Crayfishchris

I would suggest reading through the whole thing before posting negative comments. You guys know of the massive OOC conflict in the war (we GMs have had to manage it for a while now).

First ;) P.S. Thank you Rhia.

Kristian von Craw stands in the Seven Skies, smiling to Dvari. "Guess I beat y'ere, sarge. A darn shame, that. We all ended our lives a bit early, y'see. So... 'ow'd you die? Got m'self in a bit o' a... cursed situation, y'follow? Le's go... the upper skies await." ((I made the Valiant photo ^-^))

Yulnii sits at home, wondering. Wait... what if the fool actually... did it...? Oh, bother...

Sent from the office of Griffin Whitewolf, they head to those that Kristian knew, and those he didn't know too well. Many are dated and several are to those long dead or missing, and simply remain in the giant pile of papers that is his will and wishes. To Griffin Whitewolf: To Robard von Craw To Kelsey von Craw To Isabella von Craw To Tina (von Craw) To Maldric Craw To Naeri To Kalameet Izalith To Eleron Sylvaeri To Faiz Kharadeen To Elrolas To Ex-Princess Titania To Elrohan To the Thervings To Neci To Toby Williams To Primrose To the Valois To Blake Whitewolf And with this last sigh and rattle of paper, Kristian's life comes to a close, and with it, his story. Thank you all, and have a good night.

Alras had never looked so beautiful at night. It's people were bustling, the sky was clear, and the men of the land were happy, a brief respite in the constant warfare that had been the norm for so many years. A beautiful night, a beautiful city, a beautiful world. Look closer, in the main square. A man greets a woman. They look similar, though the man is older. Father and daughter, perhaps? Yes, that must be it. The man greets the girl, and they speak small talk for a little while, the man's ugly birthmark rippling with every word that he speaks. The blackened sword at his side glints in the evening light as he brings her over to the side, speaking to her low and calm. "Kelsey, y'remember Griff, right? 'E goes by Ikur now. Lives off in Tahn'siol." "Yeah, I tried to get work from him once. What do you need with him?" "'E 'as... some... important letters to deliver... make sure... that 'e... sends them..." At this point, the man begins to cough violently, bringing his hand to his heart. His voice drops to a whisper, and from this viewpoint, we cannot hear what he says. The girl is pushed away, and then comes closer once more, as a venomous black and red begins to creep along his hands and neck and face, following the pattern that the sickly pink birthmark laid. Listen hard, and maybe you could hear snippets of words. Weakened by the affliction which he seems to have befallen. "Y-you're... eldest... Robard... Maldric... Izzy... care... them..." He falls to the ground, convulsing, his words becoming nonsensical. The girl kneels down with him, crying as she holds his hand. A Sage passes by, and begins to chant, her words giving a bright white light that bathes the poor man. It goes... but it is thrown back, resisted, somehow. It is too little, too late. The man's grip on reality weakens, and his eyes glass over as he stares to the sky. His hands go limp and his breathing slows. Slowly, but surely, his heart stops. Soon, he is dead. It is hard to determine what Kristian von Craw saw when he died. Maybe he saw nothing, his world awash with pain. Maybe he saw what he could see, the vain efforts of the three around him trying to save him. Maybe he even hallucinated, seeing terrible visions of the wrongs he had done. I don't know myself, but I think he remembered it all... I like to think he saw the happiness in his life. He first saw his early years, the lives of Quadlyn and Robard and Celia and Tomas. The people who had cared for him even when his own village of Ager had cast him out. The people, all of whom but Quadlyn and Celia were slain at the hands of Uruks in their teens. Then he saw the Valiants. He saw the rainy night in which he was press-ganged into the militant organization. He saw Dvari, the man who had trained him and changed his life forever. He saw Toby, the young boy who had sought the magic in the world. He saw the smiling (while slightly creepy) Guren, the one who would never be caught sad. He saw Jack, the best warrior of them all, the first man he ever really sparred with. He saw Caelie, the little girl who followed them all around. He saw even more. Dion, Tenthrii, Vlad, Morg, Artemis, all the Valiants who he didn't even have time to name, and the Valois who led them all. Enemies like the Pascals, and people like William Morgenstern stood in their way. He saw the Royal Oren Army and the dissolution of the Valiants. Comms Officer Kristian von Craw... has a ring to it. The fight against the north taking those loyal to their cause, such as Edward. He knew the terrible fight must be fought, and so he tried, with all his heart. He heard the squeals of his children, Robard and Kelsey, as they were born into this world at the expense of his wife's life. He saw himself handing them to Toby and Guren to take care of as he set off on a strange journey. He saw the sea. Oh, did he see the sea. Wild and raging, it took him all his effort to look, as he, Quadlyn and Euryliccus the Valiant took to the sea with a crew of fifteen, and came back as only those three, lost for nigh on three years. He saw the night in which he was returned to his children, growing up, and in the safe care of the Delvers. He saw the Delvers themselves. Cyrus, the man who accepted him, Nienna and Artimec, the stoic leaders, and every last one of the people who journeyed beyond on quests. Monsters, artifacts, beings of great power, there was nothing to be desired there. He saw the Lumi'drim of Malinor, and his days trying to rise through the ranks despite being a human. He hoped that the Princes and Princess were his friends, and he made excellent friends in this first group, some of whom went with him to New Malinor. He saw the White Onion, the ambitious plan with Ulkirk, Zaniil, Dink. The plan to take over the world from that tiny little farm in Herendul. How silly they had been, even as adults. A good farming life, that was what it was. He even spied against the Lumi'drim for a time, before Zaniil and Ulkirk disappeared. He saw New Malinor, the crime ridden hub. New friends to be made there. Eleron, Elrolas, Elrohan, Griffin, Neci all the new Lumi'drim and more working together to help the land of the Elves out. He rose to be the first human Warden, and then take charge once Darius left. He saw Izzy, his youngest, adopted daughter. He saw their tears when he discovered she worked for the Scourge, and the dreadful road to recovery with her after that. He saw Lommpy the bandit try to steal her and Kelsey away from him forever, even killing Kelsey's unborn grandchild. He saw the Scions, led by Naeri, and the good friends he made in Mandru and all its other members. He saw their fight against the Scourge, sometimes seeming so meaningless. He saw... he didn't want to see this... but it was true... the terrible night at the old Delver base. He saw the people get cut down one by one, Izzy take a tainted crystal to her side, Robard cursed with a dark staff. And himself? He got the brunt of the apparition which haunted the old place. The black and red sword which he carried weakened him, taking away his life bit by bit... but addicting him nonetheless. His life withering away, ending him early. He saw the fateful night of the coup d'etat in which the Conclave rose. He and Neci stole into the underground room of the Princes, and captured Ebs, bringing him to Conclave. He remembered setting out the laws for this new nation, and handing over the city of New Malinor to the Conclavians days later. He saw the Conclave itself, a beautiful city, and in it he saw their dreadful fight for their survival against raiding parties and their equality for all races. A nation out of what seemed to be near nothing. The survival of the Elven race, even though he betrayed those in the Council whom he called friend, the one who named him Mali'llir. Taken in place for Kalameet and Darius, the idealists of the new era. He saw his retirement from the position of Warden of Conclave, and his time with his family. He slipped into a quiet life, nothing bothering him, taking to the fight when he was needed, spending his time writing and reading otherwise. He even saw some of the snow elves... while his spying on them was very small and irrelevant. He saw the Fringe. This new and wonderful world into which so many people had gathered. He saw the Sentinels, the guards of the whole land, the people whose ideals he knew were in the right. He followed them and their leaders, Primrose, Aret... friends like Faiz... all through the land, they worked and helped those around them. He saw Alras, Kaldonia, wonderful, beautiful cities that occupied so little of his time. He saw Maldric Craw, a surprise in his later years, a man he had created as well, but had never known about. A man he set aside riches for, trusting him despite the risks. And Tina, the girl he told stories to... who couldn't even remember his name. He saw those who decided to take him in as a guard for their noble house, the Valois... Alexander and Jean... and newer houses as well, those he never truly got the time to meet. Haadi Mubdee, the new Harbinger, attacking him in the street. Loche, the psychopath, meeting him once more, the weddings of Faiz Kharadeen and Elrohan, his friends. And then he saw himself, lying dead upon the road, with his daughter sobbing into his blackened shoulder, the evil blade that had worn away his life at the side. Or, maybe he just saw the Seven Skies as he ascended. I don't think we'll ever really know. Thus ends the story of Kristian von Craw. Thank you. ((OOC Stuff)) ((Photo creds to Melodystar))

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

D'aw... thank you! http://gyazo.com/ace3b77cb55e2b26de2e5801152ad62c <----- Payment

Player Whitelisted

Player Whitelisted

Player Whitelisted

*A note is posted upon the notice-boards of Tahn'siol and Lin'ame, on a fine paper, and each handwritten. The bottom of each page bears a golden owl.* Lliran, I write today to speak to you all upon the issue of the arcane. Yes, arcane magic is an issue, even if we do not believe such. We all must face it, and bear it together, for it is corrupting our minds and souls, even as I write this very page. Magic, in itself, is a corrupting power, and it will not stop until we are destroyed mentally and physically. Chief among this destruction is the degradation of the bodies which we use. The corruption of the very Void from which many of us mali draw our energy destroys our bodies, using them up bit by bit, until eventually we are too weak to perform, too weak to do what a normal person can. Something that uses up so much of your life, your strength, only to become useful after dozens of years of training... is it worth it? Is the corrupting power worth it? Does it not change our bodies and our minds? Yes, our minds. For they become used to this magic. We use these tools instead of our bodies. We grow reliant, then addicted. We grow consumed by the power which the Void places upon us. There is no way to escape it, for once you have learned, it is hard to go back. At the expense of our free will, we gain ruthless power, and for what? Our people are supposed to be a peaceful one, at ease with the world. We cannot reduce ourselves to this level, lliran. We cannot succumb to the power of the arcane. For the power of the Arcane is evil in itself. We draw our power from something that still remains undefined, something that we cannot truly pin down. Many evil beings have come from the void, but very few good creatures. This shows that where the power comes from, yes, it is evil, it is something to be avoided, not embraced. We must be the change in the world, and embrace our true selves and bodies, not corrupt our minds and matter with frivolous energy from the Void. It has not been proven that someone could be blocked away permanently from the Void, and all things arcane, but it may be possible. A world where all will be natural, not prone to chaos nor evil. A world without the weakness of magic. Heed these words. The arcane is evil. It will consume you in time. Maehr'sae hiylun'ehya.

Yulnii rejoices, for her maln is not confirmed dead! ((You can still apply, folks. Feel free to suggest a position if you wish))

We are... already. Visit Tahn'siol/Lin'ame sometime.

Lucion Sullas -Yulnii Elibar'acal

May I ask how you created that map? It's... beautiful...

what is life

My one comment on this. They may reach the same conclusion, but have different levels of enjoyment for the parties involved. That is the main issue here. Some people enjoy one, some people enjoy the other. We all know how it will end, but it's how we want to reach that end that matters.

Yulnii tilts her head, looking at Cyrus with a bemused glance. "Hm... be a dear and fetch me some books from the library, will you? Mainly on the subjects of art and history, no more. You seem to have enthusiasm and dedication. That has been enough in the past."

Kristian frowns, scratching at his goatee. "Now... I ain't no... whatcha call'it... politician. But I know pro-pro... propaganda when I see it. Them dwarves... they ain't all bad, y'see... So many o' them are 'eld 'ccountable for the crimes o' a few. I mean... I know... I know dwarves. I lived 'mong 'em for a while. This is ploughin' nonsense, this is." He begins his journey back to the Sentinel keep, his eyes trained on the road ahead of him.

I've been called naïve by many people, considering I just believe that most folks are just kind to start out with. I'm in complete agreement with Teerz. So long as we have fun and just simply talk calmly, and respectfully, everything will be alright. Of course, this is not an ideal community in the least. (You will never find that on the internet, heh.) It's everyone's job to self-regulate, and, when things get tough, a GM like myself must pull out a special kind of hammer . (Luckily, I haven't had to use it too much). What we all need is some optimism, happiness, and some music.

This is exactly what the Scions had going for them, but this'll remain active. Me likey, so long as the players get an actual... say in what happens.

So... is the house for sale?