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| | /* À compléter */ |
| | ====== Inquisition Lycanthropique ====== |
| | <WRAP box bggreen fgblack 350px left :en> |
| | {{:99896.jpg?direct&350 |During the Purge}} |
| | <panel type="primary" title="The Lycanthropic Inquision" no-body="true"> |
| | ^ Aliases | The Purge; The Purge Lycanthropique; The Silver Purge; The Silver Crusade;<br/>The Inquisition | |
| | ^ Start | 832 AR | |
| | ^ End | 9 Barrakas 880 AR | |
| | ^ Location | [[Khorvaire]] | |
| | ^ Combatants | [[eglise_de_la_flamme_d_argent|The Église de la Flamme d'Argent]]<br/>vs. the [[Lycanthrope]]s and [[Féral]]s | |
| | ^ Victors | [[eglise_de_la_flamme_d_argent|The Église de la Flamme d'Argent]] | | |
| | </panel> |
| | </WRAP> |
| | ^ Alias | La purge; La Purge Lycanthropique; La purge d'argent; La croisade d'argent; <br/> l'inquisition | |
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| | In the 800s, the curse of the [[Lycanthrope]] proved to be a problem for the people of the continent of [[Khorvaire]]. In the year 832 AR, the [[Église de la Flamme d'Argent]] announced the **Inquisition Lycanthropique**: a church sanctioned scouring of the continent to destroy all lycanthropes and their ilk. Known also as the **Purge**, this crusade slaughtered most of the lycanthropes on the continent, as well as a race of lycanthropic descendants known as [[Féral]]s. Due to the atrocities committed by the templars of the [[Flamme d'Argent]] during the Purge, it remains a dark page in the church's history. |
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| | ====== Histoire ====== |
| | =====The Start of the Purge===== |
| | The origin of lycanthropy remains a mystery that defies even divination; spells and rituals will often produce cryptic and often contradictory statements about "Lunes made flesh" and "the darkness within." The [[Congrès Ésotérique]] and the [[Bibliothèque de Korranberg]] have produced many theories over the years: some say the disease was created by the [[Daelkyr]] during the [[Guerre Daelkyr]]; some say it originated in the wild woods known as [[L'Obscurité]]; some say that the disease came from the {{tagpage>"Plans"|plane}} of [[Lamannia]] through a [[Zone De Manifestation]]; some think it was created by ancient [[classe:druide]]s; some believe it a gift from the goddess [[calendrier#Olarune|Olarune]], corrupted over the years; while some even say that we have the facts reversed, and that lycanthropes evolved from [[Féral]]s instead of the other way around. |
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| | However, no matter the debates on its origins, all agree that the curse of lycanthropy started to reach an unprecedented peak in the 800s. Scholars believe that the confluence of Lunes caused this surge, but whatever the reason, lycanthropes became more deadly. Formerly peaceful lycanthropes began to become bloodhungry. Even the nature of the disease changeld: at first, only those born as a lycanthrope could infect others; however, during this time infected lycanthropes found that they could carry the disease. By the year 800 AR, large groups of [[loup-garou|werewolves]] prowled the forests of western [[Khorvaire]], while [[Lycanthrope#Wererats|wererat]] tribes were creating warrens beneath the cities. |
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| | Many scholars began to study the lycanthrope problem. First and foremost of these were the religious sages of the [[Église de la Flamme d'Argent]] in [[Thrane]]. While the church did the most research into the problem, they also came away with the most flawed conclusions. The priests were already prejudiced against the shape-changing lycanthropes, having fought against the shape-changing tiger-men known as [[Rakshasa]] for millennia. The priests found that divination magics revealed the souls of these lycanthropes to be evil, and that curing them was extremely difficult, if not impossible. |
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| | Meanwhile, a sect within the Église de la Flamme d'Argent, called the [[Servants of the Pure Flame]], started questioning the reluctance of the church to do anything about the lycanthrope menace. These Servants, who called themselves Puritans, were more militant than their brethren; they enforced the ideas of forced conversion to the Flamme d'Argent and the destruction of anything that remotely hinted of opposition to the Flame. The Servants pressed the [[Diet of Cardinals]] to do something about the "lycanthrope plague." |
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| | To make matters worse, the [[Gardien de la Flamme]] at the time, [[Jolan Sol|Keeper Jolan Sol]], had his own agenda. In order to help propagate the religion of the Flamme d'Argent, Keeper Sol focused his efforts on the people of neighboring [[Aundair]]. Aundair was one of the regions of [[Galifar]] most besieged by the lycanthropes, since most lycanthropes were found in the [[Confins d'Eldeen]] of Aundair. Keeper Sol, a militant churchgoer in his own right, saw this as a way to turn more believers to the Flamme d'Argent. |
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| | In 832 AR, Keeper Jolan Sol announced that the church had determined that lycanthropy was not just a disease of the body, but of the soul, and that those infested with the disease were beyond cure. He called for an immediate extermination of all lycanthropes and Férals on Khorvaire, asking for all loyal worshipers of the Flamme d'Argent to take up arms and purge the lycanthropes and Férals from the face of Eberron. Knights and paladins across Aundair, [[Brelande]], and Thrane heeded his words, and thus began what the church officially called the //**Inquisition Lycanthropique//**, but was much more Communly called //**the Purge//**. |
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| | Dans les années 800, la malédiction du [[Lycanthrope]] s'est avérée être un problème pour les habitants du continent de [[Khorvaire]]. En l'an 832 AR, [[l'Église de la Flamme d'Argent]] a annoncé la ** Inquisition Lycanthropique **: une église sanctionnée à récurer le continent pour détruire tous les lycanthropes et leurs semblables. Connue aussi sous le nom de ** Purge **, cette croisade a abattu la plupart des lycanthropes du continent, ainsi qu'une race de descendants lycanthropes appelés [[Féral]] s. En raison des atrocités commises par les templiers de la [[Flamme d'Argent]] pendant la Purge, elle reste une page sombre de l'histoire de l'église. |
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| | ====== Histoire ====== |
| | ===== Le début de la purge ===== |
| | L'origine de la lycanthropie reste un mystère qui défie même la divination; les sorts et les rituels produiront souvent des déclarations énigmatiques et souvent contradictoires à propos de "Lunes faites chair" et "l'obscurité intérieure". Le [[Congrès Ésotérique]] et la [[Bibliothèque de Korranberg]] ont produit de nombreuses théories au fil des ans: certains disent que la maladie a été créée par le [[Daelkyr]] pendant la [[Guerre Daelkyr]]; certains disent qu'il est originaire des bois sauvages connus sous le nom de [[L'Obscurité]]; certains disent que la maladie est venue du {{tagpage> "Plans" | avion}} de [[Lamannia]] à travers une [[Zone De Manifestation]]; certains pensent qu'il a été créé par d'anciens [[druides]]; certains y croient un cadeau de la déesse [[calendrier # Olarune | Olarune]], corrompue au fil des ans; tandis que certains disent même que les faits sont inversés et que les lycanthropes ont évolué à partir des [[Féral]] plutôt que l'inverse. |
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| | Cependant, quels que soient les débats sur ses origines, tous conviennent que la malédiction de la lycanthropie a commencé à atteindre un pic sans précédent dans les années 800. Les érudits pensent que la confluence des Lunes a provoqué cette poussée, mais quelle qu'en soit la raison, les lycanthropes sont devenus plus meurtriers. Les lycanthropes autrefois pacifiques ont commencé à devenir affamés de sang. Même la nature de la maladie a changé: dans un premier temps, seuls ceux nés en lycanthrope pouvaient infecter les autres; cependant, pendant ce temps, les lycanthropes infectés ont découvert qu'ils pouvaient être porteurs de la maladie. En l'an 800 AR, de grands groupes de [[loup-garou | loups-garous]] rôdaient dans les forêts de l'ouest [[Khorvaire]], tandis que [[Lycanthrope # Wererats | wererat]] des tribus créaient des warrens sous les villes. |
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| | De nombreux chercheurs ont commencé à étudier le problème du lycanthrope. D'abord et avant tout, les sages religieux de [[l'Église de la Flamme d'Argent]] de [[Thrane]]. Bien que l'église ait fait le plus de recherches sur le problème, elle en est également ressortie avec les conclusions les plus erronées. Les prêtres avaient déjà des préjugés contre les lycanthropes qui changent de forme, ayant lutté contre les hommes-tigres qui changent de forme connus sous le nom de [[Rakshasa]] pendant des millénaires. Les prêtres ont découvert que les magies divinatoires révélaient que les âmes de ces lycanthropes étaient mauvaises, et que les guérir était extrêmement difficile, voire impossible. |
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| | Pendant ce temps, une secte au sein de l'Église de la Flamme d'Argent, appelée les [[Serviteurs de la Flamme Pure]], a commencé à remettre en question la réticence de l'église à faire quoi que ce soit contre la menace du lycanthrope. Ces serviteurs, qui les appelaient les Elfes Puritains, étaient plus militants que leurs frères; ils ont imposé les idées de la conversion forcée à la Flamme d'Argent et de la destruction de tout ce qui faisait allusion à distance à l'opposition à la Flamme. Les serviteurs ont pressé le [[régime des cardinaux]] de faire quelque chose contre la «peste du lycanthrope». |
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| | Pour aggraver les choses, le [[Gardien de la Flamme]] de l'époque, [[Jolan Sol | Gardien Jolan Sol]], avait son propre agenda. Afin d'aider à propager la religion de la Flamme d'Argent, Keeper Sol a concentré ses efforts sur les habitants des [[Aundair]] voisins. Aundair était l'une des régions de [[Galifar]] les plus assiégées par les lycanthropes, puisque la plupart des lycanthropes se trouvaient dans les [[Confins d'Eldeen]] d'Aundair. Le gardien Sol, un fidèle militant à part entière, a vu cela comme un moyen d'amener plus de croyants à la Flamme d'Argent. |
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| | En 832 AR, le gardien Jolan Sol a annoncé que l'église avait déterminé que la lycanthropie n'était pas seulement une maladie du corps, mais de l'âme, et que ceux infestés par la maladie étaient incurables. Il a appelé à une extermination immédiate de tous les lycanthropes et Férals sur Khorvaire, demandant à tous les fidèles adorateurs de la Flamme d'Argent de prendre les armes et de purger les lycanthropes et Férals du visage d'Eberron. Les chevaliers et les paladins à travers Aundair, [[Brelande]], et Thrane ont tenu compte de ses paroles, et ont donc commencé ce que l'église appelait officiellement la // ** Inquisition Lycanthropique // **, mais était beaucoup plus communément appelée // ** la purge // **. |
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| | =====The Long Years of the Purge===== |
| | {{:MM35_PG173.jpg|//Lycanthropes on the offensive//}} |
| | During the first few decades, the Purge was a monstrous fight. Crusade parties hunted down large settlements of werewolves and [[Lycanthrope#Wereboars|wereboars]], fighting tooth and nail against the evil creatures. The lycanthropes continued their cunning strategy of misdirection, putting the Féral population between themselves and the crusaders of the Flamme d'Argent. Many crusaders were slaying lycanthrope and Féral alike, though true paladins of Thrane used their ability to detect evil to differentiate between Féral and lycanthrope. As more Aundairians flocked to the cause, the desire of those to purge the evils of lycanthropy turned from justice to vengeance. Aundairians organized "full moon hunts," which left hundreds of innocent Férals dead. |
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| | It wasn't until 835 AR that Keeper Solan Jol clarified that Férals were, in fact, a separate species than the evil lycanthropes. Though the crusaders were instructed to hunt only those corrupted by the disease, the damage was already done; Férals were as feared by the communities of Galifar as much as their lycanthropic ancestors. With suspicions against the [[Féral]] populations of Aundair, Breland, and Thrane still high, cities began forming Inquisitor's Crucibles, where Férals would be subjected to divine vision to see if they were good or evil. Aundadu s hatred of lycanthropes and Férals reached a fever when they began creating "purification camps" designed to purge any evil from Férals that were captured. Some Férals detested the Purge, while others joined the ranks of the Flamme d'Argent to purge these evil creatures who besmirched their names. |
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| | In the city of [[Sharn]], a Féral priest of the Flamme d'Argent named [[Fathen]] exposed scores of lycanthropes. However, Fathen soon became a target himself, and was torn limb from limb by a pack of wererats. Fathen's heroics are remembered to this day in the Marché Nord district of Lower Northedge at the [[Shrine of Fathen the Martyr]]. Every year on the date of his death, 25 Barrakas, the priest of Grands Espoir gives a sermon on the Purge and followers traditionally donate 1 silver piece in memory of the crusader. |
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| | Another great Féral hero that fought alongside the Flamme d'Argent during the inquisition was [[npc:bennin_griffe_d_argent]]. An excellent tracker, Bennin Griffe d'Argent went so far as to coat is claws in molten silver, making him an extremely dangelrous foe to the lycanthropes he hunted, and was responsible for over 50 lycanthrope kills. Like Fathen, his end came at the hands of the lycanthropes when he and a squad of paladins of the Flamme d'Argent entered the [[desolations_demoniaques]] to purge a cult of lycanthropes that were hoping to use the Les Désolations Démoniaques as an area to regroup. Unknown to Bennin, however, one of his squad was secretly infected, and led them all into a trap. One last //sending// tells of Bennin standing alone slaughtering dozens of lycanthropes, severely decimating the cult's effectivity before finally falling to their numbers. |
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| | Not all Férals have heroic stories of the Purge, though. One Féral, [[Zev Jhaxos]], was a monk and a well-known and high-ranking captain of the guard of the Aundairian town of [[Shadukar]]. When the Inquisitor's Crucibles were announced, Zev surrendered himself immediately, allowing himself to be subjected to the trial. He was brought before the Crucible at [[Étoile-polaire]], but for some reason was sentenced to one of Aundadu s purification camps by the tribunal of bishops at the Crucible. Zev Jhaxos, a devout follower of the Flame, accepted this decision, and spent his time in the purification camp developing a new monastic order, [[the Way of the Shackled Beast]]. Zev died within the cold cells of the camp, but his teachings have been passed on to other Férals. The Église de la Flamme d'Argent eventually learned of Aundadu s purification camps and had them shut down. |
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| | While much of the Purge the Flamme d'Argent was on the defensive, there were times that the lycanthropes pushed the upper hand. In the wake of the wererat infestation of Sharn, the Flamme d'Argent had to bolster the defenses of [[Coldstone Keep]], Thrane's local base of operations in Brelandefor the crusaders of the Purge. |
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| | As the Purge went on, the battle was joined. [[L'Ordre Ésotérique d'Aureon]], one of the oldest magical groups in Breland, joined the Flamme d'Argent as well, throwing their magical expertise towards ridding the continent of lycanthropes. In the Confins d'Eldeen, a [[chanteurs_ecolo|Greensinger]] [[classe:druide]] named [[Anthelnas du Phiarlan]] left the Greensinger sect to join the crusade. Taking the name Anthelnas "the Pure," he converted to the Flamme d'Argent in 820 AR, turning against his kind and laying waste to portions of the [[Forêt Imposante]] in his zealotry to hunt the lycanthropes. |
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| | ===== Les longues années de la purge ===== |
| | {{: MM35_PG173.jpg | // Lycanthropes à l'offensive //}} |
| | Au cours des premières décennies, la Purge fut un combat monstrueux. Les partis en croisade ont traqué de grandes colonies de loups-garous et [[Lycanthrope # Wereboars | wasboars]], combattant bec et ongles contre les créatures maléfiques. Les lycanthropes ont poursuivi leur astucieuse stratégie de détournement, mettant la population Férale entre les Elfes et les croisés de la Flamme d'Argent. De nombreux croisés tuaient le lycanthrope et le Féral de la même manière, bien que les vrais paladins de Thrane aient utilisé leur capacité à détecter le mal pour différencier le Féral du lycanthrope. Alors que de plus en plus d'Aundairiens affluent vers la cause, le désir de ceux qui purgent les maux de la lycanthropie est passé de la justice à la vengeance. Les Aundairiens ont organisé des «chasses à la pleine lune», qui ont fait des centaines de morts innocents. |
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| | Ce n'est qu'en 835 AR que le gardien Solan Jol a précisé que les Férals étaient, en fait, une espèce distincte des lycanthropes maléfiques. Bien que les croisés aient reçu l'ordre de ne chasser que ceux qui étaient corrompus par la maladie, le mal était déjà fait; Les Férals étaient autant redoutés par les communautés de Galifar que par leurs ancêtres lycanthropes. Avec des soupçons contre les populations [[Féral]] d'Aundair, Breland et Thrane toujours élevées, les villes ont commencé à former des creusets de l'inquisiteur, où les Férals seraient soumis à une vision divine pour voir s'ils étaient bons ou mauvais. La haine d'Aundair envers les lycanthropes et les Férals a atteint la fièvre quand ils ont commencé à créer des «camps de purification» conçus pour purger tout mal des Férals capturés. Certains Férals détestaient la Purge, tandis que d'autres rejoignaient les rangs de la Flamme d'Argent pour purger ces créatures maléfiques qui salissaient leurs noms. |
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| | Dans la ville de [[Sharn]], un prêtre Féral de la Flamme d'Argent nommé [[Fathen]] a exposé des dizaines de lycanthropes. Cependant, Fathen est rapidement devenu une cible lui-même et a été arraché membre par membre par une meute de wererats. Les exploits de Fathen sont encore présents dans le quartier Marché Nord de Lower Northedge au [[Sanctuaire de Fathen le Martyr]]. Chaque année à la date de sa mort, 25 Barrakas, le prêtre des Grands Espoirs donne un sermon sur la Purge et les fidèles donnent traditionnellement 1 pièce d'argent à la mémoire du croisé. |
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| | [[npc:bennin_griffe_d_argent]] était un autre grand héros Féral qui a combattu aux côtés de la Flamme d'Argent pendant l'inquisition. Excellent pisteur, Bennin Griffe d'Argent est allé jusqu'à recouvrir ses griffes en argent fondu, ce qui en fait un ennemi extrêmement dangelrous pour les lycanthropes qu'il a chassés et a été responsable de plus de 50 tueries de lycanthrope. Comme Fathen, sa fin est venue entre les mains des lycanthropes quand lui et une escouade de paladins de la Flamme d'Argent sont entrés dans les [[desolations_demoniaques]] pour purger un culte de lycanthropes qui espéraient utiliser les Désolations Démoniaques comme zone se regrouper. À l'insu de Bennin, cependant, l'un de ses hommes a été secrètement infecté et les a tous conduits dans un piège. Un dernier // envoi // raconte que Bennin, seul, abat des dizaines de lycanthropes, décimant sévèrement l'efficacité du culte avant de finalement tomber en nombre. |
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| | Cependant, tous les Férals n'ont pas d'histoires héroïques sur la Purge. Un Féral, [[Zev Jhaxos]], était un moine et un capitaine bien connu et de haut rang de la garde de la ville aundairienne de [[Shadukar]]. Lorsque les creusets de l'Inquisiteur ont été annoncés, Zev s'est rendu immédiatement, se permettant d'être soumis au procès. Il a été conduit devant le Creuset à [[Étoile-polaire]], mais pour une raison quelconque, il a été condamné à l'un des camps de purification d'Aundair par le tribunal des évêques du Creuset. Zev Jhaxos, un fervent adepte de la Flamme, a accepté cette décision, et a passé son temps dans le camp de purification à développer un nouvel ordre monastique, [[le Chemin de la Bête Entravée]]. Zev est mort dans les cellules froides du camp, mais ses enseignements ont été transmis à d'autres Férals. L'Église de la Flamme d'Argent a finalement appris l'existence des camps de purification d'Aundair et les a fermés. |
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| | Alors qu'une grande partie de la Purge de la Flamme d'Argent était sur la défensive, il y a eu des moments où les lycanthropes ont pris le dessus. À la suite de l'infestation des wererats de Sharn, la Flamme d'Argent a dû renforcer les défenses de [[Coldstone Keep]], la base d'opérations locale de Thrane à Brelande pour les croisés de la Purge. |
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| | Au fur et à mesure de la purge, la bataille était engagée. [[L'Ordre Ésotérique d'Aureon]], l'un des plus anciens groupes magiques de Breland, a également rejoint la Flamme d'Argent, mettant son expertise magique au service du débarras du continent des lycanthropes. Dans les Confins d'Eldeen, un [[chanteurs_ecolo | Greensinger]] [[classe:druide]] nommé [[Anthelnas du Phiarlan]] a quitté la secte Greensinger pour rejoindre la croisade. Prenant le nom d'Anthelnas «le pur», il se convertit à la Flamme d'Argent en 820 AR, se retournant contre son espèce et jetant des déchets à des portions de la [[Forêt Imposante]] dans son zèle pour chasser les lycanthropes. |
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| | =====The End of the Purge===== |
| | Surprisingly, it was [[Maison Médani]] that helped end the Purge. As the crusaders continued to hunt down remaining lycanthropes on the western edges of Aundair and Breland, the church called upon the help of the [[Maisons Marquées Du Dragon]]. Maison Médani completed a [[dragonshard]] focus, which allowed them to use their [[Marque de la Détection]] to reliably ferret out remaining lycanthropes from their hiding spots. At this point, most of the more settled portions of Aundair and Brelandewere considered "clean," with the remaining focus on the Confins d'Eldeen. |
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| | The Église de la Flamme d'Argent announced 9 Barrakas 880 AR as the official end of the Purge, and the church pulled out all of its forces from the Confins d'Eldeen. To this day, all over the [[Cinq Nations]], children act out great tales of these final battles with toy swords, while adults of the Flamme d'Argent attend sermons on the lessons of the triumphs, the defeats, and the sometimes questionable methods used during the purge. The church calls this day [[Victory Day]]. |
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| | Survivors of the Purge are scattered throughout the {{tagpage>"Plans"|Plans}}. A large number of lycanthropes and Férals fled to the [[Confins d'Eldeen]], where they either continued to live their lives hidden from the Flamme d'Argent, or fled across a [[Zone De Manifestation]] to the plane of [[Lamannia]] within the [[Forêt Brulée]]. Some lycanthropes fled all the way to the [[desolations_demoniaques]], while others to what is now [[Droaam]]. [[Wolf's Paw]] is a small thorp nestled away in the Confins d'Eldeen which some of the lycanthropes call home. In [[Droaam]], a group of lycanthropes called [[La Meute Noire]] are almost entirely made up of survivors of the Purge, and a squad called the [[Beast Brigade]] served Droaam during La Dernière Guerre. Some lycanthropes even fled for the wilds of [[Xen'drik]]. |
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| | There are those still that still hunt for lycanthropes, though on a much smaller scale. Agents of the Flamme d'Argent still hunt the [[Forêt Brulée]] for any lycanthropes that remain in the Confins d'Eldeen, and the descendants of Bennin Griffe d'Argent continue his tradition in fighting against lycanthropy to this day, each wearing a single-coated silver claw in his honor. |
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| | =====The New Purge?===== |
| | With the Inquisition Lycanthropique now over a hundred years in the past, there are those that have forgotten the lengths of the atrocities committed, and wish to bring a new Purge to Eberron. [[Wedon Nevillom|Elder Wedon Nevillom]] of [[Guette-Couleuvre]] in [[Q'barra]] has said that the Flamme d'Argent has shown him that the Purge must begin again, and that we should eliminate all Férals from Khorvaire. Elder Nevillom has a small amount of zealous followers that support him, though his efforts are confined to the wilds of Q'barra for now. |
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| | Another supporter of a new purge is [[npc:gennara_ir_damilek]], a [[Silver Pyromancer]] and influential member of [[the Order of the Pure]]. Having grown up on the stories of the crusaders of the Purge, Gennara wishes a return of the Église de la Flamme d'Argent to such glory, especially with the [[Dernière Guerre]] now over. She has not settled on an appropriate target for the next Purge, though necromancers, {{tagpage>"Mort-vivant"|Mort-vivant}}, and [[Doppelganger]]s are all on her list. |
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| | ---- |
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| | **Lycanthropes and the Purge** \\ //By Keith Baker// |
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| | In Eberron, the alignment of a lycanthrope is not linked to her animal form. A werebear can be evil and a Loup-Garou can be good. Lycanthropes carrying an evil strain are some of the most terrifying creatures on Eberron: While a natural Loup-Garou may wear a Humain shape, she is a born predator who takes joy in spilling Humain blood. Those afflicted by the disease suffer a dramatic changel in personality, regardless of the alignment of the victim before and after the curse. As a result, lycanthropes of all types have always been feared. Under the best circumstances, the bite of a lycanthrope means a loss of identity; in the worst, it can make a good person into a vicious killer. |
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| | For an afflicted lycanthrope, this mental transformation is permanent. Even the strongest will crumbles before the supernatural power of the disease – and only magical effects such as //miracle //or //atonement //can restore the former personality of the victim. A natural lycanthrope cannot be cured; the disease is a part of her body and soul, and it cannot be stripped away. The lycanthrope born into evil may find the strength to become good, but she will always feel the predator in the back of her mind, urging her to prey on the weak and innocent. |
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| | The origin of lycanthropy remains a mystery that defies even divination; //commune //and //legend lore// produce cryptic and often contradictory statements about Lunes made flesh and the darkness within. The sages of Arcanix and the Bibliothèque de Korranberg have produced many theories, tracing the disease to the daelkyr, L'Obscurité, Zone De Manifestations bound to Lamannia, or ancient druids. A more exotic theory comes from the Confins d'Eldeen. A number of Féral tribes believe that the Lunes of Eberron are powerful spirits that watch the world below. These Férals maintain that the Féral race is not descended from lycanthropes: Rather, the first lycanthropes were formed from Férals. According to this legend, the moon Olarune sought to create guardians who could protect the world of nature; reaching down from the sky, she touched a handful of chosen Férals, granting them the power to fully assume animal form. But the Lunespeakers say that a thirteenth spirit is in the sky – a dark moon that hides its face from the world. This darkness corrupted Olarune's gift, infecting many of her chosen with madness and evil. Or so the tale is told. Férals with these beliefs have hunted evil lycanthropes for centuries: they simply lacked the resources to eliminate the threat. While these hunters are a minority among the Férals, as a race the Férals have no great love for lycanthropes. A Féral community may take risks to shelter a good lycanthrope, but no sensible person would knowingly welcome an evil Loup-Garou into his home. |
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| | While no one knows how lycanthropy began, most know of the purge that almost brought it to an end. Around 800 AR, the power of the curse began to grow. The scholars of Aundair sought an answer in planar conjunctions or the influence of unknown fiends, while deep in the Confins d'Eldeen Féral Lunespeakers bemoaned the growing power of the unseen moon. Evil lycanthropes – always the most numerous of the Métamorphes – became even more vicious, and many good and neutral lycanthropes were corrupted and drawn down to the darkness. Afflicted lycanthropes gained the ability to pass the curse to their own victims, allowing lycanthropy to spread with terrifying speed. By the early years of the ninth century, packs of werewolves were roaming across western Khorvaire and wererats had established warrens beneath the greatest cities of the age. Farmers lived in fear of wolves that walked like Humains. What was once a superstition used to frighten children was now horrifying reality. |
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| | **The Purge** |
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| | The templars of the Église de la Flamme d'Argent had fought Métamorphes in the past. But the heart of the Église de la Flamme d'Argent was in the nation of Thrane, far from the traditional Eldeen haunts of the lycanthropes. As the death toll mounted in Aundair and Breland, the cardinals grew increasingly concerned and the templars began to take a more active role in the defense of the western lands. The puritan scholars of the Flamme d'Argent began to study their enemies. A number of factors colored this research: |
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| | * The subjects of study were evil lycanthropes. Good lycanthropes were rare and reclusive to begin with, and many had fallen prey to the growing power of the curse. As a result, the puritans quickly assumed that all lycanthropes were inherently evil. |
| | * Many priests noticed the similarity between the hybrid forms of the lycanthropes and the Commun form of the rakshasa, and asserted that lycanthropes were Démon or would become true fiends in time. |
| | * Curing lycanthropy is a difficult challenge. Natural lycanthropes cannot be cured, and an afflicted lycanthrope can be cured only if it wants to be; the shapeFéral can always choose to fail the associated Will saving throw. The first priests who sought a cure decided that it was impossible; only in the last decades of the purge did a band of more moderate and moral priests prove that it could be done. |
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| | In addition to this flawed research, the Gardien de la Flamme had an agenda of his own. Jolan Sol saw the situation as an opportunity to strengthen the influence of the Flamme d'Argent in Aundair. In 832 AR he proclaimed that the curse of lycanthropy corrupted the soul itself. This announcement spread fear throughout Brelandeand Aundair and strengthened the resolve of the armies of the Flame, who ventured west with the goal of eradicating the plague from the face of Eberron. |
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| | The battle was long and brutal. Today, many assume that the lycanthropes were hunted prey, fleeing from the overwhelming force of the Église de la Flamme d'Argent. Little could be further from the truth. The typical wereboar is far deadlier than the average templar of the Flame, and even if the soldier defeats his prey, one good bite is all it takes to transfer the curse and create a new wereboar. Evil werewolves infected entire villages, and wererats took great pleasure in infecting templars, imprisoning them until the curse took hold, and then sending them against their former allies. Clever lycanthropes fanned the puritans' paranoia toward the Férals, and these mistrustful folk massacred hundreds of Férals before someone could prove to them that Férals did not carry the curse. While some of the Férals later fought alongside the templars, many have never forgiven the Flamme d'Argent – and, indeed, Humainity – for these deaths. |
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| | As the tide slowly began to turn in the favor of the Église de la Flamme d'Argent, the challenge became one of finding the lycanthropes hidden among Humain and Féral communities. Here again, many puritans acted with overzealous aggression, harming the innocent in their desperate quest to eliminate the remaining Métamorphes. Ultimately Maison Médani produced dragonshard foci that could detect lycanthropes and guide the templars to the true foe, and this heralded the end of the purge. By 880 AR, the Église de la Flamme d'Argent withdrew its forces from the Confins d'Eldeen, claiming that the threat of the curse had finally been eliminated. |
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| | **Lycanthropes in the Modern Age** |
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| | Today, the balance of power within the Église de la Flamme d'Argent has shifted toward the moderates, and many feel shame and regret for the actions of their predecessors. While the evil lycanthropes needed to be stopped, the paranoia and zealotry of the age led to the death of innocents. However, it did accomplish one goal: The Flamme d'Argent did gain many supporters as a result of the purge, and Aundair is the stronghold of the puritan faction in the modern age. The puritans refuse to see the purge as anything but a triumph; most have been raised on tales of the horrors of the early ninth century. They feel no shame about the deaths of non-evil lycanthropes or afflicted victims who might have been cured; in the eyes of the puritans, lycanthropes are monsters – and the duty of the templar is to defend the innocent from evil, not to feel pity for monsters. |
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| | While the Church of Thrane no longer follows Jolan Sol's doctrines, the church continues to hunt Métamorphes in the present day. Jaela Daran has ordered templars to subdue lycanthropes whenever possible and to accept the surrender of any lycanthrope, so that the shapeFéral can be cured or exiled to Lamannia. However, if a lycanthrope does not cooperate, the templars use lethal force. This is covered under provisions in the Code of Galifar; the templars of the Church are authorized to defend the people of the Cinq Nations against supernatural threats, and a lycanthrope who willfully maintains his condition is seen as intentionally endangelring others. The puritans of Aundair are infamous for ignoring Jaela's edicts, and most Aundairian templars show no mercy when dealing with lycanthropes. |
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| | While cardinals and Keeper maintain that lycanthropy is a threat, rumors have spread regarding exceptional lycanthropes who have been allowed to remain on Eberron. Some say that the Church captured a werebear who had been fighting aberrations in the Confins d'Eldeen, and that the Gardien de la Flamme released him into the wild after hearing his tale. Some Aundairian puritans spread gossip that declares that Jaela hersElfee is a lycanthrope; if the tales hold truth, it could be that the Flamme d'Argent selected her to attempt to heal the damage done in its name. Between Commun prejudice and the need to settle things with the Church, Eberron is a challenging setting for lycanthropic PCs. But the persecuted hero who must struggle with his own dark impulses can be a fascinating protagonist, and such a character can certainly find a place in Eberron. |
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| | {{tag>["Histoire"]}} |
| | {{tag>["Événements"]}} |
| | {{tag>["Conflits"]}} |