|
In an age long past there existed a devil by the name of Asmodeus. He was a
strong and wily being, and ruled as justly over his kingdom as his nature would
allow. For cruel and brutal punishments are instinctive to a devil: it is in
their analogue of blood.
One day, Asmodeus looked around his realm of the seven planes of Hades and
saw in one corner of the lowest plane a mote of dirt. This was unusual in Hades
because most of the motes that were around were made of sulphur or some such, so
a mote of dirt attracted Asmodeus' attention.
When he investigated he saw that it was an embryo of another world. He saw
that this mote was merely this new world's intersection with Asmodeus' own
infernal environs. He saw that this new world would grow, and that there were
many different races growing in stature on their little planet. And he thought:
"I want a piece of this. I could invent timeshare villas to rent to my more
gulli ... I mean loyal subjects."
So Asmodeus conceived of a plan to procure his own region of this new
world, which was called Bridland, where he would create a fabulous new leisure
complex. He sent a couple of minions down onto the mote (which was rapidly
growing into something the size of a granule) to find a race which was amenable
to his ends and could act as hosts to vacationing hellspawn.
After many years of ceaseless searching the minions returned from the
pebble (for that is how big the granule had grown during their sojourn) to
report that all of the races revered beings of a different type: vast spirit
entities, with no material form. None would help the devils, despite
introducing them to television. It seemed that the leisure complex was in
jeopardy.
Asmodeus was angry. But he controlled his rage and asked his newly returned
minions if there was a race which might be more crudely subverted. "Well", they
replied, "you could always try the Elves."
|
