Sorcerak the Great and the coming of darkness

After the departure of the Sol-Dar the El-Dar proceeded to find a suitable site for their settlement. After weeks of searching they came across a low hill completely bare of trees except for a single ancient oak rising from the highest point.
Resting at the base of the oak was an ancient female, the dryad Myanda. As the elves approached her she slowly rose and began to speak in a strong steady voice. She seemed to know why they had come and what it was they sought.
“Seek not the high tree lest ye find sorrow and a loss of your heart. Beware the guardian for he will not decide in your favor but will drive you from his lands. An ancient flame lies in your enemy’s hands and naught you will do will wrest it from her. Seek ye then those who sit in darkness for they shall restore your birthright to you and draw the line twixt thee and thy foe.”
With these words she lie down once again and fell into her final sleep leaving the elves to ponder her words.
Alaine was deeply disturbed by these tidings. After conferring with his people he decided to establish their home and gather their strength. So it was that the first settlement was built on the site of the ancient oak shaping it with their magic into a great hall and throne room. .
For several years the elves expanded their settlement bending their wood shaping talents to form a wondrous city from the forest around them. In the fullness of time the bolder of the young nobles began to grow restless to continue the quest for the high tree, heedless of the dryad’s final words. Time and again Alaine pondered the prophecy and withdrew his approval from their plans. Despite the mutterings of the restless lords the elves prospered and began to expand their numbers adding a new generation to their linage.
During this time Alaine took a wife and in the 150th year of their city she bore him an heir. Lanasarian ne`Alaine grew strong and graceful finding no task beyond he undertook beyond his limits. He was the pride of his father and his court and quickly drew to himself a close circle of companions. As he grew to his maturity it was evident the young prince was destined for great things. At any given time the court was abuzz with stories of the young prince’s latest adventure whether it was hunting the wild boars that populated the great woods journeys to the east to explore the borders of the realm. In time it was Lanas and his companions who discovered the eastern barrier range and began to range southward seeking new adventures.
In all this time the only restriction Alaine placed on his son was that he was not to range north being mindful of the dire prophesy. In time the young prince seeking new challenges began turning his eyes north though his father’s command stayed his feet. This attention came to the notice of some of those who opposed his father’s caution and they began to council the prince speaking to him of the wonders of the high wood and the glory that would follow the one who discovered it’s location. These words coupled with the thirst for a new challenge finally drove the young prince to gather to him a host to undertake to journey north.
Knowing that his father would oppose his intention Lanas made his preparations in secret saying that word had reached him of a wondrous beast come down from the barrier range and spoke of his intention to track it.
And so the prince and his band set out to the east but two days out of the city they met up with the rest of their host and turned their track north seeking signs of the high woods presence.
Their going would have gone unnoticed but for a chance meeting with one of his father’s outriders who, seeing the host and the direction of their travels sped south to the capital to warn the king.
As soon as he received word Alaine gathered all the able warriors he could muster and sped north to intercept his son. But the die was cast.
After a few days travel the host crossed into an ancient forest the like they had never seen before. The great trees towered far above them the lowest branches barely visible even to their keen eyes. The forest floor was bare of foliage as the sun was completely hidden by the boughs far above. Only the broken limbs of the trees themselves and the mosses and fungi growing on them could be seen on the forest floor. The forest was strangely silent and no track of any living thing could be found. A few of the host remembering the dryad’s words began to rethink their actions and with great shame turned back south with the sound of the companions laughter in their ears. That was the last they saw any of the companions alive.
Those that turned south had not gone more than a days travel when they were overtaken by the king and his army. They told the king of what they had seen and where they had left the host. The king pushed north with all the speed he could muster and two days later they found the final camp of the host.
It was a scene out of a nightmare, bodies laid everywhere broken and in some cases drained of blood. Strange weapons lay broken among them and many of the trees were covered in a strange coating of silken threads. There was no sign of where the enemy had approach or where they went, nor was there and sign of anyone who had fled even though the dead bodies only numbered a small fraction of those who had gone north. Nowhere among the bodies were the prince or his companions. Nor were there any bodies of the enemy who had attacked them.
In a great rage the elves ranged out from the camp trying to find some sign of their missing brethren.
For three days they pushed ever outward until, on the third day one of the elves found a sword. It was embedded in the ground almost to the hilt as if dropped from a great height. With this discovery they began to look upward. They turned their spells among the high branches and what they found there took them by surprise. A great pathway of silken ropes ran through the high boughs connecting them together like some chaotic loom. As they looked with their sorcerous sight they spied another marvel, a band of huge spiders sped along the strands keeping pace with the army and watching them. The truly amazing thing was that the spiders carried with them weapons identical to those found in the abandoned camp.
Alaine enraged at the loss of his son sent runners south to mobilize all who could carry arms. He vowed that if his son were dead then none of the spiders would survive his wrath. While he waited for his army he and his magi sent their sight outward seeking signs of their brethren’s fate. As they watched it was evident that the spiders were aware of their actions for they too sent some of their numbers out while the rest continued to watch the elves.
As word of the elven army reached them the seers brought word that the spiders also had a host approaching from the north. It quickly became a race to see whose army would arrive first.
Alaine seeing the advantage of being first to meet up with his army moved his host south to meet the army. No sooner had he sighted his warriors then the attack began from above. The spider’s initial assault was less than successful as the elves were forewarned and ready with their shields. While the spiders held the high ground the elves were better organized and without surprise the first volley of spears caused almost no casualties. But from there the battle grew dire and deadly. The spiders ranged over the elves striking them from every side while the elves closed ranks and drove off each assault.
The elves soon saw why there had been no bodies at the abandoned camp. As the spiders fell they trailed lines back into the heights and between waves they could see the bodies being drawn back up into the high branches.
The battle raged continuously for almost a full day with neither side giving ground. Then, almost as fast as it had started the attacks stopped. The elves tired and grim from their ordeal caught their breath and braced themselves for the inevitable.
Then they saw a light moving among the trees and closing on them. Everywhere the light fell there was a feeling of safety and life, as if spring had come suddenly among them. In the center of the light was a man.
The figure moved quietly and purposefully towards them and as he approached the lines opened for him as if it were the most natural thing in the world that they should do so. He walked up to Alaine and stopped regarding him silently. His face bore a look of unspeakable sadness as if the weight of the world lay on his shoulders. And yet there was a calm about him that was overwhelming.
“Son of the El-Dren you must withdraw, your purpose is lost and the price has been exacted. You will return to your forest and come no more to these ancient stands lest your people be lost even to the last child.”
Alaine tried to answer but the figure silenced him with a glance.
“Melanthia and her children will withdraw and follow you naught into your lands as long as you leave now and do not return in force. Any of your people who trespass here will do so at their own risk this will be your only warning. Send your army home and come then with me as it is time for you to know why this must be so.”
With those words the figure withdrew and waited some distance away while the dazed and confused king sent his army home. Then as his general rode out of sight he approach the figure and they departed.
For three months the elves awaited the return of their king and then, just as the hosts were beginning to count him lost he strode out of the woods bearing a great bundle and looking as if ten thousand years had been added to his frame.
The entire host came to the throne hall to hear what had befallen the king.
He spoke with a voice burdened with grief and told them of his journey and the aftermath of their children’s folly.
The figure, the Arboral, had taken him to an ancient temple from a time before the El-Dren, There they entered into a chamber where he beheld a huge spider with gems embedded in her hide and bearing a great staff that radiated tremendous arcane power. As it rose to attack him it was rebuffed by the Arboral with a gesture and told to refrain lest the decision be reversed and her people be driven from the great forest as well. With that nine figures entered the chamber and, staying within the shadows surrounded the three of them. These the Arboral declared were the Nine and they were responsible for the end of their conflict. He explained that the Nine were tasked with preserving the world and that both of their races were vital to that end. As the spiderfolk had come to reside in Sorcerak first after the time of upheaval they would be allowed to remain as long as they did not spread south to war upon the elves. The elves in turn were to be granted the forest they had settled to the beginning of the ancient woods.
Those who came north were lost to their kindred and had paid the price for their folly. Both Alaine and Melanthia were informed that there would be no discussion of these conditions only obedience or destruction. With a gesture the great spider was dismissed and the nine turned their full attention on the elven lord. “It is time for some of your race’s legacy to come once again to light lest yonder creature grow bold and try to test our will.” With this they gave to the king the bundle to bear back to his people.
“What of my son,” Alaine cried, “and what of his companions?”
One of the figures finally spoke.
“Your son has descended into darkness and the darkness has claimed him, he is cut off from your line as a withered branch from a tree, seek him naught lest ye and thy people share his fate.”
With those words the Nine departed and Alaine found himself at the border of his realm.
He opened the great bundle and the gathered host gasped in astonishment. Gathered therein were items legendary even in the time of the El-Dren.
Among the treasures were three of the Lords of Lightning, The Tome of the Ebon, and the great axe Skycleaver.
Alaine distributed among his best these treasures and then with a great sigh took forth Skycleaver for himself.
“My time among you is at an end, the cost of these treasures is dearer than I am willing to accept. I go forth to seek an answer to my grief and redemption for our children.”
With these words Alaine placed his hands on Laramis, the first among his generals, and charged him and his line with the preservation of their people and placed his crown on his head.
Taking up Skycleaver and invoking its powers he tore a gateway in the air and strode out of the history of his people.