The Children of the Rose

[EowynaRohanna]

The Children of the Rose, Part 1

Their names were Brean, Valinor, Embree, and Mira and they were sent to these lands many months ago following the fall of our Temple to corrupt elves, humans and orcish mercenaries. Their purpose--to locate the remnants of our scattered people. Our first concern upon arriving here was to locate these young elves, reassure ourselves as to their well-being, and find out if their search had been fruitful.

We asked many if they had seen such a group of young elves. No one had, but finally an Edan hunter named Ector, sent us to Haven, saying that many new to the area travel there first. So, today, Maddux and I made our way to that island city. No one in town, not Lyle the scribe, the local bankers or merchants had seen them, nor even the local fisherfolk had come across any fitting their description. Deciding that the large Edan population of the city may have discouraged them, we set out into the less inhabited areas of the island.

And there, our search met with meager success...signs of abandoned encampments a few small but inconclusive clues that someone had occupied the area recently. Then Anywn Brenna, the dryad, and a long-time friend of Maddux, gave us the information we needed. She had seen just such a group of young elves. Hopeful, we continued our search finding an amulet necklace in an abandoned building that had belonged to our refugees. I was very concerned that one had lost a chrystal communication necklace, but Maddux gave me comfort with words indicating that this need not mean death--perhaps only a chance loss. And then Maddux found the rose...a rare variety that we had cultivated in the Temple gardens...and young Mira, she'd been studying horticulture. Could this be a sign they had traveled this way? The young rose plantings seemed to be trail markers and we followed from one to the next. Each rose planted near an abandoned or ruined building--were they marking sites of ancient elven habitation? We could only guess.

Eventually the trail led us to a building in which we knew the children of our people had sheltered. The book Maddux had given each group as they left Skara Brae after the fall of the Temple was abandoned there. Signs of alchemical experimentation, the profession of Embree's parents at hand... and a crystal seeing globe. I couldn't discern much except that they had either been trying to reach us through the seeing stone, or they had been trying to contact one of their party. Another mystery.

The island was overrun with undead and we began to wonder if perhaps they had been sent after our children or had frightened them away. With the exception of a burning ship, there were no signs of battle. But nearby that burning ship was an abandoned building filled with treasure--pirate booty found by our young ones? Or a stashed hord left there by undead? The young elves had left us with naught but their clothing, weapons, the red book, a mysterious map, and amulet communication necklaces....this was not their treasure, but perhaps they'd stumbled upon it.

The last thing we found greatly troubled us -- glowing red rock, obviously a source of great evil magic, surrounded by magical barriers. Barriers put there by our young ones to keep the foul magic from spreading? And around the area, many spiders. Had Lloth sent her minions to guard the magical source, or to rid the island of elven presence? Even now, were our young ones being hunted?

We left the island with more questions than answers, but at least we knew they had been there. Our search will continue.

 

[EowynaRohanna]

Maddux watched the human’s work their fields, looking for any sign of something out of place. Each of the farmer’s hands was callused and they knew how to use the farming instruments in their hands. Satisfied that this wasn’t an ambush, Maddux and Eowyna emerged from the wood line and the farmers continued to work. Eowyna waved her hand in greetings “Hello, We are looking for some children. Have you seen them?” The eldest human named Ivers replied “No, we haven’t.”

Not satisfied with that answer Maddux moved towards the closets log cabin that served as a Healer’s hut. Standing to the side of the doorway, Maddux open the door and stayed out of the way. Bracing himself for a flurry of arrows expecting to shoot by, but there were none. Eowyna just watched Maddux and smiled “Lle tyava quel?”¹ Maddux replied “Aye, just being careful.”

¹ “Are you ok?”

The next log cabin served as a housing and kitchen. No sign of the children here. Eowyna looked at Maddux “The children will be doing what we told them to do. They will be hard to find, but not impossible.” The humans had stopped working and watch Eowyna and Maddux with interest. One of the human quietly said to the others “We should tell them to leave.” Another replied “Look at that Black Bow and how he carries it, only a fool would bother them.” Ivers replied “Forget them; we must get back to work so we have food for the winter.”

Maddux looked at Eowyna “If I had known that things would have turned out as they did, I never would have sent them.” Eowyna could see the sadness in Maddux’s eyes “You could not have seen this, nor could have I. Let’s go home. Lema ed' ando en' templa” A blue magical moon gate appeared and the couple entered into it.

As Eowyna slept, Maddux carefully stealthed out of their home and made his way to the town’s moon gate. Stepping into the gate and exiting outside Trinsc, Maddux began his journey. Traveling stealthed and at a pace that most can not keep up, Maddux felt confident he would lose anyone following him. Experience had taught Maddux to stop and listen every now then. Maddux took a knee and waited with his Black Bow at the ready. Maddux listened and scanned for movement and thought back to the times of the Dark Riders, and the betrayals. Those who pretended to be friends to steal what they can. Out of anger Maddux tightened his grip on his Bow, as his anger subsided, so did his grip.

Times are better now, for Eowyna and I are amongst elves that have not been corrupted. We have chosen our paths. Now to find all the children and bring them home. Satisfied that no one was following; Maddux stepped into the ruins and whispered “Shinies” and was teleported to before two great gates. The gates open with ease and Maddux entered into a large cavern with an inlet large enough to sail a ship in.

Maddux took a rock and tied a string to it and tossed into the water. Once the rock laid to rest in the water, Maddux looked at the measurement markings on the string “Fifteen meters, plenty of depth to bring The Duchess in here. There is plenty of storage space here to store antiquities and other items.

Maddux leaned against one of the cannons, and thought to himself. The Enclave has fallen, its time to bring the survivors to Dharuuc-Bal, which is Goblinish for Playthings of Fortune. Dharuuc-Bal is a secret society within Sosaria whose goals are to explore, discover, protect lost and forgotten artifacts, and knowledge. Now they will protect Eowyna and our elves.