Finrod, A Tale of Elves and Fairies

[FayrisNyanNyan]

The countryside of Shadowdale never had a big place in Faerun. While the town's leader is usually a capable Hero with a decent background, no great adventure hail from the area. Plus, since there aren't any traces of an ancient civilization or a great battle, historians usually give little attention to the place.

However, my friends, our story today brings us to this little, mostly unknown corner of the world. Situated in the western area of the Cormanthyr Empire, we now take a special attention to a simple, normal hovel, for this is where Finrod, our Hero, was born.

Finrod was born of Moon Elf parentage, thus baring the typical blue-ish skin. Nimble and somewhat average in his characteristics, Finrod proved himself to be a good son: not only did he help his parents on the rough jobs out on the farm, he also avoided them the usual troubles of raising a child, for you see, Finrod was very calm, quiet, and, sadly, somewhat of a loner.

It's not that he wasn't charismatic, on the contrary, he knew how to talk to people to make an agreeable conversation. However, he enjoyed solitude. When not working on the field, Finrod would most likely be running around in the nearby forest, exploring the wilds, or simply reading a book.

One day, his exploration brought him so far in the woods that he actually got lost. Despite the odds and the panic rushing through his system, he found his way out thanks to the most unlikely creature to help: A Sylph, a small fairy. These little creatures, frail but intelligent, are very kind in general. At least this one was, for it brought the little elf back to his village before dusk. The next day, Finrod went to see if the Fairy was still in the woods. It wasn't.

The rest of our Hero's childhood was thus fairy-less and mostly filled with farm work. His parents were far from abusive, but times were hard, they needed all the help they could. Times were so hard, actually, that the excessive work eventually worned them out. They died eventually, mostly due to fatigue and sickness, leaving Finrod all alone.

Now a teenager (at least, in elf years, for the boy was over twenty now), the orphan tried to find a job with the nearby farms, yet none agreed to offer him shelter for his work. Finrod's future was grim.

[FayrisNyanNyan]

All hope appeared to be lost. It was then that the boy remembered, several years ago, the Sylph that helped him find his way back home. It was this memory that brought him to leave civilization and enter the forest to find an old friend.

A month later, Finrod was still in the forest, searching, looking, and somehow, living. It was hard at first, but the elf, surviving on leaves, berries, roots, and small fruits, succeeded at living a nomad life in the wilds. He approached the border of the forest several time, seeing traces of towns in the horizon, but that sight always brought him back deep into the forest.

"Alright, what the heck do you want?" These words, spoken in a horrible, annoying voice, were the first Finrod heard from a long time, "You've been literally stalking every darn tree in these woods! What do you want?!" The Elf looked around, failing to see who was talking to him. He was surprise to hear, "I'm over here, dammit!" Looking downward, our Hero was surprise to see a little-humanoid-thing fly toward his face, its own obviously frustrated. Flapping with its wings in front of him was a Grig, a small fey creature mixing insect and elven traits together. "So?!" it went on, its voice becoming louder and louder. Finrod wanted to explain, but the little bugger wouldn't stop complaining!

Finally, the Elf was able to explain his presence in the Cormanthyr's woods, "A shame!" the little creature answered, "I thought I had a chance to prove my worth as a fighter!" it went on, thrusting its small fists in the air. The Grig, somewhat interested in Finrod, had been following him for nearly half of his expedition in the wild. "Anyhow! I might as well bring you to the Boss." Finrod looked at him puzzled,

"The Boss?"

"Why,the Queen of these woods, who else?!"

Following the creature, Finrod was brought back to a place he already explored before and he was aware of that. However, the area was... different, as if this wasn't at all the place from before. What the Elf didn't know, like most people in Faerun, is that most Fey creatures have the unique ability to remain hidden from the common folks.

Now, Finrod's situation was different, for the Fey weren't hiding themselves from him anymore. Being curious creatures, they couldn't refrain themselves from wondering who was with the Grig. All around our Adventurer different and unique creatures were appearing: Fairies, Pixies, Sylph, some Dryads and even Gnomes he never saw before. He looked behind him, seeing small houses in the trees and on the ground that he never noticed before. Gosh was he wondering how he could have missed all that.

Finally, they arrived at a small clearing, without trees but not vegetation. The flowers and even the mere grass seemed brighter, filled with more life. The common animals, such as Squirrels and Foxes, appeared to be living in perfect harmony here. There was even a small pond were Nixies swam along beautiful rainbow fishes.

And then there was the Lady on the wooden Throne.
"Here's the Boss."

[FayrisNyanNyan]

The woman was not someone normal, even Finrod knew that at the first sight. Wearing an incredible robe form what appeared to be only plants and flowers, she bared elven traits, yet she had this aura which gave our Hero the feeling that she was something more. Something much more.

In Sylvan, the woman questioned the Grid about who their guest was. Her voice was melodious and charming, so beautiful that it seemed to be able to destroy all ugliness in the world. It probably could. The Grig, who answered in his usual annoying voice, the proof that the Lady's voice wasn't capable of destroying all ugliness, told her Finrod's story.

With a smile, she told the small fey that it could leave. As it left, she turned her attention to the Elf, "Why were you looking for that Fairy?" she pondered in perfect Elvish, radiating some warm and welcoming heat, "I have no where to go, my Lady. I am all alone." As the boy talked he started to kneel,for she appeared to be someone very important, but the woman stated, with that very same delicious smile, that there was no need for such a thing, "We are in the Woods, not in a Court, correct?" She emitted a very coquette giggle. Then, out of nowhere, a small Faerie Dragon came to rest upon her upper legs. Petting the back of its neck as it laid its head on the fine fabric of her clothing, "I know it might be a hard transition," he began, "But I am sure my People would be happy to have you with us."

She deposited the small colorful dragon on the grass before advancing toward him. She was much taller than she appeared while sitting. Lowering her back in front of him, she placed her hand on his chest, "You have a good heart, I can feel it." A small giggle was heard upward, causing the two of them to follow the noise with their sight. Up there rested a dozen of nest, mostly made out of leaves and silk, where other small baby faerie dragons were watching them, "So can they."

[FayrisNyanNyan]

Thus ended our Elf's first adventure, ending his nomad life for a much more passive life with the Fey Folks. He learned that the woman wasn't an elf but a Nymph. However, she was still different from the other Nymphs that lived in the Fey settlement. They were all beautiful women, yet none emitted the same Aura as her.

"That's 'cause she's an Archfey." said Kyric, the Grig that Finrod met.

"An Archfey?" he pondered, "Yes, she's the Queen of Nymph, Androxia. You can't be a Queen if you're just like your subjects."

"I guess that's true enough."

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Finrod never really received any information about the Gods of Faerun and who he should worship. Just like his parents, he gave a few praying to Sehanine Moonbow here and there, but that was it.

However, the beginning of his life with the Fey made him forget about Sehanine. He was a Faithless, not knowing anything else about any other Gods. Yet, one day, as he was walking around in the forest, he noticed that Androxia was walking alongside a white horse with a beautiful mane. As he approached the duo, he soon noticed that the horse... was not really a horse, but a Unicorn! He heard about them from the other Fey creatures, but he had never seen one before.

The Nymph Queen appeared troubled, something very rare, but her concerned face soon dissipated as she spotted Finrod coming toward them. With her normal smile, she greeted him and presented him to the Unicorn, who shared the same enthusiasm as the Queen, "Finrod, this is my dear friend Lurue." He didn't see the beast well in the horizon, but now that he was near her, he was amazed by the beauty the Unicorn had. There was something about her, something very similar to Androxia but different at the same time. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything?" Finrod feared. "Oh no, we were just finished." the Nymph giggled.

Our Elf had good reasons for sensing that Lurue was special, for the Unicorn was actually the Exarch of the Goddess Mielikki, the Supreme Ranger. "If you wish, I could tell you more about her." The Nymph Queen told him.

And so she did, for every now and then the Queen discussed with our Hero the history of The Forest Queen. Eventually, Finrod started to worship Mielikki on his own, not because he was forced or because he wanted to follow a model, but because he found that the Goddess reflected things and traits that were important for him.

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After fifty years, the Elf was starting to get familiar with the environment and the Fey that lived by his side. He also learned a lot about the Fey, such as that not all were good. There were actually some, such as Hags, that were horrible creatures.

It was thus very surprising for Finrod to spot creatures he never met before as he was taking a walk with his Grig friend. Being a Know-It-All, the little Fey told him that they were Thorns, another species of Fey that were much more like Fighters than most of the Race. They thus took on the role of Guardians, walking around Faerun to protect their fellow Fey.

You could imagine the surprise of the Thorns when they saw a Non-Fey in the Settlement. Getting out their blades and charging, one even barely missed Finrod's head with an Arrow.

The Elf, who wasn't a boy anymore, was lucky that the other Fey warned them quickly enough that he was a friend. Our adventure could ended here, but fate decided otherwise.

Ironically, Finrod saw the missed arrow as a sign from Mielikki. A bow with an arrow form a terrible combination, one that can quickly dispatch an enemy. Just like his friends that saved his life, he wanted to be able to save theirs one day.

"I'm sorry... But do you think you could teach me how to use a bow?" The Elf asked to the Thorn that nearly took his life. The Fey, feeling bad about nearly killing him, agreed to teach him for the time that they would rest in the Settlement.

They didn't stay long, but it did permit Finrod to know how to wield the bow, something, if you ask me, that every good and proud Elf should know!

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Life was good with the Fey.

[FayrisNyanNyan]

It was just a normal day like any other.
Nothing indicated that anything bad was about to happen.

Well, nothing except the lack of warmth Androxia usually expressed. It's not that she was mean or anything, on the contrary she was as nice as usually. But she seemed worried. Unsure. Disturbed.

Then came the weird request, "Finrod, at the other side of the forest is a special flower that I wish you could bring to me." Small quests like these weren't something unique, Androxia sent the Elf on several errands in the past. Yet... Something seemed off this time. Especially with the words she told him before he left, "You'll always be part of us, Finrod. We'll always consider you as a Fey." He nodded to that, offering a smile, not sure what to say.

The flower in question wasn't a mystery to him, he saw and even smelled it several times before. As for why the Nymph wanted it, he had no idea. He easily found it, placing several in his sack before heading back.

That is, heading back to the empty settlement, for there was nobody to welcome him back. Nobody to praise him, nor thank him.

The small camp was simply empty. He had no idea what happened, but he knew that they just weren't there. He could see the small houses and nests of his friends, but they were empty. They weren't hiding, they weren't there. Why?

Alarmed, Finrod made him way to the clearing of the Queen, her Throne Room, but that place also was empty. The animals weren't there. The Fishes weren't there. He looked up. The Fairie Dragons weren't there. What happened?

Confused, he dropped on the ground, which was now missing its past positive radiation. The flowers were withering, the grass was dying. Even the Wooden Throne seemed... old. The Magic itself of the Fey was gone, but why?

Through the tears cloaking his eyes, he perceived something on the royal chair, something round and white. He crawled up there, rubbing and staining his pants with grass, to realize that it was an egg. But not any egg. Bigger than your average omelet, the Elf knew fully well what was the Egg: A Fairie Dragon Egg.

Just another mystery to put on the others, why was there an Egg here? No matter... He couldn't leave it here. He didn't know why, but he couldn't. Placing it on flowers inside his bag, Finrod left the Settlement, alone once more.

[FayrisNyanNyan]

A few weeks passed since Finrod left the settlement and only the God knows what the Elf has been doing. Living off the wild once more, Finrod couldn't go back to civilization. He didn't feel like it was Home. And yet Home was gone, for Home is not a location, but a situation. A place with people you love.

One night, sleeping on a small sheet of leaf, our Hero had a flashback of what the Grig once said to him, that there were other Fey in the world. Yes, there are bad ones, but also other Good ones, just like them. He also said where some were... But he couldn't remember them.

Then he woke up, shaken. Looking around, he saw the Egg, still un-hatched, right next to him. Crossing his legs together, he placed the Egg closer to him, rubbing it gently as he looked up the rising Moon, whispering a name that was vaguely present in his head.

...Sundren.

[FayrisNyanNyan]

(( OOC ))

Boy, that was fun! I wasn't expecting to write that much, but here is the story of my newest character, Finrod, the Elf who is searching for Fairies! :P

I'm always looking for constructive comments, so feel free to drop some!