The words of former Mayor of Bendir, Lincoln Ambliss, recorded by Aramentia Sendia.

Scribe's Foreword: Lincoln's account is occasionally contradictory, where he tries to downplay his own valour and prowess. Despite this, he was keen that the histories record the darkness as well as the light of Bendir's past. -A

It all began with Maliss, he was Mayor of Bendir with Perirry as Captain. Now Perriry Bare, he was more important, in the history of everything. He, Maliss and Belrun were real close. Back then, the biggest trouble Bendir had was with the Drow. And I mean bad trouble. I worked under Perirry as a guard, only Maliss the daft sod that he was gave comfort to a Drow fleeing Udos, and by way of repaying him for that they took Perirry. He was down there years, he escaped but was never the same. He'd work with the Drow killing and taking those of Bendir. Went native, I reckon. I used to go down there and meet with him, bring him supplies. Try to wake him from that bloody awful dream.

Still, it affected Maliss something bad, his wedding was coming up and he wasn't the happy fellow he should have been. Up here the Banites were strong, and still based out of the old fort around Wharftown way. Well, see, the Banites got it into their head to blockade one of the portals near Cordor, back then everyone travelled that way. And even though the conflict had little to do with Bendir, Maliss didn't take too kindly to getting stopped while about his business. Being pushed around and all. He fought back, and fought back strong. Dealing with Perirry was bad enough, but with his wedding only weeks away everything changed. The Banites clean forgot about their war with Cordor and turned on us.

I'd just been appointed Captain, but only because there was no other choice. Maliss never really liked me any. Skirmishes and threats followed. Old Maliss even got some sappers and tried to seal the Banite fort with them inside it. Well, that didn't work out, which I told him it wouldn't. Only rumour was that the Banites had some treaty with a dragon, an undead dragon and a strong one. Well, we saw that for ourselves when they attacked. Sky was red above Bendir that day. Countless soldiers of Bane, those of Bendir didn't have a chance. It was a bloodbath. Worst battle I ever saw.

Thing was, no-one came to aid us; those of the Light Keep were there but they didn't lift a finger. They just watched, staying neutral because of some treaty they had; see, there was a power struggle there, and the one ruling was working with the bastards. Still, hin were dying all around, and I was fighting for my worth, but no sooner did I shout an order than the feller I was shouting to got cut down.

Then Beldun arrived with the Dwarves, and they -did- fight. Whatever trouble you may have with Dwarves, remember that when doom came to Bendir they were the only ones on this whole isle that fought for us. Didn't do much good, though. None of us could even scratch that dragon, and Ryan was no pushover either.

One by one, all our people fell. The svirfneblin, Maliss, King Bellrun; I was only still fighting because they didn't think me so great a threat, and were focusing most of their forces elsewhere. Well, I landed a blow on one of the Keepers for just standing around and gaping then got out of there sharpish. Reckon I were the only one that got out alive. Ryan's second, a banite Dwarf named Zach was mad as the hells. He hated me, and had been trying to get even with me for some time. It maddened him that I got away. He was looking forward to torturing me like he did the others.

Anyway, Bendir was occupied, for weeks. I hid out in the forest, being hunted every step of the way. I did what I could, fought back, rounded up hin lucky enough not to be there but there weren't much I could do while that dragon was there. They chained Belrun, Maliss and the rest on the hill just inside the gate. Did some awful things to them, made them watch when they did stuff worse to their people. The worst kind of torture. In the end they rounded up about half of the populace, and ferried them away to gods knew where with that dragon. Maliss went barking mad, couldn't cope with what he saw, blamed himself. Bendir was empty and without a leader. Folks looked to me. And elsewhere the trouble at the Keep was fixed and a new ruler took the fight to the Banites. Together with an army of Celestials we set out to destroy their fortress once and for all. And destroyed it was.

Only the story doesn't end there. Not by a long chalk. See, some months later I get a summons. Benites gathering in the forest and asking for the Mayor of Bendir. So I go along, right, thing with Banites is that they don't play tricks, at least not tricks like that. To lie is Cyricism. Banites hate Cyricists. When I arrive there's dozens of them in a clearing, and a huge pit in the forest floor. With a click of one of their fingers it lights up like a torch, and they start ferrying out the captives they took from the occupation. I stood there, watching as they threw them in; they weren't dead, mind, these were living hin, our guards and families. They were clambering for shelter that... that wasn't there, reaching out to me as their flesh burnt away before my eyes. All around me the Banites were laughing, just waiting for me to try and stop them. They were there to kill me. Only they needed a reason, they couldn't do it without one. Still, after what I saw that day I knew I'd never do anything but fight them. I went back to Bendir and evacuated the place. All those not willing to fight were sent to Cordor, and we began the second war with Stonehold.

See, they'd used our people to build a new fortress, promised them their freedom if they did as they were told, course all they gave them in the end was an ugly death. We fought, we did pretty good too, see without a fort for them to occuupy we could fight the way I like to, taking them by surprise, hitting them hard and fast. Only not all the hin had their minds on the task. There was this silver-tongued haryp among us, she left to lead the Grove, and she did all she could to bring as many hin from Bendir with her. She used to spend many a happy evening with the Banites, and allied Heartwood to them. They even summoned me there for 'peace negotiations'. I told them to stick their negotiations where the sun don't shine. Well, I and my people kept fighting, but there were so few of us. The tide of opinion on this isle was with Heartwood, Dacey and the Banites.

After a few weeks of fighting, every lily-livered cretin on this isle was demanding peace, and the Banites complaining that we weren't fighting fair. See, their idea of fair is to have you halt where they can see you and to attack with superior numbers. Either I was going to have to give up my position or make peace with the Banites, that was made more than clear.

Well, I didn't trust anyone else to get the right deal, so reluctantly entered the negotiations. I did what everyone was asking for and resigned leadership as soon as it was done. Worst thing I ever did, another ugly chapter of the glorious history of this isle. Everyone rolled over for them, just as is happening again now. I saw Stregio left; you know it was me that hired him? After those first attacks, to see it couldn't happen so easily ever again. He knows the history as well as myself, ain't no surprise he upped sticks. I met with Drum too since I got back. He's no more keen on what he's hearing of Bendir in Soulhaven than Stregio. Still, like I said before, the older generation can't go telling the younger the error of its ways. Neither me, Stregio nor Drum will lift a finger against your Queen.