The First Warlock's Bargain

The First Warlock’s Bargain is one of the most haunting and enigmatic tales surrounding the Heart of the Abyss, a legendary gemstone that pulses with unnatural power and is said to be a relic of an ancient and unknowable force. The story centers around a warlock of unimaginable ambition, who is said to have struck a dark pact with the mysterious forces that dwell deep beneath the Frozen Maw—a place where the Heart of the Abyss is found.

The First Warlock’s Bargain remains one of the most haunting and tragic tales of the Wildlands, forever tied to the Heart of the Abyss. It is a story of ambition and hubris, of a man who sought forbidden power and paid the ultimate price. His legacy, bound within the Heart, continues to whisper to those who would dare to seek its secrets, serving as both a warning and a lure to the power-hungry and the desperate.

Summary

The tale begins long ago, when the Wildlands were still young and rife with conflict. The warlock, known in some versions of the story as Nalaros, was a figure both feared and respected, a master of the arcane arts who delved into shadow magic, necromancy, and forbidden knowledge. But despite his vast powers, Nalaros yearned for more—specifically, immortality and unimaginable power. He believed that the key to unlocking the true limits of magic was hidden in the deepest recesses of the world, where the Abyss churned with its unknown horrors.

Nalaros sought out ancient rituals, consulting forgotten tomes and speaking with entities best left unmentioned. His obsession with the unknown pushed him to the edge of sanity, and he grew increasingly desperate for a way to transcend the limits of mortal existence.

One fateful night, when the Frozen Maw was in the grip of an otherworldly blizzard, Nalaros ventured into its heart, where the Abyssal energies were strongest. He descended into the dark, icy depths where the Heart of the Abyss was rumored to be hidden. There, amidst the choking cold and shadow, he found the gem—its surface dark and almost liquid, pulling light into its depths like a void.

With the Heart in his hands, Nalaros felt an overwhelming presence—something vast and ancient, waiting. It was then that he heard the whispers, beckoning him, offering him the power he had sought for so long. The entity within the Heart, a being beyond time and comprehension, offered to grant Nalaros the immortality he desired, but at a terrible cost.

The terms of the bargain were simple yet sinister: Nalaros would gain the power to live forever, but in exchange, his soul would be bound to the Heart, and he would serve the entity’s will for eternity. In a moment of weakness and ambition, Nalaros accepted the pact, believing that the power would be worth any price.

Upon the completion of the bargain, Nalaros vanished from the mortal realm. Some say he fused with the Heart, becoming one with the darkness it contained. Others believe he was consumed by the Abyss, lost to the void forever. However, one thing remained: the Heart of the Abyss, still pulsing with a strange, heartbeat-like rhythm.

In the years that followed, rumors spread of the warlock’s return—not in physical form, but in whispers, dreams, and nightmares. Those who sought the Heart or tried to wield its power would sometimes hear a voice calling from the dark, a voice that some believed was Nalaros himself, still bound by his bargain, still serving the ancient force he had foolishly aligned with. The Heart, now a living artifact, was said to carry a part of Nalaros’ consciousness, forever trapped in its depths.

Cultural Reception

The First Warlock’s Bargain has become a cautionary tale among scholars and practitioners of the arcane arts. It serves as a warning of the costs of ambition and the dangerous allure of forbidden power. Many believe that the Heart of the Abyss is not merely a gemstone but a living prison, containing not just the essence of the Leviathans or some unknown force but also a fragment of Nalaros' eternal soul.

The bargain has left a dark stain on the history of magic, and those who attempt to wield the Heart or seek out its power are often driven mad by its influence. Some claim that Nalaros’ voice can still be heard in the deepest corners of the world, a warning to those who would seek to strike their own bargains with the abyss.

In Literature

The Heart as Nalaros’ Prison: Some scholars believe that the Heart of the Abyss is not just a tool for power, but a trap created by the entity within it, where Nalaros is eternally bound. His soul, forever entwined with the artifact, serves as a caretaker or guardian of the abyss, an unwilling servant to an ancient, unknowable force.
The Heart’s True Purpose: Other theorists suggest that the Heart is more than just a prison—it could be a key to unlocking the Abyss itself, allowing the ancient entity to awaken and reshape the world. In this interpretation, Nalaros was simply the first in a long line of sacrifices, with each user of the Heart bound to the will of the Abyss, forever feeding it power.
The Curse of the Warlock’s Power: A more darkly poetic theory suggests that Nalaros’ bargain was never intended to grant him true power or immortality, but rather to corrupt him utterly. In this view, Nalaros’ soul is not just bound to the Heart—it is slowly being consumed, twisted into something far worse, making him a horror of the deep that is beyond saving.