Teylin, the Ash Knight
Mistaleinn, the Day's Weald
As Teylin walked through the wild and unaligned kingdoms of the mortal world, he came to a grand, distant palace. A great tree stood in the courtyard and, tired from his journey, Teylin lay in its shade. As he dreamed his elven dreams, a lady dressed all in green and gave him welcome, but also warned him against staying. She was the queen of that place, she said, and told of a fierce warrior. This warrior came with every night to terrorize the palace and claim its bounty. No one had yet been able to stand against him.
Teylin did not flee, but lay in wait. When the warrior came, armored all in green from head to toe, he lay to. They made many passes against each other, with neither gaining the upper hand, until at last Teylin's nameless sword broke against the warrior's scales. He cast about him for a replacement and found a branch, fallen from the tree in the courtyard. This he stabbed it through the warrior's heart.
The warrior's death came as a breath of darkness cast over the palace, and faded like a sigh. The warrior was gone and in his place was the queen. She spoke of the curse she had been under and her new freedom, and she blessed the branch still stuck in her chest; it was now 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 Teylith 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)
