Prime: Heroic Age on Kronos

826

On Kronos, Kahless son of Kanjis, begins service under the tyrant Molor as a warchief.
[GN-24]

Drought and famine followed by plague ravages the village of Miriiah. It will last for over two years.
[GN-24]

In the foothills of the Uhq’ra Moutains, Kahless saves the life of his monarch Molor.
[GN-24]

At the village of M’riiah, Kahless demands tribute on the behalf of Molor. The poor village, suffering from drought and famine, cannot pay and Starad (son of Molor) threatens to burn the village. Kahless forbids it and kills Starad. In mutiny, he and his men become outlaws. Morath, son of Ondagh, joins them.
[GN-24]

Kahless and his men take refuge at Lord Vathraq’s village. Kellein, daughter of Vathraq, becomes betrothed to Kahless. On the run from the tyrant, Kahless and his companions narrowly escape Molor‘s soldiers. Heading south, Kahless encounters Edronh and his men who ally themselves to his cause.
[GN-24]

Kahless returns to Vathraq’s village only to find all its people murdered by Molor‘s soldiers, including Kellein. In a rage he rides off on his s’tarahk. Moroth follows Kahless, blaming him for the ravaged village, claiming he used Moroth’s men for his own purposes. The two warriors wrestle but Moroth still remains a pursuer, haunting Kahless for six days and six nights. At one point Kahless contemplates suicide, but Moroth convinces the older warrior to dedicate his life to those that had perished. They return to Vathraq’s village twelve days after their departure. Legend will amplify and distort the story to Kahless and Moroth wrestling in the hills for twelve days and twelve nights; Morath being identified as the brother of Kahless. In the village of T’chariv, Edronh follows the orders of Kahless to spread the word that he is gathering an army to march against Molor.
[GN-24]

In his first full-scale clash with Molor‘s forces, Kahless kills Molor’s second son, Yatron. Kahless, from loss of blood, falls unconscious and in a feverish state dreams of Kellein. She instructs him to build a special sword taking a lock of his own hair and dipping it in the hot blood of the Kri’stak Volcano, then allowing it to cool in the waters of Lake Lusor. Kellein also warns him of Edronh’s treachery and plan to sell out Kahless’s forces to Molor. Kahless, following his feverish dream, seeks out the metalsmith Toragh to forge the first batlh’etlh. Legend, however, will yield to Kahless’s dream rather than the actual account.
[GN-24]

Kahless and his men clash with Molor‘s forces in battle after battle at Serra’nob, An’quat, Tolar’tu, and Qa’yarin. Shurin, a good friend of Kahless, dies at the battle of Tolar’tu. For every one of Kahless’ outlaws that fall, two of Molar’s soldiers fall.
[GN-24]

Molor‘s castle is taken by Kahless‘ men—fifty of his best fighters are equipped with batlh’etlhmey. Kahless beheads Molor and hurles the head out into the heart of the battle. The death poem of Molor will be considered a classic in years to come. The cost is high: Morath dies for Kahless, taking Molor’s d’kt tahg blade aimed at Kahless. In the centuries to come, the Kot’Baval Festival will celebrate the victory of Kahless over Molor (in the Mirror universe, it will celebrate the victory of Molor over Kahless).
[TNG-249, TNG-273, GN-24, DP #2]
This is perhaps the time of the legendary battle of Fom Kerdath: Bardak Linron the traitor fights the forces of Kahless to a standstill in a six-day period. Kahless loses the battle when Bardak sends his best general, Renarg, to negotiate terms for separating the combatants. Renarg enters the tent of Kahless’s high command with an arrogant list of demands, but his terms are a ruse having strapped high explosives around his body, concealed beneath his armor and clothing. Detonating the munitions, Renarg sacrifices himself to kill Kahless’s entire general staff. Only by a miracle Kahless survives, having stepped out to relieve himself from the night’s drinking.
[DS9 #022]

Kahless the Unforgettable unites the Klingon homeworld during this era. Kahless and the Lady Lukara begin the greatest romance in Klingon history, after holding their ground against 500 warriors who stormed the Great Hall. It is the dawn of the (planetbound) Klingon Empire. He sets the pattern for the Klingon race’s ruthlessness and honor.
[DS9-501, TOS-77]

With the tyrant overthrown, Kronos united, and the people given a set of laws by which they could conduct themselves honorably, Kahless the Unforgettable writes down the true account of his life. He then departs for a place called Sto-Vo-Kor: “Where no one lacks sustenance or bends his knee to anyone else. Where in every hall, the clash of swords rings from the rafters. And where men hold honor above all else.” Kahless indicates its location by pointing to a star in the evening sky before leaving. A monestary will be established on Boreth in the future, the world orbiting that star. The so-called Heroic Age of Kronos will shortly come to an end. The achievements of Kahless will be recorded in the Sacred Texts, though distorted by myth and legend. In 2263, the Excalbians will re-create Kahless based upon the conceptions of Captain Kirk and Commander Spock of the Enterprise. In 2369, a clone of Kahless will be created. In 2371, the long-lost scroll of Kahless documenting the man’s real life history will be uncovered on Kronos by Olahg, and utilized to spearhead a conspiracy against Gowron.
[TNG-249, TOS-77, GN-24]