Tharan Legends

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The Tharan Legends (Also known as the Legends of the Stars) is the name of Epics written by chroniclers of Gwynbrenon based on the stories of heroes believed to be stars reborn. Inspired by the chronicling of the Trolls, the Tharan Legends were first written by a guild of historians in order to depict the retellings of legendary figures and heroes of grandeur that stood as mortal Gods among their fellow man and served the role of mythical figures possessing great powers and skill. Most epics tell of stories that originate from Gwynbrenon and are exclusively revered by the people of Wylderin, but a few heroes from other cultures have surpassed their origins and gained recognition in the eyes of the Wylderin. An uncountable amount of novels have been written in the Legend of the Stars saga with many believing that there still exist some stories lost to the ages that must be recovered.

The name "Tharan" comes from Thara, the God of Myths and central figure of the first story in the series - Seeds of the Eternal.

The Tharan Legends have been a cultural staple in the lives of many, especially those in Gwynbrenon.

In many stories the Hero has the end goal of fighting against an evil threatening their homeland but it is in the adventure, through which the Knight gains power and notoriety, where the reason for their popularity lies.

List of Epics (Chronological Order)

Seeds of the Eternal
The story follows the warrior Thara, a leader of a faction known as the Aest. Among a race of wolf-people, Thara would be the matron who would alter her form between a great divine Wolf and an Elven woman wield the spear Mawrbleid, the shield Crwban and bow Cifranlad. She takes her weapons and her near-extinct people on an adventure to seal away the Archdevil Balor, a giant three-eyed monster who commands legions of demons in his wake of utter destruction. The story takes place in a world known as Silverbough and has Thara venture into five sacred sites to reclaim them from Balor's minions and raise holy shrines from the earth there so that her Aest could give their spirits to these shrines and weaken Balor. The fight against Balor takes place in the mountains, on a plateau that Balor had turned into a fortress of darkness for him to oversee the invasion of Gwynbrenon. His fight against Thara is a legend in literature itself, being the hallmark of the novel that spans multiple pages and brings together everything that Thara had experienced on her quest.

Six Aest followers follow Thara on her quest, each giving themselves to a shrine when it becomes available. There is Eadwold of Greenwood, a sly and simple man who wished to explore the world alongside his friend Branwyn; Rimilda Firestove, a hot-headed woman oft described as having a long-lasting rage towards Demons, wielding a battle axe with which to cleave monsters in twain; Aethelwalh of the Currents, a mystical figure who called upon powerful rainstorms when angered, using water magics to blast or freeze his enemies; Osthryth the Silent, a girl with a mastery of stealth and scouting that would ambush tactics against Demonkind, while described as "silent", she would brew a great tea for her party; Edilda Sann, Thara's priestess and worshipper and her closest friend, with whom she would spend her free time with; and lastly the man simply known as Branwyn, a mystic and Thara's left hand in the Aest who is dedicated to his duty and the last one to leave Thara's side during her quest by being the one to ultimately unleash the power of the five shrines with the spirits of the five others within to deliver onto Balor the final smiting blow.

After the dust settles and the dawn is allowed to rise, Thara looks to the horizon where war still threatens the world. She watches as Bran's ethereal spirit floats away from her side, his duty still not complete. Thara, grievously wounded from the fight against Balor, buries her weapons before departing to the heavens.

Dawn of Time
This story Tells the tale of a young Elven man named Wyld who hailed from the small village of Linnas Beult. The story describes him as an ideal man who was adored by everyone in his hometown, a warrior of pure heart that charmed the Lord's fair daughter but tragedy would strike when Morrigan, Queen of Nightmares, would erupt from the earth beneath the village and bring with her countless deaths and destruction. Though Linnas Beult was destroyed, Wyld and a handful of its denizens survived yet while most tried to escape, Wyld stayed behind to come face to face with the evil queen. His bravery in the face of certain demise blessed him with the wolf's spirit, gaining hold of Gealach Raon that granted him the ability to harness the strength of the wilds. He is described to be a one-man army of nature's fury the moment he took the relic into hand, a surge of nature's wrath originating from him and pouring outwards to overcome the legions of dark creatures summoned by Morrigan. Though he was fierce and his temporary power great, he would fail to defeat Morrigan in his duel against the mother of nightmares, only leaving her wounded.

Wyld would be rescued by a primordial spirit named Bran and taken to a refuge north of his home. From there, the true adventure of Wyld and Bran begins, the two journeying across Gwynbrenon in search of the power needed to awaken the relic proper while fighting tirelessly to secure a future for their homeworld. They find eight temples in which challenges await those who dare to tread their halls, monsters feared and powerful inhabiting those dungeons and tools that grant Wyld new powers. In his journey, Wyld speaks to Bran who overtime opens up to him and tells him of his past life as a warrior to the Goddess Thara who had sent him here to accompany Wyld on his journey.

The novel's epilogue features Wyld wielding the full might of his relic, allowing him to defeat the Archdevil known as Morrigan, but at the cost of his own powers and his spiritual companion, both of whom he lost in the fight against the Queen of Nightmares.

Of the Valiant Hopes
This fairy tale is one that was mostly forgotten in time by many races yet it remained being told again and again by Pella for their children as a life lesson. The story starts with a Pella called Penelope Pawpale that was living in one of bigger Pella villages that by now had its name and location forgotten. Penelope was a loving and caring mother who provided the best for her children and those in the village. Penelope was known to be a white-furred Pella that always went above and beyond in every task given and needed to be done and was liked by many, some finding her even peculiar as she always seemed to be brimming with energy and unyielding strength to provide for the others. Unfortunately for her and the whole village once Dusk of Dawn had happened with cosmos invading many settlements and cities they too were affected by it.

Without prior combat knowledge Penelope was providing the best assistance she could for the others as she was aiding in healing the wounded and building fortifications yet she felt she could do even more with her never-ending strength and energy and so she wanted to fight. Without prior knowledge Penelope applied to be one of the guards but with her lack of combat experience and being more useful as a support she was quickly denied the position within the local militia as no resources could be spared to train completely new people. It didn't sit well with Pella but accepted the judgment and so continued to support the village for many days to come, build and heal the wounded. She also could see few Pella warriors that were stronger and far more skilled than their peers, always leading a charge and protecting the others, making her heart yearn for that, feeling as it was -the- thing she was supposed to do.

As the Pella were defending a dragon had visited the village to bolster their ranks and deliver a relic. Whether due to complete accident or a cosmic manipulation the name of the recipient was Penelope Pawpale. It shocked and confused many, some believing it being a mistake. Yet Penelope capitalized on that mistake and swiftly accepted the Shield of the Righteous. Unfortunately for her she haven't knew what a heavy burden it would be even for her as with it she was able to protect others and the shield was able to consume the magic and with time souls of the enemies to lay devastating damage to the assaulting enemies. The dragon remained for few days to monitor the shield's powers and how it was being handled by supposedly exceptionally skilled but unconventional mage.

The dragon took clear notes of how the shield was behaving and absorbing the powers yet as he noticed it devouring souls of the enemies the dragon realized it would yield corruptive influence upon its owner and first signs of it would show on Penelope's body in form of faint purple taints showing on her hand that mainly used the shield. The dragon swiftly departed to inform the council to create an item of equal power to protect its wielder but it would take days to create it and during that without the dragon's mentoring Penelope was getting influenced faster by it. Penelope felt that she wasn't suitable fighter as the days went on, believing only to be alive due to the relic's strength and defensive properties. However, she didn't give up on her relic as she believed it was required to lead to everyone's survival and so she held onto it, not voicing her concerns to everyone.

A week later the dragon would return with Garments of the Abyss for Penelope to wear yet it was seen that her whole arm was riddled with purple veins and her actions were more erratic and reckless, leading to much more brave and brash decisions, drawing awe from fellow Pella who were invigorated with her strength, unaware of what was happening to her. The dragon was hesitant on empowering her further but with the armor he hoped that it would halt the corruptive influence of cosmos. With the armor Penelope only had the combat easier, making her a hero of the village. As others had cheered her, whether her children or villagers her ever-lasting smile was slowly subsiding as dark thoughts consumed her mind. One day when the dragon had to give his report Penelope had succumbed to the powers stored within the shield and unleashed it all as her psyche gave in, razing her whole village and assaulting enemies to the ground. No one had survived inside of the village.

The dragon would learn of it a day later as he searched for the village, only to see it fully razed. He searched for Penelope and found her not so far from the village but without a relic. Her body and will succumbing to the influence of the cosmos. With a heavy heart the dragon put a stop to Penelope and finished her with a surprise attack, only listening to her last words before dying. The story is told regularly by the parents to teach their kids regarding the responsibility and being suited for the roles needed as with good intentions and will you can achieve the opposite. To this day some kids and parents would argue that the situation given was unfair and making such decisions wasn't so easy but that is also why the story survived for such a long time between Pella. With how many different emotions it invoked between children and the adult it remained on their mind to be passed to further generations.

The Phoenix Flames
A story telling about an Avari man named Avaron. Standing as a prodigy among his kind, Avaron took up a legendary phoenix feather as a weapon and used it to seal away a mighty king of demons named Aethon beneath the Frostfire Isles. A version of Avaron's tales is shared orally in Avari culture, although the destruction of the Stormcrow Tribes has also erased parts of this story. The Phoenix Flames novel is a rough retelling with much of the story filled by rough estimations of the truth.

Abyssal Compass
The story begins in a fishing village on a lone island, where the people live simple and quiet lives untouched by the bothers of the outside world. These people, sporting fox-like ears merged with Elven bodies, do little more than hunt, fish and cook their kills in their day to day lives. Recently the seas have become murky and a strange mist has begun to envelop those who would travel too far to the western waters, causing troubled whispers to murmur among the village's peoples. Niko, a spry and youthful villager, is introduced as the companion of the village's bravest warrior - Alfyr. Together the two set out to the west to investigate the rising mist but they are ambushed by a Wyrm named Mig'Miolmor. Their boat is destroyed and Niko washes up on a mysterious island enveloped by the mist with only Alfyr's sword by her side. She journeys into the wilds of the island and finds a temple in which she discovers a broke relic the stone slates describe as the "Abyssal Compass". She takes the piece of this strange contraption before journeying deeper into the temple, which eventually leads him into an underground dock where a ship made of white stone is docked. Socketing the lone piece of the compass into the ship, Niko manages to get it working as magic begins to fuel its spinning stone wheels. Onboard she also finds a map which seems to detail the places of other pieces of the compass... seeing no other way through this mess, Niko sets out to retrieve those pieces.

The story takes Niko onto numerous islands in the mist, each more dangerous than the last. She has to fend off against monsters that have made the mist their lair, learning to hone her skill with Alfyr's sword and the tools she creates using the materials and magical artefacts she comes across - A whip-like grappling hook; a sceptre that raises the earth; Gauntlets that punch with explosive might and more! Piece by piece Niko collects the pieces of the compass, but by the end one piece remains missing - the centre piece. One last location is left for her which coincidentally leads her into Mig'Miolmor's lair. Here Niko finds Alfyr, now broken and corrupted to serve Mig'Miolmor's will, and she is forced to duel him to the death.

Following a pained encounter that leaves Niko filled with rage, she runs into the deepest stretches of the Wyrm's lair to put an end to it and find the last piece of the compass. Niko's anger would blind her to being led into the jaws of the monster that had defiled Alfyr, which knocks some sense into her and forces her to retreat into the shadows and approach the encounter with cleverness and guile. She uses the tools at her disposal and the cavernous environment to siege Mig'Miolmor from afar weakening him and exposing him to a killing blow with Alfyr's Blade. The Blood of the Wyrm infuses Niko's weapon with power, granting it a superior aura. Niko names the sword "Alfyr's Bite" and retrieves the final piece of the Compass. In the Compass Piece's chamber, Niko comes face to face with a spirit that tells him the purpose of the mist, that it is meant to seal away a great evil within itself so that the rest of the world may be free of its torment. The spirit instructs Niko to take the piece to her ship and use it to fare the remnants of civilisation out of the mist starting with her hometown.

Niko returns to her ship and sockets the final piece into the machinery. The ship then begins to guide her back to her home island which is soon enveloped by the mist. She returns in time to tell everyone of what must happen. Many protest at first, but as the mist begins to spawn monsters on this once peaceful island the last remaining villagers are convinced to leave.

The story's epilogue describes Niko's people settling a new village on the shores of Tranquilon, far away from the mist. Niko looks upon Alfyr's Bite and smiles before setting out on a new adventure, ready to explore the seas of Gwynbrenon and the western mists.

Shroud of Darkness
Following Wyld's first adventure, the lone Druid travelled into a place the Wylderin call "The Otherworld", a place not to be confused with the Afterworld. The Otherworld, by the book's description, was a vast and nightmarish realm which is said to be the root of all evil. Without his druidic powers anymore, Wyld carried with him nothing more than a sword and shield in order to eradicate the source of evil. In this journey through the Otherworld, Wyld would meet his match against Erebos, the Dark Sorcerer. They would fight in a ruined temple where Wyld would find an ancient blade which guided him to slash a rift into the space before him and return to the world he belongs to. Able to escape Erebos' destruction, Wyld would embark on a new journey wielding the Raven Blade, going in and out of the Otherworld to defeat Erebos, eventually succeeding in doing so with the help of his long lost friend Bran, who would turn out to be the blade's spirit. Although Erebos would be defeated at the end of the story, the source of evil would not - Wyld and Bran would join together and continue their fight for good, eventually disappearing into the annals of lore.

Star's Hope
A story taking place in the early Wylderin foundation - At this point a tradition has been made to choose a warrior among the youth to be blessed by the Druids and walk the journey of Wyld, fighting monsters for the good of Gwynbrenon. Many warriors are placed through trials and tribulations to find the strongest among them. As fate would have it, a young blood named Re'alar of Linnas Tirna is chosen by Archdruid Elsaria Moonwhisper to be given the blessing of the Druids to leave the protection of their city. Re'alar's rival, Caelan, disagrees with the choice of the Archdruid and rebels. Not long after, Re'alar travels out of Nytlerei to start his journey. Throughout his adventure, Re'alar fights with a sword and learns to invoke the spirit of different animals to aid him. He travels to smaller settlements to help them with their crises and meets others who could have become heroes like him but were not chosen by the tradition of their people.

Near the middle of his journey, Re'alar comes across a wounded wolf and heals him back to health. The wolf does not run away and instead remains by Re'alar's side, becoming his ally and loyal companion. The Elf names the Wolf "Kiff" and trains with him, turning the large wolf into a proud mount.

Later on, Re'alar discovers that Caelan has begun an insurrection back in Nytlerei, leading a rebellion of like-minded extremists who believe the elders are taking too long to expand the presence of the Elves. The city becomes a battlefield where the opposing forces of Elsaria and Caelan meet in bloody battle. Re'alar and Kiff manage to reach Nytlerei and charge into the thick of it to put an end to Caelan's rebellion, though choosing not to end his life on the principal of letting him learn his mistakes and grow while acknowledging his opinions of their empire's slow establishment. Following this, Re'alar remains in Nytlerei to help train Wylderin's future soldiers, the Knights, establishing the Knights of the Wild

Crown of the Wisps
Many centuries ago on Celtin Isle there lived a Wolfen girl named Zilk - described as a bright and courageous girl who was always ready to give a helping hand to others in her hometown of Tathair Village, Zilk was the village's strongest warrior and lived on the outskirts of the settlement driving off intrusive monsters that sought harm to her friends. Not far from the village there existed the Suhr Allika, a sacred shrine that the people of Tathair revered and a corporeal nest for Wisps to gather inside of which also served as the place for the Crown of the Wisps, an artefact of note worth which the villagers swore to protect by hiding the location of the shrine and safeguarding the key to its doors.

One day a greedy highborn Draken the book names "Denfalt" came to the island in search of the Crown and demanded the villagers to hand it over. When they did not meet his commands, he threatened to kill their beloved Elder. Zilk would intervene and duel him, yet his might would outmatch hers. The black dragonman with fiery red eyes mercilessly beat Zilk to an inch of her life and the Wisps from the sacred shrine came to Zilk's side and carried her to safety inside Suhr Allika. There she slept for a ten whole years until she was healed to full.

When Zilk finally came to, she found herself imbued with the magic of the Wisps and was told that after her defeat, the evil Denfalt razed her peaceful village to ash and built a draconic fortress in its place, seeking desperately the entry into the Suhr Allika. He would spread the forces he commanded throughout the island, turning it into a hostile environment where the peace and tranquility that it once possessed was nowhere to be seen. Zilk's quest to oppose Denfalt's rule begins as she journeys her island, using the powers that awaken inside her to best Denfalt's challenges.

In the epilogue of the story, Denfalt would finally find the shrine and with the key in hand he was ready to open the way and steal the crown. Zilk would face him in one final battle and the Wisps would grant her the crown to boost her power to its highest potential, allowing her to kill the Draken and drive his forces out. After the battle, Zilk returned the crown to its rightful place and closed the shrine, swearing to rebuild Tathair and restore Celtin to its former self.