The skies darken over three decrepit lords and their ancient castles which time has passed by. What will become of their traditions, their secrets, their eon old rivalries, as the world beyond seeps in bit by bit? -- Deathshead419
At their mightiest peak, the Elves split this continent into three civilised realms. Their names once caused lesser beings[1] to tremble, and were nigh unpronouncable to all but Elven tongues. Nursery tales would reduce them in later centuries to Lord Forest, Lord Mountain, and Lord Ice.
They gathered once a month for tea and biscuits.
"It's those damned, dirty ape things," complained Lord Mountain. "It was bad enough when they grew the wits to start talking back... now they're taking on airs. Fighting us off from our lands."
"They keep saying it's theirs," said Lord Forest. "Fighting for more and more of it when we won it by right of combat in the first place."
"They're everywhere," grumbled Lord Ice. "They're even making trouble with those double-cursed deep-digger mole-folk."
"D'varuv," corrected Lord Mountain. "They burrowed up under my mountain range and laid claim to it like they'd always had it. And you know what those apes did?"
"They sided with them," said Lord Forest, rolling his eyes because this was a routine gripe.
"They sided with them! Formed an alliance not even one month from when they turned up! That's far too fast."
"And far too effective," said Lord Forest. "The ones in my woods have allied with those offshoot Brauniin creatures. They call themselves Gobelliin now and they're not even using magic! They're making devices. It's disgusting."
"Faekindred eschewing magic?" boggled Lord Ice. "That's possible?"
"Aye, it is. Worse and worse, they're evolving like those apes. There's variants. Big and muscular ones. Twice as savage as the normal kind." Lord Mountain made a gesture to where one might charitably compare in the unlikely event that they would be standing together.
Lord Ice said, "I have those, but they have fur. They've been allying with my Yethi servants when they're not allying with the apes."
Lord Forest added, "They're calling themselves... hee-yoo-min. Human. I can't believe we adopted them as servants in the first place."
"We brought them out of the savannas, taught them how to speak, taught them how to be civilised and this is how they thank us?" raged Lord Mountain. "We spent millions of years getting to the point where they can understand more than the most simple commands and connect disobedience with pain and what do they do?"
"They get arrogant," complained Lord Forest. "They invent their own writing, they start passing notes. Stealing things. One of them stole my pet! Of all things! I was elevating that Human and their stupid tribe stole it as I was meditating. The nerve! And I can't get it back because they ran off with it. Straight into the underground maze they call the Everdark."
"You had a pet Human?" boggled Lord Ice. "That's dangerous. My great-great grand-niece had one and it murdered her husband when they were meditating and ran off with her daughter. It was horrifying. Then I heard from the wandering folk that my stolen great-great-great grand-niece was mating with the beast. Willingly! Making horrendous monsters with it." He put down his tea and clutched at his stomach. Concealing a dangerous belch. "It still roils my digestion to think of it.
"Monsters," whispered Lord Mountain. He shivered, clutching at his cup. "My lot have started... birthing... monsters. Things with horns and tails... and burning eyes. Among many other features. Things with a hefty waft of the Plane of Torment. Things that can control..." he gulped, reducing his voice to barely a breath, "shadow magic."
Lord Forest put his hand over his mouth.
Lord Ice said, "That's worse than breeding with them. Our great forefathers were terrified of shadows, there being no sunlight in Nanogh... but to use them for magic? What nightmares can those animals create?"
"Best to devote our efforts to defence," said Lord Forest. "Battle deer, archers and swordsfolk as well as mageworkers. Everything we can possibly put to play. It's become very clear... these Humans are revolting."
None of the others felt compelled to make the obvious joke.
[1] Everyone else. Dragons excepted.
[Photo by Peter Robbins on Unsplash]
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