Kelnin among the drow.

It has been four days since the Dark Elves brought Kelnin to their trading city, Malullcho.  They welcomed Kelnin to their city, then drafted him into the army, putting him into the Wizards's Brigade, and marching him to the frontier of Cho with Alsthrinyulner.  So Kelnin, along with a few hundred other drow soldiers and mages, went back across the Avwan Mountains through a secret pass.  Kelnin saw a few other Gray Elves among the army, and he thought he saw whipping scars on them.  Though he had no major grudge against Night Elves, they would most likely see him an outcast, he mostly wanted Wood Elf blood, and above them, Nanlyr, his former associate in magical experiments, the one who convinced him to do a certain banned ritual, and the one who then turned around and told the guards and had him exiled.  After a few days, the Dark Elf army reached the drow front in Alsthrinyulner, a swath of cut down forest, riddled full of arrows and bodies, Kelnin could hear some fighting back in the forest.  Kelnin was sent of with a small group of other spellcasters to be artillery on a knoll a little farther in the forest, along the way he could see a summoning in progress, he had seen some magical creatures already, summoning had always frightened him, he had also always failed at it, and there was an incident a few years ago.

"Summoning is unwholesome."  Shuddered Kelnin, memories coming back to him.  On the knoll, he and the other mages started, combined together, firing spells into the Night Elf forces.  Kelnin found a way to escape, since he was magically connected with the other spellcasters, he sent killing spell to all of them, breaking through their will and snapping their spines. 

"Yes!  And now for my escape!"  Kelnin said to himself, as he ran south to the Sylvan Sea.             

Carvings in a temple.

Who ever walk into the land of Nod

Shall only see the Shadows and the Dark

That await those who walk into the land of Nod

Those who follow Cain along the path of rejection

Shall only find the chains and beasts and the brands

That await those who walk into the land of Nod

Shall see what they are not meant to see

So stare not into the Deceitful Eye

Who ever walk into the land of Nod

-Found on the walls of an ancient temple on an island atoll in the Great Sea, a great interest to leyographers.  Dates to around 45,000 B.C.

Kelnin crosses the Avwan.

The transformation into a Gray Elf is a continuous process.  First, you're given slightly dull skin and darker hair, which get duller and darker as time goes on, until they are gray and jet black.  Secondly, you loose the sharp elfin sight, hearing,  and smell.  Lastly, the touch of Caswen, the ability to see and feel the life of animals, and plants, and command it, diminishes until you can only feel the life of a useless shrub and dying desert lizard.  The only atonement is to get a blessing from a high priest, and to walk the Path of the Hiryali.

Kelnin grabbed the edge, and hauled himself up onto the cliff's top.  He rested there a moment, and drank some water, even though he started out with one day's worth, he had found a mountain stream part way up.  He had been climbing the Avwan Mountains for several days now, he did not care to keep count, and had had his first meal of meat, which Wood Elves do not eat meat.  Kelnin got up and continued on his way, toward the peak of the mountain he was on.  Some hours later, Kelnin reached the frozen mountain peak, so high up he had trouble breathing, he looked around but could already tell his vision wasn't as sharp as it had been.  Kelnin breathed on his hands to warm them, he was nearly frozen.  He yelled a curse into the night, the night responded with a flurry of snow, he fell down into the snow and, slowly, his eyes closed.

When Kelnin woke, he was in a stretcher of some kind, and in a dark tunnel.  He could not see who were carrying the stretcher on which he lay, they blended in with the shadows.  But then one turned to him, and Kelnin could see pointed ears, and glowing red eyes.           

Kelnin No-House.

Kelnin, stripped of his house, was exiled for the use of dark wizardry, and was escorted to the northeastern edge of the Faelir Forest, and left there as a gray elf.  Kelnin No-house looked around him at the foot hills of the Avwan Mountains, the giant mountain range that divided east from west.  He hefted his pack, exiled elves are given a pack, one day's water supply, a bow and two arrows, a compass, and dull colored skin and black hair, and started his journey toward the east.  Kelnin thought were he would go next,

"Maybe to the Drow, my Dark Elf cousins almost always welcome Sylvari outcasts."  He thought, as he started climbing the foot hills.  

"Or I could travel to the city of Bala, and see just how big and grand it is."  Kelnin reached the top of the hill and looked at the towering Avwan Mountains.  Now Kelnin was a wizard, and good at weaving offensive spells in a short time, thus was a good 'Battlemage', as some people called him, also because could fight with bow and spear as well as incantations.  He then thought that he might slip back through to the west, but the enchantments of his kin would stop him.

"But someday I shall find Nanlyr, and slay him.  That will teach him to snoop around and discover that which is not for him."  Kelnin used his magic powers to probe the mountains for an easy pass between them, and found none, so he began the long climb up the Avwan, and to the east.    

Gnawain Golsh's tale.

Once Andras was done, Gnawain Golsh, a gendian Gnome pulled out his mandolin, adjusted the collar on his flamboyant shirt and began his tale.

"This is a tale I heard while traveling in the tunnels of the Bulduur Dwarves, so here it goes:

There once was a Dwarf warrior, named Gildin, who was so skilled with the blade, that he never found worthy opponents in his clan, so he traveled the world, searching for worthy adversaries.  After traveling all over Eilendor, he met a valjulfr swordsman by the Sylvan Sea, and there they made duel to see who was stronger.  Finally, the valjulfr, Nelneri, used some elf trickery to defeat Gildin.  So angered at the elf's trickery, Gildin swore that his kin would never be friends with the valjulfr again.  Later as Gildin headed west, an Orc barbarian came to him and challenged the Dwarf to combat, Gildin agreed, thinking the barbarian easy prey and would help heal his pride.  But the Orc was a savage opponent, and finally cutting down the Dwarf, and from that day forward, Dwarves and Orcs have been sworn enemies."

"A short tale, I know, but dwarf tales usually are."  Said Gnawain, finishing his tale.  And so Dihlah Levorenn stood up to go next, as the wind howled outside.    

Universal holidays in Eilendor.

Neasratide, January 1st, the celebration of the creation of the world, it is said the spirits of the Gods fly through the world.

Death's Eve, December 13th, when Death takes no souls from the Living, and he returns one dead soul.

Harvestfeast, September 21st, many races celebrate a productive harvesting season.

War End, March 14th-21st, no fighting, began after the Saurak War.

Midsummer, a day and night in which magic flows like water, and magic creatures like sprites are visible.

No-Witch Eve, November 30th, a day and evening when witches and warlocks stay home and leave out candy.

Councilform, October 20th, celebrating the Council

Bator-Gotha.

It is said, far in the east of Eilendor, an ancient city called Bator-Gotha lies.  Bator-Gotha is older then any known active city, older then Draco Arcora and Arceanum, and is west of the Zurza Archipelago, east of the Gotha Plains, south of the Bator Mountains, and north of the Mountains of Dusk.  It is also the biggest city in all of Eilendor, and most likely the world, it spans many, many miles in all directions and is split in half by the Great Eastern River that flows from the Eastern sea, all the way to Delvair.  The city is home to many races, from Eilendor and beyond the Eastern Sea, or Zurzan Sea, and is ruled by the Ten Guilds, Assassins, Merchants, Paladins, Wizards, Fighters, Thieves, Artificers, Gamblers, Rangers, and Wardens, who fight with each other for dominance in Bator-Gotha.  No one, not even the Guilds, know who built Bator-Gotha, but many people tell tales about a barbarian named Bator, and an archer named Gotha.  Bator-Gotha is famous for it's size, it's brawlers and bar fights, and the Underworld, a night-time place in the old sewers and back alleys, ruled by the Thieves Guild.