Post by Dunwik on Apr 2, 2022 21:40:31 GMT
The ancient enemy of Dunwik, dread Leng, had been delivered a crippling blow during the "Okay War", but such men were never men of direct action. The Lengan character is of infiltration, subversion, and control by indirect means. Their reckless acts during the War were punished - as their leaders were sacrificed to their Dark Gods and as the Lengans disappeared to immigrate to other nations. In barbarous lands and civilized ones they appeared.
A tall, thin people who typically remained bald (although the men grew beards), with high cheekbones and pale skin, the Lengans cut an ethereal figure. With speech of elegant, lilting strings of vowels cut by harsh, gutteral consonants, inscrutable faith and a genetic predisposition towards schizophrenia, they were almost alien.
However, the Lengans were swift to adapt, their curious accents and unusual features gracing the streets of countless cities, working as merchants. Some leaned heavily into their foreign appearance, playing the roles of magicians or curiosities. Others used their wiles to start businesses, working themselves to the bone and ruthlessly undercutting competitors where they could. Maybe Dunwik had rubbed off on them.
But wherever the Lengans could be found, they viewed themselves as one big family, one extended culture, all equal sons of the Lord Uruk'ch'anaome. Messages from them would span nations, and Lengan culture began to appear as a noticable minority.
Characterized by fierce debates, mystic rites, and where possible even human sacrifice, it was cut by an intellectualism and universalism, and complete obedience to any earthly authority. Their esoteric views would clash with local religions (as they viewed the material world an illusion, and other gods of the material mere figments of the false world). Lengan stories were colored heavily by their remarks, tales of ancient cities, slumbering beings of unimaginable power, and never-ending quests to find the ultimate truth.
However, the intellectual prowess of the Lengan diaspora was unmistakable. Their works were delights of philosophical complexity. In Tholish lands, elaborate fantasy novels were penned, detailing the high-stakes contests fictional kings had with each other, the increasingly intricate webs of alliance by marriage, devious schemes and rewording of contracts. In other nations, the settings were shifted to appeal to the culture, but the overall themes were the same - of truth, debate, devilish schemes, and an insignificance of the mortal next to the divine.
And in all the stories, a similar creature would appear. Clad in a robe of porcelain, speaking in sweet honeyed lies, brandishing a bloodied sword, the evil spirit Duhn'wikk would twist foolish mortals to his will, breaking them wholly to his slavery before devouring them whole, seeking to usurp the old gods and cast mortality down a screaming path of ignorance and death. He would approach with pleasures unimaginable before betraying all who were fool enough to take his gifts. Many valiant heroes were written as falling to his blade or lies, many a family rent apart, whole nations slaughtered and put to the torch in the demon's lust for blood.
Perhaps it was obvious how the Lengans were conducting themselves, but whenever and wherever one was smoked out, three more would quietly take his or her place. Their ultimate aims were simple: establishment of a cultural and economic axis about their tongue and customs.
A tall, thin people who typically remained bald (although the men grew beards), with high cheekbones and pale skin, the Lengans cut an ethereal figure. With speech of elegant, lilting strings of vowels cut by harsh, gutteral consonants, inscrutable faith and a genetic predisposition towards schizophrenia, they were almost alien.
However, the Lengans were swift to adapt, their curious accents and unusual features gracing the streets of countless cities, working as merchants. Some leaned heavily into their foreign appearance, playing the roles of magicians or curiosities. Others used their wiles to start businesses, working themselves to the bone and ruthlessly undercutting competitors where they could. Maybe Dunwik had rubbed off on them.
But wherever the Lengans could be found, they viewed themselves as one big family, one extended culture, all equal sons of the Lord Uruk'ch'anaome. Messages from them would span nations, and Lengan culture began to appear as a noticable minority.
Characterized by fierce debates, mystic rites, and where possible even human sacrifice, it was cut by an intellectualism and universalism, and complete obedience to any earthly authority. Their esoteric views would clash with local religions (as they viewed the material world an illusion, and other gods of the material mere figments of the false world). Lengan stories were colored heavily by their remarks, tales of ancient cities, slumbering beings of unimaginable power, and never-ending quests to find the ultimate truth.
However, the intellectual prowess of the Lengan diaspora was unmistakable. Their works were delights of philosophical complexity. In Tholish lands, elaborate fantasy novels were penned, detailing the high-stakes contests fictional kings had with each other, the increasingly intricate webs of alliance by marriage, devious schemes and rewording of contracts. In other nations, the settings were shifted to appeal to the culture, but the overall themes were the same - of truth, debate, devilish schemes, and an insignificance of the mortal next to the divine.
And in all the stories, a similar creature would appear. Clad in a robe of porcelain, speaking in sweet honeyed lies, brandishing a bloodied sword, the evil spirit Duhn'wikk would twist foolish mortals to his will, breaking them wholly to his slavery before devouring them whole, seeking to usurp the old gods and cast mortality down a screaming path of ignorance and death. He would approach with pleasures unimaginable before betraying all who were fool enough to take his gifts. Many valiant heroes were written as falling to his blade or lies, many a family rent apart, whole nations slaughtered and put to the torch in the demon's lust for blood.
Perhaps it was obvious how the Lengans were conducting themselves, but whenever and wherever one was smoked out, three more would quietly take his or her place. Their ultimate aims were simple: establishment of a cultural and economic axis about their tongue and customs.