Gil-Tanael & mishquashim

Back in the second age, when the world was young there lived a young elven maid named Mishquashim. she was well skilled in the arts of song and dance and beautiful to behold. her hair was red as the most beautiful sunrise and her spirit was strong and she was kind and good of heart.

Alas she grew weary of the mortal world much quicker then her kin for back then elves roamed the land for ages unchecked and many could boast of millennia of existence.

As for Mishquashim, as the legend tells, she gathered her close friends and relatives a little short of her 3 hundred winters mark and informed them of her will to set sail to The undying Lands of Avalor. suffice it is to say that her wishes were a surprise to many, however non was taken aback more then a young elven lad named Gil-Tanael.

A short time later, Mishquashim was standing upon the deck of a swan-ship due to sail north-east, never to return, waving her hand towards those who would come to bid her a last farewell.

Unbeknownst to her in that same crowd stood a young elf who would harbor a secret love to her. his name was Gil-Tanael and even as the vessel left the port he could not bring himself to utter a single word.

The reason of his silence? some say he was simply shy, other state that he was much-younger than Mishquashim (barely considered a grown man) and yet others would point out, that to stand in the way of one who wishes to sail to the land of song and dance was simply a thing not to be done in the eyes of the elves of the second age.

Whatever was the reason, as Gil-Tanael found himself alone and bereft, he vowed never to relinquish his love.

for the better part of a century Gil-Tanael roamed the continent of Arzul, gaining fame and renown for his cunning and his prowess as a warrior.

For all his journeys he never relinquished his love to Mishquashim and would always try go glean knowledge of Avalor.

One day Gil-Tanael came upon a spirit named Norsul-Khaz.

The true nature of said spirit is uncertain and little is know of it's motivation and allegiance.

Norsul -Khaz revealed to Gil-Tanael that indeed, Mishquashim is not entirely lost and that any mortal soul to witness daybreak in The undying Lands of Avalor , will lose his former consciousness and would forever roam the land of song and dance.

He bestowed upon Gil-Tanael an amulet of protection to ward him from becoming one of the roaming spirits but warned him that he could move about only at nighttime.

with this knowledge Gil-Tanael built a ship and set his sail north east.

Upon landing on the soil of The undying Lands of Avalor, Gil-Tanael was careful to move at night and hide during the day.

For many months did he search for his loved one, until he finally found her. alas, by this time the god Callenish-Ur had become aware of his presence on his beloved soil.

Callenish-Ur had appeared before Gil-Tanael and pleaded with him to undertake 3 challenges with his beloved Mishquashim, in order to prove that she is indeed willing to forgo the bliss of his realm.

However, those trials were nothing more than an attempt to bide time, for Callenish-Ur knew full well that the mortal coil of Mishquashim was about to wither and her soul was by this time close to embark upon it's final journey.

For precious weeks Gil-Tanael and his beloved roamed the famed lands of song and dance striving to complete the tasks stipulated by the God, and even though Mishquashim barely gave any inclination of her former self, or even recognizing Gil-Tanael, she did not obstruct his efforts and even seemed to help him best she could.

At last all the tasks were completed and even Callenish-Ur had to concede.

As Gil-Tanael had finished toiling to prepare his moored vessel to become seaworthy again, he beckoned his beloved to join them and become the first mortal soul ever to return from the land of Avalor.

Mishquashim began to walk toward him. all of the sudden she had paused claiming to feel the burden tiredness. she sat on a log to catch her breath and much to the horror of Gil-Tanael transformed to an old tree.

It is said that in the final moments before her passing, she regained her clarity and admitting she was wrong to relinquish the mortal lands, professed her love to him.

Gil-Tanael was livid and his grief and fury knew no boundaries as he was suddenly made aware of the deception by the cunning god .

The legend tells that from this day onward Gil-Tanael became a spirit, forever cursed to roam the land at night, quenching his thirst with the blood of the unsuspecting elven kin who roamed the lands carefree.

Little by little the The undying Lands of Avalor were becoming a nightmare rather than a dream. Some say that there were other forces at play and other stories that had transpired to cause Callenish-Ur to relinquish his hold upon the continent of Arthena.

Whatever the ultimate cause had been, at the end of the second age this land no longer provided shelter to the world weary elves.

Callenish-Ur was made to admit his mistake and from this day forth the elves no longer possessed an unlimited lifespan. though not visibly aging their time was henceforth limited to just about a millennia.

As for Gil-Tanael he continued to roam the land at night, his curse of bloodthirsty rage and eternal life passed on to his chosen victims. forever searching the reincarnation of his beloved, forever cursed to be denied her love.