The Chronicles of Kernow start with the story of the Torque of Kernow, symbol of rulership. 

           Thousands of years before this story begins, the mighty giants of Elbra fashioned a gold torque (an ancient neck ornament, often used to signify high rank). The torque was carried south, by settlers, to the land of Kernow and there presented to King Ansol, ruler of that land. He was the first to bring Kernow together as a country. There had been many tasks for the Elbrans to accomplish and establishing a rulership of Kernow was to be their last. The Torque was tied-in with the destiny of the Elbrans and, now, with the destiny of Kernow. It was said there could be no ruler of Kernow without the gold Torque.

            The Elbran giants were a dying race. The last female able to conceive died giving birth to the final child. As this child grew, he saw the others of his race die. Soon there was none left but himself and a Priestess named Tenia. She urged him to leave Elbra and travel south to seek those who had left so many years before. This he did and reached Kernow in the year 869. But he was too late; the last of the immigrant giants was long since dead. As a young man he was befriended by the old wizard Endraag. After the death of Endraag, he withdrew into a remote tower and was thought by many to be a wizard himself. By his reclusion, he became greatly feared.

            In the year 1398, on a winter hunt on the island of Tregear, King Brude (the then ruler of Kernow) and his party sheltered from a storm, in a cave. Brude removed the Royal Torque when he lay down to sleep. When he awoke the next morning it was gone. Tracks at the mouth of the cave indicated that a crickvole had been there (a varmint that, like a jackdaw, is attracted to bright, shiny objects and will steal them). The falling snow had covered any extended tracks. Brude was distraught. A massive search was organized but to no avail. Brude continued searching for seven years before finally, in despair, falling on his sword.  Brude’s son, G’wain, forsook his intended bride Elloë to devote his life to the search for the Torque. He knew that he could never become king without it. G’wain made a detailed map of the area and searched systematically, marking the areas covered as he went. Yet his search was fruitless and he died before he completed it.

           The Torque was important both for the country of Kernow and for the final peace of the spirits of the Elbrans. With the loss of the rulership, the Elbrans’ last task had been undone. The Torque had to be found and a new ruler enthroned, so that the giants might peacefully pass on. But with no ruler, Kernow endured civil wars, strife and famine. Peace, when it came, returned only briefly. For many of the people there was a constant desire to re-unite. Yet there could be no lasting peace without a ruler and no ruler without the Torque.