Tabbitha

source taken from UO.Legends

Comment

(based on the news of what's going on in the Publish being tested on Origin)

Dismounting from his armoured steed, Lord Sergonar entered the smithy to find the rest of the guild's high council already assembled around a crystalline table between two or the forges while Lord Salthook's new apprentices watched from the safety of the far side of the room. Scattered accross the table was a typical-looking assortment of rough ore, along with a collection of Lord Woodwalker's alchemy vials.

"What is it?", asked the elder warrior directly.

Maplestone stepped out of the way, withdrawing to the side to ponder quietly while Eternos patted the head of the wise kirin Fireball, who was making unhappy noises and eying the table cautiously. Tempest, his hands and pointed ears streaked with dirt handed Sergonar a lump of rock. The warrior held the stone then glanced back over to the others with a slightly impatient curiosity.

"We have a problem", stated Woodwalker.

Salthook pulled out a magnifying tool from his well-stocked belt and held it up to the stone. "Blackrock crystals. No doubt about it.", he told his old friend bluntly. "Tempest was going through a large sample to test the new tools and spotted them. They'd have been lost back at the old workshop, but with the new forges I have here, we can at least smelt them to the surface of the rock."

"Have they always been there?", asked Sergonar, looking at the rock a little longer before putting it back.

"I don't think so", stated Woodwalker. "It's hard to be certain ... Tempest has not exactly kept careful records of his explorations." Tempest lowed his head. "But I think we're seeing something new", continued Woodwalker. "Ever since the explosion beneath Terathan Keep at the end of the Ophidian war, there have been pieces of this stuff appearing everwhere. With wizards far and wide secretly storing stashes of what they've found, it's impossible to say how much has already been recovered and whether this is pieces of the original piller that phased back into normal space while travelling through the mountains or whether we're beginning to see it regenerate or spread. Either way, if this news gets out, there are going to be reckless wizards hiring every miner from here to Minoc."

"Oh, it gets worse", added Maplestone before Sergonar could finish a huff. The treasure hunter quickly redirected Sergonar's gaze back over to Eternos.

"There is more than just rock in those mountains", stated the elven tamer as Sergonar turned his head towards him. "The gargoyles have long known that there is life within them ... earth elementals that can obsorb and concentrate the minerals they pass through. As you've probably noticed from some of Tempest's battered armour, he's met more than a few of these."

"And if an elemental starts absorbing these crystals?", asked Sergonar.

"Then we have a big problem", replied Salthook. "And I am not sure any of us can deal with it."



Check out the drawings submitted by the Indestructable Maddux & Crew here

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