Mysterious power IC thread

[Taliz]

I will tell him that orcs were close by - though apparently they wisely avoided the Elves. Then I will talk to him about hunting and, through that conversation, try to get a sense of the state of the Elves.

 

[CRGreathouse]

I will tell him that orcs were close by - though apparently they wisely avoided the Elves. Then I will talk to him about hunting and, through that conversation, try to get a sense of the state of the Elves.

It would be easier to do this if I had quotes.

"Once, the orcs were a great threat to the elves. They are no longer; men are now everywhere orcs once were, and are twice as dangerous."

Asked about hunting, his face darkens for a moment:

"The shrub-leaf is eaten by the gnat and the boar. The fish and the bird eat the gnat. The fish is eaten by the bear and the elf. What happens when all the shrubs die? No gnat, no fish, and no elf. There are too many chasing too little. Bone and gristle, ash and dust -- we eat what we find.

Some would have us turn to the Huntmaster, but that is not the way. There is no hunt for us with men in these lands."

 

[Taliz]

so noted.

"I am not the largest supporter of men myself." And then I will allow the conversation to lapse into silence unless he keeps it going.

 

[CRGreathouse]

"I am not the largest supporter of men myself." And then I will allow the conversation to lapse into silence unless he keeps it going.

The elf leads you on into the forest wordlessly, stopping at the base of a large oak. Looking up the tree, he calls in Elven:

"Denelmir, there is someone here to speak with you." Turning to you, the elf says (in Common):

"For your safety, stay with Denelmir or one of his friends while you are in the forest."

Turning, the elf leaves. Your see Denelmir on a platform in the tree. For a moment, as he descends, you see his true age in the weight of his footfalls and the depths of his eyes, but it vanishes as he faces you, smiling.

"What brings you here, my friend? I would not have expected to see you here, of all places, in these tense times."

 

[Taliz]

[just so you know I don't think Denelmir is aware I speak elven]

"Good morrow, my friend. What brings me here? Much and little. We have seen little of you of late - I wondered how you and the Elves are faring. Also, I felt the urge to escape the city - too many men in one place. Finally, the mayor paid me. With the recent invasions of Brightstone - by monsters, orcs - he worries about the future, and wonders what role the Elves will play. On his behalf, I am here to try and find that out."

 

[CRGreathouse]

"Good morrow, my friend. What brings me here? Much and little. We have seen little of you of late - I wondered how you and the Elves are faring. Also, I felt the urge to escape the city - too many men in one place. Finally, the mayor paid me. With the recent invasions of Brightstone - by monsters, orcs - he worries about the future, and wonders what role the Elves will play. On his behalf, I am here to try and find that out."

Denelmir holds up a hand, smiling as he shakes his head. "Not so many questions, and not here! We'll have more privacy away from this grove." You walk a few hundred feet where he helps you up onto a flet in a large maple.

"More now than ever, there is unrest. The Prince misunderstands, believing that with my mediation, our differences can be smoothed out. He hears hope; I hear only sharpening of bodkins.

I believed that I was called to defeat a faraway danger, the Veldwer's creatures or an unliving monster. When I was asked to work with Vanchild, I thought it was a diversion from the Shalm's call. What if I was wrong? What if it is your people I am to defend against?" He pauses, not knowing how to continue.

"I grew up caring less for elves than for Nature, the trees and creatures. Nature is not kind, but war is a foreign concept to it -- animals fight for food, not for conquest. Tooth and claw, not bow or blade. Now I have been called to ready myself for what I have long sought to flee, and I worry. What can withstand the change the world is to bring us?"

 

[Taliz]

"What differences do you speak of that are so great they would drive the elves to start a war? You know I care little for the kingdoms of men - but Brightstone and its inhabitants have been kind to us, even the Prince. I do not think they will fire the first arrow - what makes you feel battle must be joined nonetheless?"

 

[CRGreathouse]

"What differences do you speak of that are so great they would drive the elves to start a war? You know I care little for the kingdoms of men - but Brightstone and its inhabitants have been kind to us, even the Prince. I do not think they will fire the first arrow - what makes you feel battle must be joined nonetheless?"

"There haven't been any major developments, but there's a group opposed to the men -- really, just to their land claim near our city -- that's had some leadership change, or something. It seems that the elves are finally deciding that they've had too much.

I wouldn't have thought that I would get involved in this, but with my dream and then my position, it seems natural. Why else would I receive such a martial command?"

 

[Taliz]

"Martial Command? Dream? Your Postion? You mean as diplomat - one who attempts to avert war? Leardship change? Do you speak of someone called the Huntmaster? Who is he, what role does he play in all this? And what exactly have the elves had too much of? I do not mean to badger you with questions my friend, and know that I do not ask on Brightstone's behalf, they are nothing. You are old and wise perhaps, in some ways. There is a depth to your eyes I will never possess. But look into mine and you will see depth too. The depth of blood spilled, and men killed. You will see the horror of war. War is necessary, sometimes. And one can even start to enjoy it, in some ways. But it is a heavy thing - never forget that."

 

[CRGreathouse]

"Martial Command? Dream?["]

"In my dream I was commanded to take up arms -- thus my ash bow." He motions to his longbow.

Your Postion? You mean as diplomat - one who attempts to avert war?

"Ambassador. My position is to mediate between Fredrick and the council."

Leardship change? Do you speak of someone called the Huntmaster?

"No, a change within an anti-human activist group. They were just a fringe group... but they've gained popularity. I don't have a good way to translate their name for you.

The Huntmaster is a name for the nature god Ziël-ra, one of the Shalm's enemies. He is ruthless and evil, ignoring that which is beneficient in the world."

["]And what exactly have the elves had too much of? I do not mean to badger you with questions my friend, and know that I do not ask on Brightstone's behalf, they are nothing. You are old and wise perhaps, in some ways. There is a depth to your eyes I will never possess. But look into mine and you will see depth too. The depth of blood spilled, and men killed. You will see the horror of war. War is necessary, sometimes. And one can even start to enjoy it, in some ways. But it is a heavy thing - never forget that."

"The elves have had too much of human dominance in this land. Did you not know that these are elven lands? Most of the elves in Glithimem remember when the elves were sovereign, before the forest burned to make room for the crops."