[i]’When the desires and debauchery of the King of Kings reaches its zenith and he slips from his great throne, know that this is not the beginning of the end; but merely the end of the beginning.’ – The Book of Dark Waters, pg. 13[/i]

The wind was flat and silent that particular day and there wasn’t a single cloud in the sky, at least not around the Icuson Bay. The bay itself was a sharp contrast of green fields and hills leading to a shady beach in a crescent moon formation. The water itself was clear and clean for several meters on the surface, though there was a gigantic circular hole directly in the center of the crescent moon, which parents rarely let their children swim over. This hole was said to have been created by the God of the Deep when he was first born of Ventu and the world was still young, and some even said he still resided at the bottom of it to this very day.

Standing on the beach waiting patiently were two men, though they appeared quite different from one another. One of them appeared to be quiet strong and young, his eyes still ablaze with the ambition of youth. His hair flowed free and wild, and was the color of pitch. In stark contrast to his hair, his flesh was the unnerving ivory of some bloated undiscovered corpse out at sea. He wore the hides of local animals upon his back, and had a bow slung over his shoulder.

The man beside him was much older, old enough perhaps to be his father. He had a stocky build with a round pot belly, with tree trunks for arms that appeared just as gnarled. His skin was bronzed from many long days in the sun, and he wore the water soaked overalls of a man of the sea. His own hairline was receding, though he sported a great beard that threatened to swallow his face. Both his hair and beard appeared to take the color of salt and pepper. He had a cutlass clasped firmly to his side, and a strange faraway look that didn’t disappear when you talked to him.

Before either of the two acknowledged the other, a frail and soaking elderly man waded out from the waves. At first, all they spotted was his head. Slowly he would rise out of the surf, and it appeared to the observers he was wrapped in what once may have been simple white robe, though seaweed clung to him fiercely. Both men concentrated on him intently, nearly drinking in his image. They noticed a circle of local fish had naturally begun to swim in a circular motion around him. Once the elderly man had reached his waist, he stopped. Both men fell to a knee before the old man, and before any could speak an intruders voice rang through their minds.

[i] ~At the waning of the second age of Divinity, Aroesus, whose father was Ventu, King of the Gods and Final Arbiter of Krona, was slain.’[/i]

The youth gasped and seemed to make some brief gesture over his heart as if in protection. The older and sterner man merely gazed off into the distance towards the open ocean, almost as if he hadn’t heard it at all. Yet as the strange voice of the Librarian continued, it listed Tulkas of the Deep as one of those who had struck down the God King.  It was only then that the mortals realized a small amount of crimson life blood flowed freely from a gash across the elderly man’s hip. 

[b]”It pleases my old heart to know you young’uns are still capable of following orders. Don’t worry about my wound, it’s barely a scratch. I can promise you lads that if I was actually hurt, I wouldn’t be bleeding your red juice, heh. But I’m afraid time is of the essence, and my old bones grow wary from quiet the exciting day, so listen closely.”[/b]

The drowned man of the sea cast his gaze specifically at the elder of the two on the shore, and his eyes had the mysterious color of sea fog at midnight. The seasoned captain stared him back dead in the eye, his own eyes seeming to lack the light of passion.

[b]”It has been too long, Captain. I trust that you are well this fine evening in my bay..?”[/b]

[b]”Every evening is a fine one in your domain, your worship. If I may speak freely though, I hope whatever you called me here is worth it. I’ve never been closer to catching that damned bloated parasite.”[/b].

The drowned man allowed himself to smile a smile that was dusty and ancient, and the Captain couldn’t help but briefly wonder if it was the same one men had seen thousands of years ago when speaking to their god. The thought was pushed from his head by the response of the drowned man.

[b]”Oh, it shall be worth it, Captain. Lech shall get what is coming to him soon enough, but I’m afraid I do have something much more important in store for you. Do you mind if an old man recall ldays long past to you, Captain..?”[/b]

He nodded without a word, almost seeming to have expected this.

[b]”Long ago when my siblings and I rebelled against our father Ventu, we originally failed and were imprisoned within the darkness of a depth even I dare not venture to.”[/b]

The drowned man shuddered here recalling that crushing nothingness, and in turn his discomfort worried his followers on the shore.

[b]”During my time in that place, I got to know several of the other deities besides my only friend and brother, Svanus. Namely, I met the Keeper of the Flood. I believe in your tongue he is called Dinn, and he is patron over thresholds. I believe I have convinced him in aiding you in traveling to the dark and forgotten land of Sharzunate.”[/b]

At the mention of such a dark place, the youth beside them couldn’t help but recoil slightly. Surely the drowned man of the sea jested. How could such a voyage be possible, even with the blessing of two separate gods?

[b]”You are to go there and attempt to free an exiled and long forgotten god of cleverness and trickery. You would do well to believe nothing in he says, and very little of what you see. He is a dangerous being, perhaps even more so after his time in isolation. Now go forth, Captain.”[/b] 

The stocky seaman bowed his head and beard low before standing up from his kneel, and turning to return to his ship, the infamous Grey Ghost. He would have precious little time to prepare, and already his mind raced with the possibilities that lay before him. As he fled from the meeting, the drowned man would finally turn his attention to the other observer. 

[b]”You are my son and Herald of my word to the Greenlanders, Aeto. Even if your place is not among the creatures of the sea like your siblings, you still have great purpose in you. Yet the Herald of my word cannot live in isolation like this, as your place is with the people in leading them towards my will. I would have you head straight to the City State of Illium on the coast just a few leagues away from my sacred bay. 

Once there, you must rally the Anchors and Devotees at my Grand Temple there. The High Anchor there should be willing to assist you, if you give him this.”[/b]

It was here that the soaking man would seem to stoop only slightly, and draw out of the water a beautiful and shining sea star. It glimmered with gold, and appeared to have a number of glorious pearls embedded within it. It immediately caught the eye of the youth, and the elder man tossed it to him with strength unbecoming of him. 

The youth rose to his feet and inspected the foreign object closely, nearly feeling the very thrum of the ocean in his hands. He had never been to Illium before, and hoped he could do his father proud in this first task of his. He would nod and begin to take a few steps away to start his journey, when a thought struck him.

[b]”What do you intend to do then, father?”[/b]

[b]”I should probably return home to rest, but I fear my work isn’t done yet. I think I owe the Dark Librarian a visit. I never much knew of her before, but she was close to Svanus. If he would trust her, so would I.”[/b]

It looked as if the pale Herald wished to say more, but the drowned man had already turned away and began to make his way began into his dominion. For the first time he noticed the bleeding of the drowned man had begun to attract sharks. He felt a instinctual concern for the elder man out in the water, before he came to realize with a small smile that the sharks would probably do well to fear [i]him.[/i]