The Third Age of the Elves saw the emergence of one of the most feared figures in Norska's history: Valkur, the Risen Warrior-King. A brutal conqueror and unrelenting force, Valkur united the warring Tribes of Khaos in a way never before witnessed. Through bloodshed and dominance, he claimed his place atop the legendary Skull Throne in Skaeling City, marking the beginning of the first Unknown war with the southlands.
The Path to Power
Valkur’s rise was as swift as it was brutal. Challenging the chieftains of every Norskan tribe to one-on-one combat, Valkur slaughtered each leader in ritualistic duels, taking their skulls as trophies and cementing his claim to the throne of Skaeling City. These gruesome victories inspired fear and awe among the Norskans, rallying their banners under Valkur's rule. With his dominance secured, Valkur's bloodthirsty ambition turned outward.
The Tides of Khaos
Uniting the Tribes of Khaos, Valkur forged an unstoppable warband composed of Frost Giant hunters, Frost Goliath marauders, Nordvergur, Werebear, savage Norskan warriors, and beasts of war such as the arctic mammoth. Under his iron fist, the Tides of Khaos spilled forth from the icy wastelands of Norska, sowing destruction across the realms.
- The Solir navy from Itela, seeking to quell the Norskan incursion before it gained momentum, sailed through the Unknown to confront Valkur's forces. However, their armada was annihilated upon the rocky shores by the Tribe of Bloddvergur, their ships dashed against the frozen fjords and their soldiers overwhelmed by Valkur’s relentless warriors.
- Turning his forces south, Valkur ravaged the Jungles of Tigre, plundering the lands of its tribes and leaving a path of ruin in his wake.
- Valkur's ambitions turned to the fertile lands of the Y’azi Peninsula, his sights set on toppling one of the most ancient and powerful civilizations of the time.
Valor Lost in The Veil
As Valkur’s forces pushed toward the Y’azi Peninsula, they were met in a decisive confrontation near the northern Forlorn Flames of Fyrashan in what would later become the Veil of Valkur. This battle, known in myth and song as the "Storm of Reaping," was a clash of gods, mortals, and monsters... A brutal struggle between Order and Khaos.
- The Y’azi Empire: The disciplined armies of the Y'azi Dragonborn were commanded by Ryujin Hattori, a fearsome leader whose army was bolstered by the divine Unknown.
- The Fyrashan Spirit Seers: Harnessing the power of the Ethereal Plane, the Spirit Seers called upon ancestral spirits to combat the chaos-tainted hordes.
- Fujin and Raijin: The twin draconic gods of wind and storm descended in a rare act of divine intervention, unleashing devastating winds and lightning against the hordes of Khaos.
The Banishment of Valkur
For one hundred days, the Tides of Khaos clashed with the combined might of the Y’azi Empire and Fyrashan forces. Despite their resistance, it was only through the intervention of Fujin and Raijin that Valkur was ultimately defeated. Using their divine power, the draconic gods banished Valkur to the Plane of Khaos, severing his connection to the material world.
As Valkur disappeared into the void, chaos erupted among his forces. The united Tribes of Khaos turned on one another, descending into infighting and bloodlust. Their route marked the end of the First War, but the scars it left upon the land—and the souls of those who fought—would linger for millennia.
Legends tell that upon his banishment, Valkur was granted a twisted gift from Skorn, the Khaos God of War and Ruin. Ascending to the Unknown as a daemon prince, Valkur became an eternal embodiment of war and strife. However, this "gift" was a curse: destined to bring about endless cataclysmic conflicts yet fated never to taste true victory.
Legacy
The site of Valkur’s banishment became shrouded in an unearthly mist known as the Veil of Valkur. The mist is said to trap the souls of the damned, eternally reliving their final moments in the battle. The Veil serves as a grim reminder of the chaos wrought by the united Tribes of Khaos under Valkur’s banner and a warning of the havoc that could arise should Valkur ever return.