Description
Fight Until the Day Is Won
From Caledon — the hard land beyond the Wall — rose Syr Raghnar, the Bear Knight. So named for the deed of his youth, when he faced a dire-bear that had taken a hundred men. Alone he slew it, and from its hide he cut his mantle, and from its name took his byname.
In time he became the greatest warrior in Caledon. With his lands at peace, he turned to wider designs, believing that binding Caledon to the southern Realm would bring lasting protection and open new markets for his shipyards. He also encouraged settlement in the western isles of Erynrath, not foreseeing the great tide that would later flow in reverse.
To Raghnar, the incomers’ poverty and ritual were poisons; he scorned the mystics of the Green and their faith-bound code, teaching instead that honest work was the truest prayer of man. Inevitably these opposing creeds brought confrontation with the beggar-host, and as they grew in strength, open conflict followed. Their wars were among the most brutal in the chronicles, yet neither side could wholly overcome the other. An uneasy equilibrium prevailed — industry against devotion, hammer against hymn.
Then came the ruin. Through sly lenders and faithless stewards the coffers of House Raghnar ran, astonishingly, dry. Unable to meet his debts and with his honour in tatters, he was stripped of rank and cast into exile. Yet his followers remained loyal, keeping alive the hope of his return. And in time he did return, rebuilding his domain from desolation. Now, as his strength gathers once more, he stands as the only native lord of Caledon able to face the Green Host on equal terms.
This artwork is part of the Knights of Football series. It is an independent creative work and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or licensed by Rangers FC or the Scottish Professional Football League.
