Stripping himself of all his princely vestments, Dothan Vou began his journey down the river toward Vaaj at its mouth. At each port, each town, he disembarked and preached the joy of oblivion. His message always found a few eager ears among the disaffected and the dying, for the Great Famine had begun to reach even the upper river.

As he trained his first acolytes, Dothan Vou wrought the destruction of each settlement in turn. His skill with the Art, and his long meditations, had furnished him with the tools he needed to bring sweet oblivion to the river valley. Those who submitted willingly were provided with an elixir of Dothan Vou’s own creation, which slew them quickly and painlessly. Those who did not were put to the sword, and many of their bodies were raised to serve as shock troops for further conquest.

Unlike many conquerors, Dothan Vou left no administration behind, no lieutenants, no structure. Those who had gone willingly were left where they lay as a sort of final mercy, while those who had not were raised as needed. Everything needed for the utilitarian maintenance of the living beings in the force was stripped from the area, and then the town was razed.

It was during this time that Dothan Vou also began researching further into the arcane. His desire was for a force that required no fodder, could endure as long as it was needed, but which would be strong and flexible enough to accomplish the mission, however long it took. Each city sacked was another library added to his own, and another morsel of dark knowledge added to his growing array.

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