Lyam Dalbrok
Ryuri, Lord Lyam Dalbrok
Lyam Dalbrok was the Ryuri of the Dalbrok Clan of Colo. He ruled as Ryuri for 18 years and was 55 years old when he died in 198 AF. He was the father of the current Ryuri, Nyall Dalbrok.
Lyam's reign as Ryuri Dalbrok is not often remembered fondly. He was passionate about his hunting and was known to conduct several huge and extravagant each year, with each hunt costing the Clan's coffers thousands of gold marks and take up weeks of the Ryuri's household's time and attention. When not hunting, Lyam sought to assuage his people's concerns by sponsoring huge and expensive festivals and celebrations that poured food, drink and coin down the throats of the rich and powerful and left very little for the common Clan members. Clan taxes were high, prices on necessary goods and services were high, availability of commodities such as meat, cheese, grain and ale were inconsistent, and relations with other Clans were at an all-time low.
In the early summer of 198 AF, word came to the Brokshold of a group of five savage Hill Giants that were rampaging through the southern territory of the neighboring Benkory Clan across the Torn River. Always ready to take up the hunt, Lyam immediately committed the Clan to an expedition to track and destroy the giants as soon as they crossed the Torn Valley into Dalbrok territory. His hunting entourage counted 177 souls ranging from 30 fully armored knights to 24 teenage boys tasked with doing nothing more than serving ale and wine to the noble members of the party at dinner every night. 28 large wagons, nearly 200 horses and more than 70 large and very heavy tents moved with the party each day of the trek.
The overland trip from the Brokhold to the mouth of the Torn River is only about 8 miles, but it took the Ryuri's party more than two full days to make the march due to the sheer size of the caravan. Late in the second day of the trip, word reached Lyam that the group of giants had crossed into Dalbrok territory and was making its way towards the fortified town of Tornas. The Ryuri called a halt to the march and began to set up his camp for the night 2 miles from the south bank of the Torn at about four hours before sunset.
Before the first of the wagons had been unloaded and as the evenings cooking fires were just being lit, the giants attacked the camp in a mad rush. The attack caused nearly every horse not still hitched to a wagon to flee in mad terror at the five raging and roaring giants, and only a handful of knights remained on their mounts to counter the charge. Lyam was among them, and to his everlasting credit, without hesitation he charged the largest of the beasts with his charger and dropped it to its knees with a swipe of his sword across its massive heel. He was instantly set upon by three other giants and died very quickly. Only parts of his body were recovered and returned to the Brokshold. It has always been assumed that the rest of him had been consumed by his attackers.
81 members of the party were killed outright, and another 11 died of wounds received before all the giants were killed. To this day, the battle is referred to as the Tornas Hunt.
