Hoylus' Histories - Keldor

Thought I'd set up a series of character histories I've been writing up. I guess they're my continuity for MOTU.

Hope you enjoy - comments welcome!!!

Up first, we have Keldor -


Keldor - The Wizard of Snake Mountain

When the last, damaged Starship of the Gar, fleeing the Evil Horde, landed on Eternia, King Miro was fascinated by the beautiful blue-skinned aliens and their futuristic technology. He quickly had their ship and engineers commandeered for research and development and gave the starving and weary Gar an encampment in the Borderlands as their new home.

Miro, however, in his pride and impudence, forced himself upon one of the beautiful Gar women, Kelka. He returned to Eternos and Queen Rendren, but unbeknownst to him, Kelka was left pregnant with his child.

Keldor, as she named her son, was born and lived with Kelka in the harsh environment of the Borderlands.

When he was seven years old, news came to the camp that the Queen Rendren had given birth to a Son, Prince Randor, who was proclaimed heir to the kingdom. Eternia would hold a great celebration and some of the Gar would be expected to attend. Kelka, realising Keldor was really the eldest child of the king, and therefore the heir to the throne of Eternia, consulted with the elders of the Gar, who told her to keep it quiet, but somehow the news got out and a rumour spread.

When the Gar group went to the celebration of the birth of Prince Randor, the King’s son, they took with them the gossip that a son had already been born to Miro by one of the Gar and that he was the true heir to the throne. When Miro heard of this, he commanded the Gar group rounded up, then he questioned them personally. After receiving his answers, and suspecting their truth, he had the Gar killed. He then ordered that troops from Morragor should wipe out the Gar encampment. The Gar were now outlawed on Eternia.

The loyal soldiers at Morrigor reluctantly attacked the Gar with weapons developed from the Gar’s own technology, mowing down everyone in their path. In panic, the Gar fled on foot, they were remarkably agile and fast, and many made it to the Labyrinth mountains before they could be caught. Kelka, however, died protecting Keldor at the foot of the mountains. Keldor escaped. The remnant of the Gar journeyed through the Labyrinth Mountains, braving the tunnels of the Arachna. Those that survived gathered on the plains of Perpetua, and decided to forge ahead to the Vine Jungle, where at least they would be able to build shelter, have water and find food. Keldor, though, was told that, although he might travel with them, they would not share provisions, nor shelter. For it was Keldor that had brought the wrath on Miro on the Gar.


The journey was hard and long. Many more Gar fell in the attempt. Keldor, however, proved amongst the hardiest, and reached the edges of the Vine Jungle with the strongest of the Gar. There they set up camp. Keldor was told to remove himself a distance, and so went and built camp on the edge of the Tar Swamp, in the shelter of the Vine Jungle canopy.

In the first nights, the Gar saw hulking shapes moving in the trees and heard bellowing cries echoing in the darkness. On the fourth day the Beastmen of V’ranthrum attacked the camp. Hearing the battle form afar, Keldor rushed to their aid, and fought ferociously against the mighty Beastmen. Keldor was still young, however, and the Beastmen were many, so he was subdued and and all the Gar were taken, bound hand and foot, to the Beastmen’s city, to their chieftain, Gygor the Magnificent, an enormous yellow and green gorilla-like ape.

Gygor took an amused liking to the feisty Keldor, who still fought in his bonds, so he made him his personal den servant. Living amongst the Beastmen and under Gygor’s “survival of the fittest” philosophy, Keldor grew stronger and more callous.

After several years, a messenger came to the vine jungle from Count Marzo, a powerful magician who had been a member of King Miro’s court but had rebelled because Miro had too quickly and completely embraced the Gar’s technology over Eternia’s magic.

He was rallying the races of Eternia to rise up against Miro and overthrow his rule. Gygor, never one for missing out on wide-scale chaos and war, agreed the Beastmen would join with Marzo. The Gar, who had suffered much under Miro, were even pleased to help, though Marzo would not allow them to use technology in the battles.

Of course, Keldor was no fan of Miro, his estranged father, but he found Count Marzo deeply objectionable, though he admired his powerful magics, and watched him closely. Following a few skirmishes and a couple of battles, the armies of Marzo and Miro finally met in the South of Eternia, and set up camp. That night, Keldor took his opportunity and, sneaking into Marzo’s tent, murdered the old wizard while he slept. He stole Marzo’s magic books and amulet and fled the camp.

He returns to V’Ranthrum, and travels passed the Vine Jungle to Snake Mountain, the ancient fortress of the Snakemen, and set up camp there. He continues to study Marzo’s magics and forms a bond with the last of the Snakemen who still inhabit the mountains, and journeys to Subternia, where he learns of the Lizardmen, the batmen of Spelean and other monsters who lurk beneath the surface of the planet.

Over the months, he becomes a powerful magician, and is known in V’Ranthrum and beyond as the “Wizard of Snake Mountain”.

One day, ambassadors come from Eternos City to make peace with the peoples of V’Ranthrum. Keldor learns that Miro had been broken by Gygor, who had assumed command of Marzo’s armies, and, in the act, Prince Randor had slain Gygor. Now King, Randor was seeking to create peace across all of Eternia, and mend the rifts caused by Miro’s selfishness, greed and malice.

To be continued...

Great start!

Thanks for sharing!

Randor had sent a golden feather, the Eternian sign of peace,with his messenger to present to The Wizard of Snake Mountain with an invitation to attend his coronation in Eternos city as an honoured guest. Keldor, intrigued by his younger brother’s motivation, agreed.

At the coronation, Randor announced that that the inhabitants of V’Ranthrum would be free as long as they stayed behind the Labyrinth Mountains and made no attempt to make war with the Eternians. The Gar that still dwelt there would be given King Miro’s Island in the western sea as their own land and that they could choose one of their number to become their baron to represent them at court. Randor felt sure that Keldor would be chosen, but Keldor tells him that it is unlikely that the Gar will choose him, as he is only half Gar. He pretends that an officer in Miro’s guards fathered him when Miro visited the Gar all those years ago.

Randor suspects otherwise and seeks advice from his councilors. All of them suggest that he offer Keldor governance of V’Ranthrum and a place at court to appease him, but General Hec-tor Kur, who had served Miro closely and knew the truth, urged him to destroy Keldor for the sake of Eternia, whilst he was here at court. Randor refused Hec-tor Kur’s advice and instead did what his other advisors suggested.

Keldor agreed, saying that he would like to stay in Eternos at court for a while, to study the ancient documents in Eternos Library. Secretly, he knew that Randor suspected his true heritage and had offered him something that wasn’t his to give. Still, he knew that to challenge Randor now would be pointless. Instead, he would build influence and power at court, before issuing a challenge.

Whilst Keldor was staying at Eternos, word reached the King that the town of Zak was under attack from a magic user and had been devastated. Word had it that the villagers had tried to burn a witch-child at the stake when she had broken free and burned the town down. Keldor requested to accompany the investigation for Randor, as he was a powerful magic user.

When they reached the town, they eventually discovered a young girl who was an extremely gifted magic user. Keldor, though, being elder and more experienced, bested her in a wizard’s duel and brought her back to Eternos, where he saved her from imprisonment, instead asking if she might be charged to his care, so he could teach her how to use magic responsibly. Randor agreed. Secretly, Keldor told Evilyn, the young girl, that he would teach her to be more subtle and secretive, more a scalpel than a hammer!

Soon after Evilyn joined Keldor at Eternos City, an event occurred that would change the course of Keldor and Eternia’s destiny forever.