[turbine]
http://ac.turbine.com/index.php?page_id=302
Leafcull, 15 P.Y.
http://ac.turbine.com/index.php?page_id=310
This is Part One of the November 2004 Teaser
An explosion of energy shook Reeshan from his slumber. His eyes popped open as the purple glow of the tunnel illuminated the chamber where he had been resting for these last few months. He had been gathering his strength, waiting for the time when his chief Jerrugar, Mgrauleshk, would complete his task. So much time had passed that Reeshan had thought Mgrauleshk a failure in that task; but now, staring into the dark violet swirl of the tunnel that had opened, he smiled a grim smile. He knew that his Jerrugar had succeeded.
He shifted his massive weight from his sleeping position and spoke directly into the minds of his brother Kings.
Brothers, the way is open and I have begun my preparations. All shall fall before the might of our magic. None shall live. The reckoning is at hand. At long last, we shall destroy the beings who sought to slaughter our race in its infancy.
Their response was as expected, a mixture of thanks and well wishes, as well as reminders to enact the rite that would bring the rest of the Kings through once he successfully established a bastion against the false gods. Reeshan responded positively in turn, allaying the fears that were raised; then he turned to the gateway and the small contingent that he had brought with him.
As he approached the swirling gateway, across the vast divide, his mind wandered to the conclave only three cycles before.
*****
The soul of the Ruuk dissipated until there was nothing left but a thin trail of magical dust. Mgrauleshk ripped an arm off the corpse of the Ruuk as he claimed it from the altar, and then, in a savage display, he tore the flesh from the bone with his teeth. Browerk croaked and closed his eyes; the other Kings followed suit as he spoke directly into his brothers' minds.
Tkoruk Guruul is open, as are other small outposts. Ruuk have taken our place in history. Morgluuk and Torgluuk have crossed the vast divide and we are left to rot. T'Kuruul Reeshan shall be the place where our march into history begins. Here we shall empower this new Jerrugar, Mgrauleshk. He will be given the knowledge of the mucor, and he will know how to coax the locations of the world's veins through sight alone. We shall send him to Tkoruk Guruul where he will pass through the tunnel and hunt down Morgluuk and Torgluuk, and then he will ride the vein of the usurpers world to the place where the gate to T'Kuruul Reeshan is found. He will open the way.
There was a murmur gently rumbling between the Kings as Mgrauleshk looked up from the carcass of the Ruuk. Before him the Kings of his kind slowly swayed from side to side, making small noises, allowing small trickles of magic to escape their porous flesh. He stripped a bone free of flesh and thought for a second of standing and approaching them, but the allure of the meat was too strong.
Reeshan shall walk through the tunnel first, to meet his Jerrugar. If Mgrauleshk fails Reeshan shall accept defeat and yield his life. This is how it shall be. We will return now and arm our forces. Our vengeance comes after the lifetimes of your fathers' fathers have long left this world. I recall the pale ones. I recall their twisting influence. I recall the swamp dweller that came with them. I recall it sinking into the depths and taking root at this world's heart. Now we are to tear the heart out from their world!
A sudden eruption of sound jarred Mgrauleshk. As one, the Kings pounded their massive staves onto the stone of T'Kuruul Reeshan. As one again, they turned toward him with purpose in their eyes. He met the gaze of his King, Reeshan, and for a brief moment he saw fear there – then it was gone. Mgrauleshk's hands and face were stained with the blood of the Ruuk carcass that lay empty and picked clean at his feet. His head throbbed, a sharp pain struck him between the eyes and he fell to one knee. Browerk slid his massive girth toward Mgrauleshk. As Browerk approached, Mgrauleshk saw the King of all Bur pluck a mucor spawn from his hide.
"Lift your head, Jerrugar Mgrauleshk. You are to be given the greatest honor ever bestowed upon a Guruk." Mgrauleshk obeyed Browerk and lifted his head. The King held forth the mucor spawn with one small arm. "Eat."
Mgrauleshk ate and his world folded open in a fever of color, sound and emotion. The world swam by him in years, seconds; he felt the sound of death and the taste of defeat. There was an odd hum that filled his head and nearly shook his eyes to jelly. He was jarred awake by the mucor spawn and filled with the truth of the pale ones who had tried to kill his race. He was reborn in an instant of fire, pain and illusion so real that his mind was devoured and rebuilt with a new purpose.
Browerk issued commands and Mgrauleshk nodded, accepting the duty that would redeem his race and enact vengeance against a race of beings that had meant to exterminate their kind...
*****
Reeshan hefted his girth through the tunnel and was gone from Bur.

