Mark of the Dark Smith

Written by Yerran

This incredibly rare mark has only appeared once in the two hundred years since The Dracis Collective came to Lenwir, though their population is much lower than that of their kin on the Isles of Aedun. The mark appeared there more regularly, usually about once every 20-30 years and those that possessed it were taken away by the Ash Priests to the heart of the forge where they would be favoured above all others.

Mark

The mark appears from birth, resembling the one, allegedly, carved in Khur Rengar's forehead. It glitters across every scale of the one born with it and pulses with forgefire light in complete darkness. Beyond the glittered spectacle it does nothing physically to she, or he, unfortunate enough to possess it.

Effects

The effects of the mark start to develop strongly through adolescence and align with 'The Dark Smith's' nature.

Drive of Gods

This effect causes the person to work tirelessly with increasing strength as time goes on, until the point where they no longer sleep or eat and lose all thought to the work they strive to complete. This is one of the reasons they are taken by the ash priests, so they can feed and use magic to preserve their health that would otherwise deteriorate rapidly without constant care all with the goal of making more fantastical creations for them.

Brilliance of War

The mark infuses the ability to create fantastical and amazing creations, though they are all sadistic or geared towards war and creating bloodshed, be it weapons, golems, torture devices, etc. This is another reason the ash priests revered them so much, for they could keep these incredible machines for themselves and use them to retain power. This is a huge problem for those of The Dracis Collective who had sworn to cease the crafting of deadly weapons and creations in most manners, instead striving to create things that improve lives and are defensive in nature.

Descent into Madness

Those marked with this 'gift' will slowly lose themselves, crafting more and more unhinged items and losing their own sanity and selves in the process, until they can no longer communicate or function to any degree in life, becoming a danger to themselves and others.

Lies of the Ash Priests

During the years before the escape from the Isles of Aedun when those that founded the Dracis Collective toiled away within the massive volcanoes Caldera, they were told that their work pleased Aedun, the creator god of the forge, and those that were chosen and blessed were gifted with his mark, born with it upon their scales.

It wasn't until the flight of Narduur Angleforge and their joining of the Unitum Pact when they learnt that the mark was in fact that of Khur Rengar, The Dark Smith, and that the Ash Priests and all those that toiled away beneath them had served him all along. The news that their kin toiled away for the Destroyer Gods was hard for many who had left behind family and friends in their escape, and many call for a return to Aedun to spread the truth, though all know it would be folly with so few of them against the might of the ash priest's regime.

Khur Rengar, The Dark Smith

Once the prime disciple of the creator god of the forge Aedun, his descent into darkness is a rarely discussed topic, for fear it will bring his attention. The Dark Smith crafts away in complete darkness, the only light a burning rune upon a black square ever alight upon his forehead, and his machinations bring only despair, pain and death.

Type

Divine