| “ | Fan the flames, mold the metal; we are raising an army.
— The Ancestor
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” |
A long time ago, a wealthy man, seeking to grow both his influence and wealth, began to excavate and explore the various dungeons and catacombs that filled his estate. The man's experiments grew more dangerous, more depraved, and he piece by piece sold his soul, conscience, and sanity as he uncovered more and more horrors. This corruption spread to the lands surrounding the estate, bringing suffering and misery unto it's inhabitants, and as the man began to realize the severity of his actions, he dug too deep and unearthed the Heart of Darkness, an eldritch entity that is the dark heart of the world itself, sealed away in the darkest dungeon of the estate. Horrified, and with vengeful townspeople at the gate, the man killed himself.
Years later, the man's descendant arrived at the estate to claim their inheritance, and began hiring mercenaries to clear out the various dungeons as they oversaw repairs to the town. The dungeons were vicious and brutal, and many of the mercenaries, pushed to their physical and mental limits, perished, but ultimately the expeditions proved a success, with the heir acquiring more wealth and renown as they learned the depths of their ancestor's depravity.
As they reached the height of their power, the heir finally challenged the darkest dungeon, sending their greatest soldiers to confront both their ancestor, reduced to a spiritual puppet, and the Heart of Darkness itself. After a vicious battle, the heroes triumphed, seemingly destroying the heart and saving the world from it's corruption, and the estate celebrated their victory. However, in their revelry, the heir discovered the horrible truth: the Heart of Darkness can never be destroyed, only delayed, and the family lineage is doomed to battle it forever. Stricken with madness from the revelation, the Heir killed themselves, following their ancestor's footsteps into becoming a spirit that haunts the estate.
Battle vs. Tarkatan Warrior (Original) (by BeastMan14)[]
TBW.
Expert's Opinion[]
TBD.