Role

Chapter 2

Time passed, and Cabdru subjected himself to greater and greater tests. He
fought greater foes and conspired against more cunning agents of the conspiracy.
At times he was bested or slain, but as the Charnel God taught, he learned from
these failings and was reborn again, harder and stronger.

As his enemies became legion, the obviousness of their parts in the conspiracy
grew more plain as well. Theoretically exclusive groups of his enemies would
fight him as one. Lawmen, Maran, and Battlerager alike abandoned their
supposed ethos to find opportunities to hinder and maul him. The giant took
all these things in stride, interpreting them as evidence that his paranoia
was justified. Needing a way to bring more strength to bear against the
plotters but trusting no one, Cabdru decided to call forth dark powers to
infest a weapon of his choosing. It would reap the souls of the conspirators
and cut them down ever more swiftly. Even with its growing power, he felt
beseiged. For all of that, he found himself entering even the pits of Hell
itself alone, seeking greater and greater adversity to forge himself stronger.

Cabdru asked his patron for help in contacting the Scions of the Eternal Night.
Although even they had occasionally tried to kill him, Cabdru reasoned that a
group with such an obviously insane goal of achieving world domination by a
untrustworthy army other than their own could not possibly be scheming against
him. Their enemies made attempts on Cabdru's life every day. An alliance
made sense.

To his surprise, the Charnel God counseled him against binding himself to the
Fold of the Night. It would make his life harder. Power he would gain, but
enemies and danger more. "And," added the Dread Sculptor, "allies cannot
trust. Bargain seems poor, but can grant it."

Longing, despite his great oppression, for even greater trial to forge him anew
and make him stronger, Cabdru made the bargain with his Lord Muuloc.

It would not be long before he learned more of the allies he could not trust.