Avelyn Desbris is a fictional character in The DemonWars Saga.
Biography
Avelyn Desbris was born in God's Year 796 in the small village of Youmaneff in the kingdom of Honce-the-Bear to Jayson and Annalisa Desbris. The youngest of ten children, he was raised by his parents in his village until God's Year 816 when, after eight years of study, Avelyn entered the gates of St. Mere-Abelle as a brother of the Abellican Church. Once inside the monastery Avelyn began his training in the martial-arts and in the use of the magical gemstones called Ring Stones. While he was lacking in the former, in comparison to the other monks of St. Mere-Abelle, Avelyn excelled in the workings of gemstone magic.
Pimaninicuit
As time went on Avelyn was watched by those in power in the Church. Finally, the day came when he and three other brothers were chosen to sail to the holy island of Pimaninicuit, home of the blessed Ring Stones, to bless as many stones as possible and bring them back to the monastery. It was during his travel on the ship Windrunner that he met Dansally Comerwick, a young woman kept aboard ship for the pleasure of the crew and passengers. Avelyn and Dansally struck up a friendship while aboard the ship, talking to each other instead of spending their time as the rest of the crew did with the woman.
Avelyn and the other brothers finally reached Pimaninicuit. Once there Avelyn and another Abellican, Thagraine, went ashore and awaited the fall of the Ring Stones. It was there that Thagraine died and Avelyn discovered a large amethyst gemstone. The brothers returned to the ship and from there travelled back to St. Mere-Abelle. Their return marked one of the darkest days in Avelyn's life and began to lead the monk down the road away from the church.
The Mad Friar
Avelyn Desbris would leave his beloved church not long after his return from the island. The reason for his departure stemmed from the destruction of the Windrunner, the ship that had taken the young man and his peers to the sacred island. The destruction of the ship and the death of Dansally, however, was merely a step in that direction. It was due to Avelyn's use of a hematite, a soul stone, to travel from his body that truly caused him to leave. For, it was the use of that stone that allowed him to see that Bestesbulzibar, the demon dactyl, had awakened.
Avelyn fled from the church, stealing a handful of gemstones -- including the mysterious purple amethyst -- and became a wayward monk and a drunkard who fought others and preached the return of the dactyl. It was during one such encounter that he met Jilseponie Ault, now a soldier of the King's Men. The two became fast friends, as well as teacher and student after Pony gained insight into the use of the powerful Ring Stones during a healing session with the soul stone.
Yet, while Avelyn left the church, the church did not leave him. Unbeknownst to the now portly older man, a brother, one of the four who accompanied Avelyn on the quest for the Ring Stones, was given the title of Brother Justice and sent after the newly titled Mad Friar to take back the Ring Stones. Once Brother Justice found Avelyn he ended up kidnapping Jilseponie in order to get Avelyn and the stones back. Fotunately, the Mad Friar was in the Timberlands at the time with Pony. Meeting Elbryan Wyndon, he told the ranger of his plight and together they rescued Pony.
The DemonWar
Soon, the Demon War began when the dactyl sent its army to attack the villages of the Timberlands. After many battles it he and others eventually confronted the Demon Dactyl. Avelyn was cut off from the others during the fight and had to fight the Dractyl on his own, and despite his skill with the magic stones the demon too powerful for. Avelyn was used both the purple amethyst, which he destroyed using the ranger sword Tempest to destroy the physical form of the dactyl, at the cost of his own life when the amethyst's magic was released. When it was over Avelyn was buried under tons of rock, only his arm exposed to the surface. His hand clutched his bag of gemstones and Tempest.
The Miracle of Avelyn
There was much to do after the Demon War. The reconstruction of the kingdom of Honce-the-Bear became vital, but was quickly made less important with the advent of the rosey plague, a sickness which created a rosy circle on its victims and eventually lead to death in most. Jilseponie Ault tended to the sick and dying as best she could, as did others, until finally the woman discovered that kissing the blood which dripped from the dead palm of Avelyn Desbris would cure those who had the plague. Pilgrims came from all over to do so, considering the instantaneous healing to be the miracle of Avelyn.
Biography
Avelyn Desbris was born in God's Year 796 in the small village of Youmaneff in the kingdom of Honce-the-Bear to Jayson and Annalisa Desbris. The youngest of ten children, he was raised by his parents in his village until God's Year 816 when, after eight years of study, Avelyn entered the gates of St. Mere-Abelle as a brother of the Abellican Church. Once inside the monastery Avelyn began his training in the martial-arts and in the use of the magical gemstones called Ring Stones. While he was lacking in the former, in comparison to the other monks of St. Mere-Abelle, Avelyn excelled in the workings of gemstone magic.
Pimaninicuit
As time went on Avelyn was watched by those in power in the Church. Finally, the day came when he and three other brothers were chosen to sail to the holy island of Pimaninicuit, home of the blessed Ring Stones, to bless as many stones as possible and bring them back to the monastery. It was during his travel on the ship Windrunner that he met Dansally Comerwick, a young woman kept aboard ship for the pleasure of the crew and passengers. Avelyn and Dansally struck up a friendship while aboard the ship, talking to each other instead of spending their time as the rest of the crew did with the woman.
Avelyn and the other brothers finally reached Pimaninicuit. Once there Avelyn and another Abellican, Thagraine, went ashore and awaited the fall of the Ring Stones. It was there that Thagraine died and Avelyn discovered a large amethyst gemstone. The brothers returned to the ship and from there travelled back to St. Mere-Abelle. Their return marked one of the darkest days in Avelyn's life and began to lead the monk down the road away from the church.
The Mad Friar
Avelyn Desbris would leave his beloved church not long after his return from the island. The reason for his departure stemmed from the destruction of the Windrunner, the ship that had taken the young man and his peers to the sacred island. The destruction of the ship and the death of Dansally, however, was merely a step in that direction. It was due to Avelyn's use of a hematite, a soul stone, to travel from his body that truly caused him to leave. For, it was the use of that stone that allowed him to see that Bestesbulzibar, the demon dactyl, had awakened.
Avelyn fled from the church, stealing a handful of gemstones -- including the mysterious purple amethyst -- and became a wayward monk and a drunkard who fought others and preached the return of the dactyl. It was during one such encounter that he met Jilseponie Ault, now a soldier of the King's Men. The two became fast friends, as well as teacher and student after Pony gained insight into the use of the powerful Ring Stones during a healing session with the soul stone.
Yet, while Avelyn left the church, the church did not leave him. Unbeknownst to the now portly older man, a brother, one of the four who accompanied Avelyn on the quest for the Ring Stones, was given the title of Brother Justice and sent after the newly titled Mad Friar to take back the Ring Stones. Once Brother Justice found Avelyn he ended up kidnapping Jilseponie in order to get Avelyn and the stones back. Fotunately, the Mad Friar was in the Timberlands at the time with Pony. Meeting Elbryan Wyndon, he told the ranger of his plight and together they rescued Pony.
The DemonWar
Soon, the Demon War began when the dactyl sent its army to attack the villages of the Timberlands. After many battles it he and others eventually confronted the Demon Dactyl. Avelyn was cut off from the others during the fight and had to fight the Dractyl on his own, and despite his skill with the magic stones the demon too powerful for. Avelyn was used both the purple amethyst, which he destroyed using the ranger sword Tempest to destroy the physical form of the dactyl, at the cost of his own life when the amethyst's magic was released. When it was over Avelyn was buried under tons of rock, only his arm exposed to the surface. His hand clutched his bag of gemstones and Tempest.
The Miracle of Avelyn
There was much to do after the Demon War. The reconstruction of the kingdom of Honce-the-Bear became vital, but was quickly made less important with the advent of the rosey plague, a sickness which created a rosy circle on its victims and eventually lead to death in most. Jilseponie Ault tended to the sick and dying as best she could, as did others, until finally the woman discovered that kissing the blood which dripped from the dead palm of Avelyn Desbris would cure those who had the plague. Pilgrims came from all over to do so, considering the instantaneous healing to be the miracle of Avelyn.
Elbryan Wyndon is a fictional character in The DemonWars Saga.
Biography
Early years
Elbryan Wyndon was born in God's Year 804 in the village of Dundalis in the Timberlands to Olwan Wyndon, his father, and an unnamed mother. He grew up in the village in relative peace along with the other children of Dundalis, especially alongside his best friend Jilseponie Ault, also called Jilly (a name she despises) and Pony (Elbryan's secret name for her). That is, he grew up in peace until the day his father and the other men of the village returned bearing a dead goblin, a creature relegated to myth because of its scarcity in human-populated lands at the time.
Not long after Olwan and the other hunters brought forth the goblin corpse, more goblins and Fomorian giants attacked the village, destroying it and leaving only Pony and Elbryan alive. The two were separated for years, Pony to a family called the Chilichunks in the city of Palmaris and Elbryan to live and grow amongst the Touel'alfar (elves) of Ander'Blough Inniness.
Ranger Training and the Demon Wars
The elves of Ander'Blough Inniness began training Elbryan in the ways of the ranger in order to combat the rising evil in the land that was being fomented by Bestesbulzibar the demon dactyl. The winged creatures called him the "Blood of Mather" because Elbryan was the nephew of Mather Wyndon, a great ranger who had died years before. The young man grew strong and skilled among the elves, learning much from their intense training. It was during this time that he met Tuntun, an elf with very little regard for humans, and found one of his closest friends in Belli'mar Juraviel, his teacher. It was from Belli'mar's own father that he received Hawkwing, a longbow which could also double as a quarterstaff. The day he took the bow as his own Elbryan also took another name: He was now Tai'marawee, the Nightbird.
As the Nightbird, Elbryan went on to guard the Timberlands from goblins, powries and Fomorian giants while protecting the land from the incursions of ignorant humans. It was during this time that, with the aid of Avelyn Desbris, the Mad Friar, he rescued and was reunited with Jilseponie Ault. Not longer after, the Demon War began when the dactyl sent its inhuman forces to attack those same villages. With his friends' help, Elbryan led the people to safety. In the midst of this journey several important things impacted the ranger. First, he and Pony realized their love for each other. Secondly, the Nightbird was tested in battle against the risen corpse of his uncle, Mather. Once he proved himself in that battle he was found worthy to take up the ranger sword, Tempest. Finally, with the help of Avelyn, a stronger bond was created between the ranger and Symphony when a magical turquoise gemstone was imbedded in the horses's flesh.
In time, the three friends defeated the physical form of the dactyl, throwing its army into disarray. They then went on to combat the demon's spirit, which had corrupted the Abellican Church through the form of its Father Abbot, Dalebert Markwart, and his cronies. It was in their final victory against the Father Abbot's evil that Elbryan lost his life. After sustaining mortal wounds from Marcalo De'Unnero, one of the Father Abbot's men, he then went and aided Pony in her struggle against Markwart, their combined power being enough to defeat the demon infested man, however the strain was too much on his wounded body, and Elbryan succumbed to his wounds.
Later, Elbryan's corpse and a part of his spirit would be resurrected to serve his son, Aydrian Wyndon, who had also soccumbed to the possession of Bestesbulzibar. With Pony's help, the spirit of Elbryan was able to break free of the younger man's control and finally find peace.
Biography
Early years
Elbryan Wyndon was born in God's Year 804 in the village of Dundalis in the Timberlands to Olwan Wyndon, his father, and an unnamed mother. He grew up in the village in relative peace along with the other children of Dundalis, especially alongside his best friend Jilseponie Ault, also called Jilly (a name she despises) and Pony (Elbryan's secret name for her). That is, he grew up in peace until the day his father and the other men of the village returned bearing a dead goblin, a creature relegated to myth because of its scarcity in human-populated lands at the time.
Not long after Olwan and the other hunters brought forth the goblin corpse, more goblins and Fomorian giants attacked the village, destroying it and leaving only Pony and Elbryan alive. The two were separated for years, Pony to a family called the Chilichunks in the city of Palmaris and Elbryan to live and grow amongst the Touel'alfar (elves) of Ander'Blough Inniness.
Ranger Training and the Demon Wars
The elves of Ander'Blough Inniness began training Elbryan in the ways of the ranger in order to combat the rising evil in the land that was being fomented by Bestesbulzibar the demon dactyl. The winged creatures called him the "Blood of Mather" because Elbryan was the nephew of Mather Wyndon, a great ranger who had died years before. The young man grew strong and skilled among the elves, learning much from their intense training. It was during this time that he met Tuntun, an elf with very little regard for humans, and found one of his closest friends in Belli'mar Juraviel, his teacher. It was from Belli'mar's own father that he received Hawkwing, a longbow which could also double as a quarterstaff. The day he took the bow as his own Elbryan also took another name: He was now Tai'marawee, the Nightbird.
As the Nightbird, Elbryan went on to guard the Timberlands from goblins, powries and Fomorian giants while protecting the land from the incursions of ignorant humans. It was during this time that, with the aid of Avelyn Desbris, the Mad Friar, he rescued and was reunited with Jilseponie Ault. Not longer after, the Demon War began when the dactyl sent its inhuman forces to attack those same villages. With his friends' help, Elbryan led the people to safety. In the midst of this journey several important things impacted the ranger. First, he and Pony realized their love for each other. Secondly, the Nightbird was tested in battle against the risen corpse of his uncle, Mather. Once he proved himself in that battle he was found worthy to take up the ranger sword, Tempest. Finally, with the help of Avelyn, a stronger bond was created between the ranger and Symphony when a magical turquoise gemstone was imbedded in the horses's flesh.
In time, the three friends defeated the physical form of the dactyl, throwing its army into disarray. They then went on to combat the demon's spirit, which had corrupted the Abellican Church through the form of its Father Abbot, Dalebert Markwart, and his cronies. It was in their final victory against the Father Abbot's evil that Elbryan lost his life. After sustaining mortal wounds from Marcalo De'Unnero, one of the Father Abbot's men, he then went and aided Pony in her struggle against Markwart, their combined power being enough to defeat the demon infested man, however the strain was too much on his wounded body, and Elbryan succumbed to his wounds.
Later, Elbryan's corpse and a part of his spirit would be resurrected to serve his son, Aydrian Wyndon, who had also soccumbed to the possession of Bestesbulzibar. With Pony's help, the spirit of Elbryan was able to break free of the younger man's control and finally find peace.
The Codex of Ultimate Wisdom is a fictional book in the Ultima series of computer role-playing games. It first appeared in Ultima IV.
True to its title, The Codex of Ultimate Wisdom is the sum of all knowledge. When a reader opens the book, they are always able to read it, and can always find the exact piece of knowledge they needed - though this is not necessarily what they asked for, or what they wished they had found out.
The Codex appears to be a large leather and gold bound book. Emblazoned on the cover is the symbol of the Codex, a set of six lines and two circles arranged to touch three central circles in different manners. This symbol represents the eight virtues and three core principles of Britannian and Gargish virtue, which the Codex inspired.
The Avatar retrieved the Codex from the Great Stygian Abyss at the end of Ultima IV, thus completing the Quest of the Avatar and attaining his title.
In the games
The role of the Codex shifted through the series, from being a prize of enlightenment in Ultima IV, to a book of wisdom in Ultima V, to an object of conflict in Ultima VI.
The Codex was placed in the Ethereal Void at the end of Ultima VI. Though neither the Britannians nor the Gargoyles physically held the book, their leaders were each given a lens that could be used to read it.
The Codex went without appearing in Ultima VII and VIII, though the lenses were used to suck the Dark Core of Exodus into the void in Ultima VIIs expansion pack.
In Ultima IX the Codex was mysteriously stolen from the void, and returned to the physical plane. Much of the game is spent chasing after the book and obtaining the lenses to read it.
The Codex Symbol
The symbol of the Codex in Ultima IV explains the relationship between Virtues and the Principles. Outside of the game, the symbol is typically shown in single color. The actual symbol is colored according to the following rules.
In the middle of the symbol, there are three circles, shown in blue, yellow and red; these symbolize the Principles of Truth, Love and Courage. The tangential lines are colors that are mixed from the colors that they touch, and each line touches the Principle circle the corresponding Virtue is based.
There are three lines that touch the Principle circles singly; these are Honesty (blue, based on Truth), Compassion (yellow, based on Love) and Valor (red, based on Courage).
There are three lines that touch two Principle circles; these are Justice (green = blue + yellow, Truth and Love), Honor (purple = red + blue; Truth and Courage), and Sacrifice (orange = red + yellow; Courage and Love).
In the middle of the symbol is a small white circle, the mix of all colors; this is the virtue of Spirituality, which is based on all three Principles.
Finally, surrounding everything is a black circle, absent of all colors; this is the virtue of Humility that exists independently of the Principles and is their foundation.
Game inconsistencies
Some have noted a continuity problem arising from the fact that players spend the entire game in Ultima IV following the virtues, meditating at shrines dedicated to them, and retrieving the Codex at the end. However, the events of Ultima VI imply the Codexs wisdom was used in the formation of both the Britannian and Gargish virtues.
In Ultima IX, the Codex was unreadable without the use of both the Britannian and Gargish lenses, and requires the Avatar to ask a question to the book. This seems to be contrary to its nature in previous games, where it was always readable without any special aid when the book was in Britannia. The lenses were supposedly only required to read the Codex while it remained in the void, and operated independently, not in tandem. The lenses were only used together previously when you wanted to throw something into the void. Ultima VII also seemed to imply that the Codex required both lenses to be read, but the facility to read the book was never implemented in the finished game, rendering the inconsistency moot.
These situations may be resolved however by understanding that the Codex was not created in Ultima IV, but merely allowed itself to be retrieved by the Avatar. Being an item of immense powers (magical and otherwise) it has its own history that spans many periods in time and many different worlds, and has continually adapted itself to fit its own needs towards shaping the universe towards its own goals.
True to its title, The Codex of Ultimate Wisdom is the sum of all knowledge. When a reader opens the book, they are always able to read it, and can always find the exact piece of knowledge they needed - though this is not necessarily what they asked for, or what they wished they had found out.
The Codex appears to be a large leather and gold bound book. Emblazoned on the cover is the symbol of the Codex, a set of six lines and two circles arranged to touch three central circles in different manners. This symbol represents the eight virtues and three core principles of Britannian and Gargish virtue, which the Codex inspired.
The Avatar retrieved the Codex from the Great Stygian Abyss at the end of Ultima IV, thus completing the Quest of the Avatar and attaining his title.
In the games
The role of the Codex shifted through the series, from being a prize of enlightenment in Ultima IV, to a book of wisdom in Ultima V, to an object of conflict in Ultima VI.
The Codex was placed in the Ethereal Void at the end of Ultima VI. Though neither the Britannians nor the Gargoyles physically held the book, their leaders were each given a lens that could be used to read it.
The Codex went without appearing in Ultima VII and VIII, though the lenses were used to suck the Dark Core of Exodus into the void in Ultima VIIs expansion pack.
In Ultima IX the Codex was mysteriously stolen from the void, and returned to the physical plane. Much of the game is spent chasing after the book and obtaining the lenses to read it.
The Codex Symbol
The symbol of the Codex in Ultima IV explains the relationship between Virtues and the Principles. Outside of the game, the symbol is typically shown in single color. The actual symbol is colored according to the following rules.
In the middle of the symbol, there are three circles, shown in blue, yellow and red; these symbolize the Principles of Truth, Love and Courage. The tangential lines are colors that are mixed from the colors that they touch, and each line touches the Principle circle the corresponding Virtue is based.
There are three lines that touch the Principle circles singly; these are Honesty (blue, based on Truth), Compassion (yellow, based on Love) and Valor (red, based on Courage).
There are three lines that touch two Principle circles; these are Justice (green = blue + yellow, Truth and Love), Honor (purple = red + blue; Truth and Courage), and Sacrifice (orange = red + yellow; Courage and Love).
In the middle of the symbol is a small white circle, the mix of all colors; this is the virtue of Spirituality, which is based on all three Principles.
Finally, surrounding everything is a black circle, absent of all colors; this is the virtue of Humility that exists independently of the Principles and is their foundation.
Game inconsistencies
Some have noted a continuity problem arising from the fact that players spend the entire game in Ultima IV following the virtues, meditating at shrines dedicated to them, and retrieving the Codex at the end. However, the events of Ultima VI imply the Codexs wisdom was used in the formation of both the Britannian and Gargish virtues.
In Ultima IX, the Codex was unreadable without the use of both the Britannian and Gargish lenses, and requires the Avatar to ask a question to the book. This seems to be contrary to its nature in previous games, where it was always readable without any special aid when the book was in Britannia. The lenses were supposedly only required to read the Codex while it remained in the void, and operated independently, not in tandem. The lenses were only used together previously when you wanted to throw something into the void. Ultima VII also seemed to imply that the Codex required both lenses to be read, but the facility to read the book was never implemented in the finished game, rendering the inconsistency moot.
These situations may be resolved however by understanding that the Codex was not created in Ultima IV, but merely allowed itself to be retrieved by the Avatar. Being an item of immense powers (magical and otherwise) it has its own history that spans many periods in time and many different worlds, and has continually adapted itself to fit its own needs towards shaping the universe towards its own goals.
Andrew David King is an American author, poet, editor, and musician from Fremont, California, where he was born on 11 June , 1992. He is the Editor-in-Chief of Wings of Icarus, a literary and arts journal which he founded in 2007.
King’s poetry was recently featured in Roger Humes’ international poetry collection entitled the Other Voices International Poetry Project. He was also interviewed and presented as a featured author in the magazine Chaotic Dreams, as well as Munyori Poetry Journal.
King’s written work has been published in numerous in-print and online journals alongside both underground and mainstream authors. He has studied poetry with Mark Turpin.
Currently, King is a scholarship student at Moreau Catholic High School in Hayward, California, where he has studied with Tony R. Rodriguez, author of The Disappearance and the Slow Awakening (Fultus Corporation, 2001), amongst other books. Rodriguez is also the annual-publication Editor at Wings of Icarus, under the direction of King.
King’s poetry was recently featured in Roger Humes’ international poetry collection entitled the Other Voices International Poetry Project. He was also interviewed and presented as a featured author in the magazine Chaotic Dreams, as well as Munyori Poetry Journal.
King’s written work has been published in numerous in-print and online journals alongside both underground and mainstream authors. He has studied poetry with Mark Turpin.
Currently, King is a scholarship student at Moreau Catholic High School in Hayward, California, where he has studied with Tony R. Rodriguez, author of The Disappearance and the Slow Awakening (Fultus Corporation, 2001), amongst other books. Rodriguez is also the annual-publication Editor at Wings of Icarus, under the direction of King.