The Tome of the Arch
Silas was the first to awaken. He chose the Arch of Time as his throne. From there, he forged his scepter, a
scythe, from the substance of darkness and created the Dark Ones, over which he could rule.
So that nothing would be hidden from him, Silas sent the Dark Ones to burrow to the center of the world.
He appointed Telor, the seeker, to lead them.
The burrowing Dark Ones woke Eleir from her tomb of granite, and they worshipped her. Eleir shaped
companions for the Dark Ones from stone. For Vrador, who had the strongest love for Eleir, she made
Aatar.
Telor, the seeker, and the other Dark Ones burrowed down into the world, disturbing the sleep of
Venara, who burst forth brilliantly, lighting the skies. Silas attacked this new rival. Venara’s flame wounded
Silas and split the Arch of Time.
Venara claimed half of the Arch as her throne, naming it “day.” Silas retained half of the Arch, which is
called "night."
The split Arch left a great pit. At the bottom of the pit dwelt many Dark Ones with their companions.
The blood of Silas, spilt by Venara, filled the pit, drowning the dwellers. But the power of Silas’s blood filled
those who had drowned, giving them a new birth as nefars, over whom Vrador ruled. Vrador’s companion,
Aatar, who was wandering the world, was spared.
Aatar returned from her wanderings and found Vrador’s pit abandoned. Aatar called for Vrador for an
age, but had no answer. She wept by the pit for an age. When she has no more sorrow, she gathered small
fragments of the broken Arch that remained and built a tower, just beyond the horizon. By the time she had
finished the Tower of Thought, her use of the powers of the shattered remnants of the Arch had transformed
her.
Aatar stood upon the tower watching the world change. She became one with the tower. Finally, in the
distance, a wanderer approached. She knew him by his manner as he appeared on the horizon. Finally
Vrador stood before the tower, stained crimson by the blood of Silas. His eyes burned up at her. This is his
song.
The Song Of Vrador
(Song of the Haunted Beast)
I have drowned
And been reborn
With one thought—
To possess you;
I burn for you.
Aatar, high in the Tower of Thought, replied To Vrador
The Song of Aatar
Soul of passion,
Bathed in blood,
You stand before me.
I've emptied my soul.
I've been washed clean
In an age of rain.
The tower guard
Sees distraction
As hostile action.
Vrador pummeled the Tower. His soul groaned in an eternity of loneliness. He looked once more into
the passive face of the tower’s builder and returned to the pit. He swore to learn to hate his former
companion and on the last day to bring down the Tower and possess Aatar once more.
Telor, the Seeker, the leader of Silas’s Dark Ones, was killed as Venara had burst forth from the depths
and ascended to the sky. His body lay for ages as the world above took shape. Rains formed seas and
rivers. At the head of the greatest river an ancient seed took root. Eleir’s earth nourished the tree; the river
gave it drink. The sun of Venara shone forth and the tree, Aerin, awoke. She grew large and strong, but did
not move from her birthplace. She dropped seeds. Her children grew and sang sweet songs. Her roots
nestled deep into the earth until they felt a gentle touch. The touch was one of gratitude. It drew strength
without harming the giver. In his crypt, Telor awoke.
Silas brooded over a plan to win back the half of the Arch taken from him by Venara. Many beings had
died in the past. Their spirits had departed ... but to where? There must be a realm of spirit. If he could
command the spirits of this realm he could take the throne of Venara and all would be night. Silas scribed a
rune onto a broken fragment of the Arch, and bound himself to it. If he could also bind a departed spirit
which had not yet reached the spirit realm, he could follow it. He puzzled over this for an age. He realized
that he could first bind a living soul to the rune and have this soul slain. Then he could follow this soul to the
limits of eternity. Silas had no minions of his own since the Dark Ones followed Eleir. He remembered
Vrador.
Silas found Vrador in the pit. Vrador ruled over a multitude of nefars—Dark Ones and their companions
who had drowned in the blood of Silas. All had been reformed as strong, wicked, twisted beings. Vrador
would not allow Silas to kill one of these nefars. But in return for an alliance on the last day, for Vrador's
assault on Aatar in her Tower of Thought, Vrador lent the services of the greatest Nefar—Rovish.
Rovish's companion, Eleana, had not been present when Rovish had become a nefar by drowning in Silas’
s spilt blood. Afterward Eleana had been frightened of Rovish and had taken another companion, a Dark
One named Dernar. Now, Vrador and Silas called Rovish before them to propose that Dernar could be
used to lead Silas to the spirit world. Rovish apprehended Dernar for Silas, who bound Dernar to the rune
made from the Arch. Rovish crushed Dernar, releasing his spirit. Silas followed Dernar’s spirit, by the use of
the rune. The soul of Dernar reached the door to the spirit world and was admitted, just as Silas arrived.
Jared, the Guardian of the Door, wielding the Spirit Blade, challenged Silas at the door.
The Song of Jared
I am the guard.
I stand.
The appointed
May enter.
By my word
They exit.
Depart, lest my blade
Admit you.
To which Silas replied
I sit upon the throne of Darkness.
My scythe cleaves every shade.
Let us make haste to strike a bargain
Or I shall feed my hungry blade.
Jared stood guard. Silas attacked Jared before the Spirit Door. In the battle, Silas’s scythe cut the spirit
door and some spirits of the fallen left the Spirit World. Jared’s blade cut the binding rune from Silas and
drew Silas’s blood. Silas’s counterstroke severed Jared’s finger and disarmed him. As Silas prepared the
killing blow, he was attacked. The attack tore through robe, bone, and sinew. Silas staggered and his
assailant struck him more deeply. Silas swung in desparation, killing Eleana, who had followed her
companions’ murderers. Jared’s blade fell from her hand. Silas had been deeply wounded. When he
regained his footing and set his eye on the door, Jared again stood guard. Rovish, who had also followed,
cried out when he saw Eleana’s lifeless body. Silas called the darkness to cover his retreat.
Rovish wept before the Spirit Door. Jared sang this song to him.
The child who aided me
Is dead.
I now admit her through
The door.
In that world she rules
As queen.
Rovish, the greatest nefar, gathered the emblems at his feet: the binding rune, which was made from the
Arch; Jared’s finger, which Jared now had little use for; a fragment of the Spirit Door; and the blood of
Silas. Rovish began to wander the earth. Along the way, with his great strength, he melded the emblems into
a coin. On one side he engraved the form of the Arch of Infinity. On the other side, he engraved the
shattered Arch. He called the disc, "Chance". Rovish rules Chance, who is, at best, a sullen, unwilling son,
and is, at worst, a wildly rebellious daughter.
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