Far across the world in the vast, sweltering, humid jungles of Samira, where there was once a vast and powerful empire that existed thousands of years ago in the age before the Fall. Since that lost age of heroes, the denizens have forgotten their ancient past and have become a scattered tribal people, and their collective history has been lost to myth and the unrelenting procession of time.
Within this forgotten and forsaken place, one hundred years ago a fanatical death-cult arose from the pale-skinned tribal peoples that reside there; they call themselves the ‘Purifiers’ and they are led by a charismatic fanatical leader, self-proclaimed as ‘The First Reborn, Lord of the World.’ The First Reborn longs for the Sword of the First, he feels it rightfully belongs to him, and the news of its discovery has finally reached these distant lands. This cult started out with humble beginnings as a simple tribal folk religion, but was usurped by extremist fanatics, they twisted it into what it is now.
The First Reborn is a man that appears to be in his early thirties, he stands in front of a burning village in a haughty, arrogant stance, he is pleased by the death-cries of men and lamenting sobs and screaming cries of women and children that fills the air. This village had a name but the First Reborn never bothered to learn it; it’s a typical Samira village with round huts built into the giant trees of the jungle realm.
A village elder covered in tribal tattoos and markings, kneels before the Purifiers leader, forced there by two large men. “Millennia ago, your ancestors were responsible for destroying my people, you and your people may have forgotten but the Purifiers have not. I am here to rectify this injustice; consider yourself purified,” the First Reborn says emphatically, then he uses his Everliving powers on the man, it’s pyrokinesis, the power to burn things with his mind; he reaches out his hand to focus and channel his powers as green flame begins to swirl around his hand and forearm; the green fire launches outward to the tribal elder engulfing the man in fire, the village elder screams in pain as the flames become the color of fire that we are all familiar with, then he dies within moments. The Purifiers that were looming over the man step aside to clear the heat of the flames and watch with glee in their eyes and wicked grins on their faces as the man burns.
This leader of the Purifiers cult is an imposing and handsome man, but with callous cruelty in his eyes; he speaks to the man next to him, the man’s name is Vorshan and he is a tall and lean man that moves with the grace of a dancer, and he has nothing but contempt and hatred on his face for all things that are not Purifiers related. He is the right-hand man of the First Reborn. While observing the carnage before him and without looking at Vorshan, he says, “go forth, retrieve that which is rightfully mine, we cannot allow it in the hands of a heretical savage from the mountain realms, do not fail me, Vorshan, bring me the Sword of the First.”
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With a bow in acknowledgment of his leader’s command, Vorshan makes ready for the quest to retrieve the Sword of the First. Even though dusk is upon them, he gathers nine men and one woman with him. The woman, Zeyzey was chosen because not only is she a true believer in the cause, but because females are often overlooked and can get into social circles and situations that men cannot; men are easily manipulated by a beautiful woman. All of the best Purifiers’ spies are women, for the past 100 years they have infiltrated nations and powerful organizations all over the known world; some even whisper into the ears of kings.
Their destination is the newly founded Realm of Koronos and the ancient Fortress of the First. It’s a stealth mission and they are all specifically chosen because they have the traits of assassins and spies. They plan to enter as refugees to obfuscate their true intentions. Traveling until the path is too dark to see, only then do they make camp for the night, and then they break camp at first light; this will be the routine for many weeks, all the while discussing tactics, plans and contingencies.
As they travel through the days and weeks across the continent of Titans, all along the way they murder farmers, kill the farm animals for meat, and take what they want; always picking easy targets outside of villages and towns. Burning the cottages and barns to hide their crimes and leaving none alive to tell the tale; be it man, woman or child. They usually don’t take the women for pleasure, because if she isn’t a Purifier, she is considered unclean and considered more like a dog than a human.
Vorshan is very pleased with the murder and carnage they inflict upon the unsuspecting victims; he finds the most pleasure in personally killing the women himself as blood sacrifices to the ancient gods of his ancestors, thus believing it will grant him the favor of the gods, this is the Purifiers way. Zeyzey breaks his fantasies of grandeur as he stands over his recent victim when she says to him, “this Koronos, he may be formidable, especially if the Sword is anything close to the legends, we cannot confront him, it must be done with trickery and subterfuge.”
“Yes, this is my concern as well. I have been thinking about it for days, but I have been formulating a plan; whether to use you, or poison, or both, or perhaps something entirely different.” After a few moments Vorshan continues, “I’ll know when we arrive there and I can assess the situation better, we will observe this heretic before I decide.”
Zeyzey follows up with, “I do like the sound of poison, but if he's anything like our great leader, it may not have the desired effect.”