The Shadow Master

From Caelwiki

Transcribed from Epic Quest 15

Player: I just fought a bunch of those Undead Ribbers again... the creatues I found a while ago that claimed to be searching for the Shadow Master.

Player: They seemed to think I am the Shadow Master!!

Sage Uldor: That cannot be true. It is said the Eye of Naab will reveal the Shadow Master. The Ribbers must have followed the eye to this place.

Sage Uldor: Seeing you here, they thought that YOU were the Shadow Master.

???: And they were wrong. Very wrong.

Sage Uldor: Epheel! Many have been meeting you in NightBane's castle in Darkovia! Are YOU the Shadow Master???

Epheel: Yes, I am.

Epheel: I am sure that you think I am EVIL. And it may be true to some... I have done evil things in the past. The Ribbers blame me for much.

Epheel: I have been alive for nearly a thousand years. In all that time, my duties have led me to do many things. The Ribbers are an entire race that became undead because of me.

Epheel: You see, I make deals. All for one ultimate purpose: to save this world from an ultimate force of destruction.

Epheel: You know this force as the Devourer, among other names. there is a book in the Libary on Isle d'Oriens which can tell you more of that.

Epheel: Suffice to say, my mission sometimes has casualties. But YOU, YOU are the HEROES of this world.

Epheel: The Devourer travels between dimensions, scouring the universe for life-filled worlds. It eats the elemental forces and moves on, often leaving a wasteland.

Epheel: Before the Devourer arrives, though, it sends an Agent of Destruction to observe the world.

Epheel: There lies the key to saving your world. If this Agent of Destruction is itself destroyed, the Devourer will be fearful of the world, and pass it by... letting it live on.

Player: But why does everyone think you're EVIL in the first place?? Where do you come from??

Epheel: My long history here has created many enemies, who spread lies about me. Eventually, I became a myth, and to many I was forgotten.

Epheel: I was a wizard... one of the first HUMAN wizards long ago. Back in the time when the Drakel ruled the world of Lore.

Epheel: And then the Devourer attacked us for the first time. The Drakel hid in domed cities while the other less advanced races tried their best to survive.

Epheel: The Elemental Lords and Dragon Lords had long retired and we were left with no great defenders.

Epheel: The Devourer made many races go extinct. A few aside from the Drakel made it: humans, elves, dwarves and others.

Epheel: I tried to fight the Devourer and paid for it: the Devourer warped my body into this hideous form.

Epheel: A further curse was that I would live forever, until the Devourer itself destroyed me!

Epheel: I swore then to do all I could to find how to finally destroy the Devourer. All I have discovered is how to prevent its attack...

Epheel: But for now, that will be good enough. Now, I ask you:

Epheel: Are you brave enough to take on this task? When the time comes, will you hunt this Agent of Destruction??

Player: Yes, yes I will!

Epheel: EXCELLENT!! I have some items for you. A gift that will signal the arrival of the Agent, and more to help you.

• A shop opens*

Epheel: Now go, and await the signal! Your time to save the world is soon to come!