Erin the Humble
Erin the humble was a good fellow. He loved his girlfriend and took care of his fellow man. When he was just a boy, he protected his girlfriend from a wolf with nothing but a carving knife. When they grew up, they got married and had two wonderful children, whom he loved with all his heart. But he had made enemies for himself. The wolf he had killed was the son of a wulver who, when he learned about his son's demise, was furious and set about to exact his revenge on Erin.
At first it was just some muggers that attacked his family while they were traveling to market, which he fended off with little difficulty. When the wulver learned of his men's defeat, he conspired with an ogre who was leading a band of vicious goblins. When they attacked the village, he rallied the other villagers and defended their streets, challenging the ogre to a one-on-one deathmatch to end the fighting. Erin slew the monster swiftly, causing his goblin minions to flee in fear. Meanwhile, the wulver was in no mood to be thwarted again, and kidnapped his wife and children, leaving a note that said he would show Erin the pain he deserved.
When he found them, the wulver was preparing for a hearty feast, and Erin's family were the main course. He fought with the wulver, eventually knocking him prone and offering to spare him. But the wulver took his own life, declaring there was no justice in a world where he and his family could be killed by others who considered them as no more than monsters. Erin returned to the village a hero and that night there was a great celebration to commemorate his victories.
But during the celebrations the sounds of war suddenly swept through the streets as humans on horses and covered head to toe in armor rode about killing innocent bystanders. Rejoicing turned to screams of terror as the people of the town were killed in their beds and slain in the streets. Erin was weeping and cradling the limp bodies of his wife and children in his arms, when he saw the man. His eyes, hair, beard, and soul were black as a raven's feathers. His red and black armor was clearly that of a monarch and upon his head was a crown of gold. He drove his steed towards the broken man and dismounted. Unsheathing his blade, he crouched and stared deep into Erin's eyes before slowly driving his blade into his heart, shedding a single tear from his eye.
King Astor stood up, cleaned his blade and sheathed it, satisfied with the night's conquest. "These people have given their lives for the future of humanity; I will not let their sacrifice be in vain." he said. He then ordered his men to set up a camp in the destroyed town and over time it was reborn as a successful Astorian settlement. He went on to conquer many more lands, targeting areas that were inhabited by what he called "non-humans". He would wipe out their population then save a few citizens as his "trophies". He captured many different people, from the Elzari to the Oroks, his empire spread over nearly the entire continent. He seemed unstoppable when suddenly, as quickly as his war of conquest had begun, he disappeared, and the war came to a screeching halt.
There was a period of quiet, Astorel built itself up to prepare for when its king returned to battle, while the rest of the world finally saw a chance. The governing bodies of the Drackonis, Mountainfolk, Elzari, Oroks, and Beastkin came together to form The Collective and discuss how to overthrow the human empire. Along with The Pursuit of Knowledge and The Order of Three, the Collective and the armies of every people's that cried out for justice mounted a full-on assault and razed the fortress city Astorel to the ground. The battle was won, but at the end of it all, no one could find King Astor, and the prisoners of his city were all dead. All that was left of his powerful empire was rubble and a flock of ravens, creating an ominous cloud above the battlefield. The King has never been heard from again and legend has it that he lurks in the shadows to this very day, and if you ever see a raven be very wary.
At first it was just some muggers that attacked his family while they were traveling to market, which he fended off with little difficulty. When the wulver learned of his men's defeat, he conspired with an ogre who was leading a band of vicious goblins. When they attacked the village, he rallied the other villagers and defended their streets, challenging the ogre to a one-on-one deathmatch to end the fighting. Erin slew the monster swiftly, causing his goblin minions to flee in fear. Meanwhile, the wulver was in no mood to be thwarted again, and kidnapped his wife and children, leaving a note that said he would show Erin the pain he deserved.
When he found them, the wulver was preparing for a hearty feast, and Erin's family were the main course. He fought with the wulver, eventually knocking him prone and offering to spare him. But the wulver took his own life, declaring there was no justice in a world where he and his family could be killed by others who considered them as no more than monsters. Erin returned to the village a hero and that night there was a great celebration to commemorate his victories.
But during the celebrations the sounds of war suddenly swept through the streets as humans on horses and covered head to toe in armor rode about killing innocent bystanders. Rejoicing turned to screams of terror as the people of the town were killed in their beds and slain in the streets. Erin was weeping and cradling the limp bodies of his wife and children in his arms, when he saw the man. His eyes, hair, beard, and soul were black as a raven's feathers. His red and black armor was clearly that of a monarch and upon his head was a crown of gold. He drove his steed towards the broken man and dismounted. Unsheathing his blade, he crouched and stared deep into Erin's eyes before slowly driving his blade into his heart, shedding a single tear from his eye.
King Astor stood up, cleaned his blade and sheathed it, satisfied with the night's conquest. "These people have given their lives for the future of humanity; I will not let their sacrifice be in vain." he said. He then ordered his men to set up a camp in the destroyed town and over time it was reborn as a successful Astorian settlement. He went on to conquer many more lands, targeting areas that were inhabited by what he called "non-humans". He would wipe out their population then save a few citizens as his "trophies". He captured many different people, from the Elzari to the Oroks, his empire spread over nearly the entire continent. He seemed unstoppable when suddenly, as quickly as his war of conquest had begun, he disappeared, and the war came to a screeching halt.
There was a period of quiet, Astorel built itself up to prepare for when its king returned to battle, while the rest of the world finally saw a chance. The governing bodies of the Drackonis, Mountainfolk, Elzari, Oroks, and Beastkin came together to form The Collective and discuss how to overthrow the human empire. Along with The Pursuit of Knowledge and The Order of Three, the Collective and the armies of every people's that cried out for justice mounted a full-on assault and razed the fortress city Astorel to the ground. The battle was won, but at the end of it all, no one could find King Astor, and the prisoners of his city were all dead. All that was left of his powerful empire was rubble and a flock of ravens, creating an ominous cloud above the battlefield. The King has never been heard from again and legend has it that he lurks in the shadows to this very day, and if you ever see a raven be very wary.
Children
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