Winter's+Star+(+Moon+Blade+)

 "That's....all of them I think..." Dominic Medici gasped out, leaning heavily on the blackened boulder next to him, the air still thick with the acrid smoke left behind from the young alchemist's munitions. He quickly regained his breath...turning to his two companions with a wry grin. He pocked some remaining vials into his vest once it was apparent they would no longer be needed.

"So it would seem...." One of the companions replied, a stunning young drow woman...at least..she was young for her race but Dominic knew that the girl was many winters older than he. "And as usual, don't you think you overdid it a bit?" She looked around at the devastation, smoking bodies and burnt undergrowth lay around them. The drow noted that the bodies were of mixed races, in mismatched armor with rust stained weapons. Another group of bandits come to loot the treasures of Myth Coramanth.

"Don't shed a tear for them Shri...they got what they deserved." The last of the companions spoke, a moon elf dressed in forest green. Without so much at a second glance at the corpses he began to carefully remove his arrows from the bodies, refilling his quiver which was nearly spent. He carefully looked around but the forest was quiet now. It has been decades since most of the remanans of Myth Coramanth had been transported from the Dalelands to the Rawlinswood far to the northeast and the magic of the old elven woods still battled with the newer woods. Fine maples and oaks grew alongside towering pines giving the forest a strange look, but to Erevin it just felt like home.

"Well then, we should probably check on the crypt then...I think we got here in time but best to make sure." Dominic stepped gingerly over the corpses and his two companions followed past the roots of a great oak that had been partially uprooted because of powerful storm last month. The elves of Myth Cormanth buried their dead in crypts beneath great trees such as this, and sometimes they were uncovered when calamity struck, drawing treasure seeks into the elven forests. Like the unfortunate bandits above, they were often dealt with swiftly when they were caught. The stone door was cracked open and they descended into darkness.

"Perhaps we should just reseal it Ere'" The drow woman said nervously...she could feel the spirits of the ancient elves nearby and while her...clan had made peace with the surface elves, she was not so sure the ancient spirits here would recognize that. There was so much hatred between their peoples it would take...centuries to undo.

"We have to made sure none got inside Shri..." Erevin glaced about as they came into a small central chamber. Dominic mixed two vials together and they began to glow, mostly for his benefit as he had the most trouble seeing the dim light. Suddenly...an ancient appearing husk of an elf appeared....with dry...wrinkled skin and almost translucent hair. Shri grasped for her holy symbol of Elistree as the obvious undead floated forwards.

"Wait Shri..." Erevin spoke, stepping forwards "You're... a baenlorn aren't you...sir?" His hands were open peacefully.

The undead elf chuckled, dry and raspy "Indeed...you are well...learned ranger of House Lionspaw. And greetings to you priestess of the Dancing goddess, and you...young human. You all fought well...above and I thank you...and the other spirits that rest here...thank you as well."

"You...saw?" Shri asked surprised.

"Yes...I am the guardian of this tomb and I can sense....the area around. But it seems I will not be needed. I am Odrenriel Mithrin...of House Mithrin. For thy aid, I will give each of you a gift, provided that when you leave you see that this place is resealed so that we may sleep...again."

"Of course..Lord Mithrin" Erevin said quickly. House Mithrin was one of many of the lost houses, who was of mixed Sun and Moon Elf blood. The last clan elder was said to be a great sword master, the last to wield the great blade Nirnrod...the Kin Slayer. That was centuries...ago.

"Then...for you young Lionspaw...a young house...but still...you are the only one fit among you to bear this." The ancient elf gestured and a blade appeared in his hands. Elegantly crafted, it shone in the alchemists light. The baenlorn chuckled "No...not the Kin Slayer young Lionspawn. That...is still lost to us. But my son bore a moonblade before that. But now...with none of my clan alive it is dormant. But perhaps you...can reawaken it. If your spirit is strong enough. Will you take this burden...son of Hirotsu?"

"I....will." Erevin didn't hesitate...taking the blade from the elven lich. It was ice cold to the touch, and yet deep within, he though he could feel a tiny flicker. The stories he would get to tell his sister now! Although he was sure his mother would scold him... Erevin broke free of his reverie, he inhaled deeply to clear his mind, his nostrils were instantly filled with the scent of the burning wood of his campfire, and he became immediately aware of the freezing winds out side the cave he had taken shelter in. He pulled the bear pelt up closer around him, warming his shoulders. Across from him gnawing the last few bits of meat from a bone, played Mari, a female wolf pup he had rescued a week previous from a large Black Bear, on his trek up the mountain. Her golden eyes, as if feeling his gaze upon her, turned and took him in. She blinked, sniffed the air and went back to her bone.  <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">He had judged his travel time just about right, it had taken him 3 weeks to climb to the summit of the Giantspire Mountains, just in time for the full moon. Next to him lay the yet to be drawn Moonblade, the Winter’s Star. This whole trip was for the sword, his plan was to draw it for the first time on the coldest summit he knew of with Elisrtae as his witness, and hope for the blades acceptance. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">The young Ranger rallied his courage and stood up letting the bear skin fall to the floor. He picked up the sheathed Elven sword and strode out into the winter nights freezing wind. Looking up into the clear sky the full moon looked down upon him, the wind whipped the snow all around him until he whispered a silent prayer to Elistrae, and a thanks to the swords Elven heritage and pulled the Moonblade free of its scabbard. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> Erevin waited atop the cold mountaintop surrounded only by the sound of the whipping wind and frigid numbness. He was faintly disappointed after climbing up all that way...had he done something wrong. Or perhaps he wasn't worthy. But banelorn wouldn't have gifted him the blade if hadn't been, would he? Nothing but the wind answered him...howling it's way around his ahivering body.

In fact...it seemed to be howling stronger...and stronger. The ranger's eyes widened in surprise...what was going on. The wind seemed to be swirling faster and faster around him and the blade went icy cold in his hands. By Elistrae it hurt! The winds grew so strong that it was almost like a tornado now, and he saw the snow coming free of the mountainside and being....pulling into the maelstron and funneled into the blade, which was now gleaming softly blue. More and more ice and snow seemed to be sucked into the sword, jagged pieces of ice now orbited around Erevin slashing across his skin. But he couldn't let go....even though he could barely feel his hands anymore. If he let go somehow he knew...he would die.

Finally...one of the runes on the Moonblade lit up and just for a moment the ranger thought he saw a ghostly elven form materializing...but his vision by that time was already fading. He felt numb...but strangely warm as he tumbled down unto the rock of the now snowless area of the mountaintop..

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Erevin awoke slowly, to see the worried faces of his friends staring down at him. Shri particularly looked relieved, and yet at the same time angry. Dominic just looked glad and spoke softly. "Ah...your awake you gave us quite a scare. How are you feeling?" Erevin felt a stuffiness in his head but otherwise felt fine, he was buried under the blankets <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">"I told you two not to follow me! This was something I needed to do alone!" He was relieved to feel Mari nipping at his toes like sausages underneath the blankets.Shri crossed her arms in front of her. "Like we would listen to you! Stupid male." She slipped back into the drow, as she often did when mad. "You are lucky we did, we found you lying unconsious up on that stupid mountain." Erevin notices that her hands...were wrapped in gauze which seemed strange."Yes...and I gave you just about every healing potion that I had...but...you seem alright now..." Dominic smiled. "And just in time. Your mother sent word that she has a mission for us. Something much less dangerous it seems. I think she's getting a little worried about your recklessness. Best not tell her about your little adventure on the mountaintop!"Erevin nodded. A mission? He wondered what his mother was up to now... <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">