It is the height of spring. The southern edge of the Great Northern Wilderness teams with life as the colossal forest blooms with flora and fauna. Among this ballet of natures beauty, on the edge of the Disputed Territory, sits a small human town called Howlsburg. This proud settlement boasts four gates surrounded by a two-story, thick, wooden palisade. Howlsburg’s gem is the six story stone keep that towers over all the other buildings. The keep is home to General Grey, a decorated hero of the Eastern Territory’s Confederate Army, and the 1500th cavalry, a military unit whose tenacity and furiousness has earned them a reputation on both sides of the Disputed Territory. Every spring, Howlsburg joyously greets ever increasing numbers of settlers and adventurers that would make the frontier their new home.
Krimp, A Wolfen adolescent, passes through the northern gate of a human border town called Howlsburg. The city marks the southern edge of the disputed territory. This is his first encounter with humans. After the horror stories he has been told of these strange furless creatures; it is a feat of great courage… or stupidity that has brought him this far. What compels Krimp to venture from the beautiful Great Northern Wilderness to the perilous Disputed Territory? Perhaps even he does not know the great power that now shapes his destiny. As he reaches the center of town marked by the town’s main fountain and a small local bazaar, he sees a pair of familiar faces in the crowded market place! The two Wolfen trappers that he had met on the road a few days back are in thick haggling with a human farmer.
About this time, Devanaht Lithandor, barely an adult by elf standards, is approaching the southern gate of the last sliver of civilization before the Disputed Territory, it’s a place called Howlsburg. Devin, as he is called back home, has traveled far with the wild ambition of reclaiming the glories of the ancient elven empire. He is momentarily sidetracked by the sight of an oddity he had both hoped and feared seeing… massive creatures… three of them… just standing there! He sees three large wolfen, two at least 10 feet tall if they weren’t hunched over, and a third smaller one at least a head and half taller then Devin. He can not resist a closer look.
As Devin steps closer and Krimp listens intently to the haggling, two brown robed humans begin to enter the city square but are assaulted by a black robed human. A verbal confrontation begins between these people that seem to belong to differing religious groups. The black robed man is obviously the aggressor as the two brown robed men attempt to leave the situation. The monk in black yells, “The worst part of all is you’re a good for nothing LIAR!” At this taunt, one of the brown robed monks flings off his robe. The mostly naked loin cloth and sandal wearing monk unveils a thin but muscular frame. What is even more shocking then the little monk’s physique is the shoulder to shoulder scaring that spells out “The Truth is The Way”. Krimp suddenly notices several other black robed men with curved daggers have positioned themselves behind the brown clad clerics in an attempt to ambush them. Krimp though normally soft spoken feels compelled to help these strangers. He shouts “Behind you!” and runs to put himself between the brown robed clerics and their black robed assailants. Devin cocks an arrow on his bow hoping a few well placed warning shots will defuse the brawl. Krimp uses his powerful kick to take one of the black robed men out of the fight early. Devin gets careless with his warning shots and puts an arrow in one of the black robed men’s hip. The brown robed monks are ample fighters and make short work of the remaining cultists! By now the town guard has assembled and is all too quick to blame the wolfen for all the trouble.
“That is an enough!” a bellowing voice comes from behind the mob of guards surrounding the monks, Krimp, and Devin. As everyone turns they see a thirteen foot tall, three foot wide at the shoulders man covered in thick brown fur with the head of a bear. He was clothed in white robes with a hooded mantle all trimmed in golden thread, priestly robes it seemed. Around his neck laid slung a large gold medallion that depicted the face of a beautiful human woman crowned with a war-helmet. “Let’s go.” He motioned to the brown robed monks to follow him. They in turn waved to Krimp and Devin to also follow. Behind all of them the guards shouted warnings to the Bearman priest these street brawls would no longer be tolerated.
The Bearman lead them to a one story wooden temple. Inside were a dozen pews and in the very back opposite the door as a stone alter. Behind the alter towered a 18 foot white marble statue of a human woman of almost elven beauty wearing a gold helmet and holding a half drawn great sword of gold. Her expression was that of one who is about to administer cold yet righteous justice. He healed his monks and thanked Krimp and Devin for lending their aid. He introduced himself as Shgri Uraista priest of the temple of Rurga the Warrior Goddess of Truth.
Krimp has never met a Bearman but knows they are often allies of the Wolfen. He feels he can confide in the priest. He tells Shgri Uraista that he is seeking information on a something called Kym-nak-mar. It is a word that has entered his mind since childhood and he is driven to find out what it means and why he knows it. Shgri Uraista tells Krimp that Kym-nak-mar is the name of an ancient god of virtue and good, one of the dragon gods, who sacrificed himself to defeat the vile Old Ones and helped free the universe from their tyranny. Shgri Uraista told Krimp that he has never heard of any of the gods of that age calling someone to their service in our times. He blessed Krimp in his quest and advised both he and Devin to stay with Elliot, an elderly elf that lives in a solitary house beyond the town. The Bearman explains that the black robed men were followers of the Cult of Set, a snake worshiping death cult. They would look to pay you back, especially strangers that the authorities would not really miss, by offering you up as sacrifice to their dread god of darkness. Elliot would be able to protect you for the night. Krimp and Devin took their leave of the kind priest of Rurga and headed straight to Elliot’s.
After exiting Howlsburg by the eastern gate, Devin and Krimp find the over grown path that leads southeast into the woods. About two miles from town, they come to a huge clearing at least three hundred yards in diameter. A dilapidated two story house rests in the exact center of the clearing. The pair cautiously ascends the creaky porch steps. Krimp begins knocking on the door. Devin notices a sign posted between the door and a first story window that reads in several different languages “There is nothing in this house, which is worth your life.” Devin ponders the purpose of such a sign as Krimp impatiently knocks again. Suddenly on the other side of the door the sound of a dozen different types of locks seem to be unlocking. The door slowly slides open and an ancient elf coldly stares out of the darken door way. “What is it?” says the elderly elf sternly.
Krimp states they are looking for an elf named Elliot and that they had been sent by Shgri Uraista. The elf asks them inside. Devin notices the blood stained apron that the old elf quickly removes and discards as they enter. The strike contrast of the inside of the house compared to the outside is mind boggling. The inside is immaculately clean and every piece of furniture appears to be a priceless antique. Elliot shows them to a study. He asks them to stay here as he finishes up what he was working on. He slides the double doors of the study close and locks the small door lock from the outside. Again they hear sound of a dozen different types of locks seem to be unlocking but not coming from the front door, instead it sounds as if it is towards the middle of the house.
After several hours, Devin and Krimp get to talking about one another’s quests. They look at the strange books ranging in subject from summoning, the elf dwarf wars, philosophy, histories of the world, demonology, magic wards and symbols, to elementals.
Elliot returned and took up a seat. He began asking them questions as to why they came to his home and where they were going. At first the pair was stand-offish. Elliot then reached into his pocket and pulled out a long stem pipe decorated like a happy dragon. He puffed on the pipe and as the room filled with smoke. Both Krimp and Devin felt more at ease. They started to notice that Elliot seemed more trustworthy, kind, and caring, like a grandfather they never had. They gave intimate details of their past and hopes for the future. Elliot pondered as Krimp spoke of dreams and visions, of the name Kym-nark-mar, and thirst to find out what it all means. Elliot listen as Devin conveyed his ideas of reclaiming the elven empire’s past glory. After some deep thoughtful puffs on his dragon pipe Elliot advised the pair to travel to The Library of Bletherad. “It is the greatest library in the world. You will find the knowledge you need to succeed with in it’s walls.”
Elliot tells them to remain in the study for the night. He can not insure their safety if they wander the house at night. He locks them in again but this time they hear scratching sound against the door as if Elliot was carving something into the door. Then they hear a small spill as if he pours something on the door and it splatter to the floor. Next they see a red glow shine through the edges around the double doors and softly fade away. Lastly, they hear the slow foot falls of the age elf moving further back into the house across his creaking wooden floor.
A little to wired to go right to sleep Devin and Krimp decide to look around the study some more. Krimp finds a large 18'x18' map. It looks like a very large island. There are words in elvish however, he can not read them. He knows they are journeying to an island and perhaps this is it. Devin sees him pondering over this map and comes over to assist. Devin reads the captions and legends. He is surprised at the detail and scope of the map. He points to a small ink blot to the far right of the map and explains that spot is their island destination. This map is of the known world, The Pangaea that makes up all of Palladium. Krimp is astonished. He literally can not comprehend that his journey from his tribe lands to Howlsburg is not a fingernail in length on this map. He pulls a large arm chair over and stares intently at the map. He slowly droops in the chair and dreams of far away places. Devin decides some light reading from one of the dust tombs on elementals will help lull him to sleep. It is mostly a non-magical text except in the margins of the book it appears someone has written notes and there are some diagrams that may be circles for summoning. Devin pays little attention to them, however his keen elven mind can not help but to file a few tidbits of info away. He eventually falls a sleep on the large chaise lounge.
Devin awakens in the morning to Elliot standing over him look rather stern and holding a large dried leaf. Before Devin can say anything, "I know you saw my sign out front. Since you are my kin and I truly feel you did not intend to steal anything from me, I am giving you this option. Carefully chewing then swallowing this rare leaf will erase the last 12 turns of the hour glass from your mind. Any information out of my study you may have accidentally stolen will be erased. Or you can stay here in my house... for the rest of your life… as short as it would be. Which is it than?" Devin gently takes the leaf from Elliot and begins chewing the foul tasting herb. Krimp wakes with a monstrous yawn, unaware of the exchange between the two elves.
Devin and Krimp head out from Elliot's to the northeast to visit the Seahawk Wolfen Tribe in hopes to get passage on one of their long boats to the island of Y-Oda and the great Library.
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