Shattered Kingdoms

Well he is gone at last. After a failed one month attempt to play sk and learn the basics back in 2000, I created Aelraen to play just for a few hours. This time I got addicted and I played a few thousand hours. I'm sure I'll forget many people that I'd like to thank but I'll give it a try.

Many many thanks to:

Muktar: Caladian was a father figure for Aelraen. According to Aelraen he was the one that made him realise his goal. Little lines of his and his all style made playing the mud like reading a good book and it was one of the reasons I was addicted. I really hope you won't get bored of your last reincarnation. I'm curious of what is going to happen to her.

Konge: Rashua was the second of the active Guardians when Aelraen joined. He was literally the 911 for my noob [REDACTED] whenever there was a problem. Fast and effective. Not much to say for Caerbannog. A worthy foe who brought many troubles (many visions too ). I'm sure Desdomos will be equally succesful.

Frollith/Bain: Aelraen never spent much time with them outside the battlefield. Still they were the ones that changed Aelraen's attitude more than anyone, especially Aelraen's beliefs for meanings like Light and Dark. Frollith started as a foe and turned to be a friend and great ally while the opposite happened with Bain.

Ierien: for being the best paladin I remember (with Shandraelle, Pilcester and Alleli real close) and a great ally whenever Ayamao was in danger. Especially when the odds were really against us.

Riozik: Speaking of odds I cannot forget Riozik. Faster than the Guardians, the one man army gave great battles with Aelraen.

The player of Kafriel: Solidus should be there with Frollith and Bain. The last of Aelraen's mentors. It took Aelraen to learn that she was an adept a couple of decades. She was the one that helped him learn ways of winning battles without just using brute force.

Syn: What a pain. All of your characters. From Selisia to Synerie to Veydara all of them made me laugh and get angry. Veydara dying to a round of cheese still makes me laugh.

Furtive_death: Toeb and his trips are something not easily forgotten. He was also one of the Druids that Aelraen trusted in times when things were not going well for the druid-guardian relationships. A good friend and voice or reason when things were almost out of control.

Omnn: The first of the two druid leaders that Aelraen respected so much. He helped Ayamao on battles like no druid leader had before him. While Omnn's views were considered at least bad from his men, they made Aelraen see him as a real ally and protector of the Ayamaoan citizens and not just the land. Rare thing till then.

Filliokwe: He was the second one to be trusted from Aelraen so much. Even while he didn't agree with Aelraen in specific matters, there was honesty between the two men and even when their plans were not the same they both knew there were damn good reasons for that. And I can easily say that Sk needs more people that can rp like him.

Scullyas: Scully was the only Guardian who stayed there with Aelraen during the worst and best moments of the Guardians. Even when they were the only ones defending with no guardian leaders at all. He knew what Aelraen had been through for Ayamao and supported him fully even if sometimes he didn't agree with various matters due to his race/alignment.

Dark Avenger: From Archelor and Bargh to the battles against Golg there was nothing but fun times.

Inzaarid: Awesome. One more evil character that changed Aelraen's views about a few things but mostly about deep elves and their presence in Ayamao. While starting as allies against the east, even when they became enemies they did share same ideas. Inzaarid was the last deep elf who wandered outside Sith'a'niel freely till Aelraen started following the kingdom's customs about deep elves and attacking them (Inzy included) on sight. If only there was a way for the two characters to interact more.

The player of Velensar/Hessiva/Araglaraith: I just hate you for not spending more time with such great characters. Many thanks for the great time and rp I had with them.

Avice: Nothing but <3 for Avice. ALWAYS fun to rp, always willing to help in battle, always ready and equiped to do it. She was Aelraen's best friend for many decades. She would follow him blindly even when he was about to do silly things. And when things were really bad, she would be there to either make him smile or support him for matters that had to do with Ayamao or anything else.

Lirimaer/Elirush: I have to put these two together. They loved Aelraen in two completely different ways. None else brought him so much happiness, troubles, laugh, frustration than them. Maybe Aelraen would have gone sooner without them. Nothing but <3 and thanks.


And if I keep writting like this none is going to read anything so more thanks to:

Wortsenawl/Eusd/Eruntalon/Cleef/Elriorith/Liya/Phreya/Vorak/Gallus/Enthus/Valtari/Apelila/Safia/Rowena/Vartan/Stranair/Linaru
mien/Corathir/Sithara/Ysidro-Tego/Karn/Furaha/Caeru/Achernar/Slayne (For being the only imperial I interacted with and had style both in combat and rp)/ Rayvorath (annoying as hell)/ Aerlyn (By default I never liked any adepts till Aerlyn. Even after her death she was bringing rp to my character with the various people seeking Aelraen to talk to them about Deceit due to the similarity of their names which was really really fun).... and to everyone I forgot.

Special thanks to the three people who helped me learn the game (they know who they are), Nashira for all the help and hours
spent for Ayamao and Dulrik for making the game and being reasonable when other imms weren't.

Aelraen Softstone 797-948 T.A.
The story begins in the year 789 T.A. when a tribe of humans stop in Ayamao to trade their goods. It's there where one of the Softstones meets an elven woman who was so beautiful (for the human standards) that makes the young hunter forget anything that had to do with trade and spends the next few weeks with her trying to convince her to follow him in his trips. After a couple of months the elven woman who had recently lost her family decides to follow the man and his tribe. A few years pass and the tribe is near the jungle in the unclaimed territory south of Ayamao to collect herbs. While the elven woman is giving birth to her child the tribe is attacked by a group of organised bandits. The moment the father holds the child for the first time, a javelin streaks into her heart and kills her. With a heavy toll of lives and goods the tribe manages to defend and make the bandits flee. The shaman leader of the tribe couldn't raise the elf for a long time so in the meantime the father (who wasn't the brightest of the tribe) decides to name the first half-elf of the tribe after what he loved most, his wife. Her name was Aelraen.
The Softstones were nomads travelling from kingdom to kingdom to collect and trade their goods. There weren't any great warriors among them. Only hunters skilled enough to hunt animals and deal against weak bandits. The young Aelraen was raised following the tribe, training with the spear and listening to stories of the best warrior the tribe ever had, Aelraen's grand grand grandfather (the expert-mentorish softstone I tried to play 7 years ago). Aelraen's ancestor greatest achievements were to kill a few undead in the cavern of the undead in Ayamao with the help of the knight marshal of Ayamao and after a few years to kill one fytrysk under Morea. Without any capable warriors in the tribe and with the passing of time the story changed. The marshal helping Aelraen's g-g-grandfather in Ayamao became the marshal begging him to rescue Ayamao. The one fytrysk became five and then fifteen who found death from a single blow from his grandfather's sword. Aelraen was a young man now and he wanted nothing else but to become as strong as his ancestor by any means. He had lost any interest for trading and when he learnt anything he could about fighting from the tribesmen he left to roam Pyrathia and make his dream come true.

Aelraen is 17 years old now and having nothing but his spear visits places, people and everything he thinks that will help him become stronger. During one of his early trips an old griffon decides to help the young man. His name is Shzikhar and teaches him the ways of the true warriors. Not long after and without Aelraen's training having finished the griffon dies and Aelraen starts wandering again. One day his trips bring him outside a keep (note: both aelraen and I had no clue about cabals back then). Aelraen amazed and curious decides to enter the keep. Passing the gate and before even having a moment to see what's inside Aelraen feels horrible pain. While trying to stand up and flee he sees an elven figure waving his hands and casting again. The next second Aelraen is dead. The keep was Losache and the elf was a priest called Frollith. During the short time the ghost stayed there Aelraen hears the priest yelling a few words about Light and Darkness but without understanding much he arrives in the River.

Aelraen's journeys continue and fate brings him this time closer to dark hearted people and especially Solidus and Bain. While the hellion takes advantage of Aelraen's brute strength she also teaches him ways of battle that Aelraen never had seen before. How to strike behind shadows with great force and when the time is perfect, only like a hellion can. During the same period Aelraen meets a talented gnome who could perform magics that he had never seen before. His name was Bain the scorched one, a necromancer from the north. The two men start training in Uxmal and Aelraen thinks he has found a new friend. One day one of the centaurs in the Circle of Strong kills Bain and Aelraen runs inside to get the corpse. Putting his life in danger he manages to get the necromancer's belongings and bury them in Uxmal.

A few years more pass and Aelraen, still trying to become as strong as he can, visits Zhenshi. There he meets many people and among them Safia, a priestess who succeeds to teach the dim barbarian a few things about the battle between Light and Darkness and also Healing. Aelraen spends a few years near the priestess when one day the guards of Nerina and Safia are yelling for an attack. Aelraen leaves the inn and runs to rescue her. They both fall from a horde of undead controlled by Bain. Shortly after that the priestess tells Aelraen that he wants to see him no more. Aelraen leaves Zhenshi and full of hate and vengeance wants to cause as much pain as he can to Pyrathia. With no help and no water he spends the next years in the Y'grithian deeps without leaving the place at all till he almost becomes a grand master. With his heart and mind still wounded and laughing at anyone who would talk to him about Light and Darkness he returns to Zhenshi only to see another "friend" of his wanted. Judge kelah informs Aelraen of a hellion Adept called Solidus who had attacked Nerina along with the rest of the Adepts. More dissapointed than angry Aelraen, who is about 30 years old now, heads west and reaches the city of Sith'a'niel.

There an older half-elf named Caladian listens to Aelraen's story. The first days leaving the tribe, the dangerous trips and places he met and the people who betrayed him. Caladian decides to tell him more about a land that is not like the dangerous places he had travelled before, Ayamao. Not only he should find no trouble there but he could also put in use his great
battle skills to help the land. Aelraen instantly remembered all the myths and stories about his grandfather saving Ayamao and suddenly things became quite clear. He was born to help Ayamao just like his ancestor did centuries ago. Soon he becomes a Guardian.

Not used to organised defense Aelraen counts for a long time on marshal Caladian and regent Rashua. After a while he is put in charge of the ayamaoan tribes as the chieftain, but the years pass quickly and when the two men are gone he becomes the Alliance's next knight marshal. From the first moment Aelraen tries to make the Guardians stronger and not only keep the citizens safe but also to turn Ayamao into a sanctuary for anyone who wishes peace, no matter what his race or heart is. Time passes and while the Alliance is not yet really strong the Guardians manage to do a good job. In the mean time he meets Elirush. A half elven warrior who after a few years becomes his wife. One of the things Aelraen cared most was the unity among Guardians. With Aelraen having recruited a significant number of Guardians it didn't take long for the first troubles
to take place among them. Aelraen's harsh decisions, elven Guardians who wanted no half-elves in charge and other matters had already made a few Guardians start questioning Aelraen's ability to lead the Alliance. After many incidents that took place Aelraen decides to release regent Ruri from his duties. While many Guardians agree with the decision, there are also more Guardians who decide to question the marshal. With Elirush being among them for the first time and Aelraen valuing the Guardians' unity above everything in order for the land to be safe he decides to step down. Questioning now himself he asks his best friend and warrior Beau to take charge and leaves Ayamao to search Pyrathia for his long lost tribe. While Beau doesn't wish to lead the Ayamaoan forces he accepts the challenge having Aelraen promised to return soon to take his place
back. Aelraen agrees and visits hostile places where he was already banished not only to seek any signs of his people, but also to prove to himself what he worths. Following the traditional Softstone way he gives many battles in the north and east with nothing but a pair of claws. The years pass and while his search proves to be fruitless Aelraen gains once again his confidence.

He returns to Ayamao only to see the nation weakened, the old Guardians gone and old Beau struggling to keep his promise, waiting for Aelraen to return. The day Aelraen meets Beau in Sith'a'niel the halfling warrior, relieved, leaves Pyrathia to join the spirits. With almost all Guardians gone and the nation without leaders Aelraen tries to take charge and strengthen the Alliance again. While the centaurs of Grahme support Aelraen, the elves who had lost their trust don't. With the sprites
not being very decisive (as usual) Aelraen fails to take charge. Ayamao stays with no leader at all for about twelve years. In the meantime Aelraen does what he knew best. Hiding in the forest alone and guarding it like a shadow he gives the greatest battles he ever had. While he manages to defend succesfully against crazy odds and the strong imperial and Adept forces, Ayamao is already in chaos. Paladins and allies wanted for more than a decade for defending Ayamao, enforcers with no weapons and the very last Guardians wondering if it worths it. Soon the elves agree with the centaurs and the sprites and Aelraen gets the responsibility once again to help the Alliance as the chieftain of all Ayamao.

Having met and fought by all Ayamao's enemies (northeners, imperials, cultists and Harlequins) side and against them Aelraen decides never to leave Ayamao again, to protect it from all threats and help it flourish. There were still times when Aelraen was called a traitor to Ayamao and a mongrel even by Ayamaoans but he kept his promise and oaths till his last breath. He died the Day of the Sun, Dark Shades 13th, 948 T.A in the heart of the Tree hoping he helped Ayamao, hoping he succeeded only a fraction of what his ancestor had accomplished.

Aww. I really loved Aelraen. As an ally, as an enemy, as a character. Dude . . . I don't think there are words.

Bravo, bravo, and can't f'ing wait to see what you pull out of that hat next.

Simply superb.

He always reminded me of a half-tamed horse. He was, at times, so out of place with his surroundings, especially standing next to his wife. Wonderfully complex, but other times as simple as any barbarian should be. Bravo, good sir.

Aelraen was a mysterious figure to Lirimaer for the first few years of her life. It was not until just after the Knights' Tournament that Aelraen began to understand Lirimaer.

From there, the relationship between the two grew. There were times it was very happy and other times that it was very thorny. Through it all they stuck together, overcoming pride and stubbornness.

The pair were as mismatched as orange and green and there were times it showed and times it worked. He was Liri's greatest love and greatest frustration. He will never be forgotten and she has taken great care to make sure he is never forgotten to those of Ayamao.

Aelraen was simply awesome. By far the best leader ever to rule Ayamao from the time of Camby and Myclaras!
Objective, reasonable, heroic, compassionate, logical etc etc.

Aelraen was the one person Elriorith would entrust her life to, completely. She would go wherever he asked her to go, and join him even in 2 vs many without fear.

He knew his way around, was bold enough to try out anything and heroic enough to sacrifice anything for Ayamao.

Mad Props for one of the most magnificent characters ever!!!

Aelraen kicked @$$. I am so glad that I picked you to take over leadership of ayamao. at first I got a lot of [REDACTED] for picking you but you kept with your constant rp and I started to hear only good things.

It was great to rp with you before you char age-deathed. Take care!

Aelraen was plain awesome.
If there is one person I can safely say I considered a friend, it was him. Hard as a rock and with a mind that resembled one at times, he knew his odds and made Ayamao strong. One rarely sees such conviction, determination and complete immunity to OOC.

Great Char, definitely goes to my top 10 list.


__________________________
Kai opws eipe kai o da, ta arxidia toy papoy kanoyn avlaki sto xwma otan perpataei.

GG RP

Roll a darkie or A Meissian.

That's eerily similar to how I found myself in SK.

What can I say, an absolute joy to play alongside. Thank you for the help, for the RPees, thank you indeed. This character will be missed a great deal.

Be well sir.