The Banner of Athena was the last and perhaps greatest gift of
Athena to her temple in
Kelnore. Given to mark two thousand years
of worship at the Temple the gift also coincided with the height of the Golden Age of
the Empire of Kelnore. The Temple only allowed the Banner to be unfurled on battlefields
where the cause was just but once it appeared on the field allies who saw the banner had
their courage bolstered and
neither magic nor fearsome monsters could shake the righteousness of their convictions and
purposefulness of their attacks. Further it is said that should the resoluteness it instilled
not be suffficient for victory the Celestial Paladins of Athena themselves would appear
on the battlefield until the cause was won.
While the Banner was used the troops of the Empire were all but invincible but once
the Cyngs and the Temple became estranged the Banner rarely left the Temple in Kelnore.
It was reputedly saved from the Fall of Kelnore and reappeared far to the south in Hracus,
capital of one of the Ghinorian successor states. For maybe a thousand years those states
gave an echo of the glories of Kelnore before they too fell into darkness. A shadow too
lies over the fate of the Banner as all auguries indicate it may have fallen into evil hands.
The task of finding the Banner deep in the jungles of the south may feel impossible but
although it is widely believed that all records from that time have been destroyed there is
one place in the Wilderlands where scrolls still exist from that time in Damkina in the
north. Although Damkina is far from the southern jungles it too was a Ghinorian Successor
State and all those states as heirs of Kelnore communicated with one another. The White
Overlord of Damkina's rule may now only stretch as far as the walls of his town but there
is hope that a sage might find clues as to the fate of the Banner in his vaults.