PCs:Elenya

The following account was recorded by yours truly, Hiram Mishfork, professional scribe. Let it be known that this humble scribe earned his fee, stretching his abilities to their limit to keep pace with this voluble young Elf.

Well, I've hired this fellow to record my story, such as it is, so far, I mean. I'm not sure why, but this is important for me to do now. Maybe someday I'll be famous, and this will be a great historical record. That's a laugh. Or maybe, this will be all that remains - there's a sad thought. But anyway, here it is. Or should I say, here I am.

My name is Elenya. Actually, officially, it's Elenya Strix, but Strix is just a nickname. But I used it as a last name when I filled out the writ to enter the Champions' Keep, so now it's become "official".

Miki gave me the nickname. Strix is a type of night bird. Miki always said that when I was working high windows in the nobles' mansions, that it was like watching a bird in flight. Nobles in Red Gate, that is. Or was. And Miki's name is Miki Doubledaggers. He was the head of our crew, which was a team of Dirks.

But that all came later. See, I'm already doing this out of order. Let's start at the beginning, sort of. My mother was a human Druid. Well, she wasn't really my mother, but I thought she was for a long time. Not long by Elven standards, mind you, I'm only 36. But it was long for me, because it was my whole life, you know? Her name was Mariglena and she was, or is (I guess) a Druid - or Druidess - of Skern.

I was too, would you believe it? Me, a right proper Druidess. I could cast spells, I could draw power from Skern, and I even had a panther, Ciresh. He was beautiful, and my best friend. I miss him so much.

Anyway, Mariglena taught me to be a Druid. We lived in her grove. That's why she taught me, so I could tend her grove when she died. Humans die so fast, and she was worried that her grove would fade when she was gone. That's why she taught me. That's why she kidnapped me. Well, she didn't really - she just bought me - she didn't know I was kidnapped. She thought I was an orphan. That's what she said. But, well, I don't think she did much of a background check, if you know what I mean. And who buys babies from traveling peddlers, anyway?

That's where the scar on my face came from. She was so mad, she actually came at me with her sickle. I guess the wound from an old druid's sickle never really heals. Anyway, she knew her grove was a goner when I rejected Skern. Or, actually, when he rejected me. And I mean, he REALLY rejected me - BAM - no powers, no spells, no Ciresh. I felt, I don't know, like an eggshell with nothing inside. And to top it off I had a mad Druidess coming at me with a sickle, so I ran. She may have been powerful, Mariglena, but I was still an Elf in a hurry - so I got away.

But then I didn't know where to go. I didn't know anything outside of the grove. It was only later I figured the grove was somewhere in southern Drotid where there are still woods, you know? Anyway, I guess I went west, 'cause I met a trading caravan with Nora on it (Nora was Miki's cousin) headed for Red Gate, and that's how I got there and became a Dirk. Well, not a full Dirk - just a junior Dirk - sort of a Dirk in training.

Nora liked me. She taught me a lot - about people, about men, about lots of things. I think the Halfling crew liked having a naive Elf to tease. And Miki liked to take me to fancy parties as his date. There aren't that many Elves in Red Gate, and none of them go to parties with Halfling Dirks. That's when I learned I'm a sucker for nice clothes. Tehenen knows that - when I put on the dress she made, I can't leave the mirror.

But I didn't meet Tehenen until I got to Elysia, which was just recently. But I'm so glad I came. Miki said I would like it - that I could be a proper citizen, and meet some other Elves. He was right. I've even met Druids that I like, and Druidesses that I like a lot - like Eloryn, Daria and Mari - nice people who would never buy a stolen baby.

I never found my parents, but I found Dra'Nar while looking for them. Or, I found Dra'Nar's temple in Le'Or. So I guess the eggshell has gained back a little of its filling - through Dra'Nar's love, and through my friends.

So, I'd better stop talking before my scribe here runs out of ink, paper and steam. What am I going to do with my life? Well, I still enter the Temple through the Orphans' Door - Dra'Nar's temple, you know, with the two doors. Anyway, I'm determined to earn the right to enter through the Heroes' Door some day.

That's it. That's me. So far.

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