Old Memories
This book can be found in a lectern in a room at the bottom of the ICS Arbiter. It tells the story of how Vahid came to become the head of the Order of Insohm, giving a speech that was so well-received by the Grand Council of Insohm that he was instantly appointed to the position of Master of Insohm, uniting the coalition behind a common hatred of Maelihs.
Coordinates¶
| X | Y | Z |
|---|---|---|
| -483 | 74 | -1955 |
Transcription¶
It was not too long ago that this cramped room housed one of the greatest leaders in world history. He isn't thought kindly of now, but Master Vahid really did save Insohm aboard this very ship.
Highfall was first to complain, as always. The blasted Northerners threatened to pull their troops out of the west altogether, lambasting our "excessive" war spending. Dusps wasn't far behind, spreading rumors to any who would listen that it would also pull out to form a new alliance with Highfall. Things were dire. But the flow of history was to change. A fateful meeting occurred aboard the ICS Arbiter. A meeting that I myself witnessed as the Grand Council's stenographer. Vahid was just a territorial liaison to the Parochial Enclave of Firteid back then, and hardly ever spoke when not directly called upon. I was aware that he was a Virmari, and a Grand Pontiff of something or another, but his standing in the room felt closer to mine than to that of the Members of Council.
The meeting started on the wrong foot right away. As soon as he took the central chair, Councillor Sehdo of the United Townships of Dreh'Noha explained that he and his lands would be leaving the Insohmic Coalition unless the war was resolved right away. This prompted an immediate retort from Councillors Zarna of the Casain Empire and Qeijo of the Republic of Merijool threatening to declare war on any nation that withdrew from the war. Tensions rose, and continued to rise for hours, until the Grand Council had devolved into a shouting match. Then, when everyone had worn themselves out into silence, a new voice suddenly spoke up. Vahid's.
I have never heard any words spoken that affected me as much as his oration that day. He started by talking about the deep past with a tale of the Deity War. He spoke about Drehmal's abandonment, Virtuo's kindness, and Maelihs's hatred. He told us about great plagues that Maelihs unleashed over the world, and about the brave Drehmari who stood up to his tyranny.
And then Vahid's speech became more vulnerable, recounting a tale from his childhood wherein he was sold into Maelmari slavery by a man he had known all his young life. Weaving this together with historical moments of resistance from the Insohmic provinces against the Burnt Lord's atrocities, Vahid created a rich aural tapestry which moved me to my core. He reminded us that Ultva and Hovadchear did not dream of an Insohmic Coalition, but of the Order of Insohm- a single body of Drehmari with many parts united by a single goal- the eradication of Maelihs.
As he finished, you could have heard a pin drop. There was complete silence. And then, Dusps Councillor Duruis slowly began to clap, joined by the rest of the room.
Known as the Pact of Vengeance, the resultant agreement unanimously named Vahid Master of Insohm, and all Drehmari were united once again. Newly energized, we even began to win the war. But then, while forcing Maelihs's army to retreat to the Burnt Palace, Vahid and his Goddess both disappeared. Without him, the Council was doomed to fracture once again. And as it did, horrifying revelations came out about Vahid's actions while in office. I still cannot entirely believe they were true, but the damage was done and his legacy was tarnished.
Today, though the spirit of realmwide cooperation has largely died, the crew of the Arbiter remains diverse; those who still cling to an Insohmic hope from most of the former provinces have chosen to sail on with me. Although we do some good on our journey, I cannot shake the feeling that we are little more than a propaganda campaign for the shriveled remains of "Insohm" in Mossfield.
Even still, I suppose that this is a much more interesting way to spend one's retirement than living in some straw-roofed hovel.
Extras¶
The order of events in the late Third Avihm is called into question by this book, which implies that the Battle for Drehmal was ended by the disappearance of Virtuo and Vahid at the end of Av3. This conflicts with Dahroc's Notes, which states that the war ended in Av3 700 with a truce between the two sides, 200 years before the end of the Avihm.