Port Arvenstown
Avalon was weary of the Great Sea. It was so vast, and wide, and empty, and yet to full of life. It aggravated him to no end- sailing and sailing and sailing and sailing, not a thing in sight, and yet if he closed his eyes and felt below, he could feel the life tingling like something at the end of his fingertips. It was horrible- like knowing what you seek lay just around the corner, and your feet are stuck just a couple yards away from said corner. It was odd; other elves felt very close to nature, tuned in and listening to all that's around them.
Maybe it's because different elves 'hear' differently, that makes Avalon so isolated from the forces of nature. He can hear them, but it's blurred, like two people whispering in his ear at the same time, all the time, except if he's away from nature. The only place that can happen is a human city or town- elves have a tendency to weave nature with everything they do. Treehouses and gardens and all kinds of interesting constructs, with vines or other plants growing throughout.
But nevermind that; they were passing through the Mist that surrounded the Mainland. Normally, it wouldn't surround it, normally, it never existed. But ever since the demons came, the Mist had expanded throughout. It was said, apparently, that the Mist marks the border of the demons' stomping ground, and since demons hate salt water, they were effectively cut off. Originally, one might just abandon the island, except the island once housed some of the most prosperous kingdoms in history, the only place that was home to the dwarves, the only place that really had any significant number of high elves or wood elves, and the biggest landmass in the Archipelago of the Overworld.
Avalon cursed his thoughts; his mind wanders too much into detail. The Mist was clearing, and several sailors on the mast were calling, "Land ho!", in reference to the small bay that was slowly appearing some distance from the edge of the mist. They had arrived in early morning; he originally thought they would arrive midday, or during the afternoon. Either they made much better time than he planned, or they are behind by a day. Either way, they were there, and their quest could begin.
Half an hour later, the large sailing ship had docked with the small dock in the somewhat small bay, just big enough for the ship to fit without worrying about hitting anything if any large waves come in. Out to shore a short ways, were the two other ships. One was a dragoon; armed to the teeth as an escort. The second was a cargoship, where longboats, rowboats, and sturdier, though still small, sailing boats brought supplies back from the ship to the deprived village's shores.
Avalon was the first to set foot on the slightly rotten planks of the dock, probably like that because of the lack of trade anymore, and the first to walk forward towards the stunned Guardsmen, who hadn't really believed that mysterious word of foreigners coming to aid would be true. Avalon walked right up to the shorter, regular humans, and held out his hand. The Guard he had thrust his hand towards looked at him with wide eyes- indeed, a sight to see. He abruptly brought his hand up and clasped Avalon's shaking it vigorously. A smile returned to his face, and Avalon returned the handshake and smile with his own. "Go, Guardsmen, and alert the town! Let them know that aid has come. Your port will flow again, your people will smile once more! We have come to banish the threat of the demons! Let the town know of the fate of the demons!"
And so the Guardsmen guarding the dock ran off, shouting out to the slow, fearful town. Windows lit up, cracked or not, torches were lit, and the town slowly came alive again, like a fearful, hibernating creature, weathering the storm outside. Avalon waited at shore, waiting for the rest of the sailors, elves, and humans that were allowed to come into town. Not everyone could come in; they'd flood the town with a great deal of people who may not be as gentle as Avalon would prefer.
Avalon was weary of the Great Sea. It was so vast, and wide, and empty, and yet to full of life. It aggravated him to no end- sailing and sailing and sailing and sailing, not a thing in sight, and yet if he closed his eyes and felt below, he could feel the life tingling like something at the end of his fingertips. It was horrible- like knowing what you seek lay just around the corner, and your feet are stuck just a couple yards away from said corner. It was odd; other elves felt very close to nature, tuned in and listening to all that's around them.
Maybe it's because different elves 'hear' differently, that makes Avalon so isolated from the forces of nature. He can hear them, but it's blurred, like two people whispering in his ear at the same time, all the time, except if he's away from nature. The only place that can happen is a human city or town- elves have a tendency to weave nature with everything they do. Treehouses and gardens and all kinds of interesting constructs, with vines or other plants growing throughout.
But nevermind that; they were passing through the Mist that surrounded the Mainland. Normally, it wouldn't surround it, normally, it never existed. But ever since the demons came, the Mist had expanded throughout. It was said, apparently, that the Mist marks the border of the demons' stomping ground, and since demons hate salt water, they were effectively cut off. Originally, one might just abandon the island, except the island once housed some of the most prosperous kingdoms in history, the only place that was home to the dwarves, the only place that really had any significant number of high elves or wood elves, and the biggest landmass in the Archipelago of the Overworld.
Avalon cursed his thoughts; his mind wanders too much into detail. The Mist was clearing, and several sailors on the mast were calling, "Land ho!", in reference to the small bay that was slowly appearing some distance from the edge of the mist. They had arrived in early morning; he originally thought they would arrive midday, or during the afternoon. Either they made much better time than he planned, or they are behind by a day. Either way, they were there, and their quest could begin.
Half an hour later, the large sailing ship had docked with the small dock in the somewhat small bay, just big enough for the ship to fit without worrying about hitting anything if any large waves come in. Out to shore a short ways, were the two other ships. One was a dragoon; armed to the teeth as an escort. The second was a cargoship, where longboats, rowboats, and sturdier, though still small, sailing boats brought supplies back from the ship to the deprived village's shores.
Avalon was the first to set foot on the slightly rotten planks of the dock, probably like that because of the lack of trade anymore, and the first to walk forward towards the stunned Guardsmen, who hadn't really believed that mysterious word of foreigners coming to aid would be true. Avalon walked right up to the shorter, regular humans, and held out his hand. The Guard he had thrust his hand towards looked at him with wide eyes- indeed, a sight to see. He abruptly brought his hand up and clasped Avalon's shaking it vigorously. A smile returned to his face, and Avalon returned the handshake and smile with his own. "Go, Guardsmen, and alert the town! Let them know that aid has come. Your port will flow again, your people will smile once more! We have come to banish the threat of the demons! Let the town know of the fate of the demons!"
And so the Guardsmen guarding the dock ran off, shouting out to the slow, fearful town. Windows lit up, cracked or not, torches were lit, and the town slowly came alive again, like a fearful, hibernating creature, weathering the storm outside. Avalon waited at shore, waiting for the rest of the sailors, elves, and humans that were allowed to come into town. Not everyone could come in; they'd flood the town with a great deal of people who may not be as gentle as Avalon would prefer.
