A storm stirred up the peaceful waters of the Dragon Sea and carried a small fisher vessel into the rocky cliffs just outside the city of New Thalos. Beaten and wrecked, the boat had seen its last voyage. A time worn and weathered old man, clutching his chest, lifted the cloak protecting a young girl, "Someone sent this storm Lilly." Gasping for the last of mortal breath the old fisherman desperately helps the fragile girl from the wreckage. "I am sorry Lilly, but you must walk to the city without me." All his attempts to convey his endearment to the child he had found wandering the River of Lost Souls many years before was quickly becoming lost as time took hold and gripped the mans soul squeezing the last remains of life from him. "This was no life for a child of your gift but it was all I could offer. Forgive me for my selfishness. Take care of yourself and find that place you can call home." A warm smile crossed his face as his soul journeyed into the unknown to drift for eternity.
She was alone again, for the second time. Clutching the tiny leather pouch that hung from her neck, the girl braved the cliffs to find her place in the city. Running through her head were thoughts of when she had seen her mother last. The tired weak gnome woman had placed into her tiny hands the magic seeds she now carried safely around her neck. "Find a place to call home Lilly and the seeds will do the rest", her mothers words echoed through her head and mixed with those of her old fisher friend. Tears stream down her face as she cries out, "Where is home? Why does everyone leave? Why? Why? Why?" She had not known then that the storm that wrecked her caregivers boat had actually saved her. It would be some years later before this truth would come to her.
Devastated, her husband was gone, the man she loved lost somewhere in the abyss, her life felt as if it was spiraling all around her. Running with the wind, back to the cliffs where she last remembered feeling this kind of pain, she screams out, "Why do they all leave? Why? Why?"
Off the edge of Dragon point the winds carry her. Out of nowhere the storm rises up from the sea. The wind becomes fierce and combines with the waters to form huge waves like the arms of Elbar lifting the gnome woman high into the clouds. From dark and angry clouds, through gray and sad, she is lifted higher and higher until brought to rest amongst wispy white tendrils of warm comforting clouds that float like butterflies high above Tharel and just below Murcaste. A voice booms like thunder over the gnome, "You ask too many questions Quililia." Hair standing on end the startled gnome answers, "I do?" A cackle echoes through the sky sounding more like thunder than laughter, "Yes, Quililia you do." Then it appears before her in one if its many forms, the Lord of the Storms, Elbar. "When you stop asking the questions you will hear the answers."
"Hold out your hand", the gnome does as requested, "Now raise your finger and watch." The clouds in the sky part and the calm waters of the sea are revealed. Quililia watches with curiosity as she wiggles her fingers and the sea dances. Filled with excitement she forgets all about her questions and draws circles in the air with her fingers and the waters respond forming small whirlpools. As she plays a great inner peace comes over her. "That's enough" the God speaks and takes her hands, "Quililia bestowed upon you is my blessing." The gnomes eyes widen as understanding floods her soul. Falling to her knees before her savior she utters, "It was you all this time, Thank you my lord."
Standing once again with her feet firmly upon the ground the Duchess tosses another stone into the waters of the dragon sea. "All I do in your name, Elbar." Returning to town she begins to seek out others like her, others that have been blessed.
