The Demon Gate of Mt. Rhug
Few knew the true story of the Demon Gate of Mt. Rhug.
All heard the legends from Tla’loc’al, of how the Ka Rhug tribe had once been beloved and honored among the great Tla’loc’alan Tribes. Of how during the Goblin Genocide, it was the soldiers of the Ka Rhug who pushed back Church of One assaults, one after another. Some even spoke of their great dishonor in the past, how during the Genocide in a desire to gain the upper hand in warfare from superior allies in the form of the Ur-King’s Tribes, the Ka Rhug made deals with the Krato. Under the guidance of the Chieftain Lurur, half of the Ka Rhug left the Mt. Rhug they called home for the Dimension of Do’krice, and the Land of the Krato. It was at the height of the Goblin Genocide, but not all of the Ka Rhug chose to accept the help from their old enemies.
Those that remained, served under the ancient Kalokgogs of Mt. Rhug, who considered the Cheiftain Lurur and the Ur-King Tribals under him to be betrayers of the old ways. Mt. Rhug and the tribes that lived there became more and more religious in their worship of the ancient volcano as the centuries passed. Aufgog Traditionalism and the worship of the Thunder Gods was replaced by more and more reliance on Mt. Rhug and Kalok who dwelt there.
In modern times, it was Kolgol of Ka Rhug, who rose to prominence as a leader in the Lur Union and in the United Tribes of Refuge, that began a wave of brutal religious purges. He was admired by the Kalokgogs of the Ka Rhug, and worshipped by the Black Legion of Kalok, so named for their ritual facial branding. The Black Legion of Kalok felt they had to atone for the dishonor of their bloodline by the Lurur Ur-King Tribals (who still called themselves Ka Rhug, and consider the Ka Rhug of Mt. Rhug to be the pretenders).
In the last few years, the Black Legion of Kalok has consolidated its control over both Mt. Rhug and the surrounding lands. Once full of thriving ferals who worshipped the Thunder Gods, the lands surrounding Mt. Rhug were systematically ethnically cleansed.
Those who chose to accept the branding of the Black Legion of Kalok, were painfully branded in front of their former friends and relatives. As their burnt faces pained them, the converts were also forced to watch as those who would not convert were burned alive. This systematic religiously motivated killing was never directly addressed by either the Lur Union nor the United Tribes of Refuge.
The Kalokian faith was allowed to continue its insidious descent into madness unchallenged.
Unknown to those who saw the confident proud warrior spirit when Kolgol stood before the UtR Council and the Lur Union, Kolgol was secretly partaking in ancient Kalokgog rituals, imbibing the smoke coming up from deep inside the volcano. The toxic gases and low oxygen levels caused him to experience deep trance-like states where he experienced Kalok of Mt. Rhug as a physical reality.
He focused his followers will and together they birthed a Kuliek of immense power. They fed this Kuliek sacrifice after sacrifice, filling the Leyas-created being with energy corrupted by the unjust nature of the sacrifices. It twisted the Kuliek enough for it to be the perfect egg for a demonic entity, and the Black Legion of Kalok preceded to find a nest for this demon egg.
They saw few options around them that held the right flows of Leyas to power such a final transformation. Brez was all choked up by the centuries of bloodshed to other beings and other lords, and by the rage of the Brezan peoples. It would not feed Kalok what he needed.
Zh’ka’al and its souls were already promised to the Quall Hivequeen Ar’yay.
The Ruins of Karov held Bill of the Green Pants as their champion, and the Shadow Dome he built there prevented Kalok from gaining enough Fire Leyas for the combustion necessary for his descent.
The place needed the right mix of friend and foe for it to be a true sacrifice.
And Simonsburg was chosen.
From the flesh, and the bone, and the wood, and the lives of Simonsburg, Kolgol birthed his Kalok into the world. While the prophet Kolgol was taken into EEF custody in the ensuing carnage, Kalok returned to Mt. Rhug and claimed the Ka Rhug tribal’s souls.
Only the Lurur Ka Rhug who had left so long ago to serve alongside the Krato survived these moments of transformation for the tribe.
With the force of an entire armory of stolen ancient weapons targeting it, Mt. Rhug was bombarded from this dimension. The growing power of Kalok formed a bubble around itself as it was jettisoned from our plane of existence. Mt. Rhug found itself torn from this dimension, forged and formed into a Hell Dimension unique to its volcanic master.
The link to Kolgol, first host of Kalok was not truly severed, and the Hell Dimension threatened to envelope all of Refuge. The Floating Armory, formed from Nightmare Lord flesh and uncounted power, locked down the site. Its own tendrills tried to stitch the hole closed in reality but failed to close it completely.
That was yesterday…
