Mikansia: The female elven Sword Singer, played by Lena. Mikansia was pushed off of their floating island by her friend, Jabez, so that way she could go and find her father, the evil Krakeru, without breaking her oath to The White Tower. She's currently on an elven ship that is commandeered by smuggler humans. Oh joy.
Firstsword Yngvar: Mikansia's first-line officer, present at her disciplinary hearing. Silent guy.
Lore: The Iron Forest, which is where Elfharrow is, is an actual forest of trees that are made of living metal. The ecosystem has adjusted. It's not a nice place.
The smugglers flew their stolen ship almost as well as any elf. Belting out line after bawdy line, they flew the ship with an enthusiasm that was as endearing as their singing was disturbing. Even the bawdiest of elves would not have thought of some of the things that these... humans... were proudly singing at the top of their lungs about elven anatomy, as well as how their melancholic nature prevented them from truly loving the... finer... things in life. Essentially, the smugglers left Mikansia alone. They flew the vessel and sang. And she sat in the back and wondered what the hell was going on.
They finally got to the snow-covered surface and Mikansia hopped out. The captain bowed to her and thanked her for being such an easy cargo, given the payment. One of the smugglers held up Jabez's sword. The captain thanked him for catching it as they flew through the air. Taken aback, Mikansia asked why they had Jabez's sword, which he had intended to turn in to become an officer. The captain told her that the sword would sell for a small fortune for them, being that it was elven work. Mikansia found herself asking if she could swap her sword for Jabez's. They were both elven work, so how would that affect the selling price? The captain reflected a moment, and said the buyer certainly wouldn't know the difference. He grabbed Jabez's sword and came back to her. They exchanged swords as the exact same time, at his insistence. With a tip of his cap jumped back aboard his ship. They were off, starting that ridiculously bawdy song all over again.
Mikansia smiled, shook her head, and began to take stock of her surroundings. It was a clear, dry, cold night. The moon shimmered on the iron trees and leaves, with a soft glow emanating off of the forest. The forest cut behind her to the south and went to the northwest. The east and north was an open snow plain, receding into the dark. Somewhere in the forest Mikansia could hear a metallic cough, followed by a belch. It repeated itself a couple of times. Soon after Mikansia heard another cough and belch, in response. They went back and forth for a long time. Looking to the north Mikansia saw campfires, probably ten miles out. That was probably Elfwatch, the human fort that Mikansia had heard of in her briefings on Elfharrow. They would probably be a good resource, she thought.
Mikansia crept north slowly, carefully, painstakingly, until the morning light crept over over the horizon. She was in sight of the fort. An elven ship came flying lower over the forest, the emblem of the White Tower emblazoned on its side. Mikansia crept along under it, towards Elfwatch. The ship flew off, over the forest.
When she got to the gate of Elfwatch a warning shot was fired from the wall. Mikansia was ordered to halt. She obeyed, and tried to explain her situation the best she could, but it was useless. She was an elf. They were not going to listen to her. A group of soldiers came out and knocked her out. Mikansia did not resist.
She woke up a few hours later. She was unarmed and in a cell, with no one in the cell with her. But she wasn't alone. Outside of her cell sat a man, staring at her. He didn't say anything. He just gazed at her. And Mikansia tried to ignore it.
Someone eventually came into the jail area, snorted in derision at "Lerance", and told him to get out, shoving him out the door. He sat down, apologized, and introduced himself as Pierre, the man who had disobeyed orders and not shot her dead when told to. He wanted to hear her story, now that she as no longer in danger of being shot. But he'd better be straight with her, otherwise he'd let Lerance back in, open the door to her cell, lock the jail door, and try not to mind the screams of yet another dark elf. Giving the name "Miekonnen", Mikansia told Pierre about her quest to Krakeru, the elf who had destroyed her family. She wasn't a dark elf, she didn't want to harm anyone at the fort, she just wanted Krakeru.
Getting up, Pierre put his chair under the knob of the door. Looking back at Mikansia's concerned expression he chuckled, apologized for how that looked, and took the chair away. He came up close to the shell and pulled up his shirt.
The ugliest scar Mikansia had ever seen stared out at her.
It had healed over, but it had a bubbly texture to it, even now... Pierre told her that Krakeru had done that, right on the field of battle, as if he'd just stopped for a little break. The things Krakeru had done to get that scar to look how it did would haunt Pierre for the rest of his days.
The shouts that a flying ship was coming into the fort leaked through the door. Pierre went back outside. Mikansia smiled as the soldiers talked about what legendary warriors those of The White Tower were. After a few minutes Pierre came back in. He explained that a certain Yngvar was looking a "Mikansia", but since the guards didn't know of a Mikansia they'd sent him packing. Pierre said he realized how personal this was for now, and that it was just as personal to him. Pierre was going to break "Miekonnen" out of prison, and they would go off to kill Krakeru, because Pierre knew where he was. And he was excited to get them there.
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