Ardathium, Volume III

Book Text
During one of the greatest battles that Ardathium had mounted against the trolls of Innothule, Countess Viannay fell terminally ill to a foul curse placed upon her by one of the powerful troll shamans, Tjarduugh. Unable to lead her armies and confined to her bed chambers, Countess Viannay handed the reins of her armies to the Viscounts while the high priests struggled to counter the curse. After a mere fortnight of battle, Grenic Drere was the only remaining general of the Che Virtuson and the war had seemed to turn to an inevitable defeat within the clutches of the infectious shadow. His desire to avenge the Countess was overwhelming and upon the final moments of her life, Grenic vowed to fulfill Viannay's life's work.

The Countess' body was to be preserved through the magic of the priests and laid to rest in the grand mausoleum that housed all of Ardathium's heroes in the highest tower of the fortress. In the largest chamber of the tower mausoleum, Countess Viannay's body was placed upon a raised platform of alabaster and gold. She was dressed in ceremonial garb of silk and chain-linked armor and held beneath her hands, folded over her breast, was the hilt of her holy blade. Her body was covered with Soraviene's Veil - an artifact that would kill any creature whose faith was not solely bound to honor and virtue that dared to touch it.

With the Countess laid to rest, Grenic ascended to hold the title of count over all of Ardathium. His vow to his mistress would become the consuming goal that gave meaning to his life. Two massive campaigns would be launched beneath Grenic's command against the trolls.

The loss of their Countess had fueled a passion that acted as an impenetrable shield upon all souls of the Che Virtuson, and they were victorious. The troll warlord, a shadowknight known as Kzurott, and his forces were pushed out of the plains upon the first campaign, and the second would lead to the knight's demise. However, this victory would seem hollow, for Tjarduugh, the high shaman that had ended the life of their beloved Countess, remained and much of the troll army stood.