"Swiftly do stars burn a path across the sky,
Hast'ning to place one last kiss upon your eye.
Tenderly land enfolds you in slumber,
Softening the rolling thunder.
Dagger now sheathed, bow no longer tense.
During this, your last hour, only silence."
Far to the east of the Tevinter imperium is the forest of Arlathan. Many have heard of it's downfall to the magisters whom used bloodmagic to sink the great city to the ground. Some debate if it is true, or if some other force sunk the city of Arlathan, but what is known for sure is that the elves morn their lost city and culture.
One small clan of elves banded together to explore within the forest of Arlathan, a risk not many would have taken with the slave-trade so strong within Tevinter. Their ancestors spoke of the terrors of what happened, the sky; red as rivers of blood, trees uprooted by an unseen force, ground swallowing structures as their homeland began to crumble and sink into the ground.
Curious the Keeper Belassan Assanathdar took her clan further into the forest. Her first born son Virgarth scouted ahead of the others to find safe passage into the forest. He was of average hight with short, well-kept light-brown hair and sun-kissed skin. His physical build was of one whom spent time honing his strength and power wielding the sword and shield.
Her second born son, and her First (or apprentice as the Shems ((humans)) would call it) Fen'Fael kept close to her. The two had been born as twins, though they were far from the same. In looks, and in personality. Fen'Fael's true name was actually just Fael, but a few years ago he had helped a young wolf pup, healing it with his magic, and then returning it to the pack – an act not many elves would have done, and the clan added 'Fen' to his name. Virgarth would have just left the pup, or even killed it, but Fen'Fael had compassion enough to spare even Fen'Harel's own skin. Or so it was joked.
Belassan worried this would separate him further from the clan, or cause them to say hurtful things, but he didn't mind the nickname, and the clan only ever seemed to use it as a sign of endearment despite what his nickname implied.
Fen'Fael shifted on the spot anxiously and she could tell he was ready to join his elder brother in scouting ahead for potential danger. However she kept him beside her for she knew the kind of mischievous nature he held and what dangers that would often land him in.
Unlike his brother, Fen'Fael's skin was much lighter, like that of her own. He had blond hair that he usually left a complete mess though he kept it short so it rarely bothered him. It bothered her, however and often she would tell him to tidy himself up if he wanted to be respected by the other members of the clan. 'They love me enough as it is, any more respect or love and I'll surely drown,' he would often say, a big smirk on his face.
Today, however he seemed much more serious. Virgarth had spotted a group of Shems within the forest a few days ago, she only hoped they hadn't noticed the clan and that they were not slavers tracking them. She could only hope for the best.
The other clan member she had at her side was a female elf who was a couple of years younger than Fen'Fael. Era'falon joined the clan only two years ago when Virgarth and Fen'fael found her being harassed by bandits, whom they could only guess at to what horrors they had planned for her. Her clan had been killed in the skirmish leaving Era'falon the only survivor.
She was a bit smaller than others of her age, and her skittish nature only made her seem even smaller than in truth. Her raven-black hair was usually tied up in a hallatail (dalish equivalent of a ponytail), as she kept it long. Her skin was darker than any of the others in the clan, and many outsiders noticed such right away. Skin colour was not an issue for dalish (or the other races in Thedas), though Belassan could not place which clan she may have belonged too before ending up in hers. There were other clans in Thedas, but after meeting up with a few different clans, none seemed to know who Era'Falon was or what clan she had come from and she refused to leave her saviours side. Seeing as there were no other clans with potential family members, Belassan made sure she had been accepted into the clan without any arguments from any of the other clan members. Not that she needed to worry. They accepted her from the moment it was mentioned that Era'falon would be staying with them.
Ahead of the clan, Virgarth scouted the woods with confident steps. He held his sword at the ready, though felt that there was no danger close-by. He didn't lower his sword, however. He felt that one could never be too cautious about these things. Perhaps the shem's had simply been near the area hunting, or maybe they were lost. They didn't have to be slavers, or anyone dangerous. Yet something nagged at him to not trust those ideals about the shemlen's, to him, they were simply 'dirty, dragon-humping, halla dung'.
After a while, Virgarth found a clearing beside a small stream. There was still no sign of any humans in the area, no tracks, sounds, nothing, and thus he decided to bring the clan here for the night.