Elilmaldur-Rithrandil

Elilmaldur-Rithrandil
Gender:	Male
Race:	Wose
Unit type(s):	Ancient Wose

Elilmaldur-Rithrandil was an ancient wose who led the woses of the Oldwood Forest, responsible for helping Prince Haldric obtain the Ruby of Fire.

Biography

For so long your kind has only come with sharp blades to harm my kind. You come to build these buildings of stone. Our roots may be slow, but they are strong. We will eventually claim all of the stones back for the earth.

—Elilmaldur-Rithrandil speaks of the woses' longevity.

Elilmaldur-Rithrandil was the leader of the woses from the Oldwood Forest. Throughout his history, he had come to recognize humans as enemies, as they had often cut down their forests. At one point, a battle in their forest resulted in a powerful lich being magically trapped inside the catacombs beneath a temple in the woods. After forcing out the humans, the woses learned how to break the seal on the catacomb.

In the years of the orcish invasion of the Green Isle, the Oldwood Forest was invaded by two orcish warlords, Tan-Gralg and Tan-Rugar. At that same time, the Stormvale refugees, led by Prince Haldric made their way into the heart of the forest. He was initially hostile, but Haldric reassured him that they meant no harm to the woses. Elilmaldur-Rithrandil conceded that the humans seemed to be less of a menace than the orcs and asked Haldric to help the woses fend off the orcs. Haldric and his men killed both of the orcish warlords, and Elilmaldur-Rithrandil expressed his gratitude.

Haldric warned him of the threat that the orcs would truly pose, but Elilmaldur-Rithrandil dismissed it in the belief that the woses would outlive the orcs, just as they had outlived the humans domination over the Green Isle. Though he bluntly told Haldric he would be unable to accompany the refugees, he spoke of the lich's entrapment years before, and how a powerful artifact had been sealed below with him. Elilmaldur-Rithrandil offered to open the catacombs for Haldric to enter and retrieve the artifact, to which Haldric agreed.

Haldric descended into the catacomb, slew the Lich-Lord Lenvan, then emerged successful with the Ruby of Fire. Elilmaldur-Rithrandil expressed his happiness, but was unable to offer any further advice to Haldric regarding the journey ahead. Lady Jessene arrived after scouting the road ahead and told Haldric to travel southeast towards Clearwater Port. Elilmaldur-Rithrandil blessed them before they left.

Personality

Your kind has long come with your axes, some tree-friends you are.

—Elilmaldur-Rithrandil expresses his dislike of humans from past experience.

Elilmaldur-Rithrandil initially harbored suspicion and anger towards humans for their past misdemeanors against his race. For instance, when Haldric arrived in the Oldwood Forest, he only allowed them safe passage on the grounds that they were to defend the forest from the surrounding orcs. His suspicion gave way, however, when Haldric kept his word, and Elilmaldur-Rithrandil resultantly described Haldric as a 'tree-friend'.

Elilmaldur-Rithrandil's loyalties are unclear. Though Elilmaldur-Rithrandil helped Haldric to find the Ruby of Fire, once the Lich-Lord Jevyan had pursued Haldric all the way to the Great Continent for the artifact, Jessene expressed some suspicion that Elilmaldur-Rithrandil had known the danger possessing the artifact would attract.