Now I'm going to post this idea while it's still fresh in my mind. However, I must warn you - very little thought has gone into making sure its a sound one.
**Please note, this draws upon info found in the threads "Myron's Demise" and "Daskinor's Madness". Found here (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=481751) and here (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=485145) respectively.
Ok, so here goes....
We all know that Irikos met his demise in Bodach fighting the last remnants of a force of preservers. We also know the fate of Bodach. It has become infested with the undead spirits of those that died when the city fell.
Thought - these events are related. It's an idea of mine that I've had for some time, that all of the fallen dead of Bodach (from both forces, attacking and defending) met their end in one massive attack involving energies from the Gray. This assault would infuse the dead with an unliving force that keeps them from eternal rest. To quote my attempt at piecing the history of Irikos together (and adding some ideas of my own)...
--Rajaat approaches Irikos about eliminating an enclave of preservers who have held out against attack, in Bodach, with the aid of a powerful artifact called the ???? (haven't thought of a name, or any of it's capabilities)
--Irikos attacks Bodach. In a fierce magical battle with Bokirin, the preserver’s leader, the Silencer is lost, and the ???? is cracked. In his dying moments, Bokirin, unaware of the defect, attempts to activate the device. It backfires and tears open a temporary portal into the Gray. The massive influx of negative energy kills Irikos and his army. However, the city’s entire population is annihilated as well. That night the spirits of the fallen, now infused with energy from the Gray, awaken becoming forever undead. (NOTE - this would suggest that his spirit should still exist in some fashion, as well - possibly fused with the essence of Bodach itself, entrapped.)
I have to admit several weak points of this history, but it brings up some interesting possibilities - Namely, the possibility of Irikos's spirit still lingering within the ruins of Bodach.
So, this got me to thinking - if Irikos still exists in a way, his mind might not be all that stable. I owe this idea to some recent posts as to the nature of Daskinor's madness. In those accounts (found in the threads mentioned above), it was surmised that Daskinor had gone mad from a combination of his irratic mind (being a wilder) being unable to cope with the creation of the Hollow, and of the loss of his twin brother, Myron.
Now the weak point to this theory (at least in the manner of making it unacceptable for cannon material) was that it's been pretty well described what happened to Myron. He was killed, not imprisoned in the Black or the Gray. However, as you can see, it's could be quite possible that Irikos was trapped in the Gray (well, half in, half out - in Bodach).
Now - what if Irikos, not Myron, is Daskinor's twin. At least in my opinion, this seems a more plausible choice.
Further more - this could provide a, somewhat convoluted, explanation as to one of the problems in the Sorak novels. Now bear with me here.... :D
In the novels, the hero Sorak encounters an avangion in Bodach, as well as experiencing a displacement in time. Now it was always my idea that the Wanderer as an avangion just didn't quite fit, so I was always trying to think of what else it could be. Not to mention the fact that it was basically making its abode in a haven full of MASSIVE amounts of undead. This just didn't seem like something an avangion would do.
So....what if this is all just an illusion eminating from Irikos's thoughts/memories. The displacement in time is due to Irikos trying to maintain his grasp on the past. As for the illusion of being an avangion, this might stem from his connection with Daskinor's dishevelled thoughts. As the sorcerer-king most likely to have had dealings with Oronis I don't see this as being to hard to explain. Basically, Irikos is taking the form of remnants of, his twin, Daskinor's subconcious dealings with Oronis (something akin to the dream-like manifestations of Korgunard in Arcane Shadows).
** Note that I see Oronis as basically using some of his magics to keep Daskinor's madness "contained", so as to hopefully keep him from drawing too much attention to his area of the world).
Ok, I think that's it. So go ahead...
Rip it apart
as for the rest . . . the idea of some leakage from the gray caushing the situation in bodach is a good one. whether there's a tear in reality, or just an artifact regulating the energy, whatever. but a permanent/semi-premanent link to the gray is a good explanation for bodach's curse. as for irikos still hangin around, sure why not? i like it personally. the idea that he may be creating powerful illusions while trying subconsciously to hold on to his past, that's an interesting twist as well.
wait, twins? who came up with the idea that daskinor had a twin? just to poke some holes in that, myron and irikos were busy killing preservers long before the champions became champions. i don't imagine him being around that far back (daskinor i mean).
The theory on them being twins was discussed in the threads i listed above (primarily "Myron's Demise"). As for Irikos being around when Daskinor was, well just take it from the timeline....
134th King's Age (-4,312)
-King's Agitation
Rajaat begins a jihad against the preservers of Athas for the next thousand
years. Preservers across the land go into hiding while fighting a losing
battle against the followers of Rajaat.
144th King's Age (-3,542)
-Priest's Contemplation
Rajaat sends all but a few of his students away. Using the power of the
Pristine Tower and the mysterious Dark Lens Rajaat creates his Champions.
Each Champion is ordered to eliminate one specific race from the face of
Athas in an effort to bring about the return of the Blue Age. The Cleansing
Wars begin.
155th King's Age (-2,695)
-Ral's Defiance
Daskinor Goblin Death, 14th Champion of Rajaat exterminates the last goblin
from the face of Athas
160th King's Age (-2,310)
...
The warlord Irikos, the left hand of Rajaat, sacks the city of Bodach-but
is killed at the conclusion of the battle. His sword (a creation of
Rajaat's), the Silencer, is lost for 2,000 years
wait, twins? who came up with the idea that daskinor had a twin? just to poke some holes in that, myron and irikos were busy killing preservers long before the champions became champions. i don't imagine him being around that far back (daskinor i mean).
as for the rest . . . the idea of some leakage from the gray caushing the situation in bodach is a good one. whether there's a tear in reality, or just an artifact regulating the energy, whatever. but a permanent/semi-premanent link to the gray is a good explanation for bodach's curse. as for irikos still hangin around, sure why not? i like it personally. the idea that he may be creating powerful illusions while trying subconsciously to hold on to his past, that's an interesting twist as well.
Originally the idea of the twin thing was mine, in an attempt to explain Daskinor's madness and leaving open the possibility that myron could come back on the storyline.
As for the time gap in the timeline- well Big R could have gave his "special" students some type of longevity or immortality in order to have the time to teach them and get everyone up to power before kicking off the CW's- it was just a random idea I had an threw out there one day.
I myself plan to still use the Daskinor/Myron theory. Even still, good job with your concept
That there are now undead swarming around Bodach doesn't mean anything special, just check out Yaramuke--similar situation. It seems to me that when a Champion (or "general") of Rajaar dies, freaky things can happen.
I'm not overly fond of the "twin" idea. I've always seen it more that if anything, Irikos, Myron, and Borys were wiping out Preservers long (centuries) before the others became Champions.
I like to think that Daskinor may have been part of his brother Myron's forces during the Preserver Jihad serving as some sort of lieutenant. It could be that the future Troll Scorcher imparted immortality on Daskinor just as Dregoth did with Mon Addreath.
I'm not overly fond of the "twin" idea. I've always seen it more that if anything, Irikos, Myron, and Borys were wiping out Preservers long (centuries) before the others became Champions. When the others became Champions, Irikos had been killed, and Borys & Myron were also inducted into becoming Champions. Myron was slain, and Hamanu replaced him. Of the original three I mention, Myron and Irikos were most likely the first ones, with Borys being the younger, later general for Rajaat's war against the Preservers.
That there are now undead swarming around Bodach doesn't mean anything special, just check out Yaramuke--similar situation. It seems to me that when a Champion (or "general") of Rajaar dies, freaky things can happen.
Obviously they must be triplets, twins is just to cliche :D
Anyone have the +20 Holy Kank-slayer or some really good bug repellent:D
I actually like this subject due to the fact that I really believe that the Champions of Rajaat would be some rather hard to kill SOB's and the idea of them lingering around for another generation to whack out warms my heart!
That's right. I dare...
Ok, I think that's it. So go ahead...
Rip it apart
Nice one Squidfur! Good theory, plus it leaves the whole Champion/not Champion thing untouched :angelhide