Aridus-Gleann is equally divided between desert in the east, ending at the coastal ports of the Flaming Sea - and jungle in the west, ending at the Great River Arrow. The central border where the two lands meet is simply known as “The Crossing”.

 

For hundreds of years the desert Elves of Aridus have been at war with the jungle Elves of Gleann, each coveting at one time or another the other’s resources. The Aridus vast stoneworks and access to coastal ports and trade, or the Gleann access to fresh water dams and irrigation and the resulting agricultural empire.

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Aridus is ruled by Empress Destare The XVII, and her son General Destare the XII The Desert Warrior Prince. While Gleann is ruled by The Tribal King Keh-Milio and his Daughter the Princess Keh-Ahn of the Jungle Keh clan.

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When King Keh-Milio first came to power, Empress Destare had just lost her husband in battle in the Goblin feudal lands across the sea. She was bitter and furious. The Desert Empress knew her husband was a fool to think he could best the goblins in war, and she had said so. Especially now with the Jungle Keh clan coming to power in Gleann, thus leaving Gleann with an untested King. The jungle realm was ripe for the picking as far as she was concerned.

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And so to prove her late husband a fool Empress Destare launched an invasion of Gleann that in the end left her desert empire all but devastated. To add insult to injury the successful defense of his jungle country against the Empress’s desert invaders solidified King Keh-Milio’s place as a tribal sovereign to be respected and loved by all of Glenn.

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The near destruction of Aridus seemed to have tempered the ambitions of the Empress and so it was that two years later she made a bold offer of peace to King Keh-Milio. If their children, the Prince General Destare and Princess Keh-Ahn, were to be married then perhaps a lasting peace could be forged.

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King Keh-Milio knew that had the fortunes of war gone the other way the Empress would never have made such an outlandish proposition. However, future offspring of General Destare and Keh-Ahn would help to mend generations of sorrow. Desert Warrior and Jungle Brave could once and for all lay down their arms and embrace each other as one elven nation. Wishing for such a peace King Keh-Milio tentatively agreed only under the condition that the Princess did as well.

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Princess Keh-Ahn was the most regal of Jungle Elves. She was beautiful, stoic and reserved - quiet, yet powerful. Princess Keh- Ahn was ever thoughtful and a woman of few words... but when she spoke she commanded attention. Her devotion to her people (regardless of tribe) earned her the moniker of “Keh-Ahn The Green” in honor of the jungle that nourished them all.

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In sharp contrast, there were many tales of how the Prince General Destare’s ruthlessness in battle was matched only by the cruelty with which he ruled his Mother’s Desert subjects. During the war, Princess Keh-Ahn had heard all these stories and was sickened at the very thought of marrying such an Elf.

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However, she knew that her personal sacrifice would be well worth it when faced with the great good a lasting peace would bring to all her people. It was thus with a heavy heart that Keh- Ahn the Green packed her ceremonial wedding inks and agreed to both marry and bare the children of The Desert Warrior Prince.

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After some argument over which land would host the event, plans were eventually made for a royal wedding to take place on The Crossing as both a compromise and a symbol of unity between the two Elven People.

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It was then that King Keh-Milio’s Dolo Chieftain Jor-Keen was summoned to the King’s chambers – the Dolo Chieftain being the Gleann title for Captain of the Tribal Guard.

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An Elf from a lower clan, raised from birth to be a warrior brave, Jor-Keen quickly rose in the ranks to become King Keh-Milio’s most loyal and trustworthy Dolo. Such fealty was proven time and again on the field of battle in the defense of both Gleann and the sovereignty of the Keh Clan. Moreover, the braves under the Dolo Chieftain’s command loved him as he loved his King without question.

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It was in the Sovereign’s private chambers, lit only by a roaring fire, where Dolo Jor-Keen bowed to one knee before his King and solemnly vowed: “I pledge my sword, my bow and my life to the protection of the Princess Keh-Ahn.”

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Led by the commanding Dolos of the Gleann Tribal Clan Army, it took two full days for the wedding party, the army itself and the throngs of loyal subjects and well-wishers to cross the jungle. At all times, Dolo Chieftan Jor-Keen remained silently by the side of the Princess, ever alert. The only communication between them the entire trip was a humble nod from Jor-Keen when the Princess expressed appreciation for his vigilance.

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On the morning of the third day the Gleann party finally reached The Crossing, only to be met with betrayal.

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A single bow shot flew out of nowhere and mortally struck King Keh-Milio. As the dying King fell into his Daughter’s arms the stunned wedding party was attacked from all sides by Desert Warriors, well-fortified with equal numbers of Goblin Mercenaries.

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Prince General Destare led the charge himself waving the killing bow over his head as a signal to attack.

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“NO PRISONERS!!” was the battle cry, and yet the Prince General also gave orders that the Jungle Princess was to be taken alive for she was still to be his, though not as “Wife,” but as his property, for he proclaimed that all of Aridus-Gleann would see “Keh-Ahn The Green” become his slave and concubine.

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In the raging battle many Desert Warriors and Goblin alike fell before Dolo Jor-Keen as he fought savagely to protect the Princess. Yet, the opposing numbers were just too great and the army of Gleann Braves were soon overwhelmed and slaughtered. The bloody day ended as Dolo Jor-Keen fell and the Princess was Captured.

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That night as the sounds of roaring campfires and the drunken celebration of desert Elf and Goblin filled The Crossing, a trio of surviving Gleann Braves found Dolo Jor-Keen left for dead and spirited him away into the nearby jungle. There they found their Dolo Chieftain had only been wounded superficially and knocked unconscious. When revived he planned a daring raid on the tent of General Destare were the Gleanns had seen Princess Keh-Ahn taken in chains.

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Drunk with victory and ale, the General held the Princess by her shackled wrists while wavering a ceremonial wedding knife dangerously close to her face - blood trickled from her cheek where he had already nicked her. Annoyance flashed in General’s eyes as he was not met with the fear and subservience he expected, but pure burning defiance.

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“Hold well that blade General,” she hissed, “for it cares not whose flesh it tastes”.

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Shock momentarily froze the drunken General... and a moment was all she needed as the Princess wrenched her arms upward so her shackles caught General Destare under the chin with such force that he spit blood.

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Then, just as the General’s stunned Captains made to lunge for the Princess, Dolo Jor-Keen and his Trio of braves burst in bringing death with sword flash and bow.

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Princess Keh-Ahn wrenched the knife from the sputtering General and leapt with a cry of rage intending to kill him, but the shackles betrayed her aim so the knife could only tear into Destare’s face before Jor-Keen could reach her.

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Jor-Keen rushed the Princess from the tent as all three of his warriors would give their lives covering the escape - but they would take many of the General’s Captains with them before they fell.

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General Destare would stagger from his tent, pain and rage howling from his disfigured face as Dolo Jor-Keen and Keh-Ahn The Green slipped away into the jungle night.

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Later, hidden by a waterfall Jor-Keen watched as King Keh-Milio’s body was carted away as a trophy. Unaware that the Princess could see him, Jor-Keen wept, whispering to himself, “I am sorry my King.”

 

Holding back her own tears, she stood tall and said to the startled Elf, “Do not be sorry for keeping your promise to my Father.”

 

“I stand free because of you my Loyal Dolo - and thus Gleann still has hope.” With those words, Dolo Jor-Keen dried his eyes, knelt before her and said, “You are a Princess of Gleann no longer - you are Gleann... my Queen.”

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Though General Destare returned to Aridus a “conqueror” his rage at having his “property” stolen and his person disfigured knew no bounds. An entire legion of his finest soldiers were despatched into the jungle to hunt down Keh-Ahn and her Dolo with orders to bring them to the General alive, so he might torture them personally.

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In the meantime, Empress Destare declared herself supreme ruler of all Aridus-Gleann, changing the name to “The Aridus Empire.”

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The Goblin mercenaries soon left the newly-christened empire, taking aboard their ships many jungle elves as slaves - payment for their help in the invasion. The remaining Gleann, man, woman and child, became slaves of the Empire. Their first task as slaves was to begin construction of a new castle/fortress on “The Crossing” where King Keh-Milio fell. This castle/fortress would serve as Empress Destare’s new capital.

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The combing of the jungle by the General’s legion was repeatedly thwarted as now Queen Keh-Ahn and Dolo Jor-Keen managed to elude them at every turn. There were many close calls, many savage fights, many narrow escapes and many Desert Elves were slain.

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Soon rumors that Keh-Ahn the Green was alive, fighting back, and preparing to free her people spread like wildfire throughout the empire much to the anger of General Destare. He acted swiftly, killing without mercy any elf he even suspected of spreading the rumors. Meanwhile the disfigured General also savagely beat and demoted one commander after another for failing to hunt down Khe-Ahn and the mere tribal Dolo who dared steal her from him.

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As time passed, Dolo Jor-Keen found protecting his Queen to be more and more difficult for the simple fact that he was falling deeply in love with her. He kept this to himself for such a lower clan Elf Brave to even hint at declaring romantic love to clan royalty would be an unforgivable insult to his Sovereign. Thus day after day, Jor-Keen would ignore the growing ache in his heart and continue to do his duty as the Queen’s Dolo protector as he had so sworn.

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What Jor-Keen did not know is that his Queen was just as deeply falling in love with him.

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As the two traveled by night, rain began to fall in the jungle. Jor- Keen found a dry cave for his Queen to rest while he respectfully stood vigil outside. But Keh-Ahn did not sleep and instead she found herself staring at Jor-Keen crouched low in the dark, hands on hilt ready to spring at the slightest movement. She watched the tropical rain splash off his taught form, felt a stirring in her soul, and knew the time for change had come.

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Rising, she bade her Dolo enter the cave and he did so obediently. She then stunned him by declaring that the pretense was to end - it was clear that genuine love had grown between them, there was no longer any point in denying it - for all they know, they may well be the last of their kind.

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At first Jor-Keen denied his love for her, stating how wrong it was for a low-born to declare such love for his Sovereign. He further argued that such a declaration by him would feel too much like a betrayal of the promise he had made to her Father - as though he had taken advantages of his oath.

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Keh-Ahn the Green would have none of it and finally said, “I order you Jor-Keen, on your honor as a Dolo Chieftain of Gleann, to tell your Queen the truth - are you, or are you not in love with me?”

 

Unable to lie, he said he was. To Jor-Keen’s astonishment, Keh- Ahn removed from her pouch the wedding inks she had carried into the jungle so many weeks ago.

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To the rhythm of raindrops pattering on countless jungle leaves the two performed the ancient marriage ritual of adorning their elven bodies with the mirror markings of betrothal. The ornate patterns dried quickly and they soon consummated their marriage.

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Later, in each other’s arms, Keh-Ahn whispered, “The old traditions have now passed, together we are Gleann, and you my beloved are its King.”

 

“No”, said Jor-Keen. “I cannot accept that title.”

 

“I must remain Dolo if I am to keep my pledge to your father.”

 

“As well, I pledge to you, though not as Dolo, but as Husband, my heart and my soul, now and for eternity.” He then placed a gentle hand on her bare belly and whispered, “And someday, Gleann may yet have another King.”

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Keh-Ahn looked deep into Jor-Keen’s eyes and said, “The second era of Gleann, begins now.”

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The next day, painted on the walls of the Empress Destare’s unfinished Castle/Fortress were the words: “Keh-Ahn The Green has returned - in the jungle begins your freedom.”

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In great numbers the Gleann slaves began to escape their captors to disappear into the jungle to join the growing renegade army of Keh-Ahn the Green.

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When General Destare tried to quell the desertions, the slaves went into full-scale revolt and burned down the unfinished castle/ fortress. The furious Empress Destare thus ordered the extermination of all Gleann elves. Meanwhile her son, the disfigured Desert Warrior Prince, declared that he would personally lead his armies into the jungle to crush once and for all the renegade tribal pretender Queen - satisfied with nothing less than returning to his Empress Mother with the heads of Keh-Ahn and Jor-Keen on pikes.

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Jor-Keen and Keh-Ahn expected nothing less and together, with an equal hand, they planned accordingly.

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And so began the final war of Aridus-Gleann.

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What happens next? We will leave that up to you our SoulGeek Fan-Fic Writers.

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Written by Dino Andrade
Copyright © 2007 - The SoulGeek Network, LLC