the Beast of Wriysh Lake
Many people of the Wriysh spend much of their time on the lake, and rely on her fresh, bountiful waters to support their way of life. The Wriysh is not without her perils, and while it is not unprecedented for fishing vessels and their occupants to succumb to her dangers, it is not usual for this to be so regular an occurrence as to be daily.
Three weeks after the little dinghy was discovered near sunk and tangled among the reeds four miles south of Lat Salok, and the Wriysh is very near void of human activity. No fisherfolk nor divers dare practice their craft, and no children play at her shores. The goods and passenger vessels chartered from Lat Salok to Haspar that have yet not befallen the fate of the dinghy remain safely moored at their docks, stripped of their rigging and no captain nor crew in sight.
For there is something in the lake. Something monstrous and terrible. Something with teeth like spears and jaws so huge they crush fishing boats like kindling, and whose enormity casts a shadow like nightfall beneath the waves. When the waters below turn to black, death is near.
And it must be stopped.
A reward is offered by the people of Lat Salok in exchange for the demon's head, and soon the scene changes once more. The shores of the Wriysh Lake are again a hive of human activity as people rally to Lat Salok's plight, their scabbards and holsters bristling with freshly oiled iron and steel. There are those who have come only to spectate, while others to insist on a peaceful resolution. And there are some who have come even to defend the beast, for they believe it is not a beast at all.
They say it is Aavshüd.
The legend of Aavshüd is one of great prevalence among the people of Wriysh Lake, and is indeed known across all the continents of Moren Ezen. His fable takes on many forms; he is always reptilian, oft to the likeness of a sea serpent or ancient marine reptile, but most commonly he is depicted as an enormous crocodile — some accounts describe him as being more than one hundred feet long and having thrice that number of teeth, perhaps attributed to his name which loosely translates in the common tongue to mean 'Father Tooth' — and is closely affiliated with the guardians Iprasil and Kyesis.
It is said that Irpasil created Aavshüd before the Cataclysm to aid Kyesis in bringing justice to Moren Ezen, and to punish most severely those who had defiled all that is good and natural in the world; for his scales bare the patchwork scorns of each forgotten oath and broken promise, and his eyes burn with all the rage invoked by every cruelty and betrayal. Those consumed by Aavshüd are damned to an eternity of suffering. Occasionally he is depicted along side Ükhel; the counter to the mighty stallion's divine beauty and light.
Aavshüd is not considered evil, but is deeply respected and feared none the less, for he represents power and punishment. He is the Maw of Justice, Protector of the Innocent and Devourer of Evil. So great is he that in some cultures he is revered as an eighth guardian.
How to Battle
Aavshüd’s health bar begins at 100 Points.
Players have the option of Battling (- health) or Defending (+ health) Aavshüd. Entries should clearly depict whether characters are battling or defending the beast, or otherwise be stated in the artist’s description.
Rewards will be determined by the outcome of the battle.
Each entry deals +10 damage or defence points.
Collaborations deal an additional +4 (2 points per rider) damage or defence points.
An additional +2 damage or defence points are dealt if a rider is depicted utilizing one of their magical traits. Note that your rider must have completed the Becoming a Mage prompts and earned their magical traits for this bonus to apply.
Mounts do not need to be depicted, however an additional +2 damage or defence points are dealt if a mount is utilized and a further +2 damage or defence points are dealt if they are clearly depicted making use of a skill pertaining to one of the mount’s trained specialties during the battle.
Mount STAT Bonuses
Bonus points are determined by combining the numerical value of a mount’s stats relevant to its trained specialties. Each stat point earns an additional +0.1 damage or defence point. Stats that apply to untrained specialties will not count.
Example:
Stats: SP 6 | ST 1 | SM 5 | IN 6 | AG 4 | VI 0
Trained in:
Steppe Racing (1.1 points)
Scouting (0.9 points)
= 2 Points
Works depicting conflict between riders dealing damage and defence are permissible, however Aavshüd should still be present.
Works should not depict any [ heavy ] gore or brutality.
Works should not depict a definitive outcome of the battle.
Players do NOT need to be actively participating in the Living Story to enter the Boss Battle.
Players do NOT need to participate in the Boss Battle to complete The Living Story: Chapter Three.