AN: This is a story I wrote years ago, but I thought I'd post it. I never played EQ very much and didn't know all that much about the world, but I had a level 9 enchanter in Greater Faydark at one point... and I wrote a couple of EQ fics at the time, including this one. I wrote it basically because I love writing, and because the EQ world provided a nice basis for fantasy stories and musings.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. Please read and review and let me know what you think :)
-Annise
Bard Song
The harp was beautifully fashioned. The wood was a soft honey colour, and the strings had a beauty to them that surpassed all others. Thin fingers flicked skillfully over them, plucking perfect harmony, and weaving a magic of their own. The player wore simple leather breeches and a green faery-wool tunic, with a heavy black hooded cloak over them. The sleeves were long, but the fingers managed to find the strings anyway as he sang his tale.
The tale began on a mid-summer's eve, when a young warrior received his first quest. The warrior in question was tall and blond, his hair a ragged mop of golden strands. His eyes were a deep and dazzling blue, like a summer's day themselves. The leader of the warrior's guild stood before him, holding up a piece of parchment, with the seal of authority on it.
"Myth and Legend speaks of magical and mysterious peoples. Creatures that are unlike faeries and pixies, but weave a magic like human magic. Trolls and ogres, gnomes and dwarves, they say roam mountains and hills far away. But none are more mysterious than the elven kind. They weave our magic, they even look like us, but their ears are pointed and they are more magical than our kind. They are very different in many ways. Your quest is to seek the elves, and to find out if they exist. If they do, then bring proof to us. If they do not, you must bring us proof. Once we have proof we will grant you the Sword of Mendres!" The warrior went to one knee to receive the elder's blessing on his quest.
"I will not return until I have proof." The elder laid a wizened on the younger's shoulder.
"I know you will not fail us. Go well, son, and may your quest bring you honour, glory and peace." The young warrior stood, and placed his fist on his chest in farewell.
"I will return to this place, for I have grown quite fond of it." The elder smiled kindly as the warrior turned and strode out of the hall.
The young warrior, named Kelric, walked on, out of the city and into the plains beyond. He didn't know where to start, but questers rarely did. Some quested on forever, never finding what they sought. Kelric did not plan for that, but if it was his fate to never find proof that elves existed or did not, then he would willing accept it.
He walked on, through plains and forests. The sun guided him by day, the stars by night. He ate little, and slept less. He walked on and on until he reached the land where faeries and pixies roamed.
It was just before dawn, and the morning sun coloured the clouds a light fiery red. The early morning peace was suddenly broken by a shrill scream that shook the very fibres of the trees.
Kelric ran toward the sound and found a faery maiden trying in vain to fight off a wolf. Kelric immediately ran to her assistance, striking the wolf to the floor with a single blow with his axe. The wolf fell to the floor, dead. The faery bowed before him. Her breath was sharp and ragged but it steadied and she soon found words.
"Thank you, human. My clan will not forget your kindness. I hope that I can repay your debt. What may I do for so noble a warrior?" Kelric smiled.
"I am on a quest for proof. Proof either that elves exist or proof that they do not, for in my land they are just creatures of myth. Can you help me maiden?" The faery laughed a musical laugh and smiled gently at him.
"How funny that humans travel so far, and have seen faeries and pixies but not elves. Yes child, I give you my faery-word that elves do exist, and I can show them to you if you should so wish." Kelric nodded excitedly.
"I cannot return that way, for there are those, like the wolves who would kill me, so I send you on. There are three races of elves in this land. The Dark Elves live far from this place. They are very intelligent beings, but many races fear them because of the dark magic that they can weave. However, near to here there is Greater Faydark, the home of two elven races. There are the High Elves of Felwithe and the Wood Elves of Kelethin. Felwithe is a beautiful, and peaceful, city. The High Elves are a studious people. They can gain mana from intelligence, and are extremely charming. Their downfall is their air of superiority. They will welcome you, but if you wish to be welcomed as an equal, the Treetop City is a wonderful place. The Wood Elves are wise and great. They boast the greatest Druid school in all Norrath. They also have a wonderful musical magic at their disposal; the bards can weave a magic all their own."
Kelric listened spellbound to the faery's words. He could barely believe that elves existed, let alone that there were three races of them. He thanked the faery greatly, and promised that if ever she needed his assistance again he would surely provide it. The faery thanked him in return, and promised that all of faery kind in Greater Faydark would watch out for him.
Then, he set out in the direction of Greater Faydark, to see either the High Elves or the Wood Elves, whichever he crossed paths with first.
He travelled many days and many nights, and had started to think that the faery had lied to him, when suddenly a war cry was brought to his ears. Angry voices filled the air, and the cries of young people reached Kelric as he ran to find out where the sound came from. Yet he stopped dead in his tracks when a study, warrior voice cried out.
"For the Glory of Kelethin!" At the sound of that, Kelric rushed forward joyously. The Treetop City came out of nowhere, the platforms and spires reaching far above Kelric. He soon saw where the shouts had come from. Two men in what Kelric assumed to be guard's uniform were stood fighting off small, stout ugly black creatures. As Kelric approached, the guard managed to defeat all of the creatures. Each died with its own cry, something to do with the Crushbone Orcs and their never-ending revenge on the Wood Elves.
Kelric approached cautiously, and saw a young man by the guards, panting for breath. The guards then turned on him, finally noticing him walking towards them.
"Identify yourself stranger!" One of the guards said, sternly. Kelric knew that he was no match for this tall guard.
"I am Kelric of Humankind, and I have come questing for Elves, such as yourselves. My kind wish to make peace with yours and perhaps form an alliance." The Elf smiled kindly.
"Welcome friend Human. The Wood Elves of Kelethin have no quarrel with you, and I wish you well. This lift leads up to the city. I grant you entry as our guest." Kelric bowed to the guard and stepped onto the lift. It took him up into the trees and he was on the first platform of Kelethin.
Apart from being suspended around trees, Kelethin was much like Kelric's hometown. Traders stood on corners and shouted of their wares to passers by. People shopped, children played, tradesmen worked. A Forge stood at the edge of the platform, and a Smith stood by it working a piece of sturdy looking metal. No one gave him a second glance, which was odd. Kelric was the only blond-haired man among them. This should have created some interest. All of the Wood elves, apart from having pointy ears, had silky smooth black or dark brown hair and brown eyes. No one even noticed the stranger.
Until one child, very small, looked at him and pointed, asking his mother, "Why has that High Elf got smooth ears?" The woman looked again, closely at Kelric, and gasped. She turned and walked hastily away from him, giving the child some excuse. This led others to look, and a crowd gathered around Kelric, curiously asking him questions.
"I represent Humankind," said Kelric, "I have come on a quest from faraway land to seek your kind." The Elves all parted ways as a tall man came past. He was dressed in green robes and had a look of deep wisdom about him. His eyes were deep and penetrating, and he had a passive look about him. Kelric knew by his posture and action that he was a druid.
"Welcome, Kelric of Humankind. I am Master Hregimus. I speak on behalf of all Wood Elves when I say that we have wished for a long time to ally ourselves with Humankind. I welcome you as a father welcomes his son."
Kelric was shown around the city. Kelethin was indeed a wondrous and beautiful place. Every Elf welcomed him with curiosity and warmth. He met the Wood Elf warrior guild, and was taken to the Guild-leader council, where all the guild leaders met to speak of matters that affected the whole of Kelethin. They decided to send an envoy to Kelric's hometown to offer alliance between the two races.
Kelric himself was honoured by the Wood Elves as being the honoured Human that brought the two peoples together. Kelric was a modest man, and didn't really feel he deserved all the attentions he received. He was going to return to his home with the peace envoy, to receive his quest Sword, but then he saw Cleren. She was a beautiful Druid's daughter. Her beauty was unrivaled by even the sunrise, and Kelric fell instantly in love with her.
She returned his affections and they decided, that in the efforts of peace, they would marry. The feast was celebrated by all of the Wood Elves, as well as Humans and High Elves. In time they settled and had a son. Although his parents were happily married, and their marriage was accepted, the son did not fit in with the Wood Elves. He was not Elf, and yet he was not Human, and so neither Elven kind nor Humankind could accept him. The High Elves especially looked down on him.
The child eventually ran away from Kelethin. He had a talent for the Bardic magic, and so he travelled returning kindness with song. He was blessed by the faery kind and they gave him a bough of the finest honey-coloured faery wood. From it he fashioned a harp, the most beautiful ever created. The strings were made from the hair of a High Elf maiden, who had willingly donated it. The sound it made was gorgeous and everyone loved its sound that heard it.
The Half-Elf travelled, living by his song, often hiding his elven attributes so he would pass as human. He had his father's deep and dazzling blue eyes, with his mother's silken brown hair. His face was neither elven nor human, but a mix of the two. He chose instead to hide his heritage…
The harp player stopped here, his fingers playing a pleasant cadence to end the piece. The inhabitants of the hall barely noticed that the beautiful music had ended, so spellbound were they. The first to speak was a raven-haired maiden in a long red dress. She smiled knowingly at the Bard as he rested his harp on his knees.
"Yeric the Bard, you need not hide that you are Half-Elf anymore. Times have moved on, and there are now many like you in the land of Norrath. This is the land of Tolerance, so feel welcome."