Sorcerer Aldus of the Platonic Shadow.
“Welcome”
Reads a large wooden sign hung outside a glowing cave entrance. Scattered makeshift artifacts surround the cave showing signs of life, but no one is usually seen emerging from within. A heavenly persistent light illuminates from the entrance; its source appears to be from deeper within the cave, but the intense brightness shines too powerful to peer through. This unwavering light can be observed at any time. It glows throughout the day challenging the sun's intensity, and it glows throughout the night mimicking the moon's guidance. It is this glowing novelty that ultimately enthralls travelers to enter the cave. However, those who enter this “Cave of Light” are destined for misfortune at the first step.
Nestled between mountains on the northern end of the Lake of Lanterns the cave doesn’t feel out of place. The Lake of Lanterns has its fair share of illuminated shores, and usually is accepted as a safe passage. But resting cozily in the Cave of Light lives a rather mischievous wizard: Sorcerer Aldus, The Shadow Theif. Some believe Aldus hides glowing treasures from past victims within, or perhaps even a sacred flame lies at the heart of the cave. Others guess that Aldus uses numerous lights in the cave just to hide his three shadows, but the fact remains to be this: The Cave of Light is a place best avoided.
The story typically goes like this…
A lost group of travelers entering into The Sand through the Lake of Lanterns come across the mystifying Cave of Light. The warm glow and greeting sign gives them the confidence to enter the cave where they encounter Aldus who will emerge and greet the newcomers at the cave’s entrance. Aldus uses one of multilpe aliases such as Loki, Zuue, or Nali along with wild made up stories to gain the trust of the travelers and solidify his friendly persona. The plan kicks off with Aldus then offering to take the travelers through the sands to their ultimte destination. The journey begins seemingly harmless, Aldus knows The Sands well and is able to bring groups through the terrain effortlessly evading dangers and obstacles. However, while transversing The Sands in the full light of day, it is when the sun reaches its peak that Aldus the Sorcerer strikes.
The sun overhead obscuring his moves, and the unsuspecting exhausted travelers trudging along allows Aldus to begin to steal the travelers shadows one by one with powerful forgotten magic. At first the journey continues as normal, but slowly signs of the damage begin to emerge. Without their shadows the travelers begin to descend into madness, forgetting who they are or why they are heading towards their destination.
“Confusion becomes fear, fear becomes rage, and rage becomes insanity.”
- A Petrified Survivor
Rumors say that most victims end up disappearing into The Quantum Shadow shortly after their journey… never to be seen again.
Entered by: 0x1615…0ca2 and preserved on chain (see transaction)
