When Maargog's spies from Zule returned with information from Kel'Calathorn and the powerful magic items known as the King's Seal - items that prevent heroes from converting into the Undead, and allow them to revive from death on the battle field - Maargog was deeply concerned.  And when he was told their number was currently 40, he wasted no more time and summoned his new protégé, the Raven, into the throne room.

 

"You called, my lord?" asked the Raven as he bowed to his Emperor. 

 

"We have an urgent matter that needs your assistance, " Maargog replied. "It seems the traitor Keanot has come up with a magic amulet that allows his warriors to rise from the dead quickly on the battle field.  I want you to retrieve one of these so-called King's Seals and bring it back to me so I can examine it, find its weaknesses, and destroy it!"

 

"Where should I start, my lord?" asked the Raven.

 

"Prince Bomar has gathered significant forces along the eastern boarder of his kingdom, and there are at least four of these warriors with magic amulets stationed at Castle Ravenloft.  I want you to stage a false attack to draw them out, isolate one of the warriors, and bring them down.  It takes up to half a day for the spell to work, so you have plenty of time to remove it from the body and bring it back to me.  Now go, and do not tarry!"

 

And it was so:  The Raven gathered a sizeable force of Human soldiers from the Southern Kingdoms of Men and a special task force of Orc Soldiers, Archers, and an Ogre.  While the Orcs and the Ogre moved in stealth through the forests and into the mountains, the Human soldiers were paraded in clear site. When word returned to the Heroes at Ravenloft, a force of Royal Guards was gathered to confront them.  

 

The opposing forces met in an open field in the middle of a valley. The Humans under Maargog's flag engaged the Heroes and the Royal Guards, and the battle was not difficult for the Heroes at first. But then, the Raven and his Orc ambush rushed out of the forest at the valley's edge, taking the Heroes and the Royal Guards by surprise. They managed to isolate one of the Heroes from the rest and let the Ogre pound him into unconscious submission.  Then the Raven, with the help of a magic box, removed the King's Seal and locked it away. Then he shape shifted and flew off straight from the battle field.

 

The Raven flew without rest, high above the clouds, and finally arrived at the Emperor's Palace in Da'rahad exhausted.  He warned that the magic amulet was painful to the touch.  He was not sure he would have made it,  for it drained his strength even from inside the magic box.  So the Emperor chose not to handle it, but commanded his soldiers to carry the box with its contents into the deep magic forges underneath his palace. The forges are the farthest chambers below the dungeons, where demonic Salamanders work in fire and smoke from the belly of the earth, creating the Emperor's supply of evil magic weapons.

 

As the soldiers placed the box in front of a large, billowing forge, the Emperor with his Raven at his side addressed the Salamander demon on duty, "There is something inside this box that I need you to look at, "  said the Emperor.

 

The Salamander looked at the box without opening it and said, "there is the Magic of Nature coming from that box. And it is powerful indeed.  I do not want to touch it."

 

"Use your tools from the forge, and take it out!" commanded the Emperor.

 

So the Salamander obeyed, and it shrank back as the box was opened and the amulet shone forth a bright, white light. The demon carefully lifted the item out of the box with tongs used for the fires.  Then it laid it on top of a stone table.  All three of them gazed upon it in silence, trying to see if there were any components or pieces that could be disassembled.  But the item was a complete mystery to them, and they had never seen such a thing.

 

"Throw it in the fire, " commanded Maargog.  And the Salamander did as it was told.  It lifted the item again with tongs and cast it deep into the flames.  As soon as it settled down, the bright light began to grow in intensity until it was as bright as the sun. The color of the fire changed to white as well, and none of them could look directly into it. 

 

"Take it out!" cried Maargog, and the Salamander tried, but it was injured with burns that it had never experienced before, for the demon's origin is the deepest fires far below the surface and these flames came from somewhere else. It shrieked in pain and fell back. 

 

"Do as I say or I will destroy you myself!" commanded Maargog, and the demon cursed him under its breath. "You are a fool of an Emperor and you will not have the satisfaction of killing me."  And it threw itself into the white flames, undoing its body and returning its spirit broken and powerless to the abyss from whence it came.

 

Maargog was furious and he turned to the Raven to see if he would obey him. But then fear took hold of him, for the Raven stood shaking, his eyes wide as he stared into the white flames. His expression was horror and his eyes began to shine with the same bright light.  Then the Raven turned slowly towards Maargog, fixing him in his bright gaze, and in a trance beyond himself he opened his mouth and began to prophecy:

 

"Behold, the day approaches when the remnant of the people shall rise up against thee as one man and pierce thy heart of darkness with the light of the sun! Your days are numbered, Oh Wielder of the Dark Magic of the Undead, and soon your story among the living shall end.  My servant that you stole from even now stands secure at my side and soon he and many others shall be reunited in body with friends.  But as for you, you shall be thrust into everlasting darkness and the future generations will remember your name no more!"

 

At this, Maargog flew into a rage, drew his sword and executed his servant with a single blow.