Rulers of Earthius: Dawn of the North

The Keep of Fallreach was dug deep into the Gold Mountains, close to the Dwarven Stronghold of Gal-Bulduur (Which translates to Hills of Gold in Dwarvish). The keep was massive with an open courtyard hidden by the mountain and, balconies in numerous areas allowing for messaging from pigeons. The chamber of the king and queen were hidden deep, near the end of the keep to allow for protection from outside threats. At the west end, there was a large porch cut from the stone where feasts were often held that gave a view for miles and miles.

Midsummer 5th, 145 PIE

Keep of Fallreach, Niln

Rignar sat in a decoratively carved wooden chair, he faced westward, looking over the western end of the mountain range, shrouded by fog, a light mist pecking at his face. He was wearing his usual noble attire, black noble clothes, and a bear pelt on his back. He did not sit by himself, he sat with his good friend Wulfgar wearing a white blouse, black pants, and black shoes. To his right and Wolf Commander Horki Ice-Eyes standing at his left.

He donned the usual armor in the Wolf Soldiers, the cheek guards of his helmet opened out like wings on a bird, revealing his rugged aged features, white beard and short white hair, and the icy blue of his eyes. He held in his hand a long-handled battleax, opting out of the usual sword and spear of Wolf Soldiers, but keeping the large wheellock pistol. Rignar and Wulfgar drank from steel pints, mead was what they were drinking, a traditional drink of Northerners.

Between the two Northerners was an object wrapped in white cloth, lying on the stone floor.

"I suppose now's a good enough time," bespoke Rignar, he adjusted himself in his seat and tapped his hand against the armor of Horki, and said "Bring me, my son, tell him I have a gift for him,"

"Yes M'lord," responded Horki, his voice was deep and hard like stone. he turned away, crossing the porch to the wooden door at its front.

"More mead?" asked Wulfgar in his deep battle-hardened, rough voice

"Sure," responded Rignar quietly before loudly calling "SERVANT," a young man wearing red clothes approached them, holding a golden pitcher, pouring mead into both of their pints, "Thank you lad," bespoke Rignar before putting his lip to the steel cup. as the servant walked away, Horki returned with RIgnar's son, Rignar. "Come here boy," called Rignar in a happy manner, a smile forming on his aged bearded face.

Rignar was a tall boy as were most Northerners with broad shoulders and deep red hair like his mother and a young round face, he wore a red tunic and blue pants with a wooden sword tucked into his belt.

"Son" bespoke his father in a jovial manner, a smile still on his face "I know your thirteenth winter is coming, so I asked the smiths in Gal-Bulduur to craft you a gift, they agreed and have given me this blade as the gift," he grabbed the cloth wrapped object and unwrapped it, revealing a sword within a black leather and silver scabbard, its hilt and small crossguard decorated with gold engravings of wolves. The young Rignar took it from his father's hands and drew the sword from its scabbard with a loud ring.

The blade was broad and a fair bit short, like a traditional Dwarven sword but its blade was black, blacker than the darkest nights without stars, it looked like the void had been crafted into a blade, it was so black that it absorbed light and it wouldn't reflect. King Rignar let out a gasp of shock at the sight of the blade

"Great frosts of Vilkheim," Wulfgar muttered in shock as he leaned forward "That... That's Black Iron, by the gods,"

"thank you father," Rignar said joyfully, sheathing the sword and running back to the keep.

Rignar leaned back in his seat before saying quietly "It would appear Gal-Bulduur's riches are far more than we once thought, the Dwarves may make great allies," he rested his chin on his fist and let out a long drawn out sigh, looking over the rocky expanse beyond the porch "I remember my 13th Winter" he bespoke "I was given a long battle-ax, with a blade that had a dragon carved into it, a handle of redwood,"

Rignar took a sip from his pint before speaking yet again, this time to Horki who stood at his side "Do you remember that day Horki?"

Horki responded "aye, I was just starting as Wolf Soldier, I remember Jori training with you when you were young, you were his height by then too, and Jori was no small man,"

"And what was your first weapon?" Asked Rignar

"I was the less fortunate child of a mother from a village on the north coast, and the seed of a Bearded Raider from the Bearded Islands, my mother was shamed upon my birth, a hideous abomination with horns upon my head and blue eyes," He took a deep breath "My mother was pushed from the village, we lived in a shack in the Great Pinewood until my mother sent me to the capital and I became among the Wolves,"

"And you brother?" asked Rignar, looking to his friend Wulfgar.

The Northerner adjusted himself in his seat and responded "My first weapon, was the greatsword I wield, a beautiful steel blade with a crossguard made from ram's horns and a hilt made from pine wrapped in black leather, carried that blade into battle with me when I first joined with Holdsmen Army of the Old North, I killed my first man with that blade, a bandit who had been held up in a cave east of Ritlrik, my blade cut through the hide he called armor like it was air and came out his back,"

"The first kill often fills one with a sense of power, and strength, I still remember the first time I killed a man, it was a bandit somewhere in a cave on the Arm of the Gods, I was one of two survivors of the attack," responded Rignar, his voice growing dull "I was hung by chains against a wall, next to a rotting corpse for two weeks, being flogged and kicked and cut all that time, my rage built inside me like burning fire powder, ready to burst outward, I remember the day I escaped well, I had managed to convince the man who was torturing me that I was too weak to fight, that I could be set free from my binds when I fell to the ground, covered in my own blood and piss and shit, he laughed at me, a taunting laugh, at that moment the fire within me erupted and I grabbed the dagger from his belt, an ornate one of Black Iron and I thrust it into his eye, the smell of the blood seeped through my nose, the sound of his screams dug into my mind and made me feel," He stopped to gather his senses "good, like a king, like a god amongst men, like I could conquer all the lands of Earthius"

Wulfgar stared at him with widened eyes, Rignar had never once told him the story, all the years they had been friends he had never told the story, he had always said I will not tell that story, for those memories still haunt my dreams. Wulfgar had witnessed entire cities burn, men get ripped apart by beasts, he had seen the gates of Vailstar blown down by cannons, he had slain more men than he could count within the city.

But, when he heard Rignar's story it shocked him, but it made him curious as well, surely this was not the whole story, surely there must be more to it

"Wulfgar!" Rignar cried out, snapping the old soldier from his thoughts, "Assemble my High Council at once,"

"Yes, M'lord" was his only response.

The King's High Council met in an ovular room, dark oak floors, and stone walls and rooves. A long rectangular table ran through the room, east to west, a large wooden throne with blue seats being at the west end, a small fire pit sat at the table's center. Many of the seats were empty, only six sat in there with the King who sat on the throne, all gathered in the tables north side facing the door. There was Coin Master Josef Voiluk, a Jularthi from the south with a long dark brown beard and well kept brown hair, wearing a green nobleman's tunic with a golden Gerum coin pinned to his chest.

He sat closest to the king, next to him was Trade Master Viignel Adlfiir, a Northerner from the city of Iklfrik on the western coast. His hair was fair blonde and long, his face aged and bare, he wore a blue tunic that covered him to his knees and a pin that depicted two hands shaking. Next to him was Wulfgar in his dark armor, his great helm on the table, his long greatsword with a crossguard made from goat's horns leaning against the table.

Next to him sat Horki Ice-Eyes in his armor, helmet on table and ax against it. Next to Horki sat Harbjorn River-Rider, the Sea Master of Niln, he was an aged man with white hair, bald on the sides and long on top, combed to one side and a long and thick white beard, he wore minimal clothing, it appeared to be made of animal hide, hanging over his shoulder in strips down to a full hide cloak complete with trousers and boots, similar to Griinan Tribesmen.

Next to Harbjorn was the High Priest Herlim of Fallreach, a Northerner who was bald with a long white beard stretching to his stomach, wearing white and gold robes, tremendously aged he was. Rignar sat with two Wolf Soldiers at his side, he leaned forward in his throne and questioned

"What news do we have from the holds?" It was the usual weekly meeting of the High Council to discuss important issues.

"Well," bespoke Viignel "We have reports of strange black longships prowling the northern coasts, many suspects that news of the war has reached the Bearded Isles and they're prowling for raids,"

Rignar rested his chin upon his fist before responding: "I'm assuming Jarl Hagrid knows of this news?"

"He does Your Grace, but he claims that it is no more than tall tales and drunken illusion" responded Viignel

"Maybe... we should look more into this possible threat" Rignar proposed "I want you to send a message to Jarl Hagrid after our council concludes, tell him he needs to place more soldiers on his coast,"

"You can't be serious Your Grace," Interjected Wulfgar "You can't be suggesting that Jarl Hagrid put move men to the coast purely out of a conspiracy, out of a possible illusion?"

"He has a point," Responded Horki "We've had villages cry out that dragons were circling over near their homes, only to find that it was just drunkards who thought eagles were dragons,"

"By the gods, Wulfgar!" bespoke Rignar annoyed "I feel that you and Horki would understand that people claiming the black longships of the Bearded Isles are prowling our coasts are more realistic and pressing than dragons," RIgnar leaned back "Horki, I feel that you of all people would want to help quash the threat of Bearded Raiders, seeing as your mother suffered more than most during one of their raids" Rignar looked back to Viignel "Ignore them and send my message at o-" Rignar was stopped when a knock came from the chamber door "You may enter" he called out.

A young man entered the chamber, a brass tube in his hand "It's for you, your grace" he said

Rignar got up and grabbed the tube from his hand, popping the tube open and reading the message within

"What is it?" asked Viignel

"A request of surrender," responded Rignar, shock painted across his aging face.