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Ancient Domains Of Mystery, forum overview / Stories / The Rise of Andor Drakon

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Darren Grey
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4211 days, 20 hours, 13 minutes and 4 seconds ago.
Posted on Saturday, February 16, 2008 at 14:04 (GMT -5)

I'll add much more to this later, but thought I might as well fire out this start for now:

Chapter 1 – The Creation

In the beginning was Gaethra, the Creator, whose eternal slumber filled infinity. And within the slumber there was the Dream, wherein were all facets of possibility. Upon the ending of the First Dream he shed the Tear, which housed the five elements: Fire, Earth, Water, Air and Mana. Gaethra resumed the Dream, but the Tear fell down, and then hung suspended in quintessence.

Within the Dream Tear the elements were in balance, and they moved in ordered patterns. The world was formed with a heart of Fire, a skin of Earth, covered in Water and encased in Air. Mana permutated all, and governed the cycles between the elements. But then there came a time of strife, and the balance was broken. In the darkest depths of the world Fire was the first to rebel, jealous of the supremity of its brethren. It broke through the surface with a burst of lava and declared its dominance. The other elements fought back, and soon all were in battle. Thick cloud covered the skies, floods raged across the land, and continents collided together to form towering mountains. It was an era of turmoil, and the shape of the world did oft change from one day to the next.

In this chaos the gods were born, their energy drawn from the different elements, and each sought to take the world for their own. Some formed allegiances and tried to set order to the elements, whilst others fought against them in hope of greater power. But none could gain the upper hand, and each then retreated to their own territory to plan for a long-term war. It was then that many began to create lesser forms of themselves and spread their seeds across the world. The newborn races thrived in the young and growing world, and began to shape it to their own desires. But soon conflict came amongst them, and so the long histories began to unfold.

There were three gods who stood apart from the others. They did not seek direct power, but instead manipulated the forces around them. They turned corruption upon the lesser gods and their seeds, and brought strife wherever they touched. They were known as the Trinity of Elder Chaos Gods, and their influence fell across all elements and all races.

The greatest was Kelvekinar, who governed corruption of the flesh. His bloated, festering form was a mass of tumours, and black bile bled from his every orifice. The obsidian crown lay upon his head as he sat on his black throne and made incest with his offspring. From him came disease and blight. At his thought crops would wither, the young would fall dead and men’s muscles would turn to puss. His children were the primal forms of chaos whose touch would make a man’s body into that of a monster.

Kelvekinar’s wife was Heloxia, who governed corruption of the mind. She spoke with ten tongues, and looking upon her natural form would make one’s eyeballs evaporate. About her neck was the obsidian amulet, and at her will she could use it to turn her appearance into that of a beautiful woman. In this form she could control men through their desire, and bring them to the brinks of madness. At her thought she could turn a mind to slush, or to terror, or to an insane frenzy. She it was that set up the Brothers and Sisters of Chaos, who spread across the world with demented words and converted others into worshipping the Queen of Insanity.

Kelvekinar’s brother was Zelgerov, who governed corruption of the soul. He encased himself in impenetrable armour, and in his huge hands held the obsidian sceptre. His thought gave men a lust for power, and turned them to seek for dark gods. He was chief general for the forces of chaos, and governed over the vast legions of chaos knights and warriors. His children were the fiercesome race of molochs, whose impenetrable defences a whole army could not overcome.

But later there would come one more powerful than all three, who would govern corruption of the heart. His words would turn brother against brother, and make nations unite under the banner of ChAoS, whilst halting his enemies and making their resolve crumble. His influence would turn the forces of chaos into the greatest threat the world had ever faced, and some say that he can only be defeated by one more evil than himself. He began life as but an ordinary human, and this story is the tale of his rise from a humble servant to the most powerful and most hated being in all Ancardia. His name is Andor Drakon.


Chapter 2 – The Price of War

Life is made from a balance of order and chaos. Ordered beings, built up from the elements, but with free will in its heart to do as it wishes. Though some may try to set laws to the world, and others may try to tear such structures apart, in all they act in balance, and keep the world in motion, its constant cycle a dance of the elements.

Elves were the first race birthed from the thoughts of Corellius and Ayssia, and they were lithe in form but strong in mind and will, and their long lives made them closely attuned to the fates of the world. Next came the dwarves, smithed by Morodwyn from the bones of Ancardia, and he sought to make them sturdy warriors and workers that they may shape the world into ordered constructs. Then came Berwyn’s jewels, the gnomes, who were natural explorers and inquisitors, marvelling at the fresh world around them. But later came pig-spawn orcs, emerging from dark holes in the Earth driven by some unknown force, and then Vargrak’s creatures, the rock-carven trolls, and many other dark monsters that the other races found foul and contempt. And wars began, and the first blood was spilled on the new soil, and has never stopped spilling.

The last race to be birthed were the child-like humans, and they were formed by an allegiance of three gods: Onn, Istaria, and Ssraxx. Each tried to put their own thoughts and desires into the new race, and so their minds burn fervently and their life-force spends itself quickly, and they are known by the other races to be in three minds at once, and ever unpredictable. Even the orcs find strange the way humans will battle each other and start war without cause. Yet even the heart of a proud grey elf can be moved by the sacrifices humans will make of themselves for others.

At first the elves did not know what to make of this new race. They were warlike and short-lived, and in this manner seemed no different from orcs. And so they sought to stamp them down, and the humans fought back, and many unfortunate wars were fought. It was not till later that they saw how humans did match them in their thirst for knowledge, and how even in their short lives they could come to master and appreciate many things, and found in humans a race more brethren to them than any other. For whilst dwarves and gnomes did value knowledge, they saw it as but a tool for material ends. Only humans could understand the elven value of knowledge as a gift in itself, and they were happy students to all that the elder race would teach them.

But alas, it is in that time of war that our story begins. Who knows what might have been different had Andor been born in a time of peace? Might he have become a great sage or learned philosopher? Or perhaps just a simple farmer? But times of peace are rare, and unremembered, and times of war will bring out greatness in men in more ways than one.

It was near the end of the Crytean war, the last great war with the elves, that Andor Drakon was born. His parents were Elkiel and Sara, humble peasants who maintained a farm near the edge of the human settlement of Vaston. Little is known about his childhood other than that he was remarkably intelligent and insightful, but did not wish to leave his home to study out of loyalty to his parents.

It was when he was twelve that disaster struck. A battle had begun with the elves over a trade dispute, and the elves had no desire to enter into a damaging war. They sought to end it quickly, and so the plan for the Great Lesson was made. The high mage Calion was against it, and termed it slaughter, but he was overruled by the Council. They valued not the humans who would die, seeing no worth in a thousand fast-breeding, short-lived peasants compared with the loss of a single elven life.

Andor was tilling the fields on that spring afternoon, whilst his parents were selling crops in the nearby town. He looked west past the glowing Sun at the road into town, hoping to descry his parents’ cart returning. But he saw then a second sun far in the distance, and it was borne from the ground, and it grew before his eyes. The earth began to tremble, and he could feel force all around him, the very air vibrating with unnatural power. Rocks rose floating above his head, his plough twisted and cracked, and a deafening ringing filled his ears. He felt his feet torn from the ground and the world span round. Light filled his vision and his flesh began to tingle, then burn. When the pain seemed unbearable everything went black.

He awoke to a clear, silent night, the moon shining brightly overhead. His body ached, and his clothes were torn, but he could see no damage to his flesh. He carefully rose, and shivering in the cold he slowly made his way towards the western road. After many hours, with the sun starting to make itself known in the east, he reached where the town of Vaston had been. But now, in its place, was nothing other than a crater.

Vaston was the first human town to fall, and it was followed swiftly after by Erisun, Durnkeep and Herman. They were all eradicated. No trace, no survivors. The areas around them became inhabitable – crops would not grow there, and animals would avoid it. Those who tried to live there would become sick and wither away. Many were the orphans of the tragedy, and it is said that none were untouched by the powers used that day.

Never since have humans waged high war upon the elves. The terror of the catastrophe has become ingrained in the spirit of humanity, and it looks upon the elder race with fear and awe. The Great Lesson was learnt. But the elves were not to foresee the disaster it could bring.


Chapter 3 – Seeds of Hate

Recovery from the tragedy was not easy, but soon the humans managed to revive their economies and their power, and after a new peace deal with the elves their trade began to thrive. For the survivors things were more difficult though, and the greatest suffering fell on the many children whose parents had been killed.

Andor found refuge in an orphanage in the northern city of Shunmar. The colder clime made him frequently ill, and his quiet demeanour made him unpopular with other children, yet for a time he found some solace in the building’s small library. But beds in the orphanage were scarce, and when he turned fourteen he was forced to move to labour in a stone quarry outside of town. There conditions were tough, and teenagers like himself were fed poorly and often mistreated. His weak constitution and curt tongue would likely have earned him many beatings had not his angelic looks endeared him to the quarrymaster. As it was he suffered far worse.

The quarrymaster, a large man who had been abused himself as a child, was harsh and demanding, and sometimes took pleasure from violent play. On one such occurrence he beat the boy cruelly using a leather scourge, and Andor, unable to take the pain and in a sudden rage against his sufferings, decided to strike back. Magical force leapt unbidden from his brow and struck the quarrymaster on his neck. He fell to the ground, bleeding heavily and gasping for help. Andor, though shocked, was still seething inside, and concentrating on the powers he could feel within he brought forth fire, and tall flames began to dance all around him.

The quarrymaster burned to death and many buildings around caught fire, killing three others. Andor was captured by the guards without resistance and brought to tribunal. Had he told of his treatment he might have been easily spared, but in spite of intense questioning he stayed silent. By law of the time he was old enough for the noose, and to that he would have been sentenced had not the Guild of Mages intervened. Wilhein, the local guild magister, heard tell of the incident and used his political influence to have the boy spared. He took young Andor under his wing, and gave him a new life in the Shunmar City Guild of Magic and the Arcane Arts.

Normally entrance to the guild was restricted to the children of nobles who could afford the extortionate tuition fees. But Wilhein, seeing great potential in the boy, arranged a scholarship for him, and Andor was admitted to the Guild as a servant and student. The work was hard and the more noble students looked down on him, but he enjoyed a period of peace that would never again be matched in his life. Wilhein personally tutored him, and taught him how to control and manipulate the arcane forces that had so chaotically escaped him before. He found he had an amazing natural talent, and gained new joy from study and learning.

But there was a deep-rooted temper still present in Andor, and an especial hatred of elves and their every influence in human life. As he grew to adulthood the ties between humans and elves recovered from the wars, and became stronger as both fell under more frequent attacks from common enemies. Yet many still held resentment against the elves for their cruel treatment and haughty attitude, and Andor especially could never forgive the pain he had endured on their account.

As Andor reached his early twenties he rose to new heights amongst his peers. He had already grown tall and strong, and now developed a sharp wit and persuasive tongue. He began to speak out more openly and boldly against what he saw as an oppressive elven regime that had cowed humanity into subservience and slavery. Politicians found his views alarming, but his words struck chords with the poor and the disadvantaged, many of whom suffered dearly from orc attacks and withering harvests whilst the elves seemed untouched in their citadels.

Furthermore his magical abilities had become immensely strong, and were growing at an exponential rate. There seemed no limit to what he could learn and achieve, and his seniors grew ever more impressed – and yet ever more fearful. But a time was about to come when his abilities would be fully put to the test, and he would surpass anything even Wilhein could have imagined.


Chapter 4 – On the Fronts of Battle

It had been known for years, though the cause was uncertain. Orcs were heavily on the rise, threatening the edge of all civilised lands. Humans suffered the most from this, as they often lived in isolated towns and farms that were easy targets. On top of orcs there were more kobold and troll attacks, and other strange twisted creatures started appearing. Crops began to wither more often, animals turned wilder and disease soared.

Some captured orcs spoke of “The One”, but they were raving and made no sense. The elders began to worry that some dark god or force was arising, stirring up vast legions of evil creatures. A few were troubled that the orc attacks were just the beginning of something far larger that could threaten the whole of Ancardia. And so the wise began to prepare in advance, and all guilds and colleges were told to prepare for inevitable widespread war.

Andor began now to learn about combat magic, and the destructive use of the elements. He became adept at this far faster than any other student, especially since it required high concentrations of will at which he was most skilled. He found satisfaction in this power, and was eager to try it out on the battlefield. He did not have to wait long.

A vast horde of orcs, trolls and other fell creatures attacked the elven city of Gelisis to the east. It came as a complete surprise, and the city commanders quickly evacuated and fled rather than try a futile fight. The monstrous army looted and pillaged the city whilst the survivors retreated to the nearest stronghold, and the elven commanders quickly arranged for troops from all nearby cities to come help reinforce them. Within days a sizeable defence force was mustered, including a small regiment from Shunmar with Wilhein as captain. Andor served as lieutenant under him.

They marched on Gelisis at dusk and took the looting orcs by surprise. The invaders were quickly quelled and fled to the north, and part of the army gave chase in order to wipe them out. But at the footholds of the northern hills they found an ambush waiting, and in that force were sorcerers the likes of which none had seen before. Black robes covered their dark, twisted forms, and they summoned vast elemental forces to attack the company of elves and humans.

Magical energies tore through them, and they were quickly decimated. Andor struggled with arcane forces to fend them off, but one by one his comrades fell around him. As their whole regiment was nearly wiped out Wilhein tried to call for retreat, but was struck by a flare of fire and fell. Andor watched as his master’s body dropped to the ground, seeping blood over the cold earth, and inside him a sudden rage took control. Anger and torment that had lain dormant for so many years now rose again and flooded through him.

He called forth a storm of lightning that tore through all nearby, and friend and foe alike soon found themselves reduced to shreds. The chaos wizards tried to send torrents of acid at him, but he deflected them with his will, and with wrathful power he turned his mind on them and crunched their corrupted bodies with mental force. When he moved the earth cracked beneath his feet, and swirling rocks rose into the air around him, heating and melting under the huge strains. The elements combined, and Andor Drakon became surrounded by a vast pillar of Mana that utterly annihilated everything around him.

In the city of Gelisis all that the soldiers could see was plumes of fire and lightning in the distant darkness, and they worried for their comrades out of reach of aid. Then a great green tower of energy lit up the night, and they quaked in fear. After an hour the glowing pillar of light disappeared, and a chill stillness took over the air. At dawn they could make out a lone figure appearing from the north with dark skin and dark robes, and they became afraid once more. As it drew near it became clear that it was Andor Drakon, caked in the black blood of his enemies.

Andor was the only survivor of that terrible battle, and was quickly summoned to appear before the Elven Council to report what he had seen. He concealed his contempt for the elves as he gave his report, describing the dark wizards and their terrible powers. All were amazed, the high mage Calion most especially, and they took careful heed of Andor’s words. It was clear now that the orc attacks were just a precursor for a much greater war, one involving corrupted forces none had ever seen before. More such battles began occurring, and Andor rose to high power and fame for his fighting ability and his mastery of tactics. The elves deemed Andor instrumental in their defence, but they were not to know the darkness lurking in his heart, waiting to be fully awakened.


(to be continued)
Waldenbrook, the dwarven shopkeeper, mumbles: "I'd offer 9 gold pieces for yer dwarven child corpse."

[Edited 1 time, last edit on 6/2/2008 at 05:40 (GMT -5) by Darren Grey]
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Ancient_pink_dragon
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So I was talking to a dark elf


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5680 days, 12 hours, 30 minutes and 30 seconds ago.
Posted on Saturday, February 16, 2008 at 15:24 (GMT -5)

This was a beautiful story. Very good job on designing the life of all gods, and what they would do. Everything really made allot of sense, (if you play adom, and have the everything about it) other than that the Andor Drakon was a bit confusing. You made him sound like someone stronger than all of the other ChAoS gods combined!
Other than that a lovely story.
You attack the Ancient pink dragon with all of your force, but do not mange to harm it! The Ancient Pink Dragon breaths a deathray, poision, fire, acid, ice, lightning, water, corruption, missle, petrefication, and stun breath at you. All of your equipment is torn apart! You die...
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Mewto
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3571 days, 22 hours, 35 minutes and 31 seconds ago.
Posted on Monday, February 18, 2008 at 08:47 (GMT -5)

The first three paragraphs are the ones I don't usually pay attention to (descriptions, duh :P) but the story was good.
For the Horde!
F50
Registered user

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5448 days, 11 hours, 38 minutes and 32 seconds ago.
Posted on Monday, February 18, 2008 at 22:45 (GMT -5)

very much enjoyed, care to tie Alhacrast and Ramirez' balor into this?
"If the bread weights that much in the draklor chain, then it's no wonder so many die of starvation.
AND - what kind of IRON RATION weights as much as an iron shield?! A dinner for four, oven included? ;)"

-Maelstrom
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gut
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Painted this one too.


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4869 days, 22 hours and 30 minutes ago.
Posted on Tuesday, February 19, 2008 at 02:16 (GMT -5)

I like it.
And look forward to more.
Put me in the 'fool filter', where I belong!
Darren Grey
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4211 days, 20 hours, 13 minutes and 4 seconds ago.
Posted on Sunday, March 09, 2008 at 21:47 (GMT -5)

Finally got round to writing the second chapter to this. Future chapters should hopefully be on a more weekly basis.
Waldenbrook, the dwarven shopkeeper, mumbles: "I'd offer 9 gold pieces for yer dwarven child corpse."
Caladriel
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ReGiStErEd UsEr


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4669 days, 14 hours, 34 minutes and 44 seconds ago.
Posted on Thursday, March 27, 2008 at 13:38 (GMT -5)

Great story.

Don't forget the Trident, the stone circle and the infinite dungeon.
Darren Grey
Registered user

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4211 days, 20 hours, 13 minutes and 4 seconds ago.
Posted on Sunday, March 30, 2008 at 22:39 (GMT -5)

Have you been reading my story plans? :P All will indeed be included, though some in more detail than others.
Waldenbrook, the dwarven shopkeeper, mumbles: "I'd offer 9 gold pieces for yer dwarven child corpse."
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Maul
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[banned user]


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4900 days, 20 hours, 38 minutes and 48 seconds ago.
Posted on Monday, May 05, 2008 at 14:25 (GMT -5)

Or not.
1l= Y0(_) [4l\l R34[) 7l-l15, Y0(_) l\/l(_)57 83 PR377Y G00[).
Darren Grey
Registered user

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4211 days, 20 hours, 13 minutes and 4 seconds ago.
Posted on Monday, June 02, 2008 at 05:41 (GMT -5)

Or yes. Exams have been taking up most of my time, but as they come to an end I've had time to write a couple more chapters. Things will start getting more interesting around chapter 6...
Waldenbrook, the dwarven shopkeeper, mumbles: "I'd offer 9 gold pieces for yer dwarven child corpse."
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Maul
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[banned user]


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4900 days, 20 hours, 38 minutes and 48 seconds ago.
Posted on Monday, August 30, 2010 at 18:10 (GMT -5)

Well, have the exams ended, Grey? :P
1l= Y0(_) [4l\l R34[) 7l-l15, Y0(_) l\/l(_)57 83 PR377Y G00[).
Darren Grey
Registered user

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4211 days, 20 hours, 13 minutes and 4 seconds ago.
Posted on Monday, August 30, 2010 at 20:05 (GMT -5)

Um... yes... But then more came around, and then I was in America and then I was job-hunting and now I have a new job starting in a month, and in all that time I've also made two roguelikes myself and won Platinum Man in ADOM. Busy, busy... I have written general notes on how this story should pan out, but whether I'll ever get round to finishing it or not is another matter :/
Waldenbrook, the dwarven shopkeeper, mumbles: "I'd offer 9 gold pieces for yer dwarven child corpse."

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