Rìghlann

The Sword of the Seer King

Summary

It is believed among the people west of the Blackwood, that the kingdom that once stood where the violets grow will one day be reclaimed by the true heir to the Seer Kings. They say that when the castle was leveled to the ground, the royal advisor Esmerl who was known as a talented spellcaster fled into the Blackwood with the dying king's sword. With the king dead and no direct heirs to bring order back to the land, Esmerl used magic to slide the blade into a flat stone in the Blackwood. The sword, now magically sealed so only one the sword deems worthy to rule can pull it from it's resting place, is said to still sit in the Blackwood to this day.

Historical Basis

The advisor Esmerl did exist and was a popular figure in the kingdom of Kallumgel which was destroyed in a long three-month siege that did in fact end with the king's death, however, most historical records list Esmerl among the dead.

Spread

The reason this story holds so much traction in the surrounding lands is most definitely to do with simply how much of it is indisputable fact. What isn't indisputable is also bolstered by the fact that Esmerl was a well-known spell caster who could have faked his own death using magic during the siege and sightings of Esmerl were reported for years after he had supposedly died in the assault at Kallumgel.

Variations & Mutation

While the story very rarely deviates as it is not widespread, some tellings include the last Seer King instructing Esmerl to hide the sword while others claim the sword was Esmerl's and not the king's at all.

Cultural Reception

The people south of the Blackwood believe this tale fully and it gives them hope that one day soon the Seer Kings will return. It has been 270 years since the fall of Kallumgel however, and some have lost hope.