DAGabriel:
[align=center]The two Winannas[/align]
[align=right]From the teachings of Hashut
Temple Archives of Zarr Dareis[/align]
Hear ye followers of the Dark Lord!
In the Dark Land Hashut gave to the Dawi Zharr there lived two mighty Sorcerer-Prophets.
One was the mighty Htharikk Darkheart, the other one the mighty Veshnabanipal.
Both were blessed by Hashut with a rare gift, a daughter,
and both, without knowing from each other, gave their daughter the name Winanna.
But while the realm and wealth of Htharrik Darkheart prospered, the realm of Veshnabanipal withered, his wife taken from him by Hashut and his daughter wasting away.
One dark day a vile daemon visited Veshnabanipal and the mighty lord trembled as the creature of hell spoke to him:
�?oBehold Lord Veshnabanipal, I can save that which thou lovest. Thou only have to give me a temple full of gold and I will take the curse from thy daughter!�?�
Veshnabanipal called for all the gold in his mighty realm, but lo, the temple was only half filled.
Veshnabanipal called for his fellow lords in the Dark Land and he promised to send them cohorts of his mighty army for gold and since they all knew of his plight they offered pitiful small sums for the service of his mighty warriors. When he filled the sums in the temple the amount was still lacking and the daemon gloated over him.
Blackheart looked at his Winanna as he read the desperate words of Veshnabanipal and since his realm was wide and prosperous he sent word to him.
�?oDear brother, in the name of our two Winannas I will send thee my treasures and instead of thy warriors I only beg thee to promise me a singe leaden figure for my palace shrine when luck has returned to thee.�?�
Such the daemons price was met and behold, Winanna was made whole again and luck returned to the realm of Veshnabanipal.
The time passed and again and again the realm of Htharrik Blackheart was assaulted by the hosts of other Sorcerer-Prophets, their army strengthened by the warriors sold to them by Veshnabanipal. But the promised idol never arrived in his realm.
Bitterly he prayed at his palace shrine and his eye fell at the empty place waiting for the promised leaden figure, and Hashut did listen to his lamentations.
These were the words the Dark Lord sent to his faithful servant:
Listen to my wisdom, Htharrik. Rejoice and be thankful to Veshnabanipal for he gave to thee what no other Dawi Zharr could give thee. He gave to thee what thou did ask of him, a promise. For thou didst ask for such and not for the real thing.
So learn that as the magic I give to thee will turn thy body to stone the teaching he gave to thee will turn thy heart to stone as is befitting for a real son of the Dawi Zharr! So even as it is painful to thee it will strengthen thou and make thee a better ruler.
