Stories of H Merrill

In the canopy of the high trees of the Mount Eyrea which stood high on Rortha, those of the Nubem had come to be masters of their land, devoting themselves to the worship of the Tetrad. But still were they a simple people, living in small villages, oft with little magics.

But at the centre of these people was the city of Thafa. And those within the high stone walls practised among themselves sorceries, keeping what magics they had from those beyond the stone. These sorcerers were not ones of great mystic arts, but healers and illusionists. Great were these spells of blood that those of the Nubem of Thafa lived beyond their years. 

But it was in this age, that one among them found no peace, no content. For if the Weavers of Blood could bring the Nubem of Thafa to great age, could they not take away death in its entirety. 

And so, the one, called Amontekh, a Weaver of low status, brought himself before the Weavers of Blood who stood high. 

He said unto them: We of this city do age ourselves beyond those past the high stone, and yet they fear not the death which swift comes to them. I bring myself before you to ask but why should we not seek an end to death itself, for it is in our own extension that we have fear. 

And those of the Weavers of Blood said to him: It is only our place to heal and bring our people away from the unclean of death. We do not have knowledge of those things immortal, and we seek it not. For it is in that, that we would defy those Gods that created our flesh and blood, our mind and soul. No being should seek the status of Gods. 

And with their words, they cast him out to be among those past the walls. 

In his malice, he taught to those of the outer reaches that which the Weavers had kept from them and had taught to him. And he communed with those Visages of Blood, and of Life, and of all manner of things.

 He stayed within the villages that would hear his word and it was in these villages that Aeon opened before him, and he saw the face of the Visage of Death, in the tongue of the Nubem, Kulm Orthon Nevim,¹ standing in his realm of Death surrounded by those dark shadows that guide all living things to death. These shadows reached forth their hands of malformed shadow to Amontekh, tempting him to join the dead. But he paid them no heed for his will was strong, and no temptation of death came to his mind. 

Amontekh was shown those things of Kulm Orthon Nevim, who said unto him: Behold the plane of Death and all within it. May your mind accept that which is bright among darkness, such that my mark be witnessed, and you act in my name. Bind those of your desire beyond death, and in death shall they bring you service.² 

Amontekh, being of the Living Universe, had no charge to speak in the boundless lands of Aeon. His voice, with no spoken word exchanged, was heard by that great being which was Kulm Orthon Nevim. And those words of his mind were heard, saying: My great guide, I will serve your will as if it was my own. 

And so satisfied, Kulm Orthon Nevim withdrew from the vision of Amontekh, leaving him once again in the outer reaches of the Nubem land. 

It was there, among those shunned by the Nubem of Thafa, that Amontekh did draw upon the stone of the earth the mark of Kulm Orthon Nevim. Those of the outer reaches, not being versed in the magics of Thafa, did not understand its meaning. So Amontekh taught them of the things of Death. 

Those of the Weavers in Thafa did see that those beyond the stone cast spells amongst themselves, many simple, mere illusions, but there were those that cast the very same sorceries of blood of which the Weavers were well learned. And they were wrathful at those they thought beneath them, for how could it be that they had knowledge of those mystic arts which had been kept in secret behind those high walls. 

One among the Weavers, of the name Selfa, did depart from their wrath. For she could see past their clouded anger that Weaver which had been cast out. And she did know that it was he who had taught those beyond the stone. And so, did she leave herself from Thafa and sought the teacher of the outer reaches.  

She found him in a near village, of which there is no name, and called out to him, saying: Those of high walls who seek to hide the magics of this world do see that these people of the villages do practise the hidden arts. Is it not from you which they are taught?

Amontekh did not answer for he did not know as to what manner she had come. 

And she continued, saying: I do not come to harm these people. No, I come to see their great teacher who was cast from Thafa. Who now stands before me. It is in his wisdom that that which is kept as secret among the Weavers be brought to those who have age and do die swift, but fear not that age nor death. For I heard those words which he spoke before the high Weavers and I saw that he was cast out, and I knew he had no fear of those things that put fear into the hearts of the Weavers. 

Amontekh, hearing her words and seeing her truth with his sorceries, did now know that she came in aid. And so, he said to her: Yes, it is I who teach these simple people the ways of the Weavers. And I do so to find their wrath. For it is as you said, they have fear within themselves. And so, they will seek to destroy me, but I have come to learn of things beyond their knowledge, of those things of Kulm Orthon Nevim, who in name is Death. And that which is Death did speak to me, and show me all manner of things, and taught me the mark of the name. And it is under their instruction that I do spread their will. And when the Weavers do come unto me, I shall show them that of Death, and they will prostrate themselves before me, and know that I am the Will of Death, and that their magics are simple to mine. 

Selfa, with fear of that name, which is Death, did respond in warning: If you be the Will of Kulm Orthon Nevim and they do prostrate themselves before you as you say, then you will be a heresiarch, more heretic than you are, for you have spoken the true name of Kulm Orthon Nevim and know their Will. And if you do rule over this land it will become one of the deathless and one of death. 

Amontekh rejoiced and cried out: And so it will be. I will be Heresiarch to Thafa and spread my word to all of those who are to the ways the sun rises and sets, and to those who are to the way of the shadow, and to those against it.³ And all of Rortha shall know my name, and rejoice in its glory, Amontekh, Heresiarch of Thafa. And so shall I bring the deathless to their gates and they shall know the Will of Death.

Selfa, still with fear in her heart, did bow before Amontekh and cried his name to which he had given himself such that she would be spared of those things of Death. And as she rose, she spoke in soft words, saying: I do pledge myself to you, such that the stone be brought to the ground, and the earth shake with your glory, but I seek not that is Kulm Orthon Nevim, and will have no part in their Will.  

And so, Amontekh did say to her: I will spare you your life for you have come in aid against the Weavers, but know this: I act in the Will of Death.

Selfa found herself to be in agreement with Amontekh, for she wished for no stone to stand between all peoples which had called themselves Nubem. And it would be through Amontekh that this would come to pass. But she did fear his nature, for it was hers to fear the Will of Death.

1. “That which guides death.” Although the word Nevim here is a placeholder word for the word “death”, which was seen as unholy and not to be used with the names of the beings of Aeon. Nevim is more accurately translated to “a pass beyond” or “an end.”  ↩︎
2. Various records of Thafa describe this interaction differently, so it is rather unlikely that this conversation took place the way Amontekh describes it. Most who have communed with Mordis have reported no such conversation, instead usually reporting distinct lack thereof. Those who have witnessed Mordis tend to describe their manner as rather quiet and reserved, avoiding the grandeur displayed by some of the other Visages, and often not speaking at all. ↩︎
3. The four cardinal directions in the Nubem language roughly translate to: East: the way the sun rises; West: the way the sun sets; South: the way a shadow points; North: the way against the shadow. 
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