In the days of the Old Empire, the nyllians made five rings.
Yet these were not ordinary rings, for these nyllians were great magicians. It
is known that nyllians, while at first unassuming for being a foot shorter than
a man and having a somewhat funny look to them, have the power to give
blessings and utter curses that have power to them. It is their magic, and so
they blessed the five rings to ensure that the wearer’s dominion would endure
for as long as they wore it. Though they would not hold them long.
In another country, five other rings were made. Dark wizards crafted them to be used for purposes of evil. Each one was made with human magic and were made with dark understanding. Their powers were to manipulate, to dominate, to cast illusion, to alter, and to destroy. Evil they were, and the wizards were mightily feared because of it, and they did deeds which have been forgotten for the memory of them haunted all knowers.
Then there came Kasander, known as Emperor of All in those days, and brought down the proud and mighty. With overwhelming might he came, and with his own magic fought theirs, and with his army and wizards overcame the dark magicians. He then took the five rings, and while at first he wished to destroy them, he wondered at their power and held off on their destruction.
Then the five nyllian kings with their five rings were next, yet it was that no matter how many armies or wizards were sent, Emperor Kasander could not conquer them. The rings were the source of this, for in them were magics not fully understood, so the armies of the five kings were unbreakable. Until it was that Emperor Kasander used the five rings of the wizards and through deceit and corruption he took the rings of the five kings and then took their kingdoms in a single night. So Emperor Kasander embraced the power of the dark wizards’ rings, and with the rings of the nyllian kings became known in song as the Monarch of Ten Rings.
None could assail him or his empire so long as he wore the five rings on his right hand, and few could withstand the power of the rings on his left hand. So he named them, the nyllian enchanters’ rings were the Oliands or kings’ rings, which he had adjusted in size to fit his fingers, and the human wizards’ rings were called the Kaliands or destroyer rings. He wore them at all times, for he feared what his enemies or even allies might do if he let his guard down for a moment.
Upon Emperor Kasander’s death, he had left no word regarding the inheritance of his rings. Yet it seemed fair to his sons that the older brother should get the Oliands and the younger should get the Kaliands. The younger, named Heseil thought at first that he might use the Kaliands to usurp his older brother’s throne. Yet it was that the power of the Oliands made the newly crowned Emperor Inorin immune to the power of the Kaliands. So Prince Heseil began to plot a different way to the throne.
Emperor Inorin’s son Jeten was young and learning, so Heseil began to manipulate him. Whenever the power of the Oliands was brought up, Heseil made sure that Jeten did not listen to it and forgot whatever he knew of the power. It seemed a decent plan to Heseil, to make Jeten unknowing of the protection of the Oliands and so give him allowance to circumvent them. Yet the plan would fail, as Emperor Inorin and Prince Heseil both were killed in the same night by assassins from a scheming cousin.
When Prince Jeten, now Emperor, assumed the throne, he knew not the power of any of the ten rings, but he was one for great shows. Therefore, he wore the five Oliands, and would give one to any he would send out on official business. Meanwhile, the five Kaliands were given to the court magician as a token gesture, yet they had great power in them still and the mage knew that. Emperor Jeten was a weak ruler, yet popular among many circles.
Many generations of rulers passed, and only the court magicians truly knew the power of either the Oliands or the Kaliands. Eventually, there came an emperor who was a great swordsman and who enjoyed leading from the front of the battle. Yet in a battle, this emperor who was named Kezorn fought against a great and powerful madorn who cut the emperor’s right hand off at the wrist along with the Oliands. Emperor Kezorn left the rings behind as he fled to the rear of his army, and so began the fall of the Old Empire.
A series of ineffectual rulers followed Emperor Kezorn, and the army he had fought grew powerful. They soon gained allies, princes who had long grated under the empire’s rule and now wished to overthrow it. These princes elected among themselves five kings which would rule once the empire would be destroyed, and the empire put prices on their heads and named them traitors, and so began the Army of the Outlaw Kings. To each of these kings was given an Oliand as a symbol of power and alliance. So it would be that the kings would not be outlaws for long.
They stormed the capital the following year and destroyed it completely. Though the court wizard did his best, the five kings themselves led the charge against him and slew him on the steps of the imperial palace. What happened to the Kaliands is unknown after that, but most who know of them prefer to think they were dismantled for their base components long ago so as to make finer rings and the crystals which gave them their power were discarded and fed to pigs, never to be seen again. So it was that the capital city was leveled and the Old Empire fell.
So five mighty kings rose from this. They were Bevorm of Mradune, the war king; Tireth I of Nalorne, which later became one with the kingdom of Orthune, together being called Arkathorne; Sivor of Hirajorg, who was old and died soon into his reign; Hedrere of Cithur, which rules over the lands that the capital of the Old Empire once stood; and Kaborn the Incredible of Lidor, who had cut the Oliands from Emperor Kezorn’s hand. While other kingdoms may stand in their shadows, they will rule forever as long as they remember the power of the Oliands.
In another country, five other rings were made. Dark wizards crafted them to be used for purposes of evil. Each one was made with human magic and were made with dark understanding. Their powers were to manipulate, to dominate, to cast illusion, to alter, and to destroy. Evil they were, and the wizards were mightily feared because of it, and they did deeds which have been forgotten for the memory of them haunted all knowers.
Then there came Kasander, known as Emperor of All in those days, and brought down the proud and mighty. With overwhelming might he came, and with his own magic fought theirs, and with his army and wizards overcame the dark magicians. He then took the five rings, and while at first he wished to destroy them, he wondered at their power and held off on their destruction.
Then the five nyllian kings with their five rings were next, yet it was that no matter how many armies or wizards were sent, Emperor Kasander could not conquer them. The rings were the source of this, for in them were magics not fully understood, so the armies of the five kings were unbreakable. Until it was that Emperor Kasander used the five rings of the wizards and through deceit and corruption he took the rings of the five kings and then took their kingdoms in a single night. So Emperor Kasander embraced the power of the dark wizards’ rings, and with the rings of the nyllian kings became known in song as the Monarch of Ten Rings.
None could assail him or his empire so long as he wore the five rings on his right hand, and few could withstand the power of the rings on his left hand. So he named them, the nyllian enchanters’ rings were the Oliands or kings’ rings, which he had adjusted in size to fit his fingers, and the human wizards’ rings were called the Kaliands or destroyer rings. He wore them at all times, for he feared what his enemies or even allies might do if he let his guard down for a moment.
Upon Emperor Kasander’s death, he had left no word regarding the inheritance of his rings. Yet it seemed fair to his sons that the older brother should get the Oliands and the younger should get the Kaliands. The younger, named Heseil thought at first that he might use the Kaliands to usurp his older brother’s throne. Yet it was that the power of the Oliands made the newly crowned Emperor Inorin immune to the power of the Kaliands. So Prince Heseil began to plot a different way to the throne.
Emperor Inorin’s son Jeten was young and learning, so Heseil began to manipulate him. Whenever the power of the Oliands was brought up, Heseil made sure that Jeten did not listen to it and forgot whatever he knew of the power. It seemed a decent plan to Heseil, to make Jeten unknowing of the protection of the Oliands and so give him allowance to circumvent them. Yet the plan would fail, as Emperor Inorin and Prince Heseil both were killed in the same night by assassins from a scheming cousin.
When Prince Jeten, now Emperor, assumed the throne, he knew not the power of any of the ten rings, but he was one for great shows. Therefore, he wore the five Oliands, and would give one to any he would send out on official business. Meanwhile, the five Kaliands were given to the court magician as a token gesture, yet they had great power in them still and the mage knew that. Emperor Jeten was a weak ruler, yet popular among many circles.
Many generations of rulers passed, and only the court magicians truly knew the power of either the Oliands or the Kaliands. Eventually, there came an emperor who was a great swordsman and who enjoyed leading from the front of the battle. Yet in a battle, this emperor who was named Kezorn fought against a great and powerful madorn who cut the emperor’s right hand off at the wrist along with the Oliands. Emperor Kezorn left the rings behind as he fled to the rear of his army, and so began the fall of the Old Empire.
A series of ineffectual rulers followed Emperor Kezorn, and the army he had fought grew powerful. They soon gained allies, princes who had long grated under the empire’s rule and now wished to overthrow it. These princes elected among themselves five kings which would rule once the empire would be destroyed, and the empire put prices on their heads and named them traitors, and so began the Army of the Outlaw Kings. To each of these kings was given an Oliand as a symbol of power and alliance. So it would be that the kings would not be outlaws for long.
They stormed the capital the following year and destroyed it completely. Though the court wizard did his best, the five kings themselves led the charge against him and slew him on the steps of the imperial palace. What happened to the Kaliands is unknown after that, but most who know of them prefer to think they were dismantled for their base components long ago so as to make finer rings and the crystals which gave them their power were discarded and fed to pigs, never to be seen again. So it was that the capital city was leveled and the Old Empire fell.
So five mighty kings rose from this. They were Bevorm of Mradune, the war king; Tireth I of Nalorne, which later became one with the kingdom of Orthune, together being called Arkathorne; Sivor of Hirajorg, who was old and died soon into his reign; Hedrere of Cithur, which rules over the lands that the capital of the Old Empire once stood; and Kaborn the Incredible of Lidor, who had cut the Oliands from Emperor Kezorn’s hand. While other kingdoms may stand in their shadows, they will rule forever as long as they remember the power of the Oliands.
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