The Light That Binds

The year is 1284, in a mystical realm known as Elvenwood. This region is cast apart into the five city-states: Rubia, Pygrowth, Willowwake, Falkendale, and Blymorr.

Rubia is the richest of these city-states, where nobles and regals, such as The Jarl of Cloudhelm, bask in their wealth and power. It is a grand area, yet it looks down upon the others.

Pygrowth is a calm, peaceful land, where the Mages of Roots reside. Since the discovery of Elvenwood, Pygrowth has never found conflict with any other city-states.

Willowwake is the largest city-state, surrounded by a wall of stone to keep intruders away. It is where many of the more important figures of Elvenwood reside, including the King himself.

Falkendale is the merchant's paradise of this region, where many shops and markets are held. The Annual March of St. Tyrus is held here in the spring, where many merchants from around the world line the streets to sell their goods.

And lastly, Blymorr is the smallest of the city-states, only taking up a small portion of Elvenwood. Not many people live there, yet Blymorr has a local inn that is very well known for the dumpling soup that is made there.

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Our story begins there, in Blymorr, with a young boy named Elrand Fireheart. He is a light-hearted teenage boy who lives with his mother on her farm, helping her with tending to the crops ever since his father had been murdered by the imfamous Grimbrands. Elrand did not remember much of him, for he was at a very young age when his father, Talros, died. However, from how the local townsfolk spoke of him, he concluded that his father was a great man before his death, always putting others ahead of him. One of Elrand's favorite stories of his father was the one that the innkeeper, Ngala Whitewind, had told him. The tale was of his father rescuing a young neighbor from being trampled by a horse-drawn carriage. Elrand favored this tale, for it made him view his father as a hero, and it made him proud to bear the Fireheart name.

One early summer morning, as usual to his tradition, Elrand woke up in his comfy bed, sitting up as the sun beamed radiantly through the window of his room. Stretching his limbs to loosen his stiff muscles, he then got up from bed and immediately went to change into his clothes he wore for working in the fields of his family farm, when something seemed quite off. His working clothes were gone, and replaced with clothing of a more formal appearance! Throwing on an old shirt that was too large for him and a pair of shorts, he dashed out his door into the kitchen to his mother, who was busy with cooking up corn muffins for their breakfast.

"Mother, where are my working clothes? And whose clothes are the ones that took their place?" Elrand quizzically asked his mother.

"The new clothes are for your new job," his mother answered, not turning from the stove-top to face him. "You'll be working for Mrs. Whitewind at the inn now. She's growing weary in her age, and needs a strong boy like you to assist her with keeping the inn clean and caring for the customers."

"But Mother, you need help around the farm, I know you do! Who else would help?" Elrand panicked, demanding a reason for this strange action her mother had issued.

"Mr. Cobbleston is sending his younger boys to help me. He says that they need to learn to work." His mother seemed unphased at her son's frenzied tone amd worried reactions. "Now, please get your new clothes on and head to the inn. I'm sure Ms. Whitewind is waiting on you."

Elrand huffed in frustration, but then simply nodded as he walked back to his room, shutting the door behind himself. "Why would she suddenly just do this without telling me before..?" Elrand leaned against the door, puzzled and confused as he thought to himself. Before stalling any longer, he finally decided to just do as his mother said, retrieving the new clothes from his closet. The top was a light gold color, much different from the regular tattered brown of his old leather vest he farmed in. It also came with a pair of grey slacks, similar to the blue ones he wore with his vest. At the bottom of the closet was a pair of leather shoes, the ones he always wore to every event he attended, and he was happy his mother let him wear those still.

After changing into the new clothing (and getting over the itchiness of said clothes), Elrand walked out of his room and proceeded to say farewell to his mother before walking out the door, heading out to the small dirt streets of Blymorr. As he headed to the inn, something was different; no one was out of their house, so it seemed. All the windows were shut and not a sound was heard. Not even Mr. Cobbleston's livestock, even his prized cattle, emitted a single moo or cluck. Elrand simply thought nobody was awake yet, so he continued on until he stopped at the inn, finally realizing why everyone was hidden in their homes.

A carriage was parked outside the inn, brandishing a flag with an emblem of a black skull with a red arrow gritted in its teeth.

An emblem of the Grimbrands.