‘Hanging on the abyss of nothingness, and perched at the foot of the still drops of eternity’, is all that is known about this city other than, ‘it was fairer than all others, aglitter with power, tranquility and joy’. Reputedly somewhere on the fifth continent, this semi mythical city has called out to more than one enraptured adventurer. Seek it if you dare, for legends also tell that ‘guardians fair, foul, and betwixt guard her walls, and the herald waits to sound his horn against invader or transgressor’.

Supposedly, it is a now forgotten tunnel complex that literally spans the globe (running even beneath the oceans). These tunnels are, legends say, still traversed by ‘shining metal cart trains’ that stop and go as if ‘of a mind all their own’. Only a few, very few, have seen these strange creations firsthand, and of those, fewer still have spoken of the sight.

A legend from the Great Sand Sea, this is the mythic city swallowed by the sands of that windblown, dry expanse. A fountain of magik, power, and water flowed into this city, which was a giant oasis in an otherwise dry expanse. Legends say one day the land ‘yawned and moaned like some great beast, opening wide a maw to feast on the marvels, delights, and freshness of the Bouloulonssa’. Sages theorize some cataclysm or nexus related catastrophe occurred to destroy the city, though little evidence remains to determine one way or the other. A few travelers of the dangerous desert, however, speak in hushed tones about a city they sometimes glimpse ‘alight like a glittering jewel, with a great throng of people, whose laughter and sounds of life mingled with the pure, clear sound of water from the fountains’.

In all the misty legends of elder times lie the stain of some truly ambitious undertaking – where it is said that gods challenged gods as the old ones transitioned to a new rule under more energetic (or vicious) gods. Known as the God Wars, no one can place this time in Khaas’ history. Yet, these battles were deadly dramas played out in the lives of mortals and in the myriad heavens. Their passing left nothing untouched as they stomped across the world.

This was an ambiguous time in the hoary past when mortals warred with the gods and challenged their will and right of dominance over the world. The tales of this time is told and retold through the eons, kindling fire in the bellies of would-be heroes, eyes agleam with the thought of challenging the gods in all their glory…

This semi legendary ballad is about a small troop of knights, dedicated to the Silver Lady, who supposedly rode steeds wrought from starlight. The goddess herself gave the steeds to them, after their impassioned plea before her altar in Chrysolia. The legendary ballad extols their merits and deeds, and plays heavily on the great plea they made before Lady of the Silver Moon, binding them and their future generations to her service, in life, death, and in-between. That she listened is obvious, as the lancers later mounted up on great Destriers described as ‘formed from light between the stars, filled with unearthly power and radiance; hooves shining and burning, eyes alit and rolling as they pranced and snorted readiness for battle’. Their final ride against the hellish army belched from the sulfurous nexus that split the slopes of the Beryllium Manticore is the stuff of heroes. It has raised the spirits and set fire to the hearts of heroes in every generation since the first telling of the tale.

This legend is rather an odd one that does not concern death and destruction, though to many it is horrific. Also known as the ‘Black Kiss’, simply put, men (only) awaken to find an indelible mark just over their heart in the shape of a woman’s lips. Those thus kissed then become ‘great lovers’, and have hordes of women seemingly irresistibly drawn to them. They become obsessed (always) with women, and with ‘loving’ them. This orgy lasts a full 13 years, and then the man inexplicably dies of a burst heart. Always on the anniversary of the night he was kissed too. Never more than one male a year has ever been thus afflicted as far as can be ascertained, but one per year for more than 7,000 years is a lot of men! Usually 13 males (over the 13 year period) are ‘kissed’ in any given nation or area, then it shifts to another location, and begins again. Who or what does this is totally unknown, and the ‘why’ of it all remains mystery to even the strongest of arcane probes and investigations. Just pray you never awake to find that you’ve been ‘night kissed’, and have but 13 years to live!

This is a sort of generic legend in that it is known, or has analogues, in most every nation upon the world. It predates all written histories, and may be Kthoi originated. The legend concerns a Human or Humanoid, which is the ‘epitome of utter evil’, and appears from time to time to ‘herald dark times, wars, and other such apocalyptic evils’. As his race can apparently be changed (a Hobbitt one time, a Human another, etc.) to suit the place he is going to, there is no real knowledge of what he truly looks like (or even what he/it is). What is known, however, is this: regardless of its shape or guise, his eyes will ‘glow a baleful emerald green like fire’ in shadow or darkness; he always walks, never rides, everywhere he goes (he has been known to travel as much as 3,000 miles in a single night in this manner; best guess is that he can ‘hell walk’ to cover such distances); finally, no non-magikal hurt or attack can affect him, and even magikal ones seem to have only 5% – 10% of their normal effect against him. He has been killed many, many times only to reappear in later times and in different places. Many think he is some Greater Demon (mainly because of his ‘powers’ – too numerous to list here), while others feel that it is a ‘manifestation of the essence of the evil in the world’. Whatever the answer, his appearance is always the harbinger of awful times and disasters.

This very common myth refers to the antediluvian time when the Triune Moon Gods tread the dust of the stars, and danced in the first beams of light shown by Syraath on the face of Khaas. Each had given to form the world: Shagrath the weave, Skirin his breath, and the Silver Lady life to everything that grows and lives in the lands, seas, or air. In time, however, the contention between Shagrath (who believed all was his/her/its to do with as it saw fit) and the Silver Lady (who sought only to nurture, grow, and develop) grew to such proportions to threaten the very creation they quarreled over! Skirin, often siding with the Silver Lady, foresaw the chance of destruction of Khaas in their clashes, and acted, as is his wont, in a way unexpected, but effective. He took upon his chosen form, rising up into the ocean of space, blotting the starry sky with great wings. Churning the dust of the stars and stuff of light, he formed a bluish moon, polishing it with the feathers of his wings until it gleamed and glittered like a great jewel. Not to be outdone, the other two rose up also, forming their own abodes. The Silver Lady formed a beautiful full white moon, draping it with the gauziest veil from her raiment and the mist from her eyes to make it glow soft and clearly. She stayed the closest to Khaas to give comfort ,and to watch over the burgeoning life. Shagrath wove his own abode also, gross to the Silver Lady’s beauty, dull to Skirin’s brilliance. Dark and bloody, his moon shone in the sky like the bloated, rolling, red eye of some feral creature. Unlike the other moons, however, it was farther away, and did not dominate the skyline as they did. Angered at this, Shagrath plots to change this fact, but is thwarted by either the Silver Lady or Skirin every time. This is why the red moon moves so quickly across the sky, as Shagrath hopes to outrun Skirin, who follows behind, watching vigilantly, while the Silver Lady, gracefully dances behind them both.

This legend is semi fact as this is one of Khaas’ infamous characters. Practically everyone has heard about him, but only a few have actually met him. His origins, age, and profession are unknown. Though much speculated on, he has definitely been encountered as a sell sword, Bard, Thief, Mage, and just about every other profession one can devise. He was quite good at whatever he was doing at the time also. Though he only looks to be about 30 years old and ‘fully Human’, he has been known and spoken of for at least 100 years. He always manages to show up just prior to some ‘great happening’ or world event, and always leaves shortly after it has been ‘concluded’. As he does his own thing through these happenings, it is difficult to ascertain whether he is on the side of good or evil, as it were. He just ‘is’ for practical purposes. Note as well that although he does repeat his chosen profession from time to time, he never appears twice in a row doing the same sort of job. You can recognize him by the unusual gold pupiled eyes and a ‘lightning shaped’ scar running down his right forearm. Otherwise, his choice of dress, armor, weaponry, etc. might as well be ‘random’. As a final note, he is never known to drink anything except clear, pure water.

This is a time hoary legend that extends back to the Kthoi. Generally disregarded, it is believed by some who swear such beings once existed (and maybe still do, somewhere, out there in the world). Essentially, the legend tells a tale of the few that were created by the Kthoi in order to control their creations. According to this myth, from each of the races the Kthoi selected a small number that would rule and dominate! Given the power to influence and manipulate others, these few masters would rule from the shadows, dominating and controlling the minds of the other slave races! This way the Kthoi could ensure their slaves would follow their orders without question or revolts. In the same breath, this legend also tells how these secret masters were the true rebels that started the tide of revolt against their masters!

The brilliant blue stars that make up the constellation of the Night Hawk represent these mythic beings. While recent tales say Skirin set these stars as guardians of Khaas after the Interstellar Wars, they are far older than this time. Earlier myths say they roamed the solar oceans when Khaas had brothers in the ocean of night (intact system planets, which would place the myth somewhere around the dominion of the Kthoi or closely thereafter), wrestling with Star Dragons, Star Spyders, and Moon Coils. They have played numerous parts in the long history of Khaas, such as supposed destroyers of life in the Failed Prophecies, as war birds and heralds for the Szinkiuin, and many others. Most often, they are described as blazing hawks of harsh starlight, with brilliant glitters for eyes, and burning, void white feathers.

This legend is rarely found outside the dusty tomes of old libraries or the old scripts of Bards cycles past. It speaks of a time when the first, primal gods grew tired of existence, and created a place between light and darkness, chaos and law, the straight and the turn. Here, in this place outside of time and thought, they retreated away to die, constructing great tombs to lie in peace until time should gutter and erode and the skies rot with the passage of the eons. Some say the truth of this legend lies in the infamous Shadow Lands, where the odd and bizarre structures and the inability of the new gods or greater demons to enter the land indicate it is perhaps the location of the burial grounds for the ‘first primal gods’.