The Ivyhollow Legacy

A Dead Man Tells All Tales

"I've spent years trying to figure it out, Lord Gray. I don't think the answer is in Estoya. I joined the expedition so I can get to the bottom of my father's 'legacy' once for all."

— Serenity, Daughter of Dimitri Ivyhollow

Posthumous Fame

We all aspire to be great. We all want that moment in the spotlight where, when we take the stage we are greeted with a roaring crowd. A remarkable few get to experience this high. Their dreams propel them forth into the unknown to the sound of thunderous applause. Dimitri Ivyhollow was one such man.

A playwright, poet, musician, and painter, Dimitri was a bard who produced many works in his lifetime. His love of learning and invention, as well as art gave him fame and fortune that rival that of most nobles. His curiosity often sent him head first in many dangerous encounters that he inevitably transformed into inspiration for his many works. It drove him to explore new lands and cultures, even venturing into the metaphysical for a taste of pure inspiration, his muse, he called it.

This dream would be cut short well before its time. While he was famous in life, like many artists, his true legend came after his death.

The Bard

Born in Brooke, Dimitri fell in love with art at a very young age. It was common for Bards to pass through, and he was usually the first to greet them. He was as curious about the world then as he was later in life, creating all manner of strange tales and magnificent poetry. When he was 14, he left home and traveled to The Bardic University of Estoya, located in Rouxsgate. He studied hard and fell in love with the beauty of magic and art. His poems were the first pieces that earned him his reputation.

His paintings were a sensation amongst the people, painted in the form of massive murals on the sides of buildings, often placed beside the murals of Gregori Darset.

His plays gained minor acclaim, favoring tragic tales over light hearted comedies. Yet, as time went on, he found that his true calling was invention.

Dimitri had learned so much, but failed to resonate with his peers. Other bards expressed little interest in what he desired to teach so freely. His daughter, Serenity, was one of the few who always listened. She learned much of the world through his teachings, but their relationship suffered the day he tested his great machine. Serenity is now a well known bard, slowly stepping out of the shadow of her father's legacy.

Death

Before his death, he created many magnificent devices after traveling to distant Lartasia. He came to develop The Slipstream Mechanism, a device of divine design that would transport him across The Metaphysical Reality. It was built for a singular purpose: to seek out inspiration in its quintessential form

He entered the machine, and disappeared, often for months at a time.

Some years later, his body was found, disfigured in a violent rage. The murder was investigated by the most esteemed Judges of Law, but no conviction was ever made, no charges pressed. In fact, the investigation revealed next to nothing.

Three years later, A mural appeared on the outer wall of Yithwitch, bearing his name. The mural was indeed Dimitri's, but its subject was not his usual choice for visual art.

Dimitri preferred bright and vibrant colors, but this image depicted a black sun in a sea of darkness, with glittering eyes littered about the shadows.

The Slipstream Mechanism was destroyed by the murderer, and many of his notes were missing, leading some to believe that his travels sealed his fate.

A Bard's Legacy

Many works have appeared in the years after his death. Some of them are more bizarre than others. A musical composition using impossible notes surfaced in the attic of a lonely widow in Overdale.

A text on cordasian politics appeared in The Freehold of Cordais despite the fact that Dimitri never once traveled there. Thus began what became known as The Ivyhollow Legacy. Below is a timeline that details his life and a few of his major works that appeared both before and after his death.

A Name to Remember

Almost all Estoyans know of Dimitri, but few can come to a conclusion as to how these works continue to be produced. There are many theories about the phenomenon, some more likely than others.

First among them is the theory is that he never died at all, faking his death for whatever reason. This theory is still believed despite evidence to the contrary. His daughter is often accused of forging his work and posing it as his own, but she couldn't forge his work if she tried. This leads many to our second theory. The second is that someone else is doing it. These works could be fake, but even the university denies it. A bard places an imprint on their work, and each bard is different. They refer to it as "the filter of the soul" and it's impossible to recreate.

This leaves the third theory that could explain the phenomenon: He used magic to hide these things until specific times. The spells act as an arcane time capsule of sorts. Many of these works appear on important days in his life. His ate of birth, date of death, date of marriage, and the date of Serenity's birthday are all examples. This is the most likely scenario, done to keep his memory and image alive well past his death.

Another theory states that Dimitri is a restless ghost, killed in such a violent way, that his soul cannot rest. This is possible, but highly unlikely, as all these theories are. In this case, ghosts are rare, not nearly as mobile, and often have little to no effect on the world around them. Regardless of the truth, it is a mystery that may never be solved.

The phenomenon has taken its weight on his family, particularly his daughter. The news of her father's death was devastating, as the two were almost inseparable before the creation of The Slipstream Mechanism. After his first trip into the metaphysical realm, he had changed. He became distant, refusing to take Serenity along on his many travels. Regardless, many young bards have dedicated their careers to uncovering the secrets behind this man's legacy.