On the Thirteen.

Though they have all gone from this world, I can still picture them as vividly as if they stood before me. They followed me through our many battles, some falling to our enemies and many to themselves, to the very edge of possibility. No one in all the known hells amassed such a dogged and dangerous band as ours; a force of nature capable of gaining a foothold against a world that would have erased us. Without them, I would have stood alone against that flood, and I hold no illusions that I would have survived it. By this, I intend to honor them all.

Xanist, the grieving father.

Eltereth, the avenging woodswoman.

Beren the Beast and his employer, Balor Enduriel.

The Glaerun Twins, Gildor and Gelmir.

… Idril.

Kialandi, the large-hearted scholar.

Siyamak Windwalker, the disgraced and ancient sage.

Amroth, he who is haunted by flames.

The ever lost, Ellessar

Formorra the Sea Hag.

And, by my measure the greatest of them all, Morzan. My truest and most frightening companion. He who was bane to all who stood before us: The Red Menace, if you will.

In some way, I think I loved them (as much as I've ever loved anything). There were moments in our shared hell that shone through, moments of peace and laughter spent drinking around a fire with people for whom you would gladly die.

They were short-lived, but they were precious beyond imagination.

My old friend… I finally understand. In the twilight of his days, Morzan once came to me cast all in grim shadows and said, in a perfectly somber tone, "I feel them walking on my grave." I thought it was the product of his mounting madness, but now I know better. This chill, the sense of already being distant from the living world, like a ghost. Something about reality feels… unsteady; I feel the weft has begun to unweave.

I have no intention of succumbing to this feeling, whatever it portends. But, as a precaution and a final service, their existences must be portrayed as history never shall. I will show the whole and complete men and women they were, not merely the monsters I made of them.

Sva, eom celöbra fricaya pömnuria, thornessan eru maninar abr gatan vrangr theirra.

-:- -:- -:-

Hello all~ I am beginning this project as a companion piece to a larger work. That said, I believe this one may actually be of more interest to a larger group, so I decided to post it.

For its relationship to canon, many of these characters were created at least in some respect before Inheritance dropped. As such I have made attempts to consolidate the two, as canon is law, but in areas where this was not wholly possible or in the event that they contradict later releases (which is essentially guaranteed) I ask your indulgence and patience, dear reader.

Also, if anyone else is suffering from Inheritance withdrawal, I highly recommend checking out the Arcaena server on discord. Such a lovely bunch of nerds they are! And their project is simply marvelous.