A Brief History of the Kendror Region
Well-met, readers! Since the Queen of Kendror, LeeAnn Aryla Lyndron (the first crowned ruler of the recently created Kingdom of Kendror) wishes a copy of a brief History of the Kendror Region and how the Guardians are involved, I decided to dictate this to our scribe Anna M. Dobritt. Hmmm, perhaps I should introduce myself. (Good idea!) I hope you're not planning on making these snide little remarks all through the document (and if I do? Just get on with introducing yourself. I don't have all day, you know!) Humph! Very well, before the scribe gets out of hand, I am Grey Guardian Alandra Firesword, companion to the Champion of Celena Vixen Lyndron Arvan Kael. (Who is also a Grey Guardian and doesn't know that this is being written.) For which I'm grateful, I can assure you. Vixen has a bit of a temper and really hates having herself and her past talked about. (Then I'll leave it to you, Alandra, to tell Vixen about the books being written about her!) Coward!
Any way, before this completely gets out of hand, here's the brief History of the Kendror Region and the existence of the Guardians, wulfin, the Silver Moon Gnoll Tribe (a rather unique group), Kelar wolves (as unique as the aforementioned gnolls), Celena Goddess of Guardianship, Kelarta the Giver of Life, the Dark Pantheon and its leader the Goddess Mikra (a real nasty female dog). If you're quite finished, I'd like to start with the Kendror Region as a whole.
Surrounded by hills on the north, south, east, and the ocean to the west, the Kendror Region or rather Kingdom has had communities here for over a thousand years. With good growing seasons and mostly rainy winters, this region is very self-supporting.
The oldest populated area is where the capital is Ramor, a port city, and where the queen resides. There are two other cities, Nolarn, which is located on the western coast, and Fickor which is located on the western edge of the Gap Forest in eastern Kendror. There is also the elf city of Arda, located within the Ardan Forest and ruled by King Gildon Kael Arvan (uncle of Vixen and Sharryl). Then there are the cities built and mostly populated by wulfin and ruled by Triust Lodro (at least for the time being). You're doing it again. (Sorry!) But Anna is right. Queen LeeAnn wants to bring all the wulfin communities under crown rule for two reasons: 1) To increase the tax base and 2) to bring the wulfin soldiers into the Kendror Army, since they are much better than the usual human soldier and the archers are extremely outstanding. When Vixen heard about this, well, a few holes in the wall appeared. Not that I blame her, since Vixen was raised by Triust Lodro and his sister Kiya, a priestess of Kelarta. Did I mention that Vixen is a half-elf? As is her twin Sharryl, who grew up in Ramor and named Queen LeeAnn's heir. She has yet to tell me why she grew up in Parn and not in Arda, but I'm willing to wait. I have a great deal of patience.
On to the Guardians. Briefly, they were formed by the Duchess of Silon (an amazon city located northeast of Kendror.) about 500 years ago. Up until recently; only females of any race were permitted to become Guardians (don't forget wulfin males too!) I haven't forgotten, I just haven't got to that point! Maybe I could find a new scribe before this one drives me completely mad! Sorry, about that. To continue, only females and wulfin males were permitted to become Guardians. Wulfin males were accepted because Wulfin take only wulfin as mates and there is a certain recognition between wulfin females and males. So there wouldn't be any complications of male and female trainees concentrating on anything other than their training.
Guardians are broken down into four categories: Infantry, Cavalry, Scouts, and Grey Guardians. Basically, the Guardians are mercenaries for hire. The trainees go through four years of training at a Haven House and are taught reading, writing, history, basic religion along with the training that goes along with whichever class they are placed in. Grey Guardians, however, is not a class. Those who become Grey Guardians are chosen as an apprentice by a Grey Guardian and they undergo another two or four years of additional training. All Guardians take an Oath to Celena, Goddess of Guardianship and protector of the Pantheon of Light. Unlike a priestess or priest of Celena, Guardians don't receive any special benefits from the Oath taking and all Guardian Trainees who successfully complete their training and take the Oath receive a tattoo on their left forearm consisting of the symbol of Celena--a gold crescent moon with a silver sword superimposed on the top with a blue shield background. This is blessed by a priestess of Celena and glows faintly when one Guardian greets another Guardian with a handshake or clasping wrists in a warrior's greeting.
The Guardians are closely aligned with another mercenary company, the Blue Shields. The Blue Shields are not your typical mercenaries, however. They are engineers and builders; constructing roads, buildings, walls, siege equipment and the like. The Blue Shields often send some of their trainees to the Guardians for lessons in fighting, since not all Blue Shields are cut out to be builders. After all, you need someone to protect your people when working someplace to build a road or bridge.
Wulfin
Onward we go! Next is the race called wulfin. Created by Celena and Kelarta, wulfin adults on average stand about 6 feet tall, bodies covered in short soft fur, with facial features of a wolf. Sometimes others have mistaken them for werewolves or other lycanthropes but they are not. They were created to help protect those who follow the Pantheon of Light. Unlike humans, elves, half-elves and other races, wulfin do not war among themselves, steal from each other or commit murder; nor can they be magically coerced to perform such acts. They look out for each other and most important to them is their children (until I get the wulfin dictionary completed, I'll use the English equivalent for children, mother and the like.) and they would and have willingly sacrificed their own life to save their children. Another difference between wulfin and other races, they cannot be resurrected or reincarnated. If a wulfin loses a limb, he or she slowly starts to die and if able, will ask for the mercy stroke from another wulfin or a non-wulfin that has grown-up among wulfin and know their ways. Kelarta made this decision, not Celena. Since a wulfin female typically has twins or triplets, being unable to bring back the dead or heal those who lost a limb is a form of population control.
Being raised by Triust Lodro and Kiya, Vixen is extremely protective of wulfin and will not stand for anyone putting them down or enslaving them. In fact, one time a rather nasty human considered killing wulfin and Kelar wolves for their hides. When Vixen learned of this, she tracked the man down but instead of killing him, she had Grey Guardian Ilene Myers do something a bit different. Ilene is a magic-user, so she polymorphed the man into a chicken. He now spends his days pecking at the ground like any other chicken but always runs and hides when Vixen is around.
Wulfin soldiers are the best around. They're quick, strong and have great endurance, along with being excellent riders. They have Wide Patrols through out Kendror, particularly along hills that border Kendror.
Kelar Wolves
Even though wulfin cannot be resurrected or reincarnated, Kelarta did come up with a way around this. Certain wulfin come back as a Kelar wolf. This doesn't happen often, so Kelar wolves are. An adult stands about four feet high at the shoulder; they mate for life and typically have two cubs. They can be found near wulfin communities and those wulfin who come back as a Kelar wolf can communicate mind-to-mind with anyone. These Kelar wolves will often become a companion of a wulfin or a worthy non-wulfin and will stay with them for life. Anyone caught killing a Kelar wolf may find himself or herself feathered with arrows.
Silver Moon Gnoll Tribe
As most know, gnolls are not nice creatures. But there can be exceptions, such as the Silver Moon Gnolls. They live in a valley in the Dark Hills and are farmers, hunters and raise their own cattle. They dress neatly, speak common, gnoll, and wulfin, and worship Kelarta. They also grow rock melons and make a marvelous wine out of them. This wine is very popular and helps the Silver Moon Gnolls in earning gold to purchase things they cannot make. Only a very few people know where they are and these people would never betray these gnolls. Myself and Vixen among them.
The Light and Dark Pantheon
I'll briefly touch on the Pantheons of Tarumar, since this subject can end up as a book all by itself. Basically, you have the Pantheon of Light (or good) lead by Lytral God of Life and Light. The Pantheon of Darkness (or evil) is lead by Mikra, Goddess of Lies, Hatred, Deceit and other nastiness. Celena is the twin of Mikra and hates her sister, but Lytral has forbid her from destroying Mikra outright. Because of this, Celena came up with the idea of the Guardians and placed the idea of in the mind of one of Her worshippers. Once the Guardians were created, Celena also decided she needed a Champion to help in keeping the Pantheon of Darkness and Mikra's worshippers-- in particular--in check. She found the female who would be perfect for this position and after recruiting another Guardian to act as a teacher and mentor to her Champion, made sure that the appropriate armor and weapons were made for the Champion of Celena.
Unfortunately, in her first real fight against the followers of Mikra, the Champion was mortally wounded. Celena gave her first Champion a choice-to die and join Celena or to continue serving Celena by residing within the Sword of Celena-- which would go to the next Champion. The First Champion chose to have her soul, power and mind reside in the sword, but little did she know how long it would be before the next Champion came along.
Hmmm, time to end this for now. Vixen is coming and I'd rather not tell about her anymore while she's in the room.
Until next time, Blade Bright!
Dictated by Alandra Firesword and typed by Anna M. Dobritt