Prologue

"Menzoberranzan...the city of the drow."

The dark figure gazed upon the image that lay before him. Many worlds he had visited in the short time he had gained his infinite power. Power over men, demons, angels...even gods. But of all places he had ever been or seen, this place...had always intrigued him most. This city of dark elves in the world of toril, located deep within the subterranian deepths of the underdark. He had dreamed of it for many many nights as of late.

He glanced around at the feudal japan that had become his home for this part of his existence. Beautiful and wonderful as it was, it still held a somber reality of his own home...his own time. The dark figure sighed as he lamented his own existence. Boredom was his ever present enemy.

"Perhaps...it is time for a change of scenery once again."

Standing up he walked towards the open door and gazed out at the mountains. He gazed out into the japanese empire that he had ruled for almost a century. All from the comfortable abode he had made his home. Not directly of course, as he thought back to himself. When he had come to this world and time, he had decided from the start that it was time to experiment with how he took control. So he had done so in a far more sneaky fashion. Maniputlating the strings behind the facade he had created. To all the world he had placed the current emperor in power without even one of them relizeing it.

Only the emperor knew.

Taking one last look up into the mountains, he watched the clouds darken as night took them one last time in the land of the rising sun. When the cool night air finally had settled, he returned his gaze inward to his home. Shaking his head and admireing the fine artisty of the place that he would leave, he shed his kimono and striped down till he wore nothing at all. Moving into the next room he walked over to a very ancient solid wood dresser.

Smirking at how it stood out completely in an alien fashion to everything else around him, he pulled it open and removed several boxes from it. The boxes where simple things made of maple, lined with iron and copper. Once he was done he had seven boxes laid out in front of him. He smiled and raised one hand to his mouth and blew softly into the wind...

Not far away Hask Li, the mighty emperor of the japanese dynasty was having a evening dinner with many of his court. The moon was full and the sky cloudless as he enjoyed his great fortune that was his life, and his rule over the greatest empire to ever grace the known world.

As he sat and contemplated all of this, a gentle breeze wafted into the palace and caressed all that was there, it made its way upwards to the room in which Hask Li was presiding over his court. He felt the chill run up his back, and knew without a doubt that the one who had allowed him so much requested his attention. He rose to his feet and addressed his court.

"I have a small matter to attend to, most honored members of my court. I shall be back shortly, but do enjoy yourselves while I am gone."

With that he bowed to his guests and took his leave, retreating to a back room within the palace that only he had access to. Moving to the back wall he pulled a curtain aside and mumbled a word to the wall. At that the stone shifted as if it where merely liquid and pulled to the sides revealing a corridor of light behind it. Hask Li took a deep breath, always dreading the trip through the corridor of light that he took to meet with his glorious benefactor. After mustering the courage...he steped through to the corridor.

The dark figure opened his eyes from his meditation as Hask Li steped through the light portal before him. The portal dimmed and receded, but remained obviously so that a return journey could be made. Hask Li bowed before the figure.

"I heard your summons on the winds and responded as you asked, my lord. How may I serve you?"

The man looked up at Hask Li and smiled. He stood, and that is when the emperor relized that his glorious benefactor was stark naked!

"My lord...you stand before me in a very...odd fashion." Stammered Hask Li as he attempted to look away from the nakedness of his lord. "Is everything well?"

Turning away from Hask Li, the man turned to the boxes and breathed deeply the air of the night.

"It is time I left this world old friend. I have grown weary of it. Peace is a wonderful thing for a people to attain, and I have enjoyed assisting you in doing so."

He turned to Hask, who had thrown all worries of his lords nakedness to the winds at this proclamation.

"Leaving! What do you mean? All these years you have aided me and been content. What makes you suddenly wish to leave?"

Smiling, the man turned and waved his hands to the boxes surronding him. They suddenly shot in the air and opened, revealing clothing and armor unlike any that Hask had ever seen. The boxes circled around the man in the air, then slowly faded, leaving only the articles. Raising into the air with the circling armor and clothing, the man raised his hands as he spoke.

"A world forged in peace is wise in its ways, but it is no place for a being such as I. I have enjoyed bringing prosperity to this world and helping its people. But it is time I once again felt the thrill of conflict. I go now to toril, and to a very specific kingdom upon that world. There I shall have the conflict my heart so desires, and I shall meet creatures I have up until now been unprepared for."

Confused, Hask watched as the armor and clothing suddenly sliped over the mans body, leaving him clad in long black flowing robes, silver plated shoulder armor and upper chest plate. As his feet touched the ground again he pulled his hood up over his head and let the last piece of armor fall into place. A mouth gaurd of ebony and silver with 5 air slits in it.

"I go now to Menzoberranzan...the city of the dark elves."

With that the man turned and walked away from Hask Li. Not even paying attention to the wall as he approached it, he merely faded away, as did the house with him. Hask Li collapsed to his knees and looked around him. The portal had opened back up a short distance away up the hill. Hask Li relized then he was weeping. He got to his feet and wiped his tears.

"I wont forget you old friend. You gave my world everything and asked for nothing in return. Then when you could have ruled like the iron fisted warrior you are, you where wise enough to relize it was beyond you. You let me rule in your place so that this world would be shaped for your departure. I dont know what you are, or how long you have or will live. But I do know that I will miss you old friend."

He walked up the hill and stood at the entrance to the portal. He held no doubts or nervous thoughts about this last walk through the light corridor. Glancing back as he entered, he waved a goodbye to the place he would never see again.

"Good bye Tier."