THE GREAT VOLCANO OF BELAERN ISLE

As a humble Scribe and Sage of Stormfront, I will attempt to make this
history of "The Great Volcano" as accurate as I possibly can. The tale that
follows is a montage of facts, rumors and legends that I have collected over
several years and put together into what I believe to be the most comprehensive
and concise history of Belaern Isles most prominate feature.
Legend has it that the Great Volcano simply "was" in the begining. A
feature that the Great God Baldrick created long ago with the world. In those
early beginings the volcano was nothing more than a mere crack in the crust of
the ocean bed. It grew, and as it grew it thrust itself up above the surface
of what is now known as the Sword Sea. As living beings began to populate its
surface it was called "The Birth Mother" and tales handed down through the
generations speak of the other five Isles born from the Birth Mother. In total
six isles were created that now comprise what is commonly referred to as Hoerk.
It was during the early surface years that the inhabitants learned of the
Fire Goddess Hoera. Hoera was a bitter and indifferent Goddess for the most
part, and required of her early worshipers the sacrifice of a young male
warrior on the eve of the new moon which must also be the date of the warriors

birth. As time marched ever forward the worshiping population grew and
prospered under Hoera's realm, and a great city was built upon the rim of her
home, The Great Volcano of Belaern. The city was known as the "City of the
Holy."
The City of the Holy prospered and grew as the citizens continued to
please Hoera with their devotion and sacrifices. During this time Hoera the
Goddess of Fire showered gifts upon her minions and the wealthy knew great
comfort and pleasures. It was during this time that the Ash Dragon's were
domesticated and became rather popular with the rich and powerful as pets.
It was also during this time of prosperity that the Raging One, Grimbrand:
Overlord of Storms and Destruction began to court Hoera and continually drew
her attentions to himself and away from her people. While distracted, the
Minions of Hoera began to become corrupt, and oft times threw goats into her
home, clad in the finest armour, to trick her into thinking the sacrifices
were continuing. Hoera returned one day to find her power waining due to false
sacrifice, and flew into a destructive rage, a rage she learned well from
Grimbrand. In her rage, Hoera activated the Great Volcano and consumed the
entire City of the Holy for their betrayal. She then forced the volcano to
explode with the power of the sun itself and shower the southern regions with
hot, burning ash ravaging the countryside for miles and creating both the

blood sands and open desert. To serve as a reminder, Hoera vowed that the
Great Volcano would never become inactive, and would rumble with her rage to
warn the survivors that should they betray her again she would rise again
and destroy them all.
It was after this great destruction that Hoera retreated deep within her
home and grieved over both her betrayal and the great sense of loss she had
with the destruction of her followers. She shunned the attentions of Grimbrand
and withdrew completely from the outside world. As she grieved, for reasons
Hoera was totally unaware of until it was far too late, legions of evil beings
moved into the lesser traveled areas of The Great Volcano. To this day, foul
beings wander across the surface of the volcano jealiously guarding what they
now consider their home by slaying any who would dare enter. Some say it was
Grimbrand that moved in these legions to keep watch over his love, others
whisper of a great and powerful Drow Sorceror-Warrior known as Rakmar
Horgashax who is the cause of the legions. As some would tell it, Rakmar
stole secretly into the volcano by chance, discovered Hoera in her weakened
state, and enslaved her through many cunning and magical traps. They say that
Rakmar to this day continues to rule the entire domain of Hoerk through subtile
and malicious manipulations of the enslaved Fire Goddess.

The Great Volcano of Belaern Isle [ Q to quit ]