The Dragon of Halkyn Mire

The earliest Documented sighting of the DRAGON dates from the time of KING OGDEN IV. In the year 822 the KING and his Entourage were camped on a hill over looking HALKYN MIRE which in those days was called YAROLFSMARCH, or YAROLFS BOG when they sighted “a gret grene beest, arising from yonder swamp. Fuly 2 score paces long and serpentin was its crop. Wings sprout’d forth of its back and noxios fumes erupt’d from its mouth. The King comand’d all to slay the fell beest and Adain of Meklsbeg, Son of Andar the Proud did bravely step forth and struck the gret wyrm with his sord, which was caled ‘the moromond’ were upon a shower of pestilence erupt’d from the dragon’s funel and Adain fel as if struk with a hamer. The King drew forth his own sord, which was named ‘Anraxar’ and the royal house atack’d the creatur which fled into the sea”.
This Account was recorded by the Nun Sasha of FULKINGTOR who goes on to list Fourteen Honourable Persons present at the Sighting, including KING OGDEN IV, QUEEN Sybella, Four EARLS, the BISHOP of TAKSHENDAL and the visiting DUKE of CASILICUS and his Entourage.

The next known sighting of The DRAGON occurred over Two Hundred Years later in the years 1002 to 1007 when Peasants in the Region complained to the EARL of OVERMORE of missing Sheep. Several people came forth to report having witnessed The DRAGON flying overhead. Different accounts led the EARL to conclude the stories were Fabrications but on 13th Augusta 1006, The DRAGON was sighted by the EARLS Own House Guards. Their report was Scribed thus by Aurelian FENBOCKLE “A Winding, Beast, much as a Snake with Wings, that Coiled and Writhed across the Sky and Struck down at the land with its Tail. It was described as being some Thirty Feet in Length, shimmering Green and Bronze with Dark Spines on its back”.

Over the course of the next few Centuries, stories of The DRAGON continued to reach the Kings of TAKSHENDAL and some where around 1266; KING HAROLF TRUE HEART undertook to put an end to The DRAGON once and for all. In the ages since, this story has become known as The TALE of TRUEHEART and The DRAGON and details vary considerably. The only Contemporary Account was recorded by the LADY Ingeborg GRAMBELINE of OVERMORE, the Daughter of EARL Lorran of OVERMORE who wrote down her Fathers Account.
“The KING with FORTY KNIGHTS and some Five Hundred Men-at-Arms ventured out onto the DALES and set camp. There was a great Excitement amongst the assembled Warriors as the KING had Promised a Purse of 100 Golden Marks to whom ever dealt the Fatal Blow to The DRAGON and many riders scoured the hills and valleys searching for The DRAGON. Suddenly on the Day of the Feast of St STEFANNY The DRAGON Attacked the King and a few close Companions who had ventured to search the Swamp. The DRAGON slew SIR Raymond DASHFERN and SIR Tremlain DOXFOR before the KING dealt it a Mortal Blow and it fled back into the Swamp never to be seen again.”

This Account, which differs considerably from those told by Common Storytellers (See below), is rendered Suspect as The DRAGON continued to be seen by Numerous Peasants and Gentle Folk over the course of the next many years. Whether the King really did slay a DRAGON in the Swamp is Unknown. It is possible that more than one Dragon lived, or lives in the Swamp, but no one has ever reported seeing Two DRAGONS. It is more likely that given his inability to find the Creature, KING HAROLF TRUE HEART actually Fabricated his Fight with The DRAGON in order to Conceal his Failure.

The MONK and SCHOLAR Andmar of WARDLE wrote about the incident in 1440 pointing out that the two dead KNIGHTS lent credibility to the Original Story as they undoubtedly Died, but an Interesting and oft Ignored aspect of the Account is that neither of these Two KNIGHTS were frequent at the Royal Court, though both were related to the KING. It is not above the Realms of Possibility that their Deaths were Politically Motivated and the Tale of the DRAGON was a Convenient Bluff to deflect blame from the KING. This would have been apparent to many at the time, but no one would have been foolish enough to make public any such observation. As it is, the Theory remains Conjecture.

The DRAGON is not Recorded again in any known Document until the winter of 1390 when a Skavvian Raider floundered in the Mouth of the River MARNE and all but one of its crew Perished. The only Survivor of the wreck was picked up by fishermen from MELL and brought back to the village where a local (anonymous) MONK wrote down his Testament. The man was almost dead, but he managed to live long enough to tell the MONK that his ship had been Destroyed by what he described as a DRECKAR. He described The DRAGON as being very Long and very Fast and of having been lurking in the Estuary of the River COLNE.

In 1432 The DRAGON carried out its most Infamous Attack on the CONVENT of St AUGUSTA in the DISTRICT of MEKLSBEG. During the Night of the 16th May ABBESS Arkela MOLEMOUND was woken up by a Great Commotion. She later recalled what happened in an Account of the Attack: “Several Sisters came unto me and Cried that The DRAGON of HALKYN was upon us. I ran out to the Cloister where upon I saw The DRAGON high in the air above us. Flames Spat and Dripped from its mouth and its Body, long and sinuous whirled and coiled in the air. It had two great Bat like wings and its tail was tipped with a dark Arrow-head shaped Horn. Sister Lavinia Was standing near by me and The DRAGON swooped down and fell upon her. I was overcome with noxious vapours and fell to the ground. The DRAGON Breathed Flames and its Breath set Fire to the Buildings. It had no Voice, no Roar like a Bear or Cry like a Bird. The only Sound it made was the Crackling of Flame from its Muzzle and a Constant Whirring Sound from its Body. Its Eyes were Terrible to behold for they shone brightly like twin suns. It Smote the Gate House and Destroyed it and Breathed Fire on all who moved. I lay Petrified in Shock and so I was ignored and I saw The DRAGON take flight once more. It leapt into the sky and Vanished.”

Only a few NUNS survived the Attack on the CONVENT of St AUGUSTA but they all supported ABBESS Arkela MOLEMOUND’s account. Further witnesses from the surrounding farms also reported seeing The DRAGON flying above the Burning CONVENT, though none saw whence it flew. Every account at the time was collected by Andmar of WARDLE who was the foremost expert on the OCCULT in those days and who compiled the first Major Book on the Subject of MYSTERIOUS CREATURES. Andmar of WARDLE was a Contemporary of the ABBESS Arkela MOLEMOUND and saw no reason to discredit her Account.

After 1432 The DRAGON disappeared from First Hand Written Accounts. The local Peasantry continue to report sightings of The DRAGON but these are largely discounted by most Authorities.

Most Accounts describe The DRAGON as being Green and Bronze in colour with dark Wings. It is said to be 30 Yards in length and with dark Spines along its back. Its Head is said to be an Elongated Wedge shape with a Long Mouth and most accounts tell of a long Tail tipped with a Darkened Horn. Some people describe The DRAGON as Glowing or dripping Fire from its Mouth. Others also describe it as Flying with a Curious Swirling Motion.

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The TALE of TRUEHEART and The DRAGON

Once Upon a Time, The Great DRAGON of HALKYN MIRE stole away the Young LADY AN of HARTORAK and Great KING HAROLF rode forth on his Steed to do Battle with The DRAGON of HALKYN. For One Hundred Days the KING and His KNIGHTS rode back and forth amongst The DALES seeking the Great Wyrm of CHAOS which fled from them. Finally however they tracked The DRAGON to a Cave in a Hill where from issued a Cloud of Poison. The Hill was Known as CARYN’S HILL and there was a Tower at its Summit.

KING HAROLF drew Forth his Sword and Led the Charge but The DRAGON came forth and Spewed Fire and The KING’S Retinue Fled from the Field of Battle leaving TRUE HEARTED KING HAROLF to face The DRAGON alone. The Mighty KING did not hesitate but pressed on, chasing The DRAGON up the Hill to the Tower where he spied the LADY AN of HARTORAK at a high window.

The DRAGON climbed the Tower and Spouted Fire at KING HAROLF. The Brave KING held up his Shield and Threw a Lance at The Dragon which became so Enraged that it Slithered down the Tower again and Attacked the Noble KING.

TRUEHEART and The DRAGON Fought for a Long Time atop CARYN’S HILL and Neither could gain any advantage over the other. Finally, The Fair Virgin climbed down from the Tower and threw a Rock at The DRAGON. The DRAGON was not Hurt but it turned in Surprise and The KING saw his moment and plunged his Sword deep into The DRAGON’S Neck. A Cankerous Bile burst from the Terrible Creature and it Writhed in Agony, lashing its Tail against the Tower and Destroying it. The Tower fell into Ruin over The DRAGON and buried it.

KING HAROLF BRAVE HEART and the LADY AN of HARTORAK Returned to TAKSHENDAL where they Married and Lived Happily Ever After.

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