[Tifone]

Nice stories, from the shorter to the longer ones guys, I really enjoyed them all. I suppose it's my turn to start posting some introduction too now about my nation and chosen pretender.

Aeons after that the "society" of men forgot the great empires, battles and gods of the past, a discovery beyond belief threw the shadow of the doubt on the history of humanity.
The archaeological excavations in the great desert brought from the sands to light the ruins of an ancient kingdom, which existance was to date to an Era the humanity didn't even think their world existed.
The unbelievable prehistoric city was amazingly advanced for the time, with great buildings including high walls, tall towers and overshadowing mosquees. On everything, a deep layer of cinders... like if great flames had enlightened the whole reign for millennia.
The greatest discovery the "scientists" of men made, was found into the greatest temple, now collapsed (the unforgiving time? or razed by invaders?). Into it, on a golden lectern, a book of an unknown fireproof material stood like if the weight of the time and destructions wasn't able to touch its pages.
The translation of the book took years, and as expected, but still in the general amazement, it revealed itself being a holy text with stories of prophets, heroes, monsters and so-called "Pretender Gods". It narrated of the Abysians, or "Nar Sa'ab", the people of the Fire, and of their once great reign and religion. The mosaics and paintings on the ruins of the walls of the temple helped the "historians" of men to understand the incredible events of this distant past.

Here is the first chapter. In black, the annotations of the "glottologists" of men.

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Shalallam a-El'Fyara! ("Glory to the Flame" - a starting and concluding sentence for hymns and prayers and a common greeting in this religion-heavy society)

It is said and sworn that in the third day of the month of the Scorpion in the first year of the Second Era after the disappearance of the Pantokrator, everything changed!

It is said and sworn that Ras Sulawar, Shalallam a-Y'Fyares! ("Glory to his Flames") , the great Anathemant Dragon (seems not to be an actual dragon, but rather some kind of religious patriarch) , was belting from the top of the Minaret the call to the Evening Prayer for the people of Abysia.

His devotion was strong in his heart, his mind, his spirit, his tongue. The Three Gods revered by the Abysians, *The Ascended One* who from the people of Hinnom became the God and replaced the Pantokrator in the First Era, *Jidr Al Kalima* who was worshiped in the sky, and *La'i'm Dam* who was worshiped in the land, all of them were very pleased of him.

Under his blurry old eyes, tens of thousands of glowing people started to pray and sing the glory of The Three Gods. But the resplendence of the Nar Sa'ab was no longer the one of the ancient times. The Warlocks, in their cross-breeding experiments (seems incredible, but it is the only viable translation! These ancient people talk about "cross-breeding experiments"!) had corrupted the pure blood of the Children of Rhuax. Ras Sulawar could remember the words and stories of his long-dead father, Abu Alrayyah, Muneziz a-Y'Vhaif! ("Peace to his Cinders"), the last Anointed of Rhuax, about the time of the Burning Ones. But all their blood had been diluted in the blood of the pink-skinned animal, the two-footed pig (the humans?), and the city was no more glowing as much as in their time.

Suddenly an high shout pulled him out of his reflections.
"Great Ras! Great Ras Sulawar!" A winged Demonbred was flying up the minaret, reaching him.
Never, in the memory of Abysia, such a thing was done during the prayer. The shocked Lava Warriors, guardians of the mosquee, were about to slay the offender.

But Ras Sulawar, Shalallam a-Y'Fyares!, in his unlimited wisdom, understood that something serious had happened, and in his neverending benevolence stopped the flails of the righteous warriors with a word.
"Great Ras, look! *Jidr Al Kalima*! The Divine Glyph!" shouted the Demonbred reaching him.

Ras Sulawar glanced up. Such did the Abysian people, and the prayers and choirs stopped, and silence and screams of terror took their place. The Divine Glyph of Fire, Second God of Abysia, which had always stood over the Great Mosquee, which essence was once so strong to almost blind whoever looked at It from a distance, had lost His light and was now feeble. A quaver, and It disappeared.

A second shout came from another Demonbred. "Great Ras, look at the Unholy Fountain!"
The Third God, *La'i'm Dam*, was in the great square. It had poured blood for centuries, Its sight gladdening and frightening at once all the Abysians. The blood had stopped flowing, the Fountain was dry.

Ras Sulawar understood that something incredible had happened, and nothing would have been the same no more. He rushed to the square, sorrounded by the people of Abysia in search of answers. The Warlocks were questioning the silent stars without result.
Ras Sulawar looked at the Fountain of Blood. Only one minuscule tear of gore was dripping. He touched it, and his mind was possessed for a moment by the spirit of the Third God itself, who spoke His will in the mind of the Anathemant.

"I am *La'i'm Dam*, the Third of the Three of Abysia. But now I'm One. The *Ascended One* of the Rephaim, the one you worship as the First of the Three, who had taken the place of the vanished Pantokrator, has now disappeared like his predecessor.
This revolution has destroyed many of the minor gods, like *Jidr Al Kalima* the Second of the Three; many others have been made dormant for one long year; others, like me, are imprisoned by astral laces for a longer time.
Now all the remaining minor Gods have taken their old role of Pretenders, and only one shall rule at last.
You, my proud people, must bring me to the full godhood. Must make me, my dearly beloved Nar Sa'ab, the Second Ascended One. Shalallam a-El'Fyara!"

Ras Sulawar opened his glowing eyes. The now Only God of Abysia had chosen him to spread His Word in the lands; should he have proudly died in the battles which were to come, his brother would have taken the role. Suddenly, he felt the power of a new, superior holiness flow in the magmatic blood of his family once again.

The month after, Ja Ahrid was made Emir of the First Scorching Armada, and left the capitol to start enlarging the kingdom and spreading the Word.

The Grand Vizier Ras Sulawar observed the leaving legion from the Smouldercone.

Then, he started the long-forgot research of magical powers together with the Warlocks.

Here ends the first chapter.