Da Hadez Family/The Dark Knight

The Legend of The Dark Knight

An ancient Darkan ballad makes brief mention of a Lord Seth Bluestone; a fierce, single-minded and ruthless warrior. However, other than his prowess in battle little more is known of him.

There is, however, an ancient and obscure story involving Lord Bluestone. Though it is generally dismissed as either fantasy or propaganda by those few who have heard it the tale still retains a tantalizing fascination for those Darkans who study history and theology.

This dark legend claims that Lord Bluestone was killed at the foothills of Mount Sinclair in a bitter battle against long time enemies of Darka. A large raiding party had arrived by sea on the north coast of Darka and sought to desecrate their most holy site. Although Lord Bluestone's small defending force had fought bravely they were overwhelmed and slaughtered. The raiders toppled the holy monoliths, smashed the sacred cairns, defiled the sanctified groves, raped or murdered all who stood in their way and left as swiftly as they had arrived before the bulk of the Darkan army could retaliate.

However, even in death Lord Bluestone's thirst for revenge against these desecrations was so great that he could not bring himself to relinquish his rage and join Darka's blessed ancestors in paradise. Instead he struck a deal with the gods that would allow him to continue his fight. He was returned in secret to the mortal world, accompanied by a handful of other once-great Darkan warriors in order to continue his fight against the enemies of Darka and her gods.

Reborn from the fires of the holy volcano, his armour charred black from it's fires, he assumed the name Seth Da Hadez and rejoined Darka's war against the heathen, keeping his true history and nature secret.

The war was long and brutal, bitter and bloody but the unstoppable fury of his small band of warriors played a vital role in turning the tide in Darka's favour. Eventually Darka prevailed and had her bloody retribution against those who had so willfully defiled her sacred places.

It is said that during this war of holy retribution Seth Da Hadez secretly took a wife and on their one and only night together sowed the seeds of the Da Hadez family.

For the dark and vengeful Seth Da Hadez victory in the war was gained at a terrible price. As his part of his deal with the gods Seth Bluestone had agreed that after victory was achieved in the war against the heretics he and his companions would travel back through the fire of the holy volcano to the underworld. There they would repay their debt to their gods by hunting down those mortals and daemons who had willingly fled there to escape the judgment of the gods. Having refused his chance to enter paradise he would have to remain among the damned until all who had escaped justice have been brought to account, a task that could easily consume an eternity.

It is pure speculation as to whether any slivers of truth exist in this wild tale and many question both it's historical and theological accuracy. It is a matter of historical record, however, that Seth Da Hadez appeared in Darka shortly after that first brutal assault on Mount Sinclair and disappeared as abruptly on the very day that the King of Darka announced victory in the great holy war. In any case the legend of The Dark Knight is known only to a few scholars of history and senior priests. Among the common people of Darka the only fragment of this tale that remains in the common culture is this fearful curse, still heard in many northern Darkan regions..

                         "May the dark knight hunt you in hell."