All of the verses so far from Andras’s holy book. May Dragon wings carry you.
“From the hammer that strikes the anvil to the bloodied hand that holds a sword, know that I find all these pleasing to my eyes and ears. One does not only find strength in fighting. How does a warrior fight without a sword in his hand and a shield in another? The weight of a whole village rests on the shoulders of their blacksmith to provide their tools. The architect must show strength of design in the walls of a city, and in the churches that protect against the Chained Gods. Those who work with great strength I gladly welcome into my kingdom.”
—The Gospel of Fire 22:10-15
Andras spoke to his followers, “Find strength in me. Use it to fight evil and spread my name. Be pleasing in my eyes, and you will soar on dragon’s wings.”
—The Gospel of Fire 1:12-13
“Bend all of life’s trials to your will. No flame can hurt you, no chain can bind you, for you are born in Dragon Fire.”
—The Gospel of Fire 14:13
Andras spoke to his disciple. “I say to you: the brave I shall take under my wing. Their spirits are tempered by Dragon Fire and are not found wanting. The cowardly I hope to never see bowing before me. I shall eradicate, destroy, and melt every last one. Not a trace of them will remain among the stars or Aether.”
—The Gospel of Fire 3:5-8
“Weakness is a choice.”
—The Gospel of Fire 2:4
The Holy Judge Lathamo saw the corruption that infested the lands of Hashia for which he was steward of. Lathamo was a righteous man and saw the people that starved in the streets, and those that had their towns burned and plundered by wild bandits. He was deeply troubled by this. Even more evil, Lathamo saw the wicked Sorcerer King Zadicus lived a soft life feasting on the spoils without doing his duty to his people. In response, Lathamo spoke to Zadicus for him to change his ways. Zadicus only laughed at the prophet and had him lashed thirty-eight times before chucking his body in the street.
—The Gospel of Fire 8:1-12
Lathamo cursed the name of Zadicus. He then went into the mountains. The Holy Prophet was a proficient metaphysical, but he had no way of destroying the Sorcerer King or his cabal of personal metaphysicals. So Lathamo called out to Andras for aid. “Andras! Do you not hear the suffering of your people? The toil they do without gold in their pockets or sword upon their belt? Help me deliver them!” Andras had seen how the people had suffered under Zadicus, and his fury could turn whole deserts to glass. And so he spoke to Lathamo. “Go. Prove your worth to me and I shall grant you power so that Zadicus may enter my halls and his soul shall burn. I will grant you kingship of these lands and you will rule them justly. But first, you must slay the great demon Morskar that infests these lands, and corrupts its people in the east. But hold faith in me and you will find strength upon strength to defeat him. Drive this demon back to Utopia and you will have the power needed to destroy Zadicus.”
Lathamo was deeply troubled by this revelation. He had heard of this fell creature in abundance and had great fear. So in shame, he descended the mountain and hid in his house.
—The Gospel of Fire 8:13-25
The Holy Judge Lathamo returns to his family. He does not speak of his conversation with Andras. He continues to hold regular worship for Andras, but the connection he once had he no longer feels.
Guilt eats at Lathamo like a parasite, but still he does not venture out to the East.
Instead, the judge preaches of the injustice of Zadicus. He calls upon his friends and allies in the king’s court. He seeks a peaceful resolution to the crimes committed.
—The Gospel of Fire 8:26-32
Try as he might for many months, Lathamo could not find any popular support among the ruling class of Hashia. Lathamo possessed strength, but the people did not find in him the drive and power to unseat the Sorcerer King. And the people had a deep fear of the King.
Lathamo was on his way home from speaking with the nobles when he saw a great fire coming from his villa outside the city. He ran as fast as he could, only to find his entire home in flames. Lathamo looked on in horror to see his family strung up on a fruit tree, next to a warning by the Sorcerer King for Lathamo to leave. He cut them down and wailed long into the night. It wasn’t until the first rays of sunlight peeked over the Adelain Mountains did he finally bury them. Lathamo cursed into the skies, crying, “Andras! How could you forsake me like this!” But he was met with only silence.
In that silence, Lathamo realized what his cowardice cost him. So early the next morning, he packed what meager things he possessed and traveled to the nearby volcano, Silar. There he would get the materials to construct the weapon he needed.
—The Gospel of Fire 8:33-47
For many nights and days Lathamo traveled. A tear stained each step. A tear for each of his failures
—The Gospel of Fire 8:48
Lathamo only had one option before him, to kill Morskar. The Prophet had power, but only a fool attacked an Heir to Forever without the proper weaponry. He needed a sacred weapon for his sacred purpose.
—The Gospel of Fire 9:1-2
In penance, Lathamo walked up Mount Silar without his sandals. His feet bled. With each step up the heat of the stone increased until his soles blistered under it. The Prophet reached the top and was astounded by the majesty of the magma broiling within. In it as well he saw the great chunks of the midnight metal that would help him on his quest.
—The Gospel of Fire 9:3-8
Lathamo spent many torturous months gathering the sacred metal. Forged in the very fires of the volcano, he crafted the weapon that would slay the great foe. He prayed to Andras endlessly, asking the Dragon to guide his hand while he constructed the blade. Once completed, Lathamo found it to be good. Armed with the blade along his back, the Prophet traveled to the east.
—The Gospel of Fire 9:9-13
For fifty days, he traveled, living off the land. Once beyond civilization, he encountered great evil. He found once great cities dissolved into nothing but violence and brutality. The streets themselves ran red with blood and entrails. Great and terrible altars were constructed to honor the Gore Lord, Brazzik. Lathamo purged the cities wherever he found them. His black blade, wreathed in the flames of Andras, slew many demons.
—The Gospel of Fire 9:14-18
As Lathamo traveled farther into the Heir’s domain, the landscape itself mutated to serve as a better home for the Chained. Blood fires burned without end, ravaging the soil. Entrails upon the ground, like roots infesting the soil, moved to strangle Lathamo. But he persisted. Not even the flames of the Gore Lord matched Dragon Fire.
—The Gospel of Fire 9:19-23
Lathamo grew tired on his journey. Despair wracked his heart. The land was without food, and he had no time for rest. He thought of turning around, he had nothing left to live for. In the distance, he saw a village. The Prophet traveled to it, hoping for shelter for the night. There he found the town uncorrupted, but suffering. Their faith in Andras had kept the influence of the Chained at bay. However, their numbers dwindled each day from raids. Yet, they still took Lathamo in. They fed him and cleaned his wounds. As Lathamo fell asleep for the night, he heard the voice of Andras, “Help my people. Show you have strength.”
Lathamo answered, “But Lord, what if I don’t have enough? I am but one man. And I am tired.”
Andras responded, “If not you, then who else? Who else will save, deliver, and rescue these people? They have held faith in me, even while their world collapsed around them. They called for a savior endlessly. You have been given great power; show that you can turn that into strength. Find strength in me, and you will have it in abundance.”
—The Gospel of Fire 9:24-32
Lathamo woke with renewed purpose. He strapped on his meager belongings and traveled farther into the wasteland. Every demon, every follower of the Chained Gods he came across he slew. The air around him burned. Lathamo was only saved by the dragon iron upon his back. Lakes of blood burning dotted the land. Corpse trees shaded the soil. Yet, he still marched despite the horrors he witnessed. He prayed to Andras constantly.
—The Gospel of Fire 9:33-37
For ten more days Lathamo traveled. He arrived at the center of the corruption. There he saw a giant city awash with violence. The worshippers of the Chained had erected a massive stone idol to Brazzik in the center. Lathamo said one final prayer before he made his way inside. The sounds of war drums hung in the air.
—The Gospel of Fire 9:38-42