Bensarian Kevar
Lives outside of Wendar. Bensarian keeps a secret “Black Ops” group to do his bidding. Patrick (Erestor) is a member of this company.
Sage and original holder of Elvenstar (gave it to Wendar).
A member of The Watchers - commissioned by a super secret squad of people who watch events unfold and record them.
He has lived 150+ years.
Potion of Extra-Healing, Book of Essurian runes, spell book, book on alchemy, Scroll of Conjure Elemental and Ice Storm, Medallion of ESP, 30 ft.
He has a pet hawk, Vensul, and several messenger pigeons.
“Yes my friends. It is true. I did not give you a full account of the Shadow Lord, nor of my involvement with one of his forefathers many years ago. You must forgive me but sages keep their secrets, you know. In any case, none of it would have been of use to you in your struggle against Landryn Teriak or whatever he had become at the end. Despite your victory it grieves me to see the last of the royal Essurian household come to such an ignoble end. Nevertheless, I will now provide you with the history of Essuria and the germane details of the Shadow Lord's career. First you must learn a little of me and why I can chronicle such things. Alcirya's history is much greater than you children understand. I come from a long line of sages royally commissioned by the first elven house to chronicle the stories of the world. Yes, it’s true, I am a half-blood, born of elvish and human flesh and a scourge to true blood elves. Yes, it is improbable that one such as I could be asked to carry on such a prestigious line dating back thousands of years and kept true by the most esteemed of elvenkind but I exist and I alone can amend the histories with the telling of the times that were lost to elvenkind; the time after their departure. This is one of those stories.
Hundreds of years ago this part of the Sebaste and Appollonia was a wild and barbarous region and I deem much of it remains so. In any event, at that time a Mage Lord came from the north in search of new lands to settle. (this happened pre-wars of Succession) Nebunar was his name and his fierce warriors met with victory after victory in their bid to win the rich lands we now call Essuria (which stretched from the plains into the Sebaste all the way to what we now know as Wendar). Eventually Nebunar became satisfied with his holdings and petitioned Appollonia for his Dukedom.
It was in this time that Baatu took the shape of the evil Goddess Idris in attempts to cull the dark forces at work here. Her Highlords reached out to those that would listen… and Nebunar fell among them. I do not doubt that a good measure of Nebunar's success was due to his affiliation with this dark force. The Blackstick enters the tale during the reign of King Nebunar. I do not know how he came to possess the rod, but possess it he did. Indeed, it is certain that he became obsessed with the artifact during the final years of his life. Perhaps Nebunar was not content with lordship over men, he may well have aspired to an even darker dominion in his lust for power. Nevertheless, Nebunar went the way of all flesh and was buried in a pit grave at the present site of Drax Tallen. The Blackstick was buried with him.
Hundreds of years passed and seven dukes ruled Essuria, each one building on the power and glory of the former until the realm was at the height of its majesty.
It was during the reign of the eighth monarch that the king's brother, Halvan, came to me here in the west to study the wisdom of the ages. At this time Essuria was no longer a barbarous kingdom, but a civilized realm with a growing reputation. The young prince who came to me was a splendid fellow, bright-eyed and eager for knowledge. Halvan stayed with me for a time and learned much about the arcane arts of the wise. But the time came for him to return to Essuria and he had much to do there. It was his ambition to build Drax Tallen into a wondrous capital and something considerably more than a fortress. To this end he wished to build a mausoleum as a tribute to the bygone kings of Essuria. With his brother's permission, Halvan set about his work of excavating and building. In due course he uncovered the old pit grave of his forebear, Nebunar. Of course he also discovered the Blackstick. As a student of magics, Halvan was understandably intrigued by the rod and so he kept it unto himself. Soon after the construction of the royal mausoleum the duke died suddenly and Halvan found himself monarch of the realm. He had not looked for this eventuality and I daresay he did not accept it happily. As king, Halvan had less time for the esoteric arts and yet his mind was troubled by the Blackstick.
After some deliberation, he decided to give the dark thing to me for safekeeping. It was a mark of the man's great wisdom that he did so. Naturally, I accepted. Once I had possession of the Blackstick I began to experience the unbalancing effect of the artifact. Essentially it was a thing of untold evil and chaos. After a time I knew that I could no longer keep it. I did consider destroying it but something prevented me from taking this action. At last, upon their return, I decided to give it to the Miru al Geffron for safekeeping. The Miru al Geffron, Understanding the forces at work in the world, recognized the need to create an artifact that could challenge the power of the Blackstick, thus was born the Elvenstar, given to me for safekeeping. Although I could not see how, I knew that the Elvenstar and the Blackstick would have their places in a great struggle to come. Through the years I followed the slow but certain decline of Essuria. It began with the death of Halvan. As soon as Landryn Teriak took the throne I knew that he was the face of evil… Nebunar born again, you might say. Only a few years after his overthrow in Essuria, Teriak rose again in Denagoth. Of course no one knew the identity of the evil lord for quite some time. In those days I deemed that Wendar should have the Elvenstar lest the realm should fall to the dark hordes. What I could not predict was the intervention of a third artifact, the Pearl Coffer of Úndil, the last physical record of elvish knowledge from an aged time. Now that you have undone what Teriak has brought forth and you have returned the stone and the stick, the last question is, what do you do with the Coffer?”
Landryn Teriak first came to Sebaste, more precisely, Denagoth, 30 years ago.
Teriak was fleeing an onslaught of Sebastite warriors led by Henadin, a great sebastite warrior. Henadin was aided by several tribes and a gold dragon. Almost all were slain, despite driving Teriak from his home, Drax Tallen.
Teriak suffered a major defeat years. He was the most recent king in a long line of kings who had, for the most part been friendly to the citizens of the Sebaste. They, along with the ruler(s) of Wendar, kept the “Long Road” open for mutual trade benefit.
Teriak's, King Vespen (not a mage), ruled Essuria, kindly, until he died. Rumor is that his death was suspicious (illness). I have no confirmation of that and Appollonia has no desire to investigate the death of a mundane ruler to a mage household.
Teriak led Essuria in a dark reign, ostracizing it and it’s citizens from the rest of Appollonia (who bore his kingdom with a grain of salt). The seat of his power is the ancient fortress of Drax Tallen.
The appearance of so many people in Teriak's thrall points to many possibilities.
- Teriak must be suffering. I don’t know how he survived being charred by the dragon, but his present condition must be dire. Thus, the presence of a Highlord. In return, I ssuspect the Highlord, and his compatriots, asked for assistance in finding the Blackstick, now he wants it for himself.
- The Blackstick is a leftover remnant form the days the gods walked the earth. For centuries we believed it to be dead, bereifit of power. However, with the finding and the usage of the Cup of Santiago, the Gods may now intervene as they once had and the Blackstick, created by Baatu himself, is active. It was in my possession. I have hidden it and Teriak has sent his minions for it.
- The Coffer presents another problem entirely. Supposedly the Coffer contains an ancient magic attributed to the elves. It’s contents would be a tremendous benefit to any and would provide the means to using the Elvenstar, an ancient gift by the local Miru Eldain (Miru al Geffron and Miru al Lothenar) to Wendar for the stability it has brought to the region.
Teriak does not know the location of the Blackstick – we must secure it. I have left it with the Miru al Geffron. Only a mage or cleric can hold it, usage is the word vifica. It can cure the undead , but the user is brought closer to madness/darkness.
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