[Adonthell-general] The Stonemage (has nothing to do with DB)

[Andrew Phillips]

Totally unrelated to anything.... We're working on right now, because
I wrote it six months ago and never submitted it for comments.

(no title, as yet)

Fallesbridge, also called Velbrig, Valbridg, Faldridge, and many other
names, is one of the great Omae victories of the wars that made
Alenvar a household name among the Omae and Syulvanas.

Fallesbridge is a dam and tower defense on one of the southern
tributaries of the Foroduin River. The dam-and-tower defense was
invented by the Omae when they realized that invading men were
entering their lands by boating down rivers or by following the paths
of the rivers on foot. Elvish mages would tear up the decks of bridges
and sink them on their sides upstream of the bridges' support pilings.
Other mages, masters of earth and water, would summon stone and earth
to raise the up-ended bridge in the riverbanks until it formed a kind
of battlement.

At Fallesbridge, the mages used three bridges that were built very
near one another to create a layered defense. One bridge was set far
forward of the others. The other two bridges were used as a single
redoubt. They were positioned both upstream and downstream of the
third tower.

Two of these mage-pillars fell during the fighting, as did the first
wall. Now all that remains of these is the rapids at Firstwall. It is
now a gathering place for wizards, shamans, and alchemists.

Valbreg-on-Foren, remains to this day as the stuff of legend. The
walls of Valbreg have faded into memory, though they still inspire the
poetry of the Forenosti, but the stonemage remains as an object of
worship.

The Stonemage was one of the geomancers who participated in the
defense of the second, more heavily built defensive line. It is said
by some bards that when the battle began to turn against the Elves,
the Stonemage took up a position atop the central piling of the bridge
and began casting spells to support and rebuild the battlements. He
drew so deeply upon the power of the earth and stones that his feet
became affixed to the stone. He could not remove himself from the
pillar, not even to rest, so his fellow mages cast spells of
restoration on him so that he could continue supporting their
warriors.

Eventually, the Stonemage lost all movement in his legs. He realized
what was to become of him, so he cast one final spell, turning himself
to Stone and filling the bases of the battlements and pillars around
him with great strength and durability. The invaders could not break
the walls or throw the pillar down. In time, the battlements were worn
down, but because of the magick of the Stonemage, his pillar has
remained almost unchanged since its creation.