Ardrylls Story
Ardryll’s Story (2017 - 2018)
It had been quite some time since any major threat had materialized to challenge the might of the elven nations. Ta’Illistim and Ta’Vaalor, two of the five major city-states, were about to be sorely tested by demonic and undead forces reminiscent of the Undead War.
Late one evening, demonic and undead forces assault Ta'Illistim and Ta’Vaalor in great numbers. Neither city is prepared for the onslaught and the invasion forces gain a foothold into both cities via their main gates. In Ta’Illistim, the invasion forces manage to fight their way to the Hanging Gardens before adventurers can gather. They manage to push them back while suffering heavy losses due to the presence of demonic forces that most defenders are ill equipped to deal with. Ta’Vaalor fares no better and King Qalinor is forced to quit the field, retreating to the Guardian Keep. Adventurers are appalled by the Crimson Legion’s disregard for the general populace as they seal off the Guardian Keep to protect their king. The battles rage on into the night, but the defenders manage to drive back the invaders in the end.
The fierce battle is the talk of both cities the next day and it is learned that a lich was seen to be directing the demonic and undead forces. A few adventurers even heard the demons use the name Vindicto used to address the lich. Auvreaian, a dark elven warrior and one of the Ta’Vaalor defenders, calls out the cowardly actions of Qalinor and the Crimson Legion in sealing off the Guardian Keep during the battle and leaving much of the populace to fend for themselves. Qalinor and Auvreaian already have a checkered past and the king has no patience for the termity of Auvreaian. The king has him stripped of possessions and jailed. After a number of brutal beatings, Auvreaian is found guilty of crimes against the crown and cast out of the city.
That night Vindicto assaults Ta’Vaalor again with undead hordes and the invasion forces manage to break into the city. Adventurers attempt to stop Vindicto, but he is nigh unstoppable until a fatal error is made on his part. The lich summons forth a mass of demons, but expends to much of his magical energies in the process, leaving him vulnerable. The defenders seize upon this opportunity and attack the lich with a renewed fury, winning the day just barely and vanquishing Vindicto. The destruction of the lich releases a magical blast wave that is mostly absorbed by the magical defenses of Ta’Vaalor, but a portion is directed through the natural channel of Fearling Pass. The magical blast wave is amplified as it travels through the pass and exits with great fury, travelling across the Lake of Fear to strike the cliffs beneath Ta’Illistim with tremendous force.
As the cities recovered from Vindicto’s attacks, Ta’Illistim was rocked by a series of small earthquakes that caused minor damage to the city. Citizens and officials were perplexed as to the cause of the earthquakes because no one had observed the path of the magical blast wave that was unleashed as Vindicto was destroyed. As the earthquakes increased in frequency and power a number of learned scholars and mages are consulted to ascertain the cause of the quakes. Sadly, before the cause can be determined and counter measures implemented, a massive earthquake rocks Ta’Illistim causing extensive damage to the city. A number of building are collapsed and many citizens are killed in the aftermath. As adventurers are contributing to rescue efforts and attempting to dig out those trapped under rubble, the strongest earthquake yet hits Ta’Illistim with great force and caused the Ta’Illistim Keep to collapse with the Argent Mirror, Myasara, buried underneath the rubble with many others. Adventurers work feverishly to save the Mirror and after many long hours she is found alive, but in an unconscious state.
With the majority of Ta’Illistim in ruins and fear of more earthquakes to come, most of Ta’Illistim evacuated to the town of Cysaegir in order to tend to the wounded and provide the necessary care for Myasara in hopes she would recover. The Aelotoi were more than happy to return the favor of offering aid and succor as the Elves of Ta’Illistim had once done for them. As the days passed and the dead were accounted for, a vigil was organized by the Lady Issalya to mourn the dead and offer some comfort to those who survived the recent disasters. Bareth, an Aelotoi Priest of L’Naere, was chosen to lead the vigil and offer prayers for the dead and hope for the living. A number of officials were in attendance including the Lord Caylio (the Mirror’s husband), King Qalinor of Ta’Vaalor, and even the Faendryl sent an ambassador, Lictor Ardryll.
A few days later, Ta’Vaalor is attacked by undead and the adventurers that were aiding the refugees of Ta’Illistim rush to defend Ta’Vaalor before it falls to the undead horde. The weary forces of Ta’Illistim, already exhausted from days of aiding its citizens, musters itself to assist the Crimson Legion of Ta’Vaalor as well. This leaves Cysaegir nearly defenseless though and the Mirror is abducted while still in her unconscious state. Ta’Vaalor is saved, but Myasara is lost and the citizens of Ta’Illistim are dealt yet another crushing blow that threatens to swallow them in despair.
Qalinor vows to search for the Mirror and quickly organizes a small force to scour the surrounding environs of Lake Fear, thinking that the abductors must be hiding away in the forests. As the day ends, the king does not return to Ta’Vaalor and worry begins to gnaw at the hearts of everyone that he to has been lost. That night, another horde of undead mass in front of Ta’Vaalor, but a figure appears to demand the surrender of the fortress city. If Ta’Vaalor and Ta’Illistim are not surrendered by midnight, Qalinor and Myasara will be killed. With all of the recent misfortunes, hope is in short supply and the cities are surrendered without much resistance.
As the invasion forces march through the city of Ta’Vaalor it is discovered that the one leading this army of the damned is none other than the Faendryl Ambassador, Lictor Ardryll. At his side is the dark elven warrior, Auvreaian, who had been so unfairly treated at the hands of the Crimson Legion and its king. Also present, is the half-krolvin ranger Brinret, who had once plotted to assassinate the Mirror of Ta’Illistim. Lictor Ardryll proclaims that Ta’Illistim and Ta’Vaalor will henceforth be ruled by him and the cities administered by his two overlords, Auvreaian and Brinret. Auvreaian would see to the administration of Ta’Vaalor and Brinret to the administration of Ta’Illistim. That not being shocking enough, it is declared that the undead will be considered equal citizens in both cities and have the same rights as the living.
Life cannot help but go on and the overlords set to work. Brinret organizes the citizens and forces of Ta’Illistim and begins to clean up the debris from the earthquakes as well as beginning reconstruction. Auvreaian orders the Crimson Legion and citizens of Ta’Vaalor to gather aid for the beleaguered Ta’Illistim, but his methods are less than benign when it comes to the legion. The legion balks at being ordered to perform manual labor to aid the city of Ta’Illistim and threatens to rebel against its new ruler. Auvreaian crushes these dissidents and force marches the Crimson Legion to Ta’Illistim; having them whipped the entire way by undead overseers with no sustenance or rest along the way.
After a few weeks, Caylio contacts various adventurers and asks them to aid him in searching for the Mirror and King Qalinor. He reasons that if the pair can be saved, the citizens and forces of the two cities will rise up and overthrow Ardryll’s forces. Adventurers agree and plans are set in motion to begin gathering intelligence and discreetly searching the environs of Ta’Illistim and Ta’Vaalor.
The resistance catches a break after a time and hears rumors of Qalinor being held in the town of Ravelin. Caylio and a small group of adventurers set forth to search the town of Ravelin and verify the truth of these rumors. The party does indeed find Qalinor alive and well in the town of Ravelin, being held in a house there. The party frees him and make their escape, but shortly after leaving the city, Qalinor is revealed to be an undead imposter and attacks the party. Apparently the rumors had been nothing more than a trap put in place to ensnare the resistance and put an end to it.
However, when the fake Qalinor was found, it spread like wildfire through Ta’Vaalor and the Crimson Legion rose up to challenge its overlord and undead oppressors. The resistance rallied to aid the Crimson Legion as they fought to retake the city and in the process, the real Qalinor was found alive. Apparently, a few members of the keep’s guard had been able to ascertain his location and were merely waiting for an opportunity to present itself so that they might act. With the real Qalinor found, the Crimson Legion and resistance rallied around the king and fought fiercely to free the city. The battle was fierce, but in the end, Ta’Vaalor was freed from Lictor Ardryl’s forces. Auvreaian managed to evade capture and retreated into the Wraithenmist.
With Ta’Vaalor and its king free, the resistance fears that Myasara will be harmed as a consequence. Caylio and Qalinor quickly organize the remaining forces of the resistance, now bolstered by the Crimson Legion, and formulate a plan to free the city of Ta’Illistim and hopefully save Myasara. A small party is assembled to infiltrate the city via the Hall of Patrons using a power granted to members in the Order of Voln. As the party searches the city for Myasara, they come under attack by undead forces. With the plan in ruins, the resistance and Crimson Legion attack the city of Ta’Illistim in the hopes of forcing Ardryll to reveal his hand and force a confrontation whereby he might reveal Myasara’s location.
Ardryll must have felt backed into a corner at this point as he does indeed make an appearance in the Hanging Gardens of Ta’Illistim with Myasara in hand, along with Auvreaian and Brinret. The Mirror had recovered from her unconscious state and implored the assembled forces to disregard her safety and save the citizens of Ta’Illistim in her stead. Auvreaian was still bitter towards Qalinor and his mistreatment at the hands of the Crimson Legion and challenges him to a one on one duel. As all eyes are on the spectacle of Auvreaian versus Qalinor, Brinret takes the opportunity to disappear from view. The contest is a dizzying blur of swordsmanship, but Qalinor succeeds in the end and dispatches the dark elven warrior. Suddenly, an arrow shot from the shadows to strike Ardryll in the chest, causing him to lose his hold on Myasara. Seizing this opportunity, Caylio unleashes a magical onslaught fueled by months of his anger and frustration, reducing the lictor to ash that drifts away in the wind.