Brenzen scowled, pale blue eyes hardened into knives. "You're certain of this?"
"I'm afraid so,"
came Tarmid's reply, and the knight's scowl deepened. The chill of winter had begun to permeate the fortress, even here in the High Magebane's modest quarters. The cold season often marked a period of tension in dwarven settlements, as goblins chose this time of year to send out armies and raiding parties from their dark fortresses. The truce with the humans brought peace of mind only to the younger denizens of Demongate. Caution, it seemed, was a virtue of the aging."I take it you've been researching the matter. Anything I'm allowed to know?"
Tarmid went over his notes in his head, trying to separate fact from conjecture. There weren't a whole lot of facts. "Well, they are dangerous, as you well know."
Brenzen didn't bother reacting. "They are hostile to all life as we know it. And so long as that sword remains in place, They pose no threat."
"And should the sword be removed?"
"Then may Armok save us."
Brenzen's scowl deepened further. Any more and the knight's eyebrows would join his moustache. "I'd always heard they could be defeated by force of arms."
"Maybe a few,"
Tarmid conceded. "But their numbers are endless, and ours are not. Besides, Saint Rhaken and Saint Zane were both defeated in battle by the demons."
"That was treachery,"
Brenzen replied at once. "Corley let loose the demons in Steelhold and locked the Holy Ones without reinforcements."
"Even so. They are strong enough to slay Armok's chosen. Think on that."
The High Magebane let go of his scowl as the information sunk in. Tarmid thought Brenzen's shoulders had slumped a fraction of an inch, accepting defeat but unwilling to admit it. "So we avoid them. For now."
He took a sip of ale from his granite mug. "But avoiding a problem does not make it go away. We may have to face them one day, and I aim to be prepared."
Another sip of ale. Tarmid idly wondered if Gnora had brewed that herself before she died."I'll see what I can find about defeating them. See you at prayers?"
"See you at prayers."
Codex Arcana: Forbidden Chapters
Author(s) Unknown
For the Loremaster's Eyes Only
Chapter 13: On Demons and the AdversaryIn the time before time, in the world before worlds, there existed two beings. If there were others among them, we do not know and do not care. These two beings were close, close as brothers, and together labored to shape Time and Space and Energy and Matter from the endless, formless primordial void. Once they had created the building blocks of Creation, they began to create. Stars and worlds, and plants, animals, civilizations to populate them. And for a Time, all was well.
But harmony is not eternal. The two great beings drifted apart, grew cold and resentful of one another. They began to compete, to see which could create the better world. Endlessly they toiled, creating and destroying, world upon world upon world.
From conflict arose anger. From anger arose hatred. And in Time, one of the beings turned inwards, and whispered in spite.
"I tire of laboring on worlds to see my once-brother try to outdo me. Something must be done to undermine his works, and thus bring glory to mine!"
And thus it was done.
This being, known as the Adversary to the followers of the Old Ones, sent the seed of his minions among the Stars of his brother. The seed took root in fledgling worlds, corrupting them, twisting their essence that they might give rise to his own children. They would grow twisted and vicious and emerge from their hidden dens to sow chaos and death.
But the brother, Father of our Gods, saw this slight, and took to retribution. He, too, sent the seed of his divine creation among the Stars of the Adversary, and they took root in fledgling worlds, where they would grow and seek vengeance.
Within the core of the worlds they took root, where they would wait beneath the earth for the time when the Adversary's favored children would unearth them. Then they would be free to wreak havoc among the Adversary's creations, exacting retribution for the chaos that was wrought.
But the Adversary is nothing if not clever. Before many worlds could be claimed, he took to defending his worlds. He could not stop the seed from taking root, but he found a way to contain it, to keep the Avengers encased within the core of the worlds. He encased the cores in a flake of his ebon skin, tied the skin together with clips of his shimmering blue whiskers, and surrounded the casing in a drop of his molten blood. Thus would the Avengers be imprisoned, and the Adversary called them Demons and bade his creatures to loathe and fear them, so great was their power.
But some of the Avengers, those who woke early, fought back. They strained against their prison as it formed, broke through, tried to hide in the dark corners of the growing world. Thus was the Adversary forced to send his champions among them, to defend the breach armed with weapons fashioned of the strands of his own beard. Through much bloodshed were the Avengers contained again, the Adversary's weapons left behind to contain them.
Chapter 14: On Enlightenment and the Old GodsThe war between the Father and the Adversary waged on, from open battlefields to the subtle reign of politics and seduction. Just as the Adversary spoke to Gods in the Father's worlds, so too did Father speak to the Gods of the Adversary's worlds. The Adversary swayed the more subdued of the Avengers into peace, as the Father enlightened the warriors of the Adversary.
In our world did the Father speak to the Adversary's chosen, seeking allies to his cause. He soon found listeners in Ur the Cave of Luxuries, a human goddess of jewels and wealth of The Flaxen Confederacy. Thus it was that in the Age of Ancient Steelhold did Ur accept the Father's gift: a mask of purest gold, invested with divine might, to hold in her temple until such a time as a worthy champion would come to claim it.
Among the gods of the Adversary's chosen children did Father find another ally. Bobrur Fragranceglitter the Bodices of Romancing saw the Truth of Father's words, and sought to help. She bestowed the Hunger on two of her vilest detractors, who then sought other places to sate it. They found stronghold and solace in The Sienna Abbey of Orderumbral, drawn by Ur and the power of the Mask. They unwittingly guarded the sacred artifact until the day that the Holy Champion appeared.
The Champion perished in Ancient Steelhold. We know nothing of what happened to the Mask. Thus we must seek to retrieve it. For too long have we remained hidden, enlightened but persecuted for our wisdom and our Truth. The wisest among claim the Mask will one day open our door to salvation, and take us to the Promised Worlds of the Father. Thus we must seek. Adversary and his Knights and Saints shall not prevail in the light of the One True God and Father.
May the Father and the Mask guide you, brothers and sisters.
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Topic: Demongate: Wrapping up the Loose Ends. (Read 697349 times)