Teylin, the Ash Knight

Mistaleinn, the Day's Weald

Teylin, new to his errantry as the Ash Knight, walked the unaligned kingdoms of the mortal world and came to a grand, distant palace. There was a great tree in the courtyard and, in its shade, a table laid out as if for banquet, but no servants or lords in attendance. Teylin was hungry from his journeying but did not assume a right to hospitality, and so resolved to lay beneath the tree until some being came to make him welcome. As the sun set into night, an owl spoke from the tree and warned the elf against staying. A warrior came with every dawn, the owl said, to claim the palace's bounty, and no hero had yet stood against him until noon.

The elf noted the tree's golden bough, and the truce it represented, but the owl insisted: to stay was to fight, come dawn. Teylin resolved not to flee, whereupon the owl invited him to at least feast on a final banquet, as set upon the table. Teylin agreed, and soon uncovered puddings, venison, fruits and all manner of viands. The cheese he crumbled onto the floor, and indicated that the owl should have its fill of the mice so attracted.

At dawn the warrior came, armored all in green from head to toe. He made challenge to Teylin, and then they lay to in many passes, each against the other, with much blood spilt thereby. Neither had gained the upper hand, until at last Teylin's nameless sword broke against the warrior's scales. In that moment did the owl tip the golden bough down from the tree and, grasping hold, Teylin stabbed that wood through the warrior's heart.

The warrior's death came as a breath of darkness cast over the palace, and faded like a sigh, 'til his armor was only leaves and nothing of his body remained, if anything there had ever been at all. Where once was an owl now stood a queen, wrapped in a cloak of feathers, an old curse broken, as is the way of these things. And the lethal bough, blessed with thanks by a queenly hand, became a wooden sword. (Sunblade +2)

Mimethir, the Heart's Hoard

Teylin nearly fell in the Autumn War, when Fomorians marched en mass on Mithrendain. He knew that if he was to survive more such battles, he would need better armor. So he traveled into Sighwood, the Nightmare Forest, in search of the hag, Greentooth, and her boon. Greentooth agreed to make Teylin's armor, but demanded three years' service in return. The bargain was struck, and the hag began her work.

For the first year, Greentooth changed Teylin into a nightengale. Each day, he carried twigs from a high oak branch to build his nest, but the hag would snatch one away and the nest would crumble by dusk, allowing him no rest.

For the second year, Greentooth changed Teylin into a salmon. Each day, he rose to the water's surface to search for bugs to eat, but Greentooth cast brambles into the pool and the bugs would flit away, allowing him no food.

For the third year, Greentooth changed Teylin into a stag. Each day, he foraged for food in the woods, and he found it, and he lived in peace. But when the year was done, the hag leaped at him with a bone-edged knife and skinned him down.

When Greentooth was done, she had a cut stag-hide in her hand and Teylin lay, stunned and an elf again, on the forest floor. The hag then split the twigs she'd stolen into thread and tanned the stag hide in the salmon pool, and from this created Teylin's armor. (Elven Battle Hide Armor +2)

Herne's Knot

Teylin's elder brother went missing, and his younger brother soon followed into mystery. As the years rolled by and neither reappeared, he at last feared the worst. But Teylin could find no word of them in his wanderings and at last sought to know if they had passed death's bourne. For nine days and nights Teylin walked without rest or sleep until, at last, he set his feet in the Shadowfell. Nor did he stop, even then, but walked on to Groomwrought, city of the dead.

In the black basalt temple there Teylin found Herne, a Shadar-kai witch, and demanded knowledge of his brothers' fate. Herne agreed to open Wee Jas the Raven Queen's sacred book, but only if Teylin could wrestle him to the ground - one fall for each brother. Herne came at Teylin once, his arms straining with power, but the elf cast him down. The Shadar-kai came again, his hands twisted into claws, but again Teylin prevailed.

The witch was impressed with Teylin's skill; much more, he said, because the elf had held death in his arms - war-wounds in the first bout, age in the second. Herne not only told Teylin that his brothers still lived, but in answer to his bravery he also twisted for him a special belt buckle from Shadowfell steel. (Survivor's Belt)

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Crowns of the Dawn