Post by chosooth on May 11, 2010 2:35:48 GMT -8
I'm going to copy/paste my post from a topic in the station forums about these two to pose some questions and get my theory out there about what could be the "real" story behind Chosooth, and how Xalgoz came to possess immortality:
The information close to the top that's in-game lore is derived from tomes, npc's, and the EQ staff. This is essentially what I've figured out, as the Iksar have nothing to do with Mayong, and for a people who see necromancy as an every-day thing to call someone a "vampire" is a big deal. The questions I have remaining are, how are there Sokokar in EQ2? Could Chosooth still be alive, trapped and in torpor in Kaesora? Is there anything in EQ2 that references Chosooth, or any clues around the area where Kaesora was?
This is mostly to provoke discussion, as this is one of the most interesting and elusive storylines in EQ to me that alludes to a figure of power that even the lore-heavy status of EQ says almost nothing about.
Sorry to bump a relatively old topic, but I've actually done a rather long study on Chosooth and the events of the Iksar Empire. From 100% in-game lore, as already stated, Chosooth was a vampire, he served as a warlord under Rile, he read many of Sathir's texts on alchemy and cabalism, there is contradictory information about Kurn's tower, in-game lore points to the tower being Kurn Machta's through and through, as it was made before Rile's rule, before chosooth was made into a warlord, but the towers of Kaesora were *certainly* made for him, Xalgoz, a conspirator of the shai'din (exiled sarnak), seeking power, searched through the ruins of Kaesora for power, *Chosooth created both the Sarnak and the Sokokar*, another emperor took the credit (atrebe), he lived an undetermined amount of time (didn't die with Rile's reign, maintained Kaesora) and Chosooth belong to the Nathsar tribe, almost zero lore exists on the Nathsar tribe, but some of the most powerful Iksar in history belonged to it, and most of them have made attempts at immortality, they also had cannibalistic tendencies similar to the Jarsath.
From that information, this is the story in between the facts as best I can piece it together temporally centered around Chosooth and Xalgoz:
Chosooth came to power with Rile Sathir at around 370 after greenmist, serving with him until his death at sea at around 400. Somewhere in that time, Kaesora was built with the 5 towers that served as libraries/alchemy labs for Chosooth, and the rest of Kaesora served as a royal hatchery.
Atrebe comes to power, Chosooth serving as an advisor for Atrebe, created the Sokokar and Sarnak. For whatever reason, Chosooth wants to stay behind the scenes, so either Atrebe takes the credit, or Chosooth gives it to him. This creation suggests Chosooths power to alter life.
Around 460 after greenmist the Ring of Scale reunites, Atrebe immediately steps down, giving the throne to Ganak. The Iksar/Dragon war ensues, during the final battle while Ganak is distracted the dragons target Kaesora in order to end the emperors lineage.
Things get very sparse on lore here, but in-game evidence still exists.
Chosooth, in all likelyhood was still in Kaesora. In the great library section, there is a hallway (that appears to be a zone line that was never finished) that is collapsed. My theory is that Chosooth was trapped in Kaesora. Depending on the nature of his vampirism, he either perished or went into torpor/stasis there.
On to Xalgoz.
Xalgoz was likely affiliated with the Shai'din, outcasts sarnak betrayers who worked with iksar and other outsiders (see: Chardok B: Halls of Betrayal). Through this contact it is likely that Xalgoz heard of Kaesora. There could be a *very* lofty connection that Mayong Mistmoore heard of Chosooth due to his vampiric/immortal nature and wanted Xalgoz to investigate. Even with that completely dismissed as unlikely, Xalgos did travel to Kaesora, and he did become vampiric there, and he has been there longer than sarnak typically live. It cannot be coincidence that Xalgoz traveled to Kaesora, a place where the *only* vampiric figure in Iksar history lived, and became a vampire himself. Direct intervention of Mayong again is very unlikely, and Xalgoz definitely would not have survived if he became a vampire *before* going to Kaesora, as he would have been killed by his own kind for conspiring with outsiders.
So my conclusion is this: Something Chosooth knew, likely learned from the notes of Venril sathir who learned from the necromantic magic of the Shissar, granted a state of vampiric immortality that Xalgoz figured out in Kaesora once he left Chardok. Both Chosooth and Xalgoz exist in EQ2 lore as well, and Xalgoz is alive himself in Karnor's Castle. This means that whatever Xalgoz learned from Chosooths notes and tests in Kaesora granted him indefinite life as something in between necromancer and vampire that is wholly separate from Mayong's power.
From that information, this is the story in between the facts as best I can piece it together temporally centered around Chosooth and Xalgoz:
Chosooth came to power with Rile Sathir at around 370 after greenmist, serving with him until his death at sea at around 400. Somewhere in that time, Kaesora was built with the 5 towers that served as libraries/alchemy labs for Chosooth, and the rest of Kaesora served as a royal hatchery.
Atrebe comes to power, Chosooth serving as an advisor for Atrebe, created the Sokokar and Sarnak. For whatever reason, Chosooth wants to stay behind the scenes, so either Atrebe takes the credit, or Chosooth gives it to him. This creation suggests Chosooths power to alter life.
Around 460 after greenmist the Ring of Scale reunites, Atrebe immediately steps down, giving the throne to Ganak. The Iksar/Dragon war ensues, during the final battle while Ganak is distracted the dragons target Kaesora in order to end the emperors lineage.
Things get very sparse on lore here, but in-game evidence still exists.
Chosooth, in all likelyhood was still in Kaesora. In the great library section, there is a hallway (that appears to be a zone line that was never finished) that is collapsed. My theory is that Chosooth was trapped in Kaesora. Depending on the nature of his vampirism, he either perished or went into torpor/stasis there.
On to Xalgoz.
Xalgoz was likely affiliated with the Shai'din, outcasts sarnak betrayers who worked with iksar and other outsiders (see: Chardok B: Halls of Betrayal). Through this contact it is likely that Xalgoz heard of Kaesora. There could be a *very* lofty connection that Mayong Mistmoore heard of Chosooth due to his vampiric/immortal nature and wanted Xalgoz to investigate. Even with that completely dismissed as unlikely, Xalgos did travel to Kaesora, and he did become vampiric there, and he has been there longer than sarnak typically live. It cannot be coincidence that Xalgoz traveled to Kaesora, a place where the *only* vampiric figure in Iksar history lived, and became a vampire himself. Direct intervention of Mayong again is very unlikely, and Xalgoz definitely would not have survived if he became a vampire *before* going to Kaesora, as he would have been killed by his own kind for conspiring with outsiders.
So my conclusion is this: Something Chosooth knew, likely learned from the notes of Venril sathir who learned from the necromantic magic of the Shissar, granted a state of vampiric immortality that Xalgoz figured out in Kaesora once he left Chardok. Both Chosooth and Xalgoz exist in EQ2 lore as well, and Xalgoz is alive himself in Karnor's Castle. This means that whatever Xalgoz learned from Chosooths notes and tests in Kaesora granted him indefinite life as something in between necromancer and vampire that is wholly separate from Mayong's power.
The information close to the top that's in-game lore is derived from tomes, npc's, and the EQ staff. This is essentially what I've figured out, as the Iksar have nothing to do with Mayong, and for a people who see necromancy as an every-day thing to call someone a "vampire" is a big deal. The questions I have remaining are, how are there Sokokar in EQ2? Could Chosooth still be alive, trapped and in torpor in Kaesora? Is there anything in EQ2 that references Chosooth, or any clues around the area where Kaesora was?
This is mostly to provoke discussion, as this is one of the most interesting and elusive storylines in EQ to me that alludes to a figure of power that even the lore-heavy status of EQ says almost nothing about.
