Hidden Empires of the Kopru
by Matthew Tullius from Threshold Magazine issue 31Part One: A Tour of the Temples
"You are the chosen human representative of the slaves?"
The slimy beast turned toward me as the smell of its greasy, rancid skin invaded my nostrils. Not wanting to respond to the thing, but knowing that I must or I risked them throwing me back to the slave pens at best, the breeding pens to produce "calves," or even worse to the food pens to be the next meal. I wrinkled my nose, in distaste as much from the smell as having to be subservient to the kopru masters. "You could say that. I wasn't chosen by humans. Your kind... not mine forced me here. I have no interest in representing your kind to anyone! There was very little in the way of choice on the matter." I spat out the last line, showing my disgust. I didn't know why these things even wanted a representative for slaves and food. It made little sense to me.
Image: Kopru http://pandius.com/Threshold_4_AdhuzanMontage.png
Caption: Kopru domination, drawing by I. Calvin made for the Kopru Dominarchy of Adhuza in the Thanegioth Archipelago, from Threshold magazine issue #4
The thing looked down at me and its mouth hole compressed in an incomprehensible expression. It hissed loudly. Was it angry?
"I can see why you were chosen, human." Its mass jiggled and shook as it made the hiss sound a second time. A laugh. Even in mirth these things were foul. "Strong willed, even for an escapee."
"I've never been able to esca—" I began.
"Escape is relative, human!" it cut me off with an aspirated hiss. Annoyance. Different hiss meant a different emotion. I knew enough to tell that I was sent here to learn kopru culture, for what reason I could only guess, but perhaps the information could be used to improve the lives of us humans. The more I could learn and understand and pass to others, the more likely we could fight the control of our masters. No. Captors. I needed to stop thinking of them as masters.
"Those of your kind that resist domination have 'escaped.' Most humans and other species that are here have no will. We know every thought, every emotion, and every memory. We command every movement, every action, and every thought. There can be no more true definition of escape than that of having your own thoughts and having your own will guide your actions as others remain happily in a prison of obedience. Do you not agree, human?" the thing spoke sternly and rapidly as though he was admonishing a child.
"I do." I found myself in the unenviable position of agreeing with one of these things. I despised this thing calling me 'human.' One thing though gave me a small victory and was a source of tremendous pride: I could resist them as few others were able. I was born not obeying these things. I was an individual, and I had a name.
"Ryessa."
The thing tilted its head backward and turned its eyes down toward me. I didn't understand what it was doing. "What?" it asked. Confusion.
"Ryessa. My name isn't 'human.' It's Ryessa." I tried to look more defiant than I felt. It was easy to feel vulnerable wearing only sandals before one of my mas—... captors.
"I never thought to consider speaking with one of your kind individually. We are used to using our minds to command, not to communicate. At any rate, Ryessa, let us discuss the temple, the Immortals, and why..." It paused and one eye squinted as it looked away just slightly. Distracted? It turned back looking intently at me. Thought. That's what it was. Not distraction but thought. "Who decided it would carry that name?"
I didn't much care for the way the thing called me an "it." "I don't know. My family, I guess. I overheard one of the keepers use my name when they thought I wasn't listening." I trailed off thinking of the traumatic memory of my experiences in the breeding pens, "... during my time in the breeding pens. As I was fighting off rapists in the pens, I overheard one of the pen keepers say to the other 'The one they are so interested in breeding with is Ryessa.' It was the first time I heard my name." My parents had been dominated when I was bred and because of this I had no real relationship with them beyond my immediate physical needs for survival when I was young. I didn't even know my name until I was of age and thrown into the breeding pens. It was a victory I guarded and held close. It felt good to lord it over one of these things that I knew my name. I had my own individual identity.
It made the laugh hiss the moment I finished my statement. It was laughing at my pain and trying to take my hard-fought victory away! I could feel anger swelling in me as I balled my fists. It continued making the hiss over and over as its form quivered in amusement. Its skin excreted droplets of ooze that slowly rolled down its skin or flicked off as it quivered.
Through clenched teeth I growled at it, smelling the odor from fresh skin secretions. Stronger or not it was about to get hit. "What is so funny?!? The breeding pens were a nightmare! Or is it that you are amused I learned my own name???" I felt my temperature rising in the already steamy cavern as I screamed at it.
"I imagine your experiences were... trying." The thing was no longer quivering in its large laughing motions and hissing. Instead, it was very still and shivering. I could feel the logical side of my brain push through the hurt and anger trying to analyze what it was doing. The thing's shivering slowed as it continued to talk.
"Let us continue to the Temple. It will be the first of several stops as you learn your place. You have much to learn about our Immortals, that it might be passed to the other escapees." The thing turned and began to slide toward the temple's entrance. It had stifled its emotion and was unreactive to my outburst. Why? Politeness? Was it trying to spare my feelings? It didn't make sense but that was the only explanation I could come up with until I had more information on how this one behaved. My rage slowed and returned to its usual of a slow simmer as we walked to the temple in silence. If I was going to learn about these things, I needed to learn them as individuals too. I stopped walking before he slimed past the door.
"What is your name?" I asked.
The thing stopped at the entrance and did a full turn around to face me. The thing squinted one eye and then turned its head away slightly. I had seen this expression from it before. It was confused. It was confused about its own name? That didn't make sense. It continued looking at me in that manner for a long moment without moving. It was unsettling how still it could be in this dripping place.
Suddenly the thing moved. "It never occurred to me to introduce myself to one of your kind." The thing wasn't confused. It was surprised, and must have been surprised before, too. "I am called Thrissh, meaning 'divine' in your language. You are... Ryessa..." It paused with the amusement look as it spoke my name. "... Now, come. It is important to our purposes that you learn."
While I knew there was some reason the kopru wanted me to learn their culture, I didn't like the idea that I was somehow useful to them.
We entered the temple and there were four statues with little else in the way of accessories. Before each statue was a large bowl that seemed to be for offerings. Thrissh motioned to the largest statue to the right. The statue was two or three times the mass of the next largest statue.
"This is Kahrysshalis. The Warrior."
"He's huge." I said with genuine awe. While I hated these things, I honestly admired both the size and craftsmanship of the statue as it was clearly made with extreme care.
"SSSSShe!" Thrissh said with the aspirated hiss of annoyance. "Kahrysshalis is Mistress of Unity and Order, in many ways the counterpart of Manwara." My blank expression must have been easy for it to read. "Manwara you will meet next. He is the Immortal of Diversity and Chaos."
I nodded, trying to take everything in. So far, nothing he was telling me seemed useful to my kind.
"Kahrysshalis once was a kopru of tremendous size and strength. She was unlike many of her days. The truth is she was unlike many even of her kopru brood."
"There are multiple strains of kopru. You probably have not noticed as the keepers of the slave pens tend to be more of Shalis brood only. This is the brood that is directly related to Kahrysshalis. It is she that is their great-mother centuries removed. Kahrysshalis was the greatest general of the kopru and led many daring raids. She had an unparalleled record for capturing and enslaving the most difficult and strong specimens of so many species and races! She was magnificent!" As he stared up at her statue Thrissh's tissue surrounding his teeth contracted back, exposing the teeth nearly to the roots. I made note of the action. It could be admiration, or even as disgusting as the thought might be—lust.
"In time her great size and strength as well as keen mind attracted many males to breed. She was not flashy but quiet, patient, direct, and strong." Lust, or something approaching romantic love, she decided. She never thought of these things as being emotional or loving.
"But she had a rival: Slizzark the Lurker, who was to become her enemy, even after both ascended into Immortality. Slizzark was in many ways the opposite of Kahrysshalis. A braggart, impatient, demonstrative, and underhanded. They both were females, and so competed for males and genetic variety in their offspring. They each had something to offer: one—resistance to magic, the other—perfection of physical form. Kahrysshalis mated very selectively—only the biggest, strongest, most intelligent males would suffice for her. Slizzark mated with every kopru she could find. What do you think was the result of this mating, Ryessa?"
I thought about it a moment. In the breeding pens the kopru seemed to try to produce specific qualities in their slaves. Some people they wanted smaller to fit in tight places, others they wanted strong to do heavy labor, and some were desired for their agility or balance.
"Breeding for a purpose," I said.
"Yes. But two different purposes. Kahrysshalis selectively mated in small clutches with the best mates possible. Slizzark with as many as possible as frequently as possible. One chose the strategy of quantity, the other the strategy of quality." Thrissh looked pleased with himself. "Which offspring produced the next great Kopru Empire?" asked Thrissh.
"Kahrysshalis, obviously," I said, as I opened up my arms and motioned to the rest of the temple.
"Obvious, but wrong," said Thrissh. "Sometimes, quantity can be its own reward. A great many of lesser value or strength may overwhelm a smaller but better force."
I nodded and smiled. They must worry about us rebelling one day and destroying them and their system. My kind outnumbered them easily two to one. "I see," I said.
Thrissh's mouth sphincter compressed and contracted, as he jiggled slightly. He was amused again. "I do not need to dominate you to see your mind's eye, Ryessa. Your kind is far weaker than ours. Even at a ten to one ratio your kind cannot hope to fight the might of the Empire." His body adopted a different position, then Thrissh said in a matter-of-fact tone, "Slizzark's brood, the so called 'Dominarchy,' swept over the Triad and pushed them back."
I knew that the Triad was the governing body of the Kopru Empire. I didn't know they had ever been defeated, and that meant it was possible. I nodded to let Thrissh know I was still paying attention and not lost on thoughts of rebellion.
"The Triad pulled back and bided its time, as we were few and they were many. As expected, we did not have to wait forever. Slizzark's 'Dominarchy' was not to last." Thrissh seemed pleased as he said the last phrase with a slow relish of enjoyment.
My heart sank a little. I nodded slowly and sadly. "You were able to beat them," I said.
"We did not have to, Ryessa," said Thrissh. "They beat themselves."
"Civil war?" I asked. It felt wrong, but it was the only thing that made sense with the Dominarchy fighting themselves.
"No," said Thrissh. "They were foolish. They were able to exile the Triad through numbers alone. They allowed their slaves to outnumber them uncontrolled. They grew decadent, soft, and overconfident in their ability to resist magic. Do you see the flaw, Ryessa, in their strategy?" Thrissh cut me off before I could respond and continued. "Not the part about being outnumbered. That should be obvious, even to one such as you."
I tried not to appear annoyed at Thissh's insinuation of stupidity on my part. "Well, you said overconfidence..." I trailed off. I didn't understand the question he was really asking. The question behind the question.
"Their magic resistance was their undoing, in a way. It is what brought about their overconfidence," Thrissh said. "They were so dependent on magic resistance, it never occurred to them that it did not matter. When you have slave races such as your kind, having magic resistance is irrelevant." Thrissh hissed his largest hiss of laughter. "Who would teach magic to a slave?? Resistance to magic is useless against swarms of expendables."
I quietly snarled at the way Thrissh referred to humans as expendable. I knew there were no mages, or religious leaders, among the kopru slaves, and as such—no magic. What he said made sense. No magic means no need to defend against magic.
"In their magical overconfidence, they made no attempt to improve themselves physically. Their bodies atrophied and weakened. They allowed uncontrolled slave breeding and just depended on their presence to cow their slaves. We do not allow such folly of—overpopulation of those we cannot enthrall or dominate," Thrissh said with self-assuredness.
Thrissh motioned to the next figure, at one of the corners. The figure was a bit smaller than the first that was shown. "This is Glissh: Lord of Elemental Magics and Immortal of Many Faces."
I moved around this statue carved in the slimy deep green rock. There was an odd habit about this statue. From one side the figure appeared to have the angry or annoyed pose I had seen on Thrissh many times. But a few steps and looking at it dead center, it appeared cold and emotionless. The emotional transition was seamless, and continued as you moved to the other side. From the other side the figure appeared to be making the laughing face.
Thrissh looked down at me. "I can see you can tell why he is called the many-faced. Note on his flukes there are sigils carved into his very flesh. They are designed to help channel his extreme elemental might. But, there was a cost to such power. In arcane bargains to control this power his mind was compromised, fractured actually, and he became many."
"He was insane," I said forcefully, annoyed at his reverence for this thing.
Image: Thrissh and Ryessa http://pandius.com/kopru2a.png
Caption: Kopru and human slave, original digital drawing by Senarch
Thrissh hissed with annoyance. "Watch your foul tongue, human!"
I was back to being "human" again.
Thrissh's annoyance was not as short-lived as usual, and his voice rose in volume. "Glissh has power you cannot conceive, human! It is through Glissh that we will be the final empire of this world!" Thrissh was pulsing and hissing almost in a hyperventilating pant. It was then I noticed for the first time the same sigils on Thrissh's fluked tail. I kept quiet and tried to appear chastised. I had found a weakness in Thrissh and didn't want to let him know I had quietly made note of it. Thrissh simmered for long minutes, hissing to himself.
On calming himself down, Thrissh continued his dissertation. He was still unhappy, but did an unconvincing job of hiding it. "Glissh was once a powerful mage. He channeled the might of the elements themselves through powerful sigils engraved on his very flesh. He rose to prominence and established his own strong brood. It is from Glissh that our tradition of harnessing the elements as weapons comes. But this was only the beginning of Glissh's ascension! Glissh would be born again three other times, each with a whole different set of skills and even personalities. That is why he has so many aspects, human. His is the Many-Faced One." He said the last sentence slowly with both reverence and awe.
"How did Glissh end up born again multiple times? Isn't that impossible?" I asked.
"Such is the mystery and power of Glissh." Thrissh opened his arms wide toward the idol in praise and I could hear genuine awe in his watery voice. "Many lives were needed to complete his movement to an Immortal worthy of worship. It was in this completed state that Kahrysshalis found him and lifted him past the mortal coil."
"So, it wasn't completely on his own?" I asked.
"Kahrysshalis needs multiple mates, as do all kopru," said Thrissh. "Only the best will do! For this reason, after, she uplifted Piteesth as one of her mates." Thrissh pointed to the next of the statues. This one was smaller, but also more delicate and slenderer. It was made of a fragile-looking yellowing coral that looked as though it could be broken with ease. What was even more unusual about it more so than its make and coloration was that metallic decorations hung from various appendages. Light pulsed off of parts of some of the metal in an eerie way. This visage made me even more uncomfortable than the last.
"Piteesth was once one of the most disrespected of his kind. He was born ill and weaker than other kopru. A reminder that even in pitiful degradation can greatness rise." Thrissh looked long at me in silence. I returned his gaze, refusing to look away first. Was he insulting me? Was this some sort of backhanded compliment? Maybe something else? I didn't have time to think more, and he broke eye contact and continued his monologue.
"The gift of Piteesth was his mind and his understanding of areas that the kopru had not mastered, as well as his skill at creating intricate plots. He also had a unique gift—he could dominate a mind but also use that same dominated mind to peek into the minds of people close to him." Thrissh arched up looking overly pleased with himself. "Piteesth's gift was unique, but also because of the times in which he was alive and the one that he had chosen to dominate it was even more special. Thousands of years ago when Piteesth was mortal he dominated an unassuming man from a far-away land."
This intrigued me. We did not learn about other people in other lands. The idea that elsewhere my people were different was important information. Thrissh didn't realize that he was handing me an arsenal of information. It was at times like this that I was grateful that these things couldn't look into my mind.
"Blackmoor was its name. Blackmoor was as much a place, as it was a time, and a way of thinking. That man was someone that Piteesth felt odd kinship with knowing. He too was overlooked and disregarded in his society. He cleaned the refuse and the homes of his betters." Thrissh showed his typical mirth. The idea of a lowly person doing menial things being connected to Piteesth seemed to cause Thrissh joy.
"This lowly man, though, made Piteesth feel connected and even have a measure of understanding. This refuse man was like a loved long-distance pet. Even from tens of thousands of miles Piteesth learned he could read the minds around the refuse man he had dominated. This gifted him with knowledge that was like a bottomless vault of riches."
"How could someone like that know anyone overly valuable?" I asked. "He just cleans up trash. Nothing special."
"On the contrary," Thrissh said with a gurgling aspiration, "Someone like that is not considered out of place in any environment. They go anywhere. While no one sees them, they can see everything. The refuse-man was able to be around very knowledgeable men and women who were privy to information from far beyond—beyond even the land and sky. Piteesth used his pet to spy on the thoughts of the greatest minds of this civilization. It took him long to replicate some of the work of these people. He was unique among all our people in his capabilities with this new technology."
"Is that what this is all about?" I asked, pointing at the metal bits on the statue. Thrissh nodded slowly.
"Sadly, after decades, Piteesth felt a white-hot burning in his brain and all minds he had touched fell silent. No one is sure what happened, but Piteesth taught others that were smaller and more devious the ways of technology. There were many wonders he never fully understood, but there were also developments he added that Blackmoor never had or understood."
"So, he was found worthy to breed with Kahrysshalis," I said more than asked. Thrissh confirmed as he turned to move to the final statue. I couldn't help but smile to myself. Thrissh had made a mistake. Possibly a fatal one for his people, and he was none the wiser for it. I followed quickly behind him so as not to not let on I had such information now.
"This last one is Manwara and in some ways the greatest. It is Manwara that crafted the kopru in his great image..." Thrissh trailed off as he looked at the statue.
I looked at the statue and it was an ancient-looking creature. Like something that was kept alive by sheer force of will more than its body functioning as it should. This one was very clearly male in every order, almost like the idea of crafting a feminine aspect would be blasphemous. It was draped in dripping strands of fresh kelp and algae which must be some sort of religious devotional. This statue shared an aspect with the statue of Glissh; if you observed it from one side, it looked calm, serene, even wise; if observed from the other side, it looked angry, volatile, and violent. It was the angry side that gripped a trident tightly in its appendage, looking as though it might strike any moment even though it was stone.
"Manwara crafted all races of the sea, but made the kopru first in his image." I grimaced. No wonder these things were so arrogant, they thought the gods themselves were just like them. Thrissh continued, "As the other races were crafted, the kopru were given dominion over them and ruled as Manwara dictated. As a sign of his divine favor, he gifted us the ability to dominate and control." Thrissh got very close to me and I shuddered in disgust.
"You see, Ryessa? Even the oldest Immortals know you are to kneel before us and obey. It is good you learn this divine lesson." He said this as a whisper as though it was a secret. The way his tone went down, it was as though cold water ran down my spine, and I shivered.
Thrissh pulled back, looking pleased with himself. "Manwara is perhaps the original Immortal. From Him our Empires stem and grow strong. He breeds with all and all are bred from him."
Thrissh pulled himself up high on his hind fluke, towering over me. I felt very small but I was not about to cower. After a few moments of standoff, Thrissh lowered himself.
"Come, Ryessa, you have learned enough of why the kopru ruled and will again by divine right. It is time to visit each brood in the Empires." Thrissh turned and slid into the darkness. After a moment in thought, I followed behind.
To be continued in Hidden Empires Part Two: A Human's Guide to Kopru Broods
Glissh
Lord of Fire, Ice, and Earth, The Many-Faced One
Level, Alignment, Sphere: 18 (Celestial), Neutral, Matter
Symbol: A three-fluked tail tattooed with the three elements of Water, Fire, and Earth
Portfolio: Elements, Balance
Worshiped In: The Hidden Empires
Appearance: Glissh is a three-meter-long kopru a deep shade of hunter green. His skin glistens with an oily sheen and to a kopru is an unparalleled male specimen that would make any female kopru positively drop eggs with eagerness to breed. The eyes of Glissh are a rarity for kopru—a honey gold that feels as though it burns your very soul when gazed upon for too long. There are multiple tattoos and runes on Glissh's body, with the most prominent ones being on his three-fluked tails.
Personality: Glissh is as volatile as the elements that he controls. Icey cold and callous one moment, fiery explosive with anger the next, while other times behaving stable, agreeable, and gregarious. The truth is that Glissh is psychologically unstable and shifts personalities randomly. These shifts are linked to the elements and their respective planes of existence. The "Ice" personality is calculating and emotionless. "Ice" enjoys working with Piteesth and her followers to create dangerous magitech super weapons. The "Lava" personality is pure emotion, energy and motion for motion's sake. "Lava" enjoys seeing the effects of magic and elements as though it were a show entertaining a child. "Stone" is happy, sociable and charming. "Stone" seeks to keep the kopru race working well together, and even encourages slaves of the kopru to be obedient while encouraging the kopru overlords to have a measure of mercy on lesser races.
Patron: Kahrysshalis
Allies: Kahrysshalis, Piteesth, Fire Elemaster
Enemies: Air Elemaster
Followers' Alignment: Followers may be any alignment, but clerics are generally as chaotic as Glissh's nature.
Favored Weapon: Two-handed polearms, any stone weapon.
Cleric Skills and Powers: Cleric's granted abilities can shift unexpectedly and without warning when Glissh shifts personality traits. When "Ice" is in control, spells which manipulate the mind or emotion of a victim will save at a -2 penalty. When "Lava" is in control, damage spells will have +1D. When "Stone" is in control Charisma is raised by +1.
Piteesth
Lord of Forbidden Knowledge and Secrets, Immortal of Magitech
Level, Alignment, Sphere: 25 (Eternal), Chaotic, Thought
Symbol: A circle of pitch black with a single tiny point of white at the center
Portfolio: Technology, Rogues, Plots, Espionage
Worshiped In: The Hidden Empires
Appearance: Small for a kopru at two meters long and almost emaciated in build. Skin that is patchy as well as a sicklier mustard yellow pallor with vile mossy rotten brown. Piteesth moves in an extremely agile and dexterous manner and is able to contort and flex better than the most flexible kopru. Piteesth will bob his head up and down and back and forth as he moves, and speaks with even the face tentacles and tail flukes twitching nervously. Piteesth carries a dagger with a tool belt that contains multiple tools of various unknown uses. There is a variety of Blackmoorian-style technologies that are carried as well.
Personality: Piteesth's nervous actions, while an affectation, is rooted in his nature. Used to looking over his shoulder to avoid stronger kopru, and moving in shadows to keep his plots clandestine. Piteesth is sneaky and an overt liar. One of his deepest friendships is with Loki, where they play high-stakes versions of the game "Three Truths and a Lie" in an exchange of hidden secrets and knowledge. Piteesth is technical-minded and always thinking in terms of "how" and "why." Having existed at the ascension of Blackmoor, spends a great deal of time tinkering with machines and working in conjunction with the Magics of Glissh to guide the kopru in building gradually more devastating technology to use against enemies.
History: Piteesth was once a fairly overlooked and disrespected member of kopru society.
Patron: Unknown
Allies: Glissh, Kahrysshalis, Loki
Enemies: Fugit
Followers' Alignment: Piteesth's followers that lean into magitech tend towards Neutral and even (rarely) Lawful. Those of a more secretive nature tend towards Chaotic.
Favored Weapon: Magitech weapons or Dagger.
Cleric Skills and Powers: Clerics gain a +4 to the skill Fantasy Physics or Machine Building (but not both) Clerics must take both skills.
Kahrysshalis
Lord of Martial Combat, Mistress of Order
Level, Alignment, Sphere: 25 (Eternal), Lawful Neutral, Matter
Symbol: The head of a trident with the fluke tail behind each prong
Portfolio: Kopru, Strategy, Tactics, Structure and Order.
Worshiped In: The Hidden Empires
Appearance: Kahrysshalis is 5 meters long and is an overly large kopru with muscles that are enormous in proportion to the norm, even more so for a female. Her body is oozing and dripping with an oily black secretion that makes her move and slide with amazing speed as well as grace. She carries a trident made of the first smelted alloys of Mystara. The claws of her hands and tails are likewise coated in metallic alloys from Mystara's forgotten past. Kahrysshalis forever appears (at least for a kopru) stoic and dispassionate, with a blank stare and dead eyes that stare in constant judgment.
Personality: Kahrysshalis has a personality that is a rarity in kopru culture. Quiet, reserved, but when she speaks does so forcefully and bluntly. The only time Kahrysshalis seems to have the wall of calm around her crumble is bringing up the history of the ungrateful surface races stealing the secrets of metal from her people. During those times, she will enter a murderous and uncontrolled rage that when ended is as abrupt and sudden as its beginning. Kahrysshalis is more likely to quietly physically intimidate using her large size and encroaching on others' personal space to get compliance.
Patron: Unknown
Allies: Glissh, Piteesth, Eternal General
Enemies: Slizzark the Lurker, Ka
Followers' Alignment: Clerics must be Lawful, others Lawful or Neutral.
Favored Weapon: Trident, spears and dagger allowed.
Cleric Skills and Powers: Clerics are able to move at the same speed as a land creature on land rather than the lumbering speed normally used.
Paladin Skills and Powers: Paladins have thicker hide granting an improvement of Armor Class of 2.