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Chapter 2 - The First Betrayal

Last to begin their labour was Borzolleth, for so long he waited in the water and much he learnt of the way of the world to be, but he was to only be a small part of it and he aspired to much more than his meagre walk-on role in Atar's new world. He beheld what his brothers and sisters were creating and he scowled, knowing had he had the lands they had he could make marvellous and terrible things. So Borzolleth hatched a plot to use the remaining Water of Creation that he had gathered after his genesis to create his own creatures that would roam the grounds of Valoria, and then all should fear his very name, and lament leaving him but fragments and refuse to choose from.

Conjuring forth the last of the water he had gathered, Borzolleth set to work fashioning horrifying creatures to prowl the Wildlands. His first design was a bastardization of all that already wandered Valoria, it was shorter than even Kakec and had skin as green and pallid as the bogs. Their teeth were razor sharp but their intellect was not, regardless Borzolleth was proud of his work and named his new creation, 'Goblin'. The Goblins of Valoria were subservient to their new master but what they embodied in speed and viciousness they lacked in raw power, so Borzolleth set to work on another design.

The process was swifter with his new Goblin thralls aiding him, Borzolleth was able to toil considerably faster than he had heretofore, and soon his unknown invention was prepared. The atrocity he had produced stood as tall as the trees and weighed as much as the mountains. Though they lacked the razor-sharp teeth of the goblins, these new beasts made up for it with their ivory tusks and brute force. These unknown beasts bowed before their master and Borzolleth anointed them, 'Troll' and named the united forces of trolls and goblins that made up his army the " Nealguar' in the dark tongues or the 'Wicked Born'.

With his new army in tow, Borzolleth drove deeper into the Wildlands to locate sanctuary and begin work on a stronghold for himself and his newly-born kin. North the troops marched and as they did the ground beneath them perished and nothing would ever thrive where their profane footsteps fell. Over ridges and through burrows the armies marched tirelessly enduring the hardships of the Wildlands with malice in their hearts for when they would rest Borzolleth would regale them with tales of denial and strife, and with every dishonest whisper, the hearts of all Nealguar alike became all the more corrupt.

Much time passed as the armies of Borzolleth grew in number and strength, and by the time they reached their destination, they rivalled the inhabitants of any living thing that walked in Valoria. Borzolleth commanded his minions to commence construction on a tower in his honour at the very spot he now stood, he would then instruct his abominations that the tower should graze the skies of Valoria to rival any monument his siblings had erected.

For years the Nealguar toiled away for their master as his ambitions grew vaster. Wars started amongst the races as splinter factions began forming, by the time of the completion of the tower Borzolleth had gone from one army that acted in solidarity with him to five armies constantly at battle with one another. Blinded by the completion of his great fortress, Borzolleth failed to notice how fractured his military force had become as some factions began to denounce their master and withdrew deep within the Wildlands and away from his watchful eye. Standing before his masterpiece, he anointed the new edifice 'Ath Nunroz' though in later ages it would come to be known as 'The Bone Tower'. Satisfied with himself, Borzolleth ascended the great staircase and took his place on his dark throne.

While his siblings went about adding the final pieces to their respective territories of Valoria, Borzolleth sat upon his twisted dark throne within his tower and watched over his domain deep in the heart of the Wildlands. He watched as more of his creations abandoned his service and he became exhausted and enraged, knowing that he must do something he called upon those that were still loyal to him and instructed them to assemble outside Ath Nunroz.

Soon all of the most faithful of Borzolleth's minions amassed outside his tower cheering and awaiting their master's declaration. As Borzolleth exited his tower out onto the balcony the merriments of the Nealguar remaining in his service turned feral as his minions began chanting and barking at their master's arrival. The dark godhead raised his hand and the chants and cries ceased. The voice of Borzolleth boomed and echoed over the Wildlands as he spoke, "Many years didst thou, mine most loyal of servants, toil building this great tower, and yet like me, thy kin hast deserted thou. Shall thou not take revenge as I hast against those traitors?" Though brief The Dark Lord's address had roused his minions into a frenzy as they all once again commenced cheering and hollering for their master.

Preparations were initiated immediately as Borzolleth's minions were crudely armed and armoured as he watched row upon row of readied warriors appear before his balcony in anticipation of his next order. It wasn't long before the Dark Lord had summoned the three goblins believed to be quickest amongst their kin tasking them to scout out the locations of the four traitorous factions of his onetime distinguished army. A lengthy amount of time passed before the goblin scouts would return but once they had Borzolleth began to muster his forces in anticipation of the coming incursion

Upon learning that the treacherous dregs of his once proud army had concealed themselves upon the border of the Wildlands and Nila Tirion it wasn't long before Borzolleth's army was on the march toward them. The battle was swift for Borzolleth's troops were armed and acquainted with the art of warfare and the traitorous kin were caught unawares, for the goblin scouts had undoubtedly been the speediest and most underhanded of their kind. The event came to be known amongst all the tribes of the Nealguar as the 'Zazzitcoss' in the Dark Speech or the 'Great Kin-Slaying' to speakers of the Common Tongue. Though it was hailed the Great Kin-Slaying, only some of the Nealguar perished at their kin's hands that day as most of the perfidious brigades were pushed out of the Wildlands and into Nila Tirion and beyond.

Returning to their master victorious the loyal Nealguar cheered and Borzolleth emerged onto his balcony of Ath Nunroz to roaring fanfare. Once again he raised a hand and silence befell the crowd and once again Borzolleth's voice boomed and echoed over the mountains and valleys, "Congratulations on thy great and mighty triumph over thy false kin. Thou hast made thy dark master proud. The Nealguar shall sing melodies of thy conquest, and together we shall form the wildlands into the jewel of Valoria!" With their Master's speech concluded the crowd erupted in cheers once again as Borzolleth retired into his throne room again to plot his next action to spite his brethren.