Production Diary

Saturday 23 July 2011

The Necromancer of Melunar

Around the turn of the 10th century surviving forces of the Burkheim giants and barbarian hordes plundered the defenseless cities of the north. Men were slaughtered by the hundreds, boys mutilated and women raped and killed at best. Though defeat was now merely a matter of time, some provinces persisted. One of these, Tranlum , a peaceful settlement in the heart of Manheim and home to many warrior families, hosted a man known as the mightiest warrior alive. Norfir they called him, "the flame of the North" - a fearless warlord who swore to protect his village against any harm. But as alliances broke and cities fell, Norfir was eventually forced to break his oath. He decided to gather a posse of townsmen and marched to war for the northern wall.

As some battles were won in the north, the Burkheims advanced in the south, soon invading Tranlum. The village fell hard under the hammer. A summer and a winter passed before Norfir finally returned back home, scarred and weary. A truly agonized sight met his eye: flipped carts, broken homes and severed body parts. His son, 15 year old Truvald, had followed his fathers advice and stood up to his enemies, but at the cost of his life. Being the man he was, Norfir refused to accept his son's death. He would bring him back at any cost.

With the help of a Shaman Norfir opened a portal to Melunar, the underworld, where Truvald's soul was held captive. He began his descent, crouching through a damp tunnel and emerging into the moonlight of Melunar. A black night sky arched with a colossal moon over a dead forest that lay ahead. Surviving a series deathtraps and overcoming hundreds of obstacles he finally reached the inner most cave, the throne room. He now stood face to face with Mora, the Queen of Melunar herself, just one swing of his sword away from completing his mission. However it should not be. Before he could strike, a blue smoke slithered through the air, seeping from Mora's sleeves and swirling up around him, draining his physical powers. But before falling he gathered all his remaining strength and pulled at the amulet around Mora's neck, tearing it off.

The sky of Melunar rumbled and cracked open with light. The heavenly gods reached down and accepted the pendulum, in return for Truvald's life. Truvald was to walk amongst men once more.

Mora let out a tremendous cry, furious over her loss. As punishment she decided, instead of slaying Norfir she was to enslave his mind, snapping a golden bracelet around his wrist. A morbid transformation began as he violently shook under her diabolical chanting:

"Kormad dom, satsa di filiur. Kormad vorm, ratsa di hala! Fortsa furm ae Mora, Drott il suborra... DROTT L’UNIVAERE!"

A shockwave pulsed outwards from underneath his defeated body, leaving Norfir in a wretched pile on the floor. As he slowly rose the skin on his face began to peel. His eyes filled with liquid as dark as the night. He was no longer Norfir, the warlord of Tranlum...

He was now the enslaved and undying Necromancer of Melunar.

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