Eurmal

Perhaps, it was because of the Underworld and its Upside-Downness, or perhaps it was because of His Oath, but Eurmal became helpful for a time. He tricked Zorak Zoran into throwing him and his basket (where the others were hiding) into the Hell Crevasse. He stole fire from Vestkarthan of the Deep and gave it to humans. He slid everyone past Juralk Dolgbar, the Chaos Wolf; made Guguvar vomit forth the Lightbringers after they were swallowed; and turned everyone into women to pass through the No Men Plains. He did many other things that helped other Lightbringers here or there.

When the Lightbringers were lulled into a sense of security in the Obsidian Castle of Only Old One, Eurmal struck. He seduced Only Old One’s son and killed Him, so that Only Old One would be the last of His line. He was so enraged that He struck out against all of the Lightbringers, scattering Them. Finally, Eurmal taunted Orlanth with what He had done, mocking Orlanth’s leadership and breaking His confidence so that Orlanth would be easier prey to His enemies. When the Lightbringers were alone and defeated, Eurmal realized that there was One God still undefeated, so He set about to create the Final Downfall, His Own.

Eurmal found Lhankor Mhy still as the dead, but without a mark on him, so Eurmal made such a Bad Smell that Lhankor Mhy was forced to consider the assault on His senses. The Knowing God stumbled around Blind, Deafened, Stunned by the Stench. This would have made Eurmal laugh in the past, but now it just gifted Lhankor Mhy with thoughts, bad thoughts of revenge against the Trickster, but still thoughts, and Lhankor Mhy recovered enough to stagger forward.

Eurmal found Issaries standing motionless and tripped Him, so that Issaries fell down a crevasse, almost breaking His limbs. This would have made Eurmal laugh in the past, but now it just gifted Issaries with movement again, and Issaries recovered enough to stagger forward.

Eurmal found Chalana Arroy, and what remained of Her dress was now more red than white. She was Dead but not Dead. Eurmal finally found Her head in all the mess, and He kissed Her lips. In the past, Eurmal would have molested Her if She was this defenseless, or even if She was Dead, but now the Compassion that She had given Him in the past, undeserved by Eurmal, but still given freely by Her, slipped from Him to Her. In the past, Eurmal had failed to hurt Her as much as He wanted to, perhaps because of this Compassion, so He was glad to be rid of that troublesome burden. This spark revived Chalana Arroy, so that She could knit her body together enough to stagger forward. (And fend off Eurmal’s advances.)

Finally, Eurmal found His Master, alone and without His Winds or His companions, trampled into the Dust and empty of the Spark of Life. But Eurmal had secretly stolen the spark of life from Jagrekriand’s secret purse. This he gave to Orlanth, and they came to an understanding that only these Two know. Orlanth recovered enough to stagger forward, and He gained His strength back little by little as the Lightbringers gathered together again.

In the Halls of the Dead, Eurmal saw all of the Dead Gods and Goddesses, but He was unmoved. He knew why They were there, by Their own faults. Eurmal helped them for His own reasons, not for any reasons understood by others. When Orlanth made His Bid for Friendship, Eurmal counselled Orlanth against this, but the other deities convinced Orlanth and the Emperor to share friendship. Eurmal wasn’t impressed, but later He wasn’t even annoyed.