My own fan-lore of Golden Axe. I like to imagine if I ever make the game GoldEdge, with gameplay inspired from
Brütal Legend, I can imagine something of the likes of
Artifacts of Legends which tells you the story through chapters.
(Though I am imagining these monuments similar to
Word Walls but after paying
tributes a mural will reveal itself.)
Titanomachy
Titans fought titans over the land, with Tannin the serpent god who opposed Ymir, the lord of the thundering Earth. The constant war left the land in upheaval and destruction. In the ongoing battle, Ymir is slain. His son [Odin/Thor] takes up the battle against Tannin in vengeance.I'm tempted to use Hyborian Age gods such as
Set instead of Tannin while the Ymir I imagine is different from
Ymir from Conan and
Ymir from Norse mythology. I've yet to decide on a name for [Odin/Thor] other than they are an amalgamation of
Odin and his son
Thor.As for who the titans are, these titans range from giants, dragons and Power Ranger like monsters.
I also like the idea of gods chosen from random old-world religions but using their oldest, most ancient names or identities.
Birth of Man
Ymir was slain by Tannin. As his beloved Yuria weeped over his body, her tears fell onto the earth soaked with his blood. Born from earth, blood and tears, the first humans were created and worshipped Yuria as their mother goddess. Tannin saw no threat from the weak humans, as they were caught in the ongoing destruction of the titanomachy. Yuria called to her son [Odin/Thor] to help the humans.I might change this part. Perhaps make humans come from foreign lands, brought on a turtle. I might go with the idea that the "three races" are born from a combination of divine essences:
Blood = Humans
Sweat = Dwarves
Tears = Elves
But it depends on what I'll go with.
The Trial
Ymir's death did not end the titanomachy as the wars continue to shatter the mountains, break the earth and torrent the oceans, monsters plagued the world and humanity were subjugated to these horrors. Yuria pleaded with the [Odin/Thor] to help them. He agreed if they could tame the great dragon and take its gold, then he would help them.Well, he's not just going to give it to them, isn't he?
The Great DragonI've yet to imagine how this story comes out, but you have a dragon with a horde of gold. It might also be a telling of the origin story of the Amazons and their worship of the Great Dragon. Instead of dragon slaying or enslaving it the warrior humans earn the Great Dragon's respect and the Great Dragon willingly agree to what [Odin/Thor] have in mind for the humans.
Making of the Weapon
With the Great Dragon's fire heating the forge, its gold was melted down and forged into a blade. With [Odin/Thor]'s thunderous hammer, the heated metal was tamed. Imbued with the Great Dragon's fire, [Odin/Thor]'s thunder and Yuria's blessings, the Golden Axe was made. A weapon powerful enough for a mortal to challenge a titan.
A hero was chosen to wield the axe and to challenge Tannin.As for the name of the hero, I've yet to decide. Possibly an ancestor to the royal family.
The Age of Gods
The holy weapon embued by the power of gods, the hero of man slays Tannin. Tannin vows that as long as man or titan worship the serpent and spread its venom, its spirit will live on as god. With the titanomachy at an end, the children of Yuria take over the lands and name them after her, worshipping the spirits of former titans as gods.I always figure that "gods" in a way were sort of "ultimate spirits", that even though mortals claim they govern both spiritual and material aspects of our reality it's only after death we may get to meet them, thus while gods can meet and influence mortals they're still bound to the spiritual-side of reality. Thus, the term "shedding off the mortal coil" can mean either death or ascension to a spiritual or divine state.
The Folly of Men
The axe was passed from champion to champion. However, countless battles took place to gain possession of the axe. It was not until the axe returned to the royal family of Yuria that it was commissioned for a vault to be built under the castle and the axe to lay there to rest. The dwarves who built the vault kept the oath of secrecy. Thus, the stories of the Golden Axe pass down to legends.Pretty much the same backstory from the games. It was also around this time that Dark Guld came into conscious within the axe. Dark Guld being a manifestation of every time the Golden Axe was used for wicked intent.
Golden Axe
The warlord Death Adder found the hidden vault of the Golden Axe. He raided the castle and slain the royal family to get to it. Gillius Thunderhead took the infant princess to the jungle of the Amazon warriors and ask them to keep her. A second child from the raid was found and taken into the village of Fyrwüd. The children grew into mighty warriors. United with Gillius the three braved across Death Adder's legion and defeated Death Adder.I simply renamed the village of Firewood to "Fyrwüd". I mean, a bronze-age village named Firewood is pretty much asking for it with a name like that. At least, my respelling of it sounds the same and looks more old-fashioned.
I also dunno if Ax battler and Tyris Flare should be brother and sister. It seems they're both evacuees from when Death Adder raised the castle. It's either that or Ax Battler had nothing to do with it until Death Adders men made firewood of Firewood.
This is all I thought up so far. While my take on Yuria will have common fantasy elements like dragons, elves, dwarves etc, I strive to keep it a
hyborian,
Bronze Age Europe, barbarian.
Sword and Sorcery aesthetic in culture and architecture. If you end up with knights and grand castles, King Arthur and the likes, (like in
Ax Battle: ALoGA) then you've gone too far ahead.
