Arisen

Legend

“As The Deep Blue tsunami swept tombs, chambers, mounds, and graves, with a maelstroem of World and Astral. Many a long dead Carcass were reanimated by a brutal yank of Spirits lingering in the void, and forth came the Arisen.”

Skjald Ulrich

 

History

Some of the Arisen were buried way back in the dawn of the First Age or in the mists of the Dark Ages. Either in grand glory, servants unwillingly following their masters, soldiers in battlefield mass graves, or victims slowly rotting down into the soil of farmlands, ruined villages, or bogs. So their odd slumber was deep and strong, seemingly waiting for something to once again bind Carcass and Spirit as a whole.

And then it happened, but not as they anticipated, as some have told us. On the day Ljostari sank and Mt. Vula erupted, The waters of what we now call ‘The Deep Blue’ gushed and sprayed up and became mixed with Mana leaking, floating, and pouring from the Astral, and it all became oddly tainted. Then a tsunami formed and swept shores and lands, blowing animation back to half-rotten corpses, dried-up piles of bones, and mummified remains.

Skjald El Mary

 

As burial chambers flooded, the taint caused these heroic individuals and their followers to rise from tombs and graves. Thus were the Arisen born. Some were annoyed by the disruption from their long slumber and generally came with a dislike for the living; for some, it was even disgust and hatred.

Arisen are not a single Race, but a collection of individuals from all races. Sharing one common thing, they either drowned in ‘The Deep Blue’ waters surrounding Mt. Vula or The Rim, where great Heroes long dead and buried at the Isles flushed by waters from when Ljostar sank.

That is the only connection Scholars previously found between all individuals among the large number of Arisen. It’s said that in the beginning, they were roaming the shores, where they were reanimated. Some scholars state Draugr creations are older than The Crossing, but when Ljostari sank, a new fraction of Draugs appeared: the ‘Tomb Kings & Queens’. This is an ongoing debate that the Arisen merely laugh at.

Skjald Sejrik

 

O, Father, dead in the sea… you came to our aid… your daughters and me…

All hope was gone… Invaders swarmed as a flood…

When suddenly… fog at our feet… a howl as greet… eyes blinked…

And behold the eternal… up from earth… up from sea… a rebel yell…

Foes they screamed… fear, dread, and horror… behold the tainted…

To rescue the living… what a tale…

Skjald Kazumix

 

Organisation

These are the areas in which Arisen normally lives, close to the origin of reanimation. But as time goes by, an increasing number of Draugr lives are scattered throughout the world. It’s interesting to study how individual Draugr, or in some cases, small bands, are increasingly mentioned after the sinking of Ljostari. And then, generally, appearing at shores facing Mt. Vula and the Rim puzzles us all.

Draugr know languages prior to their death and often more due to long years with other Draugr; they live on eternally, as they do not die again unless burned. Its rumoured that there exist Draugr thousands of years old, yet I have not met any of these ‘Ancient Draugr’ as they are extremely secretive.

Skjald El Mary

 

Unable to reproduce, they generally exist and act like when alive, some in solitude, others in small communities, and in a few cities. As they don’t eat, drink, and raise children, they produce raw material, resource, goods, craft, study, or act as mercenaries. They trade heavily with other races.

There is a large difference in what they are in the eyes of the Mortal Races and Divine Races.

• Mummy: mummified nobility of both Gender
• Lich Mana Manipulator, who self-transformed into Arisen
• Wight: one that has lost its spirit but is not dead (immortal)
• Skeleton: a dead being consisting of but animated bones
• Zombie, animated through manipulation
• Ghost: somewhat shimmering transparent as it has no notable physical remains.
• Ghoul: greedy flesh eating Archaic

Skjald Vinotis

 

As far as we know, it’s either a mummyfied king or a lich priest who leads their forces when they go to war or defend themselves. Seemingly, only those former or self-made leaders are strong-willed enough to use the Deep Blue Drops, which come into existence when Arisen gathers. But, as we have observed, Arisen Units can continue to act in coordination if their general is slain, just as they plan and tend their daily business. We think there’s a secret behind this, but we don’t know for sure. Skeletons, zombies, ghosts, ghouls, and lesser mummies form their core, and other horrible things are their auxiliary fill and machines.

Skjald Valgrif

 

When they join a war campaign, their mist gives thickness to each other. So that their general gets 1 ‘The Deep Blue’ drop for each unit of 4+ in size. These can then be used to taint units, so they are enhanced. This bond between units and the general also goes the other way, enabling units to ignore their ‘Gravecalling’. But should their general die, the leaderless ones will most likely leave the battlefield.

Skjald Sigurd

 

Special

Their mist thickens and forms drops of ‘The Deep Blue’, empowering their leader when gathering up. They are also able to reanimate those they slay in conflict, just as if their mist binds spirits to our world.

Skjald Vinotis