Storm War of the Rushing Hills

Steel Realms
Steel Realms Timeline Event > Modern Age Tale > Storm War of the Rushing Hills
Recorded Knowledge

CY 7952 – 7957 Storm War of the Rushing Hills

Fayne was an abbey to Ikribu in the south reach of the Rushing Hills, in Kalens Pass in the northern reaches of Dusntrand. In 7952, the changes wreaked by the Chaos Storm (a type of CChange Storm/God Storm) seemed to give license to Dunstrand and her neighboring Merchant Cities in the north to settle long-standing disputes and make new claims under various pretense. Thus was waged the so-called ‘Storm War of the Rushing Hills’ – for ten full years while the attention of the High King was turned to recovery from the storm itself. Times were at their worst for Dunstrand in the first few years as her resources were stretched thin rebuilding Tarmysia.

Thus, in 7957, after years of skirmishing and several regional battles, a massive army of the Merchant Prinzes set out to recapture the entirety of the Rushing Hills and vast stretches of the twin river counties. They initially met with little resistance and refugees streamed south. Father Roban of Fayne abbey gave refuge to three brothers – young men of minor noble Dunstrandian blood – refugees from a devastating battle in the east. Faced with an army quickly marching west, sweeping Dunstrands presence out of the pass, the forces and people were leaving in terror.

The real history is unclear, though legend goes as follows. Father Roban had a vision, a vision from his god and it said to go to the sacred forge and he would find a sign that would carry him to victory. The forge was blast hot, and many of his fellow brothers in faith had already fled. Braving flames, smoke, and sparks, father Roban made his way to the forge and pulled forth a shining symbol and laid it upon the anvil. Such was its heat, it began to melt even that. He finally quenched the white hot metal with only his faith and a vial of holy water, leaving a glowing mark upon the anvil. The metal cooled and tumbled upon the floor, all manner of tools and metal objects clinging to it. In the hastily abandoned forge, three near finished blades were waiting for their never to be seen owners. They were drawn to the hammer and anvil symbol.

Father Roban took this as a sign, and wrenched each blade free, taking it to the forge, and hammering the blade with all his might. As each blade came off the anvil, not a mark was upon them from the hammering, but the hammer and anvil symbol that burned into the anvil was etched on each. Three blades and three pure souls to wield them. Roban found the young men preparing to leave and stopped them. Such was his inspired persuasiveness that he convinced all of them to wield the mystical blades against the coming foe – they believed in his vision. He christened them Knights of the Anvil and they prepared to do battle with the enemy. That day, the army was stopped for 3 days while the fortified abbey was sieged. The three days were critical though, for it allowed the Dunstrand army to maneuver north and drive the Merchant Cities back. Many accounts retell the brothers last stand, how they rallied the soldiers and followers, but not what happened to the blades – with both bodies and blades vanishing and Roban dead, his abbey burned around him.

The events and outcome produced the Swords of Fayne, believed to have vanished with their wielders.

Realm's Aptitude Powers: Divine, Occult, and Psychic