Post by Nate on Sept 18, 2008 13:46:36 GMT -5
Anger, just barely masking the fear, flared in the Pharaoh’s eyes. How could the words of a mere slave boy be doing this to him? He was the most feared man in his entire kingdom and commanded armies strong enough to conquer most of the world. Yet here, in his throne room, in front of all of his advisors and guests, this slave boy just uttered words that would bring all his accomplishments crashing down around him. The boy had just uttered the reprimand of a god, Azul. It was true that the kingdom was in the middle of a drought and severe famine. Nothing any of his priests did changed anything. Even the druids couldn’t bring rain and make the crops grow. Apophis didn’t need the gods though. He was a god himself and more powerful than ant other. Or at least that’s what he thought. Azul had told him that because of his blasphemy and arrogance he and all his people would suffer. There was one way he could atone for his sins. He had to sacrifice his only son by drowning him in one of the sacred pools of Azul.
He would not have this, not in his court. “Kill the boy!” He screamed to his guards. They ran at the boy and attempted to skewer him with their spears. Each man that struck him was himself struck by divine power and fell dead to the floor. The boy now stood in the middle of the floor of the pharaoh’s throne room surrounded by the dead bodies of all those that tried to kill him and still remained unscathed. Not another word was uttered as he turned his back on the pharaoh and walked out of the room. The next day, the pharaoh and his son were drowned in the sacred pool of the largest temple of Azul.
A new pharaoh gained power and appointed the clergy of Azul to be his personal advisors. Their power was rivaled only by the pharaoh and even he was hesitant to raise a hand against them. They boy was brought into the church and given a home, education, purpose, and a name, Ghulmesh. He took to the teachings of Azul more quickly and easily than any other priest. By the time he was twenty-five he was high priest and personal advisor to the pharaoh. With the church of Azul as the real power in the kingdom, Ghulmesh had anything and everything he wanted. His true and driving goal in this world was to serve Azul, who had made him everything he was, and he never strayed from that path. The pharaoh’s goal was to conquer. Ghulmesh, as a walker of the waste, thought his and the pharaoh’s goal went together nicely. Spread the glory of the desert throughout the world united under the rule of the pharaoh. He eventually became part of the Dusty Conclave and went through the Sere Rite.
All good things come to and end though and the pharaoh was usurped. His usurper was a devout follower of Joramy and saw the church of Azul as an evil that needed to be eradicated. He promised 100 gold for the body of a priest of Azul and 10,000 for and body of a high priest of Azul. This made the following years very difficult for Ghulmesh and his fellow priests. Ghulmesh had a love for magical things and hand collected both information and magic items. He used these and the power and guidance of Azul to keep his head. After much bloodshed and prayer, Azul sent him west, into the service of a powerful dragon. This divine “pull” led him to Vrtra. Though he knows not why he is to do this, he obeys his god unquestionably and waits for a time when his way will be further made clear.
He would not have this, not in his court. “Kill the boy!” He screamed to his guards. They ran at the boy and attempted to skewer him with their spears. Each man that struck him was himself struck by divine power and fell dead to the floor. The boy now stood in the middle of the floor of the pharaoh’s throne room surrounded by the dead bodies of all those that tried to kill him and still remained unscathed. Not another word was uttered as he turned his back on the pharaoh and walked out of the room. The next day, the pharaoh and his son were drowned in the sacred pool of the largest temple of Azul.
A new pharaoh gained power and appointed the clergy of Azul to be his personal advisors. Their power was rivaled only by the pharaoh and even he was hesitant to raise a hand against them. They boy was brought into the church and given a home, education, purpose, and a name, Ghulmesh. He took to the teachings of Azul more quickly and easily than any other priest. By the time he was twenty-five he was high priest and personal advisor to the pharaoh. With the church of Azul as the real power in the kingdom, Ghulmesh had anything and everything he wanted. His true and driving goal in this world was to serve Azul, who had made him everything he was, and he never strayed from that path. The pharaoh’s goal was to conquer. Ghulmesh, as a walker of the waste, thought his and the pharaoh’s goal went together nicely. Spread the glory of the desert throughout the world united under the rule of the pharaoh. He eventually became part of the Dusty Conclave and went through the Sere Rite.
All good things come to and end though and the pharaoh was usurped. His usurper was a devout follower of Joramy and saw the church of Azul as an evil that needed to be eradicated. He promised 100 gold for the body of a priest of Azul and 10,000 for and body of a high priest of Azul. This made the following years very difficult for Ghulmesh and his fellow priests. Ghulmesh had a love for magical things and hand collected both information and magic items. He used these and the power and guidance of Azul to keep his head. After much bloodshed and prayer, Azul sent him west, into the service of a powerful dragon. This divine “pull” led him to Vrtra. Though he knows not why he is to do this, he obeys his god unquestionably and waits for a time when his way will be further made clear.