LUNA MORTEM

Ever since the dawn of Argmundhul and the first howl of Skoll and Hati, there has been The Moon Elves of The Forgotten Realm. Elves who move under cover of darkness, only the twilight from the moon illuminating their pathway. They have overcome every obstacle to reach the task laid out before them, to protect their sacred land from the in-superior races of Men, Dwarfs and even Different Races of Elves.

But none could defend with such ferocity, lack of compassion and silent demise, than that of the Luna Mortem. A group of professional warriors, under the jurisdiction of their Queen Ordalf. These fleeting killing machines, tall, slender and light on their feet were entrusted with a sworn duty to protect these homelands from those who saw to take it from them.

Alliances that were once formed have diminished into a low whisper of a shattered part of history. The Battle for Caer Callidyrr, where many elves lost their lives to the fury of the Goblin King, whose pure numbers out weighed the skill and stamina of the Moon Elves causing them to flee, retreating back to the forest of The Forgotten Realm. The Goblins washed over Caer Callidyrr like a plague, destroying the beauty that was once the kingdom they had learn to call home. Creating a factory of fire and smoke, assembling terrible armories and disgusting breeding pits to replenish the numbers they lost and to further build their army.

No Aid came to the Moon Elves that day. Word was sent to the Dwarfs of the Mountains, The Men of the Lake, The Tieflings in the Shadows, but none would answer. A guttural lack of trust towards races besides their own, was embedded in to the very fibers of every Moon Elves soul. And so The Luna Mortem were born.

The Luna Mortem, identified by their Black Tunics made from the finest silk with Red Trim, their boots made from the leather of the valley cattle notable by their ebony black skin that never loses its sheen or durability, the vambraces that protect their forearms forged in the fires of a fallen dragons heart. Witnessing the presence of even one of these highly trained warriors was considered a great honor, many would bow in the streets or present offerings if they crossed their paths.

RISE OF VARIS NAILO

From early childhood trials are presented to the young elves who show promise. An elf may show promise from academic scores towards combat, stealth and survival, some elves are considered a legacy and are automatically considered for the trials and sometimes there are rare occurrences, where a prodigy is born and has no formal education and no family to speak of, but can become the greatest warrior of The Forgotten Realm who can bring peace back to his homeland, one Goblin Head at a time.

In the outskirts of The Forest of The Forgotten Realm, a small shack, enveloped by the roots of the surrounding trees, the moss from the forest floor securely fastening the shack to the ground, it almost appears as if it is becoming one with the forest. A small campfire is kindling outside under a pot of boiling water. From out the shadows of the forest a large grotesque figure begins to approach the shack, its lumbering one large step at a time, its shoulders are bulbous and appear to be overreaching the notable size of this creature, as it begins to step from out of the shadows and into the warm light from the campfire, we see this creature is nothing more but a Elvin Man carrying a slain Forest boar on his shoulders.

The Elf throws the boar to the ground with a monstrous thud and he sits, kneeling upon the floor, stirring the pot before him. The Elf is dressed in his black tunic with a black leather armor tied together at the front, the collar of his tunic folds over the leather and his boots handed to him by the Queen as he became a member of Luna Mortem,his skin is pale and cold, his eyes are deep emerald green, piercing from the shadow of his eyes, his hair is undercut slicking back his shoulder length hair that begins with Ebony black tones but as it grows towards the tips it become a blend of a scab like red, considered a prodigy, he has slain more goblins than he cares to count, but that doesn't mean he doesn't, he looks to the corner of his shack were his weapons lay upon the wooden wall, a bow, two short swords and a pair of axes are presented, looking slightly dusted as if unused.

Standing proudly and slow, he walks towards his slain prey, the boar, he leans down whispering a thank you for its sacrifice in Elvish.

He pulls the boar into his shack, closing the door, when he hears a familiar voice of one of his comrades Liatu Sundil, a member of Luna Mortem whose academic scores caused him to become a Lieutenant in the militia, around his waist draped down the front of his legs is a blue length of cloth bearing the insignia of the Luna Mortem, Liatu approaches his friend calling out his name "Varis!" Varis turns towards Liatu and approaches extending his arm and shaking his hand strongly.

He comes bearing orders that the Queens Guard has been put on reserve, there is talk of an attack from a battalion of goblins at the north gate and the Luna Mortem are being divided into squadrons, one to face the goblin battalion head on whilst the other is to defend the kingdom and her majesty. Varis accepts his responsibilities, walking over to his weapons and begins to pick up his two hand axes, the rich wooden handle is wrapped in emerald green fabric that trails off the base of the handle, the axeheads are forged with such a sleek tone, the blades are engraved with such detail they could almost be mistaken for feathers, as the lower tip of the blade is inches from contact with the shaft of the axe. He raises the axes to the sun and slides them into their holsters on his thighs. Throwing over his shoulders his quiver that is full with ebony arrows with red tails, the quiver is covered in etches, bearing a likeness to a tally chart, recording the amount of Goblins who have lost their heads to Varis. We see the markings are enveloped around the quiver almost too many to count. Varis pulls out his two short swords after attaching the scabbards to his belts allowing him to easily swift strike out from both directions, the blades are forged in two different styles: The Left blade is smooth and slender the thinness of the blade is etched with elvish lettering (A Drop Of Blood, A Flash Of Light, Then Darkness) The Right Blade is Black as night with a serrated edge and is etched with white elvish (To carve the Moon with Death). Varis sheaths his blades and picks up his bow and places a small brown pouch onto his right hip. He turns to Liatu, nods as they both begin to walk towards the kingdom, as they leave through the forest Liatu places his hand on Varis' shoulder.

Faeri Hollow

Upon approaching the Kingdom of the Forgotten Realm, they make their way towards the great gate a beautiful wooden woven gate that flies high to the top of the tallest trees, it swings open to show the beautiful city, welcome to Faeri Hollow, the last Moon Elf Kingdom. The city is full of rustic wooden thatched houses and market stalls bearing rich bowels of fruit and the smell of spices fills the air.

Children run through the streets with joyful glee weaving in and out of the Queens Guard who patrol the city streets with a relaxed manner about them, wives chatter in the street on their shopping exploits, everything is wholesome today.

Liatu and Varis approach the kingdom stairs, the white marble stair case leads them towards the palace gates where they are greeted by fellow members of Luna Mortem all kneeling before the captain of the Queens Guard and trusted Advisor to the Queen, Ratu MunBlud a tall stature of an elf whose battle scars are worn proud as a reminder of what he has sacrificed for his kingdom, a serrated scar rises from the left of his mouth reaching up over his cheek left eye lid and brow. His piercing blue eyes and golden blonde hair that rests neatly down his back,his longsword at his waist. He bellows out his orders to his men, dividing them into their respective factions, Luna Mortem rise and salute, Liatu and Varis turn to one another knowing that they have been split into two squadrons, Varis has been called to the frontlines to defend the gate and Liatu must remain here to protect the Kingdom. They rest each others foreheads on each other and hold each others heads, they mutter a vow they took together as children before standing up looking at each other Varis reaches into his pouch and pulls out a black obsidian half mask and places it on his mouth,before turning and making his way towards the gate, this day will go down in history as they day that Faeri Hollow Rises.

THE FALL OF FAERI HOLLOW

As darkness falls the Luna Mortem take their positions, scattered amongst the trees of the forest lies Varis, perched, waiting, watching. Silence creeps through the forest a small gust of wind whistles occasionally, rustling the leaves in the trees, no one is stirred by this. Softly a low thumping is sounding through the forest, flickers of light begin to appear on the horizon. As the thumping begins to increase in volume and become more clear as the unmistakable sound of war drums, sounding the approach of Goblins advancing for war.

Varis draws his bow,instructing his unit of Elven Archers to follow his command and unleash a ferocious volley upon the first wave of goblins, the surprise attach cause the drums and lights to cease movement, before horrifying death call from a Goblin Commander howls through the forest and hundreds of Goblins begin to filter into the forest. Varis callsfor another barrage on the goblin horde,but they are quick to respond and have lifted their shields to form a turtle shell of sorts to protect them, never have goblins been so proficient in the way of warfare, they consider each other cannon fodder and would happily sacrifice the next to pursue the battlefield.

Something feels uneasy amidst the battle, as great as these numbers are they are too few for an all out assault on this kingdom,what could the goblins possibly hiding? Varis stands upon his branch and raises his hands out in front of him, his fingertips begin to glow and spark slightly as he falls backwards towards the Goblins he brings his hands together for a monstrous clap of thunder the Goblins defensive shell is shattered, and a fury of arrows fly into the Goblins chests and faces, every arrow missing Varis by millimeters, he stands and looks around at the circle of corpses, silence falls ever too quickly. The sound of a mechanism unhitching is heard behind Varis towards the city, he turns. Time begins to stop as his eyes widen with a look of terror, he gasps and fall to his knees as a boulder made of stone and metal is hurtling from behind the Kingdom. Varis' heart is in his throat,his pulse quickens as his breath slows. The boulder crashes through the top Tower of the kingdom and its seen to hurtle to the courtyard.

Varis without thinking, begins to sprint towards the kingdom. An ambush of Goblin Rouges leap out the trees at the front gate, three goblins fall in front of him, he reaches back to his shortswords and slides on his knees slicing at the ankles of the front two goblins before using the momentum to leap up thrusting his two blades into the throat of the third goblin, landing with both feet on his chest, Varis looks up,his emerald green eyes have turned to a blood red. Time is of the essence, he sheaths his blades and begins to bound towards the courtyard where Liatu is stationed on the roofs of the city begin to draw their bows but Varis is too fast and launches three arrows between the eyes of each goblin not losing a single step of momentum, without looking back he makes his way to the courtyard.

Death and destruction has filled the courtyard, pieces of rubble from the castle fall upon elf and goblin alike. Varis looks around for Liatu but cannot find him. Softly from a corner of the courtyard a voice calls out to Varis, its the Captain MunBlud whose body is rested up against a wall, the left side of his body is completely crushed by a fragment of the boulder that was fired at the kingdom and it split causing bits of rock and jaggered metal to become embedded into his chest and stomach. He looks up at Varis and with tears in his eyes he apologizes for failing the kingdom and pleads for Varis to get out of here and to run, proclaiming all hope is lost. MunBluds light from his eyes fade and his face becomes lifeless. Varis closes his comrades eyes and whispers an elfish thank you.

This somber atmosphere is interrupted by the sound of something climbing the castle walls from behind, hellish roars and screeches echo through the city. Varis turns to see a cave troll far larger than the ones he is accustomed to standing upon the rubble and ruin left of the castle.

The cave troll is caked in blood and white war paint. Its mouth is slit from cheek to cheek as two chains are piked into its jaw and the chains reach above his head which is wearing a iron cast helmet, forged from the small armor plates of its Kin. In one hand it wields a flail of rusted spears and swords and axe blades. In the other hand a figure Varis recognizes its Liatu, failing of life,limp in the trolls hand, Varis screams and fires arrow after arrow at the beast, but to no avail. The beast laughs and holds Liatu aloft high above its head, rearing back opening up its mouth, Varis fires again and again and again. But nothing, he reaches back once more to find his quiver empty. The Troll looking with one eye towards Varis, its black bloodshot eye, staring deeply into Varis. The troll squeezes Liatu, liatu lets out cries of agony and begging for help, but Varis is frozen and falls to his knees. Liatu begins to squirm, until the trolls grip becomes too much. Liatus body crumbles his head explodes and a fountain of blood begins to pour into the air and down the Trolls fingers into his mouth. The Troll takes a step forward lets out a roar before tossing Liatu's body at Varis' feet. Varis looking down at his fallen brother, tears off the crested fabric of Luna Mortem from Liatu's belt and ties it around his stands as the Troll lifts his flail.

The flail comes flying down onto Varis, a cloud of dust is formed,the Troll grins believing to have destroyed Varis into nothing but a paste of elf scum. As the dust settles the shadow of Varis is seen, his foot upon the flail. He starts to run upthe flail and the Trolls Arm,drawing his thin Left handed blade, and dragging it behind him from hand to shoulder of the Troll a river of blood flows from the Trolls arm, it bellows out a large painful roar, throwing his arm up into the air letting go of his flail. Varis, with this momentum, draws his right handed serrated blade and plunges down with both blades into the collarbones of the Troll. Standing upon the hilts of his blades he draws his two hand axes letting the fabric trail off further he slams the axe blades into the top of the trolls head, flipping over him pulling on the fabric and forcing the troll backwards onto the point of the fallen tower, piercing the troll through the chest. Varis walking up to the now lifelss remains of the Troll, retrieves his weapons, the battleis over, the goblins remaining seeing the death of their most powerful weapon fall at the hands of a single elf fills them with fear and they retreat.

Varis picks up Liatus body and carries him out of the city, never looking back, once again he has been left without a home and once again another loved one has fallen to the vermin of the Goblin King. He returns to his shack placing Liatu down and throwing his boiling pot away so the campfire is all that remains.

Taking his axes he begins to hack away at his shack with such ferocity and pain in his swings, gathering more kindling for the fire. The flames now roaring, he picks up his fallen brother and tosses him onto the fire. Reaching into his brown pouch pulls the cards they would play together as a child, he hesitates in throwing them into the fire, returns them to his sleeve and picks up his bow and leaves the forgotten realm, leaves the pain this place has bestowed upon him. The Road is Home Now.