Gav Thorpe - Caledor

And last but not least, the brothers and sisters across the world.

The most tragic tale from the Time of Legends tells of thefall of the greatest houses of the elves and the fates of three kingdoms: Nagarythe, Tiranoc and Caledor.

There was once a time when all was order, now so distant thatno mortal creature can remember it. Since time immemorial the elves have dwelt upon the isle of Ulthuan. Here they learnt the secrets of magic from their creators, the mysterious Old Ones. Under the rule of the Everqueen they dwelt upon their idyllic island unblemished by woe.

When the coming of Chaos destroyed the civilisation of the OldOnes, the elves were left without defence. Daemons of the Chaos Gods ravaged Ulthuan and terrorised the elves. From the darkness of this torment rose Aenarion, the first of the Phoenix Kings, the Defender.

Aenarions greatest ally was Caledor, the Dragontamer,greatest of Ulthuans mages. Assailed by the daemons of Chaos, the Dragontamerdevised a means to rob the immaterial creatures of their power. While Aenarion drew the Sword of Khaine and waged war, Caledor created a vortex on Ulthuan that drew in the raging winds of magic; a vortex that keeps the daemons at bay. Yet in this act Caledor, estranged from the first Phoenix King, sacrificed himself and ever after were the realms of Caledor and Nagarythe divided.

Where once there was harmony, there came discord. Where oncepeace had prevailed, now came bitter war.

Heed now the tale of the Sundering.

During the darkest years of Ulthuan, the two greatest elves to have livedwere at the forefront of the war against the daemons of Chaos. The first Phoenix King, Aenarion the Defender, was aided by Caledor Dragontamer, and the two lords of Ulthuan held the daemon hordes at bay for more than a century.

Caledor it was that saw the attacks of the daemons would never cease while the wild winds of magic blew across the world. The Dragontamer studied long and hard the mystical secrets of Chaos, gaining an insight into the immaterial realm beyond any other mortal. Seeing that the magic flowing into the world from the Realm of Chaos in the north sustained the daemons, Caledor set about preparing a mighty spell that would create a vortex of energy on Ulthuan to siphon away the winds of magic. Many were the arguments he had with Aenarion over this course of action; Aenarion feared rightly that the weapons and armour of the elven lords were forged by the same magic that sustained the daemons and without it the isle he ruled would be defenceless.

The two never came to agreement on the matter, and when Aenarions wife, theEverqueen, was slain, he ignored Caledors counsel and sought out the Sword ofKhaine to strike down the daemon hosts. The Phoenix King became a dark, vengeful warrior, and founded the kingdom of Nagarythe in the north of Ulthuan, and ruled from the citadel of Anlec. The Dragontamer quit his alliance with Aenarion and his own kingdom, named after Caledor, turned its efforts to the creation of the magical vortex.

Though once friends, the two great elves never again wholly trusted each other, but at the moment of greatest peril, Caledor and Aenarion both played their part in the defeat of the daemons. Caledor began his ultimate spell upon an isle in the waters of Ulthuans Inner Sea. Seeing what the Dragontamerintended, the daemons threw their armies at Caledor and his mages. Aenarion came to Caledors aid and held back the legions of Chaos to give the mages time tocomplete their incantations.

Both were to sacrifice themselves. Though victorious, Aenarion and his dragon, Indraugnir, were grievously wounded in the battle. True to the oaths he had made, Aenarion flew north to the Blighted Isle to return the Sword of Khaine to its black altar; neither king nor dragon were seen again. Caledor and his followers became trapped within the eye of the vortex, frozen in time by the spell, doomed to an endless existence as conduits for the magical energy.

Thus the lands of Caledor and Aenarion were left without their rulers; Caledor in the mountains of the south, Nagarythe in the bleak north. The distrust that existed between the two kingdoms did not end with the deaths of their founders, but grew greater. The successors of the elven lords would not surrender power to each other and each claimed credit for the victory over the daemons.

When Aenarions son, Malekith, desired to inherit his fathers position asPhoenix King, the princes of Caledor resisted. They reminded the elves of the other realms that Malekith had been raised in a place of darkness and despair, and that the Dragontamer had prophesied that the descendants of Aenarion would be forever tainted by the curse of Bloody-Handed Khaine.

The First Council of princes chose Bel Shanaar of Tiranoc to be Phoenix King, thus ensuring neither Caledor nor Nagarythe would hold the greatest power in Ulthuan. Malekith accepted this decision with dignity and the Caledorians likewise endorsed the choice of Bel Shanaar.

Under the reign of this new Phoenix King the elves rebuilt their cities and explored the world. Colonies were founded across the oceans, and the influence of the elven kingdoms spread far and wide. Always wary of each others statusand power, Nagarythe and Caledor continued their rivalry for centuries and though peace existed between the two kingdoms, their distrust of each other deepened, the princes of each accusing the other of being jealous, arrogant and self-serving.

So it was with some annoyance, and a little trepidation, that Prince Imrik of Caledor heard the news that Naggarothi banners had been seen approaching his camp. The general of Caledors armies in Elthin Arvan, the lands east of theGreat Ocean, Imrik was grandson to the Dragontamer, younger brother of the kingdoms ruling prince, Caledrian.

The arrival of the Naggarothi was untimely. Imrik and his warriors had spent twelve days pursuing a horde of savage orcs and goblins through the wild lands in the south of Elthin Arvan, and that day would bring their foes to battle.

The Naggarothi seek to steal our glory, Imrik said to his companions, hisyoungest brother Dorien and cousin Thyrinor.

The three sat in Imriks pavilion, already in their armour of golden platesand silver scale. The herald who had brought the news of the Naggarothi arrival waited nervously for his generals command.

They believe they can take a victory here and claim these lands forthemselves, said Dorien. Send them away with a warning that they trespass onCaledorian soil.

Thyrinor shifted uncomfortably in his seat and raised a hand to Dorien to ask for his peace.

It would not be wise to provoke them, said Thyrinor. He turned to themessenger. How many do you say they are?

Twelve thousand, my prince, replied the herald. Of which four thousand areknights. We counted them as they forded the Laithenn River.

Theyll be here well before noon, said Imrik. They marched all night.

We should ready our army and attack the orcs before the Naggarothi gethere, said Dorien, standing up. They cannot claim credit for a battle that wasfinished before they arrived.