Azila 'Yvoninion' Ironcliffe
Azila 'Yvoninion' Ironcliffe
The mother of High King Cormac Ironcliffe, died 1219, mere months after losing her husband, in one of the most vicious engagements and ambushes of the Tundra Reclamation Wars just north of the village of Grakenfjord, at the battle known as the Hero's Grave. She was brought back and entombed at the site of a simple shrine to Sir Kartheart in the camp on the grounds where Grakenfjord now stands, and is the matron saint of the village and surrounding peoples, her story told, (and not really all that exaggerated, according to High King Cormac, whom bore witness to many of her deeds and victories in her life).
Azila Yvoninion Ironcliffe was a fighter without peer amongst the Ironcliffe clan, born to a mother and father that both were of the knightly order within the clan, though only of middling note, their name surname that of Yvon. She learned to fight by her fifth decade. She could outfight the most veteran warriors of the clan by her first century. She fought like she was possessed by the warrior spirit of Sir Kartheart himself. No shield did she use, for her preference was for the halberd, a weapon which she became quite famous with, and the skills with which she passed on to her eldest son Cormac. She was married young, as she fell in love with, and wed at a young age, Volcor Tormac Ironcliffe. Azila eventually met her end at one of the last battles of the Tundra Reclamation, fighting side by side with her son Cormac. For a while it had seemed both would die. They'd been cut off, surrounded by dozens upon dozens of foul orcs and ogres. Yet the pair, back to back, halberds flashing, held their own for nearly an hour. The enemy fell to their blades with vicious and devastating certainty, both dwarves using every modicum of skill. Mother and son back to back, were unstoppable in that moment. Unbreakable. Orcs broke like waves on a cliff, ogres fell like wheat to a scythe. Again and again they'd come on, but again and again the pair held their own and when the beasts backed off a bit, still surrounding the pair, they left many of their comrades dead and dying in agony. However Azila was not well. Almost in her fourth century of life by this point, and having lost her husband to infection months earlier, her heart was weakened. It couldn't take this kind of strain much longer. By the time the Ironcliffe forces had broken through the Green-skin ambush, they were too late. For the beasts had made one last desperate attempt at the pair, and though her wounds would not have proven lethal, as she and her son yet held still, her heart would falter from the stress. Again many of the beasts fell and died in this last desperate attempt. But as the rest of the clan finally made it to their chief and his mother, Azila looked at them, her face pale, her legs shaking, and smiled as her halberd fell, her hands coming up to clutch at her chest, though her armor was in the way. Reportedly she admonished the rest of the clan's forces. "Yer late, ye damned fools." before collapsing into Cormac's arms, clutching at her chest. None know what words she uttered to Cormac in that moment, and the High King has never spoke of it. However most believe, from his lack of taking the Slayer Oath, that she formally absolved him and made him promise on his honor that he would not take the oath from shame here, for he had no shame to bear. Or some such thing. But it is just as likely the last loving words passing between a mother and son.
Upon her death, Cormac had her body brought back to his forces camp, a place that would eventually become the village of Grakenfjord, and order that the shrine here be built more permanently and his mother be entombed beneath this new chapel. The story would grow, though Cormac through the decades would indeed insure it did not grow to big a legend, yet despite that, the truth of the events, and the sheer number of the foe the pair downed, the number Cormac's mother downed, likely whilst her heart was in mid failure, refusing to falter until she knew victory for her son and people could be achieved, well....it should surprise no one that the chapel in Grakenfjord has become known as Saint Azila's Bastion, and that Azila Yvoninion Ironcliffe has been offically recognized among Sir Kartheart's Saints, becoming the fourth Saint recognized by the church.
Azila Yvoninion Ironcliffe was a fighter without peer amongst the Ironcliffe clan, born to a mother and father that both were of the knightly order within the clan, though only of middling note, their name surname that of Yvon. She learned to fight by her fifth decade. She could outfight the most veteran warriors of the clan by her first century. She fought like she was possessed by the warrior spirit of Sir Kartheart himself. No shield did she use, for her preference was for the halberd, a weapon which she became quite famous with, and the skills with which she passed on to her eldest son Cormac. She was married young, as she fell in love with, and wed at a young age, Volcor Tormac Ironcliffe. Azila eventually met her end at one of the last battles of the Tundra Reclamation, fighting side by side with her son Cormac. For a while it had seemed both would die. They'd been cut off, surrounded by dozens upon dozens of foul orcs and ogres. Yet the pair, back to back, halberds flashing, held their own for nearly an hour. The enemy fell to their blades with vicious and devastating certainty, both dwarves using every modicum of skill. Mother and son back to back, were unstoppable in that moment. Unbreakable. Orcs broke like waves on a cliff, ogres fell like wheat to a scythe. Again and again they'd come on, but again and again the pair held their own and when the beasts backed off a bit, still surrounding the pair, they left many of their comrades dead and dying in agony. However Azila was not well. Almost in her fourth century of life by this point, and having lost her husband to infection months earlier, her heart was weakened. It couldn't take this kind of strain much longer. By the time the Ironcliffe forces had broken through the Green-skin ambush, they were too late. For the beasts had made one last desperate attempt at the pair, and though her wounds would not have proven lethal, as she and her son yet held still, her heart would falter from the stress. Again many of the beasts fell and died in this last desperate attempt. But as the rest of the clan finally made it to their chief and his mother, Azila looked at them, her face pale, her legs shaking, and smiled as her halberd fell, her hands coming up to clutch at her chest, though her armor was in the way. Reportedly she admonished the rest of the clan's forces. "Yer late, ye damned fools." before collapsing into Cormac's arms, clutching at her chest. None know what words she uttered to Cormac in that moment, and the High King has never spoke of it. However most believe, from his lack of taking the Slayer Oath, that she formally absolved him and made him promise on his honor that he would not take the oath from shame here, for he had no shame to bear. Or some such thing. But it is just as likely the last loving words passing between a mother and son.
Upon her death, Cormac had her body brought back to his forces camp, a place that would eventually become the village of Grakenfjord, and order that the shrine here be built more permanently and his mother be entombed beneath this new chapel. The story would grow, though Cormac through the decades would indeed insure it did not grow to big a legend, yet despite that, the truth of the events, and the sheer number of the foe the pair downed, the number Cormac's mother downed, likely whilst her heart was in mid failure, refusing to falter until she knew victory for her son and people could be achieved, well....it should surprise no one that the chapel in Grakenfjord has become known as Saint Azila's Bastion, and that Azila Yvoninion Ironcliffe has been offically recognized among Sir Kartheart's Saints, becoming the fourth Saint recognized by the church.
Relationships
Life
821 SuD
1219 SuD
398 years old
Spouses
Volcor 'Tormac' Ironcliffe
(Husband)
Siblings
Children
Related Myths
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