Prologue

Long ago, the ancient dragon of the sky deposited life on a lifeless world. As the ages of time passed, life arose in the sea and on the new lands of Norrath. With life came intellect and over time, civilizations rose and fell.

The Mighty Empires of the Age of Scale were born, Ruled over by the mightiest of the Dragon kind. As with all things that live, The Age of Scale Dragons lived out their time, fading into history, then became legend, and finally lost to the stories of half remembered mythologies. New races were born as the old would fade away. More ages of time came and went, the new younger races rose to take their place on the world stage of Norrath.

The lands changed with time, oceans where born and died. Mountains rose and were worn away as the wind and rain had their way. Deserts became massive forest, and those called Elven finally found their home. Alas, nothing is forever, the desert of Ro reclaimed the forest lands over time as new mountains in distant lands stopped the rains from reaching the Elven home. The mighty Elvin empires home withered and died to be lost to history. They had little choice in where they could go. The new race of men did not want them in their lands, and no other forest on Antonica suited the Elven needs.

The Elven race was slow to fade though. They were long lived and took care to remember who they are, that they are the children of the wood. It was only when the Elven had begun to accept their fate when the sailors from the small human port city of Freeport told tales of new destinations. They carried word of a mountainous land, with vast valleys that held forest of a size not seen in any living memory of men. The trees where so massive they could not be reached around with twenty men's out stretched arms. The Elven leaders in a desperate gamble, called for there best Rangers and scouts to find out if these tales were true.

Over many months, the leaders laid down travel plans, supplies were obtained and passage aboard a ship heading east was arranged. The scouting party consisted of six of the best trackers, being lead by ranger Talon Trueshot. The Druids sent three of the best healer fighters, and the casters guild sent a representative from each school of magic. A small group of baggage handlers and support followers where selected and prepared for the journey as well to provide support and aid as called for.

During this time of preparation, the wizard Spider Thorn traveled across what was known as the Common Lands. His mission was to set his evacuation spell bindings to the small Ulteran portal tower located far out in a massive grassy plain. He did this so if things went very badly wrong, he would have a chance to return and warn the rest of the Elven of events and dangers. It was also so that he could bring news if they found a new home for the Elven. The expedition set out on their sea journey after all the careful preparations being made had been completed to the satisfaction of the group leaders.

The ship, The Golden Dawn sailed with the tide in the late spring of that year. It cleared the shoals outside of the Freeport Harbor without incident and made sail for the Ocean of Tears. The first several days the ship had to tack repeatedly to make headway across the sea. The ships Captain knew what was coming and the crew was ready to make full sail with the wind on the seventh day. On the seventh day out from the port, Talon confronted the ships captain in confusion. He wanted to know why the ship had come about and was returning to Freeport.

"Hold your tongue Elven we have not turned about. There is much you and yours do not know about out here on the Ocean of Tears" He admonished the upset Elven leader. "The Ocean of Tears has a trick that has cost many sailors there lives boy. You must sail west in order to go east. The compass shows it to be this way and even the sun and stars act in reverse."

"But how can this be captain?" asked Talon.

The captain gave sad smile and told Talon that it has always been this way, and always will be. Talon accepted this with as good grace as possible. He asked the rest of the party if any of them felt off in there directional sense. When he asked them all to point east, they all looked west. It was a very disoriented company of Elven that continued across the Ocean of tears.

The Captain later informed the travelers, "We have a stop with a cargo drop at Sister Island. It is a bunch of Prexis worshippers, run by the women no less. We should be sighting the island in two more days if the winds hold." The winds held and the ship made port at the small but well cultivated island. Once the cargo was dropped and any passengers stopping were off, and a few added on from the island, the ship sailed and again ran with the winds.

Three weeks later, the Elven felt direction swing back to the way it belonged and the ship was once again tacking into a stiff wind. Talon saw it was true as they arrived at Butchblock Bay, the first stop in there journey of discovery. The dwarves running the port were shorter than the woodland Elven, wore heavy beards and drank stout ale that to the Elven, smelled extremely unpleasant.

A Dwarven guide was arranged the next day and the Elven party was able to move out once all their gear and people were off the ship. They guide led across the first range of mountains up to the high plains, across valleys large and small. The guide showed them the main roads that were safe and what ways to avoid. He showed them some of the dangers hidden away in the little side valleys that went in every direction. One road leads to a massive lake, Dagnor's Caldren with the sunken city of Kedge hidden in the depths. Another to a giant chess board once fit to be played by the gods, Only the dead played there now.