The Judgement of Corthain
ORNDUHL was able to trick his way into the service of the GOD-EMPEROR OF AIHRDE as the The Empire of Aenoch called their ruler. As such he used gifts of magical knowledge to buy himself favor and taught and had implemented worship of himself. All the time hiding himself as the wizard NEHABAK. But, the sense of power grew too great and when the men of Aenoch discovered the HALLS OF FRAFNOG they decided they could kill the dragon, and set out to do so. Many died in their attempts, but with persistence they forced their way into his lair, and then they felt the full weight of his wrath. He destroyed them and then exited his underground halls and destroyed much of the empire. Finally reaching AL-LIOSH, the capital of the empire, he entered it and killed ANTEK IV the last of the God-Emperors.
CORTHAIN watched the sorry plight of the people of Aenoch unfold, though in this, as all things, he withheld judgment. Seeing in the rage of Frafnog a punishment fitting their tyranny, he waited only to see if the dragon would hound Ornduhl to the HOMELESS HOUSE. But Wenafar stayed his purpose and he turned then to his own devices, for he deemed it was at long last a time for judgment.
As is written, Corthain spent but little of himself in the making of the world. Only the RUNE MAIDS and the flying steed bore the essence of him. Unsullied, he remained whole in the face of the long ages of the world. He knew that Ornduhl was powerful, beyond understanding, and in control of things others could not fathom. So Corthain fashioned a weapon, a spear, and he poured himself into it, such that it was heavy with power. Its haft he took from a fallen oak fed by the blood of Mordius, and he coated it in the silvery bark of a MUEREN TREE. He set two spurs on its end, with points fashioned of IERGILD METAL. But its head he cast of his flesh laced with the iron of his will, and the bias of his judgment and nothing made by man or god proved more unyielding in all the ages of the world. The spear he named ERAHMINDEAR, that is, the Righteous.
The Red Men who survived the rage of Frafnog fled into the wilds. Here, they constructed a great tent and built anew their altars to the Red God. They called on him for aid, and he did come to them. In his true form he stepped from the fires of the altar, his beauty shining as a light in the darkness. They beseeched him, calling for aid, power, and darker sorceries so that they might rise again from the ashes of the dragon ruin.
Thus, Corthain found them. With a brush of his hand, the tent fell away. Corthain speared the greatest of the Sorcerers, killing him instantly. Tossing the meat of him aside, he faced Ornduhl, the Red God, and spoke, “It is time, brother.” With his words all the illusions and magics of the sorcerers were lifted as if leaves in a mighty wind, and they failed, the Red Men fleeing in dismay for they were unhinged. Such was the power of Corthain’s voice. From that day, he was called IUL, meaning “wind” by the men.
And Ornduhl spoke, “The GONFOD is not upon us brother. You overplay your hand.” He changed then, taking the form of a mighty bull, huge and muscled, massive obsidian horns crowning his broad head. The brothers battled upon the field. A giant red bull and a knight with spear and shield. Time and again, the bull gored Corthain, tearing flesh and bone, throwing him this way or that. Each time, he rose and lanced the beast with Erahmindear, rending flesh to bloody ruin. The earth gave way and they fell beneath it, into deep river-filled caverns. Still they fought, tearing at one the other in a madness of love and hate. Airhde itself gave way beneath them so that that they fell into the roots of the GREAT TREE where they cut into the TUNNELS OF THE RINGS OF BRASS. Neither gave ground, nor showed the other mercy, until at last they came even to the ETERNAL POOLS and the FUTHNOPT. There, HUADUN roused herself and in her wrath drove Corthain from the Pools.
As is written, Corthain spent but little of himself in the making of the world. Only the RUNE MAIDS and the flying steed bore the essence of him. Unsullied, he remained whole in the face of the long ages of the world. He knew that Ornduhl was powerful, beyond understanding, and in control of things others could not fathom. So Corthain fashioned a weapon, a spear, and he poured himself into it, such that it was heavy with power. Its haft he took from a fallen oak fed by the blood of Mordius, and he coated it in the silvery bark of a MUEREN TREE. He set two spurs on its end, with points fashioned of IERGILD METAL. But its head he cast of his flesh laced with the iron of his will, and the bias of his judgment and nothing made by man or god proved more unyielding in all the ages of the world. The spear he named ERAHMINDEAR, that is, the Righteous.
The Red Men who survived the rage of Frafnog fled into the wilds. Here, they constructed a great tent and built anew their altars to the Red God. They called on him for aid, and he did come to them. In his true form he stepped from the fires of the altar, his beauty shining as a light in the darkness. They beseeched him, calling for aid, power, and darker sorceries so that they might rise again from the ashes of the dragon ruin.
Thus, Corthain found them. With a brush of his hand, the tent fell away. Corthain speared the greatest of the Sorcerers, killing him instantly. Tossing the meat of him aside, he faced Ornduhl, the Red God, and spoke, “It is time, brother.” With his words all the illusions and magics of the sorcerers were lifted as if leaves in a mighty wind, and they failed, the Red Men fleeing in dismay for they were unhinged. Such was the power of Corthain’s voice. From that day, he was called IUL, meaning “wind” by the men.
And Ornduhl spoke, “The GONFOD is not upon us brother. You overplay your hand.” He changed then, taking the form of a mighty bull, huge and muscled, massive obsidian horns crowning his broad head. The brothers battled upon the field. A giant red bull and a knight with spear and shield. Time and again, the bull gored Corthain, tearing flesh and bone, throwing him this way or that. Each time, he rose and lanced the beast with Erahmindear, rending flesh to bloody ruin. The earth gave way and they fell beneath it, into deep river-filled caverns. Still they fought, tearing at one the other in a madness of love and hate. Airhde itself gave way beneath them so that that they fell into the roots of the GREAT TREE where they cut into the TUNNELS OF THE RINGS OF BRASS. Neither gave ground, nor showed the other mercy, until at last they came even to the ETERNAL POOLS and the FUTHNOPT. There, HUADUN roused herself and in her wrath drove Corthain from the Pools.
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