Dannah, the Rooked

Once, long ago before the days of the orlock occupation when Midveil was a haven of elven culture salvaged from the old world, Eldannath was a dedicated scholar who spent much of her time leafing through the pages of ancient texts housed in the Tome.  She was fascinated by the tales pre-dating the Breaking of the Moon and horrified by the catastrophic loss of so much culture and beauty following the apocalypse.  Her thirst for knowledge combined with her superior intellect were only exceeded by her near-ethereal presence. As one of the few remaining kandowen elves, her appearance was exotic even among those living in Midveil. Other scholars would often be intimidated by her presence, feeling threatened by someone so exotic, yet so knowledgeable. Her perceived character by those in the Tome couldn't be farther from the truth, however. A very warm and caring individual, she did what she could to spread the knowledge she gained and share the ancient tales of the elves which had come so close to being lost forever.

When the servants of the Wheelhouse arrived in Midveil, Eldannath knew that the quiet, secluded life she had known in town was surely at an end. She was correct but had no idea how dire the circumstances truly were. Eldannath did what she could to gather books of priceless information as well as scrolls, potions, and texts once penned in a world that could only be dreamed of now. But shortly after hiding these treasures, the Moonskull orlocks of the neighboring forest invaded, and a bad situation soon turned to a nightmare. Surviving the battle, Eldannath, like the other few survivors, found herself reined of her innate magic and left as a “hollow elf.”

Captured by the orlock chieftain, Krale, she was beaten, then made to serve he and his family as they settled into the rule of the town. Krale stripped her of all ties she had previously known, including her true name. Calling her “Dannah,” or often simply, “the Rooked,” to add insult to injury, she was named the caretaker of the Briar Seat and forced to act as nursemaid to Krale’s son, Triggor. Her place in the baron’s home, and her seemingly broken spirit sent a message to those elves who remained in the town: the time of the elves had passed, and a new power resided in the Briar Seat of Midveil.

Yet, in truth, Dannah’s spirit remained stronger than ever, and what was once a hunger for ancient knowledge turned into a focused desire to protect what little of that heritage remained. And alongside that desire burned a distinct need for revenge.

Dannah worked secretly with the leader of the hollow elves, Finril and other sympathizers who remained in Midveil, supplying them with information and invaluable knowledge salvaged from the Tome. With this, the hollow elves were able to cultivate herbal concoctions and even track down the elusive cullden potion which temporarily restored their magic.

Her greatest desire now resided in her ability to turn Furon, the son of the current baron, Triggor, against his father. For all the years of Furon’s life, Dannah nursed him, just as she had his father. However, in Furon Dannah discovered a far more sympathetic personality than she had previously seen in the ruling family.  Furthermore, she carefully navigated Furon around the lies and propaganda perpetuated by Triggor and his elite guar, the Maulers, allowing the young man to see the consequences of such cruelty and the truth of what happened to the elves who once called this home. Though it was her goal to turn Furon into a weapon against the other orlocks, Dannah discovered within herself the capacity to love. Despite her need for vengeance, she could not deny the motherly affection she bore for him.

In the four decades that have passed since the orlock invasion, Dannah managed to hide away numerous items of interest and power. Although dormant in the hands of a hollow elf, she knew that with the use of cullden, the elves would once again be capable of wielding their old magic. Additionally, she knew that there were others within the town who might rally against the baron if the situation were to demand it and the time was right.

In this manner, with great patience, she sowed the seeds of unrest while keeping the ancient spirit of Midveil alive, in secret, amongst the elves and perhaps within the baron’s son as well. 

Todd VanHooser

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