Dappled light from the sun shone down softly upon the silver-blue leaves
crowing the hair of Arafaile, priestess of Life, as she absently
wandered along the talans of Istarion, her footsteps leading her to the
narrow flet outside the Nerrinth estate. Frowning, she gazed back along
the path she had taken, wondering why she had chosen that particular
direction. With a shake of her head Arafaile turned around and headed
toward the Two Trees.

After a few minutes the priestess paused, utterly confused, before
turning to walk in the opposite direction. Where had she been going? And
she still could not shake the sense that something was wrong with the
Two Trees, despite assurances from the High Priest that all seemed well.
"I should go to visit them," Arafaile murmured to herself, walking
quickly along a talan that would lead her directly to the sacred heart
of Istarion. Yet moments later she found herself back in the entrance
hall to the Cabal of Life.

"Sister," Arafaile said after a few minutes of thought, reaching out a
hand to touch the shoulder of a passing priestess. "I would like you to
go down into the jungle, and seek out the strangers who have found their
way to Istar. I must meet with them."

Concern was evident as the priestess looked away. "I fear these
outsiders. No matter what the maal'gard has told us, I cannot believe
they are just harmless hunters and explorers."

"Put aside your fears, sister," Arafaile replied. "Seek those who value
the blessings of Life as we do, and you will be safe."

~ ~ ~

Arafaile's heart beat loudly against her chest as she peered through the
jungle greenery. A formidable party of strangers awaited just through
the wall of vines that concealed her: winged humans, tiger-men, even a
dragon straight out of childhood stories! Taking a deep breath, she
parted the vines and entered their midst.

The arrival caused a great stir among the adventurers, and Arafaile's
head spun as she struggled to keep her words straightforward and clear.
At last she was able to turn the conversation to the topic of the Two
Trees.

"The Two Trees of Istarion are sacred to our people," she spoke, "but as
of late... there is something very wrong with the Life energy that flows
within our home. I have not been able to determine what exactly is
wrong. None of my people even agree that there IS something the
matter... but I know it is true."

To her relief, the group was eager to assist, and Arafaile led them to
the draping liana vines which transported her brethren safely between
the city and the jungle floor. And so they ascended into the city of
Istarion, the first non-Tsol'dasi to set foot within the crownwood
boughs in centuries.

~ ~ ~

At the heart of Istarion, two crownwood trees grow intertwined: one
silver and one gold. These ancient trees act as a conduit for a powerful
stream of life energy, similar in many respects to the soulbleed nexus
of the Underworld. Many centuries ago, the tsol'dasi separated from
their brethren, the Tsol'aa, quitting the world of mortalkind and
travelling to the far north. There they discovered the jungle of Istar
and founded the city Istarion within the branches of what would come to
be called the Two Trees.

Powerfully adept at magic, the Tsol'dasi were able to manipulate the
flowing energies of the Two Trees and create a magical barrier to
separate the northern reaches of Sapience from the rest of the
continent. Thus isolated, the Tsol'dasi ensured that they would never
again be involved in the affairs of mortalkind. Centuries passed, and
the barrier's borders gradually shifted, changing with time as the
energies that sustained it flowed elsewhere... gradually, that is, until
552 AF, when the barrier rapidly eroded and disappeared.

~ ~ ~

"What are you doing?" Arafaile demanded of a Tsol'dasi youth. An
unnerving grin was fixed upon the face of the boy, who stood with his
hands upon the Two Trees, stubbornly ignoring all who attempted to
disturb him. As the party deliberated, three distinct arcs of azure
light streamed through the sky from distant mountain peaks, converging
overhead and descending through the jungle canopy, surrounding the boy
in its pale glow. Turning his attention to the group, the boy cackled
with glee.

"Fools," he said imperiously. "There is nothing you can do to stop us.
By midnight our work here will be complete. Woe to all who have stood in
our way!" As the boy focused his eyes again on the Two Trees, a slow,
visible trickle of energy flowed from the wood and into his fingertips.

"Did you see that?" Arafaile gasped, after rushing away from the scene.
"That child... he is draining Life from the Two Trees! I must report
this to the king!" Hurriedly she bade the adventurers seek out and
destroy the sources of power that appeared to be strengthening the boy,
and made a hasty exit toward the royal palace.

In a race against time, the group set out directly for the mountains
bordering the Istar jungle, where several outposts guarded by
mercenaries had been spotted in the vicinity. Battling to the top of the
first spire, the party discovered an armoured mage channeling the
elements toward the centre of the jungle below. Brutally they slew the
mage and proceeded to the second and third outposts, cutting down the
mercenaries they encountered. As the third mage fell just before
midnight, eyewitnesses who remained at the Two Trees reported the azure
light faltering around the boy, then a surge of emerald light blasting
outward from the Two Trees, knocking him to the ground.

As life ebbed from the boy's frail body, three shadowy figures appeared
to rise from within it, fleeing the location. Moments later, a shrill
scream rang out from somewhere to the northeast section of the city.
From that point on, it was only a matter of time before the touch of the
Deathgod revealed the mysterious figures to be none other than the
Magisterion: Pryla'ket, Jor'keth, and Dominar, fearsome creatures of
undeath, notorious for their lust for power. A desperate hunt for the
rampaging magisters ensued, and the party doggedly tracked the sounds of
screams, felling first Pryla'ket, then Jor'keth, within the boughs of
the jungle city. Only Dominar eluded their grasp, and it is not yet
known what became of the creature, save that he departed the city with
mocking taunts.

~ ~ ~

Solemnity reigned in Istarion that day as adventurer and Tsol'dasi alike
reflected on the loss of life. Istarion and the Two Trees were no longer
in danger, but the high cost of their defense turned the victory
bittersweet. Regally Avathar'an, king of Istarion addressed the heroes
and spoke of Istarion's debt for their service.

"We grieve for the weakness of the Two Trees, for it has long sustained
us and aided our seclusion," he said. "But it is clear that the old ways
must change. May the blessings of Life restore the Two Trees, and may
all visitors to Istarion cherish it as we do."

Penned by My hand on the 9th of Chronos, in the year 553 AF.