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- "After destroying his army, Darren chased the Clockwork King for two days, all the way up to the Red Tower. After a few hours, the man so many called a boy descended from the Red Mountain. In his hand, he held the head of Vendu Ril aloft, revealing it to his men. The Andals learnt a valuable lesson that day; the Ashlands was not theirs to take, for it had consumed their leader with her."
- ―Xarxes
Lord Darren Blackgard, more commonly known as the Clockwork Slayer or Godkiller was a legendary ancestor of House Blackgard. He was the Lord of Ebonheart during the Andal Invasion.
Darren was most notable for being the killer of the legendary and nearly-mythical Vendu Ril, also known as the "Clockwork King", the main belligerent of the Andal Invasion and first King of the Andals.
During Vendu's attempt to conquer the Ashlands, Darren retaliated by meeting Vendu and his forces in open combat. Vendu's army, not suited for the harsh and treacherous terrain of the Ashlands, duelled with Darren atop Red Mountain, where he was reportedly killed by the Boy Lord.
Darren was not only noted for his keen mind, but also for his attractive appearance, which resulted in his story becoming largely fictionalized in epic romances in the Seven Kingdoms. It is believed that Darren was either the lover, or husband of Alyssane Grayburn, another legendary ancestress of House Grayburn.