sigelphoenix (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
sigelphoenix) wrote2008-11-15 07:14 pm
sigelphoenix) wrote2008-11-15 07:14 pm
[NTGC] Dear Nexus
Title: Dear Nexus
Characters: Vilda
Word Count: ~800
Summary: Vilda writes a letter to Nexus describing the events that occurred in Caer Thordar.
Dear Nexus,
I know it doesn't make a lot of sense to write a letter when I don't know where you are, and I'll probably see you in person faster than I could send this. But I wanted to write everything down before I forgot.
Right now, we're in the mines underneath Caer Thordar, a city built by the gold dwarves in a region called the Black Ash Plain. Actually, the city is mostly gone now. An army from the nearby nation of Mulhorand invaded it. The whole thing was fascinating to watch - which sounds weird, I know. The destruction of the city was terrible, but Nexus, I think you'll understand. There were gods there, right there in front of us. They fought, and one of them was killed. Right now I'm still surprised that we weren't killed too, or our eyes weren't burned out or something.
One of them was Gorm, a deity of the gold dwarves. Gorm is a god of battle, sort of like Tempus; but instead of going out and changing things, Gorm helps dwarves who are protecting their homes. I know you haven't met a lot of dwarves besides Sid, and you haven't studied their culture; but I think you can begin to understand the importance of home to dwarves, based on what you've seen of kecuala and hobgoblins. Gorm wore full plate armor, all bronze-colored and covering everything but the glow of his eyes. He wielded a dwarven war-axe and shield, and you would recognize the way he fought: big, powerful blows that were somewhat slow but also overwhelming.
The other god was Anhur, from Mulhorand. Anhur is a god of the sun, sort of like Lathander. You would be interested in the work of his followers, because they're pushing for the end of slavery in Mulhorand. Mulhorand has been going through a lot of changes lately, and the atmosphere is such that even long-lived practices like slavery could end. But as you know, widespread changes can scare people, too, and a lot of the citizens want to protect the sameness in Mulhorand. Even the followers of Anhur want to protect Mulhorand by blocking outside influences, like deities from other pantheons.
That's why Anhur's followers invaded Caer Thordar, in fact. The Black Ash Plain is a contested territory that went back and forth between Mulhorand, and Unther next door, so some people considered it part of Mulhorand, and therefore part of what needed to be protected. (There was evidence that there was more going on behind the scenes here, something to do with all the strange stuff going on in Faerun right now - but we'll talk about that with the others once we're all together again.)
They invaded with a mortal army first: Mulhorandi humans and stone giants who were allied with them. We helped the dwarves fight, but when we started losing ground, Gorm appeared and fought for us. They say he used to do that a lot, whenever there was a war where dwarves were protecting their homes, back when dwarves had more territory. It must have been amazing for the dwarves in Caer Thordar to see their god, because even I felt a huge amount of awe and gratitude to see him.
The Mulhorandi army called Anhur to face Gorm. Anhur appeared as a four-armed humanoid who wielded falchions, and he moved faster than I could really follow with my eyes. He was just too powerful for Gorm, and he killed Gorm and destroyed the city.
The thing is, I can understand why the Mulhorandi army called for their god, because it was the same reason that the Caer Thordar dwarves called Gorm. But I don't know if I can forgive them. I feel angry at them, Nexus, at the army and at Anhur.
But you know, they say that Anhur is one of the good guys. He's supposed to be one of the deities that champions good causes, which is why his followers want to free Mulhorand's slaves. But I have to doubt that, after what I saw. That could mean that Anhur is lying. Or maybe his followers are. Or maybe Anhur used to be good, but he changed. What do you think, Nexus?
One more thing I want to tell you: before Gorm died, Anhur knocked off his helmet, and we saw that Gorm was really just a skeleton. He was a dying god, even before the fight with Anhur. Somehow he survived long enough to help Caer Thordar, out of sheer willpower. Or faith, or stubbornness. I'm sure it's different for gods than it is for mortals, but I don't think we're that different. I think that whatever kept Gorm alive was something that you and I could understand, at least a little bit.
Your friend,
Vilda
Characters: Vilda
Word Count: ~800
Summary: Vilda writes a letter to Nexus describing the events that occurred in Caer Thordar.
Dear Nexus,
I know it doesn't make a lot of sense to write a letter when I don't know where you are, and I'll probably see you in person faster than I could send this. But I wanted to write everything down before I forgot.
Right now, we're in the mines underneath Caer Thordar, a city built by the gold dwarves in a region called the Black Ash Plain. Actually, the city is mostly gone now. An army from the nearby nation of Mulhorand invaded it. The whole thing was fascinating to watch - which sounds weird, I know. The destruction of the city was terrible, but Nexus, I think you'll understand. There were gods there, right there in front of us. They fought, and one of them was killed. Right now I'm still surprised that we weren't killed too, or our eyes weren't burned out or something.
One of them was Gorm, a deity of the gold dwarves. Gorm is a god of battle, sort of like Tempus; but instead of going out and changing things, Gorm helps dwarves who are protecting their homes. I know you haven't met a lot of dwarves besides Sid, and you haven't studied their culture; but I think you can begin to understand the importance of home to dwarves, based on what you've seen of kecuala and hobgoblins. Gorm wore full plate armor, all bronze-colored and covering everything but the glow of his eyes. He wielded a dwarven war-axe and shield, and you would recognize the way he fought: big, powerful blows that were somewhat slow but also overwhelming.
The other god was Anhur, from Mulhorand. Anhur is a god of the sun, sort of like Lathander. You would be interested in the work of his followers, because they're pushing for the end of slavery in Mulhorand. Mulhorand has been going through a lot of changes lately, and the atmosphere is such that even long-lived practices like slavery could end. But as you know, widespread changes can scare people, too, and a lot of the citizens want to protect the sameness in Mulhorand. Even the followers of Anhur want to protect Mulhorand by blocking outside influences, like deities from other pantheons.
That's why Anhur's followers invaded Caer Thordar, in fact. The Black Ash Plain is a contested territory that went back and forth between Mulhorand, and Unther next door, so some people considered it part of Mulhorand, and therefore part of what needed to be protected. (There was evidence that there was more going on behind the scenes here, something to do with all the strange stuff going on in Faerun right now - but we'll talk about that with the others once we're all together again.)
They invaded with a mortal army first: Mulhorandi humans and stone giants who were allied with them. We helped the dwarves fight, but when we started losing ground, Gorm appeared and fought for us. They say he used to do that a lot, whenever there was a war where dwarves were protecting their homes, back when dwarves had more territory. It must have been amazing for the dwarves in Caer Thordar to see their god, because even I felt a huge amount of awe and gratitude to see him.
The Mulhorandi army called Anhur to face Gorm. Anhur appeared as a four-armed humanoid who wielded falchions, and he moved faster than I could really follow with my eyes. He was just too powerful for Gorm, and he killed Gorm and destroyed the city.
The thing is, I can understand why the Mulhorandi army called for their god, because it was the same reason that the Caer Thordar dwarves called Gorm. But I don't know if I can forgive them. I feel angry at them, Nexus, at the army and at Anhur.
But you know, they say that Anhur is one of the good guys. He's supposed to be one of the deities that champions good causes, which is why his followers want to free Mulhorand's slaves. But I have to doubt that, after what I saw. That could mean that Anhur is lying. Or maybe his followers are. Or maybe Anhur used to be good, but he changed. What do you think, Nexus?
One more thing I want to tell you: before Gorm died, Anhur knocked off his helmet, and we saw that Gorm was really just a skeleton. He was a dying god, even before the fight with Anhur. Somehow he survived long enough to help Caer Thordar, out of sheer willpower. Or faith, or stubbornness. I'm sure it's different for gods than it is for mortals, but I don't think we're that different. I think that whatever kept Gorm alive was something that you and I could understand, at least a little bit.
Your friend,
Vilda