AmK

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and yes I know Kadarsi wasn't included

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Foreword of the publisher

 

"Old blood runs deep and has long histories." - Isovar Kurben

 

I, Novtorn Stonefire, have decided to begin releasing the chapters and stories of the "Book of Tales". What the book be, you may ask, so I shall answer. The "Book of Tales" is less of a book, but more of a compendium of past times, reaching back further and more extensive into Human history than any book I know of. It tells the tale of not only my family, but the tales of many a man who lived and walked the lands before our ancestors. Written in a tongue long lost to the common man.

 

Translating it out of its original language is a difficult task, a task, on which three men before me have worked on and succeeded to various amounts. These first chapters were translated by Isovar Kurben, the son of Galtor I. Stafyr. He received the book originally from his grandfather Beorn Stafyr, who was an aged man at that time. Let his words speak for him.

 

 

Personal Entries by One of Galtor’s Children

 

Grandfather had become open about his past in these past two years. He was nearing his eighty-sixth birthday, he was weak and tired. I suppose that he wished to ease his mind before heading on. For the stories he has told and things he had done I can understand. Yet again, it deems me that Grandfather intended to preserve something, thus he gave me this mysterious book, called "Book of Tales". In his dying breath he told me... no, us, not to forget our roots and to preserve tales of old.

 

Uncle Hanethor was suspicious what it could mean, but he seemingly shrugged it off and turned his attention back to the progressing march of the undead. Father did not seem to care too much either, though he mourned remarkably. Aunt Sybilla wept lightly, but a kind smile was on her face... like she has forgiven him for something.

I will try to maintain a constant series of entries as I progress with the book Grandfather gave me. Consider this the first.

 

...

 

I have given it plenty of thoughts, though I assume it is best to start with talking about the past with the first who belongs to it. The stories Grandfather told me are a heavy burden on my mind, but blood and family are supposed to know some day.

 

My Grandfather, Beorn Stafyr, committed theft and murder. For a quarrel with his father, Brimar, and being disowned by him, he had slain his very own mother, Alexandra, and stole the heirlooms of his family, leaving a mourning father with a younger brother, Gorn, behind. The heirlooms consist of following items:

 

First and foremost, an old crown of copper with an emerald, to be worn by the head of Stafyr. Uncle Hanethor currently has it and wears it often enough.

 

Secondly, our old falcon Thondor, grey feathered with a small green tabard. Father meant he had looked like that ever since he can think back, when he was but a child. He seems to be in service to Hanethor.

 

Thirdly, a set of armor, which deems me of incredible value. A plate armor of gold and a chainmail of silver. Nobody wears it right now, but we keep it safe, as it is... precious. There has to be something about it.

 

Also, two weapons so fine and sharp as if they were never used before, despite their high age. A foreign tongue is written on the hilts of the Longsword Hanethor and the Battleaxe (one-handed, I have to remark here) Galtor. Father and Uncle both wield their namesakes right now.

 

The last heirloom Grandfather gave me was this very book. Book of Tales. Records of times past, records of events, people and items. I wonder what I may dig up...

 

...

 

It was a dark day as we left our home two weeks ago. The undead are marching onward, nigh unstoppable. Uncle Hanethor led father and our men into a few battles, I took part with my bow. In terms of heirlooms, I was able to witness the twin blades in action for the first time. As if their weapons, armors and bodies were made of paper, Hanethor and Galtor cut through the dark and dead beings with ease. They were able to kill many a foe, but after losing a few men and the relentlessly assaulting undead seemed to take no end, we retreated. I can hear a horn sounding. Finishing this entry, battle calls.

 

...

 

The Verge. Father is dead.

 

...

 

We got split up. Uncle Hanethor's children are nowhere to be found. I only have Aunt Sybilla, Suldren, Sevren and his wife Aewves and Hunrad with me. Hunrad leads us, I do hope, to safety.

 

...

 

The last entry was years ago. Many a thing happened, I am an aging man now. And the last one alive it seems. I have made the decision to work on this book now, as much as I can, to preserve what can be preserved. To translate what can be translated.

 

I. Chapter - Myth

  

 

Following was translated by Isovar Kurben from Old Rivachegian to the common tongue. It begins with the eldest entries.

 

 

Thus it was in old times past, that the Almannir came to meet their fate. A foe strong enough to crush an entire people, such was the test of Machr, dr Gott (God?). Fyrschlund, dr Dracha (Dragon?), came to consume the lives of many of the Almannir. Heroes fell in battle, one after another. Nobody could stop the beast with its insatiable hunger.

 

Even Großma, the last of the Galdr, fell to Fyrschlund after three days and nights of battle. As all hope seemed lost, the last chieftains of the Almannir came together and rallied their men to their side, a force numbering the thousands of thousands. Led by chieftain Rigfyr Stoafyer, chieftain Krashgar Rettersma, Altkö*** (King?) Zubr Altbom, chieftain Haralt Stoakachl and the female chieftain Juna Wiidafrou, the five armies drew a rainbow through the lands of the Almannir, green, yellow, light-brown, red and blue.

 

Fyrschlund has been waiting and was prepared. As the bright colored army approached the wastelands of the Northern regions of Almannir, where Fyrschlund has eaten man and Tier (animal?), consumed the plants and very earth itself, he greeted the five last heroes with an army of his own. Reeking and pitch-black, the Totamännr (?) crawled out of the cold and snowy wasteland, thousands and thousands of them, consuming the very light that shone upon them by the sun.

 

For a week the armies fought, dotting the white snow with tabards and armor of green, yellow, light-brown, red, blue and pitch-black. Fyrschlund himself became impatient at the unyielding Almannir and charged into battle himself, burning hundreds of the brave with his searing fire, smashing thousands with his claws and tails. And so it was time that the five chieftains of the Almannir came to fight Fyrschlund himself. Rettersma died first, but took the dragon's tail. Stoakachl took his wings before being stomped under Fyrschlunds claws. Altbom crippled his legs before vanishing in fire. Stoafyer took his breath before being crushed by his jaws. But Juna Wiidafrou was not able to slay the dragon, too deep her wounds were. The son of Rigfyr then approached, as the last Almannir standing amidst the field of colors and dead. Fyrschlund was enraged and tried to snap at him, to devour him, to destroy whatever he could from the people who have brought him to fall. Juna took her last will and power and blinded the one-eyed Fyrschlund with an arrow from one of his own Totamännr. Unseen, the son of Rigfyr, climbed on the furious, blind and maimed dragon and drove his lance deep into his skull, ending the nightmare. The Almannir saved their lands at the cost of their own lives. And thus the son of Rigfyr was the last of the Almannir, left alone in the endless wastelands covered in what have been such fertile and peaceful people.

 

II. Chapter - Origin

 

Wealtfyr, the first of the Almannir. A crumbling pillar of stone and dirt, Machr, dr Gott, took the eternal fire of the sun, the soothing coolness of the deepest waters, the rushing winds of the storms and bound them into Wealtfyr, giving him life, letting him breathe, smell, taste and see, feel the world as it was.

 

Machr told him to go forth and shape the world, to learn and live, to forget and die. In fear Wealtfyr was at first, as he knew nothing about what he was and where he came from, so he ran in panic, through forests and hills, swamps and mountains. Fleeing from Machr's presence. But the one and true Machr was always with him, no matter how far he ran, how deep he dived or how high he climbed. As Machr was part of the world itself and the world was part of Machr, such was impossible. As if a madness was consuming him, Wealtfyr began to climb Himmlsbruck (???), to meet an early end. Machr, dr Gott, was disappointed and intended to let this creation of his proceed and end itself, to vanish from the face of the world as fast as it came to meet it. Yet, just as Wealtfyr approached the ridge, two big palms held him back. Hands like his, but many times the size. So Wealtfyr met Rugr, a Galdr, a creation of Machr which has wandered the lands for long and forgotten times. Wealtfyr's madness subsided and he went with the Galdr to his home, Hangaldr, the city of the First.

 

Machr was always keen watching over the small Wealtfyr amongst the old and mighty Galdr, who taught him their ways of life, faith and their tongue, Rivachegian. Soon enough, Wealtfyr went to Himmlsbruck again, using his new-found voice to speak to Machr, to bid him for forgiveness, to thank him for life and existence and to pray. Machr then proceeded to gift Wealtfyr with a companion, his future wife Adgalla. The unusual looks and shape of her waked interest but also suspicion amongst the Galdr, which have never seen a being such as Adgalla.

 

Many years passed and the children of Wealtfyr and Adgalla were five:

 

Stoafyer the Steadfast

Rettersma the Helpful

Altbom the Noble

Stoakachl the Strong

Wiidafrou the Gentle

 

Machr was pleased with what his creations have become and gifted each of Wealtfyr's and Adgalla's children a companion themselves. A name given by the Galdr soon found its way to Wealtfyr and his family. Almannir.

 

As the Almannir grew in number and size, Wealtfyr's family was soon so big, that the eldest five great grandchildren of his went ahead and founded the five Almannir clans. And yet again, as time went on, soon the Almannir outnumbered the Galdr, who could not have children and who began to perish from dark creatures appearing and pouring into the peaceful lands of Galdrland. Sparks lead to fire, and so the Almannir saw themselves forced to leave their long mentors and old friends. By keeping their ways and their tongue, the Almannir forged an ever-lasting bond with the dwindling Galdr, of whom Obrma their Altkönig (King?) said, that their time is coming to an end and a new chapter would begin for the Almannir, the small people. A first tale has been told of four siblings in a far away land, and that soon enough the Almannir would join the kin of the four siblings.

 

End of the Almannir

Thus it was in old times past, that the Almannir came to meet their fate. A foe strong enough to crush an entire people, such was the test of Machr, dr Gott. Fyrschlund, dr Dracha, came to consume the lives of many of the Almannir. Heroes fell in battle, one after another. Nobody could stop the beast with its insatiable hunger.

Even Großma, the last of the Galdr, fell to Fyrschlund after three days and nights of battle. As all hope seemed lost, the last chieftains of the Almannir came together and rallied their men to their side, a force numbering the thousands of thousands. Led by chieftain Rigfyr Stoafyer, chieftain Krashgar Rettersma, Altkönig Zubr Altbom, chieftain Haralt Stoakachl and the female chieftain Juna Wiidafrou, the five armies drew a rainbow through the lands of the Almannir, green, yellow, light-brown, red and blue.

 

Fyrschlund has been waiting and was prepared. As the bright colored army approached the wastelands of the Northern regions of Almannir, where Fyrschlund has eaten man and Tier, consumed the plants and very earth itself, he greeted the five last heroes with an army of his own. Reeking and pitch-black, the Totamännr crawled out of the cold and snowy wasteland, thousands and thousands of them, consuming the very light that shone upon them by the sun.

 

For a week the armies fought, dotting the white snow with tabards and armor of green, yellow, light-brown, red, blue and pitch-black. Fyrschlund himself became impatient at the unyielding Almannir and charged into battle himself, burning hundreds of the brave with his searing fire, smashing thousands with his claws and tails. And so it was time that the five chieftains of the Almannir came to fight Fyrschlund himself. Rettersma died first, but took the dragon's tail. Stoakachl took his wings before being stomped under Fyrschlunds claws. Altbom crippled his legs before vanishing in fire. Stoafyer took his breath before being crushed by his jaws. But Juna Wiidafrou was not able to slay the dragon, too deep her wounds were. The son of Rigfyr then approached, as the last Almannir standing amidst the field of colors and dead. Fyrschlund was enraged and tried to snap at him, to devour him, to destroy whatever he could from the people who have brought him to fall. Juna took her last will and power and blinded the one-eyed Fyrschlund with an arrow from one of his own Totamännr. Unseen, the son of Rigfyr, climbed on the furious, blind and maimed dragon and drove his lance deep into his skull, ending the nightmare. The Almannir saved their lands at the cost of their own lives. And thus the son of Rigfyr was the last of the Almannir, left alone in the endless wastelands covered in what have been such fertile and peaceful people.

 

III. Chapter - Promises

 

“Min Vatr war Prifyr, dr Soh vo Rigfyr.“ - Stafyr

 

Silus‘ note:

 

Following translated sections of this quite extensive compendium of history and knowledge in regards to Humans, more specifically to the old ancestry of the noble family of Stafyr, give a curious amount of insight onto the coming of the Stonefires, their “adventures” and encounters and how their heirlooms came to be. Though it has to be considered that going for other sections which are not translated entirely as of this moment that other bloodlines, yes, even the Hansetian people themselves might have Almannir ancestry flowing in them.

Fact is, this book is old and the tales reach far back. And I have only come to understand so much of old Rivachegian. Isovar’s work ends here, most likely because he did not pick up the book or was indisposed or probably dead already. So I shall pick up.

 

Stafyr, was his name. A son of Prifyr (S: This might be an indication that Prifyr had more children, hence this might indicate that Stafyr Stonefire actually had siblings. If those had children themselves, I cannot tell at this point.), who bested and has slain Fyrschlund, devourer of the Galdr and Almannir.

 

Stonefire, he chose, for it was the name of the eldest of Wealtfyr, the first Almannir Machr has awoken and breathed his will and spirit into. To go with language and time, the name was renewed.

 

Remembering the past in the name you give yourself, not to forget the peril his blood and people have gone through, and that he descends from the last of the Almannir and that he shall hold up the principles of old, the Galdr have taught. Lawfulness, to never speak wrong justice and uphold righteousness, Honor, to do good and retain your name, Loyalty, to never betray your friends and remain true to your kin and people, Family, for your blood is what flows in them as well as theirs flows in you, Truth, for you shall not speak lies as they have brought for the end of many a people, who were unwilling to see it. These five principles Stafyr held up high and induced them into his children as his father before him and his grandfather before him and all of his ancestry. For such the Almannir were given the ways of the Galdr, ancient but powerful ways.

 

“Wenn mir nümma sen, denn sen ihr dia nöchschta um zum witrführa was dr Machr üs uferlet hot.”

 

Those were the words of Obrma to Wealtfyr. A promise Wealtfyr has given to Obrma and which he promised his children would uphold from the first breath to the last of days and beyond.

 

But not alone the name it was, for the promise to be remembered, for the promise to be carried on. Prifyr left Stafyr the very crown of all the Almannir, the simple crown of copper, embedded with one of the five gems of Himmlsbruck (S: still not sure, if this is a place), forged by the strong and gentle palms of Rugr, who saved Wealtfyr from his very demise at the same place.

 

The crown is to be worn by every true Altkönig, to lead their people and their blood through times of light and dark.

 

 

Silus’ note:

 

The copper crown does actually exist from what I deem. I saw it upon Godwein’s head when I was a young boy and this aged, mushroom-covered gentleman was having a conversation with my uncle, the Emperor Godfrey. Curious, considering now that it is so old, perhaps it fields some kind of properties… magical perhaps. Curious, where the other four gems of the Galdr are. Ruby, Sapphire, Amethyst and Topaz. Saw that in some notes of Isovar.

 

I best proceed with translating the upcoming chapters. It deems me that the other artifacts will get mentioned onwards. Tale of Thondor especially. I want to know how this falcon works..

 

IV. Chapter - Will

 

“To seek what is left behind of the old Will.“ - Halfyr

 

 

So it was Halfyr who took the dangerous journey to a land far away and long forgotten, for it was consumed by the Terror his grandfather has slain. The very will inherited from his ancestors burned in him, a fire which could only be extingushed by satisfying the curiosity which drove him back to the lands of his forefathers.

 

With his brother Dendrag and the true friends Malkar and Truon he aspired a journey which would take him beyond the mountains seen in the far, beyond the lands of snow, to the birthplace of the Almannir, their lands, to the place where Fyrschlund’s terror found its end. Always heading towards the path the Emerald of the Galdr shone upon in the moonlight, the four brave, two of Almannir blood, two of Hanseti, closed in to Schildmur (S: refers to Shieldwall most likely. Must have been a long wall-like mountain range).

 

Unclimbable but for one passage old and forgotten, Schildmur splits the lands of the Almannir off from the rest of the realm. A passage only a true Almannir could find who would possess one of the gems of the Galdr. Led by the crown upon his head, Halfyr soon approached Alts Tor (S: Old Gate), sealed for long times already. As the gate did not open and the crown did not show on the path, the four brave settled down to rest in front of the gate. Little did they know, as they all slept, a rumbling being of stone hard and towering height stepped of its throne where it was watching the passage from afar. Dendrag woke first, seeing the manifestation approach. Waking his companions, they prepared themselves to fight the being, but it only wandered to the gate and shouted.

 

“Wer will ins Land vo dr Almannir? Wer redat? Wer suacht Itritt?”

 

As if it was a riddle, the four brave looked confused at first, when Dendrag stepped forth and shouted his answer.

 

“Halfyr, Dendrag, Malkar and Truon. Men true of faith and men seeking the Galdr of times old.”

 

“Dia kenn I net.” Answered the giant stone man, turned and left to his throne to sit and remain frozen for the rest of the night. With courage, the four brave remained to the next night. The stone giant approached again and asked again.

 

“Wer will ins Land vo dr Almannir? Wer redat? Wer suacht Itritt?”

 

This time Malkar, proud and strong as he was stepped forth and spoke.

 

“Halfyr, Dendrag, Malkar and Truon. Men to seek the heroes of times old, men to seek the will they left behind.”

 

“Dia kenn I net.” The giant stepped off again from the looming stone gate, sitting on his throne to rest for the night. On the third night it was the same again.

 

“Wer will ins Land vo dr Almannir? Wer redat? Wer suacht Itritt?”

 

This time Truon stepped forth, the gentle and humble amongst them.

 

“Emerald of the Galdr, which wishes to return home.”

 

“Denn kumm ham.” The stone giant rumbled and pushed open the gate, allowing the four to finally enter the lands of the Almannir after months of journey. As they stepped onwards through the big an empty halls, giant statues alike the stone giant of the gate, sitting on thrones staring down at them, watching their every step. Only by then they came to realize, these were mere replicas of the old Galdr themselves. At the very end of the hall of statues was another gate, a small pillar upon which shone the moonlight through a hole far up. Halfyr immediately knew what he had to do, so he settled down the crown on the dusty stone. As the light struck the Emerald of the Galdr, the reflected light touched the gate and it began to open, silent as if it was not there.

 

Upon their eyes, in the dim moonlight they saw the features of a land far and untouched, left alone after the creator’s hand had touched it. Where the Galdr and Almannir lived and where the great terror Fyrschlund consumed all of them but one. Halfyr’s grandfather Prifyr.

 

V. Chapter - Remnants

 

“Forgotten by times, but the quarrel remains.“ - Altark

 

 

So Halfyr and his brave companions went on, as the sun called for the new day, starting the second part of their journey at the very gate which let them into the lands of his ancestry. Calm and untouched the lands were, dense forests about, with the occasional meadow in between, where fallen trees, rocks and animals have kept the growth at bay. Sparkling, small, water meandered its way between their feet once in a while as they crossed little rivers, which there were in plenty, holding the valleys green and lush. It was not long when atop a free hill Dendrag shouted.

 

“There in the distance, the clouds so gloomy and grey, looming above a huge field faint in colors, covered in white?”

 

Malkar with his keen eyes stepped forward and spoke up.

 

“Looming above it all, a huge shadow, shrouded in mist.”

 

Truon said at last.

 

“Be it, what I think it is? The shadow that endangered us all?”

 

Halfyr, brave, led on, his three companions with him down the hill into an unapparent valley, dense with forest. As they went deeper, the light dimmed down, but it was barely past noon, so evening might not be calling. Soon the four realized that the trees grew thicker and darker by each step they took. Just as Malkar wanted to speak, they heard the rattling of bones and the clangs of steel. With care, they proceeded on, to approach a dimly lit opening in the thick of the forest, where the ground was covered in many a robe black and many a robe red. In the midst of it all stood four, the number of the travellers, two clad in dark armor, bones in their appearance, the cruelty and hate seeping out of them as black mist, the other two clad in chain of iron and silver, tabards red, but bodies almost ethereal, pride and bravery apparent on their faces, as they fought their black counterparts.

 

 

Dendrag silently said at first.

 

“These be remnants of old times, brother Halfyr.”

 

Malkar followed up.

 

“The beings in dark are Totamännr and very powerful ones indeed.”

 

Truon added on.

 

“Proud, strong and bearing red, the men of the old chieftain Harald Stoakachl were known to be resilient fighters.”

 

For ages the two Totamännr battled against the two brave spirits, but as the four companions arrived at the place of their seemingly eternal battle, it was obvious that the two spirits were on the verge of suffering defeat. Even as Halfyr stepped into the yard, the combatants took no notice of him, nor of his companions. It was on a whim, when Halfyr drew his sword and charged at the one Totama who had one of the spirits on his knees. As he swung the sword and drove it into the dark beings shoulder, cracking the armor and bones deep, the Totama turned towards him.

 

“What foul creature you are, to even exist and wander these planes. Begone!”

 

As if it was laughing, the cold empty eyepits began to glow an infernal blue and cold began to emit all across Halfyr. It was manifested fear and darkness spilling out of the eyes of the being alone. Halfyr retreated to his companions with haste and surprise and soon the spirit was in combat with the Totama again, who at least regained his footing in the meantime.

 

“It is not for us to slay these beasts.”

 

As Halfyr looked around the area covered in old bodies, he spotted an old broken gate of stone in a hillside. The bodies were scattered in the direction of it.

 

“We may help, but what the spirits require of us is, to find it in there, to assure them their fight was not in vain.”

 

Without a further word, his brother Dendrag and good friend Malkar stepped forward through the darkness of the gate into the belly of the hill and mountain looming above them. Truon and Halfyr followed after. It would be the beginning of a journey long into the past, to where their ancestry lived and passed on their will.

 

 

Aegis

It is unknown from where Beorn, as the first Stafyr originally comes from, due to the fact that there don't exist any written records anymore or there were never any. Only the name has been passed on by speech to the descendants of his family. Godwein presumed that they might origin from earlier Hansetians, as the language his House and he himself speak do have obvious similarities and do share the same words. Likewise it is possible that Beorn has been one of them, but left due to uncertain reasons, establishing his first family seat back in Aegis.

 

His sons Hanethor and Galtor founded the two lines of Stafyr, respectively named after them. Godwein knows he is a direct descendant of the line of Hanethor and knows of most of the descendants, although he doesn't field any further records about them. The line of Galtor might still exist, although Godwein doesn't know of any descendants of it. Never the less, it can be assumed that Hanethor the First and Galtor fought in Aegis in order to protect their families and to let them move on to the new world.

 

Asulon

So it was told by Graveth, son of Thondorus and grandson of Hanethor I. It is known that the town of Rivacheg was founded by the remaining survivors of House Stafyr at the borders of Asulon, led by Thondorus Stafyr. After a couple of years, Thondorus died from age or weakness, which was unknown of, letting Graveth take the seat of the head of House Stafyr.

 

Graveth's reign continued the peace in Rivacheg and let the family grow again. His three sons, of which the last one was named Hanethor II., brought new hope to the House Stafyr, as the brother of Graveth, Uron, only had a daughter, so the line of Stafyr ends there.

 

Godwein was born as the first son of the first son of Graveth, Theor. Graveth has seen that Godwein might become the next head of House Stafyr and personally started to teach him the ways of a Stafyr. Soon after Marian's birth, Ravenna, mother of Godwein, fell under a disease, followed by her husband soon after, who had a broken heart and griefed for the remaining time. Nevertheless Godwein and his uncles Uldorzil and Hanethor II. stood strong and kept House Stafyr up together with the now getting elderly Graveth.

 

Unfortunately, an incident occurred and a band of marauding knights destroyed Rivacheg and killed all remaining members of House Stafyr, leaving out Godwein and Graveth. Whilst Godwein returned and saw the destruction of his home and family, Graveth watched him leave again. Soon though a distant cousin of Godwein visited the ruins of Rivacheg, finding Graveth, who then left into the forests to die alone, taking a last letter from him. This letter finally reached Godwein after a long time, containing the last wish of Graveth.

 

Godwein led the house for a long time and had two sons with his wife Alesira, Graveth II. and Theor II., During his leadership the family grew in size as Stafyrs from all of Oren started to come back, the house established its first hold in Elysium in the small fort  village of Huntshill, where the life of House Stafyr flourished and the house gained more political influence in the Holy Oren Empire as Godwein was named Lord Privy Seal by the emperor. When the island group of Kalos was discovered House Stafyr together with House Valois built a large manor on top of a mountain, overlooking the island claimed by Oren.

 

It was on this island Godwein's two sons, Graveth II. who was supposed to be heir but had been disinherited after violating the family words and Theor II. who had been named heir instead disappeared. Theor would return many years later only to vanish again shortly afterwards.

 

Anthos

In Anthos House Stafyr was given the southeastern shores of Oren, the land was named Schattenburg and the house was made vassals of House Silverblade. Stafyr continued to prosper, Godwein was named Lord Treasurer and Grand Justice by the emperor but he would later succumb to the stress of it all and the simple lumberjack who had managed to become one of the most powerful men in Oren had now died, his heart failing him. Many years later the church would canonize Godwein, naming him Saint Godwein of Huntshill.

 

His great nephew Ser Edmund was now made to rule House Stafyr.

Edmund being a very content man in life had no aim to seek glory or power, his main wish was to keep the legacy of Godwein and House Stafyr safe. He had for some years been a knight in the Chapter of the Lion and his main duty was to that, fighting the enemies of Oren and protecting the empire and the imperial family. Edmund managed to keep House Stafyr out of most internal conflicts, mainly the Teuton - Blackmont war where House Stafyr stayed neutral, sending no men to fight for either side.

 

The everyday life of Stafyr would soon be shattered as Edmund and his younger brother Ser Farley I. got into a fight, swords were drawn and shortly afterwards Farley was lying in his own blood, killed by his own brother and Lord Daniel Baelish (Kamura). Edmund had loved his brother and it shattered him, he would lock himself into his study for days, injuring himself for no apparent reason. His wounds would shortly afterwards get infected, sending him to bed with a high fever but in this fever he had a dream and once he felt better he suddenly left, naming his sister Leana and cousin Alistier lord regents in his absence.

 

Edmund had departed to the holy lands, to fight in the crusades to redeem himself in the eyes of the creator, leaving his wife, his daughter and his entire family at home whilst he fought for the creator and Oren. A year later he would return home to his family, resuming lordship of the house. The house would remain stable for a few years and a son would be born to Lord Edmund and Lady Angelika, they named him Farley II.

 

Shortly after the great exodus of Oren, Edmund was named lord privy seal of the faltering empire and made Knight Commander of Renatus in the Holy Order of the Red Dragon, but only a few months after Edmund died, infected with tuberculosis.

 

His son Farley II., who was only four years old inherited the lordship and his aunt Leana was named lady regent. Oren was in chaos, war ravaged the lands as different noble houses grasped for power and land. To protect House Stafyr from the madness the house vanished from the face of Anthos, barricaded into the Schattenburg.

 

At sixteen years old Farley took over House Stafyr and the house returned from it's hiding, once again ready to return into the political game that is Oren. He quickly gained his place in the hierarchy of the reformed kingdom, being named warden of the south by King Heinrich who had come to befriend him. Despite bordering the dwarven kingdom that was in a state of total war with Oren, the southern county of Schattenburg bustled during Farley II’s reign, becoming one of the most populous cities of the kingdom. Taking one of the leading roles in the war against the war in skirmishes on the front lines and supplying one of the largest levies at the time, Farley II is remembered as one Stafyr’s greatest lords.

 

Athera

A short time after the reform of the third imperium, Farley II abdicated to his cousin Symon due to rising stress and content with his accomplishments. Symon founded the county of Werdenberg on the eastern coast of Oren. When Emperor Robert was overthrown by Carrion supporters, the small farming county stayed neutral in the fighting, continuing to supply the capital with produce as its only purpose had been. Symon abdicated not long after end of the quick civil war, leaving the county to Farley II’s son Athelstan.

 

There is not as much to say about the reign of Athelstan. As the kingdom was reformed by Adrik Vydra, Werdenberg was absorbed into the realm without the agreement of Athelstan, but with no resistance to the reformation either. He did expand the holdings of Stafyr by buying from House Roost the land which he would build Katzburg on, a small keep south of Fursten and Werdenberg which housed the county’s cavalry levy. Several years later, he abdicated to his distant cousin Jakob, a lord of Haense.

 

Vailor

With the abandonment of Athera and the arrival at Vailor, Jakob built his fief, not under his old liege Barnanov, but in the northern forests of Adria. Shortly after he too abdicated with no heir, leaving the fief and the house with no lord for some time. But after several years, Jacob, the son of the old lord Symon, assumed the fief and leadership of the house. But being a minor lord of Adria, he was stripped of the small keep after the surrender of the duchy and the end of the civil war. For the first time in about a century and a half, Stafyr was unlanded.

 

Axios

The house would not find itself without status for long. In the wake of the chaotic migration to the Isles of Axios and the wars that followed, it was not difficult for a young Altaron II. to be rewarded land and nobility for his service to the realm. With his death his distant relative Eadwulf inherited his titles as well as the Duchy of Raetia. But Raetia was ravaged horribly by war and disease and with Eadwulf’s death the title was disbanded, useless. The lordship of the house passed to Kristoff Stafyr, a nobleman of Haense who resides in a manor outside Alban, where the family is currently.

 

Heirlooms

 

• The Crown of the Almannir- a copper crown, ringed with slots where lost jewels would have sat. To be worn by the king of the Almannir, was last worn by Farley II.
• The Falcon Thondor- lost or long dead, the falcon which appears on the coat of arms of Stafyr was thought to have been Thondor Stafyr reincarnated.
• The Armor of Beorn Stafyr- a suit of golden plate and silver chainmail, to be worn together but have been seperated since its forging. The silver chainmail was traditionally worn by the lord of the house, the last to wear it being Farley II. The golden plate was to be worn by the knight of the house, last worn by Farley I.
• The Battleaxe Galtor and the Longsword Hanethor(recovered by Kevan Hanethor)- long lost, inscribed with the ancient tongue of the Almannir on their hilts.
• The Book of Tales- contains all the legends of the Almannir people, mostly written in Rivacheg and yet to be fully translated.

 

 

Early Life

 

Born the son of Lord Edmund Stafyr and Lady Angelika Geminine many would think Farley’s life would be the noble dream, growing up in the largest castle of the south in one of the most peaceful regions of Oren, but alas so it was not.

 

Just a year after he was born, his mother suddenly disappeared without a trace leaving him and his older sister alone to be raised by their father, a stern but also loving and caring man.

With the help of servants and family members Lord Edmund managed to take good care of his two children, even though their mother was absent.. But chaos was about to strike in the distance.

So was the exodus, the emperor Horen the fifth and his most loyal heartlander and Kaedreni subjects ventured across the seas to find new land in the midst of a great war between the empire and the Grand Kingdom of Urguan,

 

The remaining nobles were left in disarray as the emperor’s third born son William ascended to the throne, declaring himself the new emperor of Oren. Thus the era of Five kings began. Lord Edmund, now the Lord Privy Seal, Knight commander of Renatus and Commander of the Lion Knights, the emperor's personal guard contracted an unknown illness and his health declined rapidly until he eventually passed away in his sleep, leaving Farley in the care of his aunt Leana who was named regent of House Stafyr until the young boy was of age.

 

His uncle Beron Sturm, the illegitimate son of Saint Godwein was named guardian of Farley and took him under his wing, teaching him how to read, write, speak properly, act accordingly and all manners that was expected by a lord.

His other uncle Alistier and the Grand Knight Daniel, an old friend of his father started to teach him how to fight and all the moral codes of a true knight, like his father.

When he was twelve years old his uncle Beron gave him a falcon named Thondor, supposedly it had belonged to all the other true Stafyr lords before him, centuries before Saint Godwein was ennobled by the prophet emperor Godfrey.

 

During the many years of chaos and madness during this infamous era of history, his aunt, who feared what could happen with House Stafyr if the house got involved with the unstable Orenian politics closed the gates to Shadowcastle letting very few people in and out. During these years seeing a member of House Stafyr or any inhabitant of the southern province of Schattenburg roam the streets of the fractured human realm was a rare instance.

On his sixteenth birthday Farley was officially declared lord of House Stafyr, something he had been trained to be ever since he was a young boy, but is anyone really prepared for the duty?

 

 

Beginnings of a Lord

 

His first command was to once again open the gates of Shadowcastle, not fearing the world like his aunt did. But the world was a different place from when the gates were shut, the Horen dynasty was weak and the empire fractured into several kingdoms ruled by different houses and much land had been lost to Urguan puppet states. The main kingdom separate from the Horen dynasty's rule being the old Blackmont vassal House Carrion, led by the charismatic and wise Siegmund Carrion.

 

Through smart maneuvering of politics together with the Herendulian house Winter, Siegmund Carrion used the religious conflicts that were brewing between the Raevirs of Ruska and heartlanders of Renatus to dispose of the weak King William Horen and replaced him with his Uncle Silus, an old family friend of House Stafyr. He would be known as the puppet king.

 

King Silus rule was short, he gave up the crown to Ostromir and Tuvya Carrion who bent the knee to their father Siegmund and slowly but surely the empire was refounded as an elective imperial monarchy, all votes casted on Siegmund as the new emperor. One could think peace was finally upon Oren, all the houses had aligned themselves under the new emperor and Oren was finally growing once more but so it was not. The daughter of Saint Godfrey, Sophia Horen emerged from hiding in Malinor with a claim and backing by different elven factions, including the support of Daniel Baelish, who had left Oren and joined the Clerical Order.

 

During this time, his cousin Godwein, named after the saint, was after a misunderstanding with the church, lashed by the High Ecclesiarch Radomir Carrion, something which angered the young lord Farley greatly. He arranged a meeting through Daniel with Sophia Horen and was moments away of joining her side and declaring open rebellion against the Carrion crown, but history took a different course. Farley’s cousin Walter, a strong Carrion loyalist got word about Farley’s possible intentions and arranged a meeting with the emperor, the meeting was attended by a few select individuals and no one except those that attended know what words were spoken but House Stafyr left the meeting loyal to the empire.

 

Sophia’s rebellion quickly disintegrated after that, no Orenian house wished to take up her cause leaving her without support within the empire and her elven allies did not have the strenght to go against the Orenians on their own, she once more vanished into hiding. But peace was not found that easily, the Grand Kingdom of Urguan had gained a lot of power started backing the exiled House Tarus who now pressed claims on the Orenian throne, they invaded Oren from the south.. Attacking the Stafyrs home, Shadowcastle.

 

It was shortly before the dwarven/Tarusian invasion that Farley met a young commoner woman named Asira who he quickly fell for. She made him laugh and smile, something that was rare in this dark world. Farley feared he could not safeguard her from the upcoming war so he sent her to Malinor, leaving him heartbroken and dedicating himself deeper into the roots of politics and war. Unknowingly to him, a son was born by Asira.

 

As the dwarven host marched towards Shadowcastle together with the Tarus rebels the high commander of the Orenian military Heinrik of Roy, the nephew of emperor Siegmund arrived to Schattenburg with the Raevir forces, together Lord Heinrik and Lord Farley forged a plan, under the village of Fieldchurch was an old mine, only held up by wooden supports. They weakened the wooden beams and greased the mine up with oil. As the dwarves marched through Fieldchurch sacking the now abandoned village on their way up towards Shadowcastle a small group Almannir hiding by the entrance to the mine started a fire and it didn’t take long until the beams broke, collapsing the mine.. The village went down into flames with it but also a third of the dwarven host perished.

 

The dwarven king Thorin was furious, charging his army up the mountain only to be met with pikes and arrows from the walls of the castle, they had lost their superiority in numbers and seemingly from nowhere cavalry from the heartland, led by the emperor himself emerged from the north cutting the dwarven and Tarus forces into two. The Stafyr and Raevir forces sallied forth from the castle and slaughtered the dwarven forces covering the rear leaving. The Grand King had been defeated and the emperor sought peace with the Tarus rebels.

 

However, shortly after the emperor of Oren would perish and a new emperor was to be crown. The two possible heirs to the Carrion dynasty was both considered unfit to lead, Ostromir to greedy and neglective and Tuvya, a great minded steward was considered to weak. The Carrion dynasty was considered weak and the empire collapsed into two kingdoms, Herendul led by King Edward Winter and Oren, with no king.

 

The Holy Kingdom of Oren

 

However to clearly select a king of Oren, a vote was cast between the Raevirs of Kralta and with the battle of Shadowcastle fresh in mind, Heinrik of Roy was made King Heinrik Carrion of Oren, a man who had now become a good friend of Farley after the battle. His first order was to bring Herendul back into the Orenian hegemony, in order to do so he married the Princess of Herendul, Katherine Winter, elevated Herendul to an archduchy, made the archduke his chancellor and also issued a decree elevating House Winter as guardians of the vast uncharted north.

 

Now once more united as the Holy Kingdom of Oren, King Heinrik, instead of sueing for peace marched further south to invade the dwarven lands, as emperor Horen had done years before. Farley was against further war but would not oppose his king and friend, as the Orenian army marched upon Thoringrad with a large host, Farley was made commander of the rear guard with twenty thousand men under his command. The Orenian vanguard sallied over the river to Thoringrad and took the castle with the rearguard following closely behind.

 

Shortly after the battle, Farley with the assistance of the exiled House Amador and his old friend Daniel who had now once more aligned himself with Oren managed to stage a coup in Adunia and their human subjects living there, the land was returned to Oren by the Amadors who had usurped the last true Adunian earl and was granted nobility in Oren under the condition that they swore vassalage to House Stafyr. However it wasn’t long after that the dwarves reclaimed the Adunian lands under a new jarl.

 

The elves of both Malinor and Hae’Lunor who had allied themselves with Oren sent soldiers to the Orenian army marching deeper and deeper into the dwarven lands, increasing the Orenian forces  as they approached the fortress under water, Indograd. Realizing that Indograd would be to difficult to attack, King Heinrik constructed a series of forts covering all the ways out of the dwarven lands, cutting them off from the rest of the world. The loss of trade and the growing starvation in the dwarven lands made Grand King Thorin sue for peace, abandoning his Tarus allied. The war was won and Farley could return home. As a reward for his service to Oren during the war, Lord Farley was granted the position of Lord Privy Seal and a position in King Heinrik’s privy council. He was also made warden of the south, tasked with protection Oren against any threat from the south, be it dwarves or orcs.

 

But with power comes stress, Farley became more and more conflicted about his surroundings and had grown to accustomed to war that the peace that was made him stressed and distorted. At this time the halflings that had a small village on the outskirts of the Shadowcoast was growing discontent with the treatment from the humans and 30 halflings marched to Shadowcastle in a protest, however Farley who had been blinded by rage from the war saw this as a threat and sent a retinue of men led by Ser Alexander Valos to the halfling village to scare them back into submission but Ser Valois slaughtered the halflings that had protested and strung up their bodies on the trees around the village.

 

It was at this point that Daniel, who now resided in Shadowcastle with his wife raised his concerns about the path Farley was taking Stafyr who had been renowned for their peaceful ways, Farley realizing the error of his ways had the men who slaughtered the halflings beheaded and Ser Valois was exiled from Shadowcastle and branded an enemy of Stafyr.

 

As to reward Lord Farley and ensure House Stafyrs loyalty to the crown King Heinrik arranged a courtship between Farley and the king’s cousin Princess Milena and a courtship between Farley’s sister Cecilia and the Archduke Winter. Farley had not let a single person truly into his life since Asira and was very uncomfortable being around Princess Milena at first, but her beauty and compassion was astonishing and Farley could not help falling in love.

 

 

The war against Setherien

 

The two got married in the chapel of Fieldchurch with the blessing of King Heinrik and for the first time in many years, he felt true joy and happiness. But only a few months after they had gotten married all of Anthos would shake. From the northern wastelands and southern caves Bohra came charging out, they had not been seen since the siege of Greywind many years earlier. They attacked and raided everything on their way, as being commanded by an higher being. And so it was that, the daemon Setherien in the form of a great northern dragon commanded the Bohra to invade. His intentions unclear.

 

A rather fragile coalition was formed between Oren, Malinor, Hae’Lunor and Urguan to combat Setherien and this northern scourge, the coalition army consisted of a combined number of over a hundred thouand men, elves and dwarves. At the passage into the northern valleys the army made camp, fortifying their position as the awaited Setherien’s army, not knowing what to expect. At nightfall, as snow fell cold over the passageway, Setherien arrived with overwhelming amounts of Bohra, flooding from the hillsides.

 

 

The battle was long and brutal and Setherien had managed to cut off a large portion of the army from the rest, their cries of pain and rage echoed through the valley as they valiantly fought the Bohra in the distance, King Heinrik being one of the men cut off. Lord Farley and his vassals, together with the Holy Order of Saint Lucien managed to push through to the other side, creating a path for remaining coalition forces to get into the valley, Setherien flew off in the distance, leaving his Bohra to die.

The coalition saw the retreat of Setherien as a token of victory and the remaining army marched back home, echoes of the bravery of Lord Farley was heard all over Schattenburg. But Setherien still had a hand to play.

 

Not long after the battle Farley and his retinue was out hunting on the plains of Furnestock, peace was finally truly upon them and his wife Milena was pregnant. But the ground started shaking and parting between their feets as lava poured through the holes, the smell beginning to spread through all of Furnestock. Almost all of them perished except for Farley and his friend Vaclav, who through a stroke of luck managed to get away from the plains and over the hills back towards Shadowcastle, which was no more.

 

The entire castle had been struck to the ground and along the coast, all of the now rebuilt village of Fieldchurch was ablaze as drakes were seen in the distance. They searched through the village and castle but could not find a soul or body, a strange thing. But their search was halted when the roars of the drake echoed as they smelt the scent of living flesh. Farley and Vaclav drew their blades, prepared to die at each others side as brothers but a beckoning light was cast from the sky, sending the drakes off in fear. The Itharel Daniel arriving to save the two.

 

They arrived to the cloud temple were the Clerics and Temple Monks had created a ward over the area, preventing Setherien’s spawn to reach them.. Daniel showed them to the Orenian camps where he was reunited with his wife and family. But alas, Anthos was almost all but a memory. Many elves could still remember the floods of Asulon and the destruction of Aegis. The ancestral homeland. And history always repeats itself.

 

New Huntshill

 

Through the guidance of the Cloud temple monks a portal was created through the mountain, all survivors was flocked through it and sent forth into the unknown future, The Fringe. They arrived in The Fringe where they were immediately sent south by Orenian scouts, fertile lands to farm and live on they said. House Stafyr settled into a mountainside, and through time building a small village and fort along it which they named New Huntshill. Protecting the trade routes and fields of the south once more as they always had.

 

It was at this point, around the time of the birth of his son Athelstan that the Zionist war broke out, as all nations had grown weary and tired of the Orenian dominance of King Heinrik they declared a coalition and war upon the Holy Kingdom. Farley and his retinue who had attended a privy meeting in Vekaro was attacked by Orcish raiders who was assisting the coalition. They managed to fend of the party but Farley was injured.

 

The battle of the Fields they called it, King Heinrik’s last battle. He led a cavalry charge straight into lines of dwarven pikemen. Almost as if he wanted to die. The Orenian army was crushed and his only living son Roy was left to rule, but many considered Roy unfit to lead the nation during a time of war and crisis so the Raevirs once more assembled a council and elected Heinrik’s uncle Francis as king. War broke out between the church, backed by the Holy Order of Saint Lucien, House Winter and most heartland houses against the crown, The Decterum and the Raevirs. Lord Farley, who still was in bedrest after his injury did his best to keep Stafyr out of the war, as he did not want to shed blood of other humans.

 

Many prepared for a long and gruesome war but one of the king’s most trusted bodyguards, a knight of the Decterum murdered the king. Oren was now in chaos, the Carrion dynasty had fallen and their most loyal soldiers, The Decterum had betrayed them. The remaining Carrions with their Raevir supporters fled to the keep of Mount Augustus, where they barricaded themselves awaiting the rebel army. It was at this point, that the bishop Vekaro received a vision from the prophet emperor Godfrey, that the kings of Kaedrin would soon return and Peter Chivay was to be crowned emperor of Oren. Many laughed at the bishop at first but as a large fleet arrived on the coasts of Thalos, many of the ships the same that had disappeared years ago during the exodus, led by Peter Chivay.

 

All the Orenian houses flocked to his cause, including Lord Farley who bent the knee and declared his loyalty to the new empire. The new imperial army, from the sons of the most battle hardened men in the history of Oren besieged Mount Augustus but instead of attacking. The new emperor made a truce with the Carrions, granting Boris Carrion, the brother of the late king Francis a Princedom within Oren in return of the Raevirs loyalty, with Roy as his heir. Lord Farley was removed from his position on the privy council as the emperor restructured the entire nation, the Third Orenian Empire saw a rise of prominence in wealth and to show of the newly found Orenian might, he declared war on the rebellious snow elves and crushed them utterly, almost causing their immediate extinction.

 

Later Years and death

 

House Stafyr retreated into solitude as a long era of peace was upon Oren, Farley who had grown weary and tired of the life of war and politics. Realizing he had missed the first years of his son and his wife almost looked upon him as a stranger due to his duty in life he took a decision which would change the course of his life forever.

 

A decree was issued all through Oren, Lord Farley abdicated. His cousin Symon, a young and calm man with lesser ambitions was named steward and regent of Stafyr until young Athelstan was of age. He did this so to be more with his son and wife, he remained as house patriarch to oversee the decisions of Symon but more so as his advisor. The years passed as young Athelstan grew older and older and Farley and Milena rekindled their love for eachother, but shortly before the young heirs fifth nameday Farley received word from Roy Carrion son of late King Heinrik requested a duel for his family’s honour, as he saw Farley as a traitor for not defending the Carrion crown.

 

It was a warm summer day as the banners of Stafyr and Carrion flew high on the fields outside the imperial capital Kaldonia. Upon the field Roy Carrion and Farley Stafyr met and fought, blades clashing and men chanting as they watched upon the fight between the once great young lord and the Carrion heir. The chants died out when the green grass was soaked with blood and Farley fell lifeless to the ground.

 

 

Penned by Berendon Hanethor by the accounts of Kevan Hanethor and Athelstan II. Stafyr.

Published by Darrion Hanethor.

 

 

The harsh first steps

 

Saint Godwein was born in a small isolated town called Rivacheg it is unclear if this town was located in Aegis or Asulon but most recollections suggest it would have been in Asulon. He was the son of Theor Stafyr and Ravenna Midrasa and the oldest child of three, having two younger siblings named Guiner and Marian. It is said that Godwein could read and write at the age of five and that his grandfather Graveth saw that the boy was blessed by God with abilities most grown men even lacked. Thus he put it on himself to educate the child to the best of his abilities.

 

However very little is known about the early life of Saint Godwein, his grandfather acted much as his mentor and early in his life his mother would pass from an unknown disease with his father passing shortly after struck by grief. The first trials sent by the Creator. Godwein was tasked to safeguard and raise his younger siblings however his grandfather and two uncles aided the bright young man to the best of their abilities. So the years passed and Godwein kept raising his siblings but his torments were not over there.

 

It appeared to be a regular day as Godwein was out hunting in the woods surrounding Rivacheg, there were no signs of any wildlife so he was forced deeper and deeper into the woods until he came across a white stag in the distance. But he could never get a clear shot with his bow. He kept following the deer for half a day until it had just vanished. When Godwein returned by nightfall he found that the entire town had been burnt down by a large warband. Finding his younger siblings and remaining family all murdered. The houses set alight by the marauders and no one in the town could be seen alive. Godwein only alive due to the White Stag.

 

He travelled far and wide, having no place to call home he started his walk southbound towards the Kingdom of Renatus. But on his way a distant cousin managed to find him, delivering him the will of his grandfather. It is unclear what the will of Graveth said but he set upon his journey with renewed vigour, dedicating himself to God and the three lines of Stafyr. Hanethor, Galtor and Sybilla.

 

Rebirth of Stafyr

 

Godwein’s journey took him to the Kingdom of Renatus where the king of Renatus, Godfrey needed men to expand his royal capitol. Godwein took employment under the king working diligently cutting down trees for the city’s expansion. Some men have said that Godwein worked for twenty days and twenty nights before feeling the need to rest but not even then he would sleep, allowing other men to have leave and rest in his place. It was during these times that the first Orenian Empire was formed by Saint Godfrey after he had united all the fractured human kingdoms. Godwein however had no lust for power only a desire to serve God and Emperor. Thus he began to travel around Asulon, looking to attain knowledge.

 

The Saint travelled far and wide and every village, homestead and town that he travelled through would suddenly grow more crops than ever before and they would flourish due to the divinity of the presence brought with him by God. His travels would eventually bring him to the caverns of Menocress. Godwein is assumed to have spent months down in these caves and not much is written about his time with the Mori’Quessir but it is assumed that he tried to bring enlightenment and piety to the race as well as he studied for higher knowledge. In the caves of Menocress God would once more bestow him with a trial. After studying deep in the caverns a growth of fungi would appear on his body, beginning to grow to encompass more and more. It is said that Godwein then travelled far to St Everard’s church where he prayed for three days until the growth of fungi had stopped. Now covering half of his body.

 

Godwein then continued his travels, this time finding himself at the Adunian town of Ildon, ruled by Artorus Elendil. There he offered his services to the Lord and was offered a place at the court of Ildon and would later find himself granted the title Baron due to his strong ties with His Imperial Majesty and the diligent work he offered Lord Elendil. As a Baron of the Adunian lord, Godwein would often travel between the court of Ildon and the court of Arethor. Finding himself strained between the ambitions of the Adunians and his loyalty to the Emperor. He had many friends within the Adunian clans but he knew that they strived for goals he could not follow.

 

In Ildon he would meet a young and beautiful woman of Heartlander descent. Alesira Teya. They quickly fell in love and married and on their wedding night she became pregnant. Godwein continued travelling between Arethor and Ildon, putting his duty above all and as the months grew shorter his wife gave birth to two baby boys. They named them Graveth and Theor. As the years went on Godwein grew in age and his children aged with him. Graveth grew to be very handsome and an envy of many in Ildon. He had a beautiful singing voice and loved to play the lute and as he became older he would serve well as an excellent swordsman. Loving to meet people from around the land and very flirtatious with women.

 

Theor was very different. He was often quiet lost in his thoughts and would spend many hours within his study reading. When he wasn’t in his study he would often stay in the background of his gregarious brother and even though Theor shared many physical traits of Graveth women did not flock to him as they did to his brother. His one passion was to hunt, loving to take his bow and ride into the forests for days.

 

During their life in Huntshill Godwein arranged so that his grand niece Leana would begin to court the esteemed knight Ser Edmond Brunswick as well as his grand nephew Farley would court the Lady Kinra Stark. Godwein cared deeply for his two sons but his duty came to the court of Oren, working relentlessly to further the strength of the empire and to increase its circle of influence and it wasn’t long until he was forced to choose sides.

 

The house of Tarus, Elendil and Norsem all rebelled together with their bannermen and vassals. They sealed the gates of Ildon and declared themselves free of the Empire. Godwein barricaded his manor together with his family as he was not going to betray the grace of God that had been bestowed upon the emperor. It was not long until the large Imperial host led by White Roses and Teutons marched upon the gates of Ildon. Together with Dwarves and Orcs the Imperial troops breached the gates of the city and stormed towards the citadel. Graveth who were loyal to his friends wanted to fight against the empire but was ordered by Godwein to stand down.

 

The battle was harsh and brutal ending in a complete slaughter of the rebels with the death of Jon Norsem and Artorus Elendil his son Torrhen surrendered the town and bent the knee to the emperor. He was granted leniency of his father’s crimes and retained his titles Godwein swore himself once more to the Lord of Elendil but his ties to the Adunians were all but a fragment of what they once were and his connection with the Imperial court grew due to his loyalty to Oren during the rebellion.

 

Shortly before the floods of Asulon a young man was brought into his attention, the son of his great cousin Brenton came to his hall and seeked a place to stay. Edmund Stafyr.

 

Huntshill and Kalos

 

Godwein, his wife and children all travelled together over the sea after the flood of Asulon. Upon one of the human vessels they learned from Edmund that there were at least two more Stafyrs alive and perhaps even more then that. As they arrived to the Isle of Elysium Godwein travelled forth into the land and marked out an area for settling. There once more the lord began to clear trees and a small homestead was constructed with the help of his sons and nephews. They raised a large banner on the top of the small keep and named it Huntshill.

 

In Huntshill, Godwein would take in Asulonian refugees and give them homes, food and coin so they would survive and prosper. The small hamlet was soon an important stop for any man or woman travelling around Elysium. Huntshill prospered and the large banner called many distant Stafyrs such as Farley, Leana, Altes, Alistier and Emmanuel home to their own court. His son Graveth were being groomed for rule, Theor for stewardship his grand nephews for command and knighthood. However Godwein would once more suffer.

 

His wife had gotten ill on the journey towards Elysium and was rarely seen outside the doors of the small keep. There in bedrest she spent most of her time with nurses and clergymen who travelled far and wide. But not even the prayers of Godwein could save her, as she passed calmly in her sleep. After the death of his wife Godwein would travel a lot between Huntshill and New Arethor drowning the pain in work. The emperor transferred Stafyrs vassalage to himself and shortly after Torrhen Elendil followed his father’s footsteps and rebelled against the Empire.

Godwein’s oldest son Graveth now fully of age had grown to be very handsome but also very lustful. He met with a dark elven woman who he passionately fell for and made pregnant. Godwein chastised his son and disinherited him for his sinful ways. Declaring Theor his heir. Graveth left Huntshill and travelled to live with his heathen dark elf wife in Eyveror along with the Orenian rebels. Godwein returned to his work and focused more than ever to further the cause of God and righteousness through intense studies.

 

Not long after the Battle of New Arethor and the Sack of Eyveror, Graveth returned home to his family. Godwein had his son’s lover converted and baptized under the true faith and allowed her to stay within Huntshill as she carried her grandchild of Almannir blood. The life in Huntshill continued and many that travelled through it would feel blessed by the presence of Saint Godwein. He would often take in beggars and allow them to stay and offer them work. Giving them purpose to life.

 

As they once more boarded the ships and travelled to the island of Kalos. Godwein made an agreement with the Lady Chrestienne of Valois. They were to together construct a manor upon one of the mountainsides overlooking the Orenian settlements. There they would live together in harmony. And so it was that the friendship between Lady Chrestienne and Saint Godwein was formed. He would mentor her on matters of state and teach her the honourable and pious ways of his own. Even though it is rumored that Godwein would harbour romantic feelings for the Lady Valois they shared more of a bond between a father and his daughter.

 

The manor they constructed was a beauty to see and many other nobles of Oren came there to meet with the Lord of Stafyr and Lady of Valois. A pillar of strength as Almannir and Auvergne bannermen would patrol along the mountainside. There was one incident where a frost witch tried to put a spell upon the heir Theor but Godwein sent his nephew Ser Edmund and Farley to chase her off. When Ser Edmund explained that he had been sent by Lord Godwein of Stafyr the unholy witch screeched loudly and vanished over the mountain.

 

But once again Godwein were to suffer trials by God. After Graveth’s lover had given birth to two bastard twins, Graveth and his family vanished from the manor and was never seen again. Not even giving word to his father where he was going. But not long after his second son Theor disappeared after a long hunting trip. Riding away from his retinue not to be found again. Godwein declared his grand nephew Edmund as his heir apparent.

 

The rise of Schattenburg

 

As the cloud temple monks guided the mortal races to new world of Anthos, Godwein was granted by imperial grace a manor in the capital city of Abresi. In the new city the Stafyrs settled as Godwein worked dutily in the new world. Taking in refugees and aiding the poor as best as he could.

 

The emperor elevated Godwein’s status from Baron to Marquise as he was granted a March on the southern border of Oren. There he ordered the construction of Schattenburg and even though Godwein was now an older man he would himself carry the stones to help construct the first section of the later grand castle. His vassalage was once more transferred, this time to the Duke of Silverblade but his loyalty remained to God and Emperor. He was elevated to the Imperial privy council and granted the title of Lord Privy Seal. Being the voice of the emperor.

 

He served his imperial majesty diligently and spent countless hours in the court of Abresi. Being beloved by nobles and commoners alike he gained the nickname “Honest Godwein” due to the fact that he never told a lie. Even how harsh the truth may have been it was his duty to speak such. His council was much appreciated by the Prophet Emperor Godfrey and they would confide in one another. Godwein’s March of Schattenburg was bustling and the empire grew in size. Godwein even though he was older seemed to be strong and worked as diligent as ever. Never seeming to be tired.

 

After the Sack of Malinor Godwein worked hard to convert and teach Elven refugees the way of the faith and Oren making Schattenburg a melting pot for commerce and trade and supplied goods through the tunnel of the Shadow Mountains to Furnestock and Abresi. After the death of the blessed Patrick Denims, Godwein was elevated to the status of Lord High Treasurer of Oren. Governing the finances of Oren and further increasing the Orenian treasury. Implementing many systems of noble taxation and justly compensating common folk for their work.

 

Shortly before the Blackmont - Teuton war Godwein was found dead in front of his throne. After examining his body it was concluded that his heart had failed him and he had succumbed to the stress that he had carried for so many years. God had risen him up to his immortal kingdom. Leaving many men and women all over Anthos in great sorrow. Years after his death when his tomb was moved it was discovered that the fungus that had been upon him was still alive even without a host to feed on and his axe and shield which had been used throughout the years had never dulled. Thus the Church canonized Godwein as Saint Godwein of Huntshill and named him the Patron Saint of Honesty, Woodworkers, Fungi and Skin afflictions. By all accounts the greatest lord of Stafyr history and all of Almannir.

 

Saint Godwein is believed to have never once during his long life have said a lie.

 

Duty in Truth.

 

 

 

Penned by Kevan Hanethor by accounts from religious scholars of Werdenberg and Athelstan II. Stafyr.

Published by Darrion Hanethor.

 

 

A Humble Life

 

Lord Edmund Stafyr was born in humble conditions in a small homestead just west of Ager. His father Brenton was a kind man and his mother Anice loving. He grew up half his childhood alone as the only child but when he was nine his mother gave birth to a little baby sister whom he immediately grew dear for. A few years later his mother once more gave birth,the homestead echoed of her scream until it grew silent and another scream took its place. The scream of a boy. His mother's death saddened him deeply but he grew to love his brother whom was named Farley but their sister Leana blamed Farley for their mother's death who she had idolized her entire life. Their father could not afford to house the entirety of the family so when Edmund turned eighteen he told his goodbyes and began his travel to Arethor.

 

When he arrived to Arethor he enlisted into a mercenary company and began to travel around Asulon, earning coin for blood as he fought in multiple conflicts such as the first Adunian rebellion where he was enlisted to fight for the Empire in the siege of Ildon. He would return home during harvest season to visit his family, bringing minas and gifts to his siblings and helping their father plough the fields. During a cold winter when he and his company was in the north hunting down poachers for minas he met a woman named Meredith, he immediately fell in love but it wasn’t long until he was heartbroken when one morning he woke up. His and his companions pouches missing together with food they had scavenged from nearby villages. She had robbed them in their sleep and left, only wanting their coin.

 

The years passed and Edmund’s appearance grew more scarred and grizzled for every time he left the homestead. But as the great flood of Asulon occurred Edmund met with his namesake Lord Godwein for refugee and was brought along to travel with him and his two sons Graveth and Theor to the new land, Elysium.

 

Huntshill

 

Once they arrived in Elysium Edmund found his brother Farley and went looking for Godwein. They found him on a small hill overlooking a river. He had marked the area for his sons and Edmund and they began to cut down trees and build palisades around the hill. A large Stafyr banner was raised on the top of the wooden fort and around it a small village would begin to form. Huntshill they named it. It wasn't long until their father and sister had found them in the new land and settled down with them but shortly after they had arrived their father passed away, rejoining his beloved in the kingdom of God. This took a further toll on the family and Edmund felt responsible for their well being, taking it upon himself to secure a better future for his siblings.

 

Edmund began to notice the rift in the family as Farley and Leana barely spoke and the times they did it was out of spite. Angered by their behaviour he tried to bring the two closer by any means he could, but perhaps it was too late for his siblings to even be able to reconcile.

 

Huntshill began to flourish under the rule of Saint Godwein, commoners flooded to the village to trade and more and more distant Stafyrs began to find their way home. Edmund, Emmanuel the giant and Graveth began to train a levy to defend the village from attacks. Altes Stafyr and Theor Stafyr pondered in their studies whilst the younger men such as Farley and Alistier trained to one day be able to fight for Oren. During these peaceful times Aedric Ulfhaedyn left the last remaining child of the old northern house Stark to be watched over by Saint Godwein as his ward. The young girl, Kinra and Farley were immediately at odds and began fighting and she had a tendency to cause stress and troubles for the elder Stafyrs but they cared for her regardless.

 

During a trip to New Arethor together with Godwein and Graveth a horde of unknown beings from the mountains surged forth from the countryside charging into the town. The Orenian levies were quickly massed and began fighting of the horde on the streets. During the battle Edmund charged head on into the masses of enemies, cutting down the beings in vast numbers. For his heroic deeds during the battle Saint Godfrey had him knighted as a knight-errant under recommendation from Godwein.

 

Edmund was shortly after approached by Jonathan Black, commander of the Chapter of the Lion and was elevated to a knight in their ranks. The personal bodyguard of the emperor. Jonathan Black would also take Farley as his personal squire. The peaceful life in Huntshill would come to a brief end as Graveth, now seen as a brother by Edmund brought shame upon his name and house. The son of Godwein had always been ruggedly good looking and flirtatious, perhaps the pure opposite of Edmund, but during one of Graveth’s travels he encountered a dark elf woman who enthralled his mind and shortly after she became pregnant with his child.

 

Godwein disinherited Graveth for his sinful behaviour and elevated Theor as his heir, Graveth left Huntshill enraged and travelled to Eyveror. Edmund gathered a small retinue to go after him, wanting him to return to Huntshill even if he was not heir anymore. But when they arrived in Eyveror they met a shameful and distant Graveth and were ushered away by armed men. Shortly after the Adunians once more revolted against the Empire and were driven out to Eyveror. The emperor demanded that House Tarus imprisoned the Elendils and sent them to face punishment in Oren but they refused, a state of war was soon declared.

 

Life did however pass on in Huntshill, the anger harbored between Farley and Kinra had shifted and as they both came of age they married. During the same time Edmund’s sister Leana had begun a courtship with the valiant knight of the White Rose. Edmond Brunswick. During the same elven day of the wedding between Farley and Kinra, Edmund received word to gather outside of New Arethor with the Orenian host. They began their march on Eyveror and within a fortnight the entire city was sacked and the kingdom had fell. Edmund walked around the dead looking for Graveth but thankfully he could not find him.

 

It wasn’t long until Graveth returned to Huntshill, he apologized to his father and was allowed to retain the name Stafyr, even though he had been stripped from the line of succession. Godwein allowed the mother of his unborn child to move to Huntshill reluctantly, only because she bore the child of Almannir descent. Peaceful times were once again upon Huntshill. But unfortunately as always, it had to end. The large volcano on the center of Elysium began to erupt violently and Huntshill had to be abandoned. The mortal races continued their travels, this time to the Isle of Kalos.

 

The manor upon the mountain

 

The Stafyrs together with the the House of Valois settled themselves upon a large mountainside overlooking the Orenian settlements. There they constructed a large estate with a winding road leading up to it where they shared quarters. It was during these days Edmund would begin to befriend Count Adorellan Baelish and his son Ser Daniel Baelish, two other knights of the lion, the former Tarus James Valkrae and also the young man who would later be Ser Alexander Valois. These were simple times, no wars were being fought by the empire and they all lived peacefully. Godwein grew fond of the Lady Chrestienne Valois but she had no romantic feelings for him but viewed him more as a father figure. Instead Godwein wished to see Edmund married to Rose Valois but Edmund had no such wishes. She instead began a courtship with Ser Bran Volsung whilst Edmund began to harbour feelings for an elvish woman who had nursed him back to health after he fought against an Orcish raiding party.

 

Graveth’s elven lover gave birth to two baby twins, one boy and a girl. However for no reason known they shortly after left. Leaving no note to anyone. Many believed that Graveth could not bare the shame of having his two half dark elven bastards living with his esteemed father so he decided to leave the house and never return. But alas that was not the end of it, on a hunting trip Theor would disappear presumed to have been killed by a boar deep in the forest. Godwein without any sons had to declare his closest living relative as his heir apparent, his great nephew Edmund.

 

Not long after the monks of the cloud temple had envisioned a new route for the races and once more they went aboard their ships and travelled for a new land, Anthos.

 

Arrival to Anthos

 

As the Orenians arrived to Anthos, House Stafyr settled down in a manor in the new capitol of Abresi as they awaited further instructions from the emperor. The new capitol was grand and beautiful stretching far around the surrounding mountains. The Lion Knights settled into a keep located at the south east of the capitol. Together with his fellow Lions they would scour through the city looking for dissidents. It was during their stay in Abresi that Raven, the woman Edmund had fallen for would be found killed along the coast, no one ever found out who murdered her and Edmund was at first distraught but he had suffered heartache before so he slowly moved on with his life. Focusing on his duties to the empire and House Stafyr.

 

Godwein was soon elevated by the emperor to become a Marquis of the empire and granted vassalage under the Duke of Silverblade, Uthor. The Stafyrs were granted land in the far south of the empire by the coast. There they began establishing a castle far up on the mountainside which was called Shadowcastle, or Schattenburg. Beneath the castle a village was constructed along with large fields of wheat and barley, the barony of Feldkirch. As they arrived to Schattenburg, Leana soon married Edmond Brunswick in a matrilineal marriage as requested by Godwein. Edmund together with his brother worked hard on constructing the village and castle together whilst Godwein was working directly for the emperor as he sat upon his privy council.

 

The Orenian might was strong and the emperor soon declared war upon the elven state of Malinor, with goals of expanding the empire to engulf the elven nation. Edmund was ordered to join his Lion brothers in combat and together with the Orenian armies they marched towards Malinor. The road to Malinor was calm and no resistance was met, when they arrived to the city they found it deserted from life only a few hundred elven skirmisher's remaining. The elves resisting were quickly cut down and the Orenians proceeded to sack the city. Pillaging and burning down all that they could. Forcing the elven princes into submission.

 

During these times Edmund for the third time in his life met a woman he would slowly fall in love with, Godwein arranged a courtship with Lady Angelika Geminine and it wasn’t long until they due to a combination of mutual respect and growing love got married in the newly constructed church of Feldkirch. Not long after she brought their first child to the world, a daughter. Cecilia Stafyr.

 

The New Lord

 

He returned home to soon find disaster, only one elven day after the Battle of the Crossings, Godwein would pass away in his sleep. His heart failing him as he was led by the creator to rest in his warm embrace. Edmund was devastated but he was now lord of Stafyr such he could not show it and had to be a comfort for the people in mourning. Shortly afterward the death of Godwein the emperor issued a decree stating that the realm was now in low crown authority, allowing the feudal vassals of Oren to wage war upon one another. The edict had been pushed on in the north as growing tensions between the Teutonic order and House Blackmont had escalated into almost a full grown civil war unless it was regulated lawful by his imperial majesty.

 

House Blackmont had allied themselves with House Chivay and together they wished to remove the Teutonic Order from the Hansetian north. The houses of Oren began to call their banners and started choosing sides in this conflict. Conflicts arose all over the empire. Greens fighting Carrions, Hightowers clashing with Chivays and many more conflicts arose. One such being that of Valois and Stafyr, the once good friends.

 

Tensions began as Chrestienne Valois and abdicated power in favour of Rose Valois who now led the house as Countess. Ser Alexander Valois felt slighted at this as the Orenian laws stated agnatic cognatic succession and he had been overlooked. He took up refuge in Schattenburg. Further tensions arose as Alistier took up housing in the Valois manor after angering Edmund greatly as he had made a woman pregnant out of wedlock and Rose Valois bluntly lying to Edmund about harboring Alistier.

 

The conflict rose even further as Kinra and Farley had turned against one another and a divorce was issued by the church. Kinra had then proceeded to take their daughter Yana with her and move to the Valois manor, Stafyr demanding the return of Farley’s daughter but getting nothing but silence from the House Valois. Edmund took up his plights with other lords in Furnestock such as House Baelish and their liege lord House Silverblade. The three houses decided to show force and the keep of Riven was constructed on the border to Valois lands serving as the fief of House Baelish. Siege equipment was also constructed on the towers of the keep and pointed to aim right at the Valois manor. The Grand Knight Lord Uthor even going as far as to preparing for war to usurp the house of Valois and make Ser Alexander it’s lord.

 

However the conflict would never truly arise to anything but shows of strength as the war now commonly referred to as the Blackmont - Teuton war occupied the thoughts of most and as Yana returned to Schattenburg and Farley and Kinra mad an uneasy peace everything was slowly laid to rest, the grudges between the houses still existent however. A once great friendship now all over. The war in the north had so far not reached Furnestock, tensions were arising as houses such as Green and Pascal who were on friendly terms with Stafyr culminated in skirmishes with House Carrion but Stafyr still stayed on the path of neutrality. Edmund having no plans of sending loyal Almannir to their death in a war that had no toll on them.

 

This caused a rift between Jonathan Black and Edmund, Ser Black who was a staunch Hansetian loyalist to Mirtok DeNurem was angered by the Stafyr wishes for neutrality and Edmund even though his hard work gained no recognition outside of the chapter. Only those taking up cause for the Teutonic order were able to. Around this time Uthor Silverblade mounted an expedition with his vassals to claim a small island just east of the Wilds docks. Leading the expedition was Daniel who together with Edmund and a group of bannermen arrived at the island. They quickly found themselves being swarmed by creatures and begun fending them off. The small expeditionary force fought valiantly and Daniel cut he beings into pieces with his greatsword.

 

It was during this battle that a strange woodcutter named Rickard Ireton stepped forth and led the charge into the breach that Daniel had created. They slaughtered them and the island was claimed in the name of Silverblade and Furnestock. Rickard Ireton would become one of the most loyal men House Stafyr and Baelish had ever seen.

 

Internal strife

 

The unity of the empire was in turmoil, during these times the now prophet emperor Godfrey passed in his bed of old age and his son Horen the fifth, renowned for his brutal and vicious ways inherited the crown of Oren. This only fueled the flames of the war in the north but there was strife in the furthest reach of the south as well. As there was peace in Schattenburg life proceeded on as usual. Leana had become pregnant with her husband’s child and if it was a son they agreed to name him after Godwein and even though her husband was fighting in the war she was for once seemingly happy. Content. Edmund focused on ruling the march as best as he could, having only one ambition which was to reinforce the legacy of Godwein so it could last for eternity. Whilst Farley, well Farley grew careless, reckless and wroth. The absence of a father figure taking a toll on the young knight.

 

The two brothers would often be seen in heated arguments, their shouts echoing through the halls. Farley’s temper grew heated and Edmund’s patience grew slimmer. Farley had after the death of Godwein been granted the ancient Stafyr armour of Beorn to wear as protector of the house. However Farley’s way of protection was harsh as he tried to protect Stafyrs from themselves. Alistier who had always been rather careless and was at the time being shaped to become a knight was often beaten by Farley for making errors in judgement. Edmund would constantly reprimand Farley for this but his ways continued and grew worse for every day.

 

Things would soon culminate as during an autumn storm Farley was found beating Alistier within the courtroom of Schattenburg. Edmund came in and saw this and separated the two with the help of Daniel Baelish. Edmund had enough. He ordered Farley to never hit Alistier or any other Stafyr again, however in defiance Farley leaped forward on Alistier and continued his abuse. Edmund pulled them apart and ordered Farley to leave Schattenburg and not return. Farley and Edmund moved out to the courtyard and Farley enraged charged forward with his sword drawn against Edmund. Edmund unsheathed his sword and slashed forward as Farley came towards him.

 

Edmund tumbled against the ground as Farley smashed into him, he looked around him and saw his brother lying next to him, blood pouring from his chest as he coughed. Edmund moved to stand up, staring down with wide eyes at his little brother. Shocked at what had happened as he was frozen in place. Daniel stepped over the dying young man, Farley let out a soar chuckle as blood poured out of his mouth. Daniel unsheathed a misericorde from his belt and moved to thrust it down into Farley’s heart, granting him the mercy a quick death as the rain poured down on the group.

 

Edmund ordered his men to have Farley buried before moving into the castle, covered in his brother's blood he went up through the great tower of Schattenburg into his study where he locked the door behind him. There are no accounts of what happened inside his study but the grizzled man looked far older and weaker for every time he was seen. The morning after the bells tolled in Feldkirch as cries of mourning was heard throughout the castle. Leana who had her entire life distanced herself from Farley could not make sense of it, the brother she had hated she also came to mourn. Not a single Stafyr said it loud but perhaps they all blamed Edmund for what Farley had become, if he only had been there when Farley was young.

 

Edmund would lock himself in his studies for days, servants leaving food by his doorstep but him leaving it untouched. The other Stafyrs grew increasingly worried about his health and only his closest family and friends were allowed to meet with him. It wasn’t until one morning when he by his own accounts woke up sweating and cold. In his dreams Godwein had appeared in front of him. The darkness surrounding the two was the land between living and dead and in this empty void Farley was seen alone, due to Edmund’s sins Farley was not allowed to enter the creator’s embrace and Edmund had to repent. This sign from the not yet canonized Saint Godwein was the apparition Edmund had needed to find purpose. He had to save his brother from eternal torment by repenting his sin of kinslaying.

 

Crusader

 

Edmund gathered up his closest allies such as Ser Alexander, Ser Alphonz Greymane, Ser Daniel Baelish and more. Together they saddled their horses and rode south. Leaving Schattenburg to the regency of Alistier and Leana. Leaving just a simple note for his wife, hoping she would understand. They arrived to the War Uzg just an elven day later together with the recently formed Order of Saint Lucien. Two forts adjacent to one another were constructed. One for the white clad knights of the red cross and one for the dark clad knights of the golden lion.

 

The two crusader factions seeked holy relics that were supposedly hidden in the War Uzg’s lands. However the orcs were not that keen on allowing Orenian military orders access through what they had claimed to be theirs. The twin crusader keeps were constantly raided and attacked by Orcish parties and casualties were high. Many Lucienists and Lion footmen were killed along with knights and accompanying pilgrims.. Edmund seeking redemption for his sins fought the orcs viciously. Together he and his group of knights travelled around the claimed Holy Lands fending off orcs so that pilgrims could search for the Holy Relics and so that Farley could find peace.

 

After an elven week of the crusade the Orenian forces were slowly diminishing their presence in the War Uzg, relics had been recovered and pilgrims halted their travels. The Lion Knights remained after to continue protecting the last remaining pilgrims but once they were safely on way to the crossroads the Lions as well abandoned their part of the twin forts and marched back north, home. Edmund felt honored to have taken part in such an undertaking and he knew that Farley was now granted passage into the warm embrace of God. As he arrived in Schattenburg the commoners greeted him with pride and respect. More scars than ever covering his body.

 

Not long after his return to Schattenburg his wife Angelika brought him a son, they named him Farley in honour of his late brother. The armour of Beorn which Godwein had granted Farley was moved into a vault so that Edmund did not have to see it, waiting for another worthy Stafyr descendant to wear it.

 

Rise of the Lions

 

Not long after the crusades the still ongoing war in the north between Teutons and Blackmonts culminated in the siege of the Dreadfort. Teutonic forces supported by levies of Green and Salvus laid siege to the feared castle of Blackmont. Furnestock and Stafyr still remained neutral but the battle of the Dreadfort was brutal and vicious, thousands of dead on both sides but once the smokes had cleared. The Dreadfort still stood, Blackmont banners covering the walls still. The Blackmonts and their Chivay allies claimed a costly victory and with the disappearance of Hochmeister Mirtok DeNurem an uneasy peace was forced.

 

Emperor Horen had his own ambitions he aimed to fulfill. The Orenian might was once more rallied as the dwarves of Urguan intended to lay siege to the City of Salvus. Stafyr raised a levy of nine thousand men and marched to the Orenian encampment where they met with their brothers in arms. The Lion Knights were ordered to lead the peasant levies on the left flank of the Orenian army, their goal to charge forth and force the dwarven troops to move troops from the right. Meanwhile the teutonic troops would hold the centre, allowing the dwarves to try and push over the bridges of the crossroads.

 

The strategy culminated with White Rose and Blackmont cavalry sweeping through the right flank at a river crossing on the far distance. They were to smash into the dwarven flank and continue to route the dwarven center. As the battle commenced the left flank flooded over the crossing whilst the Teutonic Order locked shield holding the bridge. The plan was successful. The dwarves moved their men to the left flank exposing its right as the cavalry charged forth. The victory was absolute. Edmund had fought in plenty of battles ranging through Asulon to Anthos but nothing this brutal. The Orenian troops chased after the routing dwarves, massacring them as they left piles of bodies in their way.

 

After the battle Jonathan Black was elevated to the rank of Hochmeister within the Teutonic Order, forfeiting the rank of Noble Ser in the Chapter of the Lion. In his stead the Emperor Horen appointed his brother Pertinax to be the new commander of the Lions. Pertinax was diligent and restructured the chapter, bringing in plenty of recruits and had the armory vastly changed. The Knights who had grown stale under the leadership of Jonathan Black were once against filled with pride and Ser Daniel and Edmund were elevated to the status of Knight Captains and granted the title Great Ser.

 

The restructured Lion Knights began patrolling the imperial roads to remove the plague of banditry in the kingdoms ruled directly by the Emperor and the ranks of the Chapter began to flood with new footmen. The Kingdoms of Renatus, Kaedrin, Hanseti and Seventis were safe due to the combined efforts of Lions, White Roses and Teutons but in Salvus madness grew. Anarchists began roaming free on the streets as the Salvus Shields could not contain them, not even within their own ranks. In order to retain order the Emperor ordered Marshal Law upon Kingston and sent the White Rose and the Lions to enforce it. Taking full control of the city.

 

Edmund and a group of knights were ordered to take control of the western part of  the city by its grand cathedral. Removing any Shield in the city from any command, restricting them to the palace. The Lions began to sweep through the city, men and women alike being searched and questioned. Anarchists were arrested daily for information but they were strong to their cause, refusing to speak even when put through the torture of Adorellan and Daniel Baelish. The Lions had set up camp outside of the city where Pertinax, Daniel, Alphonz, Adorellan, Alexander, Ser Lerin Hrak and Charles Greymane would plan operations within the city.

 

The Martial Law culminated with the infamous White Rose massacre of the Kingston palace. Where anarchists attacked White Rose knights during protests after curfew spurring their men to massacre the crowd as it was impossible to tell who were an attacker or not. The Martial Law was lifted as the anarchist threat had been dealt with. Edmund could finally return home to Schattenburg once more to rule as its Marquis. As he arrived in Schattenburg he was given word that his sister had once more given birth, this time to a baby girl who she named after their mother, Anice.

 

The shattering of an Empire

 

The Holy Orenian Empire was at the height of its power. Its borders stretching from the wall in the north to the crossroads of the south. The war against the dwarves and their allies was a complete success and most Orenian lords prepared for an invasion into the Grand Kingdom of Urguan. The wars that had weakened the Empire internally had all ended and unity was upon them all. The Lions had full control of the crownlands whilst the Teutonic order guarded the wall. The White Rose kept the elves in check ensuring their loyalty to the Emperor and the Salvus Shields had managed to get a grasp on Kingston.

 

However Emperor Horen had other plans. He had heard whispers of the great continent of Aeldin and through his charismatic ways he persuaded his most loyal  and powerful lords and kings to follow him with their armies. The Emperor took the entirety of the Orenian fleet and over an elven day the House of Chivay and their vassals had departed together with most Orenian houses. Leaving the empire vulnerable to vultures and later crows. William Horen was crowned Emperor and rallied his remaining nobles. Daniel Baelish was granted the duchy of Furnestock and the March of Schattenburg was released as a direct vassal to the throne. Edmund was granted the seat of Lord Privy Seal of the Empire and he was also made Knight Commander of Renatus and Noble Ser of the Chapter of the Lion.

 

However his health had rapidly begun to decline. Throughout the nights Edmund would lie in bed cold, blood coming as he coughed. The nurses of Feldkirch did their best to contain his disease and only a handful knew about his illness. Edmund soon died, unfortunate enough to never issue a command for the Lion, sit on a Privy Council meeting nor see any of his children growing up. As he died he left sorrow in his way, lords, knights and men who had fought with him all remembered him as the warrior he was and with the honour of how he enacted his duties. He left his wife and two children in the mortal world. His son Farley inheriting the lordship as Farley II. Stafyr.

 

Edmund Stafyr is perhaps only a footnote in history but he treasured the legacy of Saint Godwein and his son Farley II. ushered Stafyr into a new great era at the start of the Second Empire.

 

 

Penned by Berendon Hanethor by the accounts of Kevan Hanethor and Athelstan II. Stafyr

Published by Darrion Hanethor

 

 

The House of Hanethor traces its footsteps back to Anthos and at the time young warden of the South and Count of Schattenburg, Farley Stafyr the second of his name. The newly made lord of Schattenburg was young and inexperienced at the time when he met a young common woman named Asira that lived in the village of Feldkirch. He took her up to work in the Shadowcastle where they grew close and a secret courtship began with only a few handful of his most loyal men knowing about it. But the blossoming courtship was to end as in the year fourteen forty five of our lord, Tarus and Silverblade rebels together with the dwarves declared an open state of war against the Kingdom of Oren and a host of thousands of men and dwarves were marching towards Shadowcastle.

 

Farley, afraid of what would happen if the rebel army would win the siege sent Asira away with a sack of minas to survive and a pendant to remember him by. Telling her to wait in Malinor where it’s safe until the war is over. Unknowing to Farley, Asira was with child and on the roads of old Kaedrin she gave birth to a small boy. She named him Felton as she saw it fitting for a child of Stafyr blood. However after the war against the rebels had been won she had realized that her love for Farley could never be justified. He was a lord and supposed to marry a lady, she was a commoner. So when he once more sought for her she rejected him and kept their son hidden from him, as to not bring any unwanted shame of a bastard upon his name.

 

The little boy Felton grew up in Malinor without his father. Living as a human in the elven city however was draining and tough for a child. Not being able to be with his own kind. So when he was at the age of ten his mother sent him to live with a friend in Abresi.

 

As the years went by and Felton grew up he’d marry the daughter of his mother’s friend, Abigail Lethlow. They moved out to live in the outskirts of Kaldonia and it wasn’t long until they had their first child. But just a year later the plague struck. Priests had mass sermons demanding people to repent, bodies were hauled on carriages to be burnt and plague doctors were committing experiments on both living and dead to prevent the disease to spread. Through the grace of prayer and faithfulness to the creator the family survived and they had their second child.

 

As drought began to spread throughout The Fringe, Felton and his family migrated to Thales and lived as a stonemason on the Orenian countryside. They lived a peaceful life and brought their third child to the world. And when he reached the age of thirty his mother summoned for him.

 

Felton had not seen his mother for almost thirteen years but she was dying and wanted to see her only child one last time, with him he brought his now ten year old son, Kevan. They arrived to the now tired old woman’s home and spent the remaining week by her side, talking and comforting his bedridden mother. It wasn’t until her final day that she in one of her more lucid moments took her son’s hand and told him that his father was Farley Stafyr. However Felton did not give any care to this revelation as Farley had been slain in single combat a year earlier. His son Kevan however was intrigued by the notion of his newly found heritage.

 

Kevan began throughout his years to study the history and traditions of House Stafyr, Hansetians, Almannir and by many accounts became obsessed with Hanethor, Galtor and Sybilla and especially what became of the heirlooms they passed on. He travelled frequently to Werdenberg to see the tombs of Stafyr and pray at the shrine of Saint Godwein and it was at this point that he claims to have had a vision. In the vision, Saint Godwein reached out his hand towards Kevan and showed him a path through a desolate swamp into a cavern where the longsword of Hanethor was hidden away.

 

Kevan travelled for almost a year before returning home to , his journey proven fruitful as he was carrying a large sword made of bronze. The blade covered in inscription of an ancient dead language. The Sword of Hanethor. Kevan saw it as that the Saint Godwein had bestowed this ancient artefact upon him and his family so he took the name Hanethor in honour of his lineage.

 

This thread serves to compile all Almannir lore and will be added to. Much credit goes to both Emenzi and Z3r05t4r who wrote a lot of this.