#viorg

- Teachings from the Sacred Lodge of Walpurggia - 

Amongst the most important individuals within the society of witches are the Reverends. Powerful sorcerers that transcended like no other human could. Holding incredible power, with a might worthy of demigods. The order of witches are guided by their superior wisdom and knowledge. However, their ascension was no simple matter of rank climbing. They had to survive the most dangerous ritual in our society. An exchange of their former flesh vessels, to enhance the spirit and be granted a new form capable of containing their newly obtain powers. This is the rite of Rebirth. The Rebirth of a Reverend Witch.

They began as mere masters of the arcane arts. Authority figures. Leaders of their respective clans, who earn a place amongst the heads of the Sacred Lodge. At this point, they can choose whether to remain as powerful and wise elders, or perform the rite of demonic transcendence. The risks are well known. Only one out of five witches that attempt it are capable of returning to us, completely sane. Great amounts of spiritual strength and mental fortitude is required for this journey.

The witch that shall partake in the rite will began their dive into the astral plane through deep, isolated meditation, in a special vault. But this is no mere astral projection. Their spirits are meant to travel into the demon dimension. The Orrnox. They need to traverse our skies, beyond our stars and into the rift that links both worlds. The process of spiritual detachment may vary between witches. This is a crucial step, a point of no return. The essence of the witch must leave the body forever. A process so excruciating and delicate, it usually ends up with the complete destruction of the mortal shell.

From this point forward, the astral consciousness of the witch will traverse beyond space and time into the Orrnox, something that could rip the soul of the less prepared into to shreds. Once their consciousness leaves their bodies,  their minds need to be centered in their specific goal. Searching for Unrrall, the Devil Moon. If they are not careful, they could get lost in the empty void between stars and wander aimlessly for eternity. But if their journey carries on with precision, they will reach the Moon and gaze upon its majestic glory.

At this stage, it is a mystery what becomes of their souls. Some scattered beliefs regarding the metaphysical workings of the demon dimension tell that the Orrnox can assimilate any soul and shape it into a demonic form, giving birth to a demon. Some will say that the travelers will wander the surface of the Devil Moon, and meet with greater demons, earning knowledge and wisdom beyond human understanding. Arriving there is just another adventure they need to complete if they wish to return. And they will not be the same after that.

After an indefinite amount of time, after the witch has learn all that they needed to, or that they were capable of enduring, they begin their fall back into our reality. Their essence becomes something greater. Something more powerful than a human soul. Traveling at incredible speed, knowing where to crash. For the last stage, we need to talk about the Flesh Trees.

There is an enchanted wood, guarded within the city of Walpurggia, that goes back to the times of the Berelithian empire. These strange life forms are known as Flesh Trees. Neither plant or animal, but something in between. These colossal trees are the final goal in this trascendental journey for the traveling witch. Without any warning, something will strike one of the trees. With the strength of lightning, and it will break apart with an explosion. Bursting out of the eviscerated tree, a humanoid figure will emerge. The witch that left this plane destroying their body, that travel into the world of demons and returned, given new flesh capable of containing their superior power. And thus, the Reverend Witch is reborn.

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With that, our peeks through the insane world of the Eldritch Continent are over... For now >:- ]

But for real, I really loved to be part of this challenge. I’m deeply thankful to @worldanvil for creating this special Inktober for worldbuilders and writers (even if I’m 8 days late!) because it really motivated me to look into several aspects and concepts of my worlds that I wouldn’t go through otherwise. Not only I feel my world more fleshed out as a result, but the characters in it as well. The little stories I got to tell and share made me practice my narrative writing, and I have no intentions on stopping. I’m hoping to do something like this again! 

And maybe in the future I’ll start drawing and posting my characters from the main novel set in this universe. I hope to those that followed this entries to the very end enjoyed themselves. And those who just found this last entry and got interested by the world, I invite you to check the tag “eldritch continent” in my blog to see the past 30 entires on several topics, reaching from mad wizard scientist, demon hunter guilds, expeditions to underground cities and bizarre magical systems ^^ 

- A vision of the Past -

The young witch spotted a relic from ages past. A floating monolith in the middle of a scorched field. Powerful arcane echos could be felt as she approached the structure with cautious steps. The witch had been on this journey of discovery for a couple of years now. Her knowledge and dominion over magic has gone through a drastic improvement. And her speciality was her psychic sensitivity. An ability common for witches, but hers was way more potent. With enough deep focus, she could gaze at visions of the past from just touching an object that was present in cataclysmic events. And the magic essence around the colossal monolith was enormous. Even without entering in a trance, she started to have visions the more she approached the floating relic. Quick images of a slaughter between humans, demons and anything in between. She accelerated her step, going over piles of petrified fossils and ash. With each ash mound she kicked, she envisioned another brief moment of the past. Duels between man and demon. There were no victors, only death.

Once under the monolith, using a trick she learned a few weeks ago, she conjure a spell to levitate, driven with a powerful vertical jump. Ascending serenely, contemplating the markings and glyphs carved in the stone monolith. It was filled with cracks and entire holes broken in it. As she approached the top of the monolith, she felt as she was rising towards the sun. An overwhelming amount of energy could be fell, but it didn’t stop her ascension. Once at the top, she step over a flat surface, with symmetrical engravings in it. More glyphs, that all converged at the center in a circle. The witch was starting to lose her balance, her consciousness drifting away, attempting to reach the center. A painful feeling, but it was a good sign. That meant there was a powerful arcane memory accessible in that very spot at the center. With the last of her physical strength, she sat at the circle in the middle, on top of the floating monolith, several feet above ground. Once there, she straighten up, close her eyes and began to meditate. After just three long breaths, she was out of this world.

…

“Behold, child of witch blood. For your kind brought this upon themselves”.

The demon spoke with a crushing authority and a deepness in his speech that could overwhelmed the heart and mind of a common human. But she was no common human. A figure of authority within her brethren, the witch replied to the demon without showing any form of inferiority towards it.

“I won’t deny the sins of our people. I am as disappointed by them as much as you. The royalty kept many secrets from their people, and even from the Order…” both creatures stood at the top of a floating monolith contemplating a cataclysmic sight. The destruction of the world as they know it. The fall of her empire. The ultimate purge of traitors for the demon. Colossal pillars of fire forming tornadoes burned all of the fields, corrosive rain melted the flesh of the living, explosions of raw arcane magic destroyed entire cities and magnificent structures with ease. Countless magical phenomena was cleansing the once mighty empire of Berelith and the pair of watchers could only contemplate what brought them here.

The winged humanoid demon towered over the witch with his arms crossed. The witch broke the silence once more.

“I won’t lie to you, but the Order had a contingency plan in case something like this happened. Even the Great Witches were surprised by the magnitude of the event, yet the plan persists. I shall join them, and we will return once the world falls into silence”. The demon sighed deeply.

“Your kind are better off dying right now than to wait for an agonizing last stance. I can’t see the future but it will not be bright for any of you. Besides, I’m sure your lineage won’t be the only things left after the cleansing”. Another prolonged moment of silence between the two, as the incomprehensible sounds of destruction surrounded them.

“Considerate gesture to conjure a field around us. We are missing out on the pain of the world”.

“It’s the last thing I’ll do. The last I can do, before parting ways. I’m not entirely sure if I will be able to survive. The demons are suffering… A change in structure as well. Many tied to the old ways won’t make it. So I wanted to make this farewell as peaceful as possible”.

And for the first time in their brief meeting, the witch looked back at the demon with a contempt smile.

“We will be alright, Hishter. And I have faith in you as well. Call it naivety, but whatever the outcome is, remember to fight with your ideals unharmed”. The demon looked back at her disciple and his monstrous features shaped into a melancholic expression, before returning his eyes to the cataclysm ahead.

“Troublesome times are coming for those who make it. Berelithians, witches, demons… Everything in between… I can only, for the first time, hope… That this will not be the end for us”.

…

And so, slowly, almost peacefully, the memory faded into a void. And the consciousness of the witch returned to her present body, in a meditation pose, on top of the worn out floating monolith. She took some time to recover from the journey. Her body felt numb and her mind was cloudy as if she was awaken from a deep sleep.

She then pulled out a journal, in which she wrote down with meticulous detail all that she was able to see and perceived in the body of her ancestor. She browsed past entries to find any patterns or connections, but they all belonged to different individuals through the same lineage. She wasn’t done with this journey, however. She was in a hunt for memories of the fall of Berelith, and she won’t return home until she gains clear answers of what went down. Among the important details of today’s vision, the name of the demon, Histher, to whom she felt a deep connection and familiarity with, will be something to consider in the future.

---- 

I HAVEN’T FORGOTTEN ABOUT THIS! 

And I’m NOT DONE. 

October might be over and the Inktober Guantlet of World Anvil done, but I started this challenge and I will finish it. There were a lot of things happening around me and to me in the last days of October, and I wasn’t able to continue on the writings for the last two entries. But right now, it’s not over until I’ve written and submitted to the very last one. 

For now, we get another glimpse at the fall of Berelith from a Witch’s point of view. I still need practice with plot driven short tales. 

- Extracted from the Magal Archives - 

The life for the people of Dorok is not a simple one. Having to deal each year with the Unrrall Season upon us really leaves a mark on the living. But demons are not the only concern we face. Indeed, there exists a different threat that has allied with the monstrous fiends, and despite living from the remains of a devastated wasteland that is the far East of this continent, their affiliations with the demons have granted them immense power, access to forgotten secrets and magic beyond anything a mere mortal could ever dream of. These are the criminals known as Witches.

Witches are not an easy foe to deal with, and we’ve learn that the hard way throughout the past centuries, according to the archives. Witches are extraordinarily powerful beings, not so different from us at first glance, but that share a sinister kinship with the demons than anything remotely human. Of course, they are capable of wielding magic. But it is a type of magic that differs from the one studied by our arcane scholars and battle casters. Their power is even more unpredictable, brutal and wild, and they learn how to channel these forces exceptionally well thanks to their demonic masters and allies. A Witch highly adept in magic is capable of unleashing the most unspeakable of horrors and the most excruciating of curses upon entire fortified cities without needing to blast their way through or infiltrate them. Some reports tell of Witches powerful enough to spread blight upon the guarded towns, with just their intention and thought. And in the chance one unfortunate soul happens to confront one of them face to face, the horrors could be even worse, and direct. They not only excel at magic, but are also trained in strange techniques of physical combat, that we still haven’t been able to decipher entirely. According to the reports, they are capable of taking down a whole demon with just their weird martial skill. Surely, enhanced with some kind of mystic enchantments. Equally deadly are the artifacts they carry, granted to them by their demons or scavenged from the land, understanding their use with no issue whatsoever. Demonic weapons, enchanted runes, advance magic catalysts; these are just a few of the common reliques and objects that have been found in Witches.

Now, knowing all of that about this foe, who would dare to face them? Let alone capture them alive and bring them to a base of the Magal for proper processing and extraction of knowledge? Well, clearly the guilds of demon slayers are quite busy with their own jobs, and considering their training has been specifically designed to deal with demons doesn’t help either. No, there is one guild in particular that has developed a branch of warriors trained specifically to confront the Witches. These are the Hunters of Jericho, the most versatile of all the Guilds. And that branch is the Witch Hunters.

The information collected for this entry regarding the Witch Hunters wasn’t easy to acquire, since this Guild holds a special secrecy among regarding the details of their practices. Despite this, the Witch Hunters are one of the most important elements in Dorok’s race for survival against the demon threat, especially in the never ending search for new magic. Witches may be a dangerous threat, but they are also a valuable source of information. Regarding the occult history of this land, secrets surrounding ancient places and machinery scatter through the vast territories, how to control certain demonic weapons, and arcane knowledge, specifically about new spells that can be use by our own members trained in magic. As well as rune crafting and enchanting. To understand and use their knowledge and weapons against them has been one of the key factors for our survival.

But how does one manages to defeat a Witch, apprehend it and bring it safely to a place for processing? This is were their specialized teachings and training comes in hand. And mainly, their times of action. Witch Hunters only operate during times where reality is stable. Never under the 60 days of the Unrrall Season, where demons roam the fields and magic is at its most powerful and volatile. It is during these times that Witches are at their most dangerous, but for the rest of the year, their power is diminished drastically. Then it’s time for the Witch Hunters to proceed. And so, regarding their training, what has been discovered about the weird martial art that Witches use, it has been taught to some extent to the Hunters, in order to counter their techniques. Surely, it doesn’t fully compare to the skill of a true Witch, but it serves as a means to predict their movements and understand their behavior in combat, since they will be using their less magic due to the conditions of reality. The Hunters are also trained in the fighting ways of the Demon Slayers, and the use of diverse weapons, specially high calibre firearms.

Once they have departed from their bases, fully equipped, they journey into the wild, where they will have to face feral mutants, dangerous plant life, remaining demons and eventually, Witches. This is their natural habitat, and where the Witch Hunters shall spend most of their lifetime. For this reason, they need to be heavily instructed in survival tactics to work in the wilderness. They are taught how to track Witches, recognize magical traces in their environment, and how to sense arcane echoes; all in the search for their dangerous magical prey. Survival in the fields of Viorg is no easy task, and even the best Slayers from other guilds would have a hard time managing living in the wild for more than a week. Witch Hunters, however, once deployed, may take several weeks in order to fulfill their missions once deployed. But their success rate has been continuously increasing recently, thanks to the more we learn about the Witches.

For example, by crafting runes, Wizards can equip the hunters with enchanted shield runes, which can repel spells and magical energies. This was the biggest step in our fight against the Witches, specially considering that magical damage is impossible to heal. Once the body is affected by a spell of any kind, not even the strongest regenerative elixirs can bring back what was lost. But with the shield runes, things became way easier for the Hunters. And everyone, in general. However, the risk factor is still quite high, and the runes might fail, knowing how unpredictable magic tends to be. They are taught to not rely excessively in their equipment. This way, avoiding passivity in their members. Witch Hunters are fearsome and cold individuals, who take the enormous risk of hunting down Witches of the wild.

Tracking any signs of spells casted, left in the area, and sensing the arcane echoes, will eventually lead them to a hideout or den, where the nomadic Witch resides. Then, they’ll have to engage in combat. Their priority is to defeat the Witch, yet making sure they stay alive. The fight with may last an entire day, countering anything the Witches could throw at them, and using everything in their arsenal. If all goes according to plan, and the Witch is defeated, they will have to follow strict protocols to apprehend them, securing them in their vehicles and return to the nearest base.

Once the Witch arrives at a Magal base, the processing can begin. Interrogation and the extraction of knowledge is necessary. As well as confiscating their artifacts and weapons for later study. The means for interrogation remain highly protected, and only certain high rank Wizards known exactly what goes down. Finally, there are two outcomes after everything useful is taken from the Witches. One, is that the Witch may be turned to our side, and serving as one of the Magal. They are completely changed after this, and they are the ones in charge of teaching new magic to other wizards, and instructing them in the weird martial art. The other outcome, less fortunate for them, is that if the Witch refuses to cooperate, even after taking all the knowledge necessary, the Witch shall be executed.

This is the life of the Witch Hunters. Highly disciplined predators that go after some of the most powerful beings in this land. Witches may be formidable foes, and a vicious threat, but we cannot deny how much they have been of help to our survival. In a sense, we need to be more thankful to them.

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In this planet, there is one corner of the world that inspires both wonder, fascination and absolute fear in the hearts of men. This place has been known from the outside as “The Eldritch Continent”, but those that know it’s true horrors and call this demented and distorted land home know it as Viorg. This place is a broken reality. The entire continent suffers from cosmic curse, casted millennia ago, maybe even more, after the mutilated remains of a Demonic Deity crashed there, drastically altering reality and the fate of this land for the times to come.

With the passage of time, numerous and powerful tribes, outcasted from the rest of the world, will find themselves guided towards the accursed continent by their own Gods. The first to do so where an ancient nameless tribe, led by a human named Rell Narok, the first ones to discover the truth of this new world. They were confronted with a world dominated by demons, that originated from a dimensional gap in it’s skies that linked this reality with their own, the abhorrent dimension Orrnox. And particularly, they were the first to gaze at the ominous Unrrall Moon, one of the many chaotic cities that reside in their plane. The rules of this land consisted in that every year, for a period of 60 days, the gap will be open, reality would get distorted, followed by the demons descending from their world and roam Viorg freely. Once the 60 days are over, and reality is restored, the demons that stayed would lose a great part of their power and rot immediately after death. This was how things worked in Viorg, but somehow the nameless tribe, guided by the mythic Rell Narok did not cowered before them. And thus, the first humans declared this place as their home.

Little is known about these times and what exactly happened between the first confrontations of Rell Narok’s people and the demons of Viorg,  followed by the founding of the glorious empire of Berelith. There’s a crucial gap in the history of this empire, and the reason for it was it’s own cataclysmic fall, one that would change history for the tribes to come. Second in arriving was the tribe of Dorok, followers of the nameless tribe in their journey, but one that would  find them in the peak of their power. Somehow, if the writing in the ancient ruins and scrolls is correct, the Berelithians develop a strange relationship with the monstrous demons, almost like a bizarre kinship. This led to the demons, who had highly superior technology and magical knowledge, into instructing the Berelithians in the usage of these new gifts, as well as being taught how to develop more by themselves. With time, it is known that Berelith became a powerful empire, something never seen before, who wielded powers unparalleled with anything that existed in the world so far, with technology that could only be envisioned in dreams. All the while, the tribe of Dorok was adapted into their culture, but never forgot their unique lineage. Waiting for their time to act, patiently.

As said before, a tragedy struck the mighty empire, and to this day, it is still researched by new standing realms what led to the fate of Berelith. It’s speculated that some sacred law was broken, ruining the alliance between demons and humans for eternity. Other sources suggest that it was something planned by the demons all along, while others say it was all the fault of the Berelithian royalty, and it’s voracious ambition which ended in the destruction of a quarter of the continent. During these times, a branch of the ancient royalty managed to escape the cataclysm. This branch was part of Dorok’s tribe, and they took invaluable artifacts, knowledge and power from them, in order to shape a new world from the remains, one that could finish what they started. But this time, the demons had a vicious grudge against the humans, to put it lightly. And they would not rest until every human life is inhaliated from the land. Or at least, that’s what it’s believed.

The most important and sacred object that were rescued from the fall of Berelith was a Heart. The Sacred Heart of the God that crashed into this earth. With it, using the knowledge given by the demons, the Berelithians learned through alchemy how to create elixirs with miraculous properties. With the right formula, they could change the entire body, granting enhanced abilities, as well as extending their life span extensively. Dorok did not hold back, and they had enough knowledge to keep producing these elixirs. And not only that, but they would continue to discover new ways to make even more formulas, with it’s own range of marvelous effects.

During these times, Dorok would grew exceptionally fast, despite having to hold back the demon threat for generations. They managed to survive thanks to the development of new specialized weaponry, and highly trained warriors capable of wielding it. They adapted to this conditions quite well, and they prevailed, while the demons carried on with their attacks, adapting to the human strategies as well, in a race that continued for centuries. History was altered and forgotten, while new technology and magical knowledge was discovered and improved. For the culture of Dorok, the fight against the demons every year for 60 days became something ritualized and sacred. Then, as they kept adapting, it transformed into a mundanity. As part of their life. Almost like a tradition. The details about it’s true origins lost to the common folk. The annual cosmic distortion and the invasion of demons through those 60 days would be known as the Unrrall Season, named after the sinister crimson moon that conquers the skies during those times.

Demon Slayers became highly venerated figures among the people of Dorok. Several guilds were founded, each one with very specific obligations. The oldest of these was the specialized group of magic wielders, the Wizards, who not only studied all the magic that came from the dimension of the demons, but also were in charge of the development of new technology, and the creation of Elixirs, to distribute across Dorok’s cities. They are the true brain of the realm, trying to uncover the secrets of the land lost with time, studying the demons in meticulous detail, and even discovering how the distortion not only opened the dimensional gap, but also enhances all magic, making it more powerful, but extremely volatile. They also started to understand better the mutated landscapes of Viorg, since the distortion had caused the flora and fauna to mutate to monstrous levels. Mutant feral creatures remain neutral to the conflict, as common animals, despite their bizarre appearances. And some have even been domesticated with time. Whoever, they are strongly affected by the distortion, and become quite hostile during these times. Same with the plant life, that is so diverse and vast a new species of plant or fungus is discovered almost weekly.

But having to deal with demons and mutants is not the only concern for Dorok. Ever since their founding, a different threat as dangerous as the demons themselves emerged from the dark, plotting for the fall of their kingdom. Those are the Witches. Human men and women from unknown origins, wielders of powerful magic, unknown to the Wizards, possibly related to the old Berelithian ways, that have managed to survive in the wild with the aid of their demon familiars, who grant them knowledge, power and the tools to survive. Orders of these Witches have been formed in secret, and little is known about their true intentions, besides collaborating with the demons. But nevertheless, they are a threat to Dorok, and thus they need to be dealt with as such.

Through these centuries, new cultures arrived to the continent, each with their own secret objectives. The third to come where the Mornua tribe, who founded their realm south of Dorok. Mysterious and sinister in their ways, and who rarely deal with Dorok aside from a few commercial and political affairs. And lastly, the most recent domain, Yurthland, established north of Dorok. Formed in a more desertic environment, highly diverse and way more open to travelers from the outside world than the other realms. And regarding the outside, all of this time the myth of Viorg and it’s happenings have been surrounded by an aura of mysticism, distrust and fear among the kingdoms and empires of the world. It is mostly considered a hellish land, better off avoided at all costs. Some even claiming this eldritch continent doesn’t even exists at all. This, in reality, is due to another effect of the distortion, one being that during the Unrrall season, the entire continent is trapped in another plane of existence, where it is inaccessible from the outside, and it is impossible to escape from the inside. It disappears temporarily from the rest world.  

And another crucial detail that ruins it’s outer reputation, is the methods to travel to it in the first place. If one desires to uncover the unique marvels of Viorg, first, it has to traverse the Bloody Sea. Waters colored red by the abominations that lurk in their depths. Yet, getting the means of transportation to this land is no easy task. Since the only ships that can sail through those waters without suffering terrible consequences or getting lost are build with technology from Viorg. Therefore, only a ship from one of the three realms can take you there safely.

The Eldritch Continent is not a place one would aspire to venture in. Why would you want to share the curse of their people and participate in the bloody conflict between man and demons that seems to be endless? Maybe the promises of impossible technology and powerful magic surpass your fears, or maybe they just could your reasoning. Whatever the case may be, it surely serves as the perfect motivation to come here.

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