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| Thread: Demon Overlords, the Five Towers and Dragon Blood Crystals | |
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Storm-Giant
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posted August 04, 2014 07:54 PM |
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Demon Overlords, the Five Towers and Dragon Blood Crystals
Over the past two months, the official Might & Magic facebook page has been active, posting lore content every week. At the beginning it looked like very cheap, filler content, but it has drawn my attention the latests entries, and that's why I'm putting together everything in one thread. I also throw some speculation at the end of the thread, so don't miss it! 
Demon Overlords
UR-KHRAG, Demon Overlord of Destruction.
Representing the most obvious form of Chaos, he is the embodiment of one of its greatest powers: Entropy.
The Lords of Destruction generally lead the infernal legions to battle.
UR-VOMOCH, Demon Overlord of Voracity.
Represents the insatiable appetite of Chaos; the uncontrollable need to move, to seek, to consume.
Infinite greed or wanton lust are his domains.
UR-TRAGGAL, Demon Overlord of Pain.
Tormentor and victim, a channel for the constant searing agony suffered by Urgash.
UR-JUBAAL, Demon Overlord of Madness.
Reigns over the unbalanced, infuriated and unpredictable mind that is ruled by Chaos.
A visionary and a fool, a prophet and a trickster.
UR-HEKAL, Demon Overlord of Hate.
The weapon of Urgash’s endless enmity against the universe and even his own creations, he reigns over impulsive fiery rage and cold, calculated hatred.
The most “subtle” of the Demon Overlords, he governs the largest realm on Sheogh which capital city is named after him.
UR-AAZHEEL, Demon Overlord of Proliferation.
The aspect of Chaos that represents uncontrolled growth and mutation; the force of creation but without system; order or structure.
The Five Towers
In the following weeks we will present you the Five Towers of Ashan. Introduced in Duel of Champions, they are remnants of Shantiri Civilization and powerful magical relics from the Elder Races.
Today let’s begin with the “Dreamer’s Spire”
Since the founding of the Lotus Empire, after the collapse of the Shantiri civilization, Naga truth seekers have been travelling in their dreams to a tower dedicated to Shalassa that they climbed to obtain new perspective and far seeing. Hundreds of Nagas have painted or described this tower in poetry with an exactitude and similarity that defy the laws of reason. Up until the discovery of the five towers, the Nagas had always believed that it was a mystical place existing only in the spirit world, but upon seeing the Dreamer’s Spire, they realized that it was in fact a real physical building, a memory of the Shantiris, and not the stuff made only of dreams.
Gardener’s Watch is a vertical oasis climbing from dunes to clouds as if mimicking the Dragon Sylanna’s life-bringing tail; an inspiring hope in Ashan’s most barren desert.
An ancient Elven song makes reference to this lost tower and is sung during the final feast of winter before the High King.
The story describes the tower that moves from desert to desert, bringing fauna and flora to the most arid of places.
The song finished, the traditional first garden seeds are planted that will sprout from the ground on the first day of spring.
Smith’s Pride is a brilliant marriage of bold metal and relentless stone, a testimony to the Shantiri Forges, Arkath, the Dragon God of Fire, and the Dwarven smiths who certainly had an important role in building it.
An entire clan of Stronghammer Dwarves numbering seven hundred strong, made a pilgrimage to the tower after its completion, to pay it homage and admire its tremendous beauty. Fender, the clan’s illustrious weaponsmith, cried in joy upon touching the edifice.
One of his tears is said to have been transformed into flamegold by the magic in the tower. He wore the tear on a chain around his neck and bequeathed it to his heirs. The necklace is still worn today, and said to fill its wearer with the courage of Arkath.
The Inventor’s Eye is a floating tower, emboldened with the magic of cloud and wind, dedicated to Ylath, the Dragon God of Air.
When one sees it for the first time, a popular saying of the Seven City comes to mind: “brilliance is in the eye of the inventor”.
If one is ever lucky enough to defeat the powerful winds and lightning bolts that guard the access to the top of the spire, a vision will come as in a daydream to warn of impeding danger or hint of a way to gain the favor of the Dragons.
The Shantiri civilization was not destroyed by Demons, but crumbled during the height of the Elder Wars, where Elrath’s Angels, guardians of Light, and Malassa’s Faceless, keepers of Darkness, fought such tremendous battles that cities were buried by mountains and rivers scorched to ash.
Elder’s Vigil was built by the Shantiris as an incitation for the two Elder races to stop their senseless, genocidal war, and make peace with one another. Murals engraved into the tower’s black and gold stone depict peaceful ceremonies involving the Dragon God of Light dancing around the Dragon God of Darkness in a protective circle around their younger siblings, the four Elemental Dragon Gods.
Dragon Blood Crystals
During the Wars of Creation, when the Dragon Gods fought one against another, their blood fell over Ashan. It formed a network of Dragon Veins and Nexuses that, with the passing of time, crystallized into magical nodes.
These are physical proof that the Dragon Gods once walked the surface of Ashan and flew its skies. These powerful magical sites became sacred to the Shantiris, elected as places of pilgrimage and meditation, and sometimes founding places of temples or cities.
As centuries passed and the Shantiris disappeared, the Dragon blood crystals became more strategic than sacred, for their magical powers could be used to craft powerful weapons and artefacts.
As the crystals were consumed they became rarer and their value increased even further, until they became the most precious resource on Ashan, until the control of a Dragon Vein became synonymous with absolute wealth and power.
There are seven different types of Dragon blood crystals, one per Dragon God.
Chaos Shard, the Blood of Urgash.
Its powers are linked with luck and preternatural insights, but also physical and psychic corruption, mutation and madness.
Shadow Veil, the Blood of Malassa.
Its properties are linked with the element of Darkness, the mind-numbing and life-draining powers of the Void, but also hallucinations, visions of forbidden knowledge.
Blazing Eye, the Blood of Elrath
Its properties are linked with the element of Light, with healing and purging, and with the power of True Sight, being able to see through illusions.
Scarlet Spark, the Blood of Arkath
Its properties are linked with the element of Fire, with the adrenaline rush, the physical speed and strength.
Emerald Leaf, the Blood of Sylanna.
Its properties are linked with the element of Earth, with health, stamina, and regeneration.
Dream Drop, the Blood of Shalassa.
Its properties are linked with the element of Water, and with the subtle emotions – rapture, melancholy and sorrow.
Pristine Breath, the Blood of Ylath.
Its properties are linked with the element of Air and with an improved clarity of mind and alertness of body, including sharpened senses and heightened reflexes.
Demon Overlords, Five Towers and Dragon Blood Crystals...what we can expect from this?
Demon Overlords
One day we may see how they vanished & Kha-Beleth raised into power, but I don't think it can get more than that.
The Five Towers
They were introduced in a Duel of Champions addon of the same name, and I think it's safe to expect them to be featured in future games (H7 campaigns, for example).
Dragon Blood Crystals
Now this could be important. In Might & Magic: Heroes VI, Dragon Blood Crystals were the one and only rare resource. However, now we have been presented the same Dragon Blood Crystals, but in the form of seven of them!
This open several possibilities:
- All 7 Dragon Blood Crystals are H7 new rare resources. It makes sense since in H6 they also were the rare resource (in the form of only one)...but I'm the only who believe they are maybe too many?
- All 7 Dragon Blood Crystals are a new type of resources, ones that can be used over creatures during combat, as a way to boost their strength. I get this idea from Crystals's descriptions, and it reminds me of H5 dwarven runes 
In this case, rare resources could be the classic old four (Mercury, gems, crystals, sulfur).
- It's nothing related to a future installment of Heroes series...but then, where is the point on creating them, with ilustrations and descriptions?
So, what do you think?
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Stevie
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posted August 04, 2014 07:58 PM |
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LOL
Sorry SG  We just had the same idea.
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Storm-Giant
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posted August 04, 2014 08:01 PM |
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Stevie said:
Sorry SG We just had the same idea.
I started writing this thread last week, but working on the orchard made me lazy and now it arrives late. Just damn 
Well, at least the info should be enough to stay, since it isn't anywhere on this forum
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Stevie
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posted August 04, 2014 08:11 PM |
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Edited by Stevie at 20:41, 04 Aug 2014.
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Last week lol Well, it's a lot more info than on my post so I guess it's not a waste.
I don't get the connection between DoC and the crystals but I should read first and debate after.
Edit:
So I've read it and now some thoughts:
First off, note that there are no succubus presented in the demon overlords part. And those are not the 7 deadly sins, at least not all of them, so I'm glad to see some originality, sort of..
Then there's the towers, which provide lore about shantiri age and whatnot. But, what's the relation with the rest of the info published on the M&M facebook page? Is it somehow a hint for the setting of H7 lore? Apart from this, I can't see anything else.
And finally, the crystals. Personally, I think they will be resources AND enchantments, be it for creatures or items. BUT, keep in mind that these crystals are magic related. So it makes sense that these would enchant magic creatures/items only. This might be their answer for different pathways for might and magic heroes.
Either way, I don't think these are too ingenious ideas. It's more or less an expanding further back in time from Heroes 6. And frankly I don't believe they had that much room for improvement either cuz of the lore. An unfortunate mess from which I don't see a way of escaping.
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Storm-Giant
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posted August 04, 2014 08:35 PM |
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Now that I remember it, Dragon Blood Crystals were part of the defunct Might & Magic Raiders:
And there they were used to boost your equipment by combining the crystals with your armor/weapon
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Stevie
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posted August 04, 2014 09:05 PM |
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Edited by Stevie at 21:06, 04 Aug 2014.
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Does this mean it's actually just a bluff? Why would Ubi choose this to build up hype on FB then?
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Storm-Giant
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posted August 04, 2014 09:12 PM |
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Indeed it could be just that. But that would be dissapointing, wouldn't it?
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War-overlord
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posted August 04, 2014 09:20 PM |
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Storm-Giant said:
Indeed it could be just that. But that would be dissapointing, wouldn't it?
All's fair in love, war and hyping videogames.
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Avonu
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Embracing light and darkness
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posted August 06, 2014 02:57 PM |
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Edited by Avonu at 15:16, 06 Aug 2014.
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Storm-Giant said:
Demon Overlords
One day we may see how they vanished & Kha-Beleth raised into power, but I don't think it can get more than that.
I think we already know, how it had happened, we just don't know all details.
Ashan Compendium, Inferno Book said:
After this defeat [by hands of Orcs during First Eclipse] a civil war erupted in Sheogh. One by one, the Demon Overlords were assaulted in their fiefs. Their fortress were cast down and their guards slaughtered, but no one claimed responsibility. Fearing each other, the Overlords went to war amongst and when the dust settled, none remained standing. A single Sovereign rose to take their place. His origins obscure, his face a mystery, he would only be reffered to as Kha-Beleth...
Geez, I wonder, who was that insane or genius person, to attack and then turn one Overlord about another? Any hints?
The are also some other texts from HoMM5 and Dark Messiah, but I don't know if they are still valid:
HoMM5 said:
Demons have absolute monarchy. Since the disapperance of the six Demon [Over]Lords, Kha-Beleth has ruled supreme and alone. The empty suit of armor of the missing Six stand in the hall of his graet palace, warning each visitor about the power they are about to face.
In Dark Messiah lore it was Kha-Beleth who corrupted Sar-Shazzar. Sar-Shazzar next sabotaged Sar-Elam ritual to create escape-proof Sheogh. However ritual was nearly success and Kha-Beleth wasn't pleased. Sar-Shazzar saved hismself from Kha-Beleth wrath by spoking prophecy about Dark Messiah.
There are hints (but only hints) that Skull of Shadows is result of Sar-Shazzar sabotage. Instead phasing Sheogh to Ashan core and create prison walls from all of Sar-Elam soul, tiny fragment was trapped in Shadowsteel, which was later forged into Skull of Shadows.
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"When someone desires information, they come to me."
"Details are everything."
Pipiru piru piru pipiru pi!
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Storm-Giant
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posted August 06, 2014 03:06 PM |
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I was thinking more of a campaign of some game (Heroes, CoH, whatever) to tell you how that guy slained the Demon Overlords one by one.
Thank you for bringing up all that lore though
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