Lore Quest: Legend of the Burning Archer (Part 2)

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Quest type: Lore
From NPC(s): Palaikis
Locations: Kirasanct
Previous quest(s): Lore Quest: Legend of the Burning Archer
View this quest in the Quest Tree

Palaikis has more to tell you of the Legend of the Burning Archer.

Quest text[edit]

Palaikis tells you, Alright, I'll explain a few things for you.

Palaikis tells you, Originally, gem setting and jewelry making in general had been done in a manner that was very practical. A simple setting without much flair or style. The setting in this locket uses that method. Later, the method changed so as to be more decorative. It allowed the setting itself to utilize many different styles to incorporate whatever the jeweler felt like creating. Recently however, with the emergence of the Withered Aegis, we have entered a sort of 'Dark Age.'

Palaikis tells you, The process of creating many things has reverted back to a simple practicality. Everything must have a use, must have a reason, to be the way it is. Otherwise, it takes up too much time, effort, or resources to create something that is not necessarily needed. In times such as these, we rarely have the necessities, much less the luxuries. So, now that you've had a miniature lesson on the history of jewelry, I just want to say that this locket could indeed be from the time period of the Burning Archer. Now that I think about it, what exactly do you know about the Burning Archer?

Palaikis tells you, Hmm. So you don't know much about the interaction between he and his lover, do you? Well, in all honesty, there isn't very much to tell about that part of his life. IF he truly did exist, that is, which I still don't believe he did. Anyway, history doesn't record this often, as no one race really want's to lay claim to his heritage, but the Burning Archer was Elven. His lover though, was not.

Palaikis tells you, She most certainly was not Elven. She was actually Human. If you do some digging, you'll find that most, not all mind you, but most of the people the Burning Archer had slain were Humans. He found it very difficult to deal with the gruff attitudes of the Humans towards him for being an Elf and taking a Human lover. Of course, this was a very sore spot for him, and as he began to make use of his power, he used it to exact his revenge on those that had judged and persecuted him in the past. Mainly, these were Human antagonists, but there were several Elves who lost their lives to him as well. One of which was his own father.

Palaikis tells you, His father had forbidden him to see the Human woman, and he most assuredly would not allow her into the town where they lived. So the Burning Archer was forced to leave his home if he had wanted to live with his love. This was very hard on both he and his lover, especially since they settled in a small Human frontier community. The two lovers were tormented heavily, by both male and female villagers. They were not welcome, but they were tolerated to some degree. The villagers let them stay so long as they kept to themselves. Already the Burning Archer was quite powerful with his skills and abilities, but up to this point, he had not quite become the Burning Archer he was destined to be.

Palaikis tells you, Aah, yes. According to the legend, he was indeed destined to become the Burning Archer. It was his fate. Although, that is another tale for another time. Besides, I've already rambled on quite a bit. To shorten the story some, suffice to say that once the Burning Archer finally did obtain his power, he annihilated the entire outpost where he and his lover lived. Quickly and quietly, they fled, eventually settling again in another small, but rapidly growing Human settlement. People came and went constantly. The first seeds of paranoia were planted in the Burning Archer's mind during this period.

Palaikis tells you, There were strangers coming and going within the frontier town constantly, day and night. Everytime someone looked his way, the Burning Archer was convinced that they were either judging him for being with a Human woman, or they were coming for revenge for what he did at his last home. The Burning Archer of course felt as though he was justified, and was simply defending himself. He knew not everyone would see it that way though. Regardless, he was convinced that he found nothing but judgement in one form or another in everyone else's eyes.

Palaikis tells you, His paranoia grew to eventually consume him. Ironically enough, it was his behavior after becoming so paranoid that gave away his crime. When certain topics were discussed near him, the Burning Archer would rush over and threaten those who were speaking in order to make them be quiet. Over time, other townsfolk began to suspect him of the crime of destroying an entire town. But this put the other townsfolk in a difficult situation. How do you bring justice to your neighbor, when your neighbor is capable of destroying you? The townsfolk had several private meetings to discuss how to handle the situation safely.

Palaikis tells you, At first the council tried to hire a small band of mercenaries from another region to come in and stage a robbery at the home of the Burning Archer. The mercenaries were told that they could keep whatever they found in the house as long as they murdered the Burning Archer. But not everything went according to plan.

Palaikis tells you, When the mercenaries broke into the house on the designated night, they did not find the Burning Archer, but they did find his lover. They stole and ransacked everything in the house that night. Everything. The Burning Archer, being an Elf had been out in a nearby forest, doing whatever it is Elves do in the forest. I may be a Scholar, but I still don't know what it is they do. Anyway, the mercenaries left the town when they finished robbing the house, and marched through the forest where the Burning Archer was. He tracked them a short way, until he detected that something was terribly wrong with these mercenaries.

Palaikis tells you, He somehow knew that they were looking for him, but who they found instead. He knew what they had done, and he slaughtered them for it. He then collected the heads of every one of the mercenaries, and dragged them all back to town. He dragged them through the streets and left them all in the town square. Not until after that did he rush to his home to determine what had happened.

Palaikis tells you, When he arrived home, he found his house was wrecked. What remained of his belongings were destroyed. When he found his lover, she was beaten and barely alive. It was then that the Burning Archer's mind was truly lost. He left the town that night and carried his lover on his shoulders. The last thing he did on his way out of town was light his house on fire, then walked out without a word or a warning. He carried his lover into the forest, and with the knowledge he had of herbs and roots, tended her wounds as best as he could. He paused only long enough to watch the fire leap from his house to other nearby buildings. He waited until he heard the shouts of warning turn to screams, and then made off towards his old Elven home.

Palaikis tells you, He knew he and his Human lover would not be welcome in the Elven city, but he knew that they could stay long enough for his lover to be nursed back to health. They spent quite some time there, all the while, the Burning Archer's hatred and thirst for revenge smoldered. He was driven nearly to madness the whole time he was there. He wanted to stay by his lover's side and be with her, but every time he looked upon her face, he was reminded of how she was made to suffer. When she finally regained enough strength to travel, they set out once again.

Palaikis tells you, Again they settled into a Human town, but this time, the townsfolk already knew who they were, and what they had done. The Burning Archer claimed he had defended himself, and was only able to rescue his lover from his burning house. When asked why he didn't raise an alarm for the other townsfolk to come and help put out the fire, he claimed it was grief and fear for their own lives that made him try to help his lover first, and then flee the town. He then challenged anyone who disbelieved him to try to force a confession from him. Anyone who did would be killed. Anyone who tried to harass his lover would first be tortured, and then killed by his own hands. None of the townsfolk dared question his threats. At least, not right away.

Palaikis tells you, Their presence in the town made the other townsfolk uncomfortable, but they felt helpless to do anything about it. After quite some time however, the townsfolk began to approach the Burning Archer's lover in secret, and make appeals to her to try and get them to leave. At first she tried to turn them away whenever they came by, but after a time, they became more aggressive. Meek as she had become, she was helpless to stop them. Eventually it reached a point where everytime the Burning Archer left the house, someone would arrive to make an appeal. She could never bring herself to tell her lover what was happening, for she knew that these people were only scared, and they were only trying to do what they thought was best. She did not want to be the reason for another town to be slaughtered, but sometimes, things are inevitable.

Palaikis tells you, The Burning Archer eventually caught on to the comings and goings of other people in his house, spending time with his lover while he was gone. Sadly, he never knew the truth that she was only trying to help him. He believed she was guilty of infidelity. When he came to this conclusion, it spun him into the most explosive rage he had ever demonstrated. He butchered his lover that day, and, yet again, the entire town. He razed it to the ground, and didn't stop until the earth itself was scorched so badly that it split and cracked. He carried the body of his lover out of the town, and buried her, while the morning light crept it's way up past the horizon. He then went on a rampage, marching from that town to his Elven home.

Palaikis tells you, Everything in his path suffered. Anything that lived, he made to die until he reached the gates of his Elven home. He attempted to ravage it too, claiming that it was originally his home that caused all the pain in his life, since they were responsible for throwing him out and not letting he and his lover live there. The Elven Elder met him at the gate and pleaded their case for mercy. Eventually the Burning Archer conceded to show mercy to the city, but despite the Elder's best efforts, the Burning Archer still demanded that his father exit the city. His father decided to do so in an effort to spare the city.

Palaikis tells you, He slew his own father in front of all the Elves in the town, then he turned and walked off into the forest, never to be seen again. Until his death anyway, which is most likely the part of the legend you had heard about already. So, what does all this have to do with your locket? Well, the inscription inside the locket sounds like it was written to his lover, doesn't it? Sounds to me like he finally found some sort of peace within himself, and felt guilty for the things he had done. This locket may have been his apology to her. That is, if any of this actually happened, and is more than just a legend. But I'll leave that for you to decide.

Palaikis tells you, Now, I've told you everything I know about the locket, and I've taken too much time from my other studies. Run along for now, and let me get back to my work.

Steps[edit]

  • Discuss the locket with Palaikis.

Rewards[edit]