Ancient Crowns and Mercenary Secrets

While the Bank and the Syndicate play their games of global power, the common people of Aethervale are caught in the crossfire. Mercenaries and ancient artifacts often play a more direct role in the survival—or destruction—of the realm than any high-level political treaty.

Rumor 7: Shard of the Ancient Crown

Rumor: The Giantfolk raids aren't for food; they're looking for a specific shard of an ancient crown. The Truth: The "Crown" is the "Crown of the First King," an artifact from the pre-Age of Ruin era that allows the wearer to command the "Elemental-Spirits" of the earth. The "Shard" is currently embedded in the pommel of Commander Vane’s sword (see Truth 8). The Giantfolk have been "recruited" by Ignis-Kaan (see Truth 61) to retrieve the shard so he can use it to stabilize the tectonic plates without having to trigger volcanic eruptions.

Rumor 8: Commander Vane's Clones

Rumor: Commander Vane’s mercenary company is actually composed of clones of himself. The Truth: This is the "Mirror-Legion." Vane discovered a "Aetheric-Duplicator" in the Mana Wastes that allows him to create "Echo-Soldiers" for short periods. These soldiers share his skills, his memories, and his combat instincts. The "Vane" people meet is usually the original, but during large-scale battles, he can manifest an entire company of himself. However, each clone "bleeds" his own life-essence, and Vane is rapidly aging due to the strain of maintaining the legion.

Rumor 34: Anti-Magic Stalkers

Rumor: The "Military Academy" in Kigum is training a unit of "Anti-Magic Stalkers." The Truth: They are called the "Null-Stalkers." They are equipped with "Null-Iron" weapons (see Truth 47) and "Resonance-Dampening" armor. Their purpose isn't to fight monsters, but to "liquidate" rogue mages and troubleshooters who have become a liability to the Grand Arcane Bank. They are trained specifically to exploit the weaknesses of the "Kigum-Style" of spellcasting.

Rumor 37: The Crown of Cinders

Rumor: The "Crown of Cinders" can turn any commoner into a powerful sorcerer instantly. The Truth: The Crown is a "Mana-Battery" that siphons energy directly from the Mana Wastes. It doesn't "make" someone a sorcerer; it "overloads" their physical body with so much raw mana that they can release it in destructive bursts. However, the user’s body is literally "burned away" by the power. Most "sorcerers" created by the Crown only survive for a single battle before collapsing into a pile of ash.

Rumor 41: The Vanguard's Letter Opener

Rumor: A legendary sword of the Vanguard of Dawn is being used as a letter opener in the Bank. The Truth: The "Letter Opener" is actually Dawn-Sunder, the blade used by Sir Kaelen (the Whispering Lich) before his betrayal (see Truth 20). The Bank uses it to open "Soul-Bound Mail" because the blade can cut through any magical seal. The blade still resonates with the Lich’s anger, and those who use it for too long often start hearing his whispers in their dreams.