Post by Solum on Feb 2, 2009 19:24:40 GMT -5
Long before the creation of the Umano Empire or the founding of the Kingdoms of Vorgrad, the races of man lived in villages in the south. At that time the Elven Empire was still in full force, and it would be many ages before its fall. Until then, the Empire of the Elves prevented the creation of other kingdoms that would question its power, and so man lived in chaos. There was little law and order beyond the village borders. Roads were littered with bandits and thieves, ready to attack even the most powerful of people.
It was a pitiful situation, a situation that angered many of Antiva. And no Divina was more angered than Lares, Divina of Law. Deciding that enough was enough, he hatched a plot to clean up the lands of man. Arriving in the world in the form of an old man, he entered the first village he could find. There he heard stories of a particularly brutish gang of thieves that specialized in magic, with a fox as their symbol. Deciding this the perfect place to start, he headed off into the wilderness to find these men.
It did not take long before he was found, bound, and kidnapped by the men. He was thrown into a cell in their hideout, to rot there until someone paid for his ransom, or bought him as a slave. A young man named Renard was given the duty of guarding him, and was instructed to give him only the minimum amount of food and drink to live. The man, however, felt pity for the old man. And so he would provide extra rations to Lares when possible. Over the next few days Renard and Lares bonded. For Lares, however, this would not excuse Renard from the punishment to come.
The bandits arrived at the cell one night. As no one had paid for the ransom, and no one wanted to buy an old man as a slave, they decided to kill him. Renard, with regretful thoughts, brought the old man to the head of the bandits. All around the room people were cheering and enjoying their drinks, ready for a good show. Lares, however, just smiled as he was forced down before the bandit leader. When asked if he had any last words, Lares quickly responded.
“You all proudly hoist the fox as your symbol, and no better than such beasts do you act. And as beast you wish to ask, beasts you shall become.”
The bandits all laughed at Lares, until they all felt a massive swath of pain. Soon their jeers turned to screams as they found themselves being transformed, fur growing over their bodies. Bones cracked, organs shifted, spines grew to tails. Soon all of the bandits were turned into foxes, running into the woods in fear and panic. All except two that is. Renard, the man who showed compassion to Lares, was spared the fate of being made completely beast. He was, however, still a lawbreaker, something Lares could not ignore. And so he became part man and part beast alongside a female bandit that Lares had noticed not joining in the glee of his execution.
Lares soon tasked them with the creation of a new race, a race dedicated to the peace and law of the world. They would remain as fox-people forever to remind them of their past sins. And so to this day the Renard clerics worship Lares, though even the thievse of the underclass pay their respects to him by following a code of honor.
It was a pitiful situation, a situation that angered many of Antiva. And no Divina was more angered than Lares, Divina of Law. Deciding that enough was enough, he hatched a plot to clean up the lands of man. Arriving in the world in the form of an old man, he entered the first village he could find. There he heard stories of a particularly brutish gang of thieves that specialized in magic, with a fox as their symbol. Deciding this the perfect place to start, he headed off into the wilderness to find these men.
It did not take long before he was found, bound, and kidnapped by the men. He was thrown into a cell in their hideout, to rot there until someone paid for his ransom, or bought him as a slave. A young man named Renard was given the duty of guarding him, and was instructed to give him only the minimum amount of food and drink to live. The man, however, felt pity for the old man. And so he would provide extra rations to Lares when possible. Over the next few days Renard and Lares bonded. For Lares, however, this would not excuse Renard from the punishment to come.
The bandits arrived at the cell one night. As no one had paid for the ransom, and no one wanted to buy an old man as a slave, they decided to kill him. Renard, with regretful thoughts, brought the old man to the head of the bandits. All around the room people were cheering and enjoying their drinks, ready for a good show. Lares, however, just smiled as he was forced down before the bandit leader. When asked if he had any last words, Lares quickly responded.
“You all proudly hoist the fox as your symbol, and no better than such beasts do you act. And as beast you wish to ask, beasts you shall become.”
The bandits all laughed at Lares, until they all felt a massive swath of pain. Soon their jeers turned to screams as they found themselves being transformed, fur growing over their bodies. Bones cracked, organs shifted, spines grew to tails. Soon all of the bandits were turned into foxes, running into the woods in fear and panic. All except two that is. Renard, the man who showed compassion to Lares, was spared the fate of being made completely beast. He was, however, still a lawbreaker, something Lares could not ignore. And so he became part man and part beast alongside a female bandit that Lares had noticed not joining in the glee of his execution.
Lares soon tasked them with the creation of a new race, a race dedicated to the peace and law of the world. They would remain as fox-people forever to remind them of their past sins. And so to this day the Renard clerics worship Lares, though even the thievse of the underclass pay their respects to him by following a code of honor.