-- ToME - Tales of Maj'Eyal
-- Copyright (C) 2009, 2010, 2011 Nicolas Casalini
--
-- This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
-- it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
-- the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
-- (at your option) any later version.
--
-- This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
-- but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
-- MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
-- GNU General Public License for more details.
--
-- You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
-- along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
--
-- Nicolas Casalini "DarkGod"
-- darkgod@te4.org

newLore{
	id = "troll-poem",
	category = "misc",
	name = "trollish poem",
	lore = [[#{bold}#"Me Likes to Club"

#{italic}#Club club club,
Grab some grub!
When hunger hits,
Me likes to club!

Little halfling,
Furry feet,
Smash his brains,
Tasty meat!

Skinny elf,
Eyes so blue,
Crush his bones,
Make elf stew!

Hairy dwarf,
Smells like dirt,
Cook him long,
Or stomach hurt!

Stupid human,
Has no fear,
Looks surprised,
When me eats his ear!

Club club club,
Grab some grub!
When hunger hits,
Me likes to club!#{normal}#]],
}

newLore{
	id = "necromancer-poem",
	category = "misc",
	name = "necromancer poem",
	lore = [[#{bold}#"The Necromancer's Canticle"

#{italic}#Saved from coffin, casket, urn
Darkness falls, but life returns!
Flesh may fall and bone may burn
But soul remains, for which we yearn

Those we return to life's esteem
We see their hearts, their eyes do gleam
They rave! They kill! They gnash! They scream!
So full of joy! Their greatest dream!

Returning those that we amend
They hurry home, a distant friend
But do they cheer? Do they commend?
They yell! Does rotting flesh offend?

We bring life to lifeless bone
But do they smile? Do they condone?
They sit upon their golden thrones
They shun us, spurn us, make unknown

Fools! Sit high in golden tower
From your lofty perch you glower
Time will come when you will cower
We rule death, we wield the power
#{normal}#]],
}

newLore{
	id = "necromancer-primer-1",
	category = "misc",
	name = "how to be a necromancer, part 1",
	lore = [[#{bold}#THE GLORIOUS ART#{normal}#

Have you cast away the feeble pretensions of your society? Does your soul thirst for the taste of real power? Do you wish to have the strength to deny that most prevalent force, death itself? The glorious art of necromancy shall fulfil your wishes in ways you couldn't possibly imagine.

#{italic}#1. Your First Steps#{normal}#

Be aware, necromancy isn't all weaving mighty spells of undeath, wearing flowing black robes and crushing entire nations beneath the feet of your mighty undead horde; you'll have to put in some elbow grease as well. Your first few bodies will have to be stolen away personally as few people will aid a necromancer willingly, and those that do are rarely competent. The cemeteries of small towns and villages are good sites for your first acquisitions, but if time demands it don't be afraid to "make" some specimens of your own with the aid of a sharp knife or heavy bludgeon. Once you have your first minions out performing your bidding you needn't worry about resources any longer; opportunities to practice your art will, quite literally, pile up.

Also important is the upkeep of the bodies themselves. True, this is not strictly necessary as sufficient enchantment can bestow mobility upon even the most ruined and incomplete remains, but making sure that the joints and cruses of your prospective minions move freely and with ease much reduces the will required to grant them reanimation. It also makes for a sturdy and reliable base in case you desire to undertake larger, more audacious projects (see 46. Bone Giants & You).

Still not sure what to do? Then suffer and perish. Necromancy does not abide the inept.]]
}

newLore{
	id = "necromancer-primer-2",
	category = "misc",
	name = "how to be a necromancer, part 2",
	lore = [[#{italic}#2. Domination Of The Deceased#{normal}#

A contentious issue arises when it comes time to breathe life into your gathered specimens - do you raise them as lifeless drones, or do you bind the souls of the deceased within their vessels once more? There is much disagreement on this between the various movements of necromancers. The Beinagrind method of necromancy extols the torturous imprisonment of the soul as fundamental; the anguish generated by the captive spirit makes for a much more effective undead thrall, they claim. The recently founded TrenÃ« method however disagrees, claiming that allowing souls freedom not only results in more obedient slaves less prone to rising up and slaughtering their masters, but also causes your work to become marginally more acceptable to the unwashed masses. Sure, they'll still thrash you, drag you through town and burn you at the stake if they get the chance, but they'll feel ambivalent about it, by thunder!

Remember, when utilising a runic circle to bend your new minions to your will, make sure beforehand that every rune in the circle is enchanted properly and in no danger of fizzling out. If the unthinkable happens and one of your thralls is freed from your control, offer them goods or equipment in exchange for your life. Few undead will kill their creators after receiving such an act of generosity.]]
}

newLore{
	id = "necromancer-primer-3",
	category = "misc",
	name = "how to be a necromancer, part 3",
	lore = [[#{italic}#3. Unwanted Attention#{normal}#

Sadly, it is not only the peasantry and our "virtuous" archmage cousins that disapprove of our work. Though not entirely understood, necromancy is known to create "ripples" of a sort across the many dimensions, ripples that attract extra-planar attention. As a necromancer's power grows, so do said ripples, until eventually said necromancer finds all manner of demonic force and entity beating down their door, both mentally and physically.

Once again, opinions differ on this demonic interference. Necromancy is such a beautiful, divergent art, is it not? The Trené method sees the necromancer's corruption by outside forces as a negative thing, and practitioners of said method often take measures to divert supernatural attention from themselves, creating talismans to act as spiritual "conductors" or living close to the communities that despise them, the life essences of the masses masking the necromancer's dark emanations. On the other hand, the Beinagrind method welcomes the cursed whisperings that come from the demonic realms, believing it to be the completion of their psyches. Only once their spirits have been "corrupted" (a term Beinagrind practitioners scoff at) do people realize their true ambitions, they claim. Why these "true ambitions" always seem to be the utter and complete destruction of all life in this world and the summoning of unthinkable atrocities from the outer dimensions is unexplored.

You may have noticed that no instruction has been given on how to deal with the attention of common folk. That is because a true necromancer requires none. They are vermin, fit only to be crushed.]]
}

newLore{
	id = "necromancer-primer-4",
	category = "misc",
	name = "how to be a necromancer, part 4",
	lore = [[#{italic}#4. Necromancers Of Maj'Eyal#{normal}#

The greatest enemy of the necromancer is other necromancers. Well, apart from the Ziguranth, the Allied Kingdoms, the Shaloren, the Thaloren, the Iron Throne, common townsfolk, undead hunters, adventurers, rogue undead and Linaniil. But apart from them, the greatest enemy of the necromancer is other necromancers. Below is listed the location of many notable necromancers, areas possessing above-average undead activity, and other regions considered unfitting for our designs. Budding practitioners of our art are encouraged to perform their work away from these areas, lest they be recognized as threats or nuisances and are subsequently eradicated.

#{italic}#The Ruins Of Kor'Pul#{normal}#: While this necromancer of old may have perished, and his shade has long since lost any trace of sanity, his lair remains a nexus of dark energies, and his minions remain legion.

#{italic}#Blighted Ruins#{normal}#: An ambitious amateur has made his lair within these ruins, thought to be chasing dreams of raising an unstoppable army of the dead. His methods are known to be crude and prone to failure, and I fully expect to hear of him perishing at the hands of his own works within the year.

#{italic}#Dreadfell#{normal}#: Undead have been massing at this abandoned tower in unprecedented numbers. Obviously, a powerful figure has recently made it his home. Regardless, no clue has been given to the identity of this tower's supposed master.

#{italic}#Derth#{normal}#: While there is no formal necromancer presence in this sleepy countryside village, no practitioner of our art has been able to work within its vicinity. Rumours on why this is so are wild and varied, ranging from stories of almost all of its inhabitants being undead minions wearing cloaks of deception, to it being the secret base of the founder of the Trené method of necromancy. Whatever reason there is, beware.

#{italic}#Zigur#{normal}#: The enemy of our enemy is not our friend in this case. What passes for "normal" magic is enough to send the cult residing here into a frothing, psychotic frenzy - the presence of a necromancer would be enough to instigate a second Age of Pyre!

No further aid awaits you, for we do not tolerate the dependent. All that remains is for you to prove yourself worthy of practising this glorious art...]]
}

newLore{
	id = "halfling-feet",
	category = "misc",
	name = "of halfling feet",
	lore = [[Some men have said that the feet of halflings can nay be harmed, not by fire, blade nor magic. And they do say that this is a truly astounding thing. And some men consider the foot of a halfling to be an item of great luck and protection, and many have one hung above their door or mantle. Though these days 'tis frowned upon to go hunt for one, so 'tis considered a prized heirloom to be passed from father to son.

But women do look upon men and declare them fools. "For how," say they, "Can the foot of a halfling be a lucky thing, when with their large uncomely feet they are not able to wear shoes and footwear of elegant crafts and beauteous materials? And especially 'tis a great misfortune unto them, as with their short stature they could really do with a decent pair of heels..."

And lo, 'tis little mystery why halflings do look upon humans and say "The Big Folk really are very dumb."]]
}

newLore{
	id = "rogue-poem",
	category = "misc",
	name = "Rogues do it from behind",
	lore = [[An archer from the northern lands
Claimed of his great renown
With peerless skill and countless trials
His name known town to town

He spoke of facing vampire lords
Who promised years of pain
The archer gave a stern retort
An arrow through the brain

A fighter from the southern lands
Claimed armies fled his might
With dragons slain 'most every day
And demons crushed by night

He spoke of ancient sprawling ruins
Home to a ghastly shade
Its years of madness, hate and rage
Were ended on his blade

An archmage from the western lands
Claimed kingdoms feared his name
With countless legends, songs and myths
Attesting to his fame

He spoke of fire, storm and hail
To match the fiercest wyrm
To see one man hold so much power
Can make an empire squirm

A rogue who came from unknown lands
Not known for anything
A leap, a flash, a concealed blade
Three heroes felt its sting

The archer dropped, his bow unplucked
The fighter died as well
The archmage found its poison
Far too potent to dispel

The rogue is unknown to this day
Though rumours persist still
Rogues aren't known by name or deed
But by the names they kill]]
}

newLore{
	id = "dust-to-dust",
	category = "misc",
	name = "Dust to Dust",
	lore = [[#{italic}#An undead hunter's guide, by Aslabor Borys#{normal}#

So, apparently I'm a legend now. Hah, knock a vampire's head off with a greatmaul and suddenly you're up there with Toknor and Mirvenia apparently. More and more often these days I get novice adventurers coming up to me, asking me for advice when it comes to battling the undead. My first instinct was to tell them to get back home and become bakers or gardeners or something. If they need crib notes for combat they obviously aren't cut out for it.

But then I was thinking, these are good kids. Heck, I'd buy every man and woman in the world who's bumped off a ghoul a free drink if I could. If they want help when it comes to putting down necromancer slime and their chilling creations, I would be more than happy to oblige. Not much of a writer, but let's see. First...

#{bold}#1. Ghouls#{normal}#

Every once in a while, people come to me and say "Are all necromancers truly evil?" "Surely necromancy could be used for good!" "Isn't it wrong to discriminate against others simply because of the magicks they practice?" To these people, the first thing I usually say - shortly after giving them a black eye - is to take a look at a ghoul. Take a good, long look. Take in the diseased, putrescent flesh. Take in the oozing, exposed organs. Take in its features, slowly rotting to mulch. It used to be a person. It used to have a family, people who loved it. Now it's a walking corpse, its only desire being death and the mad, all-encompassing consumption of living flesh. Are all necromancers truly evil? A thousand times, yes.

Even this most basic of undead minions can strike terror into the unprepared. The multitude of diseases that a normal ghoul carries are contagious in a manner many adventurers do not truly appreciate until they see the sores and necrosis visibly spreading up their arm from where a ghoul bit them. Such maladies must be dealt with promptly: if bitten by a ghoul, immediately plunge the afflicted area in scalding hot water, then wrap it quickly in clean cloth lined with mugwort and quartz powder. The wound must remain dressed for three weeks, with new dressings applied every four days, and make sure to burn the old ones! Failing the above, a wild infusion also works splendidly.

    * * *


#{bold}#2. Skeletons#{normal}#

What guide to the undead would be complete without mentioning the humble skeleton? Despite these clattering and chittering bones of the deceased often looking so fragile that a stiff breeze could break them apart, in many ways they are more dangerous than their ghoul cousins.

With no masses of rotted and ruined flesh to reanimate, necromancers can commit themselves fully to bestowing some level of fighting skill on a reanimated skeleton, and since a fighter's weapons will often last as long as his bones will, skeletons are usually armed and sometimes even armoured. The potential skill of a skeleton doesn't stop at melee weapons either - fallen archers take up their bows once again, and although difficult by comparison, some necromancers can even grant dead mages their magic powers once again.

Some adventurers find themselves baffled when it comes to fighting skeletons. How do you destroy a foe who, by all rights, should be destroyed already? To these adventurers, I say take heart. The more broken and incomplete a body is, the more effort it takes to keep it reanimated. As most necromancers see skeletons as the lowest of low peons, you can expect a few good blows to easily dissipate the minimal effort their masters put into creating them.

    * * *


#{bold}#3. Wights#{normal}#

Wights are an odd duck amongst the undead, often not created by necromancers specifically, but instead rising of their own volition when the conditions are right. Wights are by no means individual souls, but often part of a gestalt; when a particular land has seen enough bloodshed - battlefields, forest, crypts and graveyards - wights can be seen to rise en masse, a near-physical representation of the battles and turmoil the land has faced. Sadly, it is for this reason that necromancers often facilitate the creation of wights regardless, for no other study or profession causes so much blood or death.

Those who have had encounters with wights often describe them as indistinct skeletal figures, wrapped in flowing cloaks that become faded and incorporeal at their edges, while strange lights dance where their eyes should remain. Survivors tell of a peculiar sense of exhaustion when in close proximity to them, as though merely being close to these figments of death causes one's life force to sputter and fade. Regardless of this and their ghostly appearance however, it has been recorded that steel and strength of arms is yet enough to destroy them, or at least to erase them for the time being. It's just a shame that such battles are likely to simply create more of them in the long run...

    * * *


#{bold}#4. Vampires#{normal}#

Vampires are so far removed from other varieties of undead it seems almost unreal. What grants them their longevity? How do they retain such great intelligence? Beyond their sallow complexion and drawn features, why do they not decay and decompose as their ghoulish siblings do? The study of vampiric nature is one long list of unanswered questions, each new study adding yet more to the ever-growing pile.

As said before, a vampire's greatest strength is its resemblance to a living man, both in mind and body. Thanks to this, vampires are known for residing comparatively close to normal towns and villages far more than other undead. Some have even been known to keep their lairs within these communities themselves! Despite their resemblance however, there are many telltale signs of vampirism: Unnaturally pale skin, long and distinctive fangs, an aversion to sunlight, and much more besides. In an effort to avoid close inspection, some vampires are known to masquerade as men of wealth, often cloistering themselves in remote locations to discourage prying eyes.

But perhaps the most astonishing thing regarding vampires is their propensity for alliance and familial relationships. No other undead being even approaches matching the incomprehensible tangle of clans, broods, families and bloodkin that vampires create for themselves. It is for this reason that vampires often end up becoming rulers of lesser undead themselves, commanding them as a normal necromancer would. So, in turn, treat them as you would a necromancer - with cold steel.

    * * *


#{bold}#5. Spirits#{normal}#

During my travels, I have noticed that some communities in the wild no longer bury their deceased as is the norm in larger settlements. Some folk burn the corpses of their fallen, committing their ashes to the earth instead. When asked why they perform this peculiar practice, I always receive the same answer: Necromancers. Fearful of their dead rising up to slay them at the whims of delusional, murderous filth, they believe that with the burning of the dead, their spirits are forever beyond the reach of a necromancer's bony fingers.

Alas, this is not true. While fire may burn away a man's physical being, no flame can touch his spirit. Unfortunately, necromancers can. Bereft of both body and freedom, many souls are driven mad in the employ of necromancers, ceaselessly drifting through windswept crypts, harrying any unfortunate wanderers they encounter with a multitude of curses and hexes. Worst of all are those spirits who embrace their newfound purpose, causing them to grow in power at a frightening rate. No other being in Maj'Eyal is so obviously abhorrent to existence itself as these "dreads"; it is almost as though creation itself wants these beings gone from her world. It is my hope that you, and many others, oblige her wish.

    * * *


#{bold}#6. Bone Giants#{normal}#

One of the most horrific, vomit-inducing expressions of the necromancer's so-called "art" is the bone giant. Not content with merely profaning the bodies of singular souls, some ambitious necromancers work to bind the bodies of countless skeletons together, creating hideous engines of destruction that can stand many times higher than the height of a normal man.

It is a deadly mistake to liken these abominations to the golems alchemists and archmages employ. Wilful and fey as they are, normal mages often only craft golems for utility and their own protection, while necromancers create bone giants for the sole purpose of dealing death, and the only limit to their destructive capability is the necromancer's twisted imagination. Ever fought a snow giant? Imagine one with six arms and fingers like blades, wrought of sharpened ribs. Imagine one with countless skulls lining every inch of its wretched body, all screaming for your blood to be spilt as it thrashes spinal columns like whips from its disfigured hands! After facing one of these grotesque amalgamations, you'll be begging to go back to the Daikara to pick on simple, frost-rimed sub-men.

    * * *


#{bold}#7. Liches#{normal}#

Hate made flesh. Evil made pure. Death incarnate. The culmination of a necromancer's work. Whatever you know liches as, I can tell you that they do not match the countless myths and legends that surround their terrible figures. They surpass them.

Once a powerful necromancer finally crosses the border between life and death, the abyssal power that they could only initially grasp in dribs and drabs becomes theirs to control totally. It is often said that unexpected quakes, crops failing, and the leaves simultaneously falling from the trees heralds the birth of a lich. Lords of the undead, liches can annihilate ghouls and skeletons, banish dreads with a glance, and reduce bone giants to powder within moments.

As to how to actually destroy one? Well, tell you what. If you manage to defeat one of these abominations, be a dear and write a guide for me, for I have absolutely, positively, no idea.

    * * *]]
}
