Telmori Legends

How Kostajor saved Jarosar

Again you will have the possibility to hear a tale of King Kostajor the Unseen. You possibly know that two of your later kings were saved by one of our greatest : King Kostajor the Unseen.

The first time he saved Jarosar who you call Longarrow and the second time he saved Terasarin. Both of them were young then, both of them were saved from battlefields, both of them swore friendship to us people of Telmor and both of them were true friends of the Telmori. But this tale deals only with Jarosar, the first who was saved. Listen and do not interrupt !

It was the time when the evil Red Empire tried again to enslave more people. And it was the time when the people of Orlanth were still free to do what they wanted and we Telmori were still their allies. And while the war between the Red Empire and Sartar raged we Telmori lived more or less in peace. Your King Jarolor even asked us to follow him into battle and some of our kind did go. The most well-known was Arrarn Death, the best warrior of our tribe second only to the King, but his story you will hear some other time.

The times were never really peaceful since the coming of the Red Empire. We Telmori grew more and more concerned with every victory of the Red Men and thus it was only a matter of time when we would fight against it. In this year all of our cubs fell ill and died. The Tergavi said that very bad seasons would follow. And when the Heturavi drew near the Red Empire entered the land of Sartar for war. Our scouts were among the first people to see its army. Their warriors had swords, spears and axes made of poison metal. Their armour was shining with the glance of death. Some rode horses blacker than a moonless night and their allies were filthy chaos and the terrible red moon. And since they had no respect for life, regardless if of others' or their own, they were a mighty foe.

When King Kostajor heard of it he said "Korv larign wor erg !" which means "Peace can not last forever". Soon all of Sartar was in arms and soon the first armies were defeated and soon the first Telmori died fighting the Red Men. After the first defeats King Kostajor decided that he would not lead his whole tribe to death at the hands of the Red Men. And he also spoke to Jarolor that it would probably be a good idea to speak of peace with the Red Men, but Jarolor would not listen to good King Kostajor's advice and prepared for a major battle. This one would decide the fate of Sartar and it would cause the death of several thousand brave warriors. And though King Kostajor didn't want any Telmori to participate many did nonetheless.

The battle took place at Dwarf Ford and though first King Kostajor didn't want to be there and see how the Sartar army would be slaughtered Telmor told him in dreams to do so.

The battle was already in progress, the Red Men and their hrevrr were taking the field. Many of the Telmori lay dead on the ground. Most died by wounds but some looked so horrified that they must have tasted the Red Men's magic. And when the Sartarite warriors saw King Kostajor they cheered up for they hoped he would bring all his warriors with him. But King Kostajor was alone and soon their hope vanished.

But I tell you, even if all the Telmori would have fought this battle then the Red Men had won for their magic was many times more evil than anything else. This King Kostajor himself told me and he would never lie.

As the battle was coming to an end King Kostajor had traversed the whole battlefield. Now he could see King Jarolor and his whole household taking wound after wound, spell after spell but still they stood firm to allow their companions escape. When King Kostajor reached the front line by killing all who opposed him, he began to understand why Jarolor didn't want peace with the Red Men. Every Red Men in reach was literally ripped apart by King Kostajor until he reached Jarolor.

Both of them were friends and both of them wandered Dezak's Path. Yet one was man and the other wolf. As they faced each other in a moment of peace tears came from their eyes. King Kostajor did not smell any life scent from Jarolor, he saw the mighty wounds taken by Jarolor and he saw his eyes filled with a dark glance. And then he knew... Jarolor said with a voice not of this world : "Take my son and be to him the same as you always were to me - the closest friend a man could have."

Then a mighty blow struck Jarolor, one so mighty that even a giant would stumble, yet Jarolor just gripped his sword tighter and replied the blow breaking the attackers poison metal blade. And Kostajor took the bleeding Jarosar and fought his way out through the flank of the Red Men. And when he and Jarosar were covered with gore nearly dead and exhausted the hrevrr set a pack of hell hounds free to hunt Kostajor and Jarosar down. And then Telmor himself gave his vigour to Kostajor.

And within moments Kostajor became four-legged, a huge wolf and Telmor was with him. Jarosar sat on him and embraced Kostajor while he ran with the speed of many legs. And he was so fast that he left no tracks on the ground even when he rushed through mud, he was so magical that that he outran an arrow which aimed for Jarosar, and he was so sad that he wept a year from then on.

No magic and no other means stopped Kostajor. He returned Jarosar to Boldhome and received the honour of Royal Protector and the friendship of Jarosar forever. Though Jarosar's reign was not long it was a happy time for the Telmori. People of Orlanth again wanted to become friends with the Telmori and many animosities and fights with our neighbours stopped. And all this was done by a single Telmori inspired by Telmor. When King Jarosar died there were more Telmori at his funeral than anyone's else. He is always remembered as a friend and he will never die in our hearts.

Seventeen years later King Kostajor was awaken by Telmor once more...