The Legend of the
Known Life of the Shek P'var

Maerik Davrith Wraithmoire

Maerik Davrith Moire, a promising student of the Tazmut, was not what he seemed. At the age of twelve he entered training in the Tazmut Guild of the Shek P'var. By the time he was a recognized Tazmut Satia, he was an accomplished Odivshe of great power. This fact was known only to a select few. Unfortunately, those who happened upon this knowledge became fanatical followers. Mindless zombies, to be exact. Maerik's study of magic actually began when he was eight years old, when he started learning from an old human mage that lived alone in the center of a small wood, near the city of Shezar. After a year of study, Maerik managed to learn the rudiments of magic. Unfortunately, Ghor Nkara died (at the age of 173, incidentally) before Maerik could actually qualify for the rank/title of Mavari.

Six months later, Maerik was the most promising apprentice the Tazmut had seen in years. (Daal of Thalspar had almost equal power, although neither really wished to test the other to see which was the stronger.) During the next three years, he advanced quickly through the ranks of the Mavari, achieving the title of Satia after a mere forty months as Mavari (by the construction of an interesting twist on the Alarm spell, the details of which can be found in Vol. 3 of Grerdal's Tome of Tazmut Teachings). At this point details of the next twelve years of Maerik's life become almost impossible to verify. Rumor gives him credit for all manner of things; from slaughtering whole villages for magical spell components, to saving those same villages from ravaging zun raiders, to anything in between. Most sources agree that during this time Maerik was able to contact other Odivshe shek p'var, and cement his position among them. It is believed that the library and equipment that belonged to his first mentor gave him a great deal of magical power, enabling him to survive his initial encounters with other Odivshe. At the age of twenty-five, Maerik returned from his "travels", and petitioned for the rank of Shenava. A newer Shenava, one Listan of Tlaala, challenged the young upstart to a magical duel for the honor. The duel took place in the inner courtyard of the Cherifar Chantry, and Listan struck the first blow.

This "duel" was when the Tazmut discovered Maerik's training in necromancy. They immediately started an inquiry into his associates, and activities. Unfortunately, Maerik prepared for this and the first three "investigators" met horrible deaths at his hands. After eight months, five deaths, and two permanently crippled "investigators", the Tazmut alerted the other chantries to the threat of what they now believed (correctly) to be a very powerful (and peeved) Odivshe.

From records that have been obtained from his victims since the Wraith War, we now know that Maerik spent the next five years eluding the other chantries, while insuring that no other Odivshe was powerful enough to challenge his claim to the rank of Virana, let alone Shenava. It is believed that Maerik slew more than twenty-three of the most powerful Odivshe in those years, and at least seven more after the start of the start of the Wraith War. This count could be higher, as he is know to have slain twelve Shenava of varying chantries, as well as a score of lesser shek p'var, and at least a few could have been hidden Odivshe. If he has survived the Wraith War, as some have argued, the number of shek p'var he has slain could be as high as ninety or even one hundred, as some students of a few of the chantries have died mysteriously in recent years.

On the 15th of Navek, in the year 1054 S.A., the Virana Flayh Tovin Shek P'var declared the life of Maerik Davrith Moire to be forfeit, and that all efforts should be made to find and "... end his threat to the peace and existance of life on the Plate." The exact reasons for his decision are not known, however it is believed that he had petitioned Maerik to join him in the Palace. In response to this declaration, each School of the Shek P'var commissioned half of their Shenava to the task of hunting down and slaying Maerik. The Jenzig, the J'Morvi , the Tazmut, and the Peleahn sent thirty. The Savoryan sent eighteen, while the Fyvorian, and the Lyahvi sent but twelve each. This made for a force of over one hundred fifty Shenava searching for Maerik in an effort to destroy him. Thus began what was to be known as the Wraith War.

Far from unprepared, Maerik retreated to a hidden stronghold, from which he directed his followers against the Virana's force of Shenava. During the first eighteen months of the conflict, almost half of Maerik's resources were conquered or destroyed, and his people imprisoned or killed. The discoveries in these areas led to renewed effort to find and destroy the cruel person that could inflict such horrors upon a populace.

Near the end of the second year, the Virana's force was approached by a small petition of men, claiming to be servants and Lords for various unknown shek p'var, claiming to be Odivshe wishing to help in the downfall of Maerik. After months of discussion, four Odivshe were allowed to join the other Mages. By this time at least two thirds of Maerik's resources had been placed beyond his reach, but he was still strong enough to evade capture, and even, on occasion, attack in his own right. These attacks had managed to kill nine, and wound another twenty.

The first thing that the Odivshe did was inform the other mages of the location of Maerik's stronghold. This knowledge was not at first believed, but all information must be checked. When the first set of scouts did not return, a second was sent. Of the eight men and three shek p'var sent the second time, only one man returned. He told a tale of zun of many types, as well as something worse. They were unable to make any sense of his report, other than they know new the location of Maerik.

All other efforts were abandoned in an attempt to overwhelm Maerik before he know what hit him. A massive assault was launched, with both mundane and magical forces. Again Maerik was underestimated.

Over a thousand zun, of at least seven types, engaged the Virana's forces. This alone would not have stopped them. However, every few minutes, all of the dead would rise from the ground, and fight for Maerik. Because of this a seige began that was to last two years. Many times Maerik's forces almost broke the seige, and many times Maerik's forces were almost overwhelmed.

After two years of seige, there was a sudden change in Maerik's forces. Many of the zun banded together and forced their way through the seige, seemingly without care for their loses. The reason for this was soon made apparent. A messenger arrived at the headquarters of the Virana's troops. This messenger was the zombie of a one-time soldier for the Virana. When a mage came within a few paces of the zombie, it shuddered, and began to speak: "Surrender . . . or die at . . . the hands of . . . the Wraith Moire." Then it collapsed, disintegrating into a pile of ash. None recognized the results of what was obviously a spell.

Shortly there after collapse of the zombie, word reached the mages that an untouchable figure was approaching. Those that attempted to stop it, died horribly at its hands, and then rose up to follow behind it, as a sort of honor guard, yet ignoring any who approached. Word spread quickly.

When the figure reached the group of head shek p'var, it stopped and began to laugh. It was a horrible sound, as if it came from a greater depth than could be reached on this world. Suddenly it stopped laughing and said, "So you think you can defeat me? You have no concept of the power I now control. If you do not leave my territory, I shall be forced to end your threat to my existence."

One of the Tazmut mages asked who this person thought he was, and what reason the thought he had to threaten them in such a manner.

Again the figure laughed. "I am the Wraith, Moire. Through my power I am now more than the mere Moire I started as." Again the sickening laugh. "I am Wraithmoire!" With that his body faded into insubstantiality, but the laughter remained the same. Within seconds, nothing but a shadowy figure remained. The voice spoke again, unchanged. "I . . . am . . . Wraithmoire. You will follow, or die. If you do not enter my keep in the next two hours, you will be considered my enemies for ever. If you enter, you shall have a place at my side."

This shadowy figure then turned and drifted back toward the keep, with its honor guard of the dead following closely behind. After a quick meeting, it was decided that all of the shek p'var would enter the stronghold of Maerik and attempt to catch him off guard. The plan almost worked completely.

Within two hours all of the mages in the area entered the keep, and after a short talk with Maerik, made a sudden massive attack upon him. The attack destroyed most of the stronghold, as well as most of Maerik's troops. Maerik killed seventeen of the mages before he was forced to flee the area. Alone, most of his power broken, he was hunted for the next year, only narrowly escaping numerous traps and ambushes.

Finally in the spring of 1069, Maerik was cornered in a small forest village near the city of Shezar. Most of the inhabitants had been killed to heal the damage done to him in other battles, their corpses animated as a quick defensive force to slow his enemies so he could escape. When they found him, Maerik was in the middle of casting a spell that they were unable to identify. Instead of fighting Maerik continued to cast, in the hope that he could complete his spell, it is assumed. The five most powerful mages simultaneously cast the spell Bolt of Lightning, destroying Maerik's body.

It took short work to subdue the undead in the village, and after that all of the items to be found in Maerik's lair were collected and transported to Cherifar for study by the Virana.

Nothing more could be found about Maerik Davrith Wraithmoire, other than one small note. Shortly before the start of the seige of Maerik's keep a small party left the keep in the company of a young woman and a newborn child. It is said that this child is the son of Maerik, but this has not been confirmed.

Satia Lachor Damdral Savoryan Shek P'var
1075 S.A., Cherifar Chanty of Savoryan Lore



Original author was Larry Robinson
but has been edited by Avathar Valcana for campaign reasons.