Role

Chapter 4

I left Darsylon, my family, and my noble House behind nearly
fifty years ago. I was eager to be gone, even though many tears
fell in my wake. Humans are not the only ones who feel the almost
insatiable pull of the unknown; adventure, danger, glory. It is
just that they are invariably more outspoken than we elves. It
must have something to do with their short, mayfly lives, in which
they only have a pittance of time to leave their mark upon the
world. However, I will admit that most of my kind have lost the
desire to go beyond the boundaries of our ancient homesteads, for
they are secure in the belief that they live in something close to
paradise. I did not understand that when I left, for I had not seen
enough to make a comparison. My wanderings took me far to the east,
through forsaken lands and beyond, to places unknown to most. But
the land of the rising sun captivated me only for a small time, and
it was not long before I ached to leave the impoverished, corrupt
denizens of that place behind.

I found myself visiting nameless isles far beyond the maps of the
south seas, and there I found forgotten tribes of the Arath'myrr, those
called storm giants by men. Though we did not speak the same tongue,
I learned the depths and truest meanings of honor and valor just by
being in their presence. And so I dwelled upon the Isle of Falistad,
as I had come to know it, and lived in a way that would seem primitive
to my people. The burden of strict adherance to the ways of Darsylon
was shrugged off over time, if only partly, and I learned to be humble.
I took great pleasure in good drink, good friends, and hard work under
the sun as my new brothers and I harvested the seas and fields. It was
something of a laughing matter to the Arath'myrr that I could only keep
my head below water for a short time, and that I could lift little more
than half of what they could. But I bring elvish cheer to any occassion,
with my finely-tuned whistling and singing, and so came to be known as
Mibun'Cas, or "the whistling minnow," roughly translated.

The giants revealed to me their faith, their God, Shokai, to whom
almost their entire race, even the ones who dwell in the great coral
cities, are loyal to. I came to see that on the other side of these
people's endearing, sincere nature was an unyielding and indomitable
dedication to all that is right and good in the world. Every one of
them, down to the last man, woman, and child would fight and die for
their God. I found that their strength was far greater than the might
of their bodies, and I was enthralled yet again. One might say that I
took to the teachings of the Maran like a fish takes to water, and it
was not long after I found my faith that I felt the Calling. It is a
phenomenon that many of the Arath'myrr experience at some point in
their lives, and it is the same in every instance; a dream of a great
fortress in the midst of snow-covered mountains followed by the cry
of a phoenix. When one who has dedicated himself to the Silver Lord
has been Called, they will know no peace until they have answered it.

And so my long sojourn into the Isle of Falistad was ended, and I
regretfully bid my new family farewell with a promise that I would,
someday, return. Perhaps my seemingly haphazard leap-frogging around
the world was pa