The Guardian Stones

Summary

During the blackest days of the Eternal War, great heroes would rise and fall like the coming of the seasons. Karuktar was one of these men, a nomad from the dunes with skin like charcoal, he came riding to the unbreakable city in its most desperate hour. Alone at the gates, he faced Dust, Dreadlord of Nightmare and his demon slave. Their battle saw the great walls scorched and Karuktar mortally wounded, but with the last vestiges of his power, Karuktar empowered four golems with his incredible strength. These statues routed the demon armies before taking up their eternal posts at the great gate. Through them, the spirit of the hero lives on and will rise up again in times of need.

Historical Basis

The walls around the great gate bear the marks of Karuktar's battle, but whether the statues were in fact animated by him cannot be proven. Most scholars believe that it was the Iron Legion who fended off the rest of the demon army and created the statues in memory of the hero.

Spread

The legend spread sometime during the Eternal War and has been a staple of city dwellers ever since.

Variations & Mutation

Some say it was not Karuktar who defeated Dust, but that a hero without equal bested the Dreadlord and simply wrote themselves out of the legend. An ancient tapestry that depicts a cloaked warrior wielding darkness and light against the Basilisk that was Dust's demon corroborates this, but no other similar records have ever been found.

Cultural Reception

This is just a fairy-tale to most, but the soldiers of the Iron Legion still leave flowers for the statues out of respect for what they represent. Some of them even believe the old tale.

In Literature

Versions of the tale are often included in children's books.

In Art

This iconic battle is depicted on the wall of champions.