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| A Letter To The Family Verdain, Verdain Keep, New Sellador. |
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To the Family Verdain
From the Elf Eldamar
Hello my friends, It is so soon to be writing to you that I feel as if no time has passed. I hope things still go well in the rebuilding of Sellador. I send this to your family keep because I know not where your duties might have you at the moment, nor do I know how long it will take this letter to find you.
Where do I begin? As you know I returned to Tel-Tenauril to find my family, let them know I was alive still, and to allow the families of my original compatriots to grieve for thier losses, suffered soon after landing on your continent. I did those things, and returned my friends sword to his parents. They were greatful to me for having brought the sword back, and for avenging the death of thier son. Though they were angry that it had taken me so long to return. I stayed with my family for several weeks, but was unable to remain idle for long. I soon decided that the skills I had learned while helping you in Sellador could be put to good use for the elven kingdom. so though I am but 150 years old I approached the Garanlyon for membership in its prestigious group. They are protectors of our lands, and I thought I would have little trouble getting in.
At first things seemed to go alright, I was questioned repeatedly about my young age and extensive abilities. They were not to keen on my stories of war in Sellador. I however finally appeased them to the point of allowing me to enter the trials. these are minor tasks they set a new recruit on to test his mettle as it were. I did not fear these challenges, sure that I had faced far worse already. You see in the elven lands unlike in your lands war is rare, mostly we are peaceful, and it takes centuries to stir us to a war. Small fights in the outter villages, and breaches of the laws of the elves are what keep the Garanlyon busy. Their stated cause however is to protect the lands, from human invasion if necisarry. As I knew there was little chance of that I did not worry. My first two trials were hardly worth the trip. an ailing tree that some claimed had been poisoned, and a reportedly deadly beast, thought there were no dead bodies? on those two I was supervised. The second one ended with no resolution no evidence was found. though we were told whole families were missing we assumed they had moved on. Much is changing in the elven lands now , and many families are returning to thier old homes, and old lands. So when the call from that small village came again I was sent alone.
As I neared the village I recognized something was wrong, the trees were quiet, and the animals were not to be found. I was thinking of turning back for assistance when I was forced into action. A youngling, perhaps a mere 40 years old was running in terror through the darkened forest. Seeing me in my gleaming armor he ran straight for me yelling for help. I saw nothing following him, though I readied my bow. As he got to me I saw he was bleeding, and near exhaustion. He was clamoring about blood drinkers, and walking dead. I still could not see anything, but a sense of evil had come upon me.
I asked the young one to let me heal him, and he said there was no time, I asked him to rest and he begged me to come with him back to help save his family. hearing others were in trouble, and seeing the hope in his eyes I could not deny him. We walked towards his village side by side. as the sun sank into the trees I heard the sounds of walking death, and knew the boy had not been lying. I was too far out of combat practice though and missed it as they fell on us from above. The boy was dead before I could register that we were under attack. These creatures could not get through my armor, and I should have gone at that point back to get the garonlyon,, however I did not. Remembering that the boy had said his family was in trouble I thought perhaps there may still be elves holding out in their homes, and could not leave them to die if I was thier only chance. I realize now that the boy was delerious, No elves were alive in that village, nothing in that village was alive, nothing at all. I still shudder while I rest and my thoughs drift back to those hours. As I approached the center of the village, dispatching many undead, and other unanamable things i began to realize that the steady light of the stars was diminishing, and the strength of my foes was increasing. soon I would be engulfed in an unnatural darkness. I cricled though the town still intent on looking for any live resistance. and wanting to dispatch as many enemies as I could before I went to hunt the being that had to be causing all of this. I had no idea what I was in for until it was too late. I do not know how many days I spent in the darkness, or how I came out of those horrors alive. I am amazed to this day that the things I saw did not drive me mad. I shall not write the horrors here suffise it to say that whetever the thing was that had cause a whole elven village to become damned, is now dead, or dust or whatever at my hands, and my sword, my bow, and my strength of will. I feel as if the god were with me perhaps all my time with Gallen had rubbed off on me.
After I had cleared the village, and restored the natural order, I returned to the garonlyon. They had sent a party out to search for me though they never reached the village I found them on my way back. they were taking a very slow rought through the forest trying to give me time to come to them. When I told them my story they shunned me as a liar and returned with me to the areas headquarters for the order. They immediatly sent out another party to the village, who confimed that the village was empty. however they were in denial that any undead activity had occurred. I know not why, but they fought my story every step of the way. eventually they told me my actions were uncalled for whatever the cause, they told me I was as they had suspected too young, and impetuous. apparently they feel that I have picked up a lack of patience from the humans. They said that my time would best be spent relearning my elven heritage. I was tempted at that point to stike down the fool. I restrained my temper, and left, my dignity though was badly shaken. I have come to realize that my time in Sellador has wrought a change upon me. I no longer can sit in contemplation for long periods of time. I have learned to make split second decisions. perhaps it is bad, but I think it good.
Too often we elves wander through life allowing things to pass us by. We pay little attention to things that don't have a long lasting effect. Having spent time with you, and seen the urgency with which you live your lives, and how you give yourselves over so fully to the moment in which you are alive, it has changed me. and my family has noticed. I was disgraced after not getting into the garonlyon. and My family felt that disgrace keenly. they also looked upon me with dissappointment as far as how I was handling my affairs. I am too anxious to do something, always looking for a problem that needs fixing. I can tell that I am not welcome here, which brings me to the reason for my letter.
You offered me anything I could desire before I left your service, all I asked was for your friendship, and a way to get back here to my home. Now that I am here I find that this is not my home, and I must ask if I might be able to find a home in Sellador. I realize you do not need me right now, but You may need to call upon my services in the future. All I ask is for some land in which I can live. Far from others, by myself. I was thinking by the Selladorian Free Nations might work out well. If you have future troubles likely they will come from that quarter, and if I am already there to adress the threat all the better. Plus it will help to safeguard some of hose towns. I remember the lawlesness that came from the monsters of that forest constantly wreaking havok. I do not mean to sound big headed but I feel I might be able to rid that forest of many of those monsters, further safeguarding all in the area. That is my proposal. I send his letter by the fastest rought I know of, I'm sure Sir Jaxom has an even faster way to get back to me. Let me know as soon as possible if you would. I do not feel comfortable here, and wish to leave soon. I might do so before you get back to me, and if your answer is no then I shall adventure somewhere else far from home. And someday you would hear of my exploits. However I would rather serve you the honest, and dignified King of Sellador.
Your most humble and obediant servant,
Eldamar Raenwe |
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| Associated Regions: Tel-Tenauril, Sellador, Selladorian Free Nations |
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| From the journal of Eldamar Raenwe |
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Contributor: Joey Zilka |
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