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The Soulbound Servants: Didacts of the Forest Holy Ghosts of Druids An elven druid returns as a Soulbound Servant, watching over the forest with a careful eye. It is a well known truth among druii and those that study the aspects or their faith, that devout druids who die ascend to the realm of the fae, to serve out their days as Soulbound Servants. In the realm of fae, these spirits of passed druids are revered by all as wise men and oracles. Creatures of the fae flock from every corner of the realm to hear their words of wisdom. In the realm of fae, they are considered demigods, chosen of the aspects themselves. (The Fae Realm). In death, these sages reflect the souls of what they were in life. For those that sought the taste of battle in defense of the balance, they may find themselves as a spirit of fury, blessing those of the Twilight Bound. A gentler druid, a healer perhaps, may find themselves as a mending spirit of the Dayward Way. All these such spirits are revered amongst the fae creatures of the world. The servants can take the form of an incorporeal spirit, the physical body they had in life, or even as a reflection of their own spirit animal. Respected and revered by all races of the fae as the chosen vessels of the Aspects themselves, the Soulbound enjoy their afterlife by serving as wise men and priests. The most dimwitted of rock-creatures to the most cunning of Imps will travel across the entire Fae for the chance to meet one of the Soulbound and receive words of wisdom. Like all fae creatures, they possess the ability to traverse over one of the many thin threads that hold our realms together, through a fae ring. For one that may find themselves facing one of these spirits, they can expect only unbridled wisdom, for they gaze upon a fragment of the fae realm itself. However, while they were able to become corporeal in the Eternal Forest, their journey to the mortal realm has diminished their strength, and they hold but a fraction of the power they hold in the Fae Realm. A soulbound servant, in the mortal realm, is little more than a spirit of the fae. They cannot touch or interact with the world. They will never again feel the embrace of a loved one, nor the wind on their cheek. They are dead, lost to the world. Incorporeal beings that merely exist as a passer of knowledge, a wielder of the torch of druidic power. Even when their connection to the Eternal Forest is strongest, standing within the fae ring, they are unable to lay a finger on the world of the living. One may ask, why would a soulbound servant return to the mortal fold? What other reason than the one they hold in the realm of the fae. They serve as ancient teachers, passing on the wisdom of their many years. It is the primary mission of all Soulbound Servants to pass down their own knowledge of the balance, and to guide the druids of the world towards a heightened understanding of what their duty is, and how they might attain it. They serve as powerful guides to all that follow the path of the aspects. To dedicants, they serve to inform and teach. To Druii, they seek to offer their different perspective on the world and how it may function. And above all, to Archdruii, they serve as powerful advisers in the face of great adversity. But they are just that. Guides, advisers, wise-men. Vessels of knowledge. Due to the distance from the realm of the fae, and their diminished power, they are unable to use the gifts that they had throughout their lives as druii, but they still retain their ancient knowledge of the arts. To fulfill their mission, these spirits are able to pass on their understanding of the gifts into the druii of the world in several ways, detailed a bit later. In addition to this, the servants have access to a few smaller tricks from their time in the fae realm that they would use in pursuit of guiding dedicants, druids, and archdruii alike, without impacting the world on a physical level. Blessings of the Aspects Gifts From the Eternal Forest A druid completes a task with the oversight of the Soulbound Servant Soulbound Servants tend not to intervene in worldly affairs, beyond their task of guiding others, and serving the balance. Without the ability to hold a sword, or travel far beyond their fae rings, they take up a more guiding role, using their abilities to teach, rather than lead. Their time spent in the realm of the fae shows now though, and Soulbound Servants find that they have a few lesser abilities that they didn’t have before. These can be very straining for the spirit to perform, and only one may be used per day, that they might serve the spirit in guiding others. Greensight Soulbound Servants mimic many of the abilities of regular ghosts, being able to use their own version of Horrorchill called Greensight. With this ability, Soulbound Servants have the ability to reach out to attuned minds, and are able to incur visions of the past, things that the servant themselves have seen, or even things that the subject has seen. Through this, they can evoke calming memories, or through their own memories, lessons of the past. These visions can be as vivid or as vague as the spirit wills it. This ability, unlike horrorchill, only works on a willing subject who knows they are being affected. This only affects attuned druids, and those affected by fae rings. Oversight Similar to the talking host ability that usual ghosts have, soulbound servants are able to bind themselves to a druid for as long as they wish, seeing what they see, hearing what they hear, allowing them into their thoughts. However, this must be entirely willed on the part of the druid and the servant. During this time, the druid is marked with a fae rune upon their forehead, showing that they are a vessel of the spirit. This lasts until the subject no longer wills it, or the spirit decides to leave the body. If the host is killed while the servant is inside of the body, that spirit demanifests as they gather themselves again. In addition to these two abilities, Soulbound Servants can do several abilities like their ghostly cousins. Soulbound Servants may shift between visibility and invisibility at will, disappearing or appearing in a flash of their fae energy. Soulbound Servants can interact with the environment in limited ways, such as opening doors, or nudging objects. (In the same way that ghosts do.) Soulbound Servants may float (In the same way that ghosts do) Soulbound Servants give off a glow that reflects their fae energy. Soulbound Servants can change their appearance in a limited way, such as gaining fae attributes, or taking on the form of their spirit animal Due to their distance from the realm of the Fae, they cannot fully return to their physical form. However, when in the Eternal Forest, they can regain such a form. Instead of decaying life around them, and feeding on it, Soulbound Servants serve as a conduit of fae energy, and many may find the world around them blooming to life as the world is touched by the mystical energies of the Eternal Forest. Soulbound Servants do NOT have telekinesis, unlike their ghostly cousins. Guides and Redlines Soulbound Servants must have been at least a T5 in Control and Communion before their death to be brought back. Soulbound Servants require a CA to be played. Soulbound servants are the spirits of druids that return to the mortal realm to continue their duties as druids. In order to be brought back from the realm of the fae at first, the spirit must be guided back by a druid using transcendence. They cannot be forced back if they do not want to come back. If a druid already knows the Transcendence feat, they can bring themselves back. Soulbound Servants can appear as a manifestation of their former selves, or as a reflection of their spirit animal Soulbound Servants can interact with the environment in limited ways, such as opening doors, or nudging objects. (In the same way that ghosts do.) Soulbound Servants can no longer perform control, blight healing, or herblore, shapeshifting, unattunement, attunement, or powersharing. Soulbound Servants can no longer teach unattunement, attunement, or shapeshifting. Soulbound Servants can still teach druidism, including control, communion, blight healing, and herblore if they have a TA A servant doesn’t need to eat, sleep, or breathe; they may survive indefinitely without damage Golden Weaponry affects the spirits as a normal weapon would to a person, and cannot use any of their abilities on gold. To banish a servant to the Eternal Forest, one can summon a cleric, shaman, Fi’ user, or alterationist to perform an exorcism. This demanifests the ghost, but is not a Perma-kill on the Soulbound Servant. It is not necessarily possible to "kill" a Soulbound Servant, but they can be forced them into the Eternal Forest. This causes the Ghost to demanifest for 30 minutes, akin to death for other Descendants, and leave the area to go to the Eternal Forest for a prolonged amount of time. OOC Note: What I really tried to change with this rendition of the lore was the “how” one becomes such a thing, and the abilities. I really tried to trim down the lore piece from Shade lore levels of length to a nice, easily read piece. Short, sweet, simple. I’ve turned it into a lore addition, as a way to extend the ghost lore into other aspects of the server. I’ve translated a lot of the “horror” of the abilities into more Fae abilities. I wanted to create a way for druids to return as ghosts without relinquishing their connection to the Emerald Forest. So, druidic ghosts!

The sight hurt. Jarsek Myrsta, upon finding his homeland destroyed and full of damaging magic, was not pleased to find his home in such a state. He blamed September for destroying such a beautiful place while he was away and himself for not being here to defend it. Sometimes, it is enough to find hatred in destruction. He was a pure high elf in every sense of the word, but even he had his faults. No one was immune to emotions running rampant and this included Jarsek. His own emotions were not like most high elves, but this would prove to either be his greatest strength or his weakness. Jarsek felt no pain or sorrow once he looked upon Haelun’or, but rather he felt something else. Something that was beginning to add fuel to a bonfire that would last for the rest of his life. Cursed or soulless? No one knew. Not those left to see the day as this was my own challenge to overcome. He hated the fact that his grandson had been an impurity in his own house. The news of his death did greatly satisfy him, but it was not enough. He wanted to rid his grandson from the history books and make it to where he never existed in the first place. This kind of task would require a great cost, but it was one he was willing to pay. Even in death, his impurity rots. In life, I thought he would grow up to be a scholar working in the Eternal Library, his unyielding curiosity granting us more knowledge. No, this was not to be. After seeing his home destroyed, he came across a fellow high elf. One that even he thought seemed a bit suspicious. This high elf had told him that his name was Illiran Drennan, but he had never heard of such a name before. Even on his journeys abroad, he never once heard of such a house. It was at this moment that Jarsek decided to investigate this house through Illiran, but the risk of having this trust broken was too great at the time. No, he would slowly gain this elf’s trust and try to learn more, though this would also take its time. No greater shame exists than having someone in your own house be impure. Yet, this was something that could be inferred as irony. My grandson was impure and my own impurity stem from the blood on my hands. I took no joy or pity when I fought in battle, but felt nothing at all. This was something that no magic in the world could do to me as I was born with the ability to wield my emotions like a two-edged sword. It was what made me a good warrior, but it can also make me a monster. After talking to Illiran, Jarsek left the site of his old home and journeyed back to the Kadarsi, a cold darkness in his gaze as if he had shut himself from his own emotions. He didn’t know fear or loss, but he did know anger, fury, and rage. This could prove to be his downfall as the sight of his homeland did affect him, but not in the normal ways that a blighted land did. No, he was a blighted phoenix...

General Information Name & nicknames: Fahron Daluon, the wandering Hermit Race: Wood Elf, with parts of Farfolk-Blood in his veins Gender: Male Year of Birth: 1655 Religious Belief: Aspectism Voice Reference: Aruvn - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijKAd4CjRqM Physical Description The average height of a Daluon man is at around, 5’9’’ feet, although the tallest reach heights around 6’3”, often peeking out of most Heartlander males due to their height. Following such genetic structure Fahron is standing, thanks to his elven genes, at a towering 6’2’’, often being able to glance over the heads of most folk easily. Thanks to his daily training and the travels he does every day Fahron holds a muscular body-build holding the weight of 209 lbs. Due to amber-colored eyes from his mother and the golden-sandy-colored eyes from his father Fahron has a rather gentle and soft mix of those colors, giving him a rather bright orange-golden eye color. Thanks to the same reason Fahron is also holding a rather tanned-olive skin, as his father already had fairly dark skin and his mother being on the tanned skin-tone side, causing him to develop such skin color. However, unlike most Daluons Fahron doesn’t possess white hair, due to his mother being a wood elf and his father already being a crossbreed of a farfolk and an elf, causing his elven genes to be more dominant and giving him a brownish hair color. Like his father Fahron is also keeping his facial hair cut down to the minimum often showing some stubbles, but barely more than that. While he keeps his beard shaved Fahron is often letting his body hair grow out, either due to the fact that he hates wasting the time to shave or due to the fact that he simply doesn’t care about it as much. As such he is often displaying far-reaching tufts that cover most of his body. Personality Energetic: Fahrons primary trait is his energetic enthusiasm. He is always filled with energy and helps others out whenever he can without any hesitation. This trait is also very helpful for his travels and his daily life, since it often leaves him in a good and energetic mood. Free Spirited: Unlike his father Fahron is known as a rather free spirit, trying to follow his own path and ideals, and staying true to those as much as possible. As such he wouldn’t agree on doing something he isn’t feeling comfortable with. Fearful: Fahron is known to show a rather kind and gentle side, yet, despite such a facade he is also able to bring fear to those that are acting against his ideals, not hesitating to let his voice be heard and him taking physical actions. Besides from such his talents in strategic thinking is turning Fahron into an enemy no one wants to fight against. Unorganized: Like father, like son, Fahron is fairly unorganized, often losing stuff or being unable to find important documents. Most of his backpack seems cramped and is so unorganized that it can take Fahron more than a few minutes to find a single item within. Strengths Helpfulness: Unlike most people Fahron is often trying to help people instead of himself. Sure, he wants to achieve his goals, but he also wants to support the people he likes, may it be physically, mentally or any other possible way. Fast thinker: Fahron might be a hermit and wanderer, but in reality he is a rather fast thinker, using his surroundings and given information rapidly, for example to create an escaping plan. Being a fast thinker is also helping him in his daily life, especially in the wild and in other dangerous situations. Experience in Shortsword- and Kama-Usage: Unlike most folks Fahron prefers the usage of shortswords or Kamas about everything. He was trained in this form of combat for most of his life and he knows where to place his hits to take an enemy down in the shortest amount of time. Weaknesses Arachnophobia: Despite befriending many animals and creatures easily, almost inherently, Fahron hates spiders more than anything else. As soon as he sees a spider around him, he will try to put as much distance between him and the arachnid as possible. Another way of Fahron to take care of spiders is it to throw a lot of stuff in the spiders direction, trying to kill it with the impact of, as an example, books, plates and even flower pots. Arthritis: Due to Fahrons lifestyle and the overuse of his whole body he started to develop a form of arthritis. Most of the time he feels a slight pain in his hands and wrists, but is often trying to ignore the pain in his daily life. However, he is receiving a rather strong drawback of the arthritis after every fight, causing his eyes to water up and to curse, due to the amount of pain.

========================================= Name of the Treaty: The Elven Contract , 1689 ========================================= Type of Treaty: [Alliance, Non-Aggression and Defensive Pact] ========================================= [Nation / Freebuild] [Name: The Empire of Man] [Nation / Freebuild] [Name: The Sable Enclave of Vira’ker] ========================================= Date of Signing: 13th Malins Welcome, 13th of Owyn’s Flame ========================================= The Sable Contract, 1689 A world at war draws any and all to the table. The fledgling remnants of the blood of Ker’nor had sought to keep their newly proclaimed freedom since severing ties with the Dominion, offering assistance in the upcoming battles to the Empire; that should the wars to come sway in their favor, they would thrive thereforth. Entering the fray alongside the Ichorian elves and reformed ‘aheral, the elves now join the war in full. CEASE WITH THE FLUFF The Terms, agreed upon by both nations, are as followed: They will enter an Alliance, Defensive Pact and Non-Aggression pact for the duration of the war that will commence against the following: Enemies of the Empire, Enemies of the Vira’ker. HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY, Aurelius Horen, Emperor of Man HIS IMPERIAL HIGHNESS, Augustus Horen ,Crown Prince of the Imperium Septimus SABLE PRINCE, Ganzorig Vincrute, Hierarch of the Div’cruan

Everything burnt to ash in a matter of seconds. The blade was dripping crimson blood as the black robed figure burned brightly with a fire in his eyes. It was slaughter of many rogue elves that had consorted with the humans and the orcs to engage in a war that was never to pass and the fire consumed the bodies of those that fell. He did not want any evidence of what transpired here to exist so that the evidence would be transported back to Okarn’thilln and exile him and his family from the silver city. He began to wipe his blade of the blood that once pumped through the veins of the elves and humans he slaughtered. Ironically, he wouldn’t even partake in the flesh of those he had considered impure so that he could not be tainted before setting the bodies alight. Once the job was done, the figure sat down and watched the place be consumed by the flames that escalated into a bonfire. He sighed as he felt pleased from this sight and began to mutter softly. “My job here is done.” He softly muttered, sheathing his blade. “May their gods look over them and send them to Iblees himself for their deception and betrayal. Now then, I must make my way to Atlas. I have business there to attend to...” OOC: Due to some things that are best not mentioned, I’m making this edit to say that this story is non-canon and is not endorsed by the LT. This story is only meant to be a entertaining piece, nothing more. Thank you.

OOC: While I may have left LotC, I still have work to do and thus have overturned my decision to leave LotC. This story is based on semi-canon portions, including what happens when one person uses magic not normally taught or found in LotC and will be a magic I’ll write in the future while I also work on my own project. I hope you enjoy “The Power of the Soul” by TheDragonsRoost. ~(+)==(+)~ Karren had lived many days within the forest where he gave himself the penance. For many days, he lived off of the land and the wildlife that roamed the forest, surviving off of the steak and pork that he collected from the wildlife. He had a lot of chances to leave the forest and be a part of the world once again, but he refused to leave the forest until he had served his penance through. Karren wanted to make sure that no trace of his former self remained and that it wouldn’t ever resurface. He didn’t have the magical power he wanted, but he had learned that some things are better off being done by one’s own hands than using magic. This included the irritating and unreasonable lust for magical power. One thing that his Regeneration had failed to get rid of all those years ago. The sun began to set and Karren, in his ruined clothes, had begun to set a fire near his tent. A small campfire that would become a small beacon to monsters that wished to claim his life. Not that Karren minded, but when he took his penance, he was not aware that monsters roamed the forest at night, willingly stalking their prey before killing them with sharp claws and pointy teeth. Over the years he served his penance, he had a few encounters with such beasts. Karren didn’t have much to his name, but he made do with his surroundings being his weapon. However, this night would turn out to be his last night serving his penance. As he watched the campfire blaze to life, Karren felt his soul warm up as if he could feel the emotions that ran so rampant during his Regeneration. He wasn’t sure why his soul began to warm up in this way, but he’d begin to feel his life slowly ebb away as if his own soul began to burn away his lifeforce, the force that sustains a person’s life. Karren began to feel his body slowly deconstruct itself with an amber glow, which made him scream in pain into the night. This kind of power he felt once before, when he held the Totem of Undying in his hands. It swallowed up his body whole and he became an Ethereal Light for a short time as he felt this strange power flow through him. While he was an Ethereal Light, he felt a strange, yet powerful force drawing him towards Cloud Temple. He knew he wasn’t dead, but this was something that couldn’t be overpowered. Karren followed this strange feeling towards Cloud Temple and once he arrived at Cloud Temple, he felt this power begin to fade and his body beginning to take form once more. He appeared as he did prior to his penance being served, but with some changes. He no longer felt the need for magic and he seemed to grow a bit. He also didn’t see the point in fighting or supporting the September Prince as he felt his mind begin to rewrite itself, almost as if it was reenergized beyond mortal standards. Karren also had begun to go through a massive wardrobe change as well, no longer wearing his green robes and normal clothing, but wearing something entirely different. “Well, this is certainly new...” Karren commented as he’d see his new clothes, completely unsure of what to make of them. Either way, he walked down the steps of Cloud Temple with the new wardrobe change and begin his adventures anew... ~(+)==(+)~ OOC: As I said before, this magic will be a Magic Lore Submission (presumably Deity or Dark Magic, though I’m leaning towards a different style of magic) and I’m thinking that Karren might like his new wardrobe. Anyways, I’ll be coming back to LotC within the next few months and I thought I’d get this started. Will be getting the skin for this made soon! Anyways, see you all in Atlas! -TheDragonsRoost

OOC: This is a canon story to Karren Mrysta, my main elf character, and his personal journey through the world of Atlas. “Delving into the Dark” is meant to be the end of his second chapter and this marks him being shelved for an undetermined amount of time. Chapter Three will begin once I decide to unshelf the character. The premise of this story is to tell Karren’s transitioning into madness for magical power that has begun to take over his mind, consuming him to the point where not even the deity Zarelek would grant him the powers of Oblivion. Karren’s inability to accept who he is and forceful change has begun to make him go mad with lust for power, wanting powerful magics in order to stop the September Prince and yet has made him an outcast. Find out more in “Delving into the Dark” by TheDragonsRoost. ~(+)==(+)~ Karren Myrsta felt like everything was crashing down around him. The feelings he thought he was rid of during the Regeneration have come back in full force, tearing him up in his mind to the point that he began to suffer drastic physical changes. He no longer had beautiful wavy silver hair, instead had ragged and unclean silver hair that seemed to carry a great amount of stress. His eyes no longer had their vibrant emerald green color, but yet were prematurely growing dimmer. His clothes became dirty and unclean, making him look like a rugged homeless person than a proper high elf. In the short and brass terms, he looked like ****. In the growing dimness of his own campfire within the southern portion of the continent of Atlas, he started to reflect upon his choices that he had made that led him to what he was in the present time. Karren reflected upon his choices in the Mother Grove, Dominion of Malin, Haelun’or, and many other places to where he felt he had wronged himself and many others in his pursuit of power. He sighed as he stared into his campfire, which grew dimmer every minute that passed. “It seems that I have done a great many things. Too many things.” He said to himself, leaning over to his bag and pulling out a bundle of papers with a bunch of diagrams and mathematical equations. It seemed to be his research. “All for this. The most useless thing I’ve spent years to complete and I am no further than where I was at four years ago.” Karren looked over his research as he’d undo the twine that bound the papers together, slowly and carefully. He sighed as he poured over the papers and said simply “I wish I never started this. This has caused me too much heartache and has made me something that I could never be. Arelion was right. I’m not worth being taught magic.” He did not need more convincing than what he felt. He soon tossed the papers into the fire and watched as the fire grew a tad brighter as it happily consumed the research that Karren had given it. Karren, however, did not feel any better for tossing the papers into the dimming fire. He just stared into the fire as it produced more heat from consuming the papers, warming himself up from the growing coldness of the night. It would also be Karren’s last campfire for a long time as Karren decided to go into his tent and get some sleep. What Karren did not realize was that this led to him live in that same forest for a long time, hunting and feeding off the natural wildlife for years to come as a sort of self-induced penance for his “crimes” of lusting for power. ~(+)==(+)~ Zarelek watched through his Ethyrian Star of what Karren had done and he was outright annoyed. He had wasted that time on that boy just for him to burn his research to ashes, rendering him unable to learn his magic. Within the Realm of Oblivion, Zarelek nearly made his castle rumble with his anger and annoyance towards the high elf, but he caught himself and restrained his anger and annoyance. “That boy is smarter than I thought, destroying his research.” Zarelek said to himself, his voice echoing throughout the throne room. “But still quite idiotic. This decision has made me decide to best put my efforts elsewhere. Someone that has the same aura, but not wanting power or at least lusting for it like this foolish mortal elf.” Zarelek sighed as he used his powers to curse the high elf to stay within the forest for a time that he would let him free, punishing him for his lust for power and proving to be unworthy to wield the powers of Oblivion. He did not feel the slightest bit of guilt for keeping the boy locked up within the forest, but he was not truly angry with the boy. Once he casted the spell, he introduced a few clauses into the spell that bound him to the forest, and all of them were pretty simple. He only needed to repent from his ways of lusting for power, serve his penance for proving to be unworthy, and spend his whole penance in isolation from civilization. He wasn’t sure how long it would take for the boy to serve out his time within isolation, but then again, even he was not all-powerful or all-knowing. He leaned back into his throne, sighing a bit and saying to himself “Now, who in Atlas shall I distribute my efforts towards? The warring humans? The peaceful halflings of Dunshire, perhaps? No,” he’d say to himself, looking at his Ehtyrian Star once more. He had an idea brewing in his mind for a particular person he saw once. While observing the world of Atlas, he came across a particular mali’ker. He didn’t have the prismatic aura he was looking for, but he had this bright vibrant emerald green aura, almost the same as his own. He didn’t understand much about this mali’ker, but from he knew, this dark elf (mali’ker) was a bastard son of one of the tribes in the Warhawkes. His knowledge of the Warhawkes did not extend thousands of years, but he knew that they emerged within the last few hundred years. He stroked his chin while he thought of what this mali’ker was able to do. During one of his sessions, he spotted this mali’ker while he was talking to his young high elf boy, who seemed to be around thirteen solar rotations old (13 years old) and how he attempted to defend the child from the dark mage that altered the boy’s soul, granting him the power to set things aflame. Zarelek was aware of the spell used on the poor boy and he knew that it would last quite some time, but would forever alter the boy’s soul. This didn’t hinder the boy from learning much magic, but he wouldn’t be able to learn druidic powers even if he wanted to due to the soul being altered. Zarelek clapped his hands one time and rubbed them together, saying with a small amount of glee “This mali’ker is whom I shall oversee. Perhaps even attempt to teach him the magic of Oblivion, but however, I must keep my influence small lest I wish to have the boy notice that he has my attention. This means I cannot make the same mistakes I made with that high elf with this mali’ker boy. Let us see how this boy handles his daily life and its challenges...” This began Zarelek’s own round of testing the boy. Seeing if he will prove adequate enough to be taught the magic of Oblivion. ~(+)==(+)~ OOC: (For the LT) Even if Zarelek isn’t accepted yet, I feel like he is a good character to have in my stories and thus shouldn’t be considered canon to the deity’s story until being accepted. Also, this means that for the time being, Oblivion Magic (and the relevant instant t5) will go to my dark elf character if the magic of Oblivion ends up being accepted alongside with the deity. This isn’t meant to be one of those “oh your just making special magic for your characters to make yourself more powerful” situations, but merely a narrative of Karren’s and Zarelek’s story. (For everyone else) I hope you enjoyed “Delving into the Dark” as there will be more stories to come in the Creative Writing section.

Karren Myrsta had lived a peaceful life within the town of Caras Eldar before he ultimately left the Dominion of Malin and ventured to the most southern regions, avoiding raiders and bandits along the road to a small human colony called Austrasia. He arrived to Austrasia, starving to death, when his friend Nenar came through the gates and gave him pieces of bread for him to feed upon and gain his strength back. He had a charismatic charm to his kind soul as if his soul burned with an intensity that allowed him access to a very special kind of magic that not everyone understands. This kind of magic cannot be taught by anyone or found in a musty old tome full of ancient diagrams and written words of those long past gone, but yet all the people know of it. It allows access to the greatest ideas and allows for innovators of both scientifical and magical origins to create things that no one has ever seen before. To allow for the greatest of heroes to be forged in the coming days of Atlas and even make things come from the parchment to life. From the smallest halfling to the biggest orc, this magic flows through all people of any origin or culture, unbound by the restrictions of magic and burns within the person's soul without being quenched by the darkness of Dark Magic or being amplified by those of Holy origin. This magic allows for new beginnings, creation of eras in both magical and scientific progression, and can even unify a people determined to live together in harmony. He never allowed himself to be down when it mattered. Karren had a special kind of heart that meant he could move the stars themselves in order to save his friends. He felt that power surge within him, even as he tried so hard to obtain magic to only never gain magic. As a young child, Karren was endlessly fascinated by the prospects of innovation and utilizing magical energy to help others than just himself. No matter how hard he tried to gain magic of any kind whether it be Shade, Voidal Evocation, or even Druidism, he never truly wanted that magic for himself. He never craved power just for the sake of power, but he craved power to help others. He didn't wish to cause others harm or let harm befall those he believed or knew were innocent. He wanted to be a role model for the children and to give them that sense of wonder he himself carries. He wanted to push beyond the cultural differences of the magical types and let his own self feel the magic that burned within his soul be his guide to being someone that he knew he could be. Now, he still hopes to achieve that goal. Even though he is now sixty-one years old, Karren still believes in the magic of Hope. [OOC] This is meant to be a creative writing story that is canon to my character's personal story, but not known in-character. Please do not metagame any of this information.

Sometimes you just don't understand. Sometimes you want to understand something that cannot make sense. This is what happened to Karren Myrsta one night while doing the calculations for the magic he was desperately trying to crack. His soul yearned for the powers of Magic, which seemed to repel all the divine attention from him, keeping their gifts far from Karren and lending him no aid to the unruly calculations. It seemed all hope for Karren doing these calculations would be dashed... ...Had it not been for one very odd dream he had some time ago. ~(+)=(+)~ He slept normally as he did in the small southern city of Austrasia, laying in his own bed within a small tent of his own making. He was exhausted of the day's events and slept hard and then it became odd from the start. He dreamed he was floating in a pit of nothingness, no light or sound. He couldn't see much or less feel. Well, thats would turn out to be a lie once he started to feel something put its eye on him as if it dragged him into this pit of nothingness. "You wish to make a deal?" Karren would hear in his mind. It sounded male, raspy or rough Karren could not discern. The voice seemed to be quite serious. Karren thought about it and before he could speak, he heard the voice in his head again. "So you wish for knowledge to crack your mathematics on your magic. I can offer that knowledge, but this comes with a cost you will pay for in the future." "What cost?" Karren quickly thought. "You shall find out. In time." The voice said and before too long, Karren woke up with a beautiful sight of the sun rising. ~(+)=(+)~ The mysterious voice stirred up a physical form in Atlas. He, of course, would not be visible to the Descendants or to the creatures yet as he longed for the boy to finish his calculations to which he helped seal the deal in his dreamscape. He offered the boy the knowledge he desperately required, but he had no idea that he had signed away something that he'd come to find out in the future which made the man smile a little. His physical form was always something he preferred the most to look like though he had no real physical form to speak of. The future of the research he had plans for, the man thought, would be destroyed once he completed it with the knowledge he provided him. At least thats what he planned for in reality. "He has no idea that he is beginning a whole new era of magic. Of Dark Magic." the man smiled as his vocal chords were fully formed once more, walking away from Cloud Temple with an aura of a chilling coldness that rivaled even that of Death itself....

Waking in a strange Realm is always shocking, but to Karren Mrysta, he was met with the complex thing in the world. He woke in a strange field of wheat on an endless plain, stretching from horizon to horizon where Time had little meaning. He was dressed in garb that seemed to be completely white as if it represented his purity of the soul and he felt like these plains had meant a lot to him as if the field of wheat meant the potential he had as a person instead of just a High Elf. With this, he did not understand what has happening until he began to notice someone else in the field of wheat with him. A man walks up to Karren, seemingly around the same age as Karren, wearing robes of a vibrant astral blue color with a golden trim in his cloak. He also has a black tunic with black pants and he also wears hard leather boots, however it seemed to Karren that this man looked like a High Elf, though not really. Karren wasn't sure who this stranger was, but he did have a familiar feel to him as if somewhere in Karren's mind, he knew him. Perhaps he had read about him from someplace? "Hello, Karren Myrsta," the stranger said to Karren. "Welcome to the Far Glade." Karren was speechless, but he would remain speechless for a time as the dream would seemingly take a long time before it would allow him to speak. What seemed like a half-hour of silence, Karren found his voice and spoke up. "Why am I here?" "Because there are mysteries that need solving, Karren. The Primal Schools of magic aren't to be tested, but however, in my Realm, I can tell you the only thing that your missing." the stranger told Karren. "You're missing Time." With that, Karren suddenly woken up and the world took a moment to snap into view as he felt like he slept so hard that he slept for two years...

Time. It is the endlessly complex force of all of Creation that cannot ever be killed or destroyed. But somehow, it can be manipulated. Karren Myrsta had met his biggest fan of the club called the "Grand Undying," a mysterious club that centers around Karren Mrysta and his research into Balance Magic, a magic that transcends the magics of Voidal, Deity, and Dark, in the Dominion Square. Somehow, this biggest fan of his seemed to be knowledgeable of his past and what Karren would not realize was that this encounter would trigger a loop in Time where his biggest fan and himself were trapped in. Not even Balance Magic could manipulate this loop, but this had prompted Karren to delve back into his research into Balance Magic and keep trying to obtain this magic, but however that alone has come with dark costs. Once Balance Magic was released into Atlas by Karren Mrysta, he would not realize that researching such a powerful force of magic would place a curse upon his bloodline that would last all the way until the End of Time. For every firstborn child of his bloodline, they would slowly become a Balance Elemental and cannot revert back into Descendant form for extended periods of time. The Myrsta Bloodline would be cursed once Balance Magic was released. Starting with Karren Myrsta's own firstborn and the curse would not manifest until the child themselves achieved the highest possible tier in Balance Magic. Balance is Forever. --- "Sir, the boy's timeline has fluctuated!" a strange voice would say out into the depths of the Transcended Realms. A man in black robes and silvery hair with Emerald Green eyes would come walking towards the sound of the voice. He would seem to be extremely powerful, too powerful for the world of Atlas. He'd begin to speak with a neutral tone to the strange voice "How did it fluctuate?" "A strange wood elf spoke to him. It seemed to accelerate his timetable for researching the magic of Balance by at least a few elven weeks." the strange voice would reply. "Should we allow this change?" "Let it stay. If the Prince causes any more damage to Atlas, the boy will need the magic. Especially if it can grant him the ability to forge godslaying weapons." the black-robed man would say and then the scene would fade to black..... ---

Everybody lives. Everybody dies. Stories End. Stories Begin. Karren Myrsta felt the cold and unyielding grasp of the Reaper, living to tell the tale of the Regeneration to those he'd call friends. Feanor, Arwenia, Leolin, Ally moon, and even the Praetor himself were just a few people out of the many who began to hear the tale of the Regeneration and the man who rose from the cold icy grip of Death, wielding knowledge of the powers of the Dark Magics that govern over the dark creatures and users of the magic. He begun to see how death worked to fuel their spells and in many ways, this added to his already accumulating research on the new type of magic he wanted to try and learn. In this magic, the users of the magic are able to understand the balance between all things, living and not. They are able to pull the weaknesses and strengths of the various schools of magic, forging them into powerful spells that can be used to attack multiple enemies or even just one enemy at a time, forge barriers strong enough to keep enemies at bay, and even cast healing spells upon those who the caster deems an ally. Even then, with this magic, dangers come knocking. The question is if Karren can protect the one thing that was given back to him. Can he protect Karren's Ether?

"The boy. How has he progressed?" A strange figure would say. Strange sounds are heard throughout the cavern as if it was ethereal in origin, almost as if it was trapped between instances of time. This strange figure would seem to be extremely powerful, equal to that of a semi-divine as if the figure had ascended to their current position through Regeneration and acquiring the powers they have, though it seems that the rules of the world bind this figure to this ethereal plane, unable to ever interact with the mortal world. "He has been brought back to life, sire. Through the use of a Totem of Undying." A lingering voice would say from deep within the cavern, rough and masculine. "The boy still has no idea of his destiny and how he shall hold the power to unite two warring worlds. He should still be unable to realize this destiny for the time being." "Then he shall remain ignorant until such a time when Fate intervenes," the strange figure replied to the voice in the cavern, sighing a bit. "So, when will he begin his research on the magic?" "His research has already begun, sire. He has started making headway in such things and gathering the information he believes that shall help him learn of the magic." the voice replied. "He will still need to find his own way to knowing the magic." "That is left to the natural course of Time. For the time being, he shall enjoy this time he has because he is starting a new chapter in his life soon enough." the strange figure would say to the voice. "With the events that is to come, he will need to be prepared. There are dark days coming for the boy, even with the Prince spawned in Atlas." "Of course, sire. I shall update you further once the boy stops grieving for the fallen King of the Elvenesse." the lingering voice would say to the strange figure, sounding neutral in the matter. "A pity the King fell to a dwarf whose own power was corrupted and corroding to the Natural Timeline. The powers of messing with the natural balance of Life and Death can do that to anyone who wields its power, regardless of what magic or weapon the person wields..." the strange figure would say as the scene began to fade.... ((OOC Sidenote: These little Transitions between the chapters are meant to be told in this form in a way of personifying the OOC perspective between a mysterious figure and a mysterious voice that will hold no influence on the Realm of Atlas. It's a new concept of creative writing I'm working on to help with the personal story of Karren Myrsta and maybe even all of my characters on Lord of the Craft. I hope you guys enjoy the reading and perhaps I will make more Transitions and add more indepth storytelling...))

((The following takes place a few elven days after the events of "Breaking the Stasis")) Karren had never felt the rush of life being poured into his body before his regeneration with the Totem of Undying. He felt stronger, faster, and better than before, almost as if his whole life had been one of suffocation and pure denial of what he had been birthed to do. Ever since he had regenerated, he had lost his impure interests in the animal humanoid species and gained a more drastic taste for those of Elven descent, both male and female. He also felt his soul, mind, and body become ascended into something much more stronger and more powerful than a High Elf, though that would remain a mystery for a long time. Even without magic, he felt a strange energy surge through his body. This kind of magic would feel like a rush to Karren, like wildfire surging through his veins. Though Karren and all of Atlas would not be able to see or understand such power for a longer time. He began to use this newfound power and newfound life to gain more and more physical strength as well as become more and more agile, sometimes even practicing with his sword and crossbow on the new world of possibilities open to Karren with this newfound energy. Over the course of the elven days and the days following the Regeneration Event, Karren would exhaust himself every day practicing and perfecting his newfound combatant skills like the Event had given him what he lacked the most. The ability to survive. These signs of exhaustion would be him looking like hell as if he walked through the brimstone and fire of Hell itself, seeing the horrors of Iblees himself through his deathly cold gaze and survived to tell the tale. It is as if the Totem granted him what he missed the most, forcing the Regeneration and thus healing him back to life, but even with this Regeneration, it came with its costs. The Regeneration left him with a mark on his psyche that which set off would turn him from a person who is kind to a man who is brutal and murderous, ruthless as the LotC equal of Jack The Ripper. He would be also unable to forget what he had nearly done to himself and that would change him drastically. However, this Regeneration would also grant him more ammunition against mantel magic as well, giving him a more enhanced barrier, though it can still be easy to get through, in the form of a mental game that no mental mage would ever expect. A Game of Infinite Possibilities. A game of Time. For the time being, no one would expect that Karren Myrsta had changed so drastically and in so little time. However, if you were good enough at observation and could read the signs, you could be able to divine that Karren had not returned from near-death alone. He came back with something that in some way could change the course of History forever. Could it be magic? Could it be foreknowledge? Could it be a weapon? Could it be another personality? Or could it be something completely mysterious? Anyway, Karren would continue to serve in the Virarim and ascend the chain of command in his own time, regardless of the secrets of those who wish to see the Dominion fall that reside within his mind. His loyalties will be tested. His mind will be challenged. His will to survive will be forged. The Pure Regeneration has begun.

Sometimes it takes a mind to understand that everchanging tempest of Time. Other times, they are considered mad and insane. That is what Karren felt like as he continued to delve into the darkest recesses of his own mind and soul. The single moment where his own life had taken a darkened turn was lost to his own memory as he had been claimed by Death and revived by the monks of Cloud Temple over and over again to the point where his own soul felt heavy. He wanted so badly to stop the pain of his own soul from weighing him down that he would've resorted for the blissfulness of the Shades to possess him, but he felt some kind of magical barrier blocking him or even preventing him from gaining such magic as if his destiny was not to fall into the powers of Shade or to fall into the powers of Death and mortality, but of a far more deeper future. One meant to change the world of Atlas forever. Karren was not aware of the cold and hardened fury within his own soul, but a man who had stepped into the Darkness had seen such an unbridled and furious emotional tidal wave of dark emotions within the boy's own soul. He approached the boy many days past in the Dominion and there had begun the lies and deceit, showing Karren the powers of his own soul. His own Fractured Soul. Kindness and humbleness hid away his own darkened emotions and unrestricted coils of anger and wrath, but even the man who approached him was slowly and surely twisting the boy's nature from a kind and humble boy into a hardened warrior of the Shadows. A man whose own destiny was to follow orders and prepare to turn his own emotions and sorrow into powers unrestricted and almost deadly to those he saw as enemies. The future looked promising to the boy as he kept up the dream of Balance and those he had met begun to see a much happier boy who had the time on his hands to learn about the world around him. What everyone did not figure out at all was that this boy harbored what would become the fuel for a spell that would grant him the powers of those tortured and suffered. What would be the Bane of the Shades and used in mind-altering illusions and painful secrets too dark for any one man. Karren Myrsta held in his own soul The Shadowed Fury.

Karren Mrysta, after finally letting his soul become pure once more, has no idea that the corruption of the alternate personality has begun to surge through him like wildfire. Blackouts, sudden fits of weakness, exhaustion, and dreams of a man wielding light to defeat a dark godlike entity fill the young High Elf's dream world. He has felt his heart suddenly lurch back in time to before he was mentally fucked up by Arelion and Filanir, hiding his true soul's colors. His impurity has caused him to suddenly leave the Silver City and seek refuge in the Dominion, hoping that the natural magic of the Dominion can save his aching soul before it turns into a soul that is tainted by a force that can purge the ethereal soul's light and replace it with a cold blackness. Oblivion. Memories of the ancient personality have proven to be difficult for the young High Elf, giving him either strength fit for a warrior or the mindset of a person possessed by a shade. Wielding no magical powers of his own, he is unable to stop the onslaught of the darkness, making his soul blink in and out of existence. He prays that no mental mage descends into his mind and upset the already delicate balance between the light and the dark because if they do, they could teeter him into the pit of the dark Oblivion and risk losing him to his far darker emotions that even a Shade could not ever stop. However, in a singular page, Karren writes down the phrase "From Darkness unto Light" almost as if it is a key to locking away the corruption of Oblivion. The Soul's Ether is always the key....

Karren Mrysta, a pure High Elf of Haelun'or, walks along the docks of the Dominion and starts to speak to himself as he looks out to a beautiful sunset. No soft ticking was produced or any noise as he seemed to have lost his pocket watch some time ago. This was one of the rarest moments that made Karren shed the culture of the High Elves and even his own self to be someone he truly felt without restrictions. The mental Chain of Light started to become the Chain of Shadow as it rebound his anger, his fury, and his wrath into a darkened aura once more, keeping it locked away and far from any mental mages that would attempt to break it. As he gazed out to the sunset, he felt his emotions wash away as if he was purifying himself by bathing in the last lights of the sunset. "It is hard for many things to believe that they can do good," He'd say softly, smiling a small bit. "Even if they themselves were only meant to do evil. It is in their nature, I suppose, but I do owe a great thanks to Ravena and her little trick. Even if given enough time, I'd have a beautiful moment to myself and with its last light, I'd wash away my stress and my grief." He would then take in the warmth of the sunset, which to him, felt all the more refreshing for him mentally. It felt far more relaxing than bathing in the river or even meditating to the sounds of nature to imagine a perfect balance and attempt to understand time. It was this that sent Karren a happy smile as he finally felt like his mind was his own once more. "I cast you away, Kayen. You helped me so long ago that I believe it is time for me to grow up. To let nature take its course with me. I hope the afterlife is as kind to you as I was all this time," He'd say as he let go of his alternate personality, letting his mind fully reforge into his natural state as if it had no other personality inside of it. This had made Karren happy once more and he said softly to the dying embers of the sunset with one last thing before he walked off back into the main square. "Thank you Ravena. I forgive you."

*Posters would hang all over the shadiest places on Atlas* https://gyazo.com/b68cb6c25f6551ece68269f4e8087488 -=Dark Elfess Slave=- Skills: cooks sailor handy with the sword Auction starts at 300, buyout is 2000 -=Shes Desperate for a Husband=- Ends in One Saint hour

Copies of the Tome are sent to the Libraries of the Naelurir, of the Mother Grove, and to the druii of the Maelstrom for all that wish to read them. They are marked with the Circle of the Emerald Way. The Tome of Strife Writings of Sister Hurricane “To will change upon the self is to change the world. Only through will can all balance be attained.” - The Axiom of Will, Teachings of Sister Hurricane I. The Absence of Understanding The Lord and Lady have blessed you with eyes to see and ears to hear, and a whole world to experience. Yet we remain blind and deaf to most of it. I remain blind, despite teachings that were meant to open my eyes and help me see the world for what it was. We consider it a great tragedy when one falls to darkness, when they stray away from the teachings of the order, and when they fall into hands that turn them to violence and disparity. Many of our students are failing, falling to darkness in their belief continuously. Those that remain follow blindly to their teachers, like sheep, unable to think past the surface of druidism. Most haven't thought yet to dive in. We are missing something within our teachings. Missing a piece that keeps the ambitious prodigies away from darkness, and a piece that allows others to break their chains and to be free from the slavery of secular thought. The teachings of our order, I find, ignore the dark of the world. They preach only the light, and are blind for it. I have sought the contrast myself, the dark to compliment the light, not to oppose it. I will not tell what I have learned here, only that the current teachings do not hold all of the answers you need. By learning what they have not taught me, I have seen what makes us weak. If you are to truly understand, then you too must seek this contrast, not adherence to this single ideal. To believe in an ideal is to be willing to betray it, to look where it may forbid you to go. It is a lesson of strength. If you do believe in an ideology, then find its opposite, so that you may reinforce it by correcting its flaws. Become what strengthens an ideology, not a slave to it by following it dogmatically. Without this contrast, we are but marionettes, tangled in the strings of weaknesses in our ideologies. II. The Value of Struggle and Self Reliance Pure benevolence weakens the self, and those to whom it is cast upon. Do not roam the world, dispensing pity and self sacrifice unto others. By giving others the chance to fight their own struggles, internally and externally, we give them the chance to cultivate their own will. Do not be a thief in the night, stealing strength from others where you would mask it with benevolence. If you truly wish to help another, recognize the value in letting them cultivate their strength and will through their struggles. When they triumph, their victory will be far greater than it would be if you would help them. Through your own struggles, cultivate this inner will, and you will find the path to balance. Create a strict reliance on yourself, rather than your connection to the balance, to the thing you protect. Too many druids of our age focus on honing their gifts to better serve the lord and lady above on this earth. I ask you, strip them of their gifts, and what do they become? Only empty shells, incapable of enacting their duty to the balance without the gifts of the aspects. And that is no true disciple of the balance. Without will, we are nothing. This brings us to a fundamental question: If a druid loses her powers, is she still a druid? The way you would answer would depend on your view. If you say no, you believe inherently that only those with the gifts can make a difference in this world, and you are wrong. The devout, druii without gifts, are simply those with greater will. With the proper will, everything can be changed, such is the nature of will itself. Druidism is something greater than simply gifts. Those that would choose death over a life without their gifts are those whose wills are weak, and were unworthy of them in the first place. III. The Nature of Life and Death The Mother above creates and cares for life throughout the world, and spreads it over the land. Helps it grow, nurtures it. Heals it. Guides it. The energy of life exists through all living things. Tt surrounds us, penetrates us. It binds the world together, and unifies it all. It is fluid, like the water that carries it. This is known. Death does not exist. This life created by the mother never leaves this world, it merely passes from vessel to vessel. The fallen elk feeds the grasses, and the prey feeds the predator. On and on the cycle moves, life being poured from vase to vase. It holds many different shapes and forms, but at its core, all forms are simply life. We are no exception to this. It is because of this that the role of the father is oft misunderstood, however. He is not death, nor is he the hunt. His name is strength, not for his ability to take life, or hold mastery over it. But for his power to move the energies of life from one vessel to the next. It is from his will that the balance exists. It is from his own will that life moves from vessel to vessel, never stagnating, never finding stillness. It is due to this change that life is truly precious, and each form just as valuable as the last. So where do we lay among all of these vessels? Where does our power come from? We cannot define ourselves by our ability to take life, to control it even or possess it. To do so is to have nothing, truly. Death does not exist, and if you define yourself by your ability to usher it, your strength is as fleeting as grains of sand in the wind. But if we define ourselves by our ability to will great change in the world, to move and change the vessels of life as Cernunnos does? That is true strength, lliran. This is what the focus of druii should be. Cultivating the will to usher change. IV. Facing Conflict I speak much against a neutral stance, and this much holds true. One should always act when they have the opportunity to, and when there is greater suffering in the world. But I have not always been clear on what it is to act on, or how one should carry themselves. In my life, I have been through many struggles of my own, and this is the view I have learned thus far, and it is the view I shall give unto the Emerald Way, that others may find a better way to approach their problems. Live your life, and act with great respect and wisdom, for you must be a beacon of change for the world, a fount of knowledge and veneration. Without strong principles to guide us through our own morality, what then can we enact our will from? A principled life, one with a strong basis for which we act is the only life worth living. But what is principle without the perspective to see the world around you as it is? Through rigorous meditation we gain clearer perspective, and can find the solution to any problem. When on your journey through life, take one step at a time, look up from your feet and observe the living world around you. Speak to all you may meet and soak in all the details you can, learn what comes to you. Life is to be savored, taken slowly. Rashness is the path toward greater suffering. Will. Principle. Perspective. These are the three great values that the Emerald Way promotes. Through these values, act with a tempered and clear mind, and seek always to see more than what you are shown. From these values, we find the strength to change anything in this world. Even destiny. V. The Place of Gifts and Tools I have said before, the druids rely on the gifts far too much. It overtakes their being, and in some cases, druids cannot function in day to day life without the use of their gifts. It becomes a crutch, one that would leave a druid crippled without it. Such deep rooted dependency is something to be avoided, something to be shut down and moved away from. And even in our divine mission, many rely entirely on this aspect-given gift to do our work. Without them, I don’t doubt that many would fail in their mission, that they would cease to protect the balance without their precious gifts. And I sense an even more sinister plot. That many druids are here only for the power that they may receive from the gifts. Devotion is a scarce thing to see these days, true devotion to the lord and lady above. Many druids fall, and when they lose their gifts, they simply move onto something else that may give them the power they seek to enact their wills. Give many of the druids of the order only silence, and you will truly see who follows the aspects. But you may see this as me having a negative view of the gifts, which cannot be further from the truth. I have only a negative view of druids that rely on such gifts, that depend on them, sometimes to the extent of needing them to live. Such reliance is weakness, and weakens the order as a whole. However, the gifts themselves are not to blame. We have many tools at our disposal to aid us in our mission of preserving the balance of life. Our mind, our physical strength, our charisma, our words, and yes, our gifts. The gifts are but one singular tool with many uses, just like the other tools. You do not need the gifts in order to protect the balance, just like you do not need the gifts in order to be a druid. To believe that one must have the gifts in order to carry out our divine mission is vanity, don’t you see it? I would rather a devout person without gifts that protects the balance to the best of their ability rather than a druid who uses their gifts for personal gain, or one that seeks personal power. The Order should enforce teachings of these inherent tools that we already possess, and their uses in protecting the balance, rather than preparing them to rely on their gifts. Teaching students that only their new power can preserve the balance is a dangerous and self destructive way of thinking, and is the reason behind many of the greatest failings of our order. There is a silent lust for power within our teachings, I think, and we are utterly blind to it. Always, the next step in learning is to master a new gift. At least, this is what I have seen in the world. There is a great flaw in this method.

Copies of the Tome are sent to the Libraries of the Naelurir, of the Mother Grove, and to the druii of the Maelstrom for all that wish to read them. They are marked with the Circle of the Emerald Way. The Tome of Two Balances Writings of Sister Hurricane “To will change upon the self is to change the world. Only through will can all balance be attained.” - Teachings of Sister Hurricane, the Axiom of Will I. Morality as Inner Balance On yesterday's eve, I witnessed a sight most common, though for some unknown reason, it struck me strange. An elk was torn into by a beast, and ripped into, to eat. A common occurrence, yes, this is known. Tis’ the way of nature, the beasts eat the common gazelle, and so on. The predator eats the prey, and the prey feeds on what it can. There is no evil in it, the predator must eat as much as the prey, and the prey must eat what it can. There is only survival in it. The predator feels naught for devouring its prey, nor does the prey when it grazes upon the grasses, despite life being taken from the world. Such is the unseen way of all natural life. Life passes on and on and through each moving piece of it. There is no evil or good in the natural balance, only what is and what survives. Such also is the way of druidism, our gifts are given without thought of good and evil, but with only this delicate balance of the cycle of life in mind. Druids are expected to be as neutral as nature in this sense, are we not? It is the duty of druids to correct the balance, wheresoever it may be corrupted, without heed for borders. It is our duty to correct it, we must. We have been charged by the aspects above to do our sacred duties, and the order has decided we must do it this way, completely neutrally. But this charge ignores a most fundamental principle of our life as descendants, of how we have grown and developed to live with morality, to have the sense of good and evil, and all in between. It is what makes us what we are, it is what gives us our humanity, and this makes us truly and beautifully unique. We are not a part of this balance the aspects have created for us, but we surely live with it. Though, to attempt to live without morality, to attempt to live neutrally and strive to think as the aspects do, without heed of what is good and evil, this is unnatural of our own being. It makes us only as simple as the beasts and prey that are in the balance we seek so desperately to protect. We cannot, and we should not deny what we are, how we think, but we must find a balance of our own, and look over the balance of nature with a sense of right and wrong. To live along with both the balance and the descendants, separately, yet together. In this, we are allowed to exercise our sense of right and wrong and do our duty to protect the balance with great strength. It is not the nature of men to keep out of everything. One would say it distracts us from our duty, to say, be a part of a nation. This is not the case, I don't think. I might even say it better allows us to perform our duties. While we cannot live as neutral, we are able to do our best to spread what is good, and what is just. It is of the utmost importance that druids maintain strong ties to the world they live in and protect, they cannot fly above it all. Neutrality is a disease that leaves men weak, and staggeringly alone, as many beasts are. Fellow priests of the balance, I say to you. Do not catch the disease of neutrality. Hone your sense of right and wrong, fight always for the path of good for you and your people. Do not become unnatural men, stripped of all sense of what is good or evil in the world. In morality, we find our strength together. Apathy is a fate worse than death, for even a rotting corpse feeds new life. II. Will Within Balance We are inherently separate from the thing we protect so dearly, as druii. The balance consists of life around us, the seen and hidden movements of nature ever moving in a circle around us. The birds and trees die out, but there is ever a forest standing, no? Songbirds fill the air, do they not? We are ever surrounded by life, yet death lurks and strikes here and there. No matter how oft or how heavy death’s strikes may be, life ever moves on. Many druii take our duty to protect the balance as a sign that the world is weak. It is the opposite indeed, for the balance of the world knows a will far greater than our own. Life will find a way, no matter how damaged it may be. We druii exist only as a means of preserving the balance’s state, and correcting it where we find imbalance. Yet as I say, we are inherently separate from the balance of the world. Instead, we hold a force of our own within, potentially even equal to this primordial balance of the world. The balance of the self. The Emerald way is, at its core, the way of two balances. One cannot neglect this balance of the self when protecting the balance of the world, for it is far more fragile, and far weaker. This balance, in a way, is even more important than that which the druii are sworn to protect. With this separation from the balance of the world, the circle of life is entirely indifferent to us, to our very being. We have little sway over it, though many druids seem to rely on it for their source of strength. They use their gifts frivolously, and have grown dangerously dependent on them. They fail to realize that to rely on their gifts to protect the balance is dangerous, and leaves men weak. No man or woman can hope to fully control this primordial force, and they are left with atrophied bodies, defenseless without their gifts. They fail to realize that true strength comes from within, and that in order to change the balance, and protect it, we must cultivate our own will to match the strength of the world’s will. While faith is important, true strength is drawn from our own volition; The power to use your will, which is equally important as obtaining power itself. Never live for the sake of another, or an ideology. Live for yourself, and no other. With that, we empower ourselves to carry out the will of the aspects, to protect the balance. III. The Nature of Will A man can change everything if he is willing to sacrifice for it. The greatest sacrifices require the strongest wills, And we must give much for the salvation of this world. In the beginning, we have nothing. Our privilege is the dirt. In such darkness, our will guides us to light Perspective pierces the veil of dark. Our birthright is our failings, and the pain we suffer. When darkness comes, we can rely on no other to face it for us. Only in our willpower can balance be attained. IV. Beings of the Present Self The balance does not, nor can it be made to be still for long. All things move until they pass on, and even then their energies move ever forward into other forms, other vessels that will move on and on. And from movement, movement is born, ever arching outward. You, druii, are no exception to this commotion. We constantly expend our energies in creating islands of quiet within our lives, trying to still the waves that march ever onward, yet it cannot last. Time encroaches, it consumes all things. Fling yourself to the waves of life, druii, engage in the here and now, and you will find that the key to living is your own will. The will to see life for its flaws, and the will to better it, to create your own waves. One cannot focus on the waves that have long since passed, the echoes of feelings you once felt. The past does hold merit in giving us its teachings, but from there, move on. It holds nothing for you. Let the past die, and use what you have learned to shape your present. With the lessons of the past, we can focus on dealing with what is here and now, with the waves that crash over us. Use what you have learned to enact your will, and shape the waves around you. And perhaps prevent a tidal wave from overwhelming you in the future by dispersing it before it happens. By changing your destiny. There is no lasting stillness. It is impossible. Accept this. Know it in your bones. Watch the world happening around you, and through your will, forge your own echoes, your own cadence in this world. Live in the moment, and your will can shape the future. V. The Balance of the Self My words earlier in these pages were far too simple, I’m afraid, for they leave out a great deal in seeking to express the point, but they failed to truly explain my deeper meaning. Earlier, I stated that the balance within consists of the will to act on the sense of good and evil. Though I do not refute that, I’m afraid that the truer meaning of the inner balance is lost on such words. Good and evil are a point of view, different to each person. I have found better words to explain such a dichotomy. Instead of viewing the inner balance as the senses of good and evil, replace such words with selfishness and selflessness. To act for the self, and to act for others. This opens the situations to all by providing a common meaning. You cannot have one without the other in life. Pure selfishness only harms others, and amassing your own power can lead you to enact your desires. Instead, one must use the powers gained from selfishness to act selflessly in life. To sacrifice for the good of others, and of the balance. But beware, lliran. Pure selflessness is just as destructive as pure selfishness. Benevolence for the sake of benevolence leaves you in a worse position than when you started, it weakens you and sacrifices your own strength to help. In addition, it robs others of their struggles, their own opportunities to learn and gain their own strength. Never sacrifice your own strength to rob another of their struggles. As I said before. Recognize the value in letting people fight their own battles, and they will be all the stronger for it. Selfishness for the sake of selflessness- this is how we can protect the balance. By enacting our own will through this, we have the strength to alter the balance and preserve it. This inner balance is not inherent to druids, or even the balance that they protect. It is inherent to the descendants, this ability to act in selfishness and selflessness. It is where inner strength is drawn, the will to enact change upon the world. Such a principle applies to all aspects of life, and so it is important that druids hone their will to act on this sense. A druid who has mastered their ability to act on this sense will go far. A soldier who has mastered it will find his enemies falling before him. A farmer who has mastered it will know only bountiful harvests. It applies to all paths through life. If we cannot find the strength to act on this and hold balance in our sense of selfishness and selflessness, how then can we hope to protect the primordial balance of the world? We cannot.

//Loyal High Elf slave.// Starting Price: 500Minimum bid:500Buy out price: 1500Ending time: 1 hour after the post was made

Looking to RP as a Dark Elf. Need someone to make me a skin. PM for details about money and such, but I basically want a skin that looks like Leo Bonhart, except as a D-Elf. Referance:

Naivara Amakiir - Lady of the forest MORE INFORMATION WILL BE ADDED AS TIME GOES ON | NAME INFORMATION | | Current Full Name | Naivara Amakiir | Nick Names | * Vara * Kiir | Titles | * None | Traits | * Naivara Feels far more comfortable around animals then people. After leaving her family to explore the fast open world, she has quickly learned that peoples values and actions are that of mindless animals, and had quickly taken to the company of the forest creatures. * Naivara remembers things very easily, and does not take kindly to insults thrown at her. She hold grudges fairly easily. *Don't expect Naivara to trust so easily into you when only just meeting, she is very wary of other races besides the wooden elves. | Zodiac | Cancer | Age | 109 Years of age | Age she appears | Early to mid 20's | PHYSICAL INFORMATION | | Race | Wood Elf | Gender | Female. | Build | A small and slender young lady with subtle curves. | Height | 4'9" | Weight | 11Olbs | Hair Details | Naivara has Dark red stands that fall well past her shoulders, and is usually left free to blow in the winds. She rarely pins it up,but when she does its usually when battle is on the horizon. | Eye Details | Her eyes are a light emerald hue that almost shines when the suns rays pierce them just right. | Skin Tone | She has spent a lot of time outdoors, so her skin is a nice light tan all the way around. | Scares and Tattoos | * * | Clothing | Naivara has the usual clothing from her people, including some spare shirts and undergarments. Nothing special. | PERSONAL INFORMATION | | Character Strengths | * Naivara has a very strong will, and will try and try again before giving up on something or someone. * She is very loyal to the friends and family she cares about, though you have to get her to trust you first. * Flexibility is no issue for Naivara, physically and mentally. She can get out of some pretty tight situations. | Character Weakness's | * She has very deep trust issues, and it will take a lot to get her to accept you as a friend or acquaintance. * Despite her will to see the lighter side of things, she always turns to violence before communication. * To top everything off she hides her shyness with a harsh temper, and when in situations she deems you not a threat she will shy her speech unless addressed. Once she becomes accustom to you though she has no issue voicing her opinion. | Religion | * Growing up as a wood elf she prayed daily to the goddess Cerridwen. | Fears | * Naivara has a strong fear of water, and will only swim if her life is in the balance of death. | Primary | *Naivara is very distant to people, but when she makes friends she fears loosing them. She does not want to be alone. | Mild | *Death is always a fear on her mind, but in the end she knows everything dies. She is scared but accepting. | Lesser | | Sexuality | Heterosexual. | Marital Status | * Single | Personal details | * Naivara, though later in life, wishes to have children. | 1-2 | * She is mainly attracted to the opposite sex, and only in certain races. | humans / elves | * It will take a lot more to try and whoo her if you are any other race listed. * * | BACKGROUND INFORMATION | | Home Locations | * Her only real home is Laureh'Lin * She has no other home location yet. | Past Jobs | * None | Current Job(s) | * None at the moment. | Mother | Keyleth Amakiir | Father | Quarion Amakiir | Pets | * Name - Species - Rank * * | Companions | * Name - Race - Rank | Pet/Companion/People Deaths | * Name - Race - How - When | Languages | * Elvish - Fluent - Main Language *Common - Mostly Fluent - Secondary Language *Dwarvish - Knows some - Rarely used | Alignment | * Chaotic Good | PREFERENCE DETAILS | | Favored | Person: * She dislikes most people at the moment Foods: * vegetables * Breads * Sweets Drinks: * Herbal teas * Water * Some forms of Alcohol Locations: * Any peaceful forest * Laureh'Lin * Personal Activities: * Drawing * Reading * Practicing her archery and swordsmanship Animal: Wolf Color: Red | Distasting | Person: * Foods: * Lots of meat * Raw anything Drinks: * Heavy Alcohol Locations: N/A Activitys: * Killing without a cause Animals: N/A Color: Overly dark colors | INVENTORY DETAILS | In Use - Inactive - Destroyed * Name - Item - Details | RELATIONSHIPS | Loved - Trusted - Close - friends - Acquaintance - Neutral - Distrusted - Enemy's - Hated * Name - Race - Relationship - Rank - Details

I'm looking for somebody who can skin a female dark elf. The character is about 5 or 6 years old, and she has white hair and red eyes. She will be wearing blue robes.

Vailon Hel’Spire ---<General Information>--- Name: Vailon Hel’spire Gender: Female Race: Dark Elf Age: 21 Other Names: Vail, Valior, Titles: None ---<Personal Information>--- Birth date: ??? Birth Place: Somewhere outside of San’Torr Likes: Alcohol, Friends, Lich’s, Racial Equality Dislikes: Racistem, betrayal ---<Mental Information>--- Languages: Common Tongue Alignment: Lawful Chaotic Hoppies: ---<Social Information>--- Emotional Stability: Mostly very stable can take almost everything you throw at her, that’s a almost though. Sense of Humor: Very sarcastic, Sometimes dark. Reputation: N/A ---<OOC Information>--- Goals: I wish too Vailon have a very intense rivalry with her sister. Also sometime be turned into a Lich, Pale Knight, or a Golem and lead a undead legion. Very odd and hard goal but it’s a bit different then my usual personas . Username: Apolleyen Skype: Rivside Talrift