THE CHOSEN ECKRA THE CRUEL |
Eckra (approx. 9000 b.S.) was an archmage of the Age of Silence. He ruled a vast area in Northern Sarvonia, ranging from the peninsula Dinal (now known as the Forbidden Zone), to what is now the Eight Winds Bay. His stronghold was an immense keep, which became known as Tak'Dinal (Fear of Dinal). It was made almost entirely from cairns of black stone and was perched on the shores of Ebony Lake, its toxicness fouling the crystal waters into a dark murk.
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The whole area was cloaked
in an impenetrable gloom, giving it a sense of dark dread. In the East of his
domain were the Mountains of Despair. The mountains were of obsidian and
volcanic rock, they were riddled with mines. Massive forges lay all about
exterior of the mines, smelting the iron found. It is whispered that the iron
Eckra’s smithies forged was a crimson black, made with spells from acolytes and
the mixing of dried blood. The only other sign of civilization in his bleak land
was a port that was filled with large slave ships. This town was given
exclusively over to his orcish warriors. It's
filth and squalor was mentioned by the very few that survived seeing the sight.
The archmage earned his name from those that heard
about him and feared his cruelty. Eckra sent slave ships
coursing the sea between the peninsula and the Celeste Mountains. The sorrow of
the races and the pain of families forever torn apart later caused this sea to
be re-named The Sea Of Tears. Human and
elf alike were captured and made to work,
mining materials for his orcish armies and
arcane practices in the aptly named Mountains of Despair.
Wargs were made to be mounts for
orcish calvary and also
used throughout the Plains of Rilla to hunt and kill any intruders. It is
rumored that the archmage also
summoned netherbeasts and other foul
creatures to do his bidding as well.
Eckra's frequent battles with nearby archmages made his
borders barren and the soil drenched with blood. Whole towns and armies were
wiped out within a day's time as his army and magic
contested for the rights of dominion over the land. Many a battle was fought
against several other archmages. Eckra's demise, along
with three other powerful archmages is thought to have occurred during the great
Battle of the Winds.
Tak'Dinal, that ancient stronghold of horror, though in
ruins, still exists today. There was a brief moment when some life was brought
back into Eckra's old domain.
Elves and
pendrowe from the Shaded
Forest migrated to the Folkmore Trees and tried to revive
the decimated forest, others feared for them and warned of possible danger. The
warning was proven true in time, as they were either
killed or driven out of the lands in 1649 b.S., during
The Year of Darkness, or as it is called in Northern Sarvonia, the
Burning Night. The land now is said to be cursed, and few
will enter, for fear of what might survive from Eckra's
days, and what those who tried to follow his footsteps might have awakened. Many
a hero and scholar who have tried to
venture in this forsaken land have
never been heard from again. The few that have returned
seem to be changed beyond recognition, and carry a stamp of terrible pain
and dark intent. Even though Eckra's death happened
centuries ago, his name is still used to frighten children or mentioned in
ribald stories around campfires, when a persons tongue is plied by drink.
Information provided by
Drogo
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