- "Surrounded by great tidal forces of space, treacherous to navigate near, but exotically beautiful, hinting at the dark wonders that lurk beyond."
- —Oltovm, speaking of the sights of the Underverse
Oltovm the Builder was the second Lord Marshal of the Necromonger Empire. He built the Necropolis and created the great Necromonger Armada. He was succeeded by Naphemil the Navigator.
History[]
Covu chose a successor very late into his rule, hoping to select an individual who was truly worthy of the title of Lord Marshal. In the end, despite numerous other contenders, It was Oltovm, the officer who had laid the first and last stone of the Necropolis, who won out in the end. After Covu hailed Oltovm as his successor, the two of them set out from Asylum to return to the Threshold, where Covu had made his wondrous discovery so long ago. It was an arduous journey, months long, and some in their company even wondered aloud if Covu had ever seen the Threshold at all, and they started to doubt his word. But then, it was found. Oltovm describes the Threshold as, "Surrounded by great tidal forces of space, treacherous to navigate near, but exotically beautiful, hinting at the dark wonders that lurk beyond."
Days were spent waiting for those same tidal forces to ease, and then finally, when the Threshold opened, Covu ordered all Necromongers except Oltovm to turn their backs as approach was made, forever establishing how a Necromonger vessel nears the open Threshold: aftward first. Indeed, no living Necromonger except a Lord Marshal may cast his eyes upon the Underverse, for only the Lord Marshal is worthy to view it before his due time.
On the Threshold, the two men stood, the once and future Lord Marshals, both gazing into the beautiful strangeness of Underverse. What words passed between them was never recorded. But while Oltovm held his place aboard the ship, Covu strode on into the Underverse and was never seen again.
The Second Regime: Oltovm the Builder[]
Intent on never losing his way to this remarkable place again, Oltovm erected hidden navigational markers that would lead the Necromongers back. Never again would anyone doubt its existence. Once the way was charted, Oltovm initiated the construction of a portal around the Threshold, equipped with powerful dark matter generators that could force the Threshold open on-demand. Upon the completion of this Gateway, a trusted officer was tasked with guarding the Threshold against any marauding races. His name was never recorded, so he is simply referred to herein as the Guardian of the Underverse. Said to be nearly three meters tall, the Guardian and his legion of faithful warriors serve to repel any non-Necromonger who may make unauthorized approach to this most holy of places. During those times when the Threshold is opened to admit a Lord Marshal on pilgrimage, the Guardian and his warriors must turn their backs upon it, so that they might not gaze upon the Underverse.
Early in the Second Regime there arose a controversy. How could procreation be tolerated in a faith devoted to non-life? The solution was to ban all breeding (though of course not the sex act itself). This prohibition led to the inevitable conclusion that the Faith would die out in one generation's time, unless new converts could be found. The Faith was still great, but distances of space were greater. More ships with improved drives were needed. Now, Oltovm was no longer a young man, and the construction of the Threshold portal had occupied many of his years. Still, he became devoted to the idea of gifting Necromongers with the greatest armada ever seen.
The manpower needs were tremendous. The task of meeting that need fell to a fiery young commander full of the Faith, named Baylock. An ardent student of the teachings of Covu, Baylock was admired deeply, even if some of his actions drew criticism from his peers. Among other things, he used unconventional means to subjugate all the races of Boroneau V. Strong backs and new resources were needed to build the armada, and Baylock delivered them at a whip's end.
Oltovm never saw First Ascension, the day the new Necromonger armada rose from Asylum. Instead, he chose his successor and then chose ritualistic suicide at the edge of the Threshold. Oltovm had told others it was "due time" for his death, and it is he who is now credited with this important distinction of Necroism. Even while Necromongers covet death, there is a right and proper moment for any death. Unless a Necromonger dies in "due time," he will be prohibited from entering the Underverse.
| Preceded by Covu |
Lord Marshal of the Necromongers | Succeeded by Naphemil |
Behind The Scenes[]
- David Twohy has identified the statues as such.
Sources[]
- The Chronicles of Riddick (Novel) by Alan Dean Foster, pp. 163-164