"Death brings silence and a true oneness with God," wrote Maib Damak, High Priest of the Silent One. Vûlmek, a Follower of Taimaraud, took these words more seriously than did many of his cohorts. Each priest had to kill at least once a year to retain his diety's favor, but Vûlmek had taken a vow to slay one victim every week of the year. Nor did he pass up more frequent opportunities to bring death to the living. Like all the Tayb, Vûlmek owned long, dark robes with a volumi- nous hood that hid his face. He wore battle dress more frequently, however, due to his vow to kill weekly. This consisted of a tunic made of small pieces of black, lacquered wood, steel greaves on legs and forearms, and a visored helmet shaped to resemble a serpent's head. Vûlmek rode a war camel named Staibir.