From The Personal Journal of Tarmon Colavere
4 Septus 5418 (Fourth Era) – Because I was schooled at the court of a King, Hazma has suggested to me that I should record the events I witness for posterity. I think he should do it himself, but he’s too busy inventing... in any case, this is my record.
Among the Fey, the war had a name even before it began: the War of Ages. Liandra told me that was because it was ages in coming, but I think she might have been joking. Liandra is young for a Fey and hasn’t quite grasped mortal humor yet. The Fey have made Castle Rimmersmoore – the site of the first battle in this new war – their headquarters for now. Shortly after the siege ended, the Fey visited the courts of all the kingdoms of the old alliance. I don’t know what they said, but they’ve managed to bring the kingdoms together in a new alliance… one led by the Fey themselves. The Fey are going on the offensive, and they’ve been organizing a huge army of Alliance and Fey troops near Rimmersmoore.
The Third Battalion is led by Liandra, and made up largely of mortal troops from Rimmersmoore, as well as some Fey troops. Liandra has also organized a scouting party for the Third, made up of myself, Drogyn, Jaques, and a half-dozen elven rangers from Udorinel. Hazma is also accompanying the Third, in charge of the siege weapons for the battalion, and Gaelin has been placed in charge of the battalion’s company of knights.
Liandra has told me that the army will move out as soon as the rest of the troops have arrived. They Fey are tight-lipped about their overall strategy, but I gather we’ll be advancing on the Alkina’ir Empire first – the Empire, though greatly weakened by their defeat (Bandra told me that such is the power of the Fey that those several thousand Imperial troops who fled from the scene of the siege will never willingly form an organized unit again), are still in possession of a vast amount of troops and the Sidhe, now facing their most deadly enemies, will not hesitate to waste the lives of their slaves. Eventually, however, we will move against the Sidhe themselves, and even with the Fey behind us I worry about our chances.
10 Septus 5418 -- I have just met the King of the Fey. Few have been so honored. Here is how it happened: Liandra took King Malleck and the Queen Mother to meet the Fey Court, who have set up a sort of temporary court in the fields to the east of the castle. To my honor, King Malleck chose me to be among his honor guard for the meeting (I think Jaques would have been asked as well had he not been out on assignment). King Myrddin, the Fey King, met us flanked with ten servants. He appears as a very old man with long white hair and beard, though his face is smooth and his eyes are ageless. He was wearing Fey armor, which I have seen a few times before, mostly on Liandra – a solid wooden breastplate, made from a special wood which only the Eld (the Old Races, the Fey and the Sidhe, or so Liandra tells me they call themselves) know how to grow. His honor guard wore Eld armor as well, and bore long-handled spears with curved blades – I should very much like to wield one, if anything were to happen to my current spear. The honor guard looked like elves, but exceptionally short, like Bandra and Liandra.
The two kings were introduced, and exchanged pleasantries. They discussed the current situation at length, and the subject of the old Fey castle which used to stand here was broached. King Myrddin said that the Fey were pleased with what we had done with the ruins of their old castle, and offered to bless Castle Rimmersmoore and the village. King Malleck accepted his offer with great thanks, and the Fey King said a strange blessing in the Eld Tongue which, Liandra explained to me later, is a strong spell which gives the castle and its’ surrounds protection from evil spirits and from the Sidhe. Though Liandra has been teaching me some of the Eld Tongue, I understood nothing of the King’s blessing.
The last of the Alliance troops arrived later this afternoon, so it’s likely we’ll be moving out in a day or two. The town will have a hard time of it while we’re gone, as a number of the townsmen have joined the battalion, including the Smith men and my old friend, Thomas Nightsby. The time is coming soon!
