The empty shrines of a god so old, all but his name is forgotten.
The Dolmens of Swaiar are barrows crafted in a time beyond memory. In these days, the God Swaiar was praised by mortal whispers and offerings of blood were made in these chthonic shrines, swathed in eternal gloom and quiet. But in time the worship of Swaiar was forgotten and vanished into the past as a pagan tradition practiced only by strange inbred folk and then not at all. Even the tales and songs of Swaiar's deeds were forgotten, and his lore became the lore of silence and dust, a ghostly suggestion of the deity caught in the tombyard at dusk, or a hint of His spectral presence in the megalithic doorways to His ancient Dolmens.
But Swaiar did not die, though all was forgotten but His name, which continued to be that by which His mysterious tomb-shrines were known long after all fragments of even their purpose were lost to the minds of men.
In deathlike silence and untenanted shadow the ghost of Swaiar remains within the old Dolmens which once were His manses, a ghost god with no voice and no visage which can be perceived by normal men. Though the pallid haunting of His power remains only within the damp walls of his shrines, in these places his subtle influence is inescapable.
Curse Of The Dolmens
Swaiar's presence, forgotten to all mortals, manifests itself within these ancient Dolmens.
For this reason, sorcerors are drawn to these places as sources of power, and find them wellsprings of a chilly, deathly infusion which subtly pervades the workings of their wizardry. Many conjurors build their towers or manses over or incorporating these ancient places of worship.
These locales also draw those unfortunate souls who feel the muffling hand of depression. The call of these places consumes these folk, who feel in these empty ghosted places a kinship with their own dark-blanketed souls.
However, attraction breeds identification. Feeling the pull of these deathlike barrows, these individuals also with time fall under the influence of the spirit of Swaiar Himself. Time spent in and near the Dolmens softens their minds against the eternal gloom of the tombs- their feelings, their thoughts and emotions, slowly seem to possess less and less significance, seeming utterly hollow. Colors dim and warp. Sounds become dull and vague. Gradually creeping into their every thought and action is the dim, grey mist of His spectral presence. This should not be understood as the sinister plan of Swaiar or something of this nature- no, it is simply the nature of these Dolmens and of the haunting residue of Swaiar Himself which causes the world to become a dim and ghosting kingdom.
Soon, the change is complete, and the influenced one is left catatonic and hollow, a shell which wishes its own death, slowly succumbing to a soul-corroding ennui. After their death, not even their bones are left over- they have become so empty inside that their bodies simply turn to dust, to drift across the round-worn stone floors of the Dolmens of Swaiar.
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Creepy and sinister. But visiting the dolmens is a good way for those weary of life to kill themselves, I guess. Do ordinary folk, those not suffering from mental illness, regard these dolmens as a place of evil?
Probably depends on the place. It's doubtful whether or not they even remember enough about these places to have a suggestion of evil or ill omen.
The God must miss his former power. What if a small cult were to grow up worshipping him again?
Then he might make some fashion of return, Cheka, though twisted and darker than he ever was before.
This is you at your best, Captain, and I like it, especially for the 'this is just how it is' nature of the effects his Dolmens have.
w00t? Is CP active again?
Said it before: eloquent and powerful. It is a short, beautiful piece. 4.5/5
Short, but atmospheric and heavy. In short awesome.
Nothing to add but my vote. Nice work Cap'n!
Indeed. Highly atmopspheric and usable. Great vibe!