A Call for Unity

[ski_king3 0]

A Call for Unity

"You are entitled to but one life: your own. To us, you hold no claim."

The 21st of Malin's Welcome, 1560

 

 

The high elf stood at the podium constructed for the occasion, peering down at the slowly gathering crowd. Though many of those before him were of his own race, the elves of silver, there were a number of others strewn throughout. Elves of various sorts, men and dwarves, all close together as the square slowly filled. Beside him remained a lone scribe, documenting the speech to be said so it could be spread throughout Vailor. After all, no speech is performed merely for the audience presently before you.

 

Finally, Laethis decided it had been time enough, the crowd only occasionally joined by a newcomer. He thoughtless brushed a hand along his recently polished armour, the thin plate designed for the mage clinking as metal softly touched other metal. With a wave of his hand, the crowd slowly grew silent, and so the elf would begin his speech.

 

"Citizens of Celein, I come to you today in some of our most trying days. We have sought to build our lives in peaceful solitude, yet face undeserved violence upon every front. There are likely some who have not heard the full accounts of what we face. To be brief, we face threats by Xionist, Uruk and Vigil alike, each for different motives.

 

Eloh'ra Rohkea, once wife of Prince Irhamir, sought to slay him in cold blood, and would have succeeded were it not for the monks. The following day, the library, my home, the home of Prince Irhamir were all vandalized, with a peculiar magical object left behind. 'Fear the Old Dark' was scrawled among the damage, the phrase of Xion, most likely committed by the once-Princess as well. This is the threat made by Xion.

 

The Uruks seek to honor the death of a past Rex. This Rex held ill will for those of high elven descent, and thus they seek to slaughter us until the blood they demand is sated. Our nation is to be targeted due to our large high elven populous, to be flooded by the Green Tide. This is the threat made by the Uruk.

 

The Vigil of Haelun'or heard of my trip away from Celein, and sought to undermine me. They came in a large number to negotiate with my regent and my son, tossing severed heads upon a table, using intimidation to force acquiescence to ludicrous terms. When informed, I did not stand for the implicit threat used to try and force Celein beneath Haelun'or once more. Now they threaten war if we do not 'come home,' for they believe those of Celein to be a fragment of Haelun'or that must now return, even if that means that violence and death be the tool to draw us back. This is the threat made by Haelun'or."

 

With this summary, the elf paused, panning over the crowd. His grey gaze fell upon many of the masses within the square. Some appeared afraid, others defiant, yet most merely waited for the elf to continue. And so he did just that, raising his voice to his audience once more.

 

"I shall not speak much on the threat of Xionist or Uruk. They have shown no interest in treating with us, and I suspect that few of you are truly surprised by what I have shared. Instead, I shall spend my time speaking to the acts of Haelun'or, before we discuss the future of our home. To explain my feelings, I must speak not of the meeting held two elven days ago, but instead of actions many centuries in the past. The actions of Larihei.

 

To those of you who do not know, the mali'aheral were not always pale-skinned with hair of white, grey, silver or gold. Larihei, our progenitor, was a mali who saw a better way. She believed that the way of mali had strayed from the path they were meant to follow, and that we could be better if we changed our ways. Try as she would, she could not budge the minds of fellow mali, save for a select few who followed her closely. It was these bold figures who saw a better path that followed her to the Golden Pools, entering them one by one after her. Though they faced a physical transformation, the change that was most important had already occurred. They saw a better way, and that was how they lived.

 

Just as Larihei once did, the treatment of myself and others led myself, Orsino, Irhamir, Delonna and Yuln to realize that once more, the mali'aheral had lost their way as mali before them had. Together, we forged something new, not on the basis of the so-called 'purity' we left behind, but once more upon ideals set forth by Larihei. Just as she had split from her fellow mali, we did the same to create something new. We have done as the mali'aheral had done before us, and though no physical change has taken place, one has set itself deep within our hearts and minds. So how can the State of Haelun'or assert a claim over those who did that which justified their own nation's creation?

 

Because many of us are mali'aheral, and in their eyes, we belong to them."

 

Once more, the elf halted his words, allowing them to seep throughout the crowd. The fervor with which he spoke presented itself through his visage, standing bold and tall as he watched the onlookers. As he scanned the crowd a second time, his eyes fell upon his daughter, Elleyun, transfixed there for a moment. The ponderous elf contemplated what he had said, and what was to be said, and a change externally visible came about him. The subtle fire of his convictions seemed to cool, still facing boldly forward, yet without contempt as he had just shown. Finally, the elf's expression was adorned with a smile, as Laethis once more peered about, speaking to the crowd.

 

"Those of Haelun'or believe they have the right to choose what we believe, where we reside, what path we take. I believe in a better way, one which I will gladly bestow upon all of you if desired, yet I also believe in one's right to select their own path. It is not my job to coddle to or to elect how you live your lives. And with that said, neither is it the right of Haelun'or.

 

Though only those before me will hear my words, I speak to all mali'aheral, all high elves throughout this world. I speak to those I have seen and met in Courland and Summerhall who choose to live among the men of Oren. I speak to those who have found work in dwarven lands, who tend their homes and businesses elsewhere. I speak to those who have found a more holy path, who wield godly light upon this world. I speak to the wayward Druid, the traveling mage, and of course, those who have absconded purity to live among other elves. Those of the Dominion, I do speak to you too, and all others who have faced the pressure of the will of Haelun'or.

 

You would not have your lives uprooted by those of Haelun'or who patronize you for your deviation from their path. So today, I ask for your solidarity. You would not give up the lives you have chosen at the will of the pure. I ask that you stand with us, and ask that we be afforded this freedom to choose too. I ask not for your blade, your labor or your life. All I ask is that when those of Haelun'or discount me as impure and wretched, that your minds and voices will stand with mine.

 

Haelun'or, you have no right to those of Celein. Perhaps one day, we can reconcile our differences, yet that must be a slow and mutual process. Two cannot become one when one stands before the point of a sword. And thus, you hold no claim to those of Celein."

 

Following the speech, orators would travel throughout all lands save those of the Uzg, reading this speech or sharing its transcriptions with all high elves they could find.

[idiot 502]

Lady Ellie Thylsealaes watches curiously, listening.

[AntonVoron 39]

Vernian stands guard with a select few members of the Hileial, watching vigilant over the quickly amassing crowd of Mali'aheral, Humans, and Dwarves alike.

 

"I wonder how many would serve Celein, take the oath? If the worst became true."

 

The elf would look out into the sea of faces, lost in thought, before pinning his attention back to the speech.

[luv 3469]

Princess Kypris'dionne reads over the speech a glare of distaste in her eyes upon reading the passages retaining to the Vigil, Xion, and the former princess, Eloh'ra. She'd sigh heavily before turning to another of the Thylsealaes.

 

"If the people of Silver City wish to seek unity amongst our kind, then are going about it all wrong. Holding people they once called family at arms is disgusting. The vigil is a disgusting order formed on violence and their own delusional ideals on what 'purity' is. They are a band of malicious men, and women, who's soul intent is to destroy those who oppose them."

[Will (TauFirewarrior) 2466]

"Well that does it, I might as well get **** faced now." remarks Orsino, moving to open the drinks cabinet 

[shortchangehero 4217]

Captain Kha would frown upon hearing the news. He knows that Sanctuary is in no way capable of properly defending itself nor fighting a full-scale war, even with a force as small as the Vigil. A wall can only stand for so long before it too, like all other buildings, come's tumbling down.

[trinn 5128]

Andri'ante

stood within the Haelun'or districts, figure leaning over upon the railings as she would peer down to the district below. The Former Tilruir'mali casts a glance towards the wandering vigils, a tired sigh emitting from her lips as her head would fall to a small bow.

 

* - "A broken trinket of silver is better melted and forged anew." - *

[Kilig 333]

Elleyun locks arms with Ullr'onn as they stand within the crowd.

She fixes an unwavering gaze to her Father for the duration of his speech,

nodding every so often in agreement with his words. 

[Treshure 5817]

Tahorran receives news of the latest speech, throwing his head back in laughter.

"I wonder if Haelun'or has to make new propaganda speeches to match Celein's. Celein is not the haven painted out by Laethis Izalith. How many times do we have to remind them that their state was forged when Laethis was found bedding a frost witch, leaving with his entire coven and dark mages to construct a society where that would be acceptable? How many times do we have to remind them that they actively bribed other nations to have them turn a blind eye to their inbred, impure and corrupt cihi? The path of purity is Larihei's guidelines. Choosing to pretend they don't  exist because you bedded a monster seductress is not valid.

 

And now, missives are sent across the world attempting to sway completely random Mali into supporting the Celein regime because they are utterly incompetent to deal with the issue themselves. Xionist and Uruk alike are repelled daily from the silver cihi, yet Celein's own Heiarch fled his own people from Xionist attacks in fear much like he fled Haelun'or when he realized he was not going to cover up the fact of hiding dark magicks.

When the motherland, Haelun'or, desired to bring back the wayward state and strengthen the dominion through unity, the government in place did so agree and set forth terms. It was Laethis that returned to reject it on false notions of attempting to 'undermine his state'. Haelun'or's objectives are pure, but yours are not.

I find it incredible any man, woman, or creature would follow this spineless, craven leader that cannot solve his problems without publically whining to others about the 'injustice of it all'. I hold this Mali'aheral in contempt, for he is the embodiment of weakness and degradation in Larihei's eyes."

[GDPR 014 48]

The masked figure hears from afar, clapping his hands, "Aaand the necromancer kills his reanimation. Funny." He remarks to any nearby.

[A Spooky Witch 156]

Looking up from her desk in Aethermoore, Poppy left her home to listen to the messenger about the speech. Listening for a time, she sighed inwardly, confused yet somewhat in agreeance with the words spoken. "I left Celein because it became dangerous yet... I know what troubles come about from Haelun'or..."  She murmured to herself.

 

"I am proud of my Aheral lineage, well... my mothers side anyway... But I cannot help but fear trying to join them because of my decisions of living.. Perhaps everything will work out there.. it is a beautiful city after all."  Turning from the messenger along with other elves whom had come out to hear them speak, she went back into her home to finish working on her wedding gown in silence.

[HurferDurfer1 2978]

The Lich laughs upon hearing this newest cry from Laethis. " He spouts about Xionist attacks thinking it will rile the population of 3 that is Celien, no Xionist has attacked Celien in years, not one acting on official orders at least."  Then ceases speaking to no one in particular, going to enjoy Celiens totally natural and immersive coast line.

[Ford 1996]

 Archembalt received the missive from within the Library of Dragur and promptly began reading it. After a minute or two, he set it down and squinted.

 

"Is 'Xion' going to become the next fresh buzzword?"

[Guest]

Lord Dralazar sat on his throne as one of his many allies delivered this missive to him, scowling. "Blood for blood. And now my own men kill one another. Pathetic." 

[ImCookiie 1950]

 

Tae'nar, The Raven Druid packed few belongings into an odd satchel, it rapidly wrapped around his waist. He muttered few childish chants beneath hasty breaths before scowling softly, his childish features creased within an array of odd expressions.

"Haelun always said: 'Don't believe all that you hear. .'"