The Tale of Viórmur

“E Fameni ûn Viórmur”

(The Tale of Viórmur)

Lo! A story from days long ago
when lived the great Faen-hero of whom many know.
He gave much to protect the people and land
in the far southeast of an empire grand.
‘Tis a tragic tale, full of dread,
companionship, war and bloodshed.

East of the mountains, north of Greenmere
lay the the mighty north territory of Iléndir,
home of the People of the Stars, the Astánafaen.
In the early Third Era, the Emperor that reigned
was Tefenor, and to his people he was kind
and noble, ruling with strength of mind.
The Astánafaen were knowledgeable, wise and fair,
and their skills in arts and magic, none could compare.
An infantry they had that no other nation could rival,
and to defend such an empire, their strength was vital.
Their army’s general, proving his strength with steel
was Drôcthean of the House of Erenthêl.
His wife, Tanaeda, gave birth to his first son. His name
was Viórmur, ascribed to his will, burning like a flame.
He took after his father, studying the art
of battle, and his great skill set him apart
from other Faen. His swordsmanship was fierce.
Any plate or chainmail, his sword would pierce.
His father was his mentor, and in years to come,
great had Viórmur’s martial skills become.
He and others soldiers were often sent west
to fight the Dwarfs or raid a goblin nest.
Viórmur rose to general, and proved his leadership when
the Empire of Iléndir’s great island of Fennen
Tirel was unexpectedly invaded,
in the far south, off of the mainland, it awaited.

Viórmur was summoned to the Emperor’s throne room
to meet the great Emperor Tefenor, whom
he had the honor to be in the presence of.
“Thy Majesty, thou who is highest above
all others, I hath come and wish to ask thee
thy reason for which thou hast summoned me?”
Viórmur questioned after he had bowed.
“General Viórmur, thou hath vowed
to defend thy homeland with all of thy might.
I ask that thou shalt heareth my plight.
Fennen Tirel, has been invaded
by our ancient kindred that we are fated
to battle time and time again.
I ask that thou and all thy men
sail down to thy southern lands with aid
from Greenmere’s forces, whom art also afraid
of being invaded by our dark foe.”
Viórmur believed this as his chance to show
his loyalty to his empire and bravery in war.
“Thy Majesty, I shall ready myself a fifty-score
of soldiers to fight this war in our land
of Fennen Tirel. And because of the threat at hand
I shall asketh for thy Green-king’s aid,
and our enemy’s forces shall then be laid
to waste, and that, I promise to thee.
Victorious shall Iléndir be!”

So Viórmur’s men sailed south to Greenmere
with whom they had had an alliance for thousands of years.
Among his comrades was Captain Eradúlaeth, a friend
from his youth. Many hours they would spend
training with each other, honing their skills
in the wilderness of the forest, beyond the foothills.
In Greenmere’s capital of Eldergrove, they arrived
and the great woodland castle they went inside.
Viórmur bowed before the Míhrfaen king,
kissing the gemstone upon his ring.
“Oh, good king of thy majestic woodland,
we hath cometh seeking thine kingdom’s assisting hand.
A dark presence hath made itself known.
We believe thy Nárfaen from ages agone
hath returneth to thy mortal world once more,
wishing to finally settle their score.”
In days of yore, the wicked Nárfaen
were ancient kindred that had betrain
their ancestors, and were engulfed by shadows.
And where they went, no soul knows.
But it was believed they became demons of Hell,
and to this day, that is where they dwell,
serving the Lord of Darkness and Sin.
“King of Greenmere, shalt thou help us win?,”
asked Viórmur to the Green-king. And he said,
“It shall be done,” and nodded his head.
He summoned General Tôrenwae, who had much respect
for Viórmur, and vowed that his life he would protect.
“I hath been toldeth of thy skill. I admire thine mastery
with thy blade. I pray that I may be
of aid to thine cause, for I greatly pity
who the Nárfaen have slaughtered. Let us retake thine city
in the mountains!” He drew his blade towards the sky.
“For thy honor of the Faen, I am willing to die!”
And so that day, an ally Viórmur made,
and til the end of their lives, companions they stayed.
To Fennen Tirel, together they left
and together the three felt no longer bereft.

On the northeast edge, their ships had landed.
General Viórmur and Tôrenwae commanded
their men to march forth through Gélen Mihr,
the Emerald Forest. They went onward in fear
of ambush by the forces of the enemy.
They proceeded through the wood cautiously.
In the weeks that came, in battle they engaged
the enemy forces. Their battle waged
on in the forest for nearly three days.
When they became victorious, they gave praise
to their deities. Morale and hopes were high,
but they knew not that devastation was nigh.

In the fields of Lahán Razimna there awaited
the Nárfaen forces. For days, they dominated
the battlefield, slaughtering many good soldiers.
After pushing through, Iléndir was the victor.
After days of battle and loss of fighters,
General Viórmur saw despair in the survivors.
He rose above his men and spake.
“My companions, I know thine hearts doth ache
in mourning of thine valiant shield brethren
who had to meet such a cruel end!
But our head, we must holdeth high
and ring thy sound of our battle cry!
We shall retake Fennen Tirel from the Nárfaen
and ensure our brothers hath not died in vain!”
The words of Viórmur were heard by all
and they carried on. They would not be in the thrall
of sorrow nor fear. In the next weeks they approached
the city of Ildúrsia, which they began to encroached.
The city had been under siege for many weeks.
They were on their last stand. Surrounded by mountain peaks,
none could escape. Viórmur, Eradúlaeth and Tôrenwae fought
side by side. The Nárfaen’s efforts were for naught
as the armies of Iléndir and Yólthâr prevailed.
The Nárfaen soldiers were completely entailed
by their strength in body and in heart.
Soon after , their forces began to fall apart.
The city was reclaimed and the battle was won
in the early morning before the rising sun.
The High Priest Yeldennas, grateful for being saved,
presented to Viórmur a magnificent blade
as reward for his heroism and bravery.
Viórmur took the sword from his hands gently.
Forged from the most masterful smiths of the land
and blessed by priests with holy hands:
The blade was named Ulómtiel, for it held the light of the sun.
Of blades like it, there were almost none.
“Viórmur, son of Drôcthe of the House of Erenthêl,
in thanks for our saving by your strength and steel,
I offer you thy holy blade, a kingly gift.”
Ulómtiel was light and swift
to use in battle, so Viórmur accepted
the sword. And in the city, his men rested.
They were merry, and each had drank their fill.
They rested for nearly a week until
Viórmur decided with Eradúlaeth and Tôrenwae
their men should set out south the next day.
The Nárfaen fortress was preparing for
their final stand in the war.

Viórmur lead his army and they marched up the mountain
and the rain from the storm poured down like a fountain.
Their ascending path was long and narrow,
and their upon them from the enemy, it began raining arrows.
The soldiers began to hold up their shields
so save themselves. This caused them to yield,
and it gave the Nárfaen a chance to attack.
Their supplies and provisions were destroyed or sacked
after the Nárfaen surrounded them on the mountain path.
The Astánafaen were not prepared for the ensuing bloodbath.
At the top of of the mountain, their met with the guard
of the evil fortress of Beirkvaat-Grod.
Their towering, a beast bread in the pits of Hell,
stood a fiery demon. His mace could fell
any weak creature that stood in his path.
“Guur’xob! Guur’xob! Child of Wrath!”
the Nárfaen chanted as they pounded their spears
against the ground for all hear
before their deaths. Then, Viórmur came forth
to duel Guur’xob and protect the north
from the forces of evil. He drew his blade,
Ulómtiel, and with it, he was not afraid,
of the demon or of a fateful death.
He fought Guur’xob to his final breath,
and with Ulómtiel, Viórmur slew fiend.
And with his task fulfilled, his his soul was relieved.
After battling long, Viórmur collapsed.
For a time, his spirit could rest at last
until the day came that he would be reborn.
But over his body, his companions mourned
for a time. And Eradúlaeth cried,
“Oh Ihrmathnil, my companion has died,
and his spirit is placed into thy hands now!
Please, Faen-Father, may thy mercy allow
our meeting again!” Tôrenwae lemented
as well for Viórmur, for he had befriended
him not long ago. “I hath failed my ally!
I vowed to defend thee, and let thee die,”
said Tôrenwae to Viórmur’s corpse.
“For all of my life, I shall be filled with remorse!
‘Twas an honor to fight along side thee, friend,
even until thy meeting with a bitter end!”
Many had fallen throughout the war.
Those that remain proudly bore
the crest of Iléndir upon their shields
as they marched back from battle, through the fields
of the countryside. Their armor was bloodstained.
Of their original number of men, a fraction remained.
They carried back the body of General Viórmur
to return back to the home of his father
They sailed back to the capital, Ilíltûm,
and the returning soldiers carried the gloom
of bloodshed and war as they pulled their general
in a casket. They gave him an honorable burial
in Bren Fínin, the Glade of Valor.
Viórmur was buried with his finest armor,
as well as Ulómtiel. Eradúlaeth left
his tomb, knowing that he was at rest.
His father mourned for the death of his heir.
He looked at the tomb with eyes full of tears.
“No man should live to see thy death of his son!
And though by him the war may have been won
I shall be slow to ever again feel joy
for it is on this day that I have lost my boy.”
The tomb’s inscription that was engraved by hand
read “Viórmur Rangthûltâas, Son of Drôcthean
Heir to the noble house of Erenthêl”.
Below the inscription was the tomb’s seal.

Eradúlaeth went beyond the foothills
where he and Viórmur would hone their skills.
He sat upon a mound and breathed the air
of the cool spring that blew through his hair.
He sat and recounted memories from long ago,
and it was there that ended this tale of woe.



Appendix
Astánafaen - “People of the Stars” in Faenir. They are the inhabitants of the Empire of Iléndir.
Beirkvaat-Grod - “Fortress of the Fire-Demon” in Naarfeigkûr. A secret fortress constructed in the southern mountains of
Fennen Tirel by the Nárfaen.
Bren Fínin - “Glade of Valor” in Faenir. It is a large glade of the Isle of Duskfall where
Demonspeech - The language of demons.
Drôcthean - “Dragon” + an (masculine ending) in Faenir. The father of Viórmur and a general of the army of Iléndir.
Duskfall - See Ilíltûm.
Dwarfs - A race of beings that live in the Drake Mountains to the west. They were once allies of the Faen, but after the High King of the Dwarfs slew the Emperor of Iléndir (after being called a name that would not look so nice in print), their kingdoms broke out in war. They occasionally have skirmishes here and there.
E Fameni ûn Viórmur - “The Ballad of Viórmur” in Faenir. A poetic account of the War of Fennen Tirel and the deeds of Viórmur.
Eldergrove - the capital of Greenmere.
Eradúlaeth - “Orange Dawn” in Faenir. A captain in the army of Iléndir and a companion of Viórmur.
Erenthêl - “Iron Stone” in Faenir. The house in which Drôcthean and Viórmur belong to.
Faen - “People” in Faenir. A race of fey that came to the mortal world at the end of the Primordial Era, beginning the First Era and establishing kingdoms. They were later followed by the races of Dwarfs and Men.
Faenir - The language of the Faen.
Fennen Tirel - “Island of the South Edge” in Faenir. A great chunk of land separated from the continent by a channel of water. In the expeditions of Iléndir during the First Era, they claimed this land as theirs.
Green-king - King of Greenmere who grants help to Viórmur.
Greenmere - See Yolthâr.
Gélen Mihr - “Emerald Forest” in Faenir. The forested region of Fennen Tirel where Viórmur and his men are ambushed by the Nárfaen.
Guur’xob - “Offspring of Wrath” in Demonspeech. A demon that became part of the force that invaded Fennen Tirel. It is said that Guur’xob was the child of Guur’fex, the Dark Lord of Wrath and Hatred.
Ihrmathnil - “Lord of Nature” in Faenir. Ihrmathnil is one the Maker of Nature and one of the five Makers. He is the Father of the Faen. His wife is Bothilen, the Lady of the Night Sky and the creator of the moon and stars.
Ildúrsia - “Mountain City” In Faenir. A great city of Fennen Tirel within the mountains. The mountains surrounding it serve as a great defense, but if the enemy gets in, there’s only one main way out. The city came under siege by the Nárfaen until saved by Viórmur and his men.
Iléndir - “Land of the Moon” in Faenir. Iléndir is the most powerful nation known to the mortal world, with territory in many different areas of the continent.
Ilíltûm - “Duskfall” in Faenir. Ilíltûm in the capital of the Empire of Iléndir.
Lahán Razimna - “Whispering Winds” in Faenir. Used to describe the plains of Fennen Tirel.
Míhrfaen - “People of the Forest” in Faenir. They are the inhabitants of the kingdom of Greenmere.
Naarfeigkûr - The language of the Nárfaen (Naarfeig). It is a dialect that branched off from Ancient Faenir, retaining some elements of the original language, but with strong influences from Demonspeech.
Nárfaen - “People of Darkness” in Faenir. They are descendents of the ancestors of the Faen who betrayed them. They were tainted by darkness, and were brought to some far reach of the cosmos to serve Opraarzik, the Dark Fiend.
Rangthûltâas - “Demon-Slayer” in Faenir. The title given Viórmur after slaying the fire-demon Guur’xob.
Tanaeda - “Dove Wing” in Faenir. The mother of Viórmur and the wife of Drôcthean.
Tefenor - “Pure” + or (masculine ending) in Faenir. The ruling Emperor of Iléndir.
Tôrenwae - “Oak Leaf” in Faenir. A general of Greenmere and newly made companion of Viórmur.
Ulómtiel - “Sun Light” in Faenir. A finely crafted blade enchanted by the blessings of priests, giving it the power to harm and slay creatures invincible to earthly weapons. This blade is used by Viórmur to slay the demon Guur’xob.
Viórmur - “Fiery Will” in Faenir. A general of Iléndir and the son of Drôcthean and Tanaeda. He slew the demon Guur’xob, and later died of his wounds and weariness. He was given an honorable burial in Bren Fínin, and given the title Rangthûltâas.
Yeldennas - “Golden Season” in Faenir. The High Priest who gifts Viórmur with the blade Ulómtiel.
Yolthâr - “Green Place” in Faenir. Kingdom of the Míhrfaen and a close ally of Iléndir. The entire kingdom is a giant forest in the southeast corner of the continent. The kingdom is often referred to as Greenmere.