Dark Shadows of Gladsheim

Introductory post (Into the Kingdom of the Rohirrim - Page 22)

Across the moonlit plains a tall warrior strode away the burning ruins of the Rohirrim fortress. His bloodied and blackened armour glinted into the distant light and it's amber glow played on his fair locks. It would seem that Ceolwulf lived on, but he did not walk toward the keep but rather away. He paused upon the high hill across the bridge and stared out over the field of flames and the great Dragon that hovered over it. The warrior then turned away, and vanished, descending the other side. He looked up at the moon and as the wind cleared the hair from his face, his bright white eyes shone in the soft light. His skin was pale, his lips grey. The man that once, Cleowulf stopped and uttered a blood curdling howl at the stop of his lungs, an inhuman scream that in the end formed the name, "Breac!"

Breac lived on. Somehow he had rose again in the body of the great Rohirrim warrior. He did not know how nor did he care. All that mattered was that he lived on to make those that brought the Dragon and united the Riders suffer! The Companions! He would follow them to the ends of the Earth. He would plague their lives! First, however, he needed to feed. His body suffered a terrible emptiness, a hunger he had never known. He was no longer, Gorrinvul, but something else. Not undead. Not man. Something in between. He was the last of a kind and all their power flowed through his blackened veins. Power enough to carry him all the way to Oron_D_Narr and it would be on that road to the ranger's land that he would find them and he would make him remember; he would make them all remember the Gorrinvul!

Breac now lives on in the body of Ceolwulf the former lord of Ironglade in Rohan. He has become an undead creature not unlike a vampire or demon. At night his powers are at their strongest. He is incredibly strong and resistant to damage that would slay a living creature. Death may befall him if his head were taken from his shoulders but one will need a very sharp sword and skilled hand to do it as Breac has all of Ceolwulf's fighting abilities.

By day, Breac is basically a man. He is as Ceolwulf was, thus he is still a formidable adversary. If mortally wounded, he will fall, but come the setting of the sun will rise. Usually this time will be used for rest - the sleep of the dead - but he can travel by day if necessary.

Much of what Ceolwulf was is part of Breac. He possesses his memories and so he is able to act as man if needed but he is ONLY Breac, although some of the passions and concerns the Man had will at times influence him (for example, because he was Rohirrim, he has a lingering respect for horses).

Breac now lives on basically to avenge his fallen Queen and his people. He blames the companions for this and will do everything in his power to thwart their plans and bring them suffering.

The Drow known only as Verin is a terrible enemy indeed, he is a powerful sorcerer, a very skilled fighter and a serial killer of sorts. Verin has left the faith of most Drow elves behind, opting to serve the dark powers of Morgoth over his former goddess Lolth the spider queen, Matriarch of the Drow people. Verin is an extremely powerful spell caster, he possesses a great endurance when it comes to using magic, much more than your average Drow and casts more spells that last longer to great effect. Although a skilled fighter Verin will prefer to use magic above engaging in combat, it is just his way.

Verin is the full blooded brother of the Drowess Ssinjin and the siblings share a deep hatred of one another. Verin has no love for Ssinjin because in the Drow culture females are valued above males in certain clans and all his life Verin had to play second fiddle to his younger sister. In an effort to change the dynamic of his family hierarchy Verin attempted to eliminate anyone that stood in his path to being head of the family and master of the clan. One relative offered strong resistance, his sister Ssinjin. She would not allow his murder spree to perpetuate and actively opposed him. She exposed his dark ambitions and in doing so had him excommunicated from the clan, but the damage was done many of Ssijin's blood relatives were quietly dispatched by Verin's magic and poisons and a few by dagger. There is even reason to believe that the black elf played a part in the death of his own parents.

Verin has spent his time wandering alone, separated from his people and his old faith honing his black magic, he has become a formidable sorcerer. Now with his recent pledge to serve Morgoth he is only more dangerous. One can only guess what new horrors this dark elf is cooking up with the powers of Morgoth behind him.

Hated and feared by his own people and hunted by his former Goddess and her minions Verin walks a slippery slope on his quest for power and misguided revenge.

THE MORGOTH OF GLADSHIEM

In our story, Morgoth has arisen once more. Somehow he has regained what was taken from him and can exist as he once did in the material world. He is not all-powerful, but he is a god, and for one to square off with him in single combat many different circumstances must come in to play. We can view most of the companions as the 'chosen ones' whose sense of purpose in the world has elevated them to a status which would allow them to rise to the challenge of Morgoth. Still, alone they will perish as their strength lies in their unity. The company itself forms the sword that Morgoth fears and so his agents work at corrupting and dismantling their alliance.

History

Melkor was the most powerful of the Ainur, but turning to darkness, became Morgoth, the "great enemy", the ultimate antagonist of Arda, from whom all evil in the world of Middle-earth ultimately stems. Sauron, one of the Maiar of Aulë, betrayed his kind and became Morgoth's principal lieutenant.

The name Morgoth is Sindarin (one of Tolkien's invented languages) and means "Black Foe of the World"; Bauglir is also Sindarin, meaning "Tyrant" or "Oppressor". "Morgoth Bauglir" is actually an epithet: his name in Ainulindalë (the creation myth of Middle-earth and first section of The Silmarillion) is Melkor, which means 'He Who Arises In Might' in Quenya, another of Tolkien's languages.

Ainulindalë

Before the creation of Arda (The World), Melkor was the most powerful of the Ainur. He contended with Eru (God), via the Music of the Ainur. Melkor was jealous of Eru, and wanted to create and rule other wills himself. He spent a long time looking for the Secret Fire (the “Flame Imperishable”).

Unlike his fellow Ainu Aulë, Melkor was too proud to admit that his creations were simply discoveries wholly made possible by, and therefore “belonging” to, Eru. Instead, Melkor aspired to the level of Eru, the true Creator of all possibilities.

During the Great Music of the Ainur, Melkor attempted to alter the Music and introduced what he believed to be elements purely of his own design. As part of these efforts, he drew many weaker-willed Ainur to him, creating a counter to Eru’s main theme. Ironically, these attempts did not truly subvert the Music, but only elaborated Eru’s original intentions: the Music of Eru took on depth and beauty precisely because of the strife and sadness Melkor’s disharmonies (and their rectification) introduced.

Since the Great Music of the Ainur stood as template for all of history and all of material creation in the Middle-earth cycle (it was first sung before Time, and then the universe was made in its image), there was an aspect of everything in Middle-earth that came of Melkor’s malign influence; everything had been "corrupted".

Followers

Because Morgoth was the most powerful creature in Arda, many "flocked to his banner." Morgoth's chief servants were Maiar he corrupted or monsters he created: Sauron, later the Dark Lord of Mordor and his chief servant; the Balrogs, including Gothmog, the Lord of Balrogs and High-Captain of Angband; Glaurung, the Father of Dragons; Ancalagon "the Black", greatest of the Winged Dragons; Carcharoth, the mightiest wolf that ever lived; Draugluin, Sire of Werewolves; and Thuringwethil, Sauron's vampire messenger.

Ungoliant, a demon in spider form, helped Melkor destroy the Two Trees. This alliance was temporary, however; when Melkor refused to yield the Silmarils to Ungoliant, she attacked him. He had spread his power and malice too thin, and had weakened himself too much to fight back; he escaped only through the arrival of the Balrogs.

When the race of Men awoke, Morgoth (or his servant, depending on the text consulted) temporarily left Angband to live among them. Some men worshipped him, banning Ilúvatar from their hearts.

Morgoth was known to betray his own servants. After the Noldor were defeated, he confined all Men in his service to the lands of Hithlum, their only prize the pillage of that land, though they had fought to win richer lands in Beleriand. Since he could never fully dominate Men, he could never really trust them, and indeed feared them.

Melkor's inability to perform true creation is tied to the idea that something of his actual being must pass into the things he "created", in order to give them an effective substance and reality. Melkor could not create anything, as he did not possess the Flame Imperishable; thus he could only create a mockery of those things in Arda. From his Trolls to the Sun (which was made from a flower from a Tree poisoned by Ungoliant, and was thus itself imperfect), Melkor's power and essence was poured into Arda. Melkor's individual self was diminished as a consequence. He was reduced to as Morgoth, the “Dark Enemy” (poetically elaborated as "The Black Foe of the World").

Morgoth, once the most powerful being in Eä, spent his will on his vast armies and followers, so that in the War of Wrath, as his armies were swept away before the host of Aman, he was captured by Eönwë and cast off his throne. Morgoth's spirit was cast out beyond the Walls of Night, yet his presence remains as the pervasive corruption of the world.