In the Year of the Deep Wound, 582 DR, Tarag, a chieftain of the sea ogres, used the powers of the sword Ilbratha and his own battle strategies to conquer the western frontiers of the merfolk realm of Hmurrath. There, Tarag founded the two Axe Kingdoms of Khuur and Nmalk. The Axe Kingdoms and Hmurrath fell to fighting in the Year of the Killing Blow, 653 DR, beginning the Ninth Serôs War.