The Village of Diarmid

The only civilization in the hostile terrain of Cathmhaoil, the people that lived there were as powerful as the very volcanos they lived near.

Having barely left the days of barbarism behind them, their desire to be the greatest warriors among the realms remained uncurbed. And there were few who would argue against their claim. Their renown in battle was such that any realm seeking war would wish them as allies and trembled when they weren't.

Growing up in the harsh and unforgiving land of Cathmhaoil, strength was a must in their society. Be it physical or magical strength was irrelevant to them. Those who showed great strength in their youth were quickly ushered into military service and were proud to be warriors in the feared Diarmid Brigade. 

Those who didn't prove capable of service to their army were to become either a builder, farmer, or miner. Or should they prove intelligent, strategist or advisors to their emperors if they truly proved themselves. 

It was co-ruled by two emperors, one who resembled the strongest of the 'emberless' (Non magical) and the 'ignited' (magical) people. However it was unspokenly agreed upon that the Ignited Emperor truly held more power. An emperor could be challenged for the throne if one believed they were stronger. However with the entirety of Cathmhaoil's army and people behind them, this practice was very rarely seen. The emperors lived in the tallest and only palace in the village.

Should an emperor die, a tournament would be held amongst the people and the victor would claim the throne. The notion of monarchy through family was thought to be a laughable way to run things. 

The village was far stretching, made from the very obsidian and metal that surrounded them. Canals of lava passed each building, and could only be travelled by enchanted boats that kept the occupants from burning. 

The most sacred part of their village was their sole source of 'blue magma' (water) that flowed under their village. Believed to have been given to them by their honored ancestors, one of the greatest wishes of their religion was to die gloriously in battle to ensure that they became spirits who watched over the well and made sure it still flowed for their countrymen.

Their greatest exports were warriors, metals that they mined and tamed salamanders that they rode and would often do trade with those who offered food, crops and 'blue magma'.

In the sacred arena at the center of the village, blasts of yellow and red light exploded from the pillars of obsidian that supported it. 

Inside lay enough seats for the entire village to fit in, included two thrones made from gold that towered above all. Of the two metallic royal seats that overlooked the magma surrounded dueling field, one one was occupied.

Who would occupy the other seat was being decided now. 

In the arena, two men clashed with each other. The younger wore a set of crude metal armor that had lost it's shine many years ago. The various scratches and dents told many stories of war the man had thrived from. His vitality spoke of who emerged triumphant in those encounters.

His earthy brown hair made his way to his shoulders, but was kept enough to stay out of his face, which was more than could be said for the legions he commanded. 

He wielded a great sword that the common man would require two hands to even pick up and would need a lifetime to adapt to it's unconventional curved handle. But Ovauzhar was no common man. He was a war hero of the greatest army ever to raid the realms, a general of the strongest fighting force...

Only two trumped him in rank in all of Diarmid. And one of them was in the arena with him.

His older opponent was a seasoned man of war as well. One of Diarmid never became an Emperor without knowing a thing or two about combat. He received his opponents strikes with grace, but the sweat on his brow was not from the heat of their homeland. This general truly was the greatest fighter Emperor Sadinoel had ever faced.

With various bleeding cuts on both men, it was clear neither would trump the other by the blade but my skills with magic. 

Ovauzhar smirked viciously as he saw his foe had reached the same conclusion as him, "You fought well my lord emperor." He yelled to him complimentary as he licked blood from his cheek like the last bit of a savory dish. The throne was the last thing in Ovauzhar's short but commendable life he could achieve, and today it was finally his, "You shall be a fine guard for the Watcher of the Well." He raised his free hand toward his liege and a jet of lava bursts from the ground at his bidding.

Sadinoel was quick to retaliate with fire from his hands, "My time with the Watcher is not upon me yet!" 

Lava and flame met in the air, colliding with fury from both sides as though the will of the men themselves were dueling. 

But then, lava came so close to the Emperor's face that he could feel his skin begging him to escape. For the first time in a while, Sadinoel felt fear, and he despised it. Fright was a tool to use against the weak, unsightly for a son of Diarmid. 

As his hatred towards his fear, the fight and then eventually his enemy grew, so too did the destructive power of his flames. It rushed forth like a torrent and blasted the young general back onto the stands. 

Ovauzhar lay gasping for breath, looking up to see his emperor standing above him alongside the other Emperor Uztnus and their frail right hand man...

"A... good fight... my emperor..." Ovauzhar wasn't embittered by this, the stronger man won. That was the way of Diarmid, Might made right and he was in the wrong today,

"Polidus..." Sadinoel ordered of his lackey, "See to it the people of Diarmid.." He paused for a second, watching his general look upon him in hope as though he would order to speak honor of this duel.

"And all of the realms." He continued hatefully staring down at the general, "know of his cowardly act of betrayal and have hm hunted for his crimes."

To Ovauzhar, the world had stopped. Had his emperor just... destroyed him without killing him? Taken from him the core of what he was, an honorable man of battle? Had he with a single order dashed his entire future?!

"You honorless swine!!!" He picked up his fallen sword in fury and went to decapitate the treacherous emperor but Polidus had spread word quickly to the guards who now stormed the arena. 

He paused his blade, knowing he'd never get out alive this way. With that in mind, he decided to lament later and do the only thing that would ensure the survival of his plans. He ran from the arena, vowing with the entirety of his soul to take revenge on the emperor and rule as he should. But not now. There would be another time. 

Ovauzhar would make sure of it...

Degar latched up the metallic boat that floated on the lava to the dock of the village. Before them, a vast stone and metal village lay before them. However it was so vast one could classify it as a metropolis. 

Dark clouds of smog and smoke covered the sky, originating from a mountain of fire and lava that loomed in the distance. Intermittent rays of sun shining through for seconds at a time

Canals of magma were the only way to travel in the village although a few of the stronger villagers could be seen leaping the gaps. There was a rumor that Diarmidians were part ogre and a few of the more bulking ones could easily support this claim.

There was no shortage of strong villagers for that matter. Everyone there was well built and if they weren't massive juggernauts, they were athletically built at least.

The shops that lined the square were by no means large businesses, but it was clear they were surviving. There was a meatery that sold a vast array of meats, namely salamander with some birds. There was a blacksmith, clothing and armor and many others. 

Gold was the currency of the day, or baring that a service would be offered like indentured servitude to pay off the debt. 

"This is Diarmid, the greatest civilization in the wastelands."

The fiery wasteland astounded her, taken aback by how civilisation had been formed around rivers of magma.

"Reminds me a little of home - with extra magma and metal." Apart from there was no segregation here, only ones with ounces of strength survived. 

"where do you want to go first?" Her attention was caught by some of the more brutish looking Diarmid citizens, wondering if they had any mixed heritage like many shifter children did in Kastanika. They carried her thoughts back to the Dhampirs, and their experiments on daywalkers such as herself. Her fingers curled around her locket, wondering if she could find peace here even though she had come from a place that almost destroyed itself through civil war.

"The ignited division of people here have taken an interest to me." She wondered if her control over animals would prove useful or not.

"Probably sense you, most ignited here use elemental magics. So when a newcomer is here baring new power, they'd pick up on it like a troll to gold."

"First you'll probably want some armor. Conditions are tough here without it." He pointed to one of the shops with a grunt. "Laymor makes the best."

"Got to say, the fact you made it here without proper equipment is a miracle all on its own. Perhaps due to the experiments?"

At this a thought crossed him, "speaking of, what exactly were they?"

Her back stiffened at their mention, her brow crinkling ever so slightly. Taking in a slow breath, she began to explain what the dhampirs had appeared to have done to her.

"Back in Kastanika, Daywal- I mean, humans like me were rounded up and tested on by one of the factions. If people ever wondered where we went, our families and friends were told we had been summoned to do a special task for the dhampirs. Before I was captured, I used to care for stray animals." 
Annelise knew that part wasn't especially relevant, but she felt it needed to be said.

"In my experiment, I survived the torture and the mental paralysis they put us in. Barely anyone lived through the delusions and the hallucinations that injecting their blood gave us. The dreams were so addictive that people didn't know how to wake up. Most people became living corpses, but not me."

Her lips quirked into a half-smile, realising she had little awareness of what else had happened, and how idiotic it must've sounded. 

"Apart from that, I remember waking - being actually lucid - and communicating with one of the dhampir's cats. I could actually reach into its mind and understand how it was talking to me through, well, noises. It said I had become physically more resilient to the harsh environment I had been subject to for months, accustomed to the blood that coursed through me." 

She rolled her shoulders, as if shrugging off phantom pains.

"The cat helped me escape because I was kind, and I hadn't succumbed to the dreams they held us under. It distracted its owner long enough that I somehow gathered enough strength to wrench the iron bars off my cell window and escape. I assume it was the blood that made me so strong."

As she finished her story, she clasped her hands behind her back."There's more to it, but there's not much that needs to be said. Maybe I am just ignorant, but the blood seems to have augmented me in ways I haven't realised yet."

She looked over at the armory. "But I won't be a fool, I will be properly equipped for whenever I face my next battle." 

Annelise wondered what Degar would think of her story, if her tale even sounded believable to him.
"I'm guessing the Ignited will seek me out soon, I can't imagine I'll be under the radar for long."

Degar remained silent for several seconds, his face not moving but it was clear a whirlwind of thoughts ripped through his mind.

Was there such a place with such disregard for their citizens? Could such test actually be real? Degar didn't wish to believe so, but the rest of the world didn't embolden the same spirit as his ancestors.

"Many a tales can be heard here, but never one like that." He grunted and nodded his head to himself. "Still... you survived. That's what matters." He slapped his mighty hand on her shoulder. This was a gesture of utmost respect among Diarmidians. 

To survive all those hardships and still be alive and able to cross the wasteland and pass her trials was a feat not many could boast. Had she been born here, she would've been made a general or advisor in this meritocracy. 

"As for the Ignited, yes they shall seek you out once you're properly trained probably. Hopefully I as well, as my ancestors would desire."

No mention of immediate family, yet all the reverence in the world for his past elders....

"So..." He gestured into the armor shop. "I'm in need of some new plating anyway, can cover your armor if you need..." he offered like it was a trifling matter.

She guaged his reaction, trying not to rock on her heels as he processed what she had told him. But when he clapped her on the back, the nervous energy disippated, and a wide smile stretched on her face. She was aware of how noble the gesture was. "Thank you."

Annelise hopped off the boat, her agility seeming to carry her from the immediate danger of being seared by the magma. "I'm sure they will, you are the strongest person I have encountered since I arrived." 

In regards to the armour, she appreciated the blasé approach he had to it. "I can cover some of the cost, we Kastinikans do not value currency as much as most realms." 

"Do you know what our next step on our training will entail?"

He grunted in amusement, "The Strongest? Not sure if that's a discredit to your group of acolytes or an honor to me but I'll accept it regardless."

"I am nothing next to the Emperors." He pragmatically judged. The fact didn't bring him shame, it was just his current state of life. Did he feel he had to the potential to be better than them? Yes of course and he hoped he'd fulfill it before reaching Alagor.

"As for the next step, I have no idea. No two people are trained the same here. It's to fit the individual needs of the acolyte as well as keeping us out of predictable patterns for our enemies..."

She wavered, unsure what to say next. "I honestly didn't expect to be trained separately to everyone else - in Kastanika we are all treated the same." The isolated city was more committed to equality rather than meritocracy. 

"But then again, not much is known about us. Our secrecy was always our weapons, and our diversity serves as ammunition." It was a line she had heard from an old friend, one who had succumbed to the tortures they had experienced.

"Will I be seeing you again? You must have been waiting for this training all your life, I can't imagine it going unsuccessfully."

"Things are different here then. We don't believe in hiding or conforming. No two stones are the same and its a persons inner strength that gives them true power."

"As for if we see each other, Most likely. We'll be in the same temple after all." He gave a grunt, before handing her a small dagger. "Death befall your enemies." He offered as a farewell to her.

She gave him a polite nod, breaking into a smile as he handed her the weapon. A sense of warmth emnated from the metal, a deep feeling of comfort and safety invading the girl's bones. She found the gesture incredibly welcome.

"Thank you, best of luck in your endeavours, my friend."

After paying for armour, she aimed to return to the temple to continue her training. Sheathing the dagger and placing the hold in her pocket, she would ensure she did not part with his gifr and advice.

Ooc so excited to see where this goes!