Lantan drowned, or so they say. Four ship captains of
my acquaintance claim to have seen it one moment, and
then not seen it the next, and sailed straight through its
former location as though it was never there.
Some claim that powerful magic moved or hid the
island in a vast illusion. That I find believable, because
the Lords of Nim bra! have long been known for illusion
and trickery. If any isle were to vanish into thin air, it
would be theirs. Likewise, Nimbral's return is certainly
within their capabilities, and perhaps this event is the
climax of a trick so long and complex that even a gnome
can envy its scope.
Nimbral today is much as it has always been: far-flung
and f>ecretive. Where the island went, what it did while
gone, and why it came back all seem to be facts the
Lords of Nimbral prefer to keep to themselves.
Nimbral is still ruled by its mysterious lords, a closely
related family of archmages, master illusionists all. They
in turn appoint the heralds, who proclaim the laws, and
the Knights of Nim bra I, fabled hippogriff riders clad in
armor clear .as glass but strong as steel. Don't let the
fact that they are called knights fool you. The Knights of
Nimbral have always acted as pirates when out on patrol
over the seas, preying on ships that strayed close to
their island.
What my captain friends were doing in waters so
close to Nimbral they did not disclose. "Business" was
all they'd say, but no one has business so far south as
Nimbral, unless they expect to dock at the island. Alas,
in the time since we last spoke, all those captains have
died, and I can't question them further about what they
know of the place.
If you have cause to sail south by Chu It, keep a wary
eye on the skies. It might not help, since the Knight of
Nimbral have been known to appear out of nowhere,
apparently invisible before they attacked, but it pays to
be cautious when you're doing something foolish.
EVERMEET
What I tell you now is truth as pure as Garl's nugget,
and the only reason I've written it in a book for all to
see is that no one else shall ever achieve the feat: I
stowed away on a ship bound for Evermeet, and my feet
touched its blessed ground!
Any who're knowledgeable about the place might
scoff at my claim, and those ignorant of it like as not
think the deed not the feat of legend it was, so let me
explain to those doubters among you what Evermeet is
and why, by the end of my tale, you'll envy my boots.
A LITTLE PIECE OF HEAVEN
Legend has it-and so believes every elf I've ever met-
that the island of Evermeet is not of this world, and
that it never was. In ancient days, so long ago that even
elves think of it as their mythic past, the elves of many
nations sought a perfect homeland for their people.
(That was the problem there, of course. You'll miss out
on a wealth of beauty it you're always looking for the
perfect gem.) Not finding it in the world, some elves
(sun elves, I'd wager) looked beyond the world to create
one. These High Mages gathered together to perform
a mighty work of magic that would bring Tori! into
CHAPTER 2 I THE SWORD COAST AND THE NORTHcontact with Arvandor-that's right, the mad fools actu-
ally wanted to bring into our world some of the lands in
which their gods dwelt!
Tales differ on whether Corellon allowed this or was
powerless to prevent it, but it happened, and calamity
gripped Tori! as a result. This was the first Sundering,
and elves have always said it echoed through time.
Recent calamities would seem to prove them right.
When things settled down, the elves realized their
folly. For thousands of years, no elf dared set foot on
Evermeet. But eventually Corellon must have forgiven
his wayward children, for the oldest elves began to feel
the call to the west.
Perhaps you've seen a moonbow hang over Selfine
and heard the idea that it means an elf is being called
to Evermeet. Well, that is no children's story. Ever
met an elderly elf? How would you know, right? Well
if you're ever honored to meet an elderly elf at such a
time, you'll see a similar arc in each of the elf's eyes
above the pupil. This is Sehanine Moonbow's way of
guiding the elf to the afterlife. The arcs can blind the
elf to this world, but they vanish when the elf enters
the next, allowing sight of the elven heaven. Well that's
exactly what happens in Evermeet, and the elf need
not be dead to achieve it. Don't believe me? Well, I saw
what I saw.
Some elves followed their aged kin to Evermeet, and
soon a kingdom of elves dwelt in a heaven on Tori!. For
ages Evermeet was protected by mighty beasts, mighty
magic, and the might of the Seldarine themselves.
Elves of all types from all over the world journeyed to
Evermeet seeking solace. And when the elves declared
their Retreat from the world, where do you think
they went?
Then the Spellplague struck, and some of that old
elven High Magic must have unraveled. Evermeet
became unmoored from the world and found itself
instead in a sea of the Feywild, that strange realm of
faerie that touches the world in mystical places. For a
century, it seemed Evermeet was lost to the world. Ven-
erable elves tried to hold on, hoping that this echo of
the first Sundering might echo Evermeet's connection
to the world once the period of calamity ended.
Their patience (who but an elf could have such
patience?) was at last rewarded, when ships from Ever-
meet docked once more in Sword Coast ports.SAILING TO THE WEST
Knowing all this and having just met a venerable elf
who was preparing for the journey, how could I not
take the opportunity to tag along? I felt a little bad
about taking advantage of the elf's blindness and forc-
ing him to leave behind some of his baggage, but it was
the opportunity of a lifetime!
I overheard it said by the captain of the ship that
Evermeet now somehow straddles all three planes:
our world, the Feywild, and Arvandor. It touches them
all, but exists fully in none of them. To find it, you must
follow a pattern of stars until the stars change and then
follow new stars. (I swear by Garl's nugget that's what
he said!) Those who stray from the path are lost. How