Aefan the law-speaker, son of Shael, at Leriel:
We, the Auinfehn, the Followers of the Bear, broke from our fellows long ago in another land, leaving them to follow the Horse. Our Guide led us towards the setting sun, for our people's glory was at an end. But the wisdom of God was revealed to us when we crossed the waters to the Maker's Isle. For here was our Father, come to meet us, and he welcomed us to this land. He allowed us to dwell among his creatures, to take a part of his wilderness for our own, that we might live here always, blessed and without fear.
And we, the Auinfehn, heard God's words, and heeded them; and we knew that we need travel no further. Our long journey was ended. So we lived, content in our new homes, and we enjoyed the land that had been given us, though we were allowed only a small portion of the Maker's realm. We kept the old laws, and we took guidance from God and his creatures, so that we might live with true faith. In all things we obeyed, and we were rewarded.
Then from afar we heard the sound that has echoed in sorrow down the ages. We heard the footsteps of others, walking across the land. Here were come another people, and they threatened the purity of God's Isle. These were the Tualfehn, our long-lost brothers, the Followers of the Horse, and there should have been much rejoicing at our meeting. But they brought others with them, in their wake; those same whom we fled from in the beginning of these twilight years.
The darkness gathered. We sought to fight; we fought, and died. But our brothers were weak, for they did not understand for what they fought. They joined with the invaders, and turned against. Not with swords, for they were kin, but with ploughs, they turned against us. We could not defeat them, and so we chose to not break God's law, and we stayed in the land provided us, though ever we cursed the drumming of feet on the sacred lands that God had given over to no man.
We did not fight. We are guilty of only this crime, and it was our downfall. We who had been so blessed, had failed where God had asked most of us.
We thought to retreat into our lands, to live our life as best we might, and ignore the ravages of the invaders to the south. We were punished, and invaders came next into our lands. We are now besieged, and there is nowhere to go. We cannot go east, for that is whence we came. We cannot go south, to live with our brothers, for they are brothers no longer. The blood of the Tualfehn is strong in no one's veins, and that shall be our fate also, if we go that way. From the north come the invaders; we cannot travel there. And West, we may not go, for those lands are closed to us. There are no more ships to take us further on our journey; they were beached for the last time on these shores.
We are with God, and cannot flee, though we perish. We may only fight, though it is in vain. We cannot halt the invaders, nor can we remove the tain from this once holy land. All is lost. We have broken our covenant, and there will be no dawn for our people. Ilvir bless us.
Jan 25th 1997