| Category | Lexicon |
| Type | God Era lore |
In the God Era, celestials and mortals engaged in a fierce battle against a formidable demon invasion across the Quara'tun System. These demonic armies, led by demon lords, sought to seize portions of the mortal realm for themselves. One of the worlds caught in the crosshairs of this Demon Spawn War (89 GE - 269 GE) was Bal-Kriav. In the Ma'Ohari Region of this world, the Covenant General Silvanus confronted the demon lord Graz'zt.
One of the units under Silvanus was the Zephyr Talon. This elite force specialized in reconnaissance and ambushing straggling foes. The elder treants of Einglach speak of a curse that befell some of its members, the Forsaken Six. The tales vary, but they are often depicted as neutrals corrupted by an either-or dilemma - comply or perish. Adapting their tactics to the grim reality where attrition favored the demons, the unit under Kezgihr's command conducted battle rituals and brewed potions using the blood and gore of their enemies. These and other unsavory deeds instilled a palpable fear of Zephyr Talon unlike any other unit in the region.
You are embarking on a journey down a familiar trail that will soon divide. One path presents a steep, arduous climb, winding back upon itself. The other, in contrast, twists and turns, gradually descending, an effortless route even for the infirm. This latter path, however, leads to oblivion.
Silvanus, from a letter to Kezgihr - "Path of Hope and Oblivion"
This warning caused many Zephyr Talons to abandon their rituals, but not so the Forsaken Six. This group of celestials persisted, with matters escalating further through rites entailing the consumption of the foe's blood. Granting the imbiber the capacity to extract information from the deceased, the Sight of the Dead Walker facilitated the execution of over a hundred successful assassinations.
When a rumor circulated that Silvanus was arriving to inspect the unit, the paranoid and troubled Kezgihr murdered one of his comrades. Employing the Sight of the Dead Walker, he discovered the gossip to be unfounded. Fleeing Zephyr Talon, Kezgihr was eventually apprehended by Silvanus. Presented with the options of sustaining life by consuming blood or pursuing redemption through death and judgment by Hades, Kezgihr chose to continue living.
The curse placed upon Kezgihr had a notable side effect. It interacted with the sorcery of the Sight of the Dead Walker, resulting in episodes of unmanageable blood cravings. When he began targeting and incapacitating members of his former unit, taking small, non-lethal sips, they determined to eliminate him. Kezgihr was ultimately located and slain, then, in keeping with unit tradition, his remains were consumed by pyre, with his ashes dispersed to the wind.
A day after his demise, Kezgihr arose from the ashes as the realm's inaugural vampire. His five affiliates were discovered, each transformed into his vampire progeny. By the conclusion of the God Era, the majority of the Forsaken Six had been tracked down and eliminated; by that juncture, the scourge of vampirism had disseminated extensively. Kezgihr remained on the wanted roster of entities such as Ishtu Irrai and the Wardens of Bal-Kriav for millennia.