I have endeavored to provide an accurate account of Muddy Waters' history here. However, The sources that this history is based on, are very old tales, myths and books. The reader is cautioned that, though I am certain most of the information is based in fact, not all of what follow may be true... Only the gods know for certain.

The History of the World

The Beginning

Long ago, the three faced god, presumably board, created the world. Then, seeing that it was empty, created the gods. The gods he named Selene, Lugh, Rhea, Sri, Garahets, and Aeuolos. He gave them each control of different aspects of the world. Selene embodied the Moon, while Lugh the sun. Rhea was the earth itself, Sri the sea and lakes, Garahets the stars and Aeuolos the winds.

The History of Phylos

After being settled by Lugh, humans proliferated wildly, soon there were too many for the lands to support. Various bands set out to new lands. One of these lands was Phylos.

The kingdom of Phylos is a small island, about the size of Japan. It was once a very proud, and prosperous nation. At a time, about 500 years ago, Phylos was a center for culture and commerce. In the northern tip of Phylos was a University; a center for education and white magic. Trade flourished. Many other nations of the world sought out Phylos to distribute their wares, as well as to purchase the many fine things offered.

Phylos was run by a unique and effective political system; a Monarchy combined with a democratically elected Congress. The king made laws, policy and all administrative decisions, but Congress had Veto powers. This administration was fair and just. Although to outward appearances relations between the Court and University were cordial, for many years an underlying resentment and hostility between the nobles and the University had existed. The nobles claimed the University was independent, did not submit to the rule of the crown, and claimed that it subverted its students' loyalty. Some even muttered the word ``treason.''

When Markus came to power, being somewhat brash, he for the first time brought this hostility into the open, and began to openly seek to undermine the credibility of the University. His first attempt was to demand that the University accept all qualified applicants, and make the procedures for admission open to inspection by the Court. The University refused, saying it respectfully could not continue to teach the mystic arts if its trade secrets were divulged, and the dissemination of such potent knowledge would wreak disaster on them all. It is perhaps coincidental that Markus suddenly became gravely ill.

He was sick for many months, and his life was despaired of, but suddenly and somewhat miraculously he recovered. His opponents say that his sanity was affected by this illness and he was never after balanced. His admirers say that by sheer strength of will did he recover. In any event, he harbored a deep suspicion that the University's magicians were behind his illness and he resolved to break their power for good.

Slowly, he began to create strange laws; laws that would become tradition. Thinking these traditions were eccentric but harmless, the Congress left them be. As his madness grew worse, Markus began to slowly increase the taxes in the Kingdom. When Congress objected to this, Markus raged. He passed a law, granting himself complete and absolute power. Of course Congress vetoed this law as well, but Markus was popular. The people of Phylos loved their king, and despite the tax increase, believed in him. But Congress, led by a wise sorcerer named Felton, knew of the King's madness. They moved to the University, and struggled with their magics to reverse the King's madness. They were unsuccessful. The taxes grew heavier. The King's condition grew worse. He began to consider the University and its inhabitants a threat. Markus learned of Felton's plans to cure him, and convinced that it was a regicide plot, rallied his troops against the Congress and the University. A bitter war ensued. Struggling to save the University and its vast wealth of knowledge, Felton, Congress and the magicians of the University defended themselves.

During the initial battle, one magician accidentally fried a phalanx of troops. Markus, no fool, used this fact as propaganda against the magicians. The inhabitants of the University rapidly began to be considered the enemy by the general population. The war led on...

Fifteen years later, resources on both sides were exhausted. The peasants were broke, the Kingdom was closed to outsiders and trade, the economy of Phylos was depressed, and the war continued. The population of northern Phylos was half that of 15 years ago, much of the University was destroyed, and still the war continued.

Markus was obsessed with the destruction of the enemies of the Kingdom--his enemies. The magicians wanted to abdicate from the Kingdom, peace, and to be left alone. Felton and his apprentices worked independently to end the war. He created a massive spell that hopefully, when cast, would end this war once and for all. The spell consisted of three parts: An illusion, an explosion, and a curse. Hopefully soon the day would come when the war would end. In the final battle, 20 years after the war began, Markus led what would be his final melee. Amassed in the battlefield, in the forests south of the University, were a thousand troops (mostly children, for the former warriors were now old or deceased) and the entire cast of magicians. King Markus commanded a charge. Felton cast his spell. The forest exploded, and everyone in a 20 mile radius died...

The king's son, Matthew, was sane, but a simpleton. He tried to restore order once the war was over. He decreed that the Northern Wastes (as they were now known) to be ruined. The taxes were slightly lowered, and trade was reopened. However, many of the nations that had visited Phylos never returned. The Kingdom never recovered, economically. The entire North section of the Kingdom was barren. Nothing living could be seen, anywhere. Peasants living near the battlefield migrated south, to lands with fertile soil. The war, Felton, and the magicians were quickly forgotten. The Kingdom struggled to regain their former stature, but alas, was slowly forgotten by the rest of the world.

Battle of Fergrim

[I, Arbol the Scribe, rendered this fragment from a burned scroll

retrieved from a wreck said to have been a merchant ship fleeing

Phylos, in the year 792. ]

In the year 454 the Ironaxe clan of dwarves sought a new home. Being

dwarves, they did not reveal their reasons for seeking one, and even

their previous home is not known. However, they possessed fabulous

wealth, so it seemed it would not be a difficult task.

As those who are reading this probably know, the fire elemental

Fergrim awoke early in the same year, and the great eruptions

devastated all of the Western lands. Contact had not been

reestablished with any remnant of civilization at the time of this

writing. The southern and eastern lands, particularly the city of

Djelibeybi, were greatly concerned. Thus, when the dwarves suggested

they could destroy Fergrim and inhabit the volcano, all supported the

idea.

The first assault was disastrous, for the might of Fergrim had not

been understood until then: it was said he was an offspring of Rhea

and Lugh, although the truth or falsity of this has never been proved.

The leader of the Ironaxe clan, known as the Ironaxe, and his

warmaster, Agnarok the Hammer Fist, realized that victory against

Fergrim could not be achieved by might alone.

They then sought help from the great wizards of the time, and Rhonabwy

came to their aid (the reader will note that this is the first

appearance of Rhonabwy since the death of Dierdre 4 years before). It

was said at the time that Rhonabwy did not aid the dwarves for gold,

although it is rumored they rewarded him well, but that he wished to

prevent such violence as destroyed the western lands. Rhonabwy was

then counted one of the three greatest mages, the others being

Felton, head of the school of magic on Phylos, and Amphyre the Red.

After much study, Rhonabwy decided Fergrim could not be destroyed, but

he devised a spell greater than any yet attempted, which he thought

would lay unbreakable chains on the elemental. When he later wrote of

this, he gave a basic structure for the spell, and we can infer.

[Here the fragment became unreadable - A. ]

The preparation of such a spell required many months, and he was not

prepared until Halimath of the following year; the constellations were

also favorable. The spell required his attention for 17 days, and

simultaneously the dwarves attacked Fergrim. For 16 days ash and smoke

filled the air, and neither the stars nor the moon could be seen;

great beams and flashes of silver light pierced the heavens, telling

all that Rhonabwy was still at work; the earth trembled and shook with

the battle of the dwarves and elemental. On the 17th day the smoke

lessened, and it is said Lugh himself stood overhead to watch the

spellcraft. At moonrise, a great sound was heard throughout the land,

then silence. The ash stopped falling, and the volcano was surrounded

in a silver glow, which coalesced into it and gradually faded. All

knew then that Rhonabwy and the dwarves were successful and a great

celebration ensued. The dwarves moved into the volcano beginning a

great work there, and becoming even more wealthy as they delved the

riches found therein.

[Here the fragment again became unreadable - A.]

In the days after, Rhonabwy was unquestioned as the greatest living

mage. He became more active in the affairs of the lands, and for many

years travelled throughout them, working great feats of magic and

doing much for the welfare of all.

Eventually though, he became restless. The reason is not known: some

have said it was a curse that Fergrim placed upon him in the final

hours of their conflict, that he never know peace, but his daughter

Glyneth has written he received visions in his dreams of a last task,

some final thing which it was his destiny to accomplish.

Finally, in the month of AfterYule a great feast was announced by the

clan of Ironaxe inviting all the leaders of the land to join. After

the feast it is said Rhonabwy and the Ironaxe talked late into the

night. The next day Rhonabwy took leave of his daughter Glyneth,

entrusting all his estate to her, and ventured to the Volcano alone.

From that time forth he has never been seen among the living, and his

fate is not known.

The Drow invasion of Grenchise

After the creation, Selene led the elves to a forest. The trees and shape

of the land about were quite beautiful, particularly the great oaks,

there they established a dwelling called Grenchise. Over the years,

the elves sang to the spirit of the forest, and caused it to grow in

ways they desired, and it became even more wonderful and beautiful to

their eyes. Selene herself was not an infrequent sight, touching lightly

among the tree-tops.

In the deeps of time (c. 364) came the alignment of certain favorable

constellations and four particular planets which heralded one of the

high feasts of Selene, to be held upon her return to the night

sky. The night was dark and all the elf folk were gathered beneath the

great oak outside the temple, awaiting the first beams of Selene's

blessing.

Suddenly great cries of despair rang out as hordes of drow descended upon

the unwary elves. Great was the slaughter that night, but greater still

would it have been if not for the valor of the elven king, Enlathlin, who

swiftly organized a resistance to the drow invasion.

The battle was lopsided and the end near for the elves, but seeing

that victory by force of arms could not be achieved, an elven maid

decided upon an act of desperation. This youth's name was Chryaline,

and up the great oak she climbed, to the uttermost height. Looking

out into the dark night sky, she cried ``Goddess, do not forsake thy

people!''

Selene did not appear, but she was answered. A misty figure, as of

starlight, in the visage of a wizened man coalesced among the leaves,

saying ``Why do you call upon Selene? She cannot hear you.''

Chryaline sank down in the great bow of her people, magnificent and

graceful, with one hand extended and one hand across her chest, saying,

``Lord, save my people!''

The figure's countenance softened at the greeting of Chryaline, no

mean feat in the height of the tree. ``What are your people to me? Do

they know me? Do they revere me?''

``Save my people, Lord, and we will hallow thee forever!''

The figure looked briefly up at the stars and replied, ``Very well,

let your people know that I am Gaheret, patron and keeper of the

stars. I will do what I can.''

And saying that, a glimmering mist of starlight, without substance and

casting no shadow, descended about the great oak and enveloped the

remaining elves. The drow at first were repulsed by this light, but

their magicians, working dark magic, began to fight against the

protection of the stars, and gradually it began to weaken, for,

accounted as one of gods, Gaheret wields little power.

Seeing that this manifestation of his power would not last long, Gaheret

sent a twinkling gleam of starlight in search of the goddess Selene. Then

he withdrew, saying to Chryaline, ``I have done what I can. Remember thy

promise unto me, and from this day thy people must hold the stars

holy. You are now people of the stars.''

Chryaline thought ``There will be no people of the stars soon, for the

drow will overrun us despite his aid.'' But this was not to be, for as

she thought it, the Goddess herself appeared, in a form too beautiful to

behold, soft as silver, a glimmering light in the night.

Drow, as all know, cannot abide the presence of the goddess, and

immediately fled into their dark holes, though many captives they took

that night who have never been heard of since. Greatest among these was

the loss of the great elven bard Sarka, who's song were accounted sweetest

and mightiest by the elves.

Chryaline bowed before the goddess in reverence at her appearance. Standing

robed in moonlight and mist before the great oak, Selene addressed the

Lady of Grenchise, saying ``My child, what troubles you here?'' and

the Lady replied, ``We are not meant for conflict, Great Lady, the

drow have vanquished us.''

Nodding sagely, the Goddess replied, ``This is true, and I shall remedy

the situation, but the cost is high, and one of you must leave the kindred

forever, to serve me unto the uttermost extent of days.''

Then did dismay fall among elven kin, for families and kindred are as

important to the elven kin as clans are to the dwarven. Nonetheless,

the elf made Chryaline stepped forward, and said, ``Goddess, my people

are dearer to me than water and wine themselves, yet I will serve

thee, unto the uttermost extent of days.''

A gasp arose from the gathered kindred, for they knew what must then

follow, but Selene smiled, and said ``Thy courage becomes thee, my

daughter. Now say goodbye to thy kin, and step forward.''

Chryaline stepped forward, and Selene cupped her hands around

the maid's head, saying, ``Thou are my priest, forever. Thy name

is now Bardor.'' Light flared in the room, and coursed through

Chryaline's, now Bardor's, body, and when it finished a male figure,

bearing the likeness of Chryaline but unmistakably male stood there.

``Perform they first service, Bardor.'' Selene instructed.

Bardor cupped his hands and stared intently at them, then clapped them

together and a small star-like jewel floated in the air.

Selene said, ``This is the path to thy new home, my children. Here you

will grow and be safe from the pains of the world, should you choose to

leave this place. Fare thee well.''

A beam of moonlight lanced into the night sky, and suddenly Selene and

Bardor were gone. But the elves used the star-like jewel, and found

their new home. Healing and happiness were found there, but even to this

day the elves remember their home in Grenchise, and the dear kin they

lost there. The Lord of Elvendom himself often journeys forth, in a

guise unrecognizable, to see what transpires in the world he left behind,

even his people do not often know his whereabouts.

Of Sarka and others, rumors came from time to time to Elfland that some

lived, but the captives have never seen the place Selene prepared for them,

and the drow still rule in Grenchise.