature was approx. 36 to 48 inches wide. With that size of head, the animal could be around 12+ feet long and weigh in excess of 1000lbs. It could possibly swallow a humanoid whole.

Water pills - used to determine if "water poison" is present in a sample of water, NOT to purify it.

Water poison. Actually a disease that taints most of the natural bodies of water on EOW. Can't be cured by very low-level "cure diseases." 3rd level is pretty sure to cure it. 4th will definitely take care of it. 6800-6850: period when (it is thought) the water was poisoned in Arboria.

Water serpent - a huge creature found in the Sprinal Tap. It was made out of water and unaffected by conventional weapons but reacted to lightning bolts. Detect-magic will reveal it as a coiled serpentoid form of hydromantic energy resting at the bottom of a mountain lake. Found by Omnico.

Waters of Oblivion - last words of Wizard General Peabody. Juho made connection to Chornoye Morye. Black Waters. Black liquid on Frog World that sealed the entrance portal (?). Looking into it is like looking into your soul. Or are the waters behind the doors?

Greek myth...

Weather-Lewis, Merri (Chris) - member of Second Bridge Mission.

Webster, Meg (Ben) Viking Orcish female. Sculptress and warrior. Died 3197 in Vorn in the fire and ice adventure.

Wedgewood, Josiah (NPC) - captain of the Obelisk in May 10043 and former first mate of Robin Obelisk on the Albatross. Provided transportation for the Second Bridge Mission.

Welch, Sargenta (Joe) - Member of OMNICo. Died on the Sprinal Tap mission. (Resurrected?) Killed in portal chamber in scorpion rooms of Persand cave complex by egyebrech according to Rob's character updates. Missions: Sprinal Tap, ?.

Werner, Gunthor "Ouhd" (Ben) - married, has magic boots. Hefty, short, fairly cool for a dwarf. Deaf. represented the Mountain Dwarves/Grey Dwarves of Arnsata as Wizard General. Leader (mostly :) of the Tim and Werner Group.

Missions: Temple of Friendship, Fire Dwarven Necromantic Research Facility.
April 3202: arrived in Vorn. May 3202: he got ship ride to "Temple Kerisvexai." June 3202: he meets W.G. Allatar, who has already met Tim D'Reaper, etc. August 3202: he gets to the Temple Temple Temple and finds Magos bargaining for a seat on the council. September 3202: he leaves the Temple Temple Temple, telling Alotar to get in touch with Aritheya (how?) and pass on a letter to his wife.
He and Guanerius Guaneri, Tim Da Reaper, and Kiphelm were vilified as a result of misunderstanding the events surrounding the removal of the Captain and the theft of the black box (due in part to misinformation by Magos). All were condemned to death in absentia as the vilest of traitors for disobeying the wishes of the Council and for their apparent dealings with the enemy.
[On Todtham?]: "I'm gonna save the wussy philosophical crap for you brainy types. I am a dwarf of action. So here's the deal: We need some food. We're gonna send out the hunters to get enough to tide us over for tonight, keeping in mind that they should be very wary of echyebrech in the woods. Then we are going to cross the river a few miles away from the town. I would predict that early tomorrow morning there will be wagons of food headed into town for the market. In any case, we will monitor the situation and waylay a likely looking wagon when possible. Once we have enough food to last us a while, we have a decision to make. Do we A) head out across land as per original plan (keeping in mind that the Echyebrech may know this plan) or B) head down to the mouth of the river and steal a boat and sail up the sea inlet. Sailing would be faster by at least a factor of 2 probably more. Its disadvantages include: our complete and total defenslessness should we be found, our inability to hunt as we travel, and our dependency on non-PC sailors from this world.
Werner speaks (late 3202?):
"Friends we are in the midst of events that will change to course of all that is to come. We must tread carefully on the treacherous road ahead, for our failure could mean the end of life as we know it. Our immediate objective is to locate and secure the sword known as "The Captain" [the King?]. We have only one clue in this quest, that an orcish lich "somewhere beyond the mountains to the north-east" was the last to see it. Unless any of you have proposals for another means of locating the sword, we will procede to the mountains directly. Within the mountains we will contact the Grey Dwarves at Arnsata. We will ask them for whatever information they might have of the terrain beyond their mountains. Perhaps they can supply us with maps. Perhaps they know of another ziggurat. Perhaps they will give still more cool magic stuff. At last word, the grey dwarves were beseiged by the Echyebrech, but a special force was sent from the Temple some time ago to see what could be done. We will almost certainly be traveling through occupied territory, prepare yourselves for the worst. We will procede from the dwarvish fortress based on what we learn there. There are other issues to be resolved. We must come to a conclusion on them before we can procede.
1. What will we do with the black box. It is very dangerous for us to carry the box around with us. It would be very easy for us to lose it again to the hands of some enemy. For us as a group to use it would be foolish. However, the usefulness of the box is tremendous. It is my understanding that Wizard-General Guaneri has the ability to take the box with him when he uses it. So, one option is to send him home with the box to complete some other mission (perhaps gathering the people necessary for the virtue puzzle, or locating Maroczy and The King). This would get the box away from us, probably aiding us in our need for secrecy. On the other hand, W-G Guaneri is a tremendous asset to have with us. Input on this issue?
2. What is our position with the alliance council? We have with us Kiphlem Thorne, an impeached (?) councilman. W-G Guaneri and myself have been acting in direct contradiction to council dictates. However this may not be common knowledge. Allying ourselves with the council is, in my opinion too limiting on our actions. However, angering the council is not wise. Keep in mind Magos now has a council seat representing EOW. In country votes, Guanerius could nullify him (in the absence of Mailog) as long as he is in attendence. Input?
3. We are almost certainly being followed or tracked in some way. Magos is too smart not to know what we are doing. How can we counteract this? I'd like to hear what you all have to say ASAP. Time is of the essence."

Western Wind Group - a largely gypsy elf and somewhat undisciplined adventuring group founded in early December 10039 by Genevieve L'arnot in Jacketz to transport ancient gnomish artifacts which had been purchased from renegade deep gnomes who wanted their heritage preserved somewhere safe away from all the fighting in the museum Drew Pearson worked for.

  • Known or suspected members: Charles Caulfield, Clive, Heron Falcon, Sparrow Falcon, Sharif Falcon-Woodrosin, Giamo Giovanni, Gasper Gonson, Isabella (Jond?), Genevieve L'arnot, Marcus the Muffin, Omar Sharif.
  • P.O.C. Genevieve L'arnot, Paramilitary Services, P.O. Box 1069.
  • Mission: We will travel to an abandoned mine near Swinburne, (in deep gnomish territory), where we will exchange the payment: a chest of spell components. As we make our travel arrangements, it is decided that we will purchase horses, and depart for Trade City on the 21st. In Trade City we will train for two weeks, and then depart for Swinburne. We must reach the mine in Swinburne on the first of February; this plan leaves us exactly one extra day for surprises.
    On Jan 24, the party departs paralleling the road a half day northwest away to avoid the military traffic. On the 25th, the group was approached by Aaron Kesserah, who was recruiting for the Great Migration. With the sounding of a shrill whistle, he suddenly attacked, and was joined by three others (gnomes?). Two were killed, one escaped and Kesserah was bound for questioning. He claimed to have been mind-controlled into attacking us. The group didn't quite believe him and left him unconscious under the influence of a large amount of Bliss and a spell from Heron Falcon. On the 25th or 26th, a large black bird was spotted which briefly attacked the party before leaving. Later on the 26th, two more black birds circled the party three times. One of these was quite large with perhaps a five-foot wingspan. Shortly afterward, a group of a dozen gnomes and a taller figure cloaked in black approached from the North and told the party to turn back, which they did - for five miles. That night they were attacked by about ten bow-wielding gnomes who started by casting a major light spell in the centre of the camp. Isabella and Genevieve were nearly carried off, and many of the party were nearly killed. Heron magically commanded the gnomes to try to open the box of spell components, whereupon they were struck by lightning from the north, and later, from slightly more northwest. Some gnomes managed to make off with the box, avoiding Heron's spell. He and his brother went in pursuit while Omar cared for the fallen. On the 27th, the figure cloaked in black was encountered again, turned out to be Drow and introduced himself as "The Black Rider." He offered to help track down the box on the condition that it be "sold" to him (maybe). [What was the mission again?] Only one of the original four horses remained so Gasper and Genevieve took it, and Isabella joined The Black Rider on his horse leaving the rest of the party at the campsite. On the 30th, they caught up to Sparrow and Heron. Later that day, they heard a loud explosion (felt it too). Upon tracking down the source of the noise, the group found eight gnome-sized corpses in a rough circle, unrecognizably charred and damaged by shrapnel. In the center was what remained of the box. Apparently it had blown up with awesome force due to tampering on the part of the gnomes and/or timing (but on this point Genevieve had apparently forgotten that it was not to be delivered in Swinburne until tomorrow.) Those in the party who tried to approach were overcome with nausea, apparently from residual magical radiation effects. At this point, The Black Rider left since the object of his trip had been destroyed.
    On Feb 2, the party was back in Trade City on their way back to Forsythia to talk to Drew Pearson.
    •

    Whispering Ferns - large green ferns of tropical forests of Vyrica that produce different pitches in the breezes. There are also rumored to be specimens in the Sprinal Tap.

    White Tower - an ancient-looking tall tower that looms over the mouth of a mountain pass at the end of a wide valley on Vorn. Found by El Ouhd's Mock Turtle Group. The tower is of white stone, and very old. The roundness of it is shaved at the "corners" forming an odd octahedron. Near the top it had started to crumble, however, the bronze (?) door was polished and well-kept. The covering for the entrance to the tower was made of a highly polished brass (?) that apparently had no hinges. No Vorn magic was detected, and it was not tested for EOW magic. It was not determined how the door could be opened.

    1/3 of a mile south into the southern pass, the valley opens to the southeast, but a trail to the southwest leads up behind the tower. The trail seems well used. Reaching the top of the ascent it terminates in a somewhat narrow cave mouth into a tunnel that presumably leads under the tower.
    The chamber inside the cave is somewhat rectangular. To the northwest is a flickering line of light that runs horizontal to the floor, then runs upward in the middle to form an inverted T of light. There is another metallic set of doors down here. These open with some sort of latch and swing open out towards the group opening the doors. The floor inside is worked stone, well trodden but swept clean. Torches line the walls, in five tiers. Through the pass is another set of doors that just sparkles in the light.
    This room has a trapped floor. (This feature seems to be used by the local dwarves to dispose of inconvenient people.) With a grinding noise, the floor slides away leaving one to fall into a 25' deep hole. One of the stones does not completely slide into the wall (apparently broken) leaving just enough surface for two hominids to struggle for a few moments before falling in.
    The pit seems contains a poisonous heavier-than-air gas that will incapacitate and even kill anyone who is laying on the floor. If caught in time, the victim will recover on being lifted out of the danger zone.
    There is a tunnel several feet above the bottom of the pit. Written in EOW characters on its entrance is an apparently middle orcish phrase: Fides est et probitas tuum retinere
    The tunnel itself leads to a maze of cave tunnels. They can be followed upward or downward. Downward seems to be the most likely to lead out of the complex where the lava would have poured out. Unfortunately, the tunnels contain the same deadly poisonous gas as one goes down. It is possible to get out if one is quick enough, however, weaker party members may die or lose consciousness and will have to be retrieved by the few who get out successfully.
    The only known exit is down a quick, steep slope and out onto a 30 foot ledge that drops into a pile of bones. Two of the seven healing spells performed here went bad for the Mock Turtle group - the area has a bad feel to it.
    The puzzle: "Fidus est et propitas tuum retinere" might be something literally like "Faith [is/to be] you appropriate thine [to hold back]". I'm really sure about the "Fid[u]s" and "tuum" words, Fellow Agents...maybe, "It's appropriate for you to hold back thine faith", or "It's appropriate to hold to thine faith"...something like that. Although "retinere" is probably closer to "keep" or "retain" than the literal "to hold back". So --'It is right for you to keep thine faith'
    The literal word-for-word substitition: (Trust/faith/word of honor/safe conduct/etc.) (is) (and) (you appease) (your) (to restrain). Now there are a couple of problems. Tuum isn't modifying anything. Propitas is in the present indicative, not the imperative, so it's like saying "Hey, you're appeasing at this moment" rather than "Hey! You! Appease!" which (given my understanding of the situation) would make more sense. Possible (but unlikely due to a missing "est") is an idomatic translation of the last two words as "It is your duty to restrain." As best as I can make out (with one semester of Ancient Orcish 101) is: "There is trust, and to restrain, you are appeasing" which don't make much sense.
    Please note the correction provided by Agent Cinder. "Propitas" should be "probitas." This renders some of the above discussion irrelevant. It sounds like whoever carved this inscription in EOW letters was a bit removed in terms of knowledge, and possibly time and geography, from hir inspiration. What does that say about who would have written it and why they wrote it? Was it a group of EOW refugees who had been trapped on Vorn long enough for their "native" tongue to be corrupted? Maybe the carving was from an Vorn native in the early days after the "middle orcs" had come and gone. Enough time would need to have passed for some corruption of the language to have occurred. That would put the date at maybe, 2000 years ago? Was it some Vornish cult mindlessly copying some traditional formula derived from an old EOW influence? Was it carved fairly recently by a bumbling idiot, some EOW doob much like ourselves, who was trying to be cute with Level II Middle Orcish? (Although why Middle Orcish instead of a modern language?)

    Whorfin, John () - Disappeared with John Drake after the mass murder of The Pirates in Dun Cess.

    Widowmaker, Rand (Monty). Great axe fighter with a strength in the 90s. Member of SOAK. Missions: Culebra I, Omniventure counteract this? I'd like to hear what you all have to say ASAP. Time is of the essence."

    Wildgrass, Rosemary () - Archer killed in combat with minotaurs on landbridge of Persand cave complex with the Persand Expeditionary Force, November 10039.

    Wiles, Andrew (NPC) - navigator. Member of Pike Group and Order of the Ring. Went with Persand Expeditionary Force.

    Wilks, Anton (Nick) - 18 year old thief. Member of Forsythia Cemetery Exploration.

    Wingman's Bluff. Prominence near KDPW (?) where King Astyanax of the Brids reinitiated contact with SOAK.

    Wizard General - title of members of the Grand Council of the Alliance on Vorn. Known Wizards General past and present: Alotar, Tim D'Reaper (or NOT), Guanerius Guaneri, Saul the Bearded, Werner Guntor, Kiphelm Thorn.

    Woodrosin Group - Named after Ester Woodrosin. Based in Minetown. Discovered a cave complex in the mountains after one of them, Rigby, was overtaken by a vague internal motivation. Joined up with the Marduk Group to continue explorations of the cave, leading to the discovery of the Abraxian Shrine. Apparently went with Marduk Group to Adam-Ondi-Aman. Members: Charles Tiberius, "C.T." Grape, Rexxus Meister, Rigby, Ester Woodrosin.

    Wraith - see rings, nazgul.

    Wright, General (NPC) - see Tholar.

    Wyvern - A smaller relative of the dragon that tastes kinda like chicken (when eaten by SOAK on Culebra Island). Known specimens have measured between 13 and 15 feet in length. Are very annoying and sneaky - drop cannons on hapless PCs and tear up their camps while they're away - destroying food, poisoning water and ruining tents in a cold stormy climate. They are believed to be able to fly about 300 miles a day and so there is speculation that they may be used by the Roc to cross the glacier in the north.

    They should be attacked by as many people as possible, and the poison spike on the tail should be immobilized by lasso or tent canvas. They have an annoying tendency to fly away just as they are about to be killed. The horn is extremely valuable as a spell component - 1,200sc/inch (or 1,300 if over 13 inches long) according to a 10042 Iron Fist League job offer to SOAK. Wyvern blood is also valuable for something...
    (Aba-Al)
    (Am-Ay)
    (Bab-Bla)
    (Ble-Bri)
    (Bro-Bys)
    		 (Ca)
    (Ce-Cy)
    (Da-Dra)
    (Dro-Du)
    (Eck-Eu)
    		 (Evi-Exp)
    (Fal-Fri)
    (Gal-Glo)
    (Gno-Gren)
    (Grey-Gy)
    		 (Haa-HZE)
    (Ice-Jos)
    (Kaf-KVo)
    (Lab-Ly)
    (3M-Met)
    		 (Mey-Mi)
    (Mo-Mys)
    (Nat-Nut)
    (Obe-Omn)
    (One-Or)
    		 (Ot-Ox)
    (Pag-Pers)
    (Pert-Py)
    (Qua-Rub)
    (Sal-She)
    		 (Shi-Sou)
    (Spe-Swi)
    (Sword)
    (Swo-Sy)
    (Tac-Ti)
    		 (To-Ty)
    (Ube-Ux)
    (Va-Ver)
    (Vi-Vyr)
    (V.R.E.)
    		 (Wag-Wyv)
    (Xav-Zum)
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