Fall of the Elves (Collector of Rarities x The Supple Nail)

[Collector of Rarities]

The disappearance of Queen Gwendolyn Starfallen had been an ill omen for the elves. True, the river had begun to dry up before she had left to investigate the cause, but the elves had begun to despair when she didn't return after a month. Gwendolyn had always been considered to be the wisest of all the elves and her eldest daughter, who now sat the throne, was known as a skilled musician but had never been given the chance to prove herself as a leader. With the river still dry and conditions worsening, something had to be done and quickly. Crops were dying and, more importantly, people were going thirsty. Magi and priestesses alike attempted to solve the problem, but it quickly became apparent that magical means of solving the problem just weren't enough. Certainly, they would keep the people of the elven cities from dying of thirst if they rationed their water, but they could not restore the flow of the great river that once supported the elven lands, nor would they be able to adequately provide water for the villages and settlements outside of the city.

Then one day word came in that some elves in settlements on the edges of the kingdom had been receiving water from an outside source. Rangers sent to investigate learned that women in these border villages had made arrangements to receive water from unlikely sources: gnolls, orcs, even goblins and kobolds in some cases. Word of these deals spread quickly, though the details of the actual arrangement were murky, and the people were in an uproar for the new queen to create a formal trade relationship with these monster tribes: an act that would have been unthinkable just a few months earlier. Some of the elder rangers wanted to investigate further, but the people of the surrounding villages and settlements cared not: if some elves had water enough to survive, then shouldn't all elves? And if the queen wasn't willing to provide her people with the water they so desperately needed, then why not turn to these helpful outsiders in their time of need? So the decision was made to send messengers to the monster tribes, inviting them to the capital to negotiate for water and soon the delegates would begin to arrive.

 

[The Supple Nail]

Lyriann paced nervously before the throne, her hands clasped behind her to prevent herself from indulging in her old vice of biting her nails. The throne room was empty save for her closest advisers, Merissa and Kayra, and her curious younger sister Shialyn.

Merissa was advising caution and diplomacy, Kayra as always was advising caution and defense. She even suggested that the monster's delegation be brought in under armed guard, a ridiculous notion considering that they might have the answer to the city's devastating water crisis. Shialyn was simply there out of curiosity. She had never seen an outsider before, in fact she had never seen anyone but elves. She was curious to see what the newcomers would be like.

Lyriann glanced over at her sister, legs dandling over one of the balustrades as she listened to Kayra and Merissa argue. She couldn't help but compare herself to her sister, she saw so much of their mother in her. They were both lithe, willowy girls, one on the cusp of womanhood, the other just leaving childhood. Lyriann was perhaps a touch taller, Shialyn's frame a bit more slender. They both had wide, expressive eyes and the classical smoothness of unmarred elven beauty. In Merissa that quality was muted by wisdom and a keen mind, in raven haired Kayra her features held the haughty slant of a warrior.

"Enough." Lyriann said at last, waving Kayra and Merissa apart. Shialyn perked up.

"We will continue as we have planned. There can be no harm in at least entertaining their envoy. Who knows, if they can deliver us from this crisis a treaty may be the answer we need."

Merissa bowed graciously, Kayra with an obstinate stiffness, but both took their places at Lyriann's side.

"Let them in." She said, motioning for a nearby page.

The wide doors of the throne room swung open and a line of courtiers and functionaries filed in, as well as an honor guard of Kayra's finest rangers. She had insisted on at least some protection present at the summit. Next came the standard bearers, and then at last the delegation.

Lyriann seated herself on the throne, looking down over the assemblage and trying to appear queenly.

 

[Collector of Rarities]

The gnolls were nowhere near as radiant or appealing as the elves, but they were certainly more imposing. There were fifteen in total, though ten appeared to be much younger than the others: they stood at a mere four feet in height, and while they appeared to be the youngest of the group, they were each armed and looked as dangerous as their elders. The older ones stood around seven and a half feet tall, their bestial forms well-muscled beneath their dirty tan fur. Where the elves were beautiful and graceful, the gnolls were unkempt and predatory. From a cursory glance, it seemed that none of them had bathed in recent memory - if ever - and those close to them could confirm this supposition from their stench. Most were armored in torn, stained leathers that reeked of blood, though the eldest wore pelts from various beasts of the desert. Four of the taller ones each carried spears and shields and each looked hungrily about the throne room, especially at the women; even Queen Lyriann was not spared their ravenous and shameless leers. The last member of the delegation was quite obviously the eldest: he held a staff in his right hand and from his left dangled a flail comprised of leather, chains and vicious-looking pieces of scrap metal.

Occasionally members of the delegation would chatter to each other in a coarse, guttural language that many elves were not capable of understanding, though the eldest remained silent. Once the delegation was within speaking distance of the throne, however, the elder gnoll barked "Silence, you fools!" to his subordinates in elvish, though they all seemed to understand him and straightened themselves to attention as the elder glared up at Lyriann. "What mockery is this?" he demanded, staring the Queen down. "Where is your ruler? I was told that I was here to broker a deal between our tribes."

 

[The Supple Nail]

Kayra's nose wrinkled and she turned her head haughtily, watching the brutish gnolls with unveiled distain as they marched their way across the spotless marble of the throne room. It was a massive chamber with vaulted ceilings and huge windows that let in the bright desert sunlight and the dry breezes to tug at the fine silken hangings. Merissa shook her head slightly, a signal not to do anything foolish.

"It is I to whom you have come to speak." She said with a polite nod from her seat on the throne.

"I am Lyriann Starfallen, Queen of the elven lands, and ruler of all you see before you. It is with me that you have come to bargain." She said.

"I welcome you to these lands and to this hall, and bid you take your ease. We have much to discuss, I have been given to believe that you have much water that we desperately need."

 

[Collector of Rarities]

The elder gnoll's lip quivered into a snarl as Lyriann insisted that she would be the one negotiating. "I did not travel across the desert to be insulted in such a manner," he growled. "All matters of importance are handled between men; it is not a chattel's place to make demands or offer bargains. Tell your Master, the king, that I will not parlay with his concubine." The assembled elves fell into shocked silence at the elder gnoll's words, though his entourage exploded into yelps and chattering that seemed to be in approval of their leader's statement. The leader of the gnoll delegation simply stared Lyriann down, drawing himself up to his full stature to tower over her as he glared down at her.

 

[The Supple Nail]

"You will keep a civil tongue in your head, barbarian, or I'll..." Kayra began furiously but Lyriann cut her off with a swift motion of her hand.

She was as shocked and appalled by these brute's barbarism as the rest of the court but she had to act diplomatically. She longed to tell them to remove themselves from their sacred grove but knew that without the water they offered the Elven Lands had no chance of survival.

"Our ways are different then yours." She began, diplomatically.

"Here power does not rest with men or women alone, but with whoever is pure of heart and has the true interests of the people as their highest aim. My mother was queen before me, and now the crown has come to me. You may treat with me as you would with the leader of any of your tribes, I will hear what you have come to offer."

 

[Collector of Rarities]

The elder was silent as he starred down at Lyriann, turning over her remark about the differences between their people in his head. "I can see that the ways of our people are different," he remarked, "so I will do you the courtesy of not treating you like one of our pack leaders; that would end poorly for you. I am Rrox Ashide, Priest of Yeenoghu and Voice of the Tribes. The pack leaders may have their petty squabbles, but I speak with the voice of our Prince. I was selected by the High Priest to parlay with your tribe. I was told that your people had strange ways, but..." he shook his head. "It is customary for a leader to greet someone of my station with gifts and a feast before talks begin. Furthermore, my men and I are weary after the long travel: we would like to be shown to our quarters." He turned and glared at his entourage. "I must also confer with my retinue in private as well."

 

[The Supple Nail]

"Indeed, such is our custom as well." Lyriann said. Merissa had informed her somewhat of the gnoll's customs, although nobody knew much about them. Just what had been necessary to facilitate these preliminary talks.

"There will be a banquet tonight, and revels. You will find us to be a fair minded people, generous to our allies and gracious to our friends. Quarters have been arranged for you here in the palace. Please, take your ease until the festivities this evening. If you are hungry or wish to see our fair city please let my sister know." She gestured and Shialyn stepped forwards, bowing uncertainly to Rrox.

Her face was flushed with excitement at having been chosen for the important task of liaising with the gnolls. Like Lyriann she had been counselled by both Merissa and Kayra. The former urged her to be polite, diplomatic, and to do her best to make them feel welcome and comfortable. Kayra had urged her to be cautious, to keep her eyes and ears open, and to learn any weaknesses they may have. Unlike Lyriann her she was having a hard time keeping her composure. She was as curious as she had ever been but was shocked by the gnoll's barbaric appearance and mannerisms. And smell. She was feeling more and more uncertain of her self as the summit proceeded.

"Shialyn will see to your needs, if you have any requests while you are here you may refer them to her." Lyriann said.

"You may tour the city if you wish, but outside your quarters you must be accompanied by a delegation of my rangers." Kayra said, stepping forward and standing in rigid military posture. Lyriann shot her a sharp glance and she grimaced.

"Please."

"If you will accompany me..." Shialyn said, skipping down the dais with elven grace and beckoning for the gnoll delegation to follow her.

"I will show you to your quarters."

Lyriann stood and bowed.

 

[Collector of Rarities]

Rrox leered hungrily down at Shialyn as she stepped forward, as did the other gnolls. Rrox gave the queen a toothy smile and said "Aye, this is a fair gift," before allowing the young princess to take the lead. Rrox's retinue began chattering to each other excitedly in their bestial tongue about the upcoming feast and which women would be appearing and who would take which one. A good amount of argumentation occurred over who would have the queen, as they saw no reason for her not to be a part of the festivities. Rrox followed behind the princess, waiting for her to show them their living quarters for now. His men could chatter all they liked: they would have their fun at the banquet, and quite possibly earlier if he found himself dissatisfied with the princess.

 

[The Supple Nail]

As the gnoll delegation left Kayra's rigid military bearing slackened somewhat and she began pacing on the dais behind the throne, cursing under her breath and slapping the back of her hand into her palm. Lyriann and Merissa ignored her.

Lyriann heaved a sigh of relief and slumped back in the throne, dismissing the courtiers and rangers with an idle wave of her hand. They melted away to take up posts near the gnoll's quarters. Not surrounding it, but lurking nearby with their dexterous elven stealth in case, as Kayra put it, 'The damn beasts go up to mischief.'

Lyriann felt overwhelmed by the responsibilities of her position. She didn't know how she would convince these brutes to share their water, she didn't even know if she would be able to keep up her polite facade. The gnolls fascinated and disgusted her, the idea of allying with them was worrying but she saw no alternatives if the drought continued.

Merissa leaned in over the chair to counsel her softly. She informed Lyriann that the lesser gnolls were already dividing the kingdom up amongst themselves, although she spared her the lascivious details of their conversation. She never the less impressed upon Lyriann the need for caution when dealing with them. They would need the gnolls if the elven lands were to survive, but at what cost?

...

Meanwhile Shialyn led the gnolls through the vaulted, exquisitely carved halls as she made her way towards the chambers that had been set aside for them. Nobody had really known what to expect and so it was decided to give them rooms far from the central, busiest areas of the palace. Merissa wanted to afford them their privacy, Kayra just wanted them as far away from the queen as possible.

Shialyn gestured them into the lavishly decorated chambers with a bow.

"Please, sirs, take your ease here. If you require anything you can summon servants by pulling this cord." She said, indicating a nearby bell-pull.

 

[Collector of Rarities]

Rrox and his retinue watched theit surroundings as they were lead to their chambers. As the elves were making no real attempt at hiding their presence or watchful eyes from the beast men, the gnolls were keenly aware of how closely they were being watched. When they finally arrived at their destination, Rrox''s men began to growl; a sound that was echoed by their leader. "Is this the best you have to offer your honored guests?" Demanded the priest, turning to glare at Shialyn. "These are hardly chambers befitting my station."

 

[The Supple Nail]

"I-I'm sorry, Captain Kayra s-selected these rooms." Shialyn said, cowering backwards under the fury of Rrox and his men.

"I...I can tell her that you're unhappy with the accommodations...we could possibly move you..." She said, fumbling about for something to say. She nervously toyed with the hem of her dress, specially crafted for what she had thought would be an enlightening meeting with strangers from across the desert. She was thoroughly disabused of that notion and struggling to keep her composure.

"These rooms are as fine as any in the palace, any other chambers would be smaller...more cramped..."

 

[Collector of Rarities]

Rrox ceased his growling, though maintained his air of outrage. "My men and I came here to negotiate with your tribe," he explained. "And yet we are pushed off to the side, away from the body of your pack like we are outcasts and bastards. I know not who this Kayra is, but I will have words with him in due time. For now, I would suggest that you find us rooms more worthy of our station." The gathered gnolls let out barks and yelps of agreement, puffing themselves up tot heir full heights and striking imposing postures. "I also expect a formal apology from the concubine who sits the throne at the feast," continued Rrox. "If we are to have words of peace during our talks, an insult such as this cannot be left to stand."

 

[The Supple Nail]

((Sorry that my posting has been so spotty! I'm home for the holidays, I'll probably be very unreliable for the next week or so, but we can get back into the swing of things after that.))

"Lyriann...the queen thought that you would be more comfortable if you had...more space to move about freely..." Shialyn said, blanching.

"You...you can certainly ask the queen at the feast. We wish to welcome you to our city, if you have any questions I am happy to answer them." She said. She felt out of her depth, not sure what she would be authorized to offer the gnolls to appease them. Merissa would know what to do, but she wasn't here.