Clearing Up More Misconceptions about the Refugees

(Crossing, Zoluren: 3 Akroeg 358)

After reading and listening to the people of the Provinces speak about our newest arrivals, it seems there are a few bits of misinformation to clear up. I offer this information to help those who wish to better understand our new neighbors do so.

1. The Wheel Song is a song of the dead, honoring the reincarnation cycle. It is in no way related to the construction or maintenance of the Barrier.

2. The Barrier is a magical wall that was constructed by mages to repel the undead army. Its exact origin is not clear, whether the mages actually were the sole contributors to it, or if it was divine intervention, or both. It is "a" barrier between life and death, but not "the" barrier between life and death, as it has been stated by some.

3. The undead that attacked shortly after the new races arrivals were groups that found themselves on "our" side of the barrier when it went up. They organized themselves and pursued the Prydeans and the Rakash to the Crossings, bent on their slaughter.

4. There is no Undead/Gorbesh connection. The undead would kill the Gorbesh and recruit from their ranks just as eagerly as from our own.

5. The Kaldar and Gnome races arrived in Crossings from a land far to the South of Shard following Trimbolt the gnomish seer, on a pilgrimage to find a great warrior king, whom some Kaldar believe to be Lanival. They were pursued by Gorbesh raiders most of their journey.

6. The weakening of the Barrier was seen in visions by Trimbolt. The supposition by the refugees is that as the mages who constructed the Barrier dies off, the Barrier weakens.

7. The Kaldar are distant cousins of the Gorbesh. They suffer frequent raids from the Gorbesh, however, which means that they aren’t on any better terms with them than the other known races of Elanthia. Mention of the fact that they are related will likely get you a scowl, if they are in a good mood.

8. Gnomes are handy tinkerers who work with both the Kaldar and the Gorbesh, constructing clever implements of war as well as of peace. (the latter moreso for the Kaldar)