The mighty Northern Vale was the most powerful and most secure of all the Elven Kingdoms, it was also the largest and most ancient. It lay cradled in one of the coldest and most inhospitable places on Earth, the Grimfang Mountain Range. Within the Grimfangs the Vale sat surrounded by a chain of desolate rocky mountains formed from the hardest of stone. The lofty peaks of the mountains went so high they spent most of their time in the clouds. Throughout the ages the tall thick walls of granite and basalt have protected the Vale and they have never been breached.

Over the entire Northern Vale lay a dome of the mighty White Magic. Through it the Tower Mages controlled the weather within and protected from the ravages of the weather without. The dome was supported by five hundred Mage Towers standing close to the mountain walls and evenly spaced around the perimeter of the Vale. Each tower was formed from black volcanic glass and rose hundreds of paces into the air. On top of the towers sat a bubble of thick clear crystal in which three Tower Mages worked. These small bands of Mages labored in shifts to maintain the mighty dome day and night. One Mage would collect the heavy mist of the White Magic and draw it into the tower to store until needed. When called upon the next Mage would form the White Magic and send it skyward in a thick stream. The third Mage would ensure the stream of White Magic mushroomed and melded with the magic of the other towers to form the dome. There were thousands of Tower Mages working tirelessly to maintain the dome over the Vale and they were of the most powerful Mages in the land.

Elves weak in the White Magic looked upon the Mage Towers as tall beautiful pillars gleaming in the sunlight. They would see wispy strands of mist floating low along the ground and mingling together to create a light blanket of fog turning slowly around the base. The soft glow of the large Elven runes running down the sides would sometimes catch their eye. That was usually the extent of what an Elf weak in the White could see, unless a Mage put the spell of the Mage Sight on them. This allowed them the wonderful sights of the beautiful magic all around them for a little while.

Those strong in the White and gifted with the Mage Sight would see thick streams of mist flowing into a swirling dense fog at the base as the White Magic was called to the shining Towers of black glass. The ancient Elven runes blazed bright gold, especially when the Tower Mages worked the magic within. When the White Magic was released to reinforce the dome above those with the Sight would see a thick stream of light hurtling skyward from the Tower top. The Elves were treated to a beautiful light show when the stream hit the dome and dispersed into thousands of sizzling bolts fanning out to the center. The White Magic flashes brightly as it swiftly races erratically throughout the dome, looking much the same as lightning when it rolls through a high bank of clouds during a strong summer storm. The bolts race swiftly through the dome but most never make it to the center as they fizzle out in bright sparks and are absorbed into the protective dome.

When storms raged heavy above the Grimfangs the Mage Towers would pick up the pace and send longer bursts of the White Magic more often to the dome above. It was quite a sight to watch the Mage Towers silently sending stream after stream of White Magic to the dome above. The light show was incredible as the underside of the dome shimmered and sparkled while it absorbed the White Magic, all done in complete silence. For thousands upon thousands of turns the dome has deflected the relentless attacks of the most powerful and harshest of winds and withstood the continual bombardment of tons of ice and snow. Throughout the many millennia the dome has never faltered in protecting the Vale and has proven to be the strongest ever constructed by the Elven Mages.

The city of Asegron-Thare sat at the very center of the Northern Vale. It was the smallest city of the Northern Vale and without a doubt the most beautiful by far. The main buildings around the city's center were well ordered and constructed from a brilliant white marble. The large marble blocks were beautifully shaped and trimmed in heavy pieces of bright silver scroll work. The streets throughout the city were laid with large square slabs of pink granite edged with the same white marble of the buildings. Trees of all kinds grew around gardens of lush lawns and flowering shrubs. The well maintained gardens were everywhere in the city, and of course the beautiful flowering vines trailed on all the buildings throughout.

At the center of the small city stood the Central Mage Tower that overshadowed all the other Mage Towers. It was an imposing structure five times wider and many times taller than the Towers standing around the perimeter of the Vale. It was constructed of the same black volcanic glass and was topped with a large solarium made of gleaming crystal panels. The Central Tower was so tall the solarium almost touched the dome of White Magic above. Within the sun room atop the tower a dozen Tower Mages worked day and night. They maintained the dome's strength against outside forces and controlled the weather over the Vale.

The rooms of High Mage Orndacil were also housed within the structure, just below where the Tower Mages labored. Large windows made of polished crystal looked out at each point of the compass from his chambers. Hanging from the sides of the Tower outside of the High Mage's quarters were balconies connected by a walkway circling the outside of the Tower. Through the windows and from the balconies the High Mage of the Towers could oversee the health of the dome and ensure his Mages were hard at work. The largest windows of his quarters and the room in which he spent the most time faced to the north. Not only did the High Mage see to the strength of the dome above the Vale he also kept a careful eye on the barrier of the White Magic along the tops of the mountains to the North. For the Northern Vale was also tasked to be the most vigilant of all the Elven Vales. Its northern border nestled up against the boundary of the White Magic that encircled the top of the world. Within the confines of the White Magic was held an ancient enemy, not just to the Northern Elves, but to every living thing on Earth. The desolate frozen land was home to the Kingdom of the Fell Ice. The Northern Vale was a constant check on that alien and terrible power. It was the first defense if it were ever to be let loose on the world again. Unfortunately there was little the Elves of the North could do against the swirl except to warn the world of its escape.

The High Mages of the Northern Vale were intent on forming an alliance with the huge Ice Wryms living at the top of the world. The idea was the dream child of the High Mage Ilphas. It was something he envisioned going back farther than the elder Mage could remember. Over the turns he enlisted many Elves of high import as allies to his cause and to share in his vision. Through the White Magic Ilphas and those with him thought to form a bond with the Wryms, much like the age old one with the wolves of the Tundra. They designed to use them to take the fight to the home of the Fell Ice and destroy it for good, however they first needed a way into the lands of ice and snow they could control. Ilphas planned for a tunnel through the northern wall of the Vale heavily warded by the White Magic to protect against anything on the other side. The High Mage deemed it a portal into the Fell Lands. It was Ilphas who convinced the new High King Adorellan of the plan to tame the mighty Ice Wyrms of the North.

King Adorellan was fairly young by Elven standards, just shy of a thousand turns old. He was also new to the honor of being the High King. His father Adraillion Nuala was High King before him for several thousands of turns. Lasting longer than most and accomplishing all he had set out to do Adraillion stepped down and relinquished the reins of power to his son Adorellan who was the next in line. As soon as the rituals, the traditional ceremonies and the long days of celebration for the new High King were over Adraillion left the Northern Vale. With his Queen and a small band of followers he went to explore far away lands and meet the many peoples throughout the world.

Adraillion was always against the plan contrived by Ilphas to form allies with the wild and menacing Ice Wyrms. He thought of it as rash and extremely dangerous to the Elves of his Vale, not to mention the rest of the world. As High King he would never consider it nor would he allow any discussion of it. His son Adorellan held a different view of the Mage's plan. He saw it as a way to glory for himself and dominance of the Northern Vale over the other three Vales. Most of his vast family of Pure-bloods and Royals were in agreement with the young High King as they too put themselves above all Elves. With the High Mage whispering in his ear Adorellan gave his approval to build the portal and tame the wild Ice Wyrms. No one was there to counsel him against the decision to go forward with the risky ambition to destroy the Fell Ice.

In time Elves from the other three Vales living and training in the North became aware of the hazardous project the High King and his High Elves put into motion. The Esari, Giants and other Races visiting and working in the Vale also learned of the Northern Elves' intention to tunnel a path through their barrier wall into the lands at the top of the world. The Little Fliers and Little Warriors of the Esari became very concerned and felt the Northern Vale's plan to be extremely dangerous, a threat to all living things. Of all the Esari the Little Fliers were most alarmed and felt it their duty to warn the Elves and other Races in the southern lands.

The Esari living in the Northern Vale made their homes in three tall towers known as aeries. Named after the nests birds of prey built at great height in cliffs or trees each of the aeries stood on the outskirts of one of the three main Elven cities. The location of the main aerie was on the western side of the Vale close to Morfgroth Dorthore, the stronghold and palace of the High King. It was built on the southern edge of the city Horith-Ellan. The second tower was the tallest of the three aeries, standing almost as tall as the Central Mage Tower at the center of the Vale. It was located on the outskirts of the city Asegron-Thare. The third stood at the edge of the city of Aerith-Ellel, next to the House of Mage Lore. It was snugged up close to the dark gray mountain walls surrounding the Vale. The aeries were tall graceful pillars rising high into the sky and ending with a large platform on top. The lofty towers were as high as any of the tallest structures around and their beauty was more than a match against Elven craftsmanship. They were made of stone and wood and exceedingly strong in their construction. For thousands of turns the Esari built their aeries throughout the lands and Vales in places where cliff and mountain tops were too far away. The spindly looking towers withstood attacks from high winds, brutal storms and earthen quakes shaking the ground below them. Never during the attacks and through the long test of time did any of the aeries the Esari built fail.

The aeries climbed to a great height and the tops mushroomed into spacious platforms where the Little Fliers launched, landed and stored their gliders of gossamar wood and cloth. Gossamar trees grew all over the platforms except on pathways left bare for the Little Fliers to land. A narrow trail of stone steps snaked around the outside of the spindly pillars traveling through many small gardens as it wound its way from top to bottom. Each garden had places for sitting amongst flower and vegetable plants and surrounded a large stone bowl filled with dark, rich earth. The bowls were built into the sides of the pillars and from each one grew a beautiful gossamar tree. Esari Tree Shepards pruned and shaped the gossamars forming their smooth white trunks and branches and their large canopy of deep red and dark purple leaves around the pillars of the aeries. Looking upon a towering aerie from a distance one would see a forest of the gossamar trees surrounding the base, the stone of the pillar peeking out from behind the sizable canopies of dark red leaves as the trees spiraled up its sides merging into a small forest at the top. The beauty of the gossamars growing on and around an aerie was breathtaking to look at but that was only a happy accident. Their real purpose was to provide roost and home for the Red Wing Hawks whom the Esari loved so much.

Not only were the towering aeries home to the Red Wings, they were also home to all the Esari living in the Vale. The pillar of an aerie was built around a long spiral staircase running from the ground to the platform high above. It was a very sturdy staircase solidly constructed with well laid out steps for the short legs of the little people. If the Esari within the tower needed to reach the platform or ground quickly the spiral staircase was the way to go for they could swiftly navigate the steps up or down. But the stairs were rarely used by the little Esari. They did not like the dark, dismal shaft the stairs were in, nor did they care for the dank, musty air around them. Even if it took a little longer to get to where they wanted to go they would always rather take the stone path winding around the exterior of the pillar. Walking through the small beautiful gardens under the fragrance of the gossamars was much preferred, especially when they could be amongst their friends the Red Wings.

All around the spiral staircase were chambers cleverly built into the walls amongst the stone and wood supports. These were the living spaces for the Esari and the small rooms rose level by level throughout the pillar. The quarters for the little people had windows looking out upon the Vale and two doors, one leading to the stepped pathway outside and the other opening to the spiral staircase inside. In the lower levels of the towers the Little Warriors kept their rooms and stood as guardians to their smaller kin in the rooms above. The Little Fliers lived in the upper levels as close to the platform and their precious gliders as possible. Huge blocks of granite made up the base supporting the tall aeries. The blocks were carved out under the pillar in such a way as not to take away from the strength of the base while allowing more chambers and passageways. Some of the rooms were large such as the main kitchen, a long hall for dining and the common room for a nice glass of cloudberry wine or a delicious mug of gossamar ale.

Within each aerie in the Northern Vale there was a Chieftain in command and he or she ruled over all the Esari who made their home in the pillar. They lived in modest rooms at the base of the tower with their families and close to the quarters of their guards and servants. Their residence and meeting rooms were always at ground level to make it convenient for guests and important visitors who came to see them on Esari and Vale affairs. The Chieftains were responsible for the safety and welfare of each Esari living in the aerie under their care.

The concerns of the Esari grew the more they learned of the Northern Vale's plan to create a tunnel to the top of the world. The Flier Caste within the aeries continued to pressure their Chieftains for leave to fly to all parts of the southern lands. Finally the three Esari Chieftains took the concerns of the Little Fliers seriously and called upon the High Elves at the palace and those within each city. To their surprise the High Elves would not see them. They were met only by underlings who gave vague answers about what was being done at the north wall. Angered by this treatment the Chieftains sent Red Wing Hawks flying all throughout the Vale. The big raptors screeched out a call as they flew that only the Esari could understand. It was a call for all Little Fliers and Little Warriors to return to their aeries. The Chieftains awaited as the Esari of the Warrior Caste and the Flier Caste returned from all parts of the Vale. It was time for a gathering to discuss and map out a plan to warn the Elves and other Races in the southlands about the Northern Vale's intentions at the top of the world.

From the shadows spies watched as the Esari met in their aeries to form their message of warning and map out where each would fly. When the plans were made and the meetings were done the spies reported what they learned to the High King and the High Elves of the North. With that knowledge the leaders of the Northern Vale discussed what should be done about the Little Fliers and the warnings they meant to give. Heated debates ensued with many thinking the dome should be closed so as not to allow the Fliers to leave. Most of the High Elves of the Royal Court and the three Mages of the highest rank were in on the debate which revolved around the High King. Conspicuously absent from the debate were the High Generals of the North. From the beginning they felt building the tunnel to the top of the world to be a foolish and dangerous plan. They also thought it to be an unacceptable risk to their soldiers.

As the debate heated up the High Mage Ilphas moved from the crowd and stepped up onto the dais at the front of the room. He stood next to King Adorellan and addressed the High Elves of the North. Standing on his authority as the High Mage of the Vale he said, "My friends, please, calm yourselves. I have an announcement to make!" As soon as the room quieted Ilphas continued, "By my order let nothing be done to stop our friends the Esari in their desire to fly away. It was always inevitable the other Vales would learn of our plans. What difference if it happens now, or in a hundred turns from now?"