The Oath of KÄRNAN

The Legend of the Construction of KÄRNAN and the Origin of the Spell

Eons ago on a dark and moonless night in November, the old King of Denmark died an untimely death, stabbed by his closest confidants while hunting. He was succeeded on the throne by his son Erik, who was a mere 12 years old when he was crowned and began to rule over his father’s kingdom.

Erik swore his coronation oath -- and every oath thereafter during his reign-- “by all the holy men” -- ved alle hellige maend -- which earned him the name “Erik Menved”.

King Erik lived in tumultuous times. His father’s slayers had been banished. They became pirates who terrorized the coastal towns and villages of Denmark. They frightened the residents who feared for their homes and lives. But the young king was oblivious to the problems and worries of his subjects. Instead, he spent his time hosting costly and pompous tournaments and dreaming of conquering faraway countries.

Soon the King’s coffers began to run low as Erik sank deeper into his new lifestyle. He held even more costly tournaments than any king before him. When his funds were almost exhausted, he raised taxes and pledged parts of his kingdom to the nobles of other countries.

Then a famine broke out in Denmark, but the wasteful King refused to lower taxes. Instead, he had all uprisings put down and the rebellious peasants hanged in front of the city gates. He expected it to be a deterrent, but the nobles joined forces with the peasants and turned against the King. It was a massive rebellion, and King Erik was able to suppress it only with the help of foreign mercenaries.

Instead of acknowledging his errors, Erik felt threatened by his subjects and the neighboring kingdoms. He convened his court and proclaimed:

“Our enemies are lurking in the shadows and beyond our borders, but we will build a castle for ourselves and for Denmark -- a fortress so strong that our enemies will never be able to invade and destroy it! We swear, by all the holy men.”

The King summoned his old and wise master builder and entrusted him with the monumental task of building an invincible castle. The builder retreated to his chambers and remained there many months drawing plans for an enormous structure with a strong outer ring wall, a moat and drawbridge, countless defense works, and a king’s tower (“the keep”) larger and more majestic than the country had ever seen.

Inside the castle he planned for a splendid great hall for receptions, cozy private rooms, as well as spacious pantries and a deep well to ensure there would always be enough water and food for the castle inhabitants in the event of a siege. His life depended on it.

The crown jewel of the plan, however, was a cleverly thought out system of secret passageways in the walls of the fortress and a complex emergency system that would help the royal family escape, if need be.

When he saw the drawings, Erik Menved immediately realized his dream of becoming invincible was suddenly within his grasp. He ordered the construction of KÄRNAN to begin immediately.

The old master builder had seen many a king come and come during his long life -- both benevolent and cruel. But he had never experienced a king who placed his own well-being as far above that of his starving subjects as King Erik Menved did. While construction was progressing, the old man pondered how he could help the people of Denmark without breaking his oath to build an invincible fortress for the kingdom.

One night, while watching the inebriated King and his advisors playing dice and betting their riches, the master builder suddenly knew what to do. He hurried down to his archives and searched through the writings of his predecessors. He was looking for a special magic formula that would protect the tower while at the same time punishing the King for his cruelty and keeping him away from his people.

After seven years the tower was completed. The master builder stepped before Erik and said, “My King, the construction you ordered has been completed. The kingdom now has a fortress that is most likely unconquerable: KARNAN.”

King Erik Menved’s face froze. He fixed the master builder with a piercing stare. “Most likely unconquerable? Have I not publicly sworn and ordered you, under the penalty of death, to build a tower that is invincible forever and ever?”

“Yes, my Ruler, you certainly did. And this castle is more secure and stronger than any fortress ever built. Yet I do not dare mention a dangerous thing such as a protective spell in your presence.”

“Tell me about this protective spell that you have not mentioned to me,” the King demanded. “Would it make KÄRNAN invincible?”

“Yes, my King, that it would. But I must warn you: the old scriptures are a dangerous game. Their impact is high, but the price to pay may be higher still.” And he pulled out from his bag a large roll of parchment and carefully held it up. It was inscribed:

“Once read out loud, a powerful spell will be cast over the tower that will hit all those who intend to attack, threaten, or approach KÄRNAN with the air to conquer it. The spell will destroy them. My King, though this magic formula would make the fortress invincible, it comes with a high price!”

Greedily, King Erik Menved wrested the scroll from the canny old master builder. “I will pay it. I shall raise the taxes,” the King said. Little did he know that he would have to pay a much higher price when he, blinded by the prospect of power, uttered, “I will take the risk -- by all the holy men!”

He quickly unrolled the parchment and spoke the age-old magic formula to protect the tower. But with every word he spoke, it was as if a piece of his innermost soul was torn from him and flung towards the tower, penetrating its walls and sinking deep down to its core where the spell unfolded.

The King had hardly finished speaking when he looked as if he had aged by twenty or thirty years. His skin had become wrinkled and ashen, his glance unsteady and empty.

King Erik Menved died soon afterwards, but in death he had fulfilled his oath and given the kingdom an unconquerable fortress.

From then on, the design of the castle and the power of the spell protected KÄRNAN from all attacks and dangers. No army was able to conquer it. No enemy ever invaded it, and all those who tried met with misfortune and death.

The King, however, forced to protect KÄRNAN forever by the clever trick of the master builder, will find salvation only by an act of kindness he had never shown while still alive.