From the Valsburg Fragments - As told to Varin the Confessor by Lady Adrassa, Princess of Stars, much loved grand-daughter of Talor, 475 ST

Fragment 1: The Slittermask History

It was the winter of discord when all was in disarray with Arkat's Crusade and only Talor's usual good humour kept those Knights who would otherwise have grown disillusioned and left from doing so.

Word came to the great fortress that a number of villages to the West had become deserted, their residents having vanished without a trace.  Talor took it upon himself to investigate and rode out under his own banner rather than wearing the Crusader's mantle.

At a place where two streams adjoined he crossed into the Questlands and in due course arrived at the Fair.  Here he spoke with She of the Veil who told him the cause of the malaise - the Slittermask.  Once she had been a fair maiden and a woman of means, daughter of a Noble House and married to a wise and good Talar whose dominion was close to the Elder lands of the Western Elves. 

Whilst she wanted for nothing, her appetite for the flesh led her into sinful ways.  Some say she chose her path for herself, others that she was seduced by the Blue Sorceror, Arinsor.  Whatever the truth, she fell into sin and took her house with her.  The land of her Talar in turn became corrupted for once sin establishes itself in the heart, it is very hard to displace and such was the case with the land and her people.  The Talar tried to ignore the corruption around him but in doing so gave in to pride and also fell under the Blue Sorceror's sway.  Within a few years crops failed, the people lazed rather than worked, Knights broke their vows and chaos crept into the land.  Knights rode out from Akem to deal with the Talar who had become a despot and he paid for his dark deeds with his life on the battlefield.  Eventually they came to the Castle that the Talar had called his home and they brought the flame of truth to that place that had become a den of iniquity and unspeakable evils.  Here the Lady had barred herself and her followers into her chambers and brokered a deal with the Devil himself.  When the Knights broke down her doors she and her servants had gone, transported to the Quest Lands with an immortal mission to bring souls away from Solace and into the grasp of the Devil.

Talor left the Fair, his heart heavy with fear and travelled paths less trodden before arriving within the Slittermask's domain.  Here the 7 Servants awaited him and asked him if he had come to contest his soul with the Mask.  Talor turned away this time, knowing that even he could not face the task alone and returned to Arkhome to plan and...

Fragment 2: Party & Departure

It was Sea Season before the party was gathered and ready to ride.  After some debate, Sir Talor agreed to wear the tabard of Crusade and invoke that dread oath against the Slittermask. Talor had, with Arkat's aid gathered a strange group of questers together.

The first was the Talar, Verdun D'Ascelas - a more wise and noble Lord there never was.

The second was Talor the Laughing Warrior of Akem who counted himself as First Knight

Third came Nominas the Zzaburi, wise and venerable wizard

Fourth was Sigvar, a Sword of Humakt from the noble houses of Ralios who had come to Arkhome as an Ambassador at Arkat's bidding

Fifth was Robyn Codrington, stout farmer and loyal squire

Sixth was Elsa RedDaughter, Spearmaiden and companion of Sigvar

Seventh came Sir Robert Goodwood, First Knight to Talar Verdun

Eight were the enemy and eight would be the questers although only 7 left the village of Bailey Well for Arkat had foreseen another would join the group along the way.

At Bailey Well, great celebrations and a feast was held for all the questers who had sworn vows of temperance, abstinence and chastity for the duration of their Quest.  Thus did they drink and eat well before Arkat himself arrived to invoke the Oath of Crusade.

Then did they depart and at the Rowan Rings crossed...

Fragment 3: The Chasm

..so they came to the first great challenge and test of faith, the Chasm.  Here, Talor laughed and...

Fragment 4: The Swamp

...that such a place of doom and gloom, none had ever known or seen before and even the great Laughing warrior, known for his grim humour barely spoke.  It was Nominas who finally hit upon the answer...

Fragment 5: The Tower

...nearly failed here for the ways of Humakt are rigid indeed yet Sigvard thought with his head rather than his heart...

Fragment 6: Village of Ghosts

And so they arrived at the place of the Trials where the Seven servants awaited the Questers.  This time, Talor and his companions were ready and each contested one of the Servants Trials, all emerging unscathed.  Beaten, the treacherous servants revealed their true monstrous nature and only under the power of Hrestol's True Cross could they be subdued.  At last, the path to Castle Sin was open although the garden through which it passed still held true treachery in the form of...

Fragment 7: Castle Sin

...and all gave thanks that the eighth had finally joined the Quest.  So the Crow set about his time appointed task as the Questers stole into the Castle and made their way past revenants and enthralled servants to the lady's hall where she had committed first sin - a place of black and white where the final battle was to take place.

Here Nominas set about drawing and casting the High Ward of banishment as Talor and his companions stood ready to repel the Mask and her servants.  As soon as the wizard set about his spell, her servants were drawn to the Hall and a furious battle ensued.  Such was the slickness of the floor by the time the first waves of enemy had been repelled that the integrity of Nominas's wards were threatened and so three of the Questers went to their deaths when the Mask finally arrived, slain by their own hands.  It was a combination of Elsa's spear and Verdun's sacrifice that bought Nominas valuable time to re-draw his circle and complete his spell.  The candle was extinguished and the bell rung as the good wizard called the Mask's true name, drawn from the first letters of her servant's names.  She wailed as the spell took hold and forced her from this world for what all hoped would be time eternal...