History of the Empyreans - The Haebrous

What fragments we have of the Haebrous on their own typically relate to four notable figures. These were King Jailne, the chevaird Leikotha, Lord Cashtal Ronain, and the Nali Valind.

An Unknown King: We really have very few facts about King Jailne himself, other than that he was killed in King Sarvien’s palace at the Battle of Gelid. We can though surmise a few things about him from several sources. One source calls him the soldier king, so he must have been a great warrior. Also, the same sources seem to indicate that he was romantically involved with the Yalaini Empress Alaidain: she was said to be greatly grieving after his death. It is possible that he was married to Alaidain, leading to her succession as ruler of the Haebrous and eventually to the Yalaini ruling over the “Shattered Throne of Haebrous.” Hopefully more texts will surface about this great leader in the near future.

A Great Tragedy: The history of Leikotha is a particularly tragic one, and those that come across her undead form now should feel great sorrow and anger at the crime committed against her. Most information we have on her comes from a record that has not officially been recognized by all Lore Masters, but the ring of truth contained within it leads this author to consider it canonical.

Leikotha Arenir was a noted chevaird for the Haebrous during the time of the Millennium War with finely honed warrior skills. She is said to have been blue eyed and blond and wore gleaming armor and several protective rings to ward off war magics. Before the great crusade against the Dericost Empire, she had her flaming chorizite sword Ashbane forged. So equipped Leikotha was a formidable force on the field, but had one great weakness, her daughter Alysse and the great love she felt for her. While dedicated to their campaign to drive the Dericost from power, she daily lamented leaving her daughter behind and longed to be reunited with her.

When they arrived on the shores of Dericost, the Yalaini and Haebrous forces began their march to the Empire’s seat of power, the Plateau of Gelid. They easily broke through the ranks of the living Dericost forces and arrived at the foot of Gelid. Here though they faced the undead armies and those surrounding Leikotha were either cut down where they stood or fled in terror. Leikotha though drew a circle in the dirt with Ashbane and declared that any who crossed that line would be struck down. She proved true to her words and held off wave after wave of undead attackers. The Sand King generals who were watching the battle from high above on the plateau were in awe of her skill. One general in particular, Nerash, was filled with lust and decided to make her his own for eternity. As she was fighting, Nerash set a poison arrow into his bow and let it fly, striking Leikotha in the breast. Stricken, Leikotha dropped Ashbane and began to stagger off the field, crying her daughter’s name. Nerash, from a distance, kept her safe from attacks through his magics until she returned to her encampment. Although forced to retire from the field, Leikotha still had given King Jailne and Empress Alaidain enough time to sneak in and slay the Dericost king, turning what would surely have been a rout into a victory for the Yalain and the Haebrous.

As Leikotha lay in her tent, the poison still in her veins, Alaidain approached and told her of what happened and the fate of King Jailne. Snows kept their forces at the foot of Gelid for a season, and one moonless night, Leikotha was troubled my nightmares of her child being held by undead arms. As she awoke in terror, she came face to face with Nerash, who had crept into her tent. Nerash confessed his love for her and swore she would be by his side for all eternity. Weakened by the poison, Leikotha was unable to resist him, and was dragged away from the camp. The camp awoke to find her gone with no trace of where she’d disappeared to. As the snows retreated, the armies of the Yalain and the Haebrous made their way back home, leaving Leikotha behind to the tortures Nerash had in store.

Three years passed and a strange figure in grey with the voice of a woman came to the Haebrean port of Aribel. She began inquiring about the daughter of Leikotha, Alysse. All told her that she was still in the care of Lady Orsinu, who Leikotha had entrusted with her care those years before. That night, a guard in Lady Orsinu’s keep heard a sobbing sound coming Alysse’s room. Entering the room, the guard found the grey figure weeping and staring at Alysse as she slept. The guard swung at the figure, only to find himself striking the air. In evading him though, the figure had lost her cloak, revealing the rotting form of a woman. Here was the fate Nerash had consigned Leikotha too, eternal life in an undead form. The struggle awakened Alysse, to whom Leikotha simply said, “I love you” and fled into the night.

For the next 6,000 years, Leikotha was driven by rage and thoughts of revenge. The chance presented itself during the rise of the Hopeslayer. Tricked by the whispers of the Shadow general Ferah, Leikotha led a force of Dericost undead who had also sworn allegiance to the Hopeslayer. When she faced the undead armies at the Battle of Ayn Tayan, she sighted Nerash and was consumed by her rage and drove on toward him. Eventually she struck him down, sending him into a second, more permanent, death. Her rage sated, Leikotha fled the field, while the rest of the undead under her command were destroyed.

Unfortunately Leikotha has still been unable to rest, and can be found active in her tomb in Osteth, tormented by memories of the past. One can only hope a nobler fate is in store for a warrior of such nobility and skill.

Conspirators: Records found on Aerlinthe reflect a curious conspiracy that happened in the years before the Olthoi came to Auberean. This conspiracy led to the destruction of the Ithaenc Cathedral, the murder of the faithful found there and the Yalaini throne to be usurped. It is also possible this conspiracy could be blamed for a weakening of the Empire and perhaps setting the stage for the Olthoi to overrun the planet as they did.

Several events set the stage for the conspiracy. First to occur was the marriage of Yalaini Princess Alhaille to the Haebrean Lord Cashtal Ronain, whose surname was changed to Realaidain, the name used by the royal family. Within 30 years of their marriage, Princess Alhaille became Empress of the Yalaini Empire, taking the Imperial name of Cellaurai and putting her husband in line for the throne. The second event that set the stage was the reformation of the Northern Haebrean Church. Both the Yalaini and Haebrean religions appear to have involved the worship of the stars as divine in some manner, while the Falatacot, and the Dericost in turn, were known for their worship of the earth and the Old Ones. The reformation of the Church appears to have led to less tolerance and more fanaticism, as this reformation spread and new temples were built.

Eighty years after the reformation of the Church, Empress Cellaurai disappeared on a trip to the Haebrean lands, with the intention of meeting with the Nali and other dignitaries of the Church. Official reports from the Haebrous indicated that she had attempted to ascend a peak where a gromnatross had been reportedly nesting. Eighteen months after her disappearance, the search was called off and without any heirs, her husband Lord Cashtal Realaidain was declared Emperor and took on the Imperial name Kellin II. It is a safe assumption that a secret agreement was reached between the Nali and Lord Cashtal, now Emperor Kellin II. In return for securing him the throne, Kellin would secure more power for the Nali. In the six years following his crowning as Emperor, the Emperor converted to the Northern Church and invited Nali Valind to relocate the Church to the Imperial city.

Secure in his position, it appears Nali Valind began to exert more influence in religious matters, until 108 years later he branded the Sisters of the Ithaenc Cathedral heretics for teaching that the Stars and Earth hold equal spiritual importance. He claimed they had been too influenced by the Falatacot teachings, which had lead to the undead monstrosities their ancestors had destroyed, and they too must be destroyed. A holy crusade was launched to wipe out the Sisters and desecrate their Cathedral. It is frightening to read of the indiscriminate slaughter inflicted on the Sisters and a chilling reminder of the dark capacity of all sentient life.

It is interesting to note that the reaction of a gromnatross to one group of returning crusaders seeking a blessing. The gromnatross holds a special significance to the Church, as it is said they go to the stars in times of trouble. As the Aerlinthe crusaders approached the gromnatross nesting there, named Aurlanaa, she destroyed them on sight and left her nest and young behind, never to be seen again.

In addition to affecting other religious institutions, the Nali made existing Orders, such as the Order of the Hieromancers, to force their members to swear to the vows of Nali Athanas Rule of Life. Those whose beliefs and conscience would not allow them to do this were no longer welcome in the Order. This meant that these existing orders were not only swearing fealty to the Emperor, they were swearing fealty to the Church, lead by the Nali.

Although they committed great crimes to secure their power, among them regicide and the massacre of innocents, their enjoyment of it was fleeting. It is even possible their actions weakened the Empire, setting the stage for the Olthoi. When the Olthoi hordes did come, the Empire was unable to stop them and millions of Empyrean people were killed and many thousands were forced to flee the planet.