The huddled throngs gathered around the fire light. Their eyes were upon an
Orclach large even for his kind, though his eyes missing, and his face sallow
with the weight of centuries upon him. The last rite of the Death Guard was a
sacred thing, and though there remained none of the traditional tools of the
sleep, the few Orclach who yet hid in the ruined city of Shallach stood in
reverence for him. After a long period of standing silently before the fire,
the ancient Orclach spoke in a rasping voice,

"I am Grang'nal, of the Death Guard, and so sings my last song.
Given to me by Lord Urlach was my New Life, and so I served.
Here now, in time of peace, where end has come to the destroyers do I choose to
sleep forever.
The Master has gone and we remain, the Great Ones have gone, and we remain.
This is my last song, my song before the great sleep, listen, Brothers of the
Death Guard, and remember me.

"I stood at the gates of Genrega when Great Muud raged against the Master.
As the Master and Lord Klangratch battled in the above, we waged war below.
Dead were Broshnag Forked-Blade, and his brother-god Ragnor Iron-Soul and so we
were left to do battle.
Twelve days and nights we held the wall against the manifestations of the Great
Muud.
Two brothers I lost at the wall of Genrega, to the rage of the Great One.
And still I remained.

"As the walls of Genrega fell we did fall back to the tunnels of our Master.
In the Catacombs of the Master we ran from Muud, his rage devouring all who
fell behind.
Seven thousand did we number, seven thousand did we die, seven thousand were we
raised.
So the battle continued day after day, to rise and do battle in the dark of the
tunnels.
To die and sleep in the dark of the tunnels, and to rise again and do battle
once more.

"After much fighting, the Great One grew weary in the darkness and cramped
space of the Catacombs.
We died over and over in numbers and each day rose again.
On the last day the Master ordered us from the Catacombs, to flee to the gates
at Shallach.
I stood behind with the last battalion of the Master, for with him we would
live or die forever.
I witnessed the defeat of Great Muud in the depths of the earth.

"Lord Klangratch and the Master stood against Great Muud for many more days
while we stood at attention.
The signs of the struggle wore upon both the Master and the Great One, his
glorious visage drawn with strain, and the howling of the Great One deafening
the ears.
The stroke of the Master and Lord Klangratch came at last, as the tunnels
themselves trembled with their power.
The Catacombs closed around Great Muud as sigils of power burned with a light
brighter than the sun and darker than night.
So witnessed I the fall of Great Muud to the Master, though the ground grumbled
and steamed for decades after.

"Now the Master has gone, joined unto his brethren.
The Master has saved us and in his wisdom has left us.
I have no chains to bind me unto this world any longer, and so I go to sleep.
Now I shall march with my fallen brothers and comrades in the Horde of the
Dead.
Remember me, and speak my name to your children, for now I sleep and all I have
seen sleeps with me."

The age battered Orclach stood and removed the rusted breastplate he wore, and
dropped his scabbard and sword beside it. With a look of resignation and peace
both intertwining upon his face he stepped into the flames of the fire and
smiled, his empty eye pits glancing from person to person as the fire took to
his flesh as dry kindle. In moments the woosh of heat and flame ended, leaving
nothing of the ancient Orclach behind. For near an hour all stood silently in
contemplation of his death song before at last spoke one of the youths who
attended the rite. "The battles of the past were many and great, and those who
fought to be revered by all. But now all gods have left us. The Edifices are no
more and their making is no more. We are a lost and broken people. Yet we will
live on. Glory be to the Master. Death is only the beginning!"
The young man pulled the rusted blade from the sheath the ancient Orclach had
left behind and thrust it into the air. For a moment there was silence, then
the sound of sword sliding from scabbard resonated about the fire as each
present raised their blade above their head and replied. "Death is only the
beginning!"