Saldone Family Story--Nimeria

I have been meaning to share this for some time but just haven't gotten around to it until now.  On the afternoon before we battled Traegor Marta Saldone came to town and engaged in some trade.  When she had finished with her business she asked if any of us would care to hear some old stories she had heard.  At the time everyone else had moved on to other business and Tovolia and myself were the only ones on hand.  We both agreed to hear her story, and Sir Telaris joined us as well.

This is the story that she told us.  Tovolia and I took notes.  I wrote up the story as I recalled it and then I sent my version to Tovolia to check against his notes.  He in turn made a few corrections and adjustments and re-wrote the story.  I have included it below, written in Tovolia's clear and unmistakable style.

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Based upon the legends as told by the Marta Saldone

Many many years ago, the land known to us as Greyhelm once went by the name of Nimeria. Nimeria stood not as a single kingdom as we know Evendarr to be, but rather was a collection of self governed cities who controlled the lands around them, who were bound together by a complex web of alliances. These alliances were the result of who may be said to be the wisest of the races of Nimeria, the ancient Elinel elves. And so it was for many years. Nimeria prospered and suffered, it bloomed and withered as all civilization does. Magic was researched and explored, and eventually the Elinel discovered that there was a nexus of three ley lines coming together in one spot in the lands. They realized that these ley lines could be harnessed and their magical energies used to do great things. They turned to the other three most populous races of the land for aid in this.

The Dwarven people of the land built a series of great stone pillars on the site of the ley line nexus, and into these the Elinel channeled the magic of the stars. The Hobling peoples of the land planted great and fertile gardens about the pillars, and into these the fourth most populous race, the Gypsy people crafted the magic of Tyrra. Once they were completed the pillars focused the energies of the ley line and this energy was put to use, to strengthen and empower the lands. So it was, and it was good. The land of Nimeria entered a time of unbeknownst prosperity, and all that was great and wonderful in the lands could be traced back to the pillars and the ley lines. The prosperity continued for a time, but eventually evil sought to use the power of the pillars and ley lines for itself.

A human wizard came to Nimeria and tried to use the power of the pillars to raise a great undead army. However, he was unable to control the power of the pillars and his formal backlashed on him destroying the focusing powers of the pillars and turning him into a vampire. The great backlash of the magic caused the pillars to shatter, leaving only their bases lodged deep in the ground. The land turned to ash, and the water was made foul, and the lush gardens did wither and die. The magic, still flowed through the ley lines, but without the focus of the monuments to guide it the flow of power, now greatly enhanced from the years of cultivation, blasted across the land in destructive and random waves of pure arcane might.

The marked the end of the time of prosperity in Nimeria. Without the benefit of the pillars the land became to fall into decline. Resources became scare and people started fighting over them. The human wizard, now a vampire, started to rampage across the lands, killing all who dared stand against him and his horde. At the advising of the Eline a great call was sent throughout the known lands, asking for any hero who would dare to stand for Nimeria in her time of need. Many came, but the vampire lord was too powerful, and killed them all. Finally, from the north, an unlikely hero arrived. Unlike many of the others he was very quiet, very reserved. He did not boast of his prowess, nor of his skill, but rather listened intently to all that was told to him, speaking only to ask for clarification on particular points of interest. His name was never given, and so he became known only by the unique markings he bore upon his face. For behold, on one cheek he did have a tattoo of an open eye, with pupil and iris showing, and on the other an empty eye, as though the eye of a blind man.

Hearing the information in full to his satisfaction the unnamed man arose and took up no weapon, nor called forth any arcane power, nor did he draw forth any globes of the new science of alchemy. Alone he left the gathered peoples and traveled in solitude to the lair of the vampire. He entered it unafraid, and for three days there as silence about the land. As the dawn broke on the fourth day he emerged from the unknown world below, and spoke only to say that the vampire was defeated and would trouble the land no more. No reward would he accept for this act, no title or prestige would he have added to his name. He simply left the land of Nimeria as quietly as he had entered it. Sadly, however, it was too late to save Nimeria. The pillars could not be rebuilt, the gardens would not take root again, and the flow of magic could no longer be harnessed as the Elinel and the gypsies had done so before. Nimeria crumbled and fell apart, and was lost only to the legends of the wanderers and tales of bards and sages. The ruins of the pillars are all that remain of Nimeria, and in their final resting place they remain to this day.