The Elk and the Huntress
Long ago, a Huntress of the Moon whose name has been lost to time seeked a way to empower her tribes’ bows with magic to fell the most dangerous of beasts. As some of the most adept hunters on Lorthr’ten, the Elves of the Moon had been charged with protecting the island from the beasts and monsters that stalked and hunted in the night. While the Elves of the Moon nearly always emerged victorious against these creatures, many hunters were lost or gravely injured in these encounters. The Huntress prayed to Lady Lorthr’ten for guidance so that she could protect the Lady’s Garden and its inhabitants from these dangerous beings.
One night on the Huntresses patrol of the Thicket, she encountered an Sarxidor Elk, an animal that was considered to be a good omen for her tribe. She followed the Elk through the Thicket until she came to a grove of trees that she had never crossed through before. These trees were unlike any other trees in the forest, white trees that shimmered shades of orange, blue, green, and yellow in the moonlight. The small purple leaves a soft velvet with veins of silver and crimson red seeds dangling from the branches. Upon entering the grove the Elk spoke to the Huntress, “These trees are Appaithil,” she said, “touched by the moons. Use the wood to craft your bows and we will teach you to harness the magic of the moons.” The Huntress did as the Elk said and cut down an Appaithil tree that shimmered a beautiful viridian. She took the wood back to her home and carved it into an elegant longbow and upon completion, she returned to the grove.
As promised, the Elk taught the Huntress the incantations to speak and the runes to carve to harness the magic of the moons. When the enchantment was complete, the Elk instructed the Huntress to take her new bow into the forest and train. Upon being fired, the arrow met its target with a powerful crack of lightning. Elated, she returned to the Appaitihil grove to thank the Elk for her help. “I don’t know how to repay you for the knowledge you’ve imparted to me,” the Huntress said. “Keep the Garden safe, that is how you will repay me,” the Elk replied. “Teach the hunters of your tribe, and only your tribe, the enchantments you have learned, but only when they have proven that they are worthy of the Moons.” The Huntress agreed and thanked the Elk again before departing the grove.
The Huntress brought her most honorable hunters to the grove and taught them as the Elk had taught her to craft an Appaithil Bow. The power of the bow would be determined by the shade of the Appaithil tree the hunter selected. The blue, the power of ice; the orange, the power of fire; the green, the power of lightning; and the yellow, the power of thunder. As the years went on, the Elves of the Moon would signify the end of a hunter's training with the crafting of the Appaithil Bow. Eventually, the ability to enchant these bows with the magic of the moons would be lost to time, but the custom remained. There have been rumors floating through the Moon Tribe that this ancient enchantment has been uncovered, but currently it is just hearsay.
One night on the Huntresses patrol of the Thicket, she encountered an Sarxidor Elk, an animal that was considered to be a good omen for her tribe. She followed the Elk through the Thicket until she came to a grove of trees that she had never crossed through before. These trees were unlike any other trees in the forest, white trees that shimmered shades of orange, blue, green, and yellow in the moonlight. The small purple leaves a soft velvet with veins of silver and crimson red seeds dangling from the branches. Upon entering the grove the Elk spoke to the Huntress, “These trees are Appaithil,” she said, “touched by the moons. Use the wood to craft your bows and we will teach you to harness the magic of the moons.” The Huntress did as the Elk said and cut down an Appaithil tree that shimmered a beautiful viridian. She took the wood back to her home and carved it into an elegant longbow and upon completion, she returned to the grove.
As promised, the Elk taught the Huntress the incantations to speak and the runes to carve to harness the magic of the moons. When the enchantment was complete, the Elk instructed the Huntress to take her new bow into the forest and train. Upon being fired, the arrow met its target with a powerful crack of lightning. Elated, she returned to the Appaitihil grove to thank the Elk for her help. “I don’t know how to repay you for the knowledge you’ve imparted to me,” the Huntress said. “Keep the Garden safe, that is how you will repay me,” the Elk replied. “Teach the hunters of your tribe, and only your tribe, the enchantments you have learned, but only when they have proven that they are worthy of the Moons.” The Huntress agreed and thanked the Elk again before departing the grove.
The Huntress brought her most honorable hunters to the grove and taught them as the Elk had taught her to craft an Appaithil Bow. The power of the bow would be determined by the shade of the Appaithil tree the hunter selected. The blue, the power of ice; the orange, the power of fire; the green, the power of lightning; and the yellow, the power of thunder. As the years went on, the Elves of the Moon would signify the end of a hunter's training with the crafting of the Appaithil Bow. Eventually, the ability to enchant these bows with the magic of the moons would be lost to time, but the custom remained. There have been rumors floating through the Moon Tribe that this ancient enchantment has been uncovered, but currently it is just hearsay.
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