Marthu

*”Come forth Vurgus, for thou has broken mine trust once again. Thy actions has left me outraged. And like the broken souls of mine sons and daughters, thou shall bleed. And for a divine of Orius, it is a great dishonor to spill blood.”*

**- Morphas, “God of Gods”, to his brother Vurgus.**

The **Marthu** Also called “**The** **Mork**”,”**Children of Vurgus”**, or “**The Called**”, are a mysterious race of Elner people. Thousands of years ago the king of Elner divines “Morphas” was betrayed by his jealous brother, the divine of magic, “Vurgus” who killed his kids. Morphas was blinded by anger and killed Vurgus by stabbing him multiple times. He took his body and threw it on Tillindor to the west of Amelias. For some mysterious reason many Umdala were called to this place. It seemed like they were in a trance while thousands of them walked towards the east and got on ships, leaving the other Umdala in shock. The Umdala who were called arrived at Vurgus’ body. Then they started feasting

on his corpse. The flesh of the divine twisted and changed these Elner into the Marthu. Beings with a heart of evil who have been besieging Amelias for thousands of years. Around the body of Vurgus land started to grow and would be known as the isles of Snagor.

In the far western lands of Amelias, over the ocean of Orius, lie the great kingdoms of Tillin. The Elner people known as the Umdala have lived here since their ascending and once ruled the world. They lived in relative peace, but it all changed overnight. On that cursed day, whose date has been lost to time, peace became but a distant memory.

## The Elner Pantheon

Before you can understand the tale of Vurgus and the Marthu, you need to understand the Umdala religion. The Umdala belief in gods that are likely based of the pantheon of Man. Which they learned from The Forgotten thousands of years ago. Both pantheon’s have Eledor as god of evil. The Elner think they are directly descended from their gods and that they are made mortal to purge the world from chaos and evil and that once the world is at peace, they may ascend to godhood. The Elner believe that the gods are all skeletons. As they watch over the world in the purest form of an Elner being. They think that the skeleton is the true form of the Elner and that flesh and skin are side effects of their mortality. Because of this the skull is the symbol of the Umdala people. Meaning that you residing in Elios is the cause of flesh. And that once you enter the realm of the Elner gods known as “Orius”, you will become a skeleton again.

These are the gods of the Elner pantheon:

* Morphas, chief god.
* Sylvarit, God of war.
* Eyre, Goddess of beauty.
* Darcassan, God of death.
* Sypheros, God of time.
* Myrethil, Goddess of nature.
* Vurgus, God of magic.
* Rhaan, Goddess of the ocean.
* Cynthrel, God of wishes.
* Eledor, God of evil.

## History

### **Morphas and Vurgus**

Morphas, god of gods, had it all. As he ruled over the divines of Orius with pride. But it doesn’t matter what kind of ruler you are, you shall always have enemies. In this case it was Morphas’ brother, “Vurgus”, who ruled over magic in the world. Vurgus felt jealousy towards his brother. As Morphas had everything, he was left with ruling over the world of magic which he rarely got praised for. One day Vurgus was not called towards the council of gods. This was the last drop for Vurgus as he felt nothing but anger towards his brother. He decided to strike where it would hurt Morphas the most. His children.

Morphas had many divine sons and daughters. He had great plans for them. His sons would become divine guardians of Orius and the Elner people. And his daughters maidens of love and prosperity. But these were all thrown away. As Vurgus one night walked into their rooms, and killed the sons and daughters of Morphas one by one in their sleep. Morphas was left with emotions of both anger and grief as he held the lifeless, skeletal bodies of his children in his arms. He swore to destroy the person who brought this fate upon them. Vurgus knew he had no idea he was the culprit, and thought no one would ever find out. But he was wrong. For someone knew of his deeds. Darcassan, god of death, felt a disturbance in the life cycle of Orius. He was there when it all happened, without Vurgus knowing. Darcassan pointed at Vurgus across the Hall of Ulniras towards Vurgus.

*”Hear my voice oh high Morphas. For it is thy brother who has brought this fate upon these sons and daughters of Elneris.”*

Morphas had always trusted Darcassan and always felt disgust towards his brother. He didn’t hesitate to believe the words Darcassan spoke. He screamed towards his brother in anger. Calling him the worst of names in the Elneri tongue. His wife Ilas stopped him from killing his brother right there and then. He would await trial.

On the day of the trial Morphas didn’t even listen to what Vurgus had to say. He simply asked Vurgus to come forth. When Vurgus stood in front of him Morphas touched his shoulder. Suddenly flesh started to grow on Vurgus. His skeletal godlike body now that of a mortal. Morphas gave Vurgus flesh of mortals, just so he would bleed. Then Morphas started to repeatedly stab Vurgus in the stomach. He then opened a hole in the floor, through which the Elner continent of Amelias was seen. Morphas took his half dead body and threw it to Tillindor. Here he landed west of Amelias.

### **The Called**

It was just another ordinary day on Amelias. The kingdoms of the Umdala prospered and lived in peace. But it all changed on that fateful day. The fishermen noticed that the waves were weirdly high that day. Suddenly, that afternoon, whispers started to blow through the air, coming from the west. But only some of the Umdala could hear them. This left them in a trance, as they dropped whatever they were doing, and started walking west. The other Umdala were struck with shock and confusion as the called seemed unfazed by what was going on around them. The people screamed the names of those wandering, but they didn’t react. Trying to block them meant you were simply pushed to the side. Some even tried to knock them unconscious. But they would simply stand back up and start walking again.

They walked towards the western shores. Where they stole ships and sailed further west. All the other Umdala could do was watch as their brethren sailed away. Women cried for their husbands, children whined for their mothers. As they could not follow. For they felt the strange feeling that they weren’t allowed to follow. Like someone was screaming that they had to stay back.

The Called sailed for a few days. Then they arrived at the place where they were called. It was the body of Vurgus. The Called approached the giant body that came above the water. And they started feasting on the flesh. Like maggots the fed on the corpse of Vurgus. The twisted meat of the divine corrupted the Called. Their skin became darker, their eyes became red, and their teeth twisted into fangs. They had become monstrosities. All they still heard were whispers of Vurgus. Tellling them to kill the children of Morphas once again. But this time, these children were the Umdala. They weren’t the only ones. For a body attracts flies, many flies. These flies became reptilian leviathans known as “Wyverns”. Dark, mountainous land started growing around Vurgus. These lands would be known as “Bazul”, the land of of the new race known as the “Marthu”,"The children of Vurgus". Since this day peace on Amelias is no longer. As these lands are constantly under siege by the Marthu. Some sons found their fathers back on the battlefield multiple times. But they were not what they once were.

## Society

### The Khalmaar

Snagor, the corpse of the fallen god. Here the Marthu reside and fight their endless war with their brethren from Amelias. With the first coming of the Marthu the land was in disarray. Vurgus’ ability to communicate with the Marthu was limited and they almost started to turn on each other. Vurgus needed capable leaders for his armies. The flies around his corpse had turned into beasts known as wyverns. These had gathered north of the isle and had created a forbidden zone to the Marthu. Vurgus chose four individuals to travel to these lands and return with the wyverns. Establishing their authority among the dis unified people. Mugnir the Unsullied, Saarni the Mother, Sertek the blighted, and Ungar the wanderer were chosen by Vurgus. They heard his whispers and traveled to the wyvern lands. They returned weeks later to the other Marthu, flying the majestic beasts. The Marthu ben their knees to these leaders of Snagor. They would be known as the Khalmaar.