Stormrider

Appendix B - Histories of the Ridderwold and Bregolad

Appendix B - A History of the Ridderwold, its People and the Surrounding Regions

I - THE SETTLING OF THE RIDDERWOLD AND THE RISE OF THE HITHRIDDARAN

After the Cataclysm and the earth was reshaped, many of the elfish folk, as well as tribes of men, were scattered or otherwise separated from one another.  In this way a number of elves and men found themselves stranded on the Isle of Passage, which was later renamed Telegleid in the Elfish tongue.  There, the line of Tulbith established a stronghold, and for long years the inhabitants of that island had neither contact nor knowledge of other lands.  For reason of the trees on that isle being few and slow in growth, the inhabitants built no ships for sailing.  Wood that might be spared was used for shelter or warmth.  Not for many generations of men did the elves build ships.

Only the survivors established a secure foothold on the island, and trees grew in abundance, did they construct ships suitable for venturing across the waters in search of other lands and other peoples.  Among those first explorers were Fervorn the elfish hero and second son of Tulbith, and Vaskar, the chieftain of the mannish tribe upon Telegleid.

They made for the east, and after several days sailing, came upon the shores of Unduin, which is the main landmass of Midgard, and found it at first uninhabited.  They landed upon the strand in the north part of the land, near what later became Fothmorn in the region men now call the Ridderwold.  The region was a great river basin, stretching some fifty leagues both north and south, set between two mountain ranges, which are the Murfell in the north and the Granfell in the south.

The group moored their ship and made camp along the strand.  After a time, Fervorn resolved to leave a contingent of men and elves and return with a small crew to Telegleid and report to his father that which they had seen.  Thus it was that those who remained set to establishing an outpost, and they called that place Fothmorn for the sands were dark and did not reflect the light of the moon.

For a time they lived in safety and peace, finding game and vegetation sufficient to sustain them.  But upon a night some months after they had landed, they were assailed by a band of goblins, who fell upon them suddenly and with terrible force.  The goblins burned the houses and slew many.  The group had few weapons or means to defend themselves and all would have been slain save that they were rescued by a band of elves coming out of the east on the heels of the goblins.  Riding horses and bearing spear and bow, they ran down and quickly slew the goblins.

The riders were led by Gallach, the Sun Smote.  In the times after the Cataclysm, his people had taken refuge in the mountains south of the region, which they called Dorthoniad and which men would later call the Granfell.  These mountains had once been part of the range that housed Blaithruin. And though that ancient stronghold had been lost, they remained and established a home far in the greatest peak of the Granfell, which is called Hor Darradh, or the Grey Peak.

From there the elves would often venture, riding afield to the north and south, battling the remnant of Sulcor’s scattered minions.  For it is said that where the Granfell might be the ancient location of Blaithruin, the Murkfell was once the seat of Sulcor’s power in the north, Terangol, where he retreated after his defeat at the hands of Ulervo the Blessed.

And Vaskar marveled at the Elfish steeds, for in all his life he had not imagined such marvelous beasts that would bear a man at such speed, for there were no horses on Telegleid, neither were there stories of such animals.  Though in truth, it was men that had first tamed horses in the Galwathlas, which are Sunlit Lands, before the reshaping of the world.  And it was the Eliun who in turn had adopted and perfected the practice of horse riding.  But Vaskar was many generations removed from those ancestors, and likewise the elves of Telegleid were not horse riders.  Being the guardians of the Isle of Passage, they were not among those which had journeyed deep into the Sunlit Lands and had dealings with men ere the Cataclysm.

Thus it was that Vaskar thanked Gallach and his company for their rescue.  Then swearing fealty to Gallach, Vaskar begged him to teach him all that he might of the art of horsemanship.

Now Gallach was among the Eliun most familiar and favorable with men.  Being the first to venture into the sunlit lands, he was likewise among the first to have dealings with men and had ever held them in esteem, seeing them as the younger siblings to the Eliun.  Thus it was that Gallach suffered Vaskar’s request.

After a time, Fervorn returned, and finding the Eliun among the remainder of Vaskar’s people, he rejoiced.  For it has been the secret fear among many that the Teleglian alone had survived Ithel’s wrath.  But tempering that fear was the bright hope that kindred, long sundered, might be reunited.

Thus, Fervorn bid Gallach sail with him to Telegleid and be admitted by Tulbith.  This Gallach declined saying, “Ithel has set me as warden of these lands and I will not leave them while they are yet in need.”

It was then that Vaskar interjected, “If Fervorn should suffer us some time, my kin and I shall learn of Gallach the ways of horsemanship and add to his regime.  Once we have come to mastery, mayhaps then Gallach can take a space of leave to visit with kin long lost.”

To this, all agreed. So Gallach and his people instructed Vaskar and his folk in art of riding.  Vaskar was quick to learn and soon rode in the fore along side Gallach.  Vaskar and his people saw much valor in battle and were a great boon to the elfish folk of that region.

In this way, Gallach was moved to grant the land north of the Veeterloude to Vaskar and his people.  For it was clear to Gallach that Vaskar was as skilled as any elf in horsemanship and that his allegiance would bring greater peace to that land.

Thus it was that when Gallach at last sailed for Telegleid, Vaskar sent for his son and wife, that they might join him.  And teaching his son all that he knew of horsemanship, they established for themselves a dynasty that lasted many generations.  And for a long time they were close allies with the elves of Dorthoniad.  And for many years, that land saw much peace, and the tales of orclings fell into legend and the elves of Telegleid came less and less to Fothmorn.  Eventually, the alliance with the Dorthonian faded into the mists of time only to emerge from legend at need or in times of great upheaval.  

And men grew to populate that region which they at first called the Ridderfoll, as well as the lands south of the Granfell, which they named the Bregolad.  Thus  for many generations, the descendants of Vaskar roamed the region of the Ridderfoll, never settling in one place for long, but followed the winds and the seasons.  For this reason were they called the Hithriddaran, which are the Stormriders.  But in time, the tribe grew in number so that they could not sustain their nomadic ways and perforce settled various regions of the Ridderfoll.

The lord of the Hithriddaran at this time was Stalalf, and he had three sons, who were; Harmund, Augorr and Vaskar II.  To them he granted equal portions of the Ridderfoll.  For himself, Stalalf took the region now known as the Fielding.

Long years passed and the Ridderfoll grew to be populated with more trees and the woods grew together into a great forest and the Hithriddaran came to call that region the Ridderwold.  The houses had no king, but each head ruled as lord over his fief.  And the various clans had peace between them save for the time when Augorr II moved to claim the other holds.  

And the Ridderwold was never assailed from the south, for no army could cross the Granfell in great force.  And though at times the Ridderwold might be invaded from the sea, invaders were ever driven back by the Hithriddaran.  And though Vaskar came over the sea from Telegleid and was himself a sailor first, the Hithriddaran held an disdain for the sea and came to Fothmorn only to trade with its  inhabitants.

Life in the Ridderwold proceeded thus, and little changed save that the might of the Hithriddaran fell further into decline and their deeds of valor into legend.  Then in the time of Beomund, the Ridderwold was ruined in fire and the Hithriddaran passed wholly from the earth, their only legacy living on through Eomund III and his exploits.