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SUMMARY: A prologue to a fantasy epic that I am trying to write. It is set in a world that is vaguely D&D-ish, has never been used before.

Prologue

13 Myrtul, Year of the Dead Dragons (1211 DY)

Snow floated down through the streets of Somethway, the elven capital. Most of the torches had been put out, leaving the city dark and gloomy. Tonight was a time for secret meetings and forbidden deals. Pairs of elves filtered through one's visibility, conversing quickly and nervously. Others waited for their partner, wondering if they had been betrayed. One such of these was Sephalus Montan. He was used to waiting. An informer for the Speaker of the Dead had to be, especially in Somethway. Anyone who didn't soon learn that would wind up dead in some dark alleyway, with a dagger in their back. If they were found at all.
Even though he'd done this hundreds of times before, this particular meeting made Sephalus's blood turn to ice. His contact for tonight was supposed to be a mage of no more than middling power, but any elf would be wary when meeting with a bone elf. Especially when you considered the stories you'd heard about this one.
He was about to pack up and leave, and to the Hells with his mission, when he heard soft footsteps coming toward him. He lifted his head up, and someone who could only be the bone elf he was supposed to meet. She realized he had been waiting for her, and stopped in front of him. Sephalus examined his contact. Rei-G'l had extremely pale, almost white skin. Her hair was jet black and waist length. It seemed to be moving around, although the alley Sephalus was in had no wind. Sephalus also could have sworn it was ferrying small objects between the many pockets of her dark grey garment. Her eyes, however, disturbed him the most. Although most elves had eyes in shades of green, Rei-G'l's eyes were icy-blue, and cold. Looking into those eyes, Sephalus realized they would have no mercy in them, should he cross them.
Sephalus shivered, but was able to hide most of the quivers in his voice as he asked, "Do you have the information? On the minotaur warlord? Tanz, I think his name was? I have the book."
His condition seemed to amuse her. "What, simply straight to business? I would have thought there was time for a short chat before we began." Her voice was sarcastic and seemed to be laughing at him. There was no twinkle in her eyes, though, to suggest that her amusement was meant to be shared.
Then she seemed to compose herself and said, "Concerning Tanz, you will find everything you need to know about him right here in this scroll." She conjured a bound scroll from some pocket in her garment and gave it to him.
Sephalus took the scroll, and brought out the spellbook Rei-G'l had insisted on as payment for the scroll and gave it to her. "Mage, if I may ask why you insisted on this book? It is but an early book containing basic utility spells meant only for our beginning mages and-"He stopped talking when he noticed the dangerous glare growing on the drow's face. She walked away, and the swirling snow seemed to swallow her up.
Then Sephalus took out the scroll. If Rei-G'l had not deceived them, what was in this scroll could save Elvane's civilization as was currently known.