Upon finding a few brief moments of reflection, Zeb considers the attack upon the village, the appearance of Carcerus, and Korvich, the priest under which he, Zeb, once served as an acolyte.
The cultists have traveled far, hundreds of miles and more, in his pursuit, and as such Zeb concludes that Korvich has executed the Malaran rite of vorishnaad, the exorcism of oneself from the cult to form a separate sect. Vorishnaad is typically carried out under circumstances surrounding aclupar, or "reason for being." Aclupar serves as the driving force behind the new sect, guiding its actions and motivations until fulfillment is achieved.
Zeb fully believes that he is the new cult's aclupar, and that Korvich will not rest until Zeb's blood is spilled before his former master in dramatic fashion. A trivial slaying will not suffice, and the presence of Carcerus amid the group is a fearsome indicator of the magnitude of the high priest's will.
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| Carcerus, the "Black Devil" (Attribution) |
Zeb fully believes that he is the new cult's aclupar, and that Korvich will not rest until Zeb's blood is spilled before his former master in dramatic fashion. A trivial slaying will not suffice, and the presence of Carcerus amid the group is a fearsome indicator of the magnitude of the high priest's will.
Korvich is going to have to die.
ReplyDeleteKorvich's thirst for revenge is unsurprising, but the extent to which Korvich is willing to go to pursue it, as well as how quickly it was executed, certainly has taken him by surprise.
Korvich's involvement with the likes of Carcerus was one of the things that solidified Zeb's decision to leave the Beast Cult. While Korvich revels in the worship of Malar's more savage and bloodthirsty aspects, Zeb considered himself a servant of the faith in different ways, instead venerating the aspects of hunting and stalking, often helping villages survive through harsh Icewind Dale winters by coordinating with their hunters.
Korvich should know, though, that Zeb is not the type to confront such a threat head on. In time, Zeb may carry out formal rites of his own; Korvich has certainly given enough reason. Korvich's wanton destruction of the village and its inhabitants is an act of evil, not an act of tribute to Malar. His reliance on magic to cloud Zeb's mind is impure, and displays weakness and fear.
Before anything can be done about Korvich, however, the priest must be separated from Carcerus. To confront such a foe will require preparation.