Finally got around to reading the latest short story :
This pretty much confirms the dynamic of the new Golden Guard. Richard is barely the leader in title, but Marin takes the decisions, courtesy of Richard feeling like he doesn't deserve his title. Marin's hypothesis makes sense if we assume the Angelic and Vanguard were created the same way. Still, his certainty that he can find a replacement for the Grail is strange, especially with the limited means of the "not so golden anymore" guard. I wonder if he already has an artifact in mind.
I also wonder about Marin's goals. Maybe he wants revenge... but Angelics alone are unlikely to accomplish that, even if mass-produced. Also, he studies a book given to him by a swamp dragon. I doubt Zyainor allowed any swamp dragon to leave alive along with the golden guard so I doubt the two are still in contact. Does that mean that Marin was researching this even before the golden guard's defeat ? It seems weird for him to have taken the Grail at face value without seeking to know more... especially when he has nothing against using magic in his creations. Does he want Angelics to fight Zyainor or is this knowledge important for something else ?
I was so sure Grofzag's monolith memories was going to play a role in the True Story that I had completely forgotten it remained unresolved. I also expected these memories to be of one of the Four (my best bet were Zindrach or Brian), but no, it's of one of the Arkainian gods, that's truly ancient knowledge ! And with it comes a big reveal, a god actually noticed the Four and tried to seek their help, whereas all seemed to imply the Four simply observed and acted (though, in current Aridon's view, it might have happened that way with his magical rebranding and all). Still, while I would like to pin everything on Aridon, it is weird that all the Four were okay with murdering the one asking for their help. Though Aridon is clearly the killer, with the god's heart turning to stone "cold and dark", much like a certain "heart of the dead mountain" whose origin "not even Krom or the Bonelords know", since they would be the only ones to care for what it is.
The interesting question is, who was this god ? He was opposed to the idea of war and did everything to stop it, so he was clearly benevolent (though these are his own memories and we can't be sure how trustworthy they are). The story says that the god's blood was spilled over some parts of the earth. While that would explain the monoliths, it might mean something more. This benevolent god could have been the god of Light whose blood filled the holy grail (though who recovered it is a mystery). This could even be the reason Praxeus eventually goes to Salria, having heard of Grofzag's memories one way or another.
Zairmak's way of dealing with the memory; just suppressing them, seems weird, but I guess he's the expert. We also see his opinion of the dominion, accepting that change was necessary, but being rightfully wary of Amari and Inara. I wonder whose skull he used to ward the conversation. Many orcs fell during the invasion, but apart from Sasrogarn, I'm not sure that many bodies were recovered.
An interesting theory came to me while writing this. What if the Arkainian god of light could be resurected ? "I see darkness and feel cold. I hear voices but I cannot quite fathom them, as if I was not really there but still somehow present... Then... more darkness and silence. That is a more... recent one but... nothing else happens." The most recent memory seems to come from the Heart Aridon keeps (darkness, feeling cold, not being really there). This implies the god still exists, in a diminutive form (much like the Four after their "death"). On the other hand, if we assume that this god also produced the blood in the Grail, and the Grail can be used to ressurect dead creatures and turn them to the light, what if the Grail was used upon the Heart ?
To go even further, what if Aridon had already attempted it ? We know he's tried to reanimate some of the fallen gods (hence learning his control of Arkainians was limited). Meanwhile, the Heart is, apparently, the only organ remaining of a god. What if Aridon had originally kept the Heart in order to try to reanimate this god ? What if he collected the god's blood in an attempt to aid his ritual ? What if the Holy Grail was Aridon's creation ? This would explain him ordering to capture an angelic, as he tries to understand the magic that brings back the dead in a way he hasn't achieved.
Finally, to examine another's motivation, we know a succubus was the one advising Praxeus to retrieve the Holy Grail. We know this succubus is in Ebira's faction, which seems interested in bringing back the Demon God. The Grail has shown that it can bring demons back from the dead, though in an altered form. What if Nysara's mission was to acquire the Holy Grail in a bid to eventually bring back the Demon God ?
That was more speculation than I expected from two short stories. Can't wait for what's next !
