Thumbing through the book you find some stand out entries:
Chapter 3: Dwarfs and their ancestors
"A commonality between Dwarfs is their reverences of ancestors; usually by making great statues of them, naming cities after them and talking at length of their deeds.
In the only the deepest mines are the keepers of such Dwarfish myths and legends, the Deep Downers, effectively the priest hood of the dwarves, although they prefer to be called the keepers of tradition. Once they were shock troopers come fire fighters, hence their thick, fire proof full body robes and fearsome ceremonial axes, these Deep Downers guard the tombs and ancient relics of the Dwarves.
In times of great need and weak leadership these Deep Downers will awaken mighty heroes from their slumber to lead the charge and drive back the most indomitable foes; the presence of such heroes of legend on the battle field, can stir even the common dwarf to act with the bravery of a slayer."
The chapter goes on to describe several battles, fought by famous figures, then to provide their commonly accepted birth and death dates in an effort to prove their claims that they could not have fought at such a battle due to being long dead.
The author hand waves away the Dwarven phrasing that it was 'the spirit' of said Dwarf returning to spur on its kin, claiming that a spirit can hardly have a kill count in the triple digits of a battle hundreds of years after their death.
Chapter 5: elves and their (almost) immortality
"The Elven kings and queens of old were wise and fair rulers, protectors of their people and creators of marvellous goods the likes of which shall not be seen again; we know this because they are still around today enjoying lifespans far in excess of their kin."
The Author argues that in their pride, the Elves have forgotten about the sunken cost fallacy and their own teachings of nature and renewal, instead opting to keep their rulers alive long after their time to return to the earth has come.
Going on to propose that this continuation of life is likely achieved by mass sacrifice in a sacred and ancient place deep in their forests, describing the ceremony in detail but neglecting to mention the number of sacrificed or any specific location.
The chapter closes off by suggesting that in keeping their rulers for so long the very forests they call home have begun to succumb to the sickness that effects old trees. Profound analogies are made between the Elven kingdoms and forests with too much dead wood, it warns that their hubris will lead the smallest spark in the right place to become a forest fire, whatever that means.
Chapter 10: Goblins and slaves
This chapter is all over the place, reading it through it does not give any sense of whether this kingdom is still existent or long dead, and makes no attempt to prove the claims within.
"In the kingdom of Wuan, all dead or given over to mortuary priests, a clay mask hides the deceased face and they are used as servants to the kingdom.
On the clay mask a servant is graded, one line means they are to be royal guard, two and they will join the army, three marks and they will be left to a vendor in a town for rentable use by the populace, four and they will be used as sentries and cannon fodder in battle, as a servant with 4 lines usually has little use left or is missing many limbs.
Grading depends on many attributes but largely magical proficiency and body quality.
The entire people of Wuan have proficiency in minor necromancy, and even the most backward farmer will rent a few grade four servants and set them to scare off the crows from their fields; or a child will save up its pocket money to have a servant to be carried around on for an afternoon.
Chapter 11: Goliaths and the Dread host
"Goliath legend tells of a ravenous host, that will raid any, slaughter all and leave a only a burning mountain of the valuables behind with a simple wooden throne on top; they are the Dread host.
Strike them down in battle and they get back up, cut off an arm and they will beat you with it, decapitate one and it will merely laugh.
After a raid all the valuables of a raided settlement, town or even city can be found after in it's exact centre, fused together and made worthless from some great fire, piled under a simple wooden throne untouched by the flames or blood of the raid."
The author states that these are undoubtedly necromantic raiders, that their savagery and resistance to pain and damage is undoubtedly due to being undead.
As for their practise for destroying all the valuables they find in such a strange manner the author suggests a few theories, one being it is a sacrifice to the being that keeps them going, another that it is their custom showing how they reject the world of the living, or that it is the result of badly explained orders from their necromancer.
Chapter 23: Necromancy and the law
This chapter talks at length about the different punishments for being caught as a practitioner of necromancer, talking at length about the process, excruciating details and minor differences between cities.
"In Quarn they flay the Necromancers skin then drag them through the streets, where as over the river in Mulliton they drag the necromancer through the streets before flaying the skin"
Yet it ends by stating that it is not uncommon for detectives to recruit a necromancer to help on a particularly confusing murder cases, as there is no better witness on what unfolded than the victim.
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