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Elfmeet - Part III
Amywiel walks toward the circle and take the torch. Quincy cannot help to sigh while watching Amywiel's hair, which is shiny green : the same color as the poisoned waters. There is no doubt that her hair color has been altered because of her addiction to poisoned waters. After taking several deep breath to calm herself, she starts her speech.
So I am Amywiel. I fled my own island, when my people betrayed me. Yes, already at this time, and in another island, elves did not to treat each other as nicely as they should.
Why would I join the Poisonwood, you may ask? Well, I have met Cathalya, my dear sister. She was, and is, very nice, kind and caring, even if I know many of you do not like her very much.
She told me of the history of our people, here. Syann, Uultak, the split, the poison. All terrible things. I believe she did not try to advantage our side in her story, even if I have no proof of that.
I know that you all fear, or mistrust, the Poison. It's difficult to explain, but when you drink from it, when you are accepted by the woods, you see the apparent hideous Poisonwood become like a heaven. Your hear the whispers of the trees and the spirits. There are the most beautiful woods I have ever seen in my life.
I knew that a War was going on, but I am not from here. I did not feel the hate my brethren seemed to feel and I did not plan to enter that War. But I loved the woods, my new home, and I swore to protect it.
Unfortunately, one day, the Ancien Tree, the oldest and the most beautiful magical tree has been destroyed and burnt. This is when I felt hate, and entered the War. I felt anger and wanted... revenge. Because I felt an innocent fell : a tree, which was not in War.
But all hate fades away over time, and I realized that a tree, even magical, even the most beautiful of all... was not worth even a single elven life. Even if I felt it was right at this time, I regret that I fought and harmed elves for that. Now, my woods are burnt. We have lost the war. For me, at least, I have lost it, since the woods I sworn to protect are gone.
So we have many elves dead... On all sides. A burnt forest. So many wrong deeds... All I could only see was endless war after that.
It had to stop. I do not want the War to go on indefinitely. Even if I have lost almost everything, I do not want to become a monster.
All we want is now to live in peace. We just have a requirement: we would like to keep the Poison. Of course, we won't spread the Poison. We won't harm anyone. But we need it. I heard persistent rumors about a... cure. We don't need a cure. We only want to live in peace. Within ourselves. And within all elves, if they are willing to.
Amywiel puts the torch away and comes back to her seat, relieved she could say all she had on her heart. It was the turn to Styvn to talk. He walks over and takes the torch, like the others who spoke before him.
Some of you here know me well. Some of you do not. I am Styvn. I am of the Feywood. I have been good friends with Queen Yu'syu for many long years. We have fought many battles together. I have never questioned her wisdom, nor do I now. But to say I was taken aback by her talk of peace would be a gross understatement.
I am Tel'Varataurie. My duty is to ALL the woods of Thain. Not just to Feywood or Greenvale. That is why I refused to take part in the burning of the Ancient Tree of Poisonwood. That is why I refused to take part in the burning of the Poisonwood itself. My war was not with the woods. It was with the people.
I promised the Queen I would keep the peace with all those of the Poisonwood who also keep the peace. And to that I hold. But..... I do not suffer any illusion that we will all walk out of here today holding hands and making joy with each other.
MY hope, is this.... That if we all hold to our oaths, and give this peace the time it will require, then maybe someday in the future, we will make happy times with each other.
After that last sentence, Styvn makes eye contact with everyone on the room, then nods and puts the torch back to the pedestal.
Arakhor, who is being called Seryn by most of the attendees, stands up. " We wish to speak, we do. " she says, coming to pick the torch. It was time for the only other Poisonwood representative to speak her mind.
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Elfmeet - Part IV
Now that she has the torch in her hand, the feyling starts talking to the attendees with her peculiar speech, familiar to Amywiel and those who knows Arkahor well.
Some of you knew us as Seryn. You even continue to call us that. Our speech may confuse you. We speak with the voices of all the skins she dreamt when she was alive. Those and.. our own. That of Arakhor.
When we arrived on Thain, we were not that different from Lote-nesse, the elf you know as Amywiel here. We were escaping from a tragedy. Lindelamin, Cathalya, was one of the first individuals we met. Seryn saw something in the Poisonwood that even Lindel-- that even Cathalya seemed to have forgotten. We tried to fight for it. Not with violence, but with words. We met Elith and others. Tried to convince them. But the hatred ran too deep. Runs too deep, even now. The mistrust, the anger. Seryn felt them too, eventually. And we did as well. We.. have done horrible things. We tried to talk, yes, but.. we had almost given up. Or perhaps we gave up altogether.
Despite Arkahor having the torch, Dele did not resist and burst out " and yet it was Seryn who labelled everyone falsekin ". This interruption leads Renneleth, Amywiel and Cirdan to give a stare at Dele. Arakhor, just confirmed her words : " It was. " Then she continues :
Both of us grew tired of trying to talk. Of hearing the same answers, seeing the same reactions. We placed the lives of our forest-kin above.. above yours. And, in our minds, it made sense. And we hated. And hated. And hated.
Maybe we.. tried too hard. Or not hard enough. We did not know. The things we have done will always haunt our dreams. And we deserve it. We wished for others - for you - to see what the poison could do. Like fire, it can burn or warm you. Like water, it can quench thirst or drown. But it is possible we made all the wrong choices.
Instead of convincing you, of reaching the understand we wanted, we got this.
At those words, Arakhor gestures to the entrace of the cave, where flames could be seen.
We know you do not understand the poison. Terrible things can come from it, like the Lady has shown all of us. But Sylvox and Yu'syu did what all of us failed to do. They gave us the chance violence and hatred could not. Showed us that.. it is possible. That we can try. We.. we want to try. We saw what we would become. Our dream was never one of blood. We fought because we felt we had to. The things we have tolerated. Turned a blind eye to. We cannot be forgiven for that. And we still feel those dark feelings boiling under our skin. We are so uncertain of the future. We have this little, clumsy seed. Wish to see it grow. But we are a monster.
We still have a little of Seryn left inside us. We wish to honour it. Maybe you will accept us. Maybe you will not. We are of poison. But we do not want to grow in a land that knows only hatred.
As soon as Arkahor was done with her speech, Amralyth hastily claims the right to say her word of peace. But her speech would be much shorter than all the previous one. And much less peaceful as well.
I catch anyone trying to poison the Feywood again, I will kill you.
Those harsh words were obviously directed to the Poisonwood sisters. While a feeling of remorse can be seen on Amywiel's face, Arkahor does not react. Not that she does not care, but she somewhat expected it. Renneleth orders Amralyth, rather rudely, to sit back at her place.
Anyndel, the black dragonkin, is next. Before even holding the torch, he makes sure that everyone is looking at him and available to listen to his own speech.
Well, this has been good hasn't it? Cathartic i believe the word is? Perhaps we could do with some clarity around a few items? As one who has drank the poisoned waters and heard the whispers of the woods I understand well enough what the "poison" is. The woods were not the enemy....the poison is not the enemy. Though as you so wonderfully illustrated earlier it is a conduit for making contact with other Poisonwood elves.
One doesn't want to tell you I told you so....but in this instance i'll make an exception...I told you the Lady and the woods were not the same thing at all. And now we know that to be true.
A war was prosecuted using the woods as a way to command troops on the front line of an invading force. Indeed the woods themselves entered the City One suspects who thought this up is somewhat of a moot point...the Lady or others that know the woods..to have peace we all must understand what the poison is and what it is not.
It is a lifeblood to the Poisonwood elves.... I am reluctant to even call it a poison due to the negative connotations to those not familiar with it. My first suggestion is you rename this phenomenon to something more positive.
Secondly, those who prosecuted the war because of what they believe Uultak was -allowed- to do to them was in somewhat the fault of the other elves must renounce this vision. You know who I mean.
Do not think we are unknowing of your struggle. I am personally sympathetic but those divisions of history must stop. Now.
Lastly... Twenty of you to come of out of this as refugees is not a great deal. Will you be able to convert more? We would hope that. The alternative is we have to wipe out the Lady and those who follow even if they do not that the understanding of what they follow. I would suggest this should be your primary concern in saving more of your people. I thank you all for your indulgence.
The first demands to the Poisonwood sisters have been made. But it is nothing compared to what the Huntmaster is going to ask. He stands up again, ready to talk once more, and get into specifics.
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Lucretia stalked through the devastated woods, moving with surprising grace and stealth for such a bulky woman. She had not been present when the disaster happened and was still piecing together the events. But it was plain that some schism in Poisonwood had followed the fire and peace had been sought from Greenvale and Feywood.
Peace. It was a word that unnerved Lucretia more than any other. She needed this cause to fight for. Without it she was just a murderer, and worse, a stealer of souls. The elves on the other side might be willing to integrate those of Poisonwood, but where did that leave her? She was after all not an elf, just a human who had joined Poisonwood for reasons the elves of Greenvale would never understand. Had this path been taking her towards the gallows rather than glory?
And then, as had happened more than once before at a moment of existential dread, Lucretia's gaze fell upon Catshade. The enigmatic elf had become a mentor to Lucretia and was exactly the person she needed to speak to. Fate it seemed had guided Lucretia to her again. They conversed whilst looking upon a fountain of the blessed waters of Poisonwood.
When they finished and Lucretia took her leave, her worries had been eased. The war may have been lost, but the cause was not. Like the verdant woods, it was growing anew.
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Elfmeet - Part V
Renneleth introduced the meeting, established the rules, which had been followed by most, but it is time now he talks for himself. Without wasting any time, he holds the torch.
Allow me to preface my speech with a little story. I thank Captain Fehrien for telling it to me. We were sitting by a pond and observing a few fish. We talked about many things. About the war. About regret. About hope. And about this thing which the outside world has termed "poison" and "Poisonwood." I told Kellendill that it was my deepest desire to unite all elves. It still is. I told him that if I could, I would carve out my own heart to heal Poisonwood. He looked at me askance, his brow furrowed. "Look at these fish, Renneleth," he said. "Can you teach them to breathe air?"
I am nearly five centuries old, and it has taken me all this time to understand what Anyndel just said. Poisonwood does not rely on its toxic flora because it chooses to; it does so to survive. Does it make them mad? Perhaps. Perhaps not. Probably not. Syann's Order and all they represent, thence stems the hatred. -That- is the real poison,
Seryn. Amywiel. And Cathalya, were she here, unto you I say: we have misjudged you. We have treated you and your home as a malady when in truth you were simply different from the rest of us. Let us move beyond that. No, we -must- move beyond that.
But we cannot walk this road alone. We must walk it together. We must acknowledge our differences, and we must abide by them. What does this mean?
It means that you must curtail the spread of your toxic flora. Uproot it from Lumemshire and from Ridgeshield. Help us banish the fumes from City of Elisara. In return, we will help you grow a new forest, one that is akin to your old home. And this time, we shall respect it for what it is.
But it is presumptuous of me to speak on your behalf. Instead, I will state our terms. Others may wish to complement. Afterward, you may state yours.
One, we must establish defined borders. Two, we must respect these borders. Three, we should acknowledge each other as kin, and, as such, treat each other accordingly. Four, you will help us banish the Darkfey from Feywood. If you wish for them to dwell in your own forest... they may do so as long as they cause no harm to elf-kind.
As Renneleth is stating his terms, Amralyth mutters : " Helping us kill the Drow bitch would be great, too. "
Difficult to say if Renneleth has heard or not what Amaralyth said, but his gaze shifts from Amywiel and Arakhor to the other elves, asking them if they had other terms to put forth.
Anyndel : " Cathalya must come before us by the end of this ten-day. " Kellendill : " It would be nice to hear from her, yes. And any other desiring peace. " Anyndel : " And if any of you have the items looted from our tomb they must be returned. " Dele : " I presume calling off their assassin is implied. "
After the few interjections, Renneleth concludes.
I think that is fair. I, too, would like to hear Cathalya's assent. But before I do, let me hear yours, Seryn. And yours, Amywiel. And let us hear what you expect from this treaty.
Amywiel is somewhat in shock. The Huntmaster stated many terms, and they were strong, but after all, Poisonwood lost the war. What did she expect?
Arkahor stands up and walks toward the circle to answer.
We cannot force her to do so. Yu'syu and Sylvox said that she had moved away from the war, did they not? Still, we will tell her of your wishes, and their importance. For.. some reason, some think that we hold sway over the dark fey, but we do not. Seryn did not interact much with them, and her fascination with them was.. strange. Just like she was. Moving those aligned to trees might be possible. We are not sure if convincing them is feasible, but we would be willing to try.
For now, we have no home. The Ridgeshield is all we have left. Maybe we could move away from it, eventually. We will tell Sylvox your terms and wishes, we will. He knows best. We are tired of dealing with seelie fey and orcs from the Shire. While words might have formed a bridge between us, they continue to harass us. Maybe.. things will be different now. We also know that you had to say your piece, Mor-wien, and we will not hold it against you. It is who you are.
At those words, Anyndel snarls.
It's all true. But then you chose poorly. In the same way I had to burn your wood... Nothing personal.
Arakhor could have shown anger at that, but the only thing she expresses is sorrow, while she replies to the angry interjection.
It could be said that we all did. We are not going to list all the things each of us might have done wrong, and we would ask that you respect this.
Renneleth, once again, must state again the rules. Renneleth : " Anyndel, keep your mouth shut until such a time you are holding the torch. Even then, choose your words with more deliberation. Remember why we are here. " Anyndel : " Apologies. I get so very animated. "
Once it is settled, Arkahor speaks again.
Terms. We.. we only want to be given a chance. We would like to try and learn from everything that has happened. We know everything we do from now on will be observed and weighed and judged.
Surprisingly, it is now Renneleth who choose to interject.
Renneleth : " Seryn, I know that you are holding the torch, but may I interject by asking you and yours a single question? " She nods at that. Renneleth : " If you could choose peaceful co-existence with your erstwhile brothers and sisters... with us... would you agree to this? Or do you seek solitude and isolation? "
Maybe the former is possible, but.. we feel that it could be too soon. We have done an effort by coming here, but are we ready for such a drastic change? We need time to figure out where we stand. To.. discover who we are without the Lady and the Order.
After replying to Renneleth, Arakhor looks to Amywiel, wondering if she has anything to say. Renneleth's question was aimed at both of them, after all. Noticing the look, Amywiel stands up and exchanges the torch with Arkahor.
I interrupt slightly to answer your question, Renneleth. Two days ago, when the words of possible peace were spreading around... two elves of Feywood welcomed me. Despite knowing what we have done to their homeland, they were friendly to me.
It was... heartwarming. They were ready to start a new relationship, to consider me, and us, as one unique kin. This was a complete change of what I am used to, which is at best mistrust, to outright hate.
Would I like to call all other elves as kin? As brothers and sisters? Of course. It would be a really great thing. I hope it will be possible. In my case, I am willing, without any doubt.
Amywiel then returns the torch to Arakhor.
Most still believe that we can be 'cured' of the poison when there is nothing to cure. It.. will be a slow change. We do not know if the remaining dark fey will listen to us or if we have enough forest-kin to help you do what you ask. It is.. possible that we are trapped in the Ridgeshield, for now. The Lady will come for us both from this moment onward. But we have chosen this and we stand by it, we do. We must try and make things work. We cannot decide for Sylvox and the others, but we will tell them everything you have said. For now, we would only ask that.. we are allowed to have this chance. To give us the time we need to know where we stand.
Arakhor puts back the torch while Cirdan stands up and starts talking without even bothering to take it.
I think this is a good start to long road of recovery, both sides. We should have more of these and talk to each other. I think we both must work to making this a union, like all things it shall take time.
Renneleth tells Cirdan that he forgot the torch. Cirdan says that he is sorry but he is done anyway with his short speech.
Kellendil stands out, thinking that everyone stated his mind, and concludes.
Today.... all who attended have spoken. Words of hope... some of anger... but all got to speak. I thank you all. Truly. Darkness, friends.... cannot drive out darkness Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that. Our hearts... must be healed with forgiveness. Forgiveness... is the encapsulation of ALL that love is... distilled down into one pure act. Our journey begins there.
I told Seryn this once... and I'll say it here. To save a life... EVEN in defeat... is to earn victory and honor within.
Seryn, you are correct... we cannot heal this forest. These is nothing to heal. But we CAN heal your heart, and ours. We can expunge thehate that resides within us all, and heal it with compassion and respect toward each other. That is our first step.
Again... thank you all, truly, for coming. Seldarine... guide us all. Estel.
While Kellendil was doing his closing speech, another elven figure had entered the cave. This man is Sylvox, an archdruid, the leader of the Poisonwood refugees, those who choosed to betray the Lady of the Woods for Peace, like Amywiel, Arakhor and Cathalya. He looks wounded, burnt and exhausted. He looks around to those gathered, then his gaze meets Renneleth's.
Renneleth tells him : " Mae l'ovannen, Sylvox. Welcome. Perhaps you, too, wish to share your thoughts with those here gathered? The circle is yours, should you desire to address the gathering. "
Meanwhile a phoenix appeared on top of the pillar, the very one the torch is. Sylvox notices it, hesitates a bit but goes forward and takes the torch. The bird has no physical form, and the gathered flames of the woods spark off its wings, falling to the ground, forming new sprouts of life. It stares at Sylvox expectantly.
Sylvox starts to talk, his voice harsh and raspy. It is clear he has barely rested since last they saw him.
For those of you who do not know me, I am Sylvox. For many years, I was the archdruid of the Poisoned Wood. Or, as I called it, home. I have spent my life defending it. Watching it grow. Planting new seeds, and watching them grow. Coming to know the trees, and the woods. For they are alive, and they speak, to those who may listen.
He turns to the Greenvale elves.
I have likely caused the deaths of your people. Perhaps not directly- I never was much of a fighter- but through the work I have done, and what it became under the Lady Syfana. And for many years, this was the life we lived. We druids, we grew our seeds knowing that they would be used as tools of destruction.
But I am tired. I am tired of seeing the trees I care for turned into machines of war. I am tired of the gifts of life the poison can give being used to kill.
Then he turns to Arakhor and Amywiel, those who sided with him.
I am sorry I did not tell you of my plan. I did not know if you could be trusted. I did not know if you still had any hope for a life other than the one you were born into.
Arakhor answers Sylvox on that : " We.. were ready to give our lives for her. We saw no other path. Only that of hatred, vengeance and violence."
He turns now to Renneleth and Anyndel.
And I am sorry that when we first met, I was... angry. I... spoke hastily. I estimate that roughly one-fifth of the Poisoned Wood has joined us, since that day. Those who were not too far gone. Those who still remember what it was like to be at peace. I have... been saving those I could. I must return to that task soon.
Sylvox coughed a lot. It is obvious that he is really exhausted. Amywiel seems to be really worried about her new leader, while Arakhor suggests : "Y-you should rest, archdruid. We can take over, we can."
Renneleth then says : " We are gathered here to move forward, Archdruid, not lament our mistakes and sins. Those that you have saved, those that follow you, require you or they shelter? Food? "
Sylvox turns back to the Greenvale elves, a tiredness beyond words in his eyes.
We are at your mercy. The Lady will no doubt try to destroy us, if she is left unchecked.
Anyndel answers that :
Oh we will deal with her. With all due expediency Renneleth is right though. Your people should flee recriminations and backlash from the Lady. Perhaps a temporary camp at the Ridgeshield for now as Arakhor alluded to?
Sylvox acknowledges the suggestion.
For now, I have been leading those survivors who can be saved into the hollows of the Ridgeshield, near the docks. Perhaps... perhaps if we survive this, we may start another grove there. But these dreams are for another day.
Arakhor : " We are seen as traitors now, we are. " Anyndel : " Then it behooves us to protect you during this time as one kin to another. "
Sylvox seems to have run out of words and replaces the torch. As he does so, he looks up to Cr'ia, the phoenix. His hand tentatively reaches for the fire-bird's wingtip. As the fire touches the bird, she shivers, as if in pain. The fire joins into the rest of her form, with no distinction between one flame and another. The tips of her wings still burn with the fires outside. Ash from the Poisonwood trees is falling to the ground. But her eyes are kind, as she looks over the united elves. For a moment, she looks at Renneleth, then down at Sylvox, as he turns his back to the phoenix. The fires begin to spread from her, towards the exhausted Poisonwood druid. But as they reach him... they burn out. And where the fire burn, small sprouts begin to form. New life in the ashes. She flaps her wings. She gives a final call. And then flies towards the cave's entrance, her form rejoining the fires outside.
Sylvox give a small smile to Amywiel and Arkahor, then nods and departs, soon followed by all the other attendees.
Following long deliberations on the subject of peace between Poisonwood and Greenvale, the members of the Fifth Elfmeet have agreed upon specific terms and conditions and sent these to Queen Yu'syu and Archdruid Sylvox, respectively, for ratification.
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Peace Terms
I. Poisonwood and Greenvale become New Greenwood (Eryn Echain). II. Sylvox rules North Greenwood. Yu'syu rules South Greenwood. Syfana must be jointly opposed. III. Darkfey must be banished from Feywood. IV. City of Elisara willingly accommodates refugees from Poisonwood. Joint efforts to regrow North Greenwood. V. Tel'Varataurie protects Feywood, North Greenwood and South Greenwood from outside threats.
Addendum I: Joint efforts to banish the poisonous fumes from City of Elisara. Addendum II: Cessation of efforts to "cure" North Greenwood of poisonous fumes.
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Copies of this document were made available to the armed forces of Greenvale, Feywood, Hamley, Hammersong, Steinkreis, Sandburrow, Hellshire, The Blood Guard, the Poisonwood dissenter’s camp in the Ridgeshield, the Keepers of Thain and the School of Magic:
After-Action Report: —————————-
I was granted the privilege to participate in Queen Yu’syu’s allied assault upon the forces of the Lady of the Poisonwood’s army and bastion. After assembling in the City of Elisara, we were briefed by the Queen and Lord Draxus as to the plan: Draxus would stay in the city and ensure its safety while the Queen and a large number of gathered volunteers would join with her forces just inside the burnt out mess that is what remains of the southern portion of the Poisonwood. ***This area is, at the time of this report, a haven for fire elementals. Plan accordingly before venturing there.*** Once joined with her forces, our lines clashed with the Lady’s forces, living, enthralled, and undead. We, alongside the Queen, fought for our lives for hours, suffering wave after wave of powerful foes, including:
-Hands of Syann -Enthralled Greenvale Escatellons -Some new sort of poison-infused ghoul -Spellcasters of both the arcane and divine sort
Thanks to the assistance and unfortunate sacrifice of at least two units of Feywood soldiers, we prevailed and continued to grind our way through stiff enemy resistance. At this point the Queen was escorted away from the fighting.
***Note: The area surrounding the remains of the Poisonwood’s sacred Yew is infused with wild magic***
As the previous conflagration had claimed the woods, the existing wooden bridges are now gone, necessitating our grinding through the catacombs of those woods, again meeting resistance the entire way. We eventually arrived into the barracks of Poisonwood and faced the Lady. Along with a powerful and replenishing entourage of soldiers, we confronted the arcane might of the Lady herself. She was able to flood the combat with negative energy, harming us continually as we fought. Eventually her form was brought down, ending the flow of negative energy into the space, and we found an oddly glowing and fractured tree in her home. We unsuccessfully attempted to ascertain its meaning and function, but then kin Anyndel provided me with the materials needed to scry out the location of the Lady’s phylactery. Upon performing this magic, we learned a few important facts in regard to this situation:
-The tree’s fractures function in a manner not unlike the Wastegate system present upon the Island. -The Lady has been harmed to the point of needing, likely, centuries of time before gaining the strength needed to achieve the level of threat to the Island that she had been. -Even in her current, disembodied state, she is capable of draining the life energy from her followers to power herself. -Finally, unlike most other liches we have record of, she had not bound her soul into a phylactery, but into the Woods themselves. This was likely by way of the Blood of Thain, but the exact process is a mystery at this time.
Shortly these came to be known, we left the awful place and returned to safety.
***Of additional note, there is a theory that the Lady has altered the poison that sustains herself and her followers, and possibly that of the Woods themselves***
Thanks are to be given to the many who fought and suffered to bring about this victory. Representatives of Greenvale, Feywood, Hellshire and the entirety of the Island stood together to achieve this goal. Of special note, to me at the very least, are those who stood with us of the Poisonwood dissenters. I can only imagine their pain as they fought alongside those who had been their enemies against those who had been their kin in a place that had been their home. From me, my eternal thanks. May we achieve the ongoing peace and understanding that we all so desperately need.
-Teron Dian Instructor, Greenvale School of Magic Keeper of Thain
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Dele slowly wandered around Greenvale, the streets now eerily silent, the calls of battle no longer rang through the city and the smell of the wood was noticeably less pungent. She offered a smile and reassuring words to those whom she passed, often stopping to hug friends. Their joy was overwhelming, hers more understated. It would take a while before her sleep was not disturbed by the images of ruptured bone, torn flesh and bodies driven to the point of exhaustion or undead Estel, their eyes shining with no hint of recognition of whom they once had been. Lost to the gods. No more Arben, young nor old streamed into the city, no more gallant Estel ran to fend off their attacks. Her anger though at what had been done still simmered below the surface.
The merchants had returned to their stalls, commerce always the first to lead a recovery, and people were slowly starting to gather. Where people had rushed before wanting to get their chores completed quickly, now they stood in groups, smiling, whispering of the men and women, who had fought so valiantly and who had rallied to defeat not the woods but a lich. She glanced down, many reminders would remain but their mingled blood still evident in the cracks and joins of the cobblestones would be washed away with the next rain. They bled the same, of that she was certain. How peace would play out she was still uncertain. Time would be needed while the physical wounds could be healed by her and others hands, for wounds of the heart and minds to heal would take much much longer.
Glancing up she spotted the pile of timber and rubble and couldn’t help but race up the ramparts up to the tower, what was left of it. She stood just staring at the mound of timber and stone that had once stood like a beacon on top of the hill that centred the city. It felt like she stood there for hours looking, running her mind through events and how things might have been changed. She wondered idly where the Queen lay her head now. Where Draxus and those wings were.
Leaning over the rampart she could see traces of the woods still remain, a strange blue glow was now been emitted by the left over vegetation. Queen Yu’syu always insisted that the city endures and so it did once again.
*She smiled at the guards, winking at them* Have the baths been cleared yet?, it’s been far too long between swims.
The white whirlwind of ash made it difficult for the two elves to breathe as well as move, crashing over the pair like a tidal wave. They had heard rumours about some great victory claimed in the heart of Poisonwood, that heroes from both sides of the war had banded together to kill Queen Syfana, but from where they stood, or, rather, crouched, huddling each other, their bodies so tangled one could not tell their limbs apart, what was supposed to be a day of joy felt no different from any other day since the outbreak of the Poisonwar; it was a miserable day, the air choked with ash and a miasma of poisonous fumes. The pair of elves, commiserating in each other's arms, spent a while to reflect on what the war had brought with it. Death, they thought in tandem. So much death. Wives had been bereft of husbands and sons, Queen Yu'syu had been near-mortally wounded, Lord Draxus had been banished, and, in furious retaliation, the Huntmaster had summoned some ancient, flaming creature to scorch Poisonwood to the ground. Now peace was on everyone's lips, and in a century or two, half of the island would likely forget the Poisonwar had occured at all. But the elves would not forget. Not in two centuries, not ever. How could they? The Fair Folk, supposedly the wisest and most peaceful of all sentients, had in the span of six moons wrought more destruction than the rampaging armies of The Five had caused during the entire Kinswar.
But what was that saying so often quoted by Man? Let bygones be bygones? Yes, perhaps that is what the children of the Edhellen should do. Forget. Shrug off. Shut out. Let the past stay buried in the past, and the future concealed to mortal eyes. Let newfound brothers and sisters move forward as one, reminding each other with every gentle word and considerate deed that in the present, all that mattered was hope. Hope through unity.
Estel.
Let Captain Fehrien hang his blades on his wall. Let The Eternal Sage substitute words of rebuke with words of enlightenment. Let the High Ranger of Feywood train his arrows on monsters rather than kin. Let the Black-Scaled rub the vengeance off his eyes. Let the Praying Sister mend rather than break. Let Seryn and Cathalya forgive. Let them all carry in their hearts that one word, which, even the night is draped in impregnable shadows, casts a bright light.
Estel.
________
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But one elf has not yet hung his blade on any wall, nor has he rubbed vengeance off his eyes. To one elf, the conclusion of one war is merely the beginning, or resumption, of another war. Somewhere far away, yet not so far, one elf is strangling a dragon-blooded soldier and hissing words into his ears:
"Tell the bitch I am coming for her! And with me, the wrath of all of the Seldarine!"
Registered Member #24041
Joined: 4:19:01 am GMT 01/24/17
Posts: 2213
Following long deliberations on the subject of peace between Poisonwood and Greenvale, the members of the Fifth Elfmeet have agreed upon specific terms and conditions and sent these to Queen Yu'syu and Archdruid Sylvox, respectively, for ratification.Peace Terms
I. Poisonwood and Greenvale become New Greenwood (Eryn Echain).
II. Sylvox rules North Greenwood. Yu'syu rules South Greenwood. Syfana must be jointly opposed.
III. Darkfey must be banished from Feywood.
IV. City of Elisara willingly accommodates refugees from Poisonwood. Joint efforts to regrow North Greenwood
V. Tel'Varataurie protects Feywood, North Greenwood and South Greenwood from outside threats.
Addendum I: Joint efforts to banish the poisonous fumes from City of Elisara.
Addendum II: Cessation of efforts to "cure" North Greenwood of poisonous fumes.
Yu'syu and Sylvox each look over the treaties, deliberating with their various councils, and send back the following additions and revisions:
Article I: Ratified as written, with the addendum that Sylvox reserves the right to name his section of the Greenwood in accordance with his follower's wishes.
Article II: Ratified as written.
Article III: Ratified as written, with the addendum that Sylvox reserves his people's right to trade with the Darkfey so long as it does not endanger the other parties to the treaty.
Article IV: Added: Yu'syu's court will accomodate refugees so long as they agree to consider treatment for the poison, though this treatment will be voluntary. Without such treatment, however, Yu'syu fears that those of the poisoned wood will die without access to the waters of that place, which she will not permit to be introduced to Greenvale.
Sylvox adds that the northern reaches, where his people have settled, will be grown in accordance with their wishes.
Article V: Ratified as written.
Addendum I: Ratified as written.
Addendum 2: Sylvox adds that any of those that followed him to the Hollows are welcome to seek treatment for the poison if they wish, but that the treatment must be voluntary and that his people must not in any way be coerced into accepting it.
In addition, Sylvox proposes the following addendum:
Addendum 3: Should either Greenvale or the Poisoned remnant be assaulted by an enemy that threatens to divide the elves, a council must be called to determine whether or not the elves will stand as one to oppose this threat, or whether they will each make war on their own terms.
((Any further discussion of the terms of peace can be addressed to me via discord!))
Registered Member #24916
Joined: 2:58:00 pm GMT 01/23/19
Posts: 610
Another ending
Victory, defeat, or nothing changes at all. It seems fate decided it would be the third, only with a twist they had not foreseen when the Poisonwood trio sat out to kill the queen.
There was no true defeat in the war. They would have to be removed from the face of the earth if that was to happen, and Poisonwood has established themselves too well for that. Their Queen is now eternal and bound to the woods, and their army just as eternal. Even in death will the fallen serve the will of Syann. The hundreds of fallen traitors will too serve their true ruler, in death.
Greenvale had suffered losses too. How many of their own had died, and how much damage had they done to their city? Clearly not enough, but it still stands, so the war will never truly be over.
All that changed was about one fifth of their own had gone with the traitor Queen, and deserted the woods. With them, the three sisters. The brother remained behind to deal with what they could not... or perhaps he simply could not follow. The death and undeath introduced to the woods were all his idea. Even as the final battle raged in the woods, he was watching from a distance. It hurt him to see his sisters in such pain, and so he did not interfere. He just waited until his Queen was recovering, and the invaders had gone home. He wandered the ash covered fields where the great battle had taken place, and laid out powerful magic gems. It was not long until the fallen of both sides once stood up again as Syann's eternal army.
This is what the war is now. An army that will never rest, and the army that needs it. Both sides going back to how things were before the walls were broken. Another silence before a new storm.
[ The Island of Thain ]
Poisonwar
