Connects to: 07.18, 11.08, 25.04.01, 29.14.11, 29.07, 33.00, 50.29, 50.30, 51.29 and the Duchy of Thring.
When the allied armies of the gnolls of the Burning Lands and the orcs of Grumluda destroyed the eagle-winged cataphracts of the Golden Realm in the Battle of the Last River (51.29), the King in Yellow bowed and scraped to save his nation and the great iron statue of a lion that had lain sleeping before his palace for longer than anyone can remember was dragged off north by the gnolls’ many new slaves (50.30).
Some could not stomach this humiliation, including the King in Yellow’s young niece who made such a nuisance of herself that her uncle told her to be quiet until she learned sense. She has kept silent but has not learned any sense and instead stole Last Light, the sun-carved scimitar of the Golden Realm’s champions, and set off north.
Ever since Elhanen the Silent, as she is now known, has gathered allies across the northern reaches of the Shrouded Lands. She has argued her case before the dwarven burghers of the Titan’s Skull (33.00), crossed swords with the snickersnees, fended off several dozen suitors during her visit to Thring and even, it is said, come before the Bloodied King himself (29.07) all the while never speaking a word. She, and her retinue of exiled cataphracts and blind Lion Priests (25.04.01), is now in Shuttered seeking the aid of the Doge who is reluctant to risk the wrath of the Great Mother of the gnolls.
While their dark skin, brightly enameled steel and span-high hair are gawked at elsewhere, Elhanen’s cataphracts bring little notice in the bustle of the Shuttered City, where the dark men of the south rub shoulders every day with the pale-faced men of the north and the ruddy men of the west.
Connections:
- Elhanen hasn’t been very successful in her efforts but she has managed to get ahold of a few recruits including some gnollish exiles who hate the Great Mother almost as much as she does and some starry-eyed halfling youths from the Bolger Freehold (11.08) who she hopes to train into scouts.
- Elharen has struck up a friendship with Josard Talbote, who passed along to her a surprising amount of information about the gnolls that he gets from his brother’s (Messeren Talbote, see 50.29) frustrated and rambling letters home.
Hooks:
- What else can you tell me about the Golden Realm? It is one of the Twelve Nations that lie to the south of the Shrouded Lands and maintains an embassy at Shuttered. Why do their cataphracts have eagle wings? Why is their ruler called the King in Yellow? Why is the giant lion statue important?
- What are the properties of Last Light? It is really made out of a piece of the sun? Is the King in Yellow trying to get it back?
- How is Elharen able to communicate without talking? What are the gnolls planning to do about her stirring up trouble? Does she have a chance of being able to launch a real attack on the gnolls of the Burning Lands?