The Tale of the Swords of the Ancients And Other Blades of Power

A Mythology

By

Kit Rae

Of Luciendar and Morthoseth, the third and fourth swords

After the banishment of the Dark One and the defeat of his army in the ten thousand and twenty-sixth year of the Fifth Age, there was peace in Ammon for a time, but ere long one of the Dark One’s concubines bore his child in the depths of Lokonia; for Vaelen’s army did not cleanse all of those dark tunnels of evil. The child was named Vardor in the tongue of the Ancients, by the sorcerer Navros, and was taken east across the sea of Valesthia to the land of Dagorlund where he could be hidden from the eyes of the West. Navros, knowing that only the Dark One or one of his bloodline could command the Barumen, reared Vardor and taught him the dark arts and the lore of the Swords of the Ancients. Though he was of man and not truly a descendant of the Ancients, his heart was black like his father’s. Indeed whatever remained of the Dark One’s power in Ammon now seemed to take presence in his only offspring.

The sorcerer Navros, knowing that Vardor would need the strength of the Ten Swords to gain power, searched the realms far and wide until at last he found Valermos, the sword of fire, and Morthoseth, the sword of the shadows, hidden away in the Southern Realm of Loringel by the Dark One long ago. Vardor, who when grown used Morthoseth’s dark power to take his form as that of a shadow, desired to consume the world and re-make it in his own twisted vision; and he also desired to destroy all of the creatures brought forth by the Ancient Ones. He grew in power and soon became master over the Barumen remnants, defeated Black Legion soldiers of the Dark One, and bred them into a fierce new army. They too, by Morthoseth’s power, were given the form of shadows, visible only unto themselves, and each commanded a company of assassins and spies. Vardor decreed this Shadow Army to go, taking Morthoseth, secretly West across the sea of Valesthia to Lumenia, to recruit the weak and lure them to his cause. Though Vardor gave Morthoseth to his army, he kept the sword Valermos for himself.

Vardor’s shadows, by the power of Morthoseth, came to Men in troubled dreams and inflicted his will upon them. Elves were stronger of mind and could not be so influenced, but Men were far easier to corrupt. The Shadows convinced Men that since the world was created out of the dark, then there must be some good in Vardor’s darkness; and to this end he caused many to follow and worship him. These Men were sent out into the lands to find the scattered bands of the Black Legion and reunite them into Vardor’s new army. Over time the Shadows became the largest army ever amassed in Ammon, more terrible than his father’s Black Legion. The Barumen Axemen were brought into service once again to lead Vardor’s attacks, and with that host Vardor planned his war on the kingdom’s of the Great Realm, and he designed to bring men and elves to their knees under his rule.

King Aethelred, chosen to replace Vaelen as ruler of Lumenia after her passing many years before, soon heard rumors of the Shadow Army’s treachery. He thence sent his two sons, Barlodir and Borloth out into the land to uncover the overseer of this new threat to the Middle Kingdom and make known the enemy’s location. Barlodir, the elder of the king’s sons, was given charge of their quest and he sent his younger brother into the Outlands with a small force while he himself took a company of soldiers and journeyed North to the kingdom of Deylund to consult with its ruler, Luthol. Borloth, who was jealous of his older brother’s favor in the king’s eyes, secretly loathed him and desired his lady, Althea, whom Barlodir was destined to wed. Borloth, driven by dark dreams, did not have the love of the kingdom or its lands in his heart, but instead desired its power and possessions.

Ere long Borloth was lured to one of the Shadow Lord’s agents and, through deceit and promises, Vardor’s host caused him to betray Lumenia. In exchange for his treason, Borloth was given the sword Morthoseth by Vardor’s servant, the sorcerer Navros, and Borloth disclosed the secret entrance to the king’s citadel. By this device Vardor commanded a regiment of his Barumen lay siege to it. Though strongly fortified, the fortress could not withstand an attack from within and soon was overwhelmed by the Shadow Army; and the king was slain by Borloth with Morthoseth. That blade was one of the Ten Swords of Ammon and Borloth used its power to hold influence over Lumenia’s army and caused it to suppress the peoples under a harsh rule, imprisoning them to the realm. Soon after Borloth declared himself King of the middle realm. The lady Althea was enslaved in the dungeon of the citadel, never to be set free until she agreed to reject Barlodir and become betrothed to Borloth as his queen.

Soon Barlodir heard the terrible word that his brother now held the throne and of his treacherous deeds; and of the death of his father, whom Barlodir had greatly loved. Borloth had spread word throughout the land that he had saved the kingdom from evil by ridding it of his father, whom he claimed was in league with dark powers of the underworld. Barlodir knew these to be lies, for in his heart he perceived his brother’s true nature and he vowed to avenge his father’s death, free his lady, and reclaim the throne. Having only a small company of men and few weapons with which to fight his brother’s army, his predicament was hopeless. Seeking guidance, he journeyed to the Dead City at the foot of the Eastern Mountains to consult the oracle and sorcerer Methuscia, whom had aided his father in the past.

Methuscia, was once the most beautiful and wisest creature in all of Ammon, a lady in white with eyes of shimmering pearl who was wise with the knowledge of the world. She was born with oracular sight and the powers of a sorcerer. In ages past she had offended one of the Ancients, of whom she was a descendent, and was set upon with a terrible curse. Any male who looked upon her would see her beauty for only an instant and then be stricken with fear and death by her true appearance, which was so hideous that it froze men, as if they were stone, for an eternity. Thus, the only companions she had were the female slaves kept imprisoned in her palace of stone ghosts, and her sorcerer guardians, ten sons whom she had spawned in earlier days, who’s eyes had been plucked out when newborn, lest her sight turn them to stone.

She tempted the creatures of Ammon now with her wisdom and if any male could survive her presence and not look directly upon her she would grant him an oracle, and she was lonely and greatly desired their company.

Thereafter entering the city, Methuscia tested Barlodir’s men not to look at her, but her voice was that of an enchantress and several could not resist but to look upon the face of that beautiful voice; and those that did perished. Barlodir, however, was strong and resisted the temptation. He refused to gaze upon her. Instead he looked upon the frozen faces of his dead companions who had failed the test. Upon hearing Barlodir’s dilemma Methuscia instructed him to seek Luciendar, the Sword of Light which reveals that which is hidden and shows the true nature of creatures, in the isle of Eldinyed of the Southern lands of Amunach. Only with that enchanted sword, one of the Ten Swords, would he be able to slay the Shadow Army. Methuscia warned him however that whatever gains he would make by wielding the sword, he would also lose something of equal value to him; for each of the Ten Swords claimed a price from those whom they served. Methuscia beckoned Barlodir to stay longer but he hastened and his party left the Dead City without looking back.

For many moons they traveled, encountering numerous perils including servants of the Shadow Lord, but none could stay them and Barlodir marched on. Into the Southern realm of Amunach they came and waded through the dreaded Balach Marsh until finally reaching the shore of Lake Eldinyed. The company constructed a rough seacraft and crossed the misty water to the isle whereupon they came to an ancient temple. An evil presence was in the air, and upon entering the aged shrine they found it guarded by a Baelin: an age-old breed of immense beasts created by the Dark One almost six thousand years before.

Many foul creatures were bred by the Dark One to do his bidding and wage his wars, and the fiercest of these were the Baelin, great fanged beasts the size of dragons that were unlike any animal yet seen in Ammon. They were black furred creatures with bony armor and spines like a reptile. If one bite from these black horrors did not defeat an enemy then the paralyzing poison within its fangs would render the attacker defenseless. The Dark One bred thousands of Baelin and placed them in the front lines of his army and they won him many victories, as they were very brutal and ruthless, capable of defeating innumerable soldiers in battle without being slain. The Baelin were also used by the Dark One as guardians of his magical talismans and treasure hoards, which he had hidden throughout the world. A Baelin could live for thousands of years and many remained in service to the Dark One even long after his death. It is said that no one other than the Dark One himself or one of his generals could command a Baelin. To this day the remaining Baelin still obey the last command of their master.

Barlodir had been told many terrible tales of these ferocious beasts and their deeds throughout the ages of Ammon, but he did not show fear now that he at last faced one, for Barlodir was also a mighty warrior having defeated many a foe. With his great battleaxe he fought and slew the creature, though the battle was long and Barlodir’s wounds were many and deep, non were caused by those dread paralyzing fangs, which Barlodir had hewed from the great beasts head. While he lay in healing for many days thereafter, his company scoured the temple labyrinths until they had found the sword Luciendar. It was graved on the hilt with many sacred writings in the tongue of the Ancients. Whence the wielder spoke these words aloud he became invisible to his enemy; but the sword also held a lighted crystal in its clawed pommel, which gave the user vision to detect others that were also unseen or shadowed.

When fully healed, Barlodir took the teeth of the Baelin and forged a rare weapon of the old tradition, a Fang of Baelin. In the days of old when one of the great beasts was slain the fangs were removed and used as weapons, for they possessed great strength and paralyzing power. The handle for these fangs was formed from parts of the Baelin’s armor and bones, for they held the unique ability to bind and grow themselves together, even after death. With the great armored plates of the beast’s underbelly, Barlodir crafted a shield of impenetrable might.

Barlodir’s company journeyed back to the Kingdom of Lumenia and returned to the citadel, after having been away from it for nine moons. By taking the sword Luciendar and speaking the words graved upon its hilt, the Shadow Army was revealed to them; and the company breached the citadel’s gates. A fierce battle ensued, with many of Barlodir’s former soldiers abandoning their dark master and returning to his side. The Barumen soldiers were slain, but Barlodir’s men also were slain and much blood was spilled in the great halls. Barlodir then sought for his lady Althea, and upon entering the dungeons below, Barlodir learned of her holding place, not in a cell, but at a secret chantry of Borloth and the sorcerer Navros; and he made his way to her by the sound of her cries. Unseen by the shadowed Barumen soldiers, he at last found her, bound to an altar. Navros, holding a Sorcerer’s Dagger above Althea, was in the midst of performing some dark sacrificial ritual upon her and he meant to sacrifice her thus empowering one of his dark spells; and Borloth was there, in the shadows, waiting for his brother.

Borloth, who anticipated Barlodir, commanded the shadowed Barumen to waylay him; but Barlodir, by once again speaking the sword Luciendar’s ancient words, became invisible and charged the shadow soldiers, for he could see them by Luciendar’s light which shown from its crystal pommel. Borloth, however, also held one of the Ten Swords and his brother was made visible to him by it and he did Barlodir a grievous wound. The two brothers assailed one another and Borloth, under the mad spell of the sword Morthoseth, bested his brother, striking the sword from his hands. Barlodir, however, held one other weapon, the Fang of Baelin, and with it he paralyzed his brother with its poison blades, but Borloth would not let go the hilts of Morthoseth, and the poison’s effect was but brief on him. Recovering Luciendar, Barlodir then hewed his brother’s hands from his body, even as they still grasped Morthoseth; but from behind, Barlodir was struck down with a Talisman blade wielded by the sorcerer Navros, who then escaped the citadel. The Talisman, with a hilt fashioned in the shape of the Nasek, dreaded flying serpents of the Eastern land of Nasnandos, was forged with the black, venomous blood of those ancient beasts and no mortal could survive its strike. Thus Barlodir’s life ended, yet, by not allowing his brother to ever wield the Sword of the Shadows again, Borloth lost all of his power and was soon overtaken and imprisoned by the peoples of the Kingdom of Lumenia. The lady Althea and the other captives were set free, but as the oracle Methuscia had foretold, Barlodir’s life was lost as payment for that freedom.

The Tale of the Swords of the Ancients and Other Blades of Power and its previous versions, The Swords of the Ancients and its abridged excerpts, and other forms, are ©1997 and ©2005 by Kit Rae. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any other form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, computer networking, or otherwise without prior permission in writing by the copyright holder(s).