Wuffa's Tale

"This tale is mine," says the Sage as he settles in more comfortably. "I believe what I relate here to be true. Parts are as recorded on various scrolls and in ancient tomes. Other parts are from the fables and songs of bards. Some information has been confirmed by an acquaintance of mine, a doctor of history. And a small portion is the pure conjecture of my uncorrupted thoughts.

"Just after the age when humans began to record their lives on things other than rock walls, a man named Stoll led his tribe into a series of battles in order to expand the tribal borders. He had given prosperity to his people but now other groups were feeding on his wealth by stealing crops and livestock. These small battles escalated into a full-scale conflict and finished with all of the human tribes paying homage to one leader--Stoll--who called his land Stollhaaven.

"Stoll and his sons controlled the Council of Warlords and ruled the land with an iron policy. Any dissent was quickly settled. Upon his death, the Council decreed that the next leader would be the first-born male descendant of Stoll and also be known as Stoll. Thus, the people began to think that the Stoll was immortal, and as long as he ruled the land no harm would befall them.

"Since that time, the Land of Stollhaaven has stretched from the White Waste of the North some 1,300 miles to Giants' Steppe in the South, from the Wide Sea in the West to the Dwarven Mountains in the East. A treaty with the mountain Dwarves; Stollhaven supplied them with food and grain in return for iron and other minerals.

"The treaty also guaranteed military aid should it ever be required and thus Stollhaaven was protected from conflict on three sides. In the South the Giants' Steppe, a 200-foot high escarpment ran from the sea to the mountains and gave difficulty to any potential raider. The only gap in the Steppe is where the river Cocker flows through from the South; hence, the strategic location of the town for both trade and defence.

"In the reign of Stoll XII, in the first year 326, a major conflict was fought against the Elven armies from Helvellyn and Scafel. During the War of the First, Stollhaaven Armies fought alongside our allies--the Dwarfs under the command of Lord Dwain--and managed to repulse some of the hostile actions of the Elves.

"The Elves had driven the Dwarfs from their settlements in the foothills of the Southern Mountains north to the Gap in the Giants' Steppe. Here, the Armies of Stoll and Dwain held the Elves at bay, and when winter set in, the Elves pulled back. This gave the allies an opportunity to build the first fortifications at Cocker.

"In the spring, the Elves attacked again but were held at the Steppe. The next winter the Elves withdrew back into the Southern Mountains and remained there. The allies then built a Castle on the Rock. Doing this, they used all of the Dwarven lore and skills to make the Castle impenetrable. It stands there to this day and is the protector of southern Stollhaaven.

"Stoll XII maintained an army at Cocker and this brought merchants and the soldiers' families to the area. A town was formed on the river to the south of the castle and the Dwarfs built a bridge across the deep river.

"The Dwarven lore masters spent many hours in incantation during its construction. Since that time no living being that was not a friend of Stollhaaven has been able to cross that bridge. The locals have affectionately named the bridge Archie, but even today the ferry is still used by the superstitious.

"Twenty years past by with no further threat from the Elves. Then Lord Dwain asked Stoll XIII for help in regaining possession of the Dwarf Land. The Stoll raised an Army of 25,000 men and with 9,000 Dwarfs marched across Archie for the Elven held lands. And so began the War of the Second.

"The Elves, led by Emperor Berinilor, were vastly outnumbered and fled from the Dwarf Homelands to the wild forests in the South. The Dwarfs, elated with victory and consumed by festering hatred for Elves, pursued the fleeing Elves, setting vast areas of forest ablaze. Many Elves perished in those fires, but not without a little retribution. Thousands of Dwarves were slain in the Old Forest, trapped by unfamiliar powers, which showed no mercy.

"The remains of the Dwarf army returned to their recovered homeland, leaving behind thousands of square miles of destroyed forest. Even to this day, two-and-a-half thousand years later, the forest has not completely re-established itself. Parts of the forest escaped undamaged, protected it was said by the mighty Forest Wards of old. It was in these parts where the Dwarves had been slain.

"It is my belief that the destruction of the forests caused great distress to these Forest Wards, which grew like a bloated boil, only to spew its poison later in this tale.

"Dwain and his Dwarfs were indebted to the Stoll and his people. When they were fully settled in the Southern Mountains and the range to the East, the Dwarfs brought gifts of wondrous power to Londre and gave them to Stoll XIII and his people.

"The three most precious items were the Heart's Throne, The Torc of Succession, and Soul Scourer. The Heart's Throne is a human-sized throne, specially carved for the Stoll and its remains are still in the Throne room of the Whyte Tower in Londre.

"It is said that the Throne had been carved from a single Ruby--the raw value of which is beyond reckoning--that the Dwarfs had mined from the center of the earth. The lore masters had been busy and had covered the Throne with many intricate runes which gave the throne incredible power to the Stoll while seated thereon. It was said that the seated Stoll had wisdom, truth and justice at his command.

"The Torc of Succession is a mithril torc that has 12 pure ice white diamonds set into it and holds powerful magic and while not preventing harm, certainly aids against it. Just wearing the Torc gives power and each diamond has a separate power that it bestows to the wearer on touch. This Torc is to be worn by the first born son of the Stoll and will prepare him for his duty as Stoll.

"One of the more interesting side effects of the Torc is that the Crown Prince, on reaching puberty, has an insatiable sexual appetite, which is serviced by the 'Prince's Pretties'. He never goes anywhere with less than two female companions and hence the numerous members of the 'Fitz' Clan.

"The Torc has been handed from Stoll to Crown Prince from that time to this, and is part of the coronation ceremony.

"The third item of note is Soul Scourer, a two handed great sword, that was thought to have been forged by the Dwarf War Smiths of Olde in the fires of the Lydness Volcano. Soul Scourer had been used by the Stollhaaven champion in many a battle and had proven to make him invincible in the defence of the Stoll.

"It is here that I disagree with common belief, for I have researched that Sword and have reason to believe that the Sword was not fabricated for Dwarf or Man, but was forged as a Giant's short sword. It fell to earth when Glashalderwick, a Lord of the Jotenheim Giants was slain during one of the founding wars. But that is another story.

"A calm had returned to the land after the War of the Second, ruffled only by the occasional flexing of armies' muscles as they repelled attacks from the Hobbit Sea Rovers along the coast, drove off the sorties by the Skiddaw Mann Barbarians, and other minor skirmishes.

"'The Wise Stoll', Stoll XVI, in order to settle land disputes among the Barons and Fitzes and to avert a civil war, had the terrestrial Ledger drawn up and entered on the Stollhaaven Charter. The Ledger laid down the boundaries of each barony and the land available for the Fitzes. Hence the boundaries of Stollhaaven were determined.

"Basically the land to the south of the geological fault known as, 'the Steppe' was free land and any could settle it. Dwain's Dwarfs held the mountain chain on Stollhaaven's east flank but the lure of the mountains in the free land still attracted Dwarves to settle there. The free land or Southern Wildes also attracted Elves who had survived the War of the Second to return and settle in the remaining forests. Eastern Men migrated into the area, as did Hobbits and many other undesirable races.

"Seeing this, The Wise Stoll did not wish to be so suddenly opposed again. He commanded that a castle be built upon Rigg Mountain. A garrison of five hundred Stollhaaven troops manned Castle Rigg and they maintained a tempus stasis for a time.

"Some nine hundred years passed in relative peace, and Stollhaaven became rich and well-respected throughout the world. The Dwarves of Dwain delved in their mines and gave gifts and great treasure to Stollhaaven in return for the army’s protection. Some settlers welcomed the garrison and others despised it, regarding it with hostility, but slowly the Southern Wildes were tamed and controlled by the soldiers of Rigg Mountain.

"All this time the Forest Wards had been steadily re-growing the woodlands, but they had become increasingly frustrated as some of the land had been poisoned during the War of the Second and was no longer fertile. The Wards still held the Dwarfs responsible for this destruction and eventually their malice became too strong to suppress.

"Early one summer, the Forest Wards mustered all the beasts of the forest and gathered the Elves and other tribes to them. They vented their rage upon the descendants of Dwain’s Dwarfs that lived in the Southern Wildes. Taken by surprise, the Dwarfs were almost totally annihilated with only a few hundred escaping into the hills north of the Steppe. So swift and merciless was this attack that the Dwarven domain was destroyed in six days. The troops at Rigg were unable to help as they found that the gorge connecting the lakes was now a wide valley containing an impassable swamp, and they were on the wrong side of it.

"The Stollhaaven forces at Cockermouth informed Stoll LVIII, who sent his twin sons, Errowin and Arrack, to lead the army and repel the invaders once more. The twins devised this plan: Errowin, the elder by little more than half an hour, was to remain in Cockermouth with half the Stollhaaven troops and lure the army of the Forest Wards toward him. Arrack, with Soul Scourer, was to lead the other half of the army south and then cross the River Cocker at Low Lorton and return to attack the enemy from behind. A simple plan that went horribly wrong for Errowin and Arrack.

"Errowin made contact with the enemy on the summer solstice and retreated to Cockermouth. As the horde tried to cross the river, Archie dumped them into the swirling torrent. Then, Errowin stood in frustration as the enemy sacked the eastern village, completely destroying the Temple of Vidar. Zeefreed, its priest, courageously defended the Temple, and it is said that his ghost still defends that sacred ground.

"The horde could now be clearly seen and many different races as well as animals made up its numbers. And for the first time in many years a Forest Ward was seen. In fact, not one but four.

"Four unkempt humans led the horde. One of their number was a woman, dressed in full battle plate, and two of the males wore woollen skirts. They stood on the far bank of the River Cocker and the two skirted fellows made vile gestures by lifting their skirts, and voicing slander on the prowess of Stollhaaven Men, further enraging Errowin and his troops.

"It was Rooks, we think, who brought news the approach of Arrack’s army from the South, and the horde withdrew to Embleton High Common. Errowin, thinking them frightened, chased them to claim victory for himself. When the enemy turned at Embleton, Errowin’s army engaged at once. Making for a Ward mounted on a black horse, power flickered from the Torc of Succession. But the Ward turned this aside as easy as chasing a fly from dung, then stared at Errowin, who glared back and instantly aged one thousand years before his men.

"A terrible endless scream left Errowin’s haggard corpse and despair filled Errowin’s army!

"At this time, Arrack and his followers joined the fray and briefly lifted the spirits of Errowin's army. The battle flowed as battles do, a gained advantage here, being out-flanked there. To and fro swung the balance until Arrack encountered a skirt-clad Forest Ward. This Ward was swinging a two-handed sword to great effect. Cautiously Arrack circled the Ward, both seeking that ultimate opening.

"Arrack sprang in with an oath to Odin; Soul Scourer had found an opening and the mortal blow was imminent. The mighty sword arced through the air and inches from the Ward's head exploded into fragments. Pieces of Soul Scourer hummed in all directions, as the defenseless Arrack was left at the mercy of the Ward.

"The grinning Ward thrust his sword into Arracks body and poor Arrack was consumed with fire. Despair filled the Stollhaaven Armies and they fled leaving their fallen comrades behind. The Armies of the Wildes pursued them and showed no mercy to those that craved it.

"The very next day, at the Whyte Tower in Londre, (Capital of Stollhaaven) some 600 miles north, a woollen capped, skirted man demanded audience with the Stoll.

"'I demand audience with Stoll LVIII,' he said. 'I have news from the war in the South.'

"He was disarmed and escorted by the Stoll Royal Guard to the Stollhaaven throne room. He stood before the Stoll and announced: 'Mortal King, I bring you news of your armies' defeat and an end to the War of the Third. At this moment your parasitic Valkyries are choosing from the slain at Embleton High Common. I bring you this talisman of your puny realm, as neither of your sons will return to sit on your throne.'

"The peasant paused, reached into a sack and tossed the Torc of Succession at the Stoll's feet. He continued as the Stoll sat speechless.

"'Now listen well, Stoll of Stollhaaven, All the land south of the Steppe and east of the Cock River is Ours. As Lord of the Twelve, I give you leave to enter our realm, to trade with our people, and permission to maintain your puny garrison at Rigg. Though the mountain at Rigg has given up its roots and the Keswick Gorge is no more. But Stollhaaven, I caution you, harm our land again, destroy one blade of grass, kill one sparrow, burn one green stick and we all shall bring retribution upon you and yours.'

"The Stoll seated upon the Heartsthrone knew this to be true but was so enraged by what he had heard that he summoned all the power from the Throne to slay the messenger. Power resounded through the Whyte Tower but the messenger gestured at the throne and cracked it through the center.

"'Take caution Stollhaaven, do not attempt that at which you can never succeed.'

"The messenger turned his back and walked unhindered out of the Tower, as the guards were unable to move.

"Stoll LVIII was outraged, desperate and shattered all at one time. He had lost his sons. He had failed his people, and he had failed his heritage. He demanded to know who that insolent messenger was and from whence he came. But none knew, nor could they find any trace of him.

"The Stoll became more enraged and had many put to death. That fateful day, the royal guards were slain by impaling. One of the courtiers, fearing for himself no doubt, advanced the theory that the messenger had been a powerful Druid. It is my supposition that many feared this peaceful religion that was beginning to spread through the land.

"The Stoll then decreed that all Druids within Stollhaaven be guillotined or burnt at the stake, thus earning the name 'The Bloody Stoll'.

"That was the foundation of the Druid Finders, which has grown to be a powerful organization within the land. Many have fallen foul to that law, guilty or not, and the people fear the Druid Finders more than Hel herself.

"Thus the direct male line of the first Stoll was broken. 'The Bloody Stoll' became embittered as none of his endless string wives bore him another son. On his deathbed, Stoll LVIII gave the Torc to his brother’s son and he became Stoll LIX of the second bloodline and the dawn of the Second Age.

"My friend, the doctor of history, has told me that power still exists within the cracked Heart's Throne, and that one day it may be possible to restore that power with the aid of Soul Scourer and the Torc of Succession.

"But now you tell me that the Torc has been stolen, and we know that Scourer was shattered, so this will probably never come to pass.

"There is little else to be told of Stollhaaven except that it has neither prospered nor declined in the years of the second lineage."

One of the listening adventurers was unable to stifle a yawn. The Sage shot him a look of irritation.

"You find this tale dull, do you? Well, there is one incident that may affect your adventures. How, I know not.

"Some fifty years ago, an imposter tried to claim the throne as his. This man had been so badly burned that his features were almost unrecognizable as being a human. He appeared from a stone chest when some historical artifacts from the War of the Third were being shown to Stoll CXLII of the second lineage.

"The queen fainted at the sight of this man. He stood astride her body, holding a sword to her throat, and proclaimed to the Stoll and gathered courtiers, 'I am the rightful Stoll. I am Arrack, son of Stoll the Bloody, and I have returned to claim the throne from you.'

"'You fool,’ responded the Stoll. 'Arrack has been dead these sixteen hundred years.'

"'You are the fool,' shouted the man. 'In my heart I carry the soul of this realm. I shall scour this land for the blade to give me that which is mine by true blood and birthright, not by the whore-diluted blood of the second lineage.'

"'Take this Fool and present his head at the feast this eve,' the Stoll commanded the guard.

"But the fool was quicker than the guard and leapt into the artifact from where he had appeared. The bewildered guard could find no trace of this man and mages amongst the courtiers tried desperately to discover him.

"But he had vanished completely."