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Contents 1 The Tales of Creation 1.1 Gorms Inspiration 1.2 The Age of Dragons 1.3 The Age of Legends

The Tales of Creation

Gorms Inspiration

In the first moments of Creation there was nothing and all things. Order and Choas in equal parts. Gorm the Soul Forge looked upon this and brought his hammer down on it, bending it to his will. He etched into the malstrom the language of creation, giving names and definition to all things.

Kale placed his hand on his old friends shoulder and smiled, complimenting Gorm on his unmatched craftsmenship. Other Gods, some small, some great, began looking upon Gorms creation and gave their gifts to it. Ilvor and Scarver, siblings, gave the world an ebb and flow. Lenor gave the worl Law rules for it to exist by. Kale gave to the world grace and finally Nora, Gorms Wife, Breathed life into creation. Malase and Decev simply watched, and made only a suggestion, give the world beings to live in it.

Kale marveled at the ide and grabbed a spec of the sun and like clay molded Azathor the Sun Dragon, first born child of the gods. He looked about the world for some time and asked his parents for a brother or sister to experience the world together. So Nora reached into the molten center of creation and formed Ezeroth the Fire Wyrm. For ages these two and then their succesive siblings, companions and descendants explored and contimplated their creators world. Even the ancients who came after them lived under their watchful eyes, as Kale told to them, look upon them who are so small as though they are us, and protect them as you would your parents.

The Age of Dragons

This is when Decev and Malase stopped watching creation and quietly made their first {ctions?}* within it. Decev, disguised as an ancient, came to Ezeroth and began wipering in his ear. Why should these lesser creatures deserve the protection and reverence of the dragons. The dragons are made from the very elements of the earth, and now even younger and weaker beings are infesting this world expecting your protection. Should these beings be held the same as your parents the very gods who created all things. No, the gods must always be held above all you must never honor another.

At first Ezeroth abmonished the idea and sent the visitor away. Over time though the words began resonating with him. How could he hold others in the same respect as his gods, that was sacrilage. He later found the unknown ancient and began a long discourse. These words are kept in a tome called "The Words of the Fool and the Liar" (this tome is said to be lost but contains EXTORDINARY power, when it was in the library at Paripham, it was forbidden to be read, but because it is the word of a god, it was not distroyed either). In these discussions Ezeroth formulated his conquest.

The only thing preventing his preminence was his brother. His brother though had a propensity for falling into age long Reveries, dreaming of unknown things. So when next this revery came over Azathor, the Fire wyrm with his minions struck. They ambushed and imprisoned first the loyal dragons, sealing them deep beneath the earth Then they turned to the lesser beings of the world, the Ancents put up a great fight, but were sundered, destroyed under the fire wyrms claw. The other races were captured and enslaved. Ezeroth then elecated himself to the god over these beings. HE then forbid any but Dragons to even utter the name of the old gods, he was now the power of the world.

Ezeroth's was to twist and corrupt the world, some of these races fell victim to these deed or chose to be apart of them and were turned from creatures of the sun (The likes of Elves, Dwarves and Humans) to creatures of the moon, fowl and dark. These beings are now called the Orn. They were the Dragons servants and traded their souls for a tiny taste of power. After ages of the Dragon rule, the first true rebelion began, a Dwarf named Dwarn found the means to rise up and fight the orn and their dragon Overlords. It was the Language of creation that was the drwarves great weapon. It was said to come in a dream that Ironwolf had, Gorm spoke to him in words he had never heard and with those few words the light of freedom was found. Dwarn with his 7 companions rose upand slew the first dragon to be illed by mortal hands, Thernal. They and their people then ran to the DragonTooth mountains and hid dep in the earth, gathering their stregnth. Dwarn deep in his heart wished to rid the world of the Dragon rule and free all people but he needed time.

The time dwarn needed came from the elves. A young elven women escaped during the chaos of the Dwarf rebelion and began her quest for the First born Azathor. To her assistance came a barbarian from one of the few free human tribes. The elf and Human found Azathor after many trivails and adventures, bringing him out of his revery and to the world. First Azathor released his imprisoned breathren, then he emplored his younger brother to reliquish his rule. Ezeroth refused and the Dragon wars began and the age of the Dragons was soon to come to an end. Dwarn and his people joined Azathor and after a seamingly endless war Azathor and Ezeroth finally confronted one another. Azathor cast his brother down destroying the traitor and righting the wrongs he'd wreaked upon creation. The Gods cursed Ezeroth, that he'd never be with them again, and that he'd in his hubirus in proclaiming himself god he would guard the gates of hell as a slave to Wreth, till the day a mortal could slay him. It is said that Azathor in his sadness (for his brother) retreated from the world, and the surving dragons followed suit only to rarely be seen.

The Age of Legends

Some centuries after the age of the Dragon Rule there was a dark age as the races of Man, Elf and Dwarf discovered or rediscovered and developed their cultures. After these centuries kingdoms from all peoples started rising and the Age of Legends came into being. In this age the tales and stories of Heroism that the youth of today are weened on were not stories but the deeds of norm. In this age we find the Hallowed halls of Kales great church, the rise and fall of the FisherKings, the rise of the Golden Empire, heroes the likes of Coroth The Ironwold, Pelanor the Sword of Kale, Hestia the Great, Sir Thulic, the Ranger Palis and his love the Druid Saralin, The Last FisherKing Rolan and many many other. Also this age saw such villians as Rolan's son Darek and his wicked mother Helsa, the Foul Wizard Feragin, The Dragon Kashtal and more some even more foul than the above. This section will house the over view of the MOST important events of this age. There is plenty of room for includign other stories and Heroes from all parts of creation.

Coroth the Ironwolf

• His Roots : There are few heroes with as many tales as Coroth. His fighting prowess was said to be second to none, his adventures were such that he made kings, fostered heroes and trained knights. His beginings were as humble as any poor dwarf from the foot hills before the Dragon tooth. Born Coroth of the family Dargoth of Clan IronWolf, his father Revfern was a great and skilled Rune Smith that taught his son the art his clan had mastered for centuries. Revfern though was also a renowned world traveler and he took his son twice to the far lands of the world; from the west coast of the content of their birth to the lands of carthay where Coroth learned unarmed combat from mystic Monks, Iron Folding techniques of curved sword warriors, he traveled by horse back with the itinerate people of the plains of Acthin who worship the wind and the spirits of nature, he knew the griffin rides of the Harsten and learned from the painted faced animist of Galvara.

• The FisherKing : When Coroth came to adulthood he returned home and began his own smith shop in the town of SturnGuild. He found it easy work and was often bored. He began to travel his homelands of the Shires (Later known as morgan shire). He met a young man named Rolan, a soldier in training for the city of calahorn, Coroth and the young man became fast friends, and adventured together for several years with other various companions. It was later discovered that Rolan (Now a Sword of Kale) was a displaced member of the Fisher King blood line. Just to the west of the Dragon tooth, the Kingdom of Sul Thern was Racked with civil war and Rolan, Coroth and a Young Elf Druidess named Saralin took part and resolved the issue, placing Rolan at the Thrown of Sul.

• Ister Kalest Tho : After taking part in the war Coroth retired for a short time to return to Weapon and Armor smithing. He did this well for several years earning comissions from some of the most important people of the world. Then one night in a dream he found himselve before the avatar of Kale, and Kale gave Coroth an order, build a weapon for the god of Justice and Valor, the finest sword creation would ever see. So Coroth packed his bags found some help amongst the BearClan and retreated to a quiet abandoned forge deep in the low sumits of the Dragontooth. Here coroth set about creating this blade. The kilns and stoves of this forge could burn at the temperature required to heat and work Abathor, and the steel the blade was forged from was solid Abathor not the usual doped less pure abathor that sold as the finest blades else where, this blade was for Kale, and for Kale only the strongest and purest would do. For months Coroth folded the steal over and over again, he lost count after 100, and went well beyond, based on the techniques that the smiths of Cathay had shown him. This blade though was straight not curved, Kales symbol was a bladed sword, it was a hand and a half blade with a fine but practical cross bar and fine chained pummel. Two days before he finished he etched his rune into to the blade only one phrase (many runesmithed items have several etchings), it says in the Dwarf tongue, Ister Kalest Tho, "Kales Cold Hand" In the common tongue. On the morning he was to finish the sword he heard someone approaching outside, he armed himself and and went to the door. To his suprised he found a single human, thickly cloaked, with a talisman of Kale hanging from his neck, it was a War Priest of Kale named Gareth, he told Coroth he was tasked by Kale to find the Dwarf and help him finish the blade, and so they did, the warpriest blessing the still Hot steal before Coroth plunged it into the virgin snow of the harsh winter. They parted ways the sword with Coroth as Gareth told him he would know who the sword was meant for when the Cold Hand was needed.

• Child of the Mark : For the Next two Decades Coroth split his time between The Shire Lands and Sul. In the Shires he spent time Forging weapons and armor and traveling with Saralin and in Sul he spent time with his old friend Rolan and helped the king train his army and personal guard. A young soldier and Knight named Wylen Hawksnor became fast friends with Coroth a spent time tutoring with the dwarf in many things. In the Though a troubling revelation from the book of Kale came to the fore, The proficy read "In the time of the Bird Monarches, a child shall be born of the mark of kale (no one is born with the mark it is earned) and this shall be the sign of the Monarches poisinous child. The first kingdom of man shall fail." The Priests of Sul Thern were in panic. They began searching ever new born child for the mark. A year later Aric's Son was born...with the mark of Kale on his sternum, over his heart. He was terrified, he knew the priests would kill his son fearing that he would be the poisoin the proficy spoke of. He spoke to his Liege and Begged for help. Rolan never paid much Homage to the church and allowed the mans son to live and ordered that the nurse maids' silence on the issue on the pains of death, Arics wife passed away in birth. The boy was names Pelanor Hawksguard.The secret was kept for several years until the battle of Barons Revolt, a noble family in the South of Sul rose up claiming to have proof that the King Rolan knew of the Marked Childs birth, the Revolt was put down by Aric, however he died in the battle. The secret was out though, the Kings enemies made their move and Pelenor was Revealed. However, Rolan made plans for the boy in the wake of his fathers death and called his old friend Coroth into service, asking the Dwarf to take his friends son into his care and leave the kingdom of Sul. So Coroth did, taking the 8 year old boy on the same decade long trip of the world Coroth's father had taken him on almost a century before. The two traveled the world and Pelenor recieved the same teaching and training as coroth had plus the tutoring from the Dwarf himself. Coroth could see plainly that the boy was special and found it hard to believe that he could possibly be the poision the proficy had spoke of. The boy was born a sword of Kale, the gifts came to him easily, and by age 16 he was a formidable if inexperienced warrior. Some short time after Pelenor's 18th birthday they returned to the lands of their fathers...to find the entire continent at war.

• The Death Coroth: In this war (The War of the Fisher King) that raged across the continent,Coroth became the hero is known as in the present day. Upon returning in the City of Calahorn Coroth and Pelanor realized they needed to act. So they acted as soon as they could. They started in Calahorn gathering information to what had occured, rolans son had killed his father and now he and his mother sat in rule of the lands of Sul Thern, the other kingdoms warred with Sul but many in the west had fallen to Suls might or had joined them. The Orn now raged across the Gragon tooth and Morgan Shire and only small bands of soldiers include the like of Sir Thulic Aranor (A sword of kale), Saralis (Elf Druidess), Palis (Half Elf Ranger) and Hestia (a Gnome, any Half Dwarf is a gnome, Wizardess). Meeting in vale these heroes joined forces and set out to rid the Shirelands of the Orn, and they did after several years of Combat, Cororth also bestowed upon Pelenor Ister Kalest Tho. Later on they all parted ways to fight battles in other parts of the continent. Coroth was Called home, to fight with his kinsman to defend the Stone Citadel , and so he did. The Hill Clans took up their whole people and began the journey home. He was called home by a Priestess named Dara Helenthor of Clan GoldStag, she was one of the high Priestesses of Nora. She was chosen because they figured the dwarf who cared little for the Mountain clans would have a hard time refusing or visiting harm upon her. Their relationship was classically tense and then through the battles that raged as the Orn and Dwarf armies as they moved towards the Citadel, they grew close and fell in love. In the battle of Torics Pass though Coroth was assassinated in battle. One of his lieutenants betrayed him and put an axe in his back.

• Coroth the Ironwolf : Unlike most mortals, Death Couldn't quell the legend of Coroth. He found himself in hell, along with many of his fellow soldiers. Confused Coroth despaired and toiled for untold time in Wreth's Mines, a slave to the spectre of death. He realized though that something had to be wrong, he was a warrior and a glorious one, so were his soldiers, they should be in Gorm's Hall drinking draught with the creator and regaling in tales of thier Glory. So, Coroth being a man of action took steps to alleviate the situation. He lead a rebellion against his captors, Wreths minions, and moved towards the gates of hell and Ezeroth's remains. Only the fire Wyrm stood between him and freedom, and so he layed his eyes on destiny. Hefting the weapons of his captors and leapt into a battle against the second born. His cunning and strength won the day. His soul nearly as dead as his body now he led his men out of hell and they shut the games behind them....he then found himself in darkness with a warm spirit about him. Nora wispered to him words of healing and his soul was repaired the damage he'd suffered at the hands of Ezeroth. She then appeared to him, in the visage of a beautiful Dwarven woman, and she offered him anything he wanted in exchange for freeing her child the second Born. He had a choose of being at Gorm's side or returning to creation, he chose to return home. Dara preformed the rite to besiege her matron god for Coroths soul, hoping te Favors she'd held from Nora would allow for this one deed, and it did, Coroth was reborn, in time to defend and protect the Stone Citadel. However his people were denied their right of entry into the Stone Citadel, Dara's Father Lord of the UnderMountain claimed that they had insufficient provisions for the Hill Clans. Many Mountain Dwarfs were upset an etire clan even left with the Hill clans and suffered their fate in the Brutal winter of the Dragon Tooth. Almost 50% of the Hill Clansmen were lost, The Elderly, And the young mostly. In the Spring thaw Coroth sent his Kinsmen home and with what Soldiers he had left he went towards Sul to reunite with pelenor and win Sul back from the Orn and the Dragons that the Kingfisher's evil son had brought to his aid. Together with Pelenar, SaraLin and Hestia they literally saved the world by finding Azathor and Bringing the first born and his dragon allies to counter the Foul Dragons. For these deeds the remaining elders of his clan gave him the name of his clan, he was no longer Coroth Dorgoth of Clan IronWolf, he was simply Coroth the Ironwolf. He and Dara were married after the war, they lived the rest of their lives in SturnGuild, traveling from time to time, but they would die peacefully some 80 years after the War of the King Fishers.

Lord Morgan of the Shire, The Savior of the Shire : Morgan finished cleaning the blade of the sword in his hands and surveyed the scene before himhe was on the Dragon Tooth side of a large trade bridge crossing the Sul River. The Orn and Sul forces under the FischerKing's foul son dotted the other side. Morgan and his fellows were well out numbered and tired from traveling through the Dragon tooth. All they needed to do though was hold, hold until Coroth's Hill Clansmen came from the shire with Pelenor and his Men. Maybe even Saralin and her people would come. He cleared his mind of these thoughts and hefted the blade. Oh, it was heavier than he remembered and today it seemed to wiegh more than usual. He sheathed the blade and ran down to the line closest to the Bridge. The smell of smoke and sweat was thick, the sounds of soldiering were now come place to Morgan, the mud from the spring thaw clung to men like a second set of clothes.

Morgan approached a mounted knight at the fore of the front line and knelt, "Sir Thulic your blade."

Thulic looked down at the boy on his knee and smiled a tired grin, "Thanks Morgan, hows your arm boy?" Morgan's arm still burned but the wrap and balm the healers had given him seemed be be working.

"It's better sir, I'm ready to fight."

"No." Thulic gave a look that told morgan that his master had made the descision already and there would be no arguing. "Not today son, I've a job for you."

"Yes sir."

"If this battle goes bad, you are to run. You'll be responsible for getting word to Pelenor and Coroth." Thulic looked back to the Orn line.

Morgan didn't like it, "You want me to run Sir?"

"We all have our duty son, now get to the back of the lines, we're moving soon."

"Ma' lord" Morgan affirmed than turned back to the tent on the far end of the camp. Thulic felt for him, but it was one last test, the boy's choices were his future.

---

The battle was going badly, the defense of the bridge was all important and Morgan knew that with out the bridge the shire lands were next for the Sul's conquest. The lines had broken and the orn had pushed on to the bridge. Morgan saw spuratic fighting on the far side of the river but it was dieing down. The terror in his mind began to grow, his heart had been racing for over an hour now, but he was disallowed to fight. Then he saw him, lord thulic on the bridge alone...Morgan ran full tilt.

Thulic gripped his sword in his hand, read to fight. He stood in his blood soaked grandeur, the plate and chain mail hung heavy from his body and the exhaustion of the day showed on his shoulders yet the orn refused to step on the bridge.Thulic tall frame knelt at the center of the bridge, the tip of his sword in the bridge he bowed, Morgan sensed the discision in Thulic. The Paladin stood now with purpose and the weight of the day seemed to be lifted from his shoulders. He his large black hand gripped the swords hilt and beckened the Orn to come, a bellow from the rear of the line forced the orn on. For the next several minutes Morgan watched Thulic fight like any man the boy had ever seen. The man killed dozens of orn, of all sizes, meeting each challenge or group of challenges with death to the challenger. Every wound Thulic recieved invigorated him, seemingly making him more powerful. That was until the leader of the Orn rose before him, a rare creature who was taller and broader than Thulic, this orn attacked the near dead man. The battle only lasted several more moments, the orn strike wiht his spear pearcing Thulic's belly. The orns true suprise came in the knights sword planted in the side of his heads...

Morgan screamed, a bellow, his voice now that of a mans, he ran through the remaining reserves and grabbed his masters sword pulling it from the orns head. The wieght of the sword pulled his arm to the ground his mind burned as though he thought every thought he'd ever though in a moment, his forearm errupted. The orn soldiers laughed and pushed forward, the first few were caught unaware, the boys sword catching them and mortally wounding them. Then again there was a oment of quite on the field, even the clamour of the Thulic's remaining soldiers died as the boy stood on the bridge.

All eyes fell on the boy with his master's sword, a sword that seemed as light as air in his hand yet it landed with the power of Gorm's hammer. The Orn liuetentant barked orders and the Orn gobbers surged only to be cut down by Morgan. Thulic's men saw the light they once saw in his master. They now fought, content in dieing. The orn's new leader stepped forward into the gaze of morgan, he laughed at the boy and knocked his sword away, moragn brought it up again, his shoulders were now burning with effort, his body tired and there was blood in his eyes.The Orn's foot flew and knocked the boy down. The Orn raised his club over his head, then Morgan heard a high whistling sound and the fletching of an arrow appeared between the orns eyes.

War cries rose up in the near distance. In dwarven, Elven and in Sul. Morgan sword in hand crawled back off the bridge. He heard the sounds of hooves behind him and before he realized they were on him there were horses leaping over him. They weren't like normal horses they had human torsos, two torsos in many cases. He was gathered up in powerful arms and he realized that it was a centaur, the Elsenore had come.

He heard a soft voice with an elven accent, "Sleep boy, your valor will win the day", and he slept.

---

He woke up some time later it was night outside of the tent and he could smell insence burnig in the tent and heard murmuring in an unknown tongue. "So the hero awakens", a female voice met his conscienceness. She was pretty, brown hair dark eyes...but she bared the mark of sisterhood, she was a servant of Nora.

He remembered his manners, "Ma' Lady." Then he realized he was naked and brought his covers up even higher. "I'm...sorry, what happened."

"Thats a long story, and I bet you know more of it than I, Sir Morgan." He was put off at the last remark, confused. "You are wanted in the command tent, you should move." Morgan looked down at himself sheepishly, she chuckled, "Nothing I haven't seen Morgan, I'm your nurse until you are healthy, there are tousers and a tunic behind the screen. Pelenor wants to speak with you, don't make him wait."

He did as the lady said and left, before leaving though he remembered his manners again, "Ma' Lady, your name?"

She smiled, "Ella".

"Thank you, I'll see you soon".

Morgan's body ached, as he approached the command tent. The Guard saw him, bowed, and let the young man in. Morgan wasn't expecting the bow. The interiorof the tent was a common look, several tables and chairs maps strewn about and people murming things to do with supply ines and food stuffs. A Young man not 4 years older than Morgan himself stood before him. A groof yet kind voice from the back of the tent brked "So the boy hero is awake, HA!!!", It was a dwarf. In the presense of the Knight in front of him his forearm ached again.

"So, Morgan, Thulic was your knight?"

"Yes Ma' Lord. I am, was, his squire. He died on the bridge, I failed him, I was supposed to meet you and bring message of our lose at the bridge."

The Dwarf spoke again, "And all you did was disobey and save the Shire Lands. Pel, I'd execute him." This was followed again by the dwarf's laughter, he took a drag off his pipe and returned absent mindedly to the maps he'd been looking at.

Pelenor spoke again, "Thulic is going to be missed, with out him I'm the last of the swards of Kale."

"I'm sorry sir."

"You didn't disobey Thulic you know. You heard the call of his lord...and mine. He only wanted to see if you would, and of course more importantly choose to act on it. In his letters to me he spoke highly of you Morgan." Morgan looked confused a bit, "Take off the badge on your arm," Morgan obeyed. The scar from his burn was still there but was now vaguely the shape of a sword wreathed in flame. "Perhaps Morgan, I'm not alone in the world after all."

Knights of the Freelance

An Order of Knights that would serve the realms of the Shining Empire, created by Pelenor Hawksguard. They were the law and doers of good in the Old empire. Sometime before the empire finally crumbled the Knights were disgraced by the actions of one of their Leaders Derak Fa Morgan, the lord of Morganshire, last in the the hero Morgans Line. In responce they disbanded in shame. These days they are the talk of legends and haven't been seen in over 300 years.