On Alais d’ Nitesong Sidhe

“Alais is my oldest living friend, excluding my wife. We met over twenty years ago in Rhydin‘s Dueling Arena.”

“Alais had long been a member of the Questrion dueling school. In all that time, she had not attained the dueling rank of Warlord when Questrion closed. Despite having never spoken before, Alais approached me to ask to become a Dojo Darelir student. Admiring her dedication, I agreed. Alais’s dueling skills were already complete; she needed only some refinement, and perhaps the new perspective of a different teacher. She achieved Warlord rank within a month of our first training session and later had a reign as Overlord.”

“When we met, Alais was Heiress of the Eldarië realm of Nitesong Sidhe. She has since abdicated in favor of her son, Telemachus.”

“Alais and I sometimes do not see each other for months, or even years; both of us being involved with numerous duties and pursuits. That has not harmed the depth of our friendship. I have trusted Alais as no other, and she has trusted me with her realm and with her twin children: Telemachus and Alia Anor.”

“Alais was already a powerful mage when we met. She was not satisfied with this, however, and desired to achieve mastery in all magical disciplines. Her acquaintance with the necromancer-king Morrin of Annara led to her becoming his apprentice. I did not agree with her decision but supported it regardless. Many dark years spent in Riverbend Keep was the price Alais paid to become an Annaran necromancer and qualify as an arch-mage. It was a very high price.”