Continuing Fiction

I pulled my cloak even farther down in front of my face. It was bad enough that I had been foolish enough to enter the crowd of humans gathered before the man in the stocks. But, Sayge would not pass up such a spectacle. I knew I should have left when he began arguing with the local man about hitting him with the rotten vegetable. But what difference did it make whether he hit him or not. Sayge was an elf and in a town of humans. He was guilty, regardless of the truth. When we left the Crondor forest, Almorez had warned us of the reception we would receive. The humans in the countryside were simple and set in their ways. In the capital city, which lay on the northern border of the forest, they were usually excepting. Not true of the rest of Mendarn. To the north, near Eldor, they were openly hostile. That was the main reason we had traveled south. To the south, they usually just stared, or spoke behind lifted hands.

As the guards began calming the mob and ushering the mass of protesting citizens towards the single level stone building, I feared for Sayge and myself. I did not know how they would treat our kind once we were behind bars. I didn't want to find out. Reaching deep within myself I called upon the powers of glamour, elven magic, and began forming the energy of the earth with my words and hands. The spell was an easy one and required little movement. No sooner had I turned around did I see that it had worked. A large burly human stared at me in confusion. Where a cloaked man had just been, now stood a young human Brandobian noble. I had seen plenty of them within the capital city. I knew their clothes and their manner. After hailing the guards and pointing out the mistake of confusing me with this lot, they quickly let me pass their line. I tried to get Sayge out as well, claiming he was a servant of mine, but the thin gaunt looking guard I spoke to only replied in a nasal tone, "You'll be needing to speak with Lieutenant Vand, Milord."

I moved towards the prison, in the direction the guard and directed. But as I considered the time it would take to summon the man, I knew my spell would have long passed. Sayge would have to fend for himself. As I walked back down the dusty road towards the northern palisade of Yelden I considered how many times Sayge had led us into trouble. He was so curious. Even when we were apprenticed to Almorez, to learn the ways of glamour, a time we should have been concentrating on learning the art. He managed to let his curiosity get him into trouble. Unfortunately for Sayge, he was blessed with quick hands and a questionable conscience. The arts of stealth came as easy to him as the arts of the sword came to me. What an odd pair we made. But, we were comrades in magic and blood. In the world of humans, elves needed to stick together.

I soon saw the building I was looking for. The House of Solace, church of the Peacemaker. These churches were sanctuaries for non-humans. The priesthood of the Peaceful one welcomed all in peace. I knew I would be safe there for the night. The green colored cottage beckoned with the smell of soup and incense as I stepped beneath the clasped hands that hung above the door, the symbol of the Peaceful one.

Hurth, the rector of the house handed me a second helping of soup. The fire from the hearth competed with the warm fish soup to lull me into a restful state. I shared dinner with two other guests. We all sat upon the floor before the fireplace. A dwarf, who would later introduce himself as Corrin the wise, follower of the Healer and a half elf named Mordeln. I was particularly Intrigued by Mordeln. When I had first joined them at the fire, Hurth had politely inquired about my business in Yelden. I explained a friend had been jailed with the other townspeople and Mordeln quickly seemed to hang on every word I said. I was relieved when Hurth explained they would be released in the morning. It seems this was not the first time a group had been arrested for such actions. Mordeln later explained his interest in the remote prison. He had a friend, Bran, a northerner who had been arrested and was locked away in the building. Bran, it seems was a political prisoner, and Mordeln feared for his well-being. Corrin's eyes showed concern for Bran's plight as Mordeln told his tale. But that was just like the Healers. Always wanting to fulfill the aspirations and dreams of others and to heal their injuries. Their god wasn't known as the Lord of Silver Linings for nothing.

As the Sun heralded the coming of dawn, I was waiting on the village green for the prisoners to be released. The small town was already thriving with people going about their daily routines. The man who sold vegetables to the people for the pillories was already making his way into town to gather the days supply.

Diadolai, the smallest of the three moons, was still visible through the blueness of the morning’s sky. The reddish-pink moon was special to our kind. The smallest moon is the home of the gods in elven legend. From there, they watch over the lands far below. My attention was drawn back to the remote prison as the doors opened and people began to emerge. I soon saw Sayge step into the mornings light. He looked as if he got little rest. He seemed in conversation with two humans. It appeared he had made new friends. When I approached, he introduced me to a young woman, named Lana, whose accent was from the middle reaches of Brandobia to the north. The other, a man named Rayne. The man was young by even human standards, but his body had already developed the strength of youth. I held little doubt he could easily swing the large axe he carried with apparent ease.

As Sayge related the events of his evening, Corrin the dwarf approached with Mordeln close behind. Mordeln wore his cloak and hood close about him. Apparently he wanted to draw as little attention to himself as possible. When I introduced Mordeln to my traveling companion and the others, he quickly began asking them if they had seen Bran. When they explained they had shared a cell with him, he almost feinted with relief. The questions came pouring forth faster then they could be answered. Was he all right? What did he look like? What did he say? As Mordeln listened, his eyes began to wonder over the small group that was gathered around him.

"I am in need of adventures such as yourself. If you will meet me tonight at the House of solace, I will explain in further detail what I have in mind." We glanced to one another and then nodded. I liked Mordeln and his strange request seemed to peek Sayge's curiosity. It was agreed.

As Mordeln walked off across the green, deeper into the town proper, I looked at the others in this newly formed band of "adventurers". There were five of us in all. Sayge and myself, the dwarf: Corrin, and the humans: Rayne and Lana. A diverse group, to be certain. I asked if any knew where breakfast could be found and we soon were off into Yelden in search of a place to eat. Yelden was a growing town. The original town had spilled over the original stone wall that had once held it and now an outer palisade of piled earth and large wooden poles was being built. It was just inside the inner stone wall that we found an inn known as the Drunken Dwarf. The inn seemed in good repair, though Corrin seemed troubled by the name and image of the inebriated dwarf that hung above the door.

The innkeeper seemed friendly enough to our group. If he has refused to serve us, it wouldn't have been the first time Sayge and I had been denied hospitality due to our race. I did notice that the price he charged us for the bread and cheese was a bit higher than it should have been. But, we said nothing.

We ate and talked about who we were and where we came from. Lana was a monk from a monastery in the north, close to Lendlewood, along the Yan Elenon mountain range. The same range of mountains that Corrin hailed from. Rayne was from Ospolen, the capital city. Sayge and I were practically his neighbors. Though it was no surprise we had never saw him. He lived in logger town and it was well known that the sub races were not welcomed there. Though, he seemed to hold no bias towards us.

When the innkeeper returned, I asked him about the goings on of the town. As he looked down his nose at me, I knew he was not going to share anything he knew with an elf. But, my offer to buy more food, wine and beer at his inflated price loosened his tongue. It seems that Duke of this southern Duchy of Mendarn has been murdered in his castle. Ravaged by some monster. The new heir, his younger brother, Prince Cardor had disappeared at the same time. Now, the Duchy was in dire straits as they tried to decide who would assume control. Many feared Captain Welvr, the leader of the castle guard, would assume control. If that happened, the innkeeper assured us, every able sword arm would be marched towards the Theocracy. Captain Welvr felt an offensive strike against the Theocracy was the only way to ensure peace. Many thought it was the Theocracy's own assassins that had killed the Duke to weaken the duchy that laid along their border.

We considered this information as we ate. I hoped for a quick day as I shared Sayge's curiosity at what Mordeln planned to ask of us. Especially with the political goings on here. The group parted ways after agreeing to meet at dusk. Sayge and I spent the day walking the streets of Yelden. The town seemed to thrive on the bounty taken from Feldeb bay. Luckily, we experienced little in the way of harassment, though it was obvious to all that we were strangers. We saw some human enchanters halfway through the day. I knew better than to greet them. The humans who practiced the arts of magic, were a strange lot. Only certain people were trained in the arts and then only at universities where it could be controlled. They saw elven wizards as a danger to all, with what they felt was an unstructured approach to magic. Our kind felt magic was everywhere and in everything, there for all to use and experience. Not a select few who kept its secrets hidden from others.

The light from the fire danced across the waddle and daub walls of the House of Solace. Hurth closed the doors that led into the main room where we were gathered. Mordeln nodded to him as he left, making me think Hurth has some idea on what Mordeln had in mind. Mordeln began, "Thank you all, for coming here to listen to what I have to say. As you know, Bran is being held prisoner. He has done nothing wrong, yet they refuse to release him. I have learned that they plan to move him to the dungeons beneath the castle and later execute him. I don't know why he is being treated this way, but I need to get him out. And that is where I need your help. I am willing to pay two hundred golden crowns if you help me free him.