[lore] The Book of Raza

[Duo]

These are the images given to me by Raza, the Crimson Star,
during my visions and dreams. They tell of his reign in blood,
and of his coming to the world of Sosaria.
His vengeance is coming, and is wrath knows no limit.

I saw a scroll,
and on the scroll were three seals in red,
each bearing a different animal.
There was a flash of light as the first seal was broken,
it had the symbol of a lich.

A daemon flew from the scroll,
the like of which I had never seen.
It had three heads, each bearings horns,
and each head bore three crowns. The daemon had six wings,
and cloven hooves like a goat. It was red as fire.

The first daemon spoke,
saying "This is the first sign of the coming of the Crimson Star."
He took in his hands a bowl made of wood,
and poured it onto the world.
One third of the waters of Sosaria turned to blood,
the oceans and seas became crimson red.
The daemon spake again, saying, "This is the blood shed by the faithful,
who have died in battle serving Raza. They will be redeemed in the City of Steel."

There was another flash of light,
as the second seal was broken. It was the symbol of a serpent.
Another daemon came forth, the same as the first, but this daemon was blazing with flame.
He spoke, saying, "This is the second sign of the coming of the Crimson Star."
He took a wooden bowl like the first daemon, and poured it onto the world. Fire,
lava and molten rock rained down on a third of the world,
destroying forests and deserts alike. "This is the wrath of Raza,
for all of the faithful who have given their lives in his name."

Yet again, there was another flash of light,
and the third seal, a symbol of a bear,
was broken. A new daemon emerged from the scroll, but this one was black like opal,
or charcoal. He spoke, saying, "This is the third sign of the coming of the Crimson Star."
He took the final wooden bowl,
and poured it onto the world. One third of the land quaked and trembled.
Fissures formed, and the land became levelled. From the fissures,
liquid iron spewed like a volcanic eruption. As it solidified, the daemon spoke,
saying, "This is the vengeance of Raza,
for those who built heretical shrines to the Virtues, and to Dondinia."

A great dragon came forth,
and handed me the scroll. The dragon had three heads,
and each time it spoke each head spoke in unison with the other.
The dragon had a name written on it that no-one knew but he. He said unto me,
"Take the scroll and eat it. It will taste sour in your mouth,
but will cause a fire in your stomach. You alone know the signs of the Crimson Star,
and you alone will live to tell of them."

I took the scroll and ate it,
it tasted sour, but it filled me with a warmth like I had never known before.
I felt the knowledge of the coming of the Crimson Star in my mind and my heart.

The Dragon spoke again,
saying: "Look, see unto Sosaria.
The faithful have been given the three greatest weapons: fire, steel and blood.
They have been given the power to crush the world."

The Dragon turned and said again: "Look again at the world,
they gather to crush the faithful, but their efforts are in vain."
I saw in Sosaria a place called Armaggedon, where all the people of the world we drawn to,
for the final battle of mankind.

The Dragon spoke once again,
saying: "Look to the sky, it has been clouded by red mist."

As I looked, I saw red clouds,
and flashes of red lightning flecking the sky.
The clouds blackened, and I saw flashes of red and white.
The daemons spoke in unison: "Look, he is doing battle with Dondinia, the final apocalypse is come."

There was a blinding red flash in the sky,
and a shooting star soared downwards, but did not land on Sosaria.
The daemons said, "The Crimson Star has triumphed, h
e has thrown the false goddess into the Abyss, where she will remain for all eternity."

I looked back down to the world,
and the faithful had triumphed over the heretics.
Armaggedon was flooded with the blood of their conquest.
Then, the Dragon spoke again. "It is done! The City of Steel is coming."

I turned back to Sosaria, and saw a new Sosaria.
There was no water, and the land had turned to steel.
In the centre of Sosaria there was a city made of metal and steel.
Through it flowed a river of blood.
"This is the blood of those who will be redeemed," the Dragon spake,
and I saw the dead rise from the river.
They were clothed in cloth,
and they fell on their knees saying, "Hallelujah, hallelujah,
the Crimson Star has fallen, the City of Steel has come."

The river of blood turned to water, and the Dragon gave me a measure.
"Measure the length and breadth of the city."
I measured it, and it came to three hundred one score
and thirteen kilometers length and breadth.

Then, the Dragon spoke again, saying,
"Look to the Abyss, look to the fate of the heretics."
I saw a guardian there whose name was Abaddon and Hades,
and he stood guard over the entrance of the Abyss that no-one could escape.
I saw the three levels of the Abyss, and the Dragon spoke to me again.
"See the first level, where those who have turned from the Crimson Star
will spend eternity in pain and purgatory."
I heard many screams and cries from the Abyss,
and I knew that his words were true. "See the second level,
where the heretics will spend eternity in flames."
I saw the fire coming from the second level of the Abyss, and I knew his words were true.

Then, the Dragon said, "Come,
I will show you the punishment for those that denounce the Crimson Star."
He led me to the bottom of the Abyss, the third layer.
There was a burning pit of sulphur and brimstone, and by the pit were the three daemons.
They were throwing into the Abyss the worst of the heretics,
those who had denounced the name of the Crimson Star.
The pit was filled with the screaming and crying of tortured souls;
men, women and children.

The daemons spoke in unison,
saying, "Dondinia the false godess has fallen,
she will burn in the sulphur and brimstone for eternity with the heretics
and those who have denounced the name of the Crimson Star while He reigns in fire,
steel and blood over Sosaria."

Then I saw the dragon sitting on a throne of iron.
On each of his heads were three crowns,
and in each of them was set a ruby which shined like a star.
I knelt down before the Dragon, but he said:
"Rise, and take heed. This is the prophesy of the Crimson Star.
He is coming, and his wrath and vengeance know no boundaries.
You have the knowledge of the prophesy, and you must tell the faithful of His coming."

I knew what he spoke was true,
and I rose. I felt the scroll burning in my stomach,
and I knew I had the knowledge in my mind.

He is coming in fire,
steel and blood. The faithful will be rewarded,
and the fallen will be redeemed. He is coming with his wrath,
and nothing shall stand in his way. So let it be.