In the time of the Overlord Valerian Damkina and the surrounding lands experienced
a succession of harsh winters followed by devastating spring floods. Valerian was greatly
preoccupied with relieving the suffering of his people when news came to him of a huge
army descending from the north. The army was mainly of men but orcs, trolls and demons could
also be seen in
the marching ranks. At first the Overlord thought that the reports must be
wrong because he knew of no power in the North that could raise such an army and the
conditions were poor for campaigning. He sent out his best scouts but they only confirmed
the first rumours and Valerian sat for a while in despair knowing that even the bravery of
Damkina's paladins could not win the field against such reported numbers.
That night, however, a demon calling himself Arthranax appeared to the Overlord in his
chambers.
Arthranax, saying he was the king of all demons, promised Valerian victory and that he would
ensure the future safety of Damkina
if the Overlord would allow Arthranax to erect a temple in the city. He gave Valerian a
contract which he said had to be signed within 24 hours if the city was to be saved. The
Overlord was loath to deal with such a being but equally he knew it was his duty to prevent
the city from falling. He sent for his advisors and although the leader of his paladins,
Signorel, was
strongly against signing the contract his court wizard, Selius, and the patriarch of the city,
Granarus, both
felt that the price might be worth paying. They argued that the temple might be built but
few in the city would wish to worship there particularly as one of the clauses in the
contract forbade any of good alignment from entering the temple.
In the morning Valerian signed the contract and was amazed to see that the temple immediately
began building itself. Then he summoned his paladins and marched north reassured
by his advisors that such contracts were binding on both sides. The huge army of the
enemy, however, proved difficult to find. Summoning his scouts Valerian discovered he
had been tricked by the demon: the scouts had been ensorcelled by Arthranax and the army he
was seeking was an illusion. Valerian marched back to Damkina in time to see the
completion of the temple but he was determined that Arthranax should not benefit from his
deceit. After reading the contract carefully several times he sent for Selius and Granarus
who cast powerful spells on the temple sealing the entrances.
Arthranax was not done with Valerian, however, and appeared again that night arguing that
the sealing of the temple could be construed as harrassing those who wanted to worship
there which was forbidden by the contract. In the end Valerian agreed that he would
remove the spells if any of his citizens declared a wish to worship in the temple the following
day. The Overlord was somewhat dismayed to find a small crowd had gathered outside the new
temple in the morning but he had become familiar with the ways of the demon and had his
clerics free the people from the enchantments that Arthranax had put on them during the night.
Then
Valerian again read the contract carefully and noting that it was the right of citizens of
Damkina to worship in the temple had a law enacted that all those applying for citizenship
should take an oath rejecting the demon in perpetuity.
Arthranax has not appeared again in Damkina but his temple still stands in the city to this
day and the citizens of Damkina take comfort from the fact that they are protected both by
the powers of Light and Dark.