Thrainkell

Thrainkell is the oldest of the siblings. He desired to be the god of the sky and sun as he felt was his birthright being the oldest. However he spent the night with Erweldas and was late unto the drawing of names. As such the only area left was for the Underworld and Fire and thus he became the Lord of Fire and the Lord of the Underworld.

He is jealous of his youngest brother, Amren, who did draw first and drew the sky and sun. He is a bit more amicable towards his younger brother, Kyledyr, who did draw the oceans. His sister, Maeve, drew the earth and moon.

Mortal Life
Thrainkell was born after the Age of Dreams ended, at the dawn of the Age of Man. He was born along with his siblings in a small village that overlooked Crystal Bay. Crystal Bay is where that legendary city of Astel once stood, before at the end of the Age of Dreams when the Great Elves carried it into the heavens to challenge the gods who had become concerned with the power of the elves and sought to destroy them.

Now these gods had sent a plague upon the world. A plague of devils having freed Asmodeus from the lowest pit of hell and allowing him to march his legions across the world to purge it against the Great Elves.They were to destroy what was so that what might be could be. The gods had feared the Great Elves, and with due cause as many died at the battle of Astel to the Great Elves, destroyed by spells and powers no mortal could truly wield. These Great Elves had become more powerful than the gods, and they had become so because the gods had become distant and not watching of the world as they were charged with. Now it had been many generations from the time of the battle until the birth of Thrainkell and yet neither the Great Elves nor the gods reappeared. It is possible that they were both destroyed in that great and epic battle in the heavens that saw stars die in spectacular fashion. Perhaps the war still wages on as we still see the flickerings in the heavens from time to time, and when the wars is done they might yet return.

Though they had not reappeared there mark was still upon the world. There were a number of the Great Elves, those who had conspired with the gods of old who were cast out from their numbers. Now those that had power were destroyed completely by the Great Elves before they left, however some of their lesser followers survived and a curse was placed upon them that turned their skin pitch black, their hair slate gray and their eyes red. This that they might always be marked.

Perhaps it had been the intention of the Great Elves to return and finish the purge but they never returned or at least have not til this day. Thus left to their own devices these Dark Elves began to plot to rule the World of Men. Among these Dark Elves arose one who called himself Kornes, which is roughly translated Blackheart. He devised a plan to purge the World of Men of well Men and establish a World of Elves again, not as the Great Elves were but as the Dark Elves were now.

Kornes oversaw a project whereupon certain Dark Elves were mated unto men to create a new race. This new race were called Orcs. They had been needed because the Dark Elves were still weak having not regained the glory of the Great Elves. As such they could still be killed by mortal men. They needed troops that could multiply quickly and that would obey orders without question and thus the Orcs came to be. They multiplied twice as fast as men. They were strong physically, able to kill a man with their bare hands, but they lacked the willpower to resist the Dark Elves. Now this process took many generations but by the time Thrainkell and his brethren had become men the Dark Elves and Orcs controlled lare parts of the world and made war upon the remaining parts.

Now Thrainkell, Kyledyr and Amren did defend their homes, their lands and their families with all their might and they too began to grow strong, they were close to becoming the equals of the Dark Elves. Thus they were worshipped by the people. They had been made kings of three kingdoms. The last three kingdoms of Men.

Now Thrainkell did rule the southern kingdom, Amren the northern kingdom and Kyledyr the central kingdom. Their sister Maeve acted as an advisor to all three, she too had waxed strong. She had managed to keep her brothers united and not allow their ego to have them war against each other, she was the glue that largely held them together.

Thrainkell's kingdom was warm. As such his people were largely nomadic, they shunned large cities and fortification preferring to move with the herds. They also shunned the heavy armors that Amren used, and even the medium armors that Kyledyr's people favored, preferring leather and hide to metal armors. Thrainkell was well school in the use of the Battleaxe, his preferred weapon and he wielded an enchanted one that he had enchanted himself that would cover the blade with flames that would not harm the wielder.

Now this was a small continent that the brothers did control. The closest point to the next continent was in the south. Now that other continent had long been held by another man who called himself Dougal. Dougal thus had acted as a buffer for a number of years enabling the brothers to build up their kingdoms. They would send aid and supplies but never as much as Dougal wanted for fear of weakening themselves.

Kornes approached Dougal and offered him a bargain. His kingdom would be spared if he would join Kornes in war against the Three. Dougal already tainted by dark magic agreed and thus they attacked into the lands of Thrainkell. Thrainkell's men fought bravely while the women and children escaped into the kingdom of his brother Kyledyr. Still with both Dougal's armies and Kornes' Orc armies they were vastly outnumbered. It is said that Thrainkell killed thousands of the enemy himself. Dougal would never live to see his Kingdom survive, he died in battle at the hands of Thrainkell his head split open. In fact the invasion of Thrainkell's lines saw the near destruction of Dougal's armies, with not only the self styled Duke dying but also his sons as they had been targeted by Thrainkell who had a great rage against them for their betrayal.

It was after Dougal and his sons fell in battle that Kornes released his armies in earnest. Thrainkell's forces already weakened by Dougal's betrayal had to retire and flee to Kyledyr's lands. They had bought enough time that most of the women and children had made it out safely. Thrainkell had his fields salted, and any crops burned. There would be no food for the army of Kornes. This would slow down those armies and buy the brothers more time to prepare a defense.

Kornes would find the food in the former Duchy of Dougal, with the Duke dead he declared that the contract was null and void and they did purge the kingdom of its inhabitants claiming their storehouses and fields. This though would buy the brothers nearly a decade of time though they would clash in the Southern Kingdom several times neither side would gain much during this time.

Kornes forces recovered began the march again. This time the war continued in the Central Kingdom of Kyledyr and they did fight many marvelous battles. Now Kornes did not lead the war himself rather he allowed his son Firoth to lead the invasion. Firoth managed to cut off the Central Kingdom from the Northern Kingdom in a brilliant strategic move. Thus there was no escape except into the sea for the women and children.

Kyledyr like his brothers was a powerful sorcerer as well as warrier. Maeve joined him in a ritual spell to transform the women and children into mermaids and mermen to allow them to escape into the oceans. Amren was in the northern kingdom defending its borders against Firoth's forces. Thrainkell once again fought to hold them off long enough for Kyledyr and Maeve to complete the spell. Firoth came up to lead the final assault himself, confident no man could equal him. He was cut down as Dougal had been by the Axe of Thrainkell. Thainkell took his head and put in on a pike outside the entrance. The Orcs seeing the head of Firoth did panic for if these men could kill such as him surely they could kill them. Thus panic spread through the army and Kyledyr and Maeve completed the spell. Still many men had died buying them time and Thrainkell began to be angry with his brother Amren who he felt should have been present and done more to aid the others. Maeve tried to calm the anger of Thrainkell but it would be at this point that it would start only to bubble and grow in the years to come.

Thrainkell at the moment though did pursue the army of Firoth which was falling apart and did destroy a large part of it with his and the warriors of Kyledyr, for his brother joined him after the women and children were safe. If one brother could kill Firoth thought the orcs, what could two do? It was not a thought that sat well with the Orcs. Many fled back into the Southern Kingdom and some even unto the Duchy of Dougal.

It is said that the first to arrive and tell Kornes that his son was dead were disintegrated on the spot for having fled the battle. It would take time to rebuild his armies, but Kornes had other sons. The next battle would be the last he felt, they would crush the men once and for all and turn the world into a world of shadows. Now orcs due to the blood of fiends in them could see at night, but men could not. Thus Kornes would begin to craft the plans of a new war and a new battle, but he would rob men of the light of the sun. He would turn the world into a World of Darkness. Thus they would destroy the men once and for all.

It would take another ten years and Kornes would accomplish his goal, he would put out the light of the sun thus casting the world into darkness.

Ascension
With the world in darkness the three brothers prepared for the defense of the Northern Kingdom. The Northern Kingdom was separated from the Central Kingdom by a mountain range and there were only a few mountain passes between the two. Each of these passes were guarded by a fortress built by the people of Amren. The fortresses were built so that one had to pass through the fortress to get into the Northern Kingdom, they had been secured to both sides of the passes.

Now Maeve did set about having the animals of the land also ready for battle, for all the world was in danger for the sun had been darkened and the land was growing colder without its light and heat. Thus the bears, wolves, mountain lions, boars, badgers, wolverines, rats, and even the snakes of the earth did come to her call. The eagles, hawks and owls did perch upon the fortress of Amren, his being the central fortress. Thus all the land did stand ready to fight for survival.

Kornes chose to cut the head off the enemy first and made for the central fortress leading his army. The fires of Thrainkell lit the passage and provided warmth to the animals and this he had done through sorcery. Thus the two forces engaged at the mighty fortress of Amren.

Thrainkell and Kyledyr did engage at the lower gate and did tie up the army in the front with their armies. They did fight with bravery and courage and anger and hate. Thrainkell had given way unto his berserker rage and was cutting the enemy down in single strokes. Kyledyr not so consumed with anger was able to more prudently target the enemy lieutenants and captains with his forces knowing that Kornes did not yet know of the escape of their wives and children into the sea thus they were confident they would survive.

Maeve caused the animals of the earth to strike into the flanks of Kornes army, to destroy the Orcs with claw, and teeth and whatsoever gifts they did have. She used magic to increase their size making the bears near the size of elephants from another continent. Thus they did tear into the flank.

Amren did send forth the eagles, hawks, owls and other creatures of the air to strike from above to peck out the eyes of these would be world destroyers.

The battle did last for three days and three nights, and on what would of been the dawn of the fourth day Thrainkell came to face Kornes himself and the two engaged in a mighty battle. Kornes though was an old Dark Elf, it was said he had been born just before or just after the Age of Dreams ended thus Thriankell was not up to the task, and he did fall in battle before his brother Kyledyr could reach their battle. Thrainkell laid upon the ground bleeding out but Kornes was prevented from the killing blow by the arrival of the King of the Central Kingdom.

Erweldas took pity on Thrainkell and did carry his body from the field into the fortress of Amren and did bind his woudns and gave him drink. It is said her kiss awakened him and he screamed out in pain a curse to Amren who had yet to engage the enemy instead directing his forces from the parapats. Erweldas calmed his anger and did soothe his pain with her tenderness, and restored him to health through an elixir.

Meanwhile Amren had left the perch and joined Kyledyr in battle against Kornes and Maeve had joined her two brothers and they did battle solemnly for the whole of Astel that she might be saved. Kornes facing three of them was having difficulty having to fight on the defensive rather than offensive as he had against Thrainkell.

Thrainkell looking out did see the battle and knowing that the whole of Astel were in the balance did see that the three could not overpower Kornes, three of them were equal to the old Dark Elf. They would need him. Erweldas bid that he stay with her, but he grimly determined that he had to go, lest the world would fall. He promised to return unto her, even as he charged from the gate into the battle.

Now faced with the four siblings Kornes began to falter. Clearly all four together were more powerful than he was, and they weren't even Elves, they didn't even have the blood of Fiends flowing through them. How was this possible. He was struck by the Spear of Amren, the Trident of Kyledyr, the Battleaxe of Thrainkell and the Dagger of Maeve. His wounds were terrible and he knew that if he remained he would perish. He did flee with a word and did transport back to his fortress of shadow.

The battle continued until the army of Kornes was destroyed, or well the greater portion of it was destroyed. Men and the creatures of the wild did celebrate that evening for there was much jubilation for they had driven off the Dark Elf King, even Kornes. Yet the world remained in shadows. It is said that the world manifested itself in the form of a ghost that evening appearing unto those who had won such a great victory, the spirit told that it was time for new gods to arise to protect the world for the old ones had forsake it and that there would be a time of choosing in the morning or when the Sun should rise save it were not for the dark magics of Kornes.

Having won a great victory against Kornes, Thrainkell and his followers did throw a great party that evening. One that has not yet been matched since. Erweldas and Thrainkell did give way unto their passions well into the night, and thus they were slow to awaken the next morning. In fact they did not waken until the rays of the sun did fill their bedroom warming and rousing them. Thrainkell stood up and called out the name Amren for he felt his brother had stolen his birthright, for he was the oldest and surely he should of been the sun god. Still his partying the night before had caused him to be late and Amren had drawn first, drawing forth the Sun and had gone to reignite the Sun, and thus the Sun, Sky and the creatures of the Sky became Amren's domain. Kyledyr drew second and drew the oceans and seas and the creatures that dwelt therein, and Maeve was drawing just as Thrainkell arrived and she drew the earth, and the trees and planets and even the animals which did dwell upon there. Thrainkell did come unto the Spirit of Astel and ask what remained and was told the underworld, that which was below, and the creatures of it. Thrainkell did howl in anger but did take his domain and with it he also gained command of fire which burned within his spirit. Thus was the great ones chosen, other lesser ones were chosen to Erweldas drew love, and became a goddess of beauty and love, and of compassion.

Thus they became the new gods, charged with protecting Astel.