The Lost Pilgrims

The act of recording shapes the truth more than the truth shapes the record, and so I present my account of the Lost Pilgrims. These wanderers, distinct from the Silent Monks of Durin's Peak or the Truthseekers, are driven by a single, consuming purpose: to find a cure for the encroaching Null Fields and the looming Great Unmaking. Their methods are often unorthodox, even bordering on heresy. They delve into forbidden lore within the Vault of Whispers, seeking knowledge deemed too dangerous by the Dwarven Abbey. They follow in the footsteps of the Forgotten Smith, hoping to replicate or even improve upon his lost creations.

Unlike the organized expeditions of the Crimson Cartographers, the Pilgrims travel alone or in small, scattered groups, their movements dictated by whispers and visions gleaned from ancient texts. They are marked by their tattered cloaks, their unwavering gazes, and the Runes of Return they leave behind, a testament to their hope of finding their way back from the brink. It is rumored that the Cobalt Corsairs will attempt to offer aid for a price, but can they be trusted?

Their beliefs are as varied as their paths. Some seek solace in the natural world, believing that the Veins of Lumina may hold the key to restoring balance. Others believe that the Sunstone of Aethelgard holds the power to ward against the Great Unmaking. It may be that a new pilgrimage must be undertaken to The First Forge. Some whisper of a connection to the Skyclaw Griffons, guides to the Cloud Cities of Aerilon. Are they related to the Star Seekers of Arion? Many never return, their names fading into the mists of the Iron-Grip Mountains, lost to the Chitinous Swarm or the madness of the Warped Gates. Yet, new Pilgrims always rise to take their place, driven by an unshakeable faith that a cure exists, a way to save their world from oblivion.