Elhain

Succession is of paramount importance to any kingdom, and the Kingdom of Aravia was no exception. However, unlike Aravia’s neighbors, Kaerok and Frostheim, the monarchs of the Elves had the power to choose their successors. Often they picked one of their children, but in cases where they had none to choose from, or when those children rendered themselves somehow unsuitable, the ruling monarch could select an individual who they felt was fit to take the throne. So it was for Queen Eva and her niece, Elhain. Elhain had always had the eye of her royal aunt, Queen Eva, who had an interminable hand in her upbringing, for the Queen had no children of her own. Eva chose wisely: Elhain’s immeasurable gifts and intelligence grew as she did, and Elhain was an intense scholar, even from a very young age. She was often found reading even late into the night, the subjects of her studies ranging from playful stories to ancient histories. Believing that Elhain’s deep desire to learn was a mark of great things to come, Queen Eva expanded Elhain’s tutelage. Elhain took quickly to magic and martial arts, particularly archery, but she remained a scholar at heart, and her chief interest became something unpalatable to most of her tutors: the schism between the High Elves and the Dark Elves. When the Queen began grooming Elhain for leadership and suggesting that she could declare Elhain her successor, Elhain took her studies beyond the pages of the books she read. Instead of merely wishing to learn more about the War of the Elves, she began to wonder if there might not be something that could be done. Leaning on her royal aunt for support, Elhain scoured the libraries and archives of Aravia to retrieve any records or accounts of the War of the Elves. She sought to understand the Dark Elves, but not simply so that she might better know her enemy – it was so she could turn them into a friend. The Queen approved of Elhain's quest, but, like all High Elves, she had her doubts. She could never have imagined how far Elhain’s mission would take her.