Raynor Family

This page details the long and proud history of the Raynor Family.

In ages past, the Raynor family lived in a lost area once called Estolan, not much is known of the exact location of this small but fertile realm, it is known to be somewhere in the south of Atamara and just east of an enchanted woods which were at the time named Doridoom. Allied to the 5 other kingdoms, our ancestors were keen adventurers who fought many wars against all evil forces and amassed a sizable amount of gold and treasure which was kept on display and in vaults under the keep within the main town of Nernioth.

Unfortunately, during the reign of Fargunth the Bold, the realm of Estolan was utterly destroyed along with surrounding realms during the great invasion of the Korcs. Driven by some unspeakable evil, these murderous and vile people destroyed all the lands held by the allied kingdoms, wiping them off the map for hundreds of years.

As a result of the loss of nearly all written records, our history has long been the subject of debate and rumour, much of it clouded in uncertainty. But, important events which are surely more than mere rumour are as follows:

Battle of Thristiem Woods

Stories are often told of the fierce battles between members of the Raynor family particularly in the days following the allies defeat at the Battle of the Dagger, as Korcs flooded into Estolan from the north. On one such occasion three sons of Fargunth the Bold were in a company of not more than 300 men when they were spotted by a horde of over 700 Korcs.

In a cunning feign tactic, at least two hundred men pretended to rout into a nearby woods a top a hill, while the finest troops (including the sons of Fargunth) held their ground well against an impossible force. The trap worked however as no less than 400 of the Orcs left their line and gave chase towards the woods. This allowed the troops who had stayed put to easily defeat the better disciplined of the Korcs who had stayed in line. During this part of the battle, the Orc commander, a hideous creature named Shinriku, was decapitated by Marthru, first son of Fargunth, while the Korc was letting out a terrifying War Cry trying to recall his forces. This let all present at the battle thence know that the Korcs commander was no more.

At the same time, the men at the edge of the woods, turned back and having the high ground were at an advantage to the Korcs who although heavily outnumbering them, were completely out of formation. Although taking heavy casualties, the men stood their ground at the edge of the woods and with the troops accompanying the sons of Fargunth having defeated their part of the opposing army, they then charged the back of the remaining Korc horde.

The Korcs were surrounded and already demoralised from the loss of their commander, were easily cut down by the force of men. By the fall of night, every last one of the hideous Korcs were dead and the surviving 200 men celebrated their victory.

Fall of Estolad

Over the coming years, after the battle of the dagger, thousands upon thousands of Korcs poured into nearby lands and realms, pillaging as they went. Estolan was slowly but surely taken by the Korcs. Fargunth the Bold, who in his twenties had lost his young wife while campaigning in the north, had sworn never to leave Estolan (which he had not done for over 50 years). He stayed true to his oath when he and a force of two thousand men defended the Raynor family's home town of Nernioth which was besieged by thousands of Korcs, rumours even tell of the Korcs being assisted by captured trolls. Little is known of the fate of these brave warriors who no doubt fought valiantly against the horde, but after the inevitable loss of the town, it is believed it was burnt to the ground and all trace of the once beautiful town was either buried or destroyed. No-one has since even found the actual location of Nernioth or the many riches which were once stored there. Or at least if someone did, then it has been kept secret for a very long time, but rumors persist even till this day of the treasures of Nernioth being kept by someone, somewhere.

To Númenor and Back

The siege of Nernioth however allowed the sons of Fargunth and the several thousand connected to the Raynor Family to travel south-west, to the allied kingdom of Asamoth, away from the evil happenings which were emanating from the north. Eventually, when even the lands of Asamoth fell, the few remaining survivors set sail for the tiny island fortress of Túmino. By this time only Tareigth, the youngest of the three sons of Fargunth who left as the single heir to the Raynor family legacy. Here Tareigth and his followers lived for many ages until word came that the Raynor ancestral homeland was free. For it is thought that the very evil which was driving the Korcs' destructive fury, eventually destroyed the Korcs themselves.

A Peaceful Existance

The family has since lived a relatively quiet life. Gone are the days of old when Raynor sons (and occasionally even daughters) did battle with forces aligned to evil. Gone are the days of plundering gold from towns of evil men. But the flame for adventure is still alight somewhere deep down in the hearts of Raynor sons and daughters, for recently several of the younger ones have travelled far and wide, taking up arms for the glory of adoptive realms who fight against those they suspect of being allies to the descendants of the evil Korcs.