The Evolution of the Daemon Anaman

By Johann (Discovered and transcribed by Etna Demonia)



[Note: The following journal entries were discovered on a routine exploration of Dubhaim Castle; I assume the Dubhaim Castle and the island it lies upon to be the "Isle of Man," as described in many passages through history. The papers are worn and brittle to the touch; Bloodstains cover some of the wording. I have transcribed these letters on to fresh parchment as well as I could.



To properly understand these entries, I would much recommend one to read Swanberg's transcribed "Birth of the Daemon Anaman" which may be found in the Loures Library's history section. -Etna]



Danaan 2039... I know not the day or time.



The following are my recollections of events that have long since passed. Let me start off these entries by stating my name. They call me Johann; I am a mercenary. I was born and raised in the kingdom of Finach, and was once a Knight of my kingdom, some ten years ago... as such was my childhood dream. With the death of Lady Aoibh and the theft of her corpse, I renounced my position from that horrid place and left to travel Temuair.



It was easy at first. I kept to myself, I slayed the dubhaimid that would try to destroy me and I went along on my way, looking for peace in the plagued Earth-Sea. Unfortunately, word spread of the man who could slay the dubhaimid, and soon small villages were offering unto me many goods and services in exchange for short-term protection... I will continue writing later. The echo of it's footsteps are drawing nearer to me.



Entry Two



It is unfortunate that I cannot date these entries more properly, but I have not seen the sun or moon in some time now... I do so loathe this accursed castle.



Yes, I happily accepted those offers from the wretched, fearful souls. Who else could have helped them?



My reputation had grown considerably and I once again traveled back to Finach to see what had become of my home. It appeared that King Cahal was to have a Son. His new wife, Caiside, had died during childbirth the previous day. The heir to Finach was born - Darragh.



[Note: Named after an oak in Eastern Woodlands - yet we would all know this was not his true name.]



The child's ashen skin was indeed an odd sight to behold, but nobody openly said anything about it. I had to leave Finach shortly thereafter to find more work... Ah, he comes again. To be continued.



Entry Three



Well, I must commend myself for outwitting my foe in this maze of a fortress! I will now continue with my previous story.



I left, and fought more dubhaimid in the countrysides of Temuair. My reputation preceded me; and work was never hard to find in areas. The dubhaimid repeatedly attacked the same villages, as well, and though I could not slay them faster than they seemed to spawn, the increased challenge came with an increased treasure.



Ah, now we get to my current predicament. A private group of nobles, hearing of my exploits in the neihboring villages of Finach, requested my aid for a large undertaking. Blindly, I accepted... as the offer consisted of several hundred assorted furs and skins, as well as the love of a beautiful daughter.



Uh-oh. I think he has sensed my presence.



Entry Four



I am badly wounded, so I will try to make the rest of my entries very concise. I was hired to kill the child, Darragh, by the noblemen of Finach. My greed got the best of me, and I gladly accepted. I had seen the child when it was a babe, and it should have been no problem identifying the weak, sickly ashen youth.



My first failed assasination of Darragh was in the castle; the youth was seven years old. There had been some twenty mysterious deaths previously, all suspected to be caused by Darragh. One of these murders was his own father, King Cahal. I attempted to sneak up on the unsuspecting youth, who was cloaked at the time... before I got to close, though, he shed his wrobes and turned around, lashing me with an oily black tentacle growing from his back. His eyes blazed with fire and my mind reeled in madness at his presence... I ran, half stumbling, out a series of random passages and luckily lost the boy.



Entry Five



I will die this day. My body is too weak to continue, Danu, please keep these passages safe so that someone may combat the Daemon in the future.



After my first failure I met the cloaked figure on a rocky shore one day. This was roughly two years ago... I drew my blade to combat the boy, Darragh, head on. But upon calling out his name, he shed his cloak once more, spreading out great leathery wings and turning about to show his full features.



The boy, merely a few years after our previous encounter, was not the same figure at all. Orange flame licked from where his eyes should be; his posture, once grotesquely crooked as a youth, was straigtened. His hands had become terrible, bloodied claws. My mind reeled with madness once more, yet this time I charged towards the evil figure, swinging my sword strongly.



Not strong enough I suppose, for a tentacle caught the blade in its grasp, and pulled it from my feeble hands. Another tentacle slapped me across the chest and sent me sprawing onto the rocky shore, and he spoke, oh he spoke those terrible words... "I am ANAMAN, who knows no fear, nor death; I am ANAMAN," he said, jaw tightly clasped together, yet the words still spun and weaved into my head as though he were screeching them into my ear. "ANAMAN, and you shall know HELL for your foolish attempts against me!"



And my mind burned, my vision blurred, and pain echoed through every single facet in my body... though my instinct led my path true, and I narrowly escaped from the daemon... even if I did run straight into the waters of this cursed island.



Entry Five, second parchment



I have been here for what seems to be two years, feasting on the flesh of lesser Dubhaimid that wander the halls of this castle, sleeping scarcely. The daemon Anaman pursues me. I have learned to feel his presence, as his mere existence brings chaos to all that is reality. Through my narrow encounters with him his skin has changed from an ashen gray to a complete black, though it will sometimes change to blend with the dark stone around him.



Ah, I feel him now. It is time for me to depart this world, for a beetter...



WHAT ARE YOU THINKING, FOOLISH WARRIOR?



Iwillhidethesepapers under thestone



IT'S A SHAME NOBODY WILL MISS YOU



ohDanuprotect these YOU WILL DIE SCUM



[Note: The rest of the sixth parchment is smeared with blood, but there does not look to be any more coherent writing upon them. It seems Anaman is capable of changing his appearance over time... who knows if the Daemon is still alive, or what it would look like by now? -Etna]




((Works Cited:


Timeline of Temuair

http://www.darkages.com/community/his/Timeline.html



Swanberg, "The Birth of the Daemon Anaman"

http://www.darkages.com/community/his/Swanberg_Anaman.html ))