Tag: Devil-Wardens

#Lore24 – Entry #176 – Wild West Month #25 – The Horses that Go Up in Flames

As told by Kumiko Stalks-Amongst-the-Stars, shaman of the Midnight Panther tribe of Kerra-Kerra

To the east of the Peaks Reaching to the Sky, north of the Plains Which Stretch Forever, and west of the Hills of Coal, there lies a stretch of cursed land where little grows, and few animals live, the very rock of the area painted in the shades of blood where they are not burnt black.  But, unlike so many places, the Burnt Lands are not cursed by the Devil Wardens, but by the spirits themselves.  Here is the land of the Horses that Go Up in Flames.

From the distant hills and mountains that surround this region, in the darkness of night, you can see the Horses that Go Up in Flames from many miles away, for they leave fiery trails stretching behind them.  Most often you will see but one, but on some nights, you may see a half dozen or more running together, not stopping even for the mesas, running up and over them as if they were not there.  For those daring to venture closer, you can see that the horses are spirits of fire, their skeletons visible and the color of charcoal, wreathed in billowing flames.  Their pained, angry cries can be heard before they are seen, but by then, they are likely already upon you, for they move with the speed of a wildfire.

The Horses that Go Up in Flames are a mystery to the Kerra-Kerra and the Horse People.  They do not seem to wish to speak with us as other spirits do, and may not be entirely of the spirits of the elements.  Horses that have strayed from our tribes as they travel around the Burnt Lands sometimes end up there.  Tales speak of these horses running as if possessed by a spirit, not fearful in the least as they drive headlong toward the Horses that Go Up in Flames.  As they approach, they cry in agony as their bodies erupt in flame, and in moments, they join the flaming herd as if they belonged there all along.

It is best to cross the Burnt Lands on the outside, for the Horses that Go Up in Flames do not stray from the area they have claimed, though what it is they may protect or guard we do not know, though in times of great need, you may dare cross through these lands; it is best to do so in the day, for the Horses that Go Up in Flames are less active then.

#Lore24 – Entry #175 – Wild West Month #24 – The Vast Dry Sea of Salt

As told by Kumiko Stalks-Amongst-the-Stars, shaman of the Midnight Panther tribe of Kerra-Kerra

North of the Great Scorpion Flats lies another place our people rarely travel, the Vast Dry Sea of Salt.  There are no giant scorpions and it is not quite as hot, but still deadly for those who do not know how to survive in this unforgiving part of the Bitter Frontier.  The land is mostly flat here, stretching for as far as the eye can see, but not as far as the Plains Which Stretch Forever.  Once, in the times before the Great Uproar, this place was a sea filled with salt water, like that of the great oceans.  Many are the remains of the fish that once were within it and the boats that were once upon it, encrusted with the Salt that Blows Like Sand that can rend flesh from bone in the strong winds that are found there.

Sometimes great storms come to the Vast Dry Sea of Salt, filling it with rainwater for a time, perhaps only hours, before the water vanishes once again, leaving behind the salt.  Water can be found in caves that lie beneath the surface, through cracks in surface, but it is as salty as everything else, not fit for drinking.  The sea can be crossed in a day, but only if one is prepared and has no other choice; it is safer to circle wide to the north or south, where the land is better. 

This place is not without its bad spirits.  There are spirits of the earth that are ill at ease, sometimes leaving openings to vast chasms below hidden by thin layers of salt that one cannot discern from regular ground.  The wind and earth spirits move huge stones while no one is looking, leaving behind miles long trails in the salt, but for what purpose, not even we know.  We think it is a sign of distress, perhaps even of prophecy, but so far, we have not been able to come to terms with these spirits.

Worse, at the center of this sea lies a place of the Devil-Wardens, the White Obelisk, jutting out from a great chasm in the center of the Vast Dry Sea of Salt, the salt glinting in the sunlight like the precious stones those from Beyond the Great Walls value so much.  The White Obelisk can be seen from far away, appearing much closer than it actually is, and is almost like a spine of some great creature jutting from the earth, not unlike the bones of ancient fish that once lived in the sea, with broken ribs jutting from its length.  Some of the brave and foolish have dared to venture close to the White Obelisk, close enough to peer into the darkness of the chasm that surrounds it.  Some did not return, nor were any traces found; others have told of strange sounds from below, lights moving in the darkness that suddenly swarm toward those who cannot escape quickly enough.  Sometimes you can even hear a keening upon the wind even to the edges of the sea, a sound that can make your teeth hurt, though in the times I have heard it in the presence of those not of the Kerra-Kerra, they cannot hear it.  Perhaps the White Obelisk is calling to us?  It is something we contemplate from time to time, but thus far, we have found no reason to brave the dangers there.

#Lore24 – Entry #173 – Wild West Month #22 – The Bleakwood

As told by Kumiko Stalks-Amongst-the-Stars, shaman of the Midnight Panther tribe of Kerra-Kerra

To the north and to the east of the Peaks Reaching to the Sky lies one of the Places We Do Not Go.  This place we call the Bleakwood, for it is a dangerous and cursed place where those who venture inside never return.  The Bleakwood appears at the base of the Peaks Reaching to the Sky, and while it seems as any other forest at first, the nearer you come, the more unsettled you will feel.  The wood grows darker and more foreboding, and soon you can see that the very trees are not normal, looking to be sickly and dying, filled with disease, and yet they somehow still grow.  The Bleakwood is shrouded by mists beyond its edge, even during the hottest of days.  The animals, what few there are, too are sick and not to be hunted, for their flesh is poisonous.  One should never get closer than the warning totems that we have placed upon the outskirts of this place, for to do so would invite misfortune.

It is not known what truly lies within the Bleakwood, but it is possibly one of the places once held by the Devil-Wardens and may contain their dark spirits that cannot find rest, for one can hear terrible wails coming from the wood, as if a soul is being tortured.  The ancestors speak of the foolhardy who dared to venture inside, and the wailing of these unseen spirits that were drawn to them that finally went silent for a time, once they had consumed their prey.  None who wish to live should ever go near this place.

Yet, now that the People from Beyond the Great Walls come into the Bitter Frontier, they have learned of this place.  The Kerra-Kerra have tried to warn them, but I am told by my Brother-and-Sister Shaman in our Dream Meetings that the warnings have gone unheeded, for the belief that there is great treasures beyond is strong.  More and more the outsiders venture inside, and more and more they fail to return.  The wailing of the dark spirits within grows louder and more numerous, and the fog grows thicker, even spreading beyond the edge of the Bleakwood now.  This is deeply troubling.

#Lore24 – Entry #172 – Wild West Month #21 – The Dead That Do Not Rest

As told by Kumiko Stalks-Amongst-the-Stars, shaman of the Midnight Panther tribe of Kerra-Kerra

Be ever aware of the smell of death, for one cannot ever be certain that what lies dead will stay still upon the Bitter Frontier.  Dark sorcery, perhaps lingering from the times of the Devil-Wardens, can steal the body once the soul has gone, using it as a vessel to consume the living.  Such things are often the work of the Reaper Spirit, for once the soul is consumed, the bodies that remain are but tool for it to use to slay more of the living.  These are the Dead That Do Not Rest.

The Corpses that Walk are the lowest of the Dead That Do Not Rest, shells of the living that still move and have a fierce hunger for fresh flesh.  Without a soul, the body is as a puppet, controlled by this hunger, doing all that it can to sate its unrelenting with fresh meat.  They are not always easy to kill, for a dead body feels no pain, but a well-placed arrow into their heads is best, or crushing or removing the head entirely; fire is also effective, but best used when the Corpses that Walk are many.  The greater threat is their numbers, for they carry a foul sickness with them that will weaken and kill almost anyone who is bitten by them, and those who succumb have their souls consumed by the Reaper Spirit, their bodies turned into its vessels.

There are more fearsome Dead That Do Not Rest, those who have once served the Reaper Spirit perhaps, thinking they could control it, or who have succumb to their own dark sorcery.  These Dead That Do Not Rest, while having no souls, still have a shadow of their former living souls within them that grants them deadly cunning in addition to greater power.  The Corpses With Bloody Claws and Fangs consume flesh like the Corpses that Walk, but still think and attack from ambush, or, in some cases, consume the recently dead as would any scavenger; if there has been a great battle, be ever cautious, for these are likely near.  They are fast and deadly when one is not prepared to face them; holy magic from the Great Mother will work well against them, as will it against all Dead That Do Not Rest, as does fire, or cutting them to pieces through strength of your warrior spirit.

Even more powerful are the Corpses that Drink Living Blood, for they are the most powerful and cunning of the Dead That Do Not Rest, for they are the users of dark sorcery who have willing brought the Reaper Spirit into them.  They can appear as they did in life, hiding their true nature and using their dark sorcery to control the minds and bodies of animals and people alike, luring them close so they may consume the blood that flows within their veins using their hidden fangs.  Those so chosen by the Corpse that Drinks Living Blood can remain as a cow does, a constant supply of blood, until their body finally fails, which is when they too become a Corpse that Drinks Living Blood, albeit weaker.  However, they can live for many, man years if they are smart, so their power will eventually become the same as the one that spawned them.  These are weakest during the day, and should they touch the light of the sun, they will burn.  It is best to try to paralyze them with a wooden stake to their hearts and drag them into the light of day, or use much fire, for their bodies are strong and hard to hurt without holy magic.  Great care must be taken when dealing with these abominations.

#Lore24 – Entry #170 – Wild West Month #19 – The Demon-Tainted People of Many Places

As told by Kumiko Stalks-Amongst-the-Stars, shaman of the Midnight Panther tribe of Kerra-Kerra

Like the rest of the Many Peoples of the Broken Cage that Still Imprisons, the Demon-Tainted People of Many Places were brought here by the Devil-Wardens long ago.  You have no doubt seen them, but their appearances are always different from one to another, they share certain features:  horns upon their heads, unusual colors of skin that seem unnatural, eyes like those of goats, tails with barbs, hooves instead of feet, and perhaps other strangeness, and features aren’t always the same among those who are related.  This is the taint of the Blood of Ancient Demons that still runs strong in them, their very nature that of chaos.

They are called the People of Many Places because they are spread throughout the Broken Cage that Still Imprisons, even amongst the Kerra-Kerra and Horse People and Orc tribes.  Their Demon-Tainted blood allows them to mix with any of the Many Peoples and they will share features of them but are distinctly not fully of them.  The Mountain River tribe of the Horse People and the Horned Puma tribe of the Kerra-Kerra are mostly made up of those of the Demon-Tainted People of Many Places now, and though they generally hold to the ways of our peoples, it is with an unpredictable nature.  It was said by our Ancestors that in the ancient times, the Demon-Tainted People of Many Places were almost entirely female.  Since the Great Uproar this has not been the case.  The Broken Cage that Still Imprisons has broken even the unbreakable ties to the chaos of the Blood of Ancient Demons, it seems.

In the lands Beyond the Great Walls, we know little of the ways of the Demon-Tainted People of Many Places, but we know that some have their own ways and places, while others simply take to the nature of the peoples they live among.  Many are accepted, some are outcasts, perhaps seen as less than the tribal peoples of the Bitter Frontier so it is said.  Though none of the Kerra-Kerra have gone so far to the north, it is told by the Orc People that some tribes of the Demon-Tainted People of Many Places roam the frigid tundra where even the Orc People dare not go.

#Lore24 – Entry #169 – Wild West Month #18 – The Towns that Vanish

As told by Kumiko Stalks-Amongst-the-Stars, shaman of the Midnight Panther tribe of Kerra-Kerra

As the People from Beyond the Great Walls spread into the lands of the Bitter Frontier, they bring their towns and buildings with them.  The wisest amongst these build new walls to protect them from the many dangers that roam the land, along with many armed with the Thundering Weapons.  However, even all of these precautions were not enough to save some of these towns.  The Towns that Vanish are many, though most are easily forgotten by the People from Beyond the Great Walls, for they do not understand the dangers of the Bitter Frontier and are blinded by their lust for the treasures they seek.

Sometimes the Bitter Frontier and the Many Spirits upon it simply reclaim the land upon which the town was built.  It is during these Little Uproars that the landscapes which were once familiar change, sometimes overnight, sometimes over the course of several days.  The Little Uproars leave only scattered remains behind, sometimes broken shells of the buildings that once stood there, perhaps a handful of survivors, those fortunate enough to have been away from the towns when the changes occurred, seeing some land that is familiar, thinking they have come home, only to find new land before them, little or no sign of their homes or families remaining.  Some are driven mad by such a thing, for it is hard for the minds of those who cannot comprehend the ways of the Many Spirits to understand what has occurred.

One of the reasons we of the Kerra-Kerra travel is because of these Little Uproars.  Our bonds with the Many Spirits allow us to know that such an event is coming; thus we do not linger too long in one place.

There are Towns that Vanish that are not the work of the Little Uproars.  You will know these, because the buildings of the towns are still there, perhaps even the valuables and perhaps even the animals as well.  Only the people of these towns are gone.  There are several of the Ghost Towns of the Vanished Peoples that dot the Bitter Frontier, and these places we do not go, for even we do not know exactly why such a thing would happen.  To the south, perhaps it is the Goblin People who are the cause, sneaking in at night and stealing the people away, but in other places, there are no such dangers.  Perhaps it is the Reaper Spirit at work, claiming the entire town in its hunger to end all life.  Or perhaps it is something of the Devil-Wardens, their lost dark sorcery at work that steals the people away, perhaps to other long forgotten Cages deep within the earth, or perhaps in realms beyond.

#Lore24 – Entry #168 – Wild West Month #16 – New Fortresses of Stone and Metal

As told by Kumiko Stalks-Amongst-the-Stars, shaman of the Midnight Panther tribe of Kerra-Kerra

The People from Beyond the Great Walls are quick to forget where it is they come from, where it is they still live to this very day, and perhaps, have forgotten the lessons that were learned from the Devil-Wardens…or perhaps have learned the wrong lessons.  As they spread further and further into the Bitter Frontier and claim more and more of the land as their own territories, so too do they begin to build new Fortresses of Stone and Metal to use as places to keep those who would break their laws.

Those who commit wrongs should be dwelt with swiftly and justly, punishments to fit the crime as our ways dictate, but it has come into the minds of those from Beyond the Great Walls that it is more just to keep these wrongdoers in cages, to have them seek to repent for their crimes through heavy labor and being trapped within these many walls they build.  This is the way of the Justicars of Lashana, at least.  There are others not of the Sister Goddess’s faith who build these new Fortresses of Stone and Metal who seek not to make those held within repent for their crimes, but to suffer tortures of mind and body, to toil until death takes them at long last.  It is these who have learned the worst of the lessons of the Devil-Wardens, and who gather more and more power around them to enforce their will upon others at the end of many Thundering Weapons.

It is within the Bitter Frontier that these evil Fortresses of Stone and Metal are built, for there is no law but what those who control their claimed territory create.  These lands we must now avoid, lest our people suffer at the hands of those who would be new Devil-Wardens, though the Red Fangs do not see it as such.  They say that we, all Kerra-Kerra, should go to war with those who would create these places and claim our lands.  In this I am conflicted, for I do not wish war, and I do not wish to follow the lead of the Red Fang tribe…and yet I cannot deny that war between our people and those who have began taking our sacred lands may be unavoidable.

I must continue to commune with the Many Spirits and seek their wisdom, and the wisdom of our Great Mother Saressh, for I fear that our mostly peaceful times are running out.

#Lore24 – Entry #167 – Wild West Month #15 – The Dwarves who Dwell Deep

As told by Kumiko Stalks-Amongst-the-Stars, shaman of the Midnight Panther tribe of Kerra-Kerra

When the Great Uproar came, most of the Many Peoples of the Broken Cage that Still Imprisons spread across the face of the ever-changing landscapes to flee the anger of the spirits.  The Dwarves who Dwell Deep took another route, digging into the very earth that had revolted against the Devil-Wardens.  The dwarves have always been closest to the spirits of the earth, so they had little to fear from them during their passage.  For many years they remained hidden as the Great Uproar faded and the lands settled, only returning after many, many moons, and even then, only some of the dwarves remain upon the surface.

Though the Dwarves who Dwell Deep prefer the underground, they face dangers those who live under the sun cannot know, for many of the abominations created by the Devil-Wardens too ventured beneath the earth during the Great Uproar and have thrived in the darkness they found there.  Some say it is the Dwarves who Dwell Deep that have kept these horrors from the surface world all these many moons, and it is why they had to create the first of the Thundering Weapons that have become so plentiful in this time.

Few are the Dwarves who Dwell Deep who venture into the Bitter Frontier beyond the places where the Bands of Wood and Steel reach, but those who do seek more of the precious stones and gems born of the earth, though some too seek to pull the life blood of the earth from deep within.  It is at once wrong of them to do so as we understand it, and yet, they are of the earth, raised within it, so are they not too allowed to claim such things?  I have pondered this question from time to time but cannot come to an answer which is satisfying.

Some say that the Dwarves who Dwell Deep have found a great power that once belonged to the Devil-Wardens, and that this is why they remain below the ground, to protect the secrets of this power.  You will not be able to get one of the dwarves to speak of such a thing, other than to say it is a fanciful tale, for they are as unyielding as the earth they dwell within.

#Lore24 – Entry #163 – Wild West Month #11 – The Goblin People of the Far Southern Lands Beyond the Peaks that Never Rest

As told by Kumiko Stalks-Amongst-the-Stars, shaman of the Midnight Panther tribe of Kerra-Kerra

While the Orc Peoples of the north are strong and mighty warriors, there is perhaps a greater danger which lies to the far south, beyond the Peaks that Never Rest.  Long have our people told of the Night Goblin People of the Lands Beyond the Peaks that Never Rest, for it is said they are born of the Devil-Wardens’ foul sorcery.  The lost Mountain Bear tribe of Kerra-Kerra, who once roamed the lands around the Peaks that Never Rest, are said to have been taken by these goblins, though we know not what came of them, for any who venture beyond the Peaks never return.

Though none living amongst our people has seen these goblins, it is said by our ancestors that they are possessed by the spirits of the Devil-Wardens, skin the color of night and with eyes that blaze with terrible fire that can see better at night than even those of our tribe.  Using the secret ways of the Devil-Wardens, they travel unseen, unheard in the dead of night, leaving nothing behind in their wake save what they cannot carry, like some terrible dark spirit collecting souls, not a body left behind, and no blood to be found.  If they take them alive, what do they do with them?  Perhaps foul sorcery of their own, perhaps as food or slaves? 

For many moons, the Goblins of the Dark have been kept away by the Peaks that Never Rest, for travel through them is dangerous because of the constant unease of the powerful earth spirits that dwell within them.  In recent times, those from Beyond the Great Walls have placed settlements nearby, and have pushed further and further to the south, going deep into the Peaks that Never Rest in spite of the dangers.  I cannot know for certain if they even are aware of the goblins that lie beyond, but I fear it is only a matter of time before they learn of them; those from Beyond the Great Walls rarely seek wisdom from our people.

#Lore24 – Entry #160 – Wild West Month #8 – The Dangers of the Bitter Frontier

As told by Kumiko Stalks-Amongst-the-Stars, shaman of the Midnight Panther tribe of Kerra-Kerra

The dangers of the Bitter Frontier are all around us.  It is a place of great bounty for the land is full of plants and animals which sustain us.  It is a place of great hardship, for it too is a land which is barren and filled with vast stretches which animals will not go, or which are filled with nothing but poisonous plants and beasts and abominations alike which seek the blood of any who are unprepared to face them. 

It is only by respecting the spirits of the Broken Cage that Still Imprisons that we can understand these dangers and where they are, for the very landscape of the Bitter Frontier can change within the span of a moon, perhaps less, if the Great Spirits are angered. 

While many of the animals which roam the Bitter Frontier can be dangerous, they can at least be reasoned with if one is keen to observe and respect them.  There are many abominations which roam the Bitter Frontier, however, that cannot be dealt with the same.  These must be avoided, or, if one encounters them, they must be fought or driven away through might and magic, for they seek only blood and destruction; a sacrifice may be accepted, but these foul things warped by the dark sorcery of the Devil-Wardens are greedy and will most likely seek additional blood if it is there.  The packs of Wolf-Bears are such an abomination, for these are possessed of the foul nature of a normal grizzly but travel in packs as large as a dozen, seeking to fill their ever-empty bellies.

Only the Red Fang tribe seems to have some affinity with these creatures, but we do not follow their ways, for their ways are brutal and foul; we will speak of them at another time.

But do not think that the only abominations are animals, or like animals.  The very plants of the Bitter Frontier can be filled with the dark sorcery, and even the spirits which we revere can be corrupted by these foul magics and may seek to do us harm.  Many are the tales of the unwary who are drown in by Plants That Are Not As They Seem, seeking nourishment only to have their very lifeblood drained from them, or of the corrupt Wind Spirits which roam the expanse of the Desert that was Once a Sea which use the very sand as their weapons, tearing flesh from bone.

As the Peopel from Beyond the Great Walls continue to try to tame the Bitter Frontier, they are discovering why it is we of the Kerra-Kerra do not go into certain regions at certain times, but they seem not to learn these lessons, and continue to venture where they should not seeking their treasures from within the earth.  Their actions have drawn the abominations from their usual places, and perhaps caused them to breed faster; this is a problem we must deal with, though we of the Kerra-Kerra do not have a good answer; we must simply adapt and survive.