Part 51: Regarding Tauron, Husband of the Flame, Court Wizard of the Storm Tribes

Regarding Tauron, Husband of the Flame, Court Wizard of the High Kings of the Tribes of the Storm



Tauron's precise origins are, by this date, somewhat shrouded in mystery, for he has been Court Wizard and advisor to the High Kings of the Tribes of the Storm for at least eighty years. Although tales say that his powers over Chaos were lesser earlier in his service, he was still a formidable asset to earlier tribal kings and in fact led to the ascension of Erich the Bold, great-grandfather of the current High King Franz the Redsword, from his position as a simple tribal king of one of the individual Storm Tribes to High King of all the Tribes of the Storm. The songs of the Storm Tribes say that when Erich struck the old High King, Pieter the Burned, with his axe, that the blade of his axe glowed cherry-red and Pieter burst into flames in the midst of his royal hall, perishing screaming. Seeing Erich's skill, courage, and his powerful support in the form of Tauron, the other tribal kings pledged themselves to him as High King, hailing him as rightful overlord.

Tauron himself is feared and revered amongst the Tribes of the Storm, although he often holds himself aloof from simple matters of politics, preferring instead to focus his energies on study and on studying the lore he demands as tribute from every wise man of the tribes. His powers of Chaos have been used to strengthen many tribal warriors, and his ability to directly incinerate enemies is a matter of legend. Tribal legend holds that Tauron holds a special innate spiritual connection to fire, and claims that he will stand unclothed in fires to let their power penetrate his spirit. Though flames do not harm him, the same cannot be said of any garments he may wear! What is beyond question is that he has mastered the skills of preservation of one's own youth which has lay behind the ability to truly solidify skills in magic of historical wizard-lords, having lived far beyond the span of years normally provided to men. I suspect that Horus' youthful vigor indicates that he too has mastered this skill, and at a very early age, but in Tauron's case the fact is absolutely undoubtable. I too have some knowledge of how the years might be staved away, although regrettably few may achieve such a level of skill as to permit them to perform such an act of magic.

Although Tauron concerns himself little with politics, when he does stir himself to advise the High King on a matter, the dread and awe in which he is held renders his advice a factor of the greatest weight with the High King. The High King today himself is a fierce and warlike man, although the advice of Tauron sometimes moderates and sometimes exacerbates these tendencies. What Tauron's motivations may be, he keeps silent, and what pattern lies behind his interventions remains a mystery to all.