Serving The Dark Lord

[darthryan 588]

Since my old topic got archived:

Told from the perspective of Accwin

While in my youth, I was offered a job working for another man, powerful, even then. With no second thought, I accepted the offer, and set out with my new master for lands afar. As we traveled, I came to know the man, Darthryan by name. He was a devout follower of Vynora, intending to join her priesthood as soon as circumstances permitted. After several weeks of traveling, we came across a fertile valley, filled with horses and cattle. Quickly consulting Darthryan, I began the process of flattening an area to build and live on. He assisted me, then a righteous man who hated to see the suffering of others.

Months passed, our village was completed, and I began to build my workshop. Having learned many skills in the building of the village, I was able to quickly construct several forges, and many storage crates. As I smithed, Darthryan would hunt, providing meat to supplement the grains and vegetables I had been growing in the generously large portion of the land Darthryan had entrusted to me. After a while, he amassed quite a large collection of cattle, and, with his permission, I tended to them. For a time, life was perfect, Darthryan and I living in true companionship, each providing equally.

That soon changed. I was becoming a skilled and dedicated smith, while still tending the crops and herds. My master, he insisted I called him that now, must have been jealous. He became secretive, spending weeks away from the homestead with no clue as to where he had been. When he returned home from one trip, I noticed he was wearing an odd black armour. I inquired as to its material, and he replied it was from the hide of the great black dragon. He told me he had purchased it for the bargain of 40 silver coins, I previously had no idea how wealthy he had become from selling my tools. More time passed, and I saw less and less of Darthryan. When he was around, he would spend time in the mine, tunneling, where to only the gods could know. He insisted I helped him in the tunnel, and, since it gave me experience mining, I agreed. We tunneled hundreds of meters, working side by side as we once before did. It was like old times, almost.

After we completed this impressive tunnel, ending up at the Mist Lake, my master suggested we build a boat, in order to explore these great waters. He had some shipbuilding experience, so he volunteered to make the parts while I attached them to the frame of the boat. After he finished the hull planks, tenons, and pegs, I asked him to help me attach them. Then, he confessed something to me. He told me that he had become a priest, not of the great god Vynora, but the savage Magranon. He said that he did this in order to use Magranon's power, both in mining and in combat. Darthryan insisted that his true deity was still Vynora, and prayed to her in his heart. I accepted this explanation, but should have seen the warning signs. He had changed, becoming less generous, and more demanding. While I suggested we provide food and a home for the less fortunate, he told me to let them starve.

The other members of our small town disappeared over the course of a year, leaving only me and Darthryan, becoming more fierce by the day. Life still went on, I smithed, he hunted. I felt strangely empty inside, and after asking Vynora, I realized I should meditate in order to figure out the mysteries of life. There was a beautiful site by Mist Lake where I sat on a woven rug, meditating for hours at a time. As I became more proficient in this path of knowledge, I started to realize what a strange world it was. In a moment of curiosity, I wondered about Darthryan, and who he truly was. As I thought about it, I was struck with the impression that his deity was not Vynora, nay, not even Magranon, but the mother of demons, Libila herself! After consulting with Vynora, a plan began to form in my mind.

That night, while the dark priest slept, I stole his dragon armour from the chest at his feet. I took his axes, his pickaxe, and a shaker orb. When he arose, I was wearing his armour, wielding his best axe, blocking the only door to his house. As I told him what I had found out, he paled, ashamed of being exposed. I forced him to walk towards the mine, intending to seal him in. He didn't say a word the entire time, I assumed he was depressed or scared to death. Oh, how wrong I was. We reached the rock face, I shoved him forward into the mine. In desperation, Darthryan reached into his pocket, pulling out a nondescript silver statuette of some god. Quickly, I pulled out the shaker orb, intending to throw it and seal him in the mine. Then, his spell hit me. To this day I have no idea how he did it, but he somehow combined the power of Magranon with the darkness of Libila. He had dominated me, rendering me as helpless as the trolls he would once command.

For a while I remained hopeful, dwelling in the dark recesses of my own mind. The trolls would always come to their senses about a week after the spell had been cast, running free then. A week passed, then a month, yea, even a year since that fateful day I rebelled against the Dark Lord, with no sign of me being free. I was vaguely aware of my body doing service, smithing and mining, for the evil one. Even now I still serve, composing these memoirs in the hope I will someday be free to write them.

Questions? Comments? Criticism?

[darthryan 588]

Part 2:

For years I resisted, 6 or 7, maybe 8. Darthryan made me travel to the ancient lands, full of corruption and the stench of Libila. I felt myself pillaging rotted fortresses, graves of old warriors long since slain. Eventually my body arrived upon a mountain. There, through me, the Dark Lord constructed a fortress on the ruins of an old city. Many rare artifacts were found in these ruins. After I had completed this fortress, Darthryan came, in person, to live there. For almost a year we were there, him controlling me, lazing around while my body did heavy labor. A thief in the night came and slew the only horse we had, crippling him until the Dark Lord captured some wild horses. Then, work continued. Bricks were made, walls built, and tools created.

When all this was done, I was aware of knowledge. Darthryan was amassing information about combat and destroying other people. He was using this knowledge to turn me into his fighter, a guard to protect him from his enemies. Throughout this, I came to realize that Darthryan was.... changing. No longer the purely selfish, hate filled, tormented soul he once was. Apparently, my mind being under his control had some effect on him, ridding the evil from his mind. It was a slow process, and I still had no control over my body.

Today, I broke free! Finally! No more enslavement! It happened this morning. Darthryan arose to shouts from another person, a woman drowning in the ocean near our village. He sent me, controlling me still, on our fastest horse to go rescue her. I went down to the docks, and saw a boat. While this was not out of the usual, it was a boat that did not belong to Darthryan. I tried to shout a warning with my thoughts, but he was deaf to my cries. He had me pick up the woman with a boat, bringing her back to shore.

Only then did he notice something was wrong. The woman, who was supposedly drowning, was in perfect health. It was a trick! He noticed the boat, beginning to panic. Two enemies rushed at me, intent on slaying me. I had just arisen from bed, and had not been wearing any armour. I quickly got on my horse and tried to escape. It was in this moment that I became free. In Darthryan's terror, his control over me slipped. I was myself again! Alas, it was just moments too late. The enemies, having killed my horse, mugged me and left me unconscious, naked, on the road. When I awoke, I bartered with these thugs and purchased back some of my equipment.

Having regained control of my body, I confronted Darthryan. He broke into tears, telling me how sorry he was for taking over my body all those years ago. Apparently, a rabid hyena had bitten him, allowing the influence of Libila into his mind. Likely story. I forgave him, or at least said I did, and we decided to remain at our fortress. Our enemies will pay for this cowardly trick! Stand aside, for anyone who gets in our way shall suffer the same fate.

[Maozorz 127]

Well written and interesting, but listen to this - He got beaten up, knocked out, stripped naked and mugged, then he woke up and bartered with the guys who had just robbed him naked for his stuff back? It implies that he performed sexual acts on them because what else would he have bartered with?

Also, it irritates me that Accwin seems like a tool and a pushover, Darthryan had him calling him 'master' and he did?!?! I would have slapped him hard at the first mention of 'master'. Accwin lets Darthryan be above him too much, it doesn't matter how skilled Darthryan is/was they are still equals.

Apart from that it was an interesting read, very imaginative and would be good to hear a continuation, or more stories.

Edit: Grammar.

2nd edit: What Darthryan says about the master thing below makes sense.

Edited October 17, 2012 by Maozorz

[darthryan 588]

Errr... I don't see how it implies that.

It's a very modern concept that all people are equal, this is a *roll playing* section of the forums, Wurm is set in the 1300s or so.

[Maozorz 127]

What did he barter with after they robbed him and left him naked?

Edit: Also why were the thugs nearby when he woke up? And are you going to write more?!

Edited October 17, 2012 by Maozorz

[Lulu 601]

I would also suggest that it was possible to barter through the use of his skills, 'Accwin was an accomplished blacksmith' he may very well have offered to create them something in return for some of 'his' possessions.

Well told Sir

[Maozorz 127]

True ^

Elaborate dude, it's awesome and well written.. Would love to read more.

[Klaa 4,872]

Mmm evil cookies

[Maozorz 127]

Aww, just got back in from work, it's 7:25 AM and I came straight here hoping Darthryan had written more.

No juice...

[Jock 184]

Good story i think part 1 was better the ending was not to great of part 2 need to see the "masters" influence and power expand

[Maozorz 127]

Hopefully he's working on a massive Part 3, it was really immersive and I hope I didn't put him off with my BS comments.

[AragornII 7]

Would love to read more!