Rough map of Armas
Thargon continent where Ymandragore Is
The Light blue band is the Novarian current
Elgin Talonass is the original Elven homeland land
This is a compilation of the genealogies and acts of the kings and queens of Tam which will prove vital to my story but are a separate tale altogether and will all be discussed in their proper time but for now here is a brief overview.
DE Demonic Era RE Republic Era
First was Malorn Elf friend and Alorion Treestar these two were both powerful beings who did things far to numerous to list in any tale but here are the major things
Malorn Elf friend Born 27DE-Died 30RE
Overthrew the Demon King Ilkcho to form the Kingdom of Relef
Bound the Infernals to their soul talismans
Created Tear Lake during the battle with Pyrosis
Brought the White Stags from Halla, the Elven lands
Captured the Greenstone from Aqumon
Alorion Treestar Born 319DE-Died 30RE
Destroyed the Fortress city of Vick
Developed the process through which mortals harness Balefire
Developed six-hundred-forty-two spells still in use
Created seventeen species of animals
Defeated Asmodeus in magical combat
These two had four children their oldest Boroak was born in 12RE, The middle Boar was born in 13RE,
Then the twins Mineriv and Elinor were born in 29RE
Malorn and Alorion were slaughtered in their home by their eldest son Boroak who had just come into his majority
The reign of Boroak would be cut short a year later when he was assassinated by his brother Boar
The reign of Boar the Butcher however, would be long and terrible
The Reign of Boar The Butcher
(Those with weak stomachs and vivid imaginations don't read this section)
It was two weeks after ascending to the throne that Boar would show the cruelty in store for his people. The Purging was a massacre of the entire senate and plebeian committee was which committed by the king's guard the Black Shields. This event had blood flowing from council hall steps for nearly a month and permanently dyed marble red.
Before the victims of the Purging were even in their graves there was another atrocity being committed the planting of the Curio or Blood groves. The Blood Groves were made up of Curio bushes, Curio bushes are about three feet tall and bear fruit of a blood red gem. However they require blood from a sentient creature to blossom. Boar had nearly a thousand acres of land in the center of the city cleared to make room for this garden and then had a cell made for resisters and dissidents to breed so he could water his plants. It is said he took a picnic lunch every Thursday to watch the plants being watered. The plants were highly fruitful giving Relef a gold stockpile of epic proportions
This gold would go into improvements for the city, not for it's citizens but it's sadistic king, the ruins of Boar's solid gold pleasure boat testify to this.
It was five years into the tyrannical rule of Boar that he found an ambition other than the torture of his populace that was the quest for immortality, To accomplish this he recruited Koth of Elgian Torasiss who was rumored to be almost a thousand years old himself. Koth was not sadistic but had an indifference to the suffering around him, he despised Boar's childish glee at new and inventive forms of torture but the pay was good and he had free reign for any experiment he desired. Koth's experiments were many the most well remembered and speakable were the Helltiger and the Bloodstones.
The Helltiger is an evil magical mutation developed for those who are willing to use Curio bushes it caused a normal tiger to change to a from black and orange stripes to a solid blood red with matching eyes that excreted gems, just so long as it ate the flesh of virgins. I shall not go into what happened with those corpses as it would get this book banned from any respectable library in the known universe.
The Bloodstones were a different matter altogether they didn't consume the body but the mind leaving a mindless but still perfectly functional being after words. The Bloodstones were a tribute to the necromantic arts they took a Curio Fruit and used it to drain the mind of a sentient being, Its purpose was to fuel spell casting without the mental strain normal to the wizard.
Seven years into the reign of the butcher there were reports stirring of a pair of twins male and female about eight years of age leading a resistance movement, these were Mineriv and Elinor. Though at the time Boar didn't realize this at the time they were a great threat to his authority. Boar however would not harbor any resistance he had every pair of twins slaughtered and hung their bodies around the capital city, Mineriv however was his mother's son he had the most astounding intellect of anyone before or since until his grandson Mineriv II, he separated from Elinor so that they would not seem to be twins
Things went on without any improvement for twenty years when Mineriv and Elinor brought the economy of Relef to it's knees, Mineriv had been working on his plan for seventeen years it was so simple it was brilliant they simply fed the Helltigers regular beef causing them to produce fecal matter instead of gems and then watered the Curio bushes with the last bit of holy water in the kingdom, destroying them utterly, Finally as Elinor fled Mineriv killed Koth.
After three years of decay the kingdom collapsed, Mineriv however was inspired by the story of Malorn who he did not know was his father at the time rebuilding what they could Mineriv and Elinor ruled the renamed kingdom of Tam jointly for nearly three hundred years, Boar didn't know half elves were almost immortal without magic.
The Reign of Mineriv and Elinor
(The beginning of a golden age)
It was three days after Boar was killed in a duel with Mineriv I that the Reign of the twins began, It was truly a perfect pair Mineriv's genius had Tam up and running in less than a month and Elinor was the charismatic leader. They however refused, despite much public demand for it to marry each other instead Elinor married Mardith Feen and had two children, Lily and Rose both extremely extremely beautiful but polar opposites in terms of personality. Lily was warlike and practiced constantly with weapons of all sorts, Rose on the other had was extremely peaceful and had an intense desire to grow things. The irony here is Rose was the first mortal female to suffer the Bloodwrath in fact the reason she was called Rose was because of her solid pink eyes. But we shall get to them later in our tale. It was a year into the reign of the twins that Mineriv's brilliance was truly discovered, the torture cells had been replaced with public baths, the Curio bushes had been uprooted and in their place had been put a plant of Mineriv's own design it was a truly marvelous tree with silvery bark, golden leaves, and a fruit that is still considered a miracle today It had many magical effects that Tam still enjoys
The Tammian Peach
The Tammian peach is a wonder of the gardener's art, It cures diseases, extends lifespans, and most importantly to it's creator is not only infinitely versital in alchemist's laboratory but also can be planted in a farmer's soil instantly causing any plants within a 20 acre radius grow to full maturity. It is 25% of the total agricultural product in Tam.
The First War
Tam's first war was long in coming but when it did it struck like the fist of Neir. During the reign of Boar Tam was left alone because there was nothing really worth invading it was a hilly country with poor soil and blood running through the streets. However after five years of Elinor and Mineriv's miraculous rule the soil was among the richest in the world, food was in a surplus, and the quality of life for your poorest Tammian was as high as Barons and Counts of it's nearest neighbors. It was the people of the island kingdom of Rangor that struck at Tam. It should have been an easy victory Tam had only a small standing military mostly navy and that was for protection in trade. Elinor had however decreed a year before a system of conscription among the country anyone able between the ages of 17 and 40 would be called forth in case of invasion. This worked because every man, woman, and child who could lift a weapon trained with one. Upon being called conscripts would be expected to bring their gear and six days of food for a march allowing armies to be raised quickly and efficiently. In case more troops were needed people over 40 would be called, only in the most dire emergencies would those under 17 be called. But it was not the conscripts alone in this war, there were two other fighting forces a Navy of nearly three hundred warships and a small but highly trained army consisting of about 10,000 men all masters with at least three weapons the scimitar, the short bow, and the light lance, and expert riders. It was this army that would spawn many of the finest known soldiers, mercenaries, bodyguards, and adventurers known to human kind these included Typhoon Firewind, Elwin Flamedancer, Harsif the Half Demon, Blod the Holy, and many others to numerous to mention here although they have their own chapter later. The war started in favor of the Rangorian military until two conscripts a pair of elves, Nova Starburst and Typhoon Firewind turned the tide. Nova was a sorcerer of incalculable power and Typhoon perhaps the greatest swordsman of all time. Their plan was absolutely foolish but it had the desired effect. Their plan was to teleport into the Rangorian leader's tent and I believe the saying is cut off a dragon's head and you've killed the body. The execution of said plan went of as written by Nova Starburst himself "It was about three hours before dawn and I was beginning the incantation to teleport this blade dancer and myself into the commander's tent. Esron Quirn STARNTO, and we were off in an attempt to save the very future of a people and their kingdom. I should have known how heavily guarded he would be but I was cocky, Before we could recover from teleportation disorientation we were set upon my at least a dozen guards. They were upon us just as I recovered, using the most powerful spell in my memory I released a jet of Balefire into the face of the nearest. The guards did not react to this other than the one who struck as Balefire not only kills you but removes your name from the Book of Time, I hated using it but the situation called for haste. Typhoon had recovered by this time and I must say his name suits him well I've never seen someone so fast and precise with a blade. He sent seven to the sunny hills and quiet streams before I could begin another evocation he is truly a paragon of our race. I can't remember how we got into the tent as that memory has been washed from my head with long years of arcane dueling but we did and when we did oh dear Soulesk Ro the fury of Typhoon was terrifying even to a servant of the Burning Prince, Neir has truly touched that one. But even for the horror of the battle I am thankful for him, We had not found a single commander but the entire twelve general council of Rangor. The battle was incredibly fierce but extremely brief, It took about half a minute Typhoon simply roared, no warcry just a long single horrifying scream it still haunts me despite the two hundred years that have passed. He however doesn't seem to remember the battle but he rended their flesh more quickly than any spell I could channel. I shall not record anymore as it is too terrible" ~Nova Starburst Servant of Ro. The discovery of the horribly disfigured leaders of their invasion disheartened the Rangorian soldiers and they began to turn back as they did though they were given a reminder of why not to attack Tam, every step of the way back to their ships they were peppered with arrows, sling stones, and javelins. When they finally did arrive at the harbor where there ships were they found them missing, Mineriv had in another stroke of genius had the ships stolen and merged into the Tammian navy. Mineriv however had mercy on the soldiers and had a bridge erected across the Torga Strait which is now a major trade route between the two kingdoms. The bridge itself is incredible fifty miles long five miles wide and high enough for even the largest ships to pass under it, made of the white marble of Tam with Rangorian granite pillars it is truly a wonder to behold.
Mineriv takes a wife
Mineriv was not a social person, he could be if he desired be a silver tounged charmer but he never felt the need to use two words when one would do. This understandably drove many away from personal relationships with him but there was one that Mineriv's logic seemed to fail around Elshay, a maid introduced to him by Typhoon Firewind, his sister as a matter of fact. Mineriv was smitten with the amazon woman, incredibly beautiful and though not as intelligent has the Mentalist she was a wise young thing. Mineriv was not blinded by his emotions but his judgment was rather clouded by Elshay's presence in his castle and though he rarely showed such affection Elshay was no fool and was one of the two people who noticed Mineriv's subtle attempts at wooing the warrior's sister. The other was Elinor, who was truly amazed at the change that came over her brother, he had spent his time composing poetry and songs that were not his usual types of work and stayed up nights wandering the castle. It was after a poison attempt that nearly took his life that Mineriv after five years of nearly constant company with the maid proposed to Elshay Firewind, It was a week later that she returned her answer, no. Mineriv instantly forgot all duties and retired to his laboratory for nearly three months, not coming out for any reason whatsoever, It was only after hearing that this once great man was starving himself and denying anyone access to him despite his obligations to the peasantry that Elshay returned to the castle to console the grieving king. Mineriv however would not allow anyone even her into his inner sanctum so Elshay did what she felt was required in the circumstance she climbed into the laboratory window and was met by a pathetic sight, Mineriv had become a skeleton with his mahogany eyes red with crying, his arms stained with the many products of alchemy. Elshay was moved to pity for the man whom she had loved but as she approached him Mineriv stepped back and ran towards the door, Elshay acted as best she knew how grabbing a pottery beaker she flung it at Mineriv's head. When he woke up Mineriv was looking directly into the mesmerizing amber eyes of his beloved as she said "So are you ready to listen now you stubborn fool?" Mineriv smiled as he said "Only because you asked so nicely" Elshay looked at him pityingly, a smile no longer looked right on the face of this gaunt man but she spoke with a hard tone that instantly made Mineriv sit up and take notice "When you asked me to marry you I simply thought you were doing it because my brother had threatened you as he had mentioned something to the effect not a day before, but when I heard you had locked yourself in your laboratory I finally believed you were asking of your own volition." Mineriv cut her off with a kiss, when they finally parted he said "As for your brother he did not threaten me although he had nudged me in your direction a few times but as for you I love you with more than my entire being I can't keep you out of my head." Elshay smiled and said "Then start making plans for a wedding." Mineriv pulled a folded parchment out of his pocket and replied "Will that work I spent nearly a week on it in my lab." Elshay was speechless it was in her opinion perfect, Mineriv smiled at her and went to get things underway. I shall not write of the wedding as It is a tradition in Tam not to write of someone's wedding before their funeral unless you are the married party.
Two Births and a Death
It is a tragedy that befell the King a year later His wife Elshay Firewind died in childbirth with twin sons, Tam and Helios. Mineriv was hit hard by the loss of his beloved but he handled it well and carried on with his life, many said he had grown much over the past year and that his sons would be in good hands despite the loss of their mother. Mineriv however was not so sure he highly doubted his skill in raising children especially if they were anything like their mother but he would try. Mineriv was a good father other than he had rather high expectations. These however would not only be met but surpassed by the pair, by their fifth birthday they were already showing signs of amazing abilities. Sadly these abilities were not only noticed by the royal family, The Sorcerer King of Ymandragore a being of extreme power also noticed this budding magical powers of the brothers and was determined to have them in his kingdom. Mineriv would however not allow his children or any others in his kingdom to be taken by this demon.
The Children's War
It was the year 106RE when the Black Fleet struck the Tammian navy, the battle was short but incredibly brutal even the most kindly treated soldier was tortured in ways that would have made Boar the Butcher wretch. It was as my research revealed, a calculated maneuver to demoralize our troops. It backfired in a most profound manner, Mineriv called on his most trusted soldier Typhoon Firewind. His orders were to stop the Black Fleet at any cost. Typhoon would not be seen again by any Tammian citizen for nearly seven years he took volunteers from the army and militia to Ymandragore to as Typhoon put it "Allow an opportunity to speak with the Sorcerer King and if blades were to cross all the better." Though we do not know how this battle went the entire force that went to Ymandragore came back though many have said they they would have rather died than to have seen the horrors of Ymandragore Typhoon is the only one of the Ymandragore Strikers as they came to be known still alive and he pales every time he's asked of the island. After the strike force left the attacks on Tam ground to a halt but vigilance continued and still continues, The lessons of Hurrian were well learned.
Silverstone
Created by the Mad Mage Alaster one hundred miles west of the Charon river that is the border Tam It was made of Granite and Iron with a six inch layer of magically strengthened silver and capped with twelve diamonds the size of large melons. Alaster lived in this two hundred foot tower for almost two hundred years until his death in the Plane of Fire when it was passed along with all his possessions to his favorite apprentice Eda Spellspiner
The General of the Shades
Typhoon Firewind, the greatest warrior known to history had been destroyed. His body still roamed the earth but bidding war for his soul had begun. I suppose for the ignorant of Abyssal politics a little information is required. When a good soul is stolen or an evil soul dies the bidding war begins if the soul has no great gifts it is typically taken by the first bidder without a fuss but when a soul with the abilities of Typhoon Firewind arrives on the platform bidding begins. If two or more parties want the soul each bids, the winning bid has the souls he bids are returned to the cauldron. In the case of a stolen soul they may only have it until the body is slain if they can't break him before that point he is given a choice, he may join the immortal plane of his choice or he may be reincarnated into the mortal plane with no loss in his abilities. Typhoon was the oldest being left in the known planes, he didn't break to the whips of his demonic overlords. Balmot won the auction and offered the old warrior a choice he could be subject to the torment until he broke or he could become an agent of change. "I will give you three hundred levels of the Abyss under your own control and even more power than you have now if you only serve me." Balmot said "Not even if you gave me control of everything would I become your trained killer, break me if you can." Typhoon replied "Balmot laughed and summoned Typhoon's body "Than you will stay here forever fool!" Typhoon had learned something from his friend Nova Starburst about soulless bodies and he stepped into it. Typhoon's powerful arm struck the demon prince in the throat. "Now demon scum I have a deal for you give me all the souls in your realms and you will live." Typhoon Firewind walked out of the underworld with over a million shades behind him.
Immature writers imitate, Mature writers steal
Mary-Jean would you be so kind as to when you get the chance check the reign of Boar the Butcher for PCness please
wow, michael,
i'm extremely impressed. i think it's incredible that you've got this much story already mapped out.
i think "the reign of boar the butcher" is right on the pc line. i'm glad you didn't go into what happens with the corpses.
can i make a suggestion though? take it or don't, because either way these stories are awesome. here goes: you might try taking some of the emphasis (without taking from the volume or brutality) of the slaughters and murders and putting some of it on the mechanics of belief and ritual and magic of this world. to me, that's what makes science fiction and fantasy writing so interesting. writers like tolkien and philip k. dick still included all the bloody stuff, but i think the reason that their names are still remembered was because of the thorough descriptions of the worlds they created. that's my suggestion. again, though, i'm very much impressed by all of this.
This story is really just a transcription of a Dungeons & Dragons adventure of mine and as for the slaughters you'll have to explain what you mean as I'm not sure I get it. But as for the slaughters themselves it was a ploy to be as offensive as possible and I toned it down to about one tenth of it's original EBIL and yeah you don't want to know what happened to the corpses.
Fun fact amongst all the blood and guts (So didn't sound right but I'm keeping it in here anyway) Mineriv is named for Mineriva the Roman goddess of wisdom and Elinor is an elven flower from middle earth
Story Element Term: Neir, Flaming God of War, The Crusader, The Crucible
only a few hundred pages of this history to go
i guess i meant, don't reduce the number of killings. the people definitely still need to die if it's part of the story. i'm just saying, you might - MIGHT (at your discretion as a bard/storyteller) - take some time from describing the direction the river of blood is flowing, and put more time into why it's flowing. does that make more sense? i hope so, because i got confused writing it.
ps, i love the quote at the bottom!
pps...i'm glad you added the rule of mineriv and elinor. i was really looking forward to reading them and you only put the heading =(
but now it's there! =)
I understand what you mean however this is a PC, summary version of these stories if I were to write it in it's full blood and gore and Balefire glory I would most definitely be but in a white rubber room with a helmet on my head and a cork on my fork.
PS: Comment about writers is true
PPS: Mineriv I and Elinor aren't done yet
PPPS: only Helios the Architect before Mineriv II
A few braw new sections to the wee story come check them out
keep it coming! i love it!
They will keep coming as I find them this story is scattered over about two-thousand sheets of paper and half of it is in now illegible writing.
PS: that's the reason Nova wrote no more on the subject of Typhoon's butchery of the generals I couldn't read it
Michael,
I like that you put in a warning about weak stomachs. Niles is right that it gets right up to the line. However, if you are being accurate in your description, I think it should stand. And I'm incredibly impressed with your writing. Wow! The Tammanian Peach factoid stood out to me because as a librarian, I like some "fact" mixed in with the fantasy.
I agree with Niles on the suggestion about the "why" of it all. You could provide exposition of your thoughts on why characters do and say what they do. For example, I always enjoy a discussion of what makes Naruto tick and how Gaara became what he is in season 3.
Does that make sense?
Thank you for your contribution, see you tonight, Mary Jean
How come my most recent comment showed up in the middle of the conversation? Doh?
michael! that's awesome! a map?! that's just plain cool. could you make the font bigger on it, though. it's impossible to read.
Ok I redid the font on the map
thanks, that helps put everything in better context...
two things one, Armas the big one is where Tam is located It covers the entire southern peninsula up to the Charon river. Two, I hate the Library search system I spent 30 minutes looking for Greek mythology and over half of it is considered juvenile literature. The reason I was searching for it is well two reasons I plan on doing a pantheon change which I will post here 'cuz it's gonna be AWESOME and two I need new minor artifacts for Zomrar, I never really went there and well I have Elwin slaughtering Frost Giants there in the near future, so MWAHAHAHAHAHA It should be an interesting month
michael!
i've been waiting for this to be updated for forever. where do i know alaster from? he's not in the warshaper story line is he? does eda spellspinner have a background story?
Alaster if you have read Forgotten Realms is Halaster the Madmage he is also a second generation apprentice of Nova Starburst. Eda however I will give you any more on as she comes in my next story, however considering this is getting so confusing I can hardly keep up and I wrote the stuff let me make a time line of the history I've given you and add new stuff as I reveal it.
Hey Niles would you be so kind as to delete this page I'm going to redo it with the whole story or at least what I'm willing to reveal, It's not a secret if you tell anybody
hey michael,
are you sure you want me to delete this? do you promise to put it all back up?
Yes I'm sure I want you to delete this, as for putting it back I have half the stories re-edited to work on the board so yeah it will all be back in a month or two plus some more