Kedge
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The Kedge
During the Elder Age, Prexus created a race called the Kedge, hearty aquatic beings of great mental power and stamina, as part of the gods' plan to watch over the dominance of Dragonkind. The Kedge were a prosperous race with an advanced civilization until they suddenly and mysteriously disappeared from the face of Norrath, presumed extinct save for one remaining Kedge living in Kedge Keep. Quest dialog speak of the Kedge race and their sudden disappearance in game and one such dialog is presented below:
"Ages ago there was a race of fish men named the Kedge. Prexus spread them throughout the waters of the world and they were prosperous. Rumors abound that even near the waters of velious they had great cities. All at once they seemed to be wiped from the face of Norrath. One of the travelers I recently spoke to informed me that a single Kedge may still live in the lands of Faydwer."[1]
Phinigel Autropos
For many years presumed to be the last surviving member of the Kedge race, Phinigel Autropos resides deep within Kedge Keep, a Kedge fortress located in Dagnor's Cauldron on Faydwer.
The members of Autrops family of Kedge Keep have been sorcerers and scientists, scholars and artisans. After watching many of his family reach the potential of their power and suddenly cease to advance, Phinigel Autropos set out on a quest to surpass the skills and glory of his ancestors. In search of ancient lore, his journeys took him to the edge of Norrath's seas. To assist him, he composed a spell that would allow him to leave the ocean for short periods of time. After several decades of research, Phinigel traveled to the great temple of Prexus at the centre of his peoples ancient city in order to have its magic amplify his own. There he began to cast a spell of his own devise - one that would display his glory and magnificence to the whole of his people in the presence of their divine creator. As his spell progressed, Phinigel felt the power surge through him in a near unbearable maelstrom of arcane power and mental clarity. But his powers were too undisciplined. A glowing sphere now tied Phinigel to the temple. The Sphere grew larger, and then in a flash of light, the entire city of the Kedge was engulfed in a deadly net woven of Phinigels untamed arcane power and the force of Prexus himself. Some historians claim that the magic emanating from Phinigels essence combined with the divine presence of Prexus was too much for the souls of the Kedge to bear, and they were torn from thier bodies - ripped into the astral realm of the Ocean Lord. Fortunatly, simple fish and other Oceanic life weren't adversely affected. Thousands of Kedge floated dead in the water as Phinigel finished his spell. When he realized that he had killed every living Kedges sould he retreated deep into the keep. The haunting image of what befell his people due to his reckless thirst for power and glory is his constnat torment. Over the years, his pain has turned outward, causing him to treat all beings with venomous hatred. [2]
Another mention of Phinigel as the last of the Kedge comes from Al'Kabor himself via an in game book:
"Back while unraveling the secrets behind the demise of the Kedge, I confronted Phinigel Autropos, the last survivor of his kind. While speaking with him and enduring his ill-tempered threats and warnings toward me, I noticed coral-like ore on the reef of his domain." [3]
The Buried Sea & the Kedge
Phinigel was presumed to be the last of the Kedge until the release of the Buried Sea expansion for Everquest, where it was revealed the Kedge had survived in the Combine city of Katta Castrum. Secretly, the Combine created a vast city in which to keep their beloved leader Tsaph in stasis. They built this city in the buried sea, on a large island. This new city was named Katta Castrum, and besides keeping Tsaph safe it also served another purpose. The citizens of Katta Castrum created habitats for many different endangered races of Norrath. The most important of these races were The Kedge, The Sphinx, and The Shissar. But the citizens of Castrum did more than just research the races they also performed some experiments. The Kedge was Prexus' chosen race, which he created, and Prexus was so angered by the experiments that he sank Katta Castrum into the sea.
The Combine managed to preserve their city by erecting a dome of magical force that kept the rushing sea out but the Avatar of Prexus wanders the underwater city of Katta Castrum to this day, voicing his displeasure for the entire city to hear.
"A loud voice fills the chamber as the last instructions from Prexus to the Kedge echo around you. 'A voice from the waves spoke to us, words for our ears alone. This doom is not your own but this doom will claim you still. No hand but mine will alter that which I create and any that dare will slumber in my realm for all time. So spoke Prexus on that day of fate.' As the last echoes of the words fade a sound like a crashing wave fills your ears." [4]
It is presumed that the dome of magical force that kept the waters of the Buried Sea from flooding the city as it sank beneath the waves somehow also protected the Kedge race that were inhabiting their preserve of Thalassius, the Coral Keep within Katta Castrum from Phinigel's experiment that wiped out all other members of the Kedge. However both the reasoning and purpose behind Phinigel's experiment and how the Kedge of Katta Castrum managed to survive have never been directly addressed or answered.
References
- ^ EQ1 Quest Dialog from Bjoskhua Blackfist
- ^ Maps of Myrist book, page 259
- ^ The Fusibility Study: By Al`Kabor, Part 2: The Fusibile Ores
- ^ Avatar of Prexus Dialog, EQ1
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