JohnB's Games

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====== Arth & Yarma ======

===== Overview =====

Arth and Yarma are seen as related deities - and many people in Porters Bar will often say a single prayer to both deities at the same time. 

===== Yarma's Story =====

Yarma is born into one of the tribes living among the lakes and their Islands. He was an inquisitive boy, apprentice to the tribe's hunters, and soon grew powerful within their number. One day as he was traveling the lakes, he found a small island that he had not explored before and decided to explore it. To his surprise he found a beautiful rock, with deep red and blue veins, at the centre of the island, and he determined to sit on it while he contemplated the serenity of the day and the abundance of wildlife. While he didn’t know it at the time, the rock was an old Spirit Rock, immensely powerful but diminished by time and a lack of worshippers. 

From that day Yarma changed - he travelled, but always came back to his island and eventually made it his home. He grew powerful and gradually bought all the peoples of the lakes under his dominion. A great tower arose on his island, the spirit rock became his throne and, as he became even more powerful, and his eyes turned towards the neighbouring nations. Eventually, the tribes and races banded together to repel Yarma with his armies and new-found powers. The Tribes sent their spearmen, the Dwarves sent axe-men, while the Elves sent archers, even the Gnomes came - with their contraptions and cross bows. But Yarma and the Spirit Stone were too powerful – and then the dragons came. Yarma had his spirit stone throne carried to the top of his highest tower, and seated on it called down a rain of fire and rocks from the skies. As the throne rose slowly into the sky, Yarma started the final incantation, and a great ball of flame appeared in the sky. Small at first, it grew larger, and the armies of both sides scattered. Yarma, possessed by the Rock Spirit, laughed manically. 

At the last moment, as the power of the Rock Spirit was reduced by the calling, Yarma came to his senses - and fought against the Rock Spirit/  pitting his will against the rock's wantonness, Yarma finally prevailed and tried to stop the cataclysm - but it was too much for his human body to endure, and it cost him his mortal life.

However, that wasn’t the end of Yarma. With the power of the ancient immortal in his soul, Yarma couldn’t die but he could make recompense for the harm he had, unwittingly, done. First he collected the dead, and laid them to rest properly, a task that took years, even for a minor divinity.   Now he is seen as a the local psychopomp  caring for the souls of the dead and departed - although his military prowess is also recognised and he is seen as a patron of Guards and Soldiers, wherever they might be. 

===== Arth's Story =====

Arth was born in a small village where the people made a good living as farmers. As a child Arth was content, he lived in his parent’s house, tended the goats and helped in the fields. As he grew, he became withdrawn – spending more time with his goats and sheep than in the village, until eventually he announced that he was going to live as a hermit, in a cave by the Arkheim Circle.

Years passed and Arth achieved a reputation of being both wise and powerful. He could brew potions from the mountain flowers that would cure most illnesses, and occasionally people would travel to his distant cave just to question him. He always had an answer. And always the petitioner knew it was the right answer, even if it was the one he didn't want. One day a young man called Yarma when he came in search of wisdom. He left in the same way as many of the other petitioners, knowing he had been told a terrible and unpalatable truth. But now Arth knew that truth as well. Arth stayed in his cave, harbouring his strength and preparing against the day he foresaw. He carved great statues of a winged horse and a chariot, and then he started building a huge cauldron out of mountain rock before using his magic to decorate all three with the most beautiful pictures of flaming birds (The Phoenix).

Then came the day that Arth had foreseen. Yarma rising, the war, the rain of fire and the great rock from the sky. And Arth was ready. On the last day of destruction - Arth mounted his great chariot and galloped through the air, towing the flying cauldron behind. Dipping down to earth, he let the terrified people climb in. No matter how many climbed in, there always seemed to be room for at least one more, but still he could not save every one.

Arth flew the Chariot among the branches of a great tree, the chariot landed, and the people spilled out. But Arth, their saviour, stood lifeless in his wondrous chariot, as if he, too, were carved of stone. The people started to weep, but a great flaming bird flew among the branches, as Arth and his chariot crumbled to dust. In its place stood a new shining Arth, mounted in a winged chariot pulled by a horse of flames, and he followed The Phoenix out into the heavens. However, he looked over the people he saved from a distance, and when they realized that, they built a shrine dedicated to him - and since then Arth has been the patron of hermits, healers and a symbol of hope.