Magna Serpaensism/Bezoar and the Fang

Lord High Marshal Sarrath d'Peabee told this tale over a fire while sitting vigil with his armies defending his lands from the advances of the RedSpan Holy War:

"A story, eh? Hmm... What sort of story do you seek, my friend? Most of my stories are of ancient gods and ancient wars."

Sarrath smiles and starts into his story.

"Have you ever learned, my friends, of why it is that we hate DaWay so much? Let me tell you the story of Bezoar the Defiler.

In times past, before the reign of men but after the defeat of Calamar, Bezoar, the goat-god, was sent forth by his defeated comrade into Atamara. You see, no god can be easily destroyed forever, not even by Magnus. Calamar to this day seeks influence over all that Magnus rules, but we faithful stand true against the influence of Calamar until Magnus once again must rise up to defeat that evil.

And so, Calamar sent Bezoar into the early lands of men. Man was just starting to come out of the fields and learn to work the land and make tools. Calamar saw this and knew that if man were to gain a foothold, then his awakening would be ever more difficult for they would learn The True Way from Magnus.

Bezoar rampaged the countrysides. He came upon encampments of men and would eat everything in sight, even the men, women, and children themselves. There was no satiating Bezoar's appetite...

The early settlers of Atamara were terrified. How could they defeat this beast which could not be defeated by human hand? Who could help them?

In those days, the church had not yet formed, but they had their shamans from the days of old. Shamans that knew of The True Way, of Magnus, the Great Serpent.

A small group of brave warriors came to those early shamans. These warriors begged the shamans for answers from their gods. They pledged all they had and all they were if only the gods would answer their prayers and help save them.

The shamans had an answer for these warriors. Magnus helps those that give completely over to Him, and He saw in the hearts of these warriors the spark of undying devotion.

And a lightning crashed down around the warriors and the shamans. It struck each warrior and each shaman, knocking them to the ground with the full power of nature's fury. When the warriors and the shamans woke, the answer lie in the middle of their circle...

In the middle of their circle, the warriors found a great blade unlike any they had ever seen. It shone in the light of the full moon above and looked like no metal they had ever seen. But this scimitar was made of no metal. It was a fang, Magnus's Fang.

Any non-believer that touched or was touched by that blade was poisoned with the strongest poison man has ever seen. None have survived its touch but those that have Magnus to shield them.

So the greatest warrior amongst that group took forth the Fang while the others hunted Bezoar. Bezoar was not hard to find, for he is a clumsy oaf of a god, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. The warriors came upon him, and they tricked him into following them.

For days, Bezoar gave chase, but the brave warriors would not falter. Into a box canyon they brought the goat-god, and there lied the greatest warrior in wait.

Bezoar could not escape the canyon for the great warrior stood before the entrance with Magnus's Fang. Bezoar charged the warrior, but the warrior stood his ground.

The Fang tore through god-flesh as one of our swords would tear through a follower of DaWay. Never had Bezoar experienced this sort of pain and agony before and he cowered as the great warrior finished the job of wounding Bezoar as much as he could.

Bezoar finally escaped, leaving a trail of blood behind. The lands that were covered in his blood are now all desert where nothing physical can grow or cursed where nothing spiritual can grow.

To this very day, the northern desert of Aja stands as a tribute to that battle and RedSpan now occupies where it is believed that Bezoar finally laid down to his sleep to heal from the grivious wounds visited upon him.

And that my friends is why DaWay poses such a danger to us. Should Bezoar ever heal and rise again, man would suffer from destruction unimaginable.

Let us pray to Magnus that we are always strong enough to prevent such a thing."

Sarrath raises his mug and then proceeds to drain it, signaling the end of the story.