The Story of Axilles and Astrogarde - Part 5 – The tyrant Drumera.

Who was King Drumera? Tyrant lord of the once peaceful Winkong people and conqueror of the western isles. He was the youngest of the three sons of king Glasvest the wise but his two elder brothers both met with strange deaths. One found a scorpion in his armour while the other accidentally shot himself in the back with a hunting bow and so Drumera inherited the crown of the twelve winkong tribes and the eagle sceptre and, soon after, introduced a new law enforcing the worship of the demon Granguth, god of iron,fire and blood, who then rewarded Drumera with the terrifying hell-blade; a blade of unbreakable shadow that pierced not only flesh but soul; that cut through rock and iron like melted fat; that cut down four men at one time and added to the strength of its bearer the strength of every poor soul that it vanquished. Drumera was unstoppable. That was the widely held opinion. He had consumed so many souls through the fang of his wretched hell-blade that an army of shadows now seemed to walk within him. The only thing which could kill him was the hell-blade itself but who could seize it from him? Who was brave or swift or stealthy enough?

The lands of Lovingod and Winkongvasse were seperated by the western sea and Lovingod’s rough currents and jagged coast had often deterred invaders before but Drumera had conquered many other surrounding lands and from the isle of Oram he had herded the Seatreader; the horse that runs upon the waves, so that he could create a cavalry that would run over both earth and sea. Without need of ships, he brought a great army over the western water and attacked the port of Elgon where he massacred every man and boy and, from that, drew a line of blood across the middle of Lovingod,moving north towards the city of Klanbek,looting to provide sustenance for his marching and devouring warbeast,burning and desolating every house,inn,civic hall and temple; taking and shaming the local women and girls for the amusement of his ravenous horde. What a horror was the Tyrant Drumera! Little wonder that people now spit when they speak of him. Through the dukedoms of Skalt and Sormun,Abbek and Brin,the savage army marched and rode on unceasingly,crushing the armies of the western lords and, where they did not murder and burn, it was because they met with one of the armies of the traitors covenant; those lords who had sworn against the king of Lovingod and bowed to the eagle-rod of Drumera.

The walled capital of Klanbek; beautiful white heart of Lovingod, where the houses
of Talkan,Runvid and Egnect have all sat. That lay between Drumera and victory but, before that, were the fields and towns of Zewler and that was where the King of Lovingod,with all the armies of the northern and midland lords converged. In the valley of Silfawn which means Bright Spell, the armies of the true god met the armies of darkness.