Abominations of the Black Sun #2: The Thralls of Leagh

Thralls of Leagh: A Decorative and an Educative

Travellers in the desert surrounding the city of Leagh should be careful of the huge carnivorous insects and blazing heat, but should take especial care when hunting for meat. An animal that makes no attempt to escape a hunter's blade may carry with it a horrific infestation.


Thrallworms are tiny parasites which, when ingested, or otherwise introduced into the body, burrow into mammal brains, destroying first any will to self preservation and finally the will to move beyond the basic fulfilment of bodily needs. When fed, the worm lays its eggs in the creature, a process which kills the worm, although the damage it has done remains.

Eventually the victim creature will be eaten by a predator,  and the worm's larvae will find a new host.

The Black Atlanteans discovered long ago that humans infested with thrallworms lose all free will, all sense of self, essentially obeying anyone who offers a command. The Queen Mother of Leagh had been using the worms in secret on the slaves in her palace for centuries by the time Oduarpa seized control of the City of the Golden Gates. Having declared for the Black Banner, she has no further need to hide anything.

Using psychic conditioning, vast halls of enchanted windchimes and contraptions of vril-infused wooden rods and needles,  the Queen Mother's slaveherds create from infested victims soulless thralls of absolute loyalty: Combatives, elite warriors who enforce the Black Sun's will without pity or compassion; Decoratives, who entertain the Atlantean nobility in any ways they see fit; Educatives, who use the techniques of the Queen Mother to create more thralls when they are needed.

They cannot be reasoned with, cannot be swayed, report all to their masters. Their minds are the playthings of their masters, who make ample use of them.

The rulers of the principalities claimed under the Black Banner all have corps of thralls; they are a fixture. A luxury item. But Oduarpa must surely wonder why the Queen Mother of Leagh is so generous with her slaves, and so willing to have them in every court. To whom are they really loyal?

Thrall Decorative 
Suits: Cups 7, Pentacles 2, Swords 2, Wands 1
Cards: 2
Attributes: Body 3, Hands 6, People 5

Thrall Combative 
Suits: Cups 1, Pentacles 5, Swords 2, Wands 8
Cards: 2
Attributes: Body 6, Machines 1 


Thrall Educative
Suits: Cups 3, Pentacles 3, Swords 7, Wands 4
Cards: 2
Attributes: City 6, Hands 3, People 3, Will 3