An Elven Tale - ''Not Your Average Elves''

Not Your Average Elves

Kaaldar's life as a Dark Elf was fairly unexceptionable. Oh, not that he'd let anyone in on the secret. One learns early to keep their mouth shout about shortcomings in a nation of Proud People. No one is prouder than a Dark Elf. The strength of one's virtue can only be matched by the strength of one's self esteem. Of course, all this self esteem must be earned. Blowhards are not easily tolerated, either.
Still, Kaaldar had not done much to brag about. It was enough that he'd chosen the mild profession of Enchanter and dared to merely be an agnostic, rather than have the Tierdal god Innoruuk power his spells. Innoruuk had gotten a really nasty rep in the outside world, considered evil and all about hate. He wasn't really about HATE, but the Dark Elves didn't do much to counter this misrepresentation, as it only made them seem more intimating to the 'whitey eye'.
Intimation in a battle was very useful. And battles, the 'inkies' had aplenty of. Battles were fine, for they did much to fuel the 'fury' all Dark Elves needed to assert their adulthood. But oddly, Kaaldar hadn't felt much fury. Really, he hadn't felt ANY fury. Of course, he kept very quiet about this. He in no way wanted to be considered soft, like the High Elves from whom the Tierdal had been been formed.
The tale in the Outside world was that Innoruuk had kidnapped the High Elven prince and princess. Oh, kidnapped he did, at first, as they were not willing, at first, to be part of his 'evil' plan. Really, Innoruuk had seen the High Elves were indeed the finest race on Norrath, with the highest combined wisdom and intelligence. But what wimps! What exceedlingly weak asswipes! With a little conditioning, they could be improved upon and be made 'the master race'.
The 'conditioning' was regarding in the Outside world as torture, of course. But if you believe the Tierdal reports, the two young royalty gradually became very grateful for the changes that had been wrought in them, finding themselves so much more powerful than they'd ever been before. Alas, as they 'begat and begat' and a nation was formed, they were puzzled to discover the Outside world was not similarily impressed with them. Hated and feared, they were, and of seemingly little reason. Still, they WERE the brightest, strongest, AND fiercest. The rest of Norrath were simply jealous.
Still, what of the rage young Kaaldar had not managed to find? He hid his softness as well as he could. What softness he did allow show was better used for popularity with certain men. He had learned early the ways of pleasing a man, and what faction he'd garnered in Neriak was by use of these skills.
Nearly all the guards were glad to see him, and beckoned him to them for 'a little quiet time'. Kaaldar made the best use of these skills, and kept quiet his distress at not feeling much of a man himself. Perhaps in the future, something would change.
Something WOULD change, and soon, but Kaaldar had no inkling of it yet, the day he left the Nektulos forest and wandered out into the larger 'Outside' world. Shocklingly bright, the East Commonlands were, neighboring the Human city of Freeport on its eastern border, by contrast with the darkly lit Nektulos forest.
We'll leave young Kaaldar here, agap at all the colorful sights and sounds of a noisy, busy Commonlands.
Meanwhile, young Chloe had recently ventured to the Commonlands after a long journey from the Faydwer continent. Her High Elven home, Felwithe, lie there, and all the world she had grown up in was there. The bustling world of East Commonlands with all its commerce was a little bit noisy and loud to her. Still, she was there, like so many others, hoping to make a purchase herself. As a young magician, she was fairly well outfitted, and had achieved a fairly respectable intelligence, yet if she had a certain magical crystalline waistbelt, her intelligence would be greater. More intelligence means greater firepower, which is so important to survival.
She'd been a very studious student of Magic, and could summon all sorts of useful things very easily. Still, she'd never felt totally at ease in her society. There was something different about her, and it was not easily concealed.
''That girl's got a wild streak,'' the elders would say. And truth be known, she did. Chloe had a bit of a temper, far more than is proper for a High Elf to display. And she did display it, far too often to other's displeasure. She was given to strong desires and strong tastes, in a world that seemed mild and tame by contrast.
Still, she could not help who she was. She muddled along as best she could, TRYING not to battle with her sister and parents. Really, she tried. She couldn't help that they were so aggravating at times. Neither, could they, she supposed.
Meanwhile, that quiet Felwithian world was far behind her now, as she tarried among all the shouting and auctioning, placing her hopes of a special belt out there with all the other auctions.
Something, however, seemed magical about this night. The moon seemed fuller, bigger. The air seemed charged with a delicious energy she'd not felt before. Her very skin prickled with excitement. What could this portend? She would soon find out.