Lanos, the Lord of Truth
Lanos, Lord of Truth, embodies the search for Truth and the expungement of those agencies that seek to obscure the Truth. Some mortals under Lanos' guidance seek Truth through crusading, some through scholarly study and philosophical pursuit, and others through contemplation of the workings of the natural world.
The virtues of Honor and Wisdom among truthseekers are of the highest importance to Him. Mortals who explore the Truths of themselves, exploring their inner natures and following a strict moral code, are those he cherishes most. Inner Truth may be revealed in many ways, but the manner in which one reacts while under duress and in trying situations is the surest measure of one's True nature. The followers of Lanos do not shirk from hard choices and difficult tasks, for they know that by resolving these situations they will grow more knowledgeable of themselves and of the world.
His symbol is a flaming sword cleaving a knotted rope, on a field quartered blue and silver.
Lanos, in a selfless act of sacrifice, forced a dark entity of malice and deceit back into the Shadow Realm from whence it came, sealing the hole between worlds behind Him with His Sword of Truth. His presence, now released from its prison, has found a
new mortal host and been transformed into Lord Damariel, the Unbound.
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The Sacrifice
On the 25th of Khepary, year 60 of the Midnight Age, did Lanos, Lord of Truth most nobly sacrifice Himself to the fiends of the Shadow Plane, fighting them back that He might seal the breach between the two planes with His sword of Truth. A transcript of the evening's spectacle as seen by mortal eyes follows: ---- You think you hear the toll of a distant bell, a faint but pure tone hovering on the night breeze. You are sure of it now - a clear metallic ring, but it grows louder rather than fading as a bell would. The tone sounds more familiar now, and gently textured, as the rapid unsheathing of steel blade from scabbard. Suddenly, a shower of silvery sparks bursts in the heavens, illuminating the dusky gloom with millions of tiny motes. A huge sword seems to rend the very air, and the glowing figure of Lanos, Lord of Truth steps through. Lanos, Lord of Truth's voice resonates overhead, "Mortalkind, hear Me and be enlightened!" Lanos, Lord of Truth's voice resonates overhead, "Your offerings have given Me strength needed to break free of My adversary. Four years have I battled, engaging a hideous and nameless foe." Lanos, Lord of Truth's voice resonates overhead, "Four years it has been since I sensed a threat to this realm of the direst kind. Four years ago did I discover an otherplanar intruder, a vile and contemptible entity forged of purest shadow." Lanos, Lord of Truth's voice resonates overhead, "Though Who engineered it I have not yet determined, a tear was rent in the veil between dimensions, a porthole to a plane of darkness and shadow, where Truth skulks in unknown crevices while Deceit and Obfuscation reign." Lanos, Lord of Truth's voice resonates overhead, "Through this loathsome gateway did I sense a dark presence, a being of pure darkness and concealment, surely My nemesis. In defense of the realm did I beset the fiend with the weapons of Truth and Justice, but it fought back, assailing Me incessantly with Shadow and Untruth." Lanos, Lord of Truth's voice resonates overhead, "Ultimately, our struggle was a draw, though I lacked the strength to break free of the conflict until now, such was the power of My nemesis in its own shadow realm." Lanos, Lord of Truth's voice resonates overhead, "I return to seek the aid of My Divine Brethren in this battle for Truth, for I fear for the fate of the realm!" Very faintly, on the edge of consciousness, there is heard an undeniable screech of triumph and a throbbing pain assaults your ears. A heart-sickening sound suddenly tears through the air, and in the sky overhead there appears a ragged gash, as if the firmament itself is rending. The rim of the gash in the sky slowly peels back, the frayed edges appearing as those some hideously diseased wound, and from it an inky blackness begins to seep. As the seeping shadow accumulates, it begins to writhe and take shape into a great tenebrous cloud, growing with shocking speed. The ragged hiss of a feminine voice is carried on a cold wind through the realm. At last, a new world to smother and consume. My children will feast upon this place. From afar, the sounds of thousands of elated screeching cries are heard. A ragged, hissing feminine voice seems to echo from all around. You speak with such confidence, and yet you do not know my power here. There is much to consume, and thus much that will strengthen me. I have lain idle for millennia in my realm, starving, and yet I was able to cripple you even then. Here is a feast, and when I gorge myself I will become unstoppable. Lanos, Lord of Truth's voice resonates overhead, "The realm of Aetolia shall not be allowed to diminish beneath your vile obfuscation, creature of shadow! I will defend this realm to the last, and you will be undone by My hand if you remain." For a moment, the sky brightens as a blaze of lightning races towards the looming shadow. An indignant hiss emanates from the inky mass, and it recoils slightly. Then, with renewed fury it billows forth towards the Vashnar Mountains and the Pillars of Heaven, and silhouetted against the darkening horizon, the armor-clad figure of the Lord of Truth strides from the Garden to meet the shadow. His longswords reflecting the bolts of lightning that rip across the heavens, Lanos slashes the shadow with a whirl of the magic blades. In an instant, the being lashes back at the God with surprising strength, stunning Him momentarily. Surging towards Lanos, the shadow seems to take hold of the Blade of Justice, though it screeches in agony even as it does so. Nonetheless, it does not relent, and despite Lanos struggle the blade is wrenched away and devoured by the darkness. Lanos seizes the opportunity afforded by his foes momentary preoccupation with consuming one sword, and plunges the second, the Blade of Truth into the inky blackness with a mighty battle cry. The Gods own cry is instantly drowned out by a shriek of pain from the shadow being, and it reels backwards slightly, Lanos holding the sword in place. The Shadow writhes in frustration, trying to knock the God away, but He drives the blade ever deeper, pushing the being back towards the gash high above. At last the shadow is poised within the gash again, and with a final heave of His strength, Lanos forces the creature back to the other side of the tear, stepping through Himself. For a moment more He is visible silhouetted on a field of infinite night within the gash, and then He wrenches the sword from the shadow being and plunges it back towards Sapience. A dolorous wail descends from the heavens, a cry of dismay and despair cut short as a brilliant flash appears overhead. When the flash has faded at last, only a bright star is visible overhead, a shaft of steel embedded in the firmament. ---- So went Lanos, Lord of Truth into a realm of shadow, never again to return lest the seal between our world and the Shadow Plane be rent asunder, unleashing the fiends therein upon us all. His only legacy the tip of his longsword, the Sword of Truth, now known to mortals as the Star of Truth, sealing the hole between worlds and preserving our safety from that dark realm.