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This article contains spoilers from The Battle of Hackham Heath
This article contains spoilers from The Tournament at Gorlan
This article contains spoilers from The Lost Stories
This article contains spoilers from The Burning Bridge
This article contains spoilers from The Ruins of Gorlan
This article contains spoilers



Morgarath was a senior Araluen knight and baron. Unsatisfied with his position as the baron of Gorlan Fief, he attempted a coup. He arranged for Prince Duncan to be kidnapped, held King Oswald captive, and forged documents naming himself heir of Araluen. The coup was foiled by a group of Rangers, who rescued the two royals and helped expose his plans. However, Morgarath fled the country before he could be tried with a large band of followers, taking up residence in the Mountains of Rain and Night.

There, he came into contact with the Wargals and the Kalkara. He began training the Wargals to use as an army, while the Kalkara were deployed as assassins.

After fifteen years in exile, Morgarath launched another invasion on the kingdom, leading his forces against the Araluen Army on the Plains of Uthal. As he began to lose the battle, Morgarath called for a truce, during which he was challenged to single combat by Horace Altman. To everyone's shock, however, Horace won, killing Morgarath and ending the war.

History[]

At some point in time, Morgarath rose to the position of baron of Gorlan Fief and eventually began to plot against King Oswald for the throne. As the king grew older and weaker, he appointed a group of barons, led by Morgarath, as his ruling council.[1][2] The council managed to convince Oswald that Duncan was unready to rule, resulting in Oswald sending him to a remote northeastern fief.[3] As well as the ambitious nobles who rallied around him, a good number of Morgarath's troops and staff appeared to have been aware of their lord's plans to take power. Among his soldiers was a young nobleman named Foldar, who Morgarath had sheltered after Foldar fled his family's own lands after killing both his parents and enlisted into his service. Though unconfirmed, given the current status of political upheaval within the country, with Morgarath and his Baron followers effectively controlling Araluen through King Oswald, Morgarath might have used his influence to ensure the murders of Foldar's parents went unknown by the king

Knowing the Rangers posed a serious threat, Morgarath had Ranger Commandant Nicholl banished[4] and successfully lobbied to have Stilson installed as his replacement.[5] Under his command, the Ranger Corps became a social club for young nobles, who bought commissions to get a silver oakleaf.[6]

In 617 C.E., Morgarath began hosting the Gorlan Tournament. He won the Golden Spur trophy consecutively from 623-625 C.E., before being defeated by a young Baron Arald in 626 C.E..[7]

The Tournament at Gorlan[]

With only twelve Rangers left in the land, Morgarath had Duncan captured by and held in Castle Wildriver, which was under the command of one of Morgarath's most well-known supporters, Sir Eammon, while a mercenary in Morgarath's pay named Tiller began terrorizing northern villages and raiding across the border into Picta under the alias of Duncan.

Morgarath had one of his agents slip poison into King Oswald’s wine in a feigned assassination attempt, convincing the king to move into the ‘safety’ of Castle Gorlan. Afterwards, he finally replaced the last twelve of the Corp. As more news of “Duncan’s” crimes arrived, King Oswald grew more and more bewildered. Eventually, he decided to leave Castle Gorlan and ride north to confront his son. However, Morgarath told him that his time as ruler had ended and that Oswald would disinherit Duncan and name Morgarath his new heir, to Oswald's outrage. Morgarath then revealed that Duncan was in fact being held by one of his followers and his life depended on King Oswald’s actions. King Oswald then became a hostage, rather than a guest, guarded by Morgarath’s loyal men and being unknowingly poisoned by a kitchen maid named Nelly under the manipulations of Morgarath's kitchenmaster.

The Tournament at Gorlan (AUS)

Morgarath astride Warlock in the Golden Spur Jousting Tournament

Later on, Teezal informs him that Leander, the former Ranger of Dacton Fief, had been recruited by Crowley and Halt and that there were rumors that Rangers Berrigan of Weslon and Egon of Seacliff had also joined forces with the them. However, he does not know their plans, and Morgarath eventually decides that four or five Rangers would not endanger his plans. They briefly discuss the history of Wargals.

Morgarath prepares to announce the king disowning Duncan at the tournament, in front of the assembled Council of Barons. Due to King Oswald’s continued refusal to disown Duncan, Morgarath simply steals the Royal Seal to signify the declaration as legitimate.

On the day of the tournament, Captain Teezal informs Morgarath of Tiller’s current status as a prisoner of Baron Arald, much to Morgarath rage. Deciding Tiller’s current status was a threat, Morgarath orders Teezal to assassinate him.

As the jousting contest commences, Morgarath is recklessly challenged by Sir Wallace of Belconnen. Striding out of his pavilion, Morgarath contemptuously scans Wallace, observing the knights fresh face, unmarked by any battle scars, which he sneeringly thinks to himself would change soon. Finally, in a dismissive and bored voice, Morgarath asks Wallace what he wanted and allows the silence to stretch to an uncomfortable length before he sardonically asks if it was indeed, which takes Wallace aback. Finally, Morgarath mutters his acceptance before repeating it in a shout as Wallace asks him to repeat it, telling the young knight to meet him on the jousting field in thirty minutes.

During the jousting contest between Morgarath and Wallacae, Morgarath nearly unseats Wallace on the first pass, even though Wallace recovers. He unseats him on the second pass too, but rather than stopping, advances on a defenseless Wallace, drawing his longsword. Morgarath says that Wallace had not yet forfeited and the battle must therefore continue, but is stopped by Baron Arald. Thinking quickly, Morgarath claims to have heard to boy cry continue. When Arald mouths the word “liar”, Morgarath secretly promises to kill Arald.

As the Grand Melee commences, Morgarath orders Teezal, who was leading the red team, to attack specific opponents who were either supporting Arald or bending to Arald’s camp. However, the Grand Melee ends in defeat for Morgarath.

Later, Morgarath challenges Arald to a duel. After failing to unseat Arald on the first pass, Morgarath deliberately picks a disguised killing lance, unseating Arald. Morgarath draws his longsword, only to be stopped by a disguised Duncan. He accuses Morgarath of using an illegal war lance. Morgarath orders his crossbowmen to kill him, only to be stopped as the Rangers reveal themselves and for Duncan to reveal himself.

After a brief fight, Duncan disarms him. Morgarath calls the prince a traitor and demands his right to speak in front of the assembled barons. Seeing Teezal nearby, Morgarath orders him to get the proclamation naming him the new heir and to assemble their men. Duncan exposes Morgarath's crimes, but is unable to provide evidence. Duncan reminds everyone of how Morgarath had attempted to kill Arald with an illegal war lance, but Morgarath claims he had no knowledge of it and reminds him that he had all his lances weighed with lead so they weighed the same as a war lance.

Teezal returns with the proclamation and Morgarath orders him to kill Oswald. Morgarath announces that the proclamation disinherited Duncan and proclaimed Morgarath his new heir. Baron Naylor (a supporter of his) reads the scroll and proclaims it true. However, King Oswald arrives and tells the crowd that Morgarath had stolen his seal and attached it to a false document after keeping him prisoner, though Morgarath denies it. Duncan orders the Rangers to arrest the baron, but Morgarath calls the warriors Teezal had summoned to battle.

Morgarath address the crowd, telling them that he will answer to their charges and bring up his own, but only before the full Council of Barons. He also declares that he would await the council's assembly in his own castle, not in the dungeons of Castle Araluen, and returns to the castle with his warriors.

As the council gathers, Castle Gorlan is surrounded by a small army of warriors provided by the Barons. However, Morgarath and his followers escaped via a secret passage located within the kitchens and fled into the Mountains of Rain and Night. As they fled, the rebels were ambushed by Pritchard, who was eventually killed outside the escape tunnel.

After months of searching, Morgarath was finally able find the Wargals and lure a chieftain to his cave, and establish mental communication. After some time, they were able to communicate by sending images to one another, and Morgarath convinces it that Duncan would attack them, while Morgarath would protect them. The Wargal chieftain kneeled before him, placing Morgarath's right hand on its head, bowing before him.

At an unknown point in time afterwards, he found the three Kalkara, seducing them with vast amounts of silver, which they held a endless fascination for, in return for their services as assassins. He also began rebuilding his army of humans by recruiting willing human followers from the merciless bands of thieves, murderers, traitors, bandits and criminals that haunted the mountains' deeps.

The Battle of Hackham Heath[]

With the Wargals under his control and the Kalkara in his service, Morgarath began preparing to invade Araluen and take the throne, this time by simple force. However, it soon became clear that ruthless, pitiless and determined as his Wargals were, they held a fear of horses so deeply ingrained into the race that, upon contact with a horse, they would revert back to their natural nature, forcing Morgarath to hinder his plans for invasion as he attempted to train the fear out of his beastial soldiers by having his captains ride though the Wargals as they trains to cause the Wargals to grow accustomed to the sight of horses. To keep his activities secret, Morgarath had his human troops build and occupy rows of fortifications through Three Step Pass, which provided the only pass between the two lands, although rumours of the semi-humaniod beings recruition still made their way down from the pass. Meanwhile, in Araluen, King Oswald, who had never really recovered from his abusive imprisonment in Castle Forlan, passed away during a bitterly cold spell, leaving Duncan the new king. Wishing to deny the rogue baron any potential headquarters in Araluen, Duncan, with the help of a team of Celtic Miners, ordered for Castle Gorlan's destruction and had Gorlan Fief divided between two neighbouring Fiefs. Duncan also placed a company of infantry posted on the Plains of Uthal, which lay before Three Step Pass. Despite this, Three Step remained firmly under his control and Morgarath, on several occasions, used the pass to slip down into Araluen to make contact with many of the "fence-sitters", which included many of his former supporters. While some, like Cordell and Meagher, turned the former baron away because of his role in their humiliation, others, such as Peller, received him most cordially when he called on them.

In order to conserve his human followers, Morgarath began replacing his Three Step Pass guards with Wargals.

more coming soon

Wargal

A Wargal, which he used in both his invasions

The Ruins of Gorlan[]

In The Ruins of Gorlan Morgarath sends the Kalkara to kill two important lords, Northolt and Lorriac, who would play key roles if war was to break out between his Wargal army and Araleun. To hide the two Kalkaras' infiltration of the kingdom, he sends a small force of Wargals to overrun the centuries stationed at Three Step Pass. He also uses the confusion to make contact with Oberjarl Ragnak in order to enlist the Skandians for the incoming war, promising them a share of the wealth they would gain from it. He then sends the Kalkara after Halt in revenge for the Ranger's part in his downfall during the first war; despite their best attempts, the Ranger mortally wounds one, Sir Rodney and Baron Arald finish it off. Will then kills the last one with a flaming arrow after, Arald and Rodney wound the beast and Arald is then injured, and Rodney paralyzed by it.

The Burning Bridge[]

With his assassins dead, Morgarath takes more aggressive action and makes his move, attacking Araluen. Unbeknownst to the Araluens, Morgarath sends his Wargals out to Celtica, which he apparently maintained a spy network in, and has the local miners enslaved. He then uses these slaves to build a bridge across the Fissure which separates Celtica and the Mountains of Rain and Night, enabling him to march his army across it and attack King Duncan's army from the rear in the upcoming battle.

Will, Gilan and Horace, who are sent on a diplomatic mission to Celtica, discover his plans when Cassandra finds them and tells them of it. Gilan takes the news back to the Araluen army. Morgarath then marches on King Duncan's army with his Wargals and the mercenary Skandians who he hired to fight for him.

When Will and Cassandra are captured by the Skandians, Morgarath recognizes Will as a Ranger due to his bronze oakleaf and is furious, as a Ranger played a major part in his downfall previously.

In the main battle Halt leads a surprise attack on the Skandian troops who were sent to ambush the Araluen army from behind, dealing a severe blow to his plan. Once the Wargal army from Celtica is repelled, cavalry is sent into the Wargal lines, devastating them and sending them retreating toward Three Step Pass. Morgarath then raises a white flag, but challenges Halt to a duel in a last attempt at revenge. The Ranger is ready to accept it, particularly when Morgarath reveals he has Will captured. The former Baron was further elated when, upon seeing the concern and fury Halt showed when he revealed he had Will in his custody, he concludes the boy he had captured was the apprentice of Halt himself. Suddenly, Horace charges out and throws a gauntlet into the former Baron's face, as slapping someone worth a glove is issuing a challenge to him. Morgarath, seeing he is only a boy, accepts and the two fight.

Horace uses unorthodox tactics and the Double Knife Defence which Gilan taught him in Celtica and after getting hit multiple times by Morgarath horse, manages to kill Morgarath, making him a hero.

The Lost Stories[]

Death of a Hero[]

Morgarath is only mentioned during the battle and doesn't actually appear.

The Hibernian[]

Morgarath appears as he was before the First Araluen Civil War. He meets with Crowley and Halt after the two bring in a group of his knights who were harassing a tavern owner and one of his serving girls.

Morgarath promised to punish them then tries to persuade Halt to join him. Halt declines, aware that Morgarath is not a person to be trusted. This angers Morgarath but Halt and Crowley quickly depart from Castle Gorlan. Towards the end Crowley is attacked by five of Morgarath's soldiers and is about to be killed but Halt quickly appears on the scene and helps his new friend to fight them off. The two then agree to find King Duncan and revive the Ranger Corps to bring down Morgarath.

Appearance[]

Morgarath has a "a low voice, with a slight snakelike sibilance" , his eyes where "black pools" and he had 'unnatural peripheral vision' . He is extremely tall, noted to "tower over" Erak. He was said to be thin and clean shaven, with an extremely pale complexion and "dead white" hair and a red gash of a mouth. In contrast to his deathly pale appearance, he wears all black. He stoops, giving the impression of a vulture and rides a bone-white battlehorse horse that assists him in his duel with Horace in The Burning Bridge.

Morathath carries a long broadsword and shield into combat. He prefers to fight on horseback.

Dark lord morgarath by renmoraes-d54vjvq

An artist's rendition of Lord Morgarath.

Personality[]

Morgarath is an ambitious man, letting nothing stand in the way of him getting what he wants.  He is also pitiless and cruel as shown when he is willing to fight Horace to the death in the Burning Bridge despite Horace being only a boy and also shown when he cares nothing for the people he has enslaved such as the Celtic miners and his Wargal army. Neither does he care for those under him, as a showed not a flicker of sadness over the death of Stott and sent Wargals to murder Dirk Reacher, who's death he used the further his plans, certainly without a flicker of remorse. Years of feeding of his anger and bitterness eventually drove him mad, although this did not interfere with his cunning and intelligence.

In The Lost Stories. even more is revealed of his personality.  His ruthlessness is displayed when he tries to have Halt and Crowley killed but he is also shown to be clever and knows a potentially dangerous enemy. as shown when he tries to convince Halt to join him..

Trivia[]

  • Rumors around Araluen say that Horace chopped his head off with a flaming sword.

References[]

  1. The Hibernian, chapter 1 - "But now he was old and weak and his mind was going. He had accepted a group of ambitious barons as his ruling council. Initially, they were appointed to take care of the day-to-day matters of ruling the Kingdom and to relieve him of the repetitive, annoying minutiae that came across his desk every day. But as time went on, they encroached more and more into the important decisions, until Oswald was little more than a rubber stamp to their rulings."
  2. The Hibernian, chapter 1 - "But the council, led by a charismatic and scheming baron named Morgarath, had undermined his position with his father."
  3. The Hibernian, chapter 1 - "Oswald became convinced that his son was unready to rule. His council told him that the Prince was too impulsive and too inexperienced for the job. Believing them, Oswald had posted his son to a fief in the far northeast of the Kingdom."
  4. The Tournament at Gorlan, chapter 8 - "'He began by having Nicholl, the Commandant, accused of treachery and disloyalty to the crown. It was a trumped-up charge, of course, but Morgarath produced witnesses who swore to Nicholl’s guilt. He was found guilty and banished.'"
  5. The Tournament at Gorlan, chapter 8 - "'Morgarath lobbied to have his own choice as Commandant installed, a man named Stilson. He had no particular skills, other than the ability to toady to Morgarath. Since he's been commandant, the Corps has become nothing more than a glorified social club. The members don't train, they don’t practice their skills. They don't have any skills, as a matter of fact. They simply enjoy the prestige and power that comes with being a Ranger.'"
  6. The Hibernian, chapter 3 - "'These days, the Ranger Corps is little more than a social drinking club for lazy young nobles. There’s no training, no apprenticeships. You buy your way in now.'"
  7. The Tournament at Gorlan - "'The Gorlan tournament is the most prestigious in Araluen. It’s held in the first week of Fourthmonth. Morgarath has been hosting it for the past ten years. He’s won the Golden Spur trophy three out of the past four-'"
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