Prologue
Myth and Legend
In the first years of the world, when the men and elves who knew no birth began to understand their mortality, their children did not understand death and the reasons for it. So, in anger and fear of death and its sorrow, many forsook the gods and were led to war by the twelve Wizards, with the objective of wrenching immortality from the gods.
On Amizeth the 32nd their challenge was answered, with a crushing defeat. Yet victory for the gods was not without its cost, their chief was wounded severely, and among the angelics losses were innumerable.
Their pride wounded and their invincibility questioned, the gods prevailed upon Therus, king of those still faithful, to aid in putting down the threat of the rebellious.
Three years of continual defeat was behind King Therus when the god Capdog came to him with orders to vacate to the plains of Belorned for training.
Six months the best scouts of the rebellious failed to find Therus' army, but on the first of Micath his hiding place was unveiled. On Micath the 26th the sun dawned to find the rebellious lined along Yawlay forest, and Therus' remade army along the Belorned Mountains. As the light morning mists dissipated from the plain, Oloridikian, the chief god, and his heavenly array descended to Therus' left flank to join in the battle.
In the second hour after sunrise horns were sounded and the two armies met with a crash like thunder, and the final battle commenced. For seven hours the battle raged, the tide constantly turning as men slew and were slain upon the plains. Until, in the 9th hour following the rising of the sun, Oloridikian, king of the gods, came across Zildorgan Kartakroth, last of the Wizards.
Without a moment to spare the two threw themselves together blade upon blade and dueled. Their blades flashed and sung with a fury so great that none dared approach them, though venerable they both were. So it continued until Oloridikian landed on Kartakroth's sword such a blow that Kartakrothfell to his knees stunned momentarily. Oloridikian did not waste a moment, but heaved his great sword, Muskroth, high into the air to bring the killing blow down upon his adversary. Kartakroth muttered incantations and spells under his breath to strengthen his sword and himself as he raised his sword to block the impending blow.
The two swords met.
In the blinding explosion of light that followed Muskroth was shivered and Kartakroth's sword had turned to dust. As the shards of Muskroth flew into air one shard, the shard that had been closest to the hilt and therefore closest to the power of the god who wielded it, fell into Kartakroth's open had and sliced open the tip of his forefinger. He took a moment to look at it as Oloridikian recovered from the explosion, placed it in one of his pockets, and promptly collapsed.
With their leaders gone the rebellious soon fell into disarray and fled in every direction unpursued by the exhausted victors.
At his trial on charges of treason Kartakrothdefended himself by alleging that he alone of the Wizards did not wish to fight the gods, and so the others had cast enchantments over him so that he would do their bidding without question.
It was then that Kartakrothfirst used the power of the god Oloridikian housed in the shard, although he was lying his own powers mingled with that of the king god was enough to make his words seem true to the court and so he was released.
To show his good will Kartakroth built many wonderful things for the peoples of the world, but always he harbored fell thoughts and hatred in his heart. Always biding his time for his thoughts to become deeds.
In the meantime the faithful who fought for the gods did not go unrewarded, they were given immortality and set themselves apart from the rest of the world as a new race dwelling in the forests, the Undymen.
Zeguth the 4th, twelve years after his trial, Kartakroth's audacity and festered hatred brought him once more to challenge the gods, not again for immortality, but for vengeance.
Urged on to counter Kartakroth's challenge by the god Ferusamel, the army of the heavens descended unaided by any who dwell upon the face of the world. A battle of astounding fierceness raged for a full day as Kartakroth prepared for his devastating attack.
Around the twenty-second hour Kartakroth drew all his power and mixed it once more with the power housed in the shard and broke the bonds and ties that the gods had to the world. Their bondage being to heaven and not to the earth the gods were plucked one by one from the battlefield and returned to the heavens as the bonds to the world crumbled. Kartakroth smiled as he watched, though he could never completely destroy the bonds he could weaken and maim them beyond any hope of repair. The gods could never set foot upon the face of the world again.
At last only one god,Ferusamel, stood upon the field flanked by his followers, they ran forward and bowed to Kartakroth who thanked Ferusamel for his help as a traitor to his fellow gods. The two departed the continent to lay their hands upon the rest of the world.
And so began the reign of terror…
On Amizeth the 32nd their challenge was answered, with a crushing defeat. Yet victory for the gods was not without its cost, their chief was wounded severely, and among the angelics losses were innumerable.
Their pride wounded and their invincibility questioned, the gods prevailed upon Therus, king of those still faithful, to aid in putting down the threat of the rebellious.
Three years of continual defeat was behind King Therus when the god Capdog came to him with orders to vacate to the plains of Belorned for training.
Six months the best scouts of the rebellious failed to find Therus' army, but on the first of Micath his hiding place was unveiled. On Micath the 26th the sun dawned to find the rebellious lined along Yawlay forest, and Therus' remade army along the Belorned Mountains. As the light morning mists dissipated from the plain, Oloridikian, the chief god, and his heavenly array descended to Therus' left flank to join in the battle.
In the second hour after sunrise horns were sounded and the two armies met with a crash like thunder, and the final battle commenced. For seven hours the battle raged, the tide constantly turning as men slew and were slain upon the plains. Until, in the 9th hour following the rising of the sun, Oloridikian, king of the gods, came across Zildorgan Kartakroth, last of the Wizards.
Without a moment to spare the two threw themselves together blade upon blade and dueled. Their blades flashed and sung with a fury so great that none dared approach them, though venerable they both were. So it continued until Oloridikian landed on Kartakroth's sword such a blow that Kartakrothfell to his knees stunned momentarily. Oloridikian did not waste a moment, but heaved his great sword, Muskroth, high into the air to bring the killing blow down upon his adversary. Kartakroth muttered incantations and spells under his breath to strengthen his sword and himself as he raised his sword to block the impending blow.
The two swords met.
In the blinding explosion of light that followed Muskroth was shivered and Kartakroth's sword had turned to dust. As the shards of Muskroth flew into air one shard, the shard that had been closest to the hilt and therefore closest to the power of the god who wielded it, fell into Kartakroth's open had and sliced open the tip of his forefinger. He took a moment to look at it as Oloridikian recovered from the explosion, placed it in one of his pockets, and promptly collapsed.
With their leaders gone the rebellious soon fell into disarray and fled in every direction unpursued by the exhausted victors.
At his trial on charges of treason Kartakrothdefended himself by alleging that he alone of the Wizards did not wish to fight the gods, and so the others had cast enchantments over him so that he would do their bidding without question.
It was then that Kartakrothfirst used the power of the god Oloridikian housed in the shard, although he was lying his own powers mingled with that of the king god was enough to make his words seem true to the court and so he was released.
To show his good will Kartakroth built many wonderful things for the peoples of the world, but always he harbored fell thoughts and hatred in his heart. Always biding his time for his thoughts to become deeds.
In the meantime the faithful who fought for the gods did not go unrewarded, they were given immortality and set themselves apart from the rest of the world as a new race dwelling in the forests, the Undymen.
Zeguth the 4th, twelve years after his trial, Kartakroth's audacity and festered hatred brought him once more to challenge the gods, not again for immortality, but for vengeance.
Urged on to counter Kartakroth's challenge by the god Ferusamel, the army of the heavens descended unaided by any who dwell upon the face of the world. A battle of astounding fierceness raged for a full day as Kartakroth prepared for his devastating attack.
Around the twenty-second hour Kartakroth drew all his power and mixed it once more with the power housed in the shard and broke the bonds and ties that the gods had to the world. Their bondage being to heaven and not to the earth the gods were plucked one by one from the battlefield and returned to the heavens as the bonds to the world crumbled. Kartakroth smiled as he watched, though he could never completely destroy the bonds he could weaken and maim them beyond any hope of repair. The gods could never set foot upon the face of the world again.
At last only one god,Ferusamel, stood upon the field flanked by his followers, they ran forward and bowed to Kartakroth who thanked Ferusamel for his help as a traitor to his fellow gods. The two departed the continent to lay their hands upon the rest of the world.
And so began the reign of terror…
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