Mentor Silvean Rashere the Dark Elf Sorcerer. He appears to be in his 110's, has shoulder length, wavy black hair, violet eyes, and pale skin. He is holding a slender golden staff imprinted in raised silver with runes of the ancient Faendryl in his right hand. He is wearing a black velvet cowl, a golvern-bound black vultite shield, a narrow bone-inlaid sheath, some nightmare black warlock's robes, some deep red leather armor, a twisted black leather belt, an antique silver armband, a carved slate pendant, a silver-linked dark moonstone pendant, a black rapture cloak, a ruby and silver wedding band, a ruby and silver stickpin, and some silver-buckled black leather boots. Silvean says, "It occured a number of years ago before this township was in place." "This story surrounds a most brilliant sorcerer named Bandur Etrevion." "Now Bandur was widely recognized as THE intellectual of Western Elanith in the time period." Swordfyre nods to Silvean. Silvean nods to Mnar. Silvean says, "Ah. Yes." Swordfyre leans back on the conversion vessel, listening intently to Silvean, and gazing at him with his sharp green eyes. Swordfyre rubs his chin thoughtfully. Silvean asks, "Can anyone tell me the difference between Elanith and Elanthia before I continue?" Swordfyre coughs. Bashieres asks, "One is the counrty and one is the world?" Swordfyre says, "I've always wondered that myself." Bashieres says, "err country." Silvean says, "Continent and world. Yes." Swordfyre nods. Silvean says, "Don't confuse them as interchangeable. Elanith is the small in the big." Silvean says, "A lot of people get confused with the words being so close." Swordfyre nods to Silvean. Silvean nods to Mnar. Silvean says, "Well, it occured that Bandur was a most famous philosopher, writer, and sorcerer." "Rather powerful man." "His only other passion in life was his family." Swordfyre smiles knowingly. Silvean says, "He had a beloved brother named Kestrel Etrevion and his brother had a number of sons who Bandur was quite fond of." "Well Kestrel was a bit of ah.. I will not say General. He was a warlord." "That fits the man." "He would do battle over lands and such. Bandur found all of this a bit petty, of course." Swordfyre grins. Silvean says, "It has been said that Kestrel was a most fierce leader, cruel man at times." "So he indeed did have some skills in his chosen life, but his skills were not what led to his magnificent fortune in battle." "Bandur had a bit of a secret. In order to protect his family and advance their desires he would cloak himself during their battles and soar into the heavens with his sorcery." "From that point he would use subtle sorcery to turn the tide of the battle and bring victory to Kestrel." Swordfyre gazes heavenward. Silvean says, "In this manner Bandur played god often. As if it was a chess game." "And through countless major victories, Bandur was always there." "Regardless, it came to be after a number of years that Bandur met a problem with his life's work." "Etrevion was a philosopher and he developed grand theories of sorcery." "And so through these methods he increased his power ten fold, but when you are writing the book on advanced sorcery there comes a point when you have nowhere to go." Mnar leans forward. Silvean says, "And so Bandur met this wall. He was a bit deadlocked in his quest for increased knowledge, for it is cruel punishment to have so many questions without answers. No way to progress." "But Bandur did get his answers, in a way he never imagined." "A local goddess of some power whispered to Bandur her secrets. She offered him a position that would see his power increased once more." "Bandur was not a religous man, but there was no choice in this offer for the man. He had to agree." "Through Gosaena he came to understand things that he could not quite grasp before with only his one mortal mind." "She showed him the ways to weave magic that only a god could know." "In return for this gift Bandur helped develop Gosaena's following as her own personal knight among mortals." "Developed under the famous Etrevion name was a most powerful cult to Gosaena." "Gosaena Throk Farok they would call out as they gave each other their salute." "The cult of Gosaena was greatly feared across the lands." Swordfyre says, "Kadaena throk farok.. those were the words.." Silvean says, "Its power was truly significant both politically and physically." "Kadaena is her older name." Swordfyre nods. Swordfyre says, "Those words were used to teleport oneself from somewhere in the graveyard." Swordfyre says, "A long, long time ago." Silvean says, "It was both, turned out that a hooded figure who I spoke with one evening changed it as the teleporting phrase." "And it was not that long ago. A mere amount of time in my eyes, regardless." Swordfyre grins. Swordfyre nods. Silvean says, "And so the cult was established." "Now through all of this Bandur still insisted upon aiding his brother in battle." "It is evident, of course, that the battles were far more grand as Bandur's power was nearly god-like by this time." "And so it would seem that the man should be truly happy." "But this was not to be." "As Bandur carried out his duties as the master of the cult he continued to grow in power, but with this growth came a change in his personality." "As a sorcerer, he was a truly happy or kind person. However, his behavior began to reach into insanity and true cruelty as he continued on as master of the cult." "He would blast initiates into dust for merely batting an eye improperly at him." Swordfyre shudders. Silvean says, "The cult's members walked very softly and very quickly past his quarters." "He was death walking at all times." "And so this was his condition in a truly advanced form when meeting with his brother for dinner one evening." "My gods, it was obvious the man was nearly a bloody god. He glowed with power." "Why reach for his glass when he could will it to his hand." Swordfyre chuckles. Silvean says, "He would conjure chairs out of nothing and have a seat." "All of this was normal to Bandur in his state as a demi-god." "But his brother was not pleased at these gestures." "Perhaps a warrior never will understand the methods and behaviors of a magic-user." Silvean says, "Regardless, it occured that Kestrel began to brag about his conquests." Swordfyre nods to Silvean. Swordfyre says, "Magic works its own way on us.." Silvean says, "Bandur decided that this evening was the proper one to reveal his secret of years." "Oh pitiful brother your conquests are all due to my allowances."" "And so it became that Bandur explained his methods entirely to a most shocked Kestrel." "Now Bandur's actions were always a gesture of quiet kindness, but Bandur had no kindness in him now." "It occured that Kestrel raised his sword to Bandur for a battle. To decide who was the better." "To decide who was truly responsible." "Bandur raised an eyebrow and hardly mustered any energy when shredding Kestrel's body to a bloodied corpse with pure power." "It was a rather quick duel." Swordfyre shudders. Silvean says, "But remember, this was his beloved brother." Swordfyre asks, "Didn't he have the power to ressurrect him?" Silvean asks, "How could he do this to his brother?" Silvean says, "Sorcery does not work that way." Swordfyre says, "He was a god.." Silvean says, "Well, he did." Silvean says, "But you see the ressurrection would not be too pleasant if he had." Swordfyre snickers. Silvean says, "Let me continue." Swordfyre bows. Swordfyre lies down. Silvean says, "Now Bandur looked down upon his brother and upon his most horribly terrified nephews." "And in this instant he regained at least some of his sanity." "He saw the true enemy, it was Gosaena. She knew this would happen!" "It was all her fault!" "And so he had to have to revenge, for he knew how to challenge her." "First, he soared into the heavens above the woods near our town and with a sweep of his hand the trees there were gone." "And from lands far away he summoned fine stones and building supplies." "Then from the soil he conjured bones to form into grand golems of rather immense physical power." "And so he began his project." "In his power, with the soaring about and making small gestures to build whole monuments, the project did not take long." "On the gate was Gosaena. How ironic." "And so our Graveyard was created by sorcery." Swordfyre asks, "On the gate?" Silvean says, "In the main crypt through a shadowy arch he laid his brother to rest in a coffin." Silvean says, "An image of Gosaena." Swordfyre nods. Silvean gazes heavenward. Swordfyre says, "Sorry." Mnar smiles. Silvean says, "To the west of that arch he placed his more famous books in a lasting form." "To the east he developed a rather clever teleportation spell." "It causes the user of a proper phase to become mist and slip through a rather tiny opening in the wall." "And so beneath the crypt on the other side of the opening Bandur set into his revenge." A pained expression crosses Swordfyre's face. Silvean says, "He went down into a prepared room of the crypt where it was immensely cold to slay Gosaena's most beloved follower." "The battle was rather swift." Mnar cocks his head. Silvean says, "And so in that crypt Bandur killed himself with the full power of his magic put to use." Swordfyre asks, "Wasn't he her most beloved follower?" Swordfyre says, "Ah." Silvean says, "He remains there." Swordfyre shudders. Silvean says, "Frozen in a block of ice." Mnar nods. Silvean says, "His soul returned to his master for all those dark years." "Those in Voln have to visit him, but most have no idea why." Mnar says, "There is a task for those in Voln... Initiates must 'Bring the light and warmth of the Sun deep beneath the earth where death sleeps cold'." Silvean says, "A journey through the graveyard and crypt reveals some of what I have told you." "The cult remains today it is said, I have no idea." "They went into secrecy eventually." "And so that is the story of Bandur Etrevion and his cult."