Orlanden

From behind a plume of smoke, a slight smile can be seen under the shadow of the hood.

((God, I love this song! Rush is utterly amazing live in concert, by the way.)) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWHEcIbhDiw

I assure you, these people are alive and well.

To this point, all applicants have been dealt with. If you've not heard from me, you were not chosen to be interviewed.

I've never played a Villain, but I think this is ridiculous. And I'm very clearly not the only one. The majority of the community doesn't want VA's back. This needs to be addressed accordingly. Until then, you can pretty much expect people to continue being a villain while holding their middle finger high and waving it around. Mr. Bean fashion.

Rebuilding Sythra's mess into a peak time of influence and power for the Elves seems pretty notable to me in terms of change. Just one man's opinion, though, I guess.

You would find Orlanden on his front porch in the canopy of the tree smoking his longstem and watching a beautiful sunset after a long day. ((Look forward to seeing you, Enrinith!)) ((To everyone else, we are most definitely still recruiting!))

How are you not including High Prince Bravepaw's reign between Sythra and Titania? Not only was one of the strongest ever Elven militaries formed in our Normandor, but never was a knee bent to any opposing nations. We had a wonderful alliance with the Dwarves and with their help, knocked the Orc nation on its ass after building a fort on their doorstep and basically saying, "Yeah, you're done." And though Oren wasn't defeated, they never defeated us, either. We held our own and did a damn good job doing it. Fact.

Never being one to be too outspoken, Orlanden stands under the shade of the tree close to where Brave is sitting with his beard-bug, leaning against the trunk and smoking a fully packed pipe. "Wise words as always, Ebs. We're grateful to have had the privilege to call you friend for the last millennium. Call me biased, but when Brave was cast out of the council in Elysium, that's when our once great Mali nation took a hard dive into a downward spiral. The hole that has been dug seems to grow ever deeper still. Something must be done. Through my own will, I resigned from Princedom the day after Brave was "replaced" as High Prince. I said I would never aid in digging said hole, and I don't mean to...but if I see a promising turnaround forming, I would gladly lend my hand once more." He takes a long draw from his pipe and blows the smoke from his lungs. The plume turns into what seems to be a vague figure of Malin, himself. Orlanden lets out a chuckle and points at it with the mouth-piece of his pipe, "I've been working on that one for a while."

"We are not trying to split anyone. We live just over the mountain from Cerulin. We're basically next-door neighbors. Forgive us for not wanting to live in a walled city like others might. If you wish to stay where you are and not come live with us, that's fine. No one is making you, but don't condemn us for being individuals and having our own minds and opinions. And to say we are not clinging to traditional Mali'ame ways of life is an outright false statement."

*Throughout the land of Athera, you no doubt notice many fliers of varying content. Some are sure to peak your interest, others will not. Perhaps part of you has always wanted to live among nature with like-minded people. Perhaps you simply long for a tight-knit family with which to share a few words of warmth; with which to feel like you belong. If any of this rings true, you'll find yourself wishing to read on.* Since the days of Aegis, we of the Osage Clan cling to our traditional Mali’ame values of freedom and peace amidst the beauty and bounty of nature. These are the same values that such highly authoritative figures of the past, like our close friend: the former High Prince Shiftnative, clinged to in the name of Malin. In each new land, we pick a spot we think safe and fertile to grow our clan. This includes a large tree for shelter, rich soils for our gardens and farms, and so on. All things essential to a prosperous survival from living off the land. The land which we’ve settled is ready to receive new members into the clan with open arms and a warm hearth. We’re currently in need of folks of all professions and trades to help out around the community. Homes are under construction and will be provided to clan members for free. You’re charged nothing to be in the clan, we just ask that you pull your own weight. If you need any further information, please feel free to send a bird to Bravepaw or Orlanden (MC names are the same) or journey to our community to see it for yourself. Directions to our land are as follows: Head right off the stone road as if you were heading to Cerulin. When you come to the plateau on the left where Laureh’lin once stood, follow along the base of the cliff beneath the walls of Haelun’or until you reach a small mushroom forest. Once through it, you’ll stay right and follow the path that leads southward along the swamp forest. After a ways and on the right, you’ll head toward the town of Oakhearth. Make your way on through its main road and out the other side of the town until you reach a fork in the road. Stay right and follow that path until you see our tree on the left. Finally, stroll up and say hello! More precise directions could be given via message by bird, though what has been written above should not lead you astray. More signs to guide the way will be going up soon. Ame nae’leh evareh. May the forest protect you. Sincerely, Orlanden & Bravepaw, Leaders of the Osage Clan

After reading the missive, Orlanden sports a long, bright smile. He looks up through the canopy to the blue sky above and seems entranced as he watches the smeared white clouds float upon the wind. He takes a deep breath, closes his eyes, then lets it go, exhaling what negativity might remain from the world he's lived in for over a millennium. Turning back to the board on which the missive was pinned, he notices many others around and decides to take one with him back to his tree to show his brother, Brave. As he folds it and places it in his satchel, he thinks to himself, "Times are changing. Finally."