The Olympnomachi: The Sorrow of Aubälion

And why he suffered so

Aubälion for his part gave chase after the house of Pelunion, who fled to the west of Caradarianna, just along the border to the then ‘Wildlands’ as the Elves called it at the time. The thief of the Stjárgamen paused, near the great palatial estate of his uncle Talarian, who received his nephew with a certain surprise. Unaware of what it was that had happened, he was nonetheless displeased to hear from Aubälion, upon his arrival with a number of the family’s followers and retainers. For what reason, did Aubälion dare to come full of wroth and hatred, demanded his great-uncle.

“For justice, we hath cometh to lay low all that ye hath, if ye insist upon clinging to Pelunion and his ilk.” Aubälion growled back with such fury that, all further negotiations were considered moot by those behind the fortress of Sytarminassë (wild fort)’s walls.

The gates held for some time, before a bitter quarrel broke out within the fortress, between Cadhranithia and Iaunalthess. The two ladies began to bicker furiously, over the loyalty of one another, as well as over possession of the Stjárgamen. Iaunalthess it was who decided that the gem belonged to her by right, whereupon she attempted to steal it, in the dead of night whilst her husband slept. Stealing away with the jewel in her hands, to her sons’ chambers, where she became transfixed by it. So much so, that she failed to notice that she had been seen sneaking down the hall, by Pelulakar who reported her actions to Pelunion.

Enraged, he gave chase and finding his wife, with the jewel he ran her through, with his sword. This awoke in his fifth son the same rage that had been awoken in Dwinalthas, with the young Elf falling upon his father, whom he slew in the end with his own blade, Belkdramg (Hammer against Good).

Pelunion’s blood decorating now a chamber in Sytarminassë, the fort was now divided between the supporters of Dwinalthas and his cousin Thedarian, and eldest brother Pelulakar. The uncle of Pelunion, attempted to lay claim to the jewel, but was likewise slain by Pelulakar, the eldest of Pelunion’s sons. The servants and widow of Talarian, in the face of such treachery, and black-hearted greed preferred to open the north-gates to flee from there, after giving orders that the east-gates be left open. This way, the sons of the thief might fall and the sons of Valderian might be too distracted to truly pay them any mind.

The scheme succeeded to an extent, as Rylion the second son of Pelunion was the first to take notice of the fall of the fortress’s walls, and attempted to alert his brothers. He was felled, by Aubälion’s own hand, as he led the charge himself, with Rylion having been the one son of Pelunion to have wished for neutrality. He had strove to bring his shattered kinsmen together, time and again, counselling his father to return the jewel, and now he was struck dead for it.

Both sides of the followers of Talarian were devastated and set to flight, after the deaths of the fourth son of the thief, along with his sixth son Meglindir. Dwinalthas escaped with the eldest of Pelunion’s daughters, their mother Cadhranithia, to the north-west whereas the rest of Pelunion’s sons and remaining daughter escaped south.

Forgotten in all the chaos was the Stjárgamen, which was reclaimed by Aubälion. Such was the brightness of the gem that Vysdaru found it plucked it from where it had fallen, in the grand hall of Sytarminassë that, all violence and thought of violence were purged, from them, at that moment.

Vysdaru the Loyal counselled ridding themselves of it, by returning it to Dvalin. Khelvran the Pious thought it ought to be given, over to the gods, where Welkior Foul-Hearted and Dincheon the Gentle claimed it to be wergild. In the end Aubälion, against the counsel of his last loyal brother Vysdaru the Loyal took the Stjárgamen for himself.

Still his vengeance was not complete as he scoured the lands of Talarian for the remainder of his family, out of fury at their support of Pelunion. The actions of the grandsons of Valkerion had not meanwhile gone unnoticed, by Elhaelios II the king of the Elves, who sent out at last messengers, to demand they answer for what had happened.

Reluctantly, Aubälion sent out his gentle cousin Dincheon, back with the ambassador explaining earnestly what had happened. Now the king had a Hámelerion and was keen, to now also possess the Stjárgamen, much to the dismay of his son and queen, who warned him of the cost of greed. He did not heed their counsel, and ordered Aubälion to give over the Stjárgamen to his liege-lord, when this order was refused, he was declared an outlaw.

Fleeing south-west, as much to hunt his elder brother down, as it was to evade assassins sent after him in turn, Aubälion took his family to the fortress of Taeskalla (the Black-fort). Which once taken, had its walls reinforced with Aubälion beginning a new life there as all but petty king, it was at this time that he at last wed his childhood sweetheart, the maiden Veluthiel. Noted for her beauty, she bore him several children and was even given the Stjárgamen, as part of the bride-gift from her husband.

This raised consternation and jealous feelings, amongst some of his supporters, notably Welkior the Foul-Hearted, who desired the gemstone for himself. Stealing away one night, to find the eldest of the sons of Pelunion, who had fled south he found him living with his supporters, as a brigand near the mountain of Hreäkomsv (green-top).

At first, Pelulakar did not know what to make of him, when he heard the promise of vengeance and the Stjárgamen, he reacted more favourably towards, his treacherous cousin. Whereupon, he agreed to forfeit the star-gem to him, in return for the promised information; together, the Foul-Hearted and the supporters of Pelulakar, ambushed the wife of Aubälion whilst she rode, with her ladies in state, hawking together. Filled with desire for Veluthiel, Dathoryl suddenly balked at the plan, and was sneered at for his ‘lily-livered ways’, with the seventh son of Pelunion pushed to attack the lady. Who let loose a great shriek, with the youngest of her four sons seeking to protect her, for which he was swiftly cut down by Thedarian.

When Dathoryl objected to this, he was told by his eldest brother, “Bah, what difference does it make?”

“He was but a child, a lad nary fifteen,” His youngest sibling countered full of horror, at the cruelty that had filled his kin. Heedless of his concerns, they slew now the bride of Aubälion, with Pelulakar attempting to grasp now the Stjárgamen.

The fire, with which it burnt his flesh, was such that he lost three of the fingers in his right-hand, in that instant. Shocked by this, and alerted to the imminent arrival of Aubälion, by way of his barking hunting-dogs, the supporters of Pelulakar seized the gemstone by the necklace and made off, back to camp.

They left the corpses of a great many ladies there, ladies who were well-connected in that region and Aubälion full of grief for his losses. It is said that the forest in which, the lady Veluthiel was murdered, has since become known as ‘Griefwood’, so great did Aubälion let loose his torrent of sorrow. So mighty was his wail of pain that, not a soul who accompanied him that day, did not also weep.

The sons of Aubälion swore now the oath to retrieve the Stjárgamen, and they added to it, the oath to purge the world of all the sons of Pelunion (and Thedarian). This they swore, at once after the lady Veluthiel and young Vaelgor were laid down upon cut logs, which were carved open for them, and then the two were cremated. It is said that, Aubälion who had refused to pick up a sword since his arrival in Taeskalla, was to never let Qual'valess slip from his fingers, ever again.

As to the brigands, they were rapidly split over the Stjárgamen, with Dathoryl refusing to assist his brothers further, while his siblings and Welkior differed over it. Pelulakar was still in spite of his pain keen to keep the stone near, whereas Welkior demanded it as the price of his assistance, a price that his brother had no desire to pay.

Thedarian laughed at him, and said, “It is mine, by right as the eldest of the sons of Valderian, who forged it, it is mine by right, and you have no right to it ‘thief-son’.”

The insult burnt, and the Foul-Hearted departed whence he had come, returning hither to Aubälion to report the location of the brigands. Claiming to have found them, while he scouted for Veluthiel’s killers, he thus tricked Aubälion once more, who for his own part, sought out the home of the faction of Pelulakar. Whereupon he found them, with Dathoryl the first to approach him, upon approach, he greeted Aubälion as cousin, and said to him, “I come hither to surrender myself, to thee cousin. Do with me as thou please, though know I had no part in the slaying of beautiful Veluthiel, or valiant young Vaelgor.”

“Very well,” And Aubälion the Mighty dealt him a mighty blow that toppled the younger Elf and slew him instantly. This to the shock of his cousins Khelvran the Pious and Dincheon the Gentle, whom both objected to it, as Dathoryl had come in peace. To which their chief replied that, the only peace he was willing to dole out, was that of death to the followers of his elder brother.

Shocked and horrified, they fell back as Aubälion attacked the bandits’ home and pillaged it, killing Pelulakar, and most notably his elder brother Thedarian.

The elder brother taunted him over the loss of his wife, before he had his own son cut down, whereon he begged for the life of his remaining child. To which he received no quarter, so intent was Aubälion and his sons on murder were they.

Thydalïa the elder of Pelunion’s daughters was the only survivor, escaping into the wilderness crying out as she did carrying with her the knowledge of Welkior’s treachery as she did so, alongside the ambitions of Pelulakar’s faction.

Aubälion when he bent to retrieve the Stjárgamen found that it burnt now the flesh of his fingers. Aware of his own loss of purity, he wept once again and ordered his brother Dincheon the Gentle, to claim it. Saying as he did so that, though he burnt for it, he had forfeited his right to the stone.

Moved by his brother’s words, Dincheon laid claim to it, this inspired Vysdaru to complain that he had done more, to retrieve it and avenge Veluthiel than anyone.

He was overruled, with Aubälion announcing upon their return, his desire to now hunt down the faction Dwinalthas, so as to put at last an end, to their rivals for the Stjárgamen. This news worried Vysdaru the Loyal who advised that they return first the Stjárgamen back to Dvalin, and that they answer the king’s summons at last.

Where the eldest sons of Valderian preoccupied themselves with quarrelling in the south, for the great star-gem, Dwinalthas in the end chose to send his grandmother to the king’s court, to plead for the king’s favour, wherewith she turned him against Dwinalthas. Who survived for a time as an outlaw, with those kinsmen remaining by his side chasing him away before they joined their grandmother, leaving Cadhranithia and her last remaining daughter, with Dwinalthas.

Clever and sly, Cadhranithia seduced Dwinalthas, just before she took her daughter with her, to rejoin her sister, who was the lady of Thôkalla (north-keep) in the north. A popular man, her good-brother had a reputation ill-deserved for honesty, simply because he had never participated, previously in politics. When he heard, of the king’s desire for the Stjárgamen, he began to canvas many a lords against him, even as he forged an alliance with all against all.

The result was that by the time Vysdaru the Loyal arrived, before the royal court, the king was in such a foul mood towards the Mighty, so that he had his only remaining brother bound. Stupefied, the faithful younger brother of Aubälion begged the king to see reason and to understand, why they had done what they had.

Feigning civility, Elhaelios II who was as a shadow of his great-father Elthaeliar, and nowhere near the great king that his father had been, for it was his predecessor who had signed the great treaty of Thaalagvard. This great treaty was the one that had ended, the Great War between the Dwarven Empire and High-Elven kingdom of Caradarianna. The son, not being the great Elf that, his father had been, made as though to acquiesce to his mother and wife’s urgings, who both found Aubälion’s cause to be nobler than that of Vylkarn (the lord of the north-keep). Wherefore the following night Vysdaru was found dead in his cell. None had any doubt, as to who had ordered this travesty of justice, or who had counselled him to it.

It is said that king Elhaelios II ordered none to speak of the crime, and that he claimed Vysdaru to have committed the foul sin of suicide, an unforgiveable pardon amongst the Elves. With the reason for it, being claimed that he was full of shame for his defiance of his king, who had him tried posthumously, after his corpse was fed to the crows as must always be done, to those who committed suicide.

This declaration pleased Vylkarn, and Hrúwendis who both made to promise the monarch the prize of the Stjárgamen. The great gem of Valderian and Dvalin, with the king now maddened with desire for it, with his son Elaeldor arriving having been called upon by his mother, advising against it. Infuriated, Elhaelios ordered his son to silence, lest he be disinherited.

Saddened, he did as bidden, ever the filial son and aware of what was to come, he had several of his servants to take the corpse of Vysdaru back to his kinsmen. Then he prepared himself for battle, and called for all the warriors of Caradarianna to assemble, in preparation for war against Aubälion.

Made aware of the king’s desire, and sickened by the sight of the Stjárgamen, Aubälion at last gave way to his cousin’s urgings. Dincheon the Gentle having prevailed upon him, took the Stjárgamen north-west, in the hopes to restore the gem to Dvalin, but he was betrayed by several of his servants. Who sent for Welkior, who had long since bribed several of them, via his representative Devias, who had been sent to form a private alliance with Vylkarn who full of lies hid his true intentions.

Dincheon was slain by the baron himself, who cornered the Gentle near Lake Kelialia (the ‘white-lake’), which he drowned his good-nephew in, when the Elf attempted to throw the gem into the waters below. Caught before he could, and killed, his corpse was left by the lake, until it was discovered by Kelvran himself, who had grown worried after several months of not hearing, from his brother. Once he discovered the corpse, he had it properly seen to, before he returned south to inform his cousin.

Having buried his sworn-brother and actual brother, it is said that Aubälion uttered to the last of the cousins whom he treasured, “We hath as ever been betrayed! And only thou remain, and our just cause, therefore thou must never leave my side, lest misery should visit itself upon thee o cousin!”

And though they had not treasured one another, as much as they had Vysdaru or Dincheon, Aubälion and Kelvran remained close until the end of their days. For they had no other brothers or friends as one another left, and both cursed the name of Welkior, whom they knew as the only other person to have known of their quest to return the Stjárgamen, for a traitor.

The Stjárgamen in his hands, Vylkarn sought to wear it upon his return; however it soon burnt through his chest so badly that, he died in such agony, four days later that the castle echoed with his cries. Thus was the death, of Dincheon repaid in full with the star-gem having exacted, revenge for the unjust killing.

Cadhranithia for her own part, laid at last claim to the gemstone, with the lady having learnt much of the dangers surrounding the Stjárgamen. She ordered that a special corset be made for her, to be worn between her flesh and the Stjárgamen, so that it might shield her, from the magic held within it.

When she wore it, the lady Cadhranithia was the loveliest woman in all of Caradarianna, so that all ladies were envious, and all men longed for her. She shone with the light of all the stars in the night-sky, at such times with the lady growing increasingly obsessed with her own appearance and wearing the gemstone of her deceased husband.

Rumours floated south of her having the stone, with the lady convincing all those in Thôkalla to transfer their loyalties to Dwinalthas (who was hitherto imprisoned), and to have her sister imprisoned. Her nefarious reign came to haunt her younger daughter, who took to wandering the woods, near Thôkalla to escape her mother. Unnoticed by Dallàthraua, who was too impressed by her mother, to truly take notice of his half-sister: With the Elf-maiden in time coming, to be known amongst the locals of Thôkalla as Tsälillaras (‘forest-dancer’), due to her love of dancing and preference, for the woods, to the castle of her mother. Many felt sympathy for her, with none more so than Faurëlar the hounds-man of the keep, and the only Elf to not be awed by Cadhranithia’s beauty whereon she wore the Stjárgamen.

It came to be that, he accompanied her on her wanderings, accompanied by his hounds, with the maiden moved by his compassion, and came to love Faurëlar. The hounds-man for his part, cared for her, listened to her and espied upon Dwinalthas for her, out of love for her. This he did, for he did not trust his lord who to his mind, was as foul as Cadhranithia and spineless as King Elhaelios.

It was thanks to this newfound habit of his that, Faurëlar discovered the intentions of Cadhranithia to wed her daughter to the lord Vauralgius, to secure an alliance with him, against the King. Alarmed he informed Dallàthraua, with the two eloping accompanied only by the lord’s hounds.

The two fled north, to the Wilder-Elves of Hrímheimr, going as far north, as just north-east of the Sólvágr river. Where they became lord and lady of the Duiaisain (yellow-leaf) tribe of Wilder Elves, and where they saved the tribesmen from the Ursidon tribe of Bjölmar people, via trickery. Luring the bear-folk, to a false peace-meeting they released their hounds, and shot down all the chiefs and chief-warriors of the Bjölmar, an accomplishment that forced the Ursidons to flee farther east.

Hearing nothing further of the couple, especially after Faurëlar defeated also the demon-wolf Maunres, a son of Fenrir who had come to torment and devour many of the local men and Elves. The accomplishment awed even the High-Elves, with Dwinalthas preferring not to pursue them, despite the wishes of Cadhranithia, both of whom began to scheme against him.