Purposeful Ramblings Through My Mind

Yes, a new character. I'm going to miss Olena. I liked her.

Campaign: new Warhammer campaign
GM: Piet
Other players: Patrick and Kendra

My character: Altriona, Elven Noble turned Seafarer

Long will it be ere we lay eyes on Laurelorn Forest again. I hold out hope that the day will come, for the years of an elf are numbered longer than those of a mere human, and much may yet transpire to bring us home. Yet all my reckoning puts us many turns of the seasons from that happy day, and even further from happiness when the day arrives. While my parents may forgive my transgressions, my brother the future lord never will, for he will not want to acknowledge a sister such as I am like to become, should I hold to my present course.

But truly, what else could I have done and yet retain my honour? This is the question that keeps me from my just repose, such as it is. And so, dear reader of the future, who will read these words only after I have sailed my last voyage, I put the question to you. How will you judge me? For I find myself unable, or perhaps merely unwilling, to judge myself.

I am Altriona, third child and only daughter of Valahuir of the Elven merchant house Imholien House. My father is a noble of our people, as such things are reckoned, not by virtue of birth as humans figure but by virtue of wealth. Nevertheless, wealth is passed from parent to child just as is birth, with much the same effect in the end.

My story begins, I suppose, with my eldest brother's marriage. Mallion has always been protective of me, and I in turn of him, for we each had reason to need it from the attentions of my other brother. Valadar is the brother born between us. He allowed Mallion's expectations of inheritance to warp his spirit, and developed a meanness that manifested itself in myriad small acts of malice which were all the worse for being so cunningly hidden. Our parents never believed us, for to them Valadar turned an angelic and injured expression when accused. So we two banded together, as have put-upon siblings from time out of mind.

Mallion's marriage was a happy day for me. It was an arranged marriage, and as such things often go, the bride was familiar to me for many years before she was known to Mallion. It was I who told him how sweet and gentle she was, how talented, and how much she would like his poetry. How strange it was to me that her parents and mine should have chosen to join these two together, who are so well-suited! Few whose partners are chosen for them are so lucky. I suppose having such a union even for a short while may have made what happened worth it. Not being married myself, I cannot say.

Lorandara was the second child, and her parents indulged her interest in magic until they came to understand that she would never marry, did they not force the issue. Gentle though she be, she was unwilling to give up her spells for anyone's sake, and Mallion would not have asked it of her. They fell in love, as I had hoped they would, and for some three seasons were the happiest of newlyweds. I buried my jealousy beneath my love of my new sister and my oldest brother, and was happy for them.

I was visiting them in the family's Marienburg house, which had been granted to them for their use. I cannot say what alerted me to trouble. Perhaps I felt a backlash of power rebound through the house; mayhap it was a cry from my beloved sister-in-law. In any case, I dropped the volume I had been perusing in the drawing room and went to Mallion's study, where they two were pursuing their hobbies. I opened the door on a terrifying sight.

Lorandara was on the floor, cowering back, as it seemed, from a monster the like of which I had seen only in nightmares. Next to her was the most foul tome, the which I was certain had not come from our library. The monster was looming over her, and Mallion was nowhere to be seen.

I am no fainting flower, for all my noble upbringing. I drew my belt knife on the creature and charged it, knowing myself to be outmatched but trusting in surprise to gain the upper hand. I put myself between the monster and sweet 'Dara, who was whimpering no, over and over again. E'en as I wondered why the monster was backing away from my puny blade, her words broke through my blood lust: "It is Mal! The creature is Mal."

There followed a time of chaos I only slightly remember and would fain forget. She would not say what had happened and Mal could not. We found shortly that he could speak, and even sounded much as he had before, but he had no memory of the event that had transformed him into a beast man of such hideous mien. We determined that he must hide in a part of the house that no servant would enter, while we attempted to divine the secret of these magicks and reverse their effects. It took not long for us to realize, Lorandara and I, that it would not be so easily accomplished.

Two days later, having combed our library and that of a wizard friend for any clue, we confessed ourselves defeated. Another concern had been growing in my mind, that of our brother Valadar. I was sure he would soon learn of Mallion's unfitness for the mantle of lordship, and when he did we would all three be banished, if Mallion were not killed outright. In fear of his life and our livelihood, I devised a plan to buy time.

I wrote a letter to Father, telling him that Mallion had been kidnapped and asking him for a ship to take the ransom to the kidnappers. I included the ransom note, forged that morning by Lorandara, who has a better hand for such things than I. When his answer reaches us, we will be sailing to find a cure for Mallion and possibly some surcease from fear for ourselves.

I have always craved adventure. Now that it is within my grasp, I find myself wishing for my brother's staid poetry and my heart-sister's placid spells. How truly is it said that adventure is someone else suffering greatly a thousand miles away and a hundred years ago! It is not so comfortable to live. But the job falls to me, as 'Dara needs direction and Mallion is accursed, and I will not shirk it. I have this honour left, that I will care for those I love as far as I am able, until we reach the West Country or go down to the deeps.