noogie2988 on Nostr: THIS SITUATION IS GENERALLY EXPRESSED IN FOUR WAYS. FIRSTLY, THE SOULS OF MOUNTAIN ...

THIS SITUATION IS GENERALLY EXPRESSED IN FOUR WAYS.

FIRSTLY, THE SOULS OF MOUNTAIN MEN ARE UPON DEATH QUICKLY SWEPT AWAY BEFORE ANY GOD CAN CLAIM THEM FOR ANY AFTERLIFE. THEY ARE FOREVER LOST, HAVING BECOME A PART OF THE WIND OF DEATH. EVEN MEMORIES OF THEM IN THE MINDS OF OTHERS BECOME SHAKY.

SECONDLY, MOUNTAIN MEN HAVE A RATHER NONCHALANT ATTITUDE TOWARDS DEATH AND DYING. THERE'S A NOTION THAT THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS WORSE THAN DEATH, THAT DEATH IS ALMOST A TRIFLE. "IT'S JUST A SKEETER BITE, YOU'LL BARELY FEEL IT, AND THEN IT'S OVER"

THIRDLY, MOUNTAIN MEN TEND TO GRADUALLY FALL INTO A PARTICULAR TYPE OF DISCONNECTED BLOODLUST REFERRED TO AS GROWING "ADDLED".
AS THEY KILL, THEY INSTINCTIVELY REACH MORE AND MORE INTO THE MAGIC WIND OF DEATH WITHOUT A PARTICULAR CONTROLLED OUTLET, JUST DRINKING IN THE POWER.
THEY GROW DESENSITIZED TO KILLING, THEN TO ENJOY IT FOR THE SAKE OF IT, AND GROW BETTER AND BETTER AT IT IN THE PROCESS.

A MOUNTAIN WARLORD CALLED GODLISNER WOULD COLLECT THE EARS OF ELVES HE KILLED INTO A GIANT MULTIROW NECKLACE, AND EVENTUALLY PLIED HIS TRADE UPON A NAGARYTHE RAIDING PARTY HE HAD INITIALLY ALLIED WITH, THEN RIVAL WARBANDS, SLAVES, AND EVENTUALLY HIS OWN MEN.
GODLISNER WALKED THE OBSIDIAN MOUNTAINS LIKE AN AVATAR OF DEATH, SUBSISTING ON HUMAN FLESH AND LOOKING LIKE A PERFECTLY PRESERVED CORPSELIKE WAX STATUE OF HIMSELF, UNTIL HE WAS EVENTUALLY PUT DOWN BY ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF THE PEACEMAKERS, A FORMER BRETONNIAN GRAIL KNIGHT NAMED GUFE MANSARD.

THE ORDER OF THE PEACEMAKERS IS THE FOURTH OUTLET OF THE MOUNTAIN MEN'S UNFORTUNATE ACCESS TO THE WIND OF DEATH.
THEY'RE AN ORDER OF WANDERING GUNSLINGERS DEVELOPING A NOVEL LORE OF DEATH TO SOMEHOW MANAGE THE PROBLEM, AND PUTTING DOWN THE EXCESSIVE USERS.
THEIR FORTRESS, STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION, IS IN THE WEST BEYOND THE MOUNTAINS, PERHAPS SOMEWHERE IN THE DESERT OF DOGS.

THEIR IDEAL IS THE "PERFECT STRENGTH", COMPOSED OF "PEACEABLENESS" OR THE ABILITY TO USE DEADLY FORCE BUT THE WILL NOT TO, AND "READINESS" OR THE ABILITY TO ESCALATE A CONFLICT, STRIKE FIRST AND ENGAGE WITHOUT HESITATION MAINTAINING THE FULL KNOWLEDGE THAT ONE WILL DIE IN THE PROCESS.
THIS IDEAL IS OFTEN PORTRAYED IN A VIGNETTE WHERE A BEAR IS REPELLED BY A FEARLESS MOTHER BIRD GUARDING ITS NEST.
PERFECT STRENGTH IS SUPPOSED TO ALLOW ONE TO DRAW THE POWER OF DEATH INTO ONESELF WITHOUT BECOMING ADDLED.