The Sword of Ril-Kamon (Astur's Sword)
The Sword of Shielding ("Defender")
The Sword of the Jest
Lightbringer ("Darkslayer" or The Light Sword)
Foreword by Kelwiss
This work being a collection of tales and facts about some of the famous swords of the land of Olerk, including some now believed lost, and some famous for their evil power.
All of the information contained herein is factual with regards to the powers of the swords presented here. Background information is presented so readers may understand the history of the swords. It is often the case that the reputation of a weapon is made by its history, rather than its specific nature. Powerful swords of the kind mentioned herein, with notable exceptions, are rarely docile killing tools. Instead, they are often forged with unique personalities, often in conflict with those warriors that own them. Rarely is it true that a swordsman will possess a sword of such power that fits his nature.
Kelwiss
Year 28, Cycle 15
Second forward, Beldar Entemial, Lorenda, Cycle 16
Some new facts concerning some of the swordss have come to light recently. Accordingly, I have taken it upon myself to update this most complete of works.
The tale of the sword of Ril-Kamon has an unknown beginning, and a sad ending, but it must be told just the same.
Before he found the Sword of Astur (see below) Ril-Kamon was an anonymous figure, only coming to fame after he found at least two parts of the sword, or so it was later speculated. While competent and courageous, Ormen Ril-Kamon was no imposing fighter or leader. With the sword's power, he became one of the most dedicated and renowned rangers of his time. His deeds for the aid of the people of Olerk were many, including the slaying of many great giants, opening up the hills at the feet of the Lendour Mts. to settlement by both Datri and Nefrdri. The folk of this area owed their homes and their lives to the protection of Ril-Kamon.
The sword had of course attracted some attention, with rumored powers much greater than those now attributed to it by experts and historians. It was in the defense of the sword that perhaps Ril-Kamon had his greatest adventure.
The Overlord (Later the Overking) of Foran and Sendal, Larg the Grey, greatly desired the sword for himself, believing that with its power, he could secure the entire west to his dominion and become the greatest power of Northern Olerk. So he sent two of his best agents to waylay Ril-Kamon, and steal the sword from him.
Balastur was his personal war-champion, and Merendl a thief of great skill. Together, they did indeed manage to obtain the sword by treachery. But the sword aided Ril-Kamon, even while not in his possession, and he slew Balastur who tried to wield the sword, and Merendl found that he could not retain hold of the sword in any manner. Thus the legends of the attachment of the sword for Ril-Kamon came about, and those of its affinities for rangers were strengthened.
Ril-Kamon's possession of the sword was fated to be short, for it was near the time of the Great Migration, and of course Ril-Kamon sought to be in the forefront of those defending the Human Lands. It was here that he met his death at the hands of the accursed kaleds, and the sword was lost to all men. During a battle with a great kaled host, one larger than is their nature, Ril-Kamon was at the front of the human defenders, along with several other heroic defenders: Karam Hen, the Paladin; Averost, of the Whitestil sea elves; Rembic Thims, a fellow ranger; and Zerach Polist, a fighter. These were closest to Ormen at the time of his death. The fight had waged for many hours, with only short rests for the defenders. Many good men had been slain that day, and many more of the deranged kaleds had been killed. At one time when the fighting was thickest, and the day was at the height of its heat and madness, a group of particularly large and ferocious kaleds threw themselves at the small group of heroes, who, being in the van, had taken the brunt of the afternoon assault, and had already fought many exhausting combats. In the thick of the fighting, sometime, Ril-Kamon met his end. Whether he was overwhelmed by many of the foe at the same time, or whether he grew tired and was overmatched by one particular kaled, no one knew, but in the middle of the fighting, he was killed, and hacked almost beyond recognition. Later, during a brief respite, his comrades found four identical swords near the body of Ril-Kamon. Before they could move the body to a safe place, they were again attacked, and his body was not found again.
Whether out of ignorance or greed, the possessors of the four swords never sought to rejoin them, and so the four stayed parted, greatly reduced in power. Perhaps this was why they were never joined, if their possessors never connected these swords with the rumored powers of the sword of Ril-Kamon. The swords then passed out of sight. Their path from that day is hard to trace, especially those belonging to Averost, and Zerach Polist, neither of whom was ever reliably seen in Northern Olerk again.
The sword of Astur is a plain blade, free of gems or ornamentation. The grip was a hand and half, wound with silver. The blade itself was slightly longer than a tall man's arm, and plain. The blade was much thicker than normal, although this did not effect its handling. The cross piece was a simple bar of a gold colored metal, flared at the middle to provide more than normal protection for the hand. The origin of the sword is and was unknown, although it was rumored to be of Elvish manufacture. This has been contested, due to the simplicity and lack of ornamentation of the sword. Who or what Astur may be is not known, but the name has apparently always been connected with the sword, and it was called "Astur's Sword" by Ril-Kamen himself. The sword was rumored to have many properties, but of some we are sure. It had the power of a sword of defending. It also was a fearsome weapon against giants. The blade, while thick, was also known to be tremendously sharp, similar to a sword of sharpness. It had a high intelligence and ego, with unknown abilities.
The 10th Migration was the time of death for Ormen Ril-Kamon.
This is the tale of the sword Azar, whose origin dates back to the early days of the human kingdoms in North Olerk. The sword has a legendary reputation beginning with its creation early in the 2nd Cycle.
The sword Azar was conceived in the mind of the great paladin Locreth. After many great struggles against evil, Locreth was of a mind to carry out an even greater quest against his natural enemies. To carry out his quest, he knew he needed a sword of great and unusual power. He went to the Dwarven smith Bandar, who was paid handsomely to deliver a great bastard blade, fit for the finest of enchantments. Locreth then travelled to the Lands of the Palanach, and there sought out one of their greatest Arch-Mages, Goozel the Deathless. The process by which the sword was enchanted, and the spells that it contained are of course unknown, but the result was all that Locreth had imagined. Taking the sword, he set out on his quest, which was to ultimately le ad him to the Abyss itself, and to the home plane of the fearful Dem-----.
Perhaps Locreth had become too ambitious, or the sword had made him too proud, but his mission was doomed to fail. He died an unspeakable death at the hands of the great demon Lord, but not before he slew many of its highest minions. Luckily for the future generations of Olerk, Locreth had taken steps in the case of his death in the Abyss, and the sword magically sped to the temple of Forseti in Rhemuth.
As this was Locreth's sworn temple, they were not unexpecting, although they were greatly dismayed at his death. It was now up to them to pick a new possessor for the sword. For their choice they selected a young paladin, one Stephan of Fort Des, in Lorendan. For many years Stephan wielded the sword, although it was rarely used against its natural foe. Eventually he too died, and again the sword sped back to the temple at Rhemuth, and again they picked a new Holder. This continued for many cycles, as the sword passed from Holder to Holder. The most famous of these was Kergilman, who defended the temple against a great force of demons. They were sent to destroy the temple, and hopefully rid all demonkind of the powerful sword. It has always been believed that the Prince of Demons himself ordered the attack, never forgetting the courageous and foolhardy Locreth. Thanks to the power of the sword and its Holder, and other brave defenders, the attack was defeated fully. The temple did not stand indefinitely however, for the kaleds accomplished what the demons could not. In the Great 9th Migration, during the sack of Rhemuth, the temple of Forseti was burned and razed by the mad invaders, and the sword never again returned to the temple magically, even after the temple was rebuilt. For a few years afterward, the sword was returned to the temple upon the death of its Holder, but it was not long before they lost the power to choose the Holder. For a long time the sword passed from owner to owner in a random fashion, sometimes wielded with the same selfless devotion as its original owner. Eventually the sword passed into the East, to fight the great evil there, but this evil was not of the kind of its ancient Enemy, and the sword was less effective there. It passed in and out of danger, and at times rested in the hands of the Enemy, but it was always recovered. It has been theorized that no evil being may even possess the sword, much less use it. In time it returned to Olerk, its homeland.
The whereabouts of the sword are much of a mystery since then. It has been over two Cycles since the sword was reliably identified, and some say that it has passed back into the Lands of the Palanach, while others claim that Dem------- managed to obtain it and keeps it under powerful enchantment.
The sword Azar is a standard bastard blade. The blade itself is unremarkable, except for two Elven runes on either side, which signify "Demonbane". The grip is long enough for two hands. The sword, however, is said to be very well balanced, and can be wielded one-handed with effect by a strong individual. The crosspiece is curled into a spiral at either end, and is covered in gold. The pommel knob is hollow, and contains a pure white diamond, of some value. This diamond glows with a pure white light at all times when wielded. The enchantments on the blade are not many, and are suited for only one purpose. The sword acts as a demonslayer against all types of demons, including the greater ones. Against lesser demons, it will slay them with one blow, only a saving throw withstanding. To those it fails to kill, or those that are immune to this power, it does double damage. It's powers are also speculated to be multi-planar in nature. It also will defend the user and all within a small radius against one magical attack each and every round. No other powers were known, and against other kinds of evil it displayed no special powers.
The temple of Forseti at Rhemuth still holds a standing reward of 100,000 gold pieces to any man who turns it over to their care.
The origin of the sword called Charmer is unknown, as it first appeared in the hands of a young human thief, early in the 6th Cycle. How the thief, Jarryd, obtained the sword was and is unknown. The sword was never heard of before he used it, and no mage of Olerk ever claimed credit for creating it. It is most likely that he found it in some forgotten treasure hoard, or stole it from some individual who could not use the powers of the sword.
Jarryd first appeared with the sword in the kingdom of Korith, and the power of the sword was quickly manifest. The sword has a perhaps unique charming ability, at least as far as humans are concerned. At first no one suspected anything unusual, as Jarryd became good friends with most of the personages around the ruler of the Kingdom. He soon had all of them under his control, and following his commands. Before those not under his power could do something to stop him, he had even the ruler charmed, and the Kingdom was under his control, through his puppets. He set himself up in the palace of the king, and then he was beyond the reach of those people who wished to stop him. Any who tried, and got past his loyal "friends" were easily overwhelmed by the sword, or by Jarryd himself. In a few months time, Jarryd had so consolidated his position that he had as many as 1,000 of the citizens of Korith charmed to him, many of those in high government. The taxes collected and other funds soon found their way into his hands. In the end it was his greed that brought about his downfall. When he tried to extend his control outside of the city, it brought about a revolt that ended with the death of many of the government officials, and the disappearance of Jarryd. While the sword was never again used in this fashion, it did show up in various places around Northern Olerk. It was almost proved that it was Jarryd, with the aid of the sword, that stole the idol of Ilmatar from her temple in Rysh. The guards were found to be all charmed, and had no idea of what had occured around the time when the idol disappeared.
After the time of Jarryd, the sword had a more low key reputation, with no great personages being identified with the sword. Several people claimed to have the sword since Jarryd, and it was identified to be the same sword. It was during this time that the sword fell into the hands of a magic user by the name of Delbaeth, when he surprised and killed a thief looting his home.
Delbaeth took the time to find out the exact properties of the sword, and record them. He then traded it away, and it again bounced from owner to owner. During this time, it was noted that the sword never stayed with any one owner for more than a few months. It was even claimed to be seen so often that some people believed that there was more than one sword. If we take some of the claims of ownership as lies, or as a case of mistaken identity , then it would appear that the sword merely changed hands with great frequency. It is possible, however, that Delbaeth made, or had made, an exact copy of the sword, and that there are one or more swords answering this description in Olerk.
During the time of the 12th Cycle, the tales of the sword stopped, and it is believed that it fell into the hands of the kaleds, or into some hidden lair. For over a hundred years the sword was not definitely identified, until it popped up again early in the 13th Cycle. It then was the property of the infamous Swords Guild in Lorendan. The Guild was a small one when the sword first came to it, but by this time they have ousted or destroyed two smaller thieves guilds, and have risen to an equal position with the other Guilds of Lorendan.
Details of the sword
Charmer is a broad sword, most similar in type to a cavalry sabre. The blade is an alloy of steel and silver, and is decorated with whorls and swirls along its entire length on both sides. The guard is of the cup type. The hilt is plain, and the pommel is decorated with a grimacing face on both sides. Like most magic blades, the sword glows faintly when drawn. The powers of the sword are few, but powerful. The sword is a +2 sword, +3 vs. magic using creatures. It may cast a double strength Charm Monster spell twice each day. (-2 on save, halved chance of breaking the spell, can charm up to 2 5HD or greater creatures.) The sword also protects its wielder from charm spells, giving +9 to saving throws versus charm spells only, similar to a Serten's Spell Immunity. The sword can also detect gems.
This information I obtained from a copy of Delbaeth's notes, and I believe it to be completely accurate.
While most people believe that the story of the Sword of Kas begins with Vecna, this is only partly true. Before he ever became a lich, he served the great lich Telcheron, who was perhaps even greater than Vecna himself. Together, Telcheron and Vecna, and Kas, wrested the Sword from the demi-god Lominae, servant of Hissii. As a reward, Telcheron gave Vecna the formula for becoming a lich. For many years afterward, when the Sword was still in Telcheron's hands, Vecna and Kas made no moves against the great lich. Eventually, the lich's power waned, and their con fidence grew, and he was totally destroyed by Vecna and Kas. As a reward, and as an insurance of his loyalty, Vecna gave Kas the Sword. He did not realize the Sword's great power to corrupt and mislead. For many years Kas lived in fear of the greatest of liches, torn between the demands of the Sword, and his respect for the powers of Vecna, who now sought the secret of the transformation to demi-lich. The Sword won out, and Kas and Vecna dueled to the death, as goes the known story. Of Kas, only the Sword survived, and it was taken by those who had watched and waited for this day. From that day forward the Sword was free to wander the world, wreaking havoc wherever it went. Its wielders were unremarkable, except for their possession of the Sword. Eventually, the Enemy heard of this great weapon, and it found its way East through his devices. It was used in ways unknown to this scribe, but it is certain that during this time, it was used to crush many of the strongest opponents of the vi le evil found there. The fortunes of those that followed the evil one rose considerably with the Sword of Kas to guide them.
The powers of the Sword are largely unknown, but some few details are known for certain. The Sword is a long, slim blade, of a kind not currently in use. (Treat as a broad sword) It has a basket hilt, wound with the finest gold, and with a dark opal in the pommel. The basket is a platinum and steel blend, and the blade it self is said to be made of some unknown alloy. It was most likely the forging of a god, although who is not known. The sword is known to be +6, at all times. It is known to have defender powers, and will do double damage against any creature from the Outer Planes. It is neutral evil, and converts its wielder to the same.
Notes added by Beldar Entemiel 7.30.92.13
After the Sword passed into the East, there it stayed for many a year. After some time, when the Sword had been forgotten by most from Olerk, except the most evil or devoted, one sought to win it back. Perhaps this is an incorrect term, because he soug ht to deny the Enemy the use of the sword, rather than use it himself. He went to the East, and did indeed defeat the minions of the Enemy, and win the Sword away from those who wished to possess it the most. He brought it again back to Northern Olerk, to keep it safely away from those who would do evil with it. I do not mention the name of this noble champion, since to do so would endanger those who may know of the Sword's location, and reveal this location to evil ones. The Sword is temporarily neutralized, but for how long, no one can say for certain.
The Twins are not one sword, but two, forever linked by their creators. They are unusual in this connection between them, having much greater power together than apart. The story of the twins begins long ago, in the time of the 4th Cycle. At this tim
e the enmity between Dwarf and Elf flared, and became war. During the Migration preceeding these events, the Kaleds had roamed very
far north, this being a year in which the time of madness lasted longer than perhaps any other. (Although the humans call the 9th migration the Great Migration) The human nations were just forming, and did not provide a barrier between the kaleds and the Elves, as they do now. So, many Elves were forced to flee into the hills and mountains to the north east of Tanelorn, coming into Dwarf territory. The Dwarves resented this intrusion, and the hospitality they were forced to extend. The Kaleds never b
othered the Dwarves in their cold mountains, and so they were unused to the exigencies of the Migrations. When the Migration was over, the Elves left the Dwarves with many thanks, promising payment for the hospitality that they had received. When the ti
me came to pay, the Dwarves did not agree with the Elves on the amount, and they angrily rejected the Elves offering. The Elves, not usually being a stubborn people, nor especially fond of their gold, had to refuse the Dwarves' demands. The Migration ha
d taken its toll on their coffers, and much of their wealth had been in things of beauty, which were destroyed. The Dwarves, angry at being denied what they felt was their just payment, refused any partial amount, saying that they would take what they were owed, if not given it.
With that, the Elves refused to make any new offers. The Dwarves sat and stewed for a time, becoming more and more angry at the Elves. Eventually, they decided that they would go to war with the Elves to get what they were owed. Now this war did not involve all of the Dwarves, only the one clan living near the Elves, and several clans related to them. Nor did it involve many of the Elves, as the Dwarves justly attacked only those who had taken refuge with them. While the Dwarves expected the war to be a short one, such was not the case. Each time the Dwarves ventured into the Forests to get their gold, they returned with only bodies. They could not fight as they were used to in the Forests, on the Elves home ground. For their side, the Elves dared follow the Dwarves no farther than the hills, as the tables were turned on them. So the Dwarves tried foray after foray, with only limited success, for many years. With the passing of time, the Dwarves did not become discouraged, only more determined. The Elves could not follow them to raid their homes, even if they wished to. They could not pay, either, as the raids used all of their gold, and kept them poor. So the small battles were fought over and over, for many years, and many died. While Humans would never fight so long inconclusively, time passes more slowly for these long
lived races, and emotions run deeper. Eventually, the clans on both sides that were not involved in the war saw that there would never be a conclusion. What was needed was a different ending, rather than a victory in battle.
A way to appease both sides was searched for, and soon found. This was how the Twins were born. Several Elven smiths worked together for months to forge two identical swords. Then one of the swords was taken to the Elves, and one to the Dwarves. By the processes of their races, different from ours, the Twins
were enchanted. Two swords, forever bonded together. All that remained was to find two people to wield them. Each side was promised a fabulous sword, only if they stopped warring, and lived together in peace. So the leaders of the two sides met one day, and were presented with the swords. It was as promised, the swords were very powerful. Only, however, when they remained in close proximity. The two leaders, seeing what this meant, were persuaded to stop warring, and live together in peace.
For many years, the two leaders lived in a small village constructed on the site of the peacemaking. They became friends, and worked together happily on many fruitful projects. However, most of the Dwarves still were not happy. When the one who had made the peace died, the clans decided to move west, deeper into the mountains, and away from the Elves. A decision had to be now made, as the swords would not allow their users to part. The Dwarves demanded both swords as final payment for their losses. So the Elves, wishing to end the business, gave up their sword. The Dwarves now possessed both halves of the sword, and moved away to the west. Although peace had been made, Elves and Dwarves never again dwelt near one another.
The swords served the Dwarves very well, paying the debt many times over. They helped the Dwarves to take and defend their new homes against the giants and other ferocious monsters of these untamed peaks. Without them, the emigration would have taken a great toll of lives. The swords served in this purpose for many, many years, faithfully serving their Dwarven masters. With their offensive and defensive capabilities, they were uniquely suited to the Dwarves needs, since they fought giants most of all. Even the Twins could not make the Dwarves invincible, and one day one of the two, Abenmar, was lost to the giants. The other soon followed, but it was lost to human bandits who chanced upon the owner of Fareenmar, without its partner. From that day on, the swords were never again found together. Eventually, according to rumor, Fareenmar found its way out of the mountains, and was lost by the bandit in his turn. At last rumor, the sword was in the deep south, in a small country isolated from the rest of the Human Lands by the Neutral Zone and very mountainous terrain. What the fate of the sword was there is unknown.
The two Twins are exactly identical in form, as the name implies. They are straight and simple long swords, without any of the usual
Elvish decoration. The hilt is also simple, and at last knowledge was wrapped in leather. The guard is a simple bar, with a small amount of flaring toward the edges, for added hand protection. Neither sword bears any special markings. The powers of the sword are only manifest when they are together, although they have some weak ability when separated. It is known that the swords can sense each other up to one mile away, and can communicate this fact to the possessor. Alone, both swords are basic +1 blades.
Fareenmar, known as "Striker", speaks the Elvish tongue, and Abenmar ("Defender") speaks Dwarvish. When in close proximity, they increase to +2, and each gains increased powers. Fareenmar can give its wielder a strength spell, and can haste the user when in combat. Abenmar can cure serious wounds once per day, and confers invulnerability on the user. The swords also have the ability to allow their users to exchange positions, if they are near each other. These advanced abilities are only available when
the swords are within a short distance of each other.
Notes added by Beldar Entemiel 6.12.2..14
The tale of the Twins begins again early in the 14th Cycle. The great cleric Hubert of Warhall gifted the sword Fareenmar to the young fighter Dain Arkenstone, of the Keepers of the Lamp, for the assistance Dain and the members of his party rendered in defeating Azrael the Demon Mage. Hubert obtained the sword from a acquaintance in his Enclave in Foran. How the acquaintance obtained the sword is a mystery to myself and Hubert, as he was unaware of its history or powers. Dain and his compatriots immediately sought to reunite the swords. After much peril and personal danger they found Abenmar in the far south, in a small country called Mechica, deep in the Barbarian Lands. They then kept the two swords together, one of them kept by Dain, the other being used by another young fighter, Theotis of Marlot.
At the time of this writing they are still kept by these owners, or other associates of the two. The swords serve these new owners well, but the future of the swords is in doubt, and they are rarely used, and even more often they are separated from one another, their tremendous potential un-utilized.
Also, upon close examination by myself and the party, two more powers have been discovered. Fareenmar has the power to detect evil, and Abenmar can detect invisible. Other than these two new powers, Kelwiss' description was completely accurate.
This famous sword has always been the exclusive property of its Elven creators and their relatives. It is a very unique sword, with powers and abilities distinctly Elvish. Literally, the name Kiredhel translates into Olerian as "The cleaver of the Elves", or in its normal translation, "Sword of the Elves".
The history of the sword begins far back in time, documented only in the history of the Elves, long before Man established any real foothold in Olerk. During those days, without the human influence, the Elves were in constant competition with the humanoid races, and it was during this time that the sword Kiredhel was created. At this time the Elves were much more spread out over the northern part of Olerk. They also had a much larger foothold in the
southern part of the continent, and the two had much sea commerce between them. While they were prosperous and content, the Elves still had to contest for their gains and lands with roving bands of orcs and ogres, goblins and bugbears. The Elves occupied the choice lands of the north, including most of the mountains and river valleys, and the humanoids sought to wrest these lands
from them. There were constant battles and raids, and many wars. While sometimes generations of the lesser kind passed between these wars, for the Elves they were much too frequent. Along with Kiredhel, many powerful magic items were created during this time to help the Elves keep the upper hand, and to teach the orcs the folly of their ways. Many of these other items were lost, or the locations are known only to the Elves. I learned of Kiredhel
only through my personal friendship with a member of the family of those who keep the sword. During this time in the far past, there were many great Elven champions of great renown. One in particular concerns us, Alastel, the creator of Kiredhel, and the founder of the family that has held the sword since. Alastel was a great champion, perhaps the greatest of his time, and certainly greater in both fame and ability than any of this time. It may, perhaps, give us a better grasp of the great antiquity of the things I speak
of, when I say that two generations of Elves have passed since the time of Alastel. Alastel, a magic-user/ranger,1 after many, many years of fighting the orcs, set about to create a weapon
that would aid him. This sets him and Kiredhel apart from others, in that the fighter who conceived of the sword was also its creator. How the sword was made, is of course unknown, the Elvish magic of this type being incomprehensible to human mages. However it was done, the sword was forged and magiked, and its effect was seen immediately. Alastel had succeeded, and the sword aided him to even greater successes against the orcs in particular. In one series of battles, led by Alastel, the Elves broke the power of the orcs so completely that they never really recovered. In this Kiredhel served in two ways. The orcs so sought to destroy it or its wielder that they were easily tricked and trapped by the Elves. Again and again their desire for the sword led them to make errors in strategy that they paid for with many lives. Alastel and the sword also killed many, in the normal fashion. Even today, Kiredhel is still a legend to the orcs, one that is greatly feared. They would be greatly dismayed to find that this legend is still a reality! While the orcs numbers eventually grew again, they did not bother the Elves for a long time, and in time humans moved into Olerk, pushing the orcs down to the south, with the aid of the Elves.
The Elves moved north, but this was by choice, not force. Later in the history of the sword, Kiredhel again came to the aid of the Elves of Northern Olerk. This was in the time of Alastel's son, Elammoor. Nearly a thousand years had passed since the legendary battles against the orcs, and the sword had not been used in many, many years. The humans had now settled the lower portion of North Olerk, and the Elves had mostly moved to their present location near Lake Tarn. Great Tanelorn was at this time just achieving some of the majesty and splendor which it is now so famous for. The threat was against Tanelorn itself this time, and was much more intelligent and calculated. The sword Kiredhel again gave great aid, but in a much more defensive fashion. The attack directed against the Elves was lead by the hobgoblins of Gyrfang, and their evil Sork leaders. The hobgoblins had come by ship from Gyrfang, and sought to settle the northern reaches of Olerk, these lands being largely deserted by Man, Elf, and Dwarf. They soon discovered the Elven and human settlements across the mountains, and the Elves soon felt the evil of their presence. Many troops filtered out of the mountains in small groups, disappearing into the hills and dense forests around the lake, and the far outskirts of the city itself. There they found dark lairs suitable to their temperament, and killed any who wandered far from home and kin. Only large groups of Elves were safe from attack. For a long time, no Elf escaped the clutches of the Fangs, and none were seen by the larger Elven groups that now patrolled the forest. It fell to Elammoor, bearing the sword Kiredhel that enhanced his powers, to find the lairs of the enemy. Lair after lair he located, working alone, leading troops to the lairs after he had found them. Many of the intruders were rooted out in this way, falling separately. In some time, the Fangs realized the uselessness of continuing this way, and emerged to do open battle. Led by large numbers of the Sorks, a small army of hobgoblins attempted a quick raid into Tanelorn. Again they were met by Elammoor, who knew of all of the actions of the hobgoblins. He led a large force of Elves against the Fangs, and they were completely victorious. With their raiding force destroyed, and many of the Sorks killed, the hobgoblins left Olerk entirely, retreating back to Gyrfang. They have never again tried to start a foothold on the human or Elven portions of N. Olerk, although they may have bases in the Barbarian Lands. .
The sword now permanently resides in their capital city of Tanelorn, the Hidden City. Among other weapons and devices, the sword protects the city against any unwanted intruders.
Kiredhel, like Charmer, is a broad sword in type, more suited to Elvish tastes than the long sword. It is a long straight sword, unlike most broad swords. It has a cup type guard, with a short, slim hilt. Being very light and strong, it is a very quick sword, when wielded by one with a strong wrist. The sword bears Elvish script along both sides of the blade, listing its name, maker, and the time of creation. Along with this, it has the short phrase, "Protector of the Elven people, guardian of the Elven ideal". The powers of the sword are very unique. It is normally +1, but this is not necessarily a constant limit. It can hit any creature or being, regardless of its defenses. It is also +3 'to hit' against orcs, and does +6 to damage. Note that this is enough for any opponent to kill almost any orc with one blow. It has other powers, which are very unique. It sheds light like any magic blade, but this is totally under the control of the user. It also detects enemies, like the wand, but it does not have to be pointed, and it takes no conscious effort of the wielder. The other aspects are difficult to describe in terms of powers. They manifest themselves in making the wielder more "Elvish". The sword is also known to be sensitive to other people besides the wielder. To a human, if one ever used the sword, these powers would seem meager, if they manifested at all. For one of mixed elf and human blood, the result would be unknown. All in all, Kiredhel is perhaps a poor example of what we humans would call a famous sword, but it is certainly the most famous sword of all Elvenkind.
The sword of Galwae is distinct from the other famous swords
of Olerk, in that its fame is due almost entirely to one wielder. This sword has a short active history, with only one real owner, instead of many. While to my knowledge the sword still exists, it has not been used since the 12th Cycle, when it was made. It is due to the unusual construction of the sword that this is the case, not to its magical properties. The tale of this sword begins and ends with its original owner, Galwae. Galwae was an unusual adventurer, in both stature and mentality. He was reputationless until he started showing up all over Olerk, with his unusual sword. From stories pieced together from Galwae and his friends, it appears that Galwae was really a normal sort, loving adventure, wine and women. He perhaps was more free spirited than most, preferring a wandering life to one spent at home. After quite a
few years of adventuring, he had reached a high level, attaining Lord status in the fighting ranks. He was destined for a typical life, until a minor artifact came into his possession.
The artifact, an Orb of the Dragonnet, while of no great power, changed Galwae physically. He was a large man to begin with, and quite strong, but after several uses of this artifact, he reached the inhuman height of one and one-half zel. (7' 6") He quickly took advantage of his new size and bulk to create a new sword, which only he could wield.
The sword was a great two-handed weapon, fashioned for the most part from meteorite iron. It was larger than normal weapons in both length and breadth, and took all of Galwae's great size to wield properly. With his tremendous sword in hand, Galwae set out to become a great champion. The sword soon became his symbol, setting him apart from all others. He also used the sword in a unique way. By this time, Galwae had had enough of the life of an adventurer, and wished to become a benefactor of the people. So he set out to wander the roads and hills of Northern Olerk, fighting for the people. He soon became a welcome and common sight to many. He took on many dangerous tasks, ones which required all of his strength and skill. His great weapon helped him greatly, allowing him to match any creature or person in battle. He was also a shrewd and wise warrior, who had collected many magical aids over his years of adventure.
His fame was also due to his generosity and kind heart, for he accepted only small payment for his services. He also took on many tasks that others would have considered below their status. He did everything from chasing simple brigands and bandits, to slaying dragons. He killed many malicious people, of all classes. Thieves, fighters, magic users, nobles, all of those who were evil or unjust fell underneath his blade, or were beaten into submission. He did not always kill his foes, for often just his attention was enough to cause them to change their ways. On several occasions he even refused tasks, judging them too difficult for one lone fighter to succeed at.
He did not contain his aid to just the human population of Olerk. On several occasions, he went to help the Dwarves of the northern mountains. He slew many giants for them, and on one occasion descended into their mines to kill several umber hulks who had tunneled into the mine. He also gave his services to the Elves once, helping them rid their forests of unwanted evil. Both the Elves and the Dwarves insisted on rewarding him, with the Dwarves giving him rich jewelry, and a suit of Dwarven chain, specially made to suit his great stature. The Elves made a fine scabbard for his great sword, to keep it out of the elements. Galwae even made a visit to the Hobbit land, to offer his ability, but the peaceful folk had no need of his help. They greeted him as the great champion he was, and held a great party in his honor, lasting several days. He took this opportunity tovisit the great Golden dragon, Zemiz, while he was in this part of the land.
He often said that it was his aim to visit all of the peoples of Olerk, and aid those who would accept him. Soon, as his fame spread, he was in great demand over all of Olerk, for many different missions.
Belatedly, he realized that fame brought with it responsibility, and he chose to sail to the south, where he would not be in such demand. He traveled to the nether part of the continent, and again wandered the lands, but he was not as free with his services. He mostly served those who would not need him again, or those who could not help themselves. Eventually, he aided all those who were in need, and he decided to go to the East, there to test himself against the Enemy. This was his first mistake, and it became his last. He enjoyed some success there, being of enough wit to escape capture or containment. While he achieved no great victory, he heartened the people greatly, and was as popular there as he was anywhere else. He was not there long, before he was forced by the forces of the Enemy to leave, and return to Olerk. He was greeted with honor and affection wherever he went on his return, and the tales of his latest adventures spread ahead of him.
If he had one fault, it was his liking for stories of his own skill and deeds. These he loved to tell, often forcing people to listen for hours. Even more, he loved to hear others tell his own tales, with his part greatly exaggerated. These tales, and his liking for barrooms was his downfall, for he could always be easily found. The Enemy took great offence at his treatment, and the assassins of Evil found him, and killed him. They separated his head from his body, and the rest of him was never again found. The head was displayed for several days to admirers of Galwae, and then was interred. Without the body, of course, it was impossible to raise him, and so he remained dead. The sword ended up in the possession of a man who had been a great admirer of Galwae, and it remains to this day a trophy in some castle or other, which one I cannot say exactly.
The sword that Galwae had made was a two-handed blade, a full
13 fists in length. (6 1/2 feet) It was also much heavier than a normal blade. The cross guard was very simple, and small, as is typical with two-handers. The hilt is very long, big enough to fit three hands of a lesser stature than Galwae's. The pommel knob is very large, to offset the great weight of the sword, and in its center is a large chunk of unforged iron from the same meteorite the sword was made from. The sword is +4, with no special abilities or functions, and no intelligence. For damage, the sword inflicts 4-13 upon smaller than man sized opponents, and 3-12 and 2-24 versus man sized and larger opponents, respectively. It is also not specially magiked against any certain type of creature or opponent. Galwae was only interested in a sword to augument his talents and size. He did not want a sword with powers of its own. He was interested in his own reputation, not that of the sword. Also, quite obviously, the sword could not be used by anyone much smaller than Galwae, or without extremely high strength.
This sword is another of the famous swords of Olerk that is famous for its evil powers. It originated in the South, and was brought here by theft. I have obtained some information about its tale in the South, and what happened to it here in North Olerk. The Sword of Weakness, (also called "Bloodsucker", although this was a misnomer) appeared in S. Olerk during the 10th Cycle, around the year 40. It was almost certainly created in the East, carrying a distinguishing smith's mark. The sword first belonged to Blackheart, ruler of the short lived Balon Empire.
Blackheart, whose real name was Jer Restin, was the chief general for the small city-state of Balon. After obtaining the sword, he overthrew its rightful ruler, and declared himself Lord. He then set out to take over several of the nearby countries, and succeeded, at first. His capabilities as a general achieved most of his success, as he defeated several of his enemies on the field of battle. The sword assisted, as he used it to remove key leaders from opposing forces before key engagements. To accomplish this, he often loaned the sword to associates, to carry out these missions. Often he could not go himself, for he would surely have been recognized. After defeating the small nations of Marlot and Omiman, Blackheart stopped to consolidate his gains.
He used the sword at this time to rid himself of domestic opponents, doing much of this work himself. He now declare himself Emperor Restin I, of the Balon Empire. After 3 years, he was ready again to move on his path to building his Empire. No sooner had he begun, than his fortunes took a bad turn. He entrusted the sword to one of his most reliable assassins, who promptly took it, and headed for Northern Olerk. While deprived of one of his most potent weapons, Blackheart apparently trusted his leadership and strategy to win more battles for him. Blackheart continued on with his plans for conquest, and he was successful at first, but he was in time defeated by a smaller army, led by the very general that he had planned to have killed. With his defeat in battle, and a
revolt erupting in Balon, Blackheart disappeared.
In the meantime, the assassin who had stolen the sword had set about to make a fortune for himself, assassinating almost anyone, if the price was high enough. The sword gained a tremendous reputation, perhaps exaggerated more than its powers. Besides assassinations, the sword helped kill many adventurers who sought to obtain the sword, for good or evil. However, the assassin had not thought that Blackheart would follow the sword, which is exactly what he did. Blackheart was neither killed nor captured in his defeat, and fled almost immediately north. The assassin had grown complacent, as nearly 2 years had passed since he left Blackheart in the south. Blackheart's Empire had not fallen quickly, and the voyage north is not a short one. Blackheart found the assassin, and took appropriate precautions against the power of the sword. The assassin was no match for a fighter of Blackheart's ability, with the sword effectively neutralized. Once again, Blackheart had the sword in his hands.
Having learned his lesson, this time Blackheart struck out on his own, trusting the sword to no one. He set out on much the same course as did the assassin, killing various people for their money, or for money. He killed many famous persons during the course of five years, including the Baron Rheldt of Sendl, and the famed duelist Jock Redcoat.
He also resumed adventuring, where he was also successful. He became very rich, and backed many evil and malicious ventures
with his money. He became a large behind the scenes force for evil in Rhemuth and Foran. With his money, he built an extensive organization, a new "empire". In time, according to the best estimations, he backed or owned thieves guilds in Rhemuth, Koln, Foran, and Lorendan City. He also controlled assassin's guilds in many of the same areas. Eventually, fate turned against Blackheart once again, and he was killed. A large group of good adventurers, led by several members of the Knights of the Flame, found Blackheart in his semi-secret home, and battled with him. During the battle one of the adventurers, and two of the Knights died, but they won, and got the sword. As the sword was judged too dangerous and evil to keep, it was promptly taken to a temple of Forseti, and destroyed.
The Sword of Weakness was a long sword, fairly standard in design and manufacture. Typical of swords forged in the East, it was very dark, almost black, made from the dark iron particular to that land. Its hilt was plain, and the guard of the standard "catch" type. The sword, while normal in appearance, was said to have some very unusual powers. It was thought to be no greater than +2. On any hit, the sword drained several points of strength and constitution from the person hit. Some or all of these points would then be gained by the wielder, with obvious combat benefits. This power was thought to only effect humans, and humanoids, and possibly demi-humans. Any person reduced in ability scores to 3 or less would be unconscious, and if lowered to 0, would die. It was not known if the sword was intelligent, or if it possessed any further powers. It was never examined by anyone able to discern these things. It was determined that the sword was definitely evil, which has led some to speculate that it was intelligent.
The sword called Sword of Shielding began its existence long ago in the forests of the Islands of the Palanach. According to its characteristics, and what little information exists about its origins, the sword was created in these islands, by one of the great magician Elf lords who dwell there. As far as exactly which of these wizards created the sword, my sources point to two of the larger figures of their history. One of these is Goozel the Deathless, who is reliably claimed to have created the sword Azar the Demonslayer.
However, I believe, after studious examination of all of the available references, that the actual creator was Dimwerk the Craftmaster, Goozel's archrival in magical creations. While the exact date of creation of the sword is unknown, it is believed to be soon after the creation of Azar, which lends support for the theory that Dimwerk was responsible. The description and powers of the sword itself will be discussed later.
The Sword of Shielding was long wielded in the same Islands as it was created. Its wielder was an Elven lord, one Elenthel. Apparently, the sword was bought or traded for, and was not specifically made for this owner. At this time, which on Olerk was during the middle of the 4th Cycle, the Palanach lords were driving all human occupants of the islands to the coastal areas, which is the area they are found in today. The humans at that time inhabited a large part of the islands, but in small numbers. Particularily, the Palanach wished to rid the wooded uplands and mountains of all humans, to leave these areas free for their private sanctuaries and preserves. To this despicable use was Sword of Shielding put for many years. The Elves, with their longer lifespans, were in no hurry to accomplish their purpose, and it took nearly 100 years to force all humans to move to the coast, or to leave the Islands all together. The Sword of Shield ing was used very often, especially to root out stubborn rebels. Its protective powers served its bearer very well, but very near to the end of the fighting, the sword was lost. It was, however, not lost accidentally, as are most weapons.
During the very last years of the Herding, as it was then called, a great human rebel hero arose. This hero was called Gurthdinen by the Elves and humans alike, meaing 'Silent Death' in Elvish. Of all the human rebels, he operated alone, and in the Elv es' home territory, the forested hills of the interior. For several years he evaded or slew many hunters in these forests. Finally, Elenthel led a large, experienced party of hunters into the area to hunt down and kill Gurthdinen. Gurthdinen had heard of this party, and arranged to meet Elenthel before the hunt actually began. Meeting at the edge of the forest that was his haunt, Gurthdinen made a wager with Elenthel. If he could elude Elenthel and his hunters for one week, no matter where the hunt went, then Gurthdinen would be granted one Demand of Elenthel, even if it was his life. Elenthel quickly assented, as he clearly had the edge, or so it seemed. He was leading a large, very experienced party of hunters, equipped with both horses and dogs. Gurthdinen could neither hide, run, nor fight against such an overwhelming force.
Gurthdinen had a plan in mind, and with his woodcraft skills and prowess at evasion, it was nearly an even contest. Gurthdinen quickly led the hunt into an area of mountains, to slow down the horses and dogs. This took two days of the hunt, and the hunters were not far behind. Gurthdinen then sprang the rest of his plan on them. Leaving several misleading trails, he took to a small river on a raft he had previously constructed. At this point in its course, the river was swift and dangerous, but it carried him far ahead of the hunt before they traced him to it. Following as swiftly as they could, the hunt tried to catch up to him, in vain. Exactly one week after the bargain was made, Gurthdinen and his raft were floating in the sea, just off of the river he had taken down from the mountains. Elenthel and his party arrived several hours later, missing many of their horses, and one hunter.
Putting into the shore, Gurthdinen made his Demand. He asked for, not Elenthel's life, as would be expected, but the sword he carried. Gurthdinen had seen or heard of the sword helping its wielder to kill many humans, and hoped it could be put to other use. He did not wish to use the sword himself, but knew of many worthy defenders who would. Elenthel, while quite surprised at this development, consented gladly, believing that his life was forfeit in the bet. Gurthdinen took the sword and left the mountains, headed for the coast. There he found a group of adventurers, and within their ranks one fighter he felt worthy and capable of keeping the sword.
This fighter, Jarlen of Morlost, used the sword very well against the Palanach Elves, fighting against them for several more years. Eventually, all of the humans were forced into the cities and coastal towns as the Elves desired, and called for all fighting to cease. The humans, threatened with further persecution, finally gave in to the inevitable. The adventurers in the area moved on to more profitable, and less threatening areas. In this manner, the Sword of Shielding came to Olerk.
During this time, the great Giant Wars were being fought, in the hills and valleys of the Grimdour Mountains. Along with many other great weapons and warriors, Jarlen and the Sword of Shielding were led here by the call of fame and fortune. However, the Sword was not made with combat against Giants in mind, and Jarlen was in time defeated, and the sword became part of the treasure trove of a group of Giants.
Soon after this time, the great sorcerer Morthen took up residence in the northernmost part of the Grimdours. Here he created a vast underground lair, and lured many adventurers to their doom, acquiring many powerful items in the process. He also preyed on the Elves and Dwarves in this area, and any other creatures, including Giants. His power grew and grew, until he threatened Sendl in the west, and Nerdri in the east. It was during this time period that the Sword of Shielding became part of his treasure, and found its way into the hands of one of his servants. The sword was used against the forces of Nerd, and served very well. However, the combined forces of Sendl, Foran, Nerd, and contingents of Elves and Dwarves were too much for Morthen, and he was forced back into his original underground holdings. There he stayed for many years, staving off all attempts by any adventurers to crack his defenses. After a time, a group that had much success found that it was no longer Morthen's lair at all. He had sometime over the years left, or died, leaving his original holdings to monstrous guardians and servants. It is said that if his new lair could be found, there would be much treasure still there. It is believed that Morthen has perished, as he has not been heard from or seen in many Cycles. How much of the treasure was lost in his initial defeat is unknown, but much of it may still remain.
During his defeat, the Sword of Shielding fell into the hands of the forces of Nerd, where it stayed. The Sword's value was recognized by the leaders of these forces, and it became part of the Royal Treasury of Nerdri. It was often wielded by the Royal Princes, Kings and Emperors, especially in open battle. It still resides there, although other weapons more appropriate to the decadence and depravity of that Throne are used.
This report comes straight from the notes of Delwith, court Mage of the Nerdri King at the time the Sword of Shielding was taken by them. The Sword of Shielding is a highly decorated long sword. The hilt is quite ornate, and forged of a mithril and steel alloy. The blade itself is of a special steel alloy, and holds a +3 enchantment. The blade is lightly etched with swirls and curves.
The unique properties of the sword lie in its protective powers. When wielded, the sword will automatically move to deflect one missle attack per round against the wielder. This will take precedence over any attacks the wielder may wish to make, so he may find an attack spoiled, to save himself from taking an arrow or bolt or spear. The sword also generates a magical protective field from the blade. This magical field will negate any magical rays aimed at the wielder from the front of sides, but not from the back. It will also negate Magic Missile or Melf's Minute Meteor attacks. This negation appears to happen irregardless of the level of the caster.
The sword will also lend a benefit of -1 to the wielders armor class, over and above any other magical or non-magical protections. It also has the wand-like power of detecting enemies, communicating through empathy.
This sword is another of the swords of Southern Olerk that found its way North. The origin of this sword is closely tied to a famous inhabitant of the Southern Kingdoms, Obed the Jester. Obed supposedly conceived and designed the sword, having expert craftsmen and a mage construct it to his exact desires.
Obed was a famous jester of the South, from the small country of Kurriloch. The tale of the Sword of the Jest begins when he took up jesting for the king of Kornoch, a very aggressive kingdom, during the time of the 12th Cycle. The king of Kornoch at that time was Gentil, the second to last of his evil line. The story of Obed's service there is better told by one of Obed decendants, and I will leave it to him.
The Story of Obed by Wil O'Fannon
For many years the tales of my great ancestor Obed O'Fannon have honored the gatherings of the O'Fannons. No greater tale is told than his time as Jester at the Court of Kornoch.
Perhaps no other jester has had quite as much impact as Obed, although it is always the lot of the jester to labor without recognition. Obed was a born traveler, having sworn early in his career, after a questionable incident with an overexcitable Lad y, to spend no more than 1 year, minus a day, in any service or place. In that way, so he thought, no woman could become too attached to him, and he would stay out of trouble. He mostly avoided trouble in his travels, although his detractors labeled him 'Obad the Braggart'. 'Tis a blot on the family name that he is still known by such names in some southern Kingdoms, and untrue to the core. Obed's travels eventually brought him to Kornoch, one of the great kingdoms of the South, although with an unsavory reputation. The king was said to be a weak man, and his kin and bairns no better. In Obed's time the court squabbling had turned malicious, and when King Gentil offered the duty of Jester for one year (minus a day) Obed accepted. A traveling man knows that a year passes quickly, and Obed thought that he might do some good in the kingdom, and the pay was handsome. He swore to keeps his wits and his britches about him, as the previous jester was nowhere to be found
Obed started his year carefully, learning the petty nobles at court. Some he could befriend with his wit, others would only take offense. Many of them, bless their dim wits, could never ken the wittiest joke or turn of phrase, and looked dimly on Obed. King Gentil was amused by his fool, even in his blackest moods, though he often threatened to "hang you by your tongue, until your wits are pulled out!".
It soon became clear as stout to Obed that the King's trouble lay with two of the more powerful noble clans, who opposed the King at every turn. Even Obed's witticism's and clever cuts won the King few battles against them, and the good people of Kornoch suffered. Obed soon had powerful enemies, and he searched and searched for a way to protect himself, and help the poor Kornockians. Words were little help, and the King less, and Obed soon knew that only violence would save him. Running away was out of the question, only kerns skip out on a good comission. Being no stranger to the sword, but liking a jest more, Obed designed himself the sword of a jester. He contacted an Elven swordsmith of his acquaintance, and the two set right to work. Months later, Obed had himself a very unique sword, if even he was the only one who thought it was worth calling a sword.
Light it was, and harmless looking. It was far too thin and too narrow for a sword. It cut poorly, and stabbed worse. Obed was the joke of the court when he took to wearing it. Just waving it at a target caused it to bend like a whip.
Tale unfinished....
The sword called "Lightbringer", "Darkslayer" and "The Lightsword" has a history unique amoung those swords documented here. It was forged somewhere around the 8th Cycle, in the magical forges of Shiboam.
Shiboam was a short-lived kingdom located far to the south of Lorendan, in Central Olerk. This region is dominated by kaleds, but during the 8th Cycle, a group of elemental fire wizards took all of their possesions, their followers and their families and founded a community. Shiboam was a magical city-state, where nearly all of the adult population practiced magic in some form. Even the priests worshipped the god of magic, and many of the warriors were dual-class wizards. Many magical items were produced in Shiboam, but they were most famous for magical blades.
According to the smith's mark on the blade, Lightbringer was forged by one of the wizard-smiths, one Dazentokas, during a time of troubles for Shiboam. The kaleds had decided to eliminate the humans there, and had enlisted the aid of shades and many shadows. Lightbringer was forged for one of the heroes who were called from all over Olerk defend the city. Only those who possessed some magical talent were allowed to join the defenders. This restriction proved to be the downfall of the wizards. The first wielder of Lightbringer was a ranger named Lughc Skie-Gwalchur, from N. Olerk. Rangers and paladins were allowed to join the defense due to their use of priest, druid and wizard spells.
Intially, the defenders had great success. The kaleds were unprepared for the amount of magic ability and the quality of the defenders. Many were killed by fire spells of all types, while the warriors finished off the survivors. However, the kaleds had numbers, determination and time on their side. Lughc and his companions slew many, at first with little risk or cost.
The defenders fought bravely for many months, and slowly their losses mounted. The few numbers of defenders and lack of replacement warriors began to tell. The kaleds began attacking in greater numbers, and their priests summoned numerous shadows and shadow demons to aid them. No amount of magic could defeat the entire kaled horde and their humanoid and shadow allies. Eventually, the last of the wizards and their allies fled the city via a magical portal to N. Olerk. Dazentokas never left the city, defending the forge to the last.
After the great battles, Lughc laid low for a time, then reappeared fighting against shadows in Korith. A fortress there was the home of an evil wizard, who was summoning shadow creatures to serve him. The Fortress of Shadow dominated the area around it for years, controlling the few peasants remaining in the countryside with fear. Lughc and his companions banished many shadows back to the Plane of Shadows with Lightbringer and other items of power. It was these battles which earned the sword the name of "Darkslayer". Lughc and his companions fought long and bravely in these battles, and earned the hatred of all intelligent shadow-folk. His companions are not mentioned extensively in the tales I have found, but they are named as Jaden, Ruarc, Krak, and Cexterrenes. Eventually, the Shadow summoning wizard was slain, and the Fortress was destroyed.
Soon afterwards, the sword must have passed on to one of Lughc's companions. A warrior named Jaden took the sword to the very northern coast of Olerk, and there spent many years fighting against giants and sea raiders along the coast to the east of Northport. Jaden is mentioned in several tales of heroism in the North, but Lightbringer appears just once. The same Jaden is mentioned as a companion of Lughc, so it is believed to be the same person. No mention of battles with shadows is made in the tales of Jaden's exploits. According to the story told, Jaden defeated a powerful 6 armed sahuagin while defending the crew of a privateer from an attack of the shark-men.
Some years later, Jaden came south to Ellendi, in search of a great dragon nesting in the Forbidding Mts. The dragon was either a black dragon or a shadow dragon, no one at the time nor now is certain which it was. However, Jaden never returned from his quest. He was either defeated by the dragon, or disappeared with the sword. In any event, the sword has not been seen since. All that remains are the tales of Lughc and Jaden, and some mentiones of Lightbringer or Darkslayer in tales in Korith and Northport. Of their other companions, little is known.
Details of the Sword
According to what little information is available, Lightbringer was a heavy sword, constructed of a silvery alloy. The sword was said to give off a subtle glow or glimmer at all times, but would blaze brightly on command of the wielder. It was said to be very effective against shades and shadows, and the light of the sword was said to be harmful to undead.
Tales of Dazentokas and his works do not list many details of hisspecific creations, and Lightbringer is no exception. However, he was said to keep a magical book that contained the description and an image of every sword he ever made.
1
The magic-user/ranger multiclass is one no longer found among the Elves, or any other race. When I questioned my source on this subject, an interesting discussion followed. In effect, what he imparted to me was that there is no magic-user/ranger class now, because there is no need for one.