Aataltaal I : The Long Night

Before it became Freeport, the human city on the eastern shore of Antonica was known as Landing. Formed by survivors of the Combine Empire, Landing was ruled by the high elf Aataltaal, though most of its inhabitants were human. Aataltaal did not wish to be a king, but was a military commander unwilling to leave those who had followed him while they were under constant attack from dark elves of Neriak and the Deathfist orcs.

Seeking help with this problem, Aataltaal allied himself with several powerful arcane spellcasters (who would eventually go on to form the Academy of Arcane science). One of these was Lady Delailith, an enchanter and sage of considerable power. Lady Delailith predicted correctly the

dark elves’ attempt to assassinate Aataltaal on the same night an orc warband tried to storm the city. Armed with this foreknowledge, Aataltaal prepared a trap, setting in motion a complex plan.

The trap itself was simple — Aataltaal kept his spellcaster allies and several clerics and paladins of the twin Marr gods with him, most of them dressed as pages and commoners.

When the dark elf assassins struck, they found themselves suddenly outnumbered and outmagicked. Aataltaal then sent the survivors of that fight to bolster Landing’s military forces, crushing the Deathfist orcs.

The plan that grew out of the trap was far more difficult. Aataltaal knew this night would weaken the dark elf and orc forces enough for Landing to establish itself permanently. If he stayed, the people would turn to him for leadership, and he’d be bound to the humanocentric city forever. If, however, he somehow disappeared without a trace, they would be forced to choose new leaders from amongst their own kind. Aataltaal told only Lady Delailith of his plans, and left with her the Rod of Command, telling her to return to the city only if it were about to fall; for himself, he confided to her alone that he had other plans, and would not return until they had been addressed, and perhaps not even then.

Thus without warning, Aataltaal left Landing on the very night he secured its future.