The Journey to Sharn

We rode to the port city of Pylas Talaear over a few blisteringly hot spring days. It was good to get away from the dusty halls of Shae Cairdal and the sombre Deathless. I know the city is the capital and is ruled by the Sibling Kings but the small part that I was permitted to see just seemed to be filled with Deathless. Apparently the Jhaelian family use some kind of alchemy to appear like the Deathless. I know that they all act like them with their preoccupation with perfecting themselves.

Maybe elves in other families are more inclined to art or dance as I've always heard elves were but they Jhailian's are just plain dull. Of course it doesn't help that I was practically locked up while I was there. I know the elves didn't see through my disguise but that Ascendant Counsellor must have. It was frankly a relief to get back to the hustle and bustle of a proper city even if Pylas Talaear is mostly lumber yards and merchants' villas.

I left the arrangements for travelling back to Khorvaire up to Kaeth. She at least seems to know what she's doing. She got us passage on an elemental galleon, one of House Lyrandar's older vessels. It seems that she is a fair sailor as well. Not as skilled as me but then I had to work my passage to Aerenal in the first place. It was the first time I'd been aboard an elemental ship and they move a lot faster than the usual kind. We travelled the 3000 miles from Pylas Talaear to Sharn in less than a fortnight and even stopped over at Pylas Maradel in Valenar for fresh food and water. Amazing!

The final leg into Sharn was a sight to behold. The city itself is situated atop the impressive cliffs of the Hilt and the towers seem to stretch up for miles. It was a clear spring morning when we coasted into the Dagger River and we could even see the famous floating towers of Skyway.

Of course arriving in Sharn without a silver sovereign to our names wasn't much fun. I'd forgotten to change my coinage from Aerenal tyl to standard Galifar currency. I think I'll start collecting coins from different countries. I'm pretty sure that Breland put their King Boronel on the coins now and I know Kaius III is on Karrnath coinage.

Luckily the Jhaelian family are well connected and managed to find our way to the Aerenal consulate. We did get a little turned around which seemed to upset the elves no end but I had to laugh. It's good to be back in a real city. Jhaire and Kaith's cousin Mayne Jhailain sent us to the ambassador Lady Taelira who treated us to a sumptuous meal and board for the night.

No sooner had we settled in though than we received a message from someone known as Gabriel ir'Davarask. No sooner do we arrive in Sharn than we leave for Bloodfall. As the elves say "mes air jhori" or such is life.

Waiting for Elves

By the Five Nations my patience is being tried! The Deathless matriarch of the Jhaelain family ordered us to go to Khorvairre and retrieve the remains of the fallen elves a month ago. We are still sitting around waiting. I've discussed this with Cajole but she won't say anything. I've tried talking to Jhaire but she just keeps going on about reforging her sword again. Kaeth (I've shortened her name) at least shares my dsire to get going and seems to have everything ready. In fact she seems to carry everything she needs with her. I really can't see why we don't leave straight away.

Well while we're hanging around I've been looking in the library. There really isn't much information about the destruction of Cyre but I can honestly say that this doesn't surprise me. I still think that we need to go back to find any answers. At least the elves don't seem to be afraid of the Mournland like most people of the Five Nations.

The Meeting

Today was strange. I've been following a lead about a possible cause of the Mourning and it led me to the elven continent of Aerenal. I was trying to explore the library in Shae Cairdal while my warforged companion kept an lookout. All of a sudden a whole troop of elven and deathless guards comes in and marches us off for a 'special meeting'. Fortunately I have been keeping my disguise as Dylania d'Phiarlan up for weeks now and we hadn't broken any laws. At least none that I knew about.

I don't know what is wrong with these elves but they certainly have strange ideas about waiting. It felt like a month before Cajole and I were summoned to a throne room to meet the so called 'Head of the Family'. I've been introduced to a few heads of families before and in my experience they usually end up being crime bosses.

It turns out that the head of the Jhaelian family is a little more than a crime boss. He's some sort of God or member of a pantheon or something. Apparently he is one of the original elves who fled to Aerenal from Xen'drik 38,000 years ago. Amazing.

I'm pretty sure he could see right though my disguise but he kept it to himself so I've got to give him some dues. He wants me to go back to Khorvaire with two elven sisters and retreive the bodies of some elves for him. I don't mind this too much even if I can't see the point and the extra help will be useful. I want to go back into the Mournland again and investigate Metrol.