Brief recap: A short intro to Sephoran history, then an intro to the Taimerlai household. Now, the continuing adventures of Ethin Taimerlai!
Chapter Two
When the Ending War was in full swing, the gods began to forsake Sephora. First was Heironeous, the god of valor, and then his brother Hextor, the god of tyranny. Then Vecna, god of secrets followed. Next, Olidammara, the Laughing Rouge, and St. Cuthbert the Cudgel. The god of elves, Corellon Larethian soon followed suit, and Moradin the Soul Forger, as well the gods of gnomes and halflings, Garl Glittegold and Yondalla, respectively. Soon after followed Fharlanghan, god of roads, and Pelor the Shining One. In the Absence of Pelor, the sun went out, and all of Sephora was plunged into an impenetrable darkness. It was in this darkness that the Reaper of Flesh, Nerull, triumphed, but in the end, he to, along with Lolth, goddess of the drow and the god of orcs, Gruumsh, left. In this never ending darkness, the goddess of death and magic, Wee Jas, also fled, as did Ehlonna, goddess of the forests. Accompanied by Erythnul, god of slaughter, and Kord, god of strength, only two gods remained in the what became known as the Deathless Night, an unnatural night in which magic failed and none could die. It was at this time that Boccob, Lord of all Magics, left, condemning both Obad-Hai, god of nature, and Sephora. As all the arcane magics in Sephora faded, the druids, their magic powered by the might of Obad-Hai, used much of their magic to hold their crumbling world together in the last crucial moments of the ending war, allowing the unnamed warrior to ignite the Spell Forge, and, with the last bit of arcane magic in the world, forged a new Spell Sword. With this sword, the worst moments of the Ending War were fought and decided. As the Nameless Warrior sacrificed his life, he convinced the gods that there was still hope in life, and the gods slowly filtered back into Sephora.
Ethin Taimerlai soon arrived on the village, and headed towards the house belonging to Mira, one of the few elves still living in the Taimerlai territory. He cut across the village, paying little regard to the villagers who called out to him. They all wanted the same thing, something he couldn't give. Help, the answer to all their problems. They want miracles, call a cleric. No, that wouldn't work. The power of most clerics, and arcanists, was failing, still suffering from the Ending War. The only people who could still flawlessly cast spells were the druids of Obad-Hai, the same people that, three centuries ago had held the world together during its final moments as the very magic that held it together left it. Some of those druids the elves among their number, were still very much alive, and remembered the dark days of that time, as the sun was quenched and the might of the wizards and sorcerers and bards that had for so long aided in the battles began to fail. Soon, the fight came to the fighters, the barbarians, and even the rouges, the thieves on all sides. Paladins and clerics, there magic already gone, struggled to maintain order as they prayed in vain for the return of their gods. Even the reclusive rangers had appeared, and when in full swing, the very might of the arcane magic, all focused into a single blade, managed to restore the life to Sephora.
But the Ending War was of no real interest to Ethin. Having spent much of his youth learning about it and how to prevent another, it was now a subject that was incredibly dull. The Spellwars, particularly the second, were of incredible interest to him. The tales of Runir and of the others who had aided him…those were nice to listen to.
He found that Jaria was somehow already at Mira's, and very distressed.
"Ethin! The compound…it was attacked…everyone…d…d…dead…" her voice slowly trailed away into sobs. He could see Jaria's horse outside, and quickly got on and headed for the mansion.
He rode back through the village, unable to take his short cuts on horseback, but taking the most direct route, paying little attention to other riders, rushing past, and pulling forth his sword as soon as he was outside the village, its green crystal glowing grimly in the light of the setting sun.
Smoke loomed over the remains of House Taimerlai. A horseman rode forth, pulling a hood over their head as they went. They were going slowly, and Ethin soon caught up, screaming loudly.
The rider countered with a swift parry from a dagger. Whipping it towards Ethin, they threw it, and it hit Ethin's horse, causing him to fall as the rider increased to a gallop and rode away.
"Damn," Ethin said as he walked through the flaming remains of one of the gates. He rushed through the flaming mansion, arriving at the chamber of his father. He ran in, and saw his father, lying on the ground, slowly dying.
"Ethin…my desk…in a secret drawer on the left side…a sword and a…a letter. From your mother…your real mother…an elf named…named Paige…died shortly after you were born…take them…please…and the sword…your mother said that you could wield it…take it and go…" Thelius died as Ethin drew the sword from its ornate sheath. It to was a crystal blade, one of a much better make than his own. And the crystal, it was green, but it seemed to shine, as if acknowledging that it was in the hands of its true wielder.
Okay, I can't do a bio for this, as I have no new characters of any importance to actually review. However, I will give you a brief rundown on what will happen.
Next time: Ethin and Mira set off to find the person who did this, while Jaria struggles to maintain order as the lands of Taimerlai fall into anarchy with out a leader. In a climactic meeting between Ethin and a merchant, Ethin buys a new horse. In another climactic meeting, this time with a tree, Ethin falls off said horse when he runs into branch from said tree, and proceeds to follow it to a strange city in an isolated valley (horse runs away, falls of cliff, Ethin and Mira see city). In said city, Ethin finds a clue as to whom the assailant might be.
