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 tapered cutlass, an enormous fiery fissure, a stone seat, a stone seat and 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."