After finishing watching a program about the Normans on BBC, i got inspired to write my own sort of fantasy family history. This is an original work, in a fantasy world, written to the style of a monk writing about the past. Criticize and praise all you want; I wish to hear your thoughts. Depending on reactions, I hope to continue you this.
The Chronicles of Erey
This Chronicle of the History of the Family of Erey has been commissioned by His Most Imperial Majesty Emperor Hermale V of the House of Erey in the year 1479, to trace the exploits and greatness of his ancestors and relatives.
By God’s will they rule.
Early days
The earliest accounts of the family relate to one Eabert of Yithtal, whom is mentioned in the Mullackolla E Viak, the great chronicle of Viak the Strong, King of Normakii.
Viak was a mighty warrior, who ruled the kingdom of Normakii with an Iron fist. His pagan lands were scattered amongst many lords, who answered to Viak only. Under Viak, Normak went from being a small coastal kingdom, to uniting many of the Eastern Scanii kingdoms under his rule between 457 to 489, and the Mullackolla E Viak is still spoken today within those regions.
Into this world Eabert was born. He took up arms under one of Viak’s lords, Eatel of Oshire, and fought well in battle, proving himself such a powerful warrior.
The only mention of the family during this time relates to one paragraph in the Mullackolla E Viak, where in the battle of Latig in 463, against the armies of the Princedom of Latii, Viak was cut off from his army. He was surrounded by the armies of Latii, and his armies fell to despair behind him, when men from Oshire were rallied by Eabert, who led a charge into the enemy warriors. He was surrounded by an aura of light, granted by God himself to show his greatness, and smashed back all enemy who got in his way by sword. He fought like an Ox, proving his prowess on the battle field.
When he arrived before Viak, Viak commanded “Who leads you” to which Eabert stepped forth and replied “I do”.
Viak, impressed that one who held no land could fight so well, decreed that he and his descendants be given land to hold in his name, and that of the Lord of Oshire. Eabert bowed down, and decreed that he would serve Viak for the rest of his life.
Eatel of Oshire, eager to obey his lord and proud of his great warrior, granted him the village of Erey to rule, from whence the name of the family comes from.
Eabert is not spoken of no more, and Viak goes on to conquer many of the Eastern Scanii kingdoms, to found an empire that lasts for a century beyond his death.
Ealoth, son of Eabert
It is not until 491, when Ealoth of Erey, son of Eabert, left Erey aged 23. The younger son of the the family, he was granted a long boat and 50 warriors, and told to seek his fortune by his older brother Eafeth, who had succeeded Eabert to the throne.
He left the Scanii coast, to join those heading south in the Hroth Vikinga, to the lands of the ancient empire, falling to pieces in this time. He is, according to the Mullackolla E Hroth, one of Prince Hroth’s personal commanders, showing Hroth’s great respect towards him.
Hroth landed a great army at Mallin, in the Kingdom of Ragia, and captured the city there. He then split his forces; Hroth led the main force to Ragi, capital of this land, while Ealoth went with the other force, under the command of Earan of Latii, to the secondary capital at Anti
Ealoth commanded forces on the left in battle against the Ragians outside Anti, yet they retreated into the walled city before a decisive defeat could be inflicted. Earan, commanding the right, was killed in battle before they could seize control of the battle.
Ealoth ended up in control of the army, and surrounded the city. For 25 days and nights he kept up his siege, assaulting the walls with men to try and capture the city. On the 26th day, he withdrew his forces, leaving behind a small cadre of the greatest warriors under his command, along with himself. His main force was under the command of Eain of Hrothtii.
As the force within Anti emerged to give chase, they marched out and left behind a scant few soldiers. Ealoth and his men then scaled the walls under the cover of night and slaughtered the guards upon the walls. Then they closed the gates, and spread out along the walls.
The forces of Ragia meanwhile were defeated in battle by Eain, who then forced them to March back to the city. With the gates closed, the Ragian forces were forced to stand and fight, where they were massacred by the brave Normakii forces. With the Ragian guards gone, Ealoth let the rest of his army into Anti, where upon they set about it’s sack.
Ealoth was running through the town during this, laughing as he saw the Ragians run around, when he tripped and fell before a church. He looked up, and commanded that the pagan gods will that this building not to be burned, but spared, and thus his army obeyed, and protected the church and priests within from the sack of Anti.
With the city sacked, and gold plundered from it’s treasury, Ealoth marched back to the boats, slaves and valuables in hand. As he marched, he learned that the forces of Hroth could not yet break the siege around Ragi, and Ealoth thus commanded most of his army to follow him to assist his liege. He commanded Eain to take the remainder of his force back to the boats, where upon he would be able to guard the loot and send much of it back to Normakii.
Hroth had managed to destroy all forces except for those within Ragi, which was known to be one of the most fortified cities in the North at this time. He had surrounded the city with his own forces, yet his men could not yet take the walls.
Ealoth arrived and immediately bowed down to his liege, reporting victory over Anti. He and his forces displayed the banners for all in the city to see, and moans of despair could be heard from within the city, for they had hoped that the other city would come and relieve them.
Then Hroth commanded that a charge be brought against the walls once more, which was once more repulsed, yet greater loses to the defenders than ever before in the siege. Hroth was enthused, and at the urging of Ealoth, launched yet another attack upon that section of the wall later that same day. The attack managed to get up onto the walls, and it is reported that Ealoth’s cousin on his mothers side, Earent, joined them.
Earent’s parentage is not listed in the remaining histories, neither is the name and lineage of Eabert’s wife. It is known that she married below her station. What is also known, and clearly shown, is that Ealoth was close to Earent, and looked upon him like a brother.
When the attack upon the wars was repulsed with the death of Earent, Ealoth was infuriated, and demanded to be allowed to launch an attack upon the walls himself. Hroth refused, commanding to leave them to stew during the night, but offered Ealoth the chance to lead the attack the next morning.
When morning broke, the inhabitants of Ragi launched a counter attack, preventing the offensive from being launched. A melee ensued, and Hroth rallied many of the greater warriors in this Vikinga to form up around him, with Ealoth included presumably. They harried the Ragi numbers, and were victorious.
With the counter attack defeated, Hroth turned his attention to the city, who no longer had the numbers to fully man the walls. Ealoth, who had been injured in the fighting, gave up his chance of seeking revenge, sated with battle for the day. So Hroth launched the attack on the city himself, taking the walls and then sacking the city.
With the city fallen, Hroth looted as much as he could, yet knew that now was the time to leave. Hroth had planned this as a simple raiding mission, not one of conquest, for such were not part of the Vikinga of this time.
By late 493, the Hroth Vikinga was over, and the small coastal kingdom of Ragia had been laid to waste. It lay open to invaders in the form of the Kingdom of Nascent.
Ealoth returned to Normakii with enough of the share of loot to buy him land, though where is not known, which he ruled for the remainder of his life.
Eaon, son Eabert
Eaon was another of Eabert’s sons, although where he was is not sure. He was not the youngest, for that belonged to Ealoth, and he was not the oldest, for Eafeth was.
Eaon’s early life is a mystery. The first mention of him comes in 492, when he is 25. The middle Scanii kingdom of Merii invades Normakii, and he is sent in his brother’s place when the king calls up forces to counter.
Normakii is at this time in trouble; much of its forces are currently on the Vikinga with Hroth, while Merii has all of its forces directly on hand.
The Mullackolla E Macho, which lists the adventures of the Merii hero Macho, lists Eaon of Erey as being the one to defeat one of Macho’s secondary armies. When asked who he is, it is said that he had taken over when his liege, Ealon of Oshire, had fallen ill.
Eaon is then listed as having been defeated by an army a hundred times larger than his own, which was commanded by Macho, one of the best generals of Scanii at this time. Eaon survived, but was forced to retreat with the remains of his army. He was unable to return to Erey and save it from being sacked, and Eafeth and several other brothers were killed, which left Eaon the heir.
Eaon managed to defend several areas of Normakii from being conquered, stopping and defeating several of the Merii forces. Macho did not face him in battle, but was killed by Hroth in early 494 upon his return from the Vikinga. The Merii settle quickly after their leader is killed, and retreat back to their on lands.
Impressed by Eaon’s skill at defending the territory, Hroth grants him more lands around those of Erey, including several more villages. Eaon pledges in return eternal loyalty to Hroth, and declares from henceforth, all of his descendants shall use the name Erey to signal their humble beginnings.
The Erey Chronicles (original fic)
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