Jorganos Longstride, scribe of New Jonston, to his esteemed colleague Ilium the Brown Sage.
My dear Ilium,
it is with utmost regret that I cannot attend the sage council. I would not leave you without my take on the subject, though, and send it hereby with the fastest courier I could find.
One of the most interesting part of Argrath's history, his ascension to the throne of the Principality of Sartar after his return from the liberated city of Pavis, is strangely left obscure in the collection titled "King of Sartar". Only five sources deal with this time explicitely, three of these in the respective CHDP sections, plus the Annotated Argrath Saga (AAS) and Minaryth Blue's "Events of my Life".
While AAS was collected long after the events described, and can rightfully be claimed to have come from oral tradition, it seems that the written sources entered oral tradition before or in the early Era of Illiteracy, so I regard it as as derivative from the best known written sources on Argrath's reign. The saga does provide some additional information, but a lot of it can be traced back to Densesros the Vendref Scribe's Composite History of Dragon Pass.
Both CHDP and Events of My Life were written within living memory of the ascension of Argrath. Minaryth Blue can be regarded as an eye witness, whereas Densesros seems to have been one generation younger, and seems to have relied on written sources for most of his book. His accounts of the Grazer chieftains appears like a prose transcription of the Grazer oral tradition. Consequently, few dates are apparent, and kennings are used to define important events. Densesros gives only four short sentences for the Grazer chieftain who ruled during this critical period, and most of this is related to the Dragon Conspiracy (without ever mentioning Argrath). Argrath is only related to for his marriage to the Feathered Horse Queen.
The Tarshite section of CHDP remains silent about the Sartarite internal affairs, and doesn't even mention Argrath's first military victory in Sartar, the Battle of Sword Hill.
The Sartar section of CHDP is left very vague on dates, and even sequence of events, for the years 1625 to 1630. Where dates are given, they often deviate from dates given by Minaryth Blue by as much as four years.
More important than what is said in this part of Densesros' history of Sartar seems to be how it is said. Since this book was to be presented to Prince Argrath, King of Dragon Pass, on occasion of his marriage to the Queen of Holay, it was most likely read aloud to the guests. (Probably during dinner, between other artistic performances.) This makes it very unlikely that there is any literal falsehood within the text. I would even propose that every single sentence is absolutely true for the time after the Battle of Queens. However, a lot of truths remain unsaid in this text. I don't know why Densesros presented the history the way he did, but he was just a lowly scribe working for a powerful sponsor. I can just assume that Varnatol Lord of the Durtarl, at the time of the wedding a vassal of Penraltan the Killer, was involved in some of the events which are left obscure.
Things aren't made easier by the fact that Argrath had lived in various guises among the peoples of Pavis and Prax, and that there were two people we think to be his cousins who lived and acted there at the same time, and sometimes even under the same alias. Because of a striking family likeness, they entered history as "Argrath" as well. Densesros only relates events which can be traced to Prince Argrath, born in Colymar lands and raised on his foster-father's stead in the Starfire Ridges. I will call him by the epithet of his most public appearance, Garrath Sharpsword, swordmaster and Wind Lord in Pavis.
After the great success against the Grazer mercenary army which held Esrolia for the Lunar Empire at Pennel Ford, King Brian gathered his rebels and returned to Heortland. They landed at the mouth of the Syphon River (the only major river without a port city at its mouth, where a Lunar garrison would have resisted their landing) and moved northward, to Volsaxi territory. A hastily summoned Lunar contingent intercepted them halfway to Jansholm at Milran, and offered battle. Brian's household of followers were outnumbered, but stood firm, until Argrath Sharpsword led a contingent of "magical men of fire" into the battle and routed one Lunar wing. This success established Brian once again as protector of Heortland, and the people flocked to his banner, throwing the thinly spread Lunar occupation forces out of the city, or besieging their garrisons.
While Brian cleared Heortland of Lunar forces, Argrath continued southward, and east, through the Praxian Marches around Knight Fort into Prax proper.
The Lunar occupation forces in Pavis had received the odious task of keeping the animal nomads away from the building site of the Sartar Temple of the Reaching Moon. In order to do so, they had researched and found a great magic, tied to the Praxian spirit of the White Bull, which lured all the beast riders to the city of Pavis. They did not expect all the tribesmen in the Wastelands to follow that call, too, though.
Among the tribes there lived a former Sartarite who had been caught as a child and become a groundman of the bison people. Unknown to them (and himself), his father had been a Praxian khan who had taken his mother prisoner in a raid into eastern Sartar. This Sartarite once killed a six-legged monster and earned his freedom as a warrior with the nomads. He entered a warrior society, which gave him the support a nomad would have been given by his family.
When the Lunar magic started, only the khans and shamans of the nomad clans saw the spirit of the White Bull in crimson chains of magic. But this warrior of foreign origin saw it, too, and could name it. He displayed extraordinary knowledge, and the assembled khans recognized him as the reincarnated Jaldon Goldentooth when he proclaimed a common war to throw the invaders out of Prax. When he met people from Dragon Pass, he was called Argrath White Bull, the White Bull Liberator.
Jaldon White Bull first led his people from the various tribes against the Lunar settlement of Corflu. The nomads took the city and erased all Lunar populace, leaving only the river people and farmers for later raiding. Then they marched upriver to Pavis.
Argrath Sharpsword had met Jaldon White Bull before, in his dealings with the secret warrior societies of Prax. When he encountered the Army of the White Bull, he followed them to Corflu and Pavis.
In Pavis the Lunar occupation forces made ready for a long siege, expecting the assembled Lunar forces in East Sartar to come to their relief, as had been planned when the chains for the White Bull had been summoned. However, the invaders had special magic against fortifications, and an organisation within the city of Pavis - led by another cousin of Argrath - revolted and opened the gates for the nomads. The city was stormed, and all Lunars and sympathisers killed.
After a period of feasting and boasting, the nomad army moved onward to Dragon Pass, but was stopped and dispersed at Moonbroth by a demon sent by the Lunar magicians.
When the Lunar devils were about to summon their six-armed demon into their new-built temple, their celestial dance was interrupted by the appearance of a constellation of dancers following the path of Orlanth's Ring. When they released the eye of the dragon, it rejoined with the celestial dragon, and in response a dragon rose from the ground, and devoured all who attended and did not flee.
This conspiracy was led by Orlaront Dragonman, a mystic of draconic wisdom roaming Dragon Pass, and Minaryth Purple, the mastermind behind numerous earlier uprisings.
They were assisted by people from all around the region. From the Grazelands came Jandetin the Avenger, who avenged the murder of his family by Lunar collaborators, and who freed his country from vile Lunar oppression. From Old Tarsh came Annstad of Dunstop, and from the exile colony in Pavis came Argrath Dragonspear, formerly known as Garrath Sharpsword. Altogether seven conspirators danced openly in the Lunar ceremony, and not all of them survived this summoning. More conspirators danced elsewhere in support of the disruption.
But they succeeded, and most Lunar occupation forces in Sartar were devoured that day. Still, the city garrisons held out in strength, and from Lunar Tarsh King Moirades sent a host under the former Gouvernor-general, Fazzur Wideread.
While most of the conspirators still were recovering from their wounds, or gathering their followers, Kallyr Starbrow was the first leader to counteract the invading force from Tarsh. She gathered men from her own tribe, and from all others who would follow her again, and with this ragtag army she stood off the best army of Dragon Pass at Dangerford. Unexpectedly, Fazzur did not follow through, but withdrew the next day, leaving only an occupation force in Aldachur under one of the king's generals. The Sartarites learned only much later about Pharandros' treachery which had slain many of Fazzur's most loyal supporters.
Meanwhile, other allies invaded as well. King Broyan of Heortland invaded from the south, but fell prey to the treachery of his mother's kin, the Kitori. After he had been killed, he returned at Orlanth's Lone Rock, where the Nightjumpers used to assemble. Thus he failed to arrive in time to intercept the Tarshite army marching south from Aldachur, but instead he marched to Boldhome, and with his army held outside of the gates, the citizens rose in rebellion, and opened the gates. The Sartarite capital had freed itself from the occupators.
In Prax, Argrath and Jaldon reassembled the army of the Bull, after it had been dispersed by a demon sent at them by the late Tatius the Bright. The barbarian horde, as it became known later on, now consisted mainly of Pol Joni clans. They reached Swenstown shortly after the battle of Dangerford, and bivouaced there.
After this success, Kallyr was named Prince and Warlord of the Quivini. She allied with all who would stand and fight the Lunars. The Lunar reinforcements still held Aldachur northern Sartar, though, where the Yelmalian tribes dominated over the Storm worshippers. Kallyr was fully occupied with keeping the Quivini tribes together, as old feuds threatened to be resolved now the Lunar meddlers had been sent packing.
She also had to deal with the settlers from the Empire who had taken possession of parts of Sartar almost a generation ago, like in the former Maboder lands or east of the Starfire Ridge.
Kallyr struggled hard to establish stability, and she was less than amused when a dashing Argrath Sharpsword proposed to raid the Lunars with the nomad army. She negotiated with Jaldon, and managed to keep them out of Lunar occupied lands. After bloodying various heads Argrath went off into Prax, plotting with his closest followers.
The next year the Lunar kings of Tarsh sent another army to vanquish the Quivini prince, led by his Phargantite generals, and supported by Heartland troops and Grazer mercenaries. (Not all of the Grazer clans had welcomed Jandetin's coup against his precedessor, and many remained friendly to the Tarshite kings.) The Tarshites and their allies were received at the crossing of the Creek below Old Top, and in the Battle of Queens Kallyr and Leika Ballista held off the Tarshite invaders. However, Kallyr was slain by an ambush from the rear, and no body was found. The principality mourned her loss, and various parties prepared to bid for the vacant throne. Argrath hastened back from Pavis with his new troops while the Tarshites retreated to Aldachur.
But Kallyr was not gone for good. In her youth she had visited the Pole Star who had gifted her with the star jewel which gave her the name Starbrow. After she had fallen, his minions had scooped her up and carried her to their master, where she was returned to life. Slowly recovering, she returned to the principality, and reclaimed the throne. Much to the chagrin of various contenders, but to the delight of her closest followers, among these Jaldon White Bull.
Kallyr attempted to solidify her rule by making a Short or stationary Lightbringers' Quest. However, by Lunar treachery or simply by ill chance, a fully armed and armoured Lunar champion entered the ritual, and she slew many of Kallyr's closest followers before the Lunar herself was slain.
Dismayed, many Sartarite patriots returned to their homes, awaiting the development. Kallyr and her court attempted to come to a treaty with the kings of Tarsh.
Not so Argrath, who had gone after the Tarshite invaders when they had retreated to Aldachur. He waged a guerilla war against their troops (minus the allies and Heartland forces) around Alone, where the population - former Tarshites who had fled their home after the Lunar party's victory at Grizzley Peak - supported the rebels. Starting with minor raids, he soon kept the entire Tarshite force occupied with his daring attacks, only to disappear between the hills whenever they mustered in strength. His successes became known, and many disgruntled Sartarites flocked to his host. Finally, after an especially disturbing raid, Argrath did not flee, but offered battle at Sword Hill. The Tarshite commanders were delighted that the constant running had an end, and they jumped at the opportunity, despite tactical disadvantage in the rugged terrain against Argrath's uphill deployment. The Lunars still had a slight numerical advantage, and they counted upon their magicians to even out their disadvantages.
At first the battle proceeded as the Tarshite generals had expected, with the superior discipline of the Lunar army prevailing over the ragtag natives. Argrath's host barely held their position, even with fresh reinforcements from Quivini lands. Only when the line threatened to break Argrath sent in his two new companies, the Eaglebrown Warlocks and the Eleven Lights, to turn the tide. The Lunars were uprepared for their entry on the battlefield, since for the first time in their battles with Sartar they faced regimental magicians similar to their own, and beaten by their own tactics they broke away and left the field to the Sartarites. The people in Aldachur rose against the small garrison left there for recent grudges, and the Tarshite kings lost their hold on the Far Point region along with the better part of their army. The grateful Aldachuri acclaimed Argrath as Prince of the Aldachuri. With his victorious troops and many Aldachuri volunteers Argrath marched upon Boldhome.
Kallyr was in a difficult position. Her claim to the throne had been weakened - both by her absence after the Battle of Queens, and by the disaster of the Short Lightbringers' Quest - and now Argrath, the victorious hero of Sword Hill, approached her capital in force. Fearing an ambush and having sought support by various factions in the Quivini lands, Argrath approached Boldhome from the east. The city prepared itself for the worst, civil war. However, Kallyr had prepared a desperate ploy to thwart Argrath: she announced the reunion of all of Sartar, and she assembled her friends and allies at the brazier before the Temple of Sartar. Argrath entered the city with his followers, and rather than a triumphant entry he marched through a hardfaced crowd, out of which there came several attempts at his life.
It is described elsewhere how he approached the sacred core of the principality and Kallyr started the ceremony to relight the Flame of Sartar. She succeeded, and Argrath, Prince of the Aldachuri, had no choice but to accept her as the rightful ruler of Sartar.
I almost admire the style Densesros used to describe Argrath's opposition to "other contenders" after the Battle of Old Top. Without ever mentioning Kallyr's return (and leaving out the date of her Lightbringer's Pilgrimage) he describes Argrath's early exploits clearly. Densesros fails to mention Kallyr's involvement at the relighting of Sartar's flame, but is scrupulous in his description of Argrath's action in support of her ceremony. He seems to confuse the tradition of this event with Argrath's later ascension to the throne, and switches fore and back in mid-paragraph, but alway seems to remain literally true to his sources. Without Kallyr there, all the active role is reflected on Argrath, without saying so.
Densesros leaves the rest of Kallyr's reign unaccounted in his history. Only Minaryth Blue's "Events of my Life" and the Saga give us information on the events. The year after the Flame was relit, Brian of the Volsaxi is slain in a major Wolf Pirate raid. Argrath, who seems to have spent some time in the land of his youth, gathers his sworn followers and a band of volunteers from Quivini lands and marches south. It is hard to say whether he did so with Kallyr's blessing or against her will. In Kethaela he (once again) stands off Harrek in one of his berserk rages, and afterwards negotiated a better offer for a raid than ravaged Kethaela. Harrek accepts, and in the two years later enters Dragon Pass to plunder. Under Argrath's guidance he ravages Muse Roost and southern Tarsh.
In the meantime, there was at least one important wedding in Sartar. Minaryth Blue states that Kallyr finally marries in 1629, and Densesros scribbles something about Argrath marrying. It still remains to be decided whether these were one or two events...
Also in 1629, there is a conflict involving Minaryth Blue (of the Colymar tribe) and Dinacoli tribesmen. This could have been a general rising of the Aldachuri against the Quivini prince, or just an overestended tribal conflict. Whatever its nature, it seems that Argrath of Pavis takes side against the Quivini prince, and gets into trouble with the Telmori. The saga tells about a major raid into their territory.
In 1630 the wolf pirates attack eastern Dragon Pass, IMO accompanied by Argrath and Grazer allies. Harrek's wolf pirates get out of control on their way back to the sea, and under Gunda's lead a contingent of pirates sacks Wilmskirk. Queen Kallyr hurries there and defeats the pirates, slying Gunda in the process. Harrek and the main body of the pirates arrives soon afterwards, and upon learning what happened to Gunda he chases Kallyr, and kills her in single combat during a battle before Boldhome. Victorious but badly wounded, Harrek occupies Boldhome and stays for the winter. No mention of any Argrath, but it can be supposed that at least one of them stood with Kallyr.
Before the summer, Argrath retakes possession of Boldhome after Harrek's departure, and becomes Prince of Sartar. He then enters the Colymar tribe.