Man's Mortal Coil (Logic 2)

by Leon the Traveler

What is death? This question has been asked by many a scholar over many an age, but I do believe that I, the great Leon, have come to a final conclusion on the matter. In regards to this revelation, I must pay my greatest regards and consolations to a company of brave heroes that risked their lives to disrupt the ritual of a dastardly cult of Shedomites that were trying to call upon the malignant force of their Dark God.

I have written down their tale in another one of my compilations of heroic stories. I do hope you, dear reader, will find some enjoyment in them. But alas, when we speak of death we deal not in heroics. We deal with a greater cosmic force that was created by the hands of a most foul deity.

Firstly, let us interpret and analyse the common "visions" that the dying report to us. Many a warrior that walk the edge report a sensation of "floating" towards the heavens whenever their lease on life comes up short. And yet, those that remain among us and have not faded report that chains of darkness bind them.

These chains have many names, most of which are well and truly foul. And well deserved if I might add. But I have, for you my dear reader, their true name as well as their purpose. Gravity. A keeper of the Fire Lord was among the band of heroes, and in a desperate moment to reclaim a loved companion from the edge he worked a spell of Restoration, knowing full well that his companion had already departed. And yet the spell worked. Dear reader, do you know why? It is because these chains, Gravity by name, are a tool that exist to return the unworthy to the Land, so that they may face the trials of life again.

Those grasped by the chains are to be flung into a new vessel, usually that of a new-born. Though if the mortal vessel is repaired, the chains tend to default back to the "standard" vessel. The ritual that the heroes disrupted was meant to strengthen and guide the chains so that the souls of the departed would all be channelled into some sort of befouled and enchanted apparatus.

As the heroes destroyed the abominable machine I couldn't tell you much more about it, even if I wanted. Which I assure you, I would rather not. Among the glyphs, "Gravity" was always mentioned as the element that binds us to our shell and by extension to Hell and the dark one.

So dear reader, I hereby declare. If you wish to ascend to the heavens, you must defeat Gravity! And don't let a wizard or alchemist fool you into buying a charm or potion of levitation! For the gods do not look kindly upon those that would seek to bypass their trials. Of course, to those aspiring arcanists that now seek to dispel the concept of "chains", I would bring you a word of caution. Some Shedomites report these chains as silken ropes that gently hold them to their mortal vessel, and others yet report them as a different manifestation. So instead, you must always look to Gravity and its dreadful power. No matter what shape it may take, it is this most malignant force that denies us our place at the side of the Lord and Lady. Furthermore, I must give you a simple yet useful piece of advice. The power of Gravity is dreadful when it works against you. Why not make it work for you instead?