A strange land
Jharim wakes up on a mountain side, and looks around. His memories of where he was before are fading fast, but he still remembers he piercing black skies, and this has none of that. He picks himself up, steel plates grinding together, and takes a look towards the cerulean skies, so unlike his own.The green grass, and the vast expanse of rust red dunes both call to him, on either side of the mountain. Does he go and congregate with the locals, or does he go to the wild territories of the dunes, and forge out his own empire. Jharim chooses the latter, not one to be cowed by a daunting task, nor to be lorded over. As he descends down the mountain, a burned man appears behind him. His blood red skin and mouth barren of teeth lead Jharim to believe that this is some infernal creature, but then it speaks.
"Hello Jharim. You may not remember me, for I barely remember much of that place, but you made me."
"Forgive me if I don't remember you, but I cannot remember anything of the sort.", says Jharim.
"My memories are fading as well, but I remember the last seconds of it. The city burned around us, the ray of brilliant light shot from that infernal thing on your head smiting all it touched. I was standing near you, when you began to turn, and my flesh began to melt. It was agony.", the burned man continued in his now manic speech, "YOU BURNED ME, YOU MADE LIKE THIS, YOU BROUGHT ME FROM MY HOME, AND YOU WILL DIE FOR IT"
The man grabbed at a sword that came with him, and Jharim, desperately thinning for a weapon, looked down, and saw a clear sabre of diamond, and he picked it up, and through his might into a parry against the already descending sword. The man flew backward, and began to laugh.
"I see that I have met someone stronger than myself in this world. Very well Jharim. I am content to join you, but I could not take this, this disfigurement, from a stupid weakling, relying on silly magics to get by."
Jharim extended his hand, and met his first friend in this world. The man introduced himself as Moe, and they found a similar desire for power. As they climbed up one of the tall pillars of the mesa, a golem steps out of the reeds of the small lake at the top. It speaks in a grinding voice, and is seemingly animated by nothing, and produces an unintelligible sound. Jharim asks the thing to join, and it speaks again, more understandable this time, almost as if it is waking up, "Yes.".
The Founding of the Empire
The three friends stood at the top of a mountain, and surveyed all around them, looking for a suitable spot to carve out their own spot in history. Eventually, they found it. A small peninsula on the coast of Prsata was all they needed. They called the town Portage, and they began to build up walls and fortifications, docks, farms, homes, and ships, and had even more new friends join them. Jharim's old friend from the void, Bartholomew Aquis, stepped into the town square through a portal, black as the deepest of the nights. Additionally, a scientist by the name of Gibby joined them as well, who was quite confusing, as he liked to put on many costumes for the fun of it. These group of 5 built their proud city, and people began to notice. People flocked to the new city in the dunes, including their neighbor, Larry, who owned a ramshackle collection of red sandstone building by an oasis in the desert. However, not all people that noticed were friendly. Axaboble, M1n0s, and a powerful being known as Morgrim the Ancient visited with mal intent, and the band fought them off every time. But they decided enough was enough. Bartholomew and Moe soon split off, and constructed the mountain city of Castrum, and we officially formed the Xaxklian Imperium. Quickly getting a third town from their old friend, Larry, our empire grew rapidly, with very small population.
The Alliegience
"Morgrim comes under assault from the west. Kylindor is marching on the walls of the undead." Moe speaks his newest intelligence, and Jharim nods, contemplating.
"He has the gall to ask for our help after invading us?" He asks, watching his friend closely, wondering what compelled his friend to almost the equivalent of treason."
"They are offering money, something we desperately need at the moment, and I for one, would like to try my skills against the rest of this world."
Jharim nods, and says to take the offer. He knows how much Moe loves the artistry in war, to him a sword was like the quill to a poet. Every stroke bringing their idea to life, or death in Moe's case. Soon afterwards, Jharim opens a portal with some of the strange functions of his suit. He began looking into them immediately upon his arrival, and soon discovered a glowing square with reams of information beyond his understanding. What he did understand though, was the word "Damaged". This word popped up next to nearly everything on this square, and he figured not much of it. The ability to move at will throughout the world was good enough as is, he supposed. They step into the armory of the dreadfort, and look around, trying to ignore the screams of the bones clattering below. Instead, he focused on the sound of Anvils hammering crystal blades into shape, forming wonderous armor and weapons. A wizard sat by a small table of jet-black stone, with a book hovering above it, chanting incantations, and the armor toughened beyond what should be possible. A booming voice calls out, and they turn to a skeleton in war gear, flowing with the green energy of souls.
"I am Morgrim, and we need your help. Our little "Misunderstanding" on the coast can be forgotten in the face of wealth can't it?"
Jharim agrees, for he loves wealth and power more than anything in this world.
"Good, my friend. By all estimates, the Kylindorian army will arrive within a week, and we are hard at work in preparation. I hope that I am not making a mistake in bringing you here." Morgrim laughs, as he knows that we will not make a move in this infernal fortress, surrounded by legions of his most loyal followers.
The week passed quickly. Another of the towns in the alliance, a town called Uradon, was sieged by the army on the way over, and we beat them easily.
How that would change in only a few days' time.