“The music continues to play through the woodland area as young Elves sit on the tree stumps playing the flute. The other Elves standing around ranging from old to young all listen to the sounds their eyes closed with tears slowly rolling down their face. For the song that issues from then end of the flute is not a happy tale, rather it is sad song telling of the split of the Elves. The Elves endure the saddened moments just so they can hear how the ancestors were once one instead of three. The life of the Elves has changed since then, but their hopes have not. They constantly attend their temples during their daily rituals asking to the Gods to join the ranks of the three. They want peace to run the world instead of war. Their prayers have not been answered, but they still continue with faith that one day it will come.”

“In the beginning there were three houses of Elves. Andor, the high and noble High Elves led by Shae Alindae. Finglian, the adventurous and brave wood elves, led by Taeshai Laerdon, and Ilythirii, the magical and intelligent Dark Elves led by Ashandae Maraendis. Although slightly different they kept their peace and worked together to dominate the other races of the world often in wars with Orcs and Goblins never losing a single battle. This peace was too good to last, and soon something would come along to make the houses chose a side.”

“The beginning of the history of the Elves starts during the Sundering in 477. The Human Kingdoms of Kanlias and Thingon allied itself with the Goblin and Troll nation. Their aim was to end the Elven power that swayed over the land of Alura. The Elves would not stand for this and banded together also forming an alliance with the Dwarves. When the last battle arose in the Valley of Sorrow at the Battle of Weeping Tears the battlefield was overwhelmed with infantry and the other members of each army and it spread out over miles. A trumpet sounded and there was all out hell in the battlefield. The people watched as their friends, families, and their enemies all lay intertwined in a tangle of bodies not even recognizing which was which. The Elves along with the other houses of Elves and Dwarves had held off utter defeat, but it would not be for long they needed help, they were losing numbers way to fast. The Elves cried out to Ashandae Maraendis, “Oh mighty brethren, help us! Help us or we shall not see morrow! Why do you refrain?” They watched as their once faithful brother turned his back and marched his army home not even bothering to look back. The Elves were disheartened and they could not believe their once faithful brethren had deserted them. They longed for them to turn around and help to say it was a joke, anything! The battle continued and the Elves did not even notice they were losing numbers fast. The only thing the Elves did is weep uncontrollably running away from the battlefield as they watched the Elvish dominance disappear. The houses of Finglian numbers were greatly destroyed.”

“After the loss the Battle of Weeping Tears the Elves returned to their homelands depressed and confused. They prayed for their brethren to come and see them to apologize and everything would once again be the same, but the Ilythirii never came. The High Elves tried to persuade the Elves to come and purge the town of the Ilythirii with them, but they refused. The Elves begged them to retain peace instead of war, and that the slaying would forever ruin the chances of the Elves forever to rejoin. They said, “Two betrayals are much worse than one.” The High Elves were ferocious at these remarks and quickly disowned them forever splitting them apart as well.”

“The house of Finglian longed for their wooden homes, nestled in low valleys, next to rivers. They searched for their new home traveling through the dark forests of the Aluran Woods. They traveled in an orderly fashion with the Elven race all following their leader until they came into a beautiful wooded area with trees standing high and mighty above them. The area gave off an aurora that was unexplainable, but it gave the Elves a feeling of renewed hope. They would go on to call this town the Whispering Willow because of the willow trees that grew in that area and the word “whisper” because they wanted to keep their homeland a secret from all those who wanted to pronounce death on them. Travelers passing through here look on in awe because of its immense beauty. For many years the Elven did not welcome outsiders to their homelands. They even constructed a woodland area using their sorcerers and cleric to protect them. The changed the tame woods that surrounded them into eerie woodland filled with monstrous creatures and protected by the enchantments of their kind.”

“Over the years the enchantments have began to fade leaving the town of Whispering Willow open to all who want to come. The Elves are always welcoming travelers and other races of the world in to their town and showering them with gifts before they leave. They have even been known to mingle with Humans and show no remembrance of ever going to war with them. They have opened trade between these races that have soon spread in to the other races of the realms. They are now peaceful and do not wish war on anyone.”

“The world of the Elves has not been exactly easy after the Sundering outcome. In 542, the vegetation and wild life around their home was not apparent. The town of Whispering Willow was in a horrible famine, and there was no food to be found around their homes. The young children of Elves could be found outside merchant outposts cleaning boots for copper or being sold to other races as slave workers. Aged Elves often appeared on the streets with their bodies nothing more than an inch from death. The Elves were afraid for their future and believed this would be their doom. They were on the brink of extinction when the Dwarves heard of their troubles. The Dwarves had an abundance of food that year and sent knapsacks full of grain, rice, water, and corn to the Elves. They would send supplies regularly throughout the next couple of years and finally in 546 the Elves’ vegetation started to grow and the help of the Dwarves was no longer needed. The Elves were forever in debt of the Dwarves and make a treaty with them. This treaty became to be known as the Treaty of Renewed Life and the Elven vowed to remain allies of the Dwarves and that their swords would never meet the bodies of the Dwarves.”

“In the year of 567 the Elven people of Whispering Willow were in a state of outrage over the dispute of land. The nearby Humans of Alura thought that a part of the Willow Woods belonged to them while the Elves continued to argue with them. It was almost apparent that a war over territory was going to begin for both sides met with one another numerous times with no outcome. However, the Elves were willing to meet with the Humans one last time which later came to be known as the Meetings of Peace. Each race formed a committee that met somewhere in a hidden grove where they argued, bickered, and complained for many hours. When they came back out the grove they had glorious news. They dispute had been settled the Elves were to remain over the land, but each years they were to pay a tribute to Alura. This still remains intact today and they still honor their promises each years doing what they promised they would.”

“During the year of 593 the Elves discovered a useful mineral that could be used in house making as well as weapon making. They realized that growing all over the Willow Woods were willow trees, but they were amazingly hard many believe from the enchantments used long ago. The Elves wise in their years decided to spot cut and allow the willows to re-grow yet cut enough so they could trade with the other races of the world. Every year they send out wise scouts who will mark which trees with magic that are to be cut down. After that they will either be used in Whispering Willow or bartered off to various locations for gold.”

“The thought of the Sundering has completely left their mind except for the betrayal of the Dark Elves. They do not wish for revenge, but rather for the races to join. They have even formed meetings with each of the other Elf races trying to persuade them to put their past behind them for that is where it should remain. Both of the races have listened to the thoughts of the Elves, but none have agreed with them instead arming themselves to fight against each other once again.”

“The war appears to be just around the corner as High Elves and Dark Elves have started training their armies and urging their blacksmiths to make new weapons. These accounts have even been heard by the ears of Humans and Goblins as they prepare for the war ahead. However, the Elves vow to never choose between the sides of their brethren. They will only help when the race of Elves becomes one again rather than three. Scholars do not believe this will ever happen and that they will always be split, but the Elves continue to pray to their Gods.”

Discovered by Lore Master Apolyon