“Don’t look so surprised by the mention of Dragons, Jerilyn. I know that a few of the wyrms made lairs on Fanar but most, like me, preferred Tyrnavalle’s solitude, even those spawned by Davyrma. I suppose I do feel some distant kinship with them, their heritage comes from the Lord of the Spires just as mine does, but I am no more their cousin than you are the butterfly’s. And, before you ask, I do not hold a grudge against the Seeress for her judgment against my Grandfather. He got what he deserved for circumventing Finbardin’s will. In the end, it worked out for the best. In fulfilling their doom, Dracoris and Davyrma served Finbardin’s will as their father would not. To tell the truth, I’d tip my hat to the Seeress if I were wearing one. Her prophetic gaze looked far into the future when she thwarted Harnor.” The Wizard of the Blue Lagoon
Tag Archives: MA
On Tyrnavalle
“Honestly, Jerilyn? I just preferred Tyrnavalle over Fanar. Besides, why live in Mankind’s crowded cities when I could visit any time I chose? Far traveling does have its uses, you know. If I had to guess why, I’d say it was my upbringing. Our only guest in the Grove was Kandol and he was anything but a frequent visitor. Valdarag and Aeris were the first of many I planned on entertaining, but Kandol ruined those plans. Fanar was too noisy for my taste, so I chose Tyrnavalle. For thousands of years, while the kingdoms of Mankind rose and fell on Fanar, Tyrnavalle remained virgin and unexplored. The first men didn’t step on its shores until well after Ataryl started the God-Emperors’ dynasty. Before that it was largely unsettled. A few Elves, led in Hali’s time by one named Haleya, lived in the QuendiForest, scattered survivors of the lost Elven tribes of the Elder Days, and a smattering of other Elder Races dwelled in Tyrnavalle’s hills, vale and weald. And, of course, there were Dragons.” The Wizard of the Blue Lagoon
On Dol Melerith
“It was Aeris’s idea initially. A thousand years before the time of Thar, a dark and twisted evil from the Elder Days came down from the Darkstar and formed the Shadowgrim. The Dark Ones following the ancient evil named it the Shadow Lord, though I knew it by other names. After a century and a half, the Shadowgrim spread to cover an area stretching southeast from the Briarwood Forest. Aeris had no great desire to leave Pel Aesylle, but the growing shadow in the east worried him. More than most, he knew the evil that grew in the murky fens of the Shadowgrim. He and Ilnaya founded the Elvenhome Dol Melerith deep in the heart of the Briarwood, which my people called the Dael Shaelyn. From there, they stood vigilant against the shadow to the east, warding Mankind for centuries against its nameless evil. Maelryn and Emerre they left behind, in my care, much to their later regret. The Balance warps all within its reach.” Kandol Elf Lord
On the Balance
“False prophets for false gods, Tarik. The Long Night has passed and we’re in a new age, an age where the gods no longer exist. They are gone, alive only in dusty myth, mere fodder for bedtime stories. Once upon a time they may have been real, but now they are the substance of dreams. Only the Balance is real. Everything else is illusion. I have traveled beyond the Girdle with the Herald and seen the truth … Arrgh! Pass me that wine, Tarik. My head is pounding again.” Jerilyn of Colcester
Arvyl’s Doom
All that rises must fall, all that gleams will rust,
All that glitters by the sea shall crumble to dust.
Once-bright spires wave tattered remnants,
Gloryngael echoes with noble decadence.
On Sangrithar
“The Golden Whale? No, by my time it was long gone. When I visited Sangrithar, I stayed at The Pansy Shield. A crazy old warrior named Swafnah with a pansy fetish ran the place. Every table had a fresh vase of pansies, even in the dead of winter. Shields with embossed flowers covered the walls, the linens – always fresh, I might add – were embroidered with a pansy theme and every item on the menu came with a pansy garnish. One of his oldest friends told me that he’d been catapulted one time too many. Needless to say, this Swafnah attracted an odd crowd, one that I rather enjoyed. ” Jerilyn of Colcester
On Light Elves
“Velora’s people, the Light Elves, were underappreciated. While my Grandfather and his sons built the Elven kingdoms of old, Arethnal’s people led a pure and simple life. They passed their days studying the Heavens and those who achieved the deepest level of understanding became Elders of the Seasons after passing the ritual. Long before I became the Balance’s servant, I was fortunate enough to grasp the secrets of the Pattern and attained the status of Elder, but in this, Velora was always my better.” Kandol Elf Lord
Preface – Madness Ascendant
Welcome back, noble reader, to The Tale of Ages, that grand story of heroes and champions from a world that endures only in my fading memories. With each passing day, with each new page, those memories become more fleeting and my hand races to write them down before they fade forever. Continue reading