History on the Rooftop: Resistance War

This lecture is part of the History on the Rooftop Lecture Series.

Year of the Silver Unicorn, 441 years since the Victory of Lanival the Redeemer. It is the 13th day in the 9th month of Dolefaren, the Brigantine. It is currently fall. (5/14/2022)

Speaker

Lady of Elamiri Ayrell Evyntine-Vershir, Archmagess of Ilithi

You see Lady of Elamiri Ayrell Evyntine-Vershir, Archmagess of Ilithi, an Elf. Ayrell has elegant arched eyebrows, pointed ears and exquisite lashes accentuating lustrous sapphire eyes. Her deep blue-streaked raven hair is hip length and wavy, and is worn in an elegant upswept arrangement threaded with an ornate silversteel chain twined with pale mistglass Elamiri roses. She has fair skin and a svelte figure. She appears to be an adult. She has a tattoo of a white rose encircled by a blood-stained thorny vine on her ankle. She is in good shape.

She is wearing a pair of sparkling earrings cast as climbing Elven ivy with sapphire blossoms, an elaborate Dalaeji black sapphire shoulder necklace, a sinuous cloak of rippling ebony nightsilk clasped by a faceted sapphire swan, an off-the-shoulder gown of onyx Elven silk trimmed with Dalaeji black sapphires, a spiraling lilac moonsilver engagement band crowned by a blue Elamiri sapphire, a lifesculpted moonsilver wedding band cradling a trillion-cut twilight sapphire, a gleaming silver signet ring bearing an intricate family seal, a braided silver sword belt inset with scintillating swan medallions and a stunning pair of onyx Elven silk slippers crowned with Dalaeji black sapphires.

Location & Audience

Shoan a Sidelkuloa, Outdoor Stage

The simple stage consists of a raised platform of wood planks. Lanterns provide light for nighttime performances. You also see a door.

Also here: Tempest Knight Saragos who has a stony visage, Truzhya, Navesi, Painforged Hatham, Hunter Hanryu, Maunderer Aislynn who is sitting, Muse Nilme, Philomath Miskton, Elamiri Lord Ezerak, Lanahh Pejek'zhra Isaish who is sitting, Sothios, Voidwalker Zynell who is crowned by a ring of glimmering stars, Ambassador Elizzibiana who is sitting, Xelten, Apollys who is sitting, Searing Counterpoint Casari and Lady Knight Elurora.

Introduction

Ayrell says, "I will apologize in advance, I am somewhat nervous about this lecture. It is... somewhat different from those I have given in the past. I do hope you all enjoy it."

Ayrell says, "I believe we will go ahead and begin. As always, I will attempt to speak at a pace that will be easy for everyone to follow."

Ayrell says, "Good evening, and welcome to the Shoan a Sidelkuloa."

Ayrell smiles.

Ayrell asks, "Tonight's lecture will be somewhat different from those I have conducted in the past. While we will begin with information many of you may already know, my aim is to end with several notes that are not so readily accessible in the history books. After all, what fun is a history lecture if there is not something new and intriguing every once in a while to entice the mind?"

Ayrell smiles.

Ayrell says, "The subject of discussion this evening is the Resistance War. I am prepared to chance an assumption that a good many of you are familiar with this, be it in detail, or at least by name."

The Resistance War

Ayrell says, "So what do the history books tell us about this? They tell us of Lanival. Brother of Sable. Son of Sorril and Kanton. The human who led a resistance against the Elven Lord Teiro. They also tell us of Teiro, a former scout in the Elven-Human war. Elected Voice of the Elven nation. The soldier turned "king" who sought to claim the Empire as his own in the wake of its collapse. They tell us of Teiro's own daughter, Nissa, defecting to aid the humans against her father. An empath of renown and former member of the Elven Council. They whisper of a love between Nissa and Lanival... and her death at the hands of her own father while protecting Lanival from harm."

Ayrell says, "History books tell us the war lasted for twelve years. They describe the final battle taking place on the bloody fields below the Dragonspine Mountains. The pages speak of the powerful magic Teiro ordered cast to secure his victory over Lanival and his army. The same magic that is said to have caught the attention of the Heralds during the Elven-Human war. Magic that led to the Guardians, Glacis, Eerayn, and Sildua, coming forward to aid Lanival against Teiro and ultimately winning Lanival the war. They tell us Teiro died on the battlefield that day, along with a great many of his men."

Ayrell says, "In the end, history speaks of Lanival separating the lands into the five realms we know now. It tells of him going to visit Glacis and how he was assaulted by five Elven assassins who nearly claimed his life. The books tell of Lanival being cared for by Glacis, placing him into a magical slumber, from which no one really knows if he has ever yet awoken. This is the legend we have all read. But what of the details that the history books do not tell us? The stories of those who were not the victors. Names lost to history and the secrets that surround them. The threats that may still exist - somewhere out there, today."

Ayrell's History

Ayrell says, "As you may have guessed, based on my brevity of detail, this lecture is not, in fact, intended as a thorough recap of the Resistance War, itself. What it is... is a compilation of knowledge and first-hand experiences of which I have not spoken to anyone about in many years. Information that I feel should not be held inside my head, alone, any longer. While it may not be pertinent to anything or anyone at present, it is knowledge that exists, and, therefore, a responsibility of mine to pass along for any who may wish to hear, should it prove useful to our protection in the future."

Ayrell says, "Now, I know what you all must be thinking. With how long ago the Resistance War occurred, how could I possibly have information based on first-hand knowledge which is not written within the history books? A valid question. One which will require a brief divulgence of information regarding myself in order to explain."

Ayrell says, "As some of you may be aware, I was First Lieutenant of the Ilithi Mountain Guard under Commander Fierolan Vanyahin during the Outcast War. Like myself, Fierolan was a loyal Mountain Elf and a sort of mentor to me throughout these years, due to my youth, as I was not yet even an Elf of fifty years in age when I signed on to defend Ilithi against the enemy."

Ayrell says, "I will not waste time on the specifics of the Outcast war. Those who know of it know how it ended and the heartache it caused to so many. I left the area for some time to meditate on everything I had seen and experienced throughout the battles we endured and the loss of our beloved Ferdahl Kukalakai. After a few years, a missive arrived advising me of Fierolan's resignation from the Ilithi Mountain Guard to take on the position of Consul for Her Majesty, Queen Morganae, in Shard. I was offered to take his place as Commander, an honor of which I was more than happy to accept, and sent word of my immediate return, only to then fall ill a few days later and left unable to make the journey."

Ayrell's Return to Shard

Ayrell says, "It was around the year 382 when I was again well enough to travel the road home to Shard. When I arrived, I reached out to Consul Vanyahin to let him know of my return, at which time I learned he had taken on the role of gathering information for Her Majesty. Through this conversation, I advised him of my desire to offer my assistance, in the name of the Queen. Be it fate or fluke, Consul Vanyahin happened to have an assignment prepared that he was more than willing to bestow upon me. An assignment that ultimately changed the course of my entire life to come."

Ayrell says, "As it happened, there was a group of individuals, based primarily in Ilithi, though their membership was not so limited to location. These individuals had a reputation for their involvement with a great many - questionable - factions. Adan'f. Dragon Priests. Necromancers."

Velmix

Ayrell says, "Most notably, they were said to have a certain connection to a man of great power, of whom many of you may have heard before. Or, like myself, may have even had the unfortunate circumstance to meet, as I did, during the Outcast War. A man by the name of Velmix Strawn."

Ayrell says, "For those who do not know, you may be asking: Who is Velmix Strawn? In short, he is a potent necromancer, human by design, known to have aided in attacks against the provinces during the Outcast War. An associate of such names as Grishnok and Jomay, as well as earlier associations linking him with Sidhlot and Sithsia. On one occasion during the Outcast war, I still recall finding myself abducted by him, suffering a rather unpleasant death that will forever haunt me."

Ayrell says, "As for other details of him, his presence is known to be preceded, at times, by a poisonous green fog, and he is able to tear off his own fingers to cause scourges to appear. Additionally, he is known to possess a raven familiar quite famous for speaking in riddles and rhymes. For any who have found themselves wandering the Necropolis in Aesry Surlaenis'a, you may have even seen his headstone there. Stating him to have been born 199 years after the Victory of Lanival the Redeemer, his death listed as 225 AtV."

Ayrell says, "Velmix is important to this story because this group's supposed involvement with him was one of the primary reasons they became such a point of interest for this collection of information. In the year 356, Velmix was known to be recruiting elves to form an army he claimed was to serve "The One and True King," assumed to be a reference to Teiro, himself. As you can imagine, an effort to build an army for a dead man certainly has a way of raising a few eyebrows."

Ayrell's Mission

Ayrell says, "Now, I will not delve into details about the specifics surrounding my mission or how I came to ingratiate myself with this particular group as it is quite complicated and, in no way, linked to the details of history to be discussed this evening. Though I am not opposed to telling the story of the hows and the whys, I shall spare that information for any who may wish to seek me another time for discussion under less professional circumstances so as to avoid this lecture lasting far longer than anyone here would likely wish. For now, I will simply say that my efforts to infiltrate this group were a success and I found myself rather swept away on a bit of a chaotic journey I never expected when agreeing to take on this task. Working to learn what I could in an attempt to head off any potential threats that might rear their ugly heads."

Ayrell says, "As an important note, I will not be divulging the name of the group or those who were members, save for one, whose involvement was more than prominent at the time. I do this because not every member of the group held intentions of raising the dead or any such thing. Many were members in pursuit of knowledge or simple curiosity, and I wish to protect those who may not wish their association known. I will, however, give recognition to my dear friend and former associate who served with me on this mission for many long and grueling years. The one, Xelten Tyrsin."

Ayrell nods to Xelten.

Xelten gives a slight nod.

Jack Tansell

Ayrell says, "It was not long after my successful integration with this group that a name came to be spoken of which I was entirely unfamiliar. The name of a man known as Jack Tansell. A mercenary, or so I was told, though word among the members was that he was far more than that. For it was believed this man, this Jack, was actually a reincarnation, or perhaps a body spiritually possessed by one of Teiro's own generals. A general whose name I had never seen grace the pages of any history book. A soldier by the name of T'ansell."

Ayrell says, "There were, of course, immediate conflictions to the reincarnation theory, not the least of which being the fact that Jack was human. A bit difficult to accept when Teiro's generals were known, unequivocally, to be elves. But who was I to argue when the theory was being posed by one of the very leaders of this group. The one woman whose name I will state; known to those of her acquaintance as Anissa. Though, who is really to say if reincarnation requires one to return in the same form as they once were."

Ayrell says, "Whether this Jack was T'ansell reborn or T'ansell's spirit in possession of another body, I cannot say, as neither theory was ever confirmed throughout my service in this mission. I was hesitant, maybe even a little afraid, to entertain the notion that it could be true. That is, until I met the man for myself. Not that meeting him made me any less hesitant or afraid. No, quite the contrary, it made me more so, as I quickly came to understand how Anissa formed the conclusion she did."

Ayrell says, "As it turned out, Jack was impressively knowledgeable of many details regarding the Resistance War. He knew of Teiro's generals by name, their guilds, their physical descriptions, their personalities, the way they led their soldiers. . . the way they died. When questioned on this knowledge, he claimed to merely be a 'close' family friend of T'ansell's, since before the war, in possession of certain journals passed down through generations. A believable enough story, were he not so prone to misspeaking things such as "my" rather than "his" or "I" rather than "he." Minor slips he would attempt to cover, though not before they were noticed."

Jack's Appearance

Ayrell says, "Jack was, if nothing else, memorable. I still recall the way he looked, as if I had only seen him yesterday. Slightly taller than average for a human, with thick-lashed copper eyes accented by moss-green flecks and a well-defined jaw. His cropped, mahogany hair was thick and unruly, lightly peppered with grey. His skin was dark, his body in possession of a long-legged build. Seemingly in his prime for a human."

Ayrell says, "On many occasions, however, Jack was not one to show his face. He tended to wear a stylized, grinning velver's face crafted from burnished copper which entirely concealed his features from view."

A Mission for Jack

Ayrell says, "One evening, during a chance meeting with Jack at Milene's Rose, Anissa negotiated a business arrangement. A necromancer by the name of Waslen was said to be in possession of an amulet of bone of which Anissa wished to gain ownership. It would be a challenge to acquire, as it was either in Waslen's possession, or that of his estranged wife, Seleamar - sister of Guildleader Cialen. Curiosity piqued, Jack agreed to look into this matter, with a price to be named at a later date."

A Meeting with Jack at Chyolvea Tayeu'a

Ayrell says, "It was only after Jack attempted to fulfill this request that my involvement with him began to expand in a way that allowed me to learn more of the mystery surrounding him. It also allowed me to learn, rather quickly, that Jack was not a man with whom to be trifled."

Ayrell says, "I accompanied Anissa to meet with Jack a few days later at Chyolvea Tayeu'a where we found him on the guildmaster's balcony. Jack was already there, sipping beer from a pewter mug. The news he brought us was nothing. That being. . . he found nothing, not for lack of trying, advising the amulet was not located on Waslen's or Seleamar's person, nor was it found in Guildleader Cialen's office. But he had made an attempt, and a mercenary never works for free; as he was sure to remind us."

Jack's Price

Ayrell says, "His price - information. It was his claim that information, most times, is the highest coin there is. What he desired was to know why we sought this amulet. So, we explained that the amulet was said to be formed of a fingerbone that had been retrieved, with a handful of others, from the grave of Velmix Strawn and that, when one touches the bones, their mind is overcome with visions of the Resistance War, giving the image of a fallen soldier of some rank, in a pool of blood, with a raven perched on his shoulder."

Ayrell says, "In watching Jack's face, I could see that he had more of an interest in these bones than he was letting on. At the mistaken suggestion that they may have actually belonged to Teiro, himself, Jack nearly crushed his mug with his bare hand without even realizing it. He insisted this was not possible. Then, when we told him we may actually have access to one of these bones, he could hardly contain himself in asking to see it."

The Theory of the Fingerbones

Ayrell says, "To correct ourselves, we explained that the bones more likely belonged to another soldier who died in the battle alongside Teiro. Although Anissa was unsure, she believed, at this point, that the fingerbones were those of another of Teiro's generals. More specifically, another general whose name I have never seen grace the common history books on the subject. A man whose existence I learned of through this mission, through Anissa, by the name of M'vania. At mention of this, Jack seemed to relax. Almost appearing unsurprised by the thought."

Mallfeas and Althiras

Ayrell says, "He informed us of his intent to travel immediately to Reshalia, more specifically to Taisgath. We informed him that we also had business in Qi, having heard of a certain Medium known to dwell in Ratha. A bonespeaker, of sorts, known to frequent the light house on Reshalia. Jack inquired if it was one by the name of Mallfeas we spoke. When we gave the name of Althiras, Jack advised he was only familiar with the one named Mallfeas. He stated she had a gift and is said to be able to commune with those passed."

Ayrell says, "This intrigued us, as Althiras was known to speak of this Mallfeas with some insistence. Sadly, Jack was unable to provide any further details. When he asked the reason we sought this bonespeaker, Anissa explained that the man is mad but can read and shape bones, thus we were to bring the fingerbone in our possession to Althiras in hopes that he may be able to tell us more. Especially if the bones were, in fact, those of general M'vania."

M'vania's remains

Ayrell says, "To this, Jack advised that for M'vania's fingerbones to have been taken to Ratha would be. . . apropos. When questioned, he seemed shocked that we did not understand his comment. It was then that he invited us to meet him in Ratha. He advised he would show us what he meant and, to my surprise, requested that Anissa bring me, specifically. Convenient, as it were, given my delicate position and the job I was there to perform."

Jack's Blackfire

Ayrell says, "It was the end of this meeting with Jack at Chyolvea Tayeu'a which stands out most in my memory. He bid us farewell peacefully enough on the balcony. Anissa and I had only a few moments to begin discussion and plans for our trip to Ratha when, suddenly, we heard a strangled scream coming from the chamber below, followed immediately by a flash of colorless fire. We heard Jack's mocking laughter and then his footsteps fading into the distance."

Ayrell says, "It did not take long for us to understand what we had just seen. For it was Jack who had informed us only a short while previous that, regardless of what we might believe of him, necromancy was not his forte. As he stated "Blackfire, however, well, that madame, is little more than child's play.' We rushed to the chamber below to find nothing but a dagger lying on the floor. With our interest piqued even more, we decided our trip to Ratha should not wait, so we headed off to prepare."

A Trip to Ratha

Ayrell says, "Upon reaching Ratha, we found ourselves in a thicket of pine, idly chatting while waiting for Jack to arrive. It was not long before he did, though, it came as a surprise to see he was injured. Deep cuts slashed across his right leg, bleeding slightly. When offered herbs to assist with the wound, he politely declined, advising he had his own means. He was holding a weapon in his hand which was once a well-known cultural sword known as a yataghan. He then sheathed his unusual cambrinth-hilted blade and withdrew from his cloak a lock of golden hair tied with a red ribbon. He held it for only a moment before returning it to his cloak. We questioned him about the hair, asking him if it was truly that of Nissa, as rumor told. To this, he responded simply with the words, "some say."

The Concealed Slab

Ayrell says, "Conversation moved quickly. Time is not something to be spent idly, especially with matters such as these. He questioned us about our lack of knowledge of the area in which we currently stood. We could see nothing aside from an altar though something in the area made it very clear something was not right. The air had a chill to it unlike any other I had ever felt. Something about that particular thicket made me feel weak, both in body and spirit. He told us that the altar was merely a marker that made it easier to find this particular place. It was then that we noticed a slight glint of marble beneath the roots of a tree there. A slab, hidden under the overgrowth."

General Ydris

Ayrell says, "Jack stated plainly that he had been asked, time and time again, whose banner had borne a raven - and that this man lied 'neath the slab. Upon closer inspection, I could see that the slab was moss-covered and quite cracked, though the words on it remained legible enough. "Beneath this tree we have hidden the remains of General Ydris. May he find peace among the stars he never could 'pon this earth."

Ayrell says, "Immediately, we asked of Jack why such little care had been taken of this grave - or at least the cracked slab that served as the only marker for this fallen general. However, as Jack said, to think what might be done should it become known? Jack told us of this Ydris's cruelty. A mighty warrior, indeed, but little loved even by his own. Jack said there are many ways to lead - and Ydris chose fear. When asked about those who had interred the general, Jack told us the names had been lost to time. Soldiers, his own, more than likely. Those few who survived."

Ayrell says, "According to Jack, Ydris was a fearsome foe, indeed - describing him, physically, as if he'd seen the man with his own two eyes. Stocky, for an elf. Tall. Bald as an egg. His banner was said to be grey, a raven perched atop a horse's skull. His family was said to have owned lands in what is now Zoluren. Northernish, near Darkstone. Their home, however, long since dust."

Ayrell says, "Jack told us of how most of the leaders felled that day were hidden by their followers when able. To keep them from suffering more degradations at the hands of the victors. Jack spoke of five men. "The 'King's' Five." His generals. Of them, he said that Ydris's specialty was brute force. Like a bull, Jack said, and just as subtle. The only one of "The 'King's' Five" whose profession was not that of a Warrior Mage."

The "King's Five"

Ayrell says, "Of these supposed "King's Five" I was able to learn the names of four. M'vania. T'ansell. Ydris. And Belaq'a. As we were not about to let this opportunity for knowledge pass us by, we continued to inquire of any details Jack was willing to provide with regard to the war. When asked what became of M'vania and T'ansell, Jack advised they both fell - M'vania the day of the battle of the Dragonspine, after which a loyal man-at-arms took his corpse into the mountains and made a pyre. T'ansell perished a day later, as he withdrew north. Unlike M'vania, T'ansell's remains were interred at Ankis Dir, in Leth Deriel. By his son."

T'ansell

Ayrell says, "Jack further elaborated that, while T'ansell was one of the five generals, he insisted upon being called 'Captain' T'ansell. "'Twas tradition," as Jack explained, that, much like the Baron of Old Theren, he led a company and refused to be called more."

The Banners

Ayrell says, "A point of significant interest to Anissa was with regard to the raven said to be shown in the visions granted by the fingerbones. Aside from the banner flown by Ydris, she inquired if there were any other banners bearing the raven at the battle of the Dragonspine. To this, Jack replied that several banners bore the raven, on either side of the war. He stated then, "there were many banners flying that day, indeed. The pard, the vine, the raven. . . and most were never to be raised again." When asked if any of the generals favored a raven familiar, Jack advised two were mentioned in the histories as having had one - and, he was sure to add "seeing the bone would, I am sure, jog my memory."

Jack's Inquiries

Ayrell says, "From here, Jack began his own inquiries of us, asking again how we came to be in possession of this fingerbone. Anissa explained that a peddler with a shovel parted with it. A Carnabas Corse. She advised Carnabas was lurking in the boneyard of Aesry Surlaenis'a and that he professed the bones had come from one of Strawn's graves. Jack posed a valid question, as to whether these bones may simply be those of Strawn, despite the visions they conjure. To this day, that question remains unanswered."

Althiras and the Lighthouse

Ayrell says, "We spent the next several days upon Reshalia, contemplating the information provided by Jack. It was also during this time that we managed to, quite literally, stumble across the bonespeaker Althiras while strolling through the light house - though, perhaps an intentional stumble, as we knew he frequented the area and it was Anissa's hope to cross his path."

Ayrell says, "As a quick aside, for those who are not familiar with Althiras, there are prominent affiliations linking him to the Red Sash. The captain of the Sea Drake, Sallador, had Althiras make Allum's skull into a charm, trapping Allum's soul within. Allum's ghost was said to have roamed M'riss, poisoning people, until the charm was destroyed by the citizens of Qi, though I cannot speak with any personal experience regarding that. It is said, however, that Sallador paid Althiras for his work by giving him a ship known as Slohekepi, translating to "Blood Sea" in the S'kra language."

Ayrell enigmatically says, "This ship, they say, is crewed by undead."

Ayrell says, "That being said, you might see how Althiras would be a person of interest for Anissa and her followers. When it comes to communicating with the dead or uncovering secrets of say. . . mysterious fingerbones. . . he did seem a worthy consideration."

Ayrell says, "We knew little of what to expect, or how to achieve what we hoped to achieve, so Anissa thought it might be beneficial to make mention of the woman, Mallfeas, of whom Jack had previously mentioned, given that Althiras was said to be seeking her. This. . . did not have the desired effect Anissa hoped to have on Althiras when attempting to convince him to help us, leading instead to a horrifying encounter with several vile plague wraiths summoned by Althiras's hand."

A Lesson Learned

Ayrell says, "While plague wraiths strike less fear into the hearts of adventurers in present day, it should be noted that they were a terrifying threat in these days of history. Once the wraiths were summoned, we attempted to flee through the door, only to have it slam shut in our faces and lock via some magical means, trapping us within the light house. It did not take long for us all to fall, while Althiras's laughter could be heard echoing around us. Taunting us for our foolishness. We learned very little that night other than the importance of caution when dropping names around men in possession of such power."

Ayrell gazes up at the sky.

An Arrangement with Jack

Ayrell says, "Following this horrific failure, I decided to push forward with an idea I had begun to contemplate that would, potentially, allow me to acquire more information for our cause. It was a risk, but, as I was already firmly entrenched in the business of the group I was tasked to investigate, I felt it was time to spread my efforts a bit further. It had become obvious that there was more to be learned from Jack than there was to be learned from most anyone else I had encountered to this point, therefore, I began to shift my mission in a way that might allow me to form an arrangement with Jack in hopes of acquiring more information about what he was doing and why."

Ayrell says, "Once my mind was made up, I began to actively seek a private meeting with Jack, to which I was surprised to discover Jack was more than amenable to acquiesce. His familiar, a sleek leopard, found me at the altar in Ratha near Ydris's grave and invited me to meet him on Taisgath. When I arrived, I found Jack there, casually cleaning his weapons and appearing as if he had not a care in the world."

Ayrell says, "Gathering my courage, I decided not to dance around the point and went straight for business. I informed Jack that I was interested in information and that I was willing to offer the same in return, should he desire such an exchange. We discussed various things of which we both held curiosities and whether or not additional information may be possible to obtain."

Ayrell says, "Throughout the conversation, Jack put his cleaning cloth away, and I was stunned to observe him using the colorless flame of his magic to finish the cleansing of both his yataghan and his jambiya. Although I have witnessed the use of blackfire on several occasions in my life, I had never before seen it utilized for such a mundane task, though it spoke a great deal of his control over this magic, leaving no doubt in my mind as to how dangerous an adversary currently stood before me."

Ayrell says, "In the end, Jack agreed to the arrangement and advised he would be in touch once he decided what information he would ask of me beyond what I could find out about the fingerbones. With this in mind, I made it a point to increase my efforts to see these fingerbones for myself. Another close associate of Anissa's was in possession of one, so I did not need to work very hard in arranging a meeting."

The Visions

Ayrell says, "As it turned out, the fingerbone was every bit as intriguing as it was rumored to be. Through my observations, I allowed my finger to trail over the surface. A sharp edge caught painfully on my skin, causing stars to swim before my eyes. As the stars faded, I caught a faint glimpse of a brilliantly caparisoned Elven officer lying in a quickly spreading pool of blood. A raven was perched on the corpse's battered helm and, as the image began to waver, the bird seemed to look directly at me before disappearing with a wink."

Ayrell says, "Unsure what more I would find, I continued to examine the fingerbone. While attempting to clean the years of build-up from the surface, my vision was suddenly filled with a bright flash of light that momentarily blinded me. As I blinked away the stars, the faint image of a battlefield littered with Human and Elven corpses filled my mind. Then the last of the stars faded, and so did the image."

Ayrell says, "Before handing the fingerbone back to Anissa's associate, a hideous stench, reminiscent of an old battlefield, tickled my nostrils but for a moment. Although grotesque, it was undeniably fascinating to behold the object. An opportunity to glimpse a snippet of history before my very eyes."

The Disappearance of Jack Tansell

Ayrell says, "Now, I wish I could say that our mission was a success in that we were able to stop this group from accomplishing their goals and prevented the raising of Teiro while stomping down the man believed to be one of Teiro's own generals returned from the dead. I wish I could say there is even an end to the story, but I am afraid that simply is not the case."

Ayrell says, "Shortly after my last meeting with Jack, he disappeared into seeming oblivion. No one heard from him after that day, while the graves of Teiro's generals began to suddenly disappear from their resting places across the lands, the knowledge of their existence, and Jack's, fading away into obscurity. Our mission went on for a few more years, leading us down paths that brought us face to face with the adan'f during their war against Shard, in which we learned a great deal and faced many a danger against the likes of Xerasyth, Vigther, Zaevas, Iszanua, and others."

The Mission's End

Ayrell says, "Eventually, the group we were sent to infiltrate began to fall apart from the inside. As their foundation began to crack, so did our mission, and we were forced to make a hasty exit which created more of a stir than any of us would have liked. Friends were lost, enemies were made, but we did as we were tasked by our Queen's Consul, and endured much throughout our years of service to Her Majesty."

Ayrell says, "Once the extraction was complete, I decided to take a different path in life and became an apprentice of Consul Vanyahin, learning what I could from him of diplomacy and politics. I hung up my hat as any form of spy and decided it was no longer my course in life. I believed I could do more good for my people in a public role, my preference to not hide behind such secrecy any longer. But I will always remember those days, as they helped to shape the woman I am now ever in search of knowledge and forever in service of my queen."

Conclusion

Ayrell slowly empties her lungs.

Ayrell smiles.

Ayrell says, "It is strange for me to tell stories of my own experiences, but I do hope there was some information in there for everyone."

Ayrell says, "I do thank you all for coming. You are always the best audience and help ease my nerves."