The Tale of the Swords of the
Ancients And Other Blades of Power
A Mythology
By
Kit Rae
First Age - Of Creation: The Anath, enchanted beings, create the world of
Ammon.
Second Age - Of Immortals: The Anath desire to create beings like unto
themselves and so they conceive the Ancients Ones and allow them to dwell in
Ammon. They are made immortal and each is given a special power of creation.
Third Age - Of Mortals: The Ancients are saddened and alone, thus the Anath
give them the power to create mortal creatures and charge the Ancients to rule
over and protect them. Elves are the first to be created. Men are second.
Uldurin, are third. The Ancients create the Temple of the Anath, hidden in the
frozen realm of Ulaine, where they dwell in its great halls and watch over
their creations.
Fourth Age - Of Chaos: Mortal creatures multiply and many wars are fought.
The Great
Realms are explored and
conquered. The Ancient Ones create the Blades of Chaos, steel bestowed with
great powers to restore order but they fail. They unbalance the world and the
Uldurin are corrupted by them and turn evil. The first Ancient One, Thorcan, is
killed by a mortal. The Uldurin wage war upon Men. Elves move underground away
from the conflict and become Dark Elves. In the underworld of Barkonia (later
called Lokonia) they discover the mystery of steel. The blade Umethar is
carefully forged by the Ancients to restore order. The Orwenoch, mysterious
dark beasts, first appear and dwell in the underworld. The Avaquar Dagger is
forged by Mahgnim. The Dark One recruits Agnemmel and corrupts him.
Fifth Age - Of Order: The Ancient Ones command the Dark Elves of Barkonia
to forge the Ten Swords to which the Ancient Ones embody with great powers of
dominion over all mortal creatures and create harmony and order in the world.
Toukol forges Anathar. The kingdoms of the Great Realm arise, Deylund, Amunach,
and Deylindor. The Uldurin are defeated by Men and driven to the Northlands.
The blade of chaos, Nasek, is concealed in the desert of Dagorlund. One of the
Ancients, Evruc, defies the others and steals the sword of darkness, Kilgorin,
and allies with the Orwenoch. He is known as the Dark One by mortals.
1: Beginning of recorded history of the Fifth Age. The
Swords of the Ancients are forged. The Battle of the Ancients is fought against
the Dark One, who has allied with the Orwenoch. Six of the remaining twelve
Ancient Ones are killed in the battle. The Ancients hunt the Dark One and the
Orwenoch for many years after. Men drive out the Uldurin and create great
kingdoms.
82: The Ancient Ones find the Dark One in Ulioc where he
is subdued by Anathar’s influence, the sword of power. He betrays the Orwenoch
hiding place to them, in the Tellorien Mountains East of Deylund. The Ancient
Ones open the Neverworld to imprison him and the blade Umethar is made its key.
The Orwenoch are driven underground into Lokonia, but they kill three of the
remaining Ancient Ones. The Dark One’s sword, Kilgorin, is not found. The nine
remaining swords are dispersed throughout the lands.
133: The order of the Mithrodin, mortal warriors, are
created by Toukol and Estea, under the guidance of Atnal.
135: Toukol forges the first Mithrodin sword and becomes
the first Mithrodin armorer. Estea becomes the first Mithrodin leader.
Mithrodin are charged to keep order over the Ten Swords and the three remaining
Ancient Ones. They reside in Deylindor, where most of the Ten Swords are
hidden, but they have many temples throughout Ammon.
333: The Ancient Ones battle the Orwenoch and rid their
kind from Ammon. One of the three remaining Ancients are killed in the battle.
The Orwenoch are banished to the Neverworld, but when the gate to the
Neverworld is opened with the Umethar to let them in, the Dark One secretly
escapes, in spirit form.
402: The Dark One reappears in Ammon, whole once again.
The first immortal sorcerers appear in Nasnandos, in the Land of Dagorlund, one
of which is Methuscia, a daughter to one of the Ancients. She is cursed by the
Ancients for using sorcery. The last of the two remaining Ancients are killed
by the Dark One in Ulaine with the sword of darkness, Kilgorin, and their kind
pass from the world. The Dark One acquires many of the remaining Ten Swords and
hides them from mortals. The Mithrodin spread their members throughout Ammon,
seeking the swords. Mithrodin recover the Umethar and place it in a secret
chamber of the hidden Temple of the Anath in the realm of Ulaine, never to be
used for fear of releasing the Orwenoch from the Neverworld.
418: The Mithrodin succeed in defeating the Dark One with
the sword of power, Anathar. He is not destroyed, for he is the last of the
Ancients. They lay waste to his body and banish his spirit to the underworld of
Lokonia, where he thenceforth appears to mortals only as a dark shadowy form, a
spectre. The Dark Elves are charged to keep his spirit from escaping the
underworld. His sword Kilgorin is hidden by the Mithrodin. The sword Anathar is
also hidden. Mithrodin establish Kingdom of Lumenia in the Great Realm to watch
over the Dark One. A secret community of sorcerers forms in Nasnandos. Navros,
the child sorcerer, is born there.
419: The Dark One regains some of his former power by
influencing the Dark Elves and causing much mistrust in their great families.
Most of the Elves leave and return to the surface of the world, but some stay
in the underworld of Lokonia, under the Dark One’s power, and they are the
Black Elves. Sorcerers spread throughout Ammon. The nameless Blade of Chaos, or
the Sorcerer’s Dagger as it later became known, is brought to Nasnandos.
724: The Elves from Lokonia migrate to the Realm of Ammunach along the great river Ragendeld that runs from the Tellorien Mountains to the Southern Sea. Many great Elven houses arise in the forests on the banks of the Ragendeld.
1014: The Dark One breeds many terrible creatures in the
depths of the Underworld. The Sorcerer’s Dagger, a nameless Blade of Chaos, is
passed to Navros in Nasnandos and he becomes the King of Nasnandos.
4027: The Dark One Breeds the first Baelin and uses them to
cause the weak to submit to his rule for fear of death.
4049: The elf Anvari slays Folkor, greatest of the Baelin,
with the Blade of chaos, Archeros. Anvari creates the four-bladed weapon
Adrasil from the dead Baelin’s armor and gives it as a gift to the Nattan. He
trains the Nattan in the ways of Elven fighting.
4080: Baelin ravage the lands of Ammunach and kill many
Elves and Men. Baelin destroy the house of Nattan on the Isle of Eldinyed and
most of its warriors are slain. Before he dies, the Duke of the Nattan gives
Adrasil to Atteniel. The Elf Anvari and Atteniel escape to Deylindor and join
the Mithrodin.
5001: Atteniel is the first female mortal to become a
master of the highest level of the Mithrodin cadre. She teaches other Mith in
the fighting style of the Nattan, trains them to slaughter the Baelin. The
Adrasil is adopted as the primary weapon of the Mithrodin for close combat.
5005: Atteniel marries the Elf Anvari. They fight along
side each other in many battles.
5053: War between Deylund and Lumenia. The immortal sorcerer Navros aids Deylund in the war. Anvari is slain in the war, fighting on the side of Lumenia. Atteniel invents the Valdris and it becomes the primary weapon of the Mithrodin for close combat, replacing the Adrasil. All Mith are trained in the art of its use and must forge their own before becoming a Mithrodin of the warrior class.
6002: The Dark One emerges again, aided by the sorcerer Navros who has given him a corporeal body once again, and wages war with his Baelin against Deylindor, the homeland of the Mithrodin. Deylindor is destroyed and made a wasteland, but most of the Mithrodin escape to other lands. Its many treasures, among which are the sword of shadows, Morthoseth, and the sword of fire, Valermos, are taken by the Dark One. They are hidden with Baelin left to guard over them. Morthoseth is hidden in the realm of Loringel and Valermos is hidden in Anundos of the realm of Dagorlund.
6003: The Dark One wages war on Lumenia and Deylund. The
Mithrodin give the sword of justice, Cinthorc, to the king of Deylund to aid in
the battle. The Dark One is driven back to Lokonia, his forces not strong
enough to battle the great numbers of mortals now in the Great Realm. Cinthorc
remains in the Realm of Deylund, passed from king to king for the next four
thousand years.
7302: The Dark One breeds the first Barumen, as he desires
to be master over his own subjects and is in need of great soldiers. He is
aided by the sorcerer Navros, who uses magic in the creation of the Barumen,
spawned from mortal men and apes of the north, and born of wolves.
7982: The Battle of the Northern Realms between Elves and
Uldurin. The Uldurin posses the ancient blade of chaos, Umethar. Uldurin are
defeated and driven back to the frozen Realms of the North, where the Elves
rule over them for a time with the sword of the earth, Anathros, given to them
by the Mithrodin. The blade Umethar is lost or destroyed the realm of Ulaine.
8228: The chiefs of the Great Realms are divided due to the
Dark One’s treachery. Dark Elves make allegiance with him and recover the sword
of darkness, Kilgorin, which the Mithrodin had secretly hidden on an isle in
the Abelard River almost 8000 years earlier. The Barumen spread throughout
Ammon.
9007: The Uldurin battle the Elves in the northern realm of
Ulaine once again and defeat them, taking the sword of the earth, Anathros. The
Elves are enslaved.
9066: The sorcerer Navros secretly resides in the realm of
Deylund for a time and stirs much malcontent among the peoples with his
witchcraft. He is discovered by the king’s men but escapes capture, fleeing to
Lokonia.
9068: King Almaeth of Deylund banishes his mother,
Morgolien, from his Kingdom for practicing the dark arts and using her power to
influence the throne. Morgolien, who was corrupted by the sorcery of Navros,
establishes the city of Nokomis in ruins of Deylindor. Many wizards, witches,
and users of the black arts gather there.
9092: Vaelen, a Mithrodin cleric, becomes a queen by
marrying King Eadred of Lumenia. The Sorcerer Navros offers his services to
Eadred but is refused. The Dark One’s Barumen have grown great in number and
have many fortresses hidden throughout the Great Realm.
10,000: The Black Legion of Barumen arise and leave Lokonia
to decimate the Great Realms, at the command of their master, the Dark One.
King Almaeth of Deylund, fearing the Barumen power, departs across the sea of
Valesthia on a quest to find the sword of power, Anathar, in Dagorlund. He is
most knowledgeable about the Ten Swords’ power, for his kingdom has held the
sword of justice, Cinthorc, in its guard for almost four thousand years.
Almaeth departs in his fleet of ships with Cinthorc and never returns. King
Eadred becomes sick and Queen Vaelen assumes the throne.
10,004: The Sorcerer Navros offers to cure King Eadred as a
token of good will between the peoples of Lokonia and Lumenia, but Vaelen
refuses, fearing treachery. King Eadred dies.
10,005: Vaelen bears the daughter of King Eadred but the
child dies shortly after birth.
10,015: The homeless child Aluen is found and brought to
Lumenia. Aluen trains with the Mithrodin.
10,020: Vaelen is given the sword of war, Elexorien, by the
Mithrodin.
10,021: Aluen slays a Baelin in one on one combat.
10,022: Vaelen unites the realms of Deylund and Lumenia, once
enemies, with Elexorien’s powers. The Black War or War of the Black Legion is
fought by the Dark One with the sorcerers of Navros against the Great Realms.
10,026: Great Realms join and defeat the Black Legion, the
Dark One is finally destroyed, and Vaelen is imprisoned in the Neverworld.
Aluen recovers the Dark One’s sword, Kilgorin, and it is returned to the
Mithrodin. Navros escapes the final battle and hides in Nokomis with the
sorceress Morgolien.
10,027: Vardor, the Dark One’s son, is born in Lokonia and
taken to Dagorlund by the sorcerer Navros. King Aethelred is chosen to replace
Vaelen as ruler of Lumenia. Navros finds the sword of shadows, Morthoseth, in
the realm of Loringel.
10,066: Navros gives Vardor the sword Morthoseth and he
becomes Lord of the Shadows. Vardor rears a new, greater breed of Barumen, the
Shadow Army.
10,076: Vardor sends the Shadow Army across the sea of
Valesthia to infiltrate the Great Realm, and a new evil arises. The Mithrodin
send Aluen, now a warrior, on a quest to find a blade of the Ancients that can
free Vaelen from the Neverworld.
10,078: King Aethelred of Lumenia sends his sons, Barlodir
and Borloth, to find the origin of the new evil. Borloth finds Navros, is
corrupted, and slays the King with Morthoseth. Shadow Army overtakes Lumenia
with Borloth’s aid. Barlodir seeks counsel from the oracle Methuscia of the
Dead City, who tells him to seek the sword of light, Luciendar, on the isle of
Eldinyed in the south, in order to defeat the Shadows.
10,079: Barlodir slays the ancient Baelin of Eldinyed and
finds Luciendar. The Shadow Army overtakes many cities in Lumenia, Deylund, and
Ammunach. Aluen learns of the Umethar from the ancient texts in the Realm of
Loringel.
10,080: Barlodir retakes Lumenia from the Shadows with Luciendar, but dies in the battle. The Mithrodin recover Morthoseth. Borloth is imprisoned, but the Shadows still cause havoc in the Great Realm. Prince Luthol of Deylund seeks counsel from the sorceress Morgolien to defeat the Shadows. She creates the Shadow Slayer blade for him. Luthol sends a quest party to find the sword of justice, Cinthorc, which she requested as payment. Mithrodin warriors temporarily lead Lumenia until a new king is chosen. They decree that the Ten Swords must be found and protected to prevent chaos. Aluen finds the blade Umethar, one of the Blades of Chaos, in the frozen Realm of Ulaine.
10,081: Prince Luthol uses the Shadow Slayer to call forth the Orwenoch spirits from the Neverworld. The Orwenoch destroy the Shadow Army for Luthol but refuse to return to the spirit world. They demand that Luthol take them across the sea to Dagorlund for revenge against Navros, the spawn of the Dark One, whom they have a long-standing grievance with since the beginning of the Fifth Age. Aluen, with the aid of the Elves, conquers the Uldurin and finds the sword of the earth, Anathros, and the Uldurin’s rule over Ulaine is ended.
10,082: Luthol’s forces and the Orwenoch attack the Shadow Army in Annundos but they are defeated. Luthol’s men betray and kill him. Aluen arrives to see the end of the battle and assembles some of the remaining troops for another assault. She raises Luthol’s dead army from the ground with Anathros and brings them to life with the Umethar, but they are undead. She assaults Morgadurin with the undead army and slays Vardor, but Navros intervenes and takes Valermos, escaping. Aluen and the remnants of Luthol’s army return to Deylund, having defeated the Shadows.
10,084: Navros resides in Nasnandos and finds the Nasek, a blade of chaos from the Fourth Age. There he also finds the remains of the lost King Almaeth and takes his sword Cinthorc, the sword of justice. Navros gains control over the winged serpents.
10,086: Luthol’s quest party at last finds the resting-place of King Almaeth in Nasnandos. Navros gives them Cinthorc and journeys with them back to Deylindor to give the sword to Morgolien.
10,087: Navros kills the quest party and gives Cinthorc to Morgolien. With the Umethar Morgolien opens the door to the Neverworld for Navros where he takes on the form of Prince Luthol and seduces Vaelen. She bears him a child, Naegolus, and Navros takes him from the Neverworld.
10,095: Morgolien begins to hunt down and exterminate the Mithrodin and finds many of the Ten Swords. She creates an army of sorcerers to take control of the Great Realm away from mortals by force of magic.
10,101: Morgolien creates a great keep in Nokomis to hold the Ten Swords. Her army of Sorcerers all but destroys the Mithrodin. The Great Kingdoms fall under her power.
10,102: Navros casts a spell upon Morgolien and removes her power. He declares himself ruler of Nokomis and gives his son Naegolus the slayer sword Molotoch. Naegolus continues the slaughter of the Mithrodin. He battles the warrior Aluen and Aluen is captured and imprisoned in Nokomis.
10,103: Morgolien releases Vaelen from the Neverworld with the Umethar and tells her of Navros’ deeds. Vaelen battles Naegolus and is defeated. Aluen is slain by Navros. Vaelen is secretly taken to the Dead City by Morgolien’s agents and she is enslaved by Methuscia. Navros learns of Morgolien’s treachery and imprisons her.
10,114: Naegolus and his sorcerers exterminate all but one
of the Mithrodin, Vaelen. Naegolus kills Methuscia and Vaelen is freed. The
wolf Scylla becomes companion and protector to Vaelen. Morgolien is freed.
Naegolus acquires his fathers six swords of the Ancients.
10,115: Naegolus battles the fire golems in the Mithrodin temple in Dagorlund and finds the sword of power, Anathar. Nokomis is destroyed by Vaelen and Scylla kills Morgolien. Vaelen finds Avaquar on the Isle of fire and there she battles and kills Naegolus, her son. The island perishes and the swords of the Ancients are lost with it, save Anathar. Vaelen returns to Lumenia and becomes ruler over all of the Great Realms.
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).