By Adrian "Cronin" Cronin
On Friday I arrived at the Voranian encampment. It was already set up and looking like home. If you haven’t paid us a visit before, we welcome you to do so, it’s quite a sight. Having packed the carriages for efficient travel, I realized too late… that my armor was in a carriage that would be arriving late. When I told this to Arch Druid Hygar, he simply smiled and told me not to worry. But something in his smile made me do just that.
Once everyone was ready, we made our way to the tavern to see what adventure was in store for us. We met up with many adventurers from the realms and then entered the tavern for a drink while we waited for things to begin. It was at this point that Hygar took me outside, rubbed dirt all over me and began to chant. When he was finished, again he smiled. When I looked down at my arms and hands I realized my skin was coated in stone. I felt heavy but otherwise quite durable. How strange indeed.
This was done in the nick of time for our attention was called by a resident of New Verai, a familiar face from just a few weeks before. He informed us that we should feel encouraged to to explore and see what adventure we could find. Also that we would be mending tears in reality and would need needles from our previous visit to these lands. Some turned parts of their bodies into needles or so I heard, in order to make up for the lack of resources. All of this confused my delicate sensibilities, but I was eager to crush some evil doers with my rocky skin and so we were off.
We entered a field with a giant bird that was harassing people. Well maybe people were harassing the bird. Either way he was flying too high to be hit with Azurewrath so I turned my attention towards the death eaters and found the action I was looking for.
We fought our way to a beach where we found more death eaters and a strange entity sitting on the ground demanding water. I was told to take the beach so that people could fill their cups, and so that’s what we did. It was here that one of the baddies hooked their weapon in my companion Asher’s axe and tried to pull him into the water… knowing that I had an extra pair of boots back at camp, I bit the arrowhead and rushed into the water to slay the would be drowner. He owes me a beer.
After a lot of fighting we ended up getting stuck, needing one more cup of water to move on but no cup was in sight. So Thoril used his magic, and his wit to shrink the container just enough for us to pass without the final cup. And then it was back to hack and slash on the road.
Once we made our way out completely, we doubled back around. At this point I was feeling a bit tired from the journey, and with so many enemies only affected by magic, I made the decision to hand if Azurewrath to one of my most loyal warriors, Elowen. For the rest of the evening I fought with Florentine axes at my own pace and had a blast clashing in the field. Except the enemies we faced had a special surprise, they exploded and killed those within reach upon death. Which made it quite tricky in strategizing how best to take them down.
Lako informed the group that we could use the exploding enemies to pave a way forward. At this point my memory gets a little fuzzy, because I was essentially just fighting enemy after enemy and trying not to explode. It was glorious and great fun.
Once the battle had concluded, we made our way to an amphitheater where an apparition of a dragon appeared. You’ll have to forgive my ignorance but I was far to mystified by the appearance of a dragon to catch everything that was going on. I know that it was the dragon whose soul the adventurers had saved from the grey lady weeks before. Also that we would need to aid the menders with elemental orbs to stop the Grey Lady from destroying our reality. I took this time to rest and sit in awe of the beasts visage before retiring to a potluck feast prepared by the members of my nation along with stories told by Lady Kindrianna and guests Pilpus and Lako before finally heading to bed.
The next morning, I attended to my usual tradition of walking the grounds to get my blood flowing. I was pleased when my adventures, as the first awake, led me to pancakes at the tavern. I scarfed down a few alongside my fellow Druid, Wynn before going to wake the sleeping wolves for the adventures ahead.
Once awoken and deployed, we headed to the tavern again. Thoril and I recruited a few of our nation members alongside some strangers to enter what was described to us as a “training matrix”. As Thoril has an obsession with “Forbidden Knowledge” I figured I would join him to keep him from blowing everything up… and uh ya know support him.
Inside we faced a few standard enemies who gave us mana which we then used to forge “mana bolts”. I use the term “we” loosely here because I mostly just fought and died in equal standing. This only increased when we fought a small fire drake who shrugged off my steel. The water bolt Thoril forged was able to take him down after a few interactions. Thoril learned how to forge mana bolts. I learned always bring a backpack caster into a portal.
Once this was complete, many adventurers took advantage of the training matrix and learned many different magical patterns which could yield various magical effects. The casters of the realms were seen sharing these patterns and working together which was a wonderful sight.
At this point I broke off from my main group alongside what Voranians felt like accompanying me. We fought more death eaters on the road and made quick work of them. Until the dreaded, let’s call them “Silver Shields” showed up. These were by far the most infuriating enemies I had ever faced. Their shields needed to be hit in certain ways to change the color of the shields to gold in order for them to be affected. Facing them, alongside with regenerating death eaters, became quite the chore. Once we killed them and looted them, they got back up and we started the whole thing over again. May were killed, a Spear was broken, and then Shandar leading an Invictus cohort showed up.
I was all to happy to leave these infuriating Silver Shields to get slapped around by Invictus for a
while, and so we made our way to the tavern to hydrate and recover. And of course… eat pickles.
It was here that things got dark for me. While eating a pickle no less, I was stabbed in the back and things went dark. When I opened my eyes, Azurewrath was leaning on the table next to me and all of my companions were gone. As I tried to move, or even control where my eyes trained I found myself paralyzed. It was then that my body began to move on its own. The smell of sulfur and the sinister laughter inside of my head told me everything I needed to know.
I heard my voice call out to Evie, my magistrate, and one of my dearest friends. Again the demon laughed and taunted me. He told her to grab Azurewrath and asked to borrow her dagger, a true testament to our friendship, she gladly did as he bade. The demon led her off to “find the others”, training the dagger on her as she looked around for the others. But they found us first. I wanted to call out to them, to beg to be slain. I felt my skin burning as the thoughts entered my mind.
Hygar looked upon me, no longer carrying the angel blade, and greeted me cautiously. My body began to sweat, the heat boiling over as the demon angered. Kindrianna asked me if I was ok, the demon spouted lies in hopes of escaping. It was then that Artair used his Magic’s to identify the demon, after which the demon tried to run but it was the last act of desperation for it was very much surrounded by my kin.
My body was slain by my countrymen, which the demon made sure I felt a hundred times over. When I awoke I felt a deep hole where my soul should be. Enough of me remained inside to weep in the arms of my pack. Tears of pain, sadness and of gratitude though part of me felt as if on fire. Lady Kindrianna put half of her soul into mine to give me strength. It bonded us in a way I didn’t know possible. With friends like these…
And so, I handed Azurewrath once more to Elowen for I didn’t feel worthy of the blade, the taste of sulfur still on my lips. I needed to hit something.
Our group reunited, alongside Sir Rillin and the Neden Boys, after being bribed with pickles, tracked the scent of the nightpack master who we had battled weeks before. He was sitting on the beach, with a rather large hulking beast at his side. He insulted us as he usually does but carried a bit more sadness in the exchange than we had expected.
We fought him and his mutt for a few minutes before slaying the pup and disarming the Master. At this point the Night Pack Master And Rillin began arguing over whom the righteous one was and debating the events of the past. With a bit of pressure from the Neden boys we raised the slain wolf and brokered a peace with the Master, one dependent on his cooperation in the battles against the other masters. Many of us question this decision, however for the time it was the only course of action without giving into baser desires of revenge.
Departing that encounter, we ran into yet more deatheaters on the road but kept a steady pace before fighting some trolls that were in front of the fort. This became another drawn out encounter with little reward or purpose. But we gathered ourselves and made for camp to tend to wounds both physical and emotional.
Once my armor and boots were off, we started a fire to warm our bones. But quickly were alerted to the presence of the Grey Lady on the field. And so, without me, all of Voraniss marched to meet the threat. Once returned we ate, relaxed and made tactical decisions for what we knew would be another long night.
It was decided that Hygar, Lady Kindrianna and myself would sit out the night quest. For our injuries and exhaustion were just too much. We instead shared a bit of respite about the fire and placed out faith in our companions and the realms heroes to do what was needed.
After an hour or so of relaxing. An exhausted Tempest burst into the camp, out of breath but full of purpose. Earlier in the day she had a vision and walked through the spirit realm alongside death. She saw our doom and left us all a bit shaken by the proclamation. What she told us now is that her vision was coming true and that our people were in danger.
Hygar and I locked eyes and nodded. He began to transform, growing large claws and a thick hide while I fastened my armor and grabbed the biggest axe I could find. We marched to meet the heroes of the realms in a large mass. All making preparations, with Lako, Janus and Rillin and many others taking charge of the army.
Hygar and I stood ready alongside the rest of our forces and we marched to meet the Grey Lady once more. The dimension she had been banished to earlier provided her with the means to reach her full potential. And as a weaver herself, she broke into our Realm to take vengeance against us for the slight. She stood twenty feet tall, with large weapons that would crush and decimate any who came too close. With her, a small army of cultists, some of whom called upon her power for strength.
The battle we faced was glorious and hard fought. With our smartest working to weaken her defensive barriers which we could not cross. After hours of battle and some of the greatest cooperation the realms has ever seen, we finally struck the Grey Lady down… and crumbled her stoney visage to dust for good measure.
Some broke off to meet with our dragon friend after this. Lako informed me that Aerst, as he is called, confirmed Erida was dead and the pocket dimension we built for her was repaired with her death.
Aerst offered Lako a choice at this point to return to his original form or stay the way he was, this choice had to be made that night. After some contemplation, Lako offered to become his Herald in this Realm and keep the Scales as a mark of that. Aerst accepted.
Many others asked the dragon questions regarding the time assassins, death eaters and nightpack before retiring to well earned rest.
Of course Voraniss held court beneath the night sky as is their tradition, so close to the fall equinox. Helkias, Elowen, Tulkan and yes… Thoril became full members of the pack and villagers of Voraniss. Each having proven themselves loyal to the Circle.
I also adopted Elowen, who will be known as “Elowen Barbaria” from this day forth. I gifted her the blade Azurewrath as it is dear to me and will become an heirloom of our line.
Then we participated in a wild hunt in which Mogar was possessed by a spirit and then hunted by his compatriots. Victory and the Forest Spirits Mask went to none other than Stewhart, the Druid of the Hunt, worthy of the name.
Finally we retired to stories, food and fine company of the pack before laying our heads to rest.
We awoke to our camp in a bustle, everyone getting ready to look their best for the feast. The day would be a day riddled with diplomacy, great food and greater company as we all told tales and celebrated unity and prosperity.
Wizard duels, rituals and a meeting of Realms Druids took place.
Invictus held Gladitorium, their traditional court which many had the opportunity to witness and enjoy.
Highlights of Blackwood Court included the formation the first all female Knighthood “Lunar Aegis”. The formation of the “Artisans Guild”. An alliance between Blackwood and Voraniss. And some beautiful music performed by Pilpus and Evie, brother and sister estranged but now united.
Cronin tasted soup for the first time. It’s food you drink. Brilliant!!!!
-Cronin Barbaria
Commander of the Broken Spears
Druid of the Mountain of Voraniss.
(OOC)
This event was incredibly immersive and very good fun. People roleplayed hard, fought harder and treated each other with more respect and kindness than typically seen at most events. It was a blast and I can’t wait for next years. Cheers.