Galadhin

Background

GALADHIN is the son of ARUM and EINAR. Arum was the Stone Captain of Green Towers and a friend of Bozadir. Einar and EGRONIA grew up together at Green Towers and were also close friends. Arum asked Bozadir to be his ‘best companion’ when he married Einar. During the ceremony Bozadir saw Egrelda for the first time and became besotted instantly. Einar and Egrelda were both beautiful young ladies and looked remarkably alike, the very thing that would lead to treachery, kidnap and tragedy.

In the land of Norg a huge Red Warlord called WASP was rapidly rising to power and on the verge of grabbing the High Lord’s crown from old WEBWORT. Wasp, conscious of his impending high status, was looking for a suitable wife but none of the Norgian ladies met his standards. So he sent SWERTING, his lackey, off to search through the lands bordering East Water. He eventually came to Green Towers and saw Einar – perfect, exactly what Wasp wanted. It did not concern Swerting that Einar was already married and had a baby son, Galadhin. He had a strong warband with him and could take her by force if necessary.

Arum was at his wits-end and then suddenly blurted out to Swerting that Egrelda looked exactly like Einar and was of a much higher social standing, a real Lady – take her instead, he begged. The idea appealed to Swerting and he set off to Dwale disguised as a Dwalian trader.

In an inn called The Grasshopper’s Legs Swerting overheard a group of loud-mouthed young warriors boasting about a daring adventure that their leader MORADIR was about to embark upon. Moradir was the younger brother of Bozadir. He detested Bozadir’s popularity and success, hated living in his shadow and resented always being second best. He was jealous and vindictive. He had to prove himself in Bozadir’s eyes and had come up with a great way to do it.

Egrelda had been pacing her chambers impatiently, awaiting Bozadir’s return from border patrol. He was late and she was anxious to visit Einar and see baby Galadhin. Moradir came to the rescue, offering to sail her across to Green Towers straight away. EMERALD, Bozadir’s mother was dead against the idea but Egrelda could not be dissuaded.

However, it was Moradir’s intention to go straight through Green Towers and into the feared East Water beyond, sail for a couple of days and return. Egrelda could not fail to be impressed with Moradir’s bravery and relay it to Bozadir first hand. Then there would be no question of his bravery, no denying his heroism, or so he thought.

Swerting approached Moradir and promised him great wealth, power, important titles and vast lands in Norg if he sailed just a little further along East Water to a patch of reeds where Wasp and his warships would be waiting. Moradir could not refuse. Swerting returned to Green Towers, sealed the bargain with Arum to let Moradir through unhindered and left a chest crammed with precious stones by way of thanks. Egrelda was kidnapped by Wasp and taken to Salicsia where he proposed to leave her for safekeeping while he grabbed the High Crown of Norg and made the land secure.

Bozadir gave chase with a hastily prepared warship, The Emeron, a cumbersome supply ship, The Seafly, a handful of trusty warriors, magical weapons and a pair of uninvited passengers – Grubseed, the landlord of The Grasshopper’s Legs and young Peapod, later to become Greenears. His first port of call was Green Towers. Einar was as yet ignorant of Arum’s treachery and showed genuine sorrow for what had happened. Arum, on the other hand, raised Bozadir’s suspicions though he could not put his finger on what the reasons were.

When Einar learned the truth she was so torn with revulsion and guilt that she threw herself from the highest window. Arum was devastated – his treachery had meant to save her. He sent the Guard home, hung his chamber with black drapes and waited with baby Galadhin for Bozadir’s return, though the ill-prepared quest made that seem highly unlikely. He fully expected to die of starvation while waiting – Galadhin as well.

Bozadir returned against all the odds. Arum confessed his treachery and then jumped out of the same window as Einar. Cowdar the Grey discovered Galadhin (then three years old) and he was taken back to Dwale. Despite his crimes Arum had been a loyal friend to Bozadir and he adopted Galadhin and raised him as his own. But Galadhin grew to be a surly, resentful youth who did not hide his hatred for Bozadir and Egrelda, nor his convictions that the pair was responsible for the deaths of his parents.

GALADHIN

Galadhin is now seventeen years old and resides in Woodside Castle under the protection of the enigmatic and brutal warrior, TANTRID AROFELL. He has been there for nearly ten years and will come of age within the year – and then let Arofell try to keep him there as a virtual exile!

Bozadir and Egrelda had reached the end of their tether with Galadhin. He had become more and more openly hateful as he grew older and it finally reached a point where he had to be sent away from Dwale for the good of them all. But as far as Galadhin was concerned it was yet more proof of their guilt – and each day he was kept at Woodside against his will the guiltier Bozadir and Egrelda became in his eyes.

Galadhin spent his time learning the art of arms under the training of Tantrid Arofell, perfecting the skills necessary for taking revenge on those responsible for the deaths of his parents. And he was good, very good. 

When Norg started flexing its muscles again after its armies had been rebuilt by High Lord BLACKWING, Galadhin realised that his task would be made easier under the dangerous umbrella of open warfare and did everything he could to stir up more trouble and make matters worse. He learned of Swerting’s whereabouts and set about goading him into action. But he desperately needed an army of his own. It was time to make his peace with Bozadir, his hated stepfather – for the short-term, anyway.