The Unknown History of the West Woods

[jmecha]

Within the Ranger Station of Renvanna, Aelenta Renvanith leaves behind a tome containing his research and the hope that his hond ebrath may continue where he has left off, and discover the forgotten truths of their shared past...before it finds them.

[jmecha]

-30000 DR
War of the Seldarine begins. Araushnee is cast down into the Demonweb Pits, where she becomes the demon-goddess Lolth. The solar Malkizid is branded and thrown down into the Nine Hells.

-25400 DR
Elven refugees of Tintageer led by Prince Durothil come to Toril through a magical portal from the world of Faerie. They settle down in the northern parts of the continent and name it Faerun, meaning "the One Land". They mix with the existing green elves. The gold elves become known as sun elves, and the descendents of the lone silver elf Shalario Moonflower give rise to the moon elves.

−22,900 DR
Illefarn was an elven city-state that was founded.

-18000 DR
Some Ilythiiri houses discover Ghaunadaur and begin venerating him in secret. In the centuries that follow, rival Ilythiiri houses turn to other dark deities, such as Lolth.

-17600 DR
Sundering occurs, and Evermeet is created with elven high magic. The spell reaches both back and forward in the mists of time.

-17100 DR
War of Three Leaves begins. Ilythiiri spies and assassins incite Syòrpiir, Thearnytaar, and Eiellur into a three-sided conflict to prevent them from unifying into a single state.

-15300 DR
Vyshaan clan, under Coronal Ivósaar Vyshaan, takes power in Aryvandaar.

-14700 DR
Citing familial connections between the ruling houses of Aryvandaar and Miyeritar, the Vyshaanti begin attempting to annex Miyeritar by peaceful means. Miyeritar resists.

-13900 DR
Miyeritar reaches the height of its magical and cultural renaissance.

-13200 DR
Aryvandaarans begin raiding along Miyeritar's borders and interfering with its trade routes.



-12000 DR
First Crown War begins. Aryvandaar invades Miyeritar and pressures Shantel Othreier to accept Aryvandaaran occupation or suffer the same fate.

-11800 DR
Aryvandaaran forces occupy Miyeritar, though a number of dark and sylvan elf clans continue to resist. Many elves of Illefarn provide secret safe havens for Miyeritari.

-11700 DR
Second Crown War begins. Ilythiir launches surprise attacks against Orishaar, an ally of Aryvandaar.



-11600 DR
Ilythiiri burn Syòrpiir to the ground.

-11500 DR
Thearnytaar and Eielkir declare war on Ilythiir and attempt to prevent the Ilythiiri from advancing north. Lolth sends the balor lord Wendonai to seduce a high Ilythiiri clan into her service. The church of Lolth rises to prominence.

-11450 DR
Thearnytaar and Eielkir invade Ilythiir. More than half of their forces are slain by the corrupt, demon-granted magic of the dark elves.

-11400 DR
Eiellûr is razed by Ilythiiri dark elves and traitorous wild elves.

-11300 DR
Miyeritar is conquered by Aryvandaar, thus ending the First Crown War.

-11200 DR
Thearnytaar falls to Ilythiiri forces utilizing dominated monsters and undead creatures. Ilythiir begins to skirmish with Keltormir.

-10900 DR
Malkizid, the fallen solar, becomes the secret patron of the Vyshaan lords. The Third Crown War begins. Aryvandaar, now known as the Vyshaantar Empire, invades Shantel Othreier.



-10700 DR
An orc horde falls upon the embattled armies of Aryvandaar and Shantel Othreier at the Battle of the Gods' Theater. Almost seventy thousand elves perish before Aryvandaar wins the day and occupies northern Shantel Othreier.

-10600 DR
Shantel Othreier is conquered by the Vyshaantar Empire, ending the Third Crown War. Resistance movements spring up in Miyeritar and Shantel Othreier.

-10500 DR
Dark Disaster reduces Miyeritar to a dead waste-land. The Crown Wars halt for a time while the elves reassess what they have done.

-10450 DR
Fourth Crown War begins. The Ilythiiri openly begin worshiping evil gods such as Ghaunadaur and Lolth.



-10300 DR
Keltormir withdraws its forces from eastern Keltormir, holding its line at Highlands' Edge.

-10270 DR
With Keltormir's withdrawal, the Vyshaanti and Ilythiiri come into direct conflict for the first time.

-10110 DR
Elf clerics and high mages in Illefarn begin a decades-long prayer for salvation.

-10100 DR
Ilythiir destroys Shantel Othreier.

-10000 DR
Seldarine respond to the arcane and divine high magic of the elves by smiting the Ilythiiri. All dark elves are transformed into drow and driven underground, thus ending the Fourth Crown War. The Seldarine summon elves of all other clans and nations to the Elven Court to settle their differences and restore peace.

-9900 DR
Vyshaantar Empire annexes Illefarn. Persecution of high mages and powerful clerics in Vyshaantar lands begins as the sun elves seek to eliminate any threats to their power.

-9800 DR
Vyshaantar Empire occupies all the remaining elven realms on Faerûn and begins colonization of Evermeet.

-9600 DR
First drow civilizations make their presence known by harassing their ancient enemies in the Vyshaantar Empire.

-9200 DR
Fifth Crown War begins when the Vyshaantar Empire rebels against the proclamations of the Elven Court, which direct the elves of Aryvandaar to repudiate their Vyshaan rulers. Malkizid abandons House Vyshaan and retreats to the infernal planes.

-9000 DR
Fifth Crown War ends with the utter defeat of the Vyshaantar Empire. The lands of Aryvandaar are largely abandoned for an age.



−8500 DR
Aelinthaldaar, capital of capital city of Illefarn was created where Waterdeep now stands.

−2500 DR
An elven historian from Eaerlann, of the High Forest, investigates the hidden Temple of Araushnee in the the Southeast region of the Westwood Tree Tops. It is suspected the researcher met with an ill fate due to the dangerous spiders within the temple and their notes being found unattended.

• Recent revelations have revealed the Historian likely was the legendary scholar of Eaerlann, Lurien the Watcher, known for research on elven history and archeology. As well as her friend Monomon the Teacher, a famed mage of Earlanni who taught magic to the Netherese. Both of which disappeared under mysterious circumstances. I currently believe they are the Guardians overseeing the Vessel in the Southern Tower of the Westwood Treetops.

−1288 DR
Melairbode was created in the mountain beside and underneath Aelinthaldaar by the dwarven King Melair I, who began mining mithral there. As more and more dwarves from Clan Melairkyn arrived, they expanded their home to include areas nearer and nearer to the surface, which made the elves uneasy. In exchange for a large amount of mithral being mined by the Melairkyn dwarves, the elves created a magical effect on the plateau on which their city stood. This ensured that no matter what occurred below, the surface would remain unaffected and never collapse underneath.

−1100 DR
Aelinthaldaar was razed after the elves inhabiting the city retreated to Evermeet.

−1088 DR
Barbarian tribes who use the razed ruins of Aelinthaldaar it as a trade center from which they do business with peoples from further south. The deep natural harbor on the site made it a particularly good point to hold trademoots because large ships were able to load and unload goods. Eventually, tribes made the area their permanent home rather than revisiting for each trademoot. However, conflict was common due to the lucrative trade opportunities

−750 DR
The Netherese had moved to Melairbode uninvited, and made their home adjacent to the dwarves. The Sargauth Enclave was hewn from the rock by magic spells and then sealed. Over the years, a mantle was raised that served a similar purpose to a mythal

−677 DR
The drow began to push the Melairkyn dwarves back and claimed more and more of the Undermountain for themselves.

−339 DR
The disruption to the Weave caused the collapse of most of the Netherese enclave; what remained came to be known as Skullport.

Dalereckoning
Dalereckoning is taken from the Year of Sunrise, 1 DR, when the Standing Stone was raised by the elves of Cormanthyr and the human Dalesfolk. Since this time, humans were permitted by the Elven Court to settle in the more open regions of the forests. In some texts, primarily those which do not have direct ties to Dales history, Dalereckoning is called Freeman's Reckoning. The calendar is widely used in Faerun but has not spread beyond its shores

[jmecha]

First off, I apologize for state of affairs in which I am leaving this research and all of you. I am not the Historian our history deserves, and what will follow is little more then my recollection of strange events and wine induced theories as to how they may pertain to truth we have long forgotten. If you need further evidence that I am unqualified for this particular task, reread the lines above. I quite literally used Historian and History in the same sentence. It is my sincere hope that in my absence, you may work together to fill this tome with the answers to the questions we do not yet realize we need to ask. Magnolia Loreweaver, it is not my place to charge you with any form of responsibility, though if you were to make use of your Candle Keep training and take up where I have left off, I would appreciate such.

In the previous pages of this tome I have included a timeline of historical events focused upon the Elves, and specifically the Crown Wars. I do not in any way claim to understand the truth of what was, nor claim to be any sort of expert, though I do feel that understanding our past maybe our only means of moving forward as a People. I have underlined the dates that stand out to me as particularly interesting and that raise some potentially important questions. Please take the time to study what I have provided, it is rather crucial to making sense of the fantastical that follows.

Not long ago a Priestess of Sehanine Moonbow, Mooncalled Eliyanas Amamion, came to Renvanna by way of Silverymoon. She tragically fell in battle against the Kobolds that occupy the abandoned elven homes of the tree tops along the Western edge of the Westwood. Since her passing she visited members of our community in waking dreams and lead us to a Leshy who danced and played amongst what appeared to be an abandoned Druid's Grove high above the Southern reaches of the Westwood. There several of us engaged the Leshy in games of hide and seek, and were reward cryptic riddles as our reward.

Tower pull your dream, but dreams I see. Bad place to go, not good to be!
Tower West, but not in jest.
Danger there, long locked away. Now escapes, leaves all to death-cay.. decay?
Live there two, children of gods. Vessel and prisoner. Watched by two, sealed in dream
Tried to keep away the rot, but in time was all for not!

Under the leadership of Magolir of the Manthor, we set out immediately to find this tower we were strongly advised to avoid...



There at the base of the Tower, simply West of where we encountered the Leshy, we were confronted by what appeared to be two ethereal elven guardians who questioned our intrusion and then banished us to a hellish nightmare in which there was to be no escape. We were powerless before their efforts and at their compelling we all at once, were snuffed out as easily as candle flames. The nightmare we were within was filled with infernal beings and I know not what would have happened if not for the arrival of Priestess of Sehanine Moonbow, Mooncalled Eliyanas Amamion. She protected us, and guided us to a Dream Door, that carried us from the Nightmare to a Dream. There we discovered the Moon Blade known as the Dream Needle, the Sword of Sehanine Moonbow.

We were told that the Dream Needle had been long abandoned, it's purpose forgotten in time, it's power long faded from neglect, and that it would be our charge to see it restored. I believe the Dream Needle will be critical in providing us the ability confront the Rot, the Leshy warned us of...and that better understanding the truth of our forgotten past will be key in our understanding how to identify that Rot.

In a search to better understand what we were being charged with we sought out Danilo Thann of New Olmann, the only person we knew to have seen a Moon Blade, and to also be the author of "The Complete History of Elves"...of which I may or may not have plagiarized sweeping sections of the previously provided timeline from. One thing lead to another and we eventually acquired a map of the World we live in, as it existed before the Sundering that created Evermeet, as well as managed to in our early blunderings inform several other parties through our carelessness that we had in our position a Moon Blade.

The next important matter of note though was our seeking guidance from the Shrine of Sehanine Moonbow within the Temple of the Seldarine of Waterdeep. We discovered a hidden passage that lead to the catacombs of old Aelinthaldaar...The Capital of Illefarn, established in −8500 DR for those of you who have not bothered to study my plagiarized research. Within we found the remains of King Aelinn and at the compulsion of the Moon Blade entered his Dreams.



Within this Dream King Aelinn of Illefarn, within the Capital of Aelinthaldaar of Illefarn told us of his failures. He spoke to us of his desire to remain neutral in the Crown Wars, to accept refuges to increase Illefarn's population, so when the day came Illefarn's fighting force could sweep over the other elven nations who had weakened themselves by fighting against each other. He spoke to us that it may have been this desire of his, that was the desire of all the Elven leaders of the time, the desire to be the winner, to Rule over others that created the Rot and brought the Darkness...he told us that he felt ashamed for having done his part, and he asked that we release him from this Dream through the freedom from it the Dream Needle could provide.

We obliged him.

Upon doing so Mooncalled Eliyanas Amamion appeared before us and explained that the Dream Needle now had the strength to open Dream Doors, of which we may escape the Dreams or Nightmares we had entered. She also instructed to us that we needed to open one swiftly, for with King Aelin's release, his Dream would begin to fade and collapse.

In the Rides and Months that followed we have been working to find the remains of our ancestors and free them from the Nightmares of which they have been trapped within. Unfortunately within those same Rides and Months we have suffered losses, as those of us have moved on. Also rather unfortunately, over this passage of time rumors of our holding a Moon Blade spread. Bounties in Skull Port have been posted for myself who they suspect carries the blade, and High Priest Meleghost Starseer of the House of Wonders has even ordered the champions of Mystra's Temple to take the Moon Blade from us so it maybe taken to their vaults for, safe keeping.



We though managed to restore some of the Moon Blade's strength, and we have learned that there are very real secrets waiting to be discovered still in this waking world, such as the temple of the Demon Queen of Spiders in which I was held fast by webs, while waiting patiently, like desert sands awaiting rain, for all of you to save me. We also have reason to suspect there maybe Elven Ruins awaiting our discover within the region currently known as Undercliff just East of Waterdeep proper.

Now, as I mentioned previously, I am counting upon all of you top finish this research I have started. I will be leaving, and I may or may not be coming back. Hopefully in my absence the Bounty Hunters of Skull Port may waste some time looking for me where I can not be found, allowing all of you to continue this work.

Some parting words though before I sign off...

I have never known an Elf to live longer then one thousand years, and King Aelin spoke of the Crown Wars as if he was present for them, and he appeared to be the Illfern King ruling from Aelinthaldaar. This presents some interesting inconsistencies.

−22,900 DR
Illefarn was an elven city-state that was founded.

-12000 DR
First Crown War begins. Aryvandaar invades Miyeritar and pressures Shantel Othreier to accept Aryvandaaran occupation or suffer the same fate.

-9000 DR
Fifth Crown War ends with the utter defeat of the Vyshaantar Empire. The lands of Aryvandaar are largely abandoned for an age.

−8500 DR
Aelinthaldaar, capital of capital city of Illefarn was created where Waterdeep now stands.

The Capital of Aelinthaldaar did not exist until 14,400 years after Illefarn was founded.
The Capital of Aelinthaldaar did not exist until 3,500 years after the start of the First Crown War or 500 Years after the end of the last Crown War.

Was the Aelinthaldaar we visited in King Aelin's dream, only the Capital the King imagined would exist someday?
King Aelin spoke to us of the Crown Wars as if they were something he was currently experiencing, and so I ask...

When was it King Aelin reigned?

What was it that he accomplished during his Rule, in which Illefarn named their Capital after him, long after his passing, and saw to see his remains entombed within?

As for the Hidden Temple of the Spiders we discovered. Within we all heard a voice speak to us from within the depths of the black maw that was part of the Betrayer's Altar. That voice spoke to me while I was alone there, using the same unfamiliar elven dialect you all heard.

"Fool. An idiot such as you doesn't deserve to wield such a power. It is only my vigilance that has saved you."

"You are lucky to be unbroken, vessel. This old Kingdom, a terrible thing awakens. I can smell it"

The Term Vessel is one also used in Larian Songshine, Priest of Corellon Larethian's tome "Elven History- Creation of the Elves"

I suspect that the term Vessel is an older religious term, once used by the Clergy of the Seldarine to describe not just the Elves, but all mortal races that move through life carrying the essence of their Gods within them be it through actual blood relation as we share with our Ancient Father, or through the carrying of their God's faith and teachings in their lives. Regardless... the unknown speak using the term Vessel, and what I suspect to be a very ancient dialect of Elven makes me strongly suspect that he or it, is a being of considerable age. If you return there, do so knowing you walk where I suspect an ancient lairs.

I strongly suggest you explore looking for Elven Ruins of Under Cliff, though be ware of the acid of Ankhegs.

Also...Priestess Starmane of the House of Wonders reached out to me to inform that while she can not openly defy High Priest Meleghost Starseer, both her and Sir Declan do want to help us protect the Moon Blade from evil. She suggested we consider using myself as bait to try and lure some would be Bounty Hunters into a trap. All that said, I will not be available as Bait any time soon, so if you all want to attempt to find some creative means of working around that, feel free. I warn though that any Skull Port Bounty Hunter coming after me is likely going to be capable of being dangerous, and if the original source of the Bounty is well connected enough to have learned of our having the Moon Blade, and recognizes it as something they would have...chances are they are careful enough to have successfully placed a layer of ignorance between themselves and the Bounty Hunters. Still though, there is a chance, that if captured....a Bounty Hunter might know something about who placed the Bounty, which could be a puzzle piece we need.

I will miss some of you more then others, do not look for me, and please tell anyone who asks that I carry the Moon Blade with me....where ever I am hiding, it may buy you all the time you need to take the next steps in directions we do not yet know exist.

Aelenta Renvanith

[Ithildur]

(thanks for compiling this Jmecha, primo stuff)

[jmecha]

A tome recovered from the mysterious Temple of spiders hidden within the the Southeast region of the Westwood Tree Tops revealed that the Temple may have once been dedicated to Araushnee and had once resided in the Fey Wild before it was relocated to Toril. The researcher appears to have been conducting their research around -2,500 Dale Reckoning, which would mean that Illefarn would have still stood as a kingdom and the capital Aelinthaldaar had not yet been abandoned. Also of note is the researcher appearing to have originated from Earlann of the High Forrest. I suspect that their notes were not accidently left behind within the temple of Araushnee, but more likely the research meet with a foul end while inside the Temple, and their notes are all that have survived the ravages of spiders and time.

[jmecha]

The violent death of the Druidess Earlanni, by the sharp blades and claws of local kobolds, preceded her funeral. Which was interrupted by a Drider, who's voice I recognized from my time within the spider filled temple of Araushnee. The corpse of our companion and friend was taken from her own funeral ceremony by the Drider and carried away to the top of a nearby, but previously hidden tower, that we were unaware existed. Upon battling through the multiple floors of the tower which were filled with a verity of devils, we discovered the following diary as well as several other personal effects of Lurien the Watcher. Last but not least, atop the the tower we found the corpses of Druidess Earlanni awaiting us, unmolested by the Drider, which leads me to suspect it is possible that the Drider only used the corpse as bait to show us to the tower, and that it was never his intention to dismember our fallen.

The Diary of Lurien the Watcher

I have moved the Watcher's Spire into a secluded place near the location I been observing through the sky portals. The area appears to contain the remnants of our civilization from lifetimes past and I will begin to watch from a closer vantage point to try and better understand our history.

Monomon the Teacher has arrived separately, having taken a break from teaching the humans of Netheril the ways of magic. We look forward to what we may discover of the elves who similarly live in tree structures here and if there is some connection to Eaerlann in their history.

Some of the Southern treetops have been abandoned for sometime, but we have made contact with a sizeable group of elves living in the Northern portions. Local oral history is unreliable, but traces their lineage to a mixture of Ilefarn remnants and refugees from the ancient Crown Wars. Some credence to it landed by nature of the physical disposition of the inhabitants, with the notable exception of the darker complexation from the former kingdom of Miyeritar. Most likely these traitors were rightfully expelled some 8000 years ago.

A curious tower in the south of the treetops is protected by a small tribe of kobolds bears more investigation.

Careful observation of the architecture reveals an origin pre-dating Ilefarn; it is unlike any known from that kingdom. Given arboreal construction, suspect origin from Feywild. There appear to be strong ties to the plane through nearby bogs so I have opened several observation portals to find connections.

Another discovery of note - a strange jeweled door in the mountain side located as the center of the settlement area. None know of its purpose nor have entered, but the magic sealing it is exceptionally ancient. Monomon is spending more time investigating it but early indications are that it is sealed to all but those bearing the mark of Elven Royalty.

A small crack has recently formed not far from there and a few drops of slime have seeped out to the dismay of the locals. Whether there is a connection is unknown. Separately I have watched the tower and kobold tribe. They seem to protect the tower, perhaps their nest? it is clearly not of draconic design.

---

Much progress has been made since last writing. I have made contact with the kobolds by projecting an image through my observational portal. Their culture is primitive, and a show of force was necessary before negotiations or conversations. A simple use of magics easily subdued their Lords and I was accepted into the tribe.

Their histories indicated some manner of agreement in ancient times to protect the tower contents, a vessel as I understand. Looking through portals, it appears to be the form of an elf, bound in chains and sleeping suspended with many magic wards sealing it. The kobolds seem fearful of it and blame it for many afflictions that they suffer- diseases, infertility, not dissimilar to what the local elves have reported. Perhaps there is similarity in the affliction?

Monomon is doing more research on the subject, but strong indications of connections to Moander. He has cautioned against informing the humans as some openly worship the abomination of a god.

---

I have taken ill, little time to find or document discoveries. The crack in town center has widened with more slime escaping. The air itself has become like a poison and afflicts all life. Tempers have flared as well. The local elf population has begun to fight and squabble, even drawing blades on their neighbors over material possessions. This behavior is something I thought our kind had left behind eons ago.

The kobolds fight more within their strict hierarchy, jockeying more for position. It has been exceptionally violent, even by their standards. Theses events cannot be disconnected...

Monomon and I argued over the path forward. I believe it is an aspect of Moander breaking free from the vessel that contained it. How long it has been here is anyone's guess, but could it have been the cause for all the strife in our history? I believe so, perhaps even the war of our very Gods, so potent is its evil.

---

There is no doubt it worsens, and it seems to spread even to our homeland. Monomon and I have settled on a plan to strengthen the seals on this vessel by entering a magic hibernation and reinforcing it with our own life force. While I have no illusions we ar capable of killing a God I believe we may be able to continue its containment indefinitely and protect the tower from any who would wish to release it.

We have concentrated the remaining elves in the Northern parts of the treetops for some distance from the tower. The kobolds have been moved to the Western reaches of the treetops and were easily persuaded to modify their arrangement to instead watch over my physical form while perform the duties of protecting the tower with Monomon.

Sleep beckons eternal and these words become my last.

Through my gaze shall no longer fall upon Eaerlann, I will act forever in its protection.

For King, for Elf, for Eaerlann, I head now to my rest.

The weight of the revelations within Lurien the Watcher's Diary that I have transcribed are heavy and I am going to set the quill aside for a time before I compare her historical references to our working time line to see if the Ancient Book of Notes we discovered within the Temple of Araushnee were possibly the notes of Monomon the Teacher.

[jmecha]

Hammer 9th, 1403 Dale Reckoning, Year of the Hidden Harp

After reviewing Lurien the Watcher's Diary, and checking the time line, I strongly suspect that Lurien and Monomon are responsible for the previous notes we recovered from the Temple of Araushnee. I have updated our working timeline to reflect their time in the Westwood sometime in -2,500 Dale Reckoning. In addition to this I have made use of the Arcana known as Legend Lore to confirm some of the truths revealed by the Diary.

Lurien the Watcher was a legendary scholar of Eaerlann. Known for research on elven history and archeology. disappeared under unknown circumstances.

Monomon the Teacher was one of the famed Earlanni mages who taught magic to the Netherese. Friend of Lurien, and similarly disappeared.

As of this moment, I strongly suspect that Lurien the Watcher and Monomon the Teacher, are the ethereal elven guardians of the Tower located amongst the Southern Treetops above the Westwood. When last we encountered them, they manifest before us for a brief exchange before declaring us a potential threat and banishing us to a Nightmare from which we did not appear capable of surviving, nor escaping. If it was not for the intervention of Mooncaller Eliyanas Amamion, we likely would have also disappeared under unknown circumstances.

All of that said, the most disturbing revelation from the Diary is that an aspect of Monander, the Jawed God, may very well be what the "Vessel", Lurien the Watcher, and Monomon the Teacher are containing.

---

My current theory based upon the rhymes of the Leshy, and Lurien the Watcher's Diary, within the Southern Tower the physical form of the Vessel is in chains and slumbering, alongside the sleeping physical forms of Lurien the Watcher and Monomon the Teacher. The three of them are somehow subduing an aspect of Moander, which is trapped within the mountain behind the jeweled door located in what would have been the heart of Renvanna of millennia passed. I suspect that perhaps so long as the Vessel sleeps, so may the Aspect of Moander, though after so many thousands of years the Vessel and the Aspect grew restless and began to awaken. It was this restlessness that began to crack the stone and leak slime from the mountainside, as well as afflict the local Elven and Kobold populations with several afflictions.

It is a simplistic comparison, but I am thinking that the slime leaks and afflictions might be akin to a person experiencing a restless sleep perhaps kicking their blankets off or disturbing their bed partner with their tossing and turning. Which is to say the Aspect of Monander has perhaps severally weakened it's bonds, without regaining full consciousness. By merely tossing and turning after thousands of years, it weakened it's prison enough that it was causing physical and emotional harm upon the surrounding communities and woodlands. It was this damage that drew the attention of the Watcher and the Teacher who have volunteered to reinforce this prison with their own sleep.

I suspect that the Watcher and the Teacher, are working to contribute to the Vessel, and through the Vessel the Aspect of Monander have a more rest filled slumber. This maybe through them working in tandem to provide peaceful dreams to the pair, or providing them other comforting illusions to lull them into continued stillness. Regardless of the exact details, I believe that if the Vessel is awakened or destroyed, the Aspect of Moander will awaken, and that while the Watcher and the Teacher have done their best...evidence suggest the influence of the Rot has only spread and done further harm to the Elven Community of Renvanna in the last four thousand years.

---

In my uneducated and less then expert opinion, keeping the Aspect of Moander trapped in slumber has proven less and less effective over time, even with the addition of two legendary mages and scholars of the Elven Kingdom of Eaerann having sacrificed themselves to reinforce the sleeping prison.

If we are to contain the Rot, it will require more then what has been previously provided, and no matter how dire our sacrifice, in time it may prove fruitless.

I suspect that with the Dream Needle, we may have options available to us that were not available to previous generations. Ideally we maybe able to root out and destroy the Rot, instead of working to continue to contain it. The blade was wielded in the Dawn War, through the Blue Age, and the Shadow Epoch. It was used in the battles led by Asgorath in the fight against Dendar the night serpent.

I do not yet know, nor have an uneducated guess, as to how we might successfully defeat the Rot our answers have sacrificed to contain, but I do know we need to proceed with equal measures of caution and care, as well as danger and daring. We must be very careful and cautious to not release the Rot through a misstep nor misunderstanding, but we also need to be daring and dangerous enough to do what those who came before us could not or would not.

[jmecha]

In our on going efforts to rediscover our history we have discovered the Kobolds of the Tree Tops have successfully passed the history of their ancestors down through the generations upon scrolls of gold. I strongly suspect due to the story the golden scrolls story dating back to the Dawn War and Blue Era, they are far more myth and legend, then they are factual and accurate historical documents. All he same, they do server as a record from which we may be capable of gleaming some truths.

[jmecha]

Hammer 30th, 1403 Dale Reckoning, Year of the Hidden Harp

The Rot has continued to escape it's confinement, and we have struggled in search of answers in our quest to put an end to the blight that has been upon our people for centuries. Without first understanding what the Rot is, and how our ancestors originally attempted to seal it away, I fear that any efforts we make to combat it maybe just as likely to free it as they would be to destroy it. After studying Lurien the Watcher's Journal we have consulted with a trusted local Historian, and even braved the depths of Deepwater harbor to speak with the leadership of Tharqualnaar and T'Quession, yet we find ourselves woefully ignorant to the truths of the past.

To the limits of, our limited understanding, the Elven Mark of Royalty referenced in relation to Monomon the Teacher's research of the magically sealed door within the heart of old Renvanna, is very likely not referring to a symbol or marking, such as crown, scepter, or sigil. Instead we have come to suspect the Mark of Royalty is referring to the blood of Royalty made so through ascension to King or Queen through the old rites of the Seldarine, or passed on through the generations within the veins of royal heirs. Unfortunately the blood lines of old appear to have died out centuries ago, and we may need to return to the Feywild from which we came to find any means of rediscovering the old rites, if we are to acquire the Mark of Royalty needed to by pass the magical wardings of our ancestors.

In regards to the Sealed Door, the last known scholar to have studied it's mysteries is none other then Monomon the Teacher, the legendary arcanist of Eaerlann who once worked to introduce the Art to the people of Netheril roughly five thousand years ago. We have agreed, that before we set out for the Feywild in an effort to find a means or method for acquiring the needed Mark of Royalty to open the sealed door, that we would first make an effort to learn what we can of the Door and what maybe behind it. To this end, this generation of Renvanna's champions, for right or wrong, have decided to approach the Tower of Dreams in hopes that we may find Monomon there, and learn from him all that he can share about the door, what waits behind it, and everything else we may gleam from him.

Our decision to return to the Dream Tower is based upon, our putting together scraps of clues and only partially understood riddles from the past, and theorizing that it is possible, dare I say likely, that the Dream Tower is not only where the Vessel of the Rot is contained, but also perhaps Monomon's physical form.

"Tower pull your dream, but dreams I see.
Bad place to go, not good to be!

Tower West, but not in jest.

Danger there, long locked away.
Now escapes, leaves all to death-cay.. decay?

Live there two, children of gods.

Vessel and prisoner.

Watched by two, sealed in dream

Tried to keep away the rot,
but in time was all for not!"
Leshy

I will be the first to admit, our plan of action is based upon a collections of best guesses, all of which are uneducated. That said, we need to move forward, even if it maybe in the wrong direction. Thousands of years of inaction have allowed the Rot the time and stagnation needed to slowly seep free of it's bonds and continue to afflict the region with it's decay. It is my hope that even if we are wrong and Monomon's physical form is not residing within the Dream Tower, our presence there may trigger some form of response from him, and likely Lurien the Watcher as well. While normally the attention of sentries is not something I seek, the rough plan here would be to parlay with them and perhaps establish an understanding that the plight they fought thousands of years ago, persists regardless of their sacrifice and that we seek their wisdom in guidance so that we may continue the fight against the Rot. Failing that, I am hoping that Parmour Ariella may simply run the Dream Needle through one or both of their ethereal faces, allowing us access to their dreams and the memories within them.

Our return to the Tower of Dreams, may inadvertently or unintentionally weaken the failing bonds containing the Rot, and we allow it to slip free while learning nothing in regards to how we might possible defeat it.

Aelenta Renvanith