Portrait of a Villain: Mnemesyx, the Twice Fallen

Written by Paul King

Concept/Archetype: demon-possessed enchanted item
Keywords: demon, possessed, ritual, spirit-infused, item, enchanted
Race: demon
Profession: corrupting influence

“These abilities I bequeath unto you. Powers for the powerful. To possess them, all you have to do is let me in.”

Background

Mnemesyx was a demon who, in an age long past, rallied to forces of hell to him in an attempt to rule all of demonkind. The other demon lords, in a rare display of solidarity, put aside their differences and united to cast him into the mortal plane. Enraged but undaunted, Mnemesyx studied the world to which he was exiled and came to realize that great power lie within it. He determined that, should that power be gathered and guided correctly, one would not only be able to rule this world, but have the strength and reach to rule others – thus might he achieve his revenge on and dominion over the demons who cast him out.

He set about drawing the races of the world to him through subtle manipulation, having learned that growing in power too rapidly would only draw unwanted attention to him. Years passed and his influence spread, and as his influence grew, so, too did his power. It was not long, by the reckoning of demonkind, before Mnemesyx had the strength and influence to overthrow his first mortal kingdom, an act which the other rulers and kingdoms perceived as being a localized coup. From there, his seat of power was established and his influence began to creep across national boundaries.

One of the neighboring kingdoms was ruled by a wise king, one who was not blind to subtle invasion of his land. He sent agents of all types – wise men, magic users, and mighty warriors alike – to discover the source and nature of the invisible threat that stole across his land. Many were killed upon their discovery. Others fell under the demon’s spell and defected from their king and country to follow a new ruler. Afraid to risk any more of his nation’s brilliant minds and fighting men in the face of what would surely soon become a full-scale invasion, the king send word to lands yet outside the demon’s influence for mighty warriors and brave souls who might infiltrate the demon’s capital and slay him, ending the threat of war and worse beyond should his power continue to grow unopposed.

A party of heroes, career adventurers, heeded the call and set out on a mission to do nothing less than save the world. Successfully infiltrating the hostile nation under the guise of joining the demon’s forces, they tried to learn as much about their adversary as they could – eventually uncovering the demon’s true name and history. The party’s wizard, the human Zauric, contacted the infernal realm, hoping that they might be interested in once again helping to overthrow a hated foe. A demonic emissary presented the wizard with a ritual for binding Mnemesyx to his physical form, allowing him to be mortally wounded. What was not revealed was that, upon the destruction of the demon’s body, to keep Mnemesyx from manifesting back on the infernal plane, his essence would then be bound into an inanimate object.

As the ritual stripped the demon’s spirit from its mortal shell, it attempted to flow into the sword, but was repelled by the enchanted blade. The demon’s spirit then flowed into the next closest object – the warrior Brogan’s helmet still clutched tightly in its hands. When Brogan retrieved the helmet and placed it upon his head, he was assaulted by the demon’s spirit. Battered and beaten as he was by the harrowing battle he’d just finished, the warrior stood little chance of resisting the attack. The warrior was overtaken by Mnemesyx and slew his friend and the only other survivor of the battle. In the end, the warriors succeeded, but at great personal cost. Only one returned alive, and he a man forever changed.

The nation Mnemesyx built soon collapsed without the demon’s physical presence and his followers disappeared into hiding. Historical records to not record what happened to Brogan or where he went after that battle, and people were eager to forget the shadow of evil that lurked on their doorstep. But the demon still resides in the helmet, guiding its owner, drawing people to it, seeking and testing them not only as followers, but looking for an ever more powerful host with whom to conquer the mortal realm, longing for the day when he might march back into the infernal realms and have his revenge.

Motivations & Goals

Mnemesyx is driven by a singular desire to rule over everyone and everything. Regardless of the situation or setting he finds himself in, he is constantly looking to get into and maintain a position of power. Revenge would be a close second on the list of motivations for Mnemesyx. If he ever fails in his grabs for power, someone is to blame and he will go to any length – short of sacrificing the power he currently wields – for his retribution.

Adventure Hooks

• The PC’s encounter a military recruiter in town. He is signing mercenaries up for the army. The king, guided by a mysterious presence, is amassing his forces and looking to overthrow a weak neighbor, bringing them under his rule.
• A town’s mayor has passed an unpopular ordinance, resulting in higher taxes. Seizing upon their discontent, a mysterious warrior has appeared among the townsfolk, exhorting them to unite under his banner to overthrow the local government. The city has become divided at to which side to follow, tensions have escalated and the threat of violence has become very real. The PC’s, just passing through, are cornered and told to make their allegiance to one side or the other known.
• The PC’s happen upon a lynching in a small village. The villagers are looking to kill a man who was once part of a group thugs and bullies who preyed upon the weak and venerated a mysterious warrior who was going about preaching ‘might makes right.’ Eventually, it was determined that he was not ‘worthy’ or strong enough to be a member and had to flee for his life. Unfortunately, his former victims have little sympathy for him and are more than happy to vent their anger and frustration on a former tormentor.

Combat Tactics

When he inhabited his own physical form, Mnemesyx was a powerful demon who did not shy away from a fight against any foe he deemed inferior. When faced with an opponent who could not be directly overpowered, he would wait to strike until his opponent was in a vulnerable position – however long that might take. This might involve allying himself with his foe or evoking a false sense of loyalty.

When someone Mnemesyx deems worthy puts on the helmet, he will immediately launch a strong mental attack, attempting to overwhelm and possess them. Should he fail, he will not launch such an attack again, but begin putting thoughts in the wearer’s head, granting special abilities with the promise of more power to come if they will agree to ‘work with him.’ The goal of this being to get the potential host to lower their mental defenses enough to launch another assault on their will. As a possessing spirit, will attempt to use the strengths of his host to their greatest effect. He will not think twice about sacrificing his host to achieve his goals.

Should the wearer be considered weak or ‘unworthy,’ the helmet will try to mislead the wearer into increasingly dangerous encounters with more powerful enemies who might decide to take the helmet for themselves.

If the helmet is destroyed, the spirit of Mnemesyx will immediately be transferred into another metal item in the vicinity – priority given to a weapon first, armor second, and jewelry last – unless bound into it’s container by a special ritual and then physically destroyed, at which point he will manifest back in the infernal realms, surrounded by a great many demons who will be very unhappy to see him. It should be noted that the powers Mnemesyx confers will relate to the object he is currently inhabiting.

Mnemesyx, the Twice Fallen by Nevermet Press is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://www.nevermetpress.com/contact.

The Binding of Mnemysyx

Written by Paul King

The demon’s iron grip closed around the halfling, crushing his lungs and stifling his scream of agony. Turning to face the remaining invaders of its profane temple, it tossed the tiny, limp form over its shoulder where it landed beside the charred remains of one comrade and betwixt the sundered limbs of another.

Now only two remained – a wizard and a warrior. A wicked grin full of sharp teeth split a face that might have been disturbingly handsome, had it not been covered in gore. A voice as smooth as silk and sweet as honey drifted forth as it took a step forward.

“Poor insects, you’ve rushed headlong to your deaths. But it need not be so. Bow to me, and be spared; worship me, and be filled with power beyond comprehension.”

“Never trust a demon!” Brogan spat and raised his enchanted sword before him. While the sword was capable of wounding the demon, it could not kill him. Behind him, the wizard Zuric worked feverishly to complete the ritual that would finally banish the demon back to the foul pit from which it had crawled and free the kingdom from the corrupting influence it had spread and drawn power from.

“How much longer, wizard?” The warrior called over his shoulder. He feinted to the right and suddenly reversed direction. As the demon raked the empty air where his head was a split-second before, he drew from it an inhuman scream of pain and anger along with the slash he landed on its left side. A kick from the demon sent him flying backwards, nearly taking out the wizard and ruining the ritual on which they had placed any hope of victory. The warrior crashed into a stone pillar, stars exploding across his field of vision as his head struck the hard granite.

“Fool!” The demon stopped and looked down at the gash, one that would have killed a mortal man. It was already beginning to mend. “You cannot deny the inevitable. I have ruled the infernal realms and now I will rule this world!”

Brogan crawled to the sword he had dropped and staggered to his weary feet, dizzy and sore. He managed to shake off enough of the daze he was in to see that the demon had now taken an interest in Zauric, kneeling directly between them and chanting from the mysterious scroll he had picked up during their investigation of the demon and his growing influence. The sounds his friend were making were gibberish to his admittedly uneducated ears, but seemed to alarm the demon, now that the din of battle had lessened and he could hear them.

“WHERE DID YOU GET THAT!?” it roared and started to lean into a charge against the defenseless wizard. Brogan, his world still spinning, managed to get a couple of steps in before launching himself at the rushing demon. The armor he wore gave him just enough weight and momentum to carry his much larger, heavier opponent wide of his target. They tumbled to the bloodstained floor, a tangle of limbs and talons. Finally getting his bearings, Brogan was horrified to discover that the demon had ended up on top of him. He struggled to bring his weapon up, only to have his sword arm pinned under a large bony knee. The demon, leering evilly, wrapped his hands around the warrior’s helmet and ignited them. The hardened warrior started to scream as the metal heated.

The demon’s leer suddenly turned to a look of shock. The fire left its hands as it began to seize violently. His helmet still trapped in the demon’s unholy clutches, Brogan managed to squirm out of it and out from under the rigid, twitching form of his foe. Tendrils of brilliant white light lanced into the body of the demon from a crystal held by the unflappable Zauric.

“Now, while the demon is bound – strike!”

Brogan raised his sword over his head, “Back to fires of hell, monster.”

To his shock, the demon managed a tiny agonized smile, the smallest of movements a struggle. “Ignorant fools,” it spat. The sword descended, splitting the demon’s horned skull right down the middle. A high keening wail echoed in the chamber. The crystal held by the wizard flared once and exploded, knocking the two heroes off their feet. They were dimly aware of a rushing wind and the odor of brimstone and burning flesh which lasted but a moment. By the time they were upright and oriented, it was over.

There, like a statue out of some twisted sculptor’s nightmare, knelt the grey, lifeless form of the demon, still clutching Brogan’s scorched helmet, his sword embedded in its skull. As they watched, the figure began to break and collapse in on itself. Soon it was nothing more than a pile of ashes.

Brogan retried his sword and helmet and made his way to a pile of rubble, setting himself down on one of the larger pieces.

“Blasted demons,” he spat. “Be sure and thank whoever it is gave that spell, ‘Ric”

Zauric surveyed the scene as one who had just woken up from a dream, his face scratched and bleeding in several places where fragments of the exploding crystal had struck him, “I’m not eager to see them again, or ever.”

Brogan, having taken a scrap of clothing from one of the cultists who had come between his party and the demon, began to clean his sword. “Why? Was it stolen?”

“Not stolen. The individual who provided the ritual was a former acquaintance of our vanquished foe.”

The warrior looked up, “You mean a cultist? Or . . . ?”

Zauric turned to his remaining companion. “It was a demon, Brogan. To kill a demon, I summoned a demon.”

“Oh ‘Ric, you can’t trust those things! It might have just as easily given you a spell to open up an infernal portal or some such!”

The wizard shook his head, “No, you see, Mnemysyx was banished here by his own kind. Once upon a time, he tried to conquer the infernal realms – nearly succeeded, too. The other demon lords banded together and overthrew him. No, he has few – if any – friends back home. Besides, from what I studied of the ritual, there were clearly binding elements to it. You don’t use those for portals. Shame about the crystal, though. I would have liked to keep it.”

Brogan shook the soot from his helmet and inspected it. He placed it on his head. It was still warm – which unnerved him a little, after nearly having his brain boiled inside it – but undamaged, aside from a few minor scorch marks. He exhaled. Having purchased his armor as a matching set after their last adventure, he was loathe to replace even a single part of it. As he looked around the room, he realized that he could see into even the deepest shadows – and there were many shadows in the foul temple – as if the sun was falling directly upon them.

“Hey Zauric, I think that spell enchanted my helmet! I can see in the shadows!”

“A fortuitous side-effect of the ritual. Some of the demon’s abilities may have been transferred into the items it was in contact with. Such effects often dissipate over time, however, so don’t get too attached.” Zauric walked over to the remains of their companions and sighed. “Tiff just needs a visit to the temple; Kent and Jaquio, on the other hand, will need some more work. Let’s load them up and get our reward.”

A sudden shove and a burning sensation began to spread through the wizard’s body. He looked down to see the tip of an enchanted sword sticking out of his chest.

“I think not,” the voice of his longtime friend, smooth as silk and sweet as honey, whispered in his ear, “you see, there was only one survivor of the epic battle with mighty Mnemesyx – and it isn’t you. Sadly, the rest of the party was beyond saving.”

Zauric managed to stagger around to face his betrayer. “H-how?”

The warrior sneered, “Ignorant wizard, those accursed weaklings went to such great effort to kick me out, what made you think they’d help send me back?”

Brogan withdrew the sword from the wizard and wiped it clean on his robes before turning to walk away. As he sank to the floor to join the bodies of his friends, the last thing Zauric heard was, “Never trust a demon.”

Demonic Allegiences

Written by Paul King

I. The Dark Legion

“Only the strongest are fit to rule, and – make no mistake – lord Mnemesyx is the strongest of all!”

Background

Corporeal or not, even the most driven of meglomaniacs needs help conquering the world. Upon dominating the will of the warrior Brogan, Mnemesyx immediately set about gathering the strongest, most vicious warriors he could find. Stalking the borderlands, it did not take long to find a handful small tribes and villages who had not at some point considered subjugating their neighbors.

Walking fearlessly into the most brutish and aggressive of these marginalized locales and challenging the most prominent warriors to a duel. Using his infernal sense and understanding of the greed and envy in the hearts of mortals, the possessed warrior would wager his enchanted accoutrements and the loyalty of any who were following him against the absolute servitude of his opponent.

Should the demon win, the defeated would swear fealty to him and become a part of the new kingdom he was building. If the demon somehow failed to overcome his adversary, the enchanted equipment would be freely given to the victor. By Mnemesyx’s reckoning, this was a win-win situation – as it ensured that the item he was currently inhabiting would always be in possession of the superior warrior which would, in turn, bring that warrior into Mnemesyx’s possession.

Having surrounded himself with a core group of hand-picked warriors, the demon began to expand his recruiting operation by sending his men into the larger neighboring cities. His warrior-agents were carefully instructed to look for those areas where the downtrodden and disenfranchised could be found, particularly those made bitter by their circumstances, full of anger and envy. To these his message of opportunity and deliverance would come: Follow him and get what you deserve; follow him, and cast down those who have profited at your expense; follow him, and rule.

Once his influence had grown to a certain point, Mnemesyx lay siege to his first city. Caught unawares, was not able to put up much resistance. Upon capturing the city, Mnemesyx had all members of the local nobility publicly executed and turned their lands and property over to his most loyal and accomplished followers. Seeing how the demon rewarded his followers, unrest began to stir up among the lower class in the neighboring cities.

The demon once again sent forth his agents, telling those who suffered at the selfishness and indiscretions of the aristocracy that they, too, might find themselves blessed by Mnemesyx should they prove their loyalty to him. The ensuing riots and insurrection compromised the cities’ defenses, giving the demon’s army little trouble in capturing them. Once again, the aristocracy where publicly executed and the leaders of the insurrection elevated in their stead.

Within a few short years, Mnemesyx command a force large enough that he stopped looking at taking over individuals cities, and began thinking about conquering entire kingdoms.

Mission

The Dark Legion serves the will of Mnemesyx. They are sworn to spreading his influence and dominion wherever they can and committed to the belief that the demon will richly reward their loyalty and fervor.

Structure

Mnemesyx likes to surround himself with the best and strongest. His generals are those individuals that have dueled the demon, survived, and been personally deemed fit to lead his forces. For every city the Dark Legion conquers, one general – often times a native of the region, if possible – is left in control. Below them, a fairly standard, if simplified, military structure exists: Lieutenants, Sergeants, and the rank-and-file soldiers. Within each city, forces are divided between the active military (about 2/3 of the total force) and the City Guard (about 1/3) which ‘keeps the peace’ and defends the city while the active force is away.

Adventure Hooks

• The PC’s are visiting a city when a riot between the classes suddenly breaks out. The PC’s may try and figure out the cause of the riot, which side to support (if any) and/or try to quell it before the Dark Legion arrives to claim it for Mnemesyx.
• The City Watch is looking Dark Legion spies who are trying to stir up rebellion in a city. The PC’s, being outsiders, find themselves on a short list of suspects with the local authorities.
• In a plot to overthrow the Legion’s hold on a city, the PC’s are asked to assassinate the General ruling the city. Of course, accomplishing such a task is likely to draw the attention of the demon himself – who might be convinced that one the PC’s are more worthy for the position than the one they deposed.

II. Daemonhammer Fellowship

“The perverse forces of darkness and chaos once again rear their abominable heads and fix their hate-filled gaze upon the mortal world. We, the ever-vigilant, stand ready to cast them back into the hell-pits from which they dare to crawl!”

Background

For as long as the mortal world has existed, the demons who inhabit the chaos and darkness of the infernal realms have both envied and hated it. Countless attempts have been made by the ruinous powers to corrupt and destroy that whose existence causes them such unfathomable loathing – by subtle, corrupting influence at first, later by direct possession of mortal beings, and, finally by direct manifestation on the mortal plane. It was as a result of this last instance that the Daemonhammer Fellowship came into existence.

The various temples and faiths had long been combating the evil that beset the mortal hearts and minds. However, when the first demons physically appeared and began laying waste to Creation, they found themselves at a loss for dealing with them. It was some of the first heroes of recorded history who gave their lives to send these embodiments of hate and destruction back into the Abyss. In the wake of near extermination, the factions within each of the Good-aligned faiths began to study and analyze the nearly unstoppable forces that had been unleashed upon the world, determined to ensure that such an event never happen again.

As each institution gained understanding and developed means of dealing with demonic incursion based on the hell-spawned beasts they had personally encountered. Over a period of time, individuals within each of the faiths felt a compulsion to reach out to the others, to exchange the information and techniques each possessed to better prepare mortal-kind as a whole. Old rivalries are hard to forget, however, and these early daemonologists were discouraged from having contact with their peers.

Dismayed, but not deterred, meetings were held in secret and a plan for dealing with future invasions developed. The group, however, was eventually discovered and all the participants cast out of their respective temples and all but blacklisted within their faith-communities. The group, having nowhere else to turn, established the Daemonhammer Fellowship, devoting themselves to discovering and learning everything they could about demons and how to defeat them.

As mortals spread across the face of the world, encounters and incursions by demons began to occur more frequently. The Fellowship began to put all it had learned and trained for to use, sending more than a few demons howling back to their pits. With victory came fame and public support, and with that came influence and a grudging acceptance from the very temples and faiths that had cast them out years before.

Preferring the autonomy and freedom from oversight they had enjoyed, the Daemonhammer Fellowship declined to be accepted back into any one religion, but announced that it would work alongside any good-aligned faith in pursuit of their higher calling: the destruction of demon-kind, whenever and wherever it was to be found.

Mission

The Daemonhammer Fellowship is committed to seeking out and destroying demons who have infiltrated the mortal plane, wherever evidence of their presence on the mortal plane is to be found.

Structure

The Fellowship draws much of its membership from practitioners of the good-aligned religions from in which it has its roots, though people from outside any given religion will be considered provided they pass a series of tests designed to test their willpower, character, and intellect – aspects of mortals commonly assaulted and/or corrupted by demons. Once accepted, recruits are enrolled in a rigorous intellectual and physical training program. Seniority is important within the Fellowship, with the newer recruits being expected to show the proper respect and deference to older, more knowledgeable and experienced members.

The Fellowship is overseen by the Iron Council (a reference to pure iron as an anathema to demons), a group of eight of the most senior members, which is chaired by the Inspector General. When news of demonic outbreak reaches the Fellowship, a tribunal of three agents is dispatched to investigate the situation and determine how the Fellowship will respond: more subtle incursions and possessions may be contained and dealt with immediately by the tribunal itself, while evidence of physical manifestation would most likely require the dispatching of larger, more heavily armed group of Hunters.

Whenever the Fellowship is called to an area, they will attempt to work closely with any good-aligned temples in the area – provided that no evidence of corruption within the temple itself is perceived. In such cases, the tribunal may decide to visit a location and conduct their investigation without contacting any of the temples in the area.

Benefits/Drawbacks

Despite sometimes being viewed as pushy and demon-obsessed, members of the Daemonhammer Fellowship are generally respected by all good-aligned faiths and often rely on them for logistical support when conducting an investigation or cleansing operation. Secular governments may also call for support from the Daemonhammer Fellowship – but often only as a last resort after other, more conventional attempts to combat demonic incursion have failed.

Members of the Fellowship have been trained to face some of the most fearsome beings ever to walk the earth – they resist any panic- or fear-inducing effects caused by a demon. Additionally, they gain a bonus to resist any attempts at intimidation made against them.

III. Inferati

“Self-righteous fools! Don’t they realize that you can’t kill a demon? Striking one down only returns it to the abyss to wreak more havoc – no, the only true way to defeat this threat is to bind him to our will. One need not fear what they control.”

Background

Despite any number of tales and theories, no one really knows who the first Necromancer was – that first individual who encountered death and decided to try and bend it to their will. It was the same with the organization known as the Inferati. No one is really sure how the group was started.

What is commonly speculated, though, is that at some point in the past, an individual witnessed the incredible power and fury of a demon and began searching for a way to bend that power their will. To the mind of an Inferati, demons are tools. They do not fear demons, but have a healthy respect for them – or rather, a healthy respect for the cunning and the potential for destruction for which all hell-born are known.

Like Necromancers, the general public wants nothing to do with the Inferati. As far as most sentient mortals are concerned, the undead and demons are two things any sane person would do well to avoid entirely. Upon discovery, they are often chased out of town or, if caught in certain outlying parts of the countryside, may risk being lynched on the spot for daring to traffic with demons.

Consequently, being a member of the group is a closely guarded secret and gatherings of Inferati are often held well away from any prying eyes or ears. A handful of members from the local aristocracy can often be found dabbling in local Inferati activities in order to get a leg up on their peers and competitors in high society, though true mastery in the summoning and command of demon-kind takes a dedication that only a few possess.

When a demon manifests in the physical world, the Inferati often find themselves racing to find and bind any demons crossing over before they are discorporated and banished back to the infernal realms. Their presence during an incursion is often mistaken as cult activity in service to the very forces they are trying to bind, which often brings them into conflict with those who wish simply to strike down any and all demons and be done with them.

The Inferati prefer to bind rogue demons (that is, those not summoned and controlled by a specific individual) into inanimate objects, where they are contained by powerful wards and enchantments. The possessed objects then dispense and regulate the demon’s power in ways that often mimic magical weapons and implements, though the demon’s will is still active and must be guarded against for the duration of exposure to the items. A less common and much more risky practice is the binding of a demon to a mortal host. While the potential benefits of such a binding is still being explored, the potential for calamity from demons bound in living vessels that allow them interaction with the physical world are well-documented.

Mission

The Inferati seek to harness beings from outside this plane of existence, bending them to their will. They believe that having mastery over spiritual beings will enable them, in turn, to gain mastery over the physical world.

Structure

The Inferati are comprised of independent bodies that congregate in a given geographical area. There is no single overarching governing body that presides over the Inferati as a whole; connections between different jurisdictions depend solely on mutual recognition. Each body of Inferati is divided into three tiers of membership, each tier named for the three levels of demonic incursion in the physical world:

Whisperers: Individuals who have passed tests of candidacy to determine their discretion, commitment and level of interest in demonology;

Possessed: Those who have devoted themselves to the study of interaction with demons, taking a particular interest in the ways in which they communicate and manipulate mortals and learning safeguards for such interactions. They are able to create and use demon-bound items and equipment.

Manifested: The most experienced Inferati who are able to physically summon and control demons.

While there is no established rule that says any one tier has authority over the others, deference is usually paid to the higher tiers by the lower. It takes very little effort for the more experienced practitioners to maintain their de facto rule, as the numerous accounts of arrogant and inexperienced Inferati attempting to perform rites and rituals beyond their abilities or to personally challenge senior members are often warning enough to keep the membership in line.

Benefits/Drawbacks

Inferati of rank Possessed or Manifested are more resistant to attacks against their willpower. They also gain a bonus against attempts made to bluff or intimidate them.

At rank Possessed, the Inferati gains the ability to create and use demon-bound items and equipment. For every turn a demon-bound item is used, an attack against the user’s will is made. Should the attack succeed, the demon to effectively control the Inferati until a save is made.

At rank Manifested, the Inferati gains the ability to summon and control a demon. Should the Inferati’s means of control over the demon be compromised, it can and will attack the person who summoned it.

Demonic Allegiences by Nevermet Press is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://www.nevermetpress.com/contact.