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Two men, one young and one old, sit by the meager warmth of a fading fire in a high chamber of a cold stone tower. The old man takes a sip from his glass of claret to soothe his throat gone hoarse from the telling of his tale. He pulls his heavy robe tightly around his neck and leans forward to stir up the embers with a long handled poker. He turns back to the young man and continues. "My tale is almost at an end and what happens next is perhaps up to you. I told you that the Pyromancer of Bannogallt has taken up the search for this elf messenger but I have not explained the full weight of that statement. The Pyromancer was once much like myself a faithful acolyte of the Grand Seer and a believer in the mission of the college of wizards, that being to develop our arts and sciences to further the well-being and enlightenment of all men. In recent years, however, he has become increasingingly entangled in political affairs and has grown keen to expand the boundaries of his little barony. He has gathered a mercenary army which he commands through his flame adepts and employs in an attempt to extort fealty from his neighbors. These are the actions of a petty warlord and unbecoming of a wizard. Why this behavior is tolerated by the Grand Seer is unknown to me.It worries me greatly that Pyromancer has been entrusted with the pursuit of this mysterious traveler from the White Isles. It is clear that the traveler has been making use of the ancient and mystical and thus far evading our agents thereby. The council of wizards recognizes that the power to navigate the elf-road is nearly as valuable as whatever other secret the messenger may carry with him.
Gavin turns this last bit of information over in his mind, then asks, simply, "Burne, are you asking me to go looking for this elven traveler?"
ReplyDeleteThe wizard grins slyly but shakes his head in protest. "No, young lord, I could not possibly ask you to undertake such a task, for the search for this mysterious traveler has been entrusted by my superiors to the Pyromancer and his men. It is now outside my authority to commence a search. I must sit idly by while this task of great import is attended to by others. I merely provide you with this information out of respect for the wise and beneficent lady of Celene. As an ambassador of that great nation you are entitled to all the knowledge I have of affairs of state. It is only in my desire to serve that make this known. I cannot myself interfere in this matter. I could no more engage in this mission than I could I attempt to hinder you were you to undertake it of your own accord.
ReplyDeleteGavin thinks to himself with a smirk that the old wizard's attempt at pretense is as effective as his mind-reading magic. Gazing over the papers and books strewn upon the table, and reflecting on all that has been revealed to him throughout this very long day, he considers whether it is sensible to take up the search for this elven traveler. It doesn't seem directly connected to his own search for his father, yet he does now begin to see that a larger story is unfolding, one in which he may yet find he has a very important role to play. And if his father's fate is indeed also tied in to these affairs - and if his mother, too, is somehow involved - it is likely that any road he takes will lead right back to him. In any event, the wizard's description of faerie fires, possible battles and a lone, mysterious traveler from the elven realms has certainly piqued his curiosity and appealed to his sense of adventure. And besides, he's been too long in this sleepy village, and anything that gets him back out on the open road is a welcome opportunity. So, Gavin, turns to the wizard with a sly smile of his own and says, "You know, Burne, I was thinking. I believe I truly am my father's son, for I feel a sudden, overwhelming desire to wander wherever the road may lead ... even if it were to lead, say, in the direction of the elfroad near Bregonshire and the Rushdown Wood."
ReplyDelete"I cannot in any way advise such a course of action," says the old man, "for if you were to journey that way you would surely put yourself in the very path of the traveler and indeed you may chance to come upon him alone and without the aid and knowledge of the pyromancer's men who are as we speak combing the countryside for sign of him. Nay, it would be far too perilous to attempt such a meeting. Instead, continue your search for your father who you rightly surmise has himself passed in that very direction, perhaps stopping to dwell for a time in the city of Llewellyn. For it is recorded that a minstrel of unsurpassed skill did arrive in that city many years ago and was lauded by all the nobility therein. Yet this minstrel's name is not recorded; he was known by all only as the prince of poets, a title he well deserved. It is said that the harp he played still hangs in the great hall of Llewellyn Keep.
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ReplyDelete"Were it my place to do so I would humbly suggest that you confine your search to the city of Llewellyn for now and that you stray not from its walls lest you put yourself in harm's way, for the pyromancer's men might mistake you for the wanderer they seek. If you should journey further afield you would be wise to secret yourself from them. I can provide you protection on your journey as far as Llewellyn, as we are sending a group of men to the city to purchase supplies and seek new recruits, but if you venture beyond the city gates you must rely on your wits to shepherd you. But I would not let you go into the wilderness beyond entirely unarmed. Allow me to explain."
ReplyDelete"There is a second artifact said to have belonged to the prince of poets: a finely rendered scroll of ancient elven origin. According to that minstrel this scroll tells the story of Oberon's first journey to the Misty Isles long before the coming of men to these lands. In those ancient days all the isles were ruled by dragons and giants and other beastly servants of the dark magic. It was Oberon who, armed only with valor and great cunning, cut the first swath through the murk that had enveloped these lands since the beginning of time. Set down upon the scroll in the ancient elven tongue long forgotten to men and in glittering images far surpassing the greatest artists of our time is an account of the twelve exploits of Oberon wherein he purged the land of the twelve monstrous servants of darkness and down his law upon twelve plinths of precious stone. Each of these monoliths in turn became a waypoint along which his great elfroad was built. In this sense the tale itself, though the translation from the ancient elvish has been lost to that sands of time, forms a sort of map or guidebook by which to once again find the elfroad though its very passage through our realm has been concealed by the powers of faerie glamour.
"The Oberon scroll has been the property of House Llewellyn since the day it was presented by the prince of poets. I have tried twice to purchase the scroll from Lord Fion and he has twice refused my offer. I therefore turned my attention to the Duke's scribe, an esteemed brother of the hermetic tradition by the name of Eleazar the Elder of the Order of the Book and Quill. As he had the trust of the Duke he was able to acquire the documents for purposes of study. Eleazar, being a scholar of ancient languages and history, had met with some success in translating some small portions of the text. It is from him that I learned what I have told you so far of the tale of Oberon. If you permit me I shall provide you with a letter of introduction so you may see the scroll with your own eyes. Perhaps you can assist where Eleazar's knowledge is lacking. I do not mean to keep you from you predetermined path but if your search for your father elsewhere is unsuccessful I hope you will return to LLewellyn and learn what you can there. Again I must alert you to the dangers of traveling alone for one of your lineage with the Pyromancer searching for an elven traveler on the highways. Though his influence within the city walls is greatly diminished he may have agents there. If you seek refuge within the city, you can find Eleazar at the sign of the three candles on Scrivener Street and he will protect you in exchange for your help with the scroll.
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