chapter 1

Lefarin

Knowledge is the foundation of all good.

All evil derived of ignorance.

Thusly we find time misunderstood.

And falter before its brilliance.

Life is a game of years.

And all things are learned in time.

Through age the most fogged of troubles clears.

Youth pared with fault, partners in crime.

And so it would seam.

That the battle is not with our errors.

And how I lament the hours lost in dream.

My last wish before the parade of coffin bearers.

Is that I but had the days.

To solve the world of it's youthful ways.

~Elfish poem~

Everine Lefarin, A tall elf, near six foot and hansom even by the high standards of elfmen, reviled in the simple joys of being amongst his own kind. He rose to meet the dawn, something he always did whilst bedding down in the Suncrest city. The silken fabric of his bed robes clung to his body, feathery and soft as sin. The sun crested lightly over the Andriathiac sea, casting the ever shifting light of daybreak across the span of golden rooftops making up the Suncrest city.

Lefarin could sea the majority of the ornate city spread out before him from the tower in which he slept. The light bounced of hundreds of roofs, casting a soft dull golden glow in the air above the city. He waited patiently until the sun rose to hit his body. The Suncrest city was the easternmost city in the known world, thus the first to see the sun rise every morning. It was something that many elfs thought trivial, but Lefarin was an artist at heart and the poetry of the situation never failed to grasp him.

The morning wind picked up, carrying with it the rich scent of the sea and spices of the lower markets. Lefarin breathed deeply, his duties often kept him far from home making each day in the city a small treasure.

A soft rapping on his door announced a maid entering the chambers. Lefarin drew his robes around him to protect his modesty. The woman carried a sliver tray laden with delicacies. The amount of food present would be considered obscene by most elfs, but it was Lefarin's first morning home in many months. He often returned home deeply craving the subtle and complex taste of his homelands cuisine, and the kitchens where happy to indulge him in this subtle vise.

The woman bowed deeply and left with a smile but without a word, leaving him to his meal. He sat crossed legged on the floor and sat the tray on his lap. For a moment he simply examined the meal, appreciating the skill in it's presentation. Fresh greens and ripe berries, lightly seasoned. Small cubes of raw and exotic fish, cooked instead in strong citrus juice. Finally a stew consisting of poached fowl in a sparkling sauce of tomato. The entire tray positively buzzed with the aroma of spices and nostalgia. Lefarin ate with his hands, in the custom of the Sunelfs, delicately picking at the dishes and softly sipping the pungent stew.

After dining Lefarin dressed and made his way out of the tower down the long spiraling stairs towered the palace to attend his duties. He wore a robe and cloak of rich purple satin and silk. His open toed sandals clipped lightly across the fine marbling of the open streets. His long stride carried him quickly down the streets. He nodded and bowed politely, smiling to fellow elfs as they began their morning. There was a time when he would have known the majority of the persons he passed. The world of elfs moves slower than that of the other races, none the less the streets had changed during his repetitive long absences.

He entered the palace, a nearly identical structure the capital in Perene'. Not so much as a guard interrupted him. The Suncrest city lay deep within the kingdom of the Sunelfs, and threats where low. Lafarine took the necessary time to mingle with various diplomats and lords that lingered in the royal palace. Some elfs of his position preferred to slip into the palace quietly and remain unnoticed. Lefarin understood the value of an alibi, backed by honorable mouths.

A short while later he slipped away and wove through the complicated hallways of the palace before he came to an obscure room, in an all but untraveled hallway. He came head to head with a slender elf much younger in years than himself, dressed in rich but simple robes of blue trimmed in red.

The elf bowed. “Morning my lord, I was uncertain that this is the proper location.” The young elf attempted to explain his loitering.

“Is it your first time into the atrium?” Lefarin asked with a warm smile, returning the bow, though not as low as the younger elf.

“Yes” The elf replied.

“Then you are in for an interesting day my new colleague.” Lefarin beamed.

The pair of elfs passed through a none existent wall into a large room that bustled with activity. The atrium was what Lefarin and his kind had nicknamed the home of the Sunelf's elaborate spy agency. An imposing secret room that housed all of the information gathered by the most expansive and elaborate system of spies in the world. It was a room, the existence of which could never be allowed to come to light.

The entire back wall was scribed with a painting of Ka', the known world. Pins littered the wall, dictating the locations of the hundreds of active agents on missions. Near every kingdom was dotted with these pins. They littered the free kingdoms. The Dwarfs of Dunderland, the men of the Rünland, the Murfolk Il's. And the ever expanding territory of the Imperium of man. The Sunelfs even had but few within their own borders. The agents where present in lands of the Crypt Kings, and tracking the hordes of orks through the northern plains. Only three sat within the twilight land of the Moonelfs otherwise known as the Nightwalkers. Their kingdom lied on the far west side of the continent, the last to watch the morning rise and the last watch the dusk set.

Only one spot was left barren on the map. Mount Gridiron, the mountain the size of a country, still burning with the tectonic heat, and ancient home to the extinct race of dwarfs that worshiped the gods of chaos and fire on the ancient boiling lake.

“By god.” the younger elf exclaimed with with mock surprise.

Both elfs laughed at the cultural joke. The Sunelfs, or Daywalkers, where most entirely atheists and commonly mocked the younger races for their religion. To them religion was a tool used by the other races to explain what they could not understand. Lefarin in particular knew that a lack of understanding simply warranted further study.

“By your leave my lord, I have duties to attend.” The other elf excused himself and left.

Lefarin made his way through the bustling room but was stopped short by an old colleague.

“Good to see you again Lefarin.” The elf bowed ever so slightly.

“And you as well Jestau.” Lefarin bowed in return.

“I trust you are hear on news of the oracles.” Jestau offered.

The head house of the scholars guild rested on the far side of the palace, guildmaster was one of Lefarin's many titles. The scholars guild housed six oracles, three times that of the next guild.

Oracles where sad creatures, young woman who lived their lives in a constant fog, their minds wandering through turbulent waters of the cosmos. The common folk believed that Oracles could foretell the future. In truth they felt the cumulative emotions of the world. The Nerva lays across the world similar to a water table, and when it shifts it carries shadows of energy and thought with it.

The Oracles where as important as the collection of spies. The spies informed the crown of what the other kingdoms where planning, the oracles informed the crown of what the other kingdoms where feeling.

Lefarin cast a worried look. “I have not heard.” Lefarin replied.

“My apologies, all but one of them died in the night.” Jestau said.

Lafarin lost his breath. His always duties seemed to revolve around bridging the gap between the atrium and the guild, a job now made difficult and tragic.

“May we convene in a more privet room?” Jestau asked.

“Yes, of course I will follow you.” Lefarin gestured, following Jestau into an adjacent conference room. Inside they where met by Harin of the Alchemist guild and Tensin, chief adviser to the throne and spymaster.

Tensin, and older elfman with a pencil thin mustache and narrow beard, scrutinized Lefarin as he and Harin entered.

“Please sit my friends.” Tensin bowed far more slightly than Lefarin appreciated, yet Lefarin opted to say nothing and take a seat.

“If you may catch me up on these current affairs.” Lefarin said to Tensin.

Tensin gave a soft sigh. “It is ill tidings I am afraid. In the night the oracles gave to fits and seizures. From what we can understand this reaction was not limited to ourselves, but to every known guild. As if on que their breath left them as one, in screams of pain. All save the woman formerly known as Samara. The guild claims that her survival was not suspicious. It was her first night wandering the cosmos and, simply put, she was preforming poorly, it was only her lack of experience and contact that prevented her death. What do you make of this Guildmaster?” Tensin finished.

“Unless they where attacked, the only explanation is a sudden and massive disturbance in the astral plane.” Lefarin summarized.

“What organization would risk assaulting the Daywalkers?” Tensin asked.

“I do not believe it was an attack. It would require a massive gathering of Oracles, and it is not possible such a coven would be collected without our knowledge.” Lefarin responded.

“Sadly the situation is yet more troublesome.” Harin chimed in.

Tensin picked up the thought. “Our spies have been forced to be very active lately. The ork hordes are organizing and massing. The Crypt Kings are starting to bluster as if they have a great army that they are all to excited to utilize. The Imperium will soon vote to enter another war of the kingdoms. The church of the Lonely God is considering another crusade. The Rünland tribes are falling to civil war. The Nightwalkers are boldly raiding for slaves across the world. We believe that the Dunder Dwarfs have started building their god cannons again. Even our own king is considering an invasion North into the Kadii tribes. The entire world is preparing for war. And this is now compounded by some form of astral calamity” Tensin paused in thought.

“The world has always bean and always will be at the verge of collapse.” Harin Joked.

“What of the Merfolk?” Lefarin asked.

“As you know they are boarder line immune to subterfuge, despite littering them with agents. We are still allowed access only to a few key ports and cities. However Jestau has developed an interesting theory.” Tensin nodded towards Jestau.

“I believe that the Merfolk possibly lay the greatest threat. It has pondered me, why the Merfolk are so resistant to our spies. They are the only race in which we cannot find one man or woman who we can turncoat. Not one can be bought, every lowly villager reports any foreigners in their lands, histories show that information cannot be tortured out of them. It is my belief that the only motive is that there is something that, as a species, they fear. Something terrible enough that no amount of greed, ambition, or pain can break them. Alone this theory is nothing more than an interesting note. However, whatever they fear is escalating. In the past our attempts to bribe would be responded with a rude dismissal. Now they turn and run, eager to report the law breech. We used to simply be unwelcome guests in the Merfolk cities, now the populace is downright hostile. Whatever they hide so fervently, it is escalating. And now this hit on all of the Oracles.” Jestau paused letting the last statement stand for itself.

“We have decided that we will refer to your judgment on this matter Guildmaster, but immediate action is necessary.” Tensin said.

The other members of the small room looked at Lefarin searching for answers. This sort of problem was the type of thing that Lefarin's various positions had designed him to handle. He stood and addressed his comrades. “Very well my friends. Harin you will see to the Oracle Samara and be sure that she is fit to travel in no more than a few days. As soon as she can travel you will escort her to the Alchemist library in Empire city. Take her directly to guild master Atomire and use discretion. Go now.” Harin nodded and left urgently. “Send a letter to the guildmasters, Blackforge, Atomire, and Saint Adam. Instruct them to meet myself at the same library immediately. The letters will be encoded and carried, not by bird, but by hand on the fastest horses we can offer. I will retire to my home and pack tonight, I will need twelve hours to collect some reference material from the Scholars guild across the palace. I will then return to empire city and present this matter to the other guilds. Additionally let King Fairneir know that he will soon be traveling. This matter will most assuredly be taken to the Imperial Emperor and he will request a meeting of the Realms. Together we will attempt to stop this world from tearing itself apart, and find out what is happening.” Lefarin excused himself abruptly and walked briskly out of the Atrium. He took a moment to step out onto a balcony and breath deep the scents of the city before he dove into old books and musty scrolls. As he was accustomed, his return home had been far to brief. Within the day he would again be on the road, with no knowledge of when he would be returning.