Battle of the Paps of Deana

The Seven Paps of Deana

In the summer of 2558 A.T, a deed of arms occurred in the region of Uberia, near one of the rude memorials of the aboriginal inhabitants of Chalace. It was a circle of Druidical stones vulgarly called, The Seven Paps of Deana. Some clergy claim this Deana is our Saint Orthia, and hold the site to be a holy one.

Olek Onisimov, a courageous man-at-arms, was captain of a company of the renowned horsemen known as Rygar's Riders. He commanded around a score of lances who went marauding through Zarya and Chalace and advanced as far west as the Wreck of Erbourg. They held merchants passing through these lands in the grip of such fear that none dared to venture out except with great stealth. This angered the knights and squires of Erewhon and they resolved to find a solution to the best of their ability or else be killed or captured by their enemies in the fields. They gathered and assembled around two hundred lance in the Harpyian Heath, since it was the region Onisimov and his troop most often harassed. From Erewhon there were Sir Laur von Folsberg, the fierce sergeant Fridl Fraidenberger, and many others who were eager to meet their enemies. Through their spies these captains knew that Onisimov was riding towards Erewhon on the hunt for loot.

Accordingly they got themselves ready as well they were able and set out along the road of Crinos, all well armed and mounted. Upon one dawn, Onisimov and his company arrived near a great stretch of bog and marshland through which ran a stream called Dianbec. Above the bog, on a rise of grassland, stood the Stones of Deana. From the road nearby the Erewhonais appeared and advanced on their wing with more than two hundred lance; Onisimov's troop were taken completely unawares. The Erewhonais charged at their enemies with all speed, lances raised, and the first assault brought many of them to the ground. It was a fierce encounter and a hard battle which went on for a long time, for they were fighting hand to hand and violently thrusting their lances wherever they touched, until they were out of breath. Many great deeds of arms were performed there. Finally, the Erewhonais gained ground; Onisimov's troop were defeated and all killed or routed, and Olek withdrew alone into a bog.

There the enemy fell on him, shouting, Death to him! When he heard those words, Olek waded back through the Dianbec to his enemy, and he drew the fine, long sword of his grandfather, called Donarsdin, or Thunder Clap, forged of a fallen star. Olek glared at his foes furiously, shouting, Wild flash split abroad the thunder-crash! Then there was thunder most horrible, and Olek began to skirmish and open up a space around him.

It was a great spectacle to behold and none dared approach him. Some of them advanced, but with each blow he rained down on them he cut off a foot or a head, an arm or a leg. There were none so brave as to be unafraid of him, and there in the water Olek Onisimov performed so many marvelous feats of arms, but there were over two hundred of those scoundrels. They threw and launched objects at him and he was completely disarmed. Yet he had killed twelve of them outright, not counting those whom he maimed and wounded. Finally Olek was brought to the ground; his legs and arms were cut off and they dismembered him a piece at a time. That was the end of Olek Onisimov, which was a great pity, and all the host of Rygar were deeply enraged when they heard the news.

Olek's head had been struck off in the fray, and Sir Laur had it carried to Zarya and sheathed in molten gold, and presented to Olek's son, Velibor. But the other pieces of Olek's body Sir Laur had laid to rest in the centre of the Seven Paps, and his great sword, the Donarsdin, was interred with him. Then obsequies were performed there with as much reverence and honour as if Olek had been von Folsberg's own son.

Donarsdin