The Fellmen

The Cardinal Saga.

Who are the Bitter Kings?

"In the Beginning, there was Darkness. Ikivanha (Ancient One) last Noble of the Turo breathed His last song, and Katkara(Bitter) was it's name. From His exhalation the first Wind grew and from the first Wind, a Storm rushed forth. It shook the Void and broke the veil and Maailma was formed. That is the World." -Book of Gearwa

The Northern Kingdom of Men, Altavunta, is an independent region of (Continent). They're foundations formed in the beginning of the First Age before the Elves dominion over Men began. When the invading armies of Elves first came to (Continent) the Southern Men's armies could not stop them, the Elves magic was far too powerful for mortal shamans and priests. Before the South was routed, they sent messengers to their kindred in the North to run and hide, to accept the Elves inevitable victory and count their blessings. 

When the Southland's words reached the North, there were some who quickly believed the news, they began whispering amongst themselves that they could not hope to beat the Elves if their more war-like brethren from the South were culled so easily, and many began to agree and after a few more weeks of discussions they determined to send a rider with their surrender. 

But there was one Northman who heard the dreams of God and he spoke thusly to his people. "I have walked amongst you and heard your talk. You believe that there is no hope! That the Elves and their magic cannot be conquered! Well I tell you this; no elf can survive in the North, no Fae creature of wood and sea can sleep in the White Wilds. Even our brothers from the South do not long thrive here! I say let us go to the mountains where our kin first walked. The Elves can come, but they will not find us. We shall remain free and pay no taxes and bear no burdens from the Highbloods!" 

The Northmen listened and they began to feel a stirring in their breasts like a crooked breeze, and they hardened their hearts, and their gaze grew stern. They gathered their wives and children and fled to the vast Blackrock Mountains to the furthest reaches of the North, and there they dwelt for a time.

But the dark of long Winter was upon them, and the Mountains are unkind things. They began to whisper amongst themselves and began to question the wisdom of coming to such a place. Once more the man walked amongst his people and felt their discontent grow. So he said to them, "My people! Do no think I do not hear you! You believe I have lead you to your deaths, but fear not! I have heard the dreams of God, and in His dreams I see a mighty altar, I say to you, build this altar and pray to The One Who Sleeps and you will have what you need." With this the man said no more, and moved to a small cave near the peoples camp, and no longer dwelled with the people in their tents and halls. 

Now it must be said that the people had long ago forgotten about gods, and they now believed they had listened to and trusted a madman. But still they felt the wind in their minds and hearts, and they talked for a time and established that they had three choices before them, remain in the mountains, do nothing and die, return to the Northlands and accept Elven rule, or trust the madman and build an altar to a forgotten God. And so there they built the Syvän (Deepdark) Altar and prayed to the One Who Sleeps, Ikivanha. And for a moment He woke. He gave a blessing to the ones who remembered Him, He gave a weapon. 

A great Wind passed through the throng, and many voices cried out, "We have been changed! Ikivanha harkens to us!".

Like all Men, of (Continent) the Northmen were fair haired and blue of eye, but forever after the DeepEarth Covenant changed them. Their hair became black, their skin turned bluish and dark, their eyes deep grey, their voices became deeper and full of power, but the greatest gift of all was Hävittää(Destruction). The power to break and destroy all magic. Thus the Fellmen were born. They quickly began work on smithing armors and blades to field an army worthy of their God. The northmen had little skill in these arts for they had been a relatively simple people before the coming of the Fae. But it seemed that a presence guided their hand, and soon their swords were sharp, and their armor was thick. 

When the Elves finally conquered the last resistance of the South they turned their attention to the North, and the Fellmen were ready for them. The Fae sent their mightiest armies, led by their finest generals, but there they fell. Many an Elflord and princeling would never return to their fair homes and gardens. In the long night of winter, Illianaro the Foxfire, Lord of Aldeon and Commander of the Northern Campaign died from the wounds he received when a small army of 2,000 Fellmen ambushed his Company of 10,000 elven warriors and bowmen. This stroke ended the Elven march into the North, and forced the Elvish leaders to succeed the northern marches, forests, rivers, and mountains to Men. 

With the threat of the Elves taken care of the Fellmen turned their attention to the leadership of their burgeoning Kingdom. They could not help their kindred to the South, at least not yet. The North was too sparsely populated and the land too unforgiving to raise an army truly large enough to free all of (continent) from Elven rule.

It hadn't been a long campaign (it was later called the 100 day war) yet even so the dead were great, and many heros and warriors had fallen against the onslaught of the Elves. The Fellmen had been nothing more than villagers and subsistence farmers, there had never been a King among Men. The idea was quite foreign to them. So once again they turned to the Syvän (Deepdark) Altar and the One Who Sleeps. (developing)