MÖRK BORG: Chapter I: Nurse the Rot

[Sly Boots]

Remind me, is the door at the far end of the south-western room the one with the inverted crucifix? Fechr has had a lot of luck opening doors so far, so I'd like to walk around the room to that and attempt to open it.

Inverted cross is in the north-west room, just to the left of the northbound-corridor (you can see it on the south wall of that room)

[Sly Boots]

Quoting this again in case it's important in relation to the portraits we just discovered:

Summoning up what remains of your cognitive abilities (following Prügl's mind-and-body-altering music), you successfully read the manuscript without becoming confused.

The manifesto speaks about a plot to dethrone King Fathmu IX.

It says that while it is commonly believed by the denizens of Wästland that King Fathmu's father, High King Lorter VI, was assassinated by poison-priests from the island-kingdom of Südglans, resulting in a short but devastating war of reprisal, which caused the island state to sink beneath the waves, the TRUTH of the matter is very different.

In reality, High King Lorter VI and his court fled the city of Schleswig after royal spies uncovered blasphemous rites he was engaged in within the citadel. Now he hides somewhere in Targ-Dungel — the boglands to the south of here — near the fishing village of Traurish.

A group of noblemen, says the manifesto, who call themselves The Scions of Schleswig (of which this deceased corpse was presumably a member) are still secretly loyal to High King Lorter VI. They have travelled to Targ-Dungel aboard a floating fortress, searching for the lost King Lorter, in order to restore him to the throne of Schleswig, for as he is still alive, he is still thus Wästland's true ruler. Returning Lorter to Schleswig would ensure a civil war in the kingdom, but could dethrone the petulant upstart Fathmu IX, and bring an end to his tyranny.

Futhermore, the manifesto reveals the most shocking truth of all: as Lorter was not assassinated after all, the kingdom of Südglans was invaded merely to justify the succession of Fathmu IX, the High King’s son. Thousands dead in a war that never needed to happen.

DEATH TO THE TYRANT FATHMU! HAIL HIGH KING LORTER!

And that is the gist of it.

[Sly Boots]

The six and final painting shows Princess Lavina, daughter of King Fathmu IX and heir to the throne. She holds a glowing femur bone, belonging to St. Martinus the Pure.

Also, seeing this, Giant compares the painted femur to the one he also carries. Perhaps it has undiscovered power, he wonders.

[Animalmother]

Here's that manifesto I got from the dead boby if it's any use..

The manifesto speaks about a plot to dethrone King Fathmu IX.

It says that while it is commonly believed by the denizens of Wästland that King Fathmu's father, High King Lorter VI, was assassinated by poison-priests from the island-kingdom of Südglans, resulting in a short but devastating war of reprisal, which caused the island state to sink beneath the waves, the TRUTH of the matter is very different.

In reality, High King Lorter VI and his court fled the city of Schleswig after royal spies uncovered blasphemous rites he was engaged in within the citadel. Now he hides somewhere in Targ-Dungel — the boglands to the south of here — near the fishing village of Traurish.

A group of noblemen, says the manifesto, who call themselves The Scions of Schleswig (of which this deceased corpse was presumably a member) are still secretly loyal to High King Lorter VI. They have travelled to Targ-Dungel aboard a floating fortress, searching for the lost King Lorter, in order to restore him to the throne of Schleswig, for as he is still alive, he is still thus Wästland's true ruler. Returning Lorter to Schleswig would ensure a civil war in the kingdom, but could dethrone the petulant upstart Fathmu IX, and bring an end to his tyranny.

Futhermore, the manifesto reveals the most shocking truth of all: as Lorter was not assassinated after all, the kingdom of Südglans was invaded merely to j

[Sly Boots]

Here's that manifesto I got from the dead boby if it's any use..

I just posted that above

[Animalmother]

Oh...

[Animalmother]

Giant tries to read the manifesto but can't understand the language. Malaiz, always eager to please reads it for him.

Sorted!

[Stormbringer]

Sorry to keep you all waiting! Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday are terribly busy for me; no time to sit at the computer and write!


Back to the narrative...


Prügl, having studied the portraits of the royal family of Wästland, continues up the flight of stairs at the southern end of the southern corridor.

He emerges in a very dimly lit room, mirroring the northern curve of the outer ring. To the west, a single torch sputters, revealing a troubling sight:

Four filthy cots are placed around a flight of stairs leading up to a door. On these cots lie four men, each of them appears alive, but their arms and legs have been hacked off. On the floor, lying scattered about, are several weapons: two swords, two bows (with two quivers full of arrows), and four daggers. The men hiss softly.

To the east, foul-smelling water slops about in a canal of sorts. On the other side of this, the spectres of two prisoners moan and wail, drifting aimlessly around, seemingly trapped between the canal and the wall of iron bars.

Remind me, is the door at the far end of the south-western room the one with the inverted crucifix? Fechr has had a lot of luck opening doors so far, so I'd like to walk around the room to that and attempt to open it.

Inverted cross is in the north-west room, just to the left of the northbound-corridor (you can see it on the south wall of that room)

That's right. It's an iron door with a grating in it, like a window with crossed bars, and out of this pours fourth smoke. An inverted cross is painted on the door beneath the grating.

Giant tries to read the manifesto but can't understand the language. Malaiz, always eager to please reads it for him.

Perfect!

[Wrathbone]

I’ll join Prügl. Do the wounds on the men in the beds look fresh? Also, are they awake?

[Stormbringer]

The wounds do not look fresh. The men on the bed are indeed awake, but they stare blanky and mutter some distorted words. It looks like some awful makeshift infirmary.

[Wrathbone]

Conscious of the nearby spirits who may be hostile, I’ll whisper to one of the wounded men:

“Who did this to you? Can we help? …Are these weapons on the floor free for the taking?”

[Stormbringer]

Lord Margar hears all four dismembered men, speaking in unison, in a strange hissing tone:

"We are the one, the chosen guardian."

They do not appear to have anything else to say.

[Wrathbone]

"Well... that's some nice guarding." I shrug.

I gingerly take a bow and one of the quivers from the ground, thinking it may prove useful.

[Sly Boots]

Giant continues to compare his gnarled, chewed up femur-club to the one in the painting...

[Animalmother]

Malaiz cautiously picks up the second bow and quiver, then beats a hasty retreat least the poor sods suddenly regrow their legs and run after him.