A Quest For Thuln

[Stag 3231]

((Note that this is an OOC journal))

 

The air in the mines were clouded with the thick fumes that rose off the lava causing respiratory issues. Within the confines of the iron mine a bastion of aheral had begun their stockpile of the metal that had overtime begun to become more precious. Iron supplies within the silver city were dwindling and unless the dangerous trek to the mines and the toil of mining had been done the city would have been defenseless.

 

Trip oem ~1~

 

Iatrilemar walked behind the two aheral, Elavern and Delonna, who were fitted in high elven plate armor. The thin aheral who referred to himself as a Mali’aethonn or cloud elf, due to his white hair, carried an empty backpack and a pick strapped to his back. The cave air was dense and the enclosed walls felt tomb-like in comparison to his silver home. As they ventured into the cave and past the first couple of rickety rope bridges Iatrilemar had already begun wiping fresh sweat from his brow caused by the immense heat of the constant circulation of hot air from the waterfall of lava. Rounding a corner the sight of iron could be made out however it soon became clear to him that obtaining the precious metal was going to require a vigorous amount of energy.

 

Creeping closer the cloud elf peered over the ledge to see a small river of lava curling around ten foot high stone pillars. Years of lava decay had collapsed the floor leaving seven or eight separate stalagmites from his side to the room containing the ore. Looking behind him noticing the other two aheral taking a guarding position at a choke point in the mine Iatrilemar let out a breath before sprinting and leaping to the first pillar. Had it not been for his century of acrobatic training he surely would have died right there for he was caught off balance and came close to falling forward having just overshot the jump. As his heart began racing adrenaline pumped through his veins sending him into a frenzy. He soon began leaping pillar to pillar not looking down to see the chunks of rock he was kicking off before reaching the other side.

 

He approached the ore slowly reaching behind to unstrap the pick he had brought. At once he began to chip away at the stone in front of him hoping the ore was tangible enough to keep. With a last strike with the tip of the pick the ore crumbled away into a fine useless dust leaving Iatrilemar with nothing but a exasperated feeling.

 

Having done away with what ore resided in the stone room he had no choice but to once again make his way across the pillars. The way back seemed much easier as Iatrilemar fluidly connected each jump reaching the end without much error at all. It wasn’t till after he finished that a shiver ran down his spine. Looking back he could see half of a pillar he had stood on collapse away into the lava caused by the pressure he had put on it.

 

Standing up and instantly felt the pressure of the backpack, Iatrilemar let out a grunt before walking onto another section, rounding a couple corners he was approaching another section before coming to a full stop to gaze upon the cave-in. His way was blocked and only a small opening could be used to peer into the adjacent room where much more ore could clearly be seen. An opening big enough for a bag, maybe a pick but surely not a person.

 

Letting out a puff of air he turned around and begun to walk back in order to tell the others that their trip was to be cut short. That was until he saw something; A small glimmer of light shined in a pool of water to his side. He turned towards the water and stared at it his eyes soon growing wide. His shoes made a small clicking sound as he ran on the stone back to the small opening he had previously encountered. Taking off his backpack he was able to stuff it through the opening along with his pick along with his pick before rushing back to the water. The material that made up his robe would have been too heavy to swim in so they were dispensed to the side of the cavern along with the cowl he had been wearing. In a fluid motion the body of the aheral glided into the cavern water diving deeply and soon reaching the bottom where a pocket of air could be found. Coming up in the pocket a quick breath was taken before diving again in order to navigate the craggy underwater cave formation. It took a minute of squirming underwater before the cloud elf emerged from the other side into the section containing the ore.

 

Once again he was able to mine away at the ore and stuff it into his backpack before tossing it to the other side and diving back into the water to return. Drenching wet with a backpack full of ore the elf approached the other two spouting out his find

 

“vailutelu’oem thuln.”

 

Soon it became clear that the two were preoccupied with some middle-aged valah who was persistent in entering the deeper part of the mines. Behind him came another valah, a noble from Kaedrin. Before long and in flashes of his memory Iatrilemar remembers the noble taking the other valah and stabbing a knife into his jugular before throwing him to burn into the fire. However right after the rocks beneath the noble’s feet came loose soon sending him hurtling into the lava. The screams of the two soon subsided as their bodies melted away to become part of the mine. A simple nod was given before the three departed from the mine, Iatrilemar muttering a simple phrase.

 

“ito'uvuligne’narne”

 

Or what he believed it to say

“He walks to ashes”

[Stag 3231]

Trip nuit ~2~

 

 

Striding back into the mine came the three aheral this time accompanied by four more of their kin. The group quickly dispersed through the mine the two previous aheral in armor back again to guard as the four new went to the coal hubs to gather materials. Once again Iatrilemar was sent to the sections of the mines where the iron was seen. It soon became clear that one of the aheral who went by the name of Evarir was distracted by something. That something being the unsteady rope bridges and as the group looked back to him all he could do is shake his head. With encouragement the blond haired aheral gripped his longbow and slowly made his way across the swaying bridge cringing at every creak the wood let out.

 

A small smirk crossed the cloud elf’s face as he hurried on ahead to the first iron hub once again crossing the crumbling pillars of stone. Upon mining what he could at the time he hopped back to the other side looking down to notice the spot where the two valah had previously met their fate. Letting out a sigh he turned the corner and was greeted with by a fellow cloud elf, Ceruberr, joyfully covered in coal dust. Looking to Ceruberr’s side the small Lelien could be noticed and soon Iatrilemar offered her a pick to begin mining. Taking the pick the mali retorted that Iatrilemar would be responsible for washing her clothing after they got back.

 

The mine echoed with the laughter of Ceruberr as he began to teach Lelien how to mine, frustration and accomplishment flowed soon after as Lelien began to chip away at the coal. Along the walls sat Evarir wallowing in self-pity over his fear of the bridges hitting a humorous tune to Iatrilemar. With a burst of energy the cloud elf rushed to the opening in the cave-in to slide his things through before noticing something. A valah had fallen asleep in the mine, having swam through the underwater cavern to the second iron hub. Iatrilemar yelped for help but before the two armored high elves came Lelien appeared and began talking with the valah who soon stirred from his sleep and approched her. Lelien, with her charm, extracted half the ore the valah had mined and soon the valah was on his way out of the mine.

 

The ore from the second hub was soon mined out by Iatrilemar and he was on his way out however he was soon caught off-guard by a ker who had approached the aheral guarding them. It was less the ker that worried him than the fact that Azorella, the fourth aheral that had come along, who was positioned behind the ker with nothing but a pick in her hand. The mine filled with a gloomy air as the ker talked on a small knife in his hand. With a sigh of relief he was coaxed into leaving peacefully by the aheral and another breath exhaled once he passed Azorella without attacking.

 

The four that had accompanied the previous made for the exit eager to return to their towers as the rest began gathering their things. Their attempt to leave was thwarted by another ker arriving a bow in hand threatening to attack should they not let him pass. The threat to the aheral was not taken with passive action and instead the two armored aheral raised their spears and demanded that the ker leave. A poorly aimed shot from the ker’s shortbow left the aheral almost caught off guard with pity as it skid across the stone. Spears were leaned against the wall as the aheral took cover from any more arrows. Another glance out revealed another high elf, Relgard Sintel recognizable by the scar on the left side of his chin, who carried his bow in hand also threatening to attack. Words from Iatrilemar where spouted off proclaiming the high elf to not be aheral and that he was indeed impure and to be branded so.

 

Ducking back into cover the two other aheral unstrapped their crossbows and began to load them before kneeling down and aiming for the opposing opening in the covering. With shots bent on scaring away their unarmoured opponents the aheral managed to keep their ground. Iatrilemar however was feeling the effects of starvation and exhaustion swaying into the stone as he told his kin to make haste with the ikru. Eventually the ker along with the impure were routed leaving a clear path for the aheral to exit the mine safely.

 

Iatrilemar breathed in the night air about ready to collapse before shaking his head

“Relgard is a fool. banihtelu'oem thuln."

[Birdwhisperer 1174]

Moved to the Great Library. It shall be sorted into appropriate category shortly.