The Scroll of History
Hello youngster. You wish to learn about the origins of the Triumvirate and its founders do you? Well then, take a seat. You are about to learn about the Three Legends, the founders of the Triumvirate. I will tell you how they met, why they started the Triumvirate, and what happened to them.
How it began…
Not long after the Annihilation, travelers began to report the first appearances of Wild Zones. They were rarely encountered, so no one thought much about them. People knew where these zones were, and so they just avoided those areas. This was the way life was for everyone, until one fateful day that is. On one particular day, a young man was walking in a deserted cave, and discovered something terrible, a new Wild Zone.
He was trying to get to the next town, when he felt a change in the air. He had just realized something was not right in this place, when he heard footsteps, many footsteps, coming toward him. He turned around, and brought up his sword just in time to deflect an ax strike. He saw that the creature was preparing to swing the ax again, so the man used a magic spell and petrified the creature. He saw it turned to stone, then shattered as the other creatures smashed it in order to get to him. He saw that there were many creatures, and he truly believed that he was going to die that day; however, he had a destiny to carry out.
Just as the creatures were about to cut him down, a bloodthirsty war cry was heard. The creatures turned around, and saw a dwarf with an ax coming straight at them. One of the larger creatures stepped in front of the dwarf and swung a hammer. The dwarf simply shrug off the blow, and cleaved the creature in half, from crown to crotch. The other creatures tried to stop him, but they had no better luck. Seeing this as his chance to live, the man attacked the creatures while they had their backs to him. Minutes later, the ground was covered in blood from the dead creatures. The man went to speak to the dwarf.
"I give you my thanks. You have saved my life. What would your name be?"
The dwarf looked at him, and said only one word, "Marhault"
The man replied, "Well, Marhault, I am glad you came when you did. I am called Gerrad."
The dwarf was also on the way to town, so the two decide it would be safer to go together. They turned in the direction of the town, and took the first of the many steps of their journey. What they didn't know was that they were going to meet the third of their group, and what an unusual trio they would make.
Having arrived to the town, Marhault suggest the he and Gerrad make their first stop at the tavern. Gerrad was a bit thirsty after their walk, so he agreed. They were a few feet away from the entrance to the tavern when they heard someone inside yell, "We don't like your kind around here, ya freak!" They looked at each other, and then ran inside to see what was happening.
They burst in, and saw that most of the patrons were gathered near the bar, they appeared to be watching someone. They pushed pass some of the people, and saw what the object of everyone's attention was, there, sitting on a stool, was an elf. A man who was obviously drunk, was sitting next to the elf. Apparently, he was the one who had been yelling.
"Look at ya," the man bawled, "what do ya think you are doing here, ya ugly bastard?"
The elf looked at the man with piercing eyes, and responded "I believe I am sitting in a tavern, having something to drink. Isn't that what everyone does at a tavern?"
"This place isn't tolerant of your kind," he said. "I'll be damned if I let one of ya sit in the same room as me!"
"Then sir, be damned. For I am an elf, and I am sitting among you."
The drunk grabbed a chair and started toward the elf. "I'm going to see if I can make your face any uglier for ya', what do ya think about THAT?!" With that, the drunk raised the chair, and brought it down on the elf. The amazing thing was, the elf was no longer there. He was behind the drunk now.
"I will not take your blathering quietly sir. I will give you this one chance to turn around and walk away."
The drunk and some of his friends grabbed their weapons, and began to surround the elf. The crowd stepped back a little to give room for that imminent fight. It was at that point that Gerrad and Marhault decided to intervene.
"Why don't you people just leave him alone? He has done nothing to any of you," said Gerrad.
"Well what do we have here," the drunk asked. "A little boy, and his short friend." He then addressed Marhault. "Hey Stumpy, why do you care what we do to an elf?"
"Because this isn't a fair fight. If it was, I wouldn't care," Marhault replied.
The elf looked at Marhault, "well now, what makes you think this isn't a fair fight?"
"Shut up, elf. This conversation doesn't concern you," Marhault growled.
"On the contrary, I would say it does. Then again, dwarves never could see things in the proper perspective."
The drunk had had enough. "Shut up, both of you. Hey kid, keep your friend and yourself out of our way, or we will take care of you two next."
Gerrad whispered to Marhault, "we aren't going to take that from them are we?"
"No, we most definitely are not," Marhault whispered.
Gerrad and Marhault drew their weapons, and joined the elf against the drunks. Their help was not really needed, as the elf soon made it apparent that he could fight. He threw the drunk against the wall, and then tossed a couple of the drunk's friends next to him. He then used a little fire magic, and sent half of the guys running out of the tavern with their hair on fire. He turned to the two who had given him help, unneeded, but given nevertheless. He gave both Gerrad and Marhault his thanks.
"An elf saying thank you?! Better remember it Gerrad. We will have another Annihilation before you here it again," Marhault said.
"You don't hear that often Marhault because elves never need to say thank you to any dwarf," he returned. "Ah, I forget myself. My name is Eladamri. Pleased to make your acquaintances."
Destiny had brought these three across each other's path. From that point on, they traveled together. Marhault and Eladamri even managed to keep their insulting of each other to a minimum. Three points of light in a world of darkness, the three who would later form the Triumvirate.
I could tell you about their adventures before they formed the Triumvirate, but I will leave those tales for another day. I shall however, skip ahead several years to the point in which they realized that they needed to form the Triumvirate.
One day, Gerrad comes up to both Marhault and Eladamri, and says "we most do something about these Wild Zones. They are getting out of hand."
Marhault simply stared at Gerrad, while Eladamri actually responded, "Gerrad, the Wild Zones are a result of weakened or non-existent Ley Lines. That is not something we can just go fix in our spare time."
Gerrad looked at the both of them, then he said something that seemed to shake the very foundations of Taera. He said "I believe that something evil did survive the Annihilation, that it is causing these Wild Zones, and that it is waiting. It might be waiting for its strength to return. If that happens, may Damok save us."
Eladamri looked at Marhault, then addressing Gerrad, he asked "What can we do? We can fight well, but we are not supernatural. If something has survived, how would we stop it?"
"I have an idea," Gerrad replied. "The Sword of Time was used to seal the darkness in oblivion, but it was rumored that there was another sword, one just as powerful. It is believed to have been called the Sword of Chaos. With this, we will surely be able to vanquish this evil once and for all."
"That could take even my whole lifetime to find, and I wouldn't be able to use it if I'm a frail old elf. How are we going to get passed our old enemy Time?"
Gerrad thought or a moment, then came up with an answer. "We form a society, a guild, whatever you want to call it."
Marhault walked over to Gerrad. "How would we allow to join this…guild, provided we can make it?"
"Well, I was thinking about letting in any dwarf, elf, or human who proves worthy, and is willing to spend a great portion of their life to find this sword."
"And when we find the sword? What will this guild do then? Will they say 'We found it. Everyone can go home and forget about this.' Is that what will happen?"
Gerrad thought a little more, then said "The guild will also serve to protect the dwarf, elf, and human peoples. The guild can help settle disputes between our people, and help unite our people against enemies who try to invade our lands."
"Well then," Marhault said, "what would this guild be called?"
"Well, there is three of us, representing three races. How about something related to three," Gerrad replied. "Hey, Eladamri, you are older than either of us. Any ideas?"
Eladamri, who had been contemplating about names, looked up and voiced his idea. "In the old language, before the Annihilation, anything in three was usually said to be a triumvirate. We could always use that."
Gerrad gave it some thought, and then he smiled. He grabbed a jug of ale and said "Here is to the birth of our guild, to the birth of the Triumvirate."
"I guess we could have chosen a worse name," replied Marhault.
"I am sure you could have, Marhault. You are a dwarf after all," responded Eladamri.
"Don't try my patience, you arrogant elf," grumbled Marhault.
So it began, they included close friends, and began their crusade to find the Sword of Chaos. Years later, they had found a clue that pointed to the abandoned town of Shadoloun. Gathering their weapons and supplies, Gerrad, Marhault, and Eladamri set forth to find out what they could. They told their friends and families to take care, and they began their final documented journey. That day was the last day they were ever seen, no one ever found out what happened to them or if they ever found the sword. Some say they were killed by this evil being, others say that they are still looking. We may never know, but still we continue our search for the sword, and still we wait, hoping that something will be found that will tell us what happened to the Three Legends.
Now, brave warrior, you know who we are, and who started us. Now I say, watch your back, for if the evil being did decide to kill them, it may decide that we are too much of a threat, and deal with us in the same manner. Take care, but do not forget, we must find the Sword of Chaos. The very survival of Taera may lie with us finding that sword. Go now, I must return to my studies.
