Ephemera — Prologue

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Prologue

A fragment of text that hints of memoirs written by Xenofos. Possibly Xenofos of Saiciae.

It seems like it was an eternity ago and in one way it can be said it is. So much has changed in my lifetime.
Cities and realms have been conquered, rulers have risen and fallen in their turn. It might come as surprise to those seeing my peaceful, bucolic existence today that I,
too, was involved in those faraway events. Looking at the pasture it seems kind of unreal to myself. It should not, for did they not touch the lives of a whole generation. Were we not all in one way or another involved?

But it is true I have not spoken much of what I did in the time the learned call the end of the Third age or the Thunderous twenties. Partly out of prudence.
It behooves a man to remain silent of the secrets and weaknesses of the great ones of the land. And I have met some. Kallyr of Kheldon, whom I never liked, but who perhaps would deserve more credit she is given these days. Fazzur, greatest strategos of his age, yet stuck in webs of intrigue, both his own and others.

Partly I have remained silent because memories are too painful even after decades. Too bittersweet.

Yet memory of great events should not be lost to eternity. I should know, for I once followed the Master of All Knowledge. So I have slowly written these present to parchment and while doing so, relived some of my youth.

In my youth I, Xenofos, rode with Varanis Saiciae, Lightbringer, who these days is perhaps better known as Varaena. My cousin. She was accompanied with varied band of heroes whose deeds are today known in songs and stories. Starting to merge with legends and mysteries.

This is my story from those days.

It was 1625 when Grandmother received a ragtag bunch of adventurers from the north introduced by my cousin Irillo and told Varanis and I to accompany them to Sartar.
We were all very young back then. I was twenty-three, Varanis was of same age. Berra, a Humakti from Sartar, even younger…