The First Chronicle - The Second Chronicle - The Third Chronicle - The Fourth Chronicle - The Fifth Chronicle
The Crown Prince Veganin, starts the story by rallying Albion's noblest host against the haridans of doom. Unfortunately, it transpires that they can't make it and Radox the Green delivers the sick note. Veganin then sets off to see his father, King Yulfric the Wise to raise another army.
Upon hearing Veganin's plea, King Yulfric explains that the grand alliance of 48 nations has a non-proliferation treaty, and the trade treaty that they have in place is preventing war. He finally convinces the King to allow him to raise the army he needs, starting with the King's two advisers (against their advice).
Agar, son of Athar and his trusty Minotaur Stephen come across Radox the Green (in a poor disguise), and he tells Athar that he has come on the bidding of the white council. At that point, he is abducted by Harpies who intend to deliver him to the Black Muster, but following a disagreement between the Harpies he is dropped, but saved by Radox's spell. Radox realises that they took him because of his magical sword, and that since he has bought the sword from the weapon shop in the village, he shall become hero of all Middle-Sea, and he should seek out the Sybil, Dyandetes.
Meanwhile Veganin goes to the Inn in the village to seek "the mightiest marshalls steeped in war with hearts of stone, only the stouchest, staunchest commanders, men more gods than men, lords of the noblest rank and tigers in the field of blood". He then lowers his entrance criteria to "Stout sergeants, skilled in skirmish", then "Nimblest corporals, lusty for for a fight", then "Wise privates be they both bold and true", then "Men, plain rough trouser wearers fit to bend a bow", then "Old men - some of them ladies even". Failing to recruit any further troops, they company of three set off alone.
Shortly after Veganin leaves, Agar arrives at the Inn to speak to the Sybil, who says the following: "Come in Agar, son of Athar, hero to be. I have been waiting for you for many years. Go now, and await a sign"
Agar, son of Athar, waits at home for a sign, finally tiring of his mother's nagging and cutting off her head. Golin Longshanks, a dwarf, comes to him with a message, which he throws into the fire, and Radox says the following:
"Good Morrow Agar, son of Athar. Stand back, I am but a vision in the flames. I bring you urgent word from my seat at the great conference of wizards. The situation is now even worse that I feared. The swirling Killer-Loons of Dath surround the East gate, destroying all who try to free the kingdom of Albion. Deadly plants obscure the southern byways, and the roads are crawling with the brethren of the Brotherhood of Night. You must leave at once. The six heroes who will aid you save the realm must be summoned from beyond the havens. You must find the legendary battle horn, Summontrumpet. Only this can call the heroes to Albion's aid. Seek you Hornshaper of the Doomsday Guild in Zagguloth. There is still one exit through the mountains known only to Dwarves. So I send you Golin Longshanks here, go now, I shall be with you in spirit. I'm far too busy at the great conference I'm afraid, I don't have a moment,. Now hurry up, don't wait. Farewell both of you and be of strong heart. The journey is long and you will need two good legs."
Meanwhile at castle Comfylawns, King Yufric dictates a letter to Veganin, Crown Prince of Albion, while Brother Scrivener of the Brotherhood of Night baptises/drowns the castle guards who won't join the Brotherhood of Night. Queen Alfreda joins the kind to complain about his behaviour - specifically changing clothes with a commoner, and more specifically a woodcutters daughter. She also complains about the fact that all the castle guards have been drowned, though she is somewhat pacified to hear that the Evil Flesh-Eating lord of Craarn is to send them thousands of new guards.
The Crown Prince Veganin, along with the King's two advisers, arrives at the Holy Temple of the Brotherhood of Night in Zylbor. The advisers try to tell him that the High Bishop has the hereditary gaze of all leaders of the brotherhood, the look that turns anything on which it falls to ashes. By this time, however, they are already in the Bishop's chambers, and seek to hide in the shadows. The advisers are gradually turned to ash as shafts of light expose. Finally, the High Bishop calls Veganin a coward, and he steps forward into the light so that the High Bishop can see him.
Agar ventures to the Doomesday Guild to seek the location of the legendary mighty horn, Summontrumpet, from master Hornshaper, who indicates that the horn is hidden in the nearby carverns, though he doesn't warn him of the presence of the mighty Sphinx, for this is the job of master Cavernwarner, who isn't available at the time. Agar, Golin and Stephen venture into the caverns and hear the approach of the Sphinx...
Agar, Golin and Stephen are surprised by the dread Sphynx, which has the head of a snake, the body of a snake and the feet of a snake. Agar produces his mother's head which he cut off at the start of the second Chronicle, who nags the Sphynx into submission and thus gains Summontrumpet.
Meanwhile, in the Holy Temple of the Brotherhood of Night in Zylbor, the High Bishop's gaze is reflected by the Crown Prince Veganin, turning the Holy Bishop into ash. The Brotherhood of Night tell Veganin that the new Bishop was born on the day the last Bishop died, and that he has the star-shaped birthmark on his torso. The Brotherhood then announce that they only need his torso, as the Bishop is made of the parts of all the people born on that day.
At the conference of all wizards, Agar, who has brought Summontrumpet, but is unwilling to sound the trumpet as he is not of noble birth. Radox introduces Agar to Swordquist who is an apprentice hero who is undertaking the labours of a hero, most of which are menial chores. Agar offers to help Swordquist to rescue the maiden from the fire-breathing Amber dragon of the eastern tower of the horizon, ten hawk flights from the conference.
Back at castle Comfylawns, Yulfric is again taken to task by Alfreda about his trips to the wood-cutters, and the fact that the Evil Flesh-Eating lord of Craarn would be ruling the kingdom in his absence. Yulfric goes to see Craan, and is shown the national census recently conducted by the Children of Darkness, where it appears that all the able-bodied men of fighting age are all deceased.
Agar arrives at the tower to rescue the maiden Rodwena, only to discover that she doesn’t want to be rescued. Traug then confronts Agar, and tells him that that his father wasn’t Athar, a poor wood-cutters daughter, but Yulfric the king of Albion. With this information, Agar realises that he is the one to sound Summontrumpet.
At the conference of all wizards, Radox discusses the rhyme with Badedas the Blue. He uncovers a copy in one of his robes.
As he remembered, the first five lines are as follows:
One man save the realm, six shall he gather.
One hero Albion's hope, dark shall he scatter.
Long shall he search afar, while hope betide him
One man of noble birth, six men beside him.
Seven sentinels shall ride on the wind of battle.
However, slightly obscured by a wine stain, they find the following almost forgotten lines:
Matched with The Evil One’s dark hordes of chattel
Though they may stand and fight bloodied and mountless.
No chance at all has right, ‘gainst all the countless.
This surprise ending changes Radox’s plans, and he realises that all he can do is to set out for the misty wood and seek The Streaming on his trusty steed, Angst.
Meanwhile, Agar and Golin are returning from the eastern tower of the horizon, when they are trapped by the web of the monstrous HobLob, the giant schizophrenic spider. Fortunately, the spider argues with itself for long enough for Zanspor the Skylord, chief of all the eagles to arrive. Zanspor has been sent by Radox to bring Agar back to the vast battle plains by the sea, near castle Comfylawns.
When Radox reaches The Streaming, he is chastised for not coming more often, and how damp the wood is, and would like to come and stay with him. They get into an argument, and then a battle.
As this happens, the Evil one calls the black muster, and the Crown Prince Veganin arrives back at castle Comfylawns to discover the Evil Flesh Eating Lord of Craan on the throne. He then discovers that his father has come to an amicable agreement to hush up his list of death in return for having him quietly murdered.
Realising that the cause is helpless, Veganin leaves to stand against the hordes on his own.
Alfreda then shows Yulfric the collection of magical and torture implements arriving at the castle for a guest of the Evil Flesh Eating Lord of Craan, and they finally work out from the initials on their helm. “T.E.O.” that it is indeed The Evil One that is coming to stay.
Realising himself that everything is lost, Yulfric reveals to Alfreda that he is, in fact, an Elf.
As the hordes pour in, Agar, son of Yulfric is taken back to Albion by Zanspoor, the Skymaster. They land next to the great pyre of Albion, built of glistening blackthorn in the first days by unknown hands. Songs say that it shall be i by the very brands of the dead if ever the end of the world is at hand. Sensing that it will be lighting itself soon, and finding a packet of sausages, Golin lights the pyre early, awakening the soul of the mighty sage that built it. Fortunately, this turns out to be Radox, but it is only a recorded message, and he instructs the party to get out Summontrumpet, saying that it is for the use of the chosen hero alone, otherwise fearful calamity may result. He then describes what should happen next:
“When sounded, the second hero will rise from the sea on a titans wave. The third shall drop from the stars on the wings of seven giant moon-moths of emerald. The fourth shall wake from his slumbers beneath the ground and rend asunder the earth in his emergence.”
Hearing the black muster approach, Radox leaves out some of the small print and suggests that it is the time for the horn to be sounded by the one true hero. However, at that moment, Veganin rides up and believing himself to be the only hero of noble birth, sounds the horn.
Instead of the six heroes coming to their aid, six dwarves are summoned. Unfortunately, the horn can only be sounded once, and Agar and Veganin, newly found brothers, mount up and ride together with the seven dwarves into the battle smoke.
Surprisingly (to those who have heard the ending of the fourth Chronicle), a number of Albion's brave defenders survive the initial onslaught of the forces of The Evil One. Details beyond this point appear to be lost in the mists of time, though I am hoping to get some more information from the scribes...