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Introduction Your Grace, I have prepared an extensive report on the status of the Kingdom, to be browsed at His Graces leisure.

Aerenwe is listed as a Duch but is ruled b a !ueen, who rumors states has blood"ties to #oele. $he usurped the previous %&ing' (which is listed as lower case) which could actuall mean that he held the title of King or that the are using the term &ing as leader. I would thin& that the House tied to *erenwe is most li&el no longer in existence and that the !ueen declared herself a !ueen based on the population seeing a tie of her directl to the #oele blood"line (i.e. she didn+t choose the title but did not refuse it when it was given to her.)

Ruler: ,beron *eren -ount of -alrie and #uler of *erenwe .*/ 01/ *n, ma2or, 34/ 56 hightened abilit , cha minor, Healing .a2or, -ourage 7nhanced to ma2or, healing to ma2or Great, $tr Dex $ta Int ;is -ha 84 83 89 8: 83 8<

=hough he is plain"faced and average built, he unnerves most who encounter him. He has a >uiet et compelling voice, sinister and emotionless. His e es are pale blue in colour, combining with his dispassionate expressions to give him an ic , inhuman ga?e. He commonl wears blac& ring mail and a cloa&.

Alignment: 6eutral Good/ ma see changed due to new ruler -apital@ -alrie Aopulation@ BB4,<<< Area: C.<<< s>uare miles Government: 0eudal .onarch Liege@ 6one Vassals: .ar>uis 5asarus (High ;arden of the 7rebannien), -ount Dhon (-ount of Dhoenel), -ount *rdai (Halried) Religions: 6esirie (state religion) Imports: *rmour, steel, weapons Exports: *griculture, leather, timber, horses

Aeren (1th House) " =he line thought to have disappeared in 8B9: H-, however !ueen 5iliene of *erenwe claimed to be both the last descendent of the ro al house of the *eren and a distant descendent of #oele. It has been determined b scholars in *erenwe that ,beron is indeed of the House of *eren. Life and Society *erenweans &eep to their own business D but the &now their neighbors, and the will defend their companions to their d ing breaths. =hough self"sufficient, the are fiercel lo al. *erenweans inhabit onl three of the seven provinces, and the do not want to endure the costs of war in blood and treasure as some other *nuirean &ingdoms have done. It is well that *erenwe+s neighbours feel the same. 6o arm has ever marched through the 7rebannien, and none from *nuire ever will. *n ruler who would despoil the shad trails of the forest would see his allies turning into enemies and his enemies raving for his blood. *n unspo&en truce among the *nuireans ensures the protection of the 7rebannien from war. Enfortunatel , other parts of *erenwe have felt the bite of conflict. *erenweans live >uiet lives, tending to their crops and livestoc& mostl unhindered b the machinations of -erilia+s other regents. 5ife in the &ingdom remains much as it was five hundred ears ago. In *erenwe+s three settled provinces, ancient stone fences and rows of hedges hem in countless orchards, farms, and pastures that are the *erenweans livelihood. In the south, the ancient 7rebannien forest stretches across the &ingdom. .ost *erenweans avoid the wood out of awe at the forests beaut , superstition over the forest+s age, and anxiet over the powerful High .age *elies, the forest+s half"elven protector and guardian. =o this da , the 7rebannien remains one of the few places in *nuire untouched b hand of humanit .

* fiercel lo al people, *erenweans enthusiasticall support the realm+s militia. 7ver eoman male between the age of 89 and 9< is re>uired to spend some time in the militia, with additional sessions of training ever ear. =hough the tradition of a strong militia has been in *erenwean societ for centuries, there was a time when it was nearl abandoned. =he last !ueen, 5iliene $wordwraith, reinstated the practice and too& steps to ensure that it was never again forgotten. =hough other *nuireans often sa that *erenweans lac& ambition, it cannot be said that the where not lo al to their regent. If she as&ed, the wouldve marched into even the Gorgon+s lair. However, both she and her people felt content with their corner of *nuire. 6earl ever inhabitant of *erenwe follows the 7astern =emple of 6esirie. $trongl supported b the dead >ueen, the priests advocate a view that venerates 6esirie less in her role as goddess of the sea and more as a goddess of self"reliance. *erenweans do not see& to dominate and prefer to remain out of the conflicts of others. =he desire onl to go their own wa , depending on no one, responsible for no one but themselves. $o profound is this doctrine that the worship of 6esirie is the onl religion practiced in *erenwe, though the people of the realm are not intolerant of those of other faiths. *nother guild operates in *erenwe, though it is of meager importance. .ourde *londir has recentl started a minor logging operation deep in the heart of the 7rebannien. =he *glondier famil , rulers of Ilien, have maintained sources in the 7rebannien for nearl a thousand ears. In fact, the mebhaighl of the ancient forest provides the -ounts of Ilien with the greater bul& of their power. In recent centuries however, the powerful half"elven High .age *elies has risen to prominence as *nuire+s most powerful wi?ard. *elies has since managed to ta&e control of most of the 7rebannien+s powerful sources.

High .age *elies regards the protection of the 7rebannien as his own personal mission and tolerates no civili?ation to sprout under its eaves. =he scattered people who live in the woodland region &now to respect it, for it is rumored that *elies can see ever thing that goes on in the woods. *elies is a figure of neutralit in a realm renowned for its aloofness. =hough he was occasionall seen in the >ueen+s court, he did not receive an &ind of official sanction from $wordwraith. Instead, the >ueen and the High .age maintained an unspo&en agreement@ the 7rebannien shall be sacrosanct so long as the High .age remains out of *erenwean politics. The Wardens The group of rangers, druids and bards that guards the Erebannien has always been on friendly terms with the ruler of Aerenwe - as long as that ruler has respected and supported their work. Queen Tasaenae was once a member of this order, and still has friends and contacts within the ardens.

T e Land #anging from open pastures and verdant marshland to green hills and ancient forest, *erenwe is a fair land. However, it has not been forgotten b the armies of regents who desire a piece of the realm for their own. $cattered patches of scarred lands destro ed b the ravages of war are not unheard of. ;ell over half the realm is dominated b the 7rebannien, the most beautiful forest in *nuire. Here, ancient oa&s tower high above the dar& forest floor, elven ruins await discover , and the inscrutable High .age *elies watches over all, protecting the sanctit of the woods. =hough the 7rebannien is generall considered sacrosanct, there are small numbers of humans living under its eaves. .ost of these people cluster into towns along the coastline, though there are a few scattered settlements and homesteads within the forest itself. =hese people tend to ma&e their living peacefull , respecting the forest, rather than rapaciousl harvesting it as has happened in other realms. =he $pider #iver =raders own and operate a few of these towns, practicing a careful version of forestr , collecting onl what rare herbs and other forest products the need. The nobles of Aerenwe control most of the land in Aerenwe, e!en more so after the claim of the Queen, as she was forced to gi!e away !ast tracts to secure her return. "n the three central pro!inces, a handful of counts and !iscounts control !ast numbers of manors and through them the loyalty of many lesser nobles. #beron now holds some land around $aer $allin, but they are no longer as e%tensi!e as those of his ma&or nobles. "n the depths of the Erebannien, there are no traditional owned land, but the current 'igh arden has taken to awarding his followers with their own areas to control. The arden(s may happen not to call them )owned land*, but that is effecti!ely what they are. +umerous fortifications used to dot the Aerenwan plain. hen ,ilienes uncle tried to keep a firm grip of the land many of the noble families resisted. As a conse-uence of this he had their castles besieged, and after they surrendered, he had many fortifications reduced to rubble. hile this certainly reduced the nobles( ability to resist his decrees or rebel, it also left the realm with few defensi!e capabilities. Geograp y *erenwe lies sheltered from the winter storms b the hills of the 7rebannien, and is located in a sunn and fertile part of -erilia. ;inters are chill and wet, but not cold, and snow or frost is exceedingl rare, onl appearing in the depths of the 5ong ;inter. !A"IE"#S $EE% &'()* =he province of Fanien+s Deep lies in the ver heart of the 7rebannien. Here, settlers collect along the forest+s border with the province of -alrie as well as along the southern coastline. $iele Ghoried+s guilds ma&e a tid profit b maintaining contact between these towns, as the 7rebannien is an eas place for the inexperienced to become lost. =he primar industr here is forestr and subsistence fishing. -rime and war are ver rarel a problem here. 6evertheless, ,beron dispatches sheriffs and nobles into this province to ensure that each town is defended with a proper militia, largel due to the pirate menace in the $traits of *erele and Gulf of -oeran s. Greenhills -onservator @ *top a collection of small hills deep in the 7rebannien lies the Greenhills -onservator , one of the few remaining great bardic colleges in *nuire. #esplendent gardens, beautiful forest trails, and superb architecture are onl a few of the attractions for students. .an of -erilia+s most famous bards are on the facult here and the college+s collection of ancient lore is second to none. =he -onservator is a ver exclusive institution, re>uiring potential applicants to pass a variet of difficult aptitude tests, obtain sponsorship from a facult member, and pa high tuition fees. In spite of these obstacles, or perhaps because of them, -onservator graduates are among the most s&illed and sought after bards in *nuire. * ruling council of three directs the college+s activities and serves as the school+s liaison to ,beron. S adowgreen &'()*: *nother 7rebannien province, $hadowgreen is sparsel populated. =he few people who live here are solitar homesteaders ma&ing a living off of forestr , hunting, and trapping. $hadowgreen@ =he province is named for the town of $hadowgreen, built in the heart of the 7rebannien in the first centur H-. $hadowgreen was a mining town, renowned for its production of rare gemstones, primaril

rubies. However, it was not long before a strange sic&ness swept through the settlement, &illing ever one there in a matter of da s. $ince that time, man wild legends have emerged telling of the town+s fate. Enfortunatel , no one can be sure what happened as the town+s location is forgotten and no map mar&s its location. +estmarc &'()*: =he western"most province of *erenwe is another heavil forested land. 5i&e $hadowgreen, ;estmarch thrives mainl on hunting and trapping. $iele Ghoried+s $pider #iver =raders bu most of the goods from these industries and sell them in mar&ets throughout *erenwe and #oesone. =he largest town in the 7rebannien is in ;estmarch. =his town, Graelm r, sits on the coast and thrives on the fishing industr . *s it sits so close to the rough and tumble residents of #oesone and the cutthroat pirates of *lbiele Island, the >ueen dispatched the 7rebannien+s onl noble lord, -ount #ichard 5aestrel (.*n/ #gr9/ unblooded/ 6G) to guard rule over the town and manage its militia. "ort vale &'()*: * province of unsurpassed beaut , 6orthvale is the 7rebannien+s least civili?ed province. =he few people who live here huddle together on the coast, supporting themselves on the fish in the Gulf of -oeran s. =he coastal region consists mainl of tidal flats that are completel submerged during high tide. *s a result, most of the towns here are built on whatever hills and high ground that can be found. =he most famous of these towns is Dor #e nard, which sits upon a great outcropping of roc& that becomes an island during high tide. =hough the people of Dor #e nard are among the most isolated in *erenwe, the ma&e a good living selling rare fish and other sea life at mar&et in -alrie. =he 7rebannien dominates the interior of the province. 5ittle civili?ation of an note resides in the woods of 6orthvale, *erenwes rangers ma&e regular patrols through the area. Durweins stag Here stands a small bron?e monument called Durweins stag, it was built after a great tourne some ears after .ichael #oeles death. It is said that the oung heir to the *rchduch of Foeruine and even the Iron =hrone &illed a full grown stag with nothing but a &nife at the age of three. Fasilica of =ears@ =he Fasilica of =ears was once the 7astern =emple of 6esirie+s second largest cathedral in *erenwe. Fuilt in the extreme northeast of *erenwe, at the end of the Ferendor Aeninsula, which 2uts out into the Gulf of -oeran s, the Fasilica was to guard the entrance of the Ferendor waterwa s for the >ueen. In addition to functioning as a fortress, the Fasilica of =ears was a resplendent temple whose main chamber of pra er was dominated b tear shaped cr stals that refracted the light into a vibrant rainbow. It was said that Ersula Diem+s inspiration for the building came directl from 6esirie. Enfortunatel , upon Ersula+s death, a great calamit struc&. *n earth>ua&e caused the land beneath the Fasilica to shift and the temple tumbled into the sea. *gainst the wishes of the 7astern =emple of 6esirie, intrepid adventurers occasionall tr to swim down to ruins. 6o one has found an thing et, but that does not &eep them from tr ing. ,ALRIE &)(-* =he dominant terrain in -alrie is rolling grasslands and swamp. 0arms, orchards, and livestoc& cover most of the southern half of the province, providing the capital cit , -alrie, with the bul& of its food. =he rest of the province is given over to floodplains and marsh. =he Ferendor #iver slowl meanders along the province+s border with ,soerde, allowing ships to sail inland to the capital cit . =he province survives mainl as a centre of trade. =raders from ever realm on the Gulf of -oeran s sell their wares here. Fecause the constant hustle and bustle of trade regularl brings foreigners and outsiders into -alrie, the people here are the least isolationist in *erenwe. It is not uncommon to see a Khinasi or Frecht merchant in the capital. =he $pider #iver =raders has a loc& on the trade here, owning nearl all the caravans and merchant vessels that -alrie depends on for contact with the outside world. =he worship of 6esirie is widespread in -alrie. ;hereas most of the rural residents of the province regard her as a goddess of self"reliance, the people of the cit of -alrie also venerate those aspects of her dealing with the sea. =he province is ruled directl b ,beron, but he still puts trust in the 5ord -hancellor appointed b the late >ueen, =orlan Aarnel (.*/ 0:/ unblooded/ 6), to run the province+s da to da activities. Aarnel is an elderl man, nearing the end of an undistinguished career. -alrie@ =he *erenwean capital cit carries the same name as the province in which it lies. =he cit +s founders were forced to build this port >uite a distance inland as the marshes at the mouth of the Ferendor #iver prohibited an sort of building pro2ect closer to the sea. =he cit sits at the meeting point of several ma2or *erenwean roads and is the farthest that ships of an real si?e can sail up the river. Ersuline -hapel@ 5ocated in the capital, this church is the centre of the 7astern =emple of 6esirie and named for the temple+s founder/ Ersula Diem, a Geiled $ister and scion of the noble house of Diem. In her later ears, Ersula left the Geiled $isters to ta&e on the duties of high priestess for her friend, 5iliene $wordwraith, then the oung !ueen of *erenwe. Ersula had reali?ed ears earlier that the grief she endured was a result of her entanglement in affairs that did not concern her. 0urther, her enemies attac&ed her through those she loved. *s a result, she preached a doctrine of self"reliance to the people of *erenwe, exhorting them to rel on

themselves and their communities in protecting their independence and wa of life. It was because of Ersula+s efforts that the 7astern =emple of 6esirie spread throughout *erenwe. =he Ersuline -hapel, the oldest church in the 7astern =emple, is a beautiful structure constructed of white marble imported from Khinasi. #elief sculptures of prominent priests and priestesses and scenes promoting self"reliance cover the temple. =he enormous Hall of * =housand -andles in the centre of the temple is large enough to hold hundreds of worshippers at once. =he >ueen and her advisors attended morning services here ever da . -aer -allin@ -aer -allin is a massive fortress sitting 2ust outside the cit of -alrie and named for the &ing who constructed the fortress in :41 .#. =he castle sits directl on the ban&s of the Ferendor #iver so that all ships calling into -alrie must pass within range of the archers and catapults that line the castle walls. 5oo&outs in the towers &eep a close e e on the realm 2ust across the river@ ,soerde. 6o love is lost between *erenwe and ,soerde and should war ever brea& out between the two, -alrie would be near the front lines. -aer -allin also serves as the seat of government for ,beron and his court. The an ancient structure that is said to ha!e been laid down by a forgotten el!en king. Ferendor #iver@ =he Ferendor #iver springs from hills in #oesone and Ghoere and is continuall fed b snowmelt and a number of underground springs. Fecause of the hills in the region, the river is shallow and full of rapids until it reaches Dhoenel. Here, the river begins a slow, winding path through the lowlands and feeds a vast marshland before finall empt ing into the Gulf of -oeran s. 7ast of -alrie, the river is deep enough for ships to sail. .erchants ma&e heav use of this waterwa . =he *erenwean nav has patrolled the river for man decades, ensuring that it remains clear of pirates. $ oenel &.(-*: Dhoenel is a well"settled province in the northwest of *erenwe and one of the &ingdom+s most strategic provinces. =he terrain slowl slopes awa from the hills in neighbouring #oesone toward the Gulf of -oeran s. $mall streams are found across the province that tric&le down out of #oesone and eventuall find their wa into the Ferendor #iver. Dhoenel is ruled b -ount #egion Dhon (.*/ 0tr4/ $cion of .asela, ma2or, B</ 56), patriarch of the Dhon famil . =he Dhons have traditionall been high"ran&ing generals and militar advisors to the >ueen and *erin is no different. =he count advocates ending *erenwe+s isolation and neutralit and becoming involved in the struggle over the Iron =hrone. Dhon and his famil run the province from the town of ,rlenstae, a ma2or cattle herding settlement near the Ferendor #iver. /alried &.(-*: 'alried has had a !ery troubled history. hile spared from the worst atrocities of war, it has been sub&ect of more disasters and plagues than any other area along the 0outh $oast. The pro!ince has also been cursed with some of the worst, most incompetent and cruel nobles Anuire has to offer. $mall woodland areas, streams, and orchards dominate Halried+s landscape. In this, Halried+s landscape is >uite similar to neighbouring Duerlin in #oesone. 5arge towns and settlements are found throughout the province, the largest of which, 6ietier+s Fend, located at the bend of a ma2or road, is the province+s capital. Here, the -ountess .aesene $teire (0*/ #og9/ $cion of #e nir, ma2or, 81/ -G) governs the province in ,berons name.

/IST0R1 02 AERE"+E ;hen humans first settled in *nuire, the 7rebannien stretched all the wa to the *dele #iver in Ilien and was the centre of an ancient elven &ingdom. =he elves here built innumerable towers and strongholds, designed to hold out the goblin menace of that long ago era. =hough the humans of the *ndu tribe originall allied with them to fight against the humanoids, the elves eventuall made war upon the newcomers as the began to settle under the eaves of their beloved forest and cut down its trees to build civili?ation. =he *ndu tribes that warred with the elves over the 7rebannien were the Deretha, and the were fierce warriors. =he Deretha, with the help of the priests of *nduiras, eventuall defeated the $idhelien, who then fled north to live with their cousins in the *elvinnwode. =hough the Deretha ;ars are commonl loo&ed upon as a t pical example of the bloodstained and tragic relationship between man and elf, there existed an *ndu tribe who en2o ed a more civil relationship with the $idhelien@ the *eren, $ixth =ribe of the *ndu. =he *eren migrated alongside the Deretha and helped to settle the southern coast of present"da *nuire/ albeit a more remote part of it. =he *eren were the first humans that the elves of the 7rebannien encountered and a treat was >uic&l formali?ed between the two, which allowed the *eren to live in the area between the Ferendor #iver and the 7rebannien, under the watchful ga?e of elven protectors. =he *eren cooperated closel with the elves to suppress the humanoid presence in the area, but did not attempt to build an cities, towns, or farms, content instead to herd cattle and sheep. It was not until well after the Deretha ;ars, when #oele formed the *nuirean 7mpire after Deismaar that the *eren began to settle down. In those da s, *erenwe, as the *eren lands came to be called, was much larger, claiming the eastern half of present"da #oesone. *erenwe+s histor as a part of the 7mpire was a >uiet one. =he ruling *eren famil ruled peaceabl and well, sta ing out of *nuirean politics and onl slowl building up the realm+s population. =he 7rebannien came to be loo&ed upon with some reverence and b ducal decree/ habitation of the forest was prohibited. =hough it was one of the twelve duchies of *nuire, precious little attention was paid to *erenwe. =he du&es were content to live in isolation, collecting little in taxes and allowing their people to live >uietl . Enfortunatel , *erenwe+s long vacation from histor was to come to a sudden and disastrous end with the reign of 7mperor .ichael #oele. ;hen the ;ar of $uccession erupted, *erenwe dutifull supported its 7mperor, contributing the re>uired number of soldiers and &nights to .ichael+s cause. 0ollowing the end of that war, .ichael set about loo&ing for a wife so that he could beget an heir. =hough the 7mperor regarded the entire matter as little more than a dut to be fulfilled, he did not expect to meet 0aelina *eren, the daughter of *erenwe+s du&e. Fefore long, .ichael and 0aelina fell in love and married. =heir short marriage would come to an end in H43 H-, when according to the stories/ a terrible curse fell upon 0aelina causing an awnshegh child to >uic&en in her womb within minutes. 0aelina died in horrible anguish as the abomination tore its wa from her womb. =hough the monstrosit was slain, .ichael was consumed b grief and fur and once he learned that the Gorgon had been behind the plot, he summoned his armies and marched upon the Gorgon+s -rown, where he died upon the Gorgon+s blade. 0ollowing .ichael+s death, the 7mpire shattered as its component fiefs made war upon one another in order to settle old scores and claim the Iron =hrone. Initiall , *erenwe sought to remain out of these s>uabbles. However, this attempt to remain uninvolved bac&fired. In H< .#, the du&e of *erenwe, Gaesil *eren, declared himself a &ing. F ta&ing a sovereign title, Gaesil effectivel removed *erenwe from the 7mpire. -iting its traditional isolationism, the marriage of a member of House *eren to the last 7mperor, and the incessant in"fighting of the *nuirean factions, Gaesil declared that *erenwe would no longer be beholden to the idea of the 7mpire until a suitable candidate arrived to claim the Iron =hrone. =his initiall provo&ed outrage all across *nuire, and Havriel Diem, du&e of Diemed, declared that his armies would soon march to put *erenwe in its place. ,f course this was little more than an excuse/ it was well &nown that Havriel sought the Iron =hrone for himself and loo&ed for an opportunit to ma&e war upon his rivals. In H: .#, Havriel began a massive troop build up in eastern Diemed (modern"da #oesone) in order to compel his neighbors into supporting him. Du&e *eren refused to be bullied and matched Diemed+s troop build"up. 7ventuall , the tensions escalated into war. =he Dieman ;ars, as the were called, were a disaster for all concerned. 5asting nearl two hundred ears, the wars nearl ban&rupted Fhalaene, *erenwe+s all (now a part of Ghoere), and left the frontiers of Diemed and *erenwe desolated and abandoned. In BC8 .#, shortl after the end of the Dieman ;ars, exhausted from the long wars, *erenwe turned its bac& on *nuire once again. * succession of &ings ruled over *erenwe after that, but none of them were particularl notable. 0or nearl a hundred ears, *erenwe seemingl disappeared from histor . 5ittle of importance ever happened there and the rest of *nuire seemed more concerned with its s>uabbling than the goings on in isolated *erenwe. In :4< .#, Daen #oesone, a notable mercenar leader, began carving out a new domain in eastern Diemed and western *erenwe. ;hen war finall came between Daen+s men and Diemed, the Dieman du&e appealed to *erenwe for help. =he &ing of the time, *gelmore Halried, agreed to assist Diem in putting down the rebellion, but committed onl a few paltr troops to the cause. *t the time, *erenwe+s famous militias were in disarra , the treasur was low, and there seemed little interest among the *erenwean nobilit in engaging in foreign affairs, even in neighboring realms. =hat state of affairs came bac& to bite the &ing and his nobles when in :44 .# Daen #oesone achieved victor over the Diemans and proclaimed a new realm@ #oesone. =he Flac& Faron, as Daen was often called, soon turned his attention on *erenwe. He threatened to turn his veteran arm of mercenaries, former bandits, and rugged frontiersmen loose upon *erenwe unless it submitted. *nd submit King *gelmore did. *erenwe had alread lost the province of *bbatuor to #oesone and was now forced to cede Fellam. In return, *erenwe was guaranteed peace.

=he humiliating loss of two provinces to rebels and mercenaries shoc&ed the *erenweans. Fefore long, King *gelmore was overthrown in a rebellion lead b the ambitious noble lord from the arm named #e nard Gavril. *fter sei?ing the throne, #e nard declared a state of martial law and went about establishing a police state. 6obles and priests who opposed #e nard were executed b the hundreds. Informants and secret police roamed the countr side, &eeping the commoners in line. King #e nard was obsessed with maintaining perfect order and conformit and would order the ultimate penalt to be administered for simple cases of vagranc or theft. 0inall , in 9<3 .#, a saviour arrived. 5iliene $wordwraith, then a oung woman, emerged from a small town in the 7rebannien with a small cadre of lo al rangers and adventurers. -laiming to be the last scion of the *eren line and indirectl related to #oele, the founder of the 7mpire, the desperate people of the realm 2oined her side and after a long and arduous campaign, overthrew #e nard Gavril. =he 2o ous people of *erenwe then proclaimed her >ueen. 5iliene $wordwraith has ruled *erenwe for nearl fift ears now. =hough elderl , she has lost none of her wit and guides *erenwe along a course of neutralit in *nuire+s shifting political currents.

=he !ueenIs predecessor, her uncle, 5aurens $wordwraith had become embittered b a series of failures and had turned harsh and even t rannical. 0or some time, 5aurens was able to hold power despite his failures and pitiless reign because the $wordwraith famil is descended from #oele. =o protect both her realm and her d nast , 5iliene became the champion of a change of polic , which resulted in her arrest. #ebellion became general. 5aurens considered putting down agitators b force, but turned awa and fled to Diemed. 5iliene was acclaimed !ueen of *erenwe. 0he worked hard each day of her reign to make Aerenwe a better place to li!e, and the common folk lo!ed her dearly. The nobility, howe!er, resented her absolute power and new ways, and would ha!e liked for nothing better than a return to the old ways.

8 B 3

8 Introduction B 5ife and $ociet 3 =he 5and o 3.8 =he 7rebannien o 3.8.8 FanienIs Deep (8J1) 3.8.B $hadowgreen (8J1) 3.8.3 ;estmarch (8J1) 3.8.: 6orthvale (8J1)

3.B =he Alains 3.B.8 -alrie (1J<) 3.B.B Dhoenel (9J<) 3.B.3 Halried (9J<)

: 9 1 4 C

: Histor 9 Aolitical 1 Important 0igures 4 Alots and #umours C Domain Holding =able

G0VER"3E"T A"$ %0LITI,S =hough it is an old realm, *erenwe has remar&abl few enemies, but it has a rather pronounced lac& of allies as well. Known for its neutralit and aloofness from *nuirean politics, few other regents activel consider *erenwe when designing their schemes. $ome might sa that this is *erenwe+s biggest advantage. Enfortunatel , with trouble brewing across *nuire, more regents are beginning to pa attention to *erenwe again. =his has led the >ueen and her lieutenants, -ole and -ale *lwier, to covertl ta&e steps to ensure that the &ingdom remains one step ahead of an potential aggressors. 0irst, *erenwe has been secretl aiding the new Faroness of #oesone against the Du&e of Diemed. =he >ueen fre>uentl dispatches the *lwiers on secret missions to the #oesonean court to discuss Diemed+s latest actions and to offer advice on the situation. =hough *erenwe once claimed several of #oesone+s provinces, the >ueen has no desire to see these returned, as she is more interested in seeing #oesone grow strong and remain in the hands of stable rulers who are favorabl disposed toward *erenwe. *s long as the >ueen has some influence over the regents of #oesone, then *erenwe+s western flan& is protected from potential aggressors and the people of the &ingdom can continue to go about their >uiet, unassuming lives. ,f course, this strateg carries ris&s. $hould the #oesonean"*erenwean relationship become public, the >ueen would almost certainl terminate it. *s well, the >ueen has no desire to see #oesone too strong, as she might lose her abilit to control the relationship. ,ther matters also complicate the relationship with #oesone. In exchange for *erenwe+s unofficial aid, the Faroness has pledged to assist the >ueen in her efforts against ,soerde. However, nothing has et come from this pledge. *lso, the feud between the Impregnable Heart of Hael n and the 7astern =emple of 6esirie has escalated of late and ma spill over into full"scale war. $hould this happen, it would li&el to drag *erenwe and #oesone into the battle. =he second step the >ueen has ta&en is to ensure that ,soerde, alread having fallen under the swa of a hostile regent, never grows strong enough to threaten *erenwe. -onse>uentl , the rebel ;illiam .oergan often receives aid and support from *erenwe. -urrentl , man of .oergan+s supporters hide out in secret lairs in the Ferendor #iver marshes, smuggling people out of ,soerde or providing aid to .oergan+s roving bands. Aolitical *s the >ueen grew older concerns grew over her lac& of an invested heir. 5iliene never too& a husband in her ounger ears and never gave birth to an legitimate children, though rumor persists that a love affair sired her twin half"elven lieutenants, -ole *lwier and -ale *lwier. .ost felt that 5iliene would name one of twins to be the next &ing, but that didnt stop ambitious nobles from attempting to gain the !ueen+s favor in hopes of becoming the next regent. =his all changed as the !ueens fathers remains where brought bac& from Diemed. *long came a man who carried her fathers sword and carried himself as a noble. He was ver silent but as he produced records for her to read she loo&ed at him differentl . =he man was a descendant from the ancient *eren lineage, the true du&al bloodline of *erenwe. It became clear that her father had the man in his service for several ears before his mind grew wea& and he left for Diemed. ,beron had come to her fathers court with letters of introduction as being the last of the *eren line, &ept hidden after his appearance b the rangers of 7rebannien. =he thought it best to shield the bo from the politics of *nurie but as he now returns a man he is strong enough to claim the du&al seat. =he !ueen herself &ept ,beron hidden for almost six months to get to &now him and to ma&e certain his blood and intent where honest. $he has spo&en to noone of what the spo&e about but after that time she made her decision. In a large ceremon , the old !ueen 5iliene $wordwraith resigned the throne and invested ,beron with the #ulership of *erenwe. 5ilienes future is not clear but rumours sa she will either 2oin the 6esirian temple to guide her old people or 2oin ,berons court in some capacit . Her decision will also be decisive for the twins -ole and -ale, both whom been offered to continue wor&ing for the *erenwean government. ,beron has not been long on the throne and is ma&ing his wa around the land, his cold appearance is said not to mirror his inside. His heart is with *erenwe but it is also clear that the old !ueendom will ta&e a different road into the future as the Duch of *erenwe, ruled b the Du&e of *erenwe ,beron *eren. Important 0igures ,beron *eren, Du&e of *erenwe .aire -wllmie, High Ariestess of the 7astern =emple of 6esirie High .age *elies, ;i?ard of the 7rebannien #ogr *glondier

.ourde *londir guildmaster $iele Ghoried, guildmaster of $pider #iver =raders ,ole Alwier: .arshal of *erenwe (.8JB7/ 0trBJ;i?B/ $cion of *nduiras, minor, H) is one of *erenwes half" elven lieutenants. =he emerged from the 7rebannien some ears after $wordwraith ascended the throne, leading man to believe that the twins were her children. Foth the !ueen and the twins where silent on the matter. 5i&e the !ueen, the *lwiers do not believe in flaunting their position and tend to ta&e care of matters >uietl . ;hile both of the twins share responsibilit in their tas&s, -ole+s area of specialt tends to focus on administration and warfare and regularl serves as a liaison between the !ueen and her armies. ,ale Alwier: -hancellor of *erenwe (.8JB7/ 6blBJ;i?B/ $cion of *nduiras, minor, H) is !ueen $wordwraith+s second lieutenant. -ale tends to focus his efforts largel around scholarl matters and often serves as a sort of roving ambassador for the &ingdom. He also dabbles in magic and is rumored to have learned a few secrets at the foot of High .age *elies himself.

$03AI" ASSETS Army@ B units of scouts, this renowned ranger unit used to be 5ilienes personal guard but as ,beron too& the throne the where reassigned to the 7rebannien, permanentl . =he where charged with the safe&eeping of the forest in the name of House *eren and renamed =he ;ardens. 8 unit of &nights, one of the first decrees made b ,beron was the muster of a unit of &nights. =he *eren Knights. $ome whisper that it is 2ust a noble hostage to &eep their elders in place but some claim that this is finall a noble carreer for the leading families of *erenwe. "avy@ B Galleons, 1 caravels, B coasters out of -alrie 2ortifications@ -astle in -alrie 0t er Assets@ $eaport in -alrie $hip ard in -alrie %LA1ER#S SE,RETS Arms of Aerenwe: *lthough no longer as martial as she once was, the !ueen does still bear them on occasions. -hief among them is $wordwraith, a gift from the High .age. =his magical longsword K: of dancing is named such for some claim when the !ueen activates the dancing power, the wisps of an ethereal being are seen wielding the blade. Her offhand weapon is a seemingl plain hunting &nife. It does bear a slight enchantment that allows the wilder to throw the weapon without penalties due to range increments. 5astl is a suit of shadowed elven chain mail KB rumoured to have been looted from an sidhelien ruin deep in the heart of the 7rebannien. T e 4ueen5s companions: .an of the !ueenIs companions bac& during the time of her liberation of the *erenwean people still reside within *erenwe. .an of which chose to lead lives of adventuring for man ears afterwards before settling down. ;ere *erenwe to suffer a serious attac&, there is no doubt these men and women of considerable experience would come to the aid of their beloved friend and !ueen.

=han&s to the below sites for several of these texts@

http@JJwww.birthright.netJforumsJarchiveJindex.phpJt"B9<3.html http@JJroe.twilightpea&s.netJdownloadsJDomainsJDomainLB<DescriptionLB<"LB<*erenwe LB<LB318LB<(B<<C"88"<8).doc http@JJwww.birthright.netJbrwi&iJindex.phpJ*erenwe

A$VE"T6RE I$EAS Silence from t e Ere7annien: -ommunication with the High .age has become increasingl erratic as of late. 5ast word from him came over a ear ago and while this is not uncommon, those that thin& to wage war upon *erenwe have long ta&en pause due to the power at *eliesI disposal. If the were to learn of the High .ageIs silence, *erenweIs neutralit might be tested. T e weeping souls: #umours have begun to circulate in the northern fringes of the realm of apparitions in the bogs and swamps. .ostl women and children, these souls all show the signs of brutal and violent deaths. In what few e ewitness accounts report, the wail the name of $wordwraith during their hauntings. .a these souls be victims of #e nard GavrielIs t rann that !ueen 5illiene was not able to saveM T e +ardens: ;hen .ichael #oele and 0aelina *eren wed/ .ichael issued the 7rebannien Decree as a wedding gift. =he Decree provided for imperial funding of the *erenwean rangers, which patrolled the 7rebannien, ensuring its sanctit . =he rangers remained as a highl prestigious and important order and as an arm of the *erenwean government until the death of ,ervel *eren in BC8 .#. *fter that time, the rangers all but disappeared from histor and most assumed that their order had died out. ,ccasionall , rumors would filter out of the 7rebannien of bandits moving along its trails. ,f course, these bandits were in fact the rangers. =he rangers reappeared in 9<3 .# when one of their members, 5iliene $wordwraith, began to rall *erenwe+s people to her side. =he rangers have since sworn their lo alt to her and underta&e her missions willingl . =hough the mainl go about maintaining the 7rebannien, the do sometimes underta&e other missions. Domain Holding =able Arovince FanienIs Deep (8J1)

$ource H.* (3) #* (3) ,alrie (1J<) 5$ (1) .-w (1) $G (3) H.* (<) Dhoenel (9J<) 5$ (9) .-w (9) $G (3) H.* (<) Halried (9J<) 5$ (9) .-w (9) $G (3) H.* (<) 6orthvale (8J1) 5$ (8) H.* (9) #* (8) $hadowgreen(8J1) 5$ (8) .-w (8) .* (8) H.* (9) #* (8) ;estmarch (8J1) 5$ (8) $G (8) H.* (3) #* (3) A77reviations: 5$N,beron *eren (*erenwe)/ $GN$iele Ghoried ($pider #iver =raders)/ H.*NHigh .age *elies/ #*N#ogr *glondier (Ilien)/ .-wN.aire -wllmie (7astern =emple of 6esirie)/ .*N.ourde *londir.

5aw 5$ (8)

=emple

Guild $G (8)

T e /istory of Liliene Swordwrait !ueen 5iliene $wordwraith (6G female *nuirean, #gr 8<J$cion 8 O*nduiras, ma2or, 34P) was the regent of *erenwe. 6earl fift ears ago, when she was barel eighteen, she emerged from one of Fanien Deep+s forgotten towns claiming to be the daughter of a man who was the last of the *eren line and a woman who was an indirect descendant of #oele himself. =hough none of her claims have been solidl substantiated, the desperate *erenwean people, crushed under the heel of the t rannical #e nard Gavril, were read to believe her. 5iliene travelled about the countr side with a group of companions and rallied the commoners to her side. 0inall , after ears of hardship and trial, she finall achieved her goal and deposed the t rant. $oon after, she was proclaimed >ueen b the 2o ous nobles and commoners and coronated b her good friend, Ersula Diem, a priestess of 6esirie. 5iliene then too& on the appellation %$wordwraith' as her surname in honor of her magical sword %;raith,' which she used to stri&e down #e nard Gavril. =oda , !ueen $wordwraith is an elderl woman who despite her age continues to rule her realm capabl and well. * >uiet and demure woman, she can nonetheless be provo&ed into a silent anger capable of ma&ing her enemies sorr the ever crossed her. 0or the last decade, she has allowed her lieutenants, the twins -ole and -ale *lwier, to ta&e on greater responsibilit in ruling the realm. .ost feel that she will name one of these two as her heir. =he old !ueen 5iliene $wordwraith was born about fift summers ago, in a little town of the province of -alrie, &nown as =uorval. ;hen she was a bab , though, the title of !ueen, or even her Qsurname+, $wordwraith, were 2ust part of the distant future. 5iliene was her name, and her parents were two minor nobles of the town, not even part of the famil of the ma ors of the town, the *rdruins. =he oung 5iliene led a normal life in the middle of the low nobilit of *erenwe.

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Dedicated to breeding horses and to overseeing the famil trade interests between =uorval and -alrie, her father, Hargaald Ghieste, and her mother, the strong tempered 7leanor, had little time for their child, not to mention to spend time with each other. Hargaald, a former ranger and member of the $couting Enits of the 7rebannien, was a sad and lonel man, alwa s mood and &een to remembering his old times in the *rm . Aeople in town &ept calling him a hero, despite his silent demeanor on most of occasions. 7leanor, instead, was the head of the famil , the spirit in the shadows. $he &ept famil business intact, and even improving. Aeople in =uorval had a bunch of rumors to share about 7leanor. 0irst and foremost, that she had the essence of the gods in her, running strong and pure. $econdl , that she had some &ind of relationship with Ist ll *rdruin, the ma or of =uorval and that Hargaald &new and consented with it. 0inall that she was somehow descended from the #oele line. *ll three rumors were true, even though 5iliene didn+t &now about them. Young 5iliene was raised to become a noblewoman. 7leanor spent mone and resources so that 5iliene learned how to sew, how to behave, how to write and read. $he >uic&l surpassed all her mother+s demands. Fut 5iliene was much li&e her mother, and grew strong and free of mind and spirit, fighting constantl against the imperatives of her mother. $he got even more beautiful ever ear passing, her charming presence more obvious to ever one, from the staff of the *rdruin+s to her parents. =he son of the ma or, Gaesil, began courting her at a ver oung age, but instead of romance, a strong friendship bloomed, as each became the missing sister or brother the other did not have. 0rom her time with Gaesil and his brothers, 5iliene also developed a c nical sense of humor, not ver appropriate for a child of her age. $he also became tougher, as the bo s would pla hard with her. #umors of her mother arrived to her ears when she was nearl thirteen ears old and fated to spend the rest of her life as some maiden in the -ourt at -aer -allin. -onfronted with the evidence, 5iliene first tal&ed to her father, Hargaald, and >ueried him about the things people in =uorval &ept sa ing about .a or *rdruin and 7leanor. Her father, at the shadow of the Dragon Fridge that crosses the river 0ael, admitted the rumors were true and tried to explain her daughter about the true situation of the famil . *pparentl , 7leanor was a member of the #oele famil line, indirect descendant of the long"dead 7mperor and heir to a vast amount of mone and possessions somewhere in ;estern *nuire, ma be *vanil or =uornen. 7leanor had came to *erenwe some ears ago, see&ing solace and rest under the leaves of the 7rebannien. =he tempered 7leanor, alwa s strong, alwa s calm, alwa s self"controlled, lost all her nerves when she met the oung Hargaald, a member of the local $couting Enit and a promising member of the *erenwean *rm . Hargaald was also attracted to the noblewoman, even with &nowing his commoner heritage didn+t guarantee an future for the relationship. $urprisingl , 7leanor decided to cast aside ever class difference, forgot about her famil and interests and decided to 2oin her future, even though for a little time, with the silent Hargaald. 0ate then pla ed its cruel tric&s. 7leanor became pregnant 2ust when she had decided to abandon Hargaald. $he couldn+t stand his mood character an longer. *fter writing to her famil to tell them about her situation, from the beautiful -r stalmiere in $hadowgreen, she received a repl she feared in her deepest self. Her famil told her the heritage was bro&en/ that she should remain in *erenwe, marr Hargaald and lead a new life there. Her famil couldn+t allow her noble line to be stained with the blood of commoners. $he was not part of the famil an longer. 7leanor thought about all that, doubting if fighting for her rights would be wise. $he &new laws would not be eas to bend to accept her case. =ired and worried about her pregnanc , 7leanor decided to stic& with Hargaald and see what the future had for her in mind in the 7rebannien. =he married a little bit later, her pregnanc growing more obvious ever da , and started to live a commoner+s life together in -r stalmiere. 5iliene was born some months later while Hargaald was on a scouting mission in 6orthvale, near the $piritsend $wamp. Her father was badl hurt there, chasing a rampaging beast that caused dire problems in the province. His entire unit was nearl destro ed fighting the beast, some &ind of spawn coming from the $hadow ;orld. =he King of *erenwe, than&ful with the unit survivors, gave large rewards to them. Hargaald Ghieste received some lands in =uorval, up in the northern -alrie. Knowing he could not serve the *rm properl an longer, he decided to follow 7leanor+s advice and move there to start a business of horse breeding. He didn+t &now his following ears would be spent regretting this decision, missing his former life in the 7rebannien. ;ith the new life in =uorval 7leanor started to ta&e a prominent role in the famil , leaving Hargaald to his private torture. $he hired some staff to educate the oung 5iliene and started to lead a bus public life. $he soon met Ist ll *rdruin, the ma or of the town, and was attracted to the powerful man. Ist ll was the right hand of King -allin, beared the title of -ount and was also the General of the 6orthern *rm of *erenwe. He was an intelligent, severe and stubborn man, widowed since two or three ears before 7leanor+s arrival and had three sons to raise, amongst them Gaesil, 5iliene+s friend. It was 2ust a matter of time, with Hargaald disconnected from realit , that Ist ll and 7leanor, similar spirits, started a secret relationship. 7leanor+s husband &new about that soon enough. $adl , that didn+t matter to him. =o ing with the idea of 2oining the *rm again, onl 5iliene &ept him from doing so. $o that was what her father had to tell 5iliene that fateful da under the Dragon Fridge, with the river 0ael running calm and slowl near them. 5iliene thought deepl about the situation and as&ed her father to leave. $he wanted to go bac& to the 7rebannien with him, to leave this life of falsehood and tr to find her own wa

11

with a new beginning. =his was exactl the &ind of spar& Hargaald needed to fan a fire. $o one night, without 7leanor noticing, 5iliene and Hargaald went bac& to -r stalmiere. 5iliene then started her new life, as promised. $he and her father got even closer, with the former $cout teaching her the secrets of the nature and the 7rebannien, from the flaura and the fauna. $he grew even more free"willed, and even more wise, strong and beautiful, her shin silver e es filling ever corner of the beautiful hamlet of -r stalmiere. $ome sa she met the High .age *elies once or twice in that time of her life. 6either ever ac&nowledges that if it is true. ;hat is sure is that the would be !ueen met Ersula Diem in -r stalmiere some ears later, when she was sixteen and the started a good relationship together. Ersula was a member of the 6esirie+s clerg in *erenwe and had similar political ideas to share with 5iliene. =he both devoted their time to protect the 7rebannien against illegal exploit and developed their abilities together. =hen, a new idea grew in them. =he had heard about mercenar companies, and even adventuring groups. =heir idealistic demeanor ideali?ed the romantic idea of traveling the whole $outhern -oast of *nuire, facing t rants and enemies, defeating beasts and creatures, ruining evil in ever corner. *fter a secret visit from Gaesil, the son of the -ount of =uorval and deep friend of 5iliene, Ersula and her convinced him to 2oin them in the trip the were planning. =hen the histor becames a little more blurr . 5iliene, Ersula and Gaesil travelled long and wide all the $outhern -oast of *nuire, fulfilling their dreams. =he upset some nobles, saved some others, and fought for the freedom of people all over the land. #oesone, Ilien and Diemed had no secrets to them. =he were &nown as =he ;raiths, for the alwa s operated under secrec , as spirits lead b the Hand of the Gods. 5iliene was well &nown as the leader of the group, and started to be called =he $wordwraith, since her sword was the terror of evil followers in the $outh. =hen $outh became 6orth. =he ;raiths received information about raiding groups of goblins in Dhoesone, causing deep problems and terrif ing local villagers. Driven both b adventure and a feel for 2ustice, and &nowing the $outh was a little bit better than&s, in part, to their 2ob, the departed for the 6orth. ,nce there the led their 2ustice and freedom campaign once again, meeting .ethis *rrowbane and helping him in his crusade against goblinoids. 5ater the even ventured into =uarhievel, confronting some &illers from the hidden gheallie sidhe and living to tell the tale. 5iliene and the ;raiths came bac& to a village of Dhoesone after fighting the gheallie sidhe, along with some prisoners ta&en after the attac&. ,ne of them was 0elmarine $iluvaniade, the leader of the raiding part of the gheallie sidhe and a wi?ard of some renown in =uarhievel. He hated men and women ali&e. 5iliene didn+t understand how elves could hate humans so much. Feing raised in the 7rebannien, under the respectful tutelage of Halgaard towards nature, 5iliene believed humans could be guided towards respecting nature in ever aspect. Hatred coming from initiatives such as the gheallie sidhe didn+t help the situation. $he spent a lot of hours tal&ing to 0elmarine, tr ing to understand his point of view and showing hers in exchange. $lowl , with months passing, she started to fell in love with the brave but racist elf. $he suspected he was exactl in the same position. Foth shared common points of view in man aspects, both en2o ed the same things, both had too much in common for their feelings to be hidden. Ersula and Gaesil &new something would happen reall soon between the $wordwraith and 0lemarine. 0elmarine didn+t want to show his feelings towards 5iliene, but was forced to choose soon after. * group of the gheallie sidhe was sent to rescue the prisoners held b 5iliene and the ;raiths. =he mission was a complete success, snea&ing inside the village in silence such as onl elves can use and retrieving the prisoners from the building where the were confined. Fut 0elmarine refused to leave. He decided to tal& clearl to 5iliene and tr to find a wa out of their strange situation. =he morning arrived when the villagers and the ;raiths discovered the elves of the gheallie sidhe had 2ust vanished, leaving behind 0elmarine as the onl clue of what happened. =he elf was interrogated b 5iliene in privac . =he tal&ed about the evasion in onl the first five minutes. Aassion then led the rest of the private %conversation'. 6ot surprisingl 5iliene and 0elmarine started a storm relationship, based on love and respect, but full of arguments and discussions. =hat mar&ed the end of her adventuring career, with 5iliene longing for a >uieter life next to 0elmarine and the elf ma&ing clearl a point against =he ;raiths. Ersula and Gaesil understood their time with 5iliene was over and decided to come bac& to *erenwe to their respective duties, not without sadness in their spirits. 5iliene and 0elmarine bought a house in another town of Dhoesone and the future !ueen of *erenwe started her fourth life. 0irst she was a child under the rigid mantle of her mother, then a learning and loving &id with the influence of her father. 5ater she was the $wordwraith, adventurer and 2usticar all over *nuire. 6ow it was time to be a lover and a mother. -ole and -ale were born some months later, with the same appearance but different characters, reflecting both 0elmarine and 5iliene. =he four lead a >uiet and secret life, fearing the gheallie sidhe would go after their relationship and their &in. 6o one &new their true identities as the adopted the name *lweir. 0elmarine even tried to disguise his true heritage to save their lives. He didn+t want to leave the north, though, even if 5iliene begged for this repeatedl , since he felt that would be allowing their enemies to win too easil .

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Years passed. 5iliene used her &nowledge of horse breeding and started a business in Dhoesone. -ole and -ale grew strong and determined, 2ust as 5iliene and 7leanor. =he developed abilities as magic users and learned to fight with 5iliene and to cast spells with 0elmarine. 0elmarine to ed with the idea of going bac& to =uarhievel to 2oin the arm after apologi?ing for his time with the gheallie sidhe. =hen traged struc&. =uarhievel once again was under threat b Gorgon troops. Knowing his homeland was in danger, 0elmarine decided to follow his instincts, 2oined the arm to return as a hero to defend the elven realm. 5iliene as&ed to come as well, but the decision was difficult to ma&e, since the elven arm wouldn+t possibl accept a human in their ran&s and -ole and -ale also needed protection while 0elmarine was awa . =he twin brothers, now fifteen, as&ed to go with his father as well, but 0elmarine wouldn+t allow that. 5iliene remained with them, waiting patientl as did so man other women. =he war raged between the elves and the Gorgon, but finall ended. Yet 0elmarine never came bac&. He got &illed, not b the Gorgon+s minions, but b the gheallie sidhe. He died a hero for his countr and an example to his &in. He died too soon for 5iliene and their sons. $o the $wordwraith decided to go bac& to *erenwe, mourning her loss, with nothing t ing her to Dhoesone and the 6orth. =he twin sons came with her to the $outh, along with .ethis *rrowbane, her friend since the adventures the had together with the ;raiths. =he situation in the $outh, though, was far from better. =he King of *erenwe was #ic&ard at that time, the son of the deceased benevolent King -allin. #ic&ard was a t rant who &ept the land under an iron grip, with taxes crushing the commoners and traders and a harsh 2ustice to defend his claim. Hangings and beheadings were something normal under his rule. $oon the land divided between the followers of #ic&ard and the rebels that tried to resist his whims. =he countr was deep in civil war with ever *erenwean siding against his brother. 0ather &illed mother, son &illed daughter, neighbor &illed neighbor. Flood spilled across the fields and no one was there to wor& for food. =he $wordwraith then returned as a forced hero, seeing how the situation had worsened in her absence. ;ith the help of her sons, 5iliene contacted ever all she had in *erenwe@ Hargaald, who had organi?ed the #angers into a militia to defend the 7rebannien against the King+s .en/ Ersula, who lead the resistance from 6esirie+s followers of common bac&ground/ Gaesil, who had rebelled against his father (now married to 7leanor) to lead the ounger nobles of the land. $oon the revolution started. 5iliene, bac&ed b her friends and sons, had the support of half *erenwe. =he other half was controlled b coin and fear of King #ic&ard. *t first the militar might of #ic&ard seemed to win the game. ,nl faith, honor and possibl the feeling of doing something historical &ept the rebels alive. *t the Fattle of the #iver 0ael, 2ust some miles awa from where 5iliene was raised, the fate of *erenwe was decided. * brilliant surprise charge led b Gaesil against his father, the general of the King+s arm , with the help of the !ueen+s #angers, as the were beginning to be &nown, under the guidance of Hargaald and .ethis *rrowbane, crushed the lo alists. .eanwhile, and &nowing the chance couldn+t be passed, 5iliene started a long siege to -aer -allin, forcing the arm of the enem to divide. Aeople rebelled against the King some da s later inside -alrie. $oon #ic&ard onl had a bunch of followers to defend his claim. =he = rant fell to his own people, d ing in the final assault at -aer -allin. Histor tells the rest of the tale. *s a hero, 5iliene $wordwraith, as she was now &nown, became the first !ueen of *erenwe. $he soon started the innovative politics that has led to the solid *erenwe that toda lives peacefull in the $outh of *nuire. Her long"time friend Gaesil became -ount Gaesil. -ole and -ale remained as advisors to the !ueen, and all three hide their true parentage. Ersula was proposed as the leader of the 7astern =emple of 6esirie, but she refused the position to .aire -wllmie. .ethis *rrowbane was appointed as leader of the !ueen+s #angers and received the title of .ar>uis of the ;est. Hargaald, who had died at the Fattle of #iver 0ael, was buried at the private cemeter of -aer -allin, showing 7leanor that his commoner heritage had finall led him to the Aalace of -alrie itself, even after death. 5iliene+s mother and Gaesil+s father were 2udged and found guilt of several crimes under the rulership of King #ic&ard, and both were cast out of *erenwe.

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