u/Physical_Anybody1633

Long ago, the Guardians of the Wildward entered these lands with nothing but bow and arrow. After being granted Kasura, however, they uncovered ancient tomes filled with forgotten spells and arcane knowledge. With each discovery, they delved deeper into the mysteries of the unknown, treading ever closer to darkness.
Upon receiving word of the Krakens’ latest triumphs and their victorious campaign during the Siege of Ironcrest Keep, Vaenyra Thornevale reached out to them. After a brief exchange of letters with the leaders of the Cult of the Deep, an apprenticeship was agreed upon.
The Guardians’ mages and alchemists embarked aboard a vessel bound for the Islands of Storm, where they were warmly received by the Loremasters of the Cult.
There, the Master of the Cult began to unveil the secrets of the Deep, revealing their ancient spells to the worthy disciples.
Whisper of the Abyss
The caster whispers forbidden words that seep into the target’s mind, filling it with fear, doubt, and suspicion. Those afflicted struggle to distinguish truth from the whispers of the Deep.
Black Current
The caster weaves unseen currents of abyssal magic around a target, subtly influencing its thoughts and actions. Minds of weaker will may unknowingly bend to the caster’s command.
Salt in the Wound
Every wound upon the target erupts with searing agony as cursed salt crystallizes within the flesh. Healing is slowed, while both body and spirit are gradually weakened.
Barnacle Curse
Dark barnacles spread across the victim’s body, feeding upon their vitality. As they multiply, movement becomes sluggish and every action increasingly painful.
Leviathan’s Grip
Colossal spectral tentacles erupt from the sea—or even the earth itself—to seize and crush their prey with the relentless might of an ancient leviathan.
The Drowned King’s Arsenal
The caster summons weapons forged from abyssal steel and void-touched seawater. The conjured armament may assume the form of any weapon the caster desires before vanishing once its purpose has been fulfilled.
Call of the Tide
The caster commands the lesser creatures of the sea, including fish, crabs, octopuses, jellyfish, and eels. Such creatures heed the call without question, though greater beasts remain beyond the caster’s dominion.
Ironbane
With but a single touch, the caster causes iron and steel to decay at an unnatural pace. Armor weakens, blades grow brittle, and metal crumbles into rust as though it had lain beneath the sea for centuries.

After many days of study, practice, and tireless experimentation, the disciples of the Guardians had committed the abyssal teachings to memory. Though the Loremasters warned that such magic demanded restraint, each apprentice departed the Islands of Storm with a deeper understanding of the powers that slumbered beneath the waves.

Before their departure, Vaenyra Thornevale offered her gratitude to the Master of the Cult and the assembled Loremasters for sharing knowledge so jealously guarded by others. Gifts were exchanged, oaths of friendship reaffirmed, and both orders pledged that the bonds forged through learning would endure beyond this single apprenticeship.

With fair winds guiding their voyage, the Guardians returned to Kasura carrying not only scrolls and grimoires, but also a newfound reverence for the mysteries of the Deep. Within their halls, the mages and alchemists continued their studies, carefully refining the spells they had learned while ensuring that the abyssal arts remained under the watchful eyes of their order.

Thus did the alliance between the Guardians of the Wildward and the Cult of the Deep grow stronger—not through conquest, but through the sharing of knowledge, mutual respect, and a common pursuit of forgotten wisdom.

Weekend warrior

And so it starts…

Master and apprentice

We shall protect the narrow nook