After having arrived at Tuleme by boat, the Talbar having been lost over the falls, the party discovering the remains of the previous expedition and a mysterious cavern behind the falls...
They all awake on the sandy beach adjacent to the falls. They distantly remember a secret garden, and a horned Green Man, and that the crafter of the garden was the Sindar mage Glorfanon, also responsible for the Armorien Tower prison. (Beyond the Crystal Cave)


Agrahazar 17- Party sets out from Tuleme on a makeshift raft, camps that night on the East side of the Kald, only after Tukvar the Kath is overcome with dread and will not enter the Shava forest. While hunting, Tukvar discovers a Pagaelin trail.

Agrahazar 19- Many party members are succumbing to fatigue and showing sings of illness. As the raft merges with the Shomos River, a freak squall destroys the boat plunging everyone into the river. All provisions are lost. Party makes it shore on the on the West side and camps in the shadow of the Shava forest.

Agrahazar 20- Party enters the Shava Forest. Party is captured by Sindarin, who spare the party only because of the silver leaf brooch worn by Sir Sturmer, given to him by a Sindar Prince at tHe Jedes horse fair. They are taken to Risfuin, and interviewed by Niltiniel , sister to Galeroth the Harper. She is a tall female elf with black and silver hair. Here eyes gleam with the intensity of eternal youth. The party is detained in a clanhouse courtyard. The party is identified as the defilers of Tuleme Island, and Niltiniel sends party to Elshavel for meeting with the Valpalen to answer for their crimes. Tukvar learns that he has been in the Shava forest previously, but doesnt remember.

Agrahazar 25- after several days of travelling blindfolded, the party is sequestered in a dockside warehouse at Elshavel prior to being delivered to the local miller. Ibsyn Pryn, a huge Jarin, takes responsibility for the party, and feeds them and clothes them. They sample grains they have never heard of, the food is exquisite, the clothing very fine. They see very few Sindar.

Agrahazar 26- Council of the Valpalen. Party is interviewed by the Valpalen, a council of twelve hooded Sindar.
Many questions are asked, the party is found guilty of theft... Hendin the Pagaelin Leper (Now cured from the waters in the secret garden) is exposed as having stolen the Sindarin Bowl from Bromeleon. His motives are suspect. The council makes it clear that they are not overly concerned about the events at Bejist. The party learns that the bowl was purposely hidden at Bromeleon and Sindar rangers routinely check on it. It becomes obvious that there are divergent factions on the Sindar council. Some worry that events areunfolding that do not concern the Eldar, others urge the departure to the Blessed Realm. They discuss the mage Glorfanon, and King Daeldas blade, forged by Alorin Tolariel to defeat Aedlad. The party learns that Glorfanon journeyed to return it to Kiraz, but never returned. Lilley he was present when Kiraz fell to the Foulspawner. They learn that the Green man is one of the Praedlykiri, rumored to be the demi-god like enemies of Sarajin, hiding within the secret garden, acting as steward for all the fey creatures of Harn.

On behalf of the wisdom of the Green judgment, the party is allowed to leave Evael, if only to prevent more explorers from coming to Tuleme. They are offered escort to Ulfshafen or Trobridge. There is a ship at Ulfshafen that will take them to Aleath or Cherafir. They are allowed to keep the Jarin items looted from the tomb at Kobing, and the Azure Bowl from Bromeleon. They are to be expelled from Evael after the Night of Long Shadows, 5 days hence. (30th)

Later that night, they are approached by Prince Melenkar, the Sindar from the Jedes Fair, who explains the situation clearer. He believes that Sir Sturmer the Bloody Handed has yet to play a part. He also returns items from the river salvage, including most of the Earls silver. He also mentions that the Valpalen is angered that humans (Atani) are equipping the Gargun near their borders with human-forged weapons. (Of which the party has some knowledge)
And that the Sindar are as yet undecided, but may act soon. They do not belive that the release of Aedlad can ocur without some as yet unknown convergence of events.
In light of this, Sturmer chooses Trobridge, to follow the trail of Glorfanon, and seek the Elven Kings blade in Kiraz. Parnell mentions that Kelvin of Baxt, the Jedes Woodcrafter, had mentioned a previous reference to Glorfanon, but thought nothing of it at at the time.


Agrahazar 27-29-
The party spends the next several days seeing the sights of Elshavel, under constant escort, and equips themselves with Sindar arms and armor and jewelery, using the Earls silver.
Sturmer divides the Jarin loot, and gives a Bronze and Opal dagger to Illtud and Derin. Erni keeps the Jarin helm, and Sturmer takes Aendring from Derin. Illtud retains possession of the Azure Bowl.
Sturmer attempts to reconcile with Lady Blyra Poulty, but she again spurns him, and refuses to leave the fellowship.

Agrahazar 30- The party partakes in the Siem ritual, walking the dance of the Long Shadows in the Taur im Aina of Elshavel. They feel refreshed and renewed.....

DERINS STORY


It had been several cold wet days since they had left Tuleme.
Resting on the forbidding shore of Evael, Derin weeped. Not for the loss of the crew, not for the loss of the makeshift raft, but for his now broken Sindarin lute. The lacquered and inlaid Eldwood lute was a gift from Finderiel, and he cherished the instrument as if it were the elf maiden herself. He knew he would never see her again, and for many years he had protected the lute form damage by the elements and ruffians and thieves.
Now it lay in his lap, the neck cracked, and the strings limp.

Suddenly Tukvar was acting strangely. Derin had never seen the Kath spooked, not even in the Jarin tomb in Kobing, yet here he was eyes wide backing away from the forest.
"Dont move!" Tukvar said. "They are here..."
And just as swiftly the party of survivors found themselves captives of the Sindar.
Derin recognized them immediately.
Like creatures of legend, they stepped from the mist, appearing as if shades. They wore fine leather and cloth, embroidered and decorated.
Their weapons were also finely crafted and glimmered in the light.
Derin stared at the silvery points of the arrows trained upon them.

"Kill them now!" One said.
"They are injured and in need of aid." Another said.
The arrow points never wavered from vital areas.

"We were instructed to bring any strangers to Risfuin."
"Bah!" Said the golden haired elf, "Risfuin is always meddling in ranger affairs. Kill them now, before they infect the Eld trees."

Derin listened as they argued, hoping his expression did not alert them tha he could understand the Sindar speech.
Then one of them noticed Sir Sturmers silvered leaf brooch, given to him at the Jedes fair.

"Ho!" Said the silver haired ranger. "Whats this?"
Then in Harnic, "How came you by this, Starnger?"

Sturmer grunted a reply.
Derin was embarrased, even here, Sturmer could barely keep his bladder under control enough to speak properly to the eldar.
The silver haired elf tucked the brooch into his sleeve, and said "They go to Risfuin." ending the conversation.

Eventually, cooler heads prevailed and the party was disarmed, hooded and led off through the forest.

Derin could smell the forest change. Hooded, he imagined the tall majestic Eld trees, the Silverons, and the Birches. It was incredible , and testament to the woodcraft of the Sindar, that no one stumbled, although they travelled many leagues.

Eventually they found themselves gaoled in a small courtyard. Th efine craftsmanship of the building was not missed by any of the party members. Even the glazed windows seemed magical.

LADY BLYRA POULTYs Story


Lady Blyra Poulty fumed.

Never in her life had she been treated like a common serf, yet here she was disarmed, blindfolded and marched through the forest, and unceremoniously dumped into, what she thought of as a Sindarin Oubliette. There were only two well crafted, stout looking doors and the thick glazed windows. There was no roof, and the light of Yael, nearly full could bee seen clearly through the branches of the thick elms that towered over the building.
At least they had water and bread. Strangely the water was exceptionally crisp, the air fragrant with herbs and pine, and the biscuits unusually savory.
Where were they being taken? Sturmer had expected to float right in to Ulfshafen. He was so simple sometimes, perhaps that was what endeared her to him. It also made life in his company terribly dangerous. She mumbled a silent prayer to Larani that they had not been pic-cushioned by the elves on sight. She had heard the stories, in Jedes, of trespassers dumped at the edges of the Shava, found bound, blindfolded, skewered or worse.
By the argument witnessed between the blonde elf and the silver haired one, she believed that they had narrowly missed becoming the most recent spook story.
That silly silver brooch that Sturmer took such prize in had saved them, she was sure of it. Hadnt that been given to him at the Jedes horse fair by one of the Elves? Which one, she couldnt remember. The one that had named him "Blodhand" upon seeing Sturmers ruined shield arm. The arm that kept him from competing in the tourney, the arm that was now healed.
That same revelation had obviously upset the elves, as they hadnt stayed for the culmination of the festivities.
Come to think of it, she couldnt recall that they purchased anything other than that single palfrey early on in the auction. They has made no other purchases of horses or other goods at the fair, curious.

It was dark, when they finally came for them.
Several armed Sindarin woodsmen, wearing the long hoods and dyed leather skins common to the eldar, motioned for them to follow.
Blyra and the others were roughly ushered out of the courtyard, through a finely decorated lodge, and into the forest.
A line of lanterns lit the way through the forest, and finally into an open clearing. Around a circular pool at the center of the clearing were several hooded figures, each holding a small glass lantern. The scene was eerily ominous, as Yael brightly lit the clearing, occasionally hidden behind swift moving clouds.
One of the figures stepped forward, removing her hood to reveal long black streaked with silver.
"I am Niltiniel of RIsfuin,and you are trespassing here. What brings you to the Everwood?"

Sturmer stammered out his poor excuse, which must have seemed perfectly reasonable to him at the time. Standing there in that mystic circle, the reflection of Yael quietly shimmering in the pool, the reasons seemed ridiculous.

Niltiniel laughed, a subdued mourning interlaced with the sparkling lilt, playing counterpoint.
Her ageless eyes, reflecting the reflection of Yael and the pool and the lanterns, seemed alight with an icy fire. Blyra could see millenia in their depths. Was this one of the fabled Sidhe'? One of those who had companioned with Siem himself? She could hardly believe that this frail being could be so ancient. Already ancient when Larani was but a maiden.

Blyra missed the interaction between Niltiniel and Sturmer, since for several moments Blyras mind attempted to recall everything about the Sindar and Siem that she had read while at Whyce and Erone. There was scarce little, Larani had been imported to Harn long after Siem and the Sindar had departed. Suddenly she felt very, very young.

Suddenly a shade detached itself from the ring of trees and entered the lantern light. It was another siindar woodsman, this one dressed as the others, only the weave and pattern of his tunic seemed to difference them, that and his hair was also silver....or at least so it seemed in the moonlight.
"These are the Atani," He nearly spit the word out, as if it had a tangible distaste, "Who were seen defiling the sacred island. They have entered the Cave of the Crystals, beyond the falls, they have trespassed on the Sacred Garden of Glorfanon."

Niltiniel seemed to register genuine surprise at the statement.

When she turned her attention back to Sturmer, Niltiniel raised her hands and declared, "Take them to the Valpalen, they must stand before the council and answer for their crimes. Take them to Elshavel."

Hendin the Lepers Story


Hendin could feel the cold drip of nervous perspiration trickle down
his neck.
They had travelled blindfolded for days through the Sindar lands, and
now stood before the hooded and robed, Elven council of thirteen.
Thirteen anonymous Sindar sat before the party, awaiting Sturmers
reply to the charges of trespassing and theft.
The awkward weight of the crystal bowl weighed uncomfortably on his
thigh. That no one had discovered it so far in the journey, nor had
it been broken in the wash down the Kald, Hendin was equally thankful.
Now, he wondered if taking the bowl from its reliquary was the right
choice. He had thought so at the time, but it had grown steadily
heavier the closer to Evael they had travelled. Upon entering the
Shava forest, its weight was nearly unbearable, as if it knew where
it was being taken and wanted to be elsewhere. Hendin shrugged off
that idea, like a Dranatha robe, impossible.
He wondered what Brother Ael, and Father Oppias would think of him
when they discovered the theft. Surely they would know he was
responsible. Although slow-witted, they would ultimately blame the
outsider. His time there had shown him how naieve, hidebound and
pathetic the followers of the flower really were. They wouldnt know
the truth if it was right before them.
The Thayan, Berke had known the truth. For a sailor, he had been very
perceptive. Hendin actually regretted his death. Strange, he thought,
he had never regretted any death before....Perhaps his time at
Poynter had affected him more than he thought. Where were these
feelings of hope and comradeship coming from?
Hendin unceremoniously itched his side where the heavy bowl was
chafing him. He would need to purge himself soon, lest the servants
of the Walker find him first. He knew, somehow, that other than
Bromeleon, the Shava was the only place that he was truly safe. He
had been reluctant to leave, but saw it as his chance to complete his
mission. That the monks who had shown him mercy and kindness should
suffer from his deception and treachery was unfortunate. In fact,
when he took the bowl from Saint Bromels shrine, he really wasnt sure
if he was taking it to help Berkes comrade Sir Sturmer or if it was
to satisfy the temple Wolren at Bejist. Did he even want to go back
there? Why had he agreed to lead Sturmer there? Even he wasnt sure of
his own motivations...since learning that he was a leper, and being
the recipient of lavish pity and concern, he had lost himself. What
was wrong with him?! Surely the Temple Masters could cure him, maybe
even forgive him for not returning. Surely by bringing the Sindarin
bowl, he would be rewarded.

Suddenly the councils tone changed, and he was being addressed. What
had they said? He hadnt been paying attention. He would have been
severely punished had he let that happen in chapel.
Strong hands grasped his arms, and stripped his satchel from him,
against his fierce struggles he was powerless. Although he could kill
one or two, there were many. He chose not to resist, but for them or
himself, he could not be certain.

The Sindar bowl fell out of the sack and rolled torturously slowly
before the assemblage. He could feel the blood drain from his face,
his hands clenched, knuckles white. He was ready for the accusations,
the spurning of his comrades, his friends. Friends? Even now, his
mind tuned inward, what do dhe feel for these people? They had
welcomed him, and he had deceived them. What did he care, they were
not of the faith. But he knew that he did, he had welcomed the
comradeship, the family.
He had been raised at the temple and like the other orphans, had no
parents that he knew. The priests were his parents.
When he had killed his first sibling, he had felt something icy and
cold, but soon after had been replaced by the warm praise of his
teachers. Three, four, five more deaths had inured him to loss. It
wasnt until Berke died that he had felt that emotion again. "What at
wretch am I!" he thought.

As Sturmer and Blyra and Derin and Erni stared aghast at him, he
tried to explain, but they wouldnt understand, he knew they would
not listen. He knew their task was hopeless, that perhaps he had fed
the fire of their hope.
He felt ashamed. He longed for the cold piercing claws of Gekrish to
end his tortured meaningless life.

But even now, Sturmer regarded him as a comrade and defended his
actions to the council. Why would he do that?
Suddenly Hendin felt very small and helpless.