 Posted:
Sat Jun 19, 2004 6:14 pm |
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Ladies and gentlemen, I have for you today what many would call a legend, a myth. Some others may call it pure fantasy or the meanderings of a demented mind, but I swear to you, upon all that I hold dear and anything that you happen to hold dear, there is nothing truer.
To set your mind in the proper place you must reach back over the decades. Picture a time almost a century ago when Heroes still walked the beaten paths of Man. Before the cataclysm, when the moon elves of fabled Tarach’Knor from deep beneath the earth first fled to their treetop homes is the time of which I speak.
In those days, travelers and adventurers from all across the realm flocked to the gentle elven wood to gaze upon its beauty and reflect in its quiet splendor. It was a reprieve from the violent world without, a calm eye in the brutal storm that was life at that time. Of course, it was not long until the clash of steel again plagued the folk of Tarach’Knor and blood dripped from the graceful boughs. Adventurers can be cruel, even heroic ones. All of this is immaterial, however. I wish to speak to you of the greatest enigma the realm has ever known. I want to tell you about the King of the Elves.
Travelers in the area started returning with news of a voice from the leaves, a voice claiming to be the King of the Elves and Lord of all their domain. They brought their tales to the most widely-traveled adventurers and questioned the wisest sages. Yet none of them knew a thing about any king of all elf kind.
This continued, and many of the forest’s visitors would be told in no uncertain terms to leave. Or else, they would be mocked for their lack of grace in battle, how poorly they gripped their swords. Small hardships occasionally befell the hunting parties, but no one saw hide nor hair of the body behind the voice of the Kind of the Elves.
No one knew what to make of it and no elf would claim to know anything of any such king. Elves are a mysterious people, though. Finally it came to pass that an elder mage of great knowledge and skill sought to find the truth for once and all. He came to the wood all bespelled and enchanted, searching the treetop walkways and speaking into the leaves, awaiting an answer. Eventually, he got one. And to his incredible surprise, found himself belt-to-face with not an elf, but a halfling.
“You seek the King of the Elves, Sir Mage? If so, you have found him. I thought I would see you here soon.â€Â
“You know me?†the mage asked, in perplexity.
“Indeed, I do. I am a very powerful man. King of all the Elves, you know,†the King of the Elves replied.
“But you’re a halfling,†pressed the mage, thinking he had at last uncovered the hoax.
“Certainly, I am,†the King of the Elves agreed. “And you are a human. I don’t quite see the relevance of the observation.â€Â
“You are a halfling who is the King of the Elves?†the mage asked. “How can this be?†He was using all of his magical prowess to try and discover the ruse but noticed nothing strange. It was simply an oddly dressed halfling hiding in the treetops of an elven village and claiming to be the overlord of not only them, but all of their kind the world over. The mage had been convinced he would find a spell caster such as himself or some master of disguise whom he would recognize with his magic in some way. It was obviously someone clever to carry on such a ruse for this long, but it did appear as if he actually was looking at the King of the Elves.
“I have done well in life, my friend,†replied the King of the Elves with a smile. “As have you.â€Â
The mage continued to speak with the King and the banter continued for some time. He certainly carried himself like a king, and spoke intelligently. He also knew much of the realm and the elven people from all parts of the world. Yet still the mage felt disconcerted. He had lived in the realm for many, many years and prided himself on the breadth of his knowledge, but here was something that had caught him completely by surprise. This is the only known conversation to have taken place with the fabled King of the Elves and to this very day no one knows what to make of it.
So, if you are yourself elven and are ever in need of guidance, perhaps try to appeal to the fabled King of yore. If you are not, then perhaps you can discover what happened to this mighty leader of men. I say to you this: The King of the Elves did indeed exist and, who knows, maybe he still endures. But what do you think? |
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Anonymous
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