Author: Dargarth

Dargarth of the Axe
By: Dargarth (Dargarth@core.com)
(Used with Permission. Do not repost without obtaining prior permission from the author.)

Gather around now bokos and settle down. I'm tellin now of the legend of Dargarth of the Axe, and I'm not wantin to be interrupted. So sit back and get comfort while the wind and I spin this tale of the man the Ket called "Deatheyes" and the Wolf Nomads up north called "Shining Death".

Now little is known about Dargarth's early years. He married the beautiful Betta when he was but fifteen, young by today's standards, and started a small farm in the Lorridge Hills between Bissel and Veluna. Those first dozen years of married life were good to Dargarth. His crops harvested high, his sheep and goats grew numerous, and Betta birthed Dargarth a son, Cusp, and a sweet daughter that he named Bellrae. Everyone who knew Dargarth said he was truly blessed by Berei.

Now while Dargarth was enjoying his blessins, the kingdoms around the Lortmil Mountains were fightin the Hateful Wars; drivin the Euroz and other Noids out of the range. Most of the critters went south into the Pomarj, but a goodly number came north attempting to escape across the plains into the Yatils.

A band of Euroz of the Eagle Claw Clan came across Dargarth's farm while he was out choppin trees. Now little here needs to be said about what the foul-spawn do to humans when they catch 'em alone. When Dargarth returned to his farmstead he found Betta dead and ravaged and young Cusp staked to the side of the cabin. The Euroz had taken sweet Bellrae with them for purposes too cruel to even think about.

In haste and with a broken heart, Dargarth carried the bodies of his wife and son into his cabin and laid them in their beds. Dargarth was not an overly religious man, but he did honor the Gods and prayed that they would take his loved-ones into their embrace. As Dargarth spread the oil around the cabin and set fire to it, he prayed to holy Tritherion for retribution against the foul-spawn. Dargarth then grabbed up his woodsman's axe and headed after the ravagers.

Now I'm not goin into all the adventures Dargarth had while searchin those five years for the Eagle Claw Clan and Bellrae. About how he killed the Ice Drake Augphang or his fight with the were-bear; those be stories for another day. Needless to say, Dargarth did find the tribe of foul-spawn hidden high up in the Yatils where the trees don't grow and it snows most the year. Dargarth bested the entire tribe with no armor save his were-bearskin cloak and no weapon save his woodsman's axe.

Dargarth searched the camp for Bellrae and found her huddled in the back of the chief's cave, holdin her two-year old har-Euroz son. Dargarth's beautiful daughter, now fifteen summers old and a mother herself, showed the signs of her years of abuse. Before Dargarth could go to his long lost daughter, Gruthal, the Clan Chief of the Eagle Claw, stepped into view to protect his human wife. Dargarth, seeing the look of terror and hopelessness on his daughter's face, bellowed out what would become his legendary Velondi war cry and attacked the huge Euroz.

Now Gruthal weren't no regular Euroz; he was the Clan shaman and could cast unholy magics, granted to him by his evil God Gruumsh the One-Eye. Spells of destruction and death did Gruthal cast at Dargarth, but all to no avail. Dargarth had the rage upon him and no man nor critter could stand against him then. Dargarth cast aside his axe and went after the despoiler of his daughter with his bare hands. Dargarth needed to feel Gruthal's death.

To Bellrae the battle seemed to take an eternity. To Dargarth the pleasure of ripping Gruthal's head from its body seemed to pass far too quickly. When the deed was done, Dargarth took the Eagle Claw necklace from the bloody body of his foe and wore it evermore as a tribute to Tritherion.

Dargarth took Bellrae home to the farm and built them a new cabin not too far from his old one. Dargarth cast his woodsman's axe into the Symeril River and took up farmin and raisin his daughter and grandson. But the normal man's life was not to be for Dargarth. Soon after he returned home, Melan, the Canon of Veluna, requested his aid against the Kets. It was at that point that the legend of Dargarth of the Axe truly begins, but that and others be stories for another time.