Devotee's Of The Shroud

## Followers of the Shroud

Depiction of The Shrouded One

The Entity known as the Shrouded One is a being of mystery and cunning. It has kept its influence and notoriety small to keep itself secret. It mainly keeps its acts around its followers but its influence has been seen around the world of Eldham. The nature of The Shrouded One has been one of the most debated in the college of cardinals, although to the majority it is of a maleficent nature, the Shroud now slumbers in a tomb under Shroudsfort where many go to prey that it will never awaken again.

## Ancient Lands And Its People

### The lands of chaos

IN THE LANDS of Ancient Ariefell the lords of the land sat on their towers of greed and power, they would occasionally partake in brutal torture of the people of the land. Upon a brisk morning wind, came a dark mist that covered the land killing all plant life, forcing the people of the land to seek refuge within the inner city of the land, however they were met at the gates by the lords of the land and their armies. "you can not enter this city of beauty" expelled one of the lords known as Paramis, the lord of greed and power, the highest one. "your filth is not welcome here" Doramis the lord of lust giggled to the crowd.

AS they both began to laugh out at the poor people of the lands of booming thunder roared over the land silencing the lords "your power over MY lands is at an end" beckoned the almighty god in the sky. "you have no dominion over us" shouted Paramis with a noticeable and clear sense of fear in his voice. "that is were you are mistaken, for i made you and your land, you are me and i am you" roared the god as the black mist descended. The mist began to rip stones from the ground and flesh from the bone, as a beaming orange eyes appear as a thunder like laugh crackled over the sky.

### THE SONS OF THE FALLEN LORD

THE CHOSEN SON, not far from the city 2 boys were born, twins. the mother and farther cared for the sons for 6 years until a crippled lord came to the farm "my name is Doramis and i take these boys as my own" then having the parents killed and the boys taken.

JAWAN the brighter of the 2 boys was a lot brighter than his brother, as 13 years had past and the boys were now at the age of 19, he put most of his past time into knowledge and spiritualism, a boy who knows more of the world than he does himself but sees just in ways that are fair.

VOIDEN the other of the brothers, knows that great power is the key to good leadership and must do what is necessary to ensure full power and security to his position and those he loves. over the past 13 years the boys were trained into men. Forged into weapons against all who stand in the way of the lord Doramis, however they could never fully gain the full respect of the lord as he saw only boys, where they believed they are more. One day after a long battle against a evil mage they returned with the head of the mage as a gift.

DORAMIS didn't bat an eye to the gift given to him instead he secluded himself in prayer to a god that some believe to be the one almighty shroud that destroyed his home and killed his own brother paramis. he sits and prays all day and night with no reply, until this night.

## Betrayal Of The Mighty

### The Calling of action

A DARK WHISPER came to Doramis and filled his head with what will come in the future of how both his sons will turn on him unless one of them is to die, he decided to act on this, he called both boys to the large throne room and told them to fight and the victor will be his heir. Doramis simply could not pick between the two boys so he decided to let the mighty shroud choose for him. the boys refused to fight and turned on Doramis slaying him and then taking the throne. Then before their eyes the shroud appeared in a brown cloak and orange eyes and said. Only one can take the throne and be the seat on power on my land, you will have my power to guide you, now fight for my mercy!" JAWAN refused to fight his brother and instead turned to face the god, but before he could make a move a sword was driven through his chest.

### The rise of the kinslayer

JAWAN FELL to his knees as he felt himself dying, he was shocked to see his brother Voiden was the one with the sword "long live the king" chuckled the shroud. Voiden, eyes corrupted with the power of the shroud sat upon the throne as he ordered his guards in the room. VOIDEN THE KINSLAYER demanded jawan would be dropped off the highest tower into the ocean as his rule had just begun, once the shroud had changed the land that he owns and punished those who go against his word, ALL HAIL THE SHROUD.

## The fallen crown

100 years has past since Voiden took the throne and his brothers life, the powers of the shroud refuses to let his body die even as he is a frail old man. Voiden called out to the shroud demanding to be released from the shackles of life to join his brother in the mist. "let my soul join those I know in the mistlands you damned demon!" he exclaimed to the darkened clouds above. However he was only awarded an audience with himself. The castle, old and frozen, the people starving and angered at their king. He knew he must end his life on his own terms, as he stepped onto the ledge of the castle tower the shroud appeared forcing him back against the wall, "you grow older yet not wiser Voiden" the shroud spoke with a breathy tone, "yet your powers grow because of me" he replied struggling to move himself from the wall he is held against.

The shroud released its powers holding Voiden against the wall, "if it is death you wish for then you must first provide an heir to the throne you hold so dear" chuckled the Shroud, with that he vanished into the clouds, Voiden rushed to his council and demanded a suiter be found. For days they searched until they came across a woman, dark hair with blue eyes, she was taken to the lord where they were married and 4 years later gave birth to 3 children. Voiden forgot about the Shroud, about dying, about throne, he found love in the family he created.

Until one day when he came back from a late night of council meeting about how the lands have began to prosper and the coffers filling higher than ever, He found his wife laid on the floor, the life drained from her as well as 2 of their children. The shroud floating above making its way to the third child, a young boy, with the same features as his mother. Voiden rushed infront of the shroud and dropped to his knees "please leave me the boy you asked for an heir well here he is!" he cried out to the deity. "you are still a fool Voiden, I need no heir from you, i wish only to show you i can take all you know" The shroud cackled as he lifts up Voiden by he neck, "you have served me your purpose now you may take the boys place" with that he began to drain the life from Voidens old body, his soul pouring into the shroud he gave out a final whisper "finally.."

When the kings council rushed to find a room of dead, they knew that their king was dead, the boy in his cot crying for love, confused and alone. The head of the faith rushed to see the shroud floating above them all, "our lord, who shall run the kingdom now" asked the head, "you shall, as my loyalist servant in this realm, and for the boy, take him into your church, nurture him and train him to love me as all do" beckoned the shroud as it dissipates into a cloud of mist.

## Hope In A Lord

This takes place 20 years after the events found above. the story of a character known as Wilhelm Arietis Who is responsible for placing the shroud into slumber in his tomb under Shroudsfort, He was also the one to create a religious reform to not worship the shroud as a saviour, but to worship the shroud to keep in asleep in hopes it shall never awaken and bring destruction on the people of eldham as it once planned to do.

### Deities and Destiney(scriptured from Wilhelm himself)

The old bells of the fort rang, Wilhelm awoken from his meditation, clothed himself in his rags, grabbing his sword and ran to join the people outside as over the walls in the distance could be seen a wave of mist surrounding the fort, the people armed themselves and manned the walls, barricaded the broken gate as well as they could. Fear spread like a plague among them, they looked to Wilhelm for advice. as he walked past them they fell silent awaiting his word.

The mist was the very same that covered their home, the same that spread dread and madness among all who step in it, it was dark as night and had glowing orange sparks fly around in patterns unknown to any scholar. Before Wilhelm could form a word the roaring screams of the damned marched towards the fort in full sprint, glowing orange eyes and charred flesh they cackled and screamed as they smashed at the walls and gate climbing their way up were they were repelled by the men at the wall. Wilhelm rushed to the gate with as many able bodies as he could and prepared for what was about to enter, fear now the norm. As the gates flew open a ghast of mist flew in as the glowing eyes flood through smashing into the men around Wilhelm.

As Wilhelm hacked and slashed his way through the damned he didn't realise the whole fort was covered in the mist as echoed screams could be heard from those fighting for their lives. Then above the fort with an evil chuckle the Shroud appeared as he once did. Wilhelm now on top of the wall facing the shroud as it floats above the death and conflict. he grabbed a crossbow he found on the floor and released the loaded bolt as the dark lord, it had little to no effect as the shroud reached out his arm at Wilhelm grabbing him with a force unseen lifting him up and pulling him to the shroud. the shroud opened his mouth and began to pour itself into Wilhelm's soul, with the intention to corrupt his mind. With the little control Wilhelm had he drove his dagger into the dark lords neck as it dropped him in a moment of rage.

As Wilhelm fell he broke through the poor structure of a building into what seemed like a crypt. He recognised the runes on the Crypt, it was a seal, a prison, one he could use against his foe to send him back into slumber. Wilhelm began to read out the ancient words of the tomb as they echo along the land. calling against the shroud and his powers, dragging the mist and itself down into a sealed tomb. the roaring anger from the shroud grew in aggression as it clawed at the ground to stop itself from falling into the tomb.

With a final breath the shroud whispered some rite which split half of his and Wilhelm's soul, intertwining them into one. The shroud let go of his grip at the ground with a small laugh letting himself fall into the tomb, with that Wilhelm stumbled out of the crypt to those who remained from the conflict. he rose to see his people gathered to bow to him, with that a small smile appeared on his face for the first time.

It was after this that Wilhelm reformed the followers of the Shroud, into the Devotee's of the Shroud to signify that those who join their faith prey to prevent the destruction and to keep the shroud from awakening and fulfilling its goal to cause chaos where is goes.

## The Fracture event

After Wilhelm had placed the entity of the shroud into his prison, There had began a corruption in his mind, one that he had accepted through the wish of power and becoming a god. from that Wilhelm created a rite in which he fractured the soul of all the people of the shroud tainting them and darkening their minds, this was named the fracture event, of which the shroud replaced a part of the peoples souls with a bit of himself. Wilhelm had contracted a much darker source of power directly from the shroud yet of the same nature. from this they would sacrifice many to the shroud empowering the deity with each victim.