Acolytes of Vashna

The Acolytes of Vashna, sometimes called the Cult of Vashna, are a cult devoted to the revival of Darklord Vashna, the greatest of the Darklords, after his fall in the Battle of Maakengorge. On at least three occasions, the cult attempted a ritual to bring him back, and in MS 5102, they were finally successful.

History

Creation and Svader's plot

It was said that the Acolytes of Vashna were founded around MS 3799, by Prophet Umbranis soon after Vashna's fall in the Battle of Maakengorge. The Acolytes, however, had to operate in secret, due to the feuding nature of the Darklords. By MS 5000, during the time of Archlord Zagarna, the Acolytes operated covertly in the Darklands, but had also infiltrated the Freelands as well.

One survivor of the Battle of Maakengorge was the Helghast Svader, who was also a member of Vashna's inner circle. For over 1,200 years, Svader recovered in exile in the Dajdokritzaga Mountains, until enough of his strength returned. He then returned to the Darklands, feigning allegiance to Archlord Zagarna, and quickly rising the ranks due to his immense knowledge and power. This also granted him access to the Acolytes of Vashna, who welcomed his secret plan to revive Archlord Vashna: To perform a ritual, combining the skull of Sun Eagle with the blood of a Kai Master at the Maakengorge. In MS 5000, Svader convinced the Darklords to send him to Sommerlund on a quest, where he captured Kai Master Stormsong, raided the tomb of Sun Eagle for his skull, and travelled to the Maakengorge. Svader was initially successful, and Vashna began to rise from the Maakengorge. However, Stormsong's students fought and defeated Svader, and depending on the actions of the party, either Master Stormsong, his spirit, or one of his students leapt into the Maakengorge to their own doom, using the Banner of Ishir to rally the Fallen Host — the spirits of the fallen Freelands soldiers of the Battle of Maakengorge, driving Vashna back into the Maakengorge.

Barraka's plot

One known ritual by MS 5000 was that by combining an incredibly powerful dark ritual, a source of power such as the sacrifice of a Kai Lord or descendant of King Ulnar I (or suitable follower of the Light), a relic of Vashna's, and the Dagger of Vashna would be enough to revive him. The Dagger contained a portion of Vashna's spirit, as a safeguard in case he died. This was also prophesied by Gwynian the Sage:

When the full moon shines o'er the temple deep,
A sacrifice will stir from sleep
The legions of a long forgotten lord.
When a fair royal maid on the altar dies,
The dead of Maakengorge shall rise
To claim their long-awaited reward.

In MS 5054, during the events of The Chasm of Doom, the rogue Vassagonian renegade Barraka, dubbed the Doomslayer, invaded Ruanon and captured Madelon Vanalund, a distant descendant of King Ulnar I, taking her to the temple of Maaken. He also obtained the Dagger of Vashna from Teakkro, and planned to start the ritual at the full moon. Lone Wolf thwarted Barraka's plot, killed Barraka, rescued Madelon, and took the Dagger of Vashna in his possession. It was said that as long as Lone Wolf possessed the Dagger, Vashna could not be revived.

Deathstaff plot

In MS 5077, during the events of The Legacy of Vashna, the Acolytes of Vashna prepared a different ritual. Sent a sign by Naar, they prepared to open a Shadow Gate to the Plane of Darkness, where Demoness Shamath would bring the Deathstaff, a powerful artifact that Naar had laboured to create, which would have enough power to bring Vashna back. The Acolytes were led by Archdruid Cadak. Lone Wolf infiltrated this ceremony, but was recognised by Cadak, and in the chaos of the opening of the Shadow Gate, Lone Wolf was sucked inside and transported to the Plane of Darkness.

In the Plane of Darkness, Lone Wolf made his way to Shamath's lair, where he met Alyss. Alyss informed him of Naar's plot, and showed him where the Deathstaff stood. Lone Wolf successfully stole the Deathstaff and entered the Shadow Gate back to Magnamund. In the process, however, the Dagger of Vashna disappeared. Back on Magnamund, Lone Wolf slew Cadak, and used the Deathstaff to destroy the dais of the Shadow Gate before Shamath could enter Magnamund. This caused a raging whirlwind to suck everything in its vicinity into its core, but Lone Wolf survived, as the whirlwind destroyed all traces of the plot, including the Deathstaff.

Zekgazad plot

In MS 5102, during the events of Dead in the Deep, the Acolytes tried once again. The Nengud-kor-Adez migrated from Helgedad to the Maakengorge, and the Acolytes began congregating north of Lyris, in the ancient city of Emolyria. Here, they constructed a massive underground fortress called Zekgazad, using the Nengud-kor-Adez to power its furnaces and breeding pools, to build a new army of darkness to be led by a new leader. They began openly recruiting new recruits in the Stornlands, taking advantage of the infighting there, including an invasion of Lyris by Magador without a declaration of war. The Acolytes seemingly went for quantity rather than quality: The most loyal would go on to serve Vashna, but those who were not were simply sacrificed into the Nengud-kor-Adez, fueling its power even more. The leaders also drugged the initiates' food, making them more pliable to their masters.

Their ultimate goal was to repeat the plot of Barraka: To sacrifice a descendant of King Ulnar I using the Dagger of Vashna, at the Maakengorge, to bring back Darklord Vashna. The Acolytes, however, had run into multiple issues with this plot. A descendant of King Ulnar I proved to be elusive, despite Heldajdok-taag Teakkro spying in Holmgard for a long time, undetected by even the Kai. The Dagger of Vashna too proved to be elusive, having been lost in the Plane of Darkness by Lone Wolf during the events of Dead in the Deep; the Acolytes were in the middle of reconstituting the Chaos-master in Magmanund, as he was one of the few that could find it, but he would require a bargain in exchange for it.

As such, the forces of Darkness had an alternate plan: To bring the Chaos-master himself in full into Magnamund instead, and rally behind him. This alternate plan was opposed by the most ardent of supporters of Vashna, however. The Acolytes had backup plans of their own. Within Zekgazad, the Nadziranim theorised that if they could recompose Vashna's body, they might succeed in releasing his spirit, and a sarcophagus was prepared for this attempt.

Lone Wolf, now Kai Supreme Master, dispatched Kai Grand Master Steel Hand to Emolyria, to investigate and thwart their plans. Steel Hand discovered their plans, and made it to the sarcophagus. In destroying it, however, he was captured and tortured, although the forces of Darkness were unable to kill him, as he protected himself with a magical shield.

Lone Wolf sensed that Steel Hand was still alive, and dispatched Grand Master to complete Steel Hand's quest and rescue him. Grand Master infiltrated Zekgazad and met Steel Hand in his prison. Grand Master made their way to the Cathedral of the Great Return, where the Great Elders — the most senior of the forces of Darkness in Emolyria — congregated, and Grand Master discovered that the plans of the Acolytes of Vashna had not gone to plan, with the Dagger and descendant not found, although Prophet Umbranis insisted that the stars foretold him the day was today. However, half of the Great Elders did not want to wait any longer, and demanded the alternate plan was put into place. After arguing, they were interrupted by Luthos Vorgada, who revealed that they had found an heir of King Ulnar I. In a cruel twist of fate, this heir was revealed to be none other than the captured Steel Hand. In delight, Umbranis declared that Vorgada was indeed favoured by Vashna, and that Vorgada would make the bargain with the Chaos-master, to do what he wanted in exchange for the Dagger, and Steel Hand would be sacrificed with it.

Depending on the actions of the player, the Dagger was either given to Grand Master (after the Chaos-master revealed he knew he was not truly required, and gave the Dagger to their worst enemies, in line with his chaotic nature), or to the Acolytes of Vashna. Grand Master then shattered the crystals shielding the chamber from the Nengud-kor-Adez, destroying the Chaos-master and causing the Great Elders to scatter. Grand Master returned to rescue Steel Hand, and the two fled Zekgazad. They were confronted by Quazandra and Teakkro, members of the Heldajdok-taagim, and if Grand Master possessed the Dagger of Vashna, Teakkro stole it back. After defeating the Heldajdok-taagim, the two Kai continued their escape, but Steel Hand was captured near the exit, and prepared to be sacrificed. However, Grand Master had given their Nyxator Mail to Steel Hand, and as Vorgada stabbed Steel Hand, the power of Nyxator, far older than the Darklords, blocked the Dagger. Steel Hand took advantage of the shock to throw Vorgada and the Dagger into the Maakengorge.

This act caused the Dagger to be destroyed, but also served to release the portion of Vashna's spirit, and infused it with the Nengud-kor-Adez, where the Darklords were born from. This created a reborn avatar of Vashna, merged with the full power of the Nengud-kor-Adez, the ultimate goal of the Acolytes of Vashna finally completed.

Membership

The Acolytes of Vashna are led by powerful necromancers. When gathered in ceremony, they wear red cloaks with black hoods, with a skull emblem. Every Acolyte possesses an Amulet of Fealty signifying their devotion to Naar. Some Acolytes wear a Ruby Ring to signify their loyalty.

The Acolytes of Vashna have various related groups, which may be a part of the Acolytes themselves, although the text does not make it clear.

• The Heldajdok-taagim gained the favour of Vashna's spirit, but operated independently of the Acolytes of Vashna, under the leadership of Luthos Vorgada.
• The Doomslayers, Barraka and Luthos Vorgada. Vorgada gained the favour of Vashna's spirit, and appeared to be one of the senior figures in the Cathedral of the Great Return as they debated whether to wait until Vashna could be revived, or whether the Chaos-master should be brought into Magnamund instead.
• Svader, a Helghast and member of Vashna's inner circle who survived the Battle of Maakengorge. Svader sought out the Acolytes of Vashna, but is portrayed as a separate group.

Senior figures in the Acolytes of Vashna

The following figures have, at some point or another, become a senior figure and/or leader of the Acolytes of Vashna:

• Barraka
• Archdruid Cadak
• Svader
• Members in the Cathedral of the Great Return in MS 5102, referred to as the Great Elders:
  • Warlord Hurdaaniggi
  • An unnamed Heldajdok-odakar Death Knight
  • Chief Druid of the Cenerese, Paizar
  • An unnamed Vassagonian noble
  • Two Nadziranim
  • An unnamed Xaghash
  • Daemonak Gorgavu
  • Prophet Umbranis, said to have founded the Cult after the fall of Vashna
  • Luthos Vorgada

In the gamebooks

The Acolytes of Vashna are encountered a number of times in The Chasm of Doom, The Legacy of Vashna and Dead in the Deep, the gamebooks that focus on Vashna. They are mostly fought in combat, although both Lone Wolf and Grand Master may, depending on the actions of the player, blend in with the Acolytes to investigate. Both of these paths provide lore about the Acolytes, particularly in Dead in the Deep. Both these paths may also force them to interact with evil while blending in (losing Endurance points), and Grand Master may be required to actively perform evil acts to gain an Amulet of Fealty, losing Endurance points from shame.

See also

• The Naarvakim — another evil cult, but devoted to Agarash the Damned