#mount morta

[childrenofmorta]

Bestiary - Dark Claw

As awful this Corruption is, I can’t help but feel I was destined to witness it. Wanting to be a great wildlife writer, but with no new material to address is difficult.  Most creatures of the mountain have been well documented over the past couple decades. This Corruption though, it leaves us at a disadvantage. There are now gaps in our knowledge of what lurks out there.  No matter.  I, Meran Joseph. will do my part.  I will rise to the challenge and catalog these new beasts for the world to see!

I will start with the Dark Claw - The first monster to rise from this Corruption. Pure evil drips from its oblong body, reminding me of the shadowy figures in the nightmares of my youth.  Their beady red eyes show absolutely no emotion.  This could perhaps be the most frightening aspect of them.  There is no malice, just an absent minded hunger for innocent flesh.  

They stalk their victim until just the right moment, in which they briefly pause then, in almost lightning fashion, lunge with their claw out in front of them!  I haven't seen many walk away from such a gash.  Luckily, these beasts are incredibly frail.  Just a swipe or two of one's sword should put this evil to rest. Be careful though, for they rarely travel alone.  Surrounded by a gang of these Dark Claws should put even the most experienced warrior on edge.

- Meran Joseph

Maybe the Corruption isn’t all that bad?  Someone is now able to live out their dream.  Expect it ladies and gentlemen.  The Corrupted Beasts of Morta - A coffee table book by Meran Joseph.

Jakobsen Beck Narrative Designer

[childrenofmorta]

Lore 112 - Old Town, New House

Wrapped up the Bergson job today.  A small part of the house had burned down.  Margaret had attempted to teach John’s newly betrothed, Mary, about magic.  Sweet girl, but apparently lousy at the art.  A rogue fireball escaped and burned the portion of the house down.  No matter.  The village kicked in and helped.  After all, John’s father Samuel has done so much for us these past couple years.  The house was back up to its grand status in just two days.

Mary swore off magic.  Probably for the best.  She does however emit such a motherly aura.  Her and John will have quite the family some day.

Peter - carpenter 

Mary may not partake in the battles, but she is vital to keeping the family together.  Her encouragement is the light in the darkness that surrounds Morta.

-Jakobsen Beck Narrative Designer

[childrenofmorta]

Lore 109 - Book Gnomes

Breathing creatures or complete myth?  I often wonder why so many people of Morta leave journal pages or even entire tomes lying around the mountain.  I do enjoy finding and reading them, but my curiosity still itches at the back of my mind.  

The locals tell me there are creatures native to Morta simply nicknamed “Book Gnomes”. I admit, I snickered at the name, but it made sense the more the villagers explained it.  These gnomes apparently find anything written on paper and hide it!  No one can explain why they take them.  There is no personal gain, just minor annoyance as people lose their belongings.

When asked what they look like, people just stare.  Apparently no one has actually seen one - just friend of a friend type accounts.  To put it frank, according to the villagers of Morta, there are a bunch of stealthy kleptomaniac gnomes running around stealing journals for no apparent reason…  

I don’t buy it…  These villagers must be prone to losing objects…

- Xavier A simple, yet inquisitive traveler

(Scribbled at the bottom of the page)

Well would you look at this…  I just found my journal entry in some strange cave that I have never been to.  I also don't leave my entries lying around for others to take…  Perhaps these “Book Gnomes” do exist…

- Xavier A possible believer...

Could you imagine using “Book Gnome” as an excuse to not turning your research paper in in the 10th grade? Ha.

Jakobsen Beck Narrative Designer

[childrenofmorta]

Lore 107 - The Boy and the Scrolls

James Drik runs the local trading shop in town.  Trading the produce and wares of the local farmers was his meat and potatoes (quite literally), but his true passion resided in the acquisition and trading of the exotic.  Any item reigning from a land other than Morta truly fascinated him.  He would inspect them for hours, wondering what the life of the previous owner must have been - what would have been important to them.

Conveniently located on the bank of the river running the outskirts of town, James's shop played host to many a traveling merchant where he could pick up all manner of items.  Unique and absurd weapons, ancient ritual garments or even food preparation devices - if it caught his eye, he haggled for it.  To James's additional benefit, Mount Morta was distant from any established civilization in any direction.  Most merchants would be running low on food supplies at this point in their journey and with no where else to go, James could command the negotiation.  

It was after a particularly successful haul, that a young boy entered James's shop. Similar to James, this boy obsessed over anything from outside the land of Morta.  He often wondered what the lands beyond must have been like, often imagining himself setting out on grand adventures to these unknown lands.

He often gazed upon the shop's wares for hours, but a set of newly acquired scrolls caught his eye as no other had. Locked upon connection, he couldn't turn - couldn't look away. A trance overtook him as he flipped through the scrolls. Little inked-in characters demonstrated an absurd fighting style using nothing but their hands. Where one may think it rediculous to bring nothing but fists to a land of swords, this little boy thought it the most amazing concept.

He took the scrolls to the counter and rang the bell. James turned from his current affair to see the set of scrolls sitting upon his counter and behind it, only a tuft of hair. James leaned over the counter to see the boy in full. Smiling, the boy asked how much for the scrolls.  When James gave him an answer the boy couldn't afford, his smile faded.

"Oh..."

"You know what. Why don't you just take them."

The boy froze, disbelief in his eyes.  "Are... are you sure?"

"That I am.  Just pay it back some day."

The boy's grin returned.  He grabbed the scrolls and ran out the door, jumping into the air in excitement and nearly colliding with an unsuspecting villager.

James's wife walked in from the back of the shop.  "Did I hear that right? Did you just give something away for free?!"

"No honey, I did not. That was Mark Bergson, the boy with a heart bent on protecting this mountain, but a soul yearning for adventure.  No, I did not give anything away for free today, for one day, he will pay it back in full... and then some."

Gear up!  Mark is preparing for battle atop Mount Morta!

-Jakobsen Beck Narrative Designer