THE SEVEN KINGLY LINES OF ALBA TOR
It was in times of hardship that Ulfius ap Constans, a humble farmer, took up the blade and saved his people from the ravagings of the dragon Bloodclaw, which had turned the lands of the Tors into a waste. Many came to him, and he founded his own Tor, Alba Tor, that is to say, the Bright Kingdom. And so great was his virtue and wisdom, that many of the other Tors swore alleigance to him. His reign was long, his rule was just, his heart was true, and on his death his son Uther ap Ulfius took the throne.
Uther was a hard man, but a just one. His rule was strong, so that those Tors who had not sworn allegiance to his father swore to him. But some Tors disliked him, and saw in his actions their own dissolution, and so went to war. And Uther defeated all but one on the field, Geir Tor, whose lord was Sadok. For fighting Sadok, Uther was slain, and his son, Urien ap Uther, took up his blade and struck down the wicked lord where he stood. And Urien ruled long and well, though there was forever a darkness in his heart.
And when in time Urien died, his son Ulwein ap Urien took the throne. And he was a bright and merry king, but one of prudence, and courage as well. But it came to pass that he was betrothed to a young Rusican noble, one Ygreth, and escorting her back to Alba Tor, their caravan was attacked by Mountain Goblins. Urien fell guarding the escape of his young bride, and afterwards none knew where his body could be found.
And so came to pass the first Kingly Line of Alba Tor, in courage.
And then Ulwein's cousin Gawein ap Gareth took the throne. Now Gawein was a brave man, who lacked nothing for courage, or courtesy, but he was also a lusty man, and when his eyes lighted on the still-virginal bride of his cousin, he was filled with desire. And yet this could not be, for Gawein was married, and indeed had a son, Gahalatine ap Gawein. And though he told himself this could not be, he went to Ygreth, and she recieved him favorably. And so Gawein left his wife and child, and dwelt with Ygreth, and when he came to die, he left the throne to his second son, by Ygreth, Galahad ap Gawein.
Galahad was a Godly man, and lived by the precepts of Lleu Lightbringer, but the stain of his birth never left his mind, and thus he took no wife, and bore no children. And when the dragon Shadowmaw attacked, he took up his blade and slew the beast, but took his death wound doing so. And the kingdom passed to his elder brother, Gahalatine.
Gahalatine came to the kingdom an old man and his rule was long. He was cold, but still upheld the laws and made much improvement in the kingdom. On his death, the kingdom went to his son, Gaheris ap Gahalatine.
Gaheris was a good man, but he did not rule long, for his son, the wicked Garlon ap Gaheris, slew him, for he did not wish to grow old before coming to his kingship, as his father and grandfather had done.
Now Garlon was a very wicked king, and he soon fell under the sway of a dark wizard Ablamar, who seduced the king with promises of eternal youth. And so the households gave forth their youths and Ablamar would slay them saying their blood would grant the king eternal life. Now, there was a noble household, cousins to the King, consisting of Duradin ap Damas, and his son, Darras ap Duradin. Now Darras was a brave lad, and Duradin loved his son greatly, so when the King's men came for him, he sent the lad from him with his sword, and held the soldiers at bay with a staff. He slew twenty five before he was slain.
Darras traveled long and hard, calling on all true followers of Lleu to fight for him. And then twelve true Paladins; Cynchwer ap Nes, Gwyn ap Nesi, Gwyn ap Nwyfre, Rhuawn Bebyr ap Dorath, Selyf ap Sinoid, Sel ap Selgi, Cynwal ap Caw, Gildas ap Caw, Calchaf ap Caw, Hueil ap Caw, Ermid ap Erbin, and Rheiddon Arwy. And together they slew Garlon, and placed Darras on the throne. And so came to pass the second Kingly Line of Alaba Tor, in blood.
And Darras declared that from this day forth, all Kings of Alba Tor should have twelve sworn companions. And Darras ruled well, though always he faced the threat of Ablamar, who had escaped death, and had fled to the Castle Terribel, where he often sent forth challenges to the kings of Alba Tor. And when Darras died, the throne passed to his grandson, Dinadin ap Duach. Now Dindadin was a brave king, but he knew neither fear, nor caution, and so when Ablamar sent forth a great iron knight to fight him, he immediately drew his sword, and had at him, and was slain. And so his young son Dodinas ap Dinadin took up his sword, and killed the thing, and became king.
Dodinas ruled well, and left the throne to his son Durnarde ap Dodinas, a kingly man, but sickly from youth. Many great deeds were undertaken in those days, especially by Fionn ap Fflewdur who came to be called Fionn the Fair, and Fionn the Pure, so great was his reputation. And in time Fionn and the Twelve Peers rode forth to scourge the Castle Terribel and destroy the wizard Ablamar. And the full tale of what happened to them is a story for another time--suffice to say Fionn the Fair and the Twelve Peers rode in, Fionn the Fallen and the Dark Twelve rode out. And they took many cities, and many were numbered among the slain, among them the bishop Harantes.
Now Durande called forth a second group of Twelve Peers, made of great knights who had been dismissed from the Twelve, and young knights who had never been proven, and they fought off the Dark Twelve. And Durande himself smote down Fionn, though he took his death wound doing this. And so came to pass the third Kingly Line of Alba Tor, in days of evil.
The crown passed to Durande's uncle Feldenak ap Dinadin, who was old and sickly, and died after a fortnight. Then it passed to his son Kehydius who undertook many reforms to the kingdom, but drowned before a month had passed. And so came to pass the fourth Kingly Line of Alba Tor, with no deeds of note.
The crown now passed to Kehydius's brother by marriage, Palomedes, a Dyrush. Palomedes was a goodly king, but a grim man, and ever the outsider. His son was Pendragon--a brave warrior, of strange skills. Pendragon was slain by treachery at a feast by his own lords--his brother Persante took the throne, and had the lords drowned in wine. But the wife of a lord seduced Persante, and slew him while he slept. Perimones, his son, slew the women, and then forsaking his kingdom, lived the life of a mendicant in the hills. After four years of this life, he returned, and ruled wisely and well. His son Pellias was a drunkard and wastrel, however, and died of a sorcerer's curse. His son Pellinore spent much of his time on a quest to free his father's soul from the curse, and traveled greatly. On his death his son Percivale took up the quest to save the souls of his father and grandfather, which he found to be in the possession of the devil Wall. He did so but was slain by the fiend. And so came to pass the fifth Kingly Line, in darkness.
Percivale's illegitmate half-brother Brandiles took the throne, but died mysteriously. His son Balin despaired and spent his life in a cell, issuing all proclamations from a talking raven. On his death his son Berth took up the rule, but he proved cruel, and so his brother Bernlad slew him. But Bernlad soon proved crueler than his brother, so that his cousin Marhaus locked him in the castle tower, and set it alight. And so came pass the sixth Kingly Line, in fire.
Marhaus killed himself, leaving the rule to his brother Melias. Melias's brother-in-law Naram poisoned him, and took the throne. On his death it passed to Naciens, his son, a saintly lad and good king. Naciens was slain by Meleagas, son of Melias, who was killed by his brother Mannann in a matter of honor. Mannann ruled harshly but well, and left the kingdom to his son Moran, who was a breeder of horses, and died under their hooves. His son was Mark, a good king, but weak, who came to slay his wife and his greatest friend, Rhun, when he discovered them together in a moment of passion. On his death, the kingdom passed to his son Medraut, who lived in constant despair that he was not his father's true son.
Now in Medraut's day there came a great noble to the kingdom, who camed to be called the Duke of the Mask, for he never showed his face, and the Lord of Revels, for his parties were the most delightful in the kingdom. But Medraut loved him not, and the Peers held him in great suspicion. However one day, the Duke invited all true men to a great ball. The king and his followers were loathe to be called cowards and weaklings, and so came to the ball. As soon as they arrived, the Duke had the way blocked, saying that he did not consider them true men. And then dropping his mask, the Duke revealed himself to be Fionn the Fallen. The Twelve Peers were slain where they stood, but Medraut, who had long suspected Fionn of deviltry raised his medal of office and smote him in the face with it, creating the scar Fionn still wears. Fionn was so wroth he tore the king to pieces. That done he went to the palace, and took his place on throne.
And so passed the seventh Kingly Line of Alba Tor, in impotence, and with it the kingdom of Alba Tor. In its place rose Urek Merse, which shows that good is nothing but the soil which evil takes it root in. Hail to the Bel Feagor! Hail to the Bloodthirsty Beast! Soon we shall rise from the darkness and tear down all light!
--From the writings of Harantes, the Mad Priest of Urek Mersa