The Elven Kingdom (1)
From Atlantic Roleplay Wiki
Title: The Elven Kingdom [1]
Author: Aleph Aeirs
Many of you may be familiar with the increasing elven activity in our realm. The story I relate to you now shines a light on recent troubles within the Elven Kingdom of Asur'Herenion. The story is just as I witnessed it not but one day ago. Take a seat friends, let me begin my tale.
I was walking to the town of Yew on the Felucca Facet, to tend to my shop just East of Empath Abby. On my way there, I encountered a group passing by in the forest. At first their silent, stealthy steps were surprising, it was by sheer luck that I had been able to pinpoint them throughout he dense Yew forests at all. I soon recognized them at however, they were the elves of the Kingdom of Asur’Herenion. Having met the kindly King Khyl'Dran, I counted them as friends and approached them.
However, their usual cheerful aspect was substituted by a grim look, as if something terrible had happened.
“Friends...pardon my frankness, but what is the matter? Is something amiss?” I asked.
“Indeed something is, Aleph Aeirs,” Said one elf. “Our King, Khyl’Dran, has disappeared in some manner I do nay comprehend…He was trapped, somehow, inside a crystal by use of some obscure form of magic.”
I was stunned, it took a moment for the information to sink in. “This is horrid news...who did this thing?” I inquired.
“Come inside and I will tell you,” Said the elf. He beckoned me towards an opening in the thick forest. Inside, the elves had created an hidden encampment. They served me some elven wine and offered me a seat around the fire.
“It is the Drow. This, a group that had once been taken for granted, They were not considered a threat,” explained the elf, “but they have erred, we have all erred. The Drow are the greatest threat of all…”
I sipped from my elven wine, deep in thought. It was true that the Drow were not seen as a threat, so to speak. No one had considered it, until now.
The elf continued: “Our king had gone to speak diplomatically with the Lichdrow Chaszmyr. It was there that he was taken by Nai Asonod, a defector from our kingdom who joined the Lichdrow’s guild Agrach Dyrr. I know little more. But we are seeking all information we can find.”
I was incensed and inspired to action immediately. Although human, I have a special place in my heart for the elven culture. To think the Drow would look to make them suffer so!
I stood, thanking the elves for their hospitality.
"Tell me friends, where would I be most likely to find Nai Asonod?" I asked.
"Look to Caina, he is known to frequent that damnable city." Said one of the elves.
"Friends, I am just one man, but I will attempt to gather some information...perhaps shed light on this nightmare."
The elves around the fire simply looked at me and nodded. The fire sparkled in their eyes, a deep sadness in their expression.
I nodded in return, thanked them once again, making my way to Caina.
The city was deadly cold, being located in the frozen wastelands of Dagger Isle. I made a point not to spend too much time in this wretched city, one for the environs, the other because I have never been all that..welcome. I chose to begin my hunt for this Nai Asonod in the Tower of Skulls.
I stepping on the stairs and walking into the tower, my head swooned. Decay and dust, the very nature of the tower, had an ill effect on my being. Shaking off the sensation, I surveyed the scene. Nai Asonod was no where to be seen. I decided to check the upper levels of the tower, hoping that I could either find him, or clues to his whereabouts.
As luck would have it, (so to speak) there he was. He was on the second floor of Golgotha, engrossed in a an ancient manuscript, the like which I had never before seen.
Nai looked up from the ancient tome, his silver hair spilling out across the dark knight armor he wore. He knew me by sight, yet I had never met him in person.
"Greetings Aleph, interested in the..happenings as of late, or so I hear..."
His smile was disturbing, as he toyed with a diamond necklace around his neck.
I was quiet for a moment, not certain where to begin. Here he was, the antagonist. I was certain of myself when I left the elves in the clearing...but faced with Nai Asonod himself, I wasn't all that sure what to say.
"Come then, Aleph..I offer you a chair, how can I help you in your search for knowledge?"
I smiled nervously. "Well, to begin, I am very interested in verifying rumors I have heard. As you may know, I am a member of the press. As a professional courtesy I approach you first. Virtues forbid I share news of these happenings without knowing the facts first."
At the mention of the Virtues, he chuckled softly. I took a moment to glance at the tome he had been studying. I could make out one line, but it made no sense to me. Something concerning the entrapment of Eldritch Daemons known as Arcanaloth...
He abruptly closed the book. Startled, I jumped. "Well, good Aleph...I see you are a bit..uneasy in my presence....let me first assure you that you are safe, in body and in mind. And that is well that the public should know of the goings on...it is the Truth...and the truth, tis said, shall set ye free."
He shifted his slight elven frame in the large throne, a wickedly bladed ax rested beside him, leaning against the wall.
He proffered forth a glass of blood red liqueur. "Some wine, before I make the tale known?"
I am certain the disgust showed on my face. The smell of the liquid was not foreign to me, it was blood wine. "Oh..well, I...well see, I am not known to partake in...beverage of that nature. I thank thee none the less."
I did however take the seat offered. "However, I would gladly hear the details of recent events, sans the libation of course..."
He shrugged and set the goblet of bloodwine down on a mahogany desk. "Well then, I shall tarry no longer... Up until most recently, I was a member of the Kingdom of the Elves, known as the Asur'Herenion. As a member, I was a trusted individual, the Ambassador, a friend to all, and like a father to most."
He appeared slightly saddened, perhaps by some memory or realization, but he quickly shrugged it off, continuing to speak. "After some doings and much thinking on my part, I decided it best to leave them, as I, obviously, am not a child of light." He took a long sip of the wine, and began again.
"After much deliberation on my part, as well as the Lich Drow Chaszmyr's, and after many jibes and taunts, mocking and mental beatings by the hands of my one time friends, I decided to take matters a step further, and came upon a plan to capture none other than Khyl'Dran, the King of the Asur'Herenion." He smiled darkly and held the diamond of necklace up to be seen.
"Sometimes...there is no way to escape what fate deals out...." He said, as he let the chain drop back to his chest.
The words left my lips as soon as they entered my head. "Captured..in that necklace there? But..how? How could you do such a thing?"
He smiled darkly and twirled the gem to sparkle in the dim light. "Yes..very perceptive, Aleph, this gem is the means of containment..but how you ask? To understand this you must first understand who implemented the process, at least in part. I am not from this plane of existence. I hail from a land known as Faerun. There, I was a great mage and a feared warrior" He chuckled laconically at this. "Though the better part of my magic is worthless here..." He looked at the gem bemusedly. "...Sometimes I find a place...where the power is sufficient to make it work correctly, thus we have this.
My determination grew, and I took a deep breath. It was more important to gather information, I simply had to keep my temper in check. "So the rumors are indeed true. I am...stunned to say the least." I look closely at the diamond necklace. "You have done a horrible thing here, tell me..what are your intentions now? Surely you realize that an event of this nature cannot go unavenged..."
He smiled and put the necklace back on his neck. "A horrible thing, eh? Perceptions based upon perceptions would suggest this, yes. But, would you like to know the Truth of it, Aleph?"
I nodded "Aye, I would."
Continued in Volume Two