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View Full Version : Build-A-Legend: "Rono's Folly"



Admiral Squish
2014-11-21, 01:30 PM
Welcome to Build-A-Legend! It's a simple game, but I do hope you'll enjoy it.
Your task is simply to create the legend behind the name given below. It can be a creature, a place, an event, an idea, or pretty much any other sort of noun you can think of. It can be in any setting you can think of, from high fantasy, to sci-fi, to alternate history, to official settings, or it can even be its own setting, if you're that ambitious. Each week, on Friday, I post a new thread, with a new name for people to build on, and add the last one into the archive. If you'd like, you can suggest names for the future. There's no rules, just have fun and try not to insult other people's creations. Do those count as rules?

The Name: Rono's Folly

“The Iron Cathedral” (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?378644)
“The Glass Sea” (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?378644&p=18306562&viewfull=1#post18306562)
“The Hounds of Kel'ranu” (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?380942)
“TheVanishing Heights” (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?382217)
“The Order of One” (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?383641)

Kid Jake
2014-11-21, 02:33 PM
A masterfully crafted dagger that served as General Rono Karis's backup weapon for years. It was said that he never drew the weapon without it spilling blood. To this day, that remains true and the dagger always finds a way to slay something before returning to its sheath.

It has been referred to as Rono's Folly for almost two decades, ever since its former owner was found with the weapon lodged in his own breast. At first it was believed to have been a simple suicide as General Karis was alone in a locked room at the time of his death, however the high 'suicide' rate among the subsequent owners of the dagger have made this unlikely.

In truth, Rono drew the dagger upon being startled by someone entering his room, only to discover that it was his own daughter. After sending the child to bed he returned to his chambers, locking the door behind him, and moved to return the blade to its sheath, not taking its blessing literally. He tripped and the dagger took its payment from its master in lieu of an enemy.

GPuzzle
2014-11-21, 04:06 PM
After three days of walking through this muddy swamp, I've finally found it. The last Folly remaining. A small, glass-like blue orb that now rests by my side.

It is split into 7 different parts. Whenever someone looks into the one labeled 8, the cloud-like inside disappears, and it reveals the person's deliriums. The other 6, however, show one's destiny, one's death, one's dream, one's destruction, one's desire and one's despair.

All of them were created by four wizards working together: Roland, Osias, Natur and Otrea. Oftentimes, Follies have lead to what they were showing.

However, it is said that the true king of Wingart will be the one that will look into all different parts without going mad...

*this part is scribbled nonsensically. The author was reported to have gone mad shortly after finding the Folly, which is to be kept in a sealed box until the Emperor decides to open it*

- an excerpt of The Guide of the Kestal Keep Watcher, for there be instruments capable of bringing the Trian Empire down inside it.

ramakidin
2014-11-21, 06:33 PM
General Rono, leader of the Leiv'air Army [translates from elvish to conquering], was the most successful in adding to the elvish lands. Most notable of which was removing all of the Fey creatures from their homes in the Grenwreld Forest. This forced migration of all non-elvish allied creatures is known as Rono's Folly because of its affect on the attitude of the Fey creatures towards the elves. This led to the first Gathering of the Fey a tradition which has continued to this day. At this initial Gathering, it was decided that the elvish must be punished for their actions, in this case the opinion was split on how to do this. It led to the casting of two rituals. One banishing the elves from enjoying the light of the sun's rays, and another severing them from the elemental earth magic they had once possessed. With inferior spell casters the banishment from the sun only took effect on half the elvish population. The earth magic removal however persisted among the entire population.

Rono's Folly is generally described as the only thing that prevented the elves from ruling the continent. A number of the Sylvan and Fair Folk still hold a grudge over it. In addition there are a number of elves who have take a vow of pacifism in penance for the actions taken by Rono and the Leiv'air army. Mostly, Rono's Folly is used as an excuse for not participating in wars and the isolation views of elvish leades.

ghendrickson
2014-11-21, 08:21 PM
Rono's Folly, a legendary strait of the Kinlan Sea. Many daring and adventurous sailors have met their end among the rocks, with a select few ever escaping the forboding expanse. On many a day, the waters of the strait are shrouded in a heavy mist, and the lingering song of a long forgotten crew carries over to the eager ears of the rocks newest victims.

Stories say that long ago, a pirate lord by the name of Rono Weswer, or Rono "Steeltooth" as the local village remembers it, braved the dangerous stretch of sea to escape the capture of the Imperial Navy. Steeltooth apparently was expertly maneuvering his sloop through the treacherous gauntlet with ease, when the sight of something terrible (or incredibly irresistible as some tales say) caused him to hit the rocks. When the Navy arrived, all that was left were the rocks, and the haunting sight of Steeltooth's mangled ship.

After that legendary voyage, most local sailors refused to go near the place, but every so often, a brash young fool finds his courage in a mug of strong ale, and thinks to prove himself to his fellows. The results are usually tragic and disturbing, causing enough of an uproar for the Navy to put a ban on all ship travel in the area. This however, does not stop the truly brave, or some might say, the truly foolish.

Strigon
2014-11-21, 10:27 PM
Senator Rono was an adviser to the king of Sheran some 200 years ago, and he was known for his stubborn and callous nature; he was focused only on maximizing the crown's authority, and cared about little else. This is likely why he was in such good standing with the king, as he nearly doubled the kingdom's coffers within a year of being appointed, by decreasing "frivolous spending" on peasant needs, and cutting down on "low-life tax-evaders". Suffice to say, he was not a popular man among the commoners.

Then, eight years into his career, came the Peasant Revolts. This is in fact a misnomer, as the peasants were neither the first nor last to take a stand at this time. The nobles, disappointed with the increased taxes, and (being closer to the street than the crown), saw firsthand the effects Rono was having on the land. Starvation and disease ran rampant, and within a few years the kingdom may have crumbled. After voicing their concerns and being ignored, they began financing a rebellion among the commoners. They hired blacksmiths to work long days manufacturing weapons, and mercenaries to plan attacks, train the people into soldiers, and support in battle when necessary. Finally, they were ready for their first missions.

They began small, just to get attention and hopefully bring Rono around to the fact that his plan wasn't working. A few raided caravans, or tax collectors mugged. But then Rono, being the man he was, decided that the only way to stop these pesky commoners was to deploy the troops. Caravans which were meant to be raided had dozens of guards hidden in the wagons, and the rebels who took part were slaughtered. At this point, the nobles and commoners alike realized this wasn't going to end without a full-scale coup. Full-scale battles were held, and the soldiers of the King, outnumbered but significantly better trained and equipped, won most open confrontations, whereas the peasants had a way of striking whenever you felt safe; camping in a farmer's field, spending the night in town, or even marching through the woods.

Eventually, Rono decided the only way to win the war was to force the Rebels into an open confrontation, someplace they could not afford to lose. He believed that, with his most heavily armed and armoured troops, supplemented by cavalry and himself on the battlefield taking command, he could crush the revolt in one swift blow.
Unfortunately for him, his hubris led to several tactical errors; the first, attacking the rebellion on their own home ground. Second, having common guards, many with brothers and sons in the rebellion, among his forces. Third, believing that his equipment was infinitely superior to that of the commoners.

The peasants heard and saw his troops approaching from days off, and set up an ambush just beyond the border of the town. They brought in tonnes of water, and turned the ground into a miry wreck. Then, they took positions among the hedges and bushes. When the soldiers approached, their siege weapons were stuck in the mud, and the horses and heavily armoured men could barely make it through. While Rono dealt with this, the rebels struck, killing off anyone distracted enough to not defend themselves; some say Rono lost one fifth of his troops before anyone fought back. Once they did, they had no cavalry to speak of, they were outnumbered, surrounded, and very low on morale. The battle did not last long, and when it was over, the King - having lost nearly all his armies - surrendered, and the peasants formed a new government, which they called a "democracy".

The location of this final battle is now known to many as "Rono's Folly".

[edited to make it less of an ugly wall of text]

Taet
2014-11-22, 12:32 AM
I killed a thousand kobolds, but do they call me Rono the Koboldslayer? No! :smallannoyed:
I mapped a hundred dungeons, but do they call me Rono the Mapmaker? Of course not. :smallmad:
I stole a dozen dragon's hoards, but do they call me Rono the Master Thief? Do they heck. :smallfurious:
But I misread just one scroll of Baleful Polymorph to my wife, and what do they call me. . . :smallsigh:

One of the box pieces written to fill blank quarter pages in the yearbook, where they could not get anyone to buy the ad space, Central Community Magic University.

LordofPlataea
2014-11-22, 01:27 AM
In the first age, before time as we know it began, the Multiverse was much smaller. The inner planes were one, not yet sundered into the elemental, energy, and material planes. With so much raw energy at hand, arcane magic reigned supreme.

Within such a volatile environment, the Valar, beings infused with the raw power of eldritch magic, arose. The Valar ruled massive cities by the might of their magic and, to their subjects, were living gods. By their will alone, the Valar race subjugated all others, including the first budding ancestors of the common races known today.

Scholars of the current age hold that the Valar are the source of the multitude of races which exist across the inner planes but this entry doesn't concern the origin of the races. Rather, this work is concerned with the fate of the Valar, as none of that race exist in this era.

The cause of this absence can be attributed, if legends are to be believed, to a Valar called Rono. Though his race was unparalleled by any other, Rono himself was a being set apart. His magical aptitude was beyond anything ever seen before or since. With this strength, Rono did something no Valar had been able to: he united his people. Through hard fought battles, crafty negotiating, and pure strength of will, Rono brought all his fellow God-Kings to heel. With his new position as Sovereign Lord secured, Rono turned his attention toward broader conquests.

Not satisfied with ruling what we know as the inner sphere, Rono began testing the limits of transportation magic. He is credited with the first attempts at planar travel. To his mind, breaching into the great beyond would allow him to cover himself in glory and ensure his race's dominance for all time. His ambitions would cause his reach to exceed his grasp.

After years of studying and perfecting his magic, Rono gathered his army, aristocrats, and all other high ranking Valar together to witness the fruition of his efforts. With nearly every God-King present, Rono began his ritual to open a gate to the Beyond.

For reasons unknown, Rono's ritual, rather than breaching into the Beyond, over stressed the leylines running through the world and caused to World to tear itself apart. Continents vanished in a heartbeat. Civilizations which had existed since the Beginning were consumed by the earth. Entire portions of the world simply vanished.

When the upheaval finally ceased, where there had been one plane, there was now several. This seperation, which has come to be called "The Sundering," exists to the present day. As to Rono and his assembly, all were lost.

With their Sovereign and Kings gone, the Valar who survived tried to continue their glorious civilization but to no avail. Without the powerful mages who ruled them, the Valar faded into myth.

To the last, all Valar cursed the arrogance of their sovereign. It was always with a hateful tone that the last of the Valar said, "Curse Rono's Folly!"

Admiral Squish
2014-11-23, 03:32 PM
Man, these are all great so far! I can't wait to see what shows up by the end of the week!

mythmonster2
2014-11-23, 08:05 PM
Rono Mikaes was an archaeologist and, as was typical for archaeologists in his time, part of the Association for Cultural Recovery. He never demonstrated any special qualities, save for his single-minded devotion to an idea, once he had it in his mind. He was a minor officer in the Othros branch of the ACR, and mostly accompanied higher ups on their adventures throughout the world, serving only to help plan excavations of already-discovered sites. The legend of the great Emperor Pitaeus' tomb was on the lips of all in the ACR, as it was rumored to be on the verge of discovery, and it was always said that it would certainly be found within the next year. But twelve years went by, and still Pitaeus' tomb evaded the Association.

Rono, however, had one of his characteristic hunches. There was one area, in the country of Dolomia, which had already been searched. Rono was absolutely convinced that Pitaeus would be found there, based on nothing more than local rumors. When he brought this up to his higher ups, he was laughed out of the meeting room. With nothing else to do, he spent his own money on funding a further excavation of the area. His personal funds ran out in a year, but still he carried on his work. He sold his estate to continue his excavation, leading to his wife leaving him with their children, but, as always, his mind was single-mindedly focused on finding Pitaeus. His excavation went another year with no results, and by this time, it was arousing mockery as "Rono's Folly" within the ACR. He was fired from his officer position and was almost kicked out of the Association, until one fateful morning.

That morning, he himself was excavating with the rest of his team, which was, by this point, starting to get discontented with their lack of progress. One of the workers found a patch of extremely smooth stone. When Rono investigated, he recognized that the stone had to have been worked. They dug out the surrounding area, and discovered the stone was a square, 100 feet on each side. Digging down revealed that the stone was merely the roof for an elaborate building, buried under dirt. He redoubled his efforts and, once the excavation was complete, the tomb of the Emperor Pitaeus stood before Rono.

The discovery catapulted Rono into fame and fortune. Newspapers across the world sought to seek interviews with him, and the ACR was all too happy to invite him back with open arms. As was traditional at the time, the artifacts found inside were plundered and sold in auctions, fetching millions of dollars from buyers throughout the world. Rono eventually used his new-found fame to run for President of the ACR. His slogan took no shame in how long and costly his excavation had been, saying, "If Rono's Folly discovered Pitaeus, what will his success do?" Unfortunately, upon his election, he once again fell back into mediocrity, with no other finds anywhere near the scale of his magnum opus.