725-665 b.S., Helcrani Anactar. Artahir was the firstborn son of the Helcrani anactar Curogane II. From an early age he revealed a strong and ambitious character. He had a strong will and the intelligence to achieve his goals. Very soon he was distinquished as a superb archer and warrior. However, as a character, he was rather absolute and hard to live with. His father had seen these attributes and tried to help him improve his character, but all his efforts weren't meant to succeed.

Artahir lived most of his life under the shadow of his wise father. He concealed his ambitions well however and everybody in Centorauria thought that Artahir had the wisdom of his father.

The Helcrani Anactar Artahir. Image drawn by Faugar.

Artahir lived most of his life under the shadow of his wise father. He concealed his ambitions well however and everybody in Centorauria thought that Artahir had the wisdom of his father.

In 675 b.S. Curogane II died and Artahir took his place as governor of Milkengrad and Councelor of the Centoraurian king, Agelron the Quick. His advises at the start were wise and correct.

However, the opportunity for Artahir to reveal his secret ambitions appeared in 668 b.S., when the Erpheronian king Parem invaded Centorauria. Excuse for this invasion was provided by a conflict between sheperds about Midlanir, the island between Efirhal and Accam. Centoraurian sheperds reacted violently in the attempt of their Erpheronian colleagues to extent their meadows to a land they considered theirs for centuries. However, Ogygor, Artahir’s son and general of the Centoraurian army, managed to ambush and crush the Erpheronian army near Cemphiria. Artahir then proposed that the Centoraurians should invade Erpheronia and conquer their enemies while they still were disorganized. Agelron however was a peace lover and rejected this advise. The king prefered a honorable peace treaty.

Artahir saw the chance. If he'd could take over Erpheronia, he would be powerful enough to capture the Centoraurian throne too. Caltheria wouldn’t stand long and Kyrania was doomed to fall. He would unite all humans under his rule and the elves and the dwarves would be forced to recognize his authority. He would unite the Sarvonian continent in one state, the Kingdom of Artahiria. Then he would divide Sarvonia to the seven Fratrae in order to unite all nations in one. He would thus make Avá's Dream pure as Herself by the sword. The Dream may be bad by its nature, but it would be reflected to the sword and thus restored to its original beauty and goodness. These presumptuous thoughts were written down by Artahir himself, and restored by Tychandar, in a book where it is obvious that the author was taken away by his entusiasm, the moment he wrote it. The book is named “Reflections”.

So Artahir disobeyed his king and invaded Erpheronia. His army, although significantly smaller than the enemy, advanced fast. Accam fell in 666 b.S. and in the next year the Erpheronian capital Voldar was besieged. Artahir, however, in his enthusiasm overlooked Westhron and put a small garisson to guard it. He thought that its residents would prepare their city for the oncoming siege. He was wrong here.

Ileor, the commander of Westhron raised an army and managed to capture all the Helcrani garisson. This way he managed to attack them at their defenseless rear. The Milkengradians were trapped between two foes. Artahir died in his attempt to secure the escaping of his army, paying his ambitions with his life.

Aftermath - The Great Promise. After Ileor charged against the Milkengradian army and Artahir fell dead under the Erpheronian might, his son Ogygor assumed control over the army and retreated south inside the Thaelon forest. While the Helcrani tried to regroup inside the forest, Ileor sent a regiment and liberated Cemphiria. Now the enemy was encircled. Ogygor, unaware of this, headed with his amy towards the city, but, as he saw the Erpheronian banner flying over the walls and the enemy army at his rear, he decided to retreat to the west. He hoped that somehow he could inform the fleet at Efirhal about the situation in order to come for them and pick them up. Ogygor retreated to the western shore in a point where the Efirhal was visible. Unfortunately for him, he had fallen in Ileor's trap. The entire Erpheronian army had them encircled.

Ileor felt great sympathy for those men who defied the most powerful human kingdom and almost achieved the impossible. He considered their policy very honorable not to mistreat the local population and not to avoid unnecessary killing. So Ileor, now that the Helcrani were trapped without provisions or hope, he offered a favorable peace treaty. In reference to this act he was later on named "the kind". Ogygor was so touched by this behaviour that he foretold that the next time that there would appear an Erpheronian with such a kind soul, the Helcrani would surrender their most precious treasure. This Erpheronian would be Thar, who wasn't only given princess Curogana but also the helcran independence.

Many scholars support the greatly disputed theory, that Artahir's "Reflections", the book where he wrote his plans of uniting the Sarvonian continent, were surrendered to Thar, after his marriage with Curogana, and inspired him in forming Tharania. This dispute still dominates among the circles of Santharian scholars with many arguments pro and against the impact of this book. "Reflections" was published in 212 a.S. by Tychandar of Sostra. 

"Daring over our powers, adventurous dispite prudent advise and optimist when in danger." (Thucidides A270)