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(Accompanying photo from pixabay.com: knight-8921917_1280) Used without commercial intent.
Among the six main characters of the Dragonshadowed series, Areskel the elf is the most complex. He’s arguably the most powerful of the companions, even in consideration of his mental bond to the great dragon, Delgarathon.
Before describing Areskel’s background, it’s helpful to know a little about the nature of elves in the world of Valdain.
As a writer, I’ve chosen to envision elves as described by Tolkien, with a healthy dose of attitudes and culture drawn from the legends and lore of the ancient Celts.
My elves can be capricious and even cruel, and are certainly different from the noble folk of the Lord of the Rings.
All elves are immortal, unless killed by violence, accident, or an unusual disease. They live in harmony with nature rather than attempting to subdue their environment like humans. Magical by nature, most are mages, but their talents tend to helpful, day-to-day forms of enchantment rather than combat magic. Only warriors and guardians are likely to be familiar with defensive and destructive spells, and these will be exceedingly potent.
The current homeland of the elves is far to the west of Valdain and covered by a canopy of permanent cloud that touches the earth like fog. Persons attempting to invade this area become disoriented and turned back. Those able to resist confusion are met with harsher methods.
Elves outside of their homeland are rare. Those encountered by non-elves are usually scouts or occasionally exiles in western lands. As a result, the humans of Valdain in the east have come to believe that elves no longer exist in their world. I’ll explain more about elvish history and society in another blog.
Areskel is an anomaly in a world dominated by humans. In Valdain, he must hide his true identity in order to preserve his freedom, as he’d quickly become a target of curiosity, suspicion and fear. As the series progresses, he will inevitably become known as an elf by others. As a reader, you may anticipate uncomfortable complications.
Anomalies abound throughout Areskel’s life. While young, his human mother explained that she had been wooed by an elven traveller who disappeared shortly before his birth. He never knew his father and considered himself half-elven with a natural inclination to his father’s people. He was never accepted by his human family, and ultimately exiled to a country estate to earn his keep grooming horses. There, he learned the rudiments of husbandry, archery and swordplay, which were to become a foundation of his later life.
Restless, he decided to explore the world and find his father’s folk. He wandered through a chance mingling into the fey realm of Between, or Annwvyn as it’s known by the inhabitants. The fey folk were indifferent to the heritage of a half-elf and treated him as one of their own. He moved from place to place, spending much of his time drifting between the seasonal courts of spring, summer, autumn and winter. It’s likely he also visited adjacent realms such as Shadow and Dreams, but didn’t know the difference given the chaotic nature of Between.
As time in Annwyvn is experienced at a faster or slower rate than the mortal world, Areskel determined he spent in excess of 150 years away from home. It’s here that he also developed the attitude that everything would work out without real consequences. Situations always concluded to his benefit.
Eventually, Areskel found himself back in the mortal world. He revisited his former home. Here, he discovered that his mother still lived, though older. Events had worked out in his favor once again.
Still unappreciated by his human family, Areskel decided on a life of travel and adventure. He signed on to a caravan as a guard and scout, and was employed by various merchants according to chance and whim. He travelled to the northern plains of Norsaga trading for iron wood on the northern slopes of the Dragonspine Mountains. There, he met an outcast half-human, half goblin ‘hurk’ who had joined the caravan as a guard. As both were the only non-humans, they became friends in spite of their differences. Everything worked out.
This care free attitude is evident in the Dragon Flight novella, where Areskel seems more like an irresponsible teen than someone who has lived over one hundred years. More than twenty years later, after experiencing reverses in the mortal world, he is very different person. This is Areskel as we meet him in the first book of the Dragonshadowed series: Dragon Watch: A Dawn Before the Storm. World weary, seen it all and done it all. Some might say jaded.
Two great events marked Areskel’s life before the opening events of the first book. The first was his meeting and marriage to the elven princess, Louralai, and his subsequent visit to the land of Tylphyne, or Elwood in the human tongue. Their joining produced a son, and later twin daughters.
It was here that Areskel first doubted the story of his birth as told by his mother. He learned he was fully elven without human blood. Conversations with his new family revealed another possibility. They thought his elven parents had been in danger and left their new babe as a foundling with human hosts. It was likely they intended to return, but didn’t or couldn’t do so. None of the elves were aware of who those parents might be, and Areskel lacked the necessary prestige to consult an oracle.
The second great event was Areskel’s meeting and later mental bonding with the great gold dragon, Delgarathon. Their initial meeting is described in the Dragon Flight novella. Later, Areskel travelled to the city of Dragonhold where he bonded with the dragon. Against the wishes of his wife.
In Areskel’s own words, he admits the following to Tamsin in Book 3, Dragon Rise: Swords of Justice:
“You remember what it was like before I joined with Delgarathon? I had an opportunity to ride dragons. Louralei, my wife, told me not to do it. But visions of soaring above the clouds, swooping down to right wrongs and dispense justice tumbled through my head. Well, she was right.”
That bonding is a story for a future novella.
As writer and author, I can promise there’s much more in the future of Areskel and his friends. I trust you’ll be with us to share their adventures.