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However - and the facts, that are narrated bellow, became
known many centuries later - somewhere near the western
coast of the Ancythrian Sea the exiles were approached by some elves. The elves
offered them a chance to avenge for the Fall, but in exchange they should serve
their cause faithfully. They were envoys from the League,
a secret elven organization fighting for the unification of the Sarvonian
continent and the cooperation of all races. Cumrann and his companion were the
first humans (and dwarves) to be accepted in it. They were told all about its
history and ideals and undertook several missions assassinating Turacanthian
leaders and rivaling dark elves. As years went by, they trained the forces of
the League according to the superior Helcrani system and rose to be the core of
their fighting machine against the Pure, another elven cult trying to revive the
ancient elven tyranny over the other races.
Cumrann's son, Allengard, became the first human leader of the League and ever
since his descendants hold this office (although the outline of their tactics is
determined by a council where the elves have a majority). Cumragane is his direct
descendant and devoted his life fighting to promote both the Centoraurian
interest as well as the cause of a united Sarvonian Continent.
Until the age of 25 Cumragane’s life was a mixture of
hard training in arms and fighting techniques, academic studies and practical
use of the former in battle. He used to fight as a ranger and preferred to
undertake operations with a few comrades in the wilderness against both orcs and
dark elves. Cumragane had a great love for nature and wildlife. His best friend
and personal emblem was Sasirra, a lynx he found wounded at a small age and
which he managed to tame.
Cumragane became leader of the League in his early thirties,
when his father passed away from pneumonia. At this time Santharia was
prosperous. Santhros, the holy king, was dead long ago and his son Laeanthris
was now king for many years. The elderly king ruled wisely but didn’t have any
children till he was very old. Until the birth of Mantheros, his first and only son,
Staranos was cosidered heir to the throne,
his nephew from his wife’s side.
The two pretenders of the throne were very different in character. Mantheros,
from a very small age, had shown signs that he would become a wise and noble
man. Indeed, as a youth he was acknowledged among the elder as a very wise
person and was loved for his kindness. Staranos, on the other hand, was hard,
absolute, dictatorial and lusted for power. Despite his blemishes, he was
devoted to his people and was an honorable man. That’s why Leanthris
had initially proclaimed Staranos his heir. Furthermore, the bossy prince was
allowed to have a personal guard. This squadron, which numbered nearly
five thousand
men, was used against potential enemies in the Ashmarian lands or the few who
were opposed to the United Santharian Kingdom. The king tolerated this atrocious
behavior against the dissidents, not only because he loved his nephew but also
because he never got to know how brutal he was against them. Staranos had
managed to create a veil of terror covering his name. When Manthros was born,
the people rejoiced, because they hoped that the newborn heir would be more
compassionate to their needs. However, Staranos continued officially to be the
heir of the throne and to enjoy all his privileges, although Leanthris with his
behavior seemed to consider his own son as his successor. Leanthris died in 77,
at the age of 91. At the time of the funeral the people proclaimed king
Mantheros, his son. Staranos, however, scattered the crowds
with his own guard,
that pledged allegiance to his rival and seized control of the empire. Mantheros
managed to escape with a few supporters thanks to the citizens’ help. The army
was supporting the usurper, because Staranos was an brilliant military leader
and nobody dared to oppose him. However, Erpheronian traders took the fugitive
prince to the east, where he found willing supporters in the face of Stratanian,
Avennorian and Caltherian warriors. They were the only ones who ignored Staranos
and proclaimed Mantheros their king. Local armies were raised in order to help
him claim his throne. The rest of the Sarvonian continent, with a few
exceptions, was opposing Mantheros, mainly due to Staranos' horrible reputation.
The elves supported the young pretender, because he was very close to their
ideals, but were unable to unite and provide a considerable support.
The League and the cause of a united Sarvonian continent faced a terrible
situation. Cumragane sent Hecuran, the so-called "Elven
Lion", in a guest to join
the elves and form an army with every warrior available. This army was to be
placed at Mantheros’ disposal. At the same time, Cumragane gave the title of the
Council’s Prime to Artemidor, who was along with Lycoborne, the backbone of the
League for more than 2000 years. Cumragane then took all
men recruited to the League, the descendants of the exiled Helcrani, a total
force of about thousand warriors, and
headed to Helcrah, his homeland. There, in the Gathering building, he revealed
himself as descendant of the Sostrian kings and leader of the League. He urged
the Helcrani to fight for Mantheros and found many supporters there, but nobody
would campaign with him, because they obeyed only to the Anactar of Milkengrad,
since there was no Santharian king. Nevertheless, many came with him to
Milkengrad in order to help him depose the Anactar of the time, an eerie and sly
person, called Semgon. Cumragane made a royal entrance to Milkengrad, since his
fame preceded him, but he didn’t claim the throne as everybody expected. On the
contrary, he recognized Semgon’s authority and placed himself in his disposal in
the war against Staranos’ tyranny. In the Great Hall, the building where the
Fratric Assembly took place, the two of them were confronted as to be heard by
every citizen. Cumragane explained his reasons why they should support the wise
and noble Mantheros, not forgetting to expand on his legitimacy. Semgon, on the
other hand, intimidated the citizens with Staranos’ might and his merciless
revenge. The subject was not a matter of justice but of survival. Semgon’s
speech had such a great impact on the Milkengradians, that he managed to incarcerate
Cumragane and his companion who didn’t engage their kin in battle. He, moments
before his arrest, urged the Helcrani not to abandon their king twice, as they
did with Curgan, the last of the Sostrian kings.
With Cumragane arrested and waiting to be set under trial after Staranos’
victory, the Helcrani marched with their entire army westwards to encircle
Manthros and his army, who were at Jernais and already preparing for combat. Staranos,
on the other hand, was advancing fast after capturing Carmalad to Veltim. His
plan was to cut off his cousin from the sea and then crush him captured from
both east and west.
In Milkengrad, when the Centoraurian army was already closing near Mantheros’
army, who was retreating towards Helcrah in order to avoid encirclement,
Cumragane was released from prison. The entire male Milken population of the
city, with full battle gear, gathered in the Square of the Singing Heavens. They
were ready to abandon their families and march to support their king. Many elder
men, elves and dwarves that supported Mantheros were encouraged to decide to go
to war even against the orders of their Anactar. The
words of the Brownie High Protector of the Artapherana, Ponten Lightblade,
were also written down in the history
books: "You
Helcrani are cursed and us among you, who became Helcrani by choice and not by
luck, are twice cursed; Centuries ago, when the curse struck you for the second
time, we were fighting not Fratra against Fratra but brother against brother. We
were more damned than this. We abandoned not only our brother but also our king
in the time of need. And it was us who armed the hands of the enemies against
him. And he who even in the time of our betrayal loved us and didn’t let us
leave unequipped, without provisions, nor disgraced, without our weapons,
suffered all that and among with the noblest of our kind -
those who remained
with him - died defending our city. Only a few survived to tell the horror of the
slaughter, the horror that led the troops we sent to the
enemy as an assistance to turn their swords against him and die with their
rightful king. We all then took an oath never to abandon our king again. An oath
we forgot, an oath that the son of the usurper had to remind us. The Milken will
not abandon their king again, the Milken will fight and die with Mantheros!"
Ponten’s speech made the Helcrani understand that they were abandoning their
king, just like they did with Curgan, the last of the Sostrian kings. No, they
wouldn’t betray him once more. They didn’t only release Cumrann’s descendant
and his companions but also followed him to battle. Men, women and everybody who
could bare arms joined Cumragane in his march to the battlefield. on their way
this strange army gathered all those citizens who wouldn’t succumb to fear.
Finally when they reached the battlefield the two armies were ready to engage in
the final battle. The Centoraurians, when they saw their families on the side of
the righteous king, realized their mistake and abandoned Semgon with the tyrant.
However, along with the Centoraurians and the rest of Staranos’ forces
they abandoned their master. Now, the tides had changed.
The tyrant managed to escape and managed to reach Hèckra, the volcano. He was
unlucky once more. Hèckra exploded
once more, burning him and his men. Cumragane, Sasirra
and many of his men were burned too as they chased the tyrant in hairbreadth
distance.
Thus ended Cumragane’s life and Tacunija’s curse. It was now fulfilled. The
Helcrani from now on were redeemed from their crime. No more would they fight
with each other. Now it was them who saved the day. Cumragane was honored by his
men and his nephew, who managed to escape Hèckra’s wrath,
was assigned Anactar of the city.
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