Lord Ernan Mellerelel strode boldly into the town square, the elves parting around him as he approached the center where the Archimage waited. All around him the people were signing the contract and taking their places in the spell mosaic that covered the square. A gentle breeze flowed around him bringing the scent of new growth and life into his nostrils. A fitting sign for the rebirth of my people, Ernan thought. No longer will my people be looked down upon compared to the other tribes. After this we will have power!
“Greetings, Lord Mellerelel. I trust you are looking forward to your enhancement?” Archimage Garl asked.
“Indeed. After this my people will be faster, tougher, and able to see magic as agreed, correct?”
“Yea and these traits passed down to their descendants as well making your people the start of a new branch of the elvish race. I sincerely hope that when all is said and done, your people will be as pleased with their new status as I am with the gnomish artifact you paid me with. Now if you will please sign the master contract and take your seat, the ritual will begin.”
Ernan signed with a flourish and then took his seat watching with interest as the spell work began. Golden mist rose from the circle and formed a sparkling fog that obscured his vision while an almost jaunty tune, lighthearted and merry reached his ears. As the spell continued, he watched in amazement as his skin turned from light tan to a gem-like blue metallic shade and developed tiny scales, so small that you almost couldn’t see them. Holding up a hand mirror, he saw his eyes were beautiful and gem-like as well while his hair turned from honey blond into an almost metallic gold. Striking and quite good looking. He tapped his skin with his fingers. Hmm, Quite tough, feels almost like chain mail. And I seem to have retractable claws now, he thought studying his hand. Looking around he noticed that he could now actually see the streams of magic that comprised the great spell, colors, shapes and symbols he had never seen before, now made manifest. Amazing! A low-pitched hum caused him to glance up through the thinning fog of magic to where a hummingbird was approaching a hanging feeder. I can actually see its wings moving! We really are faster! Much faster!
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As the last of the fog dissipated, Ernan saw that the town seemed to have been enhanced as well, at least in size! Jumping to his feet he took off running towards where the Archimage last was, amazed as he literally seemed to zoom across the square and then up the side of the wall enclosing it, his claws making it almost as easy as walking. Upon seeing the Archimage, who now towered over him looking more like a giant than a gnome, Ernan suddenly realized that the town hadn’t grown, they had shrunk!
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Garl looked at the small blur of motion that was the 18 inch tall Lord Mellerelel, and inwardly smiled at how well his plan had come together. While most of the lord’s people were pleasant and quite friendly with the neighboring town of gnomes, Lord Mellerelel had been getting quite uppity recently, even initially refusing to sell a gnomish artifact he had found back to the gnomes, as if he could use it. Thankfully, Garl had found something Ernan had wanted more which he could provide.
Tired of trying to focus on Mellerelel, he cast a slow spell followed by telekinesis and levitated the elf to where he could see and speak with him. After all, there was a cost to everything and while the elves were indeed much faster, tougher and able to see magic, they had lost their Darkvision, height and half their lifespan. Although due to their accelerated metabolism, they would live to the same subjective age and still far longer than most races on the planet. Then putting on a concerned, sympathetic face, he explained the facts of their new race.
Two weeks later when the now shrunken Lord Mellerelel first visited the elvish court to report on what had happened, one of his rival lords, prompted by a letter from Garl, was heard to say, "What was that blur that just went past?" and the name stuck. Eventually the Blurs adjusted to their new status as the quickest, but smallest of the elven subraces. However, now that gnomes were ogre size, orcs were giants and goliaths were storm giants in comparison, they lost their desire for battle and turned instead to magic, music and the arts as well as an increased appreciation for nature around their hidden towns among the wooded mountains where they lived in peace with the local gnomes. Few people outside the elves knew of the new race and even the high elves doubted the Blurs would ever make a major impact on the world. How wrong they were!