Black Pyramid
From Cause of Doom Series
At the top of Mount Patho, which gives the place its name, there is a hanging lake that is no longer fed by any river, and from which no river flows. It is called Moon Lake. Thirty thousand years ago, when the world was young before the Man-ape came to the land of Patho, there was an ancient city standing beside the lake. It’s called the Echo. The creatures that lived in Echo were not very pleasant to look at. They were red, with eyes that took up most of their faces, lips from which sharp fangs protruded, and curious ears. And they were as silent as stone. Their fangs descended from the moon on a red night, bringing with them the lake and the city. Mara, the name of these creatures who worshipped a black stone idol carved into a hollow pyramid, possessed a magical power unknown to all. They dwelt in dark, subterranean tunnels near the inferno’s heat. Every blood moon, they performed strange rituals, dancing and pounding drums around their deity, wreathed in yellow fire.
Millennia after the dawn of history, the Man-ape arrived on the mountain of Pathos. Shaggy-haired herdsmen with broad shoulders and bulging muscles, riding mighty steeds, sought a new land to conquer. In order to survive under the power of Mount Patho, they allied themselves with neighbouring tribes, including the cunning Troll Hunters. But this kingdom would not have risen from humble tribes to a glorious empire had it not been for King Ashara. Neutral and wise, crowned with wisdom itself, he signed a secret pact with the creatures of Mara and returned the sacred artefact, the IRR, to his mountain on an almost suicidal journey. This act lifted his nation to glory.
Having accomplished the impossible, King Ashara built the Kingdom of Harmony on the shores of Moon Lake, beside the enigmatic Echo City. Its unique architectural marvel of towering style captivated all creatures in the west Earth. No walls rose in Ashara’s reign. Houses of brick and white agate nestled among soaring palaces, temples, and gardens that reached for the sky. Those who entered felt as if they had transcended the mortal realm.
At first, Man-ape was fascinated by Mara creatures, their strange appearance, their ancient culture, and their good cooperation. They even learned from them how to start a fire. But, over time and with the rise of civilization, the desire for dominance grew. Conflicts and instability increased under the rule of the tyrant Houhou Ham. He saw it as inappropriate for such creatures to roam his kingdom at dusk. He also wanted the treasures hidden in the Echo’s lands. Houhou Ham could not understand their civilization and ancient gods. So, he considered them infidels and enemies of his mighty god who was created from light. He passed on these ideas to his people until the hatred of Man-ape for Mara creatures became as inflamed as a wound. Every new sight of them fanned the flames.
The special military wing of Houhou Ham tracked the Mara creatures and their territory. They found them weak and unequipped, but it was difficult to enter their complex tunnels and underground dwellings. Ultimately, they discovered a single weakness: every red lunar night, all the Mara creatures emerged to gather around their pyramidal idol to perform their religious rituals. Therefore, Houhou Ham decided to attack them on their feast day.
As the red moon ascended, the invaders rained arrows and gunpowder upon the Mara from atop the mountain. Infantry on raging steeds slaughtered the remaining survivors with swords, including children and women, and cast their bodies into Moon Lake by nets. They also attempted to destroy the Black Pyramid, but their tools failed to harm the idol. Houhou Ham, on his towering black steed, brandishing his golden blade, resolved to claim the idol for the Kingdom as a trophy of their conquest over the ancient gods and Mara creatures. But they were unable to move it. So, in a fit of rage, Houhou Ham did something reckless with his granite dagger.
The night after they assassinated the creatures of Mara, the lake erupted with strange lights. In the morning, the people found Houhou Ham, the leader and warrior of God, torn to shreds in his bed. His hands and feet had been ripped off, and his head was impaled on his torso. Before his death, Houhou Ham had tried to engrave his name on the black pyramid.
Houhou Ham’s futile attempt to carve the black pyramid erased him from existence. It is not an earthly object, but it came from deep space at the time of the formation of the Earth, struck itself to the moon with a powerful force and dropped IRR stones into the still-turbulent and lava-filled interior. It inhabited the moon’s surface, enslaving creatures to adapt and serve in its harsh environment. After Earth cooled, the pyramid descended to collect the scattered IRR stones, settling on Mount Patho. The Earth’s creatures are not yet meant to know of this material. Every eighty-eight years, the giant red moon stops in the middle of the sky to energize the black pyramid with dark matter. Now as the giant red moon approaches, the curse has fallen upon the Kingdom of Harmony, stripping it of its luster and wealth. The pyramid turned the Mara creatures into vengeful demons of Patho, who claim a soul at every appearance. The priests joined in the debauchery, their hearts corrupted by greed, their minds destroyed like those of their rulers.
On the last appearance of the red Moon over Harmony’s kingdom, the young King and his companions were busy with the coronation feast prepared on golden plates. The night turned dark red, and the Moon stopped in the middle of the sky. Terror descended upon the hearts of the Man-ape when they heard doom opening the doors of Harmony wide, sentencing them to death. A fierce wind blew, shaking the giant palaces until they looked like primitive tents, and the sky rained thick black stones burning with yellow fire. Those who remained saw the black pyramid of the Echo, emitting dark energy into the Moon. The mighty warriors within the king’s castle cried out in terror, their eyes filled with fear, as the great kingdom of Harmony was leveled to the ground, leaving nothing of its glory to be remembered.
