The BBEG for an old D&D campaign was inspired from a conversation with a friend, and it inspired a bit of writing. Some of it back story, some of it explaining other NPC's in the campaign, and a little explaining one event that actually happened during the game. Sadly it fell apart before I could do more so it's just here as is ^^
Please note that the following document may contain potentially triggering content. This is not Ao3 and I will not be tagging everything but this content could range from sexual assault, sexual situations in general, lots and lots of kinks, talk of killing people or dead people such as family members, and more. If you are triggered by these things to a point that reading them would be detrimental to your physical and/or mental health I suggest you skip reading anything I have written in this document or others for your own safety. If you are the sort who reads something you disagree with/that offends you/whatever and you feel the need become the Purity Brigade please don't bother - I've been down that road enough to know not to engage, so you will get nothing out of me except a block and a report for harassment.
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She stared up at the sky, watching the clouds part to reveal the full moon that hung like a perfect halo in the otherwise dark sky. Tonight not even the stars would shine, just the moon in all His perfect glory. On the ground in front of her was a swaddled infant, fast asleep and unaware of everything that was about to happen.
Lines drawn in blood, candles lit, voices in quiet prayer. Yes, this child would be their miracle, their Moon God. Infused with the power of the full moon’s rays, beautiful in His own way. As the fiend rose from the depths of the Hells it stared at them, and then its essence turned into dust and faded into the infant.
Pale skin became grey, and small horns began to sprout from their head. The child started to fuss, and the woman quickly picked them up and soothed them with gentle rocking. Yes, this would be their Savior. It had to be, for all their sakes.
******
Run. She had to run, there was no where else to go. Trudging through the snow, moving as fast as possible while still trying to be quiet.
They had been discovered, and now it was all over. Their headquarters burned to the ground, fire blazing against the night sky behind her as she dared to look back. A few were trying to flee, but the ones responsible for their destruction quickly caught them and cut them down.
She hadn’t been noticed – yet. Turning away she continued forward, the toddler asleep in her arms thanks to a small spell to keep him from waking. He couldn’t cry or fuss or make noise or he’d get them both killed, a concept he was still too young to understand. It wasn’t his fault, but she couldn’t risk the end of everything they had worked so hard for; as long as he lived on they could rebuild, they could find a way. They had to find a way.
Her breath came out in cold puffs, her lungs burning from the influx of frozen air as snow fell heavy all around them. Her magic burned strongly, a softly glowing moonlight in the otherwise dark forest. They would not follow her here, not when her magic was covering the tracks she made and she was already so far from the base.
Eventually she stopped to check a tree, and upon finding no well at its base she shuffled in and set herself down with the toddler held close to keep him warm too.
“You will forget.” She murmured, fighting the tears that wanted to well up in her eyes. “Tonight, and everything before. We will travel far, far away and we will find a new home, a new place to build. For you are still our Moon God, our Savior. Even if they don’t understand.”
She fell asleep shortly after, holding tightly to the only thing she had left in the world that mattered, and in the early hours as the sun rose she would move on, continuing through the snow as her breath clouded and her legs ached, searching for Salvation in a world gone mad.
******
After everything they had been through, she had to fight the urge to cry when she laid eyes upon the old temple. It was beautiful, perfect, nestled away in the forest where it would be almost impossible to find and still in good condition despite the ravages of time.
He was a child now, almost six winters old. They had fled the land of sorcerers and gone from island to island, searching for Sanctuary, for Home. And now it sat before them in ranger territory away from the world, where they could build and be self sufficient and no one would know.
Hand in hand mother walked with son, moving through the building of bricks. She sung to him in her native tongue, the melody mixing with his natural powers, elevated by the full moon that shone down from above. Magic moved in every step they took together, restoring what was lost to its former glory.
When he slept, his magic exhausted, she began the process of cleaning up by hand what he had not been able to cover. By the time he woke it was as if the temple were freshly built, each stone polished as new and sturdy, uncracked. The tears welled up in her eyes, but again she held back, not wanting to upset her Moon God.
Soon they were operational. The central courtyard served as a communal garden, fresh water flowed in from a nearby spring and was cycled through the garden and as drinking water, there was a river nearby to bathe and wash clothes in that didn’t feed into the spring to avoid contamination, and the walls were sturdy enough to keep out most of the native animals that would be a threat to them. There was plenty to hunt, and room to expand for farm animals if they needed it. The rooms were well furnished thanks to the magical work they put in, and now only one thing was left – getting people. Rebuilding the cult.
But that was the hardest step, and it had to be done with the most caution. Inviting in the wrong people, or too many people too quickly, could easily end in disaster. The screams of the dead still haunted her every night, her dreams filled with the image of their old temple ablaze in the night sky. Never again, she told herself. Never. Again.
******
He was a teenager now, and the temple had never been more active, beautiful, and secure. Every year his powers grew, drawing in more and more people, helping to keep them sheltered from those who would hunt them and restoring more of the old sections to their former brilliance as needed.
Finally, finally, his 18th birthday was just a week away. The time when he would inherit his real power, when everything that he had done up to this point would be just a fraction of what he was capable of. He would Ascend, he would truly become the Moon God, and all their hard work, all the sacrifices they had made, would pay off.
On the day of his birth the whole temple celebrated. There was a feast and dancing, bonfires and music, and everything was happiness for all involved. As the sun set and the moon rose over the horizon, however, it was silent. He stood atop an altar made just for him on this day, bathing in the light of the moon, drinking it in. Then came darkness, a great pitch black that rolled through the forest and silenced all in its wake. It wove through the temple, finding its way into every single crack in the bricks or under doors, consuming them all.
He took them into himself, feeling their warmth. Their emotions, their memories, rushing through him as a singular entity. Yes, he was their Moon God, their Salvation. They were Home inside of him, and he would keep them for as long as they were useful. They would be slowly drained to feed his powers, and without a word he walked away. The temple crumbled to dust behind him, making not a sound in the night, and his steps left a faint glowing trail before the plant life he trod upon turned into dust as well. The power to create, and the power to destroy, all at his fingertips.
“Yes, I will make the most of this world.” He said to himself, ignoring the wailing cries in his mind. This was not what they wanted, but what else did they expect when they played with fire?
******
Heat and light never did well for him, so the sweltering heat of a summer day without a cloud in the sky was the worst. He could have focused his powers, brought his all to bear and changed that, but he knew better – that would draw too much attention at a time when he was trying to be stealthy. The destruction of the temple and the disappearance of almost ten thousand people all in one night had done enough, the rangers were suspicious after finding nothing in the area and knowing that only something with significant power could have done such a thing.
The word was out, now, and all the nations were on edge wondering who or what could have been responsible. So he trudged on, learning about the world in the way his sheltered upbringing never allowed for. The Throne of Mith held power, more than even he currently had. If he could take it, subdue the islands and their leaders by legal right to rule, then nothing could stand in his way. He could take them all in a sweeping cloud of darkness like he had taken the temple. He could destroy the world, and use that power to rebuild things in his own vision.
That was his goal now, and to do so meant knowing when to use his powers and when to hold back. To deal with the minor annoyances such as the sun beating down on his skin and feeling like it was burning him alive even with the clothes covering him up. To trudge on, and to smirk as a single cloud began to float in. More would join it soon enough, looking natural and threatening rain for the rest of the afternoon. Patience. Patience. Patience…
******
One more ritual. The woman lay before him, unmoving, terrified of the creature she had been given to as sacrifice. The Moon God smiled, looming over her like a predator looking at helpless prey. How pretty she was, skin like snow and hair dark as the night sky. Yes, she would make a perfect vessel for his child, another set out into the world bearing his power, one more soldier for his army.
He defiled her as the candles burned all around them, the climax coming as the wind blew the candles out and pale moonlight shone down upon them both. Smoke rose up from the extinguished flames, whirling around as the ritual completed and her stomach distended while he filled her with his fiendish essence. Blood pooled below them as he had marked her, made sure anyone would know she was his and his alone.
When she slumped over on the altar he moved back, gently picking up her limp form in his arms. She was alive, having survived this far, and he knew she was strong enough to survive what would come. In the back of the cave she joined the others, bound in chains and left to wait as the gods power took hold inside of her. The others would look after her; some had come to him willingly, and he trusted them to ensure that those offered as sacrifice knew their place with him. Soon enough she would learn, and she would submit, and she would bear the child he needed.
******
“My lady.” Ash stood in the doorway, having knocked gently to alert the other to her presence.
“Ash.” Lady R stood, stretching after a day spent working at her desk.
“Come to bed.” Ash asked softly, looking at the almost burnt out candle Lady R had been using for light.
“In a bit.” Lady R yawned, shaking her head and missing Ash stepping quietly into the room.
“Now. Please.” Ash wrapped her arms around the other woman’s waist from behind, holding her close.
“There’s still so much to do…” Lady R looked back at the papers, but shivered as she felt Ash kiss her neck.
“It will be there in the morning. There is no point in working yourself to death for this, you can’t take the throne if you’re dead.” Ash murmured.
“And yet my time is running out regardless. I only have enough for one more group, and if they fail…”
“I know. But if you sit and stress about it you’ll just make things worse. You will be healed once you have the throne, that much is for certain. Focus on that.”
Lady R knew she couldn’t argue, and with a sigh she leaned back into Ash before nodding. Slowly she took Ash’s hand, leading them back to the bedroom. There she shed her clothes and let down the magical glamour to show just how ill she was. Ash didn’t care, giving her gentle kisses anyway and letting her hands trail over the woman’s body.
“You’re beautiful no matter what.” Ash whispered, pulling Lady R into the bed and smiling as they simply snuggled up under the sheets. Despite her wants now was not the time for that, both because of how bad Lady R’s condition had become and because of everything else weighing on the woman’s mind.
They slept peacefully that night, which was a nice change all things considered. Ash was actually surprised she had been able to pull Lady R from her work, and she wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing but she did know she was happy that the woman was getting some sleep for a change instead of falling at her desk or staying up all night trying to fret and sort out paperwork.
In the morning the pair woke and Ash helped Lady R dress as they headed down to the kitchen. She made breakfast and went to check the guards, finding that indeed adventurers were there to presumably take on the job.
“Eat, I’ll go set up your office.” Ash gave Lady R a gentle kiss, retreating upstairs to make the office look presentable while Lady R ate.
In time breakfast was done and Lady R was donning her glamour, and Ash stayed in the kitchen as the adventurers were escorted up the stairs to the office. She did the dishes and then slipped out the back, heading to her ship; the adventurers would need it, after all, and she had to make sure they were prepared to head off to whatever land they decided to head for first. She would worry for Lady R, unsure if the woman would sleep in bed instead of at her desk or eat proper when Ash was away, but she had to have faith in this. She had to believe that these would be the adventurers to complete the trials so that Lady R could have the throne. So her illness would not take her before her time, so she and Ash could openly be lovers again, and so that the power Lady R sought to make the world a better place could finally be theirs. After all, the two of them together would be the ones to make it right, to bring the islands back under control, and to restore the imbalance that had been happening all across the world as the throne sat empty.
******
“You have returned.” Delgan looked at the white haired man, her gaze narrowing.
“I have, though sadly it is without the token that you sent me to retrieve.” Jericho opened both hands, showing he had nothing.
“Then you have failed the trial, and should be on your way.” Delgan huffed, crossing her arms.
“Ah, but how could I fail when the man you wanted me to find was dead when I found him, and thus unable to give me what I needed?” Jericho tilted his head to one side, his grin unsettling.
“You did not bring back his body, or proof of his death, so as far as I am concerned right now you went and looked but he did not deem you worthy of showing himself and you have come back with nothing but empty hands and lies.” Delgan was seething. She didn’t like Jericho, something about him was wrong in a way she couldn’t quite put her finger on.
“How sad that you are so suspect of anyone who has tried and failed. Would you not consider giving me another test? I will happily retry if I must.” The pleading in his voice was false, almost mocking in its tone.
“No, at least not right now. Go and try elsewhere, and return when you have completed at least two other trials.” She was putting her foot down, but instead of listening Jericho stepped forward to close the gap between them.
“My dear, I’m afraid I simply don’t have time for that. So I’ll need you to hand over the token.” Jericho held up a hand as it became something blackened and clawed.
“Over my dead body.” Delgan snarled, launching into action. She moved to kick him, finding herself gasping in surprise as he caught her foot and used that to his advantage.
Jericho pulled, causing Delgan to fall back and hit her head against the desk. The blow was enough to cause her to black out for a moment, waking to find Jericho on top of her with her hands pinned above her head as he used his weight to hold her legs down.
“I really don’t want to kill you, but I will if I must. And I will use your life to empower the token in the way the old trials used to require.” He smirked, watching her go wide-eyed. “That’s right, I know. The trials used to require one to kill the leaders and power the tokens with their life energy. Times may have changed, but the old ways still work if one knows how.”
Delgan didn’t know how to answer him, her mind still foggy from the blow to her head. Jericho took her silence as his answer, reaching down and pressing his free hand into her chest. She opened her mouth to scream but no sound came out, and as he pressed his hand further into her flesh he watched the life leave her eyes with a joyful grin.
He already knew where the tokens were, summoning one to hand with ease and pulling her heart from her chest. As her blood dripped over the coin it pulsed with light before fading, seeming to absorb what covered it as Jericho pulled it from the stream and stashed it in his pocket.
“Now, how to make an example of you?” He mused, leaning down and pressing a surprisingly gentle kiss to her forehead.
The rest of the town would wake in the morning to find her dismembered body strung from the central monastery, the panic quickly rippling through everyone present. The idea that someone had enough power to tear apart one of the most powerful monks they had seen in recent years was bad enough, but they were now without real leadership as well – an interim leader would be elected, of course, and in time there would be a tournament to determine a proper leader, but that did little to quell everyone’s fear in the moment.
******
Ah the Throne of Mith. Yes, I know it well – I was there at its creation, after all. What, you thought this form was my true self? Adorable. No my dear, I am much older. I was brought into this world to be Salvation for a group that saw me as their God. Am I that? Well, who really knows.
You see, back when the Throne was first conceived the world as you know it didn’t exist. No, there was one land mass and many people fighting over it. Their anger, hatred, and greed bred a great plague that began to sweep through the world, turning even the most pure of heart into monsters. No one knew what to do, so they called upon us; devils, demons, the extraplanar. They begged us for help. They said that if we could fix the world, take away all the negativity, they would give us anything we wanted. So those of us most powerful at the time pooled our power and made the Throne. It is a magnet, and the energies that corrupted so many flocked to it as moths to a flame; our imbued energy burnt it all away, destroying it in a flash.
But the caveat was this would only work so long as one sat upon the throne. The land split, and the mortals invented the trials. At first they were meant as a test of morality as much as one of strength. Could one individual really kill a dozen of the finest in their respective fields? The answer was yes. There were plenty who even without the darkness in them were still as immoral as they came, and with that immorality came the power to take the throne. So the first rulers were the worst, taking charge with iron fists and making it clear they were not to be disobeyed. Those who tried to stand against them often met with horrible ends, and after a few hundred years the mortals changed how the trials worked. The leaders had the power to imbue tokens that the Throne would recognize while still alive, so it was decided that each one would devise their own trials and send people on their way, granting the tokens once they were completed.
A fine system, but many forget; the blood of the leaders and the right ritual will make the tokens work all the same. I did not want to kill that woman, and had she simply given me a secondary trial or just the token I would have been on my way. I don’t want the monks in chaos, that gains me no ground, but if it means I get what I want then I will kill if I must.
It’s funny, though. She thought she stood a chance, and she had no idea who she was dealing with. Even if my name did stir some memory deep in her, I think enough time has passed that most have forgotten who I was. But soon, soon they shall know. Soon I will be the leader, and I will make sure that the people remember why it is they fear moonlit nights. For I am the Moon God. I am Salvation.