The Jarani's Lawstaff
After the Battle, his Clan and many other Vingkotling slowly returned to
their homeland and their fortified clan, though Hidden Kings still hid in
there and demanded their loyalty. Heort became famous for he was the man who
brought Victory to Survived Races, but he was still merely a chieftain of
Winter Deers. And Kings and their Rings were still haven't recovered from
the damage of mutual-trust after the Last Royal Betrayal. Of course many of
them wanted to invite him to their tribe, but they still didn't know who was
his year-wife.
Still the Helm and the Sword were divided, and after Esrolvuli banned the returning of Hidden Kings to their clans, and the King of Koroltes, King Garnath held the Helm and tolerated the one of Hidden Kings, Jardfor, living in his tribal boundary and "ate" his people, he said, "we must unify ourselves again, and we need the blood of Kodigvari though they are no humane and the treasure though it was tainted by blood and curse." And he demanded the Sword because that was the possession of sons of Kodig.
And ambitious man, the King of Ogorvaltes, Griseld, held the Sword, he was married with one of Strong and Noble Orendanan Queen of Esrolvuli, he had destroyed many enemies with his sword and he thought he could bring prosperity by force, he demanded the Helm because his wife was one of descendants of Kodigvari, he said, "Oppression of Hidden Kings was over, we should seek another way to gain power over other enemies, and the treasure will bring such victory, and I have a right to possess them because my clan is lineage of Kodigvari."
Both of them had many supporters and could call on many jurors. Both of them admitted they should not bring the Last Royal Betrayal again, but their mutual hostility and distrust were also great. So they called upon a moot to decide which one should possess the regalia.
And many enemies and false friends of Vingkotling made the problem difficult, some of them didn't want to the Vingkotling unifying again, as the Only Old One, and tried to disturb such movements, some of Heortling didn't like such Unification because they thought it might bring the tragedy again, and some of Great Kings, like Talastaring King Valalastans, wanted to became the King from his own, though he was not Vingkotling. And only minority of them, like King Venef of Berenethtelli, didn't move clumsily and waited something which Orlanth would bring them. But some of them doubted Orlanth lost the right to bring Justice.
When King Garnath's Juror visited the tula of Winter Deer and asked Heort's help in the moot, "Two kings, two treasures, two warriors." Heort asked an advice from his lover, "What is your advice about it?"
Ivarne said, "This is very complicated matter, you need both Great Lawspeaker like Hantrafal and Great Warrior like Hengall. I advice you to visit Andrin of Stravuli and ask his help."
In that day, Andrin was called "New Hantrafal" by his own Tribe, for his knowledge of Heortling Customs and wisdom which seems directly to be come from Lhankor Mhy.
How should I begin this tale about the Sword and the Helm?
From Vingkot returned Grizzly Peak in the fighting of Chaos Man? Or Hengall departed from Summer Wife Stead? Or Bad King Urgrain was died by the spearhead of Good King Oskul? Anyway, I must start from somewhere.
Kodig Vingkotson had two great treasures which bestowed their wielders great magical strength and power as invincible as Vingkot, these are Sword and Helm, forged by Gustbran the Smith himself by HU of the blood of Umath, it was said that the Sword can cut everything, and the Helm can never break by any slash. And Kodig inherited them as regalia of the Highkingship of Heortling, and denied any right of Other Vingkotling to inherit the throne who didn't have blood of his own, or these regalia.
Why did King Rastagar stray from Righteous Path? Nobody agrees with the theory of others, and Rastagar was apparently heroic king that Kodigvari had ever known, and there were the Greatest Heroes like Tenostere Red-haired or Darntror Shieldthane surrounded the King, perhaps for in the reverse of Middle World, at that time Trickster led Orlanth to right path in the Underworld, or as Godar always insisted, Orlanthi needs the guidance of their instruction? Or as Aeolians said, it means limitation of humanity.
For Orlanth could not reply the plea of his supporters, instead, he required their help in the battle of Luathela, but the Court of Kodigvari doesn't need to instruction of Gods, and Rastagar was bound to mundane affairs completely. And he the chieftain took the role of Trickster, as Orlanth blew Yinkin from their mother's chest. Just for amusement or trial to impossible as Orlanthi always hold freedom in their own heart.
Rastagar made a brooish act to the wife of his thane, she could not resist his fascination and power, and on that shame, she committed suicide, her husband was the thane of regalia, he tried to assassinate Rastagar but was defeated and killed, their only daughter fled from the Court with the Helm.
Four Quests were failed and the Firewitch cursed the regalia, as the owners would hate each other. And while Helm was back, the Sword was stolen away. At the Last Royal Betrayal, the Curse grew to Bloody Kinstrife and induced everything such as dragons, trolls and Predark. At last Rastagar invited all of antagonists to his court for last effort for reconciliation, but his trickery was not enough, and he and his everlast-loyal thanes were killed by troll warriors, but conspirators and their mercenary didn't last long, for horde of Predark attacked the court.
Only the father and the son, Jardfor and Kogall escaped with the Sword and the Helm, but they were chased by Chaos because Curse was strengthened by several failures and Chaos could feel that filth, and they finally took a refuge in the Arthing of Beasts, where Serpent Brotherhood and Drolgard taught them how to change their shape, where their Beast Father killed. Chaos could not enter into the Grave. They lost the Sowrd and the Helm at that place, anyway, they could not use them any more because their head and their arms changed from the shape of humanity.
Heort visited Stravuli and Andrin three times, but he was refused and requested to come later two times. Andrin apologized Heort when he visited three times and explained he tested Heort's will and desire to peace, Andrin taught Heort about the Lawstaff of Jarani and and recommended him to fight against Outlaw God. Heort cautiously prepared for it, and went to the Arrowmound while Orlanth still crowled in the Underworld and sought the Court of Dead Emperor.
Heort spirally and slowly went to the Stones of Jarani, he wore only wool shirt and bore a obsidian knife, and wandered the wildland still many monsters and demons were crawling after the great battle. But in the reknitted world, the Magic of Great God worked again, and Gagarth the Wild Hunter felt Heort's great potential, he closed to Heort and asked him,
"Why do you struggle for your honor? You already got great fame in your own
people, why do you need to bring peace to your people if your Orlanth will
always be just, and reward to the Good and punish to the Evil?"
Heort replied,
"We cannot live without bread, though I know we never lose our Star Heart
even in the darkest years. That is the meaning of Sacred Breath which
Orlanth bestowed us." And the Two wrestled and Heort won.
Gradually Heort closed to the Rockwood, but many obstacles like the Plain of Thorns disturbed him many times, over the Cliff where positioned up to the Stone of Jarani, Gagarth the Short Temper, came and whispered to his ear,
"If you jump from here, your Orlanth is mighty and may help you by Strong
Wind, don't you want to test him while he struggles in the Hell?"
Heort replied,
"I always test his Power while he breathes and I feel his Wind and Calling,
why should I test his presence again if I can feel him in everything? You
are Outlaw because you don't feel Orlanth, begone to the Edge of World and
don't bother me." And the Two wrestled and Heort won.
Finally, Heort climbed to the cliff again and again, reached to the top where just near of the Jarani's Stone where the top of the Mound. Gagarth the Eternal Outlaw closed him three times and asked him,
"Heort, Heort, you are the Greatest Hero after Vingkot, I feel your
potential, I admit to you. But many ignorants and greedy-guts won't admit or
trust you...I can help you, don't you feel my power? You came here by your
own power, not by the power of Orlanth, I'll help to you bringing peace to
your people. You'll be the Highking! If you now abandon Orlanth and choose
me!"
"Begone, Vadrudi!" Heort said. "I came here by myself because Orlanth taught me freedom, and he never order me to do so. Why do you bother me lest you can extract something from me? For you are Outlaw and never feel the True Wind of Freedom from Orlanth." Gagarth saw he could not undermine his confidence, running away to the Edge of the World.
When he reached to the Jarani's Stone, the Shadow of two Great Orlanthi Kings, King Vingkot and King Drorgalar appeared and smiled to him, and gave him the lawstaff which made from Gold.
When Ivarne and Andrin saw him to come back after the fourteen days quest, they were relieved the wisdom shining his face which hadn't existed before, and cheered him when he showed them the Golden Staff of Jarani, when Orlanth firstly fell on directly over the Arrowmound.
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