Dyurvar (?? HC to ?? HC)

The leader and namesake of the short-lived goblyn tribe Dyurvar’s Hammers, Dyurvar is an important figure in both the landsmen and goblyn histories of Ahlonia, and an often overlooked founding father of modern Reddown. Dyurvar is remembered for being a fine field commander, an accomplished general and one of the first commanders in Ahlonia to have any measure of success against the Siele of Sheil-Meial.

Early Years


Dyurvar was born to a warrior in the Rending Spear tribe, and was raised to be a warrior himself. Throughout his youth Dyurvar chafed at the goblyn way of life, they raided one another, stole only from goblyns, confronted only those landsmen who would not fight back despite being clearly stronger, and fled the Siele on sight despite being far more numerous. None of this made sense to Dyurvar, and he devoted years to devising tactics to be used against these other races.

The Hammers


Because he was such an able tactician Dyurvar was given a command in the Hammers, the warrior elite of the Rending Spear, and eventually rose to their command, where he turned the Hammers into a tactically diverse force able to fight battles of attrition. Under his command the Hammers never made a single raid against another goblyn tribe. He raided siele settlements where the creatures lay secure and drunk and nude, and with far greater numbers was able to successfully rout and eventually slay these small parties of Siele.

Dyurvar quickly came to the conclusion that the siele, who had little to take but controlled huge, rich swathes of land they did not exploit, were a far greater barrier to goblynkind than the landsmen, with whom Dyurvar was sure an alliance could be made against the siele, with whom the landsmen were already at war. However before Dyurvar could crystallize these thoughts into action he was ordered to lead the Hammers on a raid against another northern goblyn tribe. He refused, and left the Rending Spear with his camp at his back. However the Karv of the Rending Spear refused to let him go, and after six years of bitter warfare Dyurvar returned, and challenged the Karv for leadership of the tribe, slaying him easily and taking the Rending Spear into Dyurvar's Hammers.

The Earls and the Siele Wars


Eventually Dyurvar did make his alliance with the landsmen of Sherevon and their Arl Marn against the siele. Offering is services tentatively in return for a mutual guarantee on one-another's territories, Dyurvar was able to join with the Arldom in 70 HC. When the nation of Reddown was formed by the foundation of the Arls council Dyurvar himself was a member of that council, though he was only allowed to vote on matters of warfare.

However Dyurvar brought his tactical experience, his mounted warriors and his metal weapons and armour to the Arls who in turn gave him manpower beyond that which any goblyn had ever had at his disposal, and all Dyurvar was expected to give in return was the will to command them. Dyurvar saw that the landsmen infantry did the bulk of the dying, but in truth his goblyns were the most elite of the warriors at his disposal, and so this was completely tactically defensible. Furthermore Dyurvar was able to introduce other goblyn tribes to the landsmen as yet more allies as word of his success carried.

Victory and Death


Dyurvar's prominence in history declined but his military record only grew more and more impressive as his lightning raids and his liberal use of sappers and deforestation and forest fires made it harder and harder for the siele to hide, and forced them into losing pitched battle against staggeringly superior numbers. Despite horrendous casualties Dyurvar gained ground and carved a ruined and smoking territory out of the forests of Sheil-Meial, and it is said that he was the first to call his land the Talthak, which loosely translates to "Burning Stumps", from which the modern tribe of the same name derives their sign.

Dyurvar died peacefully in his yurt surrounded by several dozen children he had fathered. His second, Dharmendra, became Karv of the Hammers and Dyurvar's name remained for the entirety of Dharmendra's reign.