[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.Gaerradh, feeling a bit ungainly in the unaccustomed clothing, pulled the door open only to stop in surprise.In the hall outside her door stood Alustriel Silverhand, High Lady of the League of the Silver Marches.She was tall and strikingly beautiful, with hair of pure white and a perfect, flawless face.In someone else that combination of beauty and starkness might have seemed inhuman or cold, but Alustriel's eyes were warm and compassionate, and her mouth seemed more suited to a laugh than a frown.At her side stood a young half-elf man, likewise tall and silver-haired, who wore a shirt of gleaming mithral mail over his dove-gray tunic."L -Lady Alustriel," Gaerradh stammered.She had only arrived at Moongleam Tower two hours before, after six days of hard travel through the forest.She had planned to rest the night and continue on to Silverymoon in the morning."I thought you were in Silverymoon!""Hello, Gaerradh," Alustriel said."Eaerlraun Shadowlyn sent word that you needed to see me, so I came as quickly as I could." She took the arm of the younger man next to her."This is my son, Methrammar Aerasumé.He is the High Marshal of the League.May we come in?""In? Oh, of course."Gaerradh stepped aside, flustered.Alustriel and Methrammar entered, and found seats on the window bench Gaerradh had been sitting on a moment before.She followed them over to the window, and remembering her manners, started to curtsey.Alustriel reached out and stopped her."Please, Gaerradh.No one who harps at twilight need ever kneel to me." She indicated the seat opposite her and said, "You must be exhausted.Please, sit down, and tell me what's going on in the High Forest."Gaerradh sat, and said, "Lady Alustriel, I was sent by Lady Morgwais of Rheitheillaethor.A new enemy has appeared in the High Forest, a race of demonspawned sorcerers, creatures who have the look and manner of sun elves from the old kingdoms that once stood in the High Forest long ago.But they also have black, leathery wings, horns on their heads, and skin that is deep red.They employ demons and devils of all description as their footsoldiers, and have also allied themselves to the orc tribes of the forest.""You said they are sorcerers?" Methrammar asked."Yes, though most of them wield blades as well.I've seen them hurl fire and lightning in abundance.I've also seen them use spells of invisibility and illusion.They are dangerous foes.""How many are they?""We don't know for certain," Gaerradh said."They've divided themselves into a number of warbands, each ravaging the forest.We know there are at least three different bands, and there may be as many as five or six.Each has about one hundred of these demonspawn, plus a like number of demons and devils, and two or three times that number in orcs, ogres, and other marauders."Methrammar frowned, rubbed his jaw, and said, "So maybe five hundred sorcerers, five hundred demons, and fifteen hundred orcs and such." He looked at his mother."If they gathered that force and marched north.""We would be hard-pressed to defend Everlund," she finished for him, nodding."The wards of Silverymoon would prove a difficult obstacle for that army, and Sundabar is quite strong too.But I would fear for Everlund and the smaller towns of the Rauvin Vale." She looked back to Gaerradh."How do matters stand now?""We've abandoned most of the villages in the eastern part of the forest, which is where they first appeared.We're withdrawing to the Lost Peaks.We have some hidden refuges there.But the demonspawn are following us, Lady Alustriel.They've caught up to and slaughtered many of our fleeing folk, and so far we've been unable to muster a force strong enough to stop them.Lady Morgwais hopes that as more of our folk reach the Lost Peaks, we will be able to assemble an army from the warriors of a number of villages, and perhaps meet our attackers on a more equal footing.In the meantime, we need help.""I know," Alustriel said, then she fell silent, thinking."There is one more thing," Gaerradh said."I don't know if this is important or not, but Morgwais said that you might understand its significance.We know where these demonspawned elves, or some of them anyway, come from.They were held somewhere in Nar Kerymhoarth, the Nameless Dungeon.I discovered the guards of the dungeon slain, and a vast portion of the hillside blasted open.""Siluvanede," Alustriel breathed.She stood and paced away, arms folded."I knew that many things had been buried in Nar Kerymhoarth, but I never suspected something like this
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]