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The Tale of the Swords of the Ancients
After the banishment of the Dark One and the defeat of his army in the ten thousand and twenty-sixth year of the Fifth Age, there was peace in Ammon for a time, but ere long one of the Dark One's concubines bore his child in the depths of Lokonia; for Vaelen's army did not cleanse all of those dark tunnels of evil. The child was named Vardor in the tongue of the Ancients, by the sorcerer Navros, and was taken east across the sea of Valesthia to the land of Dagorlund where he could be hidden from the eyes of the West. Navros, knowing that only the Dark One or one of his bloodline could command the Barumen, reared Vardor and taught him the dark arts and the lore of the Swords of the Ancients. Though he was of man and not truly a descendant of the Ancients, his heart was black like his father's. Indeed whatever remained of the Dark One's power in Ammon now seemed to take presence in his only offspring. The sorcerer Navros, knowing that Vardor would need the strength of the Ten Swords to gain power, searched the realms far and wide until at last he found Valermos, the sword of fire, and Morthoseth, the sword of the shadows, hidden away in the Southern Realm of Loringel by the Dark One long ago. Vardor, who when grown used Morthoseth's dark power to take his form as that of a shadow, desired to consume the world and re-make it in his own twisted vision; and he also desired to destroy all of the creatures brought forth by the Ancient Ones. He grew in power and soon became master over the Barumen remnants, defeated Black Legion soldiers of the Dark One, and bred them into a fierce new army. They too, by Morthoseth's power, were given the form of shadows, visible only unto themselves, and each commanded a company of assassins and spies. Vardor decreed this Shadow Army to go, taking Morthoseth, secretly West across the sea of Valesthia to Lumenia, to recruit the weak and lure them to his cause. Though Vardor gave Morthoseth to his army, he kept the sword Valermos for himself. Vardor's shadows, by the power of Morthoseth, came to Men in troubled dreams and inflicted his will upon them. Elves were stronger of mind and could not be so influenced, but Men were far easier to corrupt. The Shadows convinced Men that since the world was created out of the dark, then there must be some good in Vardor's darkness; and to this end he caused many to follow and worship him. These Men were sent out into the lands to find the scattered bands of the Black Legion and reunite them into Vardor's new army. Over time the Shadows became the largest army ever amassed in Ammon, more terrible than his father's Black Legion. The Barumen Axemen were brought into service once again to lead Vardor's attacks, and with that host Vardor planned his war on the kingdom's of the Great Realm, and he designed to bring men and elves to their knees under his rule. King Aethelred, chosen to replace Vaelen as ruler of Lumenia after her passing many years before, soon heard rumors of the Shadow Army's treachery. He thence sent his two sons, Barlodir and Borloth out into the land to uncover the overseer of this new threat to the Middle Kingdom and make known the enemy's location. Barlodir, the elder of the king's sons, was given charge of their quest and he sent his younger brother into the Outlands with a small force while he himself took a company of soldiers and journeyed North to the kingdom of Deylund to consult with its ruler, Luthol. Borloth, who was jealous of his older brother's favor in the king's eyes, secretly loathed him and desired his lady, Althea, whom Barlodir was destined to wed. Borloth, driven by dark dreams, did not have the love of the kingdom or its lands in his heart, but instead desired its power and possessions. Ere long Borloth was lured to one of the Shadow Lord's agents and, through deceit and promises, Vardor's host caused him to betray Lumenia. In exchange for his treason, Borloth was given the sword Morthoseth by Vardor's servant, the sorcerer Navros, and Borloth disclosed the secret entrance to the king's citadel. By this device Vardor commanded a regiment of his Barumen lay siege to it. Though strongly fortified, the fortress could not withstand an attack from within and soon was overwhelmed by the Shadow Army; and the king was slain by Borloth with Morthoseth. That blade was one of the Ten Swords of Ammon and Borloth used its power to hold influence over Lumenia's army and caused it to suppress the peoples under a harsh rule, imprisoning them to the realm. Soon after Borloth declared himself King of the middle realm. The lady Althea was enslaved in the dungeon of the citadel, never to be set free until she agreed to reject Barlodir and become betrothed to Borloth as his queen. Soon Barlodir heard the terrible word that his brother now held the throne and of his treacherous deeds; and of the death of his father, whom Barlodir had greatly loved. Borloth had spread word throughout the land that he had saved the kingdom from evil by ridding it of his father, whom he claimed was in league with dark powers of the underworld. Barlodir knew these to be lies, for in his heart he perceived his brother's true nature and he vowed to avenge his father's death, free his lady, and reclaim the throne. Having only a small company of men and few weapons with which to fight his brother's army, his predicament was hopeless. Seeking guidance, he journeyed to the Dead City at the foot of the Eastern Mountains to consult the oracle and sorcerer Methuscia, whom had aided his father in the past. Methuscia, was once the most beautiful and wisest creature in all of Ammon, a lady in white with eyes of shimmering pearl who was wise with the knowledge of the world. She was born with oracular sight and the powers of a sorcerer. In ages past she had offended one of the Ancients, of whom she was a descendent, and was set upon with a terrible curse. Any male who looked upon her would see her beauty for only an instant and then be stricken with fear and death by her true appearance, which was so hideous that it froze men, as if they were stone, for an eternity. Thus, the only companions she had were the female slaves kept imprisoned in her palace of stone ghosts, and her sorcerer guardians, ten sons whom she had spawned in earlier days, who's eyes had been plucked out when newborn, lest her sight turn them to stone. She tempted the creatures of Ammon now with her wisdom and if any male could survive her presence and not look directly upon her she would grant him an oracle, and she was lonely and greatly desired their company. Thereafter entering the city, Methuscia tested Barlodir's men not to look at her, but her voice was that of an enchantress and several could not resist but to look upon the face of that beautiful voice; and those that did perished. Barlodir, however, was strong and resisted the temptation. He refused to gaze upon her. Instead he looked upon the frozen faces of his dead companions who had failed the test. Upon hearing Barlodir's dilemma Methuscia instructed him to seek Luciendar, the Sword of Light which reveals that which is hidden and shows the true nature of creatures, in the isle of Eldinyed of the Southern lands of Amunach. Only with that enchanted sword, one of the Ten Swords, would he be able to slay the Shadow Army. Methuscia warned him however that whatever gains he would make by wielding the sword, he would also lose something of equal value to him; for each of the Ten Swords claimed a price from those whom they served. Methuscia beckoned Barlodir to stay longer but he hastened and his party left the Dead City without looking back. For many moons they traveled, encountering numerous perils including servants of the Shadow Lord, but none could stay them and Barlodir marched on. Into the Southern realm of Amunach they came and waded through the dreaded Balach Marsh until finally reaching the shore of Lake Eldinyed. The company constructed a rough seacraft and crossed the misty water to the isle whereupon they came to an ancient temple. An evil presence was in the air, and upon entering the aged shrine they found it guarded by a Baelin: an age-old breed of immense beasts created by the Dark One almost six thousand years before. Many foul creatures were bred by the Dark One to do his bidding and wage his wars, and the fiercest of these were the Baelin, great fanged beasts the size of dragons that were unlike any animal yet seen in Ammon. They were black furred creatures with bony armor and spines like a reptile. If one bite from these black horrors did not defeat an enemy then the paralyzing poison within its fangs would render the attacker defenseless. The Dark One bred thousands of Baelin and placed them in the front lines of his army and they won him many victories, as they were very brutal and ruthless, capable of defeating innumerable soldiers in battle without being slain. The Baelin were also used by the Dark One as guardians of his magical talismans and treasure hoards, which he had hidden throughout the world. A Baelin could live for thousands of years and many remained in service to the Dark One even long after his death. It is said that no one other than the Dark One himself or one of his generals could command a Baelin. To this day the remaining Baelin still obey the last command of their master. Barlodir had been told many terrible tales of these ferocious beasts and their deeds throughout the ages of Ammon, but he did not show fear now that he at last faced one, for Barlodir was also a mighty warrior having defeated many a foe. With his great battleaxe he fought and slew the creature, though the battle was long and Barlodir's wounds were many and deep, non were caused by those dread paralyzing fangs, which Barlodir had hewed from the great beasts head. While he lay in healing for many days thereafter, his company scoured the temple labyrinths until they had found the sword Luciendar. It was graved on the hilt with many sacred writings in the tongue of the Ancients. Whence the wielder spoke these words aloud he became invisible to his enemy; but the sword also held a lighted crystal in its clawed pommel, which gave the user vision to detect others that were also unseen or shadowed. When fully healed, Barlodir took the teeth of the Baelin and forged a rare weapon of the old tradition, a Fang of Baelin. In the days of old when one of the great beasts was slain the fangs were removed and used as weapons, for they possessed great strength and paralyzing power. The handle for these fangs was formed from parts of the Baelin's armor and bones, for they held the unique ability to bind and grow themselves together, even after death. With the great armored plates of the beast's underbelly, Barlodir crafted a shield of impenetrable might. Barlodir's company journeyed back to the Kingdom of Lumenia and returned to the citadel, after having been away from it for nine moons. By taking the sword Luciendar and speaking the words graved upon its hilt, the Shadow Army was revealed to them; and the company breached the citadel's gates. A fierce battle ensued, with many of Barlodir's former soldiers abandoning their dark master and returning to his side. The Barumen soldiers were slain, but Barlodir's men also were slain and much blood was spilled in the great halls. Barlodir then sought for his lady Althea, and upon entering the dungeons below, Barlodir learned of her holding place, not in a cell, but at a secret chantry of Borloth and the sorcerer Navros; and he made his way to her by the sound of her cries. Unseen by the shadowed Barumen soldiers, he at last found her, bound to an altar. Navros, holding a Sorcerer's Dagger above Althea, was in the midst of performing some dark sacrificial ritual upon her and he meant to sacrifice her thus empowering one of his dark spells; and Borloth was there, in the shadows, waiting for his brother. Borloth, who anticipated Barlodir, commanded the shadowed Barumen to waylay him; but Barlodir, by once again speaking the sword Luciendar's ancient words, became invisible and charged the shadow soldiers, for he could see them by Luciendar's light which shown from its crystal pommel. Borloth, however, also held one of the Ten Swords and his brother was made visible to him by it and he did Barlodir a grievous wound. The two brothers assailed one another and Borloth, under the mad spell of the sword Morthoseth, bested his brother, striking the sword from his hands. Barlodir, however, held one other weapon, the Fang of Baelin, and with it he paralyzed his brother with its poison blades, but Borloth would not let go the hilts of Morthoseth, and the poison's effect was but brief on him. Recovering Luciendar, Barlodir then hewed his brother's hands from his body, even as they still grasped Morthoseth; but from behind, Barlodir was struck down with a Talisman blade wielded by the sorcerer Navros, who then escaped the citadel. The Talisman, with a hilt fashioned in the shape of the Nasek, dreaded flying serpents of the Eastern land of Nasnandos, was forged with the black, venomous blood of those ancient beasts and no mortal could survive its strike. Thus Barlodir's life ended, yet, by not allowing his brother to ever wield the Sword of the Shadows again, Borloth lost all of his power and was soon overtaken and imprisoned by the peoples of the Kingdom of Lumenia. The lady Althea and the other captives were set free, but as the oracle Methuscia had foretold, Barlodir's life was lost as payment for that freedom.
After the banishment of the Dark One, his only son, Vardor, came to power and created the Shadow Army, creatures that were invisible to mortal men. Vardor's Shadows spread throughout Ammon and conquered many of the great kingdoms. The kingdom of Lumenia now held the sword Luciendar, which was the only known defense against the Shadows, but they had no king to wield it. When hope seemed lost and it appeared as if Vardor would triumph in his scheme to control the world, Prince Luthol, commander of the armies of the Kingdom of Deylund in the Great Realm, called for aid from an ancient and powerful lamia, Morgolien. She was mother to Luthol's father, the lost king, Almaeth. Almaeth held in his power one of the Swords of the Ancients, Cinthorc, a talisman of the realm of Deylund for almost four thousand years. Many years earlier Almaeth had banished Morgolien from Deylund for practicing the dark arts and using witchcraft to force her will upon the throne, and she secretly used the sword Cinthorc for evil purpose. Since her exile she had become a mighty sorceress and created the vile city of Nokomis, in the Eastern lands of the realm of Deylindor, populated by many that practiced the black arts. It was there that she had begun to create her own enchanted blades, like unto those created by the Ancients, but with far less power. King Almaeth later left Deylund with Cinthorc on a quest to find the sword of power, Anathar, but he was lost in the realm of Dagorlund and never returned. Hoping that she would aid him, Luthol sent word to the lamia begging for aid and Morgolien agreed to assist, for a price. She required that after she granted Luthol his request, he then use his great resources to find Cinthorc, one of the Ten Swords, and surrender it to her. Luthol, knowing that the great sword would only come to evil in her hands, agreed to send a quest party to find it, for he felt at ends and without choice. Morgolien then created for Luthol the Shadow Slayer, a blade enchanted with part of her power; and its hilt was fashioned by her blacksmiths in the shape of the Orwenoch, horrid creatures so feared in Ammon that no one had uttered their name in over a thousand years. They were the original dwellers of the underworld of Lokonia, and had been defeated by the Ancient Ones long ago with the Ten Swords. The serpentine blade of the Shadow Slayer was formed in the shape of the forked tongue of Orwenoch. When blood from one of the Shadow beasts touched the blade it would call forth the spirit of the Orwenoch to destroy any creature whose veins flowed with that blood. Morgolien, who was greatly weakened by the creation of the blade, informed that the Orwenoch would remain corporeal until every last Barumen of the Shadow Army lay slain, and then retreat back into the darkness from whence they came, which was the Neverworld. Luthol took the blade and it gave him the power to see all as the Qrwenoch did and he found the Shadow Army encamped on the shores of the east. Wielding the Shadow Slayer, Luthol drew first blood upon attacking the encampment; and when that vile blood touched its blade the hoard of the Orwenoch appeared, a thousand strong. The beasts were armored with ribbed plates like bone, walked on four great legs with the forepaws ending in large, hooked talons, and their great horned heads were studded with six piercing eyes. Protruding from their lower bodies were many whip like tentacles that could subdue and strangle their prey. Resembling some giant twisted insect or sea beast from the depths, they could only be seen in the moonless night by the red reflection of their multiple eyes, which shone in the dark. Vile and terrible creatures, they were relentless and unmerciful in their utter destruction of the Shadow Lord's army, and when all of the enemy lay slain across the shores of Deylund, hewn in many pieces, the Orwenoch did not retreat back to the Neverworld. Instead they remained, demanding that Luthol take them across the sea to the land of Dagorlund where the Shadows had been spawned.
When the immortal Ancients began to disappear from the world, the order of the Mithrodin was created by mortals in the one hundred and third year of the Fifth Age to watch over the Ten Swords. The Mithrodin, or Mith as they were called, were a highly secretive cadre of warriors and protectors in service of the Great Realm. Dating back over three hundred generations, to the time of the Ancient Ones, the Mith were guardians of the sacred steels bestowed with powers by the Ancients. They were charged with the full knowledge of the Ten Swords of the Ancients and they alone knew of the swords' powers and lore. It was the duty of the Mith to keep order and balance in Ammon by directing the use of the known swords, and keeping secret the unknown ones. Each sword required counterbalance by it's opposite. When a sword of power appeared and was used to shift the balance of Ammon, the Mith, through careful counsel and deliberation, would seek the opposing sword and release it into the world. They alone were also responsible for recovering and protecting any sword that fell from its master's hand at the edge of another. The Mith understood the mystery and power of enchanted steel. Mithrodin temples numbered in the hundreds and were spread across Ammon in each of the Great Realms. Only a select few were ever admitted to their ranks and even fewer passed the rigorous training, which lasted several years. They were masters of the mental and physical arts of combat. At the completion of each level of training, the Mith tattooed a portion of their bodies in sacred designs of the Ancients, thus the highly skilled were adorned the most. The chosen weapon of the Mith was the Valdris, a double bladed sword of strange design. The hilt of the Valdris, like many weapons of the Great Realm, was fashioned from the bones and armor of Baelin, great brutal and ruthless beasts created by the Dark One for his Black Legion. Its twin blades, forged of extraordinary Elvish steel from the mines of Lokonia, were designed for the intricate blocking and offensive fighting style of Mithrodin combat. Only they could wield the Valdris rightly and many were skilled at using two at one time, honing the mind and flesh to become one with the blades. A high level Mithrodin could disarm and subdue an enemy with this weapon at lightening speed; or destroy with the same precision. The most skilled user of the Valdris was the great warrior Aluen, high soldier of the Mithrodin, under the command of Vaelen, Queen of Lumenia, in the war against the Black Legion of the Dark One. Aluen was orphaned at a young age when a siege by nomadic thieves on her village left her the only survivor. By chance, she was discovered by a company of Queen Vaelen's cavalry returning from the realm of Deylund. They brought her to the Queen's palace in Lumenia. It became clear to Vaelen that Aluen, although wild and undisciplined, was quick to learn and skilled in the arts of hand to hand combat; hence she was enrolled into military training for Vaelen's personal guard; and her life was given greater purpose other than revenge against the destroyers of her kith and kinsman. Aluen quickly excelled beyond all other soldiers and therefore was recruited by Vaelen to become one of the Mithrodin and serve the Great Realm. Aluen was trained by the highest master of the Mithrodin for seven years before being released into the world to carry out her duties. She had the distinction of being the only Mith in ten generations to have defeated a Baelin in single combat. Aluen forged her own Valdris hilt from that beast. She bravely served in the war against the Black Legion for Vaelen, defeating many Barumen soldiers with that blade; and also returned the sword Kilgorin to the Mithrodin when the Dark One was defeated, with the Valdris as her only defense in taking it out of the his dark caverns. She was saddened greatly when Vaelen was lost to the Neverworld and vowed to find a way to free her friend from that deathless prison. Only a blade of the Ancients could accomplish such a deed and Aluen knew not of one with such powers, but she would to learn the myths and legends of the Blades of Chaos and find such a talisman.
Long ago in the Fourth Age, the age of chaos, there was malcontent among the three mortal races created by the Ancient Ones: Elves, Men, and the Uldurin. The mortals, though wise with many strengths, were also unstable through the weaknesses of the flesh, and there was much hatred and jealousy amongst them. Thus the Ancient Ones created the first enchanted talismans to temper the mortals and restore order and balance. They were given to mortals and each took the form of bladed devices bestowed with powers of many forms. There were many of these enchanted weapons, but chief among them was the Umethar, which could open gates to other worlds, and The Blade of Isis, which harnessed the power of the sun and the earth. The hand guard of the Blade of Isis was crafted in the shape of intertwined serpents. The grip was covered in serpent scale, and the pommel displayed the symbols of fertility, a sun disk and horns of a beast of burden. The face adorning the pommel was that of Isis, an Ancient One. There were others that have been lost over time, one of which was the Serpent Dagger, the most vile of all of the Blades of Chaos. The Ancient Ones gave these talismans in good faith, but mortals misused them and were corrupted by the new power, and there were many wars fought and much blood spilled by reason of them. The Uldurin surmised that the Ancient Ones did not favor them as equals to the other mortal races because they were only granted one of the enchanted blades, while Elves were given three and Men two. Thus they demanded the Ancients make more of the blades, and when the Ancient One sent to them as emissary refused, the Uldurin killed that one and set out to destroy any enchanted blade they could find. This was the first slaying of immortal by mortal and Ammon was forever changed. Thenceforward the talismans became known as the Blades of Chaos, for that is what they created. The Ancient Ones, seeing the grave mistake they had made, set forth to create the Umethar, a talisman to restore order to the Chaos. It was given the shape of many blades within blades, for it held powers within powers. The hilt was carved from bone of the first Ancient One to be slain by a mortal, Thorcan. The pommel was fashioned in the image of the Anath, who created Ammon. The blade was quenched with the blood of every immortal Ancient and within it was held their greatest power. The Ancients commanded mortals use the blade to heal the hurts they had caused, lest ere long they destroy themselves by their own hands; and they took it and by the power of the Umethar they brought life back to the dead mortals who had been slain in wrath over the Blades of Chaos. Order and harmony were restored between mortals, for a time at least, until the Dark One came and unbalanced the world once again; and when the Dark One was captured the first time and brought to justice, the Umethar was used to unlock the gate to the Neverworld and seal him in, for it had the power to open doors between worlds. It came to pass as has been foretold that the Dark One's offspring, Vardor, came into power, and with the aid of the evil sorcerer Navros, became the Lord of the Shadows. Thenceforth the high priests of the Mithrodin ordained that the known Swords of the Ancients must be protected lest he seek for them. The leadership of Vaelen, whom herself was of the order of Mithrodin and had slain the Dark One, was sorely needed in this dismal time. Thus the Mithrodin commanded that the warrior Aluen and a company of seven Mithrodin search the lands of Ammon for knowledge of the fate of the Umethar, which had been lost for over ten thousand years, and with it attempt to release Vaelen from her prison in the Neverworld. Their quest led them to the far corners of the Great Realm; Lumenia, Deylund, Deylindor, and Ammunach, with no wisdom of the blade she sought. Aluen's company then set sail with the mariners of the Rocinante, a white sailing vessel of the great fleet of Lumenia, and they crossed the sea of Valesthia to the Southern realm of Loringel wherein lay the Mithrodin hall of records in Athelstan. For seven moons Aluen studied the ancient scrolls and tablets of the Fourth Age. It was there she found knowledge of the Blades of Chaos, the first to be given powers by the Ancients. Indeed, the Mithrodin still held one of those blades, the Isis, in their possession; but its power was for harnessing the sun and the earth, and could not open the gate to the other worlds. The others were mostly weak talismans, lost over time, but one blade, the mythical Umethar, was accounted to be the true blade of creation and destruction, harnessing the original force the Ancients used in the conception of all mortal creatures in Ammon. The Ancient texts told of a great battle between Elves and Uldurin many thousands of years earlier and of its hiding place in the realm of Ulaine. The Umethar had long ago passed out of memory and was recorded to have been destroyed; but Aluen knew a blade of the Ancients could not be unmade. Thus Aluen's company and the mariners of the Rocinante made for the frozen lands of the North. All the while, back in the homeland of Lumenia, their King had been slain and Vardor's Shadows swept over the land. The journey took three moons time, with one sojourn on the isle of Kelledros off the Northeastern coast of Dagorlund, before finally landing on the frozen Eastern shores of Ulaine, which were strangely broken and in upheaval as if the earth had been twisted and wrenched. The Elves making their abode in the villages of the coast had no word from the Mithrodin for many a year and were elated by Aluen's visit. She learned from them that the Uldurin, who had degenerated into vicious savages since the time of the Ancients, harshly ruled Ulaine. The king of the Uldurin possessed the sword of the earth, Anathros, and he used it to govern the Elves by threat of its power, which could melt the ice and crack the earth. With it he had all but destroyed the great cities of the Elvish kingdom and the Elves now lived in many scattered villages. Anathros had been given to the Elves long ago, but was later stolen by the Uldurin, who now resided on the shores of the West. It was there that the Temple of the Anath was rumored to lie, hidden in the Eldriun Mountains. The mariners transported Aluen's crew to the Western shores where they parted company. The main host of the Uldurin dwelt there and Aluen chose to travel around the city to the foot of the mountains by night and avoid detection. The ascent through the mountain pass was harsh and cold, but this did not distress the Mithrodin, and after many days travel they finally descried the three great peaks of mount Eldriun, wherein the temple should reside in the valley between the peaks. The company took rest for the night but were assailed in the twilight hours by an Uldurin patrol; and they were twisted beings, savage and unrecognizable, with bare, scaly spined black skin, and taloned hands and feet. They fought fiercely and three of Aluen's company were slain, but Aluen also took six of the intruders to death with her Valdris before the others retreated. At dawn they crossed the mountain and advanced into the valley below, which was peculiarly devoid of snow or even cold, but was bright, green and warm like midsummer as if some magic had averted the elements. In the center of the valley stood a great ring of immense fir trees, but when they came closer they could see a grand palace hidden within, ancient and in disrepair, but still majestic and beautiful: The Temple of the Anath, now vacant of the Ancient Ones since they passed from the world ten thousand years beforehand. Upon entering the magnificent temple halls, which were carved of a polished black stone, the company was beleaguered by more of the Uldurin, deranged guardians set to watch ages ago, their minds bent by long abuse of the Blades of Chaos. A prolonged battle ensued but the Mithrodin were triumphant, and proceeded into the inner labyrinth in search of the chamber that held the talisman they sought. Aluen, using all of her skills and training, deciphered the puzzle of the labyrinth and found the great hidden chamber within, a circular room ringed by fourteen statues of the Ancient Ones, each holding a bladed scepter. In the center of the ring there was a stone pedestal that firmly held the Umethar, and Aluen knelt in front and grasped its hilt; and by invoking the names of the Ancients she asked for it to be released from the temple. It broke free of the stone and a brilliant light shone from the blade as Aluen held it aloft, and through it she was given a vision by Vaelen from the Neverworld. In the vision the hoard of the Orwenoch were coming out of Dagorlund to destroy the Great Realm, commanded by Vardor; but Aluen was also in the vision, commanding an army of the undead against them, and she held the sword Anathros in her hand. Aluen then knew that her fate was to lead the Elves in conquest of the Uldurin and wield the sword Anathros against Vardor. |