FERANDUIL

Feranduil was an elf of the Kingdom of Luthryn and notable warrior during the War of Fury. Serving under King Eronvyr, Feranduil commanded an extremely successful military campaign deep into Yandirim. Upon sacking the fortress Thangorim, he took the Tystar Miz'daak but caved into the temptation of eternal life and kept it for himself. Miz'daak prolonged his life to the unnaturally long age of 198, but when this was discovered, he was brought before King Firgon the Just of Galarad and had it taken from him. Some years later, he was captured and tortured by Angalok for information regarding the whereabouts of the hidden city Altara. After succumbing to his pain and revealing Altara's location, Feranduil was released but overcome with such shame that he ended his own life.

Champion of Luthryn
Feranduil lived his early life in obscurity, as he was not of royal blood or great renown. He was born in the Kingdom of Luthryn under the reign of King Tironvyr I to a modest family. His father, Ferathuil, was a hunter while his mother, Arwel, sowed cloth. When Vulker's wicked host marched deeper into Hal'hamoth seeking to destroy all life, Feranduil was taken to war at the young age of 19 and rose from his diminutive beginnings to become one of Luthryn's best warriors. King Eronvyr, who was too old to lead his elves in battle, promoted Feranduil as commander over his entire army in 1395. From then on, the young champion strove to drive out the dark powers of Yandirim and ensure the safety of his homeland.

In 1398, a battalion of orgoks laid siege to the Luthryn city of Elthryn. Feranduil and an elven army quickly broke off the siege, driving the orgoks back to Yandirim. After securing victory, he marched his army ambitiously south, hoping to orchestrate a counter-attack. Vulker's servant, the terrifying Angalok, however, intercepted their advance with a much larger force, thus ensuing battle. But Feranduil fought valiantly, driving back the orgoks and even forcing Angalok to flee. Filled with fervent vigor, he and his elves continued south into Yandirim and laid siege to the dark fortress Thangorim.

The Theft of Miz'daak
Thangorim was a well-built fortress, being the home of Malakor, but he was not present and Feranduil and his army overwhelmed its defenders, sacking it within a month. As they plundered its treasure hordes, they came across the Tystar Miz'daak. Feranduil brought it home with him, robbing Malakor of his greatest prize. He and his elves returned to Luthryn and were hailed as heroes. Because of their victories against Yandirim, orgoks were never seen again within Luthryn's borders. The forces of Chaos, however, were not finished corrupting its people. Vailius, the Valikori of vanity, began whispering temptations in Feranduil's ear, beckoning him to keep the Tystar for himself to achieve everlasting life. Such thoughts were splendid to the already-magnificent hero's mind, and he strongly desired Miz'daak for himself. Thus, he did not present it to King Eronvyl but kept it in secret. For much of his life hereafter, Vailius and Bilkath, the Valikor of death, filled his mind with an overwhelming fear of death and dependency on the Tystar.

Feranduil's Continued War Against Vulker
In 1434, King Eronvyl died of old age and was succeeded by his son, Erevonyl. Luthryn's new king was ambitious, much unlike his father, and rode with Feranduil to assault the armies of Yandirim. Joining them was Eventar of Lindevell, who wielded a blade of orethinium. The three of them scored crucial victories against many orgok convoys, causing Vulker to shift his invasion elsewhere.

When Yandirim no longer posed a threat towards the Kingdom of Luthryn, Feranduil offered his services as a mercenary to the other elven realms of Hal'hamoth. Though his heart was selfish in keeping the Tystar, he fought fiercely to defend the free peoples from Vulker's reach. Because he was a very skilled swordsman, he found himself employed by King Firgon of Galarad to defend his outlying outposts from orgoks. He was successful for many years, preventing Vulker from coming near the hidden city of Altara.

King Firgon's Justice Upon Feranduil
Firgon, however, never trusted his new servant, and as time passed, it became apparent that Feranduil was unsusceptible to aging. Suspicious that he had a Tystar in his possession, Firgon publicly decreed the outlawing of all such supernatural devices. When no confession was made, Firgon sent guards to raid Feranduil's home in Luthryn. After searching diligently for hours, they discovered the Tystar hidden away and reported their findings to Firgon. Feranduil was then brought before the royal court in trial. Though he pleaded his case, claiming he was seduced by a Valikori, he was sentenced to banishment and cast out from Galarad. Miz'daak was eventually kept safe in the vaults of Altara under the supervision of King Firgon, who hence became known as the Just.

Capture and Death
Feranduil dwelt alone in the outskirts of Luthryn for the remainder of his life, unwilling to return home for fear of shame and humiliation. He lived another 124 years, for his body had been transformed to that of a 20 year old's the last time he drank from his Tystar. During his exile, his soul was ridden with guilt and mourning, and he greatly wished that he would die.

Unexpectedly, a black rider arrived and captured Feranduil, bringing him to the fortress of Mo'rang within the borders of Yandirim. His captor was none other than Angalok, the dark lord's most frightening servant. He had taken Feranduil for information regarding Altara's whereabouts, for the city was hidden and its king, Firgon, had in its vaults two Tystarii - Miz'daak and Ba'goroth. Vulker's fallen Amandiri needed the Tystarii to prolong their lives, for they were slowly dying. When Feranduil refused to speak, though he was promised release if he did, Angalok tortured him by means of fire, burning his skin slowly so that it caused him much pain. Finally, he succumbed to Angalok's methods and revealed the secret location of Altara. Abiding by his word, Angalok released Feranduil, who returned to his home in even greater shame.

Unable to live with himself any longer, Feranduil fell upon his own sword, for he hated his very self. His body was left to decay and when his bones were found decades later, none knew whose they were. Feranduil died in obscurity, though this was his deepest desire, for he viewed his life ultimately as a disgrace.

CHARACTER TRAITS
Perhaps more than any other elven hero, Feranduil was internally embattled with incredible struggle. Within his heart burned an intense passion to drive out Vulker and his evil minions from the lands of Hal'hamoth, but concurrently there existed also a constant dread of his own mortality. Feranduil lived an incredibly long life, but most of it was tainted with anxiety and an unwillingness to accept death's certainty. Thus, upon acquiring the Tystar Miz'daak, Feranduil kept it to himself and abused it for many years to alleviate his angst.

Feranduil's fear of death did not extend to the battlefield, however, but was more pertinent towards sickness and old age. In fact, he was a valiant warrior and led armies of thousands to many victories against the dark lord. So successful and charismatic was he that King Eronvyr even granted him command over his entire host. Wherever Feranduil fought, victory was sure to follow, whether under the banner of Luthryn or Galarad.

Whatever glory Feranduil won in war, however, he lost when his use of Miz'daak was discovered and revealed to the people of Galarad. King Firgon's stern hand upon him rendered him inescapable guilt, and he even refused to return home out of shame. When near death at the hand of Angalok, he released the location of Altara, only increasing his remorse tenfold. Though Angalok released him, Feranduil found no worth in himself and ended his own life, which he had fought for so many years to prolong.

Feranduil's life was an ironically tragic one; though he fought earnestly for the free peoples of Hal'hamoth, his own selfishness and fear of death prevented him from doing so with a pure heart, and while he strove to achieve everlasting life, his quests filled him with such disgust and self-loathing that he ended his life, even by his own hand.