The Three Brothers

The Three Brothers was the book given to Rye by Carryl in her last moments inside the collapsing museum in Nerra. The book tells of the history of the three sorcerer brothers Eldannen, Annoltis and Malverlain, and the history between the humans of Dorne and the Fellan, as well as the the ancient treaty made between them.

The book had a faded leather cover, and the title was printed on the front in gold.

About the charm
"And so the great charm was forged and the chieftain, well satisfied, put it close to his heart and rode away from the forests with his bride. Once home, he ordered a gold casket to be made, and when the casket was ready he put the charm inside it and hid it away where no enemy could find it. For all the years that followed he guarded the secret of the hiding place jealously, telling it only to his eldest son, who was his favourite. At the end of his life he died peacefully, believing that what he had done would keep his people safe forever. But the future was not to be as he would have wished. And so it happened that in time the secret of the hiding place was lost, and the gold casket has never been seen by human eyes from that day to this."

About the Fellan
"Since time began, the forests of Dorne have been home to beings steeped in magic. The Fellan, as they call themselves, can change their shapes at will, move from place to place in a breath, speak to one another in their minds, tame the savage beasts that share their realm, and perform many other wonders. They are beautiful to look upon, and live far beyond the normal span of human years. They do not trade or work with tools, for the forest provides them with all they need.

Many of my readers know these things, I daresay. I have repeated them here for the benefit of any who do not. If the history of the Three Brothers is to be understood, the strange nature of the Fellan must be understood also.

When, long ago, people from across the sea began settling on Dorne’s coast, the Fellan were not troubled. Fellan have no use for the coast. The sea is their enemy. The salt in the water weakens their magic, as metal does, and the fierce sun of the shore scorches their delicate skins. Besides, the Fellan of that time knew full well that though the newcomers worked with metal they were not evil beings, but merely wanderers seeking a home.

For some time the two peoples lived in harmony—and indeed marriages between Fellan and newcomers were not uncommon. The children of these unions loved the sea as well as the forest, and in their blood the drive of the human and the magic of the Fellan were combined.

It came to pass, however, as the years went by, that pioneer farmers began pushing inland, cutting trees to make open fields for crops and herds. If the Fellan resented what was happening no one knew it, for they withdrew into the depths of their shrinking forests, and from that time on they were rarely seen by human eyes ..."

About the treaty
"The chieftain swore that the forests of the centre would remain Fellan territory, forbidden to outsiders. The Fellan, in their turn, swore that they would not trouble the newcomers or interfere in the wider affairs of Dorne. And so the agreement was forged, for good or ill, and a charm was struck to be its sign."

About Chieftain Peregrine's death
"When Chieftain Perry died, it was understood that Annoltis, his eldest son, would take his place as leader, for Annoltis was dearly loved by the people. But Malverlain, the second son, was bitterly jealous. He believed that his great knowledge of dark sorcery gave him the right to rule, and cursed the fools who preferred his brother to him. In his rage he attacked Annoltis, intending murder."

About Malverlain
"But Malverlain had forgotten that he did not have one brother only, but two. He had forgotten Eldannen, the youngest, whose quiet ways masked a power that was very great. Eldannen’s bond with the Fellan was as strong as Malverlain’s own secret dread of them, and the Fellan had taught him well. When Eldannen joined Annoltis in battle, Malverlain was lost."