The Shard of the Herald

The Shard of the Herald
The Shard of the Herald was the last of the Soul Crystals imprisoning the Hopeslayer Bael'Zharon.

During the November 2000 event Should the Stars Fall, the location of the remaining crystal was found and a battle was fought between the Shadow forces and the Dericost Undead to take control of the crystal.

The scenario was similar to that of the battles in the Vestibules; however, unlike with the previous crystal chambers, this one was protected by a barrier allowing only those loyal to Bhael'Zharon (Player Killers) to enter the catacombs where it was kept. This added an interesting dynamic to the final stand as players could now choose to defect and side with the Undead to protect the shard, or join the Shadows and destroy it. In the end, the crystal was destroyed quickly on all but one server.

On the Thistledown server, players had banded together to protect the shard taking turns in shifts to defend it from attackers throughout the day. It was these "Shard Vigils" (nicknamed by Turbine) and the clever use of game mechanics such as levelling the shard up by sacrifising themselves, which kept the shard intact for so long. In fact, the TD team were so good and the crystal so powerful that eventually the developers had to intervene to destroy it.

Vidorian, a Thistledown monarch and also a Dark Master was called upon to help the devs to destroy the stone. In the lore context, she was summoned by the Shadow Generals Ler Rhan and Black Ferah, who buffed Vidorian and her Shadow Dagger (Shadow Stone from the Gauntlet) with +12000% to attack. After the developers finally found a way to make the TD shard "Harry" vulnerable again, it was destroyed by Vidorian and the two Shadow Generals.

In respect to the players that defended the shard so well, a monument was created on the Thistledown server engraved with the names of those who took part. It is located at 82.3S, 93.4E outside Ithaenc Cathedral on the Thistledown server only.

See the video below for an official account of Turbine's efforts to destroy the Shard of the Herald (aka Harry) on Thistledown.

Event Summary

 * Players attack the Undead forces surrounding Ithaenc Cathedral and kill the Sand King Anadil of Shakrassekor. Anadil carried a journal with information describing how to access the Catacombs using a key that he broke into three pieces.
 * Anadil's spymaster Asmolum the Worm is also killed, he drops an ancient key, his throwing daggers and a damp scroll.
 * The Chalicmere Legion Commander, who is found in the Camp of the Latzimestal, drops the first piece to the key.
 * Aerfalle appears west of the camp (83.2S, 91.0E) in the middle of some praying/meditating Undead. She is defeated and drops another part to the silver key.
 * After discovering the third part to the key was stolen by the Shadows at the Perimeter defences, players proceed to kill various Shadows. A portal (level 1-25) is summoned by a Shadow Child on death leading to Savao Island. A Shadow Governess is found on the small island and is killed. She drops the third and final part to the key.
 * After players retrieve the three pieces to the key, they use it on Kelderam's Tomb in the cathedral and the key disappears and turns into a portal gem. The gem sommons a PK restricted portal to the catacombs of Ithaenc Cathedral where the shard is kept.
 * You notice a small keyhole near the base of the pedestal...


 * Many battles are fought between players defending and those attacking the crystal, but on most servers the shard is quickly destroyed.

Dericost Army Commanders

 * Lady Aerfalle
 * Anadil of Shakrassekor
 * Asmolum the Worm


 * Chalicmere Legion Commander

Images
Click image for full size version.

Video
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Lore & Dialog
Anadil's Dericost forces
 * As the undead archer falls to the floor of its Skytower, a voice in your mind screams, "They are breaking through our perimeter! Notify Lord Anadil!"


 * As the undead archer falls to the floor of its Skytower, it calls in Roulean, "Excellent shot!"

Aerfalle
 * The cold, luminous eyesockets of the Lady of Aerlinthe regard you balefully. "Fools!" she hisses. "You will destroy us all! If you must have the key, protect that which we do!" So saying, the light in her rotted skull dies, and her spirit wafts back to the north to gather its strength.

Anadil of Shakrassekor
 * The undead general staggers and falls to his knees, but pauses and looks up into 's eyes. "Don't let it end like this, young one. If you must send me to the wind, my task is your to complete. Protect the stone."

Asmolum the Worm
 * The undead spy master gasps, "No! I will still be needed!"

Shadow infiltrators
 * As the undead falls, its rotting flesh ripples and sloughs away, revealing the ebon form of a Shadow! "Ler Rhan's chosen," it whispers to itself. "They shall keep it on Savao."


 * As the undead falls, its rotting flesh ripples and sloughs away, revealing the ebon form of a Shadow! "The dusty fool knows naught," it chuckles softly. "They cannot bar the way."


 * As the undead falls, its rotting flesh ripples and sloughs away, revealing the ebon form of a Shadow! "We slew the third deadflesh commander," it cackles. "What was his is ours now!"


 * As the undead falls, its rotting flesh ripples and sloughs away, revealing the ebon form of a Shadow! "Your little victory matters not," it cackles. "We already altered the path so none may follow but our own!"

After the Shard of the Herald is destroyed
 * The Herald is come.
 * The children of Ispar have lost...
 * The currents coursing through the ley lines flare and sputter in dismay. A tremor passes through the ground, as if the world itself were recoiling in horror. For a moment, all is still. The wind holds its breath. Then, on the back of a rising gale, there comes the faint sound of black laughter.
 * In the depths below the ruined Cathedral of Ithaenc, Vidorian's party make the grievous error of shattering the last Soul Crystal! The patterns of magic are rent asunder.


 * AC:DM CD Lore/Fourth Sending Texts/Shard of the Herald Visions - Those who participated in the Shard Vigil, protecting the final piece of Bael'Zharon's prison from his servants, reported hallucinations when they stood close at hand to the crystal. Here are recorded those visions.
 * AC:DM CD Lore/Fourth Sending Texts/Shadow Whispers - Those who attempted to attack Bael'Zharon after his release from the Shard of the Herald reported a legion of whispers calling to him from the darkness. Here they are recorded.