*The Black Wolves presented by Lord Frijthof Schoun [#z6ea6b4c]

Frijthof recites:~

>"Good evening~
Thank you for coming."~

Frijthof says, "This evening I will be telling the story of the Black Wolves."~
Frijthof says, "This is an episode from the very early years of independant human history."~

Frijthof says, "As most of you probably know, during the height of the Elven Empire, humans were held in thrall by the elves."~
Frijthof says, "Human civilization had not yet developed to the point that the race could assert itself against the more powerful elves."~

Frijthof says, "Humans were treated better, or worse, depending on the time and the place, but they were never free within the Elven lands."~
Frijthof says, "Which, incidently, extended as far as this area at one time."~

Atania says, "Enslaved .."~
Atania shudders.~

Eloral asks, "..and yet is it not true that they protected the weaker humans from all dangers?"~

Frijthof says, "They did, yes."~

Atania says, "Is slavery or subjugation worth such protection? Myself, I'd rather die."~

Frijthof says, "Many elves considered it their duty to guide and protect the so-called "lesser races" ..."~
Frijthof says, "Others, especially the Vaaloran elves, viewed humans as little better than cattle."~
Frijthof says, "This was before the Undead Wars ..."~

Esserae says, "When humans moved up a notch in the eyes of the Vaalorn elves."~

Frijthof says, "Before humans had at all proven themselves in either strength or wisdom."~

Frijthof nods to Esserae.~
Frijthof says, "perhaps."~

Frijthof says, "But not all humans accepted the situation."~

Atania says, "As they should nay have."~
Atania furrows her brow.~

Frijthof says, "Many fought against the yoke of the Elven Empire."~

Eloral asks, "After, or before the wars?"~

Frijthof says, "Some were little better than brigands, living wild and preying off of whoever they could catch."~
Frijthof says, "All before. This was over 20,000 years ago."~
Frijthof says, "After the Undead Wars, the Elven Empire's power was broken, and its influence receded until it reached no more across the Dragonspire."~

Frijthof says, "But I am speaking of an earlier time."~

You say, "Some elves do not wish to admit that it was EVER broken."~

Frijthof says, "Some groups were organized. One such group was called the Black Wolves."~
Frijthof says, "The Black Wolves were based in this area, around Darkstone Bay in the Upper Trollfang Forest."~

Frijthof says, "Their leader was a mage named Aramur Forean."~
Frijthof says, "And their general was a brilliant tactician by the name of Fenog."~

Eloral asks, ".. a mage..? among humans? was he an elf?"~
You look at Eloral and shake your head.~
Barjin asks, "the black wolves were all human weren't dey?"~

Frijthof says, "He was rumored to have studied in Ta'Illistim."~
Frijthof says, "But he was human."~

Eloral says, "Would not be the first time one ... breaks ranks .. and aids other."~

Frijthof says, "Whether he was trained in secret by a sympathetic Illistim elf, or studied on his own when his master was away, we do not know."~
Frijthof says, "The Wolves were so successful in their campaigns that they were able to drive the elves out of this area, and establish a freehold for humans."~
Frijthof says, "But their success was to be brief."~

Eloral asks, "And they managed this at the peak of elven imperial power?"~

Frijthof nods to Eloral.~

Eloral says, "Impressive."~
Maelkyth says, "the stagnation of greatness, aye"~

Frijthof says, "We are at the very fringes of the empire, here."~
Frijthof says, "I imagine that distance played some part in their success."~
Frijthof says, "But as I said, their success was not to last."~
Frijthof says, "What was to be their greatest victory, turned into their undoing."~

Frijthof says, "The Wolves received word that the Patriarch of the Vaalor himself was travelling to the area..."~
Frijthof says, "They set an ambush ... waiting on a hilltop above the road where the Patriarch was to pass ..."~
Frijthof nods.~

Frijthof says, "The trap was laid."~

Frijthof says, "When the Patriarch's party came into view, the Wolves struck, rushing down the hill shouting their battle cry ..."~

Frijthof recites:~

>"Aramur! Aramur!~
Black Wolves!"~

Frijthof exclaims, "Archers cut a swaith through the escort to the Patriarch's carriage .... the battle was won!"~
Frijthof says, "But when the curtain was draw aside, just when the Wolves thought they would confront their worst tormentor ..."~

Frijthof hangs his head.~

Frijthof says, "All was lost."~

Frijthof says, "For it was not the Patriarch in the carriage."~
Frijthof says, "It was a young child, a prince of the Vaalor."~

(Atania shakes her head, a saddened look on her face.)~

Frijthof says, "A child, with a black-feathered arrow in his chest."~
Frijthof says, "This was not what they had wanted. They had no quarrel with children."~
Frijthof says, "In desperation, they brought the wounded child to their hidden base"~

Frijthof says, "Carefully they tended him, their empath using all of his powers to save the child."~
Frijthof says, "But he could not, and the child died."~
Frijthof says, "When the Vaalor learned of the attack, they were enraged and sent every available warrior to track down the Wolves and wipe them out."~

Frijthof says, "They did not know, and likely would not have cared, of the efforts being made to save the child's life ..."~
Frijthof says, "The Black Wolves could not resist such a powerful force, and retreated to their hidden base in an attempt to wait out the Vaalor."~

Frijthof says, "But the Vaalor were patient. And thorough."~
Frijthof says, "So tight was their watch on the area that no one dared leave the base."~
Frijthof says, "Watch was kept at the gate, the food was rationed ... the Black Wolves offered prayers to their gods."~
Frijthof says, "But it was hopeless."~

Frijthof says, "The food ran out."~
Frijthof says, "The Vaalor would not leave, would not give up."~
Frijthof says, "The Wolves had three choices."~

Frijthof says, "They could fight, and be slaughtered, or worse, imprisoned."~
Frijthof says, "They could starve in their cave."~
Frijthof says, "Or they could die as they chose, with dignity, and rob the Vaalor of the victory they so eagerly sought."~

Frijthof says, "They chose this third path."~

Eloral asks, "Would not a glorious battle have provided that?"~

Frijthof looks over at Eloral and shakes his head.~

Eloral says, "a death with dignity."~

Atania says, "Many women and children, my ward."~
Eloral shrugs.~
Atania nods to Eloral.~
Atania says, "Nay just fighter men."~
Eloral says, "Ahhh."~
Eloral sighs.~
Eloral nods to Atania.~

Frijthof says, "A defeat at the hands of the Vaalor would have meant that the spirit of human independence had been crushed by the might of the Empire."~
Frijthof says, "If nothing else, it would have been a powerful symbol."~

Eloral says, "...so the third options was.. I hope my early attempt at humor was not coreect."~
Eloral shudders.~

Frijthof asks, "If even the most powerful, most organized human force could not stand up to the Empire, who could?"~

Atania says, "Sadly, for some with less honor, it was."~

Frijthof says, "Their bodies are there still."~
Frijthof says, "Huddled in embrace ... the cups still near at hand."~

Frijthof says, "The Vaalor never found the Wolve's Den, you see."~
Frijthof says, "And in time, the memory of the Black Wolves served as inspiration to humans across the lands to assert their independence."~

Frijthof says, "A lesson of indominable will, honor and pride in a race that was not supposed to possess any of those qualities."~


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