Jiana Silvermane  was having a blast. She had been playing with her friends in the Forest prior to the annual migration. They were heading North again to the glorious foothills of the Griffon Range. It was the summer playground for the Faela. The time of making new relationships and remembering old ones. Reconnecting with the beautiful world of the silk business. They would be releasing the gorgeous butterflies into the world to mate and lay eggs for the caterpillars that made the soft silk fibers the Faela needed for their silk factories.<br/><br/>Jiana was happy to be heading North this year. She had her eye on a handsome male who was simply gorgeous. He was very busy honing his crafts and seldom saw Jiana as she did her work. But this year she was moving up. She would be honing her archery skills to be guarding the butterflies as they hatched out of their cocoons. Many enemies sought out the pretty butterflies. Mostly birds and snakes and other small animals. If the butterflies did not get a chance to let their wings dry they would be helpless prey.<br/><br/>No more gathering berries and other herbs for dyes. This year she had responsibility and a chance to meet the one she had her eye on. She was playing hide and seek with her best friends Gaily and Iris. They were deep in the Forest, deeper than they had ever gone before. All three felt adventurous and bold. None of them was prepared for the shock they were to receive.<br/><br/>It started out as a premonition. Gaily had stopped to rest at the top of a tall elm tree and looked to the East. Curious, she called down to the other two girls. “What is that? It’s all dark and sinister...like a creeping black mist. Is it smoke?”<br/><br/>Jiana flew up to look as did Iris. They were both stymied. “I have no clue, it might be a fire. Maybe we should warn the Grenida Rangers. This is their territory.”<br/><br/>Iris shrugged. “They might already know. I am going to go and look. Maybe it’s a new discovery!”<br/><br/>Before Jiana and Gaily could stop her, Iris flew down to the creeping fog to get a closer look. “I have a bad feeling about this, Jiana.” the blue Faela known as Gaily remarked.<br/><br/>They watched curiously as Iris went closer. Suddenly a high pitched scream rang out and Iris was drawn into the fog even as she tried furiously to fly away. The scream was cut off rather short. And the black fog billowed out towards them!<br/><br/>“RUN!!” yelled Gaily and she took off as fast as she could fly. Jiana right behind her.<br/><br/>As they flew as fast as they could for the safety of the Ranger’s station, Gaily flew right into a forest spider’s web. Jiana tried to pull her friend free. Glancing back as the creeping black fog drew closer. Gaily was caught completely and the spider was hurrying to catch her prey.<br/><br/>“Run! Jiana, go and warn the village do not stop!! Go!! Fly and stay high, the fog is almost here, GO!!!” Gaily screamed at her friend.<br/><br/>“I can’t leave you!” Jiana cried. Great tears rolled down her cheeks as she fitted an arrow and killed the spider. “Come on, I will carry you!”<br/><br/>“No you have to warn the village, I gladly make this sacrifice for all the Elves. Remember me Jiana. Now go!” Gaily shoved her friend away and folded her broken wings and prayed.<br/><br/>Jiana could not fight the tears, but she saw the menacing fog closing in. She thought she saw hideous shapes in the mist. Gulping in terror now, she fled. Flying higher and above the fog she spotted a ranger who was on patrol. Darting towards him screaming.  “Danger!! There is a black fog coming!! I have already lost two friends to it!”<br/><br/>The Ranger was a tall Grenida who was riding a prancing paint horse. He grabbed Jiana carefully and settled her on the saddle even as he turned the nervous horse around to run. “Hang on! We will get to safety!” The prancing horse leaped with the surefooted grace of all Elven steeds. Weaving in and out of the grasping trees, they dodged the huge spider webs and jumped over the dead trees across their path.<br/><br/>They rode hard for the river, and the wards set up there against the magic. “I am Lazir Oakblade. The Ebon Mist should not cross the river, I hope we can warn the village in time. Who are you, little one?”<br/><br/>Jiana snuggled close to the Ranger and in a muffled voice she managed. “Jiana Silvermane. My friends are dead…” she sobbed.<br/><br/>“Tis a risk you take playing out here in the Wilds, young Faela. I am sorry for your loss. But it will not be in vain. I must warn the King the Ebon Mist is rising.” He was troubled. The Ebon Mist had not risen in over a thousand years. Someone must have tampered with the Wards. As they barreled along, Lazir lifted his voice in a clear tenor and begged the trees to grant them safe passage. Jiana was surprised to see the trees begin to move aside as the horse galloped along.<br/><br/>Across the river, the Ranger set Jia down on the wooden boardwalk and dismounted. The village guards came running. Lazir told them of the Ebon Mist and they should urge everyone to head to the capital city of the Grenida, Oldorin, which was about fifty miles to the south. “Do not waste time with all your possessions, take only what you need to make the trip. If the Ebon Mist stays on the far side of the river Thangres we will be safe for now, but it may try to cross. Better to be safe while we warn the High King. I am sure he will send someone to investigate.”<br/><br/>The villagers were quick in their packing and escapes down the road to the capital. Jia went with them, riding in a wagon loaded with all the worldly possessions of a family she had known for a long time.<br/><br/>When they reached the capital, Lazir took her to see the High King. Jia was scared and nervous. The herald announced her as Ranger Jiana Silvermane. The High King beckoned her closer. “What is it you saw, Ranger Silvermane? Lazir tells of an Ebon Mist?” he had kind eyes and his face was serious.<br/><br/>(http://img.blog.zdn.vn/26854596.jpg)<br/><br/>“Yessir. Your Majesty. I was with my friends, Gaily and Iris…” she stopped to fight back tears. Her sobs loud in the Grand Hall.<br/><br/>To her surprise, the King himself knelt to put his arms around her, holding the sobbing Faela tenderly. “It’s all right, Jiana. We will remember them and I will make sure their families are notified. Their loss is keenly felt.”<br/><br/>He let her collect herself and he sat on the floor to hear the rest of the tale. There was not a dry eye in the room. The Queen came down and sat beside Jiana as well and offered her a pillow to rest on. “Poor Jiana, I am so sorry you lost your friends.”<br/><br/>(http://amz02.plzcdn.com/04fc02108e53d14d1812da7430f21158_medium.jpg)<br/><br/>Emortalis nodded and called for his Council. “We must send a delegation out to investigate this Ebon Mist. There must be a cause and we will find a way to banish it. All rangers in the area are to report as soon as possible and evacuate all villages within the fifty mile radius around the area. I shall have scholars and wise men of the Arcane assemble to figure it out.”<br/><br/>The Head Magister arrived and listened with great interest as he was filled in. Paolintus was a Master of the Arcane and he was the Head of the Mage Council. He was an Elder with over six hundred years of experience as a mage. “This sounds very suspicious. Many centuries ago we had an incident like this. It was some Trolls who had been experimenting with Dark Magic. If I recall correctly they wiped out their entire clan. Those ruins are all that is left of their civilization. If there is anything there, it is likely to be Undead or Restless Spirits. We must send our best to investigate. A small party with protections against magic will be able to penetrate the Mist and find it’s source.”<br/><br/>The King nodded gravely. “I remember my father talking about it. The trolls were always on the edge of something bad. He said they wiped out most of the troll population with some kind of experiment. All he could say about it was he hoped it never came back. But there should be some records in the Library. Do you mind if I send Jiana in to help the mages find it? I think she will enjoy the Library.”<br/><br/>The Elder mage smiled, he knew exactly what the King was up to, trying to keep Jia’s mind off the loss of her friends, by giving her a job to do. “I would most appreciate the agility of a Faela to find the scrolls and manuscripts at the top of the shelves. Come, Jia. Let me show you the largest Library in all of the Elven lands.”<br/><br/>Jia was still upset and was about to refuse. But she had a duty to do and she was not one to shirk it. “I must tell the Faela of this, my Lord. They will be worried.”<br/>The King shook his head. “I will see to it that they are informed, Jiana. Right now I need to find some people I can trust to investigate this tragedy. I would like some members of all the tribes represented. To give a broad perspective and to have a chance to vanquish this problem before it gets any worse.”<br/><br/>She bowed to her King and went with the Lord Magister. The Great Hall was now a buzz with whispers and speculation. Emortalis called for his scribe and had the following notice put up. It was sent to all the major gathering places in the city. It had the stamp of a Royal Decree on it.<br/><br/>-------------------<br/>By Order of His Majesty High King Emortalis Lightsword<br/><br/>Hereby declare a state of emergency.<br/><br/>Volunteers needed for a very important and dangerous assignment. A small party will investigate the sighting of the Ebon Mist in the ruins to the north of the Capital. Full provisions and compensation offered.<br/><br/>This is a very dangerous assignment. Magisters, Clerics, Warriors, Rangers and Rogues are encouraged to apply with the Captain of the Guard, Kaelen Brightarrow, as soon as possible.<br/><br/>The peace and security of our Great Nation depends on this quest. Only those qualified will be selected. A reward will be offered as well as the undying gratitude of the residents of our Great Land.<br/>