Vivamorti Writings
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by Adam Manning
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From the writings of Thurzfinn Wingman, lower mage of Dracos, Dragon Pass, Empire Year 126.(1) Translated from the Auld Wyrmish by Eothalward Wanderheart, Grey Sage of Lhankor Mhy and adviser to King Broyan of Volsaxia 1620 S.T.
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My lord,
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Let me recount an incident that proved that the Everliving Silver Shadows were a cult whose power could not be denied. One man lived in the town of Kniroddin in the western part of the Talastar provinces. Though he swore fealty to the High Triatharchy of Dracos and indeed took part in the yearly ceremonies held at the turn of the year, he privately revered one of the old pantheon which held sway in these lands at the time of the Second Council during the birthing of Nysalor. This was the same spirit that the Hero Chaosbane adopted before his transformation into one of the uz; a spirit of death and carnage who forbid the rebirth. Though its power had now waned given the enlightenment of Orlaront Dragonfriend, at that time the spirit was still strong. Now, this man was called Cogratarus Jarsonal and he had ventured long in our land, even to the borders with the sun worshippers who ruled in Darra Happa.
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Back in Talastar, Jarsonal had been hired as a bodyguard of a scholar of the Old Time Traditionalists, who were causing controversy because of their policies of restraint and conservatism. Jarsonal and his followers had taken over the strategically important town of Gennarol which was situated beside a long river. Gennarol had been a centre for the Cosmic Knowledge sect and so was hardly able to resist a military take-over. Indeed, the inhabitants soon adapted their beliefs to those of the Old Time Traditionalists, reasoning that God-as-Dragon had ordained it to happen in that way. However, the Old Time Traditionalists were never a rich group and had difficulty in paying their mercenaries. Jarsonal could not control the others (Orlanthi and Eurmali amongst them) and soon the town was in a state of uproar. Because of the Cosmic Knowledgers lax approach to order, many undesirables had lived in the town. (2) Unbeknownst to any of them, some Nefaratusi had been amongst these and had kept the town's streets clear of vagabonds and invisibles.
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It was obvious to Jarsonal that soon Gennarol would become a disaster-zone. He made plans to leave but soon the Nefaratusi subsumed the toughest mercenaries into their number, enthralling some or making deals with others. They held the town's gates and stopped any leaving, hoping to turn the whole town into undead slaves. As Jarsonal charged out of town on horseback, a large bat swooped down and tore it's teeth into his steed's flank. With a snorting scream it fell to the floor. Looking up he saw two tall men in black armour with grey eyes on the town's wall stare down as if Vivamort himself had journeyed back to the earth.
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Cursing in his barbaric way, Jarsonal shuddered: the Nefaratusi magic burdened him so that he lay sprawled on the cobbles like a run-down rat. The two figures floated up into the air off the platform then descended to him as peaceably and unhurriedly as Ernalda Season leaves falling off of an oak tree. All the time Jarsonal could barely breathe let alone run. Once they landed on the street, one vanished leaving a large wolf in it's stead. At the same time the bat that had been worrying the horse's neck changed from mist into a slink wolf, the twin of the other. These circled Jarsonal, howling triumphantly at the dark clouds above.
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The largest of the two vampyres stood before Jarsonal. This transformation magic seemed to have distracted the vampyre in some way and the Humakti found himself free enough to take up his weapons. As befitted his rank within his strange cult, he bore the two swords. In a swirling motion, he stepped forth unafraid. The deathly one spoke. "Little man, we were old at the time of the Dawning. Do not think those that saw the first Ascension of Yelm will be stopped by such as you. Be gone; you are not worthy to face us in combat."
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"I claim the right to challenge by dint of the slaying of the Iron Vampyre by my ancestor, Arkat Chasonbane", came the warrior's retort, as sharp as his ur- metal blade.
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"Say not that name to us", the first hissed whilst the wolves now bayed at Jarsonal. He peeled of his gauntlets, threw them to the ground. The metal of the gloves decayed at the vampyres very touch; he then leapt off the ground effortlessly, landing atop the Humakti. Yet Jarsonal was ready and exclaimed "Death to the Undead". His shield, a taut covering of wood over the metal frame, blocked the undead prince's landing and the Vivamorti slid to the ground. Jarsonal's blade licked out as fast as dragon-fire and the enchanted weapon stung deeply, penetrating the layers of armour. "Yes!" he gloated, foam on his beard, the power of Truth surging through his sword arm.
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The prince, whose name was Uklaradican, sealed the wound after calling on his Chaos God, then un-coiled his frame to it's full seven foot height. He bore down on Jarsonal once more. Desperately Jarsonal wracked his hoard of war-lore to see if another way to defeat them could be found. Then he struck dwarven (3) gold. He took up both blades, and held his gladius horizontally in front of his chest. His trusty broadsword he held vertically, so the two crossed in a simulacrum of the sign of his God. Within moments, Uklaradican tore at his eyes to stop them seeing it.
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But the god's were occupied in other battles that day. After the wound, the prince screamed and then with a glimmer of magical radiance collapsed into a cloud of mist that poured out of the neck hole of his battle-vest. It collected itself up into a malevolent ball and then moved to the Humakti. He made the rune's image once more but this time to no effect; his valiant life- battle was to end there. I only know of this now as Jarsonal cried for his god to bade his spirit away so to avoid being one of the undead too. His ghost appears in my study gibbering about a vision of the future, where the magic has disappeared from the world, when even the God of Death is dead yet still the Vivamorti are undying. (4)
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Footnotes by Eothalward Wanderheart, Grey Sage :
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(1) This seems to be a system of dating based on the founding of the Empire of Wyrm Friends. This is traditionally given as the year 590 S.T. implying that Empire Year 126 would be circa 716 S.T.
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(2) These disputes between different portions of the Draconic Empire are a fascinating and complex period of Genertelan history.
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(3) Here the writer used the Pelorian adjective Lithanthropos mostalix rather than the Auld Wyrmish Turzz which is what one would expect. Perhaps this is further proof of the conflict at this time between the expanding E.W.F. and the ancient Pelorian-based culture to the north as discussed further in this writer's paper The Subsistence of Dara-Happan Yelmic Theism During the Conversion of Peloria to the Intellect of the Great Dragon Knowledge Temple Document AX3 #342-ZXW
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(4) This fanciful account of the supposed vampyre cult is further confirmation to me that these beings do not exist and are rather the result of the intangible fears of travellers in strange lands. I deny their existence and will maintain this denial until proof is given to me in the cold light of day.
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Eothalward Wanderheart, Grey Sage of Lhankor Mhy. Hail the King!
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