Notes and workspace for Journey Home

This story is set in The Forgotten Realm fantasy setting created by Ed Greenwood. Mr. Greenwood and others have developed The Realms over the past 15+ years. Some names and places will be familiar to fantasy readers. For those of you not familiar with The Forgotten Realms a short geography lesson may be in order.

Toril is the world as a whole. It is seldom discussed, as most people are more concerned with local affairs of state or city. Few people travel farther than their horse can ride in a day and anything beyond that just isn’t their concern.

Faerun is the largest mainland continent of Toril; it stretches across a large portion of the globe. Faerun is made up of hundreds of Lands, Independent States, City-states, and Territories. The Sword Coast and Trackless Sea form the western border. The Endless Wastes and The Great Sea mark the eastern edge of Faerun.

Evermeet is an elven stronghold across the Trackless Sea to the west. It is generally believed to be the homeland of the elves on Toril. Outside the elven community not much is known about Evermeet, it is a closely guarded secret among the elves. The elves of Toril generally keep to themselves; their extremely long life spans as compared to most other races can make relations difficult at best.

Kara-Tur is a smaller far eastern continent situated on the far side of the globe. Kara-Tur has an Asian or far eastern theme and feel. Contact between Kara-Tur and Faerun is extremely rare because of the great distances involved. There are few trade caravans that are willing to make that long of a journey.

Physical Description:
Lia Galanodel (MoonWhisper) is 5 feet tall and 98 pounds of athletic wiry muscle that defines speed and grace. The slightly blue tint to her skin, silvery white hair, and cerulean blue eyes with flecks of gold clearly mark her as a moon-elf. The explorers clothing she wears over elven chain armor is all in shades of black and gray as if in mourning. She wears her hair in a single braid with a thin silver wire woven into the braid that falls to the middle of her back. A long scar runs diagonally down her back; from her right shoulder to her left hip. The scar has been expertly covered with a large tattoo of an eastern style dragon with the head at her right shoulder and the tail at her left hip. The ink is a dark blue with what appear to be silver highlights. The tattoo is expertly applied and covers the scar so that it is almost invisible to the unaided eye. The tattoo can only be seen when she disrobes, but when it is seen it causes quite a distraction, few people can resist looking at least twice.

History and background:
Lia Galanodel’s early life was full of mischief and trouble. She was always where she should not be doing things she shouldn’t be doing. Sneaking, hiding, and gathering secrets came easy to her. At a rather young are she came to the attention of Aramil Liadon King Zaor’s most trusted covert agent and the commander of Hwarmaeg en’ Aran(see description below) The King’s secret bodyguards; when he caught her trying to listen in on a meeting of the high counsel. Aramil knew that punishing her wouldn’t do any good she would be up to the same old tricks as soon as she was out of his sight. So he chose to take young Lia under his wing and she became his apprentice. It was easier to keep her out of trouble when she was working for him. Aramil taught her the ways of espionage and helped her to refine her natural talents. Lia was a quick study and rapidly rose through the ranks and became a highly trusted member of The Hwarmaeg en’ Aran. Lia spent many years in service to the King growing in skill. She would complete the most difficult assignments with ease. The King’s Personal name for her was Moonwhispher a play on her family name but also because information seemed to be whispered to her from the moon. Information that Lia had gathered was invaluable to the defense of Evermeet.
         Her last assignment for the King was to infiltrate and gather information on the Nimesin clan of gold elves. Lia had gained the trust of the Nimesin family and was carefully gathering all the information she could when Kymil Nimesin ordered the assassination of King Zaor. Lia didn’t learn of the assassination orders until it was too late to save her King. Lia made a valiant effort to return to Evermeet and head of the assassins but she arrived too late, only moments after the King was discovered in his garden. Feeling a great sense of failure Lia left the service of the royal family and fled Evermeet in shame. She followed Kymil Nimesin across Faerun. She got close enough on a few occasions to try and take his life but he would slip away at the last second. Decades past as Lia followed one step behind Kymil traveling across Faerun almost to the ends of the world. Kymil’s trail finally ran cold in Emmech near the Dragonjaw Mountains. After a month of searching the area for any sign of Kymil, Lia gave up hope of finding the trail again. It was most likely that Kymil had doubled back and was now traveling west again.  In her heart Lia felt that she would cross Kymil’s path again one day and when that day came one of them would die.
         While in Emmech Lia came across a caravan from lands far to the east, a land called Kara-Tur. The people from Kara-Tur were different than any people she had met in Faerun. Their way of life was more like the elven way and Lia was greatly interested in learning more about these strange peoples. She joined the caravan and they began to travel westward Lia shared her elven culture and beliefs with the elders of the Kara-Tur who were as eager to learn about her as she was to learn of them. The elders of the Kara-Tur taught her that the path of revenge that she was following would only end in death and she should seek a better way to redeem her honor. Lia learned much of the eastern ways; she was particularly fascinated with their swordsmanship. She felt almost compelled to learn the fluid, dance like movements that the elders called a kata. While crossing the Earthspur mountains the caravan was ambushed by a small band of orcs lead by an ogre barbarian, in the brutally violent battle that followed Lia fought valiantly against the Ogre barbarian. In time Lia found the opening she wanted and was able to deal a fatal strike. In its death throws the ogre struck one last blow that nearly killed Lia and left a long scar across her back. Fortunately the Kara-Tur were skilled healers and they brought Lia back from the brink of death. As she recovered she continued to learn the eastern fighting style. The Kara-Tur also had skilled artists traveling with them and their skills with Tattoos were far beyond anything in Faerun. The most talented artisans gave Lia a tattoo of a dragon like none she had ever seen to cover the scar from her battle with the ogre. When Lia had fully recovered the Kara-Tur presented her with the gift of a set of two magical swords for killing the ogre barbarian. Lia continued to travel and train with the Kara-Tur until the caravan reached Cormyr. It was in Cormyr that Lia received word that Queen Amlaruil was recalling her to serve the elves of Evermeet once again.
         Even though Lia still felt the sting of shame and failure over the assassination of the King she could not refuse the request of the Queen. Lia also hope to see her mentor Aramil Liadon she had not heard from him since she left Evermeet the last time. Hopefully Aramil was advising the Queen on this new group that was being put together. It felt good to have a purpose in life again and Lia was glad to be on her way back to Evermeet and the service of her queen.

Hwarmaeg en’ Aran: The Dagger (Main-Gauche, Parrying) of the king.
The Hwarmaeg en’ Aran is a small extremely secret group created by King Zaor shortly after his rise to the throne.  As the name implies the main purpose of the group was the immediate protection of the king, his closest personal bodyguards. The group also has a secondary purpose that is to undertake covert missions to defend the kingdom. The members are hand chosen from the most elite of their professions (rogue and fighter sub-classes). Then they are given additional extensive training to serve the king.

Aramil Liadon an epic infiltrator and close personal friend of the king was chosen to build and lead the organization. The Hwarmaeg en’ Aran has been under his leadership since it creation. Under his guidance it has secretly become one of the most powerful organization in Faerun, especially among elves. All members are sworn to secrecy and to serve and defend the king and kingdom with their lives if necessary. The signet of The Hwarmaeg en’ Aran is a simple Main-Gauche or Parrying dagger. It is simple enough to be overlooked by most, but among those who know what it stands for it commands a respect bordering on fear.

Being a secretive organization there is some speculation among the population as to weather or not the organization really exists or not. Some argue that the Hwarmaeg en’ Aran is nothing more than a bunch of bedtime stories meant to keep mischievous youngsters out of trouble. Others maintain that not only do they exist but that what you hear in taverns and on the street is only half of what they do, and any shady looking characters could be one of them and they could be watching you. The one thing both sides agree on is the reputation for swift and deadly action in defense of the kingdom, some describe as a lightening bolt that appears in an instant, is gone just as fast and devastates its target. This all helps to maintain the secrecy and true nature of the organization, some of the rumors and arguments are started by members as a smokescreen to divert attention away from actual covert missions.

Following the assassination of the King The Hwarmaeg en’ Aran was divided some remained to serve the Queen, others sought to bring justice to the assassins, and a few who felt a greater since of failure exiled themselves from elven society altogether. In the years following the Kings assassination the reputation of The Hwarmaeg en’ Aran has remained mostly intact despite the fact that it officially died with the king. All members of The Hwarmaeg en’ Aran have a deep sense of duty and honor to the elven nation and will defend it with their last breath even if the organization officially no longer exist the members will find a way to serve. Some may even become members of the Queens Hand.

The Journey Home

    As the Kara-Tur caravan was slowly crossing the planes of Cormyr a small cloud of dust arose as something crossed the horizon. The object moved with speed directly toward the caravan. Some of the caravan guards moved to defensive positions. As the distance closed it became clear that it was a lone rider a scout by the look of him. The rider was ridding hard, pushing his mount to the limit.  The rider crossed the plane quickly and soon it was clear that he was an elven scout. As the rider approached the caravan he reined in his horse and dismounted. The lone elf sought out Lia immediately and he spoke the language of the High Elves “I was sent to find Lia Galanodel.”
    “I am Lia.” She answered in Elven. “Who sent you and Why?” Lia’s eyes narrowed and her hand moved to the hilt of her sword.
    “I carry a message for Lia Galanodel, It is to be delivered to her hand alone.” The elf looked at Lia for a long moment. “I was told that you carry the signet of your service to the king.”
    Lia’s eyes grew wide; it had been over forty years since the king was assassinated. How would this scout know that she still carried the signet of her service? Slowly she removed the silver chain from her neck and pulled the ring out of her shirt. The ring bore a simple symbol, a dagger. It was the symbol of the Hwarmaeg en’ Aran and among the people who knew what it stood for it would still command respect even forty years later. Lia held the ring out for the scout to see. “I am Lia Galanodel.”
    The scout looked carefully at the ring, then gave a slight bow, reached into a hidden inner pocket, and removed a folded piece of parchment. “This is for your eyes only.” and with that he handed over a letter.
    The parchment was worn and creased. It had traveled a long distance and passed through many hands but the wax seal was still intact. The wax seal bore the signet of Lady Amaruil Moonflower Queen of the Elves of Evermeet. The sight of the seal shook Lia to the core. It had been forty years since she had seen the seal of the Queen. Lia composed her self and thanked the messenger offering the hospitality of the caravan to him. The dust of the trail covering him showed he had traveled long and hard to get the letter to her. The rider was glad of the respite he told Lia that he had been ordered to deliver the letter as soon as possible and had tracked her for six weeks before learning of the caravan she was traveling with. Lia thanked the rider again then went to the small wagon that she has called home for the past two and a half years to read the letter in privacy.

Sitting in the small wagon Lia stares at the letter, she can’t bring herself to open it. Forty years wash away in an instant. King Zaor lay dead in his private garden killed by an assassin that Lia had failed to stop. Lia left Evermeet that night in pursuit of the man who had ordered the assassination and she never looked back. Lia had spent forty years tracking that man across two continents and now a letter from the Queen has tracked her nearly half-way around the world what could it mean. Lia’s hands shake as she slowly opens the letter. Even after all the time that has passed she easily recognizes the smooth flowing script of the Queen’s own hand.
         Lia Galanodel,
         It is requested that you return to Evermeet with all speed upon receipt of this letter. You served my husband well, before his passing he spoke highly of you now I am in dire need of your services. Return to Evermeet at once and speak of this to no one. You will serve the Queen’s hand as you once served the King.
         Lady Amaruil Moonflower.
Well there it was, return to Evermeet, a request from the Queen's own hand. Lia could not refuse; she would serve the Queen as she had served her husband King Zaor years before. Lia began to pack her meager belongings, As an agent for the King Lia had learned the value of traveling light so the packing wouldn't take her long. It would be much harder to say good-by to the Kara-Tur people who had taken her in and allowed her to learn their ways while traveling with them for over two years. The last things Lia packed were her two swords; the swords were a gift from one of the Kara-Tur elders for bravery in battle. It was more of an ambush than a battle and that bravery had almost cost Lia her life, thank the Moon goddess the Kara-Tur were skilled healers. This episode opened a door because the gift of the swords came with lessons on how they should be used. Lia was hesitant to accept at first not just the swords but the lessons as well.  As an agent in the Hwarmaeg en' Aran Lia had been trained to kill in brutally efficient ways. Lia quickly learned that the Martial style of the Kara-Tur extended beyond the battlefield, it was more of a lifestyle. Lia was a quick study and in the two years of study she had mastered many skills that would serve her in life as well as on the battlefield, she had also developed quite a bond with these people from the far east. Leaving would be one of the hardest things Lia had ever done. Lia spent the rest of the night saying her good-bys then with the first rays of dawn at her back she set off on the fastest horse the caravan could provide.

Lai rode hard and fast to the west covering as much ground as she could.She had half a continent to cross before she would reach the Sword Coast and the port cities where she could find passage to Evermeet. This was time that Lia could use to her advantage; she needed to know what has been going on in Evermeet since she left so long ago, what could be pressuring the Queen that she would send half-way around the world to bring back an agent that had left the service and gone rogue. Most of all she wanted to know what had happened to Aramil Liadon; He was the founder of Hwarmaeg en' Aran, or The King's Dagger as it was known in the common tongue. The Kings personal bodyguards and most elite spies. Aramil Liadon was also Lai's mentor, she had learned her skills at his right hand from a very young age. Aramil must be advising the Queen he is the only one who could have given the Queen her name and he is the only one who had the contacts to track her across half the globe. Well Lai had learned from the best and her network of contacts, informants, and squealers was almost the equal of Aramil's and she planed to squeeze as much information as she could, out of everyone of them that she found alive on her journey back across the continent. Lai would have answers to her questions before she met the Queen.

Lia would travel first to Baldur’s Gate, a seedy little port town on the Sword Coast. Ships and trade goods weren’t the only thing that moved through ports; if there were information to be found you would find it easily on the docks. Travelers were always willing to talk to a pretty face and Lia used that to her advantage. Lia also knew some old Hwarmaeg en' Aran contacts in Baldur’s Gate that would be as good a place as any to start. Lia could make The Gate by weeks end if she rode hard.

A weeks worth of hard ridding, both day and night, brought Lia to Baldur’s Gate. It was a busy little town on the Sword Coast. Lia had passed through the town several times, so she knew her way around well enough. The first rays of the sun were peaking over the horizon as she made her way through the narrow streets. Lia’s entrance to the town went unnoticed by everyone except a few stray dogs and a one eyed cat. The earliest risers were yet to stir and the latest revelers would have passed out at least an hour ago.  The stableman happened to be one of the late revelers, no matter how hard Lia tried to wake him he just continued to snore. Lia took matters into her own hands as she lead her tired mount to a clean, empty stall. She found food and fresh water for her horse, and then she unsaddled and carefully brushed out the horse’s coat. In the past week she had ridden harder than she had in over forty years and the horse had never once given up on her. The animal had earned a little tender care and a well-deserved rest. On her way out Lia considered kicking the chair out from under the sleeping stable hand, but instead she left a hand full of copper coins on his chest, to cover the cost of the food, water, and use of the stall. Lia quietly moved on towards the docks, the sun was creeping higher in the sky and all Lia wanted was a quiet place to rest herself.

Lia made her way to The Mariner’s Inn; she knew that Mac would have a room for her no matter what ungodly hour she showed up at. Todd MacGinnes was a good man, he ran a clean tavern, and almost never asked questions. Lia entered the empty common room, noticed the dying embers in the hearth, she quietly crossed the room and add a few pieces of wood to the fire just to take the chill out of the air. Lia knew Mac was in the kitchen busily preparing for the day, she quietly made her way behind the bar and knelt down to carefully examine the floorboards. In a couple of seconds she found what she was looking for; the loose board was easily pried up and Lia retrieved the dusty bottle hidden below. Lia shook her head as she thought to herself; He still hides the good stuff in the same place. Lia poured two shots then returned the bottle to its hiding place. Lia listened to the noise from the kitchen as she made her way back around the bar and seated herself comfortably on a stool. Then she bellowed at the top of her lungs “MacGinnes get your lazy, louse ridden body out here you’ve got a customer!” There was the resounding crash of something very heavy being slammed onto a table followed by a string of curses and threats that would have struck fear into the heart of most men. Lia sat on the stool and smiled.

The cursing stopped mid-stream as an old man entered from the kitchen. “I should have known it was a snot-nosed school girl from the screeching.”  A smile began to slowly cross the old man’s face as he walked down the bar. As he came to the shot glasses he took a long moment to look over the lady across the bar. “Lia Galanodel, out of all of the pirates, prostitutes, and sailors that have passed through this bar none of them look as rough as you do.”

Lia looked her old friend in the eye and said, “Well the years haven’t been kind to you either graybeard.” Lia often thought the short lives of humans a cruel joke of the gods. She was three times as old as the man across the bar but could easily pass as his granddaughter. “Drink up old man, if you can handle it.”

“I’ll drink you under the table any day little girl.” He smiled as he downed the shot. “What brings you to my place after all these years anyway.”

Lia smiled as she drank. "We'll have to talk about that later old friend. I've got a week's worth of hard ridding to scrub of my skin, and at least as much sleep to catch up on. Now fetch the key to my room and I'll draw some water." As Lia fetched the water she thought again how the years had worn her old friend. This could be the last time she saw Mac and she didn't have near enought time to make it right. She returned from the well and met Mac at the bottom of the stairs.

"Here is your key. You still know your way around? Up the stairs, end of the hall, last door on the left." He knew that  the lady elf would remember like it was yesterday, forty years was like the blink of an eye to the fair folk. The wildest rumors he had heard said some elves could live for more than a thousand years. Mac found that hard to believe himself, but still he wondered how many life times his friend had seen.

Lia took the key from her old friend and the gold coins she slipped in to his hand in return would easily rent the room for two weeks or more. She knew that she would be gone long before that time was up. "Now get back in that kitchen I'll be expecting a hot meal when I wake."

"Lass shut your hole and get up those stairs before I have to put you in your place." Mac laughed as he returned to the kitchen while Lia mounted the stairs to her room.