Dark Descent

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Aylstra Illianniis
Legend
Posts: 1933
Joined: Tue Jun 16, 2009 12:51 am
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Dark Descent

Post by Aylstra Illianniis »

Dark Descent

Melaeryn smiled as he strolled down the Queen’s Road toward the High Mages’ Tower. His youngest son Tethin had just been inducted to the ranks of the Twilight Blades, the Queen’s own personal guards. It was a position of distinction and trust, granted only to those who had proven themselves loyal and honorable. Melaeryn was proud of the lad, as he was of all his children, but duty called. Though he wished he could be present for the ceremony, there were other matters to attend.
He breathed in the crisp morning air, which smelled of early spring flowers and the promise of rain later in the day. Already the sky had begun to grow overcast. Melaeryn passed by the Wolf Moon Inn, and thought briefly of stopping for a quick cup of moondrop wine. He paused in his journey, then shook his head and continued. The wine could wait until after he spoke to the Lord High Mage.
Melaeryn was Lord Speaker and High Mage of the Elterrinos clan, one of the most ancient and well-respected noble lines of Eldris, indeed, in all of the Silver Kingdom. It was even said that his family had been one of the first to come to Anterris from the world beyond, in the time of the First God War. As Speaker, it was his duty to oversee the affairs of his family, and to serve the kingdom. A cool breeze ruffled through his long silvery grey hair, and billowed his fine grey cloak.
He gave a nod to the two guards at the gates of the Tower courtyard, then pulled out his Tower key and spoke the mystic command to open the crystal doors. He touched the key to the doors, and they parted for him. The Tower steward, Talarn Rivvenmyst, bowed politely to the Speaker as he entered, giving him a questioning look.
“My Lord? Do you require my assistance?”
“No, Talarn, I am here to speak with Master Relvlorn. He sent a messenger to summon me- and on Tethin’s induction day, of all times.” His tone made it clear that he was annoyed, but he refrained from snapping at the steward. It was not Talarn’s fault, after all.
“Ah, yes. I had heard. Congratulations, Lord Speaker, and may the Elterrinos star continue to rise.” The young steward bowed again after giving the customary acknowledgement, and withdrew as Melaeryn began the climb up the long stairway to the Lord High Mage’s sanctum.
Melaeryn opened the door to the sanctum and waited for the Tower Master to wave him in. He entered the room and gave Master Relvlorn a courteous nod, then the Lord High Mage strode over to Melaeryn with an offered hand and a warm smile.
“Greetings, Lord Elterrinos. I am sorry to have to pull you away from Tethin’s ceremony, but this could not wait, my friend.”
The tall, handsome elf nodded, and waved his hand as if to say it was of no concern. He clasped the older mage’s hand. “Think nothing of it, Master Relvlorn. Though it is indeed a high honor, and I am saddened to miss it, my duty to Queen and People comes first, as always. Now, what is this matter you wish to speak of?”
“Talk of strange goings on, among other things. The Council is pushing for our new Queen to marry, but she will not choose a consort. They want her to join with one of the Aquillian noble houses in order to bring the city-states back into the Silver Kingdom. They say the elven lands must be reunited, or our People will never withstand the encroachment of the human kingdoms. You are needed, my friend. I am sending you as an emissary to Aquillia, to see what can be done about convincing the noble families to rejoin the Silver Kingdom and unify our People once more. They have been allied with the humans too long, I fear. Please, go and make them see reason.”
By the Dark Maiden''s grace do we meet. May she guide and protect us.

"Where Science ends, Magic begins." -Spiral, Uncanny X-Men #491

A link to my tales, including my Marvel hero!:
http://mickeys-tavern.com/index.php?showforum=188
Aylstra Illianniis
Legend
Posts: 1933
Joined: Tue Jun 16, 2009 12:51 am
Location: Texas
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Post by Aylstra Illianniis »

Melaeryn frowned, and began to pace thoughtfully. He had long known of the building tensions between the Queen and the Council. The newly crowned Queen Zara had recently begun pressing the council to increase trade with the surrounding human lands, in an effort to forestall the threat of war as the short-lived but prolific race of men sought out new lands for their farms and cities. Zara Elrin was young, but she showed wisdom in her understanding of the problems facing the Celeb Quessir. If some sort of accord could not be found, the ancient and majestic trees of Silverwood might be razed by the humans. The forest had stood since before the first elves had set foot upon the face of Anterris, yet now the ever-increasing numbers of men threatened to force them from their ancestral homes.

“I understand the need for solidarity, Master Relvlorn, but do you really believe that a simple political marriage will solve the problem? I happen to agree with her majesty; we will never win if it comes to war with the humans. There are simply too many of them. We’ve grown too complacent, too set in our ways. No, the Aquillians have the right idea. If we cannot beat the humans, we must befriend them and guide them away from their destructive ways. Queen Zara knows this.”

“Then you will not go? I am disappointed, my old friend. I had hoped you would see the need for such a reunion.”

“I did not say that I would not go, Lord High Mage. Only that I believe we must adapt and change if our homeland and People are to survive. Orc hordes have been amassing in the Blackstone Mountains. They present a far greater threat than the humans ever could. Already the city-states have brought peace and understanding among the humans and Quessir of the Aquillian Accord. They are a race of children, Master Relvlorn, and children must be taught. With guidance, I believe the humans can learn to respect the life and spirit of the land.”
By the Dark Maiden''s grace do we meet. May she guide and protect us.

"Where Science ends, Magic begins." -Spiral, Uncanny X-Men #491

A link to my tales, including my Marvel hero!:
http://mickeys-tavern.com/index.php?showforum=188
Aylstra Illianniis
Legend
Posts: 1933
Joined: Tue Jun 16, 2009 12:51 am
Location: Texas
Contact:

Post by Aylstra Illianniis »

“Be that as it may, you must try to convince them to rejoin our nation. Too much is at stake. I will expect you to leave as soon as you are able.” The Lord High Mage spoke with such finality that Melaryn knew the discussion was over. He sighed, nodded, and then bowed as he turned to leave.

“As you wish- though I doubt it will do any good. The silver Alliance has its own ways of doing things, and they dislike interference.” He said over his shoulder with a scowl. “Good day, old friend. I must be getting ready now. I will leave in two days.”

He left the tower then, stalking angrily out into the cool spring morning. He had never expected to be asked to make a long journey to perform a task he knew to be fruitless, just so a bunch of old fools could pretend that they knew what was best for the elven nation, when it was clear that they were out of touch with the world at large. Melaeryn knew better than many the ways of men. They were ambitious, to be sure, but certainly capable of learning wisdom and restraint. Why could the elders not see that? If they ever left their high towers and ancient manors, they might understand that the Aquillians had the right idea. Already they had forged a treaty that gave the humans a stake in the region of Silverwood that ran east of the Gandyrrin River. They had built homes and protective walls along the border of the Blackstone range, helping to guard the precious forest from raiding orcs and goblins.

As he strode back through the magnificent living city, with its crystalline spires, towering tree-manors, and living bowers of vine, root, and earthen mounds, he decided that perhaps now would be a good time for that drink he’d contemplated before. He stopped when he came to the Wolf Moon once more, and entered the cozy stone and wood structure, a scowl on his handsome features. The inn’s proprietor, Jeirliss, was a tall, yet portly elf with blue-black hair that was kept short save for a pair of braids on either side, and eyes the color of dark amethysts. He nodded to Melaeryn briefly as he cleaned some mugs, then turned to answer a patron who had called for another drink.

The Elterrinos clan’s Lord Speaker glanced at the other patrons, wondering who could possibly be deep in his cups this early in the day. He gave a gasp of surprise when he saw that it was none other than his own son Aldan. Aldan was the eldest of the four offspring of Melaeryn and his fair Lady Arlyndrin, an elf of lean yet well-muscled stature, his eyes- like those of most of the Elterrinos family- a shade of blue that reminded those who saw him of a clear winter sky, or perhaps glacial ice. They were as cool as ice, too, always sizing up everyone around him, as if he was searching for something in them. His tied-back steel-grey hair and quiet manner made him seem more somber than any other elf Melaeryn knew.
By the Dark Maiden''s grace do we meet. May she guide and protect us.

"Where Science ends, Magic begins." -Spiral, Uncanny X-Men #491

A link to my tales, including my Marvel hero!:
http://mickeys-tavern.com/index.php?showforum=188
Aylstra Illianniis
Legend
Posts: 1933
Joined: Tue Jun 16, 2009 12:51 am
Location: Texas
Contact:

Post by Aylstra Illianniis »

Thought it was time to update this one a bit, since it's been a while. The plot will be thickening very soon!!



“Hello, father, I didn’t expect you to come here. Did the meeting not go as you hoped?” Aldan greeted him with cool civility, already knowing the answer, but wanting to hear it from his sire’s own mouth. He had already heard from his own source within the Tower what the meeting with the Lord High Mage would be about, and was anxiously awaiting his chance to be put in charge of the estate while Melaeryn was away.

The older elf turned to gaze at his son with an irritated expression. “Aldan, It would please me immensely to see you putting your time to better use than sitting in here drinking away the day. Haven’t you anything better to do than listening to drunken bards and exercising that insatiable libido of yours?” He knew he sounded snappish, but at the moment, Melaeryn was more concerned with his son’s reputation for indiscreet debauchery than with answering the question.

Aldan was a fine warrior, to be sure, skilled in the arts of the blade and bow. He was less gifted in magic than many elves, preferring his blades over the more subtle art of spellcraft. He enjoyed going out on long hunts with other young lordlings, tracking down dangerous beasts that happened to wander into the lands of the Mith’ Quessir. He was ambitious, too, for he had already begun to climb the ranks of the Ahk’Velarn, though perhaps not as fast as his brother had. Aldan seemed to chafe at that insult, as though he despised his youngest sibling for being better at anything than he was.

Aldan was proud; perhaps too much so, Melaeryn thought, not for the first time. The eldest of his offspring felt himself above all others, for his lineage, his privileged place within the family as Heir, and for his prowess at arms. Lately he had begun to seek among the young ladies of the Court for a future bride, but even in this, he seemed uncommonly ambitious. He distained any ladies who were below the Elterrinos family in station- a fact which had left many potential young mates out in the cold, as it were. Only five other Houses were above them, save the royal family itself. Melaeryn had begun to wonder if Aldan fancied a union with the Queen herself. A dangerous desire, to be sure. It hinted at other, less elven traits, of the sort that had, in ages long past, resulted in the rift between many Houses and their kin.

“Tell me, father,” the younger elf replied after a long pause, “when do you leave?” The question, spoken plainly and without apology, took the Elterrinos Lord by surprise. He had not been aware that his eldest son knew the purpose of his meeting, but apparently, he was well informed in such matters. Melaeryn made a mental note to discover whose tongue had been wagging, and squash the leak. Aldan seemed all too eager to see him off- no doubt so he could act in his stead while he was away. The elder elf sighed, wondering if he should put Ildebryn in charge instead. His second-born son was not as strong or capable a warrior, but he was levelheaded, and well liked, and in any case, Melaeryn did not expect any battles in his absence.

“Two days, since you are so interested. For one who has no interest in magic, you seem remarkably well-informed about matters arcane.” He said pointedly. Aldan merely shrugged, with a slight smirk on his thin lips.

“I make it a point to know everything of interest in the kingdom, Father- which is why our estates have flourished so well, when others have been drained of resources by the problems with the humans to the south. I have made discreet inquiries regarding the situation in Aquillia, and I happen to know that the Queen has no intention of entering into a political marriage. Your journey is both pointless and unnecessary. Queen Zara approves of their example, and wishes to emulate it within the kingdom- a move which likely will not endear her to the Council or the Houses.”
By the Dark Maiden''s grace do we meet. May she guide and protect us.

"Where Science ends, Magic begins." -Spiral, Uncanny X-Men #491

A link to my tales, including my Marvel hero!:
http://mickeys-tavern.com/index.php?showforum=188
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