Elge a’Gintyr

 

History

Fourth Age

Elge was born in the late summer of 1161 in the city of Marjaphû in Gustuje, the eldest son of a spice merchant of the Vedhal folk and a mother of a grand Jomzaar trade house. Thus, he grew up with parents that travelled a lot and was at times left at home with his little sister and baby brother. To be cared for by nannies and teachers of various arts.

As he began to gain more control over his mind and limbs, he came to favour practicing with swords. His masters in those arts soon claimed him somewhat talented, and at the age of 9 he got his first own blade. Proud beyond measurement, he began to practice quite hard; he even took up long-distance running so he could become a valuable guard.

His parents were not fond of his idea about protecting the goods of other people with his life, so they began to drag him along on their travels. Enforcing the study of spices upon him, he soon had it twisted so that they were the combat herbs he read about when travelling. And when they camped, he sparred with their guards.

Growing in skills at the blade, he became part of every journey they made around the country, at times even to neighbouring countries. Thus did he, in 1177, meet Ann Beahaug in Kahulat. Stunned by her looks, he aimed for a little romance. But as she already knew the scent of almost all ales, wines, and ingredients, she turned the table on the lad and taught him a thing or two.

After that Elge began to study herbalism more intensely; he also dived into alchemy and enchanting. Equally training with the blade and reading tomes, books, scrolls, and recipes. On a trip to Cesmye in 1180, as they required the same materials, he met Zoe Egrn at the library of Insbra Spires, spawning a crafters’ friendship.

Leaving Cesmye, Elge travelled to Urakita, originally to study, but as he in the town of Baralkoi met Tobi Sahsnott, a young envoy of the1st Alliance, such was his posture that Elge was intrigued. He became derailed, quite a lot, after hearing Sahsnot talk to a few lords about the 1st Alliance. Elge decided to join their cause and travelled around as a guard for Sahsnot.

In 1182, as they passed through Druoles, they met Laira Van Kik at a tavern, where she recited a heroic tale. Bewildered by her beauty, Elge offered her his sword, to which Sahsnot laughed so hard that Elge drew his blade. To his luck, Lairas’ magic path was swifter and gentler than the one Sahsnot instantly began to bubble forth. Seeing Elge faint in her arms, Sahsnot sent the blast into the pig roasting on the fire – and it exploded in a cloud of pork.

When Elge woke, he lay stripped in a bed upstairs. All his attire and gear were neatly stacked on a chair. When he came down, the innkeeper yelled, “Both said to tell you a safe journey, and both are long gone.” Unsure what had happened, he knew it would be easier to find Sahsnot than the Skjald, as he at least knew of Sahsnot’s origin.

So Elge started the long journey towards Zapri, and as he didn’t feel like passing through Kahulat, he travelled north as he planned to travel through Mumak, Snaw, Gustuje, and then Butan, which bordered Zapri. As he passed through Mumak, he encountered a small band of young trackers. One of them was the best archer he ever met; barely coming of age, the lad presented himself as Timberwolf, already a tracker apprentice of quite some skill.

They shared quite some distance through the country, but as they neared the border, the hunters turned southwest, and they parted. A few weeks into Snaw, getting somewhat annoyed by the constant shift in militia, guards, and tollhouses, Elge took to less-trodden paths.

It was on one of those he met Regarir, who had just come from a Astral Site/Gate. Sharing a night camp, Regarir learned that Elge didn’t know about astravel, and agreed to teach him about it. Thus, Elge’s trip to Zapri became far shorter than planned but not at all without surprises. As they had travelled from the nearby site to Snaw just to teach Elge what it was and stepped out, they stood amidst three large, piglike humans.

As the Pigryns immediately grabbed weapons, they both knew death had knocked on their gate. So Regarir fired a thin, piercing bolt of fire right through the chest of one. Meanwhile, Elge ducked under the swinging halberd, slashed its throat, and then threw a cloud of shimmering dust into the face of the last pigryn, blinding it. Regarir recognised the ingredient and released a full mana burst, and the pigryn exploded.

Despite the familiar smell of roasted pig they refrained from any foolishness but instead looted the corpses and hurried to arrange the next astravel leap. This time, Regarir ported all the way to the site of Ye Olde Zephyrs. He then told Elge to have a safe journey and travel somewhere else. Elge then spent 13 years at Ye Olde Zephyrs, training with Black Oak and studying under their wisest members.

Although he met him soon after his arrival, Sashnot never forgot the drawn blade and warned his elders about the rashness of this hothead. Hearing the warning, Elge did once more become involved with the 1st Alliance, with training focused around control and perception.

In 1195 he decided to return home and work on strengthening the 1st Alliance from there. To learn about as many astravel sites as possible, he travelled by horse. A path that took him to Æbalgo, where Stensi Steeni suddenly stepped out on the road and signalled for Elge to halt and be silent. Elge was just to ask when his horse caught the scent of the nearby troll and reared quite noisily.

Out of the underbrush ahead, barged a large troll and charged Elge, who tried to control his panicked steed. Stensi stepped in between, flung up his shield and slashed out. Only to receive a direct blow on his shield which flung him several metres back, landing upside down on his head. Then, just as Elge slid off the stalling mount, the troll ripped the head clean off the horse.

With a large mouthful of horse, the troll turned its attention to Elge, who ducked its slash of the grand club while cutting off its fingers. But to his surprise, it didn’t drop its club, and from the stumps holding on, new fingers grew. Then he heard a yell, “You need to do the head.” The words were coming from Thōm Duihol, who was helped to jump high by Stensi, and as he landed on the troll’s back, his sword cut deep into the troll’s neck.

Elge darted forth reached high and cut deep at its throat, and another voice yelled, ‘That’s the way,’ and Herdsman  stabbed the dangling head with his large staff so it fell off. As it landed on the ground, Elge planted his spear in its right eye and looked quite satisfied. Thōm shouted, ‘Nice poke; now it’s dead for sure.’ All but Elge burst into great laughter.

In 1204, he emerged from astravel at the same time as a small group of Drakk Alfar. He saw four guards and a princess whose beauty he had never encountered before. Totally stunned by his presence, the guards drew their swords and attacked. As he easily fended off their first blows, the princess commanded them to stop. The doubly surprised guards halted, and she invited Elge to come to their place.

Asking how he had ended at their site, he could not explain as he had no clue where he was. Intrigued by it all, he was invited to dine alone with the princess, as she was keen to know more. During the evening he became drowsy and fell asleep; unknown to him, so did the princess. The next morning they woke up sharing the same bed. Both had no idea how the event happened – but the audience was definitely over.

As Elge stood in the courtyard washing his face, he paused to think, and as the water stilled, he could see himself in its mirror-like surface. Just as he noticed the two small marks at his neck, he heard the princess scream, “Vampire, I’ve been embraced.” Uncertain what it meant, there was something in the back of his mind that screamed ‘danger’, and he ran to the astravel site.

Approaching it, he saw a couple of men, clad as those he had dreamt of this very night. Suddenly a thought struck him, and he rushed even faster forward, but seeing him, they swiftly astravelled. As one of them forgot a small leather tube, Elge opened it, and seeing documents inside, he quickly did a astravel himself.

Entering the astral, he noticed silhouettes approaching, and he hurried in the direction already set in his mind. Within a few minutes he stepped out and ran through the gate of Ye Olde Zephyrs. Seeking Kanziganthir, he rushed in without knocking; one hand pulling down his collar, he almost shouted, “I think Allele Diploid tested me and a Drakk Alfar princess…” “I’m certain they did more than test us,” the princess said. And both she and Kanziganthir grinned.

The documents were of incredible value, as they contained several lists and descriptions of people tested, their results, and what was expected. Looking at them both, Kanziganthir said they had to contact Allele to give them these back. And the content was never to be discussed with anyone else or even thought of in the presence of gods or their agents.

The Drakk Alfar princess nodded, and with a smile to Elge, she left. After a while, Kanziganthir looked at Elge and asked where he had planned to go. Replying he aimed for home, Elge was handed magic shards and a safe travel farewell. Sort of stunned, he left and travelled home to Marjaphû, in Gustuje.

Arriving there, he noticed much had changed, and he realised 27 years had passed more swiftly than his bladeweaving. When he entered their shop, his parents couldn’t believe their eyes, as he had been thought dead since their Kahulat trip. Warm was the welcome, and many stories were exchanged. It was but a few Elge kept for himself, but some things are best not shared with parents.

Elge set up a rest stop on the outskirts of the town, and soon it became a favourite spot of the 1st Alliance agitators and agents and, of course, those spying for The Torch. As the place grew and a few buildings were erected outside it, it became a small town section of its own. As its importance grew, Urgula le Dilgotta, a Mermerant count, manoeuvred himself into leading it due to his royal heritage. Elges’ displeasure was visible but was solved a few years later.

In 1207, at a large alliance meeting regarding Mermerant support. Stensi Steeni, Ze Muff, Lionel, and Black Oak were present and staying at Elge’s personal quarters. Suddenly, they heard the sound of steel clashing and the yells and curses of those gritting their teeth. As the others began donning armours, Black Oak just grabbed his blade and ran out the door.

As the infiltrators of the torch wore the livery of the 1st alliance, there was no way of telling friend from foe. Thus, Black Oak had but one choice if he were to save Urgula. Get to him fast, destroying every blade-carrying person in between. So as he ran through the alleys, friend and foe alike sank, mortally wounded, or fell, already dead from his legendary tornado strikes. Like a tsunami of death, he surged forward, but just as he faced Urgula and prepared to turn and stand on defence—a large hunting spear pierced through his right shoulder.

Immense pain from the jagged tip, and the fierce ripping of flesh as it was twisted and yanked back, as well as the powerful poison. Turned the king’s lights off, and he passed out. When he woke, his friends had slain everyone present but the few Elge knew in advance, as they couldn’t tell friend from foe. Sadly, Urgula was dead as well, sitting on his knees, with the hunting spear having pierced his heart.

As Black Oak miraculously recovered, thanks to Elge’s huge collection of combat herbs, Ze Muff’s healing, and a few of Lionel’s potions, they managed to sort things out with the mermerant regarding support for the 1st alliance. Then they began to investigate how the infiltration had been possible. Elge even went to the Sproblins at Sproblin Gate to enquire if they had seen or aided any strangers recently.

Slowly a pattern formed, and it seemed the Archmage Nikko Lia, one of the leaders of the torch, was behind the assault and murder. Since it had occurred on Elge’s turf, it fell to him to deal a proper reprisal. Luck fell upon Elge, as it did in a task he had asked Bergon to help with. Retrieval of a copy of the list he had shown to the drakk alfar princess in 1204, delivered Nikko on an unexpected silver plate.

In 1208, due to Elge’s memory, they entered the elven place; the moon was but a sliver of itself, clouds lengthening shadows, and with transparency potions drunk, they were crawling out from the lush scrubs and slowly moved across the darkened path when Nikko, to their surprise, came walking out from the drakk alfar’s residence. As he was just about to step on them, they sprang up and cut his throat so deep that his head fell off.

Just as Elge was to grab it as a prize, a guard yelled an alarm at them. The raid spoilt; they had only one option, a quick flight. Bergon grabbed Nikkos’s backpack, turning out a prize grander than the empty head, as it contained not only the list but also information about the torch and some necromantic lich paths. Later they heard Nikko’s lot had managed to restore him back to life,

Bergon hurried to Kanziganthir with the list; meanwhile, Elge went home. One week later a known beauty entered his door: Ghiltiara Henora, the drakk alfar princess. She told him he should never again come close, as it would endanger what was theirs. She was thankful, though, as they had managed to figure out which of her guards had informed the torch of her child’s origin. A fact they had used to press her for the list copy.

The guard is now gone, Nikko is more blank than ever, and their child is hidden far away. She wanted to thank him one last time, to which Elge blurted, “It was actually Bergon who did the cut.” Shrugging, Ghiltiara smiled, turned and left. A few days later, Bergon had to kill the first drakk alfar assassin sent to repay the deed.

For a while, Elge travelled across all the isles, trying to locate every drakk aAlfar settlement and enquire about ‘a princess’s son.’ But after a few attempts he was told he should quit the quest, as it was not for him to reach its end. So, he just began to travel and train his bladeweaving. In 1210 he came to recall the sproblins of Sproblin Gate, and he began seeking sproblins out and visiting their lairs. Strangely enough, they came to befriend him.

In 1221 he knew most sproblins, spoke their language, and, to some tribes, he was seen as a friend. When Black Oak learned of the situation, he asked Elge to be the liaison between the 1st Alliance and the sproblins. None of them had any idea how important the alliance would one day become.

In 1249, Elge was amongst the vanguard in the final battle against the torch. But he was not present at the high king's crowning. In fact, he was only ever seen once at Grimsborg, in 1274, as Zoe Egrn had asked him to act as a guard when he, Iaspa Roullo, Hebra Hargi, and Homed el Rial secured the copy of the imperial cypher and a large portion of the realm's gold.

Elge disappeared again and was not seen until 1282, when the 2nd alliance's army began to assemble. It’s said he had joined the Bulls Order, but from then he became quite visible, seen at raids here, assaults there, and fights everywhere. And then, of course, alongside the high king’s command group as they descended on the ruins of Grimsborg and had to flee from the gargantuan trap the invaders had made.

Elge was often the last person to leave behind dead comrades from the rear guard groups that were securing the main column’s escape. Growing ever more panicked and dreadful. Then several months later, as they rode out onto the plains and found themselves totally surrounded, he heard the sharp war-chirps of a thousand well-known mouths. The Sproblins had finally come to his call as he saw their hordes surge to their aid. Alongside T'Aurs, Kobolds, Dwarves, Alfar and many more – he felt a tremendous tear in his soul.

Falling off his destrier, he landed in knee-deep mud of soft rain and the blood of hundreds, if not thousands, of friends and foes. Uncertain what had happened, he did not believe it to be a hostile spell; it was something else, something deeper. Suddenly Kanziganthir yanked him up as he yelled, “Pull yourself to dignity, hero; your son’s crew did it!” Perplexed, Elge stood, and with newfound energy, he began hacking foes down.

Late that evening, the invaders were defeated, routed in all directions, and cut down as they were caught. Elge finally sank to his knees and just sat there staring across the plains. This was the battle of weeping plains: unnumbered flames extinguished and unnumbered tears shed. Then in the dizzy haze of combat fatigue, he heard a familiar voice.

Looking up, he looked into Ghiltiara’s eyes. “We certainly were the pair they expected; thank you.” Blinking as if to ensure for himself the moment was real, she was gone when he opened his eyes. Staggering, he got up, every muscle aching, every cut and bruise hurting like it was dipped in a lava imp's head. He found Kanziganthir and asked what had occurred. “Your son was one of The Favoured Eight. And they defeated the Contender god.”

Was one… Elge found a riderless mount, saddled up and rode off on his own cleansing crusade. He’s not as merry as before The Great Invasion but can share a laugh over a meal and mug when encountered on the dusty roads or at a rest stop.

“His bladeweaving is second only to Black Oak; but Elge’s cuts counted as much.”

~Skjald Sejrik

 

Organisation

Elge became a key figure in the Order of the Bull.

“Combat herbs, shimmering clouds, and a swift wind bladeweaving his mark.”

~Skjald

 

Special

He can speak and write Sproblin.

“Our luck that he befriended and bridged the 1st alliance with resident Sproblins.”

~Skjald El Mary