The selfless stand of Orryn Therylsar

It is the fall of year 2522 of the Civil Age, the final month of the Gnomish Conquests. 72 years prior the war began with the invasion of human lands by the deep gnomes and their servants. Through the course of the war, over a million humans, elves, and dwarves died fighting against the invaders. The forest gnomes living among the other races were expelled from the cities, and forced to seek refuge in their peoples kingdom, deep in the Tersiphal forest, while some fled to the rock gnome's nation. The sudden influx greatly destabilized the kingdom of the forest gnomes, causing rioting, unrest, and famine. By the end of the war, the forest gnomes cities were in ruins, the survivors killing each other over the smallest pieces of food. The rock gnomes fared worse, as a series of skirmishes and incidents with the dwarves led to them joining the deep gnomes in the war. By the fall of 2522, only the capital Daergelleron remained standing. Every other rock gnome city, once crown jewels of innovation, research and magic, and as beautiful as the cities of the elves, were little more than scorched rubble, being utterly destroyed by the dwarves. With the siege of the capital having already been won by the dwarves, the rock gnome army being non-existant, and the dwarves in the process of their genocidal campaign to destroy what was left of the rock gnomes, the tale of Orryn Therylsar begins.

Summary

Orryn Therylsar was a nobody. He was simply a common rock gnome merchant living in Daergelleron. At the time of it's destruction, there were many forest gnomes in the city, seeking refuge. The dwarves vengeful massacre was officially targeted at the rock gnome population, but in practice the dwarven troops slaughtered anybody shorter than four feet, men, women and children alike. Once it was realized that nothing could convince the dwarves to stop their genocide, representatives begged the dwarven commanders to spare those who were not rock gnomes. Their pleas fell on deaf ears. In desperation, the remaining forest gnomes banded together and decided to flee en masse. As they fled, the dwarven soldiers spotted them and charged. Orryn saw this happen and realizing he was doomed to die already, took a staff and interposed himself in between the dwarves and the forest gnomes and announced that he was Orryn Therylsar, and he demanded that the forest gnomes be allowed to escape. The dwarves mocked and taunted him, but he fought as ferociously as a lion and slew a dozen dwarves, buying the forest gnomes enough time to escape and flee the city before it's destruction was finalized, and dying after a hundred wounds.

Historical Basis

The final stand of Orryn Therylsar is known to be fact by scholars, though the legend takes some considerable liberties with what happened. Orryn was not a simple merchant, but actually an army battle mage, likely with command of four to ten well trained and veteran soldiers. The flight of the forest gnomes did occur, and Orryn and his men did hold back dwarven soldiers to allow them to escape. However, it is most likely the case that he and the forest gnomes spoke and he agreed to defend them while they flee, knowing the dwarves would likely let a group of forest gnomes escape, but that there was no such hope for the rock gnomes. Orryn and his men likely slew far more than a dozen dwarves considering the power of a rock gnome battlemage, but the exact number of dwarves killed is unknown. Finally, Orryn likely died far sooner than a hundred wounds.

Spread

The tale of Orryn Therylsar is only known by a handful of scholars that chose to specialize in the Gnomish Conflict, and by the remaining forest gnomes. The forest gnomes in particular know the tale inside and out, and recite it to their children, have a day to remember Orryn for his bravery, and even a handful of poems and songs about his sacrifice.

Variations & Mutation

There is a dwarven tale about a demon named Therylsar who was slain by a squadron of dwarf soldiers. There is no evidence of this, and is likely an attempt by the dwarves to quite literally demonize the rock gnomes, and justify their crimes.