Legenda Kroggor

This is the legenda of Kroggor Sca'aga, son of Sardorok Sardorok Sca'aga, the king of Aga. I write this in my own blood. Do not take anything that is here as not true, or you shall answer to my sword, and it will slay you.

My father was a great Orc leader. He was son of Sardorok who came from the mountain of fire. He came to the land of Aga and became king. He took seven wives, the last of which was my mother, a human. My father, may his sword always drip with fresh blood, captured my mother as a prize during a raid on a human flat-land town to the north of Aga. He would have used her and discarded her if not for her kind and charming ways, and her ability to read and write. This was useful. My mother was allowed to live in his harem.

My father, great orc king, had much treasure, and a loyal kingdom. He lead them into battle and won all victories against humans, orcs, and elves. Aga did not do war against Dwarves, nor did the Dwarves do war against Aga. My father's father, greatest of all Aga Orcs, formed the kingdom of Aga out of the filthy primitive orcs that lived in caves and ate raw meat. My father's father made an alliance with Dwarves, as he could speak their language, having come from the mountain of fire.

In my father's treasury, my mother eventually found books, which she read to my father. Books of far of lands. Books on the habits of weak-lesser creatures such as humans and elves. And books about magic and adventure. My father, wise and great, learned to read some of these books. He formed a court as he saw fit from the learning books, and from his own wisdom. He sent emissaries to neighboring states. At first these missions were not successful, but after the passage time, his emissaries were not killed and he did no longer have to send retributions. Communication and trade was initiated. Wealth increased for Aga. But all was not well as I later found. Unknown to my father, greatest fighter of all the lands that the moon travels, there was a plot by his former generals. They did not like peace.

I was the king's fifth living sons. He had borne sixteen legitimized children by his queens. My mother had only borne me. This was within the year of her capture. After I was born her womb no longer worked, and my father's other wives thought the king should cut her open to find out what was wrong. I blame her misery on my existence, for without me she would have been dead, and free. She was a kind mother, and against tradition, I was kept with her and not nursed by others. She told me stories of her legenda before her capture. Because of me she never tried to escape. She always told me that I should be the next king. I believed her.

My father, master of the hunt, showed some affection for me, though only in private. In public however I was the lowest of the princes. I did inherit the fastest and strongest hands, and bested my brothers on most occasions. Though I usually let them win in the end, so that I wouldn't find a dagger in my back as others did. They though of me as strong in body but weak in sole and spirit.

The day came when the dirty, stupid common soldiers revolted against my father, king of Aga. They were lead by three generals: Sratuth'aga, Eereev'aga, and Aquilfiqu'aga. These men will die by my hand, I swear this to you father and mother. They came after a feast for the court. They had poisoned the wine. My father lay not yet dead in my mother's arms. They killed my father. They drove a dagger into my mother's chest. They killed all his sons, except me. I had been called away some time before because my loyal mountain falcon had not returned. I stood outside in the cold and looked for him from the keep's balcony. I ran back to the great hall and found my father dead, and my mother dying from a dagger through her chest. I held her and cried with grief and vengeance. But her great love pierced my desire to chase down the perpetrators that were even then searching the palace to slay the last of the heirs. She convinced me to return to the balcony and escape down the mountain to the land of men. She said there would be men that would help me. She said I was to raise an army and retake Aga, this time making it an even greater kingdom. A kingdom equal to those of elves and men. She gave to me the stone from her finger to take with me. With her last breath she spoke words that I had never heard before, though she had taught me the languages of men. These words were strange and her skin for a moment went translucent, she touched me, and then so did mine. Then she was gone. In my mind her voice came strong - run! I fled the court, and how no one saw me I will never know. I ran for days. And then wept for days. I wept in sadness for my mother and father, and I wept in shame. For then it came to me. I was a coward.

After months of wondering in the wilderness, I came upon a human village. They did not accept me, they stoned me, and again I ran. Coward! In the world I had no friend. All wanted me dead. I stood at a cliff. I looked down the steep face at the rocks below. I will die here.

I stood there a long time. I wanted to die. But my feet would not jump. I felt my heart beat stronger and stronger. Warmth spread from my core to my hands and feet. Fire ran through my nerves. I would not die today. The spirit within was too strong. The greatest gift my father gave me was not my strength, or my speed, it was my spirit, and it refused to die.

As I walked down the mountain - I walked tall. I was the son of Saca'aga! I will avenge his death, my sole will accept nothing less. I will avenge the death of my mother. Many will die. Either you are my compatriot and you are with me, or my sword will find your feeble heart.

Thus ends my first entry in my legenda.