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Vadallia and CardaenBy Keith BakerIllu strat ion b y Ania Mohrbacher

No creature could match the Titan King Cul sir in power

or greed. His strength was immeasurable. He knew one

thousand spells and held the treasures of a continent in

his vaults, and yet he still hungered for more. He held the

elves in his thrall, yet some were sly enough to slip through

his fingers and find refuge in the wilds. Many of these free

people wished to f lee as fast and as far as possibl e from the

Titan King, but there was one who stopped their flight and

rallied them together: Vadallia.

Vadallia was born in the saddle and learned the tongue

of horses before she learned our own. No elf understood the

ways of war as she did. S he wielded soldiers as a ma ster

wields a bla de. One of her eyes was a diamon d, throughwhich she could see g limmers of the fu ture. In this way she

knew that the elves would never see peace while Culsir still

lived, and that no one clan could stand against him alone.

Such was her passion that she united the Taeri and the

Elorrenthi , and brought S hol and Thuranni to one ta ble.

Time and again she clashed with Culsir and his host, test-

ing the king and learning his strength. She knew she could

goad him to meet her on the ba ttlefie ld . . . but she also

knew that for all the skill of her warriors, steel alone could

not match the magic of the giants.

At that time, the elves were still slaves of the giants. But

there was magic in their blood, a potential that the giants

could not match . . . and when Culsir saw that potential

in a slave, he raised him as one of his own. So it was with

Cardaen. He was born in a high tower and Culsir made

sure Cardaens feet never touched the ground. Cardaen

crafted mystic weapons for the giants, never knowing that

they were used against his own kind. He cared only for

magicuntil he met Vadallia. The Queen of Swords caught

a glimpse of Cardaen through her crystal eye and knew

that his magic could turn the tide of the war. And so she

led her band into the heart of Culsirs Throne and carried

the wizard away with her. It was a dangerous move, and itallowed Culsir to place a scrying trace upon Vadallia. The

giant the n assembled h is army for war.

As she prepared for battle, Vadallia urged Cardaen

to fight at her side. Th ough her words touched his heart,

Cardaen still thought of the giants as his kin instead of

his captors, and he refused to raise his hand against them.

Vadallia pleaded with him, telling him that his true people

needed him, and still he resisted. In the end Vadallia fought

the battle without him, while he watched from afar. Her

warriors battl ed without fear, and he r strategies were bril-

liant. Drow and giant fell before the united clans. Then

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Culsir unleashed a terrible weapon, a lingering curse that

rotted the bones within the body. It was a spell Cardaen had

created, and when he saw it used and realized the suffering

he had brought to his own kind, he was filled with horror.

He took to the battlefi eld and shat tered the curse . His fury

lent him strength, and he blunted every spell the giantsthrew against him. For the first time in his life, the Titan

King kne w fear; he f led the batt lefield , and his host was

scattered to the far corners of the earth. Yet Cardaens rev-

elation had come too late for Vadallia. He found her on the

battlefield, mortally wounded by the curse he h ad made.

No one kno ws what words passed bet ween them befo re she

died; when he left the battlefield there were tears on his

cheeks, and he held her crystal eye in his hand . From that

day forward he was a force for vengeance, and the giants

feared his name.

When Aeren led the elves to their haven, Cardaen

remained behind. He remembered Vadallias visionthatthe elves would never see peace while Culsir still lived.

His final fate remain s a mystery. But by t he time the elves

reached Aerens Rest, Culsir had fallen . . . and so their

future was secured .

Jaskal Elthi dPhiala,

at th cati f High Kig Shaas Vadallia

Th livs f th Taiadal lvs a shapd y ths

f thi pat acsts. Wh a lf cms f ag,th Kps f th Past ad th sigs t dtmi

which f th pat acsts has laid claim t thchild. Fm that pit fwad it is th sacd dutyf th child t cm th livig avata f th fallchampi, mastig his h skills ad livig y

h cd. Th ppl f th Fiv Natis kw littlaut th Taiadal, ad thi gal assumptisft dt mak ss. Ask t ppl i Sha, ad

yull ha that th Vala a ldthisty utswh lv t pillag th wak; that thy sk glyi attl ad wt fight a wak f; that thy aud y a stict cd f h; that thy hav

h; that vy Vala is ud t a hs; ad s

. I fact, ul applis t vy Taiadal, fvy acst dmads a difft l f his hdscdats. A child chs y Mal ia Stlwav

will spd his h days fgig swds istad fwildig thm. O chs y Silc will spd lif

i th shadws, v tuchig a hs. Wa is thcmm thad that uits th Taiadal, causth was agaist giats, dags, ad glis w

what pducd ths lgday hs. As such, th

Taiadal sk cflicts that will lt thm fac thsam dds ad fight i th sam styl as thi acs-ts. Nwadays a child f Vadallia cat fight giats,

caus th Culsi Dmii has fall, ut h sh must sach f a f that is qually challgigad th dfat it i th sam way Vadallia wuld,

thus catig w lgds i Vadallias am.Ay tim yu cat a Taiadal chaact, yu

shuld csid his h pat acst. Whatwas th acst famus f? What w th acs-

ts dds talts? What mis did t h acstfight, ad what w his h pfd tactics? Bai mid that th acst chss th lf, t th

th way aud; sm acsts w kw fthi culty, might hav th uappalig taits.

A Taiadal lf is xpctd t mdy vy aspct f

his h acst, th psitiv ad gativ. Adit is th gal f ach lf t cm th vssl thugh

which that acst tuly livs agai.

Vadallia ad Cada a xampls f patacsts, ad th fllwig sctis dsci whatit mas t fllw i thi ftstps. Us ths as

mdls wh catig th acsts. What dvth acsts i attl? What cctis did thyhav t th hs? Hw did thy di?

Als mm that althugh ach Taiadalmulats his h pat, ach ca itpt thacsts lif i difft ways. Th idividual

Vala walds chs y Vadallia might ach apassiat, ispiig lad div t d whats stf th Taiadalut thy might hav difft idas

f what th st is. Th pat acst ispis thlfut ach Vala mais a uiqu idividual.

History LEssonsThe Tairnadal are well versed in the histories of

their heroes. The tale presented at the start of the

article is common knowledge for any Tairnadal elf

chosen by Cardaen or Vadallia. For any other Tair-

nadal elf, a DC 10 History check will provide this

information. (This check is DC 20 for any other

elf, and DC 25 for a character of another race.)

The elves of Valenar are Tairnadal elves. How-

ever, other Tairnadal elves still live on the island

of Aerenal, including young and other noncomba-

tants. The Host of Valenar is a Tairnadal army that

holds territory in Khorvaire, but Aerenal is their

homeland.

Vadallias Chosen

Vadallia was f th fist walds f th Ag f

Giats. Sh was a giftd qustia ad a dadly wa-i, ut h gatst talts w h gasp f statgyad h aility t ispi ths. Sh uitd ival

clas ad cvicd stu hs t ji tgthath h a. Sh was d iv y h passiad h lv f th lv ppl, yt h lv was tm-

pd y a lack f cmpassi f ay th catuxcpt h hs.

Vadallia was uttly uthlss wh it cam t

acquiig sstial waps, magic, ad th ta-sus that h ppl dd t suviv; thughth giats w h tu f, sh fqutly ldaids agaist th th ihaitats f Xdik. Sh

was always ppad t tak psal isks ad tmak sacifics if thy wuld hlp h ppl; as a

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xampl f such havi, its said sh t ut h

w y t gai th gift f pphcy.Child chs y Vadallia must la t id

ad t wild th dul scimita, ut thy fcus

tactics, histy, ad th ad ats f wa. Sm f

Vadallias chs sk t mulat h ddicati tptctig h ppl, ad t hs lvs cm cava-

lis. Oths cm walds ad mashals. Waads ld y f Vadallias chs ft pss dpit hstil tity; hwv, Vadallias child a

div y a visi f whats gd f th Taiadal as awhl, ad thi aids hav a pups yd simplpillag. Ev thugh may f Vadallias chs shah lv f th lvs, a fw xhiit this passi i a

difft way; a Vala advtu might giv thisdvti t his adptd family f advtus, p-

vidd th gups gals will ultimatly hlp th lvs.

Cardaens Chosen

Cada was a aca pdigy, aisd y giats ad

taught t lv magic av all ls. I his aly lif, hwas cmpltly asd with study. H had it-st i hw th ituals h caftd w usd; h simply

sught t push th laws f magic t thi limits. AftVadallias dath, h alizd that magic was pit-lss if it did t hav pups. H ddicatd his lif t

vgac, hutig dw ad puishig ths whught suffig t his ppl.

Taiadal chs y Cada ivaialy dvlp

makal aca talt. Elvs wh mulat Ca-das aly lif cm wizads, pusuig pfctif th magical ats t th xclusi f th gals.

Sm a cld ad dispassiat; ths tak jy ith study f th aca, sig auty i spllcaftthat cat fud i th atual wld. Elvs

wh fllw his path f vgac might wizads,scs, swdmags; thy a gim ad stic,pusuig thi vgac at ay cst. Sm say that

t tuly fllw his path, must gi with a i-ct lv f magic ad div t vgac y a

til lss.T dat, Cada has v pducd a atif ic,

ad a atific wh fllws this path wuld stad

ut amg his h ki.

adVenture hooks

Pat acsts shuld play a l i ay cu-t with Vala th Taiadal. If a wa ad isld y f Vadallias chs, csid what t hat

lads pups might , ad why is this attl ipaticula is wth fightig? I additi, Vadallia wasa sup tacticia, ad h chs will act with that

sam cuig. N child f Vadallia will act withutthught div y fuy al. If a play chaac-

t is chs y Cada Vadallia, h sh mightfid a ival i ath wh fllws th sam path, fl a matic attacti t a lf wh fllws thcutpat f his spiit.

Dungeon Raid! Vadallias chs a falssi pusuit f victy f thi wa ads ad thippl, ad i taiig ay tasu jct that

might aid thm i this qust. If advtus xpla dug i sach f a pwful lic, thy mightcut a wa ad alady sachig f th sam

jct. Altativly, a Vala ad culd stikdp it Kaath ad siz a mystic wap fma Kaathi asal. Ca th hs cv thatifact, ad if s, shuld thy tu it t Kaius

dsty it? Against the Crown: Shaas Vadallia is th HighKig f Vala, ad it was h is dvti t his acs-

t that ld him t fud his ati. H livs thathis actis a i th st itsts f Taiadal. Hw-v, a advtu wh fllws Vadallias path culd

dcid that Shaas is misguidd ad that his actisa a light Vadallias mmy. Ca th h gaiugh skill ad stgth t challg th High Kig

ad claim th Dakwd Cw?

Vadallias Eye: Lgds say that Vadallia had adiamd y that gatd h visis f th futu.

Th y passd t Cada, ad it was lst wh th

dags laid wast t Xdik. Rcvig th Eywuld a gat tiumph f ay f Vadallias chs,

ut it wuld ctaily cat tsi tw tha ad th High Kig. Cardaens Vengeance: Th chs f Cadaa div y vgac. O f Cadas chs

might sk t avg cims agaist th lvs; waads ld y Cadas chs hut dw ths whhav wgd th lvs, ad advtus wh hav

cssd th Vala culd u aful f such a gup.A Vala advtu wh fllws Cadas pathculd appachd y a fid fm his yuth ad

calld up t avg a ijustic agaist th ac.Of cus, Cadas chs dt hav t limit t hi

vgac t cims agaist th lvs; a advtuwuld sk t avg ay ham that cms t hisallis.

About the AuthorKeith Baker is th cat f th Eberron campaig st-tig ad th dsig f th cad gam Gloom. H ws a

Vala pug amd Mi st Pats, whs hic a cst c

dfatd fiv satthd tigs f akfast.

EditorChris Winters

Managing EditorKim Mohan

ProducersGreg Bilsland, Christopher Perkins, Stan!

Art DirectorsKate Irwin, Jon Schindehette

IllustratorAnia Mohrbacher

Graphic ProductionAngie Lokotz