MARQUIS OF THE FIFTH WARD
Goylan Greenstag, Marquis of the Fifth Ward, has been the ruler of this land for three centuries, and is now about five centuries old. Age has clearly begun to take its toll on the Elf, though. He looks much older than many Elves his age. His face his lined, his thinning hair is white. He is followed by a large, strong looking Elk, and he carries a wooden shield with the emblem of his lineage: a green stag, of course.
Alongside one of the big fallen tree-trunk walls, the valets of the Greenstag house set up a tent- a dingy looking, well camouflaged gray-green tent, quite large. With a quick spell, Goylan makes it all but vanish- it takes on the color and even the texture of the tree and ground around it. With another spell, it becomes warm and comfortable and well lit within, although not a single spark of that light can be seen from the outside.
He and Anakri know each other… but only slightly. In the course of so many years, many of the older Elves do know each other, but Anakri and Goylan last met over two centuries ago. The Elven kingdoms have not had regular travel and contact between them.
He is grateful for her arrival, although Anakri is quick to deflect credit to the others, especially the non Elves. And she insists on translating, for those who don’t speak Elven.
She is also quick to bring up something she heard Cirostis mention:
“They came in barges on the Moselle River, Marquis Greenstag. It is more important than hunting down whatever scattered forces have fled. Those barges must be captured or destroyed, or the Huns will bring them back to the Rhine, and sooner or later they will be used against you again.”
“If you say it, it must be so,” the Elven Marquis agrees. “So many are wounded and tired and hungry. We will launch a pursuit when the first light of dawn comes. It is welcome, and unexpected… but so welcome… that you have brought your allies.”
“Marquis Greenstag,” Anakri says, “The Dwarves are here under unusual circumstances. I do not know the whole of it, but their own kingdom is threatened, they say. They were told by their priests, that they would be able to defeat the enemy here… and we would help them defeat the enemy there.”
Goylan Greenstag looks baffled. “They must tell us, then. But away from this battlefield. I cannot bear the memories here, and many of my warriors cannot.”