Arun Drennen

**Arun Drennen** was a powerful Wood Elf mage who devoted his life to learning the origins of the Verdant Veil, finding a means of destroying it, and finally doing so. He was ultimately successful in his life's goal when he, Corin, her circle, and the Forest Goblin warlock Oubblig slew the archfey known as the Eldest.

## Early Life

As a child, Arun was known for a deep curiosity of the world. He often inquired about the other elven sallas and later the world outside the Deepwoods. By this time of his childhood the Wood Elves had been living in the Deepwood for number of centuries, thus he often given answers he found unsatisfying.

As he grew older, Arun found the idea of the Wood Elves and himself being trapped in the Deepwood forever to be maddening. It thus then that he resolved to do what no Wood Elf at the time thought was possible: escape the Deepwoods.

## Discovering the Eldest

Thanks to his talents as a mage, Arun was able to use his magics to poke and prod at the Fey magics that kept the elves trapped. While experiments were often failures, Arun's resolve never wavered. Indeed such was the intensity of this resolve that eventually attracked the attention of his young grand-nephew Eledas Cenág. Eledas, who was also gifted in magic, would go on to become Arun's apprentice.

Together, the two elves continued to push the boundaries of Wood Elven knowledge on the fey and Verdant Veil. Indeed, after over two decades working together, the mage duo found the source of the Verdant Veil: the Eldest. Confident freedom was in sight, Arun and Eledas prepared a spell that would allow them to contact and meet the archfey.

The attempt was a disaster as the Eldest, who had long since lost its sentience maintaining the Verdant Veil, lashed out against the two elves. Eledas was killed and Arun was left bloody and amnesic. When *Ceann* Belarion Cenág found out of his younger brother's death, the dazed Arun was arrested. After failing to explain how Eledas' had died and with the evidence pointing to Arun being the cause, Belarion sentenced his grand-uncle to execution for kin-slaying.

Arun, however, would refuse this sentence and break free using his magic. He then fled to his home clan of Salla Drennen where the reigning *Ceann* and Arun's nephew took him in. Unfortunately, Arun's actions would lead to war between Cenág and Drennen resulting in the death of many elves including the *Ceann*. Thus, Arun resolved to fake his own death to end the war and buy him time to recover his memories.

## Meeting Corin

Decades later, Arun regain his memories of his encounter with the Eldest. Realizing the Eldest had gone mad, the elder elf determined the only way to free the Wood Elves would be to slay the archfey. However, this was a task that no mortal could accomplish. As Arun despaired, the avatar Corin entered the Deepwoods.

As the human avatar made her way through the woods in search of aid against the Greentide, Arun soon became aware of her powerful presence. Knowing she was the only chance at success, he followed her to the city of Elynáile where a conclave was being held. Intervening before a scuffle between Corin and the Wood Elf leaders could begin, Arun begged to Corin for her aid. To his surprise, she quickly agreed.

In order to secure safe passage out of the city, Arun then arranged a meeting with his grand-niece Narawen. The resulting encounter results in an unexpected meeting with Arun's other niece Alara. After explaining his plan and revealing the truth behind Eledas' death, the two *Ceanna* agreed to aid him, Corin, and her party to escape the city.

## Death and Bringing Down the Verdant Veil

Outside of the city, the party would end up meeting the goblin warlock Oubblig and accepting his aid. Then, through Arun's magic, they entered the Feyrealm to engage the Eldest. During the fight, Arun would sacrifice himself to allow Corin to land the killing blow against the Eldest. His body would then be returned to Elynáile where he would be mourned and celebrated as a hero.