The Spear of Ilmarinenex

Once, long ago, there lived a dragon whose thirst for power knew no bounds. Originally Ilmarinenex was a good ruler of the dragons in his realm and he was well respected, trusted by all the dragons and bipeds in the land. But eventually power corrupted him. Even the other dragons grew to fear this leader and would do his bidding knowing that to refuse would be to risk his teeth in their throat.

One day Ilmarinenex decided to demand payment from the bipeds of his realm, stating that his dragons performed valuable services for them. Indeed, the dragons did chase away any intruders that threatened the realm. This was a service that the humans were very grateful for, since many times they had been invaded. So they agreed to Ilmarinenex's terms.

Eventually as his power grew he subjugated all the bipeds of the realm, elves, dwarves and humans, his demands for gold became demands for slaves and food.

Lugh was a blacksmith who lived on the outskirts of the human town in the shadow of the kings palace. As it happened he had fallen in love with a maiden who had been chosen to be given to the dragons in slavery. The man was infuriated but there was nothing he could do but stand and watch as his dear Aideen was taken away.

A fierce anger burned in his heart that hour as he returned to his smithy, determined to create a weapon to destroy the dragons. Night and day he worked hard, discarding one and then another piece of metal in his search for the perfect weapon. But although he searched the whole realm he could not find iron hard enough to pierce dragon scale.

After a month he collapsed in exhaustion. As he slept he dreamed of finding an old man at his forge. This man was old and yet strong, his beard long and white and he had the manner and appearance of a master smith. Lugh watched as the stranger worked and the man showed him the ways to forge a steel harder than any known before.

When it was finished, the master turned to him and handed him a spear. Lugh hefted it noticing that it's balance and construction were perfect to pierce the hardest scales of a dragon. He turned to thank the stranger but he had vanished.

When he awoke Lugh sprang up and rushed to his forge, stopping only to leave an offering to Odin in gratitude. For a week he worked, constructing the spear of his vision. Finally it was finished. Made of the hardest steel, ironwood and dragon horn, the weapon seemed virtually indestructible.

Then he wrapped it up carefully in a rug so that it would not be seen by anyone and took it to the human king, offering to make many such spears so that the humans could win back their realm.

The king however was reluctant, thinking of the dragons wrath should such an attempt fail. He shook his head, telling Lugh it was too dangerous. After all, the dragons held many humans as slaves, including his own daughter the princess and could easily kill them all. The smith left, feeling discouraged, but determined to go to the elves with his offer.

On his way out someone caught his attention from the shadows. It was a messenger boy called Bek. The boy had a sister who had been taken by the dragons also and he dearly wished to see her freed once more. He told Lugh that most of the dragons were good and did not wish to follow the evil dragon but Ilmarinenex had 4 loyal dragons who served him in keeping the others under his rule.

Bek said he had been to the dragons lair many times to take and deliver messages and that he had overheard that the good dragons would use any opportunity to rebel against their evil ruler. Bek said he knew that many men of the realm would gladly risk their lives to get their family members back if only there was one who would lead them.

Encouraged Lugh returned to his smithy to forge 4 more spears. Then came the fateful day when he gathered a party of his most trusted friends together. With Bek's guidance they climbed the mountain and entered the dragon's lair.

In the battle the good dragons rebelled and all 4 of the evil dragons were slain, their hearts blood weakening the steel of the spears and destroying them as they fell, but Ilmarinenex was only wounded. There was a long chase in which the spear which had lodged in his flesh was pulled free and fell into the forest.

Eventually Ilmarinenex was hunted down and slain by the townsfolk to the gratitude of the rest of the realm. The slaves were freed and the good dragons made a pact of peace with the bipeds of the realm.

However, the one surviving spear had vanished mysteriously. Some say the good dragons took it to keep it safe. Others say the dwarves or the elves have it. To this day its location is a well kept secret.