"I have not seen fit to dabble in what passes for spells in this dark age. As a mage, I could fly to all corners of our nation, bridge the gaps between worlds, create new life, bind an elemental power to my service, and more. These so called wizards and sorcerers of today play with mere cantrips. Only through the study of rituals and artifacts do we have any hope of rekindling the power of old. Only through these studies can you find the proper formula for saving the Elven people.
~Erion Vestkalindar, patriarch of his clan, speaking to a group of young mages at the Vailan Academy of Magic
Erion Vestkalindar is the last known being who can claim the title of Archmage. Of course, with the Arcane Source of old still choked off, his power is much diminished. Erion is an influential member of Vailan society nonetheless. He is an outspoken opponent of new Arcane practices. Under his leadership, the Vailan Academy forbids its members from practicing the "spell" abilities common to adventurers of the Dark Age. Instead, the Academy focuses on rituals, alchemy, and the study of residuum. Erion believes that the Academy's experiments will one day restore vitality to the Elves. Though Erion has lived long (longer than any known Elf), it is widely expected that he cannot hold out much longer. The future of the Vailan Academy is uncertain after Erion's inevitable passing.
Erion's passion for restoring the Vailan line is ironic when one considers that Clan Vestkalindar is the most numerous line of Half-Elves in the world (with House Xavier of Abar a close second). Clan Vestkalindar originates from the many offspring produced by Erion before the Great War. Erion, after the death of his Elven wife in 2376, began to take many wives from among the Northlanders. This is forbidden under the strict Aurist law practiced in Diurgontruili at the time, but archmages had historically been afforded a degree of freedom in line with their extreme power. After the war, Erion divorced his human wives and his lived as a proper widower ever since.
Yarika She-Vestkalindar was one of the eldest of the Half-Elven Clan Vestkalindar. His nature may be typical of, or perhaps responsible for, the tendencies of the Clan as a whole. Yarika survived the Great War. Afterwards, despite his loss of arcane power, he continued to lead a life now legendary for romance and swashbuckling adventures. Most tales of Yar's exploits are considered apocryphal, but they still have a major impact on Clan Vestkalindar and its self-image. The legends are strange, including one that he turned into a Troll under each new moon and went about visiting the homes of young maidens throughout the land. In another story, he claims to have been present at the Battle of Fellemonte. In this telling, he was locked up by an Angel of Justice in a multi-dimensional box. When Yar heard the sounds of battle, he twisted the Ethereal plane in order to escape out of the 13th corner and appear hundreds of miles away in his father's conservatory.
Yar was long-lived, just like his Elven father, and enjoyed a long retirement in Diurgontruili. It is said that he reconciled with his father and contributed heavily to his research over the past fifty years. Just last year, Erion informed the people of Diurgontruili that Yar had passed away. The Elves barely remarked on the Half-Elf's passing, but many Half-Elves of Clan Vestkalindar made long pilgrimages to observe the mage's passing.
"Young ladies must be certain to shut up their windows at night. My mother always told me that Yarika's stubby Troll fingers are too clumsy to undo the latches and get in, so he only visits maidens with open windows."
~Half-Elven old wives' tale
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