The Musings of Ulmo

< Previous Elwing      < Previous Ulmo     September 29, 2010 AelKennyr Rhiano Upon his throne in his palace Ulmonan, on the bottom of Vaiya, sat the Singer of the Waves, the Lord of the Seas.  Tengwar in Quenya, but known by most of the Children of Illuvatar as Ulmo, he allowed himself, here in his watery palace to take on the form most comfortable to him, grateful to shed the new form he adopted of later seasons, so that the Children would not quake in fear of him.  His green armour glittered with a light of its own, and his great horns, the Ulumúri, laid in his watery lap, his fingers playing over the inlay of precious jewels of the seas which covered them. Always he had loved the Eldar and the Edain, the Children of Blessed Illuvatar.  Long were the talks between Manwë, first of all the Aratar and Ulmo: discussions before the coming of the Children, when Ulmo was one of the chief Architects of Arda; dark, dreadful talks about the deceits of Melkor; conversations where he informed the First of all the Valar, Manwë, of the comings and goings of Illuvatar's Children.  Ulmo, it was, whose watery fingers touched upon the very pulse of the world.  Their society he watched, too, for awhile, but it interested the solitary Lord of the Waves not, and he soon grew bored with the subtilities of their social interactions.  He knew Olwe was their Lord and King.  He would sometimes rear a head  when Olwe's daughter played along the shorelines, for she, among her people, had no fear of the Lord of Waves, but to his great amazement, would raise cubby arms and flex her fingers, beckoning him closer, showing him her treasures that only a small child could find along the shoreline...peices of shells, starfish, and  such.  But she grew into maidenhood and left behind things of childhood, and her fascination with Lord Ulmo faded as other things took precedence in her young mind.  He sent by swan a necklace of the finest pearls upon the day of her handfasting, and her tears of joy, falling to the soil beneath her feet, yet found their way to him, and he smiled. He sighs, a gush of water, not air, and the waters of the world echoed the sigh.  The Teleri, he thought, remembering the silver-haired elves he brought to the Blessed Realm, to Aman.  A smile, tender, almost fatherly, plays across the expanse of his face.  Their minds held the song of his seas,  their songs perfect in pitch and evocative of the rolling of sea toward shore. For the Teleri, his heart was soft, for they loved his realm and reverenced the waters of Illuvatar's creation.  A rumble of laughter spilled from the Sea Lord, for again, in his mind's eye, he saw the astonished look of the Teleri as Ulmo ferried them across the Belegaer to the Bay of Eldamar. Among the frightened and amazed Teleri, stood Olwe, no less frightened, but tall and determined to show a calmness and surety that did not reach the young elf's eyes.  Fingering one of his horns, Ulmo had to remind himself the passage of time in the world beyond his waters, how time, while not dimming the eyes of Olwe, has given them a tightness and a knowing, his body and carriage not that of a young and new-woken Child of Illuvatar, but that of a Eldar king of many centuries. But whereas before, the mind of the Teleri Lord was as accessible as the currents of the sea, now his mind was clouded, dark, murky as water inked by the multi-armed octopus.  And the myriad thoughts of the Teleri have vanished from his awareness as though one blew out a candle.  Save for a handful...ones like the sailor Nole,  the swordmaidens... a handful scattered throughout the mortal world.  He pushed at the darkness erected around the Teleri Lord's mind, strong as castle embattlements, but dared not pushed too hard, for the Eldar, though made of stronger stuff and the Edain, were not as the Valar, and he dared not hammer at the darkness for fear of destroying the mind of the Teleri King.  Rising from his throne, he replaced the horns, the  Ulumúri, upon the wall of his sea palace where they were hung.   As he drew his hand away,  he heard his name called, carried to him upon the waters of the world.  Whether it be in supplication, or exclamation, he marked not, but he knew well from whom the call came.  But, mused the second greatest of the Lords of the Valar, why would Eärendil's wife, Elwing, call his name, now, after so great a passage of time, and more importantly... Why was Elwing in Alqualonde? > Next

Fears Realized in Mal'anar!

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He glimpses them, dark and vile moving in the shadows. The drow are tending the Nightmare's tears! They slip into the forest back through the gates. Xavi grimaces, "How could it be that not an arrow was fired from the guard?" As he approaches the he finds them sickly from the exposure. Xavi strikes the tree with his staff sending a flock of sparrows to flight. "Seek out the elves of Mal'anar. Let them know that the drow enter our city when we do not expect. Tell them be wary as even now our guard fails." >  Next

Killer Seeds from the Dark Cousin

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September 27, 2010

Elphaba Qunhua

After walking through the portal with the magical box with seeds in it, the elf maid finds she is in a land she knows nothing about. It was not part of the land she saw on her way to met with her dark cousin. Elphaba Qunhua walks for miles and miles, or  that is what it feels like in the warm sun, but she could not find her way home. She remembers her dark cousin saying the seeds will help them make their way to the sunlight, so she thinks, "Why not plant the seeds in the sunlight and wait for them to grow?" Maybe she will meet one of her dark cousins, and they can show her the way home.  

She finds a nice green area and starts to make a hole for the seeds. After making the hole for the seed, she drops them in the hole and covers them with the dirt.  She gives them a little water and lays down in the sunlight to stay with them,  like her dark cousin told her to. As she watches the area where she put the seeds in, she starts to feel sleepy and lays down.  Soon her eyes close. The seeds that the elf panted starts to grow and feed on her life force.  As they feed, the seeds send up tendrils that go around the elf body slowly, so as not to wake her as it feeds on the elf's blood till  the sleeping elven maiden's life force fades, and her soul, freed, wings to the halls of Mandos. After the tendrils suck every last drop of blood, they disappear as if they were never there. Elphaba never was heard from again.

Below the surface,  the plant grows in the fertile land of Valarinde, its roots spreading through the blessed soil, rot and evil pouring from it, like the steady drip of an evil poison.

The nightmare tears are back, again in the Undyling Lands....and thriving.

>  Next     

A Drow Matron Makes Her Move

< Previous Drow

Gwindolyn Spiritor enters the sitting room where her drow had ushered the elf. They were under the strongest commands to treat this elf like a treasured guest. The Goddess commands chaos, and this elf will be an instrument of that chaos if all goes well. To do so, though, the elf has to continue to think she is nothing more than a dark skinned cousin. So a drow was sent to extend an invitations under threat of living as a dryder should her harm her or make her think it were anything less than a friendly meeting of elves. "Vedui' cousin. Welcome to my home," She says as she sweeps to the couch. Her strong grace reminding one of a horse or a large cat. Sensual and powerful. "I hope your journey was good?" Her voice is kind and almost cordial.

Elphaba Qunhua nods and smiles to her dark skin cousin. "Greeetings, cousin. Yes, my journey here was very well, and your people have welcome me so very kindly."

Gwindolyn Spiritor smiles and waves to a servant who steps to do the silent bidding quickly. Her fingers moved so subtly and quickly no one would know that she actually spoke to the servant. She turns back to the elf with a smile on her face. "Good. I'm glad. I have a servant getting us refreshments. But let us talk on reuniting our family. It has been so long since we have walked the surface with our cousins."

Elphaba Qunhua nods to her dark cousin and smiles. "Yes, I would very much like to know more about my cousins as well, and I am sure my people on the surface would like to know you as well."

Gwindolyn Spiritor holds out her hand as the servant arrives back with a tray. A carafe with wine, specially procured elven wine from the surface, was handed to Gwindolyn. She poured it into a goblet and hands it to the elf. "This is wine, I'm told, that is served on the surface. I made sure the drow who invited you brought back a few of your specific treats." The drow hands her a goblet of wine that was not Elven. She brings that one to her nose. "I doubt our tastes from the underdark would sit well on your tongue." She smiles almost apologetically. She watches the elf carefully as there is a powder in the liquid that would make the elf a bit more susceptiable to suggestion.

Elphaba Qunhua takes the goble from her dark cousin and smiles to her. She takes a smell of the elven wine, as she does every time before drinking it.  She then takes a drink of the wine.  "Mmm, yes, just like home, indeed!  I thank you for thinking of our diffences." She takes another drink of the wine and smiles.

Gwindolyn Spiritor smiles and takes a drink of her own goblet. She lets the silence grow a moment or two before she says, "Thank you for coming. My life must seem quite different from yours. The comfort of the solid walls must feel unusual to one who life without them." Her eyes darting to the solid rock the house is carved from. Part of a huge underground cavern. It is amazing how drow have made such structures look so much like an Elven nightmare. The long, graceful lines twisted dark and uninviting Still the skill and beauty of the Elven hertiage could be evident if one believed the two races were actually one.

Elphaba Qunhua takes another drink of her wine as she looks around at the solid rock and nods to her dark cousin. "Oh, thank you for asking me to come. I have heard of dark cousins before but never seen one till now. Yes our living styles maybe a little apart, but I can see the elven hertiage in your home. That's what makes me feel at home here"

Gwindolyn Spiritor fights against tensing as she lets the elf think they are of the same heritage. Her own belief being they have different origins, but to dispell their ideas would be to kill her own designs. "I have a seeds of a flower that will affect the fate of our family. These seeds need to be grown on the surface, though. A flower to bring about a future of our desire." She does not name that 'our' is drow and not drow and elf. "Should they be planted within a few feet of reaching the surface, they will facilitate our ascent to the surface." She keeps the thought 'to take over your world' to herself. "Would you be willing to take these seeds to plant?"

Elphaba Qunhua listens to her dark cousin as she talks. "Yes, I would be very much willing to take them and plant them on the surface. Indeed, anything to help our two families become one"

Gwindolyn Spiritor snaps her fingers and a drow steps out of the darkness. The drow would not have been seen by surface eyes, so his appearance would affectively be seen as out of thin air. He steps forward to her and drops to his knee. He holds up a small box for her. The box is magically guarded so that the seeds will not take like energy until the box is opened. "This box contains the seeds. They are easily affected by different energies in the underdark. And they need the sunlight desparately. So whatever you do, do not open this box early. One you reach the surface, walk into the sunlight and plant the seeds. Wait there long enough for lunch to be eaten, just to be sure no animal steals them away." She does not mention the elf would be lunch for the seeds, and the elf would not be leaving the seeds. The seeds would feed on her lifeforce and send up tendrils to partake of the elf's blood until the elf was dead. Then the tendrils would disappear as if they never were.

Elphaba Qunhua listens to her dark cousin very closesly and nods in her understanding. "I will do it myslef when i get back up to the sunlight, my dark cousin.  You my word on it, and i will not open it till I am in the sunlight."  She can't help to think it is very odd what her dark cousin was telling her but did not think any more of it, only gives her a smile.

Gwindolyn Spiritor smiles and manages to keep the smile looking inviting and not the smug smirk of victory she feels deep inside. She tilts her head to the side. "It takes weeks to journey through the underdark to my home. I bet you desire to find a faster way home?

Elphaba Qunhua smiles to her dark cousin. "Oh, yes, the journey was indeed long....is there a faster way home?"

Gwindolyn Spiritor works to keep her face soft and kind. It really is a struggle as she desires to rip the elf apart for tainting her home with her presence. It doesn't matter the elf was invited by her personally. Only that the elf is elven and in her home. But the elf will further Lloth's reign, so she bears it with the well practiced, almost easy looking kind smile. "How eager are you to be on your way?"

Elphaba Qunhua smiles to her dark cousin. "Oh, well, I can stay a little long. Just my people did not like that I had to make my way here alone, but I told them all I should be fine and not to worry about me."

Gwindolyn Spiritor nods her head. She dares not push the elf too fast. Nor dare she give the elf too much to look at. It wasn't like the images of Lloth were all warm and fuzzy, like the images of Corellon and his crew. She caught herself before she shivered at the thought. "Your journey here was uneventful then?" Her voice was the the small talk voice of a human.... as if!

Elphaba Qunhua nods. "Yes, we had no troubles at all on our way down here. It was nice not to have any troubles on the road to here, and I thank you and your people for that as well."  She smiles again.

Gwindolyn Spiritor thinks back to the males that were not to be seen that would make sure the path to the city was empty. She would make sure they received a reward for doing a good job. They might get to live a bit longer. She finishes her wine and sets the goblet on a well crafeted table next to her. A drow emerges from the darkness to retrieve the goblet almost before it made full contact with the stone table. "i'm sure you would like to freshen up and have a sleep first then?" She rises and three servants emerge.

Elphaba Qunhua drinks the last of her elven wine and then sits the goblet on the wall cratered table and smiles to her dark cousin. "Oh yes, that would be very kind of you. I do feel like i could sleep for a few hours. Indeed, must of been the wine always.... gets me." She smiles and lets out a little giggle.

Gwindolyn Spiritor stands and opens a portal to the sunlit lands. "To the sunlight for a nap in the glade? Or to the dark for a nap in damp stone?" Her words were neutral, but her tone favored the sunlit glade.

lphaba Qunhua watches as a portal opens. "Oh, yes, the sunlight would be great for a nice small nap. Indeed, thank you, dark cousin."

Gwindolyn Spiritor keeps the magic portal open, from the magic on her ring, not wanting to call on the chaotic connection at this time. To activate her chaotic abilities would be to excite the seeds in the box and also to give away the game to the elf. So she spends lavishly on arcane magic for portals. She refrains from inwardly doing the math, though it is hard not to. She keeps her face cordial still as she invites the elf to step through the portal, not telling her it is to a land named Valarinde. "Just plant those before you nap then."

Elphaba Qunhua smiles again and then walks through the portal. "I hope to see you soon." Then she was gone.

> Next

Arien - The Crossing

September 23, 2010 Dominique Darkwatch High above Arda, Arien guides the last fruit of Laurelin, the sun.  Day after day, Arien has faithfully guided her charge across the skies, mostly taken for granted by the creatures below.  To most of them, she guided the light of life.  But to some, her presence could signal death or at the least, much distress.  For it was many ages before orcs, trolls and goblins could even walk in her light, and to this day they prefer the dark or perhaps the light of the moon, guided by Tilion. Tilion.  She thought of him often lately, and wondered if he was even aware of the distress of the one called King Olwe.  She had done her best to aid the king when he was in peril, but of course there was only so much a fire spirit could do to help a ship at sea.  She seethed with anger that other more appropriate valar, such as Osse and Ulmo, had not been around to help.  For all of Osse's posturing and ranting at the last council of the ainur, the watery vala had done precious little, even when it was within his power to do so.  Fortunately the captain of Olwe's swan ship was able to masterfully sail his vessel through seas she had tried to boil and churn in a favorable way to speed them to safety.  And now there were new rumors of the king's disappearance heard on the winds.  But Arien had little time to attend such rumors at this time.  For this was the time of crossing over, and of a great awakening in the celestial skies.  She carefully steered and guided her charge southward, crossing over the midpoint of Arda, thus ushering in a shortening of days in the north, and a new spring in the south.  The beginning of the harvest for one, and the beginning of planting for another.  Both would be marked equally at this time; the equinox it was called by some of Iluvatar's children.  As the sun maiden continued her journey west, she looked down on the lands that received her light with gladness, such as Sylvhara and Vana.  There were also lands, such as Taure Ru, which did not greet her so gladly, and in fact tried to obscure the light in smoke, dark clouds and shadows.  She thought of what lurked within these shadows and knew she that she had brothers down there.  Her brothers; fire spirits like herself only twisted and perverted by Melkor into creatures of evil and maliciousness.  She wondered if any could possibly comprehend what it was like to have such evil and predatory brothers.  Balrogs they were called. As she neared the western horizon, she looked across the sky and spotted Tilion, guiding the last flower of Telperion, the moon.  Tonight would be a full moon; a harvest moon. But an even older of Telperion's legacies would be displayed this night.  For before the sun and the moon, the brightest of the objects in the sky was Alcarinque, known to some as Jupiter.  This most glorious light was formed by Varda from the dew of Telperion before the sun and the moon making it the brightest thing seen in the east when the elves first awakened. And later, there were the second born of Iluvatar's children; those known as humans.  The light guided by Arien was the only light they had ever known, hence that were often regarded as “children of the sun.”  The sun maiden allowed a faint smile to play upon her lips as she made her final lap of this season, guiding her charge into the next season.

Elwing - Part 3

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Cinnamon Raymaker

Her eyelashes fluttered as the visions in her mind again became misted over. Her plight forced her to reach deep into her memories of the safe haven from which present circumstances had sprung. The arms of Ulmo had saved her once and it would seem they had saved her yet again as she had plummeted into his watery domain after dropping into the inky blackness.

Unconsciously, she reached out into the waters of the world yet again - seeking that comfort which she always found from the closeness of the sea and the sound of the seabirds, her friends and companions e'er long. Searching, searching for the presence of the great Singer of the Waves, Lord of the Seas. Searching for that familiar sense of comfort which would maintain her touch on reality in this situation in which she found herself - alone and stranded on the shores of Alqualonde. She was usually alone by choice but now she was alone by someone's, or something's, dark design. In her musings, she reflected back on the words of the Lord of Visions, remembering that her Uncle was lost in some far off land - and perhaps lost even from this reality . Would that the great lords of the Valar would hear her pleas for help and comfort in this dark hour - how else would she be able to help her uncle?

Gradually the mists of sleep took away the fear and allowed her to rest and refresh her tired mind and aching body. She floated away on the tide of comfort radiated to her by familiar soothing sounds - almost as if she were sleeping in the lap of Lord Ulmo himself. In her soothing dreams she revealed to Lord Ulmo all she had learned in the visions presented to her by the Lord Irmo and felt the lifting of a great weight from her heart and from her shoulders as she did so. A tiny seed of hope replaced any thought of dread at her predicament and she felt she would soon be ready to assist when called upon. What form this help would take as yet was unclear to her, though through the will of Illuvatar she knew she would, in time, learn what she was brought here to do.
>  Next     

Elwing - Part 2

< Prev Elwing      < Previous Irmo    

September 19, 2010

Down, down, ever downward she fell - spiraling into unconsciousness. Threads of the past wove their way through her mind.   Days of her youth when she danced around the fountain in her home of the Thousand Caves.  The anger and great anguish at the deaths of her beloved family.  The joy she beheld in the love of her husband and the pride generated by the birth of her two sons. And most of all, the peace she had come to know within her days in Valinor. All of these scenes flashed through her mind like snowflakes falling onto the ground, disappearing once they had impacted. 'Til there was only black - an inky deathly blackness like she had never seen before.

Stirring slightly, she opened her eyes to find herself on a lonely beach, the pounding of the waves echoing through her mind. Then suddenly, the blackness returned.  Her mind was clouded by a thick mist, and as the mists parted, Irmo, Lord of Deams appeared before Elwing. He tried to comfort her mind. He saw the visions of times past.

Irmo  speaks, asking what troubles her now.  Elwing is a little startled and searches her thoughts as to what she is really looking for then it comes to her mind that she has been stopped from reaching Vingilot by some unseen dark force and that perhaps the Lord Irmo may have an insight into what is happening throughout this world. The threads of her family - where could she pick them up?   Lord Elu surrounded by the magic of the Lady Melian in the halls of Menegroth. The magic keeping out any would be invaders by hiding all from sight.

The Lord Irmo again speaks telling Elwing there have been many disturbances in the dream realm, rifts appearing, and chaos erupting. "I have seen these rifts influence their dreams, the dreams of your loving uncle Olwe."

"My uncle... I have not seen ere long. Do you know where he rests my Lord?"

"His body rests within the world, but his mind wanders often away from it, I have no control over these dreams. They rest all visions and feelings of joy and peace from is mind."

"He is greatly troubled then! Perhaps by this same force as has brought me to this land! Please - where am I - can you tell me my Lord?"

"This new evil is very malevolent to the Children of Illuvatar, especially the Teleri. It could be this evil brought you here. You now rest upon the beaches not far from Alqualonde, the Swanhaven, the realm of your Uncle."

Elwing bows and thanks the Lord Irmo for his understanding of her need to know where in the physical plane she finds herself and turns her attention back to the plight of her uncle.  "It would seem Lord Ulmo has saved me from death yet again - perhaps for some deep purpose. Tell me my Lord - do you think there may be something I can do to aid my uncle? "

"Your uncle is not in his realm, and in fact the city is empty of the Teleri. Even his guard is nowhere to be found. However your Uncle sailed to the realm of his cousin, Queen Comet. With him went the loyal Nole the sailor and his swordmaiden Elenwe."

"So I am alone in this realm - perhaps I should investigate and await my uncle's return, or perhaps I should risk flight yet again - though 'twas flight which caused me to arrive here in the first instance - some force did not want me to reach the shining Vingilot - the bright hope of morning."

"Perhaps, child of the firstborn, but I fear there is great evil in that land, for your uncle lost his mind, and now even his body has disappeared."

"Then some dark evil is at work here - I wonder if anyone can overcome it?"

" I could not enter the dreams of the Teleri Lord, but from his loyal sailor, Nole, I saw visions of the new evil, a foul plant rumoured to cause distruction to our world. Lord Olwe was seeking to return to Alqualonde, as was his plan, but I do not know when or if that will occur. "

"So my lord, what advice would the Lord of Visions give this wretched castaway? Stay or go?"

"The danger in Sylvhara is great, and you are weak. If you go, you may be perhaps more susceptible to the new evil in your current state. I do not know which route would be best, but you need to rest."

"Indeed you are right my lord - perhaps it would be prudent to rest."

"Set your mind free of darkness, and remember all things, however dark, are more hopeful in the light."

Elwing nods and a faint smile reaches across her pale face as she stirs.  Irmo pulls out of Elwing's dream, letting her mind at ease.

> Next Elwing     

Nolë and Elenwë Share News

< Previous     Shawn Daysleeper (with Carleen Luckstone) Elenwe has spent much time in sword drill during the time Olwe has been incapacitated. Unsure of what was happening at the castle, she slips away to the nearby forest. Drawing her sword, Vanima, she faces an unseen foe. Attacking, she guides herself as her sovereign might when they sparred. "Right, turn, slash," she almost chants. "There! And that!" She taunts the unseen enemy. She continues the convesration, lost in the intricacies of the dance of the sword. Nole decends the mountain path from the Diviniation school, deep in thought. He ponders the prophecy, and what it could mean. The smell of the forest relaxes him: he breathes the air deeply. At a bend in the path, he hears a familiar voice in the wood, and it sounds like a fight. He draws his jeweled dagger and rushes forward. Leaving the path behind, he finds his friend Elenwe, alone, sparring with an unseen foe. He smiles, sheathes his dagger, and walks forward. Elenwe is pursuing the cowardly foe she has set for herself. "Sir! You would retreat? Ha!" she exclaims, pressing her attack. Sensing someone near, she turns to find Nole. Somewhat chagrined at her bravado, she wonders how much he has heard, but decides that he would not jest with her. Nole smiles "You have learned much with the sword. Our King Olwe would be proud of his swordmaiden if he saw you right now." "Thank you, my friend," Elenwe replies with a smile. "I have been practicing whenever I am able, and I think I have made much progress." Seeing Nole's concern playing on his face, she inquires, "What news today?" "I heard a rumour that the Sylvharans had a few elves wise in the ways of diviniation. I thought it would be wise to seek their council." Elenwe nods. "I had heard talk of divination here. Were you successful?" Nole draws a scroll from a pocket deep in his robes. Unrolling it, he hands the scroll to his kin. "This is a reading. The cards used were tuned to my spirit, my energy as they called it. I asked the cards about our king. I asked where he was and if he was safe." Elenwe takes the scroll proferred by Nole and gazes at the strange cards. Shaking her head, Elenwe says, "I was never taught what any of this meant, I'm afraid." Looking up from the scroll, she ponders Nole's statement that he asked where Olwe was and whether he was safe. Her gaze falls on Nole, searching his face for clues to what he received in answer. She waits for his explanation. Nole continues "The message is somewhat elusive. The cards suggest he is safe for now, but this may change. The cards also suggest that we focus our energy into one action, a great idea." "And did the cards direct us in what action we should take?" Elenwe asks, still focusing on Nole's face and body language, intent on picking up any signs of what he may have learned that he is not divulging. Nole sighs deeply and half closes his eyes. He walks a few steps to a nearby tree. Sitting down on one of its protruding roots, he puts his head in his hands. "I do not know what action we should take. I wish I had our lord's wisdom." Elenwe's heart sinks a little as she observes Nole's obvious distress. However, she thinks, if Nole is at a loss, that is not to say that we take no action at all. Clearing her throat and tryinig to sound untroubled, Elenwe strides nearer to Nole. "My friend, we do not know where our king is. Whether he is safe or no, would we not best serve him by putting our energies into locating him?" Nole looks up and smiles a little. "Yes, let us go look for him. I saw him last in Tari, near the hideous plants they call Nightmare's Tears. That is where..." Nole reaches into his rucksack and pulls out a familiar looking coronet encrusted with pearls. "Where I found this." Elenwe gasps as she realizes the object Nole is holding out she last saw on Olwe's brow. "He would not knowingly or willingly leave that behind," she says. "That makes is all the more urgent that we seek him immediately." Nole rises and nods. "However, we must beware of those flowers. I hear rumours that they are extremely dangerous. The diviners suspect they are at least partially responsible for our King's disappearance, and his odd behaviour." Elenwe nods. "Did the diviners have any advice on how we might avoid any ill effects of the flowers?" Elenwe asks. Nole shakes his head "Some among the Sylvharans are trying to brew a potion to counter the Nightmare's Tears' effects. Thus far they have not been sucessful. They have raised wards around the plants. But somehow our King was still affected, if the Nightmare's Tears are indeed responsible for these events." Elenwe searches her memory for anything she had heard during her years in the world of Man about such dangerous flowers as these. She can recall nothing at all that could help in this situation. Elenwe shakes her head and looks at Nole. "I have no wisdom to add to the Sylvharans'. But I do not think we should delay too long. It may be necessary to risk these flowers' dangers in order to determine where our king has gone." Nole nods "The Nightmare's Tears have been watched as of late. Perhaps we can go there and seek out any news from the guards there." "I am ready to depart at the earliest possible opportunity," Elenwe declares. "We will need sustenance because it is impossible to say how long we may be gone. I will secure what we need." Just making a definite step gives her renewed hope that she and Nole will be able to discover Olwe's whereabouts. She smiles encouragingly at Nole. > Next

The Tarot's Prophecy

< Previous     Nole wakes up in Sylvhara. After entering the Plaza, some elves told him about a divination school tucked away in the mountains of Wyrmsden. He seeks out this school, perhaps the diviners there could aid him in his search for his King? Nole reaches the school and is greeted by two elves. "I am Angel of the Dwagons. Welcome to my home," says one.  "I am Daza Mistwalker," introduces the other.  Nole returns the greeting. "I am Nole, Sailor of the Teleri." Archangel says. "It is a pleaure to meet you. Nole." Nole repliesl "It is a pleasure to meet you both, Daza and Angel." Daza Mistwalker smiles. "Well met, Sir Nole." Archangel asks, "I understand you wish to seek your future?" Nole says. "I am afraid I am not here to seek my future, but to find my lord, whom is lost." Archangel Singer replies. "a lost lord. I am sorry to hear of it." Nole frowns. "He is Olwe, King of the Teleri of Alqualonde." Archangel says. "His name is a legend far from his home. He is a great king!" Nole smiles. "Yes he is. I am so blessed to serve him." Daza Mistwalker nods. "Indeed!" Archangel Singer says, "To serve greatness is a blessing, for those who do so become great in the serving. " Nole says, "It was a few eves ago. He was in his chamber in the healing guild resting. When i awoke, he was gone. I asked the guard, and we went on a search. He was found near the Nightmare's Tears" Daza Mistwalker hisses. "Nightmares Tears?!?" Archangel Singer questions the Teleri. "So you belive he has succumbed to their caress? What are the effects of this?" He listens to Nole. "Well, I am not certain, but the guards attempted to bring him back to the Guild, but he resisted, very harshly." Daza Mistwalker nods, recognizing this. "Was he in danger at the time?" Nole continues, "and in the ensuing struggle, he vanished." Daza MistwalkerDaza Mistwalker sighs and nods, "Yes..that's it." Pak Haedong enters and greets everyone and is greeted in return. "I see we have guests.. I do hope I am not intruding" Archangel Singer answers the Archmage. "The elves are seeking their king." "Well, I hope that you have told them we have no King here, Angel."Daza Mistwalker chuckles.  "You are the only king, here, Lord Pak," rejoins Archangel.  Pak chuckles, "Indeed?" Archangel Singer turns to the Teleri sailor. "My Lord Nole, may I present Pak Haedong, Archmage of Sylvhara?" Pleasantly the two greet each other. Daza Mistwalker: "Eehh....I thought Lord Nole might be able to get some help from our expert in divination in locating his king." Archangel Singer nods. "This is a possiblity.." Pak Haedong looks to Archangel. "I see. Very well, please do not let me interrupt."  Nole holds out a circlet with decorated with large pearsl. "I found Olwe's coronet near the Nightmare's tears." Daza Mistwalker nod. "And he has apparently been poisoned by them" Pak Haedong listens. "That is dire news. And now he has gone missing?" "Yes," Nole answers, "at the place where he vanished.  Right before my eyes!" Archangel Singer looks about. "Has no one found a way to reverse this?" "Not as yet, my dear," answered the arch mage, "but there may be a remdey to the poison." Archangel relaxes and is comforted by the words.  "Lord Daza has labored long and hard upon it."  Noles, too, relaxes a little. Daza fidgets. " Ummmm, the remedy is pretty drastic, though, and the window for doing it is very small." "But first we must find him," said Nole. "Would you look at the cards and see if there is a clue in them?" asks Archangel. "Agreed... It is difficult to drive a nail with no hammer," says Daza. Pak Haedong tries to comfort the Teleri. "Well, I am sure that Archangel's gift will prove to be an asset." Nole nods hopefully. Archangel Singer beckons to Nole, who turns to follow him. "I have a table upstairs." Daza Mistwalker mutters. "I knew this was going to be interesting." Nole takes a seat at the Tarot table. Archangel sits across from him. "Alright. Clear your mind for a moment take a few breaths." Nole closes his eyes and breathes deeply. "Think about your question."  Nole nods, takes a deep breath, and selects three cards.  "Now this will be your situation, your action, and your outcome," begins Archangel. "Wow, interesting.  There are no bad cards here."   Nole listens. Pak looks on. "The first card is the knight of Cups.  Someone has fallen in love."  "Wow," whispers Daza. Pak grins, and Archangel continues. "It is encouraging, this opening up. A knight presents a cup to his Beloved."  Nole slightly smiles. Daza's eyes widen. "One must seek truth, not dogma, fluidity with balance.  Find the dream so you can discover if it is worth doing.  Be fluid and swift, not serious and ponderous. Be like a clear running stream.  This could also indicate a person who is creative, artistic, good-natured, who cares nothing for money nor status.  He is a romantic with high ideals, the chivalrous knight.  He seeks truth and beauty.  He leaves many broken hearts." "The second card is your advice...the action plan."  Pak continues to listen, as does Nole.  "Ace of Swords is a definitive movement.  It can cut to the truth.  It does not differentiate.  It is a powerful burst of raw energy.  It can be used for good or evil.  It is the swift change.  Some will understand.  Many will not."  Daza listens, fascinated.  "It calls for great personal reserves of energy and shaping your world through intellect.  This is the card of the grand idea, for swords are always mental.  So if this is where the head of your king is, he is enamored of his newfound condition, and has come up  with a grand idea to seek the deeper meaning of it." Nole smiles.  "Or perhaps a grand idea is needed to retrieve the king." Archangel moves on. "The third card reinforces this, for it is the High Priestess, the secret knowledge."  Noles smiles.  "The first card is a man in love. I would say this refers to the nightmare tears, unless my Lord Nole worded it differently. High Priestess card is the quiet truth that is hidden in the grail or in the ark, an old truth.  It is the link to the subconscious mind.  It comes in dreams and symbols rather than the conscious mind.  Its ways are hidden and secretly shape a personality.  Things that were once certain cannot be taken for granted." Daza nods thoughtfully and mutters, "dreams."  Pak nods.  Archangel continues.  "Some mysteries are revealed, but not all yet. This could also mean the influence of a new lover. It is a level of enlightenment that grows in the dark, like a crystal, an attraction to the occult, so it seems there is a new lover.  So if this is you, you have a grand idea to find your king.  You love the idea of reaching this goal, but the advice is to wait and to spirit. Hmmmmm, I suspect that there may be another message in the cards.  Or perhaps that in itself is a message we should heed, so listen to the voice of the spirit to be guided.  Would you care for another reading, or do you have the answer you seek for now?" Pak Haedong says, "I feel that the cards may be telling us that we cannot know where the King is yet... But we must first seek the truth of the Flowers.. and only then will the truth of the King's whereabouts be known." "The cards suggest he is not in any danger?" asks Nole. "Not at this moment," responds Archangel.  "He has gone to seek truth, and he is accepting this change right now." "I understand," replies Nole. "We need to investigate the flowers further." "But not too closely," warns Pak. "But one who dances with the devil can be in love and not know the danger." Nole nods.  "Love and Hate are only two clicks away...only not caring is static." "I thank you Archangel. I feel like I am much closer already," said Nole. "I hope this helps. Please contact me anytime should you need more information." "I will, thank you." Pak Haedong says, "Best of luck to you." Archangel Singer hands Nole a scroll. "Here is a magic scroll with the image of this reading. I think it may have given an accurate assessment of the king's head and your own Lord Nole." With these words, Nole departs the Diviniation School. His head had, indeed, been assessed. He looks at the scroll once more and smiles, and hope rekindled in him. He mutters aloud,"I asked where is my great King Olwe and if he is safe." He had some answers, but there are also many more questions. Pocketing the scroll, he ponderes his next move as he decended down the fir-lined path back to the Plaza. > Next

Elwing - Part 1

This is the first Elwing story.

Cinnamon Raymaker

She awoke from her unsettled slumber with a start, the tentacles of foreboding still dragging with them a sense of menace as they dissolved slowly from her consciousness. It was not the familiar booming sound of the Sundering Sea which bore this sense of menace, nor the bickering of the sea birds - though their cries were multiplied in some way which the Lady Elwing decided at once she must investigate.

She threw around her a robe of the finest woven silks, a garment filled with memories of the early days of her life with her mariner husband, and gracefully made her way to the long and winding staircase which would take her to the ground below.

As she gazed across the beach she was alarmed to discover the huge flock of seabirds there nestled, as if in terror of some unforeseen enemy. She scanned the sky, as she was want to do in these wee hours of the morning, searching for the guiding light which was borne on her husband's vessel, the shining Vingilot.
Alas she could see no sign through the dark clouds gathering above her and decided that she should once again use the gift given to her, for use in times of great need and urgency, through the graces of Lord Ulmo.

In a shimmering of stars, the lady Elwing transformed into the familiar form of a sparkling seabird and arose gracefully through the cool layers of air into the night. She traced a backward path through the skies, searching that familiar track of the morning star in search of her husband and his vessel.

As she flew ever onward, that dark sense of foreboding which had awoken her from her slumbers began to rise with urgency in her conscious mind. This time it brought with it a physical force which manifested itself in a raging thunderstorm, blowing fiercely and battering against her time and time again. Eventually, the strength of the storm sapped her strength and she fell into darkness.....

>  Next     

Olwë is Captured - Part 2

 < Previous    

Olwe stands up and paces...all nervous, pent-up energy.  He nods at her words, looking back and at her, before draining his cup.  "This wine is very sweet.  Thank you for the drink.  Indeed, I was parched." His eyes roves over the cavern.  "Free....yes..." he echoes, then falls silent into a reverie.

Gwindolyn Spiritor seeks to rouse him from his reverie and get just one last bit of information out of him. She clears her throat softly "Cousin...." She pauses a moment , "Olwe." She says as if a sentence in itself. "Why did the voice choose you? What import do you have, that it would seek to subdue you?" Her voice is concerned and worried sounding. She furrows her brows to mirror the sound of her voice.

Olwe bats at his clothes, murmuring about spiders, though there are none to be found on his clothes.  He looks at her and then inspects his arm. "Ihraess, I do not know why it spoke to me.  Never have I heard such a voice."  He paces near her and reaches out, almost touching her hair. "Has it spoken to you?  Have you been in its' dark cavern?"  His eyes grow large, the whites were showing entirely too much.  "It came into my head, sweet cousin, and showed me on a killing field of such destruction, so much blood, and there I was, one of the few still standing."  He closes his eyes and shudders.  "I saw all kith and kin dead. "

She smiles softly to him and leans to his almost touch, as if allowing, encouraging. She closes her eyes and looks down. "It speaks to me, but differently. The small spiders, they speak. A million voices at once. They speak with the sound of fire and ash and chaos behind the tiny voices, like your voice was broken up and deposited into them. They never let me sleep. There is always one near. And the voice has said I should die if one is harmed. So please... " She almost sounds upset. "Please, don't hurt the spiders." She looks up and her eyes are slightly dewy. "I am lead of my house. The voice says I will lead the land one day. I don't know if this is true." Her voice sounds worried about this event, as if she doesn't want it. "Do you lead your people?" Her face turns up to him, looking as if she trusts him. She grew up in the heart of drow culture where manipulation and acting were the way one survived. She didn't just survive, but thrived. This little moment in time is a good example of why she thrived.

"That is how it was in my head, but like a buzzing that grew and grew until all thought was driven out but the name of my Beloved.  That, I could hold onto, that one spark of light kept me against being swallowed up in the madness of the voices."  He looks down and into her face, so earnest and upturned to look at his.  He drops his hand, and his voice grows soft, compasion running through. His nervouse movement halts, and his eyes fill with concern.  For this moment, he was more himself, the Olwe of Alqualonde.

"For you, I, of course,  can bear the spiders.  I know what it is to have the weight of a people's welfare upon your shoulders."  He comes and sits down beside her, leaning a little toward her, as would a friend.  "I am Olwe, the King of the Teleri, Lord of Alqualonde and Tol Eressea.  My people are one of the three Eldar clans.  Although, here, In the world, there are many clans of elves...many clans came from the Teleri, centuries ago."  He looks down and blushes a little.  "I sound like I am taken with my own importance, but we Teleri have loved the sea, music and living in the peace of Arda .  Always we have been faithful to the Will of the Valar."  He looks at the roof , then back down and over to the Matron.  "Were I live here, I would miss seeing the nght sky, full of stars...." and his voice softens..." and gazing upon the Moon."  There is a change in inflection as he speaks of the moon.

She smiles and welcomes him to the chair next to her. She takes a drink of her wine, spiced with the venom of black widow. She decided that the drow wine spiced with Elven blood might not be the best option tonight and bypassed her favorite for this one. She sips the drink again and says. "If you are thinking clearer, cousin Olwe, It sounds like you might be a person that will be missed. It might be time for you to get back to your canopy of stars." She sounds as if she is concerned that he might be missed, instead of the satisfied and bored she really is. "I can open a portal for you to get back to the surface. Can you find your way around now that the buzzing has quieted?" This is more to cement her acting job than out of any concern for him, but she does so with such depth.

Olwe smiles in response to her smile, and considers a moment.  "I do, indeed, feel calmer and clearer of thought."  A blush sweeps across his face.."I have no memory of how I have acted....Blessed Illuvatar, tell me, please, I have cause no harm to any living being, have I?"  He frowns and then focuses on a memory.  "Comet?  My sweet Comet, tender cousin....is she alive?  I saw her dead on the field.  I could not bear it if she were not.  I have seen her grow into the greatest of Queens among all elves.  Please, do you know?"  There is such longing and fear and, yes dread in his voice.  He seizes the arm of the Matron and then drops it...embarassed.  "Forgive my familiarity."

She lets her face grow more concerned. "Sweet Olwe, I do not know your beloved Comet. I could send you to her now though, to find out." She lets her hand fall to his for the brief moment it is on hers. She resists the urge to curl her silver tipped nails into his flesh. She keeps her appearances worried and concerned as his hand falls away unharmed. "Let us get you home that you may find out." She is satisfied that he is under the power of the flowers, carefully doled out to him in his poison cures and that he is someone of import to his people. Someone who could do great chaos in this state. She dare not keep that chaos locked away from where it might be most glorious. She stands and opens a portal in the air before them. She does so by turning a ring on her finger. A very costly little magical item. A way to hide her true chaotic nature as if she used her clerical ability, he would walk through the abysmal planes of chaos. A good way to tip off her little drama for him. She cares for him to not know who she is yet and so hides it with this touch of magic.

Olwe's hand reaches up to touch the necklace, the pure moonstone, and  rubs it absently.  "Yes, I want that very much," he says.  He looks back over,  "But I want to learn more of your people....the..." he says "Drow" as though still foreign to him.  "There is a darkness coming.  Lord Irmo, Vala of Dreams sends me nightly dreams of its destruction." His voice sounds sharp and loses some of its usualy pleasantness at that.  "And we elves must come together...we must stand."  He looks at her, and his voice again is the strong and calm voice of Olwe.  "I bless Illuvatar that you aided me.  But I would that our people could be allies against this darkness."  He looks at her, waiting, expectant, then adds, "Though I have never known elves to embrace the stone earth, like dwarves might."

Gwindolyn Spiritor listens as he rants about strange gods she has not heard of, but the essence is clear. "The drow will stand that day. You will see them on the field." She says it as if she were saying they would be by the Elven side against the evil and not the evil that will take the elves to their graves. "The Gods do favor me this day with your presence. Even if your way is strange to us." She rankles at being likened to a dirty dwarf, but holds that along with all her other actual feelings in check, letting none of that slip to her eyes or body language. Years of training in the temple at the hands of the cruel high priestess taught her how to do that quite well. "Now, you must go before the magic falls away." She tenderly nudges him to the dark doorway that shimmers and begins to shrink. "If it disipates, it is a three week hike to the surface. Better hurry."


Olwe smiles and rises to his feet, once more the graceful Lord of the Teleri.  "I thank you..."he pauses, "You name is Ilharess? It seems as though it were spoken as a title."  He looks at her a moment.  "I would be proud to stand with your people, dear Lady."  He offers a hand to help her stand and squeezes it lightly before his face takes on a troubled look.  'Though, I do not know if I am still  worthy of the task set upon me by Mighty Manwe and Lord Irmo." He looks down and whispers," Nor if I am worthy to gaze again upon the face of the most Beloved of all to me...Tilion."  He draws in a deep breath.  Then he looks back up.  "Yes, please, I would be grateful for the return to the land of my cousin."

Gwindolyn Spiritor does well to hide her irritation at his gushings. She smiles sweetly to him instead. She even manages to bat her lashes slightly as he ponders her name. She purposefully does not answer the questions he poses to her about who she is. Instead she simply says "Many have no idea of their worth until put to the test." Her mind is not thinking him worthy, but saying a truth about those in her own world as many think themselves worthy and are not. A simple test kills the unworthy, leaving less headache for all.

"This way." She nudges him to the door. "Till we meet again dear cousin Olwe, King of the Teleri." She makes sure to use his title to cement it to her own brain. She beckons him to step through the darkness and to his own.

Olwe bows his head and smiles to her.  His face, open and earnest, studies her. "Be assured I will remember this encounter, dear Lady.   I cannot thank you enough for your aid." He then turns to the door and steps through.

> Next Olwë      > Next Drow Matron    

Olwë is Captured - Part 1

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Gwindolyn Spiritor watches as a portal opens to her lounging room. She stands up and waits to see who steps through. She stands patiently, but demandingly. Olwe looks around, wildly.  Zeskacha shoves him forward, unimpressed where the man had chosen to put himself. Brushes herself off, grumbling as she walks through the portal behind him.

Olwe stumbles forward and whirls around...glaring...sees the stone walls and gasps...what happened earlier was not a dream

Gwindolyn Spiritor smiles to see her drowess land and with an elf. "Vedui' dalharil. Tell me, what gift you bring me this day?" She looks over the elf as if inspecting him for worth. Her hands idly by her side.

Zeskacha  finishes brushing herself off, looking up at Gwindolyn with a semi annoyed expression "A gift from lloth...an annoying.. gift from lloth." Her voice is etheral, as if it rises from the depths to flood from her lips

Olwe looks about wildly, then focuses his gaze upon the person before him.  He then brushes at his clothes and murmurs about spiders.

Gwindolyn Spiritor cants her head to the side as she listens. The important words 'gift from Lloth' and 'spiders' perking her interst. "Spiders?" She walks to the elf and sees he indeed has spiders on him that do not bite at him. A sure sign he was a gift from Lloth. She lifts a hand to a spider on the elf. She listens to its chittering. A wicked smile crosses her lips. "Stop threatening my spiders King or those spiders will start to bite."

Olwe's eyes travel from one dark skinned female to the other.  "Who sent you?" he demands...his voice wavers a little, his eyes showing too much white.  He watches the spider crawl upon her hand.  His own voice lowers.  "What are you? You are not the Voice."

Zeskacha  brings her arms up to fold across her chest, looking down her nose at the elf, wondering why on earth Lloth would choose suh a creature as a gift. Hopefully he had something of worth aside from rags for clothes and a penchant for attracting spiders.

She steps close to the elf. Her lips close to his ear, "I'm the messengar of the voice. I'm the voice's right hand. " She steps back as she walks about the elf, measuring his being. "Now, my spiders speak to me, but I will hear your voice. Who are you?"

Olwe slowly turns and looks at her when she speaks, sharply drawing in a breath.  His fists clench and unclench at her pronouncement of her position as right hand of the Voice.  He looks around, slowly, a measuring look.  "This is not where I was before.  There is no pit of fire, no Voice.  Who are you? Why did you force me to see the dead form of my sweet cousin?"

Gwindolyn Spiritor continues to walk around him slowly. Her voice does not fill the air. She looks to her drowess and nods her acceptance of the interruption. Her fingers quickly sign to the drowess "Good work, this will be fun, Lloth has promised."

[Zeskacha could only smirk a little. She had experienced Lloth first hand and often spent greath lengths of time contemplating her relationship with the deity... it wasn't always good so hopefully 'fun' could be delivered. She'd nod to the drowess, her gaze flicking to the male elf with a scruitinizing air to it

Olwe stands stock still while she moves around him, his spine straight and his carriage proud, only the quickness of his breath betraying any nervousness.

Gwindolyn Spiritor sniffs close to his ear. Not to smell anything so much as to throw him off balance. "You are in my home, elf. With many who do my bidding without a note from my throat. I truly suggest you answer my question. Who are you?" She gnashes her teeth just an inch from his ear. A sound meant to make him flinch or at least rethink his silence.

Olwe whips his head around to stare at her.  He blinks slowly and brushes at his shoulder, even though nothing was on his shoulder.  "You don't know my name?  The Voice didn't tell you of me?"

Zeskacha  glances between the two of them. She figured Gwindolyn had him under control.. he seemed more like a madman than anything else. "I must ask to take my leave of you Iharess" again her voice swirling up, echoing as if many yet crisp as if one
Olwe  whips his head  around at the effect of her voice, bouncing off the walls and backs up a second.  "I WILL NOT bow!" he shouts.

Gwindolyn Spiritor watches the tattle tale signs of his eyes being off and the way he brushes at the shoulder though the spiders have skittered away. She grins.  "What the voice has said to me and has not is my concern, not yours. Your is that you won't be able to save your sweet cousin if you die here for being stupidly silent." She turns to her drowess and says "Siyo Dalharil, you must."

Olwe looks at the drowess in red and takes a threatening step toward her.  "Tell IT, I am a Child of Illuvatar.  I am not its plaything."

Zeskacha hisses towards him, "I'd suggest you start behaving in a manner more fitting if you wish to get any of your questions answered" her nostrils flare, obviously she was left with a temper as short and thin as a strand on a spider's web. She looks over to her Ihraess, composing herself and courtseying "Thank you IHaress"

Zeskacha looks back at him, balling her hands into fists as he approaches her "Hold your place Elf" she snaps, "You will speak directly to the Iharess and not use me as your vector"

With eyes narrowed to slits, fists clenched at his side, he glides his eyes over her form and murmurs something in Quenya, "You are nothing but a shadow of my mind."  He takes another step boldly, then turns on his heel and looks at the other dark skinned Drow.  "You are Ilharess?"  He blinks, measuring the word on his tongue.  "I am Olwe."

Gwindolyn Spiritor: She watches how he speaks to a voice unheard in the room. She sees her drow does not quite grasp the madness this elf is taken with. She keeps her smile hidden deep within. All they see is this blank, amused, but strong face. A face of control. She lets the spiders on her body move and weave her clothes as they continually disintigrate from her body's touch. She loves the touch of the spider's webbing on her body as she walks. She hears his name finally. "So the voice does speak directly to you. Do you hear a female voice?"

Pandora Urqhart held her position, unthreatened by him and showing some restraint from physcailly assaulting him. She'd huff quietly, narrowing her eyes before bowing again to the Iharess turning on her heel and heading into the darkness her coattails swishing around her ankles as she walks

Olwe pauses to consider the question, a puzzled look on his face.  The soft sound of the fabric causes him to look over his shoulder at the departing Drowess. "She should learn manners."

She hisses to his face "Focus. I know what haunts you and how to help you. But you will answer my questions first. Does the voice speak to you as a female?"

Olwe's eyes, indeed, fastens onto her face, and he studies it intently for a moment, then slowly answers, haltingly. "It called me worm and told me to beg for my life.  It was a Voice without form, out of a great pit of fire. "

She smiles "Yes the voice of chaos. Beautiful, is it not? Lloth speaks in that depth rarely. Why she chose to grace a mere elf with such a gift is beyond me." She picks one last spider from his back and lets it take her body. "Tell me about this dream elf. The one you say she has bestowed upon you." Her voice is softer, but no less demanding as she treats his nightmares and madness as a gift from her Godess.

Olwe watches her carefully, eyes following her every move.  His own voice softens.  "I would call it many things, but beautiful...no, I would not call such a voice that.  It was ashes and fire and blood, in that voice."

Gwindolyn Spiritor considers his description and continues to smile. "Yes, there is. The depth of it is beyond any music gracing the ears of mortals. But tell me about your dream before I have to extract it from you."

Olwe blinks and pulls his head back, looking wide-eyed at her. "Extract?" he asks, cocking his head.  Then he speaks slowly, musingly.  "The voice asked me what I was."  He looks at the Drowess before him. "It is clear I am elven, is it not? "  He gestures at his body, then up to his ears, feeling them, and pulling away one hand , flakes of dried blood  on its.  "My ears bled," he whispered.  Then he spoke louder, looking about  the room as he does..."The room was smaller, you know, the pit wide, deep.  It told me to beg for my life."  He flashes a fierce look of pride, "But I am a Child of Illuvatar, and that voice has no power over me."

Gwindolyn Spiritor watches carefully his show and notes well his dried blood on the ears. She files that away should she need it. She then listens as he says 'the voice has no power over me.' She laughs loud and long at that. "Tell me how it has no power. Show me how you have your full wits about you. Show me that you are in your home, in your throne room and not here with me, half mad and bleeding from your ears. Please just try to. I would very much love the laugh." She takes a seat on the bench in such a way that does not invite him to join her. Letting her relax in comfort as he stands before her, as if he were her entertainment for the night.

Olwe wanders around the rooom a little, giving no sign he he noticed she had taken a seat. "The waterfall is lovely." He gestures vaguely at it.  He inspects the spider web and pauses. "Ungoliath who bit the Blessed Trees and cause them to die...did one of her children weave that?  Do they still live?" He turns and looks at her, walking back.  "How can you, so beautiful, so graceful, serve such a Voice?  Why would you honor such a one?"  He looks down and blushes. "Your skin, velvet like the night sky.  Surely you know the blessings of Illuvatar as do I."

She listens and is a bit surprised. She realizes this elf has no clue who he speaks to. Not just the who as in her personally, but the who as in her race as a whole. He doesn't know drow. She begins to well with plans and ideas. The chaos in it just to beautiful to resist. She isn't sure of the names he uses as God heads, but she wings it. "Oh yes, my cousin. I do now the gifts of the gods well. And Yes, somethings might have escaped your attention for a time, but let me fix you a drink and we will discuss how things have grown over the years." Her voice is soft and almost kind. There is a seductive flare to her tone and movements as she walks to the side of the room to gather a drink for herself and a bit of something that will 'help' him. It will keep him addicted to her 'cures' while letting him think he is getting better.

Olwe smiles warmly, even offers a hand to her to help her from her seat.  He watches her, speaking as much to her and to himself. "Gods.,,,how strange...how different the world has become." He watches her back as she gathers drinks and relaxes a little, his face a little softer.  'You have heard this Voice too?  Did it threaten you, cousin?  You are kin, are you not?  For I know well the stories of the dark elves...and I have wondered how their children would have fared over the passing of the many turns of seasons."

Gwindolyn Spiritor is grateful her back was turned as he calls her 'cousin' and 'dark elf'. The terms would normally get an elf killed. But she is going a different path with him. "I'm sure you can call me cousin." She said instead of admitting any possible common hertiage. Her delusions being that the drow had their own start in life and were not related to elves. She turns back to him with the drinks. Her smile was soft and welcoming. She hands him a drink. "That one will clear your head a little. Come, sit with me. Tell me what this voice has tortured you with." Her tone of words changing to suit the role she has decided to play.

Olwe gingerly takes the drink with a small bow of his head in thanks, but looks down at the liquid and back up to her.  "There was a dark skinned elf....they called her..." he thinks..."Drow, yes drowess, though she looked like one of the healers who were trying to heal me. I was poisoned, they say.  She brought a potion, and I drank it.  They called me foolish, but it seemed to work...at first...then the buzzing started to fill my head, and the voice came."  He looks back up to her and pauses. "I have never seen wine so rick and dark in color.  From whence came it, I pray?"  His eyes narrowed, and he searched her face.  "Would you be kin to she who brought that potion?  She was haughty as the other...female...who was here, but she was also frightened.  I could tell."  He took her offer and settled down on the seat beside her.  "Thank you for your kindness.  But how did that dark skinned maid find me, surrounded as I were by shades of ones who cannot be alive?"

She swirls her wine in her cup as she takes a drink and then sits down on the bench. This time she sits to one side to grant him space to sit with her. She waves a dismissive hand at the talk of her other drowess. "I had heard one of my cousins was in need of help, how could I refuse? You have heard the voice and could not refuse. So I could not either." She takes a drink of her wine. "The deep richness comes from ingredients not found on the surface." She does not mention it contains part of the chaos flower. The poison and the cure both contain part of the flower. She also does not tell that the reason the voice told her to go to the elf was to take advantage of such chaos as is present to be furthered. She would play her part and further the chaos as she could. Tonight she was confirming his false assumptions and gaining his favor and his debt. "You have spoken of visions, nightmares. Do tell me of them?" Her voice is almost entreating, possibly even a bit pouty.

Olwe watches her take a sip and sips, too, from his cup, rising his eyes to meet hers.  "So, you do not truly serve this Voice, cousin?"

Gwindolyn Spiritor: She takes a deep sip of her drow wine. The smell of spider venom soothing her nerves as she plays nice with this pawn next to her. She does hate letting him think them related, but she would manipulate him to her desires and this was the most likely path for success. "Such a voice demands and who am I to refuse? You were unable to refuse it." She leaves it at that, not admitting she worships the voice and devotes all she is to it. She would gain his trust instead. So much easier to slip in a poisoned dagger when you are trusted.

Olwe's pleasant demeanor changed, and a coldness spread over his features.  His grip on the cup tightened, and his lips pursed.  He spat his words at her, nearly rising. "I...did...not bow to that ....that perversion. Even when it threatened me with death, with death of all I love.  I will live and if I need, die, serving the will of the Valar."  He regards her coolly and draws back.  "Even when it told me I was abandoned by the one I love most, even then I did not bend, though it was crushing the very air from my body."  He swallows and a haunted looks comes over his face. " I will live and die free, a Teleir, an Eldar, one of the Children of Illuvatar."

She sees his anger and she does not pursue him though now she has his dreams and knows the prophecy Lloth has sent him to give her. She has her victory. She turns to him . "Shhhh... You are obviously not abandoned. Tell me, how is your head? You should be thinking more clearly now." She thinks to offer him food, but does not think elven ear chips would help her at the moment, so she does not point them out. "You are free. You did well in your resistance. Not many are so strong." She coo'd softly to him. "Illuvatar would be proud of you." She still has no idea who Illuvatar is, but knows it is his perceived God.

TO BE CONTINUED.....

Olwë's Madness

< Previous    

Nole rises from bed, noticing his King is missing. He is shocked, concerned and horrified all at the same time. He rushes out into the hallway yelling Olwe's name. He sees Lyra, the Sylvhara High Cleric. "Olwe is not in his chamber, have you seen him?"

"I have not..I've only just come from meditation..I usually fly in." she grimaces knowing how this sounds.

"Is there any one who may have seen him pass through here. Are there any guards here?"

Llyra ConstantineLlyra Constantine raises a brow, "Guards, at the infirmary? They patrol the outer ways...We'd best call them and find Olwe quickly." She frowns thinking what trouble the King may find.

Nole nods, and quickly follows Lyra out of the infirmary. Darria Dragonash nods politely.  Llyra Constantine smiles reasuringly, "Have you seen an Elf come this way?" she asks, not bothering with manners.  Darria Dragonash shakes her head from side to side.  Llyra Constantine frowns. "Thank you." She turns and heads to tari, knowing that was the place of most trouble.  Darria Dragonash exhales.  Llyra Constantine taps her lips. "Perhaps a flight would tell me more..wait here..it is reasonable safe."

Nole nods, but is anxious to continue the search.  Suddenly he hears Llyra say, "Come quickly! I've spotted him!"  Quickly, he follows her.  There, near the deadly Nightmare Tears, is Olwe, surrounded by several of the concerned citizens of Fair Comet's realm.  Olwe is in tatter clothes, and is circling around and away from everyone, a look in his eyes that is disturbing.

Powers Constantine: "Greetings M'Lord."

Malakyte Thorne: "Those flowers are deadly,"

Powers Constantine: "There is danger there."

Olwe gives them a crazed look and backs away..."Stay Back!" He raises a shaking hand. Zuul comes up over the rise to see.. important people standing too near the Nightmare's Tears

 Powers Constantine:"You must not approach the flowers. They are deadly.  You must move."

"Flowers?" Olwe looks around. He looks down and begins to bat at his clothes...."Spiders! Where did they come from ? Who are you?"

Powers Constantine: "They will kill you."  He casts a Mark of Chivalry, restoring some of the health of those surrounding the elf lord.

Malakyte Thorne moves between the elf and the fflowers and begins to nudge him away,  Powers continues to cast spell after spell to protect those around him.  Zuul can't help but chuckle at Mala and Powers' attempts to herd the wayward elf-king away from the flower patch. 

Powers Constantine is somewhat relieved..Now M'Lord this is safe distance.  Malakyte Thorne: "Stay well back from that wall Sire.. we are still too close."  Powers Constantine nods. "We are still taking damage from the flowers."

Zuul: "Stay away... unless you deisre to end up looking like me." Malakyte Thorne whispers to herself for a moment amd casts a healing storm to aid in protecting the valiant citizens.  Powers Constantine: "That was very close."

Malakyte Thorne: "Powers.. careful .. you may be too close."

Olwe looks at the persons gathered around him, wild-eyed, hair disheaveled, his breath ragged and panting. "I do not know what manner of being you are...who sent you? The Voice?"

Powers Constantine puzzled..The Voice?

Malakyte Thorne: "Queen Comet sent us.. she is waiting for you. She is here."

Zuul: "The voices only serve to lure you in... and to your death."

Powers Constantine: "The Queen is in a safe area..We can lead you there."  Olwe gives the person before a cold look, complete lack if recognition on his face.

SnowBlind Infinity: "The Queen has arrived!"

Comet Quijote: "Olwe!!"

Malakyte Thorne: "Queen Comet is here now.. greetings your majesty.. careful.. he is not.. welll."

Powers Constantine smiles.."Your Majesty."

Comet Quijote: "Dearest, what are you doing out here?"

Olwe backs away, eyes wild, pointing, stepping back toward the flowers.  "I saw you die!"

Zuul: "I daresay he's been doing a bit of gardening. You would do well to herd him back to the healer's hall."

Olwe: "You all died!"

Comet Quijote looks at Olwe up and down inspecting him for injury.

 Powers Constantine to Olwe: "You are close again..stay away."  Again he casts healing protection all surrounding the elf lord.

Comet Quijote  to Olwe: "Stay back from them, cousin, please!"

Olwe: "You cannot be Sweet Comet...She is lost to me, forever in the halls of the dead."

Malakyte Thorne grumbles, thinking she needs to ask the stones to make a larger wall.

Comet Quijote: "We need to get him to the infirmary, Mala."

Malakyte Thorne: "Yes.. Lord Olwe.. come with us."

Comet Quijote: "He was not well before, now he looks worse."

Olwe: "No!   You cannot be real... You are a trick!"

Malakyte and Powers continue to cast spells of healing to those around as Zul speaks. "I think.. I would not like to have to have the King attend Daza's ritual. It would be unseemly."

Olwe backs away...looking wildly about him. 

Malakyte Thorne: "Your majesty.. we may have to tie him up."

Powers Constantine: "We need to move him fast."

A drowess, Zeskacha, steps out of the portal, brushing herself off, she hated that form of travel but.. that was what she needed to do for her Iharess. Looking around she spies the one she's looking for, spiders surrounding him making it evident. "Take your hands off him." Her voice was etheral, and she approached Olwe. But in the press and clamor, she goes unheeded from all, even the Teleri lord.

ArthurPendragon Alecto: "Here Majesty!"

Comet Quijote stares at the surrounding shadows,  Llyra Constantine adds her healing powers to Powers and Malakyte.

Olwe: "The killing fields....do you not see the dead bodies?"

SnowBlind Infinity: "This place is not secure, let us move on from here."  Malakyte agrees with a  "yes."

Comet Quijote: "Arthur, we have a security issue and need some back up." Llyra Constantine frowns. Nole arrives, seeing many Sylvaharans here.

Powers Constantine: "We must move from here quickly."

Malakyte Thorne: "He is not in his right mind.."

Zeskacha moves to Olwe, grabbing his arm albiet not nicely and then moves and casts globe of darkness around her and Olwe.

Comet Quijote: "Llyra, Olwe was found wandering over this way near the flowers."

Llyra Constantine: "Powers, I want my patient back at the Clerics Hall."

Olwe plants his feet firmly and refuses to move.  Powers Constantine nods at Llyra.  "We must carry him off."

 Llyra Constantine's eyes become steel. "Bind him if you must..we need to get him away from here."

Olwe: "I heard the Voice, you know.  I heard it....it wanted me to....to..."

SnowBlind Infinity: "Let's move the noise is attracting danger."

Zuul perks an ear to Olwe's raving. Malakyte Thorne nods and reaches into her pouch. Olwe shrugs out of their grasp and back toward the drow, unseen to him.  Comet Quijote folds her arms and frowns at the ..spectators. Llyra Constantine's voice comes, hard as stone, "Olwe! hear me! You are not to listen to any voices from those flowers!"

Olwe: "I will not bend to the Darkness.  I shall not!"

 SnowBlind Infinity: "Ready thy sword. Sir Arthur." Comet Quijote draws a harsh breath at the thought.  Llyra Constantine: "Bind him, Powers..let's get him from this place."

ArthurPendragon Alecto: "We must drag them from here!" Malakyte Thorne quickly she brings the rope out and begins to pass it around his hands. knoting it tight.  Powers steps in to assist. Olwe wheels around. "Do not touch me!"

ArthurPendragon Alecto: "Oh, I shall, indeed, Sir!"

Pandora Urqhart takes a good hold of him as he steps back, she had a job to do and it was to take him away to her Iharess. She casts globe of Darkness.

Malakyte Thorne hisses and loops the rope around him.  SnowBlind asks, "Shall I just knock him out cold, better a bump than nothing."

Comet Quijote: "Snow! No!"  Malakyte Thorne hesitates and looks at Comet.  Comet Quijote wrings her skirt and frets over Olwe's state. 

"Olwe, dearest, please go with Llyra and Mala to the infirmary.  Please!"


SnowBlind Infinity: "I dare say we are exposed, and cannot linger much longer near this area."

Comet Quijote: "We must not keep you here." Then Olwe and the Drow  Pandora vanish in a mist of darkness.
Comet asks, "The drow took him??"

Zuul looks down at the group below. "He is gone.. Heed your own advice and leave this place."  Comet Quijote feels faint and steps back to rebalance.

SnowBlind Infinity: "It seem she did, My Queen, with the crowd around it was hard to see, but she has cast a spell and he has vanished."

Malakyte Thorne looks over at the demon.

Llyra Constantine: "Arthur, if the demon speaks to me again, shoot him from the sky."  Arthur answers, "With Pleasure."

Malakyte Thorne: "We are being watched."  Nole senses Olwe is no longer among them, and he feel fear.
"Gods!" exclaimed Queen Comet.

SnowBlind Infinity: "Let us go before our Queen is taken as well."

Llyra Constantine: "Majesty please..we need to to leave, now."Comet Quijote reluctantly turns to return to her castle. Powers Constantine is shocked by the sudden disappearance of Olwe. 

 Malakyte Thorne: "I should call up the stone and make a larger fence."

SnowBlind Infinity: "We can return later, and keep a watchful eye. Time has come to start offing the Drow who defy our realm."

Llyra Constantine: "Powers and Mala, go with her..we need to figure out where he was taken and mount a rescue effort."

Powers Constantine: "Perhaps Your Majesty could wait in your castle."   ArthurPendragon Alecto nods in agreement. Malakyte Thorne adds: "Yes.. i saw a demon pass by just now."

Comet Quijote says, " I will follow." Zuul waves.

Llyra Constantine: "Nole..please go with the Queen.." Nole nods and follows the Queen. 

Malakyte Thorne to the Queen: "We will find him."

Comet Quijote: "I will take my portal back to my castle." Malakyte Thorne nods. "And we will search for him."   Comet Quijote turns to the Teleri sailor. "Nole, I am as sorry as I can be."

Malakyte Thorne: "He cannot have gone far."

Comet Quijote: "I do not know how he came to be in that place." Nole looks up, his facial expression is obviously in sorrow." I hope he can be recovered."

Malakyte Thorne: "I am sure he will be.. one does not simply disappear."

Comet Quijote: "Did you see how it was he was taken?" Nole: prays to Iluvatar that he will be found, for he holds the hope of the Teleri. 

Malakyte answers, "I did not see."  Powers adds, "He seemed to just disappear." She turns to Nole.  "Did you see the drow take, him Nole?"

"No,"he answers. "He simply vanished." Powers adds, "There were so many people there, and no one seemed to see him leave."  "I hope he can be found, " says Comet.

"He was certainly not in his right mind," said Powers.  Malakyte goes, "hmmm..." thinking of something but says nothing, not wanting to upset the queen more.  "I am sure he can be."

Nole extends a circlet toward Comet. "I found Olwe's circlet on the ground."  He has a pearl encrusted silver circlet.  "Oh," says Comet. 

"I found it near the flowers, " the sailor continues. 

 "I have seen him wear that all my life, " says Comet.  Power's eyes focus on the circlet..."Oh, no."  Comet Quijote eyes tear up again. 

She draws her hankie from her sleeve.

Malakyte spoke.  "I believe the mages can use it.  Perhaps that very thing can be instrumental to find him."

"Ah," says Comet.  "Good idea, Mala."  Nole's eyes perk up in hope.  'Really?"

Malakyte says, "Do no despair, my queen."  Powers, concerned for the Queen adds, "Do not worry."
"I believe the mages could do this," continues Malakyte.  "I will return to my home now, "Comet says.  "I am a security risk standing out here.  The dragons have enough to do."

Powers Constantine sighs.."I will follow you home Your Majesty."

Comet Quijote: "I will open my portal, Lord Powers. Please see that Lord Nole has what he needs."

SnowBlind Infinity: "My Queen, Regent, I searched the Torgan areas all the way to Vana, and no sign of the drow who took him, or of him."

Comet Quijote: "I have the feeling that the drow who took him does not serve any matron that we know."  Malakyte Thorne looks to Snow and nods. "We must mount a realm wide search..If it were a drow that took him..."
Malakyte breathes a heavy sighs.  Comet then took her farewells for the night.

SnowBlind Infinity: "I will search all the realms. There will be no rest till we know the whereabouts of this nest of rats."

"Let us think...wait...we must keep our heads, too, not leave others vulnerable."  "Aye," agrees SnowBlind.

"It is baffling as to what happened," says Powers. Nole nods.

"Perhaps a routine search, land by land.  Arthur is searching beyond the river now....And taking turns with our duties, " muses Malakyte. 

"The Guard is already stretched so thin," says Llyra.

SnowBlind Infinity: "My eye was on the Queen, I did not see much of the actions, but only the Drow did some magick, and they vanished."

Malakyte Thorne continues to muse. "Yes.. the dragons can search."Then, "The drow did magic?"

"Shall I pass my duties to another and take up my sword?" asks Llyra.

"Well, I see no one to battle at the moment, Llyra," replies Malakyte.

Llyra Constantine chuckles softly, "I can find an enemy very quickly, Mala."

Powers Constantine: "I think we can focus our energies on searching. We can all cover the ground very quickly and throurghly." "We should recon the area first, and determine where to hunt for this stinky drow." 

"I will call the dragons to search all of Sylvahara, perhaps Powers and Snow can search Torgan and Vana," said Malakyte. "Hmmm...Llyra, if you think you could be spared..."

"I am the only high cleric in the realm right now," she answered. "I am also, if needed, " said Powers. 

"To risk you in a fight is too great, Llyra, " said SnowBlind.  "Better to leave it to me. '

"Oh, I rarely die anymore...the Elements sustain me.  I just have too many responsibilities."  Llyra sighs. "Rarely anymore...these words ring of a death toll."

"I think it best, if you remain here, in case you are needed by both the fae and others.  This way your responsibilities will not be disrupted as much."

"Call me if needed. I will be at the Clerics Guild." says Llyra.  "Very well, Llyra, fair skies, " says Malakyte as Llyra departs.


"We need to put extra security at the borders tonight and on the Queen.  Until we know how Olwe disappeared, we certainly do not want the same to happen to the Queen," says Power

"This is true," said Malakyte." Perhaps I should put up a larger wall to keep others away. "

Nole turns to Malakyte. "So this circlet could be used by the mages to track Olwe?"

"I believe it could, "Malakyte. "Are there any of the mages here tonight?" asks Powers.

"Perhaps Pak could or Ondine...let me see."

"I think it would be best not to handle it much at all," Powers advises Nole. "Keep it in your pouch until they can remove it."  "Yes, " agrees Malakyte.  Nole nods, carefully stowing away the circlet in his pouch.  "We will need to put it in a safe place for the night, "

Powers says, indicating the circlet.  Nole nods.  Where should I put it?"

"Well," said Malakyte.  " I would keep it with you.  Let me think.  Where have you been staying?"

 "I have been at the healers' guild."

 "Hmmmm, the safest place I know of is in the dragon weyr, or perhaps Isil, but neither would be comfortable for you."  Nole nods.  "I know a secret place," Malakyte says suddenly. "It is here in the square." Nole nods. "If it is secret, then it may be safe."

"Actually," says Malakyte.  "You could stay at my house.  I rarely use the house."  Shall I show you both?"

"I would appreicate it."  Nole follows Malakyte to  Malakyte's house, where Nole is made comfortable for the night.
Nole closes his eyes, hoping he has peaceful dreams.

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