Leaves_of_the

Dear Amlaruil,
Mission contacts have fully accepted the comeback of the Elves of Evermeet. They have offered to jointly [censored] in the Dales. Zhentil Keep, a known enemy, has been growing steadily and gaining new allies and influence; this could be a large problem. Hand of Valor is attempting to reestablish contact with the Elven Court of Cormanthor forest. Your orders?

                                                                                                                                                       --Valar

My Dear Valar,
Well done!. The people of the Dales have been elf-friends for over a thousand years; it pleases me to hear that they remember the days when we built cities together, crafted mythals for each other, and fought fiends side by side.

Several other [censored] have reported the formation and expansion of the Zhent Alliance. Oppose them at every turn; it is only a matter of time before they hack the ancient forest of Cormanthor down, simply to expose and then plunder its secrets. I know that your standing orders were to reestablish contact and build alliances, but the Zhents are the enemies of all free peoples--and perhaps it will give them pause to know that the elves are united in opposition against them.

Are the N'Tel'Quess truly ready for a permanent link--[censored]? They wish us to return that strongly? My heart rejoices to hear such a welcome, but we must remain cautious. I will not stand for Evermeet to ever again be invaded by its enemies. If [censored], it must be kept secret to all but elf-friends, and must reside in a location whose security is impregnable. I trust your judgment on this matter. Contact me when you are ready to [censored] and I shall send one of the magi to assist you.

[Censored]

Contact with the Elven Court is long overdue. Consider the possibility of visiting Tangled Trees or Semberholme; many of those who stayed behind during the Retreat gathered in those places. Otherwise, it may interest you to know that two of your comrades--[censored]--have come together for the same purpose. As of their last reports, they were both in the [censored] keeping watch on the activities of the drow.

                                                                                                                                                               May the Seldarine watch over you,
                                                                                                                                                                                       Amlaruil

Amlaruil,
Have spoken to Coronal Irithyl of Semberholme; she seems wary of the prospect of increased ties between Evermeet and the mainland. Drow continue to infest Cormanthor, and evidence suggests that they are digging in and will be difficult to dislodge. The Dales Council offered the Hand of Valor the lordship of Mistledale; suggested an elven candidate to bridge the gap between elves and Dalesmen.

                                                                                                                                          --Valar

Valar,
It is wonderful to hear that you have met with initial success. Doubtless the Cormanthor drow will continue to be a major problem, but The People and the Dalesmen will be stronger standing together.

I have been speaking with Coronal Irithyl of Semberholme--she seems to see the Retreat as a personal breach of honor between myself and all the elves of Semberholme. Her feelings are strong, and she has a right to them, but ultimately I believe that she will see that, regardless of the past, we now fight for the same cause. You can leave her to me, and continue your focus on other aspects of our Return.

I have given the situation in Mistledale some thought, and I have just the candidate in mind. In fact, she's an old friend of yours: Velethuil Durriven. I'm not sure whether the two of you parted on good terms or not, but that shouldn't color your perception of her abilities. She's an accomplished speaker, an expert in the subtleties of both human and elven psychology, a student of human history and culture, and (as you well know), an elite rider in the Unicorn Corps. While not a noble, this probably works to our advantage, as she is less likely to arouse the animosity of the Semberholme elves, and will probably be able to relate to the humans better as a result.

Pending the acceptance of the Mistledale council, I will send her rendezvous with you and your companions. Accompanying her will be the first elves (other than a few individuals) to Return. Many of these will be a delegation to Semberholme, as well as a detachment of cavalry to aid in the defense of Mistledale, and a few scouts to probe the drow defenses in Cormanthor. These scouts will be largely independent, but consider them to be at your disposal if you require information or aid.

                                                                                                                                                   With my love and the blessings of the Seldarine,
                                                                                                                                                                     Amlaruil

Valar,
It has come to my attention that several of your colleagues have opened talks with a drow representative at the [censored]. Apparently the drow leader wishes to broker some sort of agreement, and has been in council with them for several days. Would you be interested in attending?

Be cautious if you do. I do not need to warn you of drow treachery.

                                                                                                                                              --Amlaruil

Queen Amlaruil,
As you have requested we have made contact with the Drow leader [censored]. Initial negotiations went succesful and from what we can tell [censored] speaks in earnest of his goals for his people. Meeting in the court of Cormanthor forest have both symbolic and signficant meaning in these current meetings with the drow. The drow wish to create an isolationist type nation within the northern part of the Cormanthor forest, including Myth Drannor. [censored] has agreed to keep all trade routes open, and even the possibility, albeit small possibility, of trading with the Dalesman. While this may not mean much for the elven people this is a sign of great faith of the drow, and is of great interest to the Dales.

The greatly anticipated return of the elves to Faerun has a double meaning with this context I believe. While this shows that the elves wish to resume contact with others on the world, this might prove a strong move to attempt recconciliation with our age old enemy, the drow. How amazing would it be if we could [censored]? I know these are strongly idealistic concepts, I believe it can work, if the drow are being truthful in their resolve.

Finally under the advisement of Sage Allegorical, I ask your permission to summon a council of the elves, with representatives of each elven subrace to speak for their kind on this matter, and to speak of the coming of the Elves in general, and also that the important members of the Dales connected to [censored] proposition also be included. Finally, and most importantly in my mind, I humbly suggest that you personally come to this council, as a councilor and most importantly as the symbolic embodiment of the entire elven nation in one being. I eagerly await your response, and with it perhaps ways I may go about contacting the proper Elven leaders. Thank you.

                                                                                                                                                        --Your Servant
                                                                                                                                                           Royal Assassin of the Moonflower court
                                                                                                                                                           Valar Amlaruil

Valar,
A reconciliation with the drow? It is beyond belief. Forgive me if I do not take this [censored] at his word that his people suddenly wish to live in peace after millenia of unceasing war. I am not a little surprised at your role in this; your hatred of the dark elves burned even brighter than mine--and, after [censored], it is difficult for me not to hate them.

Still, old grudges are not sufficient cause to prolong the long war with our dark cousins, and if they truly wish to end the fighting then we should listen to them. I shall follow your council and call a summit of the Tel-Quessir. Please do not, in your excitement, underestimate the difficulty of this undertaking. Such a council has not occurred for thousands of years, and it will not be easy to convince the elven leaders of Faerun to even attend, much less to agree to anything. It will take time, most likely several months.

As for your part, my dear Valar, do not concern yourself with contacting the other elven leaders. That is an undertaking beyond even your level of diplomatic skill, and most likely beyond your patience as well. Instead, if you wish for even a preliminary agreement with the drow, then make sure that their neighbors agree with this course of action. In particular, you should contact the druids of the Circle of Nine and the remaining [censored], wherever they may be, and inform them of your plans. Many have been guarding our ancient lands since the days of Myth Drannor's fall, and they have fought the drow incursion for several years now. They may know more about them than you or I.

Talk with the druids, talk with the treants, talk with the [censored]. And above all, find out if the Jaelre drow are earnest in these talks. This is a dangerous game we play, now, so let us go into it with our eyes open.

                                                                                                                                                              Go with the grace of the Seldarine,
                                                                                                                                                                                  Amlaruil

Leaves of the Return
A Partial Record of the Correpsondance between Valar Amlaruil (a.k.a. Elros Valrenar) and Queen Amlaruil Moonflower of Evermeet

** ATTENTION ** ATTENTION **
The contents of this page have been censored by the Evermeet Bureau of Information. Sensitive materials per-taining to state secrets or continuing issues of national security have been removed.