Post by Silvan Elves of Sith'ari on May 6, 2011 19:10:59 GMT -5
Sith'arian-Kurgan Border
The border had been quiet of late.
Too quiet.
Ranger Sil'nas Gilnae had not seen the woods so calm in many decades, and he remembered the calm that predated the War of the Realms. Sil'nas was a Senior Ranger, leader of a company of rangers that prowled the usually lively border between the plains of the Kurgan Goblins and the Sith'arian Wood. Night had fallen, and only the quiet chirping of owls and squeaking of crickets gave any indication of life in the huge and ancient forest. A cool breeze wafted through the trees .. and there was movement. Sil'nas advanced forward, his footsteps without sound, his light movements made no disturbances to the foliage. He moved as a shadow, his olive colored cloak and hood gave him easy access to camoflauge within the Sith'arian realm. This was his forest.
He paused at a sudden noise, dropped to a knee and briefly craned his head. Across his back hung a quiver, loaded with arrows fletched of gold. A bow lay clasped in his hand, of the elven variety it was exquisite in both design and appearance. It was without markings, and of a dark color, of the Ellenwood trees. Behind him, in various shapes and fashions half a dozen other rangers interloped with the various trees and bushes that made the Sith'arian Wood so complex and mystical. One of the rangers crept up beside Sil'nas, though Sil'nas didn't need to look at him to know who it was. Ras'niy.
" Not a single patrol, sir. "
It didn't make sense. The Kurgan Goblins almost always kept two or three infantry regiments on hand to probe and jab at the forest, but they had decreased of late, almost disappeared. The Silvans did not often leave their forest abode and enter the dying plains, the lands of the Kurgan Tribes, but it was not difficult to miss the huge pyres of the Goblin patrols as they camped for the night. Those pyres had not been seen for a fortnight. The border was vast, and even the border between the Sith'arian Wood and the Dead Lands had to be maintained, and over 18,000 Silvan Rangers had the task of defending their woods over a span of 10,000 miles. That was about 2 rangers for every mile of landscape. It was a tough job, if the Goblins struck, if Varinus' ever rose again and could somehow marshal a force, it would take days to get entire Ranger companies rallied to the point of intersection, such an operation would be difficult within the Ellenwood anyway, and so the Sith'arians hoped to avoid such a catastrophe by advance scouting along the borders.
" Send a runner back to Ellenwood. If they have pulled back, there must be a reason. " Sil'nas murmured, their voices a near silent song within the forest.
" Maybe they are planning to attack the Ellenwood? " The ranger Ras'niy retorted.
" Or maybe they are the ones being attacked? " Ras'niy had no answer, but both Rangers managed a smile.
The ranger Ras'niy slid back, turned and finally danced off into the forest, silent and stealthy. The isolation gave Sil'nas time to think, more time to think that he didn't need. He sat in quiet contemplation, his eyes surveyed the endless grassy plains that made up the northern section of the Kurgan Tribelands. A handful of rangers were out there, stalking the grasslands and keeping their eyes on moving Kurgan bands. They would stay out for about a month at a time, then return with whatever information they had.
Ssssssst.
Sil'nas heard it. Subtle. He craned his head.
Ssssssst.
He turned and scurried back into the deeper, darker folds of the forest, lit only by the various wafting and humming wisps. It was Vasrae, another Junior Ranger, but it was strange. He was a ranger who was stationed on the Dead Lands front, not the Kurgan front. He was sweating, he had come a long way through the forest. He was quick to introduce himself, though Sil'nas already knew who he was.
" Lord Sil'nas, I am Junior Ranger Vasrae! I come from the -- "
" I know who you are Ranger. Why are you here? "
" Ghouls! They attacked our outpost! They overran us, they killed our Senior Ranger. We fled, in every direction! Most of us have fled to the Ellenwood! "
Sil'nas didn't have much to say, he raised a fist and within seconds half a dozen rangers had emerged from their cover and moved to Sil'nas flank. " Take Junior Ranger Vasrae back to his front, assess the situation. I believe Vasrae may be a bit anxious. Ghouls do not enter the Sith'arian Wood. They have not since the fall of Varinus. "
" I know Lord Sil'nas, but I saw them! I swear! "
" You saw what you think you saw. Your eyes are not yet attuned to the night, Vasrae. My rangers will get to the bottom of this. Kurgans, roving orcs perhaps, but no ghouls, I promise you that. "
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-- Reveals what life is like for a Silvan Ranger, and the possibility of ghoul attacks on the forest.
The border had been quiet of late.
Too quiet.
Ranger Sil'nas Gilnae had not seen the woods so calm in many decades, and he remembered the calm that predated the War of the Realms. Sil'nas was a Senior Ranger, leader of a company of rangers that prowled the usually lively border between the plains of the Kurgan Goblins and the Sith'arian Wood. Night had fallen, and only the quiet chirping of owls and squeaking of crickets gave any indication of life in the huge and ancient forest. A cool breeze wafted through the trees .. and there was movement. Sil'nas advanced forward, his footsteps without sound, his light movements made no disturbances to the foliage. He moved as a shadow, his olive colored cloak and hood gave him easy access to camoflauge within the Sith'arian realm. This was his forest.
He paused at a sudden noise, dropped to a knee and briefly craned his head. Across his back hung a quiver, loaded with arrows fletched of gold. A bow lay clasped in his hand, of the elven variety it was exquisite in both design and appearance. It was without markings, and of a dark color, of the Ellenwood trees. Behind him, in various shapes and fashions half a dozen other rangers interloped with the various trees and bushes that made the Sith'arian Wood so complex and mystical. One of the rangers crept up beside Sil'nas, though Sil'nas didn't need to look at him to know who it was. Ras'niy.
" Not a single patrol, sir. "
It didn't make sense. The Kurgan Goblins almost always kept two or three infantry regiments on hand to probe and jab at the forest, but they had decreased of late, almost disappeared. The Silvans did not often leave their forest abode and enter the dying plains, the lands of the Kurgan Tribes, but it was not difficult to miss the huge pyres of the Goblin patrols as they camped for the night. Those pyres had not been seen for a fortnight. The border was vast, and even the border between the Sith'arian Wood and the Dead Lands had to be maintained, and over 18,000 Silvan Rangers had the task of defending their woods over a span of 10,000 miles. That was about 2 rangers for every mile of landscape. It was a tough job, if the Goblins struck, if Varinus' ever rose again and could somehow marshal a force, it would take days to get entire Ranger companies rallied to the point of intersection, such an operation would be difficult within the Ellenwood anyway, and so the Sith'arians hoped to avoid such a catastrophe by advance scouting along the borders.
" Send a runner back to Ellenwood. If they have pulled back, there must be a reason. " Sil'nas murmured, their voices a near silent song within the forest.
" Maybe they are planning to attack the Ellenwood? " The ranger Ras'niy retorted.
" Or maybe they are the ones being attacked? " Ras'niy had no answer, but both Rangers managed a smile.
The ranger Ras'niy slid back, turned and finally danced off into the forest, silent and stealthy. The isolation gave Sil'nas time to think, more time to think that he didn't need. He sat in quiet contemplation, his eyes surveyed the endless grassy plains that made up the northern section of the Kurgan Tribelands. A handful of rangers were out there, stalking the grasslands and keeping their eyes on moving Kurgan bands. They would stay out for about a month at a time, then return with whatever information they had.
Ssssssst.
Sil'nas heard it. Subtle. He craned his head.
Ssssssst.
He turned and scurried back into the deeper, darker folds of the forest, lit only by the various wafting and humming wisps. It was Vasrae, another Junior Ranger, but it was strange. He was a ranger who was stationed on the Dead Lands front, not the Kurgan front. He was sweating, he had come a long way through the forest. He was quick to introduce himself, though Sil'nas already knew who he was.
" Lord Sil'nas, I am Junior Ranger Vasrae! I come from the -- "
" I know who you are Ranger. Why are you here? "
" Ghouls! They attacked our outpost! They overran us, they killed our Senior Ranger. We fled, in every direction! Most of us have fled to the Ellenwood! "
Sil'nas didn't have much to say, he raised a fist and within seconds half a dozen rangers had emerged from their cover and moved to Sil'nas flank. " Take Junior Ranger Vasrae back to his front, assess the situation. I believe Vasrae may be a bit anxious. Ghouls do not enter the Sith'arian Wood. They have not since the fall of Varinus. "
" I know Lord Sil'nas, but I saw them! I swear! "
" You saw what you think you saw. Your eyes are not yet attuned to the night, Vasrae. My rangers will get to the bottom of this. Kurgans, roving orcs perhaps, but no ghouls, I promise you that. "
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-- Reveals what life is like for a Silvan Ranger, and the possibility of ghoul attacks on the forest.