Apostles of Doom

“Be that as it may, this is simply rehashing the same discussion for the — I have no idea how many thousands of times — that must end now. It appears there is a new warden of Tartarus,” Tiernon said.

“We hope,” Torean said. “What if the new Master of Doom decides to release his prisoners?”

Tiernon closed his eyes, not wanting to contemplate the thought. “We shall not go there. We need to find out who this prince is that located the long-lost Wand of Orcus and relit the volcano.”

“We never got a really good view of the thief, but I will say that he did look rather familiar,” Torean said.

Tiernon shook his head. “I noted that as well, but I don’t see how that could possibly be.”

“Do you have any idea where the Wand was?” Torean asked, changing the subject.

“None. Not a clue has been found,” Tiernon said. “My people have scoured the multiverse.”

“As have mine. The only place we haven’t looked is the Abyss,” Torean said.

“If it had been in the Abyss, someone would have found it. Mount Doom would have returned much sooner,” Tiernon stated.

Torean shrugged. “Perhaps, if they had vast mana resources, or it was somehow coded so that only Orcus could use it. A genetic marker, for example? However, even then the mana required would be significant.”

“Anything is possible. What if Orcus was not actually killed, only seriously wounded and recuperating? That would explain the thief’s appearance.”

“So he has been plotting his revenge in secret for the last four thousand years?” Torean raised a questioning eyebrow.

“We must hope not.” Tiernon shook his head. “Our intentions aside, it was our agent that slew him. He will be pissed.”

Torean grinned. “For good reason. Do you suppose he will want to collect back payments?”

“One way or the other.” Tiernon chuckled.

“So, we think the two events are connected,” Torean stated for confirmation.

“Breaking the ciphers and the restart of Mount Doom?” Tiernon shrugged. “It would seem too close in time and space to be a simple coincidence. And the stolen mana could have been used to relight the volcano.”

“Assuming one had the Wand,” Torean said.

Tiernon nodded in agreement. “What is also interesting is that this demon thief not only survived, but from the reports, reversed Excrathadorus Mortis. Something not even Orcus could do.”

“It is an interesting puzzle,” Torean agreed. “It would be good to have a look at that dagger.”

Tiernon nodded at his brother’s observation. “Indeed. I myself never examined it; however, I had several extremely high archons examine it, and they found nothing amiss.”

“Seriously? I find that very odd.” Torean chided his brother.

Tiernon shrugged. “What more would you have them do? Stab someone with it to see if their soul is eaten?”

Torean shook his head. “That would be rather antithetical to all of our teachings. In any event, it somehow made it into the hands of your Knight Rampant, who used it against this demon, who not only survived it, but reversed it before hauling the knight into the Abyss?” He tilted his head, his own words triggering a thought. “Reports are that it was reversed, so was it left in Astlan?”

Tiernon nodded. “Yes, I noted it in the balling. The Arch-Diocate on site has it in his possession.”

Torean shrugged. “So there is work to be done. We need to examine the blade.”

“Indeed.” Tiernon agreed.

Near Murgatroy: DOA + 3, Mid Fifth Period

“Hmm, I suppose it is salvageable,” Stevos said, exiting the doorway from a badly damaged corner tower. “It will take a lot of work to restore the walls.”

“The main hall is mostly intact, other than the roof.” Teragdor said. “I think it will make a good sanctuary once repaired, cleansed and consecrated.”

“The courtyard buildings are essentially worthless and will need to be rebuilt,” Stevos said.

Teragdor nodded. “Still better than anything else we found.”

The two had spent the day trying to find a new base of operations for the team. They had looked at the only two buildings in Murgatroy and not been that impressed. They had then ventured out to some old ruins in the vicinity; this one, Fort Murgatroid, was the most intact. It was a very old mud and stone fort built by the Vargosians about seven hundred years ago.

After the fall of the Vargosite Empire, it had been mostly unoccupied for a few decades before the first Earl of Murgandy decided it would be his eastern redoubt and stationed his troops there. Eventually, about a hundred years later, after Murgatroy was settled, the second King of Murgandy (the first earl’s heirs had promoted themselves to kings) they’d moved their troops to Murgatroy and abandoned the fort. It had thus been sitting empty for the last few hundred years.