Singing Trees

Seems once again, the journey has taken a different route than expected, and after having traveled through land upon land, I found a place that spoke to me with singing trees. And have made this place of peace and quietude my home. Many of my friends have joined me on this journey: Cassandra and Sweet Pea, Ghason, Mandylynn, Tithehul, Galadriel and Celeborn, S'rena and Ivarruaia and some strange bent old man who fals asleep on teh ground as ye speak, Elestria, of course, and Dexler and Jusitne, and my grandson Alak...but...still no sign of Jacen...(taps foot and looks at the pile of boots she has been carrying around). We have each found out little space here. And hopefully, we can be happy and live out our stories as they are meant to be lived.

An End To An Age

Tis been a long while since I wrote in this journal of mine….been travelin', ye see, fleein' from devastations and such. The dragons died. The Ancient One, too weary to go on, and his mate Saia, because she couldna bear life without him. And the land howled and raged at their deaths, for it was their lives that gave it breath. And without the protection of the mighty beasts, the evilness began to spread across the land. Seems our small band of people just canna escape from the evils that pursue them. A horde of demons moved inter the Underdark of Arran, bringing with them pestilence to the land. And a personal pestilence to meslef and Jacen. Tis nae everyone can claim that they be shot down in eh midst of their marriage proposal. After all these years, what were started as a joke has turned into a reality. And I didna even have to pay twenty horses for him as that old tavern wench said I would~! His family no seemed to mind, seeing most of them be either previously married to elves or be elf kin themselves, so that were a mercy. Bein' what I am, I canna have children anyways…so tis nae like I be walking away from the People with any duty or obligation to reproduce meself. So, with Samhain looming, Jacen and I sneaked off to the forest, with Swith as witness, and had her tie the knot on the string. Now handfasted for life, in the traditional way. Jacen had to go back to the wars, bein so commanded by his unclew Kalvan. And I were left with the mess of getting folk out of the land afore the great storm hit. I could see well enough that the portents this time be true. The land dwindled and began to die around us. Trees withered and fell over in their places of rest and rocks began to crumble. Justine disappeared altogether with the disappearance of all the dragons. Wulf had put out to sea, so I knew she werena with him. El and Mandi I sent to Waterdeep to be with their children until a suitable home could be found. I assumed that be where Justine had fled to also. Swith, in her way, picked up her lute and left. No use for a bard to stay if there be no one to sing to. No coin or rum in that. Dexler packed up his donkey. The fae were warned to take flight and find some safe ahven. In the end, all that were left were meself… and the spirits of the dead that still roamed the land. On Samhain, I built the fire. Twerent hard for me to do since all the trees ahd died and parched in such a short time. I dragged the wood down to the beach, facing the westering sun, and lit it as dusk approached. Far out to sea I could see the storm, hanging on the horizon. I were grateful that at least I could do this one last service for the land. As the flames rose, beckoning to the darkness that were falling, I began the prayers for the dead, sending their spirits on to where they would enjoy rest for their eternal times. I stood by that fire until midnight, stoked it as high as I could, and mounted Moonbeam and rode away, ne'er looking back once. The fire would be consumed by the wave. And I didna want to be there to see that. Twas the end of an era for me. The end of Arran. A land I loved, a land where I had breathed my own life into its very core.

Today I traveled with Elestria, my adopted daughter, to Waterdeep, where her son...my grandson..Alak be fostering. Tis sad that we must keep him there, but Arran be too hostile for raising children, I I wouldna want the drow getting their hands on him. He be a sweet child, but much like his mother in many respects. Unfortuantely, he do have his father...Solun may he burn in the Abyss forever..etes. Ruby red. Unlike his motehr's beautiful amythest eyes. I look forward to more visits with him, when I can get away from my duties in Arran. Tis a good thing for a child to know his family, and I wish Alak to know the elven side of life, even though he be drow.The change has to start somewhere and it may as well be with my kin. El be makin sure that he do know both drow and the elvish tongue, and he be speaking Comon right plain now. That be thanks to Justine's mother. Didna have much time to stay, so only saw Justine's children in passing. They looked strong and healthy. The boy much like his father; the girl as pretty as her mother. Thank the goddess Justine's mother be such a saint and takes our children in! I couldna bear thinking about what would happen if they werena safely away.

Pesky Demon

Pesky thing he be, this demon. He wants summat, I can tell. Seems he finds me no matter where I be in the realm....last eve I were just sittin on a log playin my lute and poof..there he be in his cloud of brimstone and sulphur, haggin and natterin at me. Elestria came down from the Hall and we ahd a lively discussion on why she doesna be a normal drow. ffftttttt...she told him for sure. And then she put me into a fit of laughter. Her mind works in such strange ways! She asked me what would bother a demon and I told her love and caring and serenity and peace. So she grimaced and ran towards him and said "Take that! you demon!" and she hugged him! If ye could hae seen the expression on that ones face! He flew off right quick after that whilst I purified her from his taint. She be a right plucky one, my daughter. I be so proud of her!

On Demonic Manifestations..or summat like that

This demon...Ivarru he says his name be....he keeps poppin up everywhere...sardonic and glib he be and a tad more scathin than some...Swith took exception and wrote a song about him for the bard circle..good thing he didna show up until later! Then she'd have more than just Saia the Silver after her! I needs to know how he found his way through the rift...he doesna answer to anyone..so he canna have been called forth. And I dunna want him to find out I have that soul stone...twould cause even more trouble. Caught Livvy and Oak together again this morn...took them both to task this time...she hasna a clue...naive human that she be. I tried explainin to her the elven perspective on things and made her sad..but do she be sad enough to do summat constructive about it or like other humans, just sit back and wallow in it? At any rate...we need to keep ehr occupied until the Solstice. Rowan says the land needs teh sacrifice and if Rowan says so who be I to argue? If the human bes nae strong enough to survive then twil be a paltry effort. I hope rowan has chosen wisely. Last eve a wanderin minstrel named Paddy came through..one I have met in other realms afore..twas good to see and hear from him but he surely were dressed in the oddest arrangement of clothes I have ever seen...Swith says were his courtly minstrel clothes..shakes head..humans...twere garish to my eyes. (smirks) I told the dragons about the demon bathin in their lava pool. They werena pleased...(laughs) That will fix him...

What a mess....I caught that Olivia with the wild elf again..and as I feared, her influence be changin him and not to his betterment to my mind. He didna even hear as I approached them there in the fae cove! When an elf ignores his own inherent abilities over a human then that be far too much human! Jacen had to step between the wild elf Oak and that arse faced dog of a tavernkeep, Wulf, or there would hae been blood on the tavern floor. ANd twouldnt be the elf's, I can tell ye that! So now Jacen wants me to appeal to the wild elves..to settle the peace. (sighs) I will speak to Oak..aye...but...I dunna see that it will do much good. I think the answer lies in the human, Olivia. She started this. She must stop it.
In the middle of all this that thorny mage Delrethious be askin me for a soul stone. (snorts) Like I would turn oer such a thing to him who be nae bolstered in any faith that may prevent the use of it for its original purpose. He says he can use ti with essences like blood and spit and such..but I have never heard of such a thing..and to bind any essence into an evilness like that be almost as abd as binding their soul! Anyways..it be for Lore. If I can find his wanderin soul that were cleaved from him when he be made into a undead, then mayhaps I can restore it to him..make him whole again or at the least, put him from his misery and send him to a real eternal rest. And that conninvin female Emily...she were goin to kill me! Because I wouldna let her marry Lore! I knew there were more to her than meets the eye. Turns out she be the daughter of some necromancer bent on findin Lore's wealth. Loew be goin to Venice, his home, to try to lure her away. (shakes head worriedly) I canna help him there. I will worry the whole time he be away. And I need to know...why do there be a demon fgloatin about? A pretty one at that..nae yer average res scaled monstrosity but this one be darkly beautiful. Them mages must be playin about with summat and one called him into this world. I will go shake a finger in their arcane faces if they be doin such as that!

Where be me willow bark tea? Tis bad enough I have fae on the rampage now that fool human female, Olivia have started a war between the humans and wild elves. She said "But I loves him!" ffftttt....She canna even speak his language! She be young and foolish and doesna have whit one about what love be or not be. Love a wild elf....that will get her killed for sure. Their clan leader will no put up with summat like that, for sure. Rowan be right protective of her brother, Oak, and I can tell ye now, no human female be goin to snare him away from the wood. Livvy got herself knocked oer the head oer this whole business. And wouldna tell me how or why. So I sent that oaf, Wulf, the tavern-keep, out to look for whoever doid such a thing to her, thinkin mayhaps some dock lout were waylayin females. Her little indiscretion of not mentionin to me that it be Rowan who did her head in caused a load of trouble. Seems Oak didna know what his sister were up to and were lurkin about hopin for a glimpse of Livvy. Wulf saw him and assumed the worse, I guess and went after him. Oak, of course, bein a wild elf, had the upper hand and beat him to the ground, takin some savage blows to hisself in the meantime. I came upon Oak huffin and puffin oer Wulf's body, healed them both and once again took Livvy to task for startin such a mess. Then along comes that Delrethious..the half elf half human mage who doesna comprehend whit one about elviness. He and Justine ran up. Justine were such a grand help to me curin folks that needed it and tendin to Livvy's head. (That fool Wulf gave her hard spirits with a head injury...twas a god thing she didna pass out into oblivion). Delrethious couldna see why there be such a problem and muttered summat about cultuures. He deosna even know his own so I dunna listen to anythin he has to say about anyone elses. Seems he sees naught wrong with the humans cuttin down live trees in the wild elf forest without a by yer leave or any sort of reparation. What be this world comin to? Fae that hurts animals that are defenseless and now elves that dunna know the importance of a living tree?!?!?!!? At any rate, I had Justine cart Wulf's arse back to the tavern so Oak wouldna kill him on the spot. Then I spoke with Oak a bit and then I went to find that Olivia and have a word or four or five with her. I be here to tell ye, I tyold her she'd ebst come up with some way to fix all this or there will be war. Rowan wilna tolerate some human harmin her brother. Wulf be a marked man. Not that a give a fig what happens to him. He be a worthless walleyed lout. Oh...and then that other mage, the one with the same name as the evil dragon, Zara, showed up. I ahd had about my fill of humans for the day but were polite to her. Asides..I needs some magic done and I canna go to Delrethious about it meself. I willna be beholdin to that one. SO mayhaps she be the answer. We will see. believe what happened this rampage but now

fffffttttt.....fae

Ye know...there be fae..and then there be fae. I has a little friend named Cele...Celeborn to be exact..he be the sweetest little fae ye ever did see and sometimes so verra sad..and I be tryin to find a solution for a problem he has. And then there be the other two...Emy and Jordan. Seems they ahve ants in their pants lately, them two. Naughty as naughty can be. Found them shootin flints at me sheep this day in the village and gave them what all for it. What if one had missed and put one of my sheep's eyes out!>!>! Poor Maeve and Fiona....stuck in a stall unable to defend themselves...twas just nae right..or what if one ahd gone astray and hit Swith sleepin in the next stall? And put ehr eye out??? So when I took them to task what did they do? That Emy..who I thought were my friend, rasied that blow pipe to ehr lips and shot at me! At the Elven Eldar! At the Grand Shaman! I think she be out of her head! So I unleashed an earthquake and some wind to stop ehr in her tracks. Jordan picked her up and dusted her off..tsking about me over reaction but....tis innocent animals they be tormentin with their pranks. Well..I've cooked them...I went to the fae cove and found their Queen and told her all about it. She and I came up with a solution. Twil keep the pair of them busy for a bit. Naughty things.

I went to look for a new flock of sheep today and found myself befriended by a small boy when I landed on the shores of the Outer Islands. He didna tell me his name, but lead me about showing me the different flocks. We stood by the edge of the sea and watched the surf pound in. Twere unimaginably ( beautiful there. (Alchemy Immortalis sims) So I bought some sheep...but I will nae be keepin them in teh village again. I will find a safe place where they canna become turned purple or some such. When I returned abck to Erebos I found Olivia dancin's some giddy dance otuside the bakery. Why she should be so excited be beyond me. Said she'd been swimmin' with a friend. She asked a most eprplecxin' question fo me: Do there be a spell that could change a person into a wild elf? Silly. Be like turnin' a dog into a cat. Humans do confuse me. Ye would think in their short lives they would try to find out the msot about themselves rather tahn always tryin' to be someone or summat else. Lore came by then, so we ended that discussion. His dilemma be real and important for his decisions could mean life or death to him and the young Emily. I have found he usually makes the right decisions once he be presented with enough evidence. I hope this be the case. He said he were off to destroy the potion. I hope so. But something be wrigglin' away on my mind. Sumpin' be...not quite right...

Dilemma's

I had to check to see that my tongue were itnact today. It were there, thankfully. I told Swith and Olivia that I think cabbages be growin in their ears. I know I talk loud enough. And often enough. sighs. At any rate, I ahd to go fetch Olivia outta the forest today. AFTER I ahd just given her a big talk about the dangers out there and how the wild elven dunna like humans. She be so sweet, though, and naive. She wanted top "be their friend". Aye, well, friendship goes two ways. Tis a good thing I speak wilder or she may have come to some real harm. And Swith, she be darting here and there avoiding Saia, the silver dragon, so she doesna have to turn over her lute. Twas a case of flappin' tongue that did her in. I explains it this way: When dragons be around, watch what ye say and how ye say it. They dunna think like anything but dragons. ANd expectin them to come down to yer level be madness. They wilna...ever...So Swith made a remark that were all inclusive of teh company at large, dragons bein' present. She referred to everyone as bein "daft". First of all, dragons dunna consider themselves one of "us". So the first insult were that they were included in a hodgepodge of humans, fae and elven. The second were the word. Saia decided recompense needed to be made for her gaff. And wants her lute. Now ye need to know a few things bout my friend Swith. She be one of the finest minstrels I ahve heard the world oer. She can spin words into songs and her fingers can pull things from that lute that no other person ever could. Especially not when they's consumed several mugs of rum. She be about the worst sort of sot ye ever did see. Unless ye knows what lies inside. There be some that dunna understand why I would befriend such as her. Well..tis easy for me to say. We both be misfits in our won ways. Ye know why I am. She has her own sotry and tells it in another place. (http://jongleur-des-gestes.blogspot.com/) She ahve had that lute of hers for most of her liofe. It be like her own soul, that lute. To look at it ye would think it junk. But what comes form them strings be magic. She would shudder hearin' me say so, since she doesna like magic at all. But it is nonetheless. Saia will coem for it on the morrow. To teach Swith a lesson. Now bothe Livvy adn I ahve said to ehr, Saia be nae a cruel dragon. SHe be the Guardian fo Balance, after all! I know for a fact she would enver keep the lute. She jsut wants to teach Swith a lesson. Swith be bridlin' under the authority and I can see her mind swivelin' about tryin' to conjure up some wya outta it. For a person who doesna hold with magic her mind sure does conjure enough of it. sighs...She be diggin' her won hole deeper. I can tell. And if that be nae enough for one person to worry oer, there be that human, Emily,and her obsession with Lore. Now there be a set of deaf ears if I ever saw one. I needs to think about that one. Tricky problem. But dunna worry, I will come up with summat. I always do.

The Present

Erebos. Tis a darker land than some. Mountainous, full of ruins. Ye know how some folk seem drawn by some external force beyond their control into situations? Well, this be one of those. Some of the elves came with us and I found myself still the Eldar. Most of us be wood elves, wild elves, or half elves. So none of us be high and mighty or high arsed. We live closer to the land than we did in Aglarond. More in tune with the world. The natural world, that is. Erebos be a sundered land. The queen there had been consumed by the land itself for her wicked ways and instead of a new despot of royalty rising, dragons took over the land. The land itself demanded Guardians. These Guardians be guided by the elemental principles, chosen by the land itself. sighs...I be the Guardian of Conflict. I guess when I stepped foot on the soil and the earth felt me, she said "This one be conflicted!" And there I was! I had studied druidism with the wild elf, Rowan, back in the old place, and soon rose to be a Grand Shaman. Dedicated to the spirit of the wolf. Tis funny how things work out. As an Oracle of Selune, I were more of what they call a Harper, whcih be a ranger bard cross. Now I find myself havin to give up my bow so I can take up a staff. I traded arrows for lightning. And a few other things. Ye know, some calls me a tyrant. sighs....I'm nae tyrant. I just wants what's right.

Aglarond

Years passed by and I spent many in Waterdeep. never quite fitting in. Most of the people from the temple were human. There were a few halflings and other sorts of people but no other lythari like myself. They told me lythari usually keep themselves separate from others. Aye, well, what can I say to that? I didna like the city much. The High Elven that came there would have nothin' to do with me. I decided that the world be big and if there be others like me out there somewhere, twere more likely I would find them afore they found me. Seein' as how they didna know I even exist. I raambled about for a number of years (did I forget to tell ye..I be about 300 now...still fairly young for an elf) and ended up in the middle of Faerun in a land called Aglarond. I made two verra good friends there. Now, this thing I am, tis nae like them were folk. They canna help it when they become what they are. The moon turns full and out they come, grizzly and gnarly and warped. Me, I decide when and where I want to be a wolf. And it be nae like them. They loses themselves somewhere in all that fur and teeth. My brain stays the same. I can still think just like I can when I be an elf. This thing I do scares folk. Few have heard of lythari and they assume that I must be the other. So I keeps my mouth shut about it. Tis safer. ANd saner. Aglarond. I didna tell anyone what I be. Twas the sort of place ye just knew ye would end up tied to some post with bunches of faggots at yer feet. I told folk what they wanted to hear. That I came from a fishing village on Evermeet and were raised by Moon elves when I were orphaned. Noone ever questioned me. They just assumed I be a Moon elf. I cleaned up my speech a bit, bought some good clothes (at least my foster parents saw me right in that..they didna send me away destitute and I got a pretty penny for the boat) Place was ruled by a despot queen called the SImbul. She were half crazed most of the time. I joined the rangers, since I ahd my bow and needed to do something. Within a few months I found myself the leader of the elves. Twas a strange thing, that. Bein' the vocal sort, I guess I expressed my opinion about happenins enough that someone decided I should put them words to practice. I met lots of folk in Aglarond. Some of these folk be with me still. Swith. Rowan. Elestria. The Family (Kalvan, Mandi, Brianna, and Jacen) We all fled the place. ALong with several of the fae folk, the Queen, Cassandra, and Emily. We all fled. But that be a whole nuther story for another time. One day, we all found ourselves in Erebos. And that be our home now.

What Happened Next

sighs....I know..this be all some ancient history but there do be a few out there who dunna know it..so bear with me and I will try to be brief as I can be. So I sailed to Waterdeep and went to that temple. They asked me bunches of questions and I were hesitant to tell 'em all the strange thing that happened to me back on teh elf island, but they sort of had it already figgered out. They clucked and hemmed and hawed and made comments that them Moon elves should have sent me there afore the big event...or at least have sent me back to some of my own kind. Found out they be way far away and that my parents were most likely the last of the lythari left on Evermeet. Lythari. At least there be a name for this thing that happens to me. It bew right strange to ahve two of yerself, ye know. More like...two bodies. One elven..the other....wolf. Grey wolf. With green eyes. At least that's what I see when I be that way and look in the river. And it seems there be a purpose for my kind. We do service to this Moon Goddess of the name Selune. She be the good one. Shar be her twin, the bad one. And ye allas knows....where there be good, bad surely raises its' head. In my case, the bad be lycan. Were folk of the wolf type. Bipwdal hybrids between a human and a wolf. At least I be a real wolf and dunna bay under the full moon like some savegey thing. SO I learned how to be an Oracle to this goddess and were sent out to find these lycan and either convince 'em to give up their wicked ways or kill 'em in teh Giddesses name. Tweren't exactly how I had planned my life out back there on Evermeet.

Beginnings

When I were naught but a toddler, barely out of nappies, me foster parents, goodly Moon elves from a small fishing village on eh Isle of Evermeet, found me under the dead body of my mother. They did nae tell me much about her, and alluded to her more in looks and whispers than in actual spoken words. What I were told was that I were a wood elf, of sorts, and that I would find my true self at a later date. But when I asked, they would never tell me WHEN that later date would be. They were kind, hard workin' folk, and my foster father ran a small fleet of fishin' boats from the wharves. They taught me to read and write, and made sure I could handle a bow at an early age. Not bein' a High Elven, the other children did nae mingle with me oer much. I lived a solitary life, and worked hard, oft times goin' out with the boats for the days haul. When I asked about other wood elves, they would shush me and tell me that one day I would understand. And then, that one day, the understandin' came. And my life turned topsy-turvy in a handcart and I were handed my bags, given a small sailboat, provisions and a chart, and were told to seek out the clerics at teh Temple of Selune in Waterdeep, southeast on the Sword Coast. I were not but sixteen. Young for a human, and even younger for an elf. But I knew after what happened they would never let me back on Evermeet. Not all them high arsed High elves. Oh, no.