Haldiram looked up he was laying in a coffin he recognised it instantly it was his father's. Haldiram Struggled to sit up, his whole body ached and groaned as he pushed himself out of the coffin and onto his feet. Haldiram studied the room he found himself in, it was a large cave with a single door in and out was he a prisoner? “No wait i remember… Marcus? Father? Could it truly be him?

Haldiram stumbled forward towards the door he tugged at the handle and it opened with a squeal he felt thirsty but if marcus was here there was only one way to find out “FATHER!”

Marcus heard Haldiram’s shout, He had just been reviewing the first reports from the ghouls he had sent out almost a month ago much has happened they had been very informative but that had to wait.

His son needed him, with a brisk pace he reached the room that Haldiram had been resting in he had let his warriors place Haldiram in his personal coffin to keep him safe.

Marcus saw Haldiram standing in the doorway “My son i’m glad you are up we have much to discuss.”

Haldiram pushed himself towards the nearby table, he steadied himself and standing upright “ I can't believe it is you father, how are you still alive father?”

Marcus walked up and put a hand onto Haldiram shoulder i does not matter all i’ll say for now is that i was never dead only trapped but what matters now is figuring out what has happened in my absence tell me.”

Haldiram felt his strength waning and grabbed a nearby chair he started “you will not like what i have to say father. But i feel you need to know, we failed you miserably after you disappeared after the siege of the citadel we presumed you dead.

Marcus stood over his son with a grim expression “continue the truth Haldiram, the whole truth no matter how dark”

Haldiram spoke at length of the time after Marcus disappearance (see the Timeline chapter for more information)

When we were weak the mortal races returned to finish the job i had never laid claim to the throne so my forces were largely intact. So i quickly marched to the mountain passes to defend them but when i arrived they had already been taken.

“ENOUGH” Marcus was clenched his fist in anger his fingernails digging into his flesh and blood dripped from between his knuckles.

“I... I expected more from you all… my sons and daughters i expected more instead of continuing my legacy you destroyed it. You have given me much to contemplate but for now you and i must look to the future once i have gathered all my children and reclaimed my empire we will discuss this but for now we will forget for now”

Haldiram simply nodded he lowered his head in shame Marcus was right after all they had all acted like spoiled brats. “What now father?”

Marcus motioned for Haldiram to follow, Haldiram raised himself and followed as best as he can.

They Entered the common room the tables had all been removed except for one which was placed in the middle. There was a large bronze bowl in the middle it was filled to the brim with fresh blood.

Marcus walked up to the table he lifted two cups and filled them with blood from the bowl and offered one two Haldiram. “A toast, In defeat plan tomorrow's victory” Haldiram drank deeply from the cup he felt refreshed he wanted more but resisted his impulse to drink the whole bowl of blood.

Marcus turned to the bowl and continued his incantation the blood started to boil and then shot up to create a sphere of blood. It worked much like the map spell that Marcus had used to survey the surroundings. Haldiram recognised the spell it was a communications spell quite useful.

Marcus spoke to the orb of blood “Viscera continue your report” Haldiram interrupted “Who is this father?” Marcus explained that “Viscera had been one of the grave robbers who had dug him up and that he had turned the survivors with enough blood potency into ghouls, her mission had been to infiltrate the nearby city”

Marcus once again turned back to Viscera “continue”

As Viscera spoke ripples became visible across the blood orbs surface “My Emperor this place is known as Harvok and it is the capital of a small city state within the greater Jorvathi Confederacy.

From what i have been able to gather the Greater Jorvathi Confederacy is the principal human superpower on the continent and from what you have told me. It seems they now own most of your empire's former lands except for a small coastline in the north.

Greater Jorvathi Confederacy seems to be an alliance of many large city states like Harvok who have banded together to form a larger nation. They seem to favor decentralisation and leave all foreign policy to the border city states. If war were to come all other city states are obligated to support the city state who was attack but if it is an offensive war by one of the city states other cities may support but they are not obligated to.

Marcus seemed indifferent but Haldiram was more curious “how have you acquired such an intricate knowledge about the inner workings of their government?”

Viscera responded “All the information about their government is public information the blue-stripe accords as the agreement is known are public knowledge, it is encouraged by normal citizens to learn what keeps the Greater Jorvathi confederacy together without it the city states would have nothing to keep them from destroying each other.

Haldiram ignored Viscera and turned to Marcus “Father how long have you been active in this age?”

Marcus responded “little over a month now you have rested for almost 3 weeks, know that dragging the soul back from the underworld strains the mind and body.

You may experience adverse side effects, visions and seeing the dead but you know all this of course death is your expertise after all.”

Haldiram nodded “yes i know, but father what do you need me to do anything to earn back your trust.”

Marcus turned back to Viscera “how large is the cemetery in Harvok?” Marcus was betting that their traditions were still the same as in his age.

Viscera responded “yes my Emperor there are several smaller ones outside the city but the largest is in the Cathedral of Kellor. Beneath it i’ve heard there is a very large collection of catacombs filled with the dead of soldiers who have died in the service of the brotherhood of light and i’ve heard that that the centerpiece of the cathedral is the grave of a champion of light.”

Marcus rubbed his chin, could it be him? No no he would be buried in the greatest of their cities.

Marcus gaze turned to Haldiram “they have buried their doom beneath their city with that army we can take the first step towards our return. But remember both of you we must remain hidden until the enemy is weak and has turned on itself.

Surprise will be our greatest advantage for as long as the mortal races think us dead we can act with impunity. Viscera how is the cult that i ordered you to gather progressing?”

Haldiram spoke up “Cult?” but Marcus hushed him “speak Viscera”

Viscera spoke but with a slight hint of hesitation “slow my Emperor we need more capital to attract new members but my most recent survey puts us at 50 human followers. Many are outcasts of all sorts but a couple are guards and clerks in the city nobody of importance yet my emperor”

Marcus responded “that is unfortunate but understandable under the circumstances i will make sure you receive more capital once we acquire it”

“Most gracious my Emperor”

“You are dismissed Viscera”

with “My Emperor” the blood orb slowly started to dissolve into nothing as the blood’s potency was expended.

Haldiram repeated his question “a cult father?”

Marcus turned to walk away motioning for Haldiram to follow “yes Haldiram, your cult more exactly”

Haldiram stopped dead in his track, “My cult?”

Marcus stopped aswell and turned to face Haldiram “yes a cult dedicated to the worship of the undead, i’ve thought long on what went wrong how i failed the first time and i’ve decided that since we can't live without the humans we must have control over them. The cult of Kellor swept through our livestock without hinderance. If we had cultivated our own religion promising eternal then i believe things would have turned out differently.”

Haldiram considered it for a moment “you may be right father, if we could draw from a class of religious zealots that would be glad even honoured to die and feed us. It could change everything but what god do we dedicate this to father? Aborash the god the dead? Or Nazumar god of undeath?” Haldiram did not dare speak the last name the could think of Kain god of murder.

Even the first born did not dare speak the god of murders name in the presence of their father.

Marcus simply shaked his head “no my son you and me our kind we are the gods our servants will pray and sacrifice themselves to.”

Haldiram was stunned “but father… Marcus please don't tell me you believe yourself a god?”

Marcus laughed “no of course not it is simply theater for the masses to keep them in line to the slaughter and maybe we might even draw our second born from the most competent of the faithful but enough of this for now. My plan is to make all the firstborn a god in our new pantheon you Haldiram will be the god of the faithful their link to us. I will be the god of the dead and the rest will be decided when they are found.”

Haldiram felt uncomfortable he was not a faithful man but the gods did exist, the eternal empire had been destroyed by the champion of one. But now was not the time to question his father later he would try to dissuade Marcus from this path and maybe make the religion into one of the existing gods instead. “I understand father what now?”

Marcus simply turned “we let slip the dogs of war” as marcus followed by Haldiram walked outside the cave into the moonlit forest 100 undead warriors stood in formation.

Magog walked up to marcus in his new suit of half-plate with a tabard with a red handprint on the front, the new symbol of the cult of undeath. “they are ready my Emperor”

Marcus turned to Magog “this is my son Haldiram you will go with him and half of our warriors show the way to the churches east of Harvok that we scouted before.”

Magog nodded, and Marcus turned to Haldiram “you know what you must do kill everyone no survivors, raise the dead and take all valuables i will do the same.”

Haldiram smiled towards his father he was ready this is what he did best “i wouldn’t do it any other way”

Marcus padded his son on the shoulder “good now go we’ve wasted enough darkness”

Both parties split up into the dark night