The Unbiased Eye

Cover Art

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| A Study of Kwainin's Abandoned Temple upon Tropica |

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| Elrei Avendale |

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Contents

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| | ---<Table of Contents>--- | |

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| | The Village........................Page Three | |

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| | The Temple.........................Page Four | |

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| | The Tombs..........................Page Six | |

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| | The Crypt..........................Page Seven | |

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| | The Lagoon.........................Page Eight | |

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| | Conclusions and Theories...........Page Nine | |

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The Village

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| The Village |

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| On the southern side of Tropica, near the Temple of Good, there is |

| a small village of indigenous people with a forgotten history. This |

| small, tropical village appears to hold little difference from others |

| of similar size and location, yet it contains a monument with a |

| shrouded past, one which could shed a good deal of light upon our |

| world. |

| I invite and even encourage anyone reading this book to visit the |

| areas I describe within and either confirm the information stated here |

| or find evidence to form your own conclusions. Some of what I will |

| present on these pages is theory rather than fact, and those theories |

| will be plainly marked as such so as not to detract from the integrity |

| of the factual information. |

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| Despite the village's small size there is a signpost at the center |

| giving guidance to four locations found along each of the cardinal |

| directions. To the south, presumably along the same path which a |

| visitor used to reach the village, is the Ocean. To the east is a |

| shallow lagoon, to the north the village Chieftain's residence, and |

| located to the west is a temple. It is apparent that someone has |

| attempted to scratch out this last location, though the fact that it |

| still remains legible, as well as the fact that the wooden sign itself |

| appears to be of somewhat recent construction, provides some amount of |

| intrigue already. |

| Heading west, one quickly encounters the surrounding forest which |

| is attempting to reclaim what was once a well-worn path. Though these |

| trees are nothing like what one would encounter in the Vallenwood, I |

| was fortunate enough to have been raised upon the Island Continent, so |

| I am well aware that many types of trees found in tropical forests are |

| much older than they would appear. They do not have the easily |

| identified rings that mark annual growth, and so their age is rather |

| difficult to determine. However, roughly half of all such trees which |

| have a trunk wider than the length of one's palm are more than three |

| hundred years old, with some near a thousand. It is no great wonder, |

| then, why the Elves should feel such a connection to Nature, and trees |

| in particular, since there is little else which grows that has a

| lifespan to match them. |

| Even knowing this, however, gauging the age of the new growth is |

| a daunting task. Combined with the abundant brush, as well as the |

| sheer density of the forest, I believe it would be safe to say that |

| the overrun path has not seen much use for at least one hundred years, |

| with an estimated maximum of perhaps five hundred years. It is |

| possible that the path actually predates the village itself. |

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The Temple

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| The Temple |

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| After penetrating the repopulating forest only a relatively short |

| distance, it is already possible to see the great stone outer walls of |

| a large, imposing structure. Only once you have reached the entrance, |

| however, are you truly aware of the magnitude of this construction. |

| Though it fails to break the canopy, the temple rises high into the |

| trees, and it is possible that at one point it was the tallest thing |

| in the area. Torch sconces to either side of the entryway, especially |

| as we consider the opulence of the rest of this building, indicate to |

| me three possibilities: magical light may not have been a possibility |

| for the builders, or the use of such may have been seen as less |

| respectful, or perhaps the reddish-orange cast of light was simply |

| seen as preferable to the sterile white of a magically created globe. |

| Of particular note at the entrance is the first appearance of a |

| motif seen elsewhere in the temple: a red eye. In this case, one is |

| carved above the entry and set with several rubies or ruby-like gems. |

| This motif is how one is able to determine which deity the temple was |

| dedicated to, as there is no other writing or apparent indication. |

| Here, as it is with the moons, red is the color of Neutrality, and the |

| symbol is representative of Kwainin's aspect as The Unbiased Eye. The |

| skill of the artisans is readily demonstrated as the eye appears to |

| follow if you look at it, a trick difficult enough to reproduce in |

| the sculpture of a full face, much less a single eye. |

| Passing through the entryway places you in a dark and narrow tunnel |

| which leads further into the temple. This may have been done to try |

| and impress a sense of weight onto those who entered. Here, as |

| elsewhere, it seems almost as if the temple builders had a much darker |

| or more vengeful view of Kwainin, instilling worship by means of fear. |

| Alternatively, it is possible that this temple also served as a place |

| of law. After all, who better to preside over trials than faithful of |

| The Unbiased Eye? In this latter case, it could be that fear was to |

| be instilled in the hearts of those who were guilty of a crime. If |

| you were afraid of the Eye, you must obviously have been guilty of |

| something. |

| Another effect of this noticeably narrow passage is providing a |

| stark contrast in perception once you have reached the tunnel's end, |

| for at this point in your journey you are now in the enormous main |

| hall of the temple. In fact, you are looking down into the hall, |

| since the tunnel opens up onto a balcony with stairs leading down to |

| the molded obsidian floors. These tiles of obsidian are yet another |

| example of both the knowledge and skill of the workers who built this |

| temple, not to mention the grand opulence they were striving for. |

| While obsidian glass is widely used in weaponry in recognition of its |

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| sharpness, and is sometimes used for small items like mirrors, to have |

| tiled the floor of a temple of this size with even a thin layer of |

| obsidian likely meant that this was intended to be a wonder of |

| beauty and magnificence. Especially considering the size as well, it |

| seems obvious that this temple was to be a focal point for a large |

| area of worshipers and is therefore incongruous with the relatively |

| small village nearby, which I would postulate is either the remains of |

| a much larger civilization or is actually predated by the temple's |

| construction by many years. |

| Pillars of granite line the walls of this grand hall, though some |

| deterioration is visible due to cracks and pieces of stone littering |

| the floor. In places, the stone fell from sufficient height to break |

| a tile, showing smooth granite flooring beneath the layer of obsidian, |

| which would seem to be about the length of a thumbnail in depth. |

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| Even now there is a sense of reverence and majesty in this hall, |

| impressive even by today's standards. Though extraordinarily palatial,|

| I am given to consider the possibility that the extravagance was not |

| due to mortal avarice, but born from a desire to show the importance |

| and power of Kwainin. It is much like saying, without words, "This |

| is what His followers can accomplish. Imagine how much more powerful |

| He Himself must be." |

| The west end of the hall is the temple's focal point, with a large |

| stone altar framed by two large, square pillars that rise above the |

| altar but not to the ceiling. A vaguely concave top to each, along |

| with black scorch marks, indicates that these were the hall's primary |

| source of light, and it seems that, once again, natural flame was the |

| method used rather than magic. |

| Behind the altar, above a doorway, is another red eye, carved and |

| set with gems like the first. It is easy to imagine how alive and |

| alight this jeweled eye must have been, with two such braziers burning |

| at either side. On reflection, the flickering of the firelight may |

| have been a major consideration in its use. Though the torches at the |

| outside entryway would not have had the same effect, especially during |

| the day, it is possible this was intended as another contrast for |

| the viewer's perception. It also may mean that many of the services |

| held here were at night, to captitalize on the refraction of the |

| torchlight at the entrance. |

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The Tombs

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| The Tombs |

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| Once past the doorway behind the altar, the door slams shut behind |

| you. Whether this was an intended effect when it was first built or |

| was a safety precaution added later I cannot be certain, but I believe |

| is most likely the latter. |

| Beyond the door is a corridor, and like the rest of the temple it |

| is dark and somewhat foreboding. Adding to this sense of danger is a |

| near constant moaning, produced by the undead zombies which are quite |

| prevalent in this part of the structure, and another red eye above the |

| door you came through. |

| This eye is different from the others we have seen thus far. The |

| others depended upon an outside source of light to give the illusion |

| that they glowed, but there is no such illusion here. The eye itself |

| glows with a red light, yet fails to cast brilliance to illuminate |

| more than itself. Here we find the first and only obvious use of |

| magic in the construction of this monument. |

| I do not know enough about the analyzation of magic to determine |

| the actual purpose of the enchantment on this eye. It could be a |

| simple, colored variant of a standard Continual Light, in which case |

| this eye was most likely just a way to mark the entry back into the |

| temple. It could be enchanted with some sort of permanent detection |

| magic, such as Detect Evil, in which case the glow may be due to the |

| presence of the undead. These are the two strongest possibilities I |

| am aware of. |

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| The corridor leads into a maze of tunnels, roughly hewn from the |

| surrounding granite, providing just enough room to pass. Due to the |

| apparently haphazard arrangement of the tunnels, as well as the |

| materials used in the construction of the temple, I believe that what |

| may have been repurposed as a tomb or antechamber began as a mine. |

| While it is true that most obsidian is found in open pits, there are |

| some locations, of which this may have been an example, where a flow |

| of obsidian is contained entirely beneath the surface. |

| It may be that the temple was being constructed while the mine was |

| active. Perhaps discovering the abundant gift was what spurred their |

| decision to use so much of it to tile the grand hall of the temple. |

| It may be just as likely that the mine was depleted before the temple |

| was built, but due to reasons that I will explain in the following |

| pages, I believe that the excavation, whether it was a mine or was |

| originally intended to serve some other purpose, was still ongoing by |

| the time the temple was completed. |

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The Crypt

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| The Crypt |

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| Available for purchase at a gambler's hut in the village is a |

| treasure map. Despite concerns over the trustworthiness of such an |

| establishment, the "map" gives directions which lead one directly on |

| the shortest path from the entrance of the Tombs to the next location |

| I will be writing about. |

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| "Upon entering the tombs following the westward sun you will wish |

| to continue west, followed by turn in a northward direction. From |

| this point you will wish to continue farther to the west. After this, |

| one would need to continue farther southward until he reaches the |

| ancient crypts where legend tells it that treasure is held." |

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| Following the course described places you before a large stone door,|

| smoothly sculpted and expertly aligned and hung. A careful observer |

| will note that the rough stone of the tunnel floor has given way to |

| packed dirt, as though the rock formed over this place long ago. The |

| door itself, though it provides a nearly seamless seal, swings open |

| easily with the use of moderate force. |

| Inside is, as promised by the treasure map, an ancient crypt. The |

| walls are lined with upright sarcophagi, each with carvings of large, |

| god-like beings upon the cover. Beyond these the crypt opens into a |

| larger space, with walls that have been inlaid with gold. The gilded |

| walls depict a pattern of suns and moons which wrap around the entire |

| room. It is here that one can find a large, wrapped mummy who bears |

| both a glowing coral ring and a gleaming emerald. While there it |

| seemed to have no interest in attacking me, but I would advise caution |

| regardless.

| One thing which seems to stand out, here, is the immaculate state |

| of the crypt. Despite its obvious age, everything seems to have been |

| preserved perfectly, untouched by time or the elements. Tropica is, |

| however, possessed of a highly humid climate, and no matter how tight |

| you seal a door, it does not remove moisture that already exists |

| inside a building. Yet there seems to be no sign of mold or other |

| water-based damage, which indicates to me that this crypt was sealed |

| at a time when Tropica's climate was drier. Though I cannot claim it |

| with any certainty, it is possible the crypt may have been built when |

| the continents were all joined as a single landmass, as referenced in |

| the maps found on the ghost ship The Almarina. St'anli, a friend of |

| mine and former Wizard of the Thalosian Tower, wrote a book concerning |

| that vessel not long after its discovery, and I suggest that anyone |

| interested in further research on that topic locate a copy. |

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The Lagoon

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| The Lagoon |

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| I would now like to depart briefly from the temple in order to |

| point out another location of possible related interest which is easy |

| to overlook. To the east of the village, as I mentioned earlier, is |

| a large, though fairly shallow lagoon. Around the water are stone |

| statues, again made to resemble seemingly deific figures. Due to the |

| vagueness of the crude carvings, it is impossible for me to say if |

| these are intended to portray the same beings depicted upon the |

| sarcophagi within the crypt. However, I do not think it is likely. |

| Also here is an altar used for sacrifices, as well as several stone |

| pillars. The latter are scorched at the top, much like the two found |

| to either side of the altar within the temple's main hall. It is due |

| to this that I am inclined to believe that this altar has seen recent |

| use, at least more recent than the construction of the ancient crypt, |

| and likely more recent than the construction of the above-ground |

| temple to Kwainin. It may even still be actively used as a place of |

| worship by the local villagers. |

| The reason I believe this is because the lagoon is nestled in the |

| heart of a large clearing in the Tropical forest. The stones there |

| are readily exposed to the elements, and prolonged exposure to the |

| wind and rain would eventually erode the tops of the pillars until the |

| scorch marks were gone, or at least faded. Yet there is no evidence |

| of this sort of degradation. |

| I find it likely that this site is used by the local villagers for |

| their rituals. The multiple statues indicate a pantheistic approach |

| to worship, rather than a focus on one deity as found at the temple. |

| While it is possible that the people here are the descendants of those |

| who built Kwainin's temple, and whatever event responsible for its |

| abandonment provided a catalyst for a more diverse approach in faith, |

| I believe that this is instead further proof that the local tribe |

| moved here after the temple was constructed. Whether they were once a |

| nomadic people who decided to settle or had some other reason for |

| coming here is outside the scope of this undertaking, and so I leave |

| it for other researchers to discover. |

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Conclusions and Theories

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| Conclusions and Theories |

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| After my initial research into the area, much of which was forcibly |

| focused on the underground tombs and crypt, I returned to the village |

| to see if there was more that I had missed. As it happens, there was. |

| Before reaching the signpost, on the west side of the village path is |

| a building which does not share the typical construction methods or |

| style of the surrounding huts. Though vacant, there is sufficient |

| evidence (including the light-skinned, non-native gambler in the |

| aforementioned gambler's hut) to point towards the fact that I was |

| hardly the first person to take more than a passing interest in this |

| village. Again, the building is definitely of recent make, and it is |

| likely these colonists were responsible for the signpost to the north. |

| Chances are that some child of the village, taught enough Common to |

| read it, is responsible for the scratch marks. I make no claims or |

| hypothesis regarding the apparent disappearance of the majority of the |

| colonists. |

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| One of the biggest questions I have come across in my study of this |

| area is why the builders abandoned the temple. Dedicated to one of |

| the three deities widely regarded as the most powerful, it seems that |

| the destruction of the undead should have been a trivial matter if the |

| priest or priests present were anywhere near as capable as the temple |

| appears to indicate. |

| The second major question involves the sarcophagi of the crypt. |

| Whereas the rest of the structure was created with very obviously |

| skilled craftsmanship, including stone walls that were sanded smooth |

| and neatly inlaid with gold, the covers to the sarcophagi are only

| crudely carved. Such a contrast in workmanship easily catches the eye,|

| and I can think of no reason why it would exist unless it was |

| deliberately and intentionally done. |

| I can conceive of three possible reasons why the artisans |

| responsible would have purposefully made the carvings so primitive. |

| One, they had never seen the beings they were trying to represent, and |

| vagueness was preferred over inaccuracy. Two, the identity of these |

| seemingly god-like figures was intended to be a secret. Three, they |

| were afraid of drawing the wrong sort of attention. Some cultures |

| believe that saying the name of a God or a spirit aloud invites it to |

| appear. It is possible this culture believed that making too accurate |

| a representation would do the same. Yet, the covers of sarcophagi in |

| other locations seem to indicate the person interred within. Are we |

| to infer that deities may have been buried, or perhaps simply had |

| their deaths honored, here? |

| The pattern of suns and moons depicted on the walls of the main |

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| room of the crypt seems to indicate the passage of time, possibly |

| representing the concept of eternity since it wraps along all of the |

| walls. Eternal life is a concept repeated elsewhere, when dealing |

| with undead, and it is possible that the walls are therefore referring |

| to the mummy located inside the crypt. Yet this conclusion does |

| nothing to answer either of the questions posed elsewhere. |

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| Since my attendance at one of the earliest history lessons |

| regarding the Abhorrant (a clandestine meeting between members of |

| Gareth's Keep, the Wrath of Justice, and Shalonesti), I have been |

| skeptical of the fact that no record or evidence exists from the time |

| when they stalked the face of Algoron, slaying Gods and mortals alike. |

| Perhaps what I present in this final chapter is nothing more than the |

| wishful thinking of someone intent on finding proof where none exists, |

| but all the same I feel it is my duty to report the possibility of |

| actual evidence supporting that ancient history. |

| In trying to answer the questions I mentioned earlier, I was |

| continually drawn to four thoughts: One, the large, god-like figures |

| represented on the sarcophagi, Two, the gold inlay depicting a great |

| deal of time, past or future, possibly eternity or eternal life, Three,|

| a great secret, one that people were fearful to name but reluctant to |

| forget, and Four, something powerful enough to warrant the abandonment |

| of a major temple to a major deity. |

| It is known that the Abhorrant, while not fully immortal, are |

| given the knowledge of the exact time that they will die. Similarly, |

| the Gods themselves are considered timeless, eternal beings, only able |

| to be killed if they descend to Algoron. It is possible that the |

| gilded walls and sarcophagi may reference either of these. |

| The Abhorrant, and the ancient war which claimed the lives of many |

| Gods as well as many more mortals, have been kept secret for countless |

| generations. Were it not for Malachive, we likely still would remain |

| in blissful ignorance of that catastrophe. Certainly very few would |

| ever want to remember that time, or let knowledge of it slip into the |

| hands of those who would use it as Malachive has done. Considering |

| all we have been told, I would not be overly surprised if Kwainin |

| Himself caused this temple to fall into obscurity, and could not fault |

| Him for doing so. |

| Such speculations, though they may seem improbable, cannot be |

| discredited entirely based upon the research I have done and the |

| information currently available. It could be that there is a much |

| more mundane (or just as improbable, but different) explanation for |

| the abandonment of Kwainin's temple on Tropica. As I stated at the |

| beginning, I invite anyone to research and develop their own theories. |

| Until proof otherwise is given, however, I invite you to consider mine.|

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