Kellehendros
Eternal Wanderer
|
We are overrun.
At first I did not believe it myself. I dismissed the reports as the superstitious blather of peasants and shadow-spooked huntsman.
Now we are overrun.
Six days ago the moon was full. The disappearances began shortly after. Young men and women sneaking out to indulge in fairy circle rites, I judged it. But by the fourth day half the population was unaccounted for at the hour of gate closing.
And now we are overrun.
On the fifth day I sent out patrols to find the missing. A quarter of them returned before nightfall as I instructed. The rest did not come back. The sentries on the walls muttered of a curse, for not a sight of life did they see beyond the walls. Bird and beast had fled. As should we, my subordinates whispered, behind my back. But the safety of the camp was my charge, and truly, where could we go? There was no way to know if the path back to Keken was open. Three days on the road with some unknown danger lurking in the night? All I could do was wait and watch, and hope one of my messengers would get through. Each failed to return.
But we are overrun, for they have all returned.
Last night the moon was full, as it has been every night. But the moon… My words fail me.
Tonight we are overrun.
My men speak of the call, of the voice that hums on the rim of the world. May the gods protect me, but I hear it too. Teasing, cajoling. They will try the gate tonight. I do not know if we can stop them.
We will be overrun.
There is a sickness out there, a festering blight in the forest. Unless… unless it is higher, farther. But that is the madness, the voice, the… the geas.
This is my final missive. Should it win through, it will still be too late, for we are overrun.
We will die, or join the Dead-Moon Sky.
~Final dispatch from the hand of Sergeant Konning, Pinewatch, Piege Forest
Welcome to the Barony of Hron, on the outskirts of the Kingdom of Arethon.
The Baron could use your help.
Six months ago rumors began circulating of odd disappearances in the Piege Forest. Patrols went missing, outlying steadings were found empty, and travelers through the forest simply vanished. Piege Forest makes up the majority of the Barony of Hron, a backwater border province known mainly for its exports of natural resources to the factories of Arethon proper.
Baron Terex took little initial interest in the reports. The forest was a dangerous place after all, home to all manner of curious beasts, as well as a number of outlaw bands who preyed on the caravan routes running through the sprawling wood. But the strange disappearances continued, and then it was not isolated dwellings that were discovered empty, but entire hamlets. Then logging camps, mines, trapping outposts, and entire villages vanished.
And now the Pinewatch. Home to the Dakorel Company’s logging expedition and sawmill. Situated on the Fekril river, Pinewatch was a stout motte and bailey garrisoned by both soldiers in the employ of Baron Terex and guards hired by the Dakorel consortium. Two weeks ago a lone rider, delirious and wounded, rode a ragged horse into Keken, the baronial seat. Succumbing to his wounds within hours of his arrival, the messenger’s bag bore only a cryptic missive from Pinewatch’s commander. The disjointed letter spoke of the fort being overrun, and made several curious references to a disembodied voice in the “Dead-Moon Sky”.
The Baron can no longer turn a blind eye to the matter. As such, a general call has been sent out for those willing to brave the unknown, to seek out the source of the mysterious disappearances within the Piege Forest, and to put a stop to it. The Dakorel consortium has issued a similar request, promising compensation to any who can recover their lost resources and equipment. Between the Baron’s considerations and the company’s coin purse, perhaps a little danger is warranted in the name of gain.
To that end, I am looking for three of four intrepid souls (perhaps as many as six, though we’ll see what happens) to venture into Piege Forest to put this mystery to rest. Basic bios will suffice, I’m mainly looking for a rough overview of who your character is, who they are working for, and what they can do. For those seeking examples, please read on:
Name: Marietta Drevosa
Age: 24
Race: Half-Elf
Gender: Female
Employment: Barony of Hron, Forester
Appearance/Gear:
Marietta is tall and slender, made of lean whipcord muscle. Her features are angular, with cheekbones sharp enough to cut a finger if touched carelessly. Her hair is a fine brown cascade that falls to the middle of her back when unrestrained, though it is generally worn in a tight braid to keep it up and out of the way. That style emphasizes the gaunt nature of the woman's features, and draws attention to her pointed elven ears. Marietta's eyes are a clear blue whose shade can shift subtly with her moods, resembling chill ice and stormy skies.
For clothing, Marietta generally wears black trousers, tucked into heavy leather boots that come up nearly to her knees. Her tunic is a forest green, belted securely and worn beneath a leather vest treated with a variety of dyes. The resulting patchy blots are of use in Marietta's work, helping camouflage her in forest and scrubland. She has only minor protective covering in the form of forearm bracers and an archer's chest guard that protects her left side.
Marietta's most obvious weaponry is the bow and quiver of arrows that rides over her shoulder. The bow is remarkable insofar as it is a greatbow, a massive, powerful weapon meant for war. Unstrung, the stave is taller than Marietta, and on first sight most would not credit her with the ability to use the weapon.
At her waist, Marietta has a pouch containing several extra bow strings, along with some arrowheads and fletching gear. Joining the pouch on her right hip is a long single-edged dagger, which isn't a weapon so much as a utility knife, though it works in a pinch. Balancing the items out on her left hip is a shamshir, an elegantly curved, saber-like weapon that Marietta only rarely uses, though it is almost always on her person.
Skills/Occupation:
Marietta is a forester by trade, and a soldier by training. As such, she has a great deal of experience with archery, wood craft, and hunting. She can live off the land, and cover distances efficiently and quietly as needed. One thing she is not, however, is a swordswoman. Marietta knows how to use the blade she bears, but she's mediocre at best. While she is not physically imposing - her slender elven build sees to that - her heritage does gift her with certain advantages, among them keen eyes and hearing, as well as a swift and silent step.
Seekers:
Caststarter as Yondrin Bulsill, Orcish Pathfinder, employed by the Dakorel Company
Chewy905 as Karen Lane, Human Big Game Hunter, self-employed
roseleaf320 as Dorothy Hausenbergerdorff, Human Alchemist, self-employed
Apocalypse as Ember, Tiefling Dancer, self-employed
Kooroo as Luca Forsythe, Human Mercenary, self-employed
superjars as Salindrel Forestwalker, Elven Investigator, employed by The Keepers of the Grove
Arthur as Raithe, Ghoul Mercenary, self-employed
< Message edited by Kellehendros -- 3/13/2020 20:17:06 >
|
Printable Version
Icon Legend
New Messages
No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages
Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages
Locked w/o New Messages
Post New Thread
