The Blood-Forged
A World of Draconica/Amanda Moonstone short story
By Dan Wright
By Dan Wright
From the notes of an unknown archaeologist
Despite the fact that magic is no longer practiced, there are still some (like myself) who attempt to deciphering it’s secrets. I myself am one of those would-be deciphers, for lack of a better term.
Where my interest in magic came from I cannot say for certain. I guess I always found the concept fascinating – and given the lack of materials lying around for said interest, I felt that it was my duty to at least try to find some kind of answer.
Now contrary to popular belief, there actually is a lot of study material around for magic even today – if you know where to look that is. Myself, I’ve found at least five ruins that date back to the Age of Sorcery and beyond; all of them telling a story in some way. Of course, given the archaic nature of these ruins, an imagination is usually required to create an interesting narrative. Then again, I guess archaeology is about using materials to create a story in some way.
During my travels to the eastern lands, I came across the ruins of a temple, buried underneath several feet of sand. This temple I only discovered by chance, after narrowly avoiding an attack by a sand wyrm. When it burst from the ground to try and attack me, it opened up a fissure that I was able to escape down – leading to a ruined temple that had been undiscovered for what I can only imagine had been many thousands of years. This temple, I discovered, was dedicate to blood magic. I know that as one of the words I deciphered from the carvings of the wall was Caediguis – which is Ancient Draconican for Blood. This find was particularly exciting for me, as Blood magic is something that I never thought existed before now. Certainly I found the odd tome mentioning it, but I never really found anything related to it. I myself doubted it was real – but this temple confirmed its existence.
The air down here was thick with dust, to the point where I had to cover my mouth else I’d choke to death. There was a fetid warmth that made me both sick and exhausted just by being here. But I pressed on undeterred – my enthusiasm overruling my nausea. As previously stated, there were various carvings and petroglyphs within here. These told what I assumed to be various tales and ceremonies relating to the practice of blood magic – each more barbaric than the last. I got to see (almost) first hand the full effects of Blood magic. Of all the magics that I had studied, this one seemed to be the most horrific of them all – it’s very activation seemed to be based around the shedding of innocent (and sometimes not so innocent) life. Apparently even just being in its presence can corrupt a persons’ soul, and an act that maybe seem honourable in intent can be turned into an orgy of blood and death. This is evident from one particular legend that I was able to put together from one such wall.
Though I like to believe I am somewhat fluent in Ancient Draconican (to a point), even I struggled to translate all of the text and pictures that were shown here. Therefore, what you are about to read is purely an interpretive conjuncture put together by myself. I am no storyteller by any means, but I will try and tell a tale from the information that I have here.
From what I pieced together, there was a powerful tribesmen that was a legend amongst his own people. So much so that he caught the eye of a Princess. The story goes that they fell in love and he eventually became King and she became Queen.
At this point I must remind you that no kingdom’s as such actually existed during The Age of Sorcery. From the evidence I have pieced together, Draconica was ruled by tribes of mortals rather than kingdoms or empires. Therefore, when I say King or Queen, I mean it in the loosest sense of the word, as we are not entirely sure what hierarchal system the Ancient Draconicans used – if any.
The carvings then portrayed a great battle between two tribes – I guess these were their enemy tribe. From what I was able to put together, this tribe worshipped some great deity, rather than a dragon. According to the carvings, he was the one that first gave blood magic to the mortals by pouring his blood onto the planet. I wonder if all magic could have been created this way? Nothing else from The Age of Sorcery seems to state anything resembling the creation of magic, just its discovery. The deity’s name is sadly lost to history, as any mention of his name seems to have been defaced from these monuments; although when this could have happened is a mystery. The scratches seem to have been made only recently – but I’m sure that I’m the only person to have been in here in however many thousands of years.
Anyway, during this battle, the Queen was apparently slain during this, as evidenced by the carving of the King holding the body of his Queen and the accompanying text One body lay, and yet two souls passed on that day.
The carvings then show the King talking to a strange human like creature – though any details such as facial features, hair, or even sex, are non-descript – he seems to be wearing a helmet of some variety, but I cannot say for certain. Could this be the deity that his enemies worship? Why would he appear to him? And why would the King even consider talking to the leader of his enemies? Regardless, it seems that the two made a pact, as evidenced by this statement, With the Blood of Two, He who was Blood gave to the King two blades, forged in purest Blood. And within these blades, did he give the King his strength and rage. The Blood-Forged would be his to take his revenge.
The next carving is especially brutal – showing the King slaying many enemies. The narrative is keen to show how much violence passed. With each colour of red that dabbed his blades, the King felt strength pass through him. It became his food, his breath, his water, his reason for existence. Revenge turned into necessity. Violence turned into desire. Blood turned into the meaning of life.
I can only assume that the Blood-Forged blades must have carried a curse on them that turned the King into a mindless savage. What happened next was even more disturbing. After slaying every single enemy tribesmen, he then turned the blades on his own people! For the King knew no enemies, nor allies. Only souls yet to be released and blood yet to be drunk.
What happened to the King after this is somewhat ambiguous – as the carvings tell no more of the story. In fact, the last piece of text here simply reads He continued to drink blood – until there was none, save his own. What happened here is anyone’s guess.
I do not know if this is supposed to be a warning to those that seek the power of blood, or a demonstration of the power that beholds those that wish to use it, but it certainly lets us know how destructive this magic can be. I can only assume that the King was desperate for revenge for the death of his love and so he made this pact. His intentions were good, but bathed in blood.
I wonder what happened to these blades? The Blood-Forged. weapons of such great power and fury. If they could be controlled, they would be awesome weapons to behold.
I must find out more.
Where my interest in magic came from I cannot say for certain. I guess I always found the concept fascinating – and given the lack of materials lying around for said interest, I felt that it was my duty to at least try to find some kind of answer.
Now contrary to popular belief, there actually is a lot of study material around for magic even today – if you know where to look that is. Myself, I’ve found at least five ruins that date back to the Age of Sorcery and beyond; all of them telling a story in some way. Of course, given the archaic nature of these ruins, an imagination is usually required to create an interesting narrative. Then again, I guess archaeology is about using materials to create a story in some way.
During my travels to the eastern lands, I came across the ruins of a temple, buried underneath several feet of sand. This temple I only discovered by chance, after narrowly avoiding an attack by a sand wyrm. When it burst from the ground to try and attack me, it opened up a fissure that I was able to escape down – leading to a ruined temple that had been undiscovered for what I can only imagine had been many thousands of years. This temple, I discovered, was dedicate to blood magic. I know that as one of the words I deciphered from the carvings of the wall was Caediguis – which is Ancient Draconican for Blood. This find was particularly exciting for me, as Blood magic is something that I never thought existed before now. Certainly I found the odd tome mentioning it, but I never really found anything related to it. I myself doubted it was real – but this temple confirmed its existence.
The air down here was thick with dust, to the point where I had to cover my mouth else I’d choke to death. There was a fetid warmth that made me both sick and exhausted just by being here. But I pressed on undeterred – my enthusiasm overruling my nausea. As previously stated, there were various carvings and petroglyphs within here. These told what I assumed to be various tales and ceremonies relating to the practice of blood magic – each more barbaric than the last. I got to see (almost) first hand the full effects of Blood magic. Of all the magics that I had studied, this one seemed to be the most horrific of them all – it’s very activation seemed to be based around the shedding of innocent (and sometimes not so innocent) life. Apparently even just being in its presence can corrupt a persons’ soul, and an act that maybe seem honourable in intent can be turned into an orgy of blood and death. This is evident from one particular legend that I was able to put together from one such wall.
Though I like to believe I am somewhat fluent in Ancient Draconican (to a point), even I struggled to translate all of the text and pictures that were shown here. Therefore, what you are about to read is purely an interpretive conjuncture put together by myself. I am no storyteller by any means, but I will try and tell a tale from the information that I have here.
From what I pieced together, there was a powerful tribesmen that was a legend amongst his own people. So much so that he caught the eye of a Princess. The story goes that they fell in love and he eventually became King and she became Queen.
At this point I must remind you that no kingdom’s as such actually existed during The Age of Sorcery. From the evidence I have pieced together, Draconica was ruled by tribes of mortals rather than kingdoms or empires. Therefore, when I say King or Queen, I mean it in the loosest sense of the word, as we are not entirely sure what hierarchal system the Ancient Draconicans used – if any.
The carvings then portrayed a great battle between two tribes – I guess these were their enemy tribe. From what I was able to put together, this tribe worshipped some great deity, rather than a dragon. According to the carvings, he was the one that first gave blood magic to the mortals by pouring his blood onto the planet. I wonder if all magic could have been created this way? Nothing else from The Age of Sorcery seems to state anything resembling the creation of magic, just its discovery. The deity’s name is sadly lost to history, as any mention of his name seems to have been defaced from these monuments; although when this could have happened is a mystery. The scratches seem to have been made only recently – but I’m sure that I’m the only person to have been in here in however many thousands of years.
Anyway, during this battle, the Queen was apparently slain during this, as evidenced by the carving of the King holding the body of his Queen and the accompanying text One body lay, and yet two souls passed on that day.
The carvings then show the King talking to a strange human like creature – though any details such as facial features, hair, or even sex, are non-descript – he seems to be wearing a helmet of some variety, but I cannot say for certain. Could this be the deity that his enemies worship? Why would he appear to him? And why would the King even consider talking to the leader of his enemies? Regardless, it seems that the two made a pact, as evidenced by this statement, With the Blood of Two, He who was Blood gave to the King two blades, forged in purest Blood. And within these blades, did he give the King his strength and rage. The Blood-Forged would be his to take his revenge.
The next carving is especially brutal – showing the King slaying many enemies. The narrative is keen to show how much violence passed. With each colour of red that dabbed his blades, the King felt strength pass through him. It became his food, his breath, his water, his reason for existence. Revenge turned into necessity. Violence turned into desire. Blood turned into the meaning of life.
I can only assume that the Blood-Forged blades must have carried a curse on them that turned the King into a mindless savage. What happened next was even more disturbing. After slaying every single enemy tribesmen, he then turned the blades on his own people! For the King knew no enemies, nor allies. Only souls yet to be released and blood yet to be drunk.
What happened to the King after this is somewhat ambiguous – as the carvings tell no more of the story. In fact, the last piece of text here simply reads He continued to drink blood – until there was none, save his own. What happened here is anyone’s guess.
I do not know if this is supposed to be a warning to those that seek the power of blood, or a demonstration of the power that beholds those that wish to use it, but it certainly lets us know how destructive this magic can be. I can only assume that the King was desperate for revenge for the death of his love and so he made this pact. His intentions were good, but bathed in blood.
I wonder what happened to these blades? The Blood-Forged. weapons of such great power and fury. If they could be controlled, they would be awesome weapons to behold.
I must find out more.