Prologue

The quiet was shattered as magical energy erupted in a corner of the cavern. The flash of light was replaced by a cloaked man, engulfed in darkness as the final remnants of his spell faded.
He stumbled on the rocks, his foot landing in a pool of stagnant water with a splash. Cursing, the man regained his balance and paused to invoke another spell. A glowing blue orb appeared in front of him, casting a dim light about the cavern.
Bones. Bones everywhere. The orcish features of the remains that littered the cavern floor were easily discerned. "Foul creatures", he mumbled, picking his way across the cavern, "Probably fought with themselves until the end."
He soon found what he sought. The sarcophagus at the center of the cavern was made of stone, but not any stone the man was familiar with. He examined it carefully, noting it's strange translucent nature, and the visible waves of magical energy that traversed it's smooth surfaces. Occasionally, the waves parted to reveal the body sealed within.
Perfectly preserved, the man in the sarcophagus was dressed in a simple robe. His face was featureless, but for the striking image of his open eyes. There was life behind them, but the life there was twisted by the insanity caused from six hundred years of incarceration. Clutched in the hands of the unfortunate victim was an ancient book, the purpose of the mage's visit to this place.
He attempted several incantations, then stopped to rest. The journey so far beneath the earth had sapped more of his energy than he had realized.
"The bearded ones know their craft well, my friend. You were unwise to make enemies of them." A wry smile crossed the mage's face. "One of your stature does not deserve such a cruel fate."
Another spell. This one would work. The mage's hands glowed red with power and his brow furrowed with concentration. He pressed his hands against the stone and they passed through as if it was not there. He grasped the tome and pulled, but there was resistance. He sensed the power of the man within the rock, struggling to retain his prized possession. Soon the resistance faded though, as the chaos of the mind within the frozen body overwhelmed what little control remained. The mage pulled his glowing hands free of the stone, holding the ancient tome.
A brief smile, and a final look at the tortured soul within it's eternal prison. "What was once yours is now mine, my friend."
The mage wrapped his cloak about him, hiding the book within. He waved his hand, and was surrounded by another flash of light. The darkness returned, and the cavern was quiet once more.