Untold Legends: The Other Lives of Ysgramor

[A book bound in black leather, most of it's words lost to the ravages of time. The fragments that remain show a glimpse into the forgotten past of man, and the untold legends of its greatest hero.]

Untold Legends: The Other Lives of Ysgramor

As the great ships of men crawled the waves to their destinies, there were, after long years, a number of tales lost in the mists of morning. Even after the forgetting though, wisps of story find ways to receptive ears as even the deepest of secrets never truly dies. When fires burn and the night grows soft in the encampments of men, tales of the King-Father echo through the mouths of men.

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Follwing the assasination of King Heoroth, at the hands of the Normiir Witch-King, whose shadow was Mora, Ysgramor was taken prisoner, guilty of loyalty to the Lord of the First Men. The Sons of Men, backed by the allegiance of the Dov, repelled the Witch-King and his forces. Alas, Ysgramor would not see the light of day, nor know the cool waters of his kingdom for seven long years of fighting.

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His retreating captors, fearful of Ysgramor's vengeance, caged the Heir-of-Jelkurfyk and tossed him to the icy sea to drown. Deep in the grave, Ysgramor found dark truths, which he strung together into the ship Salvation.

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The Old Wood, true home of heroes, lay in ruin. Ysgramor took refuge in the gift of his father, the Sea of Ghosts. Fearing no kingdom would be left for his sons, he sought the southern edge of the world, a vast and wild country of danger.

Trapped among storm-serpents and ice-wraiths, surrounded by the mists, Ysgramor was guided by the specter of his father, King Ysmulven. “The Sea shall carry your burden and grant you her bounty, but no victory comes without price.” The King-In-Death took the form of a great dragon, delivering the his son's fleet to Shore with the gales of his wings.

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Nokmariin arrived to the Twice-Crowned King, weaving dark visions. The bloated corpse of Yngol rose from the Sea of Ghosts, suspended by writhing rivers and weeds. “All men must die Ysmir, and the dead shall be forgotten.” The Great Dragon, whose heart was Heart-Robbed Shor, rose against the foul God of the Sea. “Though I perish, I persist. I shall hold the dead in hollowed halls; Glory greater than death. This is my promise to you.”

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Ysmir, whose name was Ysmaalithax, gathered his Companions. Chief among them was Hans of Alunjerviir, who Ysmaalithax named Fox. It was Hans who taught us to hunger for the blood of Mer, and to understand the power of righteous anger. As the sun rose over the Ghost-Sea, the ships readied themselves for debts owed and the promise of tomorrow.