If you could possibly imagine the worst thing that your mind could conjure — some sort of object or action that impregnates nausea and despair; one with a smell so stinging, a feeling so frightening, a sound so shrilling, a taste so tart, or a sight so sickening — I could compare it to the mere shadow that is the tragedy of Ringhold.
I warn thee;
Turn back
Give up
Save your soul the trouble
For this tale is not for the faint of heart. The events that unfolded are terrible, indeed. If you waver in your will during this reading, it is likely you will fall ill or descend into madness. Ring magic is of the darkest of arts, the mere knowledge of which corrupts. If you believe yourself vulnerable to this curse, do not partake in the horrors within this script. You need not prove a single thing to anyone. However, if your stomach can handle the rotten acts of the royalty of Ringhold, I can tell you the tale. Not for pleasure, but to derive wisdom from the mistakes of the past.
A warm sky pours over the hills
It is locked, I am entrusting it to you.
Me? This is an honor.
This land is yours. Find prosperity, but whatever you do keep it safe.
I will protect it for all of time.
The beginning of the kingdom of Ringhold was an unusual one. A hero, long forgotten or wiped from the records, defeated a terrible demon, sealing its dark energy into a most holy artifact: a ring. He gave this ring to his most loyal companion, and asked him to protect it. This was the first king of Ringhold. The king built a city, hoping that every citizen will act as a guard to the prison that is The Ring.
The Ring emanated radiant energy. Every child born within the walls of the city was blessed with the power of The Ring. They were stronger, more durable, more intelligent, and even had a higher affinity for magic. The Ring quickly became an item of worship in this society, as it enhanced every aspect of their lives. This allowed the kingdom of Ringhold to become beyond prosperous, a truly utopian society.
The city’s walls and districts were organized into rings. Houses, paintings, furnishing, clothing, all manner of material culture represented The Ring. They prayed to The Ring, gave offerings to The Ring, died for The Ring, lived for The Ring. The citizens of Ringhold could not express enough gratitude for The Ring.
Religion based around The Ring shifted and changed as time went on, like all folk culture transforms. They believed that The Ring held a prisoner of great power, and that the punishment of the prisoner would be that they must serve the people of Ringhold for all of time. This prisoner was made to be the antithesis of The Ring. If The Ring represented order and good, the prisoner represented evil and chaos. The religious leader of Ringhold was the Archbishop, always a member of the royal family, as it was said they held divine connection to The Ring. The Archbishop of each generation harbored different beliefs and taught different commandments.
This prosperity lasted long, but not forever. After hundreds of years, its last and final era approached. The end of Ringhold was brought about by the Ten Sacrificial Princes of Ringhold. And so begins our tale of treachery, betrayal, cruelty, and revenge.
I cannot teach you the spells of the princes, as even the learning of which invites an absolute corruption, but I can describe to you the memories of which they inflicted. There are many details that I must omit, so that I may minimize the dangerous properties of this text.
Comments