Post by Khaine on Apr 2, 2019 22:21:55 GMT
NAME: Duvaindir of House Telrathi, the "Mournblade"
BORN: Hag Graef
AGE: 108
Born to House Telrathi, one of the great of the Black Crag, Duvaindir's life had been unhappy. The youngest of many sons of the noble house, his early years were unremarkable, but for the smallest taste of glory when he was given command of a force to put down the rebellion of Mogur One-Eye, an escaped slave. Thinking to turn this force against Malus and the city itself, Duvaindir was instead seized by men loyal to his house, and delivered to the dungeons of his father, who did not wish to jeopardize his position by antagonizing the drachau, and by extension the Witch-King himself. After spending several years of torment there, the broken elf was released, now a failure and disappointment who spent his days in the flesh-houses of the great city. This was all to change, when he was summoned to the tower of his House without warning.
Lord Telrathi announced that the Witch-King was organizing a new invasion of Ulthuan, and had demanded the noble houses of Hag Graef provide their sons to the war effort. It was clear now to Duvaindir that he would be discarded, left to die as a soldier and hostage upon the shores of their ancestral isle. And yet, his father provided him with a parting gift, which shed a new light to his prospects there. It was the ancestral sword of House Telrathi, an artifact held deep in the vaults, traditionally given to the youngest son of the reigning lord, due to its peculiar story. It was said to be the blade by which death finally came to the legendary founder of the House, by the hand of his youngest son, no less. The blade was rumoured to bring ill-fortune, yet when Duvaindir touched the black sword, he felt a part of his old self returning. Witnessing visions of blood and battle, and feeling the patronage of some ancient and nameless thing, the young aristocrat set out to find his destiny, reclaim all that which he had thought forever lost, and perhaps one day repeat the cruel history of his namesake blade.
"The other was closer and towered over the first menacingly. This one wore a suit of black steel plate over golden silk robes. The armour was intricately engraved with frescoes depicting great hosts of elves doing battle at either side of a monstrous sea-beast, whose serpentine heads coiled around the plate up to the crown of the helm, from whence they protruded as if rising from the stillness of a lake to devour their prey. His blade, fell and black like a starless night, seemed to drink the air around it, making the slightest hissing sound. As he sheathed the sword, the witch lights seemed to grow stronger and illuminated the tent well, banishing the darkness. The lord’s gaze too seemed happier, and the slave felt a great burden lifted from her shoulders: hope had returned to the world."
-Excerpt from "Rhana Quyl-Isha", featuring the panoply of Duvaindir
BORN: Hag Graef
AGE: 108
Born to House Telrathi, one of the great of the Black Crag, Duvaindir's life had been unhappy. The youngest of many sons of the noble house, his early years were unremarkable, but for the smallest taste of glory when he was given command of a force to put down the rebellion of Mogur One-Eye, an escaped slave. Thinking to turn this force against Malus and the city itself, Duvaindir was instead seized by men loyal to his house, and delivered to the dungeons of his father, who did not wish to jeopardize his position by antagonizing the drachau, and by extension the Witch-King himself. After spending several years of torment there, the broken elf was released, now a failure and disappointment who spent his days in the flesh-houses of the great city. This was all to change, when he was summoned to the tower of his House without warning.
Lord Telrathi announced that the Witch-King was organizing a new invasion of Ulthuan, and had demanded the noble houses of Hag Graef provide their sons to the war effort. It was clear now to Duvaindir that he would be discarded, left to die as a soldier and hostage upon the shores of their ancestral isle. And yet, his father provided him with a parting gift, which shed a new light to his prospects there. It was the ancestral sword of House Telrathi, an artifact held deep in the vaults, traditionally given to the youngest son of the reigning lord, due to its peculiar story. It was said to be the blade by which death finally came to the legendary founder of the House, by the hand of his youngest son, no less. The blade was rumoured to bring ill-fortune, yet when Duvaindir touched the black sword, he felt a part of his old self returning. Witnessing visions of blood and battle, and feeling the patronage of some ancient and nameless thing, the young aristocrat set out to find his destiny, reclaim all that which he had thought forever lost, and perhaps one day repeat the cruel history of his namesake blade.
"The other was closer and towered over the first menacingly. This one wore a suit of black steel plate over golden silk robes. The armour was intricately engraved with frescoes depicting great hosts of elves doing battle at either side of a monstrous sea-beast, whose serpentine heads coiled around the plate up to the crown of the helm, from whence they protruded as if rising from the stillness of a lake to devour their prey. His blade, fell and black like a starless night, seemed to drink the air around it, making the slightest hissing sound. As he sheathed the sword, the witch lights seemed to grow stronger and illuminated the tent well, banishing the darkness. The lord’s gaze too seemed happier, and the slave felt a great burden lifted from her shoulders: hope had returned to the world."
-Excerpt from "Rhana Quyl-Isha", featuring the panoply of Duvaindir