Characters: Fae’ael
An Excerpt from Fae’ael – The Warden of Griffin Tower’s – Journal
Early on the same morning that Belrith, Raoul, Ishum and Naharmatu headed out to the west, I began my morning much the same; a breakfast of coffee and fruit in my rooms facing towards Paldenro, followed by a visit to the griffins before heading out on my weekly patrol through the mountains. Checking the surrounding woods and hills, I found a small stream I had not come across before, trickling down from the mountains. As I made my way to investigate, I was greeted by a small otter, their skin mostly opaque with ripples of water and stones behind them.
Thinking it was my friend Ilai, I greeted them, but the otter responded in Sylvan to me, revealing themself to be a spirit of the mountain and surrounding lands “Your timing is impeccable, little hunter.” They said, and I bowed my head, asking if there was danger in these lands. The otter responded, saying “heart-eaters from beyond this realm have appeared in these lands, and endanger them. Strike them down, remove a wing-feather from each and bring those feathers to your home, at the centre of this place.” I accepted the quest immediately, wanting to protect my new home and its inhabitants from any incursion. The otter gave me directions to the North, South-East and South – West and then flew off in a copper griffin form saying “My kin will assist you in this task, if you ask nicely.”
Slightly confused I asked the spirits of the mountains to aid me in this quest, and was greeted by a chuckle “Not that kind of kin.” Understanding dawned on me, and I made my way quickly back to Griffin Tower to Malika, Rian and their newly born griffins.
Returning, I recovered some meat I had been curing for them, and presented it to them. I asked after their chicks, and learned that the griffin babies were doing well. I then asked for assistance, mentioning heart-eaters – a term I was not familiar with. Malika knew the term, and immediately her countenance changed to one of anger and slight worry. She told me “I have heard of legends, those that pluck the heart out of others and eat them still beating.” I wondered if these were fiend like creatures, but my history failed me. Knowing I did not have the gift of flight yet, Malika honoured me by offering to fly me and fight by my side. I accepted the gift she gave, and made a promise to Rian to see her back safely.
After saying her goodbyes to her family, I mounted Malika and we flew north. After an hour or so of flying we noticed smoke rising from the trees on the face of a mountain and landed on the bluff. It appeared the foliage here had been recently burned and was being made into a nest. Quelling my anxiety of perhaps having to fight a beast made of fire, I found a perfect hiding spot for an ambush. Unfortunately there was no space large enough for Malika and I asked her to wait below the lip of the bluff for my whistle.
After about thirty minutes or so, when the shadows began to lengthen, I heard a shrill screech in the air above me, and saw a monstrous form. The creature seemed to be made up of a stag of some kind, with glowing antlers on their head. They were winged, almost like a harpy and this one was wreathed in fire. (I would later learn from Ilai that these creatures are called Peryton’s, and usually are not elemental in nature. I must continue my studies on where these variants appeared from.) Springing from my hiding place, I whistled for Mailka and launched my arrows at the beast, commanding it to get out of my land. Although I dealt it a grievous blow, it was not slowed and pounced on me, burning my skin and bringing back memories I would rather not deal with.
Fortunately Mailka came to my assistance, and managing to distract the beast, I was able to bring it down in the next few exchanges of combat, despite the fact it blinded us for a moment. Breathing heavily, Mailka and I examined the creature’s body. Although it was elementally influenced, it did not appear elemental. I recovered a couple of feathers for the spirit of the land, as well as some for myself. I then asked Mailka to carry me to the South-West to confront the second of these beasts.
We conversed sparingly as we flew, as I needed to recover from the previous fight, and after another hour or two of flying we arrived in the southern woods of my demesne. Here the woods were covered in snow and ice that was abnormal for this location. We found a grove of trees that seemed they were in deep winter, and both Mailka and I felt this was wrong in some way. We moved stealthily forward and came on another of these creatures, this one wreathed with rows of icicles and exhaling frigid fog into the evening.
Mailka flew forward in a dive, swooping straight towards the beast, frightening it with her piercing cry, before she ripped into it, damaging it heavily. Anticipating a harder fight, I cast haste on myself and let loose a hail of arrows. Mailka was brilliant and took most of the damage for me, as I was blinded once again in this encounter, Lady Luck perhaps reminding me of meta-physical wounds I had still to heal. Despite the ice that ripped into us, Mailka and I were once again successful. I recovered more feathers from the cold body, and spent some time healing and resting with Mailka, as her wounds were severe.
By the time we were ready, it was nightfall, but the bright full moon shed enough light for us to fly to where the final beast dwelt. Both Mailka and I agreed, “We would tear out it’s heart, and remove the threat from our lands.” This time the creature was easy to find, as an unnatural storm came towards us. We charged towards the peryton full speed, unleashing an arrow of fire that ripped into the creature’s wings. The battle was fierce, and it was difficult to bring this creature down, being immune to my lightning bow. But after a strenuous fight we managed to fell the last of these creatures, and recover its feathers as well.
As the storm lessened and Mailka flew us back home, victorious. I studied the night sky, sketching some drawings to paint later, as it was a beautiful clear night. I must have fallen asleep on Mailka’s back as we arrived just as the first rays of dawn were breaking. I healed up the rest of Mailka’s wounds so Rian would not be aware of her injuries and we greeted her family. She did me a great honour of praising me for my hunting skills and for allowing me to ride upon her back, and I thanked her for assistance before leaving her to a well deserved break.
Making my way down Griffin tower, I offered thanks to Lady Luck at Belrith’s shrine, before heading down to my memorial stone. There I was greeted by the spirit who took the form of a wolf – reminding me of Storm. Working together we placed the three feathers at three points around my tower in a triangle. Once placed, I sang in Sylvan before each feather, using my gift to reach into the ethereal plane, to bind the elemental feathers there to protect the land from further threats and to give me warning if there are further incursions. I then bid farewell to the Spirit knowing that it still watches over me. As a final act to end the day, I erected the flag that I have chosen for my heraldry.
A blazing Phoenix above a white wolf rampant on green pastures, “The land is safe now.”
Dated 331 After Emergence.
