| The Book of Woe |
PROVENANCES 13:47 scribed by Phineas Tak (the Chronicler)
Jak'el Vorl -
Born "Jeremiah Corter" to a simple cobbler, Allan Corter, Jak'el Vorl should have never existed at all, but fate, or the will of Girzon, saw otherwise.
Jeremiah, called Jer by his father, was the only child of Allan and
Evelyn Corter. No brothers, no sisters, just "Jer" and his father. Evelyn Corter died birthing Jeremiah. Allan and his son made due together, working Allan's shop, "The Corters' Shoe Shop". Life was good, simple but good, at least as good as could
be expected in Orthanis.
The "good" life was shattered when Jeremiah was 13. Jeremiah began neglecting his duties to the shop and began consorting with a young street hustler by the name of Lucian Z'ress. Though much older than Jer, Z'ress took a strong liking to the boy, an "unnatural" liking, Jer's father had said. Though he didn't like it, there was little Allan Corter could do about his son's friendship with Z'ress. He thus turned a blind eye to them. That is, until Jeremiah began attending services of the "One God" with Z'ress. Allan was mortified. "I should have told him sooner" Allan thought "But children aren't allowed...the secret is to dangerous. Not as dangerous as Girzon. I must show my son the light"...
For years Allan had been a priest for a secret church of the Alliance.
A fact the High Church of Girzon suspected, that's why the sent Z'ress. Allan took his son to the church of the Alliance. Jeremiah was outraged by his father's lie. The taint of Girzon had already corrupted the boy. Jeremiah fled his father, and went to the only person he thought he could trust, Z'ress. "You know what must be done Jer" soothed Lucian sinisterly. "The will of Girzon is absolute. Take my sword, and return to me when you have repented." As if under a spell Jeremiah took Z'ress's scimitar and murdered his father as he prayed.
"You have done well. You have protected us. And in return we shall protect you." said Lucian as he took the bloody scimitar from the boy's shaking hands. "Come. Jeremiah Corter is dead. He has died with his sins along with Allan Corter, the traitor. From this day, until your judgment before the One God, you shall be known as Jak'el Vorl. May the name spread fear to all sinners."
Jak'el spent the next 10 years on the Isle of Darkness studying the ways of Girzon. There he was selected for the ranks of the "Veiled Fist of Girzon", the feared infiltrators, assassins, and inquisitors of the One God.