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CONCERNING ANDRYTHN DENCLYAN
In the High Days of Old, the Elder Folk lived in the land, which was called Elffanthun, the Elder Home, and were content. Yet the Evil came among them, and they began their long struggle against the Darkness, and great and fierce was that war. Then a time came when younger ones among them wearied of the battle, and questioned why they should continue to strive. For years there was contention among them, and at last a decision was taken.
The Evil Bargain was made, and the Elder Folk, in return for their peace, agreed to give no aid nor succour to Mortal Men, but lately come into the world on the far-off lands.
Yet only barely was the pact made, only barely had the Lords of Darkness left to their new prey, when the Guardians of the World came in wrath. During the long war, they had given aid and counsel often to the Elder Ones, and even the strongest minds quailed at their coming forth. It was hardly necessary to say to the Elder Folk that the bargain they had reached was less than honourable, yet even most who disliked the agreement had concurred in it for the sake of their kindreds.
The Guardians of the World banished the Elder Folk from their beloved Elffanthun until they might redeem themselves by giving aid to Men against the Darkness. Yet for all this, they must be caught in a great and woeful trap, for though the evil pact was a thing of shame, yet had they sworn oaths to said pact, oaths which they must now break, though it would curse much of their enterprise.
And so it proved, for the Dark Ones found Men more ready for their traps, for skilful lies and shining promises, while Men found the Elder Ones strange, a different and distant folk, and few suffered to be allied with them willingly, at the first.
So it was that the Elder Folk fell into despair. When the dangers of the Darkness began to make themselves known, and a few Men were willing to stand with the exiles, the power of the Darkness seemed already invincible.
Andrythn Denclyan, also known as Andrythn Lundell, Andrythn the Shipmaker, purposed to brave the Ban of the Guardians, and seek their aid, for war was clearly preparing, and the Allies were not yet ready.
The trials and difficulties of his journey are set down elsewhere, but to put it shortly, he succeeded. The One called Lhim Lheduan, The Bright Wanderer, returned with him to the shores of Mortal Men, and with them they brought the Athantir, the Hopestone.
Athantir was a message, a symbol that all hope was not gone, and that victory was possible. it was an encouragement not to cease striving, and a promise of light in darkness.
But Andrythn had broken the Ban, and it was forbidden to him to dwell any more with his kindred, and he must roam the seas with the Bright Wanderer for company.
At Mhoranna Field, a battle was fought which destroyed an army of the Warlock Lord, yet the entire power of the Dark Lords was not rooted out and erased; for it had been a great and terrible battle, and there were Kings and Chiefs among men had led the most of their fighting men to battle, and now stood with barely enough for a bodyguard, and there were hosts of men who had come for the sake of loyalty to their leaders, and now saw King or Chieftain dead on the grass.
And very soon, contentions arose between the various groups, and it came nigh to being a matter of blows between late friends, so the host broke up, and went its ways, content with what many knew to be only a partial victory.
When Icar, in his imprisonment, called upon Andrythn for aid, he was calling on one who had done more than most for the uniting of the various branches of the Allies. It is not surprising that his appeal should be answered.