The Adventures of Brandar Odaron
Book 1: The Hidden Continent
Afterword
It is written that the Enchanted Mists took away one-hundred and twenty-two years of the world outside when Brandar and the Six Volunteers first came through those mystic clouds and arrived at the Hidden Continent. Then the Seven spent two-hundred and eighty years with the Sereghran. Yet, they determined that but one-hundred and thirteen years were taken from them by the Mists upon their return.
Great was Brandar’s armada of ships. And while he lost three vessels to the Mists, he came through them with the rest of his folk, though that was no small task. However, upon coming to Dolgondil, there a portion of his Armada remained to start a colony of their own while Brandar led the remainder of his Followers to the island of Ghevelieze, from whence the Seven first set sail upon Brandar’s Quest.
On this return voyage Brandar cut off his beard and hair, and kept them close-cropped ever after. Yet, while he appeared old due to his imprisonment in the dungeons of Modeus, he remained vigorous and with a mind more wise than all other Men.
Certain island Elves remembered the Seven, as these had been among those who said the Emissaries would never be seen again. But here arrived the self-same Northrons healthy and whole, and kingly. What is more, the Emissaries had brought with them kin from foreign lands and a large following of the people of those lands. And the Elves and Men of Ghevelieze were amazed at Brandar and his folk, whom they named “People of the Mists”, for these new strangers were more magical than they, yet paid gladly their way so that the Islanders desired to remain on good terms with them, and also profited much from their generosity, as the newcomers' ships were in need of supplies, while also many other goods and keepsakes were obtained from island merchants.
Thus did the Elves and Men of the isle welcome the People of the Mists, and also gave to them great honor; sending messengers far and wide with news of the return of a Hero King from far Arzultaur, indeed the long-lost High-Chieftain of the Dunjilarians of Andaria, Brandar Odaron, and of his host of wealthy and magical Followers. So it was that the news reached the ears of Tingor the Eld, who waited anxiously to welcome Brandar home, knowing that Brandar must pass through his lands on the way to Andaria; for he had many questions about the Hidden Continent.
Naturally, all the Elves had questions concerning the foreigners’ long history, being most especially interested in the Tainezar, as ancient Elven scrolls spoke of these, the Elve’s Elden Gods, and mentioned the Hidden Continent itself. Consequently, the Elves were thrilled with the Sereghran and the Sereghran’s reciting the deeds of their forebears. Merrily, therefore, did the Elves answer Brandar’s own questions, which is how the Emissaries learned that Andaria was once again at war with MorLome.
The Long Siege through which the Seven had set forth from Andaria was indeed ended more than five-hundred years apast, and Andaria had peace for most of that time. Yet, the Sorcerer had rebuilt his strength in the West and launched then a Fourth Invasion, so that Andaria was now surrounded by great armies of Durwolc much as before. Therefore, the Elves and Men of the isle had been preparing to send armies to aid the hapless Andarians; deeming that Andaria could not prevail, being so isolated from the Eastlands, and thus that all of the Free Eastern Realms were threatened. But once they beheld the magical nature and the hardiness of Brandar and his Followers they held back, so as to await word of Brandar’s fate, whence Brandar declared his intention to go swiftly himself as soon as may be.
The news of the Invasion infuriated Brandar. And he set sail for the Coast of Eastwold, saying: “Great monsters of the Deep I have confronted, and mighty Dragons have I slain, and thrown down the deadliest Demon the world has ever known. Yet, here again has come that trickster from Kaivar, a death-filled land upon which no decent man would set foot. Would that we had returned long ago and wrought then his doom.” And loudly he said to those adventurers aboard ships which had remained in his following: “If adventure you seek, then follow me, and adventure you shall have! Yea, a belly full, like as not! And doubt not also that you shall one and all become sick of it, ere the end. For we go to wars not unlike the Wars of the Frontiers upon Arzultaur. Therefore, follow me now and rest assured that some of you shall not return home. So, here do I free you, to do as you will, and go east or west or where ’ere it be that your hearts now lead. And truly do I wish you good fortune. But decide here and now, for I shall wield my sword in defense of the land of my birth. And there shall I do such harm to the Sorcerer that never again may he rise to make war upon my countrymen.”
With that a number of the Adventurers wished to turn aside but agreed to wait until they had reached the mainland to make a decision. Then Brandar led his armada to Sealoam, where he obtained horses and wagons, which were many, and from there led his “Company”, as large as a small army, westward over land. But the adventurers there remained aboard their ships, at first seeking work fighting pirates, yet later sailing altogether to attack the pirate’s own coast of Fehvahr. Yet, that is another tale.
And while passing through Eastwold, Brandar was met by Tingor the Eld, who remembered well the Emissaries, and was astounded at their return. But Tingor had himself been making ready to ride forth to Andaria with an army of his own, though he sent now his forces behind Brandar’s Company; kenning that the Brandar and his Sereghran could not be defeated, and also foretelling that there would be no foes able to stand against such a host.
The return of the Emissaries signaled the end of the Fourth Invasion, in which Brandar and his Followers were responsible for routing the enemy, and drove the Durwolc with such slaughter that few survived to make report to MorLome. Thus did Brandar save Andaria at that time; flying at the fore of his Company with no small number of Followers who likewise possessed the magic of flight. And in short order, above the city of Romin, they slew the greatest of winged monsters, and many another flying thing, until the surviving monsters flew while the Sereghran upon land swept the enemy before them like a tsunami of bright steel flooding a darkened but tumultuous land.
Indeed, so magical and fell were the Sereghran that they lost none of their own to the enemy in that effort. And thereafter the Northron’s Brands were deemed the most powerful weapons in all the wide world at that time. Happily were they then counted among the Palaklar; and thus were the swords named by the Andarians the “Magic Seven”. And they remained the mightiest of the Palaklar until the coming of the long prophesied Crystal Four to the Southmarch during the fifth and Final Invasion.
Few there were in Romin who remembered the Emissaries. I, Maneldor, was one; for I was busy defending the city upon their return. And they lifted a great burden from my shoulders by defeating the creatures of the airs. Glad was my heart, and with great joy I even wept upon greeting them.
But Brandar stayed only a brief while in the city, where he and his Followers gave much needed aid to the surviving Andarians. But then he led his great Company west, together with a rather large portion of the surviving Northrons of Andaria, along with many folk of mixed blood. And he took them to Rillguman, the Land of Three Rivers, and built there towns and villages, and trading-posts, while driving all evil things far away; cleansing the country thereby. Thus, due to the years of peace which followed, the people there prospered, and grew great in number.
Then Brandar built there a city on the site of Itsgarin; keeping that name. But he renamed the country Odherudor, which means The Land of Lord Odar, in honor of Odar the Old, though his People continued also to refer to themselves as Rillgumans, else they used the ancient names of their Tribes; Dunjilarians, Bankari, or Forchar; for Brandar returned to the Tribes their lands by the three rivers; Dunjiliaria, Bankaria, and Forcharia.
It happens, however, that Brandar and his folk prospered in Odherudor for less than one-hundred years of the Suns, at which the Sorcerer MorLome sent his Final Invasion, where both the Andarians and the Rillgumans came close to their ever-lasting doom, despite their magicks. And while the Rillgumans fought to defend Odherudor, the Andarians were once again surrounded upon all sides, and came to the very brink of annihilation. But there was nothing Brandar could do to help them, himself being besieged at Itsgarin.
Then came Andarian adventurers from the South who had been sent to spy upon the Kulahnar. And they returned with the mighty Crystal Four, in fulfillment of prophesy; saving Andaria at last, and going on to aid the Rillgumans in defeating the enemy in Odherudor. Yet, while the coming of the Crystal Four to the Southmarch was hailed as the salvation of Andaria in those days, it happens that it would have been all to no avail if Brandar and had not drawn a third of MorLome’s forces away to Odherudor. Elsewise, the Andarians would surely have been defeated, so that those Adventurers would have come in time only to slay Durwolc reveling in the ruins. Thus were Brandar and his people later given great honor by the Andarians. And the peace to come was to remain for many generations of Men.
In the end, while the Final Invasion was crushed, MorLome yet held power in the West, and most certainly would have come again, and again, until his victory over all of Weyilendeh was at last assured. But the Sorcerer was destroyed in the end, ere he could realize his designs, though not by the hand of a man, for a Warrior Maiden, one of the Wielders of the Crystal Four, slew him upon a daring venture into his realm, in which the Emissaries also lent took part. But that is a tale of its own.
Here ends Book 1 in the Adventures of Brandar Odaron. Another tome reveals the details of Brandar’s return to Andaria and the role he played in bringing an end to the Fourth Invasion, and thereafter his founding of Odherudor. This is followed by yet another tome relating Brandar’s role in the Final Invasion, and then in the fall of MorLome.
Full accounts of Brandar’s adventures may be found in the Chronicles of Andaria at the city of Romin. But the name Andaria would in later days would replace the name of the continent of Weyilendeh, as Andaria became the greatest Kingdom of Men in that era to be called the First Age of Men, long ere the rise of far Arzultaur whence the Enchanted Mists had at last disappeared.