Journey to the City of Evil
By: Ognog Posted on: July 24, 2011
While I have dwelled in Sapience for many years and visited most of it's cities and towns, I have never before had the courage or inclination to travel to Mhaldor. However, my recent move to Cyrene and the Arcane Kindred has rekindled my desire to explore the world, and so once more I gather my belongings and set off from the gates of Cyrene through the tunnel and off into the Southern Vashnars. I wind my way along the well travelled road past the valley of Actar and down to the foot of the mountains, then turn north west along the old southern road through the Savannah, the mighty Vashnars towering to my left. After walking for a couple of hours, I finally cross the beautiful Pachacacha river at the Landis' Crossing bridge. Pausing briefly to rest and admire the sparkling Pachacacha waters, I travel north until I reach a signposted turnoff to a westward mountain pass to Mhaldor. I follow the narrow and dusty path to the west as it snakes through the foothills. I suddenly realise that I have climbed high into the mountains, as I admire the dizzying vista streaching out to the eastern horizon. The trail weaves around a fallen tree, revealing a view of a mighty waterfall shrouded in mist at it's landing. As I descend the western slopes of the Northern Vashnars, the roar of the ocean waves crashing against rocks becomes ever nearer. As I approach the Western Sea, the winds pick up and I can see the waves crashing against the rocks. Seagulls are squawking and flying about in the search for food. I now see the path to Mhaldor, a narrow rocky breakwater with waves crashing over it. I commence the perilous journey accross the breakwater, and am immediately attacked by a carnivorous lycopod. This plant has sharp leaves with thick vine which lashes out at me sending me sprawling. I fight back with elemental power while being thrown about by the vine. At one stage I become entangled in the vine, and have to writhe my way free. Only once I have defeated the lycopod do I begin to notice the horror of my surroundings. The whole area is overwhelmed by the palpable vapour of a noxious red-hued fog, which even the driving wind will not disperse. Limping before me is a hideous tormented abomination, apparently formed from an orc and a mhun somehow merged together. Then I notice the cage. The iron cage is suspended from a thick wooden gallows, and contains a rotting corpse staring lifelessly into the distance. Feelings of nervous trepidation stir within me as I cautiously proceed along the breakwater. I am attacked by more lycopods, see more of the hideous abominations, and cage after cage containing rotting corpses, and another horror. A corpse, apparently impaled through the chest while still living, is suspended on a thick wooden stake. Entrails and blood run down the stake from the decaying corpse. I pause to ponder the evil that I am confronted with. The poor soul who was impaled must have suffered horrific pain, although that pain must have been short lived due to the horrendous extent of the injuries. Those in the cages however, must have endured days of delerium and torment before finally succumbing. I wonder what could drive any sentient being to be so malicious and calous. Are some beings born evil, or is the capacity for evil locked away inside all of us, just waiting for some process to bring it to the fore? As I continue further along the breakwater passing many corpses caged or impaled, I begin to become desensitised to them, as though my mind simply cannot cope with the sensory input it is receiving. The red-hued fog is ever present. The beauty of the Pachacacha, and the magnificent waterfall in the Northern Vashnars seems to be a world away, starkly contrasting the visage now before me. Arriving at the end of the narrow breakwater, I cross a peculiar bridge to the island of Mhaldor. There is a break in the red-hued fog here, and I can see that the bridge is actually constructed from the remains of a gigantic leviathan. The red hued fog resumes as I venture onto the island, it's presence becoming ever more oppressive and choking. The further I venture, the less plantlife I find. The landscape here appears to be blasted, and all appears tainted by a slick, black colour. Sickly gasses eminate from fissures in the earth. The caged or impaled corpses continue to line the road, although by now I barely seem to notice them. I wonder again if evil is a process. A feeling of dread overcomes me as I realise this desensitisation may well be the first step in that process. I finally arrive at the gates of Mhaldor, and cross a moat via a drawbridge. The Gatehouse is carved into a mountainside, and is heavily defended by infernal wraiths, naga assassins and ominous liches. There are also powerful adventurers here. Gulping nervously, I show them every sign of respect and humility. They seem to to accept my presence and carry on with their daily activities. Red graffiti proclaims "Suffering is the key to strength and greatness". Thinking of the poor souls I have been passing along the road, I wonder if in this context it refers to personal suffering, or the infliction of suffering upon others. Passing through the gates, I follow a sharply twisting road ascending the mountainside by the edge of a deep ravine. Red graffiti proclaims "Know ye that there is no truth greater than Evil". Meh, I can't make sense of that at all. Arriving at Stygian crossroads, I see roadways branching off along the mountain side. Red graffiti proclaims "Live without the constraints of Virtue and nothing will be denied you". Hmm, except maybe true happiness ... and true love. As I clamber further up the steep Mhaldor road, I find that the mountain is alive with volcanic activity, with great plumes of acrid crimson smoke swirling around it and mighty vibrations shaking the ground upon which I tread. The air is filled with the scent of ash and malodorous gases expelled from vents and fissures. Red grafitti proclaims "Your weaknesses be destroyed, your failures be thwarted". As I approach the peak of the mountain, more red graffiti proclaims "He who has not Patience, has not Strength". It occurs to me that such a principle is precisely followed by those who seek to advance goodness and the light also. As I climb further, I see the gates of a distant fortress. More red graffiti, this time "Death to those who defy the will of Evil". I think to myself, "and a fate worse than death for those who follow it". I spend many hours exploring Mhaldor. The fortress atop the mountain is called Baelgrim Fortress, and beneath it I find a hidden cavern with a gaping fissure spewing sheets of flame. It appears to be some place of ritual. The fortress is built around five spires, called Despair, Horror, Hatred, Annihilation, and Torment. There are also stables, a barracks, and an armoury. I find the main part of the city by taking the roads leading away from the Stygian Crossroads halfway down the mountain. The city has many of the features you would find in any of the cities in Sapience. There are places for gathering, shops, even a subdivision. But throughout there are many things that mark this place as a city of evil. The palpable red fog envelops all, and artworks present images of suffering and horrible attrocities. One structure in particular dominates the city - the Mhaldor Cathedral. I cannot help but wonder at the symmetry, the duality between Shallam and Mhaldor. Both persue their vastly different religions with a fervour approaching zealotry. Both cities are dominated by callossal structures for worship. I find myself crossing a narrow granite walkway towards the cathedral. An abyss shrouded in darkness on either side. Dare I to enter such a place? Will the city guards who have shown such restraint thusfar be angered by my presence in their place of worship? I am drawn forward by my thirst for knowledge, and soon find myself passing through the doors of damnation into the vestibule of evil. I find many horrors within, but most notable is a chamber of torture, with a sacrificial altar and tables with an array of gleaming tools, appearing cruel and sharp with purposes I do not dare to ponder. Feeling in a state of shock at what I have seen, I leave the cathedral and begin to walk across the narrow walkway of the faithful. The noxious red fog suddenly overcomes me, and I fall unconscious. When my consciousness returns I find myself at the bottom of the dark abyss. I somehow manage to scramble up to the street above. Shaken by my ordeal, I hastily leave the city. As I approach the leviathan bridge I regain my composure enough to notice a path leading off to the southern shoreline of Mhaldor island. I follow the path around the rocky shoreline past bubbling tar pits and then onto a broken landscape where I find a chasm lined with strange crimson material oozing maroon muck like a festering wound. I carefully enter the chasm, and find a network of tunnels and caverns. There are many bloodworms, and an underground lake infested with anglerfish. Both the bloodworms and the fish make for good hunting. I also find a tunnel leading down to the mines of the blackrock dwarves. No sooner do I enter this location than I hear a voice in my head. It is Lilin, an Ashtan official warning me that I will be considered an enemy by both Mhaldor and Ashtan should I harm these dwarves. I assure Lilin that I am here only to explore. Finding the dwarves somewhat less than friendly, although not agressive, I return to the surface once again and venture further along the trail. The landscape which must have harboured much plantlife at some time, now appears damaged and desolate, with burnt stumps of trees and burnt out grass lands. Beyond the burnt grassland I find another trail curving it's way up the mountainside. Following this trail I stumble upon a natural cavern. Peering inside I see a terrifying sight. A pit of snakes and an enormous Leviathan, just like the one that formed the bridge to the island, only this one very much alive. Suddenly, my heart almost stops as I hear a voice appearing to eminate from nowhere. "You're on the wrong side of the world, sunshine." It was Droch Ainly, a Slave of Mhaldor. I think back to the times I had been captured by his hands of the grave when he raided Cyrene. "How hard do you think it would be for me to slit your throat? Leave now", says Ainly. My heart pounding, I sprint back the way I had come, and don't stop until I've crossed the breakwater and stand once more on the main continent of Sapience. Puffing and panting, I collapse exhausted and rest atop the rocky cliffs overlooking the Western Sea. As my breathing calms, I begin to spy a path down the cliff face to the sea. I wonder if I may find pearl bearing oysters down there. The thought of pearls distracts me from my recent narrow escape, and I pick my way down the cliff face to the sea, where I do indeed find oysters and pearls. I soon find myself at a rocky inlet to a small island. As I enter the island, emboldened by my adventures and also quite tired, I approach less cautiously than I should. I stumble upon some viscious creatures, which I later learn are Poharaehe. Before I can collect my thoughts to act, the creatures have killed me, and my soul looked down upon my lifeless body. At that moment, if I had any veins left with blood in them, then that blood would have run cold. Voices. A male voice says "Well, what 'ave we 'ere then?". A female voice snickers. A male voice says "Awww, bad luck mate". I recognise the voices. It is Trance and Poergh, two more villainous knaves you would struggle to find in all of Sapience. Trance in particular had robbed me a couple of times, and both frequently raid the fair city of Cyrene. I watch with horror as Trance scoops up my crumpled body. I reach out with my mind to warn the Cyrenians that are eager to come to my rescue that Trance and Poergh are here. "The tree then ?" Trance says, "or perhaps there is some nice forestal that loves you". Thoughts and fears race through my mind. Were they following me? They arrived so fast! If he takes me to the tree, would he then rob me there? Transfixed with fear I say nothing. Just at that moment, a friendly Cyrenian voice beckons my soul to travel south. It is Angua. Using her forestal skills she brings me back to life. We both portal back to Cyrene, and I am greatly relieved to be home. Over the subsequent days and weeks the horrors of Mhaldor slowly fade in my mind, although the images of horror which occasionally invade my dreams may never fade completely.