History pt 2

Some twenty-two years I faithfully served Idoana enduring peril, poverty, and pestilence in his keep.  I dare not describe all the events that transpired all those years, or how I came to this point I find myself at now.  The tales of deception, trickery, and betrayal dealt to me widdling me away like a sharp knife stripping away the bark from a young tree’s limb.  How often can even the strongest rock stand the beat of the water upon it before it slowly gives way?  Though I tried to align myself with strong and auspicious allies, they turned in vain to be impotent at best and destructive agents of the House of Nis at worst.  Eventually, I joined with the path of many of my kinsmen in retreating from more public displays of my heritage.  I forsook my calling, or what I thought was my calling until message by Idoana Himself betrayed to me the truth.  Alone and estranged from my kinsmen and all that I knew I wandered the land.  I dare not seek another place with another House for I knew I could not ever remove who I was, despite what I was to become.  My journeys took me from the lands of the Sails, through the squalor and putridity of the realm of the Tulug. 

At last I came upon the land of Usvat, and took upon myself the minor position of Counter.  A Counter is a most minor part to play in this world, being responsible for only the numbering of men and creatures and things.  He is a keeper of books and tomes and ledgers, with an endless supply of unnecessary work without design or purpose except to be used by the Sails in their craftiness, or the Torrid to his own means.  As a Counter I performed my duties too well and caught the eye of the Torrid.   It was not by my design I sought out to gain the attention of the Torrid.  For doubtless, after my former experiences, I desired naught, but to live quietly and find my daily sustenance.   But the mark of Idoana was upon me and though I hid it upon my flesh, I could not hide it upon my heart and soul.  Perhaps this was known to the Torrid.  I do not know.  Except that I was chosen from among the inhabitants to join the ranks of the Axmen.  At first I was unsure, and a small voice within screamed out in pain.  How could I have given my life for so many years too the benefit and health of all things in service to Idoana, only now to trade for the power to remove life and hope and peace in service to the Torrid?  I sought counsel from others, but knew too well counsel could not be trusted.  I have felt the burn of counsel given at the selfish ends of others to extract information or power or control.  Nevertheless, it was the counsel of one called “Toot” who urged me to take upon me the power and position through his counsel:

“Think not of it as destroying the hopes or lives of man or creature.  Think instead of it as looking for the greater goals of Usvat, and indeed, all things.   For in the end, you will have saved many a life through the use of your gifting should you accept it.” 

In the end, it was Idoana who made the decision for me.  Having betrayed me from my former estate, but placed in me the heart of right and good. I knew well the need for justice in the land.  As well did I know, the power of the evil men do.  Taking these things into stock, and having no other place to go, I committed myself the apprenticeship and training necessary to become an Axman.

History Part 1

As I said, I was not born an Axman, nor did I aspire to become one; for Axman are a tolerated, but often secretly disdained lot.  No, I was born to a royal family some 30 ages ago.  Indeed, THE Royal Family: The House of Yewhov, rightful rulers of all things.  As a member of the House of Yewhov, I was servant to the mighty Idoana, ruler of the eternals who, it is rumored, long ago bore all things to life in both present and far away lands.  Idoana had countless eons ago left this world to travel to some far away place, as yet unknown.  Though the house of Yewhov continued to thrive, there arose Lucrid of the House of Nis to challenge the authority of Idoana, and through vain and deceptive craftiness took hold of all lands.  The rule of Lucrid proved too much for the remaining members of the House of Yewhov to combat, and though Lucrid allowed the house of Yewhov to continue (mostly because he could not stop them), he did so out of vainglorious conceit.  For it pleased him to see the house of Yewhov struggle and be dragged through the dredges of the lands as a thorn in the side of kings, and laughingstock to most of the inhabitants.  For this cause, many of the House of Yewhov hid the mark of their birthright, a small crown-shaped insignia on their shoulder which belayed the truth of their heritage.   

As a servant of the mighty Idoana I continued in his service despite his absence.  True be know, I had never seen Idoana, nor had any of my kinsmen; yet we served him to the best of our abilities making ready all things for his eventual return.  For greater than 21 years had I served my king loyally and truly.  However, disloyalty and spies from the House of Nis had crept into the inner workings of all facets and workings of the House of Yewhov.  Indeed, the House of Nis had even formed a way to replicate the mark of Yewhov and had cunningly formed alliances, intermarried, and taken over certain holdings with the House of Yewhov leading astray the simple and feeble-minded.  It was through these means, the House of Yewhov was being overtaken and destroyed from within, where it could not become overthrown from without. 

Introduction

Many people are born into this world each day.  Many live, and many die.  Many are born for greatness, while others, born for obscurity.  I was not born as I am today.  No man starts a child and hopes to be what I have become.  Indeed life and fate, plays it's cruel ironies on the players and spectators alike.  It is life, in it's decisions, and fate in it's mercilessness that builds a man, or crushes him to dust.  Forgive me my vain ramblings, my name is Lerr of the kingdom of Usvat.  I am an Axman.

For those not familiar with these lands, Usvat lies South of the divide, and due East of the Barren wastelands of Tews.  Tews, of course, being inhabited by all manner of fierce creatures, and ruled more by storms than by kings.  The inhabitants of Tews are smaller creatures, perhaps more of beast than of man.  Though, it is said, they originated from both; yet I know not how that may be.  I cannot say their true height, as I have never seen one to walk fully upright, but their leather covered hands nearly touch the ground.  Their brow protrudes forward giving cover to their eyes.  Most possess four of them, eyes that is, not brows, with a sort of double eyelid on each.  Their teeth are a strange faint red, and sharp.  They mean no harm for the most part, and a good many of them behave in kindly ways.  Indeed many are saddened often as reports of storms and beasts in the land kill a good many of their number.

Usvat is quite different from the Tews.  It was once a quite, undisturbed realm; provider of life to creature and tree.  It's rivers teemed mighty with fish of all kinds, so much so, one could perhaps cross a river upon their scaly backs.  The skies filled of fowl so as to block out the sun and provide a haven of rest to a weary traveler.  True, it did have it's foul beasts, to be sure, but the worst of them were created by those who came later, and not as the land was once found.  The land has perhaps always been inhabited, or so they say.  But it was not until the Inaps came to seek out the riches of the land that the land began to experience another kind of life. 

The Inaps were tall creatures with metal skin laid upon itself in a series of joints, enough to allow movement; albeit in an awkward stiff manner.  Their hands possessed only four fingers and a rather odd blade.  The blade was a sort of small sword or dagger capable of being shown only after they closed their fingers.  While some of the Inaps used these blades for weapons to seek war, most seemed content to use them to cut the fruit from high hanging trees to press their wine.  The oddest of all traits seemed to be in their faces.  Their heads rose to a blunted point as did their faces protrude into their pointed noses.  This characteristic would seem to doom their race to extinction at the sheer ugliness of their countenance.  Yet, upon will their could lift their faces.  Not their heads as to look to the sky, but their faces could rise to show a most beautiful and alluring blue face capable of capturing men's hearts and touching their souls.

As the Inaps came, so came their ways.  Ways foreign to the land; and the land fought back against them.  It was out of these battles many creatures found their way into the world.  Creatures arose out of the skies, lands, and waters.  New creatures and new races to fill the land of Usvat.  Deldars with their keen minds and slow movements, were hairless and full of sores and spots.  They resembled a kind of shelled creature walking about slowly on six legs, but with the head of a man.  They were often full of saged advice and tales to tell, yet often ignored due to their need to slumber for up to eighteen hours a day.  These came to inhabit the south lands of Usvat first, and then slowly, very slowly, began to move into other provinces.

The Canirs arose from the seas and lakes.  The possessed large rounded bodies, with large eyes.  Their skin was an almost greenish color, and their brow glittered and danced displaying their emotions.  They were very talkative, and yet spoke in a tongue known only to themselves making a constant series of clicking and laughing noises.  Indeed they seemed to be most talkative during their merriment, which seemed to occur as often as the sun rose.  Many others came to inhabit the land to include the Imps, Rakens, Sails, and a myriad of smaller, less notable creatures.

It was not until later the Demicall came to inhabit the land.  The Demicall fancy themselves healers of sorts.  Possessors of the magical arts with the ability to grant life, or delay death.  It is even rumored some lay wait in dark corners practicing forbidden ways in attempts of defeating death.  The Demicall are lazy creatures, yet capable of incredible bursts of speed when so needed.  Their eyes were narrowed and they seem to possess no nose of mouth.  It is not known how they eat or speak, yet one can easily hear them.  They have long arms, shortened legs, and seem to require little sleep.  This may be why they appear lazy as they may draw their strength out for longer periods of time.

As I said, I am Lerr of Usvat.  I am an Axman.  In times past I may have been called an executioner; wielder of the ax or rope upon the poor souls condemned to die.  These days, we have progressed beyond such crude and simple methods.  My strength lies not in the ax as a tool, but in the Ax as a power.  For I do not place a rope upon one's neck to stretch it 'til death, but place a hold upon one's hope to drain it from taking root.  Nor do I level an ax across a neck to remove an offender's head, but level my skill upon the life force to remove prosperity, status, or stature.  Mine is the power to take from another what is theirs and leave them with nothing.  However, while many of my fellow Axman take joy in their power; I disdain it and feel my life ebb as it draws from me as I use it.  Alas, I know not at this point, if the use of my power will crush my own soul, take my own life, or lead me to become that evil which man and creature should most fear.